Background: Rising of cancer incidences in population of Ukraine is connected with the increasing of cancerogenic loading where ionizing radiation has been recognized as a strong cancer causing agent. Today variations in radiation sensitivity between individuals are shown to be genetically determined and connected with the effectiveness of cell signaling system function after exposure to damaging agents. Recent reports have suggested that elevated chromosome aberration yields observed following radiation exposure of peripheral lymphocytes in G2 phase of cell cycle caused by the impaired DNA repair and hereditary predisposition to cancer. The goal of the presented study was to evaluate chromosomal sensitivity of lymphocytes of healthy individuals on the basis of the modified G2‐test. Materials and Methods: Test‐system of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of 110 healthy donors with the next metaphase analysis of chromosomal aberrations (chromatid breaks) was used. Test ‐irradiation of cell cultures was carried out at 1,5 Gy in the late G2‐stage. Cells were analyzed in the first mitosis. Results: The obtained cytogenetic data has revealed high interindividual variability in the levels of radiation induced chromatid breaks (CV = 24%). It was shown that distribution of the examined cytogenetic parameter in the group did not correspond to normal distribution and had bimodal character. Application of variation statistics9 methods has revealed existence of two subgroups of donors ‐ with "normal" and "increased" (11,6 % of the group) radiation sensitivity of lymphocytes on chromosomal level. Taking into account correlations of high radiation‐induced genome instability of human somatic cells with cancer predisposition it is competent to relate these individuals with the group of increased radiogenic cancer risk. Application of cytogenetic examinations on the basis of G2‐assay is recommended for the formation of groups with the increased radiogenic cancer risk and promotes the efficiency of primary cancer prevention in the cohorts of occupationally exposed individuals. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):A8.


The xylose isomerase gene from Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum strain B6A-RI was cloned by complementation using Escherichia coli xyl-5 mutant strain HB101. One positive clone was detected and the recombinant plasmid, pZX16, was isolated. The clone contained the vector pUC18 and an insert fragment of 4.5 kb. The cloned xylose isomerase gene (xylA) was expressed constitutively in E. coli. The gene contained one open reading frame (ORF) of 1317 bp, which corresponds to 439 amino acid residues. The molecular mass of the gene product was calculated to be 50474 Da from the deduced amino acid sequence. A putative promoter region (Pribnow box), TATAATATATAAT, which repeated twice at the -10 region in E. coli, was found 25 bp upstream of the ribosomal binding site. The deduced amino acid sequence of T. saccharolyticum strain B6A-RI xylose isomerase exhibited very high homology to those from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes 4B (formerly Clostridium thermosulfurogenes 4B) and Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus 39E (formerly Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum 39E). Codon usage in xynA, xynB and xylA showed a clear propensity for AT-containing isocodons. The native molecular mass of the purified recombinant thermostable xylose isomerase was 200 kDa, and the enzyme was a tetramer comprised of identical subunits. The apparent temperature and pH optima for activity of the cloned xylose isomerase were 80 degrees C and 7.0 to 7.5, respectively.


Despite considerable research investigating the role of 6-n-propylthiouracil bitterness perception and variation of fungiform papillae density in food perception, this relationship remains controversial as well as the association between the 2 phenotypes. Data from 1119 subjects (38.6% male; 18-60 years) enrolled in the Italian Taste project were analyzed. Responsiveness to the bitterness of 6-n-propylthiouracil was assessed on the general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Fungiform papillae density was determined from manual counting on digital images of the tongue. Solutions of tastes, astringent, and pungent sensations were prepared to be moderate/strong on a general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Four foods had tastants added to produce 4 variations in target sensations from weak to strong (pear juice: citric acid, sourness; chocolate pudding: sucrose, sweetness; bean purée: sodium chloride, saltiness; and tomato juice: capsaicin, pungency). Women gave ratings to 6-n-propylthiouracil and showed fungiform papillae density that was significantly higher than men. Both phenotype markers significantly decreased with age. No significant correlations were found between 6-n-propylthiouracil ratings and fungiform papillae density. Fungiform papillae density variation does not affect perceived intensity of solutions. Responsiveness to 6-n-propylthiouracil positively correlated to perceived intensity of most stimuli in solution. A significant effect of fungiform papillae density on perceived intensity of target sensation in foods was found in a few cases. Responsiveness to 6-n-propylthiouracil positively affected all taste intensities in subjects with low fungiform papillae density whereas there were no significant effects of 6-n-propylthiouracil in those with high fungiform papillae density. These data highlight a complex interplay between 6-n-propylthiouracil status and fungiform papillae density and the need of a critical reconsideration of their role in food perception and acceptability.


A new calcium channel blocker, nicardipine, was studied for treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial during the winter months. Clinical response was assessed by a patient-kept diary of symptoms and finger systolic pressure that was measured at room temperature and during cold challenge. In vivo platelet activation was determined by measuring plasma levels of the platelet-specific proteins, beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4. When treatment with placebo was compared with treatment with nicardipine, no significant differences were found in the number of Raynaud's attacks per day, the severity of attacks, change in character in Raynaud's phenomenon, use of hands in winter months, patient assessment of medication or objective measurements of finger systolic pressure, and critical closing temperature. There was a reduction of plasma levels of beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 in the overall study group while taking nicardipine compared with that during the placebo period (mean change 5.0 +/- 2.4 ng/ml, P = 0.054, and 1.4 +/- 0.6 ng/ml, P less than 0.01, respectively). These results demonstrate that while nicardipine was not effective in reducing the episodes of Raynaud's phenomenon, it did inhibit in vivo platelet activation. These findings suggest that platelet activation is not the primary event in the pathogenesis of acute vasospasm in Raynaud's phenomenon, since reduction of platelet activation by the drug did not change the severity of vasospasm.


ABSTRACT Introduction: A major limitation of current liposomal cancer therapies is the inability of liposome therapeutics to penetrate throughout the entire tumor mass. This inhomogeneous distribution of liposome therapeutics within the tumor has been linked to treatment failure and drug resistance. Both liposome particle transport properties and tumor microenvironment characteristics contribute to this challenge in cancer therapy. This limitation is relevant to both intravenously and intratumorally administered liposome therapeutics. Areas covered: Strategies to improve the intratumoral distribution of liposome therapeutics are described. Combination therapies of intravenous liposome therapeutics with pharmacologic agents modulating abnormal tumor vasculature, interstitial fluid pressure, extracellular matrix components, and tumor associated macrophages are discussed. Combination therapies using external stimuli (hyperthermia, radiofrequency ablation, magnetic field, radiation, and ultrasound) with intravenous liposome therapeutics are discussed. Intratumoral convection-enhanced delivery (CED) of liposomal therapeutics is reviewed. Expert opinion: Optimization of the combination therapies and drug delivery protocols are necessary. Further research should be conducted in appropriate cancer types with consideration of physiochemical features of liposomes and their timing sequence. More investigation of the role of tumor associated macrophages in intratumoral distribution is warranted. Intratumoral infusion of liposomes using CED is a promising approach to improve their distribution within the tumor mass.


This article provides an introduction to one of the lesser-known examples of European settler colonialism, the settlement of European (mainly Russian and Ukrainian) peasants in Southern Central Asia (Turkestan) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It establishes the legal background and demographic impact of peasant settlement, and the role played by the state in organising and encouraging it. It explores official attitudes towards the settlers (which were often very negative), and their relations with the local Kazakh and Kyrgyz population. The article adopts a comparative framework, looking at Turkestan alongside Algeria and Southern Africa, and seeking to establish whether paradigms developed in the study of other settler societies (such as the 'poor white') are of any relevance in understanding Slavic peasant settlement in Turkestan. It concludes that there are many close parallels with European settlement in other regions with large indigenous populations, but that racial ideology played a much less important role in the Russian case compared to religious divisions and fears of cultural backsliding. This did not prevent relations between settlers and the 'native' population deteriorating markedly in the years before the First World War, resulting in large-scale rebellion in 1916.


OBJECTIVES
To investigate the patterns of unintentional home injuries in Korea.

METHODS
The study population was 12,382,088 people who utilized National Health Insurance services due to injuries (main diagnosis codes S00 to T28) during 2006. Stratified samples(n=459,501) were randomly selected by sex, age group and severity of injury. A questionnaire was developed based on the International Classification of External Causes of Injury and 18,000 cases surveyed by telephone were analyzed after being projected into population proportionately according to the response rates of their strata. Domestic injury cases were finally included.

RESULTS
Domestic injuries (n=3,804) comprised 21.1% of total daily life injuries during 2006. Women were vulnerable to home injuries, with the elderly and those of lower income (medical-aid users) tending to suffer more severe injuries. Injury occurred most often due to a slipping fall (33.9%), overexertion (15.3%), falling (9.5%) and stumbling (9.4%), with severe injury most often resulting from slipping falls, falls and stumbles. Increasing age correlated with domestic injury-related disability.

CONCLUSIONS
The present findings provide basic information for development of home injury prevention strategies, with focus on the elderly.


The growing range of applications of Machine Learning (ML) in a multitude of settings motivates the ability of computing small explanations for predictions made. Small explanations are generally accepted as easier for human decision makers to understand. Most earlier work on computing explanations is based on heuristic approaches, providing no guarantees of quality, in terms of how close such solutions are from cardinality- or subset-minimal explanations. This paper develops a constraint-agnostic solution for computing explanations for any ML model. The proposed solution exploits abductive reasoning, and imposes the requirement that the ML model can be represented as sets of constraints using some target constraint reasoning system for which the decision problem can be answered with some oracle. The experimental results, obtained on well-known datasets, validate the scalability of the proposed approach as well as the quality of the computed solutions.


It is generally supposed, that the discovery of the efficacy-quantum by Planck was the impetus to Einstein 's hypothesis of lightquanta. With its help Einstein could explain the external light-electrical effect. But even years before Einstein had worked at the photoeffect and already made experiments on it. For that reason the article gives a short survey about the history of the lightelectric effects. Lenard's basical work about the release of the photoelectrons is dealt with in detail, without which Einstein would scarcely have found his lightquanta. Furthermore it is shown how difficult it was for the physicists to give up - at least partially - the traditional view of the undulation-nature of light, and how they searched to explain the great energies of the photoelectrons. On the other side it is set forth how Einstein's formula of lightquanta was gradually confirmed. The tragical development of Einstein's personal relations with Johannes Stark and Philipp Lenard are briefly described. Stark was one of the few who supported Einstein's ideas at the beginning. Only with the Compton-effect, which could only be quantitatively interpreted by means of lightquanta and the special theory of relativity 1923, the way was free for the general acceptance of the lightquanta. Einstein did not agree to the obtained dualism of undulation and corpuscle; he had a different solution in mind about the fusion of the two forms of appearance of light.


In this article, I examine lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) Tumblr bloggers' bio boxes and "About Me" pages to show the ways gender and sexual orientation identities are constructed through community-regulated and community-generated labeling practices. Tumblr encourages counter-cultures (and labeling practices) to not only form but also to thrive due to its distinctive affordances including tagging and blog formatting. This article examines not only how these affordances shape usage and, subsequently, identity construction on Tumblr but also the ways in which Tumblr bloggers have embraced affordances to create community-accepted conventions of identity construction. Additionally, building upon online identity scholarship by Bargh, McKenna, and Fitzsimons and Tiidenberg, this article discusses true self and nonbinary gender and sexual orientation labeling as forms of identity construction that allows LGBTQIA identifying individuals a method for nuanced descriptions of feelings and desires. However, far from perfect, these labeling practices are also grounded in hegemonic female/male, feminine/masculine binary discourse. In a Foucauldian sense, bloggers construct discourse within existing power structures that ignore or erase LGBTQIA as sexual "abnormalities." Although it is nearly impossible to fully break away from the dominant discourse, these labeling practices can be a useful starting point for conversations about genders and sexualities that lie outside of the hegemonic binary.


BACKGROUND
The pharmaceutical and food industries expect detailed knowledge on the physicochemical properties of elderberry fruit extracts, their stability and microbiological quality, as well as the polyphenol content in elderberry cultivars. The characteristics of the extracts might be additionally modified by citric acid, which improves the stability of anthocyanins and protects processed fruits and syrups from pathogenic microorganisms. The choice of the method with citric acid was a consequence of the physicochemical charac teristics of elderberry pigments, which are not stable under the effect of light in alcoholic solutions. The aim of study was to analyze the properties of elderberry fruit extracts regarding polyphenol content and antiradical activity, as well as their stability and microbiological quality.

METHODS
The plant material consisted of fruit from four cultivars (Alleso, Korsor, Sampo, Samyl) of black elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.). The following were determined in fruit extracts: polyphe- nolic content (HPLC), antiradical activity (ABTS and DPPH) and stability and microbiological quality.

RESULTS
The HPLC analysis of polyphenols demonstrated that the extracts from fruits collected from cv. Samyl had the highest 3-sambubioside cyanidin content and those from cv. Korsor contained the highest quantity of 3-glucoside cyanidin. The extracts from cv. Sampo fruit had a dominant 3-sambubioside-5-gluco- side cyanidin and 3,5-diglucoside cyanidin content. The highest quercetin (5.92 mg 100 mg-1 of extract) and caffeic acid (1.21 mg 100 mg-1 of extract) content was found in fruit extracts from cv. Alleso. The cultivars Samyl and Korsor had a higher level of anthocyanins and higher antiradical activity (ABTS) in fruit extracts than cv. Alleso and Sampo. The antiradical activity (DPPH) of fruit extracts from elderberry cultivars as- sessed in this research was similar. The degradation index for all fruit extracts was similar (DI = 1.035). The microbiological species detected in extracts were classified as moulds (Penicillum sp., Aspergillus sp.) and yeasts (Rhodotorula sp., Torulopsis sp., Trichosporon sp., Saccharomyces sp.).

CONCLUSIONS
The research findings may support the selection of certain cultivars for industrial applications. The high stability of anthocyanins and low level of microbiological impurities in elderberry extracts ensure the high quality of such a raw material in food and pharmaceutical processing.


Industrialization has provided humanity with many material and social benefits. Unfortunately, it has also brought about many material and social problems, one of which is environmental pollution that nowadays poses a major threat not only to humans, but also to all life on earth. The aim of the present study is to assess the level of environmental awareness among high school teachers in Kuwait; to study the extent of their environmental worry; and to evaluate the relationship between their environmental awareness and worry, and how they vary with different socio-demographic variables. A cross sectional study of 461 high school teachers was conducted using a random multistage cluster sample design. The target population comprised public high school teachers (males and females) in 2 governorates, Hawalli and Ahmadi. Data collection was performed using a structured anonymous self-administered questionnaire covering the environmental awareness and environmental worry checklists. The sample involved 499 teachers. About 60% of the teachers had high level of environmental awareness and almost half of them had high level of environmental worry. Both scores increased with increasing age, years of experience, level of education of the spouse, presence of children and being non-Kuwaiti. Males scored higher in both scores, but the difference was only significant in the part concerning environmental worry. The level of teachers' environmental worry was significantly positively related to their environmental awareness.


This paper explores the trade-off between cooperation and secrecy in cognitive radio networks. We consider a scenario consisting of a primary and a secondary system. In the simplest case, each system is represented by a pair of transmitter and receiver. We assume a secrecy constraint on the transmission in the sense that the message of the primary transmitter has to be concealed from the secondary user. Both situations where the secondary transmitter is aware and unaware of the primary message are investigated and compared. Furthermore, we extend our results to the scenario where the secondary system comprises multiple users. For each case we sketch the derivation of the rates that are achievable from an information theoretic perspective. We then investigate the findings by numerical simulations. Our main result is that, in spite of the secrecy constraint, cooperation is beneficial in terms of the achievable rates. The secondary transmitter has the two contradicting tasks of helping the primary system and transmitting its own message. Our results show that both tasks can be accomplished simultaneously, improving both systems' performance. In particular, the secondary system can achieve a significant rate without decreasing the primary rate below the benchmark rate achievable without the help of the secondary transmitter. In the case of multiple secondary users, the rate region reduces, which results in a lower individual rate. However, the linear increase in sumrate counterbalances this effect.


The short answer question (SAQ) is one of the mainstay methods in which student conceptual understanding is evaluated. However, students in some courses are only exposed to these questions and associated feedback at the end of the university semester, which would affect their capacity to generate responses that are complex enough to address the question. The study aimed to improve student capacity to evaluate and then generate complex SAQ responses using exemplars of different performance standards. The students were exposed to the exemplars in an activity implemented in one of the lectures during the semester. The change in students' ability to identify their own SAQ performance level prior to and after being exposed to the exemplars was determined by comparing student self-marking accuracy before and after being exposed to the examples. Student scores in the SAQs of the end of semester (EOS) exam were used to determine if exemplars improved their capacity to construct complex responses. Exemplars improved student (n=114) capacity to identify their own SAQ performance. Furthermore, students who attended the activity generated responses that garnered higher scores for SAQs in the EOS exam and performed better in the course overall when compared to those who did not.


We have demonstrated a novel blue-violet emitting mechanoluminscent(ML) material with calcium aluminosilicate(CaAl2Si2O8:Eu2+). The ML was clearly visible to the naked eye in the atmosphere and showed a similar spectrum to photoluminescence with a peak at 430nm. In order to enhance the ML intensity, various rare earth ions were selected as co-dopants including La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. It was found that the intensity of ML was strongly dependent on the kinds of the codoped rare earth ion, especially the co-doping of Ho3+ was found to greatly enhance the ML intensity. From the results of thermoluminescence(ThL) measurements, the enhancement of the ML intensity was closely related with the filled trap concentration and trap depth.


It's no secret that the federal government's deficit crisis has prompted both Democrats and Republicans to look for cuts in federal funding to Medicaid, a program that provides drug benefits to 60 million Americans. Both the federal and state governments contribute to Medicaid costs. Federal contributions are on the decline for two reasons: (1) the end of emergency federal contributions to state Medicaid budgets, enacted as part of the 2009 stimulus bill—the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and (2) future reductions as part of the effort to reduce the federal deficit.

The states are in a pickle and have been for three or four years now, in part because of rising Medicaid costs and, in some states like California, statewide budget crises. Although state Medicaid rolls are increasing by 5% to 10% because of the recession, the states cannot tighten Medicaid eligibility rules. In fact, the situation is quite the contrary: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act expands eligibility for Medicaid in 2014, although the federal government is supposed to pay 100% of the costs of those new entrants through 2016. However, it is unlikely that the federal government, given the dire deficit and the need to cut spending, will have those extra funds.

Something, then, has to give. What gave in California in 2008 was reimbursement to health care providers. The California Medicaid benefit cuts that were enacted by the legislature in 2008 drove the California Pharmacy Association to file a lawsuit, which is at the heart of a case the Supreme Court was scheduled to hear in early October. Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern California has been percolating up through the federal court system since 2008, when the California legislature passed a bill reducing Medicaid payments to all health care providers by 10% starting the following year.

Pharmacies in the state were the first to file lawsuits, arguing that California's Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) could not cut rates. The California Pharmacy Association claimed that the rate cuts would force pharmacies to leave Medi-Cal, ending access to prescription drugs for many Medicaid recipients. Because that access is guaranteed by federal law, California was, in effect, pre-empting federal law, which is illegal—at least that was the argument from the pharmacists.

California, in turn, argued—and the Obama administration Justice Department has backed the Golden State—that the pharmacists had no legal standing to challenge the Medi-Cal cuts to health care providers, which also affected physicians, hospitals, and others. The Supreme Court is to decide whether the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (which handles California) correctly held, for the pharmacists, that the Supremacy Clause to the U.S. Constitution provides a private right of action to third parties to challenge state laws pre-empted by federal law.

In August 2011, four national pharmacy groups jumped into the fray. They filed a joint brief stating that a long line of Supreme Court decisions supports the right to challenge state actions that are inconsistent with federal laws. The four groups maintain that challenges to inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates must be allowed if they threaten patient access to pharmacy care.

Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, says:

We are deeply troubled about the impact that such a drastic cut in Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement will have on patient access to pharmacy care. This shortsighted proposal is not the solution to cutting spending and reducing costs. We have and will continue to urge the state to work with pharmacy and other provider groups to find cost-effective alternatives that do not jeopardize Medicaid beneficiaries' access to health care services.

The Supreme Court's decision will have ramifications for pharmacies way beyond California. The National Association of State Budget Officers, reported last May that 33 states planned to reduce payment to Medicaid providers in fiscal 2012. For 46 states, this already began on July 1; 16 states planned to freeze provider rates, and 27 states were considering measures to reduce prescription drug spending.

It is paradoxical that the federal court in California said that the Medi-Cal provider rates would not save California money, because cuts to Medi-Cal recipients mean they would have to start using emergency departments, leading to higher Medicaid costs for the state.

As to the effect on pharmacies, the California federal court in its decision argued that the original 10% cuts would deprive "thousands, if not millions" of Medi-Cal beneficiaries of much-needed pharmaceuticals. It also found that pharmacies would limit the scope of the services they provide to Medi-Cal beneficiaries by discontinuing the provision of at least some prescription drugs, turning away new Medi-Cal patients, laying off pharmacy employees, or reducing pharmacy hours.

Pharmacies and pharmacists in every state have a lot riding on the Supreme Court's forthcoming decision, given the number of states about to take axes to Medicaid provider rates. But even if the Supreme Court comes down on the side of the pharmacists this time, it seems inevitable that one or more states, given billowing federal and state budget problems, will be back with the newest legal assault on Medicaid reimbursement to pharmacies and other providers.


We consider the problem of several users transmitting packets to a base station, and study an optimal scheduling formulation involving three communication layers, namely, the medium access control, link, and physical layers. We assume Markov models for the packet arrival processes and the channel gain processes. Perfect channel state information is assumed to be available at the transmitter and the receiver. The transmissions are subject to a long-run average transmitter power constraint. The control problem is to assign power and rate dynamically as a function of the fading and the queue lengths so as to minimize a weighted sum of long run average packet transmission delays.


VAN DER LUGT, J.J., COETZER, J.A.W. & SMIT, M.M.E. 1996. Distribution of viral antigen in tissues of new-born lambs infected with Rift Valley fever virus. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 63:341-347 The distribution of Rift Valley fever (RVF) viral antigen was studied by immunohistochemistry in the liver, spleen, prescapular lymph node, lungs and kidneys of eight experimentally infected new-born lambs and in four new-born lambs that died of RVF during the 1974-75 RVF epidemic. The eight experimentally infected lambs were euthanazed at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 33, 48 and 51 h post-infection (p.i.), respectively. Immunohistochemical staining utilized polyclonal hyperimmune mouse ascites fluid to RVF virus and peroxidase-diaminobenzidine as substrate. Virus antigen was most prominent in the liver and was detected as early as 18 h p.i. in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes that were sparsely scattered throughout the lobules. At 24-33 h p.i., antigen was also present in or adjacent to small foci of hepatocellular necrosis. At 48-51 h p.i. and in one of the field cases, positive staining was widespread and most consistently present in the cytoplasm of large numbers of degenerated or necrotic hepatocytes and in a few acidophilic bodies. Immunohistochemical staining was rarely observed in hepatocyte nuclei. Almost diffuse histochemical staining was observed in disintegrated cells and in the cytoplasm of necrotic hepatocytes throughout the liver in the other three field cases with pan necrosis; only the primary foci of necrosis and a narrow periportal rim of intact hepatocytes did not stain. No staining was observed in bile duct epithelium, endothelial and Kupffer cells in the initial stages of infection, supporting the contention that hepatocytes constitute the primary site of RVF virus replication in new-born lambs. Few cells stained positively in the spleen, prescapular lymph node, lungs and kidneys.


Over the past 20 years, there has been much research on how people learn from case comparisons. This work has implemented comparison activities in a variety of different ways across a wide range of laboratory and classroom contexts. In an effort to assess the overall effectiveness of case comparisons across this diversity of implementation and contexts and to explore what variables might moderate learning outcomes, we conducted a meta-analysis of 57 experiments with 336 tests. Random effects analyses of the 336 tests revealed that case comparison activities commonly led to greater learning outcomes than other forms of case study including sequential, single case, and nonanalogous, as well as traditional instruction and control (d = .50), 95% CI [.44, .56]. Of 15 potential moderators, four variables were found to reliably moderate the effectiveness of case comparisons: the objective of the comparison, the presentation of a principle, the content, and the lag between the comparison and testing. Asking learners to find similarities between cases, providing principles after the comparisons, using perceptual content, and testing learners immediately are all associated with greater learning. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of these results for cognitive theory and classroom practice.


A better understanding of interindividual differences and the development of targeted therapies is one of the major challenges of modern medicine. The sex of a person plays a crucial role in this regard. This systematic review aimed to summarise and analyse available evidence on the mutual interactions between non-invasive brain stimulation and sex/polypeptide hormones. The PubMed database was searched from its inception to 31 March 2023, for (i) studies that investigated the impact of sex and/or polypeptide hormones on the effects induced by non-invasive brain stimulation, or (ii) studies that investigated non-invasive brain stimulation in the modulation of sex and/or polypeptide hormones. Eighteen studies (319 healthy and 96 disabled participants) were included. Most studies focused on female sex hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. The later follicular phase is associated with a weak between hemispheric and intracortical inhibition, strong intracortical facilitation, and high stimulation-induced neural and behavioural changes. The opposite effects are observed during the luteal phase. In addition, the participant's sex, presence and/or absence of real ovulation and increase in oestradiol level by chorionic gonadotropin injection influence the stimulation-induced neurophysiological and behavioural effects. In Parkinson's disease and consciousness disorders, the repetitive application of non-invasive brain stimulation increases oestradiol and dehydroepiandrosterone levels and reduces disability. To date, male hormones have not been sufficiently included in these studies. Here, we show that the sex and/or polypeptide hormones and non-invasive brain stimulation methods are in reciprocal interactions. This may be used to create a more effective and individualised approach for healthy individuals and individuals with disabilities.


We investigated a healthy population of men from different regions of Turkey for the presence of congenital red-green color blindness. Using Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates, 941 healthy men from the Turkish army were tested for congenital red-green color blindness. The prevalence of red-green color blindness was 7.33 ± 0.98% (5.10% protans and 2.23% deutans). These ratios were higher than other reported samples from Mediterranean Europe. Higher percentages of color blindness were found in regions with a lower education level and more consanguineous marriages.


This brief offers specific recommendations to address four problems with TANF. First, too few needy families receive TANF help, with significant variation across states. Second, TANF did not respond during the recession. Third, TANF has been unresponsive to caseload changes, particularly that half the cases only include children. Fourth, TANF?s limitations heighten families? need for a whole package of supports. The recommendations include increasing federal funding for states to better accommodate increases in need; aligning TANF incentives with the goals of work, economic stability, and child well-being; and streamlining access to the full range of supports for low-income working families.


By mandating patent protection for pharmaceutical products, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) creates difficulties for developing countries seeking to import medicines to deal with serious public health concerns. In 2001, WTO Members began working towards a solution to this problem. Their work led to a temporary waiver of certain TRIPS obligations and a proposal for a formal amendment of the TRIPS Agreement. However, the waiver remains underutilized and the amendment still lacks the necessary support of WTO Members for it to come into effect, suggesting that Members need to re-evaluate their commitment to affordable medicines while testing the workability of the waiver before making it permanent. Moreover, the potential of bilateral approaches to the problem of access to medicines for developing countries in the context of international trade is not being realized. On the contrary, preferential trade agreements concluded with the United States (US), in particular, are extending patent protection and diminishing flexibilities available under the TRIPS Agreement to address public health concerns. A pattern of contradictions exists between the WTO rhetoric on the one hand and Members' domestic frameworks, bilateral agreements, and unilateral actions on the other. When it comes to attaining a coherent approach under international law towards reconciling patents and public health, the outlook is bleak.


textabstractThere are many theoretical claims about happiness in organizations, but little empirical research. In spite of much research on the relation between organization and job-satisfaction, there is surprisingly little research on the relation between organization and life-satisfaction. In this article the author considers first what we would want to know about organization and happiness. Next the author takes stock of the few empirical answers to these questions, using the research findings available in the World Database of Happiness. Some reasons for the lack of empirical research on this topic are considered. The article closes with an agenda for future research.


Background: International treatment guidelines for Helicobacter pylori infection recommend a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)/amoxicillin/clarithromycin (CAM) regimen (PAC) or PPI/amoxicillin/metronidazole (MNZ) regimen (PAM) as first-line therapy based on culture and sensitivity testing. As incidence rates of antimicrobial agent-resistant strains are changing year by year, it is important to reevaluate the efficacy of eradication regimens. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PAC and PAM based on different locations categorized by the reported incidence of CAM- and MNZ-resistant strains. Methods: Randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing eradication rates between PAC and PAM first-line treatment up to December 2018 were included. We divided RCTs into four groups based on resistance to CAM (< 15% or ≥ 15%) and MNZ (< 15% or ≥ 15%). Results: A total of 27 studies (4825 patients) were included. Overall eradication rates between PAC and PAM were similar (74.8% and 72.5%, relative risk (RR): 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91–1.39, P = 0.27) in the intention-to-treat analysis. In areas with low MNZ- and high CAM-resistance rates, PAM had a significantly higher eradication rate than PAC (92.5% vs. 70.8%, RR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13–0.68). In areas with high MNZ- and low CAM-resistance rates, the eradication rate with PAC was only 72.9%. Conclusions: Overall eradication rates with PAC and PAM were equivalent worldwide. In low MNZ-resistance areas, PAM may be recommended as first-line therapy. However, the efficacy of PAC may be insufficient, irrespective of susceptibility to CAM.


Mutations in transcription factors that play a role in the development of the endocrine pancreas, such as insulin promoter factor-1 and NeuroD1/BETA2, have been associated with diabetes. Cell type-specific members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors play essential roles in the development and maintenance of many differentiated cell types, including pancreatic beta-cells. Neurogenin 3 is a bHLH transcription factor that is expressed in the developing central nervous system and the embryonic pancreas. Mice lacking this transcription factor fail to develop any islet endocrine cells and die postnatally from diabetes. Because neurogenin 3 is required for the development of beta-cells and other pancreatic islet cell types, we considered it a candidate diabetes gene. We screened the coding region of the human neurogenin 3 gene (NEUROG3) for mutations in a group of unrelated Japanese subjects with maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). We found three sequence variants: a deletion of 2-bp in the 5'-untranslated region (NEUROG3-g.-44-45delCA), a G-to-A substitution in codon 167 (g.499G/ A), resulting in a Gly-to-Arg replacement (G/R167), and a T-to-C substitution in codon 199 (g.596T/C), resulting in a Phe/Ser polymorphism F/S199. These polymorphisms were not associated with MODY, thereby suggesting that mutations in NEUROG3 are not a common cause of MODY in Japanese patients.


The metal silver is well known to have antimicrobial properties and this underlies its incorporation into the many types of silver releasing wound dressings available in the UK. These products are classed as 'advanced' dressings and were developed primarily for difficult to heal wounds, chronic ulcers and extensive burns.1 The use of silver dressings has increased rapidly in recent years in the UK, with the amount spent on such products in the NHS being around £23million in 2005 and around £25million in 2006/7.2,3 The latter figure represents a quarter of the total cost of wound dressings, with one seventh of the wound dressing items prescribed being silver dressings.3 Here we discuss the evidence on the place of silver dressings in burns, chronic ulcers and acute wounds.


In this study an electroplating method has been employed (with zinc, nickle). Studying of mechanical, surface, metallurgical properties for each coated systems and made a comparison among them and with shoot penned coated systems. Low carbon steel alloy has been selected as a substrate. Studying of specified properties including coating thickness and dry corrosion properties (oxidation at high temperature) and comparison the results of each treatment with other treatment results. Coated samples with nickel and zinc by electroplating methods are used in order to compare among the resulting coating layer properties. Shoot penning method also has been employed to the two coatings in order to determine the compression residual stresses role in the variation of studied properties. Results showed that nickel coating layer has higher oxidation resistance than zinc coating layer at high temperature, but has lower roughness, micro hardness, wear resistance and density. Microstructure inspection results showed ferrite- pearlite phases in the treated samples for all coated systems, This ensures that this treatment will not subject to any phases transformation, and formation of coating layer with a different thickness as illustrated by micro structure images.


Ever-increasing demands for energy, particularly being environmentally friendly have promoted the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.1 Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), arguably the most well-studied energy storage system, have dominated the energy market since their advent in the 1990s.2 However, challenging issues regarding safety, supply of lithium, and high price of lithium resources limit the further advancement of LIBs for large-scale energy storage applications.3 Therefore, attention is being concentrated on an alternative electrochemical energy storage device that features high safety, low cost, and long cycle life. Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) is considered one of the most promising alternative energy storage systems due to the high theoretical energy and power densities where the multiple electrons (Zn2+) . In addition, aqueous ZIBs are safer due to non-flammable electrolyte (e.g., typically aqueous solution) and can be manufactured since they can be assembled in ambient air conditions. 4 As an essential component in aqueous Zn-based batteries, the Zn metal anode generally suffers from the growth of dendrites, which would affect battery performance in several ways. Second, the led by the loose structure of Zn dendrite may reduce the coulombic efficiency and shorten the battery lifespan.5

 Several approaches were suggested to improve the electrochemical stability of ZIBs, such as implementing an interfacial buffer layer that separates the active Zn from the bulk electrolyte.6 However, the and thick thickness of the conventional Zn metal foils remain a critical challenge in this field, which may diminish the energy density of the battery drastically. According to a theretical calculation, the thickness of a Zn metal anode with an areal capacity of 1 mAh cm-2 is about 1.7 μm. However, existing extrusion-based fabrication technologies are not capable of downscaling the thickness Zn metal foils below 20 μm.
 Herein, we demonstrate a thickness controllable coating approach to fabricate an ultrathin Zn metal anode as well as a thin dielectric oxide separator. First, a 1.7 μm Zn layer was uniformly thermally evaporated onto a Cu foil. Then, Al2O3 , the separator was deposited through sputtering on the Zn layer to a thickness of 10 nm. The inert and high hardness Al2O3 layer is expected to lower the polarization and restrain the growth of Zn dendrites. Atomic force microscopy was employed to evaluate the roughness of the surface of the deposited Zn and Al2O3/Zn anode structures. Long-term cycling stability was gauged under the symmetrical cells at 0.5 mA cm-2 for 1 mAh cm-2. Then the fabricated Zn anode was paired with MnO2 as a full cell for further electrochemical performance testing. To investigate the evolution of the interface between the Zn anode and the electrolyte, a home-developed in-situ optical observation battery cage was employed to record and compare the process of Zn deposition on the anodes of the Al2O3/Zn (demonstrated in this study) and the procured thick Zn anode. The surface morphology of the two Zn anodes after circulation was characterized and compared through scanning electron microscopy. The tunable ultrathin Zn metal anode with enhanced anode stability provides a pathway for future high-energy-density Zn-ion batteries.

 Obama, B., The irreversible momentum of clean energy. Science
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 Goodenough, J. B.; Park, K. S., The Li-ion rechargeable battery: a perspective. J Am Chem Soc
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 Li, C.; Xie, X.; Liang, S.; Zhou, J., Issues and Future Perspective on Zinc Metal Anode for Rechargeable Aqueous Zinc‐ion Batteries. Energy & Environmental Materials
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 Jia, H.; Wang, Z.; Tawiah, B.; Wang, Y.; Chan, C.-Y.; Fei, B.; Pan, F., Recent advances in zinc anodes for high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Nano Energy
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 Yang, J.; Yin, B.; Sun, Y.; Pan, H.; Sun, W.; Jia, B.; Zhang, S.; Ma, T., Zinc Anode for Mild Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Challenges, Strategies, and Perspectives. Nanomicro Lett
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 Yang, Q.; Li, Q.; Liu, Z.; Wang, D.; Guo, Y.; Li, X.; Tang, Y.; Li, H.; Dong, B.; Zhi, C., Dendrites in Zn-Based Batteries. Adv Mater
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 Acknowledgment
 This work was partially supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Award No. ECCS-1931088. S.L. and H.W.S. acknowledge the support from the Improvement of Measurement Standards and Technology for Mechanical Metrology (Grant No. 22011044) by KRISS.

 Figure 1


Total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) requires complex reconstructive techniques and presents an increased risk of complications. Because of these patients' young age, alternative bearing surfaces such as alumina-on-alumina couples could be an option. We asked whether moderate or severe congenital dysplasia of the hip would influence the clinical outcome and rates of cup loosening in our patients. We prospectively compared 50 hips in patients with dysplastic hip (group 1) and 22 hips in patients with a low or high dislocation (group 2) using an alumina-on-alumina THA. The minimum follow-up was 5 years (range 5–10 years). Age, activity level, and implant size were greater in group 1. Preoperative function and range of mobility were worse in group 2. The survival rate for cup loosening at 5 years was 89.8% (95% confidence interval, 78.7%-100%) for group 1 and 81.7% (95% confidence interval, 57.6%-100%) for group 2. An alumina-on-alumina THA provides a high level of pain relief and functional improvement in hip dysplasia. Continued follow-up will be required to determine if the alumina-on-alumina bearings in these patients result in less osteolysis and loosening.


The goal of this dissertation is to examine the changing engagement of youth in the large variety of out-of-school literacy practices, including uses of old and new media. The main focus is on Dutch youth from the lower tracks of prevocational secondary education, who often struggle with the literacy demands of the school curriculum. In line with a socio-cultural perspective on literacy this dissertation moves away from a research tradition that approaches literacy as a set of individual reading and writing skills. An alternative way of conceptualizing literacy is proposed in terms of family resemblances, a notion borrowed from the German philosopher Wittgenstein: Literacy activities do not share one common set of features, but throughout activities similarities – great and small – crop up and disappear. From this perspective, which underpins the research presented in this dissertation, literacy is a broad and complex concept that encompasses traditional print-based media, new (digital) media and their various but sometimes interrelated uses. In the general introduction of the dissertation features associated with literacy are discussed, each influenced greatly by new technologies, which have increased the different ways of engaging in literacy. These features form the building blocks of the literacy concept adopted in the research presented. Guttman's Facet Theory was used to implement this definitional framework in research. To examine the changing literacy engagement of youth, four empirical studies were conducted. A recurrent theme throughout each of the studies is engagement in epistemic literacy, which is a concept borrowed from Wells (1987) to denote more 'detached' and reflective uses of old and new media that transcend the immediate context of our personal experience and are strongly related to the goals of schooling. Given the concerns that exist over the rising engagement of youth in the new media, the studies address to what extent the youth under investigation exploit the epistemic potential of new media. In the first study, literacy engagement patterns were investigated of 70 seventh grade students from the lower tracks of Dutch prevocational secondary education. In the second study the diversity of media lifestyles adopted by 503 eighth grade students from all educational tracks were examined. A longitudinal approach was adopted in the third study in order to investigate possible shifts in the literacy practices of the same group of youth included in the first study. Finally, in the fourth study the quantitative research is complemented with data from in-depth interviews, which were used to investigate the motives and possible shifts in the motives youth mentioned for engaging in literacy when in grade 7, compared to when they were in grade 9.


The study of the angular and spatial structure of the X-ray sky has been under investigation since the times of the Einstein X-ray Observatory. This topic has fascinated more than two generations of scientists and slowly unveiled an unexpected scenario regarding the consequences of the angular and spatial distribution of X-ray sources. It was first established from the clustering of sources making the CXB that the source spatial distribution resembles that of optical QSO. It then became evident that the distribution of X-ray AGN in the Universe was strongly reflecting that of Dark Matter. In particular, one of the key results is that X-ray AGNs are hosted by dark matter halos of mass similar to that of galaxy groups. This result, together with model predictions, has lead to the hypothesis
that galaxy mergers may constitute the main AGN-triggering mechanism. However, detailed analysis of observational data, acquired with modern telescopes, and the use of the new halo occupation formalism has revealed that the triggering of an AGN could also be attributed to phenomena-like tidal disruption or disk instability and to galaxy evolution. This paper reviews results from 1988 to 2011 in the field of X-ray-selected AGN clustering.


Specific absorption rate (SAR) and temperature increases produced inside a thorax model by an MRI apparatus equipped with a birdcage antenna operating at 64 MHz have been studied both experimentally and numerically. Considering a pacemaker (PM) equipped with a unipolar catheter inserted inside the thorax model, peak SARs averaged over 1 mg between 240 and 6400 W/kg, depending on the catheter section and length, on its position inside the phantom, and on field polarization have been obtained close to the catheter tip. On the other hand, the average SAR in the whole thorax is not influenced by the presence of the PM. Temperature increments from 0.6degC to 15degC have been obtained for 6-min MRI investigations with the lowest values when the radio-frequency (RF) magnetic field is linearly polarized along a direction perpendicular to the implant plane.


Context. Accurate hydrogen spectra emitted by the entire solar disc in the Ly-α and Ly-β lines are valuable for deriving the distribution and the behaviour of atomic hydrogen in the heliosphere, for understanding the UV emissions of solar type stars better, and finally for estimating the solar energy input that mainly initiates the chemical processes occurring in the planetary and cometary outer atmospheres. Aims. In this paper we want to accurately determine the irradiance solar spectral profiles of Ly-α and Ly-β and their evolution through the solar activity cycle 23. Methods. The SUMER/SOHO spectrometer is a slit spectrometer that is only able to analyse a small part of the solar image. Consequently, we used the scattered light properties of the telescope to obtain average spectra over the solar disc. Then the profile is calibrated using the SOLSTICE/UARS and TIMED/SEE irradiance spectra. Results. We obtained a set of irradiance Ly-α and Ly-β solar spectra with a 0.002 nm resolution through the solar activity cycle 23. In each line a relation between the integrated profile and the line centre intensity was obtained.Knowing the line irradiance, it is possible to deduce the central line profile intensity, a critical input into the interplanetary and planetary oxygen and hydrogen fluorescent processes. Conclusions. The observation of H i Ly-α and Ly-β line profiles by SUMER/SOHO during the cycle 23 allows analysis of the evolution of their characteristics and accurate determination of UV radiation input into the solar system.


An efficient Bayesian-based algorithm is presented for physics-based prognostics, which combines a physical model with observed health monitoring data. Unknown model parameters are estimated using the observed data, from which the remaining useful life (RUL) of the system is predicted. This paper focuses on the Bayesian method for parameter estimation of a damage degradation model where epistemic uncertainty in model parameters is reduced with the observed data. Markov-chain Monte Carlo sampling is used to generate samples from the posterior distribution, which are then propagated through the physical model to estimate the distribution of the RUL. A MATLAB script of 76 lines is included in this paper with detailed explanations. A battery degradation model and crack growth model are used to explain the process of parameter estimation, the evolution of degradation and RUL prediction. The code presented in this paper can easily be altered for different applications. This code may help beginners to understand and use Bayesian method-based prognostics.


Based on a combination of exploratory field research and executive experience, we propose that defining the "Minimum Winning Game" (WMG) is a difficult yet critical responsibility of top management to keep a high-technology venture focused and able to learn from its ongoing efforts in the face of rapidly evolving technological and market uncertainties. We also propose that achieving the MWG requires the intelligent balancing of three "key drivers of strategic action": technology development, product development, and strategy development. Finally, we propose that instilling the discipline necessary to define the MWG and balance the drivers of strategic action is facilitated by the use of a strategy-making process informed by key data gathering and analysis tools such as the market requirement document (MRD) and the product requirement document (PRD).


This article discusses the main security requirements for Web services and it describes how such security requirements are addressed by standards for Web services security recently developed or under development by various standardizations bodies. Standards are reviewed according to a conceptual framework that groups them by the main functionalities they provide. Covered standards include most of the standards encompassed by the original Web Service Security roadmap proposed by Microsoft and IBM in 2002 (Microsoft and IBM 2002). They range from the ones geared toward message and conversation security and reliability to those developed for providing interoperable Single Sign On and Identity Management functions in federated organizations. The latter include Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), WS-Policy, XACML, that is related to access control and has been recently extended with a profile for Web services access control; XKMS and WS-Trust; WS-Federation, Liberty Alliance and Shibboleth, that address the important problem of identity management in federated organizations. The article also discusses the issues related to the use of the standards and open research issues in the area of access control for Web services and innovative digital identity management techniques are outlined.


Aims/hypothesis: Basal plasma concentration of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous, competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, is elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes. ADMA may contribute to the endothelial dysfunction and associated vascular complications observed in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The present study investigated the effect of 12 weeks of supervised walking exercise on plasma ADMA concentration in women aged 65-74 years with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: Fourteen women (aged 69 ± 3 yrs) with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes, completed 12 weeks of supervised, moderate-intensity walking at an intensity equivalent to their individual gas-exchange threshold. Blood was sampled for ADMA concentration before and after a 6-week intervention-free control period, and again after 6 and 12 weeks of exercise training. Results: Plasma ADMA concentration was found to be significantly lower after 12-weeks of exercise training when compared with baseline (0 wk) measurements. These results were accompanied by significant increases in time to exhaustion, relative and absolute peak oxygen uptake, and oxygen uptake at gas-exchange threshold. Conclusion/interpretation: Regular, moderate-intensity exercise decreases circulating ADMA concentrations in older women with type 2 diabetes. These results suggest that ADMA may play a role in the training-induced reduction in cardiovascular disease risk seen with exercise training in individuals with type 2 Diabetes.


BACKGROUND
Women present to the emergency department (ED) with pregnancy complications including bleeding. They seek investigations, treatment and clear discharge and referral pathways.

AIMS
The aim was to identify trends, characteristics, ED care and discharge pathways for women who present to the ED with early pregnancy bleeding.

METHODS
Retrospective data (from 2011 to 2020) were extracted from a regional health district's databank. Data were processed, and deterministic linking was used to produce a final data set. Descriptive statistics were used to identify trends and characteristics. Linear and logistic regression models were used to identify factors that influence health service use, outcomes and discharge pathways.

RESULTS
Over the 10 years, there have been almost 15 000 presentations to the ED for early pregnancy bleeding, from approximately 10 000 women, 0.97% of all ED presentations. The frequency of presentations increased by 19.6% over the study period. The average age of women who presented to the ED was 29.1 years, which increased from 28.5 years (2011) to 29.3 (2020). The median length of stay was less than 4 h, and most women were treated and discharged from the ED. One-third of presentations received neither ultrasound nor pathology, but health service costs increased by 330% from 2014 to 2020.

CONCLUSIONS
Maternal age is increasing, as is the frequency of ED presentations for early pregnancy bleeding, and both factors increase demands on the ED. Findings from this study may inform strategies to improve current care models and improve quality and safety practices within the ED.


This article presents a synthesized review as state of the art of the study of QoS for mission-critical traffic in wireless local area networks that use the IEEE 802.11g protocol. This is to highlight previous research for their contribution will constitute a reference to guide a proposed new approach to ensuring the quality of service for this type of traffic using the above protocol. The review is based on academic and business items made during the current five years. As a result of this review it is evident that there have been many efforts to address the issue but there are still gaps in the characterization of mission-critical traffic and ensuring quality of service for the same, due the new applications and the large host of WiFi networks in business and government, which has led to increased demand for access channels and, therefore, a challenge to the progress already known, such as IEEE 802.1q.


Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) is an inherited blood disorder that affects the development of red blood cells. This disorder is one of many types of anemia, which is a condition characterized by a shortage of red blood cells. This shortage prevents the blood from carrying an adequate supply of oxygen to the body's tissues. The resulting symptoms can include tiredness (fatigue), weakness, pale skin, and other complications.


This research focuses on community social economic attraction in agrotourism BBI Lubuk Minturun of West Sumatra region. The method is regional economic approach with tool analyses are location quotient, shift share analysis, and travel cost method to determine integrating linkages of community economic activities in the region. This research shows, first: Padang tourism attraction potency as National activitiy center (PKN) in PP No: 50 year 2011 about National tourism masterplan included in national tourism destination (DPN) together with Bukittinggi. Furthermore, in West Sumatra tourism masterplan, Padang has become Province tourism destination region (DPP) with its strategic destination region (KSPP) are Pesisir Selatan, Padang Pariaman and its potential region is Pariaman city. In the case as DPN, DPP of Padang city has wide tourism potential, approximately 169 tourism destinations to attract foreign and national tourist to visit and spend their leisure time. Second: Kuranji district zone has the highest travel cost on average outside Koto Tangah district in amount of 170,783 rupiahs, in the other hand Bungus Teluk Kabung district has the lowest travel cost is 120,877 rupiahs. The high average travel cost to BBI Lubuk Minturun is determined by average visit per year per person. The highest consumer surplus is at Koto Tangah district zone attain 99,875.23 rupiahs and the lowest is Teluk Kabung district zone. Furthermore, the lowest average costs based on origin visit zone are Agam, Lima Puluh Kota, and west Pasaman destination.


Serotonin is an important mediator modulating behavior, metabolism, sleep, control of breathing, and upper airway function, but the role of aging in serotonin‐mediated effects has not been previously defined. Our study aimed to examine the effect of brain serotonin deficiency on breathing during sleep and metabolism in younger and older mice. We measured breathing during sleep, hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR), CO2 production (VCO2), and O2 consumption (VO2) in 16–18‐week old and 40–44‐week old mice with deficiency of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2), which regulates serotonin synthesis specifically in neurons, compared to Tph2+/+ mice. As expected, aging decreased VCO2 and VO2. Tph2 knockout resulted in an increase in both metabolic indexes and no interaction between age and the genotype was observed. During wakefulness, neither age nor genotype had an effect on minute ventilation. The genotype did not affect hypercapnic sensitivity in younger mice. During sleep, Tph2−/− mice showed significant decreases in maximal inspiratory flow in NREM sleep, respiratory rate, and oxyhemoglobin saturation in REM sleep, compared to wildtype, regardless of age. Neither serotonin deficiency nor aging affected the frequency of flow limited breaths (a marker of upper airway closure) or apneas. Serotonin deficiency increased the amount and efficiency of sleep only in older animals. In conclusion, younger Tph2−/− mice were able to defend their ventilation and phenotypically did not differ from wildtype during wakefulness. In contrast, both young and old Tph2−/− mice showed sleep‐related hypoventilation, which was manifested by hypoxemia during REM sleep.


The Spanish airport management model has undergone profound changes in recent years as a result of the deregulation process that took place at the end of the last century. One of the major impacts resulting from air transport liberalization has been the emergence and consolidation of low cost airlines (LCA) which are able to provide better rates at very affordable prices thanks to its business model. The strong growth in recent years, embodied in the increasing number of passengers, companies, routes and frequencies, has been become a phenomenon of huge importance and impact, described by many authors as a "revolution" of the airline industry. In this situation, the model has started a policy of change (either by extending existing airports, or by new establishments) to take advantage of the potentials that these infrastructures may offer in places where they are settled. The novelty lies in the new management model, which began in the new Spanish airports, that introduces private initiatives and in an effort to compete with the centralized monopoly involved AENA (Spanish Airports and Air Navigation) in the management and regulation of Spanish airports. In this paper, two main objectives are focused on from a geographical and inclusive perspective. First, analyzing risks, interests and conflicts generated around these new private airports among different actors involved in the construction and design of them (social, political, economic or territorial actors). Second, assessing the major gaps and weaknesses from governments that enable the implementation of such projects. In this sense, some questions are wondered: Why invest in private airports? Are they really necessary? Do they contribute truly to territorial development? Or, conversely, are they merely speculative operations carried out under a time of economic boom?


Laparoscopy has become commonplace in the management of genitourinary malignancies and, in some institutions, has largely replaced open surgery as the primary treatment method for renal tumors. Outside of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, other modalities, such as nephron-sparing partial nephrectomy and energy-based ablative procedures, have been extended to laparoscopy. In this article, we present our experience and review the literature regarding the utility of laparoscopy in the management of renal tumors.


We demonstrate that the interference minima in the linear molecular harmonic spectra can be accurately predicted by a modified two-center model. Based on systematically investigating the interference minima in the linear molecular harmonic spectra by the strong-field approximation (SFA), it is found that the locations of the harmonic minima are related not only to the nuclear distance between the two main atoms contributing to the harmonic generation, but also to the symmetry of the molecular orbital. Therefore, we modify the initial phase difference between the double wave sources in the two-center model, and predict the harmonic minimum positions consistent with those simulated by SFA.


This study examines the trends, characteristics, as well as contributory causes associated with run-off-road (ROR) and non-run-off-road (NROR) crashes. Likelihood ratios of these causes for ROR crashes with respect to NROR crashes are assessed using the Bayesian Statistical Approach. Nighttime, weekends, adverse weather, rural area, gravel and curved roads, higher speed limits, wet and icy road surface, and utility vehicles are found to be the common characteristics of ROR crashes. Fell asleep, ill or medical condition, driving under the influence, too fast for conditions, tires and wheels, strong winds, freezing rain, shoulders, ruts, holes, and bumps are found to have the greatest likelihood ratios and as such have a greater role in contributing to ROR crashes than NROR crashes.


We present a method for the segmentation of unstructured and unfiltered 3D data. The core of this approach is based on the construction of a local neighborhood structure and its recursive subdivision. 3D points will be organized into groups according to their spatial proximity, but also to their similarity in the attribute space. Thanks to this hierarchical approach, this method provides high flexibility to the final level of segmentation. We assume that the 3D image is composed of regions homogeneous according to some criterion (color, curvature, etc.), but no assumption about noise, nor spatial repartition/shape of the regions or points is made. Thus, this approach can be applied to a wide variety of segmentation problems, unlike most existing specialized methods. We demonstrate the performance of our algorithm with experimental results on real range images.


Race is an unscientific, societally constructed taxonomy that is based on an ideology that views some human population groups as inherently superior to others on the basis of external physical characteristics or geographic origin. The concept of race is socially meaningful but of limited biological significance. Racial or ethnic variations in health status result primarily from variations among races in exposure or vulnerability to behavioral, psychosocial, material, and environmental risk factors and resources. Additional data that capture the specific factors that contribute to group differences in disease must be collected. However, reductions in racial disparities in health will ultimately require change in the larger societal institutions and structures that determine exposure to pathogenic conditions. More attention needs to be given to the ways that racism, in its multiple forms, affects health status. Socio-economic status is a central determinant of health status, overlaps the concept of race, but is not equivalent to race. Inadequate attention has been given to the range of variation in social, cultural, and health characteristics within and between racial or ethnic minority populations. There is a growing emphasis, both within and without the Federal Government, on the collection of racial or ethnic identifiers in health data systems, but noncoverage of the Asian and Pacific Islander population, Native Americans, and subgroups of the Hispanic population is still a major problem. However, for all racial or ethnic groups, we need not only more data but better data. We must be more active in directly measuring the health-related aspects of belonging to these social categories.


Many fluid flows, such as bluff body wakes, exhibit stable self-sustained oscillations for a wide range of parameters. Here we study the effect of weak noise on such flows. In the presence of noise, a flow with self-sustained oscillations is characterized not only by its period, but also by the quality factor. This measure gives an estimation of the number of oscillations over which periodicity is maintained. Using a recent theory[P. Gaspard, J. Stat. Phys.106, 57 (2002)], we report on two observations. First, for weak noise the quality factor can be approximated using a linear Floquet analysis of the deterministic system; its size is inversely proportional to the inner-product between first direct and adjoint Floquet vectors. Second, the quality factor can readily be observed from the spectrum of evolution operators. This has consequences for Koopman/Dynamic mode decomposition analyses, which extract coherent structures associated with different frequencies from numerical or experimental flows. In particular, the presence of noise induces a damping on the eigenvalues, which increases quadratically with the frequency and linearly with the noise amplitude.


Why would the removal of authoritarian institutions in some developing countries lead to sustained socio-economic crisis, while others experience explosive growth despite 'persisting' informal, insecure and rent-seeking institutional arrangements? A key to solving this enigma lies in understanding China, a country where the paradoxes of development are highly visible. Peter Ho argues that understanding China's economy necessitates an analytical refocusing from Form to Function, detached from normative assumptions about institutional appearance and developing instead a 'Credibility Thesis'. In this reading, once institutions endogenously emerge and persist through actors' conflicting interactions, they are credible. Ho develops this idea theoretically, methodologically, and empirically by examining institutions around the sector that propelled, yet, simultaneously destabilizes development: real estate - land, housing and natural resources. Ho shows how this sector can further both our understanding of institutions and issues of capital, labor, infrastructure and technology.


The effect of external [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](o)) on Ca(2+) release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was examined with rested-state twitches in rat ventricular myocytes. The magnitude of transient rise of intracellular [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](i)) relative to the resting one, F/F(o), as measured with fluo-3, was 1.75+/-0.07 (mean+/-SEM, n=9) and 1.86+/-0.13 (n=9) at 0.3 and 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o), respectively; the difference was insignificant. The time from onset to peak and the rate of rise of the [Ca(2+)](i) transient were 0.107+/-0.017 s (n=9) and 18.8+/-3.38 F/F(o)/s, respectively, at 0.3 mM [Ca(2+)](o), they were 0.064+/-0.005 s (n=9) and 31.1+/-0.03 F/F(o)/s, respectively, at 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o). The difference in the corresponding values at the two [Ca(2+)](o) was significant (t-test, p<0.05). The half decay time of the [Ca(2+)](i) transient was 0.217+/-0.016 s (n=8) at 0.3 mM [Ca(2+)](o) and was similar to the value of 0.230+/-0.022 s (n=8) at 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o), indicating that the rate of decrease of [Ca(2+)](i) is independent of the [Ca(2+)](o). The duration of action potential was similar at 0.3 and 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o) as examined with papillary muscle. The results suggest that a lowering of [Ca(2+)](o), i.e., reducing the Ca(2+) influx, slows the rate of Ca(2+) release from the SR fully loaded with Ca(2+) with little effect on the total amount of the Ca(2+) release. An instantaneous relationship between the [Ca(2+)](i) and the myocyte shortening at 0.3 and 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o) suggested that the time course of unloaded contraction is related not only to the magnitude, but also to the rate of rise of [Ca(2+)](i).


Network security and data security are the biggest concerns now a days. Every organization decides their future business process based on the past and day to day transactional data. This data may consist of consumer's confidential data, which needs to be kept secure. Also, the network connections when established with the external communication devices or entities, a care should be taken to authenticate these and block the unwanted access. This consists of identification of the malicious connection nodes and identification of normal connection nodes. For that, we use a continuous monitoring of the network input traffic to recognize the malicious connection request called as intrusion and this type of monitoring system is called as an Intrusion detection system (IDS). IDS helps us to protect our network and data from insecure and malicious network connections. Many such systems exists in the real time scenario, but they have critical issues of performance like accuracy and efficiency. These issues are addressed as a part of this research work of IDS using machine learning techniques and HDFS. The TP-IDS is designed in two phases for increasing accuracy. In phase I of TP-IDS, Support Vector Machine (SVM) and k Nearest Neighbor (kNN) are used. In phase II of TP-IDS, Decision Tree (DT) and Naïve Bayes (NB) are used, where phase II is the validation phase of the system for increasing accuracy. Also, both the phases are having Hadoop distributed file system underlying data storage and processing architecture, which allows parallel processing to increase the speed of the system and hence achieve the efficiency in TP-IDS.


This study quantitatively synthesized the literature on the effects of social context (i.e., small group versus individual) when learning with computer technology (CT) on cognitive, process, and affective outcomes. In total, 404 independent findings were extracted from 103 studies involving kindergarten to adult learners. The results indicate that, on average, small group learning had small to moderate positive effects ( p < .05) on group task performance d + = +0.39), individual achievement ( d + = +0.16), and several other outcomes. No significant social context differences were found on amount of task attempted, academic self-concept, and attitudes toward computers, subject, and teachers. Significant heterogeneity ( p < .05), however, was found for several of the outcomes analyzed. Study features analyses were, therefore, performed first univariately and then in multiple weighted least squares regressions to account for the variability in the findings. In the group task performance outcome, type of tasks, feedback, and presence of others accounted for the significant variability in the findings. When tasks involved factual learning, the effects were consistently positive. When tasks involved more complex problem solving, the superiority of group performance over individual performance was stronger when programs provided no or minimal feedback and when no other peers were working close by. Different from the results on group task performance, the study features that accounted for the significant variability on individual achievement include group work experience or instruction, group size, subject, type of programs, gender, and relative ability. Small group learning with CT was more effective when: (a) students had experience or specific instruction for effective group learning than when no such experience or instruction was reported; (b) working in pairs than in 3-5 member groups; (c) working with tutorial or drill-and-practice programs than with exploratory or tool programs; (d) learning social sciences or computer skills than mathematics, science, reading, and language arts; (e) students were female than male; and (f) students were of relatively low or high ability rather than medium ability. When all the positive study features were in place, the social context effect was d + = +0.95. When none of the positive study features were in place, the social context effect was d + = -0.22. These results and others suggest that social context plays an important role in student learning with CT. However, the role of social context differs between group task performance and individual achievement. While the former is a result of distributed cognition, the latter relies on whether each learner is actively involved in constructing his/her individual knowledge and whether group members assist each other in doing so


The know your customer or know your client (KYC) is a guideline for the banking system to validate a customer using identity, appropriateness, risk assessment in establishing a banking relationship. With the growing concern of security, the KYC process is complex and involves a high cost for completing for a single customer. In this work, we propose an economical, swift, secure, and transparent platform for KYC document verification for the Banking system through InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) and blockchain technology. The proposed system allows a customer to open an account at one Bank, complete the KYC process there, and generate a hash value using the IPFS network and share it using the blockchain technique. Upon receiving the private key, any Bank/financial organization can retrieve, store customer data (i.e., KYC) securely using IPFS network if the customer wishes to open another account in that Bank/financial organization. The proposed system can save time, money, and repetitive work during the KYC process when someone tries to open an account at multiple Banks.


This paper proposes a multi-objective evolution strategy (ES) hybridized with a k-means algorithm to address a data clustering problem whose objective is minimizing both clustering error and cluster number. Contrary to the conventional data clustering problem with a predetermined number of clusters, the bi-objective problem considered in this study has a set of clustering solutions whose cluster numbers are different from one another. This enables to secure the best clustering result that fits specific needs without restricting the cluster number. To find the solution set, the hybrid ES evolves a population of solution candidates each of which represents a variable number of cluster centroids. While evolving the population, special ES operators dedicated to the bi-objective clustering problem are used. Whenever the hybrid ES creates a new set of cluster centroids, it is fine-tuned by the k-means algorithm. The experiment results show that the hybrid ES outperforms the conventional ES and KMA.


We treated 27 cases of arterial thromboembolism, including nine thrombosed grafts, with intra-arterial (IA) streptokinase. Complete lysis without significant residual lesions was achieved in eight (30%) of the cases, and partial lysis with sustained improvement was achieved in an additional six cases (22%). Partial lysis revealing inaccessible residual disease in runoff vessels occurred in four (15%) of the cases, and nine (33%) were primary failures. Surgery was completely avoided in 11 (41%) of the patients, lesser amputations were possible in three (11%), and 18 (67%) avoided major amputation. Grafts lysed faster (35 v 62 hours) and more frequently (seven [78%] of nine v 11 [61%] of 18) than native vessels, but had a higher rethrombosis rate (four [71%] of seven v two [11%] of 11) and a lower late patency rate (two [22%] of nine v nine [50%] of 18). Significant bleeding occurred in one (3.7%) of the patients, and major thromboembolic complications occurred in four (13.8%). None occurred in those treated with concomitant heparin sodium. Better patency and fewer complications were also observed in limbs that were not acutely threatened, when IA streptokinase infusion was completed within 48 hours, and when the occluded segment and runoff vessels were rendered widely patent by IA streptokinase, with the aid of balloon angioplasty when necessary (five [36%] of 14).


The main purpose of this paper is to determine the competency level of nurses in Region I, Philippines as perceived by immediate superiors, patients, and themselves. Mixed-method was employed in this research. There were 58 nurses, 30 immediate superiors, and 4 informant patients included in this study. Four hospitals in Region I were randomly selected as the locale of the study. The study found out that most respondents are young, female, Roman Catholic, bachelors degree only, average board passers, and beginner in the profession. The level of competencies of nurses is competent (not excellent). Smiling, health education, and more patient contact need strengthening. Furthermore, educational attainment might result to the improvement of core competencies. Finally, this study found out strong interdependence between the core competencies safe and quality nursing care and ethico-moral responsibility as perceived by both the nurses and immediate superiors. Dichotomized relationship was found on the rest of the competencies.


Systemic Candida infections are usually encountered as opportunistic infections in a setting of immunologic depression. Sepsis or arthritis due to Candida is not expected in healthy people. Epstein‐Barr virus may infect B cells, but does not cause immunosuppression of any clinical significance. As far as we know, invasive non‐albicans Candida infection complicating Epstein‐Barr virus infection has not been reported in previously healthy children. In this report, two previously healthy children, one with sepsis due to Candida species and the other sepsis and arthritis due to Candida parapsilosis are described. Both patients were male and were aged 2 and 9 y. The diagnosis was confirmed by culture. Both children also had coincidental acute Epstein‐Barr virus infection, confirmed by Epstein‐Barr virus viral capside antigen‐IgM. They were both cured with fluconazole given for 21 days and 48 days, respectively.


. Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a paradigm that offers an alternative communication channel between neural activity generated in the brain and the user's external environment. This paper investigates detection of intention of movement from surface EEG during actual and imagination of movement which is essential for developing non-invasive BCI system for neuro-impaired patients. EEG signal was recorded from 11 subjects while imagining and performing right wrist movement in multiple directions using 28 electrodes based on international 10-20 standard electrode placement locations. The recorded EEG signal later was filtered and pre-processed by spatial filter namely; Common average reference (CAR) and Laplacian (LAP) filter. Features were extracted from the filtered signal using ERSP and power spectrum and classified by k -nearest neighbour ( k -NN) and quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) classifiers. The classification results show that LAP filter has outperformed CAR with respect to classification. Classification accuracy ranged from 63.33% to 100% for detection of imagination of movement and 60% to 96.67% for detection of intention of actual movement. In both of detection of imagination and intention of movement k-NN classifier gave better result compared to QDA classifier.


Two new, simple and rapid methods are reported for the accurate and precision spectrophotometric determination of copper (II) using flow injection analysis (FIA) and sequential analysis (SIA). Glycine has been used for determination of copper (II), Various parameters, physical and chemical, affecting the determination have been investigated such as flow rate, reaction coil, volume of reagent (glycine), volume of sample, pH and concentration of glycine. The calibration curve was prepared and the dispersion coefficient, reproducibility, interferences and application were studied. Two methods, flow injection and sequential injection analysis were compared for determination of copper (II) by glycine spectrophotommetrically at 650 nm. The linear range was (1-170 mg/L), (0.01-110 mg/L) at sampling rate of 120, 100 sample per hour, the detection limits (0.1 mg/L), (0.01 mg/L) for FIA and SIA, respectively. Relative standard deviations for (10 mg/L), n = 3 for both methods were found (0.85% for FIA and 0.00% for SIA). Dispersion coefficient was also measured for the two methods


Polysaccharide was extracted from Wrightia tinctoria R.Br. (Roxb.) seeds with water and precipitated with ethanol then hydrolysed by sulphuric acid. After analysis with Gas Liquid Chromatography, Column and Paper chromatographic analysis of hydrolysate was to be composed of D-galactose and D-mannose in the molar ratio of 1:3. Studies of methylation of polysaccharide by Haworth's, Hakomari's and Purdie's method and its IRspectroscopy and 1H and 13NMR Spectroscopy indicated that the polysaccharide was a galactomannan with a chain of D-mannopyranose and D-galactopyranose residue linked β-type with (1→4), which carried alternatively α-type with (1→6)-D-galactopyranose residue. Methylated galactomannan on acid hydrolysis (H2SO4) gave important medicinal chemicals like methyl sugars as: 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methyl-D-galactose; 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-D-galactose; 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-D-mannose and 2,3-di-O-methyl-D-mannose in 1:1:5:1 molar ratio. On the basis of above finding methylation results a tentative polysaccharide structure has been proposed for Wrightia tinctoria R.Br. (Roxb.) seeds.


Understanding the complex growth and metabolic dynamics in microorganisms requires advanced kinetic models containing both metabolic reactions and enzymatic regulation to predict phenotypic behaviors under different conditions and perturbations. Most current kinetic models lack gene expression dynamics and are separately calibrated to distinct media, which consequently makes them unable to account for genetic perturbations or multiple substrates. This challenge limits our ability to gain a comprehensive understanding of microbial processes towards advanced metabolic optimizations that are desired for many biotechnology applications. Here, we present an integrated computational and experimental approach for the development and optimization of mechanistic kinetic models for microbial growth and metabolic and enzymatic dynamics. Our approach integrates growth dynamics, gene expression, protein secretion, and gene‐deletion phenotypes. We applied this methodology to build a dynamic model of the growth kinetics in batch culture of the bacterium Cellvibrio japonicus grown using either cellobiose or glucose media. The model parameters were inferred from an experimental data set using an evolutionary computation method. The resulting model was able to explain the growth dynamics of C. japonicus using either cellobiose or glucose media and was also able to accurately predict the metabolite concentrations in the wild‐type strain as well as in β‐glucosidase gene deletion mutant strains. We validated the model by correctly predicting the non‐diauxic growth and metabolite consumptions of the wild‐type strain in a mixed medium containing both cellobiose and glucose, made further predictions of mutant strains growth phenotypes when using cellobiose and glucose media, and demonstrated the utility of the model for designing industrially‐useful strains. Importantly, the model is able to explain the role of the different β‐glucosidases and their behavior under genetic perturbations. This integrated approach can be extended to other metabolic pathways to produce mechanistic models for the comprehensive understanding of enzymatic functions in multiple substrates.


Background
In this study, we aimed to present our mid-term results of basilic vein transposition in the forearm to create an arteriovenous fistula.

Methods
Between January 2015 and October 2017, a total of 21 patients (13 males, 8 females; mean age 54.2±11.3 years; range, 32 to 74 years) with an adequate basilic vein and radial arterial systems who underwent basilic vein transposition in the forearm were retrospectively analyzed. All operations were performed under local anesthesia and mild sedation. The basilic vein was harvested using a single incision from elbow joint to wrist as an in situ vein graft. If the harvested basilic vein did not extend easily to the radial artery in the wrist region, the saphenous vein was harvested to extend arteriovenous fistula tract.

Results
The mean follow-up was 25.3±9.8 (range, 2 to 32) months. All patients underwent arteriovenous access surgery using transposed basilic vein in the forearm. In all patients, except for two, transposed basilic vein in the forearm stayed patent during follow-up with a patency rate of 90.5%. The mean fistula maturation time was 45.2±10.7 (range, 28 to 59) days.

Conclusion
If cephalic vein diameters are too small for arteriovenous fistula creation, basilic vein system in the medial surface of the forearm may be considered a favorable option.


Abstract : Report identifies data elements of a generic nature for an armored vehicle (main battle tank), which cover critical human factors engineering interests and parameters regarding the tank. Report also sets out a methodology for collecting or obtaining the identified data elements. In volume II, III, and IV are respectively reported collected human factors data elements for three tanks, are follows: British Centurion, British Chieftain, and French AMX 13. (Author)


In this paper, we investigate how to distribute agents of different types in heterogeneous multiagent systems. Heterogeneity can for instance be related to various resources and capabilities agents may have. We insist that every agent can find all different resources available in the network in its closed neighborhood. The total number of different resources that can be accommodated within a system under this setting depends on the underlying graph structure of the network. This paper provides an analysis of the assignment of multiple resources to nodes and the effect of these assignments on the overall heterogeneity of a network. We extend our analysis to proximity graphs, a widely used interaction model in multi agent and wireless systems. In addition, we perform qualitative and quantitative studies regarding the roles of individual agents and their interactions in such heterogeneous networks.


Arsenic is found to exist within the shallow zones of groundwater in many countries and a large number of drinking water treatment units have been installed to combat this arsenic poisoning. Microbial activity can greatly affect the mobilization of arsenic under anaerobic conditions when coupled with the oxidation of organic matter. In this study, the bioleaching of arsenic in response to organic matter inclusion in a drinking water treatment process has been elucidated. The decomposition of organic matter due to the microbial action has led to an anaerobic condition within the accumulated sludge in the treatment unit and hence caused the bioleaching of arsenic, above 130 μg/L, with the effluent water. Nevertheless, the biofilm structure, related to the oxygen penetration, had significant influence on the bioleaching of arsenic even in the circumferential aerobic condition of the biofilm. For a biofilm thickness around 400 μm, an anaerobic bottom part was noticed and hence a clear step-up concentration of arsenic was observed in the associated bulk liquid. This study suggests that organic matter would have a sufficiently important influence on the microbiological transformation of arsenic to warrant its consideration in designing safe remediation strategies in the context of arsenic removal processes for drinking water.


The paper proposes experimental method to characterize the Magnetorheological (MR) damper for realization of the suspension control for multi-axle military vehicle. An ac-curate model of MR damper based on the laws of physics to be embedded in real time controller for suspension system increases the computational load and implementation intricacies attracting higher costs and attendant issues. This paper presents a novel practical based approach to characterize MR dampers using simple experimental set up which, additionally, with the help of simulation technique, aids to assess the dynamic range of MR damper for various parameters of suspension system for vibration control in respect of multi-axle vehicle vehicles. The paper reports experimental investigation for characterization of MR damper through quarter car model. Equivalent damping coefficient is estimated using work diagrams. The governing equations of a quarter car model are formulated analytically and the damping coefficients obtained by experimental investigation have been used for simulation study. Performance analysis in terms of body acceleration, amplitude gain, suspension working space and normalized tyre forces has been carried out. The analysis reveals that with variation of current, there is effective reduction in amplification of the sprung mass displacement at the sprung mass fundamental frequency and improvement in ride comfort. Proposed approach is helpful to achieve better controllability of the MR damper without re-lying on the software based techniques for accounting the behaviour of MR fluid. The method finds practical application for implementation in military multi-axle vehicles.


A multitude of approaches, methodologies and metrics exist for evaluating the performance of technologies like machine translation, speech recognition and information extraction. While metrics vary widely in their assumptions about what is being tested and how it should be measured, most technology evaluations rely crucially on a carefully constructed test data set that is both accurate and fully expressive of the phenomena being evaluated. Within this context, this paper explores some of the challenges of creating reference data for technology evaluations, highlighting many of the decisions and judgments that must be made with regard to data selection, difficulty, annotation, and quality. We discuss not only the fully articulated expectations for test data, but also the hidden assumptions and implicit requirements that affect test set creation. We use the GALE Machine Translation task as a case study in discussing these issues, occasionally drawing examples from other evaluations to illustrate various aspects of the problem.