Contrary to the widespread belief that severe malaria is mainly caused by Plasmodium falciparum, malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax infection may also lead to severe clinical manifestations including a plethora of renal, pulmonary, hematologic, neurologic, and multiorgan dysfunction. Anemia and thrombocytopenia are considered as two major important markers of severity during the clinical course of severe P. vivax malaria. In highly endemic areas of P. vivax transmission, early diagnosis is crucial in preventing uncomplicated episodes progressing into severe and complicated clinical forms. In fact, given the wide geographic distribution of P. vivax, there is a large burden of disease, often not adequately acknowledged, and resulting from the combined effect of the large numbers of uncomplicated clinical episodes and the increasingly recognized severe and complicated clinical presentations.


The purpose of this study was to examine parents' perceptions of their children's experiences in physical education and youth sport. Qualitative research design was employed in this study. Data collection methods included phenomenological interviews and qualitative questionnaires. Forty-one questionnaires were collected and analyzed through inductive analysis method to identify themes. Ten parents (either father or mother) participated in the interview process. Parents indicated aspects of physical education classes (learning life skills, playing time, and health promotion) and aspects of youth sport (learning life skills and health promotion). Parents believed that their children learned more from youth sport than physical education because of deeper understanding in one sport, children's choice of activities, and parental involvement.


The invention relates to waste processing, in particular to a method and a device for purifying waste liquid from pig cultivation, which solves the problem that the waste liquid of pig cultivation pollutes the environment. After solid and liquid waste generated by pig cultivation is separated, absorption, filtration and automatic purification technology is used for enabling the separated waste liquid from pig cultivation to enter into a first absorption pool for first absorption and filtration, then filtrated liquid enters an automatic purification depositing pool for purification depositing processing and then a second absorption pool for second absorption and filtration processing, and lastly, the processed waste water reaches the standard and is discharged. The device for purifying waste liquid from pig cultivation comprises a first absorption and filtration pool, an automatic purification depositing pool and a second absorption and filtration pool which are sequentially communicated, wherein filtration material is arranged in the absorption and filtration pools, and the filtration material is only one or a plurality of layers of furnace slag, crop stems, zeolite and gravel. The invention has simple technology, low cost and easy application, and is suitable for the purification and the standard discharge of the waste liquid from family type pig farms or small pig farms.


Based on the special correlation of antennas and the power delay profile (PDP) of the cluster model, six models of A-F have been established by the TGn task-group in total. On the basis of the new broadband wireless local area network (WLAN) standard--IEEE 802.11ac with larger bandwidth and multi-user requirements drawn up by the TGac task-group, in this paper, the IEEE 802.11ac channel model is set up by means of improving and simulating the indoor MIMO channel.


Abstract Ongoing fieldwork at the coastal site of Northern River Lagoon (NRL) in northern Belize, a specialized saltmaking community, has revealed a consumer relationship with the large, inland, stone-tool-producing center of Colha during the Late to Terminal Classic. Artifact distribution suggests that this economic partnership involved the movement of salt, salted products, and trade goods to Colha in exchange for stone tools. This inland–coastal partnership was enhanced by a shared ideology reflected in the iconography of identical Palmar Orange-polychrome plates. The presence of the ideologically imbued plates in both elite and nonelite contexts suggests they were intended to strengthen group allegiance and reinforce territorial boundaries during this troubled time. This study stimulates new insights into the structure of ancient Maya coastal–inland interaction spheres in northern Belize, thereby facilitating comparisons between local areas within a regional context.


Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification has been a hot topic for decides, as Hyperspectral image has rich spatial and spectral information, providing strong basis for distinguishing different land-cover objects. Benefiting from the development of deep learning technologies, deep learning based HSI classification methods have achieved promising performance. Recently, several neural architecture search (NAS) algorithms are proposed for HSI classification, which further improve the accuracy of HSI classification to a new level. In this paper, we revisit the search space designed in previous HSI classification NAS methods and propose a novel hybrid search space, where 3D convolution, 2D spatial convolution and 2D spectral convolution are employed. Compared search space proposed in previous works, the serach space proposed in this paper is more aligned with characteristic of HSI data that is HSIs have a relatively low spatial resolution and an extremely high spectral resolution. In addition, to further improve the classification accuracy, we attempt to graft the emerging transformer module on the automatically designed ConvNet to adding global information to local region focused features learned by ConvNet. We carry out comparison experiments on three public HSI datasets which have different spectral characteristics to evaluate the proposed method. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves much better performance than comparison approaches, and both adopting the proposed hybrid search space and grafting transformer module improves classification accuracy. Especially on the most recently captured dataset Houston University, overall accuracy is improved by up to nearly 6 percentage points. Code will be available at: https://github.com/xmm/3D-ANAS-V2.


Background Family support and low discrimination perceptions are a factor in protecting against mental disorders and poor quality of life in male to female (MtF) gender dysphoric individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the role of family factors, peer support, self-esteem, perceived discrimination, depression, anxiety, and stress on the quality of life among MtF gender dysphoric individuals. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 106 MtF gender dysphoric individuals of Sanggar Swara Jakarta. Respondents filled out questionnaires on demographics, WHOQL-BREF, perceived discrimination, Rosenberg self-esteem, family support, social support (SSQ6), family relations (FACES III), and depression anxiety stress scale (DASS). Simple and multivariate logistic regression tests were used to analyze the data. Results Among the 106 MtF gender dysphoric individuals of Sanggar Swara Jakarta with an age range of 18-45 years, 78.3% had no family support, 64.1% no peer support, 62.3% high perception discrimination, 64.1% low self-esteem, 36% extreme family relations, 44.3% depression, 59.4% anxiety, 35.8% stress and 62.3% poor quality of life. Employment, perception of discrimination, self-esteem, family support, and anxiety were significantly associated with quality of life (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that perceived discrimination (Odds Ratio=13.89; 95% CI: 5.89-11.99), and family support (Odds Ratio=29.11; 95% CI: 2.45-8.21) were significantly associated with quality of life. Conclusion High perceived discrimination and no family support increase the risk of poor quality of life in MtF gender dysphoric individuals. These findings suggest the need for prevention and intervention of stigmatization and discrimination that should have a special focus on families with MtF gender dysphoric individuals.


The global pandemic of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has tremendously altered routine medical service provision and imposed unprecedented challenges to the health care system. This impacts patients with dysphagia complications caused by head and neck cancers. As this pandemic of COVID‐19 may last longer than severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, a practical workflow for managing dysphagia is crucial to ensure a safe and efficient practice to patients and health care personnel. This document provides clinical practice guidelines based on available evidence to date to balance the risks of SARS‐CoV‐2 exposure with the risks associated with dysphagia. Critical considerations include reserving instrumental assessments for urgent cases only, optimizing the noninstrumental swallowing evaluation, appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and use of telehealth when appropriate. Despite significant limitations in clinical service provision during the pandemic of COVID‐19, a safe and reasonable dysphagia care pathway can still be implemented with modifications of setup and application of newer technologies.


Intracellular trafficking and spatial dynamics of membrane receptors critically regulate receptor function. Using microscopic and subcellular fractionation analysis, we studied the localization of the murine G protein-coupled receptor G2A (muG2A). Evaluating green fluorescent protein-tagged, exogenously expressed as well as the endogenous muG2A, we observed that this receptor was spontaneously internalized and accumulated in endosomal compartments, whereas its surface expression was enhanced and stabilized by lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) treatment. Monensin, a general inhibitor of recycling pathways, blocked LPC-regulated surface localization of muG2A as well as muG2A-dependent extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation and cell migration induced by LPC treatment. Mutation of the conserved DRY motif (R-->A) enhanced the surface expression of muG2A, resulting in its resistance to monensin inhibition of ERK activation. Our data suggest that intracellular sequestration and surface expression regulated by LPC, rather than direct agonistic activity control the signaling responses of murine G2A toward LPC.


Background: Ruptured intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a disease with high mortality. Despite the great progress in treating ruptured IA, methods for risk assessment of ruptured IA remain limited. Methods: In this study, we aim to develop a robust diagnostic model for ruptured IA. Gene expression profiles in blood samples of 18 healthy persons and 43 ruptured IA patients were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Differential expression analysis was performed using limma Bioconductor package followed by functional enrichment analysis via clusterProfiler Bioconductor package. Immune cell compositions in ruptured IA and healthy samples were assessed through the CIBERSORT tool. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) was predicted based on the STRING database. Logistic regression model was used for the construction of predictive model for distinguishing ruptured IA and healthy samples. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to validate the gene expression between the ruptured IA and healthy samples. Results: A total of 58 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained for ruptured IA patients compared with healthy controls. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were enriched in biological processes related to neutrophil activation, neutrophil degranulation, and cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction. Notably, immune analysis results proved that the rupture of IA might be related to immune cell distribution. We further identified 24 key genes as hub genes using the PPI networks. The logistic regression model trained based on the 24 key genes ultimately retained two genes, i.e., IL2RB and CCR7, which had great potential for risk assessment for rupture of IA. The RT-qPCR further validated that compared with the healthy samples, the expression levels of IL2RB and CCR7 were decreased in ruptured IA samples. Conclusions: This study might be helpful for cohorts who have a high risk of ruptured IA for early diagnosis and prevention of the disease.


Macular edema (ME) is a common entity that can accompany a wide range of diseases. Diagnosing the underlying cause of ME is therefore of great importance. We present two cases of persistent ME. The first patient was a 43-year-old female and the other was a 31-year-old male. Both patients were diagnosed with ME before applying to our clinic and were treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. Detailed examination revealed vitritis and fundus fluorescein angiography showed vasculitic leakage in both patients. The patients were diagnosed as uveitic ME and treated accordingly. Moreover, the second patient was diagnosed with Behçet's disease in a very short time. Multimodal imaging and detailed examination are crucial in handling of patients with ME. Especially in young patients, uveitis and vasculitis should be suspected.


Haemophilus influenzae HxuA is a cell-surface protein with haem-haemopexin binding activity which is key to haem acquisition from haemopexin and thus is one of the potential sources of haem for this microorganism. HxuA is secreted by its specific transporter HxuB. HxuA/HxuB belongs to the so-called two-partner secretion systems (TPSs) that are characterized by a conserved N-terminal domain in the secreted protein which is essential for secretion. Here, the 1.5 Å resolution structure of the secretion domain of HxuA, HxuA301, is reported. The structure reveals that HxuA301 folds into a β-helix domain with two extra-helical motifs, a four-stranded β-sheet and an N-terminal cap. Comparisons with other structures of TpsA secretion domains are reported. They reveal that despite limited sequence identity, strong structural similarities are found between the β-helix motifs, consistent with the idea that the TPS domain plays a role not only in the interaction with the specific TpsB partners but also as the scaffold initiating progressive folding of the TpsA proteins at the bacterial surface.


In accordance with Article 72 of Law 6 of 2014 concerning Rural Areas, village income sourced from the APBN or village funds comes from central spending by increasing the efficiency and equity of village programs. The amount of the budget allocation that is allocated directly to the village is set at 10%. the amount paid to the area (above). In addition, Law Number 6 of 2014 also strengthens the allocation of village funds (ADD) from district/city balancing funds.
Given the enormous power of the village head in administering village government based on the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia Number 72 of 2005 Article 14, it is necessary to review and balance the administration of village governance. The agency authorized to supervise village heads on village household expenditures is the BPD. The role of the village council as the controlling body of the village government requires responsibility and ability in carrying out its duties. It is also clear that according to the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia Number 72 of 2005, the BPD is an institution that embodies democracy under the leadership of the village government as part of the village administration with the village head.


Formats have been proposed to allow Che Inclusion of evaluated neutron kerma factors in ENDF/B. The task of preparing evaluated kerma factors is analyzed in this report and is found to present numerous difficulties. Two alternative approaches to kerma-factor calculations are suggested, both of which require modifications of existing evaluations, notably through the inclusion of cross sections now missing for a number of neutron reactions, to allow postevaluation kerna-factor processing. The first approach requires neutron-induced charged-particle spectra, in addition to the missing reaction data. The second approach, which would not require the charged-particle spectra, would enforce energy conservation in the computed results.


The issue of corporate governance has prompted calls for greater transparency and disclosure on companies around the world. As a result, a disclosure ranking system, Information Transparency and Disclosure Ranking System (ITDRS) was launched in Taiwan since 2003 by the request of Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation (TSEC). This paper examines the relationship between information transparency and the informativeness of accounting earnings. The empirical tests are conducted using TEJ database for firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange with fiscal year ends between 2003 and 2004. Empirical results indicate that, information transparency, measured by the ranking of ITDRS, reduces the informativeness of accounting earnings. However, if information transparency is measured by the ratio of long-term investment in stocks, evidences show higher earnings response coefficients (ERC) for the more transparent firms. The results suggest that accounting numbers are more useful or valuable than the ITDRS ranking results from investors' perspective. It also suggests that the ITDRS may be not a good proxy for financial transparency.


The seed and leaf of Datura metel known to contain the psychoactive substance atropine and scopolamine, also contain hyoscyamine which is classified as deliriants or anti-cholinergics used as hallucinogens. Most parts of the plant have been used over the years for both medicinal and psychoactive purposes. This study was aimed at evaluating the sub-chronic toxicity of the seed extract of Datura metel on selected liver and kidney parameters and Packed Cell Volume (PCV). Twenty rats were used for the subchronic study and were grouped into 5 groups of 4 rats each. Control group was administered 0.5 ml of normal saline while the other groups were orally administered 300, 1600, 2900 and 5000 mg/kg body weight of extract for 28 days. There was significant (p<0.05) reduction in PCV in all test groups when compared to the control group. The groups administered 1600, 2900, 5000 mg/kg bodyweight showed significant (p<0.05) increase in sodium, chloride and potassium. There was significant (p<0.05) increase in serum total and conjugated bilirubin, and aspartate aminotransferase in groups administered 300 and 1600 mg/kg bodyweight while the groups administered 2900 and 5000 mg/kg bodyweight showed significant (p<0.05) reduction. The findings from this study have demonstrated that seed extract of D. metel might be deleterious to the red blood cells and may affect liver and kidney function.


American tort law has been quite different from that of Korea from the perspective of how to tort liability is imposed. In both countries, the components of tort liability - the act by an injurer, the injury to a victim, and the causation between the act and the injury - are very close to each other. The large number of victims are not compensated under the name of tort liability even though it is clear for the existence for an actor and a victim. I believe that social policy and judicial review may play more important roles than tort theory in determining whether the injurer is tortiously liable to the victim or not. In Korea, these kinds of debates are hiding underneath the openness to public. On the other hand, in the U.S., the number of legal scholars have own social and economic perspectives on tort liability. In particular, Coarse Theorem has played a central role to newly understand tort liability since 1970s. In law and economics, it states that bargaining is mostly likely to lead to an efficient outcome regardless of the initial allocation of property under the low transaction costs world. Ronald Coase claimed this from "The Problem of Social Cost". The concept of transaction costs has produced varied settings in the normative prescriptions and the positive analyses. Since the concept of transaction costs is not clear, it is not easy to understand how it works in tort settings instead. I have tried to show how transactional costs have effects on tort liability and economic analysis from several diagrams. In short, it is likely that tort liability is based on economic efficiency. In Korea, legal academcis have paid little attention to understand tort liability based on economic analysis because they believe that the tort liability is supposed allocated among parties. This notion may not be wrongful until facing modern tortious behaviors that the small number of injurers produce the diverged large number of victims. It is hard to define what justice is in tort settings because all of injurers are not liable to victims they caused. Legal or social barriers prevent all victims from being fully compensated. Korean academics have focused on legal barriers while American ones on economic barriers. I believe that there is no significant difference among two legal systems for who is supposed to be liable for injuries. In American academics, a new tool based on economic analysis has been used in determining tort liability. This analysis makes Korean scholars feel constrained to do it. However, it is time to try to accept what justice is in tort law based on economic analysis rather than traditional legal theory. I hope that this paper may contribute to this movement.


Background: This study aimed to determine the effect of Hyper-Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Adriamycin, and Dexamethasone (CVAD) in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and remission duration. Materials and Methods: During a cross-sectional study in the Seyed Al-Shohada Hospital in Isfahan, patients with ALL who were admitted and treated from 2011 to 2015 because of the risk of ALL were selected and through the records investigation, demographic information, disease information, treatment, remission duration, current status, and duration of survival were collected in the form of data and are sick after going into remission, including the duration and recurrence remission survival time in treatment were analyzed and consequence, whether the patient is going into remission, remission and relapse and survival time based on the duration of treatment were analyzed. Results: Of the 62 patients, 13 patients after starting of treatment did not go to remission and died, but 49 patients (79%) went into complete remission. 21 of them of Hyper-CVAD group and 28 patients of classical treatment group (75/7% vs. 84%), but the difference was not significant (P = 0.43). Of the 48 patients who had a complete remission with the treatment regimen, ten patients relapsed after treatment with two of them of Hyper-CVAD group and eight patients were in the classical treatment group (9/5% vs. 29/6%), and the difference between the two groups was significant (P = 0.015). Conclusion: Hyper-CVAD regimen resulted in increased survival time of patients with ALL and less disease recurrence and therefore contraindications for use if the existing rules, and under the supervision of treatment, can be used.


In this paper a semi-supervised deep framework is proposed for the problem of 3D shape inverse rendering from a single 2D input image. The main structure of proposed framework consists of unsupervised pre-trained components which significantly reduce the need to labeled data for training the whole framework. using labeled data has the advantage of achieving to accurate results without the need to predefined assumptions about image formation process. Three main components are used in the proposed network: an encoder which maps 2D input image to a representation space, a 3D decoder which decodes a representation to a 3D structure and a mapping component in order to map 2D to 3D representation. The only part that needs label for training is the mapping part with not too many parameters. The other components in the network can be pre-trained unsupervised using only 2D images or 3D data in each case. The way of reconstructing 3D shapes in the decoder component, inspired by the model based methods for 3D reconstruction, maps a low dimensional representation to 3D shape space with the advantage of extracting the basis vectors of shape space from training data itself and is not restricted to a small set of examples as used in predefined models. Therefore, the proposed framework deals directly with coordinate values of the point cloud representation which leads to achieve dense 3D shapes in the output. The experimental results on several benchmark datasets of objects and human faces and comparing with recent similar methods shows the power of proposed network in recovering more details from single 2D images.


Objective The effects of dopamine infusion on portal blood flow were examined in 12 cirrhotic patients (seven men, five women) in a Child-B group. Methods Dopamine was administered as an intravenous infusion (2 μg kg-1 min-1). Results At 0, 30 and 60 min, portal blood flow, left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions were evaluated using the pulsed doppler method. No significant difference was found between heart rate, blood pressure and parameters demonstrating left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions before and after dopamine infusions. Portal blood flow decreased significantly at 30 and 60 min. Portal blood flow fell from 1802 ± 88 to 1339 ± 50 ml min-1 (P < 0.001) at 30 min and to 1121 ± 60 ml min-1 (P < 0.001) at 60 min. Conclusion The reducing effects of dopamine on portal blood flow in cirrhotic patients were demonstrated by the pulsed doppler method, which is a noninvasive test


Treatment with highly selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors is associated with significantly fewer serious adverse gastrointestinal events than is treatment with non-selective NSAIDs, provided that the drug employed inhibits COX-2 but not COX-1 at therapeutic plasma levels. Several factors might influence the gastrointestinal (GI) safety of a COX-2 inhibitor administered to an individual patient. These factors include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variables (e.g. COX-2 selectivity), the interaction of these features with preexisting risk factors for drug-dependent adverse effects, as well as the variability in the individual response. Biochemical selectivity is one of the determinants of the risk of experiencing a serious GI complication during long-term NSAID therapy. The wider the separation between the COX-2 and COX-1 dose-response curves of the inhibitor (an index of biochemical selectivity), the lower the probability of experiencing a clinically relevant inhibition of platelet COX-1 due to an unusually high drug level or intense pharmacodynamic response to a normal drug level. The clinical relevance of biochemical selectivity has to be studied in large GI outcome trials with adequate statistical power to detect realistic differences in these relatively rare events.


Ultra WideBand (UWB) is highly competent in satisfying many basic requirements of cognitive radio. Therefore, employing UWB in cognitive radio networks could be very instrumental for the successful penetration of cognitive radio into the wireless world. However, besides being a strong candidate for practical cognitive radio implementation, UWB can be considered as a supplement to cognitive radio systems that are realized by means of other wireless technologies. Therefore, it can be concluded that this way or the other, UWB will be an inseparable part of cognitive radio applications. UWB can offer various kinds of support to cognitive radio network. These include sharing the spectrum sensing information via UWB, locating the cognitive nodes in a cognitive network by means of IR-UWB, and sensing the physical environment/ channel with IR-Radar. In this paper,various cognitive UWB networks related issues including these supplementary uses of UWB will be discussed.


The term outlier or anomaly detection is used to describe techniques that detect objects, events or observations that do not follow the general rules of the data we observe and are characterized as anomalies. Anomalies arise due to mechanical faults, changes in system behavior, fraudulent behavior, human error, instrument error or simply through natural deviations in populations. Their detection can identify system faults and fraud before they escalate with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Many anomaly detection techniques have been specifically developed for certain application domains, while others are more generic. This thesis tries to provide a structured and comprehensive overview of the research on anomaly detection. For each category of anomaly detection techniques, the basic technique and the assumptions used to differentiate between normal and anomaly behavior are presented. In addition, for each category various methods of anomaly detection, which are based on the corresponding basic technique are presented, and their advantages and disadvantages are determined. Finally, various methods are applied, and their performance in detecting anomalies is compared.


Introduction Many children in low-income and middle-income countries fail to receive any routine vaccinations. There is little evidence on how to effectively and efficiently identify and target such 'zero-dose' (ZD) children. Methods We examined how well predictive algorithms can characterise a child's risk of being ZD based on predictor variables that are available in routine administrative data. We applied supervised learning algorithms with three increasingly rich sets of predictors and multiple years of data from India, Mali and Nigeria. We assessed performance based on specificity, sensitivity and the F1 Score and investigated feature importance. We also examined how performance decays when the model is trained on older data. For data from India in 2015, we further compared the inclusion and exclusion errors of the algorithmic approach with a simple geographical targeting approach based on district full-immunisation coverage. Results Cost-sensitive Ridge classification correctly classifies most ZD children as being at high risk in most country-years (high specificity). Performance did not meaningfully increase when predictors were added beyond an initial sparse set of seven variables. Region and measures of contact with the health system (antenatal care and birth in a facility) had the highest feature importance. Model performance decreased in the time between the data on which the model was trained and the data to which it was applied (test data). The exclusion error of the algorithmic approach was about 9.1% lower than the exclusion error of the geographical approach. Furthermore, the algorithmic approach was able to detect ZD children across 176 more areas as compared with the geographical rule, for the same number of children targeted. Interpretation Predictive algorithms applied to existing data can effectively identify ZD children and could be deployed at low cost to target interventions to reduce ZD prevalence and inequities in vaccination coverage.


We introduce the fastest known exact algorithm~for~the multiterminal cut problem with k terminals. In particular, we engineer existing as well as new data reduction rules. We use the rules within a branch-and-reduce framework and to boost the performance of an ILP formulation. Our algorithms achieve improvements in running time of up to multiple orders of magnitudes over the ILP formulation without data reductions, which has been the de facto standard used by practitioners. This allows us to solve instances to optimality that are significantly larger than was previously possible.


Categorisation of huge amount of data on the multimedia platform is a crucial task. In this work, we propose a novel approach to address the subtle problem of selfie detection for image database segregation on the web, given rapid rise in the number of selfies being clicked. A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is modeled to learn a synergy feature in the common subspace of head and shoulder orientation, derived from Local Binary Pattern (LBP) and Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) features respectively. This synergy was captured by projecting the aforementioned features using Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). We show that the resulting network's convolutional activations in the neighbourhood of spatial keypoints captured by SIFT are discriminative for selfie-detection. In general, proposed approach aids in capturing intricacies present in the image data and has the potential for usage in other subtle image analysis scenarios apart from just selfie detection. We investigate and analyse the performance of the popular CNN architectures (GoogleNet, Alexnet), used for other image classification tasks, when subjected to the task of detecting the selfies on the multimedia platform. The results of the proposed approach are compared with these popular architectures on a dataset of ninety thousand images comprising of roughly equal number of selfies and non-selfies. Experimental results on this dataset shows the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


Flow patterns inside a droplet of diluted aqueous NaCl solution confined by two flat substrates under natural evaporation were investigated both experimentally and numerically. We focused on natural convection-driven flows inside confined droplets at high Rayleigh numbers (i.e., the ratio of buoyancy to diffusion, Ra), where the convection of solutes is strongly dominant, compared to diffusion. The evaporated water at the free surface of the droplet builds up a concentration gradient inside the solution, which induces the Rayleigh convection flow. Three-dimensional trajectories of tracer particles in the droplet were tracked, and axisymmetric flow motions induced by the Rayleigh convection were experimentally measured by using a digital in-line holographic microscopy technique. In addition, the effects of the confined droplet's aspect ratio and the liquid's molar concentration on the evaporation-induced flows were investigated. The convection velocity is found to be increased as molar concentration increases, because Rayleigh convection becomes significant at high the molar concentration is high (i.e. high Ra). Our numerical simulation based on the Boussinesq approximation fairly well predicted the velocity profiles of evaporating confined droplets at low concentrations. Consequently, evaporation kinetics inside the confined droplets can be controlled with varying droplet's aspect ratio and the liquid's molar concentration, which provides helpful information for the design of biochemical microplating with limited resources and for tuning self-assembly micro/nanoparticle clusters.


Malignancies such as solid tumors and hematologic malignancies can often induce or be associated with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) in older males but not in children. Described here is the case of a 5-year-old boy who clinically presented with HSP. An imaging study of the abdomen revealed a right retroperitoneal neoplasm that histopathology postoperatively confirmed to be a neuroblastoma. Malignancies are sometimes associated with HSP mostly in older males, though children are affected, albeit rarely. Thus, all patients with HSP must be carefully examined to identify or exclude an underlying disease.


We thoroughly study a generalized version of the famous Stable Marriage problem, now based on multi-modal preference lists. The central twist herein is to allow each agent to rank its potentially matching counterparts based on more than one "evaluation mode" (e.g., more than one criterion); thus, each agent is equipped with multiple preference lists, each ranking the counterparts in a possibly different way. We introduce and study three natural concepts of stability, investigate their mutual relations and focus on computational complexity aspects with respect to computing stable matchings in these new scenarios. Mostly encountering computational hardness (NP-hardness), we can also spot few islands of tractability and make a surprising connection to the Graph Isomorphism problem.


The indirect effect of ants on plants through their mutualism with honeydew-producing insects has been extensively investigated. Honeydew-producing insects that are tended by ants impose a cost on plant fitness and health by reducing seed production and/or plant growth. This cost is associated with sap intake and virus transmissions but may be overcompesated by tending ants if they deter or prey on hebivorous insects. The balance between cost and benefits depends on the tending ant species. In this study we report other indirect effects on plants of the mutualism between aphids and ants. We have found that two Lasius ant species, one native and the other invasive, may change the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the holm oak (Quercus ilex) blend when they tend the aphid Lachnus roboris. The aphid regulation of its feeding and honeydew production according to the ant demands was proposed as a plausible mechanism that triggers changes in VOCs. Additionally, we now report here that aphid feeding, which is located most of the time on acorns cap or petiole, significantly increased the relative content of linolenic acid in acorns from holm oak colonized by the invasive ant. This acid is involved in the response of plants to insect herbivory as a precursor or jasmonic acid. No effect was found on acorn production, germination or seedlings quality. These results suggest that tending-ants may trigger the physiological response of holm oaks involved in plant resistance toward aphid herbivory and this response is ant species dependant.


This paper describes a technique for obtaining the induced worst case currents on individual wires of a multiconductor cable as a result of a transient electromagnetic radiation field. The technique involved a development of the expression for the induced current in matrix form where the mutual coupling terms and the other cable currents are the pertinent parameters. A worst case solution results from the assumption of maximum coupling orientation of the individual wires. A short example and some test results are presented. The test results show wave shapes for inductive and capacitive coupling. The solution for the individual wire current due to a transient electromagnetic field is important, since it will greatly reduce the required number of cable measurements and will allow the development of improved shielding techniques.


Flaviviruses are a heterogeneous group of viruses that may induce broad antigenic cross-reactivity. We present a patient who was admitted to the infectious disease department with symptoms suggestive of aseptic meningitis. During the clinical workup, the patient reported a tick bite two weeks before the disease onset. High titers of IgM and IgG antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) were found in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, indicating acute TBEV infection. West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) IgM and/or IgG antibodies were also detected, and a virus neutralization test (VNT) was performed. A high titer of TBEV neutralizing (NT) antibodies (640) was detected, which confirmed acute TBE. However, NT antibodies to WNV and USUV were also detected (titer 80 for both viruses). After TBEV and WNV IgG avidity evaluation, previous flavivirus infection was highly suspected (avidity index 82% and 89%, respectively). Blood, CSF, and urine samples were negative for respective viruses' RNA. The presented case highlights the challenges in flavivirus serodiagnosis. In the published literature, different degrees of cross-reactivity or cross-neutralization between TBEV and dengue, louping ill, Omsk hemorrhagic fever, Langat, and Powassan virus were also observed. Therefore, the serology results should be interpreted with caution, including the possibility of cross-reactivity. In areas where several flaviviruses co-circulate VNT is recommended for disease confirmation.


Technology in concrete has been developing in many ways to enhance the quality and properties of concrete. From this technology, a lot of concrete were produced and give some impact to the environment such as reduction of raw material, addition in concrete waste, the addition of a waste disposal area for concrete. One of the waste products from construction industry is cube concrete. Cubes concrete have a potential as a course aggregate in fresh concrete. Furthermore, in the future, the amounts of nature aggregate will deficits. This research was carrying out to review the material properties of concrete which the concrete was produced from the crushed concrete waste aggregate (30% of CCWA) and natural aggregate (70% of NA) and to determine the compressive and flexure strength of the concrete. There are two test have been done in order to get compressive strength and flexural strength, which is compression test and flexural test. From the result, at days of 28th we can see that the compressive strength of concrete which mix with 30% crushed concrete waste aggregate (CCWA) and 70% natural aggregate (NA) is lower compared to plain concrete or control concrete.


Multi-electrode array systems have enabled the in vitro electrophysiological study of neuronal networks. The data processing component of these systems consists of an advanced computer system and data acquisition electronics that collectively cost more than the multi-electrode arrays and amplifiers. Considering that these elaborate systems may be cost-prohibitive for many laboratories, we have developed a simple but novel method for recording groups of related multi-electrode array channels with a low-cost data acquisition system.


The objective of this study is to examine the efficiency, performance, and scope for enhancement of Rural Banks (BPRs) and Sharia Rural Banks (BPRSs) in Indonesia, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to support national economic recovery. The research sample consisted of 77 BPRs and 52 BPRSs in Indonesia over the period of 2016-2020. The analytical approach employed was a non-parametric method called Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), utilizing secondary data obtained from financial bank statements. The input variables encompassed fixed assets, operational costs, and third-party funds, while the output variables included the amount of financing provided and operating income. The findings of the study reveal a fluctuating trend in the performance of BPRs and BPRSs in Indonesia from year to year. According to the CRS and VRS scores, the efficiency level of BPRs remained stable during the Covid-19 pandemic, whereas BPRSs experienced a decline in efficiency. Consequently, this study concludes that BPRs exhibit superior efficiency compared to BPRSs in Indonesia. Moreover, the analysis of potential improvements indicates that the most significant source of inefficiency lies within the output variables: financing and operating income. Furthermore, benchmarking analysis reveals that the efficiency of both BPRs and BPRSs was higher during the period of 2016–2019 compared to 2020.


A young student presented with left forearm numbness and proximal arm palsy after awaking from benzodiazepine and alcohol consumption-induced deep sleep. The patient had fallen asleep while sitting with the neck leaning on a laptop screen and head tilted left (figure 1). Prior medical history was negative for diabetes mellitus, trauma, neuropathy, chronic alcohol consumption, renal failure or autoimmune disorders. There was no family history of neuropathy. Examination revealed paralysis of the left deltoid, biceps and brachioradialis muscles, mild triceps weakness (4/5 MRC scale), absent biceps tendon reflex and C5–C6 dermatomal hypoesthesia suggesting involvement of the C5–C6–C7 roots or the upper and middle primary trunks of the brachial plexus. Electromyography, performed 3 days after the onset of symptoms, showed no motor unit voluntary recruitment in deltoid, biceps or brachioradialis, and reduced recruitment in triceps. Bilateral upper limb sensory, including lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve, and motor nerve conduction studies …


When asbestos containing materials (ACM) must be removed from the building before demolition, additional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are generated. However, precedent studies have not considered the removal of ACM from the building. The present study aimed to develop a model for estimating GHG emissions created by the ACM removal processes, specifically the removal of asbestos cement slates (ACS). The second objective was to use the new model to predict the total GHG emission produced by ACM removal in the entire country of Korea. First, an input-equipment inventory was established for each step of the ACS removal process. Second, an energy consumption database for each equipment type was established. Third, the total GHG emission contributed by each step of the process was calculated. The GHG emissions generated from the 1,142,688 ACS-containing buildings in Korea was estimated to total 23,778 tonCO2eq to 132,141 tonCO2eq. This study was meaningful in that the emissions generated by ACS removal have not been studied before. Furthermore, the study deals with additional problems that can be triggered by the presence of asbestos in building materials. The method provided in this study is expected to contribute greatly to the calculation of GHG emissions caused by ACM worldwide.


The intravenous or subcutaneous route is a useful option for administering opioids when cancer patients with moderate to severe pain are unable to take oral medication. An injectable form of oxycodone is now available, and three patients with cancer-related pain were treated successfully with continuous intravenous or subcutaneous oxycodone. The first case showed transient switching from oral oxycodone to the parenteral form during the active treatment phase, resulting in satisfactory pain management. The second case suggested that oxycodone may have a more favorable analgesic profile in severe neuropathic cancer pain compared with fentanyl. Finally, the third case demonstrated that oxycodone injection is relatively safe for renal-impaired patients.


The rapid depletion of lithium resources and the increasing demand for electrical energy storage have stimulated the pursuit of emerging electrochemical energy storage. Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are highly sought after for their low cost, high safety, and increased environmental compatibility. However, the search for suitable cathode materials is still tricky for a wide range of researchers. Vanadium oxides (VxOy), with their abundant vanadium valence, easily deformable V−O polyhedrons, and tunable chemical compositions, are of significant advantage in developing emerging materials. This work provides a detailed review of different VxOy for the application in aqueous ZIBs. The current problems and optimization strategies of VxOy cathode materials are systematically discussed. Finally, the current challenges and possible directions for future research of VxOy cathode materials in aqueous ZIBs are presented.


We test through which channels quantitative easing affects the prices and issuance of securities. We exploit the announcement of the corporate bond purchase program by the European Central Bank, and we study the impact of the announcement on the cross section of European corporate bonds. We find that as the Central Bank increased the demand for bonds eligible for the program, eligible firms responded by substituting the issuance of ineligible bonds with the issuance of eligible bonds. As a result, bond prices were unaffected by their eligibility status, and all firms increased total issuance to the same extent. We show that monetary policy affected bond prices through a risk channel. Prices increased significantly more for bonds and firms that were exposed to higher levels of risk and uncertainty. However, risky firms did not issue more in response.


Udimet 720 has been selected for use on Stirling power converters for space applications. Because Udimet 720 is generally considered susceptible to strain age cracking if traditional fusion welding is used, other joining methods are being considered. A process for transient liquid phase diffusion bonding of Udimet 720 has been theoretically developed in an effort to eliminate the strain age crack concern. This development has taken into account such variables as final grain size, joint homogenization, joint efficiency related to bonding aid material, bonding aid material application method, and thermal cycle.


Release of arachidonate metabolites from isolated canine cerebral arteries into perfusing medium were estimated using radioimmunoassay (RIA) in vitro. The cerebral arteries were isolated from dogs sustained experimental subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAH) and the results were compared with that of normal canine cerebral arteries. The amount of 6-Keto-PG F1 alpha (stable metabolite of PGI2) and PGE2 released from normal cerebral arteries were 455 +/- 84 (n = 7) and 177 +/- 72 (n = 8) ng/min/g dry weight (mean +/- SEM), respectively. Among other arachidonate metabolites, TXB2 (stable metabolite of TXA2), PGF2 alpha, PGD2 were also measured, but release of these arachidonate metabolites were little compared with PGI2 or PGE2. The amount of 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha and PGE2 released from the cerebral arteries subjected to subarachnoid hemorrhage were 110 +/- 34 (n = 6), 169 +/- 40 (n = 6) ng/min/g dry weight respectively. In SAH group, release of 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha had diminished remarkably, but no remarkable quantitative change were seen among other arachidonate metabolite between normal and SAH groups. The diminution of PGI2 release in the cerebral artery subjected to SAH may be involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm. The release of PGs from canine pial arteries induced by the exposure of the pial arteries to red blood cell hemolysate was also estimated by RIA. The release of PGE2 tended to increase following to exposure to hemolysate but no other arachidonate was increased.


For social web applications, motivated users are an essential part. They create the new (Open) Content that is presented to users. Without ongoing current content such web applications are unviable. Creating and editing content means user interaction upon resources and with each other. It is no surprise that web applications evermore tend to use game design principles to keep their users motivated. In this contribution, a Social Interaction Taxonomy (SIT) is presented that classifies users for any kind of interaction within any kind of web application. For this purpose, we designed a taxonomy which classifies typical activities within web applications to prepare them for global rewarding with points and special awards in the next step. The focus of this contribution lies on the classification of user interoperation tasks in social web applications and the derivation of our taxonomy. It creates the basis for a Global Interaction Rewarding Model (GIAR) via RESTful web services. Web applications, that want to reward their users' activity with points, badges or other prizes in a global and application-independent way, can embed our taxonomy for activity logging with rewarding and the generation of activity stats known from game design (user rankings, level progression, etc.). By applying simple game principles like rewarding points and creating appealing, emotive user experience a "boring" vocabulary trainer becomes a vocabulary learning game. Students or other users of such rewarded interaction stay motivated. They easily walk through learning phases because they do not perceive it as learning, but as playing. Next to gaming mechanics, the developed Social Interaction Taxonomy can be embedded into, e.g., web activity monitoring systems to gain classified information about the users' behavior.


Introduction. The article considers anthroponymous toponyms of Tatar origin in the Republic of Mari El in reference to the genesis and history of movement and contact of the peoples of the Middle Volga region. The purpose of the article is to study the Tatar-Mari toponymic zoning based on the otantroponym oikonyms, which go back to the Tatar language.
Materials and Methods. The analysis of toponymic material is associated with the use of various approaches: comparative-historical, comparative, as well as such research methods: the method of component analysis of toponymic units; areal, descriptive, structural, etymological, statistical, cartographic. The body of the research is represented by otanthroponymic oikonyms, selected from cartographic and lexicographic sources created in the Russian, Mari and Tatar languages, in the number of 129 units.
Results and Discussion. The Tatar-Mari interactions on the territory of the Republic of Mari-El are concentrated in two main zones: the Tatar-mountain-Mari toponymic zone and the Tatar-meadow-Mari zone. The article defines the basic principles of the nomination of anthroponymous toponyms, provides a classification of toponyms by objects of the toponymic nomination in each of the topozones, and also highlights parallel names. The analysis also makes it possible to trace the patterns of placement of toponymic objects on the territory of the the Republic of Mari-El. Analysis of the identified borrowings from the Tatar language makes it possible to clarify their territorial localization in the territory of Mari El. Oikonyms formed on the basis of Tatar personal names are most common in areas of compact residence of Tatars, as well as in border areas with the Republic of Tatarstan, due to trade and economic, historical and political, administrative, territorial, and geographical factors. The main principle underlying the Mari otantroponym oikonyms was their nomination based on the relationship with a person: their social status; class affiliation; profession; social interactions; place and role in the family hierarchy; human character; appearance; clothing; qualities of a person; their financial status; etc.
Conclusion. The names of Mari anthroponymous topoobjects of Tatar origin were implemented in importing Tatar values that are significant for the Mari ethnic group and go back to Tatar names: material wealth, high social status, respect for parents and elders, health and strength of body, friendship, kindness, firmness and strength of character, cleanliness and neatness in clothing.


Single event upsets (SEU) have been observed in implantable cardiac defibrillators. The incidence of SEUs is well modeled by upset rate calculations attributable to the secondary cosmic ray neutron flux. The effect of recent interpretations of the shape of the heavy ion cross-section curve on neutron burst generation rate calculations is discussed. The model correlates well with clinical experience and is consistent with the expected geographical variation of the secondary cosmic ray neutron flux. The observed SER was 9.3/spl times/10/sup -12/ upsets/bit-hr from 22 upsets collected over a total of 284672 device days. This is the first clinical data set obtained indicating the effects of cosmic radiation on implantable devices. Importantly, it may be used to predict the susceptibility of future implantable device designs to cosmic radiation. The significance of cosmic radiation effects relative to other radiation sources applicable to implantable devices is discussed.


In this paper, we study a new type of spatial sparse recovery problem, that is to infer the fine-grained spatial distribution of certain density data in a region only based on the aggregate observations recorded for each of its subregions. One typical example of this spatial sparse recovery problem is to infer spatial distribution of cellphone activities based on aggregate mobile traffic volumes observed at sparsely scattered base stations. We propose a novel Constrained Spatial Smoothing (CSS) approach, which exploits the local continuity that exists in many types of spatial data to perform sparse recovery via finite-element methods, while enforcing the aggregated observation constraints through an innovative use of the ADMM algorithm. We also improve the approach to further utilize additional geographical attributes. Extensive evaluations based on a large dataset of phone call records and a demographical dataset from the city of Milan show that our approach significantly outperforms various state-of-the-art approaches, including Spatial Spline Regression (SSR).


The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires the monitoring of surface water and groundwater status. The ecological status is surveyed using assessment methods for biological elements (aquatic flora, benthic invertebrates, fish). European countries are in charge of developing new or modifying existing methods according to the WFD requirements. This study provides an overview of biological and hydromorphological assessment methods for rivers in use or under development in 29 European countries. Information was collected using questionnaires completed by experts involved in limnology research and water quality monitoring. Supplemented by various literature sources the review covers 107 method descriptions. Results are accessible online via the Waterview Database (http://starwp3.eu-star.at). The thesis evaluates the general features of the river assessment methods and discusses the aspects of assessment costs and WFD compliancy.


Magnetorheological fluid (MRF) has received significant attention lately and MRF based devices have been proposed for structural control applications in recent years. The unique characteristics of MR fluid lies in its abilities to reversibly, repeatedly and instantly change from a free flowing liquid to a semi-solid state when exposed to a magnetic field. The electric power required to drive the MR devices can be easily provided by a battery. Possessing such unique properties, MR fluid based devices, such as MR damper, have become promising candidates in the semi-active control for civil structure applications. However, most of the published research has focused on application of MR dampers instead of exploring other type of MR devices. In addition, MR based devices exhibit complex nonlinear hysteresis behaviour and thus making their modelling a challenging task.In this paper, a novel MR fluid based device, namely MR pin joint, is proposed as a smart structural member in development of an intelligent civil structure that can suppress unwanted vibrations to ensure safety and serviceability of the structure. After design and fabrication, experiments have been conducted to characterise dynamic behaviours of the new device under different harmonic excitations with various input currents. Response time of the MR pin joint is compared when the MR pin joint is driven under different applied currents and moving speeds. Test data shows that the MR pin joint possesses a unique behaviour in the moment-angular velocity plot. A hyperbolic hysteresis model is proposed to model such unique behaviour. The investigation presented in the paper explores dynamic performance of MR pin joint. Finally, a parametric model is developed following the investigation on the correlation of coefficients in the proposed model with the loading conditions and applied currents.


A study in which four healthy adult males underwent 205 hours of sleep deprivation indicated that although they suffered transient ego disruptive phenomena, they did not appear to undergo psychopathological reactions extending beyond the period of sleep deprivation. Detailed psychological, physiological, and biochemical findings are reported.


Lens distortion is closely related to the spatial position of depth of field (DoF), especially in close-range photography. The accurate characterization and precise calibration of DoF-dependent distortion are very important to improve the accuracy of close-range vision measurements. In this paper, to meet the need of short-distance and small-focal-length photography, a DoF-dependent and equal-partition based lens distortion modeling and calibration method is proposed. Firstly, considering the direction along the optical axis, a DoF-dependent yet focusing-state-independent distortion model is proposed. By this method, manual adjustment of the focus and zoom rings is avoided, thus eliminating human errors. Secondly, considering the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, to solve the problem of insufficient distortion representations caused by using only one set of coefficients, a 2D-to-3D equal-increment partitioning method for lens distortion is proposed. Accurate characterization of DoF-dependent distortion is thus realized by fusing the distortion partitioning method and the DoF distortion model. Lastly, a calibration control field is designed. After extracting line segments within a partition, the de-coupling calibration of distortion parameters and other camera model parameters is realized. Experiment results shows that the maximum/average projection and angular reconstruction errors of equal-increment partition based DoF distortion model are 0.11 pixels/0.05 pixels and 0.013°/0.011°, respectively. This demonstrates the validity of the lens distortion model and calibration method proposed in this paper.


In this sweeping magical-realist epic set in the fictional south sea island Republic of Navidad, Ikezawa gives his imagination free rein to re-invent the myths of twentieth century Japan. The story takes off as a delegation of Japanese war veterans pays an official visit to the ex-World War II colony, only to see the Japanese flag burst into flames. The following day, the tour bus, and its passengers, simply vanish. The locals exchange absurd rumours, but the President suspects a covert guerilla organization is trying to undermine his connections with Japan. Can the real answers to the mystery be found, or will the President have to be content with the surreal answers?


The past decade has witnessed the rise of an exciting new field of engineering: synthetic biology. Synthetic biology is the application of engineering principles to the fundamental components of biology with the aim of programming cells with novel functionalities for utilization in the health, environment, and energy industries. Since its beginnings in the early 2000s, control design principles have been used in synthetic biology to design dynamics, mitigate the effects of uncertainty, and aid modular and layered design. In this review, we provide a basic introduction to synthetic biology, its applications, and its foundations and then describe in more detail how control design approaches have permeated the field since its inception. We conclude with a discussion of pressing challenges in this field that will require new control theory, with the hope of attracting researchers in the control theory community to this exciting engineering area.


The aim of this study is to introduce the local PV-wind hybrid system's working principle by reviewing one case where the system is connected to the grid. The thermal power stations are causing pollution which severely affects mankind and nature. These power stations result in causing many diseases. Also natural resources like coal, oil,radioactive materials etc will get extinct in near future. The other existing power generating systems like Hydro-Electricity power generating plant cannot afford much power as it is season based, although it causes less pollution. Therefore, it is of great urgency to go for non conventional energy resources. In recent years, environmental friendly technological solutions are becoming more prominent as a result of concern over the state of our deteriorating planet. The main purpose of this hybrid wind-solar energy system is to meet our daily demand effectively and to get an uninterrupted power supply from any one of the natural source either wind or solar or both. The hybrid model is designed using CukSEPIC fused convertors and the performances are analyzed. Due to the inherent nature of this Cuk-SEPIC fused convertors, we get optimum efficiency Simulation results are given to highlight the merits of the proposed circuit. To ful fill the challenging demands of the growing grid, new concepts of the inverters are needed. Inthis project a reduced switch modular inverter design is detailed. A modular inverter design is presented for a modern power system which inputs power from both AC andDC Renewable Sources.


PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The aims of this review are to discuss the impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on antibiotic pharmacokinetics and how this phenomenon may influence antibiotic dosing requirements in critically ill adult ECMO patients.

RECENT FINDINGS
The body of literature describing antibiotic pharmacokinetic and dosing requirements during ECMO support in critically adult patients is currently scarce. However, significant development has recently been made in this research area and more clinical pharmacokinetic data have emerged to inform antibiotic dosing in these patients. Essentially, these clinical data highlight several important points that clinicians need to consider when dosing antibiotics in critically ill adult patients receiving ECMO: physicochemical properties of antibiotics can influence the degree of drug loss/sequestration in the ECMO circuit; earlier pharmacokinetic data, which were largely derived from the neonatal and paediatric population, are certainly useful but cannot be extrapolated to the critically ill adult population; modern ECMO circuitry has minimal adsorption and impact on the pharmacokinetics of most antibiotics; and pharmacokinetic changes in ECMO patients are more reflective of critical illness rather than the ECMO therapy itself.

SUMMARY
An advanced understanding of the pharmacokinetic alterations in critically ill patients receiving ECMO is essential to provide optimal antibiotic dosing in these complex patients pending robust dosing guidelines. Antibiotic dosing in this patient population should generally align with the recommended dosing strategies for critically ill patients not on ECMO support. Performing therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) to guide antibiotic dosing in this patient population appears useful.


For animal species inhabiting patchy environments, the search behavior of individuals and the distance from which they can detect suitable habitat (perceptual range) are key determinants of the functional connectivity of landscapes. We examined the movement behavior and perceptual range of adult cactus bugs (Chelinidea vittiger), which are habitat specialists that feed and reproduce on Opuntia cactus. Movement pathways of walking individuals released into unsuitable matrix habitat (30-3000 m from Opuntia) were highly directional. These results supported predictions of optimal search behavior from published simulation models. A release experiment within natural patch networks indicated that the perceptual range of C. vittiger depended on size of the target patch, matrix structure, and direction of the target patch relative to prevailing winds. A strong effect of wind direction on orientation behavior (and presumed perceptual range) was evident in a release experiment using 'artificial' patches of potted Opuntia. In these two experiments, individuals released 50--100 cm from Opuntia patches were more likely to orientate toward patches located upwind than to those located crosswind or downwind. A reexamination of the pathways of individuals walking in the matrix also revealed a strong bias for movement upwind. Such upwind movement by individuals, both within and outside of patch networks, suggests that C. vittiger uses olfaction to navigate and it complicates our ability to interpret search behavior and to estimate perceptual range. Current techniques for assessing perceptual range have limitations for olfactory-based species. Furthermore, we need to broaden our view of perceptual range and of patch and landscape connectivity. Perceptual range may be anisotropic and connectivity may be directional. An organism-based approach to spatial ecology requires that we consider the dominant senses used by species when navigating around patchy landscapes.


Because killed Brucella abortus organisms cultured in smooth (S) or rough (R) phase were known to differentially influence humoral and cellular immune responses and to differ in their effects on T-dependent responses, the antitumor properties of killed B. abortus organisms, cultured in S- or R-phase and then inactivated, were compared in (C57BL/6 X DBA/2)F1 female mice with the use of 6 different transplantable tumors. In solid tumors, the antitumor effects produced by S-preparations were never improved by R-preparations. However, in ascites tumors, R-preparations gave the best antitumor results. These findings suggested that the defense mechanisms acrivated by immunostimulants may differ according to the site of tumor implantation. Among the other experimental factors studied, the route of B. abortus administration had a prominent role. Local injection at the site of tumor implantation before or after the graft gave better results than did systemic treatment. Systemic treatment could enhance the growth of Lewis tumor when applied 5 or 10 days before tumor graft but generally had an antitumor effect when given 1 day after the graft.


The article offers a survey over the emergence and evolution of Greece's left parties until today. By using both, historical and political science's analytical tools, the article attempts to explain the big and wide popularity of the communist and left ideology in Greece, which has been documented in the electoral results of the parliamentary elections of Mai 2012 in Greece. Whereas many analysts interprets the electoral success of the Greek left parties as the outcome of frustration and protest against the austerity measures Greece's government was forced to take in the last two years in order to satisfy its creditors, the author explains it in different way. He argues that the rise of the Greek left parties is the continuation of a development that began in 1974 after the collapse of the military junta and culminated in 2012 in the course of the economic meltdown Greece has faced since 2009. University of Crete


According to 1991 census data, 72,285 East Africans are residing in Canada. Many female immigrants underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) in their countries of origin. This article, prepared by a Somalian midwife and health educator, describes FGM and its implications for obstetric-gynecologic care in Canada. Canadian obstetricians, especially males, must be sensitive to the cultural backgrounds of women who present with FGM and keep in mind that these women are reluctant to expose their genitals. Fear that they will be denied the right to natural childbirth prevents many women with FGM from presenting to a hospital. Medical mismanagement of women with FGM during childbirth can result in complications such as urine retention, perineal tears, and infection. Although infibulation after childbirth is customary for women with FGM, physicians in Ontario are authorized only to repair the surgically incised area. The Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has designated performance of FGM by a Canadian physician as professional misconduct. Several organizations in Ontario are available to serve as resources for obstetricians who care for women with FGM. The Toronto Birth Control and Venereal Disease Information Center offers classes on childbirth and sexuality and contraception counseling to women with FGM.


Abstract Adolescence and young adulthood are periods that increase in violent behaviors. Perceived by the victims directly and those who witness the violence is important for the development personality, attitudes and behaviors. The aim of this study is to invesitigate the relationship between self-esteem characteristics of adolescents and exposure to physical violence in a semi-rural area.  This is the cross-sectional survey was conducted in a semi rural area of Malatya. Hekimhan District Centre and randomly selected three town 410 adolescents were included in the study. The researc data was collected a survey and "Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale"(RSS) developed by Cuhadar (1986) was applied under supervision.  Unpaired t-test and regression analysis were used for data analysis. 60.2% male and 39.8% were female of 410 adolescents. 33.7% primary and 66.3% high school education of adolescents has been attending. From the adolescents 41.3% at home, 41.9% in school, 41.5% in the street, stated that they had experienced physical violence. Self-esteem scores of 58.3 % of male adolescents were in the range of 0-2 (high), of 35.2 % was in the range of 3-4 (moderately) and of 6.5 % in the range of 5-6 (low). Scores of 65.0 of female adolescents were in the range of 0-2, of 25,8 % was in 3-4  and  of 9.2 % in 5-6 respectively. There was no statistical difference between self –esteem scores of adolescents and gender (p>0.05).  The low but there was a significant correlation between self-esteem of  adolescents and exposure to physical violence at school (r = 0.13, p = 0.05).The standardized regression coefficient is interpreted, as a one-unit increase at the self-esteem score were lead to,  an increase of 11.2 %  the exposure to physical violence in school adolescents (F = 7.892, p = 0.005 In contrast, there was no a relationship between self-esteem levels of adolescents and exposure to physical violence at home (t=-.303; p=0.762). As conclussion; in this study was found a significant relationship between self-esteem levels and physical violence at school. The consciousness-raising programs for adolescents, parents and teachers are needed. Key Words: Adolescents, physical violence, self-esteem


Abstract. Human emotion identification from image sequences is highly demanded nowadays. The range of possible applications can vary from an automatic smile shutter function of consumer grade digital cameras to Biofied Building technologies, which enables communication between building space and residents. The highly perceptual nature of human emotions leads to the complexity of their classification and identification. The main question arises from the subjective quality of emotional classification of events that elicit human emotions. A variety of methods for formal classification of emotions were developed in musical psychology. This work is focused on identification of human emotions evoked by musical pieces using human face tracking and optical flow analysis. Facial feature tracking algorithm used for facial feature speed and position estimation is presented. Facial features were extracted from each image sequence using human face tracking with local binary patterns (LBP) features. Accurate relative speeds of facial features were estimated using optical flow analysis. Obtained relative positions and speeds were used as the output facial emotion vector. The algorithm was tested using original software and recorded image sequences. The proposed technique proves to give a robust identification of human emotions elicited by musical pieces. The estimated models could be used for human emotion identification from image sequences in such fields as emotion based musical background or mood dependent radio.


We chart the composition and technical development of a non-linear, interactive work for pianist, Disklavier piano and interactive system called Climb!. Collaborating with a composer and performers we focus on the journey of score representations through this complex work, highlighting the processes and challenges faced from composition to performance. We reveal that multiple, distinct score representations of different types and formats were required to define and perform the work. Furthermore, we highlight a number of compromises that were necessitated to create and manage the work's notations, representations and annotations.


The World Trade Organization (WTO) has completed its twelfth year of existence. It has promoted a rule-based approach for agriculture, principles of transparency in trade, elimination of discrimination, increased liberal trade through negotiation and similar treatment, promotion of competition while encouraging economic and social development and, finally reform amongst its signatories. After more than a decade of adjustment and adoption, the WTO's impact on Caribbean agriculture has been varied. The issue has been the subject of many debates; however, the empirical evidence to support this has not been fully collated. It is therefore necessary to gauge the impact of the WTO on the position of different economies and especially productive sectors through a series of yardsticks that are based on empirical evidence upon which we can make positive statements. This paper analyzes the performance of one segment of the Jamaican agricultural economy, (beef) in pre- and post-WTO periods using various indicators and benchmarks those against the performance of another leading economy, the United States of America (USA). The paper suggests different yardsticks and proposes a Vulnerability Index that may be used for such an exercise. This can prove to be useful to policy makers in assessing other sectors in the post-WTO period.


Slow sand filter columns are a high efficiency system proposed to reduce a multitude of physical and chemical contaminants while remaining cost effective and not land intensive. We concluded using SSF is a low cost alternative for the treatment of contaminants in recycled water, in particular a greenhouse utilizing reclaimed water with a variety of emerging contaminants. While slow sand filter is not a new concept, its research on removing emerging contaminants has yet to be discussed. Much of the literature has focused on bank filtration systems to manage aquifer systems, or biofilters that have some combination of chemical treatment or various granular media that could bolster the effectiveness of the biofilters such as activated carbon. However, with only utilizing the inoculation supplied by the tertiary treated waterwater plant leachate in our greenhouse, biofilm was able to grow in these conditions. In certain cases, utilization of the biological degradable organic carbon supplied with the plant leachate could have been the reason of biological degradation as biofilm layer is growing and using the micropollutants as a secondary source. The redox conditions have been known to be crucial in the sorption of pharmaceutically active compounds, since they tend to exist in ionic forms under certain pH conditions. Although removals have occurred, it is difficult to distinguish whether removal is occurring based on adsorption or biodegradation. There were many factors to consider, as this is a preliminary study, more tests concerning the following issues should be addressed. Adsorption is primarily based on the hydrophobicity of the compound to adhere to binding sites, usually an indication of larger log Kow values. However, we have seen signs of oversaturation of compounds with large Kow values and decreases in removal. Given the short amount of time that our study was conducted, it is insufficient to know the extent of the compounds' removal and thus further studies should be conducted. Given the limits of our preliminary study and analytical method, we have successfully analyzed 29 compounds able to undergo derivatization and maintain quality recoveries, and have used SSF to remove a mean 20-60%. This project has shown that columns have developed unique microbial communities and averaging removals between columns may not be an accurate representation. To understand a compound's removal, it is crucial to observe trends over time. Even under 60 days, certain compounds, like 17β-estradiol, estrone, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor, diazinon, chlorpyrifos, and salicylic acid have all shown capability to be highly degraded. The highest removals experienced were >90% for some days of the project. There is promise that the conditions provided by our greenhouse system and design of the SSF allows for sufficient, at least moderate, removals of our emerging contaminants.


A stepped cylinder could be a desired design for an offshore buoy or SPAR platform. The geometry of a stepped cylinder consists of a small diameter cylinder (d) placed on top of a large diameter cylinder (D). This master thesis has investigated numerically the flow around a stepped cylinder with different diameter ratios (d/D) for a Reynolds number, ReD = 150. The commercial software Fluent v13.0 by Ansys was used for the numerical investigation. The aim of the study has been exploring the nearby wake flow as well as the region where the two cylinders are joined. The hydrodynamic forces and vortex shedding frequency have been analysed and compared for the four different diameter ratios: d/D = 0.3, 0.5, 0.8 and 0.9 The major part of the published papers on the topic is based on experimental studies. Only two papers are based on numerical studies, having considered d/D = 0.5 exclusively. Earlier studies have focused mainly on vortex shedding in the wake flow, omitting the forces acting on the stepped cylinder. The stepped cylinder has been modelled using the software GAMBIT. A convergence study investigating the domain size and element density was conducted to ensure a grid independent solution. Special attention was directed at the step region to fully resolve the complex flow in this region. The numerical model was verified to be in good agreement with previous experimental- and numerical studies. For the stepped cylinders significant spanwise velocity was detected in the step region. For d/D = 0.3 and 0.5, upflow was detected over the leading edge of the step whereas downwash characterised the trailing edge of the step. Similarities to the flow around a finite length cylinder could be drawn for d/D = 0.3 and 0.5, whereas d/D = 0.8 and 0.9 resembled that of a straight cylinder. The step was found to affect the wake flow ≈ 10D into D independent of diameter ratio. The wake flow behind the small diameter cylinder was less affected by the step than the large for d/D 150 the large spanwise vortex structures were still discernible, but the presence of small-scale streamwise vortices complicated the flow.


Tolerance to cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was introduced from an Indian small-fruited hot pepper accession, Perennial, into several bell-type sweet pepper lines by means of pedigree and backcrossing breeding procedures. Tolerance was determined to be incompletely dominant and quantitatively inherited. Breeding lines with variable degrees of tolerance were developed based on inspection of visual symptoms after mechanical inoculation. The breeding lines were subsequently tested for their agronomic performance in the field after mechanical inoculation. Their levels of tolerance in the field closely resembled their previous performances in the greenhouse. There was no association between virus accumulation levels in the upper leaves, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the degree of tolerance to the virus, as determined by either visual symptoms or field performance. We concluded that the basis for developing tolerant breeding lines from Perennial is primarily their ability to recover from high virus titer and not their restriction of virus multiplication.


Novel CsPbBr3/CdS core/shell structure quantum dots (QDs) were successfully synthesized using a facile hot-injection method. The corresponding CsPbBr3/CdS QDs based light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) were further prepared, which demonstrated the maximum luminance of 354 cd/m2 and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 0.4% with the current efficiency (CE) of 0.3 cd/A. Moreover, the optoelectronic performance of the CsPbBr3/CdS QDs based QLEDs exhibited a comparable enhancement in contrast to the pure CsPbBr3 QDs based QLEDs. Hypothetically, the novel CsPbBr3/CdS structure QDs introduced one new route for advanced light emission applications of perovskite materials.


LaPlaca, DA and McCullick, BA. National Football League scouting combine tests correlated to National Football League player performance. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2019-The National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine has been used since 1982 to collect performance information on the top-rated NFL prospects including physical test results from the vertical jump, broad jump, 3 cone drill, shuttle run, 40-yd dash, and bench press. The correlation between NFL Scouting Combine test results and NFL player performance is frequently questioned, and thus this study endeavored to identify significant relationships between NFL Scouting Combine test results and NFL player performance indicators for all offensive and defensive positions, including quarterback (n = 107), fullback (n = 31), running back (n = 228), wide receiver (n = 336), tight end (n = 137), offensive tackle (n = 204), guard (n = 128), center (n = 66), cornerback (n = 276), free safety (n = 92), strong safety (n = 96), outside linebacker (n = 215), inside linebacker (n = 116), defensive end (n = 212), and defensive tackle (n = 223). A Spearman rank-order correlation analysis set at a p of ≤0.01 and p of ≤ 0.05 level of significance indicated that every offensive and defensive positions had at least 1 NFL Scouting Combine test result that correlated with NFL player performance. These results can be useful for those in charge of making player personnel decisions in the NFL, such as general managers, draft analysts, and scouts by helping them select NFL prospects. Furthermore, these results could inform strength and conditioning coaches in preparing athletes to excel in the NFL.


Multiple choice homework, including feedback on each incorrect answer, is administered over the Web using an in‐house program. The large enrollments in lower division courses hinder the use of homework without the aid of a computer for grading, recording, and reporting. The current system permits faculty to create assignments using only a word processor, which allows the facile inclusion of symbols, pictures, and other non‐textual information. This is particularly important in science classes, where such material is a major part of any assignment. The system includes security measures, and reports scores back to instructors in a form which can be easily included into a spreadsheet.


Amburana cearensis (Allem.) A. C. Smith is a Brazilian semiarid region native plant. It presents good quality wood, contains an active ingredient that can be used for food, perfume and medicine production and it is also a forage and a melifera plant. The responses of the studied species to organic fertilizer and mulch, inputs produced and cycled within its ecosystem are still unknown. For this, an experiment was conducted to study the behavior of seedlings in an agroforestry system intercropped with maize and beans, testing different levels of organic matter (0, 15 and 30 L of manure) with and without soil mulch. It was evaluated the plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf area and the survival of plants in the field one year after planting. The performance of A. cearensis was indifferent to the use of mulch and well adapted to low soil organic matter conditions, obtaining the largest growth in the absence of organic matter.


As a result of rapid advancements in digital technologies over the course of the last decade, European data security and privacy laws became rapidly outdated and ineffective. Following a number of high profile security incidents and privacy scandals, the European-wide General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect in May of 2018. The regulation, however, does not only apply to businesses within the EU, but also to any company which controls or processes any data pertaining to European citizens. This global scope consequently raises a number of concerns regarding the global effects these new laws may have, their applicability outside the West, and whether the laws will set a new golden standard for data and security practices. With a focus on business, this thesis uses qualitative methods, particularly Critical Discourse Analysis in order to examine the extent to which the GDPR may create a fairer and more inclusive regulatory framework in the global digital economy. A variety of diverse reports, blogs, and academic papers concerning data, privacy, innovation and other relevant elements were sampled in order to understand the current conflicts and debates within the data sphere, as well as unpack the cultural assumptions that behind the GDPR. Results indicate that a global improvement of privacy standards and data practices is becoming increasingly evident and urgent. However, while the necessity for GDPR, and similar regulation is understood, there are a number of concerns still hindering its effectiveness, such as digital inequalities, cultural differences, as well as corporate and political influence. Further, according to the media, while enterprises of all sizes which fall under the scope of the GDPR will be affected, the most impact will fall on tech giants and large corporations. However, the debate as to whether this impact will be beneficial or detrimental is still ongoing. Finally, the findings indicate a number of long term, global effects triggered by the regulation and the resulting discourse, such as changing attitudes towards privacy and transparency.


An arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) scheme is demonstrated via the improved quantum chaotic encryption algorithm with the quantum one-time pad based on chaotic operation string. In this scheme, the signatory signs the message and the receiver verifies the signature's validity with the aid of the arbitrator who plays a crucial role when a dispute arises. Analysis shows that the signature can neither be forged nor disavowed by the malicious attacker.


Organosolv pulping releases reactive monomers from both lignin and hemicellulose via the cleavage of weak C-O bonds. These monomers recombine to form undesired polymers through the formation of recalcitrant C-C bonds. Different strategies have been developed to prevent this process by stabilising the reactive monomers (i.e., lignin-first approaches). To date, all reported approaches rely on the addition of capping agents or metal-catalysed stabilisation reactions, which usually require high pressures of hydrogen gas. Herein, we report a metal- and additive-free approach that uses zeolites as acid catalysts to convert the reactive monomers into more stable derivatives under organosolv pulping conditions. Experiments with model lignin compounds showed that the recondensation of aldehydes and allylic alcohols produced by the cleavage of β-O-4' bonds was efficiently inhibited by the use of protonic BETA zeolite. By applying a zeolite with a preferred pore size, the bimolecular reactions of reactive monomers were effectively inhibited, resulting in stable and valuable monophenolics. The developed methodology was further extended to birch wood to yield monophenolic compounds and value-added products from carbohydrates.


Research across age groups has consistently indicated that psychopathology has a general factor structure such that a broad latent dimension (or p factor) captures variance common to all mental disorders as well as specific internalizing and externalizing factors. This research has found that the p factor overlaps substantially with trait negative emotionality (or neuroticism). However, less is known about the psychological substance of the specific factors of the general psychopathology model or how lower-order facets of neuroticism may relate to each psychopathology factor. We investigated the structure of neuroticism and psychopathology as well as associations between these domains using multimethod assessments in a sample of 695 preadolescent children. We found that both psychopathology and neuroticism may be well characterized by bifactor models and that there was substantial overlap between psychopathology (p) and neuroticism (n) general factors as well as between specific factors (Internalizing with Fear, Externalizing with Irritability).


Phytophthora capsica is a destructive oomycete plant pathogen that causes huge losses to crop production worldwide. However, the novel fungicide SYP-14288 has shown excellent activity against various stages of the oomycete life cycle as well against fungal plant pathogens. The current study utilized isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation technology to generate proteome profiles of P. capsici in the presence or absence of SYP-14288 in order to gain a greater understanding of the SYP-14288 mode of action. A total of 1,443 individual proteins were identified during the investigation, of which 599 were considered to have significantly altered expression. Further investigation using Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis indicated most of the proteins with altered expression were associated with carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism and their downstream biological functions, especially with regard to oxidoreductase activity and subsequent adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production associated pathways. Quantitative expression analysis using qRT-PCR validated the proteomic data. These results seem to indicate that SYP-14288 treatment caused a shift in energy metabolism that resulted in the activation of compensatory mechanisms affecting carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The study also found evidence that the up-regulation of transmembrane transporters and proteins associated with stress response might also be coopted to compensate for the disrupted proton gradient and other downstream effects. Taken together these results provide strong evidence that SYP-14288 has a similar mode of action to the oxidative phosphorylation uncoupler Fluazinam but further investigation, including molecular studies, is required to completely characterize the SYP-14288 mode of action in P. capsici. However, the proteomic data collected in the current study does provide important insight into the overall effect of SYP-14288 in P. capsici, which could be useful for the registration and application of this novel fungicide.


ABSTRACT Jang, S.-H. and Kim, S.-G., 2021. Examining rescue attempts after scuba diving accidents in South Korea: Causes and strategies. In: Lee, J.L.; Suh, K.-S.; Lee, B.; Shin, S., and Lee, J. (eds.), Crisis and Integrated Management for Coastal and Marine Safety. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 114, pp. 609–613. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The purpose of this study was to examine rescue attempts after scuba diving accidents in South Korea to understand the causes and contexts of the accidents and to propose alternative strategies. To this end, we collected and reviewed local and international literature alongside accident statistics data from the Korea Coast Guard and conducted interviews with eight people, including scuba diving instructors, coast guard rescue personnel, and leisure scuba divers. According to the results of the analysis, the accidents could be divided into injuries and deaths. Injuries included "rapid ascent," "diving in unsafe conditions," and "drifting," and the causes or contexts included "insufficient education," "Korean diving culture," and "unplanned diving." Deaths included "collecting accidents," "entanglement in ghost nets," and "disappearance," and the causes or contexts included "poor underwater environment" and "solo diving." Based on this analysis of accident rescue, we propose "planned diving," the "use of local guides," and "buddy diving" as the core strategies to reduce accidents. Thus, our study provides basic data to help understand the rescue of scuba diving accident victims in South Korea and to help avoid accidents.


Service-oriented architecture (SOA) provides an elastic and automatic way to discover, publish, and compose individual services. SOA enables faster integration of existing software components from different parties, makes fault tolerance (FT) feasible, and is also one of the fundamentals of cloud computing. However, the unpredictable nature of SOA systems introduces new challenges for reliability evaluation, while reliability and dependability have become the basic requirements of enterprise systems. This paper proposes an SOA system reliability model which incorporates three common fault-tolerance
strategies. Sensitivity analysis of SOA at both coarse and fine grain levels is also studied, which can be used to efficiently identify the critical parts within the system. Two SOA system scenarios based on real industrial practices are studied. Experimental results show that the proposed SOA model can be used to accurately depict the behavior of SOA systems. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis that quantizes the effects of system structure as well as fault tolerance on the overall reliability is also studied. On the whole, the proposed reliability modeling and analysis framework may help the SOA system service provider to evaluate the overall system reliability effectively and also make smarter improvement plans by focusing resources on enhancing reliability-sensitive parts within the system.