The intertwining of development and human rights is the subject of the twelve essays collected by the editors. The individual authors extensively examine the commonly held belief that economic development cannot take place in Third World countries without the short term sacrifice of political liberty and demonstrate that there is considerable evidence to the contrary. Following a theoretical stage-setting that concentrates on the severe power limitations and the dependency of weak Third World states, case studies focus on such issues as state terrorism, food, the right to modernize, refugees, and support of apartheid in Latin America, the People's Republic of China, the Middle East, and Africa. Several essays concern the implementation of human rights and the role of multinational corporations and international nongovernmental organizations in protecting them. The final essay considers the international framework of government, law, and organization as a means for implementing human rights development in the Third World.


Despite advances to engineer transplantable hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for research and therapy, an in depth characterization of the developing human hematopoietic system is still lacking. The human embryonic liver is at the crossroad of several hematopoietic sites and harbours a complex hematopoietic hierarchy including the first, actively dividing, HSPCs that will further seed the definitive hematopoietic organs. However few is known about the hierarchical phenotypic and functional hematopoietic organization operating at these stages of development. Here, by using a combination of four endothelial and hematopoietic surface markers i.e. the endothelial-specific marker VE-cadherin, the pan-leukocyte antigen CD45, the hemato-endothelial marker CD34 and the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE, CD143), encompassing all early human HSPCs, we identified a hematopoietic hierarchy and, among it, a population co-expressing the four markers that uniquely harbored a proliferation and differentiation potential both ex vivo and in vivo. Moreover, we traced back this population to the yolk sac and AGM sites of hematopoietic emergence. Taken together, our data will help to identify human HSPC self-renewal and amplification mechanisms for future cell therapies. SUMMARY STATEMENT We uncover the phenotypic and functional hematopoietic hierarchy operating in the early human embryo. It will bring insights into the mechanisms driving hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal for future cell therapies.


Female genital mutilation (FGM) practice is unhygienic and unhealthy traditional practices which have affected girls and women's health adversely for all-time, and such practice is prevalent in many African countries. This study intended to examine factors associated with the FGM prevalence, attitudes toward the discontinuation of the practice, and consequences of FGM practice on reproductive health in terms of sexual transmitted infections/symptoms (STIs/STSs) among women of reproductive ages in Senegal. To fulfill the study objective on factors associated the prevalence of FGM and attitudes toward the continuation of FGM practice, the 2019 Senegal Demographic Health Survey (DHS) data sets were used based on binary logit and multinomial logit regression models. The results show that rural areas, married women, women of Muslim religion, Poular women, women of lower education and lower wealth, and women who were never exposed to social media reported a higher prevalence rate of FGM and were more likely to support continuation of FGM practice. To fulfill the research goal on consequences of FGM practice on STIs/STSs, the 2010 – 2011 DHS was employed because the 2019 DHS did not collect data on STIs/STSs. FGM practice was associated with lower knowledge about STIs/STSs and higher prevalence of STIs/STSs. Our findings suggest that education promotion, poverty reduction, rural development, and dissemination of the adverse consequences of FGM practice could help reduce FGM practices. These findings could have important implications for achieving the sustainable development goals.


This article examines challenges of engaging the business/industry sector in research on the use of information technology to enhance accessibility for people with disabilities in two areas of common interest—to employment and to public and retail services. The data presented arise from the joint effort of two research teams who independently encountered challenges in engaging private sector firms in their respective projects. Using a case study approach, the experiences of both groups were examined for themes representing factors that inhibited collaboration between research and business sectors, and those that enhanced collaboration. Trustworthiness of themes was established by submitting them for critique and feedback to key informants knowledgeable in both business and research. From a social systems theory perspective, findings suggest that the most important differences between research and business systems reside in the meaning of communication each uses, and differences in assumptions about and value placed on factors such as pursuit of new knowledge, the importance of marketability of findings, and so on. Additional complications arise in pursuit of research related to disability. Factors to build on when seeking research collaboration include an understanding of the language and culture of business systems, and the very real possibility of developing disability research into secondary goals that business systems typically pursue once the prime need for profitability has been at addressed (the notion of satisficing). Implications for communication between disability research and business systems are identified.


A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate several acoustical measures as predictors of subjective judgments. Subjects were asked to rank binaurally reproduced sound fields in terms of loudness, clarity, reverberance, bass, treble, envelopment, apparent source width, and overall preference. The binaural impulse responses were measured in several North American concert halls and were chosen so as to cover as broad a range as possible of RT, EDT, C80, G, IACC, and LF values. The results of these tests were then correlated with the various octave‐band objective measures to find the best predictor of each subjective parameter. New objective quantities were found that are correlated with loudness, clarity, bass, and treble judgments. The relative importance of the various subjective parameters to the overall preference of these sound fields was also examined.


Thin film electrodes of HgxCd1−xSe (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) were prepared in an aqueous alkaline medium (pH ∼ 11) on highly conducting stainless steel substrates by chemical bath technique. Use of these films was made as an active photoelectrode in an electrochemical photovoltaic cell, comprising: electrode; sodium polysulphide electrolyte; and impregnated graphite as a counter electrode. The investigations on these cells were made by studying I-V and C-V characteristics in dark, power output, built-in-potential, spectral and photo responses. Cell performance parameters were evaluated: open-circuit photopotential Vph ;a nd short-circuit photocurrent Iph; series and shunt resistances Rs and Rsh; quantum conversion efficiency η; fill factor ff ; junction ideality factor nd; light quality factor nL; built-in-potential ΦB; and the flat-band potential V fb were evaluated. Careful inspection of calculated values of these parameters revealed that the cell performance has been greatly enhanced with increasing electrode composition. Typically, the quantum conversion efficiency and fill factor are found to be enhanced from 0.056% to 0.31% and 31% to 52% respectively, as the photoelectrode composition varied from zero to 0.01. Incremental changes in the performance parameters, and consequently the enhancement in the cell performance are explained on the basis of electrode materials composition.


The actions of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are mediated via a family of four closely related FGF receptor genes (FGFRs 1-4). FGFR1, FGFR2, and FGFR4 have unique patterns of expression during embryogenesis suggesting that these receptors mediate different functions of FGFs during development. In the present study, we used in situ hybridization analysis to show that FGFR3 also has a unique pattern of expression during organogenesis. Like FGFR1 and FGFR2, FGFR3 was expressed in the germinal epithelium of the neural tube (9.5-16.5 days pc). However, at 1 day postpartum and in the adult brain, FGFR3 was expressed diffusely and localized in cells with morphologic characteristics of glia, a pattern distinctly different from the discrete neuronal expression of FGFR1. FGFR3 was also expressed at high levels in differentiating hair cells of the cochlear duct, but was not detected in other sensory epithelia. Outside the nervous system, the highest level of FGFR3 expression was found in the cartilage rudiments of developing bone. During endochondral ossification, FGFR3 was expressed exclusively in resting cartilage, a pattern distinct from FGFR1 and FGFR2 which are also expressed during this process. Unlike FGFR1 and FGFR2, FGFR3 was not detected in most other epithelial or mesenchymal tissues during these stages of organogenesis. The unique expression pattern of FGFR3 compared with the other FGF receptors strongly suggests that FGFR3 performs specific functions during organogenesis.


Understanding what constitutes the perceived value of foreign education to international business students is critical for business schools in order to achieve their recruitment targets. One established method relies on a financial interpretation of the costs and benefits of business education. By contrast, this study advocates a holistic approach by employing the concept of "internal" and "external" career success as its theoretical underpinning. A survey of undergraduate Chinese students in two British business schools based on such approach provides confirmation of the importance of an individual's judgement of own success as the foundation of value-related expectations and suggests that academic practice should be concerned with a wider range of competencies and responses to individual attitudes, shifting emphasis towards a greater spectrum of social values.


Naked Economics makes up for all of those Econ 101 lectures you slept through (or avoided) in college, demystifying key concepts, laying bare the truths behind the numbers, and answering those questions you have always been too embarrassed to ask. For all the discussion of Alan Greenspan in the media, does anyone know what the Fed actually does? And what about those blackouts in California? Were they a conspiracy on the part of the power companies? Economics is life. There's no way to understand the important issues without it. Now, with Charles Wheelan's breezy tour, there's no reason to fear this highly relevant subject. With the commonsensical examples and brilliantly acerbic commentary we've come to associate with The Economist, Wheelan brings economics to life. Amazingly, he does so with nary a chart, graph, or mathematical equation in sight-certainly a feat to be witnessed firsthand. Economics is a crucial subject. There's no way to understand the important issues without it. Now, with Charles Wheelan's breezy tour, there's also no reason to fear it. "Explains our global economy in a way that is-gasp!-actually entertaining." -Book "Translates the arcane and often inscrutable jargon of the professional economist into language accessible to the inquiring but frustrated layman...Clear, concise, informative, [and] witty."-Chicago Tribune "Wheelan has an anti-Midas touch. If he touched gold he would turn it to life."-Burton G. Malkiel, from the foreword


Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have boosted the performance of many graph related tasks such as node classification and graph classification. Recent researches show that graph neural networks are vulnerable to adversarial attacks, which deliberately add carefully created unnoticeable perturbation to the graph structure. The perturbation is usually created by adding/deleting a few edges, which might be noticeable even when the number of edges modified is small. In this paper, we propose a graph rewiring operation which affects the graph in a less noticeable way compared to adding/deleting edges. We then use reinforcement learning to learn the attack strategy based on the proposed rewiring operation. Experiments on real world graphs demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework. To understand the proposed framework, we further analyze how its generated perturbation to the graph structure affects the output of the target model.


In the present work thin Al2O3 coating was obtained mainly by low pressure plasma spray (LPPS). Low-porosity and low-roughness deposits resulted from the optimized spray conditions, i.e. plasma parameters, grit blasting, powder feed rate and specimen rotation speed. Results showed that LPPS processing was highly beneficial for densifying the ceramic coatings, especially when coupled to a moderate powder feed rate. Coating average surface roughness (Ra) ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 µm for a coating thickness of less than 30µm and an original substrate Ra of 1.1µm. The spray conditions were optimized particularly for a low feed rate and a high specimen rotating speed to lower surface roughness. Moreover, a specific atmosphere/temperature control device was developed (using local gas injection close to the specimen to be coated). This resulted in improving cooling efficiency, which reduced microcracking in the deposits. Mechanical pull-off adhesion test was also carried out to evaluate these low-roughness thin coatings. Adhesion was shown to be satisfactory for direct coating (i.e. without any bond coat) of a low-roughness (Ra=1.1µm) AISI 316L substrate.


Analysis of time-to-event data, otherwise known as survival analysis, is a common investigative tool in ophthalmic research. For example, time-to-event data is useful when researchers are interested in investigating how long it takes for an ocular condition to worsen or whether treatment can delay the development of a potentially vision-threatening complication. Its implementation requires a different set of statistical tools compared to those required for analyses of other continuous and categorial outcomes. In this installment of the Focus on Data series, we present an overview of selected concepts relating to analysis of time-to-event data in eye research. We introduce censoring, model selection, consideration of model assumptions, and best practice for reporting. We also consider challenges that commonly arise when analyzing time-to-event data in ophthalmic research, including collection of data from two eyes per person and the presence of multiple outcomes of interest. The concepts are illustrated using data from the Laser Intervention in Early Stages of Age-Related Macular Degeneration study and statistical computing code for Stata is provided to demonstrate the application of the statistical methods to illustrative data.


A 68-year-old man had a solitary, eczematiform lesion of two years' duration on the digital dorsal surface of his right foot. Despite its innocuous appearance, the lesion showed histologic characteristics of advanced, plaque-type mycosis fungoides. The patient's clinically benign yet histologically malignant disease manifestation is discussed. The distinction between localized mycosis fungoides and Woringer-Kolopp disease is also reviewed.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze prospectively the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and clinical outcome in patients treated with prednisone for exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

DESIGN
Prospective observational study.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Patients presenting to the emergency department were randomized to receive 40 mg prednisone daily for 5 or 14 days in a placebo-controlled manner. The HPA axis was longitudinally assessed with the 1 μg corticotropin test and a clinical hypocortisolism score at baseline, on day 6 before blinded treatment, at hospital discharge, and for up to 180 days of follow-up. Prednisone was stopped abruptly, irrespective of the test results. Patients discharged with pathological test results received instructions about emergency hydrocortisone treatment.

RESULTS
A total of 311 patients were included in the analysis. Mean basal and stimulated serum total cortisol levels were highest on admission (496±398 and 816±413 nmol/l respectively) and lowest on day 6 (235±174 and 453±178 nmol/l respectively). Pathological stimulation tests were found in 63, 38, 9, 3, and 2% of patients on day 6, at discharge, and on days 30, 90, and 180 respectively, without significant difference between treatment groups. Clinical indicators of hypocortisolism did not correlate with stimulation test results, but cortisol levels were inversely associated with re-exacerbation risk. There were no hospitalizations or deaths as a result of adrenal crisis.

CONCLUSION
Dynamic changes in the HPA axis occur during and after the treatment of acute exacerbations of COPD. In hypocortisolemic patients who were provided with instructions about stress prophylaxis, the abrupt termination of prednisone appeared safe.


In Cold War America, Senator Joseph McCarthy enjoyed tremendous support in the fight against what he called atheistic communism. But that support stemmed less from his wild charges about communists than his more substantiated charges that "sex perverts" had infiltrated government agencies. Although now remembered as an attack on suspected disloyalty, McCarthyism introduced "moral values" into the American political arsenal. Warning of a spreading homosexual menace, McCarthy and his Republican allies learned how to win votes. Winner of three book awards, "The Lavender Scare" masterfully traces the origins of contemporary sexual politics to Cold War hysteria over national security. Drawing on newly declassified documents and interviews with former government officials, historian David Johnson chronicles how the myth that homosexuals threatened national security determined government policy for decades, ruined thousands of lives, and pushed many to suicide. As Johnson shows, this myth not only outlived McCarthy but, by the 1960s, helped launch a new civil rights struggle.


Peer-to-peer lending platforms have become commonplace for individuals and small firms interested in borrowing capital. Our analysis is based on two large peer-to-peer lending online platforms, which we refer to as P_1 and P_2. We are facing an interesting situation where P_1 went public by filing an initial public offering (IPO), while P_2 remained privately held. Using large loans data from both platforms, we exploit this empirical environment to carefully infer the impact of IPOs on peer-to-peer lending platforms. Did P_1 alter its decisions by accepting different types of loans or by softening its requirements? Or, on the contrary, did its decisions become stricter given the increased level of scrutiny? To answer these questions, we use several econometric tools, including sample selection bias correction, propensity score matching, and synthetic control. We present rigorous empirical analyses at four time events: first IPO rumor, filing date, actual IPO, and quarterly report release. We find that several performance metrics were indeed affected by the IPO filing. Specifically, we observe that (i) the loans' performance (default rate and return) decreased, (ii) borrowers' requirements (credit score and annual income) diminished, and (iii) the acceptance rate inflated.


In this paper, a path planning algorithm is designed and tested with a real robot for a Plug & Produce demonstrator. The demonstrator is divided into modules that can be connected and removed. Modules are used for various processes like tool change and storage. This paper focuses on the process of cutting-tool change for the production industry. The Plug & Produce demonstrator uses a multi-agent system where parts and resources are agents. A part agent, e.g., a cutting-tool, can request a robot to perform skills like transportation. This requires the robot to be autonomous. The aim of this paper is to automate the path planning for industrial robotics in a Plug & Produce system. This is done by implementing a sampling based RRT algorithm combined with a collision detection function in RobotStudio. With various real time scenarios, the path planning execution time is observed and presented in the paper.


Objectives The present prospective non-randomized observational study was designed to analyze the proficiency and efficiency of robotic assisted type-1 extrafascial pan hysterectomy with pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy in treatment of high-risk endometrial cancer patients. Methods 131 consecutive proven high-risk patients with endometrial cancer underwent type-1 extra fascial pan hysterectomy with pelvic and high para-aortic lymphadenectomy using the daVinci® robotic surgical procedures at single quaternary care institution. Data was analyzed under five parameter, docking time, surgeons console time, total combined time taken and number of lymph nodes retrieved. The surgery team had same surgeon, same assistant doctor, same technician, and same nurse in all cases. Results Target docking time of 7 minutes was achived at 29th case, however there were spikes in the docking time even after 100th case. Target surgeons console time of 180 minutes was achieved at 12th case and thereby consistently maintained 180 minutes or less. The direction of CUSUM line changes at 12th case and maintained the downward trend. Target number of pelvic lymph node 12 was achieved by 9th case. & of para-aortic lymph node 10 was achieved at 18th case. However, even after achieving the target, the variation was widely seen. Conclusions In conclusion, the daVinci® robotics technology in our practice enabled us to offer minimal invasive surgery to endometrial cancer patients in a short time.The robotic-assisted procedures seems to offer a safe and useful alternative to conventional surgical techniques & would be a tool in armamentarium of gynec-oncologist.


This paper deals with the recognition of multiple mobile robots equipped with RFID tag. In the case that the number of robots recognized by each RFID reader is larger than that of allocated slots, the clashing recognition occurs. And, in the case that the total number of robots recognized by all RFID reader is larger than that of real robots, the repetitious recognition occurs. We employ the dynamic frame slot allocation by using the ALOHA algorithm to prevent the clashing recognition and estimate the number of robots by using the received signal strength indication to prevent the repetitious recognition. The numerical experiment shows the reliability and the efficiency of the proposed method.


This paper aims with the use of linear matrix inequalities approach (LMIs) for application in active vibration control problems in smart strutures. A robust controller for active damping in a panel was designed with piezoelectrical actuators in optimal locations for illustration of the main proposal. It was considered, in the simulations of the closed-loop, a model identified by eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) and reduced by modal decomposition. We tested two differents techniques to solve the problem. The first one uses LMI approach by state-feedback based in an observer design, considering several simultaneous constraints as: a decay rate, limited input on the actuators, bounded output peak (output energy) and robustness to parametic uncertainties. The results demonstrated the vibration attenuation in the structure by controlling only the first modes and the increased damping in the bandwidth of interest. However, it is possible to occur spillover effects, because the design has not been done considering the dynamic uncertainties related with high frequencies modes. In this sense, the second technique uses the classical H∞ output feedback control, also solved by LMI approach, considering robustness to residual dynamic to overcome the problem found in the first test. The results are compared and discussed. The responses shown the robust performance of the system and the good reduction of the vibration level, without increase mass.


Clonal trees of Pinus radiata D. Don were grown in open-top chambers at a field site in New Zealand for 3 years at ambient (37 Pa) or elevated (65 Pa) carbon dioxide (CO2) partial pressure. Nitrogen (N) was supplied to half of the trees in each CO2 treatment, at 15 g N m-2 in the first year and 60 g N m-2 in the subsequent 2 years (high-N treatment). Trees in the low-N treatment were not supplied with N but received the same amount of other nutrients as trees in the high-N treatment. In the first year, stem basal area increased more in trees growing at elevated CO2 partial pressure and high-N supply than in control trees, suggesting a positive interaction between these resources. However, the relative rate of growth became the same across trees in all treatments after 450 days, resulting in trees growing at elevated CO2 partial pressure and high-N supply having larger basal areas than trees in the other treatments. Sapwood N content per unit dry mass was consistently about 0.09% in all treatments, indicating that N status was not suppressed by elevated CO2 partial pressure. Thus, during the first year of growth, an elevated CO2 partial pressure enhanced carbon (C) and N storage in woody stems, but there was no further stimulus to C and N deposition after the first year. The chemical composition of sapwood was unaffected by elevated CO2 partial pressure, indicating that no additional C was sequestered through lignification. However, independent of the treatments, early wood was 13% richer in lignin than late wood. Elevated CO2 partial pressure decreased the proportion of sapwood occupied by the lumina of tracheids by up to 12%, indicating increased sapwood density in response to CO2 enrichment. This effect was probably a result of thicker tracheid walls rather than narrower lumina.


Superposed multicarrier transmission scheme is known to improve frequency utilization efficiency when several wireless systems share the same spectrum. To suppress the effect of interference, forward error correction (FEC) metric masking is proposed. In this technique, the log-likelihood ratio (LLR) that corresponds to the superposed band is set to zero, because received bits that correspond to the superposed band are unreliable. However, to apply FEC metric masking, the information about superposed band must be known at the receiver beforehand. Furthermore, the received bits contain channel estimation errors, which are the cause of performance degradation. In this paper, we propose an iterative estimation technique for undesired signal power (noise, interference, and channel estimation error) for superposed multicarrier transmission. We use the estimated power of the undesired signal to calculate the LLR that takes the channel estimation error into account, since including this extra information about the channel improves the bit error rate (BER). The proposed scheme estimates the power of undesired signal on each subcarrier, and thus, the information about superposed band is not required. Simulation results show that the accuracy of estimating undesired signal becomes more reliable as the number of estimations increases, so that BER becomes better as a result of iterative estimation.


In this study, injectable microspheres were developed for the local treatment of joint degeneration in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Microspheres loaded with triamcinolone (TA), a corticosteroid drug, and/or raloxifene (Ral), a cartilage regenerative drug, were prepared with a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL). Microspheres were optimized for particle size, structural properties, drug release, and loading properties. In vitro release of Ral was very slow because of the low solubility of the drug and hydrophobic nature of PCL. However, when coloaded with TA, both drugs were released at higher amounts compared with their single forms. Smallest particle sizes were obtained in dual drug-loaded microspheres. In vitro cytotoxicity tests showed biocompatibility of microspheres. In vivo bioefficacy of these microspheres was also examined in adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rats. In vivo histological studies of control groups showed development of RA with high median lesion score (5.0). Compared with control and intra-articular free drug injections, microsphere treatment groups showed lower lesion scores and better healing outcomes in histological evaluations. Results suggest that a controlled delivery system of TA and RAL by a single injection in inflamed joints holds promise for healing and suppressing inflammation.


This study addresses the issue of the presence of a unit root on the growth rate estimation by the least-squares approach. We argue that when the log of a variable contains a unit root, i.e., it is not stationary then the growth rate estimate from the log-linear trend model is not a valid representation of the actual growth of the series. In fact, under such a situation, we show that the growth of the series is the cumulative impact of a stochastic process. As such the growth estimate from such a model is just a spurious representation of the actual growth of the series, which we refer to as a "pseudo growth rate". Hence such an estimate should be interpreted with caution. On the other hand, we highlight that the statistical representation of a series as containing a unit root is not easy to separate from an alternative description which represents the series as fundamentally deterministic (no unit root) but containing a structural break. In search of a way around this, our study presents a survey of both the theoretical and empirical literature on unit root tests that takes into account possible structural breaks. We show that when a series is trendstationary with breaks, it is possible to use the log-linear trend model to obtain well defined estimates of growth rates for sub-periods which are valid representations of the actual growth of the series. Finally, to highlight the above issues, we carry out an empirical application whereby we estimate meaningful growth rates of real wages per worker for 51 industries from the organised manufacturing sector in India for the period 1973-2003, which are not only unbiased but also asymptotically efficient. We use these growth rate estimates to highlight the evolving inter-industry wage structure in India.


We investigate the ability of mechanical and electronic density functional theory (DFT)-based embedding approaches to describe the solvent effects on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shielding constants of the $^{95}$Mo nucleus in the molybdate ion in aqueous solution. From the description obtained from calculations with two- and four-component relativistic Hamiltonians, we find that for such systems spin-orbit coupling effects are clearly important for absolute shielding values, but for relative quantities a scalar relativistic treatment provides a sufficient estimation of the solvent effects. We find that the electronic contributions to the solvent effects are relatively modest yet decisive to provide a more accurate magnetic response of the system, when compared to reference supermolecular calculations. We analyze the errors in the embedding calculations by statistical methods as well as through a real-space representation of NMR shielding densities, which are shown to provide a clear picture of the physical processes at play.


This research intended to determine the effects of the muscle relaxation techniques on anxiety of parents having children with leukaemia who were undergoing chemotherapy at teaching hospitals of Zahedan in 2015.This was a randomized case-control intervention study. The study population consisted of 120 parents of children with leukaemia referred to teaching hospitals in Zahedan and undergoing chemotherapy. These parents were divided into the intervention and control groups, and the intervention group received muscle relaxation using Benson relaxation technique. Data collection tools included the demographic information questionnaire and the questionnaire for assessing apparent and hidden anxiety. Results showed a statistically significant difference between apparent and hidden anxiety in the intervention and control group after the intervention and a significant relationship between apparent anxiety and education level (p ≤ 0.05). the findings of this research can lay the groundwork for providing family-oriented nursing care to give greater support to parents of children with cancer in order to prepare the parents for confronting stresses resulting from their children's illness.


Extensive studies were performed on four cases from three unrelated kindreds with a familial hemolytic syndrome not associated with any significant red cell anomaly (hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic disease). These cases were compared with similar ones already reported in the literature. 1. Hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic disease appears to be transmitted as a Mendelian dominant. Frequently the gene responsible for the condition seems to have low expressivity. In some cases, the hereditary mechanism may be due to inheritance of a recessive gene from each parent. The basic erythrocytic defect responsible for the condition is unknown. In view of various clinical and hematologic findings, it is likely that hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic disease may be a group of diseases involving more than one mechanism. 2. All criteria of hemolytic anemia (erythroid hyperplasia of the bone marrow, reticulocytosis, hyperbilirubinemia, increased fecal urobilinogen, rapid turnover of tracer iron in the plasma) were satisfied. 3. Red cell survival time studies revealed an intraerythrocytic defect with a mean life span of twelve to seventeen days. Normal red cells transfused into the patients under study survived normally. Anemia was normochromic and normocytic or macrocytic; it varied from mild to severe. 4. Osmotic and mechanical fragility of the red cells was normal. Osmotic and mechanical fragility tests after incubation at 37 C. for 24 hours in some showed a mild increase compared with normal controls. Autohemolysis of incubated oxalated blood was not marked and varied from case to case. 5. The electrophoretic mobility of hemoglobin from the patients was that of normal adult hemoglobin. Small increases of fetal hemoglobin were seen in several cases. 6. In contrast to the histologic findings in hereditary spherocytosis the splenic pulp was not congested, but hemosiderin deposits were heavy. Liver biopsy specimens showed deposits of hemosiderin in parenchymal and Kupffer cells. 7. Splenectomy did not arrest the hemolytic process. Mild improvement was seen in one case. In most cases the operation is of no value. 8. Diagnostic difficulties may be encountered with mild cases of hereditary spherocytosis. Examination of rouleaux in fresh blood and an osmotic fragility test in 0.65 per cent sodium chloride after incubation usually establishes the differential diagnosis. The condition may present clinically as hemolytic disease of the newborn and must be differentiated from erythroblastosis due to Rh or other blood group incompatibilities. Other hereditary hemolytic diseases such as sickle cell anemia, Cooley's anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, and hereditary hemolytic elliptocytosis are easily ruled out by their typical clinical and hematologic manifestations. When a family study is negative or cannot be done, a red cell survival time determination may be necessary to rule out acquired hemolytic anemia with a negative Coombs test. Some cases that have been diagnosed as constitutional hyperbilirubinemia (familial nonhemolytic jaundice) may actually represent mild hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic disease.


An algorithm for refinement of depth (disparity) map from stereoscopic sequences is proposed. The method is based on estimation of ego-motion parameters of the camera system and frame-by-frame prediction of 3D scene feature point co-ordinates. Disparity maps with sub-pixel accuracy were obtained without the need for disparity computations in each single frame.


The area studied (Fig. 1) lies in the Caledonides of northern Norway, and consists of a sequence of nappes emplaced on to Baltica during the mid- to end Silurian, Scandian phase (Gee 1975) of the Caledonian orogeny. These largely metasedimentary nappes locally contain thick amphibolite units, whilst synorogenic 'granitoid' bodies are widespread in some of the higher nappes. The geological history of the region has been established following the work of Gustavson (1966, 1974) and Barker (1986). Initial D1 and D2 deformation gave rise to recumbent isoclinal folds. A pervasive regional schistosity (S2) developed in association with F2, by transposition of S1. The only evidence for the earlier fabric is as inclusion trails within porphyroblasts. Although affected by later folding, S2 is mostly subhorizontal, and rarely dips at more than 30°. The orientation and attitude of early folds, coupled with the pronounced northwest-southeast-trending L2 stretching lineaton, indicate that the main transport direction was towards the south-east. Additionally, the attitude of well-developed C′-fabrics (Platt 1984) in phyllonites of the Fossbakken Nappe (Fig. 1) also indicate this sense of movement. The D3 structures evolved progressively from early recumbent isoclines to later open more upright folds. During D4, upright open F4 structures developed mostly northnortheast-southsouth-west-trending axes. Crenulations and small folds are dominant, but larger structures such as the Ofoten synform (Gustavson 1974) also formed (see Fig. 1). Peak metamorphism occurred just prior to, and synchronous with the development of the regional (S2) schistosity, whilst nappe assembly occurred from late D2 and through D3. Isograds associated with peak metamorphism became truncated, as higher


Research in psychology and behavioural economics shows that individuals' choices often depend on 'irrelevant' contextual factors. This presents problems for normative economics, which has traditionally used preference-satisfaction as its criterion. A common response is to claim that individuals have context-independent latent preferences which are 'distorted' by psychological factors, and that latent preferences should be respected. This response implicitly uses a model of human action in which each human being has an 'inner rational agent'. I argue that this model is psychologically ungrounded. Although references to latent preferences appear in psychologically-based explanations of context-dependent choice, latent preferences serve no explanatory purpose.


k-Anonymity and differential privacy can be considered examples of Boolean definitions of disclosure risk. In contrast, record linkage and uniqueness are examples of quantitative measures of risk. Record linkage is a powerful approach because it can model different types of scenarios in which an adversary attacks a protected database with some information and background knowledge. Transparency holds in data privacy when data is published together with details on their processing. This includes the data protection method used and its parameters. Intruders can use this information to improve their attacks. Specific record linkage algorithms can be defined to take into account this information, and to define more accurate disclosure risk measures. Machine learning and optimization techniques also permits us to increase the effectiveness of record linkage algorithms. This talk will be focused on disclosure risk measures based on record linkage. We will describe how we can improve the performance of the algorithms under the transparency principle, as well as using machine learning and optimization techniques.


Cutaneous immune responses to contact sensitizers such as picryl chloride or oxazolone, are classical manifestations of T cell-mediated immunity in vivo. In fact, the first documentation of T cell-mediated immunity was the ability to adoptively transfer contact sensitivity (CS) responses. Although it is now clear that Ag/MHC-restricted alpha beta TCR positive effector T cells are responsible for 24 to 48 h CS responses, other subsets of Thy-1+ cells in mice also participate in the elicitation of CS. Thus, Thy-1+, CD5+, CD3-, B220+, hapten-specific, non-MHC-restricted early-acting cells are required to initiate CS responses by leading to local serotonin release, which allows for extravascular recruitment of the late-acting, alpha beta TCR+, CS effector T cells. This study describes another T cell population that is needed for the adoptive transfer of CS by alpha beta T cells. In vitro treatment of a mixture of CS effector cells with hamster mAb to gamma delta TCR, together with rabbit complement, or by panning on anti-hamster Ig-coated dishes, diminished substantially the subsequent transfer of CS reactivity without affecting either CS-initiating cells, or the later-acting, alpha beta TCR+ CS effector T cells. Immune cells treated with anti-alpha beta TCR mAb, or recovered as adherent cells from petri dishes after anti-gamma delta TCR panning (i.e., gamma delta TCR-enriched cells), reconstituted the ability of anti-gamma delta TCR-treated immune cells (i.e., alpha beta TCR-enriched cells) to transfer 24-h CS responsiveness. The phenotype of the gamma delta T cells that assisted CS effector alpha beta T cells was: CD3+, CD4-, and CD8+. The gamma delta T cells that assisted alpha beta T cells were not Ag-specific since anti-alpha beta-TCR-treated cells (gamma delta T-enriched) from picryl chloride immunized donors aided alpha beta T cells (anti-gamma delta TCR-treated) from oxazolone-immunized donors, and conversely gamma delta T cells from oxazolone-immunized donors aided alpha beta T cells from picryl chloride immunized donors. Furthermore, the CS-regulating gamma delta T cells were not MHC-restricted because gamma delta T cells from H2d or H2b donors could assist alpha beta T cells from H2k donors. It was concluded that a regulatory population of non-Ag specific, non-MHC-restricted gamma delta T cells was needed to assist immune effector, Ag/MHC-specific alpha beta T cells in the adoptive transfer of CS.


Research indicates that worshippers have to contend with a process of recognition (remembrance) during participation in liturgy. This article identifies two centre-points within the listening process, namely listening as central activity during participation as well as listening in order to see differently that will result in doing differently. The research question is: What kind of dynamic perspectives could emanate from research on remembrance as the editing of memories in enabling listeners to cultivate a cognizance of seeing? A listener's remembrance has to do with recollecting familiar things, events and words. Remembering brings new meaning and understanding. Recognition is the spark that ignites participants ' ability to participate in the listening-process. This investigation was done from a practical-theological vantage point with inter-disciplinary engagement with social psychology and communication sciences. Anamnesis is examined from the perspective of recognition viewed f r o m t h e s e r m o n t o t h e Hebrews. The article closes with perspectives on the creative functioning of recognition as part of active listening.


Over time, the debate about using technology in the classroom has evolved as much as the technology itself. Not only has the role of technology grown and shifted in the classroom, but also the level of technological sophistication has changed the way these tools are used. Employing these tools in the mathematics classroom allows students to no longer take a somewhat passive role, treating technology as either their master or servant. Rather, these tools allow the technology to become the students' partner or an extension of themselves. In addition, students can now engage in the role of active learners by producing and/or publishing content previously not possible. Even though the TI-83/84 has its place in the mathematics classroom, particularly considering the high-stakes testing relationship, mathematics educators must embrace the ever-growing tools of Web 2.0 to become even more efficient and effective.


Li-deficient, off-congruent Z-cut MgO:LiNbO3 (MgO:LN) crystals for integrated optics were prepared by carrying out postgrown Li-poor vapor transport equilibration (VTE) treatments on congruently grown MgO (5 mol% in melt):LiNbO3 plates at 1100°C for durations ranging from 40 to 395 h. Secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis, surface ordinary refractive index measurement, and neutron activation analysis were carried out on the VTE crystals to verify that the Mg and Nb ions did not diffuse out of the crystal during the VTE procedure and their distributions over the whole plate retain its homogeneity. The VTE duration dependence of the Li2O content reduction was determined using gravimetric method, and the crystalline phase was by powder X-ray diffraction. The results show that the Li2O content decreases with a prolonged VTE and the Li2O content reduction in the saturation regime is about 2.9 mol%. All of the VTE crystals still retain the LN phase, and Li-vacancy and NbLi are the major defects in the VTE crystal. OH absorption study reveals that the doped MgO concentration is below the photorefractive threshold for all VTE crystals. The optical absorption edge (OAE) of the VTE-treated MgO:LN was also measured as a function of the VTE duration. On the basis of the known Li2O content and measured OAE, the photon-energy fit reported previously, valid for the evaluation of Li2O content in a pure LN, is corrected for the Li-poor VTE-treated MgO:LNs. Finally, the applicability of the Li-deficient off-congruent MgO:LN crystals prepared by the Li-poor VTE method is demonstrated by characterizing the optical damage and Er diffusion properties of a single-mode Ti:MgO:Er:LiNbO3 strip waveguide fabricated on an Li-poor VTE-prepared MgO:LN crystal.


This study uses a bibliometric approach to analyze how the scientific production of entrepreneurship and the theoretical approach of the dynamic capabilities is corelated. With a sample of 701 studies from the Web of Science database we identified 88 articles concentrated in four different journals, pointing the most productive authors, the most cited references and clusters of keywords mainly related to entrepreneurship and dynamic capabilities.  The results demonstrates that entrepreneurship and dynamic capabilities are two research streams that still need to have their relationships better explored, since the bibliometric maps demonstrated that most studies appear to have a main focus on dynamic capabilities but only addressing entrepreneurship related either to the entrepreneur itself, or to its entrepreneurial orientation, not exploring other important entrepreneurship issues. This work contributes theoretically by addressing a relationship still underexplored at the academy, thus encouraging future studies on the theme.


Modern video coding algorithms are becoming increasingly complex with the result that single general purpose processors are incapable of meeting the computational power required for real time implementation. The coding algorithms are continuously evolving therefore, any multiprocessor solution must not only possess the necessary computational power but must also be flexible enough to adapt to any modifications in the algorithms.

This report presents a possible multiprocessor solution with specific reference to the DCU object-based analysis-synthesis coder. Firstly, an abstract model of the multiprocessor system is defined. The model is based on the dual requirements of computational power and flexibility. An analysis of the DCU coding algorithm is performed in order to refine the basic model by identifying potential realisation options that optimise coder performance. A reciprocal relationship exists whereby hardware constraints require modification of the algorithm. Any modifications are outlined and their effect on overall coder performance is investigated. Computational power costs are given for an implementation based on TMS320C30 DSPs.

From experimental results it is shown that, despite the complexity of the coding algorithm, real time operation is possible. A decoder based on a single TMS320C30 has been developed that is capable of operating at up to 8 Hz.


Part I—General Theoretical Discussion INTRODUCTION Divergence of opinion .—Probably there is no subject in geology on which the divergence of opinion is so great while at the same time the observational material is so ample as that of glacial erosion. A few geologists believe that glaciers have excavated valleys and basins thousands of feet deep in solid rock, while others think that ice erosion has been inconsequential. There was a time when Joseph Le Conte and John Muir held the opinion that Yosemite valley had been excavated by Sierran glaciers, while J. D. Whitney was not convinced that glacier ice had ever even occupied the valley. Today most students of living glaciers and glacial work deny that glaciers possess great erosive power, while a group of physiographers claim that the peculiar features of Norwegian, Alaskan, and other deep valleys, including those of the New York "Finger" lakes, are due to great . . .


Background: Improper waste management may have health and environmental hazards. Studies showed the relationship of many diseases to improper waste management. Objective: This study aimed to assess the status of waste management and hygiene practices in Kersa Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Kersa Demographic Surveillance and Health Research Centre (KDS-HRC) project site in April 2008. The study subjects were randomly selected 444 households. Data were collected through interview and observation. Results: The majority of the households, (66%) disposed solid wastes in open dumps and only 6.9% of the households had temporary storage means for solid waste. About 98.4 % of the respondents revealed that the responsibility of waste management is left for women and girls. Only 36.4% households had latrines and almost all were simple unsanitary traditional pits. From those households with latrine the habit of hand-washing after defecation was reported to be only about 5.1%. The habit of hand washing after defecation is significantly associated with the educational status of the respondents (P<0.01) Conclusion: in the study community household management of waste is in poor condition. Health-workers and local authorities must pay special emphasis to improve these conditions. Further in-depth studies should also be encouraged to look for improved interventions. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2010;24(2):103-109]


The Thai livestock industry has experienced significant change over the last two decades in its cattle/buffalo, pigs and poultry sectors. Increasing human population and income levels, political and technological change in Thailand have meant changes in the traditional roles of livestock within the Thai village economy and have caused a heightened demand amongst Thai consumers for livestock products such as meat and milk. These changing socio-economic conditions in Thailand have seen the poultry sector achieve internationally competitive status, and more recently expanding commercial development of the cattle and pork industries. Technological advances in Thailand however have resulted in substantial decline in buffalo numbers as draught power has become increasingly mechanised. In order for Thailand's livestock sector to meet growing domestic and international demand, it is essential that issues such as disease control in livestock are successfully addressed.


HB 699, a hypoglycaemic agent which lacks the structural requirements regarded as essential for the insulin releasing action of the sulfonamide group, was studied in isolated rat islets and compared wi th tolbutamide. In the presence of 8.3 mM glucose fc/r long exposure (24 h) both substances induced an increase of insulin release wi thout altering the islet insulin content. After preloading of the islets to isotopic equil ibrium wi th Ca (24 h) , HB 699 and tolbutamide induced a significant increase in total exchangeable calcium content parallelled by an increase in insulin release. Both effects could be suppressed by verapamil, a blocker of voltage-sensitive Ca channels. These results indicate that HB 699, like tolbutamide, stimulates insulin release by increasing Ca uptake by the B cells.


CHAPTER I This chapter contains an account of Dhu'r-Rumma' s life based on a study of the anecdotal material and its conflicting versions in relation to some passages in his diwan, together with the historical background with special reference to:- (a) His nickname of Dhu'r-Rumma. (b) The question of his acquaintance with the art of writing and the philologists' attempt to create the impression of his being illiterate, thus confirming that his language was pure and chaste and fit for citational needs. (c) A more or less chronological order of his contacts with his patrons. (d) A discussion of his love for Mayya and other women, establishing that Kharqa was not Mayya. (e) A review of the different anecdotes concerning his death and the story of his burial. CHAPTER II A discussion of his social and cultural background - his Bedouin character and simple behaviour, illustrated in his ready participation in the goy of the community and his attitude towards some philosophical and religious issues. CHAPTER III. An attempt is made here to draw a conspectus of the Bedouin school of poetry as a product of Bedouin life, based upon the flow of associated thoughts and images and projected on a desert background. This is followed by a discussion of Dhu'r-Rumma as a representative of his school belonging to it both by environment and culture, his place amongst its poets and his achievement together with a comparison of some of his themes with those of his predecessors and ending with descriptions of his desert environment. CHAPTER IV A discussion of his ghazal poetry as reflecting the influence of the 'Udhris as well as his own personal experiences, with some emphasis on his Bedouin ghazal in portraying Mayya as the embodiment of the Bedouin ideal of beauty and epitomising the mostoeautiful aspects of the desert as well. CHAPTER V His social relationships as illustrated in his panegyrics and satire, revealing that he was first and foremost an artist obsessed with singing of his feelings and emotions about his desert and about his beloved though responding in praise and satire to necessity and the pressure of tribal revelry respectively. CHAPTER VI A review of his artistic attitudes, and his poetical obsession; then his poetry as evaluated by his contemporaries and by literary critics subsequently. The study ends with a conclusion based on the main points of the previous chapters.


The retrieval function is one of the most important components of an Information Retrieval (IR) system, because it determines to what extent some information is relevant to a user query. Most retrieval functions have "free parameters" whose value must be set before retrieval, significantly affecting the effectiveness of an IR system. Choosing the optimum values for such parameters is therefore of paramount importance. However, the optimum can only be found after a computationally expensive process, especially when the generalization error is estimated via cross-validation. In this paper, we propose to determine free parameter values by solving an optimization problem aimed at maximizing a measure of retrieval effectiveness. We employ the black-box optimization paradigm, since the analytical expression of the measure of effectiveness with respect to the free parameters is unknown. We consider different methods for solving the black-box optimization problem: a simple grid-search over the whole domain, and more sophisticated techniques such as line search and surrogate model based algorithms. Experimental results on several test collections not only provide useful insight about effectiveness, but also about efficiency: they indicate that with appropriate optimization techniques, the computational cost of parameter optimization can be greatly reduced without compromising retrieval effectiveness, even when taking generalization into account.


It is estimated that by the year 2010, the number of people over 65 years of age will reach 39 million. By 2030, that number is expected to over 70 million individuals in the 85 and older age group making them the fastest growing group of older individuals. Their growth rate is three times more than all of the 65 and older age groups put together. Falls and mobility issues are very common among older individuals and can have severe consequences. In older individuals, falls and mobility issues can occur as a result of normal age related changes such as changes in vision, gait, strength, disease progression, and medication. We introduce wireless microcontroller hardware and software that leverages micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) transducers which communicate with a server-based heuristics analytics system. The real-time heuristics analytics system performs correlation analysis which will allow for measuring and detecting of mobility related events correlated with, for example, specific disease progression and/or changes in medication dosing and scheduling. If there is excessive inactivity detected within a selected time period, notification will be sent by the heuristics analytics system to a response center.


Background: Neonatal sepsis is leading cause of mortality in neonates. The organism responsible for sepsis differed depending on the site of Neonatal care unit and country. In this study, we aimed to look at cause of sepsis and antibiotic sensitivity.
Materials and Methods: Neonates admitted in the neonatal care unit of western regional hospital from 14th August 2012 to 14th July 2014were included in the study. Septic workup was done and culture was sent. Results of culture sensitivity were noted along with the sensitivity pattern.
Results: Neonatal sepsis accounted for 38 percent of total admission in the neonatal unit. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism isolated which was followed by Escherichia coli (E coli). Staphylococcus aureus isolated was sensitive to Cloxacillin in 97% of cases. There were 5 % mortalities during the study period.
Conclusion: Neonatal sepsis was the most common reason for admission and staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism.


Up-regulation of myocardial Nix and BNip3 is associated with apoptosis in cardiac hypertrophy and ischemia, respectively. To identify mechanisms of gene regulation for these critical cardiac apoptosis effectors, the determinants of Nix and BNip3 promoter activation were elucidated by luciferase reporter gene expression in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. BNip3 transcription was increased by hypoxia but not by phenylephrine (10 μm), angiotensin II (100 nm), or isoproterenol (10 μm). In contrast, Nix transcription was increased by phenylephrine but not by isoproterenol, angiotensin II, or hypoxia. Since phenylephrine stimulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via protein kinase C (PKC), the effects of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 10 nm for 24 h) and adenoviral PKC expression were assessed. PMA and PKCα, but not PKCϵ or dominant negative PKCα, increased Nix transcription. Multiple Nix promoter GC boxes bound transcription factor Sp-1, and basal and PMA- or PKCα-stimulated Nix promoter activity was suppressed by mithramycin inhibition of Sp1-DNA interactions. In vivo determinants of Nix expression were evaluated in Nix promoter-luciferase (NixP) transgenic mice that underwent ischemia-reperfusion (1 h/24 h), transverse aortic coarctation (TAC), or cross-breeding with the Gq overexpression model of hypertrophy. Luciferase activity increased in Gαq-NixP hearts 3.2 ± 0.4-fold and in TAC hearts 2.8 ± 0.4-fold but did not increase with infarction-reperfusion. NixP activity was proportional to the extent of TAC hypertrophy and was inhibited by mithramycin. These studies revealed distinct mechanisms of transcriptional regulation for cardiac Nix and BNip3. BNip3 is hypoxia-inducible, whereas Nix expression was induced by Gαq-mediated hypertrophic stimuli. PKCα, a Gq effector, transduced Nix transcriptional induction via Sp1.


To provide heterogeneous quality-of-service (QoS) to various applications, the bandwidth of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is divided into multiple number of sub-bands, which employ a different set of transmission technologies, such as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), packet scheduling, adaptive modulation and coding (AMC), and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) depending on the traffic type. According to this concept, DiffSeg system, where the two-dimensional resource domain of OFDM is filled with four different resource units, called segments, and the occupancy ratio of each type of segment is determined by the segment map, has been recently proposed in [5][6]. In this paper, we introduce a concept of segment diversion to utilize the radio resource more efficiently considering the status of QoS. We then propose a system optimization model, which finds an optimal segment map and diversion ratios of real-time (RT) connections in order to maximize the residual resource for non-real-time (NRT) traffic while satisfying the minimum QoS requirement of RT traffic. We formulate an optimization problem using mixed integer programming, and then develop two computationally efficient algorithms: simplex-based heuristic and Maximum Diversion Rule. Especially, Maximum Diversion Rule is shown to achieve a near-optimal solution with dramatically less complexity.


Petkov, E., Ignatova, M. & Popova, T. (2020). Effect of the sex separate and straight-run type of rearing on the performance, carcass and meat chemical composition in fast growing broilers. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 26 (3), 652–658 The aim of the study was to assess the effect of the type of rearing (sex separate vs. straight-run) in broiler chicks on their performance, carcass and meat quality. The trial was carried out in the experimental poultry farm of the Institute of Animal Science – Kostinbrod with the fast growing hybrid Cobb-500. The one day old chickens were sexed, marked and separated into three groups (n = 100): two sex separate groups containing male and female chickens respectively and one straight-run reared into deep litter. The chickens were fed ad libitum starter, grower and finisher diet and the major zootechnical parameters were controlled. The carcass quality and meat chemical composition were analyzed at 35 d of age. The effect of the rearing system was slight in the male birds and was mainly related to the weight gain and the feed intake per kg weight gain at 35 days of age showing certain advantage for the straight-run chickens. The female straight-run birds,on the other hand, showed lower weight gain at 35 and 49 days of age (P < 0.05) as well as higher feed intake per kg body weight and weight gain (P < 0.001) at 49 days. Significant difference between the sex separate reared groups and the straight-run one were observed in regard to the content of the abdominal fat (lowest in the male sexed chicks) and leg (highest in the male sexed and straight run chicks). Except for the ash content, the type of rearing did not exert any significant differences in the major chemical components of the breast and leg meat between the groups.


ABSTRACT:Plant community biodiversity is critical for maintaining native and cultivated grasslands. Even though legume nitrogen contribution can enhance ecosystem productivity, a critical number of native herbaceous legume species are not commercially available for grassland seed mixes in the south-central US. Of those on the market from other regions, perennial temperate species fail to survive the hot summer seasons, and the tropical species lack sufficient cold tolerance for winter survival through most of the region. We examine historical and current efforts to identify appropriate genotypes to supply native legume seed in Texas and immediate surroundings as a case study for developing a widely under-utilized resource in this and other regions. More than 30 native legume genera occur across this region, often as small, isolated, and protected populations. Several recent native legume releases target forage production, grassland reclamation, and wildlife habitat, but the seed available meets only small-scale demands and lacks diversity. Wider germplasm adaptation, less costly seed production, and improved marketing may increase demand and economic viability of multiple native legume seeds in restoration, right-of-way stabilization, rangeland rehabilitation, and pasture cultivation. Systematic germplasm selection that focuses on potential market, seed harvestability, seedling vigor, and persistence under inter-plant competition and grazing pressures could substantially increase native legume domestication and sustained commercialization. Coordination of seed supply and demand involving policy aspects of government incentive programs, seed industry investments, and extension programs targeting potential user groups could contribute to greater commercialization success of native legumes with potential to provide multiple benefits to ecosystems across North America.


Fifty soil samples were collected from the 12.7 to 15.8- cm and the 43.2 to 48.3-cmz ones in five randomly lected selected sites for each of two acid glacial till soils to measure the relationship of pH and exchangeable AI. Alfalfa, alsike clover, orchardgrass, timothy, oats and arley were grown at three lime rates on one site of each soil which contained a high level of exchangeable A1 to determine the effects of varying pH and AI on crop yield. The Caribou and Thorndike soils contained an average of 255 and 346 kg/ha of exchangeable AI, respectively, at the 12.7 to 15.8-cmd epth, whereast he levels at 43.2 to 48.3-cm were 152 and 347. There was significantly less A1 in the subsoil than in the topsoil of the Caribou. When limed rates of 0, 1,469 and 2,938 kg/ha for the Caribou and 0, 2,203 and 4,406 kg/ha for Thorndike soil, the average pH values were 5.03, 5.79 and 6.15, and 5.23, 6.08 and 6.46, respeclively. Comparable exchangeable Al values were 196, 33 and 11, and 138, 21 and 19 kg/ha. Dry matter production of alfalfa, alsike clover and barley was significantly less when grown at AI levels greater than 100 kg/ha, where as dry matter yields of oats, orchardgrass and timothy were uneffected at the above levels of A1. Grain yield of barley was reduced at the highest level of AI in one of the soils.


This article presents a measurement analysis methodology that, starting from packet-level traces, identifies some statistics useful to characterize Web traffic, such as page size, page request frequency, and the user's think time between the download of pages. The methodology was implemented in a tool named HTML-REDUCE and applied on traces collected in CSELT's corporate network. For each identified statistic the analytic expression best approximating its empirical distribution is searched. A simplified model for bandwidth dimensioning in the server-to-client direction is then presented and validated through comparison with full protocol stack simulations. The model only requires the page request frequency of an aggregate of clients and the first two moments of page size distribution.


The need for restoration of degraded lands has become necessary to ensure sustainable living. Fertilization has been applied to improve soils in order to enhance vegetation growth. Application of different organic fertilizers has shown varied effects on soil physiochemical properties. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of bone meal on soil physiochemical properties in a sandy loam soil in Iceland. No significant effect was observed for bone meal on nitrate, bulk density, porosity, pH and electrical conductivity (P > 0.05). Furthermore, total nitrogen, total carbon and carbon: nitrogen (C/N) ratio were not affected by the bone meal treatment. However, significant effects of bone meal were observed on organic matter content and water holding capacity of the treated soil (P<0.05). The treated area had 10.9% more water retention capacity than the control.


The effects of H2 addition to the growth ambient during physical vapor transport (PVT) growth of 6H and 4H SiC were investigated using SIMS, DLTS and Hall effect measurements. Using this hybrid physical-chemical vapor transport (HPVT) approach, boules were grown using Ar-H2 and He-H2 mixtures with H2 concentrations up to 50 at%. Thermodynamic modeling suggests that addition of H2 improves the carbon transport in HPVT compared to standard PVT. This should lead to a substantial decrease in the concentration of residual N donors and the concentration of electron traps. This is confirmed by the experimental results. As expected, the source transport rate increased as H2 was added to the growth environment due to increased C transport. The background nitrogen concentration and the free electron density decreased significantly with increasing H2 concentration. The formation of electron traps (activation energies of 0.4 eV, 0.6-0.65 eV, 0.7 eV, 0.9 eV and 1 eV) was also strongly suppressed. These changes were observed for H2 concentrations as low as 4 at%. The decreased N concentration improves the ability to produce high resistivity SiC material, and for H2 concentrations as high as 10-25%, the very first wafers cut from the seed end of the boules have a resistivity exceeding 106 cm.


Virtual reality (VR) creates computer-generated virtual environments where users can experience and interact in a similar way as they would do in real life. VR systems are increasingly being used for rehabilitation goals, mainly with adults, but also with children, extending their application to the educational field. This report concerns a study of the impact of a semi-immersive VR system in a group of 25 children in a kindergarten context. The children were involved in several different games and activity types, specifically developed with the aim of learning specific skills and foster team collaboration. Their reactions and behaviors were recorded by their teachers and by trained psychologists through observation grids addressing task comprehension, participation and enjoyment, interaction and cooperation, conflict, strategic behaviors, and adult-directed questions concerning the activity, the device or general help requests. The grids were compiled at the initial, intermediate and final timepoint during each session. The results show that the activities are easy to understand, enjoyable, and stimulate strategic behaviors, interaction and cooperation, while they do not elicit the need for many explanations. These results are discussed within a neuroconstructivist educational framework and the suitability of semi-immersive, virtual-reality-based activities for cognitive empowerment and rehabilitation purposes is discussed.


Green loans are a way of financing green innovation. Two important factors, the lending interest rate and the loaning scale, should be focused on. In this paper, we explore the impact of lending interest rates and loaning scale on green innovation. We show that the incentive of green innovation strongly depends on the lending interest rate and the loaning scale through model analysis. Moreover, the dependence is summarized as a two-step strategy. In the first step, the lending interest rate should be lower than some rate thresholds given in the paper. Otherwise, green innovation fails to be stimulated. In the second step, if the lending interest rate is lower than the given rate threshold, then the practical loaning scale should lie between two thresholds of loaning scale derived in the paper, such that the green innovation will be stimulated. What is more, to guarantee the green effect of the innovation on the environment, we construct a threshold of loaning scale. If the loaning scale is larger than this threshold, then the innovation will show green effect on the environment. Otherwise, green innovation loses its environmental significance. The government stimulates green innovation through government subsidy. In this paper, we consider three kinds of government subsidy, including a subsidy for the bank, subsidy for the enterprise before and after implementing green innovation. Some appropriate government subsidy scales are presented.


Abstract : At the end of March 2005, the final students will graduate from the Air Force Institute of Technology's (AFIT) contracting graduate degree curricula -- consisting at various times of both contract management and strategic purchasing course sequences -- which have been relocated to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). With the end of the contracting graduate programs at AFIT, it is appropriate to ask what contributions AFIT theses have made to the contracting community. Scholars (e.g., Das and Hanfield, 1997) have argued that thesis and dissertation research is one useful method of determining contributions to the field. The author conducted a rigorous review of contracting-related theses done at AFIT to find out what contributions they have made to the contracting community and how future research, performed elsewhere, might continue to make contributions in the future. Through this study it was discovered that the majority of the contracting research conducted at AFIT pertained to purchasing planning, organization, policy, and personnel. There has been little research done on commercial purchasing issues, such as buyer-supplier relationship and supply chain integration. The majority of the research performed was in exploratory study format using mostly case studies, interviews, and surveys to collect data. The most common data analysis techniques used were descriptive statistics (36%) followed by anecdotal evidence (18%), "other" (16%), and modeling/simulation (15%).


This study was performed to find an alternative ingredient for use as a binder in mangosteen peel extracts lozenges dosage form. The purple sweet potato starch was produced by the decantation method, while mangosteen peel extract was extracted by maceration. The starch was used to formulate the lozenges at three levels of 5, 10, and 15%, and manufactured by wet granulation method. Alpha-mangostin was analyzed by Thin Layer Chromatography Densitometry method. Lozenges were evaluated in term of weight, hardness, brittleness, time dissolves and nutritious substance assay. Results showed that mangosteen peel extract could be formulated in a lozenges dosage forms using purple sweet potato starch as a binder. All of formulas were fullfill the requirements except taste test response. The hardness and time dissolves of Formula III using 15% purple sweet potato starch were 9,4±0,1721 kg/cm2 and 7,092±1,352 minutes, respectively. Formula III was stated as the best formulation.


Well known methods of measure theory on infinite dimensional spaces are used to study physical properties of measures relevant to quantum field theory. The difference of typical configurations of free massive scalar field theories with different masses is studied. We apply the same methods to study the Ashtekar–Lewandowski (AL) measure on spaces of connections. In particular we prove that the diffeomorphism group acts ergodically, with respect to the AL measure, on the Ashtekar–Isham space of quantum connections modulo gauge transformations. We also prove that a typical, with respect to the AL measure, quantum connection restricted to a (piecewise analytic) curve leads to a parallel transport discontinuous at every point of the curve.


Walk a mile in my in my shoes. Calibrated risk taking is one of your core skills. Time to market is a measure of success. Your product is not tangible but rather a service you provide. Your skills as a QA engineer are primarily measured by your ability to accurately articulate the risk of a production release in a Software as a Service (SaaS) environment. Your clients are fixated on schedules; yet they demand and expect the delivery of high quality software as a matter of course. You are responsible for risk management and release readiness all the while knowing that your QA team's core competency is judged by how well the team gauges what is "just enough" regression testing. In such an environment, how do you define your methodology so that you can determine acceptable risk? Do you find my shoes comfortable or are you developing blisters? Well, we routinely deliver software which successfully navigates between the financial dictates of swiftness to market and the professional QA engineer's passion for perfection. This paper will outline how our software development life cycle copes with the new QA reality of SaaS. I will specify how we use software tools and procedures to measure, define and mitigate risk. I will outline how we traverse our path to production and balance speed with quality. "Just enough " regression testing relies on the idea that there exists a "Minimum Regression Set" (MRS) that is quantifiable and that deterministically exercises the System Under Test (SUT). In my paper, I will explain the whys, the hows and specifics of this methodology. MRS is defined and measured per production release and allows you to evaluate the regression risk of any given software deployment at any point in time. Basically, the risk statement is the percentage of executed test cases derived from calibrated set where one measures API and code coverage. This paper outlines the methodologies used to reduce the MRS to smallest set of test cases needed to provide "just enough" testing so you can deliver high quality software as quickly as possible…ahead of your competitors.


Influence of Homeopathically Processed Coenzyme Q10 on Proliferation and Redifferentiation of Endothelial Cells Background: Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10) is vital for regulating cell metabolism and cell proliferation. The controlled proliferation of cells is prerequisite for the regeneration of tissues. Aim: The aim of this study was to clarify whether homeopathically processed Co Q10 has an influence on the proliferation of freshly seeded endothelial cells, on the division rate of differentiated confluent endothelial cells, and on the redifferentiation of differentiated endothelial cells in vitro. Methods: By the determination of cell numbers, the influence of Co Q10 on the proliferation of undifferentiated endothelial cells from the human umbilical vein was examined. For this assay different potencies of Co Q10 and freshly seeded endothelial cells were used. Prior to the proliferation assay the in vitro cytotoxic concentrations of Co Q10 were determined. The influence of Co Q10 on the division rate of differentiated confluent endothelial cells was determined by measuring the intake of the base analogue bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). For the testing of differentiation, the expression of the von Willebrand factor (vWF) - the marker protein typical for endothelial cells - was observed while Co Q10 was present. A flow cytometric assay was used for the analyses. Results: While only the D5 potency showed toxic effects, the other tested potencies of Co Q10 did not show any cytotoxicity. The potencies D7-D10 of Co Q10, especially the D8 potency, caused an increase in the proliferation of growing endothelial cells. By contrast, Co Q10 (D8) had no influence on the rate of incorporation of BrdU into confluent, contact-inhibited, and differentiated endothelial cells. In the case of confluent dedifferentiated cells incubated with Co Q10 (D8), no increase in the expression of the vWF was observed, either. Conclusions: Homeopathically processed Co Q10 (D8) has a stimulating influence on the proliferation of growing cells in vitro. This confirms its function in the regulation of cell metabolism and cell proliferation. The stimulating influence, however, does not extend to the redifferentiation process. Co Q10 has no effect on the low division rate of subconfluent and of confluent, contact-inhibited, differentiated endothelial cells. Furthermore the expression of endothelial cell-specific differentiation antigens on dedifferentiated endothelial cells is not influenced by Co Q10.


This study investigated (1) the positive effects of a company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) and responsible gambling (RG) strategies on residents' perceived benefits and their quality of life (QOL); (2) the effects of residents' perceived negative social impacts from casino development on their perceived benefits and QOL; and (3) whether these relationships are invariant across two gaming communities. We collected data from 458 residents of two gaming communities in the Gangwon Province of South Korea. The findings showed that economic CSR had the strongest positive impact on residents' perceived benefits, followed by philanthropic CSR and supplementary RG. These factors also had significant indirect effects on residents' QOL via perceived benefits. The negative social impacts factor was found to negatively influence residents' perceived benefits and QOL. These relationships were statistically invariant across the two gaming communities. The current study offers a legitimacy and stakeholder theory-driven approach to examine CSR, gaming communities' perceived negative social impacts and benefits from casino development, and QOL.


In order to be effective, an information system (IS) needs to be flexible, that is, it must be able to accommodate a certain amount of variation regarding the requirements of the supported business process. Despite many previous studies on the flexibility of organizations, processes, and various organizational technologies, the economics of flexibility are not yet well understood. The current paper contributes to IS theory building with a focus on the impact of IS flexibility on the cost efficiency of a given business process. We present a theoretical model that details the economics of two generic strategies of IS flexibility (i.e., flexibility-to-use regarding the IS features that are provided at the time of implementation, and flexibility-to-change regarding the IS features that constitute an option for later system upgrade), and that also includes the possibility of process performance outside of the IS (manual operations). Based on an analysis of the model, we conclude that IS flexibility-to-change is cost efficiently deployed to support a business process characterized by a high level of structural and environmental uncertainty, whereas a low level of process uncertainty corresponds efficiently with IS flexibility-to-use. The model also indicates that high process variability can improve the importance of IS flexibility management in general, as it tends to limit the value of an IS over manual operations, whereas a high level of time-criticality of process requirements tends to increase the value of an IS over manual operations.


This research investigates factors that influence students' intentions to use electronic portfolios (e-portfolios). E-portfolios are important pedagogical tools and a substantial amount of literature supports their role in personal, academic and professional development. However, achieving students' acceptance of e-portfolios is still a challenge for higher education institutions. One approach to understanding acceptance of e-portfolios is through technology acceptance based theories and models. A theoretical framework based on the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) has therefore been developed, which proposes Attitude towards Behaviour (AB), Subjective Norms (SN) and Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC), and their decomposed factors as determinants of students' Behavioural Intention (BI) to use e-portfolios. Based on a positivistic philosophical standpoint, the study used a deductive research approach to test proposed hypotheses. Data was collected from 204 participants via a cross-sectional survey method and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was chosen for data analysis using a two-step approach. First, composite reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity of the measures were established. Next, the structural model was analysed, in which Goodness of Fit (GoF) indices were observed and hypotheses were analysed. The results demonstrated that the theoretical model attained an acceptable fit with the data. The proposed personal, social and control factors in the model were shown to have significant influences on e-portfolio acceptance. The results suggest that use of DTPB can be extended to predict e-portfolio acceptance behaviour.


Entacapone is an inhibitor of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease as an adjunct to levodopa and carbidopa therapy. It is a nitrocatechol-structured compound with a relative molecular mass of 305.29. The chemical name of entacapone is (E)-2-cyano 3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)-N,N-diethyl-2-propenamide. Its empirical formula is C14H15N3O5 and its structural formula is:


Abstraction is often essential to verify a program with model checking. Typically, a concrete source program with an infinite (or finite, but large) state space is reduced to a small, finite state, abstract program on which a correctness property can be checked. The fundamental question we investigate in this paper is whether such a reduction to finite state programs is always possible, for arbitrary branching time temporal properties. We begin by showing that existing abstraction frameworks are inherently incomplete for verifying purely existential or mixed universal-existential properties. We then propose a new, complete abstraction framework which is based on a class of focused transition systems (FTS's). The key new feature in FTS's is a way of "focusing" an abstract state to a set of more precise abstract states. While focus operators have been defined for specific contexts, this result shows their fundamental usefulness for proving non-universal properties. The constructive completeness proof provides linear size maximal models for properties expressed in logics such as CTL and the mu-calculus. This substantially improves upon known (worst-case) exponential size constructions for their universal fragments.


Several monoclonal antibodies directed against gonococcal outer membrane protein IB have been used in in vitro assays to investigate their potential efficacy in protection against gonococcal infection. In a cytotoxicity assay, virulence of the variant P9-17 for epithelial cells in tissue culture was reduced in the presence of three of the four antibodies which recognized type-specific epitopes. Similarly, virulence of P9-17 as well as a recent isolate was reduced in the presence of the one antibody, SM24, which reacted with a conserved epitope. This antibody was also bactericidal in the presence of complement, and in addition was opsonic for several protein IB-expressing strains as determined by polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemiluminescence measurements. Similarly, all the type-specific antibodies were opsonic for P9 variants. However, only two of these antibodies mediated complement-dependent killing although those which were ineffective were nevertheless complement-fixing antibodies. These results indicate that antibodies to closely positioned epitopes on protein I vary in their biological activities and that the conserved epitope recognized by the antibody SM24 is potentially an effective target on the gonococcal surface for immunoprophylaxis.


Purpose We aimed to determine the treatment of choice criteria for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by analyzing the factors causing alpha-adrenergic receptor blocker (α-blocker) monotherapy failure. Materials and Methods This retrospective study enrolled 129 patients with BPH who were prescribed an α-blocker. Patients were allocated to a transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) group (after having at least a 6-month duration of medication) and an α-blocker group. We compared the differences between the two groups for their initial prostate volume, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and postvoid residual urine volume (PVR). Results Of the 129 patients, 54 were in the TURP group and 75 were in the α-blocker group. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between the two groups were found in the prostate volume (50.8 ml vs. 34.4 ml), PSA (6.8 ng/ml vs. 3.6 ng/ml), Qmax (6.84 ml/sec vs. 9.99 ml/sec), and IPSS (27.3 vs. 16.8). According to the multiple regression analysis, the significant factors in α-blocker monotherapy failure were the IPSS (p<0.001) and prostate volume (p=0.015). According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve-based prediction regarding surgical treatment, the best cutoff value for the prostate volume and IPSS were 35.65 ml (sensitivity 0.722, specificity 0.667) and 23.5 (sensitivity 0.852, specificity 0.840), respectively. Conclusions At the initial diagnosis of BPH, patients with a larger prostate volume and severe IPSS have a higher risk of α-blocker monotherapy failure. In this case, combined therapy with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (5-ARI) or surgical treatment may be useful.


In a macroeconomic model with drifting long-run inflation expectations, the anchoring of inflation expectations manifests in two testable predictions. First, expectations about inflation far in the future should no longer respond to news about current inflation. Second, better anchored inflation expectations weaken the relationship between unemployment and inflation, flattening the reduced-form Phillips curve. We evaluate both predictions and find that the Federal Reserve's communication of a numerical inflation objective, first through its Summary of Economic Projections and later through the announcement of a 2 percent target in 2012, better anchored inflation expectations. Moreover, inflation expectations in the United States have remained anchored amid the volatility of the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, similar analysis reveals no evidence of anchoring in Japan despite the adoption of a numerical inflation target.


Acceleration penetration tests of chloride ion were conducted for typical diurnal and semidiurnal tidal types in China with consideration of various values of soaking time. It was found that the content of chloride ion from shallow area near the surface of concrete to the pure diffusion area of concrete reduced more significantly with the depth than that in the pure diffusion area of concrete. Based on Fick's second law, the variation laws of chloride ion content at the edge of the pure diffusion area and chloride ion diffusion coefficient in the pure diffusion area under different soaking time ratios were identified by using the chloride ion content distributions that were established based on the test results of concrete in the pure diffusion area. It was found that the chloride ion content and the apparent chloride ion diffusion coefficient in pure diffusion area may be very high when the ratio of soaking time ratio is between 0.3 and 0.42 or 0.6 and 0.7 for diurnal tidal type and 0.83 for semidiurnal tidal type, which will cause severe erosion in concrete structures in tidal zone.


U-Pb ages for 1655 individual detrital zircon grains in 18 samples of eolian and associated marine and fluvial sandstones of the Glen Canyon and San Rafael Groups from the Colorado Plateau and contiguous areas shed light on patterns of Jurassic sediment dispersal within Laurentia. Most detrital zircon grains in Jurassic eolianites were derived ultimately from basement provinces older than 285 Ma in eastern and central Laurentia, rather than from rock assemblages of the nearby Cordilleran margin. The most prominent peaks of constituent age populations at 420 Ma, 615 Ma, 1055 Ma, and 1160 Ma reflect derivation from Paleozoic, Neoproterozoic, and Grenvillian sources within the Appalachian orogen or its sedimentary cover. Sediment was transported to a position upwind to the north of the Colorado Plateau by a transcontinental paleoriver system with headwaters in the central to southern Appalachian region, but subordinate non-Appalachian detritus was contributed by both northern and southern tributaries during sediment transit across the continent. Subordinate detrital zircons younger than 285 Ma in selected Middle to Upper Jurassic eolianites were derived from the Permian-Triassic East Mexico and the Mesozoic Cordilleran magmatic arcs. Lower Jurassic fluvial sandstones typically contain a mixture of detrital zircons redistributed from eolian sand and derived from the East Mexico arc, which lay up-current to the southeast. Zircons in marine Curtis sandstone were largely reworked from underlying Entrada eolianite, with minor contributions from the Jurassic backarc igneous assemblage of the Great Basin. Once mature quartzose detritus was dispersed widely across southwest Laurentia by a transcontinental paleoriver system and paleowinds, which deposited extensive Jurassic ergs, durable zircon grains were recycled by multiple intraregional depositional systems. Lower Jurassic fluvial sand is locally composed, however, of detritus derived from the nearby Cordilleran magmatic arc assemblage and its Precambrian basement.


Background: Nonsyndromic orofacial clefts (NSOC) are the most common orofacial congenital defect with a complex etiology. Genome-wide association studies have identified paired box protein 7 (PAX7) and netrin-1 (NTN1) as candidate susceptibility genes for NSOC in both European and Asian populations. Here, possible associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in or near PAX7 and NTN1 were investigated in relation to risk of NSOC in a northern Chinese population. Methods: A total of 602 individuals with NSOC and 510 controls were recruited from northern China. Polymerase chain reaction–ligation detection reactions were used to analyze 4 SNPs (rs742071, rs6659735, rs766325, and rs4920520) of PAX7 and 2 SNPs (rs9904526 and rs9788972) of NTN1. Investigations of polymorphisms and risk of NSOC were conducted by using the PLINK software. Results: NTN1 rs9788972 AG was found to be associated with an increased risk of NSOC compared to the GG homozygous genotype (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.11–1.86, P = .006). When the multifactor dimensionality reduction method was applied, NTN1 rs9788972 still exhibited an increased risk for NSOC (P = .008). In contrast, SNPs in PAX7 were not associated with any increased risk of NSOC. Conclusion: NTN1 rs9788972 is identified as a risk locus for NSOC susceptibility in a northern Chinese population.


In this paper, we propose a ubiquitous product rating system. First we provide an overview of state-of-the-art product recommendation, concluding that current approaches do not support in-store consumers; i.e. consumers on the shop floor. Within shops however is where three out of four buying decisions are made. Hence we propose APriori, a new approach towards mobile product recommendation. APriori makes product recommendation available for mobile users. These utilize their phones to identify tagged (barcode/RFID) consumer products. Based on the identification of products, the mobile device communicates with a backend product recommendation system. As a new rating concept we propose the use of user-generated rating criteria. Accordingly, we describe the APriori prototype implementation and first user experiences. We conclude with discussions about future research directions.


Amyloid formation of the 37-residue amylin is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and potentially, diabetes-induced neurological deficits. Numerous flavonoids exhibit inhibitory effects against amylin amyloidosis, but the mechanisms of inhibition remain not fully understood. Screening a library of natural compounds uncovered a potent lead compound, the flavone baicalein. Baicalein inhibits amylin amyloid formation and reduces amylin-induced cytotoxicity. Analog analyses demonstrated, for the first time, key roles of the vicinal hydroxyl groups on the A-ring. We provide mass spectrometric evidence that incubating baicalein and amylin leads to their conjugation, consistent with a Schiff base mechanism.


Subsequent to the launch of an ocean scatterometer onboard the Oceansat-2 satellite, hereby referred to as OSCAT, on September 23, 2009, the nine-month period from November 2009 to July 2010 was the validation phase for the retrieved ocean surface winds. This letter focuses on one section of the validation campaign, where the validation study for OSCAT winds with European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) analyses is carried out. It is found that, in the 4-24-m/s range of wind speed, the rms error in OSCAT wind speed with ECMWF analysis is 1.4 m/s while that with NCEP analysis is 1.7 m/s. In the case of retrieved wind direction, the rms error is 17.2° with ECMWF analyses, while that for NCEP is 18.8°. These statistics are well within the mission goal of 2-m/s accuracy in wind speed and 20 ° in wind directions. This letter discusses the comparison results for different geographical regions and wind speed ranges.


This review consists of a systematic assessment of climate change adaptation literature to elicit major trends, discourses, and patterns in how local knowledge is conceived. We report on conceptual and geographic trends within the literature, including the practice of assessing local knowledge against scientific benchmarks, and present results of a textual network analysis that illustrates overlap and co‐occurrence among different characterizations of local knowledge. In critically assessing the dominant trends we draw special attention to problems associated with the extraction of local knowledge without due consideration of how this process is embedded and inextricable from local contexts and sociotechnical orders. Drawing on theories of science and technology that examine the ontological politics of research practices, we propose a co‐productive path forward for local knowledge mobilization to inform adaptation decision‐making, which we argue facilitates the transformation of the institutional and governance arrangement of climate adaptation to provide greater flexibility and experimentalism in research and decision‐making. WIREs Clim Change 2017, 8:e475. doi: 10.1002/wcc.475