The spectra of the luminescence from unactivated Nal and thallium activated NaI have been measured in the temperature range -190°C. to +20°C. using alpha particles, gamma rays, and ultraviolet light as sources of excitation. The characteristic emission from NaI ("pure") is in a band centered at approximately 300 mμ. The intensity is weak at room temperature but increases by a factor of ten in cooling the crystal to -190°C. By comparison, the characteristic emission from the commonly used NaI(10-3Tl) is in a band centered at approximately 420 mμ and changes in intensity by a factor of less than two over the above temperature range. The intensities are approximately equal at -190°C. Another crystal, NaI(10-6Tl), was weakly luminescent at room temperature, but emitted both bands strongly at the lowest temperature, with a total intensity approximately equal to the intensity of NaI(10-3Tl). Differences in the spectra which result from the different sources of excitation will be discussed. The results, when combined with those of other investigators, have suggested a model for the scintillation phenomenon in Nal which is at least internally consistent. The model in turn leads to a plausible explanation of the high relative luminescent efficiency of NaI(Tl) and unactivated NaI as compared with some others of the alkali halide family. The characteristic decay time of the scintillation light from unactivated NaI was found to vary between 10-8 seconds at 20°C. and 3 × 10-8 seconds at -190°C. The pulse height divided by particle energy at -190°C.


Background Increased risk of end stage renal disease (ESRD) and death in Norwegian living kidney donors has been reported, most of the donors were related to the recipient. The present study investigates risk of death in first degree relatives of ESRD patients. Methods The Norwegian Population Registry, The Norwegian Cause of Death Registry and the Norwegian Renal Registry were linked. All citizens born in Norway, alive in 1960 and with at least one registered first degree relative were included; individuals who died during the first year of life were excluded. A cohort-design was used, ESRD in a first degree relative was the main exposure variable and death and causes of death were the main outcome variables. Cox regression statistics were used to investigate mortality risks. Results 5 130 600 individuals were included, 27 508 had at least one first degree relative with ESRD. 828 022 died during follow-up, of whom 4105 had a first degree relative with ESRD. Adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for death was 1.13 (1.09–1.16) in individuals with a relative with ESRD compared to those without a relative with ESRD. Excluding known hereditary renal disease, aHR decreased to 1.12 (1.09–1.15). Cardiovascular death aHR was 1.15 (1.10–1.21), of which cerebrovascular death 1.34 (1.22–1.50). aHR for death due to non-hereditary renal/ureteric disease was 2.29 (1.81–2.91) with renal failure 1.80 (1.26–2.56) and glomerular disease 5.69 (3.88–8.34) as main contributors. Diabetes mellitus death aHR was 1.68 (1.35–2.10). Absolute mortality risks increased most for the oldest cohorts with excess mortality of 148 per 100.000 person years for the cohort born 1920–39 and 218 for the cohort born 1900–1919. Conclusions ESRD in first degree relatives was associated with increased hazard ratio for death. Death due to cardiovascular disease, renal disease and diabetes mellitus increased the most.


Concurrency can be implemented in a Web server using synchronous and asynchronous mechanisms offered by the underlying operating system. Compared to the synchronous mechanisms, the asynchronous mechanisms are attractive because they provide the benefit of concurrency while alleviating much of the overhead and complexity of multithreading. The proactor pattern in middleware, which effectively encapsulates the asynchronous mechanisms supported by the operating system, can be used to implement a high performance Web server. In this paper, we present a queuing model of an asynchronous Web server implemented using the proactor pattern. We then describe a decomposition strategy to enable the application of the model in practical scenarios. We demonstrate the use of the model to guide configuration and provisioning decisions with several examples


Selected Ion Flow Tube-Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is an analytical measurement technology for the real-time quantification of volatile organic compounds in gaseous samples. This technology has current and potential applications in a wide variety of industries, although the focus of this research is in medical science. In this field, SIFT-MS has potential as a diagnostic device, capable of determining the presence of a particular disease or condition. In addition, SIFT-MS can be used to monitor the progression of a disease state, or predict deviations from expected behaviour. Lastly, SIFT-MS can be used for the identification of biomarkers of a particular disease state. All these possibilities are available non-invasively and in real-time, by analysing breath samples. SIFT-MS produces an extensive amount of data, requiring specific mathematical methods to identify biomarker masses that differ significantly between populations or time-points. Two classification methods are presented for the analysis of SIFT-MS mass scan data. The first method is a cross-sectional classification model, intended to differentiate between the diseased and non-diseased state. This model was validated in a simple test case. The second method is a longitudinal classification model, intended to identify key biomarkers that change over time, or in response to treatment. Both of these classification models were validated in 2 clinical trials, investigating renal function in humans and rats. The first clinical trial monitored changes in breath ammonia, TMA and acetone concentrations over the course of dialysis treatment. Correlations with the current gold standard plasma creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were reported. Finally, biomarkers of renal function were identified that change predictably over the course of treatment. The second trial induced acute renal failure in rats, and monitored the change xxxii ABSTRACT in renal function observed during recovery. For comparison and validation of the result, a 2-compartment model was developed for estimating renal function via a bolus injection of a radio-labelled inulin tracer, and was compared with the current gold standard plasma creatinine measurement, modified using the Cockcroft-Gault equation for rats. These two methods were compared with SIFTMS monitoring of breath analytes, to examine the potential for non-invasive biomarkers of kidney function. Results show good promise for the non-invasive, real-time monitoring of breath analytes for diagnosis and monitoring of kidney function, and, potentially, other disease states.


ABSTRACT Mycobacterium marinum is closely related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of tuberculosis in humans. M. marinum has become an important model system for the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in causing tuberculosis in humans. Through molecular genetic analysis of the differences between pathogenic and nonpathogenic mycobacteria, we identified two loci that affect the ability of M. marinum to infect macrophages, designated mel1 and mel2. In silico analyses of the 11 putative genes in these loci suggest that mel1 encodes secreted proteins that include a putative membrane protein and two putative transglutaminases, whereas mel2 is involved in secondary metabolism or biosynthesis of fatty acids. Interestingly, mel2 is unique to M. marinum and the M. tuberculosis complex and not present in any other sequenced mycobacterial species. M. marinum mutants with mutations in mel1 and mel2, constructed by allelic exchange, are defective in the ability to infect both murine and fish macrophage cell lines. These data suggest that the genes in mel1 and mel2 are important for the ability of M. marinum to infect host cells.


Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the 4 commonest cause of death in Nigeria. It affects the most economically productive age group. Many patients in stage 5 CKD are treated with haemodialysis which involves the movement of electrolytes and osmotic molecules from one body compartment to another, resulting in osmotic and anion-gap changes. These changes may be related to mortality in patients on haemodialysis. Objective: To determine the relationship of mortality to plasma osmolality and anion gap inpatients on haemodialysis. Methods: Fifty consecutive dialysis naive stable stage 5 chronic kidney disease subjects aged between 18 and 70 years, attending a Lagos Teaching Hospital were recruited. They were followed up from the salvage phase of 5 sessions carried out on alternate days through to the maintenance sessions of haemodialysis at a frequency of 2-3 times per week for six (6) months. Pre-and post-dialysis serum osmolality and anion gap were obtained for salvage and maintenance phases of haemodialysis. Results: Out of the 50 patients that started the study, 11 (22%) patients (9 males and 2 females) died while10 (20%) subjects (9 males and 1 female) were lost to follow-up before the commencement of the maintenance haemodialysis. Six more subjects (3 males and 3 females) withdrew from the study while 23(46%) entered the maintenance phase of the study. During the maintenance phase, 8(16%) (5 male and 3 female) subjects died while 15 subjects (30%) (9 males and 6 females) completed the study. The mean age of the subjects who completed the study was 46.2± 10.8years (46.9±9.4 years for the males and 45.4±12.1 years for the females).The mean age of the patients that died during maintenance haemodialysis was 46.6±10.9 years(46.1±12.0 years and 45.0±9.8 years for male and female respectively).The mean pre dialysis osmolality and anion gap during salvage haemodialysis were higher than the post dialysis values (298.15 ± 15 mOsm/kg vs. 276.0 ± 13.5 mOsm/kg, p=0.04 and 15.1 ± 3.3 vs. 13.6 ± 3.1, p=0.049).However, the mean pre and post dialysis osmolality and anion gap during maintenance haemodialysis sessions were similar [273.35±14.6 mOsm/kg vs. 270.60±13.0 mOsm/kg (p=0.065)and 12.7±2.9 vs. 12.2±3.2(p=0.059)].There was no significant difference in the pre- and post- dialysis osmolality and  anion gap of those that died and those that survived to the end of the study (p>0.10). Conclusion:  Changes in plasma osmolality and anion gapis not associated with increased mortality and hence may not be useful in predicting mortality during maintenance dialysis.


BACKGROUND
We developed a simple method for simulating a rebreathing maneuver to test the accuracy of the apparatus for simultaneous measurement of lung volume, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco), diffusing capacity of the lung for nitric oxide (Dlno), and pulmonary blood flow (Qc).

METHODS
A test gas mixture containing 0.3% methane, 0.3% CO, 0.8% acetylene, 30% O(2), and 40 ppm nitric oxide in balance of nitrogen was sequentially diluted with a rebreathing gas mixture containing 0.3% acetylene, 0.3% methane, and 21% O(2) in balance of nitrogen in order to simulate the in vivo end-tidal disappearance of the test gas mixture. Simulation of one rebreathing maneuver consisted of at least four serial dilution steps with a performance time of < 5 min. Using this technique, we estimated functional residual capacity, Qc, Dlco, and Dlno at various flow rates and dilution ratios (0.95 to 4.04 L, 3.54 to 6.83 L/min, 7.27 to 15.12 mL/min/mm Hg, and 6.51 to 12.00 mL/min/mm Hg, respectively) and verified simulation results against nominal values. The same apparatus also could simulate a single-breath procedure.

RESULTS
Compared to nominal values, errors in measured values by rebreathing and single-breath Dlco simulation remained < 5% and 7%, respectively. Slopes of the correlations were close to 1.0 (within +/- 5% and +/- 6.4% in rebreathing and single-breath Dlco simulation studies, respectively).

CONCLUSION
The results demonstrate the feasibility of this simulation method for standardizing the experimental measurements obtained by rebreathing and single-breath techniques. Incorporation of these simulation steps enhances the noninvasive assessment of cardiopulmonary function.


17 women received 2 x 10 ml prilocaine 1% as a pudendal block sub partu. At delivery, the foetomaternal distribution ratio of the local anaesthetic was evaluated and the development of Met-Hb-concentration in the neonate was measured up to six hours post partum. The Met-Hb-concentration in the neonate was relatively low with a maximum of 1.8% after two hours, followed by a steady decline. A probable explanation for the Met-Hb-concentration could be the unexpected low foetomaternal ratio of distribution (0.5) and the increased renal elimination of the amide-type local anaesthetic in the neonate, respectively. According to these results, no contraindication for prilocaine in pudendal block is indicated.


In this paper, a novel control method by using parallel online mixing and supplying technology for glue system with multi-input, strong coupling and nonlinear was provided. The neural network controller design method is adopted to design the intelligent controller, in which one as the main controller and the other one as the identifier to revise main controller. Both advantages and disadvantages of the two neural network controllers were analyzed. Simulation results showed that both methods obtained a more favorable effect than the traditional control method.


A key requirement in the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) technology is to develop a method able to produce well positioned structures of nanotubes with uniform and reproducible properties, simple to integrate within the manufacturing process of electronic devices. The catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) of carbon nanotubes is a fully compatible technique with the ultra large scale integration process of the microelectronic industry. For this reason we have developed site-selective CCVD synthesis on substrates where patterned islands of catalyst are formed. This type of deposition process has been proved to grow nanotubes at controllable locations. Several types of substrates used in the microelectronic industry, such as silicon, silicon oxide and porous silicon have been considered. On these substrates metallic iron in the form nanoparticles was used as a catalyst and the nanoparticles have been investigated as seeds to nucleate the growth of the nanotubes. Various CVD process parameters, such as the carbon gas precursor type and the percentage in the gas mixture, use of carrier gases in the gas mixture and deposition temperature, have been investigated to obtain patterned arrays of nanotubes. In this paper we present the relevant findings we obtained for the patterned growth of CNTs on different substrates by using evaporated iron as a catalyst.


BACKGROUND
Although many population-based studies have reported an association between physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among healthy populations, the association among CVD survivors has been less reported. We examined the relationship between physical activity and CVD risk among survivors.

METHODS AND RESULTS
This was a prospective cohort study of 12,490 Japanese participants, including 754 individual CVD survivors. Between April 1992 and July 1995, a baseline survey was conducted in 12 communities in Japan. The mean follow-up period was 11.9 years, during which time 74 individuals had non-fatal CVD and 51 cases were fatal CVD. Among CVD survivors, analysis was performed after exclusion of participants with a history of cancer and those who died within the first 2 years of follow-up. Physical activity was analyzed in tertiles (low, moderate and heavy), and the hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for non-fatal or fatal CVD among CVD survivors. After setting the low group as the reference, the HRs for non-fatal CVD in the moderate and heavy groups were 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.30-1.24) and 0.50 (0.20-1.25) (P for trend = 0.059), respectively, and the HRs for fatal CVD were 0.75 (0.33-1.69) and 0.18 (0.04-0.83) (P for trend = 0.026), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Physical activity reduced the risk of CVD, both fatal and non-fatal events, among CVD survivors.


The analysis of 70 cases of surgical treatment for intraoperative injuries and cicatricial strictures of extrahepatic bile ducts was carried out. In 25 patients surgical procedure was restorative and in 45--reconstructiver. Most common causes of corrective operations were: iatrogenic injuries of extrahepatic bile ducts (14) and cicatricial strictures of hepaticocholedochal duct due to intraoperative trauma (31). The problems of operative technique in performing biliobilio-, hepato-hepatico and hepatico-jejuno-anastomoses are considered. There were three deaths in the early postoperative period: 2 patients died of hepatic failure, pyogenic cholangiogenic intoxication caused by cholangioectasies and intrahepatic abscesses, and 1-due to generalyzed peritonitis caused by acute gastric ulcer perforation. Special attention is paid to the choice of the method of prolonged drainage used in reconstructive as well as in restorative operations.


Explores the obstacles facing trans‐national corporations (TNC) considering FDI in Russia. Dunning (1994) suggests that countries' abilities to attract and exploit the potential economic benefits of inbound FDI vary according to their national political, economic and legal cultures, traditions and infrastructures, together with the economic objectives and policies pursued by host governments. This paper seeks to make use of Dunning's model, in exploring the obstacles to FDI in modern Russia, and their implications for TNCs. The papers' findings suggest that Russia's relative lack of success in attracting FDI and exploiting its potential benefits during the 1990s can be attributed to her national infrastructural factors and government policies, as Dunning's model suggests. Russia's ability to attract a larger share of FDI in future seems likely to be constrained by national ambivalence towards the benefits of FDI, together with the political and economic realities of her current situation.


Biodegradation of hydrocarbons by microorganisms represents one of the primary mechanisms by which petroleum and other hydrogen pollutants are eliminated from the environment. This work was carried out on the effect of microorganisms on the biotreatment of oil in crude oil contaminated soil.
Microorganisms were isolated from two experimental soil samples contaminated with Bonny Crude and normal uncontaminated soil as a control over a period of seven months. The microbial as well as the physico-chemical parameters of the soil samples were all analyzed using standard methods. Changes in total petroleum hydrocarbon level were measured appropriately. Treatments used were the microbial isolates.
Forty-four microorganisms were isolated from the contaminated soils and identified as species of Pseudomonas (7), Flavobacterium (6), Bacillus (8), Proteus (4), Klebsiella (1), Pencillium (5), Aspergillus (7), Fusarium (3), Trichypton (2) and Neurospora (1). Ten of the forty-four isolates had ability to degrade crude oil in the laboratory. On contamination a value of 1.0X105 cfu/g in microbial counts were obtained followed by a subsequent increase in population levels after a period of 2months with a value of 1.0X106 cfu/g. Oil application to the soil resulted in an increase in total petroleum hydrocarbon from 0.31 ppm to 5.53 ppm; organic matter from 0.41% to 7.34%; available phosphorus from 1.75 ppm to 2.84 ppm. The treatment measures all showed progressive decrease in oil concentration in the soil. Mixture of bacterial and fungal isolates as a treatment measure proved to be more favourable above all others, it brought the concentration from 5.53 ppm to 0.31 ppm after a period of 5 weeks of treatment, which is same value with the normal soil (uncontaminated).
Species of Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Flavobacterium, Proteus, Klebsiella, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Trichyphyton and Neurospora had potential for the degradation of bonny crude oil. They could therefore be employed in environmental cleanup of petroleum spill site.


Resilience research provides theoretical and practical applications to the study of child psychopathology. The variable-focused approach investigates characteristics of individuals, environments and experiences to understand features associated with good outcomes. Three central constructs to this area are risk factors, associated with poorer outcomes; protective factors, associated with good outcomes and the outcome factor itself. Four models of resilience have been proposed to explore these relationships: the compensatory, risk-protective, challenge and protective-protective models.
Childhood depression is associated with emotional and social deficits and identification of risk and protective factors can inform treatment and prevention. Negative affect is a stable characteristic of emotional distress and is a potential risk factor for depression. In contrast, emotional intelligence is a potential protective factor. To date there is no published research investigating these factors utilising resilience models.
The aim of the present research was to investigate the applicability of the four models of resilience on depression in non-injured children and in a sample of children post mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). There is a growing literature indicating that children post-TBI are at an increased risk for depression. An exploratory study also investigated the resilience models in the prediction of depression in children post-TBI utilising parent reports.
Study 1 consisted of 82 children aged 8 – 11 years. Correlations indicated negative affect is a risk factor for depression, while emotional clarity and mood repair are protective factors. Support was found for the compensatory and challenge models with partial support for the risk-protective and protective-protective models.
Study 2 comprised of 32 children who had sustained a mild TBI 3 – 33 months previously. Negative affect correlated with depression as a risk factor while emotional clarity and mood repair were protective factors. Support was found for the compensatory and risk-protective models with partial support for the challenge and protective-protective models.
Study 3 utilised parent reports of the Study 2 children, examining the prediction of depression in children from lability/negativity and emotion regulation. Lability/negativity correlated with depression as a risk factor, while emotion regulation was a protective factor. No support was found for the compensatory, risk-protective or challenge models with partial support for the protective-protective model.
Overall, the results indicated negative affect is a risk factor for depression, while emotional intelligence is a protective factor. In non-injured children and children post mild TBI the greatest support was found for the compensatory model.


The pursuit of tunable asymmetric sound transmission has been a long-term topic since it could contribute to providing more flexibilities in many areas of acoustic engineering. The interference effect can be a feasible approach in which two waves with the same frequency superposed to form the resultant wave with manipulated amplitude according to the relative phase difference between them. However, strictly speaking, restricted by the spatial variance of phase, the manipulated domain created by the specific phase difference is always limited to a spot with dimensions much smaller than the wavelength. Here, we proposed a design to break this barrier that can realize the tunable asymmetric transmission via the combination of zero-index metamaterials and the binary metasurface. The zero-index metamaterial can provide the effective extremely large speed to shrink the infinite domain into a spot acoustically and the binary metasurface can be used to tune the specific phase difference. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements have good agreement and show that the acoustic waves impinged from the side of metasurface will be manipulated to have controllable transmission, while the acoustic waves impinged from the side of zero-index metamaterials will keep a high transmission. We think the proposed design is full of physical significance, which may find potential applications in many fields, like noise cancelation, acoustic imaging, and ultrasound therapy.


This poster explores The Summer of Ukuleles, an enquiry-based learning project that adapted to become a Covid support group. Participants were sent a ukulele and learned to play online, using a range of freely available online resources, curated on Moodle. This led to community strum-a-longs, and was something that participants could do in their own homes, in lockdown. The authors also discuss the project in a YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTfth4f7Bd0This poster was presented at the 2021 online Improving University Teaching international conference.


The goal of our paper is to explore one of the functions of everyday expressions of likelihood; more specifically, to propose that they play an important role in negotiating not only likelihood but also perspective. We will examine examples of such expressions in the context of conversational interactions, identifying the roles of such expressions along with partner responses to them. Our analyses will be integrated with previous models from laboratory research on the production and comprehension of expressions of quantity and frequency (e.g., Moxey and Sanford 2000). Findings will also be interpreted in the context of ongoing discussions on the nature and role of perspective-taking (e.g., Duran, Dale, and Kreuz 2011).


"This article reports on research into the industrial relations and human resource management consequences of merger and acquisition activity in the Australian black coal mining industry between 1997 and 2003. Over 50 per cent of mining enterprises have been subject to at least one change in ownership during the period 1997-2003 setting in train change of a scale that the industry has not previously witnessed. From an employment relations perspective, this change has had significant consequences for union structure and strategy, bargaining structures and human resource management at the coal face. The article contends that the merger and acquisition movement has crafted a completely new set of employment relations dynamics for the coal industry."


ABSTRACT We assessed differences in the character and specificity of autologous neutralizing antibodies (ANAbs) against individual viral variants of the quasispecies in a cohort of drug-naïve subjects with long-term controlled human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and moderate levels of broad heterologous neutralizing antibodies (HNAb). Functional plasma virus showed continuous env evolution despite a short time frame and low levels of viral replication. Neutralization-sensitive variants dominated in subjects with intermittent viral blips, while neutralization-resistant variants predominated in elite controllers. By sequence analysis of this panel of autologous variants with various sensitivities to neutralization, we identified more than 30 residues in envelope proteins (Env) associated with resistance or sensitivity to ANAbs. The appearance of new sensitive variants is consistent with a model of continuous selection and turnover. Strong ANAb responses directed against autologous Env variants are present in long-term chronically infected individuals, suggesting a role for these responses in contributing to the durable control of HIV replication.


The present study intended to investigate the antipyretic activity of leaf extracts of Vitex negundo linn Plant by using yeast induced pyrexia model in Wistar Albino rats. Acute toxicity study and phytochemical analysis was carried out using well established protocols and methods. The phytochemical analysis of leaves revealed the presence of steroids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, fl avonoids, tannins and iridiod glycosides. The data obtained indicate that the Petroleum ether and Methanolic extracts of a leaves of plant Vitex negundo linn, at dose of 300 mg/kg body weight per oral route (P.O) showed the signifi cant reduction in yeast provoked elevated temperature. The antipyretic effects of the extracts were compared with standard drug paracetamol.


Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association between grip strength on the unaffected side and post-stroke functional improvement. Design A total of 127 patients with unilateral stroke were included in this study. Demographic data, clinical data on initial grip strength, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, admission and discharge Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and stroke profiles were retrospectively reviewed. Results Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were carried out to evaluate the predictive values of each variable. In the model for discharge MBI, age, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, grip strength on the unaffected side, lesion side, and admission MBI were shown to be independent predictors. Meanwhile, grip strength on the unaffected side, lesion side, and admission MBI had significant predictive values in the model for difference between admission and discharge MBI. Conclusion The current study suggests for the first time that grip strength on the unaffected side is an independent predictor for short-term functional gain and outcome after stroke. This result may change post-stroke rehabilitation strategies to emphasize exercises to prevent loss of muscle strength. In addition, this implies the possibility of a relationship between sarcopenia and post-stroke function. Further research is needed to reveal the effect of sarcopenia on stroke patients and its mechanism.


This Precis entitled, Sustaining reform in Argentina, complements the Bank's Operations and Evaluation Department (OED), Evaluation study, Argentina country assistance review, Report No. 15844, dated June 28, 1996. The study concludes that for the recovery to continue, Argentina needs to focus on completing the reform agenda. For the Bank, that means concentrating assistance on improving provincial finances, controlling the cost of social security, and strengthening the banking system.


Abstract. The present availability of sub-decametre digital elevation models on Mars – crucial for the study of surface processes –
is scarce. In contrast to low-resolution global datasets, such models enable the study of landforms <10 km in size, which is the primary scale at which geomorphic processes have been active on Mars over the last 10–20 Myr
. Stereogrammetry is a means of producing digital elevation models from stereo pairs of images. The HiRISE camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured >3000 stereo pairs at 0.25 m pixel−1 resolution, enabling the creation of high-resolution digital elevation models (1–2 m pixel−1). Hitherto, only ∼500 of these pairs have been processed and made publicly available. Existing pipelines for the production of digital elevation models from stereo pairs, however, are built upon commercial software, rely upon sparsely available intermediate data, or are reliant on proprietary algorithms. In this paper, we present and test the output of a new pipeline for producing digital elevation models from HiRISE stereo pairs that is built entirely upon the open-source NASA Ames Stereo Pipeline photogrammetric software, making use of freely available data for cartographic rectification. This pipeline is designed for simple application by researchers interested in the use of high-resolution digital elevation models. Implemented here on a research computing cluster, this pipeline can also be used on consumer-grade UNIX computers. We produce and evaluate four digital elevation models using the pipeline presented here. Each are globally well registered, with accuracy similar to those of digital elevation models produced elsewhere.


Active messages provide a low latency communication architecture which on modern parallel machines achieves more than an order of magnitude performance improvement over more traditional communication libraries. This paper discusses the experience we gained while implementing active messages on the Meiko CS-2, and discusses implementations for similar architectures. During our work we have identified that architectures which only support efficient remote write operations (or DMA transfers as in the case of the CS-2) make it difficult to transfer both data and control as required by active messages. Traditional network interfaces avoid this problem because they have a single point of entry which essentially acts as a queue. To efficiently support active messages on modern network communication co-processors, hardware primitives are required which support this queue behavior The overcame this problem by producing specialized code which runs on the communications co-processor and supports the active messages protocol. Our implementation of active messages results in a one-way latency of 12.3 /spl mu/s and achieves up to 39 MB/s for bulk transfers. Both numbers are close to optimal for the current Meiko hardware and are competitive with performance of active messages on other hardware platforms.<<ETX>>


Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) enzyme activity in lymphocytes generates diversity in the Ag receptor repertoires by adding template-independent N nucleotides and disrupting homology-directed rearrangements. The importance of this diversity in vivo and the significance of the suppression of TdT during fetal life remain uncertain. Previous studies have shown that in TdT knockout mice (TdT(0)) 1) the T cell repertoire is less peptide oriented; and 2) natural autoantibody, particularly anti-DNA autoantibodies, are less polyreactive, and their mean affinities are reduced. Consequently, the suppression of TdT during early T/B cell ontogeny may participate in controlling autoimmunity. To study the impact of TdT suppression in autoimmune-prone mice, we introduced the TdT null mutation into the (NZB x NZW)F1 (B/W) mouse strain. We show that TdT deficiency significantly reduces the incidence of autoimmune nephritis and prolongs survival compared with those in control mice. Surprisingly, the long-term survivor TdT(0) mice produced amounts of anti-ADN and anti-histone autoantibodies similar to those of their TdT+ littermates. However, these TdT(0) mice showed no evidence of renal inflammation, and the immune deposits were restricted to the mesangium, whereas basal membrane deposits were clearly correlated with overt renal disease. The present study supports the idea that the absence of TdT enzyme activity in lymphocytes protects mice against autoimmunity and could offer a therapeutic approach to autoimmune diseases. Moreover, our results may help to unravel the mechanisms of lupus nephritis.


The purpose of this study is to review, clarify and strengthen the application and assessment of criterion (vii -- contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance) in order to improve advice to States Parties in the nomination process and enhance guidance for the IUCN evaluation process. This study conducts a case history of the application of this criterion, with a focus on properties inscribed since 1995, and reviews scholarship in related disciplinary fields. In coordination with ICOMOS, this study also reviews aesthetic considerations in the application of cultural criteria.


This report attempts to give a short overview of the most important workstreams in the field of securities regulation within the EU. It further gives a provisional analysis of the future supervisory structure after the adoption by the Council of ministers of the regulation on the future European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and on the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) which are now being discussed in Parliament. The existing directives are all open for review, the Market Abuse, Prospectus and Mifid directives being the first in line. These include works streams like the organisation of the derivative markets, the application of Mifid to dark pools and OTC equity trading. In the field of Credit rating agencies' supervision, ESMA will be directly in charge. The proposed directive on Alternative Investment Managers is being discussed, while CESR is working on short selling, packaged retail investment products, money market fund definitions, and the like.


An endogenous activator (EA) of Na+, K(+)-ATPase was found in the rat blood serum in the in vivo experiments. EA appeared after intragastric introduction of mannitol hypotonic (20 mmol/l) solution (1.5% b. w.) and activated enzyme of the intact rat enterocytes. EA retained its effect on Na+, K(+)-ATPase after heating during 10 min up to 100 degrees C. This endogenous activator is thermally stable and belongs to low molecular compounds with the molecular weight of 10 kDa. It is supposed that EA can participate in the water-salt humoral regulation after loading the organism with hypoosmotic solutions.


Educational achievement data are one of the main sources by which 'differences' betwen sub-groups, such as girls and boys, are made visible. How we understand the bases of such data is critical in determining how we interpret these measured diferences. It is these interpretations of data that inform the ameliorating actions that are advocated to improve learning for sub-groups.In the chapter the authors discuss how performance trends reported during the 90s supported a growing sense of crisis concerning boys that has been hyped by the media and influenced Government policy. The chapter draws on comparative data from a co-eduacational setting and a single-sex setting for the teaching of English and applies sociocultural analytic distinctions to investigate cultural practices in local settings. The authors challenge representations of gender and assesment that allow achivement data to be treated as though they are, neutral objective truths and demonstrate that educational achievement is, in part, a consequence of the gender -assesment interrelationship, which mediates how teachers represent subject knowledge, and its appropriation by students. The focus on gender in the settings observed amplified rather than ameliorated its effect, and constrained what students felt able to produce in their continuous assessment. The authors argue, therefore, that any attempt to understand the meaning of attainment data has to not only make problematic the assessment process but also the teaching and learning process wherein what is made available to learn, and what it is possible to achieve, and by whom, is realised.


The Annals of KEMU was first published in 1995, and Prof. Abdul Majeed Ch. was the first editor. I was appointed as editor on 15 th May 2007, the responsibility which I will be completing on my retirement on 9 th December, 2015. A brief report of Annals of KEMU from 15-05-2007 to 09-12-2015 is stated below for kind information of the authors, reviewers and readers of the Annals. The title of Annals of KEMC was changed to Annals of KEMU, new editorial board was constituted and editorial policy was made and approved on 14 th June 2007. According to editorial policy 2007, the editorial process was divided into six (6) steps; 1-Manuscript Submission, 2-Plagiarism Check with "Turnitun", 3-review of manuscript by two reviewers, 4-acceptance/rewriting/rejection, 5-publication and 6-circulation. As a result of high quality, the Annals was recognized by PMDC in 2009. The HEC recognized Annals first in category "Z" and later on raised the category to "Y" and in July 2015 to highest category "X". Annals of KEMU has been indexed with; 1-Pak MediNet (1996), 2-EMRO Indexus of WHO (1997), 3-Directory of Open Access Journals-DOAJ (2007), 4-ICJME Database(2010), 5-PKP Harvester Database, 6-Open J Gate Database (2010), 7-Google Scholar. From June 2007 to November 2015, thirty five (35) issues of Annals of KEMU were published. Five hundred and sixty (560) manuscript were received, four hundred and thirty eight (38) manuscripts were accepted and published, forty three (43) were rejected, and four (04) manuscripts were withdrawn by authors. Until December 2015, seventy five (75) manuscripts are in editorial review process. Total income of the Annals from June 2007 to December 2015 was Rs. 12,52,280/- (Grant from HEC Rs. 6,12,280, collection from authors at rate of Rs. 1,000 for processing each manuscript Rs. 5,60,000 and from advertisements Rs. 80,000. During this period the expenditures of Annals have been Rs. 12,80,215 (publication cost Rs. 11,36,215 and correspondence and circulation Rs 1,44,000). In this way the cost to KEMU treasury has been Rs . 27,935/-. The credit for the achievements of; maintaining good quality (plagiarism below 19% and approval by two reviewers of same specialty), achieving PMDC recognition and highest HEC rank, having Annals indexed with 7 databases and just cost of Rs. 27, 935 to KEMU treasury for publishing of 35 Issues goes to our able editorial board, authors, reviewers and the staff. I take this opportunity to thank all of them, espe-cially the editorial secretaries, Mr. Asim Saeed and Mr. Muhammad Afzal (Assistant Annals of KEMU), who have worked very hard.


In this work, a sub-minute and sensitive capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) method was developed for the analysis and quantitation of the neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or serotonin in urine. The method involves precolumn derivatization with fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I (FITC) using an excitation light from an argon ion laser of 488 nm and a 520 nm band pass emission filter. Different variables that affect derivatization (pH, FITC concentration, reaction time and temperature) and separation (buffer concentration, pH, applied voltage and injection time) were studied. The linear dynamic range obtained was between 0 and 188 nM with a detection limit of 16 nm with a RSD between 2 and 9%. The applicability of the proposed method was demonstrated by analysis of 5-HT in human urine, establishing a concentration of 57 nM in control urine. The method was validated by standard-addition methodology.


In this empirical study, the focus is on the risks involved with implementing practices of Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) from the perspective of suppliers, which has not been given its due attention. For suppliers, making sense of ESI implies dealing with the following chickenand-egg problem: the capabilities to be offered depend on the way the business is defined and vice versa. In this paper, a model is presented to describe how suppliers have made sense of this chicken-and-egg problem. This model was used for an empirical exploration of the risks involved with ESI-strategies and draws significantly on theoretical and methodological insights of the social systems theory of the late German sociologist Niklas Luhmann. Until now, social systems theory has not gained much attention within organization studies. As such, this study also aims to illustrate some of the potential of social systems theory.


Performance evaluation and comparison of multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) system model for different spreading sequences at the presence of Saleh and Rapp model of high power amplifier (HPA) is investigated. Nonlinear amplification introduces degradation of bit error performance and destroys the orthogonality among subcarriers. In order to avoid performance degradation without requiring extremely large backoffs in the transmitter amplifier, it becomes convenient to use nonlinear multi-user detection techniques at the receiver side. In order to illustrate this fact, microstatistic multi-user receiver (MSF-MUD) and conventional minimum mean square error receiver (MMSE-MUD) are considered and mutually compared. The results of our analyses based on computer simulations will show very clearly, that the application of nonlinear MSF-MUD in combination with Golay codes can provide significantly better results than the other tested spreading codes and receivers. Besides this fact, a failure of Walsh codes especially at the Saleh model of HPA will be outlined by using constellation diagram.


A general relationship is developed between the VC-dimension and the statistical lower epsilon-capacity which shows that the VC-dimension can be lower bounded (in order) by the statistical lower epsilon-capacity of a network trained with random samples. This relationship explains quantitatively how generalization takes place after memorization, and relates the concept of generalization (consistency) with the capacity of the optimal classifier over a class of classifiers with the same structure and the capacity of the Bayesian classifier. Furthermore, it provides a general methodology to evaluate a lower bound for the VC-dimension of feedforward multilayer neural networks.

This general methodology is applied to two types of networks which are important for hardware implementations: two layer (N - 2L - 1) networks with binary weights, integer thresholds for the hidden units and zero threshold for the output unit, and a single neuron ((N - 1) networks) with binary weigths and a zero threshold. Specifically, we obtain O(W/lnL) ≤ d2 ≤ O(W), and d1 - O(N). Here W is the total number of weights of the (N - 2L - 1) networks. d1 and d2 represent the VC-dimensions for the (N - 1) and (N - 2L - 1) networks respectively.


The hexapeptide Arg-Asn-Gly-epoxyethylglycine-Ala-Val-OMe specifically inactivates membrane-bound N-glycosyltransferases. The specificity is demonstrated by the inability of peptides containing 2,3-epoxypropyl-, allyland vinyl-glycine in the epoxyethylglycine position to function as inhibitors. The inhibition is concentrationdependent and follows first-order kinetics, but requires disruption of the membrane vesicles by detergents to achieve accessibility to the transferase. The enzyme can be protected partially against inactivation by the addition of the acceptor peptide Arg-Asn-Gly-Thr-Ala-Val-OMe, pointing to an active-site-directed reaction. Exhaustion of the endogenous pool of glycosyl donor molecules by preincubation of the membrane vesicles with the acceptor peptide before inhibitor application is accompanied by an additional decrease in the inhibition rate. This suggests that inactivation occurs only under conditions where glycosyl transfer is catalysed. A mechanism of inactivation is proposed in which the transferase catalyses its own inactivation by a kind of 'suicide' mechanism.


While both fundamental limits and system implementations are well understood for the point-to-point communication system, much less is developed for general communication networks. This thesis contributes towards the design and analysis of advanced coding schemes for multi-user communication networks with structured codes. The first part of the thesis investigates the usefulness of lattice codes in Gaussian networks with a generalized compute-and-forward scheme. As an application, we introduce a novel multiple access technique --- Compute-Forward Multiple Access (CFMA), and show that it achieves the capacity region of the Gaussian multiple access channel (MAC) with low receiver complexities. Similar coding schemes are also devised for other multi-user networks, including the Gaussian MAC with states, the two-way relay channel, the many-to-one interference channel, etc., demonstrating improvements of system performance because of the good interference mitigation property of lattice codes. As a common theme in the thesis, computing the sum of codewords over a Gaussian MAC is of particular theoretical importance. We study this problem with nested linear codes, and improve upon the currently best known results obtained by nested lattice codes. Inspired by the advantages of linear and lattice codes in Gaussian networks, we make a further step towards understanding intrinsic properties of the sum of linear codes. The final part of the thesis introduces the notion of typical sumset and presents asymptotic results on the typical sumset size of linear codes. The results offer new insight to coding schemes with structured codes.


The results of electromyographic control used for evaluating the efficacy of orthodontic treatment are analyzed. Analysis of electromyographic parameters after orthodontic treatment of dentition defects with implants showed essential changes in the function of the masticatory muscles at different terms after implantation. Asymmetrical activity typical of unilateral chewing was observed, as well as high bioelectrical activity of the temporal muscles.


Despite the scientific evidence that more plants and less animal-based food is more sustainable, policy interventions to reduce meat consumption are scarce. However, campaigns for meat free days in school and office canteens have spread globally over the last years. In this paper, we look at the Norwegian Armed Forces' attempt to introduce the Meatless Monday campaign in their camps, and we evaluate the implementation process as well as the effect of the campaign on soldiers. Qualitative interviews with military staff indicate that lack of conviction about benefits of meat reduction, and the fact that kitchen staff did not feel ownership to the project, partly explain why vegetarian measures were not fully implemented in all the camps. A multivariate regression analysis with survey data from soldiers indicate that those who have experienced meat free days in the military kitchen are more prone to claim that joining the military has given them a more positive view on vegetarian food. Furthermore, the survey gives evidence that stated willingness to eat more vegetarian food is higher among soldiers who believe in the environmental and health benefits of meat reduction.


BOTULISM, also known as 'limberneck' in poultry, is an intoxication caused by the exotoxin of Clostridium botulinum (Dohms 2008). There are seven antigenically distinct toxin types: A, B, C, D, E, F and G (Radostits and others 2007). Farm animal disease is produced primarily by types B, C and D (Radostits and others 2007). The majority of avian cases are due to type C toxin (Dohms 2008). The toxin binds to peripheral cholinergic nerves and blocks the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Worldwide, reports of botulism in laying hens are very rare, with only a few outbreaks reported in the literature (Fossum and others 2009). The disease, which is more often observed in broilers (Dohms 2008), has been attributed to the ingestion of preformed toxin in carcases or to toxicoinfection (Blandford and Roberts 1970, Roberts and others 1973, Harrigan 1980, Dohms 1987). Mouse bioassay remains the 'gold standard' for the confirmatory diagnosis of botulism (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1998). This short communication describes an outbreak of type C botulism in laying hens.

The outbreak occurred in a group of 7500 Lohmann layer hens housed at a stocking density of nine birds/m2 in a slatted barn. The birds had been vaccinated at their rearing site against Marek's disease, Gumboro disease, Newcastle disease, …


The next generation Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detectors for particle ID applications, at CERN, PANDA, and others place stringent requirements on photon detectors, with potentially high magnetic fields unaligned with the detector's optical axis, high event rates challenging detector lifetime, high density multi-anode readout and a high time resolution requirement typically less than 50 ps. We are undertaking an R&D project for the TORCH collaboration, a proposed LHCb upgrade, to develop a novel multi-anode Microchannel Plate detector, with 128 × 8 effective pixels in a 5 . 3 × 5 . 3 cm 2 active area each with 50 ps RMS timing resolution. The proposed design utilises charge sharing across multiple readout anodes to i) improve spatial resolution beyond the defined anode pitch, ii) provide a well-defined charge footprint for readout even in high magnetic fields and iii) reduce the impact of manufacturing issues when producing high-density multi-anode devices. Simulations of this hybrid multi-anode detector will be presented, covering the expected charge footprint on each readout anode and the impact of utilising charge sharing between anodes to improve the detector's spatial resolution. This includes simulating the impact of the TORCH project current readout solution using the NINO amplifier/discriminator ASIC and the HPTDC, a 25 ps resolution time-to-digital converter.


Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a salvage therapy for critically ill patients. Although ECMO is becoming more common, hemorrhagic and thromboembolic complications remain the major causes of death in patients undergoing ECMO treatments. These complications commence upon blood contact with artificial surfaces of the circuit, blood pump, and oxygenator system. Therefore, anticoagulation therapy is required in most cases to prevent these problems. Anticoagulation is more complicated in pediatric patients than in adults, and the foreign surface of ECMO only increases the complexity of systemic anticoagulation. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology of coagulation, anticoagulants, and monitoring tools in pediatric patients receiving ECMO.


Soft scale insects of the genus Cryptostigma Ferris (Coccidae: Myzolecaniinae) occur only in the Neotropical region and usually live in the nests of ants, or rarely bees, inside plant stems, or feed on plant roots. Here we provide the first report of Cryptostigma from Peru. We describe Cryptostigma guadua sp.n. based on the adult female and the first-instar nymph. These coccids have been collected only from the nests of Camponotus (Myrmostenus) longipilis Emery, C. (Myrmostenus) mirabilis Emery and Camponotus (Pseudocolobopsis) sp. (Formicidae: Formicinae) from inside live bamboos of Guadua sp. (Poaceae) in lowland tropical forest in Parque Nacional del Manu, in southeast Peru. The adult female and the first-instar nymph (crawler) of C. guadua sp. n. are compared to closely related species.


Using hybrid simulations (kinetic ions--fluid electrons), we test the linear theory predictions of the cosmic ray (CR) streaming instability. We consider two types of CR distribution functions: a ``hot'' distribution where CRs are represented by a drifting power law in momentum and an anisotropic ``beam'' of monochromatic particles .
Additionally, for each CR distribution we scan over different CR densities to transition from triggering the resonant to the non-resonant (Bell) streaming instability.
We determine the growth rates of these instabilities in simulations by fitting an exponential curve during the linear stage, and we show that they agree well with the theoretical predictions as a function of wave number agree.
We also examine the magnetic helicity as a function of time and wave number, finding a general good agreement with the predictions, as well as some unexpected non-linear features to the instability development.


Over the last fifteen years, a large group of algorithms emerged which compute various predicates from distributed data with a focus on communication efficiency. These algorithms are often called "communication-efficient", "geometric-monitoring", or "local" algorithms. We jointly call them distributed convex thresholding algorithms, for reasons which will be explained in this work. Distributed convex thresholding algorithms have found their applications in domains in which bandwidth is a scarce resource, such as wireless sensor networks and peer-to-peer systems, or in scenarios in which data rapidly streams to the different processors but outcome of the predicate rarely changes. Common to all of these algorithms is the use of a data dependent criteria to determine when further messaging is required. This work presents two very simple yet exceedingly general theorems from which the correctness of all distributed convex thresholding algorithms can be elicited, and demonstrates that for key examples. Because the theorems are general, they extend the range of predicates which can be computed in a communication efficient manner beyond what is currently known. Unlike the previous correction proofs given to these algorithms, the proofs of the theorems presented here do not depend on the communication infrastructure. So the correctness of any distributed convex thresholding algorithm is immediately extended from broadcast enabled networks or from cycle free networks to general networks. Inspecting existing algorithms in light of the new theorems reveals that they contain redundant requirements, which cause them to send messages when indeed none are needed.


Early warning systems based on standoff detection of biological aerosols require real-time signal processing of a large quantity of high-dimensional data, challenging the systems efficiency in terms of both computational complexity and classification accuracy. Hence, optimal feature selection is essential in forming a stable and efficient classification system. This involves finding optimal signal processing parameters, characteristic spectral frequencies and other data transformations in large magnitude variable space, stating the need for an efficient and smart search algorithm. Evolutionary algorithms are population-based optimization methods inspired by Darwinian evolutionary theory. These methods focus on application of selection, mutation and recombination on a population of competing solutions and optimize this set by evolving the population of solutions for each generation. We have employed genetic algorithms in the search for optimal feature selection and signal processing parameters for classification of biological agents. The experimental data were achieved with a spectrally resolved lidar based on ultraviolet laser induced fluorescence, and included several releases of 5 common simulants. The genetic algorithm outperform benchmark methods involving analytic, sequential and random methods like support vector machines, Fisher's linear discriminant and principal component analysis, with significantly improved classification accuracy compared to the best classical method.


Life-threatening infections with Staphylococcus aureus are often difficult to treat due to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their ability to persist in protected niches in the body. Bacteriolytic enzymes are promising new antimicrobials because they rapidly kill bacteria, including drug-resistant and persisting cells, by destroying their cell wall. However, when injected into the bloodstream, these enzymes are not retained long enough to clear an infection. Here, we describe a modification to increase blood circulation time of the enzymes and enhance treatment efficacy against S. aureus-induced bloodstream infections. This was achieved by preselecting enzyme candidates for high activity in human blood and coupling them to serum albumin, thereby preventing their elimination by kidney filtration and blood vessel cells. ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen causing life-threatening diseases. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant S. aureus infections is a global health concern, requiring development of novel therapeutic options. Peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes (peptidoglycan hydrolases, PGHs) have emerged as a highly effective class of antimicrobial proteins against S. aureus and other pathogens. When applied to Gram-positive bacteria, PGHs hydrolyze bonds within the peptidoglycan layer, leading to rapid bacterial death by lysis. This activity is highly specific and independent of the metabolic activity of the cell or its antibiotic resistance patterns. However, systemic application of PGHs is limited by their often low activity in vivo and by an insufficient serum circulation half-life. To address this problem, we aimed to extend the half-life of PGHs selected for high activity against S. aureus in human serum. Half-life extension and increased serum circulation were achieved through fusion of PGHs to an albumin-binding domain (ABD), resulting in high-affinity recruitment of human serum albumin and formation of large protein complexes. Importantly, the ABD-fused PGHs maintained high killing activity against multiple drug-resistant S. aureus strains, as determined by ex vivo testing in human blood. The top candidate, termed ABD_M23, was tested in vivo to treat S. aureus-induced murine bacteremia. Our findings demonstrate a significantly higher efficacy of ABD_M23 than of the parental M23 enzyme. We conclude that fusion with ABD represents a powerful approach for half-life extension of PGHs, expanding the therapeutic potential of these enzybiotics for treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. IMPORTANCE Life-threatening infections with Staphylococcus aureus are often difficult to treat due to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their ability to persist in protected niches in the body. Bacteriolytic enzymes are promising new antimicrobials because they rapidly kill bacteria, including drug-resistant and persisting cells, by destroying their cell wall. However, when injected into the bloodstream, these enzymes are not retained long enough to clear an infection. Here, we describe a modification to increase blood circulation time of the enzymes and enhance treatment efficacy against S. aureus-induced bloodstream infections. This was achieved by preselecting enzyme candidates for high activity in human blood and coupling them to serum albumin, thereby preventing their elimination by kidney filtration and blood vessel cells.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the validity and reliability of the ICSmale questionnaire developed for the International Continence Society-'Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia' (ICS-'BPH') study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Urology departments in 12 countries recruited 1271 consecutive men > 45 years old, with lower urinary tract symptoms and possible benign prostatic obstruction, to the ICS-'BPH' study (the clinical group); 423 ambulent men were recruited from a general practice in the UK to provide a community group. Each individual was asked to complete the wide-ranging ICSmale questionnaire, comprising questions concerned with urinary symptoms, the bother they cause, and issues of quality of life and sexual function. Content, construct and criterion validity of the symptom and problem questions were assessed by interviews with patients and urologists, testing hypotheses within sub-studies, and in relation to frequency-volume diaries and uroflowmetry. Reliability was assessed by measures of internal consistency and a test-retest analysis.

RESULTS
The ICSmale questionnaire was easy to complete. It was clearly able to differentiate between men in clinical and community populations, and detected the expected positive age gradient for most symptoms in the community group. There was reasonable agreement between relevant parts of the questionnaire and frequency-volume charts when a relatively flexible approach was taken, but there was a very poor relationship between questions assessing strength of stream and the results of uroflowmetry. Internal consistency was high, and overall the questionnaire demonstrated good test-retest reliability.

CONCLUSION
The self-completed ICSmale questionnaire had high levels of psychometric validity and reliability.


There have been many research efforts on location awareness in an indoor environment. Most of them rely on specialized equipment or motion detectors. This research focuses on signal strengths from WiFi transmitters and uses these signal strengths to calibrate virtual pinpoints. A pinpoint is a collection of stored signal strengths over time on a predetermined location. These pinpoints can then be used to situate the surroundings of an environment and determine the current measurement its position by providing the necessary information needed to the tracking methods proposed in this paper.
The experiments of this research are set up with low-end routers in an actual indoor work environment to get the baseline results with less than perfect circumstances. The tracking methods used are based on different locating techniques. These techniques vary from converting signal strength to distance, or using signal strength as a ratio difference between distances, to using signal strength to get the average distance variation in an area. All these techniques allow us to calculate the distance to the locations of the signals. These distances are then converted into a position by calculating the radical centre of the corresponding circles.
The results of this research are satisfactory considering the conditions of the experiments. The precision of the tracking methods is good enough to locate the receiver in a small room for all methods. If the methods are combined the average precision is improved to a minimum distance of about one meter. For another testing purpose the signal strengths are also preset manually, this is done to proof that the tracking methods produce suitable positioning results. Which demonstrates that the methods would be capable of tracking throughout the environment.


The use of phosphate slime or phosphate water in a Mediterranean region (Gafsa, Tunisia) was investigated through hydrologic modeling. The simulations were made using the Hydrus 1D software package for a typical soil in the area of Gafsa (Tunisia). Two main applications were examined: mixing the surface soil with the phosphate slime and irrigating with polluted (phosphate) water or irrigating only with phosphate water. The elements under study were Cd, Cr, Ni, and Sr. The results show that there is no significant risk of groundwater pollution with these elements if the phosphate slime or the phosphate water is used for agricultural purposes. The addition of slime in the upper soil layer retards the mobility of the pollutants. The results also show that the mobility of these elements is highly dependent on the applied irrigation dose. These pollutants need high amounts of water in order to reach great depths. This research was carried out in the framework of the EU project "Integrated water management of Mediterranean phosphate mining and local agricultural systems" (ELMAA).


Proper solid waste disposal is very important for the nature itself and its' inhabitants. However, a study covering various aspects of solid waste management including management practices, prevailing problems and possible solutions are scarce in the literature. Accordingly, this study investigates a municipality of Bangladesh to understand the practices, problems and probable solutions of solid waste management. The dwellers of the surveyed municipality throw solid waste in various places like dustbin, drain, roadside and other crude dumping sites. Only about one-fourth of the respondents throw wastes to designated dustbins. More than half of the respondents don't have knowledge about proper disposal of solid wastes. The study findings indicate that the survey respondents throw waste throughout the whole day. More than 80 percent of the respondents are either dissatisfied or highly dissatisfied with the existing solid waste management services of the municipality. The data indicate that about two-third of the respondents are willing to pay for improving the waste disposal system. The respondents informed that they are affected by various diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, asthma, and bronchitis during the last one year which they perceive as the outcome of improper solid waste management. Therefore, this study suggests for awareness development, time management of waste disposal, establishment of more disposal and collection points, employment of more manpower and vehicles, introduction of the 'door to door' waste collection mechanism, segregation of industrial and clinical wastes for ensuring a better managed solid waste disposal system in the municipality.


Cloned fragments of human ribosomal protein S14 DNA (RPS14) were transfected into cultured Chinese hamster (CHO) cells. Transient expression assays indicated that DNA with as little as 31 base pairs of upstream flanking sequence was transcribed into a polyadenylated, 650-base mRNA that is largely bound to the polyribosomes. In these respects the exogenous human S14 message appeared to function normally in CHO cells. Interestingly, transcription of human RPS14 did not require the TATA sequence located 26 base pairs upstream of exon 1. Stably transformed clones were selected from cultures of emetine-resistant CHO cells (Emr-2) after transfection with pSV2Neo-human RPS14 constructs. Human RPS14 complemented the mutationally based drug resistance of the Chinese hamster cells, demonstrating that the cloned human ribosomal protein gene is functional in rodent cells. Analysis of transformed cells with different amounts of integrated RPS14 indicated that human S14 mRNA levels are not tightly regulated by CHO cells. In contrast, the steady-state S14 level fluctuated only slightly, if at all, in transformed clones whose S14 message contents differed by more than 30-fold. These data support the conclusion that expression of human RPS14 is regulated, at least partially, posttranscriptionally.


Vortex flow in a pump intake could affect a pump operation significantly if not treated appropriately. Many researches have been conducted to determine the best control method for vortex flow in pump sumps so that the pump lifespan can be maximized. In this study, a vortex control principle designed to minimize the impact of submerged vortex flow in pump sump on major pump components is presented. This principle employs a device called the plate type floor splitter which serves the function of eliminating vortices formed on the sump floor and reduces the intensity of swirling motion in the intake flow. A pump sump model was built to carry out the study by installing a floor splitter plate sample under the pump suction inlet and the corresponding parameters used to quantify the swirl intensity known as the swirl angle was measured. Procedures for the measurement were conducted based on ANSI/HI 9.8-2018 standard. A numerical simulation was performed to study the flow in a full-scale pump sump. The results showed that the installation of floor splitter plate can eliminate vortices efficiently and reduce swirl angle significantly. However, optimization of floor splitter design is needed to achieve a reduction effect that can reduce swirl angles to an acceptable value of lower than 5° according to ANSI/HI 9.8-2018 standard.


In 2019, the French government passed an unprecedented law that banned the public from analyzing information in reported court decisions to draw insights about the judicial behaviour of individual judges. The penalty for breaking this law is steep: violators face up to five years in prison.

In our view, a French-style ban is not normatively defensible in Canada given our protection of freedom of expression and our strong open courts principle. The public should be able to analyze information that is in the public domain. We do believe, however, that Canada – like France – faces important questions about how to respond to the fast-growing field of judicial analytics. Although studying judges is not new, judicial analytics tools allow for much faster and more powerful analysis of large amounts of information. Judicial analytics tools for public use already exist but, for reasons explained in the article, such tools are likely to become even more powerful and readily accessible in the near-to-medium future, resulting in unprecedented public insight into judges and the work of judging. We term this phenomenon "mainstreamed judicial analytics."

It is this future world of mainstreamed judicial analytics that is the focus of our article. What happens in a world where technology allows us to instantaneously draw up a detailed profile of a judge's past behaviour with a click of a smartphone button? What happens when we have a plethora of "stats" on how judges react to particular types of litigants, lawyers, legal arguments or even individual words? What happens when we can pull up reports on how a judge's behaviour may be impacted by the day of the week, time of day or even the weather? Motivated by these and related questions, this article provides an analysis of the future of judicial analytics, its likely impacts, and potential responses to the rise of this technology in Canada.

We conclude that the key potential benefit of mainstreamed judicial analytics is significantly increased transparency into the work of judging. Such transparency could provide an opportunity for the public to better critique and more effectively operate within the justice system. Also, judges could use information produced by judicial analytics tools to reflect on and improve upon their practices, where needed. Meaningful transparency, however, is not a guaranteed output. There will remain some practical complications to producing high-quality information even with "mainstreamed" tools. We also identify potential risks resulting from increased surveillance of judges, including the potential for unwanted strategic behaviour and negative impacts on health and well-being. Finally, we note that lawyers and judges will need to become familiar with this technology in order to competently perform their jobs.


Background and Objectives: Profound knowledge on the load-dependent behavior of human soft tissues is required for the development of suitable replacements as well as for realistic computer simulations. Regarding the former, e.g., the anisotropy of a particular biological tissue has to be represented with site- and direction-dependent particular mechanical values. Contrary to this concept of consistent mechanical properties of a defined soft tissue, mechanical parameters of soft tissues scatter considerably when being determined in tensile tests. In spite of numerous measures taken to standardize the mechanical testing of soft tissues, several setup- and tissue-related factors remain to influence the mechanical parameters of human soft tissues to a yet unknown extent. It is to date unclear if measurement extremes should be considered a variation or whether these data have to be deemed incorrect measurement outliers. This given study aimed to determine mechanical parameters of the human cranial dura mater as a model for human soft tissues using a highly standardized protocol and based on this, critically evaluate the definition for the term mechanical "variation" of human soft tissue. Materials and Methods: A total of 124 human dura mater samples with an age range of 3 weeks to 94 years were uniformly retrieved, osmotically adapted and mechanically tested using customized 3D-printed equipment in a quasi-static tensile testing setup. Scanning electron microscopy of 14 samples was conducted to relate the mechanical parameters to morphological features of the dura mater. Results: The here obtained mechanical parameters were scattered (elastic modulus = 46.06 MPa, interquartile range = 33.78 MPa; ultimate tensile strength = 5.56 MPa, interquartile range = 4.09 MPa; strain at maximum force = 16.58%, interquartile range = 4.81%). Scanning electron microscopy revealed a multi-layered nature of the dura mater with varying fiber directions between its outer and inner surface. Conclusions: It is concluded that mechanical parameters of soft tissues such as human dura mater are highly variable even if a highly standardized testing setup is involved. The tissue structure and composition appeared to be the main contributor to the scatter of the mechanical parameters. In consequence, mechanical variation of soft tissues can be defined as the extremes of a biomechanical parameter due to an uncontrollable change in tissue structure and/or the respective testing setup.


We made a crystallographic analysis of 87 mixed-nucleus stones and found 4 groups of stones of this kind, which are as follow: urico-oxalic, oxalico-uric, phosphato-oxalic and oxalic-phosphatic. We did not find any mixed-nucleus, urico-phosphatic or phosphatico-uric stones and we explain this fact according to the known lithogenic, metabolic mechanisms, in which urinary pH has an important function.


Two kinds of visible light driven mesoporous structured Mn and Se-doping TiO2 nanocrystal photocatalysts have been synthesized through a modified sol-gel method, and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm confirms that the mesoporous materials possess large pore size and narrow pore size distribution. X-Ray powder Diffraction (XRD) analyses reveal that the doping of Mn and Se inhibits the growth of TiO2 anatase nanocrystal and the Mn species are higher dispersed on the surface of TiO2. Ultraviolet (UV)-vis spectrum demonstrates the excellent adsorption property of Mn doping TiO2 for visible light region, which enables this novel photocatalysis material to possess remarkable activity in photocatalytic antibacterial for E. Coli. bacteria under visible lights radiation.


Abstract Professional learning communities among teachers and schools have been envisioned as a mechanism for development, knowledge building and implementation. However the formation of an effective learning community is more complex than giving teachers a project and asking them to share a room. This paper reports a synergistic interaction between a model of pedagogy and action learning, including peer observation, that involved 82 schools participating in a wide variety of projects. For most schools, these projects were successful in initiating action learning and promoting teacher development. The authors believe that this innovation generates insights into ways that the building of community, which is central to this type of learning, can be enhanced.


IIn a world where natural resources are not abundant and our dependence for them is ever growing, greatest interest has always been shown to find new technologies which can sustain our needs without the use of non-renewable resources. One of the most promising areas is that of photovoltaic devices - solar cells.Zinc Oxide is a II-VI group semiconductor with a wide, direct band gap (3.37 eV) and a large exciton binding energy (60 meV). Nanocrystalline ZnO materials have been widely studied for high-technology applications such as photovoltaic devices, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors and gas sensors. The electrical and optical properties of nanocrystalline ZnO make it a viable alternative to TiO2 in Gr�tzel type photovoltaic devices.Chemical bath deposition - CBD, is a solution analogue of chemical vapour deposition (CVD), which utilises controlled chemical reaction in a solution (usually aqueous) to effect the deposition of a thin film by precipitation. Liquid-Liquid Interface deposition - LIF occurs at the region in which two immiscible liquids come into contact. In many ways, the LIF is a unique environment because of the discontinuity in physical properties, these properties provide a facile environment for growing materials at interface. In a typical water-toluene interfacial system, metal precursor dissolved in toluene is held in contact with an aqueous layer containing a reducing or oxidizing agent. The reaction proceeds at the interface of the liquids and results in deposits suspended in the interfacial region.In both instances the processes is simple, convenient and inexpensive route to semiconducting thin films and nanocrystals. Both don?t require harsh conditions and can be deposited at low temperatures, on a wide array of substrates as well as the ability to use commonly available, cheap precursors. Selectivity over physical and chemical properties easily tunable through control of reaction parameters. All these factors twinned with overall low productions cost mean both are environmentally "green". The influence template seeding layers and polymers have on the growth of ZnO crystallites by chemical bath deposition has been studied. The methods by which the SLs are deposited, the crystallite size and also the thickness have a significant effect on the morphology, density as well as the critical dimensions of the ZnO nanostructures formed. Physical deposition methods have been used to obtain highly ordered, dense nanorod arrays with both narrow and broad size distributions. Chemicals methods using spin coated nanoparticles have produced rods with plus 1 m lengths, with the uncommon orientation along (1010) with growth along the a- axis. The reduction of thickness of the sputtered seeding layers also resulted in overlayers changing from dense nanorod arrays to 3D clusters. Depositions involving polymers yield crystallite with high surface area, high energy (0001) facets. The size of the crystallites can be tuned by the variation of polymer functionality, molecular weight and concentration. In combining both SL and polymers, highly density nanoplatelets arrays with extremely high surface area of (0001) facets are available, There combination also gives rise to unusual phase selective growth and facilitates crystalline growth using polymers which were unsuccessful previously.Interfacial growth of crystalline ZnO has also been investigated using several metal precursors. Using highly basic conditions 3D nanorods clusters where achieved in cases involving dithiocarbamate and ketoacidoximate precursors, however systems using basic conditions and thiobiuret precursors gave rise to a unique nanotulip morphology. The influences of reaction temperature, concentration and deposition time have been investigated. The possibility of polymer-mediated deposition of materials at the interface has been studied. The use of polyethyleneimine in place of NaOH gave rise to globular structures comprised of agglomerated nanocrystals. The nature and characteristics of the thin films, overlayers and nanocrystals obtained by both CBD and LIF were studied using powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) and UV/Visible spectroscopy.


A water-stable Eu-coordination polymer (CP), namely [HMIm]Eu(DHBDC)2 (1) (HMIm = 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium; H2DHBDC = 2,5-dihydroxytelephthalic acid), was obtained using ionothermal synthesis. 1 represents the first coordination polymer capable of qualitative and quantitative detection of Ba(2+) in aqueous solutions with a fluorescent enhancement that is visible to the human eye, which can be ascribed to the formation of fluorescent compound Ba(DHBDC) (2) during the detection process. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) makes 1 a potential material for a fluorescence thermometer. Furthermore, the detection process for Ba(2+) using 1 turns the one-PL transition fluorescence thermometer into a two-PL transition fluorescence thermometer, increasing the accuracy of the fluorescence thermometer.


Luksevics, E., Ahlberg, P.E., Stinkulis, Ģ., Vasiļkova, J. & Zupiņs, I. 2011: Frasnian vertebrate taphonomy and sedimentology of macrofossil concentrations from the Langsēde Cliff, Latvia. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 356–370.

The siliciclastic sequence of the Upper Devonian of Kurzeme, Western Latvia, is renowned for abundant vertebrate fossils, including the stem tetrapods Obruchevichthys gracilis and Ventastega curonica. During the first detailed taphonomic study of the vertebrate assemblage from the Ogre Formation cropping out at the Langsēde Cliff, Imula River, abundant vertebrate remains have been examined and identified as belonging to one psammosteid, two acanthodian and three sarcopterygian genera; the placoderm Bothriolepis maxima dominates the assemblage. Besides fully disarticulated placoderm and psammosteid plates, separate sarcopterygian scales and teeth, and acanthodian spines, partly articulated specimens including complete distal segments of Bothriolepis pectoral fins, Bothriolepis head shields and sarcopterygian lower jaws have been found. The size distribution of the placoderm bones demonstrates that the individuals within the assemblage are of approximately uniform age. Distinct zones have been traced within the horizontal distribution of the bones. These linear zones are almost perpendicular to the dominant dip azimuth of the cross-beds and ripple-laminae and most probably correspond to the depressions between subaqueous dunes. Concavity ratio varies significantly within the excavation area. The degree of fragmentation of the bones and disarticulation of the skeletons suggest that the carcasses were reworked and slightly transported before burial. Sedimentological data suggest deposition in a shallow marine environment under the influence of rapid currents. The fossiliferous bed consists of a basal bone conglomerate covered by a cross-stratified sandstone with mud drapes, which is in turn overlain by ripple laminated sandstone, indicating the bones were buried by the gradual infilling of a tidal channel. All the Middle–Upper Devonian vertebrate bone-beds from Latvia are associated with sandy to clayey deposits and have been formed in a sea-coastal zone during rapid sedimentation episodes, but differ in fossil abundance and degree of preservation. □Agnathans, Devonian, facies analysis, fish, fossil assemblage, palaeoenvironment.


To meet the growing trend of electrification of mechanical systems, this paper presents a compactly integrated electric motor and hydraulic pump. The proposed application for this machine requires high flow rates at low pressure differentials and four quadrant operation. The hydraulic pump architecture selected for this machine is a radial ball piston pump. An inside impinged version of this architecture allows for efficient filling of the chambers and is radial balanced, both of which allow highspeed operation for increased power density. The radial ball piston pump is less expensive to manufacture and is radially more compact than a standard radial cylindrical piston pump. A model of the pump and the integrated electric motor have been created to study scaling relationships and drive detailed design and optimization. The scaling study considers how displacement is affected by pump diameter, and how the diameter and required torque change with angular velocity. The detailed model considers the effect of valve timing, piston-cylinder clearance, and pump geometry on the efficiency. The model is then exercised in an optimization of the machine parameters.


Historically project aid has favoured urban and infrastructure projects. Its benefits to rural dwellers (in most LDCs, the majority of the population) seem to have been minimal. In encouraging urbanisation, it has added to urban environmental and development problems in LDCs. Village-based rural projects have been neglected in dispensing aid, it seems for a variety of reasons some of which are identified here. Apart from the above bias, most project aid tends to be delivered on a top-down basis and donors often treat aid for development projects mechanically and simply as a means of delivering goods and services. 'Organic' factors such as local needs, culture, political considerations and the state of the natural environment are frequently not taken into account by donors. In the past, also little attention has been given to the sustainability of benefits from projects. Expert evaluation of large-scale development projects indicate high rate of 'failure' in relation to target rates of return and sustainability of returns. This may suggest that other types of projects such as rural small-scale projects are more desirable or that different techniques of project appraisal and selection should be adopted. For instance, techniques which take account of sustainability of returns or methods of selection that involve input from the village-level may be preferable. Selection techniques such as the use of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) are discussed and particular attention is given to the suggestions of Pearce, Markandya, Barbier (1989) of ways to extend CBA to take account of sustainability factors in project appraisal. This is followed by a general discussion of the role of project aid in promoting sustainable development in the Pacific. The role of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in promoting rural based development via research is noted. By way of a case study, particular attention is given to ACIAR's role in developing and promoting giant clam (Tridacnid) culture as a means of rural (coastal.) development.


Working memory is important for online language processing during conversation. This presentation gives an overview of some recent advances related to a working memory-based language understanding model, the ELU model (Ronnberg et al., 2013). The new ELU model is a meaning prediction system that depends on phonological and semantic interactions in rapid implicit and slower explicit processing mechanisms that both depend on working memory capacity, albeit in different ways. New behavioral and neurocognitive data are presented and some new predictions and clinical implications are outlined.


Synthetic biology relies on rapid and efficient methods to stably integrate DNA payloads encoding for synthetic biological systems into the genome of living cells. The size of designed biological systems increases with their complexity, and novel methods are needed that enable efficient and simultaneous integration of multiple payloads into single cells. By assembling natural and synthetic protein–protein dimerization domains, we have engineered a set of multipartite transcription factors for driving heterologous target gene expression. With the distribution of single parts of multipartite transcription factors on piggyback transposon-based donor plasmids, we have created a logic genome integration control (LOGIC) system that allows for efficient one-step selection of stable mammalian cell lines with up to three plasmids. LOGIC significantly enhances the efficiency of multiplexed payload integration in mammalian cells compared to traditional cotransfection and may advance cell line engineering in synthetic biology and biotechnology.


This paper presents a method for the design of FIR Hilbert transformers and differentiators in the complex domain. The method can be used to obtain conjugate-symmetric designs with smaller group delay compared to linear-phase designs. Non-conjugate symmetric Hilbert transformers are also designed. This paper is an extension of our previous work, which presented the algorithm for the design of standard frequency selective filters. The minimax criterion is used and the Chebychev approximation is posed as a linear optimization problem. The primal problem is converted to its dual and is solved using an efficient quadratically convergent algorithm developed by Tang (1988). When a constant group delay is specified, the filter designs have almost linear phase in the passbands. When the specified group delay is half the filter length, the algorithm results in exactly linear-phase designs.


This paper presents a theoretical analysis and experimental evaluation of the switched reluctance generator (SRG) for off-grid variable-speed wind energy applications. The detailed model, control parameters and operational characteristics of the SRG as well as variable-speed wind turbine are discussed. In order to drive the wind energy conversion system (WECS) to the point of maximum aerodynamic efficiency, a SRG power output feedback control strategy which optimized angle position-current chopping control cooperating PI regulator is proposed. The control strategy is also demonstrated by means of Matlab/Simulink. Moreover, an experimental test system is set up, which a cage induction machine is used to emulate the variable-speed wind turbine. The experimental results validate the proposed control strategy and confirm the SRG performance.


fetal heart and three cardiac cycles captured in cine-loop format. Generation of the subepicardial and subendocardial myocardial velocity curves was realized by sampling two-dimensional color-TDI imaging, and myocardial thickness was calculated, subsequently the corresponding MVG were derived. The disparities between right and left subendocardial and subepicardial myocardial velocities in systole and diastole, and the relationship between fetal myocardial velocities, MVG and gestational weeks were correlated. Results: Echocardiographic images from a total of 30 normal fetuses were analyzed for inclusion in this study of which TDI velocities and MVG data from both the left and right ventricular free walls from 27 of them were of sufficient quality to make quantitative evaluation, 3 fetuses with poor echocardiographic images were excluded. Fetal subendocardial myocardial velocities were higher than that of subepicardial myocardium throughout the cardiac cycle in both ventricular free walls. Right and left subendocardial and subepicardial myocardial velocities in systole and diastole showed a positive correlation with advancing gestational age. Right and left MVG in systole and diastole showed a negative correlation with advancing gestational age. Conclusions: Tissue Doppler MVG evaluation of the fetal myocardial dynamics is feasible, illustration the relationship between fetal myocardial velocity, MVG and gestational weeks may offer a useful approach for better understanding the characteristic of fetal myocardial properties during fetal heart development.


Academia is an environment in which teaching, research, and the pursuit of scholarship are characterized.1 It is routinely described as embodying an atmosphere of isolation, yet is highly competitive. Extreme sacrifices seem to be forefront and centre. Individuals are routinely asked to take on increasingly heavy teaching workloads, while at the same time are expected to produce a significant number of publications, in unison with obtaining external funding. The nature of academia has not always faired well for new scholars. This paper presents a discussion of various strategies new academics or those considering pursuing this arena can use to assist in not only the transition to working in this environment, but also thriving in it. It will provide an awareness of the lessons learned and an anticipation of the future from a scholar who has overcome the initial barriers and is optimistically looking forward to future challenges.


The cerebellar glucose metabolism of multiple system atrophy with predominant cerebellar ataxia (MSA-C) is known to be decreased but is not defined among areas of cerebellum. We encountered a 54-year-old man who developed dizziness and progressive ataxia followed by urinary incontinence and orthostatic hypotension, all of those symptoms progressed relentlessly and the symptoms responded poorly to levodopa therapy. Visual analysis and statistical parametric mapping analysis of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography showed hypometabolism of both cerebellar hemisphere, severe at cortical area, and pons. There was clear sparing of deep cerebellar nuclei. Our report, as we know, shows the first case of preserved glucose metabolism of deep cerebellar nuclei relative to cerebellar cortex in an MSA-C patient.


ADOLESCENCE—the hyphen between puberty and maturity—presents a phase of life not too well understood. Events so conspicuous as the rapid growth of childhood, the onset of menstruation at puberty and pregnancy in maturity are lacking. Independence develops, and the normal adolescent graduates from the care and supervision of the pediatrician. Ordinarily, the adolescent is not seen by a physician unless some disease or abnormality occurs; hence, the hiatus in our knowledge of normal adolescence. Life is a changing process, varying from one person to another and from time to time in the same person. Furthermore, the human body is so readily adaptable to circumstances that it may be exceedingly difficult to predict with any degree of accuracy the response to outside influences. Yet similarity of repeated clinical observation permits an expression of opinion while one is awaiting more specific data. It is now generally understood that the structure and


Accurate knowledge of transmission line (TL) impedance parameters helps to improve accuracy in relay settings and power flow modeling. To improve TL parameter estimates, various algorithms have been proposed in the past to identify TL parameters based on measurements from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs). These methods are based on the positive sequence TL models and can generate accurate positive sequence impedance parameters for a fully transposed TL when measurement noise is absent; however, these methods may generate erroneous parameters when the TLs are not fully transposed or when measurement noise is present. PMU field-measure data are often corrupted with noise and this noise is problematic for all parameter identification algorithms, particularly so when applied to short TLs. This paper analyzes the limitations of the positive sequence TL model when used for parameter estimation of TLs that are untransposed and proposes a novel method using linear estimation theory to identify TL parameters more reliably. This method can be used for the most general case: short/long lines that are fully transposed or untransposed and have balanced/unbalance loads. Besides the positive/negative sequence impedance parameters, the proposed method can also be used to estimate the zero sequence parameters and the mutual impedances between different sequences. This paper also examines the influence of noise in the PMU data on the calculation of TL parameters. Several case studies are conducted based on simulated data from ATP to validate the effectiveness of the new method. Through comparison of the results generated by this novel method and several other methods, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.