A growing number of applications that generate massive streams of data need intelligent data processing and online analysis. Real-time surveillance systems, telecommunication systems, sensor networks and other dynamic environments are such examples. The imminent need for turning such data into useful information and knowledge augments the development of systems, algorithms and frameworks that address streaming challenges. The storage, querying and mining of such data sets are highly computationally challenging tasks. Mining data streams is concerned with extracting knowledge structures represented in models and patterns in non stopping streams of information. Generally, two main challenges are designing fast mining methods for data streams and need to promptly detect changing concepts and data distribution because of highly dynamic nature of data streams. The goal of this article is to analyze and classify the application of diverse data mining techniques in different challenges of data stream mining. In this paper, we present the theoretical foundations of data stream analysis and propose an analytical framework for data stream mining techniques.


This dissertation presents the effect of peptide-modified 10 nm gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with chemotherapeutic drugs, bleomycin and cisplatin, and 2 Gy of 6 MV X-ray irradiation in MDA-MB-231 cells. The GNPs were modified with a peptide sequence containing an 'RGD' amino acid motif. Bleomycin binds to the surface of the GNPs through a thiol bond and cisplatin has no known significant interaction with the GNP surface.
No significant toxicity was induced by introducing GNPs to MDA-MB-231 cells at the 0.3 nM concentration used throughout this dissertation. The surface modification with 'RGD' peptides increased accumulation of the GNP constructs 6~7 fold compared to the unmodified counterparts. There was no significant difference in the accumulation of GNPs in the presence of bleomycin or cisplatin. These results suggest that the presence of chemotherapeutics do not affect the accumulation of peptide modified GNPs into cells.
The effect of having GNPs with chemotherapeutics was examined. The presence of GNPs with bleomycin decreased the survival of MDA-MB-231 cells by 18 ± 3 % compared to treatment with the same concentration of free bleomycin. Treating cells with GNPs and cisplatin did not have a significant difference in survival compared to the same concentration of free cisplatin treatment. This suggests that conjugating chemotherapeutics onto the GNPs can result in a more efficient
delivery of the drug. If the drug does not bind to the GNP surface, having GNPs in the media does not interfere with the uptake of the drug.
The effect of radiosensitization in the presence of GNPs was studied by incubating cells with 0.3 nM GNPs prior to irradiation with 2 Gy of 6 MV X-rays. The survival fraction decreased by 19 ± 6 % compared to the irradiated control condition.
Lastly, the triple combined effect of GNPs, chemotherapeutics, and irradiation was investigated. The presence of GNPs had an advantage to the combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Based on results from these studies, GNPs can be used in addition to combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy for improved outcomes in cancer treatment


Many soft materials and biological tissues comprise isotropic matrix reinforced by fibers in the characteristic directions. Hyperelastic constitutive equations for such materials are usually formulated in terms of a Lagrangian strain tensor referred to the initial configuration and Lagrangian structure tensors defining characteristic directions of anisotropy. Such equations are "pushed forward" to the current configuration. Obtained in this way, Eulerian constitutive equations are often favorable from both theoretical and computational standpoints. In the present note, we show that the described two-step procedure is not necessary, and anisotropic hyperelasticity can be introduced directly in terms of an Eulerian strain tensor and Eulerian structure tensors referring to the current configuration. The newly developed constitutive equation is applied to the particular case of the transverse isotropy for the sake of illustration. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4049077]


Author(s): Russell, Sara E. | Advisor(s): Ascoli, Albert R. | Abstract: AbstractCourtship, Violence, and the Formation of Marriage in the Early Modern Italian Novella TraditionbySara Elizabeth Christina RussellDoctor of Philosophy in Italian StudiesUniversity of California, BerkeleyProfessor Albert R. Ascoli, ChairThis dissertation examines the intersection of courtship, violence, and the formation of marriage in early modern Italian legal and fictional narratives. My investigation begins with the marriage causae of Gratian's Concordia discordantium canonum, more commonly known as the Decretum, then moves on to a selection of novellas from Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron and culminates in a series of close readings from Bandello's Novelle. My analysis of these texts reveals complexity and ambiguity in the representation of all stages of courtship and marriage formation in addition to depicting conflict between parents and offspring in the formation of marriage. Emphasizing the role of storytelling within canon law and the intrusion of legal systems (both real and fictional) into storytelling, my reading of coercion and violence is grounded in the broader historical context of courtship and marriage formation. This study comments on the changes in canon law on marriage between 1140 and the Council of Trent; during this span of time, the increasing attention paid to the will of both the man and the woman involved in a potential courtship or marriage called for the differentiation between forced sex and clandestine relationships. The works of Gratian, Boccaccio, and Bandello, written in the twelfth, fourteenth, and sixteenth century, respectively, suggest a movement toward a growing acceptance of the definition of marriage based on consent and an increasing differentiation between consent and coercion to sex, abduction, and marriage. Whereas other scholars have focused on identifying the narrators' or authors' attitudes or perspectives about women in general or violence more specifically, my dissertation undertakes the innovative task of analyzing the function of violence in relation to courtship and marriage. More specifically, I discuss the significance of Gratian's, Boccaccio's, and Bandello's depiction of the slippage between consent and coercion, which struggle against each other in these texts, yet remain so tightly interwoven that it is often difficult to untangle them. In the works of Gratian, Boccaccio and Bandello, the representation of coercion and violence underscores the importance of consent.


Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently report symptoms related to vestibular disorders in the course of their disease. At present, the fundamental tests assessing vestibulospinal involvement are posturography and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). While posturography cannot be performed in every subject requiring minimal stance control, VEMPs do not require any specific skill on the part of the subjects and they may be investigated in all patients able to sit. VEMPs were recorded for 40 patients (17 men, 23 women; mean age 38 years, range 17-71 years) fulfilling diagnostic criteria of clinically defined MS, by means of rarefaction clicks, recording modulation of sterno-cleido-mastoideus tonic contraction saccule-mediated modulation. VEMPs were found to be abnormal in 28 of 40 patients. In 18 of the cases the VEMPs were asymmetric, i.e., had a prolonged latency on one side. In six cases latency was increased on both sides (mean delay 4.1 ms). In four subjects VEMPs were absent on one side. C oncordance with clinical findings of presence/absence of brainstem involvement was found in 55% and with MRI findings in 65% of the cases. A bnormal VEMPs indicated brainstem dysfunction in four patients (10%) with normal MRI and no specific clinical signs.


This comprehensive Handbook provides an in-depth analysis of the origin and main substantive provisions of the TRIPS Agreement, the most influential international treaty on intellectual property currently in force.


We compared the effects of coadministration of propofol and small-dose ketamine to propofol alone on respiration during monitored anesthesia care. In addition, mood, perception, and cognition in the recovery room, and pain after discharge were evaluated. In the Propofol group (n = 20), patients received propofol 38 ± 24 &mgr;g · kg−1 · min−1. The Coadministration group (n = 19) received propofol 33 ± 13 &mgr;g · kg−1 · min−1 and ketamine 3.7 ± 1.5 &mgr;g · kg−1 · min−1. Respiration was assessed by using end-expiratory Pco2 measurements at nasal prongs. After surgeries, mood, perception, and thought were assessed by using visual analog scales, and cognition was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Pain after discharge was assessed by a five-point rating scale in the evening for 5 days. End-expiratory Pco2 was lower in the Coadministration group (P < 0.0001). Mood and MMSE scores were higher in the Coadministration group (P < 0.004 and P = 0.001, respectively). Pain scores and analgesic consumption after discharge were less in the Coadministration group (P = 0.0004 and P < 0.0001, respectively). We conclude that coadministration of small-dose ketamine attenuates propofol-induced hypoventilation, produces positive mood effects without perceptual changes after surgery, and may provide earlier recovery of cognition.


In educational research, it is well-known that collaborative work on core conceptual issues in physics leads to significant improvements in students' conceptual understanding. In this paper, we explore collaborative learning in action, adding to previous research in engineering education with a specific focus on the students' use of free body diagrams in interaction. By looking at details in interaction among a group of three engineering students, we illustrate how they collectively construct a free body diagram together when learning introductory mechanics. In doing so, we have focused on both learning possibilities and the dynamic processes that take place in the learning activity. These findings have a number of implications for educational practice.


Growth analysis [absolute growth rate (AGR), crop growth rate (CGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR)] and water use efficiency (WUE) response of four cool season C3-cereals viz. wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and oats (Avena sativa L.) at 30, 60 and 90 days after emergence (DAE) under eight NPK sources [S1 = 20-20-20,  S2= 20-27-5, S3 = 7-22-8, S4 = 10-10-10-20S, S5 = 11-15-11, S6 = 31-11-11, S7 = 24-8-16,  and S8 = 19-6-12] in pot experiment. The experiment was conducted in the green house of Dryland Agriculture Institute, West Texas A&M University, Texas, USA during winter 2009-10. The results confirmed significant variations in AGR, CGR, NAR and WUE among the four crops at different growth stages and NPK source. Barley and wheat were dominant crops under each NPK source in terms of higher AGR, CGR and WUE than rye and oats at 30 DAE. The AGR, CGR and WUE at 60 DAE decreased for each crop species with application of NPK 31:11:11 and 24:8:16 having more nitrogen content. At 90 DAE, both CGR and WUE ranked first for barley with NPK 20:20:20, for wheat with 24:8:16 and NPK 10:10:10 for oats. The increase in AGR and CGR had positive impact on WUE. Interestingly, the AGR, CGR and WUE increased whereas NAR decreased with the passage of time. The S6 NPK fertilizer, known as an acid loving fertilizer had harmful effects on the growth and WUE of different crop species in this study.

 Key words: Triticum aestivum, Secale cereale, Hordeum vulgare, Avena sativa, growth stages, NPK source, absolute growth rate (AGR), crop growth rate (CGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), water use efficiency (WUE).


Exposure of cultured rat cardiac myocytes to ouabain is known to cause the interaction of Na+/K+-ATPase with adjacent proteins, leading to activation of multiple signal transduction pathways, regulation of growth-related genes, and hypertrophy. The aim of this work was to determine if the proximal signaling events identified in cultured myocytes also occur in isolated intact hearts of rat and guinea pig in response to positive inotropic doses of ouabain. Langendorff rat heart preparations were exposed to 50 &mgr;M ouabain to produce positive inotropy without toxicity, and assayed for Src kinase, protein kinase C, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). These kinases were rapidly activated by ouabain as in cultured cells. In isolated guinea pig hearts, 1 &mgr;M ouabain caused ERK1/2 activation comparable to the effect of 50 &mgr;M ouabain in rat heart and consistent with the higher ouabain sensitivity of the contractility of guinea pig heart. These data show that the proximal ouabain-induced signal pathways previously noted in cultured cells are not artifacts of dispersion/culturing of myocytes, and are not the peculiar properties of the rat heart with its relatively low ouabain sensitivity. They also suggest that treatment with positive inotropic doses of cardiac glycosides is likely to be associated with changes in the cardiac phenotype.


Abstract Barucci et al. (1987. Icarus 72 , 304–324) developed their asteroid taxonomy based on the G-mode statistical method, applied to a sample of 438 asteroids, where each asteroid was described by eight variables (seven ECAS colors and the IRAS albedo). They found that the asteroid population separates into nine major taxonomic classes (C, S, M, D, B, G, E, A, V) and that three of these (S, D, B) can be further subdivided into subclasses. Birlan et al. (1996b. Icarus 124 , 352–354) found that the values of the corrected IRAS albedos do not influence the bulk structure of this taxonomy. The aim of this paper is to define an algorithm that allows us to extend this classification system to any asteroid for which the ECAS reflectances and the albedos become available through new observations. The algorithm which allows us to extend the G-mode method is presented, along with a test of the procedure utilizing color and albedo measurements for 465 asteroids.


Abstract:This essay uses the concept of "Maroon in/securities" to refer to a number of creative practices of survival and a range of experiences and feelings that converge in the Maroon narrative. These two terms, when brought together, productively facilitate a dialogue between Maroon studies and security studies that might lead to keen interventions in both fields. The concept first allows us to talk about military praxis (and in particular, guerilla warfare) as a key part of the Maroon experience and narrative but also, at the same time, allows us to link this to strategies of survival. It discusses Maroon insecurity as a feeling forged in the unsettled intimacies of colonial relations. This feeling, in several ways, structured relations between Maroons and plantations and impacted the organization of daily life across both frontiers as well as the deployment of a range of surveillance assemblages. But even more than a feeling, Maroon insecurity might be said to describe an experience of precarity. This attention to these Maroon in/securities revises the grand narratives of marronage in heroic terms that have often been dominant in the cultural and popular imagination across a range of sites of representation. In attending to these different registers, the essay suggests that the concept allows us to think not only across Maroon studies and security studies but also across a range of experiences and relations that converge in the Maroon narrative and that resist and complicate easy categories and taxonomies.


There is growing interest in the use of markets within firms. Proponents have noted that markets are a simple and efficient mechanism for allocating resources in economies in which information is dispersed. In contrast to the use of markets in the broader economy, the efficiency of an internal market is determined in large part by the endogenous contractual incentives provided to the participating, privately informed agents. In this paper, we study the optimal design of managerial incentives when resources are allocated by an internal auction market, as well as the efficiency of the resulting resource allocations. We show that the internal auction market can achieve first-best resource allocations and decisions, but only at an excessive cost in compensation payments. We then identify conditions under which the internal auction market and associated optimal incentive contracts achieve the benchmark second-best outcome as determined using a direct revelation mechanism. The advantage of the auction is that it is easier to implement than the direct revelation mechanism. When the internal auction mechanism is unable to achieve second-best, we characterize the factors that determine the magnitude of the shortfall. Overall, our results speak to the robust performance of relatively simple market mechanisms and associated incentive systems in resolving resource allocation problems within firms.


Composite biosorbents were produced from animal bone by carbonization, activation of animal bone char with phosphoric acid and zinc (II) chloride independently, and the obtained activated carbons were separately impregnated on chitosan. The chitosan was produced from chitin, which was extracted from shrimp shell through deminerization, deproteinization and deacetylation processes. Comprehensive characterization studies were carried out on the chitin, chitosan, and the resulting five biosorbents via proximate and ultimate analyses, and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Electron-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) analyses. The absorption bands of the standard chitosan from Sigma-Aldrich and the experimentally prepared chitosan were in excellent agreement. The results of this study showed that activated carbons impregnated on chitosan have the potential to be applied as alternative efficient low-cost and eco-friendly biosorbents for batch and continuous adsorption column experimentation.

 Key words: Biosorbents, chemical activation, chitin, chitosan, impregnation, characterization.


A novel phenylacetaldehyde reductase was purified about 50-fold to homogeneity from Corynebacterium sp. strain ST-10, which can assimilate gaseous styrene as the sole carbon and energy source. The enzyme was inductively synthesized when grown on gaseous styrene and had an important role in styrene metabolism in vivo. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 155,000 and was composed of four identical subunits (molecular weight, 42,000). The enzyme catalyzed the reduction of not only phenylacetaldehyde but also various aldehydes and ketones; however, it did not catalyze the reverse reaction, the dehydrogenation of 2-phenylethanol. The enzyme required NADH as a cofactor and showed no activity with NADPH; therefore, it was defined as an NADH-dependent phenylacetaldehyde reductase. The enzyme stereospecifically produced (S)-(-)-1-phenylethanol from acetophenone; therefore, it would be useful as a biocatalyst.


Extreme sea waves, although rare, can be notably dangerous when associated with energetic sea states and can generate risks for the navigation. In the last few years, they have been the object of extensive research from the scientific community that helped with understanding the main physical aspects; however, the estimate of extreme waves probability in operational forecasts is still debated. In this study, we analyzed a number of sea-states that occurred in a precise area of the Mediterranean sea, near the location of a reported accident, with the objective of relating the probability of extreme events with different sea state conditions. For this purpose, we performed phase-resolving simulations of wave spectra obtained from a WaveWatch III hindcast, using a Higher Order Spectral Method. We produced statistics of the sea-surface elevation field, calculating crest distributions and the probability of extreme events from the analysis of a long time-series of the surface elevation. We found a good matching between the distributions of the numerically simulated field and theory, namely Tayfun second- and third- order ones, in contrast with a significant underestimate given by the Rayleigh distribution. We then related spectral quantities like angular spreading and wave steepness to the probability of occurrence of extreme events finding an enhanced probability for high mean steepness seas and narrow spectra, in accordance with literature results, finding also that the case study of the reported accident was not amongst the most dangerous. Finally, we related the skewness and kurtosis of the surface elevation to the wave steepness to explain the discrepancy between theoretical and numerical distributions.


Phenomenology's attention to the theme of animality has focused not on animal life in general but rather on the animal dimension of the human and its contested relation with humanity as such. Phenomenology thereby reproduces Agamben's "anthropological machine" by which humanity is constructed through the "inclusive exclusion" of its animality. The alternative to this "inclusive exclusion" is not, however, a return to kinship or commonality, but rather an intensification of the constitutive paradox of our own inner animality, understood in terms of the anonymous, corporeal subject of perception that lives a different temporality than that of first-person consciousness. This provides us with an entirely different context for encounter with non-human others, insofar as they speak through our own voices and gaze out through our own eyes. This position is developed through a reading, first, of the proximity of Merleau-Ponty's early work with that of Max Scheler, who paradigmatically reduces human animality to bare life. Merleau-Ponty differentiates himself from Scheler by emphasizing, in The Structure of Behavior, that life cannot be integrated into spirit without remainder. Merleau-Ponty's later work thinks this remainder as the ineliminable gap and delay in the auto-affection of the body and as a chiasmic exchange that anticipates Deleuze and Guattari's concept of "becoming animal." This remainder of life within consciousness is the immemorial past of one's own animality. It follows that our "inner animality" is neither singular nor plural but a kind of pack that speaks through the voice that I take to be mine. Furthermore, in the exchange of looks between myself and a non-human other, the crossing of glances occurs at an animal level that withdraws from my own reflective consciousness.


Strengthening of structures with CFRP is considered today as an accepted method in the upgrading of concrete structures. This paper presents the use of two different CFRP strengthening systems combined to extend the service life of a Swedish double-trough-double- track railway bridge, constructed in concrete with a 10 meter span. One system is the reliable NSMR (Near Surface Mounted Reinforcement) while the other is new. They were used with the intention to strengthen the interior of a concrete structure using integrated CFRP tubes. Both systems were used to increase the tensile flexural strength of the slab transverse to the tracks. NSMR bars were positioned in the bottom concrete cover of the trough's bottom-slabs, while the new system was inserted in holes drilled through the bridge in the cross direction and lo- cated in the upper part of the slab. In connection with the strengthening monitoring was con- ducted in order to obtain an understanding of the bridge behaviour before and after strengthen- ing, and to demonstrate any effects of the extra CFRP reinforcement. Results from these measurements are presented together with how the strengthening work was carried out. Sensors on bars and tubes show evidence of utilization of the CFRP while displacement sensors and strain gauges on the steel reinforcement show minor effect due to the small loads in the service limit state.


This research was conducted at companies engaged in the property, real estate & building construction sector which are listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. In this study using purposive sample method as a sampling method. The number of samples used was 6 companies with research data conducted from 2014 to 2018 so that 30 observational data were obtained. In testing the hypothesis in this study carried out in six ways, namely the regression model test, classical assumption test, multiple linear regression analysis, partial test (t test), simultaneous test (f test), and test the coefficient of determination. From the results of this study it can be concluded that simultaneously all variables have a significant effect on firm value. The results of the regression analysis show an adjusted value of 0.486599, which means that the variation of Current Ratio, Debt to Equity Ratio, Net Profit Margi, Return on Equity and Earning per Share can explain 48.66% of the variation in firm value. While the remaining 51.34% is explained by other variables not examined in this study.


BACKGROUND
Falls and fall risk factors are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). We sought to identify fall risk factors among men with and without HIV.

METHODS
Men aged 50-75 years with (n = 279) and without HIV (n = 379) from the Bone Strength Substudy of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study were included. Multinomial logistic regression models identified risk factors associated with falling.

RESULTS
One hundred fourteen (41%) PLWH and 149 (39%) of uninfected men had ≥1 fall; 54 (20%) PLWH and 66 (17%) of uninfected men experienced ≥2 falls over 2 years. Five and 3% of PLWH and uninfected men, respectively, had a fall-related fracture (P = 0.34). In multivariate models, the odds of ≥2 falls were greater among men reporting illicit drug use, taking diabetes or depression medications, and with peripheral neuropathy; obesity was associated with a lower risk (all P < 0.05). In models restricted to PLWH, detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA, current use of efavirenz or diabetes medications, illicit drug use, and peripheral neuropathy were associated with greater odds of having ≥2 falls (P < 0.05). Current efavirenz use was associated with increased odds of an injurious fall; longer duration of antiretroviral therapy was protective (both P < 0.05). Greater physical activity was associated with lower risk of falls with fracture (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Identified risk factors for recurrent falls or fall with fracture included low physical activity, detectable HIV-1 RNA, use of efavirenz, or use of medications to treat diabetes and depression. Fall risk reduction should prioritize interventions targeting modifiable risk factors including increased physical activity, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and transition off efavirenz.


The use of scientific calculators will be first allowed in Singapore Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) for all primary level mathematics subjects from the year 2009 onwards. All Primary 5 and 6 mathematics teachers will be expected to explore the use of calculators into their mathematics lessons from 2008 onwards. To meet the new assessment requirements, primary school mathematics teachers are required to be proficient in using the calculator and adept at facilitating pupils' usage of the calculator. Evidence from literature review and research has showed that calculator is an effective tool for enhancement of mathematical concepts, development of mental arithmetic skills, pattern recognition, mathematical investigation, solving real-life problems and improving problem-solving ability. The purpose of this paper is to review what research says about outcome of calculator use in the learning of primary mathematics. This paper also describes six appropriate calculator activities that can be incorporated in the teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary level.


Cucurbit crops may be affected by several virus diseases, which might cause up to 100% of yield losses. Due to its environmental conditions, favorable to the emergence of viruses, the state of Tocantins has shown a high incidence of virus diseases in the field. The main objective of this study was to identify and characterize, serological. Biological and molecularly, 25 virus isolates from pumpkin and watermelon collected in some regions of this state showing characteristic symptoms of viruses. Fourteen (56%) of the 25 isolates studied, were identified as Squash mosaic virus (SqMV). Seven of them were detected in Caserta squash and another seven in watermelon. The remaining isolates were identified as Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV). SqMV showed higher incidence when compared to the other Brazilian States, where it normally either have not been detected or detected in very low incidence. It shows the importance of SqMV for Tocantins region. Key-words: Zucchini yellow mosaic virus, DAS-ELISA, RT-PCR


Large-scale patterns of Amazonian biodiversity have until now been obscured by a sparse and scattered inventory record. Here we present the first comprehensive spatial model of tree α-diversity and density in Amazonian rainforests, based on the largest-yet compilation of forest inventories and bolstered by a spatial interpolation technique that allows us to estimate diversity and density in areas that have never been inventoried. These data were then compared to continent-wide patterns of rainfall seasonality. We find that dry season length, while only weakly correlated with average tree α-diversity, is a strong predictor of tree density and of maximum tree α-diversity. The most diverse forests for any given dry season length are concentrated in a narrow latitudinal band just south of the equator, while the least diverse forests for any given dry season length are found in the Guayana Shield and Amazonian Bolivia. Denser forests are more diverse than sparser forests, even when we used a measure of diversity that corrects for sample size. We propose that rainfall seasonality regulates tree α-diversity and -density by affecting shade tolerance and subsequently the number of different functional types of trees that can persist in an area.


The venture capital industry experienced its biggest decline ever in 2001. The National Venture Capital Association reports that, in the fourth quarter of 2001, investments by venture capital firms were at approximately a third of the level the year before and the amount of money raised by these firms had dropped 80 percent. Many people question whether this trend signals the eventual demise of venture capital. ; However, according to the authors of this article, it is important to put these numbers in perspective. In terms of total dollars invested, 2001 ranks as the venture capital industry's third-best year, and the developments of 2001 are simply an anomaly in an otherwise exceptional growth curve. The article examines the significance of this difference between short- and long-term performance. ; Using the findings from the Stanford Project on Emerging Companies, an interdisciplinary research project that analyzed 170 technology start-up firms, the authors discuss the effects of venture capital on both the market position of the start-up and on internal operational issues. Their research supports the conclusion that venture capitalists provide value-added services that enhance the value of their portfolio companies. The article concludes with some thoughts on the evolution of the venture capital industry in the nineties.


Objective: To review the current literature for the efficacy and safety of available treatments for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the pediatric population. Data Sources: A search from January 1990 to April 2016 was conducted using PubMed and clinicaltrials.gov using the search terms diabetes mellitus, type 2; adolescent; child; and pediatric. Bibliographies of chosen articles were reviewed. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Relevant articles and preliminary data from clinical trials on metformin, insulin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones (TZDs), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, and α-glucosidase inhibitors for the treatment of pediatric T2DM were reviewed. Studies included randomized controlled, observational, and open-label designs. Data Synthesis: Metformin, studied in 4 of the reviewed trials, and premixed insulin appear to be safe and effective in pediatric patients with T2DM. TZDs were well tolerated and yielded favorable results, but may have limited applicability. A sulfonylurea had favorable hemoglobin A1C reduction, but was associated with significant weight gain. Studies of incretin-based agents also showed favorable results in the pediatric population but have limited safety and efficacy data. Several trials for other agents are reported on clinicaltrials.gov with unpublished results, but no statistical analyses are reported. Conclusion: Metformin and insulin remain the mainstay of treatment for T2DM in pediatric patients. More robust studies are needed to assist in the provision of evidence-based guidance for the treatment of T2DM in youth.


The aim of this study was to examine whether the heart rate response to adenosine differs after 12 hours [Good control (Good-C)] versus 24 hours [Excellent control (Exc-C)] of caffeine abstinence in adenosine stress thallium-201 (TL) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Patients (n=729) with suspected ischemic heart disease underwent adenosine TL-MPI after 12 (n=226) and 24 (n=503) hours of caffeine abstinence. There was not significant differences between the heart rate of Exc-C and Good-C in 0-2 min after adenosine infusion (0 min 63.7±9.5 versus 63.7±10.0, 1 min 66.4±10.6 versus 65.3±10.5, 2 min 72.3±11.2 versus 70.6±11.4). The heart rate of Exc-C was higher compared to Good-C in 3-6 min after adenosine infusion (3 min 75.6 ±11.7 versus 73.3±11.6 p=0.013, 4 min 79.2±12.9 versus 76.7±12.2 p=0.012, 5 min 79.4±12.6 versus 76.8±12.4 p=0.009, 6 min 79.4±12.5 versus 77.0±12.3 p=0.016). Therefore, the longer caffeine abstinence, namely 24 hours self-restraint, is effective in adenosine TL-MPI.


Dimensionality reduction is a common method for analyzing and visualizing high-dimensional data. However, reasoning dynamically about the results of a dimensionality reduction is difficult. Dimensionality-reduction algorithms use complex optimizations to reduce the number of dimensions of a dataset, but these new dimensions often lack a clear relation to the initial data dimensions, thus making them difficult to interpret. Here we propose a visual interaction framework to improve dimensionality-reduction based exploratory data analysis. We introduce two interaction techniques, forward projection and backward projection, for dynamically reasoning about dimensionally reduced data. We also contribute two visualization techniques, prolines and feasibility maps, to facilitate the effective use of the proposed interactions. We apply our framework to PCA and autoencoder-based dimensionality reductions. Through data-exploration examples, we demonstrate how our visual interactions can improve the use of dimensionality reduction in exploratory data analysis.


Towards the end of March 1854, after the combined fleets of England and France had entered the Black Sea, as coal was known to be procured by the Turkish Government from the south coast, near Erekli (the ancient Heraclea), I was ordered to proceed there, and examine and report upon its quality and fitness for the use of war-steamers; for although two or three cargoes of the coal were seen at Constantinople by some naval engineers, the quality appeared to be so inferior as coal (from being so mixed with slate and rubbish), that a general opinion prevailed that it was only a better quality of lignite than that procured from the Tertiary deposits of the Sea of Marmora and the Archipelago. It was therefore of first importance to ascertain the age of the Erekli coal-beds, as well as the quantity that could be procured from them with sufficient economy and of sufficiently good quality for the use of our war-ships for steaming at high speeds. I could obtain no fragment of a fossil from the coal at Constantinople that I examined, nor any information regarding the deposits associated with them; for, although M. Tchihatcheff had shown that rocks of the Devonian age existed, no mention was made of these coal-deposits or of any Carboniferous strata in the neighbourhood, in his valuable work on Asia Minor, published in 1853. I now find, however, that M. Schlehan had, in the 'Zeitschrift der deutschen geologischen Gescllschaft' for 1852, given a full description


The present study is based on the analysis and results of a close to 5 years' study in the frame which we used a "Lottery Game" in the "Decision Making Skills" subject taught at Corvinus Business School, Corvinus University of Budapest. In the frame of the "game", the students (Hungarians (n=231) and foreigners (n=267) alike) have to mark 6 numbers on a 7x7 lottery ticket. The winner is the student whose numbers differ the most from those of all the other students'.
Upon analyzing the results (irrespectively of nationality) the authors have noted something notable: the winning combinations - rather than being located randomly on the ticket, characteristically resemble a geometric form. In our study we wanted to detect the relevance of geometry in this kind of choices. It is hypothesized that in such games (lottery type, related to numeric combination choice), where the players decide upon their strategy (choice of numbers) by also taking into consideration others' expected choices, the winning strategy is characteristically some consciously chosen scheme or pattern as opposed to a random one. The study presents the results of the available samples (Hungarian students: n=231, foreign students: n=267), the winning combinations, the most often designated numbers, as well as the least "popular" numbers and their presentation on a "heat map".
In the case of the majority of the winning tickets we found the use of conscious strategic choice to be more useful. These conscious strategic decisions were reflected in identifiable geometric forms. Based on the results, we hypothesize that in the "hidden lottery" game – in contrast with random choice – the most effective strategy of choice is the conscious ordered one in which the player marks the numbers on the lottery ticket in some modified geometric pattern. The goal of the paper is to propose further research on the field.


ABSTRACT Annual trivalent influenza vaccines (TIV) containing 2 A strains and one B lineage have been recommended for the prevention of influenza in most of Latin American countries. However, the circulation of 2 B lineages (Victoria and Yamagata) and difficulties in predicting the predominating lineage have led to the development of quadrivalent influenza vaccines (QIV), including both B lineages. Thus, the objective was to estimate the public health impact and influenza-related costs if QIV would have been used instead of TIV in 3 Latin American countries. We used a static model over the seasons 2010–2014 in Brazil, 2007–2014 in Colombia and 2006–2014 in Panama, focusing on population groups targeted by local vaccination recommendations: young children, adults with risk factors and the elderly. In Brazil, between 2010 and 2014, using QIV instead of TIV would have avoided US$ 6,200 per 100,000 person-years in societal costs, based on 168 influenza cases, 89 consultations, 3.2 hospitalizations and 0.38 deaths per 100,000 person-years. In Colombia and Panama, these would have ranged from US$ 1,000 to 12,700 (based on 34 cases, 13–25 consultations, 0.6–8.9 hospitalizations and 0.04–1.74 deaths) and from US$ 3,000 to 33,700 (based on 113 cases, 55–82 consultations, 0.5–27.8 hospitalizations and 0.08–6.87 deaths) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. Overall, the broader protection offered by QIV would have reduced the influenza humanistic and economic burden in the 3 countries. Despite the lack of local data leading to several extrapolations, this study is the first to give quantitative estimates of the potential benefits of QIV in Latin America.


This article explores the affective structure of precarity and its gendered antinomies. Building on feminist critical engagements that call attention to the elision of reproductive and household labor in emergent theorizations of precarity, it draws on Lauren Berlant's work on affective attachments to offer a reading of cinematic narratives of precarity in contemporary Japan, a space only tangentially referenced in a largely Euro-American discourse on precarity. Delineating precarity as an affective field of intelligibility, both inimical to yet potentially enabling of a feminist opening, this article offers an analysis of two films: Japan a Story of Love and Hate shows how the affective normalization of women's precarity privileges the affect of loss for men in precarity, suggesting it is the loss of mastery entailed by the movement of men from once secure to insecure work that mobilizes an affective–political turn under the sign of precarity; in contrast, a reading of Tokyo Sonata as an allegorical treatment of precarity shows how the feminization of men wrought within precarity can open up the possibility for a normative rupture of prevalent gendered hierarchies.


OBJECTIVE
To determine safety, anesthetic variables, and cardiopulmonary effects of i.v. infusion of propofol for induction and maintenance of anesthesia in wild turkeys.

ANIMALS
10 healthy, adult wild turkeys.

PROCEDURE
Anesthesia was induced by i.v. administration of propofol (5 mg/kg of body weight) over 20 seconds and was maintained for 30 minutes by constant i.v. infusion of propofol at a rate of 0.5 mg/kg/min. Heart and respiratory rates, arterial blood pressures, and arterial blood gas tensions were obtained prior to propofol administration (baseline values) and again at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes after induction of anesthesia. All birds were intubated immediately after induction of anesthesia, and end-tidal CO2 concentration was determined at the same time intervals. Supplemental oxygen was not provided.

RESULTS
Apnea was observed for 10 to 30 seconds after propofol administration, which induced a decrease in heart rate; however, the changes were not significant. Compared with baseline values, respiratory rate was significantly decreased at 4 minutes after administration of propofol and thereafter. Systolic, mean, and diastolic pressures decreased over the infusion period, but the changes were not significant. Mean arterial blood pressure decreased by 30% after 15 minutes of anesthesia; end-tidal CO2 concentration increased from baseline values after 30 minutes; PO2 was significantly decreased at 5 minutes after induction and thereafter; PCO2 was significantly (P < 0.05) increased after 15 minutes of anesthesia; and arterial oxygen saturation was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased at the end of anesthesia. Two male turkeys developed severe transient hypoxemia, 1 at 5 and the other at 15 minutes after induction. Time to standing after discontinuation of propofol infusion was 11 +/- 6 minutes. Recovery was smooth and unremarkable.

CONCLUSION
Propofol is an effective agent for i.v. induction and maintenance of anesthesia in wild turkeys, and is useful for short procedures or where the use of inhalational agents is contraindicated.


Without being necessary to pack multiple antennas per terminal, cooperation among distributed single-antenna nodes offers resilience to shadowing and can, in principle, enhance the performance of wireless communication networks by exploiting the available space diversity. Enabling the latter however, calls for practically implementable protocols to cope with errors at relay nodes so that simple receiver processing can collect the diversity at the destination. To this end, we derive in this paper a class of strategies whereby decoded bits at relay nodes are scaled in power before being forwarded to the destination. The scale is adapted to the signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) of the source-relay and the intended relay-destination links. With maximum ratio combining (MRC) at the destination, we prove that such link-adaptive regeneration (LAR) strategies effect the maximum possible diversity while requiring simple channel state information that can be pragmatically acquired at the relay. In addition, LAR exhibits robustness to quantization and feedback errors and leads to efficient use of power both at relay as well as destination nodes. Analysis and corroborating simulations demonstrate that LAR relays are attractive across the practical SNR range; they are universally applicable to multibranch and multi-hop uncoded or coded settings regardless of the underlying constellation; and outperform existing alternatives in terms of error performance, complexity and bandwidth efficiency.


Semi solid processing reduces porosity and amount of trapped gas and it allows heat treatment T6 that improves a hard anodized oxide layer. The aim of this work is to show the anodizing possibility of A356 T6 components conformed by Sub-liquidus Casting (SLC) to improve wear and corrosion resistance. This work compares the anodizing effect on tribological properties and corrosion resistance between components obtained by A6061 T6 extruded alloys and from A356 T6 produced by SLC. The effect of rounded silicon crystals on the coating formation and the fracture produced during the coating growth are described.


Cancer is not synonymous with pain; however, pain is a very common and debilitating symptom. Cancer is primarily a disease of older people, who will frequently rely heavily on general practitioners and care of the elderly physicians. Inadequate knowledge of pain management by professionals has been identified as a barrier to cancer pain management. This article aims to provide an overview of the principles of cancer pain management, particularly in the elderly population.


A new bispectral signal processing method is proposed to study abnormal gear vibrations due to distributed gear faults that are commonly found in many industries. This new signal processing method examines the phase relationships of prominent vibration frequencies of gears. In particular, this method can determine if the sideband frequencies generated from amplitude modulation are directly resulted from the quadratic phase coupling (QPC) between the tooth-meshing frequency and other gear faults related frequency. Based on the models of two distributed gear faults, shaft unbalance and gear eccentricity, a modified bispectral analysis method is developed. Simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness. The results correctly match the model descriptions and therefore avoid the ambiguities in interpreting quadratic phase coupling that may exist if the conventional bispectrum is innocently applied.


Background: Sleep deprivation (SD) , recognized as a public health epidemic, impaired glucose metabolism, yet little is known about the association between sleep and bone health.
 Methods: Twenty 5-week-old male Wistar rats and randomly divided into the CSD and normal control (NC) groups after one-week acclimatization. After a 6-week intervention of sleep deprivation, the distal femurs of both groups were harvested for micro-computed tomography scans and histological analysis. Meanwhile, the femur tissues were measured the mRNA and protein expression via RNA sequencing and immunohistochemical analysis. Serum bone turnover markers were evaluated at 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks.
 Result: CSD impaired the bone growth, showing an imbalance of bone turnover status, dysphasia in the metaphysis growth plate, and deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Further, CSD suppressed bone formation, showing that the expression of osteogenesis-related proteins (col1α1 and osteocalcin) and mRNA (igf1, bglap, runx2, col1α1, pth1r) are down-regulated. Differentially expressed genes were detected, and functional enrichment analyses revealed that the PI3K/AKT pathway was significantly down-regulated in the CSD group. While Diabetic cardiomyopathy, Oxidative phosphorylation, and Neurodegenerative disease-related pathways were up-regulated.
 Conclusion: These results suggest that CSD can significantly impaired bone health, and it may exert these effects in part by suppressing bone formation and osteoblast differentiation, and inactivating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

 X.Duan: None. L.Guo: None.

 National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81670763 and 81471050)


The reasons for criminal and aggressive behaviour in humans are complex and include both biological and nonbiological explanations. Twin studies estimate that up to half of the variance in aggressive behaviour can be attributed to genetic factors. Genes play a role in aggression, and both human and animal studies suggest that common gene variants predispose some people to violent actions and criminality. Several studies have found associations between aggressive behaviour in males and a low-activity variant of the monoamine oxidase A (maoa) gene. These associations are often dependent on environmental insults, which dependent on maoa genotype may increase susceptibility for aggressive behaviour. These and other findings pose a challenge in determining criminal responsibility as the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors in the aetiology of violence becomes better understood.

Key Concepts:

Aggression has an evolutionary basis with both positive and negative aspects.

Criminal behaviour falls under a larger phenotype of antisocial and aggressive behaviour, marked by an inability to conform to social norms.

Twin and adoption studies demonstrate that roughly half of the individual variance in aggressive behaviour is due to genetic factors.

Despite well-known gender differences in aggressive behaviour, biological evidence in humans tying differences in aggression to sex hormones remains equivocal.

There is a robust literature demonstrating the association between serotonin and aggressive behaviour, highlighted by candidate genes along the serotonergic pathway.

A number of studies have identified interactions between environmental adversity and the low-activity variants of the MAOA gene as a predictor of aggressive behaviour.

Keywords:

aggression;
criminality;
genes;
polymorphism;
behaviour;
MAOA


Abstract Trexler, ET, Smith-Ryan, AE, Blue, MNM, Schumacher, RM, Mayhew, JL, Mann, JB, Ivey, PA, Hirsch, KR, and Mock, MG. Fat-free mass index in NCAA Division I and II collegiate American football players. J Strength Cond Res 31(10): 2719–2727, 2017—Fat-free mass index (FFMI) is a height-adjusted assessment of fat-free mass (FFM), with previous research suggesting a natural upper limit of 25 kg·m−2 in resistance trained male athletes. The current study evaluated upper limits for FFMI in collegiate American football players (n = 235) and evaluated differences between positions, divisions, and age groups. The sample consisted of 2 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams (n = 78, n = 69) and 1 Division II team (n = 88). Body composition was assessed via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and used to calculate FFMI; linear regression was used to normalize values to a height of 180 cm. Sixty-two participants (26.4%) had height-adjusted FFMI values above 25 kg·m−2 (mean = 23.7 ± 2.1 kg·m−2; 97.5th percentile = 28.1 kg·m−2). Differences were observed among position groups (p < 0.001; &eegr;2 = 0.25), with highest values observed in offensive linemen (OL) and defensive linemen (DL) and lowest values observed in offensive and defensive backs. Fat-free mass index was higher in Division I teams than Division II team (24.3 ± 1.8 kg·m−2 vs. 23.4 ± 1.8 kg·m−2; p < 0.001; d = 0.49). Fat-free mass index did not differ between age groups. Upper limit estimations for FFMI seem to vary by position; although the 97.5th percentile (28.1 kg·m−2) may represent a more suitable upper limit for the college football population as a whole, this value was exceeded by 6 linemen (3 OL and 3 DL), with a maximal observed value of 31.7 kg·m−2. Football practitioners may use FFMI to evaluate an individual's capacity for additional FFM accretion, suitability for a specific position, potential for switching positions, and overall recruiting assessment.


LIGHT-ACTIVATION INFLUENCE ON THE THERMAL ANALYSIS OF A RESIN-MODIFIED GLASS-IONOMER Raksha K Srinivas, BDS Marquette University, 2010 The acid-base and light polymerization reactions in resin modified glass ionomers (RMGI) have been shown to compete and possibly inhibit one another during early RMGI development. Earlier beginning times of light polymerization initiation may limit the acid-base reaction and if time allowed for the acid-base components to react is increased, the extent of light cure reaction may be lesser. The thermal behavior of a commercially available RMGI was investigated in relation to a light initiation regimen using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The relationship between delay in light initiation or no light initiation and the resultant set matrix of the material was determined by subjecting the material to a dynamic temperature scan between 37C and 300C at 10C/min. Different cure groups (n=10 per cure group for an immediate light cure group, 5 min and 10 min delay light cure groups, and a dark cure group) were stored for specific periods of time (30 min, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months; n=10/time group) in an incubator at 100% relative humidity and 37C. Specimen weight changes due to storage and weight loss due to DSC testing were also computed. The DSC thermograms displayed endothermic peaks reflective of material degradation and thus material structure. All groups of specimens had a characteristic single endothermic peak in the thermograms except the 30 min dark cure specimens which had two endothermic peaks in their thermogram. The endothermic peaks were mainly attributed to the dehydration of bound water in the matrix of the material. Significant differences in endothermic peak enthalpy and peak temperature were observed among the cure and time groups. The results suggest that, in general, the immediately light cured material is of differing structure compared to groups that allow the acid-base reaction to occur either due to delay in light curing or its absence. Additionally, changes in the endothermic peak over time were observed, indicating material maturation occurred and is likely due to changes in the ratio of bound to unbound water in the matrix. Interpretation of weight changes in storage show light curing reduced the moisture sensitivity of the RMGI.


One of the biggest challenges for libraries today is fulfilling client service requests 24/7. We have skilled staff in the Library during the day and evening, and LiveChat for those not able to visit in person, but what happens after hours? Who is there to help those who work shifts, have children, live on the other side of the planet or just prefer studying at 2am? Artificial intelligence (AI) promises an affordable solution, but will it provide the quality, flexibility and authenticity needed to ensure client satisfaction? Importantly, can the accuracy and veracity of responses be assured? At the University of Wollongong, the Library has teamed up with Academic AI specialists, Engineering and Information Science Faculty and a team of exceptionally gifted students to solve this problem. Using a combination of Agile Scrum and design thinking methodology to ensure client satisfaction and service needs were met, the team commenced building a chatbot designed to converse, provide assistance, and refer clients when needed – in other words: to create, rather than recruit, a new Library staff member. This paper will explore the journey, noting the challenges, breakthroughs and methodologies used to create and evaluate the chatbot. Disciplines Arts and Humanities | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details Rory L.L. Sie and Debra Nolan, Beyond Time and Space: using AI to Solve Client Service Challenges Now and Into the Future, Infinite Possibilities ALIA Information Online conference, Sydney, 11-15 February 2019. This conference paper is available at Research Online: https://ro.uow.edu.au/asdpapers/737 Beyond Time and Space: using AI to Solve Client Service Challenges Now and Into the Future Rory L.L. Sie & Debra Nolan University of Wollongong Australia Northfields Avenue Wollongong NSW 2522


Green algae move in response to light to find conditions that are optimal for photosynthetic growth, and this movement is mediated by photoreceptor currents. Nagel et al. have identified an opsin-related protein, channelopsin-1, in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that is likely to be the photoreceptor involved in phototaxis. Expression of channelopsin-1 in the presence of all-trans retinal in Xenopus oocytes produced light-induced proton currents. Characteristics of the conductance suggest that channelopsin-1 forms a light-gated proton channel. G. Nagel, D. Ollig, M. Fuhrmann, S. Kateriya, A. M. Musti, E. Bamberg, P. Hegemann, Channelrhodopsin-1: A light-gated proton channel in green algae. Science 296, 2395-2398 (2002). [Abstract] [Full Text]


The paper presents the results of swell index, swelling pressure and soil suction tests carried out on Neogene clays from Warsaw, depending on the water content, clay fraction, liquid limit, plasticity index, cation exchange capacity, and content of clay minerals and beidellite. These clays are considered expansive soils in Poland, as they are vulnerable to water content variations in the active zone, which result in their volume change and, in consequence, cause damage of foundations and other construction elements. A number of physical, chemical and mineral properties were determined for these clays. The swelling tests were carried out on samples precompacted in Proctor apparatus, at various initial values of water content. The analyses have shown exponential relation of swell index, swelling pressure and suction versus water content. In addition, the investigated relationship between the suction and swell characteristics of tested clays shows good correlation as a power function between these parameters. In addition, validity of correlations between fitting parameters of obtained relationships and soil index properties, such as clay fraction, liquid limit, plasticity index, cation exchange capacity, and content of clay minerals and beidellite, have been demonstrated. The empirical relations are characterized by high values of the correlation coefficient. A very high fit has also been found for a proposed relationship between the swell index and swelling pressure for tested clays


This paper reports on the benefits of the remote communication systems and presents two prototype systems for communication with microprocessor based machines and devices including household appliances.  The wireless prototype version can also be used in remote and wireless programming of any device with a microprocessor or microcontroller. It is a known fact that the researchers often become too embraced with technical breakthroughs and forget about communicating with the audience for whom the findings of their research is intended.  To this end, initial emphasis is on the benefits of the systems, but later in the paper the technical merits of the research work are explained.  The prime aim of the project has been to develop the know-how for remote programming, control and up-dating of programs in microcontroller based devices using wired and wireless techniques. An earlier wireless communication system using  laser encapsulation techniques developed for a factory of the future site [1] was revisited with a view to incorporate the latest technologies where appropriate. The earlier system adopting Code Division Multi Access with a Pseudo Random Noise Spectrum (CDMA-PRNS) incorporating wideband Spread Spectrum (SS) using Hierarchical Genetic Algorithm (HGA) was found to provide a basis for establishing a working Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) for many applications including in the manufacturing, where noise has been a problem for their use


Fintech (or financial technology) is the current driving force behind innovations in the financial services industry. One of the most debated innovations is cryptocurrency, or digital currency, which uses blockchain technology to make a direct electronic payment between two people possible, without going through a third party (like a bank) or expensive intermediaries in order to save costs. This "future money" is pressurising central banks to manage the looming threat of redundancy as it overshadows "fiat currency" in a world of infinite fintech possibilities. Bitcoin, being the first decentralised cryptocurrency, will be the focus of this research. This digital currency is not produced by minting money in an unlimited supply, but through a virtual "mining" process designed to control the supply of "money" and make it more valuable. The increasing pace in financial innovation is pushing regulators to make a change in the way they define money and what money can be. Traditionally money is used to serve as a medium of exchange, legal tender for repayment of debt, standard of value, unit of accounting measure and a means to save or store purchasing power. Bitcoin may not fulfill all the functions of money but its scarcity value, anonymity (or pseudonymity), transparency, and autonomy from the government, make it attractive to users who are speculators, traders, merchants, consumers and netizens disenchanted with fiat money. Despite the alluring features of Bitcoin, it is not spared from potential abuses such as webcrimes, tax evasion, fraud, online black markets, money laundering and terrorism financing. In this paper, a forensic examination of Bitcoin's benefits and risks will help regulators decide whether to adopt cryptocurrency and provide an appropriate framework to regulate it based on other jurisdictions' approach. This paper recommends that Malaysia should fully embrace cryptocurrency due to global trends the Islamic Development Bank is developing Shariah compliant contracts using blockchain technology; China is leading the drive to develop its own national cryptocurrency to complement fiat money; and a Shariah-compliant cryptocurrency has already entered the market backed by gold (Onegram). Financial and regulatory architectures in Malaysia should accommodate these changes to remain relevant. In addition, future research is recommended focusing on developing a Shariah compliant national cryptocurrency that is unique to Malaysia.


High-damping rubber (HDR) bearings are used in seismic isolation applications for buildings and bridges, although no models are currently available for the accurate description of the shear force–deformation response, including the effects of strain-stiffening and strain-induced degradation, under bidirectional loading. A strain rate-independent, phenomenological model is developed which effectively represents the stiffness, damping, and degradation response of HDR bearings, for use in seismic analysis and design applications. Calibration of the model is carried out over a series of bidirectional test data, using the downhill simplex algorithm to obtain a set of material parameters for the bearing. Existing design procedures for seismically isolated bridges provide inconsistent recommendations, particularly for the design of piers. A design methodology that targets performance goals at two levels of seismic hazard is developed, as an extension of existing displacement-based design methods. The design method aims to ensure that pier inelasticity is prevented at a "design" seismic hazard level, and is limited to a specified ductility for "maximum credible" hazard. Finally, a series of parametric studies is carried out, using simple isolated bridge geometries, the proposed bearing model to represent isolator response, and bidirectional ground motion input scaled by a range of scaling factors to assess the effects of bidirectional input and variable seismic intensity on isolated bridge response. The studies show that the nonlinear behaviour of HDR bearings reduces the bearing displacement demand at high intensity levels, at the expense of increased ductility demand in the piers, particularly compared to the response ofother bearing types. The multiple performance level design approach is also assessed in the parametric studies, and it performs adequately for simple bridge configurations; the method will, however, require modification to account for the effects of superstructure flexibility and more complicated bridge geometries.


Dexamethasone sodium phosphate was administered topically to one eye of rabbits with bilateral alkali corneal burns, and saline solution was administered to the contralateral eye. Topical steroids were also administered in animals with moderate corneal ulcers and were found to enhance the severity of ulceration when given during the second and third weeks following the burn. If the corticosteroids were given daily in the first six days or in the fourth and fifth weeks following the burn, they did not have an adverse effect on the cornea. Corticosteroids can be used intensively during the first week following an alkali burn, without increasing the risk of corneal melting. The mechanism for the enhancement of corneal ulceration is not a direct augmentation of collagenase activity, but probably involves the inhibition of repair processes.


The waste package site recommendation design specified a boron-containing stainless steel, Neutronit 976/978, for fabrication of the internal baskets that will be used as a corrosion-resistant neutron-absorbing material. Recent corrosion test results gave higher-than-expected corrosion rates for this material. The material callout for these components has been changed to a Ni-Cr-Mo-Gd alloy (ASTM-B 932-04, UNS N06464) that is being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory. This report discusses the results of initial corrosion testing of this material in simulated in-package environments that could contact the fuel baskets after breach of the waste package outer barrier. The corrosion test matrix was executed using the potentiodynamic and potentiostatic electrochemical test techniques. The alloy performance shows low rates of general corrosion after initial removal of a gadolinium-rich second phase that intersects the surface. The high halide-containing test solutions exhibited greater tendencies toward initiation of crevice corrosion.


Summary
The glycaemic and lipaemic effects of 3 feeding regimes and 2 post prandial intervals were determined at rest and during exercise using 6 Thoroughbred geldings on 6 testing days according to a Latin square design. Three feeding regimes consisted of a fasting regime and isoenergetic meals (4.1 Mcal) of either cracked corn or alfalfa. One or 4 h after feeding, a standardised exercise test (SET) was imposed on fed and fasted horses. Blood was sampled via jugular catheters every 15 min from 0630 to 1500 h, except during the 55 min SET in which 7 samples were drawn. The SET consisted of three 10 min bouts of saddling, walking to the arena and warm-up (walking and trotting), followed by 3 bouts of progressively more intense cantering at heart rates of 130–140 (10 min), 150–160 (10 min) and 170–180 (5 min) beats/min. There were no feeding regime effects on pre-feeding levels of glucose, insulin, lactate, glycerol or free fatty acids (FFA). However, glucose in corn fed horses fell below pre-feeding concentration during the SET but rebounded at the termination of cantering. Glucose in alfalfa fed and fasted horses gradually rose throughout the SET. Insulin levels closely followed glucose response. During the SET, corn fed horses had higher insulin concentrations (P<0.05) than fasted or alfalfa fed horses. During the onset of the SET one or 4 h post prandially, FFA levels in corn fed horses were less (P<0.05) than in alfalfa fed or fasted horses. Glycerol levels gradually increased during the SET; however, no differences were found between dietary treatments.


For many years, system operators have noticed that the VAr reserves of key generators can indicate the degree of controllability of key bus voltages in a system. This observation has led to the development of a few VAr reserve monitoring systems. In this paper, a rigorous investigation on the subject is conducted. Using the correlative relationship between generator VAr reserves and system voltage stability margins, a practical and systematic method for online voltage stability monitoring is proposed. The method has been thoroughly tested on two real-life power systems with promising results.


From the Publisher:
with contributions from Theo Papadopoulo

Over the last forty years, researchers have made great strides in elucidating the laws of image formation, processing, and understanding by animals, humans, and machines. This book describes the state of knowledge in one subarea of vision, the geometric laws that relate different views of a scene. Geometry, one of the oldest branches of mathematics, is the natural language for describing three-dimensional shapes and spatial relations. Projective geometry, the geometry that best models image formation, provides a unified framework for thinking about many geometric problems relevant to vision. The book formalizes and analyzes the relations between multiple views of a scene from the perspective of various types of geometries. A key feature is that it considers Euclidean and affine geometries as special cases of projective geometry.
Images play a prominent role in computer communications. Producers and users of images, in particular three-dimensional images, require a framework for stating and solving problems. The book offers a number of conceptual tools and theoretical results useful for the design of machine vision algorithms. It also illustrates these tools and results with many examples of real applications.


This study explores the impacts of assimilating all-sky infrared satellite radiances from Himawari-8, a new-generation geostationary satellite that shares similar remote sensing technology with the U.S. geostationary satellite GOES-16, for convection-permitting initialization and prediction of tropical cyclones with an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). This case studies the rapid intensification stages of Supertyphoon Soudelor (2015), one of the most intense tropical cyclones ever observed by Himawari-8. It is found that hourly cycling assimilation of the infrared radiance improves not only the estimate of the initial intensity, but also the spatial distribution of essential convective activity associated with the incipient tropical cyclone vortex. Deterministic convection-permitting forecasts initialized from the EnKF analyses are capable of simulating the early development of Soudelor, which demonstrates encouraging prospects for future improvement in tropical cyclone prediction through assimilating all-sky radiances from geostationary satellites such as Himawari-8 and GOES-16. A series of forecast sensitivity experiments are designed to systematically explore the impacts of moisture updates in the data assimilation cycles on the development and prediction of Soudelor. It is found that the assimilation of the brightness temperatures contributes not only to better constraining moist convection within the inner-core region, but also to developing a more resilient initial vortex, both of which are necessary to properly capture the rapid intensification process of tropical cyclones.


Despite the economic benefits of flowsheet optimization, many commercial tools suffer from long computational times, limited problem formulation flexibility and numerical instabilities. In this study, we address these challenges and present a framework for efficient large scale flowsheet optimization. This framework couples advanced process optimization formulations with state-of-the-art algorithms, and includes several notable features such as (1) an optimization-friendly formulation of cubic equation of state thermodynamic models; (2) a new model for distillation column optimization based on rigorous mass, equilibrium, summation and heat (MESH) equations with a variable number of trays that avoids integer variables; (3) improvements on the Duran–Grossmann formulation for simultaneous heat integration and flowsheet optimization; and (4) a systematic initialization procedure based on model refinements and a tailored multi-start algorithm to improve feasibility and identify high quality local solutions. Capabilities of the framework are demonstrated on a cryogenic air separation unit synthesis study, including two thermally coupled distillation columns and accompanying multistream heat exchangers. A superstructure is formulated that includes several common ASU configurations in literature. As part of the optimization problem the solver selects the best topology in addition to operating conditions (temperatures, flowrates, etc.) for coal oxycombustion applications. The optimization problem includes up to 16,000 variables and 500 degrees of freedom, and predicts specific energy requirement of 0.18 to 0.25 kWh/kg of O2 depending on design assumptions. These results are compared to literature and plans to extend the framework to an entire coal oxycombustion power plant optimization study are discussed. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


I have been researching crime on public transport systems around the world for over 15 years, and when Transport for London (TfL) contacted me to assist them in tackling pick-pocketing on the London Underground I realised they faced a new challenge. Recently the use of foot patrols targeting crime hot spots have proven to be an effective crime reduction measure, for example in Manchester, and, further afield in Philadelphia. However, there are a number of problems with introducing this approach to dynamic and transient systems such as the London Underground which have a continual movement of passengers and infrastructure, and therefore the hot-spots tend to move fairly rapidly.


Multiplayer game play is a voluntary act or activity carried out within the limit, place and time, based on binding rules but acknowledged voluntarily with the aim of which is within him, accompanied by a feeling tense, happy. Multiplayer game uses a computer game, technically a multiplayer game can get through two interconnected computers or computers connected to each other, using the Monitor, Keyboard, CPU, joystick as the main media (the simplest), or via a computer network connection, better known with Local Area Network, which means that one host computer to connect with several other computers, called terminals, both of which are local in nature and confined to one location. This study included deskripsif quantitative research, conducted with a sample dirental game Meteora 50 students who play multiplayer games with how Accidental Sampling. Data collection techniques used in this study using a questionnaire or a questionnaire. Data were collected on (1 to 26) March 2006. incoming data were analyzed with the method of frequency analysis of a single distribution.
From the research that has been done by the researcher can conclude as follows: In general, students who play multiplayer games only just looking for entertainment to forget the fact that is not encouraging from the search engine game that contains elements. Another thing that is known to play multiplayer games researcher is more of a voluntary act or activity carried out within the limit, place and time, based on binding rules but acknowledged a voluntary basis with the aim of which is within him, accompanied by a feeling of tense, unhappy with the understanding that play is something "other" than ordinary life.


Background Unpaid caregivers have faced and dealt with additional challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the psychological processes associated with their resilience is warranted. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between resilience with mental distress, emotion regulation strategies (i.e., reappraisal and suppression) and interpretation bias in adult caregivers. Method Participants were living in the UK, aged 18+, and consisted of 182 unpaid caregivers of an adult aged 18+ living with a long-term health condition, and 120 non-caregivers. Data were collected in an online study during the first national UK COVID-19 lockdown (May and September 2020). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses explored whether emotion regulation strategies and interpretation bias explained unique variance in levels of resilience in caregivers whilst controlling for anxiety and depression. Results Compared to non-caregivers, caregivers reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, negative interpretation bias and lower levels of resilience. Emotion regulation strategies did not differ between groups. Within caregivers, greater resilience was associated with lower mood disturbance, a positive interpretation bias, and greater use of cognitive reappraisal and lower use of suppression strategies to regulate emotions. Emotion regulation and interpretation bias together predicted an additional 15% of variance in current levels of resilience. Conclusion Our findings indicate that psychological mechanisms such as emotion regulation strategies, particularly reappraisal, and interpretation bias are associated with resilience in caregivers. Although preliminary, our findings speak to exciting clinical possibilities that could form the target of interventions to improve resilience and lower mental distress in unpaid caregivers.


Background: To compare the effect of cyclopentolate versus tropicamide eye drops on anterior surface corneal parameters using Keratograph 4 in myopic and emmetropic individuals.Methods: Fifty-eight participants included 29 emmetropic and 29 myopic individuals, were recruited, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. At baseline visit, anterior surface corneal parameters were measured using Keratograph 4 Keratograph 4in the right eye. All measurements were repeated at two separate visits, one week apart, after administration of tropicamide 1% and cyclopentolate 1% at similar conditions.Results: Of 58 participants who completed the study, 29 (24 women, 5 men, age: 23.82± 2.78 years) were emmetropic and 29 (21women, 8 men, age: 23.66± 2.76 years) were myopic. Baseline mean spherical equivalents were -0.23±0.23 D and -2.45±1.03 D in emmetropic and myopic groups, respectively. The analysis of the data showed a significant hyperopic shift following instillation of both cycloplegic eye drops in both refractive groups. However, tropicamide results was statistically insignificant in comparison with cyclopentolate (p=0.49). The assessment of data revealed no statistically significant differences in anterior surface corneal parameters in baseline, tropicamide and cyclopentolate instillation in each refractive group, except IHD value with tropicamide in myopic group (p=0.02). The further analysis between refractive groups also showed no significant differences in anterior surface corneal parameters in each session.Conclusions: Present study indicates that cyclopentolate and tropicamide do not appear to affect corneal topographic parameters and hence can be trusted to capture topography data.


Although double vision is known to occur in adults following squint operations it should not be a contra-indication for surgery. The condition is more likely to occur in exotropia than in esophoria; suppression does not help to prevent it. Prismatic screens are suitable both for establishing indications as well as for preparation for surgery and postoperative treatment.


A compact summary of video that conveys visual content at various levels of detail enhances user interaction significantly. In this paper, we propose a two-stage framework to generate MPEG-7-compliant hierarchical key frame summaries of video sequences. At the first stage, which is carried out off-line at the time of content production, fuzzy clustering and data pruning methods are applied to given video segments to obtain a nonredundant set of key frames that comprise the finest level of the hierarchical summary. The number of key frames allocated to each shot or segment is determined dynamically and without user supervision through the use of cluster validation techniques. A coarser summary is generated on-demand in the second stage by reducing the number of key frames to match the low-level browsing preferences of a user. The proposed method has been validated by experimental results on a collection of video programs.


So you have a great computer with the Windows XP operating system. You surf the web, send e-mail and play the occasional game of Solitaire. There are more programs on it than you know what to do with, but you don't delete any of them in case you ever figure out what they do. Windows XP In a Snap can show you all of that and more than you even knew was possible. Did you know you can learn to set up a wireless network at home? Customize your desktop to launch your favorite programs upon start-up? Even build a music library from your CDs? More than 140 essential tips, tricks and techniques will show you how to do all of this, as well as how to stop spam, maximize your computer's performance and troubleshoot hardware problems. Windows XP In a Snap makes it easy for your PC to perform at the top of its game!


A Micro-Autonomous Positioning System (MAPS) has been developed using micro-autonomous robots for the deployment of small mirrors within multi-object astronomical instruments for use on the next generation ground-based telescopes. The micro-autonomous robot is a two-wheel differential drive robot with a footprint of approximately 20 × 20 mm. The robot uses two brushless DC Smoovy motors with 125:1 planetary gearheads for positioning the mirror. This article describes the various elements of the overall system and in more detail the various robot designs. Also described in this article is the build and test of the most promising design, proving that micro-autonomous robot technology can be used in precision controlled applications.


The Gulf of Mannar—the shallow body of water between present-day India and Sri Lanka—was one of the largest sources of natural pearls in the world for at least two millennia. This dissertation focuses on a relatively brief period during which managerial control over the human and natural resources of the pearling industry transferred from Dutch to British powers. The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries also witnessed a shift in political economic thought, as classical liberalism dislodged mercantilism as the prevailing framework for interpreting the relationship between the state and economy. The Company and Crown governments brought an assemblage of ideas to bear on the management and governance of people and oysters that sought to not only increase productivity but also fundamentally reshape the social, economic, and political foundations of the pearling industry. However, the attempt by British officials to extricate local networks and institutions from pearling operations was fraught with contradictions and seldom delivered on the promise of reform. Through an examination of key targets of government intervention—labor, markets, merchants, sovereignty, and corruption—this dissertation explores the interstices between success and failure and tracks such developments through the evolving contexts of colonialism and imperialism in India and Sri Lanka. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group South Asia Regional Studies First Advisor Daud Ali


Recent studies report increased frequency of hyperglycemic and hyperketotic emergencies in youth with T1D and coronavirus disease 20 (COVID-19) . Morbidity and mortality risk may be increased in individuals who develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) with concurrent COVID-infection.
 Using a Cerner RealWorld DataTM COVID-dataset with de-identified information from 490,373 individuals with COVID- (12/2019-9/2020) from 87 U.S. healthcare systems, we examined demographic and clinical characteristics of youth with established T1D and suspected or confirmed COVID-infection. We then used generalized mixed models to evaluate the association of body mass index (BMI) , race and ethnicity, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) to two outcomes: (1) DKA and (2) concurrent DKA and HHS (DKA+HHS) . We used a validated cohort selection algorithm to identify 383 youth (<18 years old; 50.7% female) with T1D. Of these, 35.8% were non-Hispanic White, 27.4% were Hispanic, and 14.9% were non-Hispanic Black/Other (NHB/O) . The most common comorbid conditions were fluid and electrolyte disorders, documented for 64.2% of the cohort. Other frequent comorbid conditions included cardiac arrhythmias (19.3%) , chronic pulmonary disease (17.2%) , and depression (16.2%) . Thirty-nine percent of youths in the cohort experienced DKA only, 1.0% experienced HHS only, and 4.2% experienced DKA+HHS. After adjustment, we found HbA1c to be the only factor associated with increased odds of DKA alone (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.22; 95% CI (1.09,1.36) ; p<0.001) . Odds of DKA+HHS were markedly increased in NHB/O individuals (AOR: 4.47; 95% CI (1.07,18.72) ; p=0.04) .
 Demographic and clinical care factors that associate with increased risk of DKA or DKA+HHS differ among youth with T1D and COVID-infection. Whether risk factors associated with DKA, HHS or DKA+HHS differ among youth with T1D with or without COVID-infection requires further study.

 S.Tsai: Stock/Shareholder; Dexcom, Inc. E.M.Tallon: None. D.Ferro: None. E.Zarse: None. D.D.Williams: None. C.Shyu: n/a. M.A.Clements: Consultant; Glooko, Inc., Research Support; Abbott Diabetes, Dexcom, Inc.


We study a supply chain involving a supplier–retailer relationship. When production lead-time is long and the selling season is short, the retailer has to place an order ahead of the season, which resembles the classical Newsvendor model. However, we consider the situation when the supplier agrees to deliver the order in multiple shipments in the season, and then the retailer needs to determine the quantity and/or timing of each shipment. Under a centralized setting, we derive the optimal quantity and/or timing decisions of the retailer. Under a decentralized setting, incentive misalignment arises from ineffective allocation of inventory costs between the parties, in addition to the well- known double marginalization effect. Hence, we devise an incentive contract, which involves a risk-sharing mechanism at the end of the season and an inventory subsidizing scheme for the entire season; in practice, the inventory subsidizing scheme can be implemented in different ways, such as a direct subsidizing scheme or a delayed-payment scheme. The proposed contract can achieve channel coordination and Pareto optimality. Furthermore, we can show that the inventory subsidizing scheme plays a key role in channel coordination because without the inventory subsidizing scheme, the loss of supply chain efficiency is almost always significant.


Background: Wound is the damage of the cellular and functional continuity of any living tissues. The wound healing process is a complex, multistage, and involve many changes and development steps. Management of wounds is frequently encountered with different problems related to their phases and conditions. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of hyaluronic acid in modulating the wound healing process through the evaluation of cytokines levels and histological changes. Methodology: This experimental study was carried on animal models using 24 male mice aged 8-16 weeks with a weight of (22 – 32 g). 12 male mice taking placebo treatment, and 12 male mice treated with hyaluronic acid. Blood and tissue samples were collected and wound lengths were measured after 3,7,14, and 21 days of treatment. IL 2, VEGF, TNFα, bFGF were evaluated from serum and tissue using the ELISA technique. Results: There was an improvement in healing quality in HA treated group with complete, scarless healing after 14 days of treatment. Cytokines and growth factors measured in this study showed wide variation and modulation between HA treated and untreated wounds. Conclusion Hyaluronic acid enhances wound healing via multiple processes. It modulates inflammation, promotes angiogenesis and re-epithelization, and reduce scar tissue formation.


The paper presents a new way for small and middle size companies to sustain their growth using the Quality Scheduling Index. The aim of the paper is to provide the managers from not only the private sector, i.e. manufacturing companies, a tool which can help them improve Just-In-Time delivery of the products to the market, reduce manufacturing costs related with time usage for manufacturing the products on parallel production lines and also increase the quality according to the ISO norms as well as according to each and every customer requirements. In this way the Pull principle is applied and the company will produce and deliver the right products, at the right time and according to the customer's specifications. The Quality Scheduling Index is presented and partial results of its implementation are shown from a managerial as well as juridical point of view. The goal is to extend Total Quality Management in areas little explored, working in Just-In-Time mode, by eliminating the temporal variations from the contractual delivery terms regarding time. Among other things, the new management tool, Quality Scheduling Index, is able to capture the desired degree of temporal variations and the associated costs. Its implementation methodology goes to business practice, eliminating the company's risk of failure from the enterprise supply chain.


In this investigation a suitable algorithm for the detection of cracks in the pressure vessels is presented. The equations of motion for the vessel are obtained and transferred into the wavelet space in a simplified form resulted from time and position approximations. The locations of cracks are randomly distributed in different regions of the structure to cover the whole geometry of the pressure vessel. Furthermore, the pressure vessel is installed vertically with a fixed end at the bottom of each of its four leg supports. Then, the results are transferred to the wavelet space using Daubechies wavelet families. From the comparison of the displacement results associated with the intact and damaged vessels, it can be clearly seen that the crack location can be accurately detected noting the alteration in the wavelet output diagrams .The results of the crack detection show that with the proper selection of the wavelet type, the wavelet based finite element method is a suitable and nondestructive method as well as a powerful numerical tool for the detection of cracks and other discontinuities in the pressure vessels. The results of this investigation can be used in the marine and aerospace industries as well as power stations.


The determination of the size and size distribution of five silver nanocolloid populations has been assessed by different techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was proposed as a reference in single particle methods. It was compared with three particle population methods: dynamic light scattering (DLS), very usual in particle population sizing, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the single particle mode (spICP-MS), and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with multi-angle laser light-scattering detection (MALLS) and ICP-MS. These last two methods are gaining popularity because they provide a very complete description of the particle populations of interest, enabling access to both sizing and chemical composition. Depending on the polydispersity of the particle populations, some discrepancies did arise between the different techniques. It was found that local analysis performed by TEM tends to underestimate the mean diameter, while DLS almost always yields the largest estimate of the size. spICP-MS and AF4-MALLS-ICP-MS provided results which are consistent with the reference TEM and DLS methods in simple cases of monomodal, monodisperse populations. For less uniform distributions, for which DLS was not able to resolve the different modes, spICP-MS featured better resolution between the coexisting modes than AF4-MALLS-ICP-MS, but the latter allowed detection of smaller particles. For both techniques, care must be taken in the calibration steps: quantification of the particle mass in the case of spICP-MS and elution time for AF4-MALLS-ICP-MS. The analysis of silver colloids and the calibration with ionic standards could not be performed in the same matrix, leading to different ICP-MS signal sensitivities; introduction of recovery factors in the data processing was necessary for analytical result quality.


This article analyzes representations of medical knowledge in Goias in the early decades of the twentieth century through anecdotes and articles in the Catholic newspaper Santuario da Trindade, which circulated from 1922 to 1931. The anecdotes reflect a certain distancing from the modernization of medicine and ridicule medical science, demonstrating what Bakhtin characterized as the irreverence of popular culture in relation to serious institutions. On the other hand, medical knowledge was greatly esteemed in the paper's articles, and served to legitimize the moralizing discourse of its editors. Therefore, in the same newspaper this knowledge was simultaneously represented respectfully and mocked, revealing the complexity of how changes in medical practices during the period were absorbed.


Two phases are recognized in the maturation of organic matter and evolution of the oil-generative window (OGW): (a) a basinal subsidence phase during which potential source rocks undergo burial through a static initial OGW, and maturation is due essentially to increasing temperature with depth, and (b) a postsubsidence phase during which the OGW moves vertically upward through the static sedimentary fill, and maturation is due to time effects. Only the final shallow position of OGW can be defined by geochemical indices of maturity. The hydrocarbon generation sequence progresses from bottom to top, beginning with the lighter hydrocarbons (or even thermogenic gas) at the initial OGW at depth, followed by progressively heavier hydrocarbons as the OGW moves vertically upward. This dynamic model of hydrocarbon generation permits modeling of past positions of OGW relative to basin evolution through interpretation of oil-genesis nomographs. It also provides genetic explanation for the increase in API gravity with depth, areal variation of maturation facies, variation in temperature at present tops of OGW with age of source rocks, and gas/oil volume ratios of sedimentary basins.


Motivated by numerous scattering problems where the media is lossy and yet can only be investigated from a single side, the authors discuss algorithms for reconstructing a lossy, stratified dielectric from one-sided plane wave impulse reflection responses. Novel features of these algorithms include: 1) solving the lossy media problem using only one-sided reflection response data; 2) exploiting oblique probing angles; 3) having origins in digital signal processing (DSP) theory; 4) employing fast algorithms that have been modified to solve the forward scattering problem; and 5) solving the scattering problems exactly, including accounting for multiple reflections. A new algorithm is introduced that reconstructs such a media from one-sided transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) impulsive plane wave reflection responses from a single oblique angle. The oblique-probing angle necessitates a bistatic measurement configuration. New probing constraints are developed for a previously presented algorithm based on probing at two angles of incidence. Algorithm stability and data correction are addressed. Numerical examples illustrate the new algorithm in synthesizing the media transient response and reconstructing the media.


Both in epithelial development as well as in epithelial cancers, the p53 family member p63 plays a crucial role acting as a master transcriptional regulator. P63 steady state protein levels are regulated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Itch, via a physical interaction between the PPxY consensus sequence (PY motif) of p63 and one of the 4 WW domains of Itch; this substrate recognition process leads to protein-ubiquitylation and p63 proteasomal degradation. The interaction of the WW domains, a highly compact protein-protein binding module, with the short proline-rich sequences is therefore a crucial regulatory event that may offer innovative potential therapeutic opportunity. Previous molecular studies on the Itch-p63 recognition have been performed in vitro using the Itch-WW2 domain and the peptide interacting fragment of p63 (pep63), which includes the PY motif. Itch-WW2-pep63 interaction is also stabilized in vitro by the conformational constriction of the S-S cyclization in the p63 peptide. The PY motif of p63, as also for other proteins, is characterized by the nearby presence of a (T/S)P motif, which is a potential recognition site of the WW domain of the IV group present in the prolyl-isomerase Pin1. In this study, we demonstrate, by in silico and spectroscopical studies using both the linear pep63 and its cyclic form, that the threonine phosphorylation of the (T/S)PPPxY motif may represent a crucial regulatory event of the Itch-mediated p63 ubiquitylation, increasing the Itch-WW domains-p63 recognition event and stabilizing in vivo the Itch-WW-p63 complex. Moreover, our studies confirm that the subsequently trans/cis proline isomerization of (T/S)P motif by the Pin1 prolyl-isomerase, could modulate the E3-ligase interaction, and that the (T/S)pPtransPPxY motif represent the best conformer for the ItchWW-(T/S)PPPxY motif recognition.