The influence of economic growth on the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has been widely discussed and demonstrated in many research papers. The labor force participation rate and the unemployment rate as economic indicators play an important role in the TFR dynamics. Different studies have shown that fluctuations in female and male labor force participation rates have either positive or negative impacts on the TFR. In this study, we aim to investigate if there is any positive or negative correlation between female and male labor participation rates and the TFR in Iran. We applied time-series analysis for the period 1991-2019. We used secondary data from official bodies such as Iran's Ministry of Cooperatives Labor and Social Welfare, the World Bank data, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association, the Statistical Center of Iran, and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Dynamics to explain the trends in labor force participation rates, unemployment rates, and the TFR. We also applied Pearson correlation analysis and regression analysis to measure the strength and direction of these relationships. The results of the study show that the female labor force participation rate has a negative correlation (r = -0.783, sig. = 0.000), and the male labor force participation rate has a positive correlation with the TFR (r = 0.827, sig. = 0.000). Men's unemployment seems to have a negative correlation (r = -0.366, sig. = 0.050), and women's unemployment seems to have no correlation with the TFR. Considering the economic problems in Iran, more women will enter the labor market in the nearest future, therefore they postpone their marriage and the TFR will continue to decline.


CONTEXT
Studies show there is a double burden of underweight and overweight in Bangladesh amidst a global background of increasing rates of overweight in low-income settings.

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this review was to determine the rates of change in the prevalence of underweight and of overweight among Bangladeshi women of reproductive age, to investigate whether there has been a shift from underweight to overweight in this population, and, if a shift was documented, to identify potential determinants.

DATA SOURCES
Data was obtained via electronic searches of the PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase databases.

STUDY SELECTION
Studies and survey reports were eligible for inclusion if they provided data on the prevalence of underweight and of overweight among women of reproductive age as well as sociodemographic information.

DATA SYNTHESIS
A meta-analysis was performed by reviewing data extracted from the included studies. Using data from 5 successive national demographic and health surveys, the average annual rates of change in underweight and in overweight were calculated, along with their associations with potential determinants.

CONCLUSIONS
In Bangladesh, the prevalence of overweight exceeded that of underweight in 2014. A higher average annual rate of reduction of underweight was found among wealthier, highly educated, urban-living women, while a higher average annual rate of increase of overweight was found among poorer, uneducated, rural-living women. The shift in body mass index from underweight to overweight was most positively associated with urban residence, age, higher socioeconomic status, and higher education attainment.


This paper develops a framework to conduct a counterfactual analysis to regulate matching markets with regional constraints that impose lower and upper bounds on the number of matches in each region. Our work is motivated by the Japan Residency Matching Program, in which the policymaker wants to guarantee the least number of doctors working in rural regions to achieve the minimum standard of service. Among the multiple possible policies that satisfy such constraints, a policymaker wants to choose the best. To this end, we develop a discrete choice model approach that estimates the utility functions of agents from observed data and predicts agents' behavior under different counterfactual policies. Our framework also allows the policymaker to design the welfare-maximizing tax scheme, which outperforms the policy currently used in practice. Furthermore, a numerical experiment illustrates how our method works.


Understanding where species occur and how difficult they are to detect during surveys is crucial for designing and evaluating monitoring programs, and has broader applications for conservation planning and management. In this study, we modelled occupancy and the effectiveness of six sampling methods at detecting vertebrates across the Top End of northern Australia. We fitted occupancy-detection models to 136 species (83 birds, 33 reptiles, 20 mammals) of 242 recorded during surveys of 333 sites in eight conservation reserves between 2011 and 2016. For modelled species, mean occupancy was highly variable: birds and reptiles ranged from 0.01–0.81 and 0.01–0.49, respectively, whereas mammal occupancy was lower, ranging from 0.02–0.30. Of the 11 environmental covariates considered as potential predictors of occupancy, topographic ruggedness, elevation, maximum temperature, and fire frequency were retained more readily in the top models. Using these models, we predicted species occupancy across the Top End of northern Australia (293,017 km2) and generated species richness maps for each species group. For mammals and reptiles, high richness was associated with rugged terrain, while bird richness was highest in coastal lowland woodlands. On average, detectability of diurnal birds was higher per day of surveys (0.33 ± 0.09) compared with nocturnal birds per night of spotlighting (0.13 ± 0.06). Detectability of reptiles was similar per day/night of pit trapping (0.30 ± 0.09) as per night of spotlighting (0.29 ± 0.11). On average, mammals were highly detectable using motion-sensor cameras for a week (0.36 ± 0.06), with exception of smaller-bodied species. One night of Elliott trapping (0.20 ± 0.06) and spotlighting (0.19 ± 0.06) was more effective at detecting mammals than cage (0.08 ± 0.03) and pit trapping (0.05 ± 0.04). Our estimates of species occupancy and detectability will help inform decisions about how best to redesign a long-running vertebrate monitoring program in the Top End of northern Australia.


In this paper, we will look at how Chinese youth perform nationalism through player-devised play methods. We argue that as young players become more politically conscious, they are negotiating their politics through play. Within these play situations, players are solidifying their individual beliefs while finding like-minded players. However, players are also establishing a nationalism that is defined not only through a set of core characteristics, but also through an active rejection of the politics embedded within western-oriented digital spaces, by playing in non-standard ways. Through transgressive play methods, players are countering hegemonic western politics present in commercial games and replacing them with their own nationalist politics through player-enforced rules, discussed through internet forums and preserved through memorial videos on online websites. We will look at two specific case studies: firstly, we will look at the Red Shirt Army, a streaming community in H1Z1, where players acted out Chinese military superiority by flouting the four player limit originally set by the designers; secondly, we will look at the Great Socialist Production play method, where Chinese players went against the morality set in Frostpunk, a steampunk game by Polish developers, by arguing that greater societal prosperity was more important than "white left" moral posturing.


William A. Niskanen's 2006 paper, "Limiting Government: The Failure of 'Starve the Beast,'" dealt a severe blow to the notion that tax cuts lead to smaller government. Niskanen argued that (1) government's ability to borrow loosens the fiscal constraints of reduced revenue, and (2) as a result, the apparently lower "price" of government for taxpayers is a "fiscal illusion" that results in demand for more government. Empirical work by Niskanen and others supports those ideas.

We accept Niskanen's argument—as far as it goes. However, we believe that long-term U.S. public obligations will lead to much smaller government in the future. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public employee compensation, and debt obligations will require large tax increases and the reallocation of money from other public services. As a result, future taxpayers will pay a higher "price" for government, but will get fewer, lower-quality services. This will yield a different fiscal illusion where the high price will result in taxpayer demand for less government.


Aim: The study aims to evaluate the changes in caries risk profile after the use of Xylitol chewing gums. Materials and Method: Xylitol chewing gums were distributed to ten healthy individuals between the age group of 18 to 25years to be used thrice daily for a period of 14 days. A structured questionnaire was designed to procure demographic details, medical and diet history and fluoride exposure from each subject. Unstimulated salivary samples were collected to assess the salivary flow rate, buffering capacity and S.mutans levels. Decay, Missing, Filling Surface index and Silness and Loe index were used to record caries experience and plaque amounts. From the obtained data two cariograms were constructed for each individual before and after the intervention. The change in the percentage of the different sectors of the cariogram were tabulated and interpreted. Result: A substantial increase in the percentage of green sector was seen in all the subjects after 14 days use of Xylitol. A decrease in the percentage of red sector followed by light blue sector was also observed in all the subjects at the end of 14 days. Conclusion: Caries risk profiles of individuals improve greatly following the use of Xylitol chewing gums. Xylitol is an effective caries preventive agent that can improve the chance to avoid new cavities for an individual.


Abstract Pulmonary function testing is one of the basic tools for evaluating a patient's respiratory status. Respirometers are used for an objective assessment of pulmonary function. They can measure the mechanical function of lungs, chest wall and respiratory muscles by recording volume, flow and pressure changes during expiratory or inspiratory manoeuvres. Many of these devices are commonly used for monitoring and evaluating patients in anaesthesia and intensive care environments. Some of these instruments are used more commonly for investigation and research whereas others are used in routine clinical practice. After a brief discussion on the physics of gas flow, this article describes the basic principle of commonly used respirometers and their practical applications, advantages and disadvantages. However, more attention has been paid to those instruments used in day to day clinical practice especially in anaesthetic practice. A detailed discussion on volume measuring devices such as the vitalograph and Wright's respirometer, and flow measuring devices sych as the pneumotachograph and peak flow meter has been included. Electronic modifications and computerized systems of some of the conventional respirometers are discussed. Two other important flow measuring devices (hot wire flowmeter and ultrasonic flowmeter) are also discussed.


Importance: The prevalence of periodontitis is increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the periodontopathic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans can citrullinate proteins. Periodontal disease may, therefore, be an initiator of RA and a target for prevention. Periodontal disease and periodontal bacteria have not been investigated in at-risk individuals with RA-autoimmunity who have not developed arthritis.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of periodontal disease and the abundance of periodontopathic bacteria in anti-cyclic citrullinated protein (anti-CCP) antibody positive at-risk individuals without arthritis.

Design: Observational study between 2015 - 2017.

Setting: Single-centre, teaching hospital

Participants: 48 anti-CCP positive individuals without arthritis (CCP+ at- risk) recruited from a national cohort. 26 early RA (ERA) patients and 32 healthy controls (HC) recruited locally.

Interventions/Exposures: Comprehensive periodontal assessment and ultrasound (US) examination of the joints.

Main outcome(s) and measure(s): Prevalence of diseased periodontal sites, clinical periodontitis, and periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) in CCP+ at-risk compared with ERA and HC matched for age and smoking. DNA from subgingival plaque from diseased and healthy periodontal sites paired-end sequenced (Illumina HiSeq3000), profiled using MG-RAST and analysed using DESeq2. Mann-Whitney U tests used to compare groups, Spearman Rho for correlations. Wald test allowed comparisons of bacterial abundances.

Results: 46/48 (96%) CCP+ at-risk had no US joint inflammation. 73% CCP+ at-risk, 38% HC (p=0.02) and 54% RA had clinical periodontitis. The percentage of periodontal sites (median, IQR) with periodontal disease (PDD) was greater in CCP+ at-risk compared with HC [3.3 (0, 11.3) vs 0 (0, 0.7), p<0.05] and similar to ERA. Median (IQR) PISA (mm2) was higher in CCP+ at-risk compared with HC [221 (81-504) vs 40 (12-205), p=0.0016]. CCP+ at-risk had increased relative abundance of P. gingivalis (but not A. actinomycetemcomitans) at healthy periodontal sites compared with HC [effect size = 3.00, p<0.001] and ERA [effect size = 2.14, p<0.05].

Conclusions and relevance: We report increased prevalence of periodontal inflammation and P. gingivalis in anti-CCP positive individuals at-risk of arthritis development. These data support periodontal inflammation and P. gingivalis as important risk factors in disease initiation and suggest they could be targets for preventative interventions in RA.


In the last decade several catalogues have been defined to characterize code bad smells, i.e., symptoms of poor design and implementation choices. On top of such catalogues, researchers have defined methods and tools to automatically detect and/or remove bad smells. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing debate regarding the extent to which developers perceive bad smells as serious design problems. Indeed, there seems to be a gap between theory and practice, i.e., what is believed to be a problem (theory) and what is actually a problem (practice). This paper presents a study aimed at providing empirical evidence on how developers perceive bad smells. In this study, we showed to developers code entities—belonging to three systems— affected and not by bad smells, and we asked them to indicate whether the code contains a potential design problem, and if any, the nature and severity of the problem. The study involved both original developers from the three projects and outsiders, namely industrial developers and Master students. The results provide insights on characteristics of bad smells not yet explored sufficiently. Also, our findings could guide future research on approaches for the detection and removal of bad smells.


OBJECTIVE
The authors examined rates and predictors of rehospitalization among 180 adolescents followed up for up to 10.3 years after discharge from an inpatient psychiatric unit.

METHODS
In this prospective, naturalistic study, demographic variables, including gender, race, and age, and psychiatric variables, including diagnoses, prehospitalization suicide attempts, and previous hospitalizations, were examined as potential predictors of rehospitalization. Information about rehospitalizations was repeatedly assessed and verified with treatment records.

RESULTS
During the follow-up period, 79 adolescents (44 percent) had one or more rehospitalizations. By six months after discharge, 19 percent of the adolescents had been rehospitalized. The mean time to first rehospitalization was estimated to be 5.7 years. Univariate analyses revealed significant differences between adolescents who were rehospitalized and those who were not in terms of age, presence of an affective disorder, and presence of a comorbid psychiatric disorder. In the multivariate predictor model, age and the presence of an affective disorder were the only significant predictors of rehospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians should examine risk of rehospitalization before discharge, especially for younger patients and those with depression. Future research must focus on methods of intervention for this high-risk group.


: This study describes the operative and postoperative performance of 8-0 polyglycolic acid braided suture, trademarked Dexon "s", in cataract surgery. The evaluation consists of a clinical comparison of 8-0 Dexon to the same suture in 7-0 size in 109 cataract surgical procedures. The 8-0 Dexon, like 7-0, gave high tensile strength, good knot security, batch-to-batch uniformity, relatively good pliability, and provoked minimal reaction while disappearing at a predictable rate of around 35 days. When compared to 7-0 Dexon, 8-0 produced less tissue drag, fibrillation, and reaction, while providing better pliability. However, the smaller suture possessed less tensile strength, and had an increased tendency to cut through tissue when tied too tightly.


Captopril treatment was given to 30 children aged 8 months to 16 years (mean age 10.1 years) with renal hypertension when combinations of one or more of betablockers, diuretics, clonidine and hydralazine had failed to reduce blood pressure in the majority of the children. Dosages of captopril varied between 0.5 and 11.0 mg/kg BW, which was combined with furosemide in 15 cases, betablockers in three cases, betablockers and clonidine in two cases. Pretreatment mean plasmareninactivity (PRA) was 7.9 (0.8-89.4) ng AT/ml/h in 22 of the 30 children and 59% had more than 2.0 ng AT/ml/h. Blood pressure fell from a mean of 158/109 (range 135/75 - 240/140) mm Hg to a mean of 120/76 (range 110/65-150/100) mm Hg. Mean duration time was 10.1 months (1-47 months). Skin rash occurred in three cases and taste disturbance in one case. Falling glomerular filtration rate was observed in two children with diseases of the renal vessels. After withdrawal of captopril renal function returned to the pretreatment level. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition for treatment of hypertension in childhood has proved to be efficient and safe in these 30 children.


2 copies. Appreciates officials of Mexican Foreign Office taking time to attend opening of conference; purpose of conference to bring about uniformity of practice in U.S. diplomatic and consular establishments abroad; felt need too to become personally acquainted with principal officers serving in Mexico; in U.S. Foreign Service organization Embassy acts in supervisory capacity over consular establishments in order to aid State Department and lessen burden it bears; this is first conference of Foreign Service Officers held during wartime; is sure all feel increased sense of responsibility and will make every effort to meet demands made upon them; Foreign Service officers are charged with responsibility of improving and broadening relationships between U.S. and other countries; any solution to problems whether economic or political, must be equitable; must keep in mind mutuality of interests and aspirations; Foreign Service officers in Mexico must remember that this is a friendly country and that they have responsibilities to people among whom they work as well as to U.S.; it will usually work to mutual advantage of both countries.


Initiatives involving notions of environmental education and scientiic education were stimulated in a state secondary school (Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), using practical and dynamic activities undertaken with pupils aged from 15 to 17 years old during an entire academic year. Each activity had a speciic organization, with its own goals, targets, and a schedule for completing tasks, as well as staggered participation by the pupils involved. The variety of activities allowed pupils to be assigned according to their speciic skills and interests. The aim of the project was to foster commitment in pupils in their day-to-day performance of activities, thereby helping create habits in accordance with an environmental and scientiic education. The implementation of this project afforded the pupils the opportunity to plan actions which would allow ideas to be put into practice, turning them into reality. As well as teaching them subject matter from the curriculum, the actions undertaken also enable the teaching of auxiliary strategies to promote better eating habits and minimize the amount of organic waste discarded. Cultivating vegetable gardens in crates only requires small spaces, and raw vegetable peelings thrown in the bin were used to create organic compost for the garden itself. Activities such as these contribute towards making the school not just a place for formal education, but also a centre for teaching and disseminating measures that could yield immediate results in terms of raising the quality of life of the school community.


Efficient, realistic face animation is still a challenge. A system is proposed that yields realistic animations for speech. It starts from real 3D face dynamics, observed at frame rate for thousands of points on the faces of speaking actors. When asked to animate a face it replicates the visemes that it has learned, and adds the necessary coarticulation effects. The speech animation could be based on as few as 16 modes, extracted through independent component analysis from the observed face dynamics. Rather than animating via verbatim copying the deformation fields that come with the different visemes are adapted to the shape of the given face. By localizing the face to be animated in a face space, where also the locations of the example faces are known, visemes are adapted automatically according to the relative distance with respect to these examples. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol 13: 74–84, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ima.10044


Background and Aim: Sonication is currently considered the best procedure for microbiological diagnosis of implant-related osteoarticular infection, but studies in nail-related infections are lacking. The study aim was to evaluate implant sonication after intramedullary nail explantation, and relate it to microbiological cultures and clinical outcome. Patients and Methods: A study was performed in two University Hospitals from the same city. Thirty-one patients with implanted nails were prospectively included, whether with clinical infection (8 cases) or without (23 cases). Retrieved nails underwent sonication according a previously published protocol. The clinical and microbiological outcome patient was related to the presence of microorganisms in the retrieved implant. Results: Positive results appeared in 15/31 patients (9 with polymicrobial infections) almost doubling those clinically infected cases. The most commonly isolated organisms were Staphylococcus epidermidis (19.2 %) and Staphylococcus aureus (15.4 %). A significant relationship was found between the presence of positive cultures and previous local superficial infection (p=0.019). The presence of usual pathogens was significantly related to clinical infection (p=0.005) or local superficial infection (p=0.032). All patients with positive cultures showed pain diminution or absence of pain after nail removal (15/15), but this only occurred in 8 (out of 16) patients with negative cultures. Conclusions: In patients with previously diagnosed infection or local superficial infection, study of the hardware is mandatory. In cases where pain or patient discomfort is observed, nail sonication can help diagnose the implant colonization with potential pathogens that might require specific treatment to improve the final outcome.


Summary

1. Transgenerational effects, genetic or non-genetic, affect population dynamics and the evolution of life-history traits. Besides genetic components, the size of gametes (eggs and seeds), simultaneously a parental and progeny character, can mediate environmental condition experienced by a parent. In both animals and arthropods, mothers are known to reduce their egg mass depending on their malcondition.

2. Progeny may also modify their life history traits to increase their own fitness when constrained by maternal investment, which may eventually nullify transgenerational effects on population dynamics and evolution. Such fitness modification by the progeny under new environmental conditions requires phenotypic plasticity interacting with egg mass. We hypothesize that different selective environments should produce inter-population genetic diversification of the response to maternal investment on each egg, which would be detected as a paternal genotype × environment × previous (i.e. maternal) environment (G × E × preE) interaction in progeny fitness.

3. To evaluate the contribution of maternal non-genetic resource and the genetic component separately, we used an inbred-isofemale-line approach to eliminate the influence of the genetic correlation between egg mass and other life history traits, in the adzuki bean beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis. The females were reared at either high or low densities to generate variability in egg resources. To test the additive or interactive effect of genotype, non-genetic egg resources, and maternal environment on the life history traits of the progeny, they were crossed with males from laboratory and wild strains that had been subjected to different levels of population density.

4. The G × E × preE interaction effect was detected on the correlation structure between egg mass and development time: In the offspring of mothers reared at low density, the negative correlation between egg mass and development time was higher with lab strain fathers, whereas in the offspring of mothers reared at high density, the negative correlation was higher with the wild strain fathers.

5. Our results indicate a genetic difference in the response of development time but not of adult mass to environmental variation in egg mass. Such density-dependent enhancement of maternal effects may destabilize population dynamics and accelerate evolution.


Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique period of stress, uncertainty, and adversity that will have significant implications for adolescent mental health. Nevertheless, stress and adversity related to COVID-19 may be more consequential for some adolescents' mental health than for others. We examined whether heart rate variability (HRV) indicated differential susceptibility to mental health difficulties associated with COVID-19 stress and COVID-19 family adversity. Approximately 4 years prior to the pandemic, we assessed resting HRV and HRV reactivity to a well-validated stress paradigm in 87 adolescents. During the pandemic, these adolescents (ages 13–19) reported on their health-related stress and concerns about COVID-19, family adversity related to COVID-19, and their recent emotional problems. The association between COVID-19 stress and emotional problems was significantly stronger for adolescents who previously exhibited higher resting HRV or higher HRV reactivity. For adolescents who exhibited lower resting HRV or HRV augmentation, COVID-19 stress was not associated with emotional problems. Conversely, lower resting HRV indicated vulnerability to the effect of COVID-19 family adversity on emotional problems. Different patterns of parasympathetic functioning may reflect differential susceptibility to the effects of COVID-19 stress versus vulnerability to the effects of COVID-19 family adversity on mental health during the pandemic.


Background Infections related to stroke-induced immunodepression are an important complication causing a high rate of death in patients. Several experimental studies in mouse stroke models have described this process but it has never been tested in other species such as rats. Methods Our study focused on the appearance of secondary systemic and pulmonary infections in ischemic rats, comparing with sham and naive animals. For that purpose, male Wistar rats were subjected to embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion (eMCAO) or to transient MCAO (tMCAO) inserting a nylon filament. Forty-eight hours after ischemia, blood and lung samples were evaluated. Results In eMCAO set, ischemic rats showed a significant decrease in blood-peripheral lymphocytes (naive = 58.8±18.1%, ischemic = 22.9±16.4%) together with an increase in polymorphonuclears (PMNs) (naive = 29.2±14.7%, ischemic = 71.7±19.5%), while no change in monocytes was observed. The increase in PMNs counts was positively correlated with worse neurological outcome 48 hours after eMCAO (r = 0.55, p = 0.043). However, sham animals showed similar changes in peripheral leukocytes as those seen in ischemic rats (lymphocytes: 40.1±19.7%; PMNs: 51.7±19.2%). Analysis of bacteriological lung growth showed clear differences between naive (0±0 CFU/mL; log10) and both sham (3.9±2.5 CFU/mL; log10) and ischemic (4.3±2.9 CFU/mL; log10) groups. Additionally, naive animals presented non-pathological lung histology, while both sham and ischemic showed congestion, edema or hemorrhage. Concordant results were found in the second set of animals submitted to a tMCAO. Conclusions Inflammatory and infection changes in Wistar rats subjected to MCAO models may be attributed not only to the brain ischemic injury but to the surgical aggression and/or anaesthetic stress. Consequently, we suggest that stroke-induced immunodepression in ischemic experimental models should be interpreted with caution in further experimental and translational studies, at least in rat stroke models that entail cervicotomy and cranial trepanation.


BACKGROUND Prucalopride (R093877) is a selective and specific 5HT4 agonist, the first of a new chemical class of benzofurans, with gastrointestinal prokinetic activities in vitro. AIMS To evaluate the effects of prucalopride on gastrointestinal and colonic transit. METHODS A validated scintigraphic technique was used to measure gastrointestinal and colonic transit over 48 hours in 50 healthy volunteers. For seven days, each subject received a daily dose of 0.5, 1, 2, or 4 mg prucalopride, or placebo in a double blind, randomised fashion. The transit test was performed over the last 48 hours. RESULTS There were significant accelerations of overall colonic transit at 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours (p<0.05) and proximal colonic emptying t1/2 (p<0.05). The 0.5, 2, and 4 mg doses of prucalopride were almost equally effective and accelerated colonic transit compared with placebo. Prucalopride did not significantly alter gastric emptying (p>0.5) or small bowel transit (overall p=0.12). The medication appeared to be well tolerated during the seven day treatment of healthy subjects. CONCLUSION Prucalopride accelerates colonic transit, partly by stimulating proximal colonic emptying, but does not alter gastric or small bowel transit in healthy human subjects. Prucalopride deserves further study in patients with constipation.


Recent studies proved that deep learning approaches achieve remarkable results on face detection task. On the other hand, the advances gave rise to a new problem associated with the security of the deep convolutional neural network models unveiling potential risks of DCNNs based applications. Even minor input changes in the digital domain can result in the network being fooled. It was shown then that some deep learningbased face detectors are prone to adversarial attacks not only in a digital domain but also in the real world. In the paper, we investigate the security of the well-known cascade CNN face detection system MTCNN and introduce an easily reproducible and a robust way to attack it. We propose different face attributes printed on an ordinary white and black printer and attached either to the medical face mask or to the face directly. Our approach is capable of breaking the MTCNN detector in a realworld scenario.


A black-box optimization algorithm such as Bayesian optimization finds extremum of an unknown function by alternating inference of the underlying function and optimization of an acquisition function. In a high-dimensional space, such algorithms perform poorly due to the difficulty of acquisition function optimization. Herein, we apply quantum annealing (QA) to overcome the difficulty in the continuous black-box optimization. As QA specializes in optimization of binary problems, a continuous vector has to be encoded to binary, and the solution of QA has to be translated back. Our method has the following three parts: 1) Random subspace coding based on axis-parallel hyperrectangles from continuous vector to binary vector. 2) A quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) defined by acquisition function based on nonnegative-weighted linear regression model which is solved by QA. 3) A penalization scheme to ensure that the QA solution can be translated back. It is shown in benchmark tests that its performance using D-Wave Advantage$^{\rm TM}$ quantum annealer is competitive with a state-of-the-art method based on the Gaussian process in high-dimensional problems. Our method may open up a new possibility of quantum annealing and other QUBO solvers including quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) using a gated-quantum computers, and expand its range of application to continuous-valued problems.


Inescapable Decisions examines the disarray in the American health care system and proposes major corrective strategies. Mechanic shows that the high-technology interventionist type of medicine commonly practiced in the United States has lost its sense of priorities and balance. Expensive and sometimes dangerous procedures of unknown efficacy are used excessively and often inappropriately, while many basic preventive and primary care services remain unavailable to those who need them the most. This incredibly complex system of care operates in an environment of heavy-landed rules and regulations and enormous waste of resources.


This paper presents the nonlinear adaptive control of a quadrotor endowed with a 2 degrees of freedom (DOF) manipulator. By considering the quadrotor and the robot arm as a combined system, complete modeling of the aerial manipulation system (AMS) has been presented using the Euler-Lagrange method. A hierarchical nonlinear control scheme which consists of outer and inner control loops has been utilized. Model Reference Adaptive Controller (MRAC) is designed for the outer loop where the required command signals are generated to force the quadrotor to move on a reference trajectory in the presence of uncertainties and reaction forces coming from the manipulator. For the inner loop, the attitude dynamics of the quadrotor and the dynamics of the 2-DOF robotic arm are considered as a fully actuated 5-DOF unified part of the AMS. Nonlinear adaptive control has been utilized for the low-level controller where the changes in inertias and the masses have been tackled along with the reaction forces acting on the attitude part of the AMS. The proposed technique has been validated through simulations in two different scenarios.


To remain competitive, organizations in all industries need to keep up with emerging digital technologies. Such technologies can drastically change the way organizations function, by providing stakeholders with new and improved ways to communicate and interact. As a result, stakeholders play an increasingly crucial role in the value chain, which posits opportunities—such as better alignment between products or services and consumer demands—as well as threats, since the organizational networks become more complex, and the multiple levels of communication and interactivity become harder to manage. It becomes, thus, crucial to understand how and when the adoption of digital technologies influences the complexity of organizational networks in their multiple levels of interaction and communication, and vice versa. In this paper, we explore how organizational networks evolve over time during digital transformation projects, and how the organizational network affects—and is affected by—the initiation, process, and outcome of digital transformation. We conduct a longitudinal study at a multinational military command (AirTrans), which coordinates the air operations of 7 European nations and has initiated a digital transformation project. AirTrans handles the air transport missions of the 7 participating nations, including cargo and human transport, air-to-air refueling, and aeromedical evacuations; it operates 24/7/365 from 13 bases in the participating nations, performs an average of 60 missions per day, and manages 60% of all military air transport assets in Europe. Apart from the 7 participating nations, the stakeholders of AirTrans include military broker agencies, hospitals, regulatory agencies such as the NATO, and humanitarian agencies. We explore the inter-organizational and inter-personal networks between the various stakeholders using multi-level social network analysis at the beginning, during, and at the end of the digital transformation project, to understand how the organizational network evolves at the various involved levels over time, and how it affects the processes of digital transformation. As the aim of AirTrans is to combine knowledge from the participating nations in a way that brings value to these nations through its operations, its performance depends on the ability to collect information, transform it into knowledge, and share it with the involved stakeholders. Hence, we adopt Knowledge-Based View of the organization as our focal theory, which considers knowledge as the most important resource of an organization. We construct the longitudinal inter-personal network through a series of semi-structured interviews at AirTrans, the participating nations, and the other stakeholders during the initiation, process, and end of the digital transformation project using Network Canvas, and we use longitudinal organizational data of the various AirTrans operations to construct the inter-organizational network. Our findings shed light onto the relation between the various levels of organizational networks and the process of digital transformation and provide insights on how organizational networks affect the process and outcome of digital transformation and vice versa, enabling the design of digital transformation strategies by incorporating social network interventions.


This qualitative study explores the impact upon Fine Art students at the University of East London of community art practice via its student 'Artist in Residence Programme'. Evidence from successful course applicants showed expectations to be a heightened confidence and broadened understanding of the potential role in society for art and artist. Whilst this was often so, post-residency findings also demonstrated significant impact upon understanding of
educational 'distance travelled'. Drawing on student, staff and host accounts it is argued that the programme is more than a cultural / philosophical mechanism for creative investigation beyond the studio through non-specialist interaction and collaboration; as important as this may be. Crucially, it is a mechanism for educational and pedagogical reflection; for 'critical distance' facilitating awareness of creative and cognitive development, teaching and learning and Fine Art educational process. Whilst it addresses Contextualist concerns of need, life and work [Eisner], it is very much an Essentialist art issue of 'subject'; how this is framed
contextually and institutionally and also how it is personally constructed and critically evaluated in light of cultural and educational comparison: higher education is not
synonymous with institution but a 'process' potentially taking place anywhere [Barnett].

Amongst the themes addressed is the impact upon student development of The Three C's [Confidence, Competence and Context]; 'space' and 'place' and Transferable Skills. Stages of student development are presented along with 'Transferable' and 'Transitional' models of student practice, differentiated by the extent and impact of collaboration, lay discourse and 'other' educational environments. On a meta-level, implications for Essentialist / Contextualist philosophy are reviewed. Creative practice 'beyond the studio' demonstrates how residencies often precipitate not only profound shifts in understanding towards creative 'modus operandi', but also towards educational process and teacher / learner relationships.
Collectively, this incurs reflection upon the effect of 'lay' dialogue upon cognition and the 'cloth of identity'. This then connects with debate upon a 'vertical' didactic and 'lateral' dialectic within teaching, informed by issues of 'criticism', artist / tutor 'presence', 'absence'
and 'collaboration'. Drawing findings together, there are implications for studio pedagogy in terms of judgement, meaning and cultural authority. In sum, this research suggests that for many students, a rounded Fine Art education cannot be obtained solely within the confines of
'institution' or through the sole authority of the 'Specialist' tutor / art practitioner.


BACKGROUND
Communicating genetic information within families can provide individuals with the emotional support, alert family members to their own potential risk, and strengthen relationships. However, these communications have the potential to cause emotional distress to individuals and family members if family members are informed of a risk they do not wish to know or discuss. Communication about the decision to pursue testing and test results are especially sensitive in Huntington's disease (HD), where individuals often feel strongly about either knowing or not knowing their genetic status.

OBJECTIVE
To examine family communication patterns of genetic risk, the decision to pursue testing, and test results not just years, but decades after testing for HD, and examine how family communication of genetic risk information affects family relationships over the long-term.

METHODS
In this qualitative study, 39 semi-structured interviews were conducted with probands who went through genetic testing for HD. Clinic notes from these individuals were also analyzed.

RESULTS
Family communication patterns varied based on relation (e.g., significant others, child, extended family) and were influenced by a variety of factors. Sharing with spouses and children had a positive influence on the relationship in most cases. Sharing with extended family members had varying effects on relationships. Negative effects were more likely when family members were in denial, had not pursued testing for themselves, or did not support testing.

CONCLUSION
Communication to significant others and children, should be discussed with and supported in individuals seeking testing for HD, but for extended family members, potential effects on the relationship, emotional distress, and benefits should be discussed and weighed.


Masking is a popular technique to protect cryptographic implementations against side-channel attacks and comes in several variants including Boolean and arithmetic masking. Some masked implementations require conversion between these two variants, which is increasingly the case for masking of post-quantum encryption and signature schemes. One way to perform Arithmetic to Boolean (A2B) mask conversion is a table-based approach first introduced by Coron and Tchulkine, and later corrected and adapted by Debraize in CHES 2012. In this work, we show both analytically and experimentally that the table-based A2B conversion algorithm proposed by Debraize does not achieve the claimed resistance against differential power analysis due to a non-uniform masking of an intermediate variable. This non-uniformity is hard to find analytically but leads to clear leakage in experimental validation. To address the non-uniform masking issue, we propose two new A2B conversions: one that maintains efficiency at the cost of additional memory and one that trades efficiency for a reduced memory footprint. We give analytical and experimental evidence for their security, and will make their implementations, which are shown to be free from side-channel leakage in 100.000 power traces collected on the ARM Cortex-M4, available online. We conclude that when designing side-channel protection mechanisms, it is of paramount importance to perform both a theoretical analysis and an experimental validation of the method.


Over the years, medical social work in Nigeria seems to have been "hospital-fix". Their engagements with the health of populations tend not to have moved far from hospital-centred practice. This paper seeks to discuss various approaches medical social workers can engage, in order to have an effective practice. They draw from social, economic and ecological approaches, which make up sustainable development. The paper also stressed the need for medical social workers to consider all three approaches in their practice since the overall goal is not just the client's health, but ensuring that communities are healthy enough. Finally, discourse analysis applied in part, applying and interpreting quotes from published primary studies relevant to issues of this research.


Two new kinds of Ni-based and Fe-based alloy power have been developed. Both kinds of power have been successfully coated by laser cladding on the surface of stainless steel as strengthening layers. The morphology and microstructure of these coatings have been analyzed by SEM and XRD, the mircohardness, wear and corrosion resistance of Ni-based and Fe-based laser cladding coatings have been measured respectively. The analysis reveals that both coatings with smooth and successive surfaces and homogeneous morphology have been obtained under the proper laser processing parameters; besides, Ni-based and Fe-based coatings have fine, well-proportioned and dense microstructure, and better joints with the substrates, respectively. So the results indicate that Ni-based and Fe-based alloys can supersede the cobalt-based alloys in the certain conditions.


Background Gender differences in lower extremity motion patterns were previously identified as a possible risk factor for non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries in sports. Hypothesis Gender differences in lower extremity kinematics in the stop-jump task are functions of age for youth soccer players between 11 and 16 years of age. Study Design Descriptive laboratory study. Methods Three-dimensional videographic data were collected for 30 male and 30 female adolescent soccer players between 11 and 16 years of age performing a stop-jump task. The age effects on hip and knee joint angular motions were compared between genders using multiple regression analyses with dummy variables. Results Gender and age have significant interaction effects on standing height (P = .00), body mass (P = .00), knee flexion angle at initial foot contact with the ground (P = .00), maximum knee flexion angle (P = .00), knee valgus-varus angle (P = .00), knee valgus-varus motion (P = .00), and hip flexion angle at initial foot contact with the ground (P = .00). Conclusion Youth female recreational soccer players have decreased knee and hip flexion angles at initial ground contact and decreased knee and hip flexion motions during the landing of the stop-jump task compared to those of their male counterparts. These gender differences in knee and hip flexion motion patterns of youth recreational soccer players occur after 12 years of age and increase with age before 16 years. Clinical Relevance The results of this study provide significant information for research on the prevention of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries.


Abstract. Microbial degradation of chitin in soil substantially contributes to carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Chitin is globally the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose and can be deacetylated to chitosan or can be hydrolyzed to N,N′-diacetylchitobiose and oligomers of N-acetylglucosamine by aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Which pathway of chitin hydrolysis is preferred by soil microbial communities is unknown. Supplementation of chitin stimulated microbial activity under oxic and anoxic conditions in agricultural soil slurries, whereas chitosan had no effect. Thus, the soil microbial community likely was more adapted to chitin as a substrate. In addition, this finding suggested that direct hydrolysis of chitin was preferred to the pathway that starts with deacetylation. Chitin was apparently degraded by aerobic respiration, ammonification, and nitrification to carbon dioxide and nitrate under oxic conditions. When oxygen was absent, fermentation products (acetate, butyrate, propionate, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide) and ammonia were detected, suggesting that butyric and propionic acid fermentation, along with ammonification, were likely responsible for anaerobic chitin degradation. In total, 42 different chiA genotypes were detected of which twenty were novel at an amino acid sequence dissimilarity of less than 50%. Various chiA genotypes responded to chitin supplementation and affiliated with a novel deep-branching bacterial chiA genotype (anoxic conditions), genotypes of Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria (oxic and anoxic conditions), and Planctomycetes (oxic conditions). Thus, this study provides evidence that detected chitinolytic bacteria were catabolically diverse and occupied different ecological niches with regard to oxygen availability enabling chitin degradation under various redox conditions on community level.


Herein, we report the in situ synthesis of zinc selenide (ZnSe)-decorated reduced graphene oxide (RGO) by a simple one-step solvothermal reaction for application in large-area, thin-film photodetector devices and photocatalytic 4-nitrophenol degradation. The photoresponsivity of the RGO–ZnSe photodetector is three orders of magnitude higher than that of controlled ZnSe. The ac transport mechanism in the composite reveals that its electrical conduction is modulated by a temperature-independent universal function. An EIS study confirmed the influence of RGO on the conductivity and charge transfer in the RGO–ZnSe composite. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the composite is four times higher than that of controlled ZnSe. In the RGO–ZnSe composite, RGO acts as a solid-state electron mediator, which efficiently collects the photo-induced electrons from the conduction band of ZnSe and subsequently hinders electron–hole recombination in ZnSe. This study explores the role of RGO–ZnSe synergy in achieving better photoresponse and photocatalytic performance. The RGO–ZnSe composite may lead to new possibilities in solar energy-harvesting applications and photocatalytic degradation of different non-self-sensitizing water pollutants.


A concise (no more than 200 words) and factual abstract is required. This should be on a separate page following the title page and should not contain reference citations.


Classical machine learning algorithms can provide insights on high-dimensional processes that are hardly accessible with conventional approaches. As a notable example, t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE) represents the state of the art for visualization of data sets of large dimensionality. An interesting question is then if this algorithm can provide useful information also in quantum experiments with very large Hilbert spaces. Leveraging these considerations, in this work we apply t-SNE to probe the spatial distribution of n-photon events in m-dimensional Hilbert spaces, showing that its findings can be beneficial for validating genuine quantum interference in boson sampling experiments. In particular, we find that nonlinear dimensionality reduction is capable to capture distinctive features in the spatial distribution of data related to multi-photon states with different evolutions. We envisage that this approach will inspire further theoretical investigations, for instance for a reliable assessment of quantum computational advantage.


An acute injection of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) reduces body weight by decreasing feeding and increasing energy expenditure (EE), in animals on standard laboratory chow. Animals have divergent responses to a high-fat diet (HFD) exposure, with some developing obesity and others remaining lean. In the current study, we tested two hypotheses: 1) BDNF in the PVN reverses HFD-induced obesity, and 2) animals with higher body fat have a greater physiological response to BDNF than those with less body fat. Eighty-four 10-wk old rats were allowed HFD ad libitum for 9 wk and then prepared with bilateral PVN cannulas. Animals were then divided into tertiles based on their body fat rank: high, intermediate, and low (H, I, and L). Each group was further divided into 2 subgroups and then PVN injected with BDNF or control (artificial cerebrospinal fluid, aCSF) every other day for 3 wk. Energy intake (EI), body weight, and body composition were measured. At study's end, rats were killed to allow measurement of other metabolic indices. In parallel, another 12 rats were fed control diet (CD), PVN-cannulated and injected with aCSF. HFD exposure induced obesity, particularly in the H body fat group, with a significant increase in EI, body weight, fat mass, liver size, and serum glucose, triglycerides, insulin, and leptin. BDNF significantly reduced EI, body weight, body fat, lean mass, and serum metabolic indices. These BDNF effects were greatest in the H body fat group. These data indicate that BDNF reduced HFD-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome-like measures, and the animals with the most body fat had the most significant response to BDNF.


This study evaluates how much technology adoption could cost in a variety of crop-production scenarios. Cost-reduction simulations consider scenarios of higher input use efficiency such as reducing the usage of diesel, labor, irrigation, fertilizer, herbicide, and seed, among others. The scenarios aim to increase yields by integrating the effect of each input-reduction on the total operating costs. Agricultural production estimates for Nebraska in the US indicates that a technology that saves 1% of diesel is cost-effective, costing between USD 0.15/ha and USD 0.32/ha (for corn). Improvements on input use efficiency should be prioritized to incentivize technology development and adoption. This study balances input costs and crop production, allowing the identification of adoption cost thresholds tailored to specific farming scenarios. It also enabled interpretations regarding optimal scenarios for technology adoption. In addition, this study indicates that irrigated systems foster the adoption of technologies more than in dryland cropping systems.


This article is taken from the result of the research by the
title "Kriya Wayang Krucil di Dukuh Turus Desa Trenyang
Kecamatan Sumberpucung Kab. Malang", which mean for knowing
the real condition of wayang krucil craft in Malang recently.
So that for the next time it will be possible to develop the
wayang krucil craft of Malangan by increasing the skill and the
capability of their craftman.
The type of research used here is Qualitative Descriptive.
The subject is wayang krucil in Dukuh Turus Desa Trenyang Kec.
Sumberpucung Kab. Malang. The sourches of the data are the
numbers of wayang krucuil, some craftman, and some appreciators
of traditional art form Universitas Negeri Malang (UM).
The data is taken by the researcher by using interview and
observation methods. After that, the researcher analyzing the
data by Qualitative Descriptive Technique to the ornament and
visual element of wayang krucil, and also the visual changes of
them.
In this article, you will know the exposition of the real
condition of the instruments and the materials used by the
craftman, which are very limited and simple, the capabilities
of the craftman who need to be increased, the potential art
characteristics (the visual element and ornamen) of wayang
krucil is very interesting, and the changes of visual element
the wayang krucil ensharped Malangan style which is different
with other places in Indonesia, especially from Central Java.
From the results of this reseach, it is hoped that there
will be any attention from all of us. Perhaps we can give them
some production equipments, skill training, experiments of
technique in producing wayang krucil, or even by opening the
nets of selling the production of wayang krucil.


Assessing the tidal stream energy resource, its intermittency and likely environmental feedbacks due to energy extraction, relies on the ability to accurately represent kinetic losses in ocean models. Energy conversion has often been implemented in ocean models with enhanced turbine stress terms formulated using an array-averaging approach, rather than implementing extraction at device-scale. In depth-averaged models, an additional drag term in the momentum equations is usually applied. However, such array-averaging simulations neglect intra-array device wake interactions, providing unrealistic energy extraction dynamics. Any induced simulation error will increase with array size. For this study, an idealized channel is discretized at sub 10 m resolution, resolving individual device wake profiles of tidal turbines in the domain. Sensitivity analysis is conducted on the applied turbulence closure scheme, validating results against published data from empirical scaled turbine studies. We test the fine scale model performance of several mesh densities, which produce a centerline velocity wake deficit accuracy (R2) of 0.58–0.69 (RMSE = 7.16–8.28%) using a k-Ɛ turbulence closure scheme. Various array configurations at device scale are simulated and compared with an equivalent array-averaging approach by analyzing channel flux differential. Parametrization of array-averaging energy extraction techniques can misrepresent simulated energy transfer and removal. The potential peak error in channel flux exceeds 0.5% when the number of turbines nTECs ≈ 25 devices. This error exceeds 2% when simulating commercial-scale turbine array farms (i.e., >100 devices).


A compact, accurate, and bitwidth-programmable in-memory computing (IMC) static random-access memory (SRAM) macro, named CAP-RAM, is presented for energy-efficient convolutional neural network (CNN) inference. It leverages a novel charge-domain multiply-and-accumulate (MAC) mechanism and circuitry to achieve superior linearity under process variations compared to conventional IMC designs. The adopted semi-parallel architecture efficiently stores filters from multiple CNN layers by sharing eight standard 6T SRAM cells with one charge-domain MAC circuit. Moreover, up to six levels of bit-width of weights with two encoding schemes and eight levels of input activations are supported. A 7-bit charge-injection SAR (ciSAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) getting rid of sample and hold (S&H) and input/reference buffers further improves the overall energy efficiency and throughput. A 65-nm prototype validates the excellent linearity and computing accuracy of CAP-RAM. A single $512\times 128$ macro stores a complete pruned and quantized CNN model to achieve 98.8% inference accuracy on the MNIST data set and 89.0% on the CIFAR-10 data set, with a 573.4-giga operations per second (GOPS) peak throughput and a 49.4-tera operations per second (TOPS)/W energy efficiency.


Background: Variation in tooth size is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Several studies have reported tooth size variation between and within different racial groups. In order to improve the quality of dental care available, there is a great need for data on the mesiodistal crown dimensions of the individual teeth of Bangladeshi population. Objectives: To find nominative data on the mesiodistal crown dimensions of permanent teeth in Bangladeshi population and to compare the findings with those reported in other populations. Methods: This observational study was done from January, 2008 to June, 2010 in the Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. A total of 244 Bangladeshi subjects (77 males and 167 females), aged 7 – 36 years (mean 18.3 years) with no age limit who attended at the above mentioned place for treatment were included in the study. Main outcome measure was mesiodistal crown dimension of each tooth class of permanent dentition. Mesiodistal crown dimensions were measured from dental casts of the permanent teeth. Results: Males had significantly larger teeth than females for maxillary central incisors (p < 0.05) and for the mandibular second premolars (p < 0.001). In both sexes, the maxillary lateral incisors showed the greatest variability [coefficient of variation (CV) 10.7%] and the maxillary canines the least (CV 6.9%) in mesiodistal crown dimension. Mandibular canines displayed greater sexual dimorphism in mesiodistal crown size than in any other tooth classes. Comparisons of the mesiodistal crown dimensions between population groups showed that Bangladeshis have tooth sizes close to those of North Indians, Icelanders and Jordanians but larger than those of North American Whites. Conclusions: From this study, a standard for the mesiodistal crown dimensions of permanent dentition of Bangladeshi males and females are obtained. Key Words: Crown dimension; Mesio-Distal width; Permanent dentition. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bsmmuj.v4i2.8635 BSMMU J 2011; 4(2):81-87


Plant bio-protection and biosecurity programs worldwide use trap-based surveillance for the early detection of agricultural pests and pathogens to contain their incursions and spread. This task is reliant on effective preservation in insect traps, which is required to maintain specimen quality for extended periods under variable environmental conditions. Furthermore, with traditional morphological examinations now increasingly paired with modern molecular diagnostic techniques, insect traps are required to preserve both the specimens' morphology and the DNA of insects and vectored bacterial pathogens. Here, we used psyllids (Hemiptera) and their hosted bacteria as a model to test the preservative ability of propylene glycol (PG): a non-flammable, easily transportable preservative agent that could be used in pitfall, suction or malaise traps. We tested preservation using various PG concentrations, at different temperatures and for multiple time periods, paired with non-destructive DNA extraction methods, which allow isolation of both insect and arbobacterial DNA while retaining a morphological voucher of the insect host specimens. PG concentrations between 40% and 100% performed best for both insect and bacterial DNA preservation up to 28 days. Ultimately, given the viscous nature of PG at high concentrations, we recommend using it at a concentration between 40% and 60% to enable insects to sink into the solution, thus enhancing DNA preservation.


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.


The paradigm of e-learning educational process in the information society using information and communications technologies that result in increase creativity, improve teamwork and the changing role of instructor / teacher. Decision is an essential element of management is the most important tool of expression for a list of options for the development of online platforms. This paper proposes an approach to multi-criteria analysis methods to decide how software development tools used in virtual educational environment. Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) describes any structured approach used to determine overall preferences among the various options, alternative options could lead to the fulfillment of a number of objectives. The goal of this method is to make a comparative assessment of alternative options or other heterogeneous measures. Actually measure the indicators used in the MCA is usually based on the quantitative analysis (through scoring, ranking and weighting calculation) of a wide range of categories and criteria for qualitative impact. Multi-criteria analysis applies specifically where the approach via a single criterion is not sufficient especially when significant social and environmental impacts can not be assigned monetary values. The purpose of this tool is to structure and combine different evaluations that must be considered in the decision-making process when making decisions involves several alternatives and their treatment of each of these greatly influence the final decision. Importantly, the multi-criteria analysis is used to record the reasoning and subjective views of stakeholders in relation to each issue. As Postolache says is usually used to synthesize opinions to determine priority structures to analyze conflict situations or make recommendations or offer operational advice.


Problem statement: Huanglongbing (HLB) is a phloem limited disease in citrus caused by a fastidious bacterium called ' Candidatus Liberibacter' found in Africa, Asia and United States of America (USA). HLB can severely reduce vigor and yield or kill all citrus trees within 5 years. There is a need to screen and identify suitable rootstock for propagation of clean plan materials for citrus in the tropics. This study was conducted to detect the presence of HLB on 18 selected citrus species and to categorize the level of infection and susceptibility of citrus species to HLB. Approach: Eighteen citrus species were assessed for susceptibility to HLB by graft transmission from source infection (Citrus reticulata). Results HLB was detected in 15 species 6 months after grafting using PCR test. Conclusion: The species could be categorized in five groups: Severe group (72-58% severity) which includes C. reticulata, C. sinensis, C. reshni cv. cleopatra, moderate group (50- 41% severity) includes Fortunella sp. cv. Kasturi Chinai, C. macrophylla, C. microcarpa, mild group (25-17% severity) which included C. medica, C. aurantifolia, Citrus sp. (natural biotype), C. jambhiri. The tolerant group which did not show any HLB symptoms but tested positive by PCR test includes C. aurantium and C. aurantifolia. The resistant groups which include C. grandis cv. Limau Bali, C. hysterix and Citrus sp. cv. Limau Tembikai showed no symptoms and were tested negative for HLB.


Abstract Crosslinked N-[pyridylmethyl]chitosan (PMC) incorporating pyridine moiety and the crosslinked palladium(II)-imprinted-N-[pyridylmethyl]chitosan (PIPMC) were synthesized to elucidate the template effect of palladium(II) in the adsorption of metals from hydrochloric acid. The adsorption selectivity for metal ions from hydrochloric acids on PIPMC was compared with that on PMC. PIPMC exhibited the high selectivity towards not only palladium(II), but also gold(III), nickel(II), and copper(II) that tend to form planar complexes, while other metal ions such as cadmium(II), zinc(II), and cobalt(II) that form octahedral complexes were almost not affected as well as those on PMC. This suggests that PIPMC selectively recognized the metal ions that form the same planar type of complexes as palladium(II) of a template. Furthermore, in order to elucidate the template effect of palladium(II), the adsorbed species of palladium(II) on PMC and PIPMC were determined by examining quantitatively the effect of the reactive species on the adsorption of palladium(II) from hydrochloric acid.


This on-the-ground labor history focuses on the bitterly contested labor conflict in the early 1990s at the A. E. Staley corn processing plant in Decatur, Illinois, where workers waged one of the most hard-fought struggles in recent labor history. Originally family-owned, A. E. Staley was bought out by the multinational conglomerate Tate & Lyle, which immediately launched a full-scale assault on its union workforce. Allied Industrial Workers Local 837 responded by educating and mobilizing its members, organizing strong support from the religious and black communities, building a national and international solidarity movement, and engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience at the plant gates. Drawing on seventy-five interviews, videotapes of every union meeting, and their own active involvement organizing with the Staley workers, Steven K. Ashby and C. J. Hawking bring the workers' voices to the fore and reveal their innovative tactics, such as work-to-rule and solidarity committees, that inform and strengthen today's labor movement.


We argue that analytical and critical aspects of theology can contribute to organizational research, and potentially assist in elaborating new concepts. To lay this out, we use Christian orthodox theology of icons as an analytical framework to study organizational visual representations. We generate three important insights. First, we point to the need, so far neglected, to question and theorize the relation between the representation and what is represented. Second, we highlight the prominence of symbolism over aesthetic aspects. Third, we underline that images are both embedded within meaningful relationships with other images, and used in social and power relationships. Building on these insights, we elaborate the notion of epistemic power to account for the capacity of visual representations to provide knowledge of an object of inquiry which cannot be immediately conscripted nor clearly perceived in its entirety. We contribute to the integration of theological analysis in organizational research by showing how it can further extend our understanding of secular organizational settings.


We address the problem of language-based temporal localization in untrimmed videos. Compared to temporal localization with fixed categories, this problem is more challenging as the language-based queries not only have no pre-defined activity list but also may contain complex descriptions. Previous methods address the problem by considering features from video sliding windows and language queries and learning a subspace to encode their correlation, which ignore rich semantic cues about activities in videos and queries. We propose to mine activity concepts from both video and language modalities by applying the actionness score enhanced Activity Concepts based Localizer (ACL). Specifically, the novel ACL encodes the semantic concepts from verb-obj pairs in language queries and leverages activity classifiers' prediction scores to encode visual concepts. Besides, ACL also has the capability to regress sliding windows as localization results. Experiments show that ACL significantly outperforms state-of-the-arts under the widely used metric, with more than 5% increase on both Charades-STA and TACoS datasets.


achieved. With the hologenetic approach, on the other hand, the whole stimulus is presented but it is the energy level, either in terms of presentation or illumination, which is varied from trial to trial. The book describes the use of these approaches to the study of a variety of psychological and psychophysio logical processes, including language processing, person ality and visual evoked potentials. The results in terms of personality correlates appear to be disappointing but the methods seem fruitful in the investigation of subliminal perception and defence mechanisms. All in all, however, this reviewer found the book heavy going. There is much technical terminology, the expres sion is often dense and turgid (perhaps because English is not the first language of some of the contributors), and the theory tends to be elaborate. This is really a book for the specialist; I suspect that most readers with a primarily clinical interest will find it unrewarding.


Al–O relations in iron were investigated. Pure iron with varying Al content was equilibrated at 1873 K. The oxygen content of iron with higher Al content than 1.0 mass % was found to be much lower than previous works, while the oxygen content for Al content less than 1 mass% was found to be slightly higher. Further, a classification procedure of inclusions was developed using the commercial software INCA Feature. Three classes were made, spinel, TP-(CaO-Al2O3), and (CaO-Al2O3) class, corresponding to the inclusions found during degassing at Uddeholm Tooling. The results showed that the spinel phase disappeared after degassing along with a reduction in numbers for the two phase inclusion (TP-(CaO-Al2O3)). Pure calcium aluminates however showed an increasing trend in a majority of the heats. The chemical development of inclusions at OVAKO Steel in Hofors, Sweden was also established. According to the morphologies and compositions, the inclusions were classified into 5 different types, namely, (1) alumina inclusions, (2) calcium aluminate, (3) spinel+calcium aluminate, (4) calcium aluminate surrounded by a CaS shell, and (5) spinel+calcium aluminate surrounded by a CaS shell. Thereafter refractory lining samples with attached slag layer were taken from used ladles at the two steel plants. The morphologies of the slag layers and the phases present were examined. The precipitated phases found in the refractory were 3CaO.Al2O3, MgO.Al2O3 and CaO in the case of Ovako Steel and 3CaO.Al2O3 and 2CaO.SiO2 in the case of Uddeholm Tooling. To help the understanding, model calculations using THERMOCALC were carried out. The model predictions differed somewhat from the experimental observation, the predicted major phases were in line with the EDS analysis on the refractory samples. Finally experiments were carried out to study the slag entrainment related to the open-eye during ladle treatment. Ga-In-Sn alloy was used to simulate the liquid steel, while MgCl2-Glycerol(87%) solution was used to simulate the ladle slag. No noticeable amount of top liquid was observed in any of the samples taken from the metal bulk during gas stirring. To confirm this aspect, slag-metal interface samples were taken from an industrial gas stirred steel ladle. No entrapment was found in the steel. The accordance of the laboratory and industrial results suggests that the entrainment of slag into the steel bulk around the open-eye cannot be considered as the major contribution to inclusion formation.


Owing to the better understanding of physiochemical and biological challenges associated with the bioactivity of small organic molecules, novel scaffolds are becoming more extensively engineered and more highly optimized. Currently, binding specificity is becoming intensively investigated and a priority to many drug designers because it reflects the quality of scaffolds. In this thesis, we introduce a comparative analysis to benchmark the quality of four novel scaffold libraries prepared by the University of Pittsburgh Centers for Chemical Methodologies and Library Development (UPCMLD). The bioactivity profiles of these novel scaffold libraries, namely UPCMLD09A, UPCMLD02A, UPCMLD16A, and UPCMLD24A, were explored and compared with those of two privileged (benzodiazepines and dihydropyridines) and two promiscuous (rhodanines and quinolines) scaffold libraries from the literature. The approach we implemented is intended to provide an unbiased analysis and comparison of novel, privileged and promiscuous scaffold libraries. The results for three of the UPCMLD libraries, UPCMLD09A, UPCMLD16A and UPCMLD24A, indicate a comparatively high selectivity. Therefore, we suggest that the scaffolds of these libraries could be considered as privileged. In contrast, a promiscuous profile for some compounds was observed in one of the UPCMLD libraries, UPCMLD02A.


Presented on December 12, 2012 from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM in the Klaus Advanced Computing Building, room 1443 on the Georgia Tech campus.


Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are transcriptional factors that belong to the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily. There are 3 RXR isoforms-alpha, beta, gamma-known to bind 9-cis-retinoic acid as their ligand. The expression of RXRs in human pituitary glands and pituitary adenomas has not been extensively investigated. To determine whether specific RXR isoforms may play roles in the state of differentiation of pituitary adenomas, we have investigated the immunohistochemical expression of RXR alpha and RXR gamma in 6 nontumorous pituitaries and in 60 different pituitary adenomas using isoform-specific antibodies. In the nontumorous pituitaries. RXR alpha was expressed in the nuclei of almost all cells, while RXR gamma was only expressed in thyrotropin (TSH) cells and in some cells positive for growth hormone (GH) and glycoprotein alpha-subunit (alpha SU) but not in luteinizing hormone (LH) beta-subunit, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) beta-subunit, prolactin (PRL) or adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) cells by double immunostaining. All 60 adenomas were RXR alpha positive, and 39 of 60 adenomas (65%) were positive for RXR gamma. The incidence of RXR gamma immunoreactivity in the different adenoma types was: 13 of 16 GH-producing adenomas (81.3%), 9 of 14 PRL-secreting adenomas (64.3%), 6 of 6 TSH-secreting adenomas (100%), 2 of 5 ACTH-secreting adenomas (40%) and 9 of 19 nonfunctioning adenomas (47.4%) including immunohistochemically gonadotropin-subunit-positive adenomas. The colocalization of RXR gamma with the TSH beta subunit, GH and alpha SU in the same adenoma cells was frequently observed, and sometimes RXR gamma was colocalized with PRL, ACTH, FSH beta or LH beta as shown by double immunostaining. We conclude that RXR alpha is expressed in both human pituitaries and pituitary adenomas. In contrast, RXR gamma is expressed more broadly in pituitary adenomas than in normal pituitaries and thus may play a role in the differentiation-specific cell types in the human pituitary both under physiological and pathological conditions.


1. In the latter part of investigations on the medial reticular neurons, stimulation was applied to the ipsilateral tegmental tract in the upper pontine level. Of the 426 neurons in this series, 56 had rostrally projecting axons as evidenced by their antidromic responses. 2. Of these 56 neurons, 41 were activated by limb nerve stimulation, usually very strongly, and so qualify as units in the reticular activating system. Fastigial stimulation monosynaptically excited 14 of these reticular activating neurons, so providing and ascending pathway from the cerebellar vermis. 3. Axonal branching has been demonstrated by antidromic testing in four reticular neurons with ascending axons. In two there were branches to the fastigial nucleus and in two, down the spinal cord. 4. The latency histograms of the excitatory and inhibitory responses resembled those for reticular neurons with descending axons except for the poverty of inhibitory responses in neurons not receiving a fastigial projection.


The energy science of clathrate hydrates is a rapidly expanding field, with high-performance computing (HPC) playing an ever-growing role to help understand the molecular processes and properties that drive clathrate hydrates to nucleate and grow into crystalline, amorphous, or mixed structures, their non-stoichiometric nature upon formation, the formation mechanism from homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation, and their stability and limits of metastability. Many of the questions that HPC can help to answer about hydrates are intractable experimentally because of the difficulty of measurements at the length (nanometers) and time (nanoseconds) scales imposed by the fundamental phenomena at the molecular level. At the same time, the length and time scales that are accessible by simulations pose limitations on what can be studied (e.g., phase equilibria and metastability, nucleation mechanisms, non-stoichiometry) and how it can be studied (e.g., Monte Carlo, molecular dynamics, metadynamics, transition path sampling, thermodynamic integration). Ultimately, the energy science of clathrate hydrates will benefit from HPC by gaining insight into the detailed mechanism for formation, dissociation, and stability.


This thesis investigates Local Area Agreements as a tool for the effective delivery of local public services focusing on three main areas:

- Centre-Local Relations and the Vertical Governance of LAAs
- Intra Local Relations and the Horizontal Governance of LAAs
- Learning from LAAs to improve the future practice of local public service delivery.

In exploring these areas, the thesis draws upon several academic theories; principally the Strategic Relational Approach and New Institutionalism.

These themes are explored in a two-tiered methodology. The first is a national overview survey of LAA practitioners which then informed the second stage; detailed interviews across two case study areas (Liverpool and St Helens) as well as with civil servants and elected politicians from national government.

In relation to vertical-governance, the thesis discusses the national indicator dataset and the ability for areas to adequately focus on local policy priorities, the top-down governance of LAAs and a discussion about the role of Government Office for the regions in negotiating and delivering LAAs. In relation to horizontal governance, the research identifies both stronger and weaker actors within the local governance process, discusses the value of differing actor approaches, investigates how internal accountability affects the relationship with a wider partnership and discusses the role of elected members. The final section discusses how practitioners feel that LAAs could be improved, before discussing how current Coalition policy addresses these concerns, before drawing some final conclusions about the relative success of the LAA project.

The findings show that despite initial overtures of greater local discretion over setting priorities, strong central control remained. In particular, this was seen through the indicator selection process, with areas adopting indicators that were not seen as local priorities. At the local level it is shown that a long or short term operating horizon affected how actors worked with the LAA and that those actors that traditionally operated on shorter time scales (i.e. police, fire and rescue service) were more likely to register frustration with longer term bureaucratic processes. It was also found that those actors that viewed partnership working on LAA targets as an investment for long term results were viewed as being more effective than those which simply saw it as a cost.

In terms of Coalition policy in the post LAA period, it appears that many lessons have gone unheeded, particularly around the components of effective partnership working. However, the new City Deal programme presents a renewed sense of optimism for effective (and locally responsive) local public service delivery.


This paper develops a model of the optimal timing of interest rate changes. With fixed adjustment costs and ongoing uncertainty, changing the interest rate involves the exercise of an option. Optimal policy therefore has a "wait-and-see" component, which can be quantified using option pricing techniques. We show that increased uncertainty makes the central bank more reluctant to change its target interest rate, and argue that this helps explain recent observed deviations from the Taylor Rule. An optimal wait-and-see policy fits the target interest rates of the Fed and Bank of Canada better than the Taylor Rule.


Submarine landslides (slides) are some of the most voluminous sediment gravity-flows on Earth and they dominate the stratigraphic record of many subaqueous basins. The general kinematics and internal structure of slides are relatively well-understood, although the way in which they increase in volume and internally deformed as they evolve, and how these processes relate to the development of their basal (shear) surface, remains largely unknown. We here use three high-resolution 3D seismic surveys (two broadband time-migrated seismic reflection datasets and a depth-migrated volume) from the Angoche Basin, offshore Mozambique to undertake detailed mapping and intra-slide strain analysis of a shallowly buried, large, and thus well-imaged submarine landslide (c. 530 km3). We also provide detailed documentation of the along-strike variations in the structural style and evolution of the toe region, and how these relate to the overall emplacement of the slide. Seismic attribute analysis image several key kinematic indicators, including broadly NW-trending (i.e., flow-parallel) lateral margins, longitudinal shears, and sub-orthogonal shears in the main body of the deposit, and broadly NE-trending (i.e., flow-normal) symmetric pop-up blocks in the toe region. The slide exhibits varying degrees of frontal emergence along strike, displaying a single frontal (toe) wall in the SW to a more complex, stair-step geometry in the NE. Basal grooves are noticeably absent, with a key observation being that contractional structures are locally observed c. 7 km downdip of the present toe wall. Based on the distribution of and cross-cutting relationship between intra-slide structures, we propose an emplacement model involving two distinct phases of deformation; (i) bulk shortening, parallel to the overall SE-directed emplacement direction, accommodated by the formation of NE-trending symmetric pop-up blocks bound by fore-thrusts and back-thrusts; and (ii) the development of NW-trending sinistral shear zones that offsets the earlier formed shortening structures, and which possibly formed due a spatial variations the evolving rock strength as the flow arrested, resulting in intra-slide flow cells. We infer the basal shear surface or zone incrementally propagated downdip ahead of the developing slide mass, with distal contractional structures being the expression of rather cryptic, updip sliding of the entire sediment mass. Our study demonstrates the value of using 3D seismic reflection data to study the structure and emplacement kinematics of slides, and the complex strains that can arise due to temporal and spatial variations in sediment rheology.


LONG ISLAND POWER AUTHORITY (LIPA) operates with a business model of fully outsourcing its electric business operation, including system operation and asset maintenance. Such a model, in which LIPA has the role of asset owner and the shared role of asset manager, adds complexity in managing the data and critical IT systems needed to support both LIPA and its service provider business processes. One key issue is the possibility of a periodic change of service providers for all or part of the business. This is one of reasons that LIPA decided to develop and implement a comprehensive and strict enterprise information management (EIM) strategy along with the supporting business processes. LIPA's EIM strategy has been developed with the goal of being used both internally and externally, by LIPA's service providers for services and by the IT infrastructure that provides services to LIPA.


Despite a burgeoning research effort directed at the design and modelling of effective urban spaces for pedestrians, remarkably little is known about how pedestrians actually negotiate urban spaces. This paper reports the results of a video-based observational study aimed at exploring: (1) individuals' movement preferences within uncluttered environments, in particular: (a) desired walking speed, (b) microscopic position preferences, and (c) interpersonal distances between companions while walking; and (2) the ways in which these variables might be influenced by the various personal, situational, and environmental factors that characterise the context in which pedestrians move. The microscopic movement trajectories of 2613 participants were investigated in a covert, video-based observational study of three mixed-use (residential/retail) urban environments close to the city centres of Edinburgh and York, United Kingdom. Age, gender, level of mobility, group size, time of day, and location were found to have significant effects on movement preferences across the range of locations studied. We concluded that a number of influential factors affect how humans negotiate urban spaces, and suggested how these factors may be taken into account in attempts to design and model effective urban spaces for pedestrians.


Objective: To investigate the effects of recurrent electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on cardiac function as assessed by echocardiography. Subjects and Methods: Twenty-three patients (11 males and 12 females) with different psychiatric disorders who were apparently free of any cardiovascular disorders and underwent ECT were enrolled in the study. Echocardiographic findings including diastolic mitral inflow and tissue Doppler features were recorded at baseline and at the end of the 7th and last ECT in all patients. Results: The mean age of the patients was 37.95 ± 13.28 years (range 19-71). There was no significant difference in mitral E wave velocities and tissue Doppler E' velocities between the baseline and after the 1st ECT (p = 0.161 and p = 0.083, respectively). The results were similar after the last ECT session (p = 0.463 and p = 0.310, respectively). However, there was a significant increase in transmitral A wave velocity after the 1st and 7th ECT session compared to the values at baseline (p = 0.008 and p = 0.017, respectively). Conclusion: The mitral diastolic inflow A wave velocity increased 20 min after ECT, and this increase persisted after recurrent ECT sessions. This finding could be considered as an indicator of acutely increased sympathetic tone.


The study is well conducted as per consort statement but weakened by the fact that there is high crossover in treatment groups especially in the antibiotic group. In particular 96 cases which were allocated to the antibiotic group were subsequently converted to surgery. In more than half (45) of these cases no reasons were provided by the surgeons. B. Majumder Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 84 Castle Street, Cowcaddens, Glasgow G4 0SF, UK DOI: 10.1002/bjs.6762


Nowadays state-of-the-art speaker recognition systems obtain quite accurate results for both text-independent and text-dependent tasks as long as they are trained on a fair amount of development data from the target domain, and as long as the target data is clean. In this work we investigate the use of matched filters for speaker recognition in the framework of a small in-domain development data. We show how a matched filter can be optimized to maximize SNR (signal to noise ratio) when the noise component includes both intra-speaker variability and center/mean hyper-parameter variability. The proposed method generalizes our previous method named score stabilization and obtains significant speaker recognition error reductions.


Rare earth orthoferrites demonstrate great application potentials in spintronics and optical devices due to their multiferroic and magnetooptical properties. In RFeO3, magnetic R3+ undergo a spontaneous spin reorientation in a temperature range determined by R (rare earth), where the magnetic structure changes from Γ2 to Γ4. The b-axis component of their magnetic moment, Mb, is reported in numerous neutron diffraction studies to remain zero at all temperatures. More sensitive magnetometer measurements reveal a small non-zero Mb, which is minute above ∼200 K. Mb increases with cooling and reaches values of ∼10–3 μB/f.u. at temperatures within or below the spin reorientation temperatures. Our results can be explained by assuming the Fe3+ spins as the origin of non-zero Mb, while R3+ spins suppress Mb. The representation analysis of point groups shows that non-zero Mb is associated with a small admixture of the Γ3 phase to Γ2 or Γ4. Such a mixing of the three magnetic phases requires at least a fourth order of the spin Hamiltonian for RFeO3 to describe the non-zero Mb.Rare earth orthoferrites demonstrate great application potentials in spintronics and optical devices due to their multiferroic and magnetooptical properties. In RFeO3, magnetic R3+ undergo a spontaneous spin reorientation in a temperature range determined by R (rare earth), where the magnetic structure changes from Γ2 to Γ4. The b-axis component of their magnetic moment, Mb, is reported in numerous neutron diffraction studies to remain zero at all temperatures. More sensitive magnetometer measurements reveal a small non-zero Mb, which is minute above ∼200 K. Mb increases with cooling and reaches values of ∼10–3 μB/f.u. at temperatures within or below the spin reorientation temperatures. Our results can be explained by assuming the Fe3+ spins as the origin of non-zero Mb, while R3+ spins suppress Mb. The representation analysis of point groups shows that non-zero Mb is associated with a small admixture of the Γ3 phase to Γ2 or Γ4. Such a mixing of the three magnetic phases requires at least a fourth order ...


Abstract Objectives This commentary reviews and evaluates the role of sound signals as part of the infosome of cells and organisms. Emission and receipt of sound has recently been identified as a potentially important universal signaling mechanism invoked when organisms are stressed. Recent evidence from plants, animals and microbes suggests that it could be a stimulus for specific or general molecular cellular stress responses in different contexts, and for triggering population level responses. This paper reviews the current status of the field with particular reference to the potential role of sound signaling as an immediate/early bystander effector (RIBE) during radiation-induced stress. Conclusions While the chemical effectors involved in intercellular and inter-organismal signaling have been the subject of intense study in the field of Chemical Ecology, less appears to be known about physical signals in general and sound signals in particular. From this review we conclude that these signals are ubiquitous in each kingdom and behave very like physical bystander signals leading to regulation of metabolic pathways and gene expression patterns involved in adaptation, synchronization of population responses, and repair or defence against damage. We propose the hypothesis that acoustic energy released on interaction of biota with electromagnetic radiation may represent a signal released by irradiated cells leading to, or complementing, or interacting with, other responses, such as endosome release, responsible for signal relay within the unirradiated individuals in the targeted population.


The purpose of this paper is to study the load frequency effect on the fatigue behaviour at different environmental conditions of a quasi-isotropic carbon/epoxy plain weave laminate containing artificial flaw under tensile loading. Dry and wet specimens were exposed to tensile load-controlled cyclic loading with a stress ratio R = 0.1 at room temperature (RT) and at 82°C for load frequencies of 7 and 15Hz under different stress levels. Allowable stiffness reduction as a failure onset criterion was used to determine the delamination propagation threshold under cyclic tensile loading at each frequency and environmental condition. The propagation of delamination was verified using the ultrasonic imaging (C-Scan) technique. The experimental results show that load frequency played a positive effect by increasing the fatigue life of specimens for two conditions (RT, 85%RH) and (82°C, Dry). However, for the condition (RT, Dry) higher load frequency tended to reduce the fatigue life of tested specimen at high stress levels while starting from certain lower stress level it tended to increase their fatigue lives. On the contrary at the condition of (82°C, 85%RH) the effect was reversed compared to that of (82°C, Dry).


Upper Cenozoic marine, fluvio-lacustrine and continental-eolian deposits are exposed in river banks and quarries within the province of Entre Rios in northern Argentina. A 26 m sequence from a quarry at Aldea Brasilera has been investigated as to sedimentological and environmental changes, and subjected to paleomagnetic analysis. The magnetostratigraphy established includes six polarity reversals and is interpreted to cover tha last about 3.3 Ma. The deposition of marine and fluvio-lacustrine deposits from 3.3 to about 1.5 Ma seems to have been fairly continuous, whilst the land surfaces and eolian (loess) deposition reflect sporadic deposition. The magnetostratigraphy established may serve as a regional standard section. A final marine transgression of Late Pliocene age is established right on top of the Kaena Reversed Polarity Event The close association between this geomagnetic event and final marine event may serve as a very useful chronostratigraphic marker level and horizon. It has been recorded in other sections under studies, too.


Traffic in urban areas is increasing day by day which leads to most critical issues of traffic management this paper proposes a smart and fully automatic traffic control system that will detect and control the congestion in real time, detect a stolen vehicle and also passes emergency vehicles smoothly with the use of passive RFID device. This effectively reduces travel delays and relieves congestion, it is necessary to control lane merge behaviors of freeway. Depending upon the count of vehicles green passage will be set dynamically and the proposed system provides special privileges for emergency vehicles like police vehicle, ambulance, VIP vehicles, etc.