Abstract : The report summarizes progress towards using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging for prostate pathology. The aim of the work is to enable histopathologic recognition without the use of human input or stains. The major accomplishments are : 1. Optimization of experimental parameters for spectroscopic imaging experiments. The optimization provides an understanding of the classification process and allows ~40 fold decrease in data acquisition time. 2. Classification of prostate histology using Genetic Algorithms. The work explicitly identifies spectroscopic biomarkers needed to classify tissue correctly. 3. A new method is introduced to reduce noise by nearly an order of magnitude. The method is based on post-processing to reduce non-correlated signals in images using the covariance of the recorded data. The method enables a ~7 fold higher signal to noise ratio, which translates into a 50-fold faster data acquisition rate.


Autocatalyzed isopropanol-water extraction is a potentially high-value lignin isolation methodology. A solution of isopropanol-water (2-PrOH/ H2O, 7:3, v/v) was used on willow powder (Salix matsudana cv. Zhuliu), at varying temperatures (160 °C to 210 °C) and reaction times (6 h to 12 h). The highest yield (61 wt%) and purity (93.7%) with low weight/number average molecular weight (1681/1061 g/mol) was observed at a treatment temperature and time of 190 °C and 10 h, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) spectroscopy indicated that the lignin was composed of syringyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) units that were not severely damaged. More specifically, 31P-NMR showed that S units were dominant. Finally, a majority of glucan was preserved.


One morning a few years back, a group of strangers walked into a large shipping firm and walked out with access to the firm's entire corporate network. How did they do it? By obtaining small amounts of access, bit by bit, from a number of different employees in that firm. First, they did research about the company for two days before even attempting to set foot on the premises. For example, they learned key employees' names by calling HR. Next, they pretended to lose their key to the front door, and a man let them in. Then they "lost" their identity badges when entering the third floor secured area, smiled, and a friendly employee opened the door for them.


This paper addresses relativistic effects in bistatic and multistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems and missions. It is shown that the use of different reference frames for bistatic SAR processing and bistatic radar synchronization is prone to notable phase and time errors. These errors are a direct consequence of the relativity of simultaneity and can be explained in good approximation within the framework of Einstein's special theory of relativity. Using the invariance of the space-time interval, an analytic expression is derived that shows that the time and phase errors increase with increasing along-track distance between the satellites. The predicted errors are in excellent agreement with measurements from TanDEM-X and provide a satisfactory explanation for previously observed digital elevation map (DEM) height offsets that exceeded ±10 m. Consideration of the unexpected relativistic effects is essential for accurate DEM generation in TanDEM-X and has in the meantime been implemented in the operational processing chain.


Hardly found is research clarifying the correlation between an individual's attitude change and compliment, through its positive measurement. In particular, it is much harder to find research that verifies such effects with hotel employees, who are highly dependent on personal services through a positive mechanism of compliments. This research, therefore, aims to propose a plan that can be utilized for future management of human resources in the hotel industry by clarifying the effects of compliments on the job attitude of hotel employees from first-class hotels in the Busan region. Results suggest that: The dependent variable - feelings of job attitude - is measured by both personal and organizational aspects. A simple regression model is used to test hypotheses 1 and 2, in which the results verify that both have statistically significant effects. Between the two, personal attitude shows higher influence. This indicates that verbal compliments have larger impacts on job attitude than institutional rewards related to human resource management, such as promotion or compensation. Conclusion suggests that compliments are not burdensome yet more efficient through frequent use.


This study aimed to use microwave irradiation as a green technique, not only to enhance the dyeing efficiency of disperse-colored polyester fabrics, but also to conserve resources and minimize the environmental effects. Arylazopyrazolopyrimidinones dyes 1-9 were applied to polyester fabrics at 2% shade using conventional method and microwave at 100 °C. Both the color intensity expressed as dye absorption and the fastness characteristics of the dyed fabric were investigated. The K/S values are increased by increasing the time of irradiation from 10-60 minutes. The dyed substrate displayed good light fastness, and very good fastness levels to rubbing, perspiration washing, and sublimation, respectively.


We first propose and examine a method for digitizing analog data of submarine topography by focusing on the seafloor survey records available in the literature to facilitate a detailed analysis of submarine landslides and landslide-induced tsunamis. Second, we apply this digitization method to the seafloor topographic changes recorded before and after the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake tsunami event and evaluate its effectiveness. Third, we discuss the coseismic large-scale seafloor deformation at the Sagami Bay and the mouth of the Tokyo Bay, Japan.
 The results confirmed that the latitude / longitude and water depth values recorded by the lead sounding measurement method can be approximately extracted from the sea depth coordinates by triangulation survey through the overlaying of the currently available GIS map data without geometric correction such as affine transformation. Further, this proposed method allows us to obtain mesh data of depth changes in the sea area by using the interpolation method based on the IDW (Inverse Distance Weighted) average method through its application to the case of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Finally, we analyzed and compared the submarine topography before and after the 1923 tsunami event and the current seabed topography. Consequently, we found that these large-scale depth changes correspond to the valley lines that flow down as the topography of the Sagami Bay and the Tokyo Bay mouth.


Abstract The distribution of grizzly (Ursus arctos) and American black bears (U. americanus) overlaps in western North America. Few studies have detailed activity patterns where the species are sympatric and no studies contrasted patterns where populations are both sympatric and allopatric. We contrasted activity patterns for sympatric black and grizzly bears and for black bears allopatric to grizzly bears, how human influences altered patterns, and rates of grizzly–black bear predation. Activity patterns differed between black bear populations, with those sympatric to grizzly bears more day-active. Activity patterns of black bears allopatric with grizzly bears were similar to those of female grizzly bears; both were crepuscular and day-active. Male grizzly bears were crepuscular and night-active. Both species were more night-active and less day-active when ≤1 km from roads or developments. In our sympatric study area, 2 of 4 black bear mortalities were due to grizzly bear predation. Our results suggested patterns of activity that allowed for intra- and inter-species avoidance. National park management often results in convergence of locally high human densities in quality bear habitat. Our data provide additional understanding into how bears alter their activity patterns in response to other bears and humans and should help park managers minimize undesirable bear–human encounters when considering needs for temporal and spatial management of humans and human developments in bear habitats.


A central question for linguistics is how strings and structures relate to one another. The majority of frameworks that exist today assume that the hidden structures contain complete information about word order. Hence, the theory of grammar is only a theory of the structure-generating component. However, it is possible to design a theory of grammar which views the structure-generating component as separate from the linearization component. As a result, structural descriptions can directly incorporate multi-dominance, and consequently eliminate the need for transformational devices like movement. Another benefit is that linearization can take into account any combination of structural, morpho-phonological and discourse features, paving the way for a word order typology in the style of Optimality Theory. This dissertation presents an analysis of basic word order typology in this formalism, and suggests that cross-linguistic frequency of word orders can be explained if constraints are viewed as priors for Bayesian iterative learning. Finally, it discusses the role of information structure and morpho-phonology for language-internal word order.


Objective: The objective of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the probability and frequency of falls among adults aged 65 and older. Method: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from 2000 to 2010, the authors conducted random-intercept logistic and Poisson regression analyses to examine whether race/ethnicity predicted the likelihood of a fall event and the frequency of falls. Results: The analytic sample included 10,484 older adults. Baseline analyses showed no significant racial/ethnic differences in the probability or number of falls. However, in the longitudinal random-intercept models, African Americans had significantly lower odds (0.65) of experiencing at least one fall compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Among fallers, African Americans had significantly fewer falls (24%) than non-Hispanic Whites, controlling for health and sociodemographic covariates (all ps < .05). Latinos did not differ from non-Hispanic Whites in the likelihood or number of falls. Discussion: African Americans are less likely to experience initial or recurrent falls than non-Hispanic Whites.


The choice of breast feeding was studied in a sample of 1,954 mothers of urban and rural areas investigated in 1978 during the first year of life of their child. Women who chose breast feeding were more often urban, highly educated, mothers of one child, well medically supervised and happy during pregnancy. They were more concerned by the way their child fed and about his general status. The group of women who stated that they could not breast-feed showed a high percentage of health problems. On the contrary, those who refused were in a good state of health.


Abstract : A longstanding concept in neuroscience has been that the mature mammalian brain is incapable of axon regeneration. However, we have shown that it is possible to achieve long range axon growth by re-activation of intrinsic genetic programs that are active during development. We have found that activation of Akt/mTor signaling by AAV-mediated transduction with either the kinase Akt or the GTPase Rheb in a model of retrograde axonal degeneration induces axon growth by dopamine neurons. However, these molecules cannot be directly used in therapeutics because they are oncogenes. The goal of this proposal therefore is to develop a strategy to circumvent this problem. We have hypothesized that mediators downstream of mTor may diverge in their effects, making it possible to achieve axon growth without oncogenic risk. In Year 01 we had shown that one mTor target, p70S6K, is able to induce new axon growth. In Year 02 we have assessed the ability of a second mTor target, eIF4E, to induce new axon growth. We have found that transduction of dopamine neurons of the SN by AAV eIF4E at three weeks after axonal destruction with the neurotoxin 6OHDA does not induce new axon growth. This conclusion was reached by assessments based on three techniques: immunostaining for tyrosine hydroxylase-positive axons in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB); quantification by confocal optical dissection of either GFP-positive axons in the MFB in transgenic THGFP mice or of Tomato-positive axons following transduction with anterograde tracer Tomato-Tau. As anticipated, based on anatomical evidence showing an inability of AAV eIF4E to re-establish anatomical contact, we found no reversal of a toxininduced behavioral deficit. We conclude that of the two mTor targets, p70S6K and eIF4E, only p70S6K is an effective mediator of new axon growth. It will therefore be the focus of a refined, axon-targeting strategy in Year 03 of this proposal.


The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histometrical and biomechanical anchorage of TiO2-blasted implants and TiO2-blasted implants coated with hydroxyapatite. The control implants were machined. Twenty-six rabbits had a total of 156 implants placed in the proximal part of the tibia. Each rabbit had a machined, a TiO2-blasted, and a TiO2-blasted, HA-coated implant placed in each tibia. After a healing period of 3 and 12 weeks, respectively, the implants placed in the right tibia were used for removal torque test, and the implants placed in the left tibia were used for histomorphometrical measurements. Preoperatively, implants from the same batches were examined topographically with a TopScan 3D system. The TiO2-blasted implants demonstrated significantly higher removal torque values than the machined implants, and they also had a significantly more irregular surface. Furthermore, significantly higher bone-to-implant contact length fractions were measured adjacent to the TiO2-blasted implants in contrast to the machined implants. The advantages of a TiO2-blasted surface were more pronounced after 3 weeks than after 12 weeks. The results demonstrated that it was possible to influence the anchorage of implants by altering the surface structure morphology. The new method with TiO2 blasting on the titanium surface improves the anchorage of implants but is not yet practicable for HA coating.


The fast-ion phase-space coverage of the ASDEX Upgrade Fast-Ion Loss Detectors (FILD) has been estimated and the results are presented here. To that end, a numerical tool has been developed to determine particle orbits that can be accepted by each detector in the machine, depending on their radial position, without colliding to the first wall. Two different plasma shapes have been analyzed and results show excellent phase-space coverage for mostly all the detectors, especially for those located at the midplane and below it. The methodology developed provides an excellent way to estimate the signal of these detectors depending on the plasma scenario and can be easily extended to other machines. Also, this study can be complemented with thermal analysis to consider the structural integrity of the detectors, allowing determining optimal operation parameters both from the signal and safety standpoints.


This paper takes Joanna Trollope`s novel Other People Children, which contains family theme, and story about family problem of parents divorce. Whereas the divorce gives the changes for the child`s personality, especially for the changes of childâ's characterization. This research is analyzed based on three problems, there are Becky`s parents` marriage conditions, reasons of Becky`s parents divorce, and the influence of parents divorce on child`s characterization of Becky. The purpose of this research is to know the condition of Becky`s parents marriage which has caused the divorce, to know the reasons of Becky`s parents divorce, to know the influence of parents divorce on child`s characterization of Becky in Joanna Trollope novel Other People Children.

The data are taken from the theory of structuralism on explaining the relation between structures of novel which cannot be separated, and from some sources on the three types of the change of character and characterization. The literary research is the method used here to elaborate the critical analysis.

The data are analyzed based on three points. First point that Becky`s parents marriage condition is bad, and then her parents are divorced. Matthew left Nadine caused by the reason, because Nadine does not respect the other things of Nadine`s bad attitude of her family specifically for her husband, Matthew. Then Matthew is not strong to keep the unity of his wedding with Nadine, and the end of it is the divorce, whereas their children are the victim of it. Second point that the reasons of Becky`s parents divorced caused by her mother bad attitude which made her father so mad, and finally they are divorced. Matthew left Nadine, because Nadine is wrong-headed, lack of house keeping skills, joins a women`s camp at the gates a military base in Suffolk and Nadine cannot stop. She falls in love with being anti things, anti motherhood, anti marriage, anti the educational endeavors of Matthew`s school, anti any kind of order.Third point that the influence of parents divorce on child`s characterization of Becky it changes to the three types: dynamic, complex, and developing character characterization.
The results of this analysis, therefore, are found that three causes of Becky`s parents divorce on Other People Children`s novel which there are have different reasons. Then, dynamic, complex, and developing character are three character and characterizations that forms the type of Becky`s characterization changes.


This article reveals the problem of the importance and necessity of modernization and adaptation of the right to non-discrimination in the era of Big data and automated data processing systems. A number of approaches that could potentially facilitate the solution of this problem is proposed, in particular with regard to pre- and post-processing of data. The concept of "code as law" is analyzed, which helps to understand the impact of digital technologies on discrimination and to find new ways to combat this phenomenon.


Differentitation and decentralization are only parts of enterprise's organizational innovation. In contrast, integration is also an importany part of organizational innovation. Integration has different stages, that is ,integration between top management and middle management, integration among functional departments and integration with basic management. In the three stages, integration among functional departments is of much realistic importance to Chinese enterprises. Change of business environments, development of scales and complexity of organization structure is the main aspects for choosing integration mechanism.


Dr Garrett McGovern tells Catherine Reilly setting up a treatment and rehabilitative programme to tackle Ireland's drink problem is not rocket science.

Plentiful treatment services and education outreach that do not "patronise" young people are the key ingredients in tackling Ireland's alcohol problem, over and above measures surrounding alcohol pricing and advertising, a leading addiction specialist has told IMT.

Dr Garrett McGovern was speaking following the Budget 2014 measures of a 10 cent increase on a packet of cigarettes, a 10 cent increase on the price of a pint or standard measure of spirits and 50 cent extra on a bottle of wine, and in advance of the Government announcement of well-signposted proposals on minimum pricing and advertising, as well as a commitment to review sponsorship of sporting events by alcohol companies.

On press briefing documents, at the announcement on measures to address alcohol misuse, the Department of Health stated an aim to develop a national treatment and rehabilitative service that promoted early intervention, but did not state a timeline for this.

Dr McGovern suggested that the Government was attaching too little weight to some measures, and too much to others. "There is a large group of people in this country who drink perfectly sensibly," the Dublin-based GP said.

"The vast majority of people in this country either drink sensibly or from time to time drink too much, and there is a group who drink really heavily. Increasing the prices, in my opinion, will only have an effect on the less-established drinkers — I am talking about the young people."


This paper is sharing an on-going project about the design of a software package, tentatively coined as RS4B, for the builders of modularized construction. The shortage of labour resources and safety awareness issues have become the emerging problems in the construction industry. As the price of robots gradually decreases within these years, it is a promising direction to integrate robotic technology with the construction process to bring better productivity. However, shifting the long-term labourbased process to the robot-based process is not a simple task. Therefore, this research designed an assisted software package for filling the gap between the conventional process and robotic process. Four kinds of software were proposed in this research with their required functions and user interfaces design. With such an assisting tool, builders of modular home manufacturing will be able to extract information from the existing BIM model and transfer the information for the robot control.


The section is drawn from measurements made on the shore at low water during the autumn of 1867. In consequence of the dip of the beds being nearly vertical, the horizontal section exposed on the shore at low water is a section nearly at right angles to the stratification; and advantage was taken of favourable tides to measure a continuous section from the basement-bed of the London Clay to the Bemhridge Limestone, always exactly at right angles to the strike of the beds. The dip of the lower part, or the London Clay, is in a direction parallel to the line of the cliffs, so that the section exhibited in the cliff is at right angles to the beds; but the alteration in the direction of the dip, and in the line of the coast, both tend to make the section seen in the cliff more oblique in the higher beds; and in the Headon beds the obliquity is as much as 45°. In bed VII † of the Bracklesham series the junction of a bed of compact clay with a bed of shaly laminated clay was observed, which indicated a denudation of the laminated clay before the deposition of the compact clay on its edges. No detailed examination of the fossils was attempted, except in the case of the Headon beds, where, at the suggestion of Mr. Jenkins (Assistant Secretary of the Geological Society), fossils were carefully sought for, in order to verify the opinion expressed by the Rev.


Importance to the field: Similarity searching is one of the premier approaches for computational hit identification. Fingerprints are bit string representations of molecular structure and properties and rather simplistic search tools. Nevertheless, they are widely used and often surprisingly successful in drug discovery applications. Areas covered in this review: Herein we discuss recent research efforts that have helped to better understand fingerprint search performance, design new fingerprints and search strategies, or modify standard fingerprints for specific applications. Key publications of the past ∼ 20 years are covered and major emphasis is put on reviewing fingerprint studies published during the past 5 years. What the reader will gain: The reader is provided with an overview of the state-of-the-art fingerprint design and search strategies developed. It will be possible to rationalize opportunities and limitations of 2D fingerprint similarity searching. Take home messages: Fingerprint search calculations are more complex than it might appear at first glance and susceptible to complications that are often overlooked in practical applications. Fingerprint search performance typically only depends on relatively small subsets of bit positions. Recently, different fingerprint engineering strategies have been applied to 'tune' existing fingerprints in a compound class-directed manner. Fingerprints have substantial scaffold hopping potential, despite the simplicity of their design.


Social marketing is based on general marketing principles and strategies aimed at selling products and services to consumers with the purpose of changing an existing action; changing individual or group behavior, attitudes or beliefs; and reinforcing desired behaviors. The purpose of the study is to assess the acceptance of social marketing by librarians in post-Communist Romania within the context of this country's efforts to adopt democratic values into its social system. The study also uses the social marketing concept as an idea that requires change in attitudes and behaviors about the nature of librarianship. In so doing, it can be used as means of understanding the willingness of Romanian librarians to accept change. During the Communist regime, the librarians acted as tools that supported the dissemination of the totalitarian government's views. Fifteen years after the collapse of Communism they continue the struggle to implement principles of participatory management. However, visible changes in Romanian librarians' mentalities, attitudes, and behaviors are still to come. A group of 74 librarians in attendance at a conference responded to a survey questionnaire based on the Social Marketing Scale (SMS) designed to determine the participants' acceptance and willingness to support social marketing within their institutions. Results reveal that on the surface, social marketing was rejected by the sample group studied. The study suggests that, if social marketing is to play a role in Romanian librarianship, Romanian librarians must first accept the concept that libraries are important institutions and that libraries play a vital role in a democratic society. Once Romanian society begins to perceive the library as an information agency, knowledge and experience in social marketing must be gained so that the administrative and institutional will to pursue social marketing can be encouraged. Romanian libraries continue the process of redefining themselves within the country's transition to a civil society.

Developing countries in the former Soviet-bloc region have received little attention by Western researchers of libraries. This study attempts to broaden this limited knowledge concerning librarianship in Eastern Europe by offering some insight into the culture of Romanian libraries and the Romanian librarians' readiness for change as they faced and continue to face the transition from an autocratic cultural and governmental system to a more open and democratic society with Romania's admission to the European Union as of 1 January 2007. The study uses "social marketing" as one means of ascertaining the degree to which Romanian librarians are willing to accept change.


Abstract To glean more information on mosquito diversity and distribution in Auroville, a cross-sectional study was carried out by mapping the distribution of water bodies and habitats supporting immature stages on the one hand and the distribution of water bodies/habitats supporting mosquito immature stages on the other. A satellite image covering an area of 8.08 km2 was overlaid with a grid of 500 × 500 m. Fifteen modules were selected and the area of each module served as the sampling site for the entomological survey. Adult and larval stages were sampled. Diversity indices were analyzed to compare mosquito diversity. Rarefaction estimations were used to compare abundance and richness of the mosquito species between different zones. In total, 750 mosquito larvae and 84 resting adults were sampled. Eighteen species of mosquitoes belonging to 11 subgenera and 7 genera were documented. Genera included Aedes (Johann Wilhelm Meigen 1818, Diptera, Culicidae), Anopheles (Johann Wilhelm Meigen 1818, Diptera, Culicidae), Armigeres (Theobald 1901, Diptera, Culicidae), Culex (Carl Linnaeus 1758, Diptera, Culicidae), Lutzia (Theobald 1903, Diptera, Culicidae), and Mimomyia (Theobald 1903, Diptera, Culicidae). Of the 18 mosquito species identified, 8 species are new records for Auroville. The Alpha (α) biodiversity indices show that the mosquito fauna is diverse (S = 18; DMg = 2.732 [95% CI: 2.732–2.732]). The Shannon-Weiner (H′ = 2.199 [95% CI: 2.133–2.276]) and Simpson indices (λ = 0.8619 [95% CI: 0.8496–0.8723]) measured species richness, evenness, and dominance. The values of these indices suggest high species richness, evenness, and dominance. Prevailing conditions can provide suitable environment for establishment of different mosquito species in this ecosystem. Given the sociodemographic characteristics of this area, research on mosquito diversity and risk of vector-borne diseases will be of great use.


It is argued that methodological problems in Hall, Proctor, and Nelson's (1988) comparison of phallometric data on child molesters and rapists include confounding of stimulus category and duration, omission of neutral stimuli and a normal control group, failure to employ relative measures of sexual preference, and failure to exclude subjects who did not respond to the sexual stimuli. Quinsey and Laws maintain that, although these methodological problems preclude accepting the conclusions drawn in Hall et al.'s article, the problems illustrate the need to develop common methodological standards for phallometric research on sexual offenders.


Background: Early neurological deterioration (END) prompting urgent brain imaging occurs in up to 15% of ischemic stroke patients receiving intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Most of these are not related to symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) but lead to unnecessary interruption of the tPA infusion. We aim to determine predictors of sICH in ischemic stroke patients undergoing emergent brain imaging after tPA. Methods: We queried our prospective stroke database and included all patients who received tPA for ischemic stroke from March 1 st , 2015 until March 1 st , 2017. We then identified patients who underwent emergent brain imaging before the planned 24-hour brain imaging and divided these patients into: sICH+ and sICH- defined by NINDS criteria. We compared baseline clinical factors, pre-admission medications, admission blood pressure, symptoms prompting repeat scan [change in level of consciousness (LOC); worsening or new (W/N) neurological symptoms without change in LOC; headache/nausea/vomiting), thrombectomy, 24-hour NIHSS and 90 day outcome. Results: We identified 511 patients who received tPA (sICH rate 4.1%). Emergent repeat brain CT was performed on 108 (21.1%); 17.5% (19/108) had sICH and 21.3% (23/108) occurred during the tPA infusion with only one being related to sICH. The mean time from tPA infusion to symptoms prompting brain imaging in sICH was 7.3 ± 5.3 hours. In patients who underwent emergent brain imaging, sICH+ patients were older (80.2 ± 15.8 vs. 70.8 ± 15.4, p = 0.026), with higher admission NIHSS (14 vs. 7, p = 0.0016) and 90-day mortality (87.5% vs. 22.4%, p Conclusion: Nearly 95% of patients with ischemic stroke had unnecessary interruption of the tPA infusion for new symptoms shortly after the tPA infusion. A change in LOC was the only predictor of sICH among tPA patients undergoing emergent brain imaging. In this group of patients, the preparation of tPA reversal agents awaiting brain imaging may help reduce tPA reversal times and improve outcomes


Initial stage of mutual diffusion close to carbon/iron interface was investigated in the present work. SIMS technique of concentration profiles enabled to study the carbon redistribution in the very early stages, when the diffusion process occurs – at least partly – in regions, where the carbon concentration exceeds the carbon concentration limit. It was observed that carbon diffusion coefficients are much lower under such conditions, than in Fe matrix with equilibrium carbon concentration. The measured carbon diffusion coefficients approached values reported for carbon diffusion in carbides.


Two end-member approaches to 3-D reservoir characterization modeling exist. The "Frankenstein" approach integrates hard and soft conditioning data while incorporating geologic concepts and interpretations, to construct a highly detailed deterministic model. The Frankenstein approach focuses on what is known about the reservoir, and is so named because construction of the model can be time-consuming, which can negatively impact project timelines, sometimes "killing" its creator. The "Gilligan" approach uses available data to build suites of models that are simple, and strives to address what is not known about the reservoir. Gilligan models are simplified, at least in the view of the Frankenstein modeler, and focus on quantitative characterizations of uncertainty. Reservoirs usually become more complex with new data from wells and production, a concept referred to here as "the Law of Increasing Reservoir Complexification". The Law of Increasing Reservoir Complexification should influence earth modeling workflow choices. Currently, the Gilligan probabilistic modeling approach is more commonly employed in early phases of projects. The appearance of overly complex Frankenstein models when probabilistic models are needed remains an ongoing problem. Mature reservoirs typically possess uncertainties that could influence business decisions, and may warrant a Gilligan probabilistic approach as well. No single recipe exists for choosing the best 3-D modeling approach: a fit for purpose or Goldilocks modeling approach should depend on business needs and requirements. Recognition that uncertainty is a fundamental and prevalent driver of business value for all reservoirs in all phases of development demands widespread adoption of probabilistic or Gilligan approaches.


In this study, we report findings from a microscopic analysis of the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) integumentary ultrastructure. Skin samples from the cheek, shoulder, flank and rump were taken from a 46-year-old female southern white rhinoceros and examined using H&E and elastic histological stains. The epidermis was thickest in the flank (1.003 mm) followed by the rump, cheek and shoulder. The stratum corneum comprised more than half the epidermal thickness. Numerous melanin granules were found in the basal and spinosum layers. The epidermal-dermal junction was characterized by abundant papillary folds increasing surface contact between integument layers. Most of the dermal thickness consisted of organized collagen bundles with scattered elastic fibers. Collagen fiber bundles were thickest in the flank (210.9 μm) followed by shoulder, rump and cheek. Simple coiled sweat glands were present in the dermis, but hair and sebaceous glands were absent. Together, these data suggest the white rhinoceros has a unique integumentary system among large terrestrial herbivores.


Conformational switching of the prion protein into the abnormal form involves the formation of (obligatory) molten-oligomers that mature into ordered amyloid fibrils. The role of water in directing the course of amyloid formation remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the mobility of the water molecules within the on-pathway oligomers is highly retarded. The water relaxation time within the oligomers was estimated to be ≈1 ns which is about three orders of magnitude slower than the bulk water and resembles the characteristics of (trapped) nano-confined water. We propose that the coalescence of these obligatory oligomers containing trapped water is entropically favored because of the release of ordered water molecules in the bulk milieu and results in the sequestration of favorable inter-chain amyloid contacts via nucleated conformational conversion. The dynamic role of water in protein aggregation will have much broader implications in a variety of protein misfolding diseases.


In this study, the impact of financial variables and corporate governance on bankruptcy, recovery, and financial crisis have been examined. For this purpose, a panel logistic regression model was used and to predict the risk of financial crisis, bankruptcy, and recovery, Cox regression was used. The population consists of the companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange.The test was done on three groups of companies: bankrupt companies, companies with financial crisis, and retrieved companies out of the 120 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. The first group of companies are those whose losses according to article 141 of the Commercial Code are half of their capital. These companies are declared bankrupt and are excluded from the exchange and the OTC. The second category is those companies which in accordance with Article 141 lose money but they have not yet declared bankrupt and have not been out of stock. The third category is companies that have returned to the market and have improved their financial situation. Financial factors investigated were liquidity ratios, profitability, capital structure, and corporate governance. To examine the effects of corporate governance, the ratio of independent directors and institutional shareholders have been used.The results indicate that the proportion of cash, the proportion of market value to office value,  and the size of the company have no significant effect on the risk of bankruptcy, financial crisis, and recovery. However, the effect of institutional shareholders, independent directors, profitability, and current assets is significant on the possibility of bankruptcy, financial crisis, and recovery. Capital Ratios affect the risk of financial crisis, but they have no significant impact on the likelihood of bankruptcy and recovery. Financial leverage affects the possibility of recovery and bankruptcy but it has no effect on the risk of financial crisis.


Abstract : Data from one-dimensional (spherically symmetric) analyses was used to examine the effects of compressibility and gas energy on the dynamic behavior of an explosion gas bubble, by comparing the bubble's behavior with experimental results and with analytical results which neglect these factors. Results from two-dimensional (axially symmetric) analyses were used to investigate the behavior of a deep explosion gas bubble in the vicinity of plane rigid or constant pressure boundaries. Previous analytical research into explosion gas bubbles near such boundaries has primarily led to results of a qualitative nature, owing to a complete breakdown of the assumptions made in the analysis at the critical juncture. In the present investigation, it was found possible to characterize the effect of the boundary surface on both the change in the first oscillation period of the bubble and its location at the end of the first oscillation cycle. For a broad range of bubble-boundary standoff distances, these semi-empirical characterizations have a functional form particularly suitable for extension of the quantitative results of this investigation to other explosive charge types, weights, and depths, as has been done for the Willis formula for the free-field oscillation period of explosion gas bubbles.


Cadmium (Cd) and excessive molybdenum (Mo) have adverse impacts on animals. However, the hepatotoxicity co-induced by Cd and Mo in ducks has not been fully elucidated. In order to explore the impacts of Cd and Mo co-exposure on pyroptosis and apoptosis by the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway in the livers of ducks, 40 healthy 7-day-old Shaoxing ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were randomly assigned into 4 groups, and Cd or/and Mo were added to the basic diet per kilogram (kg): control group (0 mg Mo and 0 mg Cd), Mo group (100 mg Mo), Cd group (4 mg Cd), and Mo + Cd group (100 mg Mo and 4 mg Cd), with 16 weeks feed management. Results signified that Cd or/and Mo caused trace element imbalance, liver function and histomorphological abnormalities in the duck liver, and activated the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway through increasing PTEN mRNA and protein levels, reducing PI3K, AKT mRNA and p-AKT/AKT protein levels, which triggered pyroptosis and apoptosis via increasing Caspase-1, NLRP3, NEK7, ASC, GSDME, GSDMA, IL-1β and IL-18 mRNA levels, Caspase-1 p20, NLRP3, ASC and GSDMD protein levels, and IL-1β and IL-18 contents, and increasing Bak-1, Bax, Cyt C and Caspase-3 mRNA levels and cleaved Caspase-3/Caspase-3 protein level, and downregulating Bcl-2 mRNA level and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax, respectively. Overall, the results illustrate that pyroptosis and apoptosis induced by Cd or/and Mo may be associated with activating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway in the livers of ducks. There may be a synergy between these two elements.


This article discusses how the tax reforms affect the budget and business atmosphere in Uzbekistan. The country has already implemented several tax methods but few of them have made the economy flourish. Yet, recent changes differ from previous ones with these reforms reflecting the experiences of those countries whose economy is highly affected by the tax in a positive way. In order to dramatically decrease the tax burden on companies and individuals, the number of direct taxes has been cut hoping to open the hidden economy in the country. However, the meaning of direct taxes has been moved into indirect ones such as VAT. Below we will do our best to analyze the outcomes of the previous tax reforms and offer some taxation mechanisms which can help the economy of the country.


The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effect of a single bout of whole body vibration (WBV) on flexibility and explosive strength of lower limbs in young artistic gymnasts. Thirty-two young competitive gymnasts volunteered to participate in this study, and were allocated to either the vibration group or traditional body weight training according to the vibration protocol. The vibration intervention consisted of a single bout of eccentric and concentric squatting movements on a vibration platform that was turned on (vibration group: VG n = 15), whereas the traditional body weight (no vibration) group performed the same training protocol with the WBV device turned off (NVG: n= 17). Flexibility (sit and reach test) and explosive strength tests [squat jump (SJ), counter movement jump (CMJ), and single leg squat (right leg (RL) and left leg (LL))] were performed initially (pre-test), immediately after the intervention (post-test 1), and 15 minutes after the end of the intervention programme (post-test 15). Four 2x3 ANOVAs were used to examine the interaction between group (VG vs NVG) and time (pre, post 1, and post 15) with respect to examined variables. The results revealed that a significant interaction between group and time was found with respect to SJ (p < 0.05). However, no significant interaction between group and time was found with respect to flexibility, CMJ, RL and LL after the end of the intervention programme (p > 0.05). Further, the percentage improvement of the VG was significantly greater in all examined variables compared to the NVG. This study concluded that WBV training improves flexibility and explosive strength of lower limbs in young trained artistic gymnasts and maintains the initial level of performance for at least 15 minutes after the WBV intervention programme.


The article defines the role of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) in neurosurgery, provides a brief historical background, as well as describes the main methods of IONM — somatosensory and motor evoked potentials. The authors describe electrical stimulation of the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures under general anaesthesia and in the conscious state. IONM is an integral part of neurosurgery, with its importance growing in orthopaedics and cavity surgery, where there is a risk of damaging nerve structures.


An experimental investigation of primary and secondary crossflow instability developing in the boundary layer of a $45^{\circ }$ swept wing at a chord Reynolds number of $2.17\times 10^{6}$ is presented. Linear stability theory is applied for preliminary estimation of the flow stability while surface flow visualisation using fluorescent oil is employed to inspect the topological features of the transition region. Hot-wire anemometry is extensively used for the investigation of the developing boundary layer and identification of the statistical and spectral characteristics of the instability modes. Primary stationary, as well as unsteady type-I (z-mode), type-II (y-mode) and type-III modes are detected and quantified. Finally, three-component, three-dimensional measurements of the transitional boundary layer are performed using tomographic particle image velocimetry. This research presents the first application of an optical experimental technique for this type of flow. Among the optical techniques, tomographic velocimetry represents, to date, the most advanced approach allowing the investigation of spatially correlated flow structures in three-dimensional fields. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis of the captured flow fields is applied to this goal. The first POD mode features a newly reported structure related to low-frequency oscillatory motion of the stationary vortices along the spanwise direction. The cause of this phenomenon is only conjectured. Its effect on transition is considered negligible but, given the related high energy level, it needs to be accounted for in experimental investigations. Secondary instability mechanisms are captured as well. The type-III mode corresponds to low-frequency primary travelling crossflow waves interacting with the stationary ones. It appears in the inner upwelling region of the stationary crossflow vortices and is characterised by elongated structures approximately aligned with the axis of the stationary waves. The type-I secondary instability consists instead of significantly inclined structures located at the outer upwelling region of the stationary vortices. The much narrower wavelength and higher advection velocity of these structures correlate with the higher-frequency content of this mode. The results of the investigation of both primary and secondary instability from the exploited techniques agree with and complement each other and are in line with existing literature. Finally, they present the first experimental observation of the secondary instability structures under natural flow conditions.


A new, low-cost architecture of a 77 GHz automotive phase coded continuous wave radar sensor is proposed to provide accurate velocity and range measurements. Orthogonal signals provided by the multi-port module are combined into an intrinsic Doppler rejection technique, enabling accurate pulse compression. An increased range resolution is achieved using the pulse compression technique, while CW mode provides increased system solving capability in Doppler domain. The proposed system is an attractive solution for short-range millimeter-wave automotive sensors.


The nature of non-Gaussian fields in dispersion-modified single-mode silica fibers is examined to show the limitations of using two well-known Gaussian approximations for the theoretical prediction of splice loss caused by lateral and angular misalignments. To quantitatively evaluate this limitation, four dispersion-modified silica fiber designs were taken from the literature (a single-, a double-, a triple-, and a quadrupole-clad design) and splice losses calculated with Gaussian approximations were compared to that obtained by numerically integrating the overlap integral of the exact field distribution of the fundamental mode. The accuracy of each is discussed.<<ETX>>


This paper proposes to use variable-saturation regulators for induction motor drives operating in field-weakening region, and presents a comparative dynamic-performance analysis between the traditional indirect rotor field oriented (IRFO) control scheme and a new stator flux oriented - sliding mode (SFO-SM) control scheme. The traditional IRFO control scheme has the d-axis current component, torque, rotor flux, and speed loops with four PI-type controllers. The SFO-SM control system is a direct torque control - space vector modulation (DTC-SVM) scheme with closed loops of torque and stator flux without current PI-type controllers. Both control schemes use regulators with variable-saturation in such a way that maximum dc-bus voltage utilization is reached and overcurrent problems are prevented. The experiments are carried out using dSpace digital controllers and comparative results show that the SFO-SM controlled induction motor (IM) drive and IRFO one are characterized by similar dynamic responses in spite of structural simplicity of the SFO-SM control scheme


Medical Body Area Network (MBAN) is a narrowband body area network (NB-BAN), with 2360 – 2400 MHz allocated band. This paper studies the bit-error-rate (BER) performance and maximum allowable data throughput in the on-body scenario of the 2360 – 2390 MHz band, allocated for indoor applications, for different node positions and different activities including standing, walking and running. Numerical results show that the achieved bit energy to noise energy ratio ranges from 11 – 38.5 dB for the wrist to chest on-body link (first scenario) depending on the activity, and from 12.2 – 16.9 dB for the back to chest link (second scenario). The achieved data throughput is 0.097218.29 Mbps for the first scenario, and 44.57165.59 Mbps for the second scenario, also assuming different activities. The back to chest link achieves a better BER performance and data throughput as compared to the wrist to chest link in the walking and running activities due to the high movement of the transmit node in the latter case, which results in a highly dense environment.


Modeling the perfomance of space-shared multicomputers is a non-trivial task mainly due to difficulty in modeling the effect of external fragmentation on system performance. Mesh-connected multicomputers are hard to model in particular because of great variance in job sizes. Therefore, researchers have relied on simulation method to evaluate the mesh performance. We propose a novel modeling technique called hybrid method in this paper. The proposed technique utilizes simulation method to estimate the capacity of a system. Then, a queueing model with multiple servers is constructed using the system capacity as the number of servers in the queueing system. The technique is validated through simulation experiments. The results reveal that the hybrid method provides very close estimation of the mesh performance with very little overhead. The proposed technique can also be used for performance modeling of other multicomputers with different topologies.


Astana Gunungjati is a complex of cemeteries for Cirebon Sultanate kings and their descendants. The Kasepuhan Palace, Kanoman Palace, and Kacirebonan Palace are the three palaces or known as keraton that still serves as the current physical representation of the Cirebon Sultanate. Sunan Gunungjati, one of the kings, is also a Muslim evangelist or the Wali Songo, who is interred at Astana Gunungjati. One of the pilgrimage tourism attractions in Cirebon Regency is the tomb complex. Although the heritage values of the buildings and traditions are still well preserved, the social cohesion that is formed from the existence of the cemetery which has been established since the 14th century is not well documented. A component of the area's intangible assets that must be documented for area conservation is social cohesion. The purpose of the research is to describe how the Astana Gunungjati space was built and how it contributed to social cohesiveness. The Assabiyah Concept from Ibn Khaldun is the approach method that is applied, along with the hermeneutic approach. The findings show the quality of the community such as (1) obedience to unwritten rules; (2) pride and sincerity to be a kuncen; (3) recognition of the existence of Sunan Gunungjati as King and Guardian who brings the truth of Islam. The study findings in the form of the construction of social cohesion became the material for the documentation of intangible heritage in this area.
Keywords: cohesion-social-Assabiyah, hermeneutics, intangible-heritage


Stem cells ensure tissue homeostasis through the production of differentiating and self-renewing progeny. In some tissues, this is achieved by the function of a definitive stem cell niche. However, the mechanisms that operate in mouse spermatogenesis are unknown because undifferentiated spermatogonia (Aundiff) are motile and intermingle with differentiating cells in an 'open' niche environment of seminiferous tubules. Aundiff include glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor receptor α1 (GFRα1)+ and neurogenin 3 (NGN3)+ subpopulations, both of which retain the ability to self-renew. However, whereas GFRα1+ cells comprise the homeostatic stem cell pool, NGN3+ cells show a higher probability to differentiate into KIT+ spermatogonia by as yet unknown mechanisms. In the present study, by combining fate analysis of pulse-labeled cells and a model of vitamin A deficiency, we demonstrate that retinoic acid (RA), which may periodically increase in concentration in the tubules during the seminiferous epithelial cycle, induced only NGN3+ cells to differentiate. Comparison of gene expression revealed that retinoic acid receptor γ (Rarg) was predominantly expressed in NGN3+ cells, but not in GFRα1+ cells, whereas the expression levels of many other RA response-related genes were similar in the two populations. Ectopic expression of RARγ was sufficient to induce GFRα1+ cells to directly differentiate to KIT+ cells without transiting the NGN3+ state. Therefore, RARγ plays key roles in the differentiation competence of NGN3+ cells. We propose a novel mechanism of stem cell fate selection in an open niche environment whereby undifferentiated cells show heterogeneous competence to differentiate in response to ubiquitously distributed differentiation-inducing signals. Highlighted article: In the open environment of mouse seminiferous tubules, an undifferentiated stem cell pool is maintained by the differential expression of the retinoic acid receptor-γ in spermatogonia.


A neural network approach is proposed for real-time collision-free motion planning of holonomic and nonholonomic car-like robots in a nonstationary environment. This model is capable of planning real-time robot motion with sudden environmental changes, motion of a car with multiple targets, and motion of multiple robots. The proposed neural network model is biologically inspired, where the dynamics of each neuron in the topologically organized neural network is characterized by a shunting equation or an additive equation. There are only local connections among neurons. The real-time optimal robot motion is planned through the dynamic neural activity landscape of the neural network without explicitly searching over the free workspace nor the collision paths, without explicitly optimizing any cost functions, without any prior knowledge of the dynamic environment, without any learning process, and without any local collision checking procedures. Therefore it is computationally efficient. The stability of the neural network is guaranteed by Lyapunov stability analysis. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach are demonstrated through simulation studies.


This article describes briefly the theories of metacognition and the impacts of metacognitive skills on learning. The differences between cognitive strategy and metacognitive strategy were mentioned. Some strategies to improve students' meta cognition skills in the classroom explored as well. Based on the theories, two models of metacognitive strategies instruction for deeply understanding in reading textbook and for finding a solution of words physics problem solving were developed. These models will enable students to be independent and strategic learners.


The efficacy of the acridine orange (AO), gram (G), and methylene blue (MB) microscopic procedures was analyzed using positive blood cultures monitored by a radiometric procedure (Bactec) in children. Sixty-eight positive cultures included the following isolates: Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida spp., and seven other pathogens. The MB stain yielded the highest detection rate, 99%, in comparison with 94 and 93% for the AO and G stains, respectively. Since the MB stain yielded comparable results to the AO procedure with no requirement for a fluorescent microscope, the former method is recommended for confirming the presence and initial characterization of microorganisms in blood cultures monitored by Bactec from children.


The dynamical attractors are thought to underlie many biological functions of recurrent neural networks. Here we show that stable periodic spike sequences with precise timings are the attractors of the spiking dynamics of recurrent neural networks with global inhibition. Almost all spike sequences converge within a finite number of transient spikes to these attractors. The convergence is fast, especially when the global inhibition is strong. These results support the possibility that precise spatiotemporal sequences of spikes are useful for information encoding and processing in biological neural networks.


This article reports a Parse research study on the experience of trusting another with 10 participants living in community. The central finding of this study is the structure: The lived experience of trusting another is cherishing alliances arising with uplifting lightness in pressing on resolutely with potential adversity. The findings are discussed in relation to the humanbecoming school of thought and related literature.


Abstract Microbicides currently in development have the potential to provide new options for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections if proven safe and efficacious. We examined the experiences of healthy male volunteers in a male tolerance study in Victoria, Australia in relation to trial participation and product use. Men (N=36) enrolled in a seven-day, phase 1 clinical safety trial of SPL7013 were interviewed pre and post-use of the gel using a semi-structured interview guide. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were analysed using a framework approach. All but one man completed the trial. The median age was 34 years (range 22–67 years). Most men had little pre-study knowledge of microbicides and almost all participated for altruistic or personal reasons. Men expressed few concerns about product safety during the trial and indicated trust in the information received through the consent process and from study staff. Three men were non-adherent to the request to be abstinent and an additional two did not refrain from masturbation. Most were positive about the gel, although they described it as "sticky" and found that it stuck to clothes, bed sheets and pubic hair. The type of applicator used was unfamiliar to the men, and some found it "clinical" in appearance. Men are willing to participate in male tolerance studies, often for altruistic reasons. However, counseling about ways to maintain abstinence and further research to inform anticipatory guidance regarding the "sticky" quality of gels, may be important.


In order to treat the mixed radioactive and hazardous waste stored in 177 underground tanks, the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) program is developing a `demonstration` site for treatment and immobilization of these wastes by a private contractor. Project W-519 is providing the infrastructure support to this site by developing the designs and emplacing required pipelines, roads, electrical, etc. In support of the TWRS Phase 1 Infrastructure Project (W-519) Characterization, Numatec Hanford Corporation (NHC) contracted with Waste Management Federal Services, Inc., Northwest Operations (WMNW) to investigate a number of locations in and just outside the 200 East Area eastern fenceline boundary. These areas consisted of known or suspected waste lines or waste sites that could potentially impact the construction and emplacement of the proposed facility improvements, including waterlines and roads. These sites were all located subsurface and sugaring would be required to obtain sample material from the desired depth. The soils would then be sampled and submitted to the laboratory for analysis of radioactivity.


This thesis presents a novel viewpoint on the implicit opportunities randomized surveys bring to time-lapse seismic which is a proven surveillance tool for hydrocarbon reservoir monitoring. Time-lapse (4D) seismic combines acquisition and processing of at least two seismic datasets (or vintages) in order to extract information related to changes in a reservoir within a specified time interval. The current paradigm places stringent requirements on replicating the 4D surveys, which is an expensive task often requiring uneconomical dense sampling of seismic wavefields. To mitigate the challenges of dense sampling, several advances in seismic acquisition have been made in recent years including the use of multiple sources firing at near simultaneous random times, and the adaptation of Compressive Sensing (CS) principles to design practical acquisition engines that improve sampling efficiency for seismic data acquisition. However, little is known regarding the implications of these developments for time-lapse studies. By conducting multiple experiments modelling surveys adhering to the principles of CS for 4D seismic, I propose a model that demonstrates the feasibility of randomized acquisitions for time-lapse seismic. The proposed joint recovery model (JRM), which derives from distributed CS, exploits the common information in time-lapse data during recovery of dense wavefields from measured subsampled data, providing highly repeatable and high-fidelity vintages. I show that we obtain better vintages when randomized surveys are not replicated, in contrast to standard practice, paving the way for an opportunity to relax the rigorous requirement to replicate surveys precisely. We assert that the vintages obtained using our proposed model are of sufficient quality to serve as inputs to processes that extract time-lapse attributes from which subsurface changes are deduced. Additionally, I show that recovery with the JRM is robust with respect to errors due to differences between actual and recorded postplot information. Finally, I present an opportunity to adapt our model to problems related to time-lapse seismic imaging where the main finding is that we can better delineate time-lapse changes by adapting the joint recovery model to wave-equation based inversion methods.


A Spiking Neural Network (SNN) is trained with Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP), which is a neuro-inspired unsupervised learning method for various machine learning applications. This paper studies the generalizability properties of the STDP learning processes using the Hausdorff dimension of the trajectories of the learning algorithm. The paper analyzes the effects of STDP learning models and associated hyper-parameters on the generalizability properties of an SNN. The analysis is used to develop a Bayesian optimization approach to optimize the hyper-parameters for an STDP model for improving the generalizability properties of an SNN.


Abstract This paper presents FPGA and softcore CPU based solution for large datasets parallel core calculation using rough set methods. Architectures shown in this paper have been tested on two real datasets running presented solutions inside FPGA unit. Tested datasets had 1 000 to 10 000 000 objects. The same operations were performed in software implementation. Obtained results show the big acceleration in computation time using hardware supporting core generation in comparison to pure software implementation.


Introduction Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) whose aetiology is poorly understood. It is characterised by acute episodes of vomiting and nausea followed by asymptomatic periods. Average age of symptom onset in adults is 22 years but average age of diagnosis is 31 years. This delay is probably because, until recently, CVS was considered to be a paediatric condition. Few studies have reported the prevalence in adults or risk factors for CVS. We examined this issue in patients attending gastroenterology clinics in a single secondary care centre. Method 1002 consecutive adult patients seen in gastroenterology clinics completed the Rome III questionnaire and provided demographic data. Symptoms compatible with CVS were classified according to the Rome III criteria. All patients were investigated to a level deemed appropriate by the responsible physician. We recorded if vomiting symptoms were documented at the initial consultation and if a diagnosis of CVS was considered after negative investigations in those who met Rome III criteria and who were deemed to have "true" CVS. We compared demographics of those who did and did not have "true" CVS. Results Of the 1002 patients, 920 provided complete questionnaire data. 112 (12.2%) had symptoms that met Rome III criteria for CVS. However, after investigation, 51 had an organic diagnosis, which included gastro-oesophageal reflux in 16 (31.4%), confirmed dysmotility in six (11.8%), coeliac disease in four (7.8%), hiatus hernia in three (5.9%), oesophageal adenocarcinoma in one, and peritoneal metastases in one. The remaining 61 (6.6%) were deemed to have "true" CVS (mean age 43.6 years, 80.3% female). Of these, only 21 (34.4%) had documentation of whether vomiting was present or absent at their initial consultation. After investigation, a diagnosis of CVS was considered in only four (6.6%) of these 61 patients. "True" CVS was associated with younger age, female gender, tobacco smoking, and presence of symptoms compatible with other FGIDs including irritable bowel syndrome, chronic proctalgia, proctalgia fugax, post-prandial distress syndrome, functional belching and functional chest pain (p<0.01 for all analyses). Only one patient with "true" CVS did not meet criteria for another Rome III FGID. Conclusion Prevalence of "true" CVS in this adult secondary care outpatient population was 6.6%. Younger age, female gender, tobacco smoking and presence of symptoms compatible with other FGIDs were associated with "true" CVS. Presence of vomiting was poorly documented by consulting physicians and the diagnosis was considered in <10% of individuals who met criteria for the condition. These data provide clarification as to why diagnosis is often delayed in adults with typical symptoms. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Culture media used for isolation and identification of bacteria according to their biochemical and physiological properties, and this new media is cheap and available for use and could be a useful for study the virulence of bacteria and siderophore production. This study included isolation of 50 isolates of K. pneumoniae from different clinical sources from different hospitals in Baghdad city. The number and percentage of isolates according to the sources (urine, blood, sputum, burns, ear swabs, pus, wounds and stool) were 22(44%), 11(22%), 4(8%), 4(8%), 3(6%), 3(6%), 2(4%) and 1(2%) respectively. About 72% (36/50) were indicate as virulence isolates, and 60% (30/50) of isolates produce siderophores on M9 medium, while 70% (35/50) of isolates that produce siderophores when grown on new media. This study aimed to prepare a new natural medium using Vitis vinirfera, and determines the ability of Klebseilla pneumoniae to produce siderophore on it, and relationship between siderophore production and virulence isolates of K. pneumoniae.


The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the causative agent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that has been affected 34 million people worldwide. Though an unprecedented growth has been taken place in the development of anti-HIV drugs during the last two decades, there is still no cure for this deadly disease. Cross resistance to anti HIV drugs is also a major concern in the development of anti AIDS pharmaceuticals. Therefore, nowadays studies are being focused mainly on the development of newer drugs capable of inhibiting resistant mutants. HIV-1-RT is one of the major targets for the development of newer molecular entities (NMEs) for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Inhibitors of HIV-1-RT are classified as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). A compound incorporating the pyrazole structural unit, lersiverine was reported recently, as a NNRTI. The objective of this study was to elucidate the binding mode analysis of novel pyrazole analogs in the non nucleoside inhibitory binding pocket of reverse transcriptase (PDB ID IRT2). Molecular docking studies of 484 novel pyrazole analogs were performed by Glide program in the NNIBP of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (PDB code 1RT2).The Novel pyrazole analogs bearing different substituted aryl groups were designed The following   eight  compounds  with aryl substituents like R=2,5-2CH3 &R1= m-OCH3 , R=H &R1=m-OCH3,R=H &R1=m-CH3, R=o-Cl &R1=m-OCH3, R=o-Cl &R1=p-OCH3, R=m-CH3 &R1=m-CH3, R=m-Cl &R1=m-Cl, R=m-Cl &R1=2,4-2NO2, exhibited highest docking score in the NNIBP of  IRT2 . Thus, it is evident that this kind of scaffold with hydrophobic and electron donating or electron withdrawing groups substituted  in the phenyl rings can be exploited for the  development of  novel HIV-1-RT2 inhibitors which can facilitate better patient adherence and also inhibit the resistant strains of HIV.


3D multi-chip stacking is a promising technology poised to help combat the "memory wall" and the "power wall" in future multi-core processors. However, as technology scales and the chip sizes increase due to the number of transistors, interconnects have become a major performance bottleneck and a major source of power consumption for microprocessors. In this article, we introduce a TSV-based ultra-wide inter-chip connection technology that enables systems to have lower power consumption, higher scalability in its functionality and performance just by increasing the number/type of chips, allows to be manufactured with much more flexibility, and has a better cost/performance than conventional 2D SoC based designs.


Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) and Regularized Extreme Learning Machine (RELM) have advantages of fast training speed and good generalization. However, ELM/RELM often needs numerous number of hidden layer nodes to get better performance. The superabundant nodes in hidden layer maybe lead to low running speed. Thus it is not feasible to use ELM in some fields that require high speed algorithms. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an Improved ELM/RELM Optimized based on Chaos Particle Swarm Optimization (CPSO-ELM/RELM) to reduce the number of hidden layer nodes, but still maintain a desirable accuracy. At the same time, it lowers the running speed compared with other algorithms. To verify the application of this method, we design numerous experiments for ELM and RRELM. Their simulation shows that the approach improves the speed of the algorithms, and the accuracy is still high. This makes it possible to use improved CPSO-ELM/RELM in some system with high real-time requirements.


The book entitled "Histomorphology of Genital Tract During Folliculogenesis in Goat" authored by Dr. R.P. Tiwari, Dr. M.R. Poyam and Dr. S.P. Ingole consist of gross and histomorphology of female genitlia of adult goat during folliculogenesis. Gonads and reproductive tract are directly concerned with successful reproduction and fertility in female animals. Ovary performs both exocrine and endocrine functions i.e. production of ova and sex hormones. The ovary is composed of the medulla and its outer shell. The medulla is primarily composed of blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. The cortex contains ovarian follicles which are the ovarian compartment that enables the ovary to fulfill its dual function of gametogenesis and steriodogenesis.At birth or immediately thereafter, female mammals have a finite stock of ovarian follicles i.e. all primordial follicles are formed during the prenatal life. These follicles continuously grow and ovulate or undergo atresia.The steroidogenesis in follicle and corpus luteum cause histomorphological and functional changes in ovaries, oviducts, uterus cervix and vagina.


As robots become more pervasive in the service sector, control in dynamic environment has become an important element in optimising the deployment of mobile robots. A mobile robot should be knowledgeable not only of the barriers, but also of the surface on which the robot navigates to estimate slippage and adaptive control. We note that various terrains/surfaces have different characteristics, which can directly influence the handling, driving, efficiency, and stability of the robot vehicle. Knowledge of the terrain can provide valuable information for establishing effective and secure navigation strategies. We built a mobile robot prototype equipped by Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to obtain the terrain data and applied deep learning models to classify the terrain using the data. Three deep learning configurations have been proposed in this paper, i.e. long short-term memory (LSTM), 1D convolutional network (1D CNN), and convolutional neural network-long short-term memory network (CNN-LSTM). The deep learning architectures were trained and evaluated based on the data collected from five different surfaces. It is shown that the CNN-LSTM performs the best with an F1 score of 98.49%. The other two networks also generalize relatively well with the unseen vibration sequences with F1 scores of 97.47% and 95.98% for the 1D CNN and LSTM, respectively. Finally, we investigate the effect of varying input sequence to find the optimal length, so that we are able to obtain the highest accuracy and generalization of the deep learning networks.


We report three cases of inverted papilloma of the urinary bladder. Case 1. A 19-year-old male complained of pollakisuria, gross hematuria and micturition pain. Cystoscopy revealed a smooth-surfaced tumor on a stalk at the bladder neck. The tumor was removed transurethrally. Histological diagnosis was inverted papilloma. As a safe guard, intravesical chemotherapy (Adriamycin) was performed, since pathological findings revealed a small region with mild atypical cells in the removed tumor. The patients has been subsequently followed up for ten years without any evidence of recurrence. Case 2. A 63-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of a bladder tumor incidentally found by abdominal ultrasonography. The tumor was removed transurethrally. Histological diagnosis was inverted papilloma. The patient has been subsequently followed up for one year without any evidence of recurrence. Case 3. A 71-year-old male complained of pollakisuria, loss of urinary force and interruption of the urinary stream. A smooth-surfaced tumor found at the bladder neck was removed transurethrally. Histological diagnosis was inverted papilloma. Three months later, cystoscopy revealed two sessile papillary tumors on the left lateral wall of the urinary bladder. Pathological diagnosis was transitional cell carcinoma (G2, pTa). Although the inverted papilloma is a benign tumor, there is a possibility of recurrence or development of transitional cell carcinoma. Therefore, we advocate periodical follow-up examinations.


Many animal species use vocalizations to communicate social information and previous experiments in rodents have identified a range of vocal types that may be used for this purpose. However, social vocalizations are typically acquired during brief interactions between animals with no prior social relationship, and under environmental conditions with limited ethological relevance. Here, we establish long-term acoustic recordings from Mongolian gerbil families, a core social group that uses an array of sonic and ultrasonic vocalizations which vary with social context. Three separate gerbil families (two parents and four pups) were transferred to an enlarged environment and continuous 20-day audio recordings were obtained. We leveraged deep-learning based unsupervised analysis of 583,237 vocalizations to show that gerbils exhibit a more complex vocal repertoire than has been previously reported. Furthermore, gerbils displayed family-specific vocal repertoires, including differences in vocal type usage and transitions. Since gerbils live naturally as extended families in complex underground burrows that are adjacent to other families, these results suggest the presence of a vocal dialect which could be exploited by animals to represent kinship. These findings offer insight into the naturalistic vocal tendencies of gerbil families and position the Mongolian gerbil as a compelling animal to study the neural basis of vocal communication.


[Purpose] This study was undertaken to measure cardiopulmonary function according to body position during the recovery period after maximal exercise and to identify an effective position after high-intensity exercise. [Subjects and Methods] Fifteen male university students in their twenties participated in the study. The subjects were randomly assigned to the supine position, the sitting position, or the trunk forward leaning position during the recovery period following maximal exercise. Oxygen uptake, minute ventilation volume, respiration rate, and heart rate according to posture were measured in a stable state, at maximal exercise loading, and at 1, 3, and 5 minutes after maximal exercise. [Results] Changes of cardiopulmonary function according to posture during the recovery period after maximal exercise showed that minute ventilation volume was smaller in the trunk forward leaning position than in the sitting or supine positions, and oxygen uptake also declined. [Conclusion] The trunk forward leaning position has a more positive effect on pulmonary ventilation after high-intensity exercise.


Abstract Changes in the standing crop of Vaccinium corymbosum shrubs were documented over 10 y at six sites throughout eastern North America. Populations in Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey and Nova Scotia showed few significant changes in standing crops over the 10 y of observation. The Ontario population had a significant decrease in standing crop whereas the Maine population increased significantly. Larger shrubs grew proportionately less at the New Jersey site but proportionately more at the Florida site. Seedling recruitment and plant mortality were very low at all sites.


At present, spark plugs are used to trigger discharge in pulsed plasma thrusters (PPT), which are known to be life-limiting components due to plasma corrosion and carbon deposition. A strong electric field could be formed in a cathode triple junction (CTJ) to achieve a trigger function under vacuum conditions. We propose an induction-triggered electrode structure on the basis of the CTJ trigger principle. The induction-triggered electrode structure could increase the electric field strength of the CTJ without changing the voltage between electrodes, contributing to a reduction in the electrode breakdown voltage. Additionally, it can maintain the plasma generation effect when the breakdown voltage is reduced in the discharge experiments. The induction-triggered electrode structure could ensure an effective trigger when the ablation distance of Teflon increases, and the magnetic field produced by the discharge current could further improve the plasma density and propagation velocity. The induction-triggered coaxial PPT we propose has a simplified trigger structure, and it is an effective attempt to optimize the micro-satellite thruster.


It is extremely important to correctly identify the cultivars of maize seeds in the breeding process of maize. In this paper, the transfer learning as a method of deep learning is adopted to establish a model by combining with the hyperspectral imaging technology. The haploid seeds can be recognized from large amount of diploid maize ones with great accuracy through the model. First, the information of maize seeds on each wave band is collected using the hyperspectral imaging technology, and then the recognition model is built on VGG-19 network, which is pre-trained by large-scale computer vision database (Image-Net). The correct identification rate of model utilizing seed spectral images containing 256 wave bands (862.5-1704.2nm) reaches 96.32%, and the correct identification rate of the model utilizing the seed spectral images containing single-band reaches 95.75%. The experimental results show that, CNN model which is pre-trained by visible light image database can be applied to the near-infrared hyperspectral imaging-based identification of maize seeds, and high accurate identification rate can be achieved. Meanwhile, when there is small amount of data samples, it can still realize high recognition by using transfer learning. The model not only meets the requirements of breeding recognition, but also greatly reduce the cost occurred in sample collection.


Sudden cardiac death is common in patients on hemodialysis, and may occur in the immediate postdialysis period, when ventricular premature complexes are common. Elevated QT dispersion (Maximum - Minimum QT interval on standard 12-lead electrocardiogram) is associated with increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias following myocardial infarction, but has not previously been assessed in patients with chronic renal failure. We studied electrocardiograms recorded in 50 patients before and after a single hemodialysis session, and in 20 control subjects. QT dispersion was significantly higher in patients (63.1 +/- 20.6 ms) compared with control subjects (36.0 +/- 13.7 ms; P < 0.001) and rose significantly after hemodialysis to levels comparable to those seen following myocardial infarction (76.6 +/- 27.0 ms; P < 0.01). Because QT dispersion reflects nonhomogeneous recovery of ventricular excitability, hemodialysis patients may be at significantly greater risk of reentrant arrhythmias and sudden death in the postdialysis period.


Laitinen H, Kaunonen M, Åstedt-Kurki P. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2011; 17: 388-395 When time matters: The reality of patient care in acute care settings The purpose of the study was to investigate the reality of patient care in acute care settings when the patients' stay in the hospital was relatively short. The study was conducted by using the grounded theory method with constant comparative analysis. The sample comprised patients (n = 43) participating, relatives and hospital staff. The data were collected by participant observation, including informal interviews in natural settings, and by reviewing participating patients' electronic patient records. The main findings are presented in three categories: patients' endurance, interface and broken interface (along with several subcategories). The study showed that even with time pressures, good health care was delivered. However, it also showed some challenging issues for improvement. The study concluded that it is crucial for caregivers to focus on interactive patient care.


We report on a 58-year-old man who had worked as a plumber and fitter for over 41 years and had been exposed to asbestos, man-made mineral fibers and welding fumes. Eighteen months before death, squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea occurred. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis revealed intrapulmonal dust deposits in accordance with his exposure. A relationship between the tracheal carcinoma and the dust exposure causing a mixed pneumonoconiosis seems to be probable.


The ethanol extract of Echinaceae angustifolia DC was tested for acute toxicity (LD50) using Swiss Albino Mice and was screened for Brine Shrimp lethality using Artemia salina larvae. The results showed that the plant was toxic to the mice at even a lower concentration (300 mg/Kg) and caused death at a concentration of 500 mg/Kg body weight of the live mice. The LD50 was found to be 3,807.89 mg/Kg. The result of the Brine Shrimp lethality showed that the extract was toxic to the naupli with an LC50 and LC90 values of 125.89 μg/mL and 794.33 μg/mL respectively.


Temperature logging is an old technique that quantifies fracture height based on cooldown anomalies. Warm anomalies are very frequently observed in post-fracturing measurements. One of the reasons for these anomalies is misalignment of the wellbore with the fracture, which depends on the geometry of wellbore and preferential fracture plane. A systematic study is presented here to avoid misinterpretation of fracture height.
 Two mathematical tools were coupled: (1) a geometrical resolution of the 3D space around the wellbore and (2) a numerical scheme solving the heat transfer partial differential equation (PDE) in dimensionless form to simulate temperature evolution around the wellbore. Finally, the findings were tested and corroborated with a few field cases in deep, hot, clastic reservoirs. The temperature log was conducted with three passes and was used for interpretation in deviated wellbores.
 The first tool utilized the wellbore deviation, wellbore azimuth, and fracture azimuth to resolve the relative positions and detailed geometry in 3D space. The tool yielded the fraction of total fracture height that will be coincident with the wellbore for a given set of inputs. The outputs were then coupled with the numerical tool with an explicit finite difference code to solve the relevant PDE with appropriate boundary conditions for the given geometrical space for the angled/separated fracture. The results showed that the further the fracture separates from wellbore, the more difficult it is to observe cooldown if the temperature logging is conducted soon after fracturing. Delaying the temperature passes allows the cold front from fracture to move towards wellbore and is a viable solution to capture cooldown, as seen from field measurements and validated by the model. The field cases demonstrated some complicated temperature behaviors, and the understanding developed from the modeling tools aided in interpreting the anomalous trends. The possibility of constructing pseduo temperature logs, lowering the number of passes, and extending the approach for multiple applications is discussed.
 The innovative approach avoids pitfalls of false indications of fracture containment in deviated wells. It can be used to improve the utility of high-resolution temperature logging data to enhance efficiency.


Factor VII (FVII) deficiency is one of the rare inherited bleeding disorders. Thrombosis has been occasionally described in inherited FVII deficiency. Here, we report a young female with undiagnosed FVII deficiency who presented with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Oral contraceptive pill was found to be prothrombotic risk factor. The CVSToccurred in spite of the congenital FVII deficiency indicating that no definitive antithrombotic protection is assured by this defect. Low molecular weight heparin and anti-Xa assay were found to be safe choice of anticoagulation and monitoring, respectively, in this patient.


OBJECTIVE
To clinically characterise and diagnostically classify a sample of patients with early-onset dementia and determine the disabilities and nature of decline of each group, during a one year follow up.

DESIGN
The Lothian Postgraduate Case Register was used to identify a cohort of 126 live patients of various aetiologies with dementia diagnosed before the age of 65. Each had two assessments approximately one year apart. Demographic; behavioural and psychopathological; neurocognitive; neurological and genetic data were collected and compared.

SETTING
Patients were either in long term care or at home.

SUBJECTS
Of 126 cases (53 male, 73 female, mean age at referral 58 years), 114 met the diagnostic criteria for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Third Edition dementia; 60 Alzheimer's type Dementia; 13 Multi-infarct Dementia; 14 Alcohol related Dementia; with 25 in a mixed group overlapping these categories; and two in 'other' dementia types. By the second assessment, 18 patients had died and two refused reassessment.

RESULTS
Levels of morbidity were high. The Alcohol group had a distinct profile and in general the dementia appeared less severe with minimal deterioration.

CONCLUSIONS
This study investigates and compares early onset dementia of various types and attempts to provide clear information on their outlook.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the utility of laboratory markers of severe alcoholism in a cross-sectional population of male trauma center patients, who have a high rate of current alcohol dependence (CAD).

METHODS
A total of 684 men were assessed for CAD by using standard criteria, all of whom had complete laboratory data. The ability of tests to predict CAD was ascertained by using Student's t test, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curves.

RESULTS
Mean values of five tests were individually associated with a CAD diagnosis. Gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and mean corpuscular volume had sensitivities less than or equal to 0.51 and AUC less than or equal to 0.67. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and serum osmolality had sensitivities of 0.64 and 0.74 and AUC of 0.74 and 0.76, respectively. Each marker, when combined with BAC, showed little improvement in AUC over BAC alone.

CONCLUSIONS
Laboratory tests are not highly predictive of CAD in male trauma patients. A combination of BAC tests and interview screens is suggested for use in this patient population.


This paper describes the preliminary results of research work in acoustics, conducted in a set of 12 Mudejar-Gothic churches in the city of Seville in the south of Spain. Despite common architectural style, the churches feature individual characteristics and have volumes ranging from 3947 to 10 708 m3. Acoustic parameters were measured in unoccupied churches according to the ISO-3382 standard. An extensive experimental study was carried out using impulse response analysis through a maximum length sequence measurement system in each church. It covered aspects such as reverberation (reverberation times, early decay times), distribution of sound levels (sound strength); early to late sound energy parameters derived from the impulse responses (center time, clarity for speech, clarity, definition, lateral energy fraction), and speech intelligibility (rapid speech transmission index), which all take both spectral and spatial distribution into account. Background noise was also measured to obtain the NR indices. The study describes the acoustic field inside each temple and establishes a discussion for each one of the acoustic descriptors mentioned by using the theoretical models available and the principles of architectural acoustics. Analysis of the quality of the spaces for music and speech is carried out according to the most widespread criteria for auditoria.


Text-to-image synthesis is a challenging task that generates realistic images from a textual description. The description contains limited information compared with the corresponding image and is ambiguous and abstract, which will complicate the generation and lead to low-quality images. To address this problem, we propose a novel generation text-to-image synthesis method, called RiFeGAN2, to enrich the given description. To improve the enrichment quality while accelerating the enrichment process, RiFeGAN2 exploits a domain-specific constrained model to limit the search scope and then uses an attention-based caption matching model to refine the compatible candidate captions based on constrained prior knowledge. To improve the semantic consistency between the given description and the synthesized results, RiFeGAN2 employs improved SAEMs, SAEM2s, to compact better features of the retrieved captions and effectively emphasize the descriptions via incorporating centre-attention layers. Finally, multi-caption attentional GANs are exploited to synthesize images from those features. Experiments performed on widely-used datasets show that the models can generate vivid images from enriched captions and effectually improve the semantic consistency.


ip DSPM 5 mg/kg 1 or 4 h before excision of the heart was found to prevent damage to the heart due to global myocardial ischemia. Compared with the controls, the heart rate, coronary resistance, contractile force and edema of the heart were all greatly improved during the 60 min reflow after 25 min of no-flow, especially the heart pretreated with DSPM 4 h prior to excision. In addition, DSPM 1.5, 6 mg/kg markedly reduced the myocardial Ca2+ content measured by isoproterenol in mice. DSPM at higher dosage also lowered the normal myocardial Ca2+ content. These results suggest that DSPM may have a protective effect on myocardial ischemia which might be associated with its calcium antagonistic action.


Abstract Several recent surveys (HERACLES, NGLS, KINGFISH, VNGS) have provided us with sensitive high-resolution observations of the molecular gas and dust content in spiral galaxies within 25 Mpc. I review recent results on the molecular gas content and its relation to star formation, as well as on the gas to dust ratio and the dust heating in spiral galaxies. I also present new results on the effect of environment on the molecular gas content of spiral galaxies.


Heavy fermion systems are metallic rare-earth or actinide compounds with extremely strong electronic correlations. The latter are reflected in the fact that the f-states exhibit both localized character at high temperatures while they appear as delocalized yet strongly renormalized quasiparticles when low-energy excitations are considered. The central result of the present paper is the confirmation of this general picture. The key to the problem is a realistic, i.e., material-specific description of the low-energy excitations in heavy fermion systems. Of particular interest is the question whether Luttinger's theorem is valid. The strongly renormalized quasiparticle bands are successfully described by the renormalized band method. This ansatz allows one to integrate correlation effects into the conventional band structure calculations in close analogy to Landau's theory of Fermi liquids.


The rule of strict products liability has been widely adopted in the U.S., subjecting manufacturers and other product distributors to strict tort liability for physical harms proximately caused by defective products. The scope of strict products liability has also been widely limited to bar tort recovery for cases in which the defect only damaged the product itself, causing pure economic losses such as repair costs and lost profits. In these cases, a growing majority of courts have followed the approach charted by the U.S. Supreme Court in East River Steamship Corp. v. Transamerica Delavel Inc., which barred tort recovery for stand-alone economic harms to ensure that contract law does not "drown in a sea of tort." Relying on this reasoning, other courts have applied the rule to dismiss tort claims for pure economic losses caused by the negligent performance of a service contract.As specified by East River Steamship, the economic loss rule is fully defined by two formal properties. If the form of the parties' relationship permits the allocation of loss by contracting, and if the form of the alleged injury is for pure economic loss, then the rule bars tort recovery. Across the full range of tort cases, however, these two formal properties do not always determine whether tort law permits recovery for pure economic loss, creating a body of case law that appears to be in considerable disarray.The economic loss rule is routinely justified with a contracting rationale, yet that rationale has never been substantively developed. Doing so shows that the availability of tort recovery for pure economic losses depends on whether the ordinary consumer has the requisite information to protect the relevant set of interests by contracting. In considering the allocation of liability for economic losses that only implicate economic interests in lost profits and the like, the ordinary consumer is sufficiently well informed to protect these interests by contracting. But as established by the substantive rationale for strict products liability, the ordinary consumer is unable to make informed contractual decisions about product risks threatening physical harm. The same contracting problem extends to certain types of pure economic loss, including the financial costs of medical monitoring and asbestos abatement. Consequently, the substantive contracting rationale justifies an intermediate economic loss rule that permits endangered consumers to recover tort damages for these types of pure economic loss while otherwise denying tort recovery for disappointed product users. The same conclusion applies to service contracts. This contractually based intermediate economic loss rule explains the full body of case law while being substantively consistent with the widely adopted rule of strict products liability, unlike the East River Steamship formulation.


We have studied the changes of dielectric optical coatings after laser conditioning using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Laser coatings is the process which consists of illuminating a film by a laser below damage threshold in order to increase this threshold value. This method is implemented for optics used in high fluence laser beam such as Nd-glass lasers (1064 nm, 3 ns pulse length). We have studied e-beam evaporation deposited highly reflective multilayer ZrO2/SiO2 mirrors, and also single layers of SiO2, HfO2 and ZrO2. We have observed the modification of the surface after laser conditioning using the AFM. We find that this process results in localized minimization or elimination of defects (nodules, craters etc...). Furthermore, the origin of the increase in the size of the hillocks observed after laser conditioning and previously reported by other groups, has been experimentally identified as an instrumental artifact.