A PREVIOUSLY healthy 11-year-old girl had sudden-onset left-sided chest pain in the morning. On physical examination, a normal-appearing girl had tachypnea and shallow respirations. The trachea was shifted to the right, and her breath sounds were decreased in the left thorax. No clubbing of the fingers was present. Findings from frontal chest radiograph revealed a left tension pneumothorax (Figure 1). Her dyspnea was relieved after a left thoracostomy tube was inserted. Computed tomography of the chest disclosed clusters of emphysematous bullae in the left lower lobe (Figure 2). Resection of the bullae was performed using a video-assisted thoracoscope (Figure 3). Her a1antitrypsin level was 154 mg/dL, which was within reference limits. Results of a pathologic examination of the excised lung showed a prominent emphysematous change with rupture of alveolar septae that resulted in multiple bullous formations (Figure 4). In between the bullae, the lung parenchyma was compressed but structurally normal. The bullae ranged from 0.5 cm to 3.0 cm in diameter without a respiratory epithelium lining.


The authors describe a life-cycle approach for testing expert systems. They comment on the difficulties associated with testing of an expert system. Pragmatic testing methods of conventional software engineering are proposed as a solution to these problems. The application of these techniques is illustrated through an extended example for the expert system, MAPS, which diagnoses faults in a bipolar transistor induced to process defects in a VLSI manufacturing environment.<<ETX>>


For many years, clinicians have been familiar with certain of the features which characterize the roentgenograms of rachitic human bones; but a careful analysis of them has not been made, nor has the interpretation of the picture in the light of histologic alterations received any great attention. This investigation, which was begun at, the suggestion of Dr. E. A. Park and carried on largely through his continued interest, was undertaken with a view to ascertaining the anatomic basis for the roentgen-ray changes in the skeleton in rickets. METHOD The bones selected for study were cleaned of surrounding tissues and cut into slices from one-eighth to one-quarter inch thick through the epiphyseodiaphyseal junction. Roentgenograms were obtained, and the slices were then used for the preparation of histologic sections. Some of the tissues were partially decalcified in Muller's fluid; but in many instances, it was found possible to cut sections without preliminary


This advanced nutrient removal process can reduce footprint up to 75% and energy up to 50% when compared to conventional activated sludge systems. One of the defining characteristics of the granule is rapid settling which in turn allows for an increase in the biomass concentration. The granules are comprised of true biomass and do not require carriers. The layered microbial community that forms the granule is able to achieve enhanced biological nutrient removal, including simultaneous nitrification/denitrification and phosphorous reduction.


We examine mortality in a cohort of workers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a US Department of Energy research and development facility. The last mortality follow-up of this epidemiologically important cohort was conducted 18 years ago and included workers hired between 1943 and 1972. Analyses of these data revealed a positive association between occupational radiation dose and all cancer mortality under a 20-year lag assumption (1.73% increase in all cancer mortality per 10 mSv, standard error = 0.86). We have expanded this cohort to include 22,834 workers hired between 1943 and 1985, and updated mortality follow-up through 2008, yielding almost three times the number deaths observed in the last mortality follow-up of an ORNL cohort. Extending follow-up of this cohort is important not just for statistical power, but also because many important questions in radiation research concern the long term effects of irradiation, particularly on malignant diseases. These workers were individually badge-monitored for external exposure to ionising radiation, allowing evaluation of the effects of protracted radiation exposures accrued at work. We compared the observed deaths to expectations based upon US mortality rates, and evaluated radiation dose-mortality associations. Findings include excess deaths due to cancer of the pleura (SMR = 12.09 95%CI: 4.44, 26.32), cancer of the bladder (SMR = 1.89 95%CI: 1.26, 2.71), and leukaemia (SMR = 1.33 95%CI: 0.87, 1.93) among hourly-paid males, and excess deaths due to cancer of the bladder (SMR = 2.20 95%CI: 1.20, 3.69) and leukaemia (SMR = 1.64 95%CI: 1.09, 2.36) among females. Further results will be presented.


In an efficient economy, capital should be quickly (re)allocated from declining firms and sectors to more profitable investment opportunities. This process is affected by the concentration of corporate control, which in turn is affected by market institutions. We employ a panel of 11,984 firms across 44 countries to estimate the functional efficiency of capital markets. We adapt a measure for the efficiency of capital allocation using the accelerator principle. Our empirical results show weak property rights and highly concentrated ownership reduce the functional efficiency of capital markets.


Radio frequency identification (RFID) antennas are popular for high frequency (HF) RFID, energy transfer and near field communication (NFC) applications. Particularly for wireless measurement systems the RFID/NFC technology is a good option to implement a wireless communication interface. In this context, the design of corresponding reader and transmitter antennas plays a major role for achieving suitable transmission quality. This work proves the feasibility of the rapid prototyping of a RFID/NFC antenna, which is used for the wireless communication and energy harvesting at the required frequency of 13.56 MHz. A novel and low-cost direct ink writing (DIW) technology utilizing highly viscous silver nanoparticle ink is used for this process. This paper describes the development and analysis of low-cost printed flexible RFID/NFC antennas on cost-effective substrates for a microelectronic vital parameter measurement system. Furthermore, we compare the measured technical parameters with existing copper-based counterparts on a FR4 substrate.


OBJECTIVE
This study aims to explore Australian rural adolescents' experiences of accessing help for a mental health problem in the context of their rural communities.

DESIGN AND SETTING
A qualitative research design was used whereby university students who had sought help for a mental health problem during their adolescence were interviewed about their experiences. Interviews were conducted face-to-face at the university.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
A semi-structured interview schedule was designed around the study's main research questions. Audio-taped interviews were transcribed and thematically coded using a constant comparative method.

PARTICIPANTS
Participants were first-year undergraduate psychology students between the ages of 17 and 21 years who sought help for a mental health issue during their adolescence and who at that time resided in a rural area.

RESULTS
Participants highlighted various barriers to seeking help for mental health problems in the context of a rural community, including: social visibility, lack of anonymity, a culture of self-reliance, and social stigma of mental illness. Participants' access to help was primarily school-based, and participants expressed a preference for supportive counselling over structured interventions. Characteristics of school-based helpers that made them approachable included: 'caring', 'nonjudgemental', 'genuine', 'young', and able to maintain confidentiality.

CONCLUSIONS
The findings support previous research that reveals barriers to help seeking for mental health problems that are unique to the culture of rural communities. The study raises questions about the merit of delivery of primary mental health care to young people via GPs alone and suggests that school-based counsellors be considered as the first step in a young person's access to mental health care.


Grouping images into emotional categories is an important and challenging problem in content-based image retrieval. In this paper, we propose an approach to classify art paintings into emotional categories (dynamic vs. static). The key points are feature selection and classification algorithm. According to the strong relationship between notable lines of image and human sensations, a novel feature vector WLDLV (weighted line direction-length vector) is proposed, which includes both orientation and length information of lines in an image, Then classification is performed by SVM (support vector machine) and images can be classified into dynamic vs. static. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of our approach.


Aquaculture industries are under threat from noxious red tides, but harm can be mitigated by precautions such as early harvesting and restricting fish feeding to just before the outbreak of a red tide. Therefore, accurate techniques for forecasting red-tide outbreaks are strongly needed. Omics analyses have the potential to expand our understanding of the eco-physiology of these organisms at the molecular level, and to facilitate identification of molecular markers for forecasting their population dynamics and occurrence of damages to fisheries. Red tides of marine raphidophytes, especially Chattonella species, often extensively harm aquaculture industries in regions with a temperate climate around the world. A red tide of Chattonella tends to develop just after an input of nutrients along the coast. Chattonella displays diurnal vertical migration regulated by a weak blue light, so it photosynthesizes in the surface layer during the daytime and takes up nutrients in the bottom layer during the nighttime. Superoxide produced by Chattonella cells is a strong candidate for the cause of its toxicity to bacteria and fishes. Here we conducted mRNA-seq of Chattonella antiqua to identify genes with functions closely related to the dynamics of the noxious red tide, such as photosynthesis, photoreception, nutrient uptake, and superoxide production. The genes related to photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis and nutrient uptake had high similarity with those of model organisms of plants and algae and other red-tide microalgae. We identified orthologous genes of photoreceptors such as aureochrome (newly five genes), the cryptochrome/photolyase (CRY/PHR) family (6-4PHR, plant CRY or cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer [CPD] Class III, CPD Class II, and CRY-DASH), and phytochrome (four genes), which regulate various physiological processes such as flagellar motion and cell cycle in model organisms. Six orthologous genes of NADPH oxidase, which produces superoxide on the cell membrane, were found and divided into two types: one with 5–6 transmembrane domains and another with 11 transmembrane domains. The present study should open the way for analyzing the eco-physiological features of marine raphidophytes at the molecular level.


The UK e-voting policy is an integral component of the strategy to modernise
the electoral system to afford choice and flexibility to the electorate. The policy is being
introduced via local government through a series of voluntary pilot schemes designed to
test the new technology, and local authorities become involved in this policy process at the
implementation stage when they are invited to participate in the pilot programme. This
paper is based on qualitative research into the implementation of the UK government's evoting policy as this innovation is introduced into the local government system. It argues
that, as the essence of diffusion is communication, there needs to be a revised strategy to
consider the diffusion of the policy at an earlier stage in the process.
The findings are based on interviews with the Chief Executive of the Association of
Electoral Administrators and with Electoral Officers who did not participate in the most
comprehensive pilot programme conducted in 2003. They establish an overview of the
administration of e-voting and identify the reasons why local authorities did not volunteer
for that pilot programme. The analysis draws on Anderson's model of the public policy
process, to identify the stage at which local government becomes involved in the policy
process, and Rogers' model of the diffusion of innovations, to demonstrate the UK
government's failure to understand the need to consider a diffusion strategy.
The results suggest that the UK government fails to appreciate the benefits of cohesion
between the public policy process and the diffusion process, and that the likelihood of the
adoption of public policies concerned with the introduction of technological innovations
would be enhanced by the formulation of a revised public policy model. This revised
model recognises that policy implementation needs to be considered throughout the policy
process as it amalgamates the heuristic public policy process model and the diffusion of
innovations model incorporating selected diffusion concepts at the formulation stage of the
linear policy process.
Keywords: Public policy, e-voting, policy implementation


An upflow fixed-bed sulphate-reducing reactor has been set up and monitored for the treatment of metal-bearing wastewater. Zinc has been chosen as the target metal to be sequestered from influent water stream at initial concentrations ranging from 50 to 400 mg/l and initial pH values ranging from 3 to 5. Main operating parameters of the reactor, such as the composition and content of electron donor, electron acceptor, sulphate and metal removal capacity, have been monitored during ten months of continuous operation. The results obtained have shown that the reactor has a considerable capacity of completely reducing sulphates for initial concentrations up to 7,200 mg/l, completely removing soluble zinc for initial concentrations up to 400 mg/l and completely removing Total Organic Carbon (TOC), for initial concentrations up to 1,500 mg/l.


Angiogenesis plays a critical role in processes such as organ development, wound healing, and tumor growth. It requires well-orchestrated integration of soluble and matrix factors and timely recognition of such signals to regulate this process. Previous work has shown that newly forming vessels express the chemokine receptor CXC receptor 3 (CXCR3) and, activation by its ligand IP-10 (CXCL10), both inhibits development of new vasculature and causes regression of newly formed vessels. To identify and develop new therapeutic agents to limit or reverse pathological angiogenesis, we identified a 21 amino acid fragment of IP-10, spanning the α-helical domain residues 77–98, that mimic the actions of the whole IP-10 molecule on endothelial cells. Treatment of the endothelial cells with the 22 amino acid fragment referred to as IP-10p significantly inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial motility and tube formation in vitro, properties critical for angiogenesis. Using a Matrigel plug assay in vivo, we demonstrate that IP-10p both prevented vessel formation and induced involution of nascent vessels. CXCR3 neutralizing antibody was able to block the inhibitory effects of the IP-10p, demonstrating specificity of the peptide. Inhibition of endothelial function by IP-10p was similar to that described for IP-10, secondary to CXCR3-mediated increase in cAMP production, activation of PKA inhibiting cell migration, and inhibition of VEGF-mediated m-calpain activation. IP-10p provides a novel therapeutic agent that inhibits endothelial cell function thus, allowing for the modulation of angiogenesis.


This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on mastitis in dairy cattle. The first chapter reviews the indicators of mastitis and the contagious and environmental pathogens which cause it. It then discusses how mastitis can be managed and controlled on dairy farms, including consideration of dry cow therapy and the use of antibiotics. The second chapter examines the impact of clinical and subclinical mastitis in cows on milk quality, and provides a detailed account of indicators of mastitis. It describes the impact of mastitis on milk composition and quality, addressing its effect on the protein, fat, lactose and iron content of milk. The third chapter reviews advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve resistance to mastitis. It includes sections on both conventional and new phenotypes for improving resistance to clinical mastitis and concludes with a section on increasing rates of genetic gain through genomic selection. The final chapter considers recent research on the prevalence and development of antimicrobial resistance in mastitis pathogens. It shows how consistent diagnostic protocols and recording systems, attention to medical history, appropriate choice of antibiotics and control of treatment duration can all contribute to minimizing unnecessary use of antimicrobials and promoting effective treatment of mastitis.


Module partition of Complex product system (CoPS) usually produces a number of schemes, and how to choose the best one amongst the themes is very important. In this research, according to the features of CoPS, the multi-level evaluation indexes are built based on the DFX (design for X) method, which can evaluate the scheme comprehensively. The weight of indexes are obtained with the method of analytical network process. Then, the multi-level grey fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is proposed to make the well-chosen decision based on the DFX multi-objective evaluation model. The evaluation method are illustrated using the partition schemes of the experiment platform of a bevel gearbox.


Some kinds of eigensolver for large sparse matrices require speci(cid:12)cation of parameters that are based on rough estimates of the desired eigenvalues. In this paper, we propose a stochastic estimation method of eigenvalue distribution using the combination of a stochastic estimator of the matrix trace and contour integrations. The proposed method can be easily parallelized and applied to matrices for which factorization is infeasible. Numerical experiments are executed to show that the method can perform rough estimates at a low computational cost.


OBJECTIVE. We sought to determine whether Healthy Steps for Young Children has sustained treatment effects at 5.5 years, given early findings demonstrating enhanced quality of care and improvements in selected parenting practices. METHODS. Healthy Steps was a clinical trial that incorporated developmental specialists and enhanced developmental services into pediatric care in the first 3 years of life. A total of 5565 children were enrolled at birth and followed through 5.5 years. Healthy Steps was evaluated at 6 randomization and 9 quasi-experimental sites. Computer-assisted telephone interviews were conducted with mothers when Healthy Steps children were 5.5 years of age. Outcomes included experiences seeking care, parent response to child misbehavior, perception of child's behavior, and parenting practices to promote development and safety. Logistic regression was used to estimate overall effects of Healthy Steps, adjusting for site and baseline demographic characteristics. RESULTS. A total of 3165 (56.9%) families responded to interviews (usual care: n = 1441; Healthy Steps: n = 1724). Families that had received Healthy Steps services were more satisfied with care (agreed that pediatrician/nurse practitioner provided support, 82.0% vs 79.0%; odds ratio: 1.25 [95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.53]) and more likely to receive needed anticipatory guidance (54.9% vs 49.2%; odds ratio: 1.33 [95% confidence interval: 1.13–1.57]) (all P < .05). They also had increased odds of remaining at the original practice (65.1% vs 61.4%; odds ratio: 1.19 [95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.39]). Healthy Steps families reported reduced odds of using severe discipline (slap in face/spank with object, 10.1% vs 14.1%; odds ratio: 0.68 [95% confidence interval: 0.54–0.86]) and increased odds of often/almost always negotiating with their child (59.8% vs 56.3%; odds ratio: 1.20 [95% confidence interval: 1.03–1.39]). They had greater odds of reporting a clinical or borderline concern regarding their child's behavior (18.1% vs 14.8%; odds ratio: 1.35 [95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.64]) and their child reading books (59.4% vs 53.6%; odds ratio: 1.16 [95% confidence interval: 1.00–1.35]). There were no effects on safety practices. CONCLUSIONS. Sustained treatment effects, albeit modest, are consistent with early findings. Universal, practice-based interventions can enhance quality of care for families with young children and can improve selected parenting practices beyond the duration of the intervention.


Although 3D-printed anatomic models are not new to medicine, the high costs and lengthy production times entailed have limited their application. Our goal was developing a new and less costly 3D modeling method to depict organ-tumor relations at faster printing speeds. We have devised a method of 3D modeling using DICOM images. Coordinates are extracted at a specified interval, connecting them to create mesh-work replicas. Adjacent constructs are depicted by density variations, showing anatomic targets (ie, tumors) in contrasting color. An array of organ solid-tumor models were printed via Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printer at significantly less cost ($0.05/cm) and time expenditure (1.73 min/cm; both, p<.001). Printed models helped promote visual appreciation of organ-tumor anatomy and adjacent tissues. Our mesh-work 3D thyroidal prototype reproduced glangular size/contour and tumor location, readily approximating the surgical specimen. This newly devised mesh-type 3D printing method may facilitate anatomic modeling for personalized care and improve patient awareness during informed surgical consent.


Increasingly large and complex structures make it more complicated in analysis, designing and construction, and through the amplification effect caused by the interaction of various parts of the structure, any tiny error in any link could cause huge damage to the building. However, the relative analysis theory and design method are not consummate enough to assess the influence of all kinds of errors. Under this circumstance, structural health monitoring system is an important guarantee to ensure the safety of the structures in both construction and operation stage, and at the same time contributes to make up for the deficiency of theory [1-2]. The Expo Axis project is the largest single project in Expo Site 2010 Shanghai. The Expo Axis project has adopted a whole new architecture form. The roof design as giant light cable-membrane structure about 1000 meter long and about 80 meter width. The computing displacement of the membrane roof is close to 4m. In order to ensure the safety of this structure, a real-time and long-term computer based health monitoring system is applied in the Axis structures.


We analyze an active mode-locked laser under the influence of asynchronous spontaneous emission (ASE) noise by using eight mathematical series Sn, Qn, Rn, an, bn, cn, rn, and Pn to trace the evolution of the noise. The series are easily calculated from the laser parameters and are used to determine the steady-state pulse of the active mode-locked laser operating in both exactly tuned and detuned conditions. Series analysis results of ideal noiseless laser models are consistent with that of classical self-consistence methods. The advantage of our series approach is that it can be used for studying laser model even in the presence of the inline optically amplified noise. Analysis of the laser model with ASE noise reveals that the large noise figure amplifier and high cavity loss degrade the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Large decrease of SNR caused by detuning limits the locking range of the laser. The series method can be used not only to determine the characteristics of the steady state pulse but also to study the transient process of the noise inside the laser and to determine the locking range of the laser when the ASE noise is considered. Our analytical results are visualized by simulation results.


The guidelines controlling the sentencing of organizations provide for the reduction in an entity's culpability score for self-reporting, cooperation, and acceptance of responsibility. What an organization must do in order to receive the reduction in culpability score changed dramatically in 2004 when additional language was added to Application Note 12 of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual Section 8C2.5(g) stating that "waiver of the attorney-client privilege and of work product protections is not a prerequisite to a reduction. ... However, in some circumstances waiver of the attorney-client privilege and of work product protections may be required in order to satisfy the requirements of cooperation." Following months of hearings and public comment, the United States Sentencing Commission reversed its position on whether a sentencing court should consider an organization's waiver of the attorney-client privilege and/or of the attorney work product protection in evaluating the organization's "cooperation" as a sentencing factor by proposing to retract the language added by the 2004 amendments. Although that proposal has become effective, it is yet to be determined what the response of the three branches of government will be on the issue of privilege waivers in the context of federal criminal law. This Article gives readers an overview of the development of the use of privilege waivers by organizations seeking credit for cooperation at the time of sentencing for federal crimes, the reaction of both corporations and their lawyers to the waiver issue, and the events leading up to the Commission's change of position.


The 2008/2009 economic crisis has been identified as an important element contributing to declining trust in institutions in Europe and worldwide. However, it is unclear whether this decline in trust is distributed homogenously among citizens or whether there are differences across social strata. This article applies multilevel models to six waves of European Social Survey (ESS) data to analyse changes in trust in the European Parliament (EP) from 2002 to 2012 in 20 European Union countries. Moreover, it investigates whether individuals with different socioeconomic backgrounds experienced different reductions in trust. The results indicate that trust in the EP declined the most in the peripheral European countries hit hardest by the economic crisis: Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Cyprus, Greece and Spain. Furthermore, the results suggest that the decline in trust was more pronounced among subjects with lower social status. The tightening of the link between social and political inequalities is especially preoccupying considering the importance of trust in institutions for citizens to actively participate in society, voice their needs and demand their place at the table. Hence, the worsening economic conditions, combined with declining levels of trust, are not only troublesome for the functioning of democracies as a whole, but they are also problematic at the individual level as they are likely to perpetuate the divide among subjects at different ends of the social ladder.


Gas permeable (GP) lens materials and design technology have advanced in recent years and GP lenses are recognised as providing the wearer with a reduced risk of serious sight-threatening complications, better vision and better long-term comfort. Yet despite these advantages, GP lens prescribing in the UK remains in decline. This thesis investigates how the decline might be addressed by studying the influence of prescribing habits, fitting strategies and lens surface treatments. Initially a questionnaire was designed to investigate practitioner attitudes and behaviour toward GP lenses, and to ascertain whether eye care practitioner (ECP) reservations were responsible for prescribing decline. This survey found that, despite ECP awareness of the advantages of GP lenses, the challenges of reduced initial comfort and increased time required in fitting, results in significant negative practitioner attitudes. In an effort to address the reservations discovered, an investigation of topical anaesthetic (TA) instillation prior to GP fitting was performed in a large case-control study. The results demonstrated that this practice has no negative clinical impact on the ocular surface, marginally improves patient comfort at fitting, and significantly reduces patient anxiety prior to successive GP lens insertion. The remainder of this thesis presents the results from a longitudinal study where groups of neophyte and soft lens wearers were fitted with GP lenses for three months with and without plasma surface treatment (PST). Subjects were monitored and lenses harvested for surface analysis using atomic force microscopy. Examination of GP lenses demonstrated that PST produces smoother surface topographies, prior to and following wear, but this difference reduces after three months wear. Subjects previously wearing soft lenses report lower levels of comfort than neophytes, and PST does not seem to enhance the experience for either group in this cohort. In summary, this thesis presents important findings about the influence of initial comfort on patient anxiety and practitioner attitudes towards GP lens fitting, and gives important insights into the impact of plasma treatment on comfort and performance over the first three months of lens wear.


Tropical cyclone Phet is the second strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Arabian Sea. Phet made landfall in the northeast mountainous area of Oman in early morning on 4 June in 2010, causing a breaking record rainfall in this arid region of 488 mm/48 h. The cyclone heavy rainfall triggered flash floods causing enormous losses in lives and infrastructure in northeast Oman. The state of the art Advanced Research WRF model is used to study the atmospheric circulation and to reproduce the heavy rainfall over Oman. Three one-way nested domains with 32 vertical layers with terrain following sigma coordinate are used to setup eight numerical experiments aiming to investigate the effect of initialization time, horizontal grid resolution and terrain elevations on reproducing the cyclone track, intensity and heavy rainfall. Simulation results show negligible effect of model initialization time on cyclone track, intensity and rainfall. In contrast, the orographic effect played a substantial role in rainfall simulation over northeast Oman. The heavy rainfall was a combination of the cyclone circulation effect and the orographic lifting in the mountains. The northeasterly cyclone moist-warm wind was lifted in the Omani mountains releasing its potential energy and enhancing further thermal convection. The numerical experiment with the highest terrain elevation (RUN3.3-C) resulted in overestimation of observed rainfall due to the enhanced topographic lifting of the saturated cyclone wind. Experiment with similar horizontal grid resolution but smoother terrain elevation (RUN3.3-TER) resulted in much less rainfall amount comparable to the observed values. The increased precipitation in RUN3.3-C is due to the increase in the rain- water and cloud water and graupel of the explicit moisture scheme.


This study describes a sample preparation technique used to isolate dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in groundwater for radiocarbon analysis using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The goal of the work is to improve our ability to determine groundwater residence times based on 14C measurements of the DOC fraction in groundwater. Water samples were collected from carbonate and volcanic rock aquifers in southern Nevada. Multiple measurements of total dissolved organic carbon (TDOC) in groundwater from one site are used to demonstrate the reproducibility of the analytical procedure. The reproducibility of the method is about one percent (1σ) for a 0.5 mg sample. The procedural blank for the same size sample contains about 1 percent modern carbon (pMC).


The DC/AC inverters are the key elements in grid-connected PV energy production systems. In this paper, new design optimization techniques focused on transformerless (very high efficiency) PV inverters are proposed. They have been developed based on an analysis of the deficiencies of the current, state-of-the-art PV inverters design technology, which limits the amount of PV energy supplied into the electric grid. The influences of the electric grid regulations and standards and the PV array operational characteristics on the design of grid-connected PV inverters have also been considered. The simulation results verify that the proposed optimization techniques enable the maximization of the PV energy injected into the electric grid by the optimized PV installation.


The use of Carica papaya parts in the treatment common illness have been going on for ages, but this claims have not been properly investigated, we therefore commenced on investigating most of this ethno medicinal claims The phytochemical and antimicrobial screening of the ethanol leaf and root extracts of Carica papaya were determined by standard laboratory procedures and with the aid of Jenway 6303 Digital spectrophotometer. Results revealed that the leaf sample contained 0.488 mg/100100g alkaloid, 0.81 mg/100 g saponin, 0.30 mg/100 g flavonoid, 3.45 ppm Tannin and 40.4 ppm phenol. The root sample contained 2.22 mg/100g alkaloid, 1.32 mg/100 g saponin and 1.52 mg/100 g of flavonoid. Antimicrobial screening of the ethanolic extracts of the samples against five selected pathogens revealed that the microbes were resistant to the crude leaf extracts but were signicantly inhibited by the root extracts. The diameter of inhibition were as fellows; 18mm, 28mm, 30mm, 36mm and 30mm for Escherchia coli, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus aureus respectively.  These values were comparative with those obtained from 1mg standard antibiotics Oxacillin which gave values of 12 mm, 21 mm, 14 mm, 13 mm and 20 mm respectively for Escherichia coli, pseudomonas auregonosa, klebsiella, staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus aureus. The minimum inhibition concentrations (MIC) were found to be 6.5 mg/g, 12.2 mg/g, 6.5mg/g, 12.5 mg/g and 6.5 mg/g for E. coli, P. aureginosa, and Klebsiella. Staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus aureus respectively The root extracts of Carica papaya could be useful in treating infectious wound, pneumonia internal heat, stomach noise, and strange movement in the body, abdominal pains and a host of other diseases


BACKGROUND
Analysis of fetal DNA in maternal plasma has recently been introduced as a new method for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis, particularly for the analysis of fetal genetic traits, which are absent from the maternal genome, e.g., RHD or Y-chromosome-specific sequences. To date, the analysis of other fetal genetic traits has been more problematic because of the overwhelming presence of maternal DNA sequences in the circulation. We examined whether different biochemical properties can be discerned between fetal and maternal circulatory DNA.

METHODS
Plasma DNA was examined by agarose gel electrophoresis. The fractions of fetal and maternal DNA in size-fractionated fragments were assayed by real-time PCR. The determination of paternally and maternally inherited fetal genetic traits was examined by use of highly polymorphic chromosome-21-specific microsatellite markers.

RESULTS
Size fractionation of circulatory DNA indicated that the major portion of cell-free fetal DNA had an approximate molecular size of <0.3 kb, whereas maternally derived sequences were, on average, considerably larger than 1 kb. Analysis of size-fractionated DNA (</=0.3 kb) from maternal plasma samples facilitated the ready detection of paternally and maternally inherited microsatellite markers.

CONCLUSIONS
Circulatory fetal DNA can be enriched by size selection of fragment sizes less than approximately 0.3 kb. Such selection permits easier analysis of both paternally and maternally inherited DNA polymorphisms.


IT IS AN ARTICLE OF FAITH AMONG MANY SUPPORTERS OF public education that teachers are underpaid. As Gayla Hudson, a former National Education Association official, once put it, "Until you start paying teachers at the level that other professions receive, recruiting will be a problem." Some respected academics have argued similarly. For instance, Peter Temin of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (see "Low Pay, Low Quality" on page 8) claims that the opening of new job opportunities for women has drained the most promising candidates from the pool of potential teachers. In this view, higher pay is necessary to lure high-quality applicants away from more lucrative alternatives, Most new teaching positions typically attract numerous applicants, especially in elementary schools, in subjects like English and social studies, and in the suburbs, where school districts frequently draw 100 applications for a single slot. But the mere ability to fill positions is a poor measure of whether pay is adequate. The question is whether salaries are high enough to draw applicants of the caliber parents and policymakers desire. Furthermore, the benefits of higher salaries must be weighed against the benefits of other reforms that the money could be put toward. For instance, say a school district could raise its average test scores by one point by spending an extra $1 million on teachers' salaries. But what if the school district could induce a two-point increase in scores by spending the same amount on nonprofessionals to tutor struggling students? Or what if reforms outside education, such as better prenatal care, incentive-driven changes to public assistance programs, or job training, provided mor e bang for the buck in raising student achievement? In either case, public funds would be better spent on reforms other than increasing teacher salaries. The Evidence on Teacher Pay A substantial body of evidence implies that teachers are not underpaid relative to other professionals. Using data on household median earnings from the U.S, Department of Labor, I compared teachers with seven other professional occupations: accountants, biological and life scientists, registered nurses, social workers, lawyers and judges, artists, and editors and reporters. Weekly pay for teachers in 2001 was about the same (within 10 percent) as for accountants, biological and life scientists, registered nurses, and editors and reporters, while teachers earned significantly more than social workers and artists. Only lawyers and judges earned significantly more than teachers--as one would expect, given that the educational training to become a lawyer is longer and more demanding. Teachers, moreover, enjoy longer vacations and work far fewer days per year than most professional workers. Consider data from the National Compensation Survey of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which computes hourly earnings per worker. The average hourly wage for all workers in the category" professional specialty" was $27.49 in 2000. Meanwhile, elementary-school teachers earned $28.79 per hour; secondary-school teachers earned $29.14 per hour; and special-education teachers earned $29.97 per hour. The average earnings for all three categories of teachers exceeded the average for all professional workers. Indeed, the average hourly wage for teachers even topped that of the highest-paid major category of workers, those whose jobs are described as "executive, administrative, and managerial." Teachers earned more per hour than architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, statisticians, biological and life scientists, atmospheric and space scientists, registered nurses, physical therapists, university-lev el foreign-language teachers, librarians, technical writers, musicians, artists, and editors and reporters. Note that a majority of these occupations requires as much or even more educational training as does K-12 reaching. Government data on wages and salaries also exclude fringe benefits. …


In this paper, the orders induced by the residual implications obtained from uninorms are investigated. A necessary and sufficient condition is presented so that the ordinal sum of fuzzy implications satisfies the law of importation with a t-norm $T$. Some relationships between the orders induced by an ordinal sum implication and its summands are determined. The algebraic structures obtained from the orders induced by the residual implications and the ordinal sum implications are discussed.


Background Understanding the principles of spiritual care in end-of-life care pertaining to the Indian context is crucial for the development of an appropriate approach to spiritual care for Indian palliative care. The rich and diverse spiritual and cultural traditions around the care of the dying in the country provide useful resources for such a perception. Aims This study seeks to examine the features of the care of the dying that were prevalent in the past in South India in order to understand the values and principles of spiritual care in the care of the dying in India. Methods Taking a historical-cultural perspective, in-depth oral history interviews were conducted with thirty older adults belonging to different religions and none. Participants were recruited using purposive and snowballing sampling technique from Kanyakumari district, South India. Results Several religious and cultural care practices that were customary in the care of the dying and beliefs about good death that prevailed over a couple of decades 40 years ago emerged from the data. 'Union with the divine', 'being at peace' and 'preserving dignity' were the three core principles that were found to be at the heart of these practices and beliefs. All these practices and beliefs were found to have meanings and values attached to them that relate to these core principles. Conclusions Care practices around the care of the dying and beliefs about good death are clearly characterised by spiritual beliefs. Perspectives on the present Indian scenario suggest that the above said principles play a vital role in shaping the current understanding of death and ideas of good death. Considerable contextual changes in the Indian society have caused the breakdown of traditional patterns of intergenerational dissemination of these practices and their meanings making these core principles hard to achieve.


Rosacea is more common in women than men and occurs more frequently in fair-skinned individuals, usually in the middle years of life. It tends to localise to the cheeks, forehead, chin and nose, sometimes showing marked asymmetry. Only very occasionally does it involve areas other than the face. Rosacea is usually characterised by erythematous papules, pustules, and occasionally plaques (papulopustular rosacea), which fluctuate in severity, typically on a background of erythema and telangiectasia. In some individuals, facial redness can be prominent and permanent (erythematotelangiectatic rosacea). Important distinguishing features from acne are a lack of comedones, absence of involvement of extra-facial areas, and the presence of flushing. Hypertrophy of facial sebaceous glands, sometimes with fibrotic changes, may result in unsightly thickening of the skin. Men, in particular, may develop marked enlargement and distortion of the nose. Occasionally, the predominant feature of rosacea is swelling of the eyelids and firm oedematous changes elsewhere on the face. Involvement of the eyes is an important, underdiagnosed complication that may result in significant ocular morbidity. Involvement of the external eye surfaces by rosacea usually necessitates ophthalmological advice. There is often no correlation between the degree of ocular and cutaneous rosacea, and ocular rosacea may occur alone. Rosacea is a disfiguring condition that can have a major psychosocial impact, and its detrimental effect on emotional health and quality of life is often overlooked.


This PhD thesis has been proposed to validate and then apply innovative analytical methodologies
for the determination of compounds with harmful impact on human health, such as biogenic amines
and ochratoxin A in wines. Therefore, the influence of production technology (pH, amino acids
precursor and use of different malolactic starters) on biogenic amines content in wines was
evaluated.
An HPLC method for simultaneous determination of amino acids and amines with precolumnderivatization
with 9-Fluorenyl-methoxycarbonyl chloride (FMOC-Cl) and UV detection was
developed.
Initially, the influence of pH, time of derivatization, gradient profile were studied. In order to
improve the separation of amino acids and amines and reduce the time of analysis, it was decided to
study the influence of different flows and the use of different columns in the chromatographic
method. Firstly, a C18 Luna column was used and later two monolithic columns Chromolith in
series. It appeared to be suitable for an easy, precise and accurate determination of a relatively large
number of amino acids and amines in wines.
This method was then applied on different wines produced in the Emilia Romagna region. The
investigation permitted to discriminate between red and white wines. Amino acids content is related
to the winemaking process. Biogenic amines content in these wines does not represent a possible
toxicological problem for human health.
The results of the study of influence of technologies and wine composition demonstrated that pH of
wines and amino acids content are the most important factors. Particularly wines with pH > 3,5
show higher concentration of biogenic amines than wines with lower pH. The enrichment of wines
by nutrients also influences the content of some biogenic amines that are higher in wines added with
amino acids precursors. In this study, amino acids and biogenic amines are not statistically affected
by strain of lactic acid bacteria inoculated as a starter for malolactic fermentation.
An evaluation of different clean-up (SPE-MycoSep; IACs and LLE) and determination methods
(HPLC and ELISA) of ochratoxin A was carried out. The results obtained proved that the SPE
clean-up are reliable at the same level while the LLE procedures shows lowest recovery. The
ELISA method gave a lower determination and a low reproducibility than HPLC method.


To determine which transcripts should reach the cytoplasm for translation, eukaryotic cells have established mechanisms to regulate selective mRNA export through the nuclear pore complex (NPC). The nuclear basket, a substructure of the NPC protruding into the nucleoplasm, is thought to function as a stable platform where mRNA-protein complexes (mRNPs) are rearranged and undergo quality control (QC) prior to export, ensuring that only mature mRNAs reach the cytoplasm. Here, we use proteomic, genetic, live-cell, and single-molecule resolution microscopy approaches in budding yeast to demonstrate that baskets assemble only on a subset of NPCs and that basket formation is dependent on RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription and subsequent mRNP processing. Specifically, we observe that the cleavage and polyadenylation machinery, the poly(A)-binding protein Pab1, and pre-mRNA-leakage factor Pml39 are required for basket assembly. We further show that while all nuclear pores can bind Mlp1, baskets assemble only on a subset of nucleoplasmic NPCs, and these basket-containing pores associate a distinct protein and RNA interactome. Taken together, our data points towards nuclear pore heterogeneity and an RNA-dependent mechanism for functionalization of nuclear pores in budding yeast through nuclear basket assembly.


Introduction Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy improves survival in ovarian cancer but its use has been limited by toxicity with cisplatin-based regimens. The primary objective of this study was to define the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity of intravenous (IV) oxaliplatin and IP docetaxel in women with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer. Secondary objectives were response rate, time to progression, symptom interference with quality of life, and pharmacokinetics. Methods Patients received a constant dose of oxaliplatin 75 mg/m2 IV on day 1 and docetaxel escalating from 50 mg/m2 IP on day 2 every 3 weeks using a 3 + 3 design. Treatment continued until disease progression, remission, or intolerable toxicity occurred. Plasma and IP samples were taken to determine drug concentrations. Patients completed the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory weekly. Results Twelve patients were included. The median number of cycles was 4 (range 2–6) with a median time to progression of 4.5 months. Among eight patients with measurable disease, the best responses were partial response in two patients, stable disease in five, and progressive disease in one. A total of 14 grade 3–4 toxicities were noted, most commonly hematologic. Four patients, all dose level 3, had six dose-limiting toxicities: two with prolonged neutropenia, one with infection, one with hyponatremia, and two with abdominal pain. Dose level 3 was therefore considered intolerable. The mean±SD ratio of docetaxel area under the curve (AUC) in IP fluid to AUC in plasma was 229±111. Symptom interference with life activities steadily decreased from cycle 1 to 5. Conclusions Oxaliplatin 75 mg/m2 IV on day 1 and docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IP on day 2 was the maximum tolerated dose. Most patients had partial response or stable disease, even in a heavily pre-treated population. At this dose level, patient-reported outcomes demonstrate temporary but tolerable decrements in quality of life.


Via the Na/Ca and Na/H exchange, intracellular Na concentration ([Na](i)) is important in regulating cardiac Ca and contractility. Functional data suggest that [Na](i) might be heterogeneous in myocytes that are not in steady state, but little direct spatial information is available. Here we used two-photon microscopy of SBFI to spatially resolve [Na](i) in rat ventricular myocytes. In vivo calibration yielded an apparent K(d) of 27 +/- 2 mM Na. Similar resting [Na](i) was found using two-photon or single-photon ratiometric measurements with SBFI (10.8 +/- 0.7 vs. 11.1 +/- 0.7 mM). To assess longitudinal [Na](i) gradients, Na/K pumps were blocked at one end of the myocyte (locally pipette-applied K-free extracellular solution) and active in the rest of the cell. This led to a marked increase in [Na](i) at sites downstream of the pipette (where Na enters the myocyte and Na/K pumps are blocked). [Na](i) rise was smaller at upstream sites. This resulted in sustained [Na](i) gradients (up to approximately 17 mM/120 microm cell length). This implies that Na diffusion in cardiac myocytes is slow with respect to trans-sarcolemmal Na transport rates, although the mechanisms responsible are unclear. A simple diffusion model indicated that such gradients require a Na diffusion coefficient of 10-12 microm(2)/s, significantly lower than in aqueous solutions.


The obstacles that surrounded the Czech ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty should not be understood as proof of the strength of Czech euroscepticism –in fact the opposite is true, argues Mats Braun of the Institute of International Relations in Prague. The Czech political elite are becoming more pro-European, partly as a result of the increased interaction with their European counterparts and EU officials, not least during the preparations for and the organisation of the Czech Council Presidency. The problems of ratifying the LT in the country should be seen as an attempt by an ever-shrinking part of the elite who resist socialisation, to make a final imprint on the future of Europe.


We study how traditional reinsurance and CAT bonds can be combined to build an optimal catastrophe insurance program. We develop a contingent claims model to investigate the imperfections and limitations of the reinsurance market stemming from financial distress costs and default risk. We find that the pricing markup and credit risk is typically larger for reinsurance contracts that cover the higher and less probable layers of losses. We show that the optimal hedging strategy is to cover small losses using reinsurance and to hedge higher losses by issuing a CAT bond. Our results demonstrate that this strategy significantly lowers the insurer's cost of protection, expands his underwriting capacity, and yields higher shareholder values.


*e-mail: email@example.com Abstract. Copper impregnated aluminum pillared montmorillonites (Cu-iAlpill-MMTs) were prepared by adding Cu2+ solution into dried aluminum polyohydroxy cation intercalated montmorillonite using various Cu2+ concentrations, i.e. 4, 7, 10 and 13 wt% and then calcining at 500oC. The Cu-iAlpill-MMTs possessed slit-liked mesopores with pore diameters of 3.3‒3.8 nm and ~6‒35 nm as observed from the nitrogen adsorption isotherms. The mesopore quantities of Cu-iAlpill-MMTs gradually decreased with the increase of impregnated Cu2+ concentrations. The impregnated CuO occupied not only the interior interlayers, but also the exterior surfaces of Cu-iAlpill-MMTs. The Cu-iAlpill-MMTs with 10 and 13 wt% of impregnated Cu2+ could inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli. The Cu-iAlpill-MMTs effectively acted as the heterogeneous catalyst for removal reactive orange 16 (RO16) in Fenton or photo-Fenton oxidation treatments. The higher impregnated Cu2+ and/or the longer treatment time brought about the higher percentage of RO16 removal.


The objective of this work is to carry out a comparative study between irrigated and rain-fed olive farms in arid area, Zarzis belonging to Southern Tunisia. In order to achieve this objective, a survey was carried out on nearly 30 farms: 13 are in the irrigated lands and 17 are in dry areas. As a first step, we proceeded through a socio-economic, technical and environmental assessment in order to determine the characteristics of each type of farms. As a second part, we tried to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats specific to the olive sector in this arid region, through SWOT method. The assessment shows that the irrigated farms were the object of modernization process, whose owners are really investors, aiming a rapid profitability by this farming activity. The farms are characterized by a high density of olive tree plantations and the stability of yields. Thus, they represent a source of employment in the region. On the other side, dry olive farms have a classic production system and low yields, generating not only a problem of profitability, but also of the viability of these farms, which explains the abandonment of these lands.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the rate of diagnostic uncertainty in rendering diagnoses on prostate needle biopsies and to examine pathology practice variables that influence that rate.

DESIGN
Anatomic pathology departments participating in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes laboratory quality improvement program retrospectively reviewed their last 50 consecutive prostate needle biopsy diagnoses. For each diagnosis, participants provided information concerning patients' prostate-specific antigen levels; number, locations, and laterality of biopsy specimens; number of tissue levels examined; performance of high-molecular-weight cytokeratin immunoperoxidase staining; and acquisition of consultations from general pathologists or experts in prostate pathology. Characteristics of pathology practices included yearly surgical and prostate needle biopsy caseloads, number of pathologists rendering biopsy diagnoses, use of standard descriptive checklists, access to patients' prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal examination results, percentages of prostate needle biopsies routinely submitted for internal consultations, and presence of departmental experts in prostate pathology.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
Three hundred thirty-two public and private institutions located in the United States (n = 318), Canada (n = 6), Australia (n = 5), United Kingdom (n = 2), and Guam (n = 1).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
The rate of diagnostic uncertainty in prostate needle biopsy diagnoses.

RESULTS
Participants submitted diagnoses on a total of 15 753 prostate needle biopsy cases, of which 33.4% were adenocarcinoma; 55.5% were benign; 3.9% were carcinoma in situ, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, or both; and 7.1% were diagnostically uncertain. The median rate of diagnostic uncertainty was 6%, ranging from 0 at the 10th percentile to 14% at the 90th percentile of all participating laboratories. Performing high-molecular-weight cytokeratin immunoperoxidase staining resolved diagnostic uncertainty in 68% of cases in which it was performed, and obtaining intradepartmental and extradepartmental consultations resolved diagnostic uncertainty in 70% to 87% of cases for which they were obtained. Knowledge of patients' prostate-specific antigen results and examining multiple biopsy cores had marginal effects on the rate of uncertainty. Thoroughness of prostate gland sampling and examination of multiple tissue block levels were not associated with the aggregate rate of diagnostic uncertainty. We found no particular pathology departmental practices or institutional demographic characteristics associated with institutional rates of diagnostic uncertainty.

CONCLUSIONS
Use of high-molecular-weight cytokeratin immunoperoxidase staining and obtaining intradepartmental and extradepartmental consultations may be effective in reducing diagnostic uncertainty in prostate biopsies.


Based on the SSM/I data from 1997 to 2016, the temporal and spatial variations of Arctic sea ice are studied from sea ice areas, sea ice margin zone and sea ice concentration. The results show that the sea ice areas for 20 years (1997–2016) are reduced at a speed of 0.0594 × 10 6 km 2 per year, and the sea ice margin zone is reduced at a speed of 0.03 × 10 6 km 2 . From 1997 to 2006, the sea ice areas and margin zone show the same downward trend, which decreased by 0.062 × 10 6 km 2 and 0.064 × 10 6 km 2 per year, respectively. From 2007 to 2016, the sea ice areas and margin zone show an obvious fluctuation, which decreased by 0.027 × 10 6 km 2 and 0.019 × 10 6 km 2 per year, respectively. In the first ten years, the sea ice concentration (90–100%) is about 40%, and it is only about 20% in the second ten years, and the decrease is particularly obvious.


A body of literature has suggested the benefits of flipped classrooms in mathematics learning at university. However, there is still a lack of evidence regarding the benefits in the context of mathematics teacher education programme. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a flipped classroom application in a mathematics teacher education programme at a private university in Indonesia. A total of thirty-one pre-service teachers participated in the study. Multiple data collection methods were employed including observation, written journals and tests. The data were then analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings showed that flipped classroom promotes independent learning, with the type of classroom encouraging students to work together with other peers and improved learning awareness. However, some challenges were highlighted in flipped classroom application such as technical issues, editing recording skills, and it was time consuming. Recommendations are offered in reference with the findings.


Studies have shown that children's incomes were important for working-class families during industrialization. We found that, even before industrialization, having children greatly affected the family economy of workers and master artisans. For workers, having children necessitated borrowing, but also made it easier later to pay off debts and accumulate wealth. They seem to have put into practice some sort of 'saving through children'. For master artisans, running a business generally was a more important determinant of debts and assets over a lifetime, but, as adolescents, children positively affected wealth, probably because they provided cheap and flexible labour in the households and workshops. Copyright , Oxford University Press.


Knowledge of the phenotypic states of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment is essential for understanding immunological mechanisms of cancer progression and immunotherapy responses, as well as the development of novel treatments. By combining single-cell RNA-seq data from over 45,000 immune cells collected from eight primary breast carcinomas, as well as matched normal breast tissue, peripheral blood, and lymph node, we created an immune map of breast cancer. We developed a preprocessing pipeline, SEQC, and a Bayesian clustering and normalization method, Biscuit, to address the computational challenges inherent to single-cell RNA-seq data, enabling integration of data across patients. This atlas revealed significant similarity between normal and tumor tissue resident immune cells. However, we observed continuous tumor-specific phenotypic expansions driven by environmental cues. Our results argue against discrete activation states in T cells and the polarization model of macrophage activation in cancer, with important implications for characterizing tumor-infiltrating immune cells.


In this work, on the basis of the analysis of the component of traditional data acquisition system, and in view of the design requirement of data acquisition system for the process of rotating machinery testing and fault diagnosis, adopt the integrated with AD module based on the 8th -order low pass elliptic switched-capacitor filter MAX297 for filtering, thereby proposes a portable data acquisition system. And it gives the design proposal of anti-aliasing filter according to the design requirement, and illustrates the principle of filtering and accomplished the corresponding hardware circuit. And this proposal of the filter can be used to other testing and fault diagnosis systems by adjusting the sampling frequency.


The huge increase in data being produced in the genomic era has produced a need to incorporate computers into the research process. Sequence generation, its subsequent storage, interpretation, and analysis are now entirely computer-dependent tasks. Universities from all over the world have been challenged to seek a way of encouraging students to incorporate computational and bioinformatics skills since undergraduation in order to understand biological processes. The aim of this article is to report the experience of awakening students' interest in bioinformatics tools during a course focused on comparative modeling of proteins. The authors start by giving a full description of the course environmental context and students' backgrounds. Then they detail each class and present a general overview of the protein modeling protocol. The positive and negative aspects of the course are also reported, and some of the results generated in class and in projects outside the classroom are discussed. In the last section of the article, general perspectives about the course from students' point of view are given. This work can serve as a guide for professors who teach subjects for which bioinformatics tools are useful and for universities that plan to incorporate bioinformatics into the curriculum.


A research investigation was conducted on the erosion potential of stabilized subbases under concrete pavements and asphalt layers supporting concrete overlays. Through field surveys and testing in Illinois, this project evaluated if existing concrete pavements with stabilized subbases and concrete overlays were exhibiting potential erosion of the underlying support layer. The field evaluation testing included falling weight deflectometer testing, distress surveys, coring, and ultrasonic tomography scanning. A laboratory performance test was also established using the Hamburg wheel-tracking device to assess the erodibility of the various stabilized subbase layers for new construction and existing asphalt layers available for a concrete overlay. The analyzed field test results were coupled together with the laboratory performance testing to provide recommendations for updating the Illinois Department of Transportation's "Bureau of Design and Environment Manual" guidance. No changes were recommended for hot-mix asphalt stabilized subbases, but testing using the Hamburg wheel-tracking device should be considered for Portland cement concrete stabilized support layers (e.g., CAM II) under concrete pavements. For testing of asphalt support layers for concrete pavement overlays, the Hamburg wheel-tracking device is recommended with performance criteria similar to flexible pavements for appropriate functional classes.


This paper examines start‐ups in knowledge‐intensive business services (KIBS) across Swedish regions by individuals with a formally recognized capacity to produce and develop advanced business services. The empirical analysis focuses on whether their involvement in entrepreneurship may be explained by location attributes. As much as 75 percent of the KIBS founders have prior work experience from business services, suggesting that KIBS start‐ups are more frequent in regions where the KIBS sector is already large. Controlling for the stock of potential entrepreneurs and the stock of KIBS firms, it is shown that variables reflecting both supply‐side conditions and market size influence KIBS start‐up activity. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that KIBS entrepreneurship in a region is stimulated by the simultaneous presence of (i) knowledge resources conducive for the generation and diffusion of knowledge and ideas upon which new firms can be established and (ii) a large market.


In this paper we study the behavior of a sharp interface between fresh and salt groundwater, in horizontally extended heterogeneous aquifers. The heterogeneities considered are discontinuities in intrinsic permeability. Each fluid has a constant, but different specific weight, while the viscosities are equal. The difference in specific weight induces fluid movement, which in turn causes motion of the interface. We are especially interested in the behavior of interfaces crossing discontinuities in permeability. The governing equations are an elliptic equation for the stream function, coupled with an interface motion equation for the time evolution of the interface. A finite element method is used to solve the equation for the stream function and a front tracking scheme to compute the time evolution of the (discrete) interface movement. We compare numerical results with some (semi-)analytical results of simplified interface problems in both homogeneous and heterogeneous aquifers. Some attention is given to hydrodynamically instable situations, i.e. when a heavier fluid is on top of a lighter fluid.


This study attempts to identify the key determinants of net capital expenditure outflows for a panel of 14 listed pharmaceutical companies. The study has used data from 2003-2015 for each company. The study finds that previous year net capital expenditure outflows, the age of the company, size of the company, leverage of the company, business risk of the company, and independent directors on the board of directors' panel are the key determinants of net capital expenditure outflows. The study uses Panel GMM approach along with Fixed Effect OLS and PCSE OLS. Age of the company, size of the company, and percentage of independent directors have a significant positive impact on net capital expenditure outflows unlike business risk and leverage of the company.
Keywords: Pharmaceutical Sector, Net Capital Expenditure Outflows, Business Risk
JEL Classification: C33, E22, L65


State estimation is the task of estimating the state of a partially observable dynamical system given a sequence of executed actions and observations. In logical settings, state estimation can be realized via logical filtering, which is exact but can be intractable. We propose logical smoothing, a form of backwards reasoning that works in concert with approximated logical filtering to refine past beliefs in light of new observations.  We characterize the notion of logical smoothing together with an algorithm for backwards-forwards state estimation.  We also present an approximation of our smoothing algorithm that is space efficient. We prove properties of our algorithms, and experimentally demonstrate their behaviour, contrasting them with state estimation methods for planning. Smoothing and backwards-forwards reasoning are important techniques for reasoning about partially observable dynamical systems, introducing the logical analogue of effective techniques from control theory and dynamic programming.


A field operational test assessed visual-manual disengagement when driving with adaptive cruise control (ACC) relative to manual driving. Ten volunteers drove instrumented vehicles on public roads for 4 weeks, using the vehicles as they would their own. To study change over time, the 4-week trial was divided evenly into two periods. Analyses were based on video of drives on limited-access highways when speed was above 25 mph. Visual-manual disengagement from driving was defined as periods when drivers had both hands off the steering wheel or performed visual-manual secondary activity with electronics. Odds of visual-manual disengagement increased from period 1 (weeks 1 and 2) to period 2 (weeks 3 and 4) more during ACC use than during manual driving. Conversely, odds of cellphone manipulation and hands-offwheel behavior increased in period 2 during manual driving only, suggesting a nuanced connection between behavioral adaptation to ACC use after a month of exposure.


Abstract Cold-induced sweetening (CIS), the undesirable sugar accumulation in cold-stored potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers, is a severe postharvest issue in the potato processing industry. Although the process of sucrose hydrolysis by vacuolar invertase during potato CIS is well understood, there is limited knowledge about the transportation of sucrose from the cytosol to the vacuole during postharvest cold storage. Here, we report that among the three potato tonoplast sugar transporters (TSTs), StTST1 exhibits the highest expression in tubers during postharvest cold storage. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrates that StTST1 is a tonoplast-localized protein. StTST1 knockdown decreases reducing sugar accumulation in tubers during low-temperature storage. Compared to wild-type, potato chips produced from StTST1-silenced tubers displayed significantly lower acrylamide levels and lighter color after cold storage. Transcriptome analysis manifests that suppression of StTST1 promotes starch synthesis and inhibits starch degradation in cold-stored tubers. We further establish that the increased sucrose content in the StTST1-silenced tubers might cause a decrease in the ABA content, thereby inhibiting the ABA-signaling pathway. We demonstrate that the down-regulation of β-amylase StBAM1 in StTST1-silenced tubers might be directly controlled by ABA-responsive element-binding proteins (AREBs). Altogether, we have shown that StTST1 plays a critical role in sugar accumulation and starch metabolism regulation during postharvest cold storage. Thus, our findings provide a new strategy to improve the frying quality of cold-stored tubers and reduce the acrylamide content in potato chips.


Attacks on computer systems are rapidly becoming more numerous and more sophisticated, and current preventive techniques do not seem able to keep pace. Many successful attacks can be attributed to user errors: for example, while focused on other tasks, users may succumb to 'social engineering' attacks such as phishing or trojan horses. Warnings about the danger of these attacks are often vaguely worded and given long before the dangers are realized, and are therefore too easy to ignore. However, we hypothesize that users are more likely to be persuaded by messages that (1) leverage mental models to describe the dangers, (2) describe particular vulnerabilities that the user may be exposed to and (3) are delivered close in time before the danger may actually be realized. We discuss the design and initial implementation of a system to achieve this. It first shows a video about a potential danger, then creates warnings tailored to the user's environment and given at the time they may be most useful, displaying a still frame or snippet from the video to remind the user of the potential danger. The system uses templates of user activities as input to a markov logic network to recognize potentially risky behaviors. This approach can identify likely next steps that can be used to predict immediate danger and customize warnings.


Gender-based violence is a public health problem in South Africa associated with increased risk of HIV infection. KwaZulu-Natal is the epicentre of the HIV epidemic in South Africa with youth of 15–24 years at high risk of infection. A school based RCT aimed to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention to reduce gender-based violence, defined as verbal (belittling), physical (hitting) and sexual (forced sex) abuse, among grade 9 students. Schools (16) were randomly selected in two Districts and trained facilitators implemented a 16 module classroom-based intervention based on prior elicitation research, in 8 experimental schools. Students completed a self-reporting questionnaire at T1 and 8 months later at T2. Of 764 students, 46.7% male, both sexes reported perpetrating violence and being abused verbally, physically and sexually. Although there was a reduction in verbal abuse (belittling boy/girlfriend) and physical abuse (hitting boy/girlfriend) after the intervention programme, a reduction in hitting was reported only by female students (β coefficient 0.16, p=0.025, 95% CI−0.047 to 0.688). The study found that students who had attended the school-based intervention programme were three times less likely than the control group to report being forced to have sex (p=0.046, OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.02 to 8.53). These findings of a reduction in gender-based violence among students exposed to the intervention indicates that such a programme is useful for universal prevention efforts, but also highlights the importance of more focused attention on male students. In addition to school-based programmes there is a need for support at community level to reinforce school-based initiatives.


The view that a long period of globalization ended when World War I broke out in 1914 has long prevailed in economic history. This view, however, has recently been contested and it has been argued that 1914 rather marks the beginning of a globalization of new and different processes. We contribute to this globalization-deglobalization debate with a study of Siemens's technical bureaus in Vladivostok and Harbin between 1914 and 1923, when the bureaus lost contact with Siemens in Germany and were left alone to tackle the difficulties and insecurity caused by World War I and the Russian Civil War. In spite of the new and radically different political situation, Siemens did not decrease its long-term commitment to business in East Asia and its fine-meshed network of branches and divisions there. Instead of decreasing its transnational activities, Siemens adjusted to the increased Japanese and decreased Russian influence in East Asia. Siemens´s persisting commitment to business in the region was all the more important as the company had ambitions of restoring the global role it held prior to 1914 whilst at the same time suffering from restricted access to many of its most important markets in the West in the aftermath of World War I. In East Asia, Siemens pursued a conservative entrepreneurial ideology in which trust between its different branches and the need for information about the local situation played a decisive role. When trustworthy business partners had been found and a more predictable business environment was in place, business could continue as usual.


Objectives: Arthroscopic treatment for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) generally has good results, but the outcome can worsen with increasing arthritis, largely defined as joint space narrowing. There remains a subset of hips with maintained joint space but with subchondral edema and cystic change of the acetabulum on MRI, with unknown outcome. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (1) to determine if postoperative outcome was worse for patients with subchondral edema on preoperative MRI compared to a matched control group and (2) to identify risk factors on MRI leading to inferior outcome. Methods: A review of patients who underwent arthroscopic hip surgery for FAI between 2007 and 2013 identified 530 patients. Of these, 39 patients had evidence of subchondral edema or subchondral cyst on the preoperative MRI with maintained joint space on preoperative radiographs. Lesions were characterized by grade, location and type using an established radiographic MRI classification system. A matched cohort of patients without evidence of subchondral edema or cyst was identified, and 2:1 matching was based on patient age, surgeon, surgery year within one year, surgical procedure, Tegner activity score, and Tonnis grade osteoarthritis changes on preoperative x-ray. Outcome was compared using the Hip Outcome Score and Modified Harris Hip Score between the two groups. Risk factors were then analyzed for type of lesion, grade and location of bone marrow lesion. Results: Thirty-nine patients (20 males, 19 females) showed preoperative MRI evidence of subchondral edema, and were followed for a mean of 23 months postoperatively (range, 12 - 60 months). Patients had an average age of 41 years (range, 19 - 67) and a preoperative Tegner score of 3.8 (range, 1 - 9). 87% of patients with subchondral cystic change had evidence of a grade IV full thickness cartilage lesion at the time of hip arthroscopy. Average Modified Harris Hip Scores were inferior for the subchondral group (79.9 ± 18.7) compared to the control group (86.6 ± 12.5; p = 0.027). In addition, Sport sub-scales of the Hip Outcome Score showed significantly lower scores for the subchondral group for both score (69.1 ± 27.0 vs. 79.5 ± 21.4, p = 0.018) and rating (66.7 ± 27.5 vs. 78.0 ± 20.8, p = 0.044). No radiographic risk factors, including type, location, or size of lesion were significant predictors of outcome. Two patients in the subchondral group were later converted to a total hip replacement. Conclusion: The presence of a subchondral acetabular cyst on MRI is indicative of a full thickness cartilage lesion at the time of arthroscopy. These patients have inferior outcomes for arthroscopic treatment of FAI compared to patients with similar age and activity level without MRI subchondral changes. Therefore, we recommend caution with consideration of hip arthroscopy in this patient subset.


Disinfection of wastewater is a necessary treatment process for protecting the public from potential exposure to pathogenic microorganisms because many wastewater effluents are discharged into water bodies that may be used for recreation or as future drinking water supplies. Two common forms of disinfection are chlorine and ultraviolet (UV) light. However, microorganisms differ in their susceptibility to UV and chlorine disinfectants. It is necessary to understand how different classes of pathogens respond to UV and chlorine disinfection processes in wastewater to better develop strategies for optimizing the treatment of pathogens in wastewater. It is also recognized that water quality may impact disinfection effectiveness, such as protection of pathogen by particles and disinfectant demand.

This study investigated bacteria, viruses and protozoan pathogens.

This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series

ISBN: 9781780404264 (eBook)

ISBN: 9781843396994 (Print)


The exit-voice model of the labour market hypothesises that employees who experience a deterioration in working conditions will face a choice between exit or voice. This thesis uses case study and statistical material to analyse recourse to exit and to voice in the UK over the period 1979-2000. A major contribution of the thesis comes in its use of unique data for both statistical and case study analysis. The introductory chapter lays out the data sets which are employed and discusses their uniqueness. Chapter 2 illustrates how voice channels have changed over time, before looking at correlations between collective and individual voice channels and, respectively, satisfaction with work and labour turnover. The next chapter uses a case study of a food manufacturer with particularly high absenteeism to test the stylised facts of absence and to investigate whether absence is a form of voice, indicating unhappiness with conditions of work, or a form of exit. The fourth chapter examines the strength of voice over time, as illustrated by trade unions' and unrepresented employees' ability to influence workplace change. We hypothesise that change implies greater employee effort, which should therefore be accompanied by enhanced remuneration. The link between trade union recognition and the linking of change and rewards is pursued. As we discuss in the conclusion, representation in the UK has changed profoundly over the last twenty five years. Our data confirms the continuation of union influence where they retain recognition rights, but that this is less common. However, our analysis of new direct forms of voice shows that they can have positive outcomes for employees and firms. The thesis makes another contribution in challenging the stylised facts of the phenomena of job satisfaction, quits and absence, emphasising the need to explore new sources of data.


Abstract One hundred six species of Bryozoa collected from the northern Adriatic in the vicinity of Rovinj, Croatia, are distributed among the orders Ctenostomata (8 species), Cheilostomata (79 species), and Cyclostomata (19 species). Ctenostomes are underrepresented in the collections relative to the two orders with calcified colonies. Five of the cheilostome species are new: Hagiosynodos hadros n. sp., Schizomavella subsolana n. sp., Cellepora adriatica n. sp., Celleporina siphuncula n. sp., and Rhynchozoon revelatus n. sp. (previously referred to as Rhynchozoon sp. II Hayward). Seven species named by Heller (1867) are stabilized by selection of lectotypes (Beania hirtissima, Adeonella pallasii, Hagiosynodos kirchenpaueri, Exidmonea triforis, Crisia recurva) and neotypes (Mollia circumcincta, Schizomavella cornuta) from Heller's collection in the University of Innsbruck Institute of Zoology. Lectotypes are designated for the Adriatic species Hippoporina lineolifera (Hincks, 1886) and for Schizomavella mamillata (Hincks, 1880). Beania cylindrica (Hincks, 1886) and Schizoporella asymetrica (Calvet, 1927) are recognized as species rather than as subspecific units. The species-rich cheilostome genus Schizoporella Hincks, 1877, which contains some of the most widely known fouling bryozoans, is designated a nomen protectum. The species name Smittina cheilostoma (Manzoni, 1869) is preserved as established usage.


Tea is the second most popular drink in the world, after water. For a number of developing countries it is an important commodity in terms of jobs and export earnings. Tea production is labour intensive and the industry provides jobs in remote rural areas. Millions of livelihoods around the world depend on tea picking and processing. However, as with many other agricultural commodities, real primary producer prices have fallen dramatically over the last three decades. Low prices are affecting the sustainability of the tea sector, with working conditions and the livelihoods of plantation workers and smallscale farmers in tea producing countries under pressure. Meanwhile, tea trade and distribution is dominated by a few international companies that benefit from stable retail prices. In this report, SOMO is presenting for the first time ever a more detailed and comparative analysis on social, economic and ecological conditions in the tea sector in 6 of the most important tea-producing countries: India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kenya and Malawi. The research is based on an extensive field study of civil society organisations in these countries, thus providing a unique perspective on this sector. The report also presents an overview of trade, production and stakeholders in international tea supply chains, and makes recommendations to various stakeholders for improving conditions, particularly for plantation workers and tea smallholders the most vulnerable in the tea industry. The study found that working conditions for pickers are often poor, with low wages, low job and income security, discrimination along ethnic and gender lines, lack of protective gear and inadequate basic facilities such as housing and sometimes even drinking water and food. At the same time there is no possibility for tea plantation workers to improve working conditions because trade unions are ineffective or absent and/or are not representing them because most of them are temporary workers. While tea production by smallholders is growing worldwide, their situation is often problematic because the prices they are paid for fresh tea leaves tend to be below the cost of production, among other factors. The sector's environmental footprint is considerable, with reduced biodiversity as the result of habitat conversion, high energy consumption (mainly using logged timber) and a high application of pesticides in some countries.


This paper focuses on the parameterized computing system on structure of lift scaffolding attached to the wall. Taking full advantage of the relevance between finite element analysis and computer programming, VB software as an input interface of the parameterized, and ANSYS finite element software to do the background analysis, the parametric program of APDL is automatically packaged and called when VB is used to do the second development on the ANSYS software. The structural parameterized design system of lift scaffolding attached to the wall is developed in this paper so that the calculation workload of body frame could be reduced. The details of the parameterized design system and related technologies are given in the paper.


The Economy Studies project emerged from the worldwide movement to modernise economics education, spurred on by the global financial crisis of 2008, the climate crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. It envisions a wide variety of economics graduates and specialists, equipped with a broad toolkit, enabling them to collectively understand and help tackle the issues the world faces today.
This is a practical guide for (re-)designing economics courses and programs. Based on a clear conceptual framework and ten flexible building blocks, this handbook offers refreshing ideas and practical suggestions to stimulate student engagement and critical thinking across a wide range of courses.
Key features

Adapting Existing Courses: Plug-and-play suggestions to improve existing economics courses with attention to institutions, history, values and practical skills.

Teaching materials: A guide through the rapidly growing range of innovative textbooks and other teaching materials.

Example Courses and Curricula: How to design pluralist, real-world economics education within the practical limits of time and resources.

The companion website, www.economystudies.com, contains a wealth of additional resources, such as tailor-made booklets for more specific audiences, additional teaching materials and links to plug-and-play syllabi and courses, and opportunities for workshops and exchange with other economics educators.


After the propranolol revolution of 2008 (7) other beta-blockers have been used as anti-angiogenic factors in an attempt to decrease the side effects of propranolol, both those related to its activity on beta 2 receptors as hypoglycemia, bronchospasm, and those related to the lipophilicity of propranolol and its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, such as sleep disorders and possible long-term effects on memory and cognitive activity (6). Atenolol is a beta 1 selective beta blocker medication, then in normal doses does not act on the bronchial muscles.A fundamental difference compared to propranolol is its strong hydrophilicity that significantly reduces its penetration into the brain. After oral administration it is absorbed and enters the bloodstream without being metabolized in the liver unlike propranolol, whose hepatic metabolism, significantly different from subject to subject, could affect its plasma concentration. Another difference compared to propranolol is its longer plasma half-life - 5-8 hours - that allows once-daily dosing.So far in the literature (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11) were treated 213 cases of infantile hemangioma with atenolol at the average dosage of 1-1,5mg kg / per day as a single daily administration. In all cases in which atenolol and propranolol were compared, atenolol showed equivalent efficacy, better compliance (single dose) and reduced side effects or similar incidence of them as compared to propranolol.The point in favor of atenolol are administration once a day and minor side effects related to low activity on beta 2 receptors and no exceedance of the blood-brain barrier; the points in favor of propranolol are is more frequent use in children and increased vasoconstrictor peripheral activity related to its action on beta 2 receptors.


Overall mortality in acute pancreatitis is over 10%, but exceeds 40% in acute forms. In France, it has been estimated that 40 to 60% of the acute forms are of biliary origin, usually by obstruction of the pancreatic duct. Endoscopic sphincterotomy can liberate the main bile duct and separate the bile ducts from the pancreatic ducts in a minimally invasive procedure. Nevertheless, the decision to use an endoscopic treatment rather than conservative medical treatment raises several questions. Can the endoscopic technique alleviate the obstacle causing pancreatitis? Can it improve the prognosis of acute biliary pancreatitis? Which patients can best benefit from the procedure? Based on a review of the current literature, it can be concluded that endoscopic treatment improves prognosis in patients with severe pancreatitis at admission. Retrograde opacification should reasonably be associated with sphincterotomy in order to avoid leaving small stones. Endoscopy should be performed within a short delay, preferably within 24 hours following admission, by an experienced operator. Inversely, patients with less severe disease, less than 4 of Ranson's modified criteria, could benefit more from conservative management. In all cases, the diagnosis of acute biliary pancreatitis should be made on the basis of evidence of gall bladder lithiasis or sludge and/or elevated transaminase or bilirubin levels and in the absence of severe alcoholic intoxication. Obviously, in the clinical practice, these criteria may be difficult to establish, especially at admission. If the delay should exceed 72 hours, the clinical course must be taken into consideration. It is probably preferable to propose an endoscopic treatment when the situation worsens and conservative therapy if the clinical situation tends to improve.


We show that contrary to the commonly accepted view, Chapter IX of Gibbs's book [1] contains the prolegomena to a macroscopic statistical theory that is qualitatively different from his own microscopic statistical mechanics. The formulas obtained by Gibbs were the first results in the history of physics related to the theory of fluctuations in any macroparameters, including temperature.


With a large influx of dermoscopy images and a growing shortage of dermatologists, automatic dermoscopic image analysis plays an essential role in skin cancer diagnosis. In this paper, a new deep fully convolutional neural network (FCNN) is proposed to automatically segment melanoma out of skin images by end-to-end learning with only pixels and labels as inputs. Our proposed FCNN is capable of using both local and global information to segment melanoma by adopting skipping layers. The public benchmark database consisting of 150 validation images, 600 test images and 2000 training images in the melanoma detection challenge 2017 at International Symposium Biomedical Imaging 2017 is used to test the performance of our algorithm. All large size images (for example, $4000\times 6000$ pixels) are reduced to much smaller images with $384\times 384$ pixels (more than 10 times smaller). We got and submitted preliminary results to the challenge without any pre or post processing. The performance of our proposed method could be further improved by data augmentation and by avoiding image size reduction.


SUMMARY

Following an earthquake, an International stream of help is launched. Teams of nephrologists, renal nurses and technicians from many European countries are ready as volunteers to come into action when needed. Basic help is necessary but what is the benefit of nephrologists and renal nurses, as the Renal Disaster Relief Task Force comes into action? The scouting team assesses the situation in the disaster area. Treatment of acute renal failure, hyperkalemia and Crush Syndrome can be life saving. The ability to accommodate dialysis treatment is investigated, in collaboration with local nephrologists.

Belgian, French, Irish and Turkish colleagues who made up two teams, with Medecins sans Frontieres (MsF) left for Pakistan following the devastating earthquake in October 2005. This is a report from one of the volunteers from the first team explaining the individual contribution that his mission made to the disaster.


Introduction: atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent arrhythmia in the world, having high morbidity and mortality rates. Numerous studies have shown the involvement of the angiotensin renin system in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation, and in several of these, the underlying mechanism involving a process of atrial tissue remodeling is speculated. Objective: present literature related to the pathophysiological mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation, its impact on cardiovascular risk, and related aspects between angiotensin II and atrial fibrillation. Methods: a non-systematic review of the available literature was conducted using key terms such as "Atrial Fibrillation" and "Angiotensin II", in addition to synonyms, which were combined with the "AND" and "OR" connectors, both in English and Spanish, in the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, EBSCO, and MEDLINE databases. Results: atrial fibrosis is a structural alteration that facilitates the maintenance of atrial fibrillation, Angiotensin II contributes to this process extensively by stimulating inflammatory processes, decreasing the activity of collagenase, increased expression of MAPK, and changes in cardiac electrophysiological properties through binding to the AT1 receptor. Conclusions: getting to know the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation at the molecular level, allows to further elucidate the context and possible complications of affected patients, facilitating the generation of hypotheses that contribute to the timely, accurate and effective diagnosis, the development of new therapeutic targets, as well as a better approach in the clinical area.


Decimal multiplication is one of the most frequent operations used by many financial, business and user-oriented applications but current implementations in FPGAs are very inefficient in terms of both area and latency when compared to binary multipliers. In this paper we present a new method for implementing BCD multiplication more efficiently than previous proposals in current FPGA devices with 6-input LUTs. In particular, a combinational implementation maps quite well into the slice structure of the Xilinx Virtex-5/Virtex-6 families and it is highly pipelineable. The synthesis results for a Virtex-6 device indicate that our proposal outperforms the area and latency figures of previous implementations in FPGAs.


Similarly to mechanical structures, stable flows can exhibit resonance when perturbed by an impulsive or harmonic forcing. Swirling wakes and sloshing waves belong to this kind of flows and manifest large energy response when excited close to their natural frequencies. Although these frequencies can be predicted by linear modal analysis, the full flow dynamics differs from the modal one because entailed by the mutual cooperation of the natural modes (non-normal effects) and dependent on the oscillation amplitude (nonlinear effects). In this thesis, the response of swirling wakes subjected to a harmonic forcing is studied numerically and theoretically. Direct numerical simulations show that a large variety of helical modes can be excited and amplified in trailing vortices when a harmonic inlet or volume forcing is imposed, with the appearance of higher wavenumber modes at higher frequency. The mode-selection mechanism is shown to be directly connected to the local stability properties of the flow, and is simultaneously investigated by a WKB approximation, in the framework of weakly non-parallel flows, and by the global resolvent approach. This analysis is then extended to the case of turbulent swirling flows to investigate the physical origin of the meandering oscillations of the hub vortex, that is observed in wind turbine wakes experiments. We show as this low frequency spectral component is the result of a convectively unstable single-helix structure that oscillates at a frequency equal to one third the rotational frequency of the wind turbine rotor. Consequently, an adjoint-based technique for the passive control of these helical instabilities is proposed. We then turn our attention towards the transient decay of sloshing waves affected by a viscous friction at the container's wall, that exhibits a sublinear dependence in the interface velocity, i.e. a power law with an exponent smaller than one. This capillary effect is exacerbated in our experiment by placing a thin layer of foam on the liquid phase that act as a collection of air-liquid interfaces. In contrast to classical theory, we uncover the existence of a finite-time singularity in our system yielding the arrest of the sloshing oscillations in a finite time and we propose a minimal theoretical framework to capture this effect. Using first principles, we then study the effect of contact angle hysteresis on sloshing waves. We show asymptotically that, in contrast to viscous damping where the wave motion decays exponentially, the contact angle hysteresis acts as Coulomb solid friction yielding the damping rate induced by the motion of the liquid meniscus to increase at small amplitude, consistently with the experimental observation.