Circulating tumor cell (CTC) identification has applications in both early detection and monitoring of solid cancers. The rarity of CTCs, expected at ~1-50 CTCs per million nucleated blood cells (WBCs), requires identifying methods based on biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity for accurate identification. Discovery of biomarkers with ever higher sensitivity and specificity to CTCs is always desirable to potentially find more CTCs in cancer patients thus increasing their clinical utility. Here, we investigate quantitative image cytometry measurements of lipids with the biomarker panel of DNA, Cytokeratin (CK), and CD45 commonly used to identify CTCs. We engineered a device for labeling suspended cell samples with fluorescent antibodies and dyes. We used it to prepare samples for 4 channel confocal laser scanning microscopy. The total data acquired at high resolution from one sample is ~ 1.3 GB. We developed software to perform the automated segmentation of these images into regions of interest (ROIs) containing individual cells. We quantified image features of total signal, spatial second moment, spatial frequency second moment, and their product for each ROI. We performed measurements on pure WBCs, cancer cell line MCF7 and mixed samples. Multivariable regressions and feature selection were used to determine combination features that are more sensitive and specific than any individual feature separately. We also demonstrate that computation of spatial characteristics provides higher sensitivity and specificity than intensity alone. Statistical models allowed quantification of the required sensitivity and specificity for detecting small levels of CTCs in a human blood sample.


Fluctuations in stochastic systems are usually characterized by full counting statistics, which analyzes the distribution of the number of events taking place in the fixed time interval. In an alternative approach, the distribution of the first-passage times, i.e., the time delays after which the counting variable reaches a certain threshold value, is studied. This paper presents the approach to calculate the first-passage time distribution in systems in which the analyzed current is associated with an arbitrary set of transitions within the Markovian network. Using this approach, it is shown that when the subsequent first-passage times are uncorrelated, there exist strict relations between the cumulants of the full counting statistics and the first-passage time distribution. On the other hand, when the correlations of the first-passage times are present, their distribution may provide additional information about the internal dynamics of the system in comparison to the full counting statistics; for example, it may reveal the switching between different dynamical states of the system. Additionally, I show that breaking of the fluctuation theorem for first-passage times may reveal the multicyclic nature of the Markovian network.


Recently, there has been a great deal of clinical and experimental interest expressed in dissociative disorders and dissociative states. Theories of mental organization and personality have been formulated as a result of this new emphasis on dissociative phenomena Dreams may possibly be thought of as dissociative phenomena of a particular type that reflect a monitoring of and reaction to internal and external conditions within the dreamer. Experimental and/or clinical work related to hypnosis, rapid eye movement phenomena, dreams, and hemispheric specialization are discussed to support this view. Dreams are described within the context of dissociation-based theories of personality organization. Brain behavior relationships are emphasized whenever possible.


Ecosystems provide services that contribute to the well-being of people living within a city's borders and on the urban–rural fringe. While benefits from green areas in urban settings are well investigated, peri-urban areas are significantly less addressed by researchers than cities. This study aims to evaluate the importance of environmental amenities in peri-urban areas using the hedonic pricing method to assess people's willingness to pay for environmental goods and services. A local regression model (geographically weighted regression) and two global regression models (generalized spatial two-stage least squares and ordinary least square) are used to identify the spatial patterns and level of influence of protected areas, forests, rivers, trees, and landscape diversity. This paper includes the Central European case study example of a peri-urban area of the city of Wroclaw, Poland. The results from the three models show that out of all of the environmental amenities included in this study, proximity to protected areas—such as Natura 2000 sites and landscape parks—and the diversity of land-use patches within the 500-m radius around the sites exert the strongest influence on plot prices. The overall impact of environmental amenities on vacant plot prices in peri-urban areas is low or, as in the case of river and streams, not significant. The results of the analysis reveal the preferences of the new peri-urban inhabitants concerning green spaces that have an effect on the real estate market in Poland.


Advanced image processing of Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment (LASCO) C2 observations reveals the expansion of the active region closed field into the extended corona. The nested closed-loop systems are large, with an apparent latitudinal extent of 50°, and expanding to heights of at least 12 R☉. The expansion speeds are ∼10 km s−1 in the AIA/SDO field of view, below ∼20 km s−1 at 2.3 R☉, and accelerate linearly to ∼60 km s−1 at 5 R☉. They appear with a frequency of one every ∼3 hr over a time period of around three days. They are not coronal mass ejections (CMEs) since their gradual expansion is continuous and steady. They are also faint, with an upper limit of 3% of the brightness of background streamers. Extreme ultraviolet images reveal continuous birth and expansion of hot, bright loops from a new active region at the base of the system. The LASCO images show that the loops span a radial fan-like system of streamers, suggesting that they are not propagating within the main coronal streamer structure. The expanding loops brighten at low heights a few hours prior to a CME eruption, and the expansion process is temporarily halted as the closed field system is swept away. Closed magnetic structures from some active regions are not isolated from the extended corona and solar wind, but can expand to large heights in the form of quiescent expanding loops.


The contributions of subtypes of alpha-adrenoceptor to contraction induced by agonists were studied in smooth muscles of isolated rat pulmonary arteries. The results showed that the antagonizing effects of prazosin on the contraction induced by norepinephrine (NE) or phenylephrine (Phe) were more potent than those of yohimbine. The effect of prazosin against Phe was more potent than against NE, and yohimbine was just the reverse. Preincubation of preparations with chlorethylclonidine (CEC) 50 mumol.L-1, after which only alpha 1A adrenoceptors were left, reduced the vascular contraction induced by NE to 36% of the control (P < 0.01). While in the presence of nifedipine 10 mumol.L-1, during which only the responses of alpha 1B adrenoceptors were left, the contraction was weakened to 70% (P < 0.05). The pKA values of alpha 1A subtype (3.37 +/- 0.34) were smaller than those of alpha 1B (6.64 +/- 0.40, P < 0.01). But the values of KA/EC50 were much higher in alpha 1A than those in alpha 1B. The results suggest that in smooth muscle of rat pulmonary artery both alpha 1 and alpha 2 adrenoceptors exist, but alpha 1 is superior functionally. Both subtypes of alpha 1 adrenoceptor are involved in the contraction induced by NE. Compared with alpha 1B subtype, alpha 1A subtype has a lower affinity but a more reserve and a higher efficacy for NE.


Myosepta of selected representatives of the following acanthomorph taxa were investigated: Polymixiiformes, Lampridiformes, Paracanthopterygii, Beryciformes, Atherinomorpha, and Percomorpha. A new technique, microdissection of alcohol-stored specimens and polarized-light microscopy, was applied to study the three-dimensional architecture of connective tissue fibers in epaxial parts of myosepta. Several invariable similarities were present in all taxa: an epineural series of tendons or bones and a tendinous series of lateral bands in the epaxial part of the myoseptum, and an epicentral series of tendons or bones in the horizontal septum. Patterson and Johnson's (1995) hypothesis that the single bony series of intermusculars in higher acanthomorphs is the homolog of epineurals of lower teleosts is tested. Our results contradict their hypothesis at essential points because we discovered epineural tendons in the normal epaxial position in different acanthomorphs that were considered to lack these. We conclude that the first intermuscular bone of Polymixia is an epicentral, the single series of intermuscular bones of Holacanthopterygii are epicentrals, and the neoneurals of some percomorphs are normal epineurals. Phylogenetic implications of our results are discussed.


Ali in Tibet, 5100 m above sea level, is one of the most suitable locations in the world for infrared spectral observations. The atmospheric transmittances at Ali Observatory and Mauna Kea Observatory were calculated by MODTRAN using radiosonde data. The results were 0.848 and 0.789 respectively which indicated better conditions at Ali Observatory. A self-made instrument with a 320×256-pixel HgCdTe infrared focal plane array and a 7.5-cm diameter telescope was utilized for the actual measurements. Without the help of standard stars, the on-site and real-time atmospheric transmittance can be obtained as 0.831 by fitting the relation between the measured atmospheric radiation intensity and the zenith angle based on radiation transfer equations. This paper firstly reports the atmospheric transmittance in the M' band (4.605–4.755 μm) at the 5100 m-altitude Ali observatory by actual measurement. It shows that the high-altitude Ali observatory with sufficiently low water vapor content is suitable for observation in the mid-infrared bands.


In this thesis the equilibrium behaviour of colloidal particles decorated with patches in an octahedral arrangement have been studied through the use of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The patches of the particles have a patch-antipatch interaction type, i.e. each patch can only form bonds with a specific antipatch on other particles. For these particles the fluid, simple cubic (sc) crystal and body-centered-cubic (bcc) crystal phases have been studied. Through MC simulations in the constant number of particles, pressure and temperature ensemble the equation of state has been found and via Einstein integration the free energies of the phases have been found. Combining these two results the phase diagram of the particles has been determined for number densities between ρσ3 = 0 and ρσ3 = 1.2, where σ is the particle's diameter. It has been found that three phases are stable for temperatures between kbT = 0.2 and kbT = 0.35, where kb is Boltzmann's constant. It is expected that at higher temperatures the face-centered-cubic crystal (fcc) phase is expected to be stable, although this has not been explored in this paper. At higher temperatures (above kbT = 0.35) melting of both crystal phases has been observed.


The security crisis in the Sahel is spiralling as unprecedented waves of violence surge across the region. The United Nations figures have revealed a fivefold increase in the number of attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger since 2016. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the UN's envoy for the fragile region on the southern rim of the Sahara, said it had experienced "a devastating surge in terrorist attacks against civilian and military targets". Amidst intense efforts by National Governments, Regional Governments and International Governments, violence ranging from political, religious to communal and persistent attacks have continued to undermine peace and security across the West African Region.


Background: High survival rate of children diagnosed with cancer has led to a growing population of women with premature ovarian failure (POF) due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The POF process occurs due to the disruption of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary and gonadal axis followed by the delay of puberty development. Evaluation of reproductive function in children with cancer is essential to determine the fertility preservation plan. This study aimed to describe reproductive function in children and adolescents with cancer who received chemotherapy based on Tanner stage evaluation, menstrual cycle, and Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) examination using Electrochemilumiscence Immunoassay (ECLIA) Kit. Result: Twenty-three girls aged 12-18 years old and had menarche who underwent cancer therapy in January-August 2019 in Dr. Sardjito General Hospital were included in the study. Among them, 61% girls had low AMH levels and were de�ned as Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR). There were two subjects with DOR who experienced delayed puberty. Regular menstrual cycle was reported in 65.2% subjects, while 21.7% encountered secondary amenorrhea. Conclusion: Chemotherapy exposure impacted on DOR occurrence in 60.9% childhood and adolescence cancer. Moreover, it also altered regularity 34.8% and


The studies of radionuclide distributions in foodstuffs and the environment provide vital radiological baseline information. This is essential in understanding human exposure from natural and man-made sources of radiation and also necessary in establishing rules and regulations relating to radiation protection. Another important fact is the importation of contaminated food from a region that affected by a major nuclear accident can indirectly affect people health anywhere. In this book result of investigations of natural and man-made radionuclides in most of foodstuffs consumed in the Sudan determined by gamma spectrometry is reported. Estimate of the annual effective dose due to ingestion of radionuclides is presented in comparison with similar studies globally. Details of foodstuff categorization based on its type, origin and consumption is presented. The reported analyzed radionuclides included U & Th series, K and Cs. Investigations showed effective dose up-to 6.5 mSv for young which are relatively high compare to ICRP recommendations. The book also addresses the issue of developing national limits of foodstuffs (intervention levels) based on the establishment of baseline data


BACKGROUND
Olive leaves and fruit possess bioactive substances such as phenolic compounds and triterpenic acids that can be obtained from olive by-products generated during olive oil extraction. The aim of the present study was the characterization and quantification of these compounds in Picual and Arbequina cultivars from different locations and throughout two seasons in both olive leaves and fruit.

RESULTS
The major phenolic compound identified in the leaves was oleuropein, and the total content of phenolic compounds in this material reached 70 g kg-1 fresh weight. The leaves were also rich in triterpenic acids (20 g kg-1 fresh weight), with oleanolic acid being the most concentrated among them. With regard to olives, oleuropein and demethyloleuropein were the main phenolic compounds in the pulp of Picual and Arbequina cultivars, and the total concentration of these phenolic compounds reached 3.5% fresh weight. Olives can also be an important source of triterpenic acids, although this is mainly the skin part, where the maslinic and oleanolic acids are concentrated.

CONCLUSION
Olive leaves can contain up to 70 g kg-1 phenolic compounds and 20 g kg-1 triterpenic acids, and olive fruit can contain up to 35 g kg-1 of the former and 3 g kg-1 of the latter. It must also be noted that this level was constant both between seasons and orchard locations. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.


This paper experimentally studies the temperature dependencies of current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of SiC power devices, and discusses the relationships between physical phenomena and the measured characteristics in SiC. Two SiC Schottky barrier diodes (SBD) with different specifications were studied for temperatures ranging from 25 to 450°C. Their I-V characteristics show that SBDs indeed function as rectifiers at extremely high temperatures, but forward conduction and reverse blocking performance significantly deteriorates when the temperature exceeds 200°C. C-V characteristics show diffusion potential reduction with temperature, and p-n junction characteristics were found for the junction barrier Schottky structure.


BACKGROUND
Acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have different mechanisms of action. We investigated if combining rectal acetaminophen with ibuprofen would provide better postoperative analgesia compared with either drug alone after adenoidectomy in children.

METHODS
160 children, aged 1-6 yr, undergoing day-case adenoidectomy, were randomized to receive either acetaminophen 40 mg kg(-1), ibuprofen 15 mg kg(-1), their combination, or placebo rectally immediately after anaesthetic induction. A standard anaesthetic method was used and all children received alfentanil 10 micro g kg(-1) i.v. during induction. Meperidine 5-10 mg i.v. was used for rescue analgesia for a pain score (Objective Pain Scale) over 3. Recovery times, sedation scores and the need for rescue analgesia and adverse events during the first 24 h after anaesthesia were recorded. Rescue analgesic at home was ibuprofen 10 mg kg(-1).

RESULTS
Total meperidine requirements were significantly less in the groups receiving acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or their combination compared with the group receiving placebo indicating an opioid-sparing effect of 19-28% (P<0.05). Children given acetaminophen were more sedated than those given ibuprofen (P<0.05). Discharge criteria were fulfilled earlier in the ibuprofen group than in all the other groups (P<0.05). At home, less children (49%) needed rescue analgesia in the combination group compared with the other groups (74-77%) (P<0.02).

CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that prophylactically administered rectal acetaminophen combined with ibuprofen does not improve analgesia after adenoidectomy in the immediate postoperative period compared with either drug alone but does decrease the need for analgesia at home. Ibuprofen results in lesser sedation and faster discharge than when acetaminophen is used.


This article examines current academic library Web site practices and recommends a conceptual model for future academic library Web site design. The author investigated 111 ARL member library Web sites and has summarized current site content, design patterns, and innovative features. The author discusses the Web 2.0 principles as defined by Tim O'Reilly and reviews the current literature on Web 2.0 implications for library Web services. The author proposes making the academic library Web site a virtual place and recommends a conceptual model to inform future academic library Web site design based on the investigation and the discussion. Future academic library Web sites might feature any of the following: 1) user focus, 2) personalization, 3) user engagement, 4) online communities, and 5) remixability.


Growing research interest in space robotic systems capable of accurately performing autonomous manipulation tasks within an acceptable execution time has led to an increased demand for lightweight materials and mechanisms. As a result, joint flexibility effects become important, and represent the main limitation to achieving satisfactory trajectory tracking performance. This paper addresses the nonlinear adaptive output feedback control problem for flexible-joint space manipulators. Composite control schemes in which decentralized simple adaptive control-based adaptation mechanisms to control the quasisteady state robot subsystem are added to a linear correction term to stabilize the boundary layer subsystem, are proposed. An almost strictly passivity-based approach is adopted to guarantee closed-loop stability of the quasi-steady state subsystem. Simulation results are included to highlight the performance and robustness to parametric uncertainties and modeling errors of the proposed composite control methodologies.


Nowadays, China is one of the most focused countries in the world since it has a very high potential to overwhelm the world market. As a result, we can find lots of articles and discussion about the activities of internationalization and relocation of many inter-national firms (both MNEs and SMEs) in China. Those firms moved to China in order to either serve the huge Chinese domestic market or enjoy the cheap production costs to supply the global market. However, there is one phenomenon that is not new and seldom has researches discussing about it. This is the fact that there are also a lot of Chinese entrepreneurs who moved out of China and located in other countries. In this re-search, we study about some Chinese firms which set up their sales agencies in the sales offices and distribution clusters in four European countries which are Poland, Spain, Portugal and Italy. We focus our study on the internationalization process of those Chi-nese firms, the rationales and factors influencing the location-decision and clustering and the rationales of choosing the specific countries in Europe. However, we have our latent objective, which is to stimulate more discussion and research on this interesting phenomenon since there are few researches on it.In our research, we find that there are similar patterns of internationalization process and location-decision of Chinese firms nevertheless the differences in background and types of business they have. They have some common rationales to undertake interna-tionalization, like to avoid fierce competition in the previous market, or to find new business opportunities and so on. Most of Chinese firms are still in the initial step of in-ternationalization process, and a very common way to fulfil their internationalization is by either the Chinese owners immigrating or registering a new firm in the host countries. The help from their friends and relatives who are often earlier arrivals in the host coun-tries and the strong connection with the suppliers in China are their competitive advan-tages. However, they have encountered some common problems, such as cultural issues, like language barriers and communication problems; lack of knowledge about local market and political issues. For localization or the way they choose their locations, we find some common locational factors, like market size, degree of competition, government policy (mainly on immigration policy), connectivity, safety, transaction costs and ethnic contacts. For the last section of our study, cluster, we find that the formation of cluster are based mainly on potential benefits of cluster, such as ability to attract more customers(market size), benefits from collaboration and information sharing, availabil-ity of specialized services and supporting firms. At last, we find a lot of interesting top-ics for future research.


Context. Near- and mid-infrared observations have revealed the presence of organic refractory materials in the Solar System, in cometary nuclei and on the surface of centaurs, Kuiper-belt and trans-neptunian objects. In these astrophysical environments, organic materials can be formed because of the interaction of frozen volatile compounds with cosmic rays and solar particles, and favoured by thermal processing. The analysis of laboratory analogues of such materials gives information on their properties, complementary to observations.
Aims. We present new experiments to contribute to the understanding of the chemical composition of organic refractory materials in space.
Methods. We bombard frozen water, methanol and ammonia mixtures with 40 keV H+ and we warmed the by-products up to 300 K. The experiments enabled the production of organic residues that we analysed by means of infrared spectroscopy and by very high resolution mass spectrometry to study their chemical composition and their high molecular diversity, including the presence of hexamethylenetetramine and its derivatives.
Results. We find that the accumulated irradiation dose plays a role in determining the composition of the residue.
Conclusions. Based on the laboratory doses, we estimate the astrophysical timescales to be short enough to induce an efficient formation of organic refractory materials at the surface of icy bodies in the outer Solar System.


Effectiveness of free and capsule phenoterol B2-agonist in experimental bronchial asthma has been assessed in vitro and in vivo in rats and rabbits using different liposomes: from egg lecithin, total phospholipids from pig or human lung. It was found that free phenoterol stabilizes mast cell (MC) condition, but has no antiinflammatory effect. Utilization of empty phospholipid vesicles brings both MC stabilization and decline of inflammation in the airways. In packing phenoterol in the liposomes antiinflammatory and membrane-stabilizing effects noticeably improved. It may be due to synergistic effects of the beta-agonist and phosphatidylcholine which is the base of liposome. The discussion covers mechanisms of high efficacy of homologous liposomes.


Craniopharyngiomas represent a rare group of intracranial tumors that often arise in the sellar/suprasellar region of the brain. Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma is significantly more common than papillary craniopharyngioma. The former most often arises in children whereas the papillary craniopharyngioma is mainly limited to adults. We present the case of a 34-year-old female with visual disturbances and other vague complaints who was found to have a large lobulated sellar mass on neuroimaging studies. She was subsequently diagnosed with an adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma after undergoing transsphenoidal resection. We discuss the patient's clinical, radiological, and pathological findings in correlation with the current literature and recommendations regarding this type of tumor. Given that adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma rarely presents in adulthood, especially in middle-aged adults, this case is considered rare, and we hope to increase awareness to include adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma in the differential diagnosis for sellar lesions in this age group.


Construction is a physically demanding process, and its activities entail exposure to a range of health and safety (H&S) and ergonomics hazards and risks. Inadequate H&S and ergonomics in turn negatively impact the health and wellbeing of workers and overall project and business performance. Given these realities and the persistence of H&S and ergonomics hazards and risks, a quantitative study was conducted to interrogate the related issues and evolve a response, including the potential of Industry 4.0 (4IR) technologies to contribute to an improvement in related performance. The study included members of the Association of Construction Health and Safety Management (ACHASM) who completed a self-administered questionnaire. The findings indicate: industry is still focused on the traditional parameters of cost, productivity, and time; workers are exposed to H&S and ergonomics hazards and risks; H&S- and ergonomics-related performance impact on overall project and business performance, and 4IR technologies have the potential to contribute to improving H&S- and ergonomics-related performance. Conclusions include: the construction process and its activities entail exposure to ergonomic hazards and risks; the construction process and its activities are physically demanding and militate against the health and wellbeing of workers; H&S plays a synergistic role in overall organisational and project performance, and there is a low level of awareness of the potential of 4IR technologies to improve H&S and ergonomics performance. Recommendations include: the holistic benefits arising from optimum H&S and ergonomics should be documented; designers should consider the impact of design, details, and specifications on construction H&S and ergonomics; contractors should interrogate the methods adopted to undertake construction activities to mitigate hazards and risks, and awareness with respect to the potential of 4IR technologies to contribute to improving H&S and ergonomics performance should be raised.


We present exact quantum differential cross sections and exact and estimated integral cross sections and branching ratios for the title reaction. We employ a time-dependent wavepacket method as implemented in the DIFFREALWAVE code including all Coriolis couplings and also an adapted DIFFREALWAVE code where the helicity quantum number and with this the Coriolis couplings have been truncated. Our exact differential cross sections at 0.453 eV total energy, one of the experimental energies, show good agreement with the experimental results for one of the product channels. While the truncated calculation present a significant reduction in the computational effort needed they overestimate the exact integral cross sections.


The purpose of this study is to provide a cooperation system of National Corporation University(NCU) with the industry in the ares of Region. NCU will be founded in the year 2009 as the first corporate body of a national university. The cooperation system of NCU with the industry is developed by the survey of major participants of the cooperation, such as government, university, industry, and citizen. The survey results are as follows. First, most participants who will be associated with the cooperation have not yet recognized NCU. Second, they expect that the specific cooperation area of NCU with industry is Energy. Third, they also expect that the performance of the cooperation will be realized 10 years later. Fourth, Governmental finance support is the most important to success the cooperation of NCU with the industry. The contribution of this study is to first provide a cooperation system of National Corporation University with the industry.


Digital aerial photogrammetric (DAP) techniques applied to unmanned aerial system (UAS) acquired imagery have the potential to offer timely and affordable data for monitoring and updating forest inventories. Development of methods for individual tree crown detection (ITCD) and delineation enables the development of individual tree-based, rather than stand based inventories, which are important for harvesting operations, biomass and carbon stock estimations, forest damage assessment, and forest monitoring in mixed species stands. To achieve these inventory goals, consistent and robust DAP estimates are required over time. Currently, the influence of seasonal changes in deciduous tree structure on the consistency of DAP point clouds, from which tree-based inventories can be derived, is unknown. In this study, we investigate the influence of the timing of DAP acquisition on ITCD accuracies and estimation of tree attributes for a deciduous-dominated forest stand in New Brunswick, Canada. UAS imagery was acquired five times between June and September 2017 over the same stand and consistently processed into DAP point clouds. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) data, acquired the same year, was used to reconstruct a digital terrain model (DTM) and served as a reference for UAS-DAP-based ITCD. Marker-controlled watershed segmentation (MCWS) was used to delineate individual tree crowns. Accuracy index percentages between 55% (July 25) and 77.1% (September 22) were achieved. Omission errors were found to be relatively high for the first three DAP acquisitions (June 7, July 5, and July 25) and decreased gradually thereafter. The commission error was relatively high on July 25. Point cloud metrics were found to be predominantly consistent over the 4-month period, however, estimated tree heights gradually decreased over time, suggesting a trade-off between ITCD accuracies and measured tree heights. Our findings provide insight into the potential influence of seasonality on DAP-ITCD approaches to derive individual tree inventories.


The media hype surrounding the growth of electronic commerce has led to considerable firm interest in making the significant investments required to participate in this growing market. However, the evidence on benefits to firms from e-commerce is far from unequivocally positive, as popular accounts would lead us to believe. In this paper, we explore the following questions: What are the economic returns to firms from engaging in ecommerce? How do the returns to non-net, brick and mortar firms from e-commerce initiatives compare with returns to the new breed of net firms? How do returns from business-to-business e-commerce compare with returns from business-to-consumer e-commerce? We examine these issues using event study methodology and assess the cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) for 305 e-commerce announcements between October and December 1998. The results suggest that e-commerce initiatives announced in this period do indeed lead to positive CARs for firms. However, the hypothesis drawing on the resource-based view of the firm: that the CAR to non-net firms is significantly more than the CAR to net firms is not supported. Further, the CARs associated with business-to-consumer e-commerce announcements are higher than the CARs for business-to-business ecommerce, a result contrary to the hypothesized direction. The results are robust to the removal of outliers and time windows of varying length between firm announcements and capital market adjustments of prices. Most importantly, the magnitudes of CARs (between 3% and 11%) observed in response to e-commerce announcements are considerably larger than those observed for a variety of firm actions in the prior literature. This paper presents the first empirical test of the dot com effect, validating the popular notion that capital markets recognize the transformational potential of e-commerce and expect significant future benefits to firms entering into ecommerce arrangements. What did the CEO say to the CIO? Nice website, but what is it doing for our business?


Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with severe morbidity. The clinical skill of recognizing skin lesions of leprosy and testing for anesthesia is declining. It can only detect the presence of neuropathy, which indicates that there is already a substantial amount of nerve damage. Being one of most common treatable peripheral nerve disorders there is a need to diagnose early involvement of nerves to prevent disability. USG can show the detailed morphological changes in the nerve and can emerge as an evolving tool in early screening of peripheral nerve involvement in leprosy.
Aims and Objectives: To assess the role of USG in identifying patterns of nerve involvement across the spectrum of leprosy and to compare the sonographic findings of peripheral nerves with clinical assessment.
Results: Out of 20 cases of Leprosy (11 of MB and 9 of PB Leprosy), cross sectional area of median and ulnar nerve were significantly increased in patients with MB as compared to PB, however both PB and MB patients showed increased CSA as compared to normal limit for healthy individuals. The degree of morphological changes on USG correlated strongly with the symptoms of the patient. Endo-neural abscess formation was demonstrated in few cases.
Conclusion: USG is a an excellent portable cost-friendly & non-invasive modality for imaging of peripheral nerves providing a high resolution spatial image that can be an important tool in classification , early detection and management of leprosy.


One of the most important aspects in recombinant biologic production, based on GMP rules, is the accuracy of final product quality control, especially assessment of host cell macromolecules contamination rate in final product. The purification requirement can be eliminated when the yeast cell containing the recombinant protein is used as a host cell. It is possibile that the final product contaminated to the host cell protein during purification stages of HBsAg (HBV vaccine). The protein purification costs depend on the purification procedures required. Nowadays several companies produce commercial kits for identification and assessment of host cell protein contamination based on ELISA and Western blotting methods. But high prices, difference in sensitivity and lack of easy access to these kits sometimes create problems. So, in this study, two methods of Ammonium sulphate and caprilic acid precipitation technique were used separately for IgG purification. The results showed that IgG purification increased by 97% in caprylic acid method, compared with only a 77% increase in ammonium sulphate method. There were also significant differences in specificity and sensitivity between our standardized ELISA technique and using commercial kit (Cygnus CHO HCP).


Vibration is one of the most relevant aspects, when dealing with the subject of ergonomics in agricultural tractors, although there are still few studies developed to evaluate this parameter and its implications for occupational health. This work aimed to evaluate the levels of vibration emitted by agricultural tractors with different powers, comparing the results with the norm in force in Brazil, in addition to evaluating these levels in three different types of surface. In its methodology, seven tractors, called A, B, C, D, E, F and G, were evaluated, from the same brand, with powers ranging from 75 to 215 hp. The frequency range chosen for the study varied from 5 to 10 Hz, the total data acquisition time was 20 min and the tractors operated under similar conditions, with five repetitions in each treatment (tractor x surface). Generally, the tractors studied showed higher vibration levels than the parameters set by the standard used by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), in a daily working period of eight hours, in the frequency range varying from 5 to 10 Hz.


Laser cladding is a multiple-parameter-dependent process, and a feedback control is critical for the process stabilization. This paper presents a generalized predictive control strategy with input constraints to stabilize the melt pool temperature during a high-power diode laser cladding process. A dual-color pyrometer was used to monitor the melt pool temperature. A state-space dynamic model relating the laser drive signal (laser power) to the melt pool temperature was identified experimentally using the subspace method. A generalized predictive controller with input constraints was implemented in real time using the state-space model. The closed-loop process was able to track the melt pool temperature to a reference temperature profile. Laser cladding of H13 tool steel on a substrate with uneven surface showed that the closed-loop process was able to compensate for an under-fill with 3-mm depth after 40-layer depositions.


The carrier phase at 40 MHz on the ATS 6 to Boulder beacon experiment is found to be sufficiently well resolved to allow the measurement of the second-order term as well as the first-order total electron content value. The second-order component of phase path is primarily due to a truncation of the expansion for refractive index when the satellite is within about 45° of zenith, but it is dominated by ray path bending when the satellite is outside that zone. The second-order value is used to derive scale height at the peak of the F layer for one day of data with absolute accuracy of about ±10% during the daytime, when the plasma densities are generally high. The scale height determined at the peak differs from that derived from ionograms for the underside of the peak and also differs from that of the α-Chapman layer fitted to total content and peak density. The main advantage of the second-order evaluation of scale height is its spatial coincidence with total content and F factor observations.


When curved and straight sandwich panels are joined, localized bending effects arise in the vicinity of the curvature discontinuity. To investigate this the problem is analyzed using a high order sandwich beam theory. This, however, is not straight forward because the continuity conditions at a junction cannot be fulfilled in an exact sense. Instead an averaging scheme is suggested and used to obtain a set of approximate continuity conditions. The accuracy of these approximate continuity conditions is estimated and a numerical example is conducted and compared with finite element analyses. The results prove to be within the estimates of the inaccuracy. A parametric study is conducted to identify possible ways to reduce the localized bending effects.


The Greater Houston Metropolitan Area, encompasses an area that would rank 25th in population, amongst the fifty states in the United States. Historically, much of the water demands of the area were met with groundwater from the Gulf Coast Aquifer System. In 1975 the Texas State Legislature created the HarrisGalveston Coastal Subsidence District, due to subsidence caused by the overwhelming amount of water being pumped from underground. The Fort Bend Subsidence District was created thereafter, in 1989. In the year 2000, the three counties in the upper Gulf Coast area regulated by the two districts, had an average total water demand over 1.1 billion gallons per day. Due to rules and regulations by the two Subsidence Districts, groundwater made up only about one-third of the total water supplied. The area has long been flood prone, due mainly to the low elevations and lack of rainfall run-off. Subsid ence has only compounded the flooding problems. In the greater Houston area, from the early 1900's to the beginning of the 21st Century, subsidence totaled as much as ten feet, with many of the critically economic areas being hardest hit. The Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District has adopted regulations that address when, where, and how much groundwater can be withdrawn, in order to prevent future subsidence. Much of the area has now found alternative supplies of water, however to complete the solution, nearly $3 billion will be spent on new infrastructure in the next thirty years.


Four ears are presented with extensive destruction of the bony and membranous labyrinth with loss of caloric function but with retention of hearing. Fourteen similar cases described previously in the literature are reviewed. Our cases are unique in that hearing was preserved after surgical removal of the disease in the inner ear itself. We are unaware of any previous well-documented reports showing such extensive destruction of the pars superior portion of the labyrinth with the preservation of hearing. Possible explanations and theoretical implications are discussed.


The very low specific-force noise specification of the LISA mission requires a drag-free satellite for its realization. Not only is the lowest specific-force noise most likely to be achieved by a completely free-floating proof mass with a wide gap and no applied forces or torques, but the performance of such a system can be assured by prior drag-free satellite experience so that a technology demonstration mission for the drag-free specification would not be needed. Better performance can be achieved if it is possible to present a defined reflecting surface to the laser beam. This paper discusses the techniques of having a defined surface and other issues involved with spherical proof masses.


We consider a discounted infinite horizon optimal stopping problem. If the underlying distribution is known a priori, the solution of this problem is obtained via dynamic programming (DP) and is given by a well known threshold rule. When information on this distribution is lacking, a natural (though naive) approach is"explore-then-exploit,"whereby the unknown distribution or its parameters are estimated over an initial exploration phase, and this estimate is then used in the DP to determine actions over the residual exploitation phase. We show: (i) with proper tuning, this approach leads to performance comparable to the full information DP solution; and (ii) despite common wisdom on the sensitivity of such"plug in"approaches in DP due to propagation of estimation errors, a surprisingly"short"(logarithmic in the horizon) exploration horizon suffices to obtain said performance. In cases where the underlying distribution is heavy-tailed, these observations are even more pronounced: a ${\it single \, sample}$ exploration phase suffices.


Abstract We report two Italian–Canadian families with α+-thalassemia (α+-thal) trait caused by a novel mutation of the translation initiation codon of the α1-globin gene (ATG>AAG or HBA1:c.2T>A). This is the tenth reported α-thal mutation involving the translation initiation codon or the conserved Kozak consensus sequences of the HBA2 or HBA1 genes.


Across the country, local and regional food policy councils are collaborating to make healthy, affordable food more available to everyone. What ingredients are needed for a true collaboration that changes social and racial equity dynamics? How can these collaborations influence systems, policy, and awareness in school food environments, specifically? This reflective case study describes some of the accomplishments and challenges faced by the multistakeholder Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council (HFFPC) for nearly a decade. Using a mixed-method participatory evaluation approach to lift up diverse partners' insights, we conducted key informant interviews with people who were engaged with the project during its eight operating years; focus groups and participatory asset mapping with stakeholders; and reviewed meeting notes from the eight years of the HFFPC. We identify several crucial ingredients that sustain equitable community-based collaboration: changing the dominant narrative, community and youth leadership and advocacy, and aligned multistakeholder partnerships. We also discuss critical structural and values-based challenges to multistakeholder organizing, including issues of trust, transparency, resources, leadership development, and differences in perceptions of racial equity in an underresourced, predominantly Latino community. As such, this case study investigates community engagement and effectiveness. It provides insights for those food policy councils and local coalitions endeavoring to build from within the community while accomplishing policy goals, and will help to further the practice of equity, community food policy and systems change, and governance.


In this study, we present a newly developed method for the estimation of surface flow paths on a digital elevation model (DEM). The objective is to use a form‐based algorithm, analyzing flow over single cells by dividing them into eight triangular facets and to estimate the surface flow paths on a raster DEM. For each cell on a gridded DEM, the triangular form‐based multiple flow algorithm (TFM) was used to distribute flow to one or more of the eight neighbor cells, which determined the flow paths over the DEM. Because each of the eight facets covering a cell has a constant slope and aspect, the estimations of – for example – flow direction and divergence/convergence are more intuitive and less complicated than many traditional raster‐based solutions. Experiments were undertaken by estimating the specific catchment area (SCA) over a number of mathematical surfaces, as well as on a real‐world DEM. Comparisons were made between the derived SCA by the TFM algorithm with eight other algorithms reported in the literature. The results show that the TFM algorithm produced the closest outcomes to the theoretical values of the SCA compared with other algorithms, derived more consistent outcomes, and was less influenced by surface shapes. The real‐world DEM test shows that the TFM was capable of modeling flow distribution without noticeable 'artefacts', and its ability to track flow paths makes it an appropriate platform for dynamic surface flow simulation.


In this paper, we propose and describe a new distributed reservation protocol for establishing lightpaths in WDM all-optical networks. Distributed control mechanisms are preferred and employed because of their advantages over centralized ones to set up virtual channels. The new protocol is a combination of the conservative and aggressive backward reservation protocols, which attempts to improve performance by adapting a reservation to network circumstances. On the one hand, the new protocol uses network circumstances and decides and applies a more conservative or aggressive approach. In other words, the protocol progressively fluctuates between those reservation protocols in order to capture their respective advantages. As a result, in extreme cases it acts exactly like either the conservative or the the aggressive reservation protocol. On the other hand, it considers the characteristics of a network to set a retry-list size. As a result, a retry-list size is not determined by a fixed number but modified based on the multiplexing degree of a network, which prevents imposing ineffective retries on a network with a small number of wavelengths and instead encourages more retries for a network with numerous channels. Therefore, the proposed protocol transforms the static nature of existing reservation protocols into a more adaptive one in order to enhance network performance.


The first thing to recognize is that Ward Ethics is not about 'beeper ethics', the term used by Nancy Dubler to describe the kind of clinical ethics that she and her colleagues practise at ward level in New York. This is a book devoted to something else—the ethical quandaries of students and trainees as they deal with the hierarchies in which they are the 'bottom feeders'. It examines in great detail the dilemmas created by demands to do things beyond one's level of competence, and the pressure to do things to protect one's career. It uses true stories to generate discussion. As the editors write, 'The following chapters are based on actual cases solicited internationally from medical students, interns, residents, and now-practicing physicians, who, often for the first time, reveal cases that continue to cause them discomfort and distress, even though in some cases years have passed'. This is essentially narrative ethics. The ethical issues emerge from the stories. The stories are grouped under headings, and the ethical discussion is developed by experts from around the world. There are two parts to the book. The first is on caring for patients, the second on being a team member in the modern therapeutic environment. Each part has many subsections, dealing with specific issues such as blaming the patient, breaking confidentiality, the newly dead, practising surgery on uninformed patients, and sexual harassment.

The multiplicity of authors is a strength, because it allows the development of several approaches to medical ethics, rather than privileging one system over another. George Agich, for example, stresses partnerships between student and patient as an inextricable part of learning, and suggests a focus on principles of vulnerability and respect. This is rewarding because it avoids entanglement with issues of beneficence, non-maleficence and autonomy, pointing out that other principles can be just as important and, at times, more illuminating. Marli Huijer and Gregory Larkin both confront the distorted priorities of students and trainees, which often put patient care and responsibility lower than gaining knowledge, being part of a team and obtaining good grades. Discussions are not constrained by familiar principalism, nor by adherence to virtue ethics, rights and duties, deontology or utilitarianism. This is narrative ethics at its best.

Similarly, there are opportunities to offer cross-cultural comparisons, because the authors come from diverse countries: the USA, Canada, The Netherlands, France, Japan, the UK, Israel and Argentina are all represented. There is, however, a degree of US bias, because 33 authors come from the US, and only 13 from elsewhere. Sometimes this orientation may create barriers for other readers. On p. 51, for example, Robyn Shapiro details US statutes in Illinois and Michigan dealing with the treatment of substance abuse. This is undoubtedly important for those working in the US but is of questionable relevance for outsiders. (One small, pedantic point emerges from this enlightened pluralism. The spelling of familiar words changes according to the country of origin or perhaps the country of editing. The verb 'to practise' is sometimes spelt in the English way, sometimes in the North American way. Both will do these days, but it is odd to see them side by side on the page.)

The mode of writing adds appeal and immediacy to the text. Authors frequently tell stories of difficulties during their own training, as Andereck does on pp. 37-39, which complement the stories of the students and residents. These 'writer stories' often have a confessional element, as though expiating past shame and unresolved distress. Bennhaum's anecdotes on pp. 74-76 about passing nasogastric tubes in his student days raise painful issues about kindness, trust and authority that resonate down the years. Sometimes the writers are quite critical of those who supply the anecdotes—for example, Lawrence Schneiderman on p. 84, warning against facile judgments of the imperfections of a hospital chaplain.

The authors offer practical advice on what to do and say in many situations. Alan Steinbeck, for example, provides detailed suggestions on how to think about death and resuscitation, and how to deal with what seem to be inappropriate orders. Much of the advice is wise and helpful, and the writers avoid platitudinous suggestions about standing up for 'the right' in the face of instructions from seniors and teachers. They also offer reassurance about hostile and threatening emotions that trainees and students may feel toward patients, their seniors and each other.

The book is lightly referenced, but there are enough references to allow a reader to pursue many of the issues. Each section ends with questions for discussion. It would make a useful text for a course in ethics for students and trainees, and a splendid resource for those who supervise and carry out the training. The 'epilogue' is brief but pointed. It offers practical suggestions for improvement, by means of regular ward ethics rounds, student seminars, and faculty workshops. It also suggests ward ethics committees, focusing on ethical issues in training, with interdisciplinary membership. It stresses the responsibility of training organizations to do something to address problems which we all acknowledge but about which we tend to shrug our shoulders. We still often reason that medicine is practised in the fires of human interaction, and that coping is still a major skill for doctors. But, as the editors point out, '... there is a danger of professional hypocrisy in any system that proclaims a dedication to the goal of producing humane and compassionate physicians while allowing institutionalized behaviors that undermine that effort'.

This review does little justice to a very commendable and very complex piece of work, whose breadth, thoroughness, wisdom and practicality make it readable and valuable. Kushner and Thomasma are to be congratulated for addressing such an important, and usually occult, field of ethics. In this undertaking, trainees and students have found a voice.


Background Today's young people have long been demanding a paradigm shift in the emotional and sexual education they receive. While for them, affective-sexual and gender diversity is already a reality, the sexual and reproductive health professionals they encounter lack sufficient training. The digital devices and affective-sexual education websites aimed at today's young people must also be thoroughly evaluated. The website Sexe Joves is a website on sexuality by the Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia (Spain). It is designed for people aged 14 to 25 years. It currently needs to undergo a process of evaluation. Affective-sexual education aimed at young people must stem from their participation and the whole range of sexual and gender diversity in order to reach the entire population equally. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the website Sexe Joves as a source of affective-sexual health information, education, and communication for young people. It takes into account sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and location within Catalonia (urban, semiurban, and rural areas). Methods This was an observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study that forms part of a larger mixed methods study. An ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect data. In total, 1830 participants were included. The study was carried out simultaneously in all the territorial administrations of Catalonia. Results Almost 30% of the sample obtained were young people who experience affective-sexual and gender diversity. Of those surveyed, only 14.2% (n=260) said they were familiar with the website and of these, 6.5% said they used it (n=114). The website content rated most indispensable was on sexual abuse, harassment, and violence, followed by sexually transmitted infections; 70.5% (n=1200) reported that they visit pornographic websites. Conclusions The results of this study will contribute to the design of new strategies for the website Sexe Joves, a public health resource, in order to improve affective sexual education for young people. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.3390/ijerph192416586


The hygric hypothesis postulates that insect discontinuous gas exchange cycles (DGCs) are an adaptation that reduces respiratory water loss (RWL), but evidence is lacking for reduction of water loss by insects expressing DGCs under normal ecological conditions. Larvae of Erynnis propertius (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) naturally switch between DGCs and continuous gas exchange (CGE), allowing flow-through respirometry comparisons of water loss between the two modes. Water loss was lower during DGCs than CGE, both between individuals using different patterns and within individuals using both patterns. The hygric cost of gas exchange (water loss associated with carbon dioxide release) and the contribution of respiratory to total water loss were lower during DGCs. Metabolic rate did not differ between DGCs and CGE. Thus, DGCs reduce RWL in E. propertius, which is consistent with the suggestion that water loss reduction could account for the evolutionary origin and/or maintenance of DGCs in insects.


The protocol described in this document is designed to provide access to the X.500 Directory while not incurring the resource requirements of the Directory Access Protocol (DAP). This protocol is specifically targeted at simple management applications and browser applications that provide simple read/write interactive access to the X.500 Directory, and is intended to be a complement to the DAP itself.


We study the problem of constructing approximations to a weighted automaton. Weighted finite automata (WFA) are closely related to the theory of rational series. A rational series is a function from strings to real numbers that can be computed by a WFA. Among others, this includes probability distributions generated by hidden Markov models and probabilistic automata. The relationship between rational series and WFA is analogous to the relationship between regular languages and ordinary automata. Associated with such rational series are infinite matrices called Hankel matrices which play a fundamental role in the theory of minimal WFA. Our contributions are: (1) an effective procedure for computing the singular value decomposition (SVD) of such infinite Hankel matrices based on their finite representation in terms of WFA, (2) a new canonical form for WFA based on this SVD decomposition, and, (3) an algorithm to construct approximate minimizations of a given WFA. The goal of our approximate minimization algorithm is to start from a minimal WFA and produce a smaller WFA that is close to the given one in a certain sense. The desired size of the approximating automaton is given as input. We give bounds describing how well the approximation emulates the behavior of the original WFA. The study of this problem is motivated by the analysis of machine learning algorithms that synthesize weighted automata from spectral decompositions of finite Hankel matrices. It is known that when the number of states of the target automaton is correctly guessed, these algorithms enjoy consistency and finite-sample guarantees in the probably approximately correct (PAC) learning model. It has also been suggested that asking the learning algorithm to produce a model smaller than the true one will still yield useful models with reduced complexity. Our results in this paper vindicate these ideas and confirm intuitions provided by empirical studies. Beyond learning problems, our techniques can also be used to reduce the complexity of any algorithm working with WFA, at the expense of incurring a small, controlled amount of error.


BACKGROUND
The prevalence of childhood "overweight" and "at risk for overweight" has become a major public health concern. School food environments can affect key nutritional risk factors, especially in high schools where foods of poor nutrient value are pervasive in à la carte and vending programs. This study examines à la carte and vending programs in Maine public high schools at baseline and following implementation of low-fat (defined as items<or=30% of total calories from fat), low-sugar (defined as items<or=35% of sugar by weight), and portion-controlled (LFLS) guidelines.

METHODS
Four high schools implemented LFLS guidelines and 3 made no changes to à la carte and vending programs for a period of 1 school year.

RESULTS
Findings revealed no significant change in food and beverage offerings in control schools. Whereas, in intervention schools, the proportion of items meeting the LFLS nutrient criteria increased from 32.8% to 81.8% in à la carte items, increased from 22.5% to 84.0% in snack vending, and increased from 48.0% to 98.9% in beverage vending from baseline to follow-up. However, these increases were mitigated when LFLS portion size criteria were applied.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate the successful implementation of LFLS guidelines similar to recommendations recently proposed by numerous organizations. School food service personnel were identified as key stakeholders in the successful implementation of the LFLS guidelines. Furthermore, these findings emphasize an important role the food and beverage industry will have in providing foods and beverages that meet proposed nutrient and portion guidelines.


The Tactile Internet presently constitutes a vision of an Internet over which, in addition to current communications modalities, a sense of touch can be transported. In that case, people would no longer need to be physically near the systems they operate, but could control them remotely. The main problem that needs to be solved to realize the Tactile Internet is summarized by the "1 ms challenge." If the response time of a system is below 1 ms, the end-user will not be able to tell the difference between controlling a system locally or from another location. This paper offers a summary of the requirements for haptic communications, followed by an overview of challenges in realizing the Tactile Internet. In addition, possible solutions to these challenges are proposed and discussed. For example, the development of the fifth generation mobile communication networks will provide a good foundation upon which a Tactile Internet could be built. This paper also describes the design of a modular testbed needed for testing of a wide variety of haptic system applications.


This paper extends the recent work proposed in [21]. In this work, it has been noted that three visual features (to control three degrees of freedom) obtained from the spherical projection of 3D spheres allows nice decoupling properties and global stability. However, even if such an approach is theoretically attractive, it is limited by a major practical issue since spherical objects have to be observed while only three degrees of freedom can be controlled. In this paper, we show that similar properties can be obtained by observing a set of points. The basic idea is to build a virtual 3D sphere from two 3D points and to analyse its related spherical projection. Furthermore, to control the six degrees of freedom a 2D 1/2 control scheme is proposed which allows us to fully decouple rotational motions from translational motions.


Original scientific paper Psychosocial variables can mediate physical activity and health-related fitness. The purpose of this study was to explore student attitudes toward physical education among students in Georgia (US) which recently implemented a policy requiring statewide fitness testing. A paper-pencil survey and fitness testing were administered to a convenience sample of middle school students. Student attitudes toward physical education were assessed by a Likert-type scale survey that measured two attitude constructs, Enjoyment and Perceived Usefulness. Health-related fitness was assessed by the FITNESSGRAM. Overall, students (N = 122) had positive attitudes toward physical education (M = 87.51 out of a possible 100 points, SD = 10.51).Separate stepwise regression analyses indicated the PACER test was the only significant predictor of Enjoyment in physical education, accounting for 16.4% of the variance (F (1, 120) = 20.32, p < .001). PACER and BMI were significant predictors of Perceived Usefulness of physical education, accounting for 15.2% of the variance (F(1, 119) = 10.69, p < .001). Student attitudes toward physical education can serve as a mediating factor for health-related fitness. Addressing the social and emotional health of studentsas advocated in the Coordinated School Health Modelmay also impact health-related fitness.


Background: Traditionally in herniotomy, indirect hernial sac is dealt by high ligation and removal of the redundant part, to avoid recurrence. However, some authorities are of the opinion that excision of the hernial sac without ligation is not associated with recurrence of the hernia. Some have even shown adverse events related to hernial sac ligation like increased postoperative pain and discomfort. There is no consensus on how the hernial sac should be managed during laparoscopic herniotomy. Objectives: Present study aimed to determine the feasibility of laparoscopic sac excision without ligation in pediatric age group, by a randomized comparison. Materials and methods: This interventional study was performed in the department of Paediatric Surgery, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, over a period of one year. A total of 189 patients were included in the study as per inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomized in the three groups. Comparisons were made among three procedures of laparoscopic herniotomy, namely; Percutaneous extraperitoneal closure, Intraperitoneal pursestring closure and laparoscopic sac excision without ligation. The main outcome measures were recurrence rate, operative time, hospital stay, postoperative hematoma and hydrocele formation. Results: Recurrence rate, operative time and hospital stay were not amplified in laparoscopic sac excision procedure than others. Postoperative hydrocele formation was significantly less. Conclusion: Laparoscopic sac excision in indirect pediatric inguinal hernia is safe. The procedure is not associated with early recurrence when it is performed in cases with deep ring diameter less than 10 mm.


The response of beta cells to inflammatory cytokines contributes to type 1 diabetes (T1D) risk, but the specific genes that underlie this response and mediate beta cell survival remain largely unknown. In this study we used a suite of functional genomics assays combined with human genetics, to map cis-regulatory programs in beta cells and to identify T1D genes that affect beta cell survival upon exposure to the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL1β, IFNγ and TNFα. We mapped 38,931 cytokine-responsive candidate cis -regulatory elements (cCREs) active in beta cells using ATAC-seq and single nuclear ATAC-seq (snATAC-seq) , and linked cytokine-responsive beta cell cCREs to putative target genes using single cell co-accessibility and HiChIP. We performed a genome-wide pooled CRISPR loss-of-function screen in EndoC-βH1 cells, which identified 867 genes affecting cytokine-induced beta cell loss. Genes that promoted beta cell survival and had up-regulated expression in cytokine exposure were specifically enriched at T1D loci, and these genes were preferentially involved in inhibiting inflammatory response, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, mitophagy and autophagy. We identified 2,229 variants in cytokine-responsive beta cell cCREs altering transcription factor (TF) binding using high-throughput SNP-SELEX, and variants altering binding of TF families regulating stress, inflammation and apoptosis were broadly enriched for T1D association. Finally, through integration with genetic fine mapping, we identified T1D risk variants regulating beta cell survival in cytokine exposure. At the 16p13 locus, a T1D variant affected TF binding in a cytokine-induced beta cell cCRE that physically interacted with the SOCS1 promoter, and increased SOCS1 activity promoted beta cell survival in cytokine exposure. Together our findings reveal processes and genes acting in beta cells during cytokine exposure that intrinsically modulate risk of T1D.

 P.Benaglio: None. M.Donovan: None. J.Chiou: Employee; Pfizer Inc. J.M.Newsome ashmus: None. J.Kaur: None. S.Corban: None. B.Ren: Stock/Shareholder; Arima Genomics, Epigenome Technologies. K.Frazer: n/a. M.Sander: None. K.J.Gaulton: Consultant; Genentech, Inc., Stock/Shareholder; Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. H.Zhu: None. M.Okino: None. J.Yan: None. R.Elgamal: None. N.Nariai: None. E.Beebe: None. K.Korgaonkar: None. Y.Qiu: None.

 NIH DK122607


To address the limitations of current targeted analytical methods that can only detect known doping agents, a novel methodology that permits untargeted drug detection (UDD) has been developed to help in the fight against doping in sports. Fifty-seven drugs were spiked into blank equine plasma and were treated as unknowns since their exact masses and chromatographic retention times were not utilized for detection. The spiked drugs were extracted from the plasma samples and were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The acquired LC-HRMS raw data files were processed using metabolomic software for compound detection and identification. For UDD with the resultant data, a mathematical model was created, and two algorithms were generated to calculate the ratio of the mean (ROM) and outlier index (OLI). Using ROM and OLI, the majority of the 57 drugs were accurately detected by name (52 of 57) or chemical formula (1 of 57). The limit of detection for the drugs was from tens of picograms to nanograms per milliliter. Xenobiotics and endogenous substances relevant to doping control were also identified using this untargeted approach following their extraction from real-world race samples, thus validating the UDD methodology. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first completely UDD methodological approach and represents significant advance toward using artificial intelligence for the detection of both known and emerging doping agents in sports.


Purpose: A new-generation automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) deployment is described. Methods: A single-center retrospective-prospective pilot product performance study was conducted, and prospective nurse satisfaction survey and pharmacy technician product performance feedback survey were performed to determine the impact of new technology on medication storage and accessibility. The study measured efficiency of the 9:00 am medication pull for nursing users, assessment of nursing perceptions of medication administration pre- and postinstallation of the cabinetry, pharmacy technician perceptions of working with the cabinetry, and assessment of the efficiency of the pharmacy technician restock process. Results: In total, 2981 total nursing medication retrieval processes for the 9 am standard medication administration time (SMAT) time were analyzed: 1321 in the preoptimization phase and 1660 in the postoptimization phase. Analysis of the mean time per transaction confirmed a significant improvement from 10.5 to 10.3 seconds per transaction (P = .026) in the postoptimization configuration. The modified assessment of nursing satisfaction survey demonstrated increased satisfaction with many aspects of the new-generation cabinetry. Pharmacy technician survey data highlighted beneficial aspects of the device, while restock data showed an increase in the time spent restocking the cabinet from 11.5 seconds in the preoptimization phase compared with 21.3 seconds in the postoptimization phase (P < .0001). Conclusion: ADC installation and inventory optimization had a statistically significant improvement in the mean time per nursing transaction. Nursing and pharmacy technician surveys demonstrated a trend of enhanced satisfaction with the platform.


The cell-to-cell interaction between osteoclasts and fibroblast-like cells, which were mechanically disaggregated from long bones of neonatal rabbits, was investigated to clarify the cellular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of osteoclastic bone resorption by using phase-contrast time lapse recording and fluorescent microscopy for visualization of F-actin cytoskeleton. Osteoclasts showed rapid extension and retraction of pseudopodia with intense ruffling activity and active translocation over a glass surface when there was enough open space around them, while fibroblast-like cells seemed much more stationary. Osteoclasts were not able to cross over cell bodies of fibroblast-like cells which interfered with migration of the osteoclasts. As fibroblast-like cells proliferated, they gradually took over the open glass surface and finally tightly surrounded the osteoclasts. Such osteoclasts usually became contracted and pseudopodial and migratory activities decreased. Fluorescent microscopy of well-spread osteoclaststs stained with rhodamine-labeled phalloidin revealed development of a band-like structure composed of a number of brightly fluorescent F-actin dots at the cell periphery and fine F-actin bundles which run through the cell bodies. On the other hand, contracted osteoclasts tightly surrounded by fibroblast-like cells showed conglomerates composed of accumulated F-actin dots instead of the band-like structure. An F-actin pattern of fibroblast-like cells, which was very different from that of osteoclasts, displayed thick and straight bright bundles with in the cell bodies. The present observation suggests that ongoing osteoclastic bone resorption may be regulated by fibroblast-like cells through limitation of osteoclastic motile activity, and alteration of cytoskeleton and cell-substratum interaction which occurred in osteoclasts may be involved in the mechanism.


Here in this paper we are suggesting a new image compression scheme by using an intensive scheme known as discrete wavelet transformation (DWT), which is based on attempting to preserve the texturally important image properties. The main aspect of the proposed methodology works on the principle that, the image is divided into regions of various significance employing pixels descriptors as criteria and fuzzy clustering methodologies. Wavelet compression is accomplished by decomposing the row and column of the image matrix using the Discrete Wavelet transform. The construction of decomposed the image is feasible just from 1/3 of the decomposed image and even 1/10th of the decomposed image is enough for re-construction and the quality very much depends upon the nature the image. A Rapid and very effective histogram-based quantization method is applied to the decomposed image. More specifically, The DWT is applied separately to each and every region or pixel of image in which the original image is segmented and, depending on how it has been clearly clustered, its related number of all the wavelet coefficients are kept and then, determined. Different compression ratios are applied to the Specific Image. The reconstruction process of the original image involves the linear but complex combination of its corresponding reconstructed clusters. An experimental has been conducted to exactly assessing the proposed compression approach. Moreover, this research work aims at comparing different measures in terms of their results concerning the quality of the reconstructed image.


The Argentinean higher education system suffered an overarching reform since the mid 1990's. The literature for the study of higher education reform policies in Argentina focuses mainly on broad reform policies and on issues of university autonomy. This dissertation reveals the impact of global trends on higher education reform policies in Argentina and it explores the goals of the Argentinean national state in the design of the higher education reform policies, plus the tensions and misalignments between policy goals and implementation at two universities, and the outcomes of the policies on professors' work and academic professionalism. The purpose of this study is to analyze the tensions and impacts initiated by the Argentinean higher education reform policies of 1995 (and subsequent policies) on the ways in which professors and academic staff perceive the roles of the professoriate at two Argentinean universities.This research is designed as a policy case study complemented with the method of focused synthesis. This study is sustained by different type data such as archival data, and interviews. Policy actors, such as policy makers, as well as academic staff, and professors working at two Argentinean universities were interviewed using open-ended interviews. A coding schema rooted in the theoretical framework was the research tool utilized to construct the research findings.The research findings reveal that the Argentinean state intended the modernization of the higher education system in the context of state reform. The improvement of quality of both the system and the professoriate was also among the goals of the reform movement. Different system stakeholders influence both the design and implementation of the policies. Their perceptions about academic professionalism have a weak impact in the process of policy implementation. Nevertheless, professors' work has been deeply affected by the implementation of these policies. This study will contribute to the scholarship of higher education reform policies from a global scope. The focus of the policy outcomes on the professoriate opens an unusual topic that will ultimately be the source of further comparative analysis of the effects of these policies on professors' lives and work.


Objective: The objective was to explore manager experiences using the RAFAELA system. Background: The RAFAELA system was developed in Finland during the 1990s to create a work situation where patients' care needs were balanced with personnel resources. The system is used in almost all hospitals in Finland and is implemented in several European countries. However, the system has never been evaluated outside Finland. This study, focusing on the managers' perspective, represents the second report from a larger Norwegian evaluation project of the RAFAELA system. Methods: An explorative qualitative design was chosen. Data were collected by individual in-depth interviews at a university hospital in Norway during 2012-2013. A total of 10 informants in various management positions were interviewed. The tape-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the transcripts were analysed using Kvale's method for content analysis. Results: Four main themes emerged from the qualitative data: making the invisible visible; a common language; a system for prospective planning; and a resource-demanding tool. Conclusions: The study indicated that the RAFAELA system provided useful information about the patients' care needs and nursing activities. Also the system provided a common reference frame for discussing nursing, staffing and allocation. Although the managers considered the RAFAELA to be time consuming in the implementation phase, they considered the system to be an important tool.


Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) upregulates expression of certain genes in monocytes, including cell-surface molecules such as HLA class II, B7, and ICAM-1. IFN-gamma also potentiates production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and IL-12. Conversely, IL-10 downregulates expression of many of these same genes and often antagonizes the effects of IFN-gamma. IL-10 is known to inhibit TNF-alpha production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated monocytes; however, the effects of IL-10 on TNF receptor (TNF-R) expression are not well defined. We examined the effects of IL-10 on production of both membrane-associated (m) and soluble (s) TNF-R type II (sTNF-RII) by purified human CD14(+) monocytes. We also compared the effects of IFN-gamma and IL-10 on production of TNF-alpha and sTNF-RII by these cells. Monocytes constitutively expressed low levels of TNF-RII mRNA and mTNF-RII protein. LPS stimulation induced rapid, but transient loss (shedding) of mTNF-RII molecules and a delayed, but marked increase in TNF-RII mRNA levels. IL-10 increased expression of both mTNF-RII and sTNF-RII by LPS-stimulated monocytes, whereas IFN-gamma decreased their expression. The increased levels of sTNF-RII in cultures of IL-10-treated monocytes correlated directly with increased levels of TNF-RII mRNA and inversely with the levels of TNF-alpha mRNA. The ability of IL-10 to upregulate TNF-RII gene expression was transcriptionally mediated because actinomycin D blocked this effect. Furthermore, IL-10 treatment did not alter the half-life of TNF-RII mRNA transcripts in LPS-stimulated monocytes. To further examine the mechanism by which IL-10 potentiates TNF-RII gene expression, a 1.8-kb fragment of the human TNF-RII promoter cloned into a luciferase expression vector (pGL2-basic) was transfected into the IL-10-responsive macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. Although IL-10 alone induced only minimal promoter activity in these cells, it markedly increased the LPS-induced response, providing further evidence that the ability of IL-10 to amplify TNF-RII gene expression is transcriptionally controlled. Together, these findings demonstrate that IL-10 coordinately downregulates expression of TNF-alpha and upregulates expression of TNF-RII, particularly the soluble form of this receptor, in monocytes.


Single-stranded nucleic acid molecules that are complementary to each other will form hybrids under appropriate conditions. Hybridization tests make use of this phenomenon and employ labeled molecules called probes to detect specific complementary molecules called targets. Nucleic acid hybridization is the most sensitive method for detecting HPV in clinical specimens and the only one capable of identifying specific HPV types. There are many alternative hybridization test formats; most of them use either filters or glass slides as solid supports. Of the established tests, Southern blot hybridization remains the most sensitive and specific test for HPV DNA but has the drawback of also being the most time consuming. Several novel methods show promise, and some innovative procedure may eventually dominate routine nucleic acid detection. The ideal test would be simple enough to permit automation.


We present equations for the power generated via spontaneous (quantum) and stimulated (classical) nonlinear optical processes in integrated devices. Equations for the same structure and same order process are derived from the same Hamiltonian, allowing for direct and easy comparison including the ability to estimate the efficiency of a quantum process based solely on experimental data from a classical process in the same device. We show that, in the CW limit and under the undepleted pump approximation, the average energy of a generated photon divided by a characteristic time plays the role of the classical "seed" signal in a quantum process, and that extending the length of a structure or taking advantage of a resonant cavity does not enhance spontaneous processes the same way as stimulated processes.


Spike (action potential) responses of most primary visual cortical cells in the macaque are sharply tuned for the orientation of a line or an edge, and neurons preferring similar orientations are clustered together in cortical columns. The preferred stimulus orientation of these columns span the full range of orientations, as observed in recordings of spikes and in classical optical imaging of intrinsic signals. However, when we imaged the putative thalamic input to striate cortical cells that can be seen in imaging of intrinsic signals when they are analyzed on a larger spatial scale, we found that the orientation domain map of the primary visual cortex did not show the same diversity of orientations. This map was dominated by just the one orientation that is most commonly preferred by neurons in the retina and the lateral geniculate nucleus. This supports cortical feature selectivity and columnar architecture being built upon feed-forward signals transmitted from the thalamus in a very limited number of broadly tuned input channels.


Objective: Bladder cancer is most commonly observed in elderly patients. In these patients, it is not always possible to give the necessary treatment for the disease. In this study, definitive radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) results and side effects, as well as prognostic factors, were investigated in elderly bladder cancer patients. Method: The results of 36 elderly patients who received definitive RT or CRT for bladder cancer between the years 2010–2018 in Sivas Oncology Center of Cumhuriyet University Medical Faculty were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The median age of the patients was 75 (range, 65–84). Sixteen patients (44%) underwent RT without chemotherapy and 20 patients (56%) received CRT. Complete response was detected in 19 (53%) patients. The median survival was 18 months (range 3–102 months) and the overall 2-year survival rate was 37%. Treatment response (p < .001) and performance status of the patients (p = .001) were found to be statistically significant prognostic factors in patients' survival. However, sex, comorbidity, Charlson Comorbidity index, risk groups, treatment modality (RT vs. CRT), presence of in situ, grade, status of tumor foci (unifocal vs. multifocal), degree of tumor resection in transurethral resection of the bladder (TUR-B, complete vs. incomplete resection), chemotherapy after CRT, concurrent chemotherapy regimen (ciplatin vs.gemcitabine), RT dose (< 60 Gy vs. ≥60 Gy), and the device used in RT (linac vs. TomoTherapy) were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Good performance and completed response to treatment in elderly bladder cancer patients positively affects survival.


We first explain the historical and logical relations of hyperstructures introduced by M. Krasner and R. Rota, and generalized by T. Vougiouklis. Then, with our new algorithm based on our previous results on hypergroups and Hv-groups of order 2, 3 and 4, we enumerate hyperrings and Hv-rings. More precisely, we found 63 hyperrings of order 2, 875 Hv-rings of order 2 and 33,277,642 hyperrings of order 3. Finally, in this new context, we study a new connection between groups and hypergroups via the notion of duality.


In the conditions of global climate change and invasion of new diseases and pests, the utilisation of the local gene pool is a vital step towards sustainable agriculture. Local cultivars and forms are generally considered as better adapted to the conditions of the originating region than widely spread commercial cultivars bred elsewhere. In order to collect, study, and preserve old and local fruit and vine cultivars and forms, a series of expeditions have been conducted throughout Bulgaria under the frame of project KP-06-N46/3 funded by the National Science Fund of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. During these scientific expeditions, several local cherry forms were discovered without visual symptoms of brown rot Monilinia laxa (Aderh. and Ruhl.) Honey or cherry leaf spot Blumeriella jaapii (Rehm) Arx. To confirm the degree of resistance/low susceptibility of the specimens, laboratory tests with artificial inoculations of fruits and leaves were conducted. In the current study, two specimens found in Damyanovo region (a village in the municipality of Sevlievo, Gabrovo Province, in northern central Bulgaria) were included. They were compared to two old local cherry cultivars, 'Volsko sartse' and 'Ranna cherna edra', and two new selections of FGI-Plovdiv, 'Asparukh' (El.17-90) and 'Kossara', using 'Bigarreau Burlat' as reference cultivar for resistance to economically important diseases. The artificial inoculations confirmed the field observation of the cherry specimen with designation SM-58 with 0.00% of infected fruits. Therefore, it is recommended for use in the breeding programme of the Fruit Growing Institute, Plovdiv for the creation of new cultivars.


In recent years radiation risk from CT scanning has become an important area of investigation. Many authors have suggested that radiation dose can be decreased without loss of diagnostic information. This dose reduction has primarily been achieved through a decrease in tube current. An area that has received little attention has been variations in dose from different CT scanners. To evaluate this aspect of radiation exposure, we measured the radiation dose of 4 different CT scanners. We found that the radiation dose for the same CT technique can vary by as much as a factor of 3 when 1 mm slices are used. CT dose variation was greatest for thin slices, making these observations particularly important for high-resolution CT. Our measurement technique used standard quality assurance equipment available in most radiology departments. Use of these measurements to assess the radiation dose from different CT scanners is an easily performed technique that may allow a decrease in radiation exposure in departments by choosing the most appropriate intradepartmental CT scanner for specific indications.


Systemic vasculitides have been classified according to several systems, all of which derive from the system originally proposed by Zeek in 1953. In 1990 the American College of Rheumatology published consensus definitions for the various forms of systemic vasculitis known at that time. Over the next few years it became clear that serologic tests for various anticytoplasmic neutrophil antibodies (ANCAs) would be very helpful in the clear separation of these disorders, and so in 1994 the American College of Rheumatology issued revised consensus criteria taking the new data into account. In this system, which is most widely used currently, the disorders are classified according to the size and type of vessel affected, the pattern of organ dysfunction, and various serologic markers. The histologic features are also regarded as an important element, but the authors stress that a correct diagnosis cannot be assured by biopsy findings alone.


Author(s): Jones, Bristin Scalzo | Abstract: My paper presents a close reading of Giovanni Verga's novella "Jeli il pastore" and investigates how this canonical 19th century verismo text undermines human/animal difference through its zoomorphic protagonist and its violent conclusion. Throughout the text, the narrator overtly characterizes Jeli in zoomorphic terms, and while Jeli's bestial kinship initially permits him success in his line of work, it eventually makes him an outcast in the rural Sicilian community in which he lives. Southern, poor, orphaned, cornuto, animal: Jeli epitomizes the marginalized subject. In the novella's dramatic conclusion, Jeli slits the throat of his rival Don Alfonso in a manner directly analogous to the killing of a non-human animal: "gli taglio la gola di un sol colpo, proprio come un capretto." This human murder parallels animal killings that Jeli witnessed in the past, encouraging us to question not only the humanity of the zoomorphic protagonist but also the humanity of killing non-human animals in the first place. Drawing from archival research conducted at the Fondazione Verga in Catania, I bring to light passages from early unpublished "Jeli il pastore" drafts which directly confront the question of non-human animal communication and which, I argue, provide a key to unlocking Jeli's seemingly unexpected final act. By examining the inherent liminality of human/animal difference, this paper sheds light on the relevance to animal studies and posthumanist theory of Verga's famed verismo.


In the realisation of the International Height Reference System, the determination of the geopotential value and its variations in time plays an important role. In this study, the geodetic boundary value problem approach is applied for direct determination of the gravity potential value using a GOCE global gravity field model enhanced with terrestrial gravity data. This determination is carried out on the Global Navigation Satellite System-Continuously Operating Reference Stations (GNSS-CORS) stations towards the realisation of the International Height Reference System in Vietnam. First, the effects of the GOCE global gravity field model omission error, the indirect bias term on the disturbing potential and the systematic cumulative errors in levelling data are estimated. These errors affect the estimated geopotential value. The results calculated on the GNSS/levelling points show that the effect of the GOCE DIR-R5 (up to degree/order 260) omission error on the offset potential value is quite significant. This effect was eliminated using high-resolution terrestrial gravity data using the remove-compute-restore technique. The indirect bias term on the disturbing potential can be safely neglected by using a GOCE global gravity field model for degrees higher than 60 for this study region. The systematic cumulative errors in levelling data can be modelled and removed using a third-order polynomial model. Then, the mean zero-height gravity potential of the Vietnam local vertical datum is estimated equal to ${\rm{W}}_0^{{\rm{LVD}}}$ = 62 636 846.69 m2 s–2 with standard deviation of 0.70 m2 s–2 based on the proposed approach. Finally, the geodetic boundary value problem approach was used to determine the geopotential on the surface of three GNSS-CORS stations in Vietnam. Based on time-series of the vertical component derived from the GNSS observations as well as InSAR data, temporal variations in geopotential are also estimated on these permanent GNSS stations. The purpose is to monitor deformation of the vertical datum. The results indicate that the geopotential value needs to be monitored and determined with the time-dependent component on the three Vietnamese permanent GNSS stations for a vertical datum. These stations may contribute to increase the density of reference points in the International Terrestrial Reference Frame, which is being researched and implemented by the International Association of Geodesy.


Conversation-as-material is a language-based artistic research practice for attempting to speak from within the experience of collaborative artistic exploration, a linguistic practice attentive to the lived experience of aesthetic co-creation. The practice of conversation-as-material, which forms the basis of this article, has evolved through tentative exploration of the questions: How can the shared act of conversation bring into reflective awareness the live and lived, yet often hidden or undisclosed, experience of artistic practice and process, especially within collaboration? How can the event of conversation be developed as an artistic research practice for attempting to give tangibility, whilst also remaining in fidelity, to the pre-reflective aspects of this lived experience? Considered less as a means for talking about, conversation-as-material may be understood as a practice for inviting immanent, inter-subjective modes of verbal-linguistic sense-making emerging through different voices enmeshed in live exchange. Conversation — from con- meaning 'with, together' and versare, 'to turn, bend'; or else, from conversare — 'to turn about, to turn about with'. Conversation-as-material has emerged as a practice of collaborative writing, which unfolds through the interplay of different voices 'turning about' together in conversation. In this sense, the practice can be differentiated from that of interview — for in the practice of conversation-as-material there is no researcher/researched dichotomy. Within the practice, an attempt is made to develop an approach to writing that finds expression first through verbal conversation, which is then subsequently distilled, even densified, towards poetic text. Conversation-as-material involves the gradual revelation of an artistic-poetic, perhaps even phenomenological, mode of emergent writing for speaking from the experience of collaborative co-creation, where linguistic content is not already known in advance, but rather emerges in and through the lived working-with of language. The practice of conversation-as-material thus comprises a quadripartite process of conversation, transcription, distillation, and presentation, where each part involves the activation of a particular aesthetic or poetic mode of attention, perhaps even a specific phenomenological attitude or disposition.


Building penetration loss measurements of a DVB-H signal at 602 MHz have been performed in 100 buildings in the city of Ghent, Belgium. Buildings are categorized in different types (office buildings, apartments, villas, mansions, terraced houses, stations) and the rooms are classified according to the number of outside radiated walls. The cumulative distribution function of the penetration loss is determined and lognormality is investigated. Models are developed to calculate the penetration loss as a function of the number of radiated walls. This research enables the calculation of indoor coverage probability for wireless networks.