An angiotensin II sensitivity test and a supine pressor test were done consecutively at 28 weeks gestation in 90 healthy, normotensive nulliparous women. None of the supine pressor tests was positive, applying the predefined threshold of a rise of 20 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure after rolling over; nine tests were positive using a corrected 9 mmHg cut-off level. Ten women had a positive angiotensin sensitivity test using a threshold of the effective pressor dose of 8 ng/kg/min; 22 women were positive using an effective pressor dose of less than or equal to 10 ng/kg/min. Later in pregnancy 12 women (13%) developed pregnancy-induced hypertensive disease (PIH). The specificity of both tests of predicting the development of PIH was about 90%. The sensitivity of the angiotensin sensitivity test at the 10 ng/kg/min level was 92%. Because of its low sensitivity of 25% the supine pressor test appears to have no value for the prediction of PIH. There was a significant positive association between angiotensin II refractoriness and birthweight.


Each SARS-CoV-2 variant renews concerns about decreased vaccine neutralization weakening efficacy. However, while prevention of infection varies, protection from disease remains and implicates immunity beyond neutralization in vaccine efficacy. Polyclonal antibodies function through Fab domains that neutralize virus, and Fc domains that induce non-neutralizing responses via engagement of Fc receptors on immune cells. To understand how vaccines promote protection, we leverage sera from 51 SARS-CoV-2 uninfected individuals after two doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. We show neutralizing activities against clinical isolates of wildtype and five SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron BA.2, link to FcγRIIIa/CD16 non-neutralizing effector functions. This is associated with post-translational afucosylation and sialylation of vaccine specific antibodies. Further, polyfunctional neutralizing and non-neutralizing breadth, magnitude and coordination diminish with age. Thus, studying Fc functions in addition to Fab mediated neutralization provides greater insight into vaccine efficacy for vulnerable populations such as the elderly against SARS-CoV-2 and novel variants.


Brazil, like many other developing countries, has discriminated rather heavily against its agricultural sector. The chronic overvaluation of the Brazilian currency has constituted an implicit export tax on the agricultural sector. ln addition, there have been explicit export taxes, quotas, and embargoes on agricultural products, and complicated export licensing schemes. This discriminatory trade policy has been complemented by various domestic food policies which also attempted to restrain the domestic prices of food. In contrast, the industrial sector has benefited from high levels of protective tariffs and export subsidies. Moreover, the overvalued exchange rate constituted something of a subsidy to the industrial sector since it was dependent on imports of certain raw materials and critical capital goods. This combination of policies is clearly designed to capture and transfer the well-known agricultural surplus as a basis for furthering the development process. The research on which this paper is based was designed to make a partial analysis of the impact of these policies on the agricultural sector (see Lopes for the larger study). The analysis compared an overvalued exchange rate and a tax on land as alternative means of extracting the surplus from agriculture. The analytical model was developed along the lines of a model used by Floyd for an analysis of U.S. agricultural policy. It is based on a one sector model of the agricultural sector consisting of six equations: an aggregate production function, equilibrium conditions for the use of labour and capital (input demand equations), supply functions for those two factors of production, and an equation which describes the demand for farm output.


The performances of five pigeons were studied under a variety of multiple fixed-interval schedules in which both component duration and reinforcement rate were varied. The three series of experimental conditions were: (a) when the ratio of component durations equalled the reciprocal of the ratio of component reinforcement rates; (b) when the component durations were equal; and (c) when the ratio of component durations equalled the ratio of component reinforcement rates. Relative response rates were related to relative reinforcement rates in the same manner as in multiple variable-interval schedules, but no effect of component duration was found.


Background/aim Atherosclerotic heart diseases can occur at an early age in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) values are reliable markers for early detection of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with AS. We aimed to investigate the relationship between visfatin levels and indirect markers of subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in patients with AS. Materials and methods Forty-two patients diagnosed with AS and 42 age, sex, and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls were included in the study. Visfatin levels, FMD, and cIMT were measured using appropriate methods. Results Visfatin levels of the patients were significantly higher than controls (p < 0.001). FMD values in patients with AS were significantly lower (p = 0.007) whereas cIMT were significantly higher than the controls (p = 0.003). There was a negative relationship between FMD with visfatin levels (p = 0.004), BASDAI (p = 0.010), and BASFI (p = 0.007). There was a positive relationship between cIMT with visfatin (p = 0.005), BASDAI (p < 0.001), and BASFI (p < 0.001). There was a positive relationship between visfatin with BASDAI (p < 0.001), and BASFI (p < 0.001). Conclusion Visfatin levels are increased and associated with impaired FMD and increased cIMT in patients with AS. Increased visfatin levels may be associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in AS.


This volume contains 12 thoroughly refereed and revised papers detailing recent advances in research on designing trading agents and mechanisms for agent-mediated e-commerce. They were originally presented at three events: the Workshop on Agent-Mediated Electronic Commerce (AMEC 2013), co-located with AAMAS 2013 in Saint Paul, MN, USA, in May 2013; the Workshop on Trading Agent Design and Analysis (TADA 2013), co-located with AAAI 2013 in Bellevue, WA, USA, in July 2013; and the Joint Workshop on Trading Agent Design and Analysis (TADA 2014) and Agent-Mediated Electronic Commerce (AMEC 2014), co-located with AAMAS 2014 in Paris, France, in May 2014.Given the breadth of research topics in this field, the range of topics addressed in these papers is correspondingly broad. These include the study of theoretical issues related to the design of interaction protocols and marketplaces; the design and analysis of automated trading strategies used by individual agents; and the deployment of such strategies, in times as part of an entry to the trading agent competition.


We report the first demonstration of a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) circuit incorporating MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) material for higher performance. We compare our results to those of AlOx-based devices, and we discuss the MTJ process optimization and material changes that made the demonstration possible.We present data on key MTJ material attributes for different oxidation processes and free-layer alloys, including resistance distributions, bias dependence, free-layer magnetic properties, interlayer coupling, breakdown voltage, and thermal endurance. A tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) greater than 230% was achieved with CoFeB free layers and greater than 85% with NiFe free layers. Although the TMR with NiFe is at the low end of our MgO comparison, even this MTJ material enables faster access times, since its TMR is almost double that of a similar structure with an AlOx barrier. Bit-to-bit resistance distributions are somewhat wider for MgO barriers, with sigma about 1.5% compared to about 0.9% for AlOx. The read access time of our 4 Mb toggle MRAM circuit was reduced from 21 ns with AlOx to a circuit-limited 17 ns with MgO.


Extensive research highlights the important roles of coaches and parents in fostering positive youth development (PYD). However, little research has examined the complex coach–parent relationship in the bidirectional interactions of the coach-parent-athlete triad. This research is particularly pertinent in elite youth sport, wherein the performance-oriented environment may impede the pursuit of PYD. As such, this study aimed to deepen understandings of the coach–parent relationship in relation to athletes' PYD. Specifically, the first author critically analyzed and reflected on his experiences as an elite youth ice hockey coach, thus offering a unique portrayal of reflective practice in the context of sport coaching. Two interconnected themes emerged: understanding conflict in the coach-parent-athlete relationship and fostering collaboration through enhanced coach–parent communication. Findings and reflections are discussed in relation to the dual-concern model of conflict resolution, and strategies to help practitioners foster cooperative coach–parent relationships are presented.


We study the phase transitions and critical phenomena in 3D site-diluted (with nonmagnetic impurities) Potts model with spin states q=4 by Monte-Carlo method. The systems with linear sizes L=20-32 and spin concentrations p=1.00, 0.90, 0.65 are examined. Using the Binder cumulants method the forth order it is shown that the second-order phase transition is observed in strongly diluted model at spin concentration p=0.65; the pure model (p=1.00) and weakly diluted one (p=0.90) reveals the first-order phase transition. On the basis of finite-size scaling theory the static critical parameters of heat capacity, susceptibility, magnetization, and correlation length exponent are calculated.


Tight control of p63 protein levels must be achieved under differentiation or apoptotic conditions. Here, we describe a new regulatory pathway for the ΔNp63α protein. We found that MDM2 binds ΔNp63α in the nucleus promoting its translocation to the cytoplasm. The MDM2 nuclear localization signal is required for ΔNp63α nuclear export and subsequent degradation, whereas the MDM2 ring-finger domain is dispensable. Once exported to the cytoplasm by MDM2, p63 is targeted for degradation by the Fbw7 E3-ubiquitin ligase. Efficient degradation of ΔNp63α by Fbw7 (also known as FBXW7) requires GSK3 kinase activity. By deletion and point mutations analysis we have identified a phosphodegron located in the α and β tail of p63 that is required for degradation. Furthermore, we show that MDM2 or Fbw7 depletion inhibits degradation of endogenous ΔNp63α in cells exposed to UV irradiation, adriamycin and upon keratinocyte differentiation. Our findings suggest that following DNA damage and cellular differentiation MDM2 and Fbw7 can cooperate to regulate the levels of the pro-proliferative ΔNp63α protein.


TCP Vegas proposed a mechanism to improve TCP congestion control in the Internet. However, Vegas exhibits unfairness characteristics towards multiple TCP connections and does not perform well in a traffic asymmetric network. This paper introduces a simple modification to TCP Vegas, namely STT-Vegas, to improve the performance of TCP Vegas and present its performance for multiple TCP connections. The simulation studies have shown that STT-Vegas provides better overall performance than its counterparts (i.e. Vegas, Reno) on fairness, throughput and packet loss in various network traffic scenarios.


A radio-over-multimode-fibre system is used to achieve an indoor radio coverage solution for low cost 60 GHz WLAN. It is composed of a radio-over-fibre link based on a 300 m (or more) multimode fibre long link operating at 850 nm and a compact RF transceiver including a phase noise cancellation technique at 60 GHz. The system described can provide a low cost solution for high data rate (400 Mbit/s) distribution at 60 GHz.


An individual from a relatively affluent country is presumably hardly surprised by hearing about stories that depict global labour injustices. We are aware of the fact that there are people in other countries who work under abhorrent 'sweatshop' conditions and we know that these circumstances are still more pervasive than we would like them to be. In this way, global labour injustices amount to a morally unacceptable state of affairs for which there is an urgent need for remedy. What role should an individual play in providing this remedy? In this thesis, I argue that individuals incur remedial responsibility for global labour injustices by virtue of being connected as consumers. I attempt to answer the question whether consumers should consume ethically in order to discharge these responsibilities. First, I discuss accounts of responsibility as put forward by Iris Marion Young and David Miller. Due to dissatisfaction with Young's account of political responsibility, I adopt Miller's framework of the connection theory of remedial responsibility. As a result of the application of the connection theory, it appears that corporations are most strongly connected to these injustices. However, given their objectionable inaction as well as their sensitivity to consumer preferences, I argue that a considerable share of remedial responsibility falls on consumers. I then go on to consider whether consumers should discharge their remedial responsibilities through ethical consumerism. Upon first consideration, it seems that consumers should not discharge their remedial responsibility as consumers by attempting to consume ethically in order to affect demand. I conclude that this would be an excessively burdensome as well as inefficacious task. Subsequently, I argue that this reasoning nevertheless presupposes that the only impact consumption choices will have, is by directly affecting consumer demand. This reasoning thereby neglects the normative expressive value of consumption choices. Furthermore, I argue that individual consumers ought to take steps towards collectivisation. Among the steps an individual ought to take is signalling a willingness to come together and act collectively. Ultimately, I conclude that one of the ways individuals can engage in signalling, is by employing the normative expressive function of their consumption choices.


A brief overview of Kenneth Sayre's paper, "Dialectic in Plato's Late Dialogues," followed by critical discussion. I invite Sayre to clarify his views on the nature of the method of hypothesis in Plato, and on its relationships to Socratic dialectic and to the method of collection and division. I then ask whether we should think of Plato as aware, at the time of writing his dialogues, of weaknesses in the various methods of conducting philosophical inquiry he has his characters employ. Finally, I ask whether the method of reading Plato Sayre recommends at the end of his paper, to the extent it is novel, is likely to prove fruitful.


Thiamin - a predecessor of transketolase coenzyme is shown to cause an increase in the intensity of labelled 14C orotic acid incorporation into UDP and UTP of the rat liver though the time of UTP exchange remains unchanged. Taking into account the data obtained, an assumption is advanced that the biosynthesis of pentoses in the pentosophosphate way of carbohydrates transformation in the rat liver proceeds in its non-oxidative branch with transketolase and transaldolase participating in the process.


For the later periods Hastings selects themes which he develops by means of copious and detailed illustration drawn from a huge variety of sources. There are some unexpected but illuminating comparisons of European and African movements. Christian villages, mass evangelism, prophet movements, the emergence of new nationalisms, catechists, dreams, the emergence of modem leadership are among the topics discussed. There are a few slips: the CMS did not, for instance, leave Tanganyika when this passed under German rule; there are occasional inconsistencies in the spelling of


In the debate around ecological democracy, a pivotal point of contention has long been the question why democracy should actually be expected, as some claim, to deliver (more) ecological outcomes. This point is empirical as well as conceptual: it is difficult to conceive why voters would support any policies that – as is often (perceived to be) the case with environmental legislation – would leave them worse off; whilst democracy conceptually must remain open to all outcomes rather than being tied to any particular agenda ex ante. Yet both empirically and conceptually, the nature and extent of this key puzzle has always hinged on the particular definitions used. This paper reconsiders the link between democracy and ecological sustainability from a cultural angle: I argue that conceiving of both sustainability and democratisation as essentially cultural transformations resolves the puzzle and thus makes a renewed case for ecological democracy. Only as cultural processes – the creation of new meanings of sustainable prosperity in people's everyday lives, and a culturally rather than institutionally based form of democratisation – can these transformations be deep-seated rather than superficial, and thus self-perpetuating rather than merely enforced.


BACKGROUND
An underlying cause is found in only 7% to 30% of patients with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP). Diabetes mellitus, inherited disorders, toxin exposure, and primary amyloidosis are the most common identified causes of sensory neuropathies affecting both large and small myelinated fibers. Undiagnosed impaired fasting glucose metabolism has been associated with CIAP at a higher frequency rate than in the general population. This increased prevalence rate was identified using the 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (2h-OGTT) and a previous version of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the prevalence of abnormal fasting glucose metabolism in patients with CIAP and to compare the value of determining fasting plasma glucose levels using revised (2003) ADA criteria with the 2h-OGTT for predicting abnormal fasting glucose metabolism.

PATIENTS
In this 24-month retrospective study, 100 consecutive patients were identified with no known cause for CIAP, including diabetes mellitus, between January 2003 and January 2005. All had both a fasting plasma glucose test and a 2h-OGTT in addition to a complete neurological examination. Neurophysiological studies, computer-assisted sensory examination, and quantitative sudomotor axonal reflex testing were used to classify CIAP into subtypes according to nerve fiber involvement.

RESULTS
The prevalence of undiagnosed abnormal fasting glucose metabolism was found to be nearly 2-fold higher (62%) in patients with CIAP than in similar age-matched general population groups (33%). Using the 2003 revised ADA criteria, 39 patients (39%) had abnormal fasting plasma glucose metabolism (36 with impaired fasting glucose, 3 with diabetes mellitus), while the 2h-OGTT provided an even higher diagnostic rate of 62% (62 patients; P<.001) of impaired fasting glucose metabolism (38 with impaired glucose tolerance, 24 with diabetes mellitus). The abnormal glucose metabolism rates were found to be similar across the 3 subtypes (sensorimotor, pure sensory, and small-fiber neuropathy) of CIAP (P = .60, .72, and .61).

CONCLUSIONS
This study adds to emerging evidence that abnormal glucose metabolism may be a risk factor for CIAP. Even with revised (2003) ADA criteria, the 2h-OGTT provides additional diagnostic information to the health care professional in the evaluation of CIAP. Subtypes of CIAP are equally likely to have abnormal glucose metabolism.


In this thesis, two future generation optical data storage techniques are studied using numerical models. Direct semiconductor laser readout (DSLR) system employs external cavity configuration and super resolution (SR) technique an optically nonlinear material layer at the optical disc for recording and readout operation. Work with the DSLR system is focused on the studying and optimisation of the writing performance of the system, while work with the SR system has focused on explaining the physical phenomena responsible for SR readout and writing performance. Both techniques enable the writing and readout of the data marks smaller than the resolution limit of the conventional optical pickup head. Using SR technique 4x increase in the data density in comparison to DVD disk can be obtained. Because the studied structures are in the order of the wavelength, ray tracing and scalar methods cannot be used to model the system. But, the solution of Maxwell's vector equations is required in order to study these structures. Moreover, analytical solutions usually do not exist for such complex structures, thus the numerical methods have to be used. In this thesis the main modelling tool has been the Finite Difference Time Domain method.


Approximate computing is an emerging paradigm for error-tolerant applications. By introducing a reasonable amount of inaccuracy, both the area and delay of a circuit can be reduced significantly. To synthesize approximate circuits automatically, many approximate logic synthesis (ALS) algorithms have been proposed. However, they mainly focus on area reduction and are not optimal in reducing the delay of the circuits. In this paper, we propose DALS, a delay-driven ALS framework. DALS works on the AND-inverter graph (AIG) representation of a circuit. It supports a wide range of approximate local changes and some commonly-used error metrics, including error rate and mean error distance. In order to select an optimal set of nodes in the AIG to apply approximate local changes, DALS establishes a critical error network (CEN) from the AIG and formulates a maximum flow problem on the CEN. Our experimental results on a wide range of benchmarks show that DALS produces approximate circuits with significantly reduced delays.


Nanometer titanium dioxide films supported on glass, quartz, molybdenum, and aluminum were prepared by sol-gel method. The loaded titanium dioxide films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and photocatalytic degradation of aqueous crystal violet. The titanium dioxide films supported on different substrates were all composed of polycrystalline nanoparticles, which belonged to single-phase anatase, and displayed different morphology after sintering at 773 K for 1 h. Some elements in the substrate made of noncrystal appeared on the surface of titanium dioxide films. The experiment about basic crystal violet degradation displayed the photocatalysis activity of titanium oxide films supported on the molybdenum was better.


The yeast Candida albicans is an oral commensal microorganism, occurring in the oral cavity of 50–70% of healthy individuals. Its effect on oral ecology has mostly been studied using dual-species models, which disregards the complex nature of oral biofilms. The aim of this study was to culture C. albicans in a complex model to study its effect on oral biofilms. Biofilms, inoculated using pooled stimulated saliva with or without addition of C. albicans, were grown under anaerobic, aerobic, or aerobic +5% CO2 conditions. Red autofluorescence was quantified using a spectrophotometer and visualized in fluorescence photographs. The microbiome of 5 h biofilms was determined using 16S rDNA sequencing. C. albicans was only able to proliferate in biofilms grown under aerobic conditions. After 48 h, C. albicans did not induce differences in total biofilm formation, lactic acid accumulation (cariogenic phenotype) or protease activity (periodontitis phenotype). In vitro, anaerobically grown biofilms developed red autofluorescence, irrespective of inoculum. However, under aerobic conditions, only C. albicans–containing biofilms showed red autofluorescence. Facultative or strict anaerobic Veillonella, Prevotella, Leptotrichia, and Fusobacterium genera were significantly more abundant in biofilms with C. albicans. Biofilms without C. albicans contained more of the aerobic and facultative anaerobic genera Neisseria, Rothia, and Streptococcus. The presence of C. albicans alters the bacterial microbiome in early in vitro oral biofilms, resulting in the presence of strictly anaerobic bacteria under oxygen-rich conditions. This in vitro study illustrates that C. albicans should not be disregarded in healthy oral ecosystems, as it has the potential to influence bacteria significantly. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 29 August 2016 Revised 29 November 2016 Accepted 7 December 2016


The formation of biogenic fabrics in limestone by two fungi, Serpula himantioides and a polymorphic fungal isolate from limestone identified as a Cephalotrichum (syn. Doratomyces) sp., was investigated. The fungal cultures were grown in laboratory microcosms consisting of Carboniferous limestone and after 21 d incubation at 25°C, biomineralization of fungal filaments was observed. Environmental electron scanning microscopy (ESEM) and X-ray micro-analysis (EDXA) of crystalline precipitates on the hyphae of S. himantioides demonstrated that the secondary crystals exhibited different crystalline forms but were similar in elemental composition to the original limestone. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) of crystalline precipitates showed they were composed of a mixture of calcite (CaCO 3 ) and calcium oxalate monohydrate (CaC 2 O 4 · H 2 O). Analysis of crystals precipitated on the hyphae of the limestone isolate, using ESEM and EDXA, showed that the crystals exhibited similar morphological characteristics and elemental composition to the original limestone. XRD showed that they were composed solely of calcite (CaCO 3 ) or of calcite with some calcium oxalate dihydrate (CaC 2 O 4 · 2H 2 O). These results provide direct experimental evidence for the precipitation of calcite (CaCO 3 ) and also secondary mycogenic minerals, on fungal hyphae in low nutrient calcareous environments, and suggest that fungi may play a wider role in the biogeochemical carbon cycle than has previously been appreciated.


Secondary caries at the tooth-resin interface is the primary reason for replacement of resin composite restorations. The tooth-resin interface is formed by interlocking of resin material with hydroxyapatite crystals in enamel and collagen mesh structure in dentin. Efforts have been made to strengthen the tooth-resin interface, and dentin biomodification agents have been previously identified with collagen cross-linking potential and antimicrobial activities. The purpose of the current study was to assess protective effects of dentin biomodification agents against secondary caries development around enamel and dentin margins of a class V restoration, using a bacterial caries model.

Class V composite restorations were made on sixty bovine tooth samples (n=15) with pre-treatment of cavity walls with either control buffer solution, an enriched fraction of grape seed extract (GSE-UP), 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)-carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS), or chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX). After incubating specimens in a bacterial model with Streptococcus mutans for 4 days, caries lesions were evaluated by microhardness test and confocal laser scanning microscopy with rhodamine B staining.

Results of the study revealed that GSE-UP significantly inhibited secondary caries development immediately adjacent to the dentin-resin interface, as indicated by absence of rhodamine B staining around the restoration margin in dentin. Results suggest that incorporation of biomodification agents, specifically GSE-UP, into adhesive systems may inhibit secondary caries and thereby increase the longevity of resin composite restorations.


Background Arguably, the sexual abuse of children raises a number of important questions for researchers at different times. Thus, the present study was aimed to examine psychopathological correlates of child sexual abuse. Methods This cross-sectional survey study compared the degree of vulnerability to psychopathological variables among respondents with a history of sexual abuse and their unabused counter parts in Jimma Zone. To this end, 400 female students were selected from five high schools as the sample population using multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were gathered using Reynold's Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS), Adolescent Panic Anxiety Scale, and Posttraumatic stress disorder test. The collected data via self-administered questionnaire were analyzed through the two sample t-test statistical procedure. Results The study revealed a result of t=3.83 for depression, t=2.46 for panic episode, and t=4.23 for PTSD score, whereas, the critical value of all the three psychopathological variables showed t (52) =1.676 at P=0.05. Results illustrate the presence of statistically significant differences in the mean scores of the above mentioned psychopathologies between females with history of sexual abuse and females who were not victims of this sexual attack at df =52 and P=0.05. Conclusion The findings of the present study indicate that history of childhood sexual abuse has adverse consequences on the future psychological wellbeing of females. Specifically, females with experience of sexual abuse were found to be more susceptible to develop depression, panic anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders than unabused females. Thus, parents, and teachers should give the necessary care and protection to female children. Primary bio-psychosocial care services need to be established in the school system, and both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education should work together against sexual exploitation of female children.


Collocations play a significant role in second language acquisition. In order to be able to offer efficient support to learners, an NLP-based CALL environment for learning collocations should be based on a representative collocation error annotated learner corpus. However, so far, no theoretically-motivated collocation error tag set is available. Existing learner corpora tag collocation errors simply as "lexical errors" ― which is clearly insufficient given the wide range of different collocation errors that the learners make. In this paper, we present a fine-grained three-dimensional typology of collocation errors that has been derived in an empirical study from the learner corpus CEDEL2 compiled by a team at the Autonomous University of Madrid. The first dimension captures whether the error concerns the collocation as a whole or one of its elements; the second dimension captures the language-oriented error analysis, while the third exemplifies the interpretative error analysis. To facilitate a smooth annotation along this typology, we adapted Knowtator, a flexible off-the-shelf annotation tool implemented as a Protege plugin.


According to the Finnish National Framework Curriculum one of the objectives in technology education (craft, technical work) is to develop pupils' designing skills. However there are no detailed criteria how to assess these important skills and therefore teachers have to determine those by themselves. Assessment without clear criteria tends to drive teaching towards promoting "guaranteed" and "safe" solutions that stifle pupils' creativity and independent thinking skills. One of the objectives in technology education is that pupils should learn technological problem solving skills. This objective requires teachers to engage pupils in technological problem solving activities. The design process is regarded as a learning strategy and through this pupils obtain systematic, sustained and independent working skills. Instruction in technology education is implemented through projects corresponding to the pupil's stage of development. Methods of experimentation, investigation, and invention should be practiced actively. Starting points for projects can be found from everyday life problems, artefacts and materials. The technological problem solving process encompasses phases of setting out the problem/task, exploring possibilities, brainstorming, from a chosen idea to planning an accurate solution, realizing the project and testing and evaluation. In order to improve assessment of designing in technology education, a model was developed that works as a pedagogical step-by-step tool to enhance the design process. This tool serves two purposes: first, for the pupils to develop their metacognitive skills about the design process and their ability to self-assess, and also for the teacher to be able to assess the process. The model is demonstrated by one case: the "Birdhouse Band" project, as an example of applying the technological problem solving process.


The law has had an uneasy relationship with emotion, and we are trained to think that the best decisions are those made based on reason alone. The primacy of reason can be traced at least as far back as Plato, who believed that emotion interferes with reason and diverts us from truth. This Article begins by exploring our ancient mistrust of emotion, particularly in the law, and more recent theories in cognitive psychology and behavioral neuroscience positing that reason and motion work together in all forms of decision-making to help us make better decisions. Because "thinking like a lawyer" may more aptly be described as "feelthinking like a lawyer," this Article then identifies several points in the legal reasoning process where the influence of emotion may be most significant and noticeably "felt." It concludes that because feelthinking occurs on behalf of clients within specific ethical constraints, understanding the role of emotion in legal decision-making is useful both to the practitioner and the professor of law.


A palaeomagnetic study of different lithologies exposed along the Moine Thrust Zone from Skye to Durness, Scotland, has identified three chemical remanent magnetizations (CRMs), a potential fourth CRM, and one possible primary component that all reside in hematite. Local and regional fold tests suggest that the CRMs are post-folding and post-thrusting. A contact test in the Torridon Group sandstone indicates that a Permian CRM is localized in and near the fault zone. The Permian CRM, which is also found in the Durness Group, and associated alteration are direct evidence for post-orogenic activity, in which the thrusts vented excess heat during regional crustal extension. On the Isle of Skye, sandstones (Sleat, Torridon and Eriboll Groups) in and around the fault zone contain a Tertiary CRM interpreted to be related to hydrothermal fluids associated with Tertiary intrusions. A possible Mesozoic CRM is also present but it could represent the vector addition of the Permian and Tertiary CRMs. A Devonian CRM is interpreted to be related to hydrothermal fluids associated with Devonian volcanic rocks or to fluids triggered by late stages of the Caledonian orogeny. Geochemical and petrographical studies provide supporting evidence for multiple fluid flow events along the Moine Thrust Zone. These results show that palaeomagnetism can be used to date multiple fluid migration events and that dormant fault zones can act as conduits for flow.


Transit Timing Variation (TTV) of hot Jupiters provides direct observational evidence of planet tidal dissipation. Detecting tidal dissipation through TTV needs high precision transit timings and long timing baselines. In this work, we predict and discuss the potential scientific contribution of the SiTian Survey in detecting and analyzing exoplanet TTV. We develop a tidal dissipation detection pipeline for the SiTian Survey that aims at time-domain astronomy with 72 1 m optical telescopes. The pipeline includes the modules of light curve deblending, transit timing acquisition and TTV modeling. SiTian is capable of detecting more than 25,000 exoplanets among which we expect ∼50 sources to show evidence of tidal dissipation. We present detection and analysis of tidal dissipating targets, based on simulated SiTian light curves of XO-3b and WASP-161b. The transit light curve modeling gives consistent results within 1σ to input values of simulated light curves. Also, the parameter uncertainties predicted by Markov Chain Monte Carlo are consistent with the distribution obtained from simulating and modeling the light curve 1000 times. The timing precision of SiTian observations is ∼0.5 minutes with one transit visit. We show that differences between TTV origins, e.g., tidal dissipation, apsidal precession and multiple planets, would be significant, considering the timing precision and baseline. The detection rate of tidal dissipating hot Jupiters would answer a crucial question of whether the planet migrates at an early formation stage or random stages due to perturbations, e.g., planet scattering or secular interaction. SiTian identified targets would be constructive given that the sample would extend tenfold.


The prostate cancer (PCa) microenvironment contains active stromal cells known as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) that may play important roles in influencing tumor progression. Here we studied the role of CAF estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and found that it could protect against PCa invasion. Immunohistochemistry on prostatectomy specimens showed that PCa patients with ERα-positive stroma had a significantly lower risk for biochemical recurrence. In vitro invasion assays further confirmed that the stromal ERα was able to reduce PCa cell invasion. Dissection of the molecular mechanism revealed that the CAF ERα could function through a CAF-epithelial interaction via selectively upregulating thrombospondin 2 (Thbs2) and downregulating matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) at the protein and messenger RNA levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays further showed that ERα could bind to an estrogen response element on the promoter of Thbs2. Importantly, knockdown of Thbs2 led to increased MMP3 expression and interruption of the ERα mediated invasion suppression, providing further evidence of an ERα-Thbs2-MMP3 axis in CAF. In vivo studies using athymic nude mice injected with CWR22Rv1 (22Rv1) PCa epithelial cells and CAF cells ± ERα also confirmed that mice coimplanted with PCa cells and CAF ERα+ cells had less tumor foci in the pelvic lymph nodes, less metastases, and tumors showed less angiogenesis, MMP3, and MMP9 (an MMP3 downstream target) positive staining. Together, these data suggest that CAF ERα could play protective roles in suppressing PCa metastasis. Our results may lead to developing new and alternative therapeutic approaches to battle PCa via controlling ERα signaling in CAF.


National Science Foundation (BCS1500220). Collaborative Research: An Audio-visual corpus of Scottish Gaidhlig (GLA). PI: Carnie. Co PIs: Hammond, Fisher. Collaborative proposal with Ian Clayton at the University of Nevado Reno.


This presentation examines the precepts that social interaction and context are key components of learning in higher education and proposes that a studio learning environment and 'inverting the curriculum' would enhance the teaching and learning experiences. The presentation analyses the 'traditional' teaching methods of higher education, questions the strict adherence to a content-based curriculum, and argues that these factors are not best suited to the optimal attainment of relevant learning outcomes. The paper constructs a standpoint to question whether the correct learning environment prevails in higher education institutions to make the teaching and learning experience an enjoyable and self-motivating one and to promote the achievement of the necessary learning outcomes and the requisite educational standards demanded by society and employers. The narrative defines by example what the author means by the terms 'inverting the curriculum' and 'studio culture' and poses questions and suggestions rather than arriving at definite conclusions. The author uses two selected readings on which to construct the standpoint from which the propositions are put. The background to, and the rationale for, this presentation, comes from an involvement some years ago by the author in adventure-based experiential education. It was clear from this experience that people are more motivated to learn when they are deriving enjoyment from activities. The catalyst for enjoyment seems to involve two factors:1. social interaction and 2. activities which challenge the individual, but which are designed to be attainable.Based on these experiences and observations, this presentation suggests methods which make the teaching and learning experience more fun and enjoyable for both students and teachers, and which help students to develop learning techniques based on natural enquiry.


Studies of high-pressure xenoliths suggest that mafic rocks are dominant in the lower crust and abundant in the uppermost mantle, beneath most continental areas. Xenolith data allow construction of geotherms and stratigraphic profiles and provide lithological constraints and physical parameters for realistic interpretations of geophysical data. In continental regions of high heat flow, the Moho, as defined by seismic refraction data, may lie deeper than the crust/mantle boundary. The seismic differences recorded for cratonic vs. "hot" lower crust/upper mantle sections may be explained by temperature variations alone and do not require large lithological differences.


The effects of co-production of green tea (Camellia sinensis L) or Moringa oleifera leaves extracts with set-type yogurt on the physicochemical, rheological, and sensory and antioxidant properties of the produced bio-yoghurts were investigated. Plant extracts were subjected to GC-MS analysis in order to identify the major compounds. The analysis revealed the presence of 21 and 27 major compounds in green tea and moringa leaves extracts respectively. Most of these compounds pose different biological roles. From the preliminary sensory study of testing wide range (0.1-1.5%, w/w) of both plants extract in yoghurt trails it was concluded that the best chosen concentrations were 1% and 0.9% of green tea and moringa extracts respectively. The chemical analysis of plain and bio-yoghurts (green tea or moringa) showed no differences in composition in regard to protein, fat, and total solids as it were amounted to 3.75 ± 0.15%, 3.65 ± 0.03% and 14.45 ± 0.15% respectively. The pH decreased during the production leveled to 4.60 ± 0.05 after incubation while it was not significantly changed during storage whereas, titratable acidity showed invers relation increased to be 0.70 ± 0.02% after production and 1.1 ± 0.05% at the end of storage. Fortification of both extracts at tested percentage did not exhibit any suppression effect against starter culture meanwhile; both extracts had stimulated the growth. In general, syneresis values (%) showed to increase in all the treatments up to 15 days of storage. The green tea found to improved syneresis as low values were recorded in green tea yoghurt in compared to plain yoghurts and moringa yoghurts which showed the highest syneresis values. No significant changes in viscosity and firmness between plain and plant fortified yoghurts were observed meanwhile, addition of green tea extracts improved consistency. The color showed a significant difference between different kinds of yoghurts. Addition of plant extracts significantly enhanced total phenolic content in yoghurt by 100% in moringa yoghurts and 244% in green tea yoghurts compared to plain yoghurts thus reflected as antioxidant (DPPH inhibition %) in yoghurt dramatically improved. Further, the effect of green tea and moringa leaves extract on sensory attributes were also discussed.


The transportation and translocation of species beyond their natural habitats is considered to be one of the major causes of biodiversity loss these days. Concerns are growing also about urbanization and the resulting destruction of natural habitats. At the same time, the integration of urban environments into nature protection efforts has brought along the intent to apply the ecological alien species paradigm in cities. Yet, as the practices of urban landscaping demonstrate, this objective has not been achieved. In this article, we propose that the reasons behind it are largely related to the specifics of the city as a semiotic system. Multiplicity of codes and subjects of various origins is contested by the ecological alien species paradigm, yet characteristic of the urban semiotic environment. The city often serves the function of a cultural model, embodying the principles of setting the borders between Self and the Other. Also in this case, the ecological alien species paradigm has to face a different complex of meanings attributed to the Other. We demonstrate how two different models of the city are expressed in the interpretations of alien trees by using pyramid oaks and poplars in Estonia as an example.


Long-term organic farming system trials were established across the U.S. to capture baseline agronomic, economic and environmental data related to organic conversion under varying climatic conditions. These sites have proven useful in providing supporting evidence for successful transition from conventional to organic practices. All experiments chosen for this review were transdisciplinary in nature; analyzed comprehensive system components (productivity, soil health, pest status, and economics); and contained all crops within each rotation and cropping system each year to ensure the most robust analysis. In addition to yield comparisons, necessary for determining the viability of organic operations, ecosystem services, such as soil carbon capture, nutrient cycling, pest suppression, and water quality enhancement, have been documented for organic systems in these trials. Outcomes from these long-term trials have been critical in elucidating factors underlying less than optimal yields in organic systems, which typically involved inadequate weed management and insufficient soil fertility at certain sites. Finally, these experiments serve as valuable demonstrations of the economic viability of organic systems for farmers and policymakers interested in viewing farm-scale organic operations and crop performance.


The functional characteristics of lymphoid cells were investigated during acute and latent infection of mice with herpes simplex virus (HSV). Cytotoxic T cells were found in the draining lymph node (DLN) 4 days p.i. and had reached maximum activity between 6 and 9 days. After the 12th day and during the period of latent infection (> 20 days) no cytotoxic cell activity was observed. Cytotoxic activity could only be detected when the lymphoid cells had been cultured for a period of 3 days. In general, the cell killing was specific for syngeneic infected target cells, although some killing of uninfected targets was observed. In contrast to the cytotoxic response, DLN cells responding to HSV in a proliferation assay were detected towards the end of the acute phase and at lease up to 9 months thereafter. The significance of these observations for the pathogenesis of HSV is discussed.


Picosecond spectroscopy is a relatively new field of science that utilizes ultrashort laser pulses to monitor events taking place in the 10(-12) second regime. The continuing development of picosecond spectroscopy has made possible the detection and measurement of the primary events in many physical and tiological processes. This article describes a currently used picosecond spectroscopy system that is capable of reliably recording picosecond events. Two areas of picosecond research are discussed; one concerns the interaction of electrons in fluids, and the second the primary events in vision.


Natural fibers such as bagasse, jute, sisal and coir are biodegradable as well as non-toxic in nature, so the use of natural fiber is safe. Bagasse contains about 50% cellulose, 25% hemicellulose, and 25% lignin. The present work has been undertaken to develop a composite using bagasse fiber as reinforcement and to study its mechanical properties, morphology, water absorption capacity and performance. The composites were prepared with different weight percentage of bagasse fiber by hand lay-up method. In the present research work, it can be concluded that with increase in wt.% of bagasse fiber in matrix material the rate of water absorption increases. Ultimate tensile strength, ultimate compressive and flexural strength of the composite are less than the pure epoxy while Young's modulus is higher for composite. Ultimate tensile, ultimate compressive strength and flexural strength of composite is decreasing at all cross head speed with increase in wt.% of bagasse fiber while flexural strain is increasing. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed that for 5 wt.% of bagasse fiber the binding between epoxy and bagasse fiber is better than the 10 and 15 wt.% of bagasse fiber configuration. This was because of the increase in wt.% of bagasse fiber, which results in cavities and improper binding in the composite domain. Thus, as we increase the wt.% of bagasse fiber it causes the decrease in mechanical properties of composite.


Smooth muscle neoplasms of the urinary bladder are relatively rare. We report the largest series to date examining the clinicopathologic features of leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas of the bladder. This study sought to clarify several issues relating to smooth muscle neoplasms of the urinary bladder: (1) How to distinguish leiomyomas of the bladder from normal muscularis propria on transurethral resection (TUR) specimens; (2) Whether symplastic leiomyomas can be diagnosed in the bladder; (3) Can leiomyoma be definitively diagnosed on biopsy or TUR without the risk of there being unsampled leiomyosarcoma; and (4) Is the grade of leiomyosarcoma seen on biopsy or TUR heterogeneous and hence possibly not representative of the true grade. Thirty-one leiomyomas and 20 leiomyosarcoma cases of urinary bladder from 3 tertiary care medical centers were examined. Leiomyosarcoma cases were subdivided into low-grade and high-grade based on mitotic count (≥5/10 HPF) and nuclear atypia. The mean age of the patients with leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma was 52 and 58, respectively. The M:F ratio was significantly higher in patients with leiomyosarcoma (2:1) compared with leiomyoma (1:3), p<0.005. The specimen consisted of 20 TUR and 11 transurethral biopsies (TUBx) for leiomyomas, and 10 TUR, 3 TUBx, 5 cystectomies (Cyst), and 2 partial cystectomies (pCyst) for leiomyosarcomas. LeiomyomasNotable features in leiomyomas were hyalinization (7/31), degenerative atypia (7/31), necrosis (4/31), myxoid changes (2/31), and focal fatty metaplasia (1/31); although no surface ulceration was identified. Clinical follow-up was available for 24 patients (12 to 108 mo; mean 36 mo); 4 lost to follow-up and 3 recent cases. Two patients had repeat TUR within a year of the initial diagnosis with the same bland leiomyoma on histology, probably reflecting persistence of earlier unresected tumor as opposed to recurrent tumor. None of the patients were diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma on follow-up, including 7 cases with degenerative atypia. LeiomyosarcomaOf the 20 leiomyosarcomas, 8 were classified as low-grade and 12 as high-grade sarcomas. Histologic features included epithelioid morphology (5/20; 1 entirely epithelioid), tumor cell necrosis (11/20), and mucosal ulceration (7/20). Infiltration into the muscularis propria was seen predominantly as a nodular growth pattern with some cases exhibiting an irregular infiltrative pattern (6/10 with evaluable borders); an infiltrative pattern was not restricted to high-grade lesions. Lesional heterogeneity was present in only 1 case on the same specimen, which showed both low-grade and high-grade areas. Another case was low grade on TUR, yet high grade at cystectomy. None of the cases of leiomyosarcomas had areas histologically resembling leiomyoma. Clinical follow-up was available for 15 patients with leiomyosarcoma (11 to 144 mo; mean 47 mo); 3 lost to follow-up and 2 recent cases. Only 1 patient with low-grade sarcoma experienced 2 local recurrences treated only by TUR and is currently free of disease. Disease-related mortality was significantly higher in patients with high-grade compared with low-grade leiomyosarcomas (50% vs. none, respectively; P<0.001). Leiomyoma (including symplastic leiomyoma) may be diagnosed on TUR without risk of underdiagnosing unsampled leiomyosarcoma. High-grade leiomyosarcomas are highly aggressive neoplasms compared with low-grade leiomyosarcomas; in most cases grade can be accurately determined on TUR.


Author(s): Chu, Mignon | Advisor(s): opella, stanley | Abstract: The bacterium Clostridium difficile or C. diff is the cause of Clostridium difficile-associated infection (CDI). CDI is a growing health concern in hospitals and health clinics. Proteins of pathogenic strains of C. diff have the potential of being pharmaceutical drug targets as there are currently no effective treatment or drug combination that eliminate infection with high efficacy. Incidences of relapse for CDI are as high as 20% for first recurrence and increases with subsequent relapses [17, 36, 49, 71]. Though some companies and hospitals have experimented with fecal transplant as a treatment, this procedure is still classified as an Investigational New Drug and is considered by most insurance companies to be an uncovered experimental treatment [17]. While almost all transcription factors that lie within the pathogenicity locus as well as the proteins they encode have been well-characterized, the TcdE protein remains less understood though sequence homology studies suggest it may function is a holin-like protein to allow the selective release of toxins TcdA and TcdB during pathogenesis [8, 37, 39, 40, 45, 69]. Elucidating the structure of the protein may provide clues as to how C. diff pathogenicity progresses and may offer a new target for therapeutic drugs. The structure of membrane proteins of similar size (21kDa) and transmembrane helices have been successfully studied and solved using nuclear magnetic spectroscopy (NMR). As with structural studies of membrane proteins by NMR, the lipid environment chosen is important in guiding protein folding and its local dynamics. Past studies have shown that micellar environments can distort membrane protein structures while bicelles and bilayers provide environments that more closely recapitulate native environments. All proteins behave differently in different lipid environments and not all proteins are suitable for studies by NMR as it requires the protein to be over-expressed, pure, monomeric and to fold and behave in lipids. Here, a proof-of- concept is demonstrated that TcdE can be successfully over-expressed and reconstituted in bicelles for studies by solution- and solid-state NMR.


South Korea is, by location, an Indo-Pacific country but has kept its distance from the United States' "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP). This is an outcome of the interplay between South Korea's strategic environment and domestic politics. Firstly, South Korea has prioritized North Korea in its foreign policy and viewed the FOIP as unfavorable to inter-Korean relations. Secondly, South Korea has pursued autonomy amid US-China competition, but it cannot afford to antagonize its top trading partner, China, by adopting the FOIP. Thirdly, the FOIP could draw South Korea into the US military operation outside of the Korean Peninsula. Lastly, the US FOIP partially overlaps with President Moon's "New Southern Policy" (NSP). During the Trump administration, South Korea accommodated the FOIP selectively where there were overlaps with the NSP, and secured autonomy within the FOIP. A noticeable shift in South Korea's stance came during the ROK-US summit held in May 2021. President Moon endorses the core elements of President Biden's Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at China, though not directly referencing China. South Korea's stance on the FOIP is evolving from reluctance towards alignment. President Moon has become more receptive to the FOIP because South Korea faces the risk of isolation in the IndoPacific theater and anti-China sentiment is rising among the Korean population. And he has been hoping to use endorsement of the FOIP as a way of securing US cooperation on North Korea, gaining greater access to US vaccines, and turning around his approval ratings before the presidential election next year (2022). However, it is unlikely that, in the foreseeable future, South Korea will join the US-led Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea. The result of the upcoming presidential election will determine South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy over the next five years. If a new president is elected from the conservative party, s/he is likely to revisit the stance on the FOIP. Nevertheless, due to the interplay of the factors that generated the current stance, South Korea's options would lie on the continuum of aligning with the US or China at each end and ambiguity in the middle. South Korea might shift from strategic ambiguity towards strategic autonomy, announcing its Indo-Pacific strategy officially. France was the first European country to officially announce its Indo-Pacific strategy, which is geared towards defense and military 4 South Korea and France's Indo-Pacific Strategies: Potential Partnership and Challenges Seonjou KANG since it was motivated by security concerns about the rise of China. Its strategy aims at preventing inappropriate behavior by China in the Indo-Pacific. However, the effectiveness of this strategy is dubious considering the limits of France's military capability in the IndoPacific. A more correct read of the French Indo-Pacific strategy would be rendered in the context of strategic autonomy. The military orientation of France's Indo-Pacific strategy is a logical outcome of fulfilling strategic autonomy – which is both the goal and the means to protect France from the destructive dynamic of US-China competition and marginalization. By being present militarily in the Indo-Pacific, even to a limited extent, France can display a commitment to strategic autonomy and solidify its position as a stakeholder that complicates China's calculus on the Indo-Pacific. South Korea and France could consider partnering in the IndoPacific. An important commonality between their Indo-Pacific strategies would lie in strategic autonomy. By promoting a principlesbased approach, South Korea and France could lower tensions and maintain a balance of power as well as achieving their respective national interests without worrying strategic consequences. They would face common challenges, too. Their pursuit of strategic autonomy could become a source of disagreement with the US. Also, China would dismiss the two countries' strategic autonomy, believing that it would reinforce the US position and strengthen collective deterrence against China. Second, South Korea and France have limited capabilities, which makes their Indo-Pacific strategies less effective and less credible. Lastly, their cooperation in maritime and non-traditional security might not align with reducing tensions between the US and China and thereby securing strategic autonomy for themselves. Despite the above constraints on their Indo-Pacific strategies, South Korea and France could consider bilateral dialogues for partnership in the Indo-Pacific, leading to a high level of confidence and strategic convergence in security. Second, they could start maritime cooperation to confirm interoperability and display commitment to strategic autonomy. Lastly, they could consider jointly launching new institution-building in the Indo-Pacific aimed at reducing tensions between the great powers through regularized dialogue.


The arbitrary choice between phase conventions places restrictions upon the interference equation for reflected light, the discontinuous phase shift upon reflection, and the complex refractive index. An attempt has been made to formulate a set of rules within which there is consistency among the existent mathematical framework for treatment of intereference, some experimental observations, and the requirement that the amplitude of a wave decrease with increasing penetration in an absorbing medium.


This thesis is concerned with three closely related problems. The first one is called Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Instantaneous Blind Identification, which we denote by MIBI. In this problem a number of mutually statistically independent source signals are mixed by a MIMO instantaneous mixing system and only the mixed signals are observed, i.e. both the mixing system and the original sources are unknown or 'blind'. The goal of MIBI is to identify the MIMO system from the observed mixtures of the source signals only. The second problem is called Instantaneous Blind Signal Separation (IBSS) and deals with recovering mutually statistically independent source signals from their observed instantaneous mixtures only. The observation model and assumptions on the signals and mixing system are the same as those of MIBI. However, the main purpose of IBSS is the estimation of the source signals, whereas the main purpose of MIBI is the estimation of the mixing system. If the number of source signals is not larger than the number of sensors, the source signals can be recovered by applying the inverse of the estimated mixing system to the observed mixtures. Hence, from this point of view IBSS is merely a direct application of MIBI. The third problem is called Instantaneous Semi-Blind Source Localization (ISBSL) and concerns the localization of a set of narrowband sources from their observed instantaneous mixtures only. In this case, the instantaneous mixing system is parameterized by the source position parameters. Hence, narrowband ISBSL can be considered as a parameterized version of MIBI in which more a priori knowledge is available than in the general 'fully blind' MIBI case. For this reason we call this problem 'semi-blind'. Because MIBI is a kind of abstraction or generalization of both IBSS and ISBSL, the main focus in this work is on MIBI, while IBSS and ISBSL are considered as applications or examples. Many methods and algorithms for performing MIBI, IBSS and ISBSL have been developed during the last decade. Until now, mainly three different approaches have been used. These are based on the following properties of the source signals, several of which are related to the guiding principle of statistical independence: non-Gaussianity, second order spatial uncorrelatedness in combination with temporal non-whiteness/correlatedness, and second order spatial uncorrelatedness in combination with second order non-stationarity. What is lacking from those approaches is the exploitation of higher order temporal structure in the data, such as higher order non-whiteness/correlatedness and non-stationarity. Some methods for exploiting Higher Order Temporal Structure (HOTS) exist, but usually these are quite specific. In addition, most blind methods described in the literature cannot deal with a MIBI scenario of great interest, viz. one with more sources than sensors. In this work we present a unifying framework for exploiting arbitrary order temporal structure in the signals by means of cumulant functions, which possess convenient mathematical properties such as multilinearity. The MIBI problem is formulated in such a way that any kind of temporal structure in the data, such as arbitrary order non-stationarity and non-whiteness, is exploited in a unified manner. Based on physically plausible assumptions on the temporal structure of the source and noise signals, and applying subspace techniques to a subspace matrix containing cumulant values arranged in a specific manner, it is shown that the MIBI problem can be 'projected onto' two dual mathematical problems in the sense that solving these problems solves the MIBI problem. In the first problem, MIBI is projected onto the problem of solving a system of multivariate homogeneous polynomial or so-called polyconjugal (polynomial-like) equations. The number of variables and the degree (of homogeneity) of the functions in the system equal the number of sensors and the order of the considered statistics, respectively. In the second problem, MIBI is projected onto the problem of solving a Multi-Matrix Generalized Eigenvalue Decomposition (MMGEVD) problem that is dual to the first problem. Possible solution approaches for those problems are described. In particular, a so-called homotopy method is used for solving the system of equations. Because of the connection between the system of homogeneous equations on the one hand, and the MMGEVD problem on the other hand, this in fact solves both mathematical problems. The theory developed in this thesis is unifying in several senses. Firstly, it is general with respect to the order of the exploited temporal structure in the sense that the mathematical problem formulation has the same structure for any considered order. Secondly, all types of statistical variability in the data, such as arbitrary order non-stationarity and non-whiteness, are exploited in a unified manner. Finally, for complex-valued signals, the conjugation pattern of the arguments of the involved cumulant functions can be chosen arbitrarily. In practice, this should be done in accordance with the characteristics of the involved signals. Our approach allows the identification of a mixing system with more sources than sensors, even with second order statistics. Depending on the number of sensors, the order and type of the exploited temporal structure, the chosen conjugation pattern, and the arrangement of the statistics in the subspace matrix, a certain maximum number of mixing matrix columns can be determined that usually exceeds the number of sensors for orders larger than one. We provide insight into the computation of the maximum number of identifiable columns as a function of the number of sensors, the employed statistical order, and the conjugation pattern. The rationale behind the work presented in this thesis is based on providing insight and highlighting the geometric and algebraic structure of the different problem formulations that are developed. Therefore, the practical problems associated with the use of estimated sensor cumulants are not discussed in great detail. Nevertheless, the theory is directly applicable to many practical scenarios. This is demonstrated by various examples, including the identification of an instantaneous mixing system for different types of signals, the separation of instantaneously mixed artificial random signals, speech signals and images, Direction Of Arrival (DOA) estimation, etcetera. Finally, the theory allows us to make trade-offs between various related quantities such as the arrangement of the statistics in the subspace matrix, maximum number of identifiable mixing matrix columns, number of sensors, exploited type(s) of temporal structure, exploited order(s) of temporal structure, employed conjugation pattern(s), number of samples required for reliable estimation of the involved statistics, and so on.


Video based 3D reconstruction of human motion plays an important role in many applications. We implement a system that robustly reconstructs 3D human motion from markerless videos taken by a single camera. Our system only requires a desktop PC and a mainstream camera, and doesn't involve complex camera calibration, making it easy to implement and widely accessible in daily uses such as human computer interaction or entertainment.


INTRODUCTION AND AIM
Given that early identification of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an important issue for primary prevention of hepatic disease, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of the product of triglyceride and glucose levels (TyG) for screening simple steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in asymptomatic women, and to compare its efficacy vs. other biomarkers for recognizing NAFLD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Asymptomatic women aged 20 to 65 years were enrolled into a cross-sectional study. The optimal values of TyG, for screening simple steatosis and NASH were established on a Receiver Operating Characteristic scatter plot; the sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios of TyG index were estimated versus liver biopsy. According sensitivity and specificity, the efficacy of TyG was compared versus the well-known clinical biomarkers for recognizing NAFLD.

RESULTS
A total of 50 asymptomatic women were enrolled. The best cutoff point of TyG for screening simple steatosis was 4.58 (sensitivity 0.94, specificity 0.69); in addition, the best cutoff point of TyG index for screening NASH was 4.59 (sensitivity 0.87, specificity 0.69). The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 3.03 and 0.08 for simple steatosis, and 2.80 and 0.18 for NASH. As compared versus SteatoTest, NashTest, Fatty liver index, and Algorithm, the TyG showed to be the best test for screening.

CONCLUSIONS
TyG has high sensitivity and low negative likelihood ratio; as compared with other clinical biomarkers, the TyG showed to be the best test for screening simple steatosis and NASH.


Introduction The integration of health and social care in England is widely accepted as the answer to fragmentation, financial concerns and system inefficiencies, in the context of growing and ageing populations with increasingly complex needs. Despite an expanding body of literature, there is little evidence yet to suggest that integrated care can achieve the benefits that its advocates claim for it. Researchers have often adopted rationalist and technocratic approaches to evaluation, treating integration as an intervention rather than a process. Results have usually been of limited use to practitioners responsible for health and social care integration. There is, therefore, a need to broaden the evidence base, exploring not only what works but also how integrated care can most successfully be implemented and delivered. For this reason, we are carrying out a formative evaluation of the Waltham Forest and East London Collaborative (WELC) integrated care pioneer programme. Our expectation is that this will add value to the literature by focusing on the processes by which the vision and objectives of integrated care are translated through phases of development, implementation and delivery from a central to a local perspective, and from a strategic to an operational perspective. Methods and analysis The qualitative and process-oriented evaluation uses an innovative participative approach—the Researcher-in-Residence model. The evaluation is underpinned by a critical ontology, an interpretive epistemology and a critical discourse analysis methodology. Data will be generated using interviews, observations and documentary gathering. Ethics and dissemination Emerging findings will be interpreted and disseminated collaboratively with stakeholders, to enable the research to influence and optimise the effective implementation of integrated care across WELC. Presentations and publications will ensure that learning is shared as widely as possible. The study has received ethical approval from University College London's Research Ethics Committee and has all appropriate NHS governance clearances.


The keyboard is one of the most popular and enduring musical interfaces ever created. Today, the keyboard is most closely associated with the acoustic piano and the electronic keyboards inspired by it, which share the essential feature of being discrete: Notes are defined temporally by their onset and release only, with little control over each note beyond velocity and timing. Many keyboard instruments have been invented, however, that let the player continuously shape each note. This article provides a review of keyboards whose keys allow continuous control, from early mechanical origins to the latest digital controllers and augmented instruments. Two of the author's own contributions will be described in detail: a portable optical scanner that can measure continuous key angle on any acoustic piano, and the TouchKeys capacitive multi-touch sensors, which measure the position of fingers on the key surfaces. These two instrument technologies share the trait that they transform the keys of existing keyboards into fully continuous controllers. In addition to their ability to shape the sound of a sustaining note, both technologies also give the keyboardist new dimensions of articulation beyond key velocity. Even in an era of new and imaginative musical interfaces, the keyboard is likely to remain with us for the foreseeable future, and the incorporation of continuous control can bring new levels of richness and nuance to a performance.


PURPOSE
Effective treatments for resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are limited and relapse rates are high. The interleukin (IL)-1β pathway has been linked with tumor development and progression, including in the Canakinumab Anti-Inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes cardiovascular study in which IL-1β pathway inhibition with canakinumab reduced lung cancer incidence and mortality in an exploratory analysis.

METHODS
CANOPY-A (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03447769) is a phase III, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study of canakinumab versus placebo for adult patients with stage II-IIIA or IIIB (T >5 cm, N2-positives II-IIIB; American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control version 8), completely resected NSCLC who had received adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS) and the key secondary end point was overall survival (OS).

RESULTS
In total, 1,382 patients were randomized to 200 mg canakinumab (n = 693) or placebo (n = 689) once every 3 weeks for 18 cycles. Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) were reported in 20.8% and 19.6% of patients receiving canakinumab and placebo, respectively; AEs led to discontinuation in 4.3% and 4.1% of patients in these groups, respectively. This study did not meet its primary end point. Median DFS was 35.0 months (canakinumab arm) and 29.7 months (placebo arm; hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.78 to 1.14; one-sided P = .258). DFS subgroup analyses did not show any meaningful differences between arms. As expected, because of canakinumab-driven IL-1β pathway inhibition, C-reactive protein and IL-6 levels decreased in the canakinumab arm versus placebo arm, but had no correlation with differential clinical outcomes. OS was not formally tested as DFS was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION
CANOPY-A did not show a DFS benefit of adding canakinumab after surgery and adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy in patients with resected, stage II-III NSCLC. No new safety signals were identified with canakinumab.


So far, little is known about drug-related problems in the homecare setting. It is estimated that up to 30% of homecare patients experience a potential medication error, most frequently happening during preparation and administration of drugs. In order to identify error-prone process steps in a Swiss homecare organisation caring for 1854 patients per year, direct observation of the medication use process, including the analysis of 10% of all prescriptions, was executed. Three complimentary methods were combined for the assessment of qualitative aspects of the medication use process: the analysis of a critical incident reporting system, a survey among homecare nurses, and a failure, mode and effects analysis. The medication use process is complex, consisting of 20 individual steps. Patients are prescribed an average of 7.5 ± 3.5 drugs per day, including 1 to 9 doses not suitable for deblistering into weekly dispensing systems. Of 84 reported errors, 74% happened during drug preparation. Communication with physicians, patients interrupting drug preparation and not transmitted changes of the drug regimen were considered the most critical process steps.


Background: Split skin grafting (SSG) is a commonly performed plastic surgical procedure. It is done to cover wounds, defects from excision of cutaneous lesions, donor sites of fascio-cutaneous flaps. The harvest of a split thickness skin graft causes a partial thickness injury. Complete re-epithelialization occurs in 10-14 days, although the rate may be affected by the local wound environment. However, tissue desiccation and infection can convert a partial thickness injury to a full thickness loss. Aims and Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine the best method of dressing the donor site split-thickness graft between conventional paraffin gauze dressing and collagen-based dressings with respect to the rate of healing, pain, secretion, infection, and cost. Settings and Design A hospital based Non-Randomized control trial was conducted in a tertiary hospital setup in Manipur, India, for a period of 2 years. This study was done on 60 patients who underwent split skin graft procedure. Materials and Methods: The selected sample will be divided into two groups. The donor site dressing was done in two different ways. One was dressed with collagen sheet and the other with paraffin gauze dressing. The two groups were compared on the basis of post-operative pain, complication, and healing. Statistical analysis Statistical analysis was done by using IBM SPSS Version 21 for windows. Descriptive statistics such as mean, proportion, percentage were used to present the result. Chi square test was used to see the association of proportions. Student's t- test and repeated ANOVA were used for the continuous variables. P-value <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: A total of 60 patients were included in this study as per the estimated sample size. The Case group i.e., the patients for whom the STSG donor site were dressed by Collagen dressing and the Control group i.e., the patients for whom paraffin gauze dressings were used. Patients with collagen dressings are found to have only minimal to moderate pain in the entire postoperative period. In these patient's analgesic requirement is reduced, and early mobilization can be done. This is the major advantage of using collagen as a donor site dressing. We found that collagen slightly increases epithelization, which will reduce the chance of infection saving time and resources for the hospital staff and minimizing discomfort for the patient. Conclusion: In this study it was found that dressing the donor site for split-thickness graft with collagen-based dressings gave better results with respect to the rate of healing and post-operative pain scores than conventional paraffin gauze dressing.


Introduction While burnout is occupation-specific, depression affects individuals comprehensively. Research on interventions for depression in emergency medicine (EM) residents is limited. Objectives We sought to obtain longitudinal data on positive depression screens in EM residents, assess their association with burnout, and determine whether implementation of a wellness curriculum affected the rate of positive screens. Methods In February 2017, we administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire two-question depression screen at 10 EM residencies. At five intervention sites, a year-long wellness curriculum was then introduced while five control sites agreed not to introduce new wellness initiatives during the study period. Study instruments were re-administered in August 2017 and February 2018. Results Of 382 residents, 285 participated in February 2017; 40% screened positive for depression. In August 2017, 247/386 residents participated; 27.9% screened positive for depression. In February 2018, 228/386 residents participated; 36.2% screened positive. A positive depression screen was associated with higher burnout. There were similar rates of positive screens at the intervention and control sites. Conclusion Rates of positive depression screens in EM residents ranged between 27.9% and 40%. Residents with a positive screen reported higher levels of burnout. Rates of a positive screen were unaffected by introduction of a wellness curriculum.


Hypertransaminasaemia and impaired liver function in a patient with oligosymptomatic celiac disease. We describe the case of a 45-year-old man who was referred for evaluation of elevated aminotransferases. One year before referral the patient developed an ischemic stroke followed by a subdural hematoma three months later. In our outpatient clinic the patient presented with a malabsorption syndrome including diminished vitamin-K-dependent clotting factors. Serologic testing was positive for IgA antigliadin antibodies and IgA antiendomysial antibodies. Celiac disease was confirmed by an upper endoscopy examination and biopsies obtained from the distal duodenum. Histological examination showed villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia and an increase in intraepithelial lymphocyte count consistent with celiac disease. After initiation of a gluten-free diet the malabsorption syndrome as well as liver dysfunction improved. Serum aminotransferase levels normalized within 6 months. The clinical course demonstrates involvement of the liver in patients with celiac disease.


Multidisciplinary research institutes provide universities with an important vehicle to conduct research across traditional disciplines that can also be an attractive capability to external funders. However, there are particular challenges in the management of such institutes, including managing different reporting lines, research coordination and collaboration development; and these issues are especially relevant in the early development stages of institutes. Consequently, this paper will describe a case study investigation of the Institute of Shock Physics, which is a new university research institute at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom. The case study will provide a discussion of the key strands of management activity that were undertaken in the first two years of operation for the Institute, together with details on how any difficulties were overcome. Management areas discussed in the case study will include: collaboration development; financial program management; research project management; program reporting and governance; risk and safety management. This analysis will be carried out in the context of supporting research from the literature and through building on the findings from the case study a set of recommendations will be formulated on developing and implementing management systems for new research institutes.


: The historical development of ideas concerning impairment of diffusion in the lungs (alveolar-capillary block) is described. The major publications by Riley and Cournand, and others, which showed that impairment of diffusion exists in some diseased lungs were based on careful measurements of the arterial oxygen tension or saturation of patients. These papers described work carried out in the State of New York. Other workers claim to have shown that impairment of diffusion does not exist in diseased lungs: the impairment of oxygen transfer in alveolar-capillary block is said to be due to uneven ventilation-perfusion ratios. The publications which adopt this point of view are mostly based on measurements of the concentration of inert gases in the arterial blood. By chance, the workers who found that diffusion is not impaired in diseased lungs were all in the State of California. It is pointed out here that the California workers have failed to recognize that diffusion, like ventilation and perfusion, is distributed, i.e. varies greatly in different alveoli. This led them to ignore the fact that in some alveoli in diseased lungs, diffusion is so greatly impaired that some inert gases do not reach equilibrium at the end of the pulmonary capillary: the tension of inert gas in end-capillary blood is different from the tension of the same gas in alveolar gas. This invalidates the basic assumption underlying the inert gas method.


Coincidence Doppler broadening measurements of positron annihilation for multi- walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphite were performed. The ratio curves of the Doppler broadening for these samples to silicon were obtained. It is shown that there are distinct peaks at the position of 10×10-3 m0c for both carbon nanotubes and graphite, however the amplitudes of the peaks are not the same. We have the opinion that these peaks arise from the annihilation of positron with the 2s and 2p electron of carbon element.


Acute decompensated heart failure (HF) is one of most common reasons for hospitalization among individuals older than 65 years. A thorough evaluation, including history, physical examination, and laboratory assessment, is required to optimize care of these patients. In uncertain cases, serum brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal proBNP level, stress testing, and/or invasive coronary angiography may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis. The hospital setting provides an opportunity to identify etiologies and stabilize the patient. The primary goal of inpatient HF therapy is systemic and pulmonary decongestion, achieved most effectively using intravenous diuretic therapy. Rate and rhythm control may be needed for patients with concurrent atrial fibrillation and, in American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association stage D HF, intravenous inotropes may become necessary. New pharmacologic or device therapies also are considered as a means of transitioning patients, especially those with severe disease, to the outpatient setting. Patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HF have high postdischarge mortality and rehospitalization rates and, thus, should be monitored carefully.


A ZSM-5 filled polydimethylsiloxane membrane with 44.4 wt.% zeolite loading was used in the pervaporative removal of 1-butanol from its mixtures with 1-butanol. A small quantity of ethanol was added to the feed as a by-product to test the response of the membrane. It was found that the permeation behaviour of other feed components was changed and membrane selectivity decreased. This change was attributed to the frequently-observed inter-component coupled transport in multi-component feed systems. The impact of ethanol on recovery of 2,3-butanediol was evaluated using a simulated continuous operation, which enriched 2,3-butanediol to 99.5 wt.% from a feed containing 5 wt.% 2,3-butanediol and less than 1.0 wt.% ethanol. It was observed that membrane selectivity improves as ethanol concentration decreases in the stream due to its preferential removal. The final recovery of 2,3-butanediol was not significantly reduced as the concentration of ethanol was below 1.0 wt.%. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering


With the Internet quickly becoming a part of everyone's life and wireless devices being adopted by an increasingly mobile work force, networking has lately experienced an unprecedented number of advances. These advances have resulted in pushing high-speed networking into new domains. Significant progress has also been made in the design of new networking applications and middleware, and toward solving complex regulatory issues. This article looks into the latest advances in wired networking. Excessive focus on one element of networking at the expense of others has led to many widely publicized networking technology failures. Business customers have only slowly been adopting VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technologies. The future of many premium services that require multicasting or high-speed network support from Internet service providers (ISPs) will depend entirely on how those ISPs perceive user needs and on how fast new business models can be developed.


By analyzing the low level features of images only, skin detection in visual data cannot be solved. To compensate for this major drawback of many approaches, we combine a state of the art recognition algorithm with color model based skin detection. Detected faces in videos are the basis for adaptive skin-color models, which are propagated throughout the video, providing a more precise and accurate model in its recognition performance than pure color based approaches. The approach is able to run in real-time and does not need prior dataspecific training. We received challenging online videos from an online service provider and use additional videos from public web platforms covering a grand variety of different skin-colors, illumination circumstances, image quality and difficulty levels. In an extensive evaluation we estimated the best performing parameters and decide on the best model propagation techniques. We show that adaptive model propagation outperforms static low level detection.


Buildings are the most important objects in urban areas. Thus, building detection using photogrammetry and remote sensing data as well as 3D model of buildings are very useful for many applications such as mobile navigation, tourism, and disaster management. In this paper, an approach has been proposed for detecting buildings by LiDAR data and aerial images, as well as reconstructing 3D model of buildings. In this regard, firstly, building detection carried out by utilizing a Supper Vector Machine (SVM) as a supervise method. The supervise methods need training data that could be collected from some features. Hence, LiDAR data and aerial images were utilized to produce some features. The features were selected by considering their abilities for separating buildings from other objects. The evaluation results of building detection showed high accuracy and precision of the utilized approach. The detected buildings were labeled in order to reconstruct buildings, individually. Then the planes of each building were separated and adjacent planes were recognized to reduce the calculation volume and to increase the accuracy. Subsequently, the bottom planes of each building were detected in order to compute the corners of hipped roofs using intersection of three adjacent planes. Also, the corners of gabled roofs were computed by both calculating the intersection line of the adjacent planes and finding the intersection between the planes intersection line and their detected parcel. Finally, the coordinates of some nodes in building floor were computed and 3D model reconstruction was carried out. In order to evaluate the proposed method, 3D model of some buildings with different complexity level were generated. The evaluation results showed that the proposed method has reached credible performance.


In the information society digitalized data are all around us, which means that the world cultural heritage is nearer then ever. For using this treasure and making it circulate, the only condition is to have digital competences. That's why educational system has to be oriented in that way, making huge possibilities of ICT available to students during the learning process. So, new education has to be doubly oriented: toward implementation of technology, in order to facilitate transfer of knowledge, and toward process of acquiring knowledge itself, which implies appropriate pedagogical methodology i. e. new patterns of learning, using different internet sources, from e-books or e-media to e-games. The fact is that the teaching/learning process has to reflect constant dynamic changes of world and new rules of life, especially when students are 'digital natives'. It provokes a new culture of learning. The aim of this paper is to discuss how to create adequate e-learning environment for better learning about different cultures. As an example we describe e-learning strategies used in courses of French and Francophone Literature and Culture, at the Department of Romance Studies, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad. New pedagogical methods are based on innovative types of learning in a way not only to increase students' knowledge, but to make them understand cultural values, to incite critical thinking and motivate them for further research. The students' response to activities and their answers to questionnaires make us believe that such learning has two dimensions: an explicit one (concrete knowledge about cultural goods), and also a tacit dimension, which is much more important to be recognized and applied, and is related to understanding cultural frames in question, in other words, to discover why is something important to life and society.


A strong and constitutive expression vector of Escherichia coli beta-glucuronidase with the isocitrate dehydrogenase promoter has been developed for producing a large amount of recombinant protein. More than 95% pure enzyme was obtained by a four step purification procedure-ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE ion-exchange chromatography, Superose 12 gel filtration, and hydroxyapatite steric ion-exchange chromatography. The overexpressed gene can produce 23 mg of pure enzyme from one liter of bacterial culture.


A hyperinflammatory syndrome has been described in times of COVID-19 in children. In the setting of uncertainty due to a new virus, the so-called hyperinflammatory syndrome has been coined as a novel entity by some and is being referred to as pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS). However, the characteristics of the syndrome resemble those of Kawasaki disease (KD), an inflammatory syndrome in children that can lead to coronary artery abnormalities due to a subsequent vasculitis. Furthermore, Kawasaki disease may occasionally trigger macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), a condition in which there is uncontrolled activation and proliferation of macrophages and other cell types, and could lead to multiorgan system dysfunction. This study provides a review of the data regarding COVID-19, Kawasaki disease, and macrophage activation syndrome to demonstrate the similarities and differences between the inflammatory syndrome seen with COVID-19 and KD. In addition, a framework for diagnosis and evaluation is provided that focuses on the pathway previously established for KD and MAS. The authors believe that based on current knowledge, KD treatment delays may carry deleterious effects in the near future for children with COVID-19-related Kawasaki disease.


Recent theoretical research has shown that the assumptions that both laypeople and researchers make about random sequences can be erroneous. One strand of research showed that the probability of non-occurrence of streaks of repeated outcomes (e.g., HHHHHH) is much higher than that for a more irregular sequence (e.g., HTTHTH) in short series of coin flips. This tallies with human judgments of their likelihood of occurrence, which have conventionally been characterized as inaccurate and heuristic-driven. Another strand of research has shown that patterns of hits and misses in games like basketball, traditionally seen as evidence for the absence of a hot-hand effect, actually support the presence of the effect. I argue that a useful way of conceptualizing these two distinct phenomena is in terms of the distribution of different sequences of outcomes over time: Specifically, that streaks of a repeated outcome cluster whereas less regular patterns are more evenly distributed.


We present unikernels, a new approach to deploying cloud services via applications written in high-level source code. Unikernels are single-purpose appliances that are compile-time specialised into standalone kernels, and sealed against modification when deployed to a cloud platform. In return they offer significant reduction in image sizes, improved efficiency and security, and should reduce operational costs. Our Mirage prototype compiles OCaml code into unikernels that run on commodity clouds and offer an order of magnitude reduction in code size without significant performance penalty. The architecture combines static type-safety with a single address-space layout that can be made immutable via a hypervisor extension. Mirage contributes a suite of type-safe protocol libraries, and our results demonstrate that the hypervisor is a platform that overcomes the hardware compatibility issues that have made past library operating systems impractical to deploy in the real-world.