Introduction Learner workload during simulated team-based resuscitations is not well understood. In this descriptive study, we measured the workload of learners in different team roles during simulated paediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methods Paediatric emergency nurses and paediatric and emergency medicine residents formed teams of four to eight and randomised into roles to participate in simulation-based, paediatric resuscitation. Participant workload was measured using the NASA Task Load Index, which provides an average workload score (from 0 to 100) across six subscores: mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, frustration and mental effort. Workload is considered low if less than 40, moderate if between 40 and 60 and high if greater than 60. Results There were 210 participants representing 40 simulation teams. 138 residents (66%) and 72 nurses (34%) participated. Team lead reported the highest workload at 65.2±10.0 (p=0.001), while the airway reported the lowest at 53.9±10.8 (p=0.001); team lead had higher scores for all subscores except physical demand. Team lead reported the highest mental demand (p<0.001), while airway reported the lowest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation coach and first responder reported the highest physical demands (p<0.001), while team lead and nurse recorder reported the lowest (p<0.001). Conclusions Workload for learners in paediatric simulated resuscitation teams was moderate to high and varied significantly based on team role. Composition of workload varied significantly by team role. Measuring learner workload during simulated resuscitations allows improved processes and choreography to optimise workload distribution.


We analyze model economies populated by individuals who care about their own income and wealth but also regard their position relative to the economy's average values of these variables. Furthermore, these individuals differ in their initial wealth. We consider inequality averse and competitive populations. Poor individuals are inferiority averse in both cases while rich individuals are superiority averse in the former but superiority seeking in the latter case. We investigate the impact of such preferences and wealth inequality on incentive contracts, output, and welfare. Unlike former agency models with inequality aversion within firms, we find that increasing inferiority aversion at the societal level tends to raise equilibrium effort and reduce wage costs. The same holds also for superiority seeking workers. By contrast, raising superiority aversion lowers effort and increases wage costs. A parameterized version of the model which roughly mimics some key features of the industrialized world shows that, even under inequality aversion, increased initial wealth differences lead to higher average output, entail distributional utility losses, and result in a more uneven income distribution. JEL Classifications: D31, D50, D63, D82, M52, M54


The plant hormone ethylene (C2H4) plays important roles in plant growth and development. Here, we report physiological response of transgenic Arabidopsis and tomato plants, antisensed for the ethylene receptor gene CcEIN4 from coffee trees (Coffea canephora), under salinity stress. Results showed that the germination rate was higher in seeds collected from transgenic plants than that seeds from wild plants under salt stress condition. Growth of transgenic Arabidopsis and tomato plants was less sensitive to salt stress than wild type. Some transgenic plants showed a stimulation of radicle length and root system growth. The better salt tolerance observed in transgenic tomatoes lines can be explained by: ability to control the accumulation of Na+ and Cl- in shoots and better K+ and Ca2 + uptake, resulting in higher K+:Na+ and Ca2 +:Na+ ratios. These results suggest that ethylene perception is involved in the plant response to saline stress and plays a pivotal role in the plant salt tolerance. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis.


Research on the Beauty-is-Good stereotype shows that unattractive people are perceived to have worse moral character than attractive individuals. Yet research has not explored what kinds of moral character judgments are particularly biased by attractiveness. In this work, we tested whether attractiveness particularly biases moral character judgments pertaining to the moral domain of purity, beyond a more general halo effect. Across four preregistered studies (N = 1,778), we found that unattractive (vs. attractive) individuals were judged to be more likely to engage in purity violations compared with harm violations and that this was not due to differences in perceived moral wrongness, weirdness, or sociality between purity and harm violations. The findings shed light on how physical attractiveness influences moral character attributions, suggesting that physical attractiveness particularly biases character judgments pertaining to the moral domain of purity.


The Ottomans, after a long period of peace that began in 1740, declared war on Russia in 1768, disputing territory essential to the continued existence of the empire: Moldavia, Wallachia, the Crimea, and Georgia. The war lasted until 1774, during which time the Ottomans proved that they no longer posed a military threat to Europe. The signing of the Küçük Kaynarca treaty of 1774, which granted Tatar independence in the Crimea, was the first instance of an Ottoman cession of a predominantly Muslim territory to a European power, and it provoked an internal crisis and long debate over the future of the empire. The Ottoman administration, especially the scribal bureaucracy, contributed a number of political advice manuals to the debate, which form the core of the following discussion. Four examples have been selected with the purpose of extending the analysis of Ottoman advice literature into the 18th century and testing the assumption of Ottoman inability to accommodate changing political realities.


For the first time, three Ogura based improved cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) viz., Ogu1A, Ogu2A and Ogu3A were developed following seven generations of backcrossing with snowball group. These lines were evaluated and compared with their respective fertile maintainer (B) line for various agronomic traits like curd yield and size, floral traits like size of petals and style, shape of style and seed setting traits like number of seeds per pod and seed yield per plant. Nuclear-cytoplasmic interaction played an important role in determining various agronomic, floral and seed setting related traits. All the three CMS lines were similar with fertile maintainer lines for agronomic traits like days to curd maturity. The curd yield of Ogu1A and Ogu3A were similar with their respective maintainer lines. However, introgression of alien Ogura cytoplasm in the background of snowball cauliflower significantly reduced the petal size, filament length, style and stamen length. Number of pods per plant was significantly lower in all three CMS lines, when compared with their respective B lines. Number of seeds per pod and seed yield per plant in Ogu3A and its respective B line was at par but reduced significantly in Ogu1A and Ogu2A after introgression of Ogura cytoplasm.


Abstract The Institute of Medicine has recently endorsed arguments put forward by John Appleby calling for mandatory sex selection against female offspring in the initial trials of mitochondrial replacement techniques. In this paper I argue that, despite this endorsement, the reasons offered by Appleby for mandatory sex selection are inadequate. I further argue that plausible revisions to Appleby's arguments still fail to convincingly defend such an intrusive policy. While I remain neutral about whether intending parents making use of mitochondrial replacement techniques ought to have access to sex selection, I conclude that to date the case for mandatory sex selection has not been satisfactorily made.


Introduction: After COVID-19 vaccination, women of reproductive age reported changes in their menstrual cycle. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was carried out after a survey on social networks that included women aged 18–41 years with normal cycles according to International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics and who were vaccinated (complete schedule for two doses, except J&J/Janssen or incomplete with a single dose). Women with following conditions were excluded: pregnant or lactating women; history of diseases that cause menstrual irregularities or early menopause: anorexia, bulimia, polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothyroidism, obesity, or low weight; hysterectomized or oophorectomized patients; and high performance athletes. Results: Overall, 950 women completed the survey between July and September 2021. In total, 408 women met the inclusion criteria, and 184 reported the following characteristics: frequency (normal 43.47%, infrequent 25%, and frequent 31.53%), regularity (regular 51.08%, irregular 42.93%, and absent/amenorrhea 5.97%), duration (normal 65.21%, prolonged 26.08%, absent/amenorrhea 8.69%), and volume (heavy 41.84%, light 20.65%, and absent/amenorrhea 6.52%). Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination can influence the menstrual cycle and cause alterations.


Teacher Education is a discipline which educates the progressive generations on what has gone by, where we are, where we want to go, and what we like to create, observing healthy, meaningful and long life. Teacher education is a program related with teacher proficiency and competence that would make them competent enough to face new challenges in the education. Now a days the field of education is not only limited with books but has broadened in various new horizons. Development and changes in education have affected teacher education necessitating review and reforms. It demands understanding with investigative minds, assimilating the required transformations, accommodating and responding to the universal needs. Teacher Education is a discipline which educates the progressive generations on what has gone by, where we are, where we want to go, and what we like to create, observing healthy, meaningful and long life. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a powerful, learner-centered educational method, where students have to work in small groups. This teaching method is somewhere between project work and cooperative learning with a new kind of task definition. PBL is an innovative strategy to encourage students to "learn how to learn" via "real-life" problems (Boud & Feletti, 1999) and promotes life-long habits of learning. Students are given more and more responsibility and independence for their own learning. Among other modifications, Anderson and Krathwohl's (2001) revision of the original Bloom's taxonomy (Bloom & Krathwohl, 1956) redefines the cognitive domain as the intersection of the Cognitive Process Dimension and the Knowledge Dimension. Every innovation has a unique culture, created by the innovators. Novel ideas, personal dedication, institutional social support, persistent struggle are some of the features of innovations. Keywords: necessitating, horizons, innovative, redefines, persistent.


The static and low cycle fatigue properties of four pearlitic grey iron alloys intended for brake discs are investigated. The effect of alloying a base composition with 0.1 wt% and 0.3 wt% niobium is compared to a 0.3 wt% addition of the more conventional alloying element molybdenum. The results show that the static properties remain unaffected for an Nb content of 0.1 wt% while an addition of 0.3 wt% Nb or 0.3 wt% Mo increases the strength compared to the base alloy without Nb and Mo. The fatigue life on the other hand remains more or less unaffected by the alloying, although the stress levels are substantially higher for the compositions with 0.3 wt% Mo or 0.3 wt% Nb. Thus, the experiments show that graphite is very important for the low cycle fatigue life. It is also seen that crack propagation controls more than 90% of the life. Full scale brake dynamometer crack tests also gave a similar fatigue life of the different brake disc alloys independent of the composition.


Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting adaptation to school life of freshmen enrolled in nursing at a Junior College. Method: The data were collected from questionnaires filled out by 312 nursing students in two schools at J and I city from March 7-11, 2011. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN18 program. Result: Self-esteem and adaptation to school life were higher than previous advanced research showed, self-efficacy was moderate and stress to school life was lower than other studies. School adaptation level was related to satisfaction of friendship, school life and the nursing program. The subjects who have chosen nursing by themselves and male students scored higher in their school adaptation. The greatest factors affecting adaptation to school life were satisfaction of school life and stress respectively. Conclusion: Inpre-admission, enough information about nursing school life through experience of previous students must be given. Then, a school adaptation program which incorporates counseling and mentoring should be provided for supporting understanding of school life.


Abstract In the climate of shifting language policies and constant influx of native English-speaking teachers to South Korea, the question of what constitutes a "good" language teacher (GLT) arises. To this end, the present study examines how 577 young English learners (K-6th grade) come to demonstrate their understanding of GLT by making use of visual images and written narratives. A social semiotic, multimodal approach to analysis is employed to scrutinize how these textual and visual narratives construct and/or presuppose a certain image of teacher identity and, as a result, display societal ideologies (Jewitt 2009). The findings yield two dimensions with regard to the objects associated with GLTs, an emotional/abstract dimension and a teaching-related dimension, and the differing use of these objects in relation to teacher gender indicating students' awareness of teacher roles and gender. Moreover, the ways in which learners place themselves in the storied worlds seem to provide evidence for how teacher identity is, in fact, co-constructed with the notion of learner identity. Thus, the study underscores the complex nature of GLT identity construction and further highlights the benefits of using both textual and visual methods to gain better insights into learners' beliefs about, attitudes towards, and perspectives on teachers, students, and language learning.


The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) uptake blockade on 5-HT turnover by measuring the concentrations of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in brain with the aid of high performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. The indoleamines were measured in the anterior hypothalamus (AH), posterior hypothalamus (PH) and raphe nuclei 30 min after the i.v. injection of either alaproclate (30 mg/kg) or zimelidine (20 mg/kg). The effect of alaproclate was studied in male rats, pro-oestrous female rats, rats ovariectomized and injected s.c. with 20 micrograms oestradiol benzoate (OB) on dioestrus and at 12.00 h of the next day (presumptive pro-oestrus) with 2 mg progesterone (model 1) and rats ovariectomized 3-4 weeks before an s.c. injection of 20 micrograms OB followed 72 h later by an s.c. injection of 2 mg progesterone (model 2). Alaproclate caused a significant decrease in the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the AH and PH of the brain of male rats, in the PH and raphe nuclei in pro-oestrous rats and model 1, and in the raphe nuclei alone in model 2. Zimelidine had no effect on the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in any area in model 2. In male rats the injection of parachlorophenylalanine produced a marked reduction in the brain concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, but the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio was unchanged by a subsequent injection of alaproclate. None of the pharmacological agents affected significantly the brain concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine or dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


In the Western literary tradition the concept of the Golden Age and its identification with a special location is as old as the earliest poetic compositions, for it features prominently in the 8th c. BCE didactic epic Works and Days by the Greek poet Hesiod. Filtered through the sophisticated and poetically-determined poetry of the Alexandrians (Theocritus, Aratus), the Golden Age, now linked to an idyllic pastoral landscape, becomes the centerpiece, the common point of reference of all ten poems that comprise Vergil's earliest work, the Eclogues. In Vergil's pastoral art the Golden Age is identified with Arcadia, a location allegedly evoking the Greek area at the center of the Peloponnese, proverbial for its rusticity and shunning of civilization, and as a result, free of all pretention. The fashioning, significance and transformation of the Arcadia theme in literature, both ancient and later, and the evolution of the Augustan model, is the topic of the present volume, the structure and objectives of which are detailed in this introductory chapter.


Type 1 Diabetes mellitus (IDDM) results from an immune-mediated destruction of the pancreatic b-cells. The genetic predisposition is mainly confered by variations within MHC class II region on chromosome 6p as well as the CTLA4 gene located on chromosome 2q33. We analysed the transmission of HLA DQA1, DQB1, DRB1*04 alleles as well as an endogenous retroviral element (DQLTR3) in 130 families with a type 1 diabetic offspring in order to evaluate their role in genetic susceptibility to IDDM. Also the combined transmission of HLA and CTLA4 haplotypes was investigated. MHC class II alleles were typed using sequence-specific primer analysis. The presence or absence of DQLTR3 was defined by a nested PCR approach and CTLA4 microsatellite polymorphisms were detected with fluorescence-labeled primer on an automated sequencing system. By transmission distortion test we confirm the linkage of HLA DQA1*0501 DQB1*0201 (DR3 DQ2) as well as DQA1*0301 DQB1*0302 (DR4 DQ8) with IDDM. Whereas the combination with CTLA4 risk markers leads to the highest transmission rate on DR3 positive haplotypes, the predisposing CTLA4 variant does not modulate the risk on DR4 haplotypes. However, the absence of DQLTR3 on DR3, but its presence on DR4 haplotypes significantly increases the genetic risk for type 1 diabetes. Therefore predisposing MHC class II haplotypes are defined by distinct loci which differentially control genetic susceptibility. The combined transmission of protective CTLA4 and HLA DR3 as well as DR4 haplotypes confirms the dominant role of HLA class II polymorphisms in defining disease susceptibility to type 1 diabetes mellitus.


In order to clarify the clinical characteristics along with practical care of home hospice care for urological cancer patients, we analyzed 62 terminal ill urological cancer patients who died at home, and these patients were compared with 737 non-urological cancer patients in the period from July 2003 through June 2010. There was a tendency to have a longer homecare period for urological terminal cancer patients. However, no significant statistical differences in age, gender and a frequency of home death were observed among the urological and non-urological cancer patients. The frequency of medical treatments for urological cancer patients, such as home oxygen therapy, management of nephrostomy and a placement of indwelling bladder catheter, was much higher for the urological cancer patients. On the other hand, there was no big difference for consumption of strong opioid usage among the urological and non-urological cancer patients. In conclusion, although ordinary medical treatments for urological cancer patients showed no significant differences compared with non-urological cancer patients, professional special assistance such as a change of the nephrostomy catheter were required for urological cancer patients.


We report a hexameric supramolecular cage assembled from the components of a Wittig-type phosphonium salt, held together by charge-assisted R-Br· · ·Br-· · ·Br-R halogen bonds. The cage reliably encapsulates small polar molecules, including aldehydes and ketones, to provide host-guest systems in which components are pre-formulated in a near-ideal stoichiometry for a base-activated Wittig olefination in the solid-state. These pre-formulated solids enable a molecular-level "baking powder" approach for solvent-free Wittig reactions, based on a design of solid-state reactivity in which the host for molecular inclusion also acts as a complementary reagent for the chemical transformation of an array of guests. These host-guest solid-state complexes can also act as supramolecular surrogates to their Wittig olefination vinylbromide products, in a Sonogashira-type coupling that enables one-pot mechanochemical conversion of an aldehyde to an enediyne.


This paper presents a guideline to design and optimize a power harvester circuit for an RF identification transponder. A power harvester has been designed and fabricated in a CMOS 0.18- process that operates at the UHF band of 920 MHz. The circuit employs an impedance transformation circuit to boost the input RF signal that leads to the improvement of the circuit performance. The power harvester has been optimized to achieve maximum sensitivity by characterizing both the impedance transformation network and the rectifier circuit and choosing the optimum values for the circuit parameters. The measurement results show sensitivity of 14.1 dBm for dc output voltage of 1 V and the output current of 2 mum that corresponds to the output power of 2 muW.


Introduction
Noncommunicable diseases are one of the main challenges that affect health worldwide and have been found to be increasing in both low- and middle-income countries compared with high-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of financial incentives and a comprehensive care program focusing on patients' behavior and self-management of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] ≥ 7), as well as modifiable risk factors for disease complications in a Saudi Arabian population.

Methods
This quasiexperimental study, using a pre- and postevaluation approach, was used to compare the level of HbA1c among patients with uncontrolled diabetes before and after the financial incentives and comprehensive care program were implemented. Financial awards were given to patients who achieved a significantly greater decrease in HbA1c levels with his/her responsible physician. The study population included 702 Saudi Arabian patients with type 2 diabetes from 14 regions and 34 primary healthcare centers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. All of these patients (≥ 15 years old) with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who attended local primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia for a follow-up visit from February to October 2018.

Results
The mean age, in years, of the sample was 56.14 (± SD = 9.909); slightly more than half of the patients 401 (57.1%) were females. Most of the participants 645 (91.9%) were married, and 381(54.3%) patients were housewives. Linear mixed modeling revealed that all groups showed improvements over time in the primary outcome of HbA1c levels (p = 0.009), Including the secondary outcomes of body mass index and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.04, < 0.001, 0.019 respectively).

Conclusions
Patient behavior was improved, which was reflected by decreases in HbA1c, body mass index, and blood pressure levels. A comprehensive care program is recommended by healthcare providers to increase awareness among patients with diabetes to reduce other risk factors. These kinds of interventions positively motivate patients with diabetes to control their health measurements and to adopt a healthy lifestyle.


Background: Spontaneous upper extremity movements in infancy provide insight on neuromotor development. Spatiotemporal kinematics have been used to evaluate typical development of reaching, a foundational motor skill in infancy. This study evaluates the relationship between spontaneous upper extremity movements, not elicited by a toy, and motor skill attainment. Methods: N = 12 healthy infants (2–8 months) participated in this longitudinal study (one to four sessions). Motor skills were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Edition: gross motor subtest (GM) and fine motor subtest. Spontaneous upper extremity movements were collected using 3D motion capture technology. Infants were placed in supine for three to twelve 30-s trials, and their movements were recorded. Repeated measure correlation coefficients (Rmcorr) were used to evaluate relationships between variables. Results: There were significant, moderate, positive relationships between the straight distance from start to end of a movement and (a) fine motor score (Rmcorr = .55, p = .03), (b) GM score (Rmcorr = .63, p = .01), and (c) age (Rmcorr = .56, p = .02). There was a significant, moderate, negative relationship between straightness ratio and GM score (Rmcorr = −.52, p = .047). Discussion: Fine and GM skills are related to the straight distance from start to end of a movement and the straightness ratio of underlying spontaneous upper extremity movements.


The inherent small-magnitude fluctuations of transmission line parameters, often attributed to the cause of an unstable and oscillatory behaviour of electric power systems, which operate in unfaulted and normal states under moderate load conditions, are investigated. Due to the limited nature of the deterministic theory to describe the dynamics of a large-scale power system, a stochastic theory is presented. On the basis of recent mathematical studies of stochastic processes, a performance index is derived to measure the small-disturbance stability limits of the system. The viability of this performance index is tested on a power system model.


Background: NOMA is a potentially life-threatening necrotizing condition characterized by the destruction of oral and perioral tissues. NOMA is fatal in 90% of cases but the rate is reduced to about 8% with early recognition and treatment.
Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of health workers towards Noma in a tertiary teaching hospital in north-western Nigeria.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among health care personnel using a self-administered questionnaire between October 2019 and February 2020. The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions covering the domains of knowledge and, attitude/practices. The total score for each domain was obtained and then categorized as low (less than or equal to 50%), fair (51 to 69%), and good (70% and above).
Results: A total of 156 respondents filled and returned the questionnaires. Male respondents constituted 103(66%) as against 53(34%) Female respondents. The age range of respondents was 19 –54 years with a mean±SD of 32.8±6.6 years. Out of 156 respondents, 123(78.8%) were aware of Noma. The total score recorded in both the knowledge and attitude/practice domains were 72.5% and 47.5% respectively.
Conclusion: The awareness of Noma among the study population was good. Those that were aware of the disease have good knowledge of it, however, the attitude and practices were low. Therefore, there is a need for continuous medical education among health care workers.


Theory links the reactivity of metal surfaces to the interatomic spacing and, hence, to the tangential strain. We point out that this proposition can be experimentally verified by exploiting a seemingly unrelated phenomenon, the mechanical deformation of solid bodies when charged in an electrolyte. Such experiments allow the strength of coupling between adsorption enthalpy and strain to be quantified. For hydrogen adsorption on Pd, the result agrees with ab initio computation and with trends that can be inferred from experiment on pseudomorphic layers strained by epitaxy with misfitting substrates. The data suggest that experimentally accessible strain values afford a variation of the adatom concentration by several orders of magnitude and a significant shift of the reaction along the 'volcano curve' of reactivity versus adsorption strength.


Epistemological and metaphysical foundation of Islam is distinct from that of capitalism. Secular and liberal discourse defines the basis of capitalism rather. Due to this the conception of economic justice in the two discourses is expected to differ substantially. A significant amount of literature on Islamic economics, finance and banking doesn't seem to explicitly highlight this difference. Due to this perhaps the Islamic financial industry is measuring its performance as per the standards of its mainstream financial industry. This study would emphasize and elaborate these differences so that the concerned can appropriately evaluate the outcome of their decisions and practices in the domain of Islamic economics and finance. The paper will compare the theory of justice and economic justice in the two respective discourses. A conceptual analysis which follows provides basis for policy recommendations. The ideals of justice of both ideologies are two poles apart, and no overlap exists between the two at least at conceptual levels due to their contradicting epistemological and metaphysical positions. The study is exclusively normative and discussion from pragmatic perspective is beyond its scope. Such a comparison doesn't exist in literature as per the limited knowledge of author. This study would have implications for policy makers and practitioners while adapting structures, institutions, policies, frameworks, etc. from the western world as they would have to be altered to an extent to make them compatible to advance Islamic conception of justice in Muslim societies, if that by any means is possible.


Worldwide, the most common sampling technique used to assess the efficacy of marine protected areas is underwater visual census by SCUBA divers or snorkelers. The technique, however, suffers numerous biases, and limitations that have prompted researchers to question its ability to accurately assess fish assemblages and detect change. Justification for the establishment of marine protected areas is governed by the demonstrated ability of these areas to achieve their objectives of sustaining and rebuilding fisheries and preserving biodiversity. A new technique is therefore required that can accurately and precisely assess the structure of fish assemblages, ascertain and demonstrate whether the goals of marine protected areas are being achieved. This thesis investigates the use and ability of remote and diver-operated stereo-video systems to obtain accurate and precise measures of species richness, relative abundance and length


Legal considerations have always played a critical role in the development of a sign code, but that role has taken on renewed importance in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Ariz., 135 S.Ct. 2218 (2015).  A detailed analysis of Reed is obviously beyond the scope of this paper.[1] For our purposes, it is sufficient to note that the Reed Court announced a far more stringent test to determine whether a sign code's provisions are "content-neutral" or "content-based." In short, the Court ruled that any sign code provision that "on its face" considers the message on a sign to determine how it will be regulated is content-based.[2]  The practical effect of finding that a sign code provision is content-based is to heighten the judicial scrutiny of such a provision if challenged. A provision that is content-neutral is subjected only to intermediate judicial scrutiny: the provision will be upheld if government can demonstrate that the regulation serves a substantial governmental interest and is narrowly-tailored to achieve that interest. In contrast, a provision that is content-based is subjected to strict judicial scrutiny: the provision will be upheld only if government can demonstrate that the regulation serves a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive alternative to achieve that interest.[3]
A case exemplifying how much Reed has affected court review of sign regulations that contain content-based provisions, normally found in "exemptions" is Central Radio Co. Inc. v. City of Norfolk, Va.[4]  There, in a challenge first decided before Reed, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had concluded that a sign regulation exempting flags, emblems and works of art was content-neutral and, applying intermediate scrutiny, held that the regulation was a constitutional exercise of the city's regulatory authority.[5]  But when the challenge was renewed after Reed, the Court of Appeals reversed its decision and agreed with the plaintiffs that, under Reed, the regulation was a content-based restriction that cannot withstand strict scrutiny.[6] Similarly, in Wagner v. City of Garfield Heights,[7] the Sixth Circuit had first reversed a district court ruling that the city's restrictions on political signs was content-based regulation that violated the first amendment under strict scrutiny. After granting certiorari, the Supreme Court vacated the Sixth Circuit's judgment and remanded for reconsideration under Reed. The Sixth Circuit on remand applied strict scrutiny and found that the ordinance was not narrowly tailored to achieve the city's asserted interests in aesthetics and traffic safety.
While the Supreme Court's Reed decision is still fairly new and the decision's complete impact remains to be seen, when developing sign codes lawyers, planners, and local government officials can take steps to minimize legal risk in the wake of the court's decision.  Even before Reed, most local sign codes contained at least some provisions of questionable constitutionality, and the fact is that developing a 100% content neutral sign code may be impossible for some, or even most, local governments.  Further, as Justice Kagan's concurring opinion in Reed noted, such a code might not function well in addressing legitimate aesthetic and traffic safety concerns.[8]  Sign code drafting is an often imprecise exercise, subject to the influences of planning, law, and, perhaps most importantly, local politics.  Planners and local government lawyers should therefore view sign regulation with an eye toward risk management.  If the local government is willing to tolerate some degree of legal risk, it may be appropriate to take a more aggressive, if less constitutionally-tested approach to sign regulation.  Conversely, if the local government is unwilling to accept the risks associated with more rigorous regulation of signs, it would be advisable to adopt a more strictly content neutral - if less aesthetically effective -approach.
In a risk management approach to sign regulation, the local government's adopted regulations should reflect a balance between the community's desire to achieve certain regulatory objectives and the community's tolerance for legal risk.  Regardless of some of the uncertainties that remain about the substantive reach of the Reed decision,[9] Reed clearly increases the level of legal risk associated with many aspects of sign regulation, and most particularly regulation of non-commercial signs. Thus, while communities are well-advised to review sign regulations for potential areas of content discrimination and to take precautions against potential sign litigation, when developing a sign code communities should also consider (or perhaps reconsider) the level of legal risk that the community is willing to tolerate in order to achieve the community's aesthetic goals and interests in traffic safety.  In some areas of sign regulation and for some local jurisdictions, achieving aesthetic goals may run counter to minimizing legal risk, and it will be up to planners, lawyers, political leaders, and community members to determine the appropriate balance between the community's desired planning outcomes and the community's risk tolerance.
In all communities, special care should be taken to avoid regulating signs that have minimal impact on the community's established interests in sign regulation.  For example, avoiding regulation of signs which are not visible from a public right-of-way, or which are so as to have a negligible visual impact, is good sign regulation practice and is in keeping with the notion that regulations should only go as far as necessary to further the interests of the regulating body.  In the same vein, communities should focus on addressing "problem areas" of sign regulation specific to the community instead of regulating for problems that do not exist.  Employing this approach to sign regulation will likely result in the outcomes desired by the community while providing an appropriate level of protection against costly and time-consuming litigation.  With these observations in mind, here is some practical advice on dealing with legal issues in sign code development and regulation in the post-Reed world.

[1] For a comprehensive analysis of the Reed decision, see Brian J. Connolly and Alan C. Weinstein, Sign Regulation After Reed: Suggestions for Coping with Legal Uncertainty, 47 Urb. Law. 569 (2015) in which portions of this articled were previously published.
[2] Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Ariz., 135 S.Ct. 2218, 2227 (2015).
[3] Strict scrutiny normally leads to the invalidation of the challenged provision since few courts have found that traffic safety or aesthetics, the governmental interests normally used to support sign regulation, are compelling interests. Further, most sign codes cannot demonstrate that a challenged provision is the least restrictive alternative. See, Connolly & Weinstein, n. 1 supra at 605-608.
[4] Central Radio Co. Inc. v. City of Norfolk, Va., 811 F.3d 625 (4th Cir. 2016).
[5] Central Radio Co. Inc. v. City of Norfolk, Virginia, 776 F.3d 229 (4th Cir.2015), cert. granted, judgment vacated, sub nom. Cent. Radio Co. Inc. v. City of Norfolk, Va.135 S. Ct. 2893, 192 L. Ed. 2d 919 (2015).
[6] Central Radio Co. Inc. v. City of Norfolk, Va., 811 F.3d 625 (4th Cir. 2016). See also Geft Outdoor LLC v. Consolidated City of Indianapolis and County of Marion, Indiana, 187 F. Supp. 3d 1002 (S.D. Ind. 2016) (noting amendment of ordinance to comply with Reed).
[7] Wagner v. City of Garfield Heights, 675 Fed. Appx. 599 (6th Cir. 2017). See also Marin v. Town of Southeast, 136 F. Supp. 3d 548 (S.D.N.Y. 2015) (ruling that a regulation that exempted certain signs, but not political signs, from
restrictions placed on temporary signage, was a content-based restriction that did not withstand strict scrutiny).
[8] Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Ariz., 135 S.Ct. at 2236-2239.
[9] See, Connolly & Weinstein, n. 1 supra at 587-610.


Automatic data compression in the web proxy server is an important mechanism that can potentially reduce network bandwidth consumption and web access latency significantly. However, unlike traditional data compression, web protocols and data have unique characteristics that make compression challenging. These include data block streaming, wide range of data object sizes and types, and real-time response. In this paper, we focus on automatic web data compression in the HTTP proxy server. A new classification of web data compression based on system complexity and HTTP requirements is proposed: stream, block and file compression. Then, the concept of hybrid web data compression is introduced. To understand the potentials of web data compression better, an implementation of the proposed hybrid compression in the Squid proxy server is described. The result is very promising, as about 30% of the bandwidth can be saved easily. Furthermore, even with a low end Pentium 266 MHz PC as the proxy machine, the compression overhead is less than 1% of the transfer time.


This paper examines the range of responses to one of the recommendations made in the policy studies institute research report: "danger on the road: the needless scourge" (see IRRD 276490). It sets out the grounds for proposing top speed governors and speed alerting devices as potentially major contributors to traffic law enforcement, and thereby to accident prevention. It discusses the nature of the objections that have been raised to their adoption and concludes that none has sufficient substance to justify not doing so. It therefore suggests that there is now an alternative policy approach to the current one for minimising the number and severity of road accidents attributable to speed. It is no longer necessary to rely on improvements in vehicle handling and crash worthiness and on appeals for higher standards of driving -and on the law-abiding instincts of most drivers.(a) for the covering abstract of the seminar see IRRD 812698.


Indoor localization and mapping is an important problem with many applications such as emergency response, architectural modeling, and historical preservation. In this project, a metrically accurate, GPS-denied, indoor 3D static mapping system was developed using a moveable base coupled with three degree of freedom IMU. The experiment was performed by scanning a flat apartment which closely resembled the actual test environment. First the distance of various elements in the surrounding was collected using the LiDAR module along with the orientation of LiDAR Lite. This is termed as scanning mode of the system. After full scan of an area, the system was manually switched to Odometry mode wherein the system was moved to another location for new scan. The distance travelled as well as the direction of travel was noted. Secondly, the data is processed to obtain the position of different points in 3D space. The vast data set is stored in Point Cloud format. The point cloud is processed and stitched by removing the outliers, clustering error-free data and segmenting data to different planes. The scanning and odometry are two different modes that are better operated separately. This is due to the fact that scanning takes time and simultaneous movement registered erroneous data. This increased the number of outliers and hence produced an anomalous map. The toggle between two modes are maintained using a manual switch which provided more accurate data on separate implementation.


The objective of this study was to determine the effect of combining the white dent corn germplasm from CIMMYT
with the local corn germplasm. The determination was done by comparing the morpho-agronomic characters
between the progenies of the cross and the parents. The study was initiated by making the cross between Rattray
Arnold, the population from CIMMYT with 'Jagung Kumpit", the local population. Subsequently, seeds of the
cross, Rattray Arnold and Jagung Kumpit, were planted on the experimental plot and observations were made on
the morpho-agronomic characters of each plant in every population. The statistical analyses of the observed data
showed that the progenies of the cross reached the stage of tasselling, silking and maturity earlier than the parents.
The progenies of the cross had lower means in plant height and total dry weight. than Rattray Arnold but did
not differ significantly from 'Jagung Kumpit". With respect to yielding ability, the progenies had significantly
greater means of ear weight and ear length than the means compared to those of 'Jagung Kumpit" but they did
not differ from Rattray Arnold.


Haiti has not conducted a total revision of its criminal law and procedure codes since 1835. Like most of the older codes, Haiti's criminal laws were based on the old inquisitorial system of trying cases, as originally established by Napoleon in France. A Presidential Commission was established in 2009 to revise both the criminal law and criminal procedure codes. This article, by a Senior Advisor to that Commission, describes that revision process from its inception. The process should be contextually important given that almost all of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have transitioned from the inquisitorial system to the accusatorial or party system. Those processes, certainly including the one in Haiti, have been characterized by several important rejections of traditional party system procedures, particularly including the jury system. The article traces the deliberations of the Haitian jurists and describes which aspects of the party system were accepted or rejected. Finally, the author concludes with an assessment of the likelihood of success of the project.


Like the movement of radiant energy, the acquisition of knowledge seems to proceed by quanta. For long periods knowledge in certain directions may remain at a standstill, while at other times it may increase either by small accretions or by one or a series of more important steps. In the field of bone tumors, knowledge had been practically stationary for many years. Most malignant tumors affecting the skeleton were designated as one or another variety of sarcoma, and for a pathologist to violate this tradition was to risk incurring discredit. With reference to the character of neoplasms in general, the medical profession had largely come to accept, and still accepts, the dictum of the pathologist as law. In many quarters, in fact, the verdicts of the pathologist are accepted altogether too blindly, and often clinical, radiologic, and other factors are not given due consideration. In 1921 Ewing described a variety of bone tumor usually affecting the tibia, fibula, humerus, ulna, femur, ischium, and skull or scapula of young subjects, growing rather slowly, requiring months to attract attention, and accompanied by swelling, intermittent pain, disability, and sometimes by fever. Such growths commonly involve a large portion of the shaft of long bones, although flat bones also may be affected; they usually spare the extremities of the bones, and present roentgenologic features which, at certain stages and in the majority of cases, are almost pathognomonic.


Canadians successfully reformed the Canada/Quebec Pension Plans in the 1990s. Now we must do the same for the rest of our Retirement Income System. This paper offers both a vision and a plan to provide a decent post-work standard of living for the millions of Canadian workers currently accumulating insufficient retirement savings.


This article, based on the author's presentation at the Conference "Sir Hersch Lauterpacht - Lawyer of Two Cultures", organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland and the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law of the University of Cambridge on 5‐6 November 2008, aims at briefly presenting the life and achievements of Professor and Judge Manfred H. Lachs (21 April 1914‐14 January 1993). During the course of his prolific career, Judge Lachs was active and excelled in four different roles; those of scholar and academic teacher, diplomat and international judge. In all these roles, with his innovative and ground-breaking ideas, he has left his mark on legal discourse and his legal thought continues to be of great influence even today.


This study determines festival attendees' Willingness To Pay to support an increase, or prevent a decline, in arts performances and exhibitions. It uses the contingent valuation method to produce a profile of attendees, showing how much, if anything, they are willing to pay per month over and above their current taxes, and their reasons for being willing or unwilling to pay extra. Apart from Snowball (2005), no studies to date have examined Willingness To Pay to support the arts in a developing country like South Africa. This study of the Aardklop festival shows how Willingness To Pay for the arts appears to have changed in South Africa over the past decade and it appears that arts patrons are less willing to pay than a decade ago. It suggests strategies for sustaining the arts in South Africa and will help events managers to identify the attendees who are willing to pay more.


The electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power of four members of the actinide aeries of elements have been measured below room temperature. They include the artificially made, transuranic elements neptunium and plutonium, which are extremely toxic and for which special apparatus had to be designed. Neptunium is a very rare metal and only a small quantity of rather low purity material was available, but the remaining elements were able to be obtained in a high state of purity. The importance of these metals lies in their nuclear properties, and the employment of alloys of uranium and Plutonium as nuclear fuels is now well-established. Under reactor operating conditions, fuel elements are subjected to bombardment from a variety of radiations of differing intensity, to cyclic changes of temperature and resulting thermoelastic stresses. A knowledge of the properties of the materials used in the preparation of the fuel elements, especially at elevated temperatures, is naturally of vital importance, and this accounts for the present pace of research on the subject. While low temperatures themselves are of little interest for the reactor technologist, they provide the physicist with a powerful tool in his basic research. For, with decreasing temperature, the effects of thermal vibrations are lessened and the properties being studied often yield much further useful information. Low temperature research has its own experimental problems, of course, and the techniques employed are often highly specialised. With regard to plutonium, no work below 77°K on any of its properties had been carried out in Britain before the present research was started (1957), although since then work has also commenced at A.W.R.E., Aldermaston and at Grenoble. But at Los Alamos some low temperature research was apparently already in progress. The problems involved in the safe handling of plutonium (and neptunium) are well-known. These metals are extremely dangerous to work with. and great care must be taken to ensure that they do not contaminate the open laboratory. Indeed, the danger level le such that the total body-burden is limited to 0.6 microgram of plutonium, while the airborne limit is set at 2.10 −12 microcuries per cc. (i.e., 10 −11 microgram per cc). The difficulties associated with the handling of plutonium metal arise chiefly from its readiness to oxidise at the surface into a non-adherent powder of very small particle size. This leads to a rapid build-up of a dust in the surrounding atmosphere, and, if a particle should become deposited in the body, severe local biological damage would result. Plutonium is therefore normally handled only in glove-boxes, and our cryostat had consequently to be designed to work in conjunction with a glove-box. The problems raised by this are discussed in this thesis, together with the effects caused by the very high self-heating of plutonium. Another method of working with radioactive specimens, in which they are sealed in cylindrical containers, is also described. The resistances of the actinide metals investigated were found to be high, especially those of neptunium and plutonium, while the thermoelectric powers displayed complicated temperature relationships. The temperature dependence of the resistance of α-Pu was very abnormal, being characterised by a negative temperature coefficient above 105°K and a sharp fall in resistance below this temperature. Some Pu rich δ-Pu-Al alloys also showed the same phenomenon. An explanation in terms of spin-disorder effects seems quite reasonable, and it is suggested that both α- and δ-Pu may be antiferromagnetic. The resistance-temperature curves of uranium and neptunium are also unusual in that the temperature coefficients decrease monotonically with rising temperature. Possible reasons for this have been discussed, including that by which Mott accounted for the high temperature resistance of some transition metals. Jones has recently discussed this again more generally, and Chandrasekhar and Hulm have extended it to account for the negative temperature coefficients of b.c.c. uranium alloys. The band structure of the actinide metals is satisfactorily described in terms of a two-band model, in which a broad, low density of states conduction band is overlapped by a narrow, high density of states band. It is assumed that In uranium, neptunium and plutonium the Fermi level lies within this narrow band, but that in thorium the Fermi level has a lower energy than the bottom of this band. The properties of thorium show it to be less abnormal than the succeeding actinides, resembling the transition me tale rather than the rare earths. Uranium was found to display anomalies In both the electrical resistivity and the thermoelectric power at about 40°K. This is close to the temperature at which Berlincourt observed anomalous changes in the Hall coefficient, and may possibly be due to a phase change. Anomalies at 155 and 273°K in one of the neptunium specimens are also discussed at length, and shown to be due to a ferromagnetic impurity. A table has been included as an appendix which simplifies the evaluation of characteristic temperatures when comparing experimental resistance data with the Gruneisen-Bloch formula.


ABSTRACT Although transmissible metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are a serious threat to β-lactam antibiotic therapy, the CLSI currently does not recommend testing methods for the detection of MBLs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of double-disk tests (DDTs) by using disks containing a combination of the chelators 2-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and Tris-EDTA (TE) to detect MBLs. Sixteen isolates (4 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates, 6 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, 1 Serratia marcescens isolate, 1 Aeromonas hydrophila isolate, 1 Aeromonas veronii isolate, 2 Chryseobacterium meningosepticum isolates, and 1 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolate) producing IMP-1, IMP-1-like, IMP-18, GIM-1, SPM-1, VIM-2, VIM-2-like, and chromosomal MBLs and 20 isolates (7 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, 3 Escherichia coli isolates, 5 Enterobacter cloacae isolates, 2 S. marcescens isolates, 1 Proteus mirabilis isolate, and 2 A. baumannii isolates) producing non-MBL carbapenemases, AmpC β-lactamases, and extended-spectrum β-lactamases were tested. The DDT method was evaluated by using four types of chelator disks (TE, high-strength TE, MPA, and TE plus 20 μl of MPA [at various concentrations]) and the β-lactams imipenem (IPM), meropenem (MEM), ertapenem (ERT), and ceftazidime (CAZ). DDTs with IPM and a TE disk supplemented with 1:320 MPA detected all MBLs and yielded no false-positive results. Some, but not all, MBL producers were detected in IPM-based tests involving the single chelator TE or MPA alone or by ERT- or CAZ-based tests. IPM-based tests with MPA concentrations other than 1:320 and all MEM-based tests had suboptimal sensitivities or specificities. DDT with IPM and a TE disk supplemented with 20 μl of 1:320 MPA appears to be convenient for the detection of MBLs in the clinical laboratory.


We analyzed the effect of nafoxidine on the earlier biological processes of angiogenesis and explored the role of different signaling pathways involved in the in vitro response of endothelial cells (HUVEC). Nafoxidine significantly inhibited adhesion, spreading, migration and invasion of HUVEC at concentrations ranging from 1 to 2.5 microM. Endothelial cord formation on Matrigel was inhibited by nafoxidine and cotreatment with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) clearly prevented the antiangiogenic effect of the antiestrogen. On the contrary, cotreatment with the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide potentiated inhibition of cord formation. PMA also inhibited the nafoxidine-induced secretion of metalloproteinase-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 in HUVEC monolayers. Cotreatment with the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and the cAMP analog N6,2'-o-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate prevented the inhibition of endothelial cord formation induced by nafoxidine. Our work presents evidence about the signaling pathways involved in the antiangiogenic effect of nafoxidine, suggesting that PKC-dependent signaling pathways are essential in angiogenesis during endothelial cord formation.


In Denmark insurance companies may request information regarding current and past disease of the applicants and their family when insurance is requested but they are prohibited from requesting information regarding the applicants' genetically determined risk of future disease. We report a web-based survey in which 46 health-care providers reported how often they met concerns regarding insurance. Concerns were expressed in 1:17 contacts and led to discontinuation of the work-up in 1:200. The providers had knowledge of 86 actual cases with reports of genetic discrimination regarding insurance.


Retail grocery stores usually advertise and sell a selected group of meat and other items at special reduced prices each week. The purpose of the study reported here was to determine the effect that these specials have on the average composite price paid by consumers for beef and for pork. The term composite refers to the value or average price of the entire carcass at retail; it represents the combined contributions of all the individual retail cuts from the carcass that are purchased by consumers. Specifically, specials decrease the retail price, and the effect of specials sought in this study is the decrease in the composite price paid by the consumer as a result of specialing practices. Concern about the effect of specials has been mounting. Questions involved are directed at how large the effect of specials actually is and whether published price series are accurately and adequately reflecting this lowered composite price resulting from meat specials. Retailers feel published prices are too high, causing the wholesale-retail price spread imputed to retailers to be overstated. The National Commission on Food Marketing examined this question and concluded that USDA overstated the average retail price of Choice beef by 7.0 cents per pound and pork by 4.1 cents per pound in 1964.1 This paper describes procedures for arriving at volume-weighted composite prices for beef and pork. Similar procedures may be applicable to specialing of other products and to obtaining accurate yearly average prices for seasonal products. For example, some fruits and vegetables carry lower prices and sell in greater volume when in seasonally heavy supply. A


A method of the first-principles calculation of the electronic states under strong field and current is proposed, which is effective for bielectrode systems with atomic structure. A microscopic distribution of the field and current is calculated in a self-consistent way with the electron distribution in the surface region. The method is applied to the scanning tunneling microscope system around the contact region. The channel for the ballistic electron emission is opened in the tunnel barrier due to the proximity of the tip and surface, and is enlarged by the applied bias voltage. The force acting on the top surface atom by the tip is calculated, and the mechanism of atom extraction is clarified qualitatively.


A review based on a follow up of 215 patients who had been treated operatively for genital prolapse and urinary incontinence after observation for 5-10 year is presented. The operation regime was predominantly conventional and the various vaginal methods involved 182 patients (80%). The Kelly-Kennedy plastic operation (K-K-pl) was employed for stress incontinence and slighter cases of prolapse. In more severe degrees of both of these conditions, K-K-pl was combined with the Manchester operation. The operative method of election in this department for marked cases of utero-vaginal descent was the Manchester operation supplemented by colpo-perineal plastic. The most advanced cases of prolapse were treated either with the Moschowitz operation or colpocleisis. This investigation revealed that the late results of the individual methods at primary operative treatment of both prolapse and incontinence showed the same high results of treatment with satisfactory results in 75-100%. On the other hand, the results of secondary operation showed great variation, depending upon the method, with satisfactory results from 25-85%.


KAHUNYO STEPHEN WAMBUGU (M.Env. Sc), Environmental Science ------------------------------------------------------------------------------The unprecedented rate of deforestation and forest degradation in Kenya has resulted in acute wood shortage. To address this problem, eucalyptus tree hybrids clones were donated to Tree Biotechnology Project in Karura, Kenya by Mondi Forest of South Africa. To evaluate the best planting eucalyptus germplasm, five long-term trials consisting of both eucalyptus hybrid clones and the local progeny in Karura, Machakos, Kabage, Embu and Gede were studied. The study sought to establish the height and diameter growth, stem formation, self-pruning ability, straightness, branching and crown formation of the introduced eucalyptus hybrid clones and the non-hybrid eucalyptus germplasm in different sites. In each trial, 20% of the trees in each plot were selected randomly and height and diameter measurements were taken by use of a sunto and diameter tape respectively. Observations were made on stem form, crown size, branching, self-pruning and survival rate. Analysis was carried out by use of descriptive and inferential statistics. The Genstat Statistical Package was used to carry out both the ANOVA and LSD tests on both DBH and height in all eucalyptus varieties under study. In Karura site there was significant mean height growth variation between the introduced eucalyptus clones and the non-hybrid E. tereticornis and E. saligna, with the clones exhibiting, high survival rates and high level of straightness (95% and 65% respectively). E. grandis exhibited similar growth to clones but with low survival rate. In Embu, the eucalyptus hybrid GCs 642 and 15 achieved significantly high mean height than the non-hybrid varieties. Similarly, the eucalyptus hybrid clones achieved high survival rates (above 95%) compared to E. grandis, E. saligna and E. camaldulensis. In Machakos, E. grandis achieved similar mean height to eucalyptus hybrids apart from eucalyptus hybrid GC 10. Survival rate for all the eucalyptus germplasms in this site apart from E. saligna was over 85%. E. grandis attained relatively high level of straightness (90%) with eucalyptus hybrids GCs 642, 14, 15 and 581. In Kabage, Nyeri, there were no significant difference for both mean height and mean DBH (LSD 1.3 and LSD 1.67) between the non-hybrid E. grandis and hybrid GUs. The high survival rate and straightness of E. grandis was comparable to that of GU 7 (89%), GU 8 (96%) and TAG 5 (pure grandis) respectively. In Gede, significant variation in mean height was observed between progenies. However, eucalyptus hybrids GCs 785, 581, 167 and 584 achieved a significantly high mean height compared to the rest of eucalyptus germplasms. For the mean DBH, eucalyptus hybrid GCs 785, 581, 167 and 584 compared favourably with non-hybrid E. camaldulensis, hybrid GU 21 and hybrid GC 540. The survival rate was high (over 85%) for all the progenies apart from hybrid GC 796 which failed. Crown diameter for the non-hybrid progenies were small compared to those of GUs and GCs, and apart from the hybrids GC 785 and GC 167, all others achieved high branching (over 60%). From the results, the GCs performed well in height, DBH and survival rate than local land races in Karura and Embu, the E grandis exhibited exceptional performance among the local land races in all sites it was planted and GCs are the suitable progeny for a number of agro climatic zones across the country as E tereticornis comes out as the least suitable among the local land races. The study recommends aggressive extension strategy for the suitable hybrids, monitoring of their health as well as continued research and silvicultural studies to find more on their effect on hydrology and soils as well as market reliance.


Recent work has shown that the primary cause of rapid degradation in GaAs-(GaAl)As lasers is the propagation of dark-line defects which originate at threading dislocations present in the as-grown material. This paper considers the effect of first-order elastic interactions between dislocations and deliberately added impurities, such as the commonly used dopants and group III or V impurities. Strongly interacting impurities tend to concentrate preferentially around dislocations in positions where they relieve stress, thus forming an impurity cloud. Subsequent movement of the dislocation then becomes energetically unfavorable. For impurities such as In, Sb, and N the pinning forces can be as large as 1010dynes/cm2. It seems likely that this type of dislocation pinning can be used to eliminate or greatly reduce the probability of a threading dislocation initiating a dark-line defect.


Digital CMOS is fast reaching its scaling limits. Nonetheless, CMOS will remain the backbone technology for building all computing functions. While attempts to extend the limits of CMOS will continue, there will also be increasing focus on other silicon technologies that are needed by system designers. For computing systems, large amounts of high-performance on-chip memory are needed to minimize memory-bottleneck penalty. For systems where magnetic disks are not available, large amounts of NVRAM are needed for data storage. High-performance and low-power mixed-signal technology is needed for systems requiring wireless communication. Recent as well as expected advances in these developments are discussed.


Laser beam lithography for micro-Fresnel lenses (MFLs) with blazed grooves is proposed and demonstrated including the system configuration and characteristics of the resulting lenses. The resolution is even better than that of electron-beam lithography in forming 1-microm deep relief gratings in resist. A laser beam lithographed MFL with a diameter as large as 9.6 mm is described as well as a compact MFL (N.A. 0.21) butt coupled to an optical waveguide. In these two distinct MFLs, nearly diffraction-limited spot sizes have been obtained with diffraction efficiencies of 50% or more. A specific MFL array used for an integrated optic laser Doppler velocimeter is also presented.


One of the most important processes in oil refineries is catalytic reforming unit in which high octane gasoline is produced. The catalytic reforming unit by using Hysys-refinery software was simulated. The results are validated by operating data, which is taken from the Esfahan oil refinery catalytic reforming unit. Usually, in oil refineries, flow instability in composition of feedstock can affect the product quality. The attention of this paper was focused on changes of the final product flow rate and product's octane number with respect to the changes in the feedstock composition. Also, the effects of temperature and pressure on the mentioned parameters was evaluated. Furthermore, in this study, Smith kinetic model was evaluated. The accuracy of this model was compared with the actual data and Hysys-refinery's results. The results showed that if the feed stream of catalytic reforming unit supplied with the Heavy Isomax Naphtha can be increased, more than 20% of the current value, the flow rate and octane number of the final product will be increased. Also, we found that the variations of temperature and pressure, under operating condition of the reactors of this unit, has no effect on octane number and final product flow rate.


The aim of this text is to crystallize the challenges of European railway liberalization for Switzerland, as well as for the railway freight. In order to do that, I will proceed in three steps: I will first recall European railway liberalization. I will then describe the Swiss developments. Finally, I will identify the challenges of the European evolution for Switzerland in general and for Swiss freight in particular.


Suffering intimate partner violence (IPV) is a devastating personal experience and post-traumatic growth (PTG) is a positive, psychological change in a person, following trauma such as IPV. There is a gap in the literature when it comes to theories on PTG after surviving IPV. The aim of this theory development was to synthesize an approach to understanding the PTG journey of female IPV survivors. According to our theory, their PTG journey includes eight main components: 1. The women's early experience of trauma, 2. The consequences of that trauma, 3. Their experiences of IPV, 4. The consequences of IPV, 5. The facilitating factors to PTG, 6. The hindering factors to PTG, 7. Their experience of PTG, and 8. The lingering effects of IPV. According to our findings, PTG is a real possibility for female IPV survivors, and it is likely to improve their mental health, well-being, and quality of life, as well as that of their children, loved ones, and communities, thereby decreasing the damaging effects of IPV. The theory can be useful for professionals when guiding female survivors of IPV to promote their recovery and healing. Due to the lack of research in this field, additional research is needed to further develop this theory.


Diffusion‐controlled reactions between solute particles and immobile spherical sinks are studied, using the Monte Carlo method to perform averages over sink configurations. The average steady‐state solute concentration profile c(r) in a locally perturbed solution is determined for sink volume fractions φ≤0.3, by numerically solving the diffusion equation in the monopolar+dipolar approximation of diffusive couplings between the sinks. At low volume fractions the analytical result c(r)∝r−1 exp(−r/λ), with the screening length λ∝φ−1/2, is recovered, whereas for φ≳0.1 significant deviations from this functional form are found. The Monte Carlo method is shown to be most accurate and efficient in the region 10−3≲φ≲10−1 in which (a) a system of only 25 sinks suffices, and (b) the monopolar approximation alone is sufficiently accurate. In this regime the reaction rate coefficient calculated numerically is found to be in good agreement with previous analytical theories.


An integrated software has been developed to meet the needs of the performance study of the neural network position estimators for PET detector. The two primary functions of this software are real-time data acquisition and automatic control. In addition to these features, many other useful functions are also designed with the goal of ease of use and consistency of the user interface. In this paper, the techniques based on object-oriented programming(OOP) and Microsoft Foundation Classes(MFC) for real-time data acquiring from USB device and RS-232 device, flicker-free displaying, and automatic control of experiments related to PET are described.


The aim of this study was to compare the profile of EGFr expression in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (TCC) and in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In addition, to study the influence of EGF stimulation on the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I antigens, placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) as well as changes in tumour cell sensitivity to cisplatin using immunocytochemical staining, a colorimetric assay and SDS-gel electrophoresis. The results showed that: a) strong EGFr expression could be seen in 22/88 (27%) cases of TCCs. In oral tumours the values for non-invasive ameloblastoma and invasive OSCC were 4/25 (16%) and 30/41 (73%) respectively. b) EGFr expression in tumour cell lines paralleled that of tumour biopsies. The number of lines expressing high and low EGFr expression amongst TCCs were 4 and 4 and in OSCCs were 3 and 1 respectively. c) Exposure of tumour cell lines to EGF led to: i) an increase in EGFr expression (stimulatory indices SI, ranged from 1.06 to 2.58) for TCCs but a decrease in the case of OSCCs (SI ranged from 0.01 to 0.85). The corresponding SI values for class I antigens were 0.95-1.16 and 0.10-0.84. ii) A significant reduction in expression of PLAP by OSCC cell lines. iii) An increased susceptibility of OSCC cell lines to cisplatin by as much as 14% (p<0.001). These data demonstrated the overexpression of EGFr in a significant proportion of TCCs. As for oral tumours it depended on whether they were of an invasive or non-invasive type. In the invasive cases the majority overexpressed EGFr. The exposure of OSCC but not TCC tumour cells to EGF resulted in down regulation of EGFr and class I antigens. The expression of PLAP was also significantly reduced. Exposure of OSCC cells to EGF resulted in their increased susceptibility to cisplatin. The data supports the notion that the mitogenic activation of some tumour cells by EGF resulted in a reduction of their immune visibility, differentiation status and an increase in chemosensitivity.


Here, Cas13a has been used to target and mitigate influenza virus A (IAV) and SARS-CoV-2 using a synthetic mRNA-based platform. CRISPR RNAs (crRNA) against PB1 and highly conserved regions of PB2 were screened in conjunction with mRNA-encoded Cas13a. Screens were designed such that only guides that decreased influenza RNA levels in a Cas13-mediated fashion, were valid. Cas13a mRNA and validated guides, delivered post-infection, simulating treatment, were tested in combination and across multiplicities of infection. Their function was also characterized over time. Similar screens were performed for guides against SARS-CoV-2, yielding multiple guides that significantly impacted cytopathic effect. Last, the approach was utilized in vivo, demonstrating the ability to degrade influenza RNA in a mouse model of infection, using polymer-formulated, nebulizer-based mRNA delivery. Our findings demonstrate the applicability of Cas13a in mitigating respiratory infections both in vitro and in a mouse model, paving the way for future therapeutic use.


Financial support plays an important role in updating and innovation of regional industry cluster. By analyzing the status quo and problems of Jiangxi industry cluster's investment and financing, the paper discusses the reasons accounting for its insufficient financial support. The author put forward suggestions of enhancing financial support under the development of Jiangxi industry cluster, as well as the financial innovation, to establish a multi-functional financial support system.


Contractor Prequalification involves the screening of contractors by a project owner, according to a given set of criteria, in order to determine their competence to perform the work if awarded the construction contract. This paper introduces the capabilities of neural networks in solving problems related to contractor prequalification. The neural network systems for contractor prequalification has an input vector of 8 components and an output vector of 1 component. The output vector represents whether a contractor is qualified or not qualified to submit a bid on a project.


The issue of apostolic succession is one of the subjects of ecumenical dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Polish-Catholic Church in the Republic of Poland. Thanks to studies conducted in this area, it is possible to ascertain the preservation in the Polish-Catholic Church of the historical succession, originating through the Churches of the Union of Utrecht from the Roman Catholic Church. A difference, howewer, is the approach of the two communities to the succession of the episcopal ministry outside the community of the Church. The Old Catholic Churches, and hence the polish-catholics, do not recognise the validity of episcopal ordinations conferred outside the ecclesial community and without a specific mandate to confer them, even if the proper rite of conferral has been observed. The Roman Catholic Church, while regarding the conferral and reception of episcopal orders without papal nomination as giving rise to excommunication, nevertheless recognises their sacramental effect if the substance, form and proper intention of the conferral have been preserved.


A prospective randomized study evaluating the effectiveness of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) for reversal of established rejection was undertaken in 20 recipients of related donor renal allografts. The patients were initially treated with azathioprine and prednisone. With the onset of acute rejection they were randomly assigned to additional treatment with either ATG or high-dose steroids. Eight of 10 patients treated with ATG had prompt reversal of acute rejection and have had no further evidence of rejection. Two of the patients had continuing evidence of rejection after several days of ATG treatment and therefore received high-dose steroids as well. One patient regained normal function but the second suffered repeated rejection episodes which eventually resulted in allograft failure. All 10 patients treated with high-dose steroids had initial reversal of rejection, although four required irradiation of the graft and actinomycin therapy as well and five patients subsequently required treatment for second and third rejection episodes. One patient in this group died with perforated divertic-ulitis following reversal of rejection. With a mean followup of 14 months, 9 of 10 patients treated with ATG have functional allografts, renal function being normal in 8 patients. Nine of 10 patients treated with steroids have functional grafts but renal function remains impaired in three. The effectiveness of ATG when added at the time of acute allograft rejection has been demonstrated. The major advantage of ATG for rejection reversal has been a marked decrease in the cumulative steroid dose administered to these patients. This may avoid many long-term adverse effects of steroids such as the fatal diverticulitis complication observed in this study. An additional suggested benefit is a decreased incidence of second rejection episodes in the ATG-treated patients.


: We report two cases of abnormalities in the second and third stages of intestinal rotation and fixation which presented in adulthood as recurrent midgut volvulus. We review the embryology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of this problem.


Delays may occur during pre-construction or construction phases, or both. The aim of this research is to develop a prototype of an early warning system of delay risks for public projects in pre-construction phase (EWaSDRiP). These delays are attributed to owner, consultant, project characteristics, and external factors. Data was collected through literature review, observations on project reports, interview, and questionnaire surveys with 30 respondents from government client teams, contractors and consultants. The respondents were asked to validate the indicators, and estimate their weight and the degree of accuracy. A 1 to 10 Likert scale reflecting worst to excellent is used to score the state of each of the delay indicators within three zones, i.e. red (scale 1-3), yellow (4-6), green (7-10). The delays in red zone indicates that they pose dangerous threats to the project and must be monitored closely, delays within yellow zone indicate moderate threats to the project, while delays in green zone means that they are unlikely to delay the project. EWaSDRiP gives a visual indication of which zone most delays are distributed. This prototype is potentially beneficial for the owner or government client team to prepare strategic actions for the relevant pre-construction delays accordingly.


In 2016 we investigated what might happen if the NHS was the subject of a cybercrime attack. Our report warned that hospitals would be crippled, and experts said it wasn't a question of 'if' – but, rather, 'when'. Six months later, the feared attack happened. Anna Sayburn returns to talk to some of those in the eye of the storm about what happened, and whether lessons can be learnt.


The Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) is an evolutionary educational method recently introduced to schools in Kansas. As part of an ongoing investigation into the deployment and effectiveness of the MTSS system, this pilot study established initial participation rates in the program. This project sought to define the incidence rate among males and females in MTSS tiers in the study region. The study also sought initial teacher satisfaction with support for their development and training into the new MTSS system. A survey consisting of 13 items was sent to 600 randomly selected elementary public school teachers in the Kansas First Congressional District. As expected, students placed in Benchmark constituted the highest number of participants. Students across MTSS tiers in Central and Western Kansas schools are distributed according to MTSS guidelines and are gender neutral. An implication of this study is that it is vital for effective instruction in reading and mathematics to approach instruction based on students' assessment results which are gained by frequent progress monitoring and assessment. A second implication is the need for leaders in school districts to provide teachers with MTSS professional development during their first through third year of teaching.


Abstract The purpose of this article is to explore whether there is evidence of generational differences in Russian attitudes towards democracy. Are the attitudes, values and beliefs of those who came of age politically after the fall of the Soviet Union significantly different from those who did so in the Soviet period? The main finding is that the post-Soviet generation of Russians is generally more supportive of democratic values and institutions and a free market economy than the generations which came of age politically during the Soviet years. Such a result is not surprising. However, while support was found to be the case generally, the differences appear much more strongly for economic reforms than for political ones. In trying to explain why this should be, the authors argue that instrumentalist rather than culturalist considerations are paramount. Put another way, the current generation appears to be less interested in politics than in getting ahead in the world. If these differences are generational and not simply a function of aging, in the future this generation may be less interested in the public good than in their own.


The detailed analysis of an environmental system is a prerequisite to efficient monitoring design. Such analysis includes the sampling scheme, field measurements, pathway analysis and exposure response. The exposure commitment method rationally ties these aspects together, allowing one to look at the system as a whole rather than at the separate parts.

Monitoring data acquired as part of a field project to develop a pollutant monitoring system for biosphere reserves are analysed. The field study took place in the autumn of 1977 and spring of 1978 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a designated biosphere reserve site in the U.S.A. A multi-media integrated sampling programme was carried out with a variety of samples collected, including soil, litter, vegetation, water and air. in this report, a kinetic model of this forest ecosystem is developed. Values for compartment sizes and rate constants are determined from the literature. Inputs to the system are from measured values. The model results show good agreement with the measured field results. The steady-state concentrations are used to estimate the transfer coefficients for the exposure commitment analysis. The use of transfer coefficients to compute contributions to steady-state concen- trations or to determine exposure commitments is illustrated. It is shown that the exposure commitment method is a useful means of analysing an environmental system and of contributing to the design of monitoring programmes.


We consider finite state channels (FSCs) with feedback and state information known causally at the encoder. This setting is quite general and includes: a memoryless channel with i.i.d. state (the Shannon strategy), Markovian states that include look-ahead (LA) access to the state and energy harvesting. We characterize the feedback capacity of the general setting as the directed information between auxiliary random variables with memory to the channel outputs. We also propose two methods for computing the feedback capacity: (i) formulating an infinite-horizon average-reward dynamic program; and (ii) a single-letter lower bound based on auxiliary directed graphs called $Q$-graphs. We demonstrate our computation methods on several examples. In the first example, we introduce a channel with LA and derive a closed-form, analytic lower bound on its feedback capacity. Furthermore, we show that the mentioned methods achieve the feedback capacity of known unifilar FSCs such as the trapdoor channel, the Ising channel and the input-constrained erasure channel. Finally, we analyze the feedback capacity of a channel whose state is stochastically dependent on the input.


Norske Skog's pulp and paper mill in Pisa, Brazil, was purchased by Norske Skog in 2000. Norske Skog is a world-leading producer of newsprint and magazine paper, with 18 paper mills around the world.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the properties of the chips this mill uses as a raw material, and assess the significance of these properties from a commercial value perspective.

The projected production capacity for the Pisa Mill will increase from the current 185 000 tonnes to 385 000 tonnes/ annum when a second production line (PM 2) will be installed from Union in Norway. At present the Norske Skog Mill buys slab wood chips from five sawmills, the mill also produce their own roundwood chips. Pisa Mill is currently using 75 percent roundwood and 25 percent sawmill chips. This study analyses roundwood chips produced at Pisa and from Pisa´s two largest suppliers of sawmill chips.

To achieve the purpose of this study, chip samples were collected from three sources. Chip analysis was conducted by mechanical screening equipment (according to SCAN-standards) and an optical scanning machine (on a ScanChip). Chip properties were then assessed using bussiness strategy and cost make or buy concepts.

In general the chips from Pisa Mill are short and thin. The sawmill chips have a bigger variation in size compared to the chips Pisa produces for their own consumption. This indicates that the chips from the external suppliers can be improved. And, it is recommended that Norske Skog contunue their dialogue with their suppliers so that the improvements are made.

The study has shown that the size distribution of the chips is greater for the chips made of roundwood at Pisa compared to the two additional sawmills being studied. The results from the two sawmills indicate that the sawmill chips can be improved.

The chip size distribution from mechanical screening and optical scanning gives variable results. As the difference seems to be the same for all chip sizes, it is independent of which system is being used as long as the method is stated when results are compared.

As sawmill chips represent 25 percent of the raw material supply, the quality of this material is of great importance. While the direct costs of the sourced sawmill chips appear to be lower, there are additional direct costs which means that their actual costs are higher. Taking into account the strategic aspects, the company has chosen to buy sawmill chips, there are some benefits of using sawmill chips in their production. The purchasing roll is of great importance when using sawmill chips.

From a cost perspective, the price for sawmill chips is lower compared to roundwood chips. Although there are additional costs using the slabwood chip of poorer quality, which has negative effects on the pulp and paper quality. Sawmill chips is a ready-made product, in roundwood chips there are additional costs when producing the chips.

Since there have been changes in both sawmill chips and roundwood chips at Norske Skog's mill in Brazil and influence in chip properties, the objective of my thesis is to study the commercial value of these changes and to obtain improved knowledge relating to the relevant characteristics of the wood chips.


The structural characterization of hybrid fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) panels is examined in this study. The structural system is based on the concept of a sandwich construction with strong and stiff FRP composite skins bonded to an inner AAC panel. The FRP composite material is made of carbon reinforcing fabrics embedded in an epoxy resin matrix. The carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforcement is applied on the top and bottom faces of the AAC panel, and several innovative processing techniques are used including the hand lay-up as well as the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM). The main focus of the research is to combine the AAC with the FRP face sheets into a synergetic system, which would be consistent with the recent interest in high performance and zero maintenance of civil infrastructures. This combination, being lightweight in nature, has the potential to be used for speedy panelized construction purposes, for disaster mitigation, and to prevent labor-intensive construction. The CFRP has been used with regular concrete before and has shown phenomenal reinforcing capabilities. The AAC, on the other hand, is a cellular concrete and is very light to work with, in comparison to normal concrete. It is also structurally very brittle in nature and has much lower flexural as well as compressive strengths than normal weight concrete. An experimental protocol based on a four point bending test is used to characterize the stiffness, ductility, and strength response of the hybrid FRP-AAC sandwich panels. Since there are no previous research data available on the hybrid CFRP-AAC panels and the bonding characteristics of AAC with FRP are unknown, a set of basic tests are also initiated including the bonding test on AAC samples wrapped with CFRP. To understand and optimize the flexural/shear behavior of the hybrid CFRP-AAC sandwich panels, several innovative reinforcing schemes with CFRP skin are used, as elaborated in this article. In addition, both continuous and discrete AAC blocks are used to fabricate AAC panels. Results from the experiments emphasize the need for a complementary test program where the best reinforcing scheme from the study would be duplicated in future tests on structural elements of the typical sizes including beams, floors, lintels, etc.


We describe our experiences successfully applying lightweight formal methods to substantially improve and reformulate an important part of Standard Portable Intermediate Representation SPIRV, an industry-standard language for GPU computing. The formal model that we present has allowed us to (1) identify several ambiguities and needless complexities in the way that structured control flow was defined in the SPIRV specification; (2) interact with the authors of the SPIRV specification to rectify these problems; (3) validate the developer tools and conformance test suites that support the SPIRV language by cross-checking them against our formal model, improving the tools, test suites, and our models in the process; and (4) develop a novel method for fuzzing SPIRV compilers to detect miscompilation bugs that leverages our formal model. The latest release of the SPIRV specification incorporates the revised set of control-flow definitions that have arisen from our work. Furthermore, our novel compiler-fuzzing technique has led to the discovery of twenty distinct, previously unknown bugs in SPIRV compilers from Google, the Khronos Group, Intel, and Mozilla. Our work showcases the practical impact that formal modelling and analysis techniques can have on the design and implementation of industry-standard programming languages.


The object of this paper is studying some properties of meromorphic functions which satisfy in the condition \[Re(zf(z)) > \alpha|z^2f'(z)+zf(z)| .\] Parallel results for some related classes are also obtained.


Treatment of the stable N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)
1,3-di-tert-butylimidazolin-2-ylidene
with two equivalents of AlH3(NMe3) afforded the
structurally unusual ring expanded dialane complex 1 in 72% yield after sublimation. Complex 1 has a distorted norbornane-like C3N2Al2
core with two pseudo-tetrahedral Al dihydride sites. Treatment of 1 with Cp2TiCl2
as a model for metal thin film precursors produced the hydride-bridged
Ti(III)-Al heterobimetallic complex 2
in 45% crystalline yield. Complex 1
shows good volatility and thermal stability, subliming at 90-100 °C and 50
mTorr and decomposing in the solid state at ~200 °C. The vapor pressure of 1 is 0.75 Torr at 120 °C. These
physical properties are promising for a potential atomic layer deposition (ALD)
precursor. Aluminum metal films were deposited by thermal ALD using AlCl3
and 1 as precursors with a growth
rate of ~3.5 Å/cycle after 100 cycles within an ALD window between 120-140 °C.
The films are crystalline aluminum metal by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed aluminum metal with 7.0 at.%
C, 3.6 at.% N, and 0.9 at.% Cl impurities. The aluminum metal films had an
electrically discontinuous morphology. Conductive aluminum metal films have
been deposited under similar conditions using a different aluminum hydride
reducing co-reactant, which highlights the impact that small precursor
differences can have on film characteristics.


The time evolution of the first three higher order transverse modes is studied for proton-implanted VCSELs using a spatially resolved multi-mode rate equation model. The cylindrically symmetrical model includes spatial hole burning, thermal lensing, current spreading, carrier diffusion and gain saturation. This role of thermal effects and gain non- linearity are studied for transverse mode competition in proton-implanted VCSELs by operating the device with long electrical pulses. Limitations in the single mode operation resulting from the spatial hole burning and thermal effects are observed.


Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a leading female cancer worldwide and cause of cancer-related death, especially in developing countries. Genetic predispositions to BC development in African population is poorly studied, and meanwhile the SNP rs17506395 in TP63 gene locus has been associated with the development of breast cancer in Asian women, no investigation has been undertaken within African population. We investigated the impact of this polymorphism in a representative African population. Methods: We undertook a case-control study including 335 women, of which 111 were breast cancer patients and 224 controls. Using blood-derived germline DNA, PCR-RFLP was used to investigate the polymorphism of TP63 gene at rs17506395 locus. Unconditional logistic regression was used to study the association between the TP63 gene polymorphism and risk of BC development. After stratification into different age and ethno-linguistic groups as well as menopausal status, the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to measure significance of the associations. Results: Comparing cases with controls, no significant associations between genotype and disease development was observed. Similarly, when cases were stratified according to menopausal status and ethno-linguistic groups, no significant association was observed between genotype and disease development. However, in women of 40 years and below, TT and TG genotypes were associated with breast cancer development. The minor G allele seems to protective against early breast cancer onset OR of 0.5 (95%CI = 0.26-0.94, p = 0.03). Conclusion: Our data revealed an association between rs15706395 and the risk of early breast cancer onset. The GG genotype seems to reduce the risk of early breast cancer. Larger studies are needed to confirm the potential of this SNP as biomarker for breast cancer prognostic.


We find the quantum discord and the entanglement required for performing a map between nonorthogonal states. We find that the protocol of changing the overlap of two nonorthogonal states can be performed successfully with or without entanglement, whereas the quantum discord is always required.


A series of LaNixB1-xO3 (B=Co, Cu) perovskite catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method and employed in toluene degradation. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, UV-Vis, SEM and XPS to investigate crystal structure, morphology and composition of the catalyst. The effect of different calcination temperatures and time on the performance of perovskite catalysts for toluene degradation were investigated. And the CO2 selectivity was also carried out on as-prepared catalysts. The results showed that a small amount of Co-doping in B site of LaNiO3 could significantly improve its toluene degradation, while the substitution of Ni with Cu could not effectively enhance its activity. When the Ni/Co molar ratio in LaNixCo1-xO3 perovskite was 3:1, LaNi0.75Co0.25O3 catalyst exhibited the best activity, and it showed relatively short time and low temperature for toluene conversion of 100%. Therefore, LaNi0.75Co0.25O3 catalyst has a broad prospect in the degradation of volatile organic pollutants.


This paper discusses key technical and economical achievements which have extended the range of application of magnetic separation methods into the commercial processing of micron size feebly magnetic materials. Commercial application of magnetic methods in the cleaning of kaolin clay is reviewed and a discussion of magnetic separation principles is given with emphasis on identification and utilization of important process parameters. Possible future developments in magnetic processing of municipal and industrial wastewaters and of applications of magnetic methods to the preparation of clean fuels from coal are discussed.


Kidney stones are listed among the complications of eating disorders; however, very few cases have been reported. We present an additional case of nephrolithiasis associated with laxative abuse, including detailed results of the patient's urine metabolic profiles, in a patient with idiopathic hypercalciuria. We review the literature and provide an explanation for the paucity of cases of nephrolithiasis associated with these disorders. Despite low urine volumes resulting from extracellular fluid volume depletion and hypocitraturia resulting from hypokalemia, both of which would tend to favor the formation of kidney stones, most patients with eating disorders are likely to be protected from stone formation by the hypocalciuric effect of extracellular fluid volume depletion and increased proximal tubular sodium reabsorption. However, patients with underlying idiopathic hypercalciuria who develop eating disorders may be at increased risk of stone formation in the setting of low urine volume and therefore high supersaturation of calcium oxalate and phosphate.