Background The usefulness of syphilis rapid tests in STI counselling services is under discussion in Germany. For this reason, we evaluated the performance of the Determine® Syphilis rapid test (TP-RT) in comparison to standard serological syphilis tests. Materials and Methods The TP-RT was carried out in 2,203 serum or plasma samples from the German syphilis consiliary laboratory (Labor Krone GbR, Bad Salzuflen) representing a broad spectrum of relevant samples from public health institutions, STI and HIV ambulances, hospitals and others, including samples from 532 MSM, 417 female sex workers and 260 pregnant women. The treponemal antibody status was determined using the Architect® Syphilis TP CMIA (Abbott) as a screening test. Results The TP-RT specificity was determined at 99.4% and the sensitivity at 97.0%. For 12.2% of the positive sera the TP-RT demonstrated only borderline findings. From a subset of 135 positive samples the TP-RT showed reactivity after 15 min in 121 (89.7%), 30 min in 129 (95.6%), 60 min in 131 (97.0%) and after 24 h in all of 135 (100%). More than 70% of the positive findings were related to past treponemal infections. In two cases of primary syphilis a borderline TP-RT result only occurred after 45 to 60 min. Discussion The TP-RT is not able to differentiate active from past treponemal infections. Any reactive TP-RT finding has to be further tested by conventional syphilis tests. Negative TP-RT results after a reading time from 15 to 30 minutes does not exclude the presence of highly infectious early stages of syphilis. A minimum reading time of 1–2 hours is recommended. The high number of borderline findings even in active syphilis cases poses the risk of incorrect assessment of the test results. The routine use of rapid tests is not recommended for syphilis diagnosis in Germany.


This study evaluates the primary and secondary metabolite profiles of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (EL) stems and leaves to determine whether it can be utilized for therapeutic purposes as the roots. A total of six types of extracts were tested. The extracts showed high content of glycosaponins,  polysaccharides,  proteins  and  phenolics. The presence of flavonoids  and phospholipids was also detected. High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed the presence of bioactive marker of EL root, eurycomanone and 14,15s-dihydroxyklaineanone in stem and leaf extracts. Primary and secondary metabolites identified were reported to associate with the enhancement of ergogenic and aphrodisiac activities in animal and human subjects. The result shows that stem and leaves of E. longifolia has the potential for therapeutic purposes. Keywords: Eurycoma longifolia ; eurycomanone; 14,15s-dihydroxyklaineanone; aphrodisiac


All statistical analysis of clinical trials involves pooling results from patients who will differ in terms of demographic characteristics
or prognostic factors. It seems natural to want to try to establish the extent to which a treatment effect varies by
subgroup. However, the number of potential subgroups can be large and the number of patients in a trial is often such that
only pooling all of them will make it possible to reach a useful conclusion. Hence many problems arise when looking at
subgroup effects, especially if the investigation is not guided by pre-specified approaches. In this paper, some pitfalls in
examining subgroups are discussed and some possible approaches to investigating interaction illustrated using two different
examples: the BHAT and the ATAC studies.


This thesis analyses perceptions of ghosts in Scotland, with particular focus on the period from 1685 to c. 1830. According to traditional wisdom, this was a time when society was becoming progressively more rational, with magical beliefs melting away under the glare of Enlightenment scholarship. However, this thesis argues that ghosts actually rose to a new cultural prominence in this period, to the extent that Scotland came to be characterised as a haunted nation. The first chapter provides context, sketching attitudes towards ghosts from the Middle Ages to the late seventeenth century. It shows how ghosts were sidelined because of their questionable theological status, especially after the Reformation. The second chapter explores late seventeenthand eighteenth-century attempts to reincorporate ghosts into Protestant society by converting them into religious propagandists. This endeavour was not only theologically problematic, but also came to be criticised on scientific grounds. Chapter three traces the evolution of sceptical and satirical depictions of ghosts, as well as discussing the debates that sprang up in the late eighteenth century as ghosts increasingly became an interesting object of enquiry. Under the pens of physicians and philosophers a medicalised vision of the ghost became widely influential. Literary works drew upon this interpretation, but also used gothic motifs to re-invest ghosts with horror. The fourth chapter discusses this theme, before exploring how romantic literature and folklore popularised a picturesque ghost that became entangled with conceptions of national identity. Finally, chapter five analyses the place of ghosts within popular culture. It uses ballads, cheap print and folklorists' accounts to assess how and why ghosts remained important to the ordinary Scottish folk. The thesis as a whole shows how the ghost's identity splintered in response to changing cultural contexts, allowing ghosts to take on new roles in Scottish society. This in turn reflects on broader questions of religious change, interactions between popular and elite culture, the formation of national identity and the legacy of the Enlightenment.


Crit Care Med 2015 • Volume 43 • Number 12 (Suppl.) was 7.4% (n=4). Thirteen patients (24.1%) met criteria for a hospital acquired infection (HAI). For those with a HAI, a trend towards higher cumulative steroid doses received was observed. Conclusions: A relationship between steroid dose and the duration of MV and ICU LOS was not observed. High dose steroid regimens, including the practice of bolus dosing, may not be warranted and may be associated with preventable adverse drug events. Subsequent studies are needed to evaluate the safe and effective dosing of steroids in this patient population.


High-speed memories have been used in computers for buffer memory. Such a memory is interconnected with a high-speed arithmetic unit, and the operation cycle-time of memory dominates the performance of computer. Moreover, in order to expand data throughput, it is very advantageous for a high-speed cycle memory to provide a dual-port RAM function, that enables read and write simultaneously. In this paper, a pseudo-dual-port RAM with a 1.5 ns operation cycle is reported. The chip contains 18 kbit RAM (256word x 9bit x 8block) and 9k-gate peripheral logic gates operating during 1.5 ns cycle-time. It is fabricated by a double polysilicon self-aligned bipolar process, using SOI wafer and trench isolation.


Simple Summary In urological oncology clinics, worldwide, castration resistance and metastasis constitute a clinical quagmire and continue to hinder treatment success, despite the diagnostic and therapeutic advances of the last three decades. In this study, we present data that provide some preclinical evidence of the oncogenic role of dysregulated GSE1-TACSTD2 signaling, and show that the molecular or pharmacological targeting of GSE1 is a workable treatment strategy for inhibiting androgen-driven oncogenic signals, re-sensitizing cancerous cells to treatment, and repressing the metastatic-recurrent phenotypes of patients with prostate cancer. Abstract Background: prostate cancer (PCa) is a principal cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Castration resistance and metastasis are clinical challenges and continue to impede therapeutic success, despite diagnostic and therapeutic advances. There are reports of the oncogenic activity of genetic suppressor element (GSE)1 in breast and gastric cancers; however, its role in therapy resistance, metastasis, and susceptibility to disease recurrence in PCa patients remains unclear. Objective: this study investigated the role of aberrantly expressed GSE1 in the metastasis, therapy resistance, relapse, and poor prognosis of advanced PCa. Methods: we used a large cohort of multi-omics data and in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays to investigate the potential effect of altered GSE1 expression on advanced/castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) treatment responses, disease progression, and prognosis. Results: using a multi-cohort approach, we showed that GSE1 is upregulated in PCa, while tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TACSTD2) is downregulated. Moreover, the direct, but inverse, correlation interaction between GSE1 and TACSTD2 drives metastatic disease, castration resistance, and disease progression and modulates the clinical and immune statuses of patients with PCa. Patients with GSE1highTACSTD2low expression are more prone to recurrence and disease-specific death than their GSE1lowTACSTD2high counterparts. Interestingly, we found that the GSE1–TACSTD2 expression profile is associated with the therapy responses and clinical outcomes in patients with PCa, especially those with metastatic/recurrent disease. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the shRNA-mediated targeting of GSE1 (shGSE1) significantly inhibits cell proliferation and attenuates cell migration and tumorsphere formation in metastatic PC3 and DU145 cell lines, with an associated suppression of VIM, SNAI2, and BCL2 and the concomitant upregulation of TACSTD2 and BAX. Moreover, shGSE1 enhances sensitivity to the antiandrogens abiraterone and enzalutamide in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: these data provide preclinical evidence of the oncogenic role of dysregulated GSE1–TACSTD2 signaling and show that the molecular or pharmacological targeting of GSE1 is a workable therapeutic strategy for inhibiting androgen-driven oncogenic signals, re-sensitizing CRPC to treatment, and repressing the metastatic/recurrent phenotypes of patients with PCa.


Repeated electron microscopic examinations of thin sections of young leaves and shoots from mulberry tree infected naturally or artificially with dwarf disease, have failed to show any such uniform particles, spherical or elongated, as have been described for plant viruses in the past. Presence of specific, pleomorphic bodies, however, have been demonstrated consistently in the siebe tubes and occasionally also in the phloem-parenchyma cells. These bodies are spherical to irregularly ellipsoidal in shape, and 80 to 800mμ in diameter. They possess a two-layered limiting membrane of about 8mμ in thickness, instead of cell wall. The smaller bodies, 100∼250mμ in diameter, are nearly round, and generally filled with ribosome-like granules of about 13mμ in diameter. Sometimes net-strands similar to those found in the nuclear regions of other bacteria were located in the less electron dense area. The larger bodies are occupied by a large central vacuole surrounded with ribosome-like granules at the periphery. Frequently, structures similar to nuclear net-strands are observed inside the vacuolated area.The gross morphology and fine structure of these bodies seem to be similar to the descriptions of either the cells of Mycoplasma species (Pleuropneumonia-like organisms) or agents of Psittacosis-Lymphogranuloma-Trachoma group as given by Domermuth et al. (1964), and others, though any agents of such groups have as yet not been reported from plants, so far as we know. Most of the smaller bodies may correspond to the "elementary bodies". Occasionally, budding-like protrusion or constriction of the larger bodies, suggestive of small body formation, were observed. The diversity in the size of the bodies found simultaneously in the phloem may represent their developmental stages. Moreover, therapeutic effectiveness of tetracyclines to mulberry dwarf (Ishiie et al., 1967), and disappearance of the specific bodies in the phloem of the plants recovered by tetracycline treatment, may provide an evidence in favor of Mycoplasma hypothesis. In view of the constant association of the organism in considerable amounts in the phloem of dwarfed plants, the consistent absence of those in healthy plants, the failure to demonstrate particles of any true virus nature, and the apparent sensitivity to tetracycline, it is suggested that the Mycoplasma-like organism described above may be the causal agent of mulberry dwarf disease, although further experiments are necessary for an undisputed proof of etiology and taxonomy.Presence of similar Mycoplasma-like organisms in the phloem tissues has been confirmed in the preparations from witches' broom potato, witches' broom paulownia, and petunia infected with aster yellows. Negative results were obtained in those from check plants. An attempt to isolate and culture the organisms in question on artificial media is now in progress.These results suggest that reexaminations of the causal agent would be desirable for the yellows and witches' broom group which are transmitted by leafhoppers, or by grafting, and in which it is difficult to detect "typical virus particles".


This paper studies the effects of prudential regulation, financial development, and financial openness on economic growth. Using both existing models and a new OLG framework with banking and prudential regulation in the form of capital requirements, the first part presents an analytical review of the various channels through which prudential regulation can affect growth. The second part provides a reduced-form empirical analysis, based on panel regressions for a sample of 64 advanced and developing economies. The results show that growth may be promoted by prudential policies whose goal is to mitigate financial risks to the economy. At the same time, financial openness tends to reduce the growth benefits of these policies, possibly because of either greater opportunities to borrow abroad or increased scope for cross-border leakages in regulation.


Abstract Eating disorders are amongst the most, disabling and lethal of psychiatric conditions. These conditions affect predominantly adolescent and young adult females, but not exclusively so. Whilst stereotypically diagnosed in western, urban societies their emergence in a range of population groups beyond the aforementioned has challenged the stereotype – no more so than in South Africa where eating disorders had not been diagnosed in black, female South Africans until the 1990s. Creating awareness of the changing demographic profile and thus risk was critical in ensuring appropriate diagnosis and management. Whilst this was a key feature of my personal journey there were numerous other aspects of risk explored for the development of eating disorders, as well as management, which will be highlighted and discussed in the paper. This has been especially relevant within the South African context.


We present an evaluation of a new selection technique for virtual reality (VR) systems presented on head-mounted displays. The technique, dubbed EZCursorVR, presents a 2D cursor that moves in a head-fixed plane, simulating a 2D desktop-like cursor for VR. The cursor can be controlled by any 2 degree of freedom (DOF) and 3/6DOF input device. We conducted two experiments based on ISO 9241-9. In the first study, we compared the effectiveness of EZCursorVR using six different controllers. Results indicate that the mouse offered the best performance, while the position-control joystick performed the worst. In the second study we evaluate EZCursorVR using three different transfer functions using the mouse with different degrees of cursor acceleration. Results indicate that, despite previous research, constant acceleration performed better than the other two transfer functions. We believe that future evaluation needs to be conducted to evaluate different acceleration curve steepnesses using the same transfer function.


Encyclopedia of Biology is a definitive reference that provides current, authoritative information on the subject for high school and college students. The encyclopedia contains approximately 800 A-to-Z entries, nine prose essays on important topics, 80 line illustrations, and 75 black-and-white photographs. Comprehensive coverage of leading discoveries in biology along with general biology definitions, thought-provoking essays, and biographies of notable biologists present a wide range of valuable information compiled into a single source. Written in an easy-to-understand format, the book helps explain the importance of biology to society, and includes summaries of notable events throughout history related to the discipline. An emphasis on "hot" topics combined with detailed coverage of the fundamental issues, figures, ideas and concepts, experiments, and history of biology make the encyclopedia current and relevant to student interests. The book guides readers to the latest websites and most recent resources on the Internet that relate to biology. Appendixes include all Nobel Prize winners in biology, a review of biology-related computer software, and the complete Periodic Table of Elements.


Address for reprints Because two division planes form at right angles, male meiosis in higher plants provides striking examples of both division control and spatial programming. To investigate these processes we have stained microtubules and actin filaments during male meiosis in the eggplant. Our results indicate the following.
 (1) That microtubules and their nucleation sites are involved in the establishment of polarity; this is supported by our observation that the drug CIPC affects spindle polarity. (2) That actin microfilaments are involved in spindle formation and integrity, but not in the establishment of polarity: cytochalasin B and D affect the organization of the spindle microtubules, but not their polarized distribution. (3) That microtubules radiating from the daughter nuclei at the cell poles during interkinesis probably establish the future division plane by concentrating actin in that plane (cf. the proposed role of asters in positioning the contractile ring in animal cells). (4) That this concentration of F-actin in the division plane may be involved in preparing the cytoplasm for cytokinesis and in memorizing the division plane (much as the preprophase band observed in polarized tissues does). (5) That phragmoplast formation is a two-step process. No phragmoplast forms after metaphase I, but a four-way phragmoplast forms after metaphase II, indicating that mitosis and cytokinesis are not obligatorily coupled. These studies demonstrate that actin and microtubules are jointly involved in the spatial coordination of the division process.


In this paper we investigate the effects of broadband infrastructure providing high speed internet, on economic growth in developing countries. We have used two different broadband measures to classify developing countries into two groups for the period 1999-2008. By using logistic diffusion model and IV approach, a nonlinear diffusion model is specified. Differences in ceiling of diffusion curve of this technology across countries are defined by pre-existing telephone networks. Then, after predicting broadband penetration rates through the diffusion curve and controlling for fixed effects, the effects of introduction and distribution of broadband on economic growth are estimated. The results indicate that these effects are significant and positive.


Persistent drought presents one of the greatest risks of climate change faced by the western United States. Highlighting this risk is from paleo hydrological evidence that during the medieval period (~900-1400 AD) this region experienced two extensive droughts of greater duration than any experienced in recorded history. However, much remains to be learned about these "mega droughts," including the severity of deficit in precipitation and snowpack in California's Sierra Nevada Mountain range, which currently serve as a crucial source of fresh water to California agriculture, industry and domestic users. To possibly extract a record of the hydrological conditions in the Sierra Nevada during this era, cores of annually laminated sediment from Swamp Lake, in the northwest portion of Yosemite Park were collected. Stable hydrogen isotope (δD) ratios of plant leaf-wax lipid compounds preserved in the lake sediments and the thickness of the annual sedimentary laminations (varves) show promise as potential proxies for recording past hydroclimate variability in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. δD measurements at annual to interannual resolution were made for two time periods: the 20th century and the 13th-15th centuries while varve thickness was measured over the entire period 1150-2006 AD. We find significant negative correlations between 20th century δD fluctuations and instrumentally recorded variability in total precipitation, snow water equivalence (SWE) and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). Medieval δD values correspond to independent regional hydrologic reconstructions at the decadal to multi-decadal scale, which appear to delineate relatively dry medieval episodes. An issue that is still unclear is that the mean δD during this period is little different from that during the relatively moist contemporaneous period. This finding is at odds with evidence from submerged tree stumps for two prolonged droughts separated by about 200 years. Varve thickness measurements are on going, but results thus far reveal difficulties in using this proxy for reconstructing past Sierra Nevada hydroclimate variability, the most significant being the complexity of the seasonal deposition cycle and sub-millimeter thicknesses. Overall, geochemical and geomorphological information gleaned from Swamp Lake sediment cores provide an independent means of reconstructing hydroclimate in the Sierra Nevada and provide a unique perspective on the mega-drought intervals in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.


Sintering temperature influences on sintering process essentially. Laser power and scanning speed determined sintering temperature. Preheat to powder is beneficial to improve the surface temperature uniformity. Stress concentration of part is various in different layer depth. Therefore, the influence of laser power, scanning speed, thickness of spreading layer and preheat temperature on part quality in selective laser sintering(SLS) are main factors. Based on laser energy in Gaussian distribution and mechanism of SLS, with manufactured specimen pieces by molding machine AFS-450, orthogonal experimental design and analysis of variance are adopted to post-treatment. The prototyping sintering parameters are optimized. The result and solution of the experiment are the preheat temperature of 100°C, the scanning speed of 2000 mm/s, the laser power of 24W, the thickness of single layer of 0.2mm for ABS resin. This work can provide optimized parameters in SLS for ABS resin. It will be of benefit to improve the part dimensional precision and strength.


The purpose of the paper is to investigate propylene recovery by a new absorption system, namely water-in-oil emulsion absorbent. Water in oil emulsion, in which kerosene used as oil phase with dispersed water droplet, is prepared to be as absorbent to absorb propylene. The effect of volume fraction dispersed phase, dispersed droplet size, and the stirring rate on propylene absorption rate are researched. Experimental results indicate that the absorption rate of propylene can increase 20% compared with traditional absorption method. The volume fraction dispersed phase should be appropriate, otherwise the enhancement absorption can not be attained. The appropriate number is 0.05 for this dispersion. The smaller droplet size of dispersed phase as well as the faster stirring rate can increase the propylene absorption rate. The mechanism of enhancement propylene absorption is attributed to the intensive turbulence in boundary layer between gas and liquid due to the movement of dispersed water droplets.


Shrinking productive land coupled with climate change has led to rising food insecurity in COMESA region. The situation has been exacerbated by the rise in food prices as witnessed in the vast majority of COMESA member countries and elsewhere in the world. Intra-regional trade in food staples offers prospects for enhancing food security through cross border trade and movement of food from surplus to deficit areas. The objective of the current study is to analyze the opportunities available in intra-regional trade in food staples in COMESA region. Using data for selected countries in COMESA region, the study finds that, while some countries, or even some regions within the same country, are food surplus, others are food deficit and literally lacking food to buy in some seasons. This creates a framework for a win-win situation—the food surplus countries/regions could get better prices for their products by selling to food deficit countries/regions while food deficit countries/regions could avoid food shortages and extreme food price volatility by allowing inflow of food staples from surplus countries/region. The regional diversity, differential rainfall patterns across the countries coupled with the phenomenon of staggered harvesting due to spatial climatic variability has and will continue to be major stimulus for cross-border trade from food surplus areas in one country to food deficit areas in neighboring countries. The study also finds that a more liberalized cross-border trade leads to reduced price volatility. Further, the analysis of the results shows that trade in staples has grown rapidly in the recent past in the COMESA region. Consequently the impacts of regional trade in food staples in the region cannot be debated. The region is also faced with numerous tariff/non-tariff barriers, poor infrastructure and lack of market information which translates to increased transaction costs. The study recommends a regional approach to enhance food security and agricultural growth, rather than a national isolated approach. There is need for a clear follow up and monitoring of the implemented COMESA commitment of eliminating NTBs and prevention of entry of new NTBs. Regional approach is highly advocated to elimination of the NTBs as they are similar across countries in addition to investment in improved infrastructure.


Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review of the efficacy and safety of exogenous melatonin in managing secondary sleep disorders and sleep disorders accompanying sleep restriction, such as jet lag and shiftwork disorder. Data sources 13 electronic databases and reference lists of relevant reviews and included studies; Associated Professional Sleep Society abstracts (1999 to 2003). Study selection The efficacy review included randomised controlled trials; the safety review included randomised and non-randomised controlled trials. Quality assessment Randomised controlled trials were assessed by using the Jadad Scale and criteria by Schulz et al, and non-randomised controlled trials by the Downs and Black checklist. Data extraction and synthesis One reviewer extracted data and another reviewer verified the data extracted. The inverse variance method was used to weight studies and the random effects model was used to analyse data. Main results Six randomised controlled trials with 97 participants showed no evidence that melatonin had an effect on sleep onset latency in people with secondary sleep disorders (weighted mean difference −13.2 (95% confidence interval −27.3 to 0.9) min). Nine randomised controlled trials with 427 participants showed no evidence that melatonin had an effect on sleep onset latency in people who had sleep disorders accompanying sleep restriction (−1.0 (−2.3 to 0.3) min). 17 randomised controlled trials with 651 participants showed no evidence of adverse effects of melatonin with short term use (three months or less). Conclusions There is no evidence that melatonin is effective in treating secondary sleep disorders or sleep disorders accompanying sleep restriction, such as jet lag and shiftwork disorder. There is evidence that melatonin is safe with short term use.


Pulmonary embolism is considered as a great masquerader due to its frequent nonspecific signs and symptoms. Typically pulmonary embolism is under-diagnosed or over-diagnosed. In this study a patient with pulmonary embolism is reported in which the patient exhibited two unusual manifestations namely; right upper quadrant abdominal pain and ST-T elevation in anterior precordial leads. Due to the fact that the patient did not display typical pulmonary embolism symptoms and its major risk factors, extensive workup to discern the cause was carried out. The examination included abdominal sonography, kidney ureter and bladder Computed Tomography scan (CT-scan) and coronary angiography. Eventually after a six-day delay, pulmonary embolism was diagnosed by spiral chest CT scan. This case and several other similar reports underlines the fact that while various other common causes may exist for right upper abdominal pain, one should always consider pulmonary embolism as a possible cause especially when backed up with ECG finding.


Background: Research shows significant associations of major depression with cannabis and binge alcohol use. However, despite increasing cannabis and binge alcohol use rates among the 50+ age group, research on this age group is scant. Methods: We used the 2015–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data (n = 44,007 age 50+) and multinomial logistic regression models to examine associations of a major depressive episode (MDE) with cannabis and binge alcohol use and co-use and associations of binge alcohol use with nonmedical and medical cannabis use. Results: Of individuals age 50+, 89.6% had no history of MDE, 5.7% had prior-to-past-year MDE, and 4.7% had past-year MDE. The rates of past-month cannabis use were 4.3%, 7.7%, and 11.6% and binge alcohol use were 17.3%, 18.7%, and 19.9% among those with no MDE history, prior-to-past-year MDE, and past-year MDE, respectively. Compared to no MDE history, prior-to-past-year MDE (RRR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.30–2.23) and past-year MDE (RRR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.27–2.55) were significantly associated with past-month cannabis use (with or without binge alcohol use). However, MDE status was not associated with past-month binge alcohol use. Among cannabis users, binge alcohol use was significantly associated with nonmedical cannabis use only (RRR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.95–3.21). Users of cannabis and/or binge alcohol also had a higher likelihood of using tobacco products and illicit drugs. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals treating individuals age 50+ with depression should screen for substance use, provide education on the potential adverse effects of polysubstance use, and help them access treatment for co-occurring depression and substance use problems.


The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and, more specifically, the sections which 'guarantee' equality, sections 15 and 28, present Canadian feminist litigators with a unique opportunity to articulate women's realities within a constitutional framework and to demand a legal response. The recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Seaboyer; R. v. Gayme makes it plain, however, that the right to speak and make an argument does not include a corresponding obligation on the part of judges to listen, to understand, or even to answer feminist analysis. The case law decided pursuant to the Charter attests to the prescience of those Canadian academics who articulated a critique of Charter rights. These authors warned that the Charter would prove most advantageous to the interests already served by law, to those with wealth and wherewithal to use legal means, and to those whose 'rights' in fact present little by way of challenge to our economic and political structures. Furthermore, they predicted that legislative gains achieved through the democratic process such as social welfare legislation, workplace safety laws and collective bargaining rights would become vulnerable to Charter challenge, and that our ability to recover from such losses would be extremely limited given that other forms of political struggle have been weakened by the emphasis on the Charter.The negative implications of the Charter are starkly illustrated in the area of women's rights. Feminist litigators have had an influence upon the shape of equality doctrine as it emerges from the Supreme Court and there have been several victories which benefit women. However, not one of the successful cases was decided in reliance upon women's section 15 equality rights. The narrowness of those cases and the overall patterns of Charter litigation suggest that the gains which women have made through the political process are in jeopardy. In this comment, I roundly criticize the majority opinion in Seaboyer, both in terms of result and in terms of failure to grapple with the challenging feminist arguments put to the court. I argue that the result in Seaboyer is reflective of larger patterns of Charter outcomes which are shaped by, among other things, the underlying structures of the criminal trial and the Charter itself. This is not to suggest that feminists should disengage altogether from Charter litigation: we do not have much choice other than to defend legislative gains against Charter challenge and Charter test cases may be one of several significant strategies available to oppose repressive laws and policies. I am, however, arguing that the structures and patterns of Charter litigation pose significant limitations on what we can achieve or preserve through this avenue. And, while our efforts in this regard will provide valuable lessons for our future strategies, in some areas of the law - and rape may well be one of them - decisions like Seaboyer may demand that we shift our focus away from reliance on litigation, and perhaps away from law altogether, in light of these constraints.


This research project takes up the challenge of creating a system to document transparency of processes creating virtual 3D reconstructions. The virtual reconstruction of artefacts just designed, no longer existing, or nor fully documented is obviously a subjective process that simplifies a visualization of the original one. Nowadays, due to a growing number of multidisciplinary projects, scholars commonly recognize the importance of transparency in 3D virtual reconstructions.
The goal of this research project is defining a methodological procedure focused on the validation of the 3D reconstructive model and finding a methodological solution to visualize its multiple representations, defining standards from data processing through documentation to visualization of each 3D hypothetical reconstruction of Cultural Heritage (CH) artefacts.
Transparency and traceability of interpretation processes are necessary for a better understanding of knowledge embodied by 3D models and their visualizations. Transparency is also necessary for interdisciplinary communication and evaluation of results for the benefit of future generations.
The problem of interpretation which features reconstructions where multidisciplinary approaches is crucial to re-use information by those who own a different background but are called to collaborate on the same project.
In any research related to virtual reconstructions, the first step, acquiring a "pre-knowledge", it is necessary to define a system where everyone can be user and creator of traceable knowledge.
The proposed methodology, named "Virtual Reconstruction Information Management" (VRIM), aspires to systematize some general processes related to 3D Virtual Reconstructions (VR) and the management of data information related to those models.


Electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique using lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers has been increasingly applied to structural health monitoring (SHM) of aerospace, civil and mechanical structures. The PZT transducers are usually surface bonded to or embedded in a structure and subjected to actuation so as to interrogate the structure at the desired frequency range. The interrogation results in the electromechanical admittance (inverse of EMI) signatures which can be used to estimate the structural health or integrity according to the changes of the signatures. In the existing EMI method, the monitored structure is only excited by the PZT transducers for the interrogating of EMI signature, while the vibration of the structure caused by the external excitations other than the PZT actuation is not considered. However, in real situation many structures work under vibrations. To monitor such structures, issues related to the effects of vibration on the EMI signature need to be addressed because these effects may lead to misinterpretation of the structural health. This paper develops an EMI model for beam structures, which takes into account the effect of beam vibration caused by the external excitations. An experimental study is carried out to verify the theoretical model. A Lab sized specimen with external excitation is tested and the effect of excitation on EMI signature is discussed.


Some map projections are defined by table values rather than mathematical equations. The most popular and famous one in this category is the Robinson Projection. The Ginzburg projections, which were developed and used in the former Soviet Union, are among the other table‐based world projections. A computational method is required in order to efficiently use these kinds of projections in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and similar environments. Function matching for projections based on table values can be realized for a numerical forward transformation. Matched functions also allow the calculation of distortions in the projection easily. In this study, polynomials and radial basis functions, such as multiquadric and thin‐plate spline functions, are applied to derive an analytical expression from an array of tabular coordinates. The tests are realized on three table‐based polyconic projections, the Ginzburg IV, V and VI. The distortion characteristics of table‐based projections are sought by using partial derivatives obtained through numerical approximation. The distortion analysis shows that the Ginzburg V has very reasonable distortions. A solution for the inverse transformation of these projections is also provided. With the awareness of such projections, more alternatives in seeking a suitable map projection in world‐scale GIS applications can be proposed.


Mongolia's Bronze Age deer stones are one of the most striking expressions of early monumental art in Central Asia, yet their age, origins, relationships, and meaning remain obscure. Speculation about Scythian connections has stimulated recent research in Mongolia that has begun to peel away their mysteries and reveals connections to Scytho-Siberian and northern art. Radiocarbon-dated horse skulls indicate pre-Scythian ages of "classic Mongolian" deer stones as well as firm association with the Late Bronze Age khirigsuur [kurgan] burial mound complex.


Objective: To explore the preparation method of epinephrine for knee arthroscopy, and to find the best temperature and concentration. Methods: A total of 60 cases of knee arthroscopy in our department, from September 2011 to January 2013, was divided into 6 groups. Condition for group A: low temperature (8℃), and low concentration (3000ml saline+0.5ml epinephrine); Group B:low temperature, but high concentration (3000ml saline+1ml epinephrine); Group C: normal temperature (23℃), and low concentration; Group D: normal temperature (23℃), and high concentration; Group E: heating (37℃),but low concentration; Group F: heating (37℃),and high concentration. Each group was used for the operation, and the effect of hemostasis and the changes of vital signs of the patients were observed during the operation. Results: The bleeding amounts in Group C and Group E were more than other groups, and the red blood cell counts increased significantly in the flushing fluid of the two groups. The effect of hemostasis in Group A, B, D and F was good. The patients in Group A, B, C, and D experienced a rapid rise or fall in temperature due to massive application of douching fluid. The patients in Group F didn't experience much interference. Conclusion: The application of heating epinephrine imposes less interference to the patients' vital signs during knee arthroscopy. Moreover, the effect of hemostasis is good, and the safety of the operation improved. It is worth to be popularized.


Striatal dopamine (DA) release plays an essential role in many physiological functions including motor and non-motor behaviors (such as reward, motivation, and cognition). We have previously reported that, following a single electrical field stimulation, the amperometric recording of DA release from presynaptic terminals in striatal slices (both ventral and dorsal) contains two temporally separated phases. The first phase (direct DA transmission, direct DT) arises from DA terminal release following autologous action potentials (APs), while the second phase (cholinergic transmission-induced DA transmission, CTDT) arises from delayed DA release triggered by the activation of cholinergic interneurons to DA terminals (axon-axon transmission). The millisecond time-resolution of amperometry permits separation of an ∼7 ms latency difference from the single synapse (axon-axon) within the two-phase DA-release (2pDA) signal, and thus the 2pDA signal provides a novel method to study either direct DT, or CTDT, or both. Here, we describe the 2pDA method, including signal recording, processing, analysis, and troubleshooting (anti-artifact). Compared with other DA assays using different stimuli, recording methods, and preparations (such as high performance liquid chromatography or fast scan cyclic voltammetry), 2pDA recording is a novel and powerful physiological recording method for the study of DA transmissions in situ.


A dynamic interferometric system which can sequentially measure changes in an object at short intervals has been constructed. Holograms are recorded in a BSO crystal and the phase conjugated wave fronts are generated sequentially, so that only interferograms of changes in the adjoining intervals are obtained. From the detected interferogram the amount of change is calculated for the desired parameter and it is displayed on a CRT in 3-D. The construction of the device and some measurement results are given.


We present a search for transient and highly variable sources at low radio frequencies (150–200 MHz) that explores long time-scales of 1–3 yr. We conducted this search by comparing the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey Alternative Data Release 1 (TGSS ADR1) and the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array (GLEAM) survey catalogues. To account for the different completeness thresholds in the individual surveys, we searched for compact GLEAM sources above a flux density limit of 100 mJy that were not present in the TGSS ADR1; and also for compact TGSS ADR1 sources above a flux density limit of 200 mJy that had no counterpart in GLEAM. From a total sample of 234 333 GLEAM sources and 275 612 TGSS ADR1 sources in the overlap region between the two surveys, there were 99 658 GLEAM sources and 38 978 TGSS ADR sources that passed our flux density cut-off and compactness criteria. Analysis of these sources resulted in three candidate transient sources. Further analysis ruled out two candidates as imaging artefacts. We analyse the third candidate and show it is likely to be real, with a flux density of 182 ± 26 mJy at 147.5 MHz. This gives a transient surface density of ρ = (6.2 ± 6) × 10−5 deg−2. We present initial follow-up observations and discuss possible causes for this candidate. The small number of spurious sources from this search demonstrates the high reliability of these two new low-frequency radio catalogues.


Motivational interviewing (MI; Miller & Rollnick, 2012) has expanded from treating substance use disorders to other health concerns across a range of racial-ethnic groups and ages. The spirit of MI lends itself well to working with culturally diverse populations by eliciting the client's values and goals in a collaborative and client-centered approach in pursuit of behavior change. Additionally, MI has been further adapted for use with racial-ethnic minority groups to enhance its effectiveness with specific populations. The aim of this review was to investigate existing cultural adaptations of MI (CAMI), their effectiveness, and to provide directions for future cultural adaptations in both research and clinical settings. This systematic review identified studies of CAMI over the past 20 years using MEDLINE/Pubmed and Embase. The final dataset consisted of 25 peer review studies. In the randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies that utilized a control condition (n = 17), 10 studies showed that the CAMI condition performed significantly better on at least the primary outcome measure than the control condition. All 10 studies adapted Context, Content, and Concepts-three of the dimensions of cultural adaptation defined by the ecological validity framework used in this study (Bernal et al., 1995). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).


Parkinson's disease (PD) is described as a neurological condition, resulting from continuous degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Currently, most treatments for neurodegenerative diseases are palliative. In traditional Iranian medicine, Citrus aurantium flower extract is used to treat some neural diseases, such as sleep disorders and anxiety. The tendency towards the use of medicinal herbs for the treatment of diseases (eg, seizure) is growing. Accordingly, we evaluated the antioxidant effects of C. aurantium flowers and analyzed their protective effects against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-mediated oxidative stress. In this study, 150 mM of 6-OHDA was used to induce cellular damage. Also, MTT assay was performed to analyze cellular viability. Fluorescence spectrophotometry was performed to measure the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium levels. Based on the findings, 6-OHDA could reduce cell viability. We also analyzed the effects of C. aurantium against neurotoxicity. The intracellular levels of ROS and calcium greatly improved in cells exposed to 6-OHDA. SH-SY5Y cell incubation with C. aurantium (400 and 600 mg/mL) induced protective effects and decreased the biochemical markers of cell apoptosis. According to the findings, C. aurantium showed protective effects against neurotoxicity, caused by 6-OHDA; these protective properties were accompanied by antiapoptotic features. According to the findings, it seems that hydromethanolic C. aurantium extract can be used to prevent seizures. © 2018, Universidad de la Frontera. All rights reserved.


Modular multilevel converters with embedded battery cells are suitable candidates to improve the energy conversion efficiency of battery electric vehicles. In this new topology, the series connection of the battery cells is obtained by means of H-bridge modules, allowing the highest flexibility for the discharge and recharge of each individual battery cell. This objective can be achieved in practice only when a suitable control algorithm is designed to control at the same time the generation of the desired output voltages and the state of charge of cells. This paper discusses some aspects of the balancing algorithm of the battery cells including the cross-balancing between the converter's arms and the design of the control loop for symmetric three-phase output voltages. Simulations results applied to a city car confirm the theoretical considerations and illustrate the main features of the proposed control algorithm.


Forms of doing ethnicity question an understanding of modern society as a society of free and equal individuals as well as the idea, that membership of social class determines social identities. What kind of a challenge the obversation of processes of ethnicitation represents in regard of the theories of contemporary society should discuss more precisely. In front of this background it is supposed to see ethnicitation as an indeterminate collective name for intern heterogene social practices of social construction of collective identities. It is argued, that even so processes of ethnicitation often indicate conflicts between majorities and minorities and the structural and manifested discrimination of the latter, it can not be sufficiently and exclusively explained in this way.


The British Army has been on the receiving end of Government cuts to numbers of full-time (regular) service personnel following the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review and proposed 2018 National Security Review. With numbers being reduced from 102,000 to 82,000, there could be a potential further reduction to 70,000 regular personnel, equivalent to two-thirds of the French Army. The challenge the British Army faces is maximising the performance of the organisation and the individuals who serve in it. As a result, the Agile Warrior concept was developed to promote thinking skills throughout all ranks. This was facilitated by the introduction of a constructivist approach, underpinning the way learning is conducted from a behaviourist, instructor-led style to a student-centred approach to learning. This method was to be trialled at Phase 1 training establishments.

This EdD thesis sought to both unpack the current understanding of the complexities of Phase 1 training including its design and implementation, and evaluate a potential solution in linking the design, instructors, recruits and organisational aims of the British Army. In order to achieve this, the thesis was divided into two studies focussing on the training design and instructional methodologies respectively.

Study 1 of this thesis initially sought to examine the training design for Phase 1 training delivered at the Army Training Centre (ATC) based in Pirbright. Interviews were conducted with staff members involved in the training design of Phase 1 and recruits in order to gauge the different sides. What emerged from the results was a friction between the standardisation of training design and the instructors want for flexibility to teach in ways they saw appropriate. This finding indicated a gap that could potentially be filled by employing the Present, Apply, Review (PAR) method as the constructivist vehicle for instructors.

Study 2 sought to analyse the impact of PAR in bridging the gap between the standardised requirements of Phase 1 whilst providing flexibility for instructors to teach. A mixed method, quasi-experimental design was used for data collection in order to analyse the thoughts of 239 recruits during their Phase 1 training. The findings of a pre-post survey found no difference in regard to the impact of PAR compared with non-PAR instruction using motivation, self-regulated learning and reflection as measurable constructs. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten recruits in order to further unpack the findings.

Overall, this research unpacked recruit experiences of Phase 1 training. The findings suggested that factors such as the impact of the instructor, time as a restrictive factor, and the motivational climate facilitated by Phase 1 training had a potentially overriding impact over the specific instructional method delivered by the instructors. It is suggested that the constructivist approach be employed in unit training within the wider army and that further studies should examine its impact within that context.


— In this research, groundwater prospect of Central Kwara have been investigated using electrical resistivity method for both domestic and industrial application in the face of scarce water resources, occasioned by incessant borehole failure/low yield, has prompted researches for viable source of water. The central Kwara state falls within the basement complex region of Nigeria known as the hard rock terrain, where availability of groundwater is dependent mainly on structural features. The general curve types obtained from the study area were H, HA, KH and HKH types with the H curve type more prominent in the study area. Three geoelectric sections generated with resistivity parameters ranging between 350 to 1900 ohm-meters, 7.7 to 99.1 ohm-meter and above 3000 ohm-meter; making up the topsoil, weathered layer and bedrock respectively. The topsoil is interpreted as laterite/hard pan within thickness range of 0.4 and 2.2 m while the weathered layer zone ranged between 0.9 to 36.1 m thickness respectively; making the overburden of the area with thickness range of 1.4 to 42.7 m. The bedrock resistivity ranges from 400 ohm-meter to 8192 ohm-meter, indicative of weathered/fractured and fresh basement respectively. The results of the vertical electrical sounding were used to generate clay horizon resistivity map, clay horizon thickness map, aquifer resistivity map and overburden thickness map. This study reveals that the study area is dominated by clay which lead to borehole failure and dry up of hand pump well because most of the hand pump well were terminated within the clayey formation.


We analyzed the variation of fish species richness and trophic structure along an upstream-downstream gradient and identified the factors associated with the pattern observed. The fish community composition varied along a headwater-downstream gradient. Species richness and trophic structure decreased significantly with increasing altitude and increased with stream order and distance from source. Headwater communities showed a simple structure. Oncorhynchus mykiss was the only fish captured or noticeably dominant at high altitudes. Thus, headwater can be classified as "trout zones". From these zones to downstream areas fish communities changed because of the addition of other fish species. This phenomenon probably occurs because of an increase in habitat diversity.


Design Thinking has now been widely adopted as an effective way to creatively solve problems in disciplines as diverse as design, engineering, management, and business. What remains uncharted territory is how Design Thinking relates to the discovery of what it means to be. The purpose of this paper is to explore how design faculty can allow room in their classes for students to uncover their place in the world. Using Heidegger's insights on being and thinking, we posit that by exploring the question of being, design students can engage with the design process in a way that adds new dimensions that could otherwise remain unexplored, reaching higher levels of excellence and creativity. And, writing, through its ability to unravel, expose, and communicate thought processes can be the vehicle toward that transformation. Moving across the design curriculum, we share three writing exercises that enable students to delve deeper into understanding themselves: manifestos, short writing pieces through which students can position themselves as designers; reflectionnaires, exercises used in a history class to entice students to search deep inside themselves and be sensitive to their feelings and thoughts through means such as visits in the community and imagining themselves as an inanimate object; and chime-in tallies, an exercise that fuses technology with memoir-writing. The paper closes by calling for the development of more writing exercises that speak to the diversity of the student body and challenges educators to define additional ways by which the question of being is embedded into their teaching.


Objectives: To access the lipid profiles and its association with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in nulliparous pregnant women.
Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 234 nulliparous pregnant women with gestation period of  > 20 weeks and aged 15-45 years, from March to October 2014, in Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (IBMS), Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar, Pakistan with cooperation from gynecology and obstetrics departments of three tertiary-care hospitals of Peshawar & Khyber Medical College, Peshawar,  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Subjects were assigned to three groups i.e., group A, group B and group C. For performing biochemical assays and lipid profiling, through ELISA, blood samples were collected from already subjects both with the disease and the controls.
Results: Both subjects having pre-eclampsia and eclampsia showed significant elevated levels (p < 0.001) for low density lipoproteins cholesterols (LDL-c), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-c and LDL-c/HDL-c ratio. But TC of pre-eclampsia subjects were found significantly elevated (p < 0.001) in relation to controls. LDL-c/HDL-c and TC/HDL-c also revealed an elevated significant change (p < 0.001) both for pre-eclamptic and eclamptic subjects. On the other hand, only TG/HDL-c in pre-eclamptic patients was found significantly higher (p<0.004) when compared to control group.
Conclusion: Serum lipid levels were observed higher in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia patients hence an early assessment is necessary to prevent complications in such patients.


In their responses to Hume's account of causal reasoning, Hume's own contemporaries and many subsequent readers have tended to focus on the skeptical implications of that account. More recent scholarship has emphasized that Hume's account of causal inference is not purely skeptical, for Hume often suggests that forming a belief through causal inference based on repeated experience is the right way to form beliefs. One less-noticed feature of Hume's account of causal inference, however, is that Hume links good causal inference with virtue; thinkers who adopt certain methods of causal reasoning and eschew other methods possess the epistemic virtue that he characterizes as "wisdom" or "good sense." This paper argues that Hume's account of causal reasoning and his normative claims about belief can fruitfully be interpreted by focusing on what Hume says about such doxastic wisdom: why he thinks it is better to be wise than unwise; what he means when he characterizes certain methods of belief-formation as wise; how the cognitive habits employed by the wise differ from those of the unwise; and how he thinks someone can who lacks the epistemic virtue of wisdom can come to acquire it. Since much of the secondary literature on Humean virtue has focused on the "moral" rather than "intellectual" virtues (EPM App 4.2; SBN 313), attention to Humean doxastic wisdom also helps to provide a more complete picture of his account of virtue.


This paper intends to further examine the concept of Niẓām al-Qur'ān which is promoted by al-Farāhi as the basis of its interpretation method. Thus, this paper places Niẓām al-Qur'ān as a material object and al-Farāhi as its formal object. The significance of this study is not only to see the wealth of the method of interpretation of the Qur'an but as a form of the development of the interpretation method itself. In addition, it shows the pattern of development in the realm of interrelated interpretive methods. In this case, al-Farāhi acknowledged what he was discussing - Niẓām al-Qur'ān - not something new, but he also emphasized the originality of the niẓām concept. The concept of Niẓām al-Qur'an for him is different from the concept of munāsabah. Niẓām al-Qur'an surpasses and munāsabah is part of it, not vice versa. From this concept, there appear wahdaniyah terms and 'Amud. The first term is the difference between the two previous nomenclature and one of the three important elements in the concept of Niẓām al-Qur'an, besides tartīb and tanāsub. The second term is the central or central theme of each letter.


We present an overview of our knowledge-based news event analysis toolkit. The toolkit is powered by a knowledge graph (KG) of event-related concepts and relations curated from Wikidata and enriched through knowledge extraction from text as well as a variety of link prediction methods. We describe each of the functions the toolkit provides and an overview of its various components. We present use cases in enterprise risk management, scenario planning, and media intelligence. We also discuss a number of lessons learned and directions for future research.


Abstract Background Depression can impair the immunogenicity of vaccine administration in adults. Whereas many vaccinations are administered in childhood, it is not known whether adolescent or adult onset depression is associated with impairments in the maintenance of protection of childhood vaccines. This study tested the hypothesis that individuals with adolescent or adult onset mood disorders would display compromised immunity to measles, a target of childhood vaccination. Methods IgG antibodies to measles were quantified using a solid phase immunoassay in volunteers with bipolar disorder (BD, n = 64, mean age of onset = 16.6 ± 5.6), currently depressed individuals with major depressive disorder (cMDD, n = 85, mean age of onset = 17.9 ± 7.0), remitted individuals with a history of MDD (rMDD, n = 82, mean age of onset = 19.2 ± 8.6), and non-depressed comparison controls (HC, n = 202), all born after the introduction of the measles vaccine in the USA in 1963. Results Relative to HC, both the cMDD group (p = 0.021, adjusted odds ratios (OR) = 0.47, confidence interval (CI) = 0.24–0.90), and the rMDD group (p = 0.038, adjusted OR = 0.50, CI = 0.26–0.97) were less likely to test seropositive for measles. Compared with unmedicated MDD participants, currently medicated MDD participants had a longer lifetime duration of illness and were less likely to test seropositive for measles. Conclusions Individuals with adolescent or adult onset MDD are less likely to test seropositive for measles. Because lower IgG titers are associated with increased risk of measles infection, MDD may increase the risk and severity of infection possibly because of impaired maintenance of vaccine-related protection from measles.


Humans have developed various mechanisms to optimize interaction with the environment. Optimization of action planning requires efficient selection of action-relevant features. Selection might also depend on the environmental context in which an action takes place. The present study investigated how action context influences perceptual processing in action planning. The experimental paradigm comprised two independent tasks: (1) a perceptual visual search task and (2) a grasping or a pointing movement. Reaction times in the visual search task were measured as a function of the movement type (grasping vs. pointing) and context complexity (context varying along one dimension vs. context varying along two dimensions). Results showed that action context influenced reaction times, which suggests a close bidirectional link between action and perception as well as an impact of environmental action context on perceptual selection in the course of action planning. Such findings are discussed in the context of application for robotics.


Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) may face challenges in employment settings due to difficulties in social functioning. Bespoke employment interventions aim to make it easier for adults with ASD to secure and maintain jobs. This Campbell systematic review finds that there is not yet enough high quality research to draw a conclusion on their effectiveness. This review focused on employment interventions for adults 18 years or older with a diagnosis of ASD, and who were no longer enrolled in a school‐to‐work or secondary‐level education programs. The review considered interventions that centered on competitive, supported or integrated employment but did not include those where the treatment groups were not in an integrated or mainstream format of employment. The review focused on one outcome, attainment of a job placement, based on specific information about the duration and/or retention of that placement. One of the two included studies looked at a program where support workers gave guidance on job searching, work preparation and employer communication. The second study looked at supported employment involving jobs located in the local community and guidance from job coaches. Executive summary/Abstract BACKGROUND The incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has been increasing over the last two decades. Currently, 1 in 110 children are identified with ASD in the United States (CDC, 2009). ASD refers to a range of neurological disorders that involve some degree of difficulty with communication and interpersonal relationships. The range of the spectrum for autism disorders is wide with those at the higher functioning end often able to lead relatively independent lives and complete academic programs even while demonstrating social awkwardness. Those at the lower functioning end of the autism spectrum often demonstrate physical limitations, may lack speech, and have the inability to relate socially with others. As persons with ASD age, options such as employment become increasingly important as a consideration for long‐term personal planning and quality of life. While many challenges exist for persons with ASD in obtaining and maintaining employment, some research is showing that, with effective behavioral and social interventions, employment can occur (Schaller & Yang, 2005). In fact, about 37% of individuals with ASD report having been employed for 12 months or more, four years after exiting high school (Newman, Wagner, Cameto, & Knokey, 2009). However, several studies show that individuals with ASD are more likely to lose their employment for behavioral and social interaction problems rather than their inability to perform assigned work tasks (Dew & Alan, 2007; Hurlbutt & Chalmers, 2004; Unger, 1999). Research has been conducted in the area of autism and employment, but such research has not been reported in a comprehensive evidence review format before. Thus, a systematic review on the effectiveness of adult employment assistance interventions for individuals with ASD would not only demonstrate the extent and magnitude of the interventions' effects, but also provide ideas for further research that can inform implementation and refinement of related employment‐focused programs. OBJECTIVE The objective of this review is to determine the effectiveness of adult employment interventions in securing and maintaining employment for adults with ASD. SEARCH STRATEGY The comprehensive search strategy used to identify relevant studies included the review of 28 relevant electronic databases. Search terminology for each of the electronic databases was developed from available database thesauri. Appropriate synonyms were used to maximize the database search output. Several international databases were included among the 28 databases searched. In addition, the authors identified and reviewed grey literature through analysis of reference lists of relevant studies. Unpublished dissertations and theses were also identified through database searches. The programs of conferences held by associations and organizations relevant to ASD and employment were also searched. SELECTION CRITERIA A two‐stage process was used to determine inclusion or exclusion of studies: (1) two reviewers independently reviewed the title and abstract of each identified study, and (2) for studies advanced from the first stage, two independent reviewers reviewed the full text of each study for final determination of inclusion or exclusion. Inclusion criteria allowed the following research designs: randomized controlled, quasi‐experimental, and single subject experimental designs. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS The electronic searches of databases yielded 8,528 citations for the first stage of review. Of these, a total of 77 citations were selected for second stage full‐text review of each study. Upon review of the full‐text for each of the 77 studies, two studies were retained, having met the inclusion criteria. Of the two included studies, both were quasi‐experimental research designs. The studies generally described the effects of a supported employment intervention for adults with ASD on either employment outcomes or aspects of cognitive functioning. The nature of the data provided did not lend itself to a traditional meta‐analysis. Given the number of studies, study designs, and the diversity of outcomes across the two studies, it was not possible to aggregate results across studies. RESULTS This review was not able to identify definitive interventions that predictably and positively supported the development of employment outcomes for individuals with ASD. There were two included studies. One, Mawhood and Howlin (1999), described outcomes directly related to employment by comparing an experimental group (n = 30) who received guidance from a support worker in the form of job finding, work preparation, and communication with the employers with a control group (n = 20) that did not receive any support. At the end of the two‐year study period, the authors found that the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher rates of having found paid employment (d = 1.067, 95% CI = 0.123 to 2.010), significantly longer periods of working time (d = 0.684, 95% CI = 0.111 to 1.257), and significantly higher wages (d = 1.177, 95% CI = 0.169 to 0.819). The experimental group also worked more hours per work week (d = 0.328, 95% CI = ‐0.628 to 1.284), but this effect was not significant. The second included study, Garcia‐Villamisar, Ross, and Wehman (2000), described differential effects of supported employment and sheltered employment for persons with autism. The experimental group received supported employment, i.e., jobs working between 15 and 30 hours per week in their communities and received job coach support services. The control group received sheltered employment, i.e., jobs that were not in their communities and with no job coaching services. Using measures of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), the supported employment group was not significantly different from the sheltered employment group after treatment (d = ‐0.229, 95% CI = ‐0.764 to 0.306). The study did not report any differences in employment acquisition or maintenance between the two groups. In an analysis of risk bias of the included studies, it was found that there was a high level of substantial potential for bias across three of the five sources of bias analyzed including unit of assignment, unit of analysis, attrition, fidelity of implementation, and blinding. The methodological quality of both included studies was low. Therefore, these review results should not be interpreted as indicating definitive results related to the development of employment outcomes for persons with ASD. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Qualitative and other relevant research studies connected to the employment of persons with ASD were also reviewed and suggest that the following may be elements of successful employment placement for persons with ASD: (1) identification of the most appropriate work settings and placements, (2) provision of effective supports on the job, (3) need for long‐term support services for the employer and the consumer, (4) costs for support, and (5) positive effects of employment on persons with ASD. While qualitative studies point to a number of promising issues for future research, they do not provide a definitive statement about what works. In addition, the authors noted that costs for community‐based employment interventions such as those included in this review are more expensive than other employment alternatives such as sheltered non‐integrated workshops. However, Howlin, Alcock & Burkin (2005) and others (e.g., Cimera & Cowan, 2009) show that supported employment service interventions, such as those identified in our included studies, are becoming less expensive to deliver. It seems important to note that community‐based integrated employment interventions, while expensive, do expand options for mainstream social integration, competitive wages, and community involvement.


This thesis consists of a collection of essays on monetary policy making. These essays focus on institutional aspects which impact monetary policy making. Two chapters focus on analyzing voting records of central banks. A method is proposed to use the observed votes to infer the preferences of central bank committee members. These preferences characterize nearly fully the voting behavior. Subsequently these preferences are analyzed to learn about differences between certain groups of committee members. The practical relevance of this is that it allows us to think about how we should design these committees. For example, we show that some voters who are internally appointed tend to have preferences close to each other. If diversity of opinions in a board is deemed important, then this finding suggests that the number of internally appointed members should be limited. This methodology is applied to a variety of central bank committees. Each committee is a different case study and allows us to focus on another aspect. A third chapter presents an analysis of a phenomenon known as the bond yield conundrum. This term refers to the remarkable behavior of long-term U.S. interest rates in the period 2004-2005. To study this we set up a so-called macro-finance model which combines features of modern asset pricing models with empirical macroeconomic methods. Our results are somewhat disheartening in the sense that we are not fully able to explain the behavior. The final chapter gauges the impact of central bank communication on the stock market. Central bank communication is hot nowadays. The Federal Reserve as well as the European Central Bank organize press conferences on a regular basis. These press conferences are one form of communication which is followed closely by financial market participants. In this chapter we set up an event study to analyze the impact of the FOMC communication on the S&P 500. Our results suggest that central bank communication does move the stock market but does so in a nonlinear fashion. The impact depends on the business cycle as well as on the type of stock and industry. Combined, these essays allow the reader to understand some of the intricacies of central bank policy.


Powder metallurgy (P/M) of titanium alloys may lead to the obtainment of components having weak-to-absent textures, uniform grain structure and higher homogeneity compared with conventional wrought products. The production of the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy by P/M starting from blended elemental (BE) powders is a cost-effective route considering its versatility and also for allowing the manufacture of complex parts. This alloy due its high biocompatibility and lower modulus of elasticity is a promising candidate for implants fabrication. Samples were produced by mixing of initial metallic powders followed by uniaxial and cold isostatic pressing with subsequent densification by sintering in order to identify the microstructural evolution. Sintered samples were characterized for phase composition, microstructure, microhardness and density. The surface topography of the samples was studied by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was shown that the route is adequate to reach high densities with homogeneous microstructure. Representative AFM images allowed distinguishing a lamellar structure caused by the different phases that are present in the surface of the specimens.


Text mining is a growing field of applications, which enables the analysis of large text data sets using statistical methods. In recent years, exponential increase in the size of these data sets has strained existing systems, requiring more computing power, server hardware, networking interconnects, and power consumption. For practical reasons, this trend cannot continue in the future. Instead, we propose a reconfigurable hardware accelerator designed for text analytics systems, which can simultaneously improve performance and reduce power consumption. Situated near the last level of memory, it mitigates the need for high-bandwidth processor-to-memory connections, instead capitalizing on close data proximity, massively parallel operation, and analytic-inspired functional units to maximize energy efficiency, while remaining flexible to easily map common text analytic kernels. A field-programmable gate array-based emulation framework demonstrates the functional correctness of the system, and a full eight-core accelerator is synthesized for power, area, and delay estimates. The accelerator can achieve two to three orders of magnitude improvement in energy efficiency versus CPU and general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPU) for various text mining kernels. As a case study, we demonstrate how indexing performance of Lucene, a popular text search and analytics platform, can be improved by an average of 70% over CPU and GPU while significantly reducing data transfer energy and latency.


Abstract The Greiner shear zone (western Tauern Window) deformed a variety of metasedimentary, metavolcanic, and plutonic lithologies at conditions of c. 525–575 °C and 30–40 km depth. Microstructural relationships point to a succession of weakening and strengthening episodes. Stage I involved softening via a change in deformation mechanism. Grain-size reduction in plagioclase-rich horizons locally produced rocks with an average grain size of <30 μm microstructural features consistent with deformation via grain boundary diffusion creep (GBDC; a fluid-assisted deformation mechanism similar to pressure solution, which may result in superplastic behaviour). At constant stress, GBDC will result in a significant increase in strain rate relative to neighbouring layers. Stage II involved reaction-induced strengthening. Rapid bulk diffusion rates associated with GBDC allowed rapid growth of large (up to 20 cm) hornblende cystals. This growth of large cross-cutting crystals shut down grain-size-sensitive flow mechanisms in the plagioclase matrix and locally 'locked' the shear zone, shifting ductile deformation to weaker horizons. Stage III involved reaction-induced softening. Local variations in bulk composition and/or fluid availability caused large hornblende grains in some horizons to be partially replaced by biotite. These biotite-rich layers localized subsequent deformation, whereas adjacent layers with intact hornblende record minimal strain. Deformation and metamorphism together exert control on fluid availability, diffusion rates, and reaction kinetics, and these factors collectively control fabric development and rheology. The effects of interaction between small-scale deformational and metamorphic processes are difficult to predict, but can have an important influence on shear zone behaviour at depth. The resulting complexities need to be accounted for in models of crustal strength-depth relationships and shear zone rheologies.


Molecular mimicry or epitope similarity between group A streptococcal M proteins and myosin may contribute to the presence of heart reactive antibodies in acute rheumatic fever. In our study overlapping synthetic peptides copying the entire sequence of PepM5 protein were used to map the myosin cross-reactive epitopes of streptococcal M protein recognized by mouse and human mAb and affinity purified myosin-specific antibodies from acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease sera. Overlapping M protein peptides SM5(164-197)C and SM5(184-197)C inhibited the murine mAb reactions with PepM5 protein. The human mAb and affinity purified myosin-specific antibodies reacted exclusively with SM5(184-197)C. However, one of the five different purified myosin-specific antibodies not only reacted with SM5(184-197)C but also reacted with SM5(84-116)C. The synthetic subpeptides SM5(175-184)C and SM5(188-197C) did not react with any of the antibodies to PepM5 and myosin demonstrating a requirement of the 184-188 amino acid sequence for antibody recognition. A heptapeptide containing the sequence SM5(183-189) was also found to inhibit selected human myosin-specific antibodies and a human antimyosin mAb. Therefore, the majority of mouse and human myosin crossreactive antibodies recognized an epitope within the 14 residue carboxy terminus of PepM5 which appeared to involve the GLN-LYS-SER-LYS-GLN sequence.


Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to trade at par with a reference asset, typically the U.S. Dollar. While they all share the same fundamental objective of maintaining stability against their reference assets, stablecoins differ substantially in terms of their economic design, quality of backing, stability assumptions and legal protections for coin holders. We surface two critical dimensions that underpin the economic design of every stablecoin: (1) the volatility of the reserve assets against the reference asset, which defines the risk profile of the stablecoin for coin holders; and (2) the degree to which the stablecoin is exposed to the risk of a death spiral. To address these risks, fiat-backed stablecoins must rely on reserves of high-quality, liquid assets and be subject to a framework that protects coin holders from credit risk, market risk, operational risk, as well as the insolvency or bankruptcy of the issuer. Although decentralized stablecoin designs eliminate the need to trust an intermediary, they are either exposed to death spirals, or highly capital inefficient, as they must be highly over-collateralized to account for the lack of an intermediary. While these trade-offs might be acceptable for narrow use cases within the cryptocurrency space, without a breakthrough in decentralized stablecoin design, they are likely to limit the usefulness of these coins for mainstream adoption.


Singlet fission (SF) is a photophysical process capable of boosting the efficiency of solar cells. Recent experimental investigations into the mechanism of SF provide evidence for coherent mixing between the singlet, triplet, and charge transfer basis states. Up until now, this interpretation has largely focused on electronic interactions; however, nuclear motions resulting in vibronic coupling have been suggested to support rapid and efficient SF in organic chromophore assemblies. Further information about the complex interactions between vibronic excited states is needed to understand the potential role of this coupling in SF. Here, we report mixed singlet and correlated triplet pair states giving rise to sub-50 fs SF in a terrylene-3,4:11,12-bis(dicarboximide) (TDI) dimer in which the two TDI molecules are covalently linked by a direct N-N connection at one of their imide positions, leading to a linear dimer with perpendicular TDI π systems. We observe the transfer of low-frequency coherent wavepackets between the initial predominantly singlet states to the product triplet-dominated states. This implies a non-negligible dependence of SF on nonadiabatic coupling in this dimer. We interpret our experimental results in the framework of a modified Holstein Hamiltonian, which predicts that vibronic interactions between low-frequency singlet modes and high-frequency correlated triplet pair motions lead to mixing of the pure basis states. These results highlight how nonadiabatic mixing can shape the complex potential energy landscape underlying ultrafast SF.


This paper presents a novel current source PWM rectifier/inverter topology, having low input current harmonics and high input displacement factor, which is intended for high power motor drive applications. A suitable PWM specific harmonic elimination (PWM-SHE) switching pattern is developed in order to just eliminate 11th and 13th harmonics required by proposed topology. Genetic algorithm and conjugate gradient descend method are combined to solve the nonlinear transcendental functions for PWM-SHE. This scheme has advantages of easy convergence and requires less computing time. The input/output results are provided in this paper.


Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune condition associated with an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety are associated with worse outcomes in RA, but the magnitude of the effect of each condition on RA outcomes is unclear. It is also unknown how pharmacological treatment of depression affects RA outcomes. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association of comorbid depression and anxiety with remission in patients with RA. Secondary aims were to determine the association between comorbid depression and anxiety on patient-reported outcomes and the relationship between concomitant use of antidepressants and remission in patients with depression. Design: Data from patients with moderate to severe RA were pooled from five randomised controlled trials investigating tocilizumab and conventional synthetic disease-modifying agents. Methods: Remission was defined as a clinical disease activity index (CDAI) of ⩽2.8 and simple disease activity index (SDAI) of ⩽3.3. The association between the time to reach remission and depression and anxiety was analysed using Cox proportional hazard analysis. Results: Individual patient data were available from 5502 subjects, of whom 511 had depression, 236 had anxiety and 387 were using antidepressants. Depression was significantly associated with reduced remission [adjusted HR (95% CI): 0.62 (0.48–0.80), p < 0.001 and adjusted HR (95% CI): 0.59 (0.44–0.79), p < 0.001] using CDAI and SDAI, respectively. Depression was associated with a lower likelihood of achieving more subjective outcomes (⩽1 physician global assessment, ⩽1 patient global assessment) and ⩽1 28-swollen joint count, but not ⩽1 28-tender joint count or C-reactive protein measurement. Treatment with antidepressants did not improve outcomes for patients with depression. Anxiety was not significantly associated with RA remission. Conclusion: Comorbid depression, but not anxiety, was associated with less frequent remission. Concomitant antidepressant use was not associated with improvements in RA outcomes in patients with depression.


In this paper, we examine the possibility that the increasing number and size of dam/irrigation projects in northern Nigeria are having a corresponding increase in rainfall in spite of the threat of climate change. We modeled the rainfall trends over 11 meteorological stations over a period of 34 years (1971 - 2004). The trends were compared with each other based on the closeness of the meteorological stations with dam/irrigation projects. Results obtained showed a compelling evidence of a direct relationship between rainfall and dam/irrigation projects. The results indicated that the average rate of change in rainfall trends for the 11 stations ranged from – 4.08 to 24.83mm per annum. Kano area had 24.83mm while Jos area had - 4.08. Results obtained in this study thus provide evidence as to the extent that rainfall has responded to dam/irrigation projects. KEYWORDS: Dam/Irrigation projects; climate change; trend modeling; and rainfall trends.


We consider a congestible system serving multiple classes of customers who differ in their delay sensitivity and valuation of service or product. Customers are endowed with convex-concave delay cost functions. A system manager offers a menu of lead times and corresponding prices to arriving customers, who then choose the lead-time--price pair that maximizes their net utility value minus disutility of delay and price. We investigate how such menus should be chosen dynamically depending on the system backlog to maximize welfare. We formulate a novel fluid model of the problem and show that the cost-balancing policy based on the convex hulls of the delay cost functions is socially optimal if the system manager can tell customer types apart. If types are indistinguishable to the system manager, the cost-balancing policy is also incentive compatible under social optimization. Finally, we show through a simulation study that the cost-balancing policy does well in the context of the original stochastic problem by testing it against various natural benchmarks.


Flower pollination is a single objective optimization technique which as a unconstrained optimization method is applied for the stabilization of the rotary inverted pendulum system. It was observed that the flower pollination method gave better sensitivity in control of the pendulum about its upright unstable equilibrium position with less time and definitely indicated that the method is an energy efficient method when compared with other methods like direct pole placement.  This method yielded results under the influence of time delay and have proven that the influence of time delay is significantly felt and would cause loss of energy, however the presence of flower pollination for optimization minimizes the loss incurred due to time delay and makes the system significant in terms of sensitivity.


Background Structural mentoring barriers are policies, practices, and cultural norms that collectively disadvantage marginalized groups and perpetuate disparities in mentoring. While these mentoring barriers can be found early in the training pathway, failure to address or overcome these barriers at the postdoctoral training stage has a direct impact on faculty diversity and national efforts to retain underrepresented groups in research careers. Methods To better understand the mentoring barriers faced by postdoctoral trainees, and possible ways to address them, a diverse sample of postdoctoral scholars ("postdocs") from across the United States were asked to participate in focus groups to discuss their training experiences. We conducted five 90-minute focus groups with 32 biomedical postdocs, including 20 (63%) women and 15 (47%) individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups (URG). Participants were well-represented across years of training, and 65% were at least somewhat likely to pursue a research-intensive faculty career, similar to previously reported national averages. Results A social ecological framework was used to examine both the upstream and downstream manifestations of structural mentoring barriers, as well as mentor barriers, overall. Themes were categorized on four broad levels: Individual (attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, or behaviors that inform mentoring barriers), Interpersonal (mentoring barriers arising from dyadic, peer, or network relationships), Institutional (departmental, institutional, organizational mentoring barriers), or Systemic (mentoring barriers originating from policies or broad social and cultural norms). Notable structural barriers included (1) academic politics and scientific hierarchy, (2) inequalities resulting from mentor prestige, (3) the (over) reliance on one mentor, (4) the lack of formal training for academic and non-academic careers, and (5) the lack of institutional diversity and institutional mentor training. These structural barriers foster mentoring practices and behaviors that lead to poor work-life balance, poor communication, and research career attrition. To overcome these barriers, postdocs strongly encouraged developing a network or team of mentors and recommended institutional interventions that create more comprehensive professional development, mentorship, and belonging. Conclusions For postdoctoral scientists, structural mentoring barriers can permeate down to institutional, interpersonal, and individual levels, impeding a successful transition to an independent research career. It has become clear that large-scale changes in mentoring must come from addressing the policies, practices, and cultural norms that perpetuate poor mentoring. This work provides strong evidence for promoting mentorship networks and cultivating a "mentoring milieu" that fosters a supportive community and a strong culture of mentorship at all levels.


Objective: To compare the Simple Nutrition Screening Tool (SNST) with other nutritional screening tools [Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002), Nutrition Risk index (NRI)], nutritional assessment parameters, and the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) in surgical patients. Methods: A comparative observational study with a total of 122 surgical patients. Patients were assessed during the first 24 h of admission in the ward from January to July 2022 using the NRI, NRS-2002, SNST, body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumferences (MUAC), albumin serum, hemoglobin level, total lymphocyte count (TLC), and SGA. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were calculated to evaluate NRI, NRS-2002, SNST, BMI, MUAC, albumin, hemoglobin, TLC compared to SGA. Results: The screening tools identified a high nutritional risk in surgical patients from 58.2%-72.1%. Meanwhile, about 29.5% to 71.3% was affected by malnutrition based on nutritional assessment tools. There were significant associations between the type of disease, the screening tools, the anthropometric parameters, albumin, TLC as well and SGA (p<0.05). The SNST has a good category among the nutritional screening tools with sensitivity and specificity >80%, as well as area under the curve >0.8. Conclusions: There were significant associations for screening (NRS-2002, SNST) and nutritional assessment tools (BMI, MUAC, albumin) compared with SGA. Both these tools can be used to determine the risk of malnutrition in surgical patients.


Political ethics in post-communist Bulgaria: anti-corruption discourse in perspective - The purpose of this article is threefold. First, it aims to investigate the conditions under which questions of political ethics and corruption have been promoted to the agenda in post-socialist Bulgaria. A particular stress is here placed on the interactions between external pressures (international financial organizations, the European Union…) and domestic players (various NGOs, media and other advocacy networks). Second, the political uses of anti-corruption are analyzed. Far from contributing to a more transparent way of doing politics, since the end of the 1990s the denunciation of corrupt behaviour has indeed turned into one of the most powerful ploys used by ruling elites against their political opponents. Finally, attention is brought to the public receptions of calls for morality in politics. "Corruption" has not become a key word solely because of the widespread existence of corrupt practices in Bulgaria. The notion also gained currency as it became incorporated into private narratives of post-communism. To many average citizens, this terminology offered ways of depicting and denunciating growing social inequalities, the disruption of social ties as well as the increased monetarization of social status associated with the transition to market democracy.


This paper considers the efficient design of precoding matrices for sum throughput maximization under throughput quality of service (QoS) constraints and energy harvesting (EH) constraints for energy-constrained devices in a full-duplex (FD) multicell multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output network. Both time splitting (TS) and power splitting are considered to ensure practical EH and information decoding. These problems are quite complex due to non-concave objectives and nonconvex constraints. Especially, with TS, which is implementation-wise quite simple, the problem is even more challenging because the time splitting variable is not only coupled with the downlink throughput function but also coupled with the self-interference in the uplink throughput function. New path-following algorithms are developed for their solutions, which require only a single convex quadratic program for each iteration and ensure rapid convergence. Moreover, the FD EH maximization problem under throughput QoS constraints with TS is also considered. The performance of the proposed algorithms is compared with that of the modified problems assuming half-duplex systems. Finally, the merit of the proposed algorithms is demonstrated through extensive simulations.


Modern physics is based on relativity and quantum mechanics. But there are some unanswered questions or complex concepts in modern physics. The questions that modern physics does not have answers for, and the physicists believe that it is due to the inability of theories. All our theories today seem to imply that the universe should contain a tremendous concentration of energy, even in the emptiest regions of space. For example; the gravitational effects of this so-called vacuum energy would have either quickly curled up the universe long ago or expanded it too much greater size. The Standard Model cannot help us understand this puzzle, called the cosmological constant problem [1]. This shows that the quantum mechanics problems is inseparable of relativity, because the cosmological constant was originally introduced by Einstein in cosmological equation. For long time seemed the Friedmann equation is able to explain universe, but in recent years, the cosmological constant was of interest to cosmologists. However, these two equations are unable to explain before the Big Bang. Thus this paper, from a new approach, turns out to merge the fundamental principles of quantum physics, relativity and classical mechanics through a new definition of rest state of particles like photon, and attempts to present the reasons and the possibilities of the existence of the superluminal speeds. So according to this new view some complex concepts and unanswered questions is explained in this paper. Keyword: sub quantum energy, graviton, photon, relativity, color charge, magnetism color, negative and positive virtual photon, Zero point energy, Singularity Beyond the Modern Physics and Cosmological Equations 2


Visual grounding, which aims to build a correspondence between visual objects and their language entities, plays a key role in cross-modal scene understanding. One promising and scalable strategy for learning visual grounding is to utilize weak supervision from only image-caption pairs. Previous methods typically rely on matching query phrases directly to a precomputed, fixed object candidate pool, which leads to inaccurate localization and ambiguous matching due to lack of semantic relation constraints. In our paper, we propose a novel context-aware weakly-supervised learning method that incorporates coarse-to-fine object refinement and entity relation modeling into a two-stage deep network, capable of producing more accurate object representation and matching. To effectively train our network, we introduce a self-taught regression loss for the proposal locations and a classification loss based on parsed entity relations. Extensive experiments on two public benchmarks Flickr30K Entities and ReferItGame demonstrate the efficacy of our weakly grounding framework. The results show that we outperform the previous methods by a considerable margin, achieving 59.27% top-1 accuracy in Flickr30K Entities and 37.68% in the ReferItGame dataset respectively1.