Objectives: To investigate the actions of nutraceuticals on key macrophage processes associated with atherosclerosis. Background: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disorder of the vasculature orchestrated by the action of cytokines. Macrophages play a pivotal role in atherosclerosis and represent promising therapeutic targets. Current therapies against atherosclerosis are associated with substantial residual risk together with other issues such as adverse side effects. In addition, there have been numerous disappointments on many pharmaceutical agents identified from drug discovery programs. This has initiated interest in nutraceuticals as preventative or therapeutic agents in atherosclerosis but requires an in-depth understanding of their actions. The purpose of this study was to delineate the effects of nutraceuticals on key macrophage processes associated with atherosclerosis together with the molecular mechanisms underlying their actions.

Methods: The studies used a combination of macrophage cell lines and primary cultures. Gene expression was monitored by real time quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. The production of reactive oxygen species was determined using a kit from Abcam. Foam cell formation was monitored by uptake of fluorescently labeled modified LDL, intracellular lipid profile and cholesterol efflux. Inflammasome activation was evaluated by following the release of interleukin (IL)-1beta. Cell viability was assessed by release of lactate dehydrogenase. Results: The studies focused on key components in olive oil and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. These attenuated the expression of key markers of inflammation induced by several pro-atherogenic cytokines, the uptake of modified LDL, macropinocytosis and foam cell formation in macrophages. In addition, they stimulated macrophage cholesterol efflux. A differential effect was observed for other parameters such as production of reactive oxygen species and production of IL-1beta via inflammasome activation. The mechanisms underlying such actions will be presented. Conclusions: The studies provide novel insights into the actions of nutraceuticals on key macrophage pprocesses associated with atherosclerosisroces


Background and aims: Following ileocolonic resection for Crohn's disease (CD), early endoscopic recurrence predicts recurrence of symptoms. The aim of the study was to compare ileocolonoscopy and wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) for the detection of postoperative recurrence in CD. Methods: WCE and ileocolonoscopy were performed within six months following surgery in 32 prospectively enrolled patients. Two independent observers interpreted the results of WCE. Recurrence in the neoterminal ileum was defined by a Rutgeerts score ⩾1. When observers at WCE did not concur, WCE results were considered as either true negative or true positive and sensitivity and specificity were calculated according to both assumptions. Results: Recurrence occurred in 21 patients (68%) and was detected by ileocolonoscopy in 19 patients. Sensitivity was 90% and specificity 100%. Sensitivity of WCE was 62% and 76% and specificity was 100% and 90%, respectively, depending on assumptions. There was a correlation between the severity of the lesions measured by both methods (p<0.05). Lesions located outside the scope of conventional endoscopy were detected by WCE in two thirds of patients with excellent interobserver agreement (kappa >0.9) for all lesions with the exception of ulceration (kappa = 0.7). Conclusions: The sensitivity of WCE in detecting recurrence in the neoterminal ileum was inferior to that of ileocolonoscopy. In contrast, WCE detected lesions outside the scope of ileocolonoscopy in more than two thirds of patients. Additional follow up studies are needed to assess the clinical relevance of such lesions. At the present time, it seems that WCE cannot systematically replace ileocolonoscopy in the regular management of patients after surgery.


The mechanism underlying trans-inactivation associated with dominant position effect variegation (PEV) of the Drosophila melanogaster brown gene has been addressed by a comparison with its D. virilis homologue. This comparison revealed: 86% identity between conceptual translation products of the brown gene from these two species, functional homology, as the D. virilis gene rescues a D. melanogaster null brown mutation, and conservation of the sequences required for trans-inactivation, as the D. virilis gene in D. melanogaster is subject to dominant PEV. An extended region of sequence similarity upstream of the open reading frame is observed. As the D. virilis homologue is functionally interchangeable with the D. melanogaster gene, these genes must share regulatory sequences as well as protein coding homology. These results support a model in which trans-inactivation is mediated by a heterochromatin-sensitive transcription factor.


The objective of this study was to identify the lifestyle profile of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a specialized out-patient unit in the municipality of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and to compare lifestyle profiles with the social-demographic characteristics of these people. The instrument Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP I) was applied in 22 people with CVD that were followed up in that out-patient unit. It was verified that people with CVD presented worse profile in the exercise domain (average 2.18) and better profile in the selffulfillment domain (average 3.26). Obtained results provided information to follow up patients during Nursing Consultation.


ABSTRACT This study systematically assesses the process mining scenario from 2005 to 2014. The analysis of 705 papers evidenced 'discovery' (71%) as the main type of process mining addressed and 'categorical prediction' (25%) as the main mining task solved. The most applied traditional technique is the 'graph structure-based' ones (38%). Specifically concerning computational intelligence and machine learning techniques, we concluded that little relevance has been given to them. The most applied are 'evolutionary computation' (9%) and 'decision tree' (6%), respectively. Process mining challenges, such as balancing among robustness, simplicity, accuracy and generalization, could benefit from a larger use of such techniques.


In this thesis, I propose foreign language education as one approach for fostering the development of a cosmopolitan spirit in students which, I believe, is a practical worldview in light of the complex realities brought about by an increasingly mobile and interconnected world. Once I provide rationale for the promotion of cosmopolitanism, I engage in a three-fold discussion on the relationship between the place and purpose of foreign language education, of attitude in language development, and cosmopolitanism. Specifically, I first explore the place and purpose of foreign language education in secondary schooling within the past 100 years in order to establish background necessary to understand the trajectory of language instruction. The following section will be an exploration of the purpose and importance of language attitudes as they relate to language learning. It is appropriate to analyze attitudes as they have repeatedly been shown to exist in direct relationship with classroom achievement, language acquisition and retention. Thirdly, I introduce cosmopolitan philosophy and provide rationale for promoting this worldview. Having established the linkage between cosmopolitanism and language proficiency, I argue that in order for individuals to have positive interactions with those from other cultures, to overcome negative attitudes towards those who are different from themselves, educators can utilize the space provided in a foreign language classroom to instill cosmopolitan values, imbed in students a sense of shared identity and common ground with those outside national borders, and promote the sense that we have a shared future together. By tying together all three pillars of discussion, I establish that the foreign language classroom is naturally a catalyst for a cosmopolitan conversation – it provides space in each educational day for students to speak, engage, and explore different languages and cultures.


The present study investigates the effect of anistropic surface roughness on flow losses using Large-Eddy-Simulation (LES) and compares the results to a model based on the equivalent sand grain roughness. For this comparison models of surface roughness are built from measurements of real roughness to isolate the effect of anisotropy for which two orthogonal main flow directions with respect to the anisotropy of the surface are investigated. For these two directions an equivalent sand grain roughness height is calculated using the roughness element shape and density parameter. The shift of the velocity distribution is then predicted by using a roughness function and compared with the results of the LES. Furthermore, the rough and smooth-wall velocity distributions are compared with each other in velocity defect form to check the Reynolds number similarity hypothesis. Both comparisons show a good agreement thus con- firming with LES that the simple model of equivalent sand grain roughness is an appropriate method to predict the influence of anisotropic surface roughness on skin friction.


We describe a method to produce a network where current methods such as DeepFool have great difficulty producing adversarial samples. Our construction suggests some insights into how deep networks work. We provide a reasonable analyses that our construction is difficult to defeat, and show experimentally that our method is hard to defeat with both Type I and Type II attacks using several standard networks and datasets. This SafetyNet architecture is used to an important and novel application SceneProof, which can reliably detect whether an image is a picture of a real scene or not. SceneProof applies to images captured with depth maps (RGBD images) and checks if a pair of image and depth map is consistent. It relies on the relative difficulty of producing naturalistic depth maps for images in post processing. We demonstrate that our SafetyNet is robust to adversarial examples built from currently known attacking approaches.


Experimental efforts of the last decades have been unsuccessful in detecting WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) in the 10-to-10$^4$ GeV/$c^2$ range, thus motivating the search for lighter dark matter. The DAMIC (DArk Matter In CCDs) at SNOLAB experiment aims for direct detection of light dark matter particles ($m_\chi<$ 10 GeV/$c^2$) by means of CCDs (Charge-Coupled Devices). Fully-depleted 675 $\mu$m-thick CCDs are used to such end. The optimized readout noise and operation at cryogenic temperatures allow for a detection threshold of 50 eV$_{\text{ee}}$ electron-equivalent energy. Focusing on nuclear and electronic scattering as potential detection processes, DAMIC has so far set competitive constraints on the detection of low mass WIMPs and hidden-sector particles. In this work, an 11 kg-day exposure dataset is exploited to search for light WIMPs by building the first comprehensive radioactive background model for CCDs. Different background sources are discriminated making conjoint use of the spatial distribution and energy of ionization events, thereby constraining the amount of contaminants such as tritium from silicon cosmogenic activation and surface lead-210 from radon plate-out. Despite a conspicuous, statistically-significant excess of events below 200 eV$_{\text{ee}}$, this analysis places the strongest exclusion limit on the WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section with a silicon target for 1 GeV $


Fear of disease progression is one of the most common sources of psychological distress in patients suffering from chronic diseases. Fear of disease progression is a situationspecific and fully discernible (reportable) emotion based on personal experience of a life-threatening disease. This article presents the results of a study of cancer patients' coping behavior according to the levels of fear of disease progression experienced. The presence of pronounced fear of disease progression reflects a negative cognitive-affective response to one's expectations for one's own future; this response is related to a decrease in adaptive capacity. To determine the particular characteristics of coping strategies and coping resources in women with reproductive-system cancers according to the level of fear of disease progression. A total of 177 women with reproductive-system cancers were examined, among them 59 with breast cancer and 118 with gynecological cancers. Women with reproductive-system cancers have varying sets of coping strategies and coping resources according to their level of fear of disease progression. For each of the differentiated groups, specific characteristics of the strategies of coping with difficult life situations are described, along with cognitive self-regulation strategies specific to the illness and to coping resources. The women exhibiting moderate fear of disease progression significantly more often adhered to problem-oriented strategies of coping with difficult life situations and illness and had an internal locus of control regarding treatment. Patients with a low level of fear of disease progression tended to use strategies of positive reinterpretation of difficult life situations and illness; an external locus of control regarding treatment prevailed in this group. Patients found to have a dysfunctional level of fear of disease progression displayed significantly higher rates of using cognitive-regulation strategies focused on negative aspects of illness, as well as strategies for avoiding difficult life situations. Fear of disease progression is a psychological problem in women with


Purpose: To compare the results of our deformable image registration algorithm inside and outside the lungs for our novel fast 4DCT technique in order to quantify the sliding motion between the lung and other organs in the thorax. Methods: : Data was acquired with a fast helical protocol. We used a 64‐slice CT scanner. 25 low dose whole‐lung scans were obtained in alternating directions for five patients. Images were obtained continuously under free breathing conditions. A pneumatic bellows was placed around the abdomen as a respiratory surrogate. Each image slice was assigned a unique bellows voltage signal. The lungs were segmented in each scan and, all scans were deformably registered, and were then deformed to the first scan geometry. The motion model was fit to the breathing surrogate to obtain the model parameters at each voxel inside the lung. Separately, all tissue outside the lungs was segmented, registered and fit to the motion model. Separate segmentation and registration of tissues inside and outside the lung boundary is necessary to properly treat the sliding motion that occurs at the interface of lung and chest wall. The object of this study was to determine if the separately treated inside and outside regions could be matched at the lung boundary. Results: Discontinuity in the superior‐inferior motion vectors was observed at the edges of the lungs, as expected, due to shear motion. Motion vectors in the left‐right and anterior‐posterior directions were continuous across the lung border, due to the lack of shear motion in those directions. Two masks representing the lung surface were deformed separately using the interior and the exterior motion models and found to be consistent. Conclusion: : We obtain a validation of the lung motion model and demonstrated that it can be used to reproduce accurate images for tissues outside the lung NIH grant number: ROI CA096679


Thermomechnical processing and controlled rolling of microalloyed steel sheets are affected by several factors according to the final properties of product. To create the high mechanical properties, a uniform and fine-grain structure is necessary in hot rolled final products. To produce such microstructures, every stage of the thermomechanical processing of the steel rolling has to be carefully controlled. Hence, first step is grain coarsening control that it usually occurs during reheating for slab. For this purpose, seven different reheating temperatures between 1000 to 1300 °C with 50 °C increments were chosen in this investigation for soaking treatment. By soaking the specimens in furnace, the grain coarsening temperature (Tgc) is obtained about 1250 °C. Moreover, it is observed that increasing the reheating temperatures causes more decreasing of the precipitates percentage. Hence, for these kinds of steels, the reheating temperature 1200 to 1250 °C is recommended.


Abstract. Mesoscale dynamical refinements of global climate models or atmospheric reanalysis have shown their potential to resolve intricate atmospheric processes, their land surface interactions, and subsequently, realistic distribution of climatic fields in complex terrains. Given that such potential is yet to be explored within the central Himalayan region of Nepal, we investigate the skill of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with different spatial resolutions in reproducing the spatial, seasonal, and diurnal characteristics of the near-surface air temperature and precipitation as well as the spatial shifts in the diurnal monsoonal precipitation peak over the Khumbu (Everest), Rolwaling, and adjacent southern areas. Therefore, the ERA-Interim (0.75°) reanalysis has been dynamically refined to 25, 5, and 1 km (D1, D2, and D3) for one complete hydrological year (October 2014–September 2015), using the one-way nested WRF model run with mild nudging and parameterized convection for the outer but explicitly resolved convection for the inner domains. Our results suggest that D3 realistically reproduces the monsoonal precipitation, as compared to its underestimation by D1 but overestimation by D2. All three resolutions, however, overestimate precipitation from the westerly disturbances, owing to simulating anomalously higher intensity of few intermittent events. Temperatures are generally reproduced well by all resolutions; however, winter and pre-monsoon seasons feature a high cold bias for high elevations while lower elevations show a simultaneous warm bias. Unlike higher resolutions, D1 fails to realistically reproduce the regional-scale nocturnal monsoonal peak precipitation observed in the Himalayan foothills and its diurnal shift towards high elevations, whereas D2 resolves these characteristics but exhibits a limited skill in reproducing such a peak on the river valley scale due to the limited representation of the narrow valleys at 5 km resolution. Nonetheless, featuring a substantial skill over D1 and D2, D3 simulates almost realistic shapes of the seasonal and diurnal precipitation and the peak timings even on valley scales. These findings clearly suggest an added value of the convective-scale resolutions in realistically resolving the topoclimates over the central Himalayas, which in turn allows simulating their interactions with the synoptic-scale weather systems prevailing over high Asia.


We consider the problem of detecting an elevated mean on an interval with unknown location and length in the univariate Gaussian sequence model. Recent results have shown that using scale‐dependent critical values for the scan statistic allows to attain asymptotically optimal detection simultaneously for all signal lengths, thereby improving on the traditional scan, but this procedure has been criticised for losing too much power for short signals. We explain this discrepancy by showing that these asymptotic optimality results will necessarily be too imprecise to discern the performance of scan statistics in a practically relevant way, even in a large sample context. Instead, we propose to assess the performance with a new finite sample criterion. We then present three calibrations for scan statistics that perform well across a range of relevant signal lengths: The first calibration uses a particular adjustment to the critical values and is therefore tailored to the Gaussian case. The second calibration uses a scale‐dependent adjustment to the significance levels rather than to the critical values and this adjustment is therefore applicable to arbitrary known null distributions. The third calibration restricts the scan to a particular sparse subset of the scan windows and then applies a weighted Bonferroni adjustment to the corresponding test statistics. This Bonferroni scan is also applicable to arbitrary null distributions and in addition is very simple to implement. We show how to apply these calibrations for scanning in a number of distributional settings: for normal observations with an unknown baseline and a known or unknown constant variance, for observations from a natural exponential family, for potentially heteroscadastic observations from a symmetric density by employing self‐normalisation in a novel way, and for exchangeable observations using tests based on permutations, ranks or signs.


The value of CT for demonstrating iliac and retroperitoneal lymph nodes involved by ovarian carcinoma was examined following primary or secondary laparotomy in 62 patients. CT had an accuracy of 74%, sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 67%; there were false negatives in 20% and false positives in 33%. Local tumours of grade I and II, with no evidence of retroperitoneal metastases and normal palpation, must have intra-operative lymph node biopsies in order to exclude micrometastases. Under these circumstances, pre-operative lymphography need not be carried out.


THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS OF THREE POTENTIALLY ZOONOTIC VIRUSES IN PIGS AND PORK IN CANADA Barbara J. Wilhelm Advisor: Dr. Scott A. McEwen University of Guelph, 2016 Co-Advisor: Dr. Andrijana Rajić The research described in this thesis aims to describe the potential public health risks posed by three emerging and potentially zoonotic viruses (hepatitis E virus (HEV), Norovirus (NoV), and rotavirus (RV) in pigs and pork in Canada. This was investigated via a scoping review, surveys of Canadian pigs and retail pork, and compilation of a risk profile for HEV, the virus for which the resulting dataset was most complete. A scoping review was conducted to summarize the relevant published literature. A small number of published zoonotic cases (HEV n=3, NoV = 0, RV = 40 (zoonoses = 3; human-animal reassortants = 37)) were categorized as 'likely' zoonoses. A survey of Canadian retail pork chops and pork livers was conducted using the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) sampling platform. Overall, HEV prevalence on retail pork was comparable with other published reports. Prevalence of E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp. was significantly greater than HEV, NoV or RV on our retail pork samples. Sample type (pork chop vs. liver) was a significant predictor for HEV detection using exact logistic regression modeling. A survey of Canadian finisher pigs was conducted for detection of the three viruses of interest, using the CIPARS and FoodNet Canada on-farm sampling platforms. Seventy-two herds were sampled. HEV was detected in 30/88 farms (34.1% (95% CI 25.0%, 44.5%)); PEC in 18 (20.5% (95% CI 13.4%, 30.0%)), and RV in six farms (86.0% (CI 3.2%, 14.1%)). Viral prevalence varied with province and sampling platform. Requiring shower-in and providing boots for visitors were significant predictors (P < 0.05) in single fixed effect mixed logistic regression analysis for detection of HEV and PEC, respectively. Obtaining feeder pigs from multiple sources was consistently associated with greater odds of viral detection. A risk profile for HEV in pigs or pork in Canada was compiled. Risk categories (high/medium/low) for acquiring clinical Hepatitis E from exposure to pigs or pork were drafted, and the proportion of the Canadian population at high risk from either exposure is hypothesized to be relatively small.


Spatial data uncertainty models (SDUM) are necessary tools that quantify the reliability of results from geographical information system (GIS) applications. One technique used by SDUM is Monte Carlo simulation, a technique that quantifies spatial data and application uncertainty by determining the possible range of application results. A complete Monte Carlo SDUM for generalized continuous surfaces typically has three components: an error magnitude model, a spatial statistical model defining error shapes, and a heuristic that creates multiple realizations of error fields added to the generalized elevation map. This paper introduces a spatial statistical model that represents multiple statistics simultaneously and weighted against each other. This paper's case study builds a SDUM for a digital elevation model (DEM). The case study accounts for relevant shape patterns in elevation errors by reintroducing specific topological shapes, such as ridges and valleys, in appropriate localized positions. The spatial statistical model also minimizes topological artefacts, such as cells without outward drainage and inappropriate gradient distributions, which are frequent problems with random field-based SDUM. Multiple weighted spatial statistics enable two conflicting SDUM philosophies to co-exist. The two philosophies are 'errors are only measured from higher quality data' and 'SDUM need to model reality'. This article uses an automatic parameter fitting random field model to initialize Monte Carlo input realizations followed by an inter-map cell-swapping heuristic to adjust the realizations to fit multiple spatial statistics. The inter-map cell-swapping heuristic allows spatial data uncertainty modelers to choose the appropriate probability model and weighted multiple spatial statistics which best represent errors caused by map generalization. This article also presents a lag-based measure to better represent gradient within a SDUM. This article covers the inter-map cell-swapping heuristic as well as both probability and spatial statistical models in detail.


Smoking and environmental pollutants are one of the major risk factors associated with bladder cancer. It is reported that one-half of the bladder cancer cases are directly linked to smoking habits. Second hand smoke also known as passive smoke or environmental tobacco smoke has been also associated with bladder cancer. Till date no systemic study has been done to compare the molecular alterations between direct and passive form of cigarette smoke in bladder cells. Using cell line model we studied the direct and vapor effect (passive smoke) of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) in non-neoplastic bladder uroepithelial cells SV-HUC-1. We carried out microarray-based miRNA expression profiling of SV-HUC-1 cells chronically exposed to CSC and its vapor for 6 months compared to the parental cells. We identified downregulation of 28 miRNAs and upregulation of 12 miRNAs exclusively in vapor exposed cells, whereas 103 miRNAs were downregulated and 7 were upregulated exclusively in the cells directly treated with CSC. Further, miRNA-mRNA based pathway analysis led to the enrichment of distinct pathways in each condition. However, mRNA targets of differentially expressed miRNA from both conditions are associated with various biological processes involved in cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, actin cytoskeletal modelling and DNA damage response. This study reveals impact of CSC and its vapor on miRNA expression pattern in bladder epithelial cells. It provides mechanistic insights into miRNA expression changes that might be associated with oncogenic transformation of bladder epithelial cells.


Abstract Epoxy-cashew nut shell liquid (E-CNSL) composites are prepared by open resin moulding method with varying CNSL content (16 to 30 vol. %.). The tensile properties, hardness and impact strength of E-CNSL composites were investigated as per ASTM standards. It is found that the addition of the CNSL in epoxy increases the elongation at break and tensile strength. The 16 vol. % CNSL addition showed maximum tensile strength, and further increased CNSL deteriorates the tensile properties of the resultant composites. Further, hybrid composites are prepared by reinforcing crumb rubber (CR), short banana fibre (BF) and friction dust (FD) in cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) mixed epoxy. The samples were tested as per ASTM standards to investigate the basic mechanical properties. It is found that the hybrid composite made of 2.5 vol. % CR, 2.5 vol. % FD and 7.5 vol. % BF in epoxy with 16 vol. % of CNSL showed better properties. Further, the specific wear rate, coefficient of friction and rate of water intake is investigated for the hybrid composite and reported.


Introduction Median sternotomy is the preferred approach for open heart surgeries. The sternotomy incision is predominantly closed with either steel wire or polyester suture. The type of material used is primarily based on the surgeon's choice, and both materials achieve a good result. No prospective clinical study has been undertaken to evaluate differences in the incidence of wound infection and the degree of pain associated with both techniques. Patients and methods Our randomized controlled double-blind study included 200 adults undergoing single-valve replacement. The technique of surgery, apart from the material used for sternal closure, was the same in both groups. Postoperatively, patients were analyzed for wound infection and wound pain based on the ASEPSIS score and Numeric Pain Rating Score, respectively. Results The polyester suture group had a significantly higher mean ASEPSIS score, indicating a higher incidence of wound infection, and more late wound complications. The polyester suture group also had a significantly higher mean pain score. The steel wire group had significantly higher mediastinal drain output in the first 48 h after surgery. Conclusion The use of polyester suture for sternal closure in adult patients results in increased wound infection, wound pain, and late wound complications, but lower mediastinal drain output.


The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective role of leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Hepatoprotective activities of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of A. indica were examined against carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in mice using silymarin as control. Enzyme activities of Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (SGOT), Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) were analyzed. Phytochemical leaf extracts of A. indica exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity. Ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of A. indica exhibited moderate activity over carbon tetrachloride treated animals. Results confirm the traditional - ethnomedicinal use of A. indica as a potential source of hepatoprotective agent.


Contrast thermal effects in the sauna bath help increase orthostatic tolerance. This is associated with a lower increase of heart rate, an increase in pulse pressure and a smaller change in ECG and PCG in the standing position. It is recommended to use contrast thermal effects of the sauna bath to maintain and improve man's orthostatic tolerance.


The validity of self-report measures of subjective well-being (SWB) was examined and compared with non-self-report measures using a sample of 136 college students studied over the course of a semester. A principal axis factor analysis of self- and non-self-report SWB measures revealed a single unitary construct underlying the measures. Conventional single-item and multi-item self-report measures correlated highly with alternative measures, with theoretical correlates of SWB, and with a principal axis factor underlying five non-self-report measures of well-being. Comparisons of family versus friend informant reports demonstrated the considerable cross-situational consistency and temporal stability of SWB. Evidence of the discriminant validity of the measures was provided by low correlations of the various SWB measures with constructs theoretically unrelated to well-being. It was concluded that conventional self-report instruments validly measure the SWB construct, and that alternative, non-self-report measures are useful for providing a comprehensive theoretical account of happiness and life satisfaction.


Introduction Recent studies of public underground parking lots showed the influence of radon concentration and the probable discomfort caused by parking cars. Materials and Methods Radon concentration was measured in semi-closed public parking lots in the six governorates of Kuwait, using Durridge RAD7radon detector (USA). Results The peak radon concentration in the parking lots of Kuwait governorates was relatively higher during winter (63.15Bq/m3) compared to summer (41.73 Bq/m3). Radon in the evaluated parking lots revealed a mean annual absorbed dose (DRn: 0.02mSv/y) and annual effective dose (HE: 0.06mSv/y).  Conclusion This study validated the influence of relative humidity and temperature as the major components of discomfort index (DI). The mean annual absorbed and effective dose  of radon in the evaluated parking lots were found below the permissible limits. However, high radon DRn and HE were reported when the assessment included the parking lots, the surrounding residential apartments, and office premises. Furthermore, the time-series analysis indicated significant variations of the seasonal and site-wise distribution of radon concentrations in the indoor evaluated parking lots of the six Kuwait governorates


Despite evidence of the benefits to portfolio Sharpe ratio and variance, actual investor allocations to Trend Following strategies are typically 5% or less. Why is there such a significant discrepancy between the optimal allocation and actual allocation to Trend? We investigate known behavioral biases as a potential reason. While decision makers have other reasons to exclude Trend Following from their portfolios, in this paper, we explore loss aversion, recency bias, and the ambiguity effect as they pertain to Trend Following, and we call the combination of the three Trend Aversion. We quantify Trend Aversion and show that these biases are a viable explanation for suboptimal allocations to Trend. We demonstrate a direct connection between quantifications of known behavioral biases and current suboptimal allocations to Trend Following. Recognition of these relationships will help highlight the pitfalls of behavioral biases.


ABSTRACT In this issue of The Journal, the US Preventive Services Task Force presents the first in a series of background articles and recommendations for preventive measures that can be incorporated into personal health services.1 The periodic health examination has largely replaced the annual physical examination, and the changing patterns of morbidity and major risk factors call for more integration of clinical preventive services into office visits triggered by acute or chronic symptomatic disease.In the 1920s, the American Medical Association and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company first endorsed the annual physical examination as conferring long-term health benefits. Generations of physicians and patients came to regard the annual examination as the keystone of preventive medicine. In the 1970s, increasing cost consciousness, changing expectations of patients, and refined methods for studying the efficacy of diagnostic tests and maneuvers raised serious questions about the value of the annual checkup.2 Clinicians began


Chinese publishing science has its own theoretical origins and unique characteristics. Since 1970s, publishing as a science has grown up rapidly in China. This paper presents a structured overview of Chinese publishing research in its full historical depth and thematic breadth. It first introduces a brief history of publishing science in China, and then identifies the main characteristics and key areas of research. Consistent with the divide in social research, the debate between positivistic and naturalistic paradigms has also characterized the development of global publishing science. The interpretivist paradigm of Chinese publishing research leads to unique research subjects and methods. The subjects, on the one hand, are more focused on meta-theory. Theory building and integration has been the main goal in the past three decades. The methods, on the other hand, have been generally qualitative, including historical, interpretive, and critical analysis. Current key research areas include theoretical construction of publishing science, history of publishing, cultural studies of publishing, publishing economics, digital publishing and copyright. This paper also discusses the challenges facing publishing researchers in China and their possible solutions.


Purpose

The aim of this paper is to present a vision for university educator professional development, based on self-analysis of pedagogical styles and production of knowledge about the practices that promote education for sustainable development (ESD).

Design/methodology/approach

The "STSE" course is part of the department's Professional Development Program. The course aims to articulate the relationship between ESD processes and university educator training through reflection on their practices. To accomplish this objective, the course promotes interdisciplinary groups of educators from different backgrounds. These groups are encouraged to introspect regarding their pedagogical styles. A survey is applied to encourage self-analysis of the four pedagogical style dimensions.

Findings

University educators adopt their own pedagogical styles based on the evolution of their practices. This information is useful in generating education, formation and transformation of new professionals in their respective fields. This knowledge also raises questions about ESD, and the construction of processes, values and attitudes to aid this education.

Research limitations/implications

This paper only describes the characterization stage of the university educator pedagogical styles through practice-related self-analysis

Originality/value

This study builds pedagogical knowledge, promotes higher education transformation for sustainable development and strengthens the quality of university education.


Taking into account intersecting trends in political, academic, and popular engagements with environmental issues, this paper concerns the development of environmental humanities as an academic field of inquiry, specifically in this new era many are calling the Anthropocene. After a brief outline of the environmental humanities as a field, we delimit four problems that currently frame our relation to the environment, namely: alienation and intangibility; the post-political situation; negative framing of environmental change; and compartmentalization of "the environment" from other spheres of concern. Addressing these problems, we argue, is not possible without environmental humanities. Given that this field is not entirely new, our second objective is to propose specific shifts in the environmental humanities that could address the aforementioned problems. These include attention to environmental imaginaries; rethinking the "green" field to include feminist genealogies; enhanced transdisciplinarity and postdisciplinarity; and increasing "citizen humanities" efforts.


A novel gain-of-function mutation, R243Q, has been recently identified in the Candida elegans Gqalpha protein EGL-30. The position corresponding to Arg243 in EGL-30 is absolutely conserved among heterotrimeric G proteins. This mutation appears to be the first gain-of-function mutation in the switch III region of Galpha subunits. To investigate consequences of the R-->Q mutation we introduced the corresponding R238Q mutation into transducin-like Gtalpha* subunit. The mutant retained intact interactions with Gtbetagamma and rhodopsin but exhibited a twofold reduction in the kcat value for guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) hydrolysis. The GTPase activity of R238Q was not accelerated by the RGS domain of the visual GTPase-activating protein, RGS9-1. In addition, R238Q displayed a significant impairment in the effector function. Our data and the crystal structures of transducin suggest that the major reason for the reduced intrinsic GTPase activity of R238Q and the lack of RGS9 function is the break of the conserved ionic contact between Arg238 and Glu39, which apparently stabilizes the transitional state for GTP hydrolysis. We hypothesize that the R243Q mutation in EGL-30 severs the ionic interaction of Arg243 with Glu43, leading to a defective inactivation of the mutant by the C. elegans RGS protein EAT-16.


ABSTRACT A light sphagnum peat mix inoculated with Trichoderma hamatum 382 consistently provided a significant (P = 0.05) degree of protection against bacterial spot of tomato and its pathogen Xanthomonas euvesicatoria 110c compared with the control peat mix, even though this biocontrol agent did not colonize aboveground plant parts. To gain insight into the mechanism by which T. hamatum 382 induced resistance in tomato, high-density oligonucleotide microarrays were used to determine its effect on the expression pattern of 15,925 genes in leaves just before they were inoculated with the pathogen. T. hamatum 382 consistently modulated the expression of genes in tomato leaves. We identified 45 genes to be differentially expressed across the replicated treatments, and 41 of these genes could be assigned to at least one of seven functional categories. T. hamatum 382-induced genes have functions associated with biotic or abiotic stress, as well as RNA, DNA, and protein metabolism. Four extensin and extensin-like proteins were induced. However, besides pathogenesis-related protein 5, the main markers of systemic acquired resistance were not significantly induced. This work showed that T. hamatum 382 actively induces systemic changes in plant physiology and disease resistance through systemic modulation of the expression of stress and metabolism genes.


The Latarjet procedure represents a successful treatment option for patients with recurrent shoulder instability with glenoid bone loss, and its indications are expanding. One of the most important steps of the Latarjet procedure with respect to outcome is the positioning of the coracoid graft in both the oblique axial and sagittal planes. In the axial plane, a graft placed too medial can result in recurrent instability, whereas a graft placed too lateral can result in development of osteoarthritis. In the sagittal plane, the coracoid graft is ideally positioned in a subequatorial position to best restore stability as a graft positioned too inferior or too superior could result in recurrent instability. In this review, we discuss the outcomes of coracoid graft positioning with respect to surgical approach, including the open, mini-open, arthroscopically assisted, and all-arthroscopic approaches to the Latarjet procedure.


In this paper the influence of additional structural precaution is studied for an exceptional tunnel facing in extraordinarily difficult conditions. In the case considered here artificial roofing is created by a system of horizontally drilled reinforced piles, which are prepared before drilling current purchase in the frame of tunnel engineering. They are positioned at three height levels above the expected vault (calotte) of the future tunnel, but in the model only one level is assumed (the others are built up for the sake of safety). The influence of the roofing has been verified on two independent models (with and without roofing), treated both experimentally and numerically. Both physical scale models (experimental) and the numerical approach confirmed extremely high improvement of long-lasting stability of the underground work and settlement of the overburden. Using coupled modeling (experimental and numerical) enabled one to quantify the values of the necessary parameters. In numerical models the influence of pile roofing was measured in deformation and stress states of the rock mass. From the results obtained during numerical experiments with different types of roofing the deformation of the overburden was basically restricted. Depending on the material, the deformation dropped by as much as 95 percent in comparison to the non-reinforced case. In the paper the approach consisting of couple modeling – experimental and numerical – will be described. The experiments are prepared on scale models in stands (basins with glazed front sides and the length of 2–6 m), where physically equivalent materials simulate the real situation. Based on similarity rules very good agreement with reality is attained.


In this review, the neuropathogenesis of HIV dementia (HIV-D) is discussed in the context of the local epidemic. HIV-D continues to be prevalent in the era of highly active anti-retroviral therapy. HIV neuro-invasion into the central nervous system may result in the development of separate HIV genotypes in an individual through compartmentalisation. The blood brain barrier continues to limit penetration of anti-retroviral drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid. Individuals with active neuro-inflammation appear to respond well to HAART. In some cases low grade neuro-degeneration persists with consequent clinical deterioration. In South Africa, the emergence of a sub-epidemic of HIV-D is being driven by various factors, including the incomplete coverage of HAART to all who need it, the late stage presentation of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and a co-occurring methamphetamine epidemic. Differences in viral subtype do not appear to confer protection against HIV-D. Implications for PLWHA who are at risk for HIV-D in South Africa are explored, with a view to providing suggestions for improving practice and research into this area.


Targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics to cancer cells has the potential to yield high drug concentrations in cancer cells while minimizing any unwanted side effects. However, the development of multidrug resistance in cancer cells may impede the accumulation of chemotherapy drugs within these, decreasing its therapeutic efficacy. Downregulation of multidrug resistance-related proteins such as MRP1 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising approach in the reversal of drug resistance. The co-delivery of doxorubicin (Dox) and siRNA against MRP1 (siMRP1) by using nanoparticles comprised of biocompatible porous silicon (pSi) presents itself as a novel opportunity to utilize the biomaterial's high loading capacity and large accessible surface area. Additionally, to increase the selectivity and retention of the delivery vehicle at the tumor site, nanobodies were incorporated onto the nanoparticle surface via a polyethylene glycol (PEG) linker directed towards either the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or the prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA). The nanobody-displaying pSi nanoparticles (pSiNPs) demonstrated effective gene silencing, inhibiting MRP1 expression by 74 ± 6% and 74 ± 4% when incubated with EGFR-pSiNPs and PSMA-pSiNPs, respectively, in prostate cancer cells. The downregulation of MRP1 led to a further increase in cytotoxicity when both siRNA and Dox were delivered in conjunction in both cancer cell monocultures and spheroids when compared to free Dox or Dox and a scrambled sequence of siRNA. Altogether, nanobody-displaying pSiNPs are an effective carrier for the dual delivery of both siRNA and Dox for cancer treatment.


. This research study aims to investigate the mechanical and metallographical aspects of ultrasonic welding of Cu-Cu wires. Experimental trials have been conducted and observations have been recorded as a database that collates parametric, quality and strength aspects of various weldments. Destructive testing and metallurgical characterizations have been carried out to examine the strength and integrity of the weldment. The key focus of this research attempt is laid on determining and evaluating the factors that governs the strength of the weldment. Metallurgical characterizations reveal vital information on the weld integrity and the extent of grain distribution. Further, FEM is employed to understand the deformation and thermal aspects involved in Cu-Cu welding using ultrasonics. The numerical model may provide an insight into the thermal phenomenon governing the joining process and subsequently estimation of the impact. Response surface methodology is employed to identify the parametric interdependencies and subsequently determine the optimized range.


The triplet Markov field (TMF) model recently proposed is suitable for dealing with nonstationary synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image segmentation. In this letter, we propose a multiscale TMF model in wavelet domain, named as the wavelet-domain TMF (WTMF) model. In the WTMF model, a multiscale causal WTMF energy function is constructed to capture the intra- and interscale dependences in random fields (X, U). Moreover, multiscale likelihoods of the WTMF model are derived based on a wavelet hidden Markov tree to capture the statistical properties of wavelet coefficients. The proposed model can integrate the global and local information in terms of spatial configuration and image features in a more complete manner. The coarser scale information is utilized to guide the finer scale segmentation, and the coarseto-fine causal interactions are considered using a Markov chain. Experimental results prove that the proposed model can segment SAR images better than several models previously proposed.


Alpha cellulose which was isolated from cellulose of fiber empty fruit bunch palm oil was hidrolized with hydrochloric acid (2,5N) at 80°C to produce microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Microcrystalline cellulose is an important additional ingredient in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, and structural composites. In this study, MCC, alpha cellulose, and cellulose were characterized and thereafter were compared. Characterizations were made using some equipment such as x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetry analyzer (TGA). X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy were studied to determine crystallinity and molecular structure of MCC, where scanning electron microscopy images were conducted for information about morfology of MCC. Meanwhile, thermal resistance of MCC was determined using thermogravimetry analyzer (TGA). From XRD and FTIR, the obtained results showed that the crystalline part was traced on MCC, where the –OH and C-O groups tended to reduced as alpha cellulose has changed to MCC. From SEM the image showed the reduction of particle size of MCC, while the thermal resistance of MCC was found lower as compared with cellulose and alpha cellulose as well, which was attributed to the lower molecular weight of MCC.


The gold deposits in the Carroll County gold belt and the southwestern part of the Dahlonega gold belt are in interlayered metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks of Late Proterozoic to early Paleozoic age. These rocks are in several thrust sheets that form the southwest continuation of the Blue Ridge thrust stack. The rocks are now mostly mica gneiss and schist, graphitic schist and phyllite, quartzite, amphibolite, and granite gneiss. A sample suite of 788 rock and saprolite samples was collected; the suite represents most of the rock types exposed in the southwest extension of the Dahlonega gold belt in Cherokee, Cobb, Bartow, Paulding, and Haralson Counties, Ga., and in the Carroll County gold belt in Carroll and Douglas Counties, Ga. The samples were analyzed semiquantitatively for 30 elements and quantitatively for gold, copper, lead, and zinc; some samples were also analyzed quantitatively for arsenic, mercury, and molybdenum. Whole-rock analyses were made on 27 samples of relatively fresh mafic rock. More than two-thirds of the samples are saprolite derived from mica schist and gneiss, graphitic schist, amphibolite, and quartzite, or vein quartz in saprolite. The samples were collected from roadcuts, surface and underground mine workings, and mine dumps. Of the samples collected, 78 percent of those from old mine areas and 13 percent of those from roadcuts contain gold at or above a limit of determination of 0.02 parts per million (ppm). Of those samples that contain detectable gold, 36 percent of the mine samples and 92 percent of the roadcut samples have less than 0.2 ppm gold. Gold is present in detectable amounts in some samples from all the major rock types that were sampled. Gold does not correlate consistently with the other elements in the data set. The few positive correlation coefficients greater than 0.50 are restricted to the smaller subsets of a few samples. Most of the old mine areas contain small resources of .gold in saprolite and probably larger amounts of lower grade material in unweathered rock. The mineralized zones are generally about 5 to 100ft wide, but may be as much as 250ft wide. Many deposits are only 100 to 800ft long, but a few mineralized zones are longer; one is as much as 0. 75 mi long.


In 2006, Indonesia started implementing a nation-wide program of teacher certification with the aim to certify as many as 2.3 million teachers in 2015 with the budgetary cost of as much as US$460 million. Despite the magnitude and the importance of this program, there has been no quantitative study to evaluate the impact of such program on student's achievement. In this study, we conducted a teacher survey in the Greater Bandung Area and collected the information on average national exam scores of the students of certified and not-certified teachers. We use two different impact evaluation techniques namely Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Difference-in-Difference (DD) to evaluate the impact of certification. Both methods suggest that teacher certification has no impact on student's achievement. The certification program may have improved teacher's living standard as remuneration increase is an elemental part of it, yet its formally-stated goal to improve the quality of education as should be indicated in better students' performance may not have been achieved. This program, being the largest in the nation's history, may have confused means and ends.


ABSTRACT This article argues that current approaches to participatory design research (PDR) risk eliding the affective life of making educational change by locating change in cultural mediation alone. Locating change only in mediation subordinates affect, potentially overlooking lived dimensions of learning and being essential to lasting, transformative change. Suggesting a pathway to recovering affect in PDR, the article critiques affect's occlusion in theories framing PDR and develops concepts of placemaking and belonging as affective dimensions essential to generating and sustaining change, especially in informal learning environments. Analytic snapshots illustrate these developed concepts, evincing how teenagers actively affect place and belonging over time in an informal digital media and learning program, Metro Building Blocks. The article concludes calling for developed theories of correspondence in order to better attune method to understanding how bodies generate feelings of belonging and to how bodies actively maintain this sense of belonging through emergent, affective practice.


The West African Republic of Niger, like many countries in the developing world, is in the midst of a root and branch revision of its legal system with the aim of bringing it into conformity with global - and by global, of course, we mean Western - legal norms. The law that exists in Niger today is a mixed bag of African and Western, traditional and modern, religious and secular. However, the vast majority of Niger's people, particularly its rural people, ignores the Western, modern, and secular aspects of the country's law and governs its affairs according to longstanding tradition. In spite of the population's preference for traditional law, Niger's government, under the influence of Western donor countries and international financial institutions, appears determined to phase it out in favor of a legal system that is more consistent with and acceptable to the globalized world. Much of this paper will be devoted to describing a particular aspect of Niger's popular, contemporary, non-Western law: the use of magio-religious oracles to identify wrongdoers and resolve disputes. The paper will then argue that Niger's current approach to state legal reform - an approach dictated largely by the West - is flawed because it is rooted in a fundamentally foreign conception of law and justice, and because it fails to take account of existing practices and beliefs such as the reliance on oracles. The paper concludes that the effort - in Niger and elsewhere - to introduce modern law will fail unless it is sufficiently flexible to recognize and make use of traditional methods of achieving justice.


We show that there is a distinct commodity-related driver of exchange rate movements, even at fairly high frequencies. Commodity prices predict exchange rate movements of 11 commodity-exporting countries in an in-sample panel setting for horizons up to two months. We also find evidence of systematic (pseudo) out-of-sample predictability, overturning the results of Meese and Rogoff (1983): information embedded in our country-specific commodity price indices clearly helps improving upon the predictive accuracy of the random walk in the majority of countries. We further show that the link between commodity prices and exchange rates is not driven by changes in global risk appetite or carry.


Since the late 20th century owing to the improvement of spinal surgery techniques, the diagnosis and treatment of thoracolumbar fracture have been perfected more and more. Although the advent of modern spinal surgery in China was late, we have gained some advanced achievements owing to various international communications benefited from the open policy. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the current status and perspective of diagnosis and treatment of thoracolumbar fracture. There are several issues we would like to discuss here.


Death receptor (DR) 4 or 5, on binding to its ligand, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), triggers apoptosis via activating the caspase-8–mediated caspase cascade. Certain anticancer drugs up-regulate the expression of these receptors and thereby induce apoptosis or enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In this study, we explored the ability of methyl-2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oate (CDDO-Me) to activate the extrinsic DR-mediated apoptotic pathway in human lung cancer cells. We found that CDDO-Me not only activated caspase-8 but also induced expression of DRs, particularly DR5, in a p53-independent mechanism. Correspondingly, CDDO-Me augmented TRAIL-induced apoptosis in these cells regardless of p53 status as evidenced by enhanced DNA fragmentation and activation of caspase cascades, suggesting that CDDO-Me–induced DRs are functionally active. Moreover, silencing of DR5 expression using small interfering RNA suppressed apoptosis induced by CDDO-Me alone or by combination of CDDO-Me and TRAIL, indicating that DR5 up-regulation is required for induction of apoptosis by CDDO-Me and for enhancement of TRAILinduced apoptosis by CDDO-Me. CDDO-Me rapidly activated c-Jun NH2terminal kinase (JNK) before DR up-regulation and caspase-8 activation. Moreover, application of the JNK-specific inhibitor SP600125 blocked CDDO-Me–induced increases in JNK activation, DR up-regulation, caspase-8 activation, and DNA fragmentation. These results show that activation of JNK pathway results in CDDO-Me–induced DR up-regulation, caspase-8 activation, and apoptosis. Collectively, we conclude that CDDO-Me induces apoptosis via the JNK-mediated DR up-regulation in human lung cancer cells.


Abstract. National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) refers to a framework of policies, institutional arrangements, technologies, data, and people that enables the sharing and effective usage of geographic information. This paper aims to present the development and current progress of NSDI in Bangladesh. In preparing this paper, we have reviewed several papers, documents and articles related to NSDI development in Bangladesh. We have also explored different spatial data sharing platforms of related agencies and departments. This study finds that, in last decade, there is substantial increase in the production and use of geospatial data in Bangladesh. However, due to the absence of planning and centralized spatial data infrastructure (SDI) system, there are duplication of efforts among different organizations in respect of spatial data production leading to wastage of time and financial resources. There is also problem of maintaining same metadata standard among different organisations creating difficulties in building and sharing spatial data. Against this background, in 2016, Bangladesh government has decided to develop NSDI. As there are some organizations already have developed geoportal so it is decided that existing platform will be used as NSDI initially. Based on this decision GeoDASH platform is being used at present. However, there are many challenges and much to develop the platform. Development of NSDI in Bangladesh is still under process and there are some challenges also. Overcoming the problems and challenges, full-fledged development and operation of NSDI is expected to support the achievement of SDGs in Bangladesh.


An exploratory implementation of a syllable-based recognizer is described. Continuous speech is first divided into syllabic units, and the units are then matched against syllable templates using a dynamic programming algorithm. A hierarchical transition network is used to limit the syllable search to possible continuations of the current partial sentence hypotheses. Competing hypotheses are pruned by a 'beam search'. Experiments are reported on automatic recognition of English sentences with a 70-word vocabulary and restricted syntax produced by one male speaker. 85% of the sentences were correctly recognized. Comparable results were obtained for a similar task in French using a female speaker. The method is computationally efficient: real-time performance on dedicated hardware should be obtainable without difficulty. A method of scaling the distance measures used in the syllable matching is described. This scaling takes into account variability in syllable production, both as a function of position within the syllable and as a function of the various spectral parameters being used.


We consider a discrete time queueing system where a controller makes a 2-stage decision every slot. The decision at the first stage reveals a hidden source of randomness with a control-dependent (but unknown) probability distribution. The decision at the second stage generates an attribute vector that depends on this revealed randomness. The goal is to stabilize all queues and optimize a utility function of time average attributes, subject to an additional set of time average constraints. This setting fits a wide class of stochastic optimization problems, including multi-user wireless scheduling with dynamic channel measurement decisions, and wireless multi-hop routing with multi-receiver diversity and opportunistic routing decisions. We develop a simple max-weight algorithm that learns efficient behavior by averaging functionals of previous outcomes.


Effective control strategies for robotic manipulators require on-line computation of the robot dynamic model in real-time. However, the complexity of robot dynamic model makes this difficult to achieve in practice. Neural networks are an attractive alternative for identification and control of robotic manipulators, because of their ability to learn and approximate functions. This paper presents the development of an adaptive Multilayer Neural Network (MNN) as a feedforward controller for a robotic manipulator. The MNN is trained to identify the unknown nonlinear plant (inverse dynamics of a robotic manipulator) using a modified back-propagation technique. A PD controller is used in the feedback loop to guarantee global asymptotic stability. Also, the output of the PD controller is used as a learning signal for the on-line learning to adjust the weights of the MNN to capture any parameters variation and/or disturbances. The controller architecture developed has been simulated and its effect on the trajectory tracking performance of a manipulator has been evaluated and compared to the conventional adaptive controller.


Cognition emerges from interactions within spatially distributed but synchronized brain networks. Such networks are transient and dynamic, established on the timescale of milliseconds in order to perform specific cognitive operations. But it is not known whether topological features of transient cognitive networks contribute to cognitive processing. Cognition might merely change weights of intrinsic functional networks or, conversely, cognitive processing might require qualitatively new topological arrangements. To address this question, we recorded high-density EEG when subjects performed a visual discrimination task and characterized source-space weighted functional networks with graph measures. We revealed rapid, transient, and frequency-specific reorganization of the network's topology during cognition. Specifically, cognitive networks were characterized by strong clustering, low modularity, and strong interactions between hub-nodes. Our findings suggest that dense and clustered connectivity between the hub nodes belonging to different modules is the "network fingerprint" of cognition. Such reorganization patterns might facilitate global integration of information and provide a substrate for a "global workspace" necessary for cognition and consciousness to occur. Thus, characterizing topology of the event-related networks opens new vistas to interpret cognitive dynamics in the broader conceptual framework of graph theory.


To increase understanding of relationships between general traumatic injury in children and long-term use of resources in the health care and social services (HSS) sectors by these children and their families 8–10 years after traumatic injury. This study was a cross-sectional retrospective cohort study of prognosis from 2001 to 2003 that quantified recent expenditures on and use of HSS by children and also by their parents. Forty-eight cases of children were selected from the Hamilton Health Sciences pediatric trauma database in the period from January 2001 to December 2003 after incurring a traumatic injury with Injury Severity Score greater than 12. The average total cost to the HSS system per child's family was $4,326.62 during the preceding 6 months. During the same period, average use of HSS was 7 visits. Total service costs incurred by caregivers of injured children increased with severity of the traumatic injury (p= .009). Caregiver HSS use was higher when the injury was caused by a motor vehicle accident than by other types of accidents (p< .001) and increased with the injury severity (p< .001). HSS use by children was related to gender (p< .001), injury mechanism (p< .001), age at accident (p< .001), and time since accident (p= .012), among other factors. Pediatric trauma appears to have long-term effects on expenditures on and use of HSS by the affected children and their families. The findings emphasize the need for long-term assessment and possible delivery of services to the families of the injured children.


Activating transcription factor-2 (ATF-2) is a transcription factor that binds to cAMP response element (CRE). ATF-2 contains two functional domains, an N-terminal transactivation domain and a C-terminal DNA-binding domain. The DNA-binding domain contains the basic leucine zipper (bZip) motif. Here, the three-dimensional structure of the transactivation domain of ATF-2 has been determined by NMR. The transactivation domain consists of two subdomains: the structure of an N-terminal half (N-subdomain) is well determined, while a C-terminal half (C-subdomain) takes a highly flexible and disordered structure. The architecture of the N-subdomain is very similar to that of the well-known zinc finger motif found in DNA-binding domains, consisting of an antiparallel beta-sheet and an alpha-helix. The zinc atom is tetrahedrally coordinated to two cysteine residues and two histidine residues. Amino acids that form the hydrophobic core in all of the DNA-binding zinc fingers are well conserved in the N-subdomain of the transactivation domain, whereas some amino acids that are responsible for binding to the phosphate backbone of DNA in the DNA-binding zinc fingers are substituted with other amino acids. The flexible C-subdomain, which contains two threonine residues that the stress-activated protein kinases phosphorylate, is likely to undergo a conformational change by specific binding to a target protein.


First identified as mediators of G-protein-coupled receptor desensitization and internalization and later as signaling platforms, β-arrestins play a requisite role in chemotaxis and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, downstream of multiple receptors. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying their involvement have remained elusive. Initial interest in β-arrestins as facilitators of cell migration and actin reorganization stemmed from the known interplay between receptor endocytosis and actin filament formation, because disruption of the actin cytoskeleton inhibits these β-arrestin-dependent events. With growing interest in the mechanisms by which cells can sense a gradient of agonist during cell migration, investigators began to hypothesize that β-arrestins may contribute to directed migration by controlling chemotactic receptor turnover at the plasma membrane. Finally, increasing evidence emerged that β-arrestins are more than just clathrin adaptor proteins involved in turning off receptor signals; they are actually capable of generating their own signals by scaffolding signaling molecules and controlling the activity of multiple cellular enzymes. This new role of β-arrestins as signaling scaffolds has led to the hypothesis that they can facilitate cell migration by sequestering actin assembly activities and upstream regulators of actin assembly at the leading edge. This Minireview discusses recent advances in our understanding of how β-arrestin scaffolds contribute to cell migration, focusing on recently identified β-arrestin interacting proteins and phosphorylation targets that have known roles in actin reorganization.


Abstract. We describe the Airborne Mid-Infrared Cavity enhanced Absorption spectrometer
(AMICA) designed to measure trace gases in situ on research aircraft using
Off-Axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS). AMICA contains two
largely independent and exchangeable OA-ICOS arrangements, allowing for the
simultaneous measurement of multiple substances in different infrared
wavelength windows tailored to scientific questions related to a particular
flight mission. Three OA-ICOS setups have been implemented with the aim to
measure OCS, CO2, CO, and H2O at 2050 cm−1;
O3, NH3, and CO2 at 1034 cm−1; and
HCN, C2H2, and N2O at 3331 cm−1. The
2050 cm−1 setup has been characterized in the laboratory and
successfully used for atmospheric measurements during two campaigns with the
research aircraft M55 Geophysica and one with the German HALO (High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft). For
OCS and CO, data for scientific use have been produced with 5 % accuracy
(15 % for CO below 60 ppb, due to additional uncertainties
introduced by dilution of the standard) at typical atmospheric mixing ratios
and laboratory-measured 1σ precision of 30 ppt for OCS and
3 ppb for CO at 0.5 Hz time resolution. For CO2,
high absorption at atmospheric mixing ratios leads to saturation effects that
limit sensitivity and complicate the spectral analysis, resulting in too large
uncertainties for scientific use. For H2O, absorption is too weak to
be measured at mixing ratios below 100 ppm. By further reducing
electrical noise and improving the treatment of the baseline in the spectral
retrieval, we hope to improve precision for OCS and CO, resolve the issues
inhibiting useful CO2 measurements, and lower the detection limit
for H2O. The 1035 and 3331 cm−1 arrangements have only
partially been characterized and are still in development. Although both
setups have been flown and recorded infrared spectra during field campaigns,
no data for scientific use have yet been produced due to unresolved deviations
of the retrieved mixing ratios to known standards (O3) or
insufficient sensitivity (NH3, HCN, C2H2,
N2O). The ∼100 kg instrument with a typical in-flight
power consumption of about 500 VA is dimensioned to fit into one 19 in. rack
typically used for deployment inside the aircraft cabin. Its rugged design and
a pressurized and temperature-stabilized compartment containing the sensitive
optical and electronic hardware also allow for deployment in payload bays
outside the pressurized cabin even at high altitudes of 20 km. A
sample flow system with two parallel proportional solenoid valves of different
size orifices allows for precise regulation of cavity pressure over the wide
range of inlet port pressures encountered between the ground and maximum
flight altitudes. Sample flow of the order of 1 SLM (standard litre per minute) maintained by an
exhaust-side pump limits the useful time resolution to about 2.5 s
(corresponding to the average cavity flush time), equivalent to 500 m
distance at a typical aircraft speed of 200 m s−1.


Controlling the microscopic organization of active components is crucial for the performance of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. In this work, (001) muscovite mica was used as a growth template to study the formation of PC61BM crystallites in the active layer structure of OPV cells. The structures were spin-coated from a PC61BM : P3HT solution and subsequently annealed. The parameter range to produce layers with high surface density of (sub)micrometer sized PC61BM crystallites was significantly larger for mica than for other substrates. The enhanced PC61BM nucleation is attributed to an epitaxial relation between the mica surface and PC61BM, which was found to crystallise in a hexagonal crystal structure. Through a float-off procedure, the active layer was transferred from the mica substrate to a conductive substrate, which formed the basis of the transferred inverted solar cell. A power conversion efficiency of 2.1% was obtained for this transferred device, which with a 22% higher short-circuit current density outperforms its conventional counterpart that was directly produced on the conductive substrate. A set-up for simultaneous laser beam induced current (LBIC) and surface reflection analysis revealed that the increased current density originates from large circular areas with a radius of about 10 μm around the PC61BM crystallites.


One hundred and twenty-six patients with laryngeal carcinomas were clinically analyzed who visited our clinic from September 1973 to August 1982 of there 118 were followed retrospectively. The results in this study were as follows; 1) The threeand five-year survival rates were 77% and 71%, respectively. 2) There were 95 cases of the glottic type, 25 of the supraglottic, and 6 cases of the subglottic. 3) According to the classification of stage, there were 65 patients in stage I or II. Thirtysix of them have been well controlled by radiotherapy only without 2 patients. Eighteen patients were treated with reconstruction after partial laryngectomy and postoperative irradiation. The other 11 were treated with total laryngectomy. The crude survival rates for each of them were calculated to be 89%, 100% and 82%, respectively. In 53 patients at stages III and IV, 17 were treated with total laryngectomy and preand post-operative irradiation. The crude survival rate for them was 94%. 4) In 36 patients who received radiation and are classified to be T1 and T2, 2 had recurrence, but 17 treated with reconstruction after partial laryngectomy maintained comfortable conditions for speech and respiration without tumor recurrence. Mainly discussed how to choose the best way of treatment for glottic Tl and T2, i. e. weather to select initial radiation or reconstruction after partial laryngectomy. 5) Our data showed that neck dissection might be necessary for good results even when there is no evidence of neck metastasis.


KAR1 encodes an essential component of the yeast spindle pole body (SPB) that is required for karyogamy and SPB duplication. A temperature-sensitive mutation, kar1-delta 17, mapped to a region required for SPB duplication and for localization to the SPB. To identify interacting SPB proteins, we isolated 13 dominant mutations and 3 high copy number plasmids that suppressed the temperature sensitivity of kar1-delta 17. Eleven extragenic suppressor mutations mapped to two linkage groups, DSK1 and DSK2. The extragenic suppressors were specific for SPB duplication and did not suppress karyogamy-defective alleles. The major class, DSK1, consisted of mutations in CDC31. CDC31 is required for SPB duplication and encodes a calmodulin-like protein that is most closely related to caltractin/centrin, a protein associated with the Chlamydomonas basal body. The high copy number suppressor plasmids contained the wild-type CDC31 gene. One CDC31 suppressor allele conferred a temperature-sensitive defect in SPB duplication, which was counter-suppressed by recessive mutations in KAR1. In spite of the evidence for a direct interaction, the strongest CDC31 alleles, as well as both DSK2 alleles, suppressed a complete deletion of KAR1. However, the CDC31 alleles also made the cell supersensitive to KAR1 gene dosage, arguing against a simple bypass mechanism of suppression. We propose a model in which Kar1p helps localize Cdc31p to the SPB and that Cdc31p then initiates SPB duplication via interaction with a downstream effector.


The context for this research is the transformation process of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from traditional (t-) businesses toward e-businesses and the accompanying development of the knowledge and competence among employees. SMEs constitute a great part of the Swedish industry and economy. This and the fact that they have special prerequisites concerning human and technology resources makes SMEs an interesting research focus when looking at the transformation process toward e-business. The aim of this research is to investigate SMEs with the purpose of designing, implementing, and evaluating information technology-supported activities that will allow SMEs to approach e-business. This article presents results from parts of an ongoing study, that involves seven SMEs. This study will be conducted in two main phases: first, informative and preparatory activities and second, business transformation and competence development activities. This article focuses on the first phase of the study, but an insight in its current status and further research is given. The underlying prerequisites for SMEs as well as the research approach are described. A working model is presented that illustrates stages of maturity for taking an enterprise toward e-business. The last sections present the research design, that is, planning, actions, observations, and reflections of the study up until now. New actions to take are discussed at the end of this article.


This is an essential reading for passing the Certified Project Manager exam! The first book to combine operational and human skills into a flexible, proactive project management framework. The ability to effectively manage projects is a, if not the, key skill for managers in today's bare-bones, hyperspeed workplace. Still, in most organizations, comprehensive project management training programs remain more the exception than the rule, leaving managers to make up the rules - and pick up the pieces - as each project takes on a life of its own."Project Management" is today's most thorough training manual and reference for understanding and managing every aspect of the project environment. Focusing on the human element that is critical to project implementation and completion, it provides: an intuitive five-step approach for collecting the necessary information to plan, schedule, and control a project; keys to managing project teams and ensuring effective communication between teams and stakeholders; and, techniques for maintaining control - both formal and informal - over projects of every size and scope.A project is a process, one that either succeeds or fails one small step at a time. As a manager, you and you alone are responsible for the timely and successful completion of each step. "Project Management" features examples, case studies, and analysis for each phase of the typical project, to ensure that each project you manage meets its goals on time and on budget. Projects involve the creation by an individual or team of an entirely new product or process. To reach that goal, project managers must understand both the operational and human aspects of spearheading a project from conception to completion. In addition, because each project has unique characteristics and requirements that often aren't apparent until the project is well under way, a manager must be fully prepared to provide intuitive and instant solutions - and be confident those solutions are correct."Project Management" provides proven guidelines for managing projects from both the operational and behavioral standpoint. This added focus on the human aspect - unique in today's project management professional library - shows you how to work within the existing organizational culture, manage stakeholders and team members based on their differing and often competing goals and viewpoints, and even manage projects across organizations with opposing goals and cultures. Beginning with the initial planning stages and moving through teambuilding, control, and final delivery of project results, "Project Management" outlines solution-oriented, integrated methodologies for implementing the processes of project management.Examples from a wide variety of both manufacturing and service environments highlight the hands-on skills and solutions required for: defining projects; organizing projects; estimating time and cost requirements; analyzing and managing project risk; managing teams and stakeholders; scheduling resources for utilization and availability; monitoring performance; conducting and learning from a project audit; and, effective project managers must seamlessly blend operational skills, prioritization abilities, and behavioral insights, often simultaneously. "Project Management" outlines a step-by-step framework for managing any project, in any industry or environment, and consistently achieving objectives with a maximum of efficiency and a minimum of waste.


Colour can convey a mood or elicit a particular emotion and, in terms of web design, colour can influence attitudes, perceptions, and behaviours. However, many websites demonstrate inaccessible colour choices. Numerous online colour palette design tools only focus on assisting designers with either the aesthetics or accessibility of colours. With a user-centered design approach, we developed the Accessible Colour Evaluator (ACE, daprlab.com/ace) which enhances web developers' and designers' ability to balance aesthetic and accessibility constraints. We distributed an online questionnaire to 28 web developers and designers to understand their attitudes and utilisation of accessibility guidelines, as well as to gather initial design requirements for ACE. With this information, we created three low-fidelity paper prototypes that were used to create two high-fidelity prototypes. The high-fidelity prototypes were discussed with 4 web developers and designers during a design workshop, and their feedback was used to develop the final version of ACE. A comparative evaluation of ACE and three existing alternative tools was conducted with 10 new web developers and designers. All participants were able to complete a colour palette design task when using ACE and identified ACE as their most preferred tool. The mean scores for the six TLX measures show ACE as providing the best performance and causing the lowest frustration. Finally, we conducted a small focus group with 3 web developers and designers to gather qualitative feedback about ACE. Participants identified a number of ACE's strengths and made suggestions for future extensions and improvements.


Oxidative stress, in which healthy aging is limited, is a problem, since in the process there is an uncontrolled production of reactive radicals that negatively affect cells. Heat stress is closely related to oxidative stress, as it stimulates the production of radicals. Meadow clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a promising source of isoflavonoids that have various positive effects on the body. The aim of the work is to study the effect of biohanin A, isolated from Trifolium pratense L. callus cultures, on the life expectancy of the C. elegans model organism, as well as its survival under oxidative and thermal stress. It was found that biohanin A increased the lifespan of C. elegans worms. The best concentration was determined - 100 microns, at which the survival rate of nematodes after 61 days of incubation was 16.0%. After 48 hours, the survival rate of worms was the highest (87.1%) at a concentration of biohanin A of 200 microns. Other concentrations 10, 50, 100 (81,2, 83,0, 82,4 %) they also showed a higher survival rate compared to the control (74.0%). In addition, the survival rate under heat stress of C. elegans was higher by 12.0; 8.4; 4.0% compared with the control. Thus, the results show the antioxidant potential of biohanin A from plant material under oxidative and thermal stress. The substance also had a positive effect on the lifespan of C. elegans.


: Using the method of counting micronuclei it was shown that, in peripheral blood of larva of frog exposed to high doses of alkylating agent fotrin, the abundance of erythrocytes with signs of chromosomal aberrations significantly exceeds the level of spontaneous mutations on the 16th, 24th and 30th days of fixation but not on the 7th day following the experiment onset. In addition, with all terms of fixation under examination, an increased in comparison with norm number of binuclear erythrocytes was observed in the population of erythroid cells. Our observations combined with the data obtained by other authors confirm that amphibian hemopoietic cells can be used as a reliable test system for the detection of cyto- and genotoxic compounds as well as for the genetic monitoring of water environment.


In this paper design of multiplier-less nonuniform filterbank transmultiplexer (ML NUFB TMUX) is presented. Nonuniform filter bank transmultiplexer (NUFB TMUX) is preferred when applications with different data rates are to be multiplexed. If filter coefficients can be represented in canonic signed digit (CSD) format with minimum number of signed power of two (SPT) terms, hardware complexity can be greatly reduced. Continuous coefficient NUFB TMUX is designed and particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to synthesis filter coefficients in CSD format. Simulation results show that ML NUFB TMUX designed using the proposed algorithm has better signal to interference ratio (SIR) and frequency responses than those obtained by rounding continuous filter coefficients to the nearest CSD numbers.


ABSTRACT Wang, H.Z., Zhong, H.P., Lu, J.Z., Yan, Q.Q., Li, S., and Zhou, Y., 2020. Understanding the river-lake relationship after the operation of TGR based on SWAT model. In: Guido Aldana, P.A. and Kantamaneni, K. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources, Coastal Management, and Marine Science Technology. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 104, pp. 593–600. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. It is an important issue how the operation of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) has impacted upon the hydrological relationship between the Yangtze River and the Poyang Lake. A SWAT model was built to simulate the runoff of the River and the Lake, and the energy difference (Fe) index was selected to characterize the river-lake relationship. The results show: (1) The SWAT model was verified suitable to simulate the runoff of the study area. (2) The monthly trend of River-lake relationship after the operation of the TGR from 2010 to 2018 was studied. The successive monthly strong effect of the River (Fe<-0.1) appeared in August and September of 2010, which corresponded to the period of severe flood of the Lake basin. The successive monthly strong effect of the Lake (Fe>0.1) appeared in November and December of 2013, which corresponded to the period of severe draught of the Lake basin. (3) The yearly trend showed the constant increase of the role of the Lake and the constant decrease of effect of the Yangtze River main stream. (4) Under the operation of the TGR, the Yangtze River plays a stronger role during the drainage and flooding periods, leading to the increase of the flood control pressure in the Poyang Lake basin; the effect of the Poyang Lake is enhanced during the water storage and dry period, leading to the increase of the risk of drought disasters in the Poyang Lake basin. The study systematically reveals the change pattern of the river-lake relationship after the operation of the TGR at different time scales.


ABSTRACT Determination by X-ray diffraction of the relative proportions of component minerals in sediments and rocks involves comparison of the integrated intensity of selected reflections from component minerals in the unknown mixture to standard calibration curves. Although the analysis may be rapid and precise, a number of factors contribute to poor accuracy. The role of one of these, variation in the chemical composition of the component minerals, is not generally appreciated. Calculations of the relative integrated intensities of the two principal reflections from calcite, magnesite, siderite, rhodochrosite, dolomite, ankerite, and kutnahorite show that the strongest reflection, {211} ({1014} referred to hexagonal axes), is highly sensitive to isomorphous substitution of the cations. It is a poor reflection to use for analysis if there is any significant variation in the composition of the minerals in the mixture. One important example of compositional variation is the substitution of magnesium for calcium in the biogenic calcite of Recent sediments. The {210} ({1123} referred to hexagonal axes) reflection is the second strongest for most compositions of the rhombohedral carbonates. It is practically independent of solid-solution variation and makes an ide l choice for the analysis of mixtures. Calibration curves involving an internal standard show that if a component mineral comprises more than about eight weight percent of a sample, the {210} reflection will be strong enough to utilize. Solid-solution variation is common and extensive in carbonate sediments and rocks. An investigator should be aware of its effect on intensities before beginning X-ray analysis. The use of {210} is recommended for most natural mixtures, with cerric oxide as an internal standard.


We present results on organization of audio data based on their descriptions using onomatopoeia words. Onomatopoeia words are imitative of sounds that directly describe and rep resent different types of sound sources through their perceiv ed properties. For instance, the word pop aptly describes the sound of opening a champagne bottle. We first establish this type of audio-to-word relationship by manually tagging a variety of audio clips from a sound effects library with onomatopoeia words. Using principal component analysis (PCA) and a newly proposed distance metric for word-level clustering, we cluster the audio data representing the clips. Due to the distance metric and the audio-to-word relationship, th e resulting clusters of clips have similar acoustic properties . We found that as language level units, the onomatopoeic descriptions are able to represent perceived properties of audio si gnals. We believe that this form of description can be useful in relating higher-level descriptions of events in a sce ne by providing an intermediate perceptual understanding of t he acoustic event.


The conditions for sustainable growth and development are among the most debated topics in economics, and the consensus is that institutions matter greatly in explaining why some economies are more successful than others over time. Probing the long-term effects of early colonial differences on immigration policy, land distribution, and financial development in a variety of settings, Understanding Long-Run Economic Growth explores the relationship between economic conditions, growth, and inequality, with a focus on how the monopolization of resources by the political elite limits incentives for ordinary people to invest in human capital or technological discovery. Among the topics discussed are the development of credit markets in France, the evolution of transportation companies in the United Kingdom and the United States, and the organization of innovation in the United States.


Mammalian hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) commitment and differentiation into lymphoid lineage cells proceed through a series of developmentally restricted progenitor compartments. A complete understanding of this process, and how it differs from HSC commitment and differentiation into cells of the myeloid/erythroid lineages, requires the development of model systems that support HSC commitment to the lymphoid lineages. We now describe a human bone marrow stromal cell culture that preferentially supports commitment and differentiation of human HSC to CD19+ B-lineage cells. Fluorescence activated cell sorterpurified CD34++/lineage-cells were isolated from fetal bone marrow and cultured on human fetal bone marrow stromal cells in serum-free conditions containing no exogenous cytokines. Over a period of 3 weeks, CD34++/lineage- cells underwent commitment, differentiation, and expansion into the B lineage. Progressive changes included: loss of CD34, acquisition of and graded increases in the level of cell surface CD19, and appearance of immature B cells expressing mu/kappa or mu/lambda cell surface Ig receptors. The tempo and phenotype of B-cell development was not influenced by the addition of IL-7 (10 ng/ml), or by the addition of goat anti-IL-7 neutralizing antibody. These results indicate a profound difference between mouse and human in the requirement for IL-7 in normal B-cell development, and provide an experimental system to identify and characterize human bone marrow stromal cell-derived molecules crucial for human B lymphopoiesis.


Sixteen patients with lower limb atherosclerosis (LLAS) stage II-III received autotransfusions of blood irradiated by ultraviolet light. Vascular wall antithrombogenic properties assessed before the treatment in the patients and controls were found deteriorated in LLAS subjects. The cuff test did not affect the antithrombogenic characteristics. The course of autotransfusions produced a clinical improvement and strengthening of the antithrombogenic properties. The cuff test demonstrated a significant decline in platelet aggregation in response to ADP, thrombin, collagen, ristomycin, arachidonic acid; of platelet factor 4, thromboxane B2, beta-thromboglobulin. Concentrations of antithrombin III, plasminogen, prostacyclin rose. The autotransfusions were made on "Izolda" device MD-73 (1 ml of blood per 1 kg b. mass). Irradiation dose 750 J/m2, wave length 254 nm. Platelet aggregation was studied according to Born technique in O'Brien modification. Thromboxane B2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, beta-thromboglobulin and TF 4 were measured by radioimmunoassay, antithrombin III and plasminogen by chromogenic substrates.


In previous studies, the secondary (impurity and non-reactive) phase and voids were observed in MgB2 matrix after the heat treatment, and then these are the lowering factors of critical current density (Jc) property. In order to improve Jc property by microstructure control of MgB2 matrix, the fine elemental boron powder as the raw material was carried out using the high-speed vibrated milling with tungsten carbide (WC) jar. The average particle size of metal boron powder was decreased from 1.14 μm to 0.20 μm by the high-speed vibrated milling. The various fine particle boron powders as the function of milling time were also prepared, and in-situ Cu addition MgB2 multifilamentary wires using these fine boron powders were fabricated. Critical transition temperature (Tc) value of Cu addition MgB2 wire using fine boron powder obtained to about 37 K. No change of the Tc property by the different particle sized boron powders was confirmed. In this paper, the comparisons of microstructure and superconducting properties between the different boron particle sizes were investigated.


This paper reports on space station power requirements and an optimized solar cell power system, including some of the characteristics of the solar cell array, energy storage system, and power conditioning system. The cost and complexity is reduced by using lower cost cells, more efficient energy storage, power conditioning and power distribution systems, and by using a concentrator that can be wrapped around the vehicle for launch. Growth capability is obtained by adding a supplementary experimental power system for operational uses.


Nesting behaviour and hatching success of the sea turtle Caretta caretta (loggerhead) were studied on Marathonissi island in Zakynthos (Ionian Sea, Greece) during the summer of 1995. On this island there exist two discrete nesting areas : the North sector and the West sector. Nesting activity was greatest in both sectors during July. The number of nests was significantly higher in the North sector, whereas remarkably more attempts were observed in the West sector. Hatching success was also greater in the North sector where there were significantly more empty eggshells, mark of successful hatching, than in the West sector. Moreover, the number of dead embryos was significant in the West sector. The current study demonstrates a correlation between the choice of nesting area and hatching success.