A special class of nano-layered hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) has received special attention recently due to their unique optical property, namely that the dispersion of the dielectric constant for HMMs exhibits a topological transition in the iso-frequency surface from an ellipsoid to a hyperboloid. Using aluminum in metal-dielectric nano-layered structures offers several advantages over currently used noble metals. The plasma frequency of the aluminum is higher than that of gold or silver. As a result, aluminum exhibits metallic characteristics over a broader spectral range than gold and silver. In addition, SiO2 is used as the dielectric for this hyperbolic metamaterial because it could be easily integrated into current CMOS technology and has near-zero losses in the UV region. In this investigation, we use generalized spectroscopic ellipsometry to study the distribution of Al within nano-layered samples fabricated using the RF sputtering technique under varying fabrication parameters with a goal of achieving hyperbolic dispersion. In our work, we developed an approach to analyzing generalized spectroscopic ellipsometry data for anisotropic Al/SiO2 structures with strong absorption, which uses the 4x4 transfer matrix approach, also known as the Berreman-formalism. This developed approach allows obtaining permittivity in all three dimensions and importing theoretical permittivity models which are tailored to the Al/SiO2 material's optical and electrical properties. In this work, we investigate the methods of reducing Al oxidation during fabrication by means of varying the fabrication temperatures and pressure by fitting data from RC2 Ellipsometer (A.C. Woollam Co.), which has dual rotating compensators. Applications for this Al/SiO2 hyperbolic metamaterial will also be discussed.


Cultural heritage is an idea and a concept repeatedly brought up in current EU policy discourse. In recent years the European Commission has launched several initiatives which aim to foster the idea of a common European cultural heritage. The idea is also often referred to in scholarly discussion. There has been vivid discussion in academia about the possibility of a European cultural heritage and what it could be grounded upon. What is a European cultural heritage? How has it been explicated and defined in recent EU policy discourse and scholarly discussion? Through qualitative content analysis of diverse EU policy documents and selected scholarly publications, the article clarifies the multifaceted meanings of a European cultural heritage, compares the similarities and differences between the political and scholarly notions of it, and discusses the interaction and interrelatedness of political and scholarly discussions about a European cultural heritage. As a result, the article brings out diverse phenomena, such as values, events, personalities, styles, architecture, urbanity, borders, a conflicting past, and the EU integration process, through which a European cultural heritage has been defined and presents these definitions categorized on the basis of the tangible, intangible, communal, and spatial dimensions of heritage.


This research analyze the interest of the US economy have on the economic aid of world
bank in agricultural sector of Indonesia. The foreign aid was one of the inseparable financial
source of the economic development. Today, foreign aid have become a tool in obtaining the
national interest of the US. This is because of the increasing intense of the US interest in the developing countries by global market. In their development, the US interest that we can see
was the marshal plan aid, which was the economic and military aid of the US rebuilding the
economy from the effect of the world war II. In the late 1940s, the aid was a tool or a mean
which support the implementation of foreign politics and security defense of the US in
preventing the spread of communist force to western Europe. Basically, every aid must have
a vested interest, whether the interest was economic or politics . but in the practice the aid
was not purely as an assistance, it have a political, strategic and economic "self interest"
The research method used in this research was literature study research method by collecting
data through books, journal, newspaper, internet and other source. Whereas the data analysis
technique used was a descriptive technique.
The study result showed that US economic interest in the world bank aid in Indonesia, the
author used a mercantilism approach as the assumption that the economic activity was and
should obey the main purpose in developing a strong country. Which in other words,
economy was the political means to base the political power. Mercantilism see the
international economy as the arena of national interest. Hence, based on the determined
indicators, it as shown that the US economic interest in the world bank aid in agriculture
sector of Indonesia was interestingly high. This was based on few issues, such as because of
the strategic geographical location of Indonesia, the wealth of natural resources possessed by
Indonesia, and the large amount of population in Indonesia. Based on this issues, it was
natural for Indonesia to have many interest from the US, mainly commerce, and especially
agriculture. Thus, Indonesia have strategic value for the food and agriculture commerce of
the US.
And what is more, the policy of Indonesian government in inviting foreign financial resource
in the agriculture development, have caused a growing opportunity for foreign interest to
liberalize the agriculture of Indonesia. The accessibility of the agriculture market policy was
influence by the pressure given by the world bank in was supporting the realization of the
open agriculture market. World bank was pillar for the US which function as the surveillance
system or the international regime to assure that the world nation obey and fulfill the
principals of the free market. The interest group in the liberalization of the agriculture
commerce have a significant influence in the government body which was proven with the
release of inpres No.1,1998 and No 2,1998 by which there were indication of the US interest
in the release of the inpres.
From the research, the conclusion that could be taken is that the US have an important role in
agriculture import in the food sector such as rice, soybean, maize, and oat to Indonesia.
Almost half of the imported rice to Indonesia from the develop countries was from the US. In
addition, the import of plantation product was also predominance in the agricultural in
Indonesia.


Aims: Microbial contamination of powdered infant formula (PIF) is known to cause gastrointestinal infections in infants. Of concern is intrinsic contamination of the formula with (for example) Salmonella enterica as well as extrinsic contamination from inappropriate handling or ineffective disinfection. The aim of this study was to evaluate organic and microbial contamination of `in-use' bottles used for feeding infants powdered formula milk in South Wales, UK. Methods: To establish baseline contamination levels of `in-use' bottles, 75 `uncleaned' and 150 `cleaned and ready to re-use' bottles used for feeding infants PIF were analyzed. The microbiological analysis included aerobic colony counts (ACCs), presence/absence and counts of Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus aureus. The level of residual adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) was determined as an indicator of organic soiling. All bottles were sampled in four sites; inner screwcap, bottle interior; bottle outer rim and teat interior. Results: Microbial counts up to 105/area were sampled and ATP levels up to 100,051 relative light units (RLUs) were obtained from `uncleaned' bottles. Findings varied according to bottle site. Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from 12—15% of `unclean' bottles/components (up to 102 cfu/area sampled) and contamination was most frequently detected from the screw cap and teat interiors. Data indicated that after use, prior to cleaning, considerable microbial and organic soil remained in the cumulative bottles. Of the ready-to-use bottles reportedly cleaned and disinfected, some had ACCs up to 5.8x104 cfu/area sampled. Staphylococcus aureus was detected from 4% bottles/components but no Enterobacteriaceae were detected. Conclusions: Cumulatively, findings indicate the presence of organic soiling and the potential for survival of bacteria between infant feeds. There is a need for effective education on effective bottle decontamination procedures. This may be achieved by using an audience-centred approach to re-enforce messages to parents and caregivers to implement good hygiene practices, effectively wash and rinse items before disinfection and follow manufacturers' guidelines for disinfection.


Abstract Despite the growth in literature on the merits of treatment, opinion remains divided about the lack of relevant evaluative research on the effectiveness of psychological treatments for sexual offenders. This study reports a systematic review of randomised control trials reporting the effectiveness of sexual offender treatment programmes. Electronic and hand searches were carried out for randomised control trials published between 1998 and 2003. Searches revealed nine randomised control trials (RCTs) and these contained data on the treatment of over 500 men, 231 of whom have been followed up for 10 years. Analysis of the nine trials showed that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in groups reduced re-offence at one year compared with standard care (n = 155) but increased re-arrest at 10 years. The implications of these findings and the subsequent use of randomised control trials in clinical policy and research are discussed.


ABSTRACT In this theoretical review, evidence for the link between spoken and written word knowledge is summarised, highlighting the specific hypotheses posed in this field and the extent to which they are informative regarding causation. A brief overview of major theories of orthographic learning draws attention to how each characterises the role of oral vocabulary within the learning process, and the timing of its influence. The theoretical foundations and evidence for two cognitive mechanisms that seek to explain the relationship between spoken and written word knowledge are outlined, drawing attention to a key difference between them: the proposed timing of the effect. Set for variability (or mispronunciation correction) is thought to operate from the point of visual exposure, while orthographic skeletons are thought to exert an influence on written word learning that begins before exposure to written words. The review closes with a discussion of directions for future research.


In this paper, the transient pressure field in a centrifugal compressor is predicted by the Nonlinear Harmonic (NLH) method, as well as the unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulations and validated by transient pressure measurements. The accurate prediction of these pressure fluctuations is crucial, because they have a significant influence on the High-Cycle-Fatigue (HCF) behavior in turbomachinery applications. As the first step, excited and non-excited rotational speeds, caused by rotor-stator interactions, are identified by modal analysis performed on a single segment impeller assembly. In order to eliminate any additional pressure fluctuations caused by blade vibrations, three non-excited operating points at different rotational speed levels are selected for the transient flow simulations. The transient pressure fields predicted by these methods are validated by transient pressure measurements at three circumferentially different locations on the impeller shroud. A study of the modeling of these fast-response pressure probes in numerical calculations also falls within the scope of this work in order to identify its effect on the transient pressure amplitudes. The results of the numerical calculations and measurements are compared in the frequency domain by performing Fast-Fourier Transformations (FFT) and Short-Time Fourier Transformations (STFT) on the numerical and experimental data respectively. It is shown that the transient pressure field in a single staged centrifugal compressor is calculated accurately by both of the numerical methods in comparison to the transient flow measurements. This paper demonstrates that the numerical modeling of the fast-response pressure sensors has a significant impact on the unsteady pressure amplitudes, which needs to be taken into account for a reliable experimental validation process.


BACKGROUND Infantile asthma and rhinitis are commonly thought to be caused by indoor allergens but preschooler children are not commonly skin tested. OBJECTIVE To know the frequency of skin test reactivity to indoor allergens in allergic preschooler children. MATERIAL AND METHODS We evaluated 176 children (103 females/73 males) between 2 and 5 years old with respiratory allergy. All of the children tested had at least one positive skin test (house dust mite, cockroach, dog, feathers, and cat). RESULTS Seventy seven children had allergic rhinitis (44%), 68 had asthma and rhinitis (39%), and 31 had only asthma (18%). One hundred thirty two (75%) of the children were skin test positive to house dust mite, 91 (52%) to cockroach, 31 (18%) to dog, 25 (14%) to feathers, and 24 (14%) to cat. Furthermore, the frequency of sensitization to house dust mite has an increase associated with the age of the patients with a significant difference at 5 years old (odds ratio=11.63, I.C. 95%=3.83-37.10; p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS The most frequent indoor allergen was house dust mite, with a trend directly proportional to age of the patients.


Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are an important part of the innate immune system and play a role in activating the acquired immune system. TLR4 is the best characterised of the many TLRs; its signalling mechanisms are known to be mediated by many inflammatory pathways and by endogenous substances. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the expression profiles for TLR4 mRNA and protein and determine the cell-specific localisation of TLR4 in the equine endometrium during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy. Endometrial biopsy samples were obtained from mares during early pregnancy (on day 14, P14, n = 4) and, for comparison, on day 14 of the oestrous cycle (late dioestrus, LD, n = 4) and when luteolysis was completed (after luteolysis, AL, n = 4). Total RNA was extracted and transcribed into cDNA, and the relative expression of TLR4 mRNA was quantified by qPCR. Immunohistochemistry was used to define the spatio-temporal localisation of TLR4 protein in the uterus. Expression of TLR4 mRNA was reduced (P < 0.05) on P14 compared to LD. The expression of TLR4 mRNA was similar for P14 and AL. TLR4 protein was localised mainly in the luminal and glandular epithelia, but was also present in endothelial cells of capillaries. Compared to P14, TLR4 protein was abundant in both luminal and glandular epithelia of uteri of mares in LD. These results suggest that downregulation of TLR4 in the endometrial epithelia in early pregnancy may play a role in the immune tolerance mechanisms that protect the conceptus (embryo/foetus and associated membranes).


This report focuses on potential approaches that Europe might employ to diversify its sources of natural gas supply, Russia's role in Europe's natural gas policies, and key factors that could hinder efforts to develop alternative suppliers of natural gas. The report assesses the potential suppliers of natural gas to Europe and the short- to medium-term hurdles needed to be overcome for those suppliers to be credible, long-term providers of natural gas to Europe. The report looks at North Africa, potentially the most realistic supply alternative in the near-term, but notes that the region will have to resolve its current political, economic, and security instability as well as the internal structural changes to the natural gas industry. Central Asia, which may have the greatest amounts of natural gas, would need to construct lengthy pipelines through multiple countries to move its natural gas to Europe.


From 1999 through 2005 the Swedish artist Mikael Lundberg was an artist in residence at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. As an artist in residence Lundberg collaborated with several engineers and scientists at Chalmers. The aim of this paper is to describe and analyze these collaborations from Lundberg's as well as the engineers' and scientists' point of view. In the paper, attention is particularly paid to the following questions: Who did Lundberg collaborate with, which artworks did they create, and how was the collaboration carried through? Which were the driving forces behind the collaboration? Which were the social, economical and institutional conditions of the collaboration? An overall question concerns the kind of knowledge that is produced during the collaborations as well as how, and what happens to the artistic as well as the scientific practice when the knowledge migrates between them.


Present study is a casual-comparative research that investigated hope and self-efficacy in high and low achievement students in high schools of Bandar Abbas. Using purposive sampling method and pair-wise matching, 6o high school students selected and were divided into two high achievement and low achievement groups.For measure the self-efficacy, the motivational strategies learning questionnaire (MSLQ) is used and hope is measured by Snyder hope scale. Results of study indicate in both variables (hope and selfefficacy),differences werein favor of High achievement group. In the end of article, findings are discussed and practical recommendations are presented.


The Treasury-Fed Accord of 1951 and the subsequent rebuilding of private capital markets, first domestically and then globally, provided the shifting institutional background against which thinking about money and monetary policy evolved within the MIT economics department. Throughout that evolution, a constant, and a constraint, was the conception of monetary economics that Paul Samuelson had himself developed as early as 1937, a conception that informed the decision to bring in Franco Modigliani in 1962, as well as Duncan Foley and Miguel Sidrauski in 1965.


In order to improve the structure performance and reduce Life cycle cost of the structures, advanced fiber composite polymer is more and more frequently combined with conventional materials to develop new structures. FRP-concrete composite beams with prefabricated FRP shells, which are designed with steel bar as the main reinforcement and with suitable FRP participation proportion to improve the performance, are developed by us for their good integrated performance. The VIMP production process to produce the thin and large-scale FRP shell was developed and detailed in this paper and performance of the production was also examined. Results show that the FRP shell produced by VIMP are with rather good performance, and can be used in the composite beams. The VIMP is very suitable for this kind of thin and large-scale structures.


Bowman and Allen have arranged and organized the now considerable body of information, observation, and comment that bears on women in medicine and in training for medicine into the following chapters: "Women in Medical School and Academia," "Specialty Choices," "Productivity," "Practice Characteristics," "Mental Health Status," "Women Physicians' Way of Healing," "Physician Stress," "Female Physician Stress," "Physician Marriage and Dual Career Couples," "Childbearing," "Child-Rearing," "Stress Prevention and Management," and "The Future." Unfortunately, the book is not well edited. Parts (for example, the "Overview") are so poorly written that the critical reader may be distracted by a desire to copyedit. Nevertheless, there are offsetting merits. The described "studies" are summarized (in some cases tabulated) and presented as critically as they can be, in many cases with considerable insight and on occasion gallows humor. For example, on page 80 the author remarks that depression is so common in both male and female physicians


Mechanistic models of single-neuron dynamics have been extensively studied in computational neuroscience. However, identifying which models can quantitatively reproduce empirically measured data has been challenging. We propose to overcome this limitation by using likelihood-free inference approaches (also known as Approximate Bayesian Computation, ABC) to perform full Bayesian inference on single-neuron models. Our approach builds on recent advances in ABC by learning a neural network which maps features of the observed data to the posterior distribution over parameters. We learn a Bayesian mixture-density network approximating the posterior over multiple rounds of adaptively chosen simulations. Furthermore, we propose an efficient approach for handling missing features and parameter settings for which the simulator fails, as well as a strategy for automatically learning relevant features using recurrent neural networks. On synthetic data, our approach efficiently estimates posterior distributions and recovers ground-truth parameters. On in-vitro recordings of membrane voltages, we recover multivariate posteriors over biophysical parameters, which yield model-predicted voltage traces that accurately match empirical data. Our approach will enable neuroscientists to perform Bayesian inference on complex neuron models without having to design model-specific algorithms, closing the gap between mechanistic and statistical approaches to single-neuron modelling.


The EU has deeply transformed the economic and political environment of business and thus the representation of economic interests has become Europeanized. But what is the effect of this Europeanization at the EU level? We focused on the interplay of change at the domestic and European level and asked how the specific ways in which national organizations seek to have a European presence generate variations in the European system. We present an analytical model and provide empirical evidence to demonstrate that Europeanization is not concomitant with supranationalism. Thus, our research findings fit neatly into the debate on integration without supranationalism. The data analysis highlights the importance of national economic resources, the length of EU membership and the associations' scope. In the conclusion, we give reasons why a Europeanized system of business interest representation is not inherently set to become supranational.


The effect of neuraminidase, trypsin and pronase on the electrophoretic mobility of human erythrocytes and their aggregation induced by La3+ was studied in vitro. The aggregation of intact red cells differs from that of cells treated with neuraminidase and proteolytic enzymes. The above differences are observed in the range of La3+ suspension concentration from 20 to 330 microM. A possible mechanism of aggregation is discussed.


Recovery of cell volume in response to osmotic stress is mediated in part by increases in the Cl- permeability of the plasma membrane. These studies evaluate the hypothesis that ATP release and autocrine stimulation of purinergic (P2) receptors couple increases in cell volume to opening of Cl- channels. In HTC rat hepatoma cells, swelling induced by hypotonic exposure increased membrane Cl- current density to 44.8 +/- 7.1 pA/pF at -80 mV. Both the rate of volume recovery and the increase in Cl- permeability were inhibited in the presence of the ATP hydrolase apyrase (3 units/ml) or by exposure to the P2 receptor blockers suramin and Reactive Blue 2 (10-100 microM). Cell swelling also stimulated release of ATP. Hypotonic exposure increased the concentration of ATP in the effluent of perfused cells by 170 +/- 36 nM in the presence of a nucleotidase inhibitor (P < 0.01). In whole-cell recordings with ATP as the charge carrier, cell swelling increased membrane current density approximately 30-fold to 16.5 +/- 10.4 pA/pF. These findings indicate that increases in cell volume lead to efflux of ATP through opening of a conductive pathway consistent with a channel, and that extracellular ATP is required for recovery from swelling. ATP may function as an autocrine factor that couples increases in cell volume to opening of Cl- channels through stimulation of P2 receptors.


Smart grid pilot projects have been initiated in a number of locations across the UK. Innovations considered in these projects include various technologies such as smart meters and electrical energy storage devices, as well as novel institutional arrangements which form the basis of commercial Demand Side Response (DSR) initiatives. This paper reports research into DSR using multiple case studies from Low Carbon Network Fund projects in the UK. The role of Aggregator companies in DSR is reported, their role of a key intermediary analysed and conceptualised using the Accessibility, Mobility and Receptivity (AMR) framework.


The Current-Voltage-Temperature (I-V-T) characteristics of single layer deposition, consisting of Zr, Ti, or Cr/p-GaN Schottky diodes were determined in the temperature range 27- 100oC. Sputtering method was used for deposition of these metals on p-GaN. Analysis of the measured characteristics at room temperature allows the determination of the electrical parameters, the saturation current Io and the ideality factorη. The barrier heights and effective Richardson coefficients were determined through activation energy plot. It was found that pinning of Fermi level occurred for these metal contacts on p-GaN with the carrier concentration of 5.6x 1017 cm-3, where the Schottky barrier heights of Zr, Ti, or Cr/p-GaN are determined to be in the same range (~0.87eV).


The recognition of human movements such as walking, running or climbing has been approached previously by tracking a number of feature points and either classifying the trajectories directly or matching them with a high-level model of the movement. A major difficulty with these methods is acquiring and trading the requisite feature points, which are generally specific joints such as knees or angles. This requires previous recognition and/or part segmentation of the actor. We show that the recognition of walking or any repetitive motion activity can be accomplished on the basis of bottom up processing, which does not require the prior identification of specific parts, or classification of the actor. In particular, we demonstrate that repetitive motion is such a strong cue, that the moving actor can be segmented, normalized spatially and temporally, and recognized by matching against a spatiotemporal template of motion features. We have implemented a real-time system that can recognize and classify repetitive motion activities in normal gray-scale image sequences.<<ETX>>


Introduction:
Leptotrichia trevisanii is a large, fusiform, non-sporulating, motile, Gram-negative rod, and is a member of the family Fusobacteriaceae in the phylum Fusobacteria. Although L. trevisanii bacteraemia is extremely rare, severe infections have been reported in immunocompromised patients.
Case presentation:
We present a case of a 69-year-old woman diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, who suffered a catheter-related bloodstream infection due to L. trevisanii during the post-autologous peripheral blood progenitor-cell transplantation aplasia phase. In this case, rapid identification of the opportunistic pathogen was achieved using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry directly from a blood culture, with correct identification of the micro-organism within 2 h after the blood culture became positive.
Conclusion:
Rapid identification of this opportunistic pathogen allowed initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy, which contributed to a successful clinical outcome for the patient.


Within the Anseriformes, the Anatinae (ducks) shows a wide variation in diet and feeding mechanisms, in contrast to the Anserinae (geese and swans). While grazing is common in the Anserinae, only few species within the Anatinae use terrestrial grazing as their main feeding mechanism (e.g., wigeons). This may be explained by conflicting functional demands of grazing and filter-feeding on the trophic system. In this study, the feeding performance, feeding mechanisms and oropharyngeal anatomy is compared between geese, wigeon and a general filter-feeder/pecker, the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). The results show that the functional demands of filter-feeding and grazing are conflicting: filter-feeding requires a bald palatal surface and under-tongue transport for optimal functioning of the lingual cushion as a piston, whereas the transport mechanism of grazing requires large maxillary spines and over-tongue transport to retain grass during tongue protraction. The oropharyngeal anatomy of the wigeon shows a compromise in the small size of the maxillary spines that enable a sliding mechanism for the transport of a limited amount of grass. Filter-feeding is sometimes considered as a key adaptation that led to radiation in the anseriforms (Olson and Feduccia, 1980; Lack, 1974). We suggest, as an alternative hypothesis, that feeding on water plants may have led to the evolution of ridge-like structures in the bills, a sliding mandibular joint and the use of a water flow through the oropharynx (tongue pro- and retractions) for food transport in early anseriforms (cf. geese). A selection pressure on filter-feeding resulted in a large increase in efficiency of this system by the introduction of under-tongue transport of food and water (repatterning of bill and tongue movements) that enables the simultaneous intake and transport of a suspension of food particles (cf. Anatinae, a.o. Aythya and Anas). Terrestrial grazing later evolved by the development of maxillary spines, and in the case of the wigeon, a secondary change from the under tongue transport mechanism to over tongue transport for the grazing and pecking mechanisms only.


This study sought to analyse the lived experiences of so-called "fast-tracked" coaches from men's association football and rugby union by seeking to understand how these individuals prepared for and then transitioned into a post-athletic coaching career. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 male coaches. All participants were former elite athletes and had followed a fast-tracked pathway into their current post-athletic coaching roles. Participants were based in England and had retired from an athletic career within 12 months of being interviewed. Two general categories of "active" and "passive" coach pathways were identified for the career trajectory. Active coaches purposefully prepared for a coaching career during their athletic careers, whereas passive coaches did not. Passive coaches' decisions to become a coach were often reactive and made after retiring from a competitive athletic career. Results indicate that only the career trajectory of passive coaches reflects a fast-track pathway. None of the active or passive coaches negotiated any formalised recruitment processes into their first post-athletic coaching roles. The suggestion is that prejudicial recruitment practices are enacted by senior club management which creates a homogenous coaching workforce. This furthers the need for greater governance of high-performance coach recruitment within England for these sports.


BACKGROUND & AIMS
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induces multiple effects including cell proliferation and death by ligation with TNF receptor type II (TNFR2). We studied the role of TNFR2 in chronic inflammation-induced colonic epithelial alteration.

METHODS
TNFR2 expression in colonic epithelial cells (CECs) was assessed by ribonuclease protection assay (RPA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and murine colitis models. TNFR2 expression was also analyzed using COLO205 cells. The role of TNFR2 in colonic epithelial homeostasis was examined by generating interleukin 6-deficient TCR alpha KO (alpha IL-6DKO) or TNFR2-deficient TCR alpha (alpha TNFR2DKO) mice.

RESULTS
TNFR2 expression was up-regulated in CEC in both human ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. In vitro studies showed that TNFR2 expression was up-regulated by a cooperative effect of key proinflammatory cytokines. By RPA, the increased expression of TNFR2 was detectable in TCR alpha KO mice with colitis compared with TCR alpha KO mice without colitis or wild-type mice. In alpha IL-6DKO mice, TNFR2 expression, proliferation, and nuclear factor kappa B activation of CECs were markedly reduced compared with TCR alpha KO mice. alpha TNFR2 mice also showed significantly less colonic epithelial proliferation compared with TCR alpha KO mice.

CONCLUSIONS
Expression of TNFR2 is consistently increased on CECs in both murine colitis models as well as patients with IBD. TNFR2 may play an important role in colonic inflammation-associated alteration in the intestinal epithelium.


ABSTRACT During the formation of repetitive ectodermally derived organs such as mammary glands, lateral line and teeth, the tissue primordium iteratively initiates new structures. In the case of successional molar development, new teeth appear sequentially in the posterior region of the jaw from Sox2+ cells in association with the posterior aspect of a pre-existing tooth. The sequence of molar development is well known, however, the epithelial topography involved in the formation of a new tooth is unclear. Here, we have examined the morphology of the molar dental epithelium and its development at different stages in the mouse in vivo and in molar explants. Using regional lineage tracing we show that within the posterior tail of the first molar the primordium for the second and third molar are organized in a row, with the tail remaining in connection with the surface, where a furrow is observed. The morphology and Sox2 expression of the tail retains characteristics reminiscent of the earlier stages of tooth development, such that position along the A-P axes of the tail correlates with different temporal stages. Sox9, a stem/progenitor cell marker in other organs, is expressed mainly in the suprabasal epithelium complementary with Sox2 expression. This Sox2 and Sox9 expressing molar tail contains actively proliferating cells with mitosis following an apico-basal direction. Snail2, a transcription factor implicated in cell migration, is expressed at high levels in the tip of the molar tail while E-cadherin and laminin are decreased. In conclusion, our studies propose a model in which the epithelium of the molar tail can grow by posterior movement of epithelial cells followed by infolding and stratification involving a population of Sox2+/Sox9+ cells. Summary: This study proposes a model for repetitive tooth formation in which the epithelium can grow by the movement of epithelial cells followed by infolding and stratification of Sox2/Sox9 positive cells.


Considering the factor of system sum bandwidth, two heuristic dynamic spectrum assignment algorithms for open spectrum systems are proposed according to convergency and fairness based on existing ones, they are the fast convergency algorithm with maximum bandwidth (FCMB) and the heuristic fairness algorithm with maximum bandwidth (HFWB). The performance of FCMB and HFWB is compared with the one of the collaboration max-sum-bandwidth (CMSB) algorithm, the randomized distributed (RAND) algorithm and the theoretical max-bandwidth optimal (OPTL) algorithm in system sum bandwidth, fairness and convergency by simulations. Furthermore, the effect of the numbers of primary users, secondary users and channels as well as the radius variance of disturbance area on the performance of those two algorithms is studied. Taking the system sum bandwidth into consideration, experimental results show that FCMB and HFWB outperform other three algorithms in convergency and fairness respectively, particularly FCMB shows superior performance in convergency (more than 300% improved than CMSB while FCMB performs similarly in system throughput).


The aim of this study is to examine the effects of external networking activities of business incubators on tenant firms' survival performance through the lenses of "Business Development Centers" (ISGEMs) in Turkey, a kind of business incubator programs generally focusing low-tech firms. The sample consist total 414 tenant firms in 12 ISGEMs in 10 provinces (all ISGEMs in Turkey). External networking activities are categorized as: (1) offincubator firms, (2) university, (3) external service providers, (4) commercial unions and (5) financial institutions. As methodology, survival analysis is used and the effects of different networking services on survival rates are presented through Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. As a result of the study, it is concluded that the external networking service in business incubators have positive effect on firms' survival. In all networking categories, results show that the firms which have networking ties with related actors have higher survival probabilities than firms which have not any networking activities.


Formation of oriented fibers using injection of polyethylene oxide (PEO) solutions inside electric fields defined by two parallel suspended electrodes is investigated. Images of streams formed with the injection of a large amount of polymeric solution reveal good agreement with electric field distributions obtained with numerical simulation (COMSOL Multiphysics) when appropriate boundary conditions are defined. Oriented fibers with diameters in the range of hundreds of nanometers to micrometers result connected between electrodes (separated by several centimeters) and can be easily collected/transferred keeping their orientation. Fibers with this characteristic find applications in topics such as tissue and sensors engineering. Also, the fibers are flexible and can be shaped with the stylus of a profilometer.


Increasing attention has been given in recent years to using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess skeletal condition. This method of imaging is sensitive to the marrow/bone interface and is therefore attractive for characterizing trabecular bone, which is the bone tissue most seriously affected by osteoporosis or bone loss due to disuse or weightlessness. With proper processing and analysis, the information gained from MRI scans has the potential to provide measures of trabecular bone architecture rather than just bulk density or mass, but the extent to which this is true has not been definitively documented to date. Recent studies by Chung et al. (1993) and Jergas et al. (1995) have examined the relationships among mechanical properties and MRI signals, with encouraging results. More specifically, the effective transverse relaxation time T2* and its reciprocal (transverse relaxation rate) have been the main parameters used in previous studies because T2* is believed to be an indicator to some degree of trabecular architectural features. The present study addressed these same questions but a different protocol for imaging and specimen preparation has been used, and a larger number of specimens were tested.


OBJECTIVE To determine whether long term doxycycline improves symptoms in patients with chronic seronegative or reactive arthritis. METHODS A randomised, triple blind, controlled clinical trial of three months' treatment with doxycycline or placebo of patients with chronic reactive or seronegative arthritis was conducted. The primary study end points were three month pain and functional status measured by a self administered Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales version 2 (AIMS2) quality of life questionnaire. Secondary end points were pain and functional status at 6–12 months, three month rheumatologist assessed joint count, pain, and arthritis activity, and treatment efficacy in those with previous exposure to chlamydia. RESULTS Of 60 patients randomly allocated to receive doxycycline or placebo, results from 37 were evaluable at three months. Groups were well balanced for major prognostic variables. Doxycycline had no detectable effect at three months on pain change scores (mean difference 1.5, 95% CI −1.2 to 4.2, p=0.25) or composite functional change scores (mean difference 0.8, 95% CI −5.6 to 7.1, p=0.81). Furthermore, there were no differences in secondary study end points, and no apparent treatment effect in patients with previous chlamydia infection. CONCLUSION Three months' treatment with doxycycline did not improve pain or functional status in patients with chronic reactive or seronegative arthritis.


Background Young people, especially teenagers, between 12 and 19 years are very vulnerable and very susceptible to different kinds of behaviours, most of which are risky and destructive in nature thereby hazarding their lives. Some of them are their engagement in unprotected sex, illicit drugs taking, smoking, alcoholism etc. risky behaviours make them vulnerable HIV and STI. From previous experience, more young people are getting infected which makes the study imperative. Methods 5 high schools were selected from Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, South- Western Nigeria. Official permissions were sought and obtained from the schools to allow students to participate. 50 samples from each school. Samples for study were randomly selected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the collected data. Results The findings of the study revealed that a significant number of these young people who have had sex and/or are sexually active were introduced into the act by friends and peers. Their chief motivating factor is desire for peer acceptance. The abstainers are so because family, religious beliefs and personal convictions because of their goals which they felt sexual involvement was a distraction. These were the ones with high self-esteem. They were assertive in their relationships and declared boundary lines. Conclusion Despite awareness and sensitization going on, we discover that young people still engage in risky behaviours which make them prone to STIs and HIV infections. There is therefore a need for advocacy for life skills building for young people that will enable them to effectively manage relationships. This will be in form of assertiveness and self-esteem building in them.


Conceptualization (insights about the event) Active Experimentation (purposeful action) Refl ective Observation (what happened during event) Planning for Implementation (future action; success indicators) Phase 3: NOW WHAT? Phase 1: WHAT?


The axion is one of the best motivated candidates for particle dark matter. We study and update the constraints imposed by the recent CMB and LSS experiments on the mass of axions produced by the misalignment mechanism, as a function of both the inflationary scale and the reheating temperature. Under some particular although not unconventional assumptions, the axionic field induces too large isocurvature perturbations. Specifically, for inflation taking place at intermediate energy scales, we derive some restrictive limits which can only be evaded by assuming an efficient reheating mechanism, with Trh > 10 11 GeV. Chaotic inflation with a quadratic potential is still compatible with the axion scenario, provided that the Peccei-Quinn scale fa is close to 10 10 or 10 GeV. Isocurvature bounds eliminate the possibility of a larger fa and a small misalignment angle. We find that isocurvature constraints on the axion scenario must be taken into account whenever the scale of inflation is above 10 GeV; below this scale, axionic isocurvature modes are too small to be probed by current observations.


The children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are the individuals who are facing difficulties and challenges in the education and social life regardless of the background. This case study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the inclusion of the children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United Arab Emirates. The case study was conducted in a private mainstream school in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of UAE, over a period of six weeks on four students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The effectiveness of the inclusion has been investigated over four main skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking). At the end of this study, a set of recommendations has been mentioned to improve the inclusion in UAE. Early identification and accurate diagnosis of autism improve the likelihood of favorable outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Thus, early identification and diagnosis of autism are gaining global attention. There are needs to avoid the negative implications of lack of diagnosis, misdiagnosing or over-diagnosing children with autism. The study aspires to contribute in improving the services for children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by examining the current situation, parents' views, and other stakeholders' views. The objective is to provide information that will help design better procedures in the country. A combination of surveys, interviews, and focus groups are used as sources of data for the study. This provides a view of the missing components and the challenges that is faced in the process. It provides insights into the difficulties, struggles, and gaps in the current system that need to be addressed to improve the services in the future. The study of the literature, identifying gaps in the development of diagnostic processes, diagnostic criteria, training and educating professionals need to be addressed to develop the process. This research pointed out concerns related to certain aspects of the service in the UAE. Some recommendations are outlined in the study to better enhance the services and to provide effective services for children with autism.


In July 1998, the SA Law Commission's (SALC) Project Committee on International Commercial Arbitration recommended, among other matters, that
a clear distinction be drawn between the needs of parties to domestic and international arbitration proceedings and that - to this end
South Africa should enact a separate international commercial arbitration statute, based on the 1985 UNCITRAL Model Law. Such an initiative would bring South Africa's arbitration laws and practice in line with internationally accepted standards and pave the way for South Africa to become the preferred "arbitration-friendly" centre for the resolution of cross-border business disputes in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.


Rendering realistic illumination effects for complex animated scenes with many dynamic objects or characters is computationally expensive. Yet, it is not obvious how important such accurate lighting is for the overall perceived realism in these scenes. In this paper, we present a methodology to evaluate the perceived fidelity of illumination in scenes with dynamic aggregates, such as crowds, and explore several factors which may affect this perception. We focus in particular on evaluating how a popular spherical harmonics lighting method can be used to approximate realistic lighting of crowds. We conduct a series of psychophysical experiments to explore how a simple approach to approximating global illumination, using interpolation in the temporal domain, affects the perceived fidelity of dynamic scenes with high geometric, motion, and illumination complexity. We show that the complexity of the geometry and temporal properties of the crowd entities, the motion of the aggregate as a whole, the type of interpolation (i.e., of the direct and/or indirect illumination coefficients), and the presence or absence of colour all affect perceived fidelity. We show that high (i.e., above 75%) levels of perceived scene fidelity can be maintained while interpolating indirect illumination for intervals of up to 30 frames, resulting in a greater than three‐fold rendering speed‐up.


The work realizes the second stage of the project devoted to studying semantic content of experiential cluster of kinship in English and Russian. The first article within the topic was devoted to cognitive modelling of this group of lexis (Stepanova 2019). Based on joint properties that characterize all the kinship concepts and individual set of relationships characteristic for a certain term, this research studies their further semantic development reflecting diverse human engagement in economic, social, spiritual, physiological, etc connections between people in the modern society. This language cluster is very rewarding in this respect and allows to be investigated from the cognitive perspective. Further semantic development of this group of words is most often determined by metaphor. The cognitive theory of metaphor looks at semantic transformations as the product of a certain activity of human consciousness and can be explained with the formula of "image + experience". The evolution of thought/idea along the metaphor channel leads to the situation where the image (object, attribute, quality, phenomenon, symbol, etc.) is transferred to a completely new soil and is passed through the already existing system of concepts (experience). As a result, there is an adjustment of the new knowledge/experience to the established old knowledge/experience. Thus, further semantic development of the lexeme signals a change in the categorial structure of consciousness. The methodology of investigation hinges on cognitive approach, where structural methods of cluster organization and indirect nominalization are supported with frame techniques, contextual analysis, comparative and contrastive methods of investigation.


Aims. The chemistry of, and infrared (IR) emission from, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in disks around Herbig Ae/Be and T Tauri stars are investigated. PAHs can exist in different charge states and they can bear different numbers of hydrogen atoms. The equilibrium (steady-state) distribution over all possible charge/hydrogenation states depends on the size and shape of the PAHs and on the physical properties of the star and surrounding disk.
Methods. A chemistry model is created to calculate the equilibrium charge/hydrogenation distribution. Destruction of PAHs by ultraviolet (UV) photons, possibly in multi-photon absorption events, is taken into account. The chemistry model is coupled to a radiative transfer code to provide the physical parameters and to combine the PAH emission with the spectral energy distribution (SED) from the star+disk system.
Results. Normally hydrogenated PAHs in Herbig Ae/Be disks account for most of the observed PAH emission, with neutral and positively ionized species contributing in roughly equal amounts. Close to the midplane, the PAHs are more strongly hydrogenated and negatively ionized, but these species do not contribute to the overall emission because of the low UV/optical flux deep inside the disk. PAHs of 50 carbon atoms are destroyed out to 100 AU in the disk's surface layer, and the resulting spatial extent of the emission does not agree well with observations. Rather, PAHs of about 100 carbon atoms or more are predicted to cause most of the observed emission. The emission is extended on a scale similar to that of the size of the disk, with the short-wavelength features less extended than the long-wavelength features. For similar wavelengths, the continuum emission is less extended than the PAH emission. Furthermore, the emission from T Tauri disks is much weaker and concentrated more towards the central star than that from Herbig Ae/Be disks. Positively ionized PAHs are predicted to be largely absent in T Tauri disks because of the weaker radiation field.


The NIST watt-balance has been developed to explore the possibility of monitoring the stability of the mass standard by means of electrical quantum standards. The mass standard is the last basic standard that is kept as an artifact. The watt-balance uses a movable coil in a radial magnetic field to compare the mechanical energy required to lift a kilogram mass in earth's gravity with the electrical energy required to move the coil the same distance in a magnetic field. The electrical energy is monitored in terms of quantized Hall resistance and Josephson junction voltage standards. The accuracy of this experiment depends on a large number of factors. Among them are the ability to align the apparatus so that the movable coil and magnet are coaxial and aligned to the local vertical. Misalignments of the coil and magnet result in forces and torques on the coil. The coil is suspended like a pendulum and responds easily to these torques and horizontal forces. This paper describes a computer program that was written to calculate the shape of the magnetic field and the torques and forces on the movable coil that result from any misalignments. This information is being used to develop an alignment procedure that minimizes misalignments and the errors they cause. This program has enhanced our understanding of the cause of torques about the vertical axis on the coil and the dependence of this torque on the magnetic field gradient.


The cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet interaction with the bio-target is studied in the plasma experiment, 2D fluid model simulations, and with MTT and iCELLigence assays of the viability of cancer cells. It is shown, for the first time, that the use of the grounded substrate under the media with cells considerably amplifies the effect of plasma cancer cell treatment in vitro. Plasma devices with cylindrical and plane geometries generating cold atmospheric plasma jets are developed and tested. The sequence of the streamers which forms the plasma jet is initiated with a voltage of 2.5–6.5 kV applied with the frequency 40 kHz. We suggest using the grounded substrate under the bio-target during the plasma jet treatment of cancer cells. The analysis of the measured plasma spectra and comparison of OH-line intensity for different voltages and gas flow rates allows us to find a range of optimal plasma parameters for the enhanced OH generation. The time-dependent viability is measured for human cell lines, A431 (skin carcinoma), HEK 293 (kidney embryonic cells), and A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma cells) after the plasma jet treatment. The results with cell-based experiments (direct treatment) performed with various plasma jet parameters confirm the maximum efficiency of the treatment with the optimal plasma parameters.


'The ancient and medieval garden' considers the earliest documented gardens from around the world. It begins with the gardens of the Near East and eastern Mediterranean, such as the gardens of the Assyrian kings, Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal, at Nineveh; the villa gardens of Greece and Rome; the ancient gardens of South Asia, including Sigiriya, a Buddhist site in central Sri Lanka; medieval European gardens; the gardens of the Byzantium Empire, which provided the link between the Roman garden and the Islamic garden; and the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca gardens of Central and South America. It explains how gardens and their plants were early players in the process of globalization.


A parameter identification of the Jiles-Atherton hysteresis model for a soft magnetic composite (SMC) is realized directly by a nonlinear optimization technique coupled with a 2D field calculation. The identification method fits experimental instantaneous voltage and current measurements realized on a transformer with a cylindrical symmetry, made of a soft magnetic composite material. The method is integrated in a global CAD environment for the optimal design of SMC transformers and used to take account of technical constraints related to the production and assembly of SMC transformers.


An ab initio itinerant-electron calculation for a class of cerium and uranium compounds was performed over the full frequency range studied experimentally. The band structure is obtained from a self-consistent spin-polarized full-potential linearized muffin-tin orbital calculation with a true interstitial. It was found that, for the compounds that display giant Kerr rotations, such a conventional calculation provides magnetooptic behavior very different from that obtained experimentally. This poor agreement was attributed to the presence of a large orbitally driven magnetism totally unlike the magnetism of Ni and Fe, and to the possible importance of explicit correlation effects on approaching heavy fermion behavior. Therefore, explicit orbital polarization was incorporated into the band calculation. This brings about a much better agreement for the ordered magnetic moments but fails to provide adequate agreement for the magnetooptic behavior; furthermore, unlike a calculation including explicit correlation effects, it does not provide agreement with the experimental ordered moment for the incipient heavy fermion CeTe system. >


Introduction Tillage system and crop rotation have significant long-term effects on soil productivity and soil quality components such as soil carbon and other soil physical, biological, and chemical properties. In addition, both tillage and crop rotation have effects on weed and soil disease control. There is a definite need for well-defined long-term tillage and crop rotation studies across the different soils and climate conditions in Iowa. The objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term effects of different tillage systems and crop rotations on soil productivity.


Using the theory of analyzing the properties of RC-EDP (resistive-capacitive elements with distributed parameters) structures we propose the synthesis of elements with fractional impedance (EFI) — fractional capacitors Cα (0 < α < 1) suitable for analogue function block design. The direct utilization of such fractional elements overcomes the problem of approximating the needed fractional order element by an RC ladder or any other similar structure or approximating the fractional transfer function by an integer-order one. For the EFI synthesis, a genetic algorithm based tool has been developed that based on the required properties of the EFI to be designed determines the parameters of individual R-C-NR sections and their interconnection, whereas the parasitic parameteres relevant for the implementation process can also be assumed. Using the outputs of the software, we show the further usage of the R-C-NR section's parameters resulting in the layout design of the final fractional capacitor.


Counting solutions of various combinatorial problems is a well established and intensively studied area of theoretical computer science. Its applications range from networking to statistical physics. The central question in this area is the complexity of and algorithms for problems of this type. It turns out that in many important cases these questions can be answered with aid of certain clones of functions of multi-valued logic. We show the connection between the two areas and survey recent advances in this research direction.


The synthesis and characterisation of well-ordered mesoporous silicas, MCM-41, MCM-48, SBA-1, and SBA-2 has been carried out successfully. All of the synthesised materials possess the expected characteristic ordering as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction. Moreover, surface modification of these mesoporous silicas had also been achieved through the incorporation of alkylamine groups and attachment of an asymmetric organometallic nickel-salen complex.
The catalytic activity of the amino and nickel complex-modified mesoporous silica materials was examined for carbon-carbon bond forming reactions; Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde and ethylcyanoacetate, and Kumada-Corriu coupling reaction between an organobromide and Grignard reagent, respectively. All the NH2-mesoporous silica catalysts result in high conversion (>95%) and can easily be reused by washing with water. Furthermore, the catalytic performances of the asymmetric nickel-salen complex bound to mesoporous silicas were found to be greater than 60% which is comparable to the homogenous nickel complex catalyst (62% conversion) but are more easily recycled.
The further modification of catalysts to capture the remaining surface silanol groups in the modified-mesoporous silicas has been carried out by using chlorotrimethylsilane to obtain the surface functionalised with trimethyl groups instead of silanols. The methylated catalysts with MCM-41 and MCM-48 as support demonstrate better recyclability, while this was not observed in the cage-like SBA-1 and SBA-2 supports catalyst as the presence of additional trimethylsilyl groups could cause more pore blocking.


Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with the development of genital warts and different types of cancer, including virtually all cervical cancers and a considerable number of penile, anal and oropharyngeal cancers. Data regarding the prevalence of HPV infection in Brazil are limited and fragmented. We aim to determine HPV prevalence in sexually active women and men aged 16–25 years and to investigate regional differences in virus prevalence and types. Methods and analysis This is a nationwide, multicentric, cross-sectional, prospective study that will include participants aged 16–25 years from all Brazilian capital cities. Recruitment will occur in primary health units by trained health professionals who will be responsible for collecting biological samples and interviewing the volunteers. After signing informed consent, all participants will answer a questionnaire that will collect sociodemographic and behavioural data. All samples will be processed in a certified central laboratory, and strict quality control will be performed by many different procedures, including double data entry, training and certification of primary care health professionals responsible for data collection, simulation of interviews, and auditing and monitoring of visits. The sample size will be standardised based on the population distribution of each capital using SAS and R statistical software. Ethics and dissemination The project was approved by the research ethics committee of the main institution and the corresponding ethics committees of the recruitment sites. This will be the first Brazilian nationwide study to determine overall HPV prevalence and to examine regional differences and social, demographic and behavioural factors related to HPV infection. Critical analysis of the study results will contribute to epidemiological knowledge and will set a baseline for future evaluation of the impact of the National HPV Vaccination Program.


A detailed experimental investigation of the phonon-assisted emission in a high-quality c-plane GaN epilayer is presented up to 200 K. By performing photoluminescence and reflectivity measurements, we find important etaloning effects in the phonon-replica spectra, which have to be corrected before addressing the lineshape analysis. Direct experimental evidence for free exciton thermalization is found for the whole temperature range investigated. A close comparison with existing models for phonon replicas originating from a thermalized free exciton distribution shows that the simplified and commonly adopted description of the exciton-phonon interaction with a single excitonic band leads to a large discrepancy with experimental data. Only the consideration of the complex nature of the excitonic band in GaN, including A and B exciton contributions, allows accounting for the temperature dependence of the peak energy, intensity, and lineshape of the phonon replicas.


The muon campus program at Fermilab includes the Mu2e experiment that will search for a charged-lepton flavor violating processes where a negative muon converts into an electron in the field of an aluminum nucleus, improving by four orders of magnitude the search sensitivity reached so far. Mu2e's Trigger and Data Acquisition System (TDAQ) uses otsdaq as its solution. Developed at Fermilab, otsdaq uses the artdaq DAQ framework and art analysis framework, under the-hood, for event transfer, filtering, and processing. otsdaq is an online DAQ software suite with a focus on flexibility and scalability, while providing a multi-user, web-based, interface accessible through the Chrome or Firefox web browser. The detector Read Out Controller (ROC), from the tracker and calorimeter, stream out zero-suppressed data continuously to the Data Transfer Controller (DTC). Data is then read over the PCIe bus to a software filter algorithm that selects events which are finally combined with the data flux that comes froma Cosmic Ray Ve to System (CRV). A Detector Control System (DCS) for monitoring, controlling, alarming, and archiving has been developed using the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) Open Source Platform. The DCS System has also been itegrated into otsdaq. The installation of the TDAQ and the DCS systems in the Mu2e building is planned for 2021-2022, and a prototype has been built at Fermilab's Feynman Computing Center. We report here on the developments and achievements of the integration of Mu2e's DCS system into the online otsdaq software.


Introduction Substance use to enhance sexual pleasure and performance is well known among men who have sex with men (MSM). Studies report a higher Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) prevalence among MSM who use substance before or during sex. Limited data exist on substance use in relation to CT and NG prevalence among young heterosexuals. Methods CT and NG tested men and women aged <25 years attending our STI-clinic between 2010- 2015 were included (n=3526). Specimens were tested using nucleic acid amplification tests. Data were collected on demographics, sexual behaviour, smoking, alcohol intake and drug use; marihuana, gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB), ketamine, cocaine, heroin, speed, ecstasy and poppers. Univariable and multivariable backward logistic regression analyses were used to test associations between substance use and CT/NG. Tested determinants were age, symptoms, number of sex partners and warned by (ex) partner. Results CT prevalence was 13.6% (n=300) for women, 15.4% (n=153) for heterosexual men and 10.6% (n=35) for MSM. For NG this was 1.0% (n=23), 1.4% (n=14), and 15.8% (n=52) respectively. Substance use before or during sex varied between 26%–40% for drugs, 44%–67% for alcohol and 51%–64% for cigarette smoking. Among drug users, 39%–45% used multiple drugs, most often marihuana (84%), ecstasy (81%) and cocaine (51%). In young heterosexuals, smoking was independently associated with CT in women (OR 1.3 95% CI 1.1–1.7), and ketamine use in men (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.6–12.7). For MSM, GHB use was independently associated with CT (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.2–12.2) and ketamine use with NG (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.3–16.9). Conclusion Substance use before or during sex was reported often among young heterosexuals and MSM, and led to greater CT and NG (for MSM) risk. Different substance use was associated with different STI in different risk groups, therefore targeted care is an imperative. Prevention in STI clinics should include discussing drug use before or during sex, also in heterosexual youngsters.


In this paper we use the functional vector autoregression (VAR) framework of Chang, Chen, and Schorfheide (2021) to study the effects of monetary policy shocks (conventional and informational) on the cross-sectional distribution of earnings and consumption. We find that an expansionary monetary policy shock reduces earnings inequality. The reduction is generated by what we call the employment channel. In the left tail of the earnings distribution, the expansion lifts individuals out of unemployment and thereby reduces the earnings dispersion. For consumption we obtain the opposite result: the expansionary policy shock raises the mass in the right tail of the consumption distribution, thereby increasing consumption inequality. (JEL C11, C32, C52, E32)


Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor, lowers intraocular pressure in mammals, either by enhancing the outflow of aqueous humor (AH) via the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal or by reducing AH formation at the ciliary epithelium. Aqueous humor production occurs by passive diffusion of water coupled with active transport of ions, mainly involving Na(+):K(+):2Cl(-) cotransporter and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase pump from serosal to aqueous side. Presently, we have evaluated the effects of ET-1 on Na(+):K(+):2Cl(-) cotransport and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity in HNPE cells using (86)Rb(+) uptake. ET-1 (100 pM-100 nM) decreased mean (86)Rb(+) uptake by 15% during a 15-min uptake period. ET-1's effect was not prevented by BQ610, an ET(A) receptor antagonist, but was blocked by BQ788, an ET(B) receptor antagonist. ET-1's effect was mimicked by sarafotoxin, an ET(B) agonist. ET-1-induced reduction in (86)Rb(+) uptake was additive with bumetanide, a selective inhibitor of Na(+):K(+):2Cl(-) cotransporter but not with ouabain, a selective inhibitor of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. ET-1 did not affect iberiotoxin-sensitive maxi K(+) channels. This suggests that ET-1-induced reduction in (86)Rb(+) uptake is mediated through the inhibition of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase via an ET(B)-like receptor. These findings are consistent with an ET-1 effect on active ion transport activity in HNPE cells that could explain the reduction in aqueous humor production and the lowering of intraocular pressure.


ABSTRACT Concerns over the supply of highly-skilled (HS) science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) workers are well established and have been a feature of policy discourse in the UK for more than 50 years. Since the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, these concerns have been exacerbated by uncertainty about the movement of labour between UK and Europe. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of STEM skills in a wide range of areas. However, despite continued government investment in initiatives to address these concerns, the evidence base for shortages is neither well-established nor compatible with economic theories of labour supply. In order to fill a gap in the current evidence, we report on a unique analysis following the career destinations of STEM graduates from the 1970 British Cohort Study. While only a minority of STEM graduates ever work in highly-skilled STEM jobs, we identified three particular characteristics of the STEM labour market that may present challenges for employers: STEM employment appears to be predicated on early entry to the sector; a large proportion of STEM graduates are likely to never work in the sector; and there may be more movement out of HS STEM positions by older workers than in other sectors.


In this paper, the intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-aided unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication system is studied, where the UAV is deployed to serve the user equipment (UE) with the assistance of multiple IRSs mounted on several buildings to enhance the communication quality between UAV and UE. We aim to maximize the energy efficiency of the system, including the data rate of UE and the energy consumption of UAV via jointly optimizing the UAV's trajectory and the phase shifts of reflecting elements of IRS, when the UE moves and the selection of IRSs is considered for the energy saving purpose. Since the system is complex and the environment is dynamic, it is challenging to derive low-complexity algorithms by using conventional optimization methods. To address this issue, we first propose a deep Q-network (DQN)-based algorithm by discretizing the trajectory, which has the advantage of training time. Furthermore, we propose a deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG)-based algorithm to tackle the case with continuous trajectory for achieving better performance. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithms achieve considerable performance compared to other traditional solutions.


An increased frequency of hypermodal cells as well as chromosome fragments and breaks is, however, likely to be due to treatment with psychotropic drugs and not causally related to the mental illness. We found a significantly higher frequency of hyper modal cells, breaks and chromosome fragments in psychiatric patients treated with psychotropic drugs compared with a control group of patients not treated withsuchdrugs.


In diabetes, toxic oxidative pathways are triggered by persistent hyperglycemia and contribute to diabetes complications. A major proposed pathogenic mechanism is the accumulation of protein modifications that are called advanced glycation end products. However, other nonenzymatic post-translational modifications may also contribute to pathogenic protein damage in diabetes. We demonstrate that hypohalous acid–derived modifications of renal tissues and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are significantly elevated in experimental diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, diabetic renal ECM shows diminished binding of α1β1 integrin consistent with the modification of collagen IV by hypochlorous (HOCl) and hypobromous acids. Noncollagenous (NC1) hexamers, key connection modules of collagen IV networks, are modified via oxidation and chlorination of tryptophan and bromination of tyrosine residues. Chlorotryptophan, a relatively minor modification, has not been previously found in proteins. In the NC1 hexamers isolated from diabetic kidneys, levels of HOCl-derived oxidized and chlorinated tryptophan residues W28 and W192 are significantly elevated compared with nondiabetic controls. Molecular dynamics simulations predicted a more relaxed NC1 hexamer tertiary structure and diminished assembly competence in diabetes; this was confirmed using limited proteolysis and denaturation/refolding. Our results suggest that hypohalous acid–derived modifications of renal ECM, and specifically collagen IV networks, contribute to functional protein damage in diabetes.


This paper aims to understand the relationship between the chemical, mechanical and geometrical properties by investigating basalt fibre from three commercial manufacturers and comparing to an industry standard glass fibre. The chemical compositi on of fibre was investigated through XRF, highlighting that basalt and glass fibres are comprised by a similar elemental composition with the main differences being variations in content of primary elements. A significant correlation between the ceramic content of basalt and its tensile properties is demonstrated, with a primary dependence on Al 2 0 3 content. Single fibre tensile tests at various lengths and two-way ANOVA revealed that the tensile strength and modulus were highly dependent on fibre length with a minor dependence on manufacturer. Results demonstrate that basalt has a higher tensile strength and a comparable modulus to E-glass. Considerable improvements in quality of basalt fibre manufacture are demonstrated over a three year period through geometrical analysis, showing reduction in standard deviation of fibre diameter from 1.33 to 0.61, comparable to tested glass fibre at 0.67. Testing of single basalt fibres with diameters of 13µm and 17µm indicates that tensile strength and modulus are independent of diameter, following an improvement in fibre diameter consistency in line with glass fibres.


Time migration algorithms prove to be inadequate when trying to correctly image seismic sections in areas of complex geology. In such media, velocities vary both vertically and laterally giving rise to non-hyperbolicity in the observed moveout of the seismic reflections. To deal with this situation, a depth migration must be employed. However, a dilemma arises in that the performance of the pre-stack depth migration is sensitive to errors in the velocity model supplied by the user, that is the more accurate the underlying velocity model, the better the migrated image. This sensitivity provides an excellent tool for the iterative building of depth models (Figures 1 & 2). We present a method that combines pre-stack depth migration with velocity analysis and mapmigration.


The UL9 gene of herpes simplex virus (HSV) codes for a DNA-binding protein (OBP) that interacts sequence specifically with the origin of replication. This protein is essential for HSV DNA replication in cultured cells. The UL9 gene was cloned into a plasmid vector downstream of the SP6 RNA polymerase promoter. By using in vitro transcription and translation systems, a full-length OBP was synthesized. This synthetic protein is recognized by an antiserum generated against the C-terminal decapeptide of OBP and is functionally active in binding to OriS sequence specifically. The in vitro-synthesized protein has sequence specificity for binding similar to that found for the in vivo-generated OBP. A total of 14 in-frame deletion and insertion mutants of the UL9 gene were generated and expressed in vitro. Using these deletion mutants, we determined that the 269-amino-acid stretch defined by amino acids 564 to 832 localizes the OriS-specific DNA-binding domain. The N-terminal boundary is between amino acids 565 and 596, while the C terminus lies between amino acids 833 and 805. This segment contains a helix-turn-helix moiety and a pseudo-leucine zipper, neither of which alone can support DNA binding. The other leucine zipper from amino acids 150 to 173 is not required for the in vitro sequence-specific DNA-binding activity of OBP.


ABSTRACT The LDL receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is a multifunctional cell surface receptor that is highly expressed on neurons. Neuronal LRP1 in vitro can mediate ligand endocytosis, as well as modulate signal transduction processes. However, little is known about its role in the intact nervous system. Here, we report that mice that lack LRP1 selectively in differentiated neurons develop severe behavioral and motor abnormalities, including hyperactivity, tremor, and dystonia. Since their central nervous systems appear histoanatomically normal, we suggest that this phenotype is likely attributable to abnormal neurotransmission. This conclusion is supported by studies of primary cultured neurons that show that LRP1 is present in close proximity to the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in dendritic synapses and can be coprecipitated with NMDA receptor subunits and the postsynaptic density protein PSD-95 from neuronal cell lysates. Moreover, treatment with NMDA, but not dopamine, reduces the interaction of LRP1 with PSD-95, indicating that LRP1 participates in transmitter-dependent postsynaptic responses. Together, these findings suggest that LRP1, like other ApoE receptors, can modulate synaptic transmission in the brain.


Abstract Studies of satellite imagery and space shuttle photographs of the western Mediterranean have indicated that the main path of inflowing Atlantic Water is around two large anticyclonic gyres in the Alboran Sea and along the Algerian Coast. These studies have also shown that a strong ocean front is present between Almeria, Spain, and Oran, Algeria, which is part of the easternmost segment of the Eastern Alboran Gyre. Based on these satellite studies, the first in situ investigation of the front, called here the Almeria–Oran Front, was conducted in March 1986 as part of the winter campaign of the Western Mediterranean Circulation Experiment (WMCE). Analyses of the resulting data show that the Almeria–Oran Front is a large-scale density front, formed by the convergence of two distinct water masses and controlled by the geographic position and strength of the Eastern Alboran Gyre. Physical and biochemical data indicate that the front is limited to the upper 300 m, with a strong southward baroclinic jet...


This study aims at examining the affordability of low-income housing in Amman. A quantitative methodology implying a cross-sectional survey was used to satisfy the study objectives. 870 questionnaires were distributed in Abu Nuseir, during April and July 2013. Different dimensions were examined in relation to the affordability of low-income housing, including price to income ratio for households, monthly payment to income ratio for households, price to income ratio versus payment to income ratio, the relationship between housing affordability and dwelling type, and the relationship between housing affordability and family size. Findings revealed that low-income people are unable to afford housing. The inability of low-income people to afford a house is related to a set of social-economic factors such as family size, low income, the lack of finance facilities. This implies that housing policy should tend towards smaller housing units and reduce the cost of housing construction.


Experimental results are presented on event-by-event net-proton fluctuation measurements in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV, recorded by the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC. These measurements have as their ultimate goal an experimental test of Lattice QCD (LQCD) predictions on second and higher order cumulants of net-baryon distributions to search for critical behavior near the QCD phase boundary. Before confronting them with LQCD predictions, account has to be taken of correlations stemming from baryon number conservation as well as fluctuations of participating nucleons. Both effects influence the experimental measurements and are usually not considered in theoretical calculations. For the first time, it is shown that event-by-event baryon number conservation leads to subtle long-range correlations arising from very early interactions in the collisions.


A protective role for vitamin K in cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, has been proposed because vitamin K-dependent proteins, such as matrix Gla (γ-carboxyglutamic acid) protein (MGP), are present in vascular tissue. MGP functions as a vascular calcification inhibitor-but only when it is carboxylated, which requires vitamin K. There is more than one naturally occurring form of vitamin K. Phylloquinone (vitamin K1) is found in plant-based foods, whereas menaquinones (vitamin K2) are a class of vitamin K compounds found in animal-based and fermented foods. Phylloquinone and menaquinones are capable of carboxylating MGP and other vitamin K-dependent proteins. In rodent models, high intakes of either phylloquinone or menaquinone reduced vascular calcification. Evidence of the relative importance of phylloquinone and menaquinone to CVD in humans is limited and controversial. In some observational studies, higher dietary menaquinone intake, but not phylloquinone intake, was associated with less coronary artery calcification (a subclinical manifestation of CVD) and a lower risk for clinical CVD events. These findings have led to claims that menaquinones have unique cardiovascular health benefits compared with phylloquinone. However, this claim is not supported by the results of the limited number of intervention trials conducted to date. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the available evidence regarding the role of vitamin K in vascular calcification, CVD, and mortality.


The immobilization of molecular switches within materials can give rise to new bulk properties that are useful for a variety of applications. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of covalent organic polymers composed of cyclotriphosphazene core moieties linked together by redox-switchable viologen units. The polymers are isolated as non-porous, micro- and nano-sized spherical particles whose constituent viologens allow access to three distinct redox states: dicationic, radical-cationic and neutral. With viologens in their dicationic state, the particles were used for magic printing, gaseous ammonia sensing, and efficient oxoanion capture. With viologens in any oxidation state, the polymers were capable of capturing 200 to 380% of their weight of iodine vapor. Iodine capture within all of the viologen-based polymers was fast, requiring minutes, as compared to capture by previously reported polymers, which requires hours. With viologens in their neutral state, the polymers exhibited the highest iodine loadings reported to date. Upon one and two-electron reduction, the polymers partially or completely lost their cationic character and, concomitantly, their anion removal capability.


CD4(+) T cell help is important for the functionality of CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) in limiting viral replication and may contribute to mediation of apparent resistance to HIV-1 infection in exposed seronegative (ESN) individuals. Using five HIV-1 antigens in an intracellular cytokine assay, the presence of specific antigen-responsive interferon- gamma-positive (IFN-gamma(+)) CD69(+) CD4(+) T-lymphocytes was evaluated in ESNs, their seropositive partners, and unexposed seronegative controls. Ten ESNs (five females, five uncircumcised males) were identified from 10 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples with a history of frequent unprotected sexual intercourse. All ESNs and controls were negative on two EIAs and for HIV-1 proviral DNA. The frequency of ESNs with antigen-responsive IFN-gamma(+) CD69(+) CD4(+) T-lymphocytes ranged from three to five of eight for the different HIV-1 antigens. Six of eight ESNs tested had a positive response to at least one of the five antigens. Responses were on average 3.5 times higher among seropositives compared to ESNs and absent in the five unexposed controls. A negative correlation was noted between responses in ESNs and the plasma viral load of their seropositive spouse. Clade-specific and cross-clade reactivity were noted in both ESNs and seropositive partners tested. The findings confirm that ESNs are in a state of HIV-1-specific immune activation and suggest that HIV-1-specific IFN-gamma(+) CD69(+) CD4(+) T-lymphocytes in addition to HIV-1-specific CD8(+) CTLs already described by others are potential immunological correlates of protection from persistent HIV-1 infection.


Using the reform on unemployment benefit II system in 2005 in Germany this paper verifies precautionary saving motives of German households. Based on first difference and random effects Tobit model using two years of GSOEP panel data, this paper found an increase in benefit amount by one unit (1,000 Euro) decreases household's saving rates from 1.2 to 2 percent point depending on applied specifications. Though the magnitude of estimated results is quite moderate compared to the results from previous researches, through consistent findings which show negative relation between simulated benefit amounts and household saving rate, this paper concludes that there exists a moderate precautionary motive in savings for German households. It gives an important policy implication in a sense that unfavorable benefit cut makes individual take more financial responsibility at household level.


Consumer financing is financing activities for the procurement of goods based on the needs of consumers with payment in installments. While the Financing Company is a business entity specifically set up to conduct leasing, factoring, consumer finance, or business credit card. The finance company will approve the proposed consumer credit after a credit analysis of the feasibility of providing consumer financing, if approved and not disetujui.Dalam analysis process for consumers, there are some that are not accurate, therefore consumers can not afford to pay in a timely manner resulting in bad debts , To solve the problem we need a model that is able to classify and predict consumer data is problematic and not problematic. In this research, testing ie k-Nearest Neighbor and k-Nearest Neighbor optimized genetic algorithm is applied to the data consumer that gets better the consumer credit financing is problematic or not. From the test results by measuring the performance of the three algorithms using Cross Validation testing methods, Confusion Matrix and ROC curves, it is known that the k-Nearest Neighbor algorithm optimized Genetic Algorithm has the AUC value and highest accuracy.


Since the time of Caesar, cryptography has been used in the design of secure communications systems. Recently, Diffie and Hellman [2] have introduced a new type of cryptographic method, based on "trapdoor" functions, which promises to be of great value in the design of such systems. We present a review of public key cryptosystems, followed by examples of communications systems which make particularly elegant use of their properties.


For table tennis reforming fromsmall to big influence, the paper willmake quantitative analysis from athletesÂ' experience qualities and audience appreciation qualities two aspects so as to ensure its comprehensiveness. For athletesÂ' experience qualities, the paper establishes fuzzy comprehensive analysis algorithmÂ's evaluation model, it gets before table tennis reforming (that is small ball era) athletesÂ' experience qualities fuzzy comprehensive value as 70.586, and after reforming one is 63.812, so that get athlete experience qualities have some reductions. The next is establishing competition hosting manufacturers and professional technicians two parties game model, it gets organizersÂ' pure economic efficiency increases, whichmapping audiences appreciation interests have been improved. Finally with the help of fuzzy mathematical thought, it establishes proportional distribution model, and makes reasonable suggestions for table tennis size.


Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) have been known to produce galactose-α1,4-galactose-β1,4-glucose ceramide (Gb3) which plays a pivotal role in the mucosal immune response. In particular, Shiga-like toxins (Stx) can induce apoptosis of IECs in the development of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) through binding on Gb3. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that down-regulation of Gb3 (or binding of Stx) prevents Stx from damaging in IECs. This study investigated whether curcumin, having various biological properties such as being anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-cancer, could decrease binding of Stx and the related signal pathway. Curcumin significantly inhibited the binding of Stx and the production of Gb3 synthase (GalT6) mRNA in HT29 IECs stimulated with TNF-α and IL-1β. Additionally, curcumin was able to inhibit mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), such as p38 and JNK, but not ERK1/2, degradation of IκB or translocation of NF-κB p65. Furthermore, curcumin significantly attenuated Stx-1 induced cell death and IL-8 expression. In summary, these data link Gb3 expression in HT29 cells stimulated with TNF-α and IL-1β and suggest that blocking of Stx-binding by curcumin may prevent the Stx-associated HUS.


Kaluza- Klein Universe filled with dark energy from a wet dark fluid has been considered. A new equation of state for dark energy component of the Universe has been used. It is modeled on the equation of state p=γ(ρ-ρ * ) which can describe a liquid, for example water. The exact solution to the corresponding field equations are obtained in quadrature form. The solution for constant deceleration parameter have been studied in detail for both power-law and exponential forms. The cases γ=1 and γ=1 have also been analyzed.


This paper describes the dynamic behavior of a typical fixed speed wind turbine connected to the grid; the model is developed in the simulation tool Matlab/Simulink and created as a modular structure. The pitch control system is used for stabilization of the wind turbine at grid faults. In this way, voltage stability of the system with grid-connected wind turbines can be improved by using blade-angle control for a temporary reduction of the wind turbine power during a short-circuit fault in the grid. This paper shows a new variable control for maintaining of voltage stability, when a three-phase fault is applied close to the wind turbine and cleared by disconnecting the affected line. In this way, a better re-establishing of the voltage after the fault is obtained.


This paper targets hard-cut detection for archive film, i.e., mainly black-and-white videos from the beginning of the last century, which is a particularly difficult task due to heavy visual degradations encountered in the sequences. A robust hard-cut detection system based on modified phase correlation is presented. Phase-correlation-based hard-cut detection is carried out using spatially sub-sampled video frames, and a candidate hard-cut is indicated in the case of low correlation. A double thresholding approach consisting of a global threshold used in conjunction with an adaptive local threshold is used to detect candidate hard-cuts. For uniformly colored video frames the phase correlation is extremely sensitive to noise and visual defects. Mean and variance based simple heuristic false removal at uniformly colored video frames is used at the final stage to prevent false detections in such cases. The paper provides a through theoretical analysis to show the usefulness of spatial sub-sampling. Furthermore through experimental results are presented for visual defects encountered in archive film material, to present the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


This piece argues that the current criterion of eligibility to bring a private action for insider trading is mistaken and harmful, and suggests an alternative standard. For nearly two decades, courts have required that a person wishing to bring suit for insider trading have traded ?contemporaneously? with the insider. The requirement has acted as a proxy for privity, despite the fact that privity was rejected as being an inappropriate requirement when trading takes place on anonymous national securities markets. A decade ago, Congress codified this approach when it created an express private right of action for insider trading. In doing so, it only exacerbated the problems created by the requirement. This article analyzes and critiques the theoretical underpinnings of the contemporaneous trader requirement and recommends its replacement with a more open standing requirement coupled with the damage limitations already common to such cases.


The relationship between trust and information sources for new purchasers of higher education is discussed. A range of sources is evaluated by potential entrants into UK higher education, and indicates that universities tend to be regarded as the most trustworthy when information is directly associated with them and social networks, and friends and student-derived sources the least, along with Key Information Set data.


BACKGROUND
Due to the dominance of overuse injuries among runners, knowledge of how use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and behavioral factors contribute to injury events is important. The aim of this study was to explore recreational marathon runners' strategies for coping with injury and illness, including use of drugs for control of pain and inflammation, and to investigate whether these strategies were associated with the 1-year prevalence of time-loss injury and illness.

METHODS
An online questionnaire was used for data collection in this cross-sectional study. The population consisted of runners who had registered for a marathon (N.=341). Strategies used to understand and manage perceptions of injury and illness were measured with the Brief COPE instrument and the use of NSAIDs was investigated.

RESULTS
Complete survey data were provided by 161 runners (47%). 42% reported NSAID use. A notable injury in the past year was reported by 43%, and 19% reported having had a time-loss illness episode. Runners who reported NSAID use in the past year reported significantly fewer time-loss injuries (P=0.003). Time loss due to illness only showed a negative correlation with using emotional support for coping (P=0.010) and a positive correlation with self-blame (P=0.039).

CONCLUSIONS
Runners stating NSAID use reported fewer time-loss running injuries than non-NSAID users. Time loss due to illness showed different correlates with NSAID use and coping strategies than time loss due to injury, i.e. no association with drug use, less use of emotional support for coping and more use of self-blame.


The landscape concept has been used by several disciplines and has been given multiple connotations, hence there are few agreements on its meaning. This paper is a conceptual review of the landscape, made from an integration of elements taken from different geographic disciplines, like environmental history and landscape ecology. From this interdisciplinar y approach, a historical assessment is performed to cover from the origin of the term to its most recent transformation. The main purpose is to develop new theoretical tools to allow a better understanding of the role of human presence as an inseparable element of the environment when configuring ecosystems' structure and functioning, especially those of forests that endure urban pressure.


ABSTRACTBoltzmann Equation is linearized for quantum gases under the consideration of the dimensional dependencies. The derivation of this new form is presented and discussed for the basic phenomena in rarefied gas dynamics. The effects of quantum contribution and dimensional dependency are analyzed. It is shown that, the introduced form have to be used to analyze transport properties in low-dimensional systems and for the systems which the quantum character arises in.


Automated segmentation of cell nuclei is the crucial step towards computer-aided diagnosis system because the morphological features of the cell nuclei are highly associated with the cell abnormality and disease. This paper contributes four main stages required for automatic segmentation of the cell nuclei on cytology pleural effusion images. Initially, the image is preprocessed to enhance the image quality by applying contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE). The segmentation process is relied on a supervised Artificial Neural network (ANN) based pixel classification. Then, the boundaries of the extracted cell nuclei regions are refined by utilizing the morphological operation. Finally, the overlapped or touched nuclei are identified and split by using the marker-controlled watershed method. The proposed method is evaluated with the local dataset containing 35 cytology pleural effusion images. It achieves the performance of 0.95%, 0.86 %, 0.90% and 92% in precision, recall, F-measure and Dice Similarity Coefficient respectively. The average computational time for the entire algorithm took 15 mins per image. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt that utilizes ANN as the segmentation on cytology pleural effusion images.