The problem of predicting where people look at, or equivalently salient region detection, has been related to the statistics of several types of low-level image features. Among these features, contrast and edge information seem to have the highest correlation with the fixation locations. The contrast distribution of natural images can be adequately characterized using a two-parameter Weibull distribution. This distribution catches the structure of local contrast and edge frequency in a highly meaningful way. We exploit these observations and investigate whether the parameters of the Weibull distribution constitute a simple model for predicting where people fixate when viewing natural images. Using a set of images with associated eye movements, we assess the joint distribution of the Weibull parameters at fixated and non-fixated regions. Then, we build a simple classifier based on the log-likelihood ratio between these two joint distributions. Our results show that as few as two values per image region are already enough to achieve a performance comparable with the state-of-the-art in bottom-up saliency prediction.


Oxygen is critical to insect life. Oxygen-based respiration offers a tremendous advantage for cellular energetics by supporting high-efficiency production of ATP from the complete oxidation of substrates to CO2 and H2O and is an absolute requirement for powering insect flight muscles. However, once tied to aerobic respiration, organisms have to deal with various consequences of an oxygen-based life, including oxygen limitation (hypoxia, anoxia), oxygen overabundance (hyperoxia) and oxygen in its many reactive forms (e.g. superoxide, hydroperoxides, hydroxyl radical, etc.). The last cause oxidative stress, one of the most pervasive forms of cellular stress, since reactive oxygen species (ROS) can attack and damage most types of cellular macromolecules. This chapter looks at insect cold-hardiness from the point of view of the oxygen-related issues that are important for winter survival. We examine hypoxia/anoxia, freeze-induced ischemia, mitochondria, metabolic-rate depression, oxidative stress and antioxidants as they relate to the low-temperature biology of insects.Oxygen challenges in winterAlthough there are some unique insect solutions for dealing with winter (e.g. migration of monarch butterflies to Mexico or shivering thermogenesis to provide central heating for honey bee colonies), terrestrial insects generally employ three basic options (sometimes in combination) to survive the cold winter months – underground hibernation below the frostline (in burrows or by digging), freeze-avoidance by supercooling, or freeze-tolerance.


KEMA Laboratories is located near the Lower Rhine in Arnhem. For a future expansion all risks have been identified. KEMA Laboratories is located near the Lower Rhine, outside the primary flood defenses. One of the potential risks of the area around KEMA Laboratories is flooding. In order to make sure that the area around KEMA Laboratories does not get flooded, a dike will be designed for this location. Witteveen+Bos created in an earlier research a temporary solution for this problem. They created an emergency plan with big bags and sand bags that can be placed if high water is expected. The emergency plan that Witteveen+Bos created is based on the former philosophy of probability of exceedance. The emergency plan also has the disadvantages that it is a temporary solution and that it has to be practiced regularly. For the bachelor thesis the option is researched to replace this temporary solution with a structural solution. A dike is designed using a semi-probabilistic design method, which is the most recent method for the designing and testing of flood defenses. The semi-probabilistic design method is still in development, but the government aims to implement this new method in 2017. A probabilistic design approach aims to determine the probability of flooding and to judge its acceptability in terms of the consequences. The dike designs in this research are made according to a semi-probabilistic design method. It is not possible yet to make a dike design with a fully probabilistic design method.
The research aim of the bachelor thesis is to design a dike for KEMA Laboratories near the Lower Rhine by using a semi-probabilistic design method. The main research question that will be answered is: What dike design scores best on the given requirements and boundary conditions using a semi-probabilistic design method? To answer this question first all requirements and boundary conditions are established. The boundary conditions are divided into five categories: the wishes and requirements of KEMA Laboratories, the hydraulic boundary conditions, the geometric boundary conditions, the geotechnical boundary conditions and the geo-hydrological boundary conditions. With the requirements and boundary conditions calculations have been made for the failure mechanisms height, piping and macro stability. The output of these calculations determines the properties of the dike designs. In total there are six dike designs are established as a possible solution. There are three possible locations for the dike designs: completely around the foreland, on the foreland but with room outside the dike or completely on the terrain of KEMA Laboratories. The dike can be made in two types of materials: clay or sand with a top layer of clay. In consultation with the department for cost calculation of Witteveen+Bos the construction costs of the dike designs have been determined. In order to determine the best dike design for KEMA Laboratories, the designs are compared in a multi-criteria analysis. In the multi-criteria analysis the following criteria have been taken into account: costs, impact on the terrain of KEMA Laboratories, extensibility, sustainability and sensitivity for the failure mechanisms. Based on these criteria a sand dike located completely on the terrain of KEMA Laboratories has been chosen as the best option for the construction of a dike. This option scored best on the criteria costs, sustainability and sensitivity for the failure mechanisms. In comparison to the original emergency plan designed by Witteveen+Bos this option is a good alternative. For a respectively low costs a dike can be constructed that is designed according to the most recent legislation and that satisfies all boundary conditions and requirements.


Examining the history of Lucknow, Veena Talwar Oldenburg shows how the results of its transformation after the Mutiny of 1857 continue to pervade the city even today. Originally published in 1984. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.


Derived from the work of Bernice M. Murphy, "Suburban Gothic" is a subgenre in popular culture providing continuous commentary on American society. Though she writes extensively about depictions of Suburban Gothic throughout the last several decades, Murphy's research has shown little interest in television. The advent of complex narrative in serial television, particularly over the last twenty-five years, is crucial to homing in on the format. Viewing the Suburban Gothic as a "genre television," we can see it evolving into a higher art form. Using essays in aesthetics and film theory to enhance the understanding of Suburban Gothic, three shows are using a combination of these theories. Twin Peaks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and American Horror Story mark the genre's evolution from dialectical to playful, ultimately revealing to audiences that they have become frenzied over the impending collapse of society. Document Type Thesis Degree Name Bachelor of Arts (BA) Department or Program Independent Scholar First Advisor Janet McCracken Second Advisor Davis Schneiderman Third Advisor Alexander Dale Mawyer


Geoscience researchers are increasingly dependent on informatics and the Web to conduct their research. Geoscience is one of the first domains that take lead in initiatives such as open data, open code, open access, and open collections, which comprise key topics of Open Science in academia. The meaning of being open can be understood at two levels. The lower level is to make data, code, sample collections and publications, etc. freely accessible online and allow reuse, modification and sharing. The higher level is the annotation and connection between those resources to establish a network for collaborative scientific research. In the data science component of the Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO), we have leveraged state-of-the-art information technologies and existing online resources to deploy a web portal for the over 1000 researchers in the DCO community. An initial aim of the portal is to keep track of all research and outputs related to the DCO community. Further, we intend for the portal to establish a knowledge network, which supports various stages of an open scientific process within and beyond the DCO community. Annotation and linking are the key characteristics of the knowledge network. Not only are key assets, including DCO data and methods, published in an open and inter-linked fashion, but the people, organizations, groups, grants, projects, samples, field sites, instruments, software programs, activities, meetings, etc. are recorded and connected to each other through relationships based on well-defined, formal conceptual models. The network promotes collaboration among DCO participants, improves the openness and reproducibility of carbon-related research, facilitates accreditation to resource contributors, and eventually stimulates new ideas and findings in deep carbon-related studies.


People who are marginalised in slum-upgrading processes can benefit from participatory design strategies. When marginalised slum communities confront and explore conflicting perspectives, values, assumptions and goals through negotiation within participatory design processes, the ability to harness the collective intelligence of people to work towards collective action can be enhanced. However, a tension exists in the participatory design literature between those participatory processes that seek to facilitate social outcomes such as social capital building, and those that seek only to implement an urban development or upgrading project (slum upgrading) as the outcome. Exploring new methods of design participation that integrate both social outcomes and design processes can help alleviate this tension by recognising a diversity of stakeholder perspectives on urban-related issues and help them work towards implementing lasting communal change that explicitly takes into account cooperative development action.  The dissertation explores an innovative approach to participatory slum upgrading, which proposes bringing together speculative architecture, participatory design, and serious gaming approaches to help stakeholders to explore conflicting perspectives, assumptions and corresponding future visions surrounding architectural and urban issues. The research focusses on how these three areas can be brought together to help develop a new approach for designing participatory design tools for marginalised communities. The research explores how a "speculative, participatory, serious urban gaming" (SPS-UG) approach might be used to help marginalised communities consider past, future and present community experiences, reconcile dissimilar assumptions, and generate social outcomes and in-game design responses, while priming participants for further long-term, slum-upgrading design engagement processes. Empirical material for this research was gathered from a range of case study workshops prepared with three landfill-based communities and external partners throughout 2017, which utilised a new SPS-UG computer game I designed called Maslow's Palace to evaluate the approach. The research shows that the SPS-UG approach was successful in guiding the design of a serious game to help reveal, develop and ground stakeholder knowledge, goals and values surrounding slum-upgrading issues. Through an exploration of social complexities involved in the participatory design process, participants were stimulated to share diverse opinions and aspirations and thus deepen their understanding of self, others, norms and institutions. The SPS-UG approach contributed to slum-upgrading outcomes for communities by aiding slum-upgrading ideation, framing the consideration of alternate views and possible futures, and scaffolding discussions about what the future might look like through visual representation of possible design alternatives. Finally, the research discusses key methodological insights, and the challenges faced when working with marginalised communities while pursuing social and slum-upgrading outcomes through a gaming approach. This is significant when considering how the approach might interface with other slum-upgrading processes outside of the scope of this research or function as a catalyst for the transformation of other physical urban environments and socio-cultural contexts.


A design framework for virtual hardware of the 3rd generation (3G) medium access control (MAC) protocol has been developed to provide a core-based system for running higher layers without using real hardware. In this framework, a user can create any connections from the user equipment (UE) and sends control commands and data through the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) side without using real hardware. UTRAN and UE will be emulated by the 3G virtual hardware. All communication channels pass through MAC layer and will be emulated by an Ethernet link. We believe that this tool will give us a better result than using computer simulation, e.g. all signals and data are processed in real-time, as well as more flexibility than using real hardware components, e.g. hardware modification. When, the 3G virtual hardware is un-plugged, the real hardware can be replaced.


Unravelling the mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance is crucial in order to understand the position of algal species in the intertidal zone. The alga Porphyra columbina lives in the uppermost part of the rocky intertidal zones around the world and was selected as a model for this study. Naturally desiccated plants were collected during low tide and studied for morphological changes, oxidative burst induction, biomolecule oxidation, antioxidant responses, and photosynthetic status. Naturally hydrated plants collected during high tides were used for comparative purposes. In addition, changes induced by desiccation were assessed in vitro and the capacity to recover from desiccation was determined by rehydrating the fronds in seawater. The global results show that desiccation induces morphological and cellular alterations accompanied by a loss of ∼96% of the water content. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was induced by desiccation and two peaks of H2O2 were detected at 1 and 3 h of desiccation. However, during in vitro rehydration post-desiccation, the ROS quickly returned to the basal levels. At the biomolecular level, only a low production of oxidized proteins was recorded during desiccation, whereas the activity of diverse antioxidant enzymes increased. However, this activity diminished to near basal levels during rehydration. The photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) during desiccation declined by 94–96% of the values recorded in hydrated plants. This reduction was generated by the low levels of trapped energy flux per cross-section (TRo/CS), electron transport flux per CS (ETo/CS), and density of reaction centres (RC/SCo) as well as the chlorophyll content. The inverse pattern was observed for the levels of phycocyanin and phycoerythrin content. Fv/Fm and the photosynthetic indicators were restored to normal levels after only 5 min of rehydration. The results indicate that desiccation in P. columbina causes overproduction of ROS that is efficiently attenuated. The morphological and photosynthetic changes could be operating as tolerance mechanisms due to the fact that these responses principally prevent biomolecular alteration and cellular collapse. Thus, the activation of different physiological mechanisms helps to explain the high tolerance to desiccation of P. columbina and, at least in part, the position of this species at the highest level in the intertidal zone.


Successful undergraduate mentoring programs have the potential to help at-risk students achieve academic success, retention, and ultimately graduation (Terrion & Leonard, 2007). Mentoring involves the provision of general guidance, support, and, in some instances, helping a student learn something new. Studies show mentoring also promotes students' sense of well-being by challenging the negative opinions they may have of themselves and demonstrating that they can have positive relationships with adults (Coles, 2011). In most instances, the success of such mentoring programs at the university level not only relies on the effectiveness of the mentor-mentee relationship, but also the effectiveness of the coordinator of the program (Pfund, 2016). However, the role that the coordinator plays in the effectiveness of these programs is less understood.In order to better understand these dynamics, this exploratory, theoretical case study will use Fanghanel's (2007) framework (i.e., Micro, Meso, and Macro levels) to draw conclusions from observational data collected from one semester on two undergraduate mentoring programs from the coordinator's perspective. Specifically, the results of this analysis indicate that at the Micro level, issues pertaining to approach, networking, training, and expectations are important, whereas at the Meso and Macro level, feedback, logistics, listening, and holistic planning are valuable. The implications from this study provide actionable items that can be used to improve undergraduate mentoring programs from the perspective of the coordinator's responsibilities. Conclusions for this study will provide avenues for future research that explores the mentees' perspectives on the effectiveness of these approaches.


In February 2016 an elementary school kid from the vicinity of Ferrara (Italy) submitted, jointly with his teacher, an application to the "Accademia della Crusca", the oldest linguistics academy in the world, to propose including the new word "petaloso", which literally means "petal-y", in the Italian language.
The official reply from the academy, explains that «a new word does not enter the vocabulary when someone invents it, even if it is a "beautiful" and useful word. For it to enter a vocabulary, in fact, the new word must not be known and used only by those who invented it, but it's necessary that many people use it and many people understand it.» And continues: «That's how it works: it's not the scholars, the ones who make dictionaries, who decide which new words are beautiful or ugly, useful or useless. When a new word is on everyone's (or many's) lips, then the scholar understands that that word has become a word like the others and puts it in the vocabulary.»
Such news had all the perfect ingredients to not pass unobserved in online media and, after being bounced around in a few newspaper websites, it quickly spiralled up, when the Italian prime minister retweeted the hashtag #petaloso.


The nucleation-condensation mechanism represents a major paradigm to understand the folding process of many small globular proteins. Although substantial evidence has been acquired for this mechanism, it has remained very challenging to characterize the initial events leading to the formation of a folding nucleus. To achieve this goal, we used a combination of relaxation dispersion NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to determine ensembles of conformations corresponding to the denatured, transition, and native states in the folding of the activation domain of human procarboxypeptidase A2 (ADA2h). We found that the residues making up the folding nucleus tend to interact in the denatured state in a transient manner and not simultaneously, thereby forming incomplete and distorted versions of the folding nucleus. Only when all the contacts between these key residues are eventually formed can the protein reach the transition state and continue folding. Overall, our results elucidate the mechanism of formation of the folding nucleus of a protein and provide insights into how its folding rate can be modified during evolution by mutations that modulate the strength of the interactions between the residues forming the folding nucleus.


In studying the incision employed for the extraction of cataract we need not go further back in the history of the incision than the time of Daviel. 1 The operation of extraction, as a recognized method of removing cataract originated with Daviel, the method having been matured about the year 1750. The incision employed most frequently by Daviel and the one referred to when the term "Daviel's incision" is used is a flap incision (Fig. 1) made entirely in the corneal tissue close to the scleral margin. The cornea was first pierced by means of a broad needle at its lower margin; then, by means of small, blunt-pointed knives and by curved scissors (Daviel's scissors, right and left), the incision was continued on either side until almost two-thirds of the cornea near its margin had been divided. In the latter years of Daviel's life the incision was made shorter. In


The combination of phase-change materials and integrated photonics has led to the development of new forms of all-optical devices, including photonic memories, arithmetic and logic processors, and synaptic and neuronal mimics. Such devices can be readily fabricated into photonic integrated circuits, so potentially delivering large-scale all-optical arithmetic-logic units and neuromorphic processing chips. To facilitate in the design and optimization of such large-scale systems, and to aid in the understanding of device and system performance, fast yet accurate computer models are needed. Here, we describe the development of a behavioral modeling tool that meets such requirements, being capable of essentially instantaneous modeling of the write, erase, and readout performance of various integrated phase-change photonic devices, including those for synaptic and neuronal mimics.The combination of phase-change materials and integrated photonics has led to the development of new forms of all-optical devices, including photonic memories, arithmetic and logic processors, and synaptic and neuronal mimics. Such devices can be readily fabricated into photonic integrated circuits, so potentially delivering large-scale all-optical arithmetic-logic units and neuromorphic processing chips. To facilitate in the design and optimization of such large-scale systems, and to aid in the understanding of device and system performance, fast yet accurate computer models are needed. Here, we describe the development of a behavioral modeling tool that meets such requirements, being capable of essentially instantaneous modeling of the write, erase, and readout performance of various integrated phase-change photonic devices, including those for synaptic and neuronal mimics.


SYNDROME-36 (presented in the year 2002) compiled by the Author since 1992 (SYNDROME-11) represents a cluster of 36 components (comprises Risk & Protective Factors, and Predictors), which determines the quality of Endothelial Function. The most frequent causes of Endothelial Dysfunction (ED) are Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, and Lipid (Dyslipidemia) which can be abbreviated as HDL-Syndrome . In clinical practice, cigarette should be included as a major risk factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis ( HDL-C Syndrome ). Four functional targets for the quality of the Endothelial Cell function are 1. Lumen (Vasoconstrictors ET-1, and Vasodilators NO, Bradykinin, Hyperpolarizing Factor), 2. Growth (Stimulators PDGF, ET, All, and Inhibitors NO, PG12, TGF), 3. Inflammation (Proinflammatory Adhesion Molecules, and Anti Inflammatory), and 4. Hemostasis (Prothrombotic PAI-1, and Anti Thrombotic PG12, tPA). The Endothelial Cell produces mediators that induce vasoconstriction, including ET (Endothelin), Prostaglandins (PGG2 and PGH2), and Angiotensin-11 (AII). The key enzyme that regulates the local generation of AII is Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE). Angiotensin-II also stimulates the generation of Superoxide. Nitric Oxide (NO) is not only involved in the control of vasomotor tone, but also in vascular homeostasis and immunological functions; eleven (11) roles of NO as atheroprotector of Endothelial Dysfunction have been summarized by the author. The five principles of thetreatment of ED esp. in Diabetes Mellitus are 1. Insulin Sensitizer (in DM excellent glycemic control is obligatory), 2. ACEinhibitors (Tissue ACE-IS Quinapril etc), 3. Lipid Modulators (Statins Atorvastatin etc, and or Fibrates), 4. Antioxidants (Raxofelast 600 mg bid, Vit. C 500 mg/day, Vit. E 400-800 mg/day, Beta Carotene), and 5. Arginine Supplementation (Diet-KV, tablet Arginine 450 mg/day). Diet-KV comprises 68% cal. Cbh, 12% cal. Protein, 20% cal. Fat (Cholesterol < 300 mg/day), Fiber ± 35 g/day, Enriched with food supplements containing Arginine, Folate, Vit. B6, and Vit. B12. Several studies, fe. TREND (1996), BANFF (2000) have established that a potent tissue ACE-I (Quinapril) improves Endothelial Function in humans. Interestingly, the BANFF study showed this anti hypertensive agent from other classes has no effect on Endothelial Function. These results are strengthened by those from QUO VADIS (2000). In this study the treatment with Quinapril significantly reduced clinical ischemic events during the one-year period after coronary bypass graft surgery. The rank order of potency of several different ACE inhibitors have been determined by several investigators as follows (by sequent numbers) 1. Quinapril = Benazepril, 2. Ramipril, 3. Perindopril, 4. Lisinopril, 5. Enalapril, 6. Fosinopril, and 7. Captopril. Conclusion Endothelial Dysfunction (ED) has been widely documented in patients with Diabetes Mellitus and more frequently in those with HDL Syndrome . Five principles of treatment of ED are summarized. Tissue-ACE-IS (Quinapril is the most potent one) play pivotal roles in the improvement of ED and these lines of evidence are strengthened by the results of TREND, BANFF, and QUO VADIS studies.


Obtaining knowledge on the grain boundary topology in three dimensions is of great importance as it controls the mechanical properties of polycrystalline materials. In this study, the three dimensional texture and grain topology of as-deformed ultra fine grained Cu-0.17wt%Zr have been investigated using three-dimensional orientation microscopy (3D electron backscattering diffraction, EBSD) measurements in ultra fine grained Cu-0.17wt%Zr. Equal channel angular pressing was used to produce the ultra fine grained structure. The experiments were conducted using a dual-beam system for 3D-EBSD. The approach is realized by a combination of a focused ion beam (FIB) unit for serial sectioning with high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with EBSD. The work demonstrates that the new 3D EBSD-FIB technique provides a new level of microstructure information that cannot be achieved by conventional 2D-EBSD analysis.


Extracted from text ... IMIESA MAY 2006 -
PROFILE
According to Robert McDonald, spokesperson for the newly
elected executive mayor of Cape Town, Helen Zille, only 60% of
the capital budget for infrastructure development was spent in
the Western Cape during the past three years. Meanwhile, protests
against the poor service delivery track record have escalated. The
political situation needs to be stabilised and Zille is intent on meeting
the urgent needs of her electorate.
The latest local government elections brought a number of strong
women into leadership and Zille heads up one of the largest
administrations in the country.
She clenched her ..


The antiestrogenic activity of a series of alkyl-substituted polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in the immature female Sprague-Dawley rat uterus. The compounds utilized in this study contain two, three, or four lateral substitutents and include: 6-methyl-1,3,8-triCDF, 6-ethyl-1,3,8-triCDF, 6-n-propyl-1,3,8-triCDF, 6-i-propyl-1,3,8-triCDF, 6-t-butyl-1,3,8-triCDF, 8-methyl-1,3,6-triCDF (two lateral substituents); 6-methyl-2,3,8-triCDF, 6-methyl-2,3,4,8-tetraCDF, 8-methyl-1,3,7-triCDF, and 8-methyl-1,2,4,7-tetraCDF (three lateral substituents); 8-methyl-2,3,7-triCDF, 8-methyl-2,3,4,7-tetraCDF (four lateral substituents). Two additional compounds, 8-methyl-2,3,7-trichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 8-methyl-2,3,7-tribromodibenzo-p- dioxin (four lateral substituents), were also utilized. All of the alkyl-substituted compounds inhibited estrogen-induced uterine wet weight increase and cytosolic and nuclear progesterone and estrogen receptor binding. The effects of structure on the antiestrogenic potencies were determined using 6-i-propyl-1,3,8-triCDF, 6-methyl-2,3,4,8-tetraCDF, and 8-methyl-2,3,4,7-tetraCDF as representative congeners containing two, three, and four lateral substituents, respectively. The ED50 values for antiestrogenicity were similar for the three compounds; however, the ED50 values for induction of hepatic CYP1A1-dependent activity were 73,600 (estimated), 8.52, and 5.31 mumol/kg for 6-i-propyl-1,3,8-triCDF, 6-methyl-2,3,4,8-tetraCDF, and 8-methyl-2,3,4,7-tetraCDF, respectively. Since CYP1A1 can be used as a surrogate for toxic potency in the rat then high ED50 (induction)/ED50 (antiestrogenicity) ratios would be indicative of low toxicity and high antiestrogenic potency. The ratio was 13,990 to 17,100 for 6-i-propyl-1,3,8-triCDF, whereas the corresponding value for the compounds with three or four lateral substituents varied from 0.64 to 3.34. The results suggests that the 1,3,6,8-substituted alkyl PCDFs are useful structural models for developing new aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated antiestrogens for future clinical use as antiestrogens.


The catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alkyl fluorides, particularly α-fluorocarbonyl compounds, has been the focus of substantial effort in recent years. While significant progress has been described in the formation of enantioenriched secondary alkyl fluorides, advances in the generation of tertiary alkyl fluorides have been more limited. Here, we describe a method for the catalytic asymmetric coupling of aryl alkyl ketenes with commercially available N-fluorodibenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) and C6F5ONa to furnish tertiary α-fluoroesters. Mechanistic studies are consistent with the hypothesis that the addition of an external nucleophile (C6F5ONa) is critical for turnover, releasing the catalyst (PPY*) from an N-acylated intermediate. The available data can be explained by a reaction pathway wherein the enantioselectivity is determined in the turnover-limiting transfer of fluorine from NFSI to a chiral enolate derived from the addition of PPY* to the ketene. The structure and the reactivity of the product of this proposed elementary step, an α-fluoro-N-acylpyridinium salt, have been examined.


Two direct methods for the diagnosis of trichinellosis were compared: trichinoscopy and artificial digestion. Muscles from 17 wistar rats, orally infected with 500 Trichinella spiralis encysted larvae were examined. From each of the following muscles: diaphragm, tongue, masseters, intercostals, triceps brachialis and cuadriceps femoralis, 648,440 larvae from 1 g samples were recovered. The linear correlation between trichinoscopy and artificial digestion was very high and significant (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001), showing that both methods for the detection of muscular larvae did not differ significantly. In both methods, significant differences were found in the distribution of larvae per gramme of muscle.


Abstract Attempts were made to obtain absolute ages constraining the most recent episode of fault activity in the North Somerset Coastal Fault Belt as part of the seismic hazard assessment for the proposed Hinkley Point 'C' power station. Radiometric (uranium series, 14C) and palaeomagnetic dating techniques were applied to calcite from vein systems which cut the Hinkley Point Fault and 14C dating was applied to bone material from undeformed Quaternary gravel deposits overlying faults in Liassic bedrock at Helwell Bay. Detailed field mapping and microscopy indicated that the samples chosen for dating had not undergone any significant fault-related deformation. Dates obtained from the radiometric techniques ranged from c. 33 ka to greater than 300 ka and reflect the influences of isotopic exchange and contamination as well as the inherent age limitations of the techniques. Palaeomagnetic dating techniques identified reverse polarizaton in a calcite sample from the Hinkley Point Fault, indicating an age greater than 730 ka, the time of the last geomagnetic field reversal. Palaeomagnetic vectors suggest a pre-Pliocene (and conceivably an early Jurassic) age for the calcite vein emplacement.


Sr isotope records from marginal marine basins track the mixing between seawater and local continental runoff, potentially recording the effects of sea level, tectonic, and climate forcing in marine fossils and sediments. Our 110 new 87Sr/86Sr analyses on oyster and foraminifera samples from six late Miocene stratigraphic sections in southern Turkey, Crete, and Sicily show that 87Sr/86Sr fell below global seawater values in the basins several million years before the Messinian Salinity Crisis, coinciding with tectonic uplift and basin shallowing. 87Sr/86Sr from more centrally located basins (away from the Mediterranean coast) drop below global seawater values only during the Messinian Salinity Crisis. In addition to this general trend, 55 new 87Sr/86Sr analyses from the astronomically tuned Lower Evaporites in the central Apennines (Italy) allow us to explore the effect of glacio‐eustatic sea level and precipitation changes on 87Sr/86Sr. Most variation in our data can be explained by changes in sea level, with greatest negative excursions from global seawater values occurring during relative sea level lowstands, which generally coincided with arid conditions in the Mediterranean realm. We suggest that this greater sensitivity to lowered sea level compared with higher runoff could relate to the inverse relationship between Sr concentration and river discharge. Variations in the residence time of groundwater within the karst terrain of the circum‐Mediterranean region during arid and wet phases may help to explain the single (robust) occurrence of a negative excursion during a sea level highstand, but this explanation remains speculative without more detailed paleoclimatic data for the region.


One of the key challenges in deploying RL to real-world applications is to adapt to variations of unknown environment contexts, such as changing terrains in robotic tasks and fluctuated bandwidth in congestion control. Existing works on adaptation to unknown environment contexts either assume the contexts are the same for the whole episode or assume the context variables are Markovian. However, in many real-world applications, the environment context usually stays stable for a stochastic period and then changes in an abrupt and unpredictable manner within an episode, resulting in a segment structure, which existing works fail to address. To leverage the segment structure of piecewise stable context in real-world applications, in this paper, we propose a \textit{\textbf{Se}gmented \textbf{C}ontext \textbf{B}elief \textbf{A}ugmented \textbf{D}eep~(SeCBAD)} RL method. Our method can jointly infer the belief distribution over latent context with the posterior over segment length and perform more accurate belief context inference with observed data within the current context segment. The inferred belief context can be leveraged to augment the state, leading to a policy that can adapt to abrupt variations in context. We demonstrate empirically that SeCBAD can infer context segment length accurately and outperform existing methods on a toy grid world environment and Mujuco tasks with piecewise-stable context.


Granular C/Co/C films have been prepared by magnetron sputtering from C and Co onto glass substrates at room temperature and subsequent in situ annealing. C and Co targets use an RF and DC facing deposition mode respectively. The structural and magnetic properties of films at room temperature were investigated as functions of Co layer thickness, C layer thickness and annealing temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows the majority Co nanograins are formed as the hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) structure annealing at 400 °C. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements indicate that the magnetic moment lies well in the film plane. Hc reaches maximum near 20 nm-thick Co layer and 30 nm-thick C layer with annealing temperature of 400 °C for 30 min. Remanent squareness (S) close to 1 was achieved for the film in which C layer thickness is 45 nm. Scanning probe microscope (SPM) was used to scan surface morphology and magnetic domain structures. The average grain size varies from 10 nm to 15 nm after annealing.


Sarawak is the principal exporter of sago starch to the world market, exporting
about 25 000 - 30 000 tonnes of sago starch annually. Commercialization of the sago
industry and plantation could ensure the production of sago starch in large quantity
and of homogeneous quality. Hence LCDA (Land Custody and Development
Authority of Sarawak) developed the world's first commercial deep peat sago
plantation in Mukah, Sarawak in the year 1987, with minimal management
intervention. However, most ofthose sago palms planted are not showing any sign of
trunking after 10 years old. Moreover, they suffered stunted growth and high
mortality rate. This study is a part ofan umbrella study looking into factors
influencing the growth patterns of sago palms under minimally managed peat swamp
cultivation in Dalat and Mukah. This study applies a comparative-inductive study
design to compare selected soil physicochemical and microbiological parameters,
such as soil pH, soil CO2 emission and soil microbiota, focusing on mycorrhizae and
N2 fixers, of soil samples collected from trunking and non-trunking sago palms. Two
sampling plots were identified and subjected to further study, they are Block 1 (as
trunking block) and Block 7 (as non-trunking block) ofDalat Sago Plantation (DSP)
Phase lA. Sago trunk volume was used as the index oftrunking. It was found that
DSP was completely water-logged during the duration ofthe study (September, 2003
- January, 2004) and that its peat soil was very acidic (dry soil pH, 2.82 - 3.13).
Moreover, the soil pH for trunking block (2.98) was marginally higher than nontrunking
block (2.90) (p =0.0667). Using a field method ofC02 detection by soda
lime absorption, soil C02 emission for trunking block (3.5 g COJ! m21day) was also found to be significantly higher than non-trunking block (2.1 g C021 m21day) (p =
0.0127). Total recoverable viable aerobic bacteria (TRVAB) count has been
enumerated using standard plate count method and this study is 80.46 % confident
(only marginally significant) that TRVAB count for trunking block (9.8 x 105 cful g
dry soil) was higher than non-trunking block (7.2 x 105 cful g dry soil). Attempts at
quantifying degree of mycorrhizal infection using gridline-intersect method were
unsuccessful due to the inability of the technique to distinguish between living and
non-living roots. Enumeration oftolal aerobic N2 fixers (TANF) using standard plate
count method did not reveal any significant difference between the TANF count for
trunking (9.1 x 105 cful g dry soil) and non-trunking block (8.2 x lOS cful g dry soil).
This suggested that most of the soil bacteria quantified were aerobic N2 fixers which
were probably inactivated by the water-logging condition. Only one colony of
anaerobic N2 fixers was isolated. Regression and Partial Correlation Analysis have
proven that all the soil microbiological parameters were related to the trunk volume of
the sago palm (l = 1.000,p = 0.008). TRVAB was found to be the most influential
parameter. However, it was undermined by the high level of soil acidity. Therefore,
under existing natural field condition, soil pH seemed most important in affecting
trunk volume. In light of these results, two soil amendment strategies are suggested,
i.e. the improvement of soil aeration by lowering the water table and increasing the
soil pH by liming. However, soil microbiological interactions are so complex that the
actual consequences of these amendments though very influential and significant, are
quite unknown without further in-depth study into the subject. Therefore it is high
time that the effects ofsoil microorganisms on the growth of sago palms be subjected
to intensive research since proper understanding of soil microbiology would benefit
XII
the plantation as well as the natural environment because microbiological
amendments on the soil are as a rule, environmentally-friendlier and less capitalintensive.


The paper begins with the present scenario of the world economy. The paper explains the concept of a new branch of economics, green economics, which focuses on both value-in-use and value-in-exchange and gives importance to the regeneration of individuals, communities and ecosystems. The paper reflects the practical application of green economics, which is broader than environmental economics and may be able to provide an answer to our future problems. In a world where value is expressed in terms of money, assigning a monetary value to externalities is a significant contribution. Hence, the paper emphasises the importance of sustainability funding. First, it explains the need for ecology pricing and its feasibility. Furthermore, the paper stresses the need to create a separate pool of funds for sustainability by imposing an ecology cess much like the Swachh Bharat Cess (Clean India Collection) introduced in India recently for certain services to clean up the environment. The paper concludes with empirical evidence, suggesting a separate legislation to raise necessary funds for the purpose of enriching biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance.


OBJECTIVES Multiple sclerosis lesions appear as areas of high signal on T2 weighted MRI. A proportion of these lesions, when viewed on T1 weighted MRI, appear hypointense compared with surrounding white matter. These hypointense T1 lesions are thought to represent areas of greater tissue damage compared with the more non-specific, total T2 lesion load. This study aimed to better characterise the properties of high signal T2 lesions with differing appearances on T1 weighted MRI using quantitative MR techniques. METHODS Eleven patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis were studied. Two high signal T2 lesions were selected from each patient—one of which appeared hypointense and one isointense on a T1 weighted image. A voxel was positioned around each lesion and for this volume of brain the metabolite concentrations were estimated using proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) and the T1 relaxation time within each voxel calculated from a T1 map generated using a multislice technique. RESULTS Compared with isointense T1 lesions, hypointense T1 lesions exhibited a significantly lower absolute concentration of N-acetyl derived metabolites (tNAA) and a significantly higher absolute concentration of myo-inositol (Ins). T1 relaxation time correlated significantly with both tNAA (r=−0.8, p < 0.001) and Ins (r=0.5, p=0.012). There was no correlation between T1 relaxation times and creatine/phosphocreatine or choline containing compounds. CONCLUSIONS Prolonged T1 relaxation times seem to reflect the severity of axonal damage or dysfunction (inferred by a low tNAA) and possibly also gliosis (inferred by a high Ins) in chronic multiple sclerosis lesions.


Strains of Vibrio vulnificus biotype 2, isolated from internal organs of diseased European eels as pure cultures of opaque cells, together with some reference strains from Japanese eels, were used in this study. Spontaneous translucent-phase variants were obtained from the corresponding parent strains and compared for a variety of phenotypic traits related to virulence for eels. The rate of colony dissociation from opaque to translucent cells was higher (around 10(-2)) than that observed for translucent to opaque cells (10(-3) to 10(-4)). Electron microscopy with ruthenium red revealed the presence of a capsule of variable thickness on opaque cells, whereas translucent-type colonies had no observable capsular materials. No differences in plasmid profiles were detected between the two cell types so that plasmids do not seem to be implicated in the mechanism of phase shift of biotype 2 strains. No apparent difference in outer membrane protein and lipopolysaccharide patterns could be observed between the cell types. Both isogenic morphotypes were able to grow in eel serum and minimal medium supplemented with ethylenediamine di(O-hydroxyphenyl-acetic acid) or transferrin. Therefore, the presence of capsule was not required for the acquisition of iron from iron chelators or for resistance to serum bactericidal action. Both morphotypes were highly virulent for elvers, although the 50% lethal dose for translucent cells was higher than that for the corresponding opaque cells. The latter observation, together with the overall data, suggests that the production of capsular materials by biotype 2 of V. vulnificus is not essential for the development of vibriosis in eels, at least when cells are injected intraperitoneally.


Objectives: To find out the spectrum of bacterial pathogens isolated from pus samples of infected burn sites and to come across the sample collection according to post burn day and distribution of Gram positive and negative isolates in samples in relation to time of collection.Methodology: It is a prospective, non-randomized, descriptive study conducted at Microbiology laboratory, Pathology department and burn care center (BCC), Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad for 4 months, from 2nd April to 3rd August 2013. One hundred and ten clinical isolates from 68 patients were collected. Sample collection from referred patients was done at the time of admission and from admitted patients was done during changing their dressings. The sample collected was immediately transferred to the Pathology laboratory and submitted for Culturing. The samples were inoculated on Blood agar and MacConkey agar (Oxoid USA) and incubated aerobically at 35+ 2 0C for 18 -48 hours. After incubation the pathogens were identified with the help of colonial Morphology, gram stain reaction, biochemical tests, and API 20E.
Results: Out of 68 samples 110 burn wound pathogens were isolated. 47% of the samples yielded single etiological agent whereas the rest of 53 % had polymicrobial etiology. Gram negatives were in majority 81.82% and Gram positives were18.18 %. The samples in which only one isolate was obtained were 32. Amongst them P. aeruginosa was isolated in (65.6%) of samples. In 31 samples two isolates were obtained. In such samples coexistence of P .aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae was most prevalent i.e. in 10 (32.25%). There were only five samples in which more than two isolates were obtained. Amongst Gram negatives were the predominant bacterial pathogens out of them P. aeruginosa were 53 %. MRSA made the major bulk of Gram positives that is 65 %, the rest 35% were Staph aureus MSSA. Gram positives were isolated more in the first week samples i.e. 30% as compared to the subsequent weeks.Conclusion: It was concluded that more than 80 % of bacterial isolates of burn wound infections were Gram negative and less than 20% were Gram positive i-e Staphylococcus aureus.


Yeast autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) elements contain an 11-base-pair core consensus sequence (5'-[A/T]TTTAT[A/G]TTT[A/T]-3') that is required for function. The contribution of each position within this sequence to ARS activity was tested by creating all possible single-base mutations within the core consensus sequence of ARS307 (formerly called the C2G1 ARS) and testing their effects on high-frequency transformation and on plasmid stability. Of the 33 mutations, 22 abolished ARS function as measured by high-frequency transformation, 7 caused more than twofold reductions in plasmid stability, and 4 had no effect on plasmid stability. Mutations that reduced or abolished ARS activity occurred at each position in the consensus sequence, demonstrating that each position of this sequence contributes to ARS function. Of the four mutations that had no effect on ARS activity, three created alternative perfect matches to the core consensus sequence, demonstrating that the alternate bases allowed by the consensus sequence are, indeed, interchangeable. In addition, a change from T to C at position 6 did not perturb wild-type efficiency. To test whether the essential region extends beyond the 11-base-pair consensus sequence, the effects on plasmid stability of point mutations one base 3' to the T-rich strand of the core consensus sequence (position 12) and deletion mutations that altered bases 5' to the T-rich strand of the core consensus sequence were examined. An A at position 12 or the removal of three T residues 5' to the core consensus sequence severely diminished ARS efficiency, showing that the region required for full ARS efficiency extends beyond the core consensus sequence in both directions.


Background and Aim: Progress in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities and early diagnosis of maternal life threatening diseases has resulted in an increased number of second trimester pregnancy terminations. The present study aimed at comparing the therapeutic effects of two different regimens of vaginal misoprostol administration (i.e. every 6 hours vs every 12 hours) on the 2 nd trimester pregnancy termination. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 140 women with14-28 weeks of gestation who had volunteered to undergo termination of pregnancy for various indications, were randomly divided into 2 equal groups. The first group received 400µg vaginal misoprostol every 6 hours and the second one every 12 hours. If expulsion of fetus did not occur within 48 hours, high dose of oxytocin was administered. Induction-abortion interval, mean dose of misoprostol, high dose oxytocin administration need and side-effects in the two groups were recorded. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS statistical software (version 12) at the significant level P<0.05. Results: There was no significant difference in the mean induction-abortion interval between the two groups. Average dose of misoprostol was higher (P<0.001) in the 6-hour group (1600±761 µg) compared to the 12-hour group (1200±385µg). There was not any need for administration of high dose of oxytocin in either of the groups. Incidence of fever was slightly higher in the 6- hour group, which was not statistically significant. Conclusion: For termination of second trimester pregnancy, administration of 400µg vaginal misoprostol every 12 hours can be as useful as every 6 hour administration of the drug.


Abstract The transformation of cellulose into glucose ester α-d-glucose pentaacetate (GPAc) was carried out in ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride under mild reaction conditions. The reaction comprises two steps: the first involves a hydrolysis reaction, yielding α-d-glucose and glucose oligomers; and then only after some time, the acetylating reagent acetic anhydride is added. Under optimized conditions and with the acidic resin Amberlyst 15DRY as a hydrolysis catalyst, a 70% yield of GPAc was obtained. This product could be quantitatively isolated by simple liquid-liquid extraction, which allowed easy recycling of the ionic liquid and catalyst.


The use of anaerobic process for domestic wastewater treatment would achieve lower carbon footprint as it eliminates aeration and generate methane. Among several anaerobic treatment processes, high rate anaerobic digesters receive great attention due to its high loading capacity and chemical oxygen demand removal rate. Up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) is getting wide acceptance among several anaerobic processes. However, its application is still limited to industrial wastewater treatment. There are some unresolved problems to be accepted it in developing countries with lower temperature conditions for domestic wastewater treatment. Several studies have been carried out for the performance of UASB reactor but there is still lack of updated information especially on the issue of low temperature domestic wastewater treatment. Considering the gravity of the issue, an attempt have been made to compile updated information so as to help engineers, researchers and practitioners in the selection of reactors and future prospects of research.


The most frequent causes of cholestasis include choledocholithiasis and neoplasms (pancreatic head carcinoma, ampullary carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma). The authors discussed imaging modalities currently applied in the diagnostics of patients with suspected obstruction biliary tract obstruction. Special attention was paid to the efficacy of these techniques in detecting the obstruction and determining its level and nature. In general, US or CT are first performed in patients with cholestasis. The use of percutaneous cholangiography and retrograde cholangiopancreatography is often limited to therapeutic interventions. Magnetic resonance offers images similar to both conventional cholangiography and computed tomography. This technique offers complex evaluation of bile ducts and other abdominal organs.


The intracranial pressures of conscious, lightly anesthetized and fully anesthetized dogs were altered by means of previously implanted intraventricular cannulas, while systemic arterial pressures were simultaneously measured. One vertebral artery was occluded in all these experiments by the catheter used to record aortic pressure. Increased intracranial pressure, which probably acts by reducing cerebral blood flow, caused a rise in systemic arterial pressure whose magnitude depended on the presence and depth of anesthesia. When anesthesia was not used, but when the animals were resting quietly, a significant pressor response occurred within the physiological range of CSF pressure. The response was typically of slow onset, developing over a period of one half to two minutes. It was reproducible, but tended to diminish gradually in the course of several hours if the experiment was continued, although it could be restored if CSF pressure was further increased. The pulse rate tended to increase slightly, or remain the same, providing CSF pressure was not increased too greatly or too rapidly. Respiratory effects were variable, but most commonly a slightly increased rate and depth of respiration occurred at first, with a return towards normal as the systemic arterial pressure rose. Similar responses were seen during bilateral artery occlusion, by means of previously implanted inflatable cuffs, in dogs whose carotid sinuses had been excised. These effects were also slow in onset, and were accompanied by comparable respiratory changes. In anesthetized animals with intact carotid arteries, bilateral vertebral artery occlusion produced negligible pressor effects, but was found to augment the response to increased intracranial pressure. Observations in four dogs with chronic experimental renal hypertension did not reveal notable differences, except that these animals may be less sensitive than normal to increases in intracranial pressure. The results of these experiments are compatible with the hypothesis that basal systemic arterial pressure during sleep in some degree depends on the cerebrovascular resistance, although it will be important to determine the nature of the slow adaptation seen in these experiments. If this adaptation is brought about by compensatory cerebral vasodilation, this investigation is in accord with the concept of Dickinson and Thomson that some forms of chronic high blood pressure in man might be initiated by cerebral artery occlusion or narrowing of sufficient severity and extent to prevent adequate compensatory vasodilation.


Activation of many cell surface receptors triggers the reorganization of downstream signaling molecules into micron- or submicron-sized clusters. However, the functional consequences of such clustering have been unclear. We biochemically reconstituted a 12-component signaling pathway on model membranes, beginning with T cell receptor (TCR) activation and ending with actin assembly. When TCR phosphorylation was triggered, downstream signaling proteins spontaneously separated into liquid-like clusters that promoted signaling outputs both in vitro and in human Jurkat T cells. Reconstituted clusters were enriched in kinases but excluded phosphatases and enhanced actin filament assembly by recruiting and organizing actin regulators. These results demonstrate that protein phase separation can create a distinct physical and biochemical compartment that facilitates signaling. Note: This abstract was not presented at the conference. Citation Format: Xiaolei Su, Jonathon Ditlev, Enfu Hui, Michael Rosen, Ronald Vale. Mechanism of T cell activation by phase separation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B101.


Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that is characterized by increasing loss of cartilage, remodeling of the periarticular bone, and inflammation of the synovial membrane. Besides the common OA therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the treatment with chondroprotectives, such as glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, collagen hydrolysate, or nutrients, such as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids is a promising therapeutic approach. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that the targeted administration of selected micronutrients leads to a more effective reduction of OA symptoms, with less adverse events. Their chondroprotective action can be explained by a dual mechanism: (1) as basic components of cartilage and synovial fluid, they stimulate the anabolic process of the cartilage metabolism; (2) their anti-inflammatory action can delay many inflammation-induced catabolic processes in the cartilage. These two mechanisms are able to slow the progression of cartilage destruction and may help to regenerate the joint structure, leading to reduced pain and increased mobility of the affected joint.


The incorporation of number of unit cells in EBG arrangement produces two major side effects on the performance of patch antenna. First one is parasitic loading, this causes multi resonance in antenna hence obtains some enhancement in antenna band width. Second one is cavity effect, this reflects some of energy from EBG toward antenna which results in reducing bandwidth. Present paper, rectangular microstrip patch antenna is surrounded by number of EBG rows is designed; and the results of proposed antenna with a conventional patch antenna is presented comparatively.


In many application domains, there is a need for learning algorithms that can effectively exploit attribute value taxonomies (AVT)—hierarchical groupings of attribute values—to learn compact, comprehensible and accurate classifiers from data—including data that are partially specified. This paper describes AVTNBL, a natural generalization of the naı̈ve Bayes learner (NBL), for learning classifiers from AVT and data. Our experimental results show that AVT-NBL is able to generate classifiers that are substantially more compact and more accurate than those produced by NBL on a broad range of data sets with different percentages of partially specified values. We also show that AVT-NBL is more efficient in its use of training data: AVT-NBL produces classifiers that outperform those produced by NBL using substantially fewer training examples.


Microwave components with nonlinear phase responses are developed using a simplified composite right/left-handed (CRLH) transmission-line (TL) structure without the series capacitance or the shunt inductance. Using such a simplified CRLH structure, arbitrarily dual-band microstrip components have been realized in compact sizes such as a quarter-wavelength short-circuited stub and dual- band branch-line couplers. Simulation and measurement results are given to demonstrate the efficiency and good performance of the proposed components. For the quarter- wavelength short-circuited stub based on the simplified CRLH-TL structure without the series capacitance, it has been shown that the insertion loss is less than -0.1dB. For the arbitrarily dual-band branch-line coupler, experiment results exhibit that S/sub 21/ and S/sub 31/ are larger than -3.6dB, the isolations are smaller than -30dB, the return losses are smaller than -20dB, and the phase differences are within 90/spl deg//spl plusmn/1.8/spl deg/.


In this paper we characterize a broad class of semilinear surjective operators given by the following formula where Z are Hilbert spaces, and is a suitable nonlinear function. First, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the linear operator to be surjective. Second, we prove the following statement: If and is a Lipschitz function with a Lipschitz constant small enough, then and for all the equation admits the following solution .We use these results to prove the exact controllability of the following semilinear evolution equation , , where , are Hilbert spaces, is the infinitesimal generator of strongly continuous semigroup in the control function belong to and is a suitable function. As a particular case we consider the semilinear damped wave equation, the model of vibrating plate equation, the integrodifferential wave equation with Delay, etc.


This paper addresses the skew effects (a significant geometric property) of marine propellers on cavitation phenomenon numerically. DTMB 4381, 4382, 4383 and 4384 model propellers with different skew values have been chosen to investigate the cavity patterns on the blades under open water conditions. A lifting surface method has been applied for both non-cavitating and cavitating propellers. Numerical results (nondimensional thrust and torque coefficients, efficiency values and cavity patterns on the blades) have been validated with experimental results. It has been found that the present numerical method is accurate and reliable for predicting the hydrodynamic performance of both non-cavitating and cavitating propeller under open water conditions. It has also been found that under certain conditions the skewed blades of the propeller can cause lesser cavity patterns and improve the propeller performance.


Purpose

The paper is intended as an extension of the literature dealing with the Islamic accounting standards issued by the Accounting Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and still not adopted in Tunisia. Its major aim is to investigate the Tunisian accountants' basic knowledge and perceptions of Islamic accounting. The study has been designed for the sake of the Tunisian accountants' predisposition to adhere to the AAOIFI standards, as a population directly concerned by an eventual adoption of such standards.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opted for an exploratory study using a questionnaire survey based on the relevant literature. The questionnaire has included items pertaining to demographic areas, information sources, basic knowledge, key differences, valuation concepts, obstacles and advantages, educational and training needs regarding Islamic accounting. The conducted study has involved data collected from the part of 200 practitioners across a number of organizations and audit firms, sited at different regions and locations of the country, employing accounting graduates.

Findings

The reached findings suggest that even though Tunisian practitioners are not well aware of most of the AAOIFI standards' pertaining topics, proponents of stand-alone AAOIFI standards, apart from IFRS, appear to outnumber its opponents. In this context, lack of training programs arranged by professional bodies is considered as the most serious impediment facing the implementation of the standards.

Research limitations/implications

In addition to the usual limitations associated with any survey research (particularly non-response bias and desirability bias), there, also, lies a sample related limitation, as the sample turns out to involve, essentially the private/corporate sector. Pertinent organizations, as the IFI's, appear to be not well represented in the sample.

Practical implications

The results reached through this study would have some implications on the regulatory bodies, academicians and professionals. Thus, for the AAOIFI standards to be successfully implemented in Tunisia, entirety of concerned parties should take part in improving and consolidating the situation.

Social implications

Ultimately, studying differences in the views of jurisdictions, either those who have adopted the AAOIFI standards or those who have not, might provide certain guidelines to standard setters for potential revisions.

Originality/value

Few short articles have previously exanimate the perceptions and knowledge of accounting professionals on Islamic accounting issues, there is a scarcity of research regarding the subject. To the author's knowledge, this paper is one of the rare studies of Islamic accounting in Tunisia.


We investigate the relationship between a country's domestic financial development and the (composition of its) net foreign asset position using a pooled mean group estimator and data for 51 countries during the period 1970-2007. The results show that financial development reduces a country's long-run net foreign asset position. In addition, financial development leads to higher net equity and lower net debt positions. These findings confirm the theoretical predictions of Mendoza et al. (2009). The results are robust to using different indicators of financial development and inclusion of the level of development of a country in the cointegrating relationship.


Youth based programs focus on preventing young people from participating in socially undesirable behavior. Consent education through healthy relationship education can be a way to reduce sexual violence and produce a cultural change in how we address victims' needs. Implementing such education would require a national policy change. Simply changing the policy, however, would not directly lead to a desired aspect of cultural change all on its own as evidenced by other policy change failures to encourage sexual violence victims to report their victimization. People do not report the violence committed against themselves out of a fear that they will not be believed. Thus, a new policy must be implemented through the consideration of timeliness by policy makers. This timeliness includes looking at how prevention programs do and do not work as well as exploring studies conducted about young people's sexual activity. The key is to implement a policy effecting intimate relationships before people start engaging in them. There are systemic problems within our current formulation of policies working to combat sexual violence. Mainly, there is a failure to value victims' voices when a policy needs improvements. Moreover, we depend too much on college and universities to work as prevention trainers, victim advocates, and punishers when not everyone attends these institutions and sexual violence is prevalent before people reach the age at which they would enter these institutions anyway. The national government has a vested interest in protecting public health through initiatives aimed at promoting personal autonomy through civil liberties.


This is a research-in-progress paper that examines clients' decision to continue engaging their current IT outsourcing vendors. It employs the lens of expectation-confirmation theory to evaluate how prior expectation relates to the evaluation of actual vendor performance, how expectation-confirmation influences client satisfaction, and how it leads to the decision of outsourcing service (dis)continuance. The theory suggests that positive confirmation and positive disconfirmation lead to client satisfaction and higher probability of outsourcing service continuance while negative disconfirmation leads to dissatisfaction and service discontinuance. Formation of expectation is a dynamic process as clients continuously updating their expectations based on new experiences. When performing expectation-confirmation evaluation, clients may refer to new expectations that are not present prior to relationship engagement but are formed during the course of the relationship.


In recent years, there has been an increase in civic engagement for college students, recognized by the Carnegie Institute, and the focus of this article. One example is the growth in community service and service learning programs. This study builds on the work of Clary et al (1996 and 1998) that examined student motivations for participating in community service projects.  The purpose of this paper is to determine who participates in a college community service event, what motivates them to participate, what are the constraints and what are the benefits of participating.  Furthermore, this study adds to the literature and utilizes a well-tested instrument (Voluntary Function Inventory) to examine student motivation and constraints related to community engagement.  Based on the responses of 378 individuals who participated in a community service day at a major university in the Midwest United States, we found that the majority of participants were already involved in community service of some kind and planned to increase their involvement.  Consistent with other students, women and individuals who were employed were more likely to participate in these community engagement projects.  This paper concludes with a discussion of practical and research implications of student engagement initiatives.


In simulation-based validation, the detection of design errors requires both stimulus capable of activating the errors and checkers capable of detecting the behavior as erroneous. Validation coverage metrics tend to address only the sufficiency of a testbench's stimulus component, whereas fault insertion techniques focus on the testbench's checker component. In this paper we introduce "coverage discounting", an analytical technique that combines the benefits of each approach, overcomes their respective shortcomings, and provides significantly more information than performing both tasks separately. The proposed approach can be used with any functional coverage metric (including, and ideally, user defined covergroups and bins), and a variety of fault models and insertion mechanisms. We present an experimental case study where the proposed approach is used to evaluate functional and pseudofunctional tests for a microprocessor. The simulation efficiency is improved through the use of an instruction set simulator, which has been instrumented to record functional coverage information as well as insert faults according to an ad-hoc fault model. The results demonstrate the benefits of coverage discounting: it is able to correctly distinguish high and low-quality tests with similar coverage scores as well as expose checker insufficiencies.


OBJECTIVE
To localize inflammatory and chronic changes to defined areas in the sacroiliac joints in patients with early-stage compared with late-stage spondylarthritis (SpA), using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHODS
Using MRI, 93 patients with SpA and inflammatory back pain who had radiographs of the sacroiliac joints were examined, comprising 31 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 62 with other SpA subsets, including 48 with undifferentiated SpA (uSpA). MRI was performed using T1-weighted, T2*-weighted, STIR, and dynamic contrast-enhanced (gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) sequences. Two readers retrospectively analyzed the images by differentiating 9 areas of the sacroiliac joints: the ventral and caudal joint capsule, cavum, subchondral bone, bone marrow, ligament entheses, and ligaments; the sacral and iliac sides were tabulated separately.

RESULTS
By MRI, sacroiliitis was more often bilateral in AS (84%) than in uSpA (48%) (P = 0.01). Inflammatory changes were found in a mean +/- SD 4.7 +/- 2.9 regions/joint, with involvement of 4.5 +/- 3.2 regions in early disease versus 5.2 +/- 2.3 regions in late disease (P not significant [NS]). Involvement of the iliac side of the sacroiliac joints was found to be more frequent than the sacral side in early disease (58% versus 48%; P < 0.01) as compared with that in late disease (58% versus 63%; P NS). The dorsocaudal parts of the synovial joint and the bone marrow were the most frequently inflamed structures in early disease (P < 0.001 for ventral versus dorsal joint capsule). In contrast, involvement of the entheses was more common in advanced disease (early 43% versus late 86%; P < 0.001). Similarly, the ligaments were more frequently involved in the late stages (early 26% versus late 40%; P = 0.06). Both patterns of bone marrow inflammation (focal and diffuse) were observed in equal frequencies in early and late disease (17% and 42% versus 26% and 43%, respectively; P NS). HLA-B27-positive patients (n = 80) had more entheseal involvement than did HLA-B27-negative patients (n = 13) (60% versus 39%; P = 0.05). HLA-B27-negative patients had a shorter disease duration (2.2 years versus 4.4 years; P = 0.05) and were more often female (62%; P = 0.02). When all pathologic changes were assessed, the STIR sequence (performed in 62 patients) was less sensitive than the contrast-enhanced sequences in that it was not able to show all relevant changes in 27% of these patients (n = 17), failing to reveal inflammation of the cavum in 15 patients and of the bone marrow and joint capsule in 1 patient each.

CONCLUSION
As visualized by MRI, sacroiliitis in SpA is characterized by involvement of different joint structures. Whereas the iliac and the sacral side of the sacroiliac joints are almost equally affected, the dorsocaudal synovial part of the joint is involved significantly more often than the ventral part, especially in early disease. Sacroiliac enthesitis is not a special feature of early sacroiliac inflammation.


Correct and complete perception is key for autonomous vehicles to plan safe maneuvers. Especially under harsh weather conditions the use of sensing capabilities from other road users via vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication can contribute to more complete perception. However, information from other road users may contain additional uncertainties and lead to less accurate perception. Additionally, attackers may use the V2X channel to transmit malicious data. For building an accurate environmental model an autonomous vehicle needs as precise information as possible. To tackle the problems of additional uncertainties within collective perception we propose a methodology to check perceived information for its trustworthiness and validity. This is achieved by evaluating the perception capabilities of a holistic perception pipeline and checking collectively transmitted information for consistency. The proposed approach is evaluated under varying environmental conditions on a simulated highway scenario.


The mechanism of brittleness due to slow cooling during quenching was experimentally investigated in 12% Cr martensitic heat resistant steel. The mechanical property tests and microstructural characterization by SEM、TEM and XRD were conducted. The results showed the impact toughness would decrease with the slowing of cooling rate during quenching, and the low cooling rate within the temperature range from 820 to 660 °C played a significant effect on the impact toughness . Different from the mechanism of temper brittleness, the main causes of embrittlement due to the slow cooling upon quenching were both the continuous precipitation of M23C6 along prior austenite grain boundaries during the process of slow cooling and that of M2C along prior residual austenite film during tempering, and this kind of quench brittleness was nonreversal.


The importance of accounting for temporal variation in vital rates when modelling population dynamics is well recognized. However, long‐term (usually >5 years) datasets are needed to estimate this variation. Consequently, models for newly monitored populations typically assume no temporal variation or use default values provided in software programmes, both of which can give misleading inferences about population dynamics. The goal of this study is to improve estimation of dynamics in the initial years of conservation programmes by incorporating data‐based estimates of temporal variation from other populations with longer‐term data available. We show how data‐derived priors can be generated using estimates of temporal variation in vital rates from other populations, providing information about expected variation until sufficient population‐specific data are available. We specifically evaluated whether data‐derived priors improved our ability to estimate temporal variation for a reintroduced population monitored for 3 years postrelease. We first predicted population growth and probability of extinction assuming no temporal variation in vital rates, then compared projections to those obtained when temporal variation was estimated with uniform priors or with the data‐derived priors. Both types of priors were constrained to plausible ranges, and we also assessed sensitivity of model outputs to widening those ranges. Median projected population size was similar under all three models, but extinction probability was higher with inclusion of temporal variability, reiterating the importance of incorporating this source of uncertainty. Projections with temporal variation were similar irrespective of whether data‐derived priors or uniform priors were used. However, the data‐derived priors generated more precise estimates of annual variation that were less sensitive to relaxation of prior constraints. The approach we present can facilitate management decisions at the outset of conservation programmes when risk assessments that account for all relevant uncertainties can be crucial for determining optimal management strategies.


Maps of solar erythemal ultraviolet (EUV) ir- radiance daily doses were created for every month with a horizontal resolution of 500 m at the geographical domain 47.15 N-49.86 N◊16.94 E-22.81 E covering the territory of Slovakia. The cloud modification factor for the EUV radia- tion (cmfUV) was modeled utilizing the relation between the cloud modification factor of global and EUV radiation. The maps of the cmfUV factor were created by utilizing measure- ments of global irradiance performed at nine observatories during the period 1995-2004 and modeling of the cmfUV dependence on altitude. Maps of the EUV irradiance daily dose corresponded to clear-sky conditions and EUV irradi- ance daily dose affected by average cloudiness were con- structed for mean monthly total ozone, its upper and lower monthly limits, for two probability levels of snow cover oc- currence as criteria for the snow effect incorporation in the model and for one day representing typical values for every month. The map-set can be regarded as an atlas of solar EUV radiation over Slovakia.


This thesis discusses the implementation of ultrasound beamforming on the GPU using CUDA. Fractional delay filters and the need for it when implementing beamforming is discussed. An introduction to CUDA programming is given as well as a study of the workings of the NVIDIA Tesla GPU(or G80). A number of suggestions for implementing beamforming on a GPU is presented as well as an actual implementation and an evaluation of it's performance.


This article addresses the research question: "How do Islamic women of Moroccan descent use prayer in dealing with problems?" The theoretical framework was mainly based on the work of Pargament, Koenig & Perez, regarding religious coping.1 The empirical part of the  study consists of a quantitative and a qualitative part. This article presents the results of the quantitative part. For the quantitative part of our research 177 questionnaires were collected by use of snowball sampling. We questioned their praying practices and their ways of religious coping using the Brief RCOPE. The connection and communication with a loving, caring, benevolent God through prayer, is the main religious way these Islamic women of Moroccan descent cope with their problems. This use of prayer as a way of coping can be clarified by the psychological functions of religiosity and prayer that are suggested by Pargament et al.2 Prayer can help: (1) finding meaning, (2) being master over their circumstances and controlling their emotions, (3) finding comfort and closeness to God, (4) experiencing intimacy with others and closeness to God and (5) transforming their way of life. We did not find any negative religious coping strategies such as negative feelings towards God or alienation. This is in line with research results of Abu Raiya & Pargament.3 As Islam implies surrender to God, it is difficult for Muslims to admit their religious distress, doubts and struggles.


We deployed portable digital seismographs in the San Fernando Valley (SFV), the Los Angeles basin (LAB), and surrounding hills to record aftershocks of the 17 January 1994 Northridge California earthquake. The purpose of the deployment was to investigate factors relevant to seismic zonation in urban areas, such as site amplification, sedimentary basin effects, and the variability of ground motion over short baselines. We placed seismographs at 47 sites (not all concurrently) and recorded about 290 earthquakes with magnitudes up to 5.1 at five stations or more. We deployed widely spaced stations for profiles across the San Fernando Valley, as well as five dense arrays (apertures of 200 to 500 m) in areas of high damage, such as the collapsed Interstate 10 overpass, Sherman Oaks, and the collapsed parking garage at CalState Northridge. Aftershock data analysis indicates a correlation of site amplification with mainshock damage. We found several cases where the site amplification depended on the azimuth of the aftershock, possibly indicating focusing from basin structures. For the parking garage array, we found large ground-motion variabilities (a factor of 2) over 200-m distances for sites on the same mapped soil unit. Array analysis of the aftershock seismograms demonstrates that sizable arrivals after the direct S waves consist of surface waves traveling from the same azimuth as that of the epicenter. These surface waves increase the duration of motions and can have frequencies as high as about 4 Hz. For the events studied here, we do not observe large arrivals reflected from the southern edge of the San Fernando Valley.


Background. Limited information is available on the cellular characteristics of the middle ear fluid (MEF) during acute otitis media (AOM). Objectives. To determine the white blood cell (WBC) composition of the MEF in AOM before and during antibiotic therapy. Materials and methods. Total WBC and differential counts were determined in the MEF of 96 infants and children (ages 2 weeks to 3 years) with AOM who were receiving antibiotics. WBC counts were reported as number of WBC/mg MEF (mean ± sd). Results. One hundred forty-five MEF samples were obtained by tympanocentesis at enrollment (Day 1), and 36 samples were collected on Days 4 to 5 after initiation of antibiotic therapy. Sixty-one percent of the patients were <1 year of age, and 38% were receiving antibiotic therapy at enrollment. Twenty-eight MEF samples were paired (same ear, Day 1 and Days 4 to 5). One hundred twelve pathogens were isolated from 95 of 145 (66%) culture-positive samples obtained on Day 1: 67 Haemophilus influenzae, 40 Streptococcus pneumoniae and 5 others. MEF WBC counts were lower on Day 1 in patients who had received previous antibiotic therapy than in those who had not (432.4± 412.8 vs. 590.5 ± 436.8, P = 0.03). WBC counts were higher on Day 1 in culture-positive than in culture-negative samples (603.9 ± 504.9 vs. 421.4 ± 373.4, P = 0.02). WBC counts were higher on Day 1 in MEF samples positive for S. pneumoniae than in those positive for H. influenzae (799.2 ± 641.5 vs. 506.4 ± 401.9, P = 0.04). There were no differences in the number of neutrophil WBC present in the samples obtained on Day 1 vs. Days 4 to 5 or between samples positive vs. samples negative for bacterial pathogens. Conclusions. WBC counts were higher in the MEF of patients with culture-positive AOM than in those with culture-negative AOM and in those with AOM caused by S. pneumoniae.


Abstract Ion exchange resins with enhanced capacity and selectivity for UO2 2+ have been prepared using the molecular imprinting method. The imprinted structure was introduced by copolymerization of styrene with uranyl vinylbenzoate in the presence of divinylbenzene as the cross‐linking agent. The polymerization was carried out in bulk with free‐radical initiation using 2‐methoxyethanol as a solvent and porogen. Upon removal of the template, specific sites for UO2 2+ rebinding remained. In equilibrium binding experiments with a variety of metal ions, the polymers preferentially bound UO2 2+. Control experiments were performed with reference polymers prepared without the template (unimprinted) and Ni2+ imprinted polymers. Selectivity data show that the imprinted polymers have a higher affinity for UO2 2+ than any of the competing metal ions tested. Several variables, that are crucial in improving the capacity and selectivity of imprinted polymers, were investigated in detail. The variables included (1) the effects of template monomer content, (2) the degree of covalent cross‐linking, and (3) the particle size. The effects of the variables on capacity and selectivity were examined and are discussed.


Has your region struggled with the development of a regional unified medical command that is recognized by local EOCs, EMS providers, and healthcare facilities, and meets the HRSA grant requirements for regional planning?Does your VA Medical Center have Pitocin and know how to deliver babies? Can your pediatric hospital provide care for an obese congestive heart failure patient? Can your freestanding surgical hospitals accept and care for isolated trauma? Can your specialty hospitals without emergency rooms, accept 911-ambulance patients? Do you know your hospital helicopter landing coordinates?During a disaster, a unified approach to medical command provides rapid facilitation of patient triage and placement in appropriate facilities, coordinates with local, regional, state and federal initiatives, and helps ensure a stable medical infrastructure.During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Houston, Texas was placed in unique situations with the influx of evacuated populations from the Gulf Coast region, as well as evacuation of the Texas Gulf Coast and regions of East Texas. The leaders of the Disaster Unified Medical Command for the Houston region would like to share their experiences and lessons learned from these natural disasters. By doing so, the authors hope to encourage other areas of the nation to adopt this program for emergency responses.


Centrosomes consist of a pair of barrel-shaped microtubule assemblies called centrioles, surrounded by a pericentriolar matrix. The only well-characterized function of centrosomes is to organize both interphase microtubule arrays responsible for cell polarity and the mitotic spindle, which mediates the strictly bipolar separation of chromosomes. In addition to these established functions it has been speculated that centrosomes might be involved in several different cell cycle regulatory events like entry into mitosis, cytokinesis, G1/S transition and monitoring of DNA damage. These assumptions are mainly based on a rapidly growing list of centrosome-associated regulatory proteins such as p53, Brca1, Chk1, Chk2, TopBP1, Aurora-A, Plk1, cyclin B1, and Cdk1. However, only very few direct links between their localization to the centrosome and specific cellular functions have been unraveled until recently. This review will focus on recent advances in the understanding of the role of centrosomes as integrators of positive and negative pathways for mitotic entry.


We consider the problem of robust stability analysis for feedback interconnections of causal linear systems that are potentially time-varying with unbounded gain over the space of finite-energy inputs. To this end, a combination of ν-gap metric and integral-quadratic-constraint based analysis is employed. The main results are developed in an abstract setting using generalized Wiener-Hopf and Hankel operators and the Fredholm index. Underlying assumptions are then verified for two important classes of system: multiplication by constantly proper Callier-Desoer transfer functions; and stabilizable and detectable finite-dimensional state-space systems with coefficients of bounded and continuous variation across time.


In this paper, a new method is proposed to test the conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise of new energy based on analysis the internal structure and measuring principle of line impedance stabilization network. A more accurate measurement of conducted EMI noise in new energy system can be provided by this method in order to design the appropriate filter for conducted EMI noise suppression. In addition, by adding capacitor and inductance in DC side can reduce the EMI noise as well. The result of experimental shows the method is effective.


We are motivated by the problem of performing failure prediction for safety-critical robotic systems with high-dimensional sensor observations (e.g., vision). Given access to a black-box control policy (e.g., in the form of a neural network) and a dataset of training environments, we present an approach for synthesizing a failure predictor with guaranteed bounds on false-positive and false-negative errors. In order to achieve this, we utilize techniques from Probably Approximately Correct (PAC)-Bayes generalization theory. In addition, we present novel class-conditional bounds that allow us to trade-off the relative rates of false-positive vs. false-negative errors. We propose algorithms that train failure predictors (that take as input the history of sensor observations) by minimizing our theoretical error bounds. We demonstrate the resulting approach using extensive simulation and hardware experiments for vision-based navigation with a drone and grasping objects with a robotic manipulator equipped with a wrist-mounted RGB-D camera. These experiments illustrate the ability of our approach to (1) provide strong bounds on failure prediction error rates (that closely match empirical error rates), and (2) improve safety by predicting failures.


Forty percent of the United States population is presbyopic, yet less than 1% of contact lenses dispensed are bifocals. In an effort to fill this niche, Paragon Optical has introduced a translating design that incorporates an encapsulated high index segment into the highly successful FluoroPerm 60 rigid material. Ten subjects were fit with the Paragon lens and evaluated on the basis of comfort, acuity, and ocular health. Lens parameter changes were made according to manufacturer recommendation, and the success of these changes was then determined. Good fitting success was achieved, but depended largely on strict patient selection.


To investigate the regulation of the CCR1 chemokine receptor, a rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cell line was modified to stably express epitope-tagged receptor. These cells responded to RANTES (regulated upon activation normal T expressed and secreted), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, and monocyte chemotactic protein-2 to mediate phospholipase C activation, intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and exocytosis. Upon activation, CCR1 underwent phosphorylation and desensitization as measured by diminished GTPase stimulation and Ca2+mobilization. Alanine substitution of specific serine and threonine residues (S2 and S3) or truncation of the cytoplasmic tail (ΔCCR1) of CCR1 abolished receptor phosphorylation and desensitization of G protein activation but did not abolish desensitization of Ca2+ mobilization. S2, S3, and ΔCCR1 were also resistant to internalization, mediated greater phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis and sustained Ca2+ mobilization, and were only partially desensitized by RANTES, relative to S1 and CCR1. To study CCR1 cross-regulation, RBL cells co-expressing CCR1 and receptors for interleukin-8 (CXCR1, CXCR2, or a phosphorylation-deficient mutant of CXCR2, 331T) were produced. Interleukin-8 stimulation of CXCR1 or CXCR2 cross-phosphorylated CCR1 and cross-desensitized its ability to stimulate GTPase activity and Ca2+ mobilization. Interestingly, CCR1 cross-phosphorylated and cross-desensitized CXCR2, but not CXCR1. Ca2+ mobilization by S3 and ΔCCR1 were also cross-desensitized by CXCR1 and CXCR2 despite lack of receptor phosphorylation. In contrast to wild type CCR1, S3 and ΔCCR1, which produced sustained signals, cross-phosphorylated and cross-desensitized responses to CXCR1 as well as CXCR2. Taken together, these results indicate that CCR1-mediated responses are regulated at several steps in the signaling pathway, by receptor phosphorylation at the level of receptor/G protein coupling and by an unknown mechanism at the level of phospholipase C activation. Moreover selective cross-regulation among chemokine receptors is, in part, a consequence of the strength of signaling (i.e. greater phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis and sustained Ca2+ mobilization) which is inversely corrolated with the receptor's susceptibility to phosphorylation. Since many chemokines activate multiple chemokine receptors, selective cross-regulation among such receptors may play a role in their immunomodulation.


A typology of strategies related to the distribution channels used by Champagne makers is established. Champagne makers' operating profit depends on their distribution network, which affects selling prices. Based on a sample of 20 Champagne makers ("Maisons de Champagne"), economic and financial performance indicators for Champagne makers are analyzed with reference to the type of distribution channel.


Embedding models based on translation and rotation have gained significant attention in link prediction tasks for knowledge graphs. Most of the earlier works have modified the score function of Knowledge Graph Embedding models in order to improve the performance of link prediction tasks. However, as proven theoretically and experimentally, the performance of such Embedding models strongly depends on the loss function. One of the prominent approaches in defining loss functions is to set a margin between positive and negative samples during the learning process. This task is particularly important because it directly affects the learning and ranking of triples and ultimately defines the final output. Approaches for setting a margin have the following challenges: a) the length of the margin has to be fixed manually, b) without a fixed point for center of the margin, the scores of positive triples are not necessarily enforced to be sufficiently small to fulfill the translation/rotation from head to tail by using the relation vector. In this paper, we propose a family of loss functions dubbed SlidE± to address the aforementioned challenges. The formulation of the proposed loss functions enables an automated technique to adjust the length of the margin adaptive to a defined center. In our experiments on a set of standard benchmark datasets including Freebase and WordNet, the effectiveness of our approach is confirmed for training Knowledge Graph Embedding models, specifically TransE and RotatE as a case study, on link prediction tasks.


Florid oral papillomatosis presents a picture of multiple squamous papillary lesions found in the oral pharynx. Multiple risk factors associated with the development of these lesions include possible association with papilloma virus, the use of tobacco products, and chronic inflammation or irritation such as that caused by poorly fitted dentures. The major risk factor of these benign squamous lesions is the dedifferentiation into a well-differentiated verrucous carcinoma. However, treatment in the early stage of the disease is usually successful. Surgical excision has been favored as the initial approach. The use of radiotherapy for verrucous carcinoma is controversial. In numerous reported cases dedifferentiation of the tumor has produced an anaplastic squamous cell carcinoma. More recent articles, however, indicate that the risk for dedifferentiation of verrucous carcinoma due to radiotherapy may be overstated.


Recent span-based joint extraction models have demonstrated significant advantages in both entity recognition and relation extraction. These models treat text spans as candidate entities, and span pairs as candidate relationship tuples, achieving state-of-the-art results on datasets like ADE. However, these models encounter a significant number of non-entity spans or irrelevant span pairs during the tasks, impairing model performance significantly. To address this issue, this paper introduces a span-based multitask entity-relation joint extraction model. This approach employs the multitask learning to alleviate the impact of negative samples on entity and relation classifiers. Additionally, we leverage the Intersection over Union(IoU) concept to introduce the positional information into the entity classifier, achieving a span boundary detection. Furthermore, by incorporating the entity Logits predicted by the entity classifier into the embedded representation of entity pairs, the semantic input for the relation classifier is enriched. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed SpERT.MT model can effectively mitigate the adverse effects of excessive negative samples on the model performance. Furthermore, the model demonstrated commendable F1 scores of 73.61%, 53.72%, and 83.72% on three widely employed public datasets, namely CoNLL04, SciERC, and ADE, respectively.