The paper presents research carried out in order to obtain thermo-isolating and covering powder used in the Tundish of the continuous casting installations. This powder is made by using different types of waste originating in the iron and steel industry and in the energy industry, such as: thermal power-station ashes, furnace slag, B.C.A. scraps, limestone, black ash, fluorine, raw dolomite, graphite powder. The powder thus obtained must have a faster melting speed and a lower melting temperature; it does not make the steel impure or diminish the heat losses through radiation. An effect of applying the experimental results in industry, besides financial economies, is to obtain an accelerated integration of a technological process in companies, according to European Union requirements regarding the preservation of the environment.


Therapy of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) involves the use of a number of alternative targeted drugs that demonstrate high clinical efficacy, but at the same time, require substantial costs of the health care system.

Purpose of the study: cost-effectiveness assessment for axitinib and everolimus as a second-line target therapy in patients with mRCC.

Materials and methods: The assessment was carried out by minimizing costs and budgetary impact from the standpoint of the health care system based on the results of meta-analyzes of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The time horizont of study was 1 year.

Results: in accordance with the results of meta-analyzes of RCTs, axitinib and everolimus provide improved patient prognosis compared with sorafenib and do not significantly differ in terms of overall survival (HR = 1,3 [0,46–3,67]) and progression-free survival (HR = 1,09 [0,7–1,68]). At the same time, the manufacturer's maximum price for everolimus and the manufacturer's recommended price for inclusion in the list of vital and essential drugs for axitinib – the use of the latter will reduce the cost of treatment for the patient by 451,516 rubles. (20,2%) per year. Also, the treatment with axitinib was characterized by the best safety indicators (OR = 0,14 [0,05–0,38]), allowing to reduce the associated costs of the health care system for stopping adverse events. The results of the analysis of the impact on the budget demonstrated the possibility of achieving savings in the resources of the health care system with the inclusion of аxitinib in the restrictive lists of drugs, demonstrating savings of 640,51–778,82 million rubles (11,5–14,0%) based on the target patient population – 2,659 people per year. The results of the sensitivity analysis showed the sustainability of the obtained results of the minimization of costs and the budget impact of the fluctuation of the drugs cost evaluated and the volume of the target population of patients, as well as indicators of PFS.

Findings: Considering the results obtained, we can conclude about the clinical and economic advantage of axitinib in comparison with the everolimus and recommend it for inclusion in the list of vital and essential drugs.


A very significant gain in US national income can be realized through a more effective utilization of human resources, i.e., a gradual retirement system. A worker following a typical gradual retirement schedule can gain the equivalence of three more years in working lifetime. An econometric study shows that an aggregated average increase of one year in the working lifetime of each worker will produce a gain of well over 150 billion dollars annually in US national income. The gain is of sufficient magnitude to ameliorate the pending Social Security deficit as the baby boom generation approaches retirement. Employers would also gain from increased productivity, enhanced opportunities for innovation, and more effective utilization of productive capital on the factory floor.


Background and Aim: Salmonella enterica causes enteric disease in mammals and may potentially be transmitted from marine turtles that shed the pathogen in the environment. Marine turtle-associated human salmonellosis is a potential public health concern in Grenada, as the island supports populations of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) that interface with veterinarians and conservation workers, the local population, and the thousands of visitors that frequent the island yearly. To date, the prevalence of S. enterica has only been examined in a small subset of marine turtles in the Caribbean and no studies have been conducted in Grenada. The aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence of S. enterica in leatherback, hawksbill and green turtles in Grenada, characterize phenotypes and DNA profiles, and explore the potential risk to human health in the region. Materials and Methods: A total of 102 cloacal swabs were obtained from nesting leatherback turtles and foraging hawksbill and green turtles. Samples were cultured on enrichment and selective media and isolates were phenotypically characterized using serotyping, pulsed-phase gel electrophoresis, and antibiotic susceptibility. Enrichment broths were additionally screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using S. enterica-specific primers. Results: S. enterica was cultured from 15/57 (26.3%) leatherback turtles, 0/28 hawksbill, and 0/17 green turtles. This included S. enterica serovars Montevideo, S. I:4,5,12:i:-, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Newport, S. I:6,7:-:-, and S. I:4,5,12:-:-. Five/15 leatherback turtles carried multiple serovars. Eight pulsotype groups were identified with multiple clustering; however, there was no clear association between pulsotype group and serotype profile. Five/71 isolates showed resistance to streptomycin or ampicillin. Twenty-one/57 leatherback turtles, 14/28 hawksbill turtles, and 8/17 green turtles tested positive for S. enterica by quantitative PCR. Conclusion: Nesting leatherback turtles actively shed S. enterica and poses a risk for zoonosis; however, the presence of viable pathogen in green and hawksbill species is unclear. These findings help elucidate the role of marine turtles as potential sources of zoonotic S. enterica and provide baseline data for one health research in Grenada and the wider Caribbean region.


A technique is described for replacement of the entire thoracic aorta. In this "pull-through" technique, which utilizes hypothermic circulatory arrest, the graft is implanted in a retrograde fashion, thus providing protection for the spinal cord and brain and avoiding injury to the vagus and phrenic nerves.


Abstract Objective: To determine the prevalence of vegetarianism and compare food habits among vegetarian and omnivorous adolescents in Sweden and Norway. Design: Cross-sectional study by questionnaire in Sweden and Norway to gather information about food habits. Setting: The municipalities of Umeå and Stockholm in Sweden, and Bergen in Norway. Subjects: In total 2041 ninth-grade students (578 from Umeå, 504 from Stockholm and 959 from Bergen), mean age 15.5 years, were included. The response rate was 95% in Umeå, 91% in Stockholm and 83% in Bergen. Results: There was a significantly higher prevalence of vegetarianism in Umeå (15.6%) than in Stockholm (4.8%) and Bergen (3.8%). Vegetarians generally wanted more information about a healthy diet and vegetarian females ate dietary supplements to prevent deficiencies more often than omnivorous females (P < 0.01). The young male vegetarians more or less excluded animal products from their diet without changing their food frequency intake or modifying their dietary habits in other respects, while the young female vegetarians more often consumed vegetables and dietary supplements (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference between the intake of fruits/berries, alcoholic beverages, ice cream, sweets/chocolates and fast foods by vegetarians compared with omnivores. Conclusions: There were three to four times more vegetarians in Umeå than in Stockholm and Bergen. The food habits of the young vegetarians differed from those of omnivorous adolescents and also in some respects from previously published comparative studies of vegetarians' and omnivores' food habits. It is uncertain whether the health benefits shown in previous studies on vegetarianism will be experienced by this young generation of vegetarians.


Designers of Multi-Display Environments (MDEs) often use input redirection to allow users to manipulate content on multiple displays with a single interaction device, but users seated at sub-optimal positions (i.e., not facing the display) may find interaction difficult or frustrating. In collaborative MDEs, users should be able to choose their preferred collaborative arrangement, rather than adjusting to the limitations of the technology. We compare content and input redirection from a variety of seating positions in an MDE. Results from our studies show that content redirection does not suffer from performance loss in sub-optimal seating positions, as opposed to input redirection, which does. Content redirection provides a method for all members of a group to interact with shared content regardless of their position relative to a shared display.


The aims of this study were to identify differences in the initial skeletal morphology between successful and unsuccessful groups and to establish a novel method for predicting the final outcome of treatment with a maxillary protraction appliance (MPA) and chincap. The cephalograms used in this study were taken from 32 Japanese girls (mean age 10.2 years) with a Class III malocclusion at the beginning of treatment with an MPA and chincap (T1), at removal of the appliance (T2), and during the final post-treatment period (T3). The subjects were divided into two groups according to the treatment outcome at T3. Lower face height (ANS-Me), total face height (N-Me), ratio of face height (ANS-Me/N-ANS), maxillary position, mandibular plane and gonial angle at T1 were all significantly larger in the unsuccessful group, compared with the successful group. Discriminant analysis indicated that lower face height and gonial angle were significant determinants for distinguishing between the two groups at T1. From T1 to T2, while the anterior displacement of the maxilla was almost the same in the two groups, SNB decreased by 1.6 degrees in the successful group and 0.4 degrees in the unsuccessful group. After orthopaedic treatment, a second phase of treatment with a multibracket system was performed (T2 to T3). From T2 to T3, SNA increased by 0.4 degrees in the successful group and decreased by 0.7 degrees in the unsuccessful group. These results indicate that the vertical dimensions of the craniofacial skeleton are important for predicting the prognosis of skeletal Class III patients treated with a MPA and chincap and that the discriminant formula established in this study is effective in predicting the final treatment outcome.


The task of determining sun sensor placement on a spacecraft is generally performed manually, based on prior experience and similarity to previous designs. This type of manual process tends to be highly iterative, consumes valuable time and resources, and generally produces sub-optimal results. Because of blockage due to avionics boxes, solar panels, etc., there may be many locations on the spacecraft that are unsuitable as sensor locations. As the complexity of the spacecraft increases, this problem becomes increasingly difficult. This paper explores the solution of the multi-objective optimization problem that includes as constraints minimizing the number of sun sensors, providing continuous 4/spl pi/ steradian coverage, providing multiple sensor field-of-view overlap everywhere, and minimizing sensor blockage. The sun sensor placement problem is a difficult combinatorial optimization problem that cannot be solved to optimality in polynomial time due to the vastness of the solution space. Global search techniques that use a stochastic engine to explore diverse regions of the solution space (such as genetic algorithms) have been employed with great success against such problems. This paper examines the utility of implementing a sun sensor placement optimization tool using a hybrid genetic algorithm. This algorithm combines a genetic algorithm with another stochastic optimization technique known as simulated annealing. A candidate algorithm is presented, used to place sun sensors on a candidate spacecraft, and the results documented. The utility of the algorithm is assessed, and recommendations are made for additional enhancements that would increase algorithm performance and make the algorithm more suitable for actual applications.


Abstract. Soil organic carbon (SOC), as the largest terrestrial carbon pool, has the potential to influence climate change and mitigation, and consequently SOC monitoring is important in the frameworks of different international treaties. There is therefore a need for high resolution SOC maps. Machine learning (ML) offers new opportunities to do this due to its capability for data mining of large datasets. The aim of this study, therefore, was to test three commonly used algorithms in digital soil mapping – random forest (RF), boosted regression trees (BRT) and support vector machine for regression (SVR) – on the first German Agricultural Soil Inventory to model agricultural topsoil SOC content. Nested cross-validation was implemented for model evaluation and parameter tuning. Moreover, grid search and differential evolution algorithm were applied to ensure that each algorithm was tuned and optimised suitably. The SOC content of the German Agricultural Soil Inventory was highly variable, ranging from 4 g kg−1 to 480 g kg−1. However, only 4 % of all soils contained more than 87 g kg−1 SOC and were considered organic or degraded organic soils. The results show that SVR provided the best performance with RMSE of 32 g kg−1 when the algorithms were trained on the full dataset. However, the average RMSE of all algorithms decreased by 34 % when mineral and organic soils were modeled separately, with the best result from SVR with RMSE of 21 g kg−1. Model performance is often limited by the size and quality of the available soil dataset for calibration and validation. Therefore, the impact of enlarging the training data was tested by including 1223 data points from the European Land Use/Land Cover Area Frame Survey for agricultural sites in Germany. The model performance was enhanced for maximum 1 % for mineral soils and 2 % for organic soils. Despite the capability of machine learning algorithms in general, and particularly SVR, in modelling SOC on a national scale, the study showed that the most important to improve the model performance was separate modelling of mineral and organic soils.


This chapter links the failure of U.S. social citizenship ideals to a broader weakness in U.S. ideas citizenship. To better advance policies of economic equality, U.S. law and politics needs a stronger vision not just of economic equality, but of gender equality and of democracy in general. Feminist scholars have analyzed how ideas about gender help shape the common assumption that the costs of raising and sustaining capable, productive citizens are largely private family responsibilities. But ideas about gender also help to undermine egalitarian economic policy by subtly shaping a vision where civic virtue ironically includes the project of razing citizens: turning democratic citizens into pre-modern subordinates dependent on private power. I use the example of recent tax policy reforms focused on reducing the so-called marriage penalty to show how problematic ideas of gender, anti-citizenship, and economic inequality have become entangled and how these must be reconsidered together to promote a meaningful vision of equal citizenship.


The study uses firm-specific data in the biotech canola industry to empirically examine research spillovers among public and private firms at the level of research output, research sales revenue, and research social revenue. The non-pecuniary spillovers that are examined include basic research, human capital/ knowledge (as measured through other-firm expenditures) and genetics (as measured through yields of other-firms). The results provide strong empirical evidence of several research spillovers in the biotech crop research industry such as: basic and applied public research creates a positive spillover for private firms at all levels; applied expenditure within-group reduces other-firm revenue while between-group expenditure increases revenue; genetic spillovers within-group have a positive impact on yield but tend to have a negative impact on firm revenue.


Eutrophication is a worldwide phenomenon affecting the ecology of water bodies, yet little is known of the timing, magnitude and characteristics of the resulting change in highly calcareous (marl) lakes. This project aimed to fill this knowledge gap through the combination of multi- proxy palaeolimnological analyses (last few hundred years) and comprehensive limnological monitoring (2009, 2010) of three English marl lakes, Cunswick Tarn, Hawes Water, and Mal- ham Tarn. The specific objectives were to characterise the centennial-scale eutrophication response of macrophyte, microalgal and invertebrate communities, and to assess ecological status and reference conditions for the sites. Eutrophication-driven declines in macrophyte colonisation depth, diversity, and evenness have occurred in all sites. While such changes were expected in the most eutrophic site, Cunswick Tarn, relatively marked changes also in Mal- ham Tarn and Hawes Water evidence high ecological sensitivity. Detailed palaeolimnological analyses of Cunswick Tarn revealed not only gradual, but also rapid and dramatic change and importantly synchroneity in response across biological groups. Shifts in community composi- tion closely followed changes in marl deposition with (i) substantial increases over a decade in the early 1900s characterised by increases in charophytes, molluscs and plant-associated cladocerans, indicating a persistence of benthic pathways and high water transparency (ii) decreases around the 1920s, accompanied and followed by progressive increases in floating- leaved macrophytes, cyanobacteria and pelagic cladocerans. Stable isotope analysis of fossil resting eggs of Daphnia in Cunswick Tarn sediment appeared to indicate key changes in the balance between benthic and pelagic production through changes in both carbon uptake and patterns of Daphnia abundance and seasonality. Although marl lakes may initially buffer eutrophication through increased benthic production, key ecological changes identified early in the eutrophication process suggest marl lakes are as susceptible to eutrophication as other lake types. Near-complete collapse of their characteristic ecology is possible with moderate levels of enrichment.


Unfairness is one of the major problems in WMN as each node operates not only as a host but also as a router, forwarding packets on behalf of other nodes that may not be within the direct wireless transmission range of their destinations and thereby adding delay and affecting the throughputs of the node. Addressing end-to-end unfairness in wireless mesh network is necessary for the network to be scalable otherwise; the expected network scalability will not be met. The unfairness investigation shows that the end-to-end unfairness in a wireless mesh network will affect the network scalability. Modification to the network layer has been proposed to include an additional queue, a weighted fair scheduler and a classifier to separate locally generated flow from the relayed flows at each node. This will make the traffic flows from all the sources in the network to achieve equal throughput at the destination irrespective of the number of hops traversed. Another unfairness issues is also investigated at the MAC layer as a result of adopting existing single hop MAC protocol to be used in this multi-hop mesh network.


The achitecture of many hydraulic manipulators, such as excavators common in the earthmoving industry, have constraints on the net sum of actuator speeds. This paper gives the necessary conditions for minimum-time velocity commands for point to point motion. A kinematic model of the manipulator is used. The optimal solution is not always unique. We propose a particular optimal solution, u*, that is stationary. The optimality of inputs unequal to u* is evaluated by the position of u* in the input domain. Several examples are given to demonstrate the analysis.


Nowadays, renewable energy is becoming the most reliable way to generate electricity in exchange with non-renewable energy which commonly comes from coals and gases. This project is about development of double mini windmill with smart monitoring system. Thus, the project addresses the development of mini wind energy with monitoring system by using Arduino UNO as main microcontroller. For the project development, the voltage and current sensors are used to monitor the mini wind energy system's performance. The data logging shield board was used to allow the data collection system save in the micro-SD card. Data logger is a platform used to represent the data collection into Microsoft excel. Double mini windmill energy data collection was conducted to assess the wind energy performance through reading the data from the LCD of the monitoring system. The maximum power generated is 3.632W with 6.0m/s wind speed while the minimum power generated is 0.362W with 2.4m/s wind speed. The project was tested at Pantai Punggor, Batu Pahat, Johor on 9 June 2022 and 10 June 2022 while at the residential area Taman Universiti, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor the project implemented on 11 June 2022.


Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), with leads to oxidative stress in the gastric mucosa. GPX is one of human antioxidative defense system allows the elimination of excess ROS. A cross-sectional study was in 80 consecutive gastritis patients who came to the endoscopic unit of Adam Malik General Hospital and PermataBunda Hospital in Medan, Indonesia, from May–September 2017, to determine the difference of GPX serum level between positive and negative infected H. pylori. the diagnosis of gastritis used Histopathology. Rapid urease test for diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Serum samples were obtained to determined circulating GPX. It used Univariate and bivariate analysis (Mann Whitney U test). There were 50 patients (62.5%) infected with H. pylori. GPX levels in patients with positive H. pylori gastritis were lower than those of negative H. pylori but did not differ significantly. In conclusion, there were no significant differences in GPX level between positive and negative infected H. pylori patients.


In June 2012, Cambodia's prime minister issued an order on land titling that deployed student volunteers to survey and map the country's territory. Examination of this initiative at the theoretical intersections of mapping, mimicry and governmentality demonstrates the violent exclusions inherent in cadastral projects that restrict measuring and titling to only "productive" properties. In a field of speculation and local power the initiative dramatically refashioned the land to mimic in advance the expectations of the Map. The transformations altered land access and use in ways that told two stories about the power of the Map: "clear it or lose it" and "if you clear it, you can have it". Neither story was fully realized, but the land was transformed nonetheless.


Currently, the model is based on the Clinical Laboratory. It is a great centre that performs almost all of the techniques. Thanks to the automation of them. These laboratories receive samples from centres that often are some kilometers away. Time spent between collection and processing must be as short as possible and this is a requirement to care about in order to process the samples in optimal conditions. Transport logistic factor is essential to achieve the right balance between optimal quality of the specimens and efficiency in managing resources. Our laboratory attends 96 centres in an area of high population density and intricate road network. We considered planning the transport paths and timetables based on a branch of mathematics called Operations Research. The aim was to plan routes from and to the laboratory that covered the specimen transport with the shortest possible time. Material and Methods: In January 2012 we planned restructuring transport routes according to two methods applied to solve the TSP problems: the nearest neighbour method and the edge classified. Although these are not top methods, they are useful to control the time spent between the sample collection centre and the laboratory applying operational research methods. Results: We identified that 12% of the paths used excessive time to reach the laboratory (more than 90 minutes). These routes were modified applying the nearest neighbour method.


The prompt and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) greatly influences patient outcomes. However, diagnosing PE is one of the most difficult challenges confronting physicians, even more so when the clinical suspicion is addressed in children, during pregnancy, or in elderly patients. In these patient groups, symptoms and signs from concomitant conditions or diseases may mimic PE and make difficult defining clinical probability categories for PE as usually applied to general adult patients. Moreover, the diagnostic techniques show wider, specific limitations in these settings. PE is considered rare in children. The diagnostic management of a child with suspected PE is largely extrapolated from the knowledge achieved in adult patients. An increased risk of venous thromboembolism is reported in all trimesters of pregnancy and in the puerperium. An accurate diagnosis of PE in pregnancy has important implications, including the need for prolonged anticoagulation, delivery planning, and prophylaxis during future pregnancies, as well as concerns about future oral contraceptive use and estrogen therapy. Although incidence, morbidity, and mortality increase steadily with age, PE remains an underdiagnosed disease in elderly patients. About 40% of PE found at necropsy were not suspected antemortem. In the present article, challenges in diagnosing PE in children, during pregnancy, and in the elderly will be discussed, reviewing the available clinical, laboratory, and instrumental diagnostic strategies.


The current daily crude oil production in Nigeria stands at about 2.0 million barrels per day thus placing Nigeria as the 6th largest oil producing country in the world. Volumes of petroleum and its production wastes streams find their way into the inland waters and oceans. Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans including edible sea seaweeds and microalgae widely eaten as seafood, especially in Asia. "Seafood" is extended to fresh water organisms eaten by humans. Effects of petroleum exploration and production (E and P) activities on seafood are enormous and range from poor seafood health to extinction due to non-spawning and death as a result of pollution. Petroleum E and P activities and their influences on production and management of seafood in Nigeria is herein reviewed showing some field observations and research findings justifying the influences. The impacts of petroleum E and P activities on the production and management of seafood in Nigeria is partly due to non-integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) into petroleum E and P operations and partly due to non-enforcement of existing legal framework as a result of duplicity and overlap of functions of regulatory agencies and lack of political will power.

 Key words: Petroleum activities, seafood, environmental pollution, oil spills, regulatory framework.


Soluble classical-pathway C3 convertase and proconvertase were prepared from purified C4b-C2ox complex in the presence of Ni2+; the two complexes, stable for at least 15 h at 4 degrees C, were isolated by sucrose-density-gradient ultracentrifugation. The C3 convertase alone was able to cleave C3, and its decay was accelerated in the presence of C4-binding protein. The individual roles of Ni2+ and I2 treatment of C2 in the stabilization of the complexes seemed to be different and additive. 63Ni2+ binding coupled to h.p.l.c. analysis showed that 63Ni2+ bound only to the C2ox proteolytic fragment a (1 mol/mol) with a Kd of 26 microM. Competition studies between Ni2+ and Mg2+ indicated that only half of the Ni2+ bound to the C3 convertase was removed by Mg2+, whereas, in the same conditions, Ni2+ bound to C2ox proteolytic fragment a was not displaced, suggesting the presence of two sets of sites on the convertase. EDTA prevented the formation of both C3 convertase and proconvertase; EDTA had no effect on the preformed C3 convertase, whereas it dissociated the preformed proconvertase.


In the summer stratified temperate shelf waters of the Western English Channel, a subsurface
chlorophyll maximum (SCM) is typically observable within the seasonal thermocline. Surveys
were conducted in these summer (June/July) stratified waters from 2013 to 2016 investigating
SCM phytoplankton communities. A SeaBird CTD with fluorometer and Niskin rosette sampler
was routinely used to collect water column profiles and discrete water samples, and an
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measured current profiles. In 2013 SCM thin layers
(SCMTL; < 5 m thick) and broader SCM were studied in detail. SCMTL were detected in 18 of 52
profiles, typically characterised by higher maximum chlorophyll concentrations than broader SCM.
Water column structure and physical forcing governed SCM chlorophyll structure, with SCMTL
generally associated with a stepped thermocline and greater stratification. Community
structure within SCMTL was statistically distinct from that of broader SCM, proposed to result
from promotion of phytoplankton better adapted to conditions more specific to SCMTL
compared to broader SCM. Findings suggest that with more intense stratification projected for
the NW European shelf there may be increased prevalence of SCMTL and associated specialised
flora. In 2015, a digital in-line holographic camera (holocam) was deployed, the data from
which identified a transition of phytoplankton through the stratified water column, showed
how one taxon can be dominant over a small part of the water column, and provided evidence
of the SCM as a considerable source of carbon flux. Following methodological developments,
in situ holography has the potential to be powerful in the assessment of the phytoplankton
community on a large spatial and temporal scale, and as a tool for obtaining quantitative
carbon flux data. Primary production was also assessed in 2015, using a combination of 13C
incubation experiments and Fluorescence Induction and Relaxation (FIRe) measurements. The
SCM was estimated to account for, on average, 50 % of total water column primary production
and was identified as a key site of new production. Variation in the magnitude of water column
production was driven by changes in SCM layer production, which was governed by factors
including chlorophyll concentration, irradiance, and the photophysiology and structure of the
phytoplankton community, with increases in SCM carbon fixation associated with greater
contributions of red fluorescing nano-phytoplankton due to their enhanced light utilisation
efficiency. Greater percentages of these nano-phytoplankton generally coincided with stronger
stratification, which may have implications for our understanding of the relationship between
stratification and primary production. Finally, data from all four years was gathered to study
environmental controls of interannual variability in SCM chlorophyll and phytoplankton
community structure at one location in the Western Channel. Stability (given by the
instantaneous index of stability; IIS) and temperature were found to be key governing factors.
Changes in stability were related to interannual variation in SCM maximum chlorophyll, the 50
m:SCM maximum chlorophyll ratio, and proportions of red fluorescing nano-phytoplankton
and dinoflagellates within the SCM community. Changes in water temperature were
associated with interannual variation in SCM maximum chlorophyll and proportions of small
versus large diatoms within the SCM. These findings may have implications, in particular, for
the silica cycle, carbon export to depth and the microbial loop. Possible causes and
implications of all results, as described above, are discussed in detail within this thesis.


This paper proposes a general probabilistic setting that formalizes a probabilistic notion of textual entailment. We further describe a particular preliminary model for lexical-level entailment, based on document cooccurrence probabilities, which follows the general setting. The model was evaluated on two application independent datasets, suggesting the relevance of such probabilistic approaches for entailment modeling.


The distribution of glycine‐immunoreactive (glycine‐IR) neurons and their associated axon terminals in the rat cuneate nucleus was studied using antiglycine postembedding immunoperoxidase labelling and immunogold staining, respectively. The immunoperoxidase‐labelled glycine‐IR neurons were widely distributed in the entire rostrocaudal extent of the nucleus. They made up 30.8% (9671/31368) of the neurons surveyed. Quantitative evaluation showed that the percentage of glycine‐IR neurons in the caudal level was significantly higher than that in the middle and rostral levels. The glycine‐IR neurons were small cells (mean area=198±1.9 μm2, n=2862) with ovoid or spindle‐shaped somata. Statistical analysis showed that the size of the glycine‐IR neurons in the rostral level was significantly smaller than that in the middle and caudal levels. Immunogold labelled glycine‐IR terminals which contained predominantly pleomorphic synaptic vesicles were mostly small (mean area=1.24±0.03 μm2, n=286) and they constituted 24.7% (286/1158) of the total terminals surveyed. They formed axodendritic, axosomatic and axoaxonic synapses with unlabelled elements. It is suggested from this study that glycine is one of the major neurotransmitters involved in the depression of synaptic transmission in the cuneate nucleus.


This article distinguishes between a telic and a deontic version of Derek Parfit's influential Priority View. Employing the distinction, it shows that the existence of variations in how intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts should be resolved fails to provide a compelling case in favour of relational egalitarianism and against all pure versions of the Priority View. In addition, the article argues that those variations are better understood as providing counterevidence to certain distribution-sensitive versions of consequentialism.


Problem statement: Computer Tomography (CT) has been considered as the most sensitive
imaging technique for early detection of lung cancer. Approach: On the other hand, there is a
requirement for automated methodology to make use of large amount of data obtained CT images.
Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) can be used efficiently for early detection of Lung Cancer. Results:
The usage of existing CAD system for early detection of lung cancer with the help of CT images has
been unsatisfactory because of its low sensitivity and False Positive Rates (FPR). This study presents a
CAD system which can automatically detect the lung cancer nodules with reduction in false positive
rates. In this study, different image processing techniques are applied initially in order to obtain the
lung region from the CT scan chest images. Then the segmentation is carried with the help of Fuzzy
Possibility C Mean (FPCM) clustering algorithm. Conclusion/Recommendations: Finally for
automatic detection of cancer nodules, Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used which helps in better
classification of cancer nodules. The experimentation is conducted for the proposed technique by 1000
CT images collected from the reputed hospital.


Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Sexual Self- Efficacy Scale-Erectile Functioning (SSES-E) among university students. Method: 115 married male students of Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, were selected voluntarily, and completed the SSES-E. Results: The alpha chronbakh coefficient was calculated as α= 0.95 and for the five factors extracted, it was 0.82 to 0.91. Also, exploratory factor analysis using varimax rotation and with eagenvalues more than one, extracted five factors (having intercourse without fear or anxiety, keeping an erection during the intercourse, get a sexual encounter, reach to orgasm, and re-sexual desire) which explained 74.04% of the items variances. There was significant correlation between total score and five extracted factors. Furthermore, there was high sexual self-efficacy among 20 males and low sexual self- efficacy among 17 males. Conclusion: The clinical psychologists and family councelors can use and benefit the SSES-E to identify the male clients with erectile difficulties for training and treatment activities in clinical


In this paper the uncertainty of linear discrete-time systems with white stochastic parameters is considered in relation with the properties of mean-square stability and compensatability. A measure for the uncertainty in the system matrices is introduced. This measure is also a measure for the uncertainty in the system in the sense that stability and compensatability decreases if the system matrix uncertainty increases.


The use of residual stress measurements for the analysis of the performance of rolling bearings has become a common tool in the bearing industry. The effects of rolling contact fatigue on the development of residual stresses in the loaded zones of a bearing has been investigated in much detail. In this paper, the developments of the use of X-ray microdiffraction for residual stress measurements in bearings will be described. In microdiffraction, measurements are performed with very small irradiated spots. Advances in X-ray diffraction technology have made it possible to determine the residual stresses in loaded components in small areas with a high level of detail. The method and its consequences for bearing analysis is discussed in this paper. Using the method, much more information on the exact operation conditions of a bearing can be extracted from the components compared to conventional X-ray diffraction methods. Residual stress measurements using microdiffraction have been successfully applied in an application analysis case, where the measurements were used to show the residual stress development in the bearing surface during operation. In such a case, microdiffraction could also be used to investigate local bearing life limiting features, such as surface damages.


Growing number of intrusions into networked computers has raised concerns about computer security. Intrusion Detection Systems are important security tools, placing inside a protected network and looking for known or potential threats in network traffic and/or audit data recorded by hosts. In this paper particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to implement a feature selection, and support vector machine (SVMs) with the one-versus-rest method serve as a fitness function of PSO for classification problems from the literature. Experimental result shows that our method allows us to recognize not only known attacks but also to detect suspicious activity that may be the result of a new, unknown attack. Our method simplifies features effectively and obtains a higher classification accuracy compared to other methods.


Salmonellosis is the second most reported gastrointestinal disorder in the EU resulting from the consumption of Salmonella-contaminated foods. Symptoms include gastroenteritis, abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhoea, fever, myalgia, headache, nausea and vomiting. In 2018, Salmonella accounted for more than half of the numbers of foodborne outbreak illnesses reported in the EU. Salmonella contamination is mostly associated with produce such as poultry, cattle and their feeds but other products such as dried foods, infant formula, fruit and vegetable products and pets have become important. Efforts aimed at controlling Salmonella are being made. For example, legislation and measures put in place reduced the number of hospitalizations between 2014 and 2015. However, the number of hospitalizations started to increase in 2016. This calls for more stringent controls at the level of government and the private sector. Food handlers of "meat processing" and "Ready to Eat" foods play a crucial role in the spread of Salmonella. This review presents an updated overview of the global epidemiology, the relevance of official control, the disease associated with food handlers and the importance of food safety concerning salmonellosis.


Nanoelectronics is a fast developing ¯eld. Therefore understanding of the electronic transport at the nanoscale is currently of great interest. This thesis "Electronic transport through nanowires: a real-space ¯nite-difference approach" aims at a general theoretical treatment of coherent electronic transport in mesoscopic and mi-
croscopic systems by means of Green's function and mode-matching techniques. A general method has been developed for conductance calculations on the basis of the mode-matching technique within the real-space high-order ¯nite-difference scheme for representing a single electron equation. Testing of this real-space ¯nite-di®erence
approach for model systems has been done. This approach in combination with the density-functional formalism has been applied to the conductance calculations in nanowires. The stability of even-odd conductance oscillations in monatomic sodium wires with respect to structural variations has been investigated.


The gathering of people in a concentrated manner within particular spaces / places has become a serious issue during the COVID-19 pandemic period Mass gatherings of individuals seem to be investigated intensively by researchers both in these days and will be further in the forthcoming years Religion-oriented gatherings are of great importance because they have spiritual motivation for the ones who practice them For many participants, these gatherings are essential at least once in their life As is seen from its very nature, religious motivation is one of the most potent subjects to be considered in terms of mass gatherings Thus, as a useful example, the pilgrimage in Islam to Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia are the focus of this study The international movements and gatherings stemming from religious motivation are a point of discussion in terms of the precautions which should be taken Therefore, in this study, general information about these particular pilgrimages is provided, and the specific case of Turkey in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic is investigated within the scope of the precautions taken by the Turkish authorities The study was designed to present the publicly announced precautions organised by the official response to Turkish pilgrims by the Presidency of Religious Affairs © International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage


Shear wave elastography (SWE) has been used to measure viscoelastic properties for characterization of fibrotic livers. In this technique, external mechanical vibrations or acoustic radiation forces are first transmitted to the tissue being imaged to induce shear waves. Ultrasonically measured displacement/velocity is then utilized to obtain elastographic measurements related to shear wave propagation. Using an open-source wave simulator, k-Wave, we conducted a case study of the relationship between plane shear wave measurements and the microstructure of fibrotic liver tissues. Particularly, three different virtual tissue models (i.e., a histology-based model, a statistics-based model, and a simple inclusion model) were used to represent underlying microstructures of fibrotic liver tissues. We found underlying microstructures affected the estimated mean group shear wave speed (SWS) under the plane shear wave assumption by as much as 56%. Also, the elastic shear wave scattering resulted in frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients and introduced changes in the estimated group SWS. Similarly, the slope of group SWS changes with respect to the excitation frequency differed as much as 78% among three models investigated. This new finding may motivate further studies examining how elastic scattering may contribute to frequency-dependent shear wave dispersion and attenuation in biological tissues.


Using the DAMA/LIBRA anomaly as an example, we formalise the notion of halo-independence in the context of Bayesian statistics and quantified maximum entropy. We consider an infinite set of possible profiles, weighted by an entropic prior and constrained by a likelihood describing noisy measurements of modulated moments by DAMA/LIBRA. Assuming an isotropic dark matter (DM) profile in the galactic rest frame, we find the most plausible DM profiles and predictions for unmodulated signal rates at DAMA/LIBRA. The entropic prior contains an a priori unknown regularisation factor, β, that describes the strength of our conviction that the profile is approximately Maxwellian. By varying β, we smoothly interpolate between a halo-independent and a halo-dependent analysis, thus exploring the impact of prior information about the DM profile.


We investigate dynamic R&D for process innovation in an oligopoly where firms invest in cost-reducing activities. We focus on the relationship between R&D intensity and market structure, proving that the industry R&D investment monotonically increases in the number of firms. This Arrowian result contradicts the established wisdom acquired from static games on the same topic. J.E.L. Classification: C73, D43, D92, L13, O31


Eugenodilol, derived from natural eugenol, was first investigated with in vivo and in vitro models. In our in vivo study, eugenodilol (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/kg, i.v.) produced dose-dependent hypotensive and bradycardic responses in pentobarbital-anesthetized Wistar rats. Eugenodilol also inhibited the tachycardia and arterial pressor effects induced by (-)isoproterenol and phenylephrine, respectively. In our in vitro study, eugenodilol competitively antagonized (-)isoproterenol-induced positive inotropic and chronotropic effects and tracheal-relaxation responses on isolated guinea pig tissues in a concentration-dependent manner. The apparent pA2 values were 7.88+/-0.12 for right atria, 7.52+/-0.05 for left atria, and 7.33+/-0.15 for trachea, indicating that eugenodilol was a nonselective beta-adrenoceptor blocker. In thoracic aorta experiments, the apparent pA2 values of alpha-adrenoceptor blockade were 7.05+/-0.25 and 6.87+/-0.08 for eugenodilol and labetalol, respectively. In addition, eugenodilol produced cumulative relaxation responses on isolated guinea pig tracheal strips. The effects were competitively antagonized by ICI 118,551 (10(-8)-10(-6) M), a relatively selective beta2-adrenoceptor antagonist. In the radioligand-binding assay, the Ki values of [3H]CGP-12177 binding to rat ventricle and lung membranes were 9.72 and 48.29 nM, respectively, and the value of [3H]prazosin binding to rat brain membrane was 38.72 nM. These results further confirmed the alpha/beta-adrenoceptors-blocking activities of eugenodilol reported in the functional studies. We conclude that eugenodilol is a novel third-generation beta-adrenoceptor blocker with ancillary blocking activity at alpha-adrenoceptors and weak sympathomimetic activity at beta2-adrenoceptors.


To the Editor. —We found very interesting the article by Pines et al in the July 1986 issue of theArchives. 1 These authors show a high incidence of MVP (56%) in a group of 25 patients with PA. The MVP was diagnosed by M-mode echocardiography. Our group is currently investigating the cardiovascular abnormalities associated with PA. Up to now, 44 patients, 30 men and 14 women, have entered the study (mean age, 45 years). Test results for HLA-B27 were positive in 33.8% of our patients. Electrocardiography, M-mode and 2D-echocardiography, and pulsed Doppler test were performed. Preliminary data have already been shown at the 16th National Congress of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology. 2 M-mode echocardiography is not sensitive enough to evaluate mitral leaflet motion in MVP; 2D-echocardiography circumvents some of these problems and permits visualization of both mitral leaflets and subvalvular apparatus. 3 Thus, some authors have proposed this


In the workplace, emotional dissonance is the conflict between experienced emotions and emotions expressed to conform to display rules. This study is an empirical examination of the impact of emotional dissonance on organizational criteria and its moderation by self-monitoring and social support. Emotional dissonance was theorized to stimulate turnover intentions, either solely through job dissatisfaction or through both job dissatisfaction and reduced organizational commitment. Job dissatisfaction was found to be the sole mediator. Emotional dissonance resulted in job dissatisfaction, which, in turn, stimulated withdrawal intentions. Self-monitoring and social support exerted moderator effects, albeit in opposing directions. Emotional dissonance aroused feelings of job dissatisfaction and reduced organizational commitment among high self-monitors. In contrast, social support lessened the negative impact of emotional dissonance on organizational commitment.


The inflammatory response to the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii plays a central role in the respiratory failure associated with Pneumocystis pneumonia. To help ameliorate the inflammatory response, corticosteroids are used as an adjuvant to standard antimicrobial therapy. Corticosteroids, however, can have a wide range of effects (including deleterious effects) on the host immune response. To date, pathogen-specific antibody therapy has primarily been developed for both its direct antimicrobial activity (e.g., toxin and viral neutralization) and its ability to enhance the antimicrobial activity of the host immune response via effector cells, like macro-phages and neutrophils. In this issue of Infection and Immunity , Hoy et al. (Z. Hoy, T. W. Wright, M. Elliott, J. Malone, et al., Infect Immun 88:e00640-19, 2020, report on a surprising application of Pneumocystis -specific antibody therapy in treating disease by decreasing the inflammatory response. This effect appears to occur as a result of an enhanced phagocytic activity within the lung and an associated alteration in the macrophage phenotype. This study adds insight into our understanding of antibody activity and highlights the possibility of using antibody therapy to limit inflammation for other infectious diseases in which inflammatory damage plays a significant role in disease pathogenesis.


We test Hicks' induced innovation hypothesis (IIH) in U.S. agriculture using a state-level panel dataset of input prices and quantities for the period 1960-2004. A two-stage cost minimization model where decisions of research investment allocation predates those of input allocations is set forth. Parametric relationships between expected relative price change and input quantity allocation that represent technical changes are obtained distinctively from those between current relative price change and input quantity allocation, which represent general factor substitutions. Our model allows both for time-varying, non-neutral research costs across states and time while only requiring that unobserved trends in relative costs of research are equal among states. Considerable evidence for the IIH is found for three of six input pairs.


A consistent set of figures-of-merit is proposed for the standard characterization of spatial and quasioptical power-combined arrays. A new figure-of-merit, the effective transmitter power, is presented along with slightly modified definitions of standard figures-of-merit. The definitions of these figures-of-merit have been chosen to more directly compare the performance of spatial and quasioptical power-combined arrays with one another and with conventional circuit power-combined transmitters and amplifiers. >


Commercial surrogacy has gone global in the last decade, and India has become the international centre for reproductive tourism, boasting numerous high-quality and low-fee clinics. The growth of the surrogacy industry in India raises serious concerns of global gender justice, in particular whether the option is inordinately enticing for women who lack other remunerable options and whether the conditions are adequate and the compensation fair. In this paper I argue that the moral harm of global commercial surrogacy lies in the exploitative nature of transactions involving unequally vulnerable parties. More specifically, I argue that the practice exploits Indian surrogates on the basis of an inter-contractual failure of both justice and consent. I go on to consider an important objection to my use of exploitation as the relevant conceptual tool of analysis. The ethnographic challenge holds that the exploitation lens Occidentalizes surrogacy by conceptualizing the practice in universalizing terms, thereby eclipsing the particularities of the global surrogate's lived experience. I respond by showing that in fact the exploitation and the ethnographic models are not so at odds as they might seem. Provided we are careful in our use of the former to nuance our analysis by appeal to narrative evidence supplied by the latter, we are thereby best situated to identify and address the moral difficulties generated by commercial surrogacy under conditions of global injustice.


This paper presents the impact of mean maximum temperature on Chitral river basin situated at Chitral district and high altitude (>6000 m) peaks of the Hindukush range under changing climate in Pakistan. The analysis of Chitral River as one of the tributary of Kabul River—the second largest river of Pakistan—revealed that change in temperature has a profound influence on the snow/glacial melt in comparison to the mean monthly rainfall. This is because the studied river is faded by the snow and glacial melt and receives a lot of snowfall from winter (DecFeb) to pre-monsoon (April-May). In monsoon period (Jul-Sep), 30% of the time the discharge rate remains above the mean while 60% of the time the discharge is less than the mean in the pre-monsoon (April-May) period. It means that 10% of the time the discharge is in reach of 300% to 900% of the mean flow, showing a rise in water yield and river discharge rate due to increase in mean monthly maximum temperature. Due to this significant increase (p < 0.05), the glaciers start melting faster and disappear in early summer, hence, reducing their residency period to convert into ice. This shows the signals of changing climate transfer into hydrological changes in Pakistan. Our findings are important for agriculture, hydropower and water management sectors for future planning especially in dry season for sustainable food security and for operation of ydrological installations in the country.


Organizations in the West have to contend with an expanding Muslim workforce, an issue of considerable importance in contemporary workplaces. The dilemma of inclusion versus exclusion is often cloaked in a limited understanding of Islam in tandem with Islamophobia. Our core question is how can organizational practices enable inclusion for the Muslim workforce in the West? We initiate a timely and important dialogue through utilizing and developing a non-conventional approach of poetics, to investigate how organizational practices are embedded in relational space with implications for inclusion and exclusion. Our dual contribution is firstly to illustrate the use of poetics to understand Islam in the West and, secondly, we argue for the use of a multiplicity of discourses and discuss theoretical implications for human relations through thoughtful reflections of Islam. We suggest a nuanced perspective that values heterogeneity, to unfold dialogic engagement and enable organizational practices of inclusion.


Sphingolipids are a class of complex lipids containing a backbone of sphingoid bases, namely the organic aliphatic amino alcohol sphingosine (Sph), that are essential constituents of eukaryotic cells. They were first described as major components of cell membrane architecture, but it is now well established that some sphingolipids are bioactive and can regulate key biological functions. These include cell growth and survival, cell differentiation, angiogenesis, autophagy, cell migration, or organogenesis. Furthermore, some bioactive sphingolipids are implicated in pathological processes including inflammation-associated illnesses such as atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (namely Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), type II diabetes, obesity, and cancer. A major sphingolipid metabolite is ceramide, which is the core of sphingolipid metabolism and can act as second messenger, especially when it is produced at the plasma membrane of cells. Ceramides promote cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. However, ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P), the product of ceramide kinase (CerK), and Sph 1-phosphate (S1P), which is generated by the action of Sph kinases (SphK), stimulate cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis. Recently, C1P has been implicated in the spontaneous migration of cells from some types of cancer, and can enhance cell migration/invasion of malignant cells through interaction with a Gi protein-coupled receptor. In addition, CerK and SphK are implicated in inflammatory responses, some of which are associated with cancer progression and metastasis. Hence, targeting these sphingolipid kinases to inhibit C1P or S1P production, or blockade of their receptors might contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies to reduce metabolic alterations and disease.


Exposure to toxic levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) produces an acute cardiac depression that can be rapidly fatal. We sought to characterize the time course of the cardiac effects produced by the toxicity of H2S in sheep, a human sized mammal, and to describe the in vivo and in vitro antidotal properties of methylene blue (MB), which has shown efficacy in sulfide intoxicated rats. Infusing NaHS (720 mg) in anesthetized adult sheep produced a rapid dilation of the left ventricular with a decrease in contractility, which was lethal within about 10 min by pulseless electrical activity. MB (7 mg/kg), administered during sulfide exposure, maintained cardiac contractility and allowed all of the treated animals to recover. At a dose of 350 mg NaHS, we were able to produce an intoxication, which led to a persistent decrease in ventricular function for at least 1 h in nontreated animals. Administration of MB, 3 or 30 min after the end of exposure, whereas all free H2S had already vanished, restored cardiac contractility and the pyruvate/lactate (P/L) ratio. We found that MB exerts its antidotal effects through at least 4 different mechanisms: (1) a direct oxidation of free sulfide; (2) an increase in the pool of "trapped" H2S in red cells; (3) a restoration of the mitochondrial substrate-level phosphorylation; and (4) a rescue of the mitochondrial electron chain. In conclusion, H2S intoxication produces acute and long persisting alteration in cardiac function in large mammals even after all free H2S has vanished. MB exerts its antidotal effects against life-threatening sulfide intoxication via multifarious properties, some of them unrelated to any direct interaction with free H2S.


Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been applied to treat premalignant and malignant lesions such as actinic keratosis and non-melanoma skin cancer. A limiting factor of the technique is cream permeation and studies using chemical and physical approaches to overcome it have increased over the years. This chapter is going to explore the main techniques described in the literature used to improve the cream permeation or the photosensitizer (PS) distribution concerning homogeneity. Outcomes-based on animal studies and clinical trials comparing different delivery techniques are going to be presented, highlighting the aspects of invasiveness, costs, harmfulness, and effectiveness of those methods.


Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and the Critical Path Method (CPM) are used primarily in industrial settings to manage the efficiency and cost effectiveness of projects. Simultaneous use of these approaches can be applied to planning nursing inservice programs, seminars and workshops.


ABSTRACT Sealey, K.S. and Patus, J., 2015. Resources, methods, and effort associated with ESI mapping of the Bahamian archipelago for Great Exuma, Bahamas. With the expanding exploration and transportation of petroleum products through Bahamian waters, a growing gap in coastal protection is an Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) mapping dataset of the entire archipelago. The resources required for coastal classification, ranking, and GIS mapping for one island, Great Exuma, are documented as a cost-effective methodology to protect all Bahamian shorelines. The ESI mapping follows international conventions for oil spill response planning, but because of the lack of a national coastal management structure, a relational database was developed to bring together field photographs, geology, and wildlife occurrence information to initiate the mapping process. The final product for Great Exuma was 13 ESI maps for one island environs, each map covering about 120 square km. The ESI mapping requires three types of expertise: (1) GIS (ESRI ArcMap 10.2) and relational database (Microsoft Access) expertise; (2) coastal ecology and geomorphology expertise; and (3) local resource management and natural history expertise. After initial field work of 14 days on the island, the GIS and coastal classification datasets required about 5 weeks for compilation. The datasets are dynamic and can be updated as new information becomes available. The ESI maps and coastal classification database are easily shared and revised moving forward. The process could be facilitated by the participation of citizen scientists to contribute photographs and local reports on status and changes to coastal resources. The overall ESI mapping product can provide a valuable management tool not only for oil spill response but for better integrated coastal zone management.


INTRODUCTION: The aim of the development of work strategies and perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis protocols is to decrease postsurgical infections. A pharmacoeconomic assessment of three therapeutical options for above mentioned prophylaxis in Orthopedic Service during 2001 changed the antimicrobial policy, and the application of a performance protocol. OBJECTIVE: To know the impact of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in Orthopedic and Traumatology Service of "Dr. Luis Diaz Soto" Higher Institute of Military Medicine during 2000-2006. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional, retrospective and descriptive study based on design of drugs use study with a therapeutical scheme and practical consequences. Protocol fulfillment was assessed by individual pharmacologic profile. Consumption evolution, antibiotic expense, and postoperative infection behaviors, bacterial resistance, and microbiological map were assessed by means of the trend analysis. RESULTS: Protocol fulfillment was appropriate in 90, 8 % of patients. Main violations were related to treatment length. There was an increment in Cefazolin consumption (from 0,10 DDD in 2000 to 0,71 DDD in 2006); in the remainder antibiotics, trend decreased. There was an expense increment by Cefazolin ($ 3 536, and 2006 of $ 41 942). Trend of infection rate in surgical site showed a decrease in all the localizations, whereas the bacterial resistance in 2000 was of a 56 %, and decreased in 2006 to a 48 %. CONCLUSIONS: Impact of application of perioperative prophylaxis protocol was positive, achieving a high level of fulfillment. The proper fulfillment of antibiotic prophylaxis standard with Cefazolin allowed a decreasing trend in antibiotic consumptions and expenses. Infection in surgical site and the bacterial resistance showed the same decreasing trend and a positive correlation.


Subsurface Charge Accumulation imaging is a cryogenic scanning probe technique that has recently been used to spatially probe incompressible strips formed in a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) at high magnetic fields. In this paper, we present detailed numerical modeling of these data. At a basic level, the method produces results that agree well with the predictions of models based on simple circuit elements. Moreover, the modeling method is sufficiently advanced to simulate the spatially resolved measurements. By comparing directly the simulations to the experimentally measured data, we can extract quantitatively local electronic features of the 2DES. In particular, we deduce the electron density of states inside the incompressible strips and electrical resistance across them.


We have hypothesized that most cases of aphasia or hemispatial neglect due to acute, subcortical infarct can be accounted for by concurrent cortical hypoperfusion. To test this hypothesis, we demonstrate: (i) that pure subcortical infarctions are associated with cortical hypoperfusion in subjects with aphasia/neglect; (ii) that reversal of cortical hypoperfusion is associated with resolution of the aphasia; and (iii) that aphasia/neglect strongly predicts cortical ischaemia and/or hypoperfusion. We prospectively evaluated a consecutive series of 115 patients who presented within 24 h of onset or progression of stroke symptoms, with MRI sequences including diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and perfusion weighted imaging (PWI), and detailed testing for aphasia or hemispatial neglect. The association between aphasia or neglect and cortical infarct (or dense ischaemia) on DWI and cortical hypoperfusion indicated by PWI, was evaluated with chi-squared analyses. Fisher exact tests were used for analyses with small samples. Cases of DWI lesion restricted to subcortical white matter and/or grey matter structures (n = 44) were examined for the presence of aphasia or neglect, and for the presence of cortical hypoperfusion. In addition, subjects who received intervention to restore perfusion were evaluated with DWI, PWI, and cognitive tests before and after intervention. Finally, the positive predictive value of the cognitive deficits for identifying cortical abnormalities on DWI and PWI were calculated from all patients. Of the subjects with only subcortical lesions on DWI in this study (n = 44), all those who had aphasia or neglect showed concurrent cortical hypoperfusion. Among the patients who received intervention that successfully restored cortical perfusion, 100% (six out of six) showed immediate resolution of aphasia. In the 115 patients, aphasia and neglect were much more strongly associated with cortical hypoperfusion (chi(2) = 57.3 for aphasia; chi(2) = 28.7 for neglect; d.f. = 1; P < 0.000001 for each), than with cortical infarct/ischaemia on DWI (chi(2) = 8.5 for aphasia; chi(2) = 9.7 for neglect; d.f. = 1; P < 0.005 for each). Aphasia showed a much higher positive predictive value for cortical abnormality on PWI (95%) than on DWI (62%), as did neglect (100% positive predictive value for PWI versus 74% for DWI). From these data we conclude that aphasia and neglect due to acute subcortical stroke can be largely explained by cortical hypoperfusion.


Reduced green open areas and forests in upstream of Beringin watershed areas is affect the run-off, so it is possible resulting in increased surface run-off, decreased time of concentration, and at the same time a decrease in groundwater recharge. Thus the flow in the rainy season will tend to rise and discharge will decrease in the dry season. Comparison of river's Qmax (usually in the rainy season) and Qmin (in the dry season) is very large. The greater the ratio of river's Qmax to Qmin, indicating the further degradation of the watershed. Upstream areas in the South is quite hilly with steep slopes, with a height of 12.5 m to 250 m. The issue of Beringin River originated from land use change in the uplands, especially on open land (forest, shrubs, and farm or agricultural) into housing and settlement, causing flooding in the watershed  Beringin. To calculate the average maximum rainfall-average using Thiessen polygon method with three rainfall stations that affect which is the Mijen, Tugu, and Mangkang Waduk. Rainfall data were used from 2003 till 2012, while the flood discharge plans taken from the calculation method of HSS Gama I  with a return period of 10 years at 180.59 m3/s. Normalization is planned in the main river along the 7.18 km, from the estuary (STA 0) to the arround Mangkang regency (STA 23). Varying the width of the river is 14 m of STA 0 to STA 8, 12 m of STA 9 to STA 19, and 10 m of STA 20 to STA 23 with the same slope at 1: 1.5. This cross section plan has previously been simulated with HEC-RAS 3.1.3 program and the results was they were able to accommodate discharge plan that occurs. Safety height of 0.6 m was added in each cross section above the water level of the river. Revetments also added to the bend of the river in STA 22-23 with a length of 200 m and a height of 4m. This project implementation is scheduled for 28 weeks with a budget plan of of Rp 16,881,359,000.00.


We present a solution to McCarthy's Second Telephone Number Problem. This problem requires an agent to: realize that it lacks some knowledge to complete a task; know the external knowledge sources it can use to obtain the knowledge; know how to obtain the missing knowledge from those sources; actually obtain the missing knowledge; and use the obtained knowledge to complete the task. We explain how a SNePS-based agent solves the problem, and the features of SNePS and the GLAIR architecture that facilitate the solution. These features include: the integration of reasoning and acting; the ability to reason about actions; and the ability to represent and reason about the knowledge contained in external knowledge sources. This latter feature is accomplished through the process of grounding of symbols of the knowledge representation in symbols of an external language.


Candida albicans exists as a commensal in healthy adults but is one of the most common causes of fungal infections in the United States. Candida is known to form biofilms (highly organized networks of cells adherent to a surface) on foreign devices and host tissues; infections associated with these structures are associated with increased virulence and drug resistance. However, the in vitro methods of growth and quantification used to assess these characteristics are poorly standardized. In vitro studies suggest minor alterations in growth conditions can drastically affect resultant structures. This project seeks to determine the best methods for biofilm growth and analysis. Utilizing these methods, this study examines whether biofilm production of clinical Candida albicans isolates varies based on conditions of clinical collection, namely the presence or absence of a urinary or bloodstream catheter at time collection and clinical collection site. Additionally, the relationship between extent of biofilm production and antifungal susceptibility will be examined. Eighteen bloodstream (n=10) or urine (n=8) clinical isolates, with (n=9) and without (n=9) a catheter present, will be exposed to urinary catheters and allowed to grow. Resultant biofilm will be quantified using four reported methods: biomass by crystal violet and dry weight, and metabolic activity of free-floating (planktonic) and adherent (sessile) cells, separately. Sessile bioactivity was the most reliable of tested methods, and dry weight was the least. Methods of quantification did not correlate well. Based on reproducibility and correlation, crystal violet and sessile metabolic activity, used together, provide a good indication as to the extent of biofilm production of clinical isolates. Biofilm production did not vary for isolates based on catheter presence or clinical site at time of collection, suggesting biofilm is capable of forming under many clinical conditions. Antifungal susceptibility testing of adherent biofilms showed increased minimum inhibitory concentrations to amphotericin B and fluconazole, with minor increases for caspofungin. There was no difference in drug susceptibility by catheter association or collection site. Biofilm susceptibility is warranted in the clinic; however, quantification methods described here are both labor- and time-consuming. Future studies are needed to develop new methods of quantification.


Abstract. Global wind profile measurement has for long been a first priority for numerical weather prediction. The demonstration from ground-based observations that a double-edge Fabry-Perot interferometer could be efficiently used for deriving wind profiles from the molecular scattered signal in a very large atmospheric vertical domain has led to the choice of the direct detection technique in space and the selection of the Atmospheric Dynamic Mission (ADM) Aeolus by ESA in 1999. ADM-Aeolus was successfully launched in 2018, after the technical issues raised for the lidar development have been solved, providing first global wind profiles from space in the whole troposphere. Simulated and real time assimilation of the projected horizontal wind information were able to confirm the expected improvements in forecast score, validating the concept of a wind profiler using a fixed line-of-sight lidar from space. The question is raised here about consolidating results gained from ADM-Aeolus mission with a potential operational follow-on instrument. Maintaining the configuration of the instrument as close as possible to the one achieved (UV emission lidar with a single slanted line-of-sight) we revisit the concept of the receiver by replacing the arrangement of the Fizeau and Fabry-Perot interferometers with a unique Quadri-channel Mach-Zehnder (QMZ) interferometer which relaxes the system operational constraints and extends the observation capabilities to recover the radiative properties of clouds. This ability is meeting first and second profiling priorities of the meteorological forecasting community on atmospheric dynamics and radiation. We discuss the optimization of the key parameters that may preside to the selection of a high performance system. The selected optical path difference (3.2 cm) of the QMZ leads to a very compact design allowing the realization of a high quality interferometer and offering a large field-angle acceptance. Performance simulation of horizontal wind speed measurements with different backscatter profiles shows results in agreement with the targeted ADM-Aeolus random errors, using an optimal 45° line-of-sight angle. The Doppler measurement is, from principle, unbiased by the atmospheric conditions (temperature, pressure, particle scattering) and only weakly affected by the instrument calibration errors. The study of the random systematic errors arising from the uncertainties in the instrumental calibration and in the modelled atmospheric parameters used for the backscatter analysis shows a limited impact under realistic conditions. The particle backscatter coefficients can be retrieved with uncertainties better than a few percent in the boundary layer and in semi-transparent clouds. Extinction coefficients and depolarization ratio can be derived accordingly.


An investigation has been made to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of the NACA 4-(5)(05)-041 four-blade, single-relation propeller and the NACA 4-(5)(05)-037 six- and eight-blade, dual-rotation propellers in combination with various spinners and NACA d-type spinner-cowling combinations at Mach numbers up to 0.84. Propeller force characteristics, local velocity distributions in the propeller planes, inlet pressure recoveries, and static-pressure distributions on the cowling surfaces were measured for a wide range of blade angles, advance ratios, and inlet-velocity ratios. Included are data showing: (a) the effect of extended cylindrical spinners on the characteristics of the single-rotation propeller, (b) the effect of variation of the difference in blade angle setting between the front and rear components of the dual-rotation propellers, (c) the negative- and static-thrust characteristics of the propellers with 1 series spinners, and (d) the effects of ideal- and platform-type propeller-spinner junctures on the pressure-recovery characteristics of the single-rotation propeller-spinner-cowling combination.


BACKGROUND
Limited experience is available on the feasibility and efficacy of autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) beyond 65 years.

DESIGN AND METHODS
We analysed 712 patients with MCL treated with ASCT from 2000 to 2007 and reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation registry. Patients >65 years were compared with patients <65 years for the end points non-relapse mortality (NRM), relapse incidence, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS
Seventy-nine patients were ≥65 years old. Median time from diagnosis to ASCT was longer in the elderly patients (11 versus 9 months, P=0.005); they had more commonly received at least two treatment lines (62.0% versus 47.9%, P=0.02) and were less commonly in first complete remission at ASCT (35.4% versus 51.2%, P=0.002). Median follow-up after ASCT was 19 and 25 months, respectively. NRM was comparable at 3 months (3.8% versus 2.5%) and at 5 years (5.6% versus 5.0%). There were no differences in relapse rate (66% versus 55% at 5 years), PFS (29% versus 40%) and OS (61% versus 67%) between both populations of patients.

CONCLUSIONS
ASCT beyond 65 years of age is feasible in selected patients with MCL and results in similar disease control and survival as in younger patients.


The purpose of this subject guide is to highlight the important intellectual resources on Radiology including books, eBooks, journals, databases, apps, websites, etc.


Levels of antibodies to six major structural proteins of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (gp120, gp41, p66, p31, p24, and p17) were assessed in serial samples from 22 persons with severe hemophilia (16 asymptomatic and 6 who developed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [AIDS] or AIDS-related complex) with an automated dot blot assay using purified recombinant antigens. High and sustained levels of antibody to gp120, gp41, and p31 were found in all patients irrespective of their clinical condition for 4 to 6 years after seroconversion. In contrast, immune response to p66 and p17 was significantly lower in symptomatic patients. Over time, the levels of these two antibodies, as well as anti-p24, decreased and tended to become undetectable. Abnormal immune response and low levels of antibody to p66 and p17 are early indications of rapid clinical progression.


Mood disorders are amongst the most prevalent and disabling conditions worldwide. There is increasing evidence for the involvement of disrupted circadian rhythms in mood disorders. The mechanism of associations between circadian dysfunction and mood disorders are complex and not fully understood. This thesis explores the influence of genetic variation of circadian function on mood disorder-related phenotypes within two relatively large cohorts, ALSPAC (N=8,100) and UK Biobank (N=500,000). I investigated genetic variants associated with different features of circadian function and how genetic loading for these common variants was associated with risk of mood disorders and related traits. To my knowledge, this is the first application of circadian polygenic risk scores to investigate mood disorder risk. Both a priori candidate gene profile risk scores (CACNA1C) and polygenic risk scores (PRS) were used to investigate the relationship between the genetics of circadian function and mood disorder-related phenotypes. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out to identify common variants associated with circadian rest/activity rhythmicity and to assess genetic correlation with mood disorders. Mendelian randomisation was used to assess the direction of the relationship between circadian dysfunction and mood disorders. Chronotype polygenic risk scores (specifically 'eveningness' PRS) were associated with increased risk of bipolar disorder in UK Biobank and with hypomanic features in ALSPAC. The GWAS of low relative amplitude (a measure of circadian rest/activity rhythmicity) identified several associated variants and these variants were used to create a PRS for low relative amplitude. Increased PRS for low relative amplitude was associated with mood instability in UK Biobank. There are limitations to the population cohorts used in these analyses. They may be under-representative of individuals with clinically-diagnosed mood disorders. Also, the mood phenotypes tested were based on self-report which could be vulnerable to response biases. The polygenic risk scores had small but significant effects on the mood disorder phenotypes investigated. This work identified associations between genetic variation of circadian function and mood disorder-related phenotypes in both ALSPAC and UK Biobank. With expansion, development and replication, PRS of circadian function could
inform treatment stratification approaches for mood disorders. This thesis also suggests a need for further investigation of the underlying biology of circadian function and how this relates to the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Strengths to this thesis include the large sample sizes of the cohorts. The actigraph data obtained from UK Biobank allowed for the largest GWAS of rest/activity rhythmicity to date. The extensive self-report and interview-based data available in UK Biobank also provide a breadth of mood disorder-related phenotypes to investigate. As this is one of the first examples of using circadian polygenic risk scores to investigate the underlying pathophysiology of mood disorders this work requires replication in other population cohorts. It would also be of interest to test these risk scores within clinical populations and assess the extent to which they may support clinical management decisions.


Previous studies showed that symptoms of oesophageal motor disorders can be misinterpreted as indicating anorexia nervosa and that in primary anorexia nervosa gastric motility is frequently impaired. We investigated in 32 women with bulimia nervosa whether symptoms of oesophageal motor disorders could be obscured by or be mistaken as forming part of bulimic behaviour, and whether impaired gastric motility was frequent as well. Oesophageal motility was normal in 18 of 26 patients studied, another four had incomplete lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation. Two patients had vigorous achalasia and each one achalasia and diffuse oesophageal spasm, all of whom experienced two types of vomiting: one self-induced and one involuntary, in which the vomit was non-acidic and tasted as the preceding meal. Gastric emptying of a semisolid meal was studied in all patients except of the eight with oesophageal motor abnormalities. Emptying was significantly slower than in healthy controls and grossly delayed in nine of 24 patients. Antral contraction amplitudes were lower and increased less postcibally than in controls. In conclusion (i) bulimic behaviour can obscure symptoms of oesophageal motor disorders and (ii) gastric emptying is frequently delayed in bulimia nervosa.


The increase in energy prices between 2004 and 2007 has several potential consequences for aggregate agriculture in the U.S. We estimate the derived input demand elasticities for energy as well as capital, labor, and materials using the differential supply formulation. Given that the derived input demand for energy is inelastic, it is more price-responsive than the other inputs. The results also indicate that the U.S. aggregate agricultural supply function is responsive to energy prices.


: The incidence of HBs Ag carrier is high in Africa. The HBs Ag subtypes vary in 5 mean areas of the Africa continent. The subtype ayw4(a3) is the most characteristic African subtype, being found with a striking frequency in West Africa (88.8%). In North Africa ayw2(a21) is predominant as in other mediterranean countries. In Saharan area mixed types of HBs Ag are found, intermediary between North and West Africa. In Central Africa y is predominantly associated with w2(a21) or with w4(a3). In east and South Africa ad is largely predominant and the most widespread subtype is adw2(a21). No adr, nor adw4 were found in Africa.


Finite-source rupture models for the great 11 March 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku (Mw 9.0) Earthquake obtained by inversions of seismic waves and geodetic observations are used to reconstruct deep-water tsunami recordings from DART buoys near Japan. One model is from least-squares inversion of teleseismic P waves, and another from iterative least-squares search-based joint inversion of teleseismic P waves, short-arc Rayleigh wave relative source time functions, and high-rate GPS observations from northern Honshu. These rupture model inversions impose similar kinematic constraints on the rupture growth, and both have concentrations of slip of up to 42 m up-dip from the hypocenter, with substantial slip extending to the trench. Tsunami surface elevations were computed using the model NEOWAVE, which includes a vertical momentum equation and a non-hydrostatic pressure term in the nonlinear shallow-water equations to account for the time-history of seafloor deformation and propagation of weakly dispersive tsunami waves. Kinematic seafloor deformations were computed using the Okada solutions for the rupture models. Good matches to the tsunami arrival times and waveforms are achieved for the DART recordings for models with slip extending all the way to the trench, whereas shifting fault slip toward the coast degrades the predictions.


The bacteriophage P1 modification enzyme, assayed by the specific methylation of unmodified bacteriophage 82 DNA, has been purified 500-fold from a bacteriophage P1 lysogen of Escherichia coli. The enzyme catalyses the incorporation of approximately 20-24 methyl groups per bacteriophage 82 DNA molecule. The sole product of methylation is 6-methylaminopurine. Methylation of unmodified bacteriophage DNA confers protection against a challenge by purified bacteriophage P1 restriction enzyme. The pH optimum is 6.0-6.25: the apparent K(m) for S-adenosyl-l-methionine is 5x10(-6)m.


Carbon-supported gold catalysts Au/C were prepared by an impregnation-reduction method and modified by AgNO3 to obtain bi-metallic catalysts Au-Ag/C, which were characterized by X-ray-diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Their catalytic performance was tested in the oxidation of cyclohexene in an autoclave without any solvent. The results showed that Ag doping can significantly enhance the catalytic performance of carbon-supported gold catalyst. Au(1.0 wt.%)-Ag(1.0 wt.%)/C has been found to be an efficient catalyst for the cyclohexene oxidation with a conversion of 27.6% at 80 °C and 0.4 MPa for 12 h while selectivity for ∑C6 products (including cyclohexene oxide, 2-cyclohexene-1-ol, 2-cyclohexene-1-one and cyclohexane-1,2-diol) exceeding 88.9%, especially the selectivity of cyclohexane-1,2-diol up to 47.6%. Moreover, the effects of Au, Ag content on catalytic performance were also reported.


Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a range of clonal hematological diseases with overlapping features, a specific mutation in the JAK2 gene, which encodes a tyrosine Kinase has been shown to be associated with the myeloproliferative phenotypes (PV, ET and PMF). Aim: Estimate the proportion of JAK2 V617F mutant gene and estimate the significance of antioxidant enzyme (Catalase) is mainly associated with increased oxidative stress this is resulting increase of the free oxygen radicals and relate it with suspected myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) in Iraqi patients. Materials and Methods: Total of (51) patients with suspected myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and 20 healthy individuals were analyzed for the JAK2 V617F mutation. After DNA extraction, detection of the mutation was done using (ARMS) PCR amplification, activity of Catalase was measured spectrophotometrically. Results: Of 51 patients, the JAK2 V617F mutation (V617F) was detected in 33 out of 42, with PV (81%), and four of patients with ET and PMF (40% and 50%, respectively). The prevalence of this mutation is more associated with male than female about (62%). Catalase activity was found highly significant (P< 0.01) among suspected MPN patients when compared with control group. Conclusion: JAK2 V617F mutation screening can be incorporated in the initial estimate of patients suspected of having MPNs. Catalase enzyme used a biomarker of enzymatic alteration in MPN Iraqi patients.


Stratified fluids support internal waves, which propagate obliquely through the fluid. The angle with respectto the stratification direction is contrained: it is purely determined by the wave frequency and the strength of the density stratification (internal gravity waves) or the rotation rate (inertial waves). As a consequence, when these waves reflect from a sloping wall, they are focused or defocused,
depending on their direction of incidence. Repeated reflection with focusing in an enclosed basin may lead to the appearance of a wave attractor, a limit cycle to which all wave rays converge. Contrary to standing waves, which exist for isolated frequencies, wave attractors exist over frequency intervals .
Internal waves are observed in the ocean and are possibly relevant for the liquid outer core of the Earth and stars. When energy becomes concentrated along the attractor, part of it may become available for
mixing and eventually for the generation of a mean flow. This is important for transport of nutrients and sediments in the ocean, and ultimately also for the maintenance of the global ocean circulation.
In chapter 2 of this thesis, the role of the (two-dimensional) basin shape is investigated theoretically.
A completely smooth geometry was investigated, which varies between a circle (no attractors possible) and a triangle (vertices act as point attractors), depending on a parameter. Attractors were indeed found. First order perturbation analysis revealed that attractors may arise for the weakly perturbed circle.
So corners or critical latitude singularities are not essential for the existence of attractors.
In chapters 3 and 4 inertial waves in a homogeneous fluid were investigated experimentally. A rectangular basin with one sloping side wall was placed on a rotating platform, of which the rotation frequency was modulated to generate inertial waves. Waves of different frequencies were used to observe different wave attractors. Predicted wave attactors were indeed observed, but with intensity and phase changes in the horizontal direction, different for the different frequencies. In chapter 3, emphasis is on the observation of different wave attractors and changes in their structure in vertical cross sections of the
basin. In chapter 4, a smaller tank is used to resolve the horizontal structure of the wave field better, and the (necessarily) three-dimensional wave field is discussed in more detail.
In chapter 5 internal tides were studied in the Mozambique Channel, a sea strait of about 350 km wide and 2.5 km deep. An array of current meters had been deployed for more than a year and a half. The internal
tides appeared highly variable (intermittent) but, regarding a large period of observation, regions of stronger and weaker motion could be identified. Results were compared with those of a numerical internal-tide generation model. Qualitative agreement was found, especially regarding the strong motion in the upper part of the water column. This is an effect of the strong change in stratification (pycnocline). But also in the deep-sea, areas with stronger and weaker motion were identified. Wave attractors could not be identified. But the observed and numerically predicted spatial changes in the internal tide strength can be partly understood by considering repeated reflection of internal waves in enclosed basins.


The lifting of horizontally curved beams (or almost-straight beams with an imperfection in shape) is considered, with application in the construction of bridges. A circularly curved beam that is suspended at two symmetric locations by vertical or inclined cables is analyzed. The cross section of the beam is assumed to be doubly symmetric, the material is assumed to be linearly elastic, the cross-sectional dimensions are assumed to be small relative to the radius of curvature, and the deformations are assumed to be small. Both uniform (St. Venant) torsion and inclusion of nonuniform (warping) torsion are treated. Analytical equations are derived for the overall roll angle of the beam, the internal forces and moments, the weak-axis and strong-axis deflections, and the cross-sectional angle of twist. The behavior depends crucially on the locations of the lift points.


Summary

1
To be successful, integrated weed management (IWM) requires sufficient knowledge of the ecology of the weed and the invaded system to allow prediction of the outcome of control efforts. We studied the age and size structure of both native and exotic populations of Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius to test predictions regarding why it is invasive in exotic habitats and, consequently, to determine management priorities. Particular emphasis was given to the efficient selection of biological control agents.

2
A minimum of 30 plants was harvested per site in Europe (seven sites), New Zealand (20 sites) and Australia (11 sites). Age, determined by counting annual growth rings, stem diameter and height were recorded for each plant. The area cleared was recorded to calculate plant population density.

3
Stem diameter and height were significantly correlated with age, but there was considerable variation in size for any given age and no major differences were apparent between the growth rates of plants from native and exotic populations. This may be because population densities of exotic stands were significantly higher than native stands, and intraspecific competition has previously been demonstrated to limit plant growth.

4
The age structures of many populations were described by regressions between loge(number of plants m−2) and loge(age). However, the proportion of populations described by this regression varied significantly between countries and was highest in Australia and lowest in Europe. Departure from this relationship was most common at roadside sites and recently cleared commercial forestry plantations, indicating that large-scale artificial disturbance can promote pulses of seedling establishment. Disturbance-related establishment was found to be most common in Europe, indicating that large-scale disturbance is unlikely to explain increased weediness in exotic habitats.

5
The maximum age of plants sampled did not vary between native and exotic habitats, indicating that, as for the related weed Ulex europaeus, increased longevity of exotic plants is unlikely to explain why exotic populations are weedier than native populations.

6
Significantly higher population densities recorded in exotic habitats may be a consequence of a paucity of specialist insect herbivores. Such higher density populations are more likely to exclude competing vegetation so, in the absence of major disturbance, exotic broom stands are more likely to regenerate than European populations, and therefore to persist for generations.

7
Synthesis and applications. The data support the hypothesis that natural enemies regulate native populations of Scotch broom and, consequently, that invasive exotic populations are suitable targets for biological control. Agents should be sought that (i) reduce plant fecundity and therefore seedling densities and (ii) defoliate established plants, enabling competing vegetation to establish beneath stands and reduce seedling survival. These results are potentially applicable to other invasive introduced legume shrubs.


This Policy Brief urges the European Union to consider reinforcing the Energy Community by further Europeanising the Energy Community Treaty. It argues that the level of dysfunctionality with respect to the rule of law and corruption will make it very hard to establish a pathway for accession for most Balkan states. However, the demand across the region for a sustainable, competitive and stable energy sector creates an 'energy incentive' that the Union can leverage to improve the rule of law and adherence to European rules. Furthermore, a juridical strengthening of the Energy Community Treaty will also strengthen the hand of those parties supporting energy liberalisation rules across the region, such as independent businesses, consumers and NGOs. In addition, there is likely to be significant spill-over effects from decisions of a European Energy Community Court operating in the region on the rule of law in general and the accession process in particular.


An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to estimate the production of intracellular and extracellular interleukin-1 (IL-1) alpha and beta by peripheral blood monocytes from 26 patients with various connective tissue diseases (CTD), including 19 with systemic lupus erythematosus, four with progressive systemic sclerosis, two with mixed connective tissue disease, and one with Sjögren's syndrome. Monocytes obtained from patients with CTD with serum antibodies to nuclear ribonucleoprotein (nRNP) released significantly higher concentrations of extracellular IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta, whereas intracellular IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta production was similar to that by monocytes from patients with CTD without antibodies to nRNP. Furthermore, the concentrations of extracellular IL-1 alpha correlated significantly with those of extracellular IL-1 beta. There was no significant correlation between the concentrations of extracellular and intracellular IL-1 alpha, and those of extracellular and intracellular IL-1 beta, indicating that synthesis and secretion of IL-1 by human monocytes may be two distinct biological events. It seems that enhanced extracellular release of both IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta contributes to the excessive anti-nRNP production in CTD.