Research on violence against women in Latin America presents an interesting paradox: while the number of studies is quite small, there also appears to be a sense that research on this topic has been exhausted, despite the lack of any definitive responses to the nature and causes of the problem. This results from the boom in studies with a strong empirical focus, lacking any basis in more general sociological theory. On the other hand, research using social theory tends to ignore the existing mediations between structural arrangements and any individual specific behavior, as well as the interactive nature of domestic violence. Meanwhile, empirical research presents inconsistent results and tends to run into methodological problems such as operational confusion, contradictory findings, and results and recommendations that are too obvious. New research designs must be developed to enrich the field and which are solidly based on the body of conceptual knowledge in social sciences, abandoning designs without theory and those which are merely statistical. Only then will it be possible to imagine the new research questions that the problem of violence requires.


ABSTRACT We compare recently proposed methods to compute the electronic state energies of the water molecule on a quantum computer. The methods include the phase estimation algorithm based on Trotter decomposition, the phase estimation algorithm based on the direct implementation of the Hamiltonian, direct measurement based on the implementation of the Hamiltonian and a specific variational quantum eigensolver, Pairwise VQE. After deriving the Hamiltonian using STO-3G basis, we first explain how each method works and then compare the simulation results in terms of gate complexity and the number of measurements for the ground state of the water molecule with different O–H bond lengths. Moreover, we present the analytical analyses of the error and the gate-complexity for each method. While the required number of qubits for each method is almost the same, the number of gates and the error vary a lot. In conclusion, among methods based on the phase estimation algorithm, the second-order direct method provides the most efficient circuit implementations in terms of the gate complexity. Moreover, Pairwise VQE serves the most practical method for near-term applications on the current available quantum computers. Finally the possibility of extending the calculation to excited states and resonances is discussed. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Man-machine cooperative teleoperation and multi-control modes transfer in due time are the key problems that the telerobot system must deal with. That is the intelligence of the operator and the robot in the system should be distributed appropriately according to the current task state. The current task state of the telerobot system should be evaluated to solve these problems. So the telerobot control system is built with current task state evaluation after analyzing system control modes. For the control modes transfer in due time, its Petri Net (PN) model is built and it is simulated with the Stateflow module of Matlab. Simulation results show the validity and rationality of the model.


High-frequency regional records from small earthquakes (1.3 < magnitude < 4), and comparable magnitude explosions, are analyzed to find a reliable seismic discriminant in the eastern U. S. Over 500 digital, vertical-component seismograms recorded by the New York State Seismic Network in the distance ranges 10 to 610 km are used. Mean P/Lg spectral ratios in the band 1–25 Hz are about 0.5 and 1.25 for earthquakes and explosions, respectively, in the eastern United States. We find that the high-frequency P/Lg spectral amplitude ratio in the frequency band 5–25 Hz is a reliable and robust discriminant for classifying these events. A linear discriminant function analysis indicates that the P/Lg spectral amplitude ratio method provides discrimination power with a total misclassification probability of about 1%. Single-hole instantaneous explosions and ripple-fired quarry blasts have somewhat different P/Lg spectral ratios, but as a group are distinctly different from earthquakes.


Strategy use is a mental operation which aims directly at its target. In order to investigate brain activity during mental arithmetic strategies using, subtraction answers-discrimination tasks were used through 8 healthy subjects with the Event-related Potentials (ERPs) technique. The results showed: (1) The principal components of ERP were: N1, P1, P2, P300 and N400. (2) At the F3, C3 point, stage 4 induced more negative wave than stage 1; At F4, C4, P3 and P4 point, stage 4 induced more positive wave than stage1. (3) Activation of brain areas mainly included Temporal lobe, Prefrontal cortex and Parietooccipital. (4) With the subjects gradually skilled in using strategies, activated brain region gradually moved from back to front; meanwhile the right side had higher active level than the left of brain. Further exploration need to describe more detailed brain potentials during mental arithmetic strategies using in other conditions.


Introduction: To retrospectively evaluate 5-year clinical outcome; pre- versus postinterdisciplinary treatment for ruptured cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) during 2004-2006.
Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of Thai ruptured AVM patient who admitted at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University during 2004-2006. Five-year follow-up pre- versus post-interdisciplinary treatment were determined using marginal homogeneity test (Stuart-Maxwell).
Results: There were 133 cases with ruptured AVM diagnosis during 2004-2006. Regarding to 5-year interval retrospective review, AVM volume, Spetzler-Martin Grading, Pollock-Flickinger Score, and the pre- versus post-interdisciplinary treatment Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Score were determined.
Conclusion: There was the statistical significant difference of ECOG between before and after interdisciplinary treatment in ruptured AVM patient (p<0.001). There was favorable outcome rather than unfavorable outcome under interdisciplinary treatment for cerebral AVM patient.


This thesis examines Yugoslav Americans' expressions of gender whiteness and patriotism in post-World War II Pittsburgh as reactionary to the frenzied and anxious atmosphere of potential Soviet invasion and Communist subversion. The example of western Pennsylvania illustrates the anxieties of Communist influence and the struggle for genuine manhood following the war. Pittsburghers perceived Communism as many Americans did at the time: not as a distant foreign threat but that which presented itself in local life transforming daily mundane affairs into potential targets for Communist deception. Among the indicators of communist subversion degenerative masculinity and whiteness served as traits which conservative Americans used to distinguish between loyal Americans and un-American effete and non-white communist sympathizers.  As a military-industrial hub Pittsburgh attracted South Slavic immigrants in the early twentieth century. By the late 1940s as self-proclaimed communists and their conservative enemies fought for control over social and economic institutions in western Pennsylvania Slavs their culture and their organizations became intertwined with fears of communist subversion as well as the erosion of proper gender roles and racial categories. This study investigates Yugoslav American reactions to this sociopolitical environment and how Americans of Croatian Slovenian and Serbian descent participated in the cultural phenomenon of postwar anxieties.


The values of standard enthalpy of formation and refractive index of different alkali halides have been analysed and discussed in the light of ionic character of alkali metal-halogen bond. The correlation between these two parameters has been studied. An empirical second order polynomial equation of the following form ∆Ho exp = a + b η + c η2 has been proposed which, may be used to calculate standard enthalpy of formation of any alkali halide from the value of refractive index only.


This paper presents design of an isolated high-step-down DC-DC converter based on a class-DE power stage, operating at a 10 MHz switching frequency using enhancement mode Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors. The converter operating principles are discussed, and the power stage design rated for 20 W is presented for a step-down from 200-300 V to 0-28 V. Commercially available magnetic materials were explored and the high-frequency (HF) resonant inductor and transformer designs using a low-loss Fair-Rite type 67 material are presented. Finite element simulations have been performed to estimate the AC resistances of magnetics at 10 MHz. Experimental results are presented at 12 W, 254 V to 22 V on a laboratory prototype operating at 10 MHz. At 20 W the experimental prototype achieved an efficiency of 85.2%.


Common household biofilms were sampled, grown on slides, observed, and discussed to promote an
understanding of biofilms and common locations where they grow. Students observed the organization
of the cells in the biofilms and identified the general types of organisms (eucaryotes versus
procaryotes) that grew in their biofilms. They designed experiments for possible further study of
biofilm growth.


We use the unique experiences of Canadian World War II veterans to identify the effects of a large scale college subsidy program on educational attainment and earnings. Like the United States, Canada set up an extensive veteran's assistance program that provided financial aid and institutional support for college attendance. Because of differences in military enlistment rates and education systems, however, a much lower fraction of Quebec men benefited from VRA benefits than men from other provinces. Building on this fact, we analyze inter-cohort patterns of education and earnings for English- speaking men from Ontario, using French-speaking men from Quebec as a control group. We use data from the 1971 and 1981 Canadian Censuses to compare conventional (OLS) estimates of the return to schooling with instrumental variables (IV) estimates that use potential eligibility for VRA benefits as an exogenous determinant of schooling. Consistent with the recent literature, we find that the IV estimates are typically as big or bigger than the corresponding OLS estimates. We also explore an alternative identification strategy that utilizes information on family background available in the 1973 Canadian Job Mobility Survey. We hypothesize that veterans from relatively disadvantaged family backgrounds were more likely to be affected by the VRA's incentives than veterans from wealthier families. Using the interaction of veteran status and family background as an instrument for schooling, we again find rates of return to education as large or larger than the corresponding OLS estimates.


Changes in modern structural design have created a demand for products which are light but possess high strength. The objective is a reduction in fuel consumption and weight of materials to satisfy both economic and environmental criteria. Cold roll forming has the potential to fulfil this requirement. The bending process is controlled by the shape of the profile machined on the periphery of the rolls. A CNC lathe can machine complicated profiles to a high standard of precision, but the expertise of a numerical control programmer is required. A computer program was developed during this project, using the expert system concept, to calculate tool paths and consequently to expedite the procurement of the machine control tapes whilst removing the need for a skilled programmer. Codifying the expertise of a human and the encapsulation of knowledge within a computer memory, destroys the dependency on highly trained people whose services can be costly, inconsistent and unreliable. A successful cold roll forming operation, where the product is geometrically correct and free from visual defects, is not easy to attain. The geometry of the sheet after travelling through the rolling mill depends on the residual strains generated by the elastic-plastic deformation. Accurate evaluation of the residual strains can provide the basis for predicting the geometry of the section. A study of geometric and material non-linearity, yield criteria, material hardening and stress-strain relationships was undertaken in this research project. The finite element method was chosen to provide a mathematical model of the bending process and, to ensure an efficient manipulation of the large stiffness matrices, the frontal solution was applied. A series of experimental investigations provided data to compare with corresponding values obtained from the theoretical modelling. A computer simulation, capable of predicting that a design will be satisfactory prior to the manufacture of the rolls, would allow effort to be concentrated into devising an optimum design where costs are minimised.


Two acoustical ice nucleus counters (a.k.a. "NCAR counters") were compared at the Weather Modification, Inc. facilities in Fargo, ND, 17 – 19 September 2007. One counter was one of three built by NCAR in 1976 based on the design of the inventor (andone of the authors, Langer), and is traceable to the Colorado State University Cloud Simulation and Aerosol Laboratory. The other counter was built for WMI in 2006 by the first author. The purpose of the comparison was to document the reliability and reproducibility of the devices undercontrolled conditions. Both counters were brought to operating specifications, then comparisons were run using two types of AgI aerosols sampled through a common source: AgI-NH4I-acetone and AgI-NH4I-C6H4Cl2-NaClO4-acetone. The former was assumed to produce contact nuclei and the latter fast-acting condensation-freezing nuclei. The counters showed close agreement to within a factor of 1.04 to 1.66, depending on the type of AgI aerosol. Times to first indication of plume encounters were on the order of 20 to 30 s depending on the concentration of nuclei, and the instrument-induced smoothing of plume encounters were similar. The results indicate that these devices can provide similar quantitative measurements of different AgI ice nuclei, not merely yes/no indications of AgI presence.


The influence of enzyme localization and blood flow on intestinal elimination was evaluated in rats. Phenol was administered vascularly (approximately 1400 and 2500 microg) and luminally (intrajejunal bolus doses of approximately 100 and 1000 microg) to the recirculating in situ perfused intestine. The portal effluent and the reservoir were sampled. The intestinal extraction ratios for phenol at the low and high vascular doses were (mean +/- S.D., n = 3) 0.09 +/- 0.02 and 0.11 +/- 0.01, respectively. The perfusion flow rate was also varied from 5 to 12 ml/min at a vascular dose of approximately 2500 microg of phenol. The organ clearance at the lowest flow rate significantly exceeded those at the higher flow rates. The presence of a diffusional barrier at the mucosa-serosa interface was suggested. The calculated mean diffusional clearance of phenol was 1.11 ml/min. Sulfation was the predominant metabolic pathway after vascular administration of phenol. After luminal dosing, the intestinal intrinsic clearances of phenol at the low and high doses were 7.29 +/- 1.39 (n = 4) and 3.55 +/- 1.16 ml/min (n = 3), respectively, indicating saturation at the higher dose. Moreover, there was a decrease in the area under the curve ratio (metabolite/phenol) at the high luminal dose. Luminal administration, in general, produced greater glucuronidation. These data and STELLA simulations suggest that enzyme localization at both the cellular and tissue levels has a significant influence on intestinal metabolism.


Abstract With the passing of Robert M. Pirsig, I felt that it was an appropriate time to write a tribute to his work and the influence it has had on my own theorising in regard to autistic ways of being. This reflection utilises the concept of an 'aut-ethnography' to examine passages that I had highlighted word by word when I first read Pirsig's book: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. These fragments contain links to a number of theoretical 'lines of flight' within my own work and that of others, from his concepts of dynamic 'quality' to his discussion on the tension between scientific method and lived experience.


The standards which rule power-line communications (PLC) systems specify that power must not be transmitted in those carriers, corresponding to the frequency bands of several radio services, such as amateur radio or radio broadcasting, in order not to interfere with them. So at PLC receivers, only a little power from background noise and perhaps some interference would be found in those idle carriers. When impulsive noise (IN) enters a PLC receiver, its energy spreads throughout the entire receiver band. The IN introduced in the idle carriers is very high compared to their background noise; therefore, we propose a method to cancel IN by using the information received in these idle carriers.


ONE of the aims of the Joint Sections Committee on Air Circuit Breakers of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is to propose standards of satisfactory performance for low-voltage (lv) air circuit breakers under short-circuit conditions. To determine the requirements for satisfactory circuit-breaker short-circuit performance, it is necessary to obtain information about the various short-circuit conditions that exist in electric power systems where the circuit breakers may be installed. Sponsored by the NEMA Joint Sections Committee, studies have been made to permit the maximum probable short-circuit duties to be determined at nearly any point in a wide range of low-voltage electric power systems. This paper gives the basic assumptions and procedures used in the calculations and presents the results as a series of curves that can be used to determine short-circuit duties in lv systems.


Switched biasing is proposed as a technique for reducing the 1/f noise in MOSFET's. Conventional techniques, such as chopping or correlated double sampling, reduce the effect of 1/f noise in electronic circuits, whereas the switched biasing technique reduces the 1/f noise itself. Whereas noise reduction techniques generally lead to more power consumption, switched biasing can reduce the power consumption. It exploits an intriguing physical effect: cycling a MOS transistor from strong inversion to accumulation reduces its intrinsic 1/f noise. As the 1/f noise is reduced at its physical roots, high frequency circuits, in which 1/f noise is being upconverted, can also benefit. This is demonstrated by applying switched biasing in a 0.8 /spl mu/m CMOS sawtooth oscillator. By periodically switching off the bias currents, during time intervals that they are not contributing to the circuit operation, a reduction of the 1/f noise induced phase noise by more than 8 dB is achieved, while the power consumption is also reduced by 30%.


Cerebral cavernous malformations (CMs) are typically not seen during conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and are therefore classically referred to as angiographically occult malformations. We present three cases in which DSA with selective intra-arterial contrast injection in the common carotid artery and C-arm cone beam CT imaging was able to demonstrate a CM. In addition, an associated developmental venous anomaly (DVA) was present in all three cases, although detected by MRI in only one of them. In light of this finding, we suspect that the incidence of DVA associated with CM is probably higher than previously reported.


Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally and are partially due to the inability to control modifiable lifestyle risk factors. The aim of this study was to analyze the profiles of adolescents from seven Mediterranean countries (Greece, Israel, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Portugal, Spain) according to their modifiable lifestyle risk factors for CVD (overweight/obesity, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption). The sample consisted of 26,110 adolescents (52.3% girls) aged 11, 13, and 15 years who participated in the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in 2018 across the seven countries. Sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, country of residence, socioeconomic status) and CVD modifiable lifestyle risk factors (overweight/obesity, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption) were recorded. A two-step cluster analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and chi-square test were performed. Four different cluster groups were identified: two low-risk groups (64.46%), with risk among those with low physical activity levels; moderate-risk group (14.83%), with two risk factors (unhealthy weight and low physical activity level); and a high-risk group (20.7%), which presented risk in all modifiable lifestyle risk factors. Older adolescents reported a higher likelihood of being in the high-risk group. Given that the adolescence period constitutes an important time for interventions aimed at CVD prevention, identifying profiles of moderate- and high-risk adolescents is crucial.


Author(s): Roehrkasse, Alexander Fort | Advisor(s): Fligstein, Neil | Abstract: This dissertation comprises three essays on the historical relationship between capitalist development, state formation and marriage and divorce patterns in the United States.The first examines the effects of liberalizing women's property rights on divorce. In the late nineteenth century, most American states gave married women new rights to own and control assets and earnings. Using administrative data on most U.S. divorces between 1867 and 1906, I show that rights transfers gave women financial independence from husbands that enabled them to exit undesirable unions at greater rates. However, husbands also filed for more divorces following women's economic gains, suggesting that the violation of traditional gender norms of household governance also destabilized unions.The second essay explores the legal behavior of men and women who faced significant restrictions on divorce. Before the 1970s, U.S. states allowed legal divorces only for specified causes. Examining data on the causes cited by divorce seekers, I document the routinization of divorce procedure over historical time. I also exploit legal changes to demonstrate that individuals adapted to divorce regulations by changing the causes they cited. Strategic legal behavior was widespread but differed by gender, with men being more prone toward routinization and women being more likely to adapt to new rules. The third essay reflects critically on the quality of available data on nineteenth-century marriages. I compare vital records of marriages to census microdata on marital duration, showing that the latter exhibit significant measurement error. Despite growing interest by elite state actors in measuring marriage and divorce at the population level, vital recording, which had administrative origins in the clarification of individual legal statuses, seems to have elicited more reliable participation in official knowledge projects. I analyze the extent and distribution of mismeasurement, which has consequences for both the study of American political development and the validity of quantitative historical research on the family.


There is a growing importance in the research of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) as it aims at an environmental innovation and integration of environmental concerns into supply chain management. GSCM has gained popularity with both academic and practitioners. In this research, we aim to study the various findings of the research conducted in the manufacturing organizations of Thailand. The purpose of the paper is to briefly review the recent literatures of the GSCM research especially in developing countries such as Thailand in order to identify the key factors for adopting and implementation of GSCM practices in manufacturing industries and also to provide the importance and guidelines for future research direction in Thailand's manufacturing organizations. Even though this paper has limitation, as it is based only on review of literatures available on various secondary sources, the implications of this paper are expected to be beneficial in academic and organizations. Result of performance evaluation from GSCM operations can be used to improve both economic and environmental performance of the organization. The results from the review have extracted three key factors of GSCM practices implementation as: 1) green manufacturing technology practice; 2) green logistics practice and 3) green sourcing strategy. Green manufacturing practice and the green logistics practice were strongly correlated with financial performance. Cost and complexity appeared to be the major obstacle to implementation of a successful GSCM.


Fusarium spp invades grain commodities in the field and during storage in Uruguay and produces Deoxynivalenol  as the main toxin.The Department of Natural Toxins of Technological Laboratory of Uruguay, as partner in the Project titled " The Development of a Food Quality Management System for the Control of Mycotoxins in Cereal Production and Proccesing Chains in Latin America South Cone Countries", INCO Project ICA4-CT-2002-10043 participates in two workpackages (WP). WP1 related to the development and standarisation of effective analytical tools for mycotoxin determination in cereal and by- products and WP4 related to hazard analysis on mycotoxins.Once DON results were obtained, the objective of this work was to evaluate a possible relationship between the level of deoxynivalenol contamination in wheat and the fungi infection.To reach the objective nine samples corresponding to four different levels of DON contamination were selected as representative of the 87 samples. One sample of 1379 ppb (Group A), four samples of 2536 ppb average (Group B), one sample of 7349 ppb (Group C) and three samples of 20076 ppb average (Group D) were used for the study. The water activity (aw) was measured previous DON content analysis and fungi contamination determination. The values recorded were lower than 0,7.The grains, before and after treatment with sodium hipocloride solution 5%, were placed in duplicate Petri dishes containing yeast glucose cloramphenicol agar (YGCA), twenty grains without treatment and fourty grains treated per dish. The colonies grown were isolated in potato dextrose agar (PDA) and malt extract agar (MEA) tubes. Cultures on Czapek Agar were made. Petri dishes and tubes were incubated at 25 ± 1 °C, 4 to 7 days. Cultures on Cazapek Agar were observed under microscope every 24 hours.After sodium hipocloride treatment Fusarium, Penicillium and Alternaria spp were found. The results obtained showed that Fusarium spp colonies were isolated from five samples: one of group A corresponding to three isolates, two of group B corresponding to two and three isolates and two of group D corresponding to five and eight isolates. Penicillium was recovered from three samples; one of group B corresponding to one isolate, one of group C corresponding to two isolate and one of  group D corresponding to two isolates.Alternaria spp was present in similar quantity of isolates, fifteen average, it didn´t matter the level of DON contamination except for group D, in which the number of isolates was lower than expected (seven). Without sodium hipocloride treatment too many species growed. Because of this Fusarium spp could not be recovered. The only species easily viewed and isolated was Aspergillus spp found in three samples. Aspergillus flavus colonies were isolated from one sample of group A corresponding to two isolates and one sample of group B corresponding to one isolate. Aspergillus niger colonies were isolated from two samples of group B corresponding to three and one isolates.The study focused in Fusarium contamination. Nevertheless other species of interest such as Penicillium, Alternaria and Aspergillus spp were isolated. Fusarium spp isolates apparently increased as the DON content became higher. This study should be continued analysing more samples of similar levels. Interaction between Fusarium , Penicillium, Alternaria and Aspergillus could be also studied.


Power station water circuits include a large number of pumps which vary considerably as regards size, design, use, water properties (temperature, purity, corrosion, etc.) and the material of which they are made. Even pumps designed for heaviest-duty operation often give trouble, owing to the complex operation of their fixed and moving components (guide and thrust bearings, shaft seals, static seals, hydraulic balancing components, etc.), satisfactory behaviour of which may be impaired by vibration, corrosion, erosion, cavitation and other factors difficult to keep under control. Pump manufacturers have accumulated a wealth of experience since the turn of the century and, in the face of severe competition, are endeavouring to standardise their products with a view to ensuring satisfactory service at minimum cost. Standardisation so far has been confined to widely-used small pumps and specific components, i.e. guide and thrust bearings and shaft seals. On the other hand, technical development has resulted in increasingly higher equipment performance and design sophistication, as in the case of power station pumps for example, the outputs of which have risen sharply during the last thirty years or so. Here, standardisation possibilities for specific pump types are limited to individual technical stages, with the result that increasingly complex, diversified design studies are required for such purposes as definition of operating conditions, solution of metallurgy problems, determination of maintenance requirements, etc. In addition to availability, the effect of conditions appliable to construction of nuclear power plant in France has been requiring increasingly closer attention during the past tow years. These conditions are as follows : a) Wider standardisation possibilities associated with the scope of French power plant construction policy. b) Operating security specifications, for which highly reliable equipment designs are essential. c) Specifications for the protection of power plant service personnel against radiation, which imply minimal maintenance requirements and dismantling and assembly times. These factors all affect the hitherto conventional quality / cost ratio for pumps and justify the issuing by users of such equipment of from equipment meeting various security, reliability, investment cost and maintenance requirements. Such specifications are included among the mutual commitments of users and manufacturers to one another. To meet these various requirements, Electricite de France has concentrated action on the following points in relation to pumps for nuclear power plant : a) Choice of manufacturers according to their design and production facilities. b) Closer attention to detail in design studies by use of series effect. c) Definition of conditions under which equipment is to operate and relating to the service to be provided. d) Drawing-up of special design and manufacturing specifications. e) Choice and inspection of materials. f) Systematic checking and testing of prototype and industrial equipment.


This study included 78 patients with lumbar subligamentary herniation. Based on their clinical and functional examination, several variants of diskogenic radiculopathies were distinguished. Special emphasis was laid on the evaluation of efficiency of underwater vertical traction in these patients. The proposed method was shown to produce better effect than underwater horizontal traction when used for the treatment of both axonopathies and axonomyelinopathies. The efficiency of underwater vertical traction applied to the treatment of axonopathies appears to be higher than in patients with axonomyelinopathies.


Player experience is at the heart of good game design, but designers typically have limited experience data to work with. Detailed and fine-grained accounts of gaming experience would be of great value to designers and researchers alike, but recording such data is a significant challenge. We describe an approach based on post-game player commentaries, retrospective verbal reports cued by video of the gaming session and a word list. A pilot study was carried out to capture player experience of a tutorial level for a third person shooter game. We show how the technique can be used to provide useful game design feedback.


As a clean and renewable energy source, solar energy is a competitive alternative to replace conventional fossil fuels. Nevertheless, its serious fluctuating nature usually leads to a poor alignment with the actual energy demand. To solve this problem, the direct solar ‐ to ‐ electrochemical energy conversion and storage have been regarded as a feasible strategy. In this context, the development of high ‐ performance integrated devices based on solar energy conversion parts (i.e., solar cells or pho-toelectrodes) and electrochemical energy storage units (i.e., rechargeable batteries or supercapacitors [SCs]) has become increasingly necessary and urgent, in which carbon and carbon ‐ based functional materials play a fundamental role in de-termining their energy conversion/storage performances. Herein, we summarize the latest progress on these integrated devices for solar electricity energy conversion and storage, with special emphasis on the critical role of carbon ‐ based functional materials. First, principles of integrated devices are introduced, especially roles of carbon ‐ based materials in these hybrid energy devices. Then, two major types of important integrated devices, including photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical ‐ rechargeable batteries or SCs, are discussed in detail. Finally, key challenges and opportunities in the future development are also discussed. By this review, we hope to pave an avenue toward the development of stable and efficient devices for solar energy conversion and storage.


Editor-Seaton and Agius are right.' Occupational medicine is too important to remain either a luxury optional extra, or an industrial and academic ghetto. Over two million people every year have ill health because of their work. More days of work are lost because of occupational asthma than strikes, and work related asbestos diseases are set to become the biggest single killer of adult men. Trade unions have in the past been accused of putting compensation before prevention. And certainly, the £335 million we win in damages for our members every year is an achievement of which we are proud. These people deserve recompense for their suffering. But the TUC wants to see far more emphasis on prevention. That is why we are appalled at the way Government cuts continue to sap the strength of the Health and Safety Executive's Employment Medical Advisory Service. That is also why we think that workers should have the legal right of access to an occupational health service. Ideology should play no part in the delivery of such a right: we do not mind whether the service is part of the NHS, offered directly by the employer, or bought in from the private sector. In practice, it is bound to be a mixture of all three. We think that this sort of approach would benefit both workers and their employers, because a healthy workforce is a competitive workforce. And it will take an alliance of both sides of industry, as well as practitioners, to


Guest Editor Introduction Scientific and commercial interest in the development of systematic and concurrent design techniques for embedded systems have risen significantly in recent years driven by numerous factors including cost, performance and shrinking time-to-market constraints of consumer and automotive electronics. This special issue reflects some of the latest developments and practices in embedded system design in UK universities. The aim of this special issue is to provide a focused and up-to-date coverage of the UK research activities in this dynamic and important field of research. It is hoped that this coverage will provide useful information to the research community as well as opportunities to possible collaboration between UK, Europe and USA universities and industries. This special issue of Design Automation for Embedded Systems includes seven papers describing recent research in hardware-software co-design CAD tools, embedded systems application and formal verification. Some of the papers are extended versions of selected papers from the IEE Workshop on Hardware-Software Co-Design, held in London, December 2000. All papers submitted to the special issue have been thoroughly reviewed and revised before acceptance. The first paper, ? HASoC- Towards a New Method for System-on-a-Chip Development?, by P. Green, M. Edwards, and S. Essa, UMIST, presents a methodology for developing embedded systems targeting SoC implementation, emphasizing reuse of existing hardware and software cores. The second paper, ? A System-based Approach to the Formal Development of Embedded Controllers for a Railway?, by M. Butler, University of Southampton, describes a formal approach to the development of embedded controllers for a railway, starting with a system-level specification. The B method is used as the formal notation and methodology. The next two papers deal with software tools for hardware-software co-design. The third paper, ? A Compositional Framework for Hardware-Software Co-Design?, by A. Cau, R. Hale, J. Dimitrov, H. Zedan, and B. Moszkowski, De Montfort University, and M. Manjunathaiah, and M. Spivey, Oxford University describes a framework, which integrates formal verification with traditional design flow of embedded systems. Two case studies are used to illustrate the presented framework. The fourth paper, ?Synthesizing Energy-Efficient Embedded Systems with LOPOCOS?, by M. Schmitz, B.M. Al-Hashimi, University of Southampton, and P. Eles, Linkoping University, Sweden, introduces a prototype CAD tool, Low Power Co-Synthesis (LOPOCOS), which targets the design of energy-efficient heterogeneous embedded systems containing dynamic voltage scalable (DVS) processors. A number of design examples are given including a real-life example illustrating the capabilities of the tool. The fifth paper, ?Comparing Three Heuristic Search Methods for Functional Partitioning in Hardware-Software Co-Design?, by T. Wiangtong, P. Cheung, and W. Luk, Imperial College, provides a systematic comparison between three heuristic search algorithms: genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, and tabu search, for hardware-software partitioning problem, and report on their solutions quality, search time, and how they can be improved. The last two papers address applications of embedded systems. The sixth paper, ? CADRE: An Asynchronous Embedded DSP for Mobile Phone Applications?, by M. Lewis, and L. Brackenbury, University of Manchester, describes an efficient design flow for the development of configurable asynchronous DSP for reduced energy (CADRE), low power IP block intended for digital mobile phone chipsets applications. The last paper, ? Enhanced Image Detection on an ARM Based Embedded System? by J. R. Evans, and T. Arslan, University of Edinburgh, presents the development of a low complexity image recognition technique for automatic optical inspection system targeting an embedded SoC system based on ARM7 target processor. The capabilities of the system are illustrated through practical examples. I would like to sincerely thank all the authors for submitting their papers and the reviewers for keeping up with the very tight schedule that allowed us to complete this special issue as planned in less than a year. Also, I would like to thank Prof. W. Wolf for his invitation to organize this special issue and Kluwer Academic Publishers staff particularly M. de Jongh and C. Knight for helping me with the administration. Bashir Al-Hashimi Guest Editor University of Southampton, UK


We read with interest the article by Arevalo et al 1 about the development of a tractional retinal detachment (TRD) following the use of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin; Genetech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA) as an adjuvant to vitrectomy for the management of severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). They warned that TRD might occur or progress shortly after intravitreal bevacizumab. We present a case of a retinal detachment with macular hole (MH–RD) that developed after intravitreal bevacizumab that was used for neovascular glaucoma as a result of severe PDR.

A 40-year-old man with diabetes of 19 years presented with PDR and neovascular glaucoma in the right eye that was refractory to panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). He was being treated with insulin but had …


This paper presents an agent-based model for studying the emergence and evolution of a language system for Boolean coordination. The model has been implemented and tested by conducting a series of experiments that show that a language system for Boolean coordination emerges as a result of a process of self-organisation of the agents' linguistic interactions when these agents adapt their preferences for vocabulary, syntactic categories and word order to those they observe are used more often by other agents, and that such a language system is reliably transmitted across generations.


Introduction: Occupational satisfaction expresses the pleasant or positive satisfaction that comes from the person's perception for its occupation or work experience. It is customary for professional satisfaction to be assessed mainly using questionnaires. Unfortunately, so far, none has been used in welfare professionals. Aim: The aim of this paper is to study three different questionnaires which assess professional satisfaction, and to draw conclusions regarding their use in assessing the professional satisfaction of employees working in welfare structures. Methodology: In the present comparative study three questionnaires were used: 1.Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), 2.Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and 3. Greek Nurses' Job Satisfaction Scale (GNJSS) in assessing the professional satisfaction of 84 employees in welfare institutions in Thessaly region, Greece. The study also evaluated the various satisfaction factors of each questionnaire. For the data processing, the SPSS Statistical Package was used with a statistical significance level of p=0.05. Internal Integrity (Cronbach's), t-tests, and one-ANOVAs were tested to identify any differences in individual factors.
Results: The credibility of internal cohesion (Cronbach's) was 0.90, 0.34 and 0.86 for the GNJSS, JSS, and MSQ questionnaires, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in professional satisfaction as to gender, hierarchy, experience and income in the GNJSS and MSQ questionnaires. In contrast, a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was found in professional satisfaction with educational level in the MSQ. A different degree of significance was also observed for the factors of each questionnaire. Conclusions: In the present study low degree of professional satisfaction of welfare employees was found. The primary factor in detecting the reasons for the low degree of professional satisfaction of welfare employees is, also, the use for the appropriate – anchored and reliable – measuring tool. Bibliographic research reports contradictory conclusions on the reliability and validity of professional satisfaction assessment tools.


The fundamentally different isotopic compositions of non-carbonaceous (NC) and carbonaceous (CC) meteorites reveal the presence of two distinct reservoirs in the solar protoplanetary disk that were likely separated by Jupiter. However, the extent of material exchange between these reservoirs, and how this affected the composition of the inner disk, are not known. Here we show that NC meteorites display broadly correlated isotopic variations for Mo, Ti, Cr, and Ni, indicating the addition of isotopically distinct material to the inner disk. The added material resembles bulk CC meteorites and Ca–Al-rich inclusions in terms of its enrichment in neutron-rich isotopes, but unlike the latter materials is also enriched in s-process nuclides. The comparison of the isotopic composition of NC meteorites with the accretion ages of their parent bodies reveals that the isotopic variations within the inner disk do not reflect a continuous compositional change through the addition of CC dust, indicating an efficient separation of the NC and CC reservoirs and limited exchange of material between the inner and outer disk. Instead, the isotopic variations among NC meteorites more likely record a rapidly changing composition of the disk during infall from the Sun's parental molecular cloud, where each planetesimal locks the instant composition of the disk when it forms. A corollary of this model is that late-formed planetesimals in the inner disk predominantly accreted from secondary dust that was produced by collisions among pre-existing NC planetesimals.


Multiple description coding (MDC) combined with multiple path transport (MPT) is a new research direction for image and video transmission over unreliable networks. Using the signal decomposition and reconstruction framework that has been proven very effective for image coding, several new approaches to MDC have been developed. Instead of using hierarchical decomposition, which is aimed at maximizing the coding efficiency, non-hierarchical decomposition is used to generate correlated descriptions, to facilitate the estimation of a lost description from a received one. In this paper, we review these recent developments.


Scaling in hardware integration process results in IC-process geometry reductions, lower operating voltages and increased clock speeds. This paper first surveys the reliability obstacles these developments give rise to and then points out that computing systems can no longer be safely assumed to fail only by crashing. Yet this assumption is at the core of primary-backup replication which the literature presents as the appropriate, and hence the most widely used, strategy for time-critical fault-tolerant applications. The paper then observes that building computing nodes with announced crash failure mode is a promising way forward to deal with the emerging reliability challenges. Work carried out to assure such a failure mode has also been briefly surveyed.


The pulp and paper industries generate very large amounts of organic waste throughout the various processes of papermaking. Alpha and beta-glucoisosaccharinic acids ((2S,4S)-2,4,5-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl) pentanoic acid and (2R,4S)-2,4,5-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)pentanoic acid) are the major components of pulp waste. They are produced in any process in which cellulosic materials are treated with aqueous alkali and constitute 30-40% of the total organic waste generated. Thus, they are potentially valuable platform chemicals with a highly functionalised carbon skeleton, with fixed chirality at C-2 and C-4, which makes them ideal starting materials for use in synthesis, instead of the current practice of burning such a valuable resource as a source of energy.

Due to the difficulties involved in isolating the 2R-epimer from the mixture and the lack of a simple and easily repeatable procedure to prepare it, to date only the chemistry of the 2S-epimer has been widely studied and only the 2S-epimer has been used in synthesis. In order to assess the potential of these saccharinic acids as platform chemicals, the protecting group chemistry of the lactone form of the alpha-glucoisosaccharinic acid was explored. The use of single and multiple step reaction pathways leading to the regioselective protection of the three different hydroxyl groups and strategies for protecting the three different hydroxyl groups individually or in pairs was explored and is reported in this thesis. These various strategies were subsequently applied to a mixture of the two epimers leading to the preparation, in a three step procedure, of 6-benzoyl-5-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-β-glucoisosaccharino-1,4-lactone, a derivative of the 2R-epimer.

An attempt to convert the 2S-epimer into the 2R-epimer through the inversion of their stereochemistry via Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reactions is also reported. A maximum conversion of 52% was obtained after optimization of the procedure.


While peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) provide a positive contribution in the delivery of intravenous therapies, complications following insertion can occur. One of the more common of these is upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT). Several elements of insertion are contributory factors. Research has been undertaken on patient assessment, catheter materials and size, insertion site, tip position and ultrasound placement, as well as on the value of anticoagulants. The resulting evidence informs opinion and shapes clinical practice. Inserting clinicians and advance-level nurses have a responsibility to reduce the incidence of UEDVT and improve outcomes following PICC insertion.


Purpose To better understand the differences in clinicopathological features and prognosis between male breast cancer (MBC) and female breast cancer (FBC). Material and Methods Data on patients diagnosed with breast cancer from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2016, were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Selected patients were classified into MBC and FBC, of which population demographics and clinicopathological features at baseline were successively extracted for analysis. Comparative analysis was performed to explore the differences in baseline characteristics, followed by propensity-score matching to calibrate the objective distinctions for adjusted analysis. Survival analysis was carried out to investigate divergences presented in prognosis from the two cohorts, and risk factors for prognosis were successively identified using univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses. Results A total of 407341 individuals were eligible, including 3111 MBC (0.7%) and 404230 FBC (99.3%) patients. Comparatively, patients with MBC tended to be older at diagnosis, with a higher confirmation of ductal carcinoma, a higher histological grade, a higher TNM stage, a higher proportion of luminal-like subtype, a higher rate of lung metastasis, a lower incidence of liver involvement, and a lower rate of surgical, radiation, and chemotherapeutic delivery. The overall prognosis of MBC was significantly worse than that of FBC, with a decreasing divergence both in median overall survival (65.5 months vs. 72.7 months, P<0.0001) and median breast cancer-specific survival (75.4 months vs. 77.8 months, P<0.0001). However, these discrepancies were not consistent among patients from different subgroups stratified by molecular subtype, age at diagnosis, or disease stage. Conclusion In this study, sex-based heterogeneity in clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic profiles was observed in the overall population of patients with breast cancer and was significantly variable among different subgroups. A male-specific design with reasonable endpoints for a clinical trial protocol will be warranted in the future.


This research proposes a new tram progression model, Integrated Progression Model, which is a tram signal priority strategy on median tram lane. Integrated progression model was formulated for tram progression model which is capable of identifying the maximized auto bandwidth in the context of a fixed tram bandwidth. A tram that leaves a station during a green band can arrive at next station without unnecessary intersection delays and stops using the tram own green band. In order to guarantee a desired green time for other road users and minor streets, this integrated progression model determines the traffic signal timings for tram signal priority using only an offset.


A special specimen was created cutting a rectangular notched area from the surrounding of the upper left corner of a wide body aircraft door. This part of the aircraft skin is made of different layers with variable thickness and material (titanium or aluminum). Then a fatigue traction load was applied and some notches were cut in the different layers in order to speed up the crack initiation and reproduce a realistic crack scenario. Such through cracks were monitored during their propagation along the specimen width, in order to have available for the simulation a realistic initial scenario and experimental propagation data useful for the correlation with the simulated crack path and growth rates. In particular an innovative DBEM modelling approach was devised, using a commercial code (BEASY), capable of explicitly modelling the different test article layers with their rivet connections even in a two-dimensional approach. The results of the simulation show a satisfactory correlation with the experimental crack path and growth rates even for such a complex problem: three different panels (one skin with two doublers), made of different materials, each one with a variable thickness and connected through numerous rivets (whose shear stiffness is taken into account for the simulation).


Title: RECORDS SERIES AND RECORDS SUBSERIES IN A FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. Abstract: The generalization of the functional classification systems have been imposed in the current archival demands we rethink some of the traditional concepts of our discipline and, occasionally, the incorporation of other relatively new. The experience of the archivists of the Autonomic Administration of the Canaries in the construction of a functional classification scheme for the entire archive records of the institution allows us to reflect on the operation of the concepts of "generic record serie" and "record subserie" defined from relatively flexible interpretation of the principle of provenance.


Abstract : Though multistoried buildings with open (soft) ground floor are inherently vulnerable to collapse due to earthquake load, their construction is still widespread in the developing nations. Social and functional need to provide car parking space at ground level far out-weighs the warning against such buildings from engineering community. An investigation has been performed to study the behavior of the columns at ground level of multistoried buildings with soft ground floor subjected to dynamic earthquake loading. The structural action of masonry infill panels of upper floors has been taken into account by modeling them as diagonal struts. Finite element models of six, nine and storied buildings are subjected to earthquake load in accordance with equivalent static force method as well as response spectrum method. It has been found that when infill is incorporated in the model, modal analysis shows different mode shapes indicating that dynamic behavior of buildings changes when infill is incorporated in the model. Natural period of the buildings obtained from modal analysis are close to values obtained from code equations when infill is present in the model. This indicates that for better dynamic analysis of RC frame buildings with masonry walls, infill should be present in the model as well. Equivalent static force method produces same magnitude of earthquake force regardless of the infill present in the model. However, when the same buildings are subjected to response spectrum method, significant increase in column shear and moment as well as total base shear has been observed in presence of infill. In general, a two fold increase in base shear has been observed when infill is present on upper floors with ground floor open when compared to the base shear given by equivalent static force method. The study suggests that the design of the columns of the open ground floor would be safer if these are design for shear and moment twice the magnitude obtained from conventional equivalent static force method. Study of the sway characteristics also reveals significantly high demand for ductility for columns at ground floor level. Presence of in filled wall on upper floors demands significant enhancement of column capacity or ductility to cope up with increased sway or drift.


Two kinds of polyimides (PIs) were selected as matrices for multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based nanocomposites. The two PIs were initially synthesized through reactions of a same benzoxazole-containing diamine with two different dianhydrids. A linear PI was formed from the ether bond-containing dianhydride, while a nonlinear PI was formed from the AC(CF3)22 groups containing dianhydride. Optimized dispersion of nanotubes in both kinds of PIs was found to be at a concentration with 0.5 wt % COOH-CNT, where great enhancement was achieved for both PIs. It was also found that introducing nanotubes into PI matrices aroused more significant increase of Young's modulus and break stress in linear PI than that in nonlinear PI. To determine the key parameters involved in design of PIs for maximum reinforcement efficiency using CNT as the nanofiller, the nanoscopic dispersion state of the nanotubes in diamine solution and their reaction were investigated via morphological and spectroscopic studies. The interfacial interactions between nanotubes and two PI chains were characterized by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. The fracture sur- face characteristics of two series of CNT/PI nanocomposites were further investigated using SEM. Our findings show that the diamine plays a double role for the in-situ polymerization, a dispersant to disentangle the CNT agglomerates and a monomer for PI synthesis with dianhydrides. It was also found that geometry and flexibility of PI chains are crucial to determine the interfacial interactions between nanotubes and PI chains. For elucidating the different interfacial characteristics of the two PIs on the surface of CNT, we proposed a model for preferred conformation adopted by a single PI chain on a single CNT. V C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40479.


Abstract Women's pathways into forensic settings differ from men's. In particular, women in forensic settings, whether in prison, hospital, or the community frequently share histories of multiple trauma and attachment disturbances, often leading to profound difficulties in relating to others, despite a wish to do so. Consequently, effective engagement with such women requires gender-sensitive techniques, both in assessment and treatment. They are likely to view authority figures with suspicion and to be wary of engaging in a clinical interview whether for risk assessment, evaluation for a court report or another psychological issue, including treatment viability. They may have told their stories countless times before, and yet feel that they have never been heard, or seen. Communication is often indirect, rather than verbal, as the women may express their distress through behavioral disturbance including severe self-harm, aggression, and verbal assaults. This can challenge and confuse practitioners, and may also disguise a wish for care and emotional contact. This article explores the question of how to elicit trust and cooperation within the clinical interview and identify effective techniques for establishing therapeutic rapport. It focuses both on the experience of the clinicians, including their countertransference feelings, and the experience of the women being interviewed.


Knowledge of the spatial distribution of burn severity immediately following a fire is needed to locate areas requiring management for environmental impacts and timber salvage, and for validation of fire risk and fire behavior models. We evaluated methods for mapping post-fire burn severity in southern California Mediterranean-type ecosystems using satellite images calibrated and validated by field-collected data. The effects of spectral transforms, temporal dimensionality, classifiers, and sensor type on the accuracy of burn severity classification were analyzed. We mapped and analyzed the distributions of five categories of burn severity or land cover for two southern California wildfires based primarily on classification of Landsat TM/ETM+ data, with IKONOS MS data also being evaluated. Map accuracy was assessed relative to field-based classification of burn severity of randomly located plots, using the Composite Burn Index approach. Maps based on the multi-temporal Kauth Thomas transform of Landsat TM/ETM+ data and maximum likelihood classifier had the highest overall accuracy (64 and 55%) and kappa values (0.51 and 0.37) for the two study areas. Forested lands were classified at a much higher level of accuracy (overall accuracy near 80%), while accurate classification of burn severity in shrublands was more challenging (overall accuracy less than 50%). The lower stature vegetation of shrublands typically experiences crown-burning fires, such that range of burn severity for shrublands is more limited.


The "West," the "Atlantic community," the "transatlantic alliance"--these were expressions used widely during the decades of east-west conflict, distinguishing the West from the negative image of the eastern bloc. The end of the old political order in Eastern Europe gave the Atlantic community the opportunity to redefine its self-image. In this book, high-ranking experts and politicians examine the question of whether and to what extent this chance was used. The highly endorsed values of this community are put to the test here and the idea of a "civic society" discussed: is it the appropriate groundwork for a new bridge across the Atlantic?


In this work, single-molecule super-resolution microscopy with photoswitchable fluorophores was integrated into a multi-component microscopy platform. This platform enabled combined high-throughput widefield/confocal microscopy, in order to first validate relevant target cells, and subsequent sub-diffractional imaging of selected cells via
direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). In a first project, a single-molecule sensitive fluorescence microscope was set up, and equipped for single-molecule localization microscopy. As suitable photoswitchable fluorophores for dual-colour imaging, Alexa Fluor 647/ Cy5 and Alexa Fluor 532 were identified. Software
solutions were developed to analyze the raw data of a localization-based experiment and to reconstruct super-resolution images. Strategies to correct for chromatic aberration between two spectrally separate channels were developed by using fiducial markers and a registration software. The achieved localization precision was determined to be sigma(SMLM) = 12.5 nm in the image plane. The chromatic aberration could be corrected with a precision of 10 nm.
In order to integrate the super-resolution imaging into the microscopy platform, a work-flow was developed that allowed transferring the sample between different microscope
setups and relocating identified targets into the field of view. This procedure is based either on external reference markers on the respective cellarray/coverslip, or builds on
using a stitched overview image with low resolution. Individual cells were relocated into the field of view with a precision of less than 4 µm.
For validation, widefield low-resolution images of a cis- and a trans-Golgi marker (GalT and Gm130) in cells were recorded and served to select individual cells for further analysis by confocal and super-resolution imaging. Images of representative control cells as well as cells treated with nocodazol (depolymerizes tubul network) and brefeldin A
(relocates Golgi into the endosplasmic reticulum (ER)) were analyzed for colocalization using intensity-based colocalization analysis (ICA). The results indicated that nocodazol treatment fragmentizes the Golgi complex by the depolymerization of the tubul network. Contrarily, brefeldin A leads to a relocalization of the Golgi into the ER. The colocalization of GalT and GM130, calculated from confocal images, decreased from 9.6% (control cells) over 7.7% (nocodazol treatment) to 5.5% (brefeldin A treatment).
This observation is in accordance with reports in the literature. The same decrease of colocalization was calculated from the super-resolution images (5.5%, 4.2% and 1.6% respectively).
Next to conventional colocalization analysis, single-molecule localization microscopy data can directly be analyzed using the coordinates of individual fluorophores (coordinate-based colocalization (CBC)). This analysis showed that after treatment with nocodazole, the colocalization of GalT and GM130 was not affected compared to the control cell. The Golgi complex disassembled into smaller structures, but the internal membrane
structure remained intact. The treatment with brefeldin A degraded the whole Golgi and membrane assembly and therefore changed the colocalization pattern of the
cis- and trans-Golgi marker.
In a second project, newly developed and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes for messenger ribonulceic acid (mRNA) detection (synthesized in the group of professor
Mokhir, Erlangen) were evaluated at the single-molecule level. This mRNA probe is synthesized to be intrinsically photoactivatable and specific due to a dual-strand design.
The probe consists of a first oligonucleotide strand, which is conjugated to a fluorophore and linked to a quencher by a cleavable linker (-CHS=SHC-). The second oligonucleotide strand is conjugated to a photosensitizer, which upon irradiation with light catalytically produces singlet oxygen. Singlet oxygen cleaves the linker between
the quencher and the fluorophore, releases the quencher and restores the fluorescence signal.
Single-molecule experiments were performed to validate the functioning of a probe that was designed to specifically bind actin-mRNA. Here, the fluorophore was conjugated to the first oligonucleotide strand by the cleavable linker. Illumination with light leads to the production of singlet oxygen, subsequent cleavage of the linker and release of the
fluorophore.
The experiments showed that the cleavage reaction is highly specific and is not triggered if no activation light is applied, nor the strand of the photosensitizer includes a
mismatching sequence to the target sequence. If the fluorophore was conjugated to the first oligonucleotide strand without a cleavable linker, the singlet oxygen for cleavage did not induce a release of the fluorophore.


Modeling and simulation of the behaviour of elastic bodies is an important tool for medical engineering. Most physics-based simulations use the finite element method (FEM) for simulating the behaviour of deformable soft tissue under the effect of external forces. However, especially the task of surgical cutting still remains an open challenge. Current methods which, e.g., require the adjustment of the mesh topology in order to align elements with the cut, still suffer from performance and stability issues. Opposed to this, the extended finite element method (X-FEM) provides a novel approach for modeling discontinuities without creating new mesh elements, and thus minimizes the impact on the performance. We present the development of a 3D model for the simulation of cutting in soft tissue. The incorporation of a corotation-based formulation into a dynamic FEM simulation enables realistic material behaviour even under larger deformations, and guarantees stability as well as computationally efficient data structures and algorithms which allow for near-to-real-time frame rates. On the basis of our elasticity simulation, we develop an extended model which allows for the simulation of surgical cutting in soft tissue using the X-FEM. As a distinguishing feature our implementation combines the corotational formulation and the implicit Newmark time integration method, which not only allows for the realistic simulation of large cutting-induced deformations but also results in very stable simulations of arbitrary cuts. For the X-FEM, too, the underlying data structures of our implementation yield a great potential for outsourcing computationally expensive calculations from the actual time-stepping scheme into a pre-computing part, and hence enhance the utility of this simulation for real-time applications. The evaluation of our methods uses commercial FEM software for comparison and shows the convergence of our simulation results. The X-FEM even exhibits comparable accuracy in terms of DOFs with respect to perfectly remeshed standard FEM. Along with good performance and stability properties, this proves the applicability of the X-FEM-based cutting simulation, e.g., in surgery simulators.


The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) is a 3 TeV e+e- machine, currently under design at CERN, that targets to explore the terascale particle physics regime. The experiment requires a high luminosity of 2x10^34 cm^2 s^-1, which can be achieved with ultra low emittances delivered from the Damping Rings (DRs) complex. The high bunch brightness of the DRs gives rise to several collective effects that can limit the machine performance. Impedance studies during the design stage of the DR are of great importance to ensure safe operation under nominal parameters. As a first step, the transverse impedance model of the DR is built, accounting for the whole machine. Beam dynamics simulations are performed with HEADTAIL to investigate the effect on beam dynamics. For the correct impedance modeling of the machine elements, knowledge of the material properties is essential up to hundreds of GHz, where the bunch spectrum extends. Specifically, Non Evaporable Getter (NEG) is a commonly used coating for good vacuum but its properties up to high frequencies were still widely unexplored. A new method using rectangular waveguides is proposed, benchmarked and applied for the first time to characterize NEG up to hundreds of GHz. The numerical tools used for the DR studies are applied and benchmarked with measurements in other light sources. In particular, single bunch measurements were performed in the ALBA light source and compared to the model prediction using HEADTAIL. The impedance budget of ALBA was estimated before and after the installation of a pinger magnet. Furthermore, studies were also carried out for the Swiss Light Source (SLS) upgrade to investigate the machine performance in terms of single bunch instabilities for lattices with negative momentum compaction factor.


The efficacy of regenerative cell therapy as strategy of cardiac functional recovery in patients with end-stage heart failure has been recently reported, and clinical applications of autologous skeletal myoblast cell transplantation has been already started in Europe and Unitd States. We developed cell sheet technology with a temperature-responsive culture dish, which enabled cell-to-cell junction to retain, and started a clinical study of cardiac regenerative therapy using autologous skeletal myoblast cell sheet implantation.


Shatavari, Asparagus racemosus is one of the most important herbal drugs used by Ayurvedic Vaidyas since ancient days. The drug is having wide range of therapeutic activity and mentioned as a Rasayan by ancient Ayurvedic texts. The main part used by Ayurvedic doctors is a root. It is mentioned as a tonic and having lactogenic function. Shatavari has also been successfully used by several Ayurvedic practitioners for Nervine disorders, Acid peptic diseases, certain infectious diseases and as a immunomodulant. Main use of this drug is in female disorders specially as a galactagogue and several menstrual disorders. Scientific fraternity is working on this drug at multidimensional level to prove this drug as a potent medicinal drug in multiple disorders. Various scientific studies are proved that this drug worked as a potent antitussive, antineoplastic, galactologue, antidiarroheal, and as immunomodulant. The main focus of this article is to review the scientific studies done on A.racemsosus mainly on its phytochemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic uses mentioned in both modern sciences as well as in ancient Ayurvedic texts. Additional attempt is made to find the clinical studies done on A.racemosus. The present review article includes the detailed scientific exploration of root extract of A.racemsosus in systematic way so that it can highlight future research prospects of this famous and commercially useful drug.


We introduce a notion of contextuality for transformations in sequential contexts, distinct from the Bell-Kochen-Specker and Spekkens notions of contextuality. Within a transformation-based model for quantum computation we show that strong sequential-transformation contextuality is necessary and sufficient for deterministic computation of nonlinear functions if classical components are restricted to mod2 linearity and matching constraints apply to any underlying ontology. For probabilistic computation, sequential-transformation contextuality is necessary and sufficient for advantage in this task and the degree of advantage quantifiably relates to the degree of contextuality.


The high Reynolds-number structure of the laminar, chaotic and turbulent attractors is investigated in a two-dimensional Kolmogorov flow. The laminar attractors include the families of multi-phased travelling waves and quasi-periodic standing waves both of which form the backbone of the transition to a turbulent flow. At leading order, each laminar attractor under study is obtained by solving the Euler equations on a manifold subject to the appropriate periodicity and symmetry conditions. The manifold is determined by a finite number of vorticity equations, these being required to suppress the secular terms at the next order. Our results show that, for the multi-phased travelling waves, the first phase velocity can be determined by an integral conservation law for kinetic energy and the subsequent phase velocities can be evaluated by a non-linear eigenvalue problem. The results also reveal that whereas viscosity determines the smallest scales and controls the amplitude of the flow, the inertial terms govern the shape and form of the flow. The comparison of our analytical predictions for evaluating the stable single-phased travelling wave with the direct numerical simulation of the Navier–Stokes equations has been undertaken, the agreement being excellent. For sufficiently high Reynolds number, after the bifurcation to chaotic flow, all of the multi-phased travelling waves and quasi-periodic standing waves become unstable non-wandering sets. Based on the above new findings for these unstable non-wandering sets and other travelling and standing waves of this kind in phase space, necessary conditions for the invariant manifolds of the chaotic and turbulent attractors are obtained, these necessary conditions being conjectured to be also sufficient.


A state of a discrete event stochastic system (DESS) can be represented by a tuple of time-varying discrete pa- rameters. The authors have extended the theory of controlled discrete event systems developed by Ramadge, Wonham and other researchers to stochastic modeling and performance mea- surement. This work presents some important characteristics of the DESS model. The problem of making the most efficient use of information-processing resources (sensors, computer capacity, etc.) in a special class of controlled systems is stated in a new, two- stage format. The format is used to develop a heuristic solution procedure of the problem. Finally, we perform a brief discus- sion of the model applicability to real-life design of automatic supervisors.


This article considers the problem of analyzing the performance of model predictive controllers in minimizing infinite-horizon cost functionals associated with stochastic dynamical systems when the measurements received by the controller are randomly sampled in time. In contrast to the standard model predictive control algorithms which rely on availability of the state measurements at all times, we compute control policies which minimize cost functionals over a (finite) rolling-horizon conditioned upon the information that arrives at random time instants; although a hard upper bound equal to the length of the optimization horizon is imposed on consecutive sampling instants. Sufficient conditions are provided on the system dynamics, the cost functionals, and the statistics of the sampling process, such that the proposed policies result in computable upper bounds on the infinite-horizon average cost. The case of linear time-varying system with quadratic cost functionals is studied for the illustration of our results.


Introduction: A desirable characteristic of root canal irrigants is the ability of dissolving soft tissues. Sodium hypochlorite, an antibacterial and tissue solvent irrigant used in endodontic treatment is known to be toxic for periapical tissues. Chlorhexidine gluconate, an effective antimicrobial agent, is another irrigant with limited tissue dissolving ability. A mixture of a tetracycline isomer, an acid, and a detergent (MTAD), has recently been introduced as an alternative irrigant in root canal therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tissue dissolving effect of these root canal irrigants on bovine pulp tissue. Materials and Methods: Fifty pieces of bovine pulp tissue 80 mg each were treated with either normal saline, MTAD, 2% chlorhexidine gluconate, 2.6% NaOCl or 5.25% NaOCl for 10 min at 37°C. Desiccated pre-treatment and post-treatment weights of samples were compared. Using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests, data was analyzed. Results: Tissue dissolution effect of 5.25% NaOCl (85.98%) was statistically greater than that of all other solutions (P<0.05). Chlorhexidine gluconate had the weakest dissolution effect, and dissolved only 9.36% of the sample tissue. No significant differences were observed between the dissolution effects of normal saline or MTAD. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the use of NaOCl as intracanal irrigation during instrumentation is recommended, because of its greater tissue dissolution effect.


Cardiovascular aging: Age is the most important determinant of cardiovascular (CV) health. There occurs an exponential rise in both the CV risk and the incidence of CV events in older adults parallel with the advancing age. The aging process and its impact, in turn, depend on many factors, from individual genetic constitution to his or her patterns of living which include the environment and lifestyle influencing the risk factors variously. Pathophysiology of CV aging: Some individuals may age without much deterioration in body organs and systems, whereas others may be ridden with the extreme age-associated changes. Further, the aging process may affect some body systems more severely whereas others are spared from a serious disability. Thus, aging is associated with a progressive but varying decline in numerous physiological functions, and significantly affects the body organs and various systems including the heart and vasculature. Aging and CV diseases: With advancing age, there is an increase in incidence and prevalence of atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary artery disease and heart failure; cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease. The patho-physiological alterations at macro level include altered ventricular systolic and diastolic functions and diminished cardiac reserve, cardiac hypertrophy, increased arterial stiffness, and impaired endothelial function. Simultaneously, important changes are taking place at micro level; at cellular, sub cellular and molecular levels. The macroand micro level changes have impact on quality of life, and affect the individual survival. Retarding CV aging: The age-associated changes in CV structure and function pose the older adults to the increased risk for CV Diseases. The lifestyle interventions to prevent and delay the CV changes that accompany aging will reduce the prevalence of CVDs. But, retarding the rate of progression of CVDs at subclinical level need to be considered before the clinical disease becomes manifest. Some strategies aim to reduce the oxidative stress which exacerbates aging process and leads to debility to human body in general and CVS in particular. The most promising data comes from experimental biology high lightening calorie restriction as a tool for reduction in oxidative stress and increasing longevity.


Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been increasingly available for critical applications such as security surveillance and environmental monitoring. An important performance measure of such applications is sensing coverage that characterizes how well a sensing field is monitored by a network. Although advanced collaborative signal processing algorithms have been adopted by many existing WSNs, most previous analytical studies on sensing coverage are conducted based on overly simplistic sensing models (e.g., the disc model) that do not capture the stochastic nature of sensing. In this paper, we attempt to bridge this gap by exploring the fundamental limits of coverage based on stochastic data fusion models that fuse noisy measurements of multiple sensors. We derive the scaling laws between coverage, network density, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We show that data fusion can significantly improve sensing coverage by exploiting the collaboration among sensors when several physical properties of the target signal are known. In particular, for signal path loss exponent of (typically between 2.0 and 5.0), ρf = O(ρd1-1/k, where ρf and ρd are the densities of uniformly deployed sensors that achieve full coverage under the fusion and disc models, respectively. Moreover, data fusion can also reduce network density for regularly deployed networks and mobile networks where mobile sensors can relocate to fill coverage holes. Our results help understand the limitations of the previous analytical results based on the disc model and provide key insights into the design of WSNs that adopt data fusion algorithms. Our analyses are verified through extensive simulations based on both synthetic data sets and data traces collected in a real deployment for vehicle detection.


We present optical light curves of variable stars consistent with the positions of X-ray sources identified with the Chandra X-ray Observatory for the Chandra Galactic Bulge Survey (GBS). Using data from the Mosaic-II instrument on the Blanco 4 m Telescope at CTIO, we gathered time-resolved photometric data on timescales from ∼2 hr to 8 days over the 3/4 of the X-ray survey containing sources from the initial GBS catalog. Among the light curve morphologies we identify are flickering in interacting binaries, eclipsing sources, dwarf nova outbursts, ellipsoidal variations, long period variables, spotted stars, and flare stars. Eighty-seven percent of X-ray sources have at least one potential optical counterpart. Twenty-seven percent of these candidate counterparts are detectably variable; a much greater fraction than expected for randomly selected field stars, which suggests that most of these variables are real counterparts. We discuss individual sources of interest, provide variability information on candidate counterparts, and discuss the characteristics of the variable population.


The social contract in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia has concerned not classical political rights but socio-economic issues. Loyalty is accorded to the powers-that-be partly from fear of repression, but also in return for new opportunities of advancement—whether resulting from social upheaval or from educational expansion—and for modest improvements in living standards. The Soviet era ended when such benefits could no longer be delivered, on account of lower oil prices, arms-race burdens and lagging productivity and innovation. After the turmoil of the 1990s, the contract was re-established under Putin in the early 2000s. Public opinion accepts relatively authoritarian rule if economic stability appears guaranteed in return. Moreover, world events from 2008 onwards have dampened economic expectations. Nonetheless, the sustainability of the present contract is doubtful, with economic modernization likely to prove elusive in the absence of effective democratic institutions.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of CTGF and TGF-beta(1) on the synthesis and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and myofibrotic activation in renal fibroblasts.

METHODS
Equal numbers of renal fibroblasts (NRK-49F) were planted and divided into vechile, CTGF treated alone, TGF-beta(1) treated alone, and CTGF plus TGF-beta(1) treated groups. Gelatin zymography and Western-blot analysis were used for assay of the MMP-2 activity and protein level in the supernatant cultured medium, respectively. The levels of MMP-2 mRNA were assessed by real time-PCR. Western-blot analysis was carried out to measure the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), a maker protein of myofibroblast in cells, and the levels of extracellular matrix (ECM) component Fibronectin in supernantant medium.

RESULTS
The activity and protein level of MMP-2 were no significant difference between the groups when cells were stimulated for 24 hours. While cells were stimulated for 48 hours, 100 ng/ml CTGF and 5 ng/ml TGF- beta(1) induce a increase in MMP-2 activity and protein levels compared with vechile, respectively (P < 0.05); different dose of CTGF plus TGF-beta(1) had the tendency to suppress MMP-2 activity and protein level, and a significant decrease was seen in 50 ng/ml CTGF plus 5 ng/ml TGF-beta(1) group, 100 ng/ml CTGF plus 5 ng/ml TGF-beta(1) group compared with CTGF group and TGF-beta(1) group, respectively (P < 0.05). When cells were stimulated for 12 hours, the levels of MMP-2 mRNA were increased significantly in 100 ng/ml CTGF group and 5 ng/ml TGF-beta(1) group compared with vechile respectively beta(1.72), 1.68 vs 1.29, (P < 0.01), decreased significantly in CTGF plus TGF-beta(1) group compared with CTGF group and TGF-beta(1) group, respectively (0.67 vs 1.72, 1.68, P < 0.01). 100 ng/ml CTGF had no prominent effect on the expression of alpha-SMA in cells and FN in supernatant medium (P > 0.05), whereas 5 ng/ml TGF-beta(1) significantly stimulated both the expression of alpha-SMA and FN (P < 0.05), and CTGF plus TGF-beta(1) induced more alpha-SMA and FN compared with TGF-beta(1) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
CTGF synergistically with TGF-beta(1) to induce the formation of myofibroblasts and down-regulate the production of MMP-2 in renal fibroblast.


We investigate some apparent discrepancies between two different models for curved graphene: the one based on tight binding and elasticity theory, and the covariant approach based on quantum field theory in curved space. We demonstrate that strained or corrugated samples will have a space dependent Fermi velocity in either approach that can affect the interpretation of local probes experiments in graphene. We also generalize the tight binding approach to general inhomogeneous strain and find a gauge field proportional to the derivative of the strain tensor that has the same form as the one obtained in the covariant approach.


1. Extractable hexokinase activity was measured in the red and white skeletal muscles of the rabbit and in the hearts and diaphragms of four animal species differing markedly in size. Activities vary over a 40-fold range, being least in white skeletal muscle of the laboratory rabbit and greatest in mouse heart. 2. Hexokinase activities correlate approximately with capacities to undertake reactions of the tricarboxylic acid cycle as determined by succinate oxidase assays. Both enzyme activities seem best related to the average contractile-energy expenditure per unit weight of muscle over an extended period, rather than to the rapidity of individual contractions. 3. Hexokinase and succinate oxidase activities cannot be related to a muscle's content of soluble pigment. They display an inverse relationship with activities of phosphorylase and glycolytic enzymes, but only within the group of rabbit skeletal muscles whose oxidative capacities are at the lower end of the observed range. 4. Total glycogen-UDP glucosyltransferase activities do not vary significantly between rabbit skeletal muscles, although those of hexokinase differ by about sixfold. On the average, glucose 6-phosphate is probably oxidized directly. However, observations cited in the literature suggest that muscles with an active hexokinase may well preferentially accumulate glycogen when glucose is present in excess of the fibres' capacity to oxidize it. 5. When considered with published results obtained in vivo, the present findings indicate that phosphorylase has a minor role in the energy expenditure of muscles with a predominantly oxidative metabolism. In these, the major substrates appear to be blood glucose, fatty acids and possibly lipids. 6. The histochemical criteria by which muscle fibres are commonly described as red or white are inadequate.


Influence of diffusion coefficients of reaction components on a course of simple photochemical reactions has been studied by numerical simulation. Diffusion coefficients have been varied in the range . Relationship between values of diffusion coefficients and parameters of photochemical reactions (entry concentrations and absorptivities of components, intensity of incident light and quantum yield of corresponding photochemical reactions) have been shown.


Climate change is an increasingly important issue in Vermont and around the world, and has implications for many forms of outdoor recreation. The scientific and professional literature is illustrative of the ways participants in a number of outdoor recreation activities are adapting to climate change, including the ways in which these adaptations are likely to increase in the future. This study explores these issues as they apply to visiting Vermont state parks. Climate change models developed in the physical and natural sciences offer insights into future climate-related scenarios in the Vermont state parks (thereby helping to define the supply of state park recreation opportunities). We used social science to complement these models by examining how visitors may adapt to these changing conditions (thereby helping to define the demand for recreation in the state parks). We conducted an on-site survey of visitors to three representative state parks, describing a range of climate changerelated recreation conditions and asking respondents how they would adapt. Three types of adaptations were included in the study: 1) changes in the amount of use, 2) changes in the spatial and temporal patterns of use, and 3) changes in recreation activities. Study findings suggest that most climate-related changes included in the study will: 1) decrease the amount of use; 2) shift substantial amounts of use to more northerly parks and parks at higher elevations, and shift use to earlier and later in the conventional state park season; and 3) shift participation among the 10 recreation activities included in the study, though the pattern of these shifts is complex. Study findings suggest that visitors are likely to make substantial adaptations in their use of the Vermont state parks in response to climate change, and that state park management will also have to adapt accordingly. Subscribe to JPRA


Connections established between learners via interactions are seen as fundamental for connectivist pedagogy. Connections can also be viewed as learning outcomes, i.e. learners' social capital accumulated through distributed learning environments. We applied linear mixed effects modeling to investigate whether the social capital accumulation interpreted through learners' centrality to course interaction networks, is influenced by the language learners use to express and communicate in two connectivist MOOCs. Interactions were distributed across the three social media, namely Twitter, blog and Facebook. Results showed that learners in a cMOOC connect easier with the individuals who use a more informal, narrative style, but still maintain a deeper cohesive structure to their communication.


Joint attention refers to an early developing set of behaviors that plays a critical role in both social and language development and is specifically impaired in children with autism. In a series of three studies, preschool teachers demonstrated the effectiveness of discrete trial instruction and pivotal response training strategies to teach joint attention to 5 children with autism (Study 1). Parents of 2 of the 5 children also taught joint attention at home and in the community (Study 2). Several additional dependent measures demonstrated collateral improvements in expressive language and social-communicative characteristics that were socially validated by parent raters (Study 3). Results are discussed with respect to the importance of addressing different forms of joint attention, the necessity to extend intervention to naturalistic contexts and joint attention partners, the pivotal nature of joint attention, and whether intervention adequately addresses both the form and social function of joint attention.


The essential oils of the air dried leaves and flowers of Lippia chevalieri Moldenke and Ocimum canum Sims from Burkina Faso were analysed by GC-MS. Essential oil of the leaves of L. chevalieri is composed mainly of thymol (27.4%), p-cymene (21.1%), and 2-phenyl-ethyl-propionate (12.6%), while the oils from flower is composed of b-elemene (33%), ethyl cinnamate (30.3%) and a-amorphene (12.4%). O. canum leaves and flowers oils consisted mainly in 1,8-cineole (60.1%) and cis, transpiperitol (68.5%), respectively. The antimicrobial activities of the essential oils were evaluated against 9 bacteria by agar diffusion method. The leaves of both plants showed higher activity than their flowers. The leaves of L. chevalieri were active against Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria whereas only Gram positive bacteria were sensitive to the essential oil of the O. canum leaves. Flower essential oils did not show any significant activity.


A novel, pattern-recognition-based approach for fast detection of power islands in a distribution network is investigated. The proposed method utilizes transient signals generated during an islanding event to detect the formation of the island. A decision-tree classifier is trained to categorize the transient generating events as "islanding" or "non-islanding." The feature vectors required for classification were extracted from the transient current and voltage signals through discrete wavelet transform. The proposed technique is tested on a medium-voltage distribution system with multiple distributed generators. The results indicate that this technique can accurately detect islanding events very fast.


Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are important epigenetic regulators involved in many diseases, esp. cancer. First HDAC inhibitors have been approved for anticancer therapy and many are in clinical trials. Among the 11 zinc-dependent HDACs, HDAC10 has received relatively little attention by drug discovery campaigns, despite its involvement e.g. in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma. This is due in part to a lack of robust enzymatic conversion assays. In contrast to the protein lysine deacetylase and deacylase activity of the other HDAC subtypes, it has recently been shown that HDAC10 has strong preferences for deacetylation of oligoamine substrates like spermine or spermidine. Hence, it also termed a polyamine deacetylase (PDAC). Here, we present the first fluorescent enzymatic conversion assay for HDAC10 using an aminocoumarin labelled acetyl spermidine derivative to measure its PDAC activity, which is suitable for high-throughput screening. Using this assay, we identified potent inhibitors of HDAC10 mediated spermidine deacetylation in-vitro. Among those are potent inhibitors of neuroblastoma colony growth in culture that show accumulation of lysosomes, implicating disturbance of autophagic flux.


Since the first description of scleredema adultorum by Buschke 1 in 1902, there have been numerous descriptions of this entity in the literature. The disease's special predilection for obese diabetics has also been noted. 2 We describe a case of scleredema adultorum in a diabetic whose course was progressive and punctuated by recurrent cellulitis in the region affected by scleredema. Report of a Case A 52-year-old diabetic woman was admitted to the University Hospital, Boston, on Sept 2, 1983, because of increasing pain and swelling in the skin on the back of her neck, as well as fever with shaking chills. In 1964 she had first noted the onset of "tightness" in her back following an episode of acute pharyngitis. During the next few years, the tightness, along with a woody induration, spread to involve the skin over the occiput, neck, interscapular areas, and lumbar region. Along with this slowly


Abstract Temporal dynamics of local assemblages depend on the species richness and the total abundance of individuals as well as local departure and arrival rates of species. We used urban bird survey data collected from the same 31 study plots and methods during three winters (1991–1992; 1999–2000 and 2009–2010) to analyze the temporal relationship between bird species richness and total number of individuals (abundance). We also evaluated local departures and arrivals of species in each assemblage. In total, 13,812 individuals of 35 species were detected. The temporal variation in bird species richness followed the variation in the total number of individuals. The numbers of local departure and arrival events were similar. Also, the mean number of individuals of the recently arrived species (8.6) was almost the same as the mean number of individuals of the departed species (8.2). Risk of species departure was inversely related to number of individuals. Local species richness increased by one species when the total abundance of individuals increased by around 125 individuals and vice versa. Our results highlight the important role of local population departures and arrivals in determining the local species richness-abundance dynamics in human-dominated landscapes. Local species richness patterns depend on the total number of individuals as well as both the departure-arrival dynamics of individual species as well as the dynamics of all the species together. Our results support the more individuals hypothesis, which suggests that individual-rich assemblages have more species.