In the present study it was revealed that cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) selectively inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 activity with an IC50 value (50% inhibition concentration) around 2 μM, having 9-fold higher selectivity than COX-1 inhibition. In contrast, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (Δ9-THCA) was a much less potent inhibitor of COX-2 (IC50 > 100 μM). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs containing a carboxyl group in their chemical structures such as salicylic acid are known to inhibit nonselectively both COX-1 and COX-2. CBDA and Δ9-THCA have a salicylic acid moiety in their structures. Thus, the structural requirements for the CBDA-mediated COX-2 inhibition were next studied. There is a structural difference between CBDA and Δ9-THCA; phenolic hydroxyl groups of CBDA are freed from the ring formation with the terpene moiety, although Δ9-THCA has dibenzopyran ring structure. It was assumed that the whole structure of CBDA is important for COX-2 selective inhibition because β-resorcylic acid itself did not inhibit COX-2 activity. Methylation of the carboxylic acid moiety of CBDA led to disappearance of COX-2 selectivity. Thus, it was suggested that the carboxylic acid moiety in CBDA is a key determinant for the inhibition. Furthermore, the crude extract of cannabis containing mainly CBDA was shown to have a selective inhibitory effect on COX-2. Taken together, these lines of evidence in this study suggest that naturally occurring CBDA in cannabis is a selective inhibitor for COX-2.


One way to explore the complexities of senses, cultures and identities is through creativity and in conversations with other artists exchanging experiences or reflecting about personal journeys. I use creative prose, poetry and image-text compositions, for example in the form of postcards or collage. Creative conversations have facilitated an understanding of this country's complexities, and through this process I can make sense of my surroundings while sustaining a connection with places in Latin America I considered home. In this instance I invited Uruguayan painter Abigail Lutzen, trained in the Constructivist School of paint led by Torres Garcia and Tjanara Jaly Talbot, a young Indigenous woman from Sydney who supports Sydney Action for Juarez, a group that I established with other women to raise awareness about gender violence in Mexico. These are different representations of poetic and visual "feminine sensitivities" showing how we make sense of our immediate cultural environment in solidarity with others and engaging in creative collaborations as women artists.


Xylitol is known to reduce caries by inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus mutans. We hypothesized that xylitol could also affect the growth of other nasopharyngeal bacterial flora, which could be important when considering respiratory infections caused by these bacteria. We studied this in vitro by adding xylitol to the medium and observed that 1 and 5% xylitol reduced markedly the growth of alpha-hemolytic streptococci, including S. pneumoniae. It reduced slightly the growth of beta-hemolytic streptococci but not that of Haemophilus influenzae or Moraxella catarrhalis. The inhibitory growth pattern was similar to that previously seen with S. mutans, which may indicate a similarity in the enzymatic processing of five-carbon sugars such as xylitol. This sugar alcohol is a widely used sweetener, and the concentrations used in our experiments are easily achieved in the oral cavity. If xylitol reduces the growth of S. pneumoniae in the nasopharynx, it could also reduce the carriage of this pathogen and thus have clinical significance in the prevention of pneumococcal diseases.


and aerodynamic modeling DTU Orbit (03/11/2019) Experimental characterization of airfoil boundary layers for improvement of aeroacoustic and aerodynamic modeling The present work aims at the characterization of aerodynamic noise from wind turbines. There is a consensus among scientists that the dominant aerodynamic noise mechanism is turbulent boundary trailing edge noise. In almost all operational conditions the boundary layer flow over the wind turbine blades makes a transition from laminar to turbulent. In the turbulent boundary layer eddies are created which are a potential noise sources. They are ineffective as noise source on the airfoil surface or in free flow, but when convecting past the trailing edge of the airfoil their efficiency is much increased and audible sound is radiated. We performed measurements of the boundary layer velocity fluctuations and the fluctuating surface pressure field in two different wind tunnels and on three different airfoils. The first wind tunnel is the one of LM Wind Power A/S following the classic concept for aerodynamic wind tunnels with a hard wall test section. Acoustic far field sound measurements are not possible in this tunnel due to the high background noise. The second wind tunnel is owned by Virginia Tech University. The test section has Kevlar walls which are acoustically transparent and it is surrounded by an anechoic chamber. In this experiment the far field sound was measured with a microphone array placed in the anechoic chamber. The measurements were compared to predictions with an analytical model for trailing edge noise. The analytical model is divided into two steps. First the fluctuating velocity field is related to the fluctuating surface pressure field, then the far field trailing edge noise is related to the surface pressure field close to the trailing edge of the airfoil. The data base of measurements was used to evaluate the different parts of the original analytical trailing edge noise model and to improve it, because the predictions gave in general too low far field noise levels. Our main finding is that the acoustic formulations to relate the fluctuating surface pressure field close to the trailing edge of airfoil to the radiated far field sound give excellent results when compared to far field sound measurements with a microphone array and measured surface pressure statistics as input up to a frequency of about 2000-3000Hz. The fluctuating surface pressure field can be measured in a wind tunnel with high background noise due to the high level of the fluctuating surface pressure field. Hence, trailing edge noise can be evaluated by means of measured surface pressure field, even in cases where a direct measurement of trailing edge noise is not possible. This opens up great new vistas, i.e. by testing new airfoils in a standard industrial wind tunnel or by testing new wind turbine rotors in the field. The main difficulty for trailing edge noise modeling is to predict the fluctuating surface pressure field correctly and one uncertainty of the original model was the assumption of isotropic turbulence. This was investigated in the present work and a new model to relate the boundary layer velocity field to the surface pressure field accounting for an anisotropic turbulence spectrum was proposed. The results were very similar compared to the original model and underestimated the measured one point surface pressure spectrum, even though the prediction of the one point velocity spectra was improved.


This study is set within the context of the tourism and hospitality sector in Egypt, a popular and expanding tourism destination in the Middle East/North Africa.
The study specifically investigates the impact of culture on
expectations and perceptions of service quality in hotels. In the literature it has been pointed out that there is a shortage of studies focusing on the impact of culture on service quality. What research has been done generally
indicates that expectations of service quality by an individual may vary according to whether that person is from a high or low power distance, and whether from a high context or low context, cultural background. With increasing competition in the hospitality sector service quality could be an important factor in gaining competitive advantage, and understanding cultural differences and can be helpful in dealing with customers from different
backgrounds.
Following a positivistic methodology and quantitative methods, an adapted version of the SERVQUAL questionnaire was administered to Arab and British hotel guests in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Consequently 504 correctly completed copies were analysed using hypotheses testing and correlation analysis. To the five dimensions of SERVQUAL- tangibles, empathy, responsiveness, assurance and reliability-a sixth dimension of sustainability was also added. This was a novel idea. The findings showed that Arabs had, overall, lower expectations and perceptions of service quality than the British guests. This showed that there is a relationship between expectations of service quality and culture but that the finding could not be explained in terms of Hofstede's cultural dimensions as the literature review generally suggests. Follow up interviews with hotel guests showed that the lower expectations of Arabs in general and Egyptians in particular, could be the result of their beliefs that Westerners are always treated better than Arabs by the hotel staff. The findings also show that environmentally friendly practices by hotels can be added as a dimension to SERVQUAL in respect of the hospitality sector.


This project was part of a research initiative in collaboration with Wendi Trummert, DrOT, OTR/L, a practicing school-based occupational therapist in the Puyallup School District. The purpose of our project was to compare the effectiveness of certain service delivery models and intervention approaches to improve handwriting outcomes for school-aged children. Our search of the literature yielded a total of 20 applicable research studies, which utilized a wide variety of models and approaches. There was limited research specifically comparing service delivery and/or specific components of handwriting interventions. Our findings indicated that there are a variety of effective service delivery models and approaches to handwriting interventions. Furthermore, direct practice was a consistent component of programs producing handwriting improvements. A recommendation for future research is to directly compare service delivery models and intervention approaches to handwriting. This would allow practitioners to identify which specific aspects of service delivery could best support handwriting for students. Our knowledge translation products were specifically designed for our collaborating practitioner to present to her colleagues within the Puyallup School District. These products included a prepared in-service presentation detailing our research and findings, handouts regarding service delivery and approaches, and an annotated bibliography including relevant research articles to inform practitioners. Post-product responses and feedback were overall positive from our collaborator, although we were not able to receive feedback from colleagues who participated in the presentation due to time constraints. SCHOOL-BASED SERVICE DELIVERY AND INTERVENTIONS FOR HANDWRITING 3


Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) are psycho-educational group and
individual therapies designed to reduce psychological issues by integrating
mindfulness-based meditation practices with western therapeutic
techniques. Substantial research evidences the efficacy of MBIs, however
there are significant knowledge gaps about the way that working with MBIs
in the context of the Therapeutic Relationship (TR) is experienced by
psychologists. This is important for counselling psychology because the TR
is the most pivotal predictor of positive therapeutic outcome.
This study examined subjective accounts of psychologists' experiences of
working with MBIs to explore the potential contribution of mindfulness to the
TR, the quality of the TR when working with MBIs and an exploration of
benefits and barriers to working with MBIs in the context of the TR. Seven
psychologists working with four interventions: Mindfulness Based Stress
Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT),
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT) were interviewed using semi-structured interviews.
Utilising Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, three super ordinate
themes were identified: (1) Ways of relating, (2) Integration and (3) The
process of mindfulness. The results draw together the participants'
phenomenological experiences of working with MBIs portraying the qualities
of the TR of bond-connection, genuineness, empathy and care; acceptance
of self and client, attunement (awareness and responsiveness) and care to
self with internal balance.
The findings are discussed in relation to existing theory, literature and
practice. The way the psychologists experienced the TR while working with
MBIs was dependent upon the environmental setting. Suggestions for future
research and implications for clinical applications are presented.


The question of whether the prevalence increase observed in autism due to an actual increase in the incidence of autism is a matter of concern to professional psychologists, and has been a matter of debate. As professionals trained in diagnosis and research methodology, the opinions of psychologists are of interest. We report the results of what we believe to be the first survey of professional opinion on the topic. Results suggest that among professional psychologists with a terminal degree (n = 88), the majority believe that diagnostic changes can not fully account for the observed increase; 72% reported either the true rate may have, or definitely has, increased. In this sample, the professionals who are certain about the occurrence of a real increase (n=20) are five times as many as those who do not think the increase has occurred (n=4). These results are not meant to document whether or not an increase has or has not occurred, but instead speak to the question of consensus opinion among professional psychologists. What experts believe is an empirical question, and statements about what experts believe should be empirically based.


Detrital zircons from three Neoproterozoic sandstone units from the Cadomia terrane of northern France and the Channel Islands yield ages in three broad groups: late Neoproterozoic (650–600 Ma), early Palaeoproterozoic (2.4–2.0 Ga) and Archaean (>2.5 Ga). The lack of Mesoproterozoic zircon crystals, combined with the high abundance of grains between 2.20 and 2.00 Ga, corresponds closely to the ages of exposed rocks in the West Africa Craton, and thus it is suggested that Cadomia was in close proximity to West Africa by c. 580 Ma. In contrast, the main age groups of detrital zircon from the Neoproterozoic Avalon terrane are Mesoproterozoic and there is a distinct gap of ages between 2.40 and 2.05 Ga. These significant differences suggest that the two terranes were in different locations relative to major Gondwanan cratons in latest Neoproterozoic time.


Calculating the long term solution of ordinary differential equations, such as those of the $N$-body problem, is central to understanding a wide range of dynamics in astrophysics, from galaxy formation to planetary chaos. Because generally no analytic solution exists to these equations, researchers rely on numerical methods which are prone to various errors. In an effort to mitigate these errors, powerful symplectic integrators have been employed. But symplectic integrators can be severely limited because they are not compatible with adaptive stepping and thus they have difficulty accommodating changing time and length scales. A promising alternative is time-reversible integration, which can handle adaptive time stepping, but the errors due to time-reversible integration in astrophysics are less understood. The goal of this work is to study analytically and numerically the errors caused by time-reversible integration, with and without adaptive stepping. We derive the modified differential equations of these integrators to perform the error analysis. As an example, we consider the trapezoidal rule, a reversible non-symplectic integrator, and show it gives secular energy error increase for a pendulum problem and for a Henon---Heiles orbit. We conclude that using reversible integration does not guarantee good energy conservation and that, when possible, use of symplectic integrators is favored. We also show that time-symmetry and time-reversibility are properties that are distinct for an integrator.


ABSTRACT Understanding patterns in the frequency of extreme natural events, such as earthquakes, is important as it helps in the prediction of their future occurrence and hence provides better civil protection. Distributions describing these events are known to be heavy tailed and positive skew making standard distributions unsuitable for modelling the frequency of such events. The Birnbaum–Saunders distribution and its extreme value version have been widely studied and applied due to their attractive properties. We derive L-moment equations for these distributions and propose novel methods for parameter estimation, goodness-of-fit assessment and model selection. A simulation study is conducted to evaluate the performance of the L-moment estimators, which is compared to that of the maximum likelihood estimators, demonstrating the superiority of the proposed methods. To illustrate these methods in a practical application, a data analysis of real-world earthquake magnitudes, obtained from the global centroid moment tensor catalogue during 1962–2015, is carried out. This application identifies the extreme value Birnbaum–Saunders distribution as a better model than classic extreme value distributions for describing seismic events.


The revised simplex method is often the method of choice when solving large scale sparse linear programming problems, particularly when a family of closely-related problems is to be solved. In each iteration of the method, three matrix-vector products are formed and, even for many sparse problems, the result is typically dense. However it is demonstrated in this paper that for a significant number of practical problems, the result of one or more of these three operations is usually sparse. In this paper, this property of a problem is referred to as hyper-sparsity. Analysis of the commonly-used computational techniques for each of the components of the revised simplex method shows them to be inefficient when applied to problems which exhibit hyper-sparsity and techniques which exploit hyper-sparsity are developed. For such problems, the performance of the revised simplex method when using these techniques is demonstrated to be many times faster than a commercial implementation of both the revised simplex method and barrier method. When applied to network problems, the revised simplex method using these techniques is demonstrated to be comparable in speed to an efficient implementation of the network simplex


Notwithstanding the ample research on organizational search and its performance implications, the factors that shape the organizations' search strategy is fairly under-explored. This study investigates how problems' characteristics influence the managerial decision of searching jointly or independently for solving a given problem. We make a case where problem-solvers' activities affect the landscape of the organization's future search. The empirical findings from developing an industrial software package across 13 versions and along 60 months demonstrate that the joint search is pursued when solving complex problems, involving cross-module interdependencies, whereas the problem-solvers opt for independent search efforts while searching in distant loci, discovering novel solutions. Moreover, the results show that in the short term (within stages of search) the software developers go for joint search, whereas in the long term (across stages of search) they resort to individual search activities. These insights complement the extant innovation and search literature by endogenizing the organizational search strategy decision, and thereby, exploring its determinants in a knowledge-intensive context.


A broad-band frequency synthesizer for L1/L5 dual-band GPS RF receiver is designed using a four-stage differential ring voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) with an on-chip regulator to compensate for variation by supply and temperature. Also, a pole-zero scalable loop filter is proposed to tune the loop bandwidth while keeping damping factor against wide variations of VCO gain. The proposed frequency synthesizer fabricated on a 90 nm CMOS process occupies 0.236 mm2 and consumes 3.99 mW at 1.2 V. The measured phase noise is less than -85 dBc/Hz for all bands.


Mutations on the apolipoprotein (apo) B gene that interfere with the full-length translation of the apoB molecule are associated with familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL), a disease characterized by the reduction of plasma apoB and LDL cholesterol. In this report, we describe an FHBL kindred carrying a unique truncated apoB form, apoB-87Padova. Sequence analysis of amplified genomic DNA identified a single G deletion at nucleotide 12032, which shifts the translation reading frame and causes a termination at amino acid 3978. Two homozygous subjects and seven heterozygous relatives were studied. Although homozygous individuals had only trace amounts of LDL, they were virtually free from the symptoms typical of homozygous FHBL subjects. We investigated the in vivo turnover of radiolabeled normal apoB-100 LDL and apoB-87 LDL in one homozygous patient and two normal control subjects. ApoB-87 LDL showed a similar metabolism in all three subjects, with a fractional catabolic rate more than double that of normal LDL. The rate of entry of apoB-87 in the LDL compartment was also markedly decreased compared with normal apoB-100. The increased in vivo catabolism of apoB-87 LDL was paralleled in vitro by a 2.5-fold increased ability of these particles to inhibit the uptake and degradation of normal apoB-100 LDL by normal human cultured fibroblasts. These results indicate that apoB-87 LDL has an enhanced ability to interact with the LDL receptor, the increased apoB catabolism contributes to the hypobetalipoproteinemia and may explain the mild expression of the disease in the two homozygous individuals.


For several decades teachers have been living a research dimension on their own practice to nurture both a participatory culture within the professional community, and the speciic knowledge about problems connected to teaching, speciically to the transposition and to the educational mediation. he status of "research teacher"was diferently interpreted in the training models founded on collaboration among "peers", meant not only as the colleagues, but also as the academic and non academic researchers. he attitude which is necessary to create experiences of co-training is to be found in the availability in sharing knowledge (thereotical and practical) in order to face the problems that occur in an efective way. his availability is accompanied by responsibility, reciprocal listening, and the attention towards a systemic complexity. Living experiences of co-training makes you able to nurture the professional knowledge, but also to make a conscious experience of democracy.


This paper argues for an interdisciplinary approach to medical discourse and aims to analyze patients' speech. The paper investigates the case of subclinical hypothyroidism and attempts to build bridges between the disciplines of medicine and linguistics. It is suggested that the way patients think of this disease and utilize language in order to express its symptoms is affected by the abnormal TSH level and the normal levels in T3 and T4 thyroid hormones. The article further attempts to propose that human thought and language use are shaped by environmental factors such as chronic diseases. The paper discusses how patients of subclinical hypothyroidism, whose mother tongue is Modern Greek, use language figuratively by means of metaphor and metonymy.


Xanthine oxidoreductase (XD: xanthine dehydrogenase + xanthine oxidase) is a complex enzyme that catalyzes oxidation of hypoxathine to xanthine, subsequently producing uric acid. The enzyme complex exists in separate but interconvertible forms, xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xanthine oxidase (XOD). XOD is one of the major cellular sources of superoxide production and is well known as a causative factor in ischemia/reperfusion damage. At present, almost no information on the conversion status is available with respect to aging. In the present study, we investigated the effect of age on the XOD/XDH status and gene expression in the kidney. In addition, we assessed XOD-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) using the dichlorofluoroscein (DCF) method. Our results show that XD activity gradually up to 18 months of age and then a slight decrease at 24 months of age. XDH activity showed increases up to 18 months of age, then decreased at 24 months of age. The conversion of XDH to XOD, assessed by changes in the ratios of XOD/(XOD+XDH), showed an age-related increase, which peaked at 24 months. Levels of XD protein and its mRNA paralleled to overall XD activity. ROS generation has tendency to increase with age. Our results suggest that the increased conversion of XDH to XOD observed with age may be an important contributing factor to the increased renal oxidative stress during aging.


This article provides a theoretical overview of the concepts of lean and manufacturing ramp-up in an attempt to conceptualize the strategic areas in which lean philosophy and principles can be applied for continuous improvements. The application of lean principles during the final stage of a new product development process, that is, the ramp-up process, is a critical, early enabler of lean manufacturing. The manufacturing strategy literature conceptualizes a state of "leanness in operations," which can consolidate both the concepts of lean and manufacturing ramp-up, providing a dual perspective. Abstracting from the extant literature, the authors considered the competitiveness of manufacturing companies from two principal perspectives: the leanness of the ramp-up process and the new-value creation of quality managers. While much of the literature fails to acknowledge that the roots of lean actually lie in quality evolution and TQM, there is relatively sparse evidence on the subject of applying the lean philosophy to manufacturing ramp-up, so this study is an attempt to address this gap. This is achieved by providing a comprehensive outline of the two concepts and illustrating the areas in which mutual benefits can be drawn, as well as providing a conceptual framework for future studies in lean application to the manufacturing ramp-up process.


Borexino has been running since May 2007 at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso laboratory in Italy with the primary goal of detecting solar neutrinos. The detector, a large, unsegmented liquid scintillator calorimeter characterized by unprecedented low levels of intrinsic radioactivity, is optimized for the study of the lower energy part of the spectrum. During Phase-I (2007–2010), Borexino first detected and then precisely measured the flux of the Be 7 solar neutrinos, ruled out any significant day-night asymmetry of their interaction rate, made the first direct observation of the pep neutrinos, and set the tightest upper limit on the flux of solar neutrinos produced in the CNO cycle (carbon, nitrogen, oxigen) where carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen serve as catalysts in the fusion process. In this paper we discuss the signal signature and provide a comprehensive description of the backgrounds, quantify their event rates, describe the methods for their identification, selection, or subtraction, and describe data analysis. Key features are an extensive in situ calibration program using radioactive sources, the detailed modeling of the detector response, the ability to define an innermost fiducial volume with extremely low background via software cuts, and the excellent pulse-shape discrimination capability of the scintillator that allows particle identification. We report a measurement of the annual modulation of the Be 7 neutrino interaction rate. The period, the amplitude, and the phase of the observed modulation are consistent with the solar origin of these events, and the absence of their annual modulation is rejected with higher than 99% C.L. The physics implications of Phase-I results in the context of the neutrino oscillation physics and solar models are presented.


The precipitation process in an aged Cu-1.9wt%Ni-0.3wt%Be alloy has been examined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The precipitation sequence found is: Guinier- Preston (G.P.) zones → γ'' → γ' → stable γ. The disk-shaped G.P. zones and the disk-shaped γ'', γ' and γ precipitated phases are composed of monolayers of Be atoms on {100}α of the Cu matrix and alternative Be and Ni matrix layers parallel to {100}α. The γ'' phases consisting of two to eight Be-layers has a body-centered tetragonal (bct) lattice with a=b=0.24 nm and c=0.28 nm. The γ' or γ phase is bct with a=b=0.24 nm and c=0.26 nm or a=b=0.26 nm and c=0.27 nm. The γ'', γ' or γ phase aligns with the matrix according to the Bain orientation relationship. The growth kinetics of disk-shaped γ precipitates on aging at 500°C has been also investigated. The {001}α habit planes of the γ precipitates migrate by a ledge mechanism. The average thickness of the γ disks increases with aging time t as t1/2. An analysis of experimental data using a kinetic model yields the diffusivity of solute in the Cu matrix, which is in agreement with the reported diffusivity of Ni in Cu.


This article studies the co-movement of the levels, as well as of the volatilities, of the Chinese and U.S. aggregate stock returns in 1995–2014, focusing on the impact of the liberalization of Chinese stock market from 2005. The volatilities of the two returns appear to have started to co-move in 2006. To understand the co-movement, we use the GARCH BEKK method. The result suggests that before 2006, the evolution of the U.S. returns had a tendency to affect the Chinese returns in level and volatility. However, after 2006, the two returns affected each other in a more complex way.


We present performance results and an analysis of a message passing interface (MPI)/OpenACC implementation of an electromagnetic solver based on a spectral-element discontinuous Galerkin discretization of the time-dependent Maxwell equations. The OpenACC implementation covers all solution routines, including a highly tuned element-by-element operator evaluation and a GPUDirect gather–scatter kernel to effect nearest neighbor flux exchanges. Modifications are designed to make effective use of vectorization, streaming, and data management. Performance results using up to 16,384 graphics processing units of the Cray XK7 supercomputer Titan show more than 2.5× speedup over central processing unit-only performance on the same number of nodes (262,144 MPI ranks) for problem sizes of up to 6.9 billion grid points. We discuss performance-enhancement strategies and the overall potential of GPU-based computing for this class of problems.


ABSTRACT In order to assess the internal structure of Risk Matrix 2000 in an Italian sample of 308 adult males convicted for sex abuse, a principal component analysis with Promax rotation was performed. The results identified a structure with three factors that explained 53.8% of the total variance: the first factor concerned items referred to the criminal career of the offender; the second factor concerned the age of onset in committing crimes; the third factor was more strictly related to the offenders' attitude towards the sex crime/s, and reflects the aggravating items of the S scale. These results allows us to have the first validated tool on an Italian sample for assessing the level of risk for recidivism.


PURPOSE
To document the cyclovertical ocular motor mechanism used for vertical fusion in healthy subjects, and to explore whether vertical vergence training in healthy individuals can produce objectively confirmed vertical deviations that change with head tilt, revealing a basic mechanism that can produce a pattern of misalignment in an otherwise normal ocular motor system that is similar to superior oblique muscle paresis (SOP).

METHODS
Seven subjects with normal orthoptic examinations were adapted to vertical image disparities using our tilting haploscopic eye-tracking apparatus presenting concentric circle targets without torsional cues. Static eye positions were recorded with head straight and when tilted 45 degrees to the left and right, during both binocular and monocular viewing.

RESULTS
Vertical fusional vergence was accompanied by a cycloversion, with the downward-moving eye intorting and the upward-moving eye extorting, implicating primary involvement of the oblique extraocular muscles. After adaptation to the slowly increasing vertical target separation, all subjects developed a temporary vertical deviation in the straight ahead position that increased with head tilt to one side and decreased with head tilt to the other side.

CONCLUSIONS
These results not only show that head-tilt-dependent changes in vertical deviation are not necessarily pathognomonic for SOP, but also, and more importantly, suggest mechanisms that can mimic SOP and suggest a possible role for vertical vergence training in reducing deviations and thus the amount of head tilt required for fusion. Ultimately, vertical vergence training may provide an adjunct or alternative to extraocular muscle surgery in selected cases.


Ras and protein kinase C (PKC), which regulate the Raf-MEK-ERK cascade, may participate in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, a condition characterized by diminished and prolonged contractile calcium transients. To directly examine the influence of this pathway on intracellular calcium ([Ca2+] i ), cardiac myocytes were cotransfected with effectors of this pathway and with green fluorescent protein, which allowed the living transfected myocytes to be identified and examined for [Ca2+] i via indo-1. Transfection with constitutively active Ras (Ha-RasV12) increased cell size, decreased expression of the myofibrils and the calcium-regulatory enzyme SERCA2, and reduced the magnitude and prolonged the decay phase of the contractile [Ca2+] i transients. Similar effects on [Ca2+] i were obtained with Ha-RasV12S35, a Ras mutant that selectively couples to Raf, and with constitutively active Raf. In contrast, Ha-RasV12C40, a Ras mutant that activates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway, had a lesser effect. The PKC-activating phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, also prolonged the contractile [Ca2+] i transients. Cotransfection with dnMEK inhibited the effects of Ha-RasV12, Raf, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate on [Ca2+] i . The effects of Ha-RasV12 and Raf on [Ca2+] i were also counteracted by SERCA2 overexpression. Both Ras and PKC may thus regulate cardiac [Ca2+] i via the Raf-MEK-ERK cascade, and this pathway may represent a critical determinant of cardiac physiological function.


The process of embryo implantation during mammalian reproduction involves signaling between the embryo and the uterus. Genbacev et al. (see the Perspective by Fazleabas and Kim) report that selectin adhesion systems, which operate in leukocyte capture from bloodstream, function during embryo implantation, too. On the maternal side, selectin oligosaccharide ligands are expressed in the uterine epithelium, and on the fetal side, trophoblast cells express L-selectin receptors. In both mouse and human models, this receptor-ligand pair is shown to mediate successful uterine attachment. O. D. Genbacev, A. Prakobphol, R. A. Foulk, A. R. Krtolica, D. Ilic, M. S. Singer, Z.-Q. Yang, L. L. Kiessling, S. D. Rosen, S. J. Fisher, Trophoblast L-selectin-mediated adhesion at the maternal-fetal interface. Science 299, 405-408 (2003). [Abstract] [Full Text] A. T. Fazleabas, J. J. Kim, What makes an embryo stick? Science 299, 355-356 (2003). [Summary] [Full Text]


Background: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare but life-threatening soft-tissue infection characterized by rapidly spreading inflammation and subsequent necrosis of the fascial planes and surrounding tissue. Aim: To determine the clinical characteristics at presentation, causative pathogens and clinical outcome of NF after aggressive management. Patients and methods: We retrospectively reviewed case notes of patients with NF referred to the Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt from January 2004 to December 2009. Results: The case notes of over 2,280 patients with history of cellulitis and/or infections of the upper and lower limbs were reviewed. These cases were seen in a five-year period from 2004 to 2009. Seventy five (3.29%) patients had a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis and were evaluated. Only those with infections on the lower and upper limbs were further analyzed. Thirty five (46.67%) patients had their infections in the lower limb while 40 (53.33%) patients had their infections in the upper limb. Twenty (26.67%) patients were found to be diabetic on admission. Thirty (30%) patients sustained injuries on their limbs while 5 (6.67%) patients could not give account of their infections. Eleven (14.66%) patients had fixed flexion deformities as their wounds healed and had to have further plastic surgery to extend their limbs and 7 (9.33%) patients died while on admission. Conclusion: Although an early diagnosis of NF can be difficult, a high index of suspicion is required in all patients presenting with unexplained warmth and/or cellulitis of the limbs, so that prompt and aggressive debridement can be carried out with commencement of broad spectrum antibiotics.


Thirty wild beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima (L.) Arcang) accessions from the Beta Collection of the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System were screened for resistance to Beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV) in 2009. The curly top evaluation was conducted at the USDA-ARS North Farm in Kimberly, ID which had been in beans in 2008. The field was plowed in the fall, fertilized (75 lb N/A and 75 lb P2O5/A) on 22 Apr 09, sprayed with Ethotron (2 pt/A), and roller harrowed. The germplasm was planted (density of about 143,000 seeds/A) on 18 May. The plots were two rows 10 ft long with 22-in row spacing and arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. A resistant breeding line from Betaseed, Inc., G6040, was included as a resistant check. The fields were sprinkler irrigated and hand weeded as necessary. Plant populations were thinned to about 47,500 plants/A on 19 Jun. Plants were inoculated at the four to six leaf growth stage on 23 Jun with six viruliferous beet leafhoppers per plant. The beet leafhoppers were moved twice a day (right after sunrise and just before sunset) for one week by dragging a tarp through the field. The plants were sprayed with Lorsban 4E (1.5 pints/A) on 7 Jul to kill the beet leafhoppers. The plots were rated for foliar symptom development using a scale of 0-9 where 0 = healthy and 9 = dead (Mumford, D.L. 1974. Procedure for inducing curly top epidemics in field plots. J. Am. Soc. Sugar Beet Technol. 18:20-23), with disease index (DI) treated as a continuous variable. Data were analyzed using the general linear models procedure (Proc GLM-SAS), and least significant difference was used for mean comparisons.
Disease development was uniform and severe. Other disease problems were not evident in the plot area. The PIs were a combination of annual and biennial plant types. The resistant check was significantly more resistant than any of the tested germplasms. None of the lines tested appeared to be resistant to BSCTV. The two best germplasm were Beta vulgaris subspecies maritima lines, both of which contained biennial plants. However their scores were much higher than the resistant check and do not seem to contain resistance to BSCTV.


Eranda Bhrishta Haritaki (EBH) is popularly used Ayurvedic medicine indicate in the management of Vatavyadhi, Amavata (rheumatoid arthritis), Grudhrasi (sciatica) which lacks of documentation of parameters of standardization, especially in process standardization. In the present study, few economic, desirable parameters of its Standard Manufacturing Process at industrial level are identified and observed. Randomized observations of two major (½ quintal each referring to large scale) and 18 sub-batches of EBH of pharmacy department, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat were made. Immature Haritaki was classified as per parameters quoted in Bhavaprakasha and formulation EBH prepared from it was divided into 2 groups as per heating pattern (increasing degree of heating from Group A and B) and subdivided into three subgroup on the basis of its size and studied their quality parameters. Percentage of yield in weight in two batch and three sub-batches 74%, 83.62%, 82.05%, and 71.20%, 83.80%, and 78.40%, respectively. The maximum yield is found in medium size Haritaki. In physiochemical parameter, there was no major changes was observed except Ash value. The study concludes if proportion of standard ingredients, batch size, equipment, duration and pattern of frying and frequency of stirring is kept constant the procedure can be validated by proper regulation of heat.


ABSTRACT Iron and manganese oxides or oxyhydroxides are abundant transition metals, and in aquatic environments they serve as terminal electron acceptors for a large number of bacterial species. The molecular mechanisms of anaerobic metal reduction, however, are not understood.Shewanella putrefaciens is a facultative anaerobe that uses Fe(III) and Mn(IV) as terminal electron acceptors during anaerobic respiration. Transposon mutagenesis was used to generate mutants of S. putrefaciens, and one such mutant, SR-21, was analyzed in detail. Growth and enzyme assays indicated that the mutation in SR-21 resulted in loss of Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction but did not affect its ability to reduce other electron acceptors used by the wild type. This deficiency was due to Tn5inactivation of an open reading frame (ORF) designated mtrB. mtrB encodes a protein of 679 amino acids and contains a signal sequence characteristic of secreted proteins. Analysis of membrane fractions of the mutant, SR-21, and wild-type cells indicated that MtrB is located on the outer membrane of S. putrefaciens. A 5.2-kb DNA fragment that contains mtrB was isolated and completely sequenced. A second ORF, designated mtrA, was found directly upstream of mtrB. The two ORFs appear to be arranged in an operon. mtrA encodes a putative 10-hemec-type cytochrome of 333 amino acids. The N-terminal sequence of MtrA contains a potential signal sequence for secretion across the cell membrane. The amino acid sequence of MtrA exhibited 34% identity to NrfB from Escherichia coli, which is involved in formate-dependent nitrite reduction. To our knowledge, this is the first report of genes encoding proteins involved in metal reduction.


This work studies the integrated lot sizing and cutting stock problem, where the goal is to capture the dependency that exists between two important decisions in the production process, in order to economize raw materials and also reduce production and inventory costs. The integrated lot sizing and cutting stock problem is studied in a small furniture factory that produces wardrobes, dressing tables and cupboards and the lot sizing and cutting stock decisions are taken by the production manager. A column-generation technique is used to solve a linear relaxation of the proposed model. The computational results, using real data from the factory, show that it is possible to reduce total inventory and raw material costs when integrated planning is used.


Automatic business process discovery from textual process documentation is highly desirable to reduce the time and cost of Business Process Management (BPM) implementation in organizations. However, existing automatic process discovery approaches mainly focus on identifying activities out of the documentations. Deriving the hierarchical structural relationships between activities, which is important in the whole process discovery scope, requires great human labeling effort and is still a challenge. Facing this challenge, we propose to retrieve the latent hierarchical structure present in the textual process documentation by building a neural network without any extra human-labeled knowledge. The proposed neural network leverages a novel recurrent architecture, Ordered Neurons LSTM (ON-LSTM), with a process-level language model objective. On the base of this, we provide an automatic business process service (A-BPS) which could support the goal of automatically discovering business processes out of the uploaded documentation and generate Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) scripts to represent the discovered process model through a service ecosystem. Experimental results show that 58.76% of the hierarchical structures could be correctly retrieved. A-BPS could generate 32% of the whole BPMN process model with average execution time 5–8 minutes. The time benefit of A-BPS is up to 40% reduction.


The Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is a main stream technology based on mobile communication system. The combination of NB-IoT and WSNs can active the application of WSNs. In order to evaluate the influence of node heterogeneity on malware propagation in NB-IoT based Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks, we propose a node heterogeneity model based on node distribution and vulnerability differences, which can be used to analyze the availability of nodes. We then establish the node state transition model by epidemic theory and Markov chain. Further, we obtain the dynamic equations of the transition between nodes and the calculation formula of node availability. The simulation result is that when the degree of node is small and the node vulnerability function is a power function, the node availability is the highest; when the degree of node is large and the node vulnerability function satisfies the exponential function and the power function, the node availability is high. Therefore, when constructing a NBIOT-HWSNs network, node protection is implemented according to the degree of node, so that when the node vulnerability function satisfies the power function, all nodes can maintain high availability, thus making the entire network more stable.


In this work, we developed an algorithm for detecting code quality issues in the templates of online programming tasks, validated it, and conducted an empirical study on the dataset of student solutions. The algorithm consists of analyzing recurring unfixed issues in solutions of different students, matching them with the code of the template, and then filtering the results. Our manual validation on a subset of tasks demonstrated a precision of 80.8% and a recall of 73.3%. We used the algorithm on 415 Java tasks from the JetBrains Academy platform and discovered that as much as 14.7% of tasks have at least one issue in their template, thus making it harder for students to learn good code quality practices. We describe our results in detail, provide several motivating examples and specific cases, and share the feedback of the developers of the platform, who fixed 51 issues based on the output of our approach.


As the issue of robustness in AI systems becomes vital, statistical learning techniques that are reliable even in presence of partly contaminated data have to be developed. Preference data, in the form of (complete) rankings in the simplest situations, are no exception and the demand for appropriate concepts and tools is all the more pressing given that technologies fed by or producing this type of data (e.g. search engines, recommending systems) are now massively deployed. However, the lack of vector space structure for the set of rankings (i.e. the symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_n$) and the complex nature of statistics considered in ranking data analysis make the formulation of robustness objectives in this domain challenging. In this paper, we introduce notions of robustness, together with dedicated statistical methods, for Consensus Ranking the flagship problem in ranking data analysis, aiming at summarizing a probability distribution on $\mathfrak{S}_n$ by a median ranking. Precisely, we propose specific extensions of the popular concept of breakdown point, tailored to consensus ranking, and address the related computational issues. Beyond the theoretical contributions, the relevance of the approach proposed is supported by an experimental study.


In the field of scientific computing, Basic, C, and Fortran are widely used all over the world. Lots of beginners and students, however, suffer problems in making simulation programs due to inexperienced and complicated computer programming rules. Under such circumstances, some practical examples solved by using the spreadsheet software like Excel have been reported recently [1–3], where just by using equations written in each cell, calculations are performed without making any program. In the Excel analysis, writing and debugging are visually conducted by simply making use of worksheet analysis, and iterative calculations are carried out automatically until the prescribed convergence criterion is satisfied. Concerning calculated results, numerical values shown in the computational domain are immediately visualized using the chart wizard. Therefore, by using the spreadsheet software like Excel, even the students and younger researchers who have just started to study numerical analysis can perform calculations easily and quickly without studying any special knowledge about the computer language, and in addition without writing lengthy computer programs. In this study, for the purpose of introducing the abovementioned useful method to thermal analysis of electrical apparatus, electronic equipment and so on, the calculation process by thermal network method has been shown by using the concrete example of a compact fluorescent lamp.


This book is a great resource -- lots of research, plenty of tips, loaded with detailed instructions, with leads into distant parts of the Facebook universe. If you are new to Facebook, this book will help you figure out how to get up and going; if you are a casual user, this book will give you ideas on what else you can do; and if you are an expert user, this book will surprise you with how much you can still do on facebook. The Facebook online social network site has become a phenomenon with millions of account holders registered with the "online village." It is easy to open an account and almost immediately set up online relationships with friends, coworkers, and community groups. Facebook's features include easy ways for people and (businesses) to connect via blog features, online groups and networks, photo and video sharing, text messaging and postings, and an elaborate tracking system which stores Facebook's activities and allows access to that data to other FaceBook users and even to others not directly connected with Facebook. This book is designed primarily for the non-technical computer person who wants to join the fun and business of using Facebook. It is a great book, describing how to use and enjoy the Facebook features --from registering, setting up a profile, finding and inviting friends to join your personal network, joining groups and networks which share your interests, playing with both silly and serious applications, and using Facebook for business purposes, even for job postings and searching. You'll enjoy its simple, yet comprehensive, approach to Facebook, the book is filled with tips and practical suggestions at every section providing information on using Facebook. Inside: - How to Use Twitter and Facebook to Let People Get to Know You and to Build Your Credibility Online - Facebook Advertising - 3 Ways to Advertise on Facebook and Boost Your Business Branding & Revenue - Social Article Marketing Secrets - 5 Ways to Repurpose Your Articles on Facebook and Twitter - Tips On How To Find New Customers At Facebook - How To Avoid Offending Facebook Users - Be Yourself - Be Real on Facebook and You'll See Results From Your Marketing Efforts - Social Networking - How to Have WordPress Blog Posts Auto-loaded to Facebook Notes - High Ticket Products - How to Increase High Ticket Marketing With Facebook Videos - Coaching Tools - Repurpose Articles Into Blog Posts, Tweets and Facebook Updates - Myspace, Facebook, and Windows Live Spaces-5 Internet Safety Tips for Parents - Facebook and Google in Reference Checks - What Employers Use to Research You And Much More...


The role of caregivers for dementia patients to improve health care is not yet optimal. Dementia patient care is an experience-based effort for complex dementia patients that can increase the psychological pressure of caregivers. The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the caregiver's role in dementia patients to improve health care. Search strategies for English-language studies that are relevant to the topic are carried out using the ScienceDirect, SagePub, Springer databases limited from 2014 to 2020. The keywords used are "caregiver", "dementia", "health care", "role". Fulltext articles are reviewed to select studies that fit the criteria. The inclusion criteria in this review are  health workers, caregivers. A search using the keywords above with the ScienceDirect, SagePub, Springer database that met the inclusion criteria was only 22 articles. Research examined in this article uses a variety of methods, namely systematic literature review by 1 articles, RCT by 4 articles, interview by 1 articles, qualitative study by 5 articles, quasi-experimental study 2 article, participatory research of 1 article, bootstrapping methods of 1 article, scoping review of published literature by 1 articles, quantitative study by 1 articles, cohort study path analysis by 1, a survey to clarify the evaluation by 1, SEM by 1, standardized protocol by 1. Research using random techniques as much as 10 articles, while those using non-random techniques as many as 12 articles. The role of caregivers for dementia patients to improve health care is an effective experience-based effort and is the most appropriate activity for elderly patients with dementia. Enhance the role of the caregiver by changing the caregiver's perception of a more positive view of his role.


This paper investigates problems in the characterization of the proximity of digital discs.  Based on the $l_1$-metric structure for the 2D digital plane and using a Jaccard-like metric, we determine numerical characters for intersecting digital discs.


During disaster events, timely and targeted information provision and exchange could provide great help to the stricken population in difficult and complicated environments. This paper reports a service-oriented system, called Rescue Wings, for providing emergency support to sufferers and rescuers in disasters. The system utilizes mobile services to acquire real-time information about the users and environment, and constructs service agents (servants) to provide active services for mobile users. To perform their functions, the servants frequently invoke a set of intelligent services of Rescue Wings, which can further access a number of public services from government and other public organizations. We identify the most frequent request sequence patterns (FRSP) of Rescue Wings, and develop a new bio-inspired algorithm for efficiently scheduling the requests to minimize the response delay. The system has been tested in several disaster rescue drills, and has been successfully applied to the 2013 Ya'an Earthquake in Southeast China.


OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to examine the mechanisms via which exenatide attenuates postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

STUDY DESIGN
Seventeen T2DM patients (44 yr; seven females, 10 males; body mass index = 33.6 kg/m(2); glycosylated hemoglobin = 7.9%) received a mixed meal followed for 6 h with double-tracer technique ([1-(14)C]glucose orally; [3-(3)H]glucose i.v.) before and after 2 wk of exenatide. In protocol II (n = 5), but not in protocol I (n = 12), exenatide was given in the morning of the repeat meal. Total and oral glucose appearance rates (RaT and RaO, respectively), endogenous glucose production (EGP), splanchnic glucose uptake (75 g - RaO), and hepatic insulin resistance (basal EGP × fasting plasma insulin) were determined.

RESULTS
After 2 wk of exenatide (protocol I), fasting plasma glucose decreased (from 10.2 to 7.6 mm) and mean postmeal plasma glucose decreased (from 13.2 to 11.3 mm) (P < 0.05); fasting and meal-stimulated plasma insulin and glucagon did not change significantly. After exenatide, basal EGP decreased (from 13.9 to 10.8 μmol/kg · min, P < 0.05), and hepatic insulin resistance declined (both P < 0.05). RaO, gastric emptying (acetaminophen area under the curve), and splanchnic glucose uptake did not change. In protocol II (exenatide given before repeat meal), fasting plasma glucose decreased (from 11.1 to 8.9 mm) and mean postmeal plasma glucose decreased (from 14.2 to 10.1 mm) (P < 0.05); fasting and meal-stimulated plasma insulin and glucagon did not change significantly. After exenatide, basal EGP decreased (from 13.4 to 10.7 μmol/kg · min, P = 0.05). RaT and RaO decreased markedly from 0-180 min after meal ingestion, consistent with exenatide's action to delay gastric emptying.

CONCLUSIONS
Exenatide improves 1) fasting hyperglycemia by reducing basal EGP and 2) postmeal hyperglycemia by reducing the appearance of oral glucose in the systemic circulation.


A tool called BITLINKER, that creates partially reconfigurable modules from the bit-streams of individual components is described. It is also capable of performing restricted component placement and interconnect routing between the assembled components. The resulting modules are used in applications that exploit partial dynamic reconfiguration. The tool is integrated in a design flow particularly aimed at dynamically reconfigurable platform field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The associated development design flow and a run-time support system that can be used to manage module activation and data communication are described. Evaluation results obtained with a Virtex-II Pro system are also reported.


This paper draws on information from the Fragile Families Study (N = 2,695) to examine how different coparenting styles emerge and are related to fathers' involvement with young children in a representative sample of unmarried parents. The results show that the quantity and quality of paternal involvement is significantly higher when unmarried parents establish a cooperative as opposed to a disengaged or conflicted coparenting style. Cooperative coparenting is less likely, however, when unmarried parents have separated after the birth or were never together as a couple, when fathers are unemployed or have other risk factors, when the child has a more difficult temperament, and when parents have fewer children together. This analysis also helps clarify previously equivocal findings concerning the relationship between coparenting conflict and paternal involvement. Regression results show that paternal involvement is not significantly different among parents with cooperative and mixed coparenting styles, indicating that when unmarried parents can work together and support each other's parenting efforts, even if they argue frequently while doing so, fathers remain more involved. At the same time, conflicted coparenting leads to a larger decrease in father involvement than disengaged coparenting. In the context of poorer-quality coparenting relationships, it was conflict that mattered for fathering, not just parents' inability to cooperate. Implications of these findings for parenting education programs are discussed.


Effects of overt hypothyroidism on pregnancy outcomes and fetal development are well established and treatment protocol is reputable. Subclinical hypothyroidism poses a major health problem in pregnancy. Requirement of iodine increases in pregnancy as demand for synthesis of excess thyroid hormones is there during pregnancy. This is because of fetal dependency on maternal thyroid hormones till 12 weeks of gestation as fetal thyroid tissue is not matured enough to produce adequate hormones for the growing fetus. Hence, dietary iodine deficiency or intake of excess goitrogens in diet can be the major cause of overt and subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy. Apart from this autoimmune basis of overt and sub clinical hypothyroidism is also equally important in pregnant women. Data accumulating shows presence of antibodies like anti TPO antibody (anti thyroperoxidase antibody) and anti Tg antibody (anti thyroglobulin antibody) in pregnancy which is associated with increased prevalence of overt and sub clinical hypothyroidism and aggravation of the symptoms associated with it. Studies also document that pregnancy related complications are more prevalent in presence of these autoimmune antibodies. Hence, management of subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy also differs in positive and negative cases of anti TPO antibody and anti-Tg antibody.


The Geriatric Social Work Competencies Scale II (GSWCS II) is considered a reference in the assess-ment of the competencies of Gero Social Workers. The aim of the study is to examine the psychometric properties of GSWCS II in a sample of Portuguese social workers work-ing with elderly people.The GSWCS II was administered in conjunction with a specific designed socio-professional questionnaire. A total of 543 social workers were interviewed, with a mean age of 33.05 (7.57 = SD ), female (96.1%) and in management functions (72.5%). Internal consistency was verified with high values in all dimensions ( α > .9). The scale has high cor-relations with all its dimensions (> .85). The Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to test the model, based on a five-dimensional structure, the chi-square test of adjust-ment ( χ 2 / df ) = 3.129 presented an acceptable index of adjustment. The GSWCS II proved to be a valid and reliable scale for this population.


Presents a path planning algorithm to solve the find path problem in mapped environments. The moving objects considered in this paper can be any shape, which is approximated by its bounding convex polygon. Since the actual translating and rotating movement of the object in the free space is considered in the finding of a collision-free path, it won't miss those paths which require rotational maneuvering. In addition to the progressing strategy, a modified A* algorithm based on the revised depth-first search in setting up the h' value is also proposed to find the optimal path. From the experimental results, the modified A* algorithm is proved to be a very good method. >


Robert Penn Warren (1905-1989) excelled in three written genres-fiction, poetry, and literary criticism-and is one of the few writers to be awarded Pulitzer Prizes for both his poetry and his fiction. With Cleanth Brooks, he inspired practitioners of New Criticism and revolutionized the way literature was taught and studied in the academy. His 1946 novel All the King's Men, a fictionalized account of Louisianan Huey P. Long's gubernatorial administration, remains the template for American political commentary in fiction. In 1985, Warren became the first U.S. Poet Laureate. Conversations with Robert Penn Warren collects interviews ranging from the 1950s to the 1980s. Featuring interviews conducted by such writers and journalists as William Kennedy, Bill Moyers, C. Vann Woodward, and Roy Newquist, this collection's depth and focus are remarkable. Warren's critical acumen is present in every piece here, as he talks forthrightly about literature's place in American culture, the role of history in his novels and poetry, and the contemporary events that raged during his lifetime. Conversations with Robert Penn Warren is a rewarding look at a man whose life and literary career spanned most of the twentieth century.


This study was carried out for the period from the beginning March 2009 till end of February 2010 in three zones I, II, and III (Mountainous, Semi-mountainous and foothills and plane) regions, respectively in Sulaimani governorate for distribution of ticks (Ixodidae) that infested sheep. The prevalence rate of infested sheep in all zones was 298 (11.8%) in Sulaimani governorate, and the prevalence rate of infestation in zone-I was 85 (10.1%), in zone-II 94 (11.1%), and in zone-III 119 (14.3%). The rate of infestation was high in March, April, May and July in all zones; no infestation was observed in zone-I and zone-II in November to February, but was observed in zone-III. Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, H. marginatum, Rhipicephalus turanicus and R. sanguineus were found and identified, two species were more predominant among sheep H. a. anatolicum in zone-III (Garmian region) 353 (70.0%) and R. turanicus in zone-I (Pishder region) 177 (59.4%), and H. a. anatolicum was found through March 61 (75.3%), April 89 (69%), May 92 (68.7%), and June 50 (74.6%) in zone-III. Hyalomma a. anatolicum and R. turanicus were found through March 22 (53.6%), 12 (29.3%): April 36 (41.4%), 38 (43.7%): May 46 (46.9%), 33 (33.7%), and June 41 (53.2%), 25 (32.5%) in zone-II respectively . H. marginatum and R. sanguineus were found in April 18 (14%), 11 (8.5%), and May 16 (11.9%), 13 (9.7%) in zone-III respectively, while R. turanicus was highly distributed in April 48 (71.6%) and May 57 (65.5%) in zone-I. According to linear model of the percentage of infested sheep in any zone by number of ticks was recognized and it was high in zone-III [3.1 + 0.23 Number of ticks (X)]. The ratio of male to female tick infested sheep was 1: 2 during the study. The site of attachment of ticks was observed; the highest number was noticed on the ears 492 (42.0%) and under tail 208 (17.7%).


Based on the failure of conventional health services and approaches to make any appreciable impact on the health problems of developing populations this study examined successful or promising systems of delivery of primary health care to identify the key factors in their success and the effect of some of these factors in the development of primary health care within various political economic and administrative frameworks. In the selection of new approaches for detailed study emphasis was placed on actual programs that are potentially applicable in different sociopolitical settings and on programs explicitly recognizing the influence of other social and economic sectors such as agriculture and education on health. Information was gathered from a wide range of sources; including members meeting reports and publications of international organizations and agencies gathered country representatives and field staff. The 1st section world poverty and health focuses on the underprivileged the glaring contrasts in health and the obstacles to be overcome--problems of broad choices and approaches resources general structure of health services and technical weasknesses. The main purpose of the case studies described in the 2nd part was to single out describe and discuss their most interesting characteristics. The cases comprised 2 major categories: programs adopted nationally in China Cuba Tanzania and to a certain extent Venezuela and schemes covering limited areas in Bangladesh India Niger and Yugoslavia. Successful national programs are characterized by a strong political will that has transformed a practicable methodology into a national endeavor. In all countries where this has happened health has been given a high priority in the governments general development program. Enterprise and leadership are also found in the 2nd group of more limited schemes. Valuable lessons both technical and operational can be derived from this type of effort. In all cases the leading role of a dedicated individual can be clearly identified. There is also evidence that community leaders and organizations have given considerable support to these projects. External aid has played a part and apparently been well used. Every effort should be made to determine the driving forces behind promising progams and help harness them to national plans.


Background Immune checkpoint blockade has emerged as a highly effective treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Nivolumab blocks the interactions between programmed cell death protein 1 and programmed death ligand 1 allowing for activation of a latent immune response against the malignancy. Ipilimumab binds to and blocks cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, alleviating the negative regulation of T-cell activation that is mediated by that checkpoint. Combination therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab is associated with longer overall survival at 5 years compared with nivolumab monotherapy. Solid organ transplant recipients have a significantly higher risk of malignancies compared with the general population. There is limited data surrounding the efficacy of combination immunotherapy in solid organ transplant recipients, as these patients were excluded from seminal trials due to risk of organ rejection. Case presentations Here we present four cases of combination immunotherapy in kidney transplant recipients. Three patients had metastatic melanoma, and one patient had metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Two patients had radiographic responses from immunotherapy, one patient had stable disease, and one patient had disease progression. Only one patient had biopsy-proven rejection. At last follow-up, three patients had functioning grafts, though one required hemodialysis after treatment, and one patient succumbed to disease, but graft function remained intact throughout her course. Conclusions These cases describe the use of ipilimumab and nivolumab combination immunotherapy for cutaneous malignancies in kidney transplant recipients. They highlight the potential to preserve kidney graft function while effectively treating the disease.


Food insecurity is associated with reduced physical, social, and psychological functioning in children. There has been sparse research into child food insecurity that incorporates children's own perspectives, as adults are often interviewed as child proxies. While a nuanced, child-centred understanding of food insecurity is needed to inform effective policy and program responses, little is known about Australian children's firsthand understanding or experience of household food insecurity. This study aimed to fill this gap by inviting preadolescent children's perspectives. Eleven participants aged 10–13 years (seven girls and four boys) took part in the study and were recruited from an Australian charity school holiday camp that targets severely disadvantaged youth. Children took part in individual semi-structured interviews that incorporated drawings and emoji scales. Qualitative interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic techniques. Four themes emerged from the data analysis, children had: (i) financial understanding; (ii) awareness of food insecurity and coping mechanisms; (iii) sharing, empathy, and compassion for food insecure families; and (iv) described the nature of 'food' preparation. This study provides a child-centric analysis, demonstrating how children's agency is enacted and constrained in food insecure contexts. This child-derived understanding of food insecurity provides a critical basis from which to build effective approaches to assess and respond to this significant social issue.


The paper discusses the forced long-term stay of the Decembrists in the places of exile in the Trans-Urals by analyzing their daily existence and the prevailing system of their values. The psychological portrait of a typical noble revolutionary, aristocrat, who even in the exile lived in the world of high aspirations, is presented. The author shows the collision of the Decembrists' moral ideals with the provincial routine. Primary exclusion of outsiders by local residents later on usually gave way to good neighborly and mutually beneficial relations. It did not mean however that local residents accepted the ideology of the Decembrists. In small provincial towns, the Decembrists still were outsiders, not appropriate and not properly understood by others. Their informal status in the places of exile was not consistent with their official legally powerless position. Exiled noble revolutionaries had influential relatives; they could apply to senior officials of the Russian Empire and, as a rule, were freed from productive labour. It is concluded that there were substantial intellectual and class differences that have prevented convergence between the Decembrists and the residents of the Trans-Urals. The previous national historiography largely exaggerated deprivation of noble revolutionaries and their impact on the development of local culture. The tragedy of noble revolutionaries appeared mostly not due to their physical suffering or challenging financial situation but because of long-term aimless existence in provincial wilderness.


A simple method for estimating the apparent viscosity of semi-solid alloys was investigated. A drop weight of 50Kg and backward extrusion equipments were used to test the deformation. Backward extrusion was employed in a closed die system due to the very little separation of liquid from solid phases compared with other methods at very high deformation rate. The half of the calculated impact velocity, 700mm/s was considered as an average velocity for deformation during the test, since the slop of the velocity changes against time is constant in the middle stage of the deformation. The initial height of the sample and the thickness of the residual compressed solid at the bottom of the cup were used to calculate the amount of apparent viscosity of A356 aluminum alloy in this work.


The paucity of women leaders in higher education continues despite advancement by women in other fronts of the educational pipeline.  Today, more women are attending and graduating from college in the United States, but something occurs en route to the top-level leadership positions in these same college settings.  The portrait of college leaders continues to consist of White men, as it has since the initial founding of universities.  Paula Burkinshaw analyzes the situation of the missing women leaders in the United Kingdom, specifically in the position of Vice Chancellor.  Burkinshaw's long career in leadership development in university settings initially provided her with an awareness of the underrepresentation of women in top leadership positions.  As she began her doctoral studies, she had an opportunity to ask "where are the women?"  Her book builds on her dissertation research, which involved one-on-one interviews with 18 women who were vice chancellors.


This chapter examines sociological positivism, studying how society or social processes might affect behaviour. Decisions by governments and companies and sociological issues (such as poverty) affect individuals but may also affect whole communities; they may influence the likelihood of many people to choose to offend or be law-abiding. Therefore, the health of the economy or the rate of unemployment, for example, may influence the behaviour of an entire population not just one individual and so may lead to a rise or fall in criminal behaviour. If we can identify which factors in society influence crime, and how they do so, it may be possible to alter those social factors and so decrease criminal behaviour. The chapter looks at three types of sociological theory: social interaction or social process theories, social structural theories, and social conflict theories.


Background In Kenya, many of the crashes involving children occur as they are travelling to and from school. The number of children who have died in the last five years is the equivalent to the loss of two entire primary schools. The legal framework in Kenya is insufficient to address this problem. Description of the problem Multiple organisations in Kenya worked on improving the safety of children going to and from school, but from different angles. Usamala Watch Initiative focused on creating crosswalks, ASIRT Kenya educated school children on road safety, Gertrude's Children's Hospital treated victims, and Handicap International worked to enforce speed laws. A cohesive voice was needed to tackle the root problem—speed reduction to 30 km/h as recommended by the World Health Organisation and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Results In 2014, the various civil society groups working on road safety joined to form the Kenya Road Safety Taskforce, and began advocating for the Traffic (Amendment) Bill, 2014. The bill would reduce speeds around schools to 30 km/h, create designated crosswalks, and set school transport standards. The Taskforce created a joint strategy to garner political and public support for the bill, tapping into each organisations' strengths and network. As a Taskforce, they received the support of key government entities, including the National Transport Safety Authority, Kenya Parliamentary Human Rights Association, and Kenya Women Parliamentary Association. Conclusions By creating a coalition, organisations were able to mobilise each other's resources, including political and media contacts, to advocate for the bill's passage.


India is often called a continent, not a country. Its potential has long tantalized entrepreneurs: giant population (900 million); stable, if fractious, democracy; on the cusp of industrialization; impressive heritage of intellectual achievement; and a remarkable reservoir of highly talented, technically trained people. But it has been, until recently, a prickly business partner and a frustrating market to gain access to. A recent trip to India to help conduct seminars for senior managers of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) reinforces, for me, the complexity of the transition underway in that huge, ancient, intricate country. Two considerations must dominate every impression and judgment: her history of occupation and her incredible fragmentation in terms of customs and language. After a thousand years of occupation-800 by Moguls and 200 by the British-India has been free to chart her own course for 50 years. This history of occupation inevitably colors every aspect of Indian life and every policy issue. Fragmentation clearly eased the path for invaders. India is an amalgam of hundreds of subgroups, cultures and languages that severely inhibit coalescing opinion or effort on virtually any issue. On the one hand, the security created by local identity and pride in local culture is a source of comfort; on the other, the inability to capitalize on the benefits of scale that population, geography and technological heritage should make possible creates frustration. India's distinguished tradition in science and technology is perhaps best recognized in mathematics-the concept of zero was invented in India-and is deeply embedded. Two seminar participants who were parents of subteen children said they simply demanded, almost unthinkingly, that their children excel in math. Anything less than 100 percent was unacceptable. Perhaps less widely recognized are accomplishments in astronomy (instruments of amazing accuracy hundreds of years old), dramatic architecture, and textiles, carvings and marble inlays of incredible intricacy and delicacy. Legacy of Self-Sufficiency The history of occupation colors attitudes toward technology and economic development. Gandhi's advocacy of self-sufficiency, partly as a statement of defiance to occupation ("we don't need you") and partly to encourage local pride in capability, have been both a stimulant and a drag. Policy has consistently fostered the development of indigenous technology, but that situation is changing. The inevitable maturation of nationhood that makes it possible to approach economic and technological issues more dispassionately, combined with the rush to globalization in all countries, is driving the transition to be more open to external technology and to direct investment. The emphasis on self-sufficiency has influenced the approach to licensing, investment and intellectual property. India's insistence on access to technology, even proprietary information, in licensing negotiations and in establishing a local business base, has been a major obstacle to foreigners-witness the decision of Coca Cola to withdraw years ago rather than disclose its formula. Similarly, insistence on maintaining controlling interest in investment has impeded capital flows. Interestingly, the greater understanding gained by Indian industrialists when they contemplate foreign investments and are confronted with the same demand for local control, has helped increase awareness of the impediments these demands create for flows of capital. Intellectual Property Concerns In technology, the drive for selfsufficiency has been evident in policy regarding intellectual property. India has interpreted patent rights narrowly. It has not recognized composition-ofmatter patents, which has encouraged a focus on working on processes that get around patent constraints. The new global protocols that take effect in the year 2000 are forcing a challenging change in focus. …


Although a lot of literatures have been proposed on the issue of privacy preserve with relational data, social networks bring new challenges of resisting re-identify attacks. Based on message passing, an approach of privacy preserve in social networks is proposed in this paper. Individuals are assigned to different clusters according to their quasi-identifies and structural similarity measured by message passing. With clusters, k-anonymous mask networks are achieved where any individual is indistinguishable to other k-1 individuals. The experiments show our approach can protect individuals'privacy effectively in social networks with little information loss during generalization.


C-Peptide ("connecting" peptide – molecular formula C112H179N35O46) is a peptide made of 31 aminoacids, making the bond between A and B chains of insulin from the pro-insulin molecule. Pro-insulin is the precursor of the insulin that is synthesized in the beta-pancreatic cells. After its discovery in 1967 by Steiner et al, together with the discovery of insulin biosynthesis, C-peptide seemed to bring new benefits, having similar effects as those of insulin. Unfortunately, the subsequent studies have classified C-peptide as a biologically inactive peptide. After the '90s, however, both studies on animals and those on human subjects with type 1 diabetes where C-peptide had been administered showed that it played important biological parts in improving kidney function and nerve conduction velocity, as well as in increasing blood flow in muscles, skin, kidneys, thus being seen as a possible treatment for chronic complications of type 1 diabetes. Although for a long time C-peptide has been considered to be an inert biological product, recent research has emphasized its active biological function. C-peptide bonds to the membrane of certain types of cells (neuronal, endothelial, renal tubular cells, fibroblasts) through a surface receptor coupled with a G protein, and it determines multiple effects at the cellular level: it improves the quality of red cells, generating a better oxygenation of tissues; it has a vasodilator effect for muscles, skin, kidneys; it generates blood flow increase in skeletal muscles and at the skin level; it decreases glomerular hyper-filtering; it reduces albumin urinary excretion; it improves the function and structure of nerves in patients with type 1 diabetes and C-peptide deficiency, but not in healthy subjects. Therefore, C-peptide could have a therapeutic potential in preventing some of the late complications of diabetes mellitus.


In this paper, we propose a new cooperative spectrum sensing method based on adaptive activation of energy detector (ED) and preamble detector (PD) for cognitive radio networks. The ED performance is highly degraded under low signal to noise ratio and noise uncertainty condition. To alleviate the problem of ED and increase the sensing performance, we have used adaptive activation of energy efficient ED and reliable PD. As the first step of our proposed method, we have used ED to take a decision in the clear region where the detector can easily make its own local decision. There are two thresholds for the measured energy in the first step. If the sensed energy in the first step is between these two thresholds, the second step which involves the activation of cooperative PD is triggered to make an appropriate decision on the presence or absence of primary users's signal. Otherwise, the second step detector PD is not activated. In this way, we can enhance the detection performance and energy efficiency by taking the collaborative advantages of ED and PD at the same time. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of our proposed method as compared with conventional schemes.


In this article, we explore how executive search consultants in Austria, Finland and Sweden address ethnicity. Our findings suggest that while consultants working in these different sociocultural settings may attribute different meanings to ethnicity, they share a tendency to evade questions of ethnicity with regard to the search process. We specify three discursive practices that serve to eliminate questions of ethnicity from executive search: constructing whiteness as self-evident, constructing varieties of whiteness (articulating deficiency and lack for those not belonging to Us), and distancing responsibility for the current situation to clients and society. In view of these findings, we argue that executive search can be understood as an arena for ethnosociality that stops cultural diversity at the door of management suites and serves to undermine efforts to promote cross-cultural understanding in organizations. Our study indicates that sustaining whiteness as a privileged ethnicity takes multiple forms. While executive search consultants play an important role in these processes, it is suggested that they inherit a more fundamental problem in society and they have few opportunities to change the ethnic status quo at the top.


A neutron scintillation detector based on a position-sensitive photomultiplier has been developed for neutron spin echo and small angle neutron scattering measurements. This photomultiplier has good spatial resolution, less than 1 mm2. The detection efficiency of gamma ray background is very low for using a thin ZnS/6LiF scintillator. The effective area of this detector is around 60 cm2.


Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours are classified as functioning or non-functioning according to the presence or absence of a clinically evident hypersecretion syndrome. In foregut tumours the presence of autonomous hormone secretion and the respective hypersecretion syndrome indicate functionality. Abdominal ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) and somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) are used for localisation of the primary tumour and metastasis. Invasive procedures such as endoscopic US, intraoperative US or intraoperative duodenal transillumination are useful to localise small (< 1 cm) tumours. For localised tumours surgery is the first line treatment. In metastatic disease symptomatic therapy, biotherapy and chemotherapy are available. Cytoreductive therapy such as embolisation, chemoembolisation, thermo- or cryotherapy, or radio-receptor therapy are additional options. The first symptom of most neuroendocrine midgut tumours is abdominal pain. An increased chromogranin-A plasma concentration or 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid 24-h urinary excretion indicates the neuroendocrine origin of the tumour or the possibility of a carcinoid syndrome, respectively. Surgical therapy prolongs survival but is rarely curative. Biotherapy is effective as symptomatic therapy. However, its cytoreductive potency is low. Chemotherapy is less effective in midgut tumours compared to foregut tumours. Cytoreductive strategies (chemoembolisation, thermo- or cryotherapy, cytoreductive surgery) and radio-receptor therapy may offer new therapeutic options. However, their definitive value has yet to be defined.


Objective To develop a disease activity index for patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS): the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI). Methods Thirty-nine SS experts participated in an international collaboration, promoted by EULAR, to develop the ESSDAI. Experts identified 12 organ-specific 'domains' contributing to disease activity. For each domain, features of disease activity were classified in three or four levels according to their severity. Data abstracted from 96 patients with systemic complications of primary SS were used to generate 702 realistic vignettes for which all possible systemic complications were represented. Using the 0–10 physician global assessment (PhGA) scale, each expert scored the disease activity of five patient profiles and 20 realistic vignettes. Multiple regression modelling, with PhGA used as the dependent variable, was used to estimate the weight of each domain. Results All 12 domains were significantly associated with disease activity in the multivariate model, domain weights ranged from 1 to 6. The ESSDAI scores varied from 2 to 47 and were significantly correlated with PhGA for both real patient profiles and realistic vignettes (r=0.61 and r=0.58, respectively, p<0.001). Compared with 57 (59.4%) of the real patient profiles, 468 (66.7%) of the realistic vignettes were considered likely or very likely to be true. Conclusions The ESSDAI is a clinical index designed to measure disease activity in patients with primary SS. Once validated, such a standardised evaluation of primary SS should facilitate clinical research and be helpful as an outcome measure in clinical trials.


Here, the phase‐transition from tetragonal to orthorhombic crystal structure of the halide perovskite methylammonium lead iodide single crystal is investigated. Temperature dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements in the temperature range between 165 and 100 K show complex PL spectra where in total five different PL peaks can be identified. All observed PL features can be assigned to different optical effects from the two crystal phases using detailed PL analyses. This allows to quantify the fraction of tetragonal phase that still occurs below the phase transition temperature. It is found that at 150 K, 0.015% tetragonal phase remain, and PL signatures are observed from quantum confined tetragonal domains, suggesting their size to be about 7–15 nm down to 120 K. The tetragonal inclusions also exhibit an increased Urbach Energy, implying a high degree of structural disorder. The results first illustrate how a careful analysis of the PL can serve to deduce structural information, and second, how structural deviations in halide perovskites have a significant impact on the optoelectronic properties of this promising class of semiconductors.


We have examined phosphorylation of nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor in cultured sympathetic neurons and PC12 cells. Dissociated rat superior cervical ganglion neurons or PC12 cells were incubated with 32Pj to label cellular phosphoproteins. Membrane proteins were solubilized, and NGF receptor proteins were immunoprecipitated with the monoclonal antibody 192IgG. Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography showed that NGF receptor components of M, = 80,000 and M, = 210,000 were phosphorylated. Phosphorylation of neither species was affected by treating the cells with NGF or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. When the 80,000-Da protein was subjected to complete trypsin proteolysis and then analyzed by reverse phase liquid chromatography, two 32P-labeled peptides were resolved. The more hydrophobic peptide accounted for most of the 32P and contained only phosphoserine; the other peptide contained phosphoserine and phosphothreonine. No phosphotyrosine was detected in the receptor proteins. When receptor molecules from nonlabeled PC12 cells were immunoprecipitated and then incubated in vitro with [y-32P]ATP and the CAMPindependent protein kinase FdGSK-3, phosphorylation occurred predominantly on serine and to a lesser extent on threonine. However, the immunoprecipitated receptor proteins neither autophosphorylated nor were they detectably phosphorylated by CAMP-dependent protein kinase, casein kinase 11, or protein kinase C (the Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme). We conclude that binding units of the NGF receptor are phosphorylated constitutively in at least two sites in intact cells and that they can be phosphorylated by FJGSK3 in vitro.