Extracorporeal liver support methods have been tested for over 50 years now. Standard techniques of blood purification like dialysis, adsorption, hemo- and plasma filtration as well as bioreactor-based approaches using liver cells or tissues have been used. Most clinical experience, however, is limited to use in acute liver failure (ALF). Since 1993, the Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) has been used clinically -- a system that combines dialysis, filtration and adsorption in a biocompatible method. Human serum albumin (HSA) acts as a selective molecular adsorbent binding protein-bound compounds like bile acids or bilirubin. These substances can contribute to the maintenance or even further aggravation of liver failure. They are linked with the pathogenesis of hyperdynamic hypotonic circulation, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, impaired hepatic protein synthesis, and intractable pruritus seen in chronic liver failure. HSA takes over the toxic substances from a patient's blood and passes through a remote detoxification process including bicarbonate-dialysis and a two-step adsorption. It is then recirculated in the patient's blood. Up to today, more than 4000 patients have been treated in approximately 16,000 single sessions. Thus, MARS represents the most frequently used liver support method at the present time. In addition to ALF, mainly acute decompensations of chronic liver failures (ACLF) have been treated. The impact of the extracorporeal treatment on relevant medical parameters of intensive care medicine is discussed with regard to the specific situation of the liver-failure patient (susceptibility to infection, atypical picture and course of infection, coagulation disorders and bleeding tendencies).


Background Although industry sponsored trials for newer mechanical thrombectomy devices for treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) are promising, limited post-marketing data exist on the use of the TREVO device in every day clinical practice. Objective The ongoing TREVO Stent-Retriever Acute Stroke (TRACK) Registry aimed to assess the real-world safety, angiographic, and clinical efficacy of the TREVO device in comparison to the results from the TREVO-2 clinical trial and post-marketing North American SOLITAIRE Stent-Retriever Acute (NASA) Stroke Registry. Design/methods The TRACK Registry recruited clinical sites within the USA. Demographic, clinical, angiographic, and outcome data on patients treated with the TREVO device were collected. Symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (sICH) was defined as any parenchymal hematoma, SAH, or IVH associated with a worsening of the NIHSS score by ≥4 within 24 h. The primary outcome was achieving TICI ≥2a revascularization. Secondary outcomes were mRS at 3 months, mortality, and sICH. Results 12 centers contributed data on 93 patients for this interim analysis. Baseline demographics were: women 61.3% (57/93), white 78.5% (73/93), mean age 64.9 ± 17.8 years, median baseline NIHSS of 17 (IQR 14–22), mean fluoroscopic time 37.5 ± 31.9 min, and a mean procedure time of 101 ± 69.1 min. The TICI ≥ 2a and TICI ≥ 2b revascularization rates were 85.6% (77/90) and 65.6% (59/90), compared to the operator reported TICI ≥ 2a rate of 85% in TREVO-2 and 87.5% in NASA, and TICI ≥ 2b rate of 72.5% in NASA. A good outcome of mRS ≤ 2 was demonstrated in 43.0% (40/93), compared to 40% (TREVO-2) and 42% (NASA). The rate of sICH was 8.4% (7/83), compared to 4% (TREVO-2) and 9.9% NASA. 90-day mortality was 21.5% (20/93) versus 29% in TREVO-2 and 30.2% in NASA. Conclusion The investigator initiated post marketing TRACK Registry demonstrates that the TREVO stent-retriever performance in clinical practice is comparable to the TREVO-2 trial and post-marketing NASA Registry. Disclosures O. Zaidat: 1; C; Stryker Neurovascular. A. Castonguay: None. E. Veznedaroglu: None. M. Binning: None. A. Alshekhlee: None. M. Abraham: None. S. Mehta: None. R. El Khoury: None. A. Majjhoo: None. E. Lin: None. M. Kabbani: None. M. Froehler: None. T. Nguyen: None.


ABSTRACT In the world of social media marketing, colleges and universities can benefit from enhanced understanding of how prospective students use social media. Due to the ever-evolving nature of social media use, there are gaps in the current research regarding how students use social media to aid in their matriculation decision-making. Using survey data from current university students across the U.S. (n = 364) and one-on-one interviews (n = 12) with students at a small liberal arts college, the authors address conflicting information where students report both using and not using social media to narrow their search and make their matriculation decision. The findings suggest that while students may not report visiting social media sites or may report that social media does not impact their matriculation decision when asked in a survey, in interview settings the vast majority of students reported using social media platforms to learn more about higher education schools under consideration. By exploring which platforms students use and the selection of platforms for specific use cases, the authors provide suggestions and guidelines for social media managers looking to maximize the effectiveness of their social media recruiting strategies and campaigns.


A small-scale meat packing plant selling lambs and steers in northern New Mexico was analyzed in three Monte Carlo simulations. The monthly distributions of steer liveweights and prices at the feedlot were fit and the parameters estimated. The distributions were correlated between liveweights and prices each month and between all monthly prices. An annual distribution of lamb liveweights was also fit. The three simulations assumed that retail prices of beef in northern New Mexico were comparable to the national average, minimum and maximum weighted prices. If minimum national beef prices are used, there is a better than 50 percent probability that net profits will be negative every month except June-September. In January-May and November, there is a greater than 90 percent chance that net profits before taxes will be negative. When maximum prices are used there is a slight chance that net profits before taxes will be negative.


Abstract. Using 20 years of accurately calibrated, high-resolution observations of sea surface height anomalies (SSHAs) by satellite borne altimeters, we show that in the Indian Ocean south of the Australian coast the low-frequency variations of SSHAs are dominated by westward propagating, trapped, i.e., non-harmonic, Rossby (Planetary) waves. Our results demonstrate that the meridional-dependent amplitudes of the SSHAs are large only within a few degrees of latitude next to the southern Australian coast while farther in the ocean they are uniformly small. This meridional variation of the SSHA signal is typical of the amplitude structure in the trapped wave theory. The westward propagation speed of the SSHA signal is analyzed by employing three different methods of estimation. Each one of these methods yields speed estimates that can vary widely between adjacent latitudes but the combination of at least two of the three methods yields much smoother variation. The estimates obtained in this manner show that the observed phase speeds at different latitudes exceed the phase speeds of harmonic Rossby (planetary) waves by 140 to 200 % (which was also reported in previous studies). In contrast, the theory of trapped Rossby (planetary) waves in a domain bounded by a wall on its equatorward side yields phase speeds that approximate more closely the observed phase speeds in the study area.


Plants (macrophytes) growing in lake and wetland sediments are known mediators of greenhouse gases (GHG), specifically methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Current studies have emphasized the potential risk of underestimation regarding emissions of plant-mediated GHGs from terrestrial systems including lakes, streams and other freshwater bodies. In order to differentiate the possible sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon and nitrogen in aquatic environments, this study aims to investigate the spatial variability of GHG fluxes in stands of common wetland macrophytes. Field samplings were carried out in the summer of 2012 where 24-hour diel measurements were conducted with the static chamber method in a boreal lake in south western Sweden. Two macrophyte communities were studied; one mixed-species stand and one species-specific stand of water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile). Spatial variability was confirmed at several stages, both between and within stands. The species-specific stand emitted more CH4 than the mixed stand, from 0.17 to 8.99 mmol m-2 h-1, compared to 0.63 – 1.95 mmol m-2 h-1 maximum measured. Within stand variability was confirmed as variable CH4 flux per strand of E. fluviatile was established. No significant differences were observed regarding CO2 and N2O, other than weak correlation in diel patterns, e.g. daytime uptake and night time respiration/emission for both gases.


Disorders of sex development arise in parts of the world with different socio-economic and cultural characteristics. We wished to determine the regional variations in the management of these conditions. A questionnaire was e-mailed to the 650 members of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE), an international society with a mainly European membership but which also includes professionals from other continents. Results were subjected to statistical analysis. A total of 62 answers were received, a satisfactory rate given that not all members are involved in this issue. Results show statistically significant regional differences for available diagnostic resources, age of the patient at gender assignment, parameters considered important for gender assignment, and timing of discussion of various issues with parents and patient. The regional variations exist not only between different continents, as already demonstrated by others, but also between Northern, Latin and Eastern European countries. This suggests that 'one-fits-all' guidelines for management are not appropriate.


Ca2+ entrance in central nerve endings can occur through voltage-operated Ca2+ channels and/or through the Na(+)-Ca2+ antiporter. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, in brain synaptosomes, the possible contribution of these two Ca2+ entrance pathways in the process of 45Ca2+ uptake elicited by different extracellular ionic conditions. The decrease in extracellular Na+ concentration from 145 mM to 95 mM and its concomitant substitution with complemental concentration of K+ (5-55 mM) caused an increase in 45Ca2+ uptake, whereas an equimolar concentration of choline (50 mM), although in the presence of the same Na+ concentration (95 mM), failed to stimulate 45Ca2+ uptake. Only when the extracellular Na+ concentration was further lowered from 95 mM to 0 mM and substituted with equivalent amounts of choline (50-145 mM) did a dose-dependent stimulation of 45Ca2+ uptake occur. In addition, when the lowering of the extracellular Na+ concentration from 95 mM to 0 mM was compensated for by K+ concentrations higher than 55 mM (55-150 mM), 45Ca2+ uptake was higher than that elicited by Na+ ion substitution with equimolar amounts (50-145 mM) of choline. The amount of 45Ca2+ uptake induced by 55 mM K+ did not differ either in Na(+)-preincubated or in Na(+)-depleted synaptosomes. Synaptosomal membrane potential, monitored with the potential-sensitive fluorescent dye bis-(1,3-diethyltiobarbiturate)trimethineoxonol, showed a progressive depolarization when extracellular K+ concentrations were raised from 5 to 150 mM, reaching a plateau at 55 mM extracellular K+ concentration, whereas when choline (145 mM) completely substituted for extracellular Na+ ions, synaptosomal membrane potential did not show any depolarization. Collectively, these results demonstrate that 45Ca2+ uptake induced by 55 mM K+ ions occurs selectively through voltage-operated Ca2+ channels, whereas, in choline-substituted media, starting from 70 mM choline, Ca2+ ions seemed to utilize the Na(+)-Ca2+ antiporter to penetrate into synaptosomes. In contrast, when extracellular K+ concentrations are raised above 55 mM, 45Ca2+ entrance may occur through two cumulative mechanisms, the opening of Ca2+ channels that are activated by high K(+)-induced depolarization and the activation of the Na(+)-Ca2+ antiporter, which follows the reduction of the transmembrane Na+ electrochemical gradient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


In the second half of 20th century the awareness of importance of landraces for the future, led to organized collecting missions for numerous plant species. A total of 2217 maize (Zea mays L.) landraces, collected in the former Yugoslavia, are stored at Maize Research Institute (MRIZP) gene bank. During 2014, new collecting missions were organized in the eastern and western parts of Macedonia. According to collecting site and kernel type, 14 samples from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food, R. Macedonia were chosen for the comparison and identification of possible duplicates, through coupling with the 16 MRIZP gene bank accessions from the same area and kernel characteristics. Phenotypic characterization was done for 21 traits according to International Board for Plant Genetic Resources descriptors for maize. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identifies five PCs with Eigenvalue > 1, explaining 80% of the total phenotypic variation. The most discriminative traits with the strongest positive associations were tasseling and silking dates, plant height, leaf length and ear length. Compared to the exsitu populations, the number of alleles and the number of specific alleles, showed a significant decrease in the in situ populations. Twelve unique alleles were detected in samples from MRIZP gene bank, and only four were found in new Macedonian samples. Cluster analysis of morphological and molecular markers distinguished groups of maize accessions with distinctive morphological traits and genetic profiles that will be useful for conservation, and management of gene bank collection, as well as for possible utilization in breeding.


Recent decades have witnessed an outpouring of research on the contributions of women artists. But as is typical in the humanities, these studies have been qualitative, and consequently do not provide a systematic evaluation of the relative importance of different women artists. A survey of the illustrations of the work of women artists contained in textbooks of art history reveals that art historians judge Cindy Sherman to be the greatest woman artist of the twentieth century, followed in order by Georgia O'Keeffe, Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, and Frida Kahlo. The life cycles of these artists have differed greatly: the conceptual Sherman, Hesse, and Kahlo all arrived at their major contributions much earlier, and more suddenly, than the experimental O'Keeffe and Bourgeois. The contrasts are dramatic, as Sherman produced her greatest work while in her 20s, whereas Bourgeois did not produce her greatest work until she had passed the age of 80. The systematic measurement of this study adds a dimension to our understanding of both the role of women in twentieth-century art and the careers of the major figures.


Prior to the Eocene (c. 50 Ma) collision of the Indian and Asian plates, the southern margin of Asia along the Karakoram plate was an Andean-type margin dominated by tonalitic-granodioritic magmatism of Jurassic––Lower Cretaceous age (Hushe gneiss, Muztagh Tower gneiss and K2 ortho-gneiss) and associated low pressure andalusite, staurolite and garnet grade metamorphism (M1). Following India-Asia collision, crustal shortening, thickening and regional Barrovian metamorphism (M2) occurred between 50–37 Ma. Thermobarometry of kyanite-grade metapelites indicate burial to depths of around 30–35 km. Simultaneous solution of the garnet-biotite geothermometer with the garnet-muscovite-biotite-plagioclase and garnet-AI2, SiO5,-quartz-plagioclase geobarometers indicates peak M2 P-T conditions of 696±20°C at 8.6±0.7kbar (860 MPa). Temperatures may have exceeded 700 °C in sillimanite-grade metapelites to produce in situ partial melting and leucogranitic melt pods. Peak M2 metamorphism occurred prior to 37 ±0.8 Ma, the crystallization age of the Mango Gusar two-mica granite pluton which cross-cuts syn-metamorphic deformation fabrics. Post-M2 thermal relaxation followed from 37–25 Ma, after which localized high heat concentrations at the base of the thickened crust caused widespread crustal melting and intrusion of the Baltoro granite batholith at 25–21 Ma. A high temperature-low pressure thermal aureole (M3) along the northern contact is synchronous with the 21 ±0.5 Ma zircon age of the Baltoro granite. Andalusite hornfels along the northern contact of the batholith (Mitre thermal aureole) indicates maximum pressures of 3.75 kbar (375 MPa). A 75 °C increase of temperature in kyanite-sillimanite grade gneisses approaching the southern granite contact of the Baltoro granite is interpreted as the thermal upwarping of pre-37 Ma Barrovian metamorphic M2 isograds around the 21 Ma contact aureole M3 isotherms.


Chronic diseases are still known as incurable diseases, and we suspect that the medical research model is unfit for characterizing chronic diseases. In this study, we examined accuracy and reliability required for characterizing chronic diseases, reviewed implied presumptions in clinical trials and assumptions used in statistical analysis, examined sources of variances normally encountered in clinical trials, and conducted numeric simulations by using hypothetical data for several theoretical and hypothetical models. We found that the sources of variances attributable to personal differences in clinical trials can distort hypothesis test outcomes, that clinical trials introduce too many errors and too much inaccuracies that tend to hide weak and slow effects of treatments, and that the means of treatments used in statistical analysis have little or no relevance to specific patients. We further found that a large number of uncontrolled co-causal or interfering factors normally seen in human subjects can greatly enlarge the means and the variances of the experimental errors, and the use of high rejection criteria (e.g., low p values) further raises the chances of failing to find treatment effects. As a whole, we concluded that the research model using clinical trials is wrong on multiple grounds, under any of our realistic theoretical and hypothetical models, and that misuse of statistical analysis is most probably responsible for failure to identify treatment effects for chronic diseases and to detect harmful effects of toxic substances in the environment. We proposed alternative experimental models involving the use of single-person or mini optimization trials for studying low-risk weak treatments. Clinical Trial Flaws, JW-v1.05 1 5


Nine female patients with anorexia nervosa were studied, three of them at different stages of weight gain. Basal plasma LH (luteinising hormone) was depressed in emaciated patients, but basal plasma FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) was normal. LH was significantly lower in patients who had been amenorrhoeic for less than 24 months than in those whose amenorrhoea was of longer duration. LH and FSH levels were stimulated by LHRH (luteinizing hormone releasing hormone), infused at a rate of 0.5 microgram/min for four hours. One patient, tested at 60% of standard weight, had no LH response. In all other patients below 70% of standard, the maximal LH response occurred within the first hour of infusion. In patients at higher weights, the LH response was biphasic, and the maximal level was reached during the last hour of the infusion. The FSH response, similarly, approached maximal during the first hour in patients below 70% of standard, but continued to rise throughout the infusion in patients at higher weights. Body weight expressed as a percentage of standard correlated significantly with both phases of the LH response, but not with the FSH response. Most previous authors have found an association between low body weight and depressed pituitary gonadotrophins in anorexia nervosa. The present findings further elucidate this relationship.


The degree of similarity, at the generic and familial levels, among Holocene terrestrial mammal faunas is strongly and negatively correlated with the geographic distance between them. Oceanic barriers and climatic differences also contribute significantly to the variation in faunal similarity, but distance alone explains as much as 56/ of the variation. This analysis justifies the use of the degree of similarity among fossil mammal faunas as an estimator of paleogeographic distance. The distance between the centers of regions can be predicted by the biogeographic transfer function CENTER D = 18570 − 156 (SIMFAM), where distance is measured in kilometres and SIMFAM is the faunal similarity at the familial level, as measured by the Simpson Index. Maps of the Holocene world on which this equation is used to estimate distance display relatively minor deviations from actual geography and suggest that this method is a potentially powerful paleogeographic technique.


We study the incentives of a group of retailers, organized as a trade association and sourcing the product from a single manufacturer, to exchange private forecast information. We compare two widely-used policies by the trade association in practice: exclusionary information exchange and non-exclusionary information exchange. Under the exclusionary policy, only retailers who contribute their private information are exposed to the pool of shared information, whereas under the non-exclusionary policy, all of the members of the trade association are exposed to the pool of shared information regardless of any contribution to this pool. We show that when the wholesale price is exogenous, the retailers have an incentive to share information under both policies. However, when the manufacturer is aware of the exchange of information among the retailers, she sets the wholesale price more aggressively, even without being exposed to the actual shared information. This wholesale pricing effect reduces the retailers' incentives to share information to such extent that under the non-exclusionary policy, no information is shared in equilibrium. Under the exclusionary policy, it is possible to reach a full information-sharing equilibrium, but this equilibrium can make the retailers worse-off compared with the case in which no information is shared. Furthermore, it is also possible for the manufacturer to become worse-off when the retailers share information. We also discuss the effect of market size on the incentives of the retailers to exchange information and how by committing to a certain wholesale price level early, the manufacturer can induce the retailers to exchange information.


On October 25, 2005, at an anti-Zionism conference in Tehran, Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, called for Israel to "be wiped off the face of the map" -- the first in a series of incendiary speeches arguably advocating liquidation of the Jewish state. Certain commentators contend that these statements constitute direct and public incitement to commit genocide. This Article analyzes this assertion by examining the nature and scope of recent groundbreaking developments in incitement law arising from the Rwandan genocide prosecutions. It pieces together an analytical framework based on principles derived from these cases, including the Canadian Supreme Court's opinion in the Leon Mugesera matter. Using this framework, it demonstrates that while a successful prosecution would entail clearing significant substantive and procedural hurdles, it could include both incitement and crimes against humanity charges in light of the incitement's nexus with Iran's sponsorship of terrorist attacks against Israel. However, to take the case, the International Criminal Court would have to put aside political pressures related to the Middle East's toxic political environment and the absence of causation. The odds of this happening are long. As a result, the Article proposes that incitement law shift its focus from post-atrocity punishment to deterrence. This would permit early intervention and center incitement on its core mission of atrocity prevention. The Article also suggests that euphemisms employed to disguise incitement, such as "predictions" of destruction, when anchored to direct calls for violence, should also be considered acts of direct incitement. Finally, with respect to crimes against humanity, the Article explains that attacks on a civilian population carried out by a proxy at the insistence of the inciter, rather than directly by the actual inciter himself, should be sufficient to establish liability. At the same time, in the interest of protecting free speech, the crime should not be charged absent evidence of calls for protected-group violence, as opposed to mere hatred.


Partitioning is a strategy for solving stiff systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) problems. There are two types of partitioning; intervalwise and componentwise partitioning. This thesis is focused only on intervalwise block partitioning (IBP) which the system of equations will initially be treated as non-stiff subsystem and will be solved using Adams block method. Once an equation is identified as stiff, the whole system will be treated as stiff and will be solved using block Backward Differentiation Formulae (BBDF). This process will continue until the integration interval is completed. In addition, variable step size BBDF (VSBBDF) method using three points is derived in order to solve first order stiff ODEs. The partitioning strategy involved is based on Adams method formulae and VSBBDF formulae. A single code is developed based on variable step size IBP. The code is implemented using Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 XP Version and compared with odelSs and ode23s which are run in MATLAB 7.8. The numerical results have shown that the partitioning strategy has performed well in term of computational time compared
to VSBBDF and MATLAB ode solvers, odeISs and ode23s. It shows that them partitioning strategy can be an alternative method to solve first order stiff ODEs


During the fight-or-flight response, epinephrine and norepinephrine released by the sympathetic nervous system increase L-type calcium currents conducted by CaV1.2a channels in the heart, which contributes to enhanced cardiac performance. Activation of β-adrenergic receptors increases channel activity via phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) tethered to the distal C-terminal domain of the α1 subunit via an A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP15). Here we measure phosphorylation of S1928 in dissociated rat ventricular myocytes in response to β-adrenergic receptor stimulation by using a phosphospecific antibody. Isoproterenol treatment increased phosphorylation of S1928 in the distal C-terminal domain, and a similar increase was observed with a direct activator of adenylyl cyclase, forskolin, confirming that the cAMP and PKA are responsible. Pretreatment with selective β1- and β2-adrenergic antagonists reduced the increase in phosphorylation by 79% and 42%, respectively, and pretreatment with both agents completely blocked it. In contrast, treatment with these agents in the presence of 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA)–acetoxymethyl ester to buffer intracellular calcium results in only β1-stimulated phosphorylation of S1928. Whole-cell patch clamp studies with intracellular BAPTA demonstrated that 98% of the increase in calcium current was attributable to β1-adrenergic receptors. Thus, β-adrenergic stimulation results in phosphorylation of S1928 on the CaV1.2 α1 subunit in intact ventricular myocytes via both β1- and β2-adrenergic receptor pathways, but the β2-dependent increase in phosphorylation depends on elevated intracellular calcium and does not contribute to regulation of whole-cell calcium currents at basal calcium levels. Our results correlate phosphorylation of S1928 with β1-adrenergic functional up-regulation of cardiac calcium channels in the presence of BAPTA in intact ventricular myocytes.


While lean management practices (LMP) help small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to be efficient, sustainability‐oriented innovation (SOI) facilitates adopting environmental and social practices. Although prior research looks into the effect of LMP on the economic performance (EP) of SMEs, less is known about the effect of LMP on sustainability (economic, environmental and social) performance. Studies on the effect of SOI on sustainability and economic performance are also scant. Additionally, examining the mediating effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices (environmental and social practices) on both LMP and SOI achieving sustainability performance (SP) is rare. This research bridges these knowledge gaps by answering the question of how LMP, SOI, CSR practices, sustainability and economic performance are correlated. Through hypothesis testing using structural equation modelling, this study reveals the impact of LMP, SOI, CSR (environmental and social) practices on sustainability and economic performance. The study uses data from 119 SMEs within manufacturing industries in the Midlands, UK. The analysis reveals that LMP and SOI facilitate achieving both sustainability and economic performance, and SOI mediates LMP to achieve sustainability performance. Additionally, although CSR practices mediate LMP to achieve sustainability performance, they only borderline mediate SOI to achieve sustainability performance.


Abstract: One of the forms of international cooperation among States in fighting against criminality is to provide for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. International criminal justice assistance includes a set of different actions and measures undertaken by judicial and other state bodies in order to achieve the cooperation among States to exercise criminal justice system. This cooperation takes place on the basis of international and national legislation. Due to the increasing number of these regulations, the phrase "Law on International Criminal Justice Assistance" could be increasingly used today which is therefore becoming completely formed and recognizable legal field.
Fundamental international documents on providing for international criminal justice assistance are: the European Convention on Extradition with additional protocols (1957), the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters with additional protocols (1959), the European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgments (1970) and the European Convention on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters (1972). The main domestic legal act in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the Act on International Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (ZMPPKS). In addition to these already mentioned legal acts, basic principles of international criminal justice cooperation are also very significant: identity of norm, reciprocity, ability of extradition, the principle locus regit actum and the principle ne bis in idem.


Cold-induced growth of brown adipose tissue (BAT) was studied in thyroidectomized rats that received low doses of either thyroxine (T4) or 3,5,3'-triidothyronine (T3). The objective was to find out whether the cold-induced increase in activity of T4 5'-deiodinase, and thus increased endogenous T3 generation in BAT itself, was necessary for growth of BAT or whether T3 from the blood could serve as effectively as T3 produced endogenously. The acute thermogenic response of BAT to cold (15 h at 4 degrees C), as measured by the increase in mitochondrial GDP binding, was abolished by thyroidectomy, as seen previously, and restored by T3 as well as by T4 treatment. The long-term trophic response to cold (20-25 days at 4 degrees C), as indicated by increases in protein and DNA and in mitochondrial concentrations of GDP-binding sites and uncoupling protein, occurred whether T3 or T4 was administered to these thyroidectomized rats. We conclude that endogenous T3 production in BAT does not direct and is not essential for the long-term trophic response of this tissue to cold. We are not able to exclude, on the basis of the present results, that an optimal growth rate during the initial phase of the trophic response may require enhanced endogenous production of T3 in BAT. The cold-induced increase in T4 5'-deiodinase activity, presumably mediated by an action of norepinephrine, does not require the presence of either T3 or T4, as seen previously by others.


As an extension of the reaction mechanism describing the base-catalyzed hydrogenation of ketones according to Berkessel et al., we use a standard methodology for transition-state (TS) calculations in order to check the possibility of heterolytic cleavage of H2 at the ketone's carbonyl carbon atom, yielding one-step hydrogenation path with involvement of carboxylic acid as a catalyst. As an extension of the catalyst scope in the base-catalyzed hydrogenation of ketones, our mechanism involves a molecule with a labile proton and a Lewis basic oxygen atom as a catalyst-for example, R-C(=O)OH carboxylic acids-so that the heterolytic cleavage of H2 could take place between the Lewis basic oxygen atom of a carboxylic acid and the electrophilic (Lewis acidic) carbonyl carbon of a ketone/aldehyde. According to our TS calculations, protonation of a ketone/aldehyde by a proton shuttle (hydrogen bond) facilitates the hydride-type attack on the ketone's carbonyl carbon atom in the process of the heterolytic cleavage of H2 . Ketones with electron-rich and electron-withdrawing substituents in combination with a few carboxylic and amino acids-in total, 41 substrate-catalyst couples-have been computationally evaluated in this article and the calculated reaction barriers are encouragingly moderate for many of the considered substrate-catalyst couples.


Integrating the literature from public relations, community psychology, and minority stress theory, this study proposes and tests a model that describes the mechanism by which local governments' two-way symmetrical communication practices may affect local Asian Americans' experiences amid anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of an online survey of 400 Asian Americans living in the United States indicated that local governments' two-way symmetrical communication practices with respect to diversity acceptance helped establish a community diversity climate. Such a perception lowered the target group's perceived stigma consciousness and fear of discrimination, which are the two main proximal stressors affecting minority members' emotions and wellbeing. Theoretical and practical implications on public relations and governmental communication are discussed.


Objective: To evaluate the impact of alcohol use, which is widespread in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)+ individuals, on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-associated immune and cognitive improvements and the relationship between those two responses. Methods: In a case-control longitudinal study, thymic volume, cognition, and immune responses were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months therapy in HIV+ and HIV- controls. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the HIV Dementia Score (HDS) and the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Results: Prior to HAART, thymic volume varied considerably from 2.7 to 29.3 cm3 (11 ± 7.2 cm3). Thymic volume at baseline showed a significantly inverse correlation with the patient's number of years of drinking (r2 = 0.207; p < 0.01), as well as HDS and the CVLT scores in both HIV-infected (r2 = 0.37, p = 0.03) and noninfected (r2 = 0.8, p < 0.01). HIV-infected individuals with a small thymic volume scored in the demented range, as compared with those with a larger thymus (7 ± 2.7 vs. 12 ± 2.3, p = 0.005). After HAART, light/moderate drinkers exhibited thymus size twice that of heavy drinkers (14.8 ± 10.4 vs. 6.9 ± 3.3 cm3). Conclusions: HAART-associated increases of thymus volume appear to be negatively affected by alcohol consumption and significantly related to their cognitive status. This result could have important clinical implications.


The purpose of this study was to identify competencies required for registered dietitians employed in senior care facilities and to examine the level of importance for three aspects including skill, knowledge, and personality. An agency offering consultant dietitian services voluntarily distributed an online survey to registered dietitians contracted with the agency through their listserv. The online survey was sent to 60 registered dietitians at the agency, yielding 39 usable responses. The results showed that 83% of dietitians gained competencies to work with the elderly through on-the-job training, followed by post-graduate classes and mentors/colleagues. Respondents ranked the following as the most essential competencies: 'Identification of common risk factors for nutritional decline' (82% of respondents), 'Respect for dignity of the elderly' (79%), and 'Understanding of the elderly's wishes' (74%). Overall, personality attributes were identified as more essential than skills or knowledge.


Following recent events in Egypt, Libya, Myanmar (Burma) and Tunisia, foreign investors have lodged international claims under investment treaties. Several of these cases follow a common fact pattern. They concern foreign investments acquired from authoritarian governments substantially below market value through transactions that were not arms' length. Subsequently, new governments sought to renegotiate these contracts and concessions, or to change the regulatory arrangements that govern them. The investors then invoked the protections of an investment treaty.This article draws on political science scholarship on transition. It argues that investment treaties risk constraining the ability of incoming democratic regimes to consolidate their position, and questions the normative justifications for applying the principle of full market value compensation to situations in which investments were not acquired on a full market value basis. These conclusions are relevant to wider debates about the tension between legal stability and political change in international law.


This study was conducted to investigate the quality characteristics of soybean curd prepared with Opuntia ficus-indica fruit, freeze-dried Opuntia ficus-indica fruit powder, or heat-dried Opuntia ficus-indica fruit powder, without addition of a coagulant. The yield rates of the soybean curd were slightly decreased for the three curds containing Opuntia ficus-indica fruit; this was accompanied by a significant decrease in pH. Furthermore, the hardness and springiness of soybean curds coagulated with added freeze-dried Opuntia ficus-indica fruit powder or heat-dried Opuntia ficus-indica fruit powder were higher than the hardness and springiness of the coagulated controls. However, the cohesiveness and brittleness of two soybean curds were lower than for the controls, while the gumminess of the four soybean curds containing control fruit was the same. In terms of overall acceptability, the preferred soybean curd was the curd containing freeze-dried Opuntia ficus-indica fruit powder.


All living tissues and cells on Earth are subject to gravitational acceleration, but no reports have verified whether acceleration mode influences bone formation and healing. Therefore, this study was to compare the effects of two acceleration modes, vibration and constant (centrifugal) accelerations, on bone formation and healing in the trunk using BMP 2-induced ectopic bone formation (EBF) mouse model and a rib fracture healing (RFH) rat model. Additionally, we tried to verify the difference in mechanism of effect on bone formation by accelerations between these two models. Three groups (low- and high-magnitude vibration and control-VA groups) were evaluated in the vibration acceleration study, and two groups (centrifuge acceleration and control-CA groups) were used in the constant acceleration study. In each model, the intervention was applied for ten minutes per day from three days after surgery for eleven days (EBF model) or nine days (RFH model). All animals were sacrificed the day after the intervention ended. In the EBF model, ectopic bone was evaluated by macroscopic and histological observations, wet weight, radiography and microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT). In the RFH model, whole fracture-repaired ribs were excised with removal of soft tissue, and evaluated radiologically and histologically. Ectopic bones in the low-magnitude group (EBF model) had significantly greater wet weight and were significantly larger (macroscopically and radiographically) than those in the other two groups, whereas the size and wet weight of ectopic bones in the centrifuge acceleration group showed no significant difference compared those in control-CA group. All ectopic bones showed calcified trabeculae and maturated bone marrow. Micro-CT showed that bone volume (BV) in the low-magnitude group of EBF model was significantly higher than those in the other two groups (3.1±1.2mm3 v.s. 1.8±1.2mm3 in high-magnitude group and 1.3±0.9mm3 in control-VA group), but BV in the centrifuge acceleration group had no significant difference compared those in control-CA group. Union rate and BV in the low-magnitude group of RFH model were also significantly higher than those in the other groups (Union rate: 60% v.s. 0% in the high-magnitude group and 10% in the control-VA group, BV: 0.69±0.30mm3 v.s. 0.15±0.09mm3 in high-magnitude group and 0.22±0.17mm3 in control-VA group). BV/TV in the low-magnitude group of RFH model was significantly higher than that in control-VA group (59.4±14.9% v.s. 35.8±13.5%). On the other hand, radiographic union rate (10% in centrifuge acceleration group v.s. 20% in control-CA group) and micro-CT parameters in RFH model were not significantly different between two groups in the constant acceleration studies. Radiographic images of non-union rib fractures showed cartilage at the fracture site and poor new bone formation, whereas union samples showed only new bone. In conclusion, low-magnitude vibration acceleration promoted bone formation at the trunk in both BMP-induced ectopic bone formation and rib fracture healing models. However, the micro-CT parameters were not similar between two models, which suggested that there might be difference in the mechanism of effect by vibration between two models.


Calls for censorship have been made in response to the proliferation of flat Earth videos on YouTube, but these videos are likely convincing to very few. Instead, people may worry these videos are brainwashing others. That individuals believe other people will be more influenced by media messages than themselves is called third-person perception (TPP), and the consequences from those perceptions, such as calls for censorship, are called third-person effects (TPE). Here, we conduct three studies that examine the flat Earth phenomenon using TPP and TPE as a theoretical framework. We first measured participants' own perceptions of the convincingness of flat Earth arguments presented in YouTube videos and compared these to participants' perceptions of how convincing others might find the arguments. Instead of merely looking at ratings of one's self vs. a general 'other,' however, we asked people to consider a variety of identity groups who differ based on political party, religiosity, educational attainment, and area of residence (e.g., rural, urban). We found that participants' religiosity and political party were the strongest predictors of TPP across the different identity groups. In our second and third pre-registered studies, we found support for our first study's conclusions, and we found mixed evidence for whether TPP predict support for censoring YouTube among the public.


Forensic odontology is a young area in India. However, it has been used as an integral component in a various medicolegal cases in India. However, the involvement of a dentist in mass disasters still needs to be well recognized. The role of the dentists in any unforeseen circumstances is to contribute as an adjunct hand in Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) which is in an emergent stage in India. This study aimed to assess an Indian dental professional's knowledge and awareness of their role in DVI. A pre-tested, self-administered anonymous questionnaire consisting of 6 open-ended and 14 close-ended questions was mailed to the participants. A total of 441 responses were recorded. The study indicated adequate knowledge and awareness among dental practitioners. Conversely, only a handful of people had first-hand autopsy experience. Thus, to supplement the skills needed to work at ground zero, it is recommended to develop hands-on training programs for dentists in each state of India. Also, creating a pool of experts in each state of India can strengthen the task force.


Wheel impact load detectors are widespread railway systems used for measuring the wheel–rail contact force. They usually measure the rail strain and convert it to force in order to detect high impact forces and corresponding detrimental wheels. The measured strain signal can also be used to identify the defect type and its severity. The strain sensors have a limited effective zone that leads to partial observation from the wheels. Therefore, wheel impact load detectors exploit multiple sensors to collect samples from different portions of the wheels. The discrete measurement by multiple sensors provides the magnitude of the force; however, it does not provide the much richer variation pattern of the contact force signal. Therefore, this paper proposes a fusion method to associate the collected samples to their positions over the wheel circumferential coordinate. This process reconstructs an informative signal from the discrete samples collected by multiple sensors. To validate the proposed method, the multiple sensors have been simulated by an ad hoc multibody dynamic software (VI-Rail), and the outputs have been fed to the fusion model. The reconstructed signal represents the contact force and consequently the wheel defect. The obtained results demonstrate considerable similarity between the contact force and the reconstructed defect signal that can be used for further defect identification.


This study explored the anatomical feasibility of using an interosseous nerve transfer (routed between the tibia and fibula) to restore motor function to the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle, following injury to the common peroneal nerve (resulting in a foot drop). The specific nerve branches evaluated as possible donor nerves included the nerves to the medial gastrocnemius, the lateral gastrocnemius, and the soleus muscles. All nerve transfers were accomplished using a direct interosseous route and a direct repair (one medial gastrocnemius transfer did require interpositional grafting). The distance from the repair site to the TA muscle was shortest for the transfer using the nerve branch to the soleus. Histologically, the nerve branch to the soleus was most similar to the branch to the TA for both axonal count and cross-sectional area. A two-incision surgical approach using a fibular window (mobilizing a fibular segment after double osteotomy) and interosseous routing of the transfer is proposed.


Bolted joints are common method used to assemble various parts of the structure or machine com-
ponents. This joint works well under static condition (static loading). Under dynamic condition,
this joint plays very important role. The natural frequencies of the structure reduce because of
joint. When comparing with similar structure without joint, we can observe a reduction in natural
frequencies for all vibration modes. Hence this could be major source of damping because of which
natural frequencies get reduced. The amount of energy dissipation between the joint can be found
by hysteresis loop in which force is taken on the ordinate and displacement is taken on the abscissa.
We need very �ne mesh to capture energy dissipation between interface to predict the complete be-
havior of the joint. This dissipation is because of the micro slip and macro slip happening between
the interface of the structure at the joint interface. Various friction model available to predict the
energy dissipation at the interface, Iwan and Masing model are few of them. The detailed �nite
element analysis of the structure with bolted joint had done on the ANSYS workbench to get the
hysteresis loop.
To identify and analyze the bolt parameters, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory have been employed in
deriving the equation of motion of the beam connected by bolted lap joint by replacing the bolt with
a spring and damping element. Multiple scale method is used to solve the equation and results are
obtained using MATCONT-a continuation software for bifurcation analysis. To identify parameters,
experiments are performed. By comparing the analytical results with experiments, parameters can
be identi�ed. The e�ect of gap at the joint have also been studied experimentally and numerically
which is very important under varied range of applications. The models developed in the paper can
be used further to identify parameters of Masing/Iwan models.
v


The transcriptome of triangle sail mussel Hyriopsis cumingii (Lea) using Illumina paired-end sequencing technology was conducted and analyzed. Equal quantities of total RNA isolated from six tissues, including gonads, hepatopancreas, foot, mantel, gills and adductor muscles, were pooled to construct a cDNA library. A total of 58.09 million clean reads with 98.48 % Q20 bases were generated. Clustering and assembly of these reads produced a non-redundant set of 92,347 unigenes with an average length of 1,150.61 bp. 11,174 unigenes were involved in the molecular function, cellular component and biological process categories by GO (Gene Ontology) analysis. Potential genes and their functions were predicted by KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway mapping and COG (Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins) analysis. More than 8 putative genes of interest involved in sex determination/differentiation were identified. Furthermore, 8,014 SSRs and 38,288 SNPs were identified in this transcriptome dataset.


Three major transitions exist as a medical trainee: pre- clinical to clinical, clinical to resident, and resident to attending. Perhaps less addressed is the transition from pre-medical to pre-clinical education, one that is often buried under the jubilation of acceptance into medical school. Advice concerning this rather precarious transition is plagued with over- generalizations: "have fun and enjoy the experience", "buy a good computer", and of course, "be yourself." In this article, I compare the differences concerning my undergraduate pre-medical and pre- clinical experiences. However, given the diversity of pre-medical studies and variations in pre-clinical education between institutions, I emphasize that this is a personal opinion and acknowledge its limited generalizability. I write this viewpoint having completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree before entering medicine and from the perspective of a 3rd year University of British Columbia medical student.


The most important piece of the clarinet instrument is the clarinet mouthpiece. If an analogy is to be drawn, it can be said that it is the heart of the clarinet, because no matter how good the model and the brand of the clarinet, if the mouthpiece used is not made good enough or not prepared properly for the clarinet, this constitutes a major problem for the performer. Another name of the mouthpiece is '' bek''. Clarinet mouthpieces show differences among themselves both in types of instrument and the pieces to be played. The varieties of the mouthpieces used in classical music, jazz music, and Turkish music are distinguished among themselves. The clarinet mouthpieces we use today are two types as handmade and fabricated. Some fluctuations and changes can be made on the clarinet mouthpieces made in the factories; the aim of this is to make the clarinet in a form that can respond to the shape and the technique of the clarinet player's blowing better. The most important feature that should exist in the mouthpieces is the materials used and the tunning are well. Keywords: Clarinet, mouthpiece, performer, turkish music.


Ferguson, D. (1973).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 187-198. A study of neurosis and occupation. Claims that male telegraphists in an Australian communications undertaking were unduly subject to neurosis and certain psychosomatic disorders as a result of the stress of their work were investigated by sickness absence and environmental and prevalence studies. The absence records of all telegraphists in the mainland capital city offices of the undertaking were compared with those of random samples of clerks and mechanics and, because of excess absence among sydney telegraphists, with those of mail sorters in that city. Subsequently, 516 telegraphists, 93% of those available in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and 155 Sydney mail sorters (79% of a sample) were examined medically. Absence attributed to neurosis was much commoner in telegraphists than in the other occupations in each capital, and in Sydney telegraphists than in those of other capitals. Employees having such absence were more likely than others also to have uncertified and repeated absences, and absence attributed to bronchial and dyspeptic disorder and to injury. One-third (33%) of the 516 telegraphists examined were considered to have or to have had disabling neurosis, the prevalence being much greater in Sydney (44%) than in Melbourne (19%) or Brisbane (26%). The onset, course, associations, and other characteristics of neurosis are described. There was some evidence that the neurotic employee had increased liability to some other disorders but also that he was more likely to report ill health than others. Interpretation of increased other ill health in neurosis is confounded by the effects of an excess indulgence in habits. An increase in indices of mental stress was noted but some disorders commonly attributed to stress were not unduly prevalent in neurotics. Loss of craft status, monotony, dissatisfaction with job, fear of displacement by machine, group size, and supervisory practices were all thought to predispose to the high prevalence of neurosis in Sydney telegraphists. However, personal and social maladjustment was particularly evident in telegraphists in that city, and the population from which telegraphists were drawn may have been less well adjusted in Sydney than in Melbourne or Brisbane. Though it was possible in general to characterize the employee liable to neurosis, the predictive power of the characterization would be poor. The disorder followed no one pattern. Rather it appeared to be a collection of clinical syndromes which present as a result of the complex interaction of the personality with multiple factors at work and elsewhere over most of a lifetime. In individual subjects the relationship of stress at work to symptoms was usually ill defined, even in cases in which the identified probable factors were mainly or solely occupational. Nevertheless, there seems much to be gained from the establishment of mental health programmes in industry.


This article presents a novel smart eyewear that recognizes the wearer's facial expressions in daily scenarios. Our device uses embedded photo-reflective sensors and machine learning to recognize the wearer's facial expressions. Our approach focuses on skin deformations around the eyes that occur when the wearer changes his or her facial expressions. With small photo-reflective sensors, we measure the distances between the skin surface on the face and the 17 sensors embedded in the eyewear frame. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm is then applied to the information collected by the sensors. The sensors can cover various facial muscle movements. In addition, they are small and light enough to be integrated into daily-use glasses. Our evaluation of the device shows the robustness to the noises from the wearer's facial direction changes and the slight changes in the glasses' position, as well as the reliability of the device's recognition capacity. The main contributions of our work are as follows: (1) We evaluated the recognition accuracy in daily scenes, showing 92.8% accuracy regardless of facial direction and removal/remount. Our device can recognize facial expressions with 78.1% accuracy for repeatability and 87.7% accuracy in case of its positional drift. (2) We designed and implemented the device by taking usability and social acceptability into account. The device looks like a conventional eyewear so that users can wear it anytime, anywhere. (3) Initial field trials in a daily life setting were undertaken to test the usability of the device. Our work is one of the first attempts to recognize and evaluate a variety of facial expressions with an unobtrusive wearable device.


SIR,-Your leading article (19 August, p. 433) reviewing conditions associated with spongy brain describes in some detail the autosomal recessive Canavan's disease but refers only to intoxication-namely, experimental hexachlorophane poisoning in animals. In this regard the recent epidemic in France of probable talc powder intoxication is relevant in that the 90 or so reported cases manifested signs consistent with what is thought to be hexachlorophane toxicity. Since April of this year some babies who had been treated for diaper rash allegedly with contaminated powder sustained progressively anorexia, extensor spasms, signs of decerebration, coma, and death. Results of extensive investigations were unremarkable but at necropsy massive oedema of myelin, predominantly in the deeper parts of the cortex and brain stem, with widespread cystic changes were found-that is, signs and pathology almost identical with those of Canavan's disease. It is possible therefore that the inborn error in Canavan's disease is a defect somewhere along the metabolic pathway of a common extrinsic factor, which after a degree of exposure to that factor results in over-production of an intermediate that is toxic in excess to myelin. Nothwithstanding, your fleeting reference to a toxic aetiology in animal experiments and its relegation to the bottom of the list should be reviewed. Indeed toxicity should be more often suspected as a cause of morbidity than it is.-I am, etc., H. PRATT Australian Embassy, Paris


A Dissertation submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Science in Applied Human Nutrition of Makerere University


A stylized fact of U.S. inflation dynamics is one of extreme persistence and possible unit root behavior. If so, the implications for macroeconomics and monetary policy are somewhat unpalatable. Our econometric analysis proposes a parsimonious univariate representation of the inflation process for the last 60 years, the nonlinear exponential smooth autoregressive. The empirical results confirm a number of the key features such as global stationarity, local unit root behavior, and lower persistence in the post-1983 period than in the pre-1983 period. We compare the forecasting ability of our model with that of competing univariate models and find that the nonlinear model outperforms the linear autoregressive model in the pre-1983 period and the random walk in the post-1983 period at short horizons.


Increasing durability, preventing knocking combustion, improving fuel efficiency and reducing pollutant emission characterize the needs for modern internal combustion engine design. These factors are highly influenced by the power cylinder system design. In particular, the piston ring to cylinder bore contact force distribution around the circumference of the piston rings must be optimized under all running conditions. To accomplish this, the ring manufacturers make the ring curvature non-constant along the circumference. Most existing analytical tools are not able to simulate the variation along the ring circumference. In order to improve the understanding of this contact distribution and provide a high-fidelity ring design tool, a three-dimensional finite element piston ring model was developed to accomplish this variation.The modeling procedure and results are presented in this work. Experiments using a commercially available ring with negative ovality were conducted to validate the model. The ring free shape profile and the ring cross-section geometries were used as inputs to the model. Typical piston ring groove and cylinder wall temperatures were also model inputs to characterize thermal influences on the ring/bore interface forces. The ring/bore conformability was analyzed as a function of the ring radial displacements, cylinder bore constraint forces and thermal load changes to the ring. The model output showed radially separation gaps between the ring front face and the bore. This analysis provides an insight to evaluate the piston ring design. Together with an optimizer, the model can be used as a ring design tool to predict the ring free shape with a specified constraint force distribution pattern. Examples are given to demonstrate the capabilities of this numerical analytical tool. In addition, the 3D ring model can be used to improve the accuracy of existing lubrication, friction and wear analysis tools and therefore improve the entire internal combustion engine power cylinder system design.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


We live today in an era of information explosion, ever increasing inflation, limited budgets for
competing national priorities, and a technology that is developing with insistent rapidity. The
reality of this experience presents huge challenges for the management and organisation of the
various systems that are developed within a particular environment, especially in all
information aspects. This research work is an attempt to highlight the current trends in computer networking of
libraries in various parts of the world and to explain the means by which the distribution of
information resources has been enhanced by the procedure. This is presented in an analytical
exposition of computer networking development and application in libraries. It describes the
functional characteristics of computer networking and the setting in which computer
networking technology and standards networks are used. It reviews computer networking as a
tool for co-ordination and co-operation among libraries and information centres. It also looks
at its application in the development and efficient use of information resources, examines the
structure of computer networks and the operations they perform. This research has revealed a
great deal of need for computer networking in the developing countries and indicates that the
National Library of Nigeria(NLN) should seek to become computer networked in order to
take her rightful position among the National Libraries(NLs) in Africa as the 'giant of Africa'.


The formation of terminally differentiated plasma cells represents the critical final step in B-cell differentiation. In this study, utilizing oligonucleotide microarray analysis, we describe the highly specialized genetic profile exhibited by terminally differentiated plasma cells. A total of 1476 known genes were differentially expressed by plasma cells compared with B cells. Plasma cells displayed an up-regulation, induction, or a selective retention of a unique constellation of transcription factors, including members of the AP-1, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), and octamer binding factor families. Interestingly, plasma cells also displayed a down-regulation of several RNA polymerase I- related factors, consistent with terminal differentiation, and exhibited a down-regulation of the TATA box binding protein. Furthermore, plasma cells displayed alterations in multiple components of the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways and showed a unique pattern of apoptosis and proliferation-associated genes. Unexpectedly, plasma cells displayed an up-regulation of 2 factors normally associated with microenvironmental positioning of neuronal cells, reelin and neuropilin-1. These results supply insight into the developmental genetics of plasma cell differentiation and provide a foundation for further analysis of plasma cell biology.


Humans are remarkably flexible tool users. We not only recognize a wide range of existing tools, but also produce new tools by seeing objects in new ways, or by making or repurposing objects to solve a problem confronting us. Here we study the cognitive processes supporting flexible tool use, including deciding what makes a good tool, and how it should be used. Participants played a video game which requires selecting an object from a set of options and placing it in a virtual physical scene in order to accomplish goals such as tipping another object over or launching it into a container. People appear to use a combination of simulation-based planning and experience-based heuristics: fast heuristics drive the initial selection and placement of a candidate tool, and that solution can then be refined by several rounds of mental simulation interspersed with trial-and-error experimentation to rapidly converge on goal-satisfying solutions.


The existence of a primary care physician shortage, even prior to the ACA, is not universally accepted. A new report by the Institute on Medicine found "no credible evidence" that the nation faces a looming physician shortage in primary care specialties. There is greater consensus about a maldistribution of physicians, in terms of specialty, geography, and practice settings. This new LDI/ Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) research brief reviews the evidence and how the ACA might affect current and future patterns of delivering primary care.


The gelation process is of importance for the structure and texture of the silica particle and further functionalization in the area of biomedical application. In a base-catalysis process the sodium phosphate or plus calcium nitrate salts could be added to induce the gelling velocity and particle size distribution. Multivalent anions (phosphate ions) or dication (calcium ions) induce the microscopic phase separation and accelerate gelation of silica sol. Furthermore, the composite silica nanospheres show excellent monodispersibility as well as pH-stability in the simulated body fluids or Tris-HCl buffer solution, which will help to surface modification and functionalization in the biomolecule-existing environments.


This paper reports the results of numerical nonlinear electro-thermo-mechanical analysis and experimental testing of a polymeric microgripper designed using electrothermal actuators. The simulation work was carried out using a finite element method (FEM) and a commercial software (Coventorware 2014). The biocompatible SU-8 polymer was used as structural material for the fabrication of the microgripper. The metallic micro-heater was encapsulated in the polymeric actuation structures of the microgripper to reduce the undesirable out-of-plane displacement of the microgripper tips, and to electrically isolate the micro-heater, and to reduce the mechanical stress as well as to improve the thermal efficiency. The electro- thermo-mechanical analysis of the actuator considers the nonlinear temperature-dependent properties of the SU-8 polymer and the gold thin film layers used for the micro-heater fabrication. An optical characterisation of the microgripper based on an image tracking approach shows the thermal response and the good repeatability. The average deflection is ~11 µm for an actuation current of ~17 mA. The experimentally obtained tip deflection and the heater temperature at different currents are both shown to be in good agreement with the nonlinear electro-thermo-mechanical simulation results. Finally, we demonstrate the capability of the microgripper by capture and manipulation of cotton fibres.


Fully plastic collapse stresses for circumferentially part-through cracked pipes subjected to bending stresses are estimated by Limit Load Criteria provided by the ASME Code Section XI. Allowable crack depths were determined by using the Limit Load Criteria and that are tabulated in the ASME Code Section XI for different plant service level conditions. On the other hand, crack penetration bending stresses for part-through cracked pipes were estimated by using the Local Approach of Limit Load Criteria. By using these Criteria, the study presented in this paper obtained allowable crack depths at penetration for circumferentially part-through cracked pipes.
 Comparing the allowable crack depths obtained by both methods for each service level, it is evident that the allowable crack depths at penetration calculated by the Local Approach of Limit Load Criteria are almost always smaller than those at fully plastic collapse stresses calculated by the Limit Load Criteria. It was found that the allowable crack depths provided by the ASME Code Section XI are less conservative for crack penetrations.


Thermovibrational flow can be seen as a variant of standard thermogravitational convection where steady gravity is replaced by a time-periodic acceleration. As in the parent phenomena, this type of thermal flow is extremely sensitive to the relative directions of the acceleration and the prevailing temperature gradient. Starting from the realization that the overwhelming majority of research has focused on circumstances where the directions of vibrations and of the imposed temperature difference are perpendicular, we concentrate on the companion case in which they are parallel. The increased complexity of this situation essentially stems from the properties that are inherited from the corresponding case with steady gravity, i.e., the standard Rayleigh–Bénard convection. The need to overcome a threshold to induce convection from an initial quiescent state, together with the opposite tendency of acceleration to damp fluid motion when its sign is reversed, causes a variety of possible solutions that can display synchronous, non-synchronous, time-periodic, and multi-frequency responses. Assuming a square cavity as a reference case and a fluid with Pr = 15, we tackle the problem in a numerical framework based on the solution of the governing time-dependent and non-linear equations considering different amplitudes and frequencies of the applied vibrations. The corresponding vibrational Rayleigh number spans the interval from Raω = 104 to Raω = 106. It is shown that a kaleidoscope of possible variants exist whose nature and variety calls for the simultaneous analysis of their temporal and spatial behavior, thermofluid-dynamic (TFD) distortions, and the Nusselt number, in synergy with existing theories on the effect of periodic accelerations on fluid systems.


ABSTRACT Situated at the crossroads of the Silk Road, Central Asia has been an arena of international competition for centuries. Today, a "New Great Game" appears to be taking place between Russia, China and, to a lesser extent, the United States and the European Union for regional hegemony. In the last two decades, Russia and China formed an "axis of convenience", both to counter Western influence and to thwart regional challenges; however, this has increasingly turned to rivalry in recent years, with China gradually replacing Russia as the chief power with regard to geo-economic and energy assets in some Central Asian countries. An analysis based on Power Transition Theory points to two possible future scenarios for the rivalry, namely China's predominance or a Chinese-Russian modus vivendi based on a 'division of labour'.


Rosin as a natural renewable resource has become an important research topic. The esterifiable rosin used to do the cation neutral sizing agent has the advantages of low dosage, good effect, and low demand for equipment. In this paper, the rosin esterification reaction temperature, reaction time had been made a detailed discussion. When the reaction temperature is 230°C, the reaction time is 6h, the dosage of ZnO (as the catalyst) is 0.2% (relative to the rosin), the acid value of rosin is the lowest, and the esterification has the most complete response. The emulsified rosin glyceride as the sizing was used in papermaking. The results showed that the sizing degree of paper was the highest when the dosage of sizing and Al2 (SO4)3 were both 1.5 %( relative to the dry pulp).


Preliminary studies suggest that lithium (Li) response might be associated with some circadian gene polymorphisms, we therefore performed a pharmacogenetic study on the core clock genes in two independent samples suffering from bipolar disorder (BD) and thoroughly characterized for their Li response. Two independent Caucasian samples (165 and 58 bipolar patients) treated with Li were selected from samples recruited in a French multicenter study and assessed for their Li response using the Alda scale. The two samples were genotyped using the Human660 (H660) and OmniExpress (OE) BeadChips and gene‐based association analyses of 22 core clock genes were conducted. In the first sample (H660 chip), the RAR‐related orphan receptor‐a gene (RORA) and the Peroxisome Proliferator‐Activated Receptor Gamma, Coactivator 1 Alpha gene (PPARGC1A or PGC‐1α) were significantly associated with the Li response (empirical P‐value = 0.0015 and 0.04, respectively), and remained significant only for RORA after Bonferroni correction. In the second sample (OE chip), PPARGC1A was significantly associated with the Li response (empirical P‐value = 0.04), and did not remain significant after Bonferroni correction. PPARGC1A is a master regulator of mitochondrial function and a key component of the endogenous clock that stimulates the expression of Bmal1 and Rev‐erb‐alpha through coactivation of RORA. Although the observed associations deserve further replication and investigation, our results suggest genetic associations between Li response and these two close biological partners: PPARGC1A and RORA involved in circadian rhythms and bioenergetics processes in Li response.


Cultivation of grapevines in sloping soils is very widespread all over the world, representing also a fundamental branch of the local economy of several hilly zones. Vineyards can be managed in different ways especially the inter-rows. These management practices may influence deeply soil properties and grapevine root development. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the effects of different agronomical practices of inter-rows on soil properties, grapevine root systems and proneness towards shallow landslides. We focused on traditional agricultural techniques of tillage and permanent grass cover as well as the alternation of these two practices between adjacent inter-rows. The studied parameters were: (i) soil physical and hydrological properties; (ii) soil biodiversity; (iii) root density; (iv) root mechanical properties and root reinforcement; (v) probability of occurrence of shallow landslides. The research was conducted in several test-sites of the Oltrepò Pavese (Lombardy region, north-western Italy), one of the most important Italian zones for wine production in northern Italian Apennines. Among the examined soil properties, soil hydraulic conductivity was the most influenced one by different soil management practices. The absence of soil tillage allowed to increase superficial (first 0.2 m of soil) hydraulic conductivity, as a consequence of higher macroporosity and amount in organic matter. Within the soil biological features, soil microarthropod communities showed more complexity where permanent grass cover or alternation management of the inter-rows were applied. Regarding the features of the grapevine root system, vineyards with alternation management of inter-rows had the highest root density and the strongest root reinforcement, of up to 45% in comparison to permanent grass cover, and up to 67–73% in comparison to tilled vineyards. As a consequence, slopes with medium steepness (10–18°) were unstable if inter-rows of vineyards were tilled, while vineyards with permanent grass cover or alternation in the inter rows promoted the stability of slopes with higher steepness (> 21–25° for vineyards with permanent grass cover in the inter rows, 28–33° for vineyards with alternation). The results of this study yielded important information to establish effective management practices of vineyards such as conserving organic matter and reducing slope instabilities by a better development of the root apparatus. Possible land use managements acting as mitigation measures for shallow landslides susceptibility could be also implemented. This work was supported by the project Oltrepò BioDiverso, funded by Fondazione Cariplo in the frame of AttivAree Program.


Abstract. We evaluated the taxonomic status of specimens representing two listed rare species of Pannaria in the Pacific Northwest, P. rubiginosa and P. rubiginella, based on DNA sequences of recently collected samples. We combined those data with new sequences for other Pannaria species in North America and South America as well as all available sequences from the P. rubiginosa and P. lurida groups plus closely related P. hookeri, based on results from initial analyses. Historically, P. rubiginosa and P. rubiginella have been separated in the Pacific Northwest based on the paraphenylenediamine (P) reaction of the cortex versus the medulla. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on ITS sequences demonstrated that both chemotypes belong to a single well-supported clade, and that it belongs to neither P. rubiginosa nor P. rubiginella. Instead, the Pacific Northwest material appears to belong to an undescribed species very similar morphologically to P. rubiginosa, but genetically and geographically distinct from that species and with smaller spores. We describe this new species as Pannaria oregonensis, assigning all of the material from the Pacific Northwest to this taxon, regardless of the location of the P+ reaction. This conclusion is supported by phylogenetic analysis of co-occurring populations of different chemotypes. We recommend removing P. rubiginella from the North American checklist. We also provide a revised key to the North American species of Pannaria, based on our current understanding. Furthermore, based on new sampling of Pannaria species from North and South America, we show a need for revision of the isidiate species of Pannaria, in particular P. tavaresii in the broad sense.


Among the human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) types, HTLV-1 is the most prevalent, and it has been linked to a spectrum of diseases, including HAM/TSP, ATLL, and hyperinfection syndrome or disseminated strongyloidiasis. There is currently no globally standard first-line treatment for HTLV-1 infection and its related diseases. To address this, a comprehensive review was conducted, analyzing 30 recent papers from databases PubMed, CAPES journals, and the Virtual Health Library (VHL). The studies encompassed a wide range of therapeutic approaches, including antiretrovirals, immunomodulators, antineoplastics, amino acids, antiparasitics, and even natural products and plant extracts. Notably, the category with the highest number of articles was related to drugs for the treatment of ATLL. Studies employing mogamulizumab as a new perspective for ATLL received greater attention in the last 5 years, demonstrating efficacy, safe use in the elderly, significant antitumor activity, and increased survival time for refractory patients. Concerning HAM/TSP, despite corticosteroid being recommended, a more randomized clinical trial is needed to support treatment other than corticoids. The study also included a comprehensive review of the drugs used to treat disseminated strongyloidiasis in co-infection with HTLV-1, including their administration form, in order to emphasize gaps and facilitate the development of other studies aiming at better-directed methodologies. Additionally, docking molecules and computer simulations show promise in identifying novel therapeutic targets and repurposing existing drugs. These advances are crucial in developing more effective and targeted treatments against HTLV-1 and its related diseases.


Americans will generate approximately seven trillion e-mails this year. Each year employees send hundreds of billions of e-mails from their work accounts. Some of these e-mails relate to personal matters, including communications with spouses and confidants such as attorneys and therapists. Yet, many employers have formal policies both prohibiting personal use of the work account and reserving the employer's right to monitor e-mails sent through the work account. The question has arisen whether the traditional privileges such as attorney-client and spousal attach to e-mails sent through the employee's work account. Does the employer policy negate the confidentiality ordinarily required for the privilege to attach? That general issue has triggered a number of splits of authority. Two are especially noteworthy. One question is whether the same confidentiality standard applies whether the employee is asserting the privilege against the employer or a third party. Some courts have indicated that the employee may invoke the privilege against a third party even when the employee could not assert the privilege against the employer. A second question is whether the existence of an employer policy automatically precludes privileges from attaching. Some courts have adopted a flexible, multi-factor test including such considerations as whether the employer actually monitors or has made inconsistent representations to the employee. However, other courts -- the majority -- have ruled that the existence of the employer policy is dispositive, precluding any privilege claim by the employee. This article criticizes the view that the confidentiality standard varies as well as the view that the existence of an employer policy is dispositive. Both views distort the basic concept of confidentiality. The first view is flawed because the concept of confidentiality requires the holder's intent to exclude all parties outside the circle of confidence. The employer is not within the circle including the employee and his or her confidant. Thus, if the employee impliedly consents to the employer's monitoring, there is no privilege to assert -- whether the opposing litigant is the employer or a third party. The second view is equally unsound. That view confuses the normative meaning of reasonable expectation in Fourth Amendment jurisprudence with the factual meaning of reasonable expectation in privilege law. Confidentiality is the central concept in modern privilege law. Three quarters of the published opinions addressing privilege issues turn on the confidentiality concept. The courts must resolve the modern disputes over the applicability of privileges to employees' e-mails on work accounts without distorting that basic concept.


A contradiction lies at the core of the modern law of speech and property. The contradiction is captured by four propositions, all of which are widely accepted, but all of which cannot be true.
Proposition 1: Freedom of speech is not subject to political revision.
Proposition 2: Within broad limits, property entitlements are subject to political revision.
Proposition 3: The freedom of speech does not include the right to use another person's property in order to convey one's message
Proposition 4: All speech requires the use of some property.
These four propositions cannot be reconciled. If it is true that economic entitlements, including most property rights, are subject to political revision, and if it is true that there is no right to use another's property for speech, and if it is true that speech requires property, then it cannot also be true that speech rights are immune from political revision.
This article explores the ramifications of this simple but puzzling syllogism, using the Supreme Court's decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale as a central example. It concludes that contradictions in Supreme Court doctrine at the intersection of property and speech law make both our speech and property regimes less stable than they might at first appear to be.


This paper examines the effects of structural changes in financial system on corporate finance and governance in Japan, and discusses the future directions. The primary purpose of the study is twofold: to identify important features of changes in financial system in Japan and their effects on corporate finance and governance; to develop insights concerning corporate governance and capital market under institutional and regulatory environments. Major shifts in the Japanese corporate governance are under way. The significant changes in the Japanese financial system are now in consideration: new standards of accounting and financial disclosure, heightened capital adequacy requirements for banks, and reforms in the financial system. As the economy continues to be sluggish, the effective role of relationship-based governance system is under serious consideration. As a result, the market-based governance system is likely more effective.


PURPOSE
To analyze the signal intensity (SI) of benign hepatocellular lesions in high-b-value diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) images and to compare the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs) with those of hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This retrospective study was approved by institutional review board, with waiver of informed consent. Inclusion criteria were consecutive patients with diagnosed FNH or HCA who underwent MR imaging with a DW sequence of the liver at three b values, 0, 150, and 600 sec/mm2. The final study population included 67 patients (seven men, 60 women) with 90 hepatocellular lesions (54 FNHs, 36 HCAs). The mean ADC was compared between the lesions and the liver. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of ADC for differentiating HCAs and FNHs.

RESULTS
The mean ADC value of all FNHs and HCAs was significantly lower than that of the liver (P=.004). An ADC ratio below 15% was observed in 50 of 54 (93%) FNHs and in 29 of 36 (81%) HCAs. The mean ADC value of FNHs was significantly higher than that of HCAs (P<.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.760. With a cutoff value of 1.37×10(-3) mm2/sec, the sensitivity and specificity for differentiating HCA from FNH were 70% and 76%, respectively. There was no significant difference in ADC values between HCA subtypes. The SI of most FNHs and HCAs (78 of 90, 87%) increased with increasing b values, whereas none showed a decrease in SI with increasing b values. When the DW MR criteria for benign and malignant liver tumors were applied, 44 of 90 (49%) lesions would have been considered malignant lesions, whereas the other lesions (46 of 90, 51%) would have been considered indeterminate.

CONCLUSION
On DW MR images, benign hepatocellular lesions often show findings that suggest restricted diffusion.


A cost combined life cycle environmental assessment was carried out to estimate the economic and environmental impact of wastewater treatment in the pulp production site of China. Results showed that the impact seen from abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity, and marine aquatic ecotoxicity categories represented an important contribution to the overall environmental impact, while the impact seen from human toxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and photochemical oxidation categories played relatively small role. Specifically, the machine, electricity, coagulant production processes had the highest contribution to the overall environmental and economic impact. Improving electricity and chemicals applications efficiency are the efficient way to minimize overall environmental and economic impacts.


Progenitor cells have the capability to home myocardium in response to ischemia. Cell adhesion markers, in particular integrins, play an important role in the trafficking of stem cells to myocardium. In addition, damaged myocardium secretes several chemokines and growth factors that recruit these precursor cells to the heart. Nitric oxide synthase and hormones can also contribute to the trafficking of progenitor cells to myocardium. The recruit - ment of stem cells to ischemic myocardium is a complex interchange between cell adhesion markers, chemokines, and growth factors and a better understanding of these processes may lead to more efficient use of stem cells for therapeutic benefit.


Even though the application of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) as a concrete reinforcement becomes more common with various advantages, one of the inherent shortcomings may include its brittleness and on-site fabrication and handling. Therefore, the shape of FRP products has been limited only to a straight bar or sheet type. This study suggests a new technique to use glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars for the shear reinforcement in concrete beams, and investigates its applicability. The developed GFRP stirrup was used in the concrete instead of ordinary steel stirrups. The experimental program herein evaluates the effectiveness of the GFRP stirrups with respect to different shear reinforcing ratios under three different shear span-to-depth testing schemes. At the same shear reinforcing ratio, the ultimate loads of the beams were similar regardless the shear reinforcing materials. Once a major crack occurs in concrete, however, the failure modes seemed to be relatively brittle with GFRP stirrups. From the measured strains on the surface of concrete, the shear stresses sustained by the stirrups were calculated and the efficiency of the GFRP stirrups was shown to be 91% to 106% depending on the shear span-to-depth ratio.


1.1. Of the numerous instruments that have been devised for the measure ment of the speed of flowing gases, the pitot-static combination alone has proved itself suitable for use as a standard. I t owes its superiority in this respect mainly to the fact that its calibration factor has been found to be constant over a large range of Reynolds number and is affected only by mechanical damage of a kind tha t can easily be detected by cursory inspection. A single calibration therefore endures throughout the life of the instrument. For this reason the combined pitot-static tube, in one or other of a few types differing only in unimportant details, has been universally adopted as a standard and, although in many circumstances other apparatus or instruments may be more conveniently used for measuring gas-flow, the calibration of such apparatus or instruments has always ultimately to be referred to pitot-static measurements. 1.2. The construction of a pitot-static tube will be clear from fig. 3 (a). I t consists of two coaxial tubes A and B arranged over part of their length with their axes parallel to the direction of motion of the flowing gas. This portion of the instrument is known as the " head," while the " stem " comprises those parts of the tubes perpendicular to the head. The stem is generally con siderably longer than the head for convenience in mounting the instrument in the required position without interfering with the flow past the head. Tube A is open to the stream only at its end C, which must be arranged to face the motion, while tube B is sealed from tube A entirely and from the stream except at the series of small orifices shown at D. Provision is made at the other ends of the tubes in the stem to connect each to one side of a differential manometer. There is then no flow through the tubes and it is found that if the shapes and proportions of the head are properly chosen, the pressure acting at the aperture C is the total head in the stream (that is the velocity head plus the static pressure), while that at the orifices D is very nearly equal to the static pressure. The differential head indicated by the manometer


The functional roles of metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) 1 in integrative brain functions were investigated using a potent and selective mGluR1 allosteric antagonist, FTIDC [4-[1-(2-fluoropyridine-3-yl)-5-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]-N-isopropyl-N-methyl-3,6-dihydropyridine-1(2H)-carboxamide], in comparison with the mGluR5 allosteric antagonist and the mGluR2/3 orthosteric agonist in rodents. FTIDC reduced maternal separation-induced ultrasonic vocalization and stress-induced hyperthermia without affecting behaviors in the elevated plus maze. An mGluR5 antagonist, 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (MPEP), and an mGluR2/3 agonist, LY379268 [(1R,4R,5S,6R)-4-amino-2-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-4,6-dicarboxylic acid], showed anxiolytic activities in these models, suggesting involvement of postsynaptic mGluR1 in stress-related responses comparable with mGluR5 and mGluR2/3. Analgesic effects of FTIDC were seen in the formalin test but not in the tail immersion test. FTIDC selectively blocked methamphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion and disruption of prepulse inhibition, whereas MPEP and LY379268 did not alter those behaviors, suggesting that pharmacological blockade of mGluR1 could result in antipsychotic-like effects. FTIDC did not elicit catalepsy or impair motor functions at 10 times higher dose than doses showing antipsychotic-like action. In conclusion, blockade of mGluR1 showed antipsychotic-like effects without impairing motor functions, whereas blockade of mGluR5 and activation of mGluR2/3 did not display such activities.


A new species of the fish genus Ilyodon is described from San Juan Tacámbaro river, Michoacán, México 19 degrees 10' 42" N, 101 degrees 20' 45" W. We used 129 specimens representing I. whitei, 60 of I. furcidens and 84 of the new species for our analyses. These included samples of both sexes. The new species is distinguished from I. whitei and I. furcidens by its strongly convex cephalic profile, the size and disposition of the pores of the lateral line of the preorbital, the thinner caudal peduncle, its strongly bifid tooth and the form and size of neural prezygapophyses of caudal vertebrae.


With increasing computation power, network bandwidth, and improvements in display and capture technologies, fully immersive conferencing and tele-immersion is becoming ever closer to reality. Outside of video, one of the key components needed is high quality spatialized audio. This paper presents an implementation of a relatively low complexity, simple solution which allows realistic audio spatialization of arbitrary positions in a 3D video conference. When combined with pose tracking, it also allows the audio to change relative to which position on the screen the viewer is looking at.


The surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus is abundant and widely distributed on reefs throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Population samples at 15 sites that spanned 158° of longitude and 40° of latitude across both hemispheres of the Indian and Pacific oceans allowed us to examine geographic variation in longevity, growth rate and adult size of this species. Samples from 5 sites in the Indian Ocean, 6 in the western Pacific and 4 in the central Pacific provided otolith-based estimates of size-at-age for 1537 individuals. All populations displayed rapid growth to a distinct asymptotic size, a pattern characteristic of many acanthuroid fishes. In both oceans, fish lived longer at higher latitudes; in addition, Indian Ocean populations tended to be shorter-lived than those in the Pacific Ocean. In contrast, growth rate and adult size did not differ between the 2 oceans, and were not related to temperature (as a proxy for latitude) in either the Pacific or the Indian Ocean. Further, we found no relationship between fishing pressure and longevity, growth or adult size across our set of sampling sites, among which fishing pressure on this species varied from intense to zero. We hypothesize that (1) growth and adult size are most responsive to local environmental features unre- lated to latitudinal (temperature) effects; and (2) variation in longevity reflects a combination of responses to latitudinal (temperature) gradients and as yet unidentified environmental differences between the Indian and Pacific oceans.


Abstract A filtering integration scheme based on a modification of the inversion integral for the Laplace transform (LT) is developed and implemented in a barotropic limited-area model. The LT scheme is compared to a conventional scheme and shown to simulate faithfully the low-frequency evolution of the atmosphere while eliminating high-frequency oscillations. The scheme is combined with a Lagrangian treatment of advection giving stable integrations for long time steps. Simple perturbation experiments show that the LT model can absorb an imposed disturbance without data shock. It is superior in this respect to more conventional schemes and may prove useful for asynoptic data assimilation. An alternative formulation of the filtering scheme using the Z transform is described. This techniques applied to a system of equations that have been discretized with respect to time. The Z-transform scheme is shown to behave in a manner similar to the Laplace-transform scheme.


As Mass Customization has become the main production mode of company, a growing number of companies begin to accept and implement product platform strategy. For the better understanding of product platform innovation and management, the Product Platform Life Cycle (PPLC) theory and its corresponding management strategies are proposed. Firstly, based on the theory of product platform, this paper proposes mathematical model for PPLC and the stages of Planning, Development, Application and Recession in PPLC are divided qualitatively. Then characteristics of the four stages of PPLC are pointed out. According to the characteristics of various stage and disturbance factors, the management strategies in various stages of PPLC are put forward.