Many system-level design tasks (e.g. timing analysis, hardware/software partitioning and design space exploration) involve computational kernels that are intractable (usually NP-hard). As a result, they involve high running times even for mid-sized problems. In this paper we explore the possibility of using commodity graphics processing units (GPUs) to accelerate such tasks that commonly arise in the electronic design automation (EDA) domain. We demonstrate this idea via a detailed case study on a general hardware/software design space exploration problem and propose a GPU-based engine for it. Not only does this problem commonly arise in the embedded systems domain, its computational kernel turns out to be a general combinatorial optimization problem (viz. the knapsack problem) which lies at the heart of several EDA applications. Our experimental results show that our GPU-based implementation offers very attractive speedups for this computational kernel (up to 100×), and speedups of up to 17× for the full problem. In contrast to ASIC/FPGA-based accelerators – since even low-end desktop and notebook computers are today equipped with GPUs – our solution involves no extra hardware cost. Although recent research has shown the benefits of using GPUs for a variety of non-graphics applications (e.g. in databases and bioinformatics), hardly any work has been done on harnessing the parallelism of GPUs to accelerate problems from the EDA domain. We hope that our results and the generality of the problem we address will motivate researchers from this community to explore the possibility of using GPUs for a wider variety of problems from the EDA domain.


Two-way relaying in wireless systems has initiated a large research effort during the past few years. While one-way relay with a single data flow introduces loss in spectral efficiency due to its half-duplex operation, two-way relaying based on wireless network coding regains part of this loss by simultaneously processing the two data flows. In a broader perspective, the two-way traffic pattern is rather limited and it is of interest to investigate other traffic patterns where such a simultaneous processing of information flows can bring performance advantage. In this paper we consider a scenario beyond the usual two‐way relaying: a four-way relaying, where each of the two Mobile Stations (MSs) has a two-way connection to the same Base Station (BS), while each connection is through a dedicated Relay Station (RS). While both RSs are in the range of the same BS, they are assumed to have antipodal positions within the cell, such that they do not interfere with each other. We introduce and analyze a two-phase transmission scheme to serve the four-way traffic pattern defined in this scenario. Each phase consists of combined broadcast and multiple access. We analyze the achievable rate region of the new schemes for two different operational models for the RS, Decode-and-Forward (DF) and Amplify-and-Forward (AF), respectively. We compare the performance with a state-of-the-art reference scheme, time sharing is used between the two MSs, while each MS is served through a two-way relaying scheme. The results indicate that, when the RS operates in a DF mode, the achievable rate regions are significantly enlarged. On the other hand, for AF relaying, the gains are rather modest. The practical implication of the presented work is a novel insight on how to improve the spatial reuse in wireless cellular networks by coordinating the transmissions of the antipodal relays.


Text information on typical domestic terrorist organization released by domestic mainstream network media is collected, and network text analysis tools are adopted to extract the entities that reflect the social network structure of terroristic organizations and the associated data from text information, to construct the covert networks for social organization structure of terrorists. Network analysis tools are adopted to carry out a social network quantitative analysis to the terroristic network characteristics in both individual level and organizational level. The study shows, that text information on terroristic activities from various network media can be effectively processed by text data mining, and visual network models that reflect social organization structure of terrorists can be made accordingly, and this demonstrates that to combine data mining tools with social network analytical method is an effective approach to study the covert networks of terroristic organizations.


The rotational spectra of two isotopologues have been recorded and interpreted for the van der Waals complex chlorotrifluoroethylene-argon, by using pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave technique. Argon locates out of the ethylene plane, in the FCCF cavity of chlorotrifluoroethylene. The preference of the CFCl side over CF2 can be attributed to the presence of "π-hole" over the double bond in chlorotrifluoroethylene. Non-covalent interaction analysis indicated that the van der Waals interaction occurs between argon and two sites of chlorotrifluoroethylene (the π-system and the F atom of the CFCl top). The steric effect between Ar and the C-Cl bond repulses the Ar atom toward the C-F side.


Abstract : The Air Force recently approved the purchase of 1500 Cromemco microcomputers. After approximately 400 were installed, various agencies realized that they needed to develop an on-going program to keep their people trained on the machines. However, additional personnel were not authorized to set up a training program. A survey of microcomputer focal points revealed that a Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) package that taught Beginner's All Purpose Instruction Code (BASIC), would be a good start in developing a training program that required no additional manpower. The author developed a CAI package to satisfy this need. The CAI code was written so that it would conform to Air Force CAI standards, and run on a variety of microcomputers. It was meant to provide sufficient instruction to transform a non-programmer into a programmer competent enough to write mission related programs. It consists of 30 programs, including six lessons (each with two parts), six tests, several homework problems, and a training report maker. (Author)


Partnerships are increasingly seeking tools that enable stakeholders to reflect on their own effectiveness, benchmark the status of their partnership and provide a framework for development. Drawing on the evaluation of two Health Action Zones, this article focuses on the use of one such formal assessment tool, adapted from the Nuffield Partnership Assessment Tool and the Verona Benchmark, to explore the contribution of formal tools to our understanding of partnership. It outlines some key methodological limitations and stresses the continued importance of an understanding of context alongside any measurement of partnership effectiveness. It is suggested that formal assessment tools can be extremely valuable in terms of the learning that can result both from the process itself and from the outcomes of the assessment. However, as a stand-alone device they are open to misinterpretation and unlikely to foster development other than in those partnerships prepared to invest the necessary resources in a broad-based evaluation.


Background SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant caused a large number of COVID-19 cases in many countries, including Vietnam. Understanding mortality risk factors is crucial for the clinical management of severe COVID-19. Methods We conducted a retrospective study at an intensive care center in Ho Chi Minh City that urgently built by Bach Mai Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam, when the Delta variant predominated. Participants were laboratory-confirmed patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, admitted in August 2021. Data on patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, radiographic and laboratory findings, treatment, and clinical time course were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Risk factors to mortality were assessed using logistic regression. Results Among 504 eligible COVID-19 patients, case fatality was 52.2%. Unvaccinated patients accounted for 61.2% of non-survivors and 43.6% of survivors (p < 0.001). The time from onset to hospital admission was 8 days in non-survivors and 7 days in survivors (p = 0.004). Among non-survivors, 90.2% developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Oxygen therapy was administered for all patients, but antiviral agent was given to 51.7% of non-survivors. 54.2% of non-survivors tested positive for the bacterial infection using blood culture. The risk factors for mortality were diabetes mellitus, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, vaccination status, time from onset to admission, and older age. Conclusions Critical patients with COVID-19 owing to the Delta variant in Vietnam had delayed hospital admission, leading to ARDS and death. Early availability of vaccines and preventing bacterial infections are crucial for reducing mortality of COVID-19, especially in low- and middle-income countries.


Coping process involves contingency actions of individual to alter their cognitive and behaviour to cope with stress encountering events in life. Self-coping mechanisms were examined further as mediating effect between financial practices and financial security among female-headed households in Malaysia. A model was then constructed based on Characteristics Theory, Cognitive of Stress and Coping Theory. A multi-stage random sampling was executed and a self-administered survey was executed to collect data from 600 respondents from six single mother associations at every zone in Malaysia. A structural equation modelling using AMOS software was used to examine mediating effect of self-coping mechanisms in a relationship between financial practices and financial security of female-headed households in Malaysia. The findings support that a significant relationship exists between indirect and mediating models. The study revealed that there is a partial mediating effect of self-coping mechanisms between financial practices and financial security. The role of self-coping mechanisms is crucial to grasp a better understanding of how financial practices and financial security are related to improving the living standards of female-headed households. Implications and limitations of the study are dissussed further.


The quaternary ammonium group containing cellulose was prepared by the one-pot method and applied for the removal of chromate (CrO4 2- ) ions from aqueous solution. The prepared sorbent was characterized by using elemental analyzer and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Its ion exchange behavior toward CrO4 2- ions was investigated as a function of sorbent dose and initial solution pH. The kinetic and sorption equilibrium experiments were also carried out in a batch system. Equilibrium data were best fitted with the Langmuir model and the maximum ion exchange capacity of the sorbent was found as 3.8 mg of CrO4 2- /g sorbent. Moreover, the removal of CrO4 2- is achieved within 5 minutes. Furthermore, the calculated thermodynamic parameters disclosed that the ion exchange reaction is feasible, spontaneous and exothermic. In addition, the CrO4 2- ions can be desorbed from the sorbent by 1.0 M HCl solution with 95% regeneration efficiency.


We tested whether the respective angiotensin type 1 (AT(1)) and 2 (AT(2)) receptor subtype antagonists losartan and PD-123319 could block the descending vasa recta (DVR) endothelial intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) suppression induced by ANG II. ANG II partially reversed the increase in [Ca(2+)](i) generated by cyclopiazonic acid (CPA; 10(-5) M), acetylcholine (ACh; 10(-5) M), or bradykinin (BK; 10(-7) M). Losartan (10(-5) M) blocked that effect. When vessels were treated with ANG II before stimulation with BK and ACh, concomitant AT(2) receptor blockade with PD-123319 (10(-8) M) augmented the suppression of endothelial [Ca(2+)](i) responses. Similarly, preactivation with the AT(2) receptor agonist CGP-42112A (10(-8) M) prevented AT(1) receptor stimulation with ANG II + PD-123319 from suppressing endothelial [Ca(2+)](i). In contrast to endothelial [Ca(2+)](i) suppression by ANG II, pericyte [Ca(2+)](i) exhibited typical peak and plateau [Ca(2+)](i) responses that were blocked by losartan but not PD-123319. DVR vasoconstriction by ANG II was augmented when AT(2) receptors were blocked with PD-123319. Similarly, AT(2) receptor stimulation with CGP-42112A delayed the onset of ANG II-induced constriction. PD-123319 alone (10(-5) M) showed no AT(1)-like action to constrict microperfused DVR or increase pericyte [Ca(2+)](i). We conclude that ANG II suppression of endothelial [Ca(2+)](i) and stimulation of pericyte [Ca(2+)](i) is mediated by AT(1) or AT(1)-like receptors. Furthermore, AT(2) receptor activation opposes ANG II-induced endothelial [Ca(2+)](i) suppression and abrogates ANG II-induced DVR vasoconstriction.


This paper studied the adequacy of the World and China lithium resources, considering the most promising uses in the future, involving nuclear fusion and electric-vehicles. The lithium recycle model for D-T fusion power plant and electric-vehicles, and the logistic growth prediction model of the primary energy for the World and China were constructed. Based on these models, preliminary evaluation of lithium resources adequacy of the World and China for D-T fusion reactors was presented under certain assumptions. Results show that: a. The world terrestrial reserves of lithium seems too limited to support a significant D-T power program, but the lithium reserves of China are relatively abundant, compared with the world case. b. The lithium resources contained in the oceans can be called the "permanent" energy. c. The change in 6Li enrichment has no obvious effect on the availability period of the lithium resources using FDS-II (Liquid Pb-17Li breeder blanket) type of reactors, but it has a stronger effect when PPCS-B (Solid Li4 SiO4 ceramics breeder blanket) is used.


In recent years, demand response (DR) has been explored as a fundamental strategy for demand-side management due to its advantages in mediating intermittency of renewable energy generation, load shifting, etc. To engage customers in DR programs, several deterministic price-based DR strategies have been developed and implemented. However, the stochastic weather conditions and occupants' consumption behaviors often make the deterministic solution less robust to uncertainties. In this paper, with the consideration of the uncertainties, a stochastic Stackelberg game is proposed to model the price-demand negotiation between a distributed system operator and load aggregators, where the virtual battery constraints are extracted from the building thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs)' characteristics to guarantee comfortable TCLs' levels. Following the negotiation, a priority-based control method is used to allocate the optimal aggregated power DR profile at the building level and track the power signal. Several groups of experiments have demonstrated the effectiveness and robustness of the stochastic solutions.


Heart failure(HF)is the terminal stage of cardiovascular diseases and has long been one of the most deadly condition due to its high morbidity and mortality.Since the currently available treatment options cannot meet the clinical needs,new therapeutic strategies for HF should be actively explored.Epigenetics does not involve the changes of genetic sequences but focuses on the stable inheritance of genes in different individuals.It is affected by the interaction between genes and environments,which may result in DNA methylation,histone modification,and other changes.This article summarizes the recent research advances in epigenetics in HF.


Renal cysts are fluid-filled cavities on the surface of kidneys which may be solitary or multiple. They may present as incidental finding during routine radiological investigations for chronic renal failure, end-stage renal disease or due to associated abdominal symptoms. During routine cadaveric dissection at the Institute, multiple cysts were observed on the surface of left kidney in a 67-year-old male cadaver. The cysts were carefully observed for gross appearance and histological examination of the cysts and biochemical analysis of cystic fluid was done. The right kidney was normal in gross appearance but was associated with double renal arteries. The left kidney, which appeared smaller, showed polycystic appearance with total 14 cysts on the surface of left kidney and distorted histology. Knowledge of renal cysts and variations in renal vascular anatomy should be kept in mind for planning effective treatment.


The changes in percent drip loss (PDL), total water content, and shrinkage at different postmortem (PM) stages were examined in four pork quality classes: pale, soft, exudative (PSE); reddish-pink, soft, exudative (RSE); reddish-pink, firm, non-exudative (RFN); and dark, firm, dry (DFD). The PDL of PSE and RSE samples rapidly decreased with time, whereas those of RFN and DFD did not. Although the PDL of RSE showed a decrease (p < 0.05) with time, the percentage of total water did not change. Large pieces of loin exhibited less shrink than smaller pieces. These results indicated that water-holding capacity, as expressed by shrinkage, improved at extended PM times.


Flutter is a complex problem caused by the interaction between the elastic structure and the flow field around that. In this paper a study of flutter on high speed train external windshield is presented.
 Here, a coupling scheme of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational structure dynamics (CSD) is applied to simulate the flutter problems. Specifically, some key technologies like tight coupling method, information transfer and mesh deformation strategy are involved. Repeatedly exchanging information in the sub-iteration of physical time step is basically typical of tight coupling method, which is a second-order accuracy method. This flutter methodology has been applied for standard model AGARD 445.6 wing and other engineering examples, with lots of excellent results obtained.
 In this high speed train external windshield flutter research, eight train speed conditions are chosen to simulate the flutter issue, including 250km/h, 300km/h, 350km/h, 400 km/h, 450 km/h, 500 km/h, 550 km/h and 600 km/h. As for structural model, the first 30 order modes of elastic windshield are taken into consideration for CFD/CSD coupling simulation. In addition, it is defined to be the flutter boundary once the generalized displacement curve performing as persistent oscillation, which is the critical stable state for the vibration of external windshield. According to the research, under a specific train speed condition, adjustment of modal eigenfrequency can lead to the change of vibration stability. Furthermore, it is found that there is a positive correlation between train speed and modal eigenfrequency. So the optimal windshield scheme under different operating speeds is proposed that in order for the convergent vibration, a measure of changing eigenfrequency can be taken to ensure the vibration convergent and flutter cannot occur.


ABSTRACT To identify immunologic factors that modulate the risk of herpes zoster (HZ), we compared varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-specific and nonspecific T-cell subpopulations of 47 HIV-infected children before they developed HZ with those of 141 VZV-positive HZ-negative matched controls. Compared with controls, HZ cases had lower VZV-specific CD8+ CD107a+ cell percentages independently of CD4+ percentages or HIV loads, suggesting that VZV-specific cytotoxic T cells are protective against HZ. In contrast, high nonspecific regulatory and activated T cells were associated with an increased risk of HZ.


As a typical stability enhancement method, the axial slot casing treatment (ASCT) has been verified to extend the stall margin under uniform inflow condition. In order to further investigate its stability-enhancing capability under distorted inlet conditions, a series of experimental studies were carried out on a low-speed axial flow compressor. An ASCT structure which can improve the stall margin by 38.75% under uniform inflow was studied. Three types of circumferential total pressure distortion intensities, namely, 0.90%, 4.12%, and 24.75%, are selected to conduct the steady and unsteady measurements with and without ASCT. The results showed that the three distorted inflow have deteriorated the compressor stall margin by 7.87%, 9.19% and 39.08%, respectively. The ASCT can widen the compressor stall margin by 43.86%, 40.27%, and 22.83% under the three distorted inflow conditions, respectively. It demonstrates the strong anti-distortion capability of ASCT. The unsteady pressure signal measured on the casing wall showed that the ASCT could significantly reduce the circumferential propagation speed of stall precursors under all inflow conditions. Under the circumferential total distorted inflows, the stall precursor first appears at the position where the rotor is about to rotate out of the distortion region, and then decays in the undistorted region. The power spectral density of the stall process showed that the ASCT can suppress the disturbance, whose frequency is near the rotating stall frequency band, thereby delaying the occurrence of rotating stall.


At present, aerogel is one of the most interesting materials globally. The network of aerogel consists of pores with nanometer widths, which leads to a variety of functional properties and broad applications. Aerogel is categorized as inorganic, organic, carbon, and biopolymers, and can be modified by the addition of advanced materials and nanofillers. Herein, this review critically discusses the basic preparation of aerogel from the sol–gel reaction with derivation and modification of a standard method to produce various aerogels for diverse functionalities. In addition, the biocompatibility of various types of aerogels were elaborated. Then, biomedical applications of aerogel were focused on this review as a drug delivery carrier, wound healing agent, antioxidant, anti-toxicity, bone regenerative, cartilage tissue activities and in dental fields. The clinical status of aerogel in the biomedical sector is shown to be similarly far from adequate. Moreover, due to their remarkable properties, aerogels are found to be preferably used as tissue scaffolds and drug delivery systems. The advanced studies in areas including self-healing, additive manufacturing (AM) technology, toxicity, and fluorescent-based aerogel are crucially important and are further addressed.


This paper evaluates interfacial failure criterion under combined stress state and precise location along the fiber circumference of interfacial failure (debonding) initiation at glass fiber fiber/epoxy interface by the cruciform specimen method. The effects of both thermal residual stress occurred during specimen preparation and inelastic stress-strain constitutive relationship of matrix resin on the evaluation of interfacial failure criterion are considered. The interfacial stresses distribute along with fiber circumference. In this study, the location of interfacial failure initiation is specified and the interfacial failure criterion is evaluated. By changing the cruciform arm angle (the angle between the fiber and the loading directions), various combined stress states are obtained which make it possible to evaluate the interfacial failure criterion. Both the quadratic and parabolic criteria are assumed and discussed.


OBJECTIVES
The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of smoking on vertical periodontal bone loss over 10 years.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study base consisted of a population that was examined on two occasions with a 10-year interval, including 91 individuals, 24 smokers, 24 former smokers, and 43 non-smokers. The assessment of vertical bone loss was based on full sets of intra-oral radiographs from both time points. The severity of vertical bone loss was expressed as the proportion of proximal sites with vertical defects per person.

RESULTS
The 10-year increase in the proportion of vertical defects was statistically significant in all groups (p<0.001) and, in addition, significantly associated with smoking (p<0.05). In particular, the difference between smokers and non-smokers was significant (p<0.01) whereas former smokers did not differ from non-smokers. Moreover, the 10-year vertical bone loss was significantly greater in heavy exposure smokers than in light exposure smokers suggesting an exposure-response effect (p<0.01). Compared with non-smokers the unadjusted 10-year relative risk was 2.3-fold increased in light exposure smokers and 5.3-fold increased in heavy exposure smokers (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
The present observations indicate a significant long-term influence of smoking on vertical periodontal bone loss, yielding additional evidence that smoking is a risk factor for periodontal bone loss.


Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is a cornerstone in cardiovascular prevention and lowers cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in patient with coronary artery disease (CAD). Mental stress and physical exertion can trigger acute coronary events and prothrombotic responses to stress may contribute to such triggering. Platelet activation seems to contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. The doseand time-dependence of antiplatelets effects of aspirin (37.5 mg/day, 320 mg/day and a single dose of 960 mg) were studied in 15 male healthy volunteers. The variable most sensitive to inhibition by aspirin was arachidonic acid (AA)-induced platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma, followed by serum TxB2. The urinary excretion of 11-dehydro-TxB2 was less markedly, but dose-dependently reduced by aspirin. The effectiveness of aspirin is thus highly dependent on the assay method used. There was limited inhibition by aspirin of collagen and AA-induced platelet aggregation in hirudinized whole blood and there was recovery of platelet function in whole blood within a normal 24 h dosing interval in healthy volunteers. The effects of clopidogrel treatment on exercise-induced platelet activation were examined in 15 healthy volunteers who performed an exhaustive exercise test, and in 31 aspirin treated patients with stable CAD who performed a symptom limited exercise test in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study. Strenuous exercise evoked multicellular activation in vivo and promoted a prothrombotic state. Clopidogrel treatment inhibited platelet and platelet-leukocyte aggregation evoked by ADP and thrombin (which releases ADP from platelets) stimulation in vitro but the acute prothrombotic response to exercise was little influenced by clopidogrel treatment in both aspirin treated CAD patients and healthy volunteers. This indicates that the P2Y12 receptor is not likely to be of major importance for "stress-induced" platelet activation. The urinary excretion of 11-dehydro-TxB2 (TxM) reflects platelet activity in vivo. The present work improved the methodology for immunological measurements of TxM in urine, and also showed that such measurements may be performed in plasma for the evaluation of platelet activity. This method showed excellent agreement with the gold standard method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Urinary TxM increased throughout normal pregnancy with the highest excretion 3-7 days postpartum. In 28 patients at high risk of suffering preeclampsia urinary TxM was elevated compared to the healthy pregnant women already before gestational week 13. Low-dose aspirin treatment (75 mg once daily) effectively inhibited platelet-dependent thromboxane production early in pregnancy in high risk patients, but urinary TxM increased later during pregnancy. The results support a role for thromboxane in preeclampsia, and suggest that aspirin treatment should be initiated earlier than has been the case in studies which show only modest protective effects of low-dose aspirin. This thesis shows that both aspirin and clopidogrel have limitations as antithrombotic agents. Some patients at risk may not benefit from adequate aspirin protection against cardiovascular events. One explanation for this result may be our finding of a recovery of platelet function 24 hours after dosing and that pronounced AA-induced platelet aggregation persists in whole blood despite aspirin treatment. "Stress-induced" platelet activation is little influenced by treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel. This information about treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel might be useful in shaping more efficient antithrombotic therapy for patients at high cardiovascular risk. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS The thesis is based on the following original papers, which will be referred to in the text by their Roman numerals I-V. I. Perneby C, Granström E, Beck O, Fitzgerald D, Harhen B, Hjemdahl P. Optimization of an enzyme immunoassay for 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 in urine: comparison with GC-MS. Thromb Res 1999;96:427-436. II. Perneby C, Wallén NH, Rooney C, Fitzgerald D, Hjemdahl P. Doseand timedependent antiplatelet effects of aspirin. Thromb Haemost 2006;95:652-658. III. Perneby C, Vahter M, Åkesson A, Bremme K, Hjemdahl P. Thromboxane metabolite excretion during pregnancy – influence of preeclampsia and aspirin treatment. Thromb Res 2011;127:605-606. IV. Perneby C, Wallén NH, Hu H, Li N, Hjemdahl P. Prothrombotic responses to exercise are little influenced by clopidogrel treatment. Thromb Res 2004;114:235-243. V. Perneby C, Wallén NH, Hofman-Bang C, Tornvall P, Ivert T, Li N, Hjemdahl P. Effect of clopidogrel treatment on stress-induced platelet activation and myocardial ischemia in aspirin-treated patients with stable coronary artery disease. Thromb Haemost 2007;98:1316-1322. These original articles are reproduced in this thesis with permissions from the publishers.


The exocentric labelling model of Chomsky's (2013, 2015) Problems of Projection renders projection rather more problematic than it was previously, giving rise to numerous technical and conceptual complications, redundancies and inconsistencies. Of particular concern is the reversibility of the assumptions that are made with respect to the relation between labelling and Search, such that the opposite theory is equally coherent and delivers the same empirical results. After reviewing these concerns, a simpler conception of exocentric labelling is sketched in which all labels are uniformly added via external Merge of categorizing phase heads, turning unlabelled (uninterpreted) nonphase syntactic objects into labelled (interpreted) phases. Some conceptual and empirical advantages of the simpler system are finally considered.


Structural Studies of a Novel Adhesin Involved in Host-specific Lactobacillus reuteri Biofilm Formation in the Vertebrate Gastrointestinal Tract
In vertebrates, strains of the gut symbiont, Lactobacillus reuteri, form biofilms on the proximal gastric stratified epithelium in a host-dependent manner. The gene for a novel serine-rich repeat (SRR) adhesin, conserved amongst rat and porcine L. reuteri,
is essential for successful biofilm formation, suggesting initial adhesion to be the most crucial step for colonisation, and a possible driver of host-specificity. High resolution crystal structures of the partial binding regions (BR) of two SRR adhesins, BR55 and BR78, from porcine L. reuteri ATCC 53608 and rodent L. reuteri 100-23 strains, respectively, are reported. Although 50% similar, the BRs were highly conserved in
overall structure and in the orientation of putative binding residues. BR55 and BR78's right-handed parallel β-sheet solenoid-type fold (typical of pectate lyase like proteins), and their aromatic residue-rich putative binding cleft indicated that glycans were the most likely binding substrates. Potential binding residues were identified, allowing
mutagenesis for functional studies. SAXS analysis of the complete BR55 protein revealed two regions of intrinsic disorder at the N- and C-terminal, beyond the ordered β-solenoid core. Structural information from this investigation provided valuable insights for ongoing biochemical analyses.
Purification Method Development for Structural Studies of WaaP: an Essential Gram-Negative Bacteria Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Kinase
LPS is a vital component of Gram-negative bacteria outer membrane (OM), playing a crucial role in maintaining OM integrity against host-immune defenses and antibiotics. In turn, phosphorylation of the LPS core oligosaccharide is essential for structural viability of LPS in E.coli, S. enterica and P. aeruginosa. The waaP gene, encoding a Kdo sugar kinase, is a proven virulence factor, essential for phosphorylating LPS.
Furthermore, waaP is conserved amongst many Gram-negative pathogens, and evokes interest as a potential antibiotic target. This thesis reports purification method development of recombinant WaaP for structural studies, and proposes strategies for accessing other WaaP homologues for crystallography. P. aeruginosa WaaP was
successfully purified in adequate amounts for crystallography.


The tetragonal unit cell dimensions a and c of a ternary chalcopyrite semiconductor CuGa0.5In0.5Se2 have been measured over the temperature range 28 to 442 degrees C by the X-ray diffraction method. In this compound the parameter a increased nonlinearly and c linearly with temperature. The linear coefficient of thermal expansion in the a direction ( alpha perpendicular to ) was greater than that in the c direction ( alpha /sub ///). This result indicates an increase in the tetragonal distortion (2-c/a) of this compound with temperature. The anisotropic thermal expansion ( alpha perpendicular to > alpha /sub ///) and the increase in tetragonal distortion of this compound are interpreted in terms of the thermal expansion of the I-VI and III-VI bonds, taking into account both the covalent and the ionic forces.


We examine the extent of the exogeneity of the money supply using monthly data spanning from 1964.04 to 1986.02. The tests applied investigated the plausibility of classical hypotheses. We employed Kalman Filter procedures, Johansen cointegration procedures, and the bootstrap approach. We argued that the real rate of interest did cause, in the Granger sense, the bond stock supporting the claim that the monetary authority was able to perform indirect monetary control through open market transactions. The results show that seigniorage collection was a white noise and econometrically independent from the inflation rate. Money creation and the inflation rate were cointegrated. We found that money growth was weakly exogenous for the parameter of interest in the conditional model of inflation, but the reverse is not true for inflation. Moreover, Granger's causal relation between them was unidirectional from money to inflation. Therefore, money growth was strongly exogenous concerning the inflation rate. These empirical findings differ greatly from many previous results. Our main contribution is having demonstrated that the monetary supply was exogenous with respect to the inflation rate and that the monetary authority had enough independence to execute an active monetary policy.


A comparative study of the scoleces of monozoic tapeworms (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), parasites of catostomid and cyprinid fishes (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) in the Nearctic Region, was carried out using light and scanning electron microscopy. Scoleces of 22 genera of North American caryophyllideans were characterised and their importance for taxonomy, classification and phylogenetic studies was critically reviewed. Nearctic genera exhibit a much higher variation in the shape and form of scoleces compared with taxa in other biogeographical regions. The following basic scolex types can be recognised in Nearctic caryophyllideans: monobothriate (Promonobothrium Mackiewicz, 1968), loculotruncate (Promonobothrium, Dieffluvium Williams, 1978), bothrioloculodiscate (Archigetes Leuckart, 1878, Janiszewskella Mackiewicz et Deutsch, 1976, Penarchigetes Mackiewicz, 1969, Pseudoglaridacris Oros, Uhrovič et Scholz, 2018), fixomegabothriate (Capingens Hunter, 1927), bulbate and bulboacuminate (Atractolytocestus Anthony, 1958), cuneiloculate (Hypocaryophyllaeus Hunter, 1927, Rowardleus Mackiewicz et Deutsch, 1976, Spartoides Hunter, 1929), biacetabulate, bulboloculate, bothrioloculodiscate (Biacetabulum Hunter, 1927), tholate (Hunterella Mackiewicz et McCrae, 1962), cuneifimbriate (Khawia Hsü, 1935), cuneiform (Calentinella Mackiewicz, 1974, Caryophyllaeides Nybelin, 1922, Edlintonia Mackiewicz, 1970), hastate (Pseudolytocestus Hunter, 1929), loculotholate (Bialovarium Fischthal, 1953, Pliovitellaria Fischthal, 1951), and cuneiformoloculate (Glaridacris Cooper, 1920, Isoglaridacris Mackiewicz, 1965). The same type of scolex may be shared by species of different genera or families and species of the same genus can have a scolex of conspicuously different morphology, e.g. in Promonobothrium. Scolex morphology may be therefore of limited use in generic designation.


Author(s): Orlando, Angela | Advisor(s): Arnold, Jeanne E | Abstract: Influential scholars such as Pierre Bourdieu theorize that, because people practice unyielding habitus, members of the same class strata have similar taste and consume art objects reflective of this. In this dissertation, I address the relationships between art that is on display in the homes of 48 families (representing their taste preferences) and a range of economic and social variables. The sample consists of contemporary middle-class households - 32 in Los Angeles, California, and 16 in Lima, Peru. Methodologically, I employ quantitative and qualitative techniques inspired by sociocultural and ethnoarchaeological anthropology. I test several subsets of hypotheses involving such factors as quantity and placement of objects in the homes, socioeconomic status, marital satisfaction, gendered and age-based preference, and socialization of children toward that preference. I also explore the meanings family members ascribe to these artifacts. Photographic and videographic data-gathering methods allow me to examine all of the decorative objects displayed in the houses' most publicly visible spaces. I use cultural consensus modeling, including semantic analyses of open-ended interviews and a new visual preference-ranking technique, to determine congruence between people's tastes. Among the patterns emerging from the analyses, even non-utilitarian household objects reflect homeowners' cultural capital, but class, and the cultural capital upon which it partially depends, is but one variable contributing to people's relationship with their household aesthetic. Some people who self-identify as middle-class consume art that some would consider "fine;" others do not. I posit that taste does not correlate with class as class is traditionally construed. Self-identified middle-class Angelenos and Limenos are not fixed in a habituated aesthetic based on such factors as income or power. Rather, they select from options that are increasing in availability with the rapid global flow of objects and ideas.


The French National Herbarium, estimated at 8 million
 preserved specimens from around the world,
 but particularly in France, Francophone Africa, New Caledonia,
 Madagascar, Southeast Asia, in French Guiana .
 It also has important collections in light of the history of botany:
 Tournefort, Jussieu, Lamarck, Adanson, and those of famous travelers
 as Bonpland, Michaud, Saint-Hilaire, Richard, D'Orbigny etc.
 The designation at CITES is FR 75A. It publishes Adansonia, a botanical
 periodical, and journals on
 the flora of New Caledonia, Madagascar and Comores, Cambodia, Laos and
 Vietnam, Cameroon, and Gabon.


Due to the influence of the language of politics, the noun phrase, tłuste koty, has become established in modern Polish language. As the research material proves, the idiom fat cats has a negative connotation in the Polish language. Most often, it refers to rich people associated with business, as well as politicians and people in power, such as legislative, executive and judicial. The analysed texts provide many modifications of the expression under analysis, e.g., wypasione pisowskie tłuste koty, tłuste koty w sutannach, tłuste koty nadziane ośmiorniczkami, tłuste koty na złotych spadochronach, lejące krokodyle łzy podczas ucieczki z pogromu kociego na Wall Street, najtłustszy i wredny kot, okrąglutki, milutki, taki kotek tłuściutki. The most important function of modification is to express a critical opinion about people in the category of fatty cats. Through modifications, it is emphasized that the earnings of fatty cats are indecently high, often unreasonable and undeserved. Sharp social opposition causes financiers and politicians to avoid being responsible for their mistakes, for dishonesty. Fat cats are also accused of greed.


We examined the 40 Ca + 238 U reaction experimentally using the Mass-Angle Distribution (MAD) technique and within the Time Dependent Hartree Fock (TDHF) theory, using the TDHF3D code. A new, TDHF based approach has been developed to construct mass distributions as well. The results revealed that the orientation of the heavy deformed prolate nucleus plays a major role in the reaction outcome. It was found that aligned collisions lead to quasifission and short contact times of 5-10 zs, whilst anti-aligned collisions lead to longer contact times (> 23 zs). TDHF accurately predicted the presence of quasifission and the average mass splits in this reaction. The influence of shell effects around 208 Pb in the calculated quasifission characteristics was observed in both experiment and theory.


The reformation of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia system, which was marked by the change from centralized to decentralized system, had an impact on the trend of regional expansion. But, from the end of 2014 the government implemented a moratorium on the formation of new autonomous regions with the reason to focus on resolving the problem of the size of the budget deficit before lifting the moratorium. The purpose of this study is to analyze the driving factors of the formation of new autonomous regions in Indonesia during the reformation era and its impact on state finance. This study is a policy study by collecting data and then analyzing it into a conclusion and recommendation. This type of study is a literature study with the method used is descriptive qualitative method. The results of the study show that since the reform era, the formation of a new autonomous region has been very massive. If calculated on average from 1999 to 2014, each year the new regions increase by 13 regions per year. The formation of the new autonomous regions requires considerable preparation and costs, starting from the initial formation to the implementation. In addition, in general the new autonomous regions show higher fiscal dependencies than the old regions. Thus, it can be stated that the establishment of the new autonomous regions has caused pressure on the state finances due to the large amount of funds that must be transferred to new regions


Optimum calcium-phosphorus (Ca/P) ratio for the growth of African catfish was investigated over a 70-day period with a basal diet formulated and supplemented with Ca/P ratios of (0:0, 1:0.5, 1:1, 2:1.5, 3:1 and 3.5: 1.5) respectively. The results showed that the mean weight gain and specific growth rate increased from the fish fed the control diet up to the fish fed diet with Ca/P ratio of 2:1.5, and then declined consistently to the fish fed diet with Ca/P ratio of 3.5:1.5. Addition of Ca and P in the diets significantly increased the carcass ash, while feeding the fish with the control diet supposed to be imbalance in Ca/P ratio elevated the carcass fat and moisture. The increase in carcass ash consequently resulted in increase (P<0.05) in carcass minerals (Ca, Mg, P, Zn and Fe) in relation to fish fed the control diet. In conclusion, the study suggests Ca/P ratio of 2:1.5 (1.33:1) as the optimum for the production of African catfish.


The authors after showing that a confined helical wave possesses rest mass, electric charge and half spin [1][2] now proves that such a wave is a solution of the Dirac equation. Using the confined helical wave representation of electron, the authors explain in a simple manner why the eigen value for Dirac"s velocity operator is ± c while the average value of the velocity of the wave packet formed by its positive energy solutions is the particle velocity. Further, the confined helical wave representation is seen to be consistent with van der Waerden equation and the zig-zag picture of electron proposed by Pen Rose.


Total impedance is one of the most effective parameters for proper operation of an accelerator system. This quantity is evaluated with the summation of individual component impedance of the vacuum pipe and is desired to be as low as possible. The bellows have very significant effects on total impedance of the accelerator systems particularly synchrotron light source storage rings. Design of the bellow for Iranian Light Source Facility (ILSF) with a practical approach for fabrication has been down. Minimization of the total impedance budget, loss factor and the resulting wake field due to the passage of 400 mA electron beam is the main goal of our design.


The auditory brainstem implant (ABI) can restore useful hearing to patients in whom both auditory nerves have been destroyed by tumors of the V111th cranial nerve (vestibular schwannomas), and who therefore cannot benefit from cochlear implants The present version of the ABI consists of 8 platinum-iridium electrodes implanted over the ventral cochlear nucleus. However, the overall auditory performance of patients with this surface-electrode ABI is considerably poorer than the average performance of patients with a multi-channel cochlear implants. One possible explanation for this difference is the relatively poor access to the tonotopic axis of the cochlear nucleus, as compared to the cochlear implant. The objective of the present project has been to develop an auditory prosthesis that is based on microstimulation within the human ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN). The functionality of such a device is dependent on its ability to access the tonotopic axis of the human ventral cochlear nucleus in an orderly fashion, and its ability to excite the efferent projections from the VCN for a prolonged period without causing them injury or inducing excessive depression of their electrical excitability. We have addressed all of these issues in studies in which iridium microelectrodes were implanted chronically into the posteroventral cochlear nucleus of adult cats.


1. Getting Started and Keeping Going 2. A Standard Approach to Organization 3. Alternative Forms of Writing 4. Style 5. Editing 6. Collaborative Writing 7. Writing for Publication


City shape is an essential reflection of spatial structure, but it has largely been ignored in urban form research. This study employs night-time satellite imagery to depict the scope of urban economic activity to investigate its impact on urban poverty. It is the first study to provide a comprehensive assessment of the mechanisms of city shape on urban poverty by using the fixed-effect estimate methodology for panel data of 285 Chinese cities from 2000 to 2018. The results showed that city compactness has an inverted U-shaped relationship with poverty incidence, which was verified by several robustness tests. Compactness can significantly attract more population into the city, and space costs and commuting costs are important influence channels. Furthermore, there exists heterogeneous nexus between city shape and urban poverty. Compactness has more significant poverty reduction effects in low-attractive cities with low productivity, low wages, and high illiteracy rates.


Background The psychodynamic theory of repression suggests that experiences which are related to internal conflicts become unconscious. Previous attempts to investigate repression experimentally were based on voluntary, intentional suppression of stimulus material. Unconscious repression of conflict-related material is arguably due to different processes, but has never been studied with neuroimaging methods. Methods We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in addition with skin conductance recordings during two free association paradigms to identify the neural mechanisms underlying forgetting of freely associated words according to repression theory. Results In the first experiment, free association to subsequently forgotten words was accompanied by increases in skin conductance responses (SCRs) and reaction times (RTs), indicating autonomic arousal, and by activation of the anterior cingulate cortex. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that these associations were repressed because they elicited internal conflicts. To test this idea more directly, we conducted a second experiment in which participants freely associated to conflict-related sentences. Indeed, these associations were more likely to be forgotten than associations to not conflict-related sentences and were accompanied by increases in SCRs and RTs. Furthermore, we observed enhanced activation of the anterior cingulate cortex and deactivation of hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex during association to conflict-related sentences. Conclusions These two experiments demonstrate that high autonomic arousal during free association predicts subsequent memory failure, accompanied by increased activation of conflict-related and deactivation of memory-related brain regions. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that during repression, explicit memory systems are down-regulated by the anterior cingulate cortex.


Purpose of reviewADAMTS13 represents a landmark in a journey that began over 80 years ago with a single clinical case. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura exemplifies how von Willebrand factor can be responsible for life-threatening thrombosis. This review summarizes recent progress on ADAMTS13, which prevents this deadly event. Recent findingsRecent advances are summarized in four main areas. First, the core ADAMTS13-binding site is contained in a short sequence in the A2 domain, but other domains affect this interaction. Mutations from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and von Willebrand disease provide clues for the structural prerequisites and regulation of von Willebrand factor cleavage. Second, studies are unraveling the reasons why urea, BaCl2, and low ionic strength are required to cleave von Willebrand factor under static conditions. Third, studies on thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and ADAMTS13-knockout mice suggest that ADAMTS13 deficiency alone may not be sufficient to cause thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Finally, ADAMTS13 could be an antithrombotic agent for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and other thrombotic conditions. SummaryStudy of ADAMTS13 has exploded since this metalloprotease was characterized. This knowledge reveals the nature of ADAMTS13's interaction with von Willebrand factor and the pathogenesis of clinical thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, especially in relation to ADAMTS13.


Economic development in a national and international context must be based on a sustainability strategy established on the systemic interaction between the economic, sociocultural, and ecological environments. Today, the world is confronted by many challenges related to climate change and natural-resource flows, including waste streams resulting from economic activity. The need for national and European environmental standards and the work of an environment monitoring authority to reduce air pollution are highlighted by economic and industrial activities. Thus, our research focused on determining if emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen (NO2), and particulate matter 10 (PM10) are influenced by planned and unplanned inspections made by competent authorities from Romania. We built a regression model that estimates the influence of economic measures imposed by the authorities on reducing industrial air pollution. Preliminary results showed that the number of inspections negatively influences air pollution, indicating that national and local authorities in Romania are striving to maintain air quality and are conducting more inspections when air pollution is high.


Many sources of error exist in industrial hygiene measurements. Errors may be systematic or random. Eliminating or controlling systematic and random error during measurement, analysis, and data interpretation is a matter of aggressive quality control/quality assurance and appropriate statistical treatment of data. The occupational health care professional should be aware of error sources in industrial hygiene measurements and be on the lookout for flawed exposure estimates.


1. A clot-like material which results from very rapid plasmoptysis and hydrophyllic swelling of karyoplasm of erythrocytes from freshwater fish was reported. This attribute was found to a lesser degree in erythrocytes from an amphibian, but it was almost lacking in those of an aquatic reptile. 2. Rapid clotting of fish blood with the usual clinical methods was confirmed in this work. Fish blood clotted more quickly with the slide test than with the capillary tube test. In the presence of water, complete coagulation of fish blood occurred in only 65 per cent of the time required for clotting to be completed in air. This speed is attributed to the water-erythrocyte reaction, and not to a quality of the plasma. 3. An attempt was made to correlate the findings with the need for hemostasis and blood coagulation that is peculiar to aquatic vertebrates.


How The West Was Fun is a large-scale, participatory installation developed in response to the disappearing American tradition of rattlesnake roundups. The sculptures, video, images, and performances, which comprise the installation, respond to material collected during research trips to the Apache Rattlesnake Festival in Apache, Oklahoma. The exhibition represents a meditation on the American west, notions of masculinity, cultural malaise, leisure activity and humor.


Renormalization group analysis of boundary conformal field theory on bosonic D25brane is used to study tachyon condensation. Placing the lump on a finite circle and triggering only the first three tachyon modes, the theory flows to nearby IR fixed point representing lumps that are extended object with definite profile. The boundary entropy corresponding to the D24-brane tension is calculated in the leading order in perturbative analysis which decreases under RG flow and agrees with the expected result to an accuracy of 8%. Multicritical behaviour of the IR theory suggests that the end point of the flow represents a configuration of two D24-branes. Analogy with Kondo physics is discussed. We comment on U(∞) symmetry restoration. firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com


A transient metal Vanadium dioxide is known to have a coupled structural and electronic transition that can be accessed through light, thermal, or electrical excitation. Ultrafast optical studies of this insulator-to-metal transition indicate that it is mediated by the formation of a transient metallic phase that retains the structure of the original insulating phase. Sood et al. show that a similar sequence occurs when the material is electrically excited with a series of voltage pulses. Using ultrafast electron diffraction, the researchers monitored the structure of a vanadium dioxide sample after excitation and found evidence of a metastable metallic phase that appears during the transition. Science, abc0652, this issue p. 352 A metastable monoclinic metallic phase is formed during an electrically driven transition in vanadium dioxide. Understanding the pathways and time scales underlying electrically driven insulator-metal transitions is crucial for uncovering the fundamental limits of device operation. Using stroboscopic electron diffraction, we perform synchronized time-resolved measurements of atomic motions and electronic transport in operating vanadium dioxide (VO2) switches. We discover an electrically triggered, isostructural state that forms transiently on microsecond time scales, which is shown by phase-field simulations to be stabilized by local heterogeneities and interfacial interactions between the equilibrium phases. This metastable phase is similar to that formed under photoexcitation within picoseconds, suggesting a universal transformation pathway. Our results establish electrical excitation as a route for uncovering nonequilibrium and metastable phases in correlated materials, opening avenues for engineering dynamical behavior in nanoelectronics.


The field of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) has long recognized a socio-technical gap complicating the design of technologies that can sustainably meet social needs. In response, a growing body of research advocates for assets-based design, an approach that seeks to build upon what the individuals and community already have. The emphasis on positioning assets rather than needs at the center of the process can complicate designers' decisions on what activities to foster, how to conduct them, and what outcomes to expect. In this paper, we reflect on two different assets-based design endeavors with vulnerable populations. Our reflections present assets-based design as an ongoing process that prioritizes the formation and evolution of a collective of assets-based thinkers who continually learn about their assets and ways to use them to attain desirable change. From that reflection, we contribute three methodological commitments for assets-based design to the growing CSCW scholarship on supporting vulnerable communities to attain emancipatory transformations: (1) embedding trust-building elements throughout the journey; (2) facilitating the formation of an interdependent collective; and (3) making moves towards incremental transformations. Further, we contribute a discussion on the change of perspective that entails for researchers and designers interested in undertaking assets-based design. In particular, we underscore the need to recognize the value of work before the work, to see technology as an intermediary rather than an inevitable end, and embrace impact in the shape of slow incremental transformation.


Purpose: In this study, our purpose is to evaluate cochlear and vestibular function in juveniles with HSV using audiometry, DPOAEs, and cVEMP tests.Methods: 40 children diagnosed with HSV from the pediatry clinic and 40 age and sex-matched healthy children were evaluated with distortion product otoacoustic emissions, audiometry, and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) test in a tertiary hospital.Results: The audiometry average values for both ears of HSV group and the control subjects were compared, and as a result, median 4.7 dB sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) was found for HSV group compared to control group at 250 Hz and it was statistically significant (p <0.001). An average of 6.4 dB SHL was detected at 8000 Hz (p <0.001). There was a statistically significant difference among HSV and control group regarding measurement results of average p1-n1 latency time of both ears (0.9 milliseconds (ms) increase, P = 0.035). In HSV patients, the median amplitude difference of both ears' average p1 n1 was found to be 5,6 millivolt, statistically significantly decreased compared to the control group (p = 0.003).Conclusion: This study, firstly in literature, demonstrated that HSV may cause hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction in children. We think this might be due to autoimmune mechanisms.


method of reporting the results of neonatal care can lead to quite different impressions of outcome. We have seen an impressive total handicap rate among babies of less than 1500 g of 1781,, (8 November, p 1237) be reinterpreted, and then acknowledged by the same authors, as 51 1" (17 January, pp 224 and 225). It is imperative that unified methods of data interpretation and presentation are agreed on if valid comparisons are to be made between the results of different nurseries and their types of care. Perhaps this journal could take the lead in proposing a common approach ? Clearly, a standardised format would need to define the study population carefully with reference to the upper and lower limits of weight or gestation (or both) being considered as well as stating whether babies transferred from other hospitals were being included. It would also have to specify criteria for major and minor handicap, with particular reference to such difficult areas as delay in reading age and developmental quotient. Finally, it should recommend a standardised form of presentation. We feel that the data would be best presented as the percentage mortality for the group as a whole and then the percentage of the survivors who are normal or have minor or major degrees of handicap. This could be supplemented by the use of a block diagram showing the outcome of the total study population. For example, the data of Dr E S Steiner and others (8 November, p 1237) would appear as follows (with an accompanying histogram):


In kidney transplantation de novo donor-specific antibodies (DSA) correlate with poor graft survival, and Consensus Guidelines recommend a protocol biopsy. In pancreas transplantation DSA are also associated with poor graft outcomes; however, there are no recommendations on protocol biopsies. We started an antibody screening protocol on pancreas transplant patients at 0, 3, 6, 12 months and yearly. Patients with DSA or high MFI non-DSA were considered for protocol biopsies of both organs. Results: 143 pancreas recipients were screened. 84 patients had negative antibodies throughout the study, 11 patients were found to have antibodies at graft dysfunction and 48 patients had positive antibodies at screening without acute organ dysfunction (study group). Among the 30 non-DSA patients, 9 had protocol simultaneous pancreas and kidney biopsies performed with negative results in all of them. In contrast, among the 18 DSA patients, 15 had these biopsies performed, and 47% presented with subclinical rejection of the kidney, the pancreas or both. In addition, some of the DSA patients without a protocol biopsy presented with rejection during the first 15 months of follow-up. Conclusion: We conclude that protocol biopsies of both grafts may play a role in the follow-up of pancreas transplant patients with de novo DSA appearance.


Although the incidence of esophageal atresia (EA) is higher in twins than in singletons by two to three times, EA usually affects only one member of twins. We report one pair of twins concordant for EA. A 31-year-old healthy woman bore monozygotic female twins at 36 weeks of gestation. They weighed 2,216 and 2,480 g, respectively. They had EA with distal tracheoesophageal fistula and underwent primary esophageal anastomosis on the birth day and the 2 nd day of life, respectively. Twin A also had suspicious antral obstruction and pyloroplasty was done simultaneously with esophageal repair. She needed antral web excision for continued gastric stasis one month after 1 st operation and three balloon dilatations of the esophagus. Twin B recovered uneventfully. (J Kor Assoc Pediatr 15(2):157~160), 2009.


To study the inside of humans is an old wish of mankind. Cystoscopy and its development are known to-initiates. In the following we do not stress this examination, but focus on those people behind it who shared in paving the way for improvement with their fantasy and energy without neglecting to report on the human and very human aspects.


A disadvantage to using extramedullary alignment guides of the tibia for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is difficulty in correctly identifying the ankle center. The anterior border of the tibia is easily palpable, as it is not covered by muscles and its shape is convex anteriorly. We hypothesized that appropriate points exist along the anterior border that can be used as landmarks for extramedullary guides. Prior to TKA, computed tomographic images of the entire tibia were obtained from 101 osteoarthritic knees with varus deformities. The relationship between the lines connecting two points on the anterior border and the mechanical axis was evaluated using 3D imaging software. The mean angles between each of 10 determined axes and the mechanical axis varied from 3.2° varus to 2.1° valgus in the coronal plane. In the sagittal plane, all axes referencing the anterior border of the tibia showed anterior inclination to the mechanical axis. The line connecting the medial one‐third of the patellar tendon attachment and the distal one‐fourth of the anterior border, however, was highly consistent and parallel to the mechanical axis in the coronal plane. This axis can be effectively used as a landmark for extramedullary guides during TKA. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29:919–924


This paper deals with joint data detection and channel estimation for frequency-selective multiple-input multipleoutput (MIMO) systems with focus on the analysis of the channel estimator. First, we present a scheme alternating between joint Viterbi detection and least squares channel estimation and analyze its performance in terms of unbiasedness. Since in the proposed technique the channel estimator exploits both known pilot symbols (nonblind) as well as unknown information bearing symbols (blind), this channel identification scheme is referred to as semiblind. Second, we derive the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) for semiblind channel estimation of frequencyselective MIMO channels, which provides a theoretical lower bound of the achievable mean squared error (MSE) of any unbiased estimator. By simulation the MSE performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated and compared to the CRLB.


Beer is one of the most consumed drinks around the world, containing a variety of compounds that offer both appreciated sensorial characteristics and health advantages. Important healthy compounds in beer are those with antioxidant properties that attenuate the content of free radicals produced as by-products in the human metabolism, exerting an appreciable effect against cancers or cardiovascular diseases. This work details a study of antioxidant compounds present in beer, focusing on the two main groups: phenols (including polyphenolic forms) and melanoidins, formed specifically during brewing as Maillard products. The fundaments of the most important methods to evaluate beer antioxidant activity, the main antioxidant compounds present in beer—especially those with healthy properties—and the new trends to increase beer antioxidant activity are also discussed.


THE TERM "massive" when applied to resections of the small intestine has been defined 1 as the removal of 6 feet 7 inches (200 cm.) or more of the intestine. Because of the fact that the human intestine has been reported 2 to vary from about 10 feet (305 cm.) to 28 feet (853 cm.) depending on race, sex and individual diet, it becomes apparent that an estimation of the amount of bowel remaining is of much greater importance than a record of the amount removed. Koeberle 3 in 1880 reported perhaps the first massive resection, in which 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm.) was resected. In 1935 Haymond 4 reviewed 257 cases collected from the literature, and he found that volvulus was the most common cause for massive intestinal resection, followed in descending order of frequency by strangulated hernia, mesenteric thrombosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, mesenteric derangement and abdominal injuries.


Series opening switches have substantial advantages over crowbars in protecting RF amplifiers such as klystrons, TWTs, and gyrotrons. Diversified Technologies, Inc. has developed and delivered many solid-state opening switches using series arrays of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). The opening switch described here is part of a complete klystron power-supply system for the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory.


The panorama of the "Last mile" is rapidly evolving (or has recently evolved) in many countries under the pressure of demand for broadband Internet and new services requested both by the residential and the business subscribers. In the convergence towards ubiquitous IP and Ethernet in access and metro networks, legacy fixed-infrastructure access-network technology is transforming from xDSL to fibered access (in particular, passive optical networks), also thanks to new low-impact deployment techniques. On the other hand, alternative technological solutions, competing with fibre, offer less bandwidth but in change require lower investments (e.g. HFC, PLC) and/or ensure user mobility (e.g. WiMax, LTE, LEO/MEO satellites). This short tutorial paper provides a quick bird-eye overview of the evolution of the access network, from present to future technical solutions and technologies for implementing the "Last mile". A comprehensive picture looking at the entire panorama of broadband access, and not just at a single technology or only at the latest findings, is of key importance, in our view, for understanding the changes and for adapting to the field reality when providing broadband to private users.


Nowadays, in Vietnam, the pineapple cultivation surface reached 32,000 ha with 1.5 millions of pineapple fruit tones per year. In Vietnam, had been built 9 pineapple canneries and 6 pineapple juice factories, but most of them hadn't got technology for the solid waste and wastewater treatments, so their wastes always polluted the environmental areas. Three thermophylic Actinomyces strains D5, D6 and D7 having high capacity to produce cellulase in the medium with pH = 4 were isolated from the pineapple waste. They could grow and synthesize cellulase with the incubation temperature from 25 o C to 60 o C and the optimum temperatures for their growth and their cellulase production were from 45 o C to 50 o C whith the pH = 5. They grown well in the media containing saccharose and starch as carbon sources and organic nitrogen sourses such as meat extract and peptone. But their highest cellulase production was in the media containing cellulose or CMC-Na as carbon sources and potassium nitrate as nitrogen source. They could not grow and produce cellulase in the media containing ammonium sulfate as nitrogen source. So, these three Actinomyces strains could grow in the media whith pH = 4 and at high temperature. They will be used to make micro-organic product to treat the pineapple solid waste.


INTRODUCTION
The aim of our work was to evaluate the role of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in detection and management of prostate cancer (PC); specifically investigating the efficacy of mpMRI-based biopsy techniques in terms of diagnostic yield of significant prostate neoplasm and the improved management of patients who choose conservative treatments or active surveillance.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
A systematic and critical analysis through Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases was carried out in March 2016, following the PRISMA ("Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses") statement. The search was conducted using the following key words: "MRI/TRUS-fusion biopsy," "PIRADS," "prostate cancer," "magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)," "multiparametric MRI (mpMRI)," "systematic prostate biopsy (SB)," "targeted prostate biopsy (TPB)." English language articles were reviewed for inclusion ability.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
Sixty-six studies were selected in order to evaluate the characteristics and limitations of traditional sample biopsy, the role of mpMRI in detection of PC, specifically the increased degree of diagnostic accuracy of targeted prostate biopsy compared to systematic biopsy (12 cores), and to transperineal saturation biopsies with trans-rectal ultrasound (TRUS) only. MpMRI can detect index lesions in approximately 90% of cases when compared to prostatectomy specimen. The diagnostic performance of biparametric MRI (T2w + DWI) is not inferior to mpMRI, offering valid options to diminish cost- and time-consumption. Since approximately 10% of significant lesions are still MRI-invisible, systematic cores biopsy seem to still be necessary. The analysis of the different techniques shows that in-bore MRI-guided biopsy and MRI/TRUS-fusion-guided biopsy are superior in detection of significant PC compared to visual estimation alone. MpMRI proved to be very effective in active surveillance, as it prevents underdetection of significant PC and it assesses low-risk disease accurately. In higher-risk disease, presurgical MRI may change the clinically-based surgical plan in up to a third of cases.

CONCLUSIONS
Targeted prostate biopsy, guided by mpMRI, is able to improve diagnostic accuracy and to reduce the detection of insignificant PC. Since the negative predictive value (NPV) of mpMRI is still imperfect, systematic cores biopsy should not be omitted for optimal staging of disease. A process of a progressive and periodic evolution in the detection and radiological classification of prostate lesions (such as PIRADS), is still needed in patients in active surveillance and in radical prostatectomy planning.


Extraintestinal involvement is a dreaded complication of amebiasis, with a reported mortality rate of 7%-14%. The authors retrospectively studied 188 patients with extraintestinal amebiasis confirmed by means of clinical, surgical, and radiologic criteria over a 45-month period. Ultrasonography (US) was the mainstay of radiologic investigation. Liver abscess was present in 183 patients (97%); five patients (3%) had other organ involvement but a normal liver. The majority of liver abscesses were in the right lobe. US is recommended for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with extraintestinal amebiasis. It is noninvasive, simple, easily reproducible, and less expensive than computed tomography. Portable models can be taken into remote areas of the less-developed world.


Abstract : The inability of the President of the United States to delegate executive authority for integrating the efforts of departments and agencies on priority missions is a major shortcoming in the way the national security system of the U.S. Government functions. Statutorily assigned missions combined with organizational cultures create "stovepipes" that militate against integrated operations. This obstacle to "unity of effort" has received great attention since 9/11 but continues to adversely affect government operations in an era of increasingly multidisciplinary challenges, from counterproliferation to counterinsurgency in Afghanistan. Presidents have tried various approaches to solving the problem: National Security Council committees, "lead agencies," and "czars," but none have proven effective. Yet one precedent of a relatively successful cross-agency executive authority does exist: the Chief of Mission authority delegated to U.S. resident Ambassadors. The Congress and White House could build on this precedent to provide the President greater ability to manage complex national security problems while strengthening congressional oversight of such missions. Specifically, this paper makes a case in favor of legislation that gives the President authority to delegate his integration powers to "Mission Managers." Congress would need to provide resources to empower mission accomplishment, and the President would need to ensure that the Mission Manager's authority is used properly and is respected by the heads of departments and agencies. This paper argues that while such reform is politically challenging, there are no insuperable legal or organizational obstacles to such reform.


Abstract The 50 km (31 mi) long Hat Creek fault, located along the western margin of the Modoc Plateau in northern California, is a geometrically complex segmented normal fault that offsets Pleistocene lavas by at least 570 m (1870 ft) of cumulative throw. Three subparallel, ∼NNW-trending sets of scarps (Rim, Intermediate, and Recent) reflect a progressive westward migration of surface rupture locations that offset progressively younger Pleistocene volcanic deposits during a ∼1 Myr fault history. The 50 km (31 mi) long Rim scarp comprises predominantly right-stepping segments with a maximum throw of ∼370 m (1214 ft) in ∼925 ka lavas. The 17.5 km (10.9 mi) long Intermediate scarp occurs 0.4 to 3.5 km (0.2–2.2 mi) west of the Rim, comprising left-stepping segments with a maximum throw of ∼177 m (581 ft). The 30.5 km (19 mi) long Recent scarp occurs several tens of meters west of the bases of older scarps, and is composed of left-stepping segments with a maximum throw of 56 m (184 ft). The northernmost segment of the Recent scarp offsets 53.5 ± 2 ka basaltic lavas, whereas the remaining segments offset 24 ± 6 ka basalt flows that erupted into Hat Creek Valley, indicating a youthful scarp system. Vertical propagation of the fault through young lavas produced fault-trace monoclines with amplitudes of up to 30 m (98 ft). The monoclines are commonly breached along their upper hinges by a vertical, dilational fault scarp. Shaking associated with repeated earthquakes progressively broke down these monoclines, causing disaggregation or partial to complete collapse. Fracture patterns and fault segment geometries and linkages were used to deduce the kinematic and stress history. The oldest segments of the Rim and Intermediate systems suggest initial NE-SW to ENE-WSW extension. Later Rim, Intermediate, and Recent segments responded to E-W extension, consistent with the previously documented stress state of the Cascades backarc. Complexity in Intermediate and Recent fault segments near a small shield volcano (Cinder Butte) suggests spatial variability in the stress field caused by a currently dormant magmatic system. Evidence for recent dextral-oblique kinematics along the Recent scarp, implying a slightly WNW-ESE extension, may reflect the transfer of dextral shear into the system from the Walker Lane Belt in western Nevada. Our interpretations require ∼45° of clockwise rotation of the horizontal principal stresses in the vicinity of the Hat Creek fault over the past ∼1 Myr, implying that significant complexity can develop in segmented normal fault systems over relatively short periods of geologic time.


In the beginning of 2022, the world is still fighting the crisis caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The scientific community is still dedicating significant efforts to identify which are the better strategies to mitigate the pandemic and establish how and when to apply them. Modeling and simulation are a common method to replicate and foresee the behavior of the epidemic curve, but traditional analytical models are not capable to explain and reproduce the real evolution of the number of infections and deaths as they only concentrate in the epidemiological aspects of the virus. The COVID-19 crisis has an impact in all fundamental levels of society, and this is the reason why its modeling requires a global perspective and a holistic approach. Though the engineering scope is not common in the study of public health crises, this paper concludes that some engineering tools such as systems analysis and control theory may be the answer to build a high-fidelity model to support the decision-making facing the emergency.


T24 cells derived from a human urinary bladder carcinoma have very low alkaline phosphatase activity. The specific activity is 500 to 1000 times lower than that of HeLa S3 cells. Enzyme activity increases when T24 cells are grown in the presence of prednisolone (δ1-hydrocortisone). Increase in the osmolality of the culture medium with NaCl or sucrose has a similar effect. When cells are grown in hyperosmolar medium with prednisolone added, a synergistic effect is noted. Neither stimulus significantly affects acid phosphatase activity.


Crimean Khanate in northern area of Black Sea became the important slave source for Ottoman Empire between 15th and 18th centuries. Crimea is a location where Russian, Ukrainian, Bosnian, Polish, Nemce, Hungarian, Georgian and Circassian were getting together. As well as Khanate took this slaves, employed them in Bahçesaray, center of Khanate, and surround for own social and ecomical order. In the second half of the 17th century, slaves in Bahçeşehir consisted of the greater part of society. In this study, the fields that slaves were employed in Khanate were examined. For the research, various source works that includes Khanate period when Crimea depended to Ottoman Empire and Crimean Khanate Kadi Records which belong to second half of 17th century were prioritized. Case samples in Records related to slaves and various legacy records were evaluated.


The binding of ZEBRA to methylated and unmethylated viral DNA triggers activation of the EBV lytic cycle, leading to viral replication and, in some patients, cancer development. Our work thoroughly examines how ZEBRA uses a previously unrecognized basic motif to bind nonmethylated and methylated DNA targets, leading to viral lytic activation. Our findings show that two different positively charged motifs, including the canonical BZIP domain and a newly identified RRTRK motif, contribute to the mechanism of DNA recognition by a viral AP-1 protein. This work contributes to the assessment of ZEBRA as a potential therapeutic target for antiviral and oncolytic treatments. ABSTRACT The pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, including development of lymphomas and carcinomas, is dependent on the ability of the virus to transit from latency to the lytic phase. This conversion, and ultimately disease development, depends on the molecular switch protein, ZEBRA, a viral bZIP transcription factor that initiates transcription from promoters of viral lytic genes. By binding to the origin of viral replication, ZEBRA is also an essential replication protein. Here, we identified a novel DNA-binding motif of ZEBRA, N terminal to the canonical bZIP domain. This RRTRK motif is important for high-affinity binding to DNA and is essential for recognizing the methylation state of viral promoters. Mutations in this motif lead to deficiencies in DNA binding, recognition of DNA methylation, lytic cycle DNA replication, and viral late gene expression. This work advances our understanding of ZEBRA-dependent activation of the viral lytic cascade. IMPORTANCE The binding of ZEBRA to methylated and unmethylated viral DNA triggers activation of the EBV lytic cycle, leading to viral replication and, in some patients, cancer development. Our work thoroughly examines how ZEBRA uses a previously unrecognized basic motif to bind nonmethylated and methylated DNA targets, leading to viral lytic activation. Our findings show that two different positively charged motifs, including the canonical BZIP domain and a newly identified RRTRK motif, contribute to the mechanism of DNA recognition by a viral AP-1 protein. This work contributes to the assessment of ZEBRA as a potential therapeutic target for antiviral and oncolytic treatments.


Using an up-to-date database that improves the identification of the destination of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) among Mexican states and spatial panel econometric models that quantify the potential interactions and spillover effects, we analyze the main characteristics that help understand the regional distribution of manufacturing FDI in Mexico. Our main findings indicate the presence of a positive spatial relationship among states' FDI; for example, a higher investment creates a positive spillover effect on neighboring states' FDI and positive direct and indirect effects of human capital, agglomeration and states' fiscal margin. Based on the results of this research, key implications for public policy oriented to strengthen the FDI reside in increasing the average education level and improving tax revenue of Mexican states.


There is a growing appreciation of the role of non-coding RNAs in the regulation of gene and protein expression. Long non-coding RNAs can modulate splicing by hybridizing with precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) and influence RNA editing, mRNA stability, translation activation and microRNA-mRNA interactions by binding to mature mRNAs. LncRNAs are highly abundant in the brain and have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. Long intergenic non-coding RNAs are the largest subclass of lncRNAs and play a crucial role in gene regulation. We used RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses to identify lincRNAs and their predicted mRNA targets associated with fear extinction that was induced by intra-hippocampally administered D-cycloserine in an animal model investigating the core phenotypes of PTSD. We identified 43 differentially expressed fear extinction related lincRNAs and 190 differentially expressed fear extinction related mRNAs. Eight of these lincRNAs were predicted to interact with and regulate 108 of these mRNAs and seven lincRNAs were predicted to interact with 22 of their pre-mRNA transcripts. On the basis of the functions of their target RNAs, we inferred that these lincRNAs bind to nucleotides, ribonucleotides and proteins and subsequently influence nervous system development, and morphology, immune system functioning, and are associated with nervous system and mental health disorders. Quantitative trait loci that overlapped with fear extinction related lincRNAs, included serum corticosterone level, neuroinflammation, anxiety, stress and despair related responses. This is the first study to identify lincRNAs and their RNA targets with a putative role in transcriptional regulation during fear extinction.


Introduction Taurolock® (Bio-Implant HealthCare, Winsen, Germany) is an anti-microbial agent (taurolidine) with anticoagulant properties (citrate). There is evidence that Taurolock® is beneficial in reducing catheter-related blood stream infections (CRBSI) in haemodialysis patients, but there are fewer data regarding benefit in home parenteral nutrition (HPN) patients.1 2 At St Mark's Intestinal Failure Unit Taurolock® is prescribed for patients with greater than three CRBSI in a 12-month period. The primary aim was to determine the incidence of CRBSI prior and subsequent to Taurolock® use. The secondary aim was to establish cost benefit from Taurolock® prescription. Methods Retrospective audit using St Mark's Intestinal Failure (IF) Database. ::::CRBSI and Taurolock® prescription recorded on IF database. CRBSI defined as positive central venous catheter blood cultures with fever±rigors. Simple cost analysis calculated at £8340 per hospital treatment for CRBSI (10 day in-patient admission) and Taurolock costing £11 per day. Results All 16 patients (male 56.3%, mean age 44.8 years (range 23–73)) prescribed Taurolock® were selected. In the pre-treatment group mean duration from first CRBSI episode to Taurolock® prescription was 602±317 days. This pre-treatment group had a mean 9.8±6.5 CRBSI rate per 1000 catheter days. The treatment group (mean duration 557±269 days) had a mean 3.3±3.4 CVC related sepsis rate per 1000 catheter days. There was a significant difference (p<0.001) in CRBSI rate prior and subsequent to Taurolock® prescription. Treating CRSBI for 1 year in these 16 patients pre-Taurolock® cost approximately £367 000 (440 in-patient days and antibiotic costs). Approximate treatment group costs were £228 240 (£164 000 hospital costs for treating CRBSI and £64 240 for Taurolock treatment). One year cost savings of Taurolock® prescription was £138 760. Conclusion Taurolock® significantly decreases CRBSI rate in HPN patients. These results are in keeping with a Canadian group that managed to decrease CRBSI following treatment in seven patients. (2) Taurolock® prescription generates considerable cost savings in this cohort of patients.


Within the framework of the "EU Training Network for Resource Recovery through Enhanced Landfill Mining – NEW-MINE", around 371 Mg of waste were excavated from a landfill site in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium. Parameters such as bulk density, water content, particle size distribution and material composition of the fine fractions (material <90 mm) were determined and analyzed. The variations of bulk density and water content with particle size were studied as well and grouped material fractions were employed for the classification of the material composition. The present article has the main objective to document and disseminate the findings on the material characterization of the fine fractions obtained in this case study, since such information is of critical relevance for the design of an effective and efficient mechanical processing in (enhanced) landfill mining projects. Additionally, the potential of fine fractions for material and energy recovery is discussed. The fine fractions accounted for about 77 wt.% of the total amount of excavated material in raw state. These fractions presented an overall bulk density range of 720-1000 kg/m3 (raw state) and a total water content range of 25-30 wt.%. Results on the material composition in dry state reveal that amounts of 2.1-19.7 wt.% "Combustibles", 31.1-35.4 wt.% "Inert" and 0.6-1.8 wt.% "Total metals" could be recovered from fine fractions 90-10 mm, while 37.8-55.6 wt.% "Fine fractions <10 mm" could be processed further in order to increase the recovery amounts of the previous fractions and produce a soil substitute material.


Introduction: Van der Woude Syndrome (VWS) consists of a genetic abnormality attributed to mutations in the IRF6 gene, characterized by the presence of paramedian pits in the lower lip, cleft lip and/or palate and hypodontia. Phenotypes of the syndrome are related to the oral cavity, and then other dental anomalies would also be present in this specific syndrome.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify different dental phenotypes in subjects with VWS through an integrative review of the literature.

Materials and methods: A systematic search was conducted in Pubmed/Medline for articles which assessed dental phenotypes in van der Woude syndrome.

Results: Six publications were selected, considering the eligibility criteria of the articles. Different dental phenotypes are described in this syndrome. Tooth agenesis is the most common phenotype and is already associated as one of the characteristics of the syndrome. However, taurodontism has also been reported with a prevalence of 46% in these patients.

Conclusion: It is important to understand the nature and extent of the dental phenotype variation in VWS patients, allowing an adequate approach to oral rehabilitation planning for these patients.


LaFeO3 is a perovskite structure (ABO3) catalytic and p-type semiconductor sensing material, its sensing property for toxic gases is seldom reported. The nanocomposites of LaFeO3 and LaFe1-xMgx O3 (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06) were prepared by solution based method and their crystal structures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The sensing test results showed that the response of LaFeO3 to NO2 is greatly enhanced by surface modify of MgO from the former 11.90 increased to 891 at the optimum operating temperature of 350°C, and could be contributed to increase of surface active sites supplied by MgO for both oxygen and NO2 adsorption and surface reaction. The effect of MgO loading and chemical state on gas sensing have been investigated by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis.


This paper presents a goal based methodology for HAZOP studies in which a functional model of the plant is used to assist in a functional decomposition of the plant starting from the purpose of the plant and continuing down to the function of a single node, e.g. a pipe section. This approach leads to nodes with simple functions such as liquid transport, gas transport, liquid storage, gas-liquid contacting etc. From the functions of the nodes the selection of relevant process variables and deviation variables follows directly. The knowledge required to perform the pre-meeting HAZOP task of dividing the plant along functional lines is that of chemical unit operations and transport processes plus a some familiarity with the plant a hand. Thus the preparatory work may be performed by a chemical engineer with just an introductory course in risk assessment. The goal based methodology lends itself directly for implementation into a computer aided reasoning tool for HAZOP studies to perform root cause and consequence analysis. Such a tool will facilitate finding causes far away from the site of the deviation. A Functional HAZOP Assistant is proposed and investigated in a HAZOP study of an industrial scale Indirect Vapour Recompression Distillation pilot Plant (IVaRDiP) at the DTU-Dept. of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. The study shows that the goal based methodology using a functional approach provides a very efficient paradigm for facilitating HAZOP studies and for enabling reasoning to reveal potential hazards in safety critical operations. Keyword: risk Assessment, HAZOP, multilevel flow modelling


The practice of patients giving gifts to their physicians is as longstanding as medicine itself. But the giving of gifts to those in positions of authority has recently come under scrutiny. Bill and Hilary Clinton, for example, have come under attack for accepting gifts from admirers during the last year of their White House stay. Medicine involves a fiduciary relationship, with patients relying on physicians' advice and expertise. If they present physicians unsolicited gifts, is it ethical to accept them? I believe it is, with a few important caveats. First, let me distinguish clearly between gifts from individual patients and those offered by drug companies, device manufacturers, and other commercial ventures. There is a wealth of evidence that such corporate gifts can influence the behavior of health care providers, often in ways that run counter to good patient care. A patient's intent in giving a physician a gift is relevant. There may be 3 possible motives for gift giving: influence, pure beneficence, and appreciation. No one can ever know with certainty the motive behind any action, but subsequent behavior after the gift has been given may provide a clue. Giving a gift to influence an outcome is a bribe, and as such, it is unethical. The increasing tendency of hospitals to attract donor money with promises such as "access to the best" is disturbing. The implication here is that a sizable donation will result in special attention or the ability to "jump the queue." Some institutions even distribute "donor cards" to give patients tangible evidence of their special status. Individual physicians have also been involved in this practice, which cheapens the physician and destroys the trust inherent in a healthy doctor-patient relationship. But some people are simply generous by nature. Gifts to the mail carrier, the newspaper carrier, the hairdresser, the physician, and others in their lives are just a part of their personality. They derive pleasure from the act of giving itself. Such behavior is inspirational and should not be thwarted. What about giving gifts in appreciation of a previous action or in celebration of a healthy relationship? Although this motive is more focused than pure beneficence, it does not aim to change future behavior. To understand the appropriateness of gift giving in this situation, we need to consider the nature of the doctor-patient relationship.


IV estimators with an instrument vector composed only of past squared residuals, while applicable to the semi-strong ARCH(1) model, do not extend to the semi-strong GARCH(1,1) case because of underidentification. Augmenting the instrument vector with past residuals, however, renders traditional IV estimation feasible, if the residuals are skewed. The proposed estimators are much simpler to implement than efficient IV estimators, yet they retain improved finite sample performance over QMLE. Jackknife versions of these estimators deal with the issues caused by many (potentially weak) instruments. A Monte Carlo study is included, as is an empirical application involving foreign currency spot returns.


This paper proposes a method for robust state estimation for systems with irregular sensing failure. It is often experienced that non-contact sensors give abnormal signals (outliers) irregularly due to sensing failure. To compensate their effect, the proposed estimator switches observer gains to select normal signals based on the current estimation of the sensor signals. Stability of the error system is guaranteed in terms of switched Lyapunov functions. Both numerical and experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Work in computational linguistics began very soon after the development of the first computers (Booth, Brandwood and Cleave 1958), yet in the intervening four decades there has been a pervasive feeling that progress in computer understanding of natural language has not been commensurate with progress in other computer applications. Recently, a number of prominent researchers in natural language processing met to assess the state of the discipline and discuss future directions (Bates and Weischedel 1993). The consensus of this meeting was that increased attention to large amounts of lexical and domain knowledge was essential for significant progress, and current research efforts in the field reflect this point of view.