This study analyses the consciousness levels, attitudes and behaviours of farmers against stubble burning and the damages of stubble burning which is a part of land misuse. 86 farmers from 9 villages in Zile county of Tokat province were surveyed for the study. These data was used to state farmers' socio-demographical characteristics and their behaviours against stubble burning was analysed. According to the study results, 99% of the farmers says that stubble burning is a wrong application. They states that stubble burning causes natural damages and the most importantly it is harmful by 76% to the living creatures in the nature. 57% of them prefers the method of mixing stubble to the soil.


The Blue Nile originates from Lake Tana in the Ethiopian Highlands and contributes about 60-69 % of the main Nile discharge. Previous studies investigated the re- lationship of sea surface temperature (SST) in the Pacific Ocean (Nino 3.4 region) to occurrence of meteorological and hydrological droughts in the Nile Basin. In this paper we fo- cus on the dependence of occurrence of droughts and floods in the upper catchment of the Blue Nile on the timing of El Nino and La Nina events. Different events start at different times of the year and follow each other, exhibiting different patterns and sequences. Here we study the impact of these timing and temporal patterns on the Blue Nile droughts and floods. The comparison between the discharge measurements (1965-2012) at the outlet of the upper catchment of the Blue Nile and the El Nino index shows that when an El Nino event is followed by a La Nina event, there is a 67 % chance for occurrence of an extreme flood. Furthermore, we also found that 83 % of El Nino events starting in April-June resulted in droughts in the upper catchment of the Blue Nile. Although the current study is limited by the reduced number of sam- ples, we propose that observations as well as global model forecasts of SST during this season could be used in seasonal forecasting of the Blue Nile flow.


Introspective reports are used as sources of information about other minds, in both everyday life and science. Many scientists and philosophers consider this practice unjustified, while others have made the untestable assumption that introspection is a truthful method of private observation. I argue that neither skepticism nor faith concerning introspective reports are warranted. As an alternative, I consider our everyday, commonsensical reliance on each other's introspective reports. When we hear people talk about their minds, we neither refuse to learn from nor blindly accept what they say. Sometimes we accept what we are told, other times we reject it, and still other times we take the report, revise it in light of what we believe, then accept the modified version. Whatever we do, we have (implicit) reasons for it. In developing a sound methodology for the scientific use of introspective reports, we can take our commonsense treatment of introspective reports and make it more explicit and rigorous. We can discover what to infer from introspective reports in a way similar to how we do it every day, but with extra knowledge, methodological care, and precision. Sorting out the use of introspective reports as


Computing diagnoses in domains with continuously changing data is difficult but essential aspect of solving many problems. To address this task, a dynamic influence diagram (ID) construction and updating system (DYNASTY) and its application to constructing a decision-theoretic model to diagnose acute abdominal pain, which is a domain in which the findings evolve during the diagnostic process, are described. For a system that evolves over time, DYNASTY constructs a parsimonious ID and then dynamically updates the ID, rather than constructing a new network from scratch for every time interval. In addition, DYNASTY contains algorithms that test the sensitivity of the constructed network's system parameters. The main contributions are: (1) presenting an efficient temporal influence diagram technique based on parsimonious model construction; and (2) formalizing the principles underlying a diagnostic tool for acute abdominal pain that explicitly models time-varying findings. >


Given the growth of Internet photo collections we now have a visual index of all major cities and tourist sites in the world. However, it is still a difficult task to capture that perfect shot with your own camera when visiting these places, especially when your camera itself has limitations, such as a limited field of view. In this paper, we propose a framework to overcome the imperfections of personal photos of tourist sites using the rich information provided by large scale Internet photo collections. Our method deploys state-of-the-art techniques for constructing initial 3D models from photo collections. The same techniques are then used to register personal photos to these models, allowing us to augment personal 2D images with 3D information. This strong available scene prior allows us to address a number of traditionally challenging image enhancement techniques, and achieve high quality results using simple and robust algorithms. Specifically, we demonstrate automatic foreground segmentation, mono-to-stereo conversion, the field of view expansion, photometric enhancement, and additionally automatic annotation with geo-location and tags. Our method clearly demonstrates some possible benefits of employing the rich information contained in on-line photo databases to efficiently enhance and augment one's own personal photos.


Gatekeeping fake news discourses on mainstream media vs. social media / Ahmed Al-Rawi Abstract: This study analyzes mainstream media (MSM) coverage of fake news discourse and compares it with social networking sites (SNS) users who reference the term "fakenews" in their tweets. The study employs computational methods by analyzing over 8 million tweets and 1350 news stories using topic modeling. Building on the theory of (networked) gatekeeping and Herman and Chomsky's propaganda model, the results show that SNS users follow networked gatekeeping practices by mostly associating fake news references to the alleged bias of mainstream media. On the other hand, mainstream media coverage tends to link fake news to SNS's negative role in spreading misinformation. I argue here that there is a networked flak activity on Twitter which is defined as a collective negative response to mainstream media in order to discipline it, change its tone and editorial stance, or undermine the public's trust in it.


Heterogeneous photocatalysis of 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) using simulated solar irradiation in the presence of semiconductor oxides was studied. Comparison of TiO2 and ZnO showed that the former was a more efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of DNB. The addition of potential environmental co-contaminants such as acetic acid, fulvic acid and seawater salts to the DNB solutions all inhibited the DNB degradation rate. The addition of hydroxyl radical-generating compounds, including H2O2 and NaNO3, to the DNB solutions both slightly reduced the DNB degradation rate, indicating that hydroxyl radical generation is not a rate limiting step in the overall reaction process. The use of 5 volume % acetone cosolvent slowed the degradation rate, however for 15 volume % acetone despite the slower relative rate of destruction, the higher concentrations of DNB provided higher mass destruction rates.


A great deal of attention is now paid to the ethics of social research. Research governance has expanded, and a burgeoning literature describes the processes, practices and questions that arise in social research with children, families and communities. This paper outlines the approach taken to research ethics within Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, Andhra Pradesh (India), Peru and Vietnam, co-ordinated by a research team based in the UK. Drawing on fieldwork reports, qualitative data and other material, I offer some 'real life' examples of ethics questions encountered in research, providing insights into the experiences of fieldworkers. The paper emphasises the importance of understanding local contexts in undertaking research with children and families in environments that change rapidly, economically, environmentally and politically. Overall, my aim is to contribute to current debates about research practices, the ethics of longitudinal research with children, and research with children and parents in developing countries.


This article takes a look at arbitration in intellectual property matters with regards to the licensing of standard-essential patents (SEPs) on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. Due to the digital transformation, the importance of FRAND licensing of SEPs is likely to increase and with it the need for appropriate conflict resolution. This is where arbitration can come into play due to its flexibility and efficiency. The resolution of SEP/FRAND disputes through Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is also supported by administrative and judicial bodies and institutions such as the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) or the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have already gained experience in this field. The article lays down particularities regarding the scope of arbitration in such disputes before briefly touching upon the question of arbitrability. Due to the lack of a law applicable to a pre-existing contract in prototypical SEP/FRAND constellations, the choice of law is also of importance. A special emphasis is put on the issue of confidentiality in view of a public interest in having access to key results of SEP/FRAND arbitration proceedings. As set forth in the article, the FRAND ADR Guidelines authored by the Munich IPDR Forum propose a solution in the form of disclosure of the FRAND determination methodology to a neutral instance, subject to party approval. Lastly, the article looks at how state courts might assess licenses reached in alternative dispute resolution and examines whether EU competition law is a public policy hurdle in subsequent enforcement proceedings.


Whether or not dietary fructose exacerbate hepatic lipogenesis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis remains an unresolved question. Furthermore, few studies have utilised systems approaches, notably at a genome-scale level, to investigate specific monosaccharides on hepatic steatosis. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop a predictive, multi-scale computational model of hepatic monosaccharide transport, signalling and metabolism; validated experimentally to an in vitro model of steatosis.

Utilising quasi-steady state Petri nets (QSSPN), a dynamic network of hepatic glucose and fructose transport was reconstructed and integrated with a human hepatocyte-specific genome scale metabolic network constrained by in vitro flux data. Additionally, a regulatory, kinetic model of hepatic insulin signalling was reconstructed and successfully integrated in QSSPN. Together with our novel simulation method, dynamic flux variability analysis, simulations predicted minimum and maximum flux rates allowing the calculation of extracellular glucose and fructose, and triacylglycerol production over time, while also satisfying the demands of a 'healthy hepatocyte'.

Immortalised hepatic cells, HepG2, treated with fatty acids were confirmed as an in vitro model of NAFLD after the characterisation of both viability, as measured by LDH and MTT assays, and intracellular lipid by Nile red staining. Differential effects of glucose and fructose on lipid metabolism were also investigated in an in vitro mixed-nutrient model of glucose, fructose and oleate. Intracellular lipid was assessed by Nile red and the gold standard, gas chromatography mass spectrometry. While oleate induced intracellular lipid (P < 0.05), no statistical differences were detected between sugar treatments. Additionally, intracellular lipid by Nile red was measured in HepG2 cells treated with glucose or fructose ± insulin. Notably, while hepatic monosaccharide uptake in vitro was reproduced by our in silico model, differential lipogenic effects of fructose were not found experimentally, nor predicted by our in silico model.

In conclusion, in vitro hepatic monosaccharide uptake and intracellular lipid was reproduced in our in silico model with no differential lipogenic effects of fructose detected. This highlights existing concerns of current public health recommendations targeting single nutrients, e.g. fructose, to combat lifestyle-related metabolic diseases such as NAFLD. Future work should aim to predict the outcomes and investigate underlying molecular and regulatory mechanisms of sugar and lipid metabolism in response to mixed meals containing physiological levels of glucose and fructose without confounding excess energy.


Bilateral symmetry has evolved from radial symmetry in several floral lineages, and multiple hypotheses have been proposed to account for the success of this floral plan. One of these hypotheses posits that bilateral symmetry (or, more generally, a reduced number of planes of floral symmetry) allows for more precise pollen placement on pollinators. Greater precision would maximize the efficacy of pollen transfer to conspecifics, while minimizing reproductive interference amongst plant species. Despite the intuitiveness of this hypothesis, it has little experimental support. Here, we tested whether a reduction in the number of floral planes of symmetry (as in the transition from radial to bilateral symmetry) increases the potential precision of pollen placement. We analyzed video recordings of bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) visiting artificial flowers to determine whether consistency in flower entry angle differed between radial (round) and disymmetric (rectangular) "flowers". We observed more consistent entry angles for disymmetric flowers than for radial flowers, with entry angles to radial flowers 43% more variable on average (standard deviations of 30° vs. 21°). Bees trained on flowers with an intermediate (square) morphology exhibited a slight, non-significant preference for radial symmetry over disymmetry. Our results show that disymmetry—an evolutionarily intermediate form of floral symmetry—has the potential to increase pollen transfer to conspecific stigmas, relative to radial symmetry. Thus, evolutionary reduction in the number of planes of floral symmetry likely provides benefits in terms of pollen delivery, as suggested by the pollen-placement-accuracy hypothesis. These findings offer insight into the evolution of floral symmetry.


Since its inception, Facebook has become an integral part of the online social community. People rely on Facebook to connect with others and build communities. As a result, it is paramount to protect the integrity of such a large network in a fast and scalable manner. In this paper, we present our efforts to protect various social media entities at Facebook from people who try to abuse our platform. We present a novel Temporal Interaction EmbeddingS (TIES) model that is designed to capture rogue social interactions and flag them for further suitable actions. TIES is a supervised, deep learning, production ready model at Facebook-scale networks. Prior works on integrity problems are mostly focused on capturing either only static or certain dynamic features of social entities. In contrast, TIES can capture both these variant behaviors in a unified model owing to the recent strides made in the domains of graph embedding and deep sequential pattern learning. To show the real-world impact of TIES, we present a few applications especially for preventing spread of misinformation, fake account detection, and reducing ads payment risks in order to enhance Facebook platform's integrity.


The paper analyzes the performance of the bandwidth allocation process over satellite communication systems in presence of specific quality of service (QoS) requirements. The reference allocation algorithms considered are based on multi-objective programming (MOP) and are called "Utopia minimum distance" (UMD), "constrained Utopia minimum distance" (CUMD) and "QoS point minimum distance" (QPMD). The rationale under the algorithms is considering bandwidth allocation as a competitive problem where each earth station has its cost function that needs to be minimized by penalizing the others. The performance of the techniques described has been evaluated over a faded channel by using TCP/IP traffic. The analysis is carried out analytically by comparing the efficiency of the MOP based techniques with other approaches treated in the literature and by evaluating the effects of possible QoS specifications.


The Colombian–Venezuelan borderlands are facing a 'double crisis': at the same time as armed groups reconfigure following the demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Colombia is concurrently receiving millions of refugees, migrants, and Colombian returnees from neighbouring Venezuela. While much international coverage of the crisis has focused on Cúcuta, the major border crossing in the department of Norte de Santander, the crossing via the Guajira Peninsula is the second most frequented official land crossing into Colombia. In 2020, La Guajira was home to more than 166,000 refugees and migrants, the third highest concentration in the country. This happened at the same time as new and old armed groups were using violent measures to control strategic territory in the region. This practice note takes stock of the risks that affect security conditions as perceived and experienced by communities in La Guajira, and outlines the self-protection strategies that some communities employ to respond to the changing security conditions. It demonstrates the need for enhancing efforts for integration (for example, documentation) and response mechanisms that are shared between Colombia and other countries in the region in order to mitigate risks for Venezuelans in border regions of Colombia. The information reported here comes from a targeted civil society workshop held in Riohacha—the capital city of La Guajira—and a field visit made in April 2019 under the research programme 'From Conflict Actors to Architects of Peace—CONPEACE'.


Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from impairment in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. It is responsible for a wide range of acute and chronic complications. In this study, we aimed to assess acute complications of diabetes and its predictors among adult DM patients at Jimma Medical Center (JMC), southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study involving 348 diabetic patients was conducted from February to May 31, 2019 at JMC. Logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of acute complications of diabetes. Variables with P ≤ 0.25 on bivariate logistic regression were considered candidates for multivariate regression. ORs and 95% CIs with P <0.05 were considered statistically signi fi cant. Results: Of the 348 patients, 225 (64.7%) were male, and the mean age of study participants was 46±15.5 years. Most (281, 80.7%) had type 2 DM. More than two-thirds (240, 69%)had diabetes duration of <5 years. During the study period, 92 (26.4%) patients developed acute complications of diabetes. Of these, 68 (73.9%) had diabetic ketoacidosis, 21 (22.8%) a hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state, and three (3.3%) hypoglycemia. Presence of comorbidity (AOR 5.6, 95% CI 2.80 – 11.19), type 1 DM (AOR 9.3, 95% CI 4.36 – 19.82), uncontrolled blood glucose (AOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.05 – 3.45), and lack of access to a health facility within a reasonable distance (AOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.11 – 3.45) were independent predictors of acute complications of diabetes. Conclusion: The magnitude of acute complications among DM patients at JMC was high. Comorbidity, type 1 DM, uncontrolled blood sugar, and lack of access to a health facility within a reasonable distance were independent predictors of acute complications. Clinicians should follow up this subgroup of DM patients closely.


CONTEXT
Obesity is associated with a low-grade inflammatory state and adipocyte (ADP) hyperplasia/hypertrophy. Obesity inhibits the "browning" of white adipose tissue. Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) agonists reduce food intake and induce antiobesity effect in mice. A common missense CB2 variant, Q63R, causes CB2-reduced function.

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of CB2 receptor on the modulation of childhood obesity and of ADP activity and morphology.

DESIGN
CB2-Q63R variant was analyzed in obese Italian children. The effects of an inflammatory stimulus and those of drugs selectively acting on CB2 were investigated on in vitro ADPs obtained from mesenchymal stem cells of adult healthy donors or from sc adipose biopsies of adult nonobese and obese subjects.

SETTING
Department of Women, Child and General and Specialist Surgery of the Second University of Naples.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS
A total of 501 obese Italian children (age 11 ± 2.75). Twelve healthy bone marrow donors (age 36.5 ± 15); and 17 subjects, 7 lean (age 42 ± 10) and 10 obese (age 37.8 ± 12) underwent sc adipose tissue biopsies.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Effects of CB2 stimulation on adipokine, perilipin, and uncoupling protein-1 expression.

RESULTS
The less-functional CB2-R63 variant was significantly associated with a high z-score body mass index. CB2 blockade with AM630 reverse agonist increased inflammatory adipokine release and fat storage and reduced browning. CB2 stimulation with JWH-133 agonist reversed all of the obesity-related effects.

CONCLUSION
CB2 receptor is a novel pharmacological target that should be considered for obesity.


ABSTRACT The global spread of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) has been largely associated with sequence type 258 (ST258) and its related variants (clonal group 258 [CG258]). Here we describe the molecular epidemiology of CR-Kp from five tertiary care hospitals in Medellín, the second largest city in Colombia. All CR-Kp-infected patients admitted from June 2012 to June 2014 were included (n = 193). Patients' clinical information was obtained from medical records. Carbapenemase KPC, VIM, IMP, NDM, and OXA-48 genes were detected by PCR. A CG258-tonB79 cluster-specific real-time PCR (targeting the multilocus sequence type [MLST] tonB79 allele), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and MLST analysis were performed for typing. Remarkably, 62.2% (n = 120) of isolates were from STs unrelated to CG258 (non-CG258). KPC-3 predominated in CG258 isolates (86.3%), while KPC-2 prevailed in non-CG258 isolates (75.5%) (P < 0.001). Multidrug resistance (MDR) frequency was significantly higher in CG258 strains (91.4% versus 56.1%; P < 0.001). ST512 (a single-locus variant of ST258) is the main ST in CG258 (96.3%), and isolates in this group showed closely related pulsotype and similar resistance gene profiles, suggesting the clonal spread of this strain. In contrast, high heterogeneity of STs (34/54), including eight novel STs, was found in non-CG258 isolates. Among non-CG258 isolates, ST14 (13.3%; n = 16) and ST307 (14.2%; n = 17) were the most frequent, and they showed distinct molecular and clinical characteristics in comparison to CG258 isolates. Our results suggest that the dissemination of carbapenem resistance in Medellín is due to heterogeneous K. pneumoniae clones, likely the result of horizontal transmission of KPC in different unrelated lineages, further highlighting the challenge in CR-Kp infection control and the need for a multifocal intervention.


In this competitive world, it is essential to grab the sportive nature of sports persons. For different personality type of the individual the motive to engage in sports also varies from person to person. The aim of the present study is to determine the relationship between personality and motivation among sports persons and to identify the gender difference of personality and motivation factors. The sample of this study was 120 sports persons out of which 60 were males and 60 were females belonging to the age range of 18 -30 years. The mean, standard deviation and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for analysing the data. Results indicate that there is no significant relationship between Personality and Motivation type of sports persons.


The extensible set language (ESL) uses clusters for extending the set oriented language and for mapping the sets and their operators into base language data structure and operators. The main difficulty in this mapping is the dependency among clusters, i.e., the use of one data structure requires the modification or the constraint of another. The dialogue is a compile time procedure which is part of a cluster. It manipulates data structures and enables each cluster to appear independent; it also enables the user to choose one of a family of data implementations defmed by the cluster. Thus the dialogue makes it possible for a data structure to appear as a building block which can be used simply and flexibly.


OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between serum ferritin and the metabolic syndrome (MS).

METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,444 adults over age 40 and under age 70 that lived in a rural area and participated in a survey conducted as part of the Korean Rural Genomic Cohort Study (KRGCS). The MS was defined as the presence of at least three of the followings: elevated blood pressure, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated serum triglycerides, elevated plasma glucose, or abdominal obesity. After adjustment for age, alcohol intake, menopausal status, body mass index (BMI), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), odds ratios (ORs) for the prevalence of the MS by sex were calculated for quartiles of serum ferritin using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS
The MS was more common in those persons with the highest levels of serum ferritin, compared to persons with the lowest levels, in men (37.1% vs. 22.4%, p=0.006) and women (58.8% vs. 34.8, p<0.001). In both sexes, the greater the number of MS components presents, the greater the serum ferritin levels. After adjustment for age, alcohol intake, and menopausal status, the OR for metabolic syndrome, comparing the fourth quartile of ferritin with the first quartile, was 2.21 (95% confidence interval; CI=1.26-3.87; p-trend=0.024) in men and 2.10 (95% CI=1.40-3.17; p-trend=0.001) in women. However, after further adjustment for BMI, hs-CRP, and ALT, the ORs were statistically attenuated in both sexes.

CONCLUSIONS
Moderately elevated serum ferritin levels were not independently associated with the prevalence of the MS after adjusting for other risk factors. Further studies are needed to obtain evidence concerning the association between serum ferritin levels and the MS.


Ganeva, D., & Bogatzevska, N. (2019). Tomato lines from interspecifi c hybridization – donors of resistance to leaf bacterial infections. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 25(4), 744–750 Leaf bacterial diseases (bacterial spot and speck) infect leaves, stems and fruit of tomatoes and cause both poor yield and fruit grade losses due to defoliation and fruit lesions. Natural populations of causative agents differ in species and race composition. Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, races R0 and R1 (bacterial speck) and Xanthomonas vesicatoria (pepper-and-tomato (PT), tomato (T) pathotype, races T1,T2,T3), X. gardneri and X. euvesicatoria (PT,T1,T2,T3) are widely distributed across tomato crops in Bulgaria. Fifteen interspecifi c hybrid tomato lines derived from crosses with the following wild species from genus Solanum: S. cheesmaniae, S. pimpinellifolium, S. racemigerum, S. chilense and S. hirsutum were studied in this experiment in order to establish their response to diseases. Development of intraspecifi c hybrid tomato lines (crosses between S. lycopersicum and S. chilense, S. pimpinellifolium or S. racemigerum) is a prerequisite for improving the resistance to X. vesicatoria and X. gardneri. Two lines – L1052 (S. lycopersicum х S. pimpinellifolium) and L1791 (S. lycopersicum х S. racemigerum) were found to be resistant to the races of X. vesicatoria. Performed sequentially individual plant selection in L1787 (S. racemigerum), L1927 and L1921 (S. chilense) reduced the mean disease score and stabilized resistance to the races of X. vesicatoria. The lines L1787 and L1791 were found to be resistant to X. gardneri are S. racemigerum. The wild species S. racemigerum (L1787) was found to have multiple resistance to X. gardneri, the races of X. vesicatoria and P. syringae pv. tomato. This is the fi rst study reporting on the infl uence of wild species S. racemigerum on the resistance of interspecifi c hybrid tomato lines towards X. gardneri races of X. vesicatoria and P. syringae pv. tomato.


Mood disorders disproportionately affect women across the lifespan. Mood disorders in pregnancy and the postpartum period are common and have profound implications for women and their children. These include obstetric and neonatal complications, impaired mother–infant interactions, and, at the extreme, maternal suicide and infanticide. Because obstetrician– gynecologists are often the first (and sometimes the only) point of contact for young women in the health care system, familiarity with the presentation and treatment of depressive illness in the perinatal period is imperative. The goal of this review is to synthesize essential information on depressive illness in the perinatal period with a focus on its most common and severe presentations, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Accurate diagnosis of unipolar major depressive disorder from bipolar disorder can facilitate the selection of the best possible treatment alternatives. Counseling may be sufficient for perinatal women who have mild to moderate depression, but women who are severely depressed are likely to require antidepressant treatment. Women with bipolar disorder are at high risk for relapse if mood stabilizer medication is discontinued, and they are vulnerable to relapse near the time of delivery. Comanagement of their care with psychiatrists will increase their chances of avoiding a recurrence of illness.


This paper takes water quality as an ethnographic subject. It looks at how water quality monitors in Boston make sense of the quality of water through mundane engagement with three non-human beings who they encounter during their monitoring activities: herring, bacteria and water lily. Each of these organisms suggests a different understanding of water quality for the monitors and poses a dilemma. Water quality monitors who contribute to the production of water quality data come to know water quality as through direct interactions with these beings, mediated by both sensorial experience and laboratory data. These experiences, at the same time, confuse and redraw relationships between science, water flows, non-human vitality, including that of invasive species, and people.


Anteromedial hernias occur as a result of the defects of the diaphragma at parasternal or retrosternal field. Most of the anterior hernias are asymptomatic and the diagnosis is made by chest radiographs incidentally. This case is present for the rare association of Down syndrome with anterior and especially anteriomedial hernias. A seventeen-month old girl who had stigmas of Down syndrome was referred to our clinic with the complaints of cough, fever and vomiting. On physical examination, pulmonary sounds were loud and occasional crepitan rales were heard. Subcostal and intercostal retractions were present. The bowel sounds were heard at the left hemithorax. Intestinal loops were seen within the thorax cavity at radiographic examination with barium sulphate. Various additional anomalies can accompany Down syndrome. Here we emphasize that Down syndrome can be in association with congenital diaphragmatic hernias even many of these cases are asymptomatic and these cases must be evaluated in this respect.


The joint integrated avionics working group (JIAWG) input/output system (JIOS) provides the software/hardware interface for built-in-test (BIT) and I/O provided via the PI-Bus and TM-Bus for the JIAWG 16-bit common modules. The need for JIOS, the functionality of the JIOS, concerns related to the use of the JIOS, and a planned JIOS demonstration are presented. The JIOS is intended to be a generic software interface for BIT, as well as PI and TM buses. The hardware and software which comprise the JIOS are required to be an integral part of the module architecture so that no operational software downloads are needed. The JIOS features are specified by the JIAWG input/output built-in-test interface definition specification (IOBIDS). IOBIDS contains a complete definition of the user interface, including functions provided, called sequences, parameter type definitions, and special user requirements. These definitions are provided as an Ada package specification with no package body, for each functional area. The JIOS is a unique approach which carries with it technical risk associated with performance and program size.<<ETX>>


Summary Arid and semi arid areas of Balochistan are characterized by low and erratic rainfall and are prone to drought conditions which normally occur every three to four years. Th e prevailing drought is one of the most severe in its magnitude as annual rain (60-150 mm) has been well below average for a continuous period of four to fi ve years in most parts of highland Balochistan. Results from a long term study on range monitoring in highland Balochistan show that the annual range productivity has declined from an average of 150-180 kg/ha dry matter of forage biomass to 30-45 kg/ha as a result of continuous drought in most parts of Balochistan. Th is has seriously aff ected the productivity of range-based small ruminants in terms of health and high stock mortality. Recommendations are provided in this paper on short and long term programs to combat the eff ects of drought on range based small ruminant production. Government sponsored drought relief programs should encourage early destocking so that the herders do not keep their stock longer into the drought period and thereby avoid catastrophic eff ects. A shift from extensive herding on rangelands is suggested to intensive or semi-intensive feedlot livestock production system by integrating range grazing and crop-based livestock production. Th is would make the livestock enterprise economically and environmentally sustainable.


The development of postwar media in Italy has contributed to the promotion of democratic values, ideas and processes (Hibberd, 2004; Monteleone, 2003; Scannell, 1989). Broadcasting, it particular, has functioned as one form of public sphere safeguarding fundamental principles including freedom of speech and expression and promoting new forms of dialogue. In recent decades, however, there has been a distinct shift in government policy across Europe a gradual move away from the traditional public service broadcasting regulatory model in favour of policies that encourage a more market-driven broadcasting industry; a shift in approach may be seen as a strategic response to ideological and technological changes that are opening up the television broadcasting industry globally (Doyle and Hibberd 2003). One of the key features of this shift is the high degree of crossmedia ownership present in many countries, provoking intense policy and public debates about how best to safeguard pluralism in the multi-media environment.


Purine nucleotides and their analogs increase insulin secretion through activation of pancreatic beta-cell P2Y receptors. The present study aimed at determining the role of glucose metabolism in the response to P2Y agonists and whether ATP-activated K+ channels (KATP channels) are involved in this response. The experiments were performed in the rat isolated pancreas, perfused with a Krebs-bicarbonate buffer supplemented with 2 g/l bovine serum albumin under dynamic glucose conditions from 5 mmol/l baseline to 11 mmol/l. ADPbetaS (0.5 micromol/l) was selected as a stable and selective P2Y agonist. This compound, ineffective on the 5 mmol/l glucose background, induced a significant threefold increase in insulin release triggered by the glucose challenge. The effect of ADPbetaS was markedly reduced (P <0.001) in the presence of an inhibitor of glucose metabolism. In addition to glucose, the ADP analog also amplified the beta-cell insulin response to 15 mmol/l methyl pyruvate (P <0.05), but it was ineffective on the insulin response to 2.5 mmol/l methyl succinate. A nonmetabolic stimulus was applied using tolbutamide (185 micromol/l). Insulin secretion induced by the KATP channel blocker was strongly reinforced by ADPbetaS (P <0.001), which prompted us to check a possible interplay of KATP channels in the effect of ADPbetaS. In the presence of diazoxide 250 micromol/l and 21 mmol/l KCl, ADPbetaS still amplified the second phase of glucose-induced insulin secretion (P <0.001). We conclude that P2Y receptor activation is able to promote insulin secretion through a mechanism, involving beta-cell metabolism and a rise in intracellular calcium; this effect does not result from a direct inhibitory effect on KATP channels.


OBJECTIVES
Propofol has not been extensively studied as an acute migraine therapy; however, based on the limited evidence from outpatient and inpatient settings, propofol has been proposed as an option for patients who present to the emergency department (ED). The purpose of this review is to evaluate the existing literature regarding the safety and efficacy of propofol for acute migraine treatment in the ED.

METHODS
A systematic review of clinical studies of propofol treatment for acute migraine in the ED was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Trials were identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, clinical trial registries, research registries, and key journals through May 2019. A modified Jadad scoring system was used to assess the methodological quality of the included randomized controlled trials and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for the retrospective cohort study.

RESULTS
Nine studies, including five case reports or series, one retrospective cohort study, and three randomized controlled trials, consisting of 290 patients were reviewed. All studies in adults reported propofol to be an effective therapy for migraine, but the strength of these results was limited by dosing variations, small sample sizes, and limited generalizability. Pediatric studies produced mixed results.

CONCLUSIONS
Propofol may be an effective rescue therapy for patients presenting to the ED for acute migraine, but its place in therapy based on the limited available evidence is unknown. The safety of propofol for migraine management in the ED has not been adequately examined.


In this paper, we address the problem of finding the pre-image of a feature vector in the feature space induced by a kernel. This is of central importance in some kernel applications, such as on using kernel principal component analysis (PCA) for image denoising. Unlike the traditional method in which relies on nonlinear optimization, our proposed method directly finds the location of the pre-image based on distance constraints in the feature space. It is noniterative, involves only linear algebra and does not suffer from numerical instability or local minimum problems. Evaluations on performing kernel PCA and kernel clustering on the USPS data set show much improved performance.


Methylmercury (MeHg) accumulation in marine organisms poses serious ecosystem and human health risk, yet the sources of MeHg in the surface and subsurface ocean remain uncertain. Here, we report the first MeHg mass budgets for the Western Pacific Ocean estimated based on cruise observations. We found the major net source of MeHg in surface water to be vertical diffusion from the subsurface layer (1.8-12 nmol m-2 yr-1). A higher upward diffusion in the North Pacific (12 nmol m-2 yr-1) than in the Equatorial Pacific (1.8-5.7 nmol m-2 yr-1) caused elevated surface MeHg concentrations observed in the North Pacific. We furthermore found that the slope of the linear regression line for MeHg versus apparent oxygen utilization in the Equatorial Pacific was about 2-fold higher than that in the North Pacific. We suggest this could be explained by redistribution of surface water in the tropical convergence-divergence zone, supporting active organic carbon decomposition in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. On the basis of this study, we predict oceanic regions with high organic carbon remineralization to have enhanced MeHg concentrations in both surface and subsurface waters.


The recent evolution of IP networks are seeing IP applications becoming more complex and requiring higher bandwidth consumption. More recently, IP networks are employing Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) which offers better switching and enables Virtual Private Network (VPN). However, the service quality is becoming a major issue in MPLS networks due to having to accommodate the higher bandwidth consumption by certain applications such as voice over IP (VoIP), client-server and peer-to-peer applications, java applications and customized applications. This paper will focus on the implementation of Quality of Service (QoS) in MPLS networks using the java network simulation tool called J-SIM. There are many types quality of service can be offered in MPLS network and one of them is Differentiated Services or Diffserv which is being used in this work. This paper presents the QoS benefits of Diff-Serv aware MPLS networks when simulating the network using J-Sim. Outputs such as throughput and packet drops will be discussed in this paper also.


Background Severe burn injuries affect thousands of individuals each year, 30% of whom are individuals under the age of 16. The impact of severe burn injuries on physiological function is dramatic in survivors. It induces a surge of circulating pro inflammatory cytokines, catecholamines, and glucocorticoids, which perpetuate a prolonged stress response that wreaks havoc in the body. This process often results in difficulty with functional abilities and a decreased quality of life for severe burn victims. Re-integration into society is quite difficult for this population, and they become at risk for long term health consequences. Generally, high intensity aerobic and resistance exercise therapy has proven to be beneficial in adults regarding lean body mass, strength, and cardiorespiratory endurance. Would these benefits carry over to pediatric burn patients? Methods An exhaustive medical literature search was performed using MEDLINE-Ovid, MEDLINE-PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science using the keywords: burn or burns, pediatric or children, and exercise. The references of these were reviewed for relevant studies. The included articles were assessed for quality utilizing the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Results Two articles met the eligibility criteria, both of which were randomized control trials. The two studies examined very similar primary and secondary outcomes, with the only major difference being the timeframe in which the pediatric burn patients began the exercise intervention. The results were very consistent between the two, both showing a significant improvement in strength and lean body mass. The overall quality of the original studies are moderate due to some limitations. Further studies can minimize these limitations and further elucidate what is known in regards to the effect of a high intensity aerobic and resistance exercise intervention in pediatric burn victims. Conclusion The studies examining the effect of an exercise program in addition to a standard rehabilitation program provide enough evidence to support its recommendation. However, further research is required to determine the extent of the effect of exercise in these patients and the most beneficial exercise regimen, in addition to how it affects direct measures of re-integration into society and long-term health outcomes.


Oligodendrocytes are of crucial importance for the integrity and function of the central nervous system (CNS) as well as for efficacy of signal conduction and thus for brain function itself. They are responsible for axonal integrity in the CNS (Nave and Trapp 2008) and a target for pathological changes in diseases of myelin, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common chronic neurological disorder in western societies (Hafler et al. 2005). Receptors of the catecholamine neurotransmitter Dopamine (DA) have been reported to exert neuroprotective function (Bongarzone et al. 1998, Missale et al. 1998). The DA agonist pramipexole, in addition to having direct antioxidative effects (Le et al. 2000, Zou et al. 1999), is known to stimulate these receptor-mediated neuroprotective effects (Ling et al. 1999).
This study addresses the protective effects of pramipexole in cell cultures of the OLN-93 cell-line and primary oligodendrocytes in mixed glial cultures as well as in the cuprizone mouse model for central demyelination. It furthermore analyzes receptor-mediated influence on demyelination and remyelination in the cuprizone model by use of D2- and D3-receptor- deficient mice (D2-/-, D3-/-).
Both OLN-93 cells and oligodendrocytes in primary mixed glial cell cultures were morphologically preserved when treated with pramipexole before being exposed to oxidative stress. There was, however, no significant difference in survival of pramipexole-treated OLN-93 cells in the MTT-assay.
There was no difference in de- and remyelination or oligodendrocyte differentiation in D2-/- animals compared to the wildtype. Demyelination in D3-/- mice was not different from that in the wildtype. However, remyelination was less efficient in D3-/- mice. Treatment with pramipexole did not influence the extent of remyelination. Less oligodendrocyte precursor cells were observed in pramipexole treated wiltypes but not in D3-/- mice, suggesting a receptor-mediated effect.
This work constitutes the first study to approach the role of the DA system in the cuprizone mouse model. It shows that pramipexole partially rescues oligodendrocytic cells from oxidative stress. While the lack of D2- and D3-receptors does not influence demyelination, remyelination is hampered in D3-/- mice. However, pramipexole-treatment does not alter the extent of de- and remyelination in cuprizone-treated mice, although it leads to a decrease in the number of oligodendrocyte precursor cells.


The physical mechanisms associated with ablation of matter by laser irradiation are quite different in different regions of parameter space. The important parameters are the laser wavelength; the laser flux versus time, position, and angle of incidence at the target; and the target properties as well as the properties of the laser-transport medium adjacent to the irradiated target surface. Important target properties include surface contour, laser reflectivity and absorption depth, thermal diffusively, vaporization energy, Gruneisen coefficient, spall strength, ionization energies and plasma opacity versus temperature and density. As the flux increases, the process becomes less dependent on most of these target properties. Depending on the values of these various parameters, at relatively low fluxes targets can be vaporized and these vapors can be transparent to the laser beam. If a transparent liquid or solid transport medium exists in front of the vaporized target material, then a complicated contained- vaporization process takes place and the work done on the target by the vapors can be several orders of magnitude larger than with a gas or vacuum transport medium; the degree of work enhancement can depend strongly on the vapor condensability and condensed matter thermal conductivity. For short-pulselength irradiations of semi-transparent targets with a low- acoustic-impedance-laser-transport medium adjacent to the target, ablation needs to be a vacuum in order for the beam to be able to propagate to the target. For targets in a vacuum exposed to fluxes of this order (and considerably higher) and for long pulselengths, most of the laser energy will be absorbed (before reaching the critical surface) by inverse bremsstrahlung in material blown off from the target; at higher fluxes, the beam will be stopped at the critical surface producing localized absorption along with much higher energy densities and non-thermal equilibrium behavior. When the combination of pulselength, beam diameter, flux and target material are such that the blowoff becomes opaque to the laser and also the blowoff can traverse many beam diameters during the pulselength, then a complicated radiation-hydrodynamic process is involved with strong feedback between blowoff hydrodynamic expansion, laser absorption, radiation transport, and target ablation by plasma reradiation. In this paper the various ablation processes and potential applications are reviewed from the threshold for ablation up to fluxes of about 1013 W/cm2, with emphasis on three particular processes; namely, front-surface spallation, two-dimensional blowoff, and contained vaporization.


This study aims at identifying the kinds of errors that Iraqi FEL Non-departmental undergraduates made in the use of definite and indefinite articles . These errors are: (1) deletion of the indefinite article (2) substitution of the indefinite for the definite article (3) substitution of the definite for the indefinite article (4) substitution of a for an. Native language transfer was found to play a role in committing such errors. The study also concluded that little opportunities were given to EFL nondepartmental undergraduates for illustrating English contexts through which definite and indefinite articles are used, and the absence of the opportunities to train them to think in the target language(English) not the mother tongue(Arabic) while using English articles.


Abstract Control over social space was central to the everyday practice of caste in Kerala, India. Caste system in Kerala had evolved extreme forms of control over social space, which was critiqued by European missionaries in the nineteenth century. The missionary work among the slave castes that emphasized learning prayers and the Gospel provided the untouchable slaves with a new conceptual language. This was central to the claims of slave castes to the social space as they could come together defying the caste rules and regulations of distance pollution for prayer meetings which began in the slave schools and chapels in the evening after a day's back-breaking labor in their landlords' fields. The slave schools and chapels created a new social space that enabled the slave castes to claim all other modern social spaces. The slaves took over new cultural practices such as forming social organizations from the missionaries and used them effectively in their congregational activities. The experiences of social movements such as the Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha (PRDS) show that the former slave castes could effectively use prayer as a powerful instrument to claim social space which was highly structured and in egalitarian.


Dispersal is a key process for the population dynamics of spatially structured populations (at local and metapopulation levels), so the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the movement of individuals in space and time is important for evolutionary and ecological studies. Here we analyzed, for the first time, a long-term (1992–2009) multi-site capture– recapture database collected at four local populations of a long-lived seabird, the Audouin's gull Larus audouinii, covering 90% of its total world population. Those local populations show different ecological and demographic features that allow us to assess the influence of several key factors involved in breeding dispersal patterns at large spatio-temporal scales. A recently developed analytical tool in mark–recapture modelling, the multi-event approach, allowed us to obtain separate departure and settlement probabilities and test different biological hypotheses for each step of the dispersal process. Our results revealed that site fidelity was the most common strategy among breeders, and dispersal was only high from the site with the lowest population size and habitat quality. However, departures from the two largest local populations increased over the study period in response to severe ecological perturbations. Dispersers chose different settlement patches depending on their site of origin, with settlement choices determined by the population size of the destination colony rather than by the local reproductive performance, foraging area (a proxy of food availability) or distance to the destination site. Our results indicate that a breeding site is not abandoned by breeders unless a series of cumulative perturbations occur; once dispersing, settlement is directed towards densely populated sites, with dispersers using population size to rapidly assess the quality of the breeding patch.


Abstract. Avalanches are often released at the dormant stratovolcano Mt. Fuji, which is the highest mountain of Japan (3776 m a.s.l.). These avalanches exhibit different flow types from dry-snow avalanches in winter to slush flows triggered by heavy rainfall in late winter to early spring. Avalanches from different flanks represent a major natural hazard as they can reach large dimensions with run-out distances up to 4 km, destroy parts of the forest, and sometimes damage infrastructure. To monitor the volcanic activity of Mt. Fuji, a permanent and dense seismic network is installed around the volcano. The small distance between the seismic sensors and the volcano flank (<10 km) allowed us to detect numerous avalanche events from the seismic recordings and locate them in time and space. We present the detailed analysis of three avalanche or slush flow periods in the winters of 2014, 2016, and 2018. The largest events (size class 4–5) are detected by the seismic network at maximum distances of about 15 km, and medium-size events (size class 3–4) within a radius of 9 km. To localize the seismic events, we used the automated approach of amplitude source location (ASL) based on the decay of the seismic amplitudes with distance from the moving flow. The recorded amplitudes at each station have to be corrected by the site amplification factors, which are estimated by the coda method using data from local earthquakes. Our results show the feasibility of tracking the flow path of avalanches and slush flows with considerable precision (on the order of magnitude of 100 m) and thus estimating information such as the approximate run-out distance and the average front speed of the flows, which are usually poorly known. To estimate the precision of the seismic tracking, we analyzed aerial photos of the release area and determined the flow path and run-out distance, estimated the release volume from the meteorological records, and conducted numerical simulations with Titan2D to reconstruct the dynamics of the flow. The precision as a function of time is deduced from the comparison with the numerical simulations, showing mean location errors ranging between 85 and 271 m. The average front speeds estimated seismically, which ranged from 27 to 51 m s−1, are consistent with the numerically predicted speeds. In addition, we deduced two scaling relationships based on seismic parameters to quantify the size of the mass flow events. Our results are indispensable for assessing avalanche risk in the Mt. Fuji region as seismic records are often the only available dataset for this natural hazard. The approach presented here could be applied in the development of an early-detection and location system for avalanches based on seismic sensors.


The success of pervasive computing environments comprising ubiquitous loco-dynamic sensing devices is very dependent upon the Coverage Characteristics (CCs) of the network topology. These characteristics include blanket coverage, network density, affects on surrounding environments and intra-sensor coverage overlaps. This paper presents a systematic mathematical model to quantitatively investigate the effects of CCs and provides a comparison with other well used topologies e.g. Hexagonal, Triangular and Square grid. The paper uses connectivity, density saturation, conflict regions and effectiveness of the topology as quality parameters in simulation studies for a disaster recovery network in various irregular terrains. Numerical as well as simulation results confirm the improved performance of Hexagonal Topology (HT) in terms of the above mentioned quality parameters which can be used to tune the network design to ensure the required QoS throughout the life of the network. KeywordsAd-hoc Wireless Sensor Networks, Network Topology, Performance Evaluation, Network Coverage, QoS


Welding between ADC12 and SS400 was successfully performed by friction stir diffusion process. The experiments were conducted by a machining center with a cemented carbide tool and welding conditions, such as a rotating speed, welding speed and position of the tool, were optimized. By plunging the rotating tool into the interface with offset, ADC12 and SS400 were welded above 2000 rpm of the rotating speed at the welding speed of 50mm/min. Tensile strength was evaluated for the welded specimens. The specimens fabricated above 5000rpm in the rotating speed were fractured at the weld zone and showed relatively low tensile strength. The specimens, on the other hand, made between 2000 and 4000 rpm were fractured in the portion of the base aluminum alloy. Achievement of more than 100% in joint efficiency was indicated in the present friction stirring process.


Structural-acoustic finite element models including 3D modelling of poroelastic media modelled with the Biot theory are generally computationally costly. While being the most commonly used predictive tool in the context of noise reduction applications, efficient solution strategies are required. In this work, an original modal reduction technique, involving real-valued decoupled modes computed from a classical eigenvalue solver is proposed to reduce the size of the problem associated to the porous media. The idea of this technique is to enhance the modal basis with static correction calculated analytically which account for the response of non-preserved modes.


Background and purpose With mechanical thrombectomy (MT), 0–4.5hr patients ineligible for IV tPA likely benefit from recanalization therapy, and >4.5 hr patients may also benefit. However, limited centers provide MT. To transfer all high NIHSS patients for MT would be inefficient and costly, as NIHSS has been demonstrated to be of somewhat limited value as a surrogate for large vessel occlusion (LVO). We identify an NIHSS subset analysis that initial evaluators can use to help identify LVO patients, for whom MT may be beneficial. Methods Acute strokes presenting to VUMC from 2012 to 2013 (779) were evaluated for presentation NIHSS. All patients had vascular imaging and 125 demonstrated LVO. Modified receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for each combination of three NIHSS items. Subsets were ranked by a modified area under the curve (AUC). False negative rates could not exceed 80%, enabling comparison of each combination's specificity for LVO while ensuring >20% sensitivity. Results The 3 NIHSS subset with the largest modified AUC was "Facial Palsy", "Language", and "Extinction". Given that "Language" could bias selection towards left hemisphere stroke, we identified the best AUC subset after excluding "Language": "Level of Consciousness - Questions", "Facial Palsy", and "Extinction". Using 4 out of 7 possible points as cutoff, these criteria have 89.3% specificity and 28.8% sensitivity for LVO. Figure 1 shows the modified ROC curve. Conclusion We present a three-item score, derived from the NIHSS that is 89% specific for LVO. Hospitals without MT capabilities can use this easy to implement score to identify patients, with a likelihood of being correct for 9/10 referrals, who may benefit from transfer to a MT providing center. However, in order to maximise specificity, we have chosen to settle for only 29% sensitive, with 2/3 of LVO not being detected. While non-ideal, it is hoped that this scale may provide a reasonable balance of resource utilization and potential patient benefit. Abstract P-016 Figure 1 Modified ROC curve for predicting LVO Disclosures S. Zuckerman: None. A. Sivaganesan: None. C. Zhang: None. M. Dewan: None. P. Morone: None. J. Mocco: None.


Purpose To report the visual and anatomical outcomes in eyes with peripapillary choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) through 12 months. Methods This was a multicentre, retrospective, interventional case series which included treatment-naïve cases of peripapillary choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Multimodal imaging which comprised optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography and/or indocyanine green angiography was performed at baseline and follow-up visits. OCT parameters included central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and retinal and choroidal thickness at site of CNV. Patients were treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) on pro re nata protocol, photodynamic therapy, laser photocoagulation or a combination. Main outcome measures were change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and OCT parameters. Results A total of 77 eyes (74 patients; mean age: 61.9±21.8 years) with a mean disease duration of 9.2±14.1 months were included. BCVA improved significantly from 0.55±0.54 logMAR (20/70) at baseline to 0.29±0.39 logMAR (20/40) at 12 months (p<0.001) with a mean of 4.9±2.9 anti-VEGF injections. CMT, SFCT and retinal thickness at site of CNVM reduced significantly (p<0.001, <0.001 and 0.02, respectively) through 12 months. The most common disease aetiologies were neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and idiopathic, inflammatory and angioid streaks. Age (p=0.04) and baseline BCVA (p<0.001) were significant predictors of change in BCVA at 12 months. Conclusion Peripapillary CNVM, though uncommon, is associated with diverse aetiologies. Anti-VEGF agents lead to significant visual acuity and anatomical improvement in these eyes over long term irrespective of the aetiology.


BACKGROUND
The literature analysis has shown the risk of victimization in nursing professions. To date, very few studies have focused on the behavioral differences characterizing the stalking campaign, the consequences (physical and emotive), and the coping strategies adopted by victims (male and female nurses).

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this work was to compare the victimization experience of men and women working as nurses in public hospitals.

METHODS
2.154 nurses were asked to fill a self-administered questionnaire and 765 (35.5%) filled it. Victims were 221 (29.8%), 172 (77.8%) female and 49 (22.2%) male.

RESULTS
Findings show that the stalker is generally a man in the case of a female victim (76.2%) and a woman in the case of a male victim (71.4%). For both, the stalker is in most cases an acquaintance (for female victims=37.8%; for male victims=36.7%) who stalked for about one year. Stalking behavior causes in male nurses more physical symptoms (sleep and weakness disorders, respectively χ2=4.62, p=.024 and χ2=4.14, p=.043) than in female nurses. Female nurses (who cope by increasing social contact with friends and relatives and by talking to a psychologist) experienced more sadness (χ2=15.67, p=.000) and paranoia (χ2=10.07, p=.002) than male nurses.

CONCLUSIONS
Possible strategies for preventing the phenomenon are discussed, highlighting the percentage (8.2% among female victims, 5.8% among male victims) of those who have reported to the police.


Abstract Spatial omics is a rapidly evolving approach for exploring tissue microenvironment and cellular networks by integrating spatial knowledge with transcript or protein expression information. However, there is a lack of databases for users to access and analyze spatial omics data. To address this limitation, we developed Aquila, a comprehensive platform for managing and analyzing spatial omics data. Aquila contains 107 datasets from 30 diseases, including 6500+ regions of interest, and 15.7 million cells. The database covers studies from spatial transcriptome and proteome analyses, 2D and 3D experiments, and different technologies. Aquila provides visualization of spatial omics data in multiple formats such as spatial cell distribution, spatial expression and co-localization of markers. Aquila also lets users perform many basic and advanced spatial analyses on any dataset. In addition, users can submit their own spatial omics data for visualization and analysis in a safe and secure environment. Finally, Aquila can be installed as an individual app on a desktop and offers the RESTful API service for power users to access the database. Overall, Aquila provides a detailed insight into transcript and protein expression in tissues from a spatial perspective. Aquila is available at https://aquila.cheunglab.org.


ABSTRACT As negative effects of ocean acidification are experienced by coastal ecosystems, there is a growing trend to investigate the effect ocean acidification has on multiple generations. Parental exposure to ocean acidification has been shown to induce larval carryover effects, but whether acute exposure to a stressor as an adult can influence the larval generation long after the stress has been removed has yet to be tested. To assess how a temporary exposure to experimental ocean acidification affects the ecologically and commercially relevant Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, adult oysters were exposed to either low pH (7.31 ± 0.02) or ambient pH (7.82 ± 0.02) conditions for 7 wk. Oysters were then held for 8 wk in ambient conditions, and subsequently reproductively conditioned for 4 wk at ambient pH. After conditioning, the oysters were strip-spawned to create four families based on maternal and paternal ocean acidification exposure. The number of D-hinge larvae was counted 18 h postfertilization. A sex-specific brood stock response was observed, where female exposure to low pH conditions resulted in fewer D-hinge larvae. This study demonstrates that the effects of ocean acidification can last beyond the time from when the environmental perturbation is experienced. Broadening the understanding of environmental memory will be valuable when considering organismal ability to persist in the face of environmental change.


A wetland ecosystem, no matter how small or isolated, includes biotic and abiotic features that interact to promote biodiversity at larger landscape scales. Isolated wetlands, in particular, harbor a significant portion of regional fauna and are often critical habitats for maintaining herpetofaunal biodiversity in southern wetlands. Long-term research on isolated wetlands reveals that two terrestrial habitats contiguous with the wetland—the terrestrial periphery and terrestrial corridors that connect isolated wetlands—are vital for much of the animal community. The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the SWANCC decision has severely threatened the continued existence of such wetlands and their associated animals. Recognition that terrestrial habitats associated with isolated wetlands are essential elements for enhancing biodiversity could garner support from regulators, resource managers, and the general public in strengthening wetlands protection.


Abstract In a wide range of fields, the word "modular" is used to describe complex systems that can be decomposed into smaller systems with limited interactions between them. This essay argues that mathematical knowledge can fruitfully be understood as having a modular structure and explores the ways in which modularity in mathematics is epistemically advantageous.


This research investigated and explored the overall technical and legal suggestions on mixed ash (bottom ash + fly ash) from the first BOT(built-operation then transfer) incineration plant in south Taoyuan of Taiwan, with the hope of serving as the reference for treating ash from urban refuse incinerator and making sustainable operation management policies in Taiwan. Both bottom ash and fly ash contain high-content harmful metals like lead, chrome, and cadmium, with the lead content exceeding standard value. Plasma fusing technology may effectively settle toxic heavy metals and reduce their dissolution rate. The results show that the increase in percentage of bottom ash could maintain post-fusing strength and produce solidification effect, but this reduced the stability of toxic heavy metals and raised their dissolution rate. Suitable mixture ratio of bottom ash and fly ash was 2:1, volume reduction ratio 0.349, and weight reduction ratio 0.4936. The mixture was fulvous and dense with gloss and adequate strength. The dissolution test of lava products complied with national standards, and they might be used for recycling aggregates and solidifying cement.


Objective. This paper presents a study of dream intervention modes referred to in pass testimonies from Lacanian Schools affiliated with the World Association of Psychoanalysis and the School of Psychoanalysis of the Forums of the Lacanian Fields. Method. The intentional sample consists of 80 testimonies, obtained from the publications of each school. From that point, we analyzed qualitatively 14 examples, in which the intervention of the analyst over a dream story was explicit. Results. We could find varied interventions and gather them into four main ideas: (a) interrogation or invitation to associate; (b) interpretation; (c) cut; (d) other analytic act variations. As a conclusion, the Freudian approach with dreams is still in effect, but we also observe some others ways to intervene that aim beyond sense: to letter and to cut, as the foundations of psychoanalytic interpretation.


The events of the Arab Spring, it has been argued, have their precursors in Iran. Yet the proponents of such a view are split over which Iran it is that serves as the inspiration for events in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere: is it, as some officials from the Islamic Republic claim, their own 1979 revolution, which unseated Mohammad Reza Pahlavi from the Peacock Throne, or the Twittering, YouTubing mass protests against that vision of a Republic which spilled into the streets of Tehran and other cities around the country three decades later?


In recent years, several studies have focused on terrestrial ecosystem response to extreme events. Most of this research has been conducted in natural ecosystems, but few have considered agroecosystems. In this study, we investigated the impact of a manipulated warmer or cooler late winter/early spring on the carbon budget and final harvest of a soybean crop ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Soil temperature was altered by manipulating soil albedo by covering the soil surface with a layer of inert silica gravel. We tested three treatments – cooling (Co), warming (W), mix (M) – and control (C). An automated system continuously measured soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh), soil temperature profiles, and soil water content across the entire year in each plot. Phenological phases were periodically assessed and final harvest was measured in each plot. Results showed that treatments had only a transient effect on daily Rh rates, which did not result in a total annual carbon budget significantly different from control, even though cooling showed a significant reduction in final harvest. We also observed anticipation in emergence in both W and M treatments and a delay in emergence for Co. Moreover, plant density and growth increased in W and M and decreased in Co. In conclusion, from the results of our experiment we can assert that an increase in the frequency of both heat and cold waves is unlikely to have large effects on the overall annual carbon balance of irrigated croplands.


We assemble a multiscale physical model of gas production in a mudrock (shale). We then tested our model on 45 horizontal gas wells in the Barnett with 12–15 years on production. When properly used, our model may enable shale companies to gain operational insights into how to complete a particular well in a particular shale. Macrofractures, microfractures, and nanopores form a multiscale system that controls gas flow in mudrocks. Near a horizontal well, hydraulic fracturing creates fractures at many scales and increases permeability of the source rock. We model the physical properties of the fracture network embedded in the Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV) with a fractal of dimension D < 2 . This fracture network interacts with the poorly connected nanopores in the organic matrix that are the source of almost all produced gas. In the practically impermeable mudrock, the known volumes of fracturing water and proppant must create an equal volume of fractures at all scales. Therefore, the surface area and the number of macrofractures created after hydrofracturing are constrained by the volume of injected water and proppant. The coupling between the fracture network and the organic matrix controls gas production from a horizontal well. The fracture permeability, k f , and the microscale source term, s, affect this coupling, thus controlling the reservoir pressure decline and mass transfer from the nanopore network to the fractures. Particular values of k f and s are determined by numerically fitting well production data with an optimization algorithm. The relationship between k f and s is somewhat hyperbolic and defines the type of fracture system created after hydrofracturing. The extremes of this relationship create two end-members of the fracture systems. A small value of the ratio k f / s causes faster production decline because of the high microscale source term, s. The effective fracture permeability is lower, but gas flow through the matrix to fractures is efficient, thus nullifying the negative effect of the smaller k f . For the high values of k f / s , production decline is slower. In summary, the fracture network permeability at the macroscale and the microscale source term control production rate of shale wells. The best quality wells have good, but not too good, macroscale connectivity.


The Learned Predictiveness effect refers to the observation that learning about the relationship between a cue and an outcome is influenced by the predictive relevance of the cue for other outcomes. Similarly, the Outcome Predictability effect refers to a recent observation that the previous predictability of an outcome affects learning about this outcome in new situations, too. We hypothesize that both effects may be two manifestations of the same phenomenon and stimuli that have been involved in highly predictive relationships may be learned about faster when they are involved in new relationships regardless of their functional role in predictive learning as cues and outcomes. Four experiments manipulated both the relationships and the function of the stimuli. While we were able to replicate the standard effects, they did not survive a transfer to situations where the functional role of the stimuli changed, that is the outcome of the first phase becomes a cue in the second learning phase or the cue of the first phase becomes the outcome of the second phase. Furthermore, unlike learned predictiveness, there was little indication that the distribution of overt attention in the second phase was influenced by previous predictability. The results suggest that these 2 very similar effects are not manifestations of a more general phenomenon but rather independent from each other.


Summary The Pleistocene history of the Stockport-South Manchester area commences with the spread of an ice-sheet over an undulating surface. This ice-sheet deposited the Lower Boulder-clay. After the ice had retreated a layer of sand accumulated over much of the area to form the Middle Sand. Later a second ice-sheet deposited the Upper Boulder-clay over the whole area. During the retreat of this ice the Upper Sand and Gravel was deposited on the clay. A period of erosion followed in which the present drainage system was established. Subsequently, oscillating conditions caused the formation of a series of terraces in the main river valleys. A description is given of the lithology and distribution of the various deposits. The nature of the sub-drift surface in the Stockport area is described. The ages of the deposits and their modes of origin are discussed.


Background: The differences between fetal and adult scars suggest the possibility of manipulating skin scarring outcomes. This study aimed to assess whether the use of adult stem cells from adipose tissue is beneficial to skin healing. Methods: This was a randomized controlled study for which 18 patients were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The adult stem cells used were autologous and were extracted from infraumbilical adipose tissue prior to abdominoplasty. These cells were implanted into the surgical wound dermis in the suprapubic region before skin synthesis. The results were assessed blindly based on the Draaijers scale by three physicians and by the patients themselves in a self-assessment. Photometric assessment by digital photography was also performed. Results: Among the 18 operated patients, considering the surgical result, 17 (94.4%) had excellent or good results and one (5.5%) had wound dehiscence, which was considered a bad result. Considering skin healing in the searched area, there was no statistically significant difference in the photometric evaluation; in both the self-assessment by the patients and the physicians' assessment, the results were significantly in favor of intervention with stem cells (P = 0.12 and P = 0.003, respectively). Consideration of all assessments (physicians, patients and photometric) found a statistically significant difference in favor of the implantation of adult stem cells from adipose tissue (P <0.001). Conclusions: Skin healing results after implantation of adult stem cells derived from adipose tissue were satisfactory.


Background – Photovoltaic (PV) panels are an important component of passive and positive energy buildings. The value of the PV depends on the price of the electricity and on the quantity of energy produced. PV investors does not want to maximize the quantity of energy produced but the cash flow generated by the electricity produced. Electricity prices are cyclical, so is they depends on the time of the days and on the day of the year. Electricity prices are different around the globe, so are solar radiation. The optimum combination of high price and high radiation is not easy to find. The best locations to install PV panel are locations where radiation and prices combination merge together to create the maximum value. Purpose – This paper intend to present a method that integrate weather data and market price dynamic in order to find the fundamental value of distributed PV production. In a second time, we use this approach to find the fundamental value of distributed PV production around the globe for 30 locations and 60 different climate readings. Design– We use standard weather data from two sources. These data source give information about the radiation available for each hour of the year. We use historical electricity price data and official authority forecast to forecast the future electricity price path. We then optimize the position of the PV panel in order to achieve the higher present value of the energy sold over the life cycle of the PV panel, including standard technology decay. This optimum positioning maximize the cash flow generated by PV panels and therefore should be considered as PV fundamental value. Results – As of now, results are preliminary but at the time of the conference, we will have the fundamental value for each location. We already know that some location among the best location are surprising. Limitations / implications – Electricity price data source quality are not the same for each jurisdiction. Future energy price is a combination of historical price, for the hourly price pattern, and official forecast, for growth rate path. Obviously the results are dependent on their reliability. Practical implications – Investors choice of investment and policy maker decision can be impacted by the results. Originality / Value – We analyze the fundamental value for a number of locations. Second, we analyze the robustness of the result obtain with different data sources.


Perspective of an internal motion picture set for a fictitious motion picture entitled "The Green Eye of the Yellow God".


Software verification methods are used only sparingly in industrial software development today. The most successful methods are based on the use of model checking. There are, however, many hurdles to overcome before the use of model checking tools can truly become mainstream. To use a model checker, the user must first define a formal model of the application, and to do so requires specialized knowledge of both the application and of model checking techniques. For larger applications, the effort to manually construct a formal model can take a considerable investment of time and expertise, which can rarely be afforded. Worse, it is hard to secure that a manually constructed model can keep pace with the typical software application, as it evolves from the concept stage to the product stage. We describe a verification method that requires far less specialized knowledge in model construction. It allows us to extract models mechanically from source code. The model construction process now becomes easily repeatable, as the application itself continues to evolve. Once the model is constructed, existing model checking techniques allow us to perform all checks in a mechanical fashion, achieving nearly complete automation. The level of thoroughness that can be achieved with this new type of software testing is significantly greater than for conventional techniques. We report on the application of this method in the verification of the call processing software for a new telephone switch that was developed at Lucent Technologies.


It is possible to optimize a turbocharger's performance for a broad range of engine operating points. However, most of the turbochargers have distinctive performance characteristics independent of engine operation. Therefore, the correct way to obtain the maximum performance from an engine is to design its turbocharger for the specific engine performance map in mind. This paper deals with the effective use of computational methods to create optimal turbocharger compressors for realistic engine operating conditions. The present process has four steps: preliminary analysis, throughflow analysis, optimization, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis. In the preliminary analysis, gas dynamics and Euler turbomachinery equations are used to calculate the basic dimensions. In the throughflow analysis, calculated dimensions are used to create a parametric 3D geometry. A throughflow analysis generates the 2D flow results using the meridional geometry of this 3D geometry. The main contribution of this research is the five different optimization methods that are employed and compared. The efficiency of the rotor is defined as the objective function to be maximized. A comparison of the five optimization schemes showed that the genetic algorithm (GA) is the most suitable method for the current design optimization problem. In the final step, a CFD solver is used to assess the created design's final performance. The CFD results' validity are checked against a reference compressor's test results. The present study also indicates that preliminary sizing followed by a well-built throughflow analysis eliminates the need for a fully parametric 3D CFD-based design.


This is a response piece to Eoin O'Sullivan's article "Varieties of Punitiveness in Europe: Homeless and Urban Marginality" in which O'Sullivan challenges the grand narrative according to which the punitive turn in Europe can be explained by reference to neoliberal policies originating from the United States or to socio-economic and cultural changes associated with late modernity. Instead, O'Sullivan suggests that we should rather speak of varieties of punitiveness based on "distinctive cultural, historical, constitutional and political conditions" in Europe (p. 75) and that the adoption of punitive measures developed alongside more inclusionary measures adopted by a majority of EU member States relying on relatively generous social democratic welfare regimes. While I agree with most of O'Sullivan's analysis, I make two arguments in response. First, although neoliberalism and theories such as broken windows cannot directly explain the creation and enforcement of punitive measures, they certainly have been used as legitimating discourses to justify existing repressive practices worldwide. Moreover, structural constructivits explanations to the management of homelessness and urban marginality remain useful to build local relationships and see how they interact with global narratives. Second, we should acknowledge the existence of relief programmes and public welfare policies historically and in the modern era, but we should also remember that they are often neutralized by counterproductive punitive strategies.The tensions and ambivalence between inclusiveness and exclusiveness may be explained by reference to the distinction between the deserving and underserving poor.


OBJECTIVES
to assess the effect of topical autologous platelet lysate on the healing of chronic venous ulcers.

DESIGN
a randomised placebo controlled double-blind trial.

MATERIALS
all patients had blood taken for preparation of autologous platelet lysate.

METHODS
patients with proven chronic venous ulceration were randomised to the trial. Autologous platelet lysate or placebo buffer solution were applied twice per week for up to 9 months in combination with standardised compression bandaging.

RESULTS
a total of 86 patients (36 males and 50 females, median age 70 years) were entered into the study. The patient and treatment groups were equivalent for ulcer size, ulcer duration and other characteristics. Cox regression analysis of the time to ulcer healing did not show any difference in healing between platelet lysate and placebo application.

CONCLUSIONS
platelet lysate prepared and delivered by the method used in this study had no influence on the healing of chronic venous ulceration.


We study the observational consequences of several unknown properties of Population III stars using large-scale cosmological simulations that include a subgrid model to track the unresolved mixing of pollutants. Varying the value of the critical metallicity that marks the boundary between Population III and Population II star formation across 2 dex has a negligible effect on the fraction of Population III stars formed and the subsequent fraction of Population III flux from high-redshift galaxies. However, adopting a lognormal initial mass function (IMF) for Population III stars, in place of a baseline Salpeter IMF, results in a Population III star formation rate density that is 1/4 of the baseline rate. The flux from high-redshift galaxies modeled with this IMF is highly bimodal, resulting in a tiny fraction of z ≤ 8 galaxies with more than 75% of their flux coming from Population III stars. However, at z = 9, right before reionization in our simulations, ≈20% of galaxies are Population III-bright with mag, and at least 75% of their flux is generated by Population III stars. Additionally, the lognormal Population III IMF results in a population of carbon-enhanced, metal-poor stars in reasonable agreement with MW halo observations. Our analysis supports the conclusion that the Population III IMF was dominated by stars in the 20–120 range that generate supernovae with carbon-enhanced ejecta.


This article examines the interplay between school factors and teacher job satisfaction that influences educational outcomes by comparing two Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) schools in Cambodia. This small-scale qualitative case study was conducted over a period of eight weeks in 2005 in two NGO schools in a suburb of Phnom Penh. The findings show that teacher job satisfaction is crucially influenced by remunerative incentives such as salary level and welfare conditions. However, job satisfaction is also intertwined with non-remunerative incentives such as school management, principal leadership, professional development, and a meaningful sense of life through teaching. That is, both remunerative and non-remunerative incentives are associated with teacher job satisfaction. However, according to different school conditions, either remunerative or non-remunerative incentive is more prioritised by teachers. Finally, the different job satisfaction between the two faculties seems to result in the educational gap such as student enrolment rates and achievement between the schools. Teacher job satisfaction, school factors, educational outcomes, Cambodia, NGO schools


The RELISH project promotes language-oriented research by addressing a two-pronged problem: (1) the lack of harmonization between digital standards for lexical information in Europe and America, and (2) the lack of interoperability among existing lexicons of endangered languages, in particular those created with the Shoebox/Toolbox lexicon building software. The cooperation partners in the RELISH project are the University of Frankfurt (FRA), the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (MPI Nijmegen), and Eastern Michigan University, the host of the Linguist List (ILIT). The project aims at harmonizing key European and American digital standards whose divergence has hitherto impeded international collaboration on language technology for resource creation and analysis, as well as web services for archive access. Focusing on several lexicons of endangered languages, the project will establish a unified way of referencing lexicon structure and linguistic concepts, and develop a procedure for migrating these heterogeneous lexicons to a standards-compliant format. Once developed, the procedure will be generalizable to the large store of lexical resources involved in the LEGO and DoBeS projects.


During the latter part of the twentieth century, progressive scholars in various fields of study have developed a large body of works analyzing identity politics. Within legal scholarship, critical race, feminist, anti-heterosexist, and other progressive theorists have demonstrated how legal doctrines and policies perpetuate social hierarchy and reinforce the domination of oppressed classes. The efforts of progressive scholars (and activists) to launch a unified critique of injustice, however, has proved difficult - due in part to the variety of theoretical and doctrinal options available to counter subordination and also to the intractable nature of institutionalized oppression. Yet, progressive scholars have also encountered mounting and sustained "internal criticism" around questions of their own exclusion, dominance, and privilege. Specifically, many progressive scholars have offered leftist critiques of progressive social movements, arguing that these movements themselves reinforce social hierarchy and privilege. Initially, these internal critics seemed to follow a strict "antiessentialism" model: they criticized progressive movements for failing to recognize the complexity of group experience. "Women of color" experiences, for example, were seen as differing in kind from the experiences of white women and men of color; because antiracist and feminist legal theorists neglected to analyze questions of "intersectional" oppression, they obscured the distinct positionalities across the population of persons of color and women. Critical race feminists, especially Angela Harris, Kimberle Williams Crenshaw, and Mari Matsuda (and bell hooks in the humanities) demonstrated in painstaking detail the sins of "essentialism." The pioneering works of critical race feminists have made the "intersectionality" model an established jurisprudential method among antidiscrimination and identity theorists. Equality scholars have illuminated the inadequacies of essentialism in a host of doctrinal and political contexts by employing intersectionality. But the intersectionality critique extends beyond antiessentialism. Intersectionality theorists have also demonstrated the complexity and multiplicity of identity and oppression and the need for a more comprehensive analysis of subordination that resists the traditional temptation to analyze systems of subordination as unrelated and nonconverging phenomena.After a decade or more of intersectional theorizing, a recent wave of literature has sought to push this literature into different conceptual and substantive locations. Several progressive scholars have isolated perceived limitations of the intersectionality model - while adhering to and praising its strengths. Law reviews are beginning to sponsor symposia on so-called "post-intersectionality" theories - what this Article refers to as "new complexity theories" or "multidimensionality" theories. Nancy Ehrenreich's contribution to this Symposium has added tremendously to this scholarship. The attention paid to these developing models speaks to the many important insights that intersectionality has brought to progressive legal theory.This Article examines the work of the new complexity or multidimensionality scholars. Most of these scholars are "race-sexuality-gender-class" critics - or scholars whose research introduces sexuality and "queer" theories to the race, gender, and class project initiated by intersectional scholars. This Article seeks to identify concrete points of intervention for multidimensional theorizing. Part II offers an "intellectual history" of the new complexity theories. This section explores the distinctions and similarities among intersectionality literature and the recent contributions of authors in the multidimensionality school. Parts III considers some of the doctrinal implications of new complexity theory and concludes that this work is of great importance for refining and augmenting equality doctrines and for developing more responsive antisubordination theories. The goal of this Article is not to "trash," marginalize or even necessarily displace intersectionality. Instead, it seeks to demonstrate why the compelling project started by intersectionality - to expound the complexity of identity and subordination - requires more elaboration and development, and why the limitations of intersectional analysis render it inadequate in certain contexts. In so doing, critiques of multidimensionality's shortcomings are both invited and welcomed.


A boundary integral vector potential formulation has been developed to evaluate eddy-current interactions with three-dimensional finite cracks in conductors. The approach is compared with an electric field integral equation method also used for solving crack problems in eddy-current nondestructive evaluation. An important advantage of the vector potential integral formulation is that the kernel has a weak singularity, but a drawback is that two unknown functions must be found on the crack surface. One of these functions, the current dipole density, represents the effect of the crack in terms of an induced source, and the other function is a solution of the two-dimensional Laplace equation. By contrast, the source density alone is needed for a complete solution of the electric field integral equation. In order to determine the surface Laplacian for finite cracks of arbitrary shape, a general numerical solution utilizing the boundary element technique is introduced. Numerical predictions of the eddy-current probe response to a crack give good agreement with experimental measurements, supporting the validity of the formulation.


Since its advent in 2011, boson-sampling has been a preferred candidate for demonstrating quantum advantage because of its simplicity and near-term requirements compared to other quantum algorithms. We propose to use a variant, called coarse-grained boson-sampling (CGBS), as a quantum Proof-of-Work (PoW) scheme for blockchain consensus. The users perform boson-sampling using input states that depend on the current block information, and commit their samples to the network. Afterward, CGBS strategies are determined which can be used to both validate samples and to reward successful miners. By combining rewards to miners committing honest samples together with penalties to miners committing dishonest samples, a Nash equilibrium is found that incentivizes honest nodes. The scheme works for both Fock state boson sampling and Gaussian boson sampling and provides dramatic speedup and energy savings relative to computation by classical hardware.


Amino acid sequencing by recombinant DNA technology, although dramatically useful, is subject to base reading errors, is indirect, and is insensitive to posttransla- tional processing. Mass spectrometry techniques can provide molecular weight data from even relatively large proteins for such cDNA sequences and can serve as a check of an enzyme's purity and sequence integrity. Multiply-charged ions from electrospray ionization can be dissociated to yield structural information by tandem mass spectrometry, providing a sec- ond method for gaining additional confidence in primary sequence confirmation. Here, accurate (± 1 Da) molecular weight and molecular ion dissociation information for human muscle and brain creatine kinases has been obtained by electrospray ionization coupled with Fourier-transform mass spectrometry to help distinguish which of several published amino acid sequences for both enzymes are correct. The results herein are consistent with one published sequence for each isozyme, and the heterogeneity indicated by isoelectric focusing due to 1-Da deamidation changes. This approach appears generally useful for detailed sequence verification of recombinant proteins. encode