We aim to learn a domain generalizable person re-identification (ReID) model. When such a model is trained on a set of source domains (ReID datasets collected from different camera networks), it can be directly applied to any new unseen dataset for effective ReID without any model updating. Despite its practical value in real-world deployments, generalizable ReID has seldom been studied. In this work, a novel deep ReID model termed Domain-Invariant Mapping Network (DIMN) is proposed. DIMN is designed to learn a mapping between a person image and its identity classifier, i.e., it produces a classifier using a single shot. To make the model domain-invariant, we follow a meta-learning pipeline and sample a subset of source domain training tasks during each training episode. However, the model is significantly different from conventional meta-learning methods in that: (1) no model updating is required for the target domain, (2) different training tasks share a memory bank for maintaining both scalability and discrimination ability, and (3) it can be used to match an arbitrary number of identities in a target domain. Extensive experiments on a newly proposed large-scale ReID domain generalization benchmark show that our DIMN significantly outperforms alternative domain generalization or meta-learning methods.


In recent years, environmental uncertainty and market orientation have been considered key elements of superior firm performance. Although environmental uncertainty and market orientation may affect firm performance, innovation also mediates these effects. In this study, a conceptual model was developed to test the mediating effect of innovation on the relationships between these constructs. Data for the study were collected from Turkey's Top 500 Companies. Hierarchical regression and multiple regression analyses were employed to test the research hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that the direct effects of environmental uncertainty and innovation on firm performance were statistically significant, although the effect of market orientation was not. The results obtained from the present study seem to indicate a possible "dual effect" of market orientation on firm performance. The results also indicated that innovation, especially product innovation, mediates the relationship between environmental uncertainty and firm performance. The findings indicate that innovation, especially product innovation, is critical for firm performance.


A sprayable fast-responding pressure-sensitive paint (fast-PSP) has been developed to measure time-resolved small pressure fluctuation on model surfaces. To realize PSP with fast response, high robustness, and high luminescence intensity, we have developed a novel ruthenium complex-based fast-PSP. The binder layers of the proposed fast-PSP were prepared by mixing room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone (silicone) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles with different sizes and their effects on the properties including the time response, pressure sensitivity, and luminescence intensity were investigated. The effects of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface treatments of TiO2 particle on the structure and mechanical robustness of the binder layer were also studied. The developed fast-PSP was applied to the flow field measurements behind a square cylinder and was evaluated. We have succeeded in obtaining time-series data of pressure fluctuation with high accuracy even at a mean velocity of 20 m s−1.


Laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation is invariably associated with a reflex sympathetic pressor response resulting in elevated heart rate and blood pressure. There are many studies conducted to attenuate this pressor response, the present study is undertaken to compare efficacy of 10% lignocaine spray with normal saline spray applied before induction in attenuating the pressor response to laryngoscopy and intubation in controlled hypertensive patients. Methods: 60 patients of either sex aged between35-60 years, belonging to ASA I and II undergoing elective surgery requiring general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation were included. Patients were randomly divided in two groups of 30 patients each. Group I (Study group) received topical lignocaine 10% spray 2 minutes before intravenous induction. Group II (Control group) received topical normal saline 2 minutes before intravenous induction. Results: Showed that the topical lignocaine 10% spray significantly attenuates the rise in mean systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate when compared with the baseline as well as the control group. There was a statistically significant (p<0.05) increase in heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in group II when compared to group I and baseline values. Conclusion: Study concluded that topical lignocaine 10% spray did not completely abolish the rise in heart rate, SBP and DBP but only attenuate it when compared with the baseline or control group.


Text workers should find ways of representing huge amounts of text in a more compact form. Textual documents can be represented by concepts. One way to define the concepts is by the terms, keywords extracted from the textual documents and cleaned by several processes like stopwords and stemming. Using the frequencies of the terms, one can quantify the relations between documents or portions of text. These relations can serve many applications, like information retrieval or automatic text classification. Another way to define the concepts is by the sets of correlated terms rather then by raw terms. Correlated terms usually have a more specific meaning. Finding meaningful concepts within a huge collection of corpuses in a reasonable timeframe is a difficult task to accomplish. This paper describes a new text mining process to uncover interesting term correlations. The process uses a genetic algorithm to cope with the combinatorial explosion of the term sets. The genetic algorithm identifies combinations of terms that optimize an objective function, which is the cornerstone of the process. We have tested a function designed to optimize the discriminating power of the term sets. The genetic model was tested on a TREC sub-collection. The parameters were set to discover a thousand combinations of correlated terms. These sets of terms were further added to the basic index and applied to the information retrieval problem. The experiment revealed that the augmented index was unable to improve the effectiveness of the retrieval, when compared with the vector space model.


9-n-Dodecylperhydroanthracene (DDPA), a prototypical long-chain, n-alkylnaphthene, was pyrolyzed neat and in benzene at temperatures between 400 and 450 C. The global reaction order for the disappearance kinetics was 1.05 {+-} 0.23, which was taken to be first order in subsequent analyses. The first-order Arrhenius parameters were [log{sub 10} A (s{sup {minus}1}), E (kcal/mol)] = [10.5 {+-} 1.9, 44.7 {+-} 6.1]. All of the reported uncertainties are 95% confidence intervals. The major primary reaction products were dodecahydroanthracene plus n-dodecane, perhydroanthracene plus 1-dodecene, and methyleneperhydroanthracene plus n-undecane. These six products accounted for about 35% of the reacted DDPA at moderately low conversions. The balance of the DDPA formed numerous primary products such as alkanes, alkenes, and substituted perhydroanthracenes, the individual yields of which were very low. Secondary reactions included ring opening, which led to the formation of substituted tetralins and naphthalenes, and dehydrogenation, which led to octahydroanthracene, tetrahydroanthracene, and anthracene. The primary product spectrum can be accounted for by viewing DDPA pyrolysis as proceeding through four parallel free-radical chain reactions. Three of these parallel chains lead to the three sets of major primary products, and the fourth chain leads to the minor products.


The problems related to groundwater contamination by Iron and Fluoride are common and serious all over the world, especially in developing countries. Excess amounts of these contaminants have created health problems. For this reason, the maximum permissible limit for iron given by WHO and BIS is 1 mg/l, however 0.3 mg/l is the desirable limit. For fluoride, the maximum permissible limit is 1.5 mg/l but as per WHO the desirable limit is 0.8-1.2 mg/l. While as per EPA and PHS the optimal levels of Iron and Fluoride in drinking water is 0.3 mg/l and 0.7 mg/l respectively. Therefore, the knowledge of removal of these ions from water is essential. Adsorption is a technique which can be effectively used for removal of these ions from groundwater. In the present paper an attempt has been made to study the iron and fluoride contamination, their effects to health and environment and removal their removal from groundwater using the process of adsorption and adsorptive filtration.


83 patients with thoracic masses and aged under 40 years, who had been seen in a chest clinic, were examined by CT. They were classified according to their diagnosis and typical CT findings were analysed. Bronchial carcinomas showed predominantly radial extensions and air trapping. Malignant lymphomas and benign tumours usually showed smooth outlines and evidence of some fat content. Malignant mediastinal or neurogenic tumours frequently contained liquid portions and calcification. The CT diagnosis of lymphomas (seven cases), metastases (28 cases) and benign tumours (13 cases) presented no problems in view of the typical appearance and position of the tumours; classification of malignant mediastinal or neurogenic tumours (seven cases) was difficult. Inflammatory masses (14 cases) and bronchial carcinomas (14 cases) showed similar CT appearances.


Increasing doses of estradiol-17 beta added to in vitro incubations inhibited pregnenolone-induced germinal vesicle breakdown in Rana pipiens ovarian follicles. The inhibition was reversed with increasing concentrations or pregnenolone added to the medium. Because no evidence of estradiol-17 beta inhibition or interaction with progesterone-induced GVBD was observed, the effect of estradiol-17 beta on the conversion of 3H-pregnenolone to 3H-progesterone was investigated. Estradiol-17 beta in doses as low as 10(-7) M significantly inhibited the conversion of 3H-pregnenolone to 3H-progesterone in follicles incubated in vitro. It is suggested that estradiol-17 beta is a feedback inhibitor of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase, the enzyme complex that converts pregnenolone to progesterone, a necessary step in the initiation of GVBD.


A method is described for using a digital computer to construct contour maps automatically. Contour lines produced by this method have correct relations to given discrete data points regardless of the spatial distribution of these points. The computer‐generated maps are comparable to those drawn manually. The region to be contoured is divided into quadrilaterals whose vertices include the data points. After supplying values at each of the remaining vertices by using a surface‐fitting technique, bicubic functions are constructed on each quadrilateral to form a smooth surface through the data points. Points on a contour line are obtained from these surfaces by solving the resulting cubic equations. The bicubic functions may be used for other calculations consistent with the contour maps, such as interpolation of equally spaced values, calculation of cross‐sections, and volume calculations.


Background Patient safety is a key factor in the quality of care and it is the object of public attention. Improvement strategies have stimulated the development of models that allow a better understanding of the adverse effects related to health care. The most common adverse effects are related to drug use and often are preventable. Therefore, they have to develop strategies to reduce and detect them. Purpose To describe the development of a strategy designed to improve drug's storage and dispensing in a pharmacy service to ensure patient safety. Material and methods Literature review about drugs that are confused: drugs that must be stored and dispensed in special conditions because of their photosensitivity, drugs whose active generic or trade name are written or pronounced in the same way (look-alike, sound-alike: LASA) or drugs that bear a heightened risk when used in error (high alert medication). Design a colour labelled to avoid the possible confusions. Photosensitive drugs were labelled with yellow point, "LASA" with green and high alert medication with red point. Then, it has been set some posters with the colour code to teach the pharmacist and technicians. After that, we evaluated the results and checked with a survey among the technicians, that this strategy was useful. Results Of 2,490 drugs that are stored, 89 (3.57%) were categorised as photosensitive drugs, 6 (0.24%) as "LASA" and 66 (2.65%) as high alert medication. Four error related with dispensation were registered along three months before intervention, however any error has occurred the quarter after that. In addition, after an audit, all the photosensitivity drug's are stored in optimal conditions. From 15 technicians surveyed, 90% say to know the strategy implemented and consider it like useful. Conclusion This strategy has helped the pharmacy service to improve the storage and dispensing quality, avoiding medication error and providing the drugs in optimal conditions to the patients, increasing their safety. References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.


We are well aware of the current concern about the responses of neonates to noxious stimuli, but we are equally concerned that those who advocate a change in practice do so on the basis of solid evidence. Dr Fell criticises our paper but fails to quote any data to refute our findings. H e cites instead a study which did not measure blood pressures but looked a t anterior fontanelle pressure (AFP),' a difficult measurement,' but one believed to be an indirect correlate of intracranial pressure. This study did not record data on periventricular haemorrhage (PVH) but D r Fell still uses it in support of his belief that 'premature neonates . . . are likely to be at risk'. Our study of 45 true neonates (not 10 as D r Fell has misread) is described as 'small', but in the study he refers to only four out of 10 infants who were intubated awake. Two cases were actually having surgery for hydrocephalus. Postconceptual ages are not stated, nor is age distribution into awake and curare groups. PVH develops almost exclusively within the first 4 days of life8 but the infants in this study were aged 7 days to 10 months. Is this an adequate study on which to base our practice? A more recent paper,g again using babies outside the time of risk, showed AFP changes to be not significantly greater than during normal crying. We d o not dispute that AFP may increase but this may be as a result of venous pressure rises and not arterial hypertension, or, in some studies, due to the inclusion of babies outside the first 4 weeks' of life, whom we have shown do have an arterial hypertensive response to intubation. We have not formally studied premature babies, for the reasons stated in our paper, during their time of risk, but none of the later features of this group quoted by D r Fell (postoperative a p n ~ e a , ~ lower MAC of i~of lurane ,~ and higher incidence of respiratory complications) give any grounds for assuming their response to intubation is different from the term babies of our study. We anaesthetise babies before intubation because it is both humane and easier, and not because of any intuitive belief about risks of PVH. Our paper makes no comment about risks of awake intubation but simply corrects a widely held belief about blood pressures. The measurement of blood pressure is not difficult and is surely performed during every neonatal anaesthetic. We hope our paper encourages those who have the data on premature babies to publish it.


Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula (SR) is the main etiologic agent of the Farmer9s Lung Disease (FLD). Serodiagnosis using immunoprecipitation techniques with crude antigens has proved effective but lacks of standardization. We aim at producing specific recombinant antigens (rAg) to develop a new standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A database of putative proteins was first specifically created after partially sequencing of SR Subsequently, proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis and revealed by Western-blot analysis with serum from 9 patients with FLD in comparison with the serum of 4 exposed controls. Among the 77 visible spots, 42 were analyzed by mass spectrometry and 28 proteins were identified. Sixteen FLD-specific proteins were produced as rAg in Escherichia coli . ELISA with 16 rAgs were performed using serums of 20 FLD patients from France and Switzerland and 27 controls. Results were analyzed by receiver operating characteristics curve. Five showed an area under the curve (AUC) above 0.75 and a sensitivity equal or greater than 75%. (named SR1FA, SR9, SR13, SR17 and SR25). The protein performing the best (SR9) reached 80% sensitivity and 85% specificity with an AUC of 0.90. ELISA using rAgs specific from SR were effective for serodiagnosis of FLD. The use of antigen panels including rAg specific from other micro-organisms involved in FLD ( Aspergillus, Lichtheimia, Wallemia ) may increase the diagnosis performance of the ELISA. A prospective study including FLD patients from other countries (Finland, Canada), exposed to other strains of SR , should be done for a large scale validation.


On behalf of the editorial board members, I am honored to announce that AAIR will be listed in SCIE as of June 2011. The inclusion of AAIR in SCIE is not only a first for 2011 among the medical journals published in Korea, but a first among journals on allergy and asthma published in the Asia Pacific region. Indeed, only 18 months have passed since the first issue was published in October 2009. AAIR is published quarterly under the auspices of the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology and the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease.

First, I would like to briefly outline the history of the Academies sponsoring the publication. The Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology was founded in 1972 and its membership, as of 2011, is comprised of approximately 1200 physicians, pediatricians, rhinologists, and dermatologists. The Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease was founded in 1987 and consists of 1400 pediatricians in 2011. Since their founding, the two Academies have sponsored several international congresses and symposia on allergy, immunology, and pediatric respiratory diseases. The Korean-Japan Joint Allergy symposium has been held biannually since the founding of the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology. Many international meetings have been hosted successfully in Korea. At international and domestic symposia, members of both Academies have presented numerous excellent abstracts, which have been published in program booklets. Major contributions by Academy members have been published in their official journals: the "Korean Journal of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology" and "Korean Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease". However, as the journals of both Academies are written in Korean and distributed domestically, the results of studies by our members reach few readers outside Korea. To promote international communication by their members, the two Academies decided to publish an official journal in English in 2008.

Since it was first issued in Oct 2009, AAIR has presented timely, clinical, basic science and experimental research papers, as well as instructive case reports. As of April 2011, we have published seven issues of AAIR containing five editorials, 26 reviews, 29 original articles, 14 case reports, and one brief communication. Twenty-five world-famous scholars have contributed excellent articles, and 30 domestic professors and researchers have contributed distinguished papers to AAIR. Seventy reviewers have willingly performed their duties for each article, from the title to the last sentence. All of the editorial members would like to express our special appreciation to the authors and reviewers for their outstanding contributions to AAIR.

We are keen to develop AAIR as a leading journal in asthma, allergy, and clinical immunology. To enhance its academic quality, we have invited world-class professors and researchers to join the AAIR Advisory and Editorial Boards. As the Editor-in-Chief, I am very grateful for their continuing contributions to AAIR. On behalf of all of the Editors, I look forward to continued excellent support and assistance from members of the Korean Academies. All members have a mission to improve the quality and quantity of AAIR by submitting a variety of clinical and research studies. We also ask the members to cite articles published in AAIR.

Finally, preparing the issues of AAIR has been an enjoyable, rewarding experience, which has been greatly enhanced by the contributions of a dedicated team, including the associate editorial members, who are responsible for the final decision on publication for all manuscripts, and a loyal, hard-working Editorial Office staff.


BACKGROUND
Anandamide, an endogenous lipid, activates both cannabinoid (CB(1)) and vanilloid (VR1) receptors, both of which are co-expressed in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells. Activation of either receptor results in analgesia but the relative contribution of CB(1) and VR1 in anandamide-induced analgesia remains controversial. Here we compare the in vitro pharmacology of recombinant and endogenous VR1 receptors using calcium imaging, in clonal and DRG cells, respectively. We also consider the contribution of CB(1) and VR1 receptors to anandamide-induced analgesia.

METHODS
Using a Flurometric Imaging Plate Reader (FLIPR), calcium imaging has been used to study the effects of several vanilloid and cannabinoid ligands in rat VR1-transfected HEK293 (rVR1-HEK) cells and in DRG cells. The effect of pre-exposure of several vanilloid and cannabinoids has also been compared in DRG cells.

RESULTS
The VR1 agonists capsaicin, olvanil, (N-(4-hydroxyphenyl-arachinoylamide) (AM404) and anandamide caused a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)), with similar temporal profiles in both rVR1-HEK and DRG cells, and potency (pEC(50)) values of 8.25 (SEM 0.11), 8.37 (0.04), 6.96 (0.06), 5.85 (0.01) and 7.45 (0.10), 7.55 (0.07), 6.10 (0.13), approximately 5.5, respectively. These responses were inhibited by the VR1 antagonist capsazepine (1 micro M). In contrast, application of synthetic cannabinoid antagonists failed to inhibit the anandamide-induced increase in [Ca(2+)](i). Reapplication of VR1 agonists significantly inhibited a subsequent challenge to either capsaicin or anandamide in either cell type, whilst pre-exposure to cannabinoid agonists were without effect.

CONCLUSION
Here we provide evidence that the pharmacology of recombinant rVR1 receptors is similar to those endogenously expressed in DRG cells. Moreover, we have shown that VR1, but not CB(1), receptors are involved in anandamide-induced responses in dorsal root primary neurones in vitro. Therefore, the analgesic properties of anandamide are likely to be mediated, at least in part, by VR1 activation in DRG cells in vivo.


The earliest known compositions designated as ricercars were published in the first decade of the sixteenth century. They were short compositions for lute composed primarily of homophonic chordal sections interspersed with flowing scale passages. Bearing little resemblance to the later form, they contained no imitation. Gordon Sutherland, in his excellent study of the development of the ricercar, suggests that the imitative style of the later ricercar can be traced back to earlier related forms--even to the earliest vocal canons. The first imitative ricercars did not appear in print until some forty years after the appearance of the early lute compositions. The ricercar soon became a popular instrumental form and in 1547, the first ricercars in part books were published. Ricercars were seldom written for more than four voice parts. In the later development of the ricercar, compositions for fewer voices predominated; two-part ricercars were popular in the early seventeenth century. In 1606, Ascanio Mayone, a Neapolitan organist and composer issued his Primo libro di ricercari a tre voci. Only one set of the original part books remains extant. It is located in the Biblioteca Conservatorio, a library in Naples, Italy. Previous musical scholarship has ignored or overlooked Mayone's Ricercari a tre voci. The present study and edition are based on a microfilm copy of the original part books.


This paper deals with the performance evaluation of deploying an IMS-based media plane interoperability framework. The 3GPP standards describe two possible operating modes based on either a reactive or a proactive approach. We show that both approaches entail some advantages and drawbacks in terms of signaling overhead and call setup times at different ratios of incompatible calls. A prototype implementation of the required elements was carried out in order to use experimental delay contributions. Additionally, the evaluation focuses on the impact of deploying the interoperability solutions over current UMTS and LTE radio access networks.


The upcoming 15-year anniversary of the International Society for Child & Adolescent Injury Prevention (ISCAIP) seems like a good opportunity to provide a brief history and overview of the organization, as well as to discuss successes and new challenges. As there is no definitive source for much of this information, what follows is a pieced-together history based on articles, documents, and anecdotes from long-time members.

The idea for the creation of ISCAIP came from a meeting at the Second International Injury Control Conference in Atlanta, USA on 19 May 1993. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of a journal dedicated to child and adolescent injury prevention, but the importance of a society was also raised and quickly gained support. The intent behind the creation of ISCAIP was to provide an international, multidisciplinary forum for communication among injury prevention researchers and practitioners, to promote action on child and adolescent injury prevention and to facilitate trans-national research.1 The international focus of ISCAIP was felt to facilitate national and global advocacy and knowledge translation efforts, particularly in countries where injury prevention enjoys …


Background and aims Sulfonamide related allergic drug reactions are common, and their rate is reported to be 3.0% for the general population. Sulfasalazine (SSZ), which is an inflammatory drug in the arylamine sulfonamide structure, is being used for the treatment of many rheumatic diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine the frequency of sulfasalazine-related hypersensitivity reactions in patients with rheumatic disease. Methods A total of 136 patients (84 RA and 52 AS) were included in this study. Patients were screened for those who recently started using sulfasalazine treatment. The type of the reaction, duration of the reaction, administered medicines, and their doses were recorded in patients with detected hypersensitivity during the follow-up. The drug was stopped and anti-histaminic and/or corticosteroid treatment was administered as needed. In patients with a negative prick test, a drug provocation test (DPT) was performed after drugs were stopped and amino salicylic acid. Results A total of 136 patients, with ages ranging from 19 to 71 (mean 41.97±12.04), were included in the study. Hypersensitivity reaction was observed in 12/136 (8.8%) of the patients. The SSZ related hypersensitivity reaction types were: urticaria in 7 patients, urticaria and angioedema in 4 patients, and pruritus in 1 patient. Conclusions Sulfasalazine is widely used by rheumatologists in treatment of rheumatic diseases. These reactions might be ignored because, when type 1 reaction occurs, the patient has the possibility of changing to alternative treatments. Patients who have SSZ-related allergic reactions should be advised to avoid sulfanilamide antibiotics such as sulfamethoxazole.


Background: Hispanic youth are a high-risk population that does not meet the recommended amount of physical activity for their age group. Additionally previous research indicates that as Hispanic youth grow older, physical activity significantly decreases overtime. Therefore the purpose of this article is to review physical activity components in previously conducted interventions and examine evidence-based strategies for promoting physical activity behaviors among Hispanic youth. Methods: In March of 2012, a literature search was performed and a total of nine articles were found describing nine intervention programs that met the following inclusion criteria. The present review conducted in 2012 included previous intervention studies that were published in the English language, conducted in the United States, published between the years 2002 and 2012, and focused on Hispanic youth under 18 years of age. Results: Most of the interventions were comprehensive and focused on physical activity, nutrition behaviors, and obesity prevention and ranged from seven weeks to three years duration. Of these interventions, most were school-based and fostered individual-level behavior change. The majority of interventions utilized a behavioral theory. A summary of each was developed, and commonly used physical activity promotion components were identified. More than half of the interventions had a significant impact on the outcomes. Conclusions: Effective strategies and lessons learned from research regarding physical activity promotion and Hispanic youth involvement in physical activity could be more clearly discussed. Recommendations for future programming for Hispanic youth should incorporate culturally appropriate learning materials and physical activities by degree of acculturation. Additionally, family-based strategies and religious-based strategies should be further explored in future interventions to try and increase the success of promoting physical activity behaviors among the Hispanic youth population.


Photosynthesis and net primary productivity were measured in 3 Antarctic diatoms, Fragilariopsis cylindrus, Pseudo-nitzschia subcurvata and Chaetoceros sp., exposed to rapid changes in temperature and salinity representing a range of conditions found during a seasonal cycle. Measured differences in fluorescence-derived photosynthetic activity and oxygen evolution suggested that some alternative electron cycling activity was present under high irradiances. F. cylindrus displayed the highest rates of relative electron transport and net primary productivity under all salinity and temperature combinations and showed adaptive traits towards the sea-ice- like environment. P. subcurvata displayed a preference for low saline conditions where produc- tion rates were greatest. However, there was evidence of photosynthetic sensitivity to the lowest temperatures and highest salinities, suggesting a lack of adaptation for dealing with sea-ice-like conditions. Chaetoceros sp. showed high plasticity, acclimating well to all conditions but perform- ing best under pelagic conditions. The study shows species-specific sensitivities to environmental change, highlighting photosynthetic capacity as a potentially important mechanism in ecological niche adaptation. When these data were modelled over different seasons, integrated daily net pri- mary production was greatest under summer pelagic conditions. The findings from this study sup- port the general observations of light control and seasonal development of net primary productiv- ity and species succession in the Antarctic marine ecosystem.


The effects of salinity and osmolality differences on the uptake rates of dissolved zinc were investigated in 3 crabs of different ecologies —the euryhaline common shore crab Carcinus maenas, the extremely euryhaline Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis, and a more stenohaline marine crab, the velvet swimming crab Necora puber. Reduced salinities caused increases in the zinc uptake rate of E. sinensis as expected from the free metal ion model, with increased free zinc ion availabilities in conditions of reduced chloride complexation. In the cases of C. maenas and N. puber, however, reduced salinity was associated with reduced zinc uptake, a result interpreted in terms of a physiological response by these crabs to low salinity offsetting the physicochemical effect of increased free zinc ion availability. Results can be partly explained by reported changes in apparent water permeability (AWP) made by the crabs to low salinity, although experiments manipulating solution osmotic pressures independently of salinity (and therefore chloride concentrations) indicate that other physiological responses may also be coming into effect. The interaction of physiology and physicochemistry in controlling trace metal uptake from solution clearly varies between species.


Collaborative filtering analyzes user preferences for items (e.g., books, movies, restaurants, academic papers) by exploiting the similarity patterns across users. In implicit feedback settings, all the items, including the ones that a user did not consume, are taken into consideration. But this assumption does not accord with the common sense understanding that users have a limited scope and awareness of items. For example, a user might not have heard of a certain paper, or might live too far away from a restaurant to experience it. In the language of causal analysis (Imbens & Rubin, 2015), the assignment mechanism (i.e., the items that a user is exposed to) is a latent variable that may change for various user/item combinations. In this paper, we propose a new probabilistic approach that directly incorporates user exposure to items into collaborative filtering. The exposure is modeled as a latent variable and the model infers its value from data. In doing so, we recover one of the most successful state-of-the-art approaches as a special case of our model (Hu et al. 2008), and provide a plug-in method for conditioning exposure on various forms of exposure covariates (e.g., topics in text, venue locations). We show that our scalable inference algorithm outperforms existing benchmarks in four different domains both with and without exposure covariates.


The efficacy of helium (He) and argon (Ar) plasma jets are being investigated for different healthcare applications including wound and cancer therapy, sterilisation and surface disinfections. Current research points to a potential link between the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and outcomes in a range of biological and medical applications. As new data accrue, further strengthening this link, it becomes important to understand the controlled delivery of RONS into solutions, tissue fluids and tissues. This paper investigates the use of He and Ar plasma jets to deliver three RONS (hydrogen peroxide—H2O2, nitrite—NO2− and nitrate—NO3−) and molecular oxygen (O2) directly into deionised (DI) water, or indirectly into DI water through an agarose target. The DI water is used in place of tissue fluid and the agarose target serves as a surrogate of tissue. Direct plasma jet treatments deliver more RONS and O2 than the through-agarose treatments for equivalent treatments times. The former only deliver RONS whilst the plasma jets are ignited; the latter continues to deliver RONS into the DI water long after the plasmas are extinguished. The He plasma jet is more effective at delivering H2O2 and NO2− directly into DI water, but the Ar plasma jet is more effective at nitrating the DI water in both direct and through-agarose treatments. DI water directly treated with the plasma jets is deoxygenated, with the He plasma jet purging more O2 than the Ar plasma jet. This effect is known as 'sparging'. In contrast, for through-agarose treatments both jets oxygenated the DI water. These results indicate that in the context of direct and indirect plasma jet treatments of real tissue fluids and tissue, the choice of process gas (He or Ar) could have a profound effect on the concentrations of RONS and O2. Irrespective of operating gas, sparging of tissue fluid (in an open wound) for long prolonged periods during direct plasma jet treatment, could have implications for healthy tissue function; whilst through-tissue plasma jet treatment may provide a method to reperfuse oxygen-starved tissue. The assays described in this paper can be readily adopted (by others) and may support the future development of plasma sources to deliver specific (metered) doses of RONS.


Problem- There are deep unanswered questions about photon emission, specifically how the field structures of the photon emerge from the electron. While this problem cannot be answered from within quantum mechanics, due to its premise that particles are zero dimensional points, other theories of physics have better prospects. Purpose- A conceptual theory is developed for the processes of photon emission and absorption, in a non-local hidden-variable (NLHV) design called the Cordus theory. Approach- Logical inference is used to predict the structures of the discrete fields of the photon and electron under this framework. From this is extracted an explanation of how electron bonding constraints require the electron to emit its excess energy, and how the photon is created and emerges from the electron. Findings- Emission is found to be an escapement mechanism whereby matter particles that are over-prescribed in position can get rid of that energy, and the details of this are explained. The results show excellent qualitative agreement with classical electromagnetic wave theory and quantum mechanics, many conceptual features of which can be recovered. Originality- A novel conceptual theory is developed for the processes of photon emission and absorption. Particularly important here is the proposed causality whereby bonding constraints affect geometric span of the particule, which affects frequency. Hence this constrains the energy that the electron can contain, and explains why the emitted photon has a specific quantum of energy. A second contribution is the proposed differentiation between the discrete fields of the photon and electron. This yields an explanation for the exponential nature of the evanescent field, and recovery of the inverse radius squared relationship for the electro-magneto-gravitational fields. The theory also offers a physical interpretation of the fine structure constant α as a measure of the transmission efficacy of the fabric, i.e. α determines the relationship between the electric constant of the vacuum fabric, and the speed of propagation c through the fabric. There is further novelty in achieving this from the non-local hidden-variable sector of physics. Implications- Quantum mechanics originated with the observation that the movement of electrons between orbitals resulted in emission of photons with discrete quanta of energy. However it does not explain how the transitions occur. The original contribution here is showing that a solution does exist in NLHV physics. Assuming this is valid then the implications are that particles have internal structure and that quantum mechanics is merely a quantitative statistical summary of a deeper physics.


The study of cell surface receptors and their associated signaling pathways on the plasma membrane are vital in understanding cellular responses. The insulin receptor is a tyrosine kinase that is activated in response to insulin microbeads presented to three mammalian cell lines: CHO, NIH-3T3 and COS-7. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, a major insulin receptor signaling pathway, phosphorylates the 3-position hydroxyl group of the inositol ring of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-biphosphate, resulting in phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3) that acts by recruiting specific pleckstrin homology (PH) domain containing proteins to cell membranes. Akt (protein kinase B) containing PH domain gets activated, binds to PIP3 and localizes to the site of receptor activation. The PH domain of Akt was fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) to create a biosensor for phosphatidylinositol. Confocal microscopy confirmed Akt-PH recruitment to the cell membrane. Immunofluorescence staining (IF) and western blots confirmed insulin receptor and phosphotyrosine activity in cells. The activated insulin receptor complex was captured and isolated by insulin coated microbeads on the surface of cells.


Pluto's system of five known satellites is in a puzzling orbital configuration. Each of the four small satellites are on low-eccentricity and low-inclination orbits situated near a mean motion resonance with the largest satellite Charon. The Pluto–Charon binary likely formed as a result of a giant impact, and so the simplest explanation for the small satellites is that they accreted from the debris of that collision. The Pluto–Charon binary has evolved outward since its formation due to tidal forces, which drove them into their current doubly synchronous state. Meanwhile, leftover debris from the formation of Charon was not initially distant enough from Pluto–Charon to explain the orbits of the current small satellites. The outstanding problems of the system are the movement of debris outward and the small satellites' location near mean motion resonances with Charon. This work explores the dynamical behavior of the collisionally interacting debris orbiting the Pluto–Charon system. While this work specifically tests initial disk and ring configurations designed to mimic the aftermath of the disruption of satellites by heliocentric impactors, we generally find that collisional interactions can help move material outward and keep otherwise unstable material dynamically bound to the Pluto–Charon system. These processes can produce rings of debris whose orbits evolve rapidly due to collisional processes, with increasing pericenters and decreasing semimajor axes. While these rings and disks of debris eventually build satellites that are significantly farther out than the initial locations of a disrupted satellite, they do not show a strong preference for building satellites in or near mean motion resonances with Charon under a wide array of tested conditions.


The expansion of the early twentieth century the eastern martial arts (judo and ju-jitsu then karate, kung-fu, taekwondo) for the European countries and the US was also the transfer of methodical traditions of training. Similarly defence art of aikido. The aim of this review is a recommendations of original Polish achievements in prevention of injuries as a result of falls, collisions and physical aggression, as well as the diagnosis and reduction of aggressiveness by the use of fun forms of martial arts. Judo therapy remains the specialty of many faculties Japanese universities. While Europe and the American continent penetrate systems therapeutic exercises: qigong, taichi, yoga etc. since 2007 three pillars of the WHO Falls Prevention Model are recommended. Authors of this Model does not directly recommend the necessity to teach the techniques of safe fall. The simplest and the most economic solution of the problem is teaching each person about safe falling as early as possible in their lives. The role of the scientists is still to publish the methods and study results so that the others could accept them or at first subject them to secondary verification process.


Reflecting on three papers included in this issue, we suggest that research on memory and conversation could benefit by making more use of analyzing real-life situations or close to real-life scenarios, full speech and body interactions, and the interaction with the physical environment. We also suggest that the process of remembering during conversation is investigated on a level of detail and sequence that allow for locating actual functions of different actions. Finally, we suggest that a life-span perspective on transactive memory systems must also model the development, maintenance, breakdown, and reestablishment of such systems.


BACKGROUND
In the last few years a marked increase has been observed in the use of statistical techniques in biomedical publications. Some characteristics of the statistical quality of the first 100 articles consecutively published in 1993 in the section of originals and surveys of the journal MEDICINA CLINICA are presented in this study.

METHODS
In each original one reviewer identified errors and/or criticisms in statistical methodology. An adaptation of the protocol of statistical revision made by the journal The Lancet since november 1990 was used in addition to its own classification. Likewise, an error and/or criticism involving minimum statistical quality necessary was considered as major and that which only had a decrease in optimum statistical level was considered as minor. Statistical analysis consisted in descriptive tables of the number of originals in which each of the classified errors and/or criticisms were observed.

RESULTS
Sixty-seven percent of the originals (CI 95%: 64;70) presented major errors and/or criticisms in design, analysis and inference. The most frequent were found in power and sample size (design), need for better analysis (analysis) and lack of confidence intervals (inference). Only 15% (CI 95%: 13;17) had major errors in statistical presentation and 82% (CI 95%: 80;84) minor errors among which the so-called orphaned p was of note.

CONCLUSIONS
The need for accompanying the p values by the confidence intervals or taking the calculation of the required sample size into account are of note. Furthermore, the diffusion of explicit recommendations concerning the carrying out and presentation of statistical analysis is necessary.


The resuscitation of patients with cardiopulmonary arrest from a penetrating injury of the heart requires emergency thoracotomy and control of hemorrhage. Suture control may be technically difficult in patients with large or multiple lacerations. Emergency cardiac suturing techniques expose the surgeon to the risk of a contaminated needle stick. After we determined that rapid control of hemorrhage from cardiac lacerations could be achieved in anesthetized sheep with the use of a standard skin stapler, the technique was applied in the clinical setting. Twenty-eight patients underwent emergency stapling of 33 cardiac lacerations at our institution from September 1987 to December 1991. Seventy-nine percent (22) of the patients sustained stab wounds, and 21% (6) were injured by gunshots. Fifty-eight percent (19) of the injuries involved the right ventricle, 27% (9) involved the left ventricle, 9% (3) involved the right atrium, and 6% (2) involved the left atrium. In 93% (26) of the patients, control of hemorrhage was achieved within 2 minutes of exposure of the injuries. Both patients in whom control could not be achieved had sustained large-caliber gunshot injuries. Fifteen (54%) of the patients survived, including one patient with two cardiac lacerations and another with three lacerations. Of the surviving patients, two had mild neurologic deficits. No personal contamination occurred related to the use of the stapler. We conclude (1) cardiac stapling is highly effective in the management of hemorrhage from penetrating injury, particularly in the setting of multiple cardiac lacerations; (2) the technique may not be effective with certain types of gunshot wounds; and (3) the use of the stapler for emergency cardiorrhaphy eliminates the risk of personal contamination from a needle stick.


The novel coronaviruses disease, namely COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide and resulted in a crucial global health problem. Various studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that chronic disease, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and Gastrointestinal manifestations, are considered as risk factors for the disease severity, poor prognosis, and mortality in COVID-19. Although the exact reasons for the association between these comorbidities and disease severity and mortality risk of COVID-19 have not clarified, immune dysregulation and hyperinflammation in these chronic diseases might be contributing factors to the progression of the COVID-19. Furthermore, most of the patients with chronic inflammatory disease have the impairment of immune system and inflammatory response due to underlying pathogenesis of their diseases, and thus they might be prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We have focused the attention on most common chronic diseases frequently observed in COVID-19 which may be related to infection and their association with


Background: The hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) of the genus Mycoplasma are recognized as important bacteria that parasitize red blood cells, causing hemolytic anemia in many mammalian species, including cats. No information is available concerning the presence of feline hemoplasma infections in cats in Romania. Thus, the objective of the present study was to provide data on the occurrence and molecular characterization of hemothropic mycoplasmas in client owned cats in Romania. Methods : Blood samples from 51 unhealthy cats, originating from Timişoara Municipality, Romania, were screened for the presence of hemoplasmas using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 16S rRNA gene and sequencing assays. Results: Molecular analysis revealed 11 (21.6%) positive samples, consisting of 8 (72.7%) Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum and 3 (27.3%) Mycoplasma haemofelis confirmed positives. Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis was not detected, and no co-infections were registered. No significant associations ( p > 0 . 05) were found between the hemoplasma infection status and age, gender, breed, presence of ectoparasites, FeLV/FIV positivity of cats or the sampling season. However, outdoor access was positively associated ( p =0.049) with infection and could be considered a risk factor (OR=4.1) in acquiring feline hemotropic mycoplasmas. Conclusions : The findings support the emergence of feline hemoplasma infections in previously uninvestigated territories of Europe, providing useful information for small animal practitioners. To our knowledge, the present survey is the first reported molecular evidence of feline hemoplasma infections in Romania.


Abstract This paper presents a model in which owners choose the optimal mix of tenants. Tenant types are broadly defined to include not only the standard distinctions (office, retail, industrial, residential), but also more subtle distinctions such as the nature of business (store type in shopping mall), preferences (high-quality versus no-frills), or degree of credit risk. There are three key features of the model. First, relative rent levels for different tenant types vary stochastically over time. Second, tenant demands for space are interrelated and may produce positive or negative externalities for other tenants. Third, altering the current mix results in the payment of adjustment costs. Using the methods of option pricing theory, the intertemporally optimal tenant mix is derived and analyzed. In particular, several factors are identified which impact the degree of landlord "cautiousness" in altering the current mix. Finally, the value of the optimal policy is decomposed into two forms of flexibility: dynamic flexibility emanating from the sequence of options to alter the mix in the future, and static flexibility resulting from choosing an initial optimally diversified "portfolio" of tenant types.


To investigate whether heart failure impairs peripheral sympathetic vasoconstriction, hindlimb vascular responses to lumbar chain stimulation (0.5-20 Hz) were studied in normal dogs and in dogs with chronic heart failure produced by rapid ventricular pacing. At lumbar chain stimulation rates of 0.5-3 Hz, hindlimb vascular responses were comparable in both groups. However, at stimulation rates of 5-20 Hz, vascular responses were significantly attenuated in the dogs with heart failure. Vascular responses to norepinephrine (0.1, 1, and 10 micrograms/min) were not altered. These findings suggest that chronic heart failure results in impaired sympathetic vasoconstriction, probably because of reduced neurotransmitter release. This abnormality may interfere with the capacity of the failing circulation to compensate for a low cardiac output and thereby intensify the severity of heart failure.


Cities globally are facing an increasing forecasted citizen growth for the next decade. It has therefore become a necessity for cities to address their initiatives in smarter ways to overcome the challenges of possible extinction of resources. Cities in South Africa are trying to involve stakeholders to help address these challenges. Stakeholders are an important component in any smart city initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to report on a review of existing literature related to smart cities, and to propose a Smart City Stakeholder Classification Model. The common dimensions of smart cities are identified and the roles of the various stakeholders are classified according to these dimensions in the model. Nine common dimensions and related factors were identified through an analysis of existing frameworks for smart cities. The model was then used to identify and classify the stakeholders participating in two smart city projects in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.


Abstract:אָמְנָם ,אָמְנָה, and אֻמְנָם are cognate adverbs that are are often translated alike ("truly," "really," or "indeed"). While they may be semantically alike, they are used differently. אָמְנָה marks an assertion of fact supported by proof. אָמְנָם is a conversational device expressing opinion or argumentation; it also is used to register agreement or a premise that will be developed or modified further along. אֻמְנָם is also a conversational device but occurs only in strong rhetorical questions. It too does not address fact but questions or strongly doubts a prior assertion, inference, or conversational situation. In other words, the differences among ,אָמְנָה אָמְנָם , and אֻמְנָם have interpretive value.


This paper presents a modulation scheme for H-bridge shunt active filter. Random pulse width modulation (RPWM) technique along with level shifted pulse width modulation (LSPWM) which is called level shifted random pulse width modulation (LSRPWM) are applied in order to distribute high frequency harmonics over a wide range; thus, the proposed method reduces electromagnetic interference problems. The effect of this modulation technique along with the proportional multi resonant current control on a system supplying linear and nonlinear loads are analyzed and presented. Simulation results confirm the validity of the proposed control scheme in reducing harmonic level below the limits specified by international standards.


Photoactivation measurements on Sm have been performed with bremsstrahlung endpoint energies from 10.0 to 15.5 MeV at the bremsstrahlung facility of the superconducting electron accelerator ELBE of Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. The measured activation yield for the Sm(γ,n) reaction is compared with the calculated yield using cross sections from previous photoneutron experiments. The activation yields measured for all disintegration channels Sm(γ, n), (γ, p) and (γ, α) are compared to the yield calculated by using Hauser-Feshbach statistical models. A new parametrization of the photon strength function is presented and the yield simulated by using the modified photon strength parameters are compared to the experimental data.


Higher education institutions today operate in a rapidly changing environment and this is undoubtedly reflected in their core functions of teaching and learning. Teaching and learning in higher education are influenced by a well-rehearsed set of global trends such as the changing demography of student populations and higher participation of non-traditional students; growing global interconnectedness and the proliferation of digital media; and an increasing market orientation in higher education


This article approaches binaural interactive environments from an artistic research perspective. Beyond content production, an aesthetic reflection of binaural media requires pervasive access to digital processing means and ways to employ them in composition. However, most conventional workflows separate media-specific rendering algorithms from object-based scene authoring. Such a delimitation between binaural engineering and its application restricts transdisciplinary creation that crosses both areas. This article assumes that the full potential of immersive media cannot be explored without investigating technology in the context of aesthetic experience. A case study is presented in which artistic references are regarded together with its technical realization. Contemporary user experience evaluation methods are adopted and refined with reference to the aims of the artist. A subsequent revision of the work is discussed along with implementation adjustments and conceptual alterations. The presented project shall exemplify how artistic research may bridge scholarly investigation and the creative acquirement of media technology beyond its mere application. A point of departure shall be provided for further cross-fertilization between engineering and the arts by identifying mutual implications.


Mathematical models of the Earth system and its components represent one of the most powerful and effective instruments applied to explore the Earth system's behaviour in the past and present, and to predict its future state considering external influence. These models are critically reliant on a large number of various observations (in situ and remotely sensed) since the prediction accuracy is determined by, amongst other things, the accuracy of the initial state of the system in question, which, in turn, is defined by observational data provided by many different instrument types. The development of an observing network is very costly, hence the estimation of the effectiveness of existing observation network and the design of a prospective one, is very important. The objectives of this paper are (1) to present the adjoint-based approach that allows us to estimate the impact of various observations on the accuracy of prediction of the Earth system and its components, and (2) to illustrate the application of this approach to two coupled low-order chaotic dynamical systems and to the ACCESS (Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator) global model used operationally in the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. The results of numerical experiments show that by using the adjoint-based method it is possible to rank the observations by the degree of their importance and also to estimate the influence of target observations on the quality of predictions.


Lhl4 encodes a distant relative of light-harvesting Chl-a/b proteins in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Lhl4 mRNA markedly accumulated within 30 min after illumination and in proportion to the light intensity up to a fluence rate much higher than that required for photosynthesis. The high intensity light (HL)-induced accumulation of Lhl4 mRNA required continuous illumination, and the mRNA level rapidly decreased when the cells were placed in the dark. HL only slightly stabilized the mRNA, suggesting that the HL-induced expression of the Lhl4 gene is primarily regulated at the level of transcription. Blue light was more effective for inducing Lhl4 gene expression than green or red light, and far-red light had no effect. The action spectrum for Lhl4 gene expression was examined at wavelengths between 325 and 775 nm using the Okazaki Large Spectrograph. The obtained spectrum showed a distinct peak in the blue region (450 nm) and a shoulder in the UV-A region (375 nm). The curve in the spectrum rose steeply in the short wavelength UV region. In addition, we observed two minor peaks in the green (575 nm) and the red (675 nm) regions. The action spectrum suggests that a blue/UV-A light photoreceptor with a flavin-based chromophore participates in the HL response of Lhl4 gene expression. However, the hypersensitivity to near UV-B light suggests the involvement of an unidentified UV light perception system in the expression of the Lhl4 gene.


Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a promising technology which can be applied in many areas, including supply chains logistics and medical treatment. Due to practical requirements of verifying multiple objects simultaneously, the authentication towards large numbers of RFID tags or tag groups remains a hot topic. However, because of the resource limitation of low-cost RFID tags, only basic cryptographic encryptions can be applied on the tag sides. As a result, security and privacy risks towards the RFID system remain crucial issues to be solved. Additionally, in some complex scenarios such as factory or harbor, some tags may be missing or temporarily disabled due to environmental interference. In this paper, an efficient hash-based RFID grouping authentication protocol providing missing tags detection is proposed. In our assumption, each reader of the authentication system can verify large amounts of RFID tags within its ranges. Note that it is not necessary for the reader to predefine the tags into groups during large-scale authentication. Instead, the RFID system can automatically divide the tags into different groups according to the given slots and bitmap. Moreover, the proposed protocol can detect and reset the missing tags so that the missing tag can rejoin the system. Security analysis shows that this protocol can offer sufficient security assurances and resist various attacks. Subsequently, the performance analysis illustrates that the proposed protocol yields better performance than the state-of-the-art RFID grouping authentication protocols.


Most legal systems protect IP rights through criminal law, amongst various legal protections. This legal situation reflects the society's wide interest in protecting IP rights. When IP rights are violated, and the violation fulfils the basic requirements of the relevant offense, the society may indict the violator, regardless the violator's identity (corporation or human). But what if the violator is an AI entity? Most modern AI entities do have the technological capability of violating IP rights. Illegal copying of software is a common example. Could the AI entity itself be criminally liable, beyond the criminal liability of the manufacturer, end-user or owner, and beyond their civil liability? The proposed research suggests the examination of a positive answer. Using the current definitions of criminal liability, the imposition of criminal liability upon AI entities for committing IP offenses is quite feasible. The proposed research suggests feasible solutions for sentencing AI entities as well.


Coordination between a specific mobile robot type has been widely investigated, e.g coordination between unicycles. To extend the applicability of the system, a coordinated trajectory tracking of mixed type of mobile robots is considered. We prove that if a certain type of wheeled mobile robot is able to individually track its own reference, then coordination in tracking with other type of robots can be achieved simply by sharing individual tracking errors. Using two types of wheeled mobile robots, namely unicycle type (a nonholonomic mobile robot) and omni wheels type (a holonomic mobile robot), a coordinated control algorithm can achieve a global asymptotically stable condition of the error dynamics of the systems. Under bidirectional communication between robots as a constraint, the group is able to maintain individual tracking while coordinating the movements with other robots regardless occurring perturbations in the system and delays in communication channels. Simulation results suggest that information sharing between the robots increase the robustness in coordinating individual trajectories. Results also show that delays cause drop in performance similar to the case of no information sharing.


This paper presents an new approach to noise reduction for voice communication over Bluetooth technology. In the literature, several authors have compared the performance of different filtering techniques, such as the well-known Spectral Subtraction (SS), and Wiener Filter (WF) using simulated data, whereas this research uses real-time data samples collected from cars subjected to a noisy environment with varying sound levels in search of an optimal solution. The cars were driven at different speeds with the windows and fan set to different configurations. The tests were analyzed both subjectively and objectively. The proposed algorithm is based on two superior voice detection and noise estimation techniques, namely Log-Energy Voice Activity Detection (VAD) and First-in First-out (FIFO), and it has shown a considerable improvement in audio quality over the VAD and FIFO only algorithms.


Culture OH-75-B of Beggiatoa sp. differed significantly from any described previously in its utilization of organic carbon and reduced sulfur compounds. It deposited internal sulfur granules characteristic of Beggiatoa sp. with either sulfide or thiosulfate in the medium. This strain (OH-75-B, clone 2a) could be grown in agitated liquid cultures on mineral medium with acetate as the only source of organic carbon. The resultant growth yields and rates were comparable to those for typical heterotrophs. Of the other simple organic compounds tested, only pyruvate, lactate, or ethanol could singly support the growth of this strain. Single sugars or amino acids neither supported growth nor enhanced it when added to acetate-containing medium. In contrast, compounds of the tricarboxylic acid cycle enhanced growth yields when tested in concert with acetate. These and fluoroacetate inhibition results indicate that Beggiatoa sp. possesses a functional tricarboxylic acid cycle. Poor yields characterized the growth of this strain on dilute yeast extract medium, and higher concentrations of yeast extract proved inhibitory. The enzyme catalase, contrary to the findings of others, had no synergistic influence on growth yields when added to medium containing yeast extract or acetate or both.


The object of the present study is to carry out the Physico–Chemical analysis of well and bore well water samples from ten sampling stations .They are Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tadepalli, Chirala, Bapatla, Srisailam, Mahanandi, Yaganti and Guntakal (Rural area) for a period of 3 months from December 2015 to April 2016. The analysis of different parameters namely-temperature, pH, color, chlorine and estimation of bacteria in different places water samples were carried out as per standard methods. The results were compared with the values stipulated by WHO and ICMR standards. The results indicate that the chloride in some sampling stations was found above the permissible limits probably due to contamination with sea water.


This review examines the literature on the welfare impacts of infrastructure disruptions. There is widespread evidence that households suffer from the consequences of a lack of infrastructure reliability, and that being connected to the grid is not sufficient to close the infrastructure gap. Disruptions and irregular service have adverse effects on household welfare, due to missed work and education opportunities, and negative impact on health. Calibrating costs of unreliable infrastructure on existing willingness to pay assessments, we estimate the welfare losses associated with blackouts and water outages. Overall, between 0.1 and 0.2 percent of GDP would be lost each year because of unreliable infrastructure -- electricity, water and transport.


This paper investigates the characteristic important to metal injection moulding (MIM) process via rheological behavior of MIM feedstock. A gas atomized spherical ZK60 magnesium (Mg) alloy powder and the binder of 60wt.% palm stearin (PS) + 40wt.% low density polyethylene (LDPE) were used in this investigation. Prior to mixing process, critical powder volume percentage (CPVP) was determined and subsequently four different feedstocks with powder loading of 62, 64, 66 and 68vol.% were prepared. The properties of the feedstocks were then analyzed rheologically. Here, the flow behavior index n, the flow activation energy E and the mold ability index αSTV of the Mg alloy MIM feedstocks were determined. Results show that feedstock with 64% powder loading has the best rheological properties and therefore it is considered to be the best for the injection moulding process.


Aphelids are poorly known phagotrophic parasites of algae whose life cycle and morphology resemble those of the widely diverse parasitic rozellids (Cryptomycota, Rozellomycota). In previous phylogenetic analyses of RNA polymerase and rRNA genes, aphelids and rozellids formed a monophyletic group together with the extremely reduced parasitic Microsporidia, named Opisthosporidia, which was sister to Fungi. However, the statistical support for that group was always moderate. We generated the first transcriptome data for one aphelid species, Paraphelidium tribonemae. In-depth multi-gene phylogenomic analyses using various protein datasets place aphelids as the closest relatives of Fungi to the exclusion of rozellids and Microsporidia. In contrast with the comparatively reduced Rozella allomycis genome, we infer a rich, free-living-like aphelid proteome, including cellulases likely involved in algal cell-wall penetration, enzymes involved in chitin biosynthesis and several metabolic pathways. Our results suggest that Fungi evolved from a complex aphelid-like ancestor that lost phagotrophy and became osmotrophic.


A recognition with a large-scale network is simulated on a PDP-11/34 minicomputer and is shown to have a great capability for visual pattern recognition. The model consists of nine layers of cells. The authors demonstrate that the model can be trained to recognize handwritten Arabic numerals even with considerable deformations in shape. A learning-with-a-teacher process is used for the reinforcement of the modifiable synapses in the new large-scale model, instead of the learning-without-a-teacher process applied to a previous model. The authors focus on the mechanism for pattern recognition rather than that for self-organization.


Aim: The significant critical barrier in the ascension of fused deposition modeling (FDM) into a scalable technology is the lack of defined quality benchmarks for validating filament performance. To avoid this issue, we aimed to create a comprehensive quantitative approach providing a road map to evaluate the fabricated filament for successful FDM 3D printing. Materials & methods: A detailed in vitro physico-technological analysis including axial as well as oscillatory stress tests were performed to validate the melt-extruded filament. Results & conclusion: The results from the above noted tests as well as microscopic examinations suggested toward the superiority of 6.5% plasticizer-loaded drug-polymer filaments in terms of mechanical prerequisites like feedability, extrudability and printability, as well as complete molecular homogenization.


Value-based methods constitute a fundamental methodology in planning and deep reinforcement learning (RL). In this paper, we propose to exploit the underlying structures of the state-action value function, i.e., Q function, for both planning and deep RL. In particular, if the underlying system dynamics lead to some global structures of the Q function, one should be capable of inferring the function better by leveraging such structures. Specifically, we investigate the low-rank structure, which widely exists for big data matrices. We verify empirically the existence of low-rank Q functions in the context of control and deep RL tasks. As our key contribution, by leveraging Matrix Estimation (ME) techniques, we propose a general framework to exploit the underlying low-rank structure in Q functions. This leads to a more efficient planning procedure for classical control, and additionally, a simple scheme that can be applied to any value-based RL techniques to consistently achieve better performance on "low-rank" tasks. Extensive experiments on control tasks and Atari games confirm the efficacy of our approach 1 .


A fuzzy min-max neural network based on data core (DCFMN) is proposed for pattern classification. A new membership function for classifying the neuron of DCFMN is defined in which the noise, the geometric center of the hyperbox, and the data core are considered. Instead of using the contraction process of the FMNN described by Simpson, a kind of overlapped neuron with new membership function based on the data core is proposed and added to neural network to represent the overlapping area of hyperboxes belonging to different classes. Furthermore, some algorithms of online learning and classification are presented according to the structure of DCFMN. DCFMN has strong robustness and high accuracy in classification taking onto account the effect of data core and noise. The performance of DCFMN is checked by some benchmark datasets and compared with some traditional fuzzy neural networks, such as the fuzzy min-max neural network (FMNN), the general FMNN, and the FMNN with compensatory neuron. Finally the pattern classification of a pipeline is evaluated using DCFMN and other classifiers. All the results indicate that the performance of DCFMN is excellent.


Most experienced head and neck surgeons recommend aggressive treatment-Including radical surgery—for patients with resectable Stage IV cancers. Yet, given the poor overall cure rate of 15% and the deformity and disability often associated with treatment, one of the most frequently asked questions at our conference on tumors was: Are we really helping these patients? We found little data in the relevant literature to answer this or other questions. Are there subgroups with a better outlook? What is the evidence for palliation in the 85% of patients who fail treatment and how is it best achieved? How do patients and their families view their treatment In retrospect? To find the answers, we studied the records of 76 consecutive patients (previously untreated) who presented with Stage IV carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract in 1981–82. We also interviewed surviving patients or family members and friends by phone. Overall mean survival was 15 months, with a 2-year disease-free survival rate of 16%. More to the point, resectable patients treated with curative intent had a mean survival of 19.4 months, and 12 of 42 patients (29%) were disease-free at 2 years. Patients with laryngeal cancer had the best survival results, and patients with sinus cancers had the worst (25.2 vs. 10.5 months). Those with N2A staging lived longer than other groups (24.1 vs. 12.1 months). T4 lesions portend a particularly poor prognosis; mean survival was just 7.5 months and only 1 of 28 patients (3.6%) was alive and disease-free at 2 years. Twenty-five percent of patients returned to normal function, but 75% had significant problems eating or speaking. Thirty-four interviews revealed that 44% of patients enjoyed life after treatment and that 55% (in retrospect) would accept treatment. Quality of life, as determined by our adjustment index, was better In patients who had undergone operation; radiation and/or chemotherapy—when offered for palliation—gave little benefit. We conclude that the results justify aggressive treatment in resectable Stage IV cancer of the head and neck—particularly in patients who do not have T4 primary tumors.


The first six years of the seventies have been a period of rapid developments in the field of rotating memory. Innovation has dominated the gamut of disk drive applications. For example, substantial inroads have been made by flexible disks into the low-entry-cost area where rotating memory was previously not competitive. Cartridge disk drives have gained dramatically in capacity and performance while prices have remained relatively steady. The announcement of the IBM 3340, Winchester, brought to the marketplace the concept of a pack with its own captive heads in order to obtain large capacity at modest cost by increased surface storage density. The IBM System 32 brought the concept of the "disk enclosure" which treats a substantial part of a disk system as a field replaceable component. Independent disk manufacturers have responded to the latter two IBM developments with their versions of modest-cost, high-capacity, replaceable media drives and with very low cost, fixed-disk systems.


The Endangered Australian sea lion Neophoca cinerea occurs in low numbers, exhibits low fecundity, extreme philopatry and substantial population genetic structure at the breeding colony level. These traits may increase susceptibility to population decline, with additional mortality as bycatch in shark gillnets being a possible threat. The Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP) was estab- lished, in part, to protect the small and remote Bunda Cliffs population from anthropogenic impacts such as commercial fishing. This study investigated the effectiveness of the GABMP in reducing spatial over- lap between Australian sea lions and gillnets and in preventing bycatch. An independent fishery ob- server program reported a mortality rate of 0.0206 individuals (ind.) km -1 of gillnet set within the GABMP, amounting to between 4 and 15 (confidence bounds of standard error of the estimate) ind. killed there during the most recent breeding cycle. A mortality rate of 0.0093 ind. km -1 of gillnet set was recorded across the broader GAB region, amounting to between 14 and 33 ind. killed each breeding cy- cle during recent times, and between 128 and 177 over the 10 yr since the GABMP was established in the mid-1990s. These reported bycatch levels are unlikely to be sustainable and may represent minimum estimates, because drowned individuals may drop out of the gillnet and go unobserved. A tracking pro- gram involving 9 females (5.6% of the estimated female population) demonstrated that they spent only 27.7% of their time inside the GABMP. Four of them regularly travelled more than 180 km from home, or 9 times further than the southern boundary of the GABMP. These results indicate that the level of pro- tection afforded by the GABMP to Australian sea lions residing at Bunda Cliffs is unlikely to reduce bycatch to below the levels that would reduce the risk of decline in this small population. Suggested improvements to the GABMP include a year-round closure to gillnetting, low bycatch limits and exten- sion of the southern boundary further south. Additional regulatory mechanisms may be needed in the gillnet fishery to minimise its impact on this and other small Australian sea lion populations.


In this paper feedforward controller is designed to eliminate nonlinear hysteresis behaviors of a piezoelectric stack actuator (PSA) driven system. The control design is based on inverse Prandtl-Ishlinskii (P-I) hysteresis model identified using particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique. Based on the identified P-I model, both the inverse P-I hysteresis model and feedforward controller can be determined. Experimental results obtained using the inverse P-I feedforward control are compared with their counterparts using hysteresis estimates obtained from the identified Bouc-Wen model. Effectiveness of the proposed feedforward control scheme is demonstrated. To further improve control performance feedback compensation using traditional PID scheme is adopted to integrate with the feedforward controller.


One of the few instruments to evaluate coping skills among patients with chronic illnesses is the Cuestionario de Afrontamiento al Estrés para Pacientes Oncológicos (CAEPO), created initially for cancer patients. We evaluate how well CAEPO applies to patients with non-cancer chronic illnesses. A total of 344 patients (115 with chronic hepatitis C, 120 with inflammatory bowel disease and 109 with recurrent vertigo) completed the CAEPO. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha provide only partial support for the seven factors suggested by the original CAEPO. A streamlined version with fewer dimensions and items may be a better solution for identifying coping strategies among these patients.


Since the global financial crisis and the related restructuring of banking systems, bank concentration is on the rise in many countries. Consequently, bank size and its role for macroeconomic volatility (or: stability) is the subject of intense debate. This paper analyzes the effects of financial regulations on the link between bank size, as measured by the volume of the loan portfolio, and volatility. Using bank-level data for 1999 to 2014, we estimate a power law that relates bank size to the volatility of loan growth. The effect of regulation on the power law coefficient indicates whether regulation weakens or strengthens the size-volatility nexus. Our analysis reveals that more stringent capital regulation and the introduction of bank levies weaken the size-volatility nexus; in countries with more stringent capital regulation or levies in place, large banks show, ceteris paribus, lower loan portfolio volatility. Moreover, we find weak evidence that diversification guidelines weaken the link between size and volatility.


Abstract Myofibroblastic sarcoma (MS) is a malignant tumor of soft tissue or bone that can occur in children or adults, with a high rate of recurrence and metastasis. We report a case of low-grade malignant MS of the left shoulder, diagnosed based on pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining. However, the patient had unexplained pleural maculopathy. The patient passed away 6 months after the diagnosis of myofibroblast sarcoma due to multiple metastases throughout the sarcoma. Combined with the patient's history, ancillary findings, and after MDT discussion, the patient was ultimately considered to have a high probability of myofibroblast sarcoma combined with pleural maculopathy. In conclusion, when a patient is diagnosed with myofibroblast sarcoma in combination with pleural macula, in the absence of other causative factors, a deep tissue biopsy of the pleura should be actively performed to confirm the diagnosis.


Sir.—The recent report by Schwarz et al1regarding prolonged elevation of presumed hepatic enzyme levels in children with unsuspected myopathy cannot be overemphasized. We recently had a similar experience. Patient Report.—A 4-year-old, right-handed boy was referred to the Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, for evaluation of progressive muscle weakness. Neurologic examination disclosed mild proximal muscle weakness with preserved deep tendon reflexes. Gowers' sign was present. Pseudohypertrophy of calf muscles was noted. His creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) level was 15,000 IU/L. Muscle biopsy results demonstrated myopathic features consistent with Duchenne type muscular dystrophy (DMD). On admission an extensive family history was taken. He had two 3-year-old siblings—monozygotic twin brothers who had "mild chronic hepatitis." Further history disclosed that they were born eight weeks premature. They did well until about 6 months of life when they were hospitalized with enteritis and dehydration. Screening chemistry tests had revealed elevations of


Article history: Received August 28, 2015 Received in revised format November 28, 2015 Accepted December 6, 2015 Available online December 10, 2015 This research paper is aimed to present a fuzzy Hybrid Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methodology for selecting employees. The present study aspires to present the hybrid approach of Fuzzy multiple MCDM techniques with tactical viewpoint to support the recruitment process of wind turbine service technicians. The methodology is based on the application of Fuzzy ARAS (Additive Ratio Assessment) and Fuzzy MOORA (Multi-Objective Optimization on basis of Ratio Analysis) which are integrated through group decision making (GDM) method in the model for selection of wind turbine service technicians' ranking. Here a group of experts from different fields of expertise are engaged to finalize the decision. Series of tests are conducted regarding physical fitness, technical written test, practical test along with general interview and medical examination to facilitate the final selection using the above techniques. In contrast to single decision making approaches, the proposed group decision making model efficiently supports the wind turbine service technicians ranking process. The effectiveness of the proposed approach manifest from the case study of service technicians required for the maintenance department of wind power plant using Fuzzy ARAS and Fuzzy MOORA. This set of potential technicians is evaluated based on five main criteria. © 2016 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


INVESTIGATING PREDICTORS OF PREFERENCES FOR DELIBERATIVE QUALITIES OF POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS USING THE ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS David L. Brinker, Jr. Marquette University, 2012 This thesis presents a conceptual and methodological approach to researching preferences for political conversation. The thesis contends that although real-world political discussion is not deliberative, insofar as it fails to satisfy the rigorous requirements deliberative theorists have laid out, the lack of empirical evidence is not cause to reject deliberation as a viable political theory. To connect the theoretical and empirical, this thesis presents a "quasideliberation" framework. Quasi-deliberation, for the purpose of this thesis, is the state of political discourse shaped by the choices made when ideal deliberative qualities conflict in the real world. Quasi-deliberation suggests that the differences between the real world and the theoretical are described by preferences regarding different qualities of political conversation. These qualities, drawn from the deliberation literature (Moy & Gastil, 2006) are "dominance during political conversation," "clarity" of opinion expression, use of "reason, logic, and evidence," and "understanding of other conversants' views" (p. 448). The thesis tests the exploratory supposition that these choices are predictable outcomes of antecedent political characteristics of respondents, using a nationwide online survey instrument distributed to the non-random membership of a website. The characteristics measured in this thesis are culturally-informed worldview (Kahan, Slovic, Braman, & Gastil, 2006), attributes of personal discursive networks (Moy & Gastil, 2006), and political information efficacy (Kaid, McKinney, & Tedesco, 2007). These three sets of measures are used as independent variables to describe the unique, discursively relevant characteristics of the respondent. Each is then tested as a predictor of the relative priorities ascribed to each deliberative quality. Saaty's (1980) Analytic Hierarchy Process is used to create the dependent priority ranking variables. Respondents provide a preference for each quality vis-a-vis each other, producing a preference matrix, from which a single priority vector is derived. The analysis shows that cultural cognition (worldview) and political information efficacy have some explanatory power over the variance in the priority rankings for some of the characteristics.


[1] Lidar observations of polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) were made at Rothera, Antarctica, from December 2002 to March 2005. Overall, 128 hours of PMC were detected among the 459 hours of observations, giving a mean occurrence frequency of 27.9%. The mean PMC centroid altitude is 84.12 ± 0.12 km, the mean PMC total backscatter coefficient is 2.34 ± 0.11 × 10−6 sr−1, and the mean layer RMS width is 0.93 ± 0.03 km. The distribution of PMC centroid altitudes over all observations is symmetric (nearly Gaussian), with the most probable altitude (∼84 km) near the center of the distribution. The distribution of PMC brightness is non-Gaussian and is dominated by weak PMC. The observed PMC altitudes at Rothera support the earlier lidar findings that Southern Hemispheric PMC are on average 1 km higher than corresponding Northern Hemispheric PMC, and higher PMC occur at higher latitudes. Significant interannual and diurnal variations are observed in PMC centroid altitude and brightness. Mean PMC altitude varies more than 1 km from one year to another. In addition, 24-hour, 12-hour, and 8-hour oscillations are clearly shown in PMC centroid altitude and brightness. The altitude distribution of PMC brightness peaks at a nearly constant altitude of 84 km, with weaker PMC found on either side of this altitude. The mean PMC altitudes averaged in brightness bins are anticorrelated with the PMC brightness, where weaker PMC occur at higher altitude and the PMC altitudes are proportional to the logarithm of the PMC brightness.


Corrosion in pipeline walls can lead to severe loss of material to a point which will cause complete loss of pipeline integrity. The contemporary approach of corrosion prevention is to use internal lining system to isolate the corrosive medium from the inner surface of the host pipe. The objective of this study is to assess the burst pressure of pipelines with internal corrosion defects. The mechanical response of carbon steel API X42, X52, and X70 pipe grades are empirically estimated and implemented in a finite element model. The geometry of an internal corrosion defect is defined through its depth, width, and length, and a parametric study is undertaken to investigate the influence of the corrosion defect parameters to the overall burst pressure of the pipe. Based on the results from the parametric study, the Buckingham π-theorem is used to derive an analytical closed-form expression to predict the burst pressure of internally corroded pipes, which is found to agree markedly well with the experimental results.


To determine the relationship between outcome and histologic type, the authors examined data from 168 cases of hepatoblastoma (HB) and 28 cases of hepatocarcinoma (HC) accrued from children over a 14‐year period. After adjustment for stage of disease, there was no significant difference in median survival between HB and HC. Mitotic activity was associated with poor prognosis. Necrosis or vascular invasion did not influence prognosis. In 55 cases of completely resected HB, pure fetal histologic type (PFH) was associated with improved survival when compared with all other histologic patterns of HB (92% versus 57% 24 months' survival; P = 0.02). A prognostic effect of PFH was not demonstrable in incompletely resected HB, but the absence of mitoses and the presence of differentiated mesenchymal elements improved survival. The fibrolamellar pattern of HC demonstrated survival similar to that of the typical pattern of HC. The authors conclude that features consistent with differentiation in HB convey improved prognosis for survival. These observations may be important in designing future therapy for children with hepatic tumors.


This book will explore the impact of politics on the work of the researcher and evaluator. The introductory chapter provides an overview for the book commencing with an examination of definitions of key terminology and clarification of constructs. It then proceeds to discuss the ways in which politics may impinge upon research and evaluation work and leads the reader through the themes and issues developed in proceeding chapters that explore the impact of politics on the work of the researcher and evaluator in a the context of research internationally. When researchers and evaluators encounter political influence during the conduct of their work, it can create a source of tension for them. Political influence may be felt during the design stage in formulating questions and methodology, during the conduct of the research or evaluation, and during the concluding stages when reports are written and recommendations proposed. Researchers and evaluators are trained through study and practice to seek independent and ethical approaches to their work, so the intrusion of politics may pose problems. Many would argue that research and evaluation is inherently political; that research and evaluation processes involve politics at micro and institutional levels, in multiple ways, and at multiple points. This is because it engages complex social relations about rules and resources between various interest groups, all of whom have vested interests in the outcomes. These issues are global and this chapter reflects on commonalities arising internationally and compares positions and experiences of contributing authors from Europe, America and Asia, including Australia.


Ambition as the desire for personal achievement is an important driver of behavior. Using laboratory experiments, we study the role of social influence on ambition in two distinct domains of achievement, namely performance goals and task complexity. In the first case, participants set themselves a performance goal for a task they have to work on. The goal is associated with a proportional bonus that is added to a piece rate if the goal is reached. In the second case, they choose the complexity of the task, which is positively associated with the piece rate compensation and effort. In both cases we test whether observing peer choices influences own choices. We find strong evidence of peer effects on performance goals. In contrast, we find no support for peer effects on the choice of task complexity.


Three unrelated, Caucasian patients with a disorder resembling infantile genetic agranulocytosis have been studied. There was no history of consanguinity. Parents and siblings were normal. Onset occurred before 3 weeks of age and persisted throughout life. All had severe neutropenia, myeloid arrest pattern of the bone marrow, eosinophilia, monocytosis and hyperglobulinemia. Other congenital anomalies were not present. Their clinical courses were characterized by recurrent, severe bacterial infections particularly of the skin, mouth and lungs but without bacteremia. The infections responded to, but were not prevented by antibiotics, which were administered almost continuously. Fungal infections did not occur and viral infections were not severe. Splenectomy and corticosteroids were without apparent benefit. Relative, though transient, neutrophilia occurred during a few episodes of infection. Chromosome analysis was normal in two of the patients. In one, maturation of neutrophilic leukocytes was not observed in cultures of bone marrow to which normal serum or cysteine was added. One boy is living at 14 10/12 years of age, and one died at 13¾ years of disseminated infection. A unique occurrence was the development of terminal acute leukemia (monocytic) in the third patient, a girl at the age of 14¼ years.


Rectal cancer surgery (RCS) practice has shown substantial changes after the introduction of minimally invasive techniques which provided shorter length of hospital stay and reduced morbidity rates compared to open surgery. Challenges about minimally invasive approach in rectal surgery settings are magnified when the rigid nature of the laparoscopic instruments intervene with the precise dissection, especially in the confined spaces such as pelvis. Robotic surgery, is a novel technique addressing the restrictions of the laparoscopic surgery by utilizing endo-wristed equipment, three-dimensional visualization, stable retraction and better ergonomics for the surgeon. Up-to-date, robotic surgery has reached 849,000 operations worldwide within multiple disciplines, including urology, gynecology and cardiothoracic surgery. Coherently, rectal surgery has been benefiting the ample opportunities that robotic system offers, yet, unavailability of the platform in every medical center, prolonged operative time and the increased economic burden of the surgery pose obstacles for the employment of the robotics globally. Debates keep climbing toward whether the purported advantages of the robotic system will actually translate into clinical effectiveness over conventional laparoscopy. This review article discusses the current role of robotic approach in RCS and future directions of the robotic RCS.


A new species is added to the monotypic African genus Djinga. Djinga cheekii Ghogue, Huber & Rutish. (Podostemaceae) is described as a new species from Cameroon (Littoral Province) and its morphological affi nities and conservation status are assessed. Th e main distinguishing characters are: stamens 2 (not 1 as in D. felicis ), fl ower buds inside spathella strongly inclined (not only slightly inclined as in D. felicis ), and stems lacking or only up to 6 mm long (not up to 6 cm as in D. felicis ). A molecular analysis revealed that D. cheekii is sister to D. felicis , and both together are sister to Ledermanniella linearifolia and L. pusilla which show completely inverted fl ower buds inside the spathella, as typical for the large and still artifi cial genus Ledermanniella.


Episodic memory is the memory of personally lived events located in time and space, it shapes our identity and allows us to project ourselves into the past and the future. This form of memory is vulnerable to the effects of age and its alteration, hindering the autonomy of the subjects, can predict the evolution towards neurodegenerative disorders. Hence, a better understanding of this type of memory is a priority in the field of public health. Actually, traditional neuropsychological tools are often decontextualized, using simplistic situations that did not require the mobilization of all the characteristics of episodic memory, thus they just offer a partial measure of this complex mnemonic capacity. Nowadays, the virtual reality (VR) is a tool allowing the immersion of subjects in simulations of real situations, rich in spatial and temporal naturalistic contexts. Due to its many characteristics, the VR allows to solve several limitations of the traditional tests. The purpose of this review is to expose studies that investigated episodic memory in normal and Alzheimer's disease using VR in order to address its relevance as a new tool in the future practice of neuropsychology of aging.