Nanoparticle, a core of bio-nanoparticle, which is used for polymers including natural and synthetic polymer and form different types of, liposomal and polymer nanoparticle. The designing, synthesis and manipulation of structures which is smaller than 100 nm, is termed as Nanotechnology. Nanoparticles are developed as a colloidal structure, synthesized by semi-synthetic and synthetic polymers. The emerging area of nanotechnology and Nano-sciences are the application of nanoparticles, ranges in 1 to 100 nanometre (nm). The synthesis of silver nanoparticles for their potential application, it was originate to be eco-friendly and reliable, because of their exclusive properties. Mostly synthesis of AgNPs by physical and chemical methods are too expensive, toxic, hazardous chemicals for various biological risks. The main objective of this study preferably lies that green synthesis of AgNPs by several plants and its metabolites, extracts can be much safer to handle and easily available. The synthesis of AgNPs are using several plants extract such as Oryza sativa, Zea mays, Basella alba, Helian thusannuls, Camellia sinensis ( green tea), Azadirachta indica (neem) ,Ssebania drummondii (leguminous shrub)sp. The AgNPs get attached in the cell wall of microorganism and can disturb the cellular respiration, permeability of the cell wall. Sometimes it can penetrate inside the cell wall which can interact protein, DNA, sulphur and phosphorus and causing cellular injury inside cell. It confers the antimicrobial activity. The AgNPs shows less antimicrobial activity against gram positive bacteria in comparison to gram negative bacteria because gram negative contain β-barrel proteins (i.e. Porins) and thinner peptidoglycan. The distinguishing property of silver nanoparticles it can be have higher surface area to volume ratio. When surface area increases the catalytic activity and surface energy of AgNPs corresponding to increase and biological effectiveness also increases. It identified that amalgamation of silver nanoparticle biochemical process is very fast process as compare to using microorganism (even several hours to few days). The NPs monodispersity, size are significant part in the valuation of NPs amalgamation. Therefore, operative regulator of monodispersity and NPs size are essentially examined. On numerous readings silver nanoparticle synthesis by microbes can be decompose later with assured dated of time. Thus the constancy of nanoparticle produce biological approaches merits supplementary learning.


In this paper, we study the statistical properties of the connectivity of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) with user mobility. It is assumed that the nodes travel along a multilane highway that allows vehicles to pass each other. The nodes arrive at the highway through one of the traffic entry points according to a Poisson process and then travel in the same direction according to a user mobility model until they reach their exit points. The nodes on the highway may be able to communicate with each other. We derive the probability distribution of the node population size on the highway and the node's location distribution. Then, we determine the mean cluster size and the probability that the nodes will form a single cluster. The analysis of this paper also applies to any path in a network of highways, as well as to two-way traffic. The numerical results show the significance of mobility on the connectivity of VANETs. We also present simulation results that confirm the accuracy of the analysis. The results of this paper may be used to study the routing algorithms, throughput, or delay in VANETs.


Abstract In response to indigenous demands for self-determination, Norway and Sweden both established a Sámediggi (Sámi parliament) consisting of popularly elected Sámi representatives. The political systems of these two countries are generally regarded as similar, but there are considerable differences between the two Sámediggis. Their legal basis, authority and mandate, as well as their electoral system, seem to vary significantly between the countries; maybe even more important, so does their influence and autonomy within their respective political systems. In this article, the two Sámediggis are described and compared. How does their institutional design differ? Why did Norway and Sweden design their parliaments differently? And how have these institutions developed since their establishment?


X-ray waveguides offer a novel approach for nanobeam production, which may become useful in coherent beam imaging and phase contrast projection microscopy. Internal field enhancement, coherency properties, and coupling efficiency of these devices have been measured and compared to theoretic predictions. The fundamentals of X-ray wave guide optics can be derived from a scalar wave equation. Up to now, X-ray waveguide optics have exclusively been one-dimensional (1D), while many applications demand two-dimensionally (2D) confined point beams. We have recently demonstrated the first proof of principle that X-ray waveguide effects can be generalized to 2D devices using e-beam defined lithographic nanostructures, delivering of a coherent hard x-ray beam with nanometer sized cross-section (69 nm × 33 nm)


The morbidity and mortality of infection in surgical treatment remains substantial. Many principles for the prevention and treatment of surgical infections have been established. Proper selection and preparation of patients and meticulous operative techniques are of primary importance in the prevention of surgical infections. Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is also beneficial when an adequate tissue level is present before and throughout the duration of the procedure. The level attained in the tissues is dependent on many factors that affect the pharmacokinetics of antibiotic distribution and excretion. One factor is protein binding, which alters the fraction of free drug available for diffusion into tissues. However, the singular importance of this effect on the concentration of antibiotics in tissues is minimal. In surgical prophylaxis, the maintenance of antibiotic tissue activity at the sites of potential infection for the duration of the operation is crucial. Failure to provide persistent antibiotic tissue activity throughout the entire procedure results in an increased number of surgical infections. The pharmacokinetics of distribution and the half-life of antibiotics in the serum are directly related to the duration of activity of antibiotic in the tissue. Antibiotics with longer half-lives maintain levels in the tissues for longer periods than do antibiotics with shorter half-lives. The maintenance of the levels of a given antibiotic is similar for all tissues. The application of the pharmacokinetic properties of antibiotics to surgical prophylaxis can provide the surgeon with certainty that adequate coverage and protection with antibiotics are achieved before and throughout the operation.


Higher Education (HE) needs to handle a diverse student population. The role of student expectations and previous experience is a key to fully participate. This study investigates student meaning making and interaction in a course designed to stimulate student as co-creators of course content and aims. Results revealed that rich communication added structure for students, that open-ended design challenged student approaches and constructed students as subjects. Analysis was made using recorded webinars, asynchronous discussion forums and e-mails. Data was categorised as communicative actions based on their orientations in the course i.e., what further actions they provoked. Analysis was guided by theories on participation and framing (Wenger & Bernstein). The influence of dominating discourses for the didactics of HE risk excluding some perspectives and experiences when students' experiences and expectations are not regarded as contributing to the meaning making of their own participating in academic educational practices. Finally, the study suggests that a move into web-based contexts more easily challenges students' preconceptions of studying.


The forecasting of maximum climatic temperature is essential by using some statistical and intelligent techniques. Iraqi maximum temperature data collected monthly in several cities due to the Nineveh government will be studied in this paper. This study aims to forecast maximum climatic temperature as univariate time series and obtain the best results with minimum forecasting error. The non-linearity of climatic datasets is the main reason for data complexity, which needs to use some nonlinear methods for obtaining satisfactory results. In this paper, the maximum climatic temperature data will be forecasted by using traditional and intelligent methods. Single and double exponential smoothing (SES and DES) models have been used as traditional linear methods to forecast climatic temperature. The forecasting results reflected that the hybrid methods outperformed the traditional methods. The proposed hybrid methods can forecast climatic temperature in more accurate results. The hybrid methods SES-RNN and DES-RNN combine the SES and DES as a linear model with RNN as a nonlinear method to be one method that can handle any data, especially the nonlinear type. Recurrent neural network (RNN) as the nonlinear intelligent method is combined with SES and DES in hybrid SES-RNN and DES-RNN methods to forecast climatic temperature data and handle the non-linearity of datasets. The results reflect that the proposed hybrid methods outperformed the traditional methods for forecasting climatic temperature data. The proposed hybrid methods can be used to forecast climatic temperature in more accurate results.


Objective: To asses the learning curve for the observed to expected fetal lung area to head circumference ratio (O/E LHR) calculation in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods: Three trainees with the theoretic knowledge, but without prior experience in the O/E LHR measurement were selected. Each trainee and one experienced explorer measured the O/E LHR in the contralateral lung to the side of the hernia by firstly, manual tracing of the lung borders and secondly, by multiplication of the longest diameters in a cohort of 95 consecutive CDH fetuses. The average difference between the three trainees and the expert in the O/E LHR measurement was calculated. A difference below 10% was considered as accurate measurement. The average learning curve was delineated using the cumulative sum analysis (CUSUM). Results: The CUSUM plots demonstrate that the learning curve was surmounted by 77 and 71 cases performed for the area obtained by the manual tracing and multiplication of the longest diameter methods, respectively. Conclusion: The minimum number of scans required for an inexperienced sonographer to become competent in examining the O/E LHR is on average 70.


Although the macular hole surgery with gas tamponade obtains good results, the face-down positioning for minimum 5 days remains constraining and is often a cause of refusal or abstention concerning the operation. We describe 7 patients who underwent the macular hole surgery by pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling and fluid-silicone exchange without position restrictions. The silicone oil has been removed 2 to 3 months later. All the holes have been closed except in one case where the internal limiting membrane had not been peeled with certainty. A second surgery with peeling of this membrane has permitted the hole closure. We don't report any complications induced by the silicone oil. Silicone oil tamponade for macular hole surgery with internal limiting membrane peeling shows a good efficiency without particular positioning and without additional complications.


Acquired ichthyosis (AI) is a reactive cutaneous manifestation that can be associated with malignant hematological disease, including cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Since it is difficult to distinguish AI from ichthyosiform mycosis fungoides, to select the treatment for CTCL with ichthyosis-like appearance and to evaluate its efficacy is sometimes challenging. In this report, we describe a case of primary cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified presenting AI successfully treated with oral bexarotene. In the present case, the administration of oral bexarotene was not only effective for lymphoma cells infiltrating ulcers and nodules, but it also eliminated AI.


Generative Pre-trained Transformer models, known as GPT or OPT, set themselves apart through breakthrough performance across complex language modelling tasks, but also by their extremely high computational and storage costs. Specifically, due to their massive size, even inference for large, highly-accurate GPT models may require multiple performant GPUs, which limits the usability of such models. While there is emerging work on relieving this pressure via model compression, the applicability and performance of existing compression techniques is limited by the scale and complexity of GPT models. In this paper, we address this challenge, and propose GPTQ, a new one-shot weight quantization method based on approximate second-order information, that is both highly-accurate and highly-efficient. Specifically, GPTQ can quantize GPT models with 175 billion parameters in approximately four GPU hours, reducing the bitwidth down to 3 or 4 bits per weight, with negligible accuracy degradation relative to the uncompressed baseline. Our method more than doubles the compression gains relative to previously-proposed one-shot quantization methods, preserving accuracy, allowing us for the first time to execute an 175 billion-parameter model inside a single GPU for generative inference. Moreover, we also show that our method can still provide reasonable accuracy in the extreme quantization regime, in which weights are quantized to 2-bit or even ternary quantization levels. We show experimentally that these improvements can be leveraged for end-to-end inference speedups over FP16, of around 3.25x when using high-end GPUs (NVIDIA A100) and 4.5x when using more cost-effective ones (NVIDIA A6000). The implementation is available at https://github.com/IST-DASLab/gptq.


The paper deals with the legal situation in Japan in the field of biomedicine and considers the democratic legitimacy of the legislative procedures in this area. After giving an overview of the existing laws and regulations and a short introduction to the notion of democratic legitimacy the main actors of Japanese legislation in biomedical issues are described. Apart from two acts, the Law on Organ Transplantation (1997) and the Law Concerning Regulation Relating to Human Cloning Techniques and Other Similar Techniques (2001) and one legally binding guideline based on the Cloning Law, the legal situation is mainly characterized by legally non-binding ministerial guidelines. Examples are the Guidelines for Derivation and Utilization of Human Embryonic Stem Cells of the MEXT and the Ethical Guideline for Human Genome and Gene Analysis Research of the departments MEXT, MHLW and MITI. In addition, professional societies play an important role in setting standards for treatment in ethically problematic areas such as artificial fertilisation. The Japanese Parliament on the other hand refrains widely from regulating biomedical issues and leaves the field to the expert committees (shingi-kai) of the ministerial departments. They are the main actors in the law-making process in this field by drafting, reforming and reporting on guidelines. In the drafting process, Japanese citizens can participate in a consultation procedure by commenting on the drafts via the internet (public comments procedure). In addition, the Expert Panel on Bioethics of the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) is designed to discuss broad ethical topics such as the status of the human embryo and to advise the expert committees in the drafting of guidelines. Its role as a national ethics commission is, however, threatened by its dependence on and weak position in the CSTP which is by purpose research-friendly. On the other hand, expert or ethics committees in Japan are widely regarded not as fora for ethical debate but rather as sources of expert-knowledge and a means for the efficient and proper development of legal instruments. This observation relates with the rare use of ethical or religious arguments in the Japanese bioethics debate which tends to be utilitarian, pragmatic and result-oriented. Other features of the Japanese society that influence the decision-making in biomedical issues are its consensus-driven discussion culture, its hierarchical structure and the eminent power of bureaucrats in the political process. On the whole, the democratic legitimacy of Japanese legislation in the field of biomedicine is more output- than input-oriented in that it does not qualify as action o f the people but rather as action f o r the people. The only factor of input-legitimacy in the drafting process of guidelines is the right of citizens to comment on the draft and thus a slim chance of influencing its contents. In order to improve the input-legitimacy it would be advisable to strengthen publicity of biomedical issues as well as the role of Parliament in this field. Output-legitimacy in the Japanese legal situation in the field of biomedicine can be derived from the presumed quality of the guidelines as they are designed by "experts". However, the criteria for and the process of eligibility to these committees lack transparency and therefore reduce the legitimacy of the committees.


Today's smartphone application (hereinafter 'app') markets do not provide information on power consumption of apps, which is essential for users. Continuous sensing apps make this problem more severe because significant power is consumed without the users' awareness. We propose PowerForecaster to break through such an exhaustive cycle. It provides users with personalized estimation of sensing apps' power cost at pre-installation time. It is challenging to provide such estimation in advance because the actual power cost of a sensing app varies depending on user behavior such as physical activities and phone use patterns. To address this, we develop a novel power emulator as a core component of PowerForecaster. It achieves accurate, personalized power estimation by reproducing users' behaviors and emulating the target app's power use. We optimize the system to make the power emulation fast and its trace collection energy efficient. We further address the problem of dealing with large-scale emulation requests from worldwide deployment. We develop a novel selective emulation approach to minimize the server-side resource cost. We performed extensive experiments and the experimental results show that PowerForecaster achieves the power estimation accuracy of 93.4 percent and saves on 60 percent of the emulator instance usage.


Watermelon plants can be naturally infected by several viruses in single or mixed infections, of which the diagnosis is difficult and require specific techniques. This study aims to detect and to verify the presence of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Papaya ringspot virus type W (PRSV-W), Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), Zucchini lethal chlorosis virus (ZLCV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), and the main cucurbit viruses in Brazil using multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Oligonucleotides were designed towards the conserved regions of the virus genomes. In the duplex-PCR, it was possible to detect all the virus combinations, except ZLCV with ZYMV. The amplified product sizes were 644 bp (CMV), 535 bp (WMV-2), 398 bp (PRSV-W), 244 bp (ZLCV), and 214 bp (ZYMV). To test the efficacy of the methodology, we analyzed plants with virus symptoms from four municipalities in the state of Tocantins, located at Brazilian Cerrado. Mixed infections were detected in 80% of samples in all the municipalities. The multiplex RT-PCR assay can be used to detect and differentiate watermelon viruses that affect crops in the state of Tocantins.

 Key words: Cucumovirus, multiplex RT-PCR, Orthotospovirus, potyvirus, watermelon.


The downturn in crop prices that began in midto late-2014 and continues today has led to declining farm income and downward pressure on farmland values and rents. The financial condition of many farms has worsened as a result. In this environment, there is an understandable interest in the subject of when crop prices might recover (e.g., farmdoc daily, September 3, 2015; March 11, 2016). This naturally leads to the question of whether there are predictable crop price cycles in the long-run. Many attempts in price analysis rely on an intuitive, and relatively simple, causal chain exemplifying the relationship between price and quantity in crop markets. High prices create the impetus for more production, which in turn, leads to more acreage. This acreage expansion creates a larger quantity supplied to the market which results in lower prices. These lower prices result in less acreage planted for production and eventually will result in prices moving higher. This process then repeats over time in a classical cobweb framework (Tomek and Kaiser, 2014, Ch. 9). This intuitive explanation of crop market dynamics presents an argument for a cyclical, and therefore somewhat predictable, pattern of price formation over time. While intuitively appealing, this cyclical framework for thinking about long-run price determination requires careful examination, which is the purpose of this article.


This paper presents the outcome of a dynamic price-descending auction when the distribution of the private values is uncertain and bidders exhibit ambiguity aversion. In contrast to sealed-bid auctions, in open auctions the bidders get information about the other bidders' private values and may therefore update their beliefs on the distribution of the values. The bidders have smooth ambiguity preferences and update their priors using consequentialist Bayesian updating. It is shown that ambiguity aversion usually affects bidding behavior the same way risk aversion does, but the main result is that this is not the case for continuous price descending auctions. This is new among a few theoretical cases where ambiguity aversion does not reinforce the risk aversion implications.


Corrosion poses a great threat to ageing civil infrastructure in the world, and researchers are seeking methods to monitor the corrosion in reinforced concrete structures. Detection of corrosion at its incipient stage has been an impending task in the non-destructive testing of materials. Several non-destructive testing methods to assess the presence of corrosion exist. The limitation of the current methods is that either they require measurement at several points or they require a large network of sensors. Guided wave-based monitoring overcomes these limitations because a large area can be scanned using fewer sensors. The process of corrosion is complex, and it leads to a simultaneous reduction in the diameter and the debonding between concrete and reinforcing steel bars in reinforced concrete structures. However, some of the recent studies that explore the use of guided waves focus only on the detection of the individual effect of diameter reduction and debonding of the rebars in reinforced concrete by artificially inducing the damage. In this study, an accelerated corrosion setup is deployed to induce pitting corrosion in reinforced concrete beams using the impressed current method. These beams are continuously monitored using ultrasonic guided waves that are generated and received by piezoelectric wafer transducers that are attached to the rebars. It is shown that the incipient stage of pitting corrosion can be detected successfully, and the mechanism of corrosion process, which involves the corrosion initiation, progression, and diameter reduction-and-cracking phases, can be established from the signal characteristics of the longitudinal and flexural-guided wave modes. The impressed current flow in the corrosion cell also confirms the various phases of corrosion.


The correlation of circulating immune complexes (CICs) and the clinical course of malignant melanoma has not been consistent when using nonspecific assays for CIC. To improve predictability, serial serum samples from patients with pathologic stage I melanoma were analyzed for the presence of antimelanoma tumor-associated antigen (TAA) antibody by direct radioimmunoassay and for the presence of melanoma TAA in CIC by the antigen competition method. Immunochemically characterized TAA was isolated from the spent culture medium of a melanoma cell line. Seventy-five percent of patients with melanoma TAA-specific immune complex (IC) had recurrences, while 71% of patients without melanoma TAA-specific IC remained free of disease for prolonged periods (up to 14 years of follow-up). Anti-TAA antibody titers did not correlate with disease recurrence. Our results demonstrate a correlation with melanoma TAA-specific IC and disease recurrence. The absence of melanoma TAA-specific IC is associated with a low risk of recurrence. Fluctuations in melanoma TAA-specific IC levels indicate a dynamic tumor host immunobiology and the need for serial follow-up.


Omnivorous copepods are capable of discriminatory feeding using mechano- and chemosensory mechanisms. The presence of phycotoxins in phytoplankton often results in reduced consumption of such potential prey by copepods, though it has not been clear if this is the result of discriminatory feeding by either tactile (mechanosensory) or chemosensory recognition of toxic prey, or perhaps a physiological response to ingested neurotoxic compounds. In this study, experiments were performed to determine whether 3 species of marine copepods (Acartia tonsa, Centropages hamatus, and Eurytemora herdmani) that commonly co-occur with toxic Alexandrium spp. dinoflagellates were capable of discriminating between cultured Alexandrium spp. strains on the basis of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin content, i.e. by chemosensory means, using live fluorescently labeled cells. Additional experiments investigated whether toxic cells in mixtures with non-toxic alternate species of dinoflagellates affected either prey selection or total carbon consumption rates of copepods, and whether daily carbon rations could be maintained on both toxic and non-toxic Alexandrium spp. monoculture diets. Results indicated that all 3 copepod species could discriminate between toxic and non-toxic Alexandrium spp. cells by chemosensory means, suggesting that selective behavior, rather than physiological effects, governs the grazing response of copepods exposed to toxic prey. Prey selection in mixtures of several dinoflagellate species depended on whether the Alexandrium spp. cells present were toxic or non-toxic. C. hamatus and E. herdmani (but not A. tonsa) maintained daily carbon rations despite the presence of toxic Alexandrium spp., chiefly through increased consumption of alternate prey. For A. tonsa and C. hamatus, carbon rations were not equivalent between toxic and non-toxic Alexandrium spp. monoculture diets, indicating strong aversions to PSP toxins, and the potential for physiological effects when no other food is available. In all experiments feeding behavior varied among copepod species, suggesting that grazing pressure on toxic Alexandrium spp. is not uniform throughout the zooplankton community. The grazer-deterrent effects observed have implications for the function of PSP toxins.


What explains authoritarian reversal and resilience in hybrid regimes? This article derives hypotheses from an in-depth case analysis of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's rule in Turkey. The Turkish case demonstrates that authoritarian reversal can happen as a result of strategies pursued by political elites to stay in power. Ruling elites in hybrid regimes endure by using the strategies of centralization, legitimation, and repression. During the 2002–13 period, Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) were able to entrench their power by eliminating veto players within the state, building a well-organized apparatus for targeted repression, and strategically making concessions to large segments of the electorate. Since 2013, they have changed their strategies for political survival in response to emerging economic and security problems and the ensuing defections of some supporters, which had rendered the original equilibrium unsustainable. AKP elites intensified repression, further centralized power, and relied heavily on an ideological and polarizing rhetoric to delegitimize and splinter the opposition. We argue that this new equilibrium of high centralization, ideological legitimation, and widespread repression allowed the elites to withstand serious challenges to their rule, while significantly weakening the competitive and democratic elements of the hybrid regime. Our in-depth analysis of elite strategies and their adaptability to changing exogenous economic and geostrategic conditions in the Turkish context contribute to the analysis of the resilience and vulnerability of hybrid regimes in general and of where on the regime spectrum they eventually move.


This study explored the impact of entrepreneurship education on new ventures creations. Entrepreneurship education is viewed as a potent tool for influencing students 'learning orientation and expression of new ventures creations. And this has assisted in the creation of blue collar jobs thereby alleviating poverty in various economies. A qualitative method was employed using semi-structured interviews as data collection tools. A total of fifteen (15) students who own startup in the selected universities were sampled and interviewed. Data was transcribed ad-verbatim and analyzed. The results showed significant impact of the constructs of entrepreneurship education and new venture creation of the sampled students. The findings further revealed a plethora of hidden facts on the reasons for both the acceptance and reluctance on student's start-up of businesses after before and after graduation. Based on the findings, it was recommended that practical activities should be emphasized during students 'course of study and interest should involve identification of products and market opportunities.


Ultrashort channel GaAs metal semiconductor field effect transistors were fabricated with gate lengths ranging from 30 nm to 105 nm, by electron beam lithography, in order to examine the scaling characteristics of transconductance. For gate lengths in sub-100 nanometer range, where gradual channel approximation is no longer valid, it was observed that the transconductance varies with a variety of small-dimension-related, nonequilibrium electron dynamics phenomena such as gate-fringing effect, electron velocity overshoot, and short-channel tunneling. Short-channel tunneling was suggested experimentally for the first time to explain the degradation of transistor performance, overriding an enhancement due to electron velocity overshoot for a gate length smaller than the average inelastic mean free path of an electron.


SMG-9 is part of a protein kinase complex, SMG1C, which consists of the SMG-1 kinase, SMG-8 and SMG-9. SMG1C mediated phosphorylation of Upf1 triggers nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), a eukaryotic surveillance pathway that detects and targets for degradation mRNAs harboring premature translation termination codons. Here, we have characterized SMG-9, showing that it comprises an N-terminal 180 residue intrinsically disordered region (IDR) followed by a well-folded C-terminal domain. Both domains are required for SMG-1 binding and the integrity of the SMG1C complex, whereas the C-terminus is sufficient to interact with SMG-8. In addition, we have found that SMG-9 assembles in vivo into SMG-9:SMG-9 and, most likely, SMG-8:SMG-9 complexes that are not constituents of SMG1C. SMG-9 self-association is driven by interactions between the C-terminal domains and surprisingly, some SMG-9 oligomers are completely devoid of SMG-1 and SMG-8. We propose that SMG-9 has biological functions beyond SMG1C, as part of distinct SMG-9-containing complexes. Some of these complexes may function as intermediates potentially regulating SMG1C assembly, tuning the activity of SMG-1 with the NMD machinery. The structural malleability of IDRs could facilitate the transit of SMG-9 through several macromolecular complexes.


This study aims to determine the effect of infographic media on environmental pollution material to increase learning motivation of 10th-grade students SMAN 10 Palembang. To optimize learning process, it's necessary to use digital learning media like infographics as one of digital learning media to increase students learning motivation. The research method used is a Quasi-Experimental Design using a research design Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The sample selection in this study used the technique of Simple Random Sampling. The learning motivation instrument questionnaire used a Likert scale of 18 valid questionnaires. Consists of 6 learning motivation indicators, teaching skills for extrinsic aspect and interest, curiosity, independence, attention, and pleasure for intrinsic aspect. The average value of the percentage of learning motivation is 75% in the control class and 80% for the experimental class, both the motivational values in the control and experimental classes are in the high category. The value of learning motivation data using t-test and learning outcomes data tested by ANCOVA. The results of the hypothesis test of the percentage value of students' learning motivation with the value asymp.Sig (2-tailed) of 0.028 <0.05, it shows that Ho rejected and Ha is accepted, which means that the infographic media on Environmental Pollution material has a significant effect on the learning motivation of students in class X SMA Negeri 10 Palembang.


Cataractogenesis is a common complication that occurs in diabetes mellitus. Aldose reductase is a lens enzyme probably involved in the development of this eye problem. The purpose of this investigation was to screen plant extracts for aldose reductase inhibitors (ARI) and to investigate their possible influence in diabetic cataractogenesis prevention. 13 plants and 3 natural products were randomly selected for our experiment. The 19 extracts originated from plant material which was extracted with ethanol, water and DCM, and assessed for inhibitors of aldose reductase. This enzyme was isolated from bovine lenses homogenates. The enzyme was incubated in a reaction mixture containing 50 mM Na-phosphate buffer (pH 6.2), NADPH, 400 mM LiSO4 and dl-glyceraldehyde. A spectrophotometrical assay was performed in which NADP is produced and its absorption read at 340 nm. Eugenia borinquensis, Mangifera indica, Eucalyptus deglupta, and Syzygium malaccense were among the best inhibitors. Normal and diabetic Sprague Dawley rats were used to evaluate the in vivo effect of E. deglupta, M. indica, and E. borinquensis in cataractogenesis prevention. All of these extracts had preventive effects on the formation of cataracts. It is concluded that further investigation to explain the above findings is necessary. Perhaps the next step will include an activity monitored isolation of the effective principles. Future investigation will ince the isolation of the active principles in these extracts.


The literature contains inconsistent data on the effects of acute sleep deprivation on the superior cognitive functions. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of inhibition, one of the functions of the working memory executive centre (EC), over an extended, 36-hour waking period. Inhibition is a cognitive mechanism whereby individuals ignore non-relevant information recorded in their working memory. We also tested the effects of a 36-hour period of acute sleep deprivation on simple reaction time. Twelve young, healthy volunteers (M = 21.5 years, sigma = 2.3) performed a random generation task involving letters and a simple reaction time psychomotor test over four sessions held at 10-hour intervals. Each participant was assigned a "constant routine." Participants were kept awake in a prone position within a room whose environment was held strictly constant (light, noise, temperature, meals, etc.). This control procedure provided assurance that any variation in participant performance was solely caused by sleep deprivation. The random generation task, nearly two minutes in length, consisted in verbally producing a sequence of 100 letters in a random fashion (i.e. by inhibiting, for example, alphabetical order) and by keeping to a set rhythm. Our assumption was that capacity for inhibition diminished as the number of hours of sleep deprivation increased. The simple reaction test, 10 minutes in length, involved pressing a button as swiftly as possible to cause a black square to disappear from a screen. In this case our assumption was that acute sleep deprivation alters simple reaction time. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) through repeated measures using the "sessions" factor as an intra-subject variable showed no significant changes in randomization indices of the random generation task, contrary to analysis of average simple reaction times. Participants' reaction times deteriorated over the first two minutes of the test during the night they were deprived of sleep. It would seem that the contradictory results of previous studies of the effects of acute sleep deprivation on the inhibition function would be due to errors in factor identification. In conclusion, the inhibition function, as measured during the performance of a brief task, seems to remain intact during an extended, 36-hour waking period. Simple reaction time assessed by means of a brief psychomotor test is affected during a night of sleep deprivation. The working-memory inhibition executive function shows greater resistance to acute sleep deprivation than does psychomotor reaction time for the performance of short tasks.


Entrepreneurship reinforces the economic growth of a country. Therefore, most countries, especially developing ones, are striving to create new policies and implement actions in order to support entrepreneurial processes through the establishment of a business-friendly environment. However, there are still many obstacles facing entrepreneurs in these countries. The aim of this paper is to locate the most common barriers to entrepreneurial processes in Albania, Georgia, Morocco, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Data from officials in 149 companies were collected through questionnaire dissemination from October to December 2015. The company officials have been asked several questions, among which, to rate the obstacles listed, starting from the ones they perceive to be most restrictive for their businesses. Most of the companies examined were small and medium size companies, SMEs. Both a descriptive analysis and a comparative analysis of the data were applied, in order to check the accuracy of the hypothesis established. It was found that state policy towards SMEs and political instability/corruption are the most common obstacles to entrepreneurship in these developing countries. Also, tax policy was also considered as an obstacle to entrepreneurship.


In 1879, as the Argentine army prepared a military campaign against Indigenous groups in the Pampas and Patagonia, the national government created an Indigenous colony called Colonia General Conesa. Conesa's inhabitants were expected to build homes and cultivate crops under military watch and become "useful" Argentine citizens in the process. This short-lived assimilationist project, which the government abandoned three years later, illuminates the rapidly shifting dynamics of Argentine settler colonial ideology. Although Argentine officials initially saw Conesa as an expedient resolution to the nation's so-called "Indian question," the dissolution of the southern frontier line in the early 1880s necessitated a shift toward new strategies that emphasized the complete physical and discursive erasure of the region's Indigenous peoples. Conesa's history, situated within the broader context of interethnic relations in Argentina's southern borderlands, sheds light on the development of Argentine settler colonialism and exemplifies how Indigenous people were written out of the nation's history.


A micro-heater is used inside silicon micro-gyroscope to keep the working temperature of gyroscope constant so as to minimize the effect of environment temperature on performances of gyroscope. The structure of gyroscope package is first given. With a heater inside, the characteristics of gyroscope, such as frequency, coupled vibrations, temperature distribution and thermal equilibrium time, are predicted with the aid of ANSYS, a finite element tool. Finally, surfaces of the package are optimized with anti-radiation shields covering. As a result, when gyroscope is subjected to an ambient temperature of 20°C, the temperature of itself could reach the equilibrium state of about 84°C within 2 minutes with a temperature difference of about 2°C between the anchor and the proof mass. Besides, if ambient temperature increases from -40°C to 80°C, heating power consumption is degraded from 1.27625W to 0.09712W. However, this design needs further improvement to decrease its heating power consumption and equilibrium time.


A 76-year-old man with diabetes and a 2-year history of mediastinal lymphadenopathy of unknown cause presented with fever and fatigue. Pyuria was seen on urinalysis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed mild dilatation of the left renal pelvis and thickening of the ipsilateral ureteral wall (Panels A and B, arrows); the excretory phase on CT showed mild narrowing of the left ureter (Panel C, arrows). He was treated with a beta-lactam antibiotic, but pyuria and fever persisted. The results of a urine culture were negative. Urinary acid-fast staining revealed the presence of acid-fast bacilli (Panel D). A polymerasechain-reaction assay for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was positive. Patients with urinary tract tuberculosis can present with dysuria and hematuria, though many patients are asymptomatic, with only sterile pyuria, with or without microscopic hematuria. Urogenital tuberculosis may cause complications, such as ureteral strictures, oligospermia in men, and vaginal bleeding in women. The patient was treated with multiple-drug therapy for tuberculosis, and his symptoms abated.


Background and Objective - Theory suggests that during the transition from acute to chronic insomnia a shift in attention, from life events to sleep difficulties, occurs. The aim of this study was to examine whether this shift indeed exists, by measuring the frequency and type of preoccupations in acute and chronic insomnia.

Methods - Using a cross-sectional design, two groups [people with acute insomnia (n = 11) and chronic insomnia (n = 20)] completed a series of standardized and semi-idiosyncratic measures daily, over the period of one week. They also wore actigraphs to provide objective measures of sleep parameters.

Results - Findings suggest no differences in preoccupation between the two groups but show the acute insomnia group report significantly higher levels of perceived stress. Exploratory analysis suggests a reduction in scores on standardized measures across all participants between time 1 and time 2, and no differences on objectively measured sleep parameters.

Conclusions - Results indicate there is no difference between people with acute and chronic insomnia in level, and type, of reported preoccupation and that people with acute insomnia are as preoccupied during the day by both sleep and life events, as people with chronic insomnia. Limitations are discussed and future research questions are considered.


The great tit (Parus major) has been considered to be the most typical example of an avian ring species. The terminal taxa of the ring (major and minor sectors) are supposed to be reproductively isolated in a zone of secondary contact in the middle Amur valley, Siberia. Our study combines molecular markers (cytochrome-b), bioacoustic analyses and morphological characters to judge the ring species status of the great tit complex. Despite a notable percentage of intermediately coloured birds in the mixed population of middle Amur, a lack of mitochondrial introgression between the major and minor sectors and a small number of true hybrids among voucher specimens from this area suggest at least a partial reproductive barrier between both sectors. In contrast, variation of morphological and especially acoustic characters along the ring-shaped area and the phylogenetic structure of the P. major group do not match the ring species concept. Bioacoustic and molecular data (cytochrome-b sequences) reveal two large and closely related subspecies blocks, the sectors major and bokharensis in the Western Palaearctic and central Asia, and the sectors minor and cinereus in the Eastern Palaearctic and South-east Asia, respectively. The two western sectors diverged only recently (0.5 Mya) and they were separated from the eastern group by Pleistocene events about 1.5 Mya. Songs from allopatric regions of the two subspecies blocks differ distinctly in frequency parameters and element composition. In the area of secondary contact, males of all phenotypes share the same frequency range of song, close to the range of the typical minor song. Hybrids and major males sing mixed repertoires of typical major and minor strophe types as well as mixed strophes. In contrast, phenotypic minor males display only pure minor strophes. Differences in mate choice and mating success based on repertoire size are believed to uphold the reproductive barrier between major and minor birds in the area of sympatry. Taxonomic consequences suggest three separate species in the Parus major complex: Parus major s.s. (including the very closely related bokharensis sector), Parus minor and Parus cinereus. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 86, 153–174.


Introduction: Lycopodiella cernua is a widely distributed species recognized for several uses in traditional medicine. Although relatively common in the wild, relevant pharmacological data on Philippine L. cernua population seems scanty despite its use in traditional medicine among some of the country's tribal groups. Objectives: The study aims to validate the medicinal potential as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant to strengthen traditional claims of L. cernua. Materials and Methods: Crude methanolic extraction was done for aerial and ground parts of Lycopodiella cernua. The extracts were measured for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) with Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Antioxidant activity was also determined based on DPPH radical scavenging activity relative to ascorbic acid. Antiinflammatory activity was detected by enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX-2 and COX-1) inhibition assays. Moreover, cytotoxicity tests of extracts against neonatal human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKn) and lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell line were done using MTT assays. Results and Discussion: Phenolics (aerial: 33.04 ± 2.82 mg GAE/g; ground: 4.91 ± 0.1 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids contents (aerial: 11.46 ± 7.19 μg QE/g; ground: 5.82 ± 5.09 μg QE/g) were relatively low. DPPH radical scavenging activity was also relatively low (aerial: 19.13 ± 0.88 %; ground: 12.21 ± 0.9 %). However, COX-2 inhibition activity of the ground parts was 74.78 ± 18.61%. Moreover, the COX-2: COX-1 ratio of 1.29 of the aerial parts suggests selectivity for COX-2. Both extracts were found nontoxic against HEKn normal cell lines and A549 cancer cell lines. Conclusion: L. cernua is nontoxic and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.


Dr. Yolanda Gil Dr. Yolanda Gil is Director of Knowledge Technologies and Associate Division Director at the Information Sciences Institute of the University of Southern California, and Research Professor in Computer Science and in Spatial Sciences. She is also Associate Director of Interdisciplinary Programs in Informatics. She received her M.S. and Ph. D. degrees in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Her research is on intelligent interfaces for knowledge capture and discovery, which she investigates in a variety of projects concerning knowledge-based planning and problem solving, information analysis and assessment of trust, semantic annotation and metadata, and community-wide development of knowledge bases. Dr. Gil collaborates with scientists in different domains on semantic workflows and metadata capture, social knowledge collection, computer-mediated collaboration, and automated discovery. Dr. Gil has served in the Advisory Committee of the Computer Science and Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation. She initiated and chaired the W3C Provenance Group that led to a community standard in this area. Dr. Gil is a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and Past Chair of its Special Interest Group in Artificial Intelligence. She is also Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), and was elected as its 24th President in 2016.


Human-computer interaction should be natural. However, the notion of natural is questioned due to a lack of theoretical background and methods to objectively measure the naturalness of a HCI. A frequently cited aspect of natural HCIs is their ability to benefit from knowledge and skills that users develop in their interaction with the real (non-digital) world. Among these skills, sensory-motor abilities are essential to operate many HCIs. This suggests that the transfer of these abilities between physical and digital interactions could be used as an experimental tool to assess the sensory-motor similarity between interactions, and could be considered as an objective measurement of the sensory-motor grounding of naturalness. In this framework, we introduce a new experimental paradigm inspired by motor learning research to assess sensory-motor similarity, as revealed by the transfer of learning. We tested this paradigm in an empirical study to question the naturalness of three HCIs: direct-touch, mouse pointing and absolute indirect-touch. The study revealed how skill learning transfers from these three digital interactions towards an equivalent physical interaction. We observed strong transfer of skill between direct-touch and physical interaction, but no transfer from the other two interactions. This work provides a first objective assessment of the sensorymotor basis of direct-touch naturalness, and a new empirical path to question HCI similarity and naturalness.


A non-Big-Bang plasma model is used to predict the submillimeter spectrum of the cosmic background radiation (CBR). Early intermediate-mass stars heat dust which, in turn, warms electrons trapped in force-free filaments emitted by galactic nuclei. Current stars contribute further heating by the same synchrotron mechanism. The electrons emit a nonblackbody radiation which matches the observed CBR spectrum and isotropy. The model also predicts intergalactic absorption of radio radiation, as confirmed by observations of spiral galaxies, and accurately predicts the spectrum of radio-quiet sources. >


The impact of grain-boundary segregation on the high-temperature Kapitza resistance of doped β-SiC using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation is investigated. In particular, low-angle, symmetric tilt grain boundaries are examined to assess the roles of dopant concentration and dopant/matrix interaction strength in determining the resistance. For relatively weak interaction strengths, dopant clustering predominates, and the Kapitza resistance increases significantly for small changes in dopant concentration. As the dopant/matrix interaction strength is increased, dopant layering is observed with a concomitant gradual increase in resistance with concentration. The different interaction strength regimes are investigated by mapping the spatial distribution of boundary temperatures and by quantifying the degree of spatial ordering at a boundary. It was found that dopant clustering leads to a heat flux parallel to the grain-boundary plane and to significant boundary disorder, partly explaining the observed increase in Kapitza resistance at the boundary.


Background Gallstone disease (cholelithiasis) is common. In most people it is asymptomatic and does not require treatment, but in about 20% it can become symptomatic, causing pain and other complications requiring medical attention and/or surgery. A proportion of symptomatic people with uncomplicated gallstone disease do not experience further episodes of pain and, therefore, could be treated conservatively. Moreover, surgery carries risks of perioperative and postoperative complications. Methods and analysis C-Gall is a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation to assess whether cholecystectomy is cost-effective compared with observation/ conservative management (here after referred to as medical management) at 18 months post-randomisation (with internal pilot). Primary outcome measure Patient-reported quality of life (QoL) (36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) bodily pain domain) up to 18 months after randomisation. The primary economic outcome is incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year gained at 18 months. Secondary outcome measures Secondary outcome measures include condition-specific QoL, SF-36 domains, complications, further treatment, persistent symptoms, healthcare resource use, and costs assessed at 18 and 24 months after randomisation. The bodily pain domain of the SF-36 will also be assessed at 24 months after randomisation. A sample size of 430 participants was calculated. Computer-generated 1:1 randomisation was used. The C-Gall Study is currently in follow-up in 20 UK research centres. The first patient was randomised on 1 August 2016, with follow-up to be completed by 30 November 2021. Statistical analysis Statistical analysis of the primary outcome will be intention-to-treat and a per-protocol analysis. The primary outcome, area under the curve (AUC) for the SF-36 bodily pain up to 18 months, will be generated using the Trapezium rule and analysed using linear regression with adjustment for the minimisation variables (recruitment site, sex and age). For the secondary outcome, SF-36 bodily pain, AUC up to 24 months will be analysed in a similar way. Other secondary outcomes will be analysed using generalised linear models with adjustment for minimisation and baseline variables, as appropriate. Statistical significance will be at the two-sided 5% level with corresponding CIs. Ethics and dissemination The North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee approved this study (16/NS/0053). The dissemination plans include Health Technology Assessment monograph, international scientific meetings and publications in high-impact, open-access journals. Trial registration number ISRCTN55215960; pre-results.


Rochalimaea quintana and Rochalimaea henselae are closely related, fastidious, gram-negative rickettsiae. Thus far, the spectrum of human Rochalimaea sp. infections has not included endocarditis. We describe a 50-year-old human immunodeficiency virus-positive man who developed endocarditis caused by R. quintana. DNA relatedness studies, which compared our patient's blood culture isolate with known Rochalimaea species, identified the organism as R. quintana. Our report expands the spectrum of Rochalimaea sp. infections and identifies a new infectious cause of endocarditis.


Quantum computers can perform computational tasks beyond the capability of classical computers, such as simulating quantum systems in materials science and chemistry. Quantum teleportation is the transfer of quantum information across distances, relying on entangled states generated by quantum computing. It is becoming a more secure way of sending information, but there is noise in the results. We sought to mitigate the error of quantum teleportation which was simulated on IBM cloud quantum computers. We hypothesized that the noise on all IBM quantum computers could be mitigated with noise-mitigation matrices. We created a quantum teleportation circuit which ran with shots of 500, 1000, 5000, and 8192 for four different qubit states. We studied general error trends in each machine and created two types of noise-mitigation matrices: universal and machine-specific. We then compared the mitigated results of both types of matrices. We found that there was noise for every IBM quantum computer during the trials. The universal noise-mitigation matrix for quantum teleportation for the three tested machines decreased the error for most trials and varied between 1%-5% for most cases after mitigation. The machine-specific noise-mitigation matrix mitigated the error of most machines to just 1-2%, which was a dramatic decrease from unmitigated results (varied between 1%-16% across three machines). The error rates for the machine-specific matrices have less variability than the universal mitigation matrix. We concluded that a universal mitigation matrix could be found for the three machines, but the machine-specific noise mitigation matrices were able to achieve more accurate results.


The paper presents the functionality of a system which retrieves images on the basis of automatically generated indexes (i.e. semantic image representations, obtained by automatic image analysis, indicating the content of the images). The system consists of two parts: an oo-line indexing part and an on-line image retrieval part. The indexing component is used to automatically generate semantic representations of images so that the image retrieval component can use this information to enable image retrieval. The man-machine communication of the image retrieval component is based on an iconical graphical query language to accomplish geographical query speciication for image access. Experiments have been carried out on three diierent sets of images from the following domains: MRI images of the chest, electronic schemas and topographic maps. The experiments show encouraging results especially for domains which have a high degree of formality in their pictorial expression, such as electronic schemas and topographic maps, and to a less extent for domains having a weak degree of formality such as MRI images of the chest.


Nodal explants of three accessions namely BD-101, BD-122 and BD-8001 of hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet) were cultured for four weeks on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of NAA (0, 0.1 mgl-1) and BAP (0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mgl-1) for plant regeneration. The highest shoot initiation was observed in 0.5 mgl-1 BAP while the lowest shoot initiation was found in 2.5 mgl-1 BAP with 0.1 mgl-1 NAA. Earlier shoot initiation was exhibited in 0.5 mgl-1 BAP with 0.1 mgl-1 NAA. The highest number of leaflets and higher shoot lengths were observed in MS medium. Comparatively higher number of shoots was found in BAP (0.5-2.5 mgl-1). The highest percentage of callus was initiated in medium supplemented with 1.0 mgl-1 BAP. Earlier callus initiation and larger callus size were found in combination of BAP (0.5-2.5 mgl-1) with 0.1 mgl-1 NAA. BD-122 cultured in MS medium was found superior for shoot regeneration through node culture. Four different concentrations of IBA (0.1-1.5 mgl-1) were used for rooting. The highest percentage (86.67 %) of rooting was found in MS medium containing 0.1 mgl-1 IBA at four weeks. Rooting frequency decreased with the increasing concentration of IBA. The accession BD-8001 had 99.60 % rooting in 0.5 mgl-1 IBA. The highest number of longest roots was exhibited in 0.1 mgl-1 IBA. The regeneration protocol developed from nodal explants has applicability in improvement of hyacinth bean.
Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 44(1): 27-42, March 2019


Female urethral diverticula are uncommon and are more frequent between the third and fifth decades of life. They are usually diagnosed late. Most urethral diverticula are related to recurrent infections of the periurethral glands or urethral trauma. Cystourethrography and magnetic resonance imaging are the most valuable diagnostic methods. The treatment of choice is thte resection of the diverticulum.


All too often there is a disturbing gap between what governments say and what governments do. The same appears to be true for international donors. During the past 10 years, the developing world has been awash with donor-funded national environmental action plans and national environmental programs, national conservation strategies, national biodiversity strategies, national agricultural programs, and national forestry action plans. These documents generally recognize that long-term economic development can only be sustained on an ecologically sound base. Many also purport to recognize that the policies and strategies that they set forth will remain empty pronouncements unless appropriate laws and institutional arrangements are put into place. Law reform, however, is a difficult proposition. New laws are seldom written on a clean slate. Dozens of pertinent laws may already exist and a large number of government agencies may be responsible for their implementation. There are often serious regulatory gaps and overlapping grants of authority, laws which are not sensitive to local conditions, and, in many instances, a lack of administrative and legal capacity. Often these problems have not been thoroughly analyzed. Legal drafting cannot take place in a vacuum. Accurate background studies must be prepared, and some consensus must be reached as to the kinds of reform that should be pursued. Otherwise, fine laws may be written only to gather dust. Unfortunately, donors and governments often pursue law reform in just such a vacuum. In fact, law reform appears to be just an afterthought in many cases, an exercise that is lightly staffed and lightly financed. This must change. Law reform cannot be divorced from the process in which national environmental policy is articulated. Legal and institutional issues must inform that debate, and law reform, in turn, must be informed and guided by the resulting policy. In this way, environmental management can become an integrated whole rather than just a diverse collection of pieces. And through such a comprehensive approach, institutions can be shaped and strengthened in such a way that they will give life to the resulting legal regime. The article discusses various elements of a legal reform process including the choice among framework statutes, comprehensive statutes, and sectoral legislation,and the article also contains an extensive discussion of the elements of an effective approach to Environmental Impact Assessment.


Existing saliency detection techniques are sensitive to image quality and perform poorly on degraded images. In this paper, we systematically analyze the current status of the research on detecting salient objects from degraded images and then propose a new multi-type self-attention network, namely MSANet, for degraded saliency detection. The main contributions include: 1) Applying attention transfer learning to promote semantic detail perception and internal feature mining of the target network on degraded images; 2) Developing a multi-type self-attention mechanism to achieve the weight recalculation of multi-scale features. By computing global and local attention scores, we obtain the weighted features of different scales, effectively suppress the interference of noise and redundant information, and achieve a more complete boundary extraction. The proposed MSANet converts low-quality inputs to high-quality saliency maps directly in an end-to-end fashion. Experiments on seven widely-used datasets show that our approach produces good performance on both clear and degraded images.


[Excerpt] Taking a walk in the woods or even viewing nature through a window can improve our health and wellbeing in countless ways. It can reduce stress in our daily lives, help us recover from surgery, lower our blood pressure, and boost our memory. As the benefits of spending time in nature have been increasingly recognized, green spaces now play a critical role in how many communities are designed, how schools are structured, and how patients are treated at healthcare facilities. The Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures (CIHF) sponsored a roundtable on April 26 that explored the impact nature can have on individuals in a variety of settings including: communities, schools, senior living, and healthcare facilities. Nearly 50 industry leaders, researchers, healthcare professionals, government representatives, and administrators of nonprofit organizations attended the conference at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. The Nature, Health, and Wellbeing roundtable opened with a "State of the Science" overview of the research exploring the intersection of nature and health on issues ranging from the impact gardens have on people with autism to the effect green space has on crime in urban neighborhoods. The "State of the Practice" discussions then examined strategies to integrate therapeutic environments into architectural design, city planning, recreational areas, and park systems. The roundtable concluded with a series of working groups that discussed identifying areas for future study, translating research into practice, and establishing a business case for the benefits of interacting with nature.


SUMMARY Control of the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is one of the immense medical problems facing Zimbabwe. The recent war has seriously disrupted the medical services, which used to be one of the best in Africa. Health care facilities for the STDs are limited, but the enthusiasm and determination of the medical and allied professions-together with the potential wealth of the country-should lead to a steady improvement


Discovery of the Arbroath, Montrose and Forties fields initiated intensive exploration of the Tertiary deep-marine play in the North Sea region. Subsequent discoveries demonstrated the success of this play and the geological diversity of the depositional systems. The play is now mature and in many areas the remaining exploration potential is likely to be dominated by small, subtle traps with a major component of stratigraphic trapping. Economically marginal discoveries need an in-depth understanding of subsurface uncertainty to mitigate risk with limited appraisal wells. Mature fields require detailed geological understanding in the search for the remaining oil. This volume focuses on the regional depositional setting of these deep-marine systems, providing a stratigraphic and palaeogeographical context for exploration, and development case histories that outline the challenges of producing from these reservoirs. The fields are arranged around the production life cycle, describing the changing needs of geological models as the flow of static and dynamic data refines geological understanding and defines the nature of new opportunities as fields mature.


Accurate predictions of basal melt rates on ice shelves are necessary for precise projections of the future behaviour of ice sheets. The computational expense associated with completely resolving the cavity circulation using an ocean model makes this approach unfeasible for multi-century simulations, and parametrizations of melt rates are required. At present, some of the most advanced melt rate parametrizations are based on a one-dimensional approximation to the melt rate that emerges from the theory of subglacial plumes applied to ice shelves with constant basal slopes and uniform ambient ocean conditions; in this work, we present an asymptotic analysis of the corresponding equations in which non-constant basal slopes and typical ambient conditions are imposed. This analysis exploits the small aspect ratio of ice shelf bases, the relatively weak thermal driving and the relative slenderness of the region separating warm, salty water at depth and cold, fresh water at the surface in the ambient ocean. We construct an approximation to the melt rate that is based on this analysis, which shows good agreement with numerical solutions in a wide variety of cases, suggesting a path towards improved predictions of basal melt rates in ice-sheet models.


Students' interaction is one of the most important elements when teaching, particularly for an online course. However, not all courses are designed in a way to impact students' interactions with peers and content. This poster will demonstrate, share, and discuss how one faculty and one instructional designer collaborated to design and redesign an online undergraduate course based on students' weekly feedback. It is known that the majority of asynchronous online courses are designed and developed in advance based on the principles of best practices of teaching online. As such, some activities and pre-designed assignments in online courses are usually difficult to change while teaching the course. Course instructors usually prefer to redesign the course based on the end-of-semester feedback which becomes available at the end of the course. However, it is hard to modify the course when it has been already taught, which may lead to negative impacts on the course quality. In this session, two presenters will share how they were successful in collaborating for the redesigns of redesign activities and assignments while teaching the course. Both presenters will also share how to use students' feedback to redesign the course when it is not late. This will help the audience to find strategies to redesign the course to enhance students' interactions with peers and to increase students' satisfaction level on the course. The audience will be able to discuss with presenters how to structure and design online collaborative writing assignment and how to assess and evaluate students' collaborative work.  These strategies can be applied to face-to-face classes too. For more information about classroom assessment:  https://stearnscenter.gmu.edu/teaching/classroom-assessment-techniques-cats


Based on first-principles calculations, we predict five global stable molybdenum phosphorus compounds in the pressure range of 0-300 GPa. All of them display superconductivity with different transition temperatures. Meanwhile, we find that a metastable crystal hex-MoP2, crystallized in a noncentrosymmetric structure, is a double-Weyl semimetal and the Weyl point is in the H-K path. The long Fermi arcs and the topological surface states, which can be observed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, emerge at the (100) surface below the Fermi level. Furthermore, we find that the superconductivity in hex-MoP2 can be enhanced by carrier doping. Due to the breaking of inversion symmetry, the unconventional spin-triplet pairing coexists with spin-singlet pairing in channel . Based on our theoretical model, there are the superconducting band gaps in both pairings. Our work provides a new platform of hex-MoP2 for studying both topological double-Weyl semimetal and superconductivity.


A continuous-time common-mode feedback (CMFB) network consisting of two unity-gain buffers and two passive resistors is introduced in this paper. According to the comparison with a previous implementation, the common-mode control structure presented shows an improved linearity performance as well as a higher immunity to device mismatches. The CMFB circuit has been included in the design of a fully differential voltage buffer, based on a fully differential difference amplifier. Simulated results, obtained in a 0.35-mum standard CMOS technology, are provided in order to show the performance of the proposed approach.


The management of a supermarket or retail store is a quite complex process that requires the coordinated execution of many different tasks (\eg, shelves management, inventory, surveillance, customer support\dots). Thanks to recent advancements of technology, many of those repetitive tasks can be completely or partially automated. One key technology requirement is the ability to understand a scene based only on information acquired by a camera, for this reason, we will focus on computer vision techniques to solve management problems inside a grocery retail store. We will address two main problems: (a) how to detect and recognize automatically products exposed on store shelves and (b) how to obtain a reliable 3D reconstruction of an environment using only information coming from a camera. We will tackle (a) both in a constrained version where the objective is to verify the compliance of observed items to a planned disposition, as well as an unconstrained one where no assumption on the observed scenes are considered. As for (b), a good solution represents one of the first crucial steps for the development and deployment of low-cost autonomous agents able to safely navigate inside the store either to carry out management jobs or to help customers (\eg, autonomous cart or shopping assistant). We believe that algorithms for depth prediction from stereo or mono camera are good candidates for the solution of this problem. The current state of the art algorithms, however, rely heavily on machine learning and can be hardly applied in the retail environment due to problems arising from the domain shift between data used to train them (usually synthetic images) and the deployment scenario (real indoor images). We will introduce techniques to adapt those algorithms to unseen environments without the need of costly ground truth data and in real time.


To confirm the involvement of galactose oxidase/kelch repeat-containing protein (Glx) in response to iron (Fe) deficiency in Hyoscyamus albus, we cloned a putative full-length HaGlx cDNA, which contained an open reading frame (975 bp, 324 amino acids). HaGlx was confirmed by homology searches, molecular phylogeny analysis, and domain search. HaGlx was expressed in the roots but not in the leaves, and the expression significantly increased under Fe deficiency. Sequencing of ~1.9 kb of the 5ʹ-upstream region of the HaGlx gene, followed by the analysis of promoter elements, resulted in the identification of multiple rootspecific elements together with stress-induced elements, including the Fe deficiency-induced element (IDE1) core motif. This suggests that HaGlx plays a key role in stress responses induced under Fe deficiency in the roots. To our knowledge, this is the first report confirming, in a plant other than Arabidopsis thaliana, that Glx is involved in the stress response to Fe deficiency.


The EEG oscillations and resonances before sensory stimulation are variable; unstable frequencies and amplitudes. The EEG time-coherency is variable and tends to be incoherent preceding sensory stimulation. The phase angle of the EEG between brain structures tends to be random and coherence between various brain structures is low before the stimulus. Following sensory stimulation, the frequency is stabilized and the amplitude is greatly enhanced. These responses are considered to be related to coupling of neural oscillators and nuclear resonance. The shift to a time-coherent state is considered to be related to a probabilistic harmonic oscillators. The phase angle after the stimulus is zero-phase in the brain rhythm channels in all brain structures as noted in the phase spectra. In the post stimulation period there is a change to high coherency between brain structures in the inherent frequencies of their brain rhythms. Internal evoked potentials shown in all the brain nuclei studied. All the frequencies in the evoked potential responses are dependent on spontaneous EEG activities prior to the stimulus.


We study residential demand for electricity and gas, working with nationwide household-level data that cover recent years, namely 1997-2007. Our dataset is a mixed panel/multi-year cross-sections of dwellings/households in the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States as of 2008. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive set of data for examining household residential energy usage at the national level, containing the broadest geographical coverage, and with the longest longitudinal component (up to 6 observations per dwelling). We estimate static and dynamic models of electricity and gas demand. We find strong household response to energy prices, both in the short and long term. From the static models, we get estimates of the own price elasticity of electricity demand in the -0.860 to -0.667 range, while the own price elasticity of gas demand is -0.693 to -0.566. These results are robust to a variety of checks. Contrary to earlier literature (Metcalf and Hassett, 1999; Reiss and White, 2005), we find no evidence of significantly different elasticities across households with electric and gas heat. The price elasticity of electricity demand declines with income, but the magnitude of this effect is small. These results are in sharp contrast to much of the literature on residential energy consumption in the United States, and with the figures used in current government agency practice. Our results suggest that there might be greater potential for policies which affect energy price than may have been previously appreciated.


The connections between emotions and social exchange in non-Western communities remain largely uncharted. I conducted long-term anthropological fieldwork on the dynamics of depressed mood in exchange cycles from 2000 to 2002 in Hmong highland villages in the Province of Luang Phabang, Laos. Hmong gift and commodity exchanges embody diametrically opposed values and different social configurations. Hmong depressed mood (tu siab) emerges as a regulatory device at the tension-laden intersection of these opposing spheres of social exchange. Tu siab is part of a bidirectional process that connects the individual and social realm and may be conceived of as a means of local cultural resistance to global processes of monetarization and commodification. Comparison to Hmong communities in French Guiana reveals that depressed mood plays a key role in the regulation of exchange even after substantial socioeconomic transformations in the framework of global and local market economies. These data provide evidence of the deep embeddedness of Hmong depressed mood (tu siab) in specific cultural contexts, challenging universalizing and psychopathologizing approaches to cross-cultural research on emotions.


: The article reveals the current issues pertaining to the improvement of control after hazardous substances contents in the welding working zone air. The welding aerosols are multicomponent and constitute a group of complex gas-aerosol mixtures,--the feature which requires a separate detection of the individual concentrations of the most hazardous components, both hard and gaseous. Data on the specific excretion of hazardous substances should be included in respective technical documentation relating to welding processes and materials.


In this article we consider the role of European corporations in dealing with the forced migration crisis that Europe is currently witnessing. From the case of the immediate refugee crisis in Europe, we move our focus toward the longer‐term aspects of forced migrations. Demonstrating the multifaceted nature of the forced migration phenomenon, we first problematize the irresponsible behaviours of corporations and the effect of such behaviours on the environment and affected populations. Second, we suggest that corporations should favour an inclusive economy that facilitates the integration of forced migrants, materialized within the workplace in the form of inclusive people management practices. We conclude our point of view by proposing that reverting to the social context is an absolute necessity in order for organizations to effectively address the issue of forced migrations. We finally suggest strong actions that could support the revival of the social role of corporations.


BACKGROUND
Anticholinergic agents such as ipratropium bromide are sometimes used in the treatment of chronic asthma. They effect bronchodilation and have also been used in combination with beta2-agonists in the management of chronic asthma.

OBJECTIVES
To examine the effectiveness of anticholinergic agents versus placebo and in comparison with beta2-agonists or as adjunctive therapy to beta2-agonists.

SEARCH STRATEGY
The Cochrane Airways Group asthma and wheeze database was searched with a pre-defined search strategy. Searches were current as of August 2003. Reference lists of articles were also examined.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised trials or quasi-randomised trials were considered for inclusion. Studies assessing an anticholinergic agent versus placebo or in combination/comparison with beta2-agonists were included. In practice, all beta2-agonists were short acting. Short-term (less than 24 hours duration) and longer-term studies were separated; the latter are reported in this review and the former in the review, "Anticholinergic agents for chronic asthma in adults short term".

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two reviewers independently assessed abstracts for retrieval of full text articles. Papers were then assessed for suitability for inclusion in the review. Data from included studies were extracted by two reviewers and entered into the software package (RevMan 4.2). We contacted authors for missing data and some responded. Adverse effect data were analysed if reported in the included studies.

MAIN RESULTS
The studies analysed were in two groups: those comparing anticholinergics with placebo and those comparing the combination of anticholinergics with short acting beta2-agonists versus short acting beta2-agonists alone. The former group had 13 studies involving 205 participants included in this review, and the latter 9 studies involving 440 patients. Generally methodological quality was poorly reported, and there were some reservations with respect to the quality of the studies. Despite the limited number of studies that could be combined, anticholinergic agents in comparison with placebo resulted in more favourable symptom scores particularly in respect of daytime dyspnoea (WMD -0.09 (95%CI -0.14, -0.04, 3 studies, 59 patients). Daily peak flow measurements also showed a statistically significant improvement for the anticholinergic (e.g. morning PEF: WMD =14.38 litres/min (95%CI 7.69, 21.08; 3 studies, 59 patients). However the clinical significance is small and in terms of peak flow measurements equates to approximately a 7% increase over placebo. The more clinically relevant comparison of a combination of anticholinergic plus short acting beta2-agonist versus short acting beta2-agonist alone gave no evidence in respect of symptom scores or peak flow rates of any significant differences between the two regimes. Again there are reservations with respect to the quality of the information from which these conclusions are drawn.

REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS
Overall this review provides no justification for routinely introducing anticholinergics as part of add-on treatment for patients whose asthma is not well controlled on standard therapies. This does not exclude the possibility that there may be a sub-group of patients who derive some benefit and a trial of treatment in individual patients may still be justified. The role of long term anticholinergics such as tiotropium bromide has yet to be established in patients with asthma and any future trials might draw on the messages derived from this review.


A Review of:
Hampson, C., & Stregger, E. (2017). Measuring cost per use of library-funded open access article processing charges: Examination and implications of one method. Journal of Librarianship & Scholarly Communication, 5(1), eP2182. https://doi.org/10.7710/2162-3309.2182
Abstract
Objective – To determine the feasibility and potential effects of a cost-per-use analysis of library funds dedicated to open access.
Design – Cost-per-use analysis, case study.
Setting – PLOS and BioMed Central.
Subjects – 591 articles published in PLOS ONE, 165 articles published in PLOS Biology, and 17 articles published in BioMed Central.
Methods – Three specific examples are provided of how academic libraries can employ a cost-per-use analysis in order to determine the impact of library-based open access (OA) funds. This method is modeled after the traditional cost-per-use method of analyzing a library collection, and facilitates comparison to other non-OA items. The first example consisted of using a formula dividing the total library-funded article processing charges (APCs) by the total global use of the specific PLOS journal articles that were funded. The second and third examples demonstrated what a library-funded OA membership to BioMed Central would cost alone, and then with APCs that cost could be divided by the total usage of the funded articles to determine cost-per-use.
Main Results – The authors found both of the examples described in the article to be potential ways of determining cost-per-use of OA articles, with some limitations. For instance, counting article usage through the publisher's website may not capture the true usage of an article, as it does not take altmetrics into consideration. In addition, article-level data is not always readily available. In addition, the cost-per-use of OA articles was found to be very low, ranging from $0.01 to $1.51 after the first three years of publication based on the cost of library-funded APCs. The second and third methods revealed a cost-per-use of $0.10 using membership-only payments, while using the cost of membership plus APCs resulted in a cost-per-use of $0.41.
Conclusion – Libraries may wish to consider using these methods for demonstrating the value of OA funds in terms of return on investment, as these techniques allow for direct comparison to the usage of traditional journals. However, several barriers need to be overcome in how article-level usage is obtained in order for these methods to be more accurate and efficient. In addition, while the authors report that "The specific examples in this study suggest that OA APCs may compare favorably to traditional publishing when considering value for money based on cost per use," they also caution that the study was not designed to answer the question if the ROI is greater for OA publications than for traditional articles, stating that "...the data in this study should not be interpreted as a verification of such an argument, as this study was not designed to answer that question, nor can it do so given the limitations on the data. This paper was designed to present and illustrate a method. Further study would be necessary to verify or refute this possibility" (p. 15).


BACKGROUND
African-American women are at higher risk for breast cancer mortality compared with their white counterparts. Furthermore, African-American women present for diagnosis and treatment later in the disease process. It may be expected that this greater disease burden would impose more symptoms compared with women who present with earlier stage disease. However, the effect of breast cancer on the quality of life of African-American women largely has been unexplored.

METHODS
A qualitative literature review was conducted to identify racial disparities in the palliative care of patients with cancer and their impact on quality of life for African-American women. A Medline search was done encompassing the years between 1985 and 2000 and included the following search terms: breast cancer, palliative care, pain management, quality of life, health care disparities, and African Americans. Relevant articles were read and summarized for inclusion in this review.

RESULTS
Differences in treatment patterns, pain management, and the use of hospice care exist between African-American women and women in other ethnic groups. Explanations for these differences have not been researched well. In addition, the emotional, social, and other aspects of quality of life for African-American women with breast cancer are not well understood, in part due to the absence of a standardized quality-of-life measure.

CONCLUSIONS
Physicians and other health care providers must be educated better about pain management and hospice care and, in turn, must inform their patients better about these issues. Physicians' and researchers' considerations of the influence of race and ethnicity on quality of life are critical. Furthermore, future research should be focused on the establishment of a standardized measure for quality of life that better encompasses its social, spiritual, and emotional aspects. Quality-of-life measures should be incorporated into routine health surveillance mechanisms, with an increased emphasis on minority and other under-served populations.


President Bush9s trip to Japan in search of "jobs, jobs, jobs," the travails of the American auto industry and its Buy America campaigns, and the renewed expansion of Japan9s trade surplus have all revived the debate over Japanese investment in the United States. On balance, Japanese investment can help strengthen the American economy, and the dangers attributed to it are mostly nonexistent or exaggerated. Nevertheless, several real issues remain: the behavior of Japanese corporations is genuinely different from that of other foreign investors, and while it is changing, complete convergence with the Anglo-American corporate model is unlikely. Reciprocal investment in Japan by foreign firms is still difficult. The impact of Japanese investment differs across the sectors, and has been most beneficial in mature, heavy industries. Finally the overall type and effect of Japanese investment is not simply determined in Tokyo or Osaka, but depends on the measures we take to strengthen the American economic base.


ABSTRACT
To assess postoperative pain intensity in adults, the numeric rating scale (NRS) is used. This scale has shown acceptable psychometric features, although its scale properties need further examination. We aimed to evaluate scale properties of the NRS using an item response theory (IRT) approach. Data from an international postoperative pain registry (QUIPS) was analyzed retrospectively. Overall, 346,892 adult patients (age groups: 18-20 years: 1.6%, 21-30 years: 6.7%, 31-40 years: 8.3%, 41-50 years: 13.2%, 51-60 years: 17.1%, 61-70 years: 17.3%, 71-80 years: 16.4%, 81-90 years: 3.9%, >90: 0.2%) were included. Among the patients, 55.7% are female and 38% had preoperative pain. Three pain items (movement pain, worst pain, least pain) were analyzed using 4 different IRT models: partial credit model (PCM), generalized partial credit model (GPCM), rating scale model (RSM), and graded response model (GRM). Fit indices were compared to decide the best fitting model (lower fit indices indicate a better model fit). Subgroup analyses were done for sex and age groups. After collapsing the highest and the second highest response category, the GRM outperformed other models (lowest Bayesian information criterion) in all subgroups. Overlapping categories were found in category boundary curves for worst and minimum pain and particularly for higher pain ratings. Response category widths differed depending on pain intensity. For female, male, and age groups, similar results were obtained. Response categories on the NRS are ordered but have different widths. The interval scale properties of the NRS should be questioned. In dealing with missing linearity in pain intensity ratings using the NRS, IRT methods may be helpful.


Background: The value of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke is untested despite these conditions sharing similar pathology and risk factors to coronary heart disease. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a trial of an adapted home-based CR programme, 'The Healthy Brain Rehabilitation Manual', for patients following a TIA/minor stroke, participants' views on the intervention and, to identify the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) used. Methods: Clinicians were asked to identify patients attending the Ulster Hospital, Belfast within 4 weeks of a first TIA or minor stroke. Those who agreed to participate underwent assessments of physical fitness, cardiovascular risk, quality of life and mental health, before random allocation to: Group (1) standard/usual care; (2) rehabilitation manual or (3) manual plus pedometer. All participants received telephone support at 1 and 4 weeks, reassessment at 6 weeks and an invitation to a focus group exploring views regarding the study. Two trained review authors independently assessed the manual to identify the BCTs used. Results: Twenty-eight patients were invited to participate, with 15 (10 men, 5 women; 9 TIA, 6 minor stroke; mean age 69 years) consenting and completing the study. Mean time to enrolment from the TIA/stroke was 20.5 days. Participants completed all assessment measures except VO2max testing, which all declined. The manual and telephone contact were viewed positively, as credible sources of advice. Pedometers were valued highly, particularly for goalsetting. Overall, 36 individual BCTs were used, the commonest being centred around setting goals and planning as well as social support. Conclusion: Recruitment and retention rates suggest that a trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel home-based CR programme, implemented within 4 weeks of a first TIA/minor stroke is feasible. The commonest BCTs used within the manual revolve around goals, planning and social support, in keeping with UK national guidelines. The findings from this feasibility work have been used to further refine the next stage of the intervention's development, a pilot study. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02712385. This study was registered prospectively on 18/03/2016.


Phylogenetic relationships among carnivorous plants of the angiosperm order Caryophyllales have been explored, although a robust phylogeny encompassing all carnivorous genera is absent. We sample nuclear ribosomal spacer (internal transcribed spacer) and chloroplast intergenic spacer (PY-IGS), along with previously sequenced DNA from members of the noncore Caryophyllales, for use in Bayesian statistics and maximum likelihood–based searches of phylogeny. Taxonomic relationships across genera are refined, and three strongly supported clades are identified: monophyletic Droseraceae, Nepenthaceae, and a third clade containing Ancistrocladaceae, Dioncophyllaceae, and Drosophyllaceae. In combination with phylogenetic reconstruction, stochastic character mapping is used to assess evolutionary changes in the morphology of glands that are found on the lamina and involved in the digestion of prey. The presence of sessile glands is identified as the likely ancestral character state, and stalked and pitted glands are suggested to have been acquired independently by ingroup and outgroup taxa. Additionally, in some genera we found a lack of association between gland vasculature and plant carnivory, demonstrating that the internal architecture of glands is not indicative of whether the plant is a functional carnivore. Finally, we discuss how adaptive changes resulting in the evolution of the carnivorous gland may have occurred either by emargination of the leaf blade or homologous transformation of pinnae.


Research on the potential of greywater reuse to reduce urban tap water demand has focused mainly on permanently installed greywater treatment or irrigation systems. These may be readily implemented in new housing developments, but experience in Australia shows their uptake by established households in urban areas is low. The majority of households employ simple and temporary methods for greywater collection and use, but their behaviour has not been well documented. We characterised the greywater use practices of over 1,000 Melbourne households during a 5-year period (2007 to 2011) which included 3 years of severe drought with stringent restrictions on outdoor tap water use. Greywater was most frequently collected from the laundry and bathroom, and generally used within 24 hours. Garden watering was the most common end use, and treatment of greywater to reduce microbial contamination was very rare. Volume estimates by householders suggest that on average around 10% of tap water used in the home was being collected for reuse. When drought conditions and water restrictions eased, over 40% of user households discontinued greywater use. Widespread adoption of permanent greywater collection, treatment and storage systems by households would be required to achieve a lasting effect on urban water consumption.


Membranes are used as a support layer for the fabrication of thin film composite membranes. Support layer properties can affect many performance parameters of TFC membranes such as flux, rejection, morphology and stability against pressure. Although studies in lab scale fabrication exist, investigation the pilot scale polysulfone membrane fabrication has not been done. In this study, optimization of polysulfone support membranes fabrication was conducted in pilot scale. Coagulation bath temperature; casting speed and solution content were selected as main parameters for the optimization. Membrane surface properties were investigated in details with SEM and pore size distribution. Membrane performance were determined with permeability experiments. Differences in pilot scale and lab scale membrane manufacturing were observed and compared with literature. On the contrary to literature it was found that, coagulation bath temperature has exact opposite effect in pilot scale membrane formation compared to lab scale studies. 10°C drop (from 25°C to 15°C) in coagulation bath temperature decreased mean pore size of membranes from 27 nm to 8 nm and permeability from 464 l/m2h to 100 l/m2h while everything else was kept constant.