A great deal of attention in manufacturing engineering has been focused on finishing operations of hard and brittle materials in recent years. This paper reports an experimental work on the analysis of surface roughness and material removal using design of experiment (DOE) method in magnetic abrasive finishing, (MAF) of flat surfaces. Change in surface roughness and material removal were found to increase with an increase in weight percentage of abrasive particles in magnetic abrasive brush, lubricant volume and decrease in working gap. Also, any decrease in the relative size of the abrasive particles vis-à-vis the iron particles would result into an increase of the surface roughness and decrease in material removal. It was observed that the work piece hardness had no considerable effect on the process results. The optimum parameter levels which lead into the best surface finish and highest material removal were also derived from these experimentations. Optimum levels included weight percentage of abrasive particles of 40%, Lubricant volume of 1 ml, working gap of 3 mm, relative size of abrasive particles vis-à-vis the iron particles of 0.22, and work piece hardness of 82-87 HBN. Disk type test pieces were selected from Al 7075 and their two side surfaces were under experiments. Experiments were made using a milling machine spindle as magnetic pole holder, and its table as fixture holder for work pieces.


ABSTRACT Multivariate random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on 12 years of data from 14 U.S. states to determine the mean yield and test-weight responses of wheat to treatment with propiconazole, prothioconazole, tebuconazole, metconazole, and prothioconazole+tebuconazole. All fungicides led to a significant increase in mean yield and test weight relative to the check (D; P < 0.001). Metconazole resulted in the highest overall yield increase, with a D of 450 kg/ha, followed by prothioconazole+ tebuconazole (444.5 kg/ha), prothioconazole (419.1 kg/ha), tebuconazole (272.6 kg/ha), and propiconazole (199.6 kg/ha). Metconazole, prothioconazole+tebuconazole, and prothioconazole also resulted in the highest increases in test weight, with D values of 17.4 to 19.4 kg/m(3), respectively. On a relative scale, the best three fungicides resulted in an overall 13.8 to 15.0% increase in yield but only a 2.5 to 2.8% increase in test weight. Except for prothioconazole+tebuconazole, wheat type significantly affected the yield response to treatment; depending on the fungicide, D was 110.0 to 163.7 kg/ha higher in spring than in soft-red winter wheat. Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease index (field or plot-level severity) in the untreated check plots, a measure of the risk of disease development in a study, had a significant effect on the yield response to treatment, in that D increased with increasing FHB index. The probability was estimated that fungicide treatment in a randomly selected study will result in a positive yield increase (p(+)) and increases of at least 250 and 500 kg/ha (p(250) and p(500), respectively). For the three most effective fungicide treatments (metconazole, prothioconazole+tebuconazole, and prothioconazole) at the higher selected FHB index, p(+) was very large (e.g., >/=0.99 for both wheat types) but p(500) was considerably lower (e.g., 0.78 to 0.92 for spring and 0.54 to 0.68 for soft-red winter wheat); at the lower FHB index, p(500) for the same three fungicides was 0.34 to 0.36 for spring and only 0.09 to 0.23 for soft-red winter wheat.


Existing models of risk-sensitive foraging assume that animals assign value to different options according to an absolute currency. It follows from this assumption that choices are expected to be both transitive and regular, because the value assigned to an option is independent of its context. I tested these predictions by comparing preferences obtained in binary and trinary contexts. European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, were trained using an operant paradigm to forage for three options: Constant (C) that provided a fixed number of food pellets; Low variance (L) with a coefficient of variation of 71% in the number of pellets; High variance (H) with a coefficient of variation of 106%. The preferences of the birds were tested in three binary choice treatments (CL, CH, LH) and one trinary choice treatment (CLH). Overall, there was no evidence for violations of either transitivity or regularity. However, overall, a bird's relative preference for its most preferred option over its second most preferred option was significantly greater in the trinary treatment than in the comparable binary treatment. This effect of context on choice is compatible with starlings' use of comparative instead of absolute currencies in decision making. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


Shape structure is about the arrangement and relations between shape parts. Structure-aware shape processing goes beyond local geometry and low level processing, and analyzes and processes shapes at a high level. It focuses more on the global inter and intra semantic relations among the parts of shape rather than on their local geometry. With recent developments in easy shape acquisition, access to vast repositories of 3D models, and simple-to-use desktop fabrication possibilities, the study of structure in shapes has become a central research topic in shape analysis, editing, and modeling. A whole new line of structure-aware shape processing algorithms has emerged that base their operation on an attempt to understand such structure in shapes. The algorithms broadly consist of two key phases: an analysis phase, which extracts structural information from input data; and a (smart) processing phase, which utilizes the extracted information for exploration, editing, and synthesis of novel shapes. In this course, we will organize, summarize, and present the key concepts and methodological approaches towards efficient structure-aware shape processing. We discuss common models of structure, their implementation in terms of mathematical formalism and algorithms, and explain the key principles in the context of a number of state-of-the-art approaches. Further, we attempt to list the key open problems and challenges, both at the technical and at the conceptual level, to make it easier for new researchers to better explore and contribute to this topic. Our goal is to both give the practitioner an overview of available structure-aware shape processing techniques, as well as identify future research questions in this important, emerging, and fascinating research area.


This paper focuses on the consensual security rights over the objects of intellectual property in the Czech Republic. The paper is based on the national report presented for the purpose of XX. Congress of the International Academy of Comparative Law (Japan, Fukuoka, 22–28 July 2018). In the first part of the paper, the authors describe the system of the intellectual property protection and explain the basic principles of the core systems of IP protection: copyrights, patents, trademarks and industrial designs. In the next part the authors define three most common methods of the security rights over the intangible assets: a pledge, transfer of a right as a security, and a prohibition of the alienation or the encumbrance of assets. The paper subsequently deals with the following issues: typical structure of the security transaction, mechanisms of evaluating the IP rights used as collateral, and requirements needed for the effectiveness of security rights. With this regard the authors distinguish between the effects of the security rights over non-registered rights such as copyright or unregistered designs, and security rights over registered trademarks, granted patents or registered industrial designs. Special attention is paid to the security rights over the business enterprise. The final part of the paper is aimed at the statistical analysis. The authors describe how frequent is the use of the consensual security rights in Czech legal practice and what are the usual costs related to the secured transactions over the intellectual property.


As the movie The Imitation Game celebrates British mathematician Alan Turing9s contributions to the Allied victory in World War II, the artificial intelligence (AI) community is rethinking another of his legacies: the Turing Test. At a 25 January workshop at the 29th Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence conference in Austin, researchers will discuss proposals for a new Turing Championship composed of three to five research challenges. In contrast with Turing9s single litmus test, the proposed challenges acknowledge that intelligence has multiple dimensions—from language comprehension to social awareness—that are best tackled piece by piece. The new Turing Championship would motivate researchers to develop machines with a deeper understanding of the world, argue the workshop organizers. By early 2016, they hope to stage a set of trial competitions that will be revised and repeated regularly.


In a study of 103 strains of Yersinia enterocolitica, 10 strains were found to be lethal for mice and to possess 42- and 82-megadalton plasmids. This association was statistically significant (P much less than 0.001). Serotypes of Y. enterocolitica previously considered avirulent were found to possess these plasmids and to be lethal for mice. A spontaneous derivative of one strain contained only the 82-megadalton plasmid and was lethal for mice anyway. This virulence-associated plasmid is a potential diagnostic tool for the clinical or public health laboratory which must delineate pathogenic strains of Y. enterocolitica.


Background: Thrombotic complications occur at high rates in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, yet the impact of intensive antithrombotic therapy on mortality is uncertain. Research Question: How does in-hospital mortality compare with intermediate- versus prophylactic-dose anticoagulation, and separately with in-hospital aspirin versus no antiplatelet therapy, in treatment of COVID-19? Study Design and Methods: Using data from 2785 hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients, we established two separate, nested cohorts of patients (1) who received intermediate- or prophylactic-dose anticoagulation ("anticoagulation cohort", N = 1624), or (2) who were not on home antiplatelet therapy and received either in-hospital aspirin or no antiplatelet therapy ("aspirin cohort", N = 1956). Propensity score matching utilizing various markers of illness severity and other patient-specific covariates yielded treatment groups with well-balanced covariates in each cohort. The primary outcome was cumulative incidence of in-hospital death. Results: Among propensity score-matched patients in the anticoagulation cohort (N = 382), in a multivariable regression model, intermediate- compared to prophylactic-dose anticoagulation was associated with a significantly lower cumulative incidence of in-hospital death (hazard ratio 0.518 [0.308-0.872]). Among propensity-score matched patients in the aspirin cohort (N = 638), in a multivariable regression model, in-hospital aspirin compared to no antiplatelet therapy was associated with a significantly lower cumulative incidence of in-hospital death (hazard ratio 0.522 [0.336-0.812]). Interpretation: In this propensity score-matched, observational study of COVID-19, intermediate-dose anticoagulation and aspirin were each associated with a lower cumulative incidence of in-hospital death.


The BEACON CRC trial demonstrated a survival advantage over chemotherapy for a combination of targeted agents comprising the potent BRAF inhibitor encorafenib together with cetuximab and binimetinib. Resistance to BRAF inhibition in CRC arises in part through the generation and activation of RAF dimers resulting in MEK-ERK pathway reactivation. Paradox breaker BRAF inhibitors, such as PLX8394, are designed to inhibit RAF dimer formation. We analyzed whether paradox breakers reduce pathway reactivation and so have enhanced potency compared with encorafenib in BRAF mutant CRC. The potency of encorafenib and PLX8394 was greater than vemurafenib and the degree of pathway reactivation somewhat less. However, dose response curves for encorafenib and PLX8394 were similar and there was no significant differences in degree of pathway reactivation. To our knowledge these data represent the first comparative data of encorafenib and paradox breaker inhibitors in BRAF mutant CRC. Whilst these results support further investigation of PLX8394, all three agents tested reactivated the pathway in melanoma cells, a disease in which monotherapy is effective. Strategies focused on restricting RAF dimerization fail to address the impact that specific context of BRAF mutation in CRC has on targeted therapy outcomes.


Forging is an experience-oriented technology. The physical phenomena that describe the forging operations are difficult to express with quantitative relationships. In order to avoid the trail-and-error method, we use numerical simulations for studying the forging process. With the help of these simulations, the engineers are able to uncover the potential defects which may happen during the forging process. Concurrent Engineering (CE) helps in making the forging process more effective. In the CE system, each modification of the product represents a taxonomical relationship between specifications, outputs, and the concept it represents. In the study, the forging process of a disc shaped part is analysed. Thanks to numerical simulations it is determined that the dimensions of the billet are larger than needed. This resulted in overfilling the flash of the tool, thus the simulation was unsuccessful. After correcting the dimensions of the billet, the simulation ran with no interruptions.


Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in the developed world and aortic aneurysm is a key contributor. Aortic aneurysms typically occur in the thoracic aorta and can extend into the descending aorta. The Frozen Elephant Trunk stent (FET) is one of the leading treatments for the aneurysms extending into the descending aorta. This study focuses on the in-vitro experimentation of a stented descending aorta, investigating the haemodynamics in a compliant phantom. A silicone phantom of the descending aorta was manufactured using a lost core casting method. A PVC stent was manufactured using the same mould core. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used for pulsatile studies, focusing specifically on the passive fixation at the distal end of the FET. The results showed an apparent expansion in the diastolic period that was identified to be a collapse in the lateral plane. Flow recirculation regions were identified during the collapse. The collapse was attributed to low upstream and high downstream pressures causing a vacuum effect. The findings may imply a potential risk introduced by the FET stent that requires further investigation.


The Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus causes a potentially fatal paralysis in domestic animals, livestock and humans with companion animals (mainly dogs) most commonly affected. Current treatment regimes include administration of a commercial tick anti-serum (TAS), prepared as hyperimmune serum in dogs, to neutralise the effects of the toxin. However, each new batch must be standardised using an expensive and highly subjective bioassay performed in neonatal mice. There is currently an urgent need for a more cost effective and rapid in vitro assay that can be more objectively and accurately quantified. Further understanding of the composition of the toxin molecule is also required to develop toxin-specific reagents necessary for these assays. One of the main objectives of this study was to develop a suitable immunoassay to replace the existing mouse bioassay for assessing batches of tick anti-sera for use in tick paralysis therapy in dogs. Initially an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established to detect and quantify antibody specific for I. holocyclus toxin in dog sera. Using a partially purified antigen extracted from I. holocyclus salivary glands, good discrimination was achieved between reactive (hyperimmune) and non-reactive (naive) sera. The hyperimmune dog sera reacted very strongly with the antigen compared to negligible reactions of serum from dogs not exposed to I. holocyclus. The reactions of hyperimmune sera were also significantly weaker to a non-toxin antigen control extracted from the salivary glands of the non-toxic tick Rhipicephalus microplus, indicating the assay was detecting toxin-specific responses. Furthermore, each of the hyperimmune sera that reacted strongly and specifically with the I. holocyclus antigen in the ELISA also strongly neutralised toxin in the mouse bioassay. Together these findings support the suitability of this ELISA for assessing the potency of batches of commercial dog hyperimmune sera for use as therapy for tick paralysis in dogs. Sera from dogs that were experimentally infested with ticks and sera from patient dogs, presenting at veterinary clinics with signs of tick paralysis, were also screened for antibodies to I. holocyclus antigen using the ELISA. Twenty-eight out of 29 sera from animals with single or multiple exposures to ticks failed to recognise the I. holocyclus antigen indicating the ELISA is not suitable as a diagnostic test to detect toxin-specific antibodies in animals with limited exposure to I. holocyclus infestation. A panel of toxin-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was produced as research tools to analyse and purify tick toxin components. Rats were successfully immunised against tick toxin using a combination of inoculation of partially purified salivary gland antigen and exposure to tick infestation. The latter approach preserved the native confirmation of the toxin using a natural route of immunisation and rats were chosen due to their high tolerance of multiple tick infestations over several days. While fusion of rat spleen cells with mouse myeloma cells has been reported several times in the literature, the resulting hybridomas are unstable with fastidious culture requirements. Optimisation of the culture conditions revealed that most rat-mouse hybridoma lines grew best in serum-free medium supplemented with 5% foetal bovine serum. Of 600 hybridomas produced, only 12 were shown to be specific for the Ixodes antigen, as determined by ELISA. A selection of these hybridomas representing various patterns of affinity and/or antigen specificity were further analysed for toxin-neutralising ability in a mouse bioassay. Notably, the most potent toxin-neutralising mAb in mice, showed a specific but relatively moderate reaction to Ixodes antigen in the ELISA. The most potent toxin-neutralising mAbs inactivated toxin as strongly as the commercial TAS used for immunotherapy in dogs with tick paralysis. This suggests that mAbs may present an alternative source of immunotherapy, providing a potentially endless supply of a highly consistent reagent and negating the need to use live animals for both the production of tick antiserum and the continual testing of reagent batches. The toxin-neutralising mAbs were also used to analyse I. holocyclus toxin in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and Western blot to identify specific toxin proteins. The most potent neutralising mAbs consistently recognised high MW proteins (100-200 kDa) in a smeared pattern. Although this was contrary to previous reports of low molecular weight components (3-5 kDa) in holocyclotoxin, this study was the first to use mAbs prepared to native toxin. The large molecular weight structures likely represent presucursors to, or complexes of the smaller peptides, previously identified. When the Toxin-neutralising mAbs were assessed as ligands to affinity purify toxin components from crude Ixodes SG extracts, toxin components of 110 and 32 kDa were consistently identified. These purified proteins represent good candidates for N-terminal sequencing to further identify the toxin components in I.holocyclus salivary glands.


Formation of binary and ternary complexes of some transition metal ions (M+2=Cu+2, Co+2, and Ni+2) with some selected aromatic hydroxamic acids (benzohydroxamic acid and salicylhydroxamic acid) and some biologically relevant aliphatic carboxylic acids (succinic acid,maleic acid, and tartaric acid) or dipicolinic acid was studied pHmetrically at 25°C and I=0.1mol dm-3NaNO3 in aqueous solution. The acid-base properties of ligandswere investigated and discussed. The formation of the different 1:1, and 1:1:1 ternary complexes is inferred from the corresponding titration curves. The ternary complexes are formed in a stepwise mechanism. The stability constants of the binary and ternary systems were evaluated. The order of stability of the ternary complexes in terms of the nature of hydroxamic acid, aliphatic carboxylic acid, and dipicolinic acid is investigated and discussed. The stability of the ternary complexes is also discussed in relative to that of the binary complexes of secondary ligands.


In this paper, high-accuracy measurements of ultraviolet (UV)-induced refractive-index changes (plusmn3times10-7) in germanosilicate optical fiber as a function of intensity and exposure time are presented. To examine the early growth characteristics of the fiber, samples are irradiated with 244-nm light for 100 s at relatively low intensities (0.007-2.7 W/cm2). The combined growth data is then interpolated to generate a 3-D "index growth surface" of photo-induced index. An empirically derived mathematical expression relates the index growth to the exposure time and intensity. Evidence is presented that, after exposing the fiber at one intensity, additional growth at a different intensity is dictated by the final index change of the first exposure and the intensity of the second exposure. This "compound growth rule" permits the complete calculation of induced-grating structures produced by such a complex exposure history. Using the index-growth surface and the compound-growth rule, the growth and UV erasure of a fiber Bragg grating is successfully predicted using a modified F-matrix algorithm


The leucine zipper transcription factors cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), cAMP response element modulatory protein (CREM) and activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) bind to the cAMP response element (CRE) with the palindromic consensus sequence TGACGTCA. Their transcriptional activities are dependent on serine phosphorylation induced by various extracellular signals such as hormones, growth factors and neurotransmitters. Here we show that CREB is the predominant CRE-binding protein in Xenopus embryos and that it plays an essential role during early development. The importance of CREB for morphogenetic processes was assessed by injection of RNA encoding a dominant-negative form of CREB that is fused to a truncated progesterone receptor ligand binding domain. In this fusion protein, a dominant-negative function can be induced by application of the synthetic steroid RU486 at given developmental stages. The inhibition of CREB at blastula and early gastrula stages leads to severe posterior defects of the embryos re ̄ected by strong spina bi®da, whereas the inhibition of CREB at the beginning of neurulation resulted in stunted embryos with microcephaly. In these embryos, initial induction of neural and mesodermal tissues is not dependent on CREB function, as genes such as Otx2, Krox20, Shh and MyoD are still expressed in injected embryos. But the expression domains of Otx2 and MyoD were found to be distorted re ̄ecting the abnormal development in both neural and somitic derivatives. In summary, our data show that CREB is essential during several developmental stages of Xenopus embryogenesis. q 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.


PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy using the AngioJet™ System for the treatment of lower extremity acute arterial embolism and thrombosis. METHODS: A total of twenty patients who had acute arterial embolism and thrombosis of the lower extremity were recruited. All patients were treated using the AngioJet mechanical thrombectomy system. Clinical data of the patients were retrospectively collected. The clinical efficacy of thrombectomy was analyzed. RESULTS: Eighteen (90%) of the twenty patients successfully completed the mechanical thrombectomy using the AngioJet system. The mean time for hospital stay and operation was 4.2 ± 1.4 days and 1.31 ± 0.41 h, respectively. The average doses of urokinase and heparin during operation were 358,000 ± 123,000 U and 45.10 ± 8.30 mg, respectively. Two patients received a complementary treatment of incision for removing the thrombus. Two patients received catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) after the mechanical thrombectomy. Five patients received bare-metal stent implantation after balloon expansion. According to the Cooley standard, ten patients were in excellent conditions, six in good conditions, two in fair conditions, and two in poor conditions. No severe bleeding or renal function impairment was observed. CONCLUSION: The AngioJet mechanical thrombectomy system is safe and effective. Combined with the use of CDT and stent implantation, the AngioJet system could lead to quick recoveries of the perfusion of the lower extremity and improve the limb salvage rates, exhibiting excellent clinical values.


If you and your team haven't discussed how social media can be used to grow your practice and get seen in a competitive market, I hope you keep reading. Finding success with social media takes time and energy, but it's never too late to start building momentum.


We developed task-optimized deep neural networks (DNNs) that achieved state-of-the-art performance in different evaluation scenarios for automatic music tagging. These DNNs were subsequently used to probe the neural representations of music. Representational similarity analysis revealed the existence of a representational gradient across the superior temporal gyrus (STG). Anterior STG was shown to be more sensitive to low-level stimulus features encoded in shallow DNN layers whereas posterior STG was shown to be more sensitive to high-level stimulus features encoded in deep DNN layers.


The reaction behavior and growth kinetic of reaction layer were investigated in the Ni contact to n-type 6H-SiC. Annealing was performed at temperature in the range between 800 and 1000 °C for 1 to 240 minutes in Ar atmosphere. The interface reaction of Ni/SiC starts with Ni diffusion into SiC. Ni3Si is initially precipitated and subsequently forms the continuous layer of d-Ni2Si. Kirkendall voids are formed at the reaction front. Carbon is segregated in the interface layer of nickel silicide. The growth rate of the interface layer follows a parabolic law, meaning that the growth rate is controlled by diffusion. The growth occurs in two steps at all examined temperatures: a fast growth is followed by a slow growth. In addition, in the late stage, the growth rate changes dramatically below and above 850°C. The observed growth kinetic can be explained by the difference of Ni diffusivity and the required concentration change for phase transition depending on the phase composition and structure. The d-Ni2Si is formed in the early stage, while the e-Ni3Si2 and q-Ni2Si are formed in the late stage below and above 850°C, respectively.


We present a case of microcephaly associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) in a chronological, multimodal imaging approach, illustrating the hallmarks of this disease on intrauterine morphological ultrasound, transfontanelar ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We also determined the serological e immunological status of the mother and newborn. Noticeably, there was evidence for maternal infection by ZIKV, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), dengue virus (DENV) and Toxoplasma gondii, which indicates a possible role of previous exposures to STORCH agents and possibly comorbidities in the severe fetal congenital manifestation. Author Summary Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne arbovirus causing dengue-like symptoms. In humans the illness is characterized by malaise and cutaneous rash and absent or short-termed fever. Recently, the Brazilian Ministry of Health reported an outbreak of microcephaly in Brazil as a delayed effect of the 2014-2015 outbreak of ZIKV in the Northeast of Brazil. A 20-fold increase in the notifications of newborns with microcephaly was documented during the second semester of 2015. This increase was almost immediately found to be associated with ZIKV infections, both in Brazil and, retrospectively, in French Polynesia. Herein we report a case of microcephaly associated with ZIKV and we also present evidence of other maternal infections. Our results indicated that, both mother and microcephaly infant had immunologic status compatible with previous exposure (in the mother) by STORCH agents. These indicate a possible role of previous exposures and possibly comorbidities in the severe fetal congenital manifestation. □


Transgender residents of Massachusetts have reported experiencing discrimination in employment. Loss of employment due to anti-transgender bias often means lost wages, lost health insurance coverage, and housing instability. Therefore, employment discrimination might affect the budget of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in several ways: reduced income tax revenues, higher public assistance expenditures, and other costs. For instance, if a worker is fired for being transgender and loses wages as a result, the Commonwealth loses the income tax revenue it would have gained from those lost wages. Furthermore, that worker may need to participate in a public health insurance program to replace lost employer-provided coverage. Those health insurance costs are then transferred from that worker's former employer to the Commonwealth. This study estimates that the impact of discrimination is likely to cost the Commonwealth millions of dollars each year. The added cost to the Commonwealth for public health insurance coverage alone is $3 million annually due to employment discrimination.


In the late 1980s and 1990s, like other sections of the UK education system, Further Education (FE) was subjected to major institutional change. Furthermore, there were significant government interventions in the curriculum of FE colleges: the introduction of General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) and subsequently of the Advanced Vocational Certificate in Education (AVCE). The introduction of GNVQs in the early 1990s involved a substantial change in the working practices of FE lecturers. Not only was there modification to the content to be taught but the roles of lecturer and student were transformed. In 2000, GNVQ was replaced by AVCE. This too involved considerable modification in the work of FE lecturers, in some respects a shift back towards the situation prior to the introduction of GNVQ, but also introducing new elements.

These changes are the focus of this thesis. The fundamental character of the switch to GNVQ, and the subsequent move away from it, provide a distinctive context for exploring lecturers' responses and adaptations to dramatic and rapid change. Understanding these is important if we are to grasp the factors shaping the implementation of curricular policies, and their effects. This case study attempts to deepen understanding of the significant factors which influence policy implementation by investigating how recent curricular reforms in FE came about, and how lecturers responded to them, on the basis of data from documents and interviews.

The conclusion reached is that how a policy gets implemented will reflect previously prevailing working practices, along with practitioners' views about the sort of education they are engaged in, about their central professional task, and about how it ought to be carried out; views which will be shaped by different career trajectories. These factors determine attitudes both towards the goals of any new policy and towards the operational procedures it imposes.


: The paper presents a comparative description of the clinical picture of herpes zoster observed in a patient twice in 1989 and 1997. For its differential diagnosis with herpes simplex, emphasis is laid on a difference between the concepts "relapse" and "recurrence".


AbstractThis study concentrates on the Survey of Professional Forecasters (SPF) to demonstrate a way to improve the consensus forecasts of interest rates. It promotes the notion that, in improving the survey forecast accuracy of a variable, one should investigate the usefulness of the predictive information contained in the survey forecasts of other theoretically relevant variables. This idea has been applied to the SPF forecasts of the 3-month Treasury-bill rate, which are shown to be one-sided for 2001.1-2003.4. We improve the accuracy of these forecasts by exploiting the predictive information contained in the SPF forecasts of inflation and output growth. We thus recommend that the possible improvement should be investigated before such interest
rate forecasts are utilized for decision-making.


We present an annotation model of modality which is (i) cross-linguistic, relying on a wide, strongly typologically motivated approach, and (ii) hierarchical and layered, accounting for both factuality and speaker's attitude, while modelling these two aspects through separate annotation schemes. Modality is defined through cross-linguistic categories, but the classification of actual linguistic expressions is language-specific. This makes our annotation model a powerful tool for investigating linguistic diversity in the field of modality on the basis of real language data, being thus also useful from the perspective of machine translation systems.


ndia has one of the largest higher education systems in the world, and has been witnessing healthy growth in its number of institutions and enrollment in the last few decades. The education system has seen a scorching growth over the last decade, trebling in size. In 2013, India had 727 universities, over 35,000 colleges and about 13,000 stand-alone institutions Education is recognized as one of the critical elements of the national development effort and Higher education, in particular, is of vital importance for the nation, as it is a powerful tool to build knowledge-based society of the 21 st century. India is developing as a knowledge economy and it cannot function without the support of Information Communication Technologies (ICT). Importance of education in almost all walks of life has increased with the support of ICT. During the past 20 years, the use of ICT has fundamentally changed the working of education. In the current environment-conscious world, the importance of education and acceptability of ICT as a social necessity has been increasing. We can make our learning more engaging with the use of ICT, it can completely change how our education system works. ICT can help in enhancing the quality of education through blended learning by supplementing the traditional talk and chalk method of teaching. ICT, if used creatively, can make a big difference in the way teachers teach and students learn and can help students acquire 21st century skills like digital literacy, innovative thinking, creativity, sound reasoning and effective communication.Role of ICT act as an enabler for quality and market-responsive in higher education. But, Higher education in India is plagued by the challenges of inadequate technology access and inequity coupled with economic considerations and technological know-how, it remains to be seen how ICT can actually burgeon the students and how it can foster change. In this aspect, the paper reviews certain important issues related with the effective implementation of ICTs in Higher Education and provides suggestions to address certain challenges that would help in the implementation of ICTs in Higher education and concurrently increasing the quality of education.


A disproportionately large amount of the world's agronomic potential for the production of bio-ethanol is concentrated in a subset of developing countries. To develop that potential, countries need both the existence of an appropriate local business ecosystem and reliable global demand. The creation of a global market for green biofuels, however, is affected by a constellation of diverse and sometimes conflicting policy goals, which tend to complicate policy discussion. In this paper we compile a set of principles to guide the design of a global market for green biofuels.


Background The urokinase receptor (uPAR/CD87) is highly expressed in malignant tumours. uPAR, as a GPI anchored protein, is preferentially located at the cell surface, where it interacts with its ligands urokinase (uPA) and the extracellular matrix protein vitronectin, thus promoting plasmin generation, cell-matrix interactions and intracellular signalling events. Interaction with a complex formed by uPA and its inhibitor PAI-1 induces cell surface down regulation and recycling of the receptor via the clathrin-coated pathway, a process dependent on the association to LRP-1. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, we have found that along with the ligand-induced down-regulation, uPAR also internalizes and recycles constitutively through a second pathway that is independent of LRP-1 and clathrin but shares some properties with macropinocytosis. The ligand-independent route is amiloride-sensitive, does not require uPAR partitioning into lipid rafts, is independent of the activity of small GTPases RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42, and does not require PI3K activity. Constitutively endocytosed uPAR is found in EEA1 positive early/recycling endosomes but does not reach lysosomes in the absence of ligands. Electron microscopy analysis reveals the presence of uPAR in ruffling domains at the cell surface, in macropinosome-like vesicles and in endosomal compartments. Conclusions/Significance These results indicate that, in addition to the ligand-induced endocytosis of uPAR, efficient surface expression and membrane trafficking might also be driven by an uncommon macropinocytic mechanism coupled with rapid recycling to the cell surface.


Inertial particle acceleration statistics are analyzed using DNS in the case of a highly turbulent channel flow. Along with effects recognized in homogeneous isotropic turbulence, an additional effect is observed due to high and low speed vortical structures aligned with the channel wall. In response to those structures, the inertial particles experience strong longitudinalacceleration variations. DNS is also used in order to assess LES-SSAM (Subgrid Stochastic Acceleration Model), in which an approximation to the instantaneous non-filtered velocity field is given by simulation of both, filtered and residual, accelerations. Advantages of this approach in predicting particle dynamics in the channel flow at a high Reynolds number are shown.


This Paper defines a method of Certifying a Test Station for use by an organization's Production team, and for Validating its proper functionality. The Production team of any organization is the customer of the Test Equipment development team. The deliverable to the Production team is the Test Station, whose performance must be Validated in order to guarantee that it can adequately provide Pass/Fail discrimination upon a production unit being tested, and then must be Certified in order to be utilized for Production deliveries.


The privacy calculus postulates that individuals disclose information when benefits outweigh privacy risks. Despite its wide applicability, research has also challenged the privacy calculus. It was shown that individuals disclose information even if benefits do not outweigh privacy risks. Two explanations have been provided: On the one hand, perceptions might lead to a miscalculation of benefits and privacy risks. On the other hand, additional concepts might alter the effect of benefits and privacy risks on disclosure. In this research study we provide a third explanation: We suggest subjective norm to be a factor which overlies the effect of benefits and privacy risk. Subjective norm is the perceived social pressure of individuals that other important referents around expect the individual to undertake a certain behavior. To integrate subjective norm into the privacy calculus, we use the theory of reasoned action as our theoretical lens. Based on a survey with 1,466 participants and a covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, we can conclude that subjective norm has the strongest effect on disclosure. The results contribute to theory in the privacy domain, by questioning in how far the privacy calculus can be considered, without taking the environment into consideration.


The polymorphism and serum levels of alpha 1-antitrypsin (AT) were studied in asbestosis patients, the control and the workers exposed to mineral flax longer or less than ten years. M1S, M3S, M1Z and M2M2 phenotypes had low concentration of this protein. In the course of contact with mineral flax decrease in alpha 1-AT concentration was found. The phenotypes with low protein levels were very rare among workers contacting with asbestos for a long time, and one of them--M1S was more often encountered in asbestosis patients. The standard deviation from the alpha 1-AT concentration was significantly higher in asbestosis patients.


Aging is associated with structural and functional changes in the vasculature, including endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffening and remodeling, impaired angiogenesis, and defective vascular repair, and with increased prevalence of atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular risk is similar for older men and women, but lower in women during their fertile years. This age- and sex-related difference points to estrogen as a protective factor because menopause is marked by the loss of endogenous estrogen production. Experimental and some clinical studies have attributed most of the protective effects of estrogen to its modulatory action on vascular endothelium. Estrogen promotes endothelial-derived NO production through increased expression and activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and modulates prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 release. The thromboxane A2 pathway is key to regulating vascular tone in females. Despite all the experimental evidence, some clinical trials have reported no cardiovascular benefit from estrogen replacement therapy in older postmenopausal women. The "Timing Hypothesis," which states that estrogen-mediated vascular benefits occur only before the detrimental effects of aging are established in the vasculature, offers a possible explanation for these discrepancies. Nevertheless, a gap remains in current knowledge of cardiovascular aging mechanisms in women. This review comprises clinical and experimental data on the effects of aging, estrogens, and hormone replacement therapy on vascular function of females. We aim to clarify how menopause and aging contribute jointly to vascular aging and how estrogen modulates vascular response at different ages.


Version2 is written after my paper "Duonistic Neutrinos Violate Relativity". A theoretical calculation with a new dark energy force formula discloses the correctness of the experimental faster-than-light-neutrinos in the CERN-San Grasso experiment. The formulation in this paper theoretically confirms that Einstein's Relativity could be violated. This introduces the obligation to accept a new cosmological model, called the Double Torus hypothesis . The theoretical calculation in this paper is based on a new momentum of dark energy force. This paper theoretically calculates 62.8 nanosecond for the experimental detected early-arrival of muon-neutrinos related to how light-in-vacuum would have arrived. This is a marvelous close match compared to the ((60.7 ± 6.9 (stat.) ± 7.4 (sys.)) nanosecond found during the 'neutrino-flight path' from CERN to San Grasso in the OPERA-project. However, this version-2 paper also makes clear neutrinos can only go faster-than-light in neutrino-pairs: I call these pairs Duonistic Neutrinos! Just as in the paper "Duonistic Neutrinos Violate Relativity". This paper presents the set of equations to prove that.


Over the past 30 years, the majority of large firms that filed for bankruptcy did so in the US bankruptcy courts of the Southern District of New York and Delaware. Some believe these experienced courts dominate because their expertise makes bankruptcy more predictable. Critics dispute this explanation, arguing instead that "predictability" is a cloak for the true, self-interested motivation of the debtor's managers, lawyers, and senior creditors who influence the debtor's choice of venue. In this paper, I look for evidence supporting the views of the proponents and detractors of bankruptcy forum shopping in a large sample of market data. My results suggest that the market is better at predicting the outcomes of bankruptcy cases in New York and Delaware, consistent with the hypothesis that the law there is more predictable. I do not find evidence supporting the view that those courts are biased in favor of senior creditors.


Leukemic patients receiving marrow from HLA-identical sibling donors were randomized to treatment with either busulfan 16 mg/kg (n = 88) or total body irradiation ([TBI] n = 79) in addition to cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg. The patients were observed for a period of 5 to 9 years. Busulfan-treated patients had an increased risk of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver (12% v 1%, P  = .01) and hemorrhagic cystitis (32% v 10%, P  = .003). Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was similar in the two groups, but the 7-year cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD was 59% in the busulfan-treated group versus 47% in the TBI group ( P  = .05). Death from GVHD was more common in the busulfan group (22% v 3%, P  < .001). Obstructive bronchiolitis occurred in 26% of the busulfan patients but in only 5% of the TBI patients ( P  < .01). Complete alopecia developed in 8 busulfan patients and partial alopecia in 17, versus five with partial alopecia in the TBI group ( P  < .001). Cataracts occurred in 5 busulfan-treated patients and 16 TBI patients ( P  = .02). The incidence of relapse after 7 years was 29% in both groups. Seven-year transplant-related mortality (TRM) in patients with early disease was 21% in the busulfan group and 12% in the TBI group. In patients with more advanced disease, the corresponding figures were 64% and 22%, respectively ( P  = .004). Leukemia-free survival (LFS) in patients with early disease was 68% in busulfan-treated patients and 66% in TBI patients. However, 7-year LFS in patients with more advanced disease was 17% in the busulfan group versus 49% in the TBI group ( P  < .01). In patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in first chronic phase, 7-year LFS was 72% and 83% in the two groups, respectively.


Embryonic development as well as stress resistance exhibited by the encysted embryo of the fairy shrimp, Streptocephalus dichotomus were studied. Embryonic development took place in a rapid phase and the nauplii hatched in about 8 h following hydration. The morphology and developmental features of the embryo, at different timescales, have been recorded. Despite undergoing interrupted development, encysting embryos synthesized large amounts of two proteins, namely p26 and artemin in the cysts. Western blot analyses of the desiccated and non-desiccated cysts showed the presence of p26 and artemin-like proteins with similar electrophoretic pattern and cross reactivity with polyclonal antibodies raised against Artemia p26 and artemin. Thus, the presence of p26 and artemin-like proteins has been documented in the cysts of the freshwater fairy shrimp other than Artemia. Levels of selected sugars are also reported in the desiccated and non-desiccated cysts, of which cysts containing more trehalose were capable of protecting the encysted embryos. The functional significance of sugars found in the encysted embryo is discussed in relation to cryptobiosis.


The cell-cycle kinase CDK6 promotes two distinct transcriptional pathways that inhibit proliferation or promote angiogenesis. The cell cycle is often deregulated in cancer because of mutations or increased activity of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) (see Otto and Sicinski). The abundance of CDK6 is frequently increased in lymphoma and leukemia. Kollmann et al. found that CDK6 activated distinct transcriptional pathways that regulated B and T cell proliferation and angiogenesis independently of its kinase function. In CDK6-deficient or wild-type p185BCR-ABL-transformed pro-B cells or NPM-ALK+ (which encodes a fusion product of nucleophosmin and anaplastic lymphoma kinase) anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) cells, the overexpression of CDK6 or a catalytically inactive mutant (CDK6-K43M) inhibited cell proliferation and delayed the onset of subcutaneous xenograft tumors in nude mice. In addition, overexpression of wild-type or catalytically inactive CDK6 correlated with increased mRNA and protein abundance of its inhibitor p16INK4a, an effect that required cyclins and STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3). Deletion of p16INK4A in cells prevented the antiproliferative effects of CDK6 overexpression. Furthermore, in tissue arrays of human B and T cell malignancies that were deficient for p16INK4a, the abundance of CDK6 was increased compared with those with abundant p16INK4a, and several ALCL-derived cell lines showed increased p16INK4a promoter methylation, suggesting that p16INK4a is a negative feedback target of CDK6 but is often silenced in lymphomas. In cells overexpressing a form of CDK6 that could not bind p16INK4a (CDK6-R31C), p16INK4a expression was induced but proliferation was not altered, indicating that CDK6 and p16INK4a interact at both the gene and protein levels to repress cell proliferation. As well as binding to the promoter of p16INK4a, CDK6 bound to that of VEGFA, which encodes vascular endothelial growth factor A. In human ALCL tissue, CDK6 abundance correlated with increased blood vessel density. Mouse xenograft tumors from CDK6-deficient ALCL or B cells overexpressing CDK6, CDK6-K43M, or CDK6-R31C had increased angiogenesis and abundance and secretion of VEGF-A, an effect that required the transcription factor c-Jun, but not STAT3 or cyclins. Together, the findings indicate that CDK6 promotes different transcriptional pathways that are either antiproliferative or proangiogenic. K. Kollmann, G. Heller, C. Schneckenleithner, W. Warsch, R. Scheicher, R. G. Ott, M. Schäfer, S. Fajmann, M. Schlederer, A.-I. Schiefer, U. Reichart, M. Mayerhofer, C. Hoeller, S. Zöchbauer-Müller, D. Kerjaschki, C. Bock, L. Kenner, G. Hoefler, M. Freissmuth, A. R. Green, R. Moriggl, M. Busslinger, M. Malumbres, V. Sexl, A kinase-independent function of CDK6 links the cell cycle to tumor angiogenesis. Cancer Cell 24, 167–181 (2013). [PubMed] T. Otto, P. Sicinski, The kinase-independent, second life of CDK6 in transcription. Cancer Cell 24, 141–143 (2013). [PubMed]


Kettering Borough Council offer grants to owners and tenants of private properties to enable them to adapt or repair their homes.


The global devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its mental health impact is undeniable. The physical and psychological consequences are wide-ranging - affecting patients fighting the disease, frontline workers in the trenches with them, healthcare staff deployed in high-care settings, and families disconnected from their loved ones in their darkest hours. Within 6 weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak in South Africa, the Department of Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University established the TBH/SU COVID Resiliency Clinic to provide psychological support to frontline workers at Tygerberg Hospital. Identified barriers in healthcare workers accessing mental healthcare resulted in moving towards an on-site visibility to try to remove some of these barriers. This greater on-site presence enabled networking and building of relationships with frontline staff that over time highlighted other frontline needs, such as providing psychosocial and spiritual support to patients and their families. We share challenges, lessons learned and recommendations from two initiatives: the TBH/SU COVID-19 Resiliency Clinic, and an embedded COVID Care Team (CCT). We describe the establishment, roll-out and progress of the Clinic and the subsequent CCT.


Net and radioactive calcium movements were studied in the rat uterus during stimulation with acetylcholine and high potassium solutions. High potassium did not affect the efflux of intracellular Ca45, but was able to release Ca45 from a small parallel Ca fraction which was believed to be located in the cell membranes. High potassium did markedly slow the influx of Ca45 and caused a net calcium efflux. Acetylcholine had no effect on calcium movements in polarized myometrium, but it increased the Ca45 influx in depolarized uteri. Ca45 taken up during contraction exchanged more slowly during subsequent efflux than Ca45 taken up at rest. The results were interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that myometrial contraction is induced by a release of calcium from the inside of the cell membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum, and relaxation follows the removal of ionic cytoplasmic calcium by these same structures.


The experiment was conducted at Agronomy field laboratory, Dept. of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi during 2019-2020 to identify the diverse genotypes of wheat related to heat tolerance. Twenty wheat genotypes/lines were used as a plant materials in this experiment. The wheat genotypes/lines were evaluated in heat stress environments. Non-hierarchical clustering grouped the wheat genotypes into five clusters. The cluster II indicated the maximum number of genotypes following the cluster V, III and IV. Plant height and spikes m-2 were major traits contributed mostly towards genetic divergence. Selection of parents for these two traits has good scope to get broad spectrum of segregates. The cluster V had the highest grains spike-1, spikelet's spike-1, 1000-grain weight, grain yield and biomass whereas canopy temperature, heading days and maturity days were lowest. Cluster I had the lowest grain yield, spikes m-2, grains spike-1, biomass and chlorophyll content, plant height, spikelet's spike-1 and 1000-grain weight. Five pairs of clusters viz. the clusters (I and V, I and II, I and IV, III and V and IV and V) may be considered for getting more heterotic F1. The genotypes G 02 and G 11 of cluster I and genotypes G 6, G 15, G 17, G 18 and G 20 of cluster V may be considered as parents for future hybridization program to obtain diverse genotypes related to heat tolerance.
J. of Sci. and Tech. Res. 3(1): 61-68, 2021


ABSTRACT The first three enzymes of the pentachlorophenol (PCP) degradation pathway in Sphingobium chlorophenolicum (formerly Sphingomonas chlorophenolica) ATCC 39723 have been characterized, and the corresponding genes, pcpA, pcpB, and pcpC, have been individually cloned and sequenced. To search for new genes involved in PCP degradation and map the physical locations of the pcp genes, a 24-kb fragment containing pcpA and pcpC was completely sequenced. A putative LysR-type transcriptional regulator gene, pcpM, and a maleylacetate reductase gene, pcpE, were identified upstream of pcpA. pcpE was found to play a role in PCP degradation. pcpB was not found on the 24-kb fragment. The four gene products PcpB, PcpC, PcpA, and PcpE were responsible for the metabolism of PCP to 3-oxoadipate in ATCC 39723, and inactivational mutation of each gene disrupted the degradation pathway. The organization of the pcp genes is unusual because the four PCP-degrading genes, pcpA, pcpB, pcpC, and pcpE, were found to be located at four discrete locations. Two hypothetical LysR-type regulator genes, pcpM and pcpR, have been identified; pcpM was not required, but pcpR was essential for the induction of pcpB, pcpA, and pcpE. The coinducers of PcpR were PCP and other polychlorinated phenols. The expression of pcpC was constitutive. Thus, the organization and regulation of the genes involved in PCP degradation to 3-oxoadipate were documented.


This paper examines the cross–university variation in spin–off activity by faculty members from 124 US academic institutions, using a unique database including data on founders of both formal and informal spin–offs. Accordingly, the rate of spawning founders is positively affected by the quality of the institution and its departments, the R&D expenditure of the institution, and the strength of the local cluster. In addition, we find that institutions with higher licence revenues also have more spin–offs. In contrast to the traditional literature, we present evidence that both informal and non–local spin–offs are common and significant phenomena. Moreover, we find that the local cluster size and the university quality both increase the probability of spin–offs. However, when the relative quality of the institution is higher than the relative quality of the cluster, the probability of local academic spin–offs decreases.


The Kalahari Transect is one of several International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme (IGBP) transects designed to address global change questions at the regional scale, in particular by exploiting natural parameter gradients ( Koch et al., 1995 ). In March 2000, we collected near‐synoptic vegetation structural data at five sites spanning the Kalahari's large precipitation gradient (about 300–1000 mm yr−1) from southern Botswana (∼24°S) to Zambia (∼15°S). All sites were within the expansive Kalahari sandsheet. Common parameters, including plant area index (PAI), leaf area index (LAI) and canopy cover (CC), were measured or derived using several indirect instruments and at multiple spatial scales. Results show that CC and PAI increase with increasing mean annual precipitation. Canopy clumping, defined by the deviation of the gap size distribution from that of randomly distributed foliage, was fairly constant along the gradient. We provide empirical relationships relating these parameters to each other and to precipitation. These results, combined with those in companion Kalahari Transect studies, provide a unique and coherent test bed for ecological modeling. The data may be used to parameterize process models, as well as test internally predicted parameters and their variability in response to well‐characterized climatological differences.


South Africa9s varied population makes it a magnet for research on public health and human diversity. But a new privacy law called The Protection of Personal Information Act, scheduled to go into effect in 2020, could upend such research. The law aims to protect South Africans from abuse of their personal data and says that such information, including genetic data, must be collected for a specific purpose—and that data subjects need to be "aware of the purpose." But giant sample and data repositories called biobanks are transforming health research around the world by allowing multiple researchers to ask new questions of the same data. At a meeting in Cape Town on 4–5 February, lawyers, ethicists, and researchers discussed how the new South African rule could limit such secondary use of data and hamstring international collaborations.


Background: In a respiratory protection program, the practice of mask Fit Testing for tight fitting respirators is best practice for most international respiratory protection standards. Fit Testing (either through a qualitative or quantitative method) is widely used as a determinant of how well the respirator protects the wearer and is conducted with new staff followed by annual re-testing. Many high-risk industries (healthcare, laboratories and emergency services) are required to report on their comprehensive annual Fit Testing programs with large, remote or mobile teams. For these organizations Fit Testing can be a lengthy, costly and technically complex logistical process which restricts its use on a more frequent basis in the workplace. When conducted annually this leaves long periods during which the wearer's mask fit may change (facial hair or weight loss) resulting in a deterioration in protection offered by the respirator. Even without material facial changes, studies have reported high failure rates from day to day for passive masks (N95s) even when fitted by trained personnel. Practically, employers need an easier, faster and inexpensive daily check (between annual Fit Tests) to ensure staff are adequately protected or as an early alert for when staff may need to be re-fitted for their mask.

Methodology: CleanSpace Respirators were used in this study. CleanSpace is a new generation in respiratory protection incorporating the proprietary AirSensit™ technology that monitors the mask pressure 100 times per second to maintain positive pressure during use. The system is dynamic and can detect minute changes in mask leak and resistance. Bluetooth™ enabled respirator devices were used in conjunction with TSI Portacount® Fit Testing. The study involved 700 participants. A mathematical model was developed using the device metrics (pressure, motor speed and power) captured during testing. Device data was segmented into good fit (Fit Factor>1000), marginal fit (Fit Factor 500 –1000) and poor fit (Fit Factor less 500). Device data was captured and transferred via Bluetooth® to a mobile handset.

Results: Data analysis demonstrated a correlation to the TSI Portacount® Fit Testing results and indicated protection had a high predictive factor.
Conclusion: This is the first time a methodology has been described for an inbuilt indicator of mask fit, run by the wearer, in the field. This check could be conducted by the user using a  mobile app, quickly and inexpensively. Results could be uploaded for remote record keeping by the employer. This methodology would not replace, but would work in conjunction with, traditional annual quantitative Fit Testing. A fast real time check on the job can provide an early warning system for the wearer for poor fitted masks, allowing immediate feedback to adjust and refit the mask-thus reducing the risk of exposure and increasing respiratory safety in the field.


A 57-year-old Caucasian man with hypertension and diabetes presented with left arm weakness and headache for one day. He had an influenza vaccination 10 days prior to presentation. Computed tomography (CT) of the head showed a possible right MCA stroke. The next day he developed left hemiplegia. A repeat CT of the head exhibited a "mass like" effect in the right hemisphere. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head showed a diffuse area of abnormal signals, involving both hemispheres, and diffuse white matter changes. His CSF showed WBC 4/mm3, RBC 1/mm3, glucose 97 mg/dl, and protein 96 mg/dl. He continued to deteriorate, developed encephalopathy, and had to be intubated. A repeat MRI of the head demonstrated extensive bilateral, poorly marginated white matter, and some grey matter involvement characteristic of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). He failed to respond to methylprednisolone 1 gram daily and was started on plasma exchange daily for 10 days. He started to improve after the second session. After five months he was essentially normal and had returned to work. This case demonstrates that routine vaccination can have important complications.


A queuing system, is a dynamical system whose state evolves in time by the occurrence of events at possibly irregular time intervals. Place- transitions Petri nets (commonly called Petri nets) are a graphical and math- ematical modeling tool applicable to queuing systems in order to represent its states evolution. Timed Petri nets are an extension of Petri nets, where now the timing at which the state changes is taken into consideration. One of the most important performance issues to be considered in a queuing system is its stability. Lyapunov stability theory provides the required tools needed to aboard the stability problem for queuing systems modeled with timed Petri nets whose mathematical model is given in terms of difference equations. By proving practical stability one is allowed to preassigned the bound on the queu- ing systems dynamics performance. Moreover, employing Lyapunov methods, a sufficient condition for the stabilization problem is also obtained. It is shown that it is possible to restrict the queuing systems state space in such a way that boundedness is guaranteed. However, this restriction results to be vague. This inconvenience is overcome by considering a specific recurrence equation, in the max-plus algebra, which is assigned to the timed Petri net graphical model. In this paper, the modeling and stability problem for a type of queueing systems is addressed. Two classes of queues are considered. The first one (one and two


While the paradigm of service oriented architectures and also the concept of service migration has been adapted to wireless sensor networks recently, the consistency demands of stateful service migration have not yet been considered in depth. Many services, for example for the aggregation of data or alarm services, require strict consistency when being migrated from one sensor node to another. In previous papers, we described how atomic commit protocols can be used to guarantee strict consistency of migrated services. Additional communication is required to achieve strict consistency. Therefore we varied the network conditions (i.e. loss rate, density) to determine the best solution in different situations. Finally we designed an adaptive approach which uses the ideal combination of transaction protocol and routing protocol to reduce the communication overhead and save energy to increase the lifetime of wireless sensor network deployments.


The demise of behaviorism has made ethologists more willing to ascribe mental states to animals. However, a methodology that can avoid the charge of excessive anthropomorphism is needed. We describe a series of experiments that could help determine whether the behavior of nonhuman animals towards dead conspecifics is concept mediated. These experiments form the basis of a general point. The behavior of some animals is clearly guided by complex mental processes. The techniques developed by comparative psychologists and behavioral ecologists are able to provide us with the tools to critically evaluate hypotheses concerning the continuity between human minds and animal minds.


In the debate on the purpose of the corporation, corporate law plays an important role as the corporate entity, because the owner of the assets, can pursue objectives that differ from those of the shareholders. But can corporations be neutral despite shareholders being the only associates or are they necessarily shareholder-oriented? In this article we show how new profit-with-purpose corporate forms (such as FPC and Benefit corporation) revisit the debate on corporate purpose. These corporate forms confirm that corporate law allows but doesn't protect any corporate purpose. By locking a mission in the charter, they protect alternative purposes while still ensuring managerial accountability. We develop a purpose-driven model of the corporation, which, we argue, generalizes model of the corporation, revives the original corporate model and is more consistent with the managerial function. We also develop further avenue for research in management science.


The objective of this research was to develop a tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) having a microstructure and properties good enough to penetrate hard rolled steels as deep as possible. In addition this alloy should not have environmental problems as depleted uranium (DU) materials. For this purpose a wide spread literature survey was performed and on the base of information obtained in this survey, three compositions of WHA were chosen for investigation in this research. The alloys namely 90W-7Ni-3Fe, 90W-9Ni-Mn and 90W-8Ni-2Mn were selected and after producing these alloys through powder metallurgy technique, their thermal conductivity, compression flow properties and microstructures were studied. The results of these investigations indicated that W-Ni-Mn alloys had better flow properties and lower thermal conductivities relative to W-Ni-Fe alloy. In addition Mn helped to obtain a finer microstructure in WHA. Worth mentioning that a finer microstructure as well as lower thermal conductivity in this type of alloys increased the penetration depth due to formation of adiabatic shear bands (ASB) during impact.


The present study aimed at the investigation of dietary supplementation of different levels of specific egg yolk antibody (IgY) powder on intestinal mucosal immunity and serum protein electrophoretic patterns of E. coli O78:K80-challenged broiler chicks. For lyophilized antibody preparation, forty 36-week-old White Leghorn hens were hyperimmunized with E. coli O78:K80 bacteria for a 12-week-period and IgY was isolated from the eggs by the water-dilution method. Seven-day-age broiler chicks were challenged orally with 0.5 mL of E. coli O78:K80 suspension (except for the negative control). The challenge was continued for additional 7 days from day 14 to 21 with 1.0 mL of a late log phase culture (10 9 cfu/mL) until the level of E. coli in droppings reached to 10 5 cfu/g. A total of 280 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments with 4 replicates of 14 chicks each. The four challenged-groups received a basal diet supplemented with 0 (as positive control), 0.1, 0.2, or 0.4% (wt/wt) IgY. The unchallenged-group, as negative control, fed the same unsupplemented diet. Oral infection caused increase in ileal E. coli enumeration, and induced systemic and mucosal inflammatory reactions. After three weeks of feeding, the levels of 0.2 and 0.4% IgY had the most suppressive effects (P<0.01) on the ileal E. coli enumeration and intestinal secretory IgA concentration. However, with at least 0.2% IgY, serum IgA concentration and the albumins to globulins ratio were slightly decreased (P=0.36) and increased (P=0.20), respectively. It was concluded that feeding high level of specific antibody powder, in addition to decreasing inflammatory factors, may increase the ratio of serum albumin. Therefore, the serum proteins can be directed toward metabolic pathways instead of being imposed on inflammatory pathways.


Time dependent convection diffusion problems with large Reynolds number are considered. Such a problem has been considered by using Shishkin's scheme, which was uniformly convergent with respect to large Reynolds number in order O(N -1 log 2 N+M -1 ), where N and M are number of intervals in x direction and t direction respectively. A three-transition points scheme, four piecewise-uniform mesh, is introduced. The mesh partition, the barrier function, the estimate of truncation error and the techniques of proof are different from others. The new scheme is non-equidistant. It is proved uniformly convergent with respect to large Reynolds number in order O(N -1 +M -1 ). Our work is better than Shishkin's traditional scheme, while the computational procedure is as simple as Shishkin's scheme. This novel method also has the same accurate result as Bakhvalov--Shishkin's scheme, while the computational procedure is simpler than Bakhvalov--Shishkin's scheme. Shishkin's scheme and Bakhvalov--Shishkin's scheme are compared with the new method. Finally, numerical results support the theoretical results.


This article presents an innovative design model for both designers and engineers that can serve as a
crucial compass during the formulation of a Product Design brief. The model was developed in order
to bridge the gap that exists between the quest for sustainable design and the limitations of traditional
briefs by focusing on the analysis level of the "WHAT" in order to enhance the "HOW" hands-on
output. The model is based on the TRIZ ideality concept and the Bio-mimicry approach, incorporating
sustainability principles inspired by nature. This design model directs designers and engineers through
complex planning challenges, including the demand for sustainable processes and materials, novel
attributes, efficiency, functionality and lower costs. Mechanical engineers and product designers that
utilize this model achieve interactive strategic thinking that can balance the main planning stages of
product functionality, such as manufacturing, advanced materials, logistics processes, marketing
demands and related costs. This article presents and expands upon the theoretical basis of the model
and also discusses its practical contribution through a case study conducted in an academic classroom
experiment with students in a program for Mechanical Engineering and Product Design.


Although mobile devices become more and more common in clinicians' hands, transforming them into an institutional tool to access electronic health record information at the patient's bedside still raises many questions. One of these questions is the provenance of mobile devices when these are deployed at an institutional level. Some advocate the use of personal devices, known as BYOD, for its lower cost, others favor the use of institutional devices which allow a standardization of the development, deployment and support processes. The financial disadvantage of institutional devices could be reduced by sharing devices between several care-providers. The problem with this solution is the authentication management. Indeed, smartphones are defined for individual use and do not efficiently manage multiple identities on a single device. In this article we present the outcome of a Delphi study aiming at identifying an authentication strategy that combines security and acceptable usability in order to share a pool of devices in a medical ward.


Recent projections foster the belief that small high temperature heat exchanged gas turbines incorporating ceramic rotors, and ceramic exhaust beat exchangers, may eventually have thermodynamic efficiencies competitive with Diesel cycle engines. Small high speed Brayton cycle gas turbine turbogenerators on the near term verge of production will indeed have improved thermal efficiencies, but ceramic material technology has not yet matured to the engine production stage. Although thermal efficiency is a dominant driver, manufacturing costs and long term engine durability are still a major concern to the engine manufacturer. As a consequence the thermodynamic performances of small gas turbines are still, in this last decade of the 20th century, primarily constrained by the temperature limits of the metallic stator/rotor and metallic heat exchanger.This paper reviews optimum thermo-economic design considerations for a small 50 KW output turbogenerator, covering the effect of cycle performance parameters on, engine configuration, rotational speeds engine weight, manufacturing and direct operating costs. The effect of design pressure ratio on part load thermal efficiency is also addressed for applications with extended operating time at low output powers.Copyright © 1997 by ASME


Modern technical innovations are marked by an extremely powerful symbiosis with scientific achievements. Today, there are a number of technologies that can reproduce human thinking and such skills as understanding complex information, drawing independent conclusions, and the ability to engage in meaningful and coherent dialogue. They testify to the possibility of innovative achievements in neuroscience to individually assess the level of concentration and perseverance of students, pace, best time to learn, etc. The robots are not able to inspire despite their computing power, simplicity of interface and ability to store information. They lack empathic abilities. They do not fully promote the realization of social skills. The global pandemic has actualized and intensified the introduction of artificial intelligence in the practice of education. Researchers have expressed a number of concerns that artificial intelligence in exchange for the rapid acquisition and effective use of a variety of information by a person will help to do levelling of the spiritual and emotional sphere of a person, i.e. "human nature in a human being."


Wireless local area networks (WLANs) based on the family of 802.11 technologies are becoming ubiquitous. These technologies support multiple data transmission rates. Transmitting at a lower data rate (by using a more resilient modulation scheme) increases the frame transmission time but reduces the hit error rate. In non-cooperative environments such as public hot-spots or WLANs operated by different enterprises that are physically close to each other, individual nodes attempt to maximize their achieved throughput by adjusting the data rate or frame size used, irrespective of the impact of this on overall system performance. In this paper, we show both analytically using a game theoretic model and through simulation that the existing 802.11 distributed MAC protocol, DCF (for distributed coordination function), as well as its enhanced version, which is being standardized at part of 802.11e, can lead non-cooperative nodes to undesirable Nash equilibriums, in which the wireless channel is inefficiently used. We show that by establishing independence between the allocation of the shared channel resource and the transmission strategies used by individual nodes, an ideal MAC protocol can lead rational nodes to arrive at equilibriums in which all competing nodes achieve higher throughputs tan with DCF.


Many models postulate a continuum of agents of finitely many different types who are repeatedly randomly matched in pairs to perform certain activities (e.g. play a game) which may in turn make their types change. The random matching process is usually left unspecified, and some Law of Large Numbers is informally invoked to justify a deterministic approximation of the resulting stochastic system. Nevertheless, it is well-know that such laws of large numbers may not hold in this framework. This work shows that there exist random matching processes over a continuum of agents satisfying properties which are sufficient to simplify the analysis of the stochastic system. Moreover, the evolution of the population frequencies of types induced by this system can be described (almost surely) through a set of deterministic equations.


We used radiostereometric analysis to compare wear rates between uncemented porous sockets and cemented all-polyethylene sockets in a series of 102 hips randomised for either a Harris-Galante or a Charnley cup. Wear was evaluated in 95 hips at a mean of five years (2 to 7). All hips had a cemented, 22 mm head mono-bloc Charnley stem. The mean annual wear rate was 0.09 mm in the Charnley sockets and 0.10 mm in the Harris-Galante sockets, with no statistically significant differences in wear, migration or rotation. We conclude that, up to five years, the wear characteristics of the modular and porous Harris-Galante socket resemble that of the Charnley socket.


Abstract In spite of the amount of research that has been done on grossular, Ca3Al2Si3O12, there is still uncertainty regarding its exact thermodynamic properties. Because of insufficient sample characterization in the various published calorimetric studies, it is difficult to analyze conflicting CP and S○ results. To resolve the discrepancies, a detailed and systematic multi‑method investigation was undertaken. Three synthetic grossular samples and four natural grossular‑rich garnets were characterized by optical microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, IR, and MAS 29Si and 27Al NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction methods. Two of the natural grossulars, crystallized at relatively low temperatures, are optically anisotropic and two from the higher temperature amphibolite faces are isotropic. The natural garnets have between 94 and 97 mol% grossular with minor fractions of other garnet components, as well as small amounts of OH in solid solution. 29Si and 27Al MAS NMR spectra indicate that synthetic grossular crystallized at high‑P and high‑T conditions is ordered with respect to Al and Si. Heat-capacity measurements between 5 and 300 K were made using relaxation calorimetry and between 282 and 764 K using DSC methods. For the three synthetic grossulars, the CP data yield an average S○ value of 260.23 ± 2.10 J/(mol·K). The S○ values for the four natural grossular‑rich garnets, adjusted to end‑member grossular composition, range between 253.0 ± 1.2 and 255.2 ± 1.2 J/(mol·K). The results of this work thus confirm earlier low‑temperature adiabatic calorimetric studies that show small, but experimentally significant, differences in S° between natural and synthetic grossular samples. The difference in terms of heat-capacity behavior between synthetic and natural samples is that the latter have lower CP values at temperatures between 20 and 100 K by up to about 20%. Above 298 K, CP for grossular is given by CP J/(mol·K) = 556.18(±12) - 1289.97(±394)⋅T-0.5 - 2.44014(±0.24)⋅107⋅T-2 + 3.30386(±0.39)⋅109⋅T-3. Applying mathematical programming, published high‑P‑T results on the reaction 3anorthite = grossular + 2kyanite + quartz were analyzed thermodynamically. The calculations yield best‑fit values of ΔfH○ = -6627.0 kJ/mol and S○ = 258.8 J/(mol·K) for grossular. It is concluded that S○ ≈ 260 J/ (mol·K) is the best value for end‑member grossular. Variations in structural state and composition in natural samples, as well as assumptions used in correcting for solid‑solution and OH groups, appear to be the most important factors that could account for the smaller S○ values of 253-257 J/(mol·K).


Light quantity (photosynthetic photon flux density, PPFD) and quality (red:far-red ratio, R:FR) may affect phenological development of weed species growing under a crop canopy. An indoor study was conducted to quantify the effects of incident PPFD and R:FR on development and dry matter accumulation of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.). Pigweed was grown in growth cabinets from the one-leaf stage to the initiation of seed set under three different PPFD/R:FR treatments: (i) high PPFD (550 μmol m -2 s -1 ) and high R:FR (1.4) (HH), (ii) low PPFD (180 μmol m -2 s -1 ) and high R:FR (1.4) (LH), and (iii) low PPFD (180 μmol m -2 s -1 ) and low R:FR (0.8) (LL). The experiment was undertaken at 12- and 16-h daylengths with three replications. Rate of leaf appearance (RLA) was accelerated with an increase in PPFD (HH vs. LH) at both daylengths. The FR enrichment (LL) negated the effect of low PPFD on RLA under the 12-h but not under the 16-h daylength. Low PPFD delayed the occurrence of floral primordia, flowering and initiation of seed set. Plant height was a result of the complementary effects of PPFD and R:FR. Total dry matter accumulation and partitioning, with the exception of dry matter accumulation to the stem, were influenced by PPFD only. Results of this study show that both light quality and quantity influence the phenology of pigweed.


Science, which is termed as the mother of development, has served the society since its inception but has simultaneously harmed the humanity. Sustainability science (SS) is the by-product of this realization whereas corporate social responsibility (CSR) is modern manifestation to off-set the effects (harmful) handed over by developmental race of society. The corporate, in this age of globalization, as a business entity has been effectively instrumental and successful as employment generator, wealth creator, equity distributor, and environment protector and thus, attained the status of a champion or one of the leading actors for sustainable development. CSR plays a pivotal role in achievement of sustainable development (SD) when applied as a business strategy and paves the way for business to act as economy builder, society harmonizer and protector of the environment. Through this paper, an effort is made to draw a conceptual framework interlinking different dimensions of sustainability science,sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. It is more of viewpoint or a thought paper than the research one as it draws heavily from researchers' experience on constructs covered but in its unique way, conveys theinter-connects to comprehend the gigantic problem and suggest an apt & time-tested and applied, that is, the practical solution.


Memory encoding and retrieval problems are inherent to aging. To date, however, the effect of aging upon the neural correlates of forming memory traces remains poorly understood. Resting-state fMRI connectivity can be used to investigate initial consolidation. We compared within and between network connectivity differences between healthy young and older participants before encoding, after encoding and before retrieval by means of resting-state fMRI. Alterations over time in the between-network connectivity analyses correlated with retrieval performance, whereas within-network connectivity did not: a higher level of negative coupling or competition between the default mode and the executive networks during the after encoding condition was associated with increased retrieval performance in the older adults, but not in the young group. Data suggest that the effective formation of memory traces depends on an age-dependent, dynamic reorganization of the interaction between multiple, large-scale functional networks. Our findings demonstrate that a cross-network based approach can further the understanding of the neural underpinnings of aging-associated memory decline.


Argemone pleiacantha subsp. pinnatisecta (Sacramento Prickly Poppy) is a federally listed endangered member of Papaveraceae, known from a few small populations on the western slope of the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County, New Mexico. With the total number of established A. pleiacantha subsp. pinnatisecta apparently dwindling, and threats to the viability of the taxon coming from a variety of factors, the taxonomic status of this group is of interest to scientists and land managers. The objective of this study was to test whether Argemone pleiacantha subsp. pinnasecta is diagnosable at the level of species through the application of an AFLP-based molecular assessment of population-level variation. Results from principle coordinate and STRUCTURE analyses on 424 AFLP loci, taken from samples of Argemone pleiacantha subsp. pinnatisecta and related geographically proximate members of Argemone, identify that the Sacramento Prickly Poppy is a genetically unique population system. The results of the AFLP analysis, in combination with the geographic isolation and morphological differentiation, are consistent with applicable widely held concepts of plant species. A new combination, Argemone pinnatisecta (G.B. Ownbey) S.D. Cervantes & C.D. Bailey comb. et stat. nov., is presented.


Background Elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Despite the availability of proven interventions to lower LDL cholesterol, their use remains subobtimal. Many websites provide interactive, tailored advice on cardiovascular risk in an attempt to help bridge this evidence-practice gap, yet there is little evidence that provision of such a tool is effective in changing practice. Objectives The objective was to define the effects on use of cholesterol-lowering interventions of a consumer-targeted tailored advice website. Methods This was a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial open to any adult Australian with access to the Internet. A total of 2099 participants were randomized. Of these, 45% were male, the mean age of all participants was 56, and 1385 (66%) self-reported hypercholesterolemia. Follow-up information was obtained for 1945 (93%). Participants completed a brief online questionnaire. Individuals assigned to intervention received immediate, fully automated, personally tailored advice (based on current guidelines) regarding the need for commencement of statin therapy, increased statin therapy in those already on treatment, and nondrug intervention strategies. Control group participants were directed to static Web pages providing general information about cholesterol management. Results The primary outcome was the proportion of participants that commenced or increased use of prescribed cholesterol-lowering therapy. Of the total 2099 randomized participants, 304 (14%) met eligibility criteria for cholesterol-lowering therapy but were not prescribed treatment, and 254 (12%) were prescribed treatment but were not achieving the recommended target level. Treatment was commenced or increased in 64 (6.0%) of the 1062 intervention group participants and 79 (7.6%) of the 1037 control group participants (% difference = -1.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] -3.75 to 0.57, P = .15). No differences were found between the randomized groups for the secondary outcomes of "discussed treatment with a health professional" (% difference = -3.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] -8.16 to 0.19, P = .08), "had their cholesterol checked" (% difference = -1.5%, 95% CI -5.79 to 2.71, P = .48), "had their blood pressure checked" (% difference = 1.4%, 95% CI -2.55 to 5.34, P = .49) or made a lifestyle change (P values between .49 and .96). Conclusions Despite providing specific carefully tailored advice, this website had no detectable effect on cholesterol management strategies. This finding raises considerable uncertainty about the value of Internet-based tools providing tailored advice directly to consumers. Trial Registration NCT00220974; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00220974 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5sdq63rrY)


A real time phonetic voice synthesizer roughly the size of a small hi-fi amplifier has been developed. It accepts a string of phoneme commands, each consisting of 8 bits. 6 bits determine the phoneme uttered while 2 bits determine the inflection associated with that phoneme. The synthesizer contains an active filter network which simulates the transfer function of the human vocal tract. This analog network is excited by both voicing and fricative sound sources. The sound sources and the vocal tract filter transfer function are dynamically manipulated in response to the numerous phoneme command sequences to produce articulatory synthesis by rule.


Within this study, a development of a protection strategy for ultra-thin CFRP structures from degrading effects of low Earth orbit (LEO) is presented. The proposed strategy involves an application of a modified epoxy resin system on outer layers of the structure, which is cycloaliphatic in its chemical character and reinforced with POSS nanoparticles. The core of the CFRP structure is manufactured using a highly aromatic epoxy resin system which provides excellent mechanical properties, however, its long-term ageing performance in space is not satisfactory, and hence a surface treatment is required to improve its longevity.

The developed resin system presented in this thesis is a hybrid material, designed in such a way that its individual constituents each contribute to combating the detrimental effects of radiation, atomic oxygen (AO), temperature extremes and vacuum induced outgassing of exposed material surfaces while operating in LEO. The cycloaliphatic nature of the outer epoxy increases UV resistance and the embedded silicon nanoparticles improve AO and thermal stability.
During the study, a material characterization of the developed cycloaliphatic epoxy resins was performed including the effects of nanoparticles on morphology, curing behaviour, thermal-mechanical properties and surface chemistry. Following on that, the efficacy of the modified resin system on space-like resistance was studied. It was found that when the ultra-thin CFRP structures are covered with the developed resin system, their AO resistance is approximately doubled, UV susceptibility decreased by 80\% and thermal stability improved by 20\%.

Following on the successful launch of the InflateSail mission earlier this year, which demonstrated a sail deployment and a controlled de-orbiting, the findings of this study are of importance for the future generation of similar, but significantly longer missions. Ensuring resistance of CFRP structures in a highly corrosive LEO environment is a critical requirement to make their use in space applications truly feasible.


We developed normally-off 4H-SiC vertical junction field effect transistors (JFETs) with large current density. The effect of forming an abrupt junction between the gate and the channel was simulated, and vertical JFETs were then fabricated with abrupt junctions. As a result, a large rated drain current density (500 A/cm2) and a low specific on-resistance (2.0 mWcm2) were achieved for small devices. The blocking voltage was 600 V. These results were due to a reduction of the threshold voltage by forming the abrupt junction between the gate and the channel.


Three distinct lineages of gymnopoid and marasmioid fungi are recognized in parsimony and Bayesian analyses of nLSU rDNA sequences. One lineage contains the genera Lentinula, Rhodocollybia, Tetrapyrgos, a resurrected and redefined Mycetinis, and two unresolved clades designated /marasmiellus and /gymnopus. /marasmiellus includes the type species of Marasmiellus and is dominated by members of Gymnopus sect. Vestipedes. /gymnopus includes the type species of Gymnopus, Micromphale and Setulipes, and members of Gymnopus sect. Levipedes. A second lineage includes the genera Marasmius s.s. and Crinipellis and represents a redefined /marasmiaceae. A third lineage includes the genera Cylindrobasidium, Flammulina, Gloiocephala, Physalacria, Strobilurus, Xerula and Marasmius sect. Epiphylli and represents /physalacriaceae. One new combination in Rhodocollybia and four new combinations in Mycetinis are proposed. A discussion of the taxonomic implications resulting from the phylogenetic reconstruction is presented.


: The demonstration of leucocyte activation in the peripheral blood of patients with chronic asthma together with elevated levels of neutrophil chemotactic activity provides evidence for an underlying inflammatory process in asthma and confirms that bronchial inflammation is an important cause of airways obstruction. Corticosteroids may act through a variety of mechanisms but their anti-inflammatory action is probably mediated, at least in part, through the inhibition of phospholipase A2. Corticosteroids suppress leucocyte activation in asthma and this is associated with an improvement in lung function, thus supporting the view that their anti-inflammatory mode of action is of essential importance. However, a small group of chronic asthmatics do not respond to corticosteroids, even when given in large doses and the nature of the cellular defect in these "corticosteroid-resistant" individuals is thought to be the monocyte. The cells of the monocyte/macrophage series may play a central role in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma.


Introduction: Forensic sciences have been using dental age assessment as a vital part of their procedures. Age have been calculated by many other methods in the past like determination of height and its relation to age was done in early 17th century in England. One of the latest methods introduced in 2006 by Cameriere et al uses the measurement of the apical opening of the teeth and then relates it to the age of the child. The pioneer study was done in European population but it followed many other studies done in various populations.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was done by using the orthopantomograms of 250 children were evaluated in the age range of 5-13 year belonging to both genders. 150 belong to males and 100 to females. Dental age was estimated by using the dental equation given by Cameriere et al. It was then compared with the chronological age.
Results and conclusion: mean values of the dental age calculated by this method and the known chronological age were examined, an underestimation of 0.16 years was found. On further analysis based on gender, an underestimation of 0.23 years was found in girls and 0.12 years in boys. This study shows that the European linear equation given by Cameriere et al is applicable to the Nepalese population residing in central region of Nepal although with a little underestimation. But this can be used for practical purpose of age estimation in cases involving subjects dead or alive.

Keywords: Forensic sciences, Age estimation, Demirijian method, Cameriere's method.


With the increasing incidence of diseases and development of antibiotic resistance, the alternative, safe, effective, and economical products are the need of time. Proven in multiple clinical studies, Aloe vera has been used in antimicrobial activity and used in mouth ulcers, periodontal diseases etc. In this present study Mucoadhesive film was prepared to study antimicrobial activity, to improve therapeutic efficacy by its adhesive action. The present study discusses the estimation of the antimicrobial activity of Aloe vera loaded mucoadhesive films. The formulation was studied for percent inhibition of microorganism of inflammed tissue, Calculas, and cultures of S.oralis, C.albicans, S.mutans. The formulation showed Percent inhibition of Candida albicans more when compared with standard Chlorhexidine. The film prepared is economic, convenient and shows the antimicrobial activity.


This paper surveys in a tutorial fashion the recent history of universal learning machines starting with the multilayer perceptron. The big push in recent years has been on the design of universal learning machines using optimization methods linear in the parameters, such as the Echo State Network, the Extreme Learning Machine and the Kernel Adaptive filter. We call this class of learning machines convex universal learning machines or CULMs. The purpose of the paper is to compare the methods behind these CULMs, highlighting their features using concepts of vector spaces (i.e. basis functions and projections), which are easy to understand by the computational intelligence community. We illustrate how two of the CULMs behave in a simple example, and we conclude that indeed it is practical to create universal mappers with convex adaptation, which is an improvement over backpropagation.