The influence of soil volume on root development and canopy growth rates of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) was studied at Palermo University, Italy, in 2014-2016. In November 2014, 60 1-year-old O. ficus-indica cladodes were planted in pots containing five different soil volumes, 50, 33, 18, 9 or 5 L, in a complete randomized design with three replications. Root dry mass, total number of cladodes and canopy dry mass were measured after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The results revealed a significant effect of soil volume and sampling time and their interaction (P<0.01) on root dry mass, total number of cladodes and canopy dry mass. Root dry mass ranged between 23 and 206 g, with the highest value for plants grown in 50 L soil volume, sampled after 24 months of planting. The highest number of cladodes was produced by the plants raised in the highest soil volume (50 L) after 24 months of planting and the lowest number was in the lowest soil volume (5 L). A linear increase in canopy dry mass was observed with respect to increased soil volume. Increased soil volume had a significant and positive effect on the roots:canopy dry mass ratio. It is concluded that the restriction of soil availability in O. ficus-indica resulted in major growth limitation for root and canopy.


Abstract. With the advent of spaceborne spectroradiometers in a geostationary constellation, measuring high spectral resolution ultraviolet–visible (UV-VIS) and selected near-/shortwave-infrared
(NIR/SWIR) radiances can enable the probing of the life cycle of key atmospheric trace gases and aerosols at higher temporal resolutions over the globe. The UV-VIS measurements are important for retrieving several key trace gases (e.g., O3, SO2, NO2, and HCHO) and particularly for deriving aerosol characteristics (e.g., aerosol absorption and vertical profile). This study examines the merit of simultaneous retrievals of trace gases and aerosols using a ground-based spectroradiometer covering the UV-NIR to monitor their physicochemical processes and to obtain reliable aerosol information for various applications. During the 2019 pre-monsoon season over northern Thailand, we deployed a ground-based SMART–s (Spectral
Measurements for Atmospheric Radiative Transfer–spectroradiometer) instrument, which is an extended-range Pandora with reliable radiometric
calibration in the 330–820 nm range, to retrieve remotely sensed chemical and aerosol properties for the first time near biomass burning sources. The high spectral resolution (∼ 1.0 nm full width half maximum with
∼ 3.7 × oversampling) of sun and sky measurements from
SMART–s provides several key trace gases (e.g., O3, NO2, and H2O) and aerosol properties covering the UV where significant
light absorption occurs by the carbonaceous particles. During the
measurement period, highly correlated total column amounts of NO2 and
aerosol optical thickness (τaer) retrieved from SMART–s (correlation coefficient, R=0.74) indicated their common emissions from
biomass burning events. The SMART–s retrievals of the spectral single scattering albedo (ω0) of smoke aerosols showed an abrupt decrease in the UV, which is an important parameter dictating photochemical processes in the atmosphere. The values of ω0 and column precipitable water vapor (H2O) gradually increase with the mixing of biomass burning smoke particles and higher water vapor concentrations when approaching the monsoon season. The retrieved ω0 and weighted mean radius of fine-mode aerosols from SMART–s showed positive correlations with the H2O (R=0.81 for ω0 at 330 nm and 0.56 for the volume-weighted mean radius), whereas the real part of the refractive index of fine-mode aerosol (nf) showed negative correlations (R=-0.61 at 330 nm), which suggest that aerosol aging processes including hygroscopic growth (e.g., humidification and cloud processing) can be a major factor affecting the temporal trends of aerosol optical properties. Retrieved nf and ω0 were closer to those of the water droplet (i.e., nf of about 1.33 and ω0 of about 1.0) under lower amounts of NO2 during the measurement period; considering that the NO2 amounts in the smoke may indicate the aging of the plume after emission due to its short lifetime, the tendency is also consistent with active hygroscopic processes of the aerosols over this area. Retrieved UV aerosol properties from SMART–s generally support the assumed smoke aerosol models (i.e., the spectral shape of aerosol absorption) used in NASA's current
satellite algorithms, and their spectral ω0 retrievals from
ground and satellites showed good agreements (R = 0.73–0.79). However, temporal and spectral variabilities in the aerosol absorption properties in the UV emphasize the importance of a realistic optical model of aerosols for further improvements in satellite retrievals.


We modelled how stress affects the population dynamics of infectious disease. We were specifically concerned with stress that increased susceptibility of uninfected hosts when exposed to infection. If such stresses also reduced resources, fecundity and/or survivorship, there was a reduction in the host carrying capacity. This lowered the contact between infected and uninfected hosts, thereby decreasing transmission. In addition, stress that increased parasite mortality decreased disease. The opposing effects of stress on disease dynamics made it difficult to predict the response of disease to environmental stress. We found analytical solutions with negative, positive, convex and concave associations between disease and stress. Numerical simulations with randomly generated parameter values suggested that the impact of host-specific diseases generally declined with stress while the impact of non-specific (or open) diseases increased with stress. These results help clarify predictions about the interaction between environmental stress and disease in natural populations.


We present multi-wavelength observations of an M-class flare (M3.9) that occurred on 2014 June 11. Our observations were conducted with the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST), employing adaptive optics, the multi-camera system Rapid Oscillations in Solar Atmosphere (ROSA), the new Hydrogen-Alpha Rapid Dynamics camera (HARDcam) in various wavelengths, such as Ca II K, Mg I b2 (at 5172.7 Å), and Hα narrow band and G-band continuum filters. Images were re-constructed using the Kiepenheuer-Institut Speckle Interferometry Package (KISIP) code, to improve our image resolution. We observed intensity increases of ≈120%–150% in the Mg, Ca K and Hα narrow band filters during the flare. Intensity increases for the flare observed in the SDO EUV channels were several times larger, and the X-rays, as recorded by GOES, increased over a factor of 30 for the harder band. Only a modest delay was found between the onset of flare ribbons of a nearby sympathetic flare and the main flare ribbons observed in these narrow band filters. The peak flare emission occurred within a few seconds for the Ca K, Mg and Hα bands. Time-distance techniques indicate propagation velocities of ≈60 km s−1 for the main flare ribbon and as high as 300 km s−1 for smaller regions, which we attribute to filament eruptions. This result and delays and velocities observed with SDO (≈100 km s−1) for different coronal heights agree well with the simple model of energy propagation versus height, although a more detailed model for the flaring solar atmosphere is needed. Finally, we detected marginal quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in the 40–60 s range for the Ca K, Mg and Hα bands, and such measurements are important for disentangling the detailed flare-physics.


The fact that a large penis is important for giving women sexual pleasure is a dominant discourse—even though it must never be spoken—in Western cultures. And this is an interesting fact, for many reasons. It is interesting for making us think about how discourses work, and how we may know them to be dominant. It suggests that a discourse that is almost never spoken publicly may still be a dominant one. It suggests that there is at least one dominant discourse in Western culture that is in the hands of women, and that can be extremely powerful against men when used correctly. And it suggests—to me, at least—that in cultural studies we should pay more attention to the discursive resources in the cultures that surround us, and the ways in which they might be used, rather than insistently looking only to academic writing for ways to progress particular political ends.


The thermal history of the central part of the Paris basin is reconstructed using C 31 hopane S/R isomerisation ratios and organic matter transformation ratios measured on Lower Toarcian and Callovo-Oxfordian samples. Maximum burial palaeotemperatures range between 90 and 115 °C for the Toarcian shales, and between 75 and 95 °C for the Callovo-Oxfordian samples, from the East to the centre of the basin, respectively. The amount of Late Cretaceous erosion was evaluated to be between ca. 400 to 600 m in the eastern part of the studied area and 100 to 300 m in the centre of the basin. Résumé


This workshop challenges the traditional design of presentation slides. Consisting of a phrase headline supported by a bullet list, the traditional design often appears in classroom and research presentations. In place of the traditional design, this workshop calls for a new design that consists of a succinct sentence headline supported by visual evidence. A pilot study has revealed that students understand and remember significantly more when the instructor relies on this new design as opposed to the traditional design. Using a template that follows the new design, workshop participants create a small set of teaching or research slides. Following that in the workshop is a peer-critique of these slides. In the past three years, this workshop has been well received at several distinguished agencies and institutions: the Environmental Protection Agency, Los Alamos National Laboratory, United Technologies, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Oslo, and Virginia Tech


The anti-diarrhoeal and gastro-intestinal protective potentials of aqueous extract of leaves of Phyllanthus amarus were investigated in mice. Graded doses of the aqueous extract (100-800 mg/kg) administered orally produced a dose-related inhibition of gut meal travel distance in normal mice. The highest intestinal transit inhibition of 31.65% was obtained with 400 mg/kg. In castor oil induced diarrhoea in mice, P. amarus extract (400 mg/kg) delayed the onset of diarrhoea, reduced frequency of defecation and reduced gut meal travel distance significantly resulting in intestinal transit inhibition of 79.94% compared to 86.92% produced by morphine (100 mg/kg). In addition, the activities of some intestinal mucosa enzymes (maltase, sucrase, lactase and alkaline phosphatase) in mice pretreated with extract before castor oil were not as severely depressed as those in the control (castor oil treated mice). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of many secondary metabolites. The results are discussed with a view to establishing the basis of the use of this plant in traditional medicine for treatment of diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal disorders.


Adult urodele amphibians are able to regenerate their limbs through the formation of a blastema, a growth zone of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells that arises locally at the plane of amputation. In an effort to define genes involved in pattern formation by the blastema, we isolated from a newt forelimb blastema library cDNA clones that identify a homeobox gene termed NvHbox 2. The amino acid sequence of the homeodomain is identical to that of the recently identified human HOX-4f gene (Acampora et al. 1989) and of the mouse Hox-5.5 (Dolle et al. 1989). NvHbox 2 is expressed in the limb blastema as a transcript of 3.4 kb that is not detectable in the normal limb. Analysis by RNAase protection demonstrates expression in limb and tail blastemas, but not in any of the adult tissues or organs tested. In the limb blastema NvHbox 2 was expressed in mesenchymal but not epithelial tissue. When matched and normalised samples of RNA from proximal (mid-humerus) and distal forelimb (mid-radius) blastemas were compared, the level of expression of NvHbox 2 was found to be 3- to 5-fold higher proximally. At two time points after injection of a proximalising dose of retinoic acid, the level of expression in a distal blastema was not increased in comparison to controls.


Recently, it has been observed that embedded cores in a high-speed SoC circuit have the problem of broken scan chains that cannot shift properly. Also, scan chain intermittent faults caused by hold-time violations and crosstalk noises are pervasive. In this research, an efficient method is proposed to identify the faulty scan chain(s) at the core level. That is, the core where the scan chain is defective can be identified, even if the scan chain is broken. The result can be used to tune up the fabrication process or to guide the fine-grained scan cell identification process. Here, weight-based m-out-of-n codes, which can generate a large number of codewords, with small hardware overhead and high fault detection capability are used to generate the scan chain diagnostic patterns for permanent (and possibly intermittent) faults. An efficient codeword generation method is proposed to maximize the number of codewords, minimize the aliasing probabilities and test application cost. The idea of multiple m-out-of-n codes is also proposed to guarantee that sufficient number of codewords are generated to perturb the scan chains and the associated combinational circuits. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.


This paper describes an artificial chemistry featuring atoms and molecules moving and colliding in a continuous manner in a viscous fluid filling a 2D cellular space. Chemical reactions are mappings of discrete cellular configurations to parameterized actions on atoms. Actions allow atom creation and destruction, bonding and unbonding to make and break molecules, orientation, type change, and propulsion. Actions are easily added in this extensible model. An example involving a complex "foraging" reaction is provided as a demonstration of the capabilities of the framework. The reaction rules can be evolved by a genetic algorithm to exhibit a desired set of reactions. A portion of the foraging reaction was evolved to demonstrate this.


mRNA hybridizing to probes for glutathione S-transferase (GST) subunits 1 and 2 (probe pGSTr 155) and subunit 7 (probe pGSTr 7) has been measured by Northern blot analysis in adult rat hepatocytes both in conventional monoculture and in co-culture with epithelial cells. In addition, several media conditions were used, namely with and without fetal calf serum (FCS) and with and without nicotinamide or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In monoculture, mRNA coding for subunits 1 and 2 was extensively reduced in the presence of FCS. In the absence of FCS, after an initial decrease, an increase of subunits 1 and 2 mRNA was noticed on day 6. When nicotinamide or DMSO was added to the medium, the GST subunits 1 and 2 mRNA level increased during the culture period. In co-culture, an initial reduction in levels of mRNA encoding subunits 1 and 2 was less marked and the values measured increased with co-culture time. Nicotinamide tended to reduce these mRNA levels, whereas DMSO increased them. In contrast, in conventional culture, mRNA encoding subunit 7 was expressed de novo and this induction was prevented by DMSO but not by nicotinamide. Similar results were obtained with co-culture.


Urban expansion and its environmental and safety effects are one of the critical information needed for future development planning, safety considerations and environmental management. This work used two methods to monitor urban expansion and it's environmental and safety effects, the first is based on Google Maps for the years 2002 and 2010, and the second was the usage of spatial videos for the year 2013. Although the usage of satellite images is critical to know and investigate the general situation and the total effects of the expansion on a large piece of area, but the Spatial videos do a very detailed fine scale investigation, site conditions regarding both environmental and safety cannot be easily distinguished from satellite images .Another advantage of spatial videos is new houses can be recognized and separated visually even if they are attached or derived from one house. This article shows that the working conditions for the workers do not comply with the standards especially their health and safety procedures.
Also the municipality services are at the lowest level because of all the debris left in the street , lack of regulation and law enforcement that protect the health of neighborhood residents.


Background—Although men hospitalized with cardiovascular disease (CVD) show high smoking-cessation rates, similar data for women are lacking. We tested the efficacy of smoking-cessation intervention in women hospitalized for CVD. Methods and Results—In this randomized controlled trial conducted from 1996 to 2001, 277 women diagnosed with CVD (mean age 61±10 years) were randomly assigned within 1 of 12 San Francisco Bay Area hospitals to a usual-care group (UG; n=135) or intervention group (IG; n=142). Baseline histories were obtained, and interviews to ascertain self-reported smoking status occurred at 6, 12, 24, and 30 months after hospitalization. The UG received strong physician's advice, a self-help pamphlet, and a list of community resources. The IG received strong physician's advice and a nurse-managed cognitive behavioral relapse-prevention intervention at bedside, with telephone contact at intervals after discharge. The groups were similar demographically and had smoked cigarettes for a median of 38 (IG) or 40 (UG) years. Time to resumption of continuous smoking was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and risk differences between groups were determined. Time smoke-free was significantly greater for the IG than the UG (P =0.038). Point prevalence for nonsmoking at the interviews was somewhat greater for the IG than the UG (P >0.15 at all times). Conclusions—Cognitive behavioral intervention resulted in longer average times to resumption of smoking, but in these 2 groups of older women with limited social and financial resources, long-term success rates were similar. Systematic identification of smokers and even the brief intervention afforded the UG yielded a high smoking-cessation rate over time.


Miracidia of Schistosoma mansoni have been grown axenically. The use of saline solution of 0.75% facilitated the shedding of epidermal plates which if occurred promote a rapid sporocystogenesis. Also, the use of a ratio of 1:3 (fetal calf serum and medium 199) in addition to chernin balanced salt solution (SBSS) was ideal for maintaining sporocysts up to 14 days. All the miracidia sheded their epidermal plates 2 hours post cultivation. At the end of the second week post cultivation, the daughter sporocysts measured 690u in length by 50u in width. The usage of plastic flat sided flasks with plenty of culture medium was very important for induction a proper growth of sporocysts because it was possible that adherence of sporocysts to each other might delay their growth.


Paul Chan's speech, first delivered on the occasion of Engage More Now! A Symposium on Artists, Museums, and Publics at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles (November 2015), proposes that artistic experiences be understood as forms that vividly emblematizes the relationship between cunning and reasoning. It considers the ways in which this relationship echoes within the broadest arenas of social life and how such an outlook could upend what have become standard and increasingly tedious debates about aesthetics, politics, and social engagement in art. Chan also delivers a brief attack against the xenophobic and racist 2016 G.O.P presidential candidates, in particular Donald Trump.


Abstract—In this paper, the dynamic characteristics of a threelobe journal bearing lubricated with micropolar fluids are determined by the linear stability theory. Lubricating oil containing additives and contaminants is modelled as micropolar fluid. The modified Reynolds equation is obtained using the micropolar lubrication theory .The finite difference technique has been used to determine the solution of the modified Reynolds equation. The dynamic characteristics in terms of stiffness, damping coefficients, the critical mass and whirl ratio are determined for various values of size of material characteristic length and the coupling number. The computed results show that the three-lobe bearing lubricated with micropolar fluid exhibits better stability compared with that lubricated with Newtonian fluid. According to the results obtained, the effect of the parameter micropolar fluid is remarkable on the dynamic characteristics and stability of the three-lobe bearing.


This paper investigates the success factors for implementing electronic data interchange (EDI). Previous research has highlighted the fact that these success factors are broader than just the technological issues associated with a new system. The importance of nontechnological issues during the implementation of EDI was investigated and verified by this study. At the initial stage of implementing EDI the technological and nontechnological factors are of equal importance. However, because technological issues are more easily controlled and thus managed, the issues that require the most management effort are nontechnological. This study shows that the key nontechnological success factors, in order of importance, are planning, top management commitment, the management of trading partner relationships, the degree of structural integration achieved, education and training, and staffing the implementation team.


Mutations in the cytosine‐5 RNA methyltransferase NSun2 cause microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities in mice and human. How post‐transcriptional methylation contributes to the human disease is currently unknown. By comparing gene expression data with global cytosine‐5 RNA methylomes in patient fibroblasts and NSun2‐deficient mice, we find that loss of cytosine‐5 RNA methylation increases the angiogenin‐mediated endonucleolytic cleavage of transfer RNAs (tRNA) leading to an accumulation of 5′ tRNA‐derived small RNA fragments. Accumulation of 5′ tRNA fragments in the absence of NSun2 reduces protein translation rates and activates stress pathways leading to reduced cell size and increased apoptosis of cortical, hippocampal and striatal neurons. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that angiogenin binds with higher affinity to tRNAs lacking site‐specific NSun2‐mediated methylation and that the presence of 5′ tRNA fragments is sufficient and required to trigger cellular stress responses. Furthermore, the enhanced sensitivity of NSun2‐deficient brains to oxidative stress can be rescued through inhibition of angiogenin during embryogenesis. In conclusion, failure in NSun2‐mediated tRNA methylation contributes to human diseases via stress‐induced RNA cleavage.


The 16S rRNA gene has been widely used as a marker of gut bacterial diversity and phylogeny, yet we do not know the model of evolution that best explains the differences in its nucleotide composition within and among taxa. Over 46 000 good-quality near-full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences from five bacterial phyla were obtained from the ribosomal database project (RDP) by study and, when possible, by within-study characteristics (e.g. anatomical region). Using alignments (RDPX and MUSCLE) of unique sequences, the FINDMODEL tool available at http://www.hiv.lanl.gov/ was utilized to find the model of character evolution (28 models were available) that best describes the input sequence data, based on the Akaike information criterion. The results showed variable levels of agreement (from 33% to 100%) in the chosen models between the RDP-based and the MUSCLE-based alignments among the taxa. Moreover, subgroups of sequences (using either alignment method) from the same study were often explained by different models. Nonetheless, the different representatives of the gut microbiota were explained by different proportions of the available models. This is the first report using evolutionary models to explain the process of nucleotide substitution in gut bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences.


The visual inspection system was developed for defects detection on leather surfaces, which is an important component of automatic CAD/CAM cutting systems. The main functions of the system are quality control and raw material cutting. An efficient algorithm, which combines multiresolution approach, energy and entropy matrices, is presented for detection of defects embedded in leather surface images. A wavelet band selection procedure was developed to automatically determine the number of resolution levels and decompose subimages for the best discrimination of defects and removals of repetitive texture patterns in the image. An adaptive binary thresholding is then used to separate the defective regions from the uniform gray-level background in the restored image. The proposed methodology is able to efficiently detect several types of defects that current approaches cannot detect, and is fast enough to be used for real-time leather inspection.


The reputation and supposed significance of the Parisian districts of 1789–1790, formed to elect delegates to the Estates-General, and transformed by revolution into organs of local democratic power, suffered a classic rise and fall in the latter half of the twentieth century. Considered not even worthy of an index entry in George Rude's classic 1959 study of Parisian popular protest, they were passed over for reasons of strict chronology by Albert Soboul's simultaneously researched account of the ''popularmovement'' of the sansculottes. As Soboul rose to dominance, however, historians sought to extend his model of the essential merits of the local Parisian activists back in time, and the late 1970s and early 1980s saw a series of publications that took the districts as their explicit focus, placing them in a narrative of ever-present, but accelerating, virtuous radicalism. For Maurice Genty, the districts were the first step in a revolutionary apprenticeship in democracy, while for R. B. Rose, they were the start of a movement that led directly to the ''making'' of the sansculottes—in their soboulien idealized sense.


The synthesis and characterisation of two new series of liquid crystal tetramers in which four mesogenic groups are linked via three alkyl spacers is reported. In each series the length of the outer two spacers, n, is varied between 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 11 methylene units while the central spacer length, m, is either 5 or 6 methylene units. The outer two mesogenic groups are cholesteryl-based, Chol, while the inner two are Schiff's bases, SB. The tetramers are referred to by the acronym Chol-n-SB-m-SB-n-Chol. All twelve tetramers exhibit an enantiotropic chiral nematic phase. The chiral nematic-isotropic transition temperatures and associated entropy changes depend critically on the combination of spacers in the tetramer and this is interpreted in terms of average molecular shapes. The tetramers with m = 5 and n = 5, 7, and m = 6 and n = 3, 4, 5, 7, show a monolayer chiral smectic C* phase, the driving force for which may be the mismatch in the cross-sectional areas of the differing mesogenic groups. The tetramers with m=6 and n = 10, 11 show a quadruply intercalated smectic A phase characterised by a smectic periodicity to estimated molecular length ratio of just 0.23. The driving force for the formation of this phase is thought to be specific electrostatic interactions between the unlike mesogenic units while the formation of the phase is strongly dependent on the length and parity of the spacers due to packing constraints. On cooling, a new phase transition is seen, possibly driven by conformational changes in the outer flexible spacers, for both these tetramers from the intercalated smectic A phase to an intercalated alternating chiral smectic C* phase in which the layers consist of either the mixed mesogenic groups or solely the cholesteryl-based moieties.


Analysis of
the most recent 10-year periods (2002 to 2011) of MODIS hotspots data (fires)
and precipitation in Palangkaraya and Pontianak
was carried out to identify seasonal and spatial fire occurrence in Kalimantan
under El Nino conditions, and to asses future forest condition in Kalimantan. Most data was tallied every 10-day to analyze
seasonal and spatial fire occurrence. Seasonal and spatial analysis results for
severe fire years, namely 2006 and 2009, under El Nino conditions were as
follows: the severest fire incidents for whole Kalimantan occurred in October
in 2006 under the driest conditions in both Palangkaraya and Pontianak. The severest
fires for the Mega Rice Project (MRP) area and its vicinity occurred in late
September in 2009 under the driest conditions for Palangkaraya. Fire activities
in the last 10-year in south Central Kalimantan were severe than other areas in
Kalimantan. This may be explained by different
dry conditions of peat. Namely, the peat in the southern part of Central
Kalimantan could become dryer under the relatively longer dry season (about
3-month) compared with other areas (dry season in West
 Kalimantan is only 2/3-month). One of spatial analysis results
clearly showed a so-called a fire belt shape arising from severe fires that
occurred mainly on the southern coastal peatlands from West to Central Kalimantan in mid October in 2006.


Angioedema is a rare disease with autosomal dominant is largely complement system. This disease is characterized by non-itchy mucocutaneous and non-pitting edema. In some cases, this disease appears as a result of Captopril intake which is orally and sublingually used in the treatment of severe hypertension. In this study, angioedema as a rare complication of Captopril sublingual intake was investigated in a 49-years-old patient. In several hours after taking Captopril, patient showed the Angioedema signs. Due to severe edema of tongue, lips and larynx, quick tracheostomy was performed and patient was hospitalized in intensive care unit. Having started the treatment measures and hospitalization, the patient discharged with good general condition.


Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is a measurement technique which is well adapted to the study of the structure of turbulent flows, as it allows us to obtain quantitative information on the spatial structure of the velocity field. This contribution presents an experimental approach to characterize the measurement noise of a PIV system and the spatial response of such a method. This approach is based on a specific spectral analysis of the velocity vector field deduced from several PIV experiments. This study was done in two steps. The first step was to measure the noise level of PIV and to determine a model for the PIV transfer function from a series of displacement fields measured in a quiet liquid. This model shows the effect of the interrogation window size and introduces a spectral noise density which is constant for a given recording set-up. The second step was to compute spectra from velocity fields obtained in a turbulent boundary layer in a plane parallel to the wall. These spectra show that PIV behaves as a band pass filter. This series of experiments allows us to build a model for the prediction of the PIV spectrum knowing the real one. This model confirms that the PIV noise is white. It allows us to optimize the interrogation window size in order to obtain the best compromise between the spectral response and the spatial resolution. The rms value of the noise can be estimated from the noise density, allowing us to quantify the measurement accuracy. The improvement of sub-pixel window shift is also discussed, leading to a small decrease in the noise level. An analysis is proposed to identify the main sources of noise: particles cut by the border of the interrogation window, isolated particles, etc.


Bitcoin has become the most popular cryptocurrency based on a peer-to-peer network. In Aug. 2017, Bitcoin was split into the original Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). Since then, miners have had a choice between BTC and BCH mining because they have compatible proof-of-work algorithms. Therefore, they can freely choose which coin to mine for higher profit, where the profitability depends on both the coin price and mining difficulty. Some miners can immediately switch the coin to mine only when mining difficulty changes because the difficulty changes are more predictable than that for the coin price, and we call this behavior fickle mining. In this paper, we study the effects of fickle mining by modeling a game between two coins. To do this, we consider both fickle miners and some factions (e.g., BITMAIN for BCH mining) that stick to mining one coin to maintain that chain. In this model, we show that fickle mining leads to a Nash equilibrium in which only a faction sticking to its coin mining remains as a loyal miner to the less valued coin (e.g., BCH), where loyal miners refer to those who conduct mining even after coin mining difficulty increases. This situation would cause severe centralization, weakening the security of the coin system. To determine which equilibrium the competing coin systems (e.g., BTC vs. BCH) are moving toward, we traced the historical changes of mining power for BTC and BCH and found that BCH often lacked loyal miners until Nov. 13, 2017, when the difficulty adjustment algorithm of BCH mining was changed. However, the change in difficulty adjustment algorithm of BCH mining led to a state close to the stable coexistence of BTC and BCH. We also demonstrate that the lack of BCH loyal miners may still be reached when a fraction of miners automatically and repeatedly switches to the most profitable coin to mine (i.e., automatic mining). According to our analysis, as of Dec. 2018, loyal miners to BCH would leave if more than about 5% of the total mining capacity for BTC and BCH has engaged in the automatic mining. In addition, we analyze the recent "hash war" between Bitcoin ABC and SV, which confirms our theoretical analysis. Finally, we note that our results can be applied to any competing cryptocurrency systems in which the same hardware (e.g., ASICs or GPUs) can be used for mining. Therefore, our study brings new and important angles in competitive coin markets: a coin can intentionally weaken the security and decentralization level of the other rival coin when mining hardware is shared between them, allowing for automatic mining.


In Taiwan, approximately 46% of women during perimenopause have experienced perimenopausal syndrome, which mostly includes insomnia, hot flushes and sweating, and palpitation. Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) is the mainstream treatment of perimenopausal syndrome. However, many women suffering from perimenopausal syndrome would prefer to take Guilu Erxian Jiao (GEJ) rather than receive HRT. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine whether GEJ helps relieve perimenopausal syndrome. We treated perimenopausal women who suffered from perimenopausal symptoms and divided them into three groups, administering GEJ at 200 mg per day, 100 mg per day, and a placebo (GEJ-free starch powder), all of which were in the same capsule form with one capsule administered per day for 2 months. Serum estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were tested at three stages: pre-treatment, 1-month post-treatment, and 2-month post-treatment. The clinical symptoms were estimated using the questionnaire of physical and mental symptoms during perimenopause before and after 2 months of treatment. After 2 months of treatment, serum estradiol levels were significantly elevated in the high-dose group (200 mg/day) (P<0.05). However, no significant differences of serum FSH levels were observed among the three groups after GEJ treatment. Although improvements were observed in both the high-dose and low-dose groups, more amelioration in clinical symptoms was noted in the low-dose group (100 mg/day) than in the high-dose group, especially for hectic sweats and palpitation. GEJ is effective for relieving perimenopausal syndrome, and taking high-dose GEJ once per day for 2 months elevates more serum estradiol levels than does taking a low dose. Therefore, we concluded that GEJ is beneficial for treating perimenopausal syndrome.


Parasite-mediated competition can shape community structure and host distribution. If two species compete for resources, parasites may indirectly change the outcome of competition. We tested the role of a trematode parasite in mediating microhabitat use by congeneric isopods Austridotea annectens and Austridotea lacustris. Although both isopods share resources, they rarely co-occur in the same discrete microhabitats. We set up mesocosms with and without competition and/or parasites to examine the role of parasites in host distribution and habitat segregation. Austridotea annectens showed a clear preference for one microhabitat type regardless of competition or parasitic infection. By contrast, A. lacustris showed little habitat selection in the absence of competition, but favoured sandy habitats in the presence of uninfected A. annectens and rocky habitats when competing with infected A. annectens. Our results suggest that parasites in one species affect the distribution of another species, and mediate competition between these species. We demonstrated the impacts of a parasite on the microhabitat use of its host's competitor. This also represents an example of a super-extended phenotype, where a parasite affects the phenotype of a non-host.


Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a myocardium disease characterized by left ventricular dilation and systolic dysfunction. Genetic susceptibility contributes significantly to the disease progression in familial DCM. Mutations in more than fifty different genes have been identified to cause DCM, accounting for up to 50% of familial DCM cases. Elucidation of genetic basis for the remaining familial DCM probands promises to substantially increase the efficiency of genetic testing for early disease diagnosis and intervention. Dissecting genetic pathways linked to DCM and related pathogenic mechanisms can provide valuable insights into the understanding of disease pathophysiology that can be leveraged for development of genotype-targeted therapeutic strategy. Here, we review genetic variants, with a focus on affected genes most commonly implicated in DCM, and highlight their underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of action. We discuss recent progress on gene-based therapeutic strategy which holds the opportunities to implement individualized medicine and ultimately to improve patient outcome in the future.


BACKGROUND
Hamman syndrome or spontaneous pneumomediastinum is uncommon and its clinical manifestations are chest pain, dyspnea and subcutaneous emphysema.

AIM
To report a series of patients with spontaneous pneumomediastinum.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Medical records of patients with the diagnosis of pneumomediastinum, managed between 2002 and 2007 in a public hospital, were retrieved and reviewed.

RESULTS
Eight patients aged between 16 and 41 years (five males) were identified. The most common symptom was chest pain and the most common sign was subcutaneous emphysema. A chest X ray was performed in all and a chest CT scan in seven. AH were managed conservatively with oxygen, analgesia and rest. No patient required surgery and the evolution was favorable.

CONCLUSIONS
The most common presenting complaint of spontaneous pneumomediastinum is chest pain and its management does not require surgery.


The bottleneck for realizing high efficiency System-on-Chip is integrating the antenna on the lossy silicon substrate. To shield the antenna from the silicon, a ground plane can be used. However, the ultra-thin oxide does not provide enough separation between the antenna and the ground plane. In this work, we demonstrate one of the highest reported gains to date for low profile 94 GHz on-chip dipole antenna while the ground plane is in the lowest metal in the oxide (M1). This is achieved by optimizing an Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) structure midway the antenna and M1. The dipole antenna without the AMC has a gain of - 11 dBi while with the AMC structure a gain of + 4.8 dBi and hence achieving a gain enhancement of + 15.8 dB.


In dentistry treatment of difficult cases may be accomplished using an interdisciplinary approach. This article describes the orthodontic treatment in a female patient (12-years old) which was diagnosed with congenitally missing of upper left lateral incisor and Angle's Class III malocclusion. The treatment plan was interdisciplinary using preprosthetic orthodontic treatment for facilitate the surgical, implant and restorative treatment. The treatment were favorable, fulfilled the patient expectation and improving facial esthetics and restoring the functions. This case demonstrates that an interdisciplinary team (orthodontist, dental surgeon, prosthodontist) is required for the successful treatment of the congenitally missing of lateral incisor to create ideal conditions for the insertion of the dental implant.


In the treatment of genetic disorders, repairing defective pre-mRNAs by RNA trans-splicing has become an emerging alternative to conventional gene therapy. Previous studies have made clear that the design of the binding domains of the corrective RNA trans-splicing molecules (RTMs) is crucial for their optimal functionality. We established a reporter-based screening method that allows for selection of highly functional RTMs from a large pool of variants. The efficiency and functionality of the screen were validated in the COL7A1 gene, in which mutations are the cause of the skin disease dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Comparison of RTMs containing different binding domains hybridizing to COL7A1 intron 64/exon 65 revealed highly different trans-splicing efficiencies. Isolated RTMs were then adapted for endogenous trans-splicing in a recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) keratinocyte cell line expressing reduced levels of COL7A1 mRNA. Our results confirm the applicability and relevance of prescreening reporter RTMs, as significant levels of endogenous COL7A1 mRNA repair were seen with RTMs identified as being highly efficient in our screening system.


Involvement of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in lung morphogenesis and regeneration has been established by in vitro and in vivo experiments in animals. In the present study, the protective activity of HGF against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced damage of pulmonary epithelial cells was examined using the human small airway epithelial cell line (SAEC). Western blot analysis revealed that the receptor for HGF (c-Met) was highly expressed on the surface of SAEC and its downstream signal transduction pathway was functional. The SAEC was induced into apoptosis by the treatment with TNF-alpha or H2O2 in a dose-dependant manner, but was significantly rescued from apoptosis in the presence of HGF. The HGF effect was evident when added not only at the same time but also within several hours after treatment. This protective activity of HGF against the TNF-alpha- or H2O2-induced apoptosis was mediated, at least in part, by up-regulating the nuclear factor kappaB activity and an increase in the ratio of apoptosis-suppressing to apoptosis-inducing proteins. These results suggest that administration of HGF might exhibit a potent function in vivo for protection and improvement of acute and chronic lung injuries induced by inflammation and/or oxidative stress.


Mapping textured images on smoothly approximated surfaces is often used to conceal the loss of their real, fine-grained relief. A limitation of mapping a fixed texture in such cases is that it will only be correct for one viewing and one illumination direction. The presence of geometric surface details causes changes that simple foreshortening and global color scaling cannot model well. Hence, one would like to synthesize different textures for different viewing conditions. A texture model is presented that takes account of viewpoint dependent changes in texture appearance. It is highly compact and avoids copy-and-paste like repetitions. The model is learned from example images taken from different viewpoints. It supports texture synthesis for previously unseen conditions.


This paper presents a new strategy to support fault location in power distribution networks based on arbitrary similarity criteria in the principal component subspace. Input data consist of impedance measurements at the secondary transformer of one or more substation buses, which are used to build data-driven models of the grid operating conditions. The statistical models of actual operating conditions are further compared with a few reference scenarios to determine the network configuration and the type and location of the fault based on arbitrary features which minimize the variability of the data. Furthermore, this paper includes a case study with a real-based low voltage power distribution network to test the method under different faults.


MOTIVATION
Autopolyploidization and allopolyploidization events multiply the number of chromosomes and genomic content. Genome rearrangement phylogenetics requires that all genomes analyzed have the same set of orthologs, so that it is not possible to include diploid and polyploid genomes in the same phylogeny.

RESULTS
We propose a framework for solving this difficulty by integrating the rearrangement median and genome halving algorithms. Though the framework is general, some problems remain open. We implement a heuristic solution to the prototypical case of a tree with one tetraploid and two diploid genomes, and apply it to study the evolution of cereals and of yeast.


Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is estimated to play an etiologic role in 40–50% of penile cancers worldwide. Estimates of HPV prevalence in U.S. penile cancer cases are limited. Methods: HPV DNA was evaluated in tumor tissue from 79 invasive penile cancer patients diagnosed in 1998–2005 within the catchment areas of seven U.S. cancer registries. HPV was genotyped using PCR-based Linear Array and INNO-LiPA assays and compared by demographic, clinical, and pathologic characteristics and survival. Histological classification was also obtained by independent pathology review. Results: HPV DNA was present in 50 of 79 (63%) of invasive penile cancer cases. Sixteen viral genotypes were detected. HPV 16, found in 46% (36/79) of all cases (72% of HPV-positive cases) was the most prevalent genotype followed equally by HPV 18, 33, and 45, each of which comprised 5% of all cases. Multiple genotypes were detected in 18% of viral positive cases. HPV prevalence did not significantly vary by age, race/ethnicity, population size of geographic region, cancer stage, histology, grade, penile subsite, or prior cancer history. Penile cases diagnosed in more recent years were more likely to be HPV-positive. Overall survival did not significantly vary by HPV status. Conclusion: The relatively high prevalence of HPV in our study population provides limited evidence of a more prominent and, possibly, increasing role of infection in penile carcinogenesis in the U.S. compared to other parts of the world.


Primary cardiac tumors are extremely rare. Obtaining a tissue diagnosis is difficult and commonly requires open-heart surgery with associated morbidity. Esophageal endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and EUS with the EBUS scope (EUS-B) provide real-time sampling of centrally located lung tumors and mediastinal lymph nodes. They also provide an excellent view of the left atrium, since it is located adjacent to the esophagus. To date, left atrium tumor diagnostics by endosonography is poorly explored. We describe 2 exceptional diagnostic cases of left atrium tumors in which cardiac surgery was hazardous due to the clinical condition or previous surgical interventions. During EUS-B-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA), the left atrial masses were successfully and safely sampled, revealing a Burkitt lymphoma and a synovial sarcoma. FNA including cell block analysis enabled specific tumor diagnosis and molecular subtyping. Our findings suggest that in selected cases, linear endosonography qualifies as a minimally invasive technique for intracardiac tumor diagnostics.


Rabies is a mortal zoonotic disease, affecting more than 150 countries. Humans are accidentally affected after a rabid animal's bite. In Morocco, rabies is a notifiable disease under program against rabies. The objective is to describe the epidemiological profile of human rabies in Morocco (2003-2012). A retrospective study was conducted with the collaboration of the Directorate of Epidemiology and Diseases Control of the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Morocco. All cases of rabies reported by the different districts to the MoH during the period from January 2003 to December 2012 were analyzed. A total of 212 rabies cases were reported during the study period. Male gender was predominant (81.6%). The median age was 24 years old; the most affected age group was that of 0-15yrs. The dog has been implicated in 85% of cases. All rabies cases died. The median incubation period was statistically different (p<0.001) according to area of bite 19 days, 41 days and 57 days for the head, the upper limb and lower limb, respectively. Rabies is still a serious zoonotic disease in Morocco that can be prevented by in time post-exposure vaccination and reinforced multisectoral coordination at national level.


Taking one irregular continuous bridge as an example, modal pushover analysis (MPA) has been conducted to judge whether it would be applicable for seismic analysis of irregular bridge structures. The bridge's seismic demand in the transverse direction has been determined through two different methods, inelastic time history analysis (ITHA) and MPA respectively. The comparison between those two results indicates that MPA would be suitable only for bridges under elastic or slightly damaged state. Finally, some modifications are used to improve the MPA's scope of application, and the results illustrate that the adapted MPA will be able to estimate bridges' seismic demands to some extent.


OBJECTIVES: To compare asthma-related health care resource utilization among a matched cohort of asthma patients using inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) plus either montelukast (MON) or salmeterol (SAL) as combination therapy for asthma, during a time prior to the availability of fixed-dose combinations of ICS/SAL. METHODS: A retrospective analysis using the PHARMetrics patient-centric claims database was conducted for the period preceding the market introduction of combination fluticasone-SAL in September 2000. Patients had to meet the following criteria for inclusion in the study: they had to be between the ages of 4 and 55 years; they had to have been continuously enrolled for 2 years; they had to have initiated ICS/MON or ICS/SAL therapy between July 1, 1998, and June 30, 1999; and they had to have had either (a) a diagnosis of asthma (based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes of 493.xx) for 2 outpatient visits, 1 or more emergency department (ED) visits, or 1 or more hospitalizations within 1 year or (b) pharmacy claim records that contained a National Drug Code for an antiasthma medication (betaagonist, theophylline, ICS, cromolyn, or leukotriene) 2 or more times within 1 year. ICS/MON and ICS/SAL patients were matched 1 to 1 on age and propensity score. Outcomes included asthma-related hospitalizations and ED visits with ICD-9-CM codes of 493.xx, and oral corticosteroid (OCS) fills and short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) fills. Multivariate regression analyses were performed. Subgroup analyses based on sequential or concurrent initiation of combination therapy were also conducted. RESULTS: A total of 1,216 patients were matched (ICS/MON=608; ICS/SAL= 608). Decreased odds of ED visits and/or hospitalizations were observed with ICS/MON (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-0.98) versus ICS/SAL. The odds of postindex OCS fills were not different for ICS/MON and ICS/SAL patients (adjusted OR=1.04; 95% CI, 0.79-1.38). Postindex pharmacy claims for SABAs were significantly higher among ICS/MON patients versus ICS/SAL patients (adjusted relative risk [RR]=1.33; 95% CI, 1.17-1.52), and this difference remained regardless of prior use or no prior use of ICSs. In subgroup analyses, mean change in SABA fills varied by how combination therapy was initiated, with sequential addition of asthma controllers leading to a reduction in SABA fills in both groups. For patients with concurrent initiation of combination therapy, the odds of ED visits/hospitalizations were significantly lower in patients initiating ICS/MON (adjusted OR=0.25; 95% CI, 0.08-0.79). CONCLUSIONS: In this matched cohort, use of ICS/MON compared with ICS/SAL resulted in similar odds of OCS fills, decreased odds of ED visits and asthma related hospitalizations, but higher utilization of SABA.


PURPOSE Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional method used by geriatricians and oncologists to detect and evaluate multiple age-related problems and to plan and coordinate interventions. Because its main drawback is the time required, efforts have been made to evaluate screening instruments suitable for preliminarily assessing elderly patients. The main aim of this study was to establish the accuracy of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) in predicting the presence of abnormalities revealed by CGA. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients age > or = 70 years with a histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of a solid or hematologic tumor underwent both CGA and a VES-13 assessment, and the reliability and validity of VES-13 were analyzed. Results Fifty-three percent of the 419 elderly patients with cancer (mean age, 76.8 years) were vulnerable on VES-13; the rates of disabilities on CGA and activities of daily living (ADLs)/instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) scales were 30% and 25%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of VES-13 were 87% and 62%, respectively, versus CGA and 90% and 70%, respectively, versus ADL/IADL scales. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of our data, VES-13 is highly predictive of impaired functional status and can thus be considered a useful preliminary means of assessing older patients with cancer before undertaking a full CGA.


Resection and reconstruction of the pulmonary artery (PA), whether associated or not to a sleeve resection of the bronchus, allows complete resection of centrally located lung cancer, thus avoiding pneumonectomy. Despite initial concern related to technical difficulties, perioperative management and long term survival, recent studies showed continuous enhancement of the surgical technique and reconstruction materials, reduction of the complication rate and improvement in the survival. This allowed this procedure to gain widespread acceptance in the treatment of lung cancer.


In theory many of the physiological effects of electrical stimulation should be repeatable with magnetic stimulation. The aim of this study was to investigate some of the potentially clinically relevant actions of high power magnetic stimulation on the mammalian peripheral nervous system. This investigation can be separated into 3 parts. Firstly, experiments examining the ability of 'wide pulse' electrical stimulation to produce complete reversible block of peripheral nerve were undertaken at both the compound and single unit level. The findings were used to estimate the magnitude of an impulse magnetic field required to produce 'magnetic nerve block'. Secondly, the design and construction of two prototype high power magnetic stimulators (HPMS) and their associated filed coils was carried out. Theoretical predictions and practical measurements of the output of each stimulator were undertaken. Thirdly physiological experiments with the HPMS's were performed, examining magnetic stimulation of unmyelinated nerve fibres in the upper renal tract. The aim of stimulating the kidney was to generate ureteric peristalsis, which may have a role in aiding stone excretion, especially post lithotripsy. For the electrical nerve block study the saphenous nerve in anaesthetized rats and rabbits was exposed. Either the whole nerve or fine filaments dissected from the cut proximal end of the nerve were studied. A-ap, A- 5 and C fibres were stimulated and blocked by wide electrical pulses with an exponential decay. The strength duration relationship of this response was studied and block was confirmed by failure of conduction of a proximally generated action potential to pass through the blocked region. Two HPMS's were designed and constructed in conjunction with Digitimer Ltd. and the department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Loughborough University. The first prototype was rated at 4.3 KJ and the second at 96KJ. Early on in structural testing it was found that conventional coil design was insufficient to allow repetitive shots, particularly with the 96KJ device. Redesign of the coil housing allowed multiple stimuli without failure. Finally physiological experiments with the prototype HPMS's demonstrated stimulation of C-fibres in the upper renal tract in a pig model. Magnetic stimulation of the kidney was able to generate ureteric peristalsis in the in-situ and exteriorized kidney preparations studied. Local anaesthetic applied topically to the renal pelvis and calyces blocked this response indicating that magnetic stimulation of ureteric peristalsis is a neurally mediated phenomenon. This thesis demonstrates that high power magnetic stimulation is technically feasible from both an engineering and physiological perspective. It can activate all classes of nerve fibre allowing the extracorporeal stimulation of internal organs.


: The dematerialisation of physical borders via the digitisation of the process of control has changed the ways we understand international frontiers. Surveillance of the borders are now exercised at a distance, before individuals arrive. Even if most border guards insist that they have the ultimate (sovereign) right to decide who enters, the development of pre-check-in databases have de facto displaced the modalities of authentification and identification of travellers. This article depicts these changes, and shows how control is 'distributed' along the journeys of the passengers, and between many different actors, who are not all, by any means, public agents. The role of corporate actors are crucial.


Abstract Objectives To evaluate the role of hospital setting (standalone cancer center vs. large multidisciplinary hospital) on free tissue transfer (FTT) outcomes for head and neck reconstruction. Methods Medical records were reviewed of 180 consecutive patients undergoing FTT for head and neck reconstruction. Operations occurred at either a standalone academic cancer center (n = 101) or a large multidisciplinary academic medical center (n = 79) by the same surgeons. Patient outcomes, operative comparisons, and hospital costs were compared between the hospital settings. Results The cancer center group had higher mean age (65.2 vs. 60 years; p = 0.009) and a shorter mean operative time (12.3 vs. 13.2 hours; p = 0.034). Postoperatively, the cancer center group had a significantly shorter average ICU stay (3.45 vs. 4.41 days; p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in medical or surgical complications between the groups. Having surgery at the cancer center was the only significant independent predictor of a reduced ICU stay on multivariate analysis (Coef 0.73; p < 0.020). Subgroup analysis, including only patients with cancer of the aerodigestive tract, demonstrated further reduction in ICU stay for the cancer center group (3.85 vs. 5.1 days; p < 0.001). A cost analysis demonstrated that the reduction in ICU saved $223,816 for the cancer center group. Conclusion Standalone subspecialty cancer centers are safe and appropriate settings for FTT. We found both reduced operative time and ICU length of stay, both of which contributed to lower overall costs. These findings challenge the concept that FTT requires a large multidisciplinary hospital. Level of Evidence 4.


The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was officially established in December 08, 1985. The South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) enter into force on July 01, 2006 under the umbrella of SAARC. From the same platform the SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services enter into force on November 29, 2012. SAARC Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment is yet to be finalized and enter into force. In the meantime 30 years gone. SAARC is the home of 21% (1.7 billion) world's population with 9.12 % of global wealth. Combined SAARC is the third largest economy of the world. But a significant number of world's poor people are living in this region. With its diverse landscape and variety of natural resources SAARC has every potential for economic development and poverty alleviation within shortest possible time.


In this paper we will present an approach to natural language processing which we define as "hybrid", in which symbolic and statistical approaches are reconciled. In fact, we claim that the analysis of natural language sentences (and texts) is at the same time a deterministic and a probabilistic process. In particular, the search space for syntactic analysis is inherently deterministic, in that it is severely limited by the grammar of the specific language, which in turn is constituted by a set of peripheral rules to be applied in concomitance with the more general rules of core grammar. Variations on these rules are only determined by genre, which can thus contribute a new set of peripheral rules, or sometimes just a set of partially overlapping rules to the ones already accepted by a given linguistic community. In the paper we will criticize current statistical approaches for being inherently illfounded and derived from a false presupposition. People working in the empirical framework have tried to credit the point of view that what happened to the speech research paradigm was also applicable to the NLP paradigm as a whole. In other words, the independence hypothesis which is at the heart of the use of Markov models imported from the speech community into the empirical statistical approaches to NLP does not seem to be well suited to the task at hand simply because the linguistic unit under consideration – the word, the single tag or both – are insufficient to assure enough contextual information, given language model building techniques based on word-tags with tagsets containing only lexical and part-of-speech information. In line with the effort carried out by innovative approaches like the ones proposed within the LinGO ERG proposal, we purport our view that the implementation of sound parsing algorithm must go hand in hand with sound grammar construction. Extragrammaticalities can be better coped with within a solid linguistic framework rather than without it. A number of parsing strategies and graceful recovery procedures are then proposed which follow a strictly parameterized approach to their definition and implementation. Finally, a shallow or partial parser needs to be implemented in order to produce the default baseline output to be used by further computation, like Information Retrieval, Summarization and other similar tools which however need precise linguistic information with a much higher coverage than what is being recently offered by the currently available parsers.


Searching for potential absorbents in working pairs with NH3, a series of new ammonium ionic liquids related to choline were designed and synthesized. In order to explore their applicability in refrigeration by absorption, their thermal stabilities were studied. For this proposal, a thermogravimetric analyzer, TGA 7 – Perkin-Elmer, was used in dynamic mode from 100 °C to 800 °C at 10 °C min−1 under dry air atmosphere. From the ionic liquids TG curves, the onset temperatures (Tonset) were determined, as well as the loss of mass at these Tonset. Significant decomposition was detected at lower temperatures than Tonset in all cases, meaning that the true ionic liquids stability is lower than that provided by the dynamic TG. Isothermal studies at lower temperatures than Tonset were also carried out to estimate the long-term thermal stabilities at different temperatures.


Fusion genes represent a class of attractive therapeutic targets. Thousands of fusion genes have been identified in patients with cancer, but the functional consequences and therapeutic implications of most of these remain largely unknown. Here, we develop a functional genomic approach that consists of efficient fusion reconstruction and sensitive cell viability and drug response assays. Applying this approach, we characterize ~100 fusion genes detected in patient samples of The Cancer Genome Atlas, revealing a notable fraction of low-frequency fusions with activating effects on tumor growth. Focusing on those in the RTK-RAS pathway, we identify a number of activating fusions that can markedly affect sensitivity to relevant drugs. Last, we propose an integrated, level-of-evidence classification system to prioritize gene fusions systematically. Our study reiterates the urgent clinical need to incorporate similar functional genomic approaches to characterize gene fusions, thereby maximizing the utility of gene fusions for precision oncology.


Electromagnetic data images mantle regions more conductive than that of dry olivine. There is no doubt that melt is thermodynamically stable and present in the LAB, but how they can impact on mantle electrical conductivity remains debated. In addition, gravitational segregation and fast melt upwelling, being expected if melt fraction exceeds 2 vol. %, is thought to seriously restrict the role of partial melting at the level of the LAB. Petrological studies realized some 30 years ago have shown that peridotites exposed at the P-T-fO2 conditions of the LAB produced H2O and CO2 rich-melts. The segregation of such melts is not expected since they constitute only about 0.5 vol. % of the peridotite, but electrical conductivities of these melts are poorly known.
Therefore, electrical conductivity experiments have been performed in piston cylinder on H2O-CO2 rich melts. Different melt compositions have been explored, from carbonated melts to basalts. The effects of chemical compositions and volatiles on these melts have been determined. The electrical conductivity measurements have shown that hydrous carbonated melts are very conductive, and the incorporation of basalt decreases the conductivity. With these new data, a semi-empirical law predicting the conductivity as a function of H2O and CO2 contents has been produced. Based on this law and the electrical conductivity of olivine, 1D conductivity profiles were constructed. With these profiles, the effect of volatiles content (partitioned between the melt and in the solids), melt fractions (mixing law and interconnection of the melt) and different temperature regimes on conductivity are discussed. These calculations are conducted on oceanic and continental settings with different ages. The electrical conductivities of the mantle is thus a powerful tool to track the fundamental process of mantle incipient melting, which is in turn narrowly associated to the cycling of H2O and CO2 in the upper mantle.


Abstract Hypoglycemia is the key barrier that prevents patients from optimizing glycemic control with the use of pharmacotherapeutic interventions. Optimal glycemic control for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) includes methods that provide glucose-regulated physiologic insulin replacement or secretion in association with glucose monitoring methods designed to predict and prevent acute extreme changes in glycemic variability. Patients with T1DM experience an average of 2 episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia each week and at least 1 episode of severe, disabling hypoglycemia annually. Asymptomatic hypoglycemia is common, as shown in studies using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Episodes of hypoglycemia (symptomatic and asymptomatic) impair counterregulatory defenses against subsequent events, resulting in the inability to respond to and recover from serious hypoglycemia. This defective counterregulation is known as hypoglycemic-associated autonomic failure. When patients are prescribed a more intensive medication regimen or reinforcing lifestyle interventions, such as medical nutrition therapy and exercise therapy, providers should also assess their ability to proactively identify and manage hypoglycemia. Although self-monitoring of blood glucose regimens, such as pre- and post-meal and periodic middle-of-the-night glucose testing, can help predict the risk of developing hypoglycemia, CGM technology allows patients to receive real-time notification of impending events either through preset alarms or simply by looking at the device display. This review explores the utility of initiating CGM within the primary care setting for patients at high risk for developing hypoglycemia.


Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with repeat hypercapnia accurately detects myocardial oxygenation changes in a dog model of ischemic heart disease. BOLD-hearted Atherosclerosis and other conditions can restrict the flow of blood to the heart, resulting in tissue damage and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Yang et al. used repeat hypercapnia (transient elevation in carbon dioxide) during cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to detect myocardial oxygenation in a model of IHD in canines. Without relying on exogenous contrast agents, this blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) imaging method could map regions of the heart affected by coronary narrowing. Combined with a computational framework that reduces noise, the authors demonstrated the ability to perform noninvasive, rapid, whole-heart imaging under free-breathing conditions, suggesting that this technique may be useful for monitoring myocardial ischemia. Myocardial oxygenation—the ability of blood vessels to supply the heart muscle (myocardium) with oxygen—is a critical determinant of cardiac function. Impairment of myocardial oxygenation is a defining feature of ischemic heart disease (IHD), which is caused by pathological conditions that affect the blood vessels supplying oxygen to the heart muscle. Detecting altered myocardial oxygenation can help guide interventions and prevent acute life-threatening events such as heart attacks (myocardial infarction); however, current diagnosis of IHD relies on surrogate metrics and exogenous contrast agents for which many patients are contraindicated. An oxygenation-sensitive cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) approach used previously to demonstrate that CMR signals can be sensitized to changes in myocardial oxygenation showed limited ability to detect small changes in signals in the heart because of physiologic and imaging noise during data acquisition. Here, we demonstrate a CMR-based approach termed cfMRI [cardiac functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] that detects myocardial oxygenation. cfMRI uses carbon dioxide for repeat interrogation of the functional capacity of the heart's blood vessels via a fast MRI approach suitable for clinical adoption without limitations of key confounders (cardiac/respiratory motion and heart rate changes). This method integrates multiple whole-heart images within a computational framework to reduce noise, producing confidence maps of alterations in myocardial oxygenation. cfMRI permits noninvasive monitoring of myocardial oxygenation without requiring ionizing radiation, contrast agents, or needles. This has the potential to broaden our ability to noninvasively identify IHD and a diverse spectrum of heart diseases related to myocardial ischemia.


A total of 183 isolates of Klebsiella from drinking water, market vegetables, wood, sawdust, industrial effluents, and human and animal origin were examined for susceptibility to 10 antibacterial agents. Incidence of resistance to two or more antibiotics tested was: 65% of the human clinical isolates, 59% among bovine mastitis, and 24% among the nonclinical isolates. The five different multiple resistance patterns among nonclinically derived Klebsiella were also found among the human and bovine mastitis isolates. Statistical analyses revealed that patterns of resistance among Klebsiella isolates from drinking water, market vegetables, and industrial effluents were highly correlated with each other and with resistance patterns of human clinical isolates. Antibiotic resistance was transferred between Klebsiella growing in two habitat-simulated environments (growing radish plants and aqueous sawdust suspensions). Transconjugants were detected in 5 of 21 and 6 of 21 mating pairs, respectively. Average transconjugants/donor ranged from 10-3 to 10-6 in Penassay broth, from 10-6 to 10'on radish plants, and from 10-5 to 108 in sawdust suspensions. Although antibiotic resistance transfer under simulated environmental conditions can occur, regrowth of clinical strains is probably the major cause for the widespread occurrence of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella in the nonclinical environment.


Introduction Every organization should be concerned about protecting data against intruders, for the organization's ability to survive depends on the availability, comprehensiveness and reliability of its financial and organizational data. Security has become more complicated with the expanded use and networking of personal computers. At present, the local networks and the connections between the large and small computers are such that each of them takes part in the application. The application as a whole appears to be located on the user's computer, but in fact each user and each application has access to, and sometimes even control over, organizational data on various computers and storage facilities. Obviously, such openness invites unauthorized use, and requires data security coordination and management (Appelton, 1997). Unfortunately, many companies do not deal with data security and network management problems until there is a crack in the network. To protect vital information, the companies must set up a sound security system before the network is intruded. This involves identification of the security risks, applying sufficient means of security, and teaching the users data security awareness. Distributed systems The most important part of distributed systems is its joint data network which is the nerve center of the organization and tends to grow with the development of the organization and the development of technology. Sometimes the network will connect a number of independent organizations with management and other servers to form the distributed system. For example, it is possible to describe an organizational network in a large organization with a large number of divisions and departments (Bellovin, 1997). The increase of connections results in greater interdependency of the systems and constitutes an environment with many challenges for data security management (Herald, 1998; Guynes, 2000). Client/Server systems Traditional distributed systems enable users to use data and applications on distant networks without confining them to networks that they are directly connected to. In client/server systems the traditional functionality of the mainframe is divided into two: * A user interface and a nucleus of one or more applications activated at the peripheral station defined as a "client". * Management of the database and part of the application activated on another system defined as a "server". Through this division each component in the network may carry out the work for which it is most suited. The two parts of the application are connected via special software enabling transfer of messages between the client and the server. Client/server applications are very flexible and allow users to access databases on various networks all via a graphic interface, which does not exist on mainframe systems (Neuman, 1998). Data security management general problems Unfortunately, development of data security in distributed systems takes place simultaneously with the development of the network, as described above. Development in stages may result in an increase of the sensitive points in the network security, as described hereunder (Sanders, 2000). In some non automatic security subsystems, manual login mechanisms force users to type their user name and password. Not only does this make the system inefficient, it even exposes the data security mechanism, for the users often write down their password on paper next to their working station, for everyone to see (White, 1999). Furthermore, most users do not make a habit of changing their passwords every so often and continue using the same password over and over again. Security system components in distributed computer systems Distributed computer systems pose four main security components: security authentication, authorization, access control and encryption. …


This article aims at understanding informal information sharing among a group of part-time front-line employees with short-term contracts in tourism, by adapting an external marketing concept, Word-of-Mouth communication (WOM), into an internal environment of an organization — the employee market. As a result of using this approach, insights have been made into the informal internal marketing activities and subsequent learning processes that occur through informal information sharing between employees. It is also evident that through this sharing of experiences front-line employees learn how to create successful service encounters and thereby find their roles as a part-time marketer within their organization. As a result of the findings a new concept is introduced and discussed — Internal Word-of-Mouth (IWOM).


Author(s): Rios Piedra, Edgar Anselmo | Advisor(s): Bui, Alex A.T.; Hsu, William | Abstract: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of primary brain tumor, characterized by a short survival period after diagnosis. As with most other cancers, treatment and follow-up decisions are made largely based on observed changes in tumor size and appearance during imaging studies. The quantification of tumor measurements is problematic due to the systematic variability introduced while attempting to quantify tumor characteristics in uncertain regions. This issue is primarily observed around the tumor boundary, where it is often hard to differentiate whether a given region is part of the tumor (e.g., active, necrotic, edema, etc.) or part of normal brain tissue (e.g., grey matter, white matter). This problem has significant implications because this uncertainty can affect ensuing quantitative/computational analyses. Current approaches for the segmentation of glioblastoma multiforme still face multiple challenges, often failing to consistently identify the tumor region so as to be clinically useful and reliable; moreover, these different techniques tend to produce results that differ significantly from each other (i.e., measurement variability). To address these problems, this dissertation describes a framework to help characterize factors that influence variability in brain tumor boundaries and to optimize their performance through methods that calculate an estimate of expected variability arising from different automated segmentation approaches, setting the bases for the development of better knowledge-based methods. Additionally, a novel automated method was developed to generate more robust brain tumor segmentations by taking into consideration the inherent variability of brain tumors and statistical priors that provide context-relevant information about the different brain and tumor tissues.Altogether, this dissertation project provides further understanding of the sources of variability that arise in GBM across different image analysis methodologies and the integration of these insights into the development of tumor variability maps that can provide a better characterization of tumors.


The Hamiltonian viewpoint of fluid mechanical systems with few and infinite number of degrees of freedom is described. Rudimentary concepts of finite-degree-of-freedom Hamiltonian dynamics are reviewed, in the context of the passive advection of a scalar or tracer field by a fluid. The notions of integrability, invariant-tori, chaos, overlap criteria, and invariant-tori breakup are described in this context. Preparatory to the introduction of field theories, systems with an infinite number of degrees of freedom, elements of functional calculus and action principles of mechanics are reviewed. The action principle for the ideal compressible fluid is described in terms of Lagrangian or material variables. Hamiltonian systems in terms of noncanonical variables are presented, including several examples of Eulerian or inviscid fluid dynamics. Lie group theory sufficient for the treatment of reduction is reviewed. The reduction from Lagrangian to Eulerian variables is treated along with Clebsch variable decompositions. Stability in the canonical and noncanonical Hamiltonian contexts is described. Sufficient conditions for stability, such as Rayleigh-like criteria, are seen to be only sufficient in the general case because of the existence of negative-energy modes, which are possessed by interesting fluid equilibria. Linearly stable equilibria with negative energy modes are argued to be unstable whenmore » nonlinearity or dissipation is added. The energy-Casimir method is discussed and a variant of it that depends upon the notion of dynamical accessibility is described. The energy content of a perturbation about a general fluid equilibrium is calculated using three methods. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}« less


Much effort has been devoted to lipid bilayers and nanovesicles with a compositional asymmetry between the two leaflets of the bilayer membranes. Here, we address another fundamental asymmetry related to lipid densities and membrane tensions. To avoid membrane rupture, the osmotic conditions must be adjusted in such a way that the bilayer membranes are subject to a relatively low bilayer tension. However, even for vanishing bilayer tension, the individual leaflets can still experience significant leaflet tensions if one leaflet is stretched whereas the other leaflet is compressed. Such a stress asymmetry between the two leaflets can be directly controlled in molecular dynamics simulations by the initial assembly of the lipid bilayers. This stress asymmetry is varied here over a wide range to determine the stability and instability regimes of the asymmetric bilayers. The stability regime shrinks with decreasing size and increasing membrane curvature of the nanovesicle. In the instability regimes, the lipids undergo stress-induced flip-flops with a flip-flop rate that increases with increasing stress asymmetry. The onset of flip-flops can be characterized by a cumulative distribution function that is well-fitted by an exponential function for planar bilayers but has a sigmoidal shape for nanovesicles. In addition, the bilayer membranes form transient non-bilayer structures that relax back towards ordered bilayers with a reduced stress asymmetry. Our study reveals intrinsic limits for the possible magnitude of the transbilayer stress asymmetry and shows that the leaflet tensions represent key parameters for the flip-flop rates.


The so-called M1 phase (the common formula (TeO)x(Mo, V, Nb)5O14) is a very promising catalyst for ethane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODE). It shows 90% selectivity to ethylene at 78% ethane conversion (400 °C, contact time – 5.5 s). The active crystal structure is formed under certain synthetic conditions in VMoNbTe mixed oxides. This paper is devoted to the analysis of how the local and average structure of the M1 phase is developed during the synthesis and what happens at particular synthetic steps. The analysis of the local structure was performed using the EXAFS and pair distribution function (PDF) methods. The EXAFS analysis of the initial VMoTe water solution and VMoNbTe slurry showed that Anderson-type heteropoly anions are formed in the solution and are preserved after fast spray-drying of the slurry. Nb cations do not enter the structure of the polyanions, but form an extended hydrated oxide matrix, where distorted NbO6 and NbO7 polyhedrons are connected to each other. The hydrated oxide matrix with captured polyanions provides the compositional homogeneity of the precursor. The distances in the second coordination shell are redistributed after thermal treatment at 310 °C. After being heated at T > 350°, the local structure of the M1 phase is organized and pentagonal domains are formed. These domains consist of a NbO7 pentagonal bipyramid and five MeO6 adjacent octahedra (Me = Mo, V). In the first stages, the building blocks are stacked along the [001] direction. The crystallization process results in the connection of the pentagonal domains to the extended polygonal grid. The formation of the regular grid with TeOx containing channels is accompanied by the increase in ethane conversion and ethylene selectivity of the catalysts.


Before he studied philosophy under Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein was trained as an engineer at the Technische Hochschule in Berlin. He then worked as a graduate research engineer at the University of Manchester, where he designed a variable volume combustion chamber and received a patent for an innovative propeller design in 1911. I argue that the methodology of contemporary aeronautical engineering research, involving the systematic use of experiments and scale models, affected the Bild theory of language in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. The principle of similitude, underlying the mathematical resolution of scale effect problems associated with wind tunnel research on models, is reected in the law of projection in the Tractatus.


We introduce a new fluorescence microscopy technique that maps the axial position of a fluorophore with subnanometer precision. The interference of the emission of fluorophores in proximity to a reflecting surface results in fringes in the fluorescence spectrum that provide a unique signature of the axial position of the fluorophore. The nanometer sensitivity is demonstrated by measuring the height of a fluorescein monolayer covering a 12-nm step etched in silicon dioxide. In addition, the separation between fluorophores attached to the top or the bottom layer in a lipid bilayer film is determined. We further discuss extension of this microscopy technique to provide resolution of multiple layers spaced as closely as 10 nm for sparse systems.


Objective: The complement system is a component of innate immunity against invading pathogens, but also mediates the cell-cell communication in organ regeneration, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell migration. We studied whether the complement system affect tumor growth in ovarian cancer. Materials & Methods: Complement C3 mRNA level was quantified using qRT-PCR in ovarian cancer cell lines and in tumor specimens from patients with ovarian cancer. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to investigate the consequences of C3 gene silencing in vitro and in vivo. Results: C3 was expressed in ovarian cancer cell lines and tumor tissues from patients. Silencing of the C3 gene decreased ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. In orthotopic murine models of ovarian cancer, C3 siRNA reduced growth of implanted tumors by 60% as was evident by lower number and smaller size of tumor nodules in C3-siRNA treated mice in comparison to those in scrambled siRNA treated control mice (average tumor weight of 0.19 g in C3 siRNA vs. 0.61 g in scrambled siRNA, n=8 in each group, p=0.017; average nodule number of 4.4 in C3 siRNA vs. 11.4 in scrambled siRNA, n=8 in each group, p=0.05; t-test). Consistent with our in vitro and animal studies, ovarian cancer patients with a higher C3 mRNA level in their tumors had a worse prognosis with overall survival rates compared to those with a lower C3 mRNA level (n=75, p=0.03). Conclusion: Our studies revealed a novel role for complement in cancer biology. Cancer cell-derived C3 promotes tumor growth and progression. Our studies might identify the complement system as a new target for the development of new anti-tumor reagents. Citation Format: Min Soon Cho, Hernan G. Vasquez, Hee Dong Han, Sunila Pradeep, Rajesh Rupaimoole, Behrouz Zand, Michael Kroll, Anil K. Sood, Vahid Afshar-Kharghan. Complement promotes growth of ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4990. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4990


The Classical world witnessed many forms of physical landscape change due to long-term and short-term geological and climatological processes. There have also been alterations to the land surface resulting from an interaction between human impact and these natural factors. Cyclical changes in land use, agricultural technology, economy, and politics have continually transformed the rural landscapes of the Mediterranean and the wider Classical world and their mapping, in turn, can shed light on fundamental aspects of ancient society that are not always documented in Classical texts.


Oil palm residue has a good potential as an alternative raw material for wood-panel industry especially plywood industry in Malaysia due to the shortage of wood supply. The oil palm residue which is abundant and left to rot in plantation mill necessitated the study into development of high quality for structural material from oil palm stem as an alternative sources and to verify its properties (physical and mechanical). Research had shown that the moisture content is the bottleneck of oil palm stem and requires suitable drying method to improve the properties of plywood products. Oil palm (Elaeisguineensis Jacq) trunk was used due to its availability in Malaysia as well as the environmental conditions. The effect of different drying methods using roller pressing (gap setting, speed), steam dryer (temperature, speed and time) and platen press (temperature and time) on oil palm stem veneer were assessed. The drying method with and without the use of roller pressing methods were also compared. This was done to search for the optimum drying process and recommend the best drying method. The results revealed that the used of roller pressing machine successfully remove the moisture content in the oil palm stem veneer using gap setting such as trial 9 with gap of 3.5mm, 2.8mm and 2.8mm and speed of the roller 8.0 rpm with highest moisture reduction to 5.9% as compared to the specimen without prepress. Accordingly, the 100% OPS plywood were later steam dry for 45 minutes before partially cured under high hot pressing pressure at 140°C for 9 minutes. The results revealed that the mean value of moisture for 100% OPS plywood after gluing process was respectively in the range of 6% to 20%. Results showed that the drying process using this combination successfully reduced on the moisture content of the veneer and in the same time increase on the plywood production. The 100% OPS plywood was also found successfully improved on the physical properties as compared to commercial-plywood. The modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity in perpendicular and parallel direction significantly showed the improvement of strength properties. Similar trend was also observed in shear in wet and dry conditioned where it showed that 100% OPS plywood improved on the properties compared to commercial-plywood. The improvement of plywood by the resin system were also found in compression strength, panel shear, charphy impact notched, and charphy impact unnotched properties where it showed that 100% OPS plywood had higher mean value of 27.54 N/ mm2, 8.53 N/mm2, 376.65 (J/m), and 449.41 (J/m), approximately. The plane strain and strain energy release for 100% OPS plywood also showed higher value approximately of 129.88 MNm2 and 57.55 kJm-2. Generally, the pre-pressing method to remove moisture content in the oil palm stem veneer using rolling pressing machine and gluing of OPS veneer with medium molecular weight phenol formaldehyde (MMwPF) resin improved the physical and mechanical properties of plywood, hence it is suitable to promote as a structural products such as concrete foam, light weight partitions, wall panel and floor slabs.


The focus of this paper is the survivability of wave energy converters (WECs) in extreme waves and tsunamis, using realistic WEC parameters. The impact of a generator damping factor has been studied, and the peak forces plotted as a function of wave height. The paper shows that an increased damping decreases the force in the endstop hit, which is in agreement with earlier studies. However, when analyzing this in more detail, we can show that friction damping and velocity dependent generator damping affect the performance of the device differently, and that friction can have a latching effect on devices in tsunami waves, leading to higher peak forces. In addition, we study the impact of different line lengths, and find that longer line lengths reduce the endstop forces in extreme regular waves, but on the contrary increase the forces in tsunami waves due to the different fluid velocity fields.


Digital library evaluation is a complex field, as complex as the phenomena it studies. The interest of the digital library society still remains vibrant after all these years of solidification, as these systems have entered real-life applications. However the community has still to reach a consensus on what evaluation is and how it can effectively be planned. In the present article, an ontology of the digital library evaluation domain, named DiLEO, is proposed, aiming to reveal explicitly the main concepts of this domain and their correlations, and it tries to combine creatively and integrate several scientific paradigms, approaches, methods, techniques, and tools. This article demonstrates the added value features of the ontology, which are the support of comparative studies between different evaluation initiatives and the assistance in effective digital library evaluation planning. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Building on the formula of "Figure of Merit" used in technology studies, this work has the aim to find analogism in place marketing by presenting "Figure of Merit for Places"; the identified formula represents the possible decision making algorithm that the cluster of Digital Nomads could use to choose a place to live for a period of life. The framework is useful both to place marketers and managers – identifying value proposition and the cost-of-living and cost for accessibility - and to the place demand – discovering the benefits to choose a place to live for a period. The analogism comes from the opportunity to study the Digital Nomads (DNs) that are emerging as a maximizer cluster that live for different periods in different territories respecting the places and diffusing traditions, cultures, impressions and experiences; these characteristics stimulate the place marketing activities of the territories (demand driven) and contribute, indirectly, to place branding strategies (supply driven).


Dyes are widely used to colour products in textile, leather tanning, cosmetics, pigment and many other industries. Effluents discharged from these industries cause potential hazards to environment and human health. Hence, the removal of dyes from water/wastewater has gained a huge attention in recent years. So far, biological, chemical and physical methods are the traditional techniques, of which adsorption is found to be a more effective and cheap method for removing dyes. Nanotechnology has applied successfully to the water/wastewater treatment and emerged as a fast-developing promising field. Application of nanomaterials (NMs) in dyes removal seems to be an efficient way. In this review, extensive literature information was presented with regard to dyes, its classification and toxicity, different methods for dyes removal including the removal of dyes by NMs. It is evident from the literature survey that NMs have shown good capability for the removal of dyes. Copyright © 2019 VBRI Press.


Commercial reforestation of Brazilian native species to produce hardwood for sawmills has been recently intensified in the country. Among the potential species planted by the logging industry is guanandi (Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess) because it is widely distributed in the country, highly adapted to different soil and climate conditions, good bole form and high quality timber. The development of genetic improvement programs should prioritize gains in productivity and yields in the medium and long term. For such programs to be successful, the study of vegetative propagation techniques to abbreviate steps in forest improvement and allow its mass production is fundamental. To assess the viability of vegetative propagation of the species, two successive experiments were carried out during two years testing the best type of cutting, hormone concentration and management. Different cuttings types submitted to increasing doses of indole-butyric acid (IBA) were tested to evaluate survival, sprouting, rooting and callus formation. Results indicate that the species is viable for vegetative propagation with 85 to 90% rooting of cuttings from seedlings in the IBA concentrations of 3000 to 7000 mg.L-1. For the cuttings, sprouting from the base of adult trees 3000 mg.L-1 was the best concentration of IBA.


During 1960s, in Turkey, awareness of health, expansion of health services and efforts of educating health personnel started to increase. The presence of Ege University made Izmir a health center. Unfortunately there were still contagious diseases and they were threatening the public health. In this article the contagious diseases of the period and the precautions against those diseases are discussed. Subject is discussed specific to Izmir. After the health instutions are mentioned briefly the contagious diseases are examined.