Abstract : The MAKRO Study analyzes the planning, programing and budget formulation phases of Army PPBS and suggests ways to improve the system. The principal PPBS activities at HQDA were identified, then subjected to rigorous analysis, and documented in this report. The methodology included development and implementation of a computer-based graphics routine to create network diagrams; network diagrams were constructed for 21 distinct Army PPBS processes that were identified in the analysis. The network diagrams are published separately; Volume II contains the planning and programing diagrams and Volume III contains the budget formulation diagrams. Specific prescriptive measures were nominated to improve certain PPBS processes. The paramount MAKRO study insight is, that the Army PPBS is responsive to higher authorities at the expense of time for rigorous analysis. The study presents two alternatives which singly or together could enhance the quality of analysis supporting Army PPBS: (1) seek relief from the highly interactive/reactive dialogue with higher echelons that is conducted particularly during programing and budgeting; and (2) expand the scope of planning to provide more detail of resource sensitive issues for use in programing. (Author)


The scope of the paper is to investigate whether e-learning is a good alternative to achieve business ethics teaching goals in the challenging context of disembedded economies. To achieve this goal, I used various interdisciplinary methods and approaches, content analysis of the relevant literature, and a case study. Firstly, I focus on the current challenges of business ethics teaching. Then, based on my experience of teaching business ethics in various forms, I distinguish the methods applied within them and evaluate them, taking as criteria the cognitive, applicative, and reflective goals of teaching business ethics. Models and theories of educational psychology provide a framework to distinguish some elements that are responsible for the learning success of the student in terms of the defined teaching goal. Empirical results show that although e-learning scored best when it comes to achieving three differentiated goals of business ethics teaching, it is followed closely by seminars. This leads to the conclusion that perhaps a hybrid form, containing e-learning and seminars, would be the optimal way to achieve the goals.


INTRODUCTION
T'ai chi chuan is a beneficial exercise of improving health and function. Biomechanical insights of t'ai chi chuan are less understood.

OBJECTIVES
To study t'ai chi gait (TCG), a common form of t'ai chi chuan in order to quantify external knee adduction moment (EKAM) as a key indicator of mechanical loading of the medial compartment of the knee compared with normal walking (NW).

DESIGN
A quantitative biomechanics approach to determine peak EKAM for NW and TCG.

RESULTS
There were a tri-modal pattern of EKAM during TCG and a bimodal pattern of EKAM during normal walking. In addition, subsequent analysis showed a 25%-47% reduction in peak EKAM during double support phases of TCG compared with NW; the peak EKAM of TCG during single-limb support phase showed significantly higher magnitude than the other two double-support phases.

CONCLUSION
These results indicate that t'ai chi chuan might be a beneficial intervention for reducing the medial mechanical load at the knee joint, particularly during the first double-support phases of TCG, but the special consideration of higher peak EKAM of single-limb support phase is needed during regular t'ai chi chuan practice.


Halomonas bacteria are ubiquitous in global marine environments, however, their sulfur-oxidizing abilities and survival adaptations in hydrothermal environments are not well understood. In this study, we characterized the sulfur oxidation ability and metabolic mechanisms of Halomonas titanicae SOB56, which was isolated from the sediment of the Tangyin hydrothermal field in the Southern Okinawa Trough. Physiological characterizations showed that it is a heterotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium that can oxidize thiosulfate to tetrathionate, with the Na2S2O3 degradation reaching 94.86%. Two potential thiosulfate dehydrogenase-related genes, tsdA and tsdB, were identified as encoding key catalytic enzymes, and their expression levels in strain SOB56 were significantly upregulated. Nine of fifteen examined Halomonas genomes possess TsdA- and TsdB-homologous proteins, whose amino acid sequences have two typical Cys-X2-Cys-His heme-binding regions. Moreover, the thiosulfate oxidation process in H. titanicae SOB56 might be regulated by quorum sensing, and autoinducer-2 synthesis protein LuxS was identified in its genome. Regarding the mechanisms underlying adaptation to hydrothermal environment, strain SOB56 was capable of forming biofilms and producing EPS. In addition, genes related to complete flagellum assembly system, various signal transduction histidine kinases, heavy metal transporters, anaerobic respiration, and variable osmotic stress regulation were also identified. Our results shed light on the potential functions of heterotrophic Halomonas bacteria in hydrothermal sulfur cycle and revealed possible adaptations for living at deep-sea hydrothermal fields by H. titanicae SOB56.


A novel heterogeneous enzyme-palladium (Pd) (0) nanoparticles (PdNPs) bionanohybrid has been synthesized by an efficient, green, and straightforward methodology. A designed Geobacillus thermocatenulatus lipase (GTL) variant genetically and then chemically modified by the introduction of a tailor-made cysteine-containing complementary peptide- was used as the stabilizing and reducing agent for the in situ formation of ultra-small PdNPs nanoparticles embedded on the protein structure. This bionanohybrid was an excellent catalyst in the synthesis of trans-ethyl cinnamate by Heck reaction at 65 °C. It showed the best catalytic performance in dimethylformamide (DMF) containing 10–25% of water as a solvent but was also able to catalyze the reaction in pure DMF or with a higher amount of water as co-solvent. The recyclability and stability were excellent, maintaining more than 90% of catalytic activity after five cycles of use.


AIM
To describe the rates and patterns of unintentional injuries among primary and middle school students in China.

METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Maanshan City of the Anhui Province in eastern China. All students attending six primary and four middle schools, selected randomly, were asked to report unintentional injuries occurring in the 12-mo period before the survey. The occurrence of unintentional injuries that resulted in medical attendance was summarized by study grade, sex, month and external causes.

RESULTS
The annual event-based injury rate per 100 students was higher among boys (21.7) than girls (17.6). Only 1.9% of the episodes resulted in hospitalization, and 17.8% resulted in missing school. The most frequent injuries were falls (38.2%) and transportation-related injuries (19.6%). The risk of injury was lower in middle schools than primary schools. Distribution by month of occurrence showed two peaks in boys during spring and autumn, but no clear peak was observed in girls.

CONCLUSION
The descriptive epidemiology of unintentional injuries among students in China provides useful information on the distributions in person, place and time, which in turn provide hints for the further exploration of possible risk factors that are important in planning strategies for future prevention.


The kinetics of spin polarisation of free charge carriers and magnetic ions in semimagnetic semiconductors irradiated by polarised light is studied. The magnetisation arising in the sample under polarised light optical pumping turns out to be anomalously small. It is shown that the dominating relaxation mechanism of magnetic ions in such materials is the exchange scattering of holes with magnetic impurity ions.


Purpose of review To describe the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and recent developments in the diagnosis and management of postcataract surgery inflammation. Recent findings In patients with pre-existing uveitis, control of inflammation with topical and/or systemic therapy for 3 months preoperatively continues to be important in lessening the risk of postoperative inflammation and complications. During cataract surgery, intraocular lens selection in these patients is important. Recent literature suggests that modern intraocular lenses (IOLs), particularly hydrophilic or hydrophobic acrylic lenses, generally have good uveal biocompatibility in uveitic patients. The postoperative course can be complicated by inflammation and cystoid macular edema (CME), and in uveitic patients, intensive perioperative steroid treatment can lessen these complications. Recent studies show that in uveitic patients, the improvement in CME and inflammation after intravitreal triamcinolone is better than after orbital floor triamcinolone injection, but that a single intraoperative orbital floor injection of triamcinolone is as effective as a 4-week course of postoperative oral prednisolone. Although postoperative inflammation in uveitic patients may be due to recurrence of uveitis, one must recognize other important potential causes of postoperative inflammation and treat accordingly. Summary Most patients with postcataract inflammation have good visual outcomes provided that the cause is recognized and that there is adequate perioperative planning in patients predisposed to inflammation.


The migration of CO2 in soil was simulated through use of soil column, especially the transformation of CO2 between water and gas phases at wetting front was studied. The soil column in the test was 1 m long and the concentration of CO2 solution was 748 mg/L. Through analysis, it was shown that CO2 migration in water phase was governed by advection, dispersion, reaction and mass transfer between water and gas phases, that in gas phase by advection, dispersion, mass transfer between two phases. Sampling method under dynamic condition of two phase flow in soil column was approached and mass transfer coefficient from water phase to gas phase was determined as 0.00061. This showed that there was certain mass transformation of CO2 from water phase to gas phase and yet it was not so significant. This study can provide the quantitative scientific bases for safety assessment of geological disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste and environmental impact assessment of solid waste disposal by landfilling.


AIMS
There are no data comparing the relative efficacy of hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) formulations of ciclesonide (CIC) and fluticasone propionate (FP) on airway hyper-responsiveness, in mild-to-moderate persistent asthma. We therefore elected to evaluate the comparative efficacy of HFA pressurized metered-dose inhaler formulations of CIC and FP, assessing methacholine challenge, in addition to exhaled nitric oxide, lung function, diary cards and quality of life.

METHODS
Nineteen mild-to-moderate asthmatic patients completed the study per protocol in randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, crossover fashion. Patients were required to stop their usual inhaled corticosteroid therapy for the duration of the study. Patients were commenced instead on salmeterol (SM) 50 microg one puff twice daily + montelukast (ML) 10 mg once daily for 2-week washout periods prior to each randomized treatment, in order to prevent dropouts. Patients received 4 weeks of either CIC 200 microg two puffs once daily (08.00 h) + CIC-placebo (PL) two puffs once daily (20.00 h) + FP-PL two puffs twice daily (08.00 h and 20.00 h), or FP 125 microg two puffs twice daily (08.00 h and 20.00 h) + CIC-PL two puffs twice daily (08.00 h and 20.00 h). SM + ML were withheld for 72 h prior to post-washout visits and CIC or FP was withheld for 24 h prior to study visits.

RESULTS
There was no significant difference between CIC vs. FP for the primary outcome of methacholine PC20 as doubling dilution (dd) shift from respective baseline; mean difference: 0.4 dd (95% CI -0.4, 1.2). Moreover, there was no difference between treatments for the sequence of CIC first vs FP second; mean difference: 0.2 dd (95% CI -1.3, 1.7) or FP first vs CIC second; mean difference: 0.9 dd (95% CI -0.1, 1.8). There were also no differences for other secondary outcomes between treatments, either respective or irrespective of sequence, as change from baseline.

CONCLUSIONS
There were no differences between 4 weeks of CIC 400 microg once daily and FP 250 microg twice daily on methacholine hyper-responsiveness in mild-to-moderate persistent asthma. Longer-term studies are indicated to evaluate their relative efficacy on asthma exacerbations.


We study the discovery and discriminating prospects of the Higgs portal dark matter (DM) models for scalar, fermion and vector DM at the ILC with √ s = 500 GeV and at proton-proton (pp) collider with √ s = 100 TeV. For the singlet scalar DM, the mediator is just the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson, whereas for the fermion or vector DM there is an additional singlet scalar mediator that mixes with the SM Higgs boson, which produces significant observable differences. At the 500 GeV ILC, the DM pair is dominantly produced in association with a Z boson. The distributions of DM pair invariant mass can be reconstructed. It is used as the main handle for discriminating the DM spin. At the 100 TeV p-p collider, we consider the tt̄+ DM associated production in dileptonic final states. The two dimensional distributions of missing transverse energy and polar angle difference between two leptons are used for a discrimination of the spin nature of DM.


The upper and middle Amazon Fan has grown in a cyclic fashion. An individual depositional cycle consists of (1) a widespread basal, acoustically transparent seismic unit (interpreted as debris-flow deposits) that fills and levels preexisting topographic lows, and (2) a levee complex built of overlapping channel-levee systems. Two and possibly three cycles have been identified within the Amazon Fan. The levee complex beneath one debris flow originated from a different submarine canyon than did the levee complex above the debris flow, suggesting that these levee complexes formed during different sea level lowstands. Calculations based on present sediment discharge of the Amazon River suggest that an entire levee complex can form within the time span of a single glacial stag , such as the Wisconsin; however, the levee complex probably could not have formed during the relatively short time interval when sea level rose rapidly at the end of a glacial stage. The basal seismic units (debris-flow deposits) may have been deposited at any time during sea level fluctuations. Although seismic evidence suggests that this cyclic sedimentation pattern may be related to glacio-eustatic sea level variations, cyclic fan growth may be attributed to other processes as well. For example, a bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) observed within the upper fan appears to be a gas hydrate. Migration of the hydrate phase boundary during sea level fluctuations and diapiric activity may be mechanisms for initiating widespread debris flows.


This master's thesis investigates the concept of identity through a framework of new materialism, asking the question: how does a new materialist framework affect the conceptualization of women's bodies (and beyond)? Based on a personal interest in women's identities, this thesis pursues a post-anthropocentric conceptualization of identity in the context of new materialism, motivated by an exploration into alternative conceptualizations of identity. New materialism in general is a concept that considers ontology and epistemology as already inseparable, implying that ways of knowing and ways of being are entangled and affecting each other. Karen Barad's interpretation of new materialism is adopted throughout this investigation, with a particular focus on agential realism and how boundaries are broken down and created, in order to confront dualistic ideas of identity, such as human/animal, mind/body, or man/woman. As such, this thesis is able to experiment with a post-anthropocentric identity that consists of fluid boundaries, which takes into consideration the agency of matter and the role discursive practices have, in relation to new materialism. The data is based on field notes and observations deriving from meetings with radical feminist women, as well as embroidery through an arts based research process. The data is then analyzed using diffractive reading, which is a method connected to new materialism. Diffractive reading entails a reading and interpretation of different texts through each other, focusing on an entangled dialogue between them, as well as the collected data. In this case, the texts that will be diffractively read are sections from Meeting the Universe Halfway by Barad (2007) and Material Feminisms by Alaimo and Hekman (2008). As this method is relatively new and there are no concrete structures (as should be expected, from a method based on new materialism), this thesis also serves as an experimentation and demonstration of diffractive reading. The results of this investigation into identity reveal a way of being and knowing ourselves that goes beyond limiting constructs, such as the identities human, woman, and lesbian. With a new materialist framework, these identities become fluid boundaries that are temporarily constructed through material-discursive practices. That is, a new materialist post-anthropocentric identity in this context does not necessarily limit itself to dualistic ideas of identities, broadening the horizon and including non-human identities.


Roll-to-roll (R2R) continuous printing is an attractive technology for mass-producing flexible printed electronics. Many studies have been conducted in this field. The application of the R2R printing process, however, requires information pertaining to system parameters such as substrate flexibility, ink formulation, and printing method as well as the curing method for conductive ink. We show that the quality of a printed pattern (thickness and surface roughness) could be affected by tension variation of the flexible bare substrate in spite of the optimal settings of the ink, substrate, and printing method. In addition, an ink-transfer mechanism for the R2R printed electronics is analyzed to reveal the relationships between the dynamic surface roughness and tension of a moving web. Since the dynamics of the physical problem are complex, simple meta models using a design of experiment are developed. The experimental results are found to be in agreement with the meta models. It is found that the two important factors for achieving the desired thickness and surface roughness of the R2R printed patterns are optimal tension and control accuracy of the operating tension.


Benzylic cations and anions are implicated in the mechanism of critical organic transformations, such as styrene polymerization. We investigate the influence of BN for CC bond substitution on the reactivity of benzylic ions and the effect on BN 2-vinylnaphthalene (BN2VN) ionic polymerization. Calculations suggest that the proximity of a N donor to a cation influences the stability of a BN benzylic cation, rationalizing unsuccessful protonation of BN2VN. Organolithium reagents undergo clean nucleophilic aromatic substitution with BN2VN and related BN naphthalenes via a hypothesized associative mechanism. These results suggest design principles for main group aromatic substitution.


Objective: To compare the effects of an angiotensin receptor blockers-based regimen with valsartan, eprosartan or losartan on LVH and NT-proBNP levels in hypertensives with preserved LV systolic function. Figure. No caption available. Design and method: Clinical study/design: 154 hypertensive patients (56,5% of men; mean age 53,6 ± 0,5 years) with concentric LVH, DD and preserved ejection fraction (EF > 50%) and symptomatic HF II-III NYHA. Functional class of HF was evaluated on the basis of a six minute walk test (6MWT). All patients were randomly assigned to treatment with Losartan (L-gr; n = 54, mean dose = 125,7 ± 0,8 mg ± mg/daily), Valsartan (V-gr; n = 48, mean dose = 240 ± 0,7 mg/daily) or Eprosartan (E-gr; n = 52, mean dose = 900 ± 0.9 mg/daily). Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), transthoracic echocardiography (TE), 6MWT, and serum NT-proBNP activity were performed at baseline and after 12-, and 24- months period of treatment. The normal cut-off value for NT-pro BNP level in patients < 75 yrs old was considered <125 pg/ml. LV mass index (LVMI)> 95 g/m2 in women and >115 g/m2 in men identified LV hypertrophy. Relative wall thickness (RWT >0.42) help to categorize geometry of LV remodeling to concentric LVH. Parameters used in assessment of diastolic function and LV filling pressure were: left atrium (LA) volum index, isovolumetric relaxation time (IRVT), deceleration time (DT), E/A ratio, E/e' (averaged) ratio. Results: At baseline, group did not differ statistically with respect to age, clinic and hemodynamic status (Table1). The baseline ambulatory blood pressure levels were similar among the groups and reductions were as well comparable (Table 2). At the running-up, the LVMI were comparable in all groups but during the follow-up period, this reduction was more significant in group randomized to eprosartan (-35 g/m2, p < 0,001) (Tabel 3). Also, the NT-proBNP levels have decreased greater in the eprosartan group (-45,6%, p < 0,001), while in the valsartan and losartan group the reduction was comparable((-39,06% and 40,46%, respectively, p < 0,01) (Table 4). Conclusions: The findings of the study showed that all three agents progressively reduced LVH, but this reduction was significantly greater in the eprosartan group. Additionally, eprosartan was associated with a greater reduction of NT-proBNP levels.


We propose an all-optical method to directly reconstruct the band structure of semiconductors. Our scheme is based on the temporal Young's interferometer realized by high harmonic generation with a few-cycle laser pulse. As a time-energy domain interferometer, temporal interference encodes the band structure into the fringe in the energy domain. The relation between the band structure and the emitted harmonic frequencies is established. This enables us to retrieve the band structure from the spectrum of high harmonic generation with a single-shot measurement. Our scheme paves the way to study matters under ambient conditions and to track the ultrafast modification of band structures.


This study compares two suprapubic catheter insertion systems available for postoperative bladder drainage. We performed retrospective analysis of patients who underwent laparoscopic colposuspension and postoperative suprapubic catheterisation with either the Bonanno (Becton, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) or the Lawrence Add‐a‐Cath (Femcare, Nottingham, UK) mini‐Foley catheters (Bard, Covington, GA, USA). There were no statistically significant postoperative outcome differences between the two catheter groups. We prefer the Add‐a‐Cath mini‐Foley suprapubic catheter for its ease of insertion and fixation.


Summary: Limb salvage that focuses on an optimal functional recovery requires an acute awareness of the surgical possibilities that plastic and reconstructive surgeons bring to the table. An integral part of the team, plastic surgeons have, over the years developed new strategies that have vastly improved the rates of limb salvage. Other members of this team including Vascular, Orthopedic surgeons as well as Physical therapists and Wound Care Team play a vital role in not only being able to identify approaches that treat limbs at risk, reducing associated morbidity and mortality.


Drug-drug interactions are most commonly occurring phenomenon in clinical practice. Many physicians are afraid of being involved in an allegation of malpractices due to the occurrence of any severe interaction. These interactions not only occur between drugs but also between any kind of food, tobacco smoke, caffeine and alcohol etc. Therefore, the present study was directed to inspect the effect of caffeine on the anticoagulation activity of warfarin in healthy adult male albino rabbits. Blank blood samples were collected from each rabbit. Rabbits were given warfarin (0.5mg kg-1) orally via stomach tube and blood samples were collected in PT/INR vials at various intervals. After a washout period of 14 days, warfarin was orally administrated at same dose rate along with caffeine (5 mg kg-1 every twelve hours for three days) and same sampling schedule was repeated. Prothrombin time (PT) and the international normalized ratio (INR) of blood samples were determined to estimate changes in the anticoagulation activity of warfarin after its concurrent administration with caffeine. The PT data revealed that Rmax and AUC increased significantly (P<0.05) from 1991.6 and 60.5 to 2124.8 and 67.5, respectively, before and after co-administration. Similarly, a significant (P<0.05) increase was observed in Rmax and AUC of INR from 6.42 and 153.7 to 7.4 and 167.5, respectively, alone and along with caffeine. However, no change was observed in Tmax associated with PT and INR either the drug was administered alone or in combination with caffeine. It was concluded that caffeine has the capacity to inhibit the metabolism of warfarin and enhance its plasma concentration and hence anticoagulant effects. Thus, patients should be advised to limit the frequent use of caffeine-rich products i.e. tea and coffee during warfarin therapy.


A malignant lymphoma of the small bowel developed in a 75‐year‐old woman who had severe late‐onset hypogammaglobulinemia with intestinal malabsorption and nodular lymphoid hyperplasia. The tumor arose in the midst of the abnormal lymphoid follicles and appeared to be of B‐immunoblastic type. Immunoperoxidase staining, however, failed to reveal immunoglobulins in the tumor cells. In vitro immunologic studies showed that immunoglobulin production by the patient's peripheral lymphocytes had decreased and that this decrease was mediated by hydrocortisone‐sensitive suppressor cells. These findings suggest that nodular lymphoid hyperplasia of the intestine in the context of severe immunodeficiency is a premalignant condition.


Previous studies in our laboratory on the production and isolation of a panel of mAb to staphylococcal nuclease allowed us to define a series of eight overlapping epitopes. Using site-directed mutagenesis of the nuclease coding sequences we were able to map the nonoverlapping epitopes recognized by two members of this panel. In the study reported here, we report the generation and analysis of a number of single amino acid substitutions for seven surface residues predicted to lie within one of these two epitopes. Immunochemical analysis showed that one or more substitutions at each of these seven positions had a major effect on mAb binding, whereas other substitutions had none. Based on the nature of these substitutions and the chemical and physical properties of the variant molecules, we believe that any structural effects induced by these substitutions are local and do not result in long-range structural alterations that indirectly influence antibody reactivity. Therefore, we conclude that disruption of mAb binding can be directly attributed to changes in amino acid side chains and that not only are all seven of the residues studied part of the epitope but all seven make contact with the antibody combining site. These studies demonstrate the advantages of using site-directed mutagenesis to study antigen structure and emphasize the importance of constructing the examining multiple substitutions for any given amino acid.


This case case control study was undertaken to see if there is any association of serum Zinc level with histologically diagnosed prostatic cancer patients. Also to re-establish the importance of estimation of serum Prostate specific antigen PSA, (Total, Free and ratio between free and total) in prostate cancer patients. It was evident from the present study that serum Zinc level has got statistically significant difference between control and prostate cancer patients (p<0.000),. Total PSA and ratio of free and total PSA was also significantly different between control and prostatic cancer patients (p<0.04 and 0.006 respectively). However no significant difference was observed in free PSA level between this two groups (p<0.282). It was concluded from the present study that serum Zinc level could be an adjuvant laboratory test in the diagnosis of prostate cancer and can be started as a routine test in case of suspected prostatic cancer. Also total PSA level and ratio of free and total PSA not free PSA should be done and correlated for diagnosis of prostate cancer. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/akmmcj.v4i1.13679 AKMMC J 2013: 4(1): 15-19


Nowadays business is rapidly changing to fulfil the customers' needs and to meet the requirements of a changing environment. All those changes of a business have to be implemented in business processes (BP) and their maintaining information systems. Therefore, a necessity for a new approach of dynamic business process (DBP) modelling arises. Moreover, business needs a tool suitable for DBP modelling, execution and simulation. This gap triggered significant research efforts over the past decade and a number of approaches to DBP modelling were proposed. However, a question of implementation of the proposed approaches is left without an answer. Therefore, in the paper we emphasize DBP simulation and existing DBP simulation tools. We review existing DBP modelling approaches, propose a new DBP modelling and simulation approach and develop a prototype for DBP simulation. A DBP simulation experiment was carried out using the developed prototype and obtained results are presented in the paper.


The first objective data showing the geographical locations of people in Fukushima after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident, obtained by an analysis of GPS (Global Positioning System)-enabled mobile phone logs, are presented. The method of estimation is explained, and the flow of people into and out of the 20 km evacuation zone during the accident is visualized.


The predictability of intraseasonal variation in the tropics is assessed in the present study by using various statistical and dynamical models with rigorous and fair measurements. For a fair comparison, the real-time multivariate Madden‐Julian oscillation (MJO) (RMM) index, proposed by Wheeler and Hendon, is used as a predictand for all models. The statistical models include the models based on a multilinear regression, a wavelet analysis, and a singular spectrum analysis (SSA). The prediction limits (correlation skill of 0.5) of statistical models for RMM1 (RMM2) index are at days 16‐17 (14‐15) for the multiregression model, whereas they are at days 8‐10 (9‐12) for the wavelet- and SSA-based models. The poor predictability of the wavelet and SSA models is related to the tapering problem for a half-length of the time window before the initial condition. To assess the dynamical predictability, long-term serial prediction experiments with a prediction interval of every 5 days are carried out with Seoul National University (SNU) AGCM and coupled general circulation model (CGCM) for 26 (1980‐2005) boreal winters. The prediction limits of RMM1 and RMM2 occur at around 20 days for both AGCM and CGCM. These results demonstrate that the skills of dynamical models used in this study are better than those of the three statistical predictions. The dynamical and statistical predictions are combined using a multimodel ensemble method. The combination provides a superior skill to any of the statistical and dynamical predictions, with a prediction limit of 22‐24 days. The dependencies of prediction skill on the initial phase and amplitude of the MJO are also investigated.


The study of differences among groups is an interesting statistical topic in many applied fields. It is very common in this context to have data that are subject to mechanisms of loss of information, such as censoring and truncation. In the setting of a two‐sample problem with data subject to left truncation and right censoring, we develop an empirical likelihood method to do inference for the relative distribution. We obtain a nonparametric generalization of Wilks' theorem and construct nonparametric pointwise confidence intervals for the relative distribution. Finally, we analyse the coverage probability and length of these confidence intervals through a simulation study and illustrate their use with a real data set on gastric cancer. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 38: 453–473; 2010 © 2010 Statistical Society of Canada


A series of centrifuge tests have been performed to investigate the uplift behaviour of a shallow skirted foundation resting on clay subjected to various sustained loadings expressed as a fraction of the undrained bearing capacity in compression. Displacements, uplift loads, total and pore pressures underneath the foundation were monitored during testing to provide insight on the development of negative pore pressure (suction) at the foundation base and on the mechanism triggering breakout. The results indicate that the displacement rate and the time the uplift load can be sustained depend on the magnitude of the load, but also on the time the foundation experienced consolidation prior to uplift. Breakout was not observed at a relatively large time scale under low sustained loadings, while the foundation was pulled out directly under high loading levels. At intermediate loadings, breakout was inferred from the sudden increase in displacement rate. The breakout mechanism of the foundation is also discussed based on the observation of pore pressure variations underneath the foundation.The outcomes of the present study have the potential to provide a better understanding of the suction mechanism for offshore foundations and to provide guidelines for offshore retrieval operations.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


Background Obstructive jaundice caused due to bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) in a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient is an uncommon event. This study reports our clinical experiences and evaluates the outcomes of HCC patients with BDTT in a single institution. Methods A retrospective review of 19 HCC patients with secondary obstructive jaundice caused due to BDTT during a 15-year period was conducted. Results At the time of diagnosis, 14 (73.7%) patients had obstructive jaundice. Eighteen (94.7%) patients were preoperatively suspected of "obstruction of the bile duct". Sixteen patients (84.2%) underwent a hepatectomy with curative intent, while two patients underwent removal of BDTT combined with biliary decompression and another patient received only palliative care as his liver reserve and general condition could not tolerate the primary tumor resection. The overall early recurrence (within 1 year) after hepatectomy occurred in more than half (9/16, 56.3%) of our patients. The 1-year survival rate of patients was 75% (12/16). The longest disease-free survival time was >11 years. Conclusion Identification of HCC patients with obstructive jaundice is clinically important because proper treatment can offer an opportunity for a cure and favorable long-term survival.


Objective: Schizophrenia is a combination of various clinical symptoms in which the patients suffer cognitive, emotional, perceptional, and behavioral disorders. Nursing care for patients with schizophrenia who are hospitalized is of importance in order to restore patient's health into the highest possible level. This study aimed to explore the implementation of nursing care for schizophrenia patients in inpatient units of a psychiatric hospital in Yogyakarta. Methods: This was a descriptive quantitative study. Data were collected by observing 78 medical records which were selected using total sampling method. We used checklist form to measure the implementation of nursing care process from assessment, diagnosis, plan, implementation, and evaluation. Data were analyzed using frequency test. Results: Over half of the patients was diagnosed with undetailed schizophrenia (67.9%) with the length of hospitalization was more than 14 days (59%). The implementation of nursing care was good in general (76.9%). The implementation of nursing care was fair (48.7%) for assessment and intervention (94.9), and good for diagnosis (71.8%), care plan (98.7%), evaluation (100%), and documentation (100%). Conclusion: The implementation of nursing assessment and intervention was lower compared to other parts of nursing process. Nurse managers need to encourage their nursing staffs to provide accurate and complete documentation of nursing care, particularly in the assessment and intervention parts. Keywords: medical records, nursing care, schizophrenia


Abstract From anti-debt movements in Mexico, Spain, Poland, Croatia, and Chile to the Occupy movements in the United States, Israel and Canada, organizations repudiating both debt and the centrality of financial markets have proliferated worldwide. In this article, I draw on Polanyi's work in order to frame the financialization of society and different forms of debt repudiation as a double movement, characterized as a second wave of the commodification of money and the attempts by society to protect itself from the advancement of finance. Relying on a secondary literature and my own ethnographic research on debtors' movements, I explore the commonalities and differences between diverse forms of repudiating debt through collective action at both national and international level.


We use the partition functions on S1 × Sn of various conformal field theories in four and six dimensions in the limit of vanishing coupling to study the high temperature thermodynamics. Certain modular properties exhibited by the partition functions help to determine the finite volume corrections, which play a role in the discussion of entropy bounds.


Numerous individual differences, models, and measures have been associated with the 'emotional intelligence' (EI) label. This paper discusses one of the most pervasive problems regarding EI-related individual differences, namely, the lack of a meaningful theoretical framework. First, drawing upon existing theoretical frameworks, we argue that EI-related characteristics can be considered constituents of existing models of cognitive ability (ability EI), personality (trait EI), and emotion regulation (EI competencies). Second, having differentiated between these perspectives (ability, personality, and emotion regulation), we draw upon existing theory and research to build the Integrated Model of Affect-related Individual Differences (IMAID), which provides an initial mechanistic representation that explains how the different EI-related constructs are likely to interrelate and coalesce to influence affective outcomes. In essence, the IMAID is an integrated mediation model in which emotion regulation mediates the effects of ability EI and affect-related personality traits upon outcomes. Viewing EI-related constructs as interrelated extensions of well-established individual difference frameworks clarifies some pervasive misconceptions regarding EI-related characteristics and provides scholars and practitioners with a clear and useful theoretical framework ripe for exploration. We conclude by using the IMAID to suggest a theoretically driven agenda for future research.


Psychomotor deficits are a prominent feature in subjects exposed to hypoxia. Eight subjects exposed to chronic hypoxia during a simulated climb to 8848 m (Everest-Comex 97) were investigated using both a simple psychomotor task (Purdue pegboard) and two complex psychomotor tasks including a recognition task of either a color stimulus (high semantic level) or an abstract sign (low semantic level). Exposure to hypoxic stress mainly produced psychomotor skills learning deficits compared to control study, with greater deficits in the complex psychomotor task. The pattern of results suggests disruptions of motor strategic process. Our data further suggest that the relative strength of implicit or automatic memory processes associated with semantic information processing may increase when disturbances occur in brain functions.


Embryogenesis in the brine shrimp, Artemia sp., occurs by one of two pathways: (i) the direct, uninterrupted development of nauplius larvae within the female or (ii) the production of embryos that arrest development at the gastrula stage and enter diapause. Diapause embryos are released from females into the aqueous environment where they remain in diapause until activated by appropriate environmental cues and resume development. These encysted embryos possess at least one low molecular weight stress protein, which we refer to as p26 and which has been implicated previously in the stress response of activated embryos. We investigated the appearance of p26 in developing diapause embryos in utero and looked for its presence in embryos developing directly into nauplii. We found p26 to be specific to diapause‐destined embryos; it was not detected in direct‐developing embryos. We conclude that p26 is not required for the basic developmental program that produces the nauplius. In diapause‐destined embryos, p26 was first detectable after 3 days of development, at which time the embryos were late gastrulae. This protein continues to increase in amount until the encysted embryos are released, approximately 5 days after fertilization. At the time of release almost all p26 is located in the low speed supernatant fraction, but as released embryos continue diapause, p26 transfers to the pelleted nuclear fraction in increasing amounts. Our working hypothesis views p26 as a molecular chaperone preventing protein denaturation and aggregation under conditions associated with metabolic arrest and other stressful states, which these encysted embryos encounter.


Bi4Ti3O12 is one of member threelayer Aurivillius compound family, which has the potential as a photocatalyst material with band gap energy 2.9 eV (427 nm). Therefore, to expand its utilization, the gap energy must be reduced. Doping with metal is one technique that can reduce the energy of a band gap. In this study, we synthesized vanadium doped Bi4Ti3O12 (Bi4Ti3-xVxO12 (x = 0, 0.05; 0.1; 0.15 and 0.2) by molten salt synthesis. Difractogram data shows that the Bi4Ti3O12 phase is formed with BiNaO3 and NaV6O11 impurities. The image of SEM showed that the particle shape of Bi4Ti3O12 is plate like. UV-Vis DRS spectra showed that the vanadium doped Bi4Ti3O12 have lower band gap energy than Bi4Ti3O12.

Keywords: Bi4Ti3O12, dopant vanadium, band gap energy


Graphene Nano ribbons are among the recently discovered carbon nanostructures, with unique characteristics for novel applications. One of the most important features of graphene Nano ribbons, from both basic science and application points of view, is their electrical band gap. In this research, we study the tunability of band gap in single and double layer Graphene nano ribbons (GNRs) of specified widths and edge geometries. The calculations are carried out using Tight Binding quantum mechanical simulations for obtaining the optimized atomic configurations of the nanoribbons and their electronic structures. Our calculations show that for single-layer graphene nanoribbon with a width of 12A0, the one with armchair edge is semiconducting with a band gap of 0.25 eV whereas the one with zigzag edge is metallic. For bilayer nanoribbons, two different stacking configurations (AA and AB) are considered.


Author(s): Fritz-Mauer, Matthew | Advisor(s): Seron, Carroll | Abstract: Wage theft occurs whenever a worker is denied the wages or benefits to which they are legally entitled. Violations of low-wage workers' basic workplace rights is common, and these violations collectively cost working people and various levels of government tens of billions of dollars per year. Due to growing awareness over this problem, some states and cities have recently passed new laws designed to better remedy and deter wage theft. The District of Columbia is one such city, and has among the strongest anti-wage theft laws in the country. Through approximately sixty semi-structured, qualitative interviews with low-wage workers, employment lawyers, workers' rights activists, and a small number of employers, this research explores the personal and social consequences of wage theft among low-wage workers in Washington, DC.Low-wage workers report significant harm as a result of wage theft, which extends far beyond the immediate economic consequence of being underpaid. Wage theft often causes a variety of cascading economic harms, as low-wage workers struggle to pay for the basics of life, including rent, food, and utilities. Many victims of wage theft also report feeling angry, depressed, powerless, and frustrated, and some report stress-related health problems.Despite the powerful effect that wage theft has on its victims, low-wage workers are highly unlikely to attempt legal action, either by filing a lawsuit or seeking help from the government. Many are afraid of retaliation by their employers, and cannot afford to leave their jobs. Many also lack knowledge of their substantive and procedural rights, and either do not know that their workplace rights have been violated, or do not know where to go for help. Workers also report that they lack faith in the government's ability and willingness to help them. These findings have significant implications for labor standards enforcement. While the District's legal reforms have helped to address the problem of wage theft in some limited ways, the city primarily utilizes a complaint-based system for finding and remedying wage theft. However, given that wage theft is common and that those who experience it are extremely unlikely to notify the government, this passive approach is a deeply inadequate response to the problem. To effectively find, remediate, and deter wage theft, enforcement agencies must adopt more proactive strategies. At a minimum, this must include improving working relationships with community organizations, expanding the frequency and scope of agency-directed workplace investigations, and streamlining government processes.


Mixed-initiative approaches are being applied in combinatorial optimization systems such as planning and scheduling systems. Mixed-initiative optimization systems are based upon collaboration between the system and the user. Both agents possess unique and complementary abilities which can be jointly applied to intractable optimization problems. Yet current approaches to designing and evaluating these systems remain ad hoc. In this short paper, we give a precise definition of a mixed-initiative optimization system. We identify the salient characteristics of combinatorial problems which make them suitable candidates for mixed-initiative reasoning. We provide a framework which informs both the design and evaluation of these systems. Using this framework, we characterize the functional requirements of any mixed-initiative optimization system. These requirements can help to establish suitable evaluation criteria for these systems. We conclude by situating recent work in this area within our framework.


Sport is an integral and enduring part of many societies, such as Australia. Participation in outdoor sports, such as tennis, comes with a very real risk of dangerous solar ultraviolet exposure which can result in erythema (sunburn), serious conditions such as skin cancer, including melanoma, and eye conditions such as cataracts and pterygium. This study remotely assesses the effective ultraviolet exposures in response to the increased sun safety awareness at a major summertime tennis tournament in Australia. The assessment only uses publicly accessible data and information. It was found that tournament organizers have effectively adopted sun‐safe protocols into the uniform policy that the court officials (judges and ball kids) are mandated to follow. The combination of sun‐participant geometry and the photoprotection provided by uniforms significantly reduced the ambient ultraviolet exposure, which was recorded to be as high as 9.9 SED h−1, to just 1.0 and 0.5 SED h−1 for ball kids and judges, respectively, compared to up to 2.0 SED h−1 for players. Even though caution is needed against complacency with sun safety, with the need for the court officials and the players to still apply sunscreen, the court officials provided persistent visual role modeling of sun‐safe behaviors.


In gene-based therapies, local perturbations associated with one disease can lead to comorbidity as it influences the pathways involved with the other diseases. The key genes orchestrating the common biological mechanisms are need to be prioritized for addressing the challenges introduced by the cross talks between disease modules. Here, a local centrality measure named Sub graph based Average Path length Double Specific Betweenness centrality (SAPDSB) for prioritizing the comorbid genes via Protein-Protein Interaction Network (PPIN) analysis is presented. This approach can be used to identify putative biomarkers which can be repurposed for the management of comorbidity. Proposed network based topological measure is designed specifically to prioritize the comorbid genes that are most likely to be present in the overlap of disease modules. In order to attain this, the estimated average path length of the seed network which holds Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) of the disease genes is exploited. Prioritized comorbid genes are further pruned using centrality-based cut-off values and specificity scores. The biological significance of the resultant genes is corroborated with connectivity analysis using leave-one-out method, pathway enrichment analysis and a comparative analysis using single disease-based gene prioritization tools. For performance analysis, proposed approach is tested using case studies involving common diseases and rare neurodegenerative diseases. For case study1, diseases such as Diabetes, Carcinoma and Alzheimer's are considered in a pairwise manner while for case study2, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) are considered. As outcome, prioritized candidate genes and biological pathways associated with respective disease pairs have been found. The associations from top 10 candidate genes in different disease pair combinations of Diabetes-Carcinoma-Alzheimer's revealed common genes like CREBBP, TP53, HSP90AA1 and the common pathway namely p53 pathway feedback loops 2. Out of the pathways retrieved from the top 10 genes associated with ALS-SMA disease pair, 60% of unique pathways are found to be leading to both diseases and its comorbidities. Comparative analysis of the proposed method with recent similar approach also reported a clear degree of benefits in performance.


Nowadays, various transportation means use Linux as the operating system for their embedded control systems; however Linux uses all the processes in the hardware equally. This motivates some designer to develop an entire new operating system for the vehicle; where a modification of Linux can produce the same and even a better product. This paper explains how this modification was designed and implemented in a commercial transportation company.


Abstract The synthesis of the ligand, m-12N3O-dimer (1,3-bis(1-oxa-4,7,10-triazacyclododecan-7-yl)methyl)benzene, L), and the stability and hydrolysis constants of its dinuclear Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes are reported, in addition to the effect of pH on HPNP (2-hydroxypropyl-4-nitrophenylphosphate) hydrolysis reaction rates promoted by these complexes. Various structural possibilities of the [Zn2L] and [Cu2L] hydrolytic species derived from solution equilibrium modeling are predicted from density functional theory (DFT) studies to correlate with the promoted HPNP hydrolysis reaction rates and to establish the structure–function–reactivity relationship. Upon deprotonation [Zn2L(OH)]3+ tends to form a structure with a "closed-form" conformation where it is not possible for para-isomers. At pH >8, the formation of the closed-form [Zn2L(OH)2]2+ and [Zn2L(μ-OH)(OH)2]+ species led to faster promoted HPNP hydrolysis rates than the [Zn2L(OH)]3+ species. On the other hand, the observed rates of the Cu2L-promoted HPNP hydrolysis reaction were much slower than those of the [Zn2L]-promoted ones due to formation of the inactive, di-μ-OH− bridged closed-form [Cu2L(μ-OH)2]2+ structure at high pH. The effects of solvent molecules and the use of higher DFT computation levels, i.e., M06 and M06–2X, in conjunction with cc-pVDZ and cc-pVTZ basis sets on the DFT-predicted structures for both [Cu(12N4)(H2O)]2+ and [Zn(12N3O)(H2O)2]2+ complexes were also evaluated and compared with those using the B3LYP/6–31G* method.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

The presence of stem-like cells within malignant tumors has been reported as a prognostic factor in patients with solid tumors. Recent studies suggest that hypoxia promotes tumor stemness. This mechanism can be regulated by hypoxia inducible factors such as HIF1A and HIF2A. In breast carcinomas, the aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) was identified as a potential stem-like cell marker and prognostic factor. However, the association of HIFs and ALDH1 expressions in breast cancer patients subjected to neoadjuvant treatment has not been studied yet. Methods: we retrospectively analyzed the expression of ALDH1, HIF1A and HIF2A proteins in 80 tumors from patients with histologically confirmed stage II and III breast carcinomas treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of Sao Paulo from 2000 to 2005 [stage IIa: 12 patients (14%); stage IIb: 30 patients (35.5%); stage IIIa: 15 patients (17.5%) and stage IIIb: 28 patients (33%)]. The patients' mean age was 48.9 ± 11.7 years old with a mean follow-up of 100 months. The ER, PgR and HER2 positive expression rates were 63%, 43% and 32%, respectively. The immunohistochemistry for ALDH1, HIF1A and HIF2A was performed in tumors samples before and after neoadjuvant treatment. We analyzed the influence of clinical and pathological features on clinical and pathological response, disease free survival and overall survival. Results: the objective clinical response (partial and complete response) to neoadjuvant therapy was 80% with 12% of complete pathological response. Among all clinical and pathological parameters, only HIF1A expression was associated with pathological response (21% of complete pathological response in HIF1A positive vs 5% in HIF1A negative; p= 0.04). There was a positive association between ALDH1 and HIF1A expression before and after chemotherapy (p= 0.038 and p= 0.03, respectively). The ALDH1 expression was associated with HIF2A expression in tumors after neoadjuvant treatment (p= 0.01). In univariate analysis, the prognostic was influenced by age (p= 0.01), pathological response (p= 0.01), metastasis to axillary lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p= 0.006), HER2 overexpression (p= 0.03) and by the presence of ALDH1+ cells within the primary tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p= 0.01). In multivariate analysis, only the presence of ALDH1+ cells after chemotherapy and age were associated with reduced overall survival (p= 0.04 and p= 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: the presence of ALDH1 positive cells within the residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with and increase in HIF2A expression and poor prognostic in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. There is a association between ALDH1 expression in tumor cells and the expression of HIF1A in locally advanced breast carcinomas.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 685. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-685


Digital technologies have enabled new design methods, casting a reassessment of current theories of design. Rivka Oxman proposed five paradigmatic classes of digital design models according to the various relationships between the designer, conceptual content, applied design processes, and the design object. Kotnik states that catenary curve computational thinking is changing the way we think and design in architecture; it can be distinguished by three main levels of "computability": representational, parametric and algorithmic. Kolarevic clarifies that new digital approaches to design (based on computational concepts), construction and prototyping can be achieved by computerised numerical control process (CNC). The study aims to promote the integration of theory and practice in search of a feedback loop that promotes the scientific method of knowledge production. The theoretical work intends to develop an updated understanding of the use of digital technologies. The practical experimentation analyses the Sagrada Familia, designed by Antoni Gaudi, and proposes to compare digital (through the software Rhinoceros and the plug-in Grasshopper) and handmade physical models from the concept of catenary used by the Catalan architect. Referring to the Sagrada Familia, Burry believes that "the continued contribution of the craftsperson is judged as a crucial partner to the digital dialogue" (Burry, 2005)


Aims: To study the diversity of fungal pathogens associated with cashew mycoses in Togo.
Study Design: This research project was initiated by the Mycology Research and Applications Unit of the Botany and Plant Ecology Laboratory (LBEV) in order to have adequate information on cashew mycoses in Togo.
Place and Duration of Study: Laboratory of Botany and Plant Ecology (LBEV) of the University of Lome (UL) and of Crop Protection and Biosafety Laboratory of Togolese Institute of Agronomic Research (ITRA), February to August 2020.
Methodology: A total of 148 symptomatic samples (leaves, buds, inflorescences, nuts, and apples) were collected from cashew trees in the East Mono prefecture of Togo. Malt-agar medium supplemented with chloramphenicol at 0.5 g/l was used for the isolation of fungal pathogens. The characterization of these fungal pathogens was carried out from the 7th day based on their macroscopic (texture, color, diameter of growth) and microscopic (hypha, spore, fruiting body) characters.
Results: This study revealed the presence of five mycoses in cashew orchards in the East Mono prefecture. These are leaf anthracnose, bud's dieback, black rust, leaf yellowing, and powdery mildew. In total, 12 fungal genera were encountered and 14 species of fungal pathogens were identified on all the samples collected: Rhizopus sp., Penicillium sp., Mucor sp., Sporotrichum sp., Fusarium nivale, Fusarium moliniforme, Fusarium moliniforme var. subglutinans, Curvularia lunata, Curvularia geneculata, Alternaria tenuissima,  Alternaria brassicisola, Beltrania rhombica Penz., Thielavia coactilis Nicot, Helminthosporium avenae, Helminthosporium siccans, Phoma eupyrena, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger.
Conclusion: It would be of great interest to train cashew producers in the East Mono prefecture on the recognition of the symptoms of these mycoses and their management.


A multiplier is one of the key hardware blocks in most of the processors. Multiplication is a lengthy, time-consuming task. Vedic multiplication in field programmable gate array implementation has been proven effective in reducing the number of steps and circuit delay. Conventionally at the circuit level, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) logic is used to design a multiplier. In CMOS circuits, the area is always an issue. Gate diffusion input (GDI)-based logic has been explored in the literature to reduce the number of transistors for various logic functions. Thus, Vedic mathematics, on the one hand, simplifies the multiplication process and reduces the delay; while on the other hand, GDI technique helps in minimising the transistor count (TC) and reduction in power. Therefore, this study puts forth a GDI logic-based 4-bit Vedic multiplier. To study the effectiveness of the GDI logic, the transient response of a 2-bit Vedic multiplier using CMOS and GDI is compared. For the 4-bit Vedic multiplier, two design approaches are taken into consideration. The performance of these circuits is analysed in terms of average power dissipation, delay, and TC. The effect of supply voltage scaling is also studied. The circuit simulations are carried out at 130 nm for bulk metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor predictive technology model-based device parameters.


Hollow fiber with internal metal and dielectric coating films is one of the promising media for THz transmission. Although the dielectric layer can effectively reduce the transmission loss, it brings additional loss due to its absorption. It has been shown in mid-infrared region that the optimum thickness of the dielectric layer becomes smaller due to absorption. For terahertz hollow fibers, the film thickness of the dielectric layer become much larger and the transmission characteristics are more dependent on the dielectric absorption. The influences of dielectric absorption on the structure parameters of the dielectric-coated metallic hollow fibers are discussed. Calculation results show that the optimum refractive index of the dielectric layer, which is 1.41 for perfect transparent dielectrics, turns out to be greater. The absorption tolerance is also investigated considering the factors of inner diameter, the refractive index, and the transmission wavelength. It is shown that absorption tolerance decreases when the inner diameter becomes smaller or when the transmission wavelength becomes larger. In extreme cases of small inner-diameter or large transmission wavelength, the absorption tolerance is not existent. Because the loss of the dielectric-coated metallic hollow fiber is larger than that of metallic hollow fiber even the dielectric layer has no absorption. The calculation results are helpful to the structure design and material selection in the fabrication of terahertz hollow fibers.


The global distributions of the mean Janu-ary surface wind stress, the net diabatic heating rate, and the net rate of moisture addition as simulated in a 30-day integration with the two-level, Mintz-brakawa atmospheric general circulation model are presented. The latitudinal distributions of the zonal averages of these forcing fields are shown to be in reasonable agreement with the available observations. The most prominent discrepancies are evidently due to the model's simulation of excessive convective precipitation (and the associated convective latent heating) in the Tropics, especially in the Northern (winter) Hemisphere. The zone of simulated tropical precipitation extends some 15' poleward of the observed position and results in a corresponding distortion of the field of evaporation-minus-precipitation (or moisture addition rate). In determining the monthly mean forcing fields, onc must be particularly accurate in accumulating thc (convective) precipitation rate during the integration; the customary use of 6-hourly fields results in a sampling error as largc as 25 percent for even the zonally averaged rainfall. With the exception of a small sampling error in the mean rate of absorption of solar radiation, the componcnts of the other forcing fields are satisfactorily determined by 6-hourly data.


This paper presents the co-authorship network of the DAFx conference series, from its inception in 1998 to the present, along with subsequent analysis. In total 1,281 unique authors have contributed 1,175 unique submissions to this conference series. The co-authorship network is revealed to contain a large weakly connected component containing 667 authors (≈52% of the total network). The size of this component compares well to previous studies of other conference series of similar age and scope. Within this connected component, 24 communities were detected using the Louvain method. While some communities have formed based on geographic proximity, links between communities are observed. This shows a high level of collaboration in the network, possibly due to the speciality of the conference and the movement of academics throughout Europe.


Intrarenal hemodynamic and tubular function has been assessed in 16 patients who presented clinically with hypertension, hematuria and severe renal functional impairment. Twelve of these 16 patients had histopathologic classification as DPGN (3 cases), MPGN (3 cases) and FSGS (6 cases). The initial assessment of intrarenal hemodynamics in 11 patients revealed strikingly increased afferent (RA) and efferent arterioles (RE), filtration fraction (FF), intraglomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure (PG), whereas, there was marked reduction in renal plasma flow (RPF), in ultrafiltration coefficient (KFG) and in glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Tubular transporting defect as being reflected by enhanced fractional excretions of solutes was also observed. Both enhanced TXB2 production and diminished PGI2 may be in part responsible for the marked reduction of RPF and elevated intrarenal resistance. In light of the preceding intrarenal hemodynamics alteration, therapeutic intervention with vasodilators consisting of dipyridamole, calcium channel blocker and angiotensin convertase inhibitor has been accomplished with clinical improvement in glomerular and tubular functions following the improvement in intrarenal hemodynamics. Thus, this abnormal intrarenal hemodynamics renders a supportive view of the hemodynamically mediated glomerulo-tubulo-interstitial injury to be central to the pathogenetic mechanism.


To determine whether Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning (HBO-PC) promotes neovascularization by increasing Stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in transplanted skin flaps of rats. The epigastric pedicle skin flap was established in a rat model. Rats were randomly assigned to the following five groups: 1) sham-operated group (SH); 2) ischemia followed by reperfusion 3 days postoperatively group (IR3d); 3) ischemia followed by reperfusion 5 days postoperatively group (IR5d); 4) hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning and ischemia followed by reperfusion 3 days postoperatively group (HBO-PC3d); and 5) hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning and ischemia followed by reperfusion 5 days postoperatively group(HBO-PC5d). For the groups receiving HBO-PC, animals underwent 1 hour of HBO at 2.0 ATA in 100% O2 twice per day for 3 days consecutively prior to surgery. After perfusion, Laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) was performed, and skin flap tissue samples were harvested for histological evaluation and western blot analysis. Perfusion was significantly improved in the HBO-PC groups compared with the IR groups on postoperative 3 and 5. Microvessel density (MVD) was significantly increased by HBO-PC compared with IR groups postoperatively. Western blot analysis revealed that SDF-1 and CXCR4 expression in the HBO-PC groups was significantly increased compared with IR groups. HBO-PC promoted neovascularization via increasing expression levels of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in transplanted skin flaps of rats.


The role of learning in behaviour is well known for many animal taxa, including teleost fishes, insects, birds and mammals. However, its importance to sharks in everyday behavioural processes has rarely been considered. Almost 50 years ago the first learning experiments on sharks were conducted; our first section discusses these studies and places them in a framework of associative and non-associative learning. These experiments showed that sharks were capable of different forms of learning, such as operant and classical conditioning and habituation. Sharks could learn associations as rapidly as other vertebrates and also remember training regimes for several months. However, much of this experimental evidence was based on small sample sizes and few shark orders, such as Carcharhiniformes and Orectobliformes, leaving large gaps in our knowledge of the general learning capabilities of other shark orders. We also examine recent research that has tested for, or inferred learning in behavioural processes. This section reveals that sharks, like teleost fishes use learning to improve prey search and capture to potentially navigate and orientate in their home range and recognize conspecifics, heterospecifics and mates. Learning is also discussed in relation to ecotourism and fisheries. Findings indicated that these activities may lead to conditioning of sharks and that considerable effort should go into investigating what impact this could have on the shark species involved. Finally, we discuss the importance of combining laboratory experiments with field studies, the use of new experimental techniques, the role of model species and research priorities for future work.


Providing assurance that a software system satisfies its critical properties is difficult, particularly when the system must satisfy many classes of properties, such as safety, fault-tolerance, timing, and security. This paper describes the application of an incremental development and verification approach [13, 14], based on composition and refinement, to an airlock system. Initially, a model of the basic functional behavior of the system is developed and proved to satisfy a set of safety properties. This basic model is then extended with timing behavior. This timed model is a full refinement of the basic model, and related safety properties are shown to still hold for the timed model. In the third and last step, the timed model is extended with fault handling behavior. This "fault-tolerant" model, a partial refinement of the other two models, is shown to satisfy both weakened versions of the safety properties and additional fault-tolerance properties.


School libraries exist in most countries where they play an important role in education. However, the diversity of educational philosophies, policies, resources, infrastructure and technology have led to wide variations in what constitutes a 'school library', and its associated terminology. This diversity affects communication, collaboration, synthesis of evidence, and translation of research findings. If we are to promote school librarianship internationally, it is important to have a common terminology. This paper presents the preliminary findings of an international survey on the terminology and characteristics of school libraries, Based on responses from school library stakeholders from 19 countries, it was found that the more common term used to describe the facility was 'school library', while term used for the person managing it was 'school librarian' or 'teacher librarian'. While few countries had a formal definition of a school library, the respondents were able to provide the desired characteristics of a school library and of a teacher-librarian. These findings can be used to develop consistent and internationally-applicable terminology and definitions for school librarianship.


Background. The social exposure to noise is currently a big issue in adolescents and young adults in Slovakia. Current data on the usage of personal music players (PMP) are missing and the empirical evidence on its association with hearing loss is lacking. Objective. The study is aimed to quantify the effects of social noise exposure and the exposure to the other environmental noise sources in the sample of university students aged 19-23 years. Methods. The validated methodology according to ICBEN and the study Ohrkan was used. The measurement of ambient noise levels was done using hand-held sound level analyzer. There were 315 university students (96 males and 221 females, average age 23.21±1.85) enrolled into the study so far, 119 in the exposed housing facility and 196 in the control area in Bratislava. Results. The monitoring of sound levels in the exposed area showed the levels above the limit also in the afternoon and in the evening time interval. In the composition of the traffic flow the number of passenger cars and trams was predominant. Students in the exposed area were significantly more annoyed by road traffic noise (ORMH=3.32, 95% CI=2.43-4.54), by railways noise (trams), noise from neighbourhood and entertainment facilities (ORMH=3.40, 95% CI=1.20-2.35). There was a significant difference in PMP use between the exposed (83.19 %) and the control group (73.33 %) (p<0.05) (77 % of students reported using PMP in the last week). There was not significant difference between the loudness level of PMP, the type of headphones, or in the duration of time spent at events with high noise exposure. Conclusion. The results show the importance of environmental and the social noise as well. In the future we would like to enlarge the sample, to perform audiometric and tympanometric examinations and to formulate the proposals and interventional procedures.


Abstract BACKGROUND Adductor spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a dystonia of the vocal folds causing difficulty with speech. The current standard of care is repeated botulinum toxin injections to weaken the adductor muscles. We sought to ameliorate the underlying neurological cause of SD with a novel therapy—deep brain stimulation (DBS). OBJECTIVE To assess the safety of DBS in SD through phase I trial, and to quantify the magnitude of any benefit. METHODS Six patients had left ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) thalamic DBS and were randomized to 3 mo blinded-DBS "on" or "off" followed by a crossover. Primary outcomes were quality of life and quality of voice during the blinded phase. Patients continued with open-DBS "on." Secondary outcomes were comparisons of pre- and 1-yr cognitive, mood, and quality of life. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02558634). RESULTS There were no complications. Every patient reported an improvement in quality of life (P = .07) and had an improvement in quality of their voice (P = .06) when their blinded DBS was "on" versus "off." The trend did not reach statistical significance with the small sample size. Secondary outcomes showed no difference in cognition, an improvement in mood, and quality of life at 1 yr. CONCLUSION This phase I randomized controlled trial confirmed that DBS can be performed safely in patients with SD. Blinded DBS produced a strong trend toward improved quality of life and objective quality of voice despite the small sample size. The cerebellar circuit, not the pallidal circuit, appears to be crucial for motor control of the vocal folds.


Rats fed on a restricted, semi-purified diet containing a 50%-reduced level of carbohydrate and oil, but normal levels of protein, minerals and vitamins, exhibited osteoporosis. However, rats fed on this restricted diet, but containing sugar cane wax, did not exhibit this bone disease. Sugar cane wax, containing a long-chain carbohydrate with an OH radical, prevented the development of osteoporosis via a non-estrogenic mechanism.


Establishing an appropriate control technique with high accuracy has become the central issue for robotic applications to achieve anthropomorphic functions. The electromyography (EMG) method, which approaches various human motions by adjusting signals in the manipulator control scheme, is especially gaining popularity among assistive robotics. In this study, an EMG-based classification method is incorporated to control an assistive robot arm and perform interaction in human arm movements. The system is implemented based on a support-vector machine (SVM); it classifies motions of upper human limbs according to EMG signals recorded from the brachioradialis, the biceps and the anterior deltoid as the input features. With the proposed method, six categories of human arm movements can be identified, and the classification results can thus be remotely transmitted to control an assistive robot to mimic motions of the human arm. The performance of the proposed classification method was evaluated using 72 segments in 5 second EMG signals from two subject. The overall accuracy rate can reach 94% based on the selected EMG features for each measured muscle. The results suggest the importance of feature selection according to the morphology of EMG waveforms recorded from different muscle bundles. The performance of the proposed method has been quantitatively evaluated, and an assistive robot arm can be remotely controlled using EMG signals with a high accuracy rate.


Sirs, The Editorial on Food Intolerance (Lessof) [I] provides an excellent review of a difficult subject, and leads to a consideration of some wider issues. As a physician who has run an National Health Service (NHS) Food Allergy Clinic for 15 years, I have no doubt that modification of diet can alleviate many hitherto intractable conditions [2]. The major reward has been the grateful thanks from many patients, as witnessed by several generations of medical students. This phenomenon together with the fact that most placebo efTects are short-lived, suggests that the improvements are genuine clinical phenomena: even in the absence of objective measurable data which, as Lessof observes, are difficult to obtain in this condition. Clinical experience easily distinguishes the psychological problems, who usually complain of multiple food intolerances. These patients should be firmly told that their problems are not due to food allergy, if they do not show a major clearing of symptoms with an elimination diet. The mechanism of food intolerance is usually unknown and there are almost certainly multiple causes, and as the Editorial concludes, a more sophisticated investigative approach should now be undertaken. Certainly few cases are due to classical IgE allergy. Several factors have held back research in this area. Because ofthe difficulty in obtaining objective data, the study of food reactions has had a low scientific status, and many who have worked in this area, have been thought to be involved in so-called 'alternative allergy'. If food reactions are genuine clinical phenomena, then this should be part of mainstream medicine. Terminology has also been a problem and I have some reservations about the term 'food intolerance'. The majority have no problems with food, but a few have major difficulties and the term 'food sensitivity' seems more appropriate, and this could then be sub-divided into immunological and non-immunological causes. Perhaps the major problem is who should be clinically responsible for the management of these cases. Most allergist's restrict their interest to classical IgE reactions, and the various organ specialists usually have neither the interest nor the time to manage dietary manipulation. It is perhaps significant that non-immunological food intolerance is often dealt with in allergy journals and conferences, and it is therefore perhaps not too radical to suggest that allergist's should take on this responsibility. The few that have done so have found it clinically rewarding; and not unduly time-consuming. Allergy appears to be in decline in the UK, and perhaps some lateral thinking is required to widen its clinical scope and increase its therapeutic return, in order to attract referrals from other organ specialities, and so enhance the importance of allergy to purchasing agencies. Coca, the first editor ofthe Journal of Imtmttmlogy maintained that allergy meant sensitivity, which included both immunological and non-immunological reactions, and perhaps we should again look at his ideas. It is likely that further research will identify a whole range of reactions to environmental chemicals, including foods, based on applied toxicology and immunology; and there are interactions between allergy and toxicology as recently suggested for hay fever [3]. Certainly food intolerance (or sensitivity) is a common clinical phenomenon, and its correct management can be highly cost-effective for the NHS. The Editorial by Lessof also leads to a consideration of wider issues which deserve debate. Perhaps we are moving towards a paradigm shift, and will follow the genticists towards 'a new allergy'.


The article investigates the circumstances of the adopting the hard king Fahd decision to apply for USA assistance against Iraq during the "Kuwaition cricer 1990-1991".


Abstract This study qualitatively explored teachers' responses to doubling errors (e.g., 3/4 × 2 = 6/8) that typically reflect students' difficulties in understanding the "rule" for finding equivalent fractions (e.g., 3/4 × 2/2 = 6/8). Although all teachers claimed to teach for understanding in interviews, their responses varied in terms of effectiveness and types. One teacher grasped the doubling error to explain the reasons underlying the rule using symbolic representations only. The other two used concrete representations to explicate the reasons but tended to either prevent or ignore the doubling error. Although these teaching actions appeared different in form, all teachers essentially held the same perception-based perspectives; that is, they either assumed students could see what they saw or students could directly comprehend mathematical ideas through visualizing pictures only. Such perspectives overlook students' available mathematical conceptions and might be at the root of the difficulties with those particular teaching strategies.


Background and Aims:  Oxidative stress possibly helps promote the progression and complications of chronic renal failure (CRF). Haemodialysis (HD) may aggravate oxidative stress. This controlled, cross‐sectional clinical study with blind outcome assessment evaluated the effect of prolonged HD treatment on oxidative stress.


Peer-to-Peer systems become very popular applications in this day. Most P2P systems are based on the wired network environment. But the mobile devices grow up day by day in an enormous rate. Therefore, most current P2P systems have poor performance in the wireless environment. This paper is based on the wireless environment under Network Mobility (NEMO) architecture, proposing one wireless P2P architecture works on NEMO. In order to fulfill the characteristic of the wireless and roaming scenario, a scheme is used to search the location of file or service in the nearby Mobile Network. The proposed approach can avoid tunnel in tunnel problem, unnecessary bandwidth loading and messages passing, and adopting the broadcast in MANET for solving this problem, and expect testing and verify using experiments finally.


Solid armature firing tests have shown that, under electromagnetic railgun firing conditions, the armature contact areas wear excessively and after transitioning, lose contact with the rail surfaces. It is desirable to maintain rail contact as long as possible. Previous work, regarding the engineering design of metal armature contacts has shown that copper, plated on aluminum armatures, as a contact material in rail guns, may be over twice as good as aluminum. It was stated, also, that the armature contacts obey the same physics as pin-on-disk contact experiments have shown. Recent work has led to the development of a process for the copper plating of aluminum 7075-T6 armature contact surfaces. This paper reports on the armature fabrication process, the copper plating, an the associated testing required to assure that the copper adheres to the aluminum armature substrate material. The armatures were test fired at ARL and the results of these tests and observations are presented. >


A 71-year-old man was diagnosed as Parkinson disease at age 59, and levodopa therapy was started. Eleven years after the beginning of treatment, he noticed high fever (38.0 degrees C-39.0 degrees C) in July, but hyperthermia spontaneously disappeared three months later. In early July of the following year, he was re-admitted to our hospital because of continuous high fever, despite no any inflammation. Neurological examination revealed flexion posture of trunk and limbs and short step gait. He also presented limb rigidity, akinesia, and resting tremor during off period. Routine laboratory examinations and radiological examinations showed no remarkable findings. Autonomic testing revealed orthostatic hypotension and anhidrosis below trunk and lower limbs. By controlling the room temperature at 26 degrees C, hyperthermia showed a marked decline. In despite of no reports found associations between heat retention and Parkinson disease, in this case we speculate hyperthermia was caused by heat retention.


The aim of this study was to determination the relationship between intellectual capital and social capital with the staff organizational performance of sport and Youth ministry. The research method is descriptive and a correlation type. In terms of purpose, this research is an applied one and it was done in the form offield. The statistical population included 666 persons of the Youth and sport ministry staff and the maximum capacity of the samples as according to the Morgan table is 248 persons. In this study was used of Buntis (1998) intellectual capital questionnaire according to the Aghajanzadeh (2001) with 0.82 alpha, ongh social questionnaire of Nazmuhemmed (2005) with 0.93 alpha and organizational performance questionnaire of Asadi et al. (2009) with 0.86 alpha. To do statistical analysis has used of the multi-correlation and regression. The results of the study showed Intellectual capital and social capital had the in-dependent and positive and significant effects on the staff organizational performance of Youth and sport organization with r=0.50, r=0.52 and r=0.55, respectively. Also the results of the Intellectual capital and social capital of the correlation coefficient are according these results: Human capital(0.43), Structural Capital (0.45), Customer capital (0.52), trust approach (0.45), network (0.48), cooperation (0.46), relationship (0.43), values (0.49), Mutual Understanding (0.47) and Commitment (0.45).


Trellis-coded space-time (TC-ST) coding for continuous-phase modulation (TC-ST-CPM) was recently proposed by Zhang and Fitz. In this paper, we propose an orthogonal space-time coding for CPM (OST-CPM) systems and two transmit antennas. In the proposed OST-CPM, signals from two transmit antennas at any time t are orthogonal while both of them have continuous phases. Similar to Alamouti's OST coding for phase-shift keying (PSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) systems, the newly proposed OST-CPM has a fast decoding algorithm.


As avionic systems become more complex, realistic qualification requirements for the flight-critical systems becomes more important, but more difficult to define. Requirements developed to establish acceptable levels of performance must be verifiable if they are to have any meaning. This article shows that both the current FAA requirements of flight-critical systems and the FAA recommended methods for probabilistic assessment are flawed, and result in "required" safety assessments which are misleading. Alternatives are then explored.


Quality of human capital seems to be an extremely important feature to be disregarded in the evaluation of this factor impacts on income per worker (rate of growth and level). This is the reason for the emergence of many recent studies which includes some variable that takes into account the quality of human capital. The present study's goal is to make an empirical analysis by using a human capital proxy that takes into account quantitative and qualitative aspects of this factor to measure with a higher level of accuracy the human capital direct impacts on Brazilian States output level in the years 1970, 1980, 1991, and 2000. The methods employed are Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Iteratively Reweighted Least Squares (IRLS) and Panel Data regressions.


The neutrinos in the diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) travel over cosmological distances and this provides them with an excellent opportunity to interact with dark relics. We show that a cosmologically-significant relic population of keV-mass sterile neutrinos with strong self-interactions could imprint their presence in the DSNB. The signatures of the self-interactions would be"dips"in the otherwise smooth DSNB spectrum. Upcoming large-scale neutrino detectors, for example Hyper-Kamiokande, have a good chance of detecting the DSNB and these dips. If no dips are detected, this method serves as an independent constraint on the sterile neutrino self-interaction strength and mixing with active neutrinos. We show that relic sterile neutrino parameters that evade X-ray and structure bounds may nevertheless be testable by future detectors like TRISTAN, but may also produce dips in the DSNB which could be detectable. Such a detection would suggest the existence of a cosmologicaly-significant, strongly self-interacting sterile neutrino background, likely embedded in a richer dark sector.


Current search engines with arrays of servers can provide efficient web content services. However, as their returned results are usually enormous mass, finding target information is still time-consuming. To increase the correctness of returned results, different page ranking methods were introduced. Some of them also try to use users' feedback to increase their precision in ranking. However, as the traditional approaches are passive in feedback and greedy in search, experiments show that the average error ratio is over 20%. Their returned results are usually too large to satisfy users' needs. In this paper, an active feedback technology is introduced. It bases on the concept of balanced tree to present some critical questions for guiding users to have the proper feedback in further searching. The same idea can be applied to assist either distributed or P2P (peer-to-peer) search engines to balance workloads and speed responses. Keywords— active feedback, balanced tree, distributed, peer-to-peer, search engine


The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus raises alarming concern around the healthcare facilities due to the significant increase in patient inflow. Negative-pressurized isolation rooms have been utilized in various health care facilities to isolate the patients from active community contact. Several studies have highlighted isolation rooms improvement. However, limited knowledge is available regarding the isolation room facilities for pediatric intensive care units (PICU) to accommodate more than one pediatric patient. In this aspect, this study investigates a negative-pressurized isolation facility in PICU with minimal design modifications with the possibility that it can accommodate more than one pediatric patient. The field measurement tests were conducted to ensure the design compliance of Taiwan CDC. Then, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was further utilized to numerically evaluate the HVAC system role and the ventilation performance towards infection control. A protected air-jet curtain system with a new ventilation layout was proposed through this study to enhance the protection for both pediatric patients and medical staff. The concentration decay was monitored and recorded within 900 s to evaluate the performance. The concentration can be reduced to 504 ppm for case 1, 620 ppm for case 2, 501 ppm for case 3, and 486 ppm for case 4. In addition, the injected bioaerosol particles could be well diluted dealing with two patients presents a good performance. The results revealed that this proposed configuration could feasibly accommodate two patients with a significant contamination control to protect the medical staff and patients.


This paper is about a survey of image processing algorithms that have been developed for detection of masses and segmentation techniques. 35 students from university campus participated in the Development of Biomedical Image Processing Software Package for New Learners Survey to investigate the use of software package in processing and editing image. Composed of 19 questions, the survey built a comprehensive picture of the software package, programming language, workflow of the tool and captured the attitudes of the respondents. The result of this study shows that MATLAB is among the famous software package; more than 60% of the respondents prefer to use MATLAB for their image processing work. The Microsoft Photo Editor is the second popular software for images editing process. More than 30% of respondents are very likely to use a ready-to-use package for processing image rather than given source code. The result is expected to be beneficial and able to assist users on effective image processing and analysis in a newly develop software package. A preliminary image processing tool prototype was developed as shown in this paper.


Random walks with a general, nonlinear barrier have found recent applications ranging from reionization topology to refinements in the excursion set theory of halos. Here, we derive the first-crossing distribution of random walks with a moving barrier of an arbitrary shape. Such a distribution is shown to satisfy an integral equation that can be solved by a simple matrix inversion, without the need for Monte Carlo simulations, making this useful for exploring a large parameter space. We discuss examples in which common analytic approximations fail, a failure which can be remedied using the method described here. Subject headings: cosmology: theory – large-scale structure of universe – intergalactic medium – galaxies: halos – galaxies: structure – methods: analytical – methods: numerical


Bark beetle-caused tree mortality affects important forest ecosystem processes. Remote sensing methodologies that quantify live and dead basal area (BA) in bark beetle-affected forests can provide valuable information to forest managers and researchers. We compared the utility of light detection and ranging (lidar) and the Landsat-based detection of trends in disturbance and recovery (LandTrendr) algorithm to predict total, live, dead, and percent dead BA in five bark beetle-affected forests in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon, USA. The BA response variables were predicted from lidar and LandTrendr predictor variables using the random forest (RF) algorithm. RF models explained 28%-61% of the variation in BA responses. Lidar variables were better predictors of total and live BA, whereas LandTrendr variables were better predictors of dead and percent dead BA. RF models predicting percent dead BA were applied to lidar and LandTrendr grids to produce maps, which were then compared to a gridded dataset of tree mortality area derived from aerial detection survey (ADS) data. Spearman correlations of beetle-caused tree mortality metrics between lidar, LandTrendr, and ADS were low to moderate; low correlations may be due to plot sampling characteristics, RF model error, ADS data subjectivity, and confusion caused by the detection of other types of forest disturbance by LandTrendr. Provided these sources of error are not too large, our results show that lidar and LandTrendr can be used to predict and map live and dead BA in bark beetle-affected forests with moderate levels of accuracy.


There are three kinds of non-phoric es: the topologically motivated prefield-es, the formal subject-es and the correlate es which is coindexed with a subject or object subordinate clause. All of them can stand in the ,prefield' of German declarative clauses. The theory of the prefield ranking should disallow the positioning of such elements in the prefield. A closer look at corpus data reveals that sentences with non-phoric es in the prefield do not contain any of the more favoured prefield-fillers. The only way to fill the prefield in such cases is by Formal Movement of the subject (es) into the prefield position, or, if even that fails, by base-generation of an expletive in the prefield, namely the prefield-es.


We develop a back contact monocrystalline thin-film silicon solar cell using the porous silicon process. Laser processes are applied for all structuring steps. Thus no photolithography or other masking techniques are required. A single evaporation step is used to metallize the cell. Laser scribing is used for contact separation. The cell has a planar front surface, an area of 79.2 cm2 and a cell thickness of 30 µm. We reach an efficiency of 13.5 %. The open-circuit voltage is 633 mV and the short-circuit current density is 28.7 mA/cm2.


Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation in the human body and serves as an obligate cofactor in approximately 300 essential enzymatic cellular reactions. Magnesium is crucial for the generation and use of adenosine triphosphate and is required for oxidative phosphorylation. A wide variety of internal and external stresses have been found to increase a person's requirement for dietary magnesium. Magnesium deficiency may develop during a variety of pathological states, or it may have an iatrogenic basis. Magnesium deficiency complicates the management of hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias, affects the clinical behavior of neuromuscular blocking drugs, and may impair immune function.


Isotropic inhomogeneous dust universes are analysed via observational coordinates based on the past light cones of the observer's galactic worldline. The field equations are reduced to a single first-order ODE in observational variables on the past light cone, completing the observational integration scheme. This leads naturally to an explicit exact solution which is locally nearly homogeneous (i.e. FRW), but at larger redshift develops an inhomogeneity. New observational characterizations of homogeneity (FRW universes) are also given.


linear dimensions, surfaces and drying shrinkage rate, in the course of the convector drying of celery. It has been found that drying resulted in most significant changes of cube edges in their central parts. The shape of lateral surfaces of celery cubes changed from the originally square to irregular, resembling sandglass. In spite of this, the analysed characteristic linear dimensions altered in a nearly identical way. In the course of drying and the progressive reduction of water content, the characteristic linear dimensions and the surface of celery samples declined, while the drying shrinkage rate increased. The change rate of studied values depended on the appearance of the first and the second drying periods. No significant dependency was found between the temperature of drying medium (in the analysed measurement period) and the dynamics of surface change, linear dimensions alteration and shrinkage rate. Next, the studied values were used in the empirical verification of adopted theoretical models of celery drying kinetics, in the first and the second period of drying. Empirical verification confirmed the correctness of adopted mathematical models. The relative local error was no higher than 15%, while the global error did not exceed 2.5 %. K e y w o r d s: shrinkage, dimensions, surface, drying, celery