Assessing and managing level of risk among forensic mental health patients is a primary role of clinical forensic psychologists. Forensic assessments are focused on risk factors and deficits, whereas patient strengths and protective factors are either partially included or overlooked altogether by forensic psychologists. As a result, less is known about protective factors in general and how they may serve to inform risk management practices. The Structured Assessment of Protective Factors for Violence Risk (SAPROF) is the first tool to exclusively rely on protective factors and was investigated for the current study.

The psychometric properties of the SAPROF were examined using a sample of 50 Canadian patients found Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) at a psychiatric hospital using both file information and semi-structured interviews. Outcome variables included risk management decisions (change in privilege level and security level) and indicators of recidivism (psychiatric medication administration, institutional misconduct and disposition breaches). The study found some evidence for intrarater and interrater reliability, construct validity, predictive validity and incremental predictive validity. The SAPROF approached significance for adding incremental predictive validity to the HCR-20 V3, a measure of violence risk, for disposition breaches and institutional misconduct, and effect sizes doubled.

Given that the addition of the SAPROF increased the accuracy of the violence risk assessment, there are considerable implications for informing clinical practice. Implications for risk assessment, treatment planning, intervention and risk management decisions implemented by review boards and clinical practitioners are discussed. It is recommended that the SAPROF be added as an adjunct measure to risk assessment batteries and included in hospital reports, given that it predicted several patient behaviours.


The cost of DNA sequencing has dropped exponentially over the past decade, making genomic data accessible to a growing number of scientists. In bioinformatics, localization of short DNA sequences (reads) within large genomic sequences is commonly facilitated by constructing index data structures which allow for efficient querying of substrings. Recent metagenomic classification pipelines annotate reads with taxonomic labels by analyzing their k-mer histograms with respect to a reference genome database. CPU-based index construction is often performed in a preprocessing phase due to the relatively high cost of building irregular data structures such as hash maps. However, the rapidly growing amount of available reference genomes establishes the need for index construction and querying at interactive speeds. In this paper, we introduce MetaCache-GPU – an ultra-fast metagenomic short read classifier specifically tailored to fit the characteristics of CUDA-enabled accelerators. Our approach employs a novel hash table variant featuring efficient minhash fingerprinting of reads for locality-sensitive hashing and their rapid insertion using warp-aggregated operations. Our performance evaluation shows that MetaCache-GPU is able to build large reference databases in a matter of seconds, enabling instantaneous operability, while popular CPU-based tools such as Kraken2 require over an hour for index construction on the same data. In the context of an ever-growing number of reference genomes, MetaCache-GPU is the first metagenomic classifier that makes analysis pipelines with on-demand composition of large-scale reference genome sets practical. The source code is publicly available at https://github.com/muellan/metacache.


Sensory perception and respiration are two core features fundamental for human life, behavior and well-being. We are only able to live when we breathe and to understand the world when we perceive stimuli from it which we then interpret. Both features vary between individuals and between situations, for example during emotional challenges, and are likely relevant for mental health. Initial evidence suggests that body perception and respiration are coupled, but systematic research about their relationship and their association with mental disorders is currently lacking.
The presented work aims at advancing the understanding of sensory sensitivity and respiration pattern variability with regard to mental disorders and proposes biological mechanisms linking both together. Based on the results of two studies, one with autistic and one with remitted depressed participants, and supplemental analyses of a large independent sample these relationships are addressed.
In a sample of autistic individuals, sensory sensitivity was assessed with the sensory inventory, a newly developed standardized questionnaire on sensory sensitivity in which higher sensory sensitivity in autistic individuals was found. Scores of the inventory could further be used to discriminate autistic individuals with a sensitivity of 92% correctly from controls. In another sample more sensory content of memories was found to be related to increased memory for autobiographical events, pointing to a high relevance of sensory features in autism. In the second study, remitted depressed participants underwent a sad mood induction functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm with negative autobiographical events as cues and were also assessed with the sensory inventory. In the remitted depressed participants higher respiration pattern variability during sad mood was found which was associated with lower body perception ability, worse outcome and relapse, and increased default mode network connectivity in comparison to healthy controls, demonstrating the importance of both concepts and their relationship in depression. Furthermore, in autistic and formerly depressed participants body perception was lower in comparison to controls, suggesting a broader distribution of this sensory alteration in mental disorders.
These relationships of sensory features as well as respiration and associated alterations with the intensity and course of mental disorders might also highlight important concepts for the development of future sensory and respiration-based interventions. Sensory aided trainings for everyday activities and interactions could be helpful to better memorize learned content. Respiration focused training could be a promising additional tool as it might not only influence respiration directly but also body perception, default mode connectivity and could be helpful for coping with stress and relaxing in general. Taken together, the present thesis might stimulate an increased attention of body related processes like sensory sensitivity and respiration pattern variability in the investigation of causes and treatments of mental disorders.


BACKGROUND
Unexplained infertility remains as one of the important subtype of infertility that follows expectant management with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) in most cases.

AIM
To evaluate the clinical role of progesterone supplement as luteal phase support for women with unexplained infertility following stimulation protocol with Clomiphene Citrate (CC)/Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (HMG).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
An investigator initiated study to survey the success rate for first cycle of IUI following stimulation protocol with CC/HMG & luteal phase support with oral natural or synthetic progesterone was conducted. 120 patient records between observation period of Jan to May '14 were retrieved especially for subjects undergoing IUI procedure for Unexplained infertility. Patients with baseline Serum (Sr). progesterone records who received Oral Natural Micronized Progesterone Sustained Release (Oral NMP SR) (N=45) or Dydrogesterone (n=33) following CC/HMG induction protocol and human Chorionic Gonadotropin(HCG) Inj., were further analysed following Luteal Phase Support(LPS) with oral natural or synthetic progesterone.

RESULTS
Baseline demographics showed 78 patients with mean age, weight and cycle duration of 29.5 yrs, 57.3 kg & 28.6 days respectively. Progesterone was supplemented as Oral NMP SR 200/300 mg OD or Dydrogesterone 10 mg bid in 22, 23 and 33 patients respectively. In all cases ovulation was triggered with HCG inj., followed by IUI within the next 48 hours while baseline sr. progesterone levels were being assessed. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) UK recommended therapeutic compliance to suggest sr. progesterone levels of ≥14ng/ml were recorded as Mid-luteal levels in all of these patients. This therapeutic compliance was noted in 82.2% & 78.8% of the patients treated with oral NMP SR or Dydrogesterone respectively. Pregnancy was observed amongst 5 and 10 patients treated with oral NMP SR and Dydrogesterone respectively at the end of 'First' IUI cycle. Both the groups were well tolerated with drowsiness documented in three cases for Oral NMP SR.

CONCLUSION
Clinical supplementation with ONMPSR suggests therapeutic compliance and alternative strategy to conventional formulations while offering dosing convenience with minimal side effects.


The potential applications and pervasive nature of mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) has made them an attractive target for attackers. The wireless medium of communication coupled with constrained resources enable attacks which can be executed by a weak adversary. A wormhole is one such attack which poses considerable threat, particularly to routing protocols. In this paper, we devise a novel scheme for detecting a wormhole by utilizing the inherent symmetry of electromagnetic wave propagation in the wireless medium. We demonstrate the loss of this symmetry in case of a wormhole attack and propose a method to detect and flag the adversary. We modify the insecure neighborhood discovery to incorporate authentication. We further extend this scheme to a trust system with low overhead.


In this paper, the charge-pump PLL structure is well analyzed. By using top-down method, the digital PLL is designed from frequency phase detector, charge pump, loop filter, VCO to frequency divider. Based on 0.5μm CMOS mixed signal process, the schematic and layout design is finished on Cadence IC 22.214.171.124, and Hspice is used for the simulation. The layout verification and parasitic extraction is completed on industry mainstream Calibre software. Simulation results show that the digital PLL is with a 100MHz center frequency, the locking range is between 20MHz~60MHz, the locking time is less than 1.5μs, and phase noise is -105dBc/Hz. The design has implemented the digital signal lock function and it can be used as an IP hard core in the clock recovery of communication systems and frequency synthesis of digital systems.


We evaluated the trends and risk factors in infant mortality in Israel over five decades (1950-2000), based on data obtained from the official notifications of live births, and death certificates. Until the 1960s the main cause of infant mortality was infectious disease; this was replaced by congenital anomalies in Moslems and Druzes, and preterm birth in Jews and Christians. In 2000, there were 746 infant deaths, and the national infant mortality rate (IMR) was 5.4 per 1000 live births (Jews 3.9; [95% CI 3.5, 4.3]; Moslems 9.2 [8.3, 10.3]; Christians 3.6 [1.4, 5.8]; Druzes 6.3 [3.6, 9.0]). Between 1955 and 2000 the overall IMR declined sevenfold (absolute declines of 56.8, 56.3, 45.0 and 28.3 per 1000 live births, in Moslems, Druzes, Christians and Jews, respectively). The reduction in IMRs between 1990 and 2000 in all religious groups (>45%) exceeded the goal set by the World Summit for Children in 1990 of 33%. In 2000, the main risk factors were birthweight < 1500 g [relative risk (RR) = 69], major congenital malformations (RR = 22.0 [18.8, 25.7], and multiple births (RR of 9.3 and 4.2 in triplets and twins respectively). We conclude that the marked decline in IMRs in Israel over five decades reflects a major improvement in population health. Today, infant mortality in Israel represents a unique combination of high rate of congenital malformations among Moslems, where consanguineous marriages are common, and medical termination of pregnancy of malformed fetuses are infrequent; and relatively high IMRs from preterm birth in Jews, associated with high rates of assisted reproduction.


Since fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are inherently anisotropic and display a wide variety of failure mechanisms, predicting their fatigue behavior is a challenging task. Prediction of fatigue in FRP composites demands progressive damage analysis tools that account for constituent physics of the problem. In this work a fatigue failure methodology based on the kinetic theory of fracture (KTF) is developed that uses the physics of the matrix constituent to track damage in both laminar and inter-laminar regions. Fiber failure is predicted using the maximum principal stress theory. Matrix and fiber damage mechanisms are implemented together to predict the overall progressive fatigue behavior of the composite. Using this methodology, finite element simulations of an open-hole coupon subjected to tension-tension fatigue loading were conducted. The resultant residual stiffness and the damage location, type and amount inside the plies with number of fatigue cycles were benchmarked against published experimental data.


Unpublished and selectively published trial results may lead to distortion of the effectiveness and the profile of side effects of interventions. This jeopardizes patient safety and leads to unnecessary costs. Between 25 and 50% of all clinical trials remain unpublished. Primary outcomes, as originally defined in study protocols, often differ from those in the final publication. Positive trial results are almost 3 times as likely to be published as negative results. Commercial sponsorship is strongly associated with the publication of results that promote the interests of that sponsor, but non-publication and selective reporting is also frequent among non-commercial trials. Existing solutions, such as the requirement for prospective registration of trial protocols and the mandatory publication of trial results within 1 year after completion of the trial will only be successful if their compliance is more strictly monitored


UNLABELLED
Biliary sludge and/or biliary pseudolithiasis occur in patients treated with ceftriaxone with prevalence of 3-57%. Biliary obstruction can be the cause of the acute gallbladder enlargement. It is a minor complication, that usually does not give clinical symptoms and resolves once the drug is discontinued. The authors present a case of a 5-month old boy treated for the acute pyelonephritis. Routine ultrasound, performed on the 5th day of treatment with ceftriaxone, showed gallbladder enlargement. In the consecutive studies small gallblader sludge was visible. Patient had no symptoms related to the gallbladder enlargement. Ultrasound performed 6 weeks from the drug discontinuation was completely normal.

CONCLUSIONS
Patients treated with ceftroiaxone should be monitored for biliary sludge and pseudolithiasis.


Paper presents telecommunications security issues with dynamically changing networking. Paper also presents performance indicators of authentication as an integral part of the approach to non-public information. Expected level of security depend on relevant ITS services requirements, different solutions require different levels of quality. Data volumes transferred both in private data vehicle on board networks as well as between vehicles and infrastructure or other vehicles significantly and progressively grow. This trend leads to increase of the fatal problems if security of the wide area networks is not relevantly treated. Relevant communications security treatment becomes crucial part of the ITS telecommunications solution because probability of hazards appearances grow if vehicles networks are integrated in the dynamically organized wide area networks. Besides of available "off shelf" security tools solution based on non-public universal identifier with dynamical extension and data selection according to actor role or category is presented including performances indicators for the authentication process.


Evidence suggests that a given cloud-seeding treatment sometimes increases precipitation and sometimes decreases it. Despite many hints and suggestions, there is as yet no generally accepted theory to explain why this should be so or guide cloud seeders toward a more efficient practice. Until this situationis improved, the credibility of cloud seeding will remain low. In the study reported here, we seek to improve this situation by developing a system of physical expectations sufficiently generalized simplified explain and to tendencies toward increase or decrease in a wide variety weather of situations to help guide the and cloud seeder in the field.


The purpose of this study is to examine the validity and reliability of the Forgiveness and Forgiveness Probability Scales, developed by Rye, Loiacono, Folck, Olszewski, Heim and Madia (2001), in Turkey. This study included 180 women whose children receive education in high schools on the voluntary basis for the validity and reliability study of the scales. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was applied to assess whether the structure of the 2-factor and 15-item structure of the Forgiveness Scale and the single-factor and 10-item structure of the Forgiveness Probability Scale are verified. In the first CFA applied, items with a statistically insignificant t value were examined. According to this review, no material with an insignificant t value was found on both scales. When the coefficients showing the relationship between the observed variables and the factors of the model showing the factorial structure of both scales were examined, it was concluded that all the compliance indices were sufficient. Taking into account the compliance statistics calculated with the CFA, the previously determined single and two factor structures of Forgiveness Scale and Forgiveness Probability Scale are generally compatible with the collected data.


A novel heterogeneously encoded dual-bit self-timed adder design is presented in this paper. Heterogeneous encoding refers to a combination of at least two different delay-insensitive encoding schemes, adopted for the inputs and outputs. The primary motivation being that higher order 1-of-n encoding protocols facilitate reduction in terms of the circuit switching power dissipation compared to the basic dual-rail (1-of-2, which is the simplest 1-of-n code) encoding scheme. Here, n specifies the number of physical lines. The number of transitions gets reduced by O(k) over a dual-rail code, with k being the number of primary inputs and equals log2n. The design of a dual-bit adder is considered to illustrate the advantage of the heterogeneous encoding scheme. The proposed adder design satisfies Seitz's weak-indication timing constraints. In comparison with dual-bit adders realized using other approaches, employing dual-rail encoding or heterogeneous encoding, the proposed design is found to be efficient in terms of delay, power consumption and area parameters.


Using the outcrossing Primula farinosa and its autogamous selfing relatives P. scotica, P. scandinavica and P. stricta, we compared the fitness of light and heavy seeds. Heavy seeds germinated in greater numbers and more quickly. In competition with seedlings grown from lighter seeds, heavy seeds produced larger rosettes. In P. farinosa such seedlings went on to produce more seeds, and in two populations heavier seeds, than plants from lighter seeds. After transplantation to natural populations, seedlings of P. farinosa derived from heavy seeds produced larger rosettes, more flowers and seeds than those from lighter seeds in certain populations so that seedlings born of heavy seeds were much fitter than seedlings from lighter seeds. Average seed weight varied in inverse proportion to seed number per capsule. The autogamous species produced on average about twice as many seeds per capsule as P. farinosa. In P. scotica and P. stricta this difference appears to be due in part to assured fertilization, but this high fecundity did not cause disadvantageously light seeds. As these species produced fewer capsules per scape, their overall seed production was on average no greater than for P. farinosa. P. farinosa traded-off fitness between capsules with large seed numbers, which donated more offspring to the next generation, and those with small seed numbers, whose heavy seeds would be more likely to reproduce themselves in the next generation. We conclude that low fecundity in outcrossing species might at times be advantageous.


Swiss chard is a horticultural crop with a highly nutritious value. These crops' production required nutrients, which can be provided through mineral nutrient solutions or biofertilizers. Biofertilizers are products that contain beneficial microorganisms that improve soil quality and that promote plant growth. Additionally, these microorganisms carry out nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization. The present work assessed the application of compost tea, co-inoculation (Azospirillum and Glomus), and inorganic fertilizer over the growth (roots, stem, and leaves) and nutrient content in Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. Forhook Giant) plants. The present work was carried out in a greenhouse using a randomized complete block design. Swiss chard plants treated with compost tea + inorganic fertilization (CTIF) accumulated more root and stem dry weight (4.06 and 8.10 g respectively), and, on the other hand, the leaf dry weight increased under three treatments: inorganic fertilization (IF), compost tea + co-inoculation (CTCi) and CTIF (12.5, 9.22 and 10.5 g respectively). Leaf area was greater in the IF and CTIF treatments. In Control (C) P and Mg content were higher; CTCi treatment increased the N, K, and Mn content; the co-inoculation (Ci) treatment increased Cu content as well as CTIF treatment increased the Ca, Fe, Zn, and B contents and in a lesser extent also the P, Mg, Cu, and Mn contents. The biomass partitioning coef ficient indicates that in six samples (from a total of seven samples), most of the photosynthates (PS) were used by the plants to form new leaves or to increase the size of the leaves. If an alternative method of fertilization is desired, it is recommended that a combination of biofertilizer and inorganic fertilization should be used, such as, the combination of compost tea and mineral solution that increased the production and the concentration of nutrients in the Swiss chard crop.


We investigated the physiology that underlies the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization on outcomes of interactions between plants. We grew Medicago truncatula A17 and its AM-defective mutant dmi1 in intragenotypic (two plants per pot of the same genotype, x2) or intergenotypic (one plant of each genotype, 1 + 1) combinations, inoculated or not with Rhizophagus irregularis (formerly Glomus intraradices) or Gigaspora margarita. We measured plant growth, colonization, contributions of AM and direct P uptake pathways using (32)P, and expression of plant Pi transporter genes at two levels of P supply. A17 (x2) responded positively to inoculation only at low P. The response was enhanced with 1 + 1 even at high P where colonization in A17 was reduced. With R. irregularis P uptake by the AM pathway was unaffected by P supply, whereas with G. margarita, the AM pathway was lower at high P, and direct uptake higher. Gene expression varied and was unrelated to P uptake through the two pathways. There was no evidence of plant control of P uptake via R. irregularis at high P but there was via G. margarita. Importantly, growth responses of plant genotypes grown alone did not predict outcomes of intergenotypic interactions.


Objective: To highlight the importance of laparoscopic evaluation in the etiology of infertility and to evaluate the etiology in primary and secondary infertility. Methods: This retrospective study included 1233 patients complaining of infertility, 919 patients had primary infertility and 314 patients had secondary infertility. All had been subjected to diagnostic laparoscopy at the Infertility Center in Al-Batool Teaching Hospital, Mosul. Results: Laparoscopy diagnosed pelvic abnormality in 87.27% of infertile patients which was statistically significant difference comparing to no abnormality detected in 12.73%. The ratio of positive findings in secondary infertility was significant in comparison with the positive findings in primary infertility. Single pelvic abnormality detected during laparoscopy among infertility patients was seen in 75.09% of cases and it was statistically different from multiple pelvic abnormality: 24.91%, and it was highly significant among primary infertility patients (77.24%) and among secondary infertility patients (30.87%). Among all infertile patients, ovarian factor was the most common (66.83%) followed by tubal factor (22.03%), endometriosis (4.46%), pelvic inflammatory disease (2.85%), pelvic adhesion (2.10%) and uterine fibroid (1.73%). Ovarian factor was highly significant in primary infertility while tubal factor and pelvic inflammatory disease were the highly significant in secondary infertility. Multiple pelvic pathology identified by laparoscopy showed the tubal factors associated with poly cystic ovary in 29.49% of cases (31.66% in primary infertility and 25% in secondary infertility with no significant statistical difference). Pelvic inflammatory disease associated with other pelvic abnormality 34.09% was highly significant among secondary infertility patients. Congenital uterine abnormalities was not seen alone, it was seen associated with other causes among primary infertility patients (9 cases 0.72%). Conclusion: Diagnostic laparoscopy is a valuable technique and is a mandatory invasive investigation for complete assessment of female infertility before the couple progresses to infertility treatment especially where assisted reproductive techniques were not available.


Mammalian ATPase family AAA domain–containing protein 5 (ATAD5) and its yeast homolog enhanced level of genomic instability 1 are responsible for unloading proliferating cell nuclear antigen from newly synthesized DNA. Prior work in HeLa and yeast cells showed that a decrease in ATAD5 protein levels resulted in accumulation of chromatin-bound proliferating cell nuclear antigen, slowed cell division, and increased genomic instability. In this study, B cells from heterozygous (Atad5+/m) mice were used to examine the effects of decreased cell proliferation on Ab diversity. ATAD5 haploinsufficiency did not change the frequency or spectrum of somatic hypermutation in Ab genes, indicating that DNA repair and error-prone DNA polymerase η usage were unaffected. However, immunized Atad5+/m mice had decreased serum IgG1 Abs, demonstrating a functional effect on class switch recombination. The mechanism of this altered immune response was then examined following ex vivo stimulation of splenic B cells, where Atad5+/m cells accumulated in the S phase of the cell cycle and had reduced proliferation compared with wild-type cells. These haploinsufficient cells underwent a significant decline in activation-induced deaminase expression, resulting in decreased switch region DNA double-strand breaks and interchromosomal translocations in the Igh locus. Class switch recombination to several isotypes was also reduced in Atad5+/m cells, although the types of end-joining pathways were not affected. These results describe a defect in DNA replication that affects Igh recombination via reduced cell division.


Commercial/large-truck fatal crash involvement by drivers of different age groups is a critical issue for the trucking industry. Escalating safety concerns related to these heavy vehicles serving the freight economy in the U.S. have an impact national freight reliability and economic growth. This study identifies major contributing factors leading to large-truck fatal crashes for four age groups of driver: <30, 30–49, 50–65, and 65+. The analysis in this study is based on five years (2012–2016) of Fatality Analysis Reporting System data and provides an overall picture of risk factors in large-truck fatal crashes. In total, 30 variables were found to be significant in the logit models, indicating varying risks associated with large-truck drivers of these four age groups. Model results indicate different risk factors associated with driver characteristics, spatial and temporal characteristics, vehicle and vehicle maneuvering characteristics, and environmental conditions at the time of the crashes. Identifying the risk factors for different age groups of drivers is important so proper countermeasures can be implemented from the perspective of human factors (e.g., safe speed choice, fatigue), roadway engineering (e.g., design of roadside barriers, radius of ramps), enforcement (e.g., presence of law enforcement personnel at critical locations), and emergency medical attention in remote areas. Considering the aging of the truck driver population in the U.S. and around the world, the findings of this study are vital to understand better the importance of safety in relation to large-truck fatal crashes.


Most methods for state-of-charge or state-of-health prognostics are impedance based. Impedance models must be as simple as possible to be implemented on embedded applications but as accurate as possible to represent the main electrochemical phenomena. The parameters of such models can be identified using impedance spectroscopy. However, the electrochemical fea- tures change in relation to numerous parameters, such as temper- ature or aging, which involves updating the model of the battery online. This paper deals with the use of an extended Kalman filter (EKF) for the observation of the parameters of a Li-ion battery lumped model. First, this paper will focus on the electrical model that can be used to represent the main electrochemical phenomena in the battery. Then, mathematical considerations about the EKF are reminded to be applied to the observation of the impedance parameters of the battery. This method has been validated on an urban driving cycle of a hybrid electric vehicle.


In this paper we investigate whether the effects of terrorism in one country spillover to affect trade in neighboring nations. Using a sample of more than 160 countries from 1976 to 2014, we report robust evidence that terrorist attacks in a nation's contiguous neighbors significantly reduce bilateral trade. Each additional terrorist attack in a neighboring country reduces bilateral trade by nearly 0.013% on average, which translates into a reduction of about $6.4 million USD in total trade. Trade effects from terrorist incidents are higher in sub-Sahara. Adverse trade effects hold for different flow and stock measures of terrorism, and even for terrorist incidents with zero casualties. Spillovers from terrorism are relatively long-lived, depressing bilateral trade up to five years after a terrorist event. Our findings are consistent with terrorism adversely impacting bilateral trade through several channels: psychological distress, higher trade costs arising from increased trade insecurity and regulatory burden, and adverse effects on income and trade reform.


INTRODUCTION
To overcome limitations of screw-retained prostheses, cement-retained prostheses have become the restoration of choice now a days. Selection of the cement hence becomes very critical to maintain retrievability of the prostheses.

AIM
The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the retention of base metal crowns cemented to implant abutments with five different luting cements.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ten implant analogs were secured in five epoxy resin casts perpendicular to the plane of cast in right first molar and left first molar region and implant abutments were screwed. Total of 100 metal copings were fabricated and cemented. The cements used were zinc phosphate, resin modified glass ionomer cement, resin cement, non-eugenol acrylic based temporary implant cement & non-eugenol temporary resin cement implant cement. Samples were subjected to a pull-out test using an Instron universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5mm/min. The load required to de-cement each coping was recorded and mean values for each group calculated and put to statistical analysis.

RESULTS
The results showed that resin cement has the highest retention value 581.075N followed by zinc phosphate luting cement 529.48N, resin modified glass ionomer cement 338.095 N, non-eugenol acrylic based temporary implant cement 249.045 N and non-eugenol temporary resin implant cement 140.49N.

CONCLUSION
Within the limitations of study, it was concluded that non-eugenol acrylic based temporary implant cement and non-eugenol temporary resin implant cement allow for easy retrievability of the prosthesis in case of any failure in future. These are suitable for cement retained implant restorations. The results provide a possible preliminary ranking of luting agents based on their ability to retain an implant-supported prosthesis and facilitate easy retrieval.


Abstract. The main goal of the CARPATCLIM (Climate of the Carpathian Region) project is to construct the gridded climatological database for the region in a daily temporal resolution for the period 1961–2010 by using 0.1° spatial resolution. The solution of this requirement as well as one of the final products of the CARPATCLIM project is a Digital Climate Atlas which is designed as the main entry point for all the gridded data and maps generated during the project, together with metadata for all data sets (original data as well as data created during the project). With respect to the INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community) directive, the Digital Climate Atlas is developed as a rich Web GIS (Geographic Information System) application based on modern Web standards offering all necessary tools for climate data visualization and extraction. Another important product of the CARPATCLIM project is the Metadata Catalog which is designed as a tool for searching of climate metadata by various parameters (i.e. period, variable, region etc.).


The need of light weight construction for high efficient vehicles leads to the use of new materials like aluminium and magnesium alloys or high strength and ultra high strength steels. At elevated temperatures the formability of steel increases as the flow stresses decrease. Forming high complex geometries like chassis components or components of the exhaust system of vehicles can be done by hydroforming. The hydroforming process by oils is limited to temperatures of approximately 300 °C and brings disadvantages of possible leakage and fouling. Using granular material like small ceramic beads as medium could be an approach for hydroforming of ultra high strength steels like MS W1200 and CP W800 at temperatures up to 600 °C. The material properties of granular material are in some points similar to solid bodies, in other points similar to liquids. For understanding and simulation of the behaviour of the medium a basic characterisation of ceramic beads with different ball diameters is necessary. Powder mechanics and soil engineering give ideas for experimental setups. For the conversion of these approaches on the one hand the behaviour of the ceramic beads itself has to be characterized, on the other hand the contact between a blank and the beads have to be investigated. For the tests three different kinds of spheres with a diameter between 63 microns and 850 microns are used. In unidirectional compression test compressibility, pressure distribution in compression direction and transversal compression direction and the effect of bead fracture are investigated. The tests are carried out at different compression velocities and for multiple compressions. For determination of friction coefficients between blank and beads and determination of shear stress in bulk under compression a modified Jenike-Shear-Cell for use in universal testing machines with the possibility of hydraulic compression of the beads is built up. The gained data can be used for material modelling in ABAQUS using Mohr-Coulomb or Drucker-Prager model.


This is an exploratory, developmental paper, outlining a proposed approach in a doctoral study to identify the threshold concepts in Entrepreneurship education, and the implication of these in the development of curricula and pedagogy in Entrepreneurship programmes in Higher Education.
The production of knowledge is commonly organized in disciplines and the communication of knowledge within a disciplinary field and a non-disciplinary field (such as Business Management) is normally expected to differ (Peter Van den Besselaar & Gaston Heimeriks, 2001). This study therefore will be of interest to educators working in multidisciplinary fields, with an interest in practice-based learning.

Five groups have been identified as important to this study which uses transactional curriculum inquiry (Cousin, 2009). These are Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship educators, students of Entrepreneurship programmes, suppliers of professional services to Entrepreneurs and educational developers.

A combination of concept mapping (Trochim, 1989), semi-structured interviews and use of the Delphi survey technique (Tigelaar, Dolmans, Wolfhagen, & Van der Vleuten, 2004) are proposed, to identify the threshold concepts of Entrepreneurship, which in this context, has been preliminarily defined as a domain of expertise (Saras D. Sarasvathy, 2008).


This study is based on a late Pliocene and early Pleistocene (approximately 2.6‐1.7 Ma) succession about 1 km thick of 20 sixth-order (41 k.y. duration) cyclothems of shelf origin exposed in the Rangitikei River valley in the eastern part of Wanganui basin. The cyclothems correlate with δ 18 O isotope stages 100‐58, and each 41 k.y. glacialinterglacial stage couplet is represented by an individual depositional sequence comprising transgressive, highstand, and regressive systems tracts. Unlike most examples inferred from the stratigraphic record, these systems tracts were deposited during phases of known sea-level cycles indicated by the contemporary oxygen isotope ice-volume curve. Because of the high rate of subsidence of Wanganui basin, glacioeustatic sea-level falls during most cycles were not of sufficient magnitude to expose the outer shelf. Thus, the Rangitikei section provides an exceptional example of regressive strata deposited landward of the contemporary shelf break. Simple one-dimensional modeling shows that moderate to high rates of basin subsidence (1‐2 mm/yr) and low rates of sedimentation (<0.2 mm/yr) during transgressions combined to produce an accommodation surplus at the relative highstand. This surplus accommodation was infilled during the late highstand and ensuing fall partly by aggradational, highstand systems tract shelf siltstone, and chiefly by strongly progradational shoreface sediments of the regressive systems tract. Rangitikei regressive systems tracts are distinguished from forced regressive systems tracts (sensu Hunt and Tucker, 1992) by their different stratal geometry. By definition, forced regressive systems tracts display an erosional contact with the underlying highstand systems tracts and typically occur as a series of downstepped disjunct shoreline wedges stranded on the shelf and/or slope. In contrast, regressive systems tracts exhibit a gradational lower contact, above which parasequences are stacked in a strongly progradational pattern terminated by the superjacent sequence boundary. Cyclothems display two types of motif termed Rangitikei dt (depositional transgression), and Rangitikei nt (nondepositional transgression), which include the following architectural elements in ascending stratigraphic order: (1) a basal sequence boundary that is coincident with either the transgressive surface of erosion, which displays small-scale (up to 50 cm) erosional relief and may be penetrated by the ichnofossil Ophiomorpha, or its deeper water correlative conformity; (2) either a thick (5‐30 m) transgressive systems tract comprising a deepening upward nearshore to inner shelf, mixed carbonate-siliciclastic lithofacies succession (depositional transgression), or a thin (<2 m) transgressive systems tract comprising condensed fossiliferous facies deposited on the sediment-starved offshore shelf (nondepositional transgression); (3) a sharp downlap surface separating condensed fossiliferous facies of the transgressive systems tract from terrigenous siltstone of the superjacent highstand systems tract; (4) a highstand systems tract comprising a 10‐20-m-thick interval of aggradational, shelf siltstone; and (5) a thick (up to 45 m) progradational inner shelf to shoreface lithofacies assemblage ascribed to the regressive systems tract. Condensed shell beds are associated with intrasequence and sequence-bounding discontinuities, and, together with the sedimentological and stratal characteristics of the sequences, are important indicators of stratigraphic architecture. Four types of shell bed are associated with surfaces formed by four different types of stratal termination; onlap, backlap, downlap, and flooding surface shell beds (cf. Kidwell, 1991) are associated, respectively, with the transgressive surface of erosion, "apparent truncation" at the top of the transgressive systems tract, the downlap surface, and local marine flooding surfaces. A fifth shell-bed type, termed a compound shell bed, forms in offshore environments where the downlap surface converges with the sequence boundary, and elements of both the downlap and the backlap shell beds become mixed or superposed. The shell beds mark zones of stratal attenuation and can be used as surrogates for seismic discontinuities when applying sequence stratigraphic concepts at outcrop scale.


ABSTRACT Background: Problematic alcohol use is common among university students and personality might account for individual differences in developing this maladaptive behavior. Two personality dispositions implicated in problematic alcohol use are negative urgency and neuroticism. However, the relationship of these traits to problematic alcohol use is unclear. In college students high neuroticism is not directly linked to problematic alcohol use. On the other hand, the experience of emotional distress in people high in neuroticism could impair the capacity for impulse control. Loss of impulse control under conditions of negative affect could trigger impulsive drinking and problematic alcohol use in the long run. Objectives: We investigated this idea by testing whether negative urgency mediates the relationship of neuroticism to problematic alcohol use. Methods: Participants were 60 undergraduate university students who completed the Urgency subscale of the Urgency, (lack of) Premeditation, (lack of) Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency Impulsive Behaviour scale (UPPS-P), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the Neuroticism subscale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised short form (EPQ-RSS). Results: The results confirmed our hypothesis as we found an indirect effect of negative urgency on the relationship between neuroticism and problematic alcohol use. Conclusions/Importance: It appears that it is not distress but the tendency to act rashly when distressed that is important in developing problematic alcohol drinking in university students.


Abstract Objective: The most important issue in flap surgery is flap viability. This study aimed to compare the effects of most commonly used phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors on flap survival. Methods: A 3 × 9 cm flap was elevated from the dorsum of 32 Wistar albino rats. In the control group, saline was administered 2 hours before the flap elevation and continued for 2 days after the surgery. In the sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil groups, the related drug was administered. Blood flow in the flaps was monitored with laser Doppler flowmetry. On postoperative day 7, flaps were photographed and biopsies were obtained. Results: The ratios of flap necrosis area in the tadalafil, sildenafil, and vardenafil groups were lower than that in the control group, but without significant difference (p = 0.077). Histopathological evaluation revealed no significant difference among the groups. Conclusion: The ratio of flap necrosis area tended to be lower in the groups receiving oral PDE5 inhibitors than in the control group, although not statistically significant. The role of PDE5 inhibitors needs to be evaluated in larger studies before a conclusion can be made regarding their effects on flap viability.


This study made use of content and discourse analysis to critically examine how the ideas of 'good teaching' and 'good teachers' were developed and used within the policy-document A Vision for 21st Century Education. Released in 2010 by British Columbia's Premier's Technology Council, A Vision for 21st Century Education is a localized policy that attempts to re-imagine key features of teachers and their work in ways that are consistent with the goals of the larger 21st-century policy agenda currently circulating the world. Through my use of content and discourse analysis, I show how A Vision for 21st Century Education promotes a vision of schooling that is largely a neoliberal and managerialist enterprise that relegates teachers and teaching to subordinate roles within processes of policy development and policy implementation. The study identifies two prominent discourses within A Vision for 21st Century Education: 'learnification' translates and reduces public education to terms of 'learners' and 'learning,' and 'accountingization' re-imagines teachers' work as 'that which can be counted.' I take care to show how these discourses (i) are developed within the text through genre and style, modalization and passivation; and (ii) subordinate teachers beneath the values of policy makers. I argue that this relative devaluation of teachers and their work provides a basis for increased school conflicts, contributes to elevated stress among teachers, and may encourage teacher 'burnout.' As a point of contrast, I sketch an alternative vision of the role of teachers' work that is grounded in democratic values and practices.!


Dilutions of fresh autogenous bone marrow cells in combination with allogeneic demineralized cortical bone matrix were tested extraskeletally in rats using roentgenographic, histologic, and 45Ca techniques. Suspensions of bone marrow cells (especially diluted 1:2 with culture media) combined with demineralized cortical bone seemed to induce significantly more new bone than did demineralized bone, bone marrow, or composite grafts with whole bone marrow, respectively. In a short-term spinal fusion experiment, demineralized cortical bone combined with fresh bone marrow produced new bone and bridged the interspace between the spinous processes faster than other transplantation procedures. The induction of undifferentiated host cells by demineralized bone matrix is further complemented by addition of autogenous, especially slightly diluted, bone marrow cells.


We investigated audiovisual speed perception to test the maximum-likelihood-estimation (MLE) model of multisensory integration. According to MLE, audiovisual speed perception will be based on a weighted average of visual and auditory speed estimates, with each component weighted by its inverse variance, a statistically optimal combination that produces a fused estimate with minimised variance and thereby affords maximal discrimination. We use virtual auditory space to create ecologically valid auditory motion, together with visual apparent motion around an array of 63 LEDs. To degrade the usual dominance of vision over audition, we added positional jitter to the motion sequences, and also measured peripheral trajectories. Both factors degraded visual speed discrimination, while auditory speed perception was unaffected by trajectory location. In the bimodal conditions, a speed conflict was introduced (48° versus 60° s−1) and two measures were taken: perceived audiovisual speed, and the precision (variability) of audiovisual speed discrimination. These measures showed only a weak tendency to follow MLE predictions. However, splitting the data into two groups based on whether the unimodal component weights were similar or disparate revealed interesting findings: similarly weighted components were integrated in a manner closely matching MLE predictions, while dissimilarity weighted components (greater than 3: 1 difference) were integrated according to probability-summation predictions. These results suggest that different multisensory integration strategies may be implemented depending on relative component reliabilities, with MLE integration vetoed when component weights are highly disparate.


The most expensive geometric operation in image synthesis is visibility determination. Classically this is solved with hidden surface removal algorithms that render only the parts of the scene visible from a point. Global illumination calculations, however, may require information between any two points in the scene. This paper describes global visibility algorithms that preprocess polygon databases in order to accelerate visibility determination during illumination calculations. These algorithms are sensitive to the output complexity in visibility space; that is, how many pairs of objects are mutually visible. Furthermore, the algorithms are incremental so that they work well with progressive refinement and hierarchical methods of image synthesis. The algorithms are conservative, but exact; that is, when they return visibility predicates they can be proved true. However sometimes they do not return either totally visible or totally invisible, but partially visible, even though in the same situation a better algorithm might return the exact answer. In this paper we describe the algorithms and their implementation, and show that, in a scene with low average visual complexity, they can dramatically accelerate conventional radiosity programs. CR Categories and Subject Descriptors: I.3.5 [Computational Geometry and Object Modeling]: Geometric Algorithms, Languages, and Systems; I.3.7 [Computer Graphics]: ThreeDimensional Graphics and Realism Radiosity; J.2 [Physical Sciences and Engineering]: Engineering. Additional Key Words: Hidden surface removal, visibility space, radiosity, global illumination, algorithmic triage.


Drawing on role congruity theory, we examine whether and when women-led ventures are more likely to fail than men-led ventures. We investigate the relationship between the gender of the leading entrepreneur and business failure and three important moderators of this relationship: whether the leadership assignment is consistent with merit, whether the venture operates in a female-dominated industry, and whether the venture is operated by a spousal team. Drawing on a unique, nationally representative data set of entrepreneurial firms sampled from the U.S. population in 2005 and followed yearly until 2011, we demonstrate that female entrepreneurs' businesses are more likely to fail than those of their male counterparts. Regarding the moderating effects, our results show that female entrepreneurs' businesses are more likely to fail when their merit-based competence is inferior to that of their cofounders. However, in the same scenario, male entrepreneurs are still able to lead their businesses successfully. We also find that women entrepreneurs' disadvantages in leading new businesses are amplified in contexts that many have expected to be supportive of women, including in industries dominated by women and within spousal teams. Together, our results suggest that women's disadvantages in leading their businesses may be perpetuated by gender beliefs that discount women's leadership. Based on our findings, we discuss our contributions to theory and practice, and we offer implications for future research.


The head-mounted displays (HMD) allow people to enjoy immersive VR experience. A virtual avatar can be the representative of a user in the virtual environment. However, the expression of the virtual avatar with a HMD user is constrained. A major problem of wearing an HMD is that a large portion of one 's face is occluded, making facial recognition difficult in an HMD-based virtual environment. To overcome this problem, we propose a facial expression mapping technology using retro-reflective photoelectric sensors. The sensors attached inside the HMD measures the distance between sensors and a face. The distance values of five basic facial expressions (Neutral, Happy, Angry, Surprised, and Sad) are used for training the neural network to estimate the facial expression of a user. Our system can also reproduce facial expression change in real-time through an existing avatar by using regression.


Relationship based Care: Exploring the Manifestations of Health as Expanding Consciousness within a Patient and Family Centered Medical Intensive Care Unit Lillian Virginia Ananian Dorothy Jones A family's unique way of being, formulated through social, economic, environmental and political factors, becomes fractured during a loved one's critical illness. Family members experience burdensome physical and emotional symptoms as they transition through the marked uncertainty endemic to high acuity illness. For some, this burden results in long term psychiatric disturbances. Assessment tools and interventions have been proposed for family members experiencing a loved one's critical illness. However, ongoing suffering suggests inherent limitations within these reductionist approaches. The need for a more encompassing disciplinary perspective is suggested. Margaret Newman's (1986, 1994, 2008) theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness (HEC) and its praxis research method was employed to explore relationship based care among intensive care unit (ICU) family members and registered nurses. HEC retains person/environmental integrity through unfolding of unitary knowledge via exploration of meaning. Additionally, its holistic perspective aligns philosophically with the belief in nursing science as the study of caring in the human health experience, endorsing both the mutuality of the nurse/client relationship and pattern recognition's capacity to inspire transformational growth. The study was performed in an eighteen bed medical ICU in the northeast region of the United States. This unit's design includes an integrated critical/palliative care model. Exploration of the study's two research questions was accomplished using the practice and research components of HEC within a sample of eight family members and six registered nurses. Results demonstrated family members' capacity to achieve consciousness expansion within the context of a loved one's critical illness. Registered nurses revealed their ability to steadfastly partner with both patients and families. Repetitive elements distinguished as thematic commonalities were recognized among both family member and registered nurse participants. Additionally, thematic integration between family members and registered nurses was appreciated. HEC was found to offer unique insights into caring relationships between ICU family members and registered nurses.


A new approach to the computational design of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) specific for ephedrine is presented. A virtual library of functional monomers was developed and screened against the template using molecular modelling software. The monomers giving the highest binding score were co-polymerized with a cross-linker in the presence of ephedrine. Control (blank) polymers were prepared under the same conditions but in the absence of the template. A good correlation was found between the modelling results and performance of the materials in an HPLC study. A MIP based on one of the selected monomers—hydroxyethyl methacrylate—gave a separation of ephedrine enantiomers with a separation factor α of 1.42–2.09 (depending on temperature). This figure is larger than the α values generally obtained with commercially available chiral phases. It is anticipated that the computational approach will be of use for the rational design
of MIPs and the prediction of polymer affinity and specificity.


Ensuring reliably repeatable dependency installation has long been an unsolved problem for many Python projects. Pinning dependencies via setup.py and requirements.txt has historically been met with extra work and unexpected results, particularly when managing the dependencies of dependencies. Thanks to PEP 518, Python projects can now more easily manage dependencies via the new pyproject.toml file specification. In its wake, a number of useful tools have arisen that use this file to provide enhanced dependency resolution, including Poetry, Hatch, and Pipenv. Attendees of this talk will take home the following knowledge and skills: how to replace three files (setup.py, requirements.txt, and MANIFEST.ini) with just one: pyproject.toml why dependency resolution is hard and why it matters how Poetry, Hatch, and Pipenv differ and when to use each why one might use a less magical alternative: pip-tools how to use pipx to isolate system-wide Python tools


User interfaces of mobile apps offer personalised experience primarily through manual customisation rather than spontaneous adaptation. This thesis investigates methods for adaptive user interfaces in the context of future mobile news apps that are expected to systematically monitor users' news access patterns and adapt their interface and interaction in response. Although mobile news services are now able to recommend news that a user would be likely to read, there has not been equivalent progress in personalising the way that news content is accessed and read. This thesis addresses key issues for the development of adaptive user interfaces in the mobile environment and contributes to the existing literature of adaptive user interfaces, user modelling, and personalisation in the domain of news in four ways. First, using survey methods it explores differences in how people consume and read news content on mobile news apps and it defines a News Reader Typology that characterises the individual news consumer. Second, it develops a method for monitoring news reading patterns through a deployed news app, namely Habito News, and it proposes a framework for modelling users by analysing those patterns; machine learning algorithms are exploited selectively in the analysis. Third, it explores the design space of personalised user interfaces and interactions that would be tailored to the needs and preferences of individual news readers. Finally, it demonstrates the effectiveness of automatic adaptation through Habito News, the prototype mobile news app that was developed, which systematically monitors users' news reading interaction behaviour and automatically adjusts its interface in response to their news reading characteristics. The results indicate the feasibility of user interface personalisation and help shape the future of automatically changing user interfaces by systematic monitoring, profiling and adapting the interface and interaction.


Abstract Pinyon-juniper (Pinus monophylla–Juniperus osteosperma) woodlands are expanding into shrubsteppe ecosystems in western portions of the Great Basin. Often, highly competitive trees displace the understory, and prescribed fire is increasingly used as a restoration tool. To inform management decisions about post-fire recovery, we examined immediate and long-term (i.e., 2 growing seasons) responses of the germinable seed bank to a spring prescribed fire. One week before and 1 week after a May 2002 prescribed burn, soil samples were taken under P. monophylla trees, under Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana shrubs, and from interspace microsites. Two growing seasons after the prescribed burn, soil samples were taken from the same microsites and from similar microsites in an adjacent unburned area. Prior to the burn, the germinable seed bank under shrubs contained the highest seed density and the highest species richness followed by interspace and tree microsites. Shrub litter was consumed by the burn, causing complete loss of the seed bank from that microsite and depleting the A. tridentata seed bank. Interestingly, the density of germinable seeds in soil under P. monophylla trees increased immediately following the burn; 70% of that increase originated from the annual forb Descurainia pinnata. Two growing seasons following the prescribed burn, no overall differences in germinable seed density between burned and unburned plots were observed, but seed bank species composition differed, with seed banks in the prescribed burn having a greater abundance of Eriogonum elatum, E. microthecum, and Gayophytum diffusum compared to unburned plots, which had a greater abundance of A. tridentata, Lappula occidentalis, and Descurainia pinnata. Our results indicate that rapid restoration to prefire vegetation cannot rely upon the soil seed bank. To ensure rapid recovery, land managers should select sites for prescribed burns that have fire-tolerant perennial vegetation. Nomenclature: USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database [cited 13 November 2006]. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874–4490. Available from: http://plants.usda.gov


Organic and conventional fruits and vegetables contain compounds with important human health promoting effects. Whether fruits and vegetables grown via organic versus conventional production systems are superior in taste and nutrition, at present, is difficult to say with complete certainty. To ascertain possible quality differences and develop a definitive data base, direct comparative studies of organic vs. conventional produce requires following rigorous guidelines which includes 1) appropriate study approaches (retail market vs. farm vs. research center studies), and 2) standardized preharvest production site, harvest procedural, postharvest handling, and analytical methodology constraints.


Purpose: The aim of the research was to identify activities in the field of logistics undertaken by dairy companies in Poland. Design/Approach/Methodology: The research was carried out in 35 dairy enterprises operating in Poland. The research was conducted in 2021 using a guided interview questionnaire. In this study, descriptive, graphical and tabular methods were used, presented in further parts of the work. The research covered a diverse range of questions, corresponding to and falling within the scope of the subject matter of logistic activities undertaken by entities authorized to manufacture and distribute dairy industry products. Findings: In the article, the authors focused mainly on presenting the main logistic activities that dairy companies operating in the country undertook to improve the condition of enterprises and the quality of products, including the issue of quality, the issue of delivery time of the raw material needed for production in the dairy industry, i.e. milk, as well as the subject of dairy industry products. The research shows that the main criteria for choosing a supplier are quality, price and brand. Practical Implications: Thus, it can be concluded that decisions regarding supply are placed high in Polish dairy enterprises. Originality/Value: Identification of the factors determining the functioning of logistics of dairy enterprises in Poland. The director, department manager, or sales manager are those who make the procurement decisions.


Aims Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is more sensitive than cytology for detection of residual/recurrent cervical disease after lesion treatment. Several HPV test comparison studies have been performed within triage and screening populations, but data on their comparative performance in a test of cure context is lacking. This study aims to address this gap. Methods We compared the technical and clinical performance of Abbott RealTime High risk (HR)-HPV, Genprobe Aptima PV, Hologic Cervista HPV-HR, Qiagen Hybrid Capture 2 and Roche cobas HPV in the Early Implementation phase of a 'test of cure' service within the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme. Results Valid results with all five HPV Tests from 1020 first samples taken ∼6 months post-treatment showed HPV positivity ranging from 17.84% to 26.96%. There was perfect agreement in 74%, and greatest variation between assays was observed in cytologically negative samples. Clinical performance was judged on cumulative incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN2+) during follow-up (mean: 13.2 months). There were 23 cases of CIN2+ of which 14 were CIN3+. All assays, including cytology, were 100% sensitive for detection of CIN3+. Of the nine cases of residual CIN2, three assays detected all, one assay missed one and one assay missed two cases. Specificity ranged from 75% to 84% according to assay. Conclusions All assays were sensitive for detection of CIN2+ at 6 months post-treatment. The range of positivity equated to a 50% increase between assays with the lowest and highest positivity rates. The relevance of HPV positivity in the absence of cytological abnormalities requires longer follow-up to determine whether additional tools for risk stratification are required.


It has recently become clear that the minor lymphocyte stimulatory antigens (Mls) and other endogenous ligands which lead to the partial or total deletion of T cells bearing particular Vβ segments are encoded by mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV). We review here the genetic analyses of multiple Vβ11 and Vβ3 deletion ligands and demonstrate the involvement of MMTV in all examples. Several features of Mls and the Vβ11/Vβ3 deleting ligands identify them as members of the superantigen family. Bacterial superantigens are known to bind both MHC class II and the TCR in regions distinct from conventional peptide antigens. Within the MMTV genome, the 3' LTR has been identified as encoding superantigen function. We present data demonstrating that in vitro translation identifies the major product of the open reading frame (ORF) within the 3' LTR as a type II integral membrane glycoprotein. It is proposed that the type II membrane glycoprotein interacts with MHC and TCR in a manner analogous to the bacterial superantig...


Studies were conducted to investigate the desorptive characteristics of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCBP) sorbed to algal and sediment suspensions by using three approaches: batch equilibration, air purging and competitive exchange. In both short-term and extended batch desorptions, sorption partition coefficients were consistently greater than desorption partition coefficients. Air-purging removed virtually all of the sorbed HCBP within 2 h, exhibiting a two-component release pattern for all tested sorbents. In competitive sorption tests, HCB originally sorbed to suspended sediments was released to be taken up by algae. These studies indicate the importance of sorbent type in the magnitude and strength of sorption for two hydrophobic compounds.


The 1.3GHz LCLS-II Cryomodule (CM) has 8 cavities and each cavity has 9 RF cells and a 50W heater. The1.3GHz LCLS-II CM is 12.2-meter-long and contains a total 241.3 liters (equivalent liquid) of liquid helium, which is filling up by the email@example.com cryogenic plant at the Fermilab Cryomodule Test Facility (CMTF). A new dynamic synthesis PID control of 2K cryogenic control system is built to control the large time-lagged unstable CM cryogenic system, under different modes operations. A report on the results obtained from the dynamic synthesis control algorithm in the CMTF 1.3GHz CM test will be presented. Index: large time lagged, unstable cryogenic control system, new dynamic synthesis control algorithm


There is currently a high demand for information systems that automatically analyze textual data, since many organizations, both private and public, need to process large amounts of such data as part of their daily routine, an activity that cannot be performed by means of human work only. One of the answers to this need is text classification (TC), the task of automatically labelling textual documents from a domain D with thematic categories from a predefined set C. Modern text classification systems have reached high efficiency standards, but cannot always guarantee the labelling accuracy that applications demand. When the level of accuracy that can be obtained is insufficient, one may revert to processes in which classification is performed via a combination of automated activity and human effort.
 One such process is semi-automated text classification (SATC), which we define as the task of ranking a set D of automatically labelled textual documents in such a way that, if a human annotator validates (i.e., inspects and corrects where appropriate) the documents in a top-ranked portion of D with the goal of increasing the overall labelling accuracy of D, the expected such increase is maximized. An obvious strategy is to rank D so that the documents that the classifier has labelled with the lowest confidence are top-ranked. In this dissertation we show that this strategy is suboptimal. We develop new utility-theoretic ranking methods based on the notion of validation gain, defined as the improvement in classification efectiveness that would derive by validating a given automatically labelled document. We also propose new effectiveness measures for SATC-oriented ranking methods, based on the expected reduction in classification error brought about by partially validating a ranked list generated by a given ranking method. We report the results of experiments showing that, with respect to the baseline method above, and according to the proposed measures, our utility-theoretic ranking methods can achieve substantially higher expected reductions in classification error. We therefore explore the task of SATC and the potential of our methods, in multiple text classification contexts.
 This dissertation is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to systematically address the task of semi-automated text classification.


The canary pox vector and gp120 vaccine (ALVAC-HIV and AIDSVAX B/E gp120) in the RV144 HIV-1 vaccine trial conferred an estimated 31% vaccine efficacy. Although the vaccine Env AE.A244 gp120 is antigenic for the unmutated common ancestor of V1V2 broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAbs), no plasma bnAb activity was induced. The RV305 (NCT01435135) HIV-1 clinical trial was a placebo-controlled randomized double-blinded study that assessed the safety and efficacy of vaccine boosting on B cell repertoires. HIV-1-uninfected RV144 vaccine recipients were reimmunized 6–8 years later with AIDSVAX B/E gp120 alone, ALVAC-HIV alone, or a combination of ALVAC-HIV and AIDSVAX B/E gp120 in the RV305 trial. Env-specific post-RV144 and RV305 boost memory B cell VH mutation frequencies increased from 2.9% post-RV144 to 6.7% post-RV305. The vaccine was well tolerated with no adverse events reports. While post-boost plasma did not have bnAb activity, the vaccine boosts expanded a pool of envelope CD4 binding site (bs)-reactive memory B cells with long third heavy chain complementarity determining regions (HCDR3) whose germline precursors and affinity matured B cell clonal lineage members neutralized the HIV-1 CRF01 AE tier 2 (difficult to neutralize) primary isolate, CNE8. Electron microscopy of two of these antibodies bound with near-native gp140 trimers showed that they recognized an open conformation of the Env trimer. Although late boosting of RV144 vaccinees expanded a novel pool of neutralizing B cell clonal lineages, we hypothesize that boosts with stably closed trimers would be necessary to elicit antibodies with greater breadth of tier 2 HIV-1 strains. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01435135


Spectroscopic ellipsometry has long been recognized as the technique of choice to characterize thin films and multilayers. In 1983, SOPRA developed the first commercial spectroscopic ellipsometer for research and development. Since this date, the wavelength range has been extended from visible to near IR, and far IR up to 18micrometers . For 193nm micro-lithography, deep UV option down to 190nm has also been developed and delivered more recently. Instrumentation for the next generation of VUV lithography at 157nm requires special optical setup since O2 and H2O are extremely absorbing below 190nm. A new system has been developed which works in to a purged glove box to reduce the oxygen and water contamination in the part per million range. The optical setup includes a pre monochromator in the polarizer arm to avoid photo bleaching. The wavelength range of the instrument is 140-700nm. The system works in rotating analyzer configuration to minimize the parasitic residual polarization. Ellipsometric and photometric measurements versus wavelength and angle of incidence can be performed. Scatterometric measurements can also be made. In this wavelength range, the samples are extremely sensitive to any surface contamination and surface roughness. It is why a grazing x-ray option has been added on the same instrument to provide a better picture of the analyzed samples. This paper presents in detail the new system with its two measurement methods, and including experimental results on resist, antireflective coatings and gate dielectrics for use in the field of micro-lithography.


Abstract. The increasing availability of high resolution stereo images from Earth observation satellites has boosted the development of tools for producing 3D elevation models. The objective of these tools is to produce digital elevation models of very large areas with minimal human intervention. The development of these tools has been shaped by the constraints of the remote sensing acquisition, for example, using ad hoc stereo matching tools to deal with the pushbroom image geometry. However, this specialization has also created a gap with respect to the fields of computer vision and image processing, where these constraints are usually factored out. In this work we propose a fully automatic and modular stereo pipeline to produce digital elevation models from satellite images. The aim of this new pipeline, called Satellite Stereo Pipeline and abbreviated as s2p, is to use (and test) off-the-shelf computer vision tools while abstracting from the complexity associated to satellite imaging. To this aim, images are cut in small tiles for which we proved that the pushbroom geometry is very accurately approximated by the pinhole model. These tiles are then processed with standard stereo image rectification and stereo matching tools. The specifics of satellite imaging such as pointing accuracy refinement, estimation of the initial elevation from SRTM data, and geodetic coordinate systems are handled transparently by s2p. We demonstrate the robustness of our approach on a large database of satellite images and by providing an online demo of s2p.


The need for novel antihypertensive therapies represents a continuous challenge. LCZ696 is a first-in-class angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor that has been shown to enhance endogenous natriuretic peptide (NP) actions on neurohormonal activation. This effect seems to be additive to that of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) suppression, as impressively suggested in the PARADIGM HF study. LCZ696 has been shown to be effective in reducing blood pressure in several small studies; however, its effectiveness and safety remain to be proved in larger studies. This review summarizes the role of RAAS and NP system in the pathophysiology of hypertension and reviews the current data on the antihypertensive effects of LCZ696.


The MAX IV Laboratory is a new scientific research facility based on synchrotron light being built at Lund University, southern Sweden. The accelerator consists of one full energy linear accelerator providing two storage rings at 1.5 GeV & 3 GeV and a Short Pulse Facility. Additionally, more than 13 beamlines are planned to be built among which should be operational for the first users in 2016. The current status and approach of the control system is presented from its technical and organisational point of view, including the stakeholders, as well as the lessons learned from the commissioning as part of our continuous improvement for the future.


Affordability of child care is fundamental to parents', in particular, women's decision to work. However, information on the cost of care in Canada is limited. The purpose of the current study was to examine the feasibility of using linked survey and administrative data to compare and contrast parent-reported child care costs based on two different sources of data. The linked file brings together data from the 2011 General Social Survey (GSS) and the annual tax files (TIFF) for the corresponding year (2010). Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine the socio-demographic and employment characteristics of respondents who reported using child care, and child care costs were compared. In 2011, parents who reported currently paying for child care (GSS) spent almost $6700 per year ($7,500 for children age 5 and under). According to the tax files, individuals claimed just over $3900 per year ($4,700). Approximately one in four individuals who reported child care costs on the GSS did not report any amount on their tax file; about four in ten who claimed child care on the tax file did not report any cost on the survey. Multivariate analyses suggested that individuals with a lower education, lower income, with Indigenous identity, and who were self-employed were less likely to make a tax claim despite reporting child care expenses on the GSS. Further examination of child care costs by province and by type of care are necessary, as is research to determine the most accurate way to measure and report child care costs.


Abstract The global banking system can be shown to be a Complex Adaptive System that exhibits phase transitions from time to time. These phase transitions can result in significant financial losses to the community that we estimate to be much more significant than losses occurring during "business as usual" periods. In this paper, we argue that the significant losses arising from phase transitions in the banking system requires a very different approach to regulation than the current Basel regime, and that there is a need to transition the Basel regime from a Federation of Systems to a System of Systems. We demonstrate that the World Health Organisation's recent management system for pandemics is ideally suited for management of the global banking system and would have greater potential to control the phase transition losses than the current Basel system.


This master thesis report describes the work of evaluating the approach of using an eye-tracker and machine learning to generate an interaction model for clicks. In the study, recordings were done from 10 participants using a quiz application, and machine learning was then applied. Models were created with varying quality from a machine learning view, although most models did not work well for interaction. One model was created that enable correct interaction 80\% of the time, although the specific circumstances for success were not identified. The conclusion of the thesis is that the approach works in some cases, but that more research needs to be done to evaluate general suitability, and approaches to make it work reliably.


Abstract. In this paper we present the preliminary results of atmospheric column-integrated precipitable water vapor (PWV) obtained with a new Lunar Cimel photometer (LC) at the high mountain Izana Observatory in the period July–August 2011. We have compared quasi-simultaneous nocturnal PWV from LC with PWV from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and nighttime radiosondes (RS92). LC data have been calibrated using the Lunar Langley method (LLM). We complemented this comparative study using quasi-simultaneous daytime PWV from Cimel AERONET (CA), GPS and RS92. Comparison of daytime PWV from CA shows differences between GPS and RS92 up to 0.18 cm. Two different filters, with and approximate bandwidth of 10 nm and central wavelengths at 938 nm (Filter#1) and 937 nm (Filter#2), were mounted onto the LC. Filter#1 is currently used in operational AERONET sun photometers. PWV obtained with LC-Filter#1 showed an overestimation above 0.18 and 0.25 cm compared to GPS and RS92, respectively, and root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) up to 0.27 cm and 0.24 cm, respectively. Filter#2, with a reduced out-of-band radiation, showed very low differences compared with the same references (l 0.05 cm) and RMSE values l 0.08 cm in the case of GPS precise orbits. These results demonstrate the ability of the new lunar photometer to obtain accurate and continuous PWV measurements at night, and the remarkable influence of the filter's transmissivity response to PWV determination at nighttime. The use of enhanced bandpass filters in lunar photometry, which is affected by more important inaccuracies than sun photometry, is necessary to infer PWV with similar precision to AERONET.


Since 2009 the North east of Nigeria has been engulfed in arms struggles by the Boko Haram insurgents. This menace has brought serious setbacks to the socio-political and economic development of the region. The three states mostly affected by recurrent and pervasive violence are Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY). The Federal and States governments concerned responded swiftly to this menace through military operations and humanitarian interventions through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). This study therefore examines Arms Conflicts, community safety, security and Reintegration challenges in areas affected by the Insurgency in Madagali local government Areas of Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study used a combination survey, observation and available documents. The paper clearly established that: peace is progressively returning to some communities in the studied conflict area as evident in the gradual return of economic and social activities with the last violent attack on the community being in 2018 even though neighbouring communities are still experiencing attacks from the Boko-haram insurgents. Similarly, there are new emerging trend in the conflict dynamics particularly the emergence of new crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, abduction, drug abuse and trafficking, cattle rustling, rape and other forms of sexual and gender based violence in the community. The paper established that communities in Madagali are in urgent need of critical infrastructures such as water, electricity, doctors, health services, humanitarian support and employment opportunities. In addition the study revealed that although humanitarian support and assistance exist, such interventions are inadequate for the large population of IDPs and host community and the process of sharing is marred by irregularities, sharp practices and favouritism that tend to deepen exclusion and generate tension. That the community has shown commitment to peace building, social cohesion and reintegration by demonstrating willingness to accept and reintegrate those associated with the insurgents. In particular, those who were forced into joining the insurgents but have re-joined the community or those that had undergone the de-radicalisation process through participation in the safe corridor programme of the government. The study recommended among others: the need for the Federal government of Nigeria to expand and consolidate the operational capacity of the security architecture in the counter insurgency through, recruitment of additional personnel, weapon upgrade, and motivation and above all provide logistic support to the relevant agencies


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of lncRNA SNHG15 and its prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Expression levels of lncRNA SNHG15 in 152 pairs of HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Associations between clinicopathological parameters and lncRNA SNHG15 expression were evaluated using chi-square tests. The overall survival was analyzed by log-rank test, and survival curves were plotted according to Kaplan-Meier. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to determine whether lncRNA SNHG15 was an independent predictor of survival.

RESULTS
The lncRNA SNHG15 expression was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues compared with that in adjacent non-tumor tissues (p < 0.01). It is also proved that lncRNA SNHG15 expression was associated with histological grade (p = 0.000), TNM stage (p = 0.015), and vein invasion (p = 0.000). In addition, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that increased LncRNA SNHG15 expression was associated with poor overall survival of patients (p = 0.0011). Moreover, the results of the multivariate analysis showed that high lncRNA SNHG15 expression was a significant independent predictor of poor survival in HCC (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that lncRNA SNHG15 may serve as an efficient clinical biomarker and a therapeutic target for HCC patients.


ABSTRACT The ataxia telangiectasia mutant (ATM) protein is an intrinsic part of the cell cycle machinery that surveys genomic integrity and responses to genotoxic insult. Individuals with ataxia telangiectasia as well as Atm−/− mice are predisposed to cancer and are infertile due to spermatogenesis disruption during first meiotic prophase. Atm −/−spermatocytes frequently display aberrant synapsis and clustered telomeres (bouquet topology). Here, we used telomere fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence (IF) staining of SCP3 and testes-specific histone H1 (H1t) to spermatocytes of Atm- and Atm-p53-deficient mice and investigated whether gonadal atrophy in Atm-null mice is associated with stalling of telomere motility in meiotic prophase. SCP3-H1t IF revealed that mostAtm−/− p53 −/− spermatocytes degenerated during late zygotene, while a few progressed to pachytene and diplotene and some even beyond metaphase II, as indicated by the presence of a few round spermatids. InAtm−/− p53 −/− meiosis, the frequency of spermatocytes I with bouquet topology was elevated 72-fold. Bouquet spermatocytes with clustered telomeres were generally void of H1t signals, while mid-late pachytene and diploteneAtm−/− p53 −/− spermatocytes displayed expression of H1t and showed telomeres dispersed over the nuclear periphery. Thus, it appears that meiotic telomere movements occur independently of ATM signaling. Atm inactivation more likely leads to accumulation of spermatocytes I with bouquet topology by slowing progression through initial stages of first meiotic prophase and an ensuing arrest and demise of spermatocytes I. Sertoli cells (SECs), which contribute to faithful spermatogenesis, in theAtm mutants were found to frequently display numerous heterochromatin and telomere clusters—a nuclear topology which resembles that of immature SECs. However,Atm −/− SECs exhibited a mature vimentin and cytokeratin 8 intermediate filament expression signature. Upon IF with ATM antibodies, we observed ATM signals throughout the nuclei of human and mouse SECs, spermatocytes I, and haploid round spermatids. ATM but not H1t was absent from elongating spermatid nuclei. Thus, ATM appears to be removed from spermatid nuclei prior to the occurrence of DNA nicks which emanate as a consequence of nucleoprotamine formation.


Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) conducted by the multilateral organizations like the World Bank and IMF falls under the domain of Judgmental Projection reflecting their views or judgment about the economy. The study incorporates time series forecast using ARIMA method to analyze debt sustainability in practice in Bangladesh. More specifically, macro, fiscal, current account and debt variables have been forecasted according to the requirement of debt sustainability framework (DSF) for use in a standard DSA template. Using the time series forecast based inputs, the study concludes that debt is sustainable for Bangladesh for the period 2013-2033 based on the standard country specific debt burden threshold. The study notes that the results produced by different methodologies broadly follow similar path. However, time series forecasts imply a better economic situation in terms of improved repayment capacity compared with judgmental projection.


This article presents the experimental development implemented to estimate the thermal conductivity of some materials used in Colombia at the field of refrigeration and air conditioning (HVAC/R). The thermal balance is used as a tool on a calorimeter, specially designed and instrumented to estimate the
conductivity of different materials, diminishing the ambient effect on the thermal balance. The mathematical model implemented from the thermal balance is solved using EES software.


The interface roughness between pile and rock in rock-socketed pile can influence its bearing mechanism largely. At present the numerical simulation, which simulates the interface roughness with changing the surface shape or interface friction coefficient, is used to study the interface roughness' influence on pile's bearing mechanism. It can reveal the pile bearing mechanism in some degree; however, there are some defects and limitations in simulation because of its assumptions and simplifications. Based on the pile foundation of Tian-xing-zhou Bridge, the model test is conducted to study the interface roughness' influence on rock-socketed pile bearing mechanism. In the model test, the surface of model piles are made different ranging from smooth to rough, and the bed rock is simulated with mixture of sand and plaster, the rock-soil overlain the bed rock is simulated with silty sand, the pile is simulated with organic glass rod according to similarity principle respectively. The results show that load-settlement curves grow more gently, the ultimate bearing capacity is bigger, the proportion of point resistance is lower, and the shaft resistance is bigger which reaches more than 70% of total loading as the surface of pile is rougher. The conclusions are useful to deciding the length of pile foundation in Tian-xing-zhou Bridge.


This case examines the alliance between two arch rivals in the computer industry--IBM and Apple. The objective of the case is to help students appreciate the awkward partnerships that arise among companies in their desire to compete against a common threat as well as to develop a new market. The case develops the background of the relationship between Apple and IBM and poses questions concerning the structure of the alliance, its alleged benefits, and the likelihood for its success based on tensions articulated in the case. Excerpt UVA-M-0460 ALLIANCE BETWEEN IBM AND APPLE COMPUTERS On 3 July 1991, two former rivals in the computer industry, Apple Computers and International Business Machines (IBM), signed a letter of intent to collaborate in the four realms of software, hardware, research, and sales. Motorola, Inc. also agreed to participate in part of the agreement. The idea of Apple and IBM—two vastly different companies—joining forces created ripples throughout the computer industry. As Wall Street reacted to the news of the alliance, rival Microsoft's stock plunged $ 4.125 a share, while Apple's stock rose 87.5 cents and IBM lost $ 1 per share on the New York Stock Exchange. Many analysts believed that the two companies instigated the collaboration to combat the encroachment of inexpensive clones and dominating forces like Intel and Microsoft. Analysts also speculated that, "sharing underlying software technology raises the possibility that IBM, Apple, and other computers would become virtual look-alikes—creating a 'standard' that would simplify decisions for buyers but eliminate much of the competition that has driven innovation." The move to establish a standard seemed to be a reaction to consumers' growing dissatisfaction with incompatible standards. Analyst David Wu, working for S.G. Warburg, asserted, "There is no love between the two. This is a marriage of convenience." Other analysts seemed to share his view. From 1985 to 1990, IBM's percentage of the personal-computer market fell from 28 percent to 17 percent. IBM found that many of the companies it had helped to spawn, such as Microsoft, were directly competing with it. At the same time, Apple struggled against the corporate world's perception that the Macintosh was too incompatible with other brands to be used on a broad scale because it could not be used in conjunction with other personal computers and bigger systems. Apple also felt that software companies were increasingly reluctant to write programs for such a unique system, and it had not yet created a microprocessor that would increase the power of the Macintosh. An alliance between the two companies appeared to provide a solution to their individual dilemmas. Company Histories IBM . . .


With the advancement in science and technology numerous complex scientific applications
can be executed in heterogeneous computing environment. However, the bottle
neck is efficient scheduling algorithms. Such complex applications can be expressed in
the form of workflows. Geographically distributed heterogeneous resources can execute
such workflows in parallel. This enhances the workflow execution. In data-intensive
workflows, heavy data moves across the execution nodes. This causes high communication
overhead. To avoid such overheads many techniques have been used, however in this
thesis stream-based data processing model is used in which data is processed in the form
of continuous instances of data items. Data-intensive workflow optimization is an active
research area because numerous applications are producing huge amount of data that is
increasing exponentially day by day.
This thesis proposes data-intensive workflow optimization algorithms. The first algorithm
architecture consists of two phases a) workflow partitioning, and b) partitions mapping.
Partitions are made in such a way that minimum data should move across the partitions.
It enables heavy data processing locally on same execution node because each partition
is mapped to one execution node. It overcomes the high communication costs. In the
mapping phase, a partition is mapped on that execution node which offers minimum execution
time. Eventually, the workflow is executed. The second algorithm is a variation
in first algorithm in which data parallelism is introduced in each partition. Most compute
intensive task in each partition is identified and data parallelism is applied to that
task. It reduces the execution time of that compute intensive tasks. The simulation results
prove that proposed algorithms outperform from state of the art algorithms for variety
of workflows. The datasets used for performance evaluation are synthesized as well as
workflows derived from real world applications. The workflows derived from real world applications include Montage and Cybershake. Synthesized workflows were generated
with different sizes, shapes and densities to evaluate the proposed algorithms. The simulation
results shows 60% reduced latency with 47% improvement in the throughput.
Similarly, when data parallelism is introduced in the algorithm the performance of the
algorithm improved further by 12% in latency and 17% in throughput when compared to
PDWA algorithm. In the real time stream processing framework the experiments were
performed using STORM with a use-case data-intensive workflow (EURExpressII). Experiments
show that PDWA outperforms in terms of execution time of the workflow with
different input data size.


The article addresses the process of neoliberal transformation of the Soviet Bloc in the late 1980-ties and early 1990-ties as analyzed on the example of Poland. Its trajectory generally confirms Loic Wacquant's thesis put forward in his article Three steps to a historical anthropology of actually existing neoliberalism, that neoliberalism tends to rather capture and use than simply dismantle and weaken state structures and power mechanisms. The author shows that the transition from planned to market economy in the former Soviet Bloc was also accompanied, backed and made possible by powerful ideological operations that reshaped the construction of subjectivity and made it compatible with the neoliberal capitalism. This proves that two modes of analyzing neoliberalism – structural analysis of state power and focus on governmentality – should be treated as complimentary tools of understanding neoliberal transitions. However, contrary to Wacquant, the author claims that in this respect there is nothing new about neoliberalism as a practice, since capitalism has always required a help from the state to maintain a seemingly autonomous rule of the market.