BACKGROUND
Inflammatory bowel diseases may be associated with many extraintestinal complications, that in some cases can represent the first onset of these disorders. In particular during the course of the disease, Ulcerative Colitis develops extraintestinal manifestations very frequently. One of the rarest is pyoderma gangrenosum, a noninfectious neuthrophilic dermatosis, that can involve most commonly legs but also other parts of the skin or mucosas. It can be idiopathic or associated with gammopathies, vasculitis, chronic arthritis or, like in our case, with inflammatory bowel disease and malignancies.

CASE PRESENTATION
A 38-year-old man was referred to our Department with a colo-cutaneous fistula in the left quadrant of abdominal wall. In the anamnesis he reported a trauma during a soccer match three weeks before. Through a CT scan and endoscopy with biopsy an inflammatory bowel disease with a segmental colitis and stenosis was diagnosed. After medical therapy, an initial radiological drainage and a period of parenteral nutrition, he underwent a left hemicolectomy. Despite the previous endoscopic biopsy the histopathological examination put in evidence not only inflammatory disease (in particular Ulcerative Colitis) but also a colorectal tumor pT4pN0. After the full recovery before chemotherapy he has developed on the chest and on the abdomen some painful nodules, with central necrosis, one of those in contact with one of the ribs. Through TC and RM it was impossible to understand the precise nature of these skin lesions. With biopsy a pyoderma gangrenosum was diagnosed and treated until complete resolution.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Management of inflammatory bowel diseases can be a true challenge, not only for the intestinal manifestations, but also for all the other features not related to gut. In some cases the same patient can develop many complications, such as malignancies or rare cutaneous diseases. Despite the initial surprise for such a weird evolution in a same patient, from fistula to inflammatory disease to cancer and finally to pyoderma gangrenosum, to face every single complication following consolidated diagnostic and pathological paths has been the correct strategy for controlling the disease.


Reinforcement learning is nowadays a popular framework for solving different decision making problems in automated driving. However, there are still some remaining crucial challenges that need to be addressed for providing more reliable policies. In this paper, we propose a generic risk-aware DQN approach in order to learn high level actions for driving through unsignalized occluded intersections. The proposed state representation provides lane based information which allows to be used for multi-lane scenarios. Moreover, we propose a risk based reward function which punishes risky situations instead of only collision failures. Such rewarding approach helps to incorporate risk prediction into our deep Q network and learn more reliable policies which are safer in challenging situations. The efficiency of the proposed approach is compared with a DQN learned with conventional collision based rewarding scheme and also with a rule-based intersection navigation policy. Evaluation results show that the proposed approach outperforms both of these methods. It provides safer actions than collision-aware DQN approach and is less overcautious than the rule-based policy.


Background: Genetics may partially explain observed heterogeneity in associations between traffic-related air pollution and incident asthma. Objective: Our aim was to investigate the impact of gene variants associated with oxidative stress and inflammation on associations between air pollution and incident childhood asthma. Methods: Traffic-related air pollution, asthma, wheeze, gene variant, and potential confounder data were pooled across six birth cohorts. Parents reported physician-diagnosed asthma and wheeze from birth to 7–8 years of age (confirmed by pediatric allergist in two cohorts). Individual estimates of annual average air pollution [nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), PM2.5 absorbance, ozone] were assigned to each child's birth address using land use regression, atmospheric modeling, and ambient monitoring data. Effect modification by variants in GSTP1 (rs1138272/Ala114Val and rs1695/IIe105Val) and TNF (rs1800629/G-308A) was investigated. Results: Data on asthma, wheeze, potential confounders, at least one SNP of interest, and NO2 were available for 5,115 children. GSTP1 rs1138272 and TNF rs1800629 SNPs were associated with asthma and wheeze, respectively. In relation to air pollution exposure, children with one or more GSTP1 rs1138272 minor allele were at increased risk of current asthma [odds ratio (OR) = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.43, 4.68 per 10 μg/m3 NO2] and ever asthma (OR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.53) compared with homozygous major allele carriers (OR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.68, 1.32 for current and OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.48 for ever asthma; Bonferroni-corrected interaction p = 0.04 and 0.01, respectively). Similarly, for GSTP1 rs1695, associations between NO2 and current and ever asthma had ORs of 1.43 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.98) and 1.36 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.70), respectively, for minor allele carriers compared with ORs of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.52, 1.32) and 1.12 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.49) for homozygous major allele carriers (Bonferroni-corrected interaction p-values 0.48 and 0.09). There were no clear differences by TNF genotype. Conclusions: Children carrying GSTP1 rs1138272 or rs1695 minor alleles may constitute a susceptible population at increased risk of asthma associated with air pollution. Citation: MacIntyre EA, Brauer M, Melén E, Bauer CP, Bauer M, Berdel D, Bergström A, Brunekreef B, Chan-Yeung M, Klümper C, Fuertes E, Gehring U, Gref A, Heinrich J, Herbarth O, Kerkhof M, Koppelman GH, Kozyrskyj AL, Pershagen G, Postma DS, Thiering E, Tiesler CM, Carlsten C, TAG Study Group. 2014. GSTP1 and TNF gene variants and associations between air pollution and incident childhood asthma: the traffic, asthma and genetics (TAG) Study. Environ Health Perspect 122:418–424; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307459


The occurrence of chronic diarrhoea was evaluated in 173 consecutive patients previously treated with radiation for gynaecological cancer. A survey of gastrointestinal symptoms showed a high frequency of diarrhoea; 13% of the patients had 21 or more bowel movements a week and 3% had 28 or more. Significantly more patients who had a cholecystectomy were in the group with diarrhoea (chi 2 = 6.26; p less than 0.02). Twenty patients with chronic or intermittent diarrhoea were subject to extended gastrointestinal investigation. Bile acid malabsorption was evaluated by the 75Selenahomocholic acid-taurine test (SeHCAT). Bile acid malabsorption was found in 13 (65%) of the 20 patients further investigated, of whom seven had extremely low whole body retention values, which is consistent with severe malabsorption. The results suggest that bile acid malabsorption is a common cause of diarrhoea after radiation treatment for gynaecological cancer. Bacterial contamination was diagnosed in nine patients (45%) by the [14C]-D-xylose breath test or by the cholyl-[14C]-glycine breath test in combination with a normal test for bile acid malabsorption. All patients with vitamin B-12 deficiency, who were tested for bile acid malabsorption, had low retention times for the SeHCAT (p = 0.05). A significant decline in the frequency of diarrhoea was found after treatment with antibiotics or bile acid sequestrants, or both, in combination with a reduced fat diet.


Folded foundations have been used as an alternative to the conventional flat shallow foundations, in situations involving heavy loads or weak soils. They can be geometrically shaped in many forms especially for continuous footings such as strip footings. The purpose of this study is introducing an alternative foundation shape that reduces the cost of foundations by reducing the amount of reinforcing steel through choosing the most effective folded strip footing shape. The study is performed in two main phases. First, experimental study is performed using eighteen (18) half scale footings of which nine (9) footings are of rectangular shape and nine (9) footings are of folded shape by a folding angle of 20. The experimental setup is composed of steel tank with dimensions of 2.5m length * 2.5m width * 2.10m height. The tank is filled with medium dense sand. A numerical study using the finite element software ADINA is also performed in which the soil underneath the footing is modeled with a nonlinear MohrCoulomb soil model with model parameters obtained from the experimental phase of the study. Experimental results showed that maximum compression stresses in the footing body decreased within a range of 45%, and the tension stresses are also reduced by the same amount in folded strip footings when compared with conventional rectangular footings. Measured settlements also decreased within a range of 13% up to 25% in folded strip footings over the conventional rectangular ones. There is a good agreement between the numerical and experimental studies of which about 10% difference in settlements, and about 15% difference in compression and tension stresses.


To study the stress and strain distribution of cylinder block of axial piston pump in the actual conditions,the entity model of cylinder block is established with Pro/E and Static Finite Element Analysis on the cylinder block model is applied with ANSYS after formulas deduction and calculation in MATLAB in this paper. The stress and strain distribution of the cylinder block in the actual conditions is obtained by simulation. Analyzed results provide a reference basis for structure optimization, finding failure reasons of the axial piston pump and prolonging the pump's service life.


Currently, mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) are equipped with multiple wireless interfaces and rich builtin functional sensors that possess powerful computation and communication capabilities, and enable numerous Mobile Crowdsourced Sensing (MCS) applications. Generally, an MCS system is composed of three components: a publisher of sensing tasks, crowd participants who complete the crowdsourced tasks for some kinds of rewards, and the crowdsourcing platform that facilitates the interaction between publishers and crowd participants. Incentives are a fundamental issue in MCS. This paper proposes an integrated incentive framework for MCS, which appropriately utilizes three widely used incentive methods: reverse auction, gamification, and reputation updating. Firstly, a reverse-auction-based two-round participant selection mechanism is proposed to incentivize crowds to actively participate and provide high-quality sensing data. Secondly, in order to avoid untruthful publisher feedback about sensing-data quality, a gamification-based verification mechanism is designed to evaluate the truthfulness of the publisher's feedback. Finally, the platform updates the reputation of both participants and publishers based on their corresponding behaviors. This integrated incentive mechanism can motivate participants to provide high-quality sensed contents, stimulate publishers to give truthful feedback, and make the platform profitable.


Osteoid osteoma is a benign bony tumour that is common in males and can mimic a variety of regional musculoskeletal painful conditions often leading to a delay in diagnosis if a watchful eye is not kept. It classically causes night pains relieved on taking oral analgesics. Here we present a case report of a female patient who had a osteoid osteoma but was being treated as a case of radiculopathic pain for the past one and a half years.

Keywords: Osteoid osteoma, Radiculopathy


Previous extensions of two-dimensional ultrasonic imaging to three dimensions used lattice diagrams which give measurement information, but no anatomic detail. The authors conducted three sets of experiments to test the hypothesis that complete acoustic backscatter data should be retained to produce useful information about heart structure and function. First, in vitro compound B-scans were taken under ideal conditions; second, in vitro rotating conventional sector scans were taken to test clinically applicable methods; and third, clinical in vivo rotating conventional sector scans were taken of a human volunteer. It is concluded that the resulting images show details of cardiac anatomy and have great clinical promise. Interactive analysis and surface and volume displays give context and perspective information which should improve diagnostic accuracy, communication with noncardiologists and yield more precise measurements of anatomical structure and function. >


information about works of art in CSCC's Library's permanent and temporary exhibits Works, biographical information, and sources for further study of this artist


The motion of a mechanical resonator is intrinsically decomposed over a collection of normal modes of vibration. When the resonator is used as a sensor, its multimode nature often deteriorates or limits its performance and sensitivity. This challenge is frequently encountered in state-of-the-art optomechanical sensing platforms. We present a mechanical design strategy that ensures that optomechanical measurements can retrieve information on a single mechanical degree of freedom, and implement it in a sliced photonic crystal nanobeam resonator. A spectral design approach is used to make mechanical symmetries robust against practical disorder. The effectiveness of the method is evaluated by deriving a relevant figure of merit for continuous and pulsed measurement application scenarios. The method can be employed in any mechanical design that presents unwanted spurious mechanical modes. In the nanobeam platform, we experimentally show an increase of the signal to noise ratio of the mode of interest over the first spurious mode by four orders of magnitudes.


Lattice gas models are cellular automata used for the simulation of fluid dynamics. This paper addresses the design issues of a lattice gas collision rule processor for the four-dimensional FCHC isometric lattice gas model. A novel VLSI architecture based on an optimized version of Henon''s isometric algorithm is proposed. One of the key concepts behind this architecture is the permutation group representation of the isometry group of the lattice. In contrast to the straightforward table lookup approach which would take 4.5 billion bits to implement this set of collision rules, the size of our processor is only about 5000 gates. With a reasonable number of pipeline stages, the processor can deliver one result per cycle with a cycle time comparable to or less than that of a common commercial DRAM.


The present study presents, firstly, to characterize the physicochemical quality of brackish groundwater of the Terminal Complex (TC) from the region of Eloued-souf and to investigate the presence of fluoride, and secondly, to study the comparison of adsorbing power of three materials, such as (activated alumina AA, sodium clay SC and hydroxyapatite HAP) against the groundwater in the region of Eloued-souf. To do this, a sampling campaign over 16 wells and consumer taps was undertaken. The results show that the groundwater can be characterized by very high fluoride content and excessive mineralization that require in some cases, specific treatment before supply. The study of adsorption revealed removal efficiencies fluoride by three adsorbents, maximum adsorption is achieved after 45 minutes at 90%, 83.4% and 73.95%, and with an adsorbed fluoride content of 0.22 mg/L, 0.318 mg/L and 0.52 mg/L for AA, HAP and SC, respectively. The acidity of the medium significantly affects the removal fluoride. Results deducted from the adsorption isotherms also showed that the retention follows the Langmuir model. The adsorption tests by adsorbent materials show that the physicochemical characteristics of brackish water are changed after treatment. The adsorption mechanism is an exchange between the OHions and fluoride ions. Three materials are proving to be effective adsorbents for fluoride removal that could be developed into a viable technology to help reduce the salinity of the Saharan hyper-fluorinated waters. Finally, a comparison between the results obtained from the different adsorbents allowed us to conclude that the defluoridation by AA is the process of choice for many waters of the region of Eloued-souf, because it was shown to be a very interesting and promising technique. Keywords—Fluoride removal, groundwater, hydrochemical characterization, natural materials.


A quadrature branch-line hybrid directional coupler is designed to operate in the S band i.e. in the frequency range of 2GHz to 4GHz with a centre of 2.4GHz. Since, 3dB coupling is used the input power is equally divided between the through port and the coupled port with a 90 degree phase difference. Negligible power is supplied at isolated port. The various calculations regarding the coupler design are performed and the s-parameters of the two stage coupler is measured by simulation using the Advanced Designing System (ADS) software. The two stage coupler shows decent values of s-parameters over the frequency range of 1.2 GHz. At the end a comparative study is presented with reference to the single stage coupler on the basis of coupler parameters and performance and finally the conclusion completes our discussion.


Correlated-polarity noise reduction (CPNR) is a novel noise reduction technique that uses a statistical approach to reduce noise while maintaining excellent resolution and a "normal" noise appearance. It is applicable to any type of medical imaging, and we introduced it at SPIE 2011 for reducing dose three-fold in radiography while maintaining excellent image quality. In this current work, we demonstrate for the first time its use in reducing the noise in CT images as a means of reducing the dose in CT. Simulated chest CT images were generated using the XCAT phantom and Poisson noise was added to simulate a conventional full-dose CT image and a half-dose CT image. CPNR was applied to the half-dose images in projection image space, and then the images were reconstructed using filtered backprojection with a Feldkamp methodology. The resulting CPNR processed half-dose images showed essentially equivalent relative standard deviation in the central heart region to the full-dose images, and about 0.7 times that in half-dose images that were not processed with CPNR. This noise reduction was consistent with a two-fold reduction in dose that is possible with CPNR in CT. The CPNR images demonstrated virtually identical sharpness of vessels and no apparent artifacts. We conclude that CPNR shows strong promise as a new noise reduction method for dose reduction in CT. CPNR could also be used in combination with model-based iterative reconstruction techniques for yet further dose reduction.


Explainable AI (XAI) is slowly becoming a key component for many AI applications. Rule-based and modified backpropagation XAI approaches however often face challenges when being applied to modern model architectures including innovative layer building blocks, which is caused by two reasons. Firstly, the high flexibility of rule-based XAI methods leads to numerous potential parameterizations. Secondly, many XAI methods break the implementation-invariance axiom because they struggle with certain model components, e.g., BatchNorm layers. The latter can be addressed with model canonization, which is the process of restructuring the model to disregard problematic components without changing the underlying function. While model canonization is straightforward for simple architectures (e.g., VGG, ResNet), it can be challenging for more complex and highly interconnected models (e.g., DenseNet). Moreover, there is only little quantifiable evidence that model canonization is beneficial for XAI. In this work, we propose canonizations for currently relevant model blocks applicable to popular deep neural network architectures, including VGG, ResNet, EfficientNet, DenseNets, as well as Relation Networks. We further suggest a XAI evaluation framework with which we quantify and compare the effects of model canonization for various XAI methods in image classification tasks on the Pascal VOC and ILSVRC2017 datasets, as well as for Visual Question Answering using CLEVR-XAI. Moreover, addressing the former issue outlined above, we demonstrate how our evaluation framework can be applied to perform hyperparameter search for XAI methods to optimize the quality of explanations. Code is available on https://github.com/frederikpahde/xai-canonization.


INTRODUCTION
The number of total knee replacements far exceeds the number of primary total hip replacements (THR) in Singapore. There is a paucity of data regarding patients who undergo THR in Singapore. This paper aimed to study the epidemiology and early postoperative outcomes of patients receiving primary THR in a single tertiary institution.

METHODS
This is a retrospective study of all patients undergoing primary THR between January 2003 and December 2005. The following variables were analysed: patient demographics, surgical approach, mode of implant fixation, postoperative complications and functional outcomes using D'Aubigne and Postel scoring.

RESULTS
There were a total of 115 patients who underwent primary THR over a 36-month period. The mean age of patients was 55 (range 23-80) years. The male-to-female ratio was 1:2. The most common diagnoses in descending order were as follows: inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, hip dysplasia and post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 41 months, with 90.8 percent having excellent and good outcomes. There were no statistical differences between the surgical approach and implant fixation with regard to postoperative outcome.

CONCLUSION
In Asian patients, the three commonest aetiologies for degenerative hip arthritis were inflammatory arthropathies, primary osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis. Regardless of diagnosis, the patient groups had comparable functional outcomes following THR.


Abstract. Agricultural nitrous oxide (N2O) emission accounts for a non-trivial
fraction of global greenhouse gas (GHG) budget. To date, estimating
N2O fluxes from cropland remains a challenging task because the related
microbial processes (e.g., nitrification and denitrification) are controlled
by complex interactions among climate, soil, plant and human activities.
Existing approaches such as process-based (PB) models have well-known
limitations due to insufficient representations of the processes or
uncertainties of model parameters, and due to leverage recent advances in
machine learning (ML) a new method is needed to unlock the "black box" to
overcome its limitations such as low interpretability, out-of-sample failure
and massive data demand. In this study, we developed a first-of-its-kind
knowledge-guided machine learning model for agroecosystems (KGML-ag) by
incorporating biogeophysical and chemical domain knowledge from an advanced PB
model, ecosys, and tested it by comparing simulating daily N2O fluxes with
real observed data from mesocosm experiments. The gated recurrent unit (GRU)
was used as the basis to build the model structure. To optimize the model
performance, we have investigated a range of ideas, including (1) using
initial values of intermediate variables (IMVs) instead of time series as
model input to reduce data demand; (2) building hierarchical structures to
explicitly estimate IMVs for further N2O prediction; (3) using multi-task
learning to balance the simultaneous training on multiple variables; and (4)
pre-training with millions of synthetic data generated from ecosys and fine-tuning
with mesocosm observations. Six other pure ML models were developed using
the same mesocosm data to serve as the benchmark for the KGML-ag model.
Results show that KGML-ag did an excellent job in reproducing the mesocosm
N2O fluxes (overall r2=0.81, and RMSE=3.6 mgNm-2d-1
from cross validation). Importantly, KGML-ag always outperforms
the PB model and ML models in predicting N2O fluxes, especially for
complex temporal dynamics and emission peaks. Besides, KGML-ag goes beyond
the pure ML models by providing more interpretable predictions as well as
pinpointing desired new knowledge and data to further empower the current
KGML-ag. We believe the KGML-ag development in this study will stimulate a
new body of research on interpretable ML for biogeochemistry and other
related geoscience processes.


Routine clinical assays, such as conventional immunohistochemistry, often fail to resolve the regional heterogeneity of complex inflammatory skin conditions. Here we introduce MANTIS (Multiplexed Annotated Tissue Imaging System), a flexible analytic pipeline compatible with routine practice, specifically-designed for spatially-resolved immune phenotyping of the skin in experimental or clinical samples. Based on phenotype attribution matrices coupled to α-shape algorithms, MANTIS projects a representative digital immune landscape, while enabling automated detection of major inflammatory clusters and concomitant single-cell data quantification of biomarkers. We observed that severe pathological lesions from systemic lupus erythematosus, Kawasaki syndrome or COVID-19-associated skin manifestations share common quantitative immune features, while displaying a non-random distribution of cells with the formation of disease-specific dermal immune structures. Given its accuracy and flexibility, MANTIS is designed to solve the spatial organization of complex immune environments to better apprehend the pathophysiology of skin manifestations.


Comparisons of hydrogen-deuterium solvent exchange rate constants for the NH protons of wild-type Pro----Ala-35 (P35A) and Tyr----Phe-75 (Y75F) Rhodobacter capsulatus ferrocytochromes c2 were made by 1H-15N heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation spectroscopy. Exchange rate constants increased for the NH protons of residues 45-46, 54, 57-58, 60-61, 82-87, 98, and 100 with Y75F and 16-18, 20, 34, 37, 43, 45-46, and 58 with P35A. The increases in exchange rate constants are consistent with changes in unfolding equilibria and protein dynamics. In Y75F the exchange rate constants of the observable NH protons of the helix spanning Pro-79-Asp-89, namely Phe-82-Leu-87, increase to a similar degree, suggesting that this helix is a single cooperative unfolding unit compatible with the local unfolding model. As the oxidation-reduction potential of Y75F is 59 mV lower than wild-type cytochrome c2 (367 mV), the dynamic changes in this mutant, compared to wild-type, are proposed to be important determinants of the oxidation-reduction potential. Several differences between wild-type and Y75F are in common with P35A, a mutation which does not affect the oxidation-reduction potential, implying that not all observed dynamic changes are functionally important.


The perspicuity or clarity o f Scripture in its relation to almost all areas of systematic theology is affected by postmodern hermeneutics that fail to respect the authority of Scripture. The doctrine raises a number of questions difficult to answer in a brief span, but two very basic issues are the meaning of the doctrine of persp icuity and the long-range historical context in which the doctrine has arisen. The basic doctrine means that the Bible can be understood by people through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and that people need to search the Scripture and judge for themselves what it means. Scripture itself attests its own perspicuity, but not to the point that it cannot be misunderstood or is in every point equally simple and clear. The doctrine does not rule out the need for interpretation, explanation, and exposition of the Bible by qualified leaders. The doctrine does mean that Scripture is clear enough for the simplest person, deep enough for highly qualified readers, clear in its essential matters, obscure in some places to people because of their sinfulness, understandable through ordinary means, understandable by an unsaved person on an external level, understandable in its significance by a saved person through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, and available to every believer whose faith must rest on the Scriptures. Historically, debates about perspicuity have related to Marcion's attack on the OT, the fathers' denial of OT perspicuity, covenant theology's subordination of the OT to the NT, and the medieval church's attack on biblical perspicuity. The Reformers, the Protestant scholastics, and the German pietists supported the doctrine which is of primary importance for the practice of contemporary Christians.


The aim of this doctoral study is to gain insight into the role of organisational habitus in organisational responses to institutional complexities from a process relational perspective. The study seeks for a better understanding of organisations' experience of, and subsequent responses to institutional complexities, by undertaking multi-level examination, focusing on the inter-institutional societal, field level and organisational level dynamics of the process, and placing emphasis on the role of distinct characteristics of organisations stemming from their historical origins (habitus). Relying on constructivist paradigm, I employed cross-cultural comparative study by comparing data derived from six different universities, situated in different socio-political fields, namely, Turkish, Canadian and UK contexts, aiming to delineate variations in field level institutional complexities and subsequent response patterns. The findings of this study are based on 113 interviews, two meeting observations and one focus group, as well as macro and meso level documentary data. Comparing the six universities situated in different contexts revealed that when complexities were experienced as a challenge or 'conflicting', universities were more likely to compartmentalize their practices by separation of formal structures and external parts from their internal organisational core. However, when complexities caused by the demands of market logic were perceived as 'compatible' with their own organisational resources, dispositions and strategic focus, identifying the demands of newly coming institutional logics was seen as an opportunity for status extension, and to distinguish themselves from their rivals. These universities were more likely to assimilate new, and augment existing practices aligned with the demands of market logic, or to enact with 'acquisition' strategy. Moreover, by experiencing the demands of market logic as 'complementary', and identifying institutional complexities as an opportunity for 'status reconfiguration', such universities were more likely to develop synthesizing strategy by combining and layering practices taken from market logic with their core identity and practices. The contributions of this research are multiple: First, employing cross-comparative research design, my study advances the research on institutional complexity by linking inter-institutional societal, field level and organisational level dynamics, demonstrating the recursive relationship between these dynamics to provide a better understanding of the dynamics of organisational responses. By undertaking multi-level examination of the dynamics of organisational responses through the concept of habitus, which is a powerful concept in linking meso to macro level analysis reciprocally, I provide deep insights in understanding organisational response strategies to institutional pressures in a more systematic way. Second, linking intra-organisational and macro level analysis by unpacking the mechanisms through which managerial interpretations of institutional complexity are influenced by wider social beliefs could contribute to institutional logics and behavioural theory in the firm literature. Third, by showing variations in field level institutional complexities in the same fields, situated in different national contexts, and their organisational level implications, this study complements recent works which suggest co-existence of institutional logics produces both competitive and cooperative tensions. Finally, this study provides a number of research implications for academics and practical insights for practitioners, including university managers and policy makers.


The accounting standards pervasiveness, in coexistence with the earliest civilizations, argues the accounting social dimension as a rule that governs relations between individuals. Therefore, accounting techniques as social norms and kind reflection vector describe the society conventions and principles. This societal reflects made it more complex and esoteric. Accounting seems a buildings assortment, historically dated and generating economic effects as a mechanism for tracking and remote monitoring the economic activity evolution. Accounting science is rooted, it is no longer neutral. In this sense, it would be more a gradually building steeped in cultural influences, social conflict and political issues and choices. Given the economic activities complexity and the interest deregulation, accounting sciences remain as an analysis tool for major conflicts, differences, and each party opportunistic concerns. A management tool for vertical relationships, guided by personal preferences and attitudes which each consider meditation to increase its profit margin and its timeliness. In this environment, information has become the success secret and a profit source.


This paper considers the problem of determining optimal sample sizes in advertising pretests, where two or more copies are compared for their relative advertising effectiveness measured on a dichotomous 0 or 1 scale. As the sample size is increased, sampling variations decrease so that the pretest has a better chance of identifying the truly best ad. Consequently, increasing the sample size decreases the opportunity costs of not selecting the best ad which, however, have to be balanced against the increased sampling costs. Taking these two considerations into account, three approaches indifference zone, minimizing maximum loss and Bayesian for determining sample size are discussed. The minimizing maximum loss approach seems to offer the best compromise in terms of realistic modelling and practical implementability. Extensions of the approaches to the case where advertising effectiveness is measured on an interval scale are outlined.


Electron transfer reactions in large molecules may often be coupled to both the polar solvent modes and the intramolecular vibrational modes of the molecule. This can give rise to a complex dynamics which may in some systems, like betaine, be controlled more by vibrational rather than by solvent effects. Additionally, a significant contribution from an ultrafast relaxation component in the solvation dynamics may enhance the complexity. To explain the wide range of behavior that has been observed experimentally, Barbara et al. recently proposed that a model of an electron transfer reaction should minimally consist of a low-frequency classical solvent mode (X), a low-frequency vibrational mode (Q), and a high-frequency quantum mode (q) (J. Phys. Chem. 1991, 96, 3728). In the present work, a theoretical study of this model is described. This study generalizes earlier work by including the biphasic solvent response and the dynamics of the low-frequency vibrational mode in the presence of a delocalized, extended reaction zone. A novel Green's function technique has been developed which allowed us to study the non-Markovian dynamics on a multidimensional surface. The contributions from the high-frequency vibrational mode and the ultrafast component in the non-Markovian solvent dynamics are found to be primarily responsible for the dramatic increase in charge transfer rate over the prediction of the classical theories that neglect both these factors. These, along with a large coupling between the reactant and the product states, may combine to render the electron transfer rate both very large and constant over a wide range of solvent relaxation rates. A study on the free energy gap dependence of the electron transfer rate reveals that the rates are sensitive to changes in the quantum frequency particularly when the free energy gap is very large.


Introduction:  The present study was aimed at mapping of lymphatic passage of sentinel lymph node in patients of carcinoma of breast and to correlate pathology of Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and Axillary Lymph node Dissection (ALND).  Material and methods:  Patients presenting with palpable breast carcinoma without clinically palpable or suspicious axillary lymph nodes, potentially curable breast carcinoma (T1, T2 tumours) who were undergoing ALND and willing to participate in the study were included in the study. Patients with prior axillary operations, large & locally advanced invasive breast cancers, ductal carcinoma in situ, prior breast surgery, prior chemotherapy, distant metastases and pregnant women were excluded from the study. The histopathology of SLNB and ALND were correlated in the patients and sensitivity and specificity of SLNB was calculated.  Results:  50 patients were included in the study. The blue staining sentinel lymph node was identified in 30 of 50 (60%) procedures. Of the 30 patients in whom SLN was identified, 1(3.33%) had histologically negative nodes and 29(96.66%) had histologically positive nodes; of 20 patients who had negative sentinel nodes, 19(95%) had histologically negative evidence of axillary metastasis, while 1(5%) showed histologically positive evidence of axillary metastasis. The sensitivity of sentinel lymph node status with comparison to the gold standard i.e., histopathology report, was 96.6% while the specificity was 95%. The overall positive and negative predictive values were 96.67% and 95%, respectively.  Conclusion:  Although further studies are requires to confirm the findings of the present study, the SLN accurately reflects the status of axillary lymph nodes in most patients with breast cancer, and for those with early stage disease it is rapidly emerging as an alternative to conventional axillary dissection. Key words : Carcinoma Breast, Histopathology, Mapping, Axillary Lymph node Dissection, Sentinel lymph node biopsy


Martin Shenkman, Esq., CPA/PFS, is the author of numerous books and articles on tax and financial planning, including the AICPA-published Estate and Related Planning During Economic Turmoil, and with Steve R. Akers, Estate Planning After the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2010: Tools, Tips, and Tactics. His firm, Martin M. Shenkman PC of Paramus, N.J., and New York City, specializes in serving tax and estate and business planning needs of high-net-worth individuals, professionals, owners of closely held businesses, and real estate developers. Shenkman is also a frequent lecturer on financial planning, on which he is regularly quoted in a wide range of media. Recently, he spoke with the JofA on gift and estate tax and how CPAs can advise their clients to help them make sense of the recent changes in gift and estate tax, deal with uncertainty ahead, and make the most of current opportunities. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JofA: How should CPAs and their clients prepare for uncertainty after 2012 for the estate and gift tax? Shenkman: The single most important point is not to dismiss planning as something that now only pertains to the ultrawealthy. Planning remains vital for most clients. Practitioners are well aware that in 2013, what's on the books now is that we're going to have a $1 million gift and estate tax exemption (the GST [generation-skipping transfer] exemption will be $1 million, too, but inflation-indexed), and we're going to have a 55% tax rate. Very few practitioners really believe that's going to happen, but it cannot be dismissed when consulting with clients. What will happen, I don't think anybody truly knows. So a lot of people are believing we can "wait and see," until maybe mid-2012 or late 2012, what to do before we act. And that could prove to be a very big mistake. Wait and see may become "wait and pay." The safer and smarter approach is to proactively plan flexibly, so that whatever changes occur, the client will be in a better position than if no planning had been undertaken. Meanwhile, the situation now offers a golden planning opportunity. The gift exemption is $5 million, the highest it's ever been in history, which permits huge wealth shifts. Besides the scheduled reduction of that exemption, there have been proposals to restrict GRATs (grantor retained annuity trusts) to a 10-year term. And the current practice of discounting values of private partnership interests or other forms of equity for lack of marketability or control may face restrictions as well. The Obama administration has already proposed reducing the gift exemption to $1 million. There's also an economic imperative to planning. Interest rates have started to rise, and as that happens, the leverage from note sale transactions, GRATs and other techniques diminishes. The economy is still very soft, so that you may still get some historically favorable valuations. Let me point out several opportune client scenarios for which practitioners should try to help plan for current gifts. If you have a client who lives in one of the almost 20 states, give or take, that have decoupled from the federal estate tax system, that client may face a substantial estate tax at the state level even though he or she might have no federal tax. Because of the $5 million federal gift exemption, if you have a client in his or her late 80s, or who is ill, for example, who lives in New York, which has a $1 million exemption, that client may be able to simply gift away assets today, with no federal gift tax, reducing them to, say, $995,000. When that client passes away, there's no New York estate tax. They have almost a half-million-dollar savings. It can be that simple (but watch for changes in state estate or gift tax laws). Many clients who are candidates for this type of planning won't be willing to part with such a large portion of their wealth. There are several options. First, gift something substantial but less than the maximum necessary. …


The "Quenching and Partitioning" (Q&P) process is a novel heat treatment designed for processing new generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) with substantial ductility. In this study, evolution of complex microstructure for medium carbon steels during the Q&P process has been discussed in detail. Such steels have shown a complex multiphase microstructure consisted of fresh lath-martensite, fresh plate-martensite, transition carbide and/or cementite, isothermal martensite/lower bainite, and second twin-martensite after the one-step Q&P process (with the identical quenching and partitioning temperature). The morphology for the microstructure at room temperature after the two-step Q&P process (with different quenching and partitioning temperatures) demonstrated a little different. The formation of different microstructure for these two processes and their correlation with the mechanical properties are discussed.


While the Land Acts which led to the creation of the Homelands have been identified as one of the cornerstones of apartheid, there is consensus amongst analysts that to simply scrap this legislation is unlikely to address the severe inequality in the distribution of land. Clearly considerable political pressure will be brought to bear on future governments to adopt more affirmative steps for the redistribution of agricultural land, and the promotion of a deracialised agricultural sector. Land reform is an emotive issue and the racial division of land in South Africa has been highly contentious over the past forty years. Redistribution then has a purely political dimension, although there is an important economic rationale as well. Overcrowding and overstocking have led to the degradation of a sizable proportion of South Africa's farming land and needs to be attended to. A relatively large proportion of the Homeland population is likely to remain in the rural areas and will depend upon agriculture to meet a part of their subsistence needs in at least the short term. In addition, an excessively unequal distribution of productive resources is regarded as been undesirable for the development process (Fiqueroa, 1975), and redistribution itself therefore has the potential to promote economic growth if properly implemented. One area of potential development is the promotion of livestock ranching, and this paper suggests that livestock ranching has significant opportunities as a means of promoting agricultural development in South Africa. Some of the factors which will have an impact on the form which any land redistribution should take will be discussed as the future basis for livestock development. The paper will conclude by suggesting some ideas as to how constraints might be overcome, and opportunities maximised.


Most studies of Freire concentrate on his method and techniques. This present work seeks to go beneath the obvious practice of Literacy teaching, to analyse the construction of his pedagogy and to explore the contradictions posed both by Freire's life (bio-texts) and by his work (grapho-texts).

The study therefore proposes the most detailed Biography of Freire which is yet currently available, identifying the main stages of his career and exploring the development of his educational philosophy.

Following a brief review of his Method. There is a detailed presentation of the Sources and Influences which lie behind Freire's pedagogy, which reveal his comprehensive eclecticism but which also place him firmly within the classical tradition of European education. This section reveals for the first time some of the key taproots of Freirean philosophy.

This textual archaeology and genealogy is also used to construct an analysis of this philosophy through a detailed examination of the concepts of Dialogue and Conscientisation. Trying to reconcile the fundamental disjunction which appears between Freire's rhetoric and his practice.

That "Dialogic Education" may be a contradiction in terms is further explored through a unique examination of the Teaching Material which Freire used in his programme. The fundamental contradiction is exposed: that Literacy, which means "learning to read" can never achieve its ideals of Dialogue.

The study is itself structured on the Freirean Methodology of Coding and Decoding. In ends by placing Freire's pedagogy within the wider context (con-text) of the recent Literacy debate, confronting the nature of Literacy itself, the construction of Power and Knowledge through Writing and the further contradiction contained in the idea of "Functional Literacy". The conclusion is that Literacy is its own multi-faceted Pharmakon: of its essence, Literacy is an agent of Control and an agent of Change.

The strength of the study is in its detail and in its extensive bibliographic research. It concludes that Freire's attempt to retexture Literacy, to renovate the inherent contradictions of teaching and learning, is a major contribution to Pedagogy, not because it is successful but because it authentically and exhaustively Problem Posing. The "Metodo Paulo Freire" is a contradictory pedagogy, but it is also a Pedagogy of Contradiction.


In the context of highly competitive global markets, challenging customer needs and increasing dynamics of business environment, businesses try to identify and apply the most effective practices whose enforcement will lead to superior performance. It becomes necessary for businesses operating in competitive environment to efficiently generate, disseminate and respond to market information. Market orientation is a concept that has appeared as a significant predictor of business performance. The main aim of the paper is to examine market orientation of businesses operating in Slovakia through MARKOR measurement method with the respect to business performance measured through the financial and non-financial indicators. The MARKOR method enables to gain information about specific behavioural reactions of business on critical aspects of a market such as competition, customers, regulation, social and macroeconomic forces. Research findings may help businesses to identify the most relevant elements that subsequently could be implemented with the intention of reaching better position on the market.


: Optical tweezers are proven indispensable single-cell micro-manipulation and mechanical phenotyping tools. In this study, we have used optical tweezers for measuring the viscoelastic properties of human red blood cells (RBCs). Comparison of the viscoelastic features of the healthy fresh and atorvastatin treated cells revealed that the drug softens the cells. Using a simple modeling approach, we proposed a molecular model that explains the drug-induced softening of the RBC membrane. Our results suggest that direct interactions between the drug and cytoskeletal components underlie the drug-induced softening of the cells.


A micromachining method has been developed for fabricating 20µm tall silicon atomic force tips with flat tops less than 2µm wide suitable for defining nanosensors upon, and with low aspect ratio sides suitable for defining electrical connections to the sensor.

Methods have been developed to allow flat substrate processing techniques to be applied to such non-planar micromachined substrates. This has necessitated the development of a novel resist-coating technique and the use of defocused electron-beam lithography. Methods for through-wafer alignment by electron-beam lithography and accurate alignment to the tips using micromachined alignment markers have also had to be developed.

The fabrication process has been designed to enable a wide variety of sub-micron sensors to be defined on the atomic force probes, with little additional development beyond that of : sensors themselves. This flexibility has enabled very different sensors meant for very different scanning probe microscopy techniques to be designed without significant redevelopment of the underlying fabrication process. The main restrictions on the type of sensor that can be used are the physical dimensions of the sensor, the number of alignment levels necessary, the degree of alignment accuracy required and the choice of sensor materials. However, within these constraints it has been found that probes optimised for scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM), scanning thermal microscopy, modulation differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) and scanning Hall-probe microscopy can be fabricated.

For the SNOM probes three methods for fabricating sub-l00nm diameter apertures have been developed, analysed and compared with each other to evaluate both the process latitude. and, the size and reproducibility of apertures that can be fabricated, as a function of electron beam dose, pattern shape and size, and metallisation material and thickness. Two methods, both utilising multilayer 'resist' schemes have been found suitable for this purpose, one based on conventional electron-beam lithography with PMMA and a new dry etching process for titanium, and the other based on a novel electron-beam lithography technique utilising cross-linked PMMA for lifting off nichrome. A simple analytical model has also been developed for these probes allowing the effects of changes in the sensor design parameters on the light throughput to be compared qualitatively, if not quantitatively.

For the scanning thermal probes a method for lifting-off sub-l00nm, thin-film thermocouple sensors on silicon tips without the loss of electrical continuity has been developed. For the MDSC probes, a similar method has been developed for defining thermal resistors. A method has also been presented for fabricating sensors for scanning Hall-probe microscopy based on an evaporated germanium sensing layer. This has been found to require annealing and optimisation of sensor design and geometry to reduce sensor resistance to acceptable levels.


The paper reflects the content and forms of the sexual abuse of children and the features of incestuous abuse. It analyzes the impact of sexual abuse on a child's life, including the immediate and long-term consequences of sexual violence. The paper determines the peculiarities of psychological assistance to sexually abused children, the goals of psychological support, the tasks and forms of conducting a psychological session with a child. The aim of the study is to identify the impact of psychological assistance on the dynamics and changes in the personal characteristics of sexually abused children. The empirical basis of the study consisted of 64 people (9 boys and 55 girls between the ages of 6 and 15) who had been sexually abused and received psychological assistance. The experimental study was conducted during 2019 and covered the results of observations, interviews with children who were the victims of violence, collecting formalized data using three multifactorial psychodiagnostic techniques. It was proved that psychotherapeutic work with this category of children contributes to changes in the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral spheres of personality. There were positive changes in mental states, gradual changes in the attitudes towards their body and assessment of their physicality, the development of sexuality, a correct idea of the body was formed, etc. The methodical complex used in the research confirmed its validity and it can be used as a psychological tool for diagnosing the mental trauma of abused children.


Why has IMF lending achieved such poor results in Africa? Is it because the Fund imposes the wrong conditions, or because it fails to enforce them? Analysis of monthly data on 53 African countries from 1990 to 2000 shows that the IMF's loans-for-reform contract lacks credibility because donor countries intervene to prevent rigorous enforcement. Countries that have influence with developed-country patrons—as measured by U.S. foreign aid, membership in postcolonial international institutions, and voting profiles in the UN—are subject to less rigorous enforcement (shorter program suspensions). They have more frequent program suspensions, because they violate their conditions more often. The IMF will have to become more independent in order to become an effective champion of reform.


For the aim of computing compressible turbulent flowfield involving shock waves, an implicit large eddy simulation (LES) code has been developed based on the idea of monotonically integrated LES. We employ the weighted compact nonlinear scheme (WCNS) not only for capturing possible shock waves but also for attaining highly accurate resolution required for implicit LES. In order to show that WCNS is a proper choice for implicit LES, a two-dimensional homogeneous turbulence is first obtained by solving the Navier―Stokes equations for incompressible flow. We compare the inertial range in the computed energy spectrum with that obtained by the direct numerical simulation (DNS) and also those given by the different LES approaches. We then obtain the same homogeneous turbulence by solving the equations for compressible flow. It is shown that the present implicit LES can reproduce the inertial range in the energy spectrum given by DNS fairly well. A truncation of energy spectrum occurs naturally at high wavenumber limit indicating that dissipative effect is included properly in the present approach. A linear stability analysis for WCNS indicates that the third order interpolation determined in the upwind stencil introduces a large amount of numerical viscosity to stabilize the scheme, but the same interpolation makes the scheme weakly unstable for waves satisfying kΔx ≈ 1. This weak instability results in a slight increase in the energy spectrum at high wavenumber limit. In the computed result of homogeneous turbulence, a fair correlation is shown to exist between the locations where the magnitude of ∇ × ω becomes large and where the weighted combination of the third order interpolations in WCNS deviates from the optimum ratio to increase the amount of numerical viscosity. Therefore, the numerical viscosity involved in WCNS becomes large only at the locations where the subgrid-scale viscosity can arise in ordinary LES. This suggests the reason why the present implicit LES code using WCNS can resolve turbulent flow field reasonably well.


Background and purpose — The Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) was analyzed to determine trends in use of primary total elbow arthroplasty (TEA), the types of prostheses used, primary diagnoses, reasons for and types of revision, and whether the primary diagnosis or prosthesis design influenced the revision rate. Patients and methods — During 2008–2018, 1,220 primary TEA procedures were reported of which 140 TEAs were revised. Kaplan–Meier estimates of survivorship were used to describe the time to first revision and hazard ratios (HR) from Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for age and sex, were used to compare revision rates. Results — The annual number of TEAs performed remained constant. The 3 most common diagnoses for primary TEA were fracture/dislocation (trauma) (36%), osteoarthritis (OA) (34%), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (26%). The cumulative percentage revision for all TEAs undertaken for any reason was 10%, 15%, and 19% at 3, 6, and 9 years. TEAs undertaken for OA had a higher revision rate compared with TEAs for trauma (HR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.1–3.0) and RA (HR = 2.0, CI 1.3–3.1). The Coonrad-Morrey (50%), Latitude (30%), Nexel (10%), and Discovery (9%) were the most used prosthesis designs. There was no difference in revision rates when these 4 designs were compared. The most common reasons for revision were infection (35%) and aseptic loosening (34%). Interpretation — The indications for primary and revision TEA in Australia are similar to those reported for other registries. Revision for trauma is lower than previously reported.


Deep drainage estimates are required for effective management of water resources. However, field measurements are time consuming and costly so simple empirical relationships are often used. Relationships developed between clay content of the surface soil and deep drainage have been used extensively in Australia to provide regional estimates of deep drainage but these relationships have been poorly justified and did not include rainfall in the relationships. Here we present a rigorous appraisal of clay content of soils and rainfall as predictors of deep drainage using an extensive database of field observations from across Australia. This study found that annual average rainfall and the average clay content of the top 2 m of the soil are statistically significant predictors of point scale deep drainage. Relationships have been defined for annual, perennial and tree type vegetation as a line of best fit along with 95% confidence intervals. This allows the uncertainty in these deep drainage estimates to be assessed for the first time.


Recognizing landmarks in sequences of images is a challenging problem for a number of reasons. First of all, the appearance of any given landmark varies substantially from one observation to the next. In addition to variations due to different aspects, an illumination change, external clutter, and changing geometry of the imaging devices are other factors affecting the variability of the observed landmarks. Finally, it is typically difficult to make use of accurate 3D information in landmark recognition applications. For those reasons, it is not possible to use many of the object recognition techniques based on strong geometric models. The alternative is to use image-based techniques in which landmarks are represented by collections of images which capture the "typical" appearance of the object. The information most relevant to recognition is extracted from the collection of raw images and used as the model for recognition. This process is often referred to as "visual learning." Models of landmarks are acquired from image sequences and later recognized for vehicle localization in urban environments. In the acquisition phase, a vehicle drives and collects images of an unknown area. The algorithm organizes these images into groups with similar image features. The feature distribution for each group describes a landmark. In the recognition phase, while navigating through the same general area, the vehicle collects new images. The algorithm classifies these images into one of the learned groups, thus recognizing a landmark. Unlike computationally intensive model-based approaches that build models from known objects observed in isolation, our image-based approach automatically learns the most salient landmarks in complex environments. It delivers a robust performance under a wide range of lighting and imaging angle variations.


In an examination of transatlantic Puritanism from 1570 to 1638, Theodore Dwight Bozeman analyzes the quest for purity through sanctification. The word "Puritan," he says, accurately depicts a major and often obsessive trait of the English late Reformation: a hunger for discipline. The Precisianist Strain clarifies what Puritanism in its disciplinary mode meant for an early modern society struggling with problems of change, order, and identity. Focusing on ascetic teachings and rites, which in their severity fostered the "precisianist strain" prevalent in Puritan thought and devotional practice, Bozeman traces the belief of believers put under ever more meticulous demands. Sectarian theologies of ease and consolation soon formed in reaction to those demands, Bozeman argues, eventually giving rise to a "first wave" of antinomian revolt, including the American conflicts of 1636-1638. Antinomianism, based on the premise of salvation without strictness and duty, was not so much a radicalization of Puritan content as a backlash against the whole project of disciplinary religion. Its reconceptualization of self and responsibility would affect Anglo-American theology for decades to come.


Keratin is an insoluble fibrous protein found in hair, wool, feather, nail, horns and other epithelial covering. The high resistance of keratin to proteases is due to its densely packed and strongly stabilized by several hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, in addition to several disulfide bonds. A keratinase enzyme is useful for biotechnological purposes, and also for hydrolysis of de-hairing of bovine hides, poultry feathers, and leather surplus. In the present study, B. cereus KJ72442 was isolated from deteriorated leather samples using feather meal as a substrate and identified by 16SrDNA sequencing and with accession number B. cereus Lr3/2 KP015746). The colony showing the highest zone of keratin hydrolysis on feather meal agar was selected for keratinase production. B. cereus showed efficient keratinase production 41.06±2U/ml at optimum temperature of 37°C and pH 7 after 72h using 1% feather meal as a substrate. B. cereus keratinolytic activity was found to be metalloprotease, as inhibited by 1mM EDTA but not by PMSF.In addition to keratinase, B. cereus KP015746 (Lr3/2) was also proficiently found to produce collagenase, caseinase and gelatinase. On the lab scale, the efficiency of B. cereus Lr3/2 KP015746 keratinase to degrade leather was analyzed and observed excellent results. Hence, the experimental outcome revealed that B.cereus KP015746 (Lr3/2) can be effectively used to treat keratin, collagen rich agro industrial waste ecofriendly.


Scuba diving with compressed air has become a recreational sport that can be performed at all stages of adulthood. The human body including all gas-filled cavities are exposed to an increased ambient pressure during a dive. In the present review article, specific aspects of diving related disorders are that are of importance in the otolaryngology field are presented and discussed: the multitude of causes for divers' vertigo and the so called divers ear. Furthermore, useful recommendations in the assessment of physical fitness for diving are presented. This review will provide a background and foundation for both, an adequate treatment of these diseases and a critical and responsible health education of the diver.


Predictions of shear-wave logs in wells that do not have dipole Sonics are challenging, particularly in heavy oil reservoirs. In this study, we utilized linear-regression, robust locally weighted scattering and smoothing (LOWESS), and several other approaches of iteratively re-weighted linear least- squares inversion (IRLS) techniques to estimate shear-wave logs. The developed computer codes were implemented using well logs from three different types of reservoirs (conventional oil, heavy oil, and tight shale oil) in WCSB. The proposed methods guard against outliers, and have shown improvements in predicting shear-wave sonic logs compared to standard linear relationships (Castagna et. al., 1985).


Abstract
 In this paper, we propose a viable optimal solution for achieving multi-objective optimization in powder mixed electrical discharge machining (PMEDM) process parameters, using titanium powder. Taguchi–AHP–Deng's method is used to solve the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem for this technology. The process parameters selected are workpiece material, electrode material, electrode polarity, pulse on time (Ton), pulse off time (Tof), current (I), and powder concentration. The material removal rate (MRR), tool wear rate (TWR), surface roughness (SR), hardness surface (HV), and white layer thickness (WLT) were determined simultaneously. The results showed that the optimal material for the workpiece is SKD11 die steel; the optimal material for the electrode is Gr; and the polarity of the electrode should be positive. The optimal values for the other process parameters were determined to be Ton = 20 μs, Tof = 57 μs, and I = 8 A, and that for the powder concentration was 10 g/l. The quality criteria for the optimal process parameters were determined to be MRR = 59.669 mm3/min, TWR = 14.073 mm3/min, SR = 4.45 μm, HV = 907.64 HV and WLT = 8.56 μm. The results were verified through experiments, which revealed a good accuracy (error ≈ 11.67%). The white-layer formation on the machined surface was reduced using titanium powder-based PMEDM for die steel at the optimal conditions. The results showed that Deng's similarity method is the most suitable for MCDM in PMEDM using titanium powder.


This paper presents a heuristic approach to overcome the harmonic elimination problem in multilevel inverters. Particle Swarm Optimization is applied to solve the transcendental equations characterizing the harmonic contents so as to eliminate some lower order harmonics while producing the required fundamental voltage. The optimum switching angles are determined for a unipolar and fundamental frequency switching scheme. This technique can be used for any multilevel inverters with any number of levels; as an example in this paper, 7 and 11-level cascaded inverters are considered. The possible solution sets in linear modulation range are given for both inverters and the computational results are validated with the simulation studies. The obtained results show that the method does effectively suppress any number of specific harmonics and the output voltage waveform has low total harmonic distortion.


During hair follicle (HF) morphogenesis, p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) reportedly is the first growth factor receptor found to be expressed by those fibroblasts that later develop into the dermal papilla (DP) of the HF. However, the functional role of p75NTR in HF morphogenesis is still unknown. Studying HF development in fetal and neonatal C57BL/6 murine back skin, we show that p75NTR-immunoreactivity (IR) is prominently expressed by DP fibroblasts as well as by skin nerves during the early steps of HF development. In contrast, p75NTR-IR disappears from the DP in the fully developed HF and it is expressed only in the epithelial outer root sheath of the HF. Compared to age-matched wild-type animals, p75NTR knockout (-/-) mice show significant acceleration of HF morphogenesis, and DP fibroblasts of p75NTR knockout mice show reduced proliferative activity in situ, indicating alterations in their transition from proliferation to differentiation. Although no significant differences in the expression of adhesion molecules (NCAM), selected morphogens (TGFbeta-2, HGF/SF, FGF-2, KGF), or their receptors (TGFbetaR-II, m-met, FGFR-1) were seen between DP of p75NTR knockout and wild-type mice, p75NTR mutants showed a prominent upregulation of FGFR-2, a high-affinity receptor for KGF, in both follicular DP and epithelium. Furthermore, the administration of anti-KGF neutralizing antibody significantly inhibited acceleration of HF morphogenesis in p75NTR knockout mice in vivo. These observations suggest that p75NTR plays an important role during HF morphogenesis, functioning as a receptor that negatively controls HF development, most likely via alterations in DP fibroblast proliferation/differentiation and via downregulation of KGF/FGFR-2 signaling in the HF.


The analysis of the APOGEE data suggests the existence of a clear distinction between two sequences of disc stars in the [$\alpha$/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] abundance ratio space. We aim to test if the two-infall chemical evolution models designed to reproduce these two sequences in the solar neighbourhood are also capable to predict the disc bimodality observed in the vertical distribution of [Mg/Fe] in APOGEE DR16 data. Along with the predicted chemical composition of SSPs born at different Galactic times in the solar vicinity, we provide their maximum vertical height |zmax| above the Galactic plane computed assuming the relation between the vertical action and stellar age in thin disc stars. The predicted vertical distribution of the [Mg/Fe] abundance ratio is in agreement with the one observed combining the APOGEE DR16 data and the astroNN catalogue (stellar ages, orbital parameters) for stars younger than 8 Gyr (only low-$\alpha$ sequence stars). Including the high-$\alpha$ disc component, the dichotomy in the vertical [Mg/Fe] abundance distribution is reproduced considering the observational cut in the Galactic height of |z|<2 kpc. However, our model predicts a too flat growth of the |zmax| as a function of [Mg/Fe] for high-$\alpha$ objects in contrast with the median values from APOGEE data. Possible explanations for such a tension are: i) the data sample with |z|<2 kpc is more likely contaminated by halo stars, causing the median values to be kinematically hotter, ii) external perturbations such as minor mergers could have heated up the disc, and the heating of the orbits cannot be modelled by only scattering processes. Assuming for the data a disc dissection based on chemistry, the observed |zmax| distributions for high-$\alpha$ and low-$\alpha$ sequences are in good agreement with our model predictions if we consider in the calculation the errors in the vertical action estimates.


STAT5 is a key intracellular mediator of prolactin signaling and can activate transcription of milk proteins in response to prolactin. STAT5 genes are suggested to be candidate markers for milk protein yield and composition in dairy cattle. PCR-SSCP was applied to analyze the polymorphisms of two loci in STAT5A gene in 279 Chinese Holstein cattle. Genotype frequencies, allele frequencies and correlation coefficients between the polymorphic variants and milk production traits were estimated. Three genotypes were found at the two loci. At locus P1 the frequencies of genotypes AA/GG/AG were 0.240/0.147/0.613 and those of alleles A and G were 0.547 and 0.453, respectively. The A/G genotypes had significant effect on milk yield and milk protein content in lactations 1 and 2. At locus P2 the genotype frequencies of CC/TT/CT were 0.752/0.004/0.244 and C and T allele frequencies were 0.875 and 0.125, respectively. Different genotypes had remarkable effect on the milk protein content in lactation 2.


Abstract In the literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) the origin of the equity is seen as one the drivers of CSR. There is evidence of multinational corporations stimulating diffusion of CSR practices in a few emerging economies. There are no similar studies focusing on the Polish economy. Since CSR practices are country-specific it is important to investigate if and how capital flows foster corporate social responsibility among firms established and operating in Poland. The method applied in the study is a statistical analysis of the ownership structure of firm whose socially responsible practices are highly ranked by the independent think-tanks compared to the ownership structure of their most relevant competitors. The results allow for a more comprehensive understanding of CSR drivers in Poland as well as the role of foreign capital in reshaping economic structures in Poland.


In this paper, a simplified constant crack tip opening angle (CTOA) model is presented and used to analyze two different pipeline steels. The steels examined in this work were an American Petroleum Institute (API) Standard X65 steel and a Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) steel with the grade designation of STPG370. The commercial finite element (FE) code ABAQUS 2017x was used to generate the models and solve the analyses. The proposed propagation model was first verified through comparing the numerical results with published data. The steady-state fracture velocity data from the simplified model matched the data from literature within a maximum difference of 2% while drastically reducing the computational time required by an order of magnitude. Following the verification of the simplified model, it was then used to analyze recent experimental data. The model was able to match the experimental crack velocity data within a difference of 4%.


With artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and other recent digitalization phenomena, we are about to enter the second era of digitalization, which poses a challenge for the conduct of economic policy and for measurement that supports it. Per se, the accounting principles employed in estimating Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remain valid also in the new era. Nevertheless, the impacts of digitalization are not fully captured in the current employed measurement practices. In recent times, year-to-year real changes in GDP have been underestimated in official statistics. When it comes to GDP and material well-being, measurement challenges are to be found in five domains: 1. determining prices as well as quality, variety, and volume of digital goods and services; 2. gauging the consequences of reduced roles of specialized middlemen due to, e.g., online self-service; 3. capturing the effects of increasingly prevalent free and ad-supported internet services, 4. estimating the effects of multinational enterprises' efforts in minimizing their tax burden in particular regarding intangible assets, and 5. accounting for the rising platform, sharing, or gig economy, in which consumers may simultaneously be producers. Domains 2 to 5 above tend to erode the tax base. Domains 1 to 3 may lead to a situation, in which indexed social benefits over-compensate for the actual loss of welfare and thus rise "too fast". The ongoing work to take into account the consequences of digitalization in national accounts should be continued. The increasing societal importance of digitalization also call for a separate satellite account for gauging, e.g., the welfare effects of digital goods and services provided free of charge. Besides GDP, other measures of welfare and well-being are needed. Publisher Prime Minister's Office Printed by (place and time) Publication sales/ Distributed by www.vnk.fi/julkaisut


From August to December, thousands of Black-necked Grebes Podiceps nigricollis concentrate during the flightless moult period in salt ponds in the Odiel Marshes, southern Spain, where they feed on the brine shrimp Artemia parthenogenetica. We predicted that because Black-necked Grebes moulted in a food-rich, predator-free environment, there would be no net loss of body mass caused by the use of fat stored to meet energy needs during remigial feather replacement (as is the case for some other diving waterbirds). However, because the food resource disappears in winter, we predicted that grebes moulting later in the season would put on more body mass prior to moult because of the increasing risk of an Artemia population crash before the moult period is completed. Body mass determinations of thousands of birds captured during 2000–2010 showed that grebes in active wing-moult showed greater mass with date of capture. Early-moulting grebes were significantly lighter at all stages than late-moulting birds. Grebes captured with new feathers post-moult were significantly lighter than those in moult. This is the first study to support the hypothesis that individual waterbirds adopt different strategies in body mass accumulation according to timing of moult: early-season grebes were able to acquire an excess of energy over expenditure and accumulate fat stores while moulting. Delayed moulters acquired greater fat stores in advance of moult to contribute to energy expenditure for feather replacement and retained extra stores later, most likely as a bet hedge against the increasing probability of failing food supply and higher thermoregulatory demands late in the season. An alternative hypothesis, that mass change is affected by a trophically transmitted cestode using brine shrimps as an intermediate host and Black-necked Grebes as final host, was not supported by the data.


Network visibility and monitoring are critical in modern networks due to the increased density, additional complexity, higher bandwidth, and lower latency requirements. Precise packet timestamping and synchronization are essential to temporally correlate captured information in different datacenter locations. This is key for visibility, event ordering and latency measurements in segments as telecom, power grids and electronic trading in finance, where order execution and reduced latency are critical for successful business outcomes. This contribution presents Precise Network Time Monitoring (PNTM), a novel mechanism for asynchronous Ethernet packet timestamping which adapts a Digital Dual Mixer Time Difference (DDMTD) implemented in an FPGA. Picosecond-precision packet timestamping is outlined for 1 Gigabit Ethernet. Furthermore, this approach is combined with the White Rabbit (WR) synchronization protocol, used as reference for the IEEE 1588–2019 High Accuracy Profile to provide unprecedented packet capturing correlation accuracy in distributed network scenarios thanks to its sub-nanosecond time transfer. The paper presents different application examples, describes the method of implementation, integration of WR with PNTM and subsequently describes experiments to demonstrate that PNTM is a suitable picosecond-level distributed packet timestamping solution.


The paper is concerned with some data, obtained during a study of case histories and x-ray findings of 12 (0.1%) of 9260 patients treated over the last 10 years in a traumatology department at a regional hospital for various traumas. Posttraumatic oil embolism was diagnosed in these 12 patients during their life. Of them 2 patients were women, and 10 men aged 20 to 74, and 7 patients were under 30. Five patients died. Open fracture was registered in 4 patients, closed fracture--in 7 patients, and contusion of the soft tissues--in one. Two cases were presented as an example. A conclusion was made of a possibility of the effective diagnosis and treatment of this severe posttraumatic complication at a provincial hospital.


Introduction:
Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen transmitted to humans from infected pigs. Nearly all human cases of S. suis are caused by serotype 2 organisms, and meningitis is the best‐documented type of human infection. On rare occasions, S. suis can be transmitted to humans from wild boars.
Case presentation:
Here we report a case where S. suis of serotype 14 was transmitted from a wild boar to a previously healthy 63‐year‐old man, causing meningitis, spondylodiscitis, a psoas abscess and a prolonged post‐infectious inflammatory condition. The infection was treated with a long course of β‐lactam antibiotics, but signs of inflammation were relieved only after the addition of corticosteroids. The isolate was found to harbour the virulence‐associated gene sly.
Conclusiuon:
S. suis of serotypes other than type 2 can be transmitted to humans from wild boars and the disease may become complicated. Increasing numbers of wild boars in some European countries calls for increased vigilance to this type of infection.


: An investigation was made in the cerebrospinal fluid of 82 patients who had bleeding into the subarachnoid space or other neurologic disorders in order to study the macrophages. The ages of these patients ranged from 24 hours to 80 years. It was verified that the macrophages with red blood cell could be demonstrated from 24 hours until 30 days after the onset of the bleeding. The macrophages with hemosiderin were observed after the 6th day after the onset of the bleeding, and they could be seen in some cases after 70 days. It was discussed the assertion that the simultaneous presence of red blood cell and hemosiderin in the cytoplasm always indicates repeated hemorrhage. In a 24-hour-old newborn baby with bleeding in the subarachnoid space it was found macrophage with hemosiderin. This anomalous finding pointed out to hemorrhage during the intrauterine life.


Taiwan has had discriminatory trade and investment policies towards China, severely limiting economic engagement across the Strait. Not having free and open trade with China, one of the largest and most important parts of the East Asian economy, has resulted in Taiwan's underperforming in attracting foreign direct investment, effectively cut Taiwan off from participating fully in East Asian production networks and prevented the deepening of its specialisation in the regional and international economy. The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement is a watershed in cross-Strait relations and gives Taiwan the opportunity to integrate more fully into the East Asian economy. There is pressure now for Taiwan to pursue preferential trade deals with other countries. This is not the best way forward; rather, Taiwan should pursue a multilateral trade strategy and focus on domestic reforms that will bring larger economic gains, economic diversification and avoid the political risks to the cross-Strait relationship associated with preferential deals.


The Low Level RF (LLRF) system for the new generation of Free-Electron Laser (FEL) machines, contains many specialized devices with superior performance. One of the crucial LLRF subsystems is the Local Oscillator (LO) generation. The LO signal is mixed with the cavity probe signal, which carries the information about amplitude and phase of electromagnetic field in cavity. The resulting IF signal is processed by the LLRF control system feedback scheme. Lowering the phase noise of the LO signal allows to have more precise information about the accelerating field. Therefore the main effort in the LO generation design is focused on ultra low phase noise devices. Another requirements for LO generation devices are phase drift minimization, reliability and small physical dimensions allowing to use such devices in modular hardware standards like xTCA. In this paper the PLL architecture of the 1354 MHz LO generation module is described and the compromise between low phase noise and compact package is discussed. The phase noise contribution of different frequency dividers, amplifiers and VCOs is presented. A prototype of the module was designed and elaborated in laboratory. A residual integrated RMS phase jitter of the LO signal of less than 100 fs has been achieved.


Manufacturing systems consisting of many machines and producing many types of parts are considered. Each part type requires processing for a specified length of time at each machine in a prescribed sequence of machines. Machines may require a setup time when changing between part types, and parts may incur a variable transportation delay when moving between machines. The goal is to schedule all the machines dynamically so that all the part types are produced at the desired rates while maintaining bounded buffer sizes at all machines. A previously open problem is resolved by exhibiting the instability of all clearing policies for some nonacyclic manufacturing systems. Surprisingly, such instabilities can occur even when all setup times are identically zero, and they are induced purely by starvation of machines. Sufficient conditions on the system topology and processing and demand rates which ensure the stability of distributed clear-a-fraction policies are shown. A general distributed supervisory mechanism which will stabilize any policy is studied.<<ETX>>


The neuroethology of song learning, production, and maintenance in songbirds presents interesting similarities to human speech. We have developed a biophysical model of the manner in which song could be maintained in adult songbirds. This model may inform us about the human counterpart to these processes. In songbirds, signals generated in nucleus High Vocal center (HVc) follow a direct route along a premotor pathway to the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA) as well as an indirect route to RA through the anterior forebrain pathway (AFP): the neurons of RA are innervated from both sources. HVc expresses very sparse bursts of spikes having interspike intervals of about 2 ms. The expressions of these bursts arrive at the RA with a time difference DeltaT approximate to 50 +/10 ms between the two pathways. The observed combination of AMPA and NMDA receptors at RA projection neurons suggests that long-term potentiation and long-term depression can both be induced by spike timing plasticity through the pairing of the HVc and AFP signals. We present a dynamical model that stabilizes this synaptic plasticity through a feedback from the RA to the AFP using known connections. The stabilization occurs dynamically and is absent when the RA --> AFP connection is removed. This requires a dynamical selection of DeltaT. The model does this, and DeltaT lies within the observed range. Our model represents an illustration of a functional consequence of activity-dependent plasticity directly connected with neuroethological observations. Within the model the parameters of the AFP, and thus the magnitude of DeltaT, can also be tuned to an unstable regime. This means that destabilization might be induced by neuromodulation of the AFP. Dynamical model of birdsong maintenance and control Henry D. I. Abarbanel * Department of Physics and Marine Physical Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California 92093-0233, USA


Using micro-data for the year 2007, this article analyzes the effectiveness of Luxembourg's minimum guaranteed income (revenu minimum garanti — RMG) social assistance programme. First, we examine the effectiveness of the RMG by comparing the proportion of eligible households based on the different criteria for the years 2007 and 1986, and find that, in 2007, 5.5 per cent of households were eligible versus 3.75 per cent in 1986. A relaxation of the RMG's eligibility criteria implies that more low-income households should have access to the RMG. As a second measure of programme effectiveness, the article estimates the extent of non-takeup behaviour among those eligible for the RMG in 2007. It is found that just over 65 per cent of all households potentially entitled to the RMG do not claim. Regression analysis of the potential determinants of non-takeup behaviour confirms the hypotheses derived from theoretical models in the literature, i.e. that rational motivation, such as the expected net utility from claiming, and stigma, play a major role in explaining levels of non-takeup.


In this unusual and unique volume, Alexander Leitch provides a warm, often witty, and always informative reference book on Princeton University. The collection of approximately 400 articles, alphabetically arranged and written by some seventy faculty members and alumni in addition to the author, covers all aspects of Princeton life in the past as well as in the present. Of special interest are the biographies of eminent Princetonians, including the University's presidents, well-known trustees, distinguished deans, famous alumni, and some of Princeton's most prominent and popular professors. Other articles in the book embrace a wide range of topics: histories of academic departments, programs, and research units; descriptions of the honor system, the preceptorial method, the four-course plan, and coeducation; a historical survey of the University's acquisition of land and the development of its campus, together with articles on its principal buildings; pieces on student activities; accounts of alumni activities; articles on athletics; portraits of notable personalities; and commentaries on a host of lighter topics such as the cane spree, beer jackets, the Faculty Song, the proctors, and Veterans of Future Wars. Among the most important articles are one summarizing Woodrow Wilson's Sesquicentennial address, "Princeton in the Nation's Service," and a dozen others recording faculty and alumni achievements toward the goal encompassed by that phrase.Originally published in 1978.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.


OBJECTIVE
To perfect and estimate the possibilities of using a mini-invasive diagnostic procedure under magnetic resonance (MR) guidance in the complex anatomic situations in cases of pathological small pelvic changes of unknown origin.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Ten small pelvic interventions were made under MR guidance. The indications for bone biopsy under MR guidance were poor visualization of bone changes or their absence during radiography, including computed tomography. Small pelvic organ and soft tissue biopsies were carried out in the situations of complex location of pathological changes adjacent to critical organs, large vascular and neural structures. All interventions were done using a high-field MR scanner. Freehand biopsy was performed in a stepwise fashion under axial and sagittal T2-weighted image control.

RESULTS
Informative histological material was obtained in 100% of cases. No complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS
It became possible to verify the diagnosis based on morphological findings and to timely determine management tactics only by target biopsy under MR guidance in these 10 patients with small pelvic changes of unknown origin.


Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been used for decades for the determination of
different classes of pharmaceuticals in different sample matrices because of its
advantageous high separation efficiency and fast analysis time. However, the major
disadvantage of CE is its poor detection sensitivity. In the current work, the
improvement in detection sensitivity of CE has been extensively studied and applied
for the determination of two classes of pharmaceutical compounds.
Electrokinetic supercharging (EKS), a powerful preconcentration technique in CE,
has been studied for the analysis of seven non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs). The separation selectivity was optimised via adjustment of the
concentration of the separation buffer (disodium tetraborate pH 9.20) and the
amount of methanol as an organic modifier. Different EKS parameters, including
injection voltage, injection time, and amounts of leading and terminating
electrolytes were studied. The optimised conditions allowed detection sensitivity to
be improved by 2,400-fold when compared to field-amplified sample stacking (FASS)
and the limits of detection (LODs) were down to 50 ng/L.
A valuable modification to the EKS system, namely counter-flow EKS (CF-EKS), has
been developed in order to decrease the amount of the interfering sample matrix
involved in the system, hence, larger amount of analytes could be concentrated.
Computer simulation studies were undertaken in order to understand the trends in sensitivity enhancement from EKS to CF-EKS. After assigning the optimal counter
pressure and injection voltage in CF-EKS, an artificial neural network (ANN) was
developed for optimising the injection time and the amount of terminating
electrolyte. Upon comparison with FASS, the optimal conditions of CF-EKS allowed
the sensitivity to be enhanced by 11,800-fold and the LODs were decreased to 10.70
ng/L for the studied NSAIDs.
The on-line hyphenation of EKS-CE with the highly precise electrospray ionisation
mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was for the first time investigated, and then applied for
the determination of five acidic hypolipidaemic drugs. The separation was
performed in a co-electroosmotic flow (co-EOF) mode using the EOF reversal agent
hexadimethrine bromide (HDMB) in ammonium bicarbonate buffer pH 9.00. An
ANN was developed for the optimisation of the separation selectivity, and the EKS-ESI-MS
system provided enhancement in detection sensitivity of 1,000-fold when
compared to FASS. The LODs for the studied hypolipidaemic drugs were decreased
to 180 ng/L.
Simultaneous separation of charged and neutral hypolipidaemic drugs was made
possible by the application of micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC).
Ammonium bicarbonate pH 8.50 was used as a separation electrolyte and sodium
dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as a micelle-forming agent. In order to enhance the
detection sensitivity in MEKC, three on-line preconcentration strategies, namely
sweeping, analyte focusing by micelle collapse (AFMC) and simultaneous FASS-sweeping were investigated and applied for the determination of eight
hypolipidaemic drugs. When compared with a hydrodynamic injection (5 s at 50
mbar, 0.51% of capillary volume to detection window) of drug mixture prepared in
the separation background electrolyte (BGE), improvements in detection sensitivity
were 60, 83, and 80-fold for sweeping, AFMC, and FASS, respectively.
Finally, all the developed on-line preconcentration techniques were successfully
tested for quantitative repeatability, and then applied for the determination of
target analytes in wastewater as well as drinking water samples from Hobart city -
Australia.


Abstract In his pioneering study of Grande Dame Guignol (also referred to as hag horror or psycho-biddy), a female-centric 1960s subgenre of horror film, Peter Shelley explains that the grande dame, a stock character in this form of cinematic expression, "may pine for a lost youth and glory, or she may be trapped by idealized memories of childhood, with a trauma that haunts her past" (8). Indeed, a typical Grande Dame Guignol female protagonist/antagonist (as these two roles often merge) usually deals with various kinds of traumatic experiences: loss of a child, domestic violence, childhood abuse, family conflicts or sudden end of career in the fickle artistic industry, etc. Unable to cope with her problems, but also incapable of facing the inevitable process of aging and dying, she gradually yields to mental and physical illnesses that further strengthen the trauma and lead to her social exclusion, making her life even more unbearable. Unsurprisingly, scholars such as Charles Derry choose to name psycho-biddies horrors of personality, drawing attention to the insightful psychological portrayal of their characters. Thus, it would be relevant and illuminating to discuss films such as Die! Die! My Darling! (1965) and Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971) as narratives of trauma. This will be the main concern of my article.


Vocalization is an important clue in recognizing monkeys' behaviors. Previous studies have shown that the frequencies, the types and the lengths of vocalizations reveal significant information about social interactions in a group of monkeys. In this work, we describe a corpus of monkey vocalizations, recorded from Oregon National Primate Research Center with the goal of developing automatic methods for recognizing social behaviors of individuals in groups. The constraints of the problem necessitated using tiny low-power recorders, mounted on their collars. The recordings from each monkeys' recorder nonetheless contains vocalizations from not only the monkey wearing the recorder but also its spatial neighbors. The devices recorded vocalizations for two consecutive days, 12 hours each day, from each monkey in the group. Like in sensor networks, low power recorders are unreliable and have sample loss over long durations. Furthermore, the recordings contain high-levels of background noise, including clanging of metal collars against cages and conversations of caretakers. These practical issues poses an interesting challenge in processing the recordings. In this paper, we investigate our automated approaches to process the data efficiently, detect the vocalizations and align the recordings from the same sessions.


Antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from urinary tract infections (UTIs) is increasing worldwide. A total of 41 E. coli isolates were obtained from urine samples from hospitalized patients with a UTI in three hospitals in the northern districts of the West Bank, Palestine during March and June 2011. Resistance rates were: erythromycin (95 %), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (59 %), ciprofloxacin (56 %), gentamicin (27 %), imipenem (22 %), amoxicillin (93 %), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (32 %), ceftazidime (66 %) and cefotaxime (71 %). No meropenem-resistant isolates were identified in this study. Among the isolates, phylogenetic group B2 was observed in 13 isolates, D in 12 isolates, A in 11 isolates and B1 in five isolates. Thirty-five of the isolates were positive for an extended-spectrum β-lactamase phenotype. Among these isolates, the blaCTX-M gene was detected in 25, and eight harboured the blaTEM gene. None of the isolates contained the blaSHV gene. Transformation experiments indicated that some of the β-lactamase genes (i.e. blaCTX-M and blaTEM) with co-resistance to erythromycin and gentamicin were plasmid encoded and transmissible. Apart from this, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR) revealed that the 41 isolates were genetically diverse and comprised a heterogeneous population with 11 ERIC-PCR profiles at a 60 % similarity level.