Nitrogen is the element that generally most limits plant productivity in natural and agricultural ecosystems. The response to applied nitrogen mainly depends on the potential crop productivity and on the natural soil nitrogen availability. In Tras-os-Montes, Portugal, most soils display low or even very low phosphorus levels when determined by soil analysis. However, when the phosphorus status of the orchards is assessed by leaf analysis, the results are often found within the "adequate" range. The region's soils often display high levels of potassium. However, there have been observed situations of visible symptoms of potassium deficiency in olive trees and in some situations already diagnosed by leaf analyzes. In the region, there is also a natural limitation of boron in the soil, being frequent the occurrence of boron deficiency symptoms in dicotyledonous species, such as in olive. Boron application in olive groves is currently a regular practice, although few studies with this nutrient had been done. Thus, the general goal of this work is to collect information that could help laboratories and producers to improve the fertilization programs for the macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and also for boron, the four elements that are most likely to cause nutritional disorders in the olive groves of the region of Tras-os-Montes.
To study the olive tree response to the application of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or boron, two field trials (with the cultivar 'Cobrancosa') and seven pot experiments were installed. The first field trial (Field1) was established in a three-year-old olive grove in which a basal fertilization program with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and boron was established as the control treatment. The other four treatments consisted on removing each one of the nutrients. The fertilizers were applied manually at early April localized close to the trunk of the trees. Phosphorus and potassium were applied in areas of 16 (4 m x 4 m) m2 (2 m from the trunk for each quadrant) and nitrogen and boron in areas of 4 m2 (1 m from the trunk for each quadrant). Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and boron were applied, respectively, at the rates of 48, 70, 133 and 1.2 g tree-1 year-1. The fertilizers used were ammonium nitrate (34.5 %N), superphosphate (18 % P2O5), potassium chloride (60 % K2O) and borax (11 % B). The second field experiment (Field2) was established after of planting young olive trees specifically for this work. In this experiment, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and boron were applied annually, respectively, at the rates of 200, 175, 332 and 6 g per experimental unit (10 trees). The study of nitrogen included a pot experiment (PotN) with four nitrogen rates (0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g pot-1 year-1). Phosphorus was study from a first experiment (PotP1) in which four phosphorus rates (0, 0.35, 0.70 and 1.05 g pot-1 year-1) were used and from a second experiment (PotP2) in which two rates of phosphorus (0 and 1.05 g pot-1 year-1) were included in a randomized block design where four different soils act as blocks. Potassium was studied from a first pot experiment (PotK1) which includes three potassium rates (0, 0.66 and 1.33 g pot-1 year-1) and from a second experiment (PotK2) arranged as a factorial, with two potassium rates (0 and 0.66 kg pot-1 year-1), two water regimes (normal and stress) and two cultivars ('Cobrancosa' and 'Arbequina'). Boron was also studied from two experiments, the first (PotB1) consisting of the application of boron to the soil [annual application of 0.29 g of borax (11 % B)] and as foliar spray [annual application of 0.04 mL of Tradebor 11 % B)] and the second (PotB2) consisting of the application of boron as a foliar spray [annual application of 0.04 mL of Tradebor (11 % B)] in only a few tagged branches of the plant. This second experiment involved the cultivars 'Cobrancosa' and 'Arbequina'. Depending on the experiment, several determinations were performed, regarding the biometry of fruits, crop nutritional status, soil properties and olive yield in the first field trial. Whenever considered relevant, chlorophyll fluorescence and transient fluorescence based on the OJIP test were evaluated using the OS-30p+ fluorometer, as well as an index of sclerophylly, leaf tissue density (D), and two water status indices of the plant (relative water content, CRA, and saturation water content, CAS).
The results of the first field trial, in which was possible to assess olive yield, showed a significant increases in olive yield only in one of the three years of study, probably because the reduced nitrogen removal by the young trees. In the Field2, nitrogen application significantly increased dry matter yield, leaf nitrogen concentration and nitrogen removal. The pot experiment showed a typical nitrogen response curve, where the production of biomass increases while the availability of nitrogen limits plant growth followed by a stabilization at a plateau or even decreasing when nitrogen is supplied at a high or excessive rate. The increase in nitrogen availability leads to an increase in the ratios between aerial biomass and roots and between leaves and stems. The results also showed that the leaves are a priority sink for nitrogen due to their content of chlorophyll. They also suggest that nitrogen could be taken up by the plant in luxury consumption.
The experimental data stressed the difficulty in obtaining response in olive tree growth and yield to phosphorus application. However, in the PotP2, where four different soils were used, some of them with a very low pH, phosphorus application significantly increased total dry matter yield, phosphorus concentration in the tissues, and improved the photosynthetic activity of the leaves. Phosphorus enhanced root growth, showing the ability to accumulate in the root system when it is available in the soil, seeming to be able to buffer the supply of phosphorus to the shoot.
In the field trials, potassium did not have a significant effect on tree's growth and yield. Other parameters related to chlorophyll a fluorescence and leaf water status, also did not significantly vary with potassium application, which apparently reduces the importance of potassium fertilization in these soils. In pot experiments potassium application increased the shoot/root ratio and also the potassium concentration in the root proportionally more than that in the shoot, indicating that shoot is a priority sink for potassium and also that potassium accumulated in the root can act as a reserve for the plant when potassium uptake is reduced. Water stress reduced dry matter yield and potassium concentration in the roots. 'Arbequina' showed greater sensitivity to water stress than 'Cobrancosa', but produced more dry biomass under well irrigated conditions, possibly because 'Arbequina' is an early maturing crop.
Boron application increased the nutrient concentration in all tissues but did not cause any relevant effect on the agronomic performance of the plant including olive yield. The results indicate that different sufficiency ranges should be used for samples collected in the summer, at endocarp sclerefication, and in the winter, in the resting period of the olive tree. In PotB1 tissue boron concentrations were significantly higher in the plants from the pots receiving boron to the soil in comparison to those receiving foliar boron, whereas the later showed significantly higher tissue boron concentrations than the plans of the control treatment. The results of PotB2 suggest that boron may have some mobility in the phloem, since after had been applied to the shoot, boron concentration in the root increased. However, the results also suggest that boron mobility in olive may be cultivar dependent. The younger leaves of 'Arbequina' showed lower boron concentration than older leaves after the later had been sprayed with boron, an aspect not observed with 'Cobrancosa'.


To invent a functional natto promoting bone formation, the construction of a strain with high productivity of vitamin K2 (menaquinone-7: MK-7), which is important in the carboxylation of a kind of bone protein participating in bone formation, osteocalcin, was investigated. To screen for a strain appropriate to making natto (a Japanese traditional fermented soybean food) with high productivity of MK-7, a combination of analog resistance to the compounds on the biosynthetic pathway of menaquinones with mutation was done. Consequently, strain OUV23481, with 2-fold higher productivity (1,719 μg/100 g natto) of MK-7 than that of a commercial strain, was constructed as a mutant with analog resistance to 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA), p-fluoro-D,L-phenylalanine (pFP), m-fluoro-D,L-phenylalanine (mFP), and β-2-thienytalanine (βTA). This strain was classified as Bacillus subtilis (natto). The natto made using this strain was evaluated to have a good quality as natto in all the viewpoints of appearance, flavor, taste, texture, and stringiness.


In this paper we focus on detecting and clustering distinct groupings of domain names that are queried by numerous sets of infected machines. We propose to analyze domain name system (DNS) traffic, such as Non-Existent Domain (NXDomain) queries, at several premier Top Level Domain (TLD) authoritative name servers to identify strongly connected cliques of malware related domains. We illustrate typical malware DNS lookup patterns when observed on a global scale and utilize this insight to engineer a system capable of detecting and accurately clustering malware domains to a particular variant or malware family without the need for obtaining a malware sample. Finally, the experimental results of our system will provide a unique perspective on the current state of globally distributed malware, particularly the ones that use DNS.


It has long been recognised by building surveyors that training a surveyor is both time-consuming and relatively risky. Universities and colleges recognise the difficulties of taking groups of students to inspect a property because of health and safety, insurance liability and organisational considerations. This paper proposes a solution to these problems by developing a virtual reality package that helps students to learn how to survey a building. Using a virtual environment to train young surveyors in building pathology should help to improve the effectiveness of young surveyors' reports and reduce the possibility of litigation. With the aid of virtual reality models and digital camera images, it is hoped that a package can be developed to enable students to carry out a building survey without leaving their desktop. The prototype is centred on a 19th Century detached house as a virtual environment that students fly through looking for pre-programmed defects. The defects portrayed in the environment are taken from real-life examples or cases. The user identifies the precise nature of the defect by examining a more detailed part of the environment as he/she flies closer to the surface where the defect is located. The cases of defects are programmed into the environment using a case-based reasoning application. The main deliverable is a prototype which, if successful, will be developed into a full educational application.


A 3-dimensional Lie algebra sμ(3) is obtained with the help of the known Lie algebra. Based on the sμ(3), a new discrete 3 × 3 matrix spectral problem with three potentials is constructed. In virtue of discrete zero curvature equations, a new matrix Lax representation for the hierarchy of the discrete lattice soliton equations is acquired. It is shown that the hierarchy possesses a Hamiltonian operator and a hereditary recursion operator, which implies that there exist infinitely many common commuting symmetries and infinitely many common commuting conserved functionals.


multiple slices from various sectional planes on one screen enabling operator navigation through the volume. High-definition Doppler, B-flow and inversion mode were most informative for detecting arcs and systemic veins anomalies. Conclusions: Most fetal cardiac defects can be detected accurately by rapid single-shot color Doppler STIC. The added value of 4D ultrasound in assessing fetal heart anomalies is related to viewing different planes, enabling rotation of the dataset volume so that anatomic structures can be imaged from different perspectives. This enhances precise diagnosis, promotes spatial visualization and provides better understanding of the anomaly involved.


Service-orientation is effective at managing complexity and dynamicity at a programmatic level, but there is still much work to be done in understanding and improving the trust that users place in a system's outputs, and the extent to which they understand the associated risks of decisions recommended by a system. This is crucial if we are to improve the uptake and real-world effectiveness of service-based decision-support systems whilst also reducing the risks (both perceived and actual) of using such systems. This paper presents the current progress of the STRAPP project, which is designing and engineering novel trust and risk assessment mechanisms for services computing and applying these to a number of real-world service-based decision-support systems. A new layered architecture model for trust and risk is introduced and described in detail, and we present our state-of-the-art work in risk-assessment, demonstrating the relationship between provenance data and risk via a mathematical model. We then give a detailed description of our latest software demonstrator, integrated into the Rolls-Royce Equipment Health Management system, and comprehensively discuss the lessons we have learnt from developing such a complex, holistic, and applied real-world system. Finally, we describe the future work we plan to complete.


Abstract Chemical sterilants are used to high-level disinfect heat-sensitive semicritical items such as endoscopes. Most endoscopes have been reprocessed between each patient use with glutaraldehyde (>2%) or the Steris System 1. Several new chemical sterilants have been developed recently, including 7.5% hydrogen peroxide, 0.08% peracetic acid plus 1.0% hydrogen peroxide, and 0.55% orthophthalaldehyde. In order to aid the infection control professional in choosing the appropriate disinfection methodology, this article reviews the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of high-level disinfectants intended for reprocessing endoscopes.


Nano-TiO2 was modified with a titanate coupling agent, LICA38 [neopentyl (dially) oxy, tri (-dioctyl) pyrophosphate titanate]. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to evaluate the surface characteristics of the bare and the modified nano-TiO2. It was demonstrated that the carbon content of the bare TiO2 is 37.9 atm. %, and that of the modified TiO2 is 47.2 atm. %. Moreover, the density of the -C-H (-C-C) and -C-O groups increases due to modification, and the atomic percentage of C=O and -OH groups reduces. These results indicate that the -C-H (-C-C) and -C-O groups from LICA38 have been introduced to the surface of nano-TiO2 by coupling reaction with the hydroxyl groups.


During the last decades, many advances in the field of automated security protocol analysis have seen the field mature and grow from being applicable to toy examples, to modeling intricate protocol standards and finding real-world vulnerabilities that extensive manual analysis had missed. However, modern security protocols often contain elements for which such tools were not originally designed, such as protocols that construct, by design, terms of unbounded size, such as counters, trees, and blockchains. Protocol analysis tools such as Tamarin and ProVerif have some very restricted support, but typically lack the ability to effectively reason about dynamically growing unbounded-depth terms. In this work, we introduce subterm-based proof techniques that are tailored for automated protocol analysis in the Tamarin prover. In several case studies, we show that these techniques improve automation (allow for analyzing more protocols, or remove the need for manually specified invariants), efficiency (reduce proof size for existing analyses), and expressive power (enable new kinds of properties). In particular, we provide the first automated proofs for TreeKEM, S/Key, and Tesla Scheme 2; and we show substantial benefits, most notably in WPA2 and 5G-AKA, two of the largest automated protocol proofs.


The photoelectron angular distributions (PADs) from above-threshold ionization of atoms irradiated by one-cycle laser pulses satisfy a scaling law. The scaling law denotes that the main features of the PADs are determined by four dimensionless parameters: (1) the ponderomotive number up = Up/ω, the ponderomotive energy Up in units of laser photon energy; (2) the binding number eb = Eb/ω, the atomic binding energy Eb in units of laser photon energy; (3) the number of absorbed photons q; (4) the carrier-envelope phase 0, the phase of the carrier wave with respect to the envelope. We verify the scaling law by theoretical analysis and numerical calculation, compared to that in long-pulse case. A possible experimental test to verify the scaling law is suggested.


The National Football League (NFL) has been encumbered with a plethora of brain injury cases due to the incidence of on-field acute linear impact, ostensibly sustained by its participants. According to medical examiner, Dr. Bennett Omalu, these occurrences have spawned the onset of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease, which may be the catalyst to discursive tendencies that are redolent to the occupation of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, aggression, and reclusion. Since the majority of professional football players originate from socially violent contexts, such as Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit, Dallas, and Houston, however, it is conceivable that the incivilities perpetrated by these athletes may be attributable to more than CTE. Perhaps, recurrent exposure to such grievous conditions and/or forms of social disaffection clarifies the cognitive volatility extant today and additionally, the protuberances of illicit violence. It is believed, nonetheless, that the mystical themes resonant in the prose of Meister Eckhart, Oswald McCall, and Howard Thurman, which seemingly are consonant with the French School of Spirituality, provide some gratuity to these psychological exigencies. Thus, this research aims to explore how mystical themes commendable to the French School, Eckhart, McCall, and Thurman, may ameliorate, or abate altogether, behavioral tendencies redolent to the onset of PTSD in professional football players.


Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common developmental defect of the forebrain characterized by inadequate or absent midline division of the forebrain into cerebral hemispheres, with concomitant midline facial defects in the majority of cases. Understanding the pathogenesis of HPE requires knowledge of the relationship between the developing brain and the facial structures during embryogenesis. A number of signaling pathways control and coordinate the development of the brain and face, including Sonic hedgehog, Bone morphogenetic protein, Fibroblast growth factor, and Nodal signaling. Mutations in these pathways have been identified in animal models of HPE and human patients. Because of incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity of HPE, patients carrying defined mutations may not manifest the disease at all, or have a spectrum of defects. It is currently unknown what drives manifestation of HPE in genetically at‐risk individuals, but it has been speculated that other gene mutations and environmental factors may combine as cumulative insults. HPE can be diagnosed in utero by a high‐resolution prenatal ultrasound or a fetal magnetic resonance imaging, sometimes in combination with molecular testing from chorionic villi or amniotic fluid sampling. Currently, there are no effective preventive methods for HPE. Better understanding of the mechanisms of gene–environment interactions in HPE would provide avenues for such interventions. WIREs Dev Biol 2015, 4:17–32. doi: 10.1002/wdev.161


Fifteen cases were selected for study from 100 consecutive cases of membranous nephropathy diagnosed by renal biopsy and light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. The cases were chosen because during a' pretreatment observation period ranging from 8 to 66 months (median, 18 months), the patients' disease state had progressed. Data gathered during this period served as a baseline against which to evaluate the effects of treatment with prednisone; thus, the patients served sequentially as their own controls. All but one of the patients had nephrotic syndrome, and 11 had renal insufficiency. Treatment with prednisone administered on alternate days wasaccompanied by decreasing proteinuria and increasing serum levels of albumin in all the patients. Healing, defined as proteinuria of no greater than 0.2 grams per 24 hours for at least a year with maintenance of normal creatinine clearance, occurred in eight patients. Renal function, judged by rate of creatinine clearance or level of creatinine in serum, improved in all 11 patients with renal insufficiency; in eight of these, normal function was attained. Poor renal function could not be attributed to diminished blood volume measured by chromium 51 red-blood-cell tag.


Sediment-water exchanges of oxygen, ammonium, nitrate, total dissolved nitrogen, phosphate and total dissolved phosphorus were measured by means of an in situ incubator of 7 1 volume and 700 cm2 base area. The incubations lasted for three hours and were done over a whole season on different kinds of sediments in Alfaques Bay. We present some preliminary results on: i) methodological aspects, ii) spatial and temporal variability of fluxes, and iii) estimates of contribution of benthic nutrient regeneration relative to total nutrient loading of the Bay. Oxygen uptake averaged 1700 mmo1 m-2 h-1 (range 200-3500); no differences were found between sandy and muddy sediments. The release of ammonia from the sediment averaged 70 mmo1 m-2 h-1 and was higher in muddy sediments than in sandy ones. Very low to null nitrate and nitrite fluxes and only small fluxes of organic nitrogen were detected. We conclude that ammonium release from sediment is the major path of nitrogen regeneration. Some sediments removed dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) from the water and released dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP). Additional manipulative experiments revealed DRP release under particular conditions (turbulence, anoxia). From these data, we estimate that at least 50% of the nitrogen requirements of phytoplankton in the area may be supplied by benthic remineralization.


Patients with dual diagnosis of substance misuse and mental health problems present many challenges for nurses, as their complex needs make them difficult to manage and treat. The author provides an overview of the nature and extent of the problem and a framework for nursing interventions.


We present light curves of three classical novae (CNe; KT Eridani, V598 Puppis, V1280 Scorpii) and one recurrent nova (RS Ophiuchi) derived from data obtained by the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) on board the Coriolis satellite. SMEI provides near complete skymap coverage with precision visible-light photometry at 102 minute cadence. The light curves derived from these skymaps offer unprecedented temporal resolution around, and especially before, maximum light, a phase of the eruption normally not covered by ground-based observations. They allow us to explore fundamental parameters of individual objects including the epoch of the initial explosion, the reality and duration of any pre-maximum halt (found in all three fast novae in our sample), the presence of secondary maxima, speed of decline of the initial light curve, plus precise timing of the onset of dust formation (in V1280 Sco) leading to estimation of the bolometric luminosity, white dwarf mass, and object distance. For KT Eri, Liverpool Telescope SkyCamT data confirm important features of the SMEI light curve and overall our results add weight to the proposed similarities of this object to recurrent rather than to CNe. In RS Oph, comparison with hard X-ray data from the 2006 outburst implies that the onset of the outburst coincides with extensive high-velocity mass loss. It is also noted that two of the four novae we have detected (V598 Pup and KT Eri) were only discovered by ground-based observers weeks or months after maximum light, yet these novae reached peak magnitudes of 3.46 and 5.42, respectively. This emphasizes the fact that many bright novae per year are still overlooked, particularly those of the very fast speed class. Coupled with its ability to observe novae in detail even when relatively close to the Sun in the sky, we estimate that as many as five novae per year may be detectable by SMEI.


OpenMP is one of the most popular programming models to exploit node-level parallelism of supercomputers. Many researchers are interested in developing OpenMP compilers or extending existing standard for new capabilities. However, there is a lack of training resources for researchers who are involved in the compiler and language development around OpenMP, making learning curve in this area steep. In this paper, we introduce an ongoing effort, FreeCompilerCamp.org, a free and open online learning platform aimed to train researchers to quickly develop OpenMP compilers. The platform is built on top of Play-With-Docker, a docker playground for users to conduct experiments in an online terminal sandbox. It provides a live training website that is set up on cloud, so anyone with internet access and a web browser will be able to take the training. It also enables developers with relevant skills to contribute new tutorials. The entire training system is open-source and can be deployed on a private server, workstation or even laptop for personal use. We have created some initial tutorials to train users to learn how to extend the Clang/LLVM and ROSE compiler to support new OpenMP features. We welcome anyone to try out our system, give us feedback, contribute new training courses, or enhance the training platform to make it an effective learning resource for the HPC community.


The immune system has experienced major changes in both its organization and function during the evolution of tetrapod animals. Still, the ancestry of specific cell types and the historical relationships between modern immune cells has received little attention. While all tetrapods possess mononuclear blood cells and monocytes, vasculature-patrolling nonclassical monocytes (CD16+CD14- in humans, Ly6C- in mice) have so far only been described in mammals. The question of whether nonclassical monocytes are specific to the mammalian lineage has not been answered. Cell types can be described as traits that persist via the inheritance of core regulatory complexes of transcription factors. We utilized transcriptional network analyses on a human monocyte single-cell RNA-sequencing dataset to highlight the core regulatory complex associated with nonclassical monocyte production (nCoRC). We then applied BLAST-based analyses to quantify the conservation of human nCoRC members amongst mammals and nonmammals. We determined that the average sequence similarity of nCoRC members is highest amongst mammals and that such conservation is not observed in non-mammalian tetrapods. We also discovered that this sequence similarity is specifically driven by boreoeutherian placental mammals. Finally, we found the receptor proteins upstream of nonclassical monocyte assembly are also more homologous in mammals than non-mammals. This work provides an evolutionary model in which the capacity for nonclassical monocyte production is unique to the mammalian lineage.


We study revenue optimization learning algorithms for posted-price auctions with strategic buyers. We analyze a very broad family of monotone regret minimization algorithms for this problem, which includes the previously best known algorithm, and show that no algorithm in that family admits a strategic regret more favorable than $\Omega(\sqrt{T})$. We then introduce a new algorithm that achieves a strategic regret differing from the lower bound only by a factor in $O(\log T)$, an exponential improvement upon the previous best algorithm. Our new algorithm admits a natural analysis and simpler proofs, and the ideas behind its design are general. We also report the results of empirical evaluations comparing our algorithm with the previous state of the art and show a consistent exponential improvement in several different scenarios.


ABSTRACT The genus Jacquemontia Choisy comprises climbing, rarely erect herbs or subshrubs with stellate, rarely forked, glandular or simple trichomes, simple style with two terminal, ellipsoidal stigmas, and capsules opening through eight valves. This study aims to clarify the delimitation of a group of eight easily confused species of this genus, including Jacquemontia evolvuloides (Moric.) Meisn. and seven related species that form a group characterized by equal lanceolate, acuminate sepals and rotate-infundibuliform corolla. An identification key, relation of the synonyms, type material, selected examined material, comments regarding the taxonomy and distribution of the species are provided. Twelve new synonyms are proposed, and four lectotypes are designated.


Purpose and theory The eDESDE-LTC project aims at developing an operational system for coding, mapping and comparing services for long-term care (LTC) across EU. The projects strategy is to improve EU listing and access to relevant sources of healthcare information via development of SEMANTIC INTER-OPERABILITY in eHEALTH (coding and listing of services for LTC); to increase access to relevant sources of information on LTC services, and to improve linkages between national and regional websites; to foster cooperation with international organizations (OECD). Methods This operational system will include a standard classification of main types of care for persons with LTC needs and an instrument for mapping and standard description of services. These instruments are based on previous classification systems for mental health services (ESMS), disabilities services (DESDE) and ageing services (DESDAE). A Delphi panel made by seven partners developed a DESDE-LTC beta version, which was translated into six languages. The feasibility of DESDE-LTC is tested in six countries using national focal groups. Then the final version will be developed by the Delphi panel, a webpage, training material and course will be carried out. Results and conclusions The eDESDE-LTC system will be piloted in two EU countries (Spain and Bulgaria). Evaluation will focus primarily on usability and impact analysis. Discussion The added value of this project is related to the right of "having access to high-quality healthcare when and where it is needed" by EU citizens. Due to semantic variability and service complexity, existing national listings of services do not provide an adequate framework for patient mobility.


Medicinal plants based traditional systems of medicines are playing important role in providing health care to large section of population, especially in developing countries. Interest in them and utilization of herbal products produced based on them is increasing in developed countries also. To obtain optimum benefit and to understand the way these systems function, it is necessary to have minimum basic level information on their different aspects. Indian Systems of Medicine are among the well known global traditional systems of medicine. In this review, an attempt has been made to provide general information pertaining to different aspects of these systems. This is being done to enable the readers to appreciate the importance of the conceptual basis of these system in evolving the material medica. The aspects covered include information about historical background, conceptual basis, different disciplines studied in the systems, Research and Development aspects, Drug manufacturing aspects and impact of globalization on Ayurveda. In addition, basic information on Siddha and Unani systems has also been provided.


Bottom-up synthetic cells offer the potential to study cellular processes with reduced complexity. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) can mimic cells in their morphological characteristics because their architecture is precisely controllable. We propose a block copolymer-based GUV system that can be used for high-throughput screening. Through droplet microfluidic methods, we produce double emulsions that then serve as templates for GUVs with adjustable inner, polymer membrane, and outer composition. Using flow cytometry, we are able to analyze tens of thousands of GUVs in a short amount of time, enabling their use for screening assays.


Long-span guardrail systems have been recognized as an effective means of shielding low-fill culverts. These designs are popular because, in comparison with other systems that attach posts to the top of the culvert, they are able to shield the culvert safely while creating little additional construction effort and limiting the damage to the culvert and the need for repair. However, previous long-span designs were limited by the need to use long sections of nested guardrail to prevent rail rupture and by the need for large lateral offsets between the barrier and the culvert. The Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) long-span design eliminates those two shortcomings by applying the benefits of the MGS to a long-span design. The MGS long-span design increased vehicle capture and stability because of the increased rail height, limited the potential for pocketing and wheel snag through the use of controlled-release terminal posts adjacent to the unsupported span, and greatly increased the tensile capacity of the rail through the movement of splices away from the posts and the use of shallower post embedment. These features allowed the system to be developed without the use of a nested guardrail and with a minimal barrier offset that placed the back of the guardrail posts even with the front face of the culvert. Two full-scale crash tests were conducted with the MGS long-span design according to the requirements in NCHRP Report 350 for Test Level 3 Test Designation 3-11. Both tests were conducted with the heavier 2,270-kg pickup truck to generate higher rail loads and dynamic deflections. The MGS long-span design met all safety requirements of NCHRP Report 350. The ability of the guardrail with the MGS long-span design to perform safely without a nested rail and a minimal barrier offset makes this new barrier a functional and safe option for the protection of low-fill culverts.


The calibration of modern radio interferometers is a significant challenge, specifically at low frequencies. In this perspective, we propose a novel iterative calibration algorithm, which employs the popular sparse representation framework, in the regime where the propagation conditions shift dissimilarly the directions of the sources. More precisely, our algorithm is designed to estimate the apparent directions of the calibration sources, their powers, the directional and undirectional complex gains of the array elements and their noise powers, with a reasonable computational complexity. Numerical simulations reveal that the proposed scheme is statistically efficient at low SNR and even with additional non-calibration sources at unknown directions.


Molecular property prediction is gaining increasing attention due to its diverse applications. One task of particular interests and importance is to predict quantum chemical properties without 3D equilibrium structures. This is practically favorable since obtaining 3D equilibrium structures requires extremely expensive calculations. In this work, we design a deep graph neural network to predict quantum properties by directly learning from 2D molecular graphs. In addition, we propose a 3D graph neural network to learn from low-cost conformer sets, which can be obtained with open-source tools using an affordable budget. We employ our methods to participate in the 2021 KDD Cup on OGB Large-Scale Challenge (OGB-LSC), which aims to predict the HOMO-LUMO energy gap of molecules. Final evaluation results reveal that we are one of the winners with a mean absolute error of 0.1235 on the holdout test set. Our implementation is available as part of the MoleculeX package (https://github.com/divelab/MoleculeX).


This study explored the cost-effectiveness and return-on-investment of a combined social and physical environmental worksite health promotion program compared with usual practice, and of both intervention conditions separately. Participants were randomized to the combined intervention (n = 92), social environmental intervention (n = 118), physical environmental intervention (n = 96), or control group (n = 106). The social environmental intervention consisted of group motivational interviewing and the physical environmental intervention of workplace modifications. Both interventions were aimed at improving physical activity and relaxation. Effects included need for recovery (NFR), general vitality and job satisfaction. Cost-effectiveness analyses were performed from the societal and employer's perspective, and return-on-investment analyses from the employer's perspective. Compared with usual practice, the combined intervention was significantly more effective in improving NFR (-8.4;95% CI:-14.6;-2.2) and significantly more expensive to the employer (3102; 95%CI:598;5969). All other between-group differences were non-significant. For NFR, the combined intervention became the preferred option at willingness-to-pays of ≥€170/point improvement (society) and ≥€300/point improvement (employer). For general vitality and job satisfaction, the interventions' maximum probabilities of cost-effective were low (≤0.55). All interventions had a negative return-on-investment. The combined intervention may be cost-effective for NFR depending on the decision-makers' willingness-to-pay. Both separate interventions are not cost-effective for NFR. All interventions were neither cost-effective for general vitality and job satisfaction, nor cost-saving to the employer.


This paper seeks to contribute to the growing band of constructionist approaches within the field of identity studies (Wetherell & Moharty, 2010). First, it will review the developments that have taken place since the emergence of these approaches in the 1980s, identifying a state of fragmentation into local discursive, political-moral, and psychosocial levels of analysis. Second, and in order to challenge this fragmentation, it will present a rhetorical psychological (Billig, 1987, 1999a) analysis of the classic exchange of public letters between Israeli historian of Judaism Gershom Scholem and American political theorist Hannah Arendt in the wake of the latter's book Eichmann in Jerusalem (Arendt, 1994a). The analysis will proceed from local discursive action, through political-moral frameworks, to the nature of the writers' investment in these constructions. It will show that while the participants' implicitly occasioning of extreme identity categories (such as the 'Jewish anti-Semite' and the totalitarian-style religious Zionist ideologue) is a function of apparently incommensurable political-moral discourses, the nature of investment into such constructions may be understood in a mutual commitment to the absolute inalienability of Jewishness. Third, therefore, the paper will conclude that, rather than constituting separate 'levels', local discursive action, political-moral intelligibilities, and psychosocial qualities are mutually constitutive of each other. It is only through recognizing their inter-dependent nature that the complexity of identity may properly be addressed.


We present an analysis of all psychiatric consultations with inpatients in the somatic wards at the Central Hospital in Alesund over a period of three years. About 1% of the patients were referred for psychiatric consultation. Most of these patients had no previous experience of psychiatry. Mean age was 45 years (range 16-90), and 56% were females. The reasons for referral were assessment of suicidal behaviour (47%), depression (16%) and psychosis (11%). The most common psychiatric diagnoses were personality disorders (16%), affective disorders (14%) and alcohol and drug abuse and dependence (14%). About 10% were admitted to psychiatric wards, and 21% were referred to psychiatric outpatient clinics. The referring physicians were satisfied with the psychiatric consultation service.


Thin layers of the OLED related polyphenylene-vinylene (PPV) deposited by a precursor on micro-fabricated Si cantilevers were studied by applying the vibrating-reed technique during repeated temperature cycling between 100 and 520 K. By means of the Langmuir-Blodgett method for film production, the dependence of damping and elastic modulus on well defined values of film thickness (16 to 69 nm) was determined. Simultaneous measurements of these quantities showed four damping peaks during heating around 130 K (called γ), 250 K (β), 350 K (β'), and 400 K (called C). Three of them (γ, β', C) disappeared after heating to the highest temperature (520 K) indicating their presence in the precursor only. The activation parameters of the relaxation peaks (γ, β, β') were estimated and assigned to specific atomic movements in the molecule. Peak C occurs during the conversion process of precursor to polymer. Earlier results are essentially substantiated, indicating only slight differences to those for layers produced previously by spin coating. The observed thickness dependence of damping for the γ and β peaks suggests a weaker contribution of molecules in the surface region than of those in the bulk, while the β' peak is supposed to result from molecules in the interface region between layer and substrate.


At least since Ronald Coase, law and economics has been deeply engaged with transactions costs. These frictions can prevent resources from being efficiently deployed in production and goods from reaching their highest-valuing users. The systematic study of how to reduce or minimize transactions costs has yielded explanations, for example, of the boundary between the firm and the market, the allocation of initial entitlements, and the choice between deploying property rule or liability rule remedies when entitlements are breached. However, the inevitable frictions that attend to human affairs can produce gains as well as losses, and law and economics has almost entirely neglected the study of these transactions benefits. At least three varieties of transactions benefits appear immediately once one starts to look for them. Publicity benefits arise when features of one transaction become known and are valuable to other circumstances and perhaps to the legal system at large. One reason to oppose settlement and arbitration, for example, is that even if these forms of dispute resolution involve lower transactions costs than adjudication, they also fail to generate adjudication's valuable transactions benefits. Legitimacy benefits arise when the frictions involved in legal arrangements transform the beliefs and desires of those who experience them in ways that sustain the authority that the arrangements have over the parties within them. Accounts from social psychology of the authority of adjudication and, more broadly, the role that procedure plays in producing legitimacy emphasize this variety of transaction benefit. Finally, solidarity benefits arise when legal frictions constitute intrinsically valuable relationships among the parties who produce them. Adjudication's transformative powers and contractual collaboration illustrate this variety of transactions benefit. The three species of transactions benefit pose both opportunities and challenges for law and economics. Publicity benefits and perhaps also legitimacy benefits are well captured by traditional economic models, which might treat them as positive externalities. Law and economics can therefore recognize publicity benefits without changing any of its deep substantive or methodological commitments; and recognizing these transactions


While institutions of higher education work to engage PK-12 youth in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts and careers via in-person programming, PK-12 teachers and students face many logistical and access constraints for physically traveling to sites off of school grounds during the school day. Throughout the years, electronic field trips (EFTs) have offered a digital way for schools to engage in meaningful ways with museums, parks, laboratories, and field research sites. In order for EFTs to be effective, they should be cost effective and created collaboratively with teachers, students, subject matter experts, and instructional design and communication professionals. Streaming Science is an online science communication platform that aimed to develop and implement an effective EFT model. Three Streaming Science live interactive EFTs webcasted online were piloted from various locations during 2017-2019 to test wireless internet connections, mobile technologies, STEM content, and impacts on students' interest, attitudes, and learning. The model proved iPads and mobile applications in the field for web streaming were effective for connecting scientists with school audiences. In this professional development article, authors describe the Streaming Science EFT model, including recommendations for instructional design, the pre-production process, content development, teacher collaboration, student engagement, mobile hardware and software, and assessment.


Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women worldwide. Persistent infection with an oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is necessary, but not sufficient, for its development. Over many years, only a small proportion of women with chronic HPV infection progress to develop disease. The role of host genes and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of, or predisposition to, cervical cancer is still unclear. We conducted a systematic review of published literature in MEDLINE–PubMed to identify studies of cervical cancer susceptibility that used a twin study design. We used standard MeSH terms (controlled vocabulary) as well as specific free-text terms and combinations of terms related to cervical cancer, with no restriction on publication date. We performed a full text review to ensure the identified articles met our inclusion criteria and, if so, extracted information on demographics, sample size, study definitions, and key statistical findings. Of the 285 articles identified, three utilized a classical twin design and reported results specific to cervical cancer. The studies were based on cancer registry data from Scandinavia, with sample sizes ranging from 312 to 710 twin pairs. The findings from one study were consistent with a genetic mechanism for the causation of carcinoma in situ. Future research studies using the strength of the classic twin design, together with incorporation of HPV DNA status, are indicated to determine whether there is a potential role for genetic factors in the development of cervical cancer or high-grade cervical dysplasia from chronic oncogenic HPV infection.


We address the challenge faced by service providers in monitoring Quality of Experience (QoE) related metrics for WebRTC-based audiovisual communication services. By extracting features from various application-layer performance statistics, we explore the potential of using machine learning (ML) models to estimate perceivable quality impairments and to identify root causes. We argue that such performance-related data can be valuable and informative from a QoE assessment point of view, by allowing to identify the party/parties in a call that is/are experiencing quality impairments, and to trace the origins and causes of the problem. The paper includes case studies of multi-party videoconferencing that are established in a laboratory environment and exposed to various network disturbances and CPU limitations. Our results show that perceivable quality impairments in terms of video blockiness and audio distortions may be estimated with a high level of accuracy, thus proving the potential of exploiting ML models for automated QoE-driven monitoring and estimation of WebRTC performance.


Marine fisheries across the globe are challenged by unsustainable industrial fishing practices resulting in the depletion of fish populations. Fish become global commodities, traded and shipped all over the world, accumulating thousands of food miles and benefiting companies and food processor many miles from the fishery itself. Community Supported Fisheries (CSF) were created in the last ten years as a solution to unsustainable, industrial fisheries practices that undermine marine environmental health and local fishing jobs, communities and cultures. Closely related to the land-based Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, CSF seek to minimize the distance between producers and consumers, offering fresh and local fish to consumers and allowing for greater profits remain in local fishing communities. CSF are smaller in scale and support more environmentally sustainable fishing practices. This model has spread throughout the United States over the last decade with no two CSF being identical. Through personal interviews with two local Massachusetts CSF, I document the evolution of these CSF. I assess the implementation of sustainable fishing practices and consider whether the CSF model promotes the sustainability of people and planet. I examine barriers and threats to CSF success; information that will be relevant to those interested in starting their own CSF. Finally, I examine CSF marketing strategies and consider how they employ localisms (local identities, branding) to market themselves to the nearby communities based on their local surroundings and demographics.


With computer technology rapidly development, computer analog simulation technology has been penetrated into all walks of life. The paper applies computer analog simulation technology into sports event curling, establishes curling tactical simulation system, with an aim to research curling rules and features. The paper firstly renders human body model, gets human body model in computer a, and then establishes curling tactical simulation system, and focuses on researching on model calculation subsystem under tactical simulation system, establishes collision detection model and physical ability attenuation model. Finally it gets physical ability waste estimation method according to athlete works to overcome resistance in competitions, and provides physical ability attenuation formula, and further perfects curling tactical simulation system.


AIM To assess the effect of sofosbuvir (SOF) based regimens on glycemic and lipid control. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients treated and cured with a SOF regimen [SOF/ribavirin/interferon, SOF/simeprevir, or SOF/ledipasvir (LDV) ± ribavirin] from January 2014 to March 2015. Patients with hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) and lipid panels within six months before and six months after therapy were identified and included in our study. Due to the known hemolytic effect of ribavirin, HbA1C was obtained a minimum of three months post-treatment for the patients treated with a ribavirin regimen. Medical history, demographics, HCV genotype, pre-therapy RNA, and liver biopsies were included in our analysis. The patients who started a new medication or had an adjustment of baseline medical management for hyperlipidemia or diabetes mellitus (DM) were excluded from our analysis. RESULTS Two hundred and thirty-four patients were reviewed, of which 60 patients met inclusion criteria. Sixty-three point three percent were male, 26.7% were Caucasian, 41.7% were African American and 91.7% were infected with hepatitis C genotype 1. Mean age was 60.6 ± 6.7 years. Thirty-nine patients had HbA1C checked before and after treatment, of which 22 had the diagnosis of DM type 2. HbA1C significantly decreased with treatment of HCV (pretreatment 6.66% ± 0.95% vs post-treatment 6.14% ± 0.65%, P < 0.005). Those treated with SOF/LDV had a lower HbA1C response than those treated with other regimens (0.26% ± 0.53% vs 0.71% ± 0.83%, P = 0.070). Fifty-two patients had pre- and post-treatment lipid panels; there was a significant increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol (TC) after treatment (LDL: 99.5 ± 28.9 mg/dL vs 128.3 ± 34.9 mg/dL, P < 0.001; TC: 171.6 ± 32.5 mg/dL vs 199.7 ± 40.0 mg/dL, P < 0.001). Pre-treatment body-mass index (BMI) did not differ from post-treatment BMI (P = 0.684). CONCLUSION Eradication of HCV with a SOF regimen resulted in a significant drop in HbA1C and an increase in LDL and TC post therapy.


Centers of excellence at Israel's universities are crumbling. The brain drain is in full flow. The country's extensive investment in higher education over the last five decades is increasingly benefiting other countries which are able to attract Israeli academics. Figure 1 illustrates the situation in Israel in the units most vulnerable to the brain drain-the universities. Departure for employment abroad of males aged 30-40 is the highest among professors, 6.52 percent. Relative to its size, the brain drain from universities in Israel is more widespread than it is in most other highly scientifically advanced countries. As Figure 1 shows, Israelis account for 1,409 of the foreign staff at US universities while Britons account for only 3,117, even though Britain's population is ten times greater than Israel's. Figure 2 presents rates of departure from Israel by profession. It demonstrates that university professors have the highest exit rates.


Introduction: Infections of the urinary tract, commonly known as urinary tract infection (UTI), are very common and prevalent issue among patients in the general outdoor clinics. Moreover, association of biofilms further raises concerns in terms of the recurrence of UTI or resistance microorganisms. Objective: The objective of the present study includes the investigation of the distribution and detection of biofilm production by uropathogens in tropical catheterized patients by the tube adherence method (TAM). Materials and Methods: A total of 100 patients were included in the study. All the patients were tropical catheterized patients admitted in Civil Hospital, Ambala City. The patients were consulted, and the required necessary medical information was recorded in a pre-defined format for easy retrieval. Urine samples were collected and microorganisms identified alongside detected the biofilm production in the samples. Results and Discussion: The results demonstrated the prevalence of UTIs among the study patients and Escherichia coli had been detected as the most predominant uropathogen responsible for the infection in the catheterized patient. Another hallmark observation demonstrated that resistant E. coli cases were most abundant among the isolated and suggestive of strong producer of biofilm. The results also indicated that, as a cost-effective method, TAM is a reliable method for biofilm detection in the present studied patient population. Conclusion: This method had been demonstrated to most accurate when the causative organism is resistant E. coli.


Abstract In vitro studies offer great potential for achieving helpful information for predicting clinical interactions between concomitantly administered drugs. Since the metabolism of drugs usually involves several pathways, the enzyme or CYP isozymes known to contribute to the metabolism of the majority of therapeutic drugs should be preferentially studied.@e @qTo make corrective intervention in the stages of drug discovery and to improve the process of drug development, an early investigation of potential inhibitory drug–drug interactions is required. The Italian Pharmacological Society


The objective of this study was to characterise some of the nutritional values of the two bamboo species grown and consumed in western parts of Ethiopia. The bamboo shoots of each the two species were collected from each of the three sites and analyzed for their nutritional and mineral composition. The average moisture content of the bamboo shoots was more than 90% for both species but the fat content as determined on dry weight basis indicated a significant variation ranging from 0.6 to 2.2% for Oxytenanthera abyssinica and from 0.6 to 1.5% forArundinaria alpina. Highland bamboo (A. alpina) shoots characterized with high nitrogen content (5.40%) implying that they may have high content of protein, but the lowland bamboo (O. abyssinica) was low in nitrogen content (3.10%). The average ash contents of the highland bamboo shoots collected from Tekur Incheny, Enjibara and Masha site were 14.20, 15.50 and 17.20%, respectively. The average nutrient elements in the shoots of O. abyssinica were in the order of K>N>P>Ca>Mg, whereas in A. alpina bamboo shoots observed to have slight variation in the arrangement of these elements with the order of K>N>P> Mg > Ca.

 Key words: Arundinaria alpina, Oxytenanthera abyssinica, bamboo shoots, mineral elements, nutrients.


A form of soft matter, physical gels, has been exploited for many practical purposes for several centuries. During the last decade, several types of physical gels have been developed to clean surfaces for art conservation and restoration. A short history and an explanation of the structures and properties of these gels and recent modifications of them by the authors to allow "isothermal rheoreversibility" are described. Speculation about future developments and the factors that should be considered when formulating gels for art conservation and restoration is presented.


One of the most vexing issues in economic policy is that of targeted tax incentives for private companies. Local economic developers tout the importance of incentives in attracting and retaining businesses, but taxpayer groups denounce the payment of tax money to specific private businesses.


A Friedmann–Robertson–Walker Universe was studied with a dark energy component represented by a quintessence field. The Lagrangian for this system, hereafter called the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker–quintessence (FRWq) system, was presented. It was shown that the classical Lagrangian reproduces the usual two (second order) dynamical equations for the radius of the Universe and for the quintessence scalar field, as well as a (first order) constraint equation. Our approach naturally unified gravity and dark energy, as it was obtained that the Lagrangian and the equations of motion are those of a relativistic particle moving on a two-dimensional, conformally flat spacetime. The conformal metric factor was related to the dark energy scalar field potential. We proceeded to quantize the system in three different schemes. First, we assumed the Universe was a spinless particle (as it is common in literature), obtaining a quantum theory for a Universe described by the Klein–Gordon equation. Second, we pushed the quantization scheme further, assuming the Universe as a Dirac particle, and therefore constructing its corresponding Dirac and Majorana theories. With the different theories, we calculated the expected values for the scale factor of the Universe. They depend on the type of quantization scheme used. The differences between the Dirac and Majorana schemes are highlighted here. The implications of the different quantization procedures are discussed. Finally, the possible consequences for a multiverse theory of the Dirac and Majorana quantized Universe are briefly considered.


Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is increasingly grown on intensively managed plantations that yield high growth rates. Wood properties, including specific gravity (SG), change with cambial age, and thus intensively managed trees contain a high proportion of low density corewood when harvested because of reduced rotation lengths. This study was undertaken to develop models of ring-level properties (SG and width) in intensively managed loblolly pine plantations. Ninety-three trees from five stands aged from 24 to 33 years were harvested, and 490 disks were obtained from in between the 5.2-m logs that were cut, and at the merchantable top. The disks were cut into pith-to-bark radial strips that were scanned on an X-ray densitometer, and the resultant data analyzed using non-linear mixed-effects models. The fixed effects of the models, which included cambial age and for some models disk height and ring width, were able to explain 56, 46, 54, 16, and 46 percent of the within-tree variation for ring SG, ring width, latewood SG, earlywood SG, and latewood percent, respectively. To assess implications for wood utilization, a modeled tree was built by using height, diameter, and taper equations and these models were linked with the developed ring SG model to produce a tree properties map. The linked information was also used to generate tree and log SG and proportion of corewood values for different rotation ages. The results from this study are a step towards integrating wood quality models into growth-and-yield modeling systems that are important for loblolly pine plantation management.


A new method for the calculation of thermodynamic properties of simple fluid mixtures constitutes an extension of the approach defined earlier as the "van der Waals" conformal solution theory. This extension is made possible by advances in the analytical representation of the thermodynamic properties of a mixture of hard spheres which permit the properties to be calculated directly, without the use of a reference fluid. A new hard-sphere excess function, defined as a property of the mixture less the value of this property for the hard-sphere mixture, is obtained by a new conformal solution theory using a single pure fluid as a reference substance. Although the reference substance properties could be experimentally measured values, this work obtains them from an analytical form of the Barker-Henderson perturbation theory.This new method improves prediction of the effects of large molecular size differences on the excess properties of the mixture. It uses the reference fluid to account for most of the temperature dependence of the cut-off parameter needed to define the molecular diameters in the direct hard-sphere mixture calculations and the calculations need only the high temperature limit of the cut-off parameters, even far below the critical temperature. The new method extends the original vdW conformal solution method to lower temperatures and provides an opening for inclusion of three-body interactions.Conventional excess mixing functions for several binary liquid mixtures calculated by the new method are compared with the predictions of other theories and with both experimental and Monte Carlo data.


Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi promised his Method as a means of education for all that was easily manageable by mothers at home for early childhood, leading eventually to a wholesome person characterised by morality. In order to develop this Method, Pestalozzi published "Wie Gertrud ihre Kinder lehrt" (How Gertrud Teaches her Children) in 1801 and then his so‐called Elementary Books, especially the "Buch der Mütter" (Books for Mothers) in 1803. However, not only was home education to be reformed, but also the subsequent education in school. For this purpose Pestalozzi erected his institutes in Burgdorf, Münchenbuchsee, and Yverdon and fostered the publication of teaching manuals. The Method was advertised in the language of redemption for all. This article examines to what extent the promises made by Pestalozzi and his colleagues in his Institutes covered the interests of the consumers outside the Institutes. What was it that the parents of the students expected from the education in the Institutes? Were these expectations compatible with the promises made by the Method and its creator? Why exactly were the students sent to Burgdorf, Münchenbuchsee and Yverdon? How did the parents react to the gap between promise and reality? And to what extent were Pestalozzi's efforts an attempt at popular enlightenment?


Current literature on the dual diagnosis in cases of schizophrenia and alcohol dependence has reported how pharmacological treatment has positive effects on the reduction of both disorders. Nevertheless, patients have considerable difficulties in following the prescribed medication. This work aims to build an engagement stage and therapeutic relationship in seven patients with schizophrenic and alcohol-related disorder cases. This result was achieved through the use of the vignette technique and narrative psychodynamic approach during group counselling sessions. Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) and Munich Alcoholism Test (MALT) were applied before and after treatment. A follow-up session was organized. The PANSS and MALT scores indicated there was no reduction of the psychiatric symptoms after treatment. The follow-up session showed positive outcomes in terms of increasing the level of socialisation as well as awareness of their own condition; at the same, an adherence to pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy for all the subjects.


This conceptual research article considers the concept of socially sustainable tourist behaviour. It explains the critical role of this behaviour in two parts (themes and behaviours), highlighting the lack of adequate research to date on this concept and the role of the social dimensions in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The dimensions from previous works (academic and non-academic) attempting to articulate sustainable tourist behaviour from a social perspective are summarised and classified. A measurement framework of 19 dimensions of socially sustainable tourist behaviour is proposed. It is argued that the extant literature fails to comprehensively conceptualise and measure socially sustainable tourist behaviour, and that a new framework with an associated measurement scale is needed.


In semiarid western North American riparian ecosystems, increased drought and lower streamflows under climate change may reduce plant growth and recruitment, and favor drought-tolerant exotic species over mesic native species. We tested whether elevated atmospheric CO₂ might ameliorate these effects by improving plant water-use efficiency. We examined the effects of CO₂ and water availability on seedlings of two native (Populus deltoides spp. monilifera, Salix exigua) and three exotic (Elaeagnus angustifolia, Tamarix spp., Ulmus pumila) western North American riparian species in a CO₂-controlled glasshouse, using 1-m-deep pots with different water-table decline rates. Low water availability reduced seedling biomass by 70-97%, and hindered the native species more than the exotics. Elevated CO₂ increased biomass by 15%, with similar effects on natives and exotics. Elevated CO₂ increased intrinsic water-use efficiency (Δ¹³C(leaf) ), but did not increase biomass more in drier treatments than wetter treatments. The moderate positive effects of elevated CO₂ on riparian seedlings are unlikely to counteract the large negative effects of increased aridity projected under climate change. Our results suggest that increased aridity will reduce riparian seedling growth despite elevated CO₂, and will reduce growth more for native Salix and Populus than for drought-tolerant exotic species.


Introductions: Preoperative diagnosis of orbital and ocular lesions is necessary for optimum treatment. The study aims to analyze the histomorphological spectrum of orbito-ocular lesions and to evaluate the need of ancillary techniques for confirmation of diagnosis.
Methods: A cross sectional hospital based study of orbito-ocular surgical biopsy samples obtained in the Department of Pathology, at Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital, Nepal during one-year period was analysed for clinical and histopathological findings. Demographic data, site and tissue type, benign or malignant, recommendations for special stains and immunohistochemistry panel study were analysed.
Results: Out of 185 total samples, male to female ratio of 1.1:1, age ranged from ten month to 82 years, 11-20 year age group had 39 (21.1%) orbito-ocular lesions and cornea-conjunctiva was involved in 104 (56.2%). Clinical diagnosis correlated well with histopathological diagnosis, p<0.001. The non-neoplastic, benign and malignant lesions were 36.7%, 33.5% and 29.7% respectively. Squamous cell carcinoma was seen in 28 (50.9%) of malignant lesions followed by sebaceous carcinoma 7 (12.7%). The special stains and immunohistochemistry panel was recommended in 38 (20.5% and 21 (11.3%) cases respectively.
Conclusions: Findings suggest the clinical and histopathological diagnosis correlated well in diagnosis of a wide spectrum of orbito-ocular lesions.
Keywords: ancillary techniques, clincio-pathological correlation, immunohistochemistry, orbito-ocular lesions, squamous cell carcinoma


The main concern of this paper is to notify the designing of a quad copter which is capable of carrying a payload and the camera, as it is used to determine the location of the dock. A quad copter is designed such that it can correctly determine the location of a target ground station while hovering and then land on the target. To deal with quad copter, weight is the main constrain which is important and play a predominant role in these unmanned aerial vehicles. So, from this paper we can also make the design of a quad copter with lightweight.


Effects of temperature and leaf wetness on the latent period of Rhynchosporium secalis (leaf blotch) on winter barley were examined in controlled environment experiments. At 100% relative humidity (continuous leaf wetness) the mean length of the latent period was c. 24 days at 5 degrees C, c. 19 days at 10 degrees C, c. 16 days at 15 degrees C and c. 13 days at 20 degrees C. The mean number of days between the appearance of the first and the last lesions was c. 13 days at 5 degrees C, c. 6 days at 10 degrees C, c. 5 days at 15 degrees C and c. 3 days at 20 degrees C. A negative curvilinear regression of latent period on temperature accounted for 99% of the variance. The mean area of lesions per leaf was 38 mm(2) at 5 degrees C, 46 mm(2) at 10 degrees C, 24 mm(2) at 15 degrees C and 24 mm(2) at 20 degrees C. At 10 degrees C, after a 48 h wet infection period, the interruption of leaf wetness for 5 or more days at any time during the next 15 days of the latent period did not decrease subsequent lesion area. However, absence of leaf wetness after these 15 days, at the onset of sporulation, did decrease the area of lesions which developed.


We combine the near‐sensor image processing concept with address‐event representation leading to an intensity‐ranking image sensor (IRIS) and show the benefits of using this type of sensor for image classification. The functionality of IRIS is to output pixel coordinates (X and Y values) continuously as each pixel has collected a certain number of photons. Thus, the pixel outputs will be automatically intensity ranked. By keeping track of the timing of these events, it is possible to record the full dynamic range of the image. However, in many cases, this is not necessary—the intensity ranking in itself gives the needed information for the task at hand. This paper describes techniques for classification and proposes a particular variant (groves) that fits the IRIS architecture well as it can work on the intensity rankings only. Simulation results using the CIFAR‐10 dataset compare the results of the proposed method with the more conventional ferns technique. It is concluded that the simultaneous sensing and classification obtainable with the IRIS sensor yields both fast (shorter than full exposure time) and processing‐efficient classification.


Conflicts of today are characterized by both traditional and irregular tactics and by non-state actors making innovative use of modern technologies. These conditions set new demands on naval ships. The aim of this investigation is to describe how, based on probabilistic risk assessment, the concept of operation for a naval ship can be turned into safety scenarios to be used in the evaluation of risk. In this investigation, civilian state-of-the-art methods for probabilistic risk assessment are merged with the specific demands of naval ships. Relevant aspects of safety culture, codes, regulations and rules are analysed with respect to requirements on safety scenarios, and military operational research with respect to modelling military systems. The results show that the scenarios must have calculable probability and must be adapted to the vessel in question. Results from simulations show that modelling operational tasks is one way to support experts in the definition of safety scenarios.


Lasers have been widely used in different types of applications such as telecommunications, CD/DVD readers or for sensing purposes. A major drawback in their use is the optical feedback caused by an obstacle in their direction of propagation. This light reinjected in the active area modifies the emission properties of laser diodes and obliges the developers to consider adding isolators increasing thereby the complexity and the price of such systems. However this optical feedback induces a variation in the emission power and frequency in function with the distance to the reflector. This phenomenon, more commonly known as self-mixing, is used in different types of displacement, velocity and vibration sensors. In this work, the physical theory of the self-mixing effect is introduced and then a state of the art of its main applications in the different fields of instrumentation is accomplished. A detailed study of the self-mixing signal in the moderate feedback regime is achieved introducing the effect of "loss of peaks", its physical interpretation, mechanisms and effect on different types of displacement measurement. Afterwards, the discrepancy concerning the strong feedback regime was cleared out showing that it may be used for relative displacement measurement. A detailed study of this regime covers its statistical aspect and the influence of different parameters on this aspect. Finally, the self-mixing sensor under strong feedback was introduced in modal analysis applications after being characterized. It was applied to study a clamped plate or to detect damage in carbon fiber CFBs. This type of sensors proved its major advantage of simplicity providing a direct image of the displacement without the need of any advanced signal processing. This facilitates its duplication where an array of sensors was used in different experiments.


In this project, we explore the use of threshold concept theory as a design basis for development of Interactive Virtual Laboratories in thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is a difficult subject for chemical and biological engineering students to master. One reason for the difficulty is the diverse and challenging set of threshold concepts that they must coherently synthesize and be able to apply in a diverse range of contexts. Based on our experience and from reports in the literature, we have identified a set of threshold concepts we propose are critical for mastery of thermodynamics. To help students better learn these concepts, we have been developing Interactive Virtual Laboratories. This paper describes the development and initial investigation of two such laboratories. They are available for instructors to use through the AIChE Concept Warehouse website ( http://cw.edudiv.org/ ). The Interactive Virtual Laboratories are a series of two-dimensional simulations designed to address the targeted threshold concepts. The design of these laboratories is based on allowing students to see and explore alternative representations of the phenomena that they are learning. They allow inquiry-based, scaffolded activity, and each has several activities that provide multiple representations. These activities guide students to perform virtual experiments, and also to place the virtual experiments in the context of the concepts that they are learning . They explain concepts in a way that is less abstract and more intuitive to students by providing a dynamic representation of phenomena at a molecular level. Students are expected to answer numerical questions and, whenever possible, predict and explain the effects of macroscopic changes (i.e., pressure, temperature, composition, energy) based on observations of molecular properties. In the study reported in this paper, we investigate how students experience the laboratories and whether the students perceive the simulations are beneficial towards learning. The two interactive virtual laboratories studied address the concepts of Pv work and reversible processes. Eight participants took part in the clinical study outside of the engineering classroom. All students had previously taken a thermodynamics course and had access to a thermodynamics textbook and the internet as they completed the laboratory. A "think aloud" protocol was used where students were audio recorded as they verbally described their actions in completing the laboratory. The transcribed audio recordings together with video recordings of the computer screen on which they worked were analyzed. After completing the laboratory, a semi-structured interview asked participants about their perceptions of the simulation's effectiveness, their previous thermodynamics experience, and a brief assessment of what they learned. All interviews were transcribed for analysis. The participants generally responded positively to the simulations. Seven out of eight students explicitly stated that the dynamic simulations helped them visualize and engage with the processes more than they could with the static depictions in books or lecture. However, some difficulties were observed, including interacting with the interface and understanding specifically what a question was asking. One participant found the interactivity to be unintuitive. We also noticed a relation between how the participants framed knowledge and their approach to completing the laboratory. Students who activated more sophisticated frames typically completed the simulation more quickly and accurately than those with more naive frames. Students who did not do as well tended to focus on trying to identify equations they had used in the past, even going so far as to use them in an unsuitable context. On the other hand, students who completed the simulations accurately and more quickly appeared to integrate what they were seeing on the screen with their foundational conceptual knowledge to form new understanding.


1. In previous studies on the adductor pollicis and biceps brachii muscles we suggested that motoneuron firing rates are inhibited by a reflex from the muscle during fatigue, since: the firing rates decline during a sustained maximal voluntary contraction (MVC); recovery of MVC firing rates is prevented if the fatigued state of the muscle is preserved for 3 min by local occlusion of its blood supply; and full recovery occurs during this time once the blood supply to the peripheral muscle is restored. These findings were confirmed in the present study for quadriceps contractions. 2. These results do not necessarily imply an inhibitory reflex. The lower firing rates recorded from the muscle fibers during an MVC following 3 min of postfatigue ischemia may have been caused by either reduced subject effort (decreased muscle activation by the CNS) or impaired peripheral impulse transmission under these conditions. The present experiments, carried out on the quadriceps and adductor pollicis muscles, were designed to test this alternative explanation. 3. For both muscles, MVC contractions were sustained for 40 s with a blood pressure cuff inflated to 200 mmHg. This was followed by 3 min ischemic rest and a second 20-s MVC before cuff release. Three minutes after the blood supply to the muscle was restored a third 20-s MVC was made. Single shocks were delivered to the muscle throughout to record twitches from the relaxed muscle (Tr) before and after each MVC, and any twitches super-imposed on the voluntary contractions (Ts). The degree to which the muscle could be activated by voluntary effort was assessed from the ratio [1 - Ts/Tr]. For adductor pollicis, changes in the amplitude of the evoked M-waves were also measured. 4. Spike frequencies were only recorded during quadriceps experiments. These declined by 30% during the initial 40-s MVC. No recovery was seen in the second MVC following 3 min ischemic rest, but full recovery occurred within 3 min of cuff release. 5. Failure to retain full muscle activation was frequently seen in all three MVCs. However, for many well-motivated subjects twitch occlusion showed no reduction in the degree to which either the adductor pollicis or quadriceps muscles could be activated voluntarily during the MVC executed after 3 min of ischemic rest compared with that performed 3 min after the blood supply had been restored.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Among the many identification methods of impulse response of linear discrete system, the recursive least squares method is well known because of its ease of handling and excellent convergency. This paper analyzes why the least squares estimates of an impulse response sequence degrade in convergency when one utilizes smooth input signals for identification and the number of data is finite. It also presents an effective identification method even under such a condition. The magnitude of the eigenvalue of the correlation matrix of input signal is adopted as a quantitative index of input signal smoothness and it is demonstrated that small valued eigenvalues increase the mean squares error of least squares estimate. Using the idea of eigenvalue expansion, we also present a new online identification method which truncates small eigenvalues associated with the input autocorrelation matrix. It is shown that the optimal number of eigenvalues can be theoretically determined in consideration of the tradeoff between the parameter error due to observation noise and the parameter error due to the truncation of small eigenvalues. Moreover, by recursively estimating the eigenvalues and the eigenvectors using the power method, the proposed method is generalized to a recursive estimation method to evaluate the estimate at each time instance. By also recursively updating the optimal number of eigenvalues, the proposed method is shown to have an excellent convergency through numerical examples compared to the conventional recursive least squares method.


UNLABELLED
Cellular adhesion plays a major role in many biological processes--in cells' growth, their differentiation, migration and apoptosis. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the expression of two selected adhesion molecules at the Ig superfamily in their soluble forms (sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1) in patients with chronic pancreatitis and in patients with pancreatic carcinoma in comparison with a group of healthy people. Examinations were carried out on healthy people (n = 32), patients with chronic pancreatitis (n = 32) and with pancreatic cancer (n = 32). The selected adhesion molecules concentrations were assessed using immunoassay of solid phase (ELISA).

RESULTS
sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 values in the sera of patients with chronic pancreatitis and with pancreatic carcinoma were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in comparison with the results obtained in the control group. In the group of patients with chronic pancreatitis the results were significantly lower in comparison with concentration in the group of patients with pancreatic carcinoma (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 values in patients with remote metastases were higher than in patients without metastases (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS
Overexpression of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 is characteristic for chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Values of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 concentrations in serum of patients with pancreatic cancer demonstrate connection with a state of clinical progression of tumour.


This thesis describes the growth of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) and multiferroic bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) films via chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The synthesis of a range of bismuth(III) β-diketonate complexes was carried out via a ligand-exchange reaction between [Bi(N(SiMe3)2)3] and the respective free ligand, and crystal structures of [Bi(dbm)3]2 and [Bi(acac)3] are reported. The decomposition of these complexes was studied via DSC-TGA to assess their potential as single-source precursors to Bi2O3, and the mass transport characteristics of the volatile complexes [Bi(mmp)3], [Bi(thd)3] and [Bi(OtBu)3] were studied. Bi2O3 films were grown via the LPCVD reaction of the single-source precursor [Bi(OtBu)3]; the crystalline phase (and band-gap) of the resultant films depended strongly upon the reactor conditions. Films were tested for photo-oxidation of water under UV-light, revealing high activities comparable to those of TiO2 films described previously. [Bi(dbm)3]2 was utilised as a single-source precursor to β-Bi2O3 films via AACVD, together with the growth of Pt(0) films using H2PtCl6.6H2O as a precursor. Pt-nanoparticle Bi2O3 films were grown via a 'one-pot' AACVD reaction of both precursors; composite Pt-Bi2O3 films were able to evolve hydrogen via the photo-reduction of water, a property not observed for films containing either Pt or Bi2O3 alone. BiFeO3 films were grown via a multi-source LPCVD reaction between [Fe(acac)3], [Bi(OtBu)3] and air, as well as via the dual-source reaction of [Bi(OtBu)3] and [Fe(OtBu)3]2 without oxidising gas, and, furthermore, via the single-source precursor [{Cp(CO)2Fe}BiCl2] using AACVD. Magnetometry revealed low temperature ferromagnetism and spin-glass behaviour, characteristic of larger particle sizes. Ferroelectric measurements revealed low polarisation but nevertheless indicated films were multiferroic at room temperature. A selection of these films were tested for photo-oxidation of water under visible-light; films displayed high photoactivities with rates in excess of those from optimised TiO2 films measured under UV-light, highlighting the potential of BiFeO3 films as strong visible-light active photocatalysts.


The present paper introduces a case study concerning the students' self-evaluation of a new form of pre-exam testing. The study is based on: a) the actual test- an interactive pre-exam quiz (with a graphic interface built in Flash3d) and b) an evaluation questionnaire with 10 closed items and an opened feedback question. The quiz' questions belong to mathematical analysis, linear algebra and analytical geometry fields and cover the most important subjects from the first semester course in Mathematics. The quiz is intended as a self assessment test and it is not scored. In order to motivate the students and enhance their preparation for the final examination, the level of difficulty of the quiz is medium towards high. The pre-exam quiz' questions are more complex than regular exercise tests, since in the final examination we verify the acquired knowledge through a similar format. In order to make this new form of preparation attractive for students, a short story was included in the beginning of the quiz allowing an interesting approach to the pre-exam questions. By answering the questions, the students get an insight view of possible applications of the mathematical notions they have learnt about and they are encouraged to search for and provide some more applications. Following the completion of the quiz, the students were given the evaluation form. In this paper we have included the main findings and conclusions obtained from the application of the feed-back questionnaire. The questionnaire is scored and the results justify this new pedagogical approach in the actual learning environment. We also discuss some of the drawbacks of this form of testing as they have appeared from the students' answers to the feedback question.


In this study, the reliability of isotropically conductive adhesive (ICA) attachments on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate was compared to the reliability of lead-free solder (SnAgCu) attachments on same substrate material. The assembled components were similar surface mount components and the reliability was assessed through real-time measurements of contact resistance of each connection. The devices were subjected to two environmental stress tests, a thermal cycle test and a sinusoidal vibration. Results show that when using LCP as a substrate material, the reliability of the device under thermal cyclic stress is somewhat inferior to the reliability of SnAgCu solder. No significant differences could however be perceived from the vibration test results since none of the assemblies failed in the test. The failure analysis revealed that most failures occured at the interface between component lead and the attachment material in both cases, but the test methods need to be developed to make further conclusions


The strategic partnership between China and Russia is creating solid ground for the cooperative development of the Arctic. These two states'joint development of the Northern Sea Route will not only provide additional impulse to the export-oriented economy of China and allow further diversification of supply routes to China, but will also promote investment into the infrastructure and economic growth of Russian northern territories. Climate change in the Arctic has forced China and Russia to acknowledge the sustainable use of the Arctic. On the one hand, exploration of the region should not harm indigenous people's rights and should help this population improve their standard of living by providing qualified healthcare and opportunities for commercial fulfillment of traditional crafts. On the other hand, this exploration should also include elimination of harmful anthropogenic impact and provide support for environment self-restoration. Sino-Russian Arctic cooperation will help humans discover eco-friendly approaches to use Arctic resources, promote rational use of the Arctic and inspire sustainable development of the region. Citation: Bai J Y, Voronenko A. Lessons and prospects of Sino-Russian Arctic cooperation. Adv Polar Sci, 2016, 27: 185-191, doi: 10.13679/j.advps.2016.3.00185


The middle Cretaceous carbonate deposits in the Middle East are among the most productive oil-bearing stratigraphic intervals in the world, containing numerous giant fields in, for instance, the United Arab Emirates (Mauddud and Mishrif formations), Iran (Sarvak Formation), and Oman (Natih Formation). One of the main reasons for this concentration of hydrocarbons is a geological factor: the coexistence of both reservoir facies and source rocks in the same depositional sequences due to the repeated creation of organic-rich intrashelf basins. This is demonstrated in a high-resolution sequence stratigraphic study of the Natih Formation in Oman, which shows distinct and predictive patterns in the distribution and geometries of reservoir, source rock, and seal facies. The sequence stratigraphic model presented here may serve as a reference for time-equivalent deposits in the Middle East. The sedimentological analysis showed that the Natih Formation was formed by the alternation of two types of depositional systems: (1) a flat-bedded, mixed carbonate-clay ramp, dominated by benthic foraminifera, and (2) a carbonate-dominated ramp bordering an intrashelf basin, with abundant rudists in the mid-ramp environment and organic-rich basinal facies. Three fully developed third-order sequences are distinguished, showing a similar evolution of the depositional system, with a mixed carbonate-clay ramp system at the base, followed by a carbonate-dominated ramp system in the upper part. Variations occur on this pattern, however, depending on the relative influence of eustasy, environmental factors, and tectonism. The late Albiannearly Cenomanian sequence I shows an evolution from a mixed, flat ramp to a carbonate-dominated ramp and organic-rich intrashelf (Begin page 22) basin, and sedimentation is predominantly controlled by eustatic sea level. In the middle Cenomanian sequence II, the evolution from a mixed ramp to a carbonate ramp is also observed, but no intrashelf basin topography was developed in the studied area. This may be due to the high influx of clay that influenced the environment in this sequence, inhibiting the carbonate production, probably in combination with the lack of sufficient creation of accommodation space. The late Cenomaniannearly Turonian transgressive part of sequence III shows a similar evolution to that observed in sequence I, with the development of an organic-rich intrashelf basin. During highstand, however, a tectonically controlled sedimentation pattern is observed, with the development of forced regressive wedges (due to the flexural bulge of the foreland basin). Intrashelf basin formation occurred twice in the transgressive part of the third-order depositional sequences of the Natih Formation. Our study shows that this is mainly the result of differential sedimentation rates, that is, the dynamics of the carbonate sedimentary system itself in response to (rapid) rises in relative sea level, probably of eustatic origin. Tectonism was only a minor factor in the creation of the basin topography, possibly through the creation of small initial relief. The accumulation of the organic matter is not only a result of the creation of a sufficiently deep-water column to guarantee dysaerobic conditions for its preservation. The late Albian and late Cenomaniannearly Turonian were also periods of generally favorable conditions worldwide for high organic matter productivity. The time lines and stratigraphic architecture of the third-order sequences presented here have an application potential at the scale of the Arabian plate. The general sedimentation pattern is predicted by our model, but modifications due to different local conditions are likely to occur.


The article shares the outcomes of a practice called Intention/Reflection (I/R) when applied to a group of ten students in a five-week course involving an international advanced pharmacy practice experience. Developed by the authors and founded on a combination of theoretical principles, this practice is unique because of the blend of formative and summative activities. I/R activities account for learning goals established by the instructor but also promote the mindful creation of a student's own personal set of learning outcomes. In this practice, prior to any learning experience (which could be as long as a semester or as short as a single class session), students respond to questions that help them identify their individual learning goals and how this knowledge gain will help them. A similar set of questions at the end of the experience is meant to help the student understand the effect of the experience, and connect the students' intention with their learning outcomes. The results show two benefits from the learning process. First the students are able to monitor their own learning and track what they want to learn as well as how they learned it. Second, the practice appears to help students identify new distinct personal learning outcomes and a way to achieve them.


An algorithm that is widely used for adaptive equalization in current modems is the bootstrap or decision-directed version of the Widrow-Hoff rule. We show that this algorithm can be viewed as an unsupervised clustering algorithm in which the data points are transformed so that they form two clusters that are as tight as possible. The standard algorithm performs gradient ascent in a crude model of the log likelihood of generating the transformed data points from two gaussian distributions with fixed centers. Better convergence is achieved by using the exact gradient of the log likelihood.


The design of cleaning and maintenance (CaM) robots is generally limited by their fixed morphologies, resulting in limited functions and modes of operation. Contrary to fixed shape robots, the design of reconfigurable robots presents unique challenges in designing their system, subsystems, and functionalities with the scope for innovative operational scenarios and achieving high performance in multiple modalities without compromise. This paper proposes a heuristic framework using three layers, namely input, formulation, and output layer, for designing reconfigurable robots with the aid of established transformation principles including expand/collapse, expose/cover, and fuse/divide observed in several products, services, and systems. We apply this heuristic framework approach to the novel design of a pavement CaM robotic system and subsystems, namely, i) Varying footprint, ii) Transmission, iii) Outer skin or cover iv) Storage bin, v) Surface cleaning, and vi) Vacuum/suction and blowing. The advances in the design method using the heuristic approach are demonstrated by developing an innovative reconfigurable design for CaM task. Kinematic analysis and control architecture enabling the unique locomotion behavior and gaits, namely, a) static reconfiguration and b) reconfiguration while locomotion, supported by the control architecture. Experiments were conducted and outcomes are discussed along with the failure mode analysis to support the design robustness and limitations through the observations made from the development to testing phase over one year. A detailed video demonstrating the design capabilities is linked.


Understanding the characteristics of the Internet delay space (i.e., the all-pairs set of static round-trip propagation delays among edge networks in the Internet) is important for the design of global-scale distributed systems. For instance, algorithms used in overlay networks are often sensitive to violations of the triangle inequality and to the growth properties within the Internet delay space. Since designers of distributed systems often rely on simulation and emulation to study design alternatives, they need a realistic model of the Internet delay space. In this paper, we analyze measured delay spaces among thousands of Internet edge networks and quantify key properties that are important for distributed system design. Our analysis shows that existing delay space models do not adequately capture these important properties of the Internet delay space. Furthermore, we derive a simple model of the Internet delay space based on our analytical findings. This model preserves the relevant metrics far better than existing models, allows for a compact representation, and can be used to synthesize delay data for simulations and emulations at a scale where direct measurement and storage are impractical. We present the design of a publicly available delay space synthesizer tool called DS2 and demonstrate its effectiveness.