The 2 June 2008 flood-producing storm on the Starzel river basin in South-West Germany is examined as a prototype for organized convective systems that dominate the upper tail of the precipitation frequency distribution and are likely responsible for the flash flood peaks in Central Europe. The availability of high-resolution rainfall estimates from radar observations and a rain gauge network, together with indirect peak discharge estimates from a detailed post-event survey, provided the opportunity to study in detail the hydrometeorological and hydrological mechanisms associated with this extreme storm and the ensuing flood. Radar-derived rainfall, streamgauge data and indirect estimates of peak discharges are used along with a distributed hydrologic model to reconstruct hydrographs at multiple locations. Observations and model results are combined to examine two main questions, (i) assessment of the distribution of the runoff ratio for the 2008 flash flood and how it compares with other less severe floods; and (ii) analysis of how the spatial and temporal distribution of the extreme rainfall, and more specifically storm motion, controls the flood response. It is shown that small runoff ratios (less than 20%) characterized the runoff response and that these values are in the range of other, less extreme, flood events. The influence of storm structure, evolution and motion on the modeled flood hydrograph is examined by using the "spatial moments of catchment rainfall". It is shown that downbasin storm motion (in the range of 0.7–0.9 m s −1 ) had a noticeable impact on flood response by increasing the modeled flood peak by 13%.


Abstract Introduction: The most common hereditary kidney condition is autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. It is the cause of 5–10% of end-stage renal disease. Its symptoms are generally late-onset, typically leading to development of hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Ultrasonography is the imaging modality of choice in its diagnosis and management. The aim of this study is to determine the diagnostic value of grayscale ultrasound imaging in evaluating disease severity. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 81 patients diagnosed with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, 35 adults and 46 children. Inclusion criterion for adults was the presence of at least 10 large cysts in each kidney; children included into the study had developed at least 1 large renal cyst in each kidney. The number of large cysts, echogenicity of kidney parenchyma, cortical thickness and presentation of cortex/medulla boundary were assessed with the use of Logiq E9 apparatus (GE Healthcare, Netherlands). Patients were divided into groups, based on these morphological parameters. Kidney function was assessed according to serum creatinine concentration and creatinine clearance. Statistical analysis was performed, with p-value lower than 0.05 considered as significant. Results: The number of cysts and the degree of parenchymal dysfunction were the determinants of creatinine level and creatinine clearance, with the second predictor proving stronger. Conclusions: We recommend that an ultrasound kidney examination in patients with polycystic kidney disease should include evaluating renal parenchyma and the number of cysts for better assessment of disease severity.


This work reports on the results of the experimental observation of development and evolution of material damage during loading processes in aluminium alloy flat specimens with different pre-crack configurations by means of the new "X-ray Dynamic Defectoscopy" technique and by plastic strain increments identified by the optical Method of Interpolated Ellipses on the its surface. We have acquired good knowledge about the evolution of damage zone during loading. The dependence of intensity and shape of damage zone on the crack configuration, part of the field previously little investigated experimentally, has been determined.


Over the past two decades there has been a growing awareness of the comorbidity between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders in the general population. The purpose of these analyses was to examine, in a population of drug users, the role of gender in (1) predicting the nature of the traumatic event and PTSD symptoms, (2) patterns of substance use disorders in relation to trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms, (3) comorbidity of other psychiatric disorders with trauma exposure and PTSD, and (4) the temporal association of substance use disorder, exposure to trauma, and PTSD. Drug abusers (n = 464) were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for DSM-III-R (DIS) and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Substance Abuse Module (CIDI-SAM). Although more women than men met criteria for DSM-III-R PTSD, there were no gender differences on endorsement for a traumatic event. Adult antisocial behavior, affective disorder, schizophrenia, other anxiety disorder and polysubstance use predicted exposure to an event, whereas, only schizophrenia and other anxiety disorder predicted PTSD. In men, drug use preceded the exposure to an event, while in women, the onset age for both drug use and exposure to an event were nearly identical. This work suggests implications for gender-based education and prevention interventions.


Research on residential diversification has neglected its impact on neighbourhood identity and overlooked the very different identity‐related experiences of new and existing residents. The present research examines how incoming and established group members relate to their changing neighbourhood in the increasingly desegregated city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Thematic analysis of interviews with 24 residents (12 Protestant long‐term residents, 12 Catholic incomers) from an increasingly mixed neighbourhood identified asymmetrical concerns and experiences: Incomers reported undergoing an 'identity transition' between local communities, while long‐term residents faced an 'identity merger' within their neighbourhood. Where their identity concerns diverged, emergent intergroup perceptions of the residents were negative and divisive; where they accorded, positive intergroup perceptions and a shared neighbourhood identity evolved. From this, we propose a Social Identity Model of Residential Diversification (SIMRD) to encourage future research into how different identity concerns shape emergent intergroup dynamics between long‐term residents and incomers within diversifying neighbourhoods.


Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a medical intervention used to assist the respiratory function of someone who is medically compromised. Patients need to wean from the ventilator in order to resume breathing on their own. A spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) determines one's readiness to be liberated from the ventilator. Board-certified music therapists facilitate music interventions to address patient-specific goals within a therapeutic relationship. Music therapists working in an intensive care unit (ICU) may address the stressors, fears, and medical complications associated with vent weaning. The goal of the present study was to determine if one 30-minute music therapy session during an SBT would decrease the patient's perceived level of anxiety and improve physiologic metrics related to the SBT, specifically, respiratory rate (RR), blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate (HR). The researcher also sought to understand the perspective of the patient. The research question was: What does the patient experience related to music therapy during their SBT? Data collected from 20 patients revealed that measurements of HR and blood pressure significantly increased pre- to post-music therapy session. Data analyzed in the interviews suggested that music therapy may assist patients in coping with the physical, emotional, and spiritual stressors of weaning from MV.


Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) can be utilized to characterize battery features, because it allows the dynamics of each elemental process of the battery reaction to be sensitively and separately determined without destruction of the cell. In addition, EIS is expected to be utilized for premonitory diagnosis of onboard batteries in electric vehicles. Here, an overview of the recent diagnosis technologies for determining the health of commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIB) using EIS is provided. We describe equivalent circuit design techniques while explaining and investigating physical and chemical phenomena for a wide range of measured impedance spectra, which are obtained using commercial LIBs. Attention is then focused on separation of the frequency responses of each electrode with or without a reference electrode, symmetric cell, and temperature control. Additionally, a square-current EIS (SC-EIS) technique, which we have proposed, is introduced for monitoring of large-scale LIB systems as a promising future technique.


Up to a few years ago, the private rental market in Malta was a classic example of the dysfunction created by two diametrically opposed regimes – a rigidlycontrolled one and a completely liberal one – co-existing side by side. Two recent reforms have sought to address this situation. The objective of this paper is to describe the state-of-play in the private rental market in Malta by providing a historical background to these recent developments. In addition to the distortions in the housing market that rent controls introduce, controls also contributed to the deterioration of the statistical infrastructure to collect data on this sector. From this perspective, the introduction of the 2020 rent reform for the post-1995 sector, in addition to providing a set of minimum standards to professionalize the market, also facilitated data collection efforts through the introduction of a rent register. This information provided an alternative source of information to complement the other data sources, which tend to be outdated, inadequate, or focus solely on specific segments of the market, thus allowing for a more detailed and complete view of the private rental market in Malta.


There is huge change in technology, so the rate of people of all ages attracted towards electronic gadgets is increasing. In different type of industries the electronic devices like smart card reader, barcode and RFID scanner having more usage. This type of gadgets also required in supermarkets. In the existing, in the mall every person takes product put into trolley. After the shopping is done that person have to stand in the queue for billing. In the billing process a sell person scan barcode of each and every product and gives final bill. This process is very time consuming and it becomes worst on holidays, special offers or weekends. To overcome that we have been developed a smart way for shopping in malls. Each and every product has RFID tag instead of barcode. The smart trolley will have RFID reader, LCD display. When a person put any product in the trolley it will scan and the cost, name and expire date of the product will display. Cost will add into final bill. Bill will be stored in microcontroller memory. It will transfer from RF transmitter to RF receiver. Receiver will transfer this information to the PC through serial communication. For this project we used Embedded C and VB6.0 software


This research pertains to the application of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in primary school music education in Taiwan, where government policy has driven increased ICT use in the learning environment. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with ten experts who were music teachers in primary schools and who specialise in the application of ICT. The respondents discussed their experience and expectations of using ICT in their teaching. A semi-structured interview was employed to obtain the information from the respondents. The research found that these teachers had a positive attitude toward the application of ICT in music teaching. Even though there was a number of issues identified such as preparation time, limited support, and the confusion of music learning content involving ICT, all the respondents agreed that ICT has increased the quality of teaching. They also provided a range of strategies for applying ICT in music teaching, including use of the Internet, CAI, notation and sequencing programs, audio editing programs, PowerPoint, MIDI, digital pianos, and CDs/DVDs. Moreover, these teachers expected more support from the government and schools including: (1) ICT facilities and technical assistance; (2) a database of systematic teaching materials; (3) adequate teaching time; (4) further professional development; and (5) more attention to music education. This research can provide other music teachers with useful insight into ICT application. In addition, it provided recommendations for government and school administrators for further promotion and development.


Background: Currently, novel treatment methods for chemotherapy-naïve castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients have been applied in clinical practice. Since the optimum regimen remains inconclusive, this study compares the efficacy and safety of these treatments by network meta-analysis. Methods: The PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov database and review articles before January 30, 2020 were searched and date were extracted. A total of 29908 patients with CRPC from 23 randomized controlled trials were included. Relative hazard ratios (HR) had been used to assess the effects on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) or radiographic PFS (rPFS), and adverse events (AEs). We then pooled the data and used Bayesian and frequentist random-effects model to identify the best treatment strategy. Results: Compared with the placebo, both Bayesian and frequentist random-effects network meta-analyses found that only enzalutamide and abiraterone had a significant effect in OS. Similar results were observed in PFS/rPFS. Bicalutamide, tasquinimod and orteronel could also improve rPFS. Enzalutamide only could improve rPFS more effectively than abiraterone with no significant differences in OS/PFS/AEs. In any subgroups of patients with age <75, ≥75 or ECOG score = 0,1 or Gleason score ≤7, ≥8, enzalutamide could improve the OS significantly. Nevertheless, the significant benefit of abiraterone was only found in patients with age <75 and ECOG score = 0.Conclusions: Our network analysis suggested that both enzalutamide and abiraterone are optimal treatment for chemotherapy-naïve CRPC patients with age <75 and ECOG score = 0 for great improvement on OS and PFS. In addition, enzalutamide is also an optimum therapy for chemotherapy-naïve CRPC patients with age ≥75 and ECOG score = 1.


Smartphone users are increasingly diverse in using their phones. Some tasks that monitored through the bulletin boards or computer screens, lately it can be done anywhere with a mobile phone while on the move. Similarly, the features in smartphones are increasingly following the development of communication technology. One of them is Bluetooth version 4, which currently can always be available on all types of smartphones. Even for entry-level phones that commonly used by students, nowadays are equipped with the new version of Bluetooth. In this paper discussed the application of BLE or Bluetooth Low Energy, which is part of Bluetooth version 4, to provide the information about availability, lecture schedule, and lecture room at the University Narotama. By using this BLE communication technology all smartphones equipped with BLE, enabling the NARO-MOBILE application and residing in the campus environment, will receive all the latest information provided by SIMNARO - Narotama University Management Information System, in a real-time.


Background: Drug abuse could cause complications; infection and overdose are the most prevalent of them. Unreliable history of addicted patients also makes the diagnosis difficult and leads to delayed treatment and poor prognosis. Early recognition and prompt treatment are required to minimize the destructive damage. To our knowledge, there is not any previous report of bilateral eye injection among drug abusers, causing traumatic endophthalmitis in the English literature and our report helps ophthalmologists to think about rare sources of endophthalmitis. Aim: The aim is to emphasize the importance of considering exogenous endophthalmitis in I.V. drug users who abuse drugs. Methods: A 40-year-old I.V. drug user man was referred complaining a history of the pain, redness and impaired vision of both eyes from three days ago. Perilimbal injection and anterior chamber cellular reaction were present in both eyes. Both corneas were hazy; corneal edema, abscess, sealed corneal lacerations and dull red reflex were visible in both eyes. Results: After an ultrasonography based on the suspicion of endophthalmitis, anterior chamber and vitreous aspiration and intravitreal injection of vancomycin 1 mg and ceftazidime 2.25 mg were performed. The right eye rapidly deteriorated and was eviscerated two days later and the left eye had a good response to medications. Conclusion: This report illustrates that the orbit can be a potential site of drug injection and endophthalmitis should be considered in individuals who abuse drugs.


Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus for essential tremor is sometimes limited by side effects. The mechanisms by which DBS alleviates tremor or causes side effects are unclear; thus, it is difficult to select stimulus parameters that maximize the width of the therapeutic window. The goal of this study was to quantify the impact on side effect intensity (SE), tremor amplitude, and the therapeutic window of varying stimulus parameters. Tremor amplitude and SE were recorded at 40 to 90 combinations of pulse width, frequency, and voltage across 14 thalami. Posterior variable inclusion probabilities indicated that frequency and voltage were the most important predictors of both SE and tremor amplitude. The amount of tremor suppression achieved at frequencies of 90 to 100 Hz was not different from that at 160 to 170 Hz. However, the width of the therapeutic window decreased significantly and power consumption increased as frequency was increased above 90 to 100 Hz. Improved understanding of the relationships between stimulus parameters and clinical responses may lead to improved techniques of stimulus parameter adjustment. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society


This is a particularly clinically oriented anatomic text. It is descriptively written and very adequately illustrated. In many ways it is similar to an atlas. The blood vessels were injected to demonstrate arteries and veins. Other tissues, such as connective tissues, appear to have been treated in such a way as to make them stand out. Indeed, many of the anatomic sections are specimens that were photographed in color. However, some of the drawings are involved with miscellaneous data, some of which are not pertinent, including such information as the size of the same structure in the infant, an older child, and an adult, as well as distances from one structure to another.


SUMMARY: Bacteria in cultures of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 were peritrichously flagellated when grown in nutrient broth at 370; but most were non-flagellated when grown for 6 mean-generation times or more at 440. When a culture growing exponentially at 370 was transferred to 440, growth continued at about the same rate; but the synthesis of new flagella was largely curtailed. The fate of the parental flagella was studied by staining and counting flagella on bacteria from samples taken during growth at 440 of cultures first grown at 370. After 3 mean-generation-times the average number of flagella/flagellated bacterium had fallen from about 8 to about 2 and the proportion of flagellated bacteria from about 100 % to about 60 %. The distribution of numbers of flagella/bacterium was at all times unimodal, with the mode decreasing from about 8 to 0. In non-growing cultures at 440 there was little or no change in the average number of flagella/bacterium, in the proportion of flagellated bacteria, or in the distribution of numbers of flagella/bacterium. It is inferred that parental flagella are neither rapidly shed at 440 nor retained entirely by one daughter cell at each division but are distributed about equally between the two daughter cells.


Abstract : An approach to determining accurate time from GPS with an independent network of receiving stations has been investigated. The methods of using the Global Positioning System (GPS) for transferring time in previous work has been by the "common view" and "melting pot" methods. Both of these techniques have used simplified single frequency receivers operating on the clear/acquisition (C/A) GPS codes and assumes that the satellite transmissions are quality observables producing "GPS time", accurately traceable to UTC(USN0). In the case of "common view", the position of the satellite is assumed to be accurately known from the satellite transmissions. Then the time delays due to position at the two common view sites may be accurately measured for time comparisons. In the "melting pot" method, an individual site measures "GPS Time" as determined from observing all GPS satellites in view resulting in an accurate over-solution of the GPS system time. The satellite broadcasts then provide the UTC - GPS time correction. The investigation into an independent network was performed on the basis of using the simplified CIA receiving equipment to produce accurate timing information regardless of the GPS broadcast information accuracy. The technique can be used to improve the inherent capabilities of these single frequency receivers or maintain accuracy with degraded GPS signals. The similarities with geodetic positioning using GPS will be described. A proof-of-concept experiment will be discussed and data presented to verify the technique.


Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fibrinolysis strategy in patients with acute ST‑segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during the COVID‑19 epidemic, and to provide reference value for optimization of fibrinolytic process on the premise of prevention and control of COVID‑19 transmission, including self‑protection of medical staff Methods The efficacy and safety of fibrinolysis were retrospectively analyzed in 7 patients with acute STEM, who hospitalized from February 29, 2020 to April 3, 2020 in the Department of Cardiology, Wuhan Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology To optimize the fibrinolytic process on the premise of prevention and control of COVID‑19 transmission, including self‑protection of medical staff, a full‑time medical team in charge of fibrinolysis under third‑grade protection was established The acute STEMI patients were treated immediately in a fixed and isolated area in emergency department before receiving green channel fibrinolysis Blood samples for complete blood count, COVID‑19 antibody test and nasopharyngeal swab samples for COVID‑19 nucleic acid test were made before fibrinolysis, while the chest CT examination was accomplished after fibrinolysis By comparing differences of time from the first electrocardiogram (ECG) to fibrinolysis before and after the improvement of fibrinolytic process, the effect of optimization of the fibrinolytic process was evaluated Results In the present study, seven patients with acute STEMI received fibrinolysis therapy, 6 of them achieved reperfusion and no bleeding was observed in all of the patients Five out of the 7 patients were hospitalized after fibrinolysis, and the hospitalization days were 19 6 days on average By following up to April 14, 2020, none of the 7 patients died The first 2 patients were treated according to the routine medical procedure and the time from the first ECG to fibrinolysis were 201 and 106 minutes, respectively After the optimization of the fibrinolytic process, the time from the first ECG to fibrinolysis of the last 5 patients were 42, 46, 51, 43 and 54 minutes, respectively, which was significantly shorter than that before optimization Conclusions During the COVID‑19 epidemic, fibrinolysis in patients with acute STEMI is safe, effective and easy to implement Therefore, it is recommended as the top priority for the patients with acute STEMI with indications for fibrinolysis On the premise of prevention and control of COVID‑19 transmission, including self‑protection of medical staff, the duration of myocardial ischemia can be shortened by optimization of the fibrinolytic process


Two models of the action of uncoupler molecules in inhibiting photophosphorylation in bacterial chromatophores are considered: either uncoupler molecules shuttle rapidly between energy-coupling sites, or uncoupler molecules that are bound to particular sites in the chromatophores for a time that is comparable with the turnover time of the photophosphorylation apparatus may uncouple by a co-operative "substoichiometric' mechanism. It is found that the titre of uncoupler necessary to cause complete uncoupling is lowered if the rate of photophosphorylation is initially decreased by partially restricting electron flow with an appropriate titre of antimycin A. This result indicates that uncoupler molecules shuttle rapidly between energy coupling in which the energized intermediate between electron transport and phosphorylation is delocalized over the entire chromatophore membrane and those in which it is not. If the rate of photophosphorylation is partially restricted with the covalent H+-translocating ATP synthase inhibitor dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide, the titre of uncoupler necessary to effect complete inhibition of photophosphorylation is also decreased relative to that in which the covalent H+-ATP synthase inhibitor is absent. This important result appears to be inconsistent with models of electron-transport phosphorylation in which the "energized state' of the chromatophore membrane that is set up by electron transport and utilized in photophosphorylation is delocalized over the entire chromatophore membrane.


Recent widespread interest in Convex Hull Pricing has not been accompanied by an equally broad understanding of the method. This paper seeks to narrow the gap between enthusiasm and comprehension. The connection between Convex Hull Pricing and basic electricity market clearing processes is clearly developed, and a new formulation of the pricing problem is presented. From this formulation, several important consequences of the method are derived and discussed. Some counterintuitive properties of Convex Hull Pricing are highlighted and demonstrated with simple examples. It is hoped that this paper will spur additional research on Convex Hull Pricing so that an informed judgment can be made regarding its costs and benefits.


1. During the uptake of chloride from an external choline chloride solution, electroneutrality appears to be preserved by excretion of base, but base excretion independent of chloride absorption also occurs.

2. Sodium ion uptake from sodium sulphate solutions is compensated by excretion of hydrogen ions, but this has been established only in animals adapted to distilled water.

3. In animals preadapted to running water, the sodium ion influx can be abolished almost totally by amiloride without diminishing ammonium excretion.

4. The net fluxes of sodium and chloride are inhibited by acetazolamide and cyanide.

5. These results are interpreted as indicating that Na+ and Cl- are absorbed chiefly in exchange for H+ and HCO3-, and are discussed in relation to an exchange diffusion mechanism.


Bread dough and particularly wheat dough, due to its viscoelastic behaviour, is probably the most dynamic and complicated rheological system and its characteristics are very important since they highly affect final products' textural and sensorial properties. The study of dough rheology has been a very challenging task for many researchers since it can provide numerous information about dough formulation, structure and processing. This explains why dough rheology has been a matter of investigation for several decades.
In this research rheological assessment of doughs and breads was performed by using empirical and fundamental methods at both small and large deformation, in order to characterize different types of doughs and final products such as bread. In order to study the structural aspects of food products, image analysis techniques was used for the integration of the information coming from empirical and fundamental rheological measurements.
Evaluation of dough properties was carried out by texture profile analysis (TPA), dough stickiness (Chen and Hoseney cell) and uniaxial extensibility determination (Kieffer test) by using a Texture Analyser; small deformation rheological measurements, were performed on a controlled stress–strain rheometer; moreover the structure of different doughs was observed by using the image analysis; while bread characteristics were studied by using texture profile analysis (TPA) and image analysis.
The objective of this research was to understand if the different rheological measurements were able to characterize and differentiate the different samples analysed. This in order to investigate the effect of different formulation and processing conditions on dough and final product from a structural point of view.
For this aim the following different materials were performed and analysed:
- frozen dough realized without yeast;
- frozen dough and bread made with frozen dough;
- doughs obtained by using different fermentation method;
- doughs made by Kamut® flour;
- dough and bread realized with the addition of ginger powder;
- final products coming from different bakeries.
The influence of sub-zero storage time on non-fermented and fermented dough viscoelastic performance and on final product (bread) was evaluated by using small deformation and large deformation methods. In general, the longer the sub-zero storage time the lower the positive viscoelastic attributes.
The effect of fermentation time and of different type of fermentation (straight-dough method; sponge-and-dough procedure and poolish method) on rheological properties of doughs were investigated using empirical and fundamental analysis and image analysis was used to integrate this information throughout the evaluation of the dough's structure. The results of fundamental rheological test showed that the incorporation of sourdough (poolish method) provoked changes that were different from those seen in the others type of fermentation.
The affirmative action of some ingredients (extra-virgin olive oil and a liposomic lecithin emulsifier) to improve rheological characteristics of Kamut® dough has been confirmed also when subjected to low temperatures (24 hours and 48 hours at 4°C).
Small deformation oscillatory measurements and large deformation mechanical tests performed provided useful information on the rheological properties of samples realized by using different amounts of ginger powder, showing that the sample with the highest amount of ginger powder (6%) had worse rheological characteristics compared to the other samples.
Moisture content, specific volume, texture and crumb grain characteristics are the major quality attributes of bread products. The different sample analyzed, "Coppia Ferrarese", "Pane Comune Romagnolo" and "Filone Terra di San Marino", showed a decrease of crumb moisture and an increase in hardness over the storage time. Parameters such as cohesiveness and springiness, evaluated by TPA that are indicator of quality of fresh bread, decreased during the storage. By using empirical rheological tests we found several differences among the samples, due to the different ingredients used in formulation and the different process adopted to prepare the sample, but since these products are handmade, the differences could be account as a surplus value.

In conclusion small deformation (in fundamental units) and large deformation methods showed a significant role in monitoring the influence of different ingredients used in formulation, different processing and storage conditions on dough viscoelastic performance and on final product.
Finally the knowledge of formulation, processing and storage conditions together with the evaluation of structural and rheological characteristics is fundamental for the study of complex matrices like bakery products, where numerous variable can influence their final quality (e.g. raw material, bread-making procedure, time and temperature of the fermentation and baking).


Two major challenges faced in active contours are poor capture range and high sensitivity towards noise. Recently, the concept of tensor vector convolution (TVF) was introduced and shown to be promising in handling these challenges. However, in the presence of high noise levels, TVF may have difficulty in converging to the desired object boundary, particularly if the distance is great between the initial contour and the object boundary. To tackle this challenge, the concept of a multi-scale tensor vector field (MTVF) active contour is introduced to further reduce noise sensitivity. Comparing the performance of MTVF with multi-scale gradient vector field and multi-scale vector field convolution demonstrates that MTVF is more resilient to high noise levels as well as significantly reducing computation time.


Purpose: This article discusses the results of an evaluation of the one-year implementation period of an integrative care program at a pediatric oncology ward, which consists of integrative care treatments offered three times a week to the patients. The guiding questions are how the model was implemented, which factors have to be considered for successful implementation, and which factors showed to be obstacles during implementation. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was applied for data saturation. Qualitative data consist of participant observations and informal conversations during the implementation phase. All observational records were filed in the data program MAXQDA. For the quantitative data, all integrative care treatments applied on the intensive care unit were documented and subsequently filed in an Excel sheet. Both sets of data were analyzed for the evaluation. Results: Four main thematic clusters influenced the implementation: (1) the organization and structure of the intensive care unit; (2) mood and atmosphere; (3) feedback on treatment; and (4) time and experience. All factors are interlinked and cannot be looked at independently. Results of the quantitative data show that the most frequent used treatments were those with calming and relaxing effects, followed by treatments for stomachache, nausea, and obstipation. Conclusions: The implementation of an integrative model of care is a process that demands thorough understanding of the complex setting of the ward, ongoing adaptation to the structures and organization of the ward, and the integration of factors like feedback, time, atmosphere, and the mood of parents, patients, and nurses.


Olivine LiFePO4 has been studied for more than a decade as a promising cathode material for rechargeable lithium batteries. However, the low electric conductivity and tap density still hinder its large-scale commercialization. Micro-sized LiFePO4 is prepared by an optimized hydrothermal method in this paper. The influence of postannealing on the physicochemical properties of LiFePO4 and FePO4 is investigated to understand the plausible mechanism for performance degradation. It is found that postannealing even chemical delithiation greatly affects the particle size, morphology, pore distribution, surface area, and probably the lattice strain of LixFePO4 (x = 0, 1). Consequently, the electrochemical performances of annealed materials are severely deteriorated because of the sluggish lithium diffusion, difficult electrolyte accessibility, and incomplete phase transition during charge/discharge. In addition, the ``self-healing'' process along with cycling is analyzed by in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction.


Soil surface roughness (SSR), a description of the micro-relief of soils, affects the surface storage capacity of soils, influences the threshold flow for wind and water erosion and determines interactions and feedback processes between the terrestrial and atmospheric systems at a range of scales. Rainfall is an important determinant of SSR as it can cause the dislocation, reorientation and packing of soil particles and may result in the formation of physical soil crusts which can, in turn, affect the roughness and hydrological properties of soils. This paper describes an experiment to investigate the impact of a multi-day rainfall event on the SSR and physical crusting of very fine soils with low organic matter content, typical of a semi-arid environment. Changes in SSR are quantified using geostatistically-derived indicators calculated from semivariogram analysis of high resolution laser scans of the soil surface captured at a horizontal resolution of 78 μm (0.078 mm) and a vertical resolution of 12 μm (0.012 mm). Application of 2 mm, 5 mm and 2 mm of rainfall each separated by a 24 h drying period resulted in soils developing a structural two-layered 'sieving' crust characterised by a sandy micro-layer at the surface overlying a thin seal of finer particles. Analysis of the geostatistics and soil characteristics (e.g. texture, surface resistance, infiltration rate) suggests that at this scale of enquiry, and for low rainfall amounts, both the vertical and horizontal components of SSR are determined by raindrop impact rather than aggregate breakdown. This is likely due to the very fine nature of the soils and the low rainfall amounts applied.


This article begins from a perceived lack of empirical evidence in cultural studies, namely the ethnography of cultural globalization in 'global cities' other than those of the West. Youth culture among the upper strata of the South-Indian metropolis Bangalore is taken as an instance of how modernity is experienced and produced in the post-colonial Third World. The focus lies on the reception of Western pop music, but music is treated broadly as a practice situated in, and producing, real and imagined space. Two examples of these musical practices serve to elaborate on Indian power relations, Indian modernity and the critical geography of music.


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Objective: To review the serious and common toxicities of bevacizumab and describe their incidence, risk factors, presentation, pathophysiology, and management. Data Sources: Literature for this review article was collected from PubMed, MEDLINE, and the proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2000–November 2008). The key terms used in the search were: bevacizumab, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiogenesis inhibitors, toxicity, toxicity management, and adverse event. Study Selection And Data Extraction: Review articles, preclinical studies, and all published Phase 1–3 clinical trials were reviewed. The references listed in identified articles were examined for additional publications. Data Synthesis: The biomedical literature from 2000 to 2008 confirms that bevacizumab carries serious and potentially life-threatening toxicity risks and emphasizes the importance of early recognition, continuous monitoring, and prompt management of these toxicities. Such toxicities include hemorrhage/bleeding, wound healing complications, gastrointestinal perforation, arterial thromboembolism, congestive heart failure, hypertension, proteinuria/nephrotic syndrome, infusion-related hypersensitivity reactions, and reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome. Patients at the highest risk for these toxicities are individuals with a history of hypertension, thromboembolism, bleeding, cardiovascular disease, or preexisting proteinuria, as these conditions may be exacerbated by bevacizumab use. Additionally, particular tumor types correlate with risk for individual toxicities; for example, patients with squamous non–small-cell lung cancer or rectal cancer have a higher risk of bleeding, those with renal cell carcinoma have a higher proteinuria risk, and patients with colorectal cancer have a higher risk of gastrointestinal perforation. Further investigation is warranted to develop effective management strategies for these toxicities. Conclusions: As bevacizumab is becoming widely used in general oncology practice, it is important to understand the toxicities that can arise and to develop practice guidelines for their management.


Our work focuses on bone remodeling with a multiscale breadth that ranges from modeling intracellular and intercellular RANK/RANKL signaling to tissue dynamics, by developing a multilevel modeling framework. Several important findings provide clear evidences of the multiscale properties of bone formation and of the links between RANK/RANKL and bone density in healthy and disease conditions. Recent studies indicate that the circulating levels of OPG and RANKL are inversely related to bone turnover and Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and contribute to the development of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, and thalassemic patients. We make use of a spatial process algebra, the Shape Calculus, to control stochastic cell agents that are continuously remodeling the bone. We found that our description is effective for such a multiscale, multilevel process and that RANKL signaling small dynamic concentration defects are greatly amplified by the continuous alternation of absorption and formation resulting in large structural bone defects. This work contributes to the computational modeling of complex systems with a multilevel approach connecting formal languages and agent-based simulation tools.


For centuries, the Russian state existed in close relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church and based on its values. Those values were accepted by the vast majority of the population and became not only religious values but dominated all spheres of social life. Thinkers of early Christianity elaborated the basic concepts of man and society, which later found the reflection in the Russian religious philosophy of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. In the author's view, these religious-philosophical ideas can be seen as the theoretical foundations for maintaining the national cultural identity and humanitarian education in modern-day Russia. Additionally, the philosophical concepts of the Russian spiritual heritage can be used for maintaining a cultural dialogue with representatives of various religions, ethnic and social groups. Identity and education of a contemporary state should be maintained with the help of such dialogue. The author argues that humanitarian education in Russia should be based on the historical experience, traditions, and, at the same time, considers the actual realities of modern society. Keywords—cultural and religious identity; national identity; national education; Russian religious philosophy; Orthodox Church; intercultural dialogue


Here, we report results from a project where the aim was to study stress and mortality in the supply chain from harvest to market for live scallops Pecten maximus L., hand-picked by scuba divers. With experiments conducted both during the warm (September) and cold (April) seasons, emphasis was put on how mechanical influence, stacking height, post-harvest water storage and dry transport affected scallop fitness. When scallops were exposed to mild- or hard mechanical shocks (dropped three times from 50 or 150 cm), it was found that hard mechanical shock caused up to 90% mortality during subsequent water storage. Results from the experiments where scallops were stored at different stacking heights (15, 30 and 50 cm) in water showed that both the duration of storage and the stacking height had a significant effect on mortality. Higher stacking heights also affected survival in subsequent transport. For long-term storage (>7 days), it is recommended to limit the stacking height of scallops stored in tanks to reduce risk of mortality. Respiration experiments showed an average oxygen consumption of 0.10 and 0.24 mg O2 min−1 kg−1 f.w. in the cold and warm season respectively. Water supply during storage of scallops should be adjusted to water temperature and biomass. Registration of mortality and analysis of the Adenylic Energy Charge of scallops followed through the production cycle from harvest to market indicate that it is the sum of stressors that are determinable for final survival.


SUMMARY The Bayesian theory of optimal experimental design for the normal linear model has been developed under the assumption of known variance. The insensitivity of specific design criteria to prior assumptions on the variance distribution has been demonstrated in special cases, but a general result showing the way in which Bayesian optimal designs are affected by prior information on the variance is lacking. This note proves that Bayesian designs are insensitive to information about


We assessed the safety and efficacy of pulse therapy with terbinafine tablets in 55 patients with dermatophytic onychomycosis. One pulse consisted of oral terbinafine tablets (500 mg day−1) given for 1 week usually followed by a 3‐week interval. This regimen was repeated twice. Topical 1% terbinafine cream was applied daily. Efficacy was assessed based on both clinical and mycological examinations 1 year after treatment initiation. We observed a complete cure in 41 patients (74.5%), marked improved in three patients (5.6%), slight improvement in three patients (5.6%) and drop out in six patients (10.7%). Two patients (3.6%) discontinued terbinafine because of gastrointestinal disturbance (one patient) and drug‐induced eruption (one patient). No patient had abnormal laboratory findings, including liver function tests. In summary, a regimen of three pulses of terbinafine therapy given daily for 1 week in combination with topical application of terbinafine cream appears to be safe and effective in treating dermatophytic onychomycosis and offers advantages in convenience and cost‐effectiveness compared with continuous dosing.


Carbon capture technology is expected to play a significant role in Australia to meet its long-term commitment for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, so it is important to evaluate its impact by conducting an environmental life cycle assessment to evaluate the total GHG emissions and total lifecycle water consumption.

 In this study, a hypothetical 400MW sub-critical coal-fired power plant in Western Australia without carbon capture is considered as the base case. The total life cycle GHG emissions and life cycle water consumption are compared with two prevailing carbon capture technologies (e.g. oxy-fuel combustion and post-combustion carbon capture).

The results show that both carbon capture technologies will reduce the total GHG emissions but will result in an increase of the total life cycle water consumption during the power plant operation and coal mining as a result of the energy penalty imposed by the use of carbon capture technology and the additional water requirement of the carbon capture system (e.g. direct contact cooler in case of post-combustion carbon capture). The study, also, shows that oxy-fuel combustion with carbon capture is more efficient in carbon abatement with less water requirement compared to post-combustion carbon capture.

 A sensitivity analysis is conducted to investigate the effect of using different combustion technologies for the base case and the effect of reducing the percentage of carbon captured on the total GHG emissions and water consumption for all scenarios.

This trade-off between GHG abatement and water consumption as a result of using carbon capture technology will require the use of an environmental indicator that assess the water requirement for different low-carbon technologies against the base case. The Water-Carbon Abated Ratio indicator (WCAR) is proposed as a single indicator that measures the amount of water consumed or saved for each kilogram of carbon abated.

The study shows that oxy-fuel combustion is more efficient in reducing GHG emissions with lower impact on water consumption compared to post-combustion carbon capture (e.g. oxy-fuel combustion has higher WCAR values compared to post-combustion carbon capture).


We study sequential decision-making problems in which each agent aims to maximize the expected total reward while satisfying a constraint on the expected total utility. We employ the natural policy gradient method to solve the discounted infinite-horizon Constrained Markov Decision Processes (CMDPs) problem. Specifically, we propose a new Natural Policy Gradient Primal-Dual (NPG-PD) method for CMDPs which updates the primal variable via natural policy gradient ascent and the dual variable via projected sub-gradient descent. Even though the underlying maximization involves a nonconcave objective function and a nonconvex constraint set under the softmax policy parametrization, we prove that our method achieves global convergence with sublinear rates regarding both the optimality gap and the constraint violation. Such a convergence is independent of the size of the state-action space, i.e., it is dimension-free. Furthermore, for the general smooth policy class, we establish sublinear rates of convergence regarding both the optimality gap and the constraint violation, up to a function approximation error caused by restricted policy parametrization. Finally, we show that two sample-based NPG-PD algorithms inherit such non-asymptotic convergence properties and provide finite-sample complexity guarantees. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to establish non-asymptotic convergence guarantees of policy-based primal-dual methods for solving infinite-horizon discounted CMDPs. We also provide computational results to demonstrate merits of our approach.


Let $(M,g)$ be a compact Riemannian manifold and $P_g$ an elliptic, formally self-adjoint, conformally covariant operator of order $m$ acting on smooth sections of a bundle over $M$. We prove that if $P_g$ has no rigid eigenspaces (see Definition 2.2), the set of functions $f \in C^\infty(M, R)$ for which $P_{e^fg}$ has only simple non-zero eigenvalues is a residual set in $C^\infty(M,R)$. As a consequence we prove that if $P_g$ has no rigid eigenspaces for a dense set of metrics, then all non-zero eigenvalues are simple for a residual set of metrics in the $C^m$-topology. We also prove that the eigenvalues of $P_g$ depend continuously on $g$ in the $C^m$-topology, provided $P_g$ is strongly elliptic. As an application of our work, we show that if $P_g$ acts on $C^\infty(M)$ (e.g. GJMS operators), its non-zero eigenvalues are generically simple.


News outlets are
developing formats dedicated to social platforms that capture audience
attention, such as Instagram stories, Facebook Instant articles, and YouTube
videos. In some cases, these formats are created in collaboration with the tech
companies themselves. At the same time, the use of data-driven storytelling is
becoming increasingly integrated into the ever-complex business models of news
outlets, generating more impact and visibility. Previous studies have focused
on studying these two effects separately. To address this gap in the
literature, this paper identifies and analyzes the use of data journalism on
the Instagram content of AJ Labs, the team dedicated to producing data-driven
and interactive stories for the Al Jazeera news network. Drawing upon a
mixed-method approach, this study examines the use and characteristics of data
stories on social media platforms. Results suggest that there is reliance on
producing visual content that covers topics such as politics and violence. In
general, AJ Labs relies on the use of infographics and produces its own unique
data. To conclude, this paper suggests potential ways to improve the use of
Instagram to tell data stories


Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by alpha-synuclein (αSyn) aggregation and associated with abnormalities in lipid metabolism. The accumulation of lipids in cytoplasmic organelles called lipid droplets (LDs) was observed in cellular models of PD. To investigate the pathophysiological consequences of interactions between αSyn and proteins that regulate the homeostasis of LDs, we used a transgenic Drosophila model of PD, in which human αSyn is specifically expressed in photoreceptor neurons. We first found that overexpression of the LD-coating proteins Perilipin 1 or 2 (dPlin1/2), which limit the access of lipases to LDs, markedly increased triacylglyclerol (TG) loaded LDs in neurons. However, dPlin-induced-LDs in neurons are independent of lipid anabolic (diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1/midway, fatty acid transport protein/dFatp) and catabolic (brummer TG lipase) enzymes, indicating that alternative mechanisms regulate neuronal LD homeostasis. Interestingly, the accumulation of LDs induced by various LD proteins (dPlin1, dPlin2, CG7900 or KlarsichtLD-BD) was synergistically amplified by the co-expression of αSyn, which localized to LDs in both Drosophila photoreceptor neurons and in human neuroblastoma cells. Finally, the accumulation of LDs increased the resistance of αSyn to proteolytic digestion, a characteristic of αSyn aggregation in human neurons. We propose that αSyn cooperates with LD proteins to inhibit lipolysis and that binding of αSyn to LDs contributes to the pathogenic misfolding and aggregation of αSyn in neurons.


School leaders have the pedagogical, as well as the financial, responsibility at the school. It is the school leader's task to manage the competence development of the pedagogical use of ICT at school. Digital tools are being more used in teaching activities in those days, and the teachers have to develop their competence in order to guide the students in their learning. This paper is based on a case study conducted within the GNU project (Cross Border Nordic Education). The GNU project is an ongoing Nordic educational project between classes in grades 5-9 in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The project is based on virtual communication between teachers and students, conducted with support of digital technology. The aim of the paper is to analyze the four dimensions of school leadership; 1) building vision and setting direction, 2) understanding and developing people, 3) redesigning the organization, and 4) managing the teaching and learning programme. The result shows that all of the school leadership dimensions work properly in one out of four different municipalities in order to support the teachers with the integration of digital tools in their teaching practices.


This paper contains results on the design of optimum equalizers to eliminate intersymbol interference in linear non-minimum phase channels conveying binary signals. The optimization is with respect to an open eye condition with a given delay. For causal stable channels with non-minimum phase zeros, we argue that this problem requires only the consideration of the FIR modified channel that has all the non-minimum phase zeros of the original channel. We show that if this modified channel can be equalized to yield an equalized system that is open eye with a specified delay, then the optimizing equalizer is, in fact FIR with all zeros outside the unit circle, and the impulse response of the equalised channel does not extend beyond the delay. We also give a simple necessary and sufficient condition to determine if for a particular delay, a given channel can be equalized to achieve an equalized response that is open eye.


Trypsin was immobilized to alumina by adsorption from its aqueous solutions. The activity of trypsin was increased by immobilization for peptide synthesis. With these immobilized enzymes Bz-Arg-Leu-NH2 dipeptide synthesis was carried out. Iso amylalcohol, tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile were used as solvents giving the highest yield in the peptide formation reaction. The yield of the peptide was strongly dependent on water content in the reaction medium. The stability of alumina-immobilized trypsin is described.


Framed within a long-term cooperation between university and special education teachers, training in alternative communication skills and home control was realized using the "TICO" interface, a communication panel editor extensively used in special education schools. From a technological view we follow AAL technology trends by integrating a successful interface in a heterogeneous services AAL platform, focusing on a functional view. Educationally, a very flexible interface in line with communication training allows dynamic adjustment of complexity, enhanced by an accessible mindset and virtual elements significance already in use, offers specific interaction feedback, adapts to the evolving needs and capacities and improves the personal autonomy and self-confidence of children at school and home. TICO-home-control was installed during the last school year in the library of a special education school to study adaptations and training strategies to enhance the autonomy opportunities of its pupils. The methodology involved a case study and structured and semi-structured observations. Five children, considered unable to use commercial home control systems were trained obtaining good results in enabling them to use an open home control system. Moreover this AAL platform has proved efficient in training children in previous cognitive steps like virtual representation and cause-effect interaction.


High-accumulation sites are crucial for understanding the patterns and mechanisms of climate and environmental change in Antarctica since they allow gaining high-resolution proxy records from firn and ice. Here, we present new glacio- and isotope-geochemical data at sub-annual resolution from a firn core retrieved from an ice cap on Plateau Laclavere (LCL), northern Antarctic Peninsula, covering the period 2012–2015. The signals of two volcanic eruptions and two forest fire events in South America could be identified in the non-sea-salt sulphur and black carbon records, respectively. Mean annual snow accumulation on LCL amounts to 2500 kg m−2 a−1 and exhibits low inter-annual variability. Time series of δ18O, δD and d excess show no seasonal cyclicity, which may result from (1) a reduced annual temperature amplitude due to the maritime climate and (2) post-depositional processes. The firn core stratigraphy indicates strong surface melt on LCL during austral summers 2013 and 2015, likely related to large-scale warm-air advection from lower latitudes and temporal variations in sea ice extent in the Bellingshausen-Amundsen Sea. The LCL ice cap is a highly valuable natural archive since it captures regional meteorological and environmental signals as well as their connection to the South American continent.


INTRODUCTION
This article analyzes risk discourses around dengue, zika and chikungunya constructed by lay people, community leaders and disease control experts from the fields of medical anthropology, medical sociology, and public health.

METHODS
A qualitative ethnographic study was conducted in a municipality in Colombia (December 2016 and January 2018) with semistructured and open-ended interviews, informal dialogues, and fieldwork journal observations.

RESULTS
This study found a mismatch in risk discourse about vector-borne diseases among health officials, lay people, and community leaders. These discourses are linked to the sociocultural contexts in which people live, and offer particular ways of giving meaning and acting in the face of disease prevention.

CONCLUSION
The findings show a multisituated risk that refers to the inside and outside of homes; and the prevention practices mentioned by different actors, in which a continuity of tensions between lay people, leaders and government officials can be observed.


Investigations carried out demonstrated acute pneumonia in young children to be characterized by the presence in the sputum from the deep respiratory tract of polymicrobial flora, in some of viral-microbial-fungus flora, and also of pneumocysts. Immunobiological and virological study demonstrated the etiological role of 7 virus species and 2 bacteria species in 70.8% of cases; pneumonia of viral etiology constituted 24.1 +/- 3.0%, of bacterial -- 24.6 +/- 3.0%, and of viral-bacterial -- 22.1 +/- 2.0%. In order to unify the approaches and methods of study of pneumonia etiology in young children complex immunomicrobiological, virological, and parasitological method of study is suggested.


Background The role of Numb, a protein that is important for cell fate and development was investigated in adult skeletal muscle in mice using a conditional, inducible knockout (cKO) model. Methods Numb expression was evaluated by Western blot. Numb localization was determined by confocal microscopy. The effects of cKO of Numb and the closely-related gene Numb-like in skeletal muscle fibers was evaluated by in-situ physiology; transmission and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy; 3-dimensional reconstruction of mitochondrial; lipidomics; and bulk RNA-sequencing. Additional studies using primary mouse myotubes investigated the effects the effects of Numb knockdown on cell fusion, mitochondrial function and calcium transients. Results Numb protein expression was reduced by ∼70% (p < 0.01) at 24 as compared to 3 months of age. Numb was localized within muscle fibers as bands traversing fibers at regularly spaced intervals in close proximity to dihydropyridine receptors. The cKO of Numb and Numb-like reduced specific tetanic force by 36%, p < 0.01), altered mitochondrial spatial relationships to sarcomeric structures, increased Z-line spacing by 30% (p < 0.0001), perturbed sarcoplasmic reticulum organization and reduced mitochondrial volume by over 80% (p < 0.01). Only six genes were differentially expressed in cKO mice: Itga4, Sema7a, Irgm2, Vezf1, Mib1 and Tmem132a. Several lipid mediators derived from polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs) through lipoxygenases were upregulated in Numb cKO skeletal muscle; 12-HEPE was increased by ∼250% (p < 0.05) and 17,18-EpETE by ∼240% (p < 0.05). In mouse primary myotubes, Numb knock-down reduced cell fusion (∼20%, p < 0.01) and mitochondrial function and delayed the caffeine-induced rise in cytosolic calcium concentrations by more than 100% (p < 0.01). Conclusions These findings implicate Numb as a critical factor in skeletal muscle structure and function which appear to be critical for calcium release; we therefore speculate Numb plays critical roles in excitation-contraction coupling, one of the putative targets of aged skeletal muscles. These findings provide new insights into the molecular underpinnings of the loss of muscle function observed with sarcopenia.


The thermodynamic properties of a substance are key to predicting its behavior in physical and chemical systems. Specifically, the enthalpy of formation and entropy of a substance can be used to predict whether reactions involving that substance will proceed spontaneously under conditions of constant temperature and pressure, and if they do, what the heat and work yield of those reactions would be. Prediction of enthalpy and entropy of substances is therefore of value for substances for which those parameters have not been experimentally measured. We developed a database of 2869 experimental values of enthalpy of formation and 1403 values for entropy for substances composed of stable small molecules, derived from the literature. We developed a model for predicting enthalpy of formation and entropy from semiempirical quantum mechanical calculations of energy and atom counts, and applied the model to a comprehensive database of 16,417 small molecules. The database of small-molecule thermodynamic properties will be useful for predicting the outcome of any process that might involve the generation or destruction of volatile products, such as atmospheric chemistry, volcanism, or waste pyrolysis. Additionally, the collected experimental thermodynamic values will be of value to others developing models to predict enthalpy and entropy.


summary:Government-aided vernacular schools introduced "human physiology" as a subject in 1859. I use the first couple of schoolbooks and the debate running up to the introduction of the subject to open up the particular and specific histories through which modern anatomo-physiological knowledge was vernacularized in colonial Bengal. In so doing I have two interconnected goals in this article. My first goal is to analyze the precocious decision to teach human physiology to colonial schoolboys, at a time when this was the norm neither in Great Britain nor indeed in traditional Bengali schools. My second goal is to use this case to further develop "vernacularization" as a conceptual tool. In pursuing these twin objectives, I simultaneously hope to move the debate on modern anatomo-physiological knowledge in South Asia away from the level of epistemic superiority and onto-politics to the level of concrete historical particularities.


Presently most of the air-conditioning pipeline cleaning robots in the market do not have the self-adaptive capacity to variable diameter pipelines, and clean the circular pipeline incompletely, have the whipping problems in the working process. For this case, this paper developed a new type of pipe robot; the robot adopts the umbrella-like open-and-close mechanism, scissors lifting mechanism and tail location and navigation device. It can align the center of the circular pipes with different diameters automatically, and sweep 360° one-time, improve the efficiency and stability of the robot greatly.


Results of research on lactoflora and sensorial characteristics of experimentally produced Bosnian Soudjouk, the most preferred Bosnian fermented sausage, were presented. In addition, microbiological profile of raw materials used for production of the Soudjouk was investigated. The Soudjouk was produced in three batches (n=30) based on a production specification and a traditional recipe. Fermentation process lasted for 28 days, including a 7-day smoking phase. Sausage samples for microbiological analyses were taken in triplicate on day 0, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28 of the fermentation process. Identification of bacterial isolates was performed by classical microbiological methods (morphologic and biochemical identification), while the lactic acid bacteria isolates were identified using API50CHL® kits. Sensorial characteristics of final products were assessed by assigning a score from the range from 0 to 10 by an independent expert panel (n=10). In all stages of the production process predominant microbial population in microflora of the Bosnian Soudjouk were lactic acid bacteria (LAB), primarily Lactobacillus spp. The major importance of our research is a detailed investigation of microflora and LAB of the sausage during the fermentation process, as well as to describe dynamics and dominance of LAB species, which surely represents an important contribution to detailed description and preservation of the Bosnian Soudjouk as the main symbol of Bosnian gastronomic tradition and culture. Desirable sensorial characteristics of the produced sausages, as well as absence of certain bacterial foodborne pathogens in the final products, argue in favor of accepting the applied technological procedure of production of the sausage as an acceptable basis for further technological investigation and establishment of standard operating procedures for production of the Soudjouk. Finally, autochthonous LAB isolates from this research may serve as solid basis for further molecular and technological research.


Objective—Reduced plasma adiponectin (APN) in diabetic patients is associated with endothelial dysfunction. However, APN knockout animals manifest modest systemic dysfunction unless metabolically challenged. The protein family CTRPs (C1q/TNF-related proteins) has recently been identified as APN paralogs and some CTRP members share APN′s metabolic regulatory function. However, the vasoactive properties of CTRPs remain completely unknown. Methods and Results—The vasoactivity of currently identified murine CTRP members was assessed in aortic vascular rings and underlying molecular mechanisms was elucidated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Of 8 CTRPs, CTRPs 3, 5, and 9 caused significant vasorelaxation. The vasoactive potency of CTRP9 exceeded that of APN (3-fold) and is endothelium-dependent and nitric oxide (NO)-mediated. Mechanistically, CTRP9 increased AMPK/Akt/eNOS phosphorylation and increased NO production. AMPK knockdown completely blocked CTRP9-induced Akt/eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. Akt knockdown had no significant effect on CTRP9-induced AMPK phosphorylation, but blocked eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. Adiponectin receptor 1, but not receptor 2, knockdown blocked CTRP9-induced AMPK/Akt/eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. Finally, preincubating vascular rings with an AMPK-inhibitor abolished CTRP9-induced vasorelaxative effects. Conclusion—We have provided the first evidence that CTRP9 is a novel vasorelaxative adipocytokine that may exert vasculoprotective effects via the adiponectin receptor 1/AMPK/eNOS dependent/NO mediated signaling pathway.


: Cartilaginous tumours represent 0.16% of all intracranial tumours; among them 14% are chondrosarcomas (Ch-S). A majority (56%) arise from the skull base, especially from the spheno-occipital and spheno-temporal synchondroses. The others develop at the level of the dura mater convexity, falx and choroid plexuses, probably from ectopic cartilages or mesenchymatous cells with multiple potentialities. Parasellar Ch-S originate from the spheno-temporal synchondrosis and expand inside the cavernous region. With 21 published cases, they represent 51.2% of the 41 skull base Ch-S and 28.7% of the whole 73 intracranial primary Ch-S. The authors report a recent case of such a parasellar Ch-S, revealed by a left progressive, and finally total, ophthalmoplegia. The responsible mass, which eroded the lateral part of the sella turcica, was shown partially calcified and not enhanced by contrast medium at CT-scan, and was avascular on angiogram. The tumour, which was identified as a low grade myxoid Ch-S, could be entirely removed through an intradural pteriono-temporal approach. After a two-year follow-up, the clinical status was unchanged (total ophthalmoplegia) and the CT-scan did not show any sign of recurrence. The 21 cases of parasellar Ch-S published in the literature are reviewed.


BACKGROUND: Alcohol is a biochemical substance with multiple and varied biochemical effects in the body. Its abuse has continued to be a problem in our society and its misuse has equally become a serious and worsening public health problem world over. The misuse of alcohol, whether as chronically heavy drinking, binge-drinking or even moderate drinking in inappropriate circumstances not only poses a threat to the health and well being of the drinker, but also to family, friends, communities and wider society. Alcohol use has been found to be associated with enormous psychological, social and medical health problems. It also reduces the quality of life of the individual and particularly the dependent person. Alcohol decreases Life Expectancy and causes enormous economic burden on individuals, families and government. Sadly, the health problems of alcohol abuse seem to be poorly appreciated by those who consume it as well as the public and the existence of co-morbidities equally seem to be poorly identified by clinicians. The aim of this study therefore is to review and give an exposition of the public health implications of alcohol use. This review was justified by the fact that alcohol abuse is indeed a public health problem and that further findings from the review will help to increase public and clinicians' knowledge and awareness of the various health problems and complications of alcohol abuse, and increase the diagnostic ability of clinicians. METHODOLOGY The review was carried out using search engines into peer review journals including Pubmed and Cochrane library. RESULTS From the review, it was found out that alcohol is associated with various physical (medical) conditions across all the systems of the body, social complications which include RTA, cultism, armed robbery, frequent rate of school disruptions, family problems, neglect of social responsibilities, high indebtedness, indiscriminate sexual activities/ sexual promiscuity, poor academic performances, low national productivity, frequent burden of care on the nation's economy, frequent burden of care on the family and wife and child battery. Alcohol has been associated with over V6 of deaths and major injuries suffered in automobile accidents each year, about 50% of all murders, 40% of all assaults, 35% of all rapes and about 30% of all suicides and various shades and forms of mental-ill health. CONCLUSION Based on the findings from the study, it is recommended that effective legislation, greater and comprehensive consideration of public health implications of alcohol and alcohol-related harm at all levels of health care, preventive, promotive and health education, integration of community participation in the prevention models and inculcation of substance abuse studies into the existing education curriculum will go a long way in addressing the problems of alcohol abuse in our society.


Zhang, P., Wang, Y., Jiang, M., Zhu, L., Li, J., Luo, M., Ren, H. and Liu, L. 2014. Molecular cloning, recombinant protein expression, tissue distribution and functional analysis of a new c-type lysozyme from Lezhi black goat rumen. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 27-34. Three major distinct types of lysozymes have been identified in the animal kingdom and most lysozymes cloned from ruminants belong to the chicken-type (c-type). In this study, a new c-type lysozyme gene, named LZRLyz, was cloned and sequenced from the Lezhi black goat rumen. The LZRLyz cDNA has a 444 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 147 amino acid polypeptide. The encoded polypeptide is predicted to have an 18 amino acid signal peptide, and a 129 amino acid mature protein with an isoelectric point (pI) of 6.08. The LZRLyz amino acid sequence shares 70.27% identity with the Capra hircus blood lysozyme and is grouped with other ruminants c-type lysozymes using the phylogenetic tree estimated by Neighbor-Jointing method. The recombinant expressed LZRLyz protein (pET-rLZR) shows a molecular mass of ~33 kDa, which is consistent with the predicted fusion protein molecular mass and shows antimicrobial activity. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed that LZRLyz transcripts are expressed in all tested tissues with the predominant expression being observed in rumen and the weakest one in spleen. Results of this study suggest that the LZRLyz gene represents a new c-type lysozyme gene that likely functions in Lezhi black goat host immunity and digestive systems.


Power measurement in digital wireless communication systems often suffers from poor repeatability, usually accompanied by a low accuracy. To face the problem, the use of parametric spectral estimators is investigated in this paper. In particular, a new method is proposed, which first estimates the power spectral density (PSD) of the analyzed signal through Burg's solution, and then evaluates the power by applying straightforward measurement algorithms to the estimated PSD. The results of a number of experiments, carried out on both laboratory and actual signals peculiar to digital wireless communication systems, assess the efficacy and reliability of the method. Moreover, a comparison of the achieved performance to that offered by an alternative measurement solution, already proposed by the authors and based on nonparametric PSD estimation, shows that the method allows for a significant reduction of measurement time, while exhibiting the same repeatability.


Several studies have reported differences between male and female cattle in growing and body composition. The differences occur mainly by hormonal factors, however, there is little information about the relationship between sex and feed efficiency traits in beef cattle. The residual feeding intake (RFI) is a feed efficiency measurement and has been an alternative to improve the profit in beef production system. It is defined as the difference between dry matter intake observed and estimated by regression in function of weight gain and metabolic body weight. More efficient animals have the intake observed smaller than the predicted (low RFI), unlike the less efficient ones have the intake bigger than predicted (high RFI). This study aimed to evaluate the sex effect (male and female) on growing and feeding efficiency traits in young Nellore bulls selected for post weaning weight. Data from males and females Nellore animals obtained during RFI evaluation tests were utilized. The tests were performed at Centro APTA Bovinos de Corte – Instituto de Zootecnia - Sertaozinho-SP, between 2005 and 2011. The tests duration ranged from 56 to 112 days, with the adaption period raging from 28 to 56 days, depending of the year. At the tests beginning the animals had, on average, 286 ± 42 days of age. The traits analyzed were initial body weight (IBW), final body weight (FBW), average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI) and RFI. Data were analyzed using de GLM procedure of the SAS program. The model of analyses included the fixed effects of contemporary group (year and selection line), sex (male and female) and age at the beginning of test as linear covariate. Means of growing traits were different between sex (Table 1), being males heavier than females at the begging (35.28%) and at the end (29.17%) of the test . Males gained 29% more weight than females. Considering DMI, males consumed 21% more food than females. These results showed that males had greater feed conversion, 6.70 kg DM kg-1 gain X 7.82 kg DM kg-1 gain. However, no significant differences were detected on RFI between the sex, showing an independent relationship between RFI and sex in beef cattle. Growth traits and feed intake were influenced by sex, however the efficiency of feed utilization, defined as RFI was not influenced by sex in young cattle Nellore.


This trip will cover the terroir (geology, climate, and other natural factors) affecting the quality of Colorado's western slope vineyards and the wines produced. On May 17 the group will make a few key geology overview stops through the Rocky Mountains en route to the wine country on the western slope near Grand Junction. On the western slope the physical factors that allow great wine grapes to be grown in Colorado will be explored and these factors will be compared to other wine viticultural areas in the world. The first day vineyards and wineries will be visited for tasting and discussion of terroir, followed by a banquet dinner and a lecture by Meinert on terroir of some of the other wine regions of the world. The group will spend the night in Grand Junction and on May 18 other wineries will be visited for tasting and terroir discussion; lunch will be at the Canyon Wind winery, with a return to Keystone (and Denver) in the late afternoon.

At the end of this chapter, two geological maps (eastern half and western half) show the route of the field trip with trip stops and geological features. These maps are draped on a hillshade of a 90-meter DEM; geological data modified from Green (1992). An 11″×17″-format simplified geological map of Colorado also will be handed out as a reference for the geological transect.

The geologic history of Colorado is long and complex. Precambrian metamorphic basement formed prior to ∼1.8 Ga and was intruded by three main Proterozoic granitic suites. The Proterozoic rocks are generally arranged in ENE-trending belts that young to the south and record a history of progressive accretion of terranes onto the Archean Wyoming craton. Following a major erosion event prior to the Late Cambrian, Colorado was a relatively stable craton in the lower to middle Paleozoic as recorded by a thin clastic and carbonate section with local disconformities. Three Phanerozoic orogenic events followed: the Pennsylvanian Ancestral Rocky Mountain (ARM) orogeny, the Late Cretaceous-Late Eocene Laramide orogeny, and the Neogene Rio Grande Rift orogeny. All three events formed generally north-trending fault block uplifts separated by sedimentary basins that cut across the earlier Proterozoic ENE trends. The ARM and Laramide uplifts record crustal shortening whereas the Rio Grande Rift records localized crustal extension. The ARM orogeny was followed by early Mesozoic terrestrial deposition and then state-wide accumulation of thick marine siliciclastic


Abstract Not Available – First paragraph follows:
Lettuce crops in the central coastal district of California may follow each other in rapid succession on the same land with only a short period between the harvest of one crop and planting of another. Some growers in this area use soil fumigation after a series of 5 to 6 lettuce crops to improve yields and quality. The effectiveness of such fumigation has been attributed to such factors as nutrient release and the control of unidentified pathogens but specific data has been lacking.


Abstract Greuter, W. & Raus, Th. (ed.): Med-Checklist Notulae, 21. — Willdenowia 32: 195-208.2002. — ISSN 0511-9618. Continuing a series of miscellaneous contributions, by various authors, where hitherto unpublished data relevant to the Med-Checklist project are presented, this instalment deals with the families Amaranthaceae, Basellaceae, Campanulaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Compositae, Labiatae, Leguminosae, Lythraceae, Ranunculaceae, Rubiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Umbelliferae; Cyperaceae, Gramineae, Liliaceae, and Pontederiaceae. It includes new country and area records, taxonomic and distributional considerations. A new species of Scorzonera is described and illustrated. New combinations are validated in Cladanthus.


Polymer bulk hetero-junction solar cells were fabricated and the electronic and optical properties were investigated. C60 and perylene were used as n-type semiconductors, and copper phthalocyanine, zinc phthalocyanine and pentacene were used as p-type semiconductors. Energy levels of the molecules were calculated, and HOMO levels were localized around the main chains of the zinc phthalocyanine and pentacene. Nanostructures of the solar cells were confirmed as mixed nanocrystals by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.MB200807]


ABSTRACT Interpreters of Emmanuel Levinas often note the central role he gives to language in his account of ethical discourse. Levinas himself puts the matter quite strongly, claiming, for example, that '[a]bsolute difference … is established only by language'. This aspect of Levinas's thought has seemed to many readers to rule out the possibility of ethical relations with non-human animals. My aim in this article is to present an alternative reading of Levinas that avoids this implication. I argue that the core emphasis of Levinas's account lies not on language, but on our capacity to learn from the other. We do this through what I term the second look: we respect [re-specere] the other by letting her teach us, by giving her our undivided attention, by looking at her again. Learning from the other, whether through language or otherwise, creates an ethical conversation that 'puts in common a world hitherto mine'.


ALTHOUGH FUNDAMENTAL to Mesozoic palaeoecology, dinosaur diversity has received little attention in the literature. The principal contributions have been those of Dodson and his collaborators (Dodson 1990; Dodson and Dawson 1991; Dodson 1994; Holmes and Dodson 1997) and Fastovsky et al. (2004). This study presents four analyses based on a database incorporating dinosaurian genera considered valid as of 31 March 2003. This database was compiled from the literature, principally from the publications of Glut (1997, 2000, 2002, 2003). Aves (Archaeopteryx + Neornithes) is excluded and nomina nuda and nomina dubia are omitted. The database was analysed in terms of the number of valid genera within each major clade, stratigraphic stage, place of discovery and year of description. Taphonomy, diagenesis, erosion, collecting, preparation and publication present a series of filters that separate apparent from actual diversity. These results, based on apparent diversity, should therefore be interpreted with caution.


Aboriginal foraging systems in Australia's Western Desert have been structured around landscape-burning practices for millennia. These systems are mediated at one end by factors that influence an immediate-return economy and at the other by the way that burning transforms vegetative succession and habitat heterogeneity (pyrodiversity). The distinctive pyrodiversity of anthropogenic landscapes are where Martu insist that they and their estates are conceived. These estates are transgenerational storehouses of relational wealth that operate in a delayed-return ritual economy. These storehouses were ransacked by colonialism in the mid-twentieth century, precipitating a collapse in the anthropogenic fire regime and a decline and extinction of many endemic species. Since returning to their homelands in the 1980s, Martu have reestablished a tight patchwork of vegetative succession and rescaled the landscape mosaic. Previous work has shown how the emergent ecological consequences of foraging and burning interact to create greater local diversity, increase landscape patchiness at massive spatial scales, and buffer against climate-driven ecosystem disturbance. In this paper we explore how the rescaling of patch diversity through anthropogenic fire operates as a form of dynamic cultural and ecological niche construction shaping systems of sociality among people and their interactions with other species.


OBJECTIVE
To measure the effects of increasing mean arterial pressure on oxygen variables and renal function in septic shock.

DESIGN
Prospective, open-label, randomized, controlled study.

SETTING
Medical-surgical intensive care unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital.

PATIENTS
Twenty-eight patients with a diagnosis of septic shock who required fluid resuscitation and pressor agents to increase and maintain mean arterial pressure > or =60 mm Hg.

INTERVENTIONS
Patients were treated with fluid and norepinephrine to achieve and maintain a mean arterial pressure of 65 mm Hg. Then they were randomized in two groups: In the first group (control group, n = 14), mean arterial pressure was maintained at 65 mm Hg, and in the second group (n = 14), mean arterial pressure was increased to 85 mm Hg by increasing the dose of norepinephrine.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
Hemodynamic variables (mean arterial pressure, heart rate, mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance index, pulmonary vascular resistance index, left and right ventricular stroke indexes), metabolic variables (oxygen delivery, oxygen consumption-calorimetric method, arterial lactate), and renal function variables (urine flow, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance) were measured. After introduction of norepinephrine, similar values of hemodynamic, metabolic, and renal function variables were obtained in both groups. No changes were observed in group 1 during the study period. Increasing mean arterial pressure from 65 to 85 mm Hg with norepinephrine in group 2 resulted in a significant increase in cardiac index from 4.8 (3.8-6.0) to 5.8 (4.3-6.9) L.min.m. Arterial lactate and oxygen consumption did not change. No changes were observed in renal function variables: urine flow, 63 (14-127) and 70 (15-121) mL; serum creatinine, 170 (117-333) and 153 (112-310) mumol.L; and creatinine clearance, 50 (12-77) and 67 (13-89) mL.min.1.73 m.

CONCLUSIONS
Increasing mean arterial pressure from 65 to 85 mm Hg with norepinephrine neither affects metabolic variables nor improves renal function.


We all too often assume that technology is the product of objective scientific research and that technology's moral value lies in only the moral character of its user. To remove technology from a moral realm, we assume value and context neutrality. Yet the power of technology is a reflection of the values that exist in its developmental context. Technology's moral realm is visible in the reciprocal relationship between culture and technology in the epidemiology of AIDS, clinical research and practice regarding heart disease, and DNA research. Cultural values decide what counts as a scientific question. When we look at the 1980s epidemiological model for AIDS, we see how the presuppositions within a culture frame the type of question asked; that is "In what population does AIDS occur?" This question initially leads scientific research away from individual behavior until a different question is asked. Secondly, that which constitutes a scientific problem in turn directs the kinds of technologies developed. Men who were dying of heart disease showed symptoms in large arteries of the heart when using technologies designed to find these symptoms. Women were also dying of heart disease, but be- cause the large arteries were not overwhelmingly compromised, women were not properly diagnosed until recently. If large arteries are the "problem," seeing smaller vessels as problematic is more difficult. If the cultural standard of the healthy body is a male body, technologies responsive to that body are developed. Thirdly, a type of technology developed will in turn create new or enhanced values. A bio- logical/genetic basis for race or intelligence is a scientific answer to a culturally defined problem, and the cultural issue of race is defined as problematic by scientific fact. Technology directs human values and behaviors in predictable ways; thus, technologies are ethically valenced.


In this paper, a compact design and construction of micro strip feed planar antenna comprising both coupling and decoupling structure is presented. Each antenna element working under wider frequency range of about 2-16 GHz. To achieve a better imaging radar tool a dedicated radar transceiver is proposed. Segmentation is applied to the decoupled image from transceiver. After, a novel hybrid artifact removal algorithm for microwave breast imaging applications is presented, which combines the best attributes of two existing algorithms to effectively remove the early-stage artifact while preserving the tumor dynamic range of bandwidth is proposed. . The main concern of this project is to diagnose the benign tissue at the earliest as most cancer cells are completely curable at the earlier stage. The tool is best suited for diagnosis of earliest breast cancer causing tumor cells having resolution of about 3 mm. Keywords— Breast cancer, Planar Antenna, Artifact removal, microwave imaging, ultra wideband radar, Micro strip feed skin effect.


abstract Records of near-source (0.3 to 20 km) primary seismic waves generated by the Hardhat, Haymaker, and Shoal underground nuclear explosions were analyzed in terms of displacement amplitude and energy variations with distance. The observed data were compared to similar data from a theoretical source model to determine the adequacy of the theoretical model. There was evidence that a long-period displacement field existed near the explosions as predicted by the theoretical source. Scatter in the observed amplitude data made it difficult to distinguish between the long-period and the radiation fields. However, the variation of total energy of the observed primary seismic waves with distance showed the presence of the long-period field. The comparison of observed and theoretical data indicates that a theoretical elastic source model approximated the observed sources.


Based on ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated the structural, electronic and vibrational properties of cubic and amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) phase change material, focusing in particular on the effects of defects in stoichiometry on the electronic properties. It turned out Ge/Sb deficiencies (excess) in the cubic phase induce a shift of the Fermi level inside the valence (conduction) bands. In contrast, the amorphous network is flexible enough to accommodate defects in stoichiometry, keeping the Fermi level pinned at the center of the bandgap (at zero temperature). Changes in the structural and electronic properties induced by the use of hybrid functionals (HSE03, PBE0) instead of gradient corrected functionals (PBE) are addressed as well. Analysis of vibrational spectra and Debye–Waller factors of cubic and amorphous GST is also presented. this the


The objective of the presented report focuses on the data acquisition of pressure and heart beat rates from external sensors over the TinyOS 2.x platform. This sensing application may be used in the e-health care field in order to sample the data information. The designed test-bed consists of several hardware devices, containing an MIB520CB USB interface board, two MICAz motes, an MDA300CA data acquisition board and external sensors for the pressure and heart beat rate. The programming language is NesC,which is used to build applications under the TinyOS 2.x environment. Data information is sampled from the external sensors, and this is then realized by the mote via the on-board ADC channel. The values are then transferred from one mote to another over radio communication. Finally, the expected results are transmitted to the PC by using serial communication. The report also discusses the sensing outcomes in order to determine the practical usage of the sensor devices. This project represents a common sensing application in wireless sensor networks, demonstrating a small case within the e-health care monitoring system. In order to meet the specific demands and to save resources, the wireless sensor networks are widely used in various applications. The designed test-bed could be also deployed as a part of larger-scale wireless sensor networks in order to achieve the requirements in relation to the sensing data information for further detailed use in future work.


XPCC has long shouldered the mission of exploitation of virgin land in border area, but the special geographic distribution leads to regional segmentation and administrative division in the planting structure of grain, cotton, oil and sugar for XPCC. Since 1980, XPCC's total planting area of grain, cotton, oil and sugar has increased steadily year by year. The yield levels show a unimodal trend; the total yield of cotton has been showing a geometric growth trend; the total yield of oil crops and sugar beet shows a fluctuating growth trend, but the total yield of grain crops shows a bimodal growth trend. XPCC's grain crops are mainly in the farms of Division 4 in Ili Valley and Division 6 in Changji; cotton production in South and North Xinjiang is basically the same, and the yield in South Xinjiang is slightly higher than in North Xinjiang, but cotton can not be planted in most farms of Division 9 and Division 10; oil crops are grown mainly in cold regions; sugar beet is mainly in the farms of Division 2, Division 4 , Division 7 and Division 9. Some factors are limiting XPCC's farming development such as unreasonable agricultural structure, quite different regional production levels and great grain crop yield fluctuations. Therefore, it is recommended to optimize regional distribution, increase efforts to promote new technologies, and strengthen brand building to help XPCC to give play to the agricultural resource advantages.


The paper presents an overview of issues related to standardization in the European transportation market. The paper identifies current trends in the European transportation policy: deregulation in service markets, horizontal integration of infrastructures/networks, and vertical disintegration between network provision and service provision. The paper discusses fundamental questions of standardization in the context of transportation, starting with its relevant scope. The paper distinguishes between standardization to increase uniformity of products, services and policies, and standardization to increase compatibility at interfaces, by internalizing network effects and system effects (mix and match).


Gur (or Mabia) languages which are spoken in West Africa have so-called internally-headed relative clauses (IHRCs), but they have not received serious attention in syntactic and typological research on IHRCs. In this article, building on detailed first-hand data, we describe the syntax and semantics of IHRCs in five Gur languages: Buli, Dagaare, Dagbani, Gurene, and Kabiye. It is demonstrated that their IHRCs refute the syntactic and semantic generalizations proposed in the literature (Gorbet 1976; Cole 1987; Grosu 2002; Watanabe 1991; 2004). We also compare IHRCs in Gur and Japanese and argue that the existing semantic typology of IHRCs must be reconsidered, showing that properties of two types of IHRCs—restrictive and maximalizing IHRCS—do not necessarily show predicated correlations. This article is part of the special collection:  Internally-headed Relative Clauses