Introduction Highway work zones (HWZ) may lead to an increased road traffic crash (RTC) risk. Little is known about such crashes in low-income countries (LICs). Objective To assess burden and factors associated with HWZ crashes on a highway in Pakistan. Methods Police reported crashes occurring on Karachi-Hala road-section from Jan 2006 to Dec 2008 were included in this study. We compared crash and death risk between work and normal traffic zones for a 50-km-long road-section for which data was available on work zone dates and average daily traffic. Crash locations were described for a further 146-km-long section on which we assessed factors associated with HWZ crashes. Results Of 180 crashes, 27 (15%) occurred in HWZs accounting for 30.8% of road fatalities (N=91). HWZ exposition was one-sixth of the whole traffic exposition on the selected road section. Rates were higher in HWZ compared to other parts of the road for crash (RR)=2.28, (95% CI 1.14 to 4.56), attributable risk (AR)=18.5%) and death (RR=4.56, 95% CI 2.05 to 10.16, AR=39.0%). Opposite-direction (adjusted OR (aOR)=8.01, 95% CI 2.34 to 27.68) and RTCs on wet surfaces (aOR=10.43, 95% CI 1.38 to 79.15) were significantly associated with HWZ crashes. Conclusion These results indicate that traffic separation in work-zones should be prioritised to reduce the increased burden of crashes in LICs.


Our objective was to identify demographic, medical, and psychological correlates of ovarian cancer screening utilization in a sample of women at increased risk. We designed a cross-sectional study that evaluated demographic factors, risk factors, psychological factors, and utilization of ovarian cancer screening in first-degree relatives of ovarian cancer patients. In multivariable analysis, use of CA-125 was associated with number of affected relatives [odds ratio (OR), 2.9; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.3-6.5] and ovarian cancer worries (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-8.1). For ultrasound (transvaginal or abdominal), the model included employment status (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.8) and ovarian cancer worries (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.2-9.1). Significant interaction terms in the ultrasound models indicated that employment was a significant predictor of ultrasound utilization in women with 2 or more affected relatives. Among women with only one affected relative, ultrasound use was strongly associated with the presence of ovarian cancer worries. Utilization of ovarian cancer screening among women at increased risk is influenced by psychological and sociodemographic factors, in addition to level of risk.


Background: Sexual health is an integral part of overall health and well-being and determination of sexuality of the youth is an important milestone in understanding their behavior, associated risks and outcomes. The declining age at puberty and increasing age at marriage has created a longer growing period in which youth may engage in sexual health risk behaviors. This research focuses attention on estimation and involvement of the most dynamic & valuable segment of a nation's population towards sexual risk behaviors. Aims & objectives: The aim of this study is to find out the prevalence and determinants of sexual health risk behaviors amongst youth in District Dehradun. Material and methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 06 months in rural and urban area of District Dehradun. The study surveyed 1800 male youth aged 15-24 years using a self-administered questionnaire (YRBSS & Big five inventory). After collection, the data was entered using the SPSS software and analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel 2010. Results: Out of 1800 participants, 19% were found to be at risk of sexual health risk behavior and reported having had sex. Out of these 342 at-risk, 43.5% accepted involving in sexual activity even before adulthood, 31% reported having multiple sexual partners and 21.1% accepted not using condoms. Place of residence and personality trait were found to be important determinants of sexual health risk behaviors. Conclusion: Our study documented the high prevalence of sexual risk behavior among male youth of rural and urban area of District Dehradun.


Ginger herb has remarkable antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. In the present study, the aim is to investigate the effect of chitosan as an encapsulation on the physicochemical characteristics of ginger essential oil. Encapsulation process with the ratios of chitosan to ginger essential oil (1:0, 1:0.4, 1:0.8 and 1:1.2 (w/w)) and sodium tripolyphosphate concentrations (0.5 and 1 % w/v) was performed by emulsion-gel method. Encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, particle size distribution and zeta potential tests were carried out on samples. Also, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, total phenolic compounds, free radical scavenging and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests were done on selected and control samples. According to the results of physical tests, the optimal sample was selected with the ratio of chitosan to essential oil (1:0.8 w/w) and salt concentration (0.5 % w/v). This nanocapsule exhibited high encapsulation efficiency (23.1 %), suitable particle size (734 nm) and zeta potential (29.2 mV). Application of chitosan nanocapsule containing ginger essential oil indicated more MIC on Escherichia coli (0.97 μg/ml), Staphylococcus aureus (1.9 μg/ml), Salmonella typhimurium (3.90 μg/ml) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (0.97 μg/ml) compared to other control samples. Also, the antioxidant activities (97 %) and the amount of total phenolic compound (980 mg/g) of optimal chitosan nanocapsule were significantly improved. The application of chitosan nanocapsules has led to the improvement of the functional properties of the encapsulated ginger essential oil and is suggested as a natural alternative to chemical additives.


Education Among humans, the length ratio of the second finger (2D) to the fourth finger (4D) is a sexual – dimorphism. The ratio of forefinger to ring finger among women is greater than men 9this ratio is lower for male humans, rats, baboons and finches while this ratio (2D:4D) is greater among Zebra fish males than females). 2D:4D ratio has a reverse relationship with concentration of testosterone prenatal. Therefore, 2D:4D ratio is seen as a proper indicator to examine the prenatal concentration of testosterone. Lower 2D:4D ratio indicates higher muscularity and it is accompanied with higher level of prenatal testosterone or sensitivity to androgen. In 2D:4D ratio, sexual – dimorphism is observed more in right hand than left one. In present paper, 2D:4D ratio in both right and left hands among 105 ordinary individuals and 105 professional thieves sentenced in Birjand Central Jail are studied by using digital calipers (0.01mm) and data collection through questionnaire and by using SPSS16 software package and t-test. Findings indicate that 2D:4D ratio among professional thieves sentenced in Birjan Central Jail is less than ordinary people (P<0.05). Based on this finding, it is too likely that the amount testosterone among thieves is higher than ordinary population and thieved are likely commit offence due to further manly hormones.


The discovery that aerobic exercise increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis and can enhance cognitive performance holds promise as a model for regenerative medicine. This study adds two new pieces of information to the rapidly growing field. First, we tested whether exercise increases vascular density in the granular layer of the dentate gyrus, whole hippocampus, and striatum in C57BL/6J mice known to display procognitive effects of exercise. Second, we determined the extent to which new neurons from exercise participate in the acute neuronal response to high levels of running in B6D2F1/J (F1 hybrid of C57BL/6J female by DBA/2J male). Mice were housed with or without a running wheel for 50 days (runner vs. sedentary). The first 10 days, they received daily injections of BrdU to label dividing cells. The last 10 days, mice were tested for performance on the Morris water maze and rotarod and then euthanized to measure neurogenesis, c‐Fos induction from running and vascular density. In C57BL/6J, exercise increased neurogenesis, density of blood vessels in the dentate gyrus and striatum (but not whole hippocampus), and enhanced performance on the water maze and rotarod. In B6D2F1/J, exercise also increased hippocampal neurogenesis but not vascular density in the granular layer. Improvement on the water maze from exercise was marginal, and no gain was seen for rotarod, possibly because of a ceiling effect. Running increased the number of c‐Fos positive neurons in the granular layer by fivefold, and level of running was strongly correlated with c‐Fos within 90 min before euthanasia. In runners, ∼3.3% (±0.008 S.E.) of BrdU‐positive neurons in the middle of the granule layer displayed c‐Fos when compared with 0.8% (±0.001) of BrdU‐negative neurons. Results suggest that procognitive effects of exercise are associated with increased vascular density in the dentate gyrus and striatum in C57BL/6J mice, and that new neurons from exercise preferentially function in the neuronal response to running in B6D2F1/J. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Generally, the performance of students in organic chemistry in Zambia is not encouraging. This can be attributed to the nature of the subject in addition to other factors. This study explored the composite effect of concept mapping and ICT on students' performance in selected topics in organic chemistry. One hundred and thirty-four grade 12 students were involved. Data was collected using an organic chemistry performance test. A pre-test, the post-test quasi-experimental design was adopted. The study comprised of three groups randomly assigned to experimental group one, experimental group two and a control group. Experimental group one was taught using concept mapping, experimental group two was taught using a combination of concept mapping and ICT and the control group was taught using conventional methods (discussion). ANOVA results for the three groups were F (2,131) = 2.237 and p = 0.111. This indicates that there was no significant difference amongst the three groups at the beginning of the study. After treatment the results revealed that experimental group two outperformed the other two groups with a p valuep-value 0 at F (2,131) = 2.237 at ? = 0.05. Post hoc analysis using Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) test showed that the mean scores were statistically significant amongst the three groups. A very large effect was seen between experimental group one and control and between experimental group two and control. A sizable effect was seen between experimental group one and two. The conclusion is that using concept mapping with ICT has a positive effect on the performance of students in organic chemistry. The results corroborate the findings of studies that the use of concept mapping and ICT teaching strategy improves the performance of students. Consequently, this study seems to offer a positive solution towards the enhancement of students' performance in organic chemistry in secondary schools.


It is attractive to use multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), which has a high modulus and strength, to enhance the properties of metal matrix composites by hybrid strategy. In this paper, novel aluminum borate whisker (ABOw) and MWNTs hybrid composites were prepared by squeeze cast technique and the properties were investigated. The results show that hybrid preforms may be made by co-deposition of ABOw and MWNTs in a solution by wet method. MWNTs separate the ABOw from whisker-to-whisker contact and decrease the compressive deformation of the hybrid preforms during squeeze cast processing. MWNTs distribute along mainly in the grains of aluminum matrix, making the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites higher than singularly reinforced composite.


In this paper we model the components of the compressive sensing (CS) problem using the Bayesian framework by utilizing a hierarchical form of the Laplace prior to model sparsity of the unknown signal. This signal prior includes some of the existing models as special cases and achieves a high degree of sparsity. We develop a constructive (greedy) algorithm resulting from this formulation where necessary parameters are estimated solely from the observation and therefore no user-intervention is needed. We provide experimental results with synthetic 1D signals and images, and compare with the state-of-the-art CS reconstruction algorithms demonstrating the superior performance of the proposed approach.


This purpose of this study is to investigate trading behaviors in the synthetic stock market. An agent-based computational economic simulation is used to examine the impact of changes in different parameters on the trading behavior and welfare of market participants. This approach allows for the consideration of the evolutionary characteristics of the agents, as the framework is driven by feedback from evolving market environments. There are three chapters in this thesis. First, we look at the overconfident behavior. Next, we study the disposition effects in agents and lastly we study the memory effects on agent behavior. Overconfident behaviors are characterized by people's tendency to overestimate their ability to make correct decisions because they overestimate the significance of their private information. The disposition effect, a phenomenon first described by Shefrin and Statman (1985), involves investors "selling winners too soon and holding losers for too long." In essence, an investor (agent) exhibiting the disposition effect, referred to as a disposition agent in this study, will be risk-averse when achieving gains and act in a risk-seeking manner when undergoing losses. We also analyze two cases of non-rational agents with no memory and with memory about market information in a market structure such that the true signal of the asset is revealed every few periods. Our study found that the more of the non-rational adaptive agents in the market and the more the positive private signals for non-rational adaptive agents, the greater the incidence of overconfident behaviors. In addition, market trends significantly affect the welfare of non-rational agents when they have negative market expectations. We also found the support for selling winners too soon in the market, but holding losers for too long was found to be undesirable for the disposition agents. Lastly, we learned that more memory does not necessarily translate into better performance. This is because non-rational agents have to adjust their strategies given additional information. Moreover, non-rational agents do not necessarily perform worse when true information is not revealed for longer periods.


BACKGROUND
The inclusion of race in equations to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) has become controversial. Alternative equations that can be used to achieve similar accuracy without the use of race are needed.

METHODS
In a large national study involving adults with chronic kidney disease, we conducted cross-sectional analyses of baseline data from 1248 participants for whom data, including the following, had been collected: race as reported by the participant, genetic ancestry markers, and the serum creatinine, serum cystatin C, and 24-hour urinary creatinine levels.

RESULTS
Using current formulations of GFR estimating equations, we found that in participants who identified as Black, a model that omitted race resulted in more underestimation of the GFR (median difference between measured and estimated GFR, 3.99 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.17 to 5.62) and lower accuracy (percent of estimated GFR within 10% of measured GFR [P10], 31%; 95% CI, 24 to 39) than models that included race (median difference, 1.11 ml per minute per 1.73 m2; 95% CI, -0.29 to 2.54; P10, 42%; 95% CI, 34 to 50). The incorporation of genetic ancestry data instead of race resulted in similar estimates of the GFR (median difference, 1.33 ml per minute per 1.73 m2; 95% CI, -0.12 to 2.33; P10, 42%; 95% CI, 34 to 50). The inclusion of non-GFR determinants of the serum creatinine level (e.g., body-composition metrics and urinary excretion of creatinine) that differed according to race reported by the participants and genetic ancestry did not eliminate the misclassification introduced by removing race (or ancestry) from serum creatinine-based GFR estimating equations. In contrast, the incorporation of race or ancestry was not necessary to achieve similarly statistically unbiased (median difference, 0.33 ml per minute per 1.73 m2; 95% CI, -1.43 to 1.92) and accurate (P10, 41%; 95% CI, 34 to 49) estimates in Black participants when GFR was estimated with the use of cystatin C.

CONCLUSIONS
The use of the serum creatinine level to estimate the GFR without race (or genetic ancestry) introduced systematic misclassification that could not be eliminated even when numerous non-GFR determinants of the serum creatinine level were accounted for. The estimation of GFR with the use of cystatin C generated similar results while eliminating the negative consequences of the current race-based approaches. (Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and others.).


It is well known that optical dielectric coatings show a change in performance when altering the environmental condition from air to vacuum. Evacuating or venting a set-up will shift the spectral characteristic and also the damage behavior of the specimen. With respect to the spectral shift it has been observed that dense dielectric coatings manufactured by Ion Assisted Deposition and Ion Beam Sputtering do not show this modification. This work was performed to investigate AR coatings of different deposition processes to determine whether the LIDT of dense layers can also be kept stable in vacuum. It was found that the damage threshold of these dense coatings is also stable in an evacuated environment.


Promotion of both market fairness and efficiency has long been a goal of securities market regulators worldwide. While previous studies mostly focused on market efficiency, our paper proposes tools to improve market fairness. We define market fairness as the ability of a market structure and its regulatory framework to guarantee unimpeded competition while curbing excessive speculation and market manipulation. Such behaviors undermine the quality of financial markets in the sense that they cause volatility and lead to instability. To encourage value generation and improve market quality, we advance a graduated Non-Value-Added Tax. The proposed tax is implemented in a simulation-based model whereby a profitable transaction is taxed at the higher rate if it does not enhance efficiency measured by deviation from fundamentals. When an agent locks in profit not supported by fundamentals but driven by trend-following strategies, the generated profit is taxed at graduate rates under the Non-Value-Added Tax regime. Unlike existing Financial Transaction Taxes, the Non-Value-Added Tax is levied on profit and not on price. More concretely, our findings show that this tool encourages profitable trades that add-value to the market and discourages valueless profit making. It significantly curtails volatility, and prevents the occurrence of extreme market events like bubbles and crashes.


The globalization of charity has provided enormous challenges for governments in regulating the foreign activities of charities. As the subsector of charities operating internationally continues to evolve in the wake of new technologies and financing mechanisms used to transfer charitable funds across borders, as well as the advent of new terrorism challenges, it is critical for governments to re-examine their regulatory objectives for charities operating overseas and adjust their strategies accordingly. This paper, commissioned by the Pemsel Case Foundation in Canada, examines the different approaches undertaken in four jurisdictions – Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada – to regulate the foreign activities of charities. The aim is to inform the development of law and policy for governments seeking to undertake reform in this important area of cross-border regulation.


To the Editor: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a small RNA virus that infects and persists only in persons whose samples test positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (1). Phylogenetic analysis has revealed 8 HDV genotypes (2) with evidence of distinct global geographic distributions and pathogenicity (3,4). The implications of HDV infection in Vietnam have been unclear. Studies of persons who have chronic illness caused by HBV in populations of southern and northern Vietnam reported no cases or low prevalence (1.3%), respectively (5,6). In contrast, our multicenter study of chronically HBV-infected persons in 2009 showed a higher overall HDV seroprevalence rate of 10.7% (34/318) (7). These rates varied among regions of Vietnam and groups that had varying risk factors for infection. Higher rates were observed among persons who inject drugs (PWIDs) (20/78, 25.6%), commercial sex workers (5/57, 8.8%), and military recruits (8/45, 17.8%). A 2013 study, in which PCR-based methods were used, reported a high rate of HDV RNA detection (41/266 ,15.4%) in a cohort of HBV-infected persons in the city of Ha Noi (also known as Hanoi) collected during 2000–2009 (8). Illnesses of these patients ranged from acute hepatitis to severe liver disease, but injection of drugs was not reported. To better clarify the prevalence of HDV, we conducted serologic and molecular testing focusing on PWIDs from different geographic regions of Vietnam.

During 2010–2011, we screened consecutive samples (n = 1,999) from PWIDs from 5 centers (Ha Noi and Hai Phong in northern, Da Nang and Khanh Hoa in central, and Can Tho in southern Vietnam) for HBsAg. In each center, we recruited PWIDs to obtain 200 participants per year following national guidelines for annual sentinel surveillance of HIV (http://www.vaac.gov.vn/Download.aspx/C64DBE4BB9074A489283056ACF639780/1/Huong_dan_giam_sat_trong_diem_2010.doc). Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Ha Noi. Samples collected from 300 (15%) persons were HBsAg positive, consistent with our previous study (7). Of these, 294 were subsequently screened by using ELISA for anti-HDV IgG; reactive samples were tested for HDV IgM. HDV IgG was detected in 45/294 (15.3%) samples; 20 were also HDV IgM positive (6.8% total; 44.4% of IgG-positive samples). Serologic analysis revealed considerable differences in prevalence by geographic region. HDV seroprevalence rates were high among PWIDs from northern Vietnam (30.2% and 29.4% in Ha Noi and Hai Phong, respectively), but a lower seroprevalence rate was observed in Da Nang (5.3%), and intermediate rates were found in Khanh Hoa (8.1%) and Can Tho (12.5%) in southern Vietnam (Technical Appendix Tables 1, 2).

We analyzed anti-HDV–positive samples (n = 41) for the presence of HDV RNA using a quantitative real-time PCR. HDV RNA was detected in 25/41 (61%) of IgG-seropositive samples (median 1.2 × 104 copies/mL, range 0–1.8 × 107 copies/mL) and 19/19 (100%) of IgM-seropositive samples (median 1.2 × 106 copies/mL, range 4.3 × 102–1.7 × 107 copies/mL). The viral loads of HDV IgM-positive samples were significantly higher than those of IgM-negative samples (p<0.0001) (Technical Appendix Figure 1); however, when only samples with detectable HDV RNA from the IgM negative and positive groups were analyzed, there was no statistically significant difference in viral titer (p = 0.45; Technical Appendix Figure 2). Comparison of HDV RNA and HDV IgM seroresponses showed evidence of superinfection with HDV persistence in 6 cases (HDV IgM negative/RNA positive; 6/22, 27.3%; Technical Appendix Figure 1). The 6 samples that were IgM negative for detectable RNA (median 2.9 × 105 copies/mL, range 1.1 × 103–1.8 × 107 copies/mL) highlight the limitation of using IgM as a surrogate marker for HDV replication; therefore, HDV RNA investigation is more appropriate for IgG-positive samples.

To identify the genotypes of HDV involved, we completed nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of HDV from 17 viremic patient samples from Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, and Can Tho collected from another study cohort during 2008–2011 (Figure) (7). Most (12/17, 71%) samples were HDV genotype 1 from both northern and southern Vietnam; 5 (29%) HDV genotype 2 species were identified in 4 samples from Hai Phong in northern and 1 sample from Da Nang in central Vietnam. The finding that HDV-1 was the predominant genotype is consistent with reports by Sy et al. (19/21 HDV-1; 2/21 HDV-2) (8), suggesting that HDV-1 is the predominant genotype in all parts of the country.

Figure

Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) genotypes 1 and 2 from Vietnam. A 472-nt fragment (corresponding to nucleotides 802–1,273 from HDV isolate C15; GenBank accession no. {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"KF660600","term_id":"563440355","term_text":"KF660600"}} ...

This study, the previous report from the NIHE laboratory (7), and data from Sy et al. (8,9) indicate that HDV is highly prevalent in Vietnam, particularly in the northern part of the country, contrary to previous reports (5,6,10). In particular, our findings indicate that increased efforts are needed to improve HBV vaccination rates among PWIDs and others with risk factors for infection. Over time, these interventions may help reduce the effects of hepatitis virus–related liver disease. We also intend to study HDV in other high-risk groups, including commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men.

Technical Appendix:
Tabular summary of frequency of cases of hepatitis delta virus among persons who inject drugs and statistical analysis of data in study regions of Vietnam.

Click here to view.(206K, pdf)


The practice of Real Estate in Brazil has gone to several changes in recent past that have resulted in an enormous development of the industry. It has implied in increasing demand for manpower training and development a local knowledge of this emerging field. Because of a virtual lack of a "Real Estate school" in Brazil, Real Estate has been approached by different educational traditions, such as construction planning and management, Real Estate business, Real Estate finance. The purpose of this communication is to present the case of MBA in Real Estate development, an educational program that seeks a more comprehensive view of Real Estate Development in Brazil, stresses the need of Real Estate interplay with regulatory city planning, and seeks also more balance between theoretic and applied teaching.


We think of computation in terms of its consequences. The big MapReduce job returns a large result. Web interactions display information. Enterprise applications update the database and return an answer. These are the reasons we do our work. What we rarely discuss are the side effects of doing the work we intend. Side effects may be unwanted, or they may actually cause desired behavior at different layers of the system. This column points out some fun patterns to keep in mind as we build and use our systems.


The main objective of this paper is to investigate sub-grid scale turbulence-radiation interaction (SGS TRI) effects on SGS turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) fluctuations and varying thermophysical properties in a partially premixed combustion system for a laboratory-piloted methane/air flame. The large eddy simulation approach is employed to simulate the turbulence of the compressible reactive flow. SGS quantities, including turbulent stress and fluxes of enthalpy and species in the sub-grid scale, are computed using the standard Smagorinsky-Lilly model. The radiative transfer equation is modeled by applying the spherical harmonic P1 approximation by considering the radiative heat source related to the SGS TRI contribution. Optically thin fluctuation approximation is utilized to simplify the radiative absorption term. A chemical reaction mechanism comprising 41 steps and 16 species is applied to model methane/air mixture combustion. Diffusion flamelet-generated manifolds are employed to govern the species transport equation. About 87% of TKE is resolved by applying the finest grid consisting of 1,822,580 cells. Impacts of SGS TRI on the spatially filtered density, eddy viscosity, SGS velocity and TKE, overall radiative emission, RMS temperature fluctuations, and NO formation are studied. The results reveal that considering SGS TRI in the simulation leads to remarkable discrepancies, particularly in SGS velocity and TKE by 6.70% and 7.40%, respectively. Meanwhile, SGS density and eddy viscosity deviate negligibly in the presence of SGS TRI. Also, the filtered mass fraction of NO reduces up to 17.54% on average by considering TRI.


A mathematical method, based on polar coordinates that allow modelling of primary and secondary growth processes in stems of extant and fossil plants, is summarized and its potential is discussed in comparison with numerical methods using digitizing tablets or electronic image analysing systems. As an example, the modelling of tissue distribution in the internode of an extant sphenopsid (Equisetum hyemale) is presented. In the second half of the paper we present new data of a functional analysis of stem structure and biomechanics of the early lignophyte Tetraxylopteris schmidtii (Middle Devonian) using the polar coordinate method for modelling the tissue distribution in stems of different ontogenetic age. Calculations of the mechanical properties of the stems, based on the modelling of the tissue arrangement, indicate that there is no increase in structural bending modulus throughout the entire development of the plant. The oldest ontogenetic stage has a significantly smaller bending elastic modulus than the intermediate ontogenetic stage, a 'mechanical signal', which is not consistent with a self-supporting growth form. These results, and the ontogenetic variations of the contributions of different stem tissues to the flexural stiffness of the entire stem, are discussed in the evolutionary context of cambial secondary growth.


The increasing pace of industrialization in public and private sectors along with urbanization, population explosion and green revolution are reflected in varying degree of water, soil and air pollution. Environmental pollution has a great health hazard to human, animals and plants with local, regional and global implications. Sugar industry plays an important role in the rural economy of India by uplifting the livelihood and creation of employment. The byproducts of sugar industry are also used as raw materials in different industries. However sugar industries posed a great environmental impact upon the surrounding environment as it releases various pollutants including huge amount of effluent. In the present investigation, laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the comparative phytotoxic effects of untreated and bioremediated sugar industry effluent with immobilized Spirogyra sp. The present research work includes the effects of different concentrations viz., 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of sugar industry wastewater and bioremediated wastewater on percentage of seed germination, shoot length, root length, and some biochemical parameters viz., chlorophyll, protein, total carbohydrates, starch and free amino acids of Vigna radiata. The results of this research work revealed that, using undiluted effluent no seed germination was observed even after 7 days while in 75% diluted effluent 90% seeds were germinated after 7 days. While in bioremediated waste water, 100% seed germination was observed only after 3 days. The shoot length, root length and biochemical parameters showed inhibitory effects with increasing concentration of effluent. In case of bioremediated wastewater, strikingly most of the parameters showed stimulatory effects as compared to control.


LPIC-2 Cert Guide (201-400 and 202-400 Exams) is a best-of-breed exam study guide. Expert Linux/Unix instructor William Bo Rothwell shares preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. Material is presented in a concise manner, focusing on increasing your understanding and retention of exam topics. The book presents you with an organized test preparation routine through the use of proven series elements and techniques. Exam topic lists make referencing easy. Chapter-ending Exam Preparation Tasks help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly. Review questions help you assess your knowledge, and a final preparation chapter guides you through tools and resources to help you craft your final study plan. You get access to the powerful Pearson IT Certification Practice Test engine, complete with hundreds of exam-realistic questions. The assessment engine offers you a wealth of customization options and reporting features, laying out a complete assessment of your knowledge to help you focus your study where it is needed most. Well-regarded for its level of detail, assessment features, and challenging review questions and exercises, this study guide helps you master the concepts and techniques that will allow you to succeed on the exam the first time. The study guide helps you master all the topics on both LPIC-2 exams, including: Capacity planning Managing the kernel Managing system startup Managing filesystems and devices Administering advanced storage devices Configuring the network Performing system maintenance Administering Domain Name Server (DNS) Configuring web services Administering file sharing Managing network clients Administering e-mail services Administering system security Learn, prepare, and practice for LPIC-2 201-400 and 202-400 exam success with this Cert Guide from Pearson IT Certification, a leader in IT Certification. Master LPIC-2 Exam 201-400 and 202-400 exam topics Assess your knowledge with chapter-ending quizzes Review key concepts with exam preparation tasks Practice with realistic exam questions


For more than 30 years, proponents and opponents of a federal reporter's shield law have debated the necessity of a privilege for members of the news media and have disagreed sharply about the frequency with which subpoenas are issued to the press. Most recently, in the wake of several high-profile contempt cases, proponents have pointed to a perceived "avalanche" of subpoenas, while opponents have contended that the receipt of subpoenas by reporters remains very rare. This article summarizes the results of an empirical study on the question. The study gathered data on subpoenas received by daily newspapers and network-affiliated television newsrooms in a single calendar year, and then compared that data to numbers from an industry survey of the same population five years earlier. The article concludes that subpoenas are issued to the media with some regularity and that they are not limited to the media organizations or the substantive issues that have been involved in the highest-profile recent cases. In at least some categories - most notably subpoenas arising out of federal proceedings and subpoenas seeking confidential material - subpoenas to the press appear to be on the increase.


Abstract Widely distributed Mid-Neoproterozoic mafic rocks of the Qilian – Qaidam – East Kunlun region record the tectonic evolution of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. This study presents whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes for the Xialanuoer gabbros of the central South Qilian Belt (SQB). Zircon laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb dating indicates that the gabbros were emplaced at ca. 738 Ma, indicating they are contemporaneous with mafic magmatism elsewhere in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. The gabbros have low SiO2, Cr and Ni contents and Mg# values, are relatively enriched in light rare-earth elements (LREEs) and depleted in high-field-strength elements (HFSEs; e.g. Nb and Ta), have no positive Zr or Hf anomalies and have relatively high Nb/Ta but low Nb/La ratios. These data indicate that the Xialanuoer gabbros formed from calc-alkaline basaltic magmas that were originally generated by the partial melting of an enriched mantle of type-I (EMI-type) enriched region of the lithospheric mantle, underwent little to no crustal contamination prior to their emplacement, and have within-plate basalt geochemical affinities. Combining these data with the presence of widespread contemporaneous continental rift-related magmatism and sedimentation in the North Qilian, Central Qilian, South Qilian, Quanji, North Qaidam and East Kunlun regions suggests that the northeastern Tibetan Plateau underwent Mid-Neoproterozoic continental rifting, which also affected other Rodinian blocks (e.g. Tarim, South China, Australia, North America and Southern Africa).


OBJECTIVE: Compare hearing outcomes between sparing of the myringosclerotic patch and removing it as a step in myringoplasty for chronic tubotympanic chronic otitis media with central perforation and myringosclerotic patch. MATERIALS and METHODS: A total of 94 patients having chronic suppurative otitis media (inactive stage) with central drum perforation and a myringosclerotic patch in the same ear were included in the study. They were divided into four groups according to the site of the myringosclerotic patch, and each group was randomly divided into two subgroups: subgroup A, where myringoplasty was done after removing the tympanosclerotic patch regardless of site, and subgroup B, where myringoplasty was done, leaving the tympanosclerotic patch in its place. Pure tone audiometry was done preoperatively and compared with that done 10 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: A non significantly higher net hearing gain was noticed in subgroup A, irrespective of the site of the myringosclerotic patch. Significant results were seen only in cases where the myringosclerotic patch was connecting the handle of the malleus to the tympanic annulus in subgroup A compared to subgroup B. CONCLUSION: The site of the myringosclerotic patch and its inclusion as a step in the surgery largely affect the improvement of hearing after my


In this work, a triblock copolymer poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly[6-(4-methoxy-azobenzene-4′-oxy) hexylmethacrylate]-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PAA-b-PAzoMA-b-PNIPAM) containing pH, photo and temperature sensitive groups was synthesized through three-step RAFT polymerization. By tuning the solvents, the copolymer could self-assemble into spherical micelles or vesicles with multi-stimuli responsiveness. Either the micelles or the vesicles underwent obvious size decreases when the temperature was above the LCST of PNIPAM, and size increases when the pH value was below the pKa of PAA without obvious morphology changes. In addition, under UV irradiation, the micelles disrupted into much smaller particles whereas the vesicles transformed into micelles with an apparent size decrease on account of trans-to-cis isomerization of the azobenzene moieties. Upon irradiation by linear polarized light, the micelles were elongated into spindles and short rods. Furthermore, the photo-isomerization rate of the azobenzene moiety could be modulated by pH and temperature. The multi-stimuli responsive properties of PAA-b-PAzoMA-b-PNIPAM will further expand the potential application of azobenzene copolymers in smart materials.


Mobile equipment (ME) playing an important role of bridge between wireless network and mobile user has been facing more and more security threats. Trusted mobile platform (TMP) was proposed by TCG (trusted computing group) as a new mechanism to enhance the security of the resource-constrained ME. In this paper, we embark a new study on constructing a TMP according to ME's feature, and performing mutual authentication in mobile user domain. A smart-phone's processor is used as an example to demonstrate the constructing of TMP, along with which three methods for adding trusted platform module (TPM) in ME are presented respectively. In the framework of TMP, we also propose a user authentication scheme combining password and fingerprint with the USIM (universal subscriber identity module). The proposed scheme is validated through a performance analysis and experimental test. The validation result shows that our approach offers better efficiency and advanced security over the authentication scheme presented in TMP's draft standard. It also outperforms TCG's user authorization scheme by providing improved security, flexibility and universality.


In Abruzzese, the structure a mme e X is used to convey the notion that the speaker and someone closely related to them act jointly. The order of conjuncts is fixed: the first one is always a first person pronoun, while the second one, usually a second person pronoun, strictly denotes a close acquaintance of the speaker. The present article argues that this construction is an associative plural of the first person pronoun, something that has not been previously identified in Romance. On top of providing new empirical data, the evidence presented here bears on whether there is a formal difference between associative plural pronouns and regular plural pronouns, a question that has been debated in the literature for quite some time.


Like a ship journeying toward a strange harbor, a growing motor neuron heading into the peripheral nervous system faces a major navigational challenge. In a series of recent studies of fruit fly embryos, researchers have identified a handful of lookouts on deck—proteins that straddle the cell membrane—that help guide the neuron, signaling it to swerve away from the main nerve channel and toward a target muscle. Once there, according to a report in this issue (p. 1867), a newly discovered protein called Late Bloomer helps to signal "all stop." And studies of the rat have identified several proteins that then serve as dockworkers, tugging molecular gangplanks and cranes into place to off-load the neurochemical cargo and form a synapse. Eventually, researchers say, the lookouts may help neuroscientists chart a far more intricate journey: one leading to an understanding of how connections form in the brain itself.


Five species in genus Trifolium section Trifolium were investigated cytologically. The species investigated were T. pratense, T. hirtum, T. incarnatum, T. alexandrinum and T. striatum. A new modified air-dried technique was used to prepare the chromosomes in order to overcome difficulties related to small chromosome size and also to produce metaphases suitable for fluorescence in situ hybridisation. Chromosome numbers were confirmed for all species. T. hirtum was morphometrically analysed using the confocal microscope and Silicon Graphics image analysis software, C-banded, Q-banded and subjected to fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). The FISH revealed a unique distribution pattern for 18s and 5s rDNA with the 5s and 18s signals present on the satellited chromosome pair only. For 5s rDNA, hybridisation sites were observed in three areas of the satellited chromosome, two of those sites were on either side of the 18s signal. Idiograms showing chromosome lengths and the position of C-bands were also produced. T. pratense was Q-banded and its chromosome number confirmed as 2n=2x=l4. The chromosome number of T. incarnatum was confirmed as 2n=2x=l4 rather than 2n=2x=16 as reported in some literature; the species was also Cbanded. The chromosome number of T. alexandrinum was confirmed as 2n=2x= 16. The chromosome number of T. striatum was confirmed as 2n=2x= 14. This is the first time any species in the genus Trifolium section Trifolium have been successfully C-banded, Q-banded, and subjected to fluorescence in situ hybridisation. iii The information gained will go some way towards illuminating the evolutionary relationships between species in the section Trifolium and also in the genus Trifolium, whilst also giving support to breeding programs in place and those planned for the future.


Inpainting is the technique which is used for the modification of a particular image in an undetectable form, is as ancient as art itself. There are a number of applications for inpainting, they varies from the restoration of damaged paintings and photographs to the removal/replacement of selected objects. There have been several approaches proposed for the same. In this paper, we present an algorithm that enhances and extends a previously proposed algorithm and it provides faster inpainting. Using our approach, one can use this to inpaint large regions (e.g. to remove an object etc.) as well as it is used to recover small portions (e.g. restore a photograph by removing cracks etc.). The inpainting method is based on the exemplar based approach. The basic idea behind this approach is to find exemplars (i.e. patches) from the image and replace the lost data with it. This technique can be used for the restoration of damaged photographs or damaged film. In contrast with previous approaches, the technique here introduced has an advantage. That is, it does not require the user to specify where the novel information comes from. This is automatically done (and in a fast way), thereby it allows the system to simultaneously fill-in numerous regions which contain completely different structures and surrounding backgrounds. This paper looks forward to improve the algorithm so that the computational complexity is further improved while retaining the quality of inpainting. Here the inpainting algorithm presented here is not meant to be used for inpainting images, but for videos also. We are also investing methods to improve this algorithm to make it more robust so that it can be used with videos in this paper itself. We would like to provide dynamic settings selection, which would allow the end user to obtain a collection of output images from which the finest result can be chosen.


This research work aims to study the influence of the fabrics in the wear performance of clothing. For this, an experimental work was developed with two fabric samples having the same weight/m2, one single and another double, and a jacket prototype. Through a comparative analysis of the mechanical properties, very interesting results was obtained in the evaluation and characterization of the two fabrics performance in designing the same jacket, namely the drape and the corresponded aesthetic fabrics behaviours during wear. The structural characteristics and mechanical properties of each fabric were introduced into Marvelous Designer Version 8 software to simulate the virtual draping of fabrics in a skirt. The analysis of the drape profile of each fabric given by the software and the drape of the real fabrics evaluated in laboratory indicates, coherently, that the double fabric falls less than the single, but in a more harmonious way, what evidence the close links between technology and design of fashion products.
Keywords: Fabrics design, Fabrics mechanical properties, Clothing drape, Real and simulated drape


Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) uses the energy stored in the thermocline to evaporate and condense a fluid in a Rankine power cycle. A thermal energy resource assessment is conducted for waters surrounding Florida to help qualitatively assess the best locations for electrical power production by an OTEC plant in that state, using data modeled by the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). The model's temperature predictions are then compared on a daily timescale against three years' worth of in situ temperature data collected by CTD and ADCP buoys spanning 160 km of the Atlantic coast of south Florida.


We study excited states of cholesterol in solution and show that, in this specific case, solute wave-function confinement is the main effect of the solvent. This is rationalized on the basis of the polarizable density embedding scheme, which in addition to polarizable embedding includes non-electrostatic repulsion that effectively confines the solute wave function to its cavity. We illustrate how the inclusion of non-electrostatic repulsion results in a successful identification of the intense π → π(∗) transition, which was not possible using an embedding method that only includes electrostatics. This underlines the importance of non-electrostatic repulsion in quantum-mechanical embedding-based methods.


Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is the second most important cause of death in the first year of life, and early RSV infections are associated with the development of asthma. Breastfeeding and serum IgG have been shown to protect against RSV infection. Yet, many infants depend on bovine milk-based nutrition, which at present lacks intact immunoglobulins. Objective To investigate whether IgG purified from bovine milk (bIgG) can modulate immune responses against human RSV. Methods ELISAs were performed to analyse binding of bIgG to human respiratory pathogens. bIgG or hRSV was coated to plates to assess dose-dependent binding of bIgG to human Fcγ receptors (FcγR) or bIgG-mediated binding of myeloid cells to hRSV respectively. S. Epidermidis and RSV were used to test bIgG-mediated binding and internalisation of pathogens by myeloid cells. Finally, the ability of bIgG to neutralise infection of HEp2 cells by hRSV was evaluated. Results bIgG recognised human RSV, influenza haemagglutinin and Haemophilus influenza. bIgG bound to FcγRII on neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages, but not to FcγRI and FcγRIII, and could bind simultaneously to hRSV and human FcγRII on neutrophils. In addition, human neutrophils and dendritic cells internalised pathogens that were opsonised with bIgG. Finally, bIgG could prevent infection of HEp2 cells by hRSV. Conclusions The data presented here show that bIgG binds to hRSV and other human respiratory pathogens and induces effector functions through binding to human FcγRII on phagocytes. Thus bovine IgG may contribute to immune protection against RSV.


Cells use SUMO-2 to stabilize chromatin-associated proteins and cope with stress. SUMO-2 to the rescue In response to various proteotoxic stresses, such as heat shock or accumulation of misfolded proteins, cells activate protective mechanisms that depend on the production and function of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and other protein chaperones. Seifert et al. found that in response to various proteotoxic stresses, chromatin-associated proteins at sites of active genes were conjugated to SUMO-2 (small ubiquitin-like modifier 2) proteins. Rather than stimulate or repress target gene expression, conjugation with SUMO-2 enhanced the stability of protein complexes at transcription start sites, thus enabling cells to first withstand the initial effects of stress and express genes encoding HSPs and the other factors required for cell survival. The small ubiquitin-like modifier 2 (SUMO-2) is required for survival when cells are exposed to treatments that induce proteotoxic stress by causing the accumulation of misfolded proteins. Exposure of cells to heat shock or other forms of proteotoxic stress induces the conjugation of SUMO-2 to proteins in the nucleus. We investigated the chromatin landscape of SUMO-2 modifications in response to heat stress. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation assays coupled to high-throughput DNA sequencing and mRNA sequencing, we showed that in response to heat shock, SUMO-2 accumulated at nucleosome-depleted, active DNA regulatory elements, which represented binding sites for large protein complexes and were predominantly associated with active genes. However, SUMO did not act as a direct transcriptional repressor or activator of these genes during heat shock. Instead, integration of our results with published proteomics data on heat shock–induced SUMO-2 substrates supports a model in which the conjugation of SUMO-2 to proteins acts as an acute stress response that is required for the stability of protein complexes involved in gene expression and posttranscriptional modification of mRNA. We showed that the conjugation of SUMO-2 to chromatin-associated proteins is an integral component of the proteotoxic stress response, and propose that SUMO-2 fulfills its essential role in cell survival by contributing to the maintenance of protein complex homeostasis.


Deamination of cytosine (C), 5-methylcytosine (mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (hmC) occurs spontaneously in mammalian DNA with several hundred deaminations occurring in each cell every day. The resulting potentially mutagenic mispairs of uracil (U), thymine (T) or 5-hydroxymethyluracil (hmU) with guanine (G) are substrates for repair by various DNA glycosylases. Here, we show that targeted inactivation of the mouse Smug1 DNA glycosylase gene is sufficient to ablate nearly all hmU-DNA excision activity as judged by assay of tissue extracts from knockout mice as well as by the resistance of their embryo fibroblasts to 5-hydroxymethyldeoxyuridine toxicity. Inactivation of Smug1 when combined with inactivation of the Ung uracil-DNA glycosylase gene leads to a loss of nearly all detectable uracil excision activity. Thus, SMUG1 is the dominant glycosylase responsible for hmU-excision in mice as well as the major UNG-backup for U-excision. Both Smug1-knockout and Smug1/Ung-double knockout mice breed normally and remain apparently healthy beyond 1 year of age. However, combined deficiency in SMUG1 and UNG exacerbates the cancer predisposition of Msh2 / mice suggesting that when both base excision and mismatch repair pathways are defective, the mutagenic effects of spontaneous cytosine deamination are sufficient to increase cancer incidence but do not preclude mouse development.


This article reviews current federal housing assistance policies and briefly summarizes research evidence about the efficacy of the different programs. We identify three key challenges that these programs face in meeting their stated objectives and suggest strategies for addressing them. The first challenge is the large variation in market conditions across the country, which makes it difficult to design assistance programs that are universally appropriate. We call for adjusting the type of assistance across markets, allowing for a greater match between subsidies and needs. The second set of challenges concerns subsidy generosity, structure, and targeting. The current system provides large subsidies to a small number of low-income households while providing nothing to most. Assuming limited government resources, we call for exploring the impact of more modest or time-limited subsidies to serve more people with more attention to targeting. The third challenge is the relatively poor location of housing in current assistance programs. We suggest strategies to help more assisted families reach high-opportunity areas.


From a strain carrying spoIIA69, a mutation giving rise to asporogeny, a revertant was isolated which sporulated at about 10(-2) of the wild-type frequency but in which the time-course of sporulation was much protracted. Genetic analysis of this revertant showed that it retained spoIIA69 but had acquired a secondary mutation sas. sas failed to suppress mutations in spoIID, spoIIE or spoIIG; it also failed to suppress another mutation in the spoIIA locus. sas is extremely closely linked (recombination frequency less than or equal to 1%) with the mutation spoIIA69 that it specifically suppresses. Strains carrying sas alone sporulated at a frequency at least two orders of magnitude below that in the spoIIA69 sas double mutant. It is suggested that spoIIA60 and sas lead to compensating amino acid changes in the protein specified by the spoIIA locus.


Alkaline conditions in the oral cavity may be caused by a variety of stimuli, including tobacco products, antacids, alkaline drinking water and bicarbonate toothpaste. However, the effects of an alkaline pH on the oral mucosa had not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate how basal keratinocytes are actively involved in re-epithelialization after alkaline chemical injury. We generated epithelial defects in the oral mucosa of mice by applying an alkaline chemical, and the localization of cytokeratin 13, cytokeratin 14, PCNA and p63 was investigated during the re-epithelialization process. PCNA- and p63-positive staining was seen in basal cells covering the wound surface at 1 day after the chemical injury. Cytokeratin 14-positive and PCNA-negative basal keratinocytes were localized in a few layers of the wound epithelium during epithelial outgrowth. Cytokeratin 14-positive and PCNA-positive basal keratinocytes, indicating proliferation, were localized over the entire layer of the epithelium at the wound margin. These results imply that basal keratinocytes at the wound margin migrate to the wound surface, provoke differentiation and keratinization during epithelial outgrowth and that epithelial cells are supplied from the wound margin to the epithelial outgrowth after alkaline chemical injury.


Alpha channeling uses waves to extract hot ash from a fusion plasma, transferring energy from the ash to the wave. It has been proposed that this process could create a radial electric field, efficiently driving [Formula: see text] rotation. However, existing theories ignore the nonresonant particles, which play a critical role in enforcing momentum conservation in quasilinear theory. Because cross field charge transport and momentum conservation are fundamentally linked, this non-consistency throws the rotation drive into question. This paper has two main goals. First, we provide a pedantic and cohesive introduction to the recently developed simple, general, self-consistent quasilinear theory for electrostatic waves that explains the torques which allow for current drive parallel to the magnetic field, and charge extraction across it; a theory that has largely resolved the question of rotation drive by alpha channeling. We show how the theory reveals a fundamental difference between the reaction of nonresonant particles to plane waves that grow in time vs steady-state waves that have a nonuniform spatial structure, allowing rotation drive in the latter case while precluding it in the former, and we review the local and global conservation laws that lead to this result. Second, we provide two new results in support of the theory. First, we provide a novel two-particle Hamiltonian model that rigorously establishes the relationship between charge transport and momentum conservation. Second, we compare the new quasilinear theory to the oscillation-center theories of ponderomotive forces, showing how the latter often obscure the time-dependent nonresonant recoil, but ultimately lead to similar results.


Abstract. Water management plays a vital role in the agricultural economy and living conditions of people in Sri Lanka. Though government and non-government organizations have been readily contributing to water management, it is still inefficient, especially in terms of water allocation, consumption and conservation. To identify factors which could be used to implement integrated water resources management (IWRM), a socio-hydrological study was performed in five areas within the dry zone in Sri Lanka. The study covers a comprehensive analysis of how the household income, demography and education level correlating to water usage, purification and disposal methods. The average household income ranges from LKR 2500 to 15 000 per month. The results show that the average daily usage for drinking, cooking, washing, toiletries and bathing are 3, 5, 10, 7, and 85 L per person, respectively. Majority of the families use dug wells and pipe-borne water as the primary source. Correlation coefficients suggest that higher household income or level of education leads to increased water consumption (R  =  0.91, 0.94). There is no linear relationship between the level of education with the good practices of water purification and disposal. Though these results indicate preliminary assessments based on the dry zone practices, efficient water management could be enhanced by strong socio-hydrological implications through educating people on conservation, usage, disposal practices and health concerns.


Author(s): Robbins, Robert J. | Abstract: Although bait shyness has long been recognized as a problem to be overcome in the control of vertebrate pests, it has recently been suggested that the phenomenon might be turned to an advantage and used as an alternative, non-lethal form of control. Unfortunately, this technique has not proven to be as useful as hoped, as the work which has been done on coyotes is inconclusive at best and some recent work on rodents has cast serious doubts upon the method's potential. However, an extensive literature dealing with the formation of poison-based food aversions now exists, and insights gained from these studies can be used to increase the efficacy of traditional, lethal control techniques. For example, the efficacy of pre-baiting may be greatly increased if the pre-bait is treated with a nontoxic flavor which mimics the flavor of the subsequently used toxin, even if this non-toxic flavor decreases the acceptability of the pre-bait.


In machine learning the best performance on a certain task is achieved by fully supervised methods when perfect ground truth labels are available. However, labels are often noisy, especially in remote sensing where manually curated public datasets are rare. We study the multi-modal cadaster map alignment problem for which available annotations are misaligned polygons, resulting in noisy supervision. We subsequently set up a multiple-rounds training scheme which corrects the ground truth annotations at each round to better train the model at the next round. We show that it is possible to reduce the noise of the dataset by iteratively training a better alignment model to correct the annotation alignment.


The progression of developments in crystal frequency standards is traced through the last half century. The paper emphasizes the underlying technical changes and innovations that have driven the remarkable progress, while keeping in mind the contribution of the great body of information that was already available at the beginning of the period. The paper gives a treatment of the progress of ovenized crystal frequency standards from the early vacuum tube days through implementations using transistors, LSI, and hybrid construction. The progression of TCXO developments is also covered including analog thermistor temperature compensation, digital compensation, and techniques using micro-computers, and self-sensed oscillators.


Of all the legacies of British colonial rule, India has not yet come to reasonable political and intellectual terms with English. Its legacy is at once priced and discounted, strongly desired and vehemently decried, by the very Indians who recognize English to be their sole medium and message for determining where they stand in such crucial matters as trade and business, education and culture, national and international relations. This essay argues that English in a multilingual, multicultural India ought to be different from its colonial name and address, an argument buttressed by a brief discussion in its final section of a parabolic allusion to The Tempest , courtesy of Bill Ashcroft, that tells us that the freedom to make the lesson theirs in a language refashioned by them is a prerogative of learners. That English alone among the languages of India makes its users aware of this prerogative accounts for its unique status and continuing influence among the Indians.


The recycling sludge bed reactor (RSBR) allows for increased solids retention time, resulting in greater substrate conversion for all particulate degradation and biological reactions. The purpose of the RSBR is to hydrolyse primary settled sewage (PSS). Soluble products are then used for the biological treatment of acid mine drainage. A mathematical model has been developed that describes the anaerobic digestion of PSS and biological sulphate reduction in the RSBR. The hydrodynamic processes taking place in the RSBR have been simulated using a system of mixed reactors connected by water flow and mass flux streams. Trends obtained from varying the hydraulic retention time, the sludge recycle ratio, and the feed COD: SO42- ratio allow for identification of the critical biological processes taking place in the RSBR, as well as the influence of the operating parameters. Areas where there is a lack of understanding in the mechanism and kinetics have been identified, and these include the influence of sulphate reduction on the hydrolysis of particulate organic matter, as well as the mathematical influence of sulphide inhibition on the various biological groups. A sensitivity analysis shows that hydrolysis is the rate-limiting process, while sulphide inhibition is of importance when sulphate conversion increases. WaterSA Vol.28(1) 2002: 111-120


In the United States people of Middle Eastern descent are legally/politically categorized as white, but in social encounters and popular representations Middle Eastern people are treated as a nonwhite inferior collective. In the absence of explicit systemic recognition through a protected class status, Middle Eastern Americans are not just vulnerable to the social-systemic violence that accompanies racialization; that violence is being tacitly permitted. I address this problem by describing the historical and political conditions that afford this racialization in the United States. I argue that the racialization of Middle Easterners, best understood from a historical perspective, is rooted in the repetitive treatment of certain peoples as objects of war to be degraded, exploited, dominated, and destroyed. To be treated as inferior and disposable is a general function of racism, which is afforded by racialization; but, the historical conditions of the mistreatment of Middle Eastern peoples create a unique set of problems and tensions that assign specific meanings which must be addressed in combating racism. Included among these tensions is a problematic narrative that claims Middle Eastern peoples are an almost naturally warlike and thus fragmented collective. The problem of disunity results from being created and treated as objects of war. Thus, social recognition, or solidarity, is needed along with systemic recognition. As a more effective means of countering the repetitious practices of subjugation, I plea for a solidarity among Middle Eastern Americans in response to Orientalist-racist scripts that claim disunity and war are the preferred condition of Middle Eastern peoples.


Abstract: There is strong evidence that the oil and gas industry has become increasingly interested in using pipes and risers made of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials. Moreover, oil and gas exploration nowadays has to be conducted in much deeper water depths (500–1500 m and deeper), thus requiring more resilient and lighter materials. in this section various applications of FRP in relation to pipes and risers are discussed to familiarise the reader with various FRP and hybrid pipes. The issues affecting the long-term performance of these materials, as well as issues involved with joining pipes and risers are also covered. Finally, the recent trends related to the use of FRP for repair and rehabilitation of deteriorated metallic pipes are presented.


Recent advances in physics of particles accelerators and lasers have shifted dramatically the expectations of bunch length and capability to generate electron bunches with specific longitudinal profiles [1,2]. This has stimulated interest in analysis of spectrum of coherent radiation to enable the longitudinal bunch profile diagnostics at femtosecond-scale. Spectral analysis of coherent SmithPurcell radiation (cSPr) is particularly relevant as it allows non-invasive and cost-effective monitoring of electron bunch profiles. In this paper, the recent results observed from the E203 experiment (FACET, SLAC) are presented. Consistency of the cSPr as diagnostic tool is discussed, as well as the properties of cSPr such as directionality and polarization.


The effects of long duration subthreshold conditioning stimuli on refractory periods in the human heart have been studied in patients undergoing clinical electrophysiological studies. It has been shown that unipolar cathodal stimuli produce inhibition (lengthening of efifective refractory period), and unipolar anodal stimuli can produce either summation (shortening of effective refractory period) or inhibition, in both atrial and ventricular myocardium. Long duration conditioning stimuli produce much greater changes in refractory period than those shown in previous studies using short duration stimuli. Inhibitory effects can be produced 20 - 50 ms after the end of a subthreshold stimulus. Stimuli of shorter duration (20 ms or less) must have a greater amplitude to produce the same degree of inhibition as longer duration stimuli. The mechanism of the effect is uncertain, but may be related to sodium channel activation or inactivation by subthreshold electrical current. The spatial effects of subthreshold stimuli are very limited, inhibitory effects not being demonstrable 1 mm or more away from the site of delivery of the subthreshold pulses. Attempts to terminate reentrant arrhythmias were made using subthreshold pulses. Despite optimal mapping techniques, it was not possible to terminate any cases of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia, atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia or ventricular tachycardia using long duration cathodal conditioning stimuli. Higher amplitude pulses occasionally terminated the tachycardia, but only as a result of local capture. Thus it is likely that the spatial limitations of subthreshold stimuli preclude their routine use in the termination of tachycardias. Furthermore, the use of subthreshold stimulation as a mapping tool to identify suitable sites for catheter ablation for ventricular or supraventricular tachycardia seems to be impractical.


Surely one way of understanding the title of our distinguished conference, "From Ghetto to Emancipation," is the conventional way.2 One might assume that the direction of our deliberations should lead from an inherently bad condition, designated by the term "ghetto," to a good one, leading to a desirable state of freedom. This trajectory follows that of most standard accounts of the Jewish experience: Jews who had lived a "ghettotized" existence were finally "emancipated" in the modern era, and despite the negative consequences of their liberation and integration within Western secular cultures—virulent anti-Semitism and genocide—their emancipated state was surely a boon in comparison with the hermetically sealed and alienated existence of their preliberated state. And indeed, for most modern Jews, the term "ghetto" is laden with similar negative connotations. Such expressions as "the age of the ghetto," "ghetto mentality," "ghetto Jew," "out of the ghetto," all imply a highly negative existence, a throwback to an era when Jews were legally and socially restricted and when their culture revealed narrow and pedestrian features, clearly the result of their sequestration. The term "ghetto" has now assumed an even more general designation for neighborhoods densely inhabited by members of minority groups, such as African-Americans or Native Americans, who are forced to live in miserable and deprived conditions because of socioeconomic restraints as well as legal ones.3 Disciplines Cultural History | European History | History | History of Religion | Jewish Studies | Social History Comments At the time of this publication, the University of Scranton Press was an active publishing house in northeastern Pennsylvania, but it has since become defunct and inactive. This book chapter is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/history_papers/48


In this paper, we prove effective estimates for the number of exceptional values and the totally ramified value number for the Gauss map of pseudo-algebraic minimal surfaces in Euclidean 4-space and give a kind of unicity theorem.


There are many special cutting disciplines needed to research in precision hard cutting process. The plastic side flow on machining surface influences machining surface roughness great. The mathematical model of hump height for surface plastic side flow is built based on the model of precision hard cutting and forming mechanism of surface plastic side flow is analyzed. Effect of cutting feed on the maximum scallop height of machining surface is researched and microscopic observation of surface topography is made through the hard cutting experiment. In certain conditions, the machining surface roughness and the cutting off trace increase with cutting feed. Because of the metal softening, some metal which formed side flow fall off immediately but make plastic flow on the strip edge of machining surface when it flows out tool surface. This research supplied theoretical basis for prediction of hard cutting process surface quality.


The Fermi and Rashba energies of surface states in the ${\text{Bi}}_{x}{\text{Pb}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}/\text{Ag}(111)$ alloy can be tuned simultaneously by changing the composition parameter $x$. We report on unconventional Fermi surface spin textures observed by spin and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy that are correlated with a topological transition of the Fermi surface occurring at $x=0.5$. We show that the surface states remain fully spin polarized upon alloying and that the spin-polarization vectors are approximately tangential to the constant energy contours. We discuss the implications of the topological transition for the transport of spin.


We used the forest fragmentation model to assess forest fragmentation in China based on a 50-m forest cover map in 2010. Six different fragmentation types including interior forest, perforated forest, edge forest, patch forest, transitional forest and undetermined were obtained. We reported the forest fragmentation status in different administration scales (by country, province, and county) based on Chinese administration boundary map of 2010, At the national scale, the patch forest accounted for the largest proportion (49.05%), while the interior forest was the smallest (3.40%). At the regional scale, Northeast China had the lowest forest fragmentation, while Southwest China had moderate forest fragmentation. The highest forest fragmentation areas were mainly distributed in the North China Plain, Central China, Shandong Peninsula and the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. At the provincial scale, the highest forest fragmentation was located in Shanghai and Tianjin, and the lowest forest fragmentation was located in Yunnan Province and Heilongjiang Province. At the county scale, the lowest forest fragmentation was located in counties in Shaanxi Province. Overall, our results have clearly shown that forest fragmentation occurs extensively and varies substantially over China in 2010. Our study will provide data support for the forestry administrative sector to conduct better forest management and to optimize forestry production and forest spatial patterns, which can improve forest ecosystem •研究报告• 第 4 期 李瑶等: 中国森林破碎化多尺度评价 373 services and biodiversity conservation.


This paper deals with the characterization of high strength and functional natural fiber reinforced composite materials which are fabricated using starch-based biodegradable resin and Manila hemp fiber. Hemp fiber reinforced cross-ply composites were prepared by a conventional hot-pressing method. Their mechanical characterization was carried out by evaluating tensile strength as a function of fiber content. It can be seen that the tensile strength of the cross-ply composites was saturated over 50 wt% due to the interaction between warp and weft during the hot-pressing. However in the case of flexible weft; such as cotton thread or resin fiber, the tensile strength of the cross-ply composites almost linearly increased with increasing fiber content. The biodegradation behavior of the hemp fiber reinforced unidirectional composites was also examined by burying them into compost media. The changes in surface morphology of the specimen and in specimen weight loss were monitored for 30 days. It is apparent that the natural fiber reinforced composites showed an enhanced biodegradation speed. This enhanced biodegradation behavior seems to be derived from increased apparent surface area of the composite specimen due to the preferential biodegradation at interface between hemp fiber and biodegradable resin as well as the preferential water transportation through internal cavity in hemp fiber.


This thesis explores how the medieval English economy was supplied with horse power during the period of 1250-1349. The diffusion of horse power is recognised to have been a major factor in the development of the medieval English economy, increasing labour productivity in farming and the efficiency of overland transport, but the infrastructures through which these animals were produced and distributed is poorly understood. This thesis is the first study that addresses this significant gap in our understanding of medieval English history and it endeavours to answer two questions: how was the country supplied with working horses, and what implications did the trade in these animals have for the economy and society at the time? The first section uses statistical analyses of over three hundred manorial accounts from c.1300 to explore the role of medieval English demesnes (the home farms of lords, as opposed to the lands of their peasant tenants) in the horse trade. The second section uses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in exploring tax records and manorial court rolls to assess the role of the peasantry in the horse trade. The third section employs a price database constructed from the manorial account sample and is used to establish price levels for agricultural horses and illustrate the structure and nature of the market for the animals.


The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is a popular assessment tool used for the psychosocial assessment of personal injury litigants. However, there are inherent structural problems found in the MMPI-2 that question the utility of this test. In 2006, Goh restructured the MMPI-2 at the item level in order to provide a more accurate and reliable assessment device. Using a large sample of personal injury litigants, Goh rebuilt the MMPI-2's scoring and analysis system specifically for the psychosocial assessment of personal injury litigants. Called the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 for use with personal injury litigants (MMPI-2-PI), the development of the MMPI-2-PI used contemporary methods with the goal of enhancing internal consistency and eliminating item overlap. A unique feature of the MMPI-2-PI were items that were weighted according to the relevance of the constructs they measured which resulted in independently weighted scales and subscales. Since Goh's initial restructuring of the MMPI-2, Ben-Porath and Tellegen (2008) developed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) also using contemporary methods to restructure the MMPI-2. Published in 2008, the MMPI-2-RF was developed as an alternative version of the MMPI-2 for routine clinical psychosocial evaluation. While the MMPI-2-PI appeared to be a promising new approach for assessing personal injury litigants, it was still in its infancy. As such, the goals of this dissertation were to examine the Incremental validity and clinical utility of the MMPI-2-PI by comparing it to the more traditional MMPI-2 and more contemporary MMPI-2-RF. Using a sample of 2,989 personal injury litigants, analysis of the MMPI-2-PI included two comparisons: one with the MMPI-2-PI and MMPI-2; and the second between the MMPI-2-PI and the MMPI-2-RF. Comparisons between the MMPI-2-PI and the MMPI-2 demonstrated improved Incremental validity and
interpretability for the MMPI-2-PI. This comparison not only showed the MMPI-2-PI to be comparable to the MMPI-2, but also to be a better measurement device while demonstrating no evident scale redundancy and clear delineation of the constructs being measured. The second comparison indicated the MMPI-2-PI showed comparability to the MMPI-2-RF in assessing similar constructs. However, given some redundancy issues were evident in the MMPI-2-RF, incremental improvement was indicated for the MMPI-2-PI in assessing personal injury litigants. Further examination of the clinical and interpretive implications of using the MMPI-2-PI provided information on what constructs are more common (and not so common) within a medico-legal setting. Further to this, the majority of MMPI-2-PI scales and subscales demonstrated sensitivity to the constructs they were measuring and the diagnostic groups commonly seen in medico-legal evaluations. Independant interpretation of the majority of the MMPI-2-PI subscales was also demonstrated and recommended given there were different item weightings between the scales and subscales. This was an important consideration, given the subscales of the more traditional MMPI-2 are not recommended for interpretation if the parent scale is not clinically elevated. Finally, the MMPI-2-PI was further evaluated and compared to the MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF through two medico-legal case examples. These two case examples illustrated the discriminatory difficulties inherent in making diagnositic (or psychiatric) interpretations as opposed to behavioural (or psychological) interpretations, providing further weight to the argument that self reported psychosocial assessment devices should not be used for, or evaluated as diagnostic tools. Additionally, the MMPI-2-PI demonstrated clear delineation and clarification in identifying the constructs being measured without any notable loss of information while also demonstrating the advantages the weighted items have in effective scale endorsement. While the MMPI-2-PI could not be recommended
for use outside of a medico-legal setting, this structure demonstrated it could provide a more effective and efficient psychosocial assessment of personal injury litigants when compared to the MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF.


Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) is a distinguished optimization strategy that can resolve nonlinear and multifaceted problems. It is comparatively a straightforward and modern population based probabilistic approach for comprehensive optimization. In the vein of the other population based algorithms, ABC is moreover computationally classy due to its slow nature of search procedure. The solution exploration equation of ABC is extensively influenced by a arbitrary quantity which helps in exploration at the cost of exploitation of the better search space. In the solution exploration equation of ABC due to the outsized step size the chance of skipping the factual solution is high. Therefore, here this paper improve onlooker bee phase with help of a local search strategy inspired by memetic algorithm to balance the diversity and convergence capability of the ABC. The proposed algorithm is named as Improved Onlooker Bee Phase in ABC (IoABC). It is tested over 12 well known un-biased test problems of diverse complexities and two engineering optimization problems; results show that the anticipated algorithm go one better than the basic ABC and its recent deviations in a good number of the experiments.


Background and purpose THA changes the pattern of strain distribution in the proximal femur. We quantified the changes in BMD for 5 years after insertion of the cemented Exeter stem in women. Methods 18 women aged 55–79 years, undergoing unilateral THA with the cemented Exeter stem, were included in the study. The BMD was measured in 7 femoral regions of interest according to Gruen, and the contralateral hip and spine using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry postoperatively, at 18 and at 60 months of follow‐up. Results were tested using Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed‐rank test. Results During the first 18 months, a significant decrease in BMD was seen in zones 2, 3, 6, and 7. No significant changes were seen in zones 4 and 5, in the contralateral hip, or at the spine. In zone 1, there was a small but significant rise in BMD. From 18 to 60 months, we observed a statistically significant rise in BMD in all zones except 4 and 7. Despite this, the total periprosthetic BMD decreased during the follow‐up relative to the immediate postoperative situation. There was no significant reduction in BMD in the contralateral hip. In the spine, we observed a significant rise in BMD. Interpretation 18 months after THA, BMD had decreased in Gruen zones 2, 3, 6, and 7. The bone loss was similar to that seen after other implants and appears to be related to the changes in stress pattern within the proximal femur. At 5 years, BMD had increased again in these zones. It remained lower than baseline, however.


We examined the relations between fitness-related traits of wild harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) pups with microsatellite heterozygosity, and with a measure of genomic diversity based on the mean squared distance between microsatellite alleles within an individual, mean d2. Birth weight was positively influenced by maternal age, pup sex, and either mean d2 or individual heterozygosity in separate multiple regression models. The association of birth weight with mean d2 was stronger than that with heterozygosity, however. The factors maternal age, pup sex, and mean d2 combined to account for 36.8% of the variation in birth weight, with mean d2 accounting for the greatest explanatory power (52.3% of the variance explained). Pups which survived until weaning had significantly higher mean d2 than pups which died, independent of birth weight. These effects are consistent with heterosis resulting from recent population mixing, and/or inbreeding depression in this population. Mean d2 thus provides (i) a better measure of individual genetic variability than heterozygosity for microsatellite data; and (ii) a convenient tool for assessing the effects of inbreeding and outbreeding in natural populations.


Climate change mitigation calls for energy systems minimising end-use demands, optimising the fuel efficiency of conversion systems, increasing the use of renewable energy sources and exploiting synergies wherever possible. In parallel, global fresh water resources are strained due to amongst others population and wealth increase and competitive water uses from agriculture and industry is causing many nations to turn to desalination technologies. This article investigates a Jordanian energy scenario with two different desalination technologies; reverse osmosis (RO) driven by electricity and Multi Stage Flash (MSF) desalination driven by Cogeneration of Heat and Power (CHP). The two systems impact the energy systems in different ways due to the technologies' particular characteristics. The systems are analyses in the energy systems analysis model EnergyPLAN to determine the impacts on energy system performance. Results indicate that RO and MSF are similar in fuel use. While there is no use of waste heat from condensing mode plants, efficiencies for CHP and MSF are not sufficiently good to results in lower fuel usage than RO. The Jordanian energy system is somewhat inflexible giving cause to Critical Excess Electricity Production (CEEP) even at relatively modest wind power penetrations. Here RO assists the energy system in decreasing CEEP – and even more if water storage is applied.


Due to its versatility, speed and robustness, shadow mapping has always been a popular algorithm for fast hard shadow generation since its introduction in 1978, first for off-line film productions and later increasingly so in real-time graphics. So it is not surprising that recent years have seen an explosion in the number of shadow map related publications. The last survey that encompassed shadow mapping approaches, but was mainly focused on soft shadow generation, dates back to 2003 [HLHS03], while the last survey for general shadow generation dates back to 1990 [WPF90]. No survey that describes all the advances made in hard shadow map generation in recent years exists. On the other hand, shadow mapping is widely used in the game industry, in production, and in many other applications, and it is the basis of many soft shadow algorithms. Due to the abundance of articles on the topic, it has become very hard for practitioners and researchers to select a suitable shadow algorithm, and therefore many applications miss out on the latest high-quality shadow generation approaches. The goal of this survey is to rectify this situation by providing a detailed overview of this field. We provide a detailed analysis of shadow mapping errors and derive from this a comprehensive classification of the existing methods. We discuss the most influential algorithms, consider their benefits and shortcomings and thereby provide the reader with the means to choose the shadow algorithm best suited to his or her needs.


So-called direct measurements of entanglement are collective measurements on multiple copies of a (bipartite or multipartite) quantum system that directly provide one with a value for some entanglement measure, such as the concurrence for bipartite states. Multiple copies are needed since the entanglement of a mixed state is not a linear function of the density matrix. The procedures proposed and implemented so far make certain assumptions about the states generated. This feature distinguishes direct measurements from standard entanglement verification tests such as Bell inequalities, entanglement witnesses, and quantum-state tomography, which make no such assumptions. I discuss how a direct measurement can be turned into a quantitative entanglement verification test without such assumptions by exploiting a recent theorem by Renner [Nature Phys. 3, 645 (2007)10.1038/nphys684].


Contamination by chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl-VOCs) is currently a matter of considerable concern, since these compounds are considered as dangerous for their effect on human health and the environment. Catalytic oxidation appears as an attractive approach for the destruction of these hazardous compounds. Although the development of catalysts to produce CO2 and HCl is a topic of demanding interest, less consideration has been given to examining the catalytic stability during extended time on stream. Indeed the presence of HCl and/or Cl2 may induce alterations in the behaviour of the catalysts. The main scope of this work is to evaluate the catalytic behaviour of a series of Ce/Zr mixed oxides in the gas-phase oxidation of 1,2-dichloroethane submitted to a previous chlorination followed by calcination (550 oC for 4 hours in air) or by reduction (550 oC with 5%H2/Ar for 1 hour) and calcination. Chlorination led to remarkable changes in acidity and redox properties, which were shown to be the key catalytic properties of these catalysts for this reaction. On one hand, the chlorine reinforced the acidity of the catalytic surface. In contrast, redox properties were negatively impacted. However, these alterations were partially compensated leading to a slightly lower activity of chlorinated samples. It could therefore be concluded that Ce/Zr catalysts resulted in significant resistance to deactivation by chlorine poisoning, thereby showing a great potential for this environmental application, not only in terms of lowtemperature Cl-VOC conversion, but also of stability during extended periods of time on stream.


In our Paper 1, we presented deep optical observations of the spectra of 12 Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) and three Magellanic Cloud PNe, carrying out an abundance analysis using the collisionally excited forbidden lines. Here, we analyse the relative intensities of faint optical recombination lines (ORLs) from ions of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in order to derive the abundances of these ions relative to hydrogen. The relative intensities of four high-l C II recombination lines with respect to the well-known 3d-4f lambda4267 line are found to be in excellent agreement with the predictions of recombination theory, removing uncertainties about whether the high C2+ abundances derived from the lambda4267 line could be due to non-recombination enhancements of its intensity.We define an abundance discrepancy factor (ADF) as the ratio of the abundance derived for a heavy element ion from its recombination lines to that derived for the same ion from its ultraviolet, optical or infrared collisionally excited lines (CELs). All of the PNe in our sample are found to have ADFs that exceed unity. Two of the PNe, NGC 2022 and LMC N66, have O2+ ADFs of 16 and 11, respectively, while the remaining 13 PNe have a mean O2+ ADF of 2.6, with the smallest value being 1.8.Garnett and Dinerstein found that for a sample of about 12 PNe the magnitude of the O2+ ADF was inversely correlated with the nebular Balmer line surface brightness. We have investigated this for a larger sample of 20 PNe, finding weak correlations with decreasing surface brightness for the ADFs of O2+ and C2+. The C2+ ADFs are well correlated with the absolute radii of the nebulae, although no correlation is present for the 021 ADFs. We also find both the C2+ and O2+ ADFs to be strongly correlated with the magnitude of the difference between the nebular [O III] and Balmer jump electron temperatures (DeltaT), corroborating a result of Liu et al. for the O2+ ADF. AT is found to be weakly correlated with decreasing nebular surface brightness and increasing absolute nebular radius.There is no dependence of the magnitude of the ADF upon the excitation energy of the ultraviolet, optical or infrared CEL transition used, indicating that classical nebular temperature fluctuations - i.e. in a chemically homogeneous medium - are not the cause of the observed abundance discrepancies. Instead, we conclude that the main cause of the discrepancy is enhanced ORL emission from cold ionized gas located in hydrogen-deficient clumps inside the main body of the nebulae, as first postulated by Liu et al. for the high-ADFPN, NGC 6153. We have developed a new electron temperature diagnostic, based upon the relative intensities of the O II 4f-3d lambda4089 and 3p-3s lambda4649 recombination transitions. For six out of eight PNe for which both transitions are detected, we derive O2+ ORL electron temperatures of less than or equal to300 K, very much less than the O2+ forbidden-line and H+ Balmer jump temperatures derived for the same nebulae. These results provide direct observational evidence for the presence of cold plasma regions within the nebulae, consistent with gas cooled largely by infrared fine-structure transitions; at such low temperatures, recombination transition intensities will be significantly enhanced due to their inverse power-law temperature dependence, while ultraviolet and optical CELs will be significantly suppressed.


Background By analysing clinical units consumed, an increase in the consumption of IV oxycodone (+50%) instead of injectable morphine (-50%) between 2008 and 2013 was noted. However, the cost/benefit ratio of IV oxycodone compared to morphine is not favourable (ratio 10 times higher for oxycodone). The Committee for the Fight against Pain (CLUD) and the Medicines Commission (COMEDIMS) initiated targeted actions and specific recommendations on the proper use of these agents; these recommendations were relayed by our Hospital Medical Committee (CME). Purpose To assess the medical and financial impact of recommendations issued by the CLUD and COMEDIMS. Material and methods The recommendations focus on the use of morphine as first line treatment including postoperative, ICU and palliative care. Stock issued to clinical unit was changed, replacing IV oxycodone with IV morphine. The quantities and costs of oxycodone and morphine consumed (oral and injection) were analysed six months after the action and compared to the same period before the action. Results The results show a 38% decrease in quantity (-267 g) and 39% in cost (€22,050) of IV oxycodone consumption, with a carryover to the oral oxycodone (+30% in volume, +63 g, +28%/€1,490 cost increase) and morphine IV (+19% in volume, +52 g, 20%/€670 cost increase). Overall consumption of strong opioids (oral and IV) decreased by 8.5% in quantity (-92 g) and 30% in cost (€20,170). Conclusion Our policy has been effective with an overall cost reduction of 30% (€20,170) in six months. It is being maintained and extended to oral forms based on the results obtained. References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.


Due to an exponential increase in biological sequence data, gene detection has become one of the challenging tasks in computational biology. Splice site prediction is an essential part of the gene detection. Thus, it has great significance to develop efficient methods for accurately identifying splice sites. This paper introduces a novel algorithm to predict the splice sites based on support vector machine (SVM) and a new type of Markov chain model, namely DMM2. The proposed method shows great improvement over most of the current state of art methods, including MM1-SVM, Reduced MM1-SVM, SVM-B, LVMM, MM1-RF, MM2F-SVM, MCM-SVM, DM-SVM and DM2-AdaBoost. The repeated 10-fold cross validation was used to assess the performance of the method on the HS3D dataset. In addition, we applied it to NN269 dataset to examine the stability of the proposed method. The experimental results indicate that the new approach is feasible and efficient.