We design a study assess to improve the speed in a P300 Brain-Computer Interface, originally described by Farewell and Donchin in 1988. A grid of characters is displayed on a screen randomly, and when the character of interest is illuminated, 300 ms afterwards a deflection in the EEG signal is generated. In such scenarios, the time to specify a menu option is proportional to its size. Most researchers in the past have considered fixed menu size and focused on more advanced statistical detection/classification techniques. We propose to use statistical language structure to introduce a new degree of freedom in this paradigm. Finding the optimal policy to display menus, given previously conveyed characters, can be cast in terms of ldquodynamic programmingrdquo or ldquostochastic controlrdquo. We illustrate how the optimal policy of this dynamic programming problem satisfies a menu depth to character probability relation analogous to that of the Huffman code in data compression and information theory. By exploiting this optimality property, we illustrate how the state space of the stochastic control problem can be greatly diminished (from exponential growth to linear growth), and we exhibit optimal policies for a probabilistic model pertaining to the statistical structure of the English language.


This paper presents a phase-locking control scheme based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) for active power filters (APFs). The proposed phase locking is achieved by estimating the fundamental supply frequency and by generating a phase-locking signal. The nonlinear-least-squares-based approach is modified to estimate the supply frequency. To improve the accuracy of frequency estimation, when the supply voltage contains harmonics that are not known, a prefiltering stage is introduced. In shunt APF applications, not only the information of frequency is sufficient but also the phase information of the supply voltage is required to generate a unit template that is phase-locked to the supply voltage. Therefore, in this paper, an adaptive-linear-neuron-based scheme is proposed to extract the phase information of the supply voltage. The estimated system frequency and phase information are then utilized to generate a phase-locking signal that assures a perfect synchronization with the fundamental supply voltage. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the synchronous reference frame ( d-q theory) shunt APF control method with the proposed ANN-based phase-locking scheme is adopted. The performance of the proposed ANN-based approach is verified experimentally with different supply systems and load conditions.


: Samples for microbiological studies were taken at a high altitude using meterological rockets with specially constructed analyzers so that no extraneous microorganisms could get into them before sampling. The analyzers were sterilized by gamma-irradiation before sampling. For the first time, microscopic fungi, bacteria and mycobacteria were detected at a height of 48--77 km. Five among six of the microbial species were found to contain pigments. The prevalence of these forms at high altitudes suggests that natural selection may take place in the upper atmospheric layer since cells containing chromogenic pigments (carotenoids, melanins) are more resistant to the action of ultraviolet rays.


LAK activity could be induced by IL-2 from human PBL. After co-culture of LAK cells with Anip973 human lung adenocarcinoma cells, LAK-tumor conjugates were microscopically observed. Formation of the conjugates paralleled well with the expression of LAK activity (P less than 0.001), suggesting that LAK cells' killing of Anip973 cells depended on their close contact. Under electron microscope, LAK cells had various shapes and certain degrees of motility. Ten minutes after co-culture, close binding between microvilli of LAK cells and tumor cells could be seen. Four hours after co-culture, Anip973 cells bound with LAK cells developed numerous membrane blebs with cytoplasm and nucleus very condensed, which was followed by destruction of cell structure and appearance of cell debris. These features are consistent with apoptosis rather than a cytolytic mechanism of cell death. These findings suggest that LAK cells share certain common features with CTL and NK cells on killing tumor cells.


ARticular is an exploration into the use of game design and augmented reality in creating interactive experiences for museum visitors. In this practice-led research project, the creative work undertaken focuses on the creation of a design concept of an augmented reality puzzle game, envisioned to be installed in a children's discovery centre at the museum, and designed to facilitate creative engagement and social interactions among its visitors. This practice-led thesis is comprised of 50 per cent creative work supported by a 50 per cent written exegesis. The creative outcome of this research is presented in the form of a game concept, attached in a separate document. The written exegesis presented herein contextualises this work in relevant literature, rationalises the methodological approach, and describes the experiences and challenges that were encountered in the creative process.


Background: Crystal meth addiction is one of the important social problems in modern society. The aim of this study was survey of knowledge and attitude of Ilam University of medical sciences students about Crystal meth in 2014 Methods: this cross sectional study cared out through 200 Ilam University of Medical Sciences students (120 females and 80 males) in 2014. The data were collected by questionnaire that contains demographic, knowledge and attitude question about crystal meth abusing. After collecting and classified of the data, the data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: The mean of age of subjects was 22.62 that in the present study, 18.5 % of them had weak knowledge, 60 % had moderate knowledge and 21.5% had strong knowledge about crystal meth and also 38 % had weak attitude, 8.5 percent had middle attitude and 53.5 % had strong attitude. According to the results, the knowledge score in male students was higher than females (males: 32.01, females: 29.35). Also the mean of score of attitude in both groups of males and females was almost the same, (Males: 66.78, females: 66.05). 0.5% (one present) of participants had experience two times of consuming crystal meth. Conclusion: According to the results, the knowledge of participant was weak. So it seems that doing educational programs is necessary to increasing knowledge and improving the attitude of young people about crystal meth.


Saint‐Séverin and Elbert, two LL6 chondrite breccias, were systematically studied to evaluate multiple deformation effects on spatial scales ranging from thin section (mesoscale) to micron‐submicron (microscale) using optical microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The different techniques provide consistent results but have complementary strengths, together providing a powerful approach to unravel even complex impact histories. Both meteorites have an S4 conventional shock stage, but interclast areas are more deformed, and clasts are more deformed in Elbert than in Saint‐Séverin. TEM and EBSD data provide compelling evidence that Saint‐Séverin experienced significant shock deformation while already hot, and cooled rapidly afterward, as a result of a major, possibly disruptive impact on the LL chondrite parent body ~4.4 Ga ago. In contrast, Elbert was shocked from a cold initial state but was heated significantly during shock, and cooled in a localized hot impact deposit on the LL asteroid. Both meteorites probably were shocked at least twice; data for Saint‐Séverin are best reconciled with a three‐impact model.


Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever CCHF virus causes severe disease in humans with a mortality reaching 30 It has the most extensive geographic distribution among the medically important tick borne viral diseases Although it is more frequently recovered from animals without any symptoms sporadic cases or epidemics may also be seen in human beings Acute course of the disease appears with symptoms of generalized pain myalgia fever nausea vomiting abdominal pain diarrhoea ecchymoses and bleeding and findings of elevated liver enzymes thrombocytopenia and leukopenia The knowledge of the presenting features of haemorrhagic fevers is necessary for the clinician as early diagnosis and treatment might potentially decrease mortality and the chance of secondary spread of the infection Ribavirin has been tried in the treatment of Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever Turk Arch Ped 2008; 43: 108 18 Key words: Crimean Congo haemorrhagic disease tick borne viral haemorrhagic disease


Abstract A model of an evolving hailstorm is synthesized from data presented in four related papers in this issue. The storm model, which is applicable to a class of ordinary multicell hailstorms and similar to earlier models derived by workers in South Dakota and Alberta, is discussed in terms of the growth of hail and its implications for hail suppression. Hail is grown in time–evolving updrafts that begin as discrete new clouds on the flank of the storm. Low concentrations of embryos develop rapidly within each of these clouds. The embryos subsequently grow into small hailstones while suspended near or above, the −20°C level as each new cloud grows and becomes the main updraft. Recycling is not a feature of this model as it is in supercell models. To improve the chance of silver iodide seeding being effective in suppressing the growth of hall in multicell storms, it is proposed that the seeding should be carried out not in the main updraft as is often the practice, but, rather, in the regions of weaker...


This guide provides URLs and basic search steps for sites that list job openings in exercise science. It also lists some print sources of job listings; these sources can be found in Belk Library and Information Commons.


Background and purpose: Indonesia is one of the most cigarette-friendly countries. The tobacco industry has gained economic dependence both nationally and domestically. Baureno Village in Indonesia has more than half of its population relied their life on the tobacco industry for long time. This study analysed how this high tobacco dependent community considered the smoking behaviour as one of prioritized health problems. Methods: This priority-setting study was conducted in quantitative and qualitative phases sequently. The quantitative data on smoking behaviour were collected on 251 households as the samples. This study captured the twelve healthy family indicators issued by The Indonesia Ministry of Health. Further, this data were brought into two different focus group discussions with community leaders and primary healthcare workers to understand how this community considered smoking as a health problem. Their prespective on prioritized health problem was revealed by performing a priority-setting analysis.Results: Smoking behaviour in cigarette producing areas is the impact of the economic dependence created by the tobacco industry. Ease of access and weak supervision of cigarette distribution in producing cigarette region caused smoking behaviour to be common place in this community group. Community considered smoking as a bottom priority of health problems, while health workers considered smoking as the second priority out of four identified health problems.Conclusion:. Community and health workers have a different prioritized health problems. Education to community should be enhanced to increase their awareness on the health impacts of tobacco smoking.


The article analyzes, in an exploratory manner, the likely impacts of the Bolsonaro Government's economic agenda on growth and social inclusion by examining it in the light of a global context characterized by financialization and a domestic scenario dominated by stagnation. To this end, it highlights the main axes of this agenda and their possible effects: first, a fiscal effect encompassing the pension and the tax reforms and the new tax regime, including in the latter a proposal for radical untying of some former obligatory spending from the government budget; second, macroeconomic and financial effects, including the independence of the Central Bank, foreign exchange liberalization and a new financing pattern in which the dismantling of public banks is part; lastly, productive and distributive effects, including trade liberalization, privatization, infrastructure policy, the new round of labor reform and the minimum wage policy.


: Data journalism has recently emerged as an important method of news gathering and editing in journalism. For data journalism -which includes the process of producing news from data-journalists need to have various skills and competencies. As a result of the literature review, it is observed that the required skills and competencies for data journalism have not been determined precisely, and in this regard, there is a lack of quantitative studies to measure these skills and competencies of data journalism. This study aims to develop a unique scale that will reveal the data journalism skills of news producers. For this purpose, a data journalism scale has been developed through an online survey applied to news producers registered with the Turkish Press Agency (BIK). As a result of the item pool, expert views, and the scale application stages, it is understood that data journalism skills can be measured with a 2-factor structure: "data skills and tools" and "journalism skills." The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient for the overall 21-item data journalism scale was calculated as 0.856, the data skills and tools factor as 0.883, and the journalism skill factor as 0.821. As a result of the research, it has been determined that while the journalism skills of the news producers are at a high level, their competence in data processing is low. In this sense -as a result of the study-a revision is recommended in both academic and professional training curriculum to include data collection, analysis and visualization skills that will improve data skills of news producers


In this letter, we propose a new algorithm for lossless compression of hyperspectral images. The proposed method searches the previous band for a pixel of equal value to the pixel co-located to the one to be coded. The pixel in the same position as the obtained pixel in the current band is used as the predictor. Lookup tables are used to speed up the search. The algorithm is suitable for compression of hyperspectral image data in the band-interleaved-by-line (BIL) format. The method outperforms other state-of-the-art compression algorithms for the BIL data, at a lower time complexity level. Moreover, its compression ratios for the band sequential format data are within a few percentage points of the current state-of-the-art methods.


Nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors are members of the Cys-loop family of transmitter-gated ion channels that includes the GABAA, strychnine-sensitive glycine and 5-HT3 receptors [215, 3, 159, 225, 259]. All nicotinic receptors are pentamers in which each of the five subunits contains 4 TM domains. Genes encoding a total of 17 subunits (α1-10, β1-4, γ, δ and ε) have been identified [120]. All subunits with the exception of α8 (present in avian species) have been identified in mammals. All α subunits possess two tandem cysteine residues near to the site involved in acetylcholine binding, and subunits not named α lack these residues [159]. The orthosteric ligand binding site is formed by residues within at least three peptide domains on the α subunit (principal component), and three on the adjacent subunit (complementary component). Nicotinic ACh receptors contain several allosteric modulatory sites. One such site, for positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) and allosteric agonists, has been proposed to reside within an intrasubunit cavity between the 4 TM domains [264, 87]; see also [106]). The high resolution crystal structure of the molluscan ACh binding protein, a structural homologue of the extracellular binding domain of a nicotinic receptor pentamer, in complex with several nicotinic receptor ligands (e.g.[35]) and the crystal structure of the extracellular domain of the α1 subunit bound to α-bungarotoxin at 1.94Â resolution [55], has revealed the orthosteric binding site in detail (reviewed in [215, 120, 39, 198]). Nicotinic receptors at the somatic neuromuscular junction of adult animals have the stoichiometry (α1)2β1δε, whereas an extrajunctional (α1)2β1γδ receptor predominates in embryonic and denervated skeletal muscle and other pathological states. Other nicotinic receptors are assembled as combinations of α(2-6) and β(2-4) subunits. For α2, α3, α4 and β2 and β4 subunits, pairwise combinations of α and β (e.g. α3β4 and α4β2) are sufficient to form a functional receptor in vitro, but far more complex isoforms may exist in vivo (reviewed in [96, 93, 159]). There is strong evidence that the pairwise assembly of some α and β subunits can occur with variable stoichiometry [e.g. (α4)2(β2)2 or (α4)3(β2)2] which influences the biophysical and pharmacological properties of the receptor [159]. α5 and β3 subunits lack function when expressed alone, or pairwise, but participate in the formation of functional hetero-oligomeric receptors when expressed as a third subunit with another α and β pair [e.g. α4α5αβ2, α4αβ2β3, α5α6β2, see [159] for further examples]. The α6 subunit can form a functional receptor when co-expressed with β4 in vitro, but more efficient expression ensues from incorporation of a third partner, such as β3 [263]. The α7, α8, and α9 subunits form functional homo-oligomers, but can also combine with a second subunit to constitute a hetero-oligomeric assembly (e.g. α7β2 and α9α10). For functional expression of the α10 subunit, co-assembly with α9 is necessary. The latter, along with the α10 subunit, appears to be largely confined to cochlear and vestibular hair cells. Comprehensive listings of nicotinic receptor subunit combinations identified from recombinant expression systems, or in vivo, are given in [159]. In addition, numerous proteins interact with nicotinic ACh receptors modifying their assembly, trafficking to and from the cell surface, and activation by ACh (reviewed by [158, 9, 118]).The nicotinic receptor Subcommittee of NC-IUPHAR has recommended a nomenclature and classification scheme for nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors based on the subunit composition of known, naturally- and/or heterologously-expressed nACh receptor subtypes [143]. Headings for this table reflect abbreviations designating nACh receptor subtypes based on the predominant α subunit contained in that receptor subtype. An asterisk following the indicated α subunit denotes that other subunits are known to, or may, assemble with the indicated α subunit to form the designated nACh receptor subtype(s). Where subunit stoichiometries within a specific nACh receptor subtype are known, numbers of a particular subunit larger than 1 are indicated by a subscript following the subunit (enclosed in parentheses- see also [46]).


The trivalent oxidation state of uranium has been shown to undergo unique reactivity, from its ability to activate a variety of small molecules to its role in the catalytic reduction of ethene to ethane amongst others. Central to this unique reactivity and ability to rationally design ligands for isotope separation is the underlying uranium electronic structure. While electronic structure studies of U(iv), U(v), and U(vi) have been extensive, by comparison, analogous studies of more reduced oxidation states such as U(iii) remains underdeveloped. Herein we report a combined MCD and EPR spectroscopic approach along with density functional theory and multireference wavefunction calculations to elucidate the effects of ligand perturbation in three uranium(iii) Tp* complexes. Overall, the experimental and computational insight suggests that the change in ligand environment across this series of U(iii) complexes resulted in only minor perturbations in the uranium electronic structure. This combined approach was also used to redefine the electronic ground state of a U(iii) complex with a redox non-innocent Bipy- ligand. Overall, these studies demonstrate the efficacy of the combined experimental and theoretical approach towards evaluating electronic structure and bonding in U(iii) complexes and provide important insight into the challenges in altering ligand environments to modify bonding and reactivity in uranium coordination chemistry.


Purpose Multiple gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of multiple GISTs. Patients and methods Between May 2003 and June 2018, patients who underwent surgery for multiple GISTs were retrospectively analyzed. Exons 9, 11, 13, and 17 of the KIT gene, and exons 12, and 18 of the PDGFRA gene were examined in 34 tumors from 20 patients. Results A total of 20 patients with multiple GISTs were enrolled. There were 11 females and nine males with a median age of 59 years (range: 37–80 years). Of these cases, 16 were sporadic cases and four were associated with GIST syndromes (two cases of Carney triad and two cases of neurofibromatosis type 1 [NF1]). The most common presentation was gastrointestinal bleeding. Carney triad GISTs did not exhibit KIT/PDGFRA mutations. One of the NF1 patients was a KIT/PDGFRA wild-type, and the other patient had a PDGFRA mutation. Of the sporadic cases, one shared the same KIT gene mutation within each GIST and one had two lesions that were both wild-type for KIT and PDGFRA. Different KIT mutations among individual tumors were detected in seven patients. During the median follow-up period of 66 months (range: 3–183 months), four patients developed liver or abdominal metastases, three of whom expired due to the disease. The rates of recurrence-free survival and overall surviva at 5 years were 65.8% and 76.7%, respectively. Conclusion Multiple GISTs may occur as sporadic tumors or as an additional component of specific syndromes (eg, Carney triad and NF1) that display different clinicopathologic characteristics based on their particular underlying mechanisms. The overall prognosis of patients with multiple GISTs is comparable to that of patients with only a single GIST.


Background: Patient quality care is a discipline that has acquired enormous relevance in today's healthcare. The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) is a referral worldwide in terms of quality for oncology practices. The ECO Foundation is a foundation of experts representing the major Spanish hospitals involved in the treatment of cancer patients. ECO reached an agreement with ASCO to involve Spanish hospitals in the QOPI program. Methods: 6 rounds of data collection have taken place (Fall 2015 to Round 1 2018). Practices had to register online and submit data into the QOPI platform, and the ECO Foundation offered all centers the necessary support. 17 Spanish hospitals have participated in the 6 rounds, and 7 of them have repeated participation. Core and lung cancer modules were completed. Results: During the 6 rounds, 1,877 charts were submitted by the Spanish practices. In most of the rounds, the highest scores were: pathology report confirming malignancy; number of chemotherapy cycles documented; patient consent for chemotherapy; and 5 measures of the lung cancer module. The lowest scores were: chemotherapy treatment summary provided to patient within 3 months of chemotherapy end; chemotherapy treatment summary provided or communicated to practitioner(s) within 3 months of chemotherapy end; smoking/tobacco use cessation counselling recommended to smokers/tobacco users in past year; and tobacco cessation counselling administered or patient referred in past year. The percentage of participating practices that presented results higher than 70% was successively 64%, 50%, 75%, and 100% in the last 3 rounds. For the 7 hospitals that repeated participation, 3 reported an improvement of their global scores. Regarding QOPI Certification, 3 Spanish hospitals received this accreditation in September 2017 and one in June 2018. Conclusions: These preliminary results are a good starting point for the continued implementation of the QOPI program in Spain, thus providing a well-structured approach to analyze cancer care. The ECO Foundation will continue pursuing excellence and quality with further activities like the QOPI Certification program and Quality Training Program, these being performed for the first time in Spain in 2017 and 2018, respectively.


Aim. To clarify the relationship between the clinical and psychopathological features of mental disorders, clinical and laboratory manifestations of activity and the nature of the course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Materials and methods. The study included 119 patients 98 (82.4%) women, mean age 36.512.4 years (MSD) with a reliable diagnosis of SLE (EULAR/ACR 2019 criteria), 51 (29.5%) of them with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome APS (International criteria of 2006).
Results. Among patients with SLE a high frequency of anxiety-depressive spectrum disorders (ADSD) and cognitive impairment (CI) was revealed. There was an association of greater severity of depression with high SLE activity index, acute/subacute onset of the disease course according to the classification of V.A. Nasonova, relapsing-remitting and chronic active current disease activity patterns of SLE according to the classification of S. Barr M. Petri. Anxiety disorders were associated with subacute onset and relapsing-remitting disease activity patterns of SLE and were not associated with SLE activity index. Bipolar disorder was detected more often in patients with chronic SLE. Acute psychosis/delirium was associated with acute onset of SLE. Organic CI was associated with APS, chronic onset and long quiescent disease activity patterns of SLE. The episindrome and schizotypal disorder in patients with SLE are more often caused by concomitant APS.
Conclusion. Patients with high SLE activity index should be of particular concern to rheumatologists regarding the diagnosis of depressive disorders. Patients with concomitant APS need timely diagnosis and treatment of CI and episindrome in order to improve the prognosis of the disease and the overall quality of life.


This research assessed the value chain of gum and resins, which are available in four woreda in the southern lowlands of Ethiopia. They are Moyale Somali, Moyale Oromia, Dhas and Dire woreda. The output of this research is the elaboration of three value chains. The first is a general one for all the woreda, while the other two concern the Moyale and Dubluk markets. The assessed products are the gum arabic from Acacia trees and the resin exuded by the dunkhal tree - Boswellia family. The aim of this study was not only to understand the way in which resins and gum gain value through the chain and the profit each stakeholder gains, but more importantly how pastoralists use resin and gum collection to diversify their income.
The first chapter analyses what it means to be a pastoralist in the Moyale area and its challenges. The second chapter describes how the policies of the central state influenced the pastoral access to rangelands and water and the way in which this contributed to the increase of conflict among the different groups. A particular focus is on the settlement. The third chapter describes the different ethnic groups living in the studied area and their management system to preserve resources and cope with the dry season. This chapter considers the dynamic evolution of the relations among the various groups in terms of negotiating access to resources while facing political and climatic challenges. The fourth chapter illustrates the physical context and the environment, and the way in which it has been managed in order to preserve the pastoral lifestyle. The fifth chapter describes the characteristics of gum and resins in the studied area. Finally, the sixth chapter describes how the value chain methodology was applied in this specific study and its outputs.


The information needs of a population of gynaecologists and obstetricians concerning drug administration in pregnancy and lactation, were investigated, employing the triangulation approach. This involves the application of three analytical tools; content analysis, focus group interviews and a structured questionnaire. Content analysis was performed on queries submitted to two representative Drug Information Centres (DICs); the focus group interviews (FGIs) of gynaecologists and obstetricians were conducted in hospital departments; and the questionnaire was distributed among the majority of Israeli gynaecologists and obstetricians. The combination of complementary methods used constitutes a powerful tool for data assembly and for validation of conclusions. Statistical analysis of the results reveals a relation between information usage and background variables, such as country of study, place of work and teaching position. In addition, a relation was found between information usage and attitude towards drug administration. Based on this analysis, a typology of users' profile was drawn and their information needs defined. A scheme of the pattern of drug information usage was delineated, leading to the designing of a database model to meet the information requirements. Several drugs were selected to be included in the model, representing various pharmaceutical groups, different degrees of risk for the fetus and different amounts of available information about potential teratogenicity and toxicity. AskSam+ hypertext software was chosen to create the database due to its flexibility, ease of updating and enhanced text retrieval capability. Data are stored in a network of nodes connected through links. Each structured node contains all the information on a single drug: its names, risk factor, teratogenicity, fetal toxicity, mutagenicity and oncogenicity, all based upon and followed by a bibliographic list. These attributes are each assigned to a structural node and related hierarchically to body systems, organs and related pathology. The database is user friendly, allows rapid retrieval of information and is easily installed on a PC in the gynaecologists and obstetricians' office. This model can also be readily adapted to other medical disciplines, according to their specific needs.


Every scholarly study of disasters documents that prevention, preparedness and response are determined by political factors. Increasingly, social scientists consider calamities not as fundamental interruptions to social and political life, but as variant manifestations of pre-existing processes and power relations. There is a rich literature on "natural disasters," with most writers at least questioning this term. (1) In addition there has been work on "complex humanitarian emergencies," events that a previous generation of scholars called wars. Furthermore, there is an immense corpus of work on technical, institutional and informational aspects of disaster management. Studies of how the media portrays disaster are growing in number and insight. Yet, with a few (and often old) exceptions, we have only a modest comparative political ethnography of why some disasters are allowed to occur, or inflict readily-preventable damage, while others are not. (2) This paper is a modest attempt to fill this gap. It is necessarily selective, taking the form of an essay drawing upon the author's own experience as both practitioner and researcher, rather than an exhaustive comparative analysis of types of disasters. It posits hypotheses and constructs frameworks which others may wish to test. If this paper prompts more thorough empirical investigations, it will have served its purpose. It is a platitude of commentaries on social problems, including disasters, that effective responses require political will. One motive for this essay is to inquire what this elusive "political will" might be, to encourage such commentators to continue to the next stage and analyze what might be done to establish the preconditions for "political will," if not that will itself. In one respect, this paper is an overdue elaboration of the concept of "political contract," developed in my comparative analysis of the causes of and responses to famine in Asia and Africa. (3) Amartya Sen's "democracy prevents famine" hypothesis still screams out for rigorous analysis and testing. It is far too important a claim to be surrendered to uncritical recycling by op-ed writers. In another respect, this paper is an attempt to systematize the argument I present in AIDS and Power on the reasons why national and international responses to the HIV/MDS epidemic have been strikingly successful at mitigating its worst social and political impacts while mostly failing to have any effect on preventing HIV infection. (4) What binds the two together is recognition of the simple fact that governments respond when there are political incentives to do so, and don't respond when those incentives do not exist. A third entry point is personal reflection on why some campaigns on social issues have proved successful, while others have not, building upon analyses of transformations in human rights activism. (5) Famine And Democracy in India and Africa Analysis of the politics of disaster prevention begins with Amartya Sen's remarks on the elimination of famines from independent India. This is less because Sen was correct rather than because, with characteristic elegance, he articulated a precise thesis: The diverse political freedoms that are available in a democratic state, including regular elections, free newspapers and freedom of speech, must be seen as the real force behind the elimination of famines. Here again, it seems that one set of freedoms--to criticize, publish and vote--are usually linked with other types of freedoms, such as the freedom to escape starvation and famine mortality. (6) Sen is making a specific claim about India, disguised as a general truth about the links between civil and political liberties and the realization of social and economic rights. It is a hypothesis crying out for empirical examination, of which it has received surprisingly little. Scholars from India have disputed whether the country can truly be said to have eliminated famine, given the recurrence of pockets of extreme deprivation and intermittent starvation. …


Nineteenth-century English writer James Robinson Planché, in his own time known for writing musical extravaganzas based upon fairy tales, particularly admired the works of Marie-Catherine le Jumel de Barneville, baronne d'Aulnoy. Fourteen of his twenty-three fairy plays depicted d'Aulnoy's tales. Although his musical plays usually followed the original plots closely, they also added topical humor and comic subplots. In the mid-1850s, while considering retiring to pursue his scholarly interests, he felt compelled to translate the original printed tales as accurately as he could as "a point of conscience," since he had taken liberties in adapting them to the stage, but even more so because no one else had ever translated them completely and without alteration. Close examination of his translation, Fairy Tales of the Countess d'Aulnoy (1855), shows his general conscientious thoroughness but also signature characteristics in interpretation, documentation, and language.


Background Survey satisficing occurs when participants respond to survey questions rapidly without carefully reading or comprehending them. Studies have demonstrated the occurrence of survey satisficing, which can degrade survey quality, particularly in longitudinal studies. Objective The aim of this study is to use a group-based trajectory analysis method to identify satisficers when similar survey questions were asked periodically in a long-standing cohort, and to examine factors associated with satisficing in the surveys having sensitive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related behavioral questions. Methods Behavioral data were collected semiannually online at all four sites of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) from October 2008 through March 2013. Based on the start and end times, and the word counts per variable, response speed (word counts per second) for each participant visit was calculated. Two-step group-based trajectory analyses of the response speed across 9 study visits were performed to identify potential survey satisficing. Generalized linear models with repeated measures were used to investigate the factors associated with satisficing on HIV-related behavioral surveys. Results Among the total 2138 male participants, the median baseline age was 51 years (interquartile range, 45-58); most of the participants were non-Hispanic white (62.72%, 1341/2138) and college graduates (46.59%, 996/2138), and half were HIV seropositive (50.00%, 1069/2138). A total of 543 men (25.40%, 543/2138) were considered potential satisficers with respect to their increased trajectory tendency of response speed. In the multivariate analysis, being 10 years older at the baseline visit increased the odds of satisficing by 44% (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27-1.62, P<.001). Compared with the non-Hispanic white participants, non-Hispanic black participants were 122% more likely to satisfice the HIV-related behavioral survey (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.69-2.91, P<.001), and 99% more likely to do so for the other race/ethnicity group (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.39-2.83, P<.001). Participants with a high school degree or less were 67% more likely to satisfice the survey (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.26-2.21, P<.001) compared with those with a college degree. Having more than one sex partner and using more than one recreational drug reduced the odds of satisficing by 24% (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.61-0.94, P=.013) and 28% (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55-0.93, P=.013), respectively. No statistically significant association of HIV serostatus with satisficing was observed. Conclusions Using a group-based trajectory analysis method, we could identify consistent satisficing on HIV-related behavioral surveys among participants in the MACS, which was associated with being older, being non-white, and having a lower education level; however, there was no significant difference by HIV serostatus. Methods to minimize satisficing using longitudinal survey data are warranted.


Data has become an asset with a big financial impact. With the extensive use of the Internet which "never forgets", society has become more transparent than ever. Society also creates more data than ever. The increase of data creation is further catalysed by new technologies and connected devices; it is often referred to as the "internet of things" or "IoT-devices". But who owns the date created by these new devices? This article aims to give a brief overview of possible rules governing data ownership. Also, it stresses the question whether or not the current legal framework sufficiently protects said data or if a new law should be implemented.


Starting from the Humboldtian characterization of Chinese writing as a "script of thoughts," this article makes an attempt to show that notwithstanding the important role played by phonetic elements, the Chinese script also relies on visual-graphical means in its constitution of meaning. In point of structure, Chinese characters are made up predominantly of components that are sensible or even tangible in nature. Out of these sensible components, not only physical objects or empirical states of affairs can be expressed, but also the most subtle and abstract concepts, such as 萬, 它, 言, 災, 仁, 義, 思, 念, 法, 律, 善, 考, 莫, 睘, and 幾, attesting to what Humboldt says about the Chinese script as having "embraced philosophical work within itself." Humboldt's idea of "analogy of script" throws light on the mechanism behind this structure to stimulate new reflections on the traditional theory of the "Six Ways" (六書) of character formation to provide a productive platform for interpretation.


This article seeks to understand the operations of the World Bank by examining one particular group of players - the country directors (CDs). It argues that the analysis of international organizations (IOs), by focusing on the behaviour of their principals (states), as principal-agent analysts do, or on organizational cultures, as the constructivist approach does, is inadequate in explaining the operation and behaviour of IOs, which are themselves complex organizations with chains of cascading relationships. Country directors at the World Bank occupy a pivotal position in this chain: with executive directors and the president as their nominal and ultimate principals, vice presidents as their direct principals and client countries as informal principals. They are themselves principals to their country team and to some sector people. For both conceptual and empirical reasons, therefore, CDs deserve separate analysis. To explain the way these relationships shape the work CDs do and how they do it, this article examines three basic functions of country directors at the Bank: (1) representing the Bank to the client countries; (2) representing the country to the Bank; and (3) managing the country offices and country programmes. The empirical section of this article is based on interviews with over 80 officials in both Washington and field offices. We show that an understanding of the Bank and its operations requires an examination of its internal processes and its staff.


Previous studies have demonstrated that cell populations that are cultured with heterologous animal products can acquire xenoantigens, potentially limiting their clinical utility because of immune responses. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are an attractive source of multiple potential cellular therapies and are typically derived and routinely cultured on murine embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder cell layers in commercially available serum replacement (SR) medium or fetal calf serum (FCS)‐containing medium. Recently, we found that a strong antibody response was generated in human subjects after the second infusion of therapeutic cells cultured in FCS‐containing medium. This response was specific for bovine apolipoprotein B‐100 (apoB‐100), which is the major protein component of low‐density lipoproteins (LDL) and which targets its binding to abundant low‐density lipoprotein receptors on the cell surface, from which it is internalized. Here, we have shown that ESCs cultured on MEFs in SR medium acquired bovine apoB‐100 from MEFs and from the SR medium as well. Our findings also suggest that bovine LDL are used as critical nutrients for ESC propagation.


We studied the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene in 6 patients with Laron syndrome (LS) from 4 unrelated families. Exons 2 to 10 were amplified by PCR using specific intronic pairs of primers. The PCR products were directly sequenced. Our results showed that all 6 patients carried a homozygous GAG>GAA mutation in codon 180 of exon 6. This mutation did not change the translated amino acid, but created an abnormal splice site deleting 8 amino acids from the extracellular domain of GHR. Members of all 4 kindreds with the E180splice mutation were genotyped for 4 polymorphic intragenic sites: The retention or exclusion of exon 3, single nucleotide polymorphisms present in exons 6 and 10, and intron 9 polymorphic site. All 6 patients presented the same haplotype. The E180splice mutation was first described in a population of Spanish descendants from the Andes of Southern Ecuador. This mutation was also found in oriental Jewish patients from Israel. Our families share the same intron-9 haplotype observed in Ecuadorian and Israeli patients. We conclude that the E180splice mutation is an important cause of LS in Brazil and there is probably a founder effect since our patients, Ecuadorian and Israeli patients share the same haplotype in intron 9.


The experiences of Round Valley Indian children at the Sherman Indian Institute boarding school between 1900 and 1945 illuminate the centrality of the family to the school9s program and to the parents9 and students9 decisions regarding enrollment. While school administrators strove to inculcate Victorian family values in the students and privileged vocational training over families9 economic welfare, Indian families utilized the school to obtain education and vocational skills for their children and to retain kinship networks. Indian youths prioritized family bonds in their decisions to attend or leave the school. They sometimes met future spouses at the school and formed new families. The study deepens our understanding of Native American family life in this period.


Tells the story of Creslin, son of a powerful military matriarch, who chooses exile rather than an arranged marriage. He sets out on a search for his true identity as a man, developing his magical talents through constant conflict with the enigmatic white wizards of Candar.


To predict potentially stable molecules with Si(triple bond)C triple bonding, theoretical calculations at the B3LYP/ 6-311G(d) and CCSD(T)/6-311G(2df) (single-point) levels were employed to study the structures, energetics, and isomerization of various SiCN2 isomers. A schematic potential energy surface (PES) of SiCN2 was established to discuss the kinetic stability of the isomers. A new isomer SiCNN was found to possess a typical Si(triple bond)C triple bond, as confirmed by comparative calculations at the B3LYP, QCISD, QCISD(T), CCSD, and CCSD(T) levels on the bond lengths of SiCNN and other experimentally or theoretically known species of RSiCH (R = H, F, Cl, OH). Moreover, SiCNN resides in a very deep potential, the stabilization barrier is at least 53.2 kcal mol(-1). Thus, SiCNN may be considered as the most kinetically stable isomer with Si(triple bond)C triple bonding known to date, and it may represent a very promising molecule for future experimental characterization. In addition, the stability of the other isomers, such as the four linear species SiNCN, SiNNC, NSiCN and NSiNC, a three-membered NNC ring isomer with exocyclic C-Si bonding, and a four-membered SiCNN ring isomer is discussed and compared with SiCNN.


Circulating anodic antigen (CAA) levels in serum and faecal egg counts are both quantitative measures of Schistosoma mansoni worm burdens. In this study, we have tested whether circulating anodic antigens can be included into an established egg count model. A data set with 3 repeated faecal egg count and serum CAA measurements of 50 individuals from a community in Burundi with moderate endemicity was used. By means of Monte Carlo simulation, both antigens and egg counts were related to an underlying worm pair distribution, taking into account the variation in repeated measurements (within individuals) and the variation in worm burdens (between individuals). Models with various assumptions (e.g. presence or absence of density-dependent egg production) were tested. Whereas observed and predicted egg counts agreed fairly well, the circulating antigen data could not be described satisfactorily. In particular, the predicted number of negative antigen concentrations was much lower than observed, while the number of light positives was overestimated. There seems to be a mechanism that causes a shift of expected (low) positive CAA concentrations towards zeros, which the proposed models do not provide for. Possible biological as well as assay-related mechanisms that may account for this shift are discussed. The assumption that serum CAA concentrations are a simple direct reflection of worm (pair) burdens could not be corroborated by this modelling exercise. Apparently, the relationship between (measured) CAA concentrations, egg counts and worm burdens in human S. mansoni infections is more complex than assumed.


The present article discusses the options open to the UK in the event that the proposed referendum on EU membership results in an 'out' vote. The case is presented that the preservation of established markets represents a desideratum, both for the UK, and for its EU partners, and that such a goal could be achieved – while removing the UK from many less popular areas of EU competence – by the UK immediately joining EFTA and the European Economic Area (EEA) upon its exit from the EU. The authors argue that the EEA model would represent a best-case scenario for the UK in the event of a 'Brexit', coupling the benefits garnered from the maintenance of the UK's position within the Internal Market with a looser regulatory structure, while preserving established market relationships and economic stability, and allowing for greater freedom of action on the part of the UK government in areas not covered by the material scope of the EEA Agreement. The non-identical nature of EU law and EEA law is explained, with the absence of the twin doctrines of supremacy and direct effect presented as a means to restore the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty in Britain. The EEA legislative and enforcement mechanisms are also discussed, while the EEA model is favourably compared with the looser – yet vastly more complicated – bilateral arrangement governing Swiss-EU relations.


Abstract.
 Twenty-one species of echinoid are reported from Paleocene rocks of the eastern United States along the outcrop belt from Texas to New Jersey. Six of these are strictly early Paleocene age (Danian), nine strictly late Paleocene age (Thanetian), five range throughout the Paleocene, and one previously reported Paleocene species (Diplodetus moscovensis) is most likely a Cretaceous species. Two new species are described, Salenia palmyra n. sp., from the Danian Clayton Formation in Alabama and Georgia, and Ova rancoca n. sp., from the Thanetian Vincentown Formation in New Jersey. One new species from the Clayton Formation in Mississippi, Arbaciella? sp., is left in open nomenclature.


Purpose - – This study aims to explore the outcome of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme in community development from the perspective of its participants in Malaysia. It is argued that information regarding community development CSR, the providers of CSR and the outcomes of CSR on community development in Malaysia has been scant. Hence, this study examines specifically the profiles of participants of CSR programmes in community development, the profiles of selected CSR-participating corporations, the orientation of CSR responsibilities undertaken by corporations as perceived by the participants and the types of community development contribution from CSR-participating corporations. Outcomes were determined through the results of the last two objectives. Design/methodology/approach - – Building on the stakeholder theory and the work of Visser's CSR pyramid, this article explores the outcomes of CSR resulting from the participation of individuals in the community. Data were gathered from 336 respondents who were participants of CSR programmes sampled from 58 local and multinational corporations in Malaysia. Findings - – The results showed that about half of the respondents were in the younger age group with a mean age of 24.40 years. The majority of the CSR-participating corporations had implemented CSR programmes from the first decade of the millennium and had their core businesses in diverse sectors. Legal responsibility was ranked the most important orientation and ethical responsibility the least important orientation. Education-related activities formed the dominant type of CSR contribution. Research limitations/implications - – The study addresses a gap in the literature on Malaysian community CSR, particularly from the perspective of the community, which is one of the important stakeholders. Originality/value - – This research contributes to the scarce literature on CSR in Malaysia by analysing the way business organisations in the country contribute to community development through CSR. The findings of this study should be useful to community development practitioners, CSR providers and researchers.


An analysis of Nicotiana sylvestris mutant plants resistant to isopropyl-N-phenylcarbamate (IPC), one of the representative from phenylcarbamate herbicides, was carried out. The plants were characterized by pollen semi-sterility caused by disruptions during microsporogenesis and cytoplasm synthesis in microspores. Low seed productivity of mutant plans was caused by the high pollen sterility and partially by the low vital activity of seed-buds. Obtained data testify that mutations inducing IPC-resistance lead to cytogenetical and morphological abnormalities in male generative system development, that results in decreasing of seed productivity in N. sylvestris mutants. Character of discovered cytological disruptions testifies about possible defects in organization and functioning of microtubules in mutant plants that can correlate with mutation(s) in one or several microtubule protein genes.


To study the behavior of agents who are susceptible to temptation in infinite horizon consumption problems under uncertainty, we define and characterize dynamic self-control (DSC) preferences. DSC preferences are recursive and separable. In economies with DSC agents, equilibria exist but may be inefficient; in such equilibria, steady state consumption is independent of initial endowments and increases in self-control. Increasing the preference for commitment while keeping self-control constant increases the equity premium. Removing nonbinding constraints changes equilibrium allocations and prices. Debt contracts can be sustained even if the only feasible punishment for default is the termination of the contract.


In this paper, a systematic design based on the robust control theory is developed for a microelectromechanical systems nanopositioning/probing device. The device is fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator substrate, and provides decoupled XY motion by using a parallel kinematics mechanism design. Each axis of the device is actuated by linear comb-drives and the corresponding displacements are sensed by separate comb structures. To improve the sensing resolution, the sensing and driving combs are electrically isolated. The nonlinear dynamic model between the actuation voltage and the sensed displacement will increase the complexity of model identification and control design. We circumvent the nonlinear model by redefining the input and output (I/O) signals during the model definition and identification, which results in linear and time-invariant models. A dynamical model of the system is identified through experimental input-output frequency-domain identification. The implemented H∞ control design achieves a significant improvement over the response speed, where the bandwidths from the closed-loop sensitivity and complementary sensitivity functions, respectively, are 68 and 74 Hz. When compared to open-loop characteristics, enhancement in reliability and repeatability (robustness to uncertainties) as well as noise attenuation (by over 12%) is demonstrated through this design.


Monitoring water interfaces in motion Water behaves differently at interfaces—where it meets the air, or a solid surface—than it does in the middle of the liquid. Past laboratory studies of this phenomenon have mainly focused on still samples, despite the fact that in natural settings such as rivers and rain, the water moves along the surfaces. Lis et al. used a microfluidics apparatus and a spectroscopy technique called sum frequency generation to study the effects of flow on aqueous chemistry at silica and fluorite surfaces (see the Perspective by Waychunas). The flow of fresh water along the surfaces disrupts the equilibrium of dissolved ions, substantially changing the surface charge and the molecular orientation of the water at the interface. Science, this issue p. 1138; see also p. 1094 A combination of microfluidics and surface-specific spectroscopy enables the study of flow effects at aqueous interfaces. [Also see Perspective by Waychunas] In nature, aqueous solutions often move collectively along solid surfaces (for example, raindrops falling on the ground and rivers flowing through riverbeds). However, the influence of such motion on water-surface interfacial chemistry is unclear. In this work, we combine surface-specific sum frequency generation spectroscopy and microfluidics to show that at immersed calcium fluoride and fused silica surfaces, flow leads to a reversible modification of the surface charge and subsequent realignment of the interfacial water molecules. Obtaining equivalent effects under static conditions requires a substantial change in bulk solution pH (up to 2 pH units), demonstrating the coupling between flow and chemistry. These marked flow-induced variations in interfacial chemistry should substantially affect our understanding and modeling of chemical processes at immersed surfaces.


In order to study the dispersion and performance of tartrazine aluminum lake, 7 kinds of water-based resins are used to form disperse system. These systems are enviroment friendly (low VOC) and use edible yellow lake as colorant. If proper adjustment is added, these disperse systems can be made into ink and paint. The application field should be printing or coating on all the food or drug packages, toys and decorate materials, which will improve social safe level. Colorant, resin, wetting agent, co-solvent, emulsifier, and deionized water are mixed at certain ratio and pre-dispersed for 15min, then dispersed in GJ-2S high speed sanding mill for 3h. Size distribution, PDI, color characteristics (reflectance spectroscopy and color density), glossiness, abrasion performance, and stability are studied. Results demonstrate particle size of disperse system is 338.1~595.3nm (PDI<0.3) and changed to 428.6~551.2nm after 5 days or so. Reflectance spectroscopy is close to PANTONE standard yellow. Glossiness is referred as Gs(60°)≥32°. Viscosity is 0.2~2Pa·S. Relative stable disperse system is prepared.


Doxorubicin is a risk factor for secondary lymphedema in cancer patients exposed to surgery or radiation. The risk is presumed to relate to its cytotoxicity. However, the present study provides initial evidence that doxorubicin directly inhibits lymph flow and this action appears distinct from its cytotoxic activity. We used real-time edge detection to track diameter changes in isolated rat mesenteric lymph vessels. Doxorubicin (0.5–20 μmol/l) progressively constricted lymph vessels and inhibited rhythmic contractions, reducing flow to 24.2% ± 7.7% of baseline. The inhibition of rhythmic contractions by doxorubicin paralleled a tonic rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in lymphatic muscle cells, which was prevented by pharmacological antagonism of ryanodine receptors. Washout of doxorubicin partially restored lymph vessel contractions, implying a pharmacological effect. Subsequently, high-speed optical imaging was used to assess the effect of doxorubicin on rat mesenteric lymph flow in vivo. Superfusion of doxorubicin (0.05–10 μmol/l) maximally reduced volumetric lymph flow to 34% ± 11.6% of baseline. Likewise, doxorubicin (10 mg/kg) administered intravenously to establish clinically achievable plasma concentrations also maximally reduced volumetric lymph flow to 40.3% ± 6.0% of initial values. Our findings reveal that doxorubicin at plasma concentrations achieved during chemotherapy opens ryanodine receptors to induce "calcium leak" from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in lymphatic muscle cells and reduces lymph flow, an event linked to lymph vessel damage and the development of lymphedema. These results infer that pharmacological block of ryanodine receptors in lymphatic smooth muscle cells may mitigate secondary lymphedema in cancer patients subjected to doxorubicin chemotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Doxorubicin directly inhibits the rhythmic contractions of collecting lymph vessels and reduces lymph flow as a possible mechanism of secondary lymphedema, which is associated with the administration of anthracycline-based chemotherapy. The inhibitory effects of doxorubicin on rhythmic contractions and flow in isolated lymph vessels were prevented by pharmacological block of ryanodine receptors, thereby identifying the ryanodine receptor family of proteins as potential therapeutic targets for the development of new antilymphedema medications.


The purpose of this study was to establish a written historical narrative on issues relating to the impact the NFA had on selected past members. A secondary purpose was to create dialogue about the NFA. Major findings of this study were: (1) the participants believed that the agricultural teacher played an important role in their leadership development that helped them to lead and manage programs, and develop human relation skills, (2) the participants believed that the NFA and the FFA were similar, but after the merger there was a lack of Black leadership in the FFA organization, (3) the participants expressed the notion that neither Black nor White teachers were doing as much for all students after the merger and that the interest of the student was no longer a priority for many of the teachers, and (4) the participants believed that the merging of the two organizations was inevitable due to societal and educational integration that was going on in the 1960s. An implication of the study is that a lack of forethought and effort in maintaining Blacks in leadership positions led to poor morale and a loss of identity among Black students enrolled in the FFA.


Influenza virus and coronavirus pandemics regularly sweep the globe, at great cost of health and economy. Our aim was to conduct a PubMed search for autopsy studies on influenza and coronavirus to investigate the contribution of autopsies during pandemics, focussing on autopsy methods and procedures and the role of autopsy findings in pandemics. The retrieved autopsy studies generally relied on microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunostaining and electron microscopy. Most were small and reported on lung effects, including diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), pneumonia and tracheobronchitis. Antibiotic therapy has diminished a role for bacterial pneumonia, whereas obesity is an emerging risk factor. Autopsy studies have provided new insights into coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) treatments like anti‐coagulative therapy. Unfortunately, autopsies during pandemics are hampered by lack of guidelines, facilities and expertise for handling potentially infectious corpses and by widely varying recommendations for personal protective equipment and procedures. The Department of Forensic Pathology, at the Forensic Institute, at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark has, in collaboration with the Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, initiated a prospective observational study on COVID‐19‐related deaths encompassing postmortem imaging, standardized autopsy procedures/reporting and extensive tissue sampling for histological, chemical, microbiological and genetic analysis. The study involves a diverse array of research groups at the University of Copenhagen, and the clinical field.


This paper provides an overview of design, operation, and maintenance of Subsea High Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS) and Subsea Automated Pig Launcher (SAPL) in a shallow water gas condensate field development offshore Sarawak, Malaysia. It will outline the key technical drivers for the subsea field architecture development and technology qualification programme that was undertaken to manage the risk and uncertainties with deployment and operation of new subsea technology.

 The shallow water field hereby denotes as "Field K" is located approximately 200 km offshore Sarawak, Malaysia at water depth of around 80 meter. The field consists of two (2) subsea wells and is expected to deliver non-associated gas at rate of 200 MMscf/d to a Central Processing Platform (CPP), located approximately 5 km away from the wells. The field was initially planned to be developed using a wellhead platform but mid-way through the project, it was decided for Field K to be developed using Subsea Production System (SPS) with the following key requirements: -
 Meet production target of 200 MMscf/d Achieve production availability of 96% Diverless philosophy throughout the field life Utilize the procured 24 inch Carbon Steel (CS) pipeline with design pressure of 83 barg Implement safety protection system that complies to Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 4 requirement to safeguard downstream facilities from the wells Closed in Tubing Head Pressure (CITHP) of 240 barg. Operational pigging to be carried out every 3 months and intelligent pigging every five (5) year for the 24 inch CS pipeline Any new technology to be implemented shall reach minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 as per API 17N prior to its installation.

 A subsea technology screening and gap assessment was performed using API 17N and Company Internal Standards, and it was decided for the field to be developed using two 7 in. horizontal subsea tree, with two unit of Subsea HIPPS on manifold and retrievable Subsea Automated Pig Launcher at Pipeline End Termination (PLET). The field commenced its operation in December 2012 and was able to meet all the field key requirements identified. It was also the first subsea shallow water field that was designed, build, and operated by the Company. The paper will also highlight the key lessons learned and best practices during design, operation and maintenance that can be shared with other Operators and Industry.

 The paper will outline the design, operational consideration, and necessary technology qualification program for new/modified subsea technology i.e., Subsea HIPPS and Subsea Automated Pig Launcher prior to deployment.


Modification of the thromboxane: prostacyclin ratio alters the severity of reperfusion arrhythmias and postischemic damage in long-term, irreversibly injured myocardium. In this study, the effects of the thromboxane synthetase inhibitor dazmegrel and the thromboxane receptor antagonist BM 13.505 on myocardial postischemic functional recovery and preservation of tissue adenine nucleotides was examined after a 15-minute episode of ischemia followed by 3 hours of reperfusion (myocardial stunning). Dazmegrel (3 or 8 mg/kg) or BM 13.505 (10 mg/kg) was given 15 minutes before coronary occlusion and compared with a control group in barbital-anesthetized dogs. Regional segment shortening (percent segment shortening, sonomicrometry), regional myocardial blood flow (microspheres), and coronary venous eicosanoid and high-energy phosphate levels (biopsies after 3 hours of reperfusion) were measured. Areas at risk, regional myocardial blood flow, and regional segment shortening during coronary occlusion were similar in all groups. Dazmegrel (3 mg/kg) attenuated the decrease in endocardial and midmyocardial adenosine 5'-triphosphate, and both doses significantly improved regional segment shortening during reperfusion. Coronary venous thromboxane levels were significantly decreased throughout the experiment in both dazmegrel-treated groups, and thromboxane levels were significantly elevated in the control group 3 hours after reperfusion. Prostacyclin, measured in the form of its main metabolite, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, did not change significantly in the control group throughout the experiment, but it was markedly increased in dazmegrel groups throughout reperfusion, particularly in the dazmegrel group receiving 3 mg/kg. BM 13.505 exerted no beneficial effects on postischemic function or metabolism. In conclusion, after a reversible ischemic insult, postischemic recovery of function and metabolic status was not enhanced by preocclusion treatment with a thromboxane receptor blocker, and thus, the beneficial effects of thromboxane synthesis inhibition on postischemic abnormalities was not due to a reduction in thromboxane but was the result of endoperoxide shunting and a subsequent increase in prostacyclin. Therefore, thromboxane does not appear to be an important mediator of reversible ischemia-reperfusion damage.


The importance of forests for human health and well-being is well documented in the literature. Forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services beneficial for human life both in urbanised and rural areas, from temperature regulation and air filtration to provision of food and medicinal plants. It is also well documented that forests are important arenas for recreation, aesthetic appreciation and stress relief for people, all of which are of high importance to the health of an increasingly urbanised population. Many of these positive effects that forests have on human health and wellbeing may be altered as a result of climate change and subsequent changes in forest structure and forest cover. The chapter shows that there is reason for concern about the possible changes in human health effects that may come with climate change. In tropical areas, many forest living people who rely heavily on forests in their household economies will be highly vulnerable to forest degradation. Increase in pressure on urban forests and their capacity to provide ecosystem services, reduced availability and quality of recreational areas and higher risk of exposure to vector borne-diseases are some of the effects discussed in this chapter.


Diversified IP services have recently required flexible and scalable edge routers to support advanced service functions such as IPsec VPN and application layer firewalls. However, those functions cannot be integrated into existing routers easily, and this prevents required routers from becoming available. A common forwarding model of backplane Ethernet for a router supporting separate control, line, and service cards is proposed in this paper. This model enables an open architecture router that has multivendor control, line, and service cards, where packets are forwarded among them based on a common method of backplane routing. It supports inline, host, and tap service cards. We propose an efficient forwarding decision-making algorithm in terms of the required speed and efficiency of table lookup and demonstrate that the method requires half the table lookup processing resources compared with those of a naive method


New opportunities for software-intensive system configurations are arriving on the market; these include cyber-physical, cyber-social, and cloud structures. Because of the convenience and cost-savings opportunities they offer, these capabilities and configurations will be adopted, most likely quickly and at large scale. Some of these configurations, however, have the potential to create (or already are creating) significant unintended problems and vulnerabilities. The author identifies a range of such unintended problems and vulnerabilities, and indicates the types of research and new insights that will be needed so as to allow society to obtain the benefits promised by these emerging opportunities.


I explored one aspect of social-ecological change in the context of an Alaskan human-Rangifer system, with the goal of understanding household adaptive responses to perturbations when there are multiple forces of change at play. I focused on households as one element of social resilience. Resilience is in the context of transition theory, in which communities are continually in a process of change, and perturbations are key points in the transition process. This case study of Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska, USA, contributes to the understanding of cultural continuity and household resilience in times of rapid change by using household survey data from 1978 to 2003 to understand how households adapted to changes in the cash economy that came with oil development at the same time as a crash in the caribou population and state-imposed limits on caribou harvests. The research illustrates that households are resilient in the way they capture opportunities and create a new system so that elements of the old remain while parts change.


The article presents a research project on identity politics in Europe. European National Museums: Identity politics, the uses of the past and the European citizen (EuNaMus, www.eunamus.eu) explores the creation and power of the heritage created and presented by European national museums. National museums are defined and explored as processes of institutionalized negotiations where material collections and displays make claims and are recognized as articulating and representing national values and realities. Questions asked in the project are why, by whom, when, with what material, with what result and future possibilities are these museums shaped.


For passive backscatter radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, the power incident on the radio frequency (RF) tag can be improved by applying transmit diversity. In this paper, we have demonstrated a new scheme, the phase difference method, in which the phase of the forward links of a multi-antenna monostatic backscatter system are aligned at the RF tag by compensating for the phase difference between different channels. It is shown that dynamic application of transmit diversity can increase the power delivered to the RF tag at multiple points, sequentially.


The gas metal arc is widely used in manufacturing industries because of the high metal deposition rate and ease of automation with better weld quality at permissible cost than other welding processes in joining similar and dissimilar metals. AISI 430 steel is normally difficult to weld by melting methods, due to the associated problems such as grain growth. For this purpose, AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel couples of 10 mm thick were welded by the synergic controlled pulsed (GMAW-P) and manual gas metal arc (GMAW) welding techniques. The interface appearances of the welded specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Structural changes in the weld zone were analysed by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (X-RD). Microhardness, notch charpy and tensile tests were conducted to determine the mechanical properties of specimens. Accordingly, the best result was obtained from the GMAW-P technique.


We describe the case of a healthy 28-year-old woman who underwent implantation of a posterior chamber, phakic, toric, implantable Collamer lens (ICL) in both eyes for correction of bilateral high myopia with astigmatism. On the first postoperative day the patient developed increased intraocular pressure (IOP) and a fixed, mid-dilated pupil in her left eye. The elevated IOP was corrected within 3 days by medical treatment. However, the pupil remained mid-dilated and nonreactive to both light and accommodative effort during 2 months of follow-up; there was no reaction to pilocarpine (0.125% or 4%) eyedrops. The patient was diagnosed with Urrets-Zavalia syndrome (UZS), which has been reported in association with ICL implantation only once previously.


: Multi-site study in Pakistan has studied Cryptosporidium spp., a traditional trigger for childhood runs first time. In hospitalized children < 6 years mature in diarrheal stools of Lahore, Multan, and Peshawar, microscopy, PCR-limitation polymorphism and sequencing for species verification and sub genotyping of small subunits (SSUs) rRNA, Cpgp 42/16 loci were dissected. Sixty out of 2,587 (3,8%) girls, 76% of whom were < 2 years of age, had microscopically chosen cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium hominis is found to be the more commonly separated species (56/68 youngsters), and in all fields sub-genotypes Ie, Ia, Ib and I'd is essential. Our current research was conducted at Mew Hospital, Lahore Pakistan from February 2018 to January 2019. An epically C. Vellore identified parvum sub-genotype, In A higher speed of cryptosporidium inspiration in Lahore's sizzling and dry atmosphere has been discovered by weather experiments.


The ecological significance of spacing among plants in contributing to the maintenance of species richness, particularly in tropical forests, has received considerable attention that has largely focussed on distance ‐ and density‐dependent seed and seedling mortality. More recently it has become apparent that plant spacing is also relevant to pollination, which often constrains seed production. While seed and seedling survival is reduced at high conspecific densities, pollination success, by contrast, is positively correlated to local conspecific density. Distance‐dependent mechanisms acting on pollination and seed production have now been described for a variety of plants, with relatively isolated plants or fragmented populations generally suffering reduced fecundity due to pollen limitation. Yet there is considerable variability in the vulnerability of plant species to pollination failure, which may be a function of breeding system, life history, the pollination vector, the degree of specialisation among plants and their pollinators, and other indirect effects of habitat change acting on plants or pollinators. As reduced tree densities and population fragmentation are common outcomes of anthropogenically altered landscapes, understanding how pollination processes are affected in such degraded landscapes can inform effective conservation and management of remaining natural areas.


Improved structural quality and radiative efficiency were observed in GaN thin films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on in situ-formed SiN and TiN porous network templates. The room temperature carrier decay time of 1.86 ns measured for a TiN network sample is slightly longer than that for a 200 μm-thick high quality freestanding GaN (1.73 ns). The linewidth of the asymmetric X-Ray diffraction (XRD) (1012) peak decreases considerably with the use of SiN and TiN layers, indicating the reduction in threading dislocation density. However, no direct correlation is yet found between the decay times and the XRD linewidths, suggesting that point defect and impurity related nonradiative centers are the main parameters affecting the lifetime.


Hemoperfusion through Amberlite XAD-4 resin column has been shown to effectively remove sedative-hypnotics, analgesics and other drugs causing acute intoxication. There is no appreciable clinical toxicity and dramatic shortening of coma time and possible decrease in mortality may be achieved. Thrombocytopenia and clotting may be diminished by pre-perfusion coating with 2.5% albumin. Albumin coating may facilitate the repeated use of hemoperfusion without any complications. More recently, resin hemoperfusion has been used for procainamide, N-acetylprocainamide and theophylline intoxication achieving exceptionally high clearance rates.


Many health conditions are caused by risk behaviors, such as problem drinking, substance use, and smoking. Health-compromising behaviors can be eliminated by self-regulatory efforts, and healthenhancing behaviors can be adopted instead, such as physical activity, weight control, and preventive nutrition. Literature review indicated the negative correlation between smoking and exercise, suggesting that smoking status has been positively associated with weight-loss intention, but negatively correlated with use of exercise. Additionally, smoking is negatively associated with readiness for participation in vigorous exercise. Research supports the fact that healthy diet can prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases and orthopaedic disorders. Facts indicate that if interventions foster exercise habits, this could facilitate transfer effects from one health behavior to the other. The aim of the study was to investigate the involvement of self-efficacy and attitudes on self-care health behaviors such as eating, smoking and exercise habits. The sample consisted of 185 cadets of the Greek Naval Academy (165 men, 20 women). They completed the Greek versions of the "Theory of Planned Behavior" and "Health Behavior" questionnaires. Results indicated that youngest cadets reported healthier habits than the older ones. More specifically, they were more positive oriented on eating healthier, and exercising, and more negatively oriented towards smoking. Overall, results shine for the first time some light on crucial and important aspects of prediction of intentions among healthy and unhealthy behaviors of military personnel.


In this study the relation between Myths of Nature and preferences for environmental risk management strategies is examined. It appeared that subscribers to the different Myths of Nature differed in their preferences for government regulation and market-oriented strategies to solve environmental problems. However, this relationship was only partially in line with Cultural Theory. The relationship between Myths of Nature and preference for behavioural solution strategy was as expected. Moreover, subscribers to the different Myths of Nature differed in the acceptability of behavioural and technological measures aimed at energy savings in traffic and transport. This relationship was more straightforward as expected.


Smart cities have gained widespread interests in the recent years. However, the understanding of the subject can differ among different smart cities' communities, particularly across the academia, industry, and government sectors. Similarly, the approach towards the realization of smart cities can vary from one city to the other, depending on their standpoints and perspectives. These are largely due to the subject matter at hand which is not only inherently interdisciplinary but also all-encompassing in nature, hence resulting in the wide heterogeneity in the treatment of the subject. The purpose of this paper is thus aimed to summarize the basic pertinent understanding of smart cities (in terms of "why", "what", "who", "when", "where") as well as to put forward the various key approaches in smart cities (in terms of "how"). From there, a smarter approach towards smart cities is then delineated taking into account the considerations of the government, providers and consumers in order to attain an overall win-win benefit for all the stakeholders involved. It is meant to be a short and concise paper for both practitioners and researchers, (1) who are in the field to gain a additional insight into the subject or (2) who are new in the field to get an introductory overview of the subject, so as to obtain a better understanding in the approach towards smart cities that is relevant to their individual context.


Industry Summary: As an alternative to counteract the increased feed costs, dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) have been increasingly included in pig diets. Much research has been conducted recently to evaluate growth performance and carcass characteristics associated with feeding DDGS to pigs. However, little is known about the potential effect of DDGS on the the susceptibility to infection or colonization with pathogens. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to determine if inclusion of DDGS in the diet of grow-finish pigs affects their susceptibility to or the intestinal levels and shedding of Salmonella. In experiment 1, 36 pigs (12 pigs/treatment) were assigned to 3 treatments: Control diet with no corn DDGS, diet with 20% corn DDGS, or diet with 40% corn DDGS. After an adaptation period of 2 weeks, each pig was inoculated with Salmonella and euthanized after 6 hours to determine their susceptibility to the challenge. In experiment 2, 40 pigs (20 pigs/treatment) were assigned to 2 treatments: Control diet with no corn DDGS or diet with 30% corn DDGS. After 2 weeks, each pig was inoculated with Salmonella; individual fecal samples were collected during 5 weeks, and pigs were euthanized at 3 and 5 weeks post-challenge to determine intestinal colonization. In experiment 1, no differences among treatments were observed on the susceptibility to Salmonella infection. In experiment 2, most pigs shed Salmonella at one of the fecal samplings during the study period, with control pigs having a higher cumulative shedding frequency than pigs receiving the diet with 30% DDGS. There was no difference between treatments regarding the average Salmonella fecal shedding level. Also, no difference between treatments was found on the frequency or levels of Salmonella in intestinal samples collected at 3 or 5 weeks post-challenge. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of corn DDGS does not alter the susceptibility to or colonization with Salmonella of grow-finishing pigs.


Around the world an increasing shortage of good governance seems to have taken hold. It manifests in the increasing shortfalls on the Sustainable Development Goals and in the worsening polycrisis of the Anthropocene. The UN Secretary-General urged the international community for more infusion of scientifically authoritative models into governance, as well as more collaboration and inclusion of scientists. That goal is not easily achieved in this age of rising kakistocracies.


In this numerical work, a Mach–Zehnder interferometer device with sample and reference arms composed of microstructured chalcogenide optical fibres with AsSe2 core and As2S5 cladding is presented to generate single and double pulses. An unchirped hyperbolic secant-shaped pulse with enough high peak power centered at 1958 nm wavelength and a continuous wave with a very weak power level at 2070 nm wavelength are simultaneously introduced into the sample arm, in which stimulated Raman scattering and strong cross-phase modulation induced by two co-propagating waves give rise to a significant phase shift for a continuous wave. In the reference arm, the continuous wave directly passes through the fibre, where the transmitted wave has a slight phase shift due to the influence of self-phase modulation. Therefore, at the output port of the configuration, the re-combined optical fields at 2070 nm wavelength have a significant phase difference. As a result, both single and double pulses caused by the optical interference at the output port are achieved by judiciously adjusting the phase difference which is mainly controlled by the peak power and temporal width of the input optical pulse, as well as the length of a microstructured optical fibre. In addition, both widths of the single pulse and spacing of the double pulses are directly dependent on the temporal width of the input pulse and the fibre length of the arm.


Silver staining is a useful means of demonstrating enteric neurons, and an absence of argyrophilic neurons has been proposed as a cause of functional intestinal obstruction in infants. No systematic data are available about the origin and development of argyrophilia, or of normal neuronal appearances. Specimens of colon from 48 infants and children (pre-term to 14 years) who had died of nongastrointestinal causes were studied by silver staining. Inter-sample variations in neuronal size, morphology and intensity of staining (strong, faint or absent) were seen: strong argyrophilia (n = 17), age range three days to eight years (median seven months); no argyrophilia (n = 19), pre-term to one year (median eight weeks); weak argyrophilia (n = 12) one day to 14 years (median eight weeks). Neurons in every preterm infant were argyrophobic, and argyrophilic neurons were always found in babies aged over one year. Where argyrophilic neurons were seen, argyrophobes outnumbered them (median ratio of 9:1). This study demonstrated considerable variability in the appearance and argyrophilia of colonic myenteric neurons in the first year of life. The data were consistent with the continuing post-natal development of the enteric nervous system in a manner analogous to the brain, and show the importance of age in the interpretation of silver-stained material from infants with pseudo-obstruction.


In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a well‐established model organism for the analysis of nervous system development and function, nerve processes can be labelled in the intact animal with markers based on the "Green Fluorescent Protein" (GFP). The generation of GFP variants with improved brightness and modified emission spectra potentiated the use of this marker for in vivo labelling of subcellular structures. This made it possible to label different groups of neurons and their axons in the same animal with GFP variants of different spectral characteristics. Here I show with double labelling experiments that spatial relationships of axons in small axon bundles can now be resolved at the light microscopic level. In the future this will largely circumvent the need for time‐consuming electron microscopic reconstructions to detect local defects in axon outgrowth. Furthermore, I demonstrate that neuronal processes can now be traced even in the head ganglia, an area of the nervous system that was previously almost inaccessible for analysis due to the compact arrangement of cell bodies and axons. Microsc. Res. Tech. 48:47–54, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Abstract The interannual variability of wintertime snow depth over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and related atmospheric circulation anomalies were investigated based on observed snow depth measurements and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was applied to identify the spatio-temporal variability of wintertime TP snow depth. Snow depth anomalies were dominated by a monopole pattern over the TP and a dipole structure with opposite anomalies over the southeastern and northwestern TP. The atmospheric circulation conditions responsible for the interannual variability of TP snow depth were examined via regression analyses against the principal component of the most dominant EOF mode. In the upper troposphere, negative zonal wind anomalies over the TP with extensively positive anomalies to the south indicated that the southwest-ward shift of the westerly jet may favor the development of surface cyclones over the T P. An anomalous cyclone centered over the southeastern TP was associated with the anomalous westerly jet, which is conducive to heavier snowfall and results in positive snow depth anomalies. An anomalous cyclone was observed at 500 hPa over the TP, with an anomalous anticyclone immediately to the north, suggesting that the TP is frequently affected by surface cyclones. Regression analyses revealed that significant negative thickness anomalies exist around the TP from March to May, with a meridional dipole anomaly in March. The persistent negative anomalies due to more winter TP snow are not conducive to earlier reversal of the meridional temperature gradient, leading to a possible delay in the onset of the Asian summer monsoon.


Among multiple ways of interpreting a machine learning model, measuring the importance of a set of features tied to a prediction is probably one of the most intuitive ways to explain a model. In this paper, we establish the link between a set of features to a prediction with a new evaluation criterion, robustness analysis, which measures the minimum distortion distance of adversarial perturbation. By measuring the tolerance level for an adversarial attack, we can extract a set of features that provides the most robust support for a prediction, and also can extract a set of features that contrasts the current prediction to a target class by setting a targeted adversarial attack. By applying this methodology to various prediction tasks across multiple domains, we observe the derived explanations are indeed capturing the significant feature set qualitatively and quantitatively.


The loss of the epithelial architecture and cell polarity/differentiation is known to be important during the tumorigenic process. Here we demonstrate that the brush border protein Myosin Ia (MYO1A) is important for polarization and differentiation of colon cancer cells and is frequently inactivated in colorectal tumors by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. MYO1A frame-shift mutations were observed in 32% (37 of 116) of the colorectal tumors with microsatellite instability analyzed, and evidence of promoter methylation was observed in a significant proportion of colon cancer cell lines and primary colorectal tumors. The loss of polarization/differentiation resulting from MYO1A inactivation is associated with higher tumor growth in soft agar and in a xenograft model. In addition, the progression of genetically and carcinogen-initiated intestinal tumors was significantly accelerated in Myo1a knockout mice compared with Myo1a wild-type animals. Moreover, MYO1A tumor expression was found to be an independent prognostic factor for colorectal cancer patients. Patients with low MYO1A tumor protein levels had significantly shorter disease-free and overall survival compared with patients with high tumoral MYO1A (logrank test P = 0.004 and P = 0.009, respectively). The median time-to-disease recurrence in patients with low MYO1A was 1 y, compared with >9 y in the group of patients with high MYO1A. These results identify MYO1A as a unique tumor-suppressor gene in colorectal cancer and demonstrate that the loss of structural brush border proteins involved in cell polarity are important for tumor development.


Aims: The current study aimed at comparing arm and forearm double tourniquet in terms of the onset and duration of analgesia, tourniquet pain, and the return of sensation and movement in distal upper extremity surgery. Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was performed on 70 patients who were candidates for distal upper extremity orthopedic surgeries. The patients were randomized into two groups of arm and forearm double tourniquet. The onset time and duration of sensory and motor blocks were recorded. The pain level was recorded by visual Analog Scale (VAS) after inflating the tourniquet every 15 min till the end of operation at 15, 30, and 45 min as well as every 30 min for 2 h (at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min.) and at 6, 12, and 24 h after deflating the tourniquet. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the data. Results: During 8–24 h after the surgery, the pain in arm double- tourniquet group was less than that in the other group (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the time to onset of sensory–motor block between the two groups (P > 0.05). The duration of sensory block in arm double tourniquet was longer than that in forearm double tourniquet group (P = 0.002). In addition, the duration of motor block in arm double tourniquet was also longer than that in forearm double tourniquet group (P = 0.001). The pain level was equal in both the groups at all times except for the time interval of 8–24 h after the operation in arm double tourniquet group. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in the pain level, and the time to onset of sensory–motor block was the same in both the groups as well. However, the duration of sensory–motor block was longer in the arm double tourniquet group, while no complication was found in either group. Conclusion: Both the techniques are applicable in hand and distal upper extremity surgeries provided that the surgical duration is not too long. Using forearm double tourniquet technique is preferable to arm double tourniquet, but the surgical duration should not exceed 60 min. That is because less amount of anesthetic drugs is needed in forearm double tourniquet technique, hence leading to a decrease in the potential side effects.


Stuck pipe is one of the leading causes of non-productive time (NPT) while drilling. Machine learning (ML) techniques can be used to predict and avoid stuck pipe issues. In this paper, a model based on ML to predict and prevent stuck pipe related to differential sticking (DS) is presented. The stuck pipe indicator is established by detecting and predicting abnormalities in the drag signatures during tripping and drilling activities. The solution focuses on detecting differential sticking risk via assessing hookload signatures, based on previous experience from historical wells. Therefore, selecting the proper training set has proven to be a crucial stage of model development, especially considering the challenges in data quality. The model is trained with historical wells with and without differential sticking issues. The solution is based on the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach. The model is designed to provide users, i.e., driller or monitoring specialist, a warning whenever a risk is identified. Since multi-step forecasting is used, the warning is given with enough time for the driller or monitoring specialist to evaluate which preventative action or intervention is necessary. The warnings are provided typically between 30 minutes and 4 hours ahead. The model validation includes the performance metrics and a confusion matrix. Practical cases with real-time wells are also provided. The ML model was proven robust and practical with our data sets, for both historical and live wells. The huge amount of data produced while drilling holds valuable information and when smartly fed into an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model, it can prevent NPT such as stuck pipe events as demonstrated in this paper.


During the irradiation of 1-acetylnaphthaline in the presence of c,d-substituted olefines with a cyclic amine as a donor different products were generated. The reaction pathways were monitored by NMR-spectroscopy and it was proved that the main products were generated by a Photo-Diels-Alder-reaction. The c,d-olefines are added head-to-tail with the donor substituent in endo-position to the remaining aromatic system. Their structures could unambiguously be proven by single crystal x-ray structure analysis. Furthermore their thermal and photochemical properties were investigated: the activation enthalpies and activation entropies for their thermal decompositions were investigated and during their irradiation in solution with light of 254 nm a Di- p -methane-rearrangement could be observed.


"This study investigates how context affects the perception of suprasegments, more specifically, lexical tone. Many studies have looked at context effects on the perception of segments; however, significantly fewer studies have examined context effects on suprasegments. Overlap among phonetic categories occurs at the level segments, and studies on the perception of segments have shown that listeners are able to perceive quite different acoustic structures as the same segments depending on the speaker. This process of perceptually compensating for differences among speakers is called speaker normalization. Given that overlap among phonetic categories occurs also at the level of suprasegments, it is quite plausible that normalization is required for the perception of suprasegments. ... The experiment in this study first looks at whether the problem of speaker variability affects tone perception, then it looks at how different semantically-neutral contexts affect tone perception"--Introduction.