CN02-04 The discovery of BCR-ABL1 gene fusion in chronic myelogenous leukemia helped to understand the role of chromosomal aberrations in carcinogenesis and has also served as a target for effective therapeutic intervention. Recently, we reported the discovery of recurrent gene fusion events in prostate cancer, a common epithelial carcinoma. These gene fusions juxtaposed the 59 untranslated region of the androgen-regulated gene TMPRSS2 and the ETS (E26 transformation-specific) family genes ERG, ETV1 or ETV4 in most prostate cancers. Characterization of prostate tumors that overexpress ETV1 has now identified several new 59 fusion partners. The list of novel 5' partners include, untranslated regions from a prostate-specific androgen-induced gene (SLC45A3) and an endogenous retroviral element (HERV-K_22q11.23), a prostate-specific androgen-repressed gene (C15orf21), and a strongly expressed housekeeping gene (HNRPA2B1). Among the two ETV1 overexpressing prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP and MDA-PCa 2B, we observed a rearrangement of the entire ETV1 locus (7p21) to a 1.5-megabase prostate-specific region at 14q13.3-14q21.1 in both LNCaP cells (cryptic insertion) and MDA-PCa 2B cells (balanced translocation). Functional aspects of ETV1 overexpression was studied in vitro and in vivo. In both benign prostate cells and in the mouse prostate ETV1 overexpression confered neoplastic phenotypes. Thus, identification of distinct classes of ETS gene rearrangements demonstrates that dormant oncogenes can be activated in prostate cancer by juxtaposition to tissue-specific or ubiquitously active genomic loci.


Sargassum dentifolium, (Turner) C. Agarth, 1820, is an edible brown alga collected from red seashores, Egypt. Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is an aggressive malignancy. Hypoxia leads to chemotherapeutic resistance. This work aimed to explore the anti-hypoxia effect of water-soluble polysaccharide fractions of S. dentifolium (SD1–SD3) in CAL-27 OTSCC cells. Cell cytotoxicity assay (MTT); cell death mode (DNA staining); total hypoxia (pimonidazole), HIF-1α (ELISA and immunocytochemistry), HIF-1β (ELISA), and hsa-miRNA-21-5p and hsa-miRNA-210-3p (qRT-PCR) were investigated. SD1 and SD2 showed a cytotoxic effect due to apoptosis. SD2 and SD3 decreased total cell hypoxia, inhibited miR-210 (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01), miR-21 (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05), and HIF-1α (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05), respectively. However, only SD3 suppressed HIF-1β (p < 0.05). In conclusion, SD2 showed a potential anti-hypoxia effect through amelioration of HIF-1α regulators, which may help in decreasing hypoxia-induced therapeutic resistance. Graphical Abstract Anti-hypoxic activity of S. dentifolium through multiple mediators.


The hydroxyapatite [HAp, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2] has a variety of applications in bone fillers and replacements due to its excellent bioactivity and osteoconductivity. It comprises the main inorganic component of hard tissues. Among the various approaches, a composite approach using several components like biopolymer, gelatin, collagen, and chitosan in the functionalization of scaffolds with HAp has the prospective to be an engineered biomaterial for bone tissue engineering. HAp composite scaffolds have been developed to obtain a material with different functionalities such as surface reactivity, bioactivity, mechanical strength, and capability of drug or growth factor delivery. Several techniques and processes for the synthesis and fabrication of biocompatible HAp composite scaffolds suitable for bone regeneration are addressed here. Further, this chapter described the excellences of various HAp composite scaffolds used in in vitro and in vivo experiments in bone tissue engineering.


This research focuses on the exploration, recovery and valorization of some minor Italian olive cultivars, about which little information is currently available. Autochthonous and unexplored germplasm has the potential to face unforeseen changes and thus to improve the sustainability of the whole olive system. A pattern of nine minor genotypes cultivated in three Italian regions has been molecularly fingerprinted with 12 nuclear microsatellites (SSRs), that were able to unequivocally identify all genotypes. Moreover, some of the principal phenolic compounds were determined and quantified in monovarietal oils and the expression levels of related genes were also investigated at different fruit developmental stages. Genotypes differed to the greatest extent in the content of oleacein (3,4-DHPEA-EDA) and total phenols. Thereby, minor local genotypes, characterized by stable production and resilience in a low-input agro-system, can provide a remarkable contribution to the improvement of the Italian olive production chain and can become very profitable from a socio-economic point of view.


The catalytic asymmetric borane reduction of prochiral ketones was examined in the presence of chiral β-diamines. Chiral secondary alcohols were obtained with modest to high enantiomeric excesses (up to 92% ee) using (S)-2-[(p-trifluoromethyl)anilinomethyl]indoline.


We propose a supervised method based on robust non-negative matrix factorization (RNMF) for music signal separation with β-divergence called supervised robust non-negative matrix factorization (SRNMF). Although RNMF method is an effective method for separating music signals, its separation performance degrades due to has no prior knowledge. To address this problem, in this paper, we develop SRNMF that unifying the robustness of RNMF and the prior knowledge to improve such separation performance on instrumental sound signals (e.g., piano, oboe and trombone). Application to the observed instrumental sound signals is an effective strategy by extracting the spectral bases of training sequences by using RNMF. In addition, β-divergence based on SRNMF be extended. The results obtained from our experiments on instrumental sound signals are promising for music signal separation. The proposed method achieves better separation performance than the conventional methods.


Operative vaginal delivery with the vacuum extractor or forceps is integral to the practice of obstetrics worldwide. The rates at which obstetricians in different countries intervene vary enormously. The wide range of operative vaginal delivery rates reported in the United Kingdom has been noted as a cause for concern. At a Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists consultants' conference, the participants of a discussion group were surveyed regarding their 'actual' and perceived 'optimal' operative vaginal delivery rate. The 'actual' operative vaginal delivery rate was 10.5% and the perceived 'optimal' was 8.7%. Given that there are approximately 600 000 births per annum in the UK, if the optimal delivery rate was achieved over 10 000 operative vaginal deliveries could be avoided, with significant reductions in maternal morbidity. Reductions could be achieved by examining practice at a number of points in the care pathway. Individual units should examine their practice to establish whether their guidelines and continuing education programmes reflect current knowledge of best practice.


In comparative studies on using rice straw, corn cob, rice husk, penut hull, sugar cane bagasse, rice bran, as a substrate for xylanase production by Aspergillus fumigatus strain 445-1F, rice straw was found to be the best substrate. Maximum xylanase production (16.8× 10 4 units/g rice straw) was obtained when 1.2 × 10 5 spores/g rice straw were grown at 40 ° C for 6 days on a substrate containing 5 mesh ground rice straw, supplemented with 0.8% (w/w) NH4NO3 and 82 g rice straw/100 ml of water, at initial pH of 4.5. The previous induction of xylanase production by using xylan as a substrate for cultivation of spore inoculum was not necessary. In addition to xylanase, a substantial amount of cellulase was also detected. Hydrolysis of various cellulosic wastes by the crude xylanase prepared showed that the highest amount of reducing sugar (0.26 g/g) was obtained when sugar cane bagasse was used as a substrate.


Negros island is located in a complex tectonic setting in the central Philippines. The lithocap at Bantug is one of several laterally extensive lithocaps in central Negros. Volcanic rocks from the Pleistocene to Holocene Canlaon Volcanic Complex have been altered to advanced argillic and silicic mineral assemblages, and intruded by diorite porphyries and hydrothermal breccias from the Pleistocene Bantug Intrusive Complex (BIC). The lithocap at Bantug extends over 6 km, and has an approximate thickness of 600 m, transitioning downwards into hornfels that has developed in the Pliocene-Pleistocene Caliling Formation. REE and other geochemical anomalies were detected during this study but no significant concentrations of precious and base metals have been found to date.

The Bantug lithocap formed in plagioclase-phyric andesites, aphyric andesites, and volcaniclastic andesitic breccias of the Quaternary Canlaon Volcanic Complex. The lithocap is genetically linked to magmatic-hydrothermal activity caused by the BIC. At least four intrusions and two hydrothermal breccias comprise the BIC. The intrusive complex consists of an early diorite porphyry (U-Pb zircon ages: 1.37 ± 0.10 Ma; 1.35 ± 0.30 Ma), and at least three phases of dikes (U-Pb zircon ages: 1.25 ± 0.31 Ma; 1.06 ± 0.29 Ma). The dikes are dioritic in composition, have plagioclase-phyric textures, and some contain miarolitic cavities filled with epidote and quartz. The diorite porphyry is intensely phyllic-altered and the diorite porphyry dikes have undergone moderate propylitic and argillic alteration.

Drilling in the lithocap intercepted hydrothermal breccias. The breccia bodies have drill hole intercepts of 5 to 325 m. The hydrothermal breccias display advanced-argillic altered clasts, and quartz-pyrite cemented breccias contain juvenile clasts.

Silicic, kaolinite-dominated argillic, montmorillonite-dominated argillic, advanced-argillic, and phyllic hydrothermal alteration assemblages characterise the Bantug lithocap. Surface SWIR analyses over a 2.5 km northeast transect revealed a marked transition from alunit to pyrophyllite and muscovite-bearing samples. Drill hole results transitioned from argillic and advanced argillic alteration associated with hydrothermal breccias in the southwest, to phyllic alteration associated with the diorite porphyry to the northeastern part of the studied area. Index of crystallinity values are higher to the northeast, implying a higher temperature fluid source in this area.

Mass balance calculations for the plagioclase-phyric andesites of the Canlaon Volcanic Complex revealed significant losses ofmost elements in silicic-altered samples in the northeast. The same area saw significant gains of SiO2 and TiO2. Alteration index and advanced argillic alteration index values increase markedly to the northeast both in surface and drill hole samples.

Magmatism and fragmentation processes produced extensive geochemical anomalism at Bantug. Although base and precious metals results were below ore-grade, trace element concentrations revealed anomalous areas. Rare high copper and gold values from Bantug lithocap are associated with advanced argillic-altered aphyric andesite (i.e., 2,517 ppm Cu) and plagioclase-phyric andesite samples (i.e., 0.56 ppm Au). Systematic analyses of surface and drill hole geochemistry results revealed HFSE, REE, transition metals, and base metals anomalism in the northeastern part of the study area. This coincides with the presence of high temperature minerals (i.e., pyrophyllite, zunyite, and muscovite) and high alteration index values (i.e., 93.6 to 96.3).

LA-ICP-MS analyses of alunite, pyrite, magnetite, chlorite and epidote revealed many similarities between the Bantug lithocap, propylitic-altered rocks from Batu Hijau, and the Mankayan lithocap. The variations in alunite compositions from Bantug (i.e., Na, La, Sr, Pb, Sr/Pb, 100 La/Pb, Pb, La, and Pb/Sr) vary systematically with respect to the location of diorite porphyry intrusions intercepted by drill holes. The trace element composition of alunite samples from Bantug compares favourably with that of alunite samples from Mankayan. Trace element variations represent vectors towards potential mineralised centres. The trace element composition of pyrite, chlorite and magnetite samples from Bantug is comparable with that of samples from Batu Hijau, and indicates a potential heat source located at distances from the sample locations greater than 1.5 km, possibly at depth. Similar results were acquired from comparing trace element results for epidote from Bantug with results from Baguio.

Patchy-wormy (gusano) textures are known to occur at the base of several lithocaps around the world, and were observed in surface and drill hole samples from Bantug. Patchy textures are characterised by amoeboid-like, sub-rounded to rounded clusters of clay minerals, sulfates, and sulfides, in a fine-grained granular quartz groundmass. Wormy texture is characterised by contorted quartz veins, which commonly occur with patchy texture. Patchy features from Bantug are composed of pyrophyllite, alunite, diaspore, muscovite, APS minerals, zunyite, rutile, pyrite, and quartz. These are interpreted to be the product of dissolution of primary volcanic features due to repetitive exposure to fluxes of acid, halogen-bearing hydrothermal fluids.

Sedimentation of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Caliling Formation took place under shallow marine conditions (i.e., 5.33 to at least 1.93 Ma), based on the presence of several limestone horizons along the eastern coast of Negros. The Pleistocene to Holocene Canlaon Volcanic Complex rocks are interpreted to have been deposited above sea level. Magmatism and emplacement of the Pleistocene Bantug Intrusive Complex began around 1.65 Ma. Extensive hydrothermal alteration is genetically linked to emplacement of the BIC. Large areas of silicic and advanced argillic-altered volcanic rocks of the CVC indicate that hydrothermal alteration took place above sea level and that sea water did not dilute hydrothermal acid fluids generated by the BIC. The hydrothermal system at Bantug formed large volumes of silicic-altered volcanic rocks surrounded by argillic-altered volcanic rocks, which transition to depth to phyllic-altered diorite porphyritic intrusions. Incipient stockwork formed in the phyllic-altered diorite porphyry intercepted by exploration drill holes; however, base and precious metals results in the lithocap and intrusions were below ore grade (i.e., mean values: 147.7 ppm Cu; 9.994 ppm Mo; 0.01499 ppm Au; 0.07056 ppm Ag). The apparent absence of mineralisation at Bantug could indicate that: i) the mineralised centre has not been intersected by drill holes, ii) oreforming physicochemical conditions were inefficient, or iii) the causative intrusion was metaldepleted. Pathfinder element concentrations in vuggy-quartz intercepted by drill holes, hydrothermal breccias, magmatic-hydrothermal breccias, and patchy-wormy textures development at Bantug provide encouragement for continuing exploration in the lithocap for concealed porphyry and epithermal mineral deposits. Parts of the Bantug lithocap remain unexplored and untested by drill holes. Zunyite, high AI values, muscovite, pyrophyllite, and whole rock geochemistry highlight the northeastern area as a priority target for future exploration. Organic-matter rich horizons within the Pliocene-Pleistocene Caliling Formation may also represent traps for hydrothermal fluids and future exploration should consider the potential occurrence of a skarn deposit in the limestone horizons.


Abstract The doctrine of self-determination has been problematic because of the difficulties in specifying the subject, which is classically the nation or people and the object, which is traditionally a territorially delimited sovereign state. Modern understandings in some ways make the problem more difficult. It is widely accepted that the nation is socially constructed and contested. The state is undergoing transformations and can no longer easily be defined. Territory is also seen as socially constructed and as much of a sociological as a topological concept. Yet these new understandings also open up new perspectives and ways to reconciling nation, state and territory. Post-sovereign perspectives provide new ways of framing the relationships. Yet, in spite of its elusive nature, claims to sovereignty recur. This is because nationality claims are ontological as well as normative and the surest way of demonstrating that a people is a nation is to assert its sovereignty.


The authors made immunophenotyping analyses of blood cells of 50 patients with the diagnosis of B-CLL. Malignant cells contained in all instances HLA DR and CD24 molecules. The superficial molecule CD5 was expressed on cells in 85.7% molecule CD6 on 66.7% cases. By statistical analysis the relationship between selected clinical parameters and expression of surface molecules CD5, CD6 and CD10 was sought. A statistically significantly higher number of leucocytes was found in patients with expression of molecule CD6.


A number of recent enhancements to the Condor batch system have been stimulated by the challenges of LHC computing. The result is a more robust, scalable, and flexible computing platform. One product of this effort is the Condor Job Router, which serves as a high-throughput scheduler for feeding multiple (e.g. grid) queues from a single input job queue. We describe its principles and how it has been used at large scale in CMS production on the Open Science Grid. Improved scalability of Condor is another welcome advance. We describe the scaling characteristics of the Condor batch system under large workloads and when integrating large pools of resources; we then detail how LHC physicists have directly profited under the expanded scaling regime.


Presented are handling and use issues to consider when using floating-gates in analog circuits, such as where to set bias voltages to reduce long-term effects and conditions to avoid when powering up and down the system. Designs to compensate for long-term changes resulting from global disturbances are presented, both for computational blocks as well as bias currents using floating-gates. Lastly, long-term data from an array of floating-gates is presented demonstrating their ability to hold charge over time.


The aim of the work is to investigate the impact of radiation-independent (natural or spontaneous) tumor cell death on tumor control probability (TCP) during and following fractionated external-beam radiotherapy employing both analytical and numerical methods. The analytical method solves a TCP model accounting for tumor repopulation and non-radiation tumor cell death during fractionated external-beam radiotherapy. The numerical method is based on a Monte Carlo simulation of the processes of radiation-induced cell kill, as well as cell division and natural cell death randomly taking place in the time interval between fractions. Distributions of the number of surviving cells are constructed using the Monte Carlo method for cases with and without natural cell death. The analytically and numerically calculated values of TCP were found to be in excellent agreement (as shown in the Method and materials section), thereby validating both methods. The TCP model is then fitted to two different experimental data sets with the aim of determining the model parameter values, primarily the natural death rate. Two versions of the linear-quadratic model of cell damage—with and without assumed re-sensitization of the tumor cells during treatment—are used. In two of the fits a strong correlation between the repopulation and spontaneous cell death rates is observed. It was possible to determine separately the values of the two rates only in the fit of the model with resensitization to the most diversified data set consisting of seven different fractionation regimes. The observed correlation together with a theoretical consideration leads to the conclusion that in most cases it is the net effect of the two processes of birth and death rather than the processes separately that determines treatment outcome. However, depending on the values of the rates of the two processes and the duration of the treatment, the treatment outcome may be more accurately determined by the absolute values of the two rates rather than just by their difference.


Desmoid tumors are locally aggressive fibroproliferative neoplasms that can lead to pain and dysfunction due to compression of nerves and surrounding structures. Desmoid tumors often progress through medical therapy, and there is frequently a delay of multiple months before radiation can provide symptomatic relief. To achieve more rapid symptomatic relief and tumor regression for unresectable desmoid tumors causing significant morbidity such as brachial plexus impingement with loss of extremity function, we have selectively utilized a combination of imatinib and radiation therapy. Here, we retrospectively review four patients treated with concurrent imatinib and radiation therapy. The treatment was typically tolerated with minimal toxicity though one patient developed avascular necrosis of the irradiated humeral head possibly related to the combined treatment. All the patients treated have had a partial response or stable disease on imaging. Improvement of symptoms was observed in all the treated patients with a median time to relief of 2.5 months after starting radiation therapy. Concurrent radiation and imatinib may represent a viable treatment option for unresectable and symptomatic desmoid tumors where rapid relief is needed to prevent permanent loss of function.


Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) can induce severe reproductive failure in sows, and is involved in the porcine respiratory disease complex. The glycoprotein GP4 of the European prototype PRRSV strain Lelystad virus (LV) contains a linear neutralizing epitope that is located in a highly variable region. The current study aimed to evaluate the antibody response against this and other epitopes on GP4 to infection of pigs with European-type PRRSV. It was shown that three virus strains, differing in the region that corresponds to the neutralizing epitope on GP4 of LV, strongly induce antibodies against this area. Antibodies against the epitopes of the different virus strains were purified from polyclonal swine sera, and used in virus-neutralization tests on primary alveolar macrophages. This revealed that antibodies against the variable region in GP4 of different virus strains are able to neutralize infection with homologous but not heterologous virus strains.


OBJECTIVE
Daily oral azithromycin therapy can reduce the risk of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, given its adverse events and additional costs, it is not known whether adding long-term azithromycin as an adjunct therapy to inhaled pharmacotherapy is cost-effective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness add-on azithromycin therapy in COPD as recommended by contemporary COPD management guidelines.

METHODS
We extended a previously validated Canadian COPD policy model to include azithromycin-related inputs and outcomes. The cost-effectiveness of azithromycin was evaluated over a 20-year time horizon in patients who continue to exacerbate despite receiving maximal inhaled therapies. The benefit of azithromycin was modeled as a reduction in exacerbation rates. Adverse events included cardiovascular death, hearing loss, gastrointestinal symptoms, and antimicrobial resistance. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated with costs in 2020 Canadian dollars ($) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) discounted at 1.5% per year. The analysis was stratified among patient subgroups based on exacerbation histories.

RESULTS
In patients with a positive exacerbation history (≥1 event in the previous 12 months), azithromycin was associated with $49,732 costs, 7.65 QALYs, and 10.95 exacerbations per patient over 20 years. The corresponding values were $48,436, 7.62, and 11.86 for the reference group, resulting in an ICER of $43,200 per QALY gained. In patients defined as frequent exacerbators (≥2 moderate or ≥1 severe event in the past 12 months), the ICER was reduced to $8,862 per QALY gained. In patients with no history of exacerbation, azithromycin had lower QALYs and higher costs than the reference group.

CONCLUSIONS
Add-on azithromycin is cost-effective in patients with a recent history of exacerbations at commonly accepted willingness-to-pay thresholds of $50,000-$100,000 / QALY. Guidelines should consider recommending add-on azithromycin for patients who had at least one moderate or severe exacerbation in the past year, albeit more information about treatment efficacy would strengthen this recommendation.


The aim of this paper is to present design of robust current controller, its validation in the environment of Matlab Simulink and its verification on a real motor using rapid prototyping system dSpace 1103. The worst case scenario in current generating part of permanent magnet synchronous motor is considered for controller synthesis. The current controller is designed using μ synthesis so as to reach defined degree of robust performance for defined variations of motor parameters. The controller design takes into account time delays caused with discretization and with finite computational time of the control algorithm. The designed controller was checked if it meets proposed requirements in the whole speed operating range. Paper also shows dependency of controller reduced order on sensitivity function template from the perspective of reached control performance.


EXTENDED ABSTRACT: The Ljubljana City Library has been cooperating in the KAMRA project since its very beginning. KAMRA is a Slovenian cross regional portal joining central regional public libraries as defined in the Regulations on Central Regional Libraries. It was established in order to digitise local studies collections, to promote the collections and the cooperation among different local institutions. The paper outlines the problems related to the collection and selection of relevant library materials to be incorporated in the KAMRA portal. It deals with copyright regulations for web publications and outlines the importance of obtaining the copyright permission for the use of library materials which were digitised after they were exhibited in the physical form. The Ljubljana City Library often decides to digitise hard copies of important items of local studies collection exhibited in the Slovanska Library – a branch library of the Ljubljana City Library. For the needs of the KAMRA portal the Ljubljana City Library created the project My Street (Moja ulica) joining public libraries in the central Slovenian region. They research the history, development, culture and life of people living in particular streets and areas and publish their stories on the KAMRA portal. The City Library of Ljubljana tries to cooperate with other regional cultural institutions, associations and individuals thus enabling access to local information sources which would otherwise be hard to access. The paper also deals with the mission and concepts of the Digital Library of Slovenia (dLib.si) and the KAMRA portal as well as with the digitisation of local studies. At the end it points to the problem of lack of financial means for digitisation projects.


The rat is an important model for studying organ graft rejection and susceptibility to certain complex diseases. The MHC, the RT1 complex, plays a decisive role in controlling these traits. We have cloned the telomeric class I region of the RT1 complex, RT1-C/E/M, of the BN inbred rat strain in a contig of overlapping P1-derived artificial chromosome clones encompassing ∼2 Mb, and present a physical map of this MHC region. Forty-five class I exon 4-hybridizing BamHI fragments were detected, including the previously known rat class I genes RT1-E, RT-BM1, RT1-N, RT1-M2, RT1-M3, and RT1-M4. Twenty-six non-class I genes known to map to the corresponding part of the human and mouse MHC were tested and could be fine mapped in the RT1-C/E/M region at orthologous position. Four previously known microsatellite markers were fine mapped in the RT1-C/E/M region and found to occur in multiple copies. In addition, a new, single-copy polymorphic microsatellite has been defined. The expression profiles of several class I genes and the 26 non-class I genes were determined in 13 different tissues and exhibited restricted patterns in most cases. The data provide further molecular information on the MHC for analyzing disease susceptibility and underline the usefulness of the rat model.


Thomas Aquinas sees a sharp metaphysical distinction between artifacts and substances, but does not offer any explicit account of it. We argue that for Aquinas the contribution that an artisan makes to the generation of an artifact compromises the causal responsibility of the form of that artifact for what the artifact is; hence it compromises the metaphysical unity of the artifact to that of an accidental unity. By contrast, the metaphysical unity of a substance is achieved by a process of generation whereby the substantial form is solely responsible for what each part and the whole of a substance are. This, we submit, is where the metaphysical difference between artifacts and substances lies for Aquinas. Here we offer on behalf of Aquinas a novel account of the causal process of generation of substances, in terms of descending forms , and we bring out its explanatory merits by contrasting it to other existing accounts in the literature.


The relevance of the study is conditioned by the active development of socio-cultural factors that require qualitatively new requirements for the development of professional competences, including communicative competence of future journalists, taking into account psychological and pedagogical conditions. The purpose of the study is to determine and substantiate the psychological and pedagogical principles in the process of developing the communicative competence of future journalists based on linguocultural studies. The study of the selected issues was based on a system-structural approach using methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, as well as the method of rising from abstract to concrete. The urgency of the development of communicative competence in the field of humanities has been identified, in accordance with which the opinions on the interpretation of this concept have been investigated. The study defined the communicative competence of future journalists. The necessity of developing communicative competence based on linguoculturology has been clarified. The main psychological and pedagogical principles of development of communicative competence of future journalists are described, which include motivation, professional interest, development of communication skills and maintenance of the level of all types of speech activity. A list of examples of practical tasks to improve the communicative competence of future journalists, which should be used by teachers in teaching certain disciplines, is proposed and substantiated. It was found that the creative component of communicative competence is the key to successful professional growth of every future specialist in the field of journalism. Prospects for further research are focused on empirical proof of the use of the described methods of developing professional competencies of future journalists


This paper presents an approach for dynamic reconfiguration of wavelength channels for future indoor network architectures. The approach exploits the tunability and the rejection profile of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) to implement service distribution strategies that includes Unicast, Broadcast and Multicast scenarios for fixed and mobile users. Experimental demonstrations based on two implementations show results with 1% average degradation for Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) values and up to 2,2 dB for 1x10 -12 Bit Error Rate (BER). In particular, the proposed architectures fit for large in-building networks


Many proposed high dynamic range (HDR) video coding schemes employ a float to integer transform with a subsequent standard low dynamic range (LDR) video codec. Standard LDR video codecs often work with subsampled chrominance components, usually 4:2:0. In this work we subjectively evaluate float to integer transforms and chroma subsampling for HDR video coding. An adaptive logLuv transform with 12 bit luma component and 8 bit chroma components proves adequate for HDR video coding. A novel chroma subsampling technique is proposed to avoid color bleeding artifacts while preserving the saturation. Subjective tests show improved performance over other known subsampling techniques.


This paper explores the relationship among Ethics, Epistemology and Research Methodologies in the study of African Americans.  A critical review of the literature on research methodologies is used to examine how epistemological denial impacts ethical issues in research on underrepresented minority populations.  The goal is to conduct an analytic review of the role epistemology plays in research aimed at understanding the "other."  Black scholarship is used to illustrate how Eurocentric values are assumed to be universally applicable and can produce "epistemic racism"[1] for people of color and "epistemic injustice"[2] for underrepresented populations overall.
The paper argues that people-centered research cannot be objective or value-free in design and outcomes, instead, hegemonic paradigms remain embedded in knowledge production, interpretation and validation.  As such, ethical concerns are found in how knowledge is generated (data collection procedures), in the knowledge generated (interpretation and analyses), as well as in the use of knowledge (outcomes).  While the incorporation of reciprocity or reflexivity are helpful in ameliorating some of the ethical concerns they are found to be limiting and different from approaches that use race-based or ethnic-based epistemologies in their research methodologies.
Race or ethnic-based epistemologies reject Eurocentric worldviews and Western ideals that often goes undisclosed in institutes of higher learning (Asante, 1993; Mazama, 2016). Those who resist often face rejection of their knowledge claims (Collins, 2015). Race-based epistemologies are sometimes referred to as Afrocentric epistemologies, but overall they are defined as the method of knowing and understanding the reality of members of a particular group, based on their racial/ethnic identity intersected with gender, cultural and/or other social experiences (McDougal III, 2014, 2017).  Afrocentric or race-based epistemologies address social relations of power and privilege and challenge research in universities that posit epistemic superiority that colonizes or erases other epistemologies that are diversified and globally-centered.  They are inherently socio-political in that they challenge hegemonic structures that sustain inequity and injustice (Rodriguez, 2006), external and internal to the academy.
The paper calls for a paradigm shift in qualitative research where race-based or ethnic–based epistemologies are used to rethink how race and ethnicity are studied (McDougal III, 2017; Stanfield II, 2011). Race-based epistemologies inform research methodologies in that they shape research objectives, questions asked, and the data collection processes where concrete experiences are treated as a criterion of meaning and dialogues are used in assessing knowledge claims. Further, there is an ethic of caring in the data collection process and in the personal accountability of the researcher. The paper concludes that the incorporation of race-based and other diverse epistemological perspectives in qualitative research makes for best research practices because it reduces ethical concerns, and research findings are more diverse, authentic and transformational.


The article inquires about the role of globalization on individual commitment to the state by studying the tendency of high-school students to evade obligatory military service in Israel. We define five dimensions of the Individual's Level of Globalism (ILG) and examine their impact on degrees of military service commitment. We suggest a new non-dichotomous approach by considering, in addition to full evasion and full commitment to combat service, the option of quasi-evasion: to serve, but in a risk-free role. Investigating a sample of 2,705 11th and 12th grade students, we find that quasi-evasion is widespread, involving 54% of all respondents and 40% of all males. More 'globalized' individuals, those lacking active local ties and those with high levels of consumerism show a significantly greater tendency to evade military service. Counter to our expectations, students with lower levels of individualism also show a significantly greater tendency to evade military service.


A simulation of DSP-based control of paralleled boost PFC with minimized current sensors is presented. The proposed scheme operates properly with only one current sensor at the supply side. Output ripple voltage is computed to increase system bandwidth while supply current is still sinusoidal operation. Feed forward current control is proposed so that tracking ability will be improved. The 3-module PFC at the rate of 3 kW is simulated by MATLAB/Simulink to verify the proposed techniques


Introduction Some antiretroviral therapy naïve patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) experience a limited CD4 count rise despite virological suppression, or vice versa. We assessed the prevalence and determinants of discordant treatment responses in a Rwandan cohort. Methods A discordant immunological cART response was defined as an increase of <100 CD4 cells/mm3 at 12 months compared to baseline despite virological suppression (viral load [VL] <40 copies/mL). A discordant virological cART response was defined as detectable VL at 12 months with an increase in CD4 count ≥100 cells/mm3. The prevalence of, and independent predictors for these two types of discordant responses were analysed in two cohorts nested in a 12-month prospective study of cART-naïve HIV patients treated at nine rural health facilities in two regions in Rwanda. Results Among 382 patients with an undetectable VL at 12 months, 112 (29%) had a CD4 rise of <100 cells/mm3. Age ≥35 years and longer travel to the clinic were independent determinants of an immunological discordant response, but sex, baseline CD4 count, body mass index and WHO HIV clinical stage were not. Among 326 patients with a CD4 rise of ≥100 cells/mm3, 56 (17%) had a detectable viral load at 12 months. Male sex was associated with a virological discordant treatment response (P = 0.05), but age, baseline CD4 count, BMI, WHO HIV clinical stage, and travel time to the clinic were not. Conclusions Discordant treatment responses were common in cART-naïve HIV patients in Rwanda. Small CD4 increases could be misinterpreted as a (virological) treatment failure and lead to unnecessary treatment changes.


Background The Hospital Pharmacies in the five regions of Denmark use the same information databases; it is possible to share information with all users. The Hospital Pharmacies Information Databases (HPID) contain questions about medicines asked by hospital healthcare professionals and associated answers, given by the Hospital pharmacy staff. HPID is thus used not only for recording purposes, but also for information retrieval. Whenever the hospital pharmacy staff receives a question regarding medicines, HPID are consulted and if a problem has been solved previously, it saves time and resources. Purpose To show how knowledge about medicines is shared across Hospital Pharmacies in Denmark, thereby saving time and resources not only within each Hospital Pharmacy, but also across the whole country. Materials and methods The number of answers given, as well as the database activity in each hospital pharmacy and region, were drawn from the databases. Database activity means the number of consultations of the databases as well as recording of questions/answers. Results A total of 806 answers, distributed among 10 hospital pharmacies in 5 regions, were given during 2012 and were shared with all users. In the same period there were a total of 86414 activities distributed among the same number of hospitals and regions. The answers/activities where distributed among the five regions (R) as follows: R1: 698/52927, R2: 4/4505, R3: 1/6434, R4: 98/18107 and R5: 9/4441. The poster will present updated data based on the latest year. Conclusions Two out of 5 regions are giving first hand answers (796/806), the other 3 seem only to consult the databases, not to populate it. Despite this limitation of the study, it seems that all hospital pharmacies are benefitting from the knowledge within the HPID. No conflict of interest.


Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) catalysts Characterization, reaction and deactivation studies Houman Ojagh Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Chalmers University of Technology Abstract Production of biomass derived fuels such as renewable diesel, are primarily intended to reduce the reliance of the conventional engines on petroleum fuels as well as the emission of CO2 from fossil hydrocarbons. Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is a powerful technique that has been regularly used in the fuel upgrading processes. Sulfided molybdenum catalysts, supported on alumina and promoted by cobalt or nickel, are frequently used in the HDO processes. Despite the high efficiency of the HDO, catalyst activity and selectivity have raised major concerns from the economic and technological perspectives. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the HDO catalyst structure, and then to assess the effect of different pretreatment and operational conditions on the catalyst activity and selectivity. The effect of preparation and pretreatment conditions on hydrogen uptake capacity and dispersion of the prepared Ni, Co and Mo containing catalysts was evaluated by using several characterization techniques such as BET, ICP-SFMS, SEM, TEM, TPO, ethylamine-TPD, XPS and H2-chemisorption. The H2-chemisorption, XPS and SEM results confirmed the detrimental effect of calcination on hydrogen uptake capacity of catalysts. The effect of pH of the impregnating solutions on the dispersion of the metal phases was also assessed from the TEM experiments. Moreover, HDO reactions of oleic acid and abietic acid over a prepared sulfided NiMo catalyst were studied. The results show that addition of DMDS to an oleic acid feed clearly promoted maintenance of the active sulfided phases on the NiMo catalysts. Higher concentration of DMDS also promoted the decarbonylation/decarboxylation (DCOx) route, and more importantly, decreased the amount of carbon deposition on the NiMo catalyst. On the other hand, addition of abietic acid to an oleic acid feed, is shown to decrease the deoxygenation rate of the oleic acid and increase the amount of carbon deposition on the catalyst. The inhibition effect of abietic acid on the HDO of oleic acid was related to stronger adsorption of the bulkier abietic acid molecules on the active sites compared to oleic acid that may have sterically hindered adsorption of oleic acid on neighboring sites. Furthermore, the poisoning effect of iron on the HDO of oleic acid over sulfided NiMo and Mo catalysts was investigated. It is shown that addition of iron to an oleic acid feed decreased the oxygenate conversion activity of both catalysts and changed their selectivities towards the final products. TEM results of the poisoned spent NiMo catalyst revealed that iron was mainly deposited on and in the vicinity of the Ni particles. This may also indicate that iron has reacted with Ni phase and as a result modified the catalyst activity. Finally, hydroconversion of rosin acids over supported NiMoS catalysts on alumina, USY-zeolite and mixed alumina/USY-zeolite was investigated. Various catalyst properties such as dispersion of the NiMo phases and Bronsted acidity affected the selectivity for the products. The results also indicate that the Bronsted acidity of the support could be optimized by the USY-zeolite content of the catalyst to achieve a satisfactory level of deoxygenation, ring opening and cracking of the rosin acid while avoiding excessive coke formation. Keywords: Renewable diesel, Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO), Hydroconversion, Ring opening, Carbon deposition, Sulfided phase, Deactivation, Poisoning, Bronsted acid sites


A high doping technique has been widely used for record-efficiency crystalline silicon (Si) solar cells to minimize the series resistance losses and to form a back surface field. However, it requires high temperatures (up to 1000 °C) and involves toxic gases, which may not be compatible for hybrid organic–silicon solar cells. Here, we report that a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.7% with a device area of 0.8 cm2 has been achieved for organic-nanostructured Si hybrid solar cells by inserting a cesium carbonate (Cs2CO3) layer between Si and the rear electrode aluminium (Al), which is realized by a solution process under low-temperature annealing (<150 °C). Transient and constant current–voltage, capacitance–voltage, and scanning Kelvin probe microscope measurements are used to characterize the effect of the Cs2CO3 layer on the device performance. The insertion of Cs2CO3 not only decreased the contact resistance, but also generated a built-in electric field on the rear electrode. The recombination rates are suppressed at the back surface due to the deflection of minority carriers. These findings show a promising strategy to achieve high performance organic–silicon solar cells with a simple, low temperature and cost effective process.


Background:
Traditionally, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been considered to be a predominantly white matter (WM) disease. More recent studies have revealed considerable grey matter (GM) involvement in the brain. However there is a paucity of literature examining GM pathology in the spinal cord.

Objectives and methods:
We use human post-mortem material to explore various aspects of spinal cord GM pathology in MS including (i) the extent and pattern of spinal cord demyelination, (ii) the relative contributions of GM and WM volume loss to spinal cord atrophy, (iii) the extent of neuronal pathology within the spinal cord and (iv) the sensitivity of post-mortem MRI for detecting spinal cord GM plaques.

Results:
Within the spinal cord, GM demyelination is more extensive than WM demyelination with many lesions showing a novel morphological pattern whereby the plaque borders maintain a strict respect for the GM/WM boundary. Demyelination is more extensive in the spinal cord GM than in other brain regions examined. Post-mortem MR imaging at 4.7 Tesla is highly sensitive for detecting the spinal cord GM plaques.

We demonstrate substantial neuronal loss in the spinal cord in MS, observing reductions in both interneuron and motoneuron numbers. This neuronal loss occurs predominantly within GM plaques. We also observe reductions in interneuron size, both within plaques and in the myelinated GM. Despite this, we find no evidence of spinal cord GM atrophy.
Conclusions:
This study represents the first detailed examination of spinal cord GM involvement in MS. We demonstrate substantial GM pathology in the spinal cord, further challenging the concept that MS is a predominantly WM disease. A greater understanding of this pathology may provide important insights into MS pathogenesis and mechanisms of disability in the disease.


- In this study, we deposited and investigated µ c-Si:H thin films prepared by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition(PECVD) system. To deposition silicon thin films, we controlled SiH 4 gas concentration, RF input power, and heater temperature. According to the experiments, the more SiH 4 gas concentration increased, deposition rate also increased but crystalline property decreased at the same conditions. In the RF input power case, deposition rate and crystalline property increased together when the input power increased from 100[W] to 300[W]. If RF input power was 300[W], deposition rate has reached saturation point. In the heater temperature, deposition rate increased when heater temperature increased. Crystalline property maintained a certain level until heater temperature was 250[ ℃ ]. And then it was a suddenly increased. Multistep method has been proposed to improve the quality of µ c-Si:H thin film. SiH 4 gas was injected with a time interval. According to the experiments, crystallite ratio improve about 20~60[%] and photo conductivity increased up to six times.


In this paper the effects of active fluxes during gas metal arc welding (GMAW) were investigated. Eight different types of active fluxes, with different oxygen content, and MnO – SiO 2 flux mixtures were applied to the surface in 20 vol.% steps before welding. The used shielding gas was 82 % Ar + 18 % CO2 (ISO 14175 M21) in all cases. Even small amount of active flux altered the weld face geometry, according to the cross sectional stereo micrographic images. The most significant effect on the internal form factor was experienced in case of MnO active flux, which decreased the internal form factor by 20 %. In case of the external form factor the applied SiO2 active flux caused the biggest increase which is 37 %. In the hardness distribution and the microstructure of the joints, including the weld metal and the heath affected zone, no significant differences were experienced compared to the sample welded without any flux material.


This paper presents a study on synchronization of linguistic annotation and numerical data on a video corpus of French Sign Language. We detail the methodology and sketches out the potential observations that can be provided by such a kind of mixed annotation. The corpus is composed of three views: close-up, frontal and top. Some image processing has been performed on each video in order to provide global information on the movement of the signers. That consists of the size and position of a bounding box surrounding the signer. Linguists have studied this corpus and have provided annotations on iconic structures, such as "personal transfers" (role shifts). We used an annotation software, ANVIL, to synchronize linguistic annotation and numerical data. This new approach of annotation seems promising for automatic detection of linguistic phenomena, such as classification of the signs according to their size in the signing space, and detection of some iconic structures. Our first results must be consolidated and extended on the whole corpus. The next step will consist of designing automatic processes in order to assist SL annotation.


In this work we study the different electrical loss pathways occurring during the operation of bulk heterojunction solar cells by using a variety of electrical and optical characterization techniques beyond the current density–voltage curve (J–V): Impedance Spectroscopy (IS), Charge Extraction (CE) and Transient Photovoltage (TPV). Two sets of devices are analyzed: the first is based on the donor polymer P3HT, known to provide efficient cells using thick active layers (i.e. 270 nm), and the recently developed PTB7 which offers maximum efficiencies for devices with thinner layers (i.e. 100 nm). Devices fabricated with P3HT:PC60BM are not limited by transport of carriers and large active layer thickness may be used. Importantly, increasing the active layer thickness does not modify the contact selectivity. This is supported by analysis of the diode curve measured in the dark (similar leakage currents) and by capacitance–voltage measurements (similar fullerene content covering the cathode). Under these conditions the current density curve under illumination is mainly defined by the recombination processes taking place in the bulk of the active layer. In contrast, transport of carriers and contact selectivity are both limiting factors for the PTB7:PC60BM system. In this case, best efficiencies are obtained with a low active layer thickness and a high fullerene ratio. Reduced active layer thickness minimizes undesired electrical resistances related to carrier transport through the bulk of the active layer. High fullerene content enhances the amount of fullerene molecules at the cathode leading to decreased leakage currents. Then, the overall device efficiency will be a combination of the recombination kinetics in the bulk of the active layer, undesired resistance to transport of carriers and leakage current present due to low selectivity of the contact. The use of additives has also been explored which enhances charge generation and extraction. Overall, this work provides a comprehensive guide on how to interpret results obtained from some of the most widely used optoelectronic techniques employed to analyse operating devices.


Belgiorno et al have reported on experiments aiming at the detection of (the analogue of) Hawking radiation using laser filaments [F. Belgiorno et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 203901 (2010)]. They sent intense focused Bessel pulses into a non-linear dielectric medium in order to change its refractive index via the Kerr effect and saw creation of photons orthogonal to the direction of travel of the pluses. Since the refractive index change in the pulse generated a "phase horizon" (where the phase velocity of these photons equals the pulse speed), they concluded that they observed the analogue of Hawking radiation. We study this scenario in a model with a phase horizon and a phase velocity very similar to that of their experiment and find that the effective metric does not quite correspond to a black hole. The photons created in this model are not due to the analogue of black hole evaporation but have more similarities to cosmological particle creation. Nevertheless, even this effect cannot explain the observations -- unless the pulse has significant small scale structure in both the longitudinal and transverse dimensions.


This working note presents the methodology used in deepCybErNet submission to the shared task on Emotion Intensities in Tweets (EmoInt) WASSA-2017. The goal of the task is to predict a real valued score in the range [0-1] for a particular tweet with an emotion type. To do this, we used Bag-of-Words and embedding based on recurrent network architecture. We have developed two systems and experiments are conducted on the Emotion Intensity shared Task 1 data base at WASSA-2017. A system which uses word embedding based on recurrent network architecture has achieved highest 5 fold cross-validation accuracy. This has used embedding with recurrent network to extract optimal features at tweet level and logistic regression for prediction. These methods are highly language independent and experimental results shows that the proposed methods are apt for predicting a real valued score in than range [0-1] for a given tweet with its emotion type.


The latency of heat-induced tail-flick was prolonged after the rats were given 3-acetylaconitine (AAc) 20-40 vg/kg ip or 0.1-0.5 vg icv. The analgesia of AAc was dose-dependent. The most intense analgesia with AAc was seen at 30-45 min after ip or icv, and followed by a time-dependent decrease in activity. The relative potency of analgesic effect of AAc was 67 (ip) or 10 (icv) times that of morphine. AAc (30 vg/kg, ip) potentiated the analgesia of morphine (5 mg/kg, sc) which was reversed by naloxone (4 vg, icv) but did not affect the analgesia induced by AAc. AAc-induced analgesia was markedly reduced by reserpine, dl-p-chlorophcnylala-nine, p-chloroamphetamine, 6-hydroxydopa-mine. dopamine, apomorphine or selegiline, and enhanced by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), cyclic AMP, pargyline or haloperidol. The decrease of the analgesic effect of AAc induced by reserpine was reversed by combined administration of l-tryptophan, 5-HT, l-dopa, NE or a-methyldopa. It is concluded that the analgesic effect mediated by AAc is closely related to responses involving the central catecholaminergic and serotoninergic systems.


The process of designing the Boeing 777 high lift system is described. Particular attention is given to design constraints and examples are given of the trade studies completed. The theoretical design tools and experimental test program are described. A survey of the high lift elements is presented and flight test results are compared with predictions.


The ultrastructural localization of calcium in the presumptive ectodermal cells of gastrulae of the newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster, was examined by cytochemical methods and X‐ray microanalysis (XMA). The cells were fixed with solutions that contained potassium oxalate, potassium ferricyanide and potassium pyroantimonate to preserve the localization of intracellular calcium in situ and for the analysis of electron density due to calcium. Electron‐dense deposits associated with the localization of calcium were observed under the electron microscope. Specificially, pigment granules, round vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria as well as the extracellular matrix were observed to contain calcium. In addition, XMA clearly demonstrated the localization of calcium in all of these electron‐dense organelles and yolk granules.


E protein, the 29 Kd repE gene product, is essential for the replication of the Escherichia coli F plasmid. The repE gene has been cloned and expressed in an inducible ATG-fusion vector, and the protein product has been purified to homogeneity. The purified E protein is present as a dimer in solution and binds specifically to both the 19-bp direct repeats (incB) found within the mini-F origin of replication ori2 and the repE operator DNA. Examination of the amino acid sequence of E protein revealed a consensus sequence for DNA binding.


Abstract This study was conducted to identify and describe the perceived morphologic changes of body fat redistribution and related distress among persons taking combination antiretroviral therapy. Six focus group interviews were conducted in four different US cities with men and women (n=58) who reported antiretroviral-related symptoms of body fat loss and/or gain. Interview data were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and systematically analysed using inductive techniques. Physical discomfort and impairment and psychological and social distress were reported across sex, sexual orientation and geographic subgroups. While participants acknowledged that antiretroviral drugs were keeping them alive, there was tension between the desire for life-sustaining treatment and optimal quality of life. Some participants engaged in harmful heath behaviours in an attempt to control bodily changes (e.g. non-adherence to antiretroviral regimen). Participants feared that fat loss represented disease progression and worried that visible changes would lead to unintentional disclosure of their HIV status. Although a potential source of support, healthcare providers were commonly perceived as ignoring and, in so doing, discrediting patient distress. Participants recognised the limitations of current lipodystrophy treatment options, yet a cure for the syndrome seemed less important to them in the short term than simply being listened to and the powerful, but oblique sources of distress addressed.


The discovery of novel leads and new mechanisms of action is of vital significance to the development of pesticides. To explore lead compounds for botanical insecticides, 77 β-dihydroagarofuran derivatives were designed and synthesized. Their structures were mainly confirmed by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, DEPT-135°, IR, MS, and HRMS. Their insecticidal activity was evaluated against the third-instar larvae of Mythimna separata Walker, and the results indicated that, of these derivatives, eight exhibited more promising insecticidal activity than the positive control, celangulin-V. Particularly, compounds 5.7, 6.6, and 6.7 showed LD50 values of 37.9, 85.1, and 21.1 μg/g, respectively, which were much lower than that of celangulin-V (327.6 μg/g). These results illustrated that β-dihydroagarofuran ketal derivatives can be promising lead compounds for developing novel mechanism-based and highly effective botanical insecticides. Moreover, some newly discovered structure-activity relationships are discussed, which may provide some important guidance for insecticide development.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of osteoclast bone resorption supernatants on the osteogenic activity of mouse MC3T3-E1 cell line.

METHODS
Mouse RAW264.7 cell line was induced to osteoclast which was identified with tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and osteoclast specific gene detection. The differentiated RAW264.7 osteoclast was co-cultured with bovine milling bone specimen followed by toluidine blue staining. Then mouse MC3T3-E1 cell was cultured with supernatant from the osteoclast bone absorbent model. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method, alizarin red S staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection of osteocalcin, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction detection were adopted to investigate the proliferation, calcification and osteogenic activity of MC3T3-E1 cells.

RESULTS
TRAP staining, osteoclast specific gene detection and toluidine blue staining all indicated that RAW264.7 cell could be differentiated into functioning osteoclast. The supernatant from the osteoclast bone absorbent model could inhibit the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells, with the A value between 0.062 ± 0.004 and 0.405 ± 0.033 (P < 0.05). It could also increase the formation of calcification nods, promote the osteocalcin level which peaked with the tenth day's supernatant at a level of (2.965 ± 0.047) µg/L, as well as enhance the transcription of the alkaline phosphatase and Runt related transcription factor 2 gene.

CONCLUSIONS
RAW264.7 osteoclast bone absorbent supernatant might influence the osteogenic activity of osteoblast-like cell by inhibiting proliferation, promoting differentiation and calcification.


We study a minimum problem and associated maximum problem for finite, complex, self-adjoint Toeplitz matrices. If $A$ is such a matrix, of size $(N+1)$-by-$(N+1)$, we identify $A$ with the operator it represents on $P_N$, the space of complex polynomials of degrees at most $N$, with the usual Hilbert space structure it inherits as a subspace of $L^2$ of the unit circle. The operator $A$ is the compression to $P_N$ of the multiplication operator on $L^2$ induced by any function in $L^{\infty}$ whose Fourier coefficients of indices between $-N$ and $N$ match the matrix entries of $A$. Our minimum problem is to minimize the $L^{\infty}$ norm of such inducers. We show there is a unique one of minimum norm, and we describe it. The associated maximum problem asks for the maximum of the ratio of the preceding minimum to the operator norm. That problem remains largely open. We present some suggestive numerical evidence.


Introduction Search engine data has been used to predict disease outbreaks based on search volumes for symptoms. Trend data can also assess information-seeking behaviour for cancer symptoms. 'Be Clear on Cancer' (BCOC) for upper GI cancers ran 26/1/15–28/2/15 and resulted in increased two week wait (2ww) OGD referrals. We use Google search data to identify information-seeking behaviour for symptoms of upper GI cancers and corresponding local 2ww referral patterns in response to BCOC. Methods Search data from 10/2/13–3/2/18 for: 'heartburn', 'indigestion', 'reflux' and 'heartburn AND cancer' was extracted from 'Google Trends' and 'Google Adwords'. Google Trends normalised weekly search traffic to a 'relative search volume' (RSV) index between 0 (<1% of the peak weekly search volume) and 100 (equivalent to the highest weekly search volume during the study period). Data was compared to monthly 2ww referrals for upper GI cancers at our centre over the study period. Lower GI cancer referrals were used as a control. Results A mean annual increase in weekly RSV (compared to the annual mean RSV) for the terms 'heartburn' and 'indigestion' in the last week of December annually (from 2013 to 2017) of 67% and 60% respectively (figure 1). In the last week of January 2015, there was also a peak in RSV for 'heartburn' of 73%, corresponding to BCOC. This peak was higher than the Christmas 2014 increase (56%) and not replicated in the study period.Abstract PTU-076 Figure 1 Searches for 'heartburn AND cancer' reached their peak RSV (100) in the last week of January 2015, correlating with BCOC (figure 2). Mean RSV over the entire five year reference period was 7.48, with a 1336% increase in searches during the first week of BCOC, dropping to 722% in week 2% and 173% by week 5 - mean 673% overall.Abstract PTU-076 Figure 2 Data from our centre showed a mean 19.2% increase in 2ww referrals for suspected upper GI cancers in January of every year (compared to the mean number of monthly 2ww referrals for the preceding 12 months), except January 2016 where there was an 11% reduction in the number of referrals. There was an 29.9% increase in 2ww referrals from January to February 2015 which corresponds to BCOC. Suspected colorectal cancer referrals observed a mean 3% increase each January compared to the preceding 12 month average. Conclusions Peaks in information-seeking behaviours were observed each Christmas for upper GI symptoms resulting in a significant increase in 2ww referrals. BCOC generated a larger increase in interest with additional cancer association, but impact (as measured by information seeking) fell sharply over the course of the campaign. Future BCOC programmes may benefit from 2 separate campaigns of reduced duration. Service pressures during such campaigns may be eased by such campaigns avoiding January.


A new combined research-curriculum development (CRCD) program at Boston University titled Photonics Research in Interdisciplinary Education (PRIDE) is described. The PRIDE program is designed to demonstrate vertically integrated curriculum development by incorporating three levels of modules into a wide range of existing courses. Examples of photonics research and knowledge are molded into modules to enrich standard core, specialized elective and design courses of undergraduate and early graduate curricula. An interdisciplinary faculty team has been formed to develop integrative learning experiences focusing on modern research in photonics as an important and interesting problem area. Modules are based on and demonstrated by recent photonics research, including photonic materials and devices, optical data storage, optical communications, displays and photonics systems. Self-contained applications modules integrate engineering concepts in upper division core. Laboratory practicums provide empirical experiences to supplement photonics electives. Finally, open-ended design cases pose capstone photonics design challenges for teams of students. Our modular implementation of photonics into existing courses represents a significant depart ure from standard curricular development. This approach reduces the barriers to entry for cross-disciplinary education, is inherently transportable while maintaining local flexibility of content, and incorporates photonics research into a wide range of different curricular t epics.


Although the accounting definition of assets contemplates intangible, abstract assets such as those embodied in intellectual property (IP), South African company law largely views IP as a legal and not a business asset. This paper tentatively suggests an approach that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to mitigate weaknesses in the South African patent law relating to the absence of patent searches and examinations. It is hoped that using AI will enable the filing of quality patents that satisfy the prescribed patentability criteria. High-quality patents will allow companies to accumulate patents as corporate assets. The approach is based on the algorithmic use of AI technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, deep learning alongside the Internet of Things, and IP analytics to strengthen South Africa's IP system and create asset value for corporations. The paper recommends using the proposed AI technologies by companies and the Patents Office to enable the filing of high-quality patents, which will lead to the accumulation of corporate assets in the form of patents. The methodology is doctrinal, and the paper relies on recent literature on IP and AI, South African law, case law and examples drawn from studies conducted in other countries.


An antenna is the most important element of any wireless communication. This paper is highly focused on the multiband application of the Microstrip Patch Antenna. In first phase the S – shaped Multiband Microstrip Patch antenna is simulated and analyzed. Comparative analysis between Common S-shaped Multiband Microstrip Patch Antenna, Defected Ground Structure S-shaped Multiband Microstrip Patch Antenna using Complementary Split Ring Resonator and S – shaped Multiband Microstrip Patch Antenna using Metamaterial is shown in this paper. The proposed antenna is designed for various multiple applications such as Bluetooth, L and S band applications which are used in Medical Application and ISM Application, in the operating range 1-5 GHz. Here S-shaped meandered patch of dimension 50×50 mm2 is analyzed. Design results of VSWR, Return loss S11, Total Gain plot and Total Directivity Plot are shown in this paper. Design results are obtained by a HFSS (High Frequency Structure Simulator) which is used for simulating microwave passive components.


A striking effect of retinoids is their ability to alter cell fate during development. The mucous metaplasia produced by treating chick embryo skin in organ culture with retinoic acid is a classical example of this property. It has been impossible so far to demonstrate that retinoids are able to provoke metaplasia of adult keratinocytes grown in vitro, although these agents have been shown to block terminal epidermal differentiation, to induce increased synthesis of mucopolysaccharides, and to induce the ectopic expression of K19 and K13 keratins. Our previous work showed that adult human epidermal keratinocytes grown on dermal equivalents at the surface of a culture medium containing physiological amounts of retinoids form a normal keratinized epidermis, while when excess retinoic acid is added to the culture medium, keratinization is prevented but stratification is not. Here we show that the distribution of tissue- and differentiation-stage-specific markers in retinoic acid-treated epithelium is similar to that of the oral mucosa. Moreover, when the excess retinoic acid is removed, a new epithelium is formed beneath the "old" one and this epithelium displays an epidermal orthokeratinized phenotype, whereas the "old" epithelium remains unchanged. This phenomenon of "partial reversibility", as well as the mutually exclusive distribution of the markers of the two alternative routes of differentiation, demonstrate that retinoic acid is indeed able to provoke metaplasia of adult epidermal keratinocytes.


Fibre composite guardrails are increasingly being used due to its high strength, high corrosion resistance and low maintenance, although there is very limited information on their structural behaviour. In this study, full-scale pultruded glass fibre reinforced polymer guardrail is experimentally investigated to have a better understanding on the behaviour of fibre composites guardrail system. Glass fibre reinforced polymer guardrail systems mounted on top and side of a steel beam with different joint connectors are loaded horizontally to top of the guardrail post and to the middle of the guardrail member. The results showed that the guardrail system with joints connected with either polypin or rivets combined with epoxy exhibited 20% higher failure load and almost double the stiffness than those connected using polypin or rivets alone. The side-mounted guardrail failed due to failure of the base connector, while the guardrail mounted on top of the beam failed due to failure of the joint connector. Finally, the results of the study indicated that the structural behaviour of glass fibre reinforced polymer guardrail system is affected mainly by the type of joints connecting the different members.


AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To investigate parents' experiences, coping ability and quality of life while monitoring their sick child with hypoplastic left heart syndrome at home.

BACKGROUND
Interstage home monitoring for children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome reduces interstage mortality between Norwood stages I and II. Little is known about the psychosocial impact of interstage home monitoring.

DESIGN
Prospective mixed-method study.

METHODS
This study assessed the psychosocial impact on parents during interstage home monitoring. This contains for quantitative assessment the Short Form Health Survey questionnaire and the Impact of Family Scale administered one and five weeks following discharge before and after stage II. For qualitative assessment, semi-structured interviews focussing on the postdischarge coping strategies were conducted twice, five weeks after hospital discharge before and after stage II.

RESULTS
Ten infants (eight males) with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (n = 7) or other types of univentricular heart malformations (n = 3), and their parents (nine mother/father two-parent households, one single mother) were included. There were no interstage deaths. Mental Health Composite Summary scores were low in both parents (mothers: 40·45 ± 9·07; fathers: 40·58 ± 9·69) and lowest for the item 'vitality' (mothers: 37·0 ± 19·46; fathers: 43·12 ± 25·9) before and after stage II. Impact of Family Scale values showed higher daily and social burdens for mothers. 'Becoming a family' was the most important task as coping strategy to equilibrate the fragile emotional balance. The parents judged interstage home monitoring as a protective intervention.

CONCLUSIONS
Although psychosocial burden before and after stage II remains high, becoming a family is an essential experience for parents and confirms their parenthood.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Healthcare professionals must be aware of parents' needs during this vulnerable interstage period and to provide psychosocial and nursing support.


Background: High cholesterol turnover is implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease by causing β amyloid plaque deposition and selective degeneration of cholinergic neurons in brain whereas drugs currently used for the treatment of the same are based on mechanisms which are cholesterol independent.

Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study is to find any cholesterol independent mechanisms such as antioxidant and cholinomimetic action of statins in a reversal of memory deficit in scopolamine-induced amnesia.

Materials and Methods: Sixty young Swiss albino mice were divided equally into 10 groups, i.e., Group I to Group X. Group I–V and Group VI–X were subjected two exteroceptive behavioral models, i.e., passive avoidance paradigm and Morris water maze, (MWM) respectively. Group I and Group VI served as negative control. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), atorvastatin, simvastatin (test drugs), and piracetam (standard drug), respectively, were given orally to Group II and VII, Group III and VIII, Group IV and IX, and Group V and X for 14 days before inducing amnesia using scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg body weight) injection i.p.

Results: Step down latency of disease control group treated with CMC was significantly lower than that of the negative control group (42.5 ± 9.07 s vs. 147.5 ± 10.78 s) as well as that of statin and piracetam treated groups. Learning was good among all groups in MWM with a gradual decrease in escape latency from day 1 to day 4 but during memory retrieval test on day 5, CMC treated group performed poorly in comparison to others. There was no significant difference in plasma cholesterol levels among different groups whereas malondialdehyde was significantly lower among groups treated with statins or piracetam.

Conclusion: Statins reversed the scopolamine-induced amnesia by some cholesterol independent mechanisms.


Clostridium difficile diarrhoea is a common iatrogenic nosocomial disease. Fortunately, most affected patients respond well to medical therapy that includes discontinuation of the inciting antibiotic and treatment with metronidazole or vancomycin.1 However, despite successful treatment of initial episodes, 15–25% will have recurrence of diarrhoea following withdrawal of specific antibiotic therapy.1 2 Treatment of this form of C difficile disease can be particularly problematic.

Approaches to management include conservative therapy, treatment with specific anti- C difficile antibiotics, use of anion binding resins, therapy with microorganisms (probiotics), and immunoglobulin therapy (table 1).

View this table:

Table 1
Approach to management of recurrent Clostridium difficile diarrhoea

### CONSERVATIVE THERAPY

Conservative management of recurrent diarrhoea is preferable to retreatment with metronidazole or vancomycin as these agents perpetuate disturbance of the normal intestinal flora predisposing patients to further recurrences.2 However, it is often difficult to withhold antibiotic therapy as many patients with recurrent disease are not able to tolerate ongoing diarrhoea. Persistent or worsening …


Among nudibranch molluscs, the family Tritoniidae gathers taxa with an uncertain phylogenetic position, such as some species of the genus Tritonia Cuvier, 1798. Currently, 37 valid species belong to this genus and only three of them are found in the Southern Ocean, namely T. challengeriana Bergh, 1884, T. dantarti Ballesteros & Avila, 2006, and T. vorax (Odhner, 1926). In this study, we shed light on the long-term discussed systematics and taxonomy of Antarctic Tritonia species using morpho-anatomical and molecular techniques. Samples from the Weddell Sea and Bouvet Island were dissected and prepared for scanning electron microscopy. The three molecular markers COI, 16S, and H3 were sequenced and analysed through maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods. The phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation tests clearly distinguished two species, T. challengeriana widely spread in the Southern Ocean and T. dantarti endemic to Bouvet Island . Colouration seems to be an unreliable character to differentiate among species since molecular data revealed both species can either have orange or white colour morphotypes. This variability could be explained by pigment sequestration from the soft coral species they feed on. Morphological analyses reveal differences between Antarctic and Magellanic specimens of T. challengeriana. However, the relationship between T. challengeriana specimens from these two regions remains still unclear due to the lack of molecular data. Therefore, the validity of the T. antarctica Martens & Pfeffer, 1886, exclusively found in Antarctic waters requires further systematic work.


The article deals with the formation and implementation of measures for social and educational rehabilitation of children with disabilities. For this type of rehabilitation developed recommendations for various forms of the disease.


To detect milk proteins, reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) (Waters 2695 Series chromatograph, USA) was successfully performed to separate and quantify the major proteins from cow (n = 20), goat (n = 20), buffalo (n = 20) and yak (n = 20) milk which were collected around the fourth month of lactation for each species from February to April 2013 within 30 min. Descriptive statistics and Duncan's multiple comparison of protein contents were obtained by SAS 9.1 via GLM model (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Main protein data sets were analyzed by PCA using the Unscrambler 9.8 (CAMO software AS, Oslo, Norway). Results showed that the contents (g/L) of milk total protein were significantly different in milk from yak (62.87), buffalo (56.09), goat (42.83), and cow (37.35), respectively. Average content of major protein fractions obtained were all converted by purity of individual protein standard (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) to assess the real individual protein content. Composition (g/L) of yak milk contained the highest κ-CN content (9.80), and this was significantly higher than in buffalo, cow, and goat milk (7.35, 6.24 and 5.56). Content (g/L) of α-CN in yak milk (16.14) was significantly higher than those for buffalo, cow, and goat milk (11.53, 11.81, and 9.48). The β-CN content (g/L) was similar in yak and buffalo milk (23.34, 22.68), but higher than in goat and cow milk (20.53, 13.31). The β-LgB quantification (g/L) in goat and buffalo milk was similar (3.69, 3.88), significantly lower than in yak milk (9.46), but higher than in cow milk (1.19). The α-La content (g/L) was highest in buffalo milk (7.96), while significantly lower in cow, goat, and yak milk (1.45, 1.28 and 1.47). Cow milk contained highest content (g/L) of β-LgA (2.15), and this was significantly higher than that in buffalo, yak, and goat milk (0.13, 0.12 and 0.14). And different chromatographic profiles were obtained for them. The data of milk protein can be differentiated according to animal species by principal component analysis (PCA). It was concluded that major milk proteins from different animals had special profiles.


Importance The association between hospital volume and inpatient mortality for severe sepsis is unclear. Objective To assess the effect of severe sepsis case volume and inpatient mortality. Design Setting and Participants Retrospective cohort study from 646,988 patient discharges with severe sepsis from 3,487 hospitals in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2011. Exposures The exposure of interest was the mean yearly sepsis case volume per hospital divided into tertiles. Main Outcomes and Measures Inpatient mortality. Results Compared with the highest tertile of severe sepsis volume (>60 cases per year), the odds ratio for inpatient mortality among persons admitted to hospitals in the lowest tertile (≤10 severe sepsis cases per year) was 1.188 (95% CI: 1.074–1.315), while the odds ratio was 1.090 (95% CI: 1.031–1.152) for patients admitted to hospitals in the middle tertile. Similarly, improved survival was seen across the tertiles with an adjusted inpatient mortality incidence of 35.81 (95% CI: 33.64–38.03) for hospitals with the lowest volume of severe sepsis cases and a drop to 32.07 (95% CI: 31.51–32.64) for hospitals with the highest volume. Conclusions and Relevance We demonstrate an association between a higher severe sepsis case volume and decreased mortality. The need for a systems-based approach for improved outcomes may require a high volume of severely septic patients.


Data Mining represents a Business Intelligence (BI) methodology which provides an insight into the 'hidden' information about its operations thus improving the process of making strategic business decisions based on a clear and understandable interpretation of existing results. Data mining can help to resolve banking problems by finding some regularity, causality and correlation to business information which are not visible at first sight because they are hidden in large amounts of data. The goal of this paper is to present a case study of usage of operations research methods in knowledge discovery from databases in the banking industry. Neural network method was used within the software package Alyuda.


Single tooth finite element model is widely used to investigate tooth behaviors with reducing modeling process and computational time. This study aims to examine the validity of a single tooth model in clenching and chewing actions. The single tooth model consisting of tooth #16, the periodontal ligament (PDL), and bone was subjected to coronal-apical movements. The predicted strains from the analyses were validated with the in-vitro experimental results on tooth-PDL-bone specimen. The stress distributions of tooth root and PDL were compared to those from the full skull model to evaluate reasonability of the single tooth model. The results of this study indicate that the single tooth model is able to predict valid structural and mechanical behaviors in clenching and chewing activities.


Summary 1. Soil seed banks of 38 grassland sites in western Europe were sampled and species composition was determined. All sites differed in geographical region, soil type and intensity of management.
 2. Relationships between the composition of the seed bank, the established vegetation, and soil and management parameters were analysed using different ordination techniques.
 3. Common species in the seed bank of extensively managed grasslands were Juncus without septa, Plantago lanceolata, Holcus lanatus and Cerastiumfontanum. General
 differences in the species composition reflected the country of origin of the sites.
 4. Differences between sites within a chronosequence were used to interpret the impact of management on the proportion of species in the seed bank representing different
 functional groups. Seed banks were generally dominated by species of mid-range nutrient conditions. Species associated with poor nutrient conditions were relatively
 scarce at most sites.
 5. Intensive agricultural management had a negative effect on the soil seed bank of grassland species, whereas lack of management or abandonment resulted in the loss
 of grassland species from both the vegetation and the soil seed bank owing to the invasion of woodland species. Restoration management, following long periods of
 intensive use, took more than 20 years to establish a significant increase in species of poor nutrient conditions.
 6. A regeneration index was calculated for each chronosequence to estimate the relative 'distance' between a degraded site and a species-rich target site in the same
 series. These regeneration indices provide an indication of the timescales required for the restoration of sites towards the species-rich target grassland community types.
 However, for most agriculturally improved grassland sites, the study indicated that restoration of unimproved or semi-natural types of grassland cannot depend on a
 high level of recruitment from the seed bank of species which have disappeared from the established vegetation. This implies that maintenance of existing species-rich
 grassland resources should be given high priority.
 7. The results of this seed bank study show that grassland sites with a short history of agricultural improvement or biodiversity degradation are likely to be the most
 worthwhile for restoration purposes.


Statistical parsing of noun phrase ( NP) structure has been hampered by a lack of goldstandard data. This is a significant problem for CCGbank, where binary branching NP derivations are often incorrect, a result of the automatic conversion from the Penn Treebank. We correct these errors in CCGbank using a gold-standard corpus of NP structure, resulting in a much more accurate corpus. We also implement novel NER features that generalise the lexical information needed to parse NPs and provide important semantic information. Finally, evaluating against DepBank demonstrates the effectiveness of our modified corpus and novel features, with an increase in parser performance of 1.51%.


To investigate the genetic mechanism of metastatic spread in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we analyzed genomic changes in lung or liver metastases and the corresponding primary tumors (83 tumor samples) in 18 patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. We studied the incidence of microsatellite instability (MSI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) involving 8 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers and the polyA tract, Bat26. We also sought alterations of p53 and β‐catenin gene mutations. High MSI (>30–40% of the loci analyzed) was found only in primary tumors (11%), whereas LOH was observed in 50% of primary and in 39% of recurrent tumors. p53 mutations were found in 2 cases of primary HCC but not in the corresponding metastases. P53 was overexpressed in 4 primary HCC (22%) and 7 metastases (39%). The percentage of β‐catenin gene mutations was low (6%). Lung metastases retained the D16S402 microsatellite abnormalities observed in the primary tumors, whereas recurrent liver tumor did not (p = 0.02). In conclusion, LOH and P53 protein overexpression, rather than mutations in the p53 or β‐catenin genes or MSI, seem to be involved in the spreading of HCC, suggesting the presence of metastasis suppressor genes in the vicinity of the chromosomal loci in question. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Fifteen samples of sorghum grain representing various combinations of pericarp colour and the presence or absence of pigmented testa were analysed for protein, amino acid and tannin contents and alpha -amylase inhibition was estimated. Rat growth tests were done at a 10% protein intake (1% casein and 9% sorghum) with groups of 6 weanling male rats; control groups were given diets containing 5 or 10% protein derived from casein. Protein efficiency ratios (PER) were calculated at the end of the 21-day feeding period. Faeces were collected during the second week of the experiments for the estimation of DM disappearance (DMD). Values for lysine, the limiting acid, are quoted and there were small, but significant, differences between some samples. There was a highly significant positive correlation between lysine content and PER; all PER values were significantly lower than those for casein. Tannin content was significantly and negatively correlated with DMD but not with lysine concentration or PER. alpha -Amylase inhibition was high in brown grains but was absent in white or red grains or any grain without pigmented testa


Synthesis and implementation results for a recently developed class of adaptive and repetitive controllers used for motion control of mechanical manipulators are presented. The repetitive controller, which learns the input torque corresponding to a repetitive desired trajectory, requires no explicit knowledge of the manipulator equations of motion. The adaptive controller, on the other hand, which estimates the robot dynamic parameters online, may be used for more general trajectories but requires more detailed modeling information. Both schemes are computationally efficient and require no acceleration feedback of any kind; only standard position and velocity feedback information is utilized. The performances of the above-mentioned controllers were experimentally evaluated on an IBM 7545 robotic manipulator and the results were compared to those of a simple PD (proportional-derivative) feedback system and a compound-torque controller. The repetitive algorithm outperformed the other controllers by a significant margin in terms of the tracking accuracy. >


Kinetic Engine is a realtime generative music system that has been in development since 2005. It has been used as an extended instrument within an improvising ensemble, as a networked performance ensemble, as an interactive installation, and as an independent performance system under the composer's control. The first two versions were solely concerned with polyphonic rhythmic organisation using multi-agents. Version 3 introduced a genetic algorithm for the evolution of a population of rhythms, in realtime, based upon the analysis of music provided. Version 4 explored melodic organisation, again using multi-agents, while the most recent version adds a third order Markov model for harmonic generation. This paper gives an overview of the different versions of the system. Furthermore, the system's use as a performance instrument, as opposed to an independent installation, will also be discussed, describing the necessary shifts in conception regarding generative algorithms. Finally, an attempt to evaluate the entire system from an artistic, rather than scientific, perspective will be undertaken.


Fiscal decentralization is widely proposed as an efficient means to accommodate ethnic violence. Yet while most of the econometric cross-country studies supports this view, case studies offer mixed results. In this paper, it is argued that this is partly due to the fact that fiscal decentralization exerts a heterogeneous impact across ethnic local majorities and minorities, both types of groups being regionally concentrated. The main argument in favour of fiscal decentralization is that by politically and fiscally empowering the local communities, these are enabled to allocate public spending in a way that is closer to their preferences. This paper hypothesises that such an empowerment mechanism, while relevant for local majorities, is likely to perform poorly for local minorities as they are not in a dominant position locally. This might feed ethnic violence as local minorities mobilize to obtain administrative regions in which they would control the decentralized policy. Similarly, fiscal decentralization could fuel communal violence as politically marginalized ethnic minorities clash against powerful local majorities. The article also hypothesises that the concern expressed by sceptics that fiscal decentralization undermines national cohesion and encourages secessionism is more acute for local majorities than for local minorities as the latter are usually too small to credibly envisage independence. Such hypotheses are discussed in the paper and then empirically tested on a panel dataset of ethnic local majorities and minorities across the world on the period 1985-2001. The main results are that i) fiscal decentralization does not encourage secessionism but on the contrary dampen rebellion of local majorities but, ii) fiscal decentralization fuels rebellion of local minorities, iii) fiscal decentralization reduces communal violence for both local majorities and minorities. As a result of its heterogeneous impact, the article calls into question the relevance of relying on fiscal decentralization to manage ethnic violence.


Indonesia is an agricultural country with a tropical climate. One of the many agricultural products in Indonesia is vegetables. Handling of vegetables after harvesting is important because the decrease in product quality can reach up to 50%. This decrease in quality is the result of metabolic processes such as transpiration and respiration that occur in post-harvest vegetables. The respiration rate of vegetables cannot be stopped but can be slowed down by lowering the temperature, so that the freshness of the vegetables can last longer. One method of maintaining the temperature of vegetables is storage in a cool box with cooling media. Phase change material (PCM) is an alternative cooling medium that utilizes latent heat in thermal energy storage. Paraffin is a PCM that can be used for this application. Paraffin has a freezing and melting temperature range that can be adjusted according to your needs, namely by mixing liquid paraffin and solid paraffin. This study used mixed paraffin with a liquid-solid paraffin ratio of 98:2 mass basis. This mixture has a melting temperature of 6o C until 13 C and is close to the optimal temperature for storing vegetables, which is 5o C. In this study, testing was also carried out using water as a comparison. The test results show that ice can make vegetables last longer in cold conditions, namely that it is able to maintain the vegetable temperature below 20o C for 11 hours, while paraffin only lasts 2 hours. The physical condition of the vegetables that are cooled with ice in the packing changes color and becomes watery because the water in the vegetables is condensed. Meanwhile, on cooling with paraffin it is physically fresher. Keywords: PCM, paraffin, cool box, fresh vegetable storage


Abstract:  Although the prevalence of a learned voiding dysfunction and non‐neurogenic neurogenic bladder (NNB), which is one type of dysfunctional elimination syndrome, is considered to be relatively rare, the association of NNB with Down syndrome (DS) has been elucidated in male patients. We herein describe the occurrence of NNB in an adult female with DS. The diagnosis was confirmed after completely ruling out any neurological or anatomical anomalies that could be related to a lower urinary tract dysfunction. She had renal dysfunction and multiple obstructive uropathies for which clean intermittent catheterization was successfully introduced.


In this paper, a mechatronic system is developed to compensate for the hardware dynamics effect, and to achieve rapid resonance identification for an ultrasonic-vibration-assisted microforming system. Microforming has recently attracted great interests due to the need for miniaturized manufacturing systems in emerging applications. It has been demonstrated that significant benefits, such as the reduction of input energy and the prolongation of tool life, can be gained by introducing ultrasonic vibration into the microforming process, particularly when the vibration is maintained at the resonant frequency of the vibrating workpiece. However, the fundamental mechanism of ultrasonic vibration effect on the microforming process has not yet been understood; the electrical actuators currently used to generate the ultrasonic vibration are bulky and not suitable for miniaturization of the microforming system, and control of the ultrasonic vibration is primitive and far from being optimal. To tackle these challenges, a microforming platform based on a magnetostrictive actuator has been developed. The main contributions of this paper are two-fold: first, the use of a novel iterative learning control technique along with a vibration oscillation regulation circuit to compensate for the effect of the magnetostrictive actuator dynamics on the ultrasonic vibration generation, and thereby, maintain the same vibration amplitude across a large excitation frequency range; and secondly, the use of the Fibonacci search algorithm to achieve rapid online identification of the resonant frequency. Experimental results obtained on the developed magnetostrictive-actuator-based microforming system are presented and discussed to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.