In this paper, multiscale analysis is conducted for through-the-thickness stitched CFRP composites in order to investigate the effect of unintended imperfections in the microstructure. The analytical method is based on the homogenization method, and the effect of the imperfection is introduced by using perturbation method. Throughthe- thickness stitched CFRP laminates have prominent mechanical properties such as higher delamination toughness, better impact resistance under low-velocity impact, and higher CAI strength than that of non-stitched laminates. However, through-thethickness stitching process inevitably induces microscopic geometrical imperfection such as fiber waviness and resin pocket. Therefore, in order to analyze material behavior precisely, the evaluation of the effect of the imperfection is essential. In this paper, the effects of the imperfection on the macroscopic material properties and on the microscopic stress distribution are both analyzed by using multiscale analysis. The multiscale simulation method is based on the homogenization method. Geometrical imperfection is considered by using perturbation method, and it is introduced as an input to the calculation. The calculation to analyze the effect of the imperfection is always done using the idealized perfect geometry. In this study, several realistic geometrical imperfection patterns in the stitched CFRP composite are measured by using sub-micro focus X-ray CT devise, and they are used as inputs to the calculation method. The calculated results are compared to the experimental results. Simulation results reveal that the microscopic geometrical imperfection significantly affects the macroscopic material properties and microscopic stress distribution of the through-thethickness stitched CFRP composites.


Methodology which incorporates the philosophy and methods of Taguchi is developed to address the issues of designing for manufacturability and sensitivity analysis. Specifically, the goal is to obtain responses (outputs) at or near required targets and to minimize output variability when the inputs are subject to manufacturing tolerances. The desirability functions, which generalize the notion of yield, are used to assess how close responses are to their targets. Manufacturing tolerances in the inputs are incorporated in the analysis by means of the expected loss of the desirability function which is estimated by a Taguchi outer array approach. The desirability expected loss is used to determine an optimum nominal input point to give responses close to target with small variability. The sensitivity of the various responses to the inputs is determined by an analytical method and an analysis of variance approach using a Taguchi outer array. The methods are applied to the optimization of a BIMOS NPN transistor. >


An actinomycetes strain 3016 was isolated from a soil sample on a selective medium with actinomycin as a result of directed screening of organisms producing beta-lactam antibiotics. The culture fluid of the isolate contained an antibacterial anibiotic identical to cephamycin C. Description of the strain is presented. It is a representative of new variety of streptomyces filipinensis var. cephamycini var. nov. The results of the study of the chemical properties of antibiotic 3016 and its identification with cephamycin C are also presented.


Recent experiments using diode lasers subject to strong external injection have shown that adding a small reference current modulation to the DC-bias current can easily lock the oscillations frequency of the laser to the reference frequency. Tunable outputs oscillating at stable frequencies from 9.5 to 13.1 GHz have been obtained. These remarkable performances result from the fact that the laser relaxation oscillation frequency depends on the injection strength at high injection rates. A first analysis of the laser rate equations gives expressions for the locking domain in terms of the modulation amplitude /spl delta/, the modulation frequency /spl omega/, and the injection strength /spl eta/. Our determination of the locking domain does not reveal the time dependent transition from locking to unlocking as the injection strength is changed. This transition is, however, observed in the experiments. If the modulation amplitude is sufficiently weak, the main effect of the time-periodic forcing is on the phase of the unperturbed limit-cycle oscillations.


Teachers are known to be versatile. They are equipped with different knowledge and skills for them to be prepared in handling the diversity of learners. It is a fact that each day, they are faced with this challenge as each learner is noted to be unique. Thus, they have different ways of how they should be taught in school. One of the challenges being encountered by educators is on maximizing students' comprehension, especially on literature subjects. Therefore, different approaches have been proposed to accommodate the needs of every learner when it comes to studying literature. This study aimed to analyze the process of teaching and learning of literature among senior high school teachers based on the K to 12 Curriculum for the English subject. Specifically, it sought to find out the teaching learning activities being conducted by the four senior high school literature teachers. It also looked into the teaching approaches mostly preferred by the four senior high school literature teachers. As an offshoot of this study, an instructional module for literature was designed. The study utilized both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The questionnaire, classroom observation, and interview schedule were used to answer the research questions. This study was limited to the approaches in teaching literature employed by selected senior high school teachers who were handling literature subjects in senior high school in the second district of Ubay, Bohol. The aforementioned findings led the researcher to conclude that the ultimate goal in learning literature is to let the students appreciate its content by using a variety of approaches gleaned from the teaching techniques used by the teachers. Thus, an instructional module was designed to enhance learning by applying the different approaches in teaching literature. This book will serve as a guide to Senior High School literature teachers for them to use varied approaches in teaching the subject for the enhancement of learning. It is recommended that a variety of strategies may be used by teachers in teaching literature to develop not only the cognitive but also the affective and psychomotor domains.


Background: Functional evaluation instruments for patients with neuromuscular disorders are rare. The Motor Function Measure (MFM) scale is available in the original French and in English and Spanish translations. Objective: To make a Portuguese translation of the MFM and to identify its intra and inter-examiner reliability. Methods: Two translations of the 2004 MFM were produced separately by neurologists who were profi cient in French. This procedure resulted in a consensual text after evaluation by the authors. The MFM in Portuguese was applied to 58 patients aged six to 61 years, with clinical and laboratory diagnoses of various types of muscular dystrophy and congenital myopathy that were documented on video. The fi rst author performed the test and retest and another three physical therapists analyzed the same videos to assess the inter-examiner reliability. Statistical analyses were performed using the Kendall, kappa and Pearson coeffi cients. Results: The scale is presented with its 32 items and three dimensions. The Kendall concordance coeffi cients for inter-examiner analysis and the kappa and Pearson coeffi cients for the test-retest comparison were statistically signifi cant (p-value<0.0001) for the 32 items on the scale and for the total score. Conclusions: The Portuguese version of the MFM showed high reliability and minimal variability when it was applied. It can be used as an instrument for clinical diagnosis and follow-up of neuromuscular disorders. The high reliability in applying the MFM will allow Brazilian patients to be included in international clinical trials that use this scale.


Over the short-term and at physiological doses, acute increases in corticosterone (CORT) titres can enhance immune function. There are predictable seasonal patterns in both circulating CORT and immune function across many animal species, but whether CORT receptor density in immune tissues varies seasonally is currently unknown. Using radioligand binding assays, we examined changes in concentrations of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in spleen and skin in wild-caught house sparrows in Massachusetts during six different life-history stages: moult, early winter, late winter, pre-egg-laying, breeding and late breeding. Splenic GR and MR binding were highest during the pre-laying period. This may help animals respond to immune threats through increased lymphocyte proliferation and/or an increase in delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions, both of which CORT can stimulate and in which spleen is involved. A decrease in splenic GR and MR during the late breeding period coincides with low baseline and stress-induced CORT, suggesting immune function in spleen may be relatively CORT-independent during this period. We saw no seasonal patterns in GR or MR in skin, suggesting skin's response to CORT is modulated primarily via changes in circulating CORT titres and/or via local production of CORT in response to wounding and other noxious stimuli.


Ontogeny of osmoregulation and salinity tolerance were investigated throughout the larval development of two congeneric species of sesarmid crab, Armases ricordi (H. Milne Edwards) and A. roberti (H. Milne Edwards), and compared with previous observations from two further congeners, A. miersii (Rathbun) and A. angustipes (Dana). In the semiterrestrial coastal species A. ricordi, the zoeal stages were only at moderately reduced salinities (17-25.5) capable of hyper-osmoregulation, being osmoconformers at higher concentrations. The megalopa was the first ontogenetic stage of this species, which exhibited significant hyper-osmoregulation at further reduced salinities (≥5), as well as a moderately developed function of hypo-regulation at high concentrations (32-44). The riverine species A. roberti showed similar overall patterns in the ontogeny of osmoregulation, however, also some striking differences. In particular, its first zoeal stage showed already at hatching a strong capability of hyper-osmoregulation in salinities down to 5. Interestingly, this early expressed function became significantly weaker in the subsequent zoeal stages, where survival and capabilities of hyper-osmoregulation were observed only at salinities down to 10. The function of hyper-regulation in strongly dilute media re-appeared later, in the megalopa stage, which tolerated even an exposure to freshwater (0.2). Differential species- and stage-specific patterns of osmoregulation were compared with contrasting life styles, reproductive behaviours, and life-history strategies. In A. ricordi, the larvae are released into coastal marine waters, where salinities are high, and thus, no strong hyper-osmoregulation is needed throughout the zoeal phase. The megalopa stage of this species, by contrast, may invade brackish mangrove habitats, where osmoregulatory capabilities are required. Strong hyper-osmoregulation occurring in both the initial and final larval stages (but not in the intermediate zoeal stages) of A. roberti correspond to patterns of ontogenetic migration in this species, including hatching in freshwater, larval downstream transport, later zoeal development in estuarine waters, and final re-immigration of megalopae and juvenile crabs into limnic habitats, where the conspecific adults live. Similar developmental changes in the ecology and physiology of early life-history stages seem to occur also in A. angustipes. A. miersii differs from all other species, showing an early expression and a gradual subsequent increase of the function of hyper-osmoregulation. This ontogenetic pattern corresponds with an unusual reproductive biology of this species, which breeds in supratidal (i.e. land-locked) rock pools, where variations in salinity are high and unpredictable. Matching patterns in the ontogeny of osmoregulation and life-history strategies indicate a crucial adaptive role of osmoregulation for invasions of (by origin marine) crabs into brackish, limnic and terrestrial environments.


PURPOSE
The Epha2 receptor is a surprisingly abundant component of the membrane proteome of vertebrate lenses. In humans, genetic studies have linked mutations in EPHA2 to inherited and age-related forms of cataract, but the function of Epha2 in the lens is obscure. To gain insights into the role of Epha2, a comparative analysis of lenses from wild-type and Epha2(-/-) mice was performed.

METHODS
Epha2 distribution was examined using immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis. Lens optical quality was assessed by laser refractometry. Confocal microscopy was used to analyze cellular phenotypes.

RESULTS
In wild-type lenses, Epha2 was expressed by lens epithelial cells and elongating fibers but was degraded during the later stages of fiber differentiation. Epha2-null lenses retained their transparency, but two key optical parameters, lens shape and internal composition, were compromised in Epha2(-/-) animals. Epha2-null lenses were smaller and more spherical than age-matched wild-type lenses, and laser refractometry revealed a significant decrease in refractive power of the outer cell layers of mutant lenses. In the absence of Epha2, fiber cells deviated from their normal course and terminated at sutures that were no longer centered on the optical axis. Patterning defects were also noted at the level of individual cells. Wild-type fiber cells had hexagonal cross-sectional profiles with membrane protrusions extending from the cell vertices. In contrast, Epha2(-/-) cells had irregular profiles, and protrusions extended from all membrane surfaces.

CONCLUSIONS
These studies indicate that Epha2 is not required for transparency but does play an indispensable role in the cytoarchitecture and refractive quality of the lens.


Abstract Geomorphological mapping from the new LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)-derived digital elevation model for Sweden and a high-resolution multibeam bathymetry data-set for the Gulf of Bothnia reveals a continuous system of glacial landforms crossing the transition between the modern terrestrial and marine environments. A palaeo-ice stream in the northern Bothnian Sea is reconstructed, with an onset tributary over the present-day Ångermanland–Västerbotten coastline. Systematic contrasts in landform morphology and lineation length indicate that this ice stream comprised a relatively narrow (∼40 km) corridor of fast flow, flowing first SW then S, and likely fed by converging flow around the upper Bothnian Sea. The geometry and landform associations of this system imply that ice, at the time period represented here, did not flow across the Gulf of Bothnia: SSE-ward ice flow indicators on the northern Swedish coast do not correspond directly with landform assemblages of the large SE-oriented Finnish deglacial lobes. Instead, we suggest they may contribute to a late-stage fast-flow event to the S and SW. Multibeam bathymetry data offer entirely new access into the rich, landform-scale geomorphological record on the seafloor of the Gulf of Bothnia. The combination of offshore multibeam with the new terrestrial LiDAR data provides unprecedented insight into and renewed understanding of the glacial dynamics of the Bothnian Sea sector of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet, hitherto interpreted over large areas of unmapped ice sheet bed.


Novel EDOT based bent-core and hockey-stick shaped mesogens bearing terminal alkyl chains and alkoxy terminal chains, respectively, have been designed and synthesized via the Sonogashira coupling reaction. Molecular structures of these new compounds were determined using spectral and elemental analysis. The mesomorphic behaviour of all the novel compounds was primarily investigated by a combination of polarising optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction studies (XRD). All of the compounds exhibit an enantiotropic nematic phase in lower homologs. However, a smectic A phase at a lower temperature along with the high temperature nematic phase was observed in higher homologs of BC and hockey-stick LCs. A density functional theory study was carried out to investigate the stable configuration. The bent angle of these molecules was intermediate between calamitic LCs and banana LCs. The photophysical properties of all the compounds were studied in anhydrous chloroform solvent and show absorption patterns around 370–395 nm and emission between 418–465 nm. We have also reported large effective two-photon absorption in these novel compounds when measured under excitation by nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm. All of the mesogenic compounds are nonlinear materials, which make them suitable candidates for optical limiting applications.


This paper describes a series of experiments on the control of acoustic noise by antiphase electroacoustic feedback, utilising a 4-chip digital adaptive filter developed by British Telecom Research Laboratories. An active control system must provide accurate modelling of an acoustic path (for 20dB attenuation the error in magnitude of the modelling must not exceed 10% and the error in phase must not exceed 6°), but also a should be made inherently stable despite the closed loop necessarily formed by the (detector)/(filter system)/(secondary source)/(detector). The system described here overcomes the problem in two parts. There is a digital adaptive filter arranged to act in the same way as a conventional echo canceller to kill the feedback loop, and there is a second such filter arranged to provide the required feedforward transfer function for cancellation to be achieved. The characteristics of these filters are described and also illustrated by experimental results.


In this study, we investigate the sensitivity of simulated shallow cumulus and stratocumulus to selected tunable parameters of Cloud Layers Unified by Binormals (CLUBB) in the single‐column version of Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (SCAM5). A quasi‐Monte Carlo (QMC) sampling approach is adopted to effectively explore the high‐dimensional parameter space and a generalized linear model is adopted to study the responses of simulated cloud fields to tunable parameters. One stratocumulus and two shallow cumulus cases are configured at both coarse and fine vertical resolutions in this study. Our results show that most of the variance in simulated cloud fields can be explained by a small number of tunable parameters. The parameters related to Newtonian and buoyancy‐damping terms of total water flux are found to be the most influential parameters for stratocumulus. For shallow cumulus, the most influential parameters are those related to skewness of vertical velocity, reflecting the strong coupling between cloud properties and dynamics in this regime. The influential parameters in the stratocumulus case are sensitive to the vertical resolution while little sensitivity is found for the shallow cumulus cases, as eddy mixing length (or dissipation time scale) plays a more important role and depends more strongly on the vertical resolution in stratocumulus than in shallow convections. The influential parameters remain almost unchanged when the number of tunable parameters increases from 16 to 35. This study improves understanding of the CLUBB behavior associated with parameter uncertainties and provides valuable insights for other high‐order turbulence closure schemes.


The application of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease offered a direct ldquoinsightrdquo into the human electrical activity in subcortical structures. The analysis of the oscillatory activity [local field potentials (LFPs)] disclosed the importance of rhythms and of interactions between rhythms in the human basal ganglia information processing. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of possible nonlinear interactions between LFP rhythms characterizing the output structure of the basal ganglia, the globus pallidus internus, by means of bispectral analysis. The results of this study disclosed that the rhythms expressed in the globus pallidus internus of the untreated parkinsonian patient are not independent and, in particular, the low-beta (13-20 Hz) band generates harmonics that are included in the high-beta (20-35 Hz) band. Conversely, in the dystonic globus pallidus, as well as in the parkinsonian globus pallidus after dopaminergic medication (i.e., in the more ldquonormalrdquo condition), the rhythms are substantially independent and characterized by a strong activity in the low-frequency band that generates a second harmonic (4-14 Hz), mostly included in the same band. The interactions between rhythms in the human globus pallidus are therefore different in different pathologies and in different patient's states. The interpretation of these interactions is likely critical for fully understanding the role of LFP rhythms in the pathophysiology of human basal ganglia.


Scab, caused by Fusicladium eriobotryae , is the main disease affecting loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica ) in the Mediterranean basin. A mechanistic epidemiological model developed in Spain to predict infection of loquat fruit by conidia was assessed in the main loquat cultivated area of Italy (Sicily). A 3-year study (2014–2016) was carried out in an experimental orchard on three loquat cultivars: Algerie, Peluche and San Filipparo. For each cultivar, output of the model was compared with observed scab development on fruits. The scab epidemics observed were different in different years and cultivars, representing a suitable data set for model validation. The model correctly predicted loquat scab, as demonstrated by the goodness of fit between model predictions and observed disease incidence on fruits ( R 2 > 0.85), confirming the accuracy and robustness of the model for predicting scab development in loquat orchards. The use of the model for fungicide scheduling against F. eriobotryae may improve the management of loquat scab by reducing the number of required fungicide applications.


Abstract The present article provides an overview of the status of land use and land cover change science in Montane Mainland Southeast Asia in the context of a Mobile Workshop. Outcomes of the Mobile Workshop highlighted the rapid changes in land use and livelihoods, largely driven by the development of transport links, increasing market access, and trade liberalization. While many of these changes are likely to be beneficial, they must be carefully monitored, and relevant policies should be inclusive of all stakeholders. This is why it is important that land use science be cognizant of the need to make information accessible to policy-makers and land users.


This dataset records the Saiga antelope die-off and calving sites in Kazakhstan. It represents the locations (and where available dates) of (i) die-offs and (ii) normal calving events in the Betpak-dala population of the saiga antelope, in which three major mass mortality events have been recorded since 1988. In total, the data contains 214 saiga die-off and calving sites obtained from field visits, aerial surveys, telemetry and literature.
Locations derived from field data, aerial surveys or telemetry are polygons representing the actual size and shape of the die-off or calving sites; locations sourced from the literature are point data around which buffers of 6km were created, representing the average size of calving aggregations.
Of the 214 locations listed, 135 sites for which environmental data were available were used to model the probability of a die-off event. The collection and use of these data are written up in more detail in papers which are currently under review (when published links will be added to this record).
Saiga antelope are susceptible to mass mortality events, the most severe of which tend to be caused by haemorrhagic septicaemia following infection by the bacteria Pasteurella multocida. These die-off events tend to occur in May during calving, when saigas gather in dense aggregations which can be represented spatially as relatively small sites. The Betpak-dala population is one of three in Kazakhstan, located in the central provinces of the country (see map).


The 50th anniversary of the Club of Rome report on The Limits of Growth is a good opportunity to think about what sustainability and particularly social sus-tainability mean. The introduction contextualizes the concerns that came up when the report was written by presenting some influential texts of the time. Some ideas of the way the social world is connected to the environment were formulated in the Club of Rome executive committee's commentary at the end of the scientific report, yet they were not further pursued. The report was contested by the Bariloche coun-termodel of Latin American researchers. These scholars included issues of power, dependent development, exploitation, poverty, and social justice into their model. It was the approach of the Brundtland Report that popularized the concept of sus-tainability with its three dimensions (ecological, economic, and social). However, the concept of social sustainability has remained vague. Two perspectives are dis-cussed: the dependency of the social world on the natural environment and sus-tainability of the social world. This editorial concludes with a presentation of most recent publications that understand social sustainability as a transformation of so-ciety towards sustainability integrating all three dimensions.


We thank Dr Luiz Celso Hygino Cruz Jr for his interest in our review article on spinal cord MR spectroscopy, and we appreciate the presentation of his own spinal cord MR spectroscopy data acquired from a patient with a non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is a good example of the feasibility and usefulness of MR spectroscopy in the spinal cord and demonstrates that additional information, which is complementary to other imaging methods, can be obtained. The presentation of these findings could help other clinical groups during the differentiation process in similar cases and may stimulate interest in using spinal cord MR spectroscopy in clinical routine. We also agree that the acquisition protocol can be simplified in comparison with our suggestions in the cited review article in this specific case. However, the simplification of the acquisition protocol is not generally applicable but was enabled by the specific conditions in a case of a space-occupying lesion filling the spinal canal as reported by Dr Hygino da Cruz. The presented lesion is significantly larger compared with the normal diameter of a healthy or even atrophic spinal cord, thus a larger voxel size can be used. In Dr Cruz's article, the voxel size was 2 mL compared with approximately 1.2 mL in healthy spinal cord, which implies an SNR increase by a factor of approximately 1.7. To achieve the same SNR in a smaller spinal cord MR spectroscopy voxel from a healthy or atrophic spinal cord, an increase of at least a factor of 2.9 in scanning time is necessary. In addition, the space-occupying lesion hinders the CSF flow and thus reduces the need for flowand motion-correction methods. The application at 1.5T in conjunction with a larger lesion also reduces susceptibility changes and thus lowers the requirements for B0 shimming methodology. Compared with 3T, measurements at 1.5T theoretically have a lower SNR. In practice, the SNR difference between 1.5T and 3T is not substantial, due to a better B0 homogeneity at 1.5T leading to a smaller absolute line width along with a more accurate flip angle calibration in the presence of a more homogeneous transmit B1 field and negligible chemical shift displacement artifacts at 1.5T. Furthermore, some lesions show a dramatic increase of specific metabolite concentrations (eg, the presented case seems to exhibit an elevated Cho peak), which can be easily observed with a reduced SNR (unfortunately, the SNR value of the measurement was not reported). The particular situation (a space-occupying lesion versus a normal-diameter spinal cord) minimizes the technical challenges of MR spectroscopy and makes the simplified spinal cord MR spectroscopy protocol used by Dr Cruz and coworkers applicable to the reported case. In conclusion, in some cases, especially when the voxel size can be increased (eg, in space-occupying lesions), a reduction of the scanning time is possible. However, a simplified and shortened MR spectroscopy protocol applied to measurements in other spinal cord conditions might lead to bad spectral quality and potentially erroneous conclusions. Therefore, an MR spectroscopy scan protocol leading to high-quality MR spectroscopy data across different spinal cord diseases is indispensable. Nevertheless, we congratulate Dr Cruz for his report and are looking forward to seeing more detailed reports of spinal cord MR spectroscopy in various conditions, including quality indicators like SNR and line width.


Colonial Australia produced a vast number of journals and magazines that helped to create an exuberant literary landscape. They were filled with lively contributions by many of the key writers and provocateurs of the day (and of the future). Writers such as Marcus Clarke, Rolf Boldrewood, Ethel Turner, and Katharine Susannah Prichard published for the first time in these journals. This book offers a fascinating selection of material; a miscellany of content that enabled the 'free play of intellect' to thrive and, matched with wry visual design, made attractive artifacts that demonstrate the role this period played in the growth of an Australian literary culture.


Objective: Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) is characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis, binuclearity of erythroid precursors and secondary hemochromatosis. Recently, the gene mutated in CDA type II (CDA II), SEC23B, was identified. All Israeli patients with CDA II are of North African (mainly Moroccan) Jewish descent. We investigated the molecular basis of CDA II in those patients. Methods: Participants included 11 patients with CDA II from 8 apparently unrelated families. Clinical data were retrieved from medical files, and blood was collected for DNA analysis. Results: The majority of patients (10/11) were homozygous for a common SEC23B mutation (E109K). Haplotype analysis revealed a common genetic background in all patients. One patient was a compound heterozygote for the E109K mutation and a novel mutation, T710M. All patients were transfusion independent, with increasing iron overload with age. We estimate the E109K mutation to be 2,400 years old, in line with Jewish migration history. Conclusions: Most CDA II patients in Israel are of Moroccan Jewish origin and carry a common SEC23B mutation, E109K, the first to be described as a founder mutation causing CDA II. As previously suggested, carrying 2 missense mutations is associated with a relatively nonsevere phenotype.


Thermal models of mid-ocean ridges that balance the influx of heat from magmatic sources with the removal of heat by conduction and hydrothermal circulation allow quantification of cooling of young oceanic crust. These models reproduce key observations relating to crustal accretion and hydrothermal cooling at fast-spreading ridges. The rate of cooling is constrained both by the bathymetry of ridge axes and by olivine compositions from ophiolite gabbros. Successful models involve extensive hydrothermal cooling of the lower crust within 20 km of the ridge, with ~50–70 kW of hydrothermal cooling for every 1 m of ridge axis at crustal ages of <0.1–0.4 Ma. These timates can be used to refine global models of geochemical and thermal fluxes close to spreading ridges.


Context Perforation of interior vena cava filters is uncommon but has been described. We report a case of an interior vena cava filter which appeared to have perforated into the main pancreatic duct causing recurrent pancreatitis. Case report A seventy-six-year-old female with previous interior vena cava filter placement developed recurrent pancreatitis. During one of her hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis, an interior vena cava filter prong was noted to be abutting the duodenal wall at the level of the pancreatic head on computer tomography imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging/cholangiopancreatography revealed multifocal pancreatic duct stricturing. Given her recurrent acute pancreatitis and multiple pancreatic duct strictures, an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with pancreatic duct stent placement was performed. During pancreatic duct stent exchange on a subsequent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, two interior vena cava filter prongs were noted to have bent in a different orientation during manipulation of the stent. At this time, there was concern for communication between the interior vena cava filter and the pancreatic duct, along with suspicion that this was precipitating her recurrent episodes of pancreatitis. The interior vena cava filter was subsequently removed by interventional radiology, and she has not had any further documented episodes of acute pancreatitis in the 13 months since her interior vena cava filter removal. Conclusions Perforation of interior vena cava filters is a rare cause of recurrent pancreatitis. When noted, the interior vena cava filter should be removed.


Purpose – The purpose is: first to review the marketing segmentation literature and its antecedents; second, to evaluate the organizational practice of marketing segmentation in a specific commercial context noted for its dynamism and complexity, fashion retailing; third, to assess theoretical and practical implications; and finally to identify an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach – Through the analysis of an instrumental case study examining practice in fashion retailing this paper makes a contribution to current market segmentation debates. Sensemaking properties are used as a disciplined structure in which to report the case and make sense of segmentation.

Findings – This research demonstrates that the definition and scope of market segmentation is broader than the current marketing literature suggests. In practice, based on evidence from this research, contemporary segmentation solutions include implicit assumptions, judgement and compressed experience, which are latent within the modelling processes.

Research limitations/implications – Further research needs to be extended to different organizational settings in order to develop further our understanding of the tacit and intuitive aspects of segmentation decisions.

Practical implications – Intuitive decision-making processes and tacit knowledge employed in them are difficult to replicate and make explicit. However, a better understanding of these intuitive processes would offer practitioners an opportunity to systematically improve the quality of decision-making.

Originality/value – This research broadens normative theoretical perspectives on market segmentation by highlighting intuitive and tacit dimensions. Combining sensemaking within the case study analysis has helped structure thought trials to provide a rare qualitative insight into the managerial construction of segmentation.


The activation of C-H bonds in homogeneous systems has been the subject of study for many years due to its involvement in important industrial catalytic processes. A large number of reviews on the different areas involved have appeared, but those dealing with kinetic studies, including activation parameters, are rather scarce due to the severe difficulties in interpreting experimental data. In this perspective, the information available from kinetico-mechanistic studies of cyclometalation reactions on Pd(II) and Rh(II) centres via C-H bond activation is considered. Experimental results from studies performed on complexes of these metal centres indicate that the historically accepted electrophilic substitution classification is not a satisfactory mechanistic term for the process occurring during the reaction. A definite acid-assisted phenomenon is evident for all the processes studied, which contradicts the expected need for a proton abstractor in the reaction. This is even more surprising when considering the expected hydrolysis of M-C bonds in such acidic media, indicating that metalation prevails under these conditions. Only the presence of coordinated acid molecules in solvolytic carboxylic acid media can explain the observations. The fine tuning between the proton abstraction capacity of a coordinated RCO(2)H molecule and its Lewis basicity results in a unique reactivity trend. DFT calculations carried out for these acid-assisted processes fully agree with the experimental trends observed.


The poor water solubility and bioavailability of curcumin can be improved by encapsulating it into liposomes. However, the existing encapsulation technologies, such as the thin film method and the ethanol injection method, are complex and require the use of organic solvents. In this study, an organic solvent-free and easily scalable encapsulation technique was studied by utilizing the pH-dependent solubility properties of curcumin. Phospholipid was dissolved in water to form liposomes. Curcumin was deprotonated and dissolved under alkaline conditions and then encapsulated into the liposomes after acidification. Morphological observation and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that curcumin liposomes had been successfully prepared. Curcumin liposomes prepared by the pH-driven method were stable during storage. During in vitro digestion, curcumin liposomes prepared by the pH-driven method showed similar bioaccessibility to those prepared by the thin film method and higher bioaccessibility than those prepared by the ethanol injection method. The pH-driven method, which is organic solvent-free and easily scalable for industrial production, is thus a promising method for the preparation of curcumin liposomes.


We investigate a lattice-fluid model of water, defined on a three-dimensional body centered cubic lattice. Model molecules possess a tetrahedral symmetry, with four equivalent bonding arms, aiming to mimic the formation of hydrogen bonds. The model is similar to the one proposed by Roberts and Debenedetti [J. Chem. Phys. 105, 658 (1996)], simplified in that no distinction between bond "donors" and "acceptors" is imposed. Bond formation depends both on orientation and local density. In the ground state, we show that two different ordered (ice) phases are allowed. At finite temperature, we analyze homogeneous phases only, working out phase diagram, response functions, the temperature of maximum density locus, and the Kauzmann line. We make use of a generalized first-order approximation on a tetrahedral cluster. In the liquid phase, the model exhibits several anomalous properties observed in real water. In the low temperature region (supercooled liquid), there are evidences of a second critical point and, for some range of parameter values, this scenario is compatible with the existence of a reentrant spinodal.


A feeding table system is set up to meet the need for high motional precision and super-slow speed in micro-electron discharge machining (micro-EDM). It is composed of a resonant piezoelectric ceramics motor, a linear bearing and a linear encoder . It features high accuracy due to the application of linear driving, closed-1oop feedback and elimination of abbe's errors. The characteristics of fine motion , slow speed and load capability are investigated. The results of the experiments show that the stable fine motion of this system can be as little as 100 nanometer and its speed can be as slow as 0.5 micron per second which is proper for feeding table of micro-EDM.


Abstract Cambridge high-technology companies, like other small businesses, do not for the most part have explicit overall business strategies, but a number of their key policies are quite clear-cut. For example: they all aim to sell highly specialized products in profitable market niches; the newer electronics firms minimize their commitment to manufacturing by buying-in components for assembly and testing; nearly all the firms want to make the minimum use of outside capital so as to maintain their independence. Although many are expanding rapidly, there are a number of cultural and environmental factors working against their growth into major international competitors.


It has been reported that the maximal protein synthetic response to protein intake is achieved with an intake of 20 ‐ 35 g of protein. However, in these studies account was not taken of possible changes in protein breakdown. In the present study we determined whole body protein kinetics [protein synthesis (PS), breakdown (PB), and net balance (NB), mg/kg ffm/min] in the fasted state and after ingestion of 4 oz (LP, 30g protein) or 10 oz (HP, 75g protein) beef in isocaloric mixed meals. Eleven healthy young adults were studied on two occasions in a randomized crossover design with primed continuous tracer infusions of L‐[2H5]phenylalanine & L‐[2H2]tyrosine on day 4 following 3 days of diet habituation. Basal whole body protein kinetics was not different between HP and LP [PS, 3.5 ± 0.1 vs. 3.5 ± 0.1; PB, 4.2 ± 0.1 vs. 4.2 ± 0.1; NB, ‐0.7 ± 0.0 vs. –0.7 ± 0.0]. Feeding increased NB in both treatments but to a greater extent in HP vs. LP [3.4 ± 0.3 and 1.0 ± 0.1; for all, p<0.001]. PS was increased similarly in both treatments [HP, 4.2.0 ± 0.2 and LP, 4.1 ± 0.2; for all, p<0.001]. PB was decreased in both treatments (for all, p<0.005) but to a greater extent in HP vs. LP [0.8 ± 0.2 vs. 3.1 ± 0.1; p<0.001]. In conclusion, whole body net protein accretion was increased with a protein intake above "optimal" protein intake primarily through further reductions in protein breakdown.


Nowadays, many Augmented Reality (AR) frameworks are using a component based approach. It ensures that the non functional requirements of AR such as extensibility, configurability and modularity are handled. One of the challenge the AR application designer have to face is the problem of the integration of multiple technologies that could be provided by different component systems that do not cover the same issues. In this paper, we will see how our AR component based framework, named ARCS (Augmented Reality Component System), is intended to integrate other components from exogenous component systems and how it could be integrated into other software. At the same time, we also tackle the issues that may arise in multi-threaded environments by using a specific heuristic in order to monitor components. We also explain how we implement the networking non functional requirement using a proxy desing pattern. Then, we discuss and study the impact such genericity has on performances of our system. Finally, our approach will be exposed and validated through different examples of different sizes.


Image-based classification of histology sections, in terms of distinct components (e.g., tumor, stroma, normal), provides a series of indices for tumor composition. Furthermore, aggregation of these indices, from each whole slide image (WSI) in a large cohort, can provide predictive models of the clinical outcome. However, performance of the existing techniques is hindered as a result of large technical variations and biological heterogeneities that are always present in a large cohort. We propose a system that automatically learns a series of basis functions for representing the underlying spatial distribution using stacked predictive sparse decomposition (PSD). The learned representation is then fed into the spatial pyramid matching framework (SPM) with a linear SVM classifier. The system has been evaluated for classification of (a) distinct histological components for two cohorts of tumor types, and (b) colony organization of normal and malignant cell lines in 3D cell culture models. Throughput has been increased through the utility of graphical processing unit (GPU), and evaluation indicates a superior performance results, compared with previous research.


Superhydrophobic materials have a lot of interesting potential applications. The self-cleaning property is a unique feature. Rendering the water-loving cellulosic paper superhydrophobic can open the door for value-added applications. Superhydrophobic paper is a fairly new area, and only very limited scientific publications are available in the literature. Among these publications, the topics on the use of mineral pigments in fabrication of superhydrophobic structures account for a large proportion. During the fabrication process, mineral pigments, e.g., silica, precipitated calcium carbonate, and clay, generally need to be hydrophobized, either directly or indirectly. Mineral pigments can be applied to cellulosic paper by surface treatment or wet-end filling, and good dispersabilities of these pigments are always highly demanded. A key mechanistic point is that by tunable particle packing or fabrication, mineral pigments may exhibit surface-roughening effects, which are critical for superhydrophobicity development. The roughening of a hydrophobic surface helps to enhance hydrophobicity. Possible concepts such as nano-structuring or controllable surface patterning of mineral pigments may help to improve superhydrophobicity. Environmental friendliness will also guide the scientific/technical development in this area.


Recently, redefining of the role of the membrane lipids and the formation of a new look at the morphology, organization and functioning of membranes occurred due to the study of specific membrane clusters--rafts. The present review summarizes the current data concerning the morphology, the biophysical and biochemical properties of rafts, describes the structure, form and basic functional microdomains marking proteins.


In this report it is shown that determining the instantaneous angle of pitch, the acceleration of the gust is as important as its maximum velocity or yaw. Hitherto it has been assumed that the conditions encountered in gusts could be approximately represented by considering the airship to be at an instantaneous angle of yaw or pitch (according to whether the gust is horizontal or vertical), the instantaneous angle being tan to the (-1) power (v/v), where v is the component of the velocity of the gust at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the ship, and v is the speed of the ship. An expression is derived for this instantaneous angle in terms of the speed and certain aerodynamic characteristics of the airship, and of the maximum velocity and the acceleration of the gust, and the application of the expression to the determination of the forces on the ship is illustrated by numerical examples.


Background Although several lines of evidences suggest that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, this association remains controversial. Here, we aim to investigate the genetic association between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and schizophrenia and to explore whether this polymorphism could influence the severity of clinical symptoms in schizophrenic patients in a Chinese Han population. Patients and methods Genotyping of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was carried out in 456 schizophrenic patients and 483 controls using the fluorescence resonance energy transfer method. The patients' psychotic symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The general clinical data of schizophrenic patients were analyzed. Results There were significant differences in the genotype distribution and allelic frequencies of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism between the schizophrenia group and the controls. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism explained ∼16% of the variance in anxiety/depression symptoms in schizophrenic patients. Conclusion Our data provide evidence that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism may be involved in the etiology of schizophrenia in a Chinese Han population. Furthermore, the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is a significant factor influencing the severity of anxiety/depression symptoms in schizophrenic patients.


The NWS&DB is the major organization supplying potable water. The major problem faced by theNWS&DB in reaching
its long term goals was the deterioration of existing water sources and the difficulty in finding new water sources. Thus the
restoration of the micro watershed at one of its intakes located at Huluganga was carried out; with the aim of establishing
a demonstration model which will provide the basis for other such endeavuors within the NWS&DB and show the community
involved that it is possible to establish vegetation that would serve their utility needs as well as ensure the health
of the watershed perpetually. The project was launched in 2003 with the support of the UNDP, Global Environmental
Facility(GEF) under their Small Grants Programme(SGP). The project was implemented by Neo Synthesis Research
Centre(NSRC) a Non Government Organisation with many years of experience in restoring degraded land. Due to the
unavailability of funds the project could not proceed to the monitoring and analyses stages. However it gave a good opportunity
to learn about the ability to improve watersheds as well as the willingness of people within the watersheds in
engaging in such activities in order to improve the natural waterways.


Many controllers have been developed for setpoint control of robotic manipulators. An adaptive proportional and derivative (PD) controller is one of the simplest and most effective setpoint controller in the presence of uncertainty in gravitational force. However, an exact model of gravity regressor is required in the adaptive PD control. In this paper, we propose an adaptive setpoint controller with modeling error in the gravity regressor and show that convergence can be guaranteed even when the gravity regressor is uncertain. A new Lyapunov function is presented for the stability analysis of such problem. As a byproduct of the result, we also show that existing setpoint controllers such as an adaptive saturated proportional-derivative (SP-D) and saturated proportional-integral and derivative (SP-ID) in the literature can be analyzed and designed in a unifying way as special cases of the proposed controller.


Abstract All pollutants can reach the aquatic environments and the levels of heavy metals in upper members of the food web like fish can reach values many times higher than those found in aquatic environment or in sediments. Although heavy metals are essential or non-essential, all heavy metals are potentially harmful to humans and most organisms at some level of exposure and absorption. Marine organisms are good indicators for long-term monitoring of metal accumulation. The present review study is for evaluation of the data from previous studies about the toxic effects of selected heavy metals, like essential metals (copper, zinc, iron, chromium, and manganese), on seawater, sediment, and in different tissues of aquatic animals (demersal and bentic fish, invertabres) collected from different areas in Northern East Mediterrenean Sea since the 1990s. Some concern arose from previous studies, particularly in terms of safety for human consumption. For this purpose, 86 articles and 4 theses were examined and information was collected on the table to open a forward-looking view of the pollution of studied area. In previous studies, the variations in feeding habits, habitats, and the level of copper found in edible muscles of the demersal fish species (deep water fish species, carnivore) such as Mullus barbatus barbatus, Solea lascaris, Sparus aurata were always higher than those found in pelagic (omnivore) Mugil cephalus, Liza aurata. Results show discrepancies caused by many factors; thus, more work must be done carefully.


ECOD is a database of evolutionary domains from structures deposited in the PDB. Domains in ECOD are classified by a mixed manual/automatic method wherein the bulk of newly deposited structures are classified automatically by protein‐protein BLAST. Those structures that cannot be classified automatically are referred to manual curators who use a combination of alignment results, functional analysis, and close reading of the literature to generate novel assignments. ECOD differs from other structural domain resources in that it is continually updated, classifying thousands of proteins per week. ECOD recognizes homology as its key organizing concept, rather than structural or sequence similarity alone. Such a classification scheme provides functional information about proteins of interest by placing them in the correct evolutionary context among all proteins of known structure. This unit demonstrates how to access ECOD via the Web and how to search the database by sequence or structure. It also details the distributable data files available for large‐scale bioinformatics users. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


Mikania mirantha is a pernicious world-class weed with extremely high threats to the native flora, and ranks no. 1 on the invasive alien plants list. In this study, Mikania mirantha was carbonized to form the carbide, which is called Mikania mirantha charcoal (MMC). MMC's pH value more than 9 increases with the carbonizing temperature. Besides, MMC has many microelements consist of calcium, magnesium, potassium and silicon that are helpful to the growth of the plant. Therefore, this research is to investigate the physical and chemical properties of MMC-mixed peat media and the seedling index of the vegetable for using MMC mixed with peat media to substitute the commercial perlite peat (CPP) as culture media of the vegetable seedlings. The results showed that MMC-mixed peat media (MMC-P) whose total porosity was more than 85% were belonged to the type of lighter media. The pH value of MMC-mixed media before seeding belongs to neutrality and close weak alkali. After seeding for the 39th day, the seedling index of MMC-mixed media was 0.086-0.101, which was a little lower than that of CPP, 0.11. It resulted from a higher pH value from MMC. As a whole, MMC would be also used as the biofertilizer to improve the acid soil. This study suggests that MMC can be washed by other natural acidity media to change its pH value, which is possible to promote MMC-mixed media to substitute CPP media.


Abstract One of the essential themes in modern catalysis is that of bridging the gap between its homogeneous and heterogeneous counterparts to combine their individual advantages and overcome shortcomings. One more incentive can now be added to the list, namely the ability of transition metal complexes to provide strong nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal enhancement upon their use in homogeneous hydrogenations of unsaturated compounds with parahydrogen in solution. The addition of both H atoms of a parahydrogen molecule to the same substrate, a prerequisite for such effects, is implemented naturally with metal complexes that operate via the formation of a dihydride intermediate, but not with most heterogeneous catalysts. Despite that, it has been demonstrated in recent years that various types of heterogeneous catalysts are able to perform the required pairwise H2 addition at least to some extent. This has opened a major gateway for developing highly sensitive and informative tools for mechanistic studies of heterogeneous hydrogenations and other processes involving H2. Besides, production of catalyst-free fluids with NMR signals enhanced by 3-4 orders of magnitude is essential for modern applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including biomedical research and practice. The ongoing efforts to design heterogeneous catalysts which can implement the homogeneous (pairwise) hydrogenation mechanism are reported.


Power transformer is one of the most efficient devices used in power systems. Modern electrical distribution systems typically supply a very high percentage of nonlinear electronic loads. As a result, transformer losses increase, and energy efficiency decreases. The level of this deterioration is a function of harmonic voltage magnitudes at a transformers primary terminals, and loadgenerated harmonic currents. There are not yet recognized standards or methods for determining of transformers losses or efficiency under these non-linear load conditions. Conventional methods for measurement of transformer losses, open and short circuit tests, under nonlinear load do not apply, because measurements are possible only when the load is present, i.e, in real working conditions. The subject of this research is to determine the penetration of errors in measurements of power transformer losses and efficiency under nonlinear load conditions. We are not focused on digital process, A/D conversions, etc., we are focused on algorithms and methods of measurement and their response to the instrumentation errors. Significance of assessment of measuring errors is due to the fact that the errors of data propagate through calculations and produce errors in measuring results. Analyses are done with algebra of penetration of errors in calculations and measuring algorithms.


The hypothesis that social stimulation, derived from the presence and activities of conspecifics, can hasten and synchronize breeding in colonies of birds was tested. A modified playback/recorder system was used to continuously exaggerate the amount of colony sound available to zebra finches throughout their courtship period. Males that heard 'sound supplements' generated from their own colony sang more than males in control colonies that did not receive playback; males that heard samples from a different colony, sang at an intermediate level. Females that were exposed to the vocalizations of their mate and playback from a colony other than their own, laid eggs earlier and more synchronously than females in control colonies. Females that heard the vocalizations of their mate along with playback samples generated from their own colony, laid eggs more synchronously but not earlier than control females. Both acoustic treatments caused females to lay larger clutches. Social stimulation influences the breeding schedule and clutch size in zebra finch colonies. If there are advantages associated with these effects, social stimulation may contribute to the maintenance of colonial breeding systems.


OBJECTIVES
To consider the possible rationale and utility of omega-3 fatty acids as a treatment for depression in the perinatal period.

METHOD
A review of published and unpublished research was undertaken, using electronic databases, conferences proceedings and expert informants.

RESULTS
Relevant bodies of evidence include an epidemiological link between low fish intake and depression. Laboratory studies show correlations between low omega-3 fatty acid levels and depression, as well as reduced levels of omega-3 in non-depressed women during the perinatal period. Treatment studies using omega-3 in patients with mood disorders further support an omega-3 contribution, as do neuroscientific theories. Research into omega-3 and infant development also highlights potential effects of depletion in the perinatal period and supports infant safety and benefits of supplementation.

CONCLUSIONS
There is a relative lack of knowledge about the safety of standard antidepressants in the perinatal period. There is a clear need for more research into alternative treatments, such as omega-3 fatty acids, in the management of depression in the perinatal period.


At this time, the growth of uterine myomas during pregnancy cannot be predicted. Major complications of pregnancy appear to be related to whether the placenta and the myoma are in contact. The location and number of myomas, especially in the lower uterine segment, increases the likelihood of cesarean birth and malpresentation. Frequent ultrasound evaluations to monitor fetal growth and presentation and the size of the myoma should be considered in pregnant women with uterine myomas. Surgical resection of myomas should be reserved for those pregnant women with symptomatic pedunculated myomas with a small stalk. In those women with a pregnancy complication owing to the myoma, resection should be considered prior to the next pregnancy.


This paper introduces a new attack on recent messaging systems that protect communication metadata. The main observation is that if an adversary manages to compromise a user's friend, it can use this compromised friend to learn information about the user's other ongoing conversations. Specifically, the adversary learns whether a user is sending other messages or not, which opens the door to existing intersection and disclosure attacks. To formalize this compromised friend attack, we present an abstract scenario called the exclusive call center problem that captures the attack's root cause, and demonstrates that it is independent of the particular design or implementation of existing metadata-private messaging systems. We then introduce a new primitive called a private answering machine that can prevent the attack. Unfortunately, building a secure and efficient instance of this primitive under only computational hardness assumptions does not appear possible. Instead, we give a construction under the assumption that users can place a bound on their maximum number of friends and are okay leaking this information.


Techniques for automatically extracting important content elements from business documents such as contracts, statements, and filings have the potential to make business operations more efficient. This problem can be formulated as a sequence labeling task, and we demonstrate the adaption of BERT to two types of business documents: regulatory filings and property lease agreements. There are aspects of this problem that make it easier than "standard" information extraction tasks and other aspects that make it more difficult, but on balance we find that modest amounts of annotated data (less than 100 documents) are sufficient to achieve reasonable accuracy. We integrate our models into an end-to-end cloud platform that provides both an easy-to-use annotation interface as well as an inference interface that allows users to upload documents and inspect model outputs.


The construction of large dams has changed natural hydrology of many rivers in South America. Considering that little is known about the reorganisation of nonmigratory fish assemblages following an impoundment, we investigated changes caused by the construction of Lajeado Dam on the spatial distribution of nonmigratory fish along the Tocantins River, a large Amazonian river. In particular, we investigated changes in distance decay of community similarity (initial similarity and halving distance) in periods that preceded and followed the construction of the dam. For this study, we analysed data collected over a four-year period, including seven sites distributed along the Tocantins River (~270 km). Initial similarity showed high values and little variation over the years. Halving distance, on the other hand, changed considerably after impoundment, showing progressive smaller values. In the first 2 years after impoundment, halving distance decreased by more than half of the initial value, indicating changes in distance decay relationships. An ordination analysis nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) indicated substantial changes in assemblage structure between pre- and postimpoundment periods, especially in sites close to the dam. In addition, after river regulation, we recorded shifts in species abundance across sites, while numerical dominance increased and local richness decreased in sites near the dam. Our results indicate that the dam changed diversity gradients along the river corridor, increasing the distance decay of assemblage similarity. All these findings evidence that nonmigratory fish assemblages are particularly vulnerable to river regulation.


In the few decades, there has been exponentially growth in the field of herbal remedies. Newer guidelines for standardization, manufacture, quality control and scientifically rigorous research will be necessary for traditional treatments. This traditional knowledge can serve as the powerful search engine that will greatly facilitate drug discovery. Standardization of herbal formulations is essential in order to assess the quality, purity, safety and efficacy of drugs based on the amounts of their active principles. The aim of the present work is to standardize Gokshuradi churna. The churna makes this traditional drug more stable for long term storage and hence, easier to prepare. The "Gokshuradi churna" an Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation used in the treatment of is a polyherbal Ayurvedic medicine used as a diuretic and cardiac tonic. One marketed and one in- house formulations were used for the study. All the formulations were standardized on the basis of organoleptic characters, physical characteristics and physico-chemical properties. The set parameters were found to be sufficient to evaluate the churna and can be used as reference standards for the quality control/quality assurance purposes. The analysis and quality control of herbal medicines are moving towards an integrative and Comprehensive direction, in order to better address the inherent holistic nature of herbal medicines. It was observed that all ingredients of commercial samples matched exactly with that of authentic standards after performing the standardization as per WHO guideline.


Jane Austen's six novels and her personal music collection can serve as the basis for a course on eighteenth-century music outside of the traditional canonic works common to music history courses. The Austen family's music collection includes over seventy compositions that have been recorded, primarily songs and piano music. These materials provide the opportunity for music students to learn about the social and cultural contexts for period music-making, including concerts, balls, domestic settings, the theater, and pleasure gardens. The course can also explore issues surrounding gender and performance, musical transmission, eighteenth-century aesthetics, conceptions of musical narrative, and interrelationships among the arts. A bibliography of materials useful for a course on Austen and music is provided.


Referenceless proton resonance frequency (PRF) shift thermometry provides a means to measure temperature changes during minimally invasive thermotherapy that is inherently robust to motion and tissue displacement. In this study, the method is expanded to allow background phase estimation from fatty tissue. A correction scheme for temperature map distortions caused by the ultrasound applicator is developed. The method is tested during thermal ablation of canine prostate using a directional transurethral ultrasound applicator.


The paucity of genetically informed, immune-competent tumor models impedes evaluation of conventional, targeted, and immune therapies. By engineering mouse fallopian tube (FT) organoids using lentiviral gene transduction and/or CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, we generated multiple high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) models exhibiting mutational combinations seen in patients. Detailed analysis of homologous recombination (HR)-proficient (Tp53-/-;Ccne1OE;Akt2OE; KrasOE), HR-deficient (Tp53-/-;Brca1-/-;MycOE) and unclassified (Tp53-/-;Pten-/-;Nf1-/-) organoids revealed differences in in vitro properties and tumorigenicity. Tumorigenic organoids had variable sensitivity to HGSOC chemotherapeutics and evoked distinct immune microenvironments. These findings enabled development of a chemotherapy/immunotherapy regimen that yielded durable, T-cell dependent responses in Tp53-/-;Ccne1OE;Akt2OE;Kras HGSOC; by contrast, Tp53-/-;Pten-/-;Nf1-/- tumors failed to respond. Genotype-informed, syngeneic organoid models could provide an improved platform for rapid evaluation of tumor biology and therapeutics. HIGHLIGHTS Orthotopic injection of genetically defined fallopian tube organoids yield HGSOC. Ovarian tumors with different genotypes evoke distinct immune microenvironments Combining Gemcitabine, anti-PD-L1, and anti-CTLA-4 result in complete responses in Tp53-/-;Ccne1OE;Akt2OE;KrasOE organoid-derived HGSOC Therapeutic response is tumor genotype-specific


Women Scientists in Gender Oriented Research The aim of the article is to present and analyze the results of the questionnaire research performed in Poland between November of 2006 and February of 2007 as well as to discuss their meaning for product design and manufacturing management. The project aimed at clarifying the process of how the women scientists are engaged in technological and R&D response to the needs of women end-users. The study examined economic and socio-cultural factors that influence gender-specific end-user interaction with women researchers by comparing and analyzing gender equality in R&D in the case of agricultural implementations for rural applications.


COVID19 pandemic has so far caused over three hundred thousand deaths worldwide, primarily due to complications from SARS-CoV-2-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). While an ARDS-driven hyperinflammatory phenotype is associated with higher mortality in non-COVID patients, there is little information on how cytokines and chemokines expressions correlate with clinical outcomes in COVID19 patients. We prospectively enrolled a cohort of 41 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome on mechanical ventilation. Patients blood was obtained at enrollment and outcome measures were liberation from mechanical ventilation and hospital-free days. We determined the expression levels of 44 circulating cytokines/chemokines and found 13 of them associated with worse outcomes. After correcting for multiple comparisons/false discovery rate, only one chemokine (CCL19) remained significantly associated with outcomes (p=0.009). Although not described in association with COVID19, this chemokine was previously found elevated in an animal model of SARS-CoV. Moreover, CCL19 seems to be relevant for bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) maintenance and for lung immunity to influenza virus. While this finding requires corroboration, CCL19 determination could facilitate early identification COVID19-ARDS patients at higher risk of death and be novel target for immunotherapy in this setting.


PURPOSE
In an international, randomized phase III trial, sunitinib demonstrated statistically significant efficacy over interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) (progression-free survival time, 11 v 5 months, respectively; P < .001; objective response rate, 31% v 6%, respectively; P < .001). We report health-related quality-of-life (QOL) results from this trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Seven hundred fifty mRCC patients were randomly assigned to sunitinib (6-week cycles: 50 mg orally once daily for 4 weeks, followed by 2 weeks off) or IFN-alpha (9 million units subcutaneous injections, three times weekly). QOL measures included the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the FACT-Kidney Symptom Index-15 item (FKSI-15), and the EuroQoL-5D's utility score (EQ-5D Index) and its visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). The primary QOL end point was the FKSI Disease-Related Symptoms (FKSI-DRS) subscale. Higher scores indicated better outcomes (better QOL or fewer symptoms). Data were analyzed for the intent-to-treat population using mixed-effects models, supplemented with pattern-mixture models.

RESULTS
Patients receiving sunitinib reported higher FKSI-15 and FKSI-DRS scores at each cycle than those receiving IFN-alpha, with a significant difference in the overall least squares means (3.27 and 1.98, respectively; P < .0001). Similarly, differences in least squares means for FACT-G (and all subscales), EQ-5D Index, and EQ-VAS were all significantly favorable for sunitinib (P < .01). Per pre-established thresholds, between-treatment differences in the mean scores were clinically meaningful after cycle 4 for FKSI-DRS and at all assessments for FKSI-15, FACT-G, and the FACT-G functional well-being subscale.

CONCLUSION
Sunitinib provides superior QOL compared with IFN-alpha in mRCC patients.


This paper updates the performance of those equity long/short mutual funds analyzed in "Hedge Funds Versus Hedged Mutual Funds: An Examination of Long/Short Funds" (The Journal of Alternative Investments, Winter 2014) (McCarthy, 2014). Section 1 of this paper focuses on the period July 2013 - December 2019, extending the analysis in McCarthy, 2014. This later period is characterized by an extended equity bull market. The analyses below find that these equity long/short mutual funds provide investment exposure similar to leading equity long/short hedge fund indexes. However, as a group, they underperformed the S&P 500 Index and traditional hedge fund indexes. It is further shown that none of the indexes considered in this paper (i.e. the Index of Equity Long/Short Mutual Funds, the HFRI Equity Hedge Fund Index, the DJ-CS L/S Equity Hedge Fund Index, or the CISDM Equity Long/Short Index) had positive risk adjusted returns over this later period. In addition, none of the 24 equity long/short mutual funds with full data for the period July 2013 - December 2019 had positive alpha. The paper also presents data on the lack of performance persistence across these mutual funds, analyzes the considerable change in assets of some of these funds, reports their closure rates, and notes the positive relationship between excess performance over the S&P 500 and net asset flows. Section 2 examines January 2020 – March 2020, a period characterized by a sharp equity market selloff. Data presented shows that these equity long/short mutual funds outperformed the S&P 500 during this three-month period (i.e. performed less poorly), though as a group they continued to underperform on a risk adjusted basis. In this period, though, a small number of individual mutual funds did add alpha. Also, extending the analyses over longer time frames ending March 31 2020, a small number of funds generated positive alpha. Finally, Appendix A provides performance data on equity long/short mutual funds begun after July 2013. The performance of this expanded universe of funds is materially the same as mutual funds begun before July 2013.


Abstract Background The hyper-function of the striatal dopamine system has been suggested to underlie key pathophysiological mechanisms in schizophrenia. Moreover, patients have been observed to present a significant elevation of dopamine receptor availability compared to healthy controls. Although it is difficult to measure dopamine levels directly in humans, neurochemical imaging techniques such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) provide indirect indices of in vivo dopamine synthesis and release, and putative synaptic levels. Methods We focused on the role of dopamine postsynaptic regulation using [123I] iodobenzamide (IBZM) SPECT. We compared D2/3 receptor availability between 53 healthy controls and 21 medication-naive patients with recent-onset schizophrenia. Result The mean specific striatal binding showed no significant difference between patients and controls (estimated difference = 0.001; 95% CI −0.11 to 0.11; F = 0.00, df = 1, 69; p = 0.99). There was a highly significant effect of age whereby IBZM binding declined with advancing age [estimated change per decade of age = −0.01(binding ratio); 95% CI −0.01 to −0.004; F = 11.5, df = 1, 69; p = 0.001]. No significant correlations were found between the mean specific striatal binding and psychopathological or cognitive rating scores. Conclusions Medication-naïve patients with recent-onset schizophrenia have similar D2/3 receptor availability to healthy controls. We suggest that, rather than focusing exclusively on postsynaptic receptors, future treatments should target the presynaptic control of dopamine synthesis and release.


There is a need for the identification of an accurate test for the detection of recurrent bladder cancer. In this study, we evaluate the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay for detection of telomerase as a potential new method for bladder cancer detection and compare it to voided urine cytology. A urine sample and a bladder wash were obtained from 63 patients with a history of bladder cancer. Cytological evaluation was performed on voided urine, and the TRAP assay was performed on voided urine and bladder wash. The overall clinical sensitivity of the TRAP assay, as defined by the ability to identify correctly the patients with pathologically confirmed bladder cancer, was 35% in voided urine and 50% in bladder wash, whereas the overall clinical sensitivity of voided urine cytology was 71%. The sensitivity of voided urine cytology for the papillary and noninvasive tumors (Ta) was 50%, compared to 92% for the superficially invasive tumors (T1), 62% for the muscle-invasive tumors (T2+), and 100% for the high-grade flat carcinoma in situ (Tis). The clinical sensitivity of the TRAP assay using voided urine was 46% for Ta, 50% for T1, 18% for T2+, and 20% for Tis. The sensitivity of the TRAP assay in Ta disease was similar to that of cytology (50% for cytology versus 46% for the TRAP assay). There was a strong association between the total number of exfoliated malignant cells and the sensitivity of the assay. The sensitivity of the TRAP assay in bladder washes was 44% for Ta, 67% for T1, 46% for T2+, and 43% for Tis. The TRAP assay is reproducible, highly specific, and not dependent on the expertise of the cytopathologist. These results suggest that this assay should be further investigated as a diagnostic tool for bladder cancer.


On June 14th, 2013, Iranians headed to the polls to cast their votes for the country's next president. The unexpected turnout, that followed months of debates between those who wanted to go back to ballot boxes and those who did not, resulted in the election of Hasan Rouhani, the moderate cleric. About three months after the election, in his interview with NBC NEWS, Mr. Rouhani explained social networks' role in his victory as undeniable and appreciated his supporters for promoting his campaign on these platforms. This commentary reviews Rouhani's and the other state candidates'1 use of formally blocked social networks during the recent presidential election in Iran, as a very recent shift toward planned and targeted use of social media by the government.


In late 2018, Iain Chalmers, Andy Oxman and others from the Informed Health Choices team convened a cross-field forum to develop a generic framework of key concepts for thinking critically about claims, research and choices about interventions, with the aim of supporting 'informed choices'. We define an informed choice as one that is based on critical understanding of the relevant available evidence. This paper describes the process of that cross-field engagement, and reflects on how consensus was reached on the generic framework. Working in an alliance of 24 researchers from across fields to develop the Key Concepts for Informed Choices framework, we learned three lessons about cross-field working: (1) there was much agreement, despite diversity of views and experiences; (2) the applications of our work were broader than we could have imagined; and (3) we identified a wide range of problems that we have in common when making informed choices. Here we describe our experience of working together to develop the framework, and draw out lessons for others who may be involved in similar cross-field initiatives.


In the era of "big data revolution," marked by an exponential growth of information, extracting value from data enables analysts and businesses to address challenging problems such as drug discovery, fraud detection, and earthquake predictions. Multi-Criteria Decision Support (MCDS) queries are at the core of big-data analytics resulting in several classes of MCDS queries such as OLAP, Top-K, Pareto-optimal, and nearest neighbor queries. The intuitive nature of specifying multi-dimensional preferences has made Pareto-optimal queries, also known as skyline queries, popular. Existing skyline algorithms however do not address several crucial issues such as performing skyline evaluation over disparate sources, progressively generating skyline results, or robustly handling workload with multiple skyline over join queries. In this dissertation we thoroughly investigate topics in the area of skyline-aware query evaluation. In this dissertation, we first propose a novel execution framework called SKIN that treats skyline over joins as first class citizens during query processing. This is in contrast to existing techniques that treat skylines as an "add-on," loosely integrated with query processing by being placed on top of the query plan. SKIN is effective in exploiting the skyline characteristics of the tuples within individual data sources as well as across disparate sources. This enables SKIN to significantly reduce two primary costs, namely the cost of generating the join results and the cost of skyline comparisons to compute the final results. Second, we address the crucial business need to report results early; as soon as they are being generated so that users can formulate competitive decisions in near real-time. On top of SKIN, we built a progressive query evaluation framework ProgXe to transform the execution of queries involving skyline over joins to become non-blocking, i.e., to be progressively generating results early and often. By exploiting SKIN's principle of processing query at multiple levels of abstraction, ProgXe is able to: (1) extract the output dependencies in the output spaces by analyzing both the input and output space, and (2) exploit this knowledge of abstract-level relationships to guarantee correctness of early output. Third, real-world applications handle query workloads with diverse Quality of Service (QoS) requirements also referred to as contracts. Time sensitive queries, such as fraud detection, require results to progressively output with minimal delay, while ad-hoc and reporting queries can tolerate delay. In this dissertation, by building on the principles of ProgXe we propose the ContractAware Query Execution (CAQE) framework to support the open problem of contract driven multi-query processing. CAQE employs an adaptive execution strategy to continuously monitor the run-time satisfaction of queries and aggressively take corrective steps whenever the contracts are not being met. Lastly, to elucidate the portability of the core principle of this dissertation, the reasoning and query processing at different levels of data abstraction, we apply them to solve an orthogonal research question – to auto-generate recommendation queries that facilitate users in exploring a complex database system. User queries are often too strict or too broad requiring a frustrating trial-and-error refinement process to meet the desired result cardinality while preserving original query semantics. Based on the principles of SKIN, we propose CAPRI to automatically generate refined queries that: (1) attain the desired cardinality and (2) minimize changes to the original query intentions. In our comprehensive experimental study of each part of this dissertation, we demonstrate the superiority of the proposed strategies over state-of-the-art techniques in both efficiency, as well as resource consumption.


In July 1996 the International Court of Justice made history by declaring nuclear weapons illegal. Here is the complete decision of the Court, including the separate opinions and dissents of the individual judges. Also included are an introduction putting this historic decision in its broader political and legal context, an account of how a combination of non-governmental organizations and governments worked together to make it happen, questions for discussion, a glossary of terms, texts of relevant documents, tables of cases and treaties, and a complex index. This decision is must reading for every thinking and feeling person, whether scholar, student, lawyer, judge, activist, or citizen. It belongs on the shelves of every public and university library, every corporation and union, and every NGO.


The first mode-locked operation of resonant optical waveguide (ROW) semiconductor laser arrays is reported. The well-behaved emission patterns of such arrays allow coupling to external cavities with efficiencies comparable to those achieved by using single-element lasers. Single- and multisegment lasers are employed to achieve active, passive, and hybrid mode-locking. The use of an arrayed gain region is effective in increasing the saturation energies of gain and absorber segments, resulting in high pulse energies. Pulses are generated that have well-suppressed secondary pulsations, with pulsewidths as short as 5.6 ps and peak powers of over 3 W in a collimated beam with a single main lobe.<<ETX>>


Because regulation of the differentiation to osteoblasts and adipocytes from a common progenitor in bone marrow stroma is poorly understood, we assessed effects of bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2) on a conditionally immortalized human marrow stromal cell line, hMS(2–6), which is capable of differentiation to either lineage. BMP‐2 did not affect hMS(2–6) cell proliferation but enhanced osteoblast differentiation as assessed by a 1.8‐fold increase in expression of OSF2/CBFA1 (a gene involved in commitment to the osteoblast pathway), by increased mRNA expression and protein secretion for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), type I procollagen and osteocalcin (OC) (except for OC protein), and by increased mineralized nodule formation. Transient transfection with Osf2/Cbfa1 antisense oligonucleotide substantially reduced BMP‐2–stimulated expression of ALP mRNA and protein. The effects of BMP‐2 on adipocyte differentiation varied: expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ2 (a gene involved in commitment to the adipocyte pathway) was unchanged, mRNA expression of the early differentiation marker, lipoprotein lipase, was increased, and mRNA and protein levels of the late differentiation marker, leptin, and the formation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets were decreased. Thus, by enhancing osteoblast commitment and by inhibiting late adipocyte maturation, BMP‐2 acts to shunt uncommitted marrow stromal precursor cells from the adipocyte to the osteoblast differentiation pathway.


Computed tomography colonography (CTC) is emerging as a possible alternative to conventional colonoscopy (CC) for colorectal cancer screening. A number of recent studies have demonstrated that CTC has sensitivity comparable to that of CC for detecting clinically relevant polyps, however the fact remains that CTC is not yet in widespread use. One of the factors contributing to this is the lack of radiologists that have the relevant CTC training. We have developed a novel remote access system for CTC training. Our system allows radiologists to gain the relevant experience over the Internet without the need for any specialist equipment or software. In this paper we discuss the imaging issues involved in the development of our remote access CTC training system. The evaluation of the system is also discussed and the observations made during this process are used to formulate further research directions


CONTEXT
Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is a potent cytokine that promotes angiogenesis and vascular permeability. After controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for in vitro fertilization (IVF), excessive VEGF-A production can occur, particularly in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); however, it is unclear whether the regulation of VEGF-A production is different between PCOS and non-PCOS women.

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether there were differences in the dose- and time-dependent effects of insulin and IGFs on VEGF-A production by luteinized granulosa cells (LGCs) from women with and without PCOS.

DESIGN AND SETTING
A prospective comparative experimental study was conducted at an institutional practice.

PATIENTS
Patients included six PCOS and six non-PCOS women undergoing COS and IVF.

INTERVENTIONS
Interventions included COS for IVF.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
VEGF-A levels in culture media were collected daily for 3 d from LGCs after incubation with variable doses of insulin, IGF-I, and IGF-II in the presence and absence of LH.

RESULTS
In both study groups, exposure to LH alone did not alter VEGF-A levels. However, insulin or IGF increased VEGF-A levels within 1 d and appeared to synergize with LH at 3 d. VEGF-A production by non-PCOS LGCs was more sensitive to IGF exposure, whereas PCOS cells were more sensitive to insulin. Although an increase in DNA content (P < 0.05) was noted in cultures of PCOS cells, progesterone levels were lower compared with non-PCOS LGCs.

CONCLUSION
Insulin and IGFs promote VEGF-A production in LGCs, but the response patterns are different when cells from PCOS and non-PCOS women are compared.


OBJECTIVE To summarize the efficacy of metformin in reducing BMI and cardiometabolic risk in obese children and adolescents without diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Double-blind RCTs of ≥6 months duration in obese subjects age ≤19 years without diabetes were included. Our primary outcomes of interest include changes in BMI and measures of insulin sensitivity. RESULTS Five trials met inclusion criteria (n = 320 individuals). Compared with placebo, metformin reduced BMI by 1.42 kg/m2 (95% CI 0.83–2.02) and homeostasis model assessment insulin of resistance (HOMA-IR) score by 2.01 (95% CI 0.75–3.26). CONCLUSIONS Metformin appears to be moderately efficacious in reducing BMI and insulin resistance in hyperinsulinemic obese children and adolescents in the short term. Larger, longer-term studies in different populations are needed to establish its role in the treatment of overweight children.


Purpose To determine the prevalence and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) in a multi-hospital-based DR screening programme among patients with diabetes in China, the Lifeline Express Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Program. Methods Patients with diabetes in eight hospitals across mainland China (both southern and northern) from January 2014 to July 2016 were recruited in this programme. All participants underwent a standardised interview and examinations and received digital fundus photography. DR severity was graded from retinal fundus photographs by retina specialists in the reading centre of Joint Shantou International Eye Center, according to the grading standards of the English National Screening Programme. STDR was defined as the presence of preproliferative DR (R2), proliferative DR (R3) and/or maculopathy (M1). Results 16 305 patients with diabetes were screened for DR in total. Fundus photographs were gradable for 15 078 patients (92.5%). The age–gender-standardised prevalence of any DR and STDR was 27.9% (95% CI, 27.2% to 28.6%) and 12.6% (95% CI, 12.1% to 13.1%), respectively. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, younger age (OR, 0.967), longer duration of diabetes (OR, 1.093), higher haemoglobin A1c (OR, 1.115), higher fasting plasma glucose (OR, 1.074), higher systolic blood pressure (OR, 1.014), faster heart rate (OR, 1.010), higher low-density lipoprotein (OR, 1.149), lower triglycerides (OR, 0.975), higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (OR, 1.012) and elevated serum creatinine level (OR, 1.003) were associated with the presence of DR. Similar risk factors, except for BUN and triglycerides, were found for STDR. Conclusions The prevalence of DR and STDR in diabetes was 27.9% and 12.6%, respectively in this multi-hospital-based population across China. Compared with Western population with diabetes, similar risk factors for DR and STDR were found in Chinese patients with diabetes.


Thermodynamic (energy and exergy) analysis can give rise to differing insights into the relative merits of the various end-uses of electricity for heat and power. The thermodynamic property known as 'exergy' reflects the ability to undertake 'useful work', but does not represent well heating processes within an energy sector. The end-use of electricity in the home, in the service sector, in industry, and the UK economy more generally has therefore been examined in order to estimate how much is used for heat and power, respectively. The share of electricity employed for heat and power applications has been studied, and alternative scenarios for the future development of the UK energy system were then used to evaluate the variation in heat/power share out to 2050. It was found that the proportion of electricity used to meet these end-use heat demands in the three sectors examined were likely to be quite high (∼50–60%), and that these shares are insensitive to the precise nature of the forward projections (forecasts, transition pathways or scenarios). The results represent a first indicative analysis of possible long-term trends in this heat/power share across the UK economy. Whilst the study is the first to consider this topic within such a timeframe, some of the necessary simplifying assumptions mean there are substantial uncertainties associated with the results. Where end-use heat demands are met by electricity, energy and exergy analysis should be performed in parallel in order to reflect the interrelated constraints imposed by the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics. An understanding of the actual end-uses for electricity will also enable policy makers to take account of the implications of a greater end-use of electricity in the future.


In acetate-limited chemostat cultures of Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A at a dilution rate of 0.1 h the polyphosphate content of the cells increased from 13% to 24% of the biomass dry weight by glucose (100 mM), which was only oxidized to gluconic acid. At this dilution rate, only about 17% of the energy from glucose oxidation was calculated to be used for polyphosphate synthesis, the remaining 83% being used for biomass formation. Suspensions of non-growing, phosphate-de®cient cells had a sixto tenfold increased uptake rate of phosphate and accumulated polyphosphate aerobically up to 53% of the biomass dry weight when supplied with only orthophosphate and Mg. The initial polyphosphate synthesis rate was 98 ‹ 17 nmol phosphate min mg protein. Intracellular poly-b-hydroxybutyrate and lipids served as energy sources for the active uptake of phosphate and its subsequent sequestration to polyphosphate. The H-ATPase inhibitor N,N¢dicyclohexylcarbodiimide caused low ATP levels and a severe inhibition of polyphosphate formation, suggesting the involvement of polyphosphate kinase in polyphosphate synthesis. It is concluded that, in A. johnsonii 210A, (i) polyphosphate is accumulated as the energy supply is in excess of that required for biosynthesis, (ii) not only intracellular poly-b-hydroxybutyrate but also neutral lipids can serve as an energy source for polyphosphate-kinase-mediated polyphosphate formation, (iii) phosphate-de®cient cells may accumulate as much polyphosphate as activated sludges and recombinants of Escherichia coli designed for polyphosphate accumulation.


In the last few years, using the Internet of Things has been expanded in many areas, such as environmental monitoring, industries, and smart home. Since the Internet of Things has a direct relation to human life, its security is of paramount importance. Therefore, the communication between the nodes should be secured and the valuable private information should be kept private so that the attacker cannot detect the network structure. This article provides a protocol that can handle routing privately. To do this, we use the data structure called Spatial Bloom Filter (SBF). In addition, the proposed protocol uses random identifiers instead of IP addresses, so that an attacker cannot collect network structure information and location of nodes from IP addresses. Using a homomorphic encryption scheme, the protocol prevent attackers from retrieving valuable network information, if they can infiltrate to one or more network nodes. Also, since almost all nodes in the internet of things are mobile, the structure of networks and subnets is constantly changing. The proposed protocol has the ability to manage to route in networks with a dynamic structure.


Abstract 'Design fixation' occurs when exploration of the solution space is unintentionally constrained by designers' knowledge of prior solutions. The study of fixation is well established in design research but there has been little discussion of what might be learned about fixation from studying related phenomena in other creative practices. To address this, a series of interviews were conducted with technology entrepreneurs and the advisors who guide them. Analysis of the interview data was informed by concepts of creative fixation, cognitive entrenchment and psychological ownership, but also concepts of entrepreneurial pivoting, strategic change and business model innovation. The study shows that entrepreneurs must actively balance persistence with flexibility, a task that is influenced by (i) the entrepreneurs' commitment to their ideas, (ii) the expertise that they have developed, (iii) the information that they seek or are exposed to, (iv) the resources available to them, and (v) their orientation towards either the product or the market. Collectively, these findings can be applied to design research as proposals for new topics to study when investigating fixation. They also hold implications for design practice by suggesting what designers (and their managers) should reflect on when identifying opportunities to change design direction.


With regard to application-specific constraints such as size, power consumption, and price, many real time vision tasks are still too demanding for today's state-of-the-art hardware. This is especially true for purely digital hardware systems. As an interesting alternative, we investigated the implementation of smart vision algorithms by an application-specific vision chip featuring combined analog and digital processing. The analog part implements computationally intensive operations in a massively parallel array, which allows to realize the remaining operations by a reduced complexity dedicated digital processor. This paper reports on the systematic design and VLSI implementation of dedicated vision chips for automotive image processing, eye tracking, and visual inspection.