Background: Decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can increase the risk of bleeding tendency and hemorrhagic stroke. However, the relationship between the levels of GFR and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after acute ischemic stroke is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to assess whether GFR level is associated with HT in acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We reviewed 770 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days from September 2007 to February 2012 in a prospective stroke registry database. We calculated the patient's GFR using the Cockcroft-Gault equation, and divided them into 3 groups: ≥60, 30–59 and <30 ml/min/1.73 m2. HTs were identified by follow-up computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging, and were defined as (1) any degree of high density within the area of low attenuation of vascular territory on noncontrast brain CT, or (2) low-signal intensity area in gradient echo within high-signal intensity meaning acute infarct on diffusion-weighted imaging. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the risk of GFR for HT. Stratification analyses were done according to the presence of HT high risk factors: atrial fibrillation (AF), thrombolysis and large size infarction. Additional logistic regression model for symptomatic HTs was established with the same variables. Results: HTs were noted in 131 patients (17.0%) and symptomatic HTs in 63 patients (8.2%). In univariate analysis, HTs were more frequent in patients with AF (51.9 vs. 16.7%, p < 0.001) and large-size infarction (42.0 vs. 5.3%, p < 0.001). The risk of HT was associated with decreased GFR among 3 subgroups classified according to the value of estimated GFR: 49/394 (12.4%) in the GFR ≥60 group, 66/312 (21.2%) in the 30≤ GFR <59 group and 16/64 (25.0%) in the GFR <30 group (p = 0.002). We found a significant association between the GFR <30 group and HTs in acute ischemic stroke (OR 2.90; 95% CI 1.26–6.68, p = 0.012) after adjusting for other risk factors. Moreover, the incidence of HTs was higher in the subgroups without thrombolysis (OR 3.49; 95% CI 1.44–8.46) and without AF (OR 3.44; 95% CI 1.10–10.76). Decreased GFR also had a tendency of increasing symptomatic HTs (OR 2.39; 95% CI 0.72–7.94, p = 0.154). Conclusions: Low levels of GFR are associated with a high risk of HT after acute ischemic stroke. Further studies are needed to elucidate whether HT in the patients with renal insufficiency are related to a worse outcome after acute ischemic stroke.


Continual lifelong learning requires an agent or model to learn many sequentially ordered tasks, building on previous knowledge without catastrophically forgetting it. Much work has gone towards preventing the default tendency of machine learning models to catastrophically forget, yet virtually all such work involves manually-designed solutions to the problem. We instead advocate meta-learning a solution to catastrophic forgetting, allowing AI to learn to continually learn. Inspired by neuromodulatory processes in the brain, we propose A Neuromodulated Meta-Learning Algorithm (ANML). It differentiates through a sequential learning process to meta-learn an activation-gating function that enables context-dependent selective activation within a deep neural network. Specifically, a neuromodulatory (NM) neural network gates the forward pass of another (otherwise normal) neural network called the prediction learning network (PLN). The NM network also thus indirectly controls selective plasticity (i.e. the backward pass of) the PLN. ANML enables continual learning without catastrophic forgetting at scale: it produces state-of-the-art continual learning performance, sequentially learning as many as 600 classes (over 9,000 SGD updates).


Twenty patients with ulcer (83 female and 117 male) have been studied. It was found out that many patients had functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract in the form of gastralgia or neurogenic vomiting ("organic neurosis of stomach") long before the disease manifestation. At that time the patients underwent gastroscopy and X-ray examination of the stomach and the duodenum but no pathological organic changes were revealed. The study showed that 13% of men and 28% of women with "organic neurosis of the stomach" had signs of ulcer disease 12-13 years later. Therefore, a transition of functional to organic within unified psychosomatic process is in principle possible.


This review covers recent research on counter electrodes using platinum (Pt), carbon and conducting polymers as catalysts for the reduction of triiodide in the dye-sensitized solar cell. Different types of counter electrode preparation methods and their advantages and disadvantages are compared. The inadequacy of the counter electrode with the precious metals and the advantages of the non-metallic-type counter electrode are pointed out. Especially, recent research on the Pt counter electrode in our group is discussed concerning with the reaction mechanism of the triiodide (I3-)/ iodide (I-) redox couple on the Pt counter electrode.


The research enquiry for this thesis, from an insider/outsider position, is a deeply held
reflection of personal values, convictions and professional experiences stemming from
the researcher's life's work in school leadership both in the United States and abroad.
The intent of this study is to engage with the sacred discourse of evangelical Christian
school leaders and the discourse of the sacred and secular scholarly literature.
This is a qualitative study of a constructivist/interpretivist approach where semistructured
interviews, with 12 senior school leaders, four in each of three Anglophone
countries, inform the data. A more in-depth case study of one school is utilised as a
comprehensive illustration of thematic elements revealed through multiple data sources.
The preliminary literature for this research was based on the readings of various
contemporary theories of leadership and literature around servant-leadership from which
the initial research question was framed. As the data analysis advanced, a new framework
emerged around attributes of leadership and community building through leadership,
making it imperative to accommodate a new set of transformational/relational/ethical
literature, taking the story on a completely different journey with a new research question
and sub-questions; therefore, leaving behind the initial research question.
Two descriptors of leadership became the primary framework for the thesis: the 'sacred'
and the 'secular' discourses relating to school leadership. Standing in the doorway, as it
were, the researcher took on a role of interpreting and translating one discourse to the
other rather than acting solely as observer and interpreter of the data.
The findings, the utilisation of two discourses, and the interpretive stance make a positive
and original contribution to knowledge and are significant in two ways. First, the
participants, speaking through the sacred discourse, express an extension to or linkage
with the secular literature, revealing much more overlap between the two discourses than
was expected. Second, the secular literature does not capture the sacred discourse; there
is an appurtenance — an add-on — a more spiritual dimension, to consider.


The adhesive joints are common technique to joint different types of material such as metal to composite, composite to composite and etc. However, quality assessment of such joints is essentially more complicated comparing for to welds. Except problems related to presents of few materials with the completely different properties there is additional task of evaluation of the quality of cured adhesive. Usually joint defect are classified into the adhesive (bad adhesion between material and adhesive) and cohesive (defect in the layer of adhesive). Most of researcher's main attention is paying to the analysis of adhesive defects. Cohesive problem is more complicated and investigated essentially less. The key problem in this case is the fact that not some delamination should be detected, but the material properties of the thin layer of adhesive after curing should be evaluated. For solution of this task the model based ultrasonic measurement technique was proposed and investigated. According to this method, the frequency dependent attenuation is estimated and compared with attenuation obtained by Combined Maxwell and purely viscous model. The method was demonstrated investigating several samples of cured adhesive. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eie.24.5.21840


To predict the three-dimensional residual stress distribution of 7075 aluminum alloy thick plates, the quenching and pre-stretching process were simulated by using MARC finite element software. In order to simulate quickly according to different reality conditions, the parametric model was realized by using defining parameters and selecting objects by inputting coordinate value with the box mode. In the quenching process, a non-linear thermo-mechanical direct coupled analysis of the aluminum alloy thick plates was carried out, by taking into account of the temperature dependence of the thermo-physical properties. In the pre-stretching process, the clamp and release of the clamp of pre-stretch machine were simulated by using life and death element technology. The study demonstrates that the theoretical predictions agree well with the experimental values of residual stresses measured by the X-ray diffraction method. The simulation results provide the user a tool for analyzing and studying on quenching and pre-stretching technique using virtual reality method.


This paper analyses the patterns and determinants of female labour force participation from a sociological perspective. Using a relatively recent database, the present analysis updates existing knowledge and evaluates prior research regarding the market employment of women, particularly in the multiethnic and multicultural context. The analysis is based on research conducted in Australia, where there is a substantial proportion of European-ancestry populations. The article also provides some cross-national comparisons with other multicultural settings. The results of this paper are based on logistic regression analysis. The results suggest that human capital and family formation appear to play as the most fundamental determinants in women's market employment. The results also suggest that while native-born women are generally more benefited in the labour market, the native-foreigner differentials regarding the employment patterns and determinants tend to be mainly associated with ethnic origin and length of residence in the destination country.


UK and global economies need innovative graduates with cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills. In order to promote innovation and creativity among Chinese students 'Be Innovative!', an electronic engineering and design themed educational challenge, was created by the British Council in China. Partnering for this project were six UK universities: University of Central Lancashire, Coventry University, University of Huddersfield, Kingston University, Royal College of Art and Sheffield Hallam University. Additional partners included the National Institute of Education Sciences and a media partner YouKu.com. http://bcchallenge2014.wix.com/beinnovative

The 2014 Challenge focused on interdisciplinary practices between electronic engineering and design. It aimed to encourage the development of independent research, problem-solving, teamwork and project management skills amongst Chinese students, while simultaneously fostering recognition of the UK as an excellent provider of interdisciplinary education.
The objectives were to:
• Give Chinese students a chance to experience the innovative and exciting nature of UK education,
• Promote the UK as a top study destination in a creative and interactive way,
• Demonstrate the academic and research excellence of UK universities, and
• Interact with Chinese schools and universities to nurture strategic partnerships.
The Challenge was issued to Chinese Middle Schools and Universities in April 2014. Interdisciplinary teams were asked to combine innovative elements of electronic engineering and design to develop proposals for future products that would support people's wellbeing. The response was excellent: 189 teams from 19 middle schools and 66 teams from 26 universities successfully registered. Over 1000 participants from 16 cities entered the competition, and more than 3000 students from 5 middle schools attended promotional presentations. 416, 381 public votes were received for uploaded videos produced by participating teams during the preliminary stage (15 July – 18 Aug 2014).
The best 50 teams from middle schools and 30 teams from universities qualified for the second, online stage (September-October 2014), when the teams worked closely with UK academics and postgraduates to further develop their ideas. Ten teams were selected by the UK staff and by Chinese voting public to compete in the "Be Innovative" final in Beijing on 29 November 2014, streamed live to millions of Chinese viewers http://edu.163.com/special/liuxue/beinnovative.html. The winning teams will visit UK partner universities in 2015.
This presentation will take the form of a brief overview of the 'Be Innovative' Challenge by staff from three of the UK institutions involved, followed by an interactive Q&A session where a number of research questions arising from the experience will be addressed, including:
• What are the main challenges in running international projects at this scale?
• What are the limitations of Virtual Learning Environments (in this case OpenMoodle) in encouraging interaction with overseas students, and what are the implication for (long) distance learning?
• To what extent does the success of such interdisciplinary initiatives rely on academic goodwill and close collaboration between partners?
• The project relied heavily on the experience of UK partners involved in earlier incarnations of similar international interdisciplinary projects between Design and Science. To what extent does the nature of the disciplines involved change the interdisciplinary experience?
• Do the same differences and similarities between disciplines occurring in the UK appear on a global platform?
• How can the learning from this initiative be applied to different interdisciplinary projects currently taking place in the UK institutions involved?


Public Enterprises (PE) in Kosovo were incorporated in December 2005 and corporate governance (CG) was adopted for the first time. CG is a new concept in Kosovo and is currently under the process of development and improvement. PE's in Kosovo are owned 100% by the government. CG in PE poses a significant challenge in many economies because of its complex nature. The purpose of this research is to shed some light on the conditions that are needed for ensuring the effectiveness of the Board of Directors (BD) of PE. Composition of the Board of PE plays a key role in the CG. Strengthening of BD to exercise effective monitoring is a difficult challenge for PE. PE's in Kosovo are characterized by a lack of law enforcement and political interference from the central bodies of government. The basic hypothesis is that non-professional boards that are influenced by political interference have a negative impact upon the performance of the PE. Methodology: This research was conducted using primary data (surveys and interviews) and secondary data (annual reports, financial statements, regulatory reports and PMUPE). The results of the research will identify priorities of the reforms that lead toward improvement of CG and economic performance. Keywords: corporate governance, evaluation, public enterprises.


Pure-tone sounds are a common and distinctive feature of many birdsongs. We used field playback experiments to test whether this tonal quality is perceptually salient to adult male song sparrows in the context of song recognition, by comparing responses to playback of normal songs with responses elicited by songs that had harmonics added. This species was chosen for study based on the recent finding that young song sparrows do not show a preference for songs with pure tones over songs with harmonics when choosing model songs to copy during their sensitive phase for learning. We found adult song sparrows to be significantly more responsive to normal song than to harmonic song, consistent with results from adult birds of other species. We conclude that the perceptual salience of the tonal quality of song changes during ontogeny or is context-dependent.


Through the comparative analysis of two case studies of non-metropolitan localities in the U.S. South, we seek to advance understandings of the spatial dynamics of social reproduction for Latino immigrants settling in amenity destinations. The arrival of Latino immigrants in Greater Williamsburg, Virginia (pop. ∼96,000) and Rabun County, Georgia (pop. ∼16,000), can be linked to the influx of domestic, ex-urban, amenity migrants, whose lifestyle and consumption patterns created a demand for low-wage labor in services and construction. We argue that constrained housing options that emerged from amenity-driven migration and gentrification worked together with intersecting vulnerabilities of race, gender, and immigration status to inhibit Latino newcomers' ability to navigate the spaces of everyday life. We discuss two patterns of immigrant housing and demonstrate how in a context of dispersed public space and limited transportation options these geographies of social reproduction increased insecurities for Latino newcomers, facilitating the policing of their physical mobility and control over their labor. By attending to the ways in which socio-spatial conditions in these underexplored sites of immigrant reception condition Latinos' daily life, our analysis brings to further light the many ways that place matters for Latinos' settlement experiences. [Amenity Migration; Gentrification; Immigration; Latinos; U.S. South]


A study on the single event transient (SET) induced by a pulsed laser in a silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is presented in this work. The impacts of laser energy and collector load resistance on the SET are investigated in detail. The waveform, amplitude, and width of the SET pulse as well as collected charge are used to characterize the SET response. The experimental results are discussed in detail and it is demonstrated that the laser energy and load resistance significantly affect the SET in the SiGe HBT. Furthermore, the underlying physical mechanisms are analyzed and investigated, and a near-ideal exponential model is proposed for the first time to describe the discharge of laser-induced electrons via collector resistance to collector supply when both base-collector and collector-substrate junctions are reverse biased or weakly forward biased. Besides, it is found that an additional multi-path discharge would play an important role in the SET once the base-collector and collector-substrate junctions get strongly forward biased due to a strong transient step charge by the laser pulse.


The interest of the business economists in intangibles is growing and to this day the topic remains discussed both with reference to the nature of these resources, and to their role, their contribution in terms of value creation. Intangibles are one of the main sources of companies' competitive advantage (Tanfous, 2013). The definition and classification of intangibles is still an open question. Among intangibles, knowledge assumes a fundamental role. As stated by Sveiby (Sveiby, 1997) intellectual capital is 'knowledge that can be converted into value. In fact, only the value of intangibles offers a comapny the possibility of differentiating itself from its competitors, and as stated by Stewart the differences among firms is played out by the correect management of intangible resources, which allow them to overcome competitors (Stewart, 1997). The aim of this work of the work is to carry out an analysis of the literature with reference to the definitions and classifications offered both nationally and internationally, their role in the company and their contribution in terms of value creation. To understand the sources of competitive advantage that intangibles generate it is necessary to build a model based on the statement that the resources of the company are immobile and heterogeneous. (Barney, 1991).  Every enterprise must create the structures that help them to accumulate knowledge capital and create intangible assets systematically and to convert it to value for their customers in order to gain a competitive edge and create long-term shareholder value (Lev, 2003). This paper confirms the theory that adequate investments in intangibles exercises a positive influence on company performance; for the future, with the purpose of creating company value, we believe it opportune to consider the good association between intangibles and the various components of immaterial resources; this association will be able to guarantee not only the creation of value for the shareholders but for all the subjects directly and indirectly involved in the life of the company as well as the survival and reputation of the company itself. The paper offers adequate points for reflection for future examination regarding the relationship between investments achieved in intangibles and the creation of company value. Moreover, it confirms what the was previously stated, that up to now, studies on intangibles have not arrived at a universally accepted definition. Therefore, we hope for this in the near future.


Intracellular distribution of siRNA after in vitro transfection typically depends on lipopolyplexes, which must release the siRNA into the cytosol. Here, the fate of siRNAs was monitored by FRET-based live cell imaging. Subsequent to in situ observation of uptake and release processes, this approach allowed the observation of a number of hitherto uncharacterized intracellular distribution and degradation processes, commencing with a burst of endosomal releases, followed, in some cases, by fast siRNA influx into the nucleus. The continued observation of intact siRNA against a background of free fluorophores resulting from advanced degradation was possible by a specifically developed imaging algorithm, which identified populations of intact siRNA in pixels based on FRET. This proved to be essential in the end point definition of siRNA distribution, which typically featured partially degraded siRNA pools in perinuclear structures. Our results depict the initial 4 h as a critical time window, characterized by fast initial burst release into the cytosol, which lay the foundations for subsequent intracellular distribution of siRNA. Combination with a subsequent slower, but sustained release from endosomal reservoirs may contribute to the efficiency and duration of RNAi, and explain the success of lipopolyplexes in RNAi experiments in cell culture.


This is the second paper concerned with the correlates and causes of variation in island populations of the side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana Baird and Girard, sensu lata). The first (Soule, 1972) dealt only with the morphological variation of populations in the Gulf of California, Mexico. In that study it was found that the log of island area is the best predictor of morphological variation within local populations on islands, although distance from the mainland and other isolation variables are also important. In short, the study showed that the larger the island, the more variable the lizards, and the more remote the island, the less variable the lizards. We can now present the results of a survey of genetic variation in many of the same populations. The two studies are compared, and it is suggested that morphological variation may give more accurate estimates of genetic variation than does the electrophoretic data. Elsewhere (in prep.) we will use the genetic data as taxonomic characters and analyze the relationships of these populations to each other and to mainland populations in Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.


Up to 80% of people with low-grade brain tumours (WHO Grade I and II) experience seizures at some time during their illness, compared with up to 60% of people with high-grade tumours (WHO Grade III and IV).1 For most patients with low-grade tumours, seizures are the presenting complaint and in approximately half of cases the seizures are refractory to medical treatment. We have used two cases to illustrate some dilemmas and difficulties arising from the management of low-grade brain tumours presenting with seizures.

Patient 1 suffered a generalised tonic-clonic seizure while driving. He attended the emergency room and had an unenhanced CT brain scan (figure 1). This showed a low density lesion in the right posterior frontal lobe. The lesion appeared to spare the grey matter but with a suspicion of vasogenic oedema and an underlying mass lesion; thus, contrast enhanced imaging was suggested.

Figure 1
Unenhanced CT brain scan from original presentation.

MRI of the brain, with and without gadolinium contrast, confirmed the suspicion of an underlying mass lesion (figure 2). The absence of contrast enhancement was felt to be consistent with an underlying low-grade glioma. On further questioning, the patient described several previous episodes of transient left arm dysfunction and also a subtle change in personality over the preceding months. Neurological examination was completely normal.

Figure 2
MRI with gadolinium showing mass lesion in right frontal lobe.

This patient has had one clear seizure and several other episodes that may have been partial-onset seizures, and abnormal brain imaging suggesting a possible low-grade brain tumour. How would you manage this patient now?

To answer this question you need an idea of what is likely to happen if no intervention is carried out, that is, what is the natural history of low-grade brain tumours?

Although survival from low-grade brain tumours is much better …


Acquisition of extensive current measurements in tide dominated environments in order to predict sediment transport is difficult and expensive. In addition, instantaneous transport rates predicted from different sediment transport equations often disagree by several orders of magnitude. Therefore, a numerical model was applied to a shallow inlet-basin system in order to make long-term predictions of currents and bed shear needed to integrate instantaneous sediment transport predictions and provide realistic estimates of net transport patterns. After calibration of the model, good agreement between observed and predicted tides and currents was obtained. Five empirical sediment transport equations were then coupled to the numerical model in order to compare the rang-e of predicted sediment transport rates within the study area. The transport rates predicted from the five different equations integrated over two spring-neap cycles result in largely flood-directed net sediment transport rates that are within one order of magnitude. The predicted net sediment transport pattern agrees well with observed conditions showing convergence of transport in shoaling- areas and divergence in erosional areas.


The Five Aspect Meal Model (FAMM) has been widely used at the Institution of Restaurant and Culinary Arts, Orebro University, Sweden, not only for developing meal services in restaurants but also for formulating research questions. The aim of the present paper was to highlight research projects focused on the product aspect of FAMM. Important research fields are the sensory quality of food and meal, and the responsibility of the restaurants and their contribution to a better welfare. Meal service, including ready meals, is a growing sector within the food industry, with important research questions concerning consumers' needs and wishes. To further develop the research on Culinary Arts and Meals Science discipline, a broad perspective on the meal is useful. Research questions based upon FAMM, where the entirety of the meal is studied, present an interesting challenge for the future.


Steve Erickson is a visionary novelist whose time has come. Considered by many the secret heir to Pynchon and DeLillo, he has steadily acquired a passionate following of readers over the course of five previous novels. Now, with "The Sea Came at Midnight," Erickson delivers a masterwork of intense feeling, scope and power--an intimate epic of late twentieth-century civilization in free fall, an unforgettable young woman's revelation amid the ruins.In the final seconds of the old millennium, 1,999 women and children march off the edge of a cliff in Northern California, urged on by a cult of silent men in white robes. Kristin was meant to be the two-thousandth to fall. But when at the last moment she flees, she exchanges one dark destiny for a future that will unravel the present.Answering a cryptic personals ad for a woman "at the end of her rope," Kristin finds temporary haven in the Hollywood Hills with an older, unnamed man as obsessed as he is spiritually ravaged. In a locked room at the bottom of his house, he labors over his life's work: a massive blue calendar the size of a tsunami that measures modern time by the events of chaos and pinpoints the true beginning of the new millenium as not midnight December 31, 1999, but the early hours of one May morning in 1968. This calendar is shot through with the threads of other lives-those searching for a small measure of redemption and an answer to the question, "What's missing from the world?"From a ritual sacrifice in the name of salvation to a ritual sacrifice in the name of pleasure, from an ancient haunted Celtic tower in Brittany to the revolving memory hotels of Tokyo, from a cinematic hoax in Manhattan that costs fivewomen their lives to a mysterious bloodstained set of coordinates tacked to the wall of an abandoned San Francisco penthouse, "The Sea Came at Midnight" is a breathtaking literary dance of fate and coincidence. And, unknown even to her, at the center of that dance is the seventeen-year-old.


An unusual type of orchestration sometimes called violons en basse is encountered in arias by French Baroque composers, including Couperin, Campra, and Rameau. In such pieces, the basse continue line is played by violins or violas notated in a high clef; the solo voice and any additional obbligato instruments remain in the treble register as well. This phenomenon has gone practically unnoticed by modern scholars and was seemingly unremarked upon by writers of the time, despite the striking color and lightness that it entails. A study of the texts of the arias in which violons are used en basse suggests that there are identifiable allegorical associations implicit in such pieces, and that they were clear to listeners of the time. Perhaps the most important and most frequent reference is to the pastoral, which is invoked by the texts and musical settings of a number of the airs . The pastoral can also be linked to the themes of peace and quiet delights present in other texts. Another important association shared with the pastoral is innocence, which is often conjoined with the idea of youth; youth is directly referred to in some texts, and also through several personages who sing them, such as Cupid (a boy), Diana (depicted in mythology as eternally young), and Hebe (the personification of youth). By identifying the allegorical use of violons en basse , we are able to add another texture and sonority to the common musical language of topics that was central to 18th-century musical rhetoric.


Introduction Paediatric cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare condition (3 cases/million population), usually idiopathic. Traumatic head injury is a rare cause of this severe disease and no consensus exists regarding diagnosis and management of post-traumatic CVST. We describe the case of a patient with blunt head injury who developed sigmoid sinus and Internal Jugular Vein Thrombosis (IJVT), successfully treated with anticoagulation therapy (ACT). Case-Report A 14 years old boy, previously healthy, was brought to our ED because of an head trauma and transient loss of consciousness after a road traffic accident. On arrival he was conscious and irritated and needed sedation and oro-tracheal intubation. Immediate CT showed right temporo-parietal fracture with left fronto-parietal subarachoid hematoma. A 48 h CT revealed a worsening of right temporal hematoma and an hyperdensity area at the right sigmoid sinus suggestive of CVST, confirmed by CT venography as venous thrombosis of sigmoid sinus and IJV. His coagulation profile was normal. The patient started immediately Low Molecular Weight Heparin therapy, continued for three months. The MRI after two weeks of ACT was normal. He was discharged after 27 days without any neurological deficit. Conclusion Our report demonstrates importance of suspicion for CVST in head trauma, especially in those with high energy trauma or focal lesion, in which the neurological status cannot be monitored. The early diagnosis may permit to start an appropriated ACT, that is probably effective in reducing the risk of death and sequelae, if started early, during the acute phase.


Veterinary medicine is in a period of innovation with respect to the diagnostic methods, mainly in the field of Diagnostic Imaging. This has considerably developed, leaning on techniques increasingly sophisticated, modern and secure, allowing the veterinarian aid and essential informations for a more complete, secure and efficient diagnostic. Already in animal production, the use of new technologies such as infrared thermography arise, among other applications, as an alternative to define the impact of environmental factors by supporting the decision and promoting health and welfare animal. With the importance that animal welfare has assumed in various fields of veterinary medicine, animal production and also in scientific research in the area, it has become essential to use non-invasive techniques and equipment that appreciate by this welfare and the animal comfort, highlighting thus the infrared thermography. Thus, the study aimed to compile data and diverse informations constants in the national and international literature about the use of infrared thermography in veterinary medicine and animal production. It can be inferred through study, that infrared thermography is a technology that can be applied in various fields of veterinary medicine and animal production, with great effectiveness and utilization in different objectives with the most different species being an important alternative for performing obtaining data with accuracy and precision preserving the welfare and animal comfort.


In the final days of the Mongol conquest of Jin, the Song Empire chose to ally itself with the Mongols and together besieged the last strongholds of Jin resistance. In the years following the destruction of Jin, Song-Mongol relations deteriorated into open hostility and a prolonged campaign of conquest. This paper investigates the initial Song perception and representation of the Mongols in the years prior to and immediately after the fall of Jin. By analyzing topical and thematic elements of two key texts of the period, Mengda beilu (1221) and Heida shilue (1237) certain hallmarks of perceived Mongol identity become apparent. Additionally, the historical context of the texts provides possible motives behind the formation and modification of Mongol identity within the Song. The results of this study show that the Mongols may have been initially perceived in a positive light, and that this positive Mongol image served varying functions within Song society.


Introduction: Severe omphalitis in adults is rare and can be caused by both congenital and acquired etiologies. We are reporting an impacted self-foreign-body in omphalitis case induced by accumulated keratin fragments. Case: A 28-year-old overweight male presented with a 3-day history of persistent purulent umbilical discharge with a remittent fever a few days before, constant abdominal tenderness with edema and erythema around navel area. There were no other GIT-related symptoms. He was given oral antibiotics, which showed no improvement. Upon surgery, we examined deep umbilical cavity without urachal connection to the navel. From the umbilical cavity scooped out multiple polypoid umbolith debris. Histopathologic examination revealed pyogenic granuloma with numerous keratin fragments without any foreign bodies. Conclusion: An impacted and infected self-foreign-body may be a cause of omphalitis in adults and could lead to severe and wide-spread infection if left untreated.


This work evaluated the effect of temperature on headspace solid-phase microextraction of volatile and furanic compounds in coated fish sticks. The major goal was the analysis of the samples as consumed, to reproduce volatile compounds people feel when consuming those products. Extraction at 37 oC (the human body temperature) throughout the HS-SPME analysis of volatile and furanic compounds in coated fish was compared with higher extraction temperatures, which are frequently used for this kind of determinations. The profile of volatile compounds found in deep- fried (F) and non-fried (NF) coated fish at 37 and 50 oC was different from that obtained at 80 oC. Concerning furan and its derivatives, an extra formation of these compounds was observed at higher extraction temperatures. The analysis of volatile and furanic compounds in fish coated sticks simulating the cooking and eating conditions can be reliably carried out setting the headspace absorption temperature at 37 oC. Keywords—analysis of samples as consumed, fish coated sticks, furans, headspace extraction temperature, volatiles.


The main aim of paper is to introduce the results of research concentrated on controlling remotely operated underwater vehicle using artificial neural networks. Firstly the mathematical basis of neural network using to control dynamical object were introduced. Next the proposed control system which is using technology of artificial neural network was presented. At the end the example results of research on stabilizing movements' parameters of underwater vehicle using ROV simulator were presented. The paper is finished by summary which include conclusions derive from results of research.


Nucleation of oriented diamond particles on cobalt substrates has been achieved by a multistep, hot‐filament chemical vapor deposition process, which involves seeding, annealing, nucleation, and then growth. The substrates were seeded with either diamond powders, graphite powders, or gaseous carbon species. Scanning electron microscopy showed that 〈111〉 oriented diamond particles were obtained on 〈0001〉 oriented single crystal cobalt substrates. Micro‐Raman indicated that the quality of the diamond grown on the cobalt substrate was high, with a full width at half maximum of 4.3 cm−1. A very weak graphitic peak was observed on regions of the substrate not covered by the diamond particles, indicating that graphite codeposition was significantly suppressed. Scanning Auger depth profile analysis was done to characterize the diamond nucleation. Based on the experimental observations, a nucleation model is proposed.


Salmonella enterica is a facultative intracellular pathogen of worldwide importance. Infections may present in a variety of ways, from asymptomatic colonization to inflammatory diarrhoea or typhoid fever depending on serovar- and host-specific factors. Human diarrhoeal infections are frequently acquired via the food chain and farm environment by virtue of the ability of selected non-typhoidal serovars to colonize the intestines of food-producing animals and contaminate the avian reproductive tract and egg. Colonization of reservoir hosts often occurs in the absence of clinical symptoms; however, some S. enterica serovars threaten animal health owing to their ability to cause acute enteritis or translocate from the intestines to other organs causing fever, septicaemia and abortion. Despite the availability of complete genome sequences of isolates representing several serovars, the molecular mechanisms underlying Salmonella colonization, pathogenesis and transmission in reservoir hosts remain ill-defined. Here we review current knowledge of the bacterial factors influencing colonization of food-producing animals by Salmonella and the basis of host range, differential virulence and zoonotic potential.


Based on the results published recently [SciPost Phys. 7, 026
(2019)], the influence of surfaces and boundary fields are calculated
for the ferromagnetic anisotropic square lattice Ising model on finite
lattices as well as in the finite-size scaling limit. Starting with the
open cylinder, we independently apply boundary fields on both sides
which can be either homogeneous or staggered, representing different
combinations of boundary conditions. We confirm several predictions from
scaling theory, conformal field theory and renormalisation group theory:
we explicitly show that anisotropic couplings enter the scaling
functions through a generalised aspect ratio, and demonstrate that open
and staggered boundary conditions are asymptotically equal in the
scaling regime. Furthermore, we examine the emergence of the surface
tension due to one antiperiodic boundary in the system in the presence
of symmetry breaking boundary fields, again for finite systems as well
as in the scaling limit. Finally, we extend our results to the
antiferromagnetic Ising model.


The D-α-thioctic acid content of the eye of the frog (Rana nigromaculata) was determined quantitatively. Outer segments of rods, whole retinas, and choroids contained, respectively 2.0, 8.6, and 13.0 m�g of D-α-thioctic acid per milligram (dry weight). DL-a-Thioctic acid had no accelerating effect on the regeneration of rhodopsin in vivo.


Section 1: Introduction 1.1 Introduction: Knowledge translation-What it is and what it isn t Sharon E. Straus, Jacqueline Tetroe, and Ian D. Graham 1.2 Integrated Knowledge Translation Sarah Bowen and Ian D. Graham Section 2: Knowledge Creation 2.0 Introduction-The K in KT: Knowledge Creation Sharon E. Straus 2.1 Knowledge Synthesis Andrea C. Tricco, Jennifer Tetzlaff, and David Moher 2.2 Knowledge Translation Tools Melissa C. Brouwers, Annette M. O Connor, and Dawn Stacey 2.3 Searching for Research Findings and KT Literature K. Ann McKibbon and Cynthia Lokker 2.4 Knowledge Dissemination: End of Grant Knowledge Transfer Ian D. Graham, Jacqueline M. Tetroe, and Michelle Gagnon Section 3: The Action Cycle 3.0 Introduction Sharon E. Straus 3.1 Identifying the knowledge to action gaps Alison L Kitson and Sharon E. Straus 3.2 Adapting knowledge to a local context Margaret B. Harrison, Ian D. Graham, Beatrice Fervers, and Joan van den Hoek Subsection 3.3: Barriers 3.3.a Barriers and facilitators strategies for identification and measurement France Legare and Peng Zhang 3.3.b Selecting and tailoring Knowledge Translation interventions Mapping KT interventions to barriers and facilitators Heather Colquhoun, Jeremy Grimshaw, and Michel Wensing Subsection 3.4: Selecting KT Interventions 3.4.a Developing and selecting Knowledge Translation interventions Michel Wensing, Marije Bosch, and Richard Grol 3.4.b Formal educational interventions Dave Davis, Nancy Davis, and Nathan Johnson 3.4.c Linkage and Exchange Interventions Ann C. Macaulay and Jonathan Salsberg 3.4.d Audit and feedback interventions Robbie Foy and Martin Eccles 3.4.e Informatics interventions Samir Gupta and K. Ann McKibbon 3.4.f Patient-direct and Patient-mediated KT Interventions Dawn Stacey and Sophie Hill 3.4.g Organisational interventions Ewan B. Ferlie 3.4.h Shared decision making France Legare and Peng Zhang 3.4.i Financial incentive interventions Gerd Flodgren, Martin P. Eccles, Anthony Scott, and Sasha Shepperd 3.5 Monitoring knowledge use and evaluating outcomes Sharon E. Straus, Jacqueline Tetroe, Onil Bhattacharyya, Merrick Zwarenstein, and Ian D. Graham 3.6 Sustaining knowledge use Barbara Davies and Nancy Edwards Subsection 3.7 Case examples 3.7.a An Integrated Knowledge Translation Research Approach in Wound Care Ian D. Graham and Margaret B. Harrison 3.7.b Tips on implementation Judith A. Ritchie Section 4: Theories and Models of Knowledge to Action 4.1 Planned action theories Ian D. Graham, Jacqueline Tetroe, and the KT Theories Group 4.2 Cognitive psychology theories of change in provider behavior Alison M. Hutchinson and Carole A. Estabrooks 4.3 Educational theories Alison M. Hutchinson and Carole A. Estabrooks 4.4 Organizational theories Jean-Louis Denis and Pascale Lehoux 4.5 Quality improvement Anne Sales Section 5: Evaluation of Knowledge to Action 5.1 Methodologies to Evaluate Effectiveness of Knowledge Translation Interventions Onil Bhattacharyya, Leigh Hayden, and Merrick Zwarenstein 5.2 Economic evaluation of KTI Emma Quinn, Craig Mitton and Jeanette Ward Section 6: Ethics 6.1 Ethics in the Science Lifecycle: Broadening the Scope of Ethical Analysis Kristiann Allen and Jaime Flamenbaum 6.2 Ethical Issues in Cluster-Randomized Trials in Knowledge Translation Monica Taljaard, Charles Weijer, and Jeremy M. Grimshaw Index


Microwave circulators play an important role in quantum technology based on superconducting circuits. The conventional circulator design, which employs ferrite materials, is bulky and involves strong magnetic fields, rendering it unsuitable for integration on superconducting chips. One promising design for an on-chip superconducting circulator is based on a passive Josephson-junction ring. In this paper, we consider two operational issues for such a device: circuit tuning and the effects of quasiparticle tunneling. We compute the scattering matrix using adiabatic elimination and derive the parameter constraints to achieve optimal circulation. We then numerically optimize the circulator performance over the full set of external control parameters, including gate voltages and flux bias, to demonstrate that this multi-dimensional optimization converges quickly to find optimal working points. We also consider the possibility of quasiparticle tunneling in the circulator ring and how it affects signal circulation. Our results form the basis for practical operation of a passive on-chip superconducting circulator made from a ring of Josephson junctions.


This paper presents the results of an experimental and theoretical study of the stability and protection of small test coil assemblies wound with second-generation (2G) high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires. The study, conducted as a part of the efforts to improve the design and applicability of YBCO wire technology to real-life power devices, such as magnets, focused on two specific issues: 1) internal voltage developed within the winding resulting from a spatially nonuniform normal zone in a coil that is effectively short-circuited across its terminals; and 2) detection of a localized ldquohot spotrdquo with acoustic emission (AE) signals to complement the usual resistive voltage technique. Each test coil assembly, a stack of four single YBCO pancakes electrically connected in series and shunted by a ldquopersistent-moderdquo switch, simulated a power-supply driven magnet a moment after a quench zone appeared within the winding. A heater was incorporated into each pancake coil to drive 25% (one pancake), 50%, 75%, or 100% (four pancakes) of the test coil assembly. Measured internal voltages arising from different quench sizes and distributions are compared with the results of the simulation. ldquoHot-spotrdquo induced AE signals are also presented on a single coil to determine if AE signals may be useful to facilitate the early detection of a normal zone in HTS windings.


Producing cost effective graphene remains difficult and is a large barrier to the material realising its full potential. Current techniques are either very expensive to scale requiring high temperatures and low pressures, or produce a product not suitable for many of the big marquee applications in electronics. This document proposes developments on the chemical vapour deposition process of producing graphene by using high surface area templating material. This allows the synthesis of larger quantities of high quality graphene.

The added benefits of the methods proposed here is an increased control in the morphology of the produced graphene. Studies have shown that changes in morphology of graphene have a large effect on the properties and allow for different applications.

In this document, four templating material are used to grow graphene. Two use a powdered catalyst of cobalt hydroxide hexagons and copper oxide cubes and both successfully catalyse and template the synthesis of carbon. On the cobalt hexagons, depending on conditions, curved graphitic materials would arrange into a hexagonal macrostructure or high quality graphene would be produced with little evidence of hexagonal shape. On the copper oxide cubes, three clear products could be produced depending on the conditions. Carbon nanofibers would either arrange themselves into cubes or fibrous "worm" like structures. Also thin carbon coatings could be produced on the cube.

The other two method were the templating the graphene on a foam template in order to synthesise graphene foams. Graphene foams have numerous applications including energy storage, gas storage and supports. The first method describes synthesis of graphene on a metal foam templated from a hydrogel. Two products were synthesised depending on the conditions - firstly a high quality graphene/graphite foam was synthesised. Also a foam macrostructure of closed graphitic structures was produced. The second method produced graphite foams from poly high internal phase emulsion template.


The aims of this study were to characterize and compare cold pressed and fully refined winterized corn oils. Free fatty acidity (FFA), peroxide (PV) and p-anisidin (p-AV) values, saponification number, total carotenoid and phenolic contents of cold pressed corn oils were higher than that of the refined winterized corn oils. Linoleic and oleic acids (approximately 53-54% and 30-31%, respectively) were detected as the major fatty acids in both oil samples. Fifteen different sterols with a majority of β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol were quantified in both oil samples. Although phenolic compounds were not quantified in the refined winterized oil samples, some flavonoids (hesperidin, rutin) and phenolic acids (gallic, syringic, rosmaniric and trans-ferulic) were detected in the cold pressed oil samples. This study concludes that cold pressed corn oils could be superior in terms of bioactive compounds but still need some quality improvements for sensory attributes.


Much research has supported the hypothesis that the perceptual system generates impressions of causality based on simple cues available in the environment. We review evidence that this extraction of causal relations from perceptual cues is likely an automatic property of the visual system akin to other basic perceptual processes, such as perceptual grouping and illusory contour completion. We posit that it is this automatic characteristic of perceptual causality that underlies the proliferation of context effects associated with perceived causal events. Here, the presence of a perceived causal relationship may impact the perception of other features of the causal stimulus and other stimuli surrounding the causal event. We discuss current research, and present future research directions that promise to uncover some of the mechanisms underlying how causality is attributed from, and changes how we perceive and respond to, simple low-level stimuli in the environment. Such research will enrich our understanding of how the perception of causally-relevant stimulus features interacts with their context to enable us to effectively perceive, understand, and act upon our environment.


Background Ovarian androgen overproduction is the key physiopathologic feature of polycystic ovary syndrome and the bulk of evidence points to the ovary being the source of excess androgens, which appears to result from an abnormal regulation (dysregulation) of steroidogenesis. Aromatase is an enzyme complex responsible for a key step in the biosynthesis of estrogen. It is encoded by CYP19. Objective To examine whether the rs2414096 of CYP19 gene contributes to genetic susceptibility to the polycystic ovary syndrome hyperandrogenism in Iraqi women. Methods A Case control study was conducted in the High Institute of Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Al-Nahrain University and Al-Nahrain Forensic DNA Unit, Baghdad, Iraq for the period from February 2012 to February 2013. Sixty-five healthy women serves as the control group and eighty-four infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome, divided into two subgroups depending on the body mass index (< and ≥30 kg/m2) were studied. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed to determine the genotypes of rs2414096 of CYP19. Clinical, anthropometric, hormonal and biochemical parameters were also estimated. Results Genotypic distribution of rs2414096 of CYP19 was significantly different in polycystic ovary syndrome patients from that of control women. The frequency of GG genotype was higher in the patients, while AA genotype was higher in control women. Those with GG genotype have lower estradiol, estradiol/testosterone and higher testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicular stimulating hormone than those with AA genotype. Conclusion The present data suggests that single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs2414096 in the CYP19 gene is associated with susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome hyperandrogenism in Iraqi women.


Objectives: Part I) To verify the effect of short-term training on reaching behavior in fullterm infants at the onset of reaching. Part II) To know the behavior of reaching, the reaching training protocols in full-term and preterm infants and to adjust these training for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: In Part I, it was conducted a randomized controlled trial. 30 healthy infants at 3-4 months of age (M =14.0 ±1.6 weeks of age) were randomly assigned to: 1) reaching training group; 2) social training group (control group). The infants were submitted into 3 assessments (kinematics and qualitative) at 45° reclined position (until 5 days after the onset of reaching): 1) Pre-training, before the first session of training; 2) Post-training 1, after the first session of training, at the same day; and 3) Posttraining 2, after three sessions of training, at the following day. To perform the reaching training and social training, the infants were submitted into three short-term sessions of training, one performed on the first day and the two performed on the second day. All infants were seated reclined 45° in the researcher's lap. The infants of training group received three activities of interaction with the object under serial practice (i.e.: ABC, ABC, ABC) in each session. The infants of social group received no reaching training or stimuli for their upper limbs of each session. The variables considered were: characterizing the sample, the total reaching frequency, distal adjustments (hand orientation, hand opening, and surface of the hand contact), and spatio-temporal variables (duration of movement, mean velocity, straightness index, deceleration index, and movement unit). In Part II, we performed a literature review on: the reaching behavior in infants with typical developmental, preterm infants and infants with CP from 0 to 2 years of age; the main techniques of reaching assessment; models of reaching training protocols (immediate and short-term effects) developed for full-term and preterm infants and; on a way of adjusting reaching training for children with CP in clinical practice. Results: In Part I, a training session was effective in increasing the number of reaches and the percentage of reaches with ventral hand, and decreasing the percentage of reaches with closed and dorsal hand. In addition, three training sessions resulted in changes in the spatio-temporal variables (with shorter and more fluent reachs) and increased the percentage of reaches with vertical hand. For Part II, it was highlighted the importance of determining immediate, short, medium and long term goals, planning the therapeutic procedures directed to the goals. In addition, to use and adapt existing training protocols to intervene in infants at risk and / or diagnosis of CP, and others. Conclusions: A few short training sessions under serial varied condiction were effective in improving the reaching performance, such as changes in the number of reaches, in distal adjustments and spatio-temporal reaching variables. These results reflect the flexibility of the perceptual-motor skills development and the important role of experience in the improvement of motor behavior in infants. Furthermore, to direct the interventions to the functional objectives and, to use and adapt existing training protocols, may provide to the professionals one more tool of intervention in infants at risk and / or established diagnosis of CP.


Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: This study aims to investigate the role of short-form video content (SVC) in the association between marketing capabilities, influencers, and business brand engagement performance. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data was collected from 146 business owners and managers of private businesses from the central business district areas of the lower northern province of Thailand. A partial least square structure equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis was performed to examine the proposed relationships. Research findings: The findings indicate that SVCs enabled brand engagement and resulted in increased satisfaction with the influencer experience. The study found a positive relationship between marketing capabilities, SVCs, influencers, and brand engagement performance. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study also contributes by providing empirical evidence of the mediation of short-form video content in the relationship between marketing capabilities and brand performance, thus suggesting that, in terms of the resource-based view (RBV), SVCs integrated with marketing capabilities contribute to fostering influencers to promote brand perception values into competitive advantage, while influencers are reaffirmed as having a positive impact on brand performance. Practitioner/Policy implications: This research also provides a practical outlook for businesses to better understand the adoption of SVCs at an initial stage and important practical implications for business entrepreneurs, managers, and practitioners regarding the use of SVCs to improve brand engagement performance. Research limitation: First, this study was limited by its focus on primary data collected using a survey approach. Therefore, future research may need to emphasise more subjective rather than objective research. Second, as this study focuses on top executives and higher levels of marketing managers, it could introduce potential biases. Further research, through the use of multiple informants (i.e., IT managers, lower-level frontline staff, etc.) in each business with well-rounded perspectives, could provide a deeper insight into the issues regarding such initiatives. Finally, more constructs related to the proposed research framework can be investigated.


Enhancing the performance of carbon-based anode materials in Li-ion battery (LIB) systems is of considerable interest in terms of next-generation LIB host electrodes, because the unique reversible intercalation–de-intercalation process of such materials ultimately facilitates increases in LIB performance and longevity. This study explored the potential of a new class of carbon-based contorted hexabenzocoronene (c-HBC) as an anode material for high-performance LIB systems. The exploitation of the polymorphic crystalline nature of c-HBC resulted in successful development of a LIB anode based on a newly found crystal phase of trigonal R by solvent and subsequent thermal annealing. Our in-depth analysis based on cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, and computational investigation revealed further advantages of using contorted molecules in LIB systems. For instance, the resulting electrochemical characteristics using half-cell architecture clearly reflected single-stage Li insertion behavior associated with the large interspacing and short diffusion length of c-HBC molecule during the discharging process. In addition, the battery exhibited excellent rate capability and cycle endurance, highlighting the suitability of c-HBC as an anode material for high-performance LIBs.


Access to the information you need to meet the infection prevention challenges ahead. • One year subscription to Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology • Online access to Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology • Monthly newsletter with abstracts of scientific journal articles and current events • Online job board • Online member search • Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) opportunities


The ColEl Rom protein contributes to copy number control by affecting the rate of formation of a complex between RNA II, the precursor of the primer for DNA replication, and RNA I, a small RNA complementary to the 5' end of RNA II. Interaction of RNA I with RNA II can affect plasmid copy number by preventing primer formation. Although the RNA I and RNA II tran- scripts have been well characterized, the rom mRNA has not previously been detected. We have now identified the rom mRNA, and determined its start site both in vitro and in vivo. We also have found that the rom mRNA terminates at any of several sites, and that its synthesis is not autoregulated by the Rom protein. By using an internal standard RNA to estimate the efficiency of detection of the rom mRNA, its level was determined to be about 1 molecule per cell.


Abstract. Some results of ULF magnetic field observation at Karimshino site (Kamchatka, Russia) since June 2000 to September 2001 are presented here. Using case study we have found an effect of suppression of ULF intensity about 2–6 days before rather strong and nearby seismic shocks (magnitude M = 4.0 – 6.2). It is revealed for nighttime and horizontal component of ULF field (G) in the frequency range 0.01 – 0.1 Hz. Then we prove the reliability of the effect by computed correlation between G (or 1/G) and specially calculated seismic indexes Ks for the whole period of observation. Basing on the simple criteria we conclude that reliability of seismo-associated ULF suppression effect is comparable with well-known effect of connection between ULF variation and Kp index of global magnetic activity. It seems the reason of suppression is located at the atmosphere or ionosphere but not in the ground medium.


Charles Mingus has left a profound impact on the world of jazz. His career began in the early 1940s as a bassist in the Los Angeles area. As an instrumentalist his skill was unmatched. He quickly gained a national reputation that afforded him the opportunity to work with early jazz greats, such as Louis Armstrong and Kid Ory, contemporaries such as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, and modern stars such as John Faddis and Toshiko Akioshi. In addition to his ability as a bassist, Mingus was a prolific composer. His creative output is often compared to the music of Duke Ellington. He continued to write music until he fell victim to Lou Gehrig's disease in 1979. Through the efforts of his widow, Susan Graham Mingus, his music is still performed today. This paper is an examination of Mingus' life and music through his life, the people with whom he was acquainted, and the music that he was a part of. Among the topics explored are individuals who had an impact on his life such as Simon Rodia, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Britt Woodman and Buddy Collette. It will also illuminate Mingus' philosophical beliefs by examining his experiences with Christianity and Hinduism. Finally, the paper systematically discusses parts of his career including his early recordings in rhythm and blues, big band, and small ensemble works, and examines his compositional style in order to facilitate a greater understanding of the origins of his later works.


The patterns of spread of the three exotic species Solidago altissima L., S. gigantea Ait. and S. graminifolia (L.) Salisb. after their introduction to Europe were investigated, based on herbarium specimens and literature records. The spread was analysed by mapping the localities for each decade since 1850. Cumulative numbers of localities as well as numbers of occupied grid squares showed a continuous increase since 1850 for all three species. The slopes, however, were significantly different among the species. Solidago gigantea had the highest colonization rate, followed by S. altissima, and finally S. graminifolia. The latter showed only a slight increase in abundance over time. The increase in diameter of the range in central Europe was logistic for S. altissima and S. gigantea with a rapid increase between 1850 and 1880. The spread of the species in area and time over Europe showed no clear front; new localities at large distances were simultaneously colonized. A large part of the actual range of S. altissima and S. gigantea was already achieved about 1950. It is assumed that the spread of the species followed the hierarchical diffusion model with several independent foci from which the species began to spread. The data suggest that S. altissima and S. gigantea will successfully spread further, leading to an increase in abundance and area, while S. graminifolia seems to spread slowly.


So far, the problem of positioning and distance measurements in wireless networks has been studied in a non-adversarial setting. In this work, we analyze the resistance of positioning techniques to position and distance modification attacks; we propose two mechanisms for the position verification, based on multilateration and Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA) techniques. We further propose two mechanisms for verification of nodes' mutual distances; we base these mechanisms on GPS and radar technologies. In our mechanisms, we make use of conventional distance estimation and cryptographic techniques.


The use of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against tumor-associated antigens for targeting of photosensitizers is an interesting option to improve the selectivity of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Hydrophilic photosensitizers are most suitable for conjugation to MAbs because of their water solubility. The photosensitizer aluminum (III) phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate [AlPc(SO3H)4] has many ideal photochemical properties; however, because of its hydrophilicity, the free form of this sensitizer does not readily reach the critical intracellular target and, therefore, is ineffective in PDT. On the basis of our previous studies, we hypothesized that AlPc(SO3H)4 might be suitable for PDT when coupled to internalizing tumor-selective MAbs. In this study, a reproducible procedure is presented for coupling of AlPc(SO3H)4 to MAbs via the tetra-glycine derivative AlPc(SO2Ngly)4. Conjugation was performed to chimeric MAb (cMAb) U36 and murine MAbs (mMAb) E48 and 425 using a labile ester. Conjugates showed preservation of integrity and immunoreactivity and full stability in serum in vitro. At molar ratios >4, the solubility of the conjugates decreased. Data on the in vitro efficacy of PDT showed that in the chosen experimental setup the internalizing AlPc(SO2Ngly)4-mMAb 425 conjugate was about 7500 times more toxic to A431 cells than the free sensitizer (IC50s, 0.12 nM versus 900 nM). The AlPc(SO2Ngly)4-mMAb 425 conjugate was also more toxic than meta-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin-mMAb 425 conjugates and free meta-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin that had been tested previously (M. B. Vrouenraets et al., Cancer Res., 59: 1505-1513, 1999) in the same system (IC50s, 7.3 nm and 2.0 nM, respectively). Biodistribution analysis of AlPc(SO2Ngly)4-125I-labeled cMAb U36 conjugates with different sensitizer:MAb ratios in squamous cell carcinoma-bearing nude mice revealed selective accumulation in the tumor, although to a lesser extent than for the unconjugated 125I-labeled cMAb U36, whereas tumor:blood ratios were similar. These findings indicate that AlPc(SO3H)4 has high potential for use in PDT when coupled to internalizing tumor-selective MAbs.


Previous studies have proposed a variety of mechanisms by which attention influences neuronal activity. Here we investigated the mechanisms of attention in the striate cortex of monkeys performing a spatial or an object based attention task at various stimulus contrasts and compared neuronal contrast response functions with and without attention. Our data are best described by an additive interaction: the influence of attention on the neuronal response is relatively independent of the stimulus contrast, at least when the stimulus has enough contrast to become visible. This shows that attention adds to the neuronal responses in a largely contrast invariant manner. These data support recent fMRI studies, and suggest that feedback from higher areas exerts a constant attentional drive that is mostly task not stimulus driven.


This paper is concerned with the following problem: Given a stochastic non-linear system controlled over a noisy channel, what is the largest class of channels for which there exist coding and control policies so that the closed loop system is stochastically stable? Stochastic stability notions considered are stationarity, ergodicity or asymptotic mean stationarity. We do not restrict the state space to be compact, for example systems considered can be driven by unbounded noise. Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for a large class of systems and channels. A generalization of Bode's Integral Formula for a large class of non-linear systems and information channels is obtained.


Osteosarcoma (OS) has highly unstable genome and therefore its analysis is still challenging and our knowledge about the OS is limited. In the present study we analysed whole transcriptome (RNA-seq) in eighteen tumour-normal paired samples collected in the Hue University Hospital, Vietnam. We extracted total RNA from the bone tissue and performed paired-end RNA sequencing with SOLID 5500W system. Raw reads were mapped against human genome version hg19 using Lifecsope software. Mapping identified 21632 genes to be transcribed in our samples. After pairwise comparison between tumour and normal tissue we found 4092 (19%) genes were up-regulated and 2683 (12%) genes were down-regulated in tumour with the FDR adjusted p-value below 0.1. The most significantly down-regulated genes were BTNL9, DNASE1L3, CAMP, LEPR. They had logFC 1.4....1.5. The most up-regulated genes were COL11A1, COL2A1, COL10A1, TGFBI, TREM2. They had logFC 1.5...1.3 with. The differentially expressed genes with the lowest adjusted p-values were BTNL9, MMP14, ABCA10, ACACB and COL11A1. BTNL9 is butyrophilin-like 9 gene and its function is very poorly known. One recent study found significant association between germline missense variants in the BTNL2 gene and prostate cancer. BTNL genes are important in inflammation and immunity. Up-regulation of MMP14 and different collagen genes indicates the reorganisation of extracellular matrix. Indeed, when reapplied reactome tool to analyse for enrichment of molecular pathways, we found significant enrichment of "collagen degradation", degradation of extracellular matrix" and "extracellular matrix organisation" pathways. In conclusion, we were able to describe the transcriptome of the OS and its functional significance.


Background : Bullying was still one of the problems that afflicts teenagers with a large enough incidence and has a devastating effect on the developmental period. Goal:  This research was aimed to detect bullying behavior in adolescent class IX SMPN 1 Pare, Kediri Method. The research design used in this research is descriptive research design with the total population of 280 respondents obtained by total sampling technique. Data were collected by questionnaire of physical bullying behavior, verbal bullying behavior, and behavior of psychological bullying that have been modified by the researcher and have tested the validity and reliability. Result: Almost all respondents behaved physically, verbal and psychological bullying in the medium category. Several factors that play a role in the behavioral categories such as; parents, the environment, school climate and culture that can control adolescents in determining attitudes and behaviors, so that adolescents are still in bullying behavior with the medium category. Discuss: Bullying behavior in school can be a juvenile delinquency as well as retaliation for the treatment that has been received from a senior before. In the era of education that has been advanced and civilized as it is today, should the number of occurrences of bullying in very low category or not happen at all. Conclusion: To reduce the incidence of bullying behavior, early prevention is needed such as health counseling of adolescents, parents, and the environment against the dangers of bullying behavior, as well as the detection of bullying behavior on a regular basis.


baby of being born under water. I just stressed that "in any hospital where a pool is in daily use, birth under water is bound to happen now and then" even if 'it may not be intentional". Charkovsky is presented as a Russian obstetrician. Charkowsky is neither qualified physician nor qualified midwife. To illustrate the fact that M. Rosenthal is the person with the best documented experience a series of 400 births reported by L. K. Church (1989) is mentioned. To update the readers we should add that in 1991, Rosenthal analysed his experience of 679 births under water (Rosenthal 1991).


Janus kinase-2 (JAK2) conveys receptor-binding signals by several inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, via phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). We demonstrate that selective JAK2 inhibition by TG101348 during initial encounters between human T cells and allogeneic monocyte-derived dendritic cells induces durable, profound, and specific T-cell tolerance upon reexposure to the same alloantigens. Subsequent responses by nonalloreactive T cells to stimulation de novo by a pathogenic nominal antigen remain intact. TG101348 also suppresses primed T-cell responses when present only during alloantigen restimulation. TG101348 ablates IL-6/JAK2-mediated phosphorylation of STAT3, but has no off-target effects on IL-2 or IL-15/JAK3/pSTAT5-dependent signaling, which sustain the responses of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and other effector T cells. JAK2 inhibition preserves Treg numbers and thereby enhances the ratio of CD4(+) Tregs to CD8(+)CD25(+) effector T cells in favor of Tregs. JAK2 inhibition also reduces the production of IL-6 and TNF-α in allogeneic MLRs, impairing the activation of central and effector memory T cells as well as the expansion of responder Th1 and Th17 cells. While we have reported the limitations of isolated IL-6R-α inhibition on dendritic cell-stimulated alloreactivity, we demonstrate here that JAK2 represents a relevant biologic target for controlling GVHD or allograft rejection without broader immune impairment.


A spectrofluorometric method for determination of pyronaridine (2-methoxy-7-chloro-10-[3',5'-bis(pyrrolidinyl-1-methyl)-hydroxy-anilino]benzo[b]-1,5-naphthyridine tetraphosphate; PND) was established in biological samples and water solution. PND in the samples was extracted with n-heptane/isoamyl alcohol (98/2, vol/vol) at pH 10-11. After back-extraction into 0.1 N NaOH, and then placed in a bath of 60 degrees for 15 min. The fluorescence of the extract with n-heptane/isoamyl alcohol from the heated NaOH solution was measured at 394 and 458 nm. The fluorescence was linear with PND concentrations over the range of 10-1000 ng/mL. The overall recovery from rabbit whole blood, plasma, urine, liver homogenate, and water solution was 100+/-4% with a detectable limit of 10 ng/ml. the fluorescent spectra and TLC analysis showed that the method was specific for determination of unchanged PND in the biological samples. The assay was precise as indicated by a SD being 10.9 ng/ml, and coefficient of variation 4.7% estimated from 35 determinations. The reproducibility was assessed by 7 successive runs for 2 blood samples, and the values obtained were 183+/-4 ng/ml with a coefficient of variation 2.0%, and 345+/-12 ng/ml, 3.4%. Rabbit blood concentration after ig 30 mg/kg was followed up to d 13 using this method.


Objective: To analyze educational placement settings of Israeli children with cochlear implants (CIs) and evaluate the prognostic influence of the following demographic variables on mainstreaming: age at implantation, experience with CI, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and parents' educational level. Study Design: Retrospective review. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Participants: The study population comprised 245 children with severe-to-profound hearing impairment and at least 1 year of experience with a unilateral CI. Mean age at implantation was 4.5 ± 3.9 years, and mean duration of CI use was 5.4 ± 2.8 years. Intervention: Follow-up review and statistical analysis of available data on educational placement after cochlear implantation. Main Outcome Measure: Placement in mainstream education. Results: Regular schools were attended by 89 children (36.3%) and special education schools by 156 (63.7%). Variables found to be significantly associated with mainstream educational placement were younger age at implantation, higher level of parental education, higher socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model revealed that the factor with the highest positive correlation with mainstreaming was parental education level. Conclusion: Our results show that parental education, a variable that the health system cannot control, significantly influences postimplantation results in term of educational placement and can thus limit the chances of implanted children to achieve mainstream placement even when identified and implanted at an early age.


BACKGROUND
There has been some concern that exposure to electromagnetic fields may cause birth defects. We studied risks of birth defects by residential exposure to 50-Hz magnetic fields from power lines.

METHODS
We estimated the distance between residence and power lines for 161,844 Norwegian residences, and their corresponding magnetic fields in the period 1980 to 1997. Risks of 24 categories of birth defects were compared across exposure levels, adjusting for social and demographic variables.

RESULTS
Among those living near power lines, the greatest reductions in risk were for cardiac defects (odds ratio = 0.5; 95% confidence interval = 0.3-0.9) and respiratory defects (0.4; 0.2-0.9). The largest increase in risk was for esophageal defects (2.5; 1.0-5.9). Other associations were weaker and had wide confidence intervals.

CONCLUSIONS
There was little evidence that residence near power lines affected the risk of birth defects. The observed decreased risks of cardiac and respiratory defects and the increased risk of esophageal defects should be interpreted with caution given the number of endpoints, the imprecision in the calculations of the distance from the residence to the power line, and the limited information on pregnant women's change of residence.


This paper investigates the role of interaction and communication kinesics in human–robot interaction. This study is part of a novel research project on sign language (SL) tutoring through interaction games with humanoid robots. The main goal is to motivate the children with communication problems to understand and imitate the signs implemented by the robot using basic upper torso gestures and sound. We present an empirical and exploratory study investigating the effect of basic nonverbal gestures consisting of hand movements, body and face gestures expressed by a humanoid robot, and having comprehended the word, the participants will give relevant feedback in SL. This way the participant is both a passive observer and an active imitator throughout the learning process in different phases of the game. A five-fingered R3 robot platform and a three-fingered Nao H-25 robot are employed within the games. Vision-, sound-, touch- and motion-based cues are used for multimodal communication between the robot, child and therapist/parent within the study. This paper presents the preliminary results of the proposed game tested with adult participants. The aim is to evaluate the SL learning ability of participants from a robot, and compare different robot platforms within this setup.


This paper presents the results of initial work in developing an ontology for improving information exchange and automation in building system commissioning practices. In our previous research dealing with the derivation of product models from building commissioning process models, we found that there is a need to categorize and classify information items, which are available in commissioning process descriptions. In addition, the relationship between these items should be clearly defined to establish a topological relationship between items necessary for specifying product models. Ontology development is the way to categorize and classify domain knowledge information and items into inter-related concepts. Ontology assembles information in the form of concept hierarchies (taxonomies), axioms, and semantic relationships, which allow natural language to be presented unambiguously. A glossary (a lower form of ontology) specific to building commissioning tasks was developed as a first step. In the second step, an ontology for use in commissioning software applications was developed. EXISTING ONTOLOGIES IN AEC/FM


Background: The number of families who lost their only child is estimated to be 10 million by 2035. The parents who lost their only child are forced to endure psychological suffering and cope with elderly care problems alone. Long-term poor mental health can affect physical health and reduces the quality of life and well-being. Methods: Participants were selected using the method of combining stratified sampling with cluster sampling. The study used GDS and adopted a generalized linear regression model to investigate the parents who lost their only child in Anshun city, Guizhou province, China, to comprehensively and systematically explore the depression status and it's influencing factors of the parents. Results: The parents who lost their only child of different self-assessment of health status (P=0.004) and the number of chronic diseases (P=0.001) had different GDS scores. EQ-5D score(P=0.019) and SSRS score(P<0.001) were significantly associated with the depression of the parents who lost their only child. Conclusion: The parents who lost their only child is a high-risk group of depression, and targeted interventions should be carried out for them. The family doctor team should increase the frequency and content of serving them, and promptly manage their health. A diverse social support system should be built and consolidated for these parents.


ROC curve analysis is a fundamental tool for evaluating the performance of a marker in a number of research areas, e.g., biomedicine, bioinformatics, engineering etc., and is frequently used for discriminating cases from controls. There are a number of analysis tools which are used to guide researchers through their analysis. Some of these tools are commercial and provide basic methods for ROC curve analysis while others offer advanced analysis techniques and a command-based user interface, such as the R environment. The R environmentg includes comprehensive tools for ROC curve analysis; however, using a command-based interface might be challenging and time consuming when a quick evaluation is desired; especially for non-R users, physicians etc. Hence, a quick, comprehensive, free and easy-to-use analysis tool is required. For this purpose, we developed a user-friendly webtool based on the R language. This tool provides ROC statistics, graphical tools, optimal cutpoint calculation, comparison of several markers, and sample size estimation to support researchers in their decisions without writing R codes. easyROC can be used via any device with an internet connection independently of the operating system. The web interface of easyROC is constructed with the R package shiny. This tool is freely available through www.biosoft.hacettepe.edu.tr/easyROC.


In this study the mutual investigation of the results obtained from the mechanical stability properties and the IR spectra of polypropylene-based but differently doped low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and o-o-di-n-cresylditio phosphorous (CTPh) acid polymer composites is given. As opposed to the studies of the writers in recent years here, dynamical-mechanical properties are explained not only by the variations in the oxidation peaks but also by the optical density in the peaks of the variations in the groups in amorphous and crystalline regions. The properties are also explained by the spectra variations in the IR region, which, according to Mamedov (2), is important, and by the extreme variations of the polymer properties. IR spectra analyses show that for both composites, (1) the optical density of the peaks in the crystalline regions for LDPE decreases while for PP those of the peaks in the amorphous regions increase; (2) the optical density of the peaks belonging to the CC groups get higher, whereas those of the peaks 1717, 1748 cm−1 diminish; and (3) the dynamical-mechanical properties change accordingly, and these changed composites have the maximal characteristics, since the added amount is 0.2–0.3% CTPh by mass and 20–30%LDPE by mass. On the basis of the paper by Abdullayev et al. (3), the mechanism of these processes is given.


Urban growth and change in Downtown Toronto is proceeding at an unprecedented rate. While this is indicative of a robust economic climate and vibrant streetscape, the pace of this development presents a host challenges to City of Toronto as it attempts to maintain a high quality of life for its residents. This discussion considers quality of life in the context of growth related pressure Downtown Toronto at three difference scales, flowing from resident priorities expressed in two recent surveys of residents in high-density communities. Using a mixed methods research approach, primary survey data is complemented with key informant interviews. Discussion touches on issues of small living spaces, a perceived lack of diversity in housing options, the need for public realm enhancement, and the potential of the Development Permits System as a alternative planning framework to improve quality of life for current and future Downtown residents.


This study verifies the primal and dual approaches in presence of stochastic errors in output and input demands, and policy implications when such errors are not taken into account. A data set based on a representative agent behavior is created through Monte Carlo simulation and used to estimate econometrically the primal and dual functions associated to the technology chosen. Results show that both formulations are unbiased, consistent, and efficient. No consideration of these errors can lead to wrong policy recommendations in a productive sector. Any kind of policy created to improve the total production of a particular sector has to consider the issues so far discussed to avoid such bias problems and inefficiency before be applied to the real world.


Victim age polymorphism describes a subset of serial sexual offenders who offend against victims from multiple age groups (Guay, Proulx, Cusson, & Ouimet, 2001). Research on victim age polymorphism is an important area of study as polymorphic offenders have been found to have high recidivism rates (Parent, Guay, & Knight, 2011). The current study provided an exploration of polymorphism in 72 sexual offenders who committed 361 stranger offences. Polymorphism occurred in 36% of offenders' sexual offence series, with the majority of polymorphic offenders victimizing minors aged 11 to 14. In comparison to age specific offenders, polymorphic offenders were found to be a) younger at the start of their sexual offence series, b) more opportunistic, c) less concerned with victim characteristic, d) more likely to be antisocial, and e) a trend was observed that suggested they were more likely to show deviant arousal to rape. These results will be discussed within the contexts of Investigative and Forensic Psychology.


Relationship between gene-expression profile and function and phyletic origin in mouse
A microaaray analysis of mouse gene expression combined with the proteins functional and phyletic classification suggests that phyletic age (and not function) is the dominant factor shaping the expression profle of a protein.
 Abstract Background: The combination of complete genome sequence information with expression data enables us to characterize the relationship between a protein's evolutionary origin or functional category and its expression pattern. In this study, mouse proteins were assigned into functional and phyletic groups and the gene expression patterns of the different protein groupings were examined by microarray analysis in various mouse tissues. Results: Our results suggest that the proteins that are universally distributed in all tissues are predominantly enzymes and transporters. In contrast, the tissue-specific set is dominated by regulatory proteins (signal transduction and transcription factors). An


Mural cells (MCs) consisting of vascular smooth muscle cells and pericytes cover the endothelial cells (ECs) to regulate vascular stability and homeostasis. Here, we clarified the mechanism by which MCs develop and cover ECs by generating transgenic zebrafish lines that allow live imaging of MCs and by lineage tracing in vivo. To cover cranial vessels, MCs derived from either neural crest cells or mesoderm emerged around the preformed EC tubes, proliferated and migrated along EC tubes. During their migration, the MCs moved forward by extending their processes along the inter-EC junctions, suggesting a role for inter-EC junctions as a scaffold for MC migration. In the trunk vasculature, MCs derived from mesoderm covered the ventral side of the dorsal aorta (DA), but not the posterior cardinal vein. Furthermore, the MCs migrating from the DA or emerging around intersegmental vessels (ISVs) preferentially covered arterial ISVs rather than venous ISVs, indicating that MCs mostly cover arteries during vascular development. Thus, live imaging and lineage tracing enabled us to clarify precisely how MCs cover the EC tubes and to identify the origins of MCs. Highlighted article: Live imaging of mural cell dynamics in zebrafish shows how the mural cells develop and cover the endothelial cells during vascular development.


Antibody activity, especially that involved in the reaction of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), of five commercially available human gammaglobulin preparations (standard, pepsin-treated, plasmin-treated, polyethylene glycol-fractionated and S-sulfonated gammaglobulin) was measured. All these gammaglobulin preparations had high titers of hemagglutination inhibition and neutralizing antibody against measles virus. In ADCC reaction, the pepsin-treated gammaglobulin preparation showed no antibody activity. The standard gammaglobulin preparation showed weak activity only when highly diluted. The remaining three preparations showed high activity. Though the S-sulfonated gammaglobulin preparation showed no activity in ADCC reaction, it showed high activity after reconversion by means of oxidation and reduction in vitro. The plasmin-treated gammaglobulin preparation showed greater activity than the polyethylene glycol-fractionated preparation of the optimal concentration. In ADCC tests using the plasmin-treated gammaglobulin preparation, K cell activity was strongly inhibited by Hg (thimerosal), while, in those using the standard gammaglobulin preparation, the activity was hardly influenced by Hg, suggesting that the low ADCC activity of the standard gammaglobulin preparation of high concentrations was due to the inhibitory effect of aggregated immunoglobulin G molecules.


Abstract : The Port of Tokyo, once called Edo-Minato, is located in the inner part of the Bay of Tokyo and has a history of 500 years. The Port has been developed both to handle navigation traffic and to serve as a fishing area for the dents of Tokyo and adjacent cities. Since the Meiji age, the Port has played an important role as the main entrance to the city for commercial traffic. Environmental pollution of the bay, especially of the water quality, has been accelerated by industrial development and overcrowding (since 1955). Fishing activities were discontinued in 1962, marking the direct influence of pollution on the life of people around the bay. These circumstances prompted the design of the Tokyo Metropolitan Marine Park Project in December 1970, with the main objective of restoring the former conditions of the bay. Construction of the project began in 1972. The aim of the Kasai Marine Park is to function not only as a bathing resort and to stabilize the beach physically, but also to recover and maintain the natural environment around the park and to provide a recreation area for nearby residents by using refined techniques to construct an artificial beach.


Realism is often a primary goal in computer graphics imagery, and we strive to create images that are perceptually indistinguishable from an actual scene. Rendering systems can now closely approximate the physical distribution of light in an environment. However, physical accuracy does not guarantee that the displayed images will have authentic visual appearance. In recent years the emphasis in realistic image synthesis has begun to shift from the simulation of light in an environment to images that look as real as the physical environment they portray. In other words the computer image should be not only physically correct but also perceptually equivalent to the scene it represents. This implies aspects of the Human Visual System (HVS) must be considered if realism is required. Visual perception is employed in many different guises in graphics to achieve authenticity. Certain aspects of the visual system must be considered to identify the perceptual effects that a realistic rendering system must achieve in order to reproduce effectively a similar visual response to a real scene. This paper outlines the manner in which knowledge about visual perception is increasingly appearing in state‐of‐the‐art realistic image synthesis. After a brief overview of the HVS, this paper is organized into four sections, each exploring the use of perception in realistic image synthesis, each with slightly different emphasis and application. First, Tone Mapping Operators, which attempt to map the vast range of computed radiance values to the limited range of display values, are discussed. Then perception based image quality metrics, which aim to compare images on a perceptual rather than physical basis, are presented. These metrics can be used to evaluate, validate and compare imagery. Thirdly, perception driven rendering algorithms are described. These algorithms focus on embedding models of the HVS directly into global illumination computations in order to improve their efficiency. Finally, techniques for comparing computer graphics imagery against the real world scenes they represent are discussed.


This study was undertaken to determine the effect of the sterilization process and the age of the medium at the time of inoculation on the development of Clostridium botulinum type 62A. Whole milk was autoclaved at 121 C for 18 or 30 min and inoculated with C. botulinum so as to contain 2,000 to 5,000 spores per milliliter. No effort was made to remove dissolved oxygen or to reduce the oxidation-reduction (O/R) potential of the medium by adding sodium thioglycolate. A 3- and a 5-day-old medium were used to study the influence of aging. Eh determinations were made periodically on inoculated and uninoculated samples. Culture development was followed by use of an oval tube counting procedure. The technique used to sterilize the milk influenced the initial O/R potential as well as the autoreductive capacity of the medium. The initial Eh of whole milk sterilized in 500-ml volumes for 18 min was 234 mv. In milk sterilized for 30 min it was 192 mv. The lag phase was 7 days in the former and 5 days in the latter. The exponential growth phases were similar. Autoreduction occurred in sterilized milk. The Eh of uninoculated milk sterilized for 18 min decreased 45 mv in 6 days. In milk sterilized for 30 min the decrease was 63 mv. In milk inoculated 3 or 5 days after sterilization the lag phase was shorter than when the medium was inoculated within 2 hr after autoclaving, regardless of the sterilization procedure employed. The autoreductive property of sterilized whole milk plays a major role in the development of C. botulinum type 62A.


HIPCL is expanding the scope of the CUDA portability route from an AMD platform to an OpenCL platform. In the meantime, the Intel DPC++ Compatibility Tool (DPCT) is migrating a CUDA program to a data parallel C++ (DPC++) program. Towards the goal of portability enhancement, we evaluate the performance of the CUDA applications from Rodinia, SHOC, and proxy applications ported using HIPCL and DPCT on Intel GPUs. After profiling the ported programs, we aim to understand their performance gaps, and optimize codes converted by DPCT to improve their performance. The open-source repository for the CUDA, HIP, and DPCT programs will be useful for the development of a translator.