Two major trends in high-performance computing, namely, larger numbers of cores and the growing size of on-chip cache memory, are creating significant challenges for evaluating the design space of future processor architectures. Fast and scalable simulations are therefore needed to allow for sufficient exploration of large multi-core systems within a limited simulation time budget. By bringing together accurate high-abstraction analytical models with fast parallel simulation, architects can trade off accuracy with simulation speed to allow for longer application runs, covering a larger portion of the hardware design space. Interval simulation provides this balance between detailed cycle-accurate simulation and one-IPC simulation, allowing long-running simulations to be modeled much faster than with detailed cycle-accurate simulation, while still providing the detail necessary to observe core-uncore interactions across the entire system. Validations against real hardware show average absolute errors within 25% for a variety of multi-threaded workloads; more than twice as accurate on average as one-IPC simulation. Further, we demonstrate scalable simulation speed of up to 2.0 MIPS when simulating a 16-core system on an 8-core SMP machine.


BACKGROUND
The identification of specific risk factors for falls in community-dwelling elderly persons is required to detect early changes and permit a preventative approach to management. This study determines the ability of various laboratory measures and clinical tests of postural stability to prospectively predict fallers in community-dwelling elderly women.

METHODS
One hundred elderly women (65-86 years, mean age 73 +/- 5 years) performed a reaction-time step task, a limits of stability, and a quiet stance balance task. Postural muscle timing and movement speed were recorded during the step task. Center of pressure (COP) motion was recorded in quiet stance and at the limits of stability. Four common clinical balance tests were performed, and balance confidence, medical and activity history questionnaires were completed. Subjects were followed up regularly for a 6-month period following testing to determine the frequency and characteristics of any falls that occurred. Predictive capabilities of the balance measures to determine fallers were determined through logistic regression models.

RESULTS
The clinical balance tests investigated were not able to predict fallers in this community-dwelling elderly population. A combination of variables from the laboratory tasks provided the best overall prediction rate (77%) of fallers (sensitivity 51%) and nonfallers (specificity 91%) from laboratory measures. Of these, step movement time and gluteus medius onset times were the factors best able to predict fallers. Alone, measures of COP motion in quiet stance and at the limits of stability had a poor ability to predict fallers, although they could correctly identify most nonfallers. Prediction was not significantly improved when clinical balance test results were added to the most predictive laboratory measures.

CONCLUSIONS
Not all older adults with a reduction in balance ability reported a fall over a 6-month period. Of those who did, a combination of measures reflective of different aspects of mediolateral postural stability during a rapid step task, quiet stance, and movement to the limits of stability were best able to predict faller status, with nonfallers better predicted than fallers. These results emphasize the importance of the multifactorial nature of falls in the community-dwelling elderly population in that the clinical and laboratory measures did not predict a high proportion of fallers.


Artist: Thomas Worth (signature on image).
Currier & Ives : a catalogue raisonne / compiled by Gale Research. Detroit, MI : Gale Research, c1983, no. 5103


AIMS To evaluate the contrast sensitivity in patients with nuclear cataract and corneal guttae compared to patients with nuclear cataract without guttae. METHODS In this retrospective, single-centre case series, 50 eyes of 50 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Patients with corneal guttae and nuclear cataract (n=25, study group) underwent triple Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). Patients with nuclear cataract and healthy corneas underwent cataract surgery (n=25, control group). Inclusion criteria were preoperative best-corrected visual acuity ≥20/40, no corneal oedema and similar lens opacity (nuclear opalescence 2.0–2.9). Outcome measures included MARS letter and OPTEC 6500P contrast sensitivity test, corneal volume, central corneal thickness and anterior and posterior corneal densitometry. RESULTS Preoperative MARS letter and OPTEC 6500P contrast sensitivity was significantly worse in the study group (MARS: p<0.001; OPTEC 6500P: p<0.007 at low spatial frequencies in daylight with and without glare and nightlight without glare). After surgery, there was no significant difference in MARS letter contrast sensitivity between groups (p=0.225). OPTEC 6500P contrast sensitivity remained significantly lower in the study group in daylight and nightlight with and without glare at most spatial frequencies (p<0.01) postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative corneal volume, central corneal thickness and anterior corneal densitometry were equal in both groups (p>0.05). Posterior densitometry was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group preoperatively (p<0.001) but turned into equal values postoperatively (p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS Corneal guttae cause an additional significant decrease in contrast sensitivity in eyes with nuclear cataract. This is in favour of performing a triple DMEK even in eyes with a visual acuity of ≥20/40.


Precise vineyards digital plotting for grape-growing regions can produce thematic maps, which subsequently could be employed within Geographical Information Systems (GIS) as a part of the formation of national Vineyard Information System (VIS) in Turkey. This study proposed vineyards parcels delineation approach using sub-meter Worlview-2 (WV2) VHR satellite images. The WV2 satellite data files incorporate featured 8 (eight) multi-spectral and one panchromatic bands. They were used to differentiate and label the spatial distribution of viticulture practices in Tekirdag Province, Eastern Thrace region, which is one of the areas with highest efficiency for grape-growing practices. The applied classification process employed object-based image analysis method (OBIA, using eCognition). It is a technique that aggregates neighboring pixels into groups acknowledged as image objects. These object primitives convey similar values for several variables according to predefined spatial likelihood and homogeneity measures. Spectral, textural, customized vegetation indices, various band ratios, and other object features were integrated into the object-based image analysis with aim to produce consistent classification results. WV2 pan-sharpened images of 0.5m spatial resolution were taken as the input data. The validation of the created land cover mapping was assessed using formerly produced labeled maps from field work. The plantations with linear, straight row vineyards planting were almost completely mapped, while the allocation accuracies for the other planting types were comparatively lower. Nonetheless, these accuracy results for the dissimilar vineyards planting routines put forward that OBIA can support further in vineyards mapping for wine producers and classification of viticulture practices in general.


While Roman architecture is often generalized as being primarily of Greek influence, there are important periods where other influences can be clearly identified. This paper considers the Etruscan, Greek, and Villanovan influence on Roman religious architecture through an examination of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maxmius, also known as the Capitolium, and argues that the temple is ultimately of primarily Etruscan influence.


Energy is a precious resource, and yet it is often wasted due to processes using it
not being optimal.
Process integration addresses this problem by trying to use potentially wasted resources, such as mass or energy, which would be sent outside the system. By using
as an energy source internal elements of the process that otherwise would be wasted,
we can reduce energy dependency on external sources, thus reducing energy costs.
The problem is that modifications to achieve this goal come at a price, and then It
is hard to decide if is worth reducing costs on external utilities at the expense of
investing in new equipment for process integration.
The objective of this project is to develop a software tool capable of doing Pinch
Analysis on an industrial process.
The tool is meant to assist the engineer, making easier to analyze a process involving
hot and cold streams, displaying graph data to visualize possible energy recovery,
helping to make decisions by estimating costs on utilities and on new equipment in
order to find an optimal solution for process integration.
Furthermore, the tool is not simply programmed in classic functional way, but it is made using class based OOP (object oriented programming) and heavily documented
so it can be easily modified and further upgraded to add more and more capabilities
to it.


The antiapoptosis potential of Bcl-2 protein is well established, but the mechanism of Bcl-2 action is still poorly understood. Using the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid or the chemotherapeutic drug taxol, we found that Bcl-2 was phosphorylated in lymphoid cells. Phospho amino acid analysis revealed that Bcl-2 was phosphorylated on serine. Under similar conditions, okadaic acid or taxol treatment led to the induction of apoptosis in these cells. Thus, phosphorylation of Bcl-2 seems to inhibit its ability to interfere with apoptosis. In addition, phosphorylated Bcl-2 can no longer prevent lipid peroxidation as required to protect cells from apoptosis.


Background: Dasatinib is a potent inhibitor of BCR-ABL and SRC-family kinases, but may not eradicate noncycling early progenitor cells (Konig, Cancer Res 2008). Hedgehog signaling is implicated in CML progenitor cell self-renewal (Dierks, Cancer Cell 2008; Long, J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2011), and may be inhibited by SMO antagonists (Zhao, Nature 2009). BMS-833923 is a potent orally-available SMO inhibitor (SMOi) with activity in selected solid tumors. In a phase 1 pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic study, we determine if addition of BMS-833923 to dasatinib improves control of CML.

Methods: In study CA180323 (NCT 01218477), dasatinib plus BMS-833923 was evaluated using a "Rolling-Six" design. Patients (pts) with chronic phase (CP) CML and resistance or suboptimal response to any prior TKI or with either advanced phase (accelerated phase/blast phase [AP/BP]) CML or Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ALL) resistant to imatinib or nilotinib were treated with dasatinib (100 mg/d in CML-CP, 140 mg/d in CML-AP/BP or Ph+ ALL). After 4 weeks, SMOi was added at dose levels (DLs) of 100 mg/d (DL1), 200 mg/d (DL2) or 50 mg/d (DL-1). Dose-limiting toxicities (DLT, definition also included grade 2 events requiring >7 days interruption) were defined in the first 4 weeks of combination therapy (weeks 5–8). For the purpose of SMO escalation or reduction, adverse events occurring at any time were also considered; pts discontinuing for disease prior to week 8 were replaced. PK was performed for both agents. Serial replating of marrow colony-forming cells (CFC), with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for BCR-ABL in secondary progeny, was performed to detect reduction of early Ph+ progenitors.

Results: Twenty-seven pts were enrolled (19 CML-CP, 4 CML-AP/BP, 4 Ph+ ALL), of whom 5 discontinued before week 8 (4 with early progression and 1 ineligible), leaving 22 pts evaluable for DLT. DLT was reported in 2 of 12 pts at DL1, (1 CML-CP pt with confusion, somnolence, fatigue, nausea and 1 Ph+ ALL pt with anorexia, dysgeusia, asthenia), and 1 of 2 pts at DL2 (CML-CP pt with joint stiffness, muscle cramps, and peripheral sensory neuropathy). Although a maximum tolerated dose was not exceeded, frequent interruption and dose reduction led to exploration of DL-1; no DLT was experienced in 8 CML-CP pts at DL-1. Adverse events included previously reported toxicities of SMOi: dysgeusia (67%), alopecia (67%), anorexia or nausea with weight loss (42%), muscle spasms (33%), and fatigue (33%) were the most common, leading to discontinuation in 7 pts (32%). Both onset and resolution of alopecia were delayed >2 months, consistent with a stem cell effect. No drug-drug PK interactions were identified. Minor efficacy could be attributed to addition of SMOi; 3 of 10 pts with CML-CP resistant to dasatinib had prolonged (47–51 weeks) combination treatment and 1 attained complete cytogenetic response. No pt with CML-Adv or Ph+ALL showed benefit. Replating CFC assays with FISH on secondary progeny did not demonstrate preferential reduction of early BCR-ABL progenitors by addition of SMOi.

Conclusions: Despite observation of expected toxicities due to SMO inhibition, no evidence of efficacy was shown for the combination. Extensive replating assays failed to demonstrate selective reduction of CML progenitors. Although SMOi was reasonably tolerable at a dose of 50 mg/d, the lack of efficacy and observed toxicities do not support use in early stage CML-CP. Translation of preclinical work on CML stem cell eradication to the clinical setting remains challenging.

Disclosures Shah: ARIAD: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding. Off Label Use: BMS-833923 is an investigational SMO inhibitor that was evaluated for safety and efficacy in this study.. Cortes: Teva: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ariad: Consultancy, Research Funding. Clarke: Bristol-Myers Squibb: CRO Other. Copland: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Travel funding Other. Strauss: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment. Talpaz: ARIAD: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding.


The Wiener-Hopf factorization is obtained in closed form for a phase type approximation to the CGMY L\'{e}vy process. This allows, for the approximation, exact computation of first passage times to barrier levels via Laplace transform inversion. Calibration of the CGMY model to market option prices defines the risk neutral process for which we infer the first passage times of stock prices to 30% of the price level at contract initiation. These distributions are then used in pricing 50% recovery rate equity default swap (EDS) contracts and the resulting prices are compared with the prices of credit default swaps (CDS). An illustrative analysis is presented for these contracts on Ford and GM.


AY-31,906, exo-2-amino-4-[(bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl)amino-N-[[1- methylethyl)amino]carbonyl]-5-pyrimidinesulfonamide, exhibited potent diuretic and natriuretic activity in rats and dogs. After p.o. administration, AY-31,906 was 1.5- and 12.3-times more potent as a natriuretic than furosemide in rats and dogs, respectively, whereas it was 0.5- and 6.1-times as potent after i.v. administration. The maximum natriuretic effect of AY-31,906 in both species was similar to that observed with furosemide. At equiactive natriuretic p.o. doses in both species, AY-31,906 produced a greater increase in the urinary ratio of Na/K than furosemide, indicating a relative potassium-sparing effect. AY-31,906 produced significant increases in the fractional excretion of sodium and chloride in dogs at a dose that produced no statistically significant changes in the fractional excretion of potassium, glomerular filtration rate or renal plasma flow. After p.o. administration, the onset of activity of AY-31,906 occurred within the 1st hr in both rats and dogs and preliminary data demonstrated that the activity lasted for approximately 2 hr in rats and 4 hr in dogs. Clearance studies in conscious dogs suggest that AY-31,906 inhibited electrolyte reabsorption in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle and, unlike furosemide, AY-31,906 had no activity at the proximal tubule. These results indicate that AY-31,906 is a potent, high ceiling diuretic with relative potassium-sparing properties. The compound is well absorbed after p.o. administration with diuretic activity occurring in the 1st hr.


Allergic diseases are common medical conditions that now show an increasing trend globally and contributes to poor quality of life of the affected individual. Allergies can be fatal in a few instances such as anaphylaxis, severe asthma, and hereditary angioedema if the symptoms are not recognized and treated correctly. (1, 2) The first Allergy Conference in Qatar aimed to highlight the burden of allergic diseases in Qatar and globally with a special focus on educating both the physicians and the community. The preparation for this conference over the past three years threw up a few challenges, mainly owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that affected all forms of face-to-face interactions and social gatherings. Therefore, our conference was held virtually on February 05, 2022, which was more than two years from the first planned date. The conference was sponsored by the Hamad Medical Corporation in partnership with the Qatar Allergy and Immunology Society. In our scientific program, the scientific committees selected topics related to 3 major areas in allergy practice (systemic, respiratory, and skin allergy disorders). Abstract submissions were encouraged in areas related to audits, case reports, service development, and clinical and basic research in the field of allergy. Additional topics were included related to the current COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccinations. We received 34 abstracts and accepted 28 for poster abstracts. Among them, 6 received approval for oral presentations; and 6 (21.4%) had the term COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 in their title, which supported the burden related to COVID-19 in our community and association between this new pandemic and our allergy practice and disorders.


Miniature medical hydrophone devices based on the piezo-electric effect, and hydrophones founded on fibre-optic Fabry-Perot interferometric principles are used to characterise the spatial and temporal properties of ultrasound fields. The quantity delivered by the hydrophone is an electrical waveform which can be transformed into the true acoustic waveform using a frequency dependent calibration factor with units of volts per pascal. Primary-level hydrophone calibration is carried out using an optical displacement interferometer. There is a pressing need to calibrate these hydrophones as high as 100 MHz due to an increasing proliferation of high frequency medical ultrasound scanners. However, calibration of these devices on the interferometer is extremely difficult at elevated frequencies due to the small, tens of picometre displacements generated by conventional mainstream ultrasound transducers. Environmental disturbances such as vibrations from seismic activity, movement of people in and around the laboratory and equipment cooling fans impose fundamental limitations on the smallest discernible displacements which can be measured, regardless of the type detection scheme used to build these extremely sensitive measurement instruments. Therefore, a viable alternative to support calibrations would be to boost the high frequency displacements, ideally to a few hundred picometres. Photoacoustics has a potential to do this. The photoacoustic effect refers to the phenomenon when a material illuminated with light absorbs photon energy, converting it into propagating acoustic waves within the material via one of several mechanisms. In principle, photoacoustics could be used to generate acoustic frequencies up to hundreds of gigahertz. Recently, photoacoustic sources made of nanocomposite materials have been able to generate planar ultrasound peak-positive pressure pulses as high as 12 MPa in the medical imaging frequency range. In order to understand the state of the art in photoacoustics research, a detailed literature review was conducted to establish its potential to support high frequency hydrophone calibration using the NPL primary standard displacement interferometer. In parallel with the review, a photoacoustic measurement facility was setup, with early measurements being conducted. The literature review findings and early experimental results have shown photoacoustics to be a promising new area of science for NPL offering the potential to tackle the challenge of high frequency primary standard calibration of hydrophones.


According to the classical model of a polygynous mating system, male-biased dispersal is a consequence of inbreeding avoidance and sexual asymmetries in competition. However, kin cooperation can change the costs and benefits of dispersal to each sex and may also select for philopatry in females. Here, we report from an experimental study designed to tease apart the effects of competition, cooperation, and inbreeding avoidance on natal dispersal in juvenile root voles (Microtus oeconomus). We manipulated the presence of opposite-sex littermates and tested how interactions among siblings influence dispersal and sexual maturation. We also manipulated the juvenile sex ratio to compare the strength of intrasexual versus intersexual competition. Natal dispersal was unrelated to the juvenile sex ratio, females aggregated in space, and there was a consistent spatial overlap among sisters. Males dispersed more in the absence of their sisters, resulting in stronger spatial segregation between sexes, than in the presence of their sisters. Thus, natal dispersal did not reduce the risks of interactions with siblings and intrasexual competition. We suggest that kin clusters in females function as a defense against aggressive or infanticidal behavior by unfamiliar males. Copyright 2006.


Chloride oxidation has tremendous utility in the burgeoning field of chlorine-mediated C-H activation, yet it remains a challenging process to initiate with light because of the exceedingly positive one-electron reduction potential, E° (Cl•/-), beyond most common transition-metal photooxidants. Herein, two photocatalytic chloride oxidation pathways that involve either one- or consecutive two-photon excitation of N-phenylphenothiazine (PTH) are presented. The one-photon pathway generates PTH•+ by oxidative quenching that subsequently disproportionates to yield PTH2+ that oxidizes chloride; this pathway is also accessed by the electrochemical oxidation of PTH. The two-photon pathway, which proceeded through the radical cation excited state, 2PTH•+*, was of particular interest as this super-photooxidant was capable of directly oxidizing chloride to chlorine atoms. Laser flash photolysis revealed that the photooxidation by the doublet excited state proceeded on a subnanosecond timescale through a static quenching mechanism with an ion-pairing equilibrium constant of 0.36 M-1. The PTH photoredox chemistry was quantified spectroscopically on nanosecond and longer time scales, and chloride oxidation chemistry was revealed by reactivity studies with model organic substrates. One- and two-photon excitation of PTH enabled chlorination of unactivated C(sp3)-H bonds of organic compounds such as cyclohexane with substantial yield enhancement observed from inclusion of the second excitation wavelength. This study provides new mechanistic insights into chloride oxidation catalyzed by an inexpensive and commercially available organic photooxidant.


Indonesia is one of the largest producer of nutmeg oil  ( Myristica fragrans ) . This essential oil has a lot of usefulness for food and pharmaceutical industries, however antibacterial activity of Indonesian nutmeg oil  has not been investigated yet.  Antibacterial activity   Myristica fragrans oil from two areas respectively (Sulawesi and Central Java) were investigated.  The essential oils was extracted using water and steam distiller and then its antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria (gram-positive bacteria : Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, and gram-negative bacteria :  Shigella Dysenteriae, Salmonella Typhi) was examined.  Resistance pattern was studied by in vitro disc diffusion method   using essential oil concentration   20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%.   The result showed that the two essential oils inhibited all bacteria. The highest inhibition zone on Central Java nutmeg oil was on 60% concentration of the oil (12.96 16.79, 13.46 and 16.50 mm for S. aureus, S. epidermis, S. dysenteriae, S. typhi respectively), while on Sulawesi nutmeg oil was on 100% concentration (18.84, 16.54, 17.84 and 12.54 mm for S. aureus, S. epidermis, S. dysenteriae, S. typhi respectively). Keywords : Antibacterial activity; Nutmeg oil; Central Java; Sulawesi


Although it is true that government financial support for education is dwindling in many countries, most educational institutions in Uganda have failed to devise functional internal mechanisms to enable them to raise resources to continuously deliver quality education in quantity. Might the application of certain entrepreneurial strategies in educational management perhaps help to make a difference? What is educational entrepreneurship (EE)? How feasible is EE in a developing world education landscape like that of Uganda? Which challenges must EE surmount before it can envisage success? Using literature review methodology, this study attempted to find answers to such questions. Its aim was to delineate the EE domain and to highlight both its importance and feasibility in Uganda's context. The study made two key discoveries; first, indeed EE is clouded in conceptual mishmash, hence need for more scholarly attention; second, however salvaging EE can be to struggling educational institutions, it is not without serious challenges – even apparent contradictions – hence preference for a "moderate risk" approach to entrepreneurship within educational institutions.


Three dimensional boundary layer flow due to a permeable shrinking sheet with viscous dissipation and heat generation/absorption, has been studied in the present paper. The governing equations are transformed to ordinary differential equations by using suitable similarity transformations and then solved numerically on computer by standard technique. Numerical results of velocity and temperature profiles are obtained with the effects of various parameters involved such as suction, shrinking, Prandtl number, Eckert number and heat generation coefficient etc. and discussed them graphically in suitable manner such that interesting aspects of the solution can be adopted. Also, the comparison of results of two dimensional case and axisymmetric shrinking sheet case is considered.


The use of carbon nanotubes as optical probes for scanning near-field optical mi- croscopy requires an understanding of their near-field response. As a first step in this direction, we investigated the lateral resolution of a carbon nanotube tip with respect to an ideal electric dipole representing an elementary detected object. A Fredholm integral equation of the first kind was formulated for the surface electric current density induced on a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) by the electromagnetic field due to an arbitrarily oriented electric dipole lo- cated outside the SWNT. The response of the SWNT to the near field of a source electric dipole can be classified into two types, because surface-wave propagation occurs with (i) low damp- ing at frequencies less than ∼ 200-250 THz and (ii) high damping at higher frequencies. The interaction between the source electric dipole and the SWNT depends critically on their rela- tive location and relative orientation, and shows evidence of the geometrical resonances of the SWNT in the low-frequency regime. These resonances disappear when the relaxation time of the SWNT is sufficiently low. The far-field radiation intensity is much higher when the source electric dipole is placed near an edge of SWNT than at the centroid of the SWNT. The use of an SWNT tip in scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy can deliver a resolution less than ∼ 20 nm. Moreover, our study shows that the relative orientation and distance between the SWNT and the nanoscale dipole source can be detected.


This study investigated the self-image and psychological well-being in 67 children and adolescents age 10–16 years with severe reading difficulties and/or dyslexia. The participants were assessed with Beck Youth Inventory regarding symptoms of depression, anxiety, and negative self-image. The results showed that the participants do not depict negative self-image and showed few symptoms of depression or anxiety at group level in comparison to a norm group. These results could be seen as contradictory to previous research. A questionnaire regarding self-efficacy was also distributed and showed that the participants had low self-knowledge about their reading impairments. The results were interpreted as a possible increase in knowledge among teachers and subsequent change in pedagogical strategies. In addition, technological advances may have improved the academic situation for dyslexic children. This study was a partial study in a larger project that aimed to evaluate the efficiency of assistive technologies for dyslexic children.


Although vegetarianism has existed for thousands of years, the motivation originally came from philosophical and religious practices and traditions. Beginning about 200 years ago (particularly in the U.K., Germany and soon after the USA) there were prominent advocates for the positive effect of vegetarian diets on physical, and possibly mental health [1]. More recently there have been greater concerns about animal rights, in the last few decades the increasing focus on global warming, and the effects of modern society on the planet that have highlighted the predicted ecological benefits of vegetarian diets [2]. Consequently, motivations are now varied and often mixed.


Following lengthy negotiations with the European Union (EU), Canada enacted Bill C-30 to implement the 'Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement' in 2016 [1]. A particularly important part of that legislation involved the treatment of pharmaceutical exclusivity and the process of litigation between patentees and generic firms. This paper reviews the likely impact of C-30 and its accompanying regulations on the pharmaceutical marketplace in Canada. There are two key changes, with other downstream effects. First, Canada has now implemented a system of 'Certificates of Supplementary Protection' (CSPs) that will provide for effective patent extension of up to 2 years for one qualifying patent for each product. Second, the legal process for generic firms to enter the market has been simplified.


An intelligent agent uses known facts, including statistical knowledge, to assign degrees of belief to assertions it is uncertain about. We investigate three principled techniques for doing this. All three are applications of the principle of indifference, because they assign equal degree of belief to all basic "situations" consistent with the knowledge base. They differ because there are competing intuitions about what the basic situations are. Various natural patterns of reasoning, such as the preference for the most specific statistical data available, turn out to follow from some or all of the techniques. This is an improvement over earlier theories, such as work on direct inference and reference classes, which arbitrarily postulate these patterns without offering any deeper explanations or guarantees of consistency.

The three methods we investigate have surprising characterizations: there are connections to the principle of maximum entropy, a principle of maximal independence, and a "center of mass" principle. There are also unexpected connections between the three, that help us understand why the specific language chosen (for the knowledge base) is much more critical in inductive reasoning of the sort we consider than it is in traditional deductive reasoning.


The main aims of my PhD research work have been the investigation of the redox, photophysical and electronic properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and their possible uses as functional substrates for the (electro)catalytic production of oxygen and as molecular connectors for Quantum-dot Molecular Automata.
While for CNT many and diverse applications in electronics, in sensors and biosensors field, as a structural reinforcing in composite materials have long been proposed, the study of their properties as individual species has been for long a challenging task. CNT are in fact virtually insoluble in any solvent and, for years, most of the studies has been carried out on bulk samples (bundles).
In Chapter 2 an appropriate description of carbon nanotubes is reported, about their production methods and the functionalization strategies for their solubilization.
In Chapter 3 an extensive voltammetric and vis-NIR spectroelectrochemical investigation of true solutions of unfunctionalized individual single wall CNT (SWNT) is reported that permitted to determine for the first time the standard electrochemical potentials of reduction and oxidation as a function of the tube diameter of a large number of semiconducting SWNTs. We also established the Fermi energy and the exciton binding energy for individual tubes in solution and, from the linear correlation found between the potentials and the optical transition energies, one to calculate the redox potentials of SWNTs that are insufficiently abundant or absent in the samples.
In Chapter 4 we report on very efficient and stable nano-structured, oxygen-evolving anodes (OEA) that were obtained by the assembly of an oxygen evolving polyoxometalate cluster, (a totally inorganic ruthenium catalyst) with a conducting bed of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). Here, MWCNT were effectively used as carrier of the polyoxometallate for the electrocatalytic production of oxygen and turned out to greatly increase both the efficiency and stability of the device avoiding the release of the catalysts. Our bioinspired electrode addresses the major challenge of artificial photosynthesis, i.e. efficient water oxidation, taking us closer to when we might power the planet with carbon-free fuels.
In Chapter 5 a study on surface-active chiral bis-ferrocenes conveniently designed in order to act as prototypical units for molecular computing devices is reported. Preliminary electrochemical studies in liquid environment demonstrated the capability of such molecules to enter three indistinguishable oxidation states. Side chains introduction allowed to organize them in the form of self-assembled monolayers (SAM) onto a surface and to study the molecular and redox properties on solid substrates. Electrochemical studies on SAMs of these molecules confirmed their attitude to undergo fast (Nernstian) electron transfer processes generating, in the positive potential region, either the full oxidized Fc+-Fc+ or the partly oxidized Fc+-Fc species.
Finally, in Chapter 6 we report on a preliminary electrochemical study of graphene solutions prepared according to an original procedure recently described in the literature. Graphene is the newly-born of carbon nanomaterials and is certainly bound to be among the most promising materials for the next nanoelectronic generation.


In summer 2006 I returned to Lebanon for a third time. I had lived in Beirut for almost a year in 2002–2003, during which time I fell in love with the city, as so many people do—the generosity, resilience and joie de vivre of so many Lebanese people, the lively artistic scene, the intensity with which so many historical and international forces cross this small country. I built strong friendships then. I returned in 2004, and again in June 2006, this time to study Arabic at the American University of Beirut. On 14 July, in response to Hizballah's action of taking two Israeli soldiers hostage and shooting across the Lebanese–Israeli border, Israel began an intense bombardment of Lebanese infrastructure, starting with the airport, as well as places where Hizballah supporters lived. A privileged outsider waiting to be evacuated, I was also helpless, afraid, and furious at the pro-Israeli tone of the international media. So I wrote daily letters to family, friends, and a growing email list of interested people. This is an edited version.


This paper describes a mathematical model for the pyrolysis of a small dry pine wood cylinder. The computational domain is axisymmetric and involves the heating chamber, with the wood cylinder vertically situated in the centre of the chamber. The model simulates the laminar flow around the particle and the laminar flow inside the wood/char matrix by applying a two-phase transport model where the solid wood/char matrix acts as one phase and the various gases produced from the pyrolysis process is assembled in the other phase. Convective, conductive and thermal radiation transfer modes are included in the model. A two-step pyrolysis reaction scheme is used for the modelling of the conversion from wood to tar and gas. Both the thermal conductivity and the permeability of the wood/char matrix are modelled anisotropically in order to capture the directional differences in heat and mass transport, existing in real wood. Results from simulations are compared with measurements from literature for the centre core solid temperature and the conversion from wood to char, tar and pyrolysis gas in the particle during heating. The results show very good agreement with the measured temperature profile. The simulated conversion profile shows an overall good agreement with the measurements, however with discrepancies in the early stage of the process. Besides the successful validation with the experimental data, it provides us with all the details of the distribution of the migrating pyrolysis gas and tar, the temperature, the velocity flow field and pressure in the wood/char cylinder.


Illumination influences the performance of region feature matching based on a grey image. A novel region-matching algorithm based on the colour invariants and colour-invariant moments in rgb orthogonal colour space is proposed. First, a colour image is converted in RGB colour space to rgb orthogonal colour space that has colour invariance. Second, the colour invariants H and C λ are calculated. Then, the maximally stable extremal region is extracted from the colour invariants and the colour-invariant moments are computed. Finally, the nearest neighbour method is used to find corresponding regions. The proposed method can take advantage of both the colour and geometric properties of the images to solve the problem of illumination influences. Experimental results from the Amsterdam Library of Object Images database and images captured on the Beijing Forestry University campus show that performance of the proposed algorithm is better than that of prior art methods.


This paper aims to the detection of stator winding inter-turn short circuit fault in induction motors. Firstly, the numerical simulation of stator winding inter-turn short circuit fault is accomplished. Secondly, this paper points out that the stator winding apparent impedance angle can be viewed as the fault feature, and moreover, the lagging stator winding, adjacent to the faulty stator winding with inter-turn shorts, possesses the largest apparent impedance angle variation among the 3-phase stator windings, as allows to identify the faulty stator winding. Finally, the relevant experiments have been carried out, and the results obtained clearly validate the detection strategy. The further work will focus on refining the detection strategy and applying it to the industrial site.


The book examines the health rights of older persons who
are more likely potentially to face various disadvantages in
terms of healthcare access and affordability, thereby
impacting on health outcomes. Data from five countries
in the ASEAN region are analysed with the intent of
highlighting the health inequalities and barriers at the
societal and individual levels as well as the gaps at the
health and healthcare policy and programmatic levels
within each country. It is also intended that the analyses of
the data from the selected countries which represent
different stages of development and thus income levels
provide a useful comparative framework for policymakers
in the ASEAN region.


Major technical advances in the field of vaccine development have culminated in an impressive array of prototype vaccines that may well provide 'proof of principle' that vaccines against all life-cycle stages may induce a degree of protection against malaria. As the mechanisms responsible for protection against this disease are not known, and vaccines for populations at greatest risk will be applied in the presence of ongoing infection and a degree of concomitant immunity, it is essential for us to learn from the 'experiments of nature' about acquired and ongoing immunity in order to determine when and how these vaccines may be applied. Successful interventions with chemoprophylaxis or vector control have provided obvious lessons and highlight the importance of recognising the lack of correlation between infection, clinical disease and mortality. Vaccines inducing sterile immunity raise concerns about rebound mortality in populations who will undoubtedly be re-challenged later in life, hence the need to review supplementary or alternative strategies for reducing disease through immune responses to toxins or molecules inducing pathology by adherence to host endothelium. Following antigen selection there are many challenges in choosing methods of antigen delivery and adjuvants, and measuring vaccine efficacy. A successful vaccine would need to be delivered through a national programme in the context of implementation of a wide range of components required for an effective control strategy.


1. Stabilized hypertensive haemodialysis patients, as well as those with normotension, had a greatly elevated cardiac index (CI) that was not due to hypervolemia, but was most likely secondary to their anaemic condition. The hypertension itself was not accompanied by hypervolaemia, but was associated with a relatively very high total peripheral resistance. 2. In eight patients with successfully transplanted kidneys the following results were found. (a) Five were clearly hypertensive and had supine mean arterial pressure between 117 and 143 mmHg. It is noted that they were receiving prednisone at the time of the studies. (b) CI was normal in seven. (c) Total blood volume was normal in all. (d) The presence of wide-open arterio-venous fistulae was not associated with an increase in CI.


Abstract : The development and evaluation of an effective Hb solution as a blood substitute are important not only for the care of casualties resulting from mass disasters, but also for eventual use in other special clinical situations. Substantial improvements have been made by several recent research efforts in the general purity and quality of experimental Hb solutions. Such improvements have enabled investigators to study the potential applications of Hb solutions in far less ambiguous manner than was previously possible. These studies have produced a reasonably clear picture of the limitations of the current product and an insight for approaches in a systematic improvement. The Hb solution as presently formulated, although has the limitation of short vascular retention time, potentially could be useful in several applications such as transfusions in patients who cannot receive immediate medical assistance, but could receive blood after a few hours, or transfusions in patients who cannot receive medical care for prolonged periods of time, provided that the Hb and blood volume losses are restored by periodic or continuous infusion of Hb solution. Furthermore, the present product could be useful in open heart surgery, in organ perfusion and in situations of uncontrolled bleeding.


In this note we give three counter-examples which show that the Maximum Principle generally fails for classical solutions of a system and a single equation related to the ∞-Laplacian. The first is the tangential part of the ∞-Laplace system and the second is the scalar ∞-Laplace equation perturbed by a linear gradient term. The interpretations of the Maximum Principle for the system are that of the Convex Hull Property and also of the Maximum Principle of the modulus of the solution.


The epithelial tissues of the C. elegans embryo provide a "minimalist" system for examining phylogenetically conserved proteins that function in epithelial polarity and cell-cell adhesion in a multicellular organism. In this review, we provide an overview of three major molecular complexes at the apical surface of epithelial cells in the C. elegans embryo: the cadherin-catenin complex, the more basal DLG-1/AJM-1 complex, and the apical membrane domain, which shares similarities with the subapical complex in Drosophila and the PAR/aPKC complex in vertebrates. We discuss how the assembly of these complexes contributes to epithelial polarity and adhesion, proteins that act as effectors and/or regulators of each subdomain, and how these complexes functionally interact during embryonic morphogenesis. Although much remains to be clarified, significant progress has been made in recent years to clarify the role of these protein complexes in epithelial morphogenesis, and suggests that C. elegans will continue to be a fruitful system in which to elucidate functional roles for these proteins in a living embryo.


: The effect of a failed lower limb vascular procedure on the ultimate level of amputation in patients presenting with end-stage ischemia is an issue of ongoing controversy. A series of 71 patients with 75 lower extremity amputations over a 3-year period was reviewed to compare the level of amputation and morbidity between two groups of amputees: one that had vascular operations before amputation and the other undergoing primary amputations. Failed vascular reconstructions led to increased morbidity and poor healing, statistically significant increases in the level of amputation, and prolongation of hospital stay. The high price of failure must be considered in the evaluation of vascular operations in patients with tissue loss or infection.


4H silicon carbide as-grown ingots were investigated by diffraction imaging using synchrotron radiation. The white beam section topographs obtained for various sample geometries allowed us to reveal structural imperfections before slicing the bulky ingots to the thin wafers used as electronic device substrates. The systematic investigation indicated that the observed inclusions of different polytypes in 4H-SiC ingots are correlated with the 8° off-axis orientation of the seed. These inclusions, formed at the beginning of the crystal growth, provoke planar defects that propagate along the main vertical axis of the cylindrical crystal. New findings permitted us to understand the inclusion formation with the aim to increase the useful volume.


This paper explores the relationship between school music and community music in Australia. While many Australian schools and community music activities tend to exist in relative isolation from one another, a range of unique school–community collaborations can be found throughout the country. Drawing on insights from Sound Links, one of Australia's largest studies into community music, this paper explores three case studies of these unique school–community collaborations. These collaborations include a community-initiated collaboration, a school-initiated collaboration and a mutual collaboration. The author brings these collaborations to life for the reader through the words and experiences of their participants, and explores their structures, relationships, benefits, and educational and social outcomes. These descriptions feature important concepts, which could be transferred to a range of other cultural and educational settings in order to foster more vibrant school–community collaborations.


The importance of the agreement reached at the Paris climate Conference of Parties (COP21) last month cannot be overstated. It is a major step toward preventing some of the worst risks that climate change presents to the global economy and security. Now is the time to seize the opportunity that this moment represents. We must transform world economies away from fossil fuels toward a more sustainable low-carbon future.


This research is about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) application based on company responsibility, especially BUMN, will be important to build good relationships with people. CSR is are of company strategy to keep the company moving and build a good view. CSR program know partnership and range education program (PKBL) is a program that conduct in PT PLN (Persero) UPJ Ponorogo Kota to build a good view to people. Economic dimension choosen because this dimension is very important touched people. This program is an easy loan given to small industry (UKM) which is want to raising up the company but less of equity. Based on Elkingston theory, tripple bottom line, to conduct CSR program, that must at least there part are: people, profit and planet. Meanwhile Garigga, Domence and Mele stated that this conducted from three idiologies, are: the business of business, corporate voluntarism, corporate involuntarism. Based an that reason, the writer very interest to know the CSR application, economically in PLN (Persero) UPJ Ponorogo Kota Meanwhile, the writer use description method write qualitative formula. The data collecting is interview and document. And there is three key informations and three support informans. To check it up, the research using triangular source technique. This research result started that CSR application in economic (PKBL) in PT. PLN (Persero) UPJ Ponorogo Kota only focused in small industry UKM owner. The application are planning, evaluation and report, finally, CSR program application pointed to Elkington theory that only profit and people, write Garingga, Domence and Mele ideology theory is the business of business. And concluded that CSR program is a responsibility to all company because peoples is very important element for this government corp. Keyword : Program CSR; BUMN Link terkait : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/257/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2008-krisnamega-12815-pendahul-x.pdf


This study strives to assess the impact of double taxation treaties on FDI inflows in 15 Latin American and Caribbean developing countries from 1983 to 2013. There are two objectives of double taxation treaties. The first one is to eliminate the global double taxation, and the second is to barricade the international tax dodging. If we look at the first objective of double taxation treaties (DTTs), it encourages foreign direct investment (FDI) but keeping in view the second objective, it discourages FDI. Both effects can possibly cancel the effect of each other, leaving DTT as an insignificant factor. Previous literature has shown positive, negative and no effect of DTTs on FDI inflows. Therefore, empirically it is an open question that needs further exploration. This study by utilising other conventional FDI determinants such as market size, development level, trade openness and human capital, has empirically shown that DTTs have no effect on the FDI inflows. These countries instead of DTTs seem to be more dependent on some other FDI location pull factors, for example bigger host market, development level, trade openness, the exploitation of their natural resources, improvement of services and manufacturing sector etc. for drawing in foreign direct investment.


A new series of acridine based imidazolium salts was synthesized and evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines by an MTT assay. The synthesis applied a coupling of imidazoles with 9-chloroacridines, which originated from an Ullmann condensation of a 2-chloro-benzoic acid with an aniline. The target compounds were obtained in high yields. The DPPH assay indicated considerable antioxidant activity for target compounds with simple and short alkyl chains on the imidazole, while increasing chain length and the introduction of an additional π-electron system in most cases reduced the activity. All compounds exhibited low biotoxicity against non-cancerous cell lines, whereas a few compounds showed promising anticancer activity. Unlike for the reference drugs Tamoxifen and Paclitaxel, the anticancer activity of acridine imidazolium ions is specific for only selected cancer types. Reasonable fluorescent behaviour of the products provide potential for visualization of the distribution of active drugs in tissue.


Background: Play as an activity performed by a child seriously according to his or her own wishes or without coercion from parents and the environment only to gain pleasure and satisfaction. Public health education aims to increase knowledge, awareness, willingness and ability of people to live healthy and actively participate in health efforts. The purpose of the study was to analyze the potential of health education about playing on children under five to the knowledge and attitude of parents in Posyandu Kelurahan Bangsal.
Research method: Based on research objectives, the research design used is Pre Experiment Design form Pre-Post Test Design. The population of this research were Parents of children under five in RW 4 Kediri Kota Kediri urban village of 60 people, sample size was 30 people. The sampling technique uses the sampling quota. The variables in this research is the knowledge of parents of children under five and the attitude of parents about toddler to play in children under five. The data collection process was conducted by using questionnaire. Data analysis using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test.
Result: The result of the research for the Knowledge of Toddlers after being given Health Education about Playing in Children at Posyandu Balita Kelurahan Bangsal Kediri respondent mostly in enough category that is 16 people (53,3%), for Mother Toddlers attitude after being given Health Education about Playing in Children Posyandu Balita Kelurahan Bangsal Kediri respondents mostly on the good category that is 24 people (80%).
Conclusions There was a difference of knowledge of mother of toddler (p = 0,000) after given health education and there was no difference of attitude of mother of toddler p = (0,117) after giving health education about playing at child at Posyandu Balita Kelurahan Bangsal Kediri.


SUBTITLE: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGERS TODAY FACE A DILEMMA: HOW DO YOU IMPROVE SECURITY WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING SUPPLY CHAIN EFFECTIVENESS? THE ANSWER MAY LIE IN THE PRINCIPLES OF THE QUALITY MOVEMENT. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT TAUGHT US THAT WE CAN DECREASE DEFECTS WITHOUT INCREASING COSTS -- OR ACHIEVE "QUALITY WITHOUT TEARS." BY APPLYING THESE LESSONS, WE MAY BE ABLE TO CREATE STRATEGIES THAT BOTH PREVENT AND MITIGATE SECURITY BREACHES WHILE ALSO STRENGTHENING PRODUCTIVITY.


A key step in the assembly of oligosaccharide-lipid intermediates in N-linked glycosylation is the transfer of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate to dolichyl phosphate, catalyzed by the enzyme UDP-N-acetylglucosaminyl:dolichyl phosphate N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphoryl transferase (L-G1PT). Comparison of the amino acid sequences of L-G1PT from five diverse species showed 75 amino acids identical in all five proteins. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we analyzed the importance of a number of these conserved residues to the enzymatic activity of L-G1PT using a plasmid shuffling procedure in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. S. pombe cells containing a chromosomal deletion of the essential gpt+ gene are rescued by a plasmid containing the S. pombe gpt open reading frame. Replacement of that plasmid by a plasmid encoding a mutated hamster L-G1PT cDNA sequence indicated that the mutated protein provided sufficient enzyme activity to permit cell growth. Mutations of aspartic acid 252 and asparagine 185 did not allow plasmid shuffling, indicating these residues were essential for activity. A combination of mutations at asparagine 182 and tryptophan 122 did not allow plasmid shuffling, although the single mutations did. Overexpression of the mutant proteins in S. pombe conferred tunicamycin (TM) resistance, indicating that the mutant proteins had a conformation necessary for binding TM, a substrate analog. The mutant proteins were also detected in Western blots and were correctly localized to the membrane fractions. However, the overexpressed proteins did not increase the endogenous level of enzymatic activity in these cells, indicating they were enzymatically inactive.


Background: Menstrual pain or dysmenorrhea is a problem that is often faced by teenagers during menstruation. Dysmenorrhea occurs due to an imbalance of the hormone progesterone which causes uterine contractions and stimulate the pain response of each individual. Based on the underlying pathophysiology, there are two types of dysmenorrhea, namely primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs in women of childbearing age in the form of pain in the lower abdomen so that it can disrupt their quality of life. Dysmenorrhea often interferes with teenagers' productivity and influences coping abilities. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of abdominal stretching on menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) in adolescent.
Methods: This research is a quasi-experimental study with a one group pretest posttest design approach. A total of 29 samples were taken by purposive sampling and stratified sampling technique in junior high school 1 Depok from March to June. The data analyzed in this study using the dependent t-test.
Results: The results obtained P-Value 0,000 (P < 0,05) means that there is a significant effect the abdominal stretching exercises on intensity of menstrual pain.
Conclusion: Abdominal stretching exercise is recommended to be another alternative for reducing dysmenorrhea in teenagers. That intervention is easy, safe and without side effects


One of the early events occurring at the cell membrane during apoptosis is the translocation of phosphatidylserine from the inner side of the plasma membrane to the outer layer. These phosphatidylserine groups can be bound by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)‐labelled annexin V. The aim of this study was to evaluate the power of the annexin V flow cytometric assay in detecting apoptosis in γ irradiated peripheral blood lymphocytes and in differentiating between apoptosis and primary necrosis in these cells. Therefore, 5Gy and 20Gy γ irradiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were examined after a 24‐h culture period. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP—biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique was performed as well. A comparison with an electron microscopic (EM) evaluation was made. EM is based on established morphological criteria allowing the classification of cells into four groups: viable, early apoptotic, secondary necrotic and primary necrotic cells. EM performed on annexin V positive sorted cells proved that a 5Gy γ irradiation of PBMCs mainly causes apoptosis, whereas a 20Gy γ irradiation mainly induces primary necrosis. Neither the annexin V flow cytometric assay nor the TUNEL assay were able to distinguish between primary and secondary necrotic cells. These results illustrate that if quantification of apoptosis is required, one should be careful in interpreting flow cytometric results obtained by annexin V or TUNEL staining in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Although in general primary necrotic cells show an increased forward scatter due to cellullar swelling, both early apoptotic and necrotic (primary or secondary) lymphocytes show a decreased forward scatter signal. Moreover, both primary and secondary necrotic lymphocytes are annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) positive and therefore indistinguishable. We conclude that if a new experiment focusing on apoptosis is set up, an initial EM evaluation is mandatory. If EM shows that the apoptosis inducing agent used in the design of the experiments is not causing primary necrosis, than the annexin V flow cytometric assay can provide rapid and quantitative information about apoptosis.


To date, even widely studied, there is not a standard diagnostic method to detect neurocysticercotic patients. The later due to the complex nature of cysticercosis disease and the simplicity of common immunological assumptions involved in explaining the low scores and reproducibility of immunotests in the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. To begin with, the few studies dealing with the immune response during neurocysticercosis are not conclusive, which of course it is crucial to develop an immunodiagnostic test. Their full recognition should clear confusion and reduce controversy as well as provide avenues of research and technological design. In here, logical arguments add that even under common immunological assumptions, serology of neurocysticercosis will always include false negative and positive results. Thus, serology is no strong support for medical diagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NC). In contrast, immunotests performed in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of neurological patients should have fewer false positive and fewer false negatives than in serum. To conclude, it is argued that high scores in serology for NC will not yield to usual approaches and that success needs of a concerted worldwide effort. A more punctilious strategy based on the design of panels of confirmed positive and negative sera needs to be construed, shared and tested by all interested groups to obtain comparable results. The identification of a set of specific and representative antigens of Taenia solium (T. solium) and a thorough compilation of the many forms of antibody response of humans to the many forms of T. solium disease are also to be considered as one of the most importants factors to the disease.


The trafficking of ornamental fish is growing on a yearly basis in the Brazilian Amazon. This represents a serious threat to the biodiversity of the region. The objective of this research was to evaluate the trafficking of ornamental fish in the Brazilian Amazon using data from the seizures by the Federal Police and Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources - IBAMA. To assess and quantify this illegal trade, we gathered data relating to the period between January 2003 and January 2020. Information was obtained from IBAMA - Amazon - regional superintendence; National Amazon Research Institute - INPA regarding smuggled species that have been recovered and placed in its fish collection. The results show that in 98 seizures made by IBAMA, a total of 170,849 specimens of at least 73 species of 10 families, and 5 orders were recovered. Most of the illegally trafficked species are from the Loricariidae family (31 species, 8.47%). Hypancistrus zebra (Loricariidae), Potamotrygon jabuti, Potamotrygon leopoldi (Potamotrygonidae), Osteoglossum bicirrhosum and Osteoglossum ferreirai (Osteoglossidae) are the most targeted by the traffickers, due to their high value. At least 12 species are undescribed new species and were registered and placed in INPA's fish collection. The fish followed different routes to reach the border that Brazil, Colombia, and Peru share. We conclude that in order to fight this illegal trade, tougher laws against smugglers, agreements with neighboring countries to combat trafficking, formal environmental education programs for riverine populations, and further scientific studies of smuggled species are necessary.


In this research, the complexation of a new recently synthesized phenothiazine with 10 different metals was evaluated by Density functional theory. At the first step, the structures of 6,15-diazabenzo[a][1,4]benzothiazino[3,2-c]phenothiazine, cations and their complexes with the mentioned material were optimized geometrically. Then, IR calculations were performed on them to obtain the values of formation enthalpy and Gibbs free energy. The acquired results indicate that Cu2+ forms the most stable and strongest complex with 6,15-diazabenzo[a][1,4]benzothiazino[3,2- c]phenothiazine. Hence, this substance can be utilized as an outstanding ionophore or a potential ligand in the determination of copper by ion selective electrodes and different extraction methods respectively. All calculations were applied by Density functional theory in the level of B3LYP / 6-31G(d).


INTRODUCTION
Herpes simplex encephalitis is a serious infection of the nervous system, causing death or considerable neurological morbidity in infants and children. Rapid diagnosis and prompt institution of antiviral therapy is essential. Prodromal manifestations (fever, headache, and behavioural disturbances) can be quite unspecific. Focal neurological signs, seizures (focal or generalised) and coma appear subsequently. Electrophysiologic studies and neuroimaging can be normal or show non specific changes, particularly in this age group. After the 1990 s polymerase chain reaction (PCR) examination of the LCR has become the gold standard for diagnosing herpes simplex encephalitis, virtually replacing cerebral biopsy with high sensitivity and specificity. The authors present the acute presentation and follow up of four children aged 3 months 12 years, admitted between 1997 and 2000 with the diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis. Clinical presentation, electroencephalogram and neuroimaging studies are discussed. Diagnostic confirmation was obtained with serologic methods in one child and with PCR in the remaining three. Evolution was severe, with a movement disorder that responded dramatically to tetrabenazine in one child, severe neurological sequel with refractory epilepsy in two children and one death with cerebral hemorrhage during the acute stage of disease.


© 2021 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO), http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo. Under the Creative Commons Attribution license, you are free to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt this work, including for commercial purposes, under the following conditions: Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: World Bank. 2021. "Assessing Public Investment Management Functions and Institutional Arrangements for State-Owned Enterprises." EFI Insight. World Bank, Washington, DC. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO. Translations—If you create a translation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with the attribution: This translation was not created by The World Bank and should not be considered an official World Bank translation. The World Bank shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation. Adaptations—If you create an adaptation of this work, please add the following disclaimer along with the attribution: This is an adaptation of an original work by The World Bank. Views and opinions expressed in the adaptation are the sole responsibility of the author or authors of the adaptation and are not endorsed by The World Bank. Third-party content—The World Bank does not necessarily own each component of the content contained within the work. The World Bank therefore does not warrant that the use of any thirdparty-owned individual component or part contained in the work will not infringe on the rights of those third parties. The risk of claims resulting from such infringement rests solely with you. If you wish to reuse a component of the work, it is your responsibility to determine whether permission is needed for that reuse and to obtain permission from the copyright owner. Examples of components can include, but are not limited to, tables, figures, or images. All queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; e-mail: pubrights@ worldbank.org. 4 ASSESSING PUBLIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES >>> 5 ASSESSING PUBLIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES <<< Abbreviations and Acronyms >>> BRICS Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa CBA cost-benefit analysis DF diagnostic framework GDP gross domestic product GFS governance finance statistics IEG independent evaluation group IMF International Monetary Fund iSOEF integrated state-owned enterprise framework NPV net present value OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development PEFA public expenditure and financial accountability PFM public financial management PIM public investment management PPP public-private partnership PSBS public sector balance sheet RoR rate of return SOE state-owned enterprise TE tax expenditures 6 ASSESSING PUBLIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES >>> Abbreviations and Acronyms >>>


Abstract This interdisciplinary article draws from the radical ideas of global political ecology (GPE), environmental politics, ecological economics and the sociological analysis of social movements. It seeks to help bridge the research gap regarding non-state actors' (NSAs) influence on the role of the nation-state and the United Nations in global political ecology and environmental policy, including emission reductions, such as antideforestation measures, and environmental justice. We consider NSAs as consisting of two heterogeneous global coalitions: a) civil society organizations (CSOs) and environmental non-governmental organizations, and b) peak corporate organizations with green economy objectives, here denominated green business organizations, representing transnational corporations (TNCs). After a review of prior studies, we present a version of an advocacy coalition framework; identify a timeline of changes in UN architecture and simplified NSA influence categories. We only begin to test very broad hypotheses on relative agency and to compare NSA narratives with UN documents. We show that the architecture of the UN has gradually shifted from favoring civil society to corporations. There is evidence that, in the late 1990s, in comparison with CSOs, TNCs increased their access to nation-states and UN agencies. The TNC narrative changed from a) denying climate change and ignoring the UN to b) recognizing change and guiding negotiations. These shifts in UN architecture, TNC agency and narrative appears to have influenced changes in UN documents towards a corporate global environmental framework, reducing their references to the regulatory and enforcement roles of the state and global binding agreements, shifting global debate towards a voluntary corporate orientation. This may have reduced prospects for reducing emissions and increasing environmental justice. Combining market mechanisms with strong regulatory frameworks is best practice for environmental policy. When nation-states have the will and capacity to command and control, they can reduce environmental degradation. Stronger national government competence and enforcement capacity and binding UN agreements are essential for the effectiveness of market incentives, which may be enhanced by business and civil society initiatives. If CSOs can reunite and regain their strength, maybe they could negotiate with TNCs on a more equal footing. Perhaps UN members could once again become comfortable with the idea of strong states and non-hegemonic global governance. Key words: Global political ecology, Nation-state, earth system governance, UN architecture, UN agency, green economy, non-state actors, UNCED, Rio+20, Climate convention


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Children born moderately preterm (32–356/7 weeks' gestation) are at increased risk of both neonatal morbidities and developmental delays in early childhood. It is unknown whether neonatal morbidities contribute to the increased risk of developmental delay. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of neonatal morbidities after moderately preterm birth on development at preschool age. METHODS: In a community-based, stratified cohort, parents of 832 moderately preterm children born in 2002 or 2003 completed the Ages and Stage Questionnaire when their child was 43 to 49 months old. Data on Apgar scores, asphyxia, tertiary NICU admission, hospital transfer, circulatory insufficiency, hypoglycemia, septicemia, mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure, apneas, caffeine treatment, and hyperbilirubinemia were obtained from medical records. We assessed associations of neonatal characteristics with developmental delay, adjusted for gender, small-for-gestational-age status, gestational age, and maternal education. RESULTS: Hypoglycemia and asphyxia were associated with developmental delay; odds ratios (ORs) were 2.42 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23–4.77) and 3.18 (95% CI: 1.01–10.0), respectively. Tertiary NICU admission and hyperbilirubinemia had positive but statistically borderline nonsignificant associations with developmental delay: ORs were 1.74 (95% CI: 0.96–3.15) and 1.52 (95% CI: 0.94–2.46), respectively. No other neonatal morbidities were associated with developmental delay. In multivariate analyses, only hypoglycemia was associated with developmental delay (OR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.08–4.46). CONCLUSIONS: In moderately preterm-born children, only hypoglycemia increased the risk of developmental delay at preschool age. A concerted effort to prevent hypoglycemia might enhance developmental outcome in this group.


This project models track inspection operations on a railroad network and discusses how the inspection results can be used to measure the risk of failure on the tracks. In particular, the inspection times of the tracks, inspection frequency of the tracks, and times between consecutive inspections on the same tracks should be considered for scheduling inspections on the railroad tracks. Furthermore, an inspection plan should schedule inspections considering the characteristics of different tracks. Therefore, it is important to schedule track inspections such that the potential defects are captured as much as possible within minimum times to increase safety. The project formulates a mathematical optimization problem for the track inspection planning considering the practical settings of track inspection operations such as inspection times, inspection frequencies required, time between consecutive inspections, and importance of distinct tracks. The two objectives simultaneously captured in this model are minimization of total inspection times and maximization of the weighted inspections. An efficient solution method is proposed for solving this model. The solution method is compared to a scheduling procedure, which can be used in absence of the findings in this project, on a set of railroad track networks of different sizes. Based on the comparison, the solution method proposed proves to find improved inspection schedules regardless of the railroad network size. A review of the techniques on how to use the inspection results to measure risk of failure is provided.


The US position as a global leader in biomedical research is being undermined. As compiled and presented in this issue of JAMA by Moses et al, one indicator after another demonstrates numerous other countries outpacing the United States in their commitment to research. US medical research spending increased 6% per year from 1994 to 2004 but only 0.8% per year between 2004 and 2012. The United States' share of total global investment declined by approximately 13% from 2004 to 2012 while the share of Asian economies increased by 7%. Patent output reflects these declines—the United States' global share of research patents designated as most valuable declined from 73% in 1981 to 59% in 2011.1


Social organization is commonly dynamic, with extreme examples in annual social insects, but little is known about the underlying signals and mechanisms. Bumble bee larvae with close contact to a queen do not differentiate into gynes, pupate at an earlier age, and are commonly smaller than siblings that do not contact a queen. We combined detailed observations, proteomics, microRNA transcriptomics, and gland removal surgery to study the regulation of brood development and division of labor in the annual social bumble bee Bombus terrestris. We found that regurgitates fed to larvae by queens and workers differ in their protein and microRNA composition. The proteome of the regurgitate overlaps significantly with that of the mandibular (MG) and hypopharyngeal glands (HPG), suggesting that these exocrine glands are sources of regurgitate proteins. The proteome of the MG and HPG, but not the salivary glands, differs between queens and workers, with caste-specificity preserved for the MG and regurgitate proteomes. Queens subjected to surgical removal of the MG showed normal behavior, brood care, and weight gain, but failed to shorten larval development. These findings suggest that substances in the queen MG are fed to larvae and influence their developmental program. We suggest that when workers emerge and contribute to larval feeding, they dilute the effects of the queen substances, until she can no longer manipulate the development of all larvae. Longer developmental duration may allow female larvae to differentiate into gynes rather than to workers, mediating the colony transition from the ergonomic to the reproductive phase.


Mortar has been in use for many thousands of years and is integral to most masonry construction. Its use is widespread in every culture where masonry is constructed. It is present in the majority of the global built cultural heritage, and is therefore a major consideration in building conservation. The effective design of a mortar for repairing masonry depends on a clear understanding of its function. The main functional uses of mortar in masonry are classified as bedding, pointing, grout, render, plaster, flooring and mortars for surface repairs. The requirements that each type of mortar must meet in service depend on its environmental exposure and its role in the masonry element that it is found within (e.g. issues such as historic authenticity, aesthetics, resistance to moisture ingress, structural integrity, and service life). Technical requirements such as adhesion, strength, elasticity, water and vapour transmittance, drying behaviour, thermal dilatation, ability to deal with salt contamination and freeze–thaw cycling, and its aesthetic properties can be quantified. Mortar properties can be adjusted by varying ingredients and their proportions, to meet the differing technical requirements.


Purpose

Slim and dexterous manipulators with long reaches can perform various exploration and inspection tasks in confined spaces. This paper aims to present the development of such a dexterous continuum manipulator for potential applications in the aviation industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Benefiting from a newly conceived dual continuum mechanism and the improved actuation scheme, this paper proposes a design of a slim and dexterous continuum manipulator. Kinematics modeling, simulation-based dimension synthesis, structural constructions and system descriptions are elaborated.

Findings

Experimental validations show that the constructed prototype possesses the desired dexterity to navigate through confined spaces with its kinematics calibrated and actuation compensation implemented. The continuum manipulator with different deployed tools (e.g. graspers and welding guns) would be able to perform inspections and other tasks at remote locations in constrained environments.

Research limitations/implications

The current construction of the continuum manipulator possesses quite some friction inside its structure. The bending discrepancy caused by friction could accumulate to an obvious level. It is desired to further reduce the friction, even though the actuation compensation had been implemented.

Practical implications

The constructed continuum manipulator could perform inspection and other tasks in confined spaces, acting as an active multi-functional endoscopic platform. Such a device could greatly facilitate routine tasks in the aviation industry, such as guided assembling, inspection and maintenance.

Originality/value

The originality and values of this paper mainly lay on the design, modeling, construction and experimental validations of the slim and dexterous continuum manipulator for the desired mobility and functionality in confined spaces.


The load transfer among ferrite orientations and between ferrite and martensite was analysed in DP 600 steel by means of neutron diffraction during in situ tensile tests on the multiple pulse overlap time-of-flight strain scanner POLDI. The material had 0.07 wt% C and a martensite volume fraction of 15%. In situ tests were done in "Young" as well as in "Poisson setup". The martensite phase could not be probed due to its low tetragonality. The curves of the lattice plane strains as a function of the externally applied macroscopic stress reveal (1) plastic relaxations of transformation and intergranular stresses in the compliant <100> oriented grains, and (2) a second inflection point in the fully plastic part indicating the onset of plastic deformation of the hard phase.


Alleles of physiological candidate genes for reproductive traits, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and growth hormone receptor (GHR) were assessed to determine their associations with total egg production (NE), average days of continual egg-laying (ADCE), and number of double yolk eggs (DYE) in Wenchang chickens (Chinese indigenous breed). PCR-RFLP was used for genotype identification. The frequency of restriction enzyme C1/C2 alleles in the population was 0.53 (C1) and 0.47 (C2) for IGF-1. For GHR-intron 2 it was 0.06 and 0.94 for (A1) and (A2), respectively, while for GHR-intron 5 it was 0.20 (B1) and 0.80 (B2). Four significant associations were found (P < 0.05): between IGF-1 polymorphism, and NE (300 d), NE (400 d), and ADCE, and between GHR polymorphism and DYE. Two significant effects were observed: for IGF-1 and NE (300 d), and for GHR intron 2 and DYE. The current research supports the effects of GHR and IGF-1 genes on the reproductive traits of chickens.


Protein-reducing sugar conjugates are formed by the naturally occurring Maillard reaction, otherwise known as glycation. The Maillard reaction products (MRP) formed can provide novel and/or improved functionality compared to the unmodified protein. Understanding the chemistry of the Maillard reaction, the physicochemical properties of its products, and, more importantly, the inter-relationships between these properties and the specific functionality of a given MRP will help to define the potential of MRP as food ingredients in their own right. Recently, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) have acquired a leading role in the structural characterization of proteins. The ability of these techniques to provide detail about the nature and extent of protein modifications at a molecular level as well as conformational information provides new insight into the glycation process. This article reviews the role that ESI- and MALDI-MS have played in advancing our understanding of the glycation of milk proteins.


The effect of short-term undereating (4.2 MJ (1000 kcal) for 4 d) followed by overeating (12.6 MJ (3000 kcal) for 2 d) on fasting and 2-h postprandial serum glucose, insulin, and neutral amino acids and on urinary free and total norepinephrine and dopamine excretion was studied in 12 normal women. Protein and sodium intake was constant through- out the study. Serum glucose concentration was not affected by diet but the serum total neutral amino acids (ie, sum of valine, leucine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine) tended to increase dur- ing undereating and decrease during overeating. Serum tryptophan concentration, relative to the remaining neutral amino acids, was consequently lower during undereating than overeat- ing. The postprandial increase in serum insulin level was greater during overeating than under- eating. Urinary free norepinephrine and total dopamine levels were also increased during over- eating, suggesting both sympathetic and dopaminergic activation during overeating after undereating. Am iC/in Nutr 1988;47:932-4l.


OBJECTIVES
Adjuvant chemotherapy with vinorelbine plus cisplatin (VC) improves survival in resected non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but has negative impact on quality of life (QoL). In advanced NSCLC, gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) and docetaxel plus cisplatin (DC) exhibit comparable efficacy, with possibly superior QoL compared to VC. This trial investigated these regimens in the adjuvant setting.

METHODS
Patients with Stage IB to III NSCLC were eligible following standardized surgery. Overall, 136 patients were included, with 67 and 69 assigned to the GC and DC arms, respectively. Cisplatin (75 mg/m(2), Day [D] 1) plus gemcitabine (1250 mg/m(2), D1 and D8) or docetaxel (75 mg/m(2) D1) were administered for three cycles. Primary end-point was QoL (EORTC QLQ-C30), with the study designed to detect a 10-point difference between arms. Overall survival, safety and cost were secondary end-points.

RESULTS
No between-group imbalance was observed in terms of patient characteristics. At inclusion, global health status (GHS) scores (/100) were 63.5 and 62.7 in GC and DC, respectively (P = 0.8), improving to 64.5 and 65.4 after 3 months (P = 0.8). No significant difference in functional or symptoms scores was observed between the arms except for alopecia. Grade 3/4 haematological and non-haematological toxicities were found in 33.8 and 21.7% (P = 0.11), and 33.8 and 26.1% (P = 0.33) of patients, in GC and DC, respectively. At 2 years, 92.9 and 89.8% of patients remained alive in GC and DC, respectively (P = 0.88).

CONCLUSIONS
DC and GC adjuvant chemotherapies for completely resected NSCLC were well tolerated and appear free of major QoL effects, and are therefore representing candidates for comparison with the standard VC regimen.


Biomaterials are widely used for bone regeneration and fracture repair. The migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into bone defect sites or material implantation sites, and their differentiation into osteoblasts, is central to the fracture healing process, and the directional migration of BMSCs depends on cytokines or chemokines at the defect site. BMP-2 can stimulate the migration of a variety of cells, but it remains unclear whether BMSC migration can be induced. To provide evidence for BMP-2-induced BMSC migration, we tested the cytoskeletal changes and migration ability of BMSCs after treatment with recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2). We also explored the recruitment of BMSCs from the circulatory system using a collagen sponge incorporating rhBMP-2 that was implanted in vivo. Furthermore, to understand the mechanism underlying this migration, we investigated the effect of rhBMP-2 on migration-related signal pathways. Here, we found that, rhBMP-2 treatment significantly increased the migration of BMSCs in vitro via activation of the CDC42/PAK1/LIMK1 pathway, and that this migration could be blocked by silencing CDC42. In vivo, collagen sponge material loaded with rhBMP-2 could recruit BMSCs injected into the circulatory system. Moreover, inhibition using the small interfering RNA for CDC42 led to a significant decrease in the number of BMSCs within the material. In conclusion, our data prove that rhBMP-2 can accelerate BMSC migration via the CDC42/PAK1/LIMK1 pathway both in vivo and in vitro, and therefore provides a foundation for further understanding and application of rhBMP-2-incorporated materials by enhancing BMSC recruitment.


This paper addresses a reliability optimization problem, where the motive is to select the best components for series and series-parallel systems such that system reliability becomes maximized while simultaneously minimizing the cost, weight, and volume. Previous formulation of the problem has implicit restrictions, i.e. it either maximizes system reliability or minimizes the cost. Thus, in order to give a realistic view to the model, a comprehensive objective function has been formulated by combining the normalized values of reliability, cost, weight, and volume. In this paper, a chaos-embedded hierarchical particle swarm optimization (CE-HPSO) algorithm has been proposed to solve the problems arising in the optimization of system reliability using redundancy. The salient features of the proposed algorithm are the use of chaotic sequences and time-varying acceleration coefficients which are responsible for diversifying the search space. Moreover, to restrict the premature convergence, a hierarchical particle swarm optimizer has been used in the proposed algorithm. The performance of the CE-HPSO algorithm has been tested on three benchmark problems and the comparisons are made with genetic algorithm results. In order to check the scalability of the proposed solution methodology, small and large problems are also considered. The results demonstrate the benefits of the proposed algorithm for solving this type of problem.


Creating consumer value in higher education through marketing techniques employed exploratory research design method to demonstrate and showcase the importance and pervasiveness of marketing in all sphere of life. The study examined consumer's perception of price, quality and value in higher education using marketing concepts, theories, models and approaches. The study conceptualized higher education as a market entity, identified the publics (consumers) of higher education and applied exchange theories to show how they interact. A Means End Model that relates price, quality and value was adopted to clarify consumers' expectations in higher education. It is evident from the study that the same expectations, desires and needs consumers have for manufactured goods that they equally have for higher educational services (knowledge). Again, the study revealed that application of marketing techniques in higher education value creation and delivery will contribute significantly in making the higher education products (graduates) internationally acceptable and globally competitive.


Nowadays, we are reaching a point where further improving single thread performance can only be done at the expenses of significantly increasing power consumption. Thus, multi-core chips have been adopted by the industry and the scientific community as a proven solution to improve performance with limited power consumption. However, the number of units to be integrated into a single die is limited by its area and power restrictions, and therefore the thread level parallelism (TLP) that could be exploited is also limited. One way to continue incrementing the number of core units is to reduce the complexity of each individual core at the cost of sacrificing instruction level parallelism (ILP). We face a design trade-off here: to dedicate the total available die area to put a lot of simple cores and favor TLP or to dedicate it to put fewer cores and favor ILP. Among the different solutions already studied in the literature to deal with this challenge, we selected hybrid hardware/software co-designed processors. This solution provides high single thread performance on simple low-power cores through a software dynamic binary optimizer tightly coupled with the hardware underneath. For this reason, we believe that hardware/software co-designed processors is an area that deserves special attention on the design of multi-core systems since it allows implementing multiple simple cores suitable to maximize TLP but sustaining better ILP than conventional pure hardware approaches. In particular, this thesis explores three different techniques to address some of the most relevant challenges on the design of a simple low-power hardware/software co-designed processor.
The first technique is a profiling mechanism, named as LIU Profiler, able to detect hot code regions. It consists in a small hardware table that uses a novel replacement policy aimed at detecting hot code. Such simple hardware structure implements this mechanism and allows the software to apply heuristics when building code regions and applying optimizations. The LIU Profiler achieves 85.5% code coverage detection whereas similar profilers implementing traditional replacement policies reach up to 60% coverage requiring a 4x bigger table. Moreover, the LIU Profiler only increases by 1% the total area of a simple low-power processor and consumes less than 0.87% of the total processor power. The LIU Profiler enables improving single thread performance without significantly incrementing the area and power of the processor.
The second technique is a rollback scheme aimed to support code reordering and aggressive speculative optimizations on hot code regions. It is named HRC and combines software and hardware mechanisms to checkpoint and to recover the architectural register state of the processor. When compared with pure hardware solutions that require doubling the number of registers, the proposal reduces by 11% the area of the processor and by 24.4% the register file power consumption, at the cost of only degrading 1% the performance.
The third technique is a loop parallelization (LP) scheme that uses the software layer to dynamically detect loops of instructions and to prepare them to execute multiple iterations in parallel by using Simultaneous Multi-Threading threads. These are optimized by employing dedicated loop parallelization binary optimizations to speed-up loop execution. LP scheme uses novel fine-grain register communication and thread dynamic register binding technique, as well as already existing processor resources. It introduces small overheads to the system and even small loops and loops that iterate just a few times are able to get significant performance improvements. The execution time of the loops is improved by more than a 16.5% when compared to a fully optimized baseline. LP contributes positively to the integration of a high number of simple cores in the same die and it allows those cores to cooperate to some extent to continue exploiting ILP when necessary.


A receiver optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC) with integrated PIN photodiode, an automatic gain control transimpedance amplifier, linear post amplifier and 50 ¿ line driver is presented. Two ICs were designed using 0.6 ¿m BiCMOS technology. One with 760 mV differential output voltage and 623 MHz bandwidth, the other IC has a 420 mV differential output voltage and 712 MHz bandwidth. The post-layout simulation for this optical receiver for multi-level data signals shows a high linearity. The eye diagram of the multi-level signal at a symbol rate of 1.25 Gbaud demonstrates an excellent performance for the optical receiver. The experimental measurement with a binary signal at a bit rate of 1.25 Gb/s indicates that the front-end optical receiver has for 660 nm a sensitivity of -24 dBm for a bit error rate of 10-9. The reached 10%-90% rise- and fall-times are 0.42 ns and 0.40 ns, respectively.


Fifty-two Neolithic tombs (dolmens) were grouped into megalithic stations that are mostly located on lithotecto from which the building rocks were removed. In six dolmens, there were no clues found to explain the presence of allochthonous stones, except perhaps in one of them, where rocks were selected to cause colour contrast. The morphology of the slabs, of chambers and corridors, showed no evidence of carving. The angularity of the tumulus blocks indicates that some were collected from the surface and others were manually fragmented. The identification of the construction materials in Neolithic dolmens with elemental geological features provides information on the building process, adding valorisation to the prehistoric monuments and enabling their reconstruction.


This article addresses the seemingly indisputable association between multilingualism, translation and democracy that is often expressed or implied in official institutional discourses at national and international levels. To this end, based on recent approaches from disciplines including political theory, sociology and translation studies, the author critically examines the interrelationship between translation policies and practices and democracy, which is itself considered to be a concept "in translation". Additionally, by drawing on a number of examples from different institutional settings, this article sheds light on some of the challenges facing institutional translation in today's digital age. Here, institutional translation emerges as an unavoidably political and interventionist task that is conditioned by—and an active part of—the asymmetrical dynamics which exist between identities in the increasingly technologised and diverse societies of our global era.