Using serum biomarkers to assess osteoarthritis (OA) disease state and risks of progression remain challenging. This study tested the hypothesis that changes to serum biomarkers in response to a mechanical stimulus in patients with medial knee OA signal cartilage thickness changes 5 years later. Specifically, serum concentrations of a collagen degradation marker (C1,2C) and a chondroitin sulfate synthesis marker (CS846) were measured 0.5 and 5.5 hours after a 30‐min walk in 16 patients. Regional cartilage thickness changes measured from magnetic resonance images obtained at study entry and at 5‐year follow‐up were tested for correlations with baseline biomarker changes after mechanical stimulus, and for differences between groups stratified based on whether biomarker levels increased or decreased. Results showed that an increase in the degradation biomarker C1,2C correlated with cartilage thinning of the lateral tibia (R = −0.63, p = 0.009), whereas an increase in the synthesis marker CS846 correlated with cartilage thickening of the lateral femur (R = 0.76, p = 0.001). Changes in C1,2C and CS846 were correlated (R2 = 0.28, p = 0.037). Subjects with increased C1,2C had greater (p = 0.05) medial tibial cartilage thinning than those with decreased C1,2C. In conclusion, the mechanical stimulus appeared to metabolically link the biomarker responses where biomarker increases signaled more active OA disease states. The findings of medial cartilage thinning for patients with increases in the degradation marker and correlation of cartilage thickening in the less involved lateral femur with increases in the synthetic marker were consistent with progression of medial compartment OA. Thus, the mechanical stimulus facilitated assessing OA disease states using serum biomarkers. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:891–897, 2018.


PURPOSE: To compare the hypotensive effect in normal eyes of three formulations with different concentrations of brimonidine tartrate: 0.2%; 0.15% and 0.1%. METHODS: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study included 60 volunteers, who underwent initial ophthalmologic examination and measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP). Individuals were divided into three groups: (1) brimonidine tartrate 0.15%, (2) brimonidine tartrate 0.2% and (3) brimonidine tartrate 0.1% and randomly received one drop each of drops in each eye. The IOP was measured after 30 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours. RESULTS: We found that all concentrations of brimonidine tartrate significantly reduced intraocular pressure during the study period, with p<0.05. When analyzing the percentage difference of the hypotensive effect of each group, we found no significant difference between the studied groups: (1) -13.50%, (2) -11.50%, (3) -11.90% after 30 minutes (p=0.650); (1) -24.30%, (2) -18.60%, (3) -18.30% after 1 hour (p=0.324); (1) -29.14%, (2) -21.20%, (3) -25.60% after 2 hours (p=0.068). CONCLUSION: There is no statistically significant difference in intraocular pressure reduction (peak period) between the three formulations of brimonidine.


ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the overall prognosis of post-stem cell transplant inpatients who required continuous bladder irrigation (CBI) for hematuria. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of adult stem cell transplant recipients who received CBI for de novo hemorrhagic cystitis as inpatients on the bone marrow transplant service at Washington University from 2011-2013. Patients who had a history of genitourinary malignancy and/or recent surgical urologic intervention were excluded. Multiple variables were examined for association with death. Results: Thirty-three patients met our inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 48 years (23-65). Common malignancies included acute myelogenous leukemia (17/33, 57%), acute lymphocytic leukemia (3/33, 10%), and peripheral T cell lymphoma (3/33, 10%). Median time from stem cell transplant to need for CBI was 2.5 months (0 days-6.6 years). All patients had previously undergone chemotherapy (33/33, 100%) and 14 had undergone prior radiation therapy (14/33, 42%). Twenty-eight patients had an infectious disease (28/33, 85%), most commonly BK viremia (19/33, 58%), cytomegalovirus viremia (17/33, 51%), and bacterial urinary tract infection (8/33, 24%). Twenty-two patients expired during the same admission as CBI treatment (22/33 or 67% of total patients, 22/28 or 79% of deaths), with a 30-day mortality of 52% and a 90-day mortality of 73% from the start of CBI. Conclusions: Hemorrhagic cystitis requiring CBI is a symptom of severe systemic disease in stem cell transplant patients. The need for CBI administration may be a marker for mortality risk from a variety of systemic insults, rather than directly attributable to the hematuria.


The cease-fire agreement of 2002 between the Sri Lankan state and the separatist movement of Liberalisation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was an opportunity to analyze the role of war and then of the cessation of fighting as a potential process of transformation of the segregation at Jaffna in the context of immediate post-war period. Indeed, the armed conflict (1987-2001), with the abolition of the caste system by the LTTE and repeated displacements of people, has been a breakdown for Jaffnese society. The weight of the hierarchical castes system and the one of religious communities, which partially determine the town's prewar population distribution, the choice of spouse, social networks of individuals, values and taboos of society, have been questioned as a result of the conflict. Indeed, the town of the immediate post-war has a different structuring and functionality model from that of before the war. Identity-based segregation, associated to belonging to a caste, is thus in phase of disappearance. However, the end of the caste system (discriminations, socio-economic interdependence) does not prevent the persistence of the caste reality (endogamy, the bonds of solidarity by caste). At the same time, the existence of a large diaspora is the source of a new factor of segmentation in the society. Their support plays a leading role in the reconstruction, economic development of the town and the upward mobility of people. Finally, if inhabitants live in large majorities in neighborhoods traditionally occupied by their caste, the process of space desegregation seems to be engaged.


In high numerical aperture (NA) subsurface imaging, we can obtain higher resolution in selected directions at the expense of resolutions in other directions, utilizing the vectorial properties of polarized light. In this work, we propose an image fusion framework that produces a single image with higher resolution and image quality in all directions by processing multiple images acquired by varying the polarization direction of the linearly polarized input laser light.


In the international debate over the human rights impact of transnational corporations' activities, access to judicial remedies for the human rights consequences of corporate misbehaviour has acquired a rather prominent place. For various reasons, victims of human rights abuses involving corporations may not have access to the fora offered by corporations' home and host states. Therefore, attention can be turned to bystander states offering an exceptional "forum of necessity" to avert a denial of justice. Such a forum of necessity is not, however, without problems. While, on the one hand, it may provide access to justice for victims of human rights abuses, it also creates the risk of forum shopping and potentially increases uncertainty for corporate defendants. Adopting forum of necessity thus requires the striking of a delicate balance between the interests of plaintiffs, defendants and the states asserting necessity jurisdiction. The debate on forum of necessity takes place in different fora. The doctrine is found in several European jurisdictions, but its contents and the degree to which it is developed vary signifi cantly. Thus, whether it can be expected to play a noticeable role in business and human rights cases is uncertain. As there are few relevant cases in Europe and the doctrine is generally in its infancy, the article compares the European experience with the experience of Canada, where forum of necessity has played a more prominent role, also in (business and) human rights cases. The European Union for its part has recently adopted a new regulation on jurisdiction in civil and commercial matters known as the recast Brussels I Regulation; the Commission's initial proposal for this new regulation contained a forum of necessity clause. This proposal was however signifi cantly amended, not specifi cally because of forum of necessity, but because EU Member States likely rejected the Commission's extension of the Regulation's scope to cover all civil cases in the EU, even those against defendants domiciled in third states. Consequently, the initiative to pursue forum of necessity as a helpful tool in business and human rights cases may fall to the Council of Europe. A lively debate is currently going on regarding the remedies that CoE Member States should provide to implement the UN Guiding Principles, and proposals are currently on the table to encourage CoE Member States to adopt certain grounds for jurisdiction, including forum of necessity, in their civil procedure law.


AIM This study aimed to determine the attitudes of nurses working in a university hospital toward evidence-based nursing. METHOD This descriptive and cross-sectional research included 529 nurses working in a university hospital during November 1 to November 30, 2018. Data were collected using the information form and Attitude Toward Evidence-Based Nursing Questionnaire (AEBNQ). Descriptive statistical methods, the Shapiro–Wilk test, the Mann–Whitney U test, and the Kruskal–Wallis test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS The average age of the nurses was 36.55±9.29 years, 91.1% were female, and the average work experience was 12.61±9.56 years. Moreover, 53.4% of the nurses were working in surgical departments, and 50.3% were working as clinical nurses. The total mean score of AEBNQ of the nurses was 58.23±9.34, and it was determined that their attitudes toward evidence-based nursing was positive. It was confirmed that for some subscales, the mean scores of AEBNQ of the female nurses and nurses working in internal disease departments were significantly high. CONCLUSION Attitudes of the nurses toward evidence-based nursing were found to be positive. It was concluded that the department in which the nurses worked and being female affected their attitudes toward evidence-based nursing.


Bacteroides fragilis is a member of the normal colonic microflora of most mammals and is the most commonly isolated anaerobe from human clinical specimens. Some strains produce a toxin (fragilysin, a zinc-metalloproteinase) implicated as a cause of diarrheal disease in farm animals and humans. Studies in our laboratory confirm that the proteolytic activity of this toxin is responsible for the fluid secretion and tissue damage observed in vivo. In this study, we investigated the effects of fragilysin on the paracellular barrier of epithelial cells. Researchers suggest that, since the toxin rapidly intoxicates HT-29 cells, it may be internalized. However, we could not prevent cell rounding by using inhibitors of receptor-mediated endocytosis, which indicates that the toxin may act outside the cell. Based on these observations, we studied the effects of the highly purified B. fragilis fragilysin on the barrier function of cultured epithelial cells. Fragilysin rapidly increased the permeability of the paracellular barrier of epithelial cells to ions (decrease in electrical resistance across monolayers) and to larger molecules (increase in mannitol flux across monolayers). We tested a human colon cell line and cell lines from the lung and the kidney; the human colon cell line was most sensitive, but all three were affected in the same manner. Our studies show that B. fragilis fragilysin alters the barrier function of the epithelial lining, possibly by degrading the tight junction proteins, such as ZO-1. The proteolytic activity is required to cause this effect. The toxin's action has been assumed to be limited to the intestine; however, our studies show that fragilysin could also contribute to the pathogenesis of B. fragilis in extraintestinal infections.


Light extinction based optical wear particle counters (OPCs) have been widely used in the industry for oil condition monitoring for several years, and while experiments have tested the benefits and drawbacks of the measurement principle, limited research has been conducted regarding a theoretical approach to evaluate opportunities and limitations of the measurement scheme. In this paper, we present a method for theoretically modelling the output of an OPC based on the light extinction principle in the regime of geometrical optics, with a special focus on the influence of sensor optical design, particle concentration and measurement noise. Moreover, we show that, if only signal amplitude is considered, an algorithm for evaluating sensor output can cause an erroneous assessment of particle contamination level.


Summary An extracellular protease SN 687, secreted by the soil bacterium isolate WM 122, has been purified by means of gel filtration, ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex and hydroxylapatite chromatography. Apparent homogeneity was ascertained by Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protease was inactivated by ethylenediamine tetracetic acid (EDTA) but not by diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), and it was partially inhibited by serum inhibitors. SN 687 was shown to be of high specific activity against casein and fibrin, but it did not hydrolyze L- lysine -methyl ester dihydrochloride (LME), p-tosyl-L-arginine-methyl ester hydrochloride (TAME) and N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine-ethyl ester hydrochloride (BTEE) synthetic substrates. The optimum pH for hydrolysis of casein was 7.5 and the molecular weight, as determined by gel filtration, was 31,000.


In this elegant and sensitive look at the milieu of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, James Gilbert examines the three utopias that were designed to bring order to the chaos of urban life: The World's Fair itself, George Pullman's community for his workers, and Dwight Moody's evangelical crusade. Gilbert draws upon a rich selection of fiction, collective biography, architecture, photographs, and souvenir books to show how these experiments each acted as a middle-class prescription for coming to terms with the new cultural diversity and competition resulting from the disruptive forces of technological change, commercial enterprise, and pluralism. "Mr. Gilbert's splendid book opens the door on a conflicted past, and provides an indispensable perspective on the troubled and troubling struggle we face today between old and new, unity and diversity." Alan Trachtenberg, "New York Times" ""Perfect Cities" is a remarkable account of a struggle for cultural definition. Chronicling the byplay between cultural homogeneity and heterogeneity, unity and diversity, James Gilbert not only throws light on Chicago's past but also provides insight that can be applied to the cultural debates of our own time." Adria Bernardi, "Chicago Tribune" "What Gilbert has done is to enable the reader to experience the grand utopian visions of the times, yet at the same time see the cantankerous reality that made the visions impossible." Henry Kisor, "Chicago Sun-Times""


Blebbistatin is a small molecule inhibitor discovered in a screen for inhibitors of nonmuscle myosin IIA. Blebbistatin inhibits the actin-activated MgATPase activity and in vitro motility of class II myosins. In cells, it has been shown to inhibit contraction of the cytokinetic ring. Blebbistatin has some photochemical properties that may affect its behavior in cells. In particular, we have found that exposure to light at wavelengths below 488 nm rapidly inactivates the inhibitory action of blebbistatin using the in vitro motility of myosin as an assay. In addition, the inhibition of cytokinetic ring contraction can be reversed by exposure of the cells to blue light. This property may be useful in locally reversing the action of blebbistatin treatment in a cell. However, caution should be exercised as free radicals may be produced upon irradiation of blebbistatin that could result in cell damage.


With a growing customization, automation and standardisation of IT services a systematic management of data on IT services becomes a pressing issue for researchers and practitioners alike. We propose Service Data Management as a cross-functional data view on services and their delivery. To this end we develop a first draft of an ontological model of common concepts of IT services. For simple IT services, established standards from the world of physical products may be surprisingly useful in the domain of service management.


The catch apparatus (CA), a collagenous connective tissue which connects the sea-urchin spine to the test, is known to undergo a remarkable change in its mechanical properties. Effects of various physico-chemical factors on the mechanical properties of the CA have been investigated in order to characterize the linkages which are responsible for determining the mechanical properties of the CA. The stress-strain relations obtained by stretching the specimen at a slow constant speed, 7 μm s−1, were taken as a measure of the viscous resistance of the CA. The viscous resistance of the CA depended largely on the pH and the ionic strength of the medium. It increased with increasing pH and with decreasing ionic strength. The viscous resistance was markedly reduced in a Ca-free medium containing 5 mM-EGTA. It is suggested that linkages sensitive to low pH and those mediated by Ca2+ play a significant role in determining the mechanical properties of the CA.


In order to analyze the prognostic factors for curatively resected esophageal cancer, 42 patients who had survived their operation more than 5 years (long-term survivors) were compared for clinicopathologic items with 30 recurrent patients who had died within 5 years postoperatively (recurrent cases). Moreover, to estimate the prognosis for the current survivors, we investigated the cause of death of long-term survivors who had died. This comparison showed that the rate of lymphatic invasion was 36.4% and of blood vessel invasion 19.4% for the survivors, much lower than those of the recurrent cases which were respectively 62.1% and 31.0%. It was found that the significantly unfavorable prognosis-determinant factors was lymphatic invasion (p < 0.05). Ten out of 12 n (+) survivors (83.3%) had single metastasing region, one in the neck, three in the mediastinum and six in the abdomen. This was not significantly different from the recurrent cases, of whom, ten out of 14 n (+) cases had a single metastasing region, six in in the mediastinum and four in the abdomen. As for the number of metastatic lymph nodes, nine out of 12 n (+) survivors (75%) had only one matastatic lymph node, and none of them had more than three. On the other hand, two of the recurrent cases had more than three. Of the 42 long-term survivors, 21 patients are still alive (current survivors' average age: 70.1 +/- 7.9) and 21 have died. The cause of death was recurrence in six cases, metachronous primary malignant tumor in three, other disease in six and unknown in six. The average age of death was 62.1 +/- 10.3 in cases of recurrence or double cancer, and 71.8 +/- 9.5 in others. The former were thus significantly younger than the latter (p < 0.05).


Potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium‐ion batteries because potassium is an abundant natural resource. To date, PIBs are in the early stages of exploration and only a few anode materials have been investigated. This study reports a cobalt sulfide and graphene (CoS@G) composite as anode electrode for PIBs for the first time. The composite features interconnect quantum dots of CoS nanoclusters uniformly anchored on graphene nanosheets. The coexistence of CoS quantum dot nanoclusters and graphene nanosheets endows the composite with large surface area, highly conductive network, robust structural stability, and excellent electrochemical energy storage performance. An unprecedented capacity of 310.8 mA h g−1 at 500 mA g−1 is obtained after 100 cycles, with a rate capability better than an equivalent sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). This work provides the evidence that PIBs can be a promising alternative to SIBs, especially at high charge–discharge rates. The development of the CoS@G anode material also provides the basis of expanding the library of suitable anode materials for PIBs.


Far-field microscopy was used to noninvasively measure the room-temperature optical properties of single dye molecules located on a polymer-air interface. Shifts in the fluorescence spectrum, due to perturbation by the locally varying molecular environment, and the orientation of the transition dipole moment were correlated to variation in the excited-state lifetime. The lifetime dependence on spectral shift is argued to result from the frequency dependence of the spontaneous emission rate; the lifetime dependence on dipole orientation was found to be a consequence of the electromagnetic boundary conditions on the fluorescent radiation at the polymer-air interface.


The main purpose of the thesis is to identify and describe the way in which a medium size luxury hotel can relate itself more effectively to the market by means of its information system. Part I, the theory, examines the conceptual basis of a systematic approach to the collection and use of market information, Fundamental terminology is defined and the social and scientific processes which are used to convert data into decisions are identified. The decision-making processes within the hotel both by employees and customers are set in context and the basic premises for the design of a system are described. Part II, the study, is concerned with the way in which the work was undertaken in the subject company. Although not further subdivided this section could also be considered in three stages. The preliminary stage shows how the list of data necessary to cope with decision-making in a hotel was generated. Examples are then given of the way in which this data was actually collected and used for solving problems. This involved implementing procedures to manipulate the very large volumes of data and their interpretation in a way that would have meaning to managers unaccustomed to structuring their thinking in terms of market information, Thus a limited strategic planning process was introduced that effectively bridged the gap between thinking (decision-making) and doing. Finally, a feedback mechanism designed to monitor the effects of these actions on the hotel's position in the market place was developed and applied through its sales force. Part III, the evaluation, assesses the methods used in the research and the results which they achieved. In, addition, the general viability of market information systems in other types of hotel is considered.


Granulomatous inflammatory diseases are disorders of an undetermined etiology, affecting different organs and having a diverse clinical course. Familial aggregation of these disorders is being reported increasingly, most commonly familial Crohn's disease. We described the coexistence of Crohn's disease and necrotizing sarcoid-like granulomatous disease in two siblings from a first-degree consanguineous Saudi family. The first child presented with recurrent abdominal pain associated with bloody stool and arthritis, whereas the second child presented with fever of unknown origin and lymphadenopathy as well as hepatomegaly without gastrointestinal tract disease. They are phenotypically different; however, they share a novel risk locus and allele. This report supports the heritability and familial aggregation of granulomatous inflammatory diseases and suggests that one causal mutation underlies both Crohn's disease and necrotizing sarcoid-like granulomatous disease.


The article is devoted to the analysis of the nature of the current crisis, the characteristics of its features and the impact on informal employment. The decline in incomes of the population during the crisis and the policy of self-isolation contributed at first to a reduction in demand for services of the informal sector. However, as the restrictive measures eased, the situation changed. Informal employment has long been studied in the economic literature, but the impact of cyclical fluctuations on it is interpreted ambiguously. In order to show the features of the impact of the current crisis, the authors analyze informal employment in the period preceding the crisis. To this end, they study not only the dynamics of the number of people employed in the informal sector, but also its sectoral and regional structure. The analysis has clearly demonstrated that the informal sector serves various categories of the Russian population and the structure of demand for its services among the population with high incomes differs markedly from the structure of demand for the population with low incomes. Nonetheless in Russian practice, many types of formal and informal activities are closely intertwined and interrelated with each other. Since the current crisis has primarily affected the service sector, it is in this area that there is an increase in informal activity in late 2020 – early 2021, and this t rend will continue in the near future


A real-size experiment on 11 tubes was done to study the performance of centrifugal concrete-filled steel tubes under bending and torsion. This paper first introduces the relevant operating method, equipment, subjects and processes. The factors that affect deformation and stiffness and the break mechanism under different loading were studied. Experimental stress analysis showed that the values of practical critical stress of steel tubes accorded well with the MISES Yielding Rule. The correlative equation (on the bearing capacity of a structural member under bending and torsion) deduced in this study may provide valuable reference for the design of this structural member.


Enamides are key structural motifs in many natural products as well as pharmaceutically important metabolites. Furthermore, these are also synthons in numerous organic transformations. For instance, enamides undergo pericyclic reactions, photochemical reactions, nucleophilic reactions to produce chiral amines, electrophilic reaction to produce chiral amides, transition metal catalyzed reactions etc. Enamides are also used extensively for the synthesis of various heterocyclic compounds. Considering the numerous applications of enamides, several methods have been developed for their synthesis. Moreover, controls of stereochemistry across the double bond of enamide persuade a potential problem, particularly in the synthesis of thermodynamically disfavoured Z-enamides. Thus, it is highly desirable to develop general and practical methods for the stereoselective preparation of thermodynamically disfavourable Z-enamides under mild reaction conditions.

The oxygen analogue of enamide called "enol ester" is also an important building block in organic synthesis. Like enamides, enol ester motif is also abundant in numerous natural products as well as pharmaceuticals. Therefore, synthesis as well as the use of enol esters in organic transformation is an attractive area of research in recent years.
Our effort on the synthesis of enamides (particularly Z-enamide) and enol esters and their application is presented in this thesis.

The present thesis entitled "Generation of Enamides and Enol Esters: Their Application in Oxazole and α-Naphthol Synthesis" has been divided into two parts: Part-I and Part -II. Part-I divided into four Chapters whereas Part-II divided into two chapters. Brief summary of the chapters are as follows:
Part-I
Chapter 1. Synthesis and Reactions of Enamides: A Brief Overview
In this chapter up to date developments in the use of enamides in various transformations and their synthesis is described. Scope and limitations of the earlier works along with the objective of the present work have been presented briefly.
Chapter 2. Stereoselective Synthesis of Enamides by Palladium-catalyzed Oxidative
 Amidation of Alkenes
This chapter describes the development of a novel catalytic protocol for the synthesis of Zenamides by the oxidative amidation of olefins in the presence of ambient air.This protocol is also found to be suitable for the cross coupling of sterically hindered secondary amides with electron deficient olefins leading to tertiary enamides in good yield.
Chapter 3. Stereoselective Synthesis of Enamides by Pd-Catalyzed Hydroamidation of
 Electron Deficient Terminal Alkynes
This chapter reveals the first Pd-catalyzed hydroamidation of activated terminal alkynes to form Z-enamides selectively.The optimized cross-coupling reaction condition is found to be tolerant for the coupling of wide varieties of amides with electron deficient alkynes. A plausible catalytic cycle for the hydroamidation reaction also described.
Chapter 4. Synthesis of substituted oxazoles from enamides
In this chapter, NBS/Me2S-mediated annulation of enamides into 2,5- and 2,4,5-substituted oxazoles in the presence of mild base has been described. The developed reaction conditions are simple and tolerant to a wide variety of substituents including both electron-donating and withdrawing groups to produce oxazoles in one-pot without further purification of the intermediate.
Part - II
Chapter 5.Enol Esters in Organic Synthesis: A Brief Overview
A brief review on the generation and reactions of enol esters was presented in this chapter. Moreover, objective of the present work in line with the enol-ester chemistry is also mentioned.
Chapter 6. Synthesis of α-naphthols from Enol Esters
In this chapter, development of a de novo method for the synthesis of polysubstituted α- naphthols from simple monocyclic enol esters has been demonstrated. The developed reaction conditions are mild and do not require any anhydrous medium or expensive catalytic protocol to access α-naphthols in good yield.


Train accidents can have a massive impact towards the surrounding area as well as the general community. Most train accidents can be attributed to fatigue, and hence, development of fatigue countermeasure devices that can warn drivers of fatigue status and prevent accidents can greatly benefit train drivers, passengers, society and general community. Electroencephalography (EEG) has been proven to be one of the most reliable indicators of fatigue. This study investigated the change of brain activity during fatigue-instigating monotonous driving session, by extracting the four frequency components (delta, theta, alpha, and beta) using FFT spectral analysis at different brain sites (frontal, central, temporal, parietal, and occipital). Results identified some statistically significant differences between early and later stages of driving in delta, theta and beta activities at different brain sites. The results of the current study may be used for future development of fatigue countermeasure by targeting specific frequency component and brain sites.


This thesis is an oral history based investigation of four recently graduated architects (Bill Alington, Maurice Smith, Bill Toomath and Harry Turbott) who individually left New Zealand to pursue postgraduate qualifications at United States universities in the immediate postwar period. Guided interviews were conducted to allow the architects to talk about these experiences within the broader context of their careers. The interviews probed their motivations for travelling and studying in the United States. Where possible archival material was also sought (Fulbright applications, university archives) for comparison with the spoken narratives.   Although motivated by the search of modernity and the chance to meet the master architects of the period (Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, and Wright) what all gained was an increase in the confidence of their own abilities as architects (or as a landscape architect in the case of Turbott who switched his focus while in the United States). This increase in confidence partly came from realising that their architectural heroes were ordinary people. Although searching for modernity, their encounters with the canon of architectural history also had a profound effect. This detailed knowledge of what these four subjects felt about architecture, architectural education, and their experiences of studying, working, and touring abroad has helped to shed light on the development of and influences on postwar architecture in New Zealand.   The series of oral history interviews that were recorded during this project not only form the basis of the research material for this thesis, but are, in their own right, a significant contribution to the knowledge and understanding of New Zealand's postwar architectural history.


Morphology of the common pulmonary venous chamber and its spatial relationship to the left atrium were investigated in 19 patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection using two-dimensional echocardiography. The subjects were 12 males and seven females, ranging in age from newborn to 11 months with a median age of 34 days. Nine of the 19 patients were less than one month; 15 of 19 were less than two months. Ten patients had the supracardiac type (type I); three, the cardiac type (type II); and six, the infracardiac type (type III). To image the common pulmonary venous chamber the suprasternal short-axis coronal plane was used. The chamber was recorded simultaneously with the right pulmonary artery. A more anterior angulation for this view facilitated imaging the left atrium. The outlines of both the chamber and left atrium were traced. We calculated (1) the ratio of the width to the height of the chamber (W/H), (2) the angle made by the direction of the long-axis of the chamber and a horizontal line (Axis), (3) the quotient of the distance from the center of chamber to the bottom of the left atrium divided by the longitudinal dimension of the left atrium (B/A) and (4) the product of the width and height of the chamber (W x H). The W/H was 1.94 +/- 0.29 (type I); 1.21 +/- 0.27 (type II); and 0.63 +/- 0.15 (type III). There were statistically significant differences (p less than 0.01) among all types. The width was greater than the height in types I and II, but the height was greater than the width in type III. Axes were -19.0 +/- 5.7 degrees (type I); -5.1 +/- 5.0 (type II); and 91.7 +/- 9.3 (type III). There were statistically significant differences between all of the types (p less than 0.01). The long-axis was horizontal in types I and II, and vertical in type III. The B/A was 0.74 +/- 0.13 (type I); 0.57 +/- 0.10 (type II); and -0.04 +/- 0.30 (type III). There was a significant difference between type III and all other types (p less than 0.01). The common pulmonary venous chamber was located slightly superiorly to the left atrium in types I and II, but it was located inferiorly to the left atrium. In the six patients with type III, both lower pulmonary veins were located more inferiorly than the lower border of the left atrium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Five novel triphenylamine based deep red to NIR emitting rhodamine derivatives were synthesized and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The photophysical properties of all these derivatives were studied in their spirocyclic as well as open form. Hydroxyl substituted derivatives were found to show red shifted emissions as compared to the plain rhodamine derivatives, while triphenylamine substituted derivatives showed larger Stokes shift and emission in the NIR region. All these newly synthesized rhodamine derivatives show comparatively larger Stokes shift (44–135 nm) than the commercially available Rhodamine B and Rhodamine 101. In their open form they are found to exhibit different emission color from pink (619 nm) to dark blue (719 nm) in day as well as UV-light. We also studied the interconversion of dye RH-2 from its spirocyclic to open form with the addition of acid (TFA in toluene). They are studied for their viscosity sensitivity and found to show very high fluorescence enhancement in polar viscous media such as ethanol–glycerol in their open form.


Harnessing wind energy is one of the fastest-growing areas in the energy industry. However, wind power still faces challenges, such as output intermittency due to its nature and output reduction as a result of the wake effect. Moreover, the current practice uses the available renewable energy resources as a fuel-saver simply to reduce fossil-fuel consumption. This is related mainly to the inherently variable and non-dispatchable nature of renewable energy resources, which poses a threat to power system reliability and requires utilities to maintain power-balancing reserves to match the supply from renewable energy resources with the real-time demand levels. Thus, further efforts are needed to mitigate the risk that comes with integrating renewable resources into the electricity grid. Hence, an integrated strategy is being created to determine the optimal size of the hybrid wind-solar photovoltaic power systems (HWSPS) using heuristic optimization with a numerical iterative algorithm such that the output fluctuation is minimized. The research focuses on sizing the HWSPS to reduce the impact of renewable energy resource intermittency and generate the maximum output power to the grid at a constant level periodically based on the availability of the renewable energy resources. The process of determining HWSPS capacity is divided into two major steps. A genetic algorithm is used in the initial stage to identify the optimum wind farm. A numerical iterative algorithm is used in the second stage to determine the optimal combination of photovoltaic plant and battery sizes in the search space, based on the reference wind power generated by the moving average, Savitzky–Golay, Gaussian and locally weighted linear regression techniques. The proposed approach has been tested on an existing wind power project site in the southern part of the Sultanate of Oman using a real weather data. The considered land area dimensions are 2 × 2 km. The integrated tool resulted in 39 MW of wind farm, 5.305 MW of PV system, and 0.5219 MWh of BESS. Accordingly, the estimated cost of energy based on the HWSPS is 0.0165 EUR/kWh.


Being security assumed as a basic right of citizens in the current model of democratic rule of law, optimal resources allocation altogether with budgetary constraints are a key component. In fact optimal resources allocation and budgetary constraints oblige an increasingly careful strategic management, adapted to demographic reality. The SIM4SECURITY project aims to build a technological solution to support decision making regarding security, based on the development of a GIS model and in the implementation of demographic scenarios. This model will allow policy makers, leaders and forces of command units and services in the planning and rational affectation of resources adjusted to local dynamics in crime prevention and crime fighting. To communicate the SIM4SECURITY results and support decision making, a data visualization and storytelling approach was adopted by creating dashboards containing the various dimensions and perspectives of the information were elaborated and are presented. The obtained outcomes show that dashboards are an important visual tool in the decision-making process by providing meaningful insights regarding security and in the location-allocation of security forces.


Focusing on a wide variety of clinical settings hospital unit, physician's office, ambulatory care centers, emergency room, operating room, rehabilitation facility, community service programs, the client's home, and others – Orthopaedic Nursing provides departmental sections on current events, organizational activities, research, product and drug information, and literature findings. Articles reflect a commitment to professional development and the nursing profession as well as clinical, administrative, academic, and research areas of the orthopaedic specialty.


This book has been crudely edited and there is considerable variation in style which is unforgivable in these days of the word-processor. In addition, little if any of the content are new but there is considerable extraction from other sources! The volume does not live up to the promises of the title. The volume is entirely consumed with the control and manipulation of a 'small educational robot' (Mitsubishi RM-501). A lot of the text indicates limited hands-on experience (by the author) of industrial robots used in an industrial environment. For instance, he states that "• • • wear on robots is affected by • • • distance travelled, time taken and the path shape." True, but a more significant cause of wear of robots is the environment in which they work, the dynamic forces (and overloading) during operation, and the quality of servicing they receive. Similarly with regards to robot safety the author fails to understand that the maximum sweep of the robot-arm (plus gripper and payload) is perhaps the major item to be considered. Another omission is the need to acknowledge that humans are stupid when it comes to interaction with robots. In a recent incident one person almost lost his head (by decapitation) when he entered a robot cell. The safety system had been by-passed by his supervisors who 'lifted the guard gate off its hinges'! A number of statements make me wonder further about the author's experience of robotics. He makes reference to Sykes Robots being suitable for further work, yet to my knowledge Sykes Robots went bust in the late 1980s. With regards to 'other configurations' of robot arms there is no mention of SCARA or Arm and Elbow which between them account for the majority of installations (excluding moulding machine unloaders). Finally, in this very negative review; a photograph is used which pertains to show the subject of the book undergoing calibration tests. Yes, there is a robot, but it is a Perkin-Elmer robot and not the Mitsubishi 501. For clarification PerkinElmer took the basic Mitsubishi and virtually rebuilt it so that it was suitable for work in a clinical or hospital laboratory. The net result is two superficially similar, but operationally different devices.


The Cenozoic Qilian Shan thrust belt is the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, which developed in part due to progressive India-Asia convergence during Himalayan-Tibetan orogeny. Available geologic observations suggest that this thrust belt started deforming shortly after initial India-Asia collision at 60–55 Ma, and thus its kinematic development is intrinsically related to the construction and evolution of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we present new field observations from a geologic traverse across the Qilian Shan to elucidate the style of deformation across the active thrust belt. In particular, we infer protracted out-of-sequence deformation here that is consistent with this thrust system remaining a stationary northern boundary to the Tibetan Plateau since the early Cenozoic. We present a lithosphere-scale model for this region that highlights the following: (1) coupled distributed crustal shortening and underthrusting of the North China craton beneath Tibet, which explains the spatial and temporal distribution of observed crustal shortening and thickness, (2) this underthrusting exploited the south-dipping early Paleozoic Qilian suture paleo–subduction mélange channel, and (3) development of a lower-crustal duplex at the lithospheric underthrusting ramp. This last inference can explain the relatively high elevation, low relief, and thickened crust of the central Qilian Shan, as well as the comparative aseismicity of the region, which experiences fewer earthquakes due to less upper-crustal faulting. Both the northern and southern margins of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen appear to have developed similarly, with continental underthrusting and crustal-scale imbrication and duplexing, despite vastly different climatic and plate-velocity boundary conditions, which suggests that the orogen-scale architecture of the thrust belt is controlled by neither of these forcing mechanisms. Instead, strength anisotropies of the crust probably control the kinematics and style of deformation, including the development of northern Tibet, where thrust systems are concentrated along pre-Cenozoic suture zones.


The effects of grain-boundary chemistry on the mechanical properties of high-purity silicon nitride ceramics have been investigated, specifically involving the role of oxygen, present along the grain boundaries, in influencing the fracture behavior. To avoid complications from inadvertently introduced impurities, studies were performed on a high-purity Si3N4 processed using two-step gas-pressure-HIP sintering. Varying the grainboundary oxygen content, which was achieved by control of oxidizing heat treatments and sintering additives, was found to result in a transition in fracture mechanism, from transgranular to intergranular fracture, with an associated increase in fracture toughness. This phenomenon is correlated to an oxygen-induced change in grain-boundary chemistry and possibly to a concomitant structural transformation along the interface. The incorporation of oxygen appears to affect fracture by ''weakening'' the interface, thus facilitating debonding and crack advance along the boundaries, and hence to toughening by grain bridging. It is concluded that if the oxygen content in the thin grainboundary films exceeds a lower limit, which is B0.87 equiv% oxygen content, then the interfacial structure and bonding characteristics favor intergranular debonding during crack propagation; otherwise, transgranular fracture ensues.


The author tested a model hypothesizing that students' self-perceived academic support (from parents, teachers, and peers) is related to their achievement directly and indirectly through their own perceived academic engagement. The participants were 270 adolescents (M age = 15.41 years, range = 14-20 years) from 3 grade levels (Forms 3-5, equivalent to Grades 9-11 in the United States) in a Hong Kong secondary school. The school principal and teachers helped to collect data based on these adolescents' responses to a self-report questionnaire, consisting of a demographic profile and 4 scales assessing their self-perceptions of the extent of parental, teacher, and peer support, and their own academic engagement. Academic achievement was measured by self-reported grades in math, English, and Chinese. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that adolescents' perceived parental, teacher, and peer support were all indirectly related to their academic achievement mediated by their own perceived academic engagement. The strength of the relationships, however, varied by support system, with perceived teacher support to achievement being the strongest, followed closely by perceived parental support, and then perceived peer support. In addition, both perceived parental support and perceived teacher support were directly related to academic achievement. However, perceived teacher support made the most total (direct and indirect) contribution to student achievement. Perceived peer support had the smallest, nonetheless significant, indirect relationship to academic achievement. However, the negative, direct influence of perceived peer support canceled out its positive, indirect influence on academic achievement.


In a randomized controlled trial, we compared the efficacy of topiramate versus placebo in women undergoing olanzapine therapy and found that topiramate effectively contributed to weight loss in short-term treatment and had a positive effect on health-related quality of life, the patients' actual state of health, and psychological impairments. The aim of this observational study was to assess whether topiramate has a sustained benefit in long-term treatment of olanzapine-associated weight gain in subjects who had participated in the previous randomized controlled trial comparing topiramate with placebo. The subjects (topiramate group, n = 25; former placebo group, n = 18) were observed in an 18-month open-label study. After unblinding, subjects from the former topiramate group continued treatment with topiramate, whereas subjects from the former placebo group received neither placebo nor topiramate. The subjects were seen every 6 months, weighed, and tested with the SF-36 Health Survey, Scale of Well-Being, and the Adjective Checklist. According to the intent-to-treat principle, the repeated-measures analysis showed a significant interaction for the group-by-time effect for change of weight (P < 0.01) on the Scale of Well-Being (P < 0.01), all scales of the Adjective Checkist (all P < 0.01), and 5 scales (physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, social functioning, mental health, and vitality) of the SF-36 Health Survey (all P < 0.01). Topiramate was well tolerated and seems to be effective and safe in the long-term treatment of olanzapine-related adiposity in women. Furthermore, positive changes in the patients' state of health, psychological impairments, and health-related quality of life could be also observed.


Oro-nasal fistulae often occur after the primary closure of the hard and soft palate cleft and in particular at the junction between the hard and soft palate. This is the area where maximal tension is exerted during the intravelar veloplasty closure procedure. Six surgical modifications of the primary intravelar veloplasty technique are described and each is specifically adapted according to the existing anatomical form and defect of the cleft soft palate, so that the occurrence of an oro-nasal fistula may be prevented. The surgical procedures may be divided into two main groups, namely those which are based on a localized swivel flap and those where remote flaps are used.


Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) show promise as nanoscale vehicles for targeted therapies. We have functionalized SWNT using regioselective chemistries to confer capabilities of selective targeting using RGD ligands, radiotracing using radiometal chelates, and self-assembly using oligonucleotides. The constructs contained approximately 2-7 phosphorothioate oligonucleotide chains and 50-75 amines per 100 nm length of SWNT, based on a loading of 0.01-0.05 mmol/g and 0.3-0.6 mmol/g, respectively. Dynamic light scattering suggested the functionalized SWNT were well dispersed, without formation of large aggregates in physiologic solutions. The SWNT-oligonucleotide conjugate annealed with a complementary oligonucleotide sequence had a melting temperature of 54 degrees C. Biodistribution in mice was quantified using radiolabeled SWNT-oligonucleotide conjugates. Appended RGD ligands allowed for specific binding to tumor cells in a flow cytometric assay. The techniques employed should enable the synthesis of multifunctional SWNT capable of self-assembly in biological settings.


Pulse transit sonomicrometry is a well-accepted method for assessing cardiac dimensions and function in research animals. Unfortunately, this technique has been hampered in chronic applications by a significant incidence of transducer failure secondary to leakage of corrosive biological fluids into the piezoelectric material. The fluid leakage generally occurred at the interface between the encapsulating epoxy and the bioelectric cable and resulted in progressive functional deterioration with time. In this paper, a new hemispheric ultrasonic dimension transducer is described with a mechanical hermetic seal at the bioelectric cable-transducer interface. The hermetically sealed transducers withstood 400 psi compressed air without leakage, while conventional transducers routinely leaked at 60 psi. The performance characteristics of the new transducers were similar to those previously reported with omnidirectional designs, and no failures have occurred during 3 yr of experience with repeated transducer implantations.


Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the most lethal and morbid malignancies today. Although newer chemotherapy regimens such as FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel have made modest improvements in patient survival, more effective therapies are needed. With the exception of the EGFR inhibitor erlotinib, there are no approved, targeted therapies for metastatic PDA. Recent work demonstrated the importance of PIM kinases, particularly PIM1 and PIM3, in PDA. PIM kinases are involved in apoptosis, cell cycle progression, DNA damage repair mechanisms, and drug resistance mechanisms. Our work showed that hypoxic stress causes the RNA binding protein HuR to translocate to the cytoplasm where it stabilizes PIM1 mRNA leading to increased levels and activity of PIM1. Activation of PIM1 led to oxaliplatin resistance in a hypoxia specific manner and validated PIM19s upregulation upon drug exposure as a potential target for therapeutic inhibition in PDA. The KRas/PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway has been well described in PDA and PI3K as well as dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors are currently in clinical development. Inflection Biosciences is currently developing IBL-202, a pan-PIM/pan-class I PI3K inhibitor and IBL-301, a pan-PIM/pan-class I PI3K/mTOR inhibitor. These compounds show good oral bioavailability in preclinical PK studies. Unlike prior attempts at PIM inhibition, these compounds do not interact with hERG channels or CYP enzymes, decreasing the likelihood of drug-drug interactions or prolonged QTc. Furthermore, toxicity studies in rodent models demonstrate that the compounds are well tolerated at 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg doses. Our work shows that IBL-202 and IBL-301 have significant preclinical activity in PDA cell lines with diverse genetic backgrounds, including PL5, Panc-1, and HS776t cells. Using PICOgreen assays, we show that the IC50 for IBL-202 ranges from 400nM (PL5) to 800nM (HS776t). The IC50 of IBL-301 ranges from 80nM (PL5) to 400nM (HS776t). As the PIM and PI3K pathways are important for inhibition of apoptosis, we tested the ability of these compounds to induce an apoptotic response. Cells treated for 48 hours at IC50 levels of IBL-202 showed positive cleaved caspase 3/7 staining in 31% (Panc-1) to 90% (HS776t) as examined by flow cytometry. IBL-301 elicited a positive cleaved caspase 3/7 in 28% (Panc-1) to 91% (PL5) of cells. Mechanistically, PIM and PI3K are known to lead to G1/S cell cycle progression through phosphorylation of p21 and p27. PDA cell lines dosed at IC50 levels show a potent G1 to S arrest at 48 hours in all cell lines tested. Overall, this work provides the rationale for the further preclinical development of IBL-202 and IBL-301 in PDA pre-clinical models in an effort to move these compounds towards early phase trials. Citation Format: Kevin O'Hayer, John Barbe, Avinoam Nevler, Michael O'Neill, Darren Cunningham, Jordan Winter, Jonathan Brody. Novel pan-PIM/pan-PI3K/mTOR inhibitors are highly active in preclinical models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 394.


OBJECTIVES
To investigate the intestinal microflora status related to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) liver injury and explore the possible mechanism.

METHODS
Specific pathogen free grade Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: Control group (n=8), sham group (n=6) and I/R group (n=10). Rats in the control group did not receive any treatment, rats in the I/R group were subjected to 20 min of liver ischemia, and rats in the sham group were only subjected to sham operation. Twenty-two hours later, the rats were sacrificed and liver enzymes and malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), serum endotoxin, intestinal bacterial count, intestinal mucosal histology, bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, spleen, and kidney were studied.

RESULTS
Ischemia/reperfusion increased liver enzymes, MDA, decreased SOD, and was associated with plasma endotoxin elevation in I/R group compared to those in the sham group. Intestinal Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus decreased and intestinal Enterobacteria and Enterococci, bacterial translocation to kidney increased in the I/R group compared to the sham group. Intestinal microvilli were lost, disrupted and the interspace between cells became wider in the I/R group.

CONCLUSION
I/R liver injury may lead to disturbance of intestinal microflora and impairment of intestinal mucosal barrier function, which contributes to endotoxemia and bacterial translocation to kidney.


The conceptualisation of access to justice in the Employment Tribunal (ET) as a public benefit essential for the realisation of the rule of law has recently been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court's judgment in R v Lord Chancellor [2017] UKSC 51. However, reforms to the law and policy framework in recent years have been framed by Government as providing a necessary shift away from the use of full hearings due to the costs incurred by both the public and business. This article reports on the findings of research which tracked workers with ET claims who could not afford to pay for legal advice and representation. Their experiences and perceptions shed valuable light on the operation of the ET system. Many claimants were left dissatisfied, in particular those whose cases did not make it to full hearing. The data identify a range of barriers to justice, which impact on the ability of individuals to advance their claims and to enforce remedies. The article considers the use of 'worker vulnerability' in this context and the different interpretations applied by policy-makers. With reference to the research findings, we argue that vulnerability is universal and that, to counter it, the State has a central role to play in building individual and institutional resilience. We conclude by calling for the need to reclaim the concept of access to the civil justice system as a public good, capable of transcending private interests and providing fundamental protections against worker exploitation.


Exploring both the theoretical and the applied aspects of the role ethics plays in marketing, this Handbook analyzes key issues in order to advance our understanding and provide an overview of the state of the art in this vital field.


Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases, including a variety of cancers, lung disease and damage to the cardiovascular system. The World Health Organization recently calculated that there were 6 million smoking-attributable deaths per year and that this number is due to rise to about eight million per year by the end of 2030. Recent work has demonstrated that habitual smoking in adults is not only associated with a range of health problems, but may also contribute to a number of neurocognitive deficits, including deficits in memory and attention. One area of growing concern is the health and neurocognitive consequences of exposure to second-hand smoke or "passive smoking" (where a non-smoker inhales another person's smoke, mainly in the form of side-stream smoke). In terms of tackling smoking-related problems, there has been a rise in the amount and range of smoking cessation and interventions techniques, including the emergence of e-cigarettes as one of the most popular forms of nicotine replacement therapies. The present book comprises a collection of manuscripts discussing (1) the impact of active and passive smoking upon health and neurocognitive function, (2) smoking cessation techniques and interventions used to tackle smoking-related problems, and (3) a critical consideration of current issues surrounding the use of e-cigarettes as nicotine-replacement therapy. This collection of papers includes empirical, theoretical, and review papers. This Research Topic demonstrates the broad nature of research currently being undertaken in this field and should pave the way for future work.


Methods are reported for the fabrication of colloidal crystal wires with tubular packings. Both free and silica-encased wires have been prepared. Porous silicon membranes are infiltrated with silica spheres, treated with silane, and annealed. After removal of the silicon template, short annealing times were found to result in colloidal crystal wires with varied packing geometries, while repeated annealing cycles produced a thin translucent silica sheath around the wires. Packing in the wires varies with the channel diameter of the Si membrane. The channels used in this study typically produce colloidal crystal wires with six strands, though wires with four to seven strands have been observed. Both chiral and achiral packings are also possible.


Pre-training on massive video datasets has become essential to achieve high action recognition performance on smaller downstream datasets. However, most large-scale video datasets contain images of people and hence are accompanied with issues related to privacy, ethics, and data protection, often preventing them from being publicly shared for reproducible research. Existing work has attempted to alleviate these problems by blurring faces, downsampling videos, or training on synthetic data. On the other hand, analysis on the transferability of privacy-preserving pre-trained models to downstream tasks has been limited. In this work, we study this problem by first asking the question: can we pre-train models for human action recognition with data that does not include real humans? To this end, we present, for the first time, a benchmark that leverages real-world videos with humans removed and synthetic data containing virtual humans to pre-train a model. We then evaluate the transferability of the representation learned on this data to a diverse set of downstream action recognition benchmarks. Furthermore, we propose a novel pre-training strategy, called Privacy-Preserving MAE-Align, to effectively combine synthetic data and human-removed real data. Our approach outperforms previous baselines by up to 5% and closes the performance gap between human and no-human action recognition representations on downstream tasks, for both linear probing and fine-tuning. Our benchmark, code, and models are available at https://github.com/howardzh01/PPMA .


Banded corals are used as proxy recorders of bomb radiocarbon in the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Bomb radiocarbon levels appeared to still be rising in the tropical Pacific by 1982, in contrast to temperate locations that peaked in the early 1970's. This is representative of the geostrophic transport of bomb-laden waters from higher latitudes toward the equator. The seasonal radiocarbon signal at Canton Island (3S, 172W) during the early 1970's was twice the amplitude of that at Fanning Island (4N, 159W), and the radiocarbon minima at these locations were offset by several months. The phase lag is caused primarily by the seasonally variant transequatorial Ekman transport, which funnels more upwelled, 14C_poorwater from summer to winter hemisphere. The seasonal variation of ~14Cat Canton is larger because the peak input of 14C_poorSouth Equatorial Current water is coincident with the period of greatest transequatorial Ekman transport to this region. Whereas, at the Fanning site, these inputs reach their maxima during opposing seasons, which causes a damping of the seasonal ~ 14Csignal. A time-stepped, multi-box model calculation is made to describe bomb radiocarbon distributions in the tropical Pacific, and hence to determine the influence of the South Equatorial Current flow on the chemistry of the central equatorial Pacific. The annual model results show that radiocarbon is influenced to a minor extent by this lateral flow, in agreement with previous studies. However, the seasonal version of the model reveals that the South Equatorial Current flow varies by a factor of 2-3 in order to explain the seasonal variations in bomb radiocarbon. Meridional geostrophic convergence and transequatorial Ekman transport from summer to winter hemisphere alone are not sufficient for defining the observed seasonal signals.


The plumage colour of nestling and adult Great tits Parus major major L. was studied at Trondheim (63 °N, 10 °E), Norway. Nestlings reared in deciduous woodland were yellower than those reared in coniferous woodland, those reared in 1983 were yellower than those in 1982, and the later in the breeding season they were reared the more yellow they were. Furthermore, adults were yellower than nestlings, and for both groups the males were yellower than the females. Experimental interchange of eggs between nests showed that the variation in plumage colour observed between broods was related primarily to the food and not to genetic differences. Sampling, by the neck-collar method, of the food brought by the parent birds showed that the yellower nestlings received a greater proportion of lepidopteran larvae, in particular greenish-coloured ones, than did the nestlings with a paler plumage. A speculation is whether or not the variation in plumage colour has some adaptive value (viz. background matching).

In avian systematics, plumage coloration has been used to distinguish and describe subspecies. The present study shows that such a classification should only be made with certain reservations, until possible variation in the food quality of the subspecies is known to have no influence on plumage coloration.


This is a report on a computerized experiment with a miniature linguistic system, consisting of five morphological rules and a lexicon of 98 words. Two hypotheses derived from the literature in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics were tested: that explicit-deductive learning would be better than implicit-inductive learning for straightforward ("categorical") rules, and that implicit-inductive learning would be better than explicit-deductive learning for fuzzy rules ("prototypicality patterns"). Implicit-inductive learning was implemented by pairing sentences with color pictures; explicit-deductive learning was implemented by means of traditional grammar rule presentation, followed by picture-sentence pairing. The findings were in the expected direction for both hypotheses, but only the first one could be confirmed through statistically significant results.


The success of goal shooting in handball depends mostly on accuracy and throwing velocity. Several researchers have investigated the relationship between ball velocity and accuracy, but few investigations have included opposition, and there is no evidence on how opposition affects throwing accuracy. The present study analysed differences in throwing accuracy according to the opposition in handball players. Forty-three elite (E) and amateur (A) handball players (24±3 years; 187±3 cm; 91.8±9.1 kg) were assessed in two throwing tests: without (T1) and with opposition (T2). The instructions were: throw the ball at the highest possible speed, using the technique appropriate in handball, with three steps before throwing, from behind the free-throw line, at 9 m from the goal. The players were instructed to make precise shots following the goalkeeper intervention difficulty criterion1 2: throws had to target the corner of the goal. The goalkeeper (T2) was situated on the goal line. An observer assessed the impact location of the ball in the goal or goalkeeper using a slow motion camera. Each release was scored according to its precision: 0 (minimum) to 5 (maximum accuracy). E players (T1=4.46±0.66, T2=4.31±0.75) achieved better precision values than As (T1=3.63±1.09, T2=3.37±1.18) in T1 (p=0.016, t=2.519, df=41) and T2 (p<0.01, t=2.809, df=41). The analysis of mean differences showed that accuracy was lower with than without opposition (T1-T2=0.651±0.376; p<0.01; t=3.267; gl=42). The greatest difference between T1 and T2 was found in the A group (T1-T2=0.867±1.5, p<0.01, t=3.159, df=29) while in the E group there was no significant effect (T1-T2=0.154, p=0.165; t=1.477, df=12). The competitive level determines throwing accuracy, with and without opposition. The opposition has a negative effect on throwing accuracy, especially in A players.


Although daylight saving time (DST) is thought to provide economic benefits, extant research documents various adverse effects of DST adjustments. However, prior research provides little conclusive evidence about the effects of DST adjustments on capital market participants. We examine the effects of "spring forward" DST advances, which disrupt the human sleep cycle and economic activities, on investors' processing of earnings news. We find a delayed price response to earnings news released during the first week following a DST advance. We also find that this effect is stronger among firms with investors who are more likely to be trading on earnings news and among firms with less sophisticated investors. Our findings contribute to research on the unintended consequences of DST adjustments and to the growing literature on intra-investor variation in disclosure processing costs. Our study may be of interest to legislators currently debating proposed legislation that would eliminate DST phasing.
 Data Availability: Data are available from the sources cited in the text.
 JEL Classifications: D83; G14; M41; M48.


Advising patients about means of rehabilitation is an important task for the ophthalmologist. There is a lack of up-to-date studies on the outcome of job measures for various ophthalmic disorders. In a retrospective study the charts of 334 patients (October 86-November 89) at the rehabilitation centre for adults with late onset visual impairment (Veitshöchheim) were analyzed. Retinitis pigmentosa, optic atrophy, diabetic retinopathy and refractive anomalies were the most frequent diseases (13-19%). In comparison to the other disorders the incidence of diabetic retinopathy is increasing. Other ophthalmic diseases (mainly traumatic injuries), macular degeneration, retinal detachment and primary and secondary cataract made up 6-9% of all cases. About half of the patients were legally blind (visual acuity 1/50 or worse), 20% severely visually handicapped with a visual acuity of 0.02-0.05, 24% had a visual acuity of 0.05-0.3. Regarding the age distribution the group of patients between 30 and 39 years of age was the largest followed by the group of the 25-29-year-old and, last, the group of the 20-24-year-old patients. Due to the high proportion of blind and severely visually disabled a basic rehabilitation (including mobility training, learning the Braille letters) was necessary in 62% of cases. The most popular job measure was the field of massage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


For more than 20 years, ocean color remote sensing has been used to estimate phytoplankton content in oceanic waters. In their Perspective,
 Claustre and Maritorena
 explain that, beside phytoplankton, many factors--from dust to bubbles--are responsible for variations in ocean color. These various components that affect ocean color are not taken into account appropriately in existing empirical models used to study ocean color from space. For example, in the blue waters of the South Pacific gyre,
 Dandonneau
 et al .
 have identified hotspots of green waters that do not seem to be associated with enhanced phytoplankton biomass but may be caused by the accumulation of detrital products of marine life by physical processes.


Trees and shrubs of Mexico..-STANDLEY6 has published the fourth installment of the Trees and shrubs o Mexico, bringing together in organized form the known material of 37 families. This work has involved the study of 275 genera and 1738 species. Very few new genera and species are included, as the work is intended to assemble rather than to monograph the groups. One new genus (Leucopremna) of Caricaceae is established, and 43 new species, i i of which belong to Eutgenia (Myrtaceae). Much the largest family is the Cactaceae, since it is displayed more in Mexico than in any other region of the world. This family is presented by BRITTON and ROSE, and includes 54 genera and 523 species. The largest genera are Neomammillaria with I34 species, Opuntia with 87, and Echinocerens with 48. The other large families are M~enthaceae (I27 species), Asclepiaclaceae (iio species), Solanaceae (II4 species), and Melastomaceae (II4 species).-J. A/1. C.


Vinyl triethoxyl silicane, hydrogen silicone oil and microcrystal wax were separately used to modify the acrylic emulsion, wollastonite and synthesize the silicone wax emulsion for preparing exterior wall paint. The optimum conditions for the modifications and synthesis were experimentally presented. Under the optimum formula and operation conditions the silicone-modified acrylic emulsion exhibited good quality and all the property indexes of the exterior wall paint with a contact angle of about 140° were better than those regulated in the national standards issued by Chinese government. The structure of the modified acrylate emulsion, measured by infrared spectroscopy, was proved to be a real silicate-acrylate copolymerization emulsion.


Tributyltin (TBT) pollution has been assessed in NW Brittany since 1992 using the bioindicator imposex in Nucella lapillus. The Bay of Brest is highly polluted by TBT and the outgoing water mass has contaminated the adjacent NW coasts. However environmental conditions have been improving in NW Brittany. The decrease in TBT pollution is most likely due to the reformulated antifouling paints (with slower leaching rates or TBT-free) that are used for civil and military careen- ing activities in the Bay of Brest. An increase in imposex levels in 1998 could have been due to the launching of the aircraft carrier 'Charles de Gaulle'. It remains unknown when imposex levels reached their maximum because of the lack of annual surveys in 1996, 1997 and 1999. This under- scores the need for annual surveys when using imposex as a monitoring tool. At 3 locations within the Bay of Brest, new populations of N. lapillus have appeared since 1998. At other stations, populations have grown in number of individuals and colonised adjacent rocks. The percentage of less severely affected imposex females (vas deferens sequence stage 3) has increased since 1998. As TBT could soon be banned from antifouling paints, further recovery of favourable environmental conditions for N. lapillus is expected.


The use of microwave polymerization on acrylic resins is a clean and easy method to make complete dentures. It is observed that this kind of process may cause a higher porosity when compared to the conventional heated water bath, probably because of the excessive temperature increase. The objective of this study was the qualitative observation of the thermal curves generated on acrylic by the application of microwave energy in different polymerization cycles. Wax model dentures were reproduced, resulting in four specimens, within each one 7 thermocouples were positioned, having different reading sites of the specimens while the resin was polymerized in a conventional microwave oven. Four cycles were used: 1) three minutes at 475W; 2) 13 minutes at 95W + 1,5 minute at 475W; 3) three minutes at 475W with 150ml of water; and 4) seven minutes at 95W + seven minutes at 95W. The thermocouples were linked to data acquisition equipment, resulting in time-versus-temperature charts. It was concluded that lower power settings led to lower temperature increases. The use of minimum water load caused lower temperature peaks. The used method has a great value for temperature readings when polymerizing microwave acrylic resins.


The purpose of this study is to visualize the strategic network of higher education institutions and its strategic directions. The strategy map of the balanced scorecard approach is developed to describe the strategic objectives and their causal relationships in higher education. The empirical part of the study presents the survey results of the desired strategic directions of the network obtained from the teachers and other staff of the member institutions. Research and development projects are the most important form of activity in the network, but education and many other forms also turn out to be important. The results of this study support the argument that a strategic innovation alliance is a suitable and useful way to promote collaboration among European higher education institutions. The results of the study can be used by those who wish to promote such international collaboration among higher education institutions.


Kefiran is an exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by specific microorganisms in the kefir grain. In this research, kefir grain was activated in various carbon sources (glucose, galactose or lactose) containing medium. The monosaccharides composition of the formed kefiran were determined by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC with refractive index (RI) detector was used in order to make qualitative and quantitative analysis of sucrose, glucose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, and ribose present in kefiran. Also, the physical properties of differently kefiran formed were determined. The amount of kefiran in the control group and in the sample from the galactose containing medium were determined to be 511.00 and 610.55 mg/L, respectively. The kefiran form obtained from the medium containing galactose was more positively affected than in other media. The apparent viscosity, at a shear rate of 66.0 s-1of the kefiran produced in glucose containing medium, was determined to be 29.2 mPas. The surface morphologies of different kefirans were analysed and roughness parameters were determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM); the maximum height of lumps ranged from 16.80 to 22.10 nm. In this study, of sucrose, glucose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, and ribose were found in sugar composition in all kefiran samples.


The goal of this paper is to establish a robust methodology for forensic automatic speaker recognition (FASR) based on sound statistical and probabilistic methods, and validated using databases recorded in real-life conditions. The interpretation of recorded speech as evidence in the forensic context presents particular challenges. The means proposed for dealing with them is through Bayesian inference and corpus based methodology. A probabilistic model – the odds form of Bayes' theorem and likelihood ratio – seems to be an adequate tool for assisting forensic experts in the speaker recognition domain to interpret this evidence. In forensic speaker recognition, statistical modelling techniques are based on the distribution of various features pertaining to the suspect's speech and its comparison to the distribution of the same features in a reference population with respect to the questioned recording. In this paper, the state-of-the-art automatic, text-independent speaker recognition system, using Gaussian mixture model (GMM), is adapted to the Bayesian interpretation (BI) framework to estimate the within-source variability of the suspected speaker and the between-sources variability, given the questioned recording. This doublestatistical approach (BI-GMM) gives an adequate solution for the interpretation of the recorded speech as evidence in the judicial process.


BACKGROUND
Bone mineral density decreases after total knee arthroplasty and is believed to affect prosthetic fixation. Treatment with alendronate has been shown to improve short-term bone mineral density after total knee arthroplasty; however, the long-term effects of this therapy are unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of a six-month course of alendronate on bone mineral density after total knee arthroplasty.

METHODS
Sixty patients were randomly assigned to receive either oral alendronate at a dosage of 10 mg/day for six months or no alendronate. The bone mineral density in the distal aspect of the femur and the proximal aspect of the tibia was measured preoperatively and at six, twelve, and thirty-six months after total knee arthroplasty.

RESULTS
Fifty-four patients (twenty-nine in the alendronate group and twenty-five in the control group) completed the study. The alendronate group showed significant increases in bone mineral density in the distal aspect of the femur compared with the controls at six months (+4.8% and -14.2%, respectively; p < 0.01) and twelve months (+1.6% and -11.5%, respectively; p < 0.01). No significant difference in bone mineral density was detected between the groups at thirty-six months (-3.9% and -12.2%, respectively; p = 0.08). Similar trends in bone mineral density changes were also observed in the proximal aspect of the tibia.

CONCLUSIONS
A six-month course of alendronate initially increased bone mineral density at six and twelve months after total knee arthroplasty, but no difference was noted after thirty-six months. The effect of alendronate on bone mineral density after total knee arthroplasty may be limited after discontinuation of therapy.


The 2014 IEEE-USA Employment Survey was conducted to develop a better under-standing of the dilemma of unemployment among IEEE's U.S. members, by conducting a survey of engineers who were unemployed at some point during the 2013 IEEE membership year. We surveyed U.S. IEEE members who reported being unemployed during 2013, using a self-administered, online questionnaire. The results were consistent with previous years'more than half of those surveyed had not been re-employed.


Background: There are number of patients who are unable to expectorate sputum specimens. In this study, we used gastric lavage (GL) test for diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in patients who were unable to produce sputum. Materials and Methods: Patients who were unable to produce sputum specimens were included in the study to confirm TB disease. Gastric lavage sampling was performed and sent for acid fast bacillus smear and culture under special laboratory conditions and sterilized methods. Further bronchoscopy for broncho-alveolar lavage was done on patients with negative GL smear results. Drug susceptibility tests were performed on 48 GL culture positive cases. Results: Eighty-five patients were included in the study; who were hospitalized at our referral center for suspected TB. GL smears were reported to be positive in 37 cases (66.07%) and culture in 85.7%. The total number of smear and culture-positive cases in this study was 48 (85.7%). Forty cases (87%) of drug-sensitive, 1 case (2.2%) of isoniazid and rifampin-resistant TB (multi-drug resistant; MDR), and 5 cases of resistant to one drug were detected. There have not been observed any complications after the GL method. Conclusion: It seems that regarding the high number of positive GL cultures (85.7%), GL can be effective for diagnosis of patients who have suspicious tuberculosis symptoms and are unable to produce sputum especially in resource limited areas.


ABSTRACT An investigation has been undertaken of the effects of selective grain sorting on the ability of factor analyses to identify source end-members within heavy-mineral assemblages. Q-mode factor analysis of samples randomly collected from the beach at Otter Rock, Oregon, yielded two factors; one is dominated by augite, hornblende and hypersthene, and the second consists of garnet plus zircon. These factors correspond closely to selective-sorting patterns of minerals on this beach determined from a series of samples along a beach profile collected during a period of beach-face erosion. Factor analysis of those profile samples showed that the garnet and zircon are associated with the high-density opaques which tend to concentrate at the landward limit of wave run-up, while the lower densit augite, etc., are transported to the outer surf zone. Factor analyses were also performed on a synthetic data set which simulates the along-coast mixing of mineral assemblages from four spatially distinct sources. Analyses involved pure mixtures of source end-members, mixtures where random errors were introduced to simulate counting uncertainties, and mixtures of the end-members where systematic changes were added to simulate the effects of local grain sorting. The results indicate that sorting can significantly affect the results from factor analyses, with new factors introduced and with random irregularities produced in the spatial patterns of the factors.


Mark Bernstein has stated that there are no really good hypertext mysteries. This is a puzzling remark since reading hypertext often seems to require "detective work" on the part of the reader to first ferret out the clues/pieces of the work and then put them together in a reasonable order to form an understanding. While demonstrating a close reading of Mary Kim Arnold's hypertext story, "Lust," this essay explores how the concept of "mystery" applies to the act of reading hypertext and how that affects the role reader (now a "reader-detective") who must search both content nodes and pathways in order to bring cohesion and a sense of completeness to the reading experience. As a close reading, this essay looks at the characters and events described in "Lust" and finally stresses the need to consider the links and paths while reading the hypertext.


How does exile affect online dissent? By internationalizing activists' networks and removing them from day-to-day life under the regime, we argue that exile fundamentally alters activists' political opportunities and strategic behavior. We test the effect of exile on activists' public discourse in the case of Venezuela, through an analysis of over 5 million tweets by 357 activists spanning seven years. Our results suggest that after going into exile activists increasingly emphasize foreign-led interventions to shape their home country politics, focus less on local grievances, and become more harshly critical of the regime. This is partly due to the changes in exiles' networks: after leaving, activists increase their interactions with foreign actors and tweet more in English. This work contributes to our understanding of the relationship between exile—one of the most ubiquitous yet understudied forms of repression—and dissent in the digital age.


+Gr-1 + myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) on myocardial injury in the absence and presence of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in a mice model of AMI. Methods and Results: Male C57BL/6J mice were selected. Fluorescent actived cell sortor (FACS) data demonstrated significantly increased CD11b + Gr-1 + MDSCs both in peripheral blood circulation and in the ischemic myocardium at 24 hours post AMI. Quantitative-real-time PCR results also revealed significantly upregulated CD11b and Ly6G mRNA expression in the ischemic myocardium. AGEs treatment further aggravated these changes in AMI mice but not in sham mice. Moreover, AGEs treatment also significantly increased infarction size and enhanced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and iNOS2 was also significantly increased in AMI + AGEs group compared to AMI group. Conclusion: These data suggest en hanced infiltration of MDSCs by AGEs contributes to aggravated myocardial injury in AMI mice, which might be one of the mechanisms responsible for severer myocardial injury in AMI patients complicating diabetes.


Freshwater is becoming limited as our climate and weather pattern changes. In this study, a rainwater harvesting system was evaluated for collecting and utilizing rainwater for uses in non-potable purposes. Water-Balance was carried out for two design scenarios: Single tank and double tank, for irrigation in all main fields (202,724 ft2). The irrigation demand for the entire field was estimated to be about 1.08 million gallons on average after analyzing 14 years of data (2000-13). Installing a single tank of 210,000 gallon capacity was found to reduce the demand by 23%, whereas double tank installation was found to reduce the demand by about 10% on an annual basis. For these demand, irrigation needs has to depend on other sources such as city water supply or school's retention pond. The cost-benefit analysis revealed that the system will have estimated initial cost of $85,000 (single tank installation). The corresponding annualized cost of ownership is $5,215 while projected savings on annual water bills is $6,079. The system could be paid off early, resulting in savings of about $45,000 for the life of the system. The system was found to benefit financially while contributing to the environment by conserving the freshwater from non-potable use and reducing hydrologic footprint by harvesting the stormwater runoff.


As children with specific speech and language difficulties (SSLD) have problems processing language, they are vulnerable in the classroom since it is primarily an oral environment. Repairs offer a potentially useful source of information for the language learner but, to benefit from feedback about their errors or misunderstandings, children must notice the corrective potential in the stream of educational discourse. Repair practices (245) with children with SSLD were analysed quantitatively in terms of age and type of activity. They were also analysed sequentially, using conversation analysis. Repairs dealing with form (grammatical and phonological) were not immediately taken up by the children whereas those concerning meaning (lexical and content) mostly led to self-correction. One explanation is that, during form repair, the adults' corrective moves are embedded in turns that perform multiple work, so that children attend primarily to meaning. Designs that may be better suited to exposing corrections are discussed, with particular reference to features of prosody.


This study is mainly to control the density of zinc oxide nanowires arrays as main axis. We spin coated AZO thin film to Si/SiO2 substrate by hydrothermal method growing ZnO nanowire arrays on a substrate by spin coating a layer of zinc powder mixed with SiO2 film, and controlled the concentration of zinc. We can easily obtain a nanowire array density control. In this experiment, we investigated different centrifugation speed, time, zinc concentration, temperature and other variable parameters. Through field emission scanning electron microscopy observation of dispersive zinc oxide nanowires and dispersion situation, it was found that using different doping concentration and rotation speed, different densities can be successfully obtained for ZnO nanowires array. Dispersion of zinc oxide nanowires by hydrothermal method with increasing time, the diameter and length will increase significantly.


Sand contaminated with crude oil has become a major environmental concern worldwide. This problem poses threats to human health, the ecosystem, and the properties of the surrounding sand. Due to the prohibiting cost of the existing remediation methods, a more cost-effective way of utilizing oil contaminated sand is warranted. Mixing oil contaminated sand with cement and using this mix as alternative construction material is considered an innovative approach to reduce its environmental impact. This study is the first to investigate the effect of light crude oil on the physical and mechanical properties of fine sand, and mortar and concrete where contaminated sand is an ingredient. This approach is a critical step to sufficiently evaluate the suitability of this waste product as a sustainable building and construction material.

In the first stage, an extensive experimental study was conducted on the important geotechnical properties of fine sand contaminated with light crude oil. The results showed that water absorption, permeability, contact angle, frictional angle, and cohesion decreased with high levels of oil contamination. However, these properties of fine sand were enhanced at 1% oil contamination. The highest value of cohesion (10.76 kPa) and 10% enhancement in shear strength was observed at this oil contamination level. More importantly, the results of this stage provided information on the suitability of using this waste material as fine aggregates in mortar and concrete.

The second stage consisted of an evaluation of cement mortar properties containing fine sand contaminated with light crude oil. Mixing cement and water before adding the oil contaminated sand yielded up to 19% higher compressive strength compared to the cement mortar prepared by mixing the sand and cement before adding the water, due to a better reaction of cement particles and water during the hydration process. Similarly, curing in a fog room produced mortar of up to 45.6% higher compressive strength compared to mortars cured under other curing conditions, i.e. in water, in air, and in plastic bags. The scanning microscope observations revealed that cement mortars cured in the fog room had lower total porosity, smaller capillary pores, and denser calcium silicate hydrate compared to those cured under other methods. A w/c ratio of 0.5 was found to produce cement mortar with a higher compressive strength than mortar with a w/c ratio of 0.4 or 0.6. It was also found that the cement mortar with sand having more than 2% oil contamination requires a longer curing period to fully develop its compressive strength. The results of this stage demonstrated that proper mixing and curing methods, w/c ratio, and reasonable curing time are important for a cement mortar containing oil contaminated sand to achieve reasonable physical and mechanical properties for building and construction.

An investigation of the suitability of a geopolymer binder to produce mortar containing oil contaminated sand was investigated during the third stage. It was found that heat curing can increase the compressive strength of geopolymer mortar up to 54% compared to ambient curing situation. The geopolymer mortar with 1% of light crude oil contamination yielded a 20% higher compressive strength to mortar containing sand with a saturated surface dry condition. This was due to the high alkalinity of the solution, leading to the generation of more geopolymeric binder. Similarly, the formation of efflorescence decreased as the level of oil contamination decreased due to light crude oil filling up the pores. From this stage, it was demonstrated that geopolymer mortar containing oil contaminated sand has the potential as a new engineering material which has a positive impact on the environment.

An investigation of the properties of concrete containing oil contaminated sand was implemented as the last stage. The results of the investigation showed that the density of concrete deceased as the amount of crude oil increased due to an increase in the surface voids and total porosity. The highest compressive and splitting tensile strength was obtained for concrete with 1% of light crude oil contamination due to the oil optimising the sand cohesion. Above 1%, the bond between the cement paste and aggregates was affected, resulting in a decrease in strength properties. The developed simplified prediction equations to estimate the compressive strength of mortar and concrete containing fine sand contaminated with light crude oil gave a 98% accuracy between the experimental results and the predicted values.

An enhanced understanding of the behaviour of fine sand contaminated with light crude oil and the properties of mortar and concrete utilising this waste material
is the outcome of this investigation. This outcome will provide a benchmark for future studies and useful information to carefully consider oil contaminated sand for use in building and construction, and as a cost-effective alternative remediation method.


Monoclonal antibodies to keratins No. 8 and 17 specific for lining epithelium and myoepithelium of the mammary gland, respectively, as well as to basement membrane laminin, entactin, collagen type IV and heparan sulfate proteoglycan were used to the immunohistochemical analysis of 77 benign and malignant human breast lesions and that of 38 cases in which an intraoperative biopsy diagnosis was difficult. Morphologically similar benign and malignant proliferations were distinguished by keratin expression. In benign lesions both keratins were present, while in malignant ones only keratin No. 8 was expressed. Basement membranes associated with a myoepithelial layer were intact in benign lesions and in situ structures, but they were absent around the vast majority of invasive tumor foci. Basement membrane loss was important in differential diagnosis of benign sclerosing adenosis and cystadenopapilloma from invasive tubular and papillary carcinoma, respectively. Diagnosis of microinvasion in ductal and lobular carcinoma was much easier when combination of antibodies to keratins and basement membrane proteins was used.


Despite recent advances, customized multispectral cameras can be challenging or costly to deploy in some use cases. Complexities span electronic synchronization, multi-camera calibration, parallax and spatial co-registration, and data acquisition from multiple cameras, all of which can hamper their ease of use. This paper discusses a generalized procedure for multispectral sensing using a pixelated polarization camera and anisotropic polymer film retarders to create multivariate optical filters. We then describe the calibration procedure, which leverages neural networks to convert measured data into calibrated spectra (intensity versus wavelength). Experimental results are presented for a multivariate and channeled optical filter. Finally, imaging results taken using a red, green, and blue microgrid polarization camera and the channeled optical filter are presented. Imaging experiments indicated that the calculated spectra's root mean square error is highest in the region where the camera's red, green, and blue filter responses overlap. The average error of the spectral reflectance, measured of our spectralon tiles, was 6.5% for wavelengths spanning 425-675 nm. This technique demonstrates that 12 spectral channels can be obtained with a relatively simple and robust optical setup, and at minimal cost beyond the purchase of the camera.