Evolution of agrarian systems in countries with fragmented agricultural area structure leads to a decrease in the number of farms and an increase in the area and effectiveness of entities developing their activity. It is necessary to find out the causes of disagrarization - a process that is manifested at the macroeconomic level in reduced significance of agriculture in the national economy, among other things, and reduced importance of agricultural incomes in the economy of the countryside and a part of farms at the microeconomic level - in order to effectively impact ongoing changes that often affect the whole regions. The paper is an attempt to identify the factors determining the intensity of the process of the production and economic disagrarization of farms in Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Calculation procedures performed using the zero unitarization method and Data Mining tools enabled assessment of the intensity of the phenomenon analysed in the different territorial units (gminas), and identification of factors that have the biggest impact on its intensity. Using the process of modelling by the C&RT method it has been found out that the characteristics that describe the agrarian structure historically, i.e. intensity of the organisation of agriculture, fragmentation of the agrarian structure, had a big impact on differentiation of gminas in terms of the intensity of disagrarization. High intensity of the organisation of agriculture combined with good environmental conditions is conducive to the retention of production functions of agriculture in a given area. With low intensity of the organisation of agriculture and very large fragmentation of the agrarian structure, the intensity of disagrarization was very often determined by characteristics typical of periurban areas or tourist attractions, i.e. increase in population density and increase in the number of residential buildings. Urban development of a given territorial unit stimulated processes of exiting agriculture.  Keywords: C&RT, disagrarization, farm, urbanised areas Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2017.050


Fine Dispersion Structures (FDS) in energetic particle spectra in outer magnetosphere were discovered in DOK-2 experiments onboard of Interball-1 and -2 spacecrafts (1995–2000). First results of these studies were published in 2000–2005. It was shown that FDS can be a result of a gradient-curvature drift of ions and electrons around the Earth after their pulse injection from the geotail plasma sheet to some point in the night side of the outer magnetosphere. Since that time hundreds of such events have been examined additionally. They proved to be a rather common phenomenon in the outer Earth's magnetosphere. We present here statistics of FDS observations and properties which confirms our interpretation and clarifies the role of magnetotail plasma sheet and FDS particles in dynamics and replenishment of the outer radiation belt population.


This study was motivated by concerns that porous asphalt concrete (PAC) might not perform well under severe environmental and traffic conditions. It was feared that the drainability, friction, and noise benefits of PACs would be rapidly lost. PAC sections were constructed with three types of asphalt: nonmodified bitumen (NMB), polymer-modified bitumen (PMB), and highly modified bitumen (HMB). These sections were completed in 2008 and evaluated twice a year for their functionality. Clogging and densification were shown to be the main reason for the reduction in PAC air voids. For the NMB and PMB sections, more than 70% of the reduction in air voids resulted from traffic compaction; this reduction was less than 30% for the HMB section. The decrease in drainability corresponded well with the decrease in air voids. Cleaning of PAC mixtures did not appear to be effective for the NMB and PMB sections because most of the reduction in air voids resulted from traffic compaction. Because of the significant amount of macrotexture produced within PAC pavement surfaces, PAC layers maintained adequate frictional characteristics even after becoming clogged and condensed. The noise characteristics of PACs depended on the air void content. No rutting, raveling, cracking, or other failures have been observed to any significant extent on the three monitored sections since they opened to traffic in 2008; these results suggest that PACs may be a viable type of pavement surface for use on highways to provide good performance, including good friction, reduced splash and spray, and reduced tire–pavement noise.


There's little information on how hospitals, doctors and patients make delivery decisions, which could help drop related healthcare costs and our nation's high C-section rate.


Training deep models for semantic scene completion (SSC) is challenging due to the sparse and incomplete input, a large quantity of objects of diverse scales as well as the inherent label noise for moving objects. To address the above-mentioned problems, we propose the following three solutions: 1) Redesigning the completion sub-network. We design a novel completion sub-network, which consists of several Multi-Path Blocks (MPBs) to aggregate multi-scale features and is free from the lossy downsampling operations. 2) Distilling rich knowledge from the multi-frame model. We design a novel knowledge distillation objective, dubbed Dense-to-Sparse Knowledge Distillation (DSKD). It transfers the dense, relation-based semantic knowledge from the multi-frame teacher to the single-frame student, significantly improving the representation learning of the single-frame model. 3) Completion label rectification. We propose a simple yet effective label rectification strategy, which uses off-the-shelf panoptic segmentation labels to remove the traces of dynamic objects in completion labels, greatly improving the performance of deep models especially for those moving objects. Extensive experiments are conducted in two public SSC benchmarks, i.e., SemanticKITTI and SemanticPOSS. Our SCPNet ranks 1st on SemanticKITTI semantic scene completion challenge and surpasses the competitive S3CNet [3] by 7.2 mIoU. SCP-Net also outperforms previous completion algorithms on the SemanticPOSS dataset. Besides, our method also achieves competitive results on SemanticKITTI semantic segmentation tasks, showing that knowledge learned in the scene completion is beneficial to the segmentation task.


Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a serious problem worldwide, and particularly in developing countries such as Indonesia. Mothers are often the major influence on their children's health, which makes them key players in the prevention of disease, including ECC. This paper describes a cross-sectional descriptive study which investi- gated the factors related to the preventive behavior of mothers regarding ECC, such as their socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and perception regarding dental caries, and sources of information and social support. Face-to-face interviews with 300 mothers in Banjar district, Indonesia, whose preschool children were regis- tered in kindergartens or playgrounds during data collection, were conducted to assess how they sought to prevent dental caries in their young children. Informed consents were signed by them prior to the interviews. Data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to explore associations between factors commonly associated with ECC and the mothers' preventive behavior. Study results reveal that more than half of the mothers had poor preventive behavior; nearly two thirds were between 25 and 35 years old; almost half had finished high school; and about two thirds were housewives with average monthly family incomes of 2,759,933 rupiahs (9570.49 Baht). Maternal age, education and occupation were factors which were found to have significant association with mothers' dietary habits for their children. Social support was also found to have a significant association with the regular dental check up aspect. Nowadays, many wives have to join the workforce, not only for economical reason but also for women's self- achievement. It makes them less able to devote their time to child-rearing. To fill the gap, the role of the preschools and daycare centers is becoming more important. Therefore, the quality of these institutions should be raised to meet the responsibility of achieving better dental health for young children.


: A retrospective evaluation of 463 prenatal chromosome analyses in a total of 375 patients with suspicious ultrasound findings, revealed a high rate of severe chromosomal abnormalities (16%). The highest risk for an abnormal karyotype was found after sonographic detection of hygroma colli. Abnormal chromosome counts were also frequently found in fetuses with omphaloceles, duodenal atresia and hydrops fetalis, as well as in presence of intrauterine growth retardation and/or anomalies of the amniotic fluid volume. The anomalies mentioned above are, therefore, an urgent indication for a prenatal chromosome analysis. The technical improvements of ultrasound machines and growing experience of operators will lead to an increasing importance of sonography as a method for the identification of pregnancies, that are at high risk for chromosomal abnormalities.


Team composition is a central factor in determining the effectiveness of a team. In this paper, we present a large-scale study on the effect of team composition on multiple measures of team effectiveness. We use a dataset from the largest multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, Honor of Kings, with 96 million matches involving 100 million players. We measure team effectiveness based on team performance (whether a team is going to win), team tenacity (whether a team is going to surrender), and team rapport (whether a team uses abusive language). Our results confirm the importance of team diversity with respect to player roles, and show that diversity has varying effects on team effectiveness: although diverse teams perform well and show tenacity in adversity, they are more likely to abuse when losing than less diverse teams. Our study also contributes to the situation vs. personality debate and show that abusive players tend to choose the leading role and players do not become more abusive when taking such roles.


The support information accompanying security software can be difficult to understand by end-users, who have little knowledge in cyber security. One mechanism for ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of information is encryption software. Unfortunately, software usability issues can hinder an end-user's capability to properly utilise the security features effectively. To date there has been little research in investigating the usability of encryption software and proposing solutions for improving them. This research paper analysed the usability of encryption software targeting end-users. The research identified several issues that could impede the ability of a novice end-user to adequately utilise the encryption software. A set of proposed recommendations are suggested to improve encryption software which could be empirically verified through further research.


Energy‐transfer processes in phenylene‐based materials are studied via two different approaches: i) the original Förster model, which relies on a simple point‐dipole approximation; and ii) an improved Förster model accounting for an atomistic description of the interacting chromophores. Here, to illustrate the impact of excited‐state localization and the failure of the point‐dipole approximation, we consider a simple model system which consists of two interacting chains, the first a pristine ladder‐type poly(para‐phenylene) (LPPP) chain and the second an LPPP‐chain bearing a ketonic defect. The latter chain displays both localized electronic excitations close to the ketonic sites as well as excited states that are delocalized over the whole conjugated chain. Singlet hopping rates have been computed for energy transfer pathways involving these two types of excitations. A generalized Förster critical distance is introduced to account for the errors associated with averaging out the actual molecular structures in the original Förster model.


Purpose: This study was done to identify the impact of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults. Methods: Drawing from the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES IV -2), data from 6,521 adults who completed the Health Interview and Health Behavior Surveys were analyzed. Association between physical activity and healthcare utilization was tested using the X 2 -test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios of using outpatient and inpatient healthcare for different levels of physical activity after adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. A generalized linear model applying a negative binomial distribution was used to determine how the level of physical activity was related to use of outpatient and inpatient healthcare. Results: Physically active participants were 16% less likely to use outpatient healthcare (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74 -0.97) and 23% less likely to use inpatient healthcare (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63 -0.93) than physically inactive participants. Levels of outpatient and inpatient healthcare use decreased as levels of physical activity increased, after adjusting for relevant factors. Conclusion: An independent association between being physically active and lower healthcare utilization was ascertained among Korean adults indicating a need to develop nursing intervention programs that encourage regular physical activity.


Music therapy research with youth who are grieving often reports on a combination of interventions, such as lyric analysis, improvisation, and/or songwriting. Unfortunately, the lack of theoretical transparency in how and why these interventions affect targeted outcomes limits interpretation and application of this important research. In this exploratory study, the authors evaluated the impact of an 8-session, theory-driven group songwriting program on protective factors in adolescent bereavement, and also sought to better understand adolescents' experiences of the program. Using a single-group, pretest-posttest convergent mixed methods design, participants were enrolled from three study sites and included 10 adolescents (five girls and five boys), ages 11-17 years, who self-identified as grieving a loss. Outcomes measured included grief, coping, emotional expression, self-esteem, and meaning making. Qualitative data were captured through in-session journaling and semi-structured interviews. There were no statistically significant improvements for grief, self-esteem, coping, and meaning making. Individual score trends suggested improvements in grief. The majority of the participants reported greater inhibition of emotional expression, and this was statistically significant. Thematic findings revealed that the program offered adolescents a sense of togetherness, a way to safely express grief-related emotions and experiences verbally and nonverbally, and opportunities for strengthening music and coping skills. These findings suggest that engaging in collaborative therapeutic songwriting with grieving peers may decrease levels of grief, enhance creative expression, and provide social support. More research is needed on measuring self-esteem, emotional expression, coping, and meaning making outcomes in ways that are meaningful to adolescents.


The editor-in-chief, deputy editor, associate editors, editorial board, and staff of Medical Decision Making and MDM Policy & Practice, the official journals of the Society for Medical Decision Making, acknowledge and thank the following people for their assistance in reviewing manuscripts during 2018. The journals' success rests in large measure on the quality and promptness of the reviews it receives from these volunteer reviewers. The thorough and detailed expert evaluation of scientific manuscripts submitted to MDM and MDM P&P is an essential contribution to the success and influence of the MDM journals—and we are grateful to all who contribute their time and knowledge. Reviewer names were taken from MDM's ScholarOne Manuscripts Web site as of January 23, 2019. Reviewers who wish to update their profile information may do so by logging in to their reviewer accounts at: http://mc.manu scriptcentral.com/mdm. To learn more about reviewing manuscripts for the MDM journals, please see: http://mdm.uic.edu/peer-reviewprocess.


This paper examines the importance of the calcium-mobilizing inositol phosphate pathway in mediating the effects of FMRFamide and its gene-related neuropeptides on the myogenic heart beat of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. These peptides are encoded on a single exon of the FMRFamide gene and mediate diverse physiological effects in the isolated heart. The rate of production of inositol-1,4, 5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P(3)] and inositol-1,3,4, 5-tetrakisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4,5)P(4)], measured using an HPLC method, were both significantly elevated in a concentration-dependent manner by FMRFamide (and were also elevated by FLRFamide). The threshold for increasing inositol phosphate production was low (100 pmol l(-1)) with a peak response occurring at 1 micromol l(-1) FMRFamide. The shape of the dose-response curve for FMRFamide-induced elevation of heart-beat frequency, obtained in pharmacological experiments on the isolated whole heart, was similar to that for stimulation of inositol phosphate levels in homogenized heart tissue. FMRFamide and Ins(1,4,5)P(3) produced similar effects on the rate of heart beat in permeabilized whole hearts. In addition, the phospholipase C inhibitor, neomycin (2.5 mmol l(-)(1)), blocked the stimulatory effects of FMRFamide on Ins(1, 4,5)P(3) production in heart homogenate, and attenuated the excitatory effects of this neuropeptide in the isolated heart. The 'isoleucine' pentapeptides, EFLRIamide and pQFYRIamide, also encoded by the FMRFamide gene, produced no significant effects on inositol phosphate production when applied alone or in combination with FMRFamide. These results suggested that FMRFamide (and FLRFamide), but not EFLRIamide and pQFYRIamide, mediated their main effects on heart beat via the inositol phosphate pathway. The fifth peptide, SEQPDVDDYLRDVVLQSEEPLY ('SEEPLY') had no effect when applied alone but appeared to modulate the effects of FMRFamide by delaying the time-to-peak of the Ins(1,4,5)P(3) response from 5 s to 20 s by an unknown mechanism.


Sample preparation of target compounds from biological, pharmaceutical, environmental, and food matrices is one of the most time-consuming steps in analytical procedures. Extraction techniques are dominant, especially those based on the processes running on the phase such as liquid-liquid and/or liquid-solid. Due to the reproducibility of data, precision, relatively low cost of the appropriate analysis, simplicity of the determination, and the possibility of direct combination of those techniques with other methods (both on-line and off-line), they have become the most widespread in routine determinations. Additionally, sample pretreatment procedures have to be more selective, cheap, quick, and environmentally friendly. Selectivity is obtained by using procedures based on immunoaffinity or molecular imprinting. Reduction of costs can be obtained by automation of the extraction procedures (automated SPE) or techniques like column-switching. Reducing at least the time for sample preparation is achieved by introducing miniaturization techniques (multi-well SPE). This review summarizes the current achievements and application of solid phase extraction (SPE). The main aim is to deal with the utilization of different types of sorbents for solid-phase extraction and emphasize the use of new synthesized sorbents as well as to bring together studies on a systematic approach to SPE method development.


BACKGROUND
Persistent air leak (PAL) > 5 days due to alveolopleural fistulae is a leading cause of morbidity following surgical resection. Elevated CO2 levels reportedly inhibit alveolar epithelial cell proliferation and impair wound healing in vitro. Because the injured lung surface is in direct communication with the pleural cavity, we investigated whether the pleural gaseous milieu affected lung healing.

METHODS
Oxygen and CO2 levels in pleural gas were determined prospectively in consecutive patients (N = 116) undergoing lung resection by using an infrared spectroscopy-based analyzer. Poisson and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between time to resolution of air leaks and pleural oxygen and CO2. In addition, patients with pleural CO2 concentrations ? 6% on postoperative day 1 (n = 20) were alternatively treated with supplemental oxygen and extrapleural suction to reduce the pleural CO2 levels.

RESULTS
Poisson analyses revealed that every 1% increase in CO2 was associated with a delay in resolution of air leak by 9 h (95% CI, 7.1 to 10.8; P < .001). Linear regression showed that every 1% increase in CO2 increased the odds of PAL by 10-fold (95% CI, 2.2 to 47.8; P = .003). In patients with pleural CO2 ? 6%, a reduction in CO2 promoted resolution of air leak (6.0 ± 1.2 vs 3.4 ± 1.1 days; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS
Pleural hypercarbia seems to be associated with persistent alveolopleural fistulae following lung resection. Analysis of pleural gases could allow for better chest tube management following lung resection. Patients with intrapleural hypercarbia seem to benefit from supplemental oxygen and suction, whereas patients who do not have hypercarbia can be maintained on water seal drainage.


This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of the conceptual change oriented instruction through demonstration over traditionally designed chemistry instruction on 10th grade students' understanding of chemical reactions and energy concepts and their attitudes towards chemistry as a school subject. One of the groups was defined as control group in which students were taught by traditionally designed chemistry instruction (TDCI), while the other group defined as experimental group in which students were instructed by conceptual change oriented instruction through demonstrations (CCID). The results showed that CCID caused significantly better acquisition of the scientific conceptions related to chemical reactions and energy concepts than TDCI. Also, the results showed that there was a significant difference between post-test mean scores of students taught with CCID and those taught with TDCI with respect to their attitude toward chemistry as a school subject in favor of CCID.


Although nonverbal expressive abilities are an essential element of human-to-human communication, telepresence robots support only select nonverbal behaviors. As a result, telepresence users can experience difficulties taking turns in conversation and using various cues to obtain the attention of others. To expand telepresence robot users' abilities to hold the floor during conversation, this work proposes and evaluates new types of expressive telepresence robot hardware. The described within-subjects study compared robot user and copresent person experiences during teamwork activity conditions involving basic robot functions, expressive LED lights, and an expressive robot arm. We found that among participants who preferred the arm-based expressiveness, individuals in both study roles felt the robot operator to be more in control of the robot during the arm condition, and participants co-located with the robot felt closer to their teammate during the arm phase. Participants also noted advantages of the LED lights for notification-type information and advantages of the arm for increasing perceptions of the robot as a human-like entity. Overall, these findings can inform future work on augmenting the nonverbal expressiveness of telepresence robots.


African easterly waves (AEWs) are strongly linked to Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) on the synoptic timescale by serving as seedling disturbances for TC genesis. However, it is unclear whether climatological TC frequency is limited by AEWs. We investigated the impact of suppressing AEWs using a 3‐member ensemble of convection‐permitting regional model simulations, in which AEWs were either retained or removed through the lateral boundary conditions. Suppressing AEWs did not substantially change seasonal TC number, but did influence TC intensity, genesis time and location. Suppressing AEWs produced stronger TCs, shifted peak TC genesis from September to August, and reduced (increased) TC genesis in the eastern Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico). Without AEWs, TCs generated under more favorable large‐scale atmospheric conditions. These results indicate that AEWs may not be reliable predictors of basin‐wide seasonal TC frequency. However, simulations provide evidence that AEWs could influence the large‐scale environment that is important for TCs.


Research indicates potential yield benefits from replenishing phosphorus (P) in sub-surface layers (10-30cm) if soil tests indicate a deficiency; however, it was unknown if amelioration has economic merit. Deep-P placement is a longer-term decision due to initial application and P fertiliser (MAP) costs with potential benefits that can last for many seasons. However there are risks due to unknown future season types. The fundamental question of deep-P placement is "how much P and how often?" We developed a bio-economic framework and used a case study in the Goondiwindi region with a deep-soil Colwell-P of 5 mg/kg to demonstrate the risk and benefit of applying different amounts of MAP at depth for a "short-rotation" (3-years) and "long-rotation" (7-years). The results indicate: (a) the optimal MAP rate was 135 kg/ha and 270 kg/ha for the short- and long-rotations, respectively, resulting in real-annual returns of $43/ha/year and $76/ha/year; (b) the short-rotation risked a loss of -$14/ha/year compared to $6/ha/year for the long-rotation (worst case); and (c) due to the lower investment cost with the short-rotation, the expected return on investment was 142%, compared to 67% p.a. for the long-rotation. The payback period for both decisions was around 2-years. As with all risky decisions, the farmer will have to weigh up the benefits, risks and their financial situation. Economic results will change when biophysical or pricing parameters change. As our knowledge of deep-P responses improve they can be incorporated into this bio-economic framework.


This paper aims to present one of the contemporary trends on Buddhism, specially from the last decades in West, for its encounter with the globalized and dynamic context of present societies. This Buddhist trend, the progressive secularization of its traditions and practices, not to mention its increasing acceptance of historical-textual refutation, finds in Stephen Batchelor - a former monk in two different Buddhist traditions, Tibetan and Korean Zen - a catalyzer and a well-known advocate of secular perspective to the contemporary Buddhism. Here we will present the potential dialogue between the Secular Buddhism - besides the secularizing perspectives over orthodox cultural traditions - and the post-religional subject, as proposed by Maria Corbi and the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians. For the purposes of this paper we will focus on the modernizing and secular hermeneutics on Dharma practice, as defended by Stephen Batchelor and others.


Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are well- established and indispensable imaging modalities in modern medicine. State-of-the-art computed tomography (CT) scanners have now been integrated into multi-modality PET-CT and SPECT-CT devices, and these devices, particularly PET-CT scanners, are dramatically impacting clinical practice. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), by far the most widely used radiopharmaceutical for clinical PET imaging in general and oncologic PET imaging in particular, is highly accurate in detecting (approximately 90%) and staging many types of tumors, monitoring therapy response, and differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Several factors, including the relatively high administered activities [e.g., 370-740 MBq (10-20 mCi) of FDG], the high patient throughput (up to 30 patients per d), and in particular, the uniquely high energies (for a diagnostic setting) of the 511-keV positron-negatron annihilation photons, make shielding requirements, workflow, and other radiation protection issues important considerations in the design of a PET or PET-CT facility. The Report of Task Group 108 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) provides a comprehensive summary of shielding design and related considerations, along with illustrative calculations. Whether in the form of a PET-CT or a SPECT-CT device, the introduction of CT scanners into a nuclear medicine setting has created new and complex radiation protection issues concerning the radiation burden and attendant risks accrued by patients undergoing such multi-modality procedures (especially in those instances in which higher-dose, diagnostic-quality CT studies are done as part of the PET-CT or SPECT-CT exam). In addition, because PET is dependent on the availability of short-lived 18F (Tp = 110 min) primarily in the form of FDG, and other short-lived positron emitters such as 11C (20 min), 13N (10 min), and 15O (2 min), cyclotrons for production of medically applied radionuclides and associated radiochemistry facilities are now widespread (well over 100 worldwide) and present their own radiation safety issues. In addition to the radioactive product, sources of exposure include neutrons and radioactive activation products in the various cyclotron components and surrounding shielding. Nonetheless, published studies have shown that the radiation doses to personnel working in cyclotron and associated radiochemistry facilities, as well as in PET or PET-CT and SPECT or SPECT-CT facilities, can be maintained below, and generally well below, the pertinent regulatory limits. This presentation will review the basic radiation safety aspects, including shielding and workflow, of these increasingly important and increasingly numerous facilities. The radiation burden accrued by the patients undergoing PET-CT or SPECT-CT exams will be considered as well.


1. Birds with large eyes can achieve a greater pupil diameter and/or focal length, and hence, all other things being equal, greater visual sensitivity and resolution than birds with small eyes. Thus eye size is predicted to reflect adaptations to ecology. 2. We tested three predictions about the relationships between eye size, foraging method (from wholly visual to tactile techniques) and the daily pattern of foraging activity (diurnal/nocturnal) in shorebirds, using phylogenetic comparative methods. 3. We found that shorebirds that forage at night were more likely to have large eyes, but species using vision to detect their prey did not have larger eyes than species that detect their prey by touch. We also found no evidence that nocturnal foragers are more likely than diurnal foragers to use tactile rather than visual cues to detect their prey. 4. These results indicate that evolutionary changes toward nocturnal habits are associated with increases in eye size, and thus with increases in aspects of visual capacity, but that foraging mode may not be the prime selective force in this taxon.


enzyme inhibitors was evenly distributed between TZD and non-TZD users, and statin treatment was somewhat higher among TZD users (56% vs 46%). The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which like aspirin nonselectively inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2, was also similar across drug groups. Even after fully adjusting for these prescriptions, our study still found a higher risk of cardiac events among patients taking TZDs vs other oral hypoglycemic agents. We feel that it is therefore unlikely that aspirin use was a significant confounder in our findings because TZD-treated patients likely used aspirin to the same extent as patients taking other oral diabetes drugs. Although the relationship between TZDs and congestive heart failure can be explained by increased fluid retention with these agents, the mechanism by which they potentially increase myocardial infarctions is unclear. Konstantinopoulos et al raise an intriguing hypothesis by pointing out that TZDs have been shown to selectively down-regulate COX-2, which can lead to an exaggerated thrombotic response. This effect might explain the association between TZDs and higher myocardial infarction risk, and aspirin may thus be potentially protective in this setting. Indeed, there is some evidence that concomitant aspirin treatment reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients taking selective COX-2 inhibitors. Further studies are needed to explore this hypothesis and determine whether aspirin could be used to reduce the adverse cardiac effects of TZD treatment.


CME/Answers: Patients and Their Work at the General Practitioner's Abstract. Complaints related to occupational burden are more often presented to the General Practitioner than generally expected. Despite the fact that most of these work-related complaints do not qualify for recognition as occupational disease the family doctor is in the position to set the course for adequate therapeutic treatment and prevention. In order to consult his patients efficiently he must have a proper concept of the Health and Safety regulation at the workplace and he must know which social insurance plays which role in the concert.


Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) is a machine translation paradigm, in which translations are generated on the base of statistical models. In this system, parameters are derived from an analysis of a parallel corpus, and SMT quality depends on the ability of learning word translations. Enriching the SMT by a suitable morphology analyser decreases out of vocabulary words and dictionary size dramatically. This could be more considerable when it deals with a highly-inflectional, low-resource, language like Persian. Defining a suitable granularity for word segment may improve the alignment quality in the parallel corpus. In this paper different schemes and word's combinations segments in a SMT's experiment from Persian to English language are prospected and the best one-to-one alignment, which is called En-like scheme, is proposed. By using the mentioned scheme the translation's quality from Persian to English is improved about 3 points with respect to BLEU measure over the phrase-based SMT.


Diabetes mellitus (DM) was one of the most severe public health problems that affected nearly 463 million adults around the world. In addition to insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was an effective alternative therapy for diabetes and its complications, and it had been widely used in the Pan-Pacific region, especially in Southeast Asia, however, TCM lacked specialized standards of care for DM in the past, which limited the TCM clinical efficacy of diabetes. Since March 2017, the Endocrinology Committee of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) had invited experts in diabetes, TCM, and international standard setting to work with TCM endocrinologists from the Guideline Development Committee to review the TCM clinical research evidence related to the prevention and treatment of diabetes over the previous 14 years. Over an 8-months careful revision, the international TCM guideline was finally developed under the guidance of review experts, physicians and surveyed patients, to provide standardized diagnosis and treatment advice of diabetes for global TCM doctors. This guideline clarified the TCM classification, staging, and syndromes of diabetes, gave the instructions that how to identified different stages and syndromes clearly, and accordingly recommended different TCM therapies based on the level of evidence. It's worth noting that when the guideline was being made, fewer high-quality clinical research evidence could be found, and very few researches were so outdated that need to be updated. More high-quality research evidence would be included in the updated version of guideline to continuously improve the overall level of global TCM in preventing and treating diabetes, and long-term clinical researches were advocated.


The main objective of predictive maintenance is to identify a small problem before it becomes a big problem. Thermal Imaging is one of the best tools for predictive maintenance. This technology allows us to see a small temperature increase before it becomes a catastrophic failure. Modern technology is able to more accurately evaluate potential problems. The technology allows for collecting better and more extensive data than was previously available — from which very detailed temperature analysis can be made. Thermal inspections of electrical and mechanical systems will show you the necessary areas in your company on which to concentrate your efforts. By focusing specifically on those areas that need to be maintained, you will be saving money several ways: avoiding downtime in production, non-productive wages, greater repair costs and lost time. By performing annual thermal inspections you will also benefit by maintaining the most favorable insurance rating.Paper published with permission.Compilation Copyright © 2018 ASME


Ambulance service demand is increasing in the United Kingdom. A common speculative view makes a link between this rise in demand, deprivation, and certain medical conditions. This study explored factors influencing English ambulance service demand in two areas of differing socioeconomic status. Adopting a causal comparative design, the study compared the numbers of life-threatening calls that Yorkshire Ambulance Service receives and serves in two geographical areas within the Hull and East Riding area. The area of lower socioeconomic status generated significantly more life-threatening calls than the area of higher socioeconomic status; these calls often supported younger patients (mean age 59 years versus 71 years) for breathing difficulties (29% versus 14.5%) more commonly. Tackling inequality will require a whole-systems approach, effective leadership, and recognition of the benefits of understanding difference. A key relationship will entail engaging with seldom heard communities.


Background and objective: Cardiovascular diseases are becoming the major cause of morbidity and mortality in most of the developing countries including India. Various studies proposed that type A personality is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. Present study was carried out to study the role of type A personality in the occurrence of coronary artery disease.

Materials and Methods: Present study was a hospital based paired matched case-control study, carried out at civil hospital, Ahmedabad. 135 newly diagnosed cases of coronary artery disease and 135 controls were studied after taking informed written consent. Data was analysed by using Epi-info version 3.5.1 computer package, Chi -square test, and Odds ratio were calculated.

Results: Among the total 135 cases 70.4% were male and 29.6% were female, most of the cases (40%) were belongs to the age group of 51-60 years. In our study significantly higher number of the cases (28.9%) having Type A personality as compared to controls (12.6%), and this difference was statistically significant (X2= 10.90, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: findings of our study suggest that type A personality is major etiology behind the occurrence of coronary artery disease. Awareness should be created among the people regarding type A behavior and also promote various stress management techniques like breathing exercises, stretching exercises, yoga, meditation which are quite helpful in reducing the risk of CAD.


The Second Reform Act ushered in the age of democratic politics in the United Kingdom by expanding the voting franchise and remedying legislative malapportionment. Analyzing parliamentary debates and divisions, we investigate why reform successfully passed the House of Commons in 1867. We consider why reform passed under a minority Conservative government yet failed under a majority Liberal government despite no election or change in membership. Though partisanship is most influential for parliamentary voting, it is an incomplete explanation given the absence of modern party institutions. Rather, we argue that the narrowed scope of debate under the Conservatives was crucial in passing reform.


Online Convex Optimization (OCO) is a powerful framework for sequential prediction, portraying the natural uncertainty inherent in data-streams as though the data were generated by an almost omniscient adversary. However, this view, which is often too pessimistic for real-world data, comes with a price. The complexity of solving many important online tasks in this adversarial framework becomes much worse than that of their offline and even stochastic counterparts. In this work we consider a natural random-order version of the OCO model, in which the adversary can choose the set of loss functions, but does not get to choose the order in which they are supplied to the learner; Instead, they are observed in uniformly random order. Focusing on two important families of online tasks, one in which the cumulative loss function is strongly convex (though individual loss functions may not even be convex), and the other being online k-PCA, we show that under standard well-conditioned-data assumptions, standard online gradient descent (OGD) methods become much more efficient in the random-order model. In particular, for the first group of tasks OGD guarantees poly-logarithmic regret. In the case of online k-PCA, OGD guarantees sublinear regret using only a rank-k SVD on each iteration and memory linear in the size of the solution.


We propose and demonstrate a 40-Gb/s symmetric passive optical network with a high split-ratio of 64. The upstream 4 x 10 Gb/s signal is produced by using a directly modulated, uncooled 1.55-μm monolithic integrated vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser array. The downstream signal is a single-channel 40-Gb/s dark-return-to-zero (DRZ) data, broadcasting information to different optical networking units (ONUs). As the ONU is cost-sensitive, we also demonstrate, by means of simulations, using a 12-Gb/s receiver at the ONU to receive the 40-Gb/s DRZ downstream signal.


Abstract Cow mastitis caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) exhibits various local and systemic clinical signs at varying degrees of severity. The aim this study was to elucidate the virulence properties, antibiotic resistance and phylogenetics of 56 E. coli strains. Of all the studied strains, 12 were positive for hemolytic properties and 38 were positive for biofilm production. Additionally, 55 of the strains were positive for multiple resistances in bacteriological tests. PCR analysis revealed that 42 strains carried the traT gene, 20 strains had the shiga toxin gene (stx1-stx2), and 8 strains carried the intimin gene (eae), but all strains were negative for aerobactin gene (aer). All strains encoding shiga toxin genes were also positive for stx1, but only 4 strains were positive for stx2. There were no significant differences in virulence genes between antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-susceptible strains. The random amplifi ed polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction patterns revealed the existence of 13 main groups with 4 subgroups of E. coli. In this study, E. coli strains causing intramammary infections and originating from various sources might show resistance against common antibiotics. Pathogenity of E. coli that cause clinical mastitis, and prognosis of the infection might be predicted by obtaining the traT gene. Additionally, antibiotic resistance should be investigated at the genomic level to detect the relationship between virulence factors and antibiotic resistance. In field conditions, development of antibiotic resistance is the main cause of mastitis treatment failure. Thus, antibiotic resistance profiles in herds should be monitored and effective antibiotics should be administered


Abstract In this paper a new probability density function with bounded domain is presented. This distribution arises from the Marshall–Olkin extended exponential distribution proposed by Marshall and Olkin (1997). It depends on two parameters and can be considered as an alternative to the classical beta and Kumaraswamy distributions. It presents the advantage of not including any additional parameter(s) or special function in its formulation. The new transformed model, called the unit-Marshall–Olkin extended exponential (UMOEE) distribution which exhibits decreasing, increasing and then bathtub shaped density while the hazard rate has increasing and bathtub shaped. Various properties of the distribution (including quantiles, ordinary moments, incomplete moments, conditional moments, moment generating function, conditional moment generating function, hazard rate function, mean residual lifetime, Rényi and δ-entropies, stress-strength reliability, order statistics and distributions of sums, difference, products and ratios) are derived. The method of maximum likelihood is used to estimate the model parameters. A simulation study is carried out to examine the bias, mean squared error and 95  asymptotic confidence intervals of the maximum likelihood estimators of the parameters. Finally, the potentiality of the model is studied using two real data sets. Further, a bivariate extension based on copula concept of the proposed model are developed and some properties of the distribution are derived. The paper is motivated by two applications to real data sets and we hope that this model will be able to attract wider applicability in survival and reliability.


Prolactin cells were isolated from male rat pituitaries and studied individually with the reverse hemolytic plaque assay. Plaque area, linearly correlated with radioimmunoassayable prolactin in the culture medium, and percent lactotrophs were measured. A 20-h incubation period markedly enhanced the potency and efficacy of dopamine to inhibit prolactin release compared with an assay conducted on the day of enzymatic dispersion. Frequency histograms of plaque areas showed unimodal distributions after angiotensin II (ANG II)-stimulated prolactin release, with the mode shifting to the right. In contrast, the addition of dopamine to either basal or ANG II-stimulated lactotrophs shifted the mode to the left and decreased the overall range of plaque areas. No clear evidence for discrete subpopulations was generated with this approach; rather, an extensive range of secretory behavior was defined as a continuum, indicating a diverse repertoire of secretory potential in different lactotrophs. Furthermore, comparing lactotrophs from the lateral wings with the central region of the pituitary suggested that lateral cells were less inhibited by dopamine treatment. We conclude that this improved assay allows more precise assessment of the contribution that single lactotrophs make to the population response to dopamine and ANG II.


In "Walking Corpses & Conscious Plants: Possibilist Ecologies in the Graphic Novel," I examine how graphic narratives have historically been used to express political concerns; I then rate the impact of two contemporary works which imagine planetary crisis in relation to this context. Working with Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead and Alan Moore's Saga of the Swamp Thing, I aim to illustrate that the violent worlds depicted in each fiction attest relevant social critique. As a frame for this analysis, I turn to the work of philosopher David Kellogg Lewis. Using his model of modal realism, I argue that engaging ideas of alternate realities through graphic narratives can be beneficial to stimulating questions of political discourse among readers which might not arise otherwise. Beginning with a consideration for early examples of sequential art and their social functions, the first of my three chapters builds a foundation for understanding how the modern comics form came into being. Next, I focus my attention upon the significance of the portrayal of violence in my two primary texts. Both works imagine spaces of total war but portray this experience through vastly different perspectives. Mainly, my analysis of Kirkman's work concerns how the presentation of the human body is linked to suicide bombers and the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. Here I apply the work of philosopher Adriana Cavarero, author of Horrorism: Naming Contemporary Violence, citing Kirkman's post-apocalyptic universe as a symptomatic expression of cultural concerns regarding ceaseless conflict and erasure of identity. Conversely, my interest in Moore's Saga of the Swamp Thing is motivated by his fusion of awareness into the environment. Moore's monumental revival of a marginally successful superhero demonstrates that certain themes, like natural preservation and dependency, may become more pertinent to discuss with the passing of time.


Evaluating eyewitness testimonies has proven a difficult task. Recent research, however, suggests that incorrect memories are more effortful to retrieve than correct memories, and confidence in a memory is based on retrieval effort. We aimed to replicate and extend these findings, adding retrieval latency as a predictor of memory accuracy. Participants watched a film sequence with a staged crime and were interviewed about its content. We then analyzed retrieval effort cues in witness responses. Results showed that incorrect memories included more "effort cues" than correct memories. While correct responses were produced faster than incorrect responses, delays in responses proved a better predictor of accuracy than response latency. Furthermore, participants were more confident in correct than incorrect responses, and the effort cues partially mediated this confidence-accuracy relation. In sum, the results support previous findings of a relationship between memory accuracy and objectively verifiable cues to retrieval effort.


X-ray scattering experiments using Free Electron Lasers (XFELs) are a powerful tool to determine the molecular structure and function of unknown samples (such as COVID-19 viral proteins). XFEL experiments are a challenge to computing in two ways: i) due to the high cost of running XFELs, a fast turnaround time from data acquisition to data analysis is essential to make informed decisions on experimental protocols; ii) data collection rates are growing exponentially, requiring new scalable algorithms. Here we report our experiences analyzing data from two experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) during September 2020. Raw data were analyzed on NERSC's Cori XC40 system, using the Superfacility paradigm: our workflow automatically moves raw data between LCLS and NERSC, where it is analyzed using the software package CCTBX. We achieved real time data analysis with a turnaround time from data acquisition to full molecular reconstruction in as little as 10 min -- sufficient time for the experiment's operators to make informed decisions. By hosting the data analysis on Cori, and by automating LCLS-NERSC interoperability, we achieved a data analysis rate which matches the data acquisition rate. Completing data analysis with 10 mins is a first for XFEL experiments and an important milestone if we are to keep up with data collection trends.


Specific sequences in RNA preparations can be detected by blotting and hybridization analysis using techniques very similar to those originally developed for DNA. Fractionated RNA is transferred from an agarose gel to a membrane support (northern blotting); unfractionated RNA is immobilized by slot or dot blotting. The resulting blots are studied by hybridization analysis with labeled DNA or RNA probes. Northern blotting differs from Southern blotting largely in the initial gel fractionation step. Because they are single‐stranded, most RNAs are able to form secondary structures by intramolecular base pairing and must therefore be electrophoresed under denaturing conditions if good separations are to be obtained. Denaturation is achieved either by adding formaldehyde to the gel and loading buffers or by treating the RNA with glyoxal and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) prior to loading. The describes blotting and hybridization of RNA fractionated in an agarose‐formaldehyde gel. Alternate protocols describe the glyoxal/DMSO method for denaturing gel electrophoresis and slot‐blot hybridization of RNA samples. Stripping hybridization probes from blots can be done under three different sets of conditions; these methods are outlined in a .


We present the results of a simple but robust morphological classification of a statistically complete sample of 108 of the most X-ray-luminous clusters at 0.15 ≤z≤ 0.7 observed with Chandra. Our aims are to (a) identify the most disturbed massive clusters to be used as gravitational lenses for studies of the distant Universe and as probes of particle acceleration mechanisms resulting in non-thermal radio emission; (b) find cluster mergers featuring subcluster trajectories that make them suitable for quantitative analyses of cluster collisions; and (c) constrain the evolution with redshift of the cluster merger fraction. Finally, (d) this paper represents the third public release of clusters from the MAssive Cluster Survey sample, adding 24 clusters to the 46 published previously. To classify clusters by the degree of relaxation, we use the projected offset of the brightest cluster galaxy from the peak (or the global centroid) of the X-ray emission as a measure of the segregation between the intracluster gas and dark matter, and also perform a visual assessment of the optical and X-ray morphology on all scales. Regarding (a), we identify 10 complex systems likely to have undergone multiple merger events in the recent past. Regarding (b), we identify 11 systems likely to be post-collision, binary, head-on mergers (BHOMs), as well as another six mergers that are possible BHOMs but probably harder to interpret because of non-negligible impact parameters and merger axes closer to our line of sight. Regarding (c), we find a highly significant increase with redshift in the fraction of morphologically disturbed clusters (and thus a clear decrease in the number of fully relaxed systems) starting at z∼ 0.4, in spite of a detection bias in our sample against very disturbed systems at high redshift. Since our morphological diagnostics are all based on imaging data and thus sensitive to projection effects, the measured merger fractions should be considered lower limits and our list of mergers incomplete, as we are likely to miss systems forming along axes close to our line of sight. A larger sample of clusters with high-quality X-ray data in particular at high redshift will be needed to trace the evolutionary history of cluster growth and relaxation closer to the primary epoch of cluster formation z∼ 1.


Background: The optimal duration of anticoagulation after a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) is uncertain. Anticoagulant therapy is highly effective at reducing the risk of recurrent VTE, but this clinical benefit is not maintained once anticoagulation is stopped. Current guidelines suggest considering indefinite anticoagulation in all patients with unprovoked who have a non-high bleeding risk. However, this is a weak recommendation based on limited evidence. Deciding whether patients with a first unprovoked VTE should be considered for indefinite anticoagulant therapy requires estimation of the long-term risk of recurrent VTE after stopping anticoagulation. This risk however, is poorly established, hindering decision making.
 Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials and prospective observational studies to determine the rate of recurrent VTE in the first year, in the second year, between years 2 and 5, and years 5 and 10; and the cumulative incidence for recurrent VTE at 2, 5 and 10 years after stopping anticoagulation in men and women with first unprovoked VTE, who had completed at least 3 months of initial treatment. Studies were identified through a comprehensive literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane CENTRAL databases. Data clarifications were requested from authors of eligible studies. Rates of recurrent VTE were calculated for each study from the total number of recurrent VTE events divided by the person-years of follow-up, and then pooled using random-effects meta-analysis.
 Results: Fourteen studies involving 6, 446 patients were included in the analysis. Among men with a first unprovoked VTE, the pooled rate of recurrent VTE per 100 person-years after stopping anticoagulation was 11.2 events (95% CI, 9.0-13.6) in the first year; 7.4 events (95% CI, 5.5-9.5) in the second year; 4.4 events/year (95% CI, 3.2-5.7) between years 2 and 5, and 3.8 events/year (95% CI, 1.6-6.9) between years 5 and 10 [Table 1]. Among women with a first unprovoked VTE, the pooled rate of recurrent VTE per 100 person-years after stopping anticoagulation was 8.6 events (95% CI, 6.5-11.0) within the first year; 5.2 events (95% CI, 3.5-7.2) in the second year; 3.0 events/year (95% CI, 1.6-4.7) between years 2 and 5, and 2.0 events/year (95% CI, 1.3-2.9) between years 5 and 10 [Table 1]. In men and women respectively, the cumulative incidence for recurrent VTE was 17.8% (95% CI, 14.0%-21.9%) and 13.4% (95% CI, 9.8%-17.4%) at 2 years, 28.2% (95% CI, 22.0%-34.4%) and 20.9% (95% CI, 14.0%-28.5%) at 5 years, and 40.8% (95% CI, 28.0%-53.9%) and 28.5% (95% CI, 19.5%-38.3%) at 10 years after stopping anticoagulant therapy [Table 2].
 Conclusions: Among patients with a first unprovoked VTE who have completed at least 3 months of initial treatment, men have a higher long-term risk of recurrent VTE after stopping anticoagulation, and may be given greater consideration for indefinite anticoagulant therapy. Our findings affirm the importance of considering patient's sex in deciding the optimal duration of anticoagulation, and as such, emphasize the need for individualized, patient-centered approach for the long-term management of unprovoked VTE.

 Carrier: BMS: Honoraria, Research Funding; Leo Pharma: Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria; Bayer: Honoraria. Weitz:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Daiichi-Sankyo: Honoraria; Ionis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Servier: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Bayer: Honoraria; Boehringer Ingelheim: Honoraria, Research Funding. Schulman:Boehringer-Ingelheim: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Bayer: Honoraria. Couturaud:Pfizer: Research Funding; Bayer: Honoraria, Other: Travel Support; AstraZeneca: Honoraria; Actelion: Other: Travel Support; Intermune: Other: Travel Support; Leo Pharma: Other: Travel Support; Daiichi Sankyo: Other: Travel Support. Becattini:Bayer HealthCare: Other: Lecture Fees; Boehringer Ingelheim: Other: Lecture Fees; Bristol Meyer Squibb: Other: Lecture Fees. Agnelli:Daiichi Sankyo: Other: Personal Fees; Boehringer Ingelheim: Other: Personal Fees; Bayer Healthcare: Other: Personal Fees; Pfizer: Other: Personal Fees; Bristol-Myers-Squibb: Other: Personal Fees. Brighton:Glaxo Smith Klein: Other: Personal Fees; Novo Nordisk: Other: Personal Fees; Bayer: Other: Personal Fees. Lensing:Bayer: Employment. Prins:Pfizer: Consultancy; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy. Hutton:Cornerstone Research Group: Honoraria. Palareti:Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Werfen: Speakers Bureau; Alfa-Wassermann: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Daiichi-Sankyo: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Prandoni:Pfizer: Consultancy; Daiichi-Sankyo: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy; Bayer: Consultancy. Büller:Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Consultancy, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Research Funding; Thrombogenics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Isis: Consultancy, Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Research Funding. Rodger:Biomerieux: Research Funding.


Performing the Ramayana Tradition: Enactments, Interpretations, and Arguments, edited by Ramayana scholar Paula Richman and Rustom Bharucha, scholar of Theater and Performance Studies, examines diverse retellings of the Ramayana narrative as interpreted and embodied through a spectrum of performances. Unlike previous publications, this book is neither a monograph on a single performance tradition nor a general overview of Indian theater. Instead, it provides context-specific analyses of selected case studies that explore contemporary enactments of performance traditions and the narratives from which they draw: Kutiyattam, Nangyarkuttu, and Kathakali from Kerala; Kattaikkuttu and a "mythological" drama from Tamil Nadu; Talamaddale from Karnataka; avant-garde performances from Puducherry and New Delhi; a modern dance-drama from West Bengal; the monastic tradition of Sattriya from Assam; anti-caste plays from North India; and the Ramnagar Ramlila. Apart from the editors' two introductions, which orient readers to the history of Ramayana narratives by Tulsidas, Valmiki, Kamban, Sankaradeva, and others, as well as the performance vocabulary of their enactments, the volume includes many voices, including those of directors, performers, scholars, connoisseurs, and the scholar-abbot of a monastery. It also contains two full scripts of plays, photographs of productions, interviews, conversations, and a glossary of Indian terms. Each essay in the volume, written by an expert in the field, is linked to several others, clustered around shared themes: the politics of caste and gender, the representation of the anti-hero, contemporary reinterpretations of traditional narratives, and the presence of Ramayana discourse in everyday life.


This project was performed to develop guidelines for changes in the geometric design and operations at intersections with the greatest potential to aid in their use by older drivers and pedestrians. A literature review identified age-related diminished capabilities that affect performance at intersections, and examined current design standards and their adequacy for older road users. Problem identification studies (accident database analysis, task analysis, focus group discussions, field observations) were conducted to better define older persons' difficulties in intersection use, and an expert panel met to prioritize variables for more extensive laboratory and field studies later in the project. These studies subsequently focused on age (including both young-old and old-old groups) and the effects of opposite left-turn lane geometry (offset amount and direction), right-turn channelization and curb radius, and varying median pedestrian refuge island configurations, using both objective (performance) and subjective measures. A critique of the data obtained in these studies during a second expert panel meeting concluded that sufficient evidence exists to support guidelines for: (1) geometric design to ensure a minimum required sight distance for drivers turning left from a major roadway, and (2) operational changes to accommodate older drivers where (re)design of an intersection to meet sight distance requirements is not feasible. In addition, a revision of Case V in the AASHTO Green Book to determine sight distance requirements that reflect the perceptual task of gap judgment by a left-turning driver more accurately than the current assumptions in Case IIIB is recommended, and further research needs to enhance the safety and mobility of older road users at intersections are identified.


Over a year ago I wrote to Prime Minister Brown asking him to place a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants in Britain. I have asked the same of Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd and other world leaders. The reason is this – coal is the single greatest threat to civilization and all life on our planet. Our global climate is nearing tipping points. Changes are beginning to appear, and there is a potential for explosive changes with effects that would be irreversible – if we do not rapidly slow fossil fuel emissions over the next few decades. Tipping points are fed by amplifying feedbacks. As Arctic sea ice melts, the darker ocean absorbs more sunlight and speeds melting. As tundra melts, methane a strong greenhouse gas, is released, causing more warming. As species are pressured and exterminated by shifting climate zones, ecosystems can collapse, destroying more species. The public, buffeted by day-today weather fluctuations and economic turmoil, has little time or training to analyze decadal changes. How can they be expected to evaluate and filter out advice emanating from special economic interests? How can they distinguish top-notch science and pseudoscience – the words sound the same? Leaders have no excuse – they are elected to lead and to protect the public and its best interests. Leaders have at their disposal the best scientific organizations in the world, such as the United Kingdom's Royal Society and the United States National Academy of Sciences. Only in the past few years did the science crystallize, revealing the urgency – our planet really is in peril. If we do not change course soon, we will hand our children a situation that is out of their control, as amplifying feedbacks drive the dynamics of the global system. The amount of carbon dioxide in the air has already risen to a dangerous level. The pre-industrial carbon dioxide amount was 280 parts per million (ppm). Humans, by burning coal, oil and gas have increased carbon dioxide to 385 ppm, and it continues to grow by about 2 ppm per year. Earth, with its four kilometer deep ocean, responds only slowly to changes of carbon dioxide. So more climate change will occur, even if we make maximum effort to slow carbon dioxide growth. Arctic sea ice will disappear in the summer season within the next few decades. Mountain glaciers, providing fresh water for rivers that supply …


Photographers made a major contribution to the recording of the Heroic Era of Antarctic exploration. By far the best known photographers were the professionals, Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley, hired to photograph British and Australasian expeditions. But a great number of photographs were also taken on Belgian, German, Swedish, French, Norwegian and Japanese expeditions. These were taken by amateurs, sometimes designated official photographers, often scientists recording their research. Apart from a few Pole-reaching images from the Norwegian expedition, these lesser known expedition photographers and their work seldom feature in the scholarly literature on the Heroic Era, but they, too, have their importance. They played a vital role in the growing understanding and advancement of Antarctic science; they provided visual evidence of their nation's determination to penetrate the polar unknown; and they played a formative role in public perceptions of Antarctic geopolitics.

The objective of this study is to collate background information and literature on lesser known Heroic Era photographers and to offer a discursive examination of photographs, assessing their representations of exploration in Antarctica. Photographers' 'ways of seeing' were influenced by their backgrounds and often by the history of their nations' involvement in Arctic exploration. Their representations were shaped within contexts of prevailing polar exploration discourses—the race for the South Pole, nationalism, heroic adventure, and scientific investigation. The images they brought back were determined by the nature of their expeditions, whether inherently scientific, nationalist, or adventure-seeking; by the various sponsoring imperatives; and by how their photographic documentation was intended to be used.

This study is important because it offers a comparative consideration of photographers of less well known expeditions from a range of nations and cultures, offering new layers of understanding of the forces that drove the exploration of Antarctica. It is based on principles of historiography and on discourse analysis, an appropriate method for examining the multi-layered cultural messages within the images.


Economic shocks are notoriously difficult to predict but recent research suggests qualitative metrics about economic actors' expectations are predictive of downturns. We show consumer expectations indices from both the Conference Board and the University of Michigan predict economic downturns up to 18 months in advance in the United States, both at national and at state-level. All the recessions since the 1980s have been predicted by at least 10 and sometimes many more point drops in these expectations indices. A single monthly rise of at least 0.3 percentage points in the unemployment rate also predicts recession, as does two consecutive months of employment rate declines. The economic situation in 2021 is exceptional, however, since unprecedented direct government intervention in the labor market through furlough-type arrangements has enabled employment rates to recover quickly from the huge downturn in 2020. However, downward movements in consumer expectations in the last six months suggest the economy in the United States is entering recession now (Autumn 2021) even though employment and wage growth figures suggest otherwise.


Background Chromosome conformation capture, coupled with high throughput DNA sequencing in protocols like Hi-C and 3C-seq, has been proposed as a viable means of generating data to resolve the genomes of microorganisms living in naturally occuring environments. Metagenomic Hi-C and 3C-seq datasets have begun to emerge, but the feasibility of resolving genomes when closely related organisms (strain-level diversity) are present in the sample has not yet been systematically characterised. Methods We developed a computational simulation pipeline for metagenomic 3C and Hi-C sequencing to evaluate the accuracy of genomic reconstructions at, above, and below an operationally defined species boundary. We simulated datasets and measured accuracy over a wide range of parameters. Five clustering algorithms were evaluated (2 hard, 3 soft) using an adaptation of the extended B-cubed validation measure. Results When all genomes in a sample are below 95% sequence identity, all of the tested clustering algorithms performed well. When sequence data contains genomes above 95% identity (our operational definition of strain-level diversity), a naive soft-clustering extension of the Louvain method achieves the highest performance. Discussion Previously, only hard-clustering algorithms have been applied to metagenomic 3C and Hi-C data, yet none of these perform well when strain-level diversity exists in a metagenomic sample. Our simple extension of the Louvain method performed the best in these scenarios, however, accuracy remained well below the levels observed for samples without strain-level diversity. Strain resolution is also highly dependent on the amount of available 3C sequence data, suggesting that depth of sequencing must be carefully considered during experimental design. Finally, there appears to be great scope to improve the accuracy of strain resolution through further algorithm development.


Isolated rat pups respond to cold exposure physiologically by increasing metabolic heat production and behaviorally by emitting ultrasound. The relationship between these 2 responses was investigated by monitoring oxygen consumption, heat production by brown adipose tissue, respiratory rate, and ultrasound production during cold exposure in pups 10-12 days of age. All 3 physiological measures increased contemporaneously with the initiation of ultrasound. Pups also exhibited a respiratory pattern characterized by the prolongation of expiratory duration in relation to inspiratory duration. Ultrasound was often detected during these prolonged expirations, suggesting that pups were using laryngeal braking. Laryngeal braking is thought to enhance oxygen uptake in the lungs. Thus, ultrasound may be an acoustic by-product of a respiratory maneuver that increases oxygen delivery to metabolically active tissues during cold exposure.


Recent emphasis on the continuity of Vatican II with the Catholic tradition runs the danger of slighting the aspects of the council that were discontinuous. Among those aspects are the literary genre the council adopted and the vocabulary inherent in the genre, different from that of all previous councils. Examination of these aspects yields tools for constructing a hermeneutic appropriate to this council, and not only shows how distinctive Vatican II was but also allows us to get at that elusive "spirit of the council." The substance of this article was delivered as the Roland Bainton Lecture for 2005 at the Divinity School of Yale University and shortly afterwards as one of the "Gathering Points" lectures at Marquette University.


A 6-year-old otherwise healthy female presented to the ED with a right eyebrow lesion for one month.  Previous I&D attempts and empiric antibiotic treatment had failed to improve the lesion.  Following dermatology referral, superficial culture resulted with growth of Cryptococcus neoformans after which completion of oral fluconazole treatment resolved the lesion.  Though Cryptococcus neoformans infections commonly plague immunocompromised patients, primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in the immunocompetent patient is a rare but documented infection with a paucity of reported pediatric cases, and frontline physicians should be aware of such a diagnosis in the setting of persistent skin lesions without response to more commonly utilized therapies.


This research detects onsets of percussive instruments by examining the performance on the sound signals of gamelan instruments as one of  traditional music instruments in Indonesia. Onset plays important role in determining musical rythmic structure, like beat, tempo, measure, and is highly required in many applications of music information retrieval. Four onset detection methods that employ spectral features, such as magnitude, phase, and the combination of both are compared in this paper. They are phase slope (PS), weighted phase deviation (WPD), spectral flux (SF), and rectified complex domain (RCD). Features are extracted by representing the sound signals into time-frequency domain using overlapped Short-time Fourier Transform (STFT) and by varying the window length. Onset detection functions are processed through peak-picking using dynamic threshold. The results showed that by using suitable window length and parameter setting of dynamic threshold, F-measure which is greater than 0.80 can be obtained for certain methods.


The controversy over the Ambedkar cartoon in school textbooks is more a refl ection of the hurt sentiments of the political class rather than of the dalits. It seems that an artifi cial hurt has been created through a misreading of an innocuous cartoon from six decades ago. In a context where the social justice agenda is often neglected, such emotional issues provide political players with an opportunity to maintain their popular support.


Reading is one of the most influential means of language development and literary works are the best examples of a language which can be used as means of language development both in pre-school period and after. Beside native works, there are translated literary works written both for children and adults. Child literature books are recommended by teachers to support language development of the students. However, translation of such books in Turkey are made regardless of the needs and reading competence levels of the readers and the textuality features of the original text such as cohesive ties. This causes ambiguity. Therefore, it becomes difficult for such literary works to function as means of language development. PISA test results of 4th grade Turkish students who have been taking last places among other countries in reading comprehension prove this. In our research, to describe the problem and make suggestions for solution, we made use of theories from related fields such as Toury's "Target-oriented translation theory" and Halliday and Hasan's "Cohesion theory". We applied a reading-comprehension test to evaluate the influence of problematic parts of translated readers on students. We also made use of a short questionnaire to learn students' opinions about such problematic uses of language in children's literary works. This survey revealed that learners often encountered expressions that causes ambiguity in the translated stories they read, but there was not much reduction in their desire to read such books. As a result of the research, we concluded that carelessly translated readers cause ambiguity due to loss of textual ties and this decreases the amount of contribution they are expected to make to language development of the target group of readers.


This chapter discusses different aspects related to the evolution and current state of fast field-cycling NMR technology. Technical advances affect NMR in two main ways: by extending and improving the capabilities and performance of machines and consequently, increasing the quality and reliability of measurements in a broader range, with a direct impact on the significance of the derived results. But it also opens up unexplored possibilities for new applications and experimental conditions that were previously unattainable owing to technical limitations. Field-cycling apparatus provides excellent platforms for engineering research, from magnet technology to control and power electronics and low-noise sensing, among others. Both the historical frame and the state of the art are considered. The chapter focuses on selected topics where the group in Cordoba has concentrated its efforts in recent years, but also considers the remarkable work done by other colleagues worldwide. Finally, a future scenario for the field-cycling technique is ventured.


&NA; Date Presented 4/1/2017 The purpose of this study was to explore the usefulness of the Subject‐Centered Integrative Learning Model for academic educators developing occupation‐centered practices. The model was found to guide the educators and has the potential to shape occupational therapy education. Primary Author and Speaker: Addy Brown Additional Authors and Speakers: Barbara Hooper, Devin Barth, Amanda Zorn


We perform a three‐dimensional (3‐D) global simulation of Earth's magnetosphere with kinetic reconnection physics to study the flux transfer events (FTEs) and dayside magnetic reconnection with the recently developed magnetohydrodynamics with embedded particle‐in‐cell model. During the 1 h long simulation, the FTEs are generated quasi‐periodically near the subsolar point and move toward the poles. We find that the magnetic field signature of FTEs at their early formation stage is similar to a "crater FTE," which is characterized by a magnetic field strength dip at the FTE center. After the FTE core field grows to a significant value, it becomes an FTE with typical flux rope structure. When an FTE moves across the cusp, reconnection between the FTE field lines and the cusp field lines can dissipate the FTE. The kinetic features are also captured by our model. A crescent electron phase space distribution is found near the reconnection site. A similar distribution is found for ions at the location where the Larmor electric field appears. The lower hybrid drift instability (LHDI) along the current sheet direction also arises at the interface of magnetosheath and magnetosphere plasma. The LHDI electric field is about 8 mV/m, and its dominant wavelength relative to the electron gyroradius agrees reasonably with Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observations.


Coherent laser beam combining is potentially attractive way to increase the combined beam brightness beyond the limits imposed on single‐mode lasers by technological bounds. The active control of every individual laser beam characteristics is more flexible but essentially more complicated in both, necessary equipment and service. Passive phase locking is an attractive alternative, since it does not need external management and leads to strong simplification of the system. A specific feature of fiber amplifiers and lasers is that they possess optical path differences (OPD) of many wavelengths magnitude. Cold‐cavity theory predicts in this case fast decline in efficiency of coherent fiber laser beam combining with number of lasers. Experiments, in contrast, demonstrated in such systems that high degree of phasing takes place for laser arrays of up to 16 lasers. As lasers are strong non‐linear systems, explanation of this discrepancy should rely on a role of non‐linear effects: gain saturation and intensity‐dependent index. Besides, since the gain band width is significantly broader than the distance between spectral lines responding to different longitudinal modes, it is a freedom in adjusting laser wavelength to a value, which corresponds to a best balance between gain and loss of laser radiation. As a first step, we consider a fiber laser array with external global coupling, which means that the same fraction of the combined laser beam is returned into the each element of the array. In this case, every laser in the array is operated as an injection controlled (slave) laser. The specific features of Yb‐doped fiber lasers were taken into account in our model: 1) existence of multiple longitudinal modes; 2) typically low‐Q cavity used in these lasers. This approach allows us to quantify the mechanism of laser wavelength self‐adjustment taking into account the effect of gain saturation. Taking the injection signal intensity within limits of locking range, the output signal was studied as a function of wavelength detuning and small signal gain magnitude. Then the maximal phase locking efficiency is found numerically as a function of coupling strength and of optical pumping intensity at random values of the OPD for laser arrays of variable size. Just the gain saturation effect taken into account in our model leads to comparatively slow reduction of the maximal phase locking efficiency with the laser array size.


The study was focused on the behavioural consequences state of alcohol use among the students. The respondents were all levels of students of Isabela State University-Main Campus. The researcher used survey questionnaire and interview to gather data. The study found out that the majority of the respondents were under 19-20 years old, male, junior with allowance of 100-200 pesos per day. The Behavioral Consequences on Alcohol Use Among Students of Isabela State University-Main Campus were the following: First was the Profile of the Respondents, followed by the Awareness of the Respondents on Alcohol, Behavioral Consequences of Alcohol and lastly the Leading Factors on Using Alcohol. Based on the above conclusions, the following recommendations were: Clinicians are important to screen students of Isabela State University-Main Campus for alcohol misuse and provide persons engaged in risky or hazardous drinking with behavioral counselling interventions to reduce alcohol misuse. That those who do not consume alcoholic beverages should not start doing so because of the negative impact. Provide Educational Programs among Isabela State University-Main Campus students to enhance their knowledge about alcohol consumption. Since the majority of respondent were 19-20 years old, a similar study should be conducted regarding other possible behavioral consequences, awareness and factors on alcohol and should also be conducted with larger number of respondents.


A group of agents are waiting for their job to be processed in a facility. We assume that each agent needs the same amount of processing time and incurs waiting costs. The facility has two parallel servers, being able to serve two agents at a time. We are interested in finding the order to serve agents and the (positive or negative) monetary compensations they should receive. We introduce two rules for the problem, the minimal transfer rule and the maximal transfer rule. We show that these two rules correspond to the Shapley (1953) value of the queueing games with two servers, as discussed similarly by Maniquet (2003) and Chun (2006a) for queueing problems with one serve, when the worth of each coalition is appropriately defined. If the worth of a coalition is defined by assuming the coalitional members are served before the non-coalitional members, then the minimal transfer rule is obtained. On the other hand, if it is defined by assuming the coalitional members are served after the non-coalitional members, then the maximal transfer rule is obtained. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C71, D63, D73.


ABSTRACT The problem of the origin of dinosaurs has historically had three dimensions. The first is the question of whether Dinosauria is monophyletic, and of its relationships to other archosaurs. This question was plagued from the beginning by a lack of relevant fossils, an historical burden of confusing taxonomic terms and a rudimentary approach to devising phylogenies. The second dimension concerns the functional and ecological adaptations that differentiated dinosaurs from other archosaurs, a question also marred by lack of phylogenetic clarity and testable biomechanical hypotheses. The third dimension comprises the stratigraphic timing of the origin of dinosaurian groups with respect to each other and to related groups, the question of its synchronicity among various geographic regions, and some of the associated paleoenvironmental circumstances. None of these dimensions alone answers the question of dinosaur origins, and they sometimes provide conflicting implications. Since Dinosauria was named, one or another set of questions has historically dominated academic discussion and research. Paradigms have shifted substantially in recent decades, and current evidence suggests that we are due for more such shifts. I suggest two changes in thinking about the beginning of the "Age of Dinosaurs": first, the event that we call the (phylogenetic) origin of dinosaurs was trivial compared to the origin of Ornithodira; and second, the "Age of Dinosaurs" proper did not begin until the Jurassic. Re-framing our thinking on these issues will improve our understanding of clade dynamics, timing of macroevolutionary events, and the effects of Triassic climate change on terrestrial vertebrates.


Charles Benedict Davenport (1866–1944) was one of the most prominent public figures of the eugenics movement in the early decades of the twentieth century in the United States. Trained as a morphologist, biologist and geneticist, he is most remembered for his eugenic studies. Under his direction of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, New York, the research conducted by the laboratory's Eugenics Record Office supported the early eugenics movement by serving as the leading repository of eugenic information and as a primary centre for the training of eugenic field workers.

Keywords:

eugenics;
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory;
Eugenics Record Office;
human heredity;
genetics


Organizational learning theory suggests that complaints about products and services can promote organizational learning and change. However, evidence suggests that potentially valuable forms of experience may be ignored or discounted in organizations, and additional research is needed to determine why this happens. This study contributes to those efforts by examining how multiple forms of complaint experience interactively influence organizational outcomes. An empirical test on a longitudinal panel of Californian nursing homes finds that complaints about other issues may distract attention away from complaints about a focal issue, but only when complaints are provided anonymously. These findings forward organizational learning theories by suggesting that multiple types of experience may detract from rather than supplement each other in some cases. Additional implications and opportunities for further research are also discussed.


The Makganyene Formation is a Siderian (2.45–2.22 Ga) diamictite-dominated succession, with both outcrop and subcrop in the Griqualand West Basin of the Transvaal Group of South Africa. We provide new outcrop and core descriptions from this succession, supplemented by microscopic analyses, to present an updated depositional model for a classic Palaeoproterozoic diamictite. Although internal correlation of core and outcrop successions is not possible, a recurring pattern is observed where diamictites are organised into coarsening-upward motifs at the tens of metres scale. With additional finds of striated clasts, and evidence for dropstones both at the core scale and at the microscopic scale, earlier interpretations of glacial control on sedimentation can be substantiated, with modification of glacial diamictites by mass flow processes also recognised. Overall, given the characteristic progradational stratigraphic architecture, we propose a new model for the Makganyene Formation which is considered to represent deposition of a grounding zone wedge at an ancient, oscillating ice margin.


Salmonella enteritidis was previously shown to produce fimbriae composed of 14,000-molecular-weight (Mr) fimbrin monomers (J. Feutrier, W. W. Kay, and T. J. Trust, J. Bacteriol. 168:221-227, 1986). Another distinct fimbrial structure, comprising 21,000-Mr fimbrin monomers, has now been identified. These fimbriae are simply designated as SEF 14 and SEF 21, respectively (for S. enteritidis fimbriae and the Mr [in thousands] of the fimbrin monomer). A simple method for the purification of both structures was developed by using the different biochemical properties of these fimbriae. SEF 21 remained intact after being boiled in sodium dodecyl sulfate but readily dissociated into subunits of 21,000 Mr at pH 2.2. The overall amino acid composition and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the SEF 21 fimbrin were distinct from those of SEF 14 but were virtually identical to the predicted sequence for type 1 fimbrin of Salmonella typhimurium. Immunoelectron microscopy of S. enteritidis clearly revealed fimbrial structures that reacted with immune serum specific to the 21,000-Mr fimbrin. Immune sera raised against this subunit were cross-reactive with type 1 fimbrins found in whole-cell lysates of S. typhimurium, Salmonella illinois, and Salmonella cubana. However, there was no cross-reaction with Escherichia coli type 1 fimbriae or with other fimbrins produced by S. enteritidis. Under certain growth conditions, S. enteritidis produced both SEF 14 and SEF 21. However, when S. enteritidis was grown at 30 degrees C or lower, only the 21,000-Mr SEF 21 fimbrin could be detected. There was a direct correlation between mannose-sensitive hemagglutination and the presence of SEF 21.


The somatic and genetic effects of 2.45 GHz Microwave radiation (MWR) on male and female Sprague Dawley rats were studied. Two hundred rats were used for this study. They were grouped into control and exposed according to the parameters under consideration. The animals were exposed to various levels of specific absorption rate (SARs) using the microwave generator, model ER660E, Serial No MX704CCR from Toshiba UK Ltd. All animals were kept in healthy, and radiation free environment with water and feed provided ad libitum. The study is divided into three parts; firstly, the effects of MWR on the anxiolytic and exploratory behaviour of the animals. MWR produced dose-dependent significant decrease in the cumulative time spent in the open arms of maze in the first twelve days after exposure and gradually increased towards the control value before the end of two weeks. It also affects the exploratory behavoiur of the animals, for the first two weeks after exposure but by the third week there was no significant difference between the control and the exposed animals. The modifications in the behaviour were not sex dependent as there were no significant differences between male and female rats. Secondly, the effects of MWR on the vital organs of male and female most especially, male reproductive functions were studied. The sperm count, gross motility and sperm morphology were determined using standard methods. The results showed that 2.45 GHz MWR reduced the sperm concentration, gross motility while increasing the percentage abnormal sperm cells. There was a decrease in reproductive organ weights and increased dead sperm cells as large numbers of the sperm cells membranes took up the eosin-nigrosin vital stain in the exposed group. Lastly, the genotoxic effects of MWR were studied using Chromosomal aberrations, single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) and direct amplification of length polymorphisms (DALP). There was a significant increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations between control and
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exposed groups. The exposure of vital mammalian cells to 2.45 GHz radiation altered the band patterns of the exposed animals, especially in the range 40 – 120 bp. Starting with appearance of additional peaks compared with the control which was not seen in their tail DNA before exposure to MW and these were confirmed through the densitometric gel analysis. There was a statistically significant difference in the Olive moment and % DNA in tail of the exposed animals compared with control (p < 0.05). Thus, these findings support the hypothesis that exposure to 2.45 GHz MWR at studied SARs may have potential somatic and genetic effects.


During a critical confrontation with the other philosophies, Merleau-Ponty often examines the intellectuality of the opposite positions and so creates the radicality of its philosophy and its reflection. We can then wonder how a philosophy of the sensitive so close to the art establishes itself, by putting the irreducibility in the concept and in the speech of an essential relationship with the world. How the articulation of a negative speech - which does criticism of the intellectualism and the empiricism - and of a positive speech bound connected to the phenomenology produce a new thought of the reflection ? The positivity of the thought integrates the critical speech, is dependent on it, and we can wonder moreover if the new concept of reflection is not dependent or prisoner of a critical perspective. In what reflection to reach ? How reflect the native, pre-objective experience ? How to bring the dumb experience to the expression of its own sense ? To think the reflection supposes the fact of thinking of the articulation between the perceptive and pre-objective world and the objectivity, the reflection or of rethinking another type of reflection : "[...] there is a meaning of the perceived which is unprecedented in the universe of the understanding, a perceptive environment which is not still the objective world, a perceptive being who is not still determined being"1. Does not the consideration of a pre-reflexive cogito make problem in a philosophy which throws back the idealistic tradition ?


This paper proposes a multiloop decentralized control strategy for the control of a wastewater treatment plant based on an Activated Sludge (ASP) model. The ASP is a described by means of a nonlinear model and results on a Two-Input Two-Output multivariable system. Even some advanced control strategies have been presented in the literature, the proposal of this paper is to show that by appropriate tuning of decentraliced PI controllers, it is possile to get comparable performance as with other approaches. With this purpose the paper proposes a way of addressing the design of the decentraliced controllers as well as a regulation based tuning for a PI controller. Simulations are carried out on the nonlinear model showing the performance of the proposed approach.


We address the problem of disassembly planning from a novel perspective. In the proposed method the goal is to find all the physically admissible subassemblies in which a set of objects can be disassembled and to identify feasible disassembly motions. Stability of object configurations under the effect of gravity and friction is computed by relying on a physics-based animation engine. We propose efficient strategies to reduce computational time that take into account precedence relations, arising from user assembly demonstrations as well as geometrical clustering. We have also developed a motion planning technique for generating non-destructive disassembly paths on a query-based approach. Experiments have been performed in an interactive virtual environment including a dataglove that allows realistic object manipulation and grasping.