It is well recognized that nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) induce gastrointestinal (GI) ulcerations, perforation and bleeding, which clearly limit their therapeutic value. The recent introduction of NSAIDs with selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitory effect is a major pharmacologic milestone in therapeutics. Selective COX-2 inhibitors exhibit considerable dissociation between their antiinflammatory/analgesic action and their GI toxicity. However, from a therapeutic consideration, there are still several unresolved and confusing issues with these drugs such as: the pharmacologic classification of the COX-2 selectivity; therapeutic value as antirheumatic/analgesic drugs; potential toxicity in patients at risk for the development of ulcer-related complications or patients with inflammatory bowel disease and potential renal toxicity. Although existing clinical efficacy studies with celecoxib and rofecoxib, two selective COX-2 inhibitors, were associated with considerably lower ulcerogenic rates when compared with nonselective NSAIDs, there are no long term outcome studies with these drugs similar to the MUCOSA trial performed with misoprostol. Furthermore, the selectivity of COX-2 inhibitors appears to be specific to the stomach and duodenum but not the kidney. While awaiting additional long term studies with selective COX-2 inhibitors, we recommend instituting prophylactic therapy with misoprostol in patients at risk for the development of ulcer related complications. In conclusion, we believe that the introduction of selective COX-2 inhibitors will revolutionize the treatment of pain and inflammation. However, additional basic and clinical studies are required to address the pharmacologic and therapeutic uncertainties for this class of drugs.


We consider a class of N-player stochastic games of multi-dimensional singular control, in which each player faces a minimization problem of monotone-follower type with submodular costs. We call these games monotone-follower games. In a not necessarily Markovian setting, we establish the existence of Nash equilibria. Moreover, we introduce a sequence of approximating games by restricting, for each n ∈ ℕ, the players' admissible strategies to the set of Lipschitz processes with Lipschitz constant bounded by n. We prove that, for each n ∈ ℕ, there exists a Nash equilibrium of the approximating game and that the sequence of Nash equilibria converges, in the Meyer-Zheng sense, to a weak (distributional) Nash equilibrium of the original game of singular control. As a byproduct, such a convergence also provides approximation results of the equilibrium values across the two classes of games. We finally show how our results can be employed to prove existence of open-loop Nash equilibria in an N-player stochastic differential game with singular controls, and we propose an algorithm to determine a Nash equilibrium for the monotone-follower game.


The aim of this study was to determine whether immunoneutralization of inhibin altered compensatory ovarian hypertrophy. Crossbred postpubertal gilts actively immunized with a synthetic bovine inhibin peptide fragment (bINH) conjugated to human alpha globulins (HAG, n=4 gilts) or HAG alone (control ; n=5) were unilaterally ovariectomized at mid-cycle. After unilateral ovariectomy, the remaining ovary was removed between day 8 and day 12 of the subsequent oestrous cycle. The number of corpora lutea per ovary was determined at each ovariectomy. Blood samples were collected at frequent intervals beginning I h before and continuing until the first oestrus after unilateral ovariectomy, and serum concentrations of FSH, LH, progesterone and oestradiol were determined. Inhibin antibody titres were estimated from the percentage of 125 I-labelled bINH bound to serum diluted 1 :4000. At unilateral ovariectomy, the number of corpora lutea per ovary was similar for bINH :HAG-immunized and control gilts (8.6 ± 0.7 versus 7.6 ± 0.6). During the next oestrous cycle after unilateral ovariectomy, the number of corpora lutea on each remaining ovary had doubled (P < 0.05) in controls compared with the number of corpora lutea per ovary in the previous cycle. In contrast, the number of corpora lutea remained unchanged in bINH :HAG-immunized gilts. Titre of anti-inhibin antibodies in bINH :HAG-immunized gilts was 9 ±1% at unilateral ovariectomy compared with 0% for controls. Alterations in serum concentrations of hormones after unilateral ovariectomy did not differ between treatment groups. Compensatory ovarian hypertrophy was blocked after unilateral ovariectomy in immunized gilts independent of alterations in serum hormones, duration of oestrous cycle, or normal ovulation rate per ovary. Thus, it is concluded that inhibin or inhibin α subunits are positive local stimulators of compensatory ovarian hypertrophy in postpubertal gilts.


OBJECTIVE
Informed consent has served as a main principle of medical ethics and laws in the United States. The 1986 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Code of Ethics implied medicolegal liability for the failure to obtain informed consent without providing practical guidance regarding the application of informed consent to individual patient encounters in a medicolegal environment. Here, the authors aimed to identify baseline patient recall after discussions with neurosurgeons and their capacity to provide informed consent, describe the effects of interventions to improve patient comprehension, and elucidate the role of informed consent in malpractice litigation in neurosurgery. Their findings may guide neurosurgeons in discussions to properly inform patients and reduce the risk of litigation.

METHODS
A systematic review was conducted to explore informed consent within neurosurgery and its application to medicolegal liability using the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. Titles and abstracts from articles identified in the search were read and selected for full-text review. Studies meeting prespecified inclusion criteria were reviewed in full and analyzed for study design, aim, population, interventions, and outcomes.

RESULTS
Of 1428 resultant articles, 21 were included in the review. Baseline patient recall was low, particularly for risks and alternatives of treatments, and even decreased over time. Cognitive impairment was noted as a factor limiting the ability to provide informed consent. Interventions incorporating a combination of modalities in informed consent discussions, a specialized consent form with points for neurosurgeons to check off upon discussion, interactive websites, question prompt lists, and illustrations were found to be effective in improving patient knowledge. Lack of informed consent was a common factor for malpractice litigation. Spine surgery was particularly prone to costly lawsuits. Payments were generally greater for plaintiff verdicts than for settlements.

CONCLUSIONS
The application of informed consent to patient encounters is an important facet of clinical practice. Neurosurgeons have a duty to provide patients with all pertinent information to allow them to make decisions about their care. The authors examined baseline patient comprehension and capacity, interventions to improve informed consent, and malpractice litigation; it appears that determining the proper capacity to provide informed consent and considering informed consent as a process that depends on the setting are important. There is room to improve the informed consent process centered on baseline patient health literacy and understanding as well as clear communication using multiple modalities.


South Africa as a developing country has to make the most out of the infrastructure that are available. Given the high level of crash involving pedestrians, it is critical that all means available are utilised to characterise pedestrian movements on the highway and pedestrian bridges. This paper will focus on using the existing camera infrastructure, but will extend its use to automatically detect and count pedestrians that use the pedestrian bridges. The pedestrian movement data can be used to aid with the evaluation of pedestrian safety campaigns, or to recognise trends in pedestrian movement. The paper presents the impact of various parameter changes to the state of the art technique used, as well as orientation suggestions for future installations. This is done to make optimal use of existing infrastructure, and provides an alternative to existing high-end systems. The methodology includes training a computer vision-based algorithm to recognise and count pedestrians for specific scenes, for example pedestrian bridges. The paper evaluates different suppression techniques to reduce false positives. The results show that 72% of pedestrians can be detected (a hit rate of 72%), with the camera facing a pedestrian bridge squarely from the side, so that silhouettes are clearly visible. High end products not using existing infrastructure typically have a hit rate of 70%-90%. The solution in this paper competes with high-end products, and can be expanded for infrastructure security applications, e.g. monitoring copper cables or monitoring of high risk areas.


In this chapter, we analyze the expectations and the realities about the economic impact of NAFTA on Mexico in terms of economic convergence, trade, investment, employment, wages, and income distribution. We show that NAFTA has basically failed to fulfill the promise of closing the Mexico-U.S. development gap, and we argue that this was due in part to the lack of deeper forms of regional integration or cooperation between Mexico and the United States. We also explore other factors that could explain this negative outcome, and we briefly discuss the opportunities for both Mexico and the United States to mutually benefit from a further economic integration process.


Quasi-aligned indium (In)-doped cadmium sulphide (CdS) nano structures synthesised by the gold (Au) metal-catalysed vapour-liquid-solid growth method on silicon (Si) substrates under different experiment conditions are reported. X-ray diffraction analysis on the as-prepared samples indicated the nanostructures as 'wurtzite-type' CdS crystal structures. Characterisation of the morphology and structure revealed the growth of two different geometries; nanopens and nanopencils with tip diameters ranging from 50-100 nm which can be varied through experimental conditions. Electron field emission measurements on the indium-doped quasi-aligned nanopencils and nanopens exhibit low turn-on electric fields of 5.5 and 4.5 V/μm (at the current density of 0.01 mA/cm 2 ) for nanopens and nanopencils, respectively. This low turn-on field can be attributed to the sharp tip and higher indium doping level in the nanostrcutures. In addition, the indium doping into the CdS lattice was analysed by low-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy (LT-PL). Temperature-dependent PL measurements showed that the PL spectra have three emission peaks at 9 K, which can be attributed to band edge free exciton emission and shallow donor levels donor-acceptor pair exciton emission because of doping. The result presents the promising application of these materials in the field of optoelectronics as efficient electron field emitters.


This article deals with compensation mechanisms for the aftermath of disasters. It claims that there is a necessity to speedily compensate victims of an accident, if this can prevent the occurrence of large societal follow-on damage. In reality this does not often happen. This article takes the entitlement to compensation as given, does not discuss substantive law matters regarding compensation, but deals with procedural aspects of how to actually get this compensation. The main obstacles to fast compensation may be found in lengthy mass litigation. Then again, civil litigation also entails economic advantages. There are law and economics arguments in favour of litigation versus alternative dispute resolution (ADR) solutions. After setting out the theoretical arguments, we discuss some American and European real-life examples of such rapid claims settlement mechanisms: the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF) and the Belgian compensation fund for technological accidents. The theoretical discussion, enriched by the illustration of the practical examples, will culminate in guidelines on how to set up a rapid claims settlement mechanism.


PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES
To examine changes in quality of life (QOL), psychosocial adjustment, and survivorship issues over time of women younger than 45 years who underwent breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy (RT) for breast cancer.

DESIGN
Repeated measures, longitudinal design.

METHODS
Data were collected at four time points: start of RT, midpoint of RT, end of RT, and six months after RT. Three instruments were used to collect data: Quality-of-Life Index, Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale, and the newly developed Adaptation to Survivorship Experience. Subjects also participated in an indepth interview at the start of RT.

SETTING
A large radiation oncology department located in an urban teaching hospital in the Northeast United States.

SAMPLE
23 women with newly diagnosed stage I or II breast cancer who were starting RT following breast-conserving surgery, with a mean age of 37.8 years (range = 25-45 years).

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES
QOL, psychosocial adjustment, and adaptation to survivorship experience.

FINDINGS
Although subjects adjusted their lives to accommodate RT, QOL declined from the start of RT to midpoint, with gradual improvement reported six months later. Social and sexual adjustment declined from start of RT to six months later. Negative perceptions of the survivorship experience and worry about cancer increased from the start of RT to six months later.

CONCLUSIONS
Young women with breast cancer experience changes in QOL, psychosocial adjustment, and adaptation to survivorship issues during RT. Changes may not reflect what is observed in clinical practice.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE
Nurses need to be aware of changes in QOL, psychosocial adjustment, and survivorship to better understand and support young women during RT.


Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) supports wide range of high speed applications and has ability to provide data rate up to 100MBPS. Coded OFDM has ability to provide high performance along with low computational complexity. Although in literature, concatenated c convolutional coded OFDM has designed for effective BER analysis but it is designed for Digital audio broadcasting application only. In this work, a novel framework is proposed based on audio and digital images using convolutional coded OFDM scheme for BER analysis. Finally experimental results provide equipped performance along with minute computational complexity.


Toxication caused by pesticides is a serious health problem in our country. Organophosphates are the leading cause of pesticide toxications in our country, as they are worldwide. These compounds lead to acetylcholine deposition by blocking acetylcholine esterase enzyme, causing muscarinic, nicotinic and central nervous symptoms due to continuous stimulation of the receptors. Mortality occurs in the early period due to acute cholinergic crisis or later in patients with intermediate syndrome. Death is caused by heart conduction disturbances and respiratory failure during the acute cholinergic crisis period, whereas it is due to respiratory failure in patients with an intermediate syndrome. Management of patients with pesticide poisoning should start by providing adequate respiratory and circulatory support followed by antidotes and other medical therapies. In this review, we have aimed to explain the properties and mechanisms of action of organophosphate compounds;with causes of mortality in the poisoning of these compounds and recent approaches for management of toxication. (JAEM 2012; 11: 176-82)


This paper presents a study in the domain of semi-automated and fully-automated ontology mapping. A process for inferring additional cross-ontology links within the domain of anatomical ontologies is presented and evaluated on pairs from three model organisms. The results of experiments performed with various external knowledge sources and scoring schemes are discussed.


The understanding of the static and dynamic behaviour of machine tools and the cutting processes interaction is of the main importance when designing a machining system. Moreover, the endless increase demand on quality and productivity gives even more prominence to that. Actually in machining, a central problem is the one of the stability of the cutting process. The choice of the optimal parameters of cut is a challenge that researchers and companies are facing with different approaches. The traditional method to determine these parameters consists of determining the Stability Lobe Diagram through modal analysis and cutting tests. However, in many applications, this method does not give accurate results. To face that, this thesis presents a computational model, integrated in SimMechanics (Matlab / MathWorks), of a whole machining system to analyse its behaviour and study its stability depending on the cutting parameters and machine tool configuration. The model implementation is shown in this thesis and the results obtained are analysed and evaluated.


Mind-wandering is a specific state of consciousness, during which attention fully or partially switches from perception of external sensory information to inner mental processes. This state is largely spontaneous, and its content usually cannot be consciously controlled. Thoughts during mind wandering are generated by endogenous mental processes focusing on goals of high personal significance. These thoughts adversely interfere with processing of incoming information, thus leading to decreased efficacy of the ongoing activity, resulting in attentional lapses and errors. Dreaminess as a personality trait is directly related to mind wandering. Switching to the mind-wandering state is related to competition between the motivational value of this process with the motivational value of current explicit activities, and it depends on cognitive (executive) control processes. The motivational value of mind wandering itself depends not only on the personal significance of the current thought content; this state appears also to be one of the basic human needs providing humans with the analysis of past experience and planning future activities, and thus is highly advantageous in a long-term perspective. Mind-wandering is closely related to a number of other psychological phenomena such as reflection, metacognition (meta-consciousness), and mindfulness. The current review distinguishes between these phenomena and presents an approach to consider mind wandering a distinct process hallmarked by adverse effects on the ongoing activity.


An earlier study demonstrated that psychoneurotic patients aroused by ether inhalation showed significant shifts in selected concepts in response to persuasive communications given by a prestigious person under dramatic circumstances. The present study aimed to separate effects of ether arousal from other factors in the situation. Twenty Patients received as part of their Psychotherapy two special sessions identical with those of the previous study. One half were aroused by ether inhalation and one half were kept in a state of low arousal through Premedication with chlorpromazine. Short-term attitude changes, measured on Osgood's semantic Differential, were comparable for both groups during the first session but were significantly greater for the aroused group during the subsequent session, indicating that in influencing patients persuasive circumstances were less effective alone than when combined with arousal.


Energy is an essential input for economic development. Since exhaustible energy sources in the country are limited, there is an urgent need to focus attention on the development of renewable and alternative energy sources. Solar energy is the best natural solution to many problems as the sun usually is providing abundant energy which provides power to almost everything on earth. The primary goal of this Project Development Study was to develop a Time-Based Tilting Photovoltaic Re-router which is a modified way of installing a solar panel. It will be a significant endeavor of the researchers who believed that this would be of great benefit for the users of photovoltaic technology in Batangas province. The project is intended to move the panel at best possible angular position concerning the position of the sun. It is a time-based motion control device which aims to increase the utilization of a solar power generating material by improving the conventional way of installing solar panels. It was designed to make time-based movements of the solar panel. It was primarily, residents from the area in Batangas will be the primary beneficiaries of this project for it will help them to improve their way of living and upgrade their accuracy of generating power. Every household would also be a benefactor of this study, considering solar energy as a source or co-source of electricity and it can lessen the growing payment of commercial electricity. The project was tested and proven to be efficient, safe, durable and can generate higher power rating compared with the conventional installation of solar panels.


Recently, a digestive ripening process at nanoscale has been widely used to prepare monodisperse nanoparticles (NPs), especially for sub-10 nm small NPs, with significant advantages such as the very narrow size distribution of the obtained nanoparticles, the versatile applications for various nanoparticles and the simple operation process. However, no Chinese references are reported on digestive ripening process till now, which may limit the cognition and utility of digestive ripening method for some domestic scientists. Thus, this review starts from the discovery of the phenomenon and the pro-posal of mechanism for digestive ripening at nanoscale, to the analysis of influence factors including the precursor in the precipitation reaction, the digestive ripening reagent, heating treatment temperature and processing time, solvent media and so on. Then, theoretical hypothesis and the derived results are introduced based on the charged surface, the curvature effect, the interaction between NP surface and attached ligand layer, the diffusion effect and the competing reaction balance in the digestive ripening process. Subsequently, the important applications of digestive ripening method in the preparation of monodisperse nanomaterials of metal NPs, alloy NPs, quantum dots of metal oxide and metal chalcogenide, and other NPs are discussed, the obtained small metal or alloy NPs show a perfect sphere shape and a very narrow size distribution (relative standard deviation less than ± 5%). Finally, the broad perspectives are proposed in the NP assembly for optical, electric and magnetic nanodevices, and the heterogeneous catalysis of monodisperse metal, alloy and semiconducotr NPs via the digestive ripening method.


Is that a birthday? 'tis, alas! too clear; 'Tis but the funeral of the former year. Alexander Pope (1688-1744)1 Ageing refers both to the ageing of the population and to the increasing number of people reaching that age:2 and the UK, in common with most developed countries, is ageing on both counts. Between 1985 and 2010, the number of those aged 65 and over in the UK rose by 20%, while the number aged 85 years or more doubled.2 In 2008, British pensioners outnumbered the under-16s for the first time and the Dilnot Committee in 2011 predicted a trebling of 90+ year olds over the next 20 years.3 Longevity is claimed as a public health success, but, as this issue reveals, success is a relative concept for society and its older citizens. For one in ten of those over 65, the care costs already exceed £100,000.3 Whether we grow wiser is an age-old debate: "You're only as young as the last time you changed your mind", said the 60's rebel Timothy Leary. The poet TS Eliot did not believe one grows older: "what happens early on in life is that at a certain age one stands still and stagnates". While the longer one lives, the more it seems true that youth is wasted on the young, the certainty of body ageing cannot be disputed, with all its attendant health and social problems. Mental health inpatients include 30% aged 65 or more and around a fifth of the over 85s are estimated to suffer poor psychosocial wellbeing.4 Sexual health - well sufficient to say that mature age is no protection against STIs, as Minichiello and colleagues explain within these pages.5 Partner and family support is no longer guaranteed, with a rise in 'silver separators' who divorce in their 60s6 and the decline in extended family networks. So is successful ageing the ability to come to terms with these challenges, or the good fortune to elude the worst of them? Our guest editor, Dr Gareth Morgan, considers whether successful ageing and healthy ageing are interchangeable terms, observing the considerable overlap (p. 157). In relation to services and opportunities, society is proving slow to adjust to larger numbers of both healthy and unhealthy older people. For the former, there are economic and status dilemmas: a controversial UK Supreme Court ruling in late April allowed an employer to compulsorily retire a man at 65,7 which highlighted other cases of reluctant retirees. The mandatory retirement age was abolished in the UK in 2011, but arguments used in this legal case included addressing "intergenerational fairness" and limiting the need to expel "underperforming" older employees. The old should allow progression by the young, but surely successful old age includes working for as long as one wishes, with associated adjustment of working roles and hours. The "leisure evening of life" rejected by Trollope8 is no more appealing to many active over-65s today. As for keeping the elderly in good health, papers in this issue question whether health services in high-income countries are dealing efficiently with disability and chronic disease. …


Effects of different annealing temperature, holding time and degree of deformation on
recrystallization rate of Aluminium alloy (6063) were studied. Fifteen suitably dimensioned
samples were prepared from Aluminium alloy (6063). Seven of these were subjected to 70% cold
plastic deformation, seven to 90% and one left undeformed. All the samples were then subjected
to annealing heat treatment to relief deformation-induced stresses. The average values of Yield
and Ultimate tensile loads were obtained from three preliminary tensile tests as 121.33 Kgf and
192.67 Kgf respectively. From these, 70 and 90% deformations were estimated. After a
metallographic test on the as-received, the samples were subjected to recrystallization annealing
under different conditions of temperature (380 ℃ and 450 ℃) and holding time (20, 30 and 40
minutes). Photomicrographs of the heat treated samples were taken from which the number of
grains was counted, with the aid of a magnifying lens, from a 1cm2 area inscribed on their
surfaces. The results obtained showed that the higher the degree of cold work, the higher the rate
of recrystallization, the higher the nucleation rate and the finer the grains. The higher the
holding time at a given recrystallization temperature, the larger the grains due to a longer time
available for grain growth. It was also deduced that recrystallization is thermally activated and
its rate increases with increase in temperature.


Warning signals are predicted to develop signal monomorphism via positive frequency-dependent selection (+FDS) albeit many aposematic systems exhibit signal polymorphism. To understand this mismatch, we conducted a large-scale predation experiment in four locations, among which the frequencies of hindwing warning coloration of aposematic Arctia plantaginis differ. Here we show that selection by avian predators on warning colour is predicted by local morph frequency and predator community composition. We found +FDS to be strongest in monomorphic Scotland, and in contrast, lowest in polymorphic Finland, where different predators favour different male morphs. +FDS was also found in Georgia, where the predator community was the least diverse, whereas in the most diverse avian community in Estonia, hardly any models were attacked. Our results support the idea that spatial variation in predator and prey communities alters the strength or direction of selection on warning signals, thus facilitating a geographic mosaic of selection.


E-cadherin is one of the key molecules in the formation of cell-cell adhesion and interacts intracellularly with a group of proteins collectively named catenins, through which the E-cadherin-catenin complex is anchored to actin-based cytoskeletal components. Although cell-cell adhesion is often disrupted in cancer cells by either genetic or epigenetic alterations in cell adhesion molecules, disruption of cell-cell adhesion alone seems to be insufficient for the induction of cancer cell migration and invasion. A small GTP-binding protein, Rac1, induces the specific cellular protrusions lamellipodia via WAVE2, a member of WASP/WAVE family of the actin cytoskeletal regulatory proteins. Biochemical and pharmacological investigations have revealed that WAVE2 interacts with many proteins that regulate microtubule growth, actin assembly, and membrane targeting of proteins, all of which are necessary for directional cell migration through lamellipodia formation. These findings might have important implications for the development of effective therapeutic agents against cancer cell migration and invasion.


A new iridium(III) complex, [Ir(cod)(dmtu)2]Cl (1,5-cyclooctadiene)-bis(N,N′-dimethylthiourea)-iridium(III), was successfully synthesized and characterized using IR, NMR and mass spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the iridium complex have been studied using cyclic voltammetry, showing chemically irreversible nature. The molecular structure of the complex was also determined using single-crystal X-ray crystallography, which indicates a distorted octahedral coordination geometry around the iridium centre surrounded by two π bonds of the cod ligand and the other four coordination sites being occupied by the N,S atoms of two dmtu groups. The molecular geometry of the complex was optimized using the density functional theory with a hybrid functional B3LYP. The fully optimized structure results obtained for the [Ir(cod)(dmtu)2]+ complex are in good agreement with the X-ray diffraction results. These results indicate that the HOMO level is a mixture of the iridium dxy and the nitrogen p of the thiourea ligand orbitals, while the iridium dz2 LUMO show antibonding character to the p sulphur orbitals. The antimicrobial activity of the new complex was evaluated using the agar diffusion method. The complex was tested against a panel of antimicrobial-susceptible and resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Good antimicrobial activity was observed against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, while no antimicrobial activity was observed against the Gram-negative Escherichia coli. A zone of inhibition was seen against the Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa.


ESPcourse design model specifically in communicative speaking skill is very assential to be applied at vocational schools (SMK), because the students of these schools are prepared to work. In this case they have to know English well especially speaking. Moreover, ESP course approach designed based on the two fundamental principals mainly theoretical and pragmatics, and some of supported theories as well. Research objective is to know if the students of vocational schools which become a selected research is SMK Pariwisata Kosgoro at Jl Perjuangan Cirebon, are eager to accept that ESP course is one of their needs, in order they can improve their English particularly in communicative speaking skill. Meanwhile, the used research method is quantitative one. Key words : course design, fundamental,theoretical, pragmatics


Mobile crowdsensing takes advantage of pervasive mobile devices to collect and process data for a variety of applications (e.g., traffic monitoring and spectrum sensing). In this study, a socially-aware crowdsensing system is advocated in which a cloud-based platform incentivizes mobile users to participate in sensing tasks by leveraging social trust among users, upon receiving sensing requests. For this system, social trust assisted reciprocity (STAR), a synergistic marriage of social trust and reciprocity, is exploited to design an incentive mechanism that stimulates users' participation. Given the social trust structure among users, the efficacy of STAR for satisfying users' sensing requests is thoroughly investigated. Specifically, it is first shown that all requests can be satisfied if and only if sufficient social credit can be "transferred" from users who request more sensing service than they can provide to users who can provide more than they request. Then utility maximization for sensing services under STAR is investigated, and it is shown that it reduces to maximizing the utility of a circulation flow in the combined social graph and request graph. Accordingly, an algorithm that iteratively cancels a cycle of positive weight in the residual graph is developed, which computes the optimal solution efficiently, for both cases of divisible and indivisible sensing service. Extensive simulation results corroborate that STAR can significantly outperform the mechanisms using social trust only or reciprocity only.


Abstract The article discusses the role of ADP and ATP and their receptors in regulation of functional state of thrombocytes, maintenance of vessel wall homeostasis and coordination of inflammatory reparative process. The thrombocytes carry three modes of purine receptors: P2X1 (cationic channel activated by ATP) P2Y1 and P2Y12 (associated with G-proteins and activated by ADP). The article considers intracellular mechanisms of implementation of effects of ADP and ATP in thrombocytes6 mechanisms of their desensitization, relationship with metabolism of arachidonic acid and tyrosine kinase and role in regulation of intracellular concentration of Ca2+. The data concerning polymorphism of receptors P2Y is presented. The role of this phenomenon in thrombogenesis disorders, development of pathology of cardio-vascular system and resistance to anti-thrombocyte therapy is discussed.


Aims: To compare and contrast how the law relating to medical negligence in England and Wales applies to conventional and complementary practice and to outline some of the legal issues which may arise. Methods: A thorough review of the literature was used to collect relevant information. This involved a comparative analysis of documentation, including Statutory Powers, Statutory Instruments, case law, books and journal publications. Results and discussion: Complementary therapists, regardless of whether they are private or NHS employees, are bound by the same duty of care for their patients as conventional practitioners and the same legal rules apply. If complementary therapists claim to possess special skills, then they are liable for actions arising out of clinical practice, in the same way as conventional practitioners. State registration, for the mainstream complementary therapies, is one way of improving the status of such professions as they become an integral part of the management of cancer patients. However, until they are fully integrated, a balance must be achieved so as to overcome any conflicts of interest between complementary and conventional healthcare practitioners and to facilitate acceptance of the former into the healthcare team. Conclusions: As complementary therapies are integrated into the care of cancer patients, controls and regulations must be implemented, possibly influenced by a legal framework, so as to establish a foundation for enhancing or adding authority to the ethical issues and guidelines which already exist.


For almost a century, clinicians reporting the treatment of patients with cancer have been analyzing the cancers, but not the patients. The formal systems we have developed to classify patients, estimate prognosis, choose treatment, and evaluate outcomes depend almost exclusively on the morphology of the cancer. The morphology is described with "staging systems" or other taxonomies that identify a cancer's primary site, its gross anatomic spread beyond the primary location, and such microscopic attributes as histologic type, mitotic grade, and vascular relationships. Statistical appraisals of prognosis and therapy have been greatly improved by these morphologic classifications. They have helped put an end to many past acts of statistical malpractice, such as the comparison of results for treatment A, given to patients with localized cancer, with the results of treatment B, given to patients with disseminated cancer. By insisting that treatments be contrasted only for patients having similar morphologic stages of


Faecal indicator detection in recreational waters is of growing importance in Europe and the rest of the developed world for the safeguarding of the health of users. The EU Bathing Water Directive (BWD) dictates the microbiological water quality standards for European waters using the Faecal indicators: Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Enterococci. Waters are classified as 'Excellent', 'Good' or 'Sufficient'. To measure compliance, culture- based tests are widely used and accepted e.g. Colilert 18 from IDEXX or membrane filtration. These methods are reliable and proven but they are slow, typically taking 18 .hours or more to produce a result. These are limited to detecting only Viable-Culturable (VC) cells but not Viable-But-Not-Culturable (VBNC) cells. More rapid results incorporating VBNC detection would allow for more timely and accurate decision- making by governing bodies.
This thesis investigates the use of rapid assays based on enzymatic detection to allow for sub 4 hour quantification of E.coli and Enterococci in recreational waters. The work involved improving upon existing enzymatic assays through the introduction of novel reagents and the development of field portable instrumentation for On-site analysis of samples.
In this work an enzyme assay for E.coli detection based on β-Glucoronidase activity and the fluorescent substrate 6-Chloro-4-Methylumbelliferone-β-D-glucuronide (6-CMug) was developed. 6-CMug is only recently available (2010) and offered higher fluorescence yield and lower pH sensitivity than previously available substrates such as 4- Methylumbelliferone-β-D-glucuronide (4-Mug). The assay developed offered significant improvements in speed, LOD and sensitivity over existing assays based on 4-Mug. As there is no specific enzyme for the detection of Enterococci culture based assays with specific media were also investigated and a number of detection methodologies were developed.
A sensitive field-portable fluorimeter with incubating capability and triplicate sample chambers was designed and built for the on-site analysis of water samples. This development moved beyond state of the art, which was based upon laboratory fluorimeters. The system named ColiSense 1 was designed to conduct a continuous direct enzyme assay for E.coli where the cells were filtered and lysed to release β- Glucuronidase. Data from a one day field trial demonstrated the ability of the system to deliver results on-site within a 75 minute period.


We have carried out computer simulations to study the formation and break-up of boron clusters in crystalline silicon. Density functional theory was used to evaluate the interatomic interactions and dimer method used to find the mechanism and rate of the atomic rearrangement processes. The transition rates were calculated within harmonic transition state theory. The simulations have shown how the highly stable B3I − cluster in silicon can break up, both by a direct dissociation mechanism and by an interstitial mediated dissociation. The former has an activation energy of 4.3 eV, but the latter around 3.0 eV. The formation of the boron clusters is diffusion limited, i.e. attachment of boron interstitials involves lower barrier than diffusion. But, rearrangements of the boron clusters from one configuration to another turn out to have rather large activation barriers.


The Delaware Research for Better Schools Rural Assistance Council's (RAC) mission is to develop a rural assistance agenda for the state. The Council stated four objectives: (1) identifying the most pressing needs of Delaware's rural schools and school districts; (2) developing plans, in cooperation with appropriate state organizations, for attending to those needs; (3) outlining an operational agenda for carrying out the plan; and (4) establishing a network of Delaware organizations and associations and enlisting their assistance in carrying out the plan. The Council met with representatives from the rural school systems to identify the pressing needs. Next, a team vf..siteC. various organizations (both education and noneducation) to gather responses to the identified issues. The RAC then developed a legislative agenda consisting of the following four items: (1) continued State promotion of the Division III funding process, which attempts to equalize current expense monies to school districts; (2) sufficient funding to fully implement the last restrictive environment initiative; (3) a reduction of the number of teacher units needed to qualify for a second principal from 55 to 50; and (4) the implementation of a formula to equalize major capital improvement funding for facilities. Political and business leaders from Delaware presented the RAC's issues at a banquet for over 300 educators, farmers, and small businessmen. Future plans include sponsoring conferences addressing higher order thinking skills, drugs, and technology. (KS) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************


A significant number of students obtain better grades in mathematics in PSLE, but fail to maintain or obtain higher grades in JCE mathematics examinations. Given that content in the mathematics syllabus is arranged in a spiral format from primary level through junior secondary level, the anticipation is that the students who did well in mathematics at primary school would maintain or improve their grades at JCE level. This study investigated the validity of PSLE mathematics grades in predicting performance in JCE mathematics. The study adopted inferential survey using simple random sampling technique carried out through online random number generator. The study population is comprised of 74490 students from 207 J. S. S. in Botswana who sat for JCE mathematics examinations in 2012 and 2013. Out of this population, 50 schools were randomly selected for matching PSLE 2009 mathematics scores and JCE 2012 mathematics scores. Another 50 was randomly selected for matching PSLE 2010 mathematics scores and 2013 mathematics scores. These schools yielded a sample of 15 294 students. Data was collected from BEC and analyzed by finding regression coefficients. For all the hypotheses tested 50% or more of variance in JCE mathematics performance is explained by variance in PSLE grades. The prediction models for PSLE in the two years were determined by fitting the values of relevant parameters in the linear regression model. The finding revealed that PSLE mathematics scores were a good predictor of performance among junior secondary students in Botswana. The regression analysis also revealed that there is no significant gender and school location difference in validity of PSLE mathematics scores in predicting performance in JCE mathematics. Since performance level was generally low in both examinations, it is recommended that the MoE & SD intensify efforts in ensuring better teaching methods and learning strategies in schools through VALIDITY OF PSLE PREDICTING JCE MATHEMATICS 13 effective supervision and monitoring of schools. Discussions, implications and recommendations based on the findings were also presented. VALIDITY OF PSLE PREDICTING JCE MATHEMATICS 14


All current 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors [simvastatin (SV), lovastatin (LV), atorvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, and cerivastatin] are believed to undergo an atypical β-oxidation of the dihydroxy heptanoic or heptanoic acid side chain. Metabolites, which are shortened by two- and/or four-carbon units consistent with β-oxidation products, have been reported exclusively in rodents following LV and SV administration and across species (rodents, dogs, and humans) following the other statins. In this study, in vitro formation of a β-oxidation product of simvastatin hydroxy acid (SVA) and its intermediates in mouse livers is described. Incubation of SVA with mouse liver preparations fortified with CoASH and ATP led to formation of SV and two major products (P1 and P2). Based on mass spectrometry (MS), tandem mass spectrometry, and/or NMR spectral characteristics, P1 was an α,β-unsaturated metabolite, formed by dehydration of thed,d-dihydroxy heptanoic acid side chain, whereas P2 was probably the l,d-dihydroxy acid isomer of SVA, formed by stereospecific hydration of P1. When NAD+ was also included in the incubation mixture, there were two additional metabolites with the MS and/or NMR characteristics consistent with a two-carbon shortened product (P3) and its dehydrated derivative (P4). In a complete incubation system with all cofactors (ATP, CoASH, NAD+, and NADPH) present, there was an additional product with MS spectra and liquid chromatography retention time identical to the β-oxidized, unsubstituted pentanoic acid metabolite (P5) detected in rats and mice following simvastatin administration. The involvement of CoASH and NAD+ and the presence of the four metabolic intermediates suggest that SVA (and presumably the other statins) is a substrate for the β-oxidation enzyme complex in mice. Additionally, the present finding of CoASH-dependent formation of SV substantiates a mechanism proposed previously for the in vivo lactonization of statin hydroxy acids.


The aetiological effects of attachment dimensions on therapeutic relationships, a determining factor for client experiences and outcomes, have been extensively documented in the psychotherapeutic literature. Especially in CBT, the possible pathways through which attachment affects the working alliance is a severely under-explored area of scientific inquiry. Hence, the present study sought to examine the possible mediating role of therapeutic reactance in the attachment dimensions-working alliance link. In a sample of 224 CBT clients (182 women and 42 men) with a mean age of 25.2 years (SD=3,87), the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R), Working Alliance Inventory-Client (WAI-C) and Therapeutic Reactance Scale (TRS) were distributed, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) procedures revealed that therapeutic reactance fully mediates the attachment-working alliance link with an indirect effect of β=-.080, t=-3.402, p<.05 and it partially mediates the attachment avoidance-working alliance link with β=-.054, t=-2.539, p<.05 explaining 19.5% and 15% of the variance in the effect of each attachment dimension on working alliance, respectively. Findings suggest that therapeutic reactance effectively captures a large proportion of the influence of adult attachment on working alliance in CBT, deeming it a promising area for further investigation with major practical applications in CBT. Future studies utilizing longitudinal, qualitative, and clinical trial methodologies could focus on reactance prevention strategies to promote better therapeutic relationships and therefore, client outcomes.


Visual search, recommendation, and contrastive similarity learning power technologies that impact billions of users worldwide. Modern model architectures can be complex and difficult to interpret, and there are several competing techniques one can use to explain a search engine's behavior. We show that the theory of fair credit assignment provides a $\textit{unique}$ axiomatic solution that generalizes several existing recommendation- and metric-explainability techniques in the literature. Using this formalism, we show when existing approaches violate"fairness"and derive methods that sidestep these shortcomings and naturally handle counterfactual information. More specifically, we show existing approaches implicitly approximate second-order Shapley-Taylor indices and extend CAM, GradCAM, LIME, SHAP, SBSM, and other methods to search engines. These extensions can extract pairwise correspondences between images from trained $\textit{opaque-box}$ models. We also introduce a fast kernel-based method for estimating Shapley-Taylor indices that require orders of magnitude fewer function evaluations to converge. Finally, we show that these game-theoretic measures yield more consistent explanations for image similarity architectures.


Tourism has positive as well as negative effects on the sustainable utilization of traditional vernacular buildings, especially in cultural heritage cities that have become important tourism destinations. Many of these cities improve the accommodation facilities by utilizing traditional vernacular buildings, while consequently meaning that these cultural heritages are in danger of losing their authenticity. On the other hand, tourism development also has positive effects in that it brings in funds that help restore and renovate the buildings which would otherwise face gradual deterioration. This is a dilemma that many historical cities face under tourism development, especially in developing countries. The authors categorize the development approach of cultural heritage tourism into two patterns. One is the "outside-in" approach, which means to dominantly satisfy the tourists' needs while sacrificing the local cultural character. The other approach is the "inside-out" approach, which means that the local community follows its own growth principle, and tourists come in mostly to enjoy and to learn from the local wisdom. We examine the two approaches by taking the current status of protected buildings in Lijiang city as a case study. In this famous Chinese world heritage city, some 140 important vernacular buildings face serious pressure of tourism oriented transformation both in form and in usage. We investigate the buildings and find they have changed their usage dramatically, accompanied with relevant changes in form, layout, and decoration styles. We further review the policy system and find that these changes in vernacular buildings are due to lack of proper standing in conservation policy system, lack of sufficient financial aid, and lack of full technical support.


We have built a real-time (60 fps) photo-realistic facial motion capture system which uses a single camera, proprietary deep learning software, and Unreal Engine 4 to create photo-real digital humans and creatures. Our system uses thousands of frames of realistic captured 3D facial performance of an actor (generated from automated offline systems) instead of a traditional FACS-based facial rig to produce an accurate model of how an actor's face moves. This 3D data is used to create a real-time machine learning model which uses a single image to accurately describe the exact facial pose in under 17 milliseconds. The motion of the face is highly realistic and includes region based blood flow, wrinkle activation, and pore structure changes, driven by geometry deformations in real-time. The facial performance of the actor can be transferred to a character with extremely high fidelity, and switching the machine learning models is instantaneous. We consider this a significant advancement over other real-time avatar projects in development. Building on top of our real-time facial animation technology, we seek to make interaction with our avatars more immersive and emotive. We built an AR system for the actor who is driving the human / character to see and interact with people in VR or others viewing in AR. With this technique, the character you are interacting with in VR can make correct eye contact, walk around you, and interact as if you were together all while still achieving the highest quality capture. This process allows for a much more tangible VR / AR experience than any other system. Another goal of ours is to achieve photo-real avatar telepresence with minimal latency. We have been able to successfully live-drive our digital humans from our office in Los Angeles to our office in Vancouver.


This tutorial was presented during the 1986 training course of the International Pharmaco-EEG Group (IPEG) in Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy. During recent years spectral analysis has been increasingly used in experimental EEG. However, to avoid misinterpretations of results, its limitations must still be carefully considered. The tutorial starts with revisiting the fundamentals of the technique, emphasizes the practical estimation of auto- and cross-spectra, discusses the assumptions underlying the spectral analysis of stochastic processes, and ends with a brief discussion concerning the postprocessing of spectral data.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify "key processes" during the owner-driven reconstruction (ODR) process by implementing agencies, to enhance the long-term disaster-resilience of housing and community.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methods methodology and "case-study" approach is adopted to compare good practice reconstruction projects in India in the past 15 years. This paper discusses findings from investigations conducted in two settlements of Bihar – Orlaha and Puraini, after major flooding in 2008. The sites were visited during 2012 and 2014.

Findings

One of the key processes that lead to the success of the ODR process in terms of its effect on the long-term disaster-resilience in Bihar is community mobilisation it functions primarily as an information and communication device promoting the success (or otherwise) of the reconstruction project.

Originality/value

The findings are based on empirical evidence gathered during in-field investigations and interviews to post-disaster reconstructed villages. While these findings represent a snapshot of diverse and complex disaster experiences in the Indian context, the comparison offers insight on how to turn the rhetoric surrounding "owner-driven" or "built back better" into positive long-term community outcomes.


Introduction: Titanium dioxide has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer
 (IARC) as a Group 2B carcinogen. As indispensable material for dental implant fixture, dental patients are
 exposed to its toxicological reactions.
Objectives: The primary aim of this research is to prevent making nanoparticle titanium dioxide from the
 corrosion of dental implant fixture.
Methods: The authors introduce double layer coating system for controlling corrosional toxicity of TiO2 from
 the surface of two dental implant fixtures by medronic acid and teriparatide acetate.
 Results: The first layer coated with medronic acid will generate phosphate bridges, functioning as a corrosionresistant
 sheath layer, and will be the only connector to Forteo (Teriparatide Acetate). The second layer
 encloses the essential elements of teriparatide like C, N, O and H with saving the functional radicals like CNO-, C2H3O-, CHO2-, C3H3O-, C2H3O2-,for and it will stimulate the coated implant fixture with PTH receptors, osteoblasts, and osteogenesis. The first layer covers Ti-O-P, acting as a titanium grade 4 antioxidant.
 Conclusion: The top surface ions in the second layer of the fixture have pharmaceutically functioning parts
 of the chemical structure of Teriparatide (C181H291N55O51S2) activating osteoblasts more than osteoclast, which
 leads to an overall increase in bone. Though the recommended duration of use for grade 4 implant fixtures is
 3 years, but these new coated fixtures are expected to use the coated fixtures longer than 3 years by containing
 the stimulating effect of new alveolar bone formation by increasing the mineral density of the alveolar bone
 around the fixture besides preventing corrosional toxicity of the surface of pre-existing titanium fixtures.


In 1958, soon after the birth of her third child, Judy Inglis (nee Betheras, 1930-1962) applied to the Board for Anthropological Research (BAR) and the Social Science Research Council of Australia (SSCR) for research grants in order to 'study some aspects of life of part-aboriginal people living in or about Adelaide', South Australia, later refined to 'the status and influence of married women'. In her application to the BAR, Inglis stipulated that her request arose from the 'need to make arrangements for domestic help'. An independent researcher with no formal university affiliation, Inglis wanted a grant so that she could hire someone to care for her children while she conducted interviews. An academic advisor from the Australian National University's department of anthropology and sociology, John Barnes, cautioned against stressing the practical consequences of winning a grant in her application to the SSRC: 'These august and all-male academic bodies like to feel that they are giving money in order that good research can be carried out, and like to be able to repress the fact that in doing so a few women will be allowed to escape from the kitchen sink'. Inglis ignored Barnes' advice. Her application - thought to contain a number of 'unusual features' - left the SSRC somewhat bemused. Unable to reach a decision, it asked whether Inglis would consider appointing 'interviewers whose remuneration could be financed by a research grant' rather than use the money to hire a child-minder. Frustrated, Inglis replied that she had 'no intention of employing interviewers'. The kind of research she proposed could only be done via the establishment of 'personal relationships' which would involve 'many visits' to Aboriginal peoples' homes at all times of the day and night. The SSRC was not persuaded, but fortunately the BAR could see merit in her project. It agreed to provide a special grant enabling the department of social studies at the University of Adelaide to employ Inglis as a parttime researcher for one year beginning in March 1959.


The ischaemic heart disease has become one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Dynamic single-photon emission computed tomography (D-SPECT) is an advanced routine diagnostic tool commonly used to validate the myocardial function in patients suffering from various heart diseases. Accurate automatic localization and segmentation of myocardial regions is helpful in creating a 3-D myocardial model and assisting clinicians to perform assessments of myocardial function. Thus, image segmentation is a key technology in preclinical cardiac studies. Intensity inhomogeneity is one of the common challenges in image segmentation and is caused by image artifacts and instrument inaccuracy. In this paper, a novel region-based active contour model that can segment the myocardial D-SPECT image accurately is presented. First, a local region-based fitting image is defined based on the information related to the intensity. Second, a likelihood fitting image energy function is built in a local region around each point in a given vector-valued image. Next, the level set method is used to present a global energy function with respect to the neighborhood center. The proposed approach guarantees precision and computational efficiency by combining the region-scalable fitting energy model and local image fitting energy model, and it can solve the issue of high sensitivity to initialization for myocardial D-SPECT segmentation.


BACKGROUND
Much of the literature pertinent to management indicates that service providers with high emotional intelligence (EI) receive higher customer satisfaction scores. Previous studies offer limited evidence regarding the impact of physician's EI on patient-physician relationship.

PURPOSES
Using a multilevel and multisource data approach, the current study aimed to build a model that demonstrated the impact of a physician's EI on the patient's trust and the patient-physician relationship.

METHODOLOGY
The survey sample included 983 outpatients and 39 physicians representing 11 specialties.

FINDINGS
Results of path analyses demonstrated that the ratio of patient's follow-up visits (p < .01) and the nurse-rated EI for physicians (p < .05) had positive effects on the patient's trust. The impact of patient's trust on patient's satisfaction was mediated by the patient-physician relationship at a significant level (p < .01). The patient-physician relationship had a significantly positive effect on patient's satisfaction (p < .001). The model accounted for 37% of the variance of patient's trust, 67% of the PDR, and 58% of patient's satisfaction on physician services.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
This study suggests that nurses had the sensitivity and intellectual skills in assessing the physician's performance and the patient's need. Our findings suggest that patient's trust is the cornerstone of the patient-physician relationship; however, mutual trust and professional respect between nurses and physicians play a critical role in reinforcing the patient-physician relationship to effect improvements in the provision of patient-centered care.


The aim of this paper is to use isotope analysis of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur from bone and teeth to investigate whether women from the Viking age and early medieval cemetery in Varnhem were local, rather than from a wider area. What is interesting about this area is that it is a Christian cemetery that was taken into use as early as the Viking age (800-1050 AD), a time where the majority of the Swedish population were pagans. It is therefore thought that the majority of the people buried on the cemetery are people from other parts of the landscape, since few other Christian cemeteries are known from his time. I tested my hypothesis with two research questions regarding diet and sulphur isotope ratios. The results from the isotope analysis showed that the women had a rather homogeneous diet and homogeneous sulphur isotope values. These results can strengthen my hypothesis that they were resident in Varnhem.


A design approach is presented for achieving optimal flux-weakening operation in surface permanent-magnet (SPM) synchronous machines by properly designing the machine's stator windings using concentrated, fractional-slot stator windings. This technique makes it possible to significantly increase the machine inductance in order to achieve the critical condition for providing wide speed ranges of constant-power operation. The conditions for optimal flux weakening can be achieved while simultaneously delivering sinusoidal line-to-line back-electromotive-force waveforms and low cogging torque. A closed-form analytical model is described that can be used to design SPM machines to achieve optimal flux-weakening conditions. This technique is applied to design a 6-kW SPM machine that achieves constant-power operation over a wide speed range. Performance characteristics of this machine are compared using both closed-form and finite-element analysis.


Planetary ball mill is a versatile machine which has been used for grinding different types of materials for size reduction and lately for hemp decortication. PFC3D, software employing the discrete element method (DEM), was used to simulate the power and energy requirement of grinding hemp for fibre using a planetary ball mill. The simulation was facilitated through a series of hemp grinding tests using the planetary ball mill to examine the power draw of the mill. The test results identified that grinding speed had a significant effect on the power draw of the mill. The power draw data were used to calibrate the discrete element parameters for different grinding speeds. Using the calibrated parameters, one was able to predict the kinetic energy and friction power loss of the ball mill. The average value of kinetic energy predicted, for grinding speeds of 200 – 500 r/min, ranged between 0.01 and 0.07 J per grinding ball. The prediction showed that frictional power losses dispersed approximately 10% of the total power requirement of the ball mill. Overall, the simulation using PFC3Dimproved understanding about the dynamics of the grinding balls within a planetary ball mill as well as the energy available for transfer in collisions between the grinding balls and hemp material.


This work was carried out in University of Surrey UK Department of Microbiology. In this study, the efficacy of monovalent and polyvalent vaccines made from Mannhaemia haemolytica antigens, were evaluated by measuring specific serum antibody titers produced against the bacteria in immunized rabbits. Eleven biotype A strains of Mannhaemia haemolytica were used for raising polyvalent antisera in rabbits. Monovalent antisera were produced against the strains A1, A2, A6, and A9. Different routes of inoculations were applied for injecting rabbits with multivaccine; separate strains in different sites subcutaneously, mixed strains in different sides subcutaneously, mixed strains at one site subcutaneously and mixed strains intravenously. Slide agglutination and indirect haemagglutination tests were used for detecting and measuring specific antibodies against the strains used. Antisera against polyvalent immunogens protected 83-100% of rabbits against A1, A7 and 50% of rabbits against A2 challenge while the lowest protection (16- 33%) was seen in serotype A6. The results showed that the indirect haemagglutination test was more sensitive than the somatic agglutination tests and intravenous injection produced higher antibodiesresponses when compared to others routes of injection. Keywords : Mannhaemia, rabbits, immunization, indirect haemagglutination, immunization.


Embedded systems have evolved from tailormade systems developed by specialists to artefacts built from complex software/hardware components with many extra-functional concerns. Ubiquity of embedded devices demands other facets such as security and safety to be brought to the forefront. At the same time, cost efficiency dictates building systems from reusable building blocks. However, integration of extra-functional building blocks comes with a certain resource overhead that must be taken into consideration while designing resource-constrained embedded systems. This paper builds on the premise that functional models can be extended with platform modelling to help the application engineers to select the right extra-functional building blocks while accounting for performance implications of their integration. We define a UML profile relating it to relevant parts of the MARTE profile in order to capture the performance analysis results for a reusable building block, and a generic notion of model-based compatibility analysis for platform models. Additionally, our approach rests on creation of ontologies to store MARTE descriptions of hardware components, and is supported by a MagicDraw plugin developed for capturing the analysis results and performing the compatibility analysis.


Tree nuts, including Brazil nuts, have been hypothesized to impact cardiovascular health through the modulation of oxidative stress and inflammation. Nonetheless, a quantitative analysis of these effects has not been performed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically revise and quantify the effect of Brazil nut intervention on selenium status, blood lipids, and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation using a meta-analytical approach. To meet the goals of this study, a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases of published randomised clinical trials reporting on dietary interventions with Brazil nuts and their effects on selenium status, blood lipids, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation was performed. Eight articles were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. Based on the conducted analysis, a significant positive effect of Brazil nuts on selenium blood concentration (SMD = 6.93, 95% CI: 3.99; 9.87) was found. Additionally, a positive effect of Brazil nut intervention on glutathione peroxidase activity (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.07; 0.99) was observed. However, no significant results were found when considering blood lipid levels, including results for total cholesterol (SMD = −0.22, 95% CI: −0.57; 0.14), HDL cholesterol (SMD = −0.04, 95% CI: −0.28; 0.19) and LDL cholesterol (SMD = −0.15; 95% CI: −0.43; 0.13). In conclusion, the findings from this study suggest that Brazil nut consumption improves selenium status and exerts antioxidant effects, which could be considered a potential pathway for the prevention of metabolic disorders related to altered blood lipid profiles. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the effect of Brazil nuts toward blood lipid profile, also preferably controlling for other biomarkers.


The paper investigates the network of bilateral free trade agreements (FTA) in the context of a network formation game with transfers. Furusawa and Konishi (2002) show that without international transfers, countries with different industrialization levels may not sign an FTA, so that the global free trade network, in which every pair of countries sign an FTA, is not pairwise stable in general. We show in this paper that even if the world consists of fairly asymmetric countries, the global free trade network is pairwise stable when transfers between FTA signatories are allowed. Moreover, it is the unique pairwise stable network unless industrial commodities are highly substitutable from one another.


Abstract : The Department of Defense has determined that Outsourcing and Privatization is key to reducing operating costs and subsequently providing the fiscal dollars necessary to modernize the U.S. Armed Forces. In an effort to achieve this goal, the DoD has mandated that the Air Force study at least 5% of its manning positions for possible conversion to contract. This mandate effects over 200,000 positions throughout the department. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular, Number A-76, Performance Of Commercial Activities dictates the process used to study the appropriateness of these conversions. This thesis explores the usefulness and applicability of this process, commonly referred to as A-76. More specifically, this researcher's goal is to determine if the current process is the most effective and efficient way to accomplish the goals of reducing the Department of Defense operating costs. This thesis explores recent A-76 studies and other strategic and competitive sourcing issues to determine how to drive down cost most effectively.


We call 'bits' a sequence of devices indexed by positive integers, where every device can be in two states: 0 (idle) and 1 (active). Start from the 'ground state' of the system when all bits are in 0-state. In our first binary flipping (BF) model the evolution of the system behaves as follows. At each time step choose one bit from a given distribution P on the positive integers independently of anything else, then flip the state of this bit to the opposite state. In our second damaged bits (DB) model a 'damaged' state is added: each selected idling bit changes to active, but selecting an active bit changes its state to damaged in which it then stays forever. In both models we analyse the recurrence of the system's ground state when no bits are active. We present sufficient conditions for both the BF and DB models to show recurrent or transient behaviour, depending on the properties of the distribution P. We provide a bound for fractional moments of the return time to the ground state for the BF model, and prove a central limit theorem for the number of active bits for both models.


(1) Background. Obesity is a well-established worldwide recognised risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). Prior review papers reported on the associations between obesity and AF development, but not on the relation between obesity and atrial electrophysiology. We therefore conducted a systematic review to describe the current knowledge of the characteristics of the atrial electrophysiological substrate in obese individuals and how they relate to the development of AF. (2) Methods. A search was conducted in Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for publications evaluating the impact of obesity on atrial electrophysiology, electrical substrates, and their relation to the development of AF. (3) Results. A systematic literature search retrieved 477 potential publications based on the inclusion criteria; 76 full-text articles were selected for the present systematic review. The literature demonstrated that obesity predisposes to not only a higher AF incidence but also to more extensive atrial electrophysiological abnormalities increasing susceptibility to AF development. (4) Conclusion. Obesity may predispose to an overall increase in atrial electropathology, consisting of an increase in the slowing of the conduction, conduction block, low-voltage areas, and complex fractionated electrograms. To determine the impact of obesity-induced atrial electrical abnormalities on the long-term clinical outcome, further prospective studies are mandatory.


Objective: To investigate recovery percentage of clenbuterol,
nandrolone, stanozolol, and epimetendiol by two different solid phase
extraction procedures viz. XAD2 (polystyrene divinylbenzene) and SPE
columns (C18, Samprep, Rankem) so as to improve detection limit of
anabolic steroids. Materials and Methods: The urine samples were
spiked with different concentrations of drugs. The preliminary work was
done with six samples, each of clenbuterol, nandrolone, and
epimetendiol at 1, 2, 5, and 10 ng/mL and of stanozolol at 5,10, 20,
and 40 ng/mL that were processed and injected into high resolution mass
spectrometer. Later the study was limited to clenbuterol and
epimetendiol at 2, 5, and 10 ng/mL concentrations. The data were
analysed by comparing XAD2 and SPE column values. Results: The
results show that the recovery percentage of nandrolone and stanozolol
at various concentrations did not signify any difference between the
two columns. However, there was a significant increase in the recovery
of clenbuterol at 2 ng/mL ( P < 0.002), 5 ng/mL ( P < 0.001), and
10 ng/mL ( P < 0.001) concentrations, where as for epimetendiol
there was significant increase in the recovery at 2, 5, and 10 ng/mL (
P < 0.01) with SPE column compared to XAD2 column. Conclusion: It is
possible to enhance the detection limit of clenbuterol and epimetendiol
by SPE column compared to XAD2 column. This procedure may be used for
confirmation of suspicious samples found in routine testing.


Background: Because early recognition of symptoms and timely treatment of stroke can reduce mortality and the long-term effects of such events, efforts to make many people both aware of these symptoms and knowledgeable about what to do when recognising them are critical for reducing impacts from stroke. Objectives: To assess the impact of a stroke preparedness film (intervention) and stroke preparedness pamphlets (usual care) on self-efficacy for stroke recognition and action. Design: Two-arm cluster randomised trial conducted between July 2013 and August 2018. Setting: A total of 13 church sites located in economically disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods in New York. Of the 883 churchgoers approached, 503 expressed interest, 375 completed eligibility screening and 312 were randomised. Participant inclusion criteria were Black or Hispanic churchgoers, aged 34 years or older, without stroke history, but at a high risk for stroke. The intervention consisted of two 12-minute stroke films: Gospel of Stroke, in English for Black participants, and Derrame Cerebral, in Spanish for Hispanic participants. Method: Participants were pre–post-tested (at baseline, 6-month follow-up and 12-month follow-up) for self-efficacy. Descriptive analysis, a linear mixed model and t tests were used to assess the effects of a stroke preparedness film and stroke preparedness pamphlets on self-efficacy. Results: Findings are based on intention-to-treat analysis. A total of 310 participants completed the study (99% retention rate). About half (53.8%) of participants were Black and 46.2% Hispanic in the intervention group; 48.3% were Black and 51.7% were Hispanic in the usual care group. Overall, both groups evidenced higher self-efficacy (i.e. lower predicted means) over time (p < .0001), although a significant benefit was not observed for the intervention relative to usual care. Conclusion: Both stroke preparedness films and stroke preparedness pamphlets improved self-efficacy with respect to stroke recognition and action among minority churchgoers.


This paper is dedicated to the task of cost determination for heat and power energy production for small size cogeneration plants. Cogeneration of heat and power is only possible if there is a demand for both types of energy. The consumers of both heat and power are considered as members of the coalition having a goal to gain additional revenues due to reduced investments and increased efficiency of power production. The suggested approach uses the cooperative game theory for distribution of the additional revenues between the members of the coalition. The examples from energy tariffs determination in the market environment show the rationality and efficiency of using the considered approach.


The addition of monosaccharides to metal-catalyzed coupling reactions can be beneficial in terms of decreasing the time required, chemical waste products and overall cost of the process. Monosaccharides are used in a number of different ways, including (a) acting as a ligand for the metal, (b) providing the appropriate reduction potential for a chemical process and (c) acting as a reducing agent for the formation and stabilization of catalytically active metal nanoparticles. Recently, there has been a significant amount of research in this growing field and there is thus the potential for the addition of monosaccharides to coupling reactions to have a significant impact on the synthesis of the important small molecules on which we have all come to rely. This Perspectives Article will cover recent developments in the addition of monosaccharides to metal-catalyzed coupling reactions with an emphasis on their utility and limitations in order to facilitate the further development of this exciting area of rese...


Studies of cooperative breeding have largely ignored the role of conflict among helpers and how it shapes group dynamics and helping behavior. In the present study, performing laboratory experiments with cooperatively breeding cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, we show that secondary group members (potential helpers) occupy home ranges within the group territory and may be aggressive to one another. Experimental removal of secondary group members allowed the individual next in rank to move closer to the removed individual's home range. In the field, dominant secondary group members stayed closer to the brood chamber than did subordinate group members of similar size, and proximity to the brood chamber was related to the length of time spent inside. We suggest that space segregation and competition among secondary group members is common in these cichlids, and may limit the opportunities to provide help. Copyright 2003.


The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide. Providing effective care to the women with GDM to improve the maternal and fetal outcome is a growing challenge for the nurses. The present study was conducted to identify the effect of a self-care enhancing intervention on the self-care agency of women with GDM. The study used a pre-test pot-test control group design. Forty women with GDM attending a tertiary hospital, selected as a sample of convenience were randomized to experimental and control group (20 each). The self-care agencies of both the group were assessed to form the baseline (88.4±8.7 in the experimental group and 89.1±13.3 in the control group). Participants in the experimental group were given self-care enhancing intervention to enhance their self-care agency while the control group received routine care. Self-care agency of both the groups was compared using independent sample t-test. It was found that the self-care agency of the experimental group (110.7±7.4) was significantly higher than that of the control group (96.4±10.2) following intervention. The mean gain in self-care agency in the experimental group (22.3) was also significantly higher than the control group (7.3). The findings of the study conclude that self-care enhancing intervention is effective in improving the self-care agency of women with GDM.


In this paper, I draw the list of weaknesses of the mainstream gravity and cosmology theories. First, the special and general relativity theory are discussed, where the emphasis is on the physical meaning of length contraction, the time expansion and the time delay. Then, the hypothesis of dark matter inside disk galaxies is treated. Since my paper of 2004 [10], this hypothesis has fainted, and I explain the reasons of it. The hypotheses of dark energy, the expanding and the accelerating universe are historically edified upon the big bang hypothesis and I criticize it by using physical objections which lead to obvious alternatives. Also the weakness of the planetary system's creation theory is physically analyzed. Finally, I explain the evolution process of the modern gravity and cosmology theories and the possible reasons and causes for the increasing alienation from rational thinking.


According to the recommendations of European Directive 2002/91/EC and its subsequent modifications in European Directives 2010/31/EU and 2012/27/EU, all of which refer to energy efficiency, consideration of the source of energy used to drive a heating system is essential when trying to optimise energy efficiency and also in reducing its cost and the environmental impact caused. In this context the use of biomass is an interesting alternative to fossil fuels. A study was made of 6,234 records of the thermal systems most frequently used in the province of Granada, classified according to the source of energy used. The energy study is focused on energy efficiency in building systems. The results show the predominance of fossil fuels: gasoil is the option most frequently chosen for heating (39%), while natural gas accounts for the highest percentage overall (49%), if we add together the power used for heating, cooling and domestic hot water. The replacement of fossil fuels by renewables would lead to a reduction in the environmental footprint, cutting CO2 emissions by 17% if 23% of equipment were replaced, this being the target set in the 2030 programme. The economic savings for consumers from using renewables according to 2030 targets could be as high as 6.24%.

Keywords: Energy; Building; Renewables; Boiler; CO2 emissions; Energy efficiency.


Recently, Diaconis, Ram and I created Markov chains out of the coproduct-then-product operator on combinatorial Hopf algebras. These chains model the breaking and recombining of combinatorial objects. Our motivating example was the riffle-shuffling of a deck of cards, for which this Hopf algebra connection allowed explicit computation of all the eigenfunctions. The present note replaces in this construction the coproduct-then-product map with convolutions of projections to the graded subspaces, effectively allowing us to dictate the distribution of sizes of the pieces in the breaking step of the previous chains. An important example is removing one "vertex" and reattaching it, in analogy with top-to-random shuffling. This larger family of Markov chains all admit analysis by Hopf-algebraic techniques. There are simple combinatorial expressions for their stationary distributions and for their eigenvalues and multiplicities and, in some cases, the eigenfunctions are also calculable.


The Ghana Basic Education Comprehensive Assessment System (BECAS) is a new assessment system which replaced national tests that were instituted since the 1992 to monitor primary school pupils' achievement and progress in English and Mathematics. To ensure the new system assesses closely what teachers actually teach, the BECAS Team carried out a survey of the contexts of learning in primary schools to inform the development of a new comprehensive assessment system. The study examined whether or not the opportunities provided in primary schools for learning are good enough to promote learning for all of pupils and assure high levels of outcomes for all pupils. The study which involved 1,063 teachers sampled from the ten regions of the country was carried out in schools in July 2004. A questionnaire was used to gather data on teachers' schools, classes taught, location of schools, class size, gender, professional qualifications, instructional resources for teaching English and mathematics, instructional time for teaching English and mathematics, and coverage of content of English and mathematics in teachers' instruction over the year. A major finding of the study was that OTL standards for most schools were very low and it was observed that the majority of teachers completed nearly 60% of the content of the mathematics and English syllabuses. The analysis also indicated that there were grave inequalities between schools as well as districts in the following:
• availability and adequacy of textbooks,
• availability and adequacy of instructional materials,
• teachers' instructional practices and management of instructional time, and
• teachers' preparedness to implement the content standards.
These inefficiencies could be attributed to the fact that the curriculum content standards are clearly defined by the syllabuses of the various subjects taught at the basic level, no OTL standards have been set to guide their implementation. It is recommended that CRDD should be made to set OTL standards that will assure a high level of achievement for all pupils. That is, state the indicators that will assure a fair and appropriate provision of inputs and processes in basic schools. Also teacher education programmes should ensure that teachers are not only exposed sufficiently to OTL standards but also the strategies that they can be adopted to ensure such standards are maintained and improved. Mathematics Connection Vol. 5 2005: 49-55


BACKGROUND
Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is considered a valid second-line treatment for acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD).

METHODS
Ninety-four patients with aGVHD (n=45) and cGVHD (n=49), retrospectively recruited in 6 Italian Centers, were submitted to ECP for second-line treatment. At the time of ECP, 22 (49%) and 23 (51%) out of 45 patients with aGHVD were non responsive (NR) and in partial remission (PR) after steroids, respectively, and all the 49 patients with cGVHD were steroid refractory.

RESULTS
Forty-one out of 45 (91%) patients with aGVHD achieved complete remission (CR) after ECP. Fifteen out of 45 (33%) patients developed cGVHD. The CR rate in patients who started ECP being NR and in PR after steroid was 86% and 96%, respectively. After a median follow up of 20 months (range 2-72), 15/45 patients (33%) developed cGHVD and 16/45 patients (35%) died, in 3 cases for aGVHD. A trend for a better survival was seen among patients who started ECP in PR after steroid (80% vs 50% at 2 years; p=0,07). Overall, 22/49 (45%) and 17/49 (35%) patients with steroid refractory cGHVD achieved CR and PR after ECP, respectively. After a median follow up of 27 months, 44/49 patients (90%) are alive, 21 of whom (48%) on steroid.

CONCLUSIONS
ECP is confirmed as an effective second-line treatment in both acute and chronic GVHD, as it can induce a response in more than 80% of the patients and a long term survival in at least 50% of the cases.


SUMMARY  Morphological features of the tumor microenvironment are emerging as powerful prognostic indicators for colorectal cancer (CRC). The presence of peritumoral budding (PTB), defined as the presence of single tumor cells or small clusters of up to five cells in the tumor stroma ahead of the invasive front, is a hallmark of aggressive disease biology. Presence of PTB strongly correlates with adverse clinicopathological features and is recognized as an additional adverse prognostic factor by the Union for International Cancer Control. Recent studies have also characterized intratumoral budding (ITB) in biopsy material as a prognostic indicator in the preoperative setting. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the role of PTB and ITB in the clinical management of colon and rectal cancer.


ABSTRACT Our general purpose is to show how a philosophically oriented theoretical foundation, drawn from a lifeworld perspective can serve as a coherent direction for caring practices in education. We argue that both caring and learning share the same ontological foundation and point to this intertwining from a philosophical perspective. We proceed by illustrating shared epistemological ground through some novel educational practices in the professional preparation of carers. Beginning in a phenomenologically oriented philosophical foundation, we will first unfold what this means in the practice of caring, and secondly what it means for education and learning to care in humanly sensitive ways. We then share some ways that may be valuable in supporting learning and health that provides a basis for an existential understanding. We argue that existential understanding may offer a way to bridge the categorisations in contemporary health care that flow from problematic dualisms such as mind and body, illness and well-being, theory and practice, caring and learning. Ways of overcoming such dualistic splits and new existential understandings are needed to pave the way for a care that is up to the task of responding to both human possibilities and vulnerabilities, within the complexity of existence. As such, we argue that caring and learning are to be understood as an intertwined phenomenon of pivotal importance in education of both sensible and sensitive carers. Lifeworld led didactics and reflection, which are seen as the core of learning, constitute an important educational strategy here.


MicroRNAs are critical regulators of gene networks in normal and abnormal biological processes. Focusing on invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC), we have found dysregulated expression in tumor samples of several microRNAs, including the miR-200 family, along progression from primary tumors to distant metastases, further reflected in higher blood levels of miR-200b and miR-7 in IDC patients with regional or distant metastases relative to patients with primary node-negative tumors. Forced expression of miR-200s in MCF10CA1h mammary cells induced an enhanced epithelial program, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, mammosphere growth and ability to form branched tubuloalveolar structures while promoting orthotopic tumor growth and lung colonization in vivo. MiR-200s also induced the constitutive activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling through downregulation of PTEN, and the enhanced mammosphere growth and ALDH activity induced in MCF10CA1h cells by miR-200s required the activation of this signaling pathway. Interestingly, the morphology of tumors formed in vivo by cells expressing miR-200s was reminiscent of metaplastic breast cancer (MBC). Indeed, the epithelial components of MBC samples expressed significantly higher levels of miR-200s than their mesenchymal components and displayed a marker profile compatible with luminal progenitor cells. We propose that microRNAs of the miR-200 family promote traits of highly proliferative breast luminal progenitor cells, thereby exacerbating the growth and metastatic properties of transformed mammary epithelial cells.


During the accretion phase of a core-collapse supernovae, large amplitude turbulence is generated by the combination of the standing accretion shock instability and convection driven by neutrino heating. The turbulence directly affects the dynamics of the explosion, but there is also the possibility of an additional, indirect, feedback mechanism due to the effect turbulence can have upon neutrino flavor evolution and thus the neutrino heating. In this paper we consider the effect of turbulence during the accretion phase upon neutrino evolution, both numerically and analytically. Adopting representative supernova profiles taken from the accretion phase of a supernova simulation, we find the numerical calculations exhibit no effect from turbulence. We explain this absence using two analytic descriptions: the Stimulated Transition model and the Distorted Phase Effect model. In the Stimulated Transition model turbulence effects depend upon six different lengthscales, and three criteria must be satisfied between them if one is to observe a change in the flavor evolution due to Stimulated Transition. We further demonstrate that the Distorted Phase Effect depends upon the presence of multiple semi-adiabatic MSW resonances or discontinuities that also can be expressed as a relationship between three of the same lengthscales. When we examine the supernova profiles used in the numerical calculations we find the three Stimulated Transition criteria cannot be satisfied, independent of the form of the turbulence power spectrum, and that the same supernova profiles lack the multiple semi-adiabatic MSW resonances or discontinuities necessary to produce a Distorted Phase Effect. Thus we conclude that even though large amplitude turbulence is present in supernova during the accretion phase, it has no effect upon neutrino flavor evolution.


POOJARY, VIKRAM S. Predicting Loop Unrolling Impact in OpenMP Programs Using Machine Learning . (Under the direction of Dr. Yan Solihin). Performance tuning of high performance numerical code is an important process which is still largely performed manually. While recent research in automated performance tuning has proposed run-time application configuration and compilation, most compilers in use today do not support such run-time features. As a result, a performance tuner's role is limited to selecting the right compiler optimizations for a given application and environment in which the application runs. Because many compiler optimizations do not give performance benefits in all cases, performance tuners must tediously test each optimization on their applications under a wide range of scenarios. Therefore, it is desirable to automate compiler optimization selection in order to avoid or at least reduce the tuning effort. This thesis deals with the question of whether machine learning techniques can be used to automate compiler optimization selection. It presents a case study in which an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and a Decision Tree (DT) are constructed, trained, and used to predict whether, for a given loop nest in a shared memory parallel program, loop unrolling optimization should be applied or not. Simple characteristics of the loop nests, such as the nesting level, iteration count, and body size, are collected and used as input to the ANN or DT. The ANN and DT were trained with loop nests from some OpenMPbased NAS parallel benchmarks, and are used to predict the benefit of loop unrolling across different benchmarks, and across different numbers of parallel threads. Various training methods were tried, and in the best case, ANN predicts correctly whether loop unrolling is beneficial in 62% of the cases, whereas DT predicts correctly whether loop unrolling is beneficial in 56% of the cases. Although the results show promise, we believe that to accurately automate compiler optimization selection, many other factors may need to be taken into account in characterizing each loop nest, due to complex interactions of loop unrolling with memory hierarchy, data layout, thread partitioning, and instruction-level parallelism. Predicting Loop Unrolling Impact in OpenMP Programs Using Machine Learning


Continuous passive recordings of microseismic experiments can be used to detect and trace the modifications in frequency content during hydraulic fracturing or heavy-oil steam injection. We analyze the performance of four different time-frequency representations, namely the short-time Fourier transform, the S-transform, the continuous wavelet transform, and the autoregressive method, on a real microseismic data set of intermediate quality. We show that time-frequency transforms provide an efficient tool to highlight time-varying resonance frequencies occurring during reservoir fracturing. Four distinct resonance frequencies at ∼17, ∼35, ∼51, and 60 Hz are observed during two experiments using the same experimental setup.