AIM
To estimate the overall drug compliance for local Chinese glaucoma patients on long-term topical treatment.

METHODS
This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Fifty-seven primary glaucoma patients from the subspecialty clinic of a publicly-funded tertiary care hospital in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire on compliance with topical glaucoma medication, attitude towards glaucoma and therapy and vision related quality of life. Noncompliance was defined as reporting missing more than or equal to 10% of the prescribed topical glaucoma medication during the 2wk immediately prior to the consultation. Relationships between noncompliance and demographics, attitude, disease and treatment status was studied. Cost was estimated with quality of life and direct medical cost involved with noncompliance. Multivariable logistic regression on noncompliance was performed on selected factors.

RESULTS
Compliance was calculated as 75% (95% CI: 64%-87%) among 57 subjects (mean age 69y, female 51%). No statistical significant relationship was established between noncompliance and any single factors or outcomes. Age (P=0.048) and forgetfulness (P=0.064) were found to be marginally significant predictive factors on noncompliance in multivariable logistic regression. Noncompliance might be related (P=0.130) to poorer self-rated vision-associated quality of life. The societal cost of noncompliance was estimated to be over 2510 life-years and US$ 3.7 million territory-wide.

CONCLUSION
The compliance of Chinese glaucoma patients in Hong Kong is comparable to other parts in the world, and carries detrimental impacts on individual and societal levels. Age and forgetfulness are two possible independent predictors for noncompliance.


We are presenting techniques for simulating the motion and the deformation of cloth, fabrics or, more generally, deformable surfaces. Our main goal is to be able to simulate any kind of surface without imposing restrictions on shape or geometrical environment. In particular, we are considering difficult situations with respect to deformations and collisions, like wrinkled fabric falling on the ground. Thus, we have enhanced existing algorithms in order to cope with any possible situation. A mechanical model has been implemented to deal with any irregular triangular meshes, handle high deformations despite rough discretisation, and cope with complex interacting collisions. Thus, it should deal efficiently with situations where nonlinearities and discontinuities are really non marginal. Collision detection has also been improved to efficiently detect self-collisions, and also to correctly consider collision orientations despite the lack of surface orientation information from preset geometrical contexts, using consistency checking and correction. We illustrate these features through simulation examples.


Two measures of lexical cohesion were developed and applied to a corpus of human-computer tutoring dialogs. For both measures, the amount of cohesion in the tutoring dialog was found to be significantly correlated to learning for students with below-mean pretest scores, but not for those with above-mean pre-test scores, even though both groups had similar amounts of cohesion. We also find that only cohesion between tutor and student is significant: the cohesiveness of tutor, or of student, utterances is not. These results are discussed in light of previous work in textual cohesion and recall.


Abstract. We monitored some aspects of maternal care in Australia's second largest extant marsupial predator, the spotted-tailed quoll. We radio-collared six females carrying young at an early pouch stage in the Byadbo Wilderness in southern New South Wales in August–September 2016. When these young were deposited at a maternity den at a still altricial state we monitored den activity of the female and her young with motion-triggered camera traps. Lactating females remained in the same den for up to 39 days before moving to a new den, usually only a few hundred metres away. Females furnished dens with nesting material, but were never observed to carry prey nor were the young seen consuming solid food. They were also surprisingly tolerant towards visits and den use by wombats, rabbits, possums and male quolls. Females showed predominantly nocturnal activity, but usually returned at least once per night. Short daytime activity was also common. In contrast, juveniles were initially exclusively diurnal, probably to facilitate behavioural thermoregulation, and only later extended their playing and exploring towards dawn and dusk. Hence interactions between mother and young were rarely observed. Apparently, the young received little training from their mother and simply ventured further and for longer periods away from the den until independence.


OBJECTIVE
The arteries of aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) exhibit spontaneous electrical activity together with membrane depolarization. Vascular eicosanoid production is increased in SHR, which is further accelerated with aging. We tested the hypothesis that eicosanoids are involved in spontaneous electrical activity, membrane depolarization or both in mesenteric arteries of aged SHR.

DESIGN AND METHODS
Membrane potentials were recorded with microelectrodes from the mesenteric arteries of aged (24 months and older) SHR, aged Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and adult (6- to 8-month-old) SHR.

RESULTS
The membrane potential was less negative in aged SHR (-38.5 +/- 0.9 mV) than in either aged WKY rats or adult SHR (-49.8 +/- 0.5 and -47.2 +/- 0.6 mV, respectively; P < 0.05 for both). Spontaneous electrical activity (5-20 mV, 1-7/min) was present only in arteries of aged SHR. Spontaneous electrical activity was not affected by phentolamine, atropine or tetrodotoxin, but was abolished by indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and ONO-3708, a thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor antagonist. Furthermore, indomethacin and ONO-3708 hyperpolarized the membrane by about 5 mV in aged SHR but not in the other two groups. Spontaneous electrical activity was enhanced by a thromboxane A2 analog and prostaglandin H2, and was abolished by a Ca2+ antagonist, nicardipine, and Ca(2+)-free solution.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that cyclooxygenase-dependent eicosanoids contribute importantly to both spontaneous electrical activity and membrane depolarization, presumably through activation of the thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor, in mesenteric arteries of aged SHR, and that spontaneous electrical activity is mediated by a Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.


Objective: Pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty is considered as first line of treatment for isolated pulmonary valve stenosis in all age groups. This study aimed at determining immediate results and complications associated with transcatheter pulmonary valvuloplasty in adult (defined as age 18 years or more) patients.
Study Design: Retrospective quasi experimental study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National institute of heart diseases (AFIC/NIHD) Rawalpindi, from Jan 2017 to Jun 2019.
 Methodology: This Retrospective Quasi experimental study was done at Paediatric cardiology department of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National institute of heart diseases (AFIC/NIHD) Rawalpindi and comprised of 24 patients with severe pulmonary valve stenosis in whom balloon dilatation was attempted from January 2017 to June 2019. As per guidelines, the intervention was considered as successful if right ventricle to pulmonary artery invasive pressure gradient was reduced to less than 50% of initial value, suboptimal if PG reduced by 25% and failure if PG reduced by less than 25% of pre-procedural value.
Results: Total 24 adults patients (with no history of previous cardiac surgery or pulmonary valve ballooning) underwent balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty for pulmonary valve stenosis with mean age of 30.5 ± 10.1 years, including 11 males & 13 females with 100% success. Balloon to annulus ratio was 1.25:1. The pressure gradient between Right Ventricle to pulmonary artery reduced from 111 mmHg to 39 mmHg after the intervention. The mean procedural time and fluoroscopy time were 40 & 10 minutes respectively and there were no complications. In three patients, ASD device closure was also done in same procedure.
Conclusion: Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty is an effective and safe option for the treatment of pulmonary valve stenosis in adult patients with excellent results.


BACKGROUND & AIM
The aim of this study was to assess the reconstructive potential of a submerged healing approach for the treatment of infraosseous peri-implantitis defects.

METHODS
Patients with a diagnosis of peri-implantitis were recruited. Implant suprastructures were removed prior to the surgical treatment, which included implant surface and defect detoxification using implantoplasty, air-power driven devices, and locally delivered antibiotics. The augmentation procedure included a composite bone graft and a non-resorbable membrane followed by primary wound coverage and a submerged healing of 8 months, at which point membranes were removed, and peri-implant defect measurements were obtained as the primary outcome. Secondary endpoints included assessment of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and probing depth (PD) reductions.

RESULTS
Thirty implants in twenty-two patients were treated. A significant clinical bone gain of 3.22 ± 0.41 mm was observed at 8 months. Radiographic analysis also showed an average gain of 3.47 ± 0.41 mm. Three months after installment of new crowns, final PD measures showed a significant reduction compared to initial examinations and a significant reduction in bleeding on probing compared to examinations at the pre-surgical visit.

CONCLUSIONS
Reconstruction of infraosseous peri-implantitis defects is feasible with thorough detoxification of implant sites, and a submerged regenerative healing approach. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


The current study is skillful to detect the mutations of the H-RAS oncogene in patient of uterine cancer. Thirty specimens of blood and tissue were collected for DNA extraction, H-RAS oncogene amplification and histopathology examination. The results, which revealed presence of mutations in H-RAS oncogene represented by homozygous wild type Leu/Leu was 20%, mutant translocation genotype Val/Val was 48%, mutant deletion genotype Val/Leu was 22% and heterozygous genotype Leu /Val was 10%. The histopathological results of this study reveal too many types of uterine cancer. The major types of uterine cancer that appear in this study represented by endometrial adenosquamous carcinoma are associated with endometrial lieomyosarcoma, the other cases were represented as endometrial spheriodal cell carcinoma and as endometrial intra epithelial carcinoma.


We apply the theory of families of (phi,Gamma)-modules to trianguline families as defined by Chenevier. This yields a new definition of Kisin's finite slope subspace as well as higher dimensional analogues. Especially we show that these finite slope spaces contain eigenvarieties for unitary groups as closed subspaces. This implies that the representations arising from overconvergent p-adic automorphic forms on certain unitary groups are trianguline when restricted to the local Galois group.


Extensive creep tests have been performed on oxygen free copper with 50 ppm phosphorus at both low and high temperatures. It is the candidate material for storage of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden. Basic models without fitting parameters have been formulated to reproduce primary and secondary creep. For a long time, only empirical models existed for fitting of tertiary creep. To understand the role of creep damage, including recovery, cavitation and necking, basic models that do not involve adjustable parameters are in urgent demand. Only recently, basic models taking the relevant mechanisms into account have been developed. These models were used to predict the tertiary creep for copper at 75°C. The modelled results were compared with experimental creep curves and good agreement has been found. In the present paper, the models are applied to creep tests at higher temperatures (215 and 250°C). A similar representation with good accuracy is obtained. This demonstrates that the fundamental model for back stress is applicable for the higher temperature tests as well.


Abstract Quantitative petrophysical characterization is one of the principal tasks of a reservoir analyst and is generally affected by the methods used. For example, different theoretical and empirical formulas are in most cases restricted to the specific areas where they were developed. Prediction of continuous petrophysical parameters is often time consuming and complicated because of geological variability such as facies changes due to sedimentary and structural changes. In this work we propose a neural network approach which is used to predict quantitative petrophysical parameters from wireline logs of cored intervals. We then apply the knowledge learned during training to uncored intervals or other holes. Data from the Ocean Drilling Program and from two South American oilfield holes are used to test this technique. The results show a good match between the neural network-derived petrophysical parameter logs and the actual core measurements. Problematic petrophysical measurements can be identified by a mismatch between the responses.


This paper reports on a master's study undertaken to investigate the impact of the digital divide on information literacy (IL) training of Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) students at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Since 1994 the demographics of higher education institutions in South Africa have changed. Today these institutions comprise heterogeneous groups of students, by race, economic background, digital background, etc. and consequently with different levels of literacy, information and otherwise. The problem that this study addressed was the impact of having both digitally advantaged and digitally disadvantaged students in the same information literacy classroom, expecting them to reach learning outcomes without frustrating students from either group. The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of the digital divide on IL training of ECP students at the DUT and to recommend guidelines for teaching and learning of IL that would accommodate both digitally advantaged and digitally disadvantaged students. The study employed a mixed method approach in its research design. Data was collected from ECP students (of 2010) by means of a questionnaire; an interview schedule was used to collect data from Subject Librarians involved in teaching the IL module to ECP students; a separate interview schedule was used to collect data from the ECP Coordinator. Qualitative and quantitative data collected were prepared for analysis by means of content analysis and numerical coding, respectively and then subjected to statistical analysis via SPSS, which produced percentage and frequency distributions to ascertain findings. The findings of the study revealed that the digital divide does impact on IL training in ways such as: slowing down the progress of IL lessons; basic computer skills need to be taught in the IL classroom; and that digitally disadvantaged students find it difficult to follow online lessons while advantaged students already have the expertise to access online information. Based on these findings the study recommended computer literacy training should precede IL training and that various creative teaching and learning methods such as group work, online tutorials, games and interactive websites should be incorporated into IL education to accommodate both digitally advantaged and digitally disadvantaged students in the IL classroom.


We discuss the conjecture that every maximal Hardy field has the Intermediate Value Property for differential polynomials, and its equivalence to the statement that all maximal Hardy field are elementarily equivalent to the differential field of transseries. As a modest but essential step towards establishing the conjecture we show that every maximal Hardy field is $\omega$-free.


ABSTRACT This study examines how maritime transport has been researched through a comprehensive review of papers published in 19 transportation journals over the period 2000–2014. Systematic investigation shows that Maritime Policy & Management plays a prominent role in publishing maritime transport research. At the same time, 'shipping' is a dominant research area, with 'port management, service, performance, efficiency and competitiveness'; 'shipping market, industry, freight rate and economic impact'; and 'terminal studies' as the most popular topics. Nevertheless, few efforts have investigated 'shipping finance'; 'shipping service'; or 'port risk and security.' Since 2000, the use of quantitative analysis techniques has steadily increased in maritime transport to help participants make decisions scientifically. We here present the major data analysis techniques and highlight some limitations regarding their application. Thus, we provide a better understanding of how maritime transport research has been undertaken in a quantitative manner.


Abstract The p-y method is one of the most popular methods in pile design and has been calibrated for various boundary conditions using numerical and experimental studies during recent years. Most studies on reinforced concrete (RC) piles have included the impact of flexural nonlinearity, (e.g. nonlinear moment–curvature relations) but not considered associated pile shear deformations when deriving p-y curves from field data. Common p-y curves may be better applicable for piles with flexure dominated failures (e.g. piles with free- head boundary conditions). For piles with fixed head boundaries (i.e. rotation restrained piles) shear deformations could be of significant influence. To study this problem, a coupled shear flexure interaction model for axial-bending-shear behavior coded in OpenSees was applied to a 0.61 m (2 ft) diameter flagpole and a 0.61m (2 ft) diameter fixed head pile specimen to investigate the possible influence of shear deformations to the overall pile responses. The surrounding soil was represented by p-y curves derived from prior large scale testing on piles with similar boundary conditions. Analysis results show that for flagpole piles, shear forces and shear deformations were insignificant. Considerable contributions of pile shear displacements and forces were observed for the fixed head pile, with shear displacements contributing up to 40% of the total pile displacement. Results suggest that nonlinear shear deformations for reinforced concrete piles should be considered for fixedhead or similar conditions, and that currently used p-y curves may underestimate the actual lateral pile displacement and possibly lead to unsafe design for the particular boundary condition.


This study investigated tooth loss in North Carolina adults 65 years of age or older. A random sample of 335 Blacks and 284 Whites participated in dental examinations and interviews at baseline and again after 18 months. Blacks were more likely than Whites to lose at least one tooth (36% vs 19%), and they lost more teeth on average (1.0 vs 0.4). Several oral disease conditions and symptoms were related to tooth loss, but many other hypothesized factors were not. Risk models were inconclusive in the identification of factors related to risk of tooth loss.


The spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the resulting morbidity and mortality are major public health challenges with adverse social and economic implications. The pregnant population serves as an important marker of the extent of the problem in the sexually active low risk categorized population. Furthermore, a high HIV prevalence among women of childbearing age contributes to neonatal and infant mortality through perinatal transmission and also a large number of uninfected children become orphans. The objective of the present study was to determine the HIV prevalence rate and the risk factors in pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in the Greater Harare area of Zimbabwe. Women presenting for antenatal care in four maternity clinics between May 1994 and June 1995 were tested for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies following informed consent, counselling and completion of a questionnaire. Of the 1.168 women, 30.4 pc tested HIV-1 positive, with prevalence rates ranging from 23.6 pc at a lower density clinic, 28.6 pc in a medium density clinic, 30.7 pc in a higher density clinic and 33.2 pc at the referral maternity hospital. HIV-2 was present in 7.6 pc of the women. The 20 to 29 years age group had the highest HIV prevalence of 35 pc, (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.4; 95 pc CI-1.33 to 4.32). Single pregnant women were more likely to test positive, (OR = 2.1; 95 pc CI = 1.2 to 3.7). Thirty five pc of the women reported previous use of condoms and in those where condom use was reported in casual relationships, there was a higher risk of HIV (OR 6.1; 95 pc CI = 2.1 to 17.3). Reported use of intravaginal herbs was associated with HIV risk (OR 1.4; 95 pc CI = 1.1 to 1.8; p < 0.03). History of genital ulcer (OR = 2.3), discharge (OR = 2.4), rash (OR = 2.7), genital ulcer with PID (OR = 5.8) was significantly associated with HIV infection. Present findings indicate a 30.4 pc HIV prevalence rate for a sample of 1,168 pregnant women in Harare. This rate is much higher than the 18 pc HIV prevalence rate reported for 1,008 pregnant women in the same Greater Harare area in 1990. We conclude that there is need for further innovative and aggressive community based as well as institutional interventions aimed at reducing HIV risk. Prevention strategies should include a wide range of socially contextualized initiatives.


Abstract: Gasparyan, A. & Sipman, H. J. M. 2020 The first record of Lobaria pulmonaria from Armenia. – Herzogia 33: 554 –558. Lobaria pulmonaria is reported for the first time from Armenia. A single specimen was found on an old Oriental Beech tree in Fagus orientalis - Carpinus forest in the Dilijan National Park. Details of the habitat are given, and potential threats discussed.


As an increasing number of people communicate and collaborate computationally over the Internet, the need for a collaborative environment that facilitates secure and reliable access to large quantities of distributed resources has become manifest. However the breadth of resource distribution makes it difficult for Internet users to acquire the necessary resources for collaborative computing. We have developed a framework for an efficient infrastructure that provides a reasonable mapping between users and resources distributed over the Internet. The proposed framework contributes: an authority mechanism that can be applied to independent and widely distributed resource-providers; a resource hierarchy for partitioning global resource spaces into manageable subspaces; and systematic management of dynamic groups of users and resources running on different sites. This paper describes the schema and processes for resource partition, mapping, negotiation, and forming a resource domain in our framework.


Caenorhabditis elegans aquatic toxicity assays were standardized with five common reference toxicants: CdCl{sub 2}, NaCl, KCl, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and sodium pentachlorophenate (PCP). Aquatic toxicity testing was conducted in 3 media: a standard C. elegans medium; EPA moderately hard reconstituted water; and EPA moderately hard mineral water. Test duration in each medium was 24h without a food source, and 24h and 48h with Escherichia coli strain OP50 as a food source. Each test was replicated three times with each replicate having 6 wells per concentration, 10 worms per well. LC{sub 50} values were calculated using probit analysis. The average LC{sub 50}s for each set of replications were compared to assess sensitivity and reproducibility of the data, identifying expected variation between replicate tests. These reference toxicants increase the database for C. elegans and provide a benchmark for further application.


A new method is presented for distribution system reliability assessment. The method brings two distinct features. The first one is related to minimal path determination and is mainly derived from an existing method by slight modifications. The second one is related to simulation of active failures and provides a considerable time saving. The principle depends on the S and SS groups, established for the nodes existing in basic minimal cut sets. The proposed method is applied to a sample distribution network and the reported numerical values are attained with less effort.


s – Indo-Portuguese Workshop on Emerging Trends of Nanotechnology in Chemistry and Biology (INCB-2016) Organized by: Department of Chemistry Hansraj College & Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, INDIA in association with CQM, University da Madeira, PORTUGAL February 12-13, 2016 Indo-Portuguese Workshop on Emerging Trends of Nanotechnology in Chemistry and Biology (INCB-2016) is being organized within the framework of the bilateral research cooperation between India (INT/Portugal/P-17/2013) and Portugal (FCT/DST 2013/2015 – Ref.441.00). The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology of India and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Ministry of Science, Technology & Higher Education are the nodal agencies to implement the programme in India and Portugal on the respective sides. The concept of nanotechnology has gained major attention in recent years due to its significant role in the field of medical sciences and technology. Nanotechnology comprises structural manipulations at the nanoscale and is already being used in products in its passive form, such as cosmetics and sunscreens. One area of nanotechnology that holds the promise of affording the great benefits for society is medicine. Nanotechnology is already being employed for more effective drug delivery systems, which ultimately increases the efficacy of drugs. This workshop is of multidisciplinary nature and covers the various disciplines of science and is intended to expose for the first time in a joint workshop, students and faculty members to the thrust areas of research with emphasis on indigenous problems. The workshop aims to create awareness among young research scholars and scientists from all over the world in the area of nanotechnology. The main objective of the two-day IndoPortuguese workshop is to sensitize and stimulate the young minds to bring out the best among the various frontiers of nanoscience. This meeting will be able to bring together the undergraduate, postgraduate students, doctoral students and faculty members on a common platform to deliberate and discuss nanoscience. Organizers are thankful to workshop supporters mainly, Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India and Mewar University, Rajasthan. The Principal, Dr. Rama (Hansraj college) and Dr. Ajay K. Arora (Deshbandhu college) are acknowldged for their support. We extend our heartiest gratitude to Dr. Ravi Kant (Research Director, Mewar University) for his kind support and suggestions during the event. We are thankful to Dr. Bijendra Singh for his suggestions and support during the event. We appreciate the hardwork and dedication of convener(s), Dr. Ranjana Rastogi and Dr. Umesh Kumar and executive organizing committee members namely, Dr. Chetna Gupta. Dr. Parul Pant, Dr. Taruna Singh, Dr. Amit Rawat, Dr. Surendra kumar. We are also thankful to all the speakers, delegates and guests for their interest and kind support.


Farmers in the rural areas often sell their products to the middleman or in the local market at low price due to lack of transportation facility, shortage of electric supply and lack of investment on storage. They are not even able to get the return of the invested money in cultivating vegetables or fruits. Lack of onfarm storage facility, therefore, compels the growers to go for the distress sales of their produce, ultimately resulting into reduced net profit to them. There is therefore, the need of a low cost storage system which can be operated on a reliable and environment-friendly energy source for short-term storage of the perishable horticultural produces in a small scale at farmer's own level. An attempt has thus been made in this study to develop and evaluate a solar photovoltaic powered cool chamber of about 100 kg capacity for short term storage of vegetables in order to avoid distress sale among the growers, majority of them is coming under small and marginal farmers category. The cool chamber was fabricated in the Dept. of Farm Machinery and Power, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha and its performance was evaluated for studying the storability of tomato during peak summer period i.e. April-May 2015. It was found that the shelf-life of tomato was enhanced to 12 days during summer season by maintaining temperatures in the range of 14–16°C and humidity in the range of 83–94% in the cool chamber developed for the study.


The upcoming 6G networks are sixth-sense next-generation communication networks with an ever-increasing demand for enhanced end-to-end (E2E) connectivity towards a connected, sustainable world. Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled a wide range of novel technologies through the availability of advanced machine learning (ML) models, large datasets, and high computational power. In addition, intelligent resource management is a key feature of 6G networks that enables self-configuration and self-healing by leveraging the parallel computing and autonomous decision-making ability of ML techniques to enhance energy efficiency and computational capacity in 6G networks. Consequently, ML techniques will play a significant role in addressing resource management and mobility management challenges in 6G wireless networks. This article provides a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art ML algorithms applied in 6G wireless networks, categorized into learning types, including supervised and unsupervised machine learning, Deep Learning (DL), Reinforcement Learning (RL), Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) and Federated Learning (FL). In particular, we review the ML algorithms applied in the emerging networks paradigm, such as device-to-device (D2D) networks, vehicular networks (Vnet), and Fog-Radio Access Networks (F-RANs). We highlight the ML-based solutions to address technical challenges in terms of resource allocation, task offloading, and handover management. We also provide a detailed review of the ML techniques to improve energy efficiency and reduce latency in 6G wireless networks. To this end, we identify the open research issues and future trends concerning ML-based intelligent resource management applications in 6G networks.


Plastic clay at the mouths of the Mississippi River contain 39 species in 32 genera of cheilostomes and 4 species in 4 genera of cyclostomes. Cheilostomes are similar to those now living in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean; they probably are post-Pleistocene, and probably accumulated in water 20-50 fathoms deep. A new cheilostome genus, Lagenicella and two new species, Reptadeonella hastingsae and Parasmittina anderseni are described, and the new family name Cleidochasmatidae is substituted for Hippoporinidae Bassler.


The optical communications had an exponential growth over the last few years, having a significant commercial market in optical systems and components. This growth has been extended across all application areas, from transcontinental and transoceanic distances to regional networks and lastly to campus and building wiring. This paper basically explains the concept of Optical fiber communication, the propagation of light inside the fiber and mainly the two dimensional design of optical fiber itself. The researcher discusses the parameters such as effective group delay, dispersion. Modes, Bending Loss, Material Loss, Mode field, Birefringence, Splice Loss, Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD), Effect of nonlinear Refractive Index. Finally we design the optical fiber with all the above mentioned parameters. Full Text: PDF DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ij-ict.v5i3.6035


We report two experiments aiming to define how experience and stimulus enactment affect multisensory temporal integration for ecologically-valid stimuli. In both experiments, a number of different dance steps were used as audiovisual displays at a range of stimulus onset asynchronies using the method of constant stimuli. Participants were either professional dancers or non-dancers. In Experiment 1, using a simultaneity judgment (SJ) task, we aimed at defining — for the first time — the temporal window of integration (TWI) for dancers and non-dancers and the role of experience in SJ performance. Preliminary results showed that dancers had smaller TWI in comparison to non-dancers for all stimuli tested, with higher complexity (participant rated) dance steps requiring larger auditory leads for both participant groups. In Experiment 2, we adapted a more embodied point of view by examining how enactment of the stimulus modulates the TWIs. Participants were presented with simple audiovisual dance steps that could be synchronous or asynchronous and were asked to synchronize with the audiovisual display by actually performing the step indicated. A motion capture system recorded their performance at a millisecond level of accuracy. Based on the optimal integration hypothesis, we are currently looking at the data in terms of which modality will be dominant, considering that dance is a spatially (visual) and temporally (audio) coordinated action. Any corrective adjustments, accelerations–decelerations, hesitations will be interpreted as indicators of the perception of ambiguity in comparison to their performance at the synchronous condition, thus, for the first time, an implicit SJ response will be measured.


In this paper, we propose a driving assistant that makes recommendations in order to reduce the fuel consumption. The solution only requires a smartphone and an OBD/Bluetooth device. Eco-driving advices try to avoid situations that cause an increase in the fuel consumption such as inappropriate speed or slow reaction to the detection of traffic signs and traffic incidents. The main contribution of this paper is the use of artificial intelligence techniques in order to issue the eco-driving tips that are best adapted to the user profile, the characteristics of the vehicle, and the road state conditions. This is very important because the driver may lose the interest due to the high requirements that tend to be provided by general use eco-driving assistants. In order to properly assess and validate the proposed solution, it has been implemented on several Android mobile devices and has been validated using a dataset of 2,250 driving tests using three different models of vehicles with 25 different drivers on three distinct routes. The results show that the system reduces the fuel consumption by 11.04 percent on average and even, in certain cases, the fuel saving is greater than 15 percent.


The design of high speed, lower power A/D converter architectures have been investigated and can be found in several applications. The low power techniques used in this design include the dynamic comparators and capacitor scaling which are made possible with this architectural selection. To be compatible with the digital integrated circuit now running at 3.3V power supply, some techniques for low supply voltage are introduced, which include a 3.3V Op Amp and low voltage SC circuits. In order to reduce the power even more, one can reduce the per-stage resolution and cascade more stages to get the full resolution. This particular architecture is called the Pipelined architecture, mainly because the analog input signal is passed through a pipeline of flash A/D (sub-ADC) and interstate gain blocks. The advantage of this architecture is its reduced complexity. With a given per-stage resolution, an A/D converter of a given resolution can be achieved by cascading an appropriate number of identical pipelined stages. In any A/D converters, some reference voltages are generally required to set a reference for the sampled input to be compared to. Tspice simulation results & Layout using 1.2μm CMOS Technology parameters for the proposed design of Low Power – Low Voltage 3 bit Pipelined ADC are discussed. Keyword--Sample & Hold, Comparator, Buffer, Reference Voltage Generator, Subtractor cum amplifier, Switch


OBJECTIVE
To determine age-related association of Her-2/neu expression with histological and immunohistochemical prognostic markers in female breast carcinoma.

STUDY DESIGN
Cross sectional, observational study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY
Department of Histopathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from January 2004 to December 2007.

METHODOLOGY
Patients of primary operable female breast carcinoma were categorised as < 40 years (pre-menopausal), 41-50 years (peri-menopausal) and > 50 years (post-menopausal) age groups. Histological type, tumour size, tumour grade and lymph node status were determined while estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and Her-2/neu expression were evaluated immunohistochemically. Association of Her-2/neu with histological and immnuohistochemical prognostic markers was determined in pre-menopausal, peri-menopausal and post- menopausal age groups using the x2 test for uni- and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS
Out of the 722 patients, 230 (31.9%) were in pre-menopausal, 221 (30.6%) in peri-menopausal and 271 (37.5%) in post-menopausal age group. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the pre-dominant subtype in all the age groups. Mean tumour size was 4.3+/-2.3 cm (range 0.4-17 cm) and lymph node metastasis was seen in 310 (70.8%) cases. Her-2/neu showed association with ER in the all the age groups while PR only showed association in the peri-menopausal and postmenopausal women. Her-2/neu showed no association with tumour size, tumor grade and lymph node metastases in pre-menopausal and peri-menopausal women while it showed positive association with tumour size and lymph node metastasis in the post-menopausal women (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
Majority (62%) patients were under 50 years as against the Western epidemiology. Association of Her-2/neu with ER, PR, tumour size and lymph node metastasis was age related as pre-menopausal, peri-menopausal and postmenopausal had variable expression of these prognostic markers with therapeutic and prognostic implications.


The aim of this paper is to design computationally-efficient and optimal algorithms for the online and stochastic exp-concave optimization settings. Typical algorithms for these settings, such as the Online Newton Step (ONS), can guarantee a $O(d\ln T)$ bound on their regret after $T$ rounds, where $d$ is the dimension of the feasible set. However, such algorithms perform so-called generalized projections whenever their iterates step outside the feasible set. Such generalized projections require $\Omega(d^3)$ arithmetic operations even for simple sets such a Euclidean ball, making the total runtime of ONS of order $d^3 T$ after $T$ rounds, in the worst-case. In this paper, we side-step generalized projections by using a self-concordant barrier as a regularizer to compute the Newton steps. This ensures that the iterates are always within the feasible set without requiring projections. This approach still requires the computation of the inverse of the Hessian of the barrier at every step. However, using the stability properties of the Newton steps, we show that the inverse of the Hessians can be efficiently approximated via Taylor expansions for most rounds, resulting in a $O(d^2 T +d^\omega \sqrt{T})$ total computational complexity, where $\omega$ is the exponent of matrix multiplication. In the stochastic setting, we show that this translates into a $O(d^3/\epsilon)$ computational complexity for finding an $\epsilon$-suboptimal point, answering an open question by Koren 2013. We first show these new results for the simple case where the feasible set is a Euclidean ball. Then, to move to general convex set, we use a reduction to Online Convex Optimization over the Euclidean ball. Our final algorithm can be viewed as a more efficient version of ONS.


The interaction of proflavine with herring sperm DNA has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and UV-Vis spectroscopy as well as viscosity measurements. Shifts in the peak potentials in cyclic voltammetry, spectral changes in UV absorption titration, an increase in viscosity of DNA and the results of the effect of ionic strength on the binding constant strongly support the intercalation of proflavine into the DNA double helix. The binding constant for the interaction between proflavine and DNA was K = 2.32 (±0.41) x 10^4 M^-1 and the binding site size was 2.07 (±0.1) base pairs, estimated in voltammetric measurements. The value of the binding site size was determined to be closer to that expected for a planar intercalating agent. The standard Gibbs free-energy change is ca. -24.90 kJ/mol at 25°C, indicating the spontaneity of the binding interaction. The binding constant determined by UV absorption measurements was K = 2.20 (±0.48) x 10^4 M^-1, which is very close to the value determined by cyclic voltammetry assuming that the binding equilibrium is static.


In preparation of the SMOS mission, synthetic L-band brightness temperatures are produced at the global scale and soil moisture retrieval algorithms are assessed.


The ab plane optical spectra of two single crystals of La(2-x)Sr(x)Cu(4), one overdoped and one underdoped, were investigated. We observe a gap-like depression of the effective scattering rate below 700 cm(-1) in both systems. This feature persists up to 300 K in the underdoped sample with the concentration of Sr x=0.14 but loses prominance at temperatures above 300 K in the overdoped regime (x=0.22). Below 700 cm(-1) the scattering rate is temperature dependent and superlinear in frequency for both samples. Above this frequency the effective scattering rate becomes linear in frequency and is temperature independent in the case of the underdoped La(1.86)Sr(0.14)CuO(4) up to 300 K. On the other hand, the overdoped La(1.76)Sr(0.22)CuO(4) shows a scattering rate temperature dependence above 700 cm(-1) at all temperatures. This behaviour of the frequency and temperature dependent scattering rates is a signature of a pseudogap state in other HTSC materials and suggests that both the under and overdoped single-layer HTSC systems Ls(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) have a pseudogap at temperatures exceeding 300 K.


Abstract
Noni is one of the most abundant fruits in Indonesia. Noni trees that bear fruit every season need to be further processed to reduce the amount of fruit wasted. In addition, the fruit contains many health benefits so it would be very good if used as food. One of the efforts to use noni can be done by creating a product in the form of organic jam. This study aims to determine the quality of noni fruit jam using the same level of maturity in terms of taste, color, texture and aroma. The data collection method used in this research is the organoleptic test method, documentation and questionnaires. This quantitative and qualitative research was also obtained from the power of the assessment test instrument. The respondents in this study amounted to 70 people consisting of the community around the research site (North Bogor) including IPB students, school students, motorcycle drivers and housewives. The results of the research based on organoleptic tests showed that organic noni jam products were acceptable in the market with a taste score of 275 (tasty), texture 240 (chewy), aroma 195 (quite delicious), and color 188 (quite attractive)
Keywords: business product, noni fruit, organic jam


The objective of the work is to present an adequate workflow for conditioning geomechanical data and hydraulic fracturing design, adjustment and simultaneous verification of a MEM and hydraulic fracture models. These approaches are relevant for greenfields and also can be used when changing field development systems: from vertical fracked wells to a system of horizontal wells with multistage fracs.

 The paper provides examples of issues in hydraulic fracturing planning due to poor attention to the reliability and robustness of geomechanical data. Given the critically of data quality, the authors describe a holistic approach used in collecting, analysing and conditioning data for building a MEM (1D; if necessary, 3D) as the basis of a frac design.
 Mini-frac is considered not only as a tool for setting the hydraulic fracturing design parameters, but also as a source of data for cross-calibration between the MEM and the hydraulic fracture models. Case studies of various HF models will demonstrate the influence of MEM-and-frac uncertainties and the tools for considering them in practical HF modelling. An approach to systematic clustering of input data for HF designs is described. The importance of measuring the fracture heights is stressed as a source of data for cross-calibration of HF and GM models.

 The correct sequence of work, data consolidation and successive data refinement helps to maintain the database of elastic and strength properties of various target reservoirs, which proves the demand for core analysis and well logging, as well as geomechanical modelling. The improved quality of HF designs leads to better reliability of forecasts and proposed field development and individual wellwork strategies.
 The close integration of GM studies and modelling with HF design building enhances the operation culture, accelerates and streamlines the HF model build and validation processes, which can be a pace-setting experience for other oil and gas industries that are GM data users.

 The TNNC and RN-CEPiTR teams work in close cooperation and provide GM and HF integration to assess the fracture height in the target reservoirs at the Company's assets in order to improve the quality of HF modelling. The uncertainty influence on the HF design is reducing, so as the risks of screen-out and the risks of breakthrough into undesirable zones.
 The approach streamlines the engineering support for the hydraulic fracturing activity and understanding of the fracture parameters as the operations move from single-stage hydraulic fracturing to the optimized field development using horizontal wells with multi-stage hydraulic fracturing.


Inclusion body myositis is the most common inflammatory myopathy above the age of 50. It becomes clinically apparent around the fourth decade and leads to a slowly, but relentlessly progressive decline in muscular wasting and weakness. The pathology consists of a complex network of inflammatory and degenerative mechanisms, which lead to an attack of muscle fibers by auto-reactive T cells and possibly antibodies. At the same time, various aberrant proteins accumulate within the muscle fibers, including β-amyloid, tau and α-synuclein. Several key components of proinflammatory cell stress mechanisms such as nitric oxide production and macroautophagic processing contribute to the muscle fiber damage. So far, none of the anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory treatment efforts have been able to halt the disease progression and help the patients. In this summary, the current concept of the complex disease pathology of IBM is reviewed with a focus on recent findings as well as future treatment perspectives.


The Cretaceous Amba Dongar Complex contains one of the largest fluorite deposits (11.6 million tons at 30 wt % CaF 2 ) associated with any carbonatite. Fluorite mineralization postdates carbonatite emplacement and takes the form of replacement hydrothermal veins concentrated at the carbonatite-country rock contact. Sr isotope ratios from the Amba Dongar fluorites reveal large isotopic variations that can only be attributed to reaction between a carbonatite-derived, F-rich fluid and continental crust (or crustal-derived fluid). The extremely variable initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (0.70910-0.71729) are intermediate between those of the carbonatites (0.70549-0.70628) and the host Bagh sandstones (0.75359-0.78274); they correlate negatively with Sr abundances- dances. Sr isotope ratios from intrasample fluorites show large isotopic variations (0.70910-0.71425) that cover almost the entire range of values found for all of the fluorites measured from Amba Dongar. The Pb isotope ratios from the fluorites are also variable and differ from those of the country rocks. Compared to the carbonatites, most contain similar 207 Pb/ 204 Pb and 208 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios but more radiogenic 206 Pb/ 204 Pb values. Galena and pyrite coeval with fluorite mineralization have Pb isotope ratios which overlap those from most of the fluorites, but which are isotopically distinct from one another. In contrast, initial 143 Nd/ 144 Nd isotope ratios from most of the fluorites are relatively uniform (0.51240-051247), quite different to those from the surrounding Bagh sandstones (0.51122-0.51149), but similar to those from the carbonatites (0.51248-0.51253). The new isotopic results are partly consistent with a model for fluorite deposition involving interaction between ground waters within the surrounding country rocks and an F-rich, carbonatite-derived fluid (Deans and Powell, 1968). The variation in the Sr isotope composition for the fluorites suggests that certain physio-chemical parameters of the mineralizing fluids were changing with time of deposition.


Abstract FOLFIRINOX is one of the most effective reference regimens in the 1st line treatment of locally advanced (LA) and metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC), despite its high toxicity. We evaluated our real-life experience with "patient-tailored intent to treat FOLFIRINOX" in patients with LA or mPC compared to other reports along with the pivotal phase III trial. We analyzed data from all consecutive patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated with dose-modified FOLFIRINOX in 2016 at Paul Brousse University Hospital. Irinotecan was administered whenever initial serum bilirubin was <1.5 × upper limit of normal. Oxaliplatin was stopped for severe sensory neuropathy. Initial dose reductions were made according to patient profile (eg, age, comorbidities) and later due to toxicity. The treatment was continued until surgery or disease progression. Endpoints were time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and secondary complete resection (R0R1). Thirty-seven patients with unresectable LA or mPC received patient-tailored FOLFIRINOX as 1st line chemotherapy. There were 22 male (59%) and 15 female patients (41%) aged 44 to 81 years with LA (18 patients, 49%) and mPC (19 patients, 51%). They had World Health Organization-performance status of 0 (59%) or 1 (41%). A total of 384 cycles were administered. Median dose intensities (mg/m2/w) were 28.9 for oxaliplatin, 56.8 for irinotecan, and 886.2 for 5-fluorouracil. Thirty-four patients were assessed for response; ORR and disease control rates were 47% and 85%, respectively. R0R1 rate was 30%. Median TTP and OS were 9.6 and 14.6 months. LA disease was associated with significantly longer TTP and OS (P < .001). FOLFIRINOX with patient-tailored dose adaptations seems to offer better results in patients with advanced PC. This approach in the neoadjuvant setting results in a macroscopic R0R1 in 61% of patients with initially unresectable disease. It deserves prospective evaluation to further improve outcomes in the management of advanced PC.


The hardware-software co-optimization of neural network architectures is becoming a major stream of research especially due to the emergence of commercial neuromorphic chips such as the IBM Truenorth and Intel Loihi. Development of specific neural network architectures in tandem with the design of the neuromorphic hardware considering the hardware constraints will make a huge impact in the complete system level application. In this paper, we study various neural network architectures and propose one that is hardware-friendly for a neuromorphic hardware with crossbar array of synapses. Considering the hardware constraints, we demonstrate how one may design the neuromorphic hardware so as to maximize classification accuracy in the trained network architecture, while concurrently, we choose a neural network architecture so as to maximize utilization in the neuromorphic cores. We also proposed a framework for mapping a neural network onto a neuromorphic chip named as the Mapping and Debugging (MaD) framework. The MaD framework is designed to be generic in the sense that it is a Python wrapper which in principle can be integrated with any simulator tool for neuromorphic chips.


The 1987 Constitutional Accord between the prime minister and the ten provincial premiers has caused discontent amongst the Northwest Territories and Yukon governments. They object to various elements in the Accord which do not confer on them rights identical to those of the provinces, to other elements which are likely to affect their future political evolution and to the fact that the Accord was concluded without their participation. By challenging the Accord before the courts, they have drawn national attention to their status within Confederation. Furthermore, some progress in the status of the Territories was made by the signing of a boundary and constitutional agreement by the Constitutional Assembly of the Western Region and that of Nunavut in Iqaluit on January 15, 1987 for purposes of dividing the Northwest territories. Although the agreement could not be ratified by referendum, it contains the basic principles for guiding the drafting of respective constitutions for the two new entities that will be created. Within the framework of recent events, the author first presents the main stages in the evolution of governmental organization in the Territories and then goes on to analyse their present legal status. This study makes it possible to see if recent evolution will cause the territorial governments increasingly to resemble provincial governments. Nonetheless, in many ways they still remain in a state of dependency vis-a-vis federal authorities. In conclusion, the author observes that the evolution of the Territories with regard to legislative and executive powers and bodies does not mean that they will necessarily obtain provincial status. Their accession to greater political autonomy could possibly become a reality by the implementation of original solutions, distinct from those of southern Canada and better adapted to the specific needs of the North and its important native population.


SARS-CoV-2 variants are causing epidemic rebounds in many countries. By analyzing longitudinal cycle threshold (Ct) values from screening tests in the general population and hospitals, we find that infections caused by variant lineages have higher peak viral load than wild type lineages and, for the B.1.1.7 lineage, have a longer infectious period duration. Linking within-host kinetics to transmission data suggests that infections caused by variants have higher transmission potentials and that their epidemiological fitness may depend on the demography of the host population.


This comparative analysis of the government ICT projects of Macedonia, Estonia and Slovenia faces and compares the projects in the three countries. All three countries have similar size, similar historical and socioeconomic background, but Estonia and Slovenia are significantly ahead in the development of information society and in economic development in comparison to Macedonia. Our thesis is that part of this successful economic development is due to the government initiative and decisions regarding the choice and implementation of ICT projects (infrastructural and e-government). We have found six crucial preconditions for development of ICT that have tangible impact on economic growth: government is the leader in introducing information society; government is early adopter of ICT; government is proactive; government recognizes ICT as growth tool; government provides the funding; government provides quality project management.


In this study, a 3 mm thickness 7075-T6 aluminium alloy sheet was used in the friction stir welding process. Using the design of experiment to reduce the number of experiments and to obtain the optimum friction stir welding parameters by utilizing Taguchi technique based on the ultimate tensile test results. Orthogonal array of L9 (33) was used based on three numbers of the parameters and three levels for each parameter, where shoulder-workpiece interference depth (0.20, 0.25, and 0.3) mm, pin geometry (cylindrical thread flat end, cylindrical thread with 3 flat round end, cylindrical thread round end), and thread pitch (0.8, 1, and 1.2) mm) this technique executed by Minitab 17 software. The results showed that the optimum friction stir welding parameters were 0.25 mm shoulder-workpiece interference depth, cylindrical thread flat end pin shape, 1.2 mm thread pitch depending on the S ̸ N ratio and ANOVA analysis and the welding efficiency was 93.3% based on the ultimate tensile stress.


This paper evaluates the role of a corporate network in spreading news and in particular shows how it affects prices. We build daily corporate news network using companies of the STOXX 50 index as nodes; the weights of the edges are the number of news items sharing common topics between companies. The STOXX 50 includes the top 50 European companies by level of capitalization. We conducted a longitudinal network analysis using the stochastic actor oriented model with daily prices and news for March 2009. We found that there was a 0.55 correlation between the rate of change of the news network and the STOXX 50 index. Even though, the network dynamic by itself cannot fully explain price movements, it can play an important role as part of a predictive model.


This paper argues that the current mainstream of mind-body research makes no effort to understand the mind and its powers and so neglects a critical component of health. The paper points to two unattended sources of data that should be systematically explored for the mind's clinically important effects on health.


Background: Aboveground biomass (AGB) is an important indicator to predict crop yield. Traditional spectral features or image textures have been proposed to estimate the AGB of crops, but they perform poorly in estimation of AGB at high biomass levels. The present study thus evaluated the ability of spectral features, image textures, combinations thereof to estimate winter wheat AGB. Result: The spectral features were obtained from the wheat canopy reflectance spectra of 400–1000 nm including original wavelengths and seven vegetation indices (VIs), then we screened effective wavelengths (EWs) through successive projection algorithm (SPA) and the optimal vegetation index selected by correlation analysis. The image textures features were extracted by gray level co-occurrence matrix including texture features (TEX) and normalized difference texture index (NDTI), then we selected effective variables including the optimal texture subset (OTEXS) and the optimal normalized difference texture index subset (ONDTIS) through the ranking of feature importance of random forest (RF). Linear regression (LR), partial least squares regression (PLS) and random forest (RF) were established to evaluate the relationship between each calculated feature and AGB. The results demonstrate that the ONDTIS with PLS based on validation datasets exhibited better performance in estimating AGB for the post-seedling stage (R2 = 0.75, RMSE = 0.04). Moreover, the combinations of OTEXS and EWs with LR based on validation datasets exhibited the highest prediction accuracy for the post-seedling stage (R2 = 0.78, RMSE = 0.05). Conclusion: The findings show that the combined use of spectral features and image textures can effectively improve the accuracy for AGB estimation especially in post-seeding stage.


We demonstrate a video surveillance system— comprising passive and active pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) cameras—that intelligently responds to scene complexity, automatically capturing higher resolution video when there are fewer people in the scene and capturing lower resolution video as the number of pedestrians present in the scene increases. To this end, we have developed behavior based-controllers for passive and active cameras, enabling these cameras to carry out multiple observation tasks simultaneously. The research presented herein is a step towards video surveillance systems—consisting of a heterogeneous set of sensors—that provide persistent coverage of large spaces, while optimizing surveillance data collection by tuning the sensing parameters of individual sensors (in a distributed manner) in response to scene activity.


Johanna Granville is an assistant professor of political science at Clemson University.Torgovlya Liud'mi: Sotsiokriminologicheskii Analiz, Center for the Study of Transnational Organized Crime and Corruption (TraCCC) (American University). Moscow: Akademia, 2002. 221 pp.Migrant Trafficking and Human Smuggling in Europe: A Review of the Evidence with Case Studies from Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine, International Organization for Migration (IOM). New York: United Nations Publications, 2000. 416 pp. $35.00 paperback.Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy, Kevin Bales. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999. 298 pp. $16.95 paperback.Global Human Smuggling: Comparative Perspectives, David Kyle and Rey Koslowski, ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. 374 pp. $18.95 paperback.War's Dirty Secret: Rape, Prostitution, and Other Crimes Against Women, Anne Llewellyn Barstow, ed. Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 2000. 224 pp. $20.00 paperback.The roaring of the Boeing's engine matched twenty-six-year-old Lena Nakhimovskaya's barely suppressed excitement. So many months of preparation compressed into this one moment! It just proved that if you worked hard enough, you could get whatever you wanted. As the wheels finally hit the runway of Berlin's Schonefeld airport, she heard a silken feminine voice speaking rapid German. The jet airliner came to a stop, and Lena gathered up her belongings: the dog-eared hardback Istoriya Berlina too thick to fit in her purse and a long "To Do" list. Its first item: "Ask Sergei to pay for German lessons."A few minutes later she walked beside Sergei as they entered the terminal. She had met him shortly after answering the ad for a job in Berlin as housekeeper and nanny. Friendly and outgoing when he coaxed her to sign the contract (verbovka), he had barely spoken a word during the whole journey from Samara. Strange.A tall man approached them. He wore a green T-shirt with German words on it and sleeves too tight for biceps as thick as thighs. He and Sergei conversed in low tones for about twenty minutes.Eager for action, she finally burst out, "Hi. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Lena Nakhimovskaya. Let's go tour the city now!"The man looked at Sergei with a twinkle in his eye. Licking his upper lip, he ran his eyes slowly up and down her body. "First I'll take a tour of you," he said with a strong German accent.Sergei finally spoke to her, twisting her arm. "I'll give the orders around here, devushka."Thunder clapped overhead as rain drops began to patter against the windows. Lena jerked away to rummage in her purse. Her voice rose hysterically. "Where is my passport?" Both men just stared at her with pity. "You can't be serious...." her voice trailed off.The above scenario, albeit fictional, is unfortunately typical. In 1997 alone, 175,000 young women from Russia, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern and Central Europe were actually tricked and "sold" as commodities in the sex markets of the developed countries in Europe and the Americas. 1 Every year, at least 1 million women and children are taken from their homes and sold into slavery. 2 The United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that as many as 4 million people worldwide are smuggled across borders each year, resulting in illicit profits amounting to $7 billion annually. 3 In addition to women from the former communist bloc, tens of thousands of other women from countries such as the Philippines, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ghana, and Nigeria are trafficked abroad each year and forced into prostitution to pay off their debts for transportation and housing. 4 Given the extent and duration of the problem of global human trafficking and, more specifically, forced prostitution, astonishingly few people fully understand it. In Article 3 of the "Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons" that supplements the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000), human trafficking is defined as,the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, the abuse of power or position of vulnerability or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. …


Developing Indigenous literacy is often seen as a key component of successful language revitalization and maintenance programs (Fishman 1991, Watahomigie and McCarty 1997, Bernard 1997, Grenoble and Whaley 2005), particularly in contexts such as North America (i.e., Native American and First Nations communities) where literacy in the language of wider communication is widespread and necessary for participation in daily life. To date, however, there has been no systemic evaluation of the types of literature available to readers of Indigenous languages, the methods of production and distribution, nor the effects of Indigenous literature on perceptions of language prestige. This paper provides a strategic analysis of discoverable and accessible reading material available in Indigenous languages across North America, surveying over 2,100 titles across 80 languages and dialects in North America, taking stock of the state of the art of Indigenous language book publishing and exploring how these publications can affect language attitudes. Cultivating positive language attitudes and language prestige is especially crucial in the North American context, where the great majority of Indigenous languages are highly endangered and most Indigenous people acquire English (or French, in some parts of Canada) as their mother tongue. Likewise, most Indigenous people acquire literacy in English or French first, and are exposed to literature that encompasses a wide variety of subjects, reading levels, and genres. I present the results of the survey of 2,100 Indigenous language publications in North America in terms of the subjects, reading levels, and genres available to Indigenous readers as compared to the literature available in the languages of wider communication, and identify the challenges faced by language revitalization programs that prioritize Indigenous literacy, including the difficulty of expanding literacy beyond the domain of education (Grenoble and Whaley 2005) and the economic hurdles in creating an Indigenous literary tradition. Bernard (1997) in argues that building an Indigenous literary tradition via publishing important for preserving Indigenous languages; I extend this argument by noting the role literature can play in building cultural capital (Bourdieu 1986) and prestige planning, particularly in the North American context where literature is so highly valued. Finally, I highlight some of the features found across successful Indigenous literature publishing endeavors and attempt to provide guidelines for future publishing projects. References Bernard, H. Russell. 1997. 'Language Preservation and Publishing.' In Nancy Hornberger (Ed.) Indigenous Literacies in the Americas: Language Planning from the Bottom Up. 139-156. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Bourdieu, Pierre and Richard Nice (translator). 1986. 'Forms of Capital.' Reproduced in Imre Szeman and Timothy Kaposy (Ed.). 2011. Cultural Theory: An Anthology. Wiley-Blackwell. Fishman, Joshua A. (Ed.) 1991. Reversing Language Shift: Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of Assistance to Threatened Languages. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Grenoble, Lenore A. and Lindsay J. Whaley. 2005. Saving Languages: An Introduction to Language Revitalization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Watahomigie, Lucille J. and Teresa L. McCarty. 1997. 'Literacy for what? Hualapai literacy and language maintenance.' In Nancy Hornberger. (Ed.) Indigenous Literacies in the Americas: Language Planning from the Bottom Up. 95-113. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.


Methylglyoxal (MGO) is an α-dicarbonyl compound present ubiquitously in the human body. MGO reacts with arginine residues in proteins and forms adducts such as hydroimidazolone and argpyrimidine in vivo. Previously, we showed that MGO-mediated modification of αA-crystallin increased its chaperone function. We identified MGO-modified arginine residues in αA-crystallin and found that replacing such arginine residues with alanine residues mimicked the effects of MGO on the chaperone function. Arginine 12 (R12) is a conserved amino acid residue in Hsp27 as well as αA- and αB-crystallin. When treated with MGO at or near physiological concentrations (2–10 µM), R12 was modified to hydroimidazolone in all three small heat shock proteins. In this study, we determined the effect of arginine substitution with alanine at position 12 (R12A to mimic MGO modification) on the structure and chaperone function of these proteins. Among the three proteins, the R12A mutation improved the chaperone function of only αA-crystallin. This enhancement in the chaperone function was accompanied by subtle changes in the tertiary structure, which increased the thermodynamic stability of αA-crystallin. This mutation induced the exposure of additional client protein binding sites on αA-crystallin. Altogether, our data suggest that MGO-modification of the conserved R12 in αA-crystallin to hydroimidazolone may play an important role in reducing protein aggregation in the lens during aging and cataract formation.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are the most common causes of diarrhea among children. Colonization factors (CFs) are the major ETEC candidate vaccines. Considering the high antibiotics resistance reports, construction of effective immunogen against bacteria is major goal. Encapsulation of recombinant immunogen in nano carriers such as polymeric PLGA nanparticles, not only protects them from degradation in environmental elements but also provides the effective concentrations of immunogen in targets, hence increasing bioactivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunogenic properties of CfaB protein encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles. METHODS: In this research study, cfaB gene codon optimaztion was performed by OPTIMIZER software. Expression of recombinant protein in E.coli was induced with IPTG. The recombinant protein was purified using affinity chromatography and evaluated by Western Blotting analysis. PLGA nanoparticles containing recombinant protein were prepared by double emulsion method and their structures were characterized by SEM and DLS. 40 BALB/C mice in four group were immunized with nanoparticles and antibody titers were determined by ELISA. The efficiency of antibodies in preventing the attachment of ETEC bacteria to the Caco 2 cells was examined. FINDINGS: The optimized gene had a Codon adaptation index (CAI) of 0.85. Expression of recombinant protein led to the production of CfaB with molecular weight of 18.9 kDa. Yield of protein was 5mg/L. Encapsulation efficiency of recombinant protein in PLGA nanoparticles was 85%. The average particle size was 170 nm. Immunization of mice induced serum antibody response. Immunized sera decreased %62.8 of ETEC adhesion to Caco2 cells. CONCLUSION: Recombinant CfaB protein encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles stimulate immunity against ETEC.


The effects of long-term corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) infusion in the lateral ventricle of the rat on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis parameters and on the immune system function were studied. Compared with infusion of vehicle, the CRH treatment produced a sustained overactivity of the HPA axis, as evidenced by elevated plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels, increased anterior pituitary POMC messenger RNA (mRNA) expression, and adrenal enlargement. Long-term CRH treatment also inhibited body weight gain and reduced thymus and spleen weight. In the CRH-treated animals, both Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced T lymphocyte proliferation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced B lymphocyte mitogenesis was largely suppressed. Surprisingly, interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels were higher in supernatants of splenocyte cultures from CRH-treated rats than in those of control animals. However, IL-2 receptor alpha chain (IL-2R alpha) mRNA expression after Con A stimulation was highly suppressed in the CRH-treated animals. In addition, Northern blot analysis of RNA from splenocytes isolated from spleens of CRH-treated rats revealed a marked expression of IL-1 beta mRNA, in contrast to the barely detectable levels of this cytokine in control animals. Moreover, incubation of total splenocytes and spleen macrophages with LPS resulted in an enhanced induction of IL-1 beta mRNA in cells of CRH-treated rats compared with that of control animals. When adrenalectomized rats were treated with CRH or vehicle, the effects of the CRH treatment on T and B cell proliferation, IL-2 production, and IL-1 beta mRNA expression were abolished. Thus, a continuously increased HPA axis drive results in disparate changes in immune system function. Whether the observed changes in cytokine expression should be regarded as physiologically adaptive adjustments in support of immune function or as potentially pathological anomalies remains to be elucidated.


Research, programs, and policies to support queer students in secondary mathematics environments remain largely underdeveloped and undertheorized. Mathematics education research has attended more closely to how race and gender are linked with dominant discourses of participation and mathematical performance. In this synthesis, we conducted a broad search of literature, resulting in 81 articles, related to queer student experience in all STEM environments to highlight potential practices to support inclusive environments specifically in secondary mathematics. Drawing on a queer stem identity framework (Mattheis, Arellano, Yoder, 2019) we highlight the unique nature of queer identity (e.g., the potential for one's queer identity to be invisible) that positions queerness as unseen and irrelevant to the pursuit of STEM. The perceived masculine and heteronormative nature of mathematics environment impacts queer students when defining their queer identity and coming out in the classroom, creating a cognitively stressful experience, and leading to less robust mathematical identity formation. In order to help promote queer students in navigating these settings we document how role models and curriculum allow for a reconstruction of the nature and mathematics by promoting a connected, inclusive, and social discipline. We conclude by highlighting the need for future studies and implications for practices in order to create environments that promote the development and visibility of queer mathematics students.


30 Abstract— e-Learning, of late, has been witnessing an unprecedented expansion as an opportunity for higher education. This expanding alternative mode calls for ensuring and imparting a sound and qualitative education. It is not sufficient to use online learning and teaching technologies (lecture notes, printed material, PowerPoint, websites, animation) simply for the delivery of content to students in e-learning courses. The present study made an attempt to provide the strategies for using the new set of e-tools such as Blogs, Podcasting, Wikis and YouTube, in teaching, learning and supporting of e-learning courses within the education. The findings of the study further demonstrate that if the concept of using new set of tools in e-learning is imparted with a better approach and perspective, the reach will be phenomenal. This study reiterates the relevance of imparting new tools for qualitative education through elearning.


High-resolution spectroscopic observations have led recently to the discovery that the Cephei star Crucis (Mimosa) is multiperiodic with at least three non-radial pulsation modes. Data obtained by the star tracker of the WIRE satellite have now allowed us to confirm this multiperiodicity in the light variations. A total of 5 million observations covering 17 days was analysed and the three main periods we find in this work are in perfect agreement with the results derived from the line profile variations. The photometric amplitudes are small (3, 2.7 and 0.6 millimag for the dominant modes), but this is not sur- prising in view of the mode identifications derived earlier from the line profiles. Additional periods of low-amplitude modes (between 0.2-0.3 mmag) are also derived, including one suggested earlier by the radial velocity data.


From January 1980 to December 1985, a total of 110 patients with postoperative recurrent uterine cervical carcinoma were treated with radiotherapy. The mean age was 53 years. Ten patients were excluded due to incomplete treatment. The population was grouped according to the classification by Ciatto et al. into patients with central recurrence (n = 48), with peripheral limited recurrence (n = 43), and with peripheral massive recurrence (n = 9). The midpelvic dose given to patients with central recurrence was 40 to 45 Gy, followed by a boost given either by perineal teletherapy with 30 Gy or brachytherapy with 30 Gy at 0.5 cm. beneath the vaginal mucosa. For the peripheral group, the midpelvic dose was 50 Gy followed by a boost of 10 Gy through reduced portals. Further boost to the vaginal mucosa was given by either of the two methods mentioned above. The overall 5-year survival rate was 28%. In the group with central recurrence, it was 42% and in the group with peripheral recurrence 15%. Sixteen patients had persistent local tumor and 15 patients developed distant metastasis. Complications noted were proctitis (5%), cystitis (2%), vesicovaginal fistula (2%) and rectovaginal fistula (2%). Our data clearly indicate that radiotherapy was effective in controlling central recurrence, but for peripheral recurrence, control rate and prognosis were less favorable.


To detect instrument failures in a nuclear power plant, a failure detection and isolation (FDI) method based on the Kalman filter is developed. Each filter is designed to be insensitive to the failed measurements by decreasing the Kalman gain artificially. Since it is mainly dependent upon the dynamic model and averaged outputs, it can exactly indicate the direction of failures. Even though this concept minimizes the number of filters, it performs the role of analytic redundancy for estimation. As soon as the residual exceeds the predetermined bound, the Kalman filter indicates the possibility of failures. However, since the measurement may show false indication owing to abrupt noises, it must be confirmed several times by the multiple consecutive miscomparison counter, which is strongly dependent on measurement history. Then, if it is not in accordance with other measurements, detailed information on the status of the measurements is provided to help the operator's decision. Various simulations were performed to verify and validate the FDI logic in detecting steam generator and pressurizer instrument failures. It is shown that the FDI technique can detect not only a single failure but also simultaneous common-mode and sequential multiple failures of several direct redundancies. It can correctly estimate the physical states in real time, and the remaining time may be used for control with signal validation. >


Lactic acid is a colourless liquid which is important both in national and international markets for several industries. It is produced chemically from petroleum feed stocks and biologically from bacterial and fungal fermentation. Chitin is a second abundant biopolymer having wide use in agriculture, textile and biomedical industries and traditionally obtained from marine invertebrates which has some demerits like harsh chemical treatment and protein allergy. In order to alleviate the above problems alternative source fungi was chosen, for its production as chitin is one of the cell wall components of fungi. The present work was designed to produce the above two important products economically by a single fermentation process using fungus Rhizopus oryzae NCIM 1009


The factors that allow development of the organization and are found in the resources of the organization are very often not used. These are the possibilities of human capital that can be animated at any time. Making the right work conditions at different workplaces enables the animation of the employee potential results in achieving a competitive advantage in the organization. Work conditions are appropriate when the man is treated as a subject. The main aim of the article is to determine the impact of the requirements of the ISO 9001: 2015 standard on creation of the human as a subject in a service organization in the automotive industry. It turns out that if the top management ensures the provision of the service in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 9001: 2015 and promotes the role of the client, it has a significant influence on the goals and creating the rules of the organization. Managed staff provides the declared characteristics of automotive services because it participates in training and works in the right physical conditions. This means that the managed staff have autonomous control over the reality and implements their participation in the company's processes. This means that managing the organization in accordance with ISO 9001: 2015 creates good conditions for human development as a subject.


A spatial analysis of variance uses the spatial dependence among the observations to modify the usual inference procedures associated with a statistical linear model. When spatial correlation is present, the usual tests for presence of treatment effects may no longer be valid, and erroneous conclusions may result from assuming that the usual F ratios are F distributed. This is demonstrated using a spatial analysis of soil-water infiltration data. Emphasis is placed on modeling the spatial dependence structure with geostatistical techniques, and this spatial dependence structure is then used to test hypotheses about fixed effects using a nested linear model.


Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), a commonly used plasticizer of synthetic polymers causes liver tumorigenesis, and both short and long-term effects on the reproductive system of male rats. Whether initial exposures to DEHP in early developmental stage affect the susceptibility to injury by subsequent exposures later in life remain unknown. Pregnant dams of Sprague Dawley rats were gavage with vehicle, 100 or 750 mg/kg bw/day of DEHP from Gestational Day 14 (GND14) until birth. After resting for twenty days, at postnatal day 21 (PND21) male offspring were gavage with vehicle, DEHP (100 or 750 mg/Kg/d) for 14 days (PND21-35). On PND35, offspring were sacrificed, serum testosterone (T) levels, body and organ (testis, liver and kidney) weight were examined. The data reveals that DEHP 750 mg/Kg/d but not 100mg/Kg/d treatment were sufficient to cause damage to testis when exposures occurs during either gestational or peripubertal (PND21-35) period. Interestingly, our data also indicated that subsequent exposures to DEHP (100 mg/Kg/day) in utero and at peri-pubertal stage were also effective to causing significant injury to testis. The serum T levels were reduced in all DEHP treatment groups. Next, we investigated the effects of peripubertal exposure to DEHP on the susceptibility to injury by subsequent exposure during adulthood. PND21 rats were subjected to oral administration of Oil, DEHP (100mg/kg/day or 750mg/kg/day) for 14 days (PND21-35). The rats were allowed to rest for 25 days until PND60. At PND60, rats were divided into groups and subsequently exposed to oil or DEHP (100 or 750 mg/Kg/d) for 14days (PND60-74). At PND74 the rats were sacrificed, serum T levels, body and organ weights were determined. Interestingly, no significant injury was observed in any of the treatment groups. Instead, and enhanced serum T levels were observed in DEHP-treated adult rats compared to control. Together, this study shows that the susceptibility to injuries following subsequent DEHP exposure is age-dependent, with immature male rats more susceptible while adults are resistant. In addition, the data also indicated that injuries sustained during peri-pubertal exposure are at least in part reversible. This work was supported by NIH-NIGMS-SCORE 2 grant SC2GM099578. Citation Format: Kassim Traore. Age-related difference in the susceptibility phthalate-induced injury in Sprague-Dawley rat. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1580. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1580


OBJECTIVE--To measure the prevalence and incidence of intermittent claudication, to describe the mortality associated wtih the condition, and to assess the relevance of risk factors for vascular disease. DESIGN--A standard questionnaire on calf pain when walking was given in the prospective Speedwell study, and a range of risk factors were measured. The men were re-examined at intervals of three years, and deaths over 11 years were identified. SETTING--The general population. PARTICIPANTS--All men aged 45 to 59 registered with 16 general practitioners. RESULTS--The prevalence of intermittent claudication increased from almost nil at ages 45-49 to 2.9% at ages 60-64. The annual incidence increased from 0.3% in the youngest men to 0.5% in those in their early 60s. Intermittent claudication was related to the existence of ischaemic heart disease, particularly angina, at the first examination. The relative odds of men with angina developing intermittent claudication was 6.7 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.6 to 12.4). The risk of death in men with intermittent claudication was substantially raised. After standardisation for age and smoking the relative odds of death was 3.8 (95% CI 2.2 to 6.5). The excess was entirely from circulatory causes. Systolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, and white cell count were all independently associated with the development of intermittent claudication, but the most striking association was with smoking. CONCLUSIONS--Intermittent claudication is an indicator for a very high risk of death. This is only partly explained by its strong association with ischaemic heart disease.


Currently, AI services spread rapidly in daily life and in all industries. These services are enabled by connecting AI centers and terminals, such as mobile devices, PCs, etc. This method, however, increases the burden on the environment by consuming a lot of power not only to drive the AI system but also to transmit data. In times of war or disasters, it may become useless due to power collapse and network failures, the consequences of which may be even more serious if it is an AI service in the life and safety field. As a nextgeneration artificial intelligence technology that can overcome these weaknesses, low-power and highefficiency "in-sensor computing" technology that mimics the information processing mechanism of the human nervous system is drawing attention.


As a part of our project directed at the search of new chemotherapeutic agents against American trypanosomiasis (Chagas' disease), several drugs possessing the 4-phenoxyphenoxy skeleton and other closely related structures employing the thiocyanate moiety as polar end group were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as antiproliferative agents against Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible for this disease. These thiocyanate analogues were envisioned bearing in mind the potent activity shown by 4-phenoxyphenoxyethyl thiocyanate (compound 8) taken as lead drug. This compound had previously proved to be an extremely active growth inhibitor against T. cruzi with IC(50) values ranging from the very low micromolar level in epimastigotes to the low nanomolar level in the intracellular form of the parasite. Of the designed compounds, the ethyl thiocyanate drugs connected to nonpolar skeletons, namely, arylthio, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy, ortho-substituted aryloxy, and 2-methyl-4-phenoxyphenoxy (compounds 15, 34, 47, 52, 72, respectively), were shown to be very potent antireplicative agents against T. cruzi. On the other hand, conformationally restricted analogues as well as branched derivatives at the aliphatic side chain were shown to be moderately active against T. cruzi growth. The biological activity of drugs bearing the thiocyanate group correlated quite well with the activity exhibited by their normal precursors, the tetrahydropyranyl ether derivatives, when bonded to the same nonpolar skeleton. Compounds having the tetrahydropyranyl moeity as polar end were proportionally much less active than sulfur-containing derivatives in all cases. Drugs 47 and 72 also resulted to be very active against the amastigote form of the parasite growing in myoblasts; however, they were slightly less active than the lead drug 8. On the other hand, compounds 34 and 52 were almost devoid of activity against myoblasts. Surprisingly, the dithio derivative 15 was toxic for myoblasts.


Taking Timaeus 42a-b and 69c-72e as a starting point, this paper claims that emotions are rational in Plato only in a derivative sense. First, what we call "emotions" are, in the Timaeus, a complex state not only of 'mind', but of the compound "body and soul", or, rather of the "incarnate soul"; in this sense, they are non-rational for they derive from necessity. Second, in the framework of a psycho-physiological account, emotions are, prima facie, irrational affections, insofar as they may prevent reason from working properly. Third, it is true, however, that there are some emotions that actually help the reason to command, but the cognitive dimension that is commonly found within emotions comes from a distinct and separate power (δόξα) that makes these emotions display a kind of derivative "rationality". With such a psycho-physiological explanation, the Timaeus can better explain how to rationalize our actions and ways of being through these intermediate states, by bypassing the apparently natural process that goes from sense-perception to what is found pleasant or painful and by giving these emotions their proper (though extrinsic) object of value.


The GUARDNIX system is tailored for user participation in the protection of data. The system, an enhanced 4.2 BSD Unix, utilizes a special class of processes called Guardians to change normally passive files into active objects. Multiple processors are used to physically separate normal processes from the main operating system kernel. Data is provided additional protection by using cryptography. The file directory tree is partitioned, with the subtrees attached to Guardians. GUARDNIX reduces the need for roots and does not allow root processes during normal operations.<<ETX>>


The advent of Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) enables traffic engineering by introducing connection-oriented features of forwarding packets over arbitrary non-shortest paths. Our goal in this research is to improve the network utilization for best effort traffic in IP networks. By examining the best effort traffic class, we assume The large volume of research that has been conducted on traffic engineering for assured forwarding and expedited forwarding with admission control allows traffic engineering on those traffic classes. We examine a different and in some sense a "more complex" problem (traffic demands are not known a priori) of traffic engineering for the remaining network bandwidth which is utilized by best effort traffic. We present a generic traffic engineering framework and four specific algorithms. This framework has two prominent features 1) it uses MPLS to encapsulate source-destination aggregate flows within a Label Switched Path (LSP), with multiple LSPs per source-destination. 2) The framework is "stateless", only the topology is used to determine the traffic routing.


This paper discusses an analysis of ERS SAR imagery of agricultural crops in Flevoland, The Netherlands, over a four-fear period (1993 to 1996) to study the stability of multitemporal radar signatures from one year to the next. Direct comparisons of the multitemporal profiles of crop signatures are made to derive limits on their stability and to examine the differences between them from one year to the next. Sharp rises (of several dB) in temporal crop signatures are linked to variations in rainfall, freezing, and incident angle (due to imaging passes from different orbit tracks). Model simulations confirm the plausibility of these mechanisms and emphasize their importance for quantitative monitoring of agricultural crop development. The possibility of timing critical phases of the crop growth cycle is highlighted using field-to-field variations with particular regard to the emergence and closure of sugar beet. The interyear comparison also enables generalized comments to be made regarding the performance and stability of crop classification algorithms from one year to another. Only summer months are consistently identified as helping to distinguish broad-leaved crops from cereals. There is some evidence that other times of the year assist in distinguishing specific crops, but this evidence is not stable from one year to another.


Two novel diarylboron diketonates 1 and 2 were synthesized by the reaction of 1,3-diaryl-β-diketone with triphenylborane or fluorobis(pentafluorophenyl)borane. The synthesized boron-containing compounds exhibit intense greenish-blue or green emissions in solution but red fluorescence in crystals, showing an aggregation-induced colour change characteristic. Notably, the flake-like crystals of 1 and 2 show an evidently narrowed emission when irradiated by a pulsed laser beam and thus provide the first example of amplified spontaneous emission based on four-coordinate organoboron solids. This finding indicates the potential of four-coordinate boron species in organic solid lasing and thus may expand the application area of boron-containing materials.


In this paper, the problem of adaptive tracking control for a class of linear continuous time-invariant systems subject to constrained actuators is investigated. A novel control strategy is developed to ensure the bounded tracking of the systems. Based on Lyapunov stability theory, a result that indicates the tracking bound can be reduced as small as desired via adjusting control parameters is obtained. Then the control strategy is improved to guarantee that actuator action behaves in the limitation of maximum magnitude of actuators. Finally, simulation results of a cruise keeping marine vehicle are given to illustrate the proposed procedures and their effectiveness.


The number of industrial equipment brands on the market has resulted in customers needing the role of sales force to get clear product information and good after-sales service. Sales who can behave ethically will be more trusted and can establish long-term relationships with customers. This study aims to explain the relationship between salesperson ethical behavior towards satisfaction and trust and its effect on customer loyalty levels at PT Kawan Lama Sejahtera at Bali.The population in this study were PT Kawan Lama Sejahtera customers who had made transactions at least 2 times within a period of 1 year. The size of the sampling was determined based on the non probability sampling method, namely purposive sampling with a total sample of 100 respondents. Questionnaire data that are collected from respondents, are analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with AMOS programs.The results of this study indicate that salesperson ethical behavior has a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction and trust which are a dimension of the quality of the relationship. Customer satisfaction and trust also have a positive and significant influence on customer loyalty. The relationship between salesperson ethical behavior and customer trust is mediated by customer satisfaction, where the effect is significant.The managerial implications of the results of this study can be a consideration in the process of strategic policy making at PT Kawan Lama Sejahtera improve company's performance in the future. Salesperson need to behave ethically in marketing their products in order to increase customer's satisfaction and trust, and also establish long-term relationships with customers.