The dispersion properties of a thin-film optical waveguide for TE and TM modes are expressed in simple and general analytic forms. These formulas describe the variation of the effective refractive index with respect to any physical parameter with which the refractive index of any layer or the thickness of the guiding layer may vary. Universal curves for both TE and TM modes are given, and applications of the formulas are discussed.


We present a robust optimization approach to the problem of pricing a capacitated product over a finite time horizon in the presence of demand uncertainty. This technique does not require the knowledge of the underlying probability distributions, which in practice are difficult to estimate accurately, and instead models random variables as uncertain parameters belonging to a polyhedral uncertainty set. A novelty of the proposed approach is that, instead of imposing an upper bound on the number of uncertain parameters that can reach their worst-case value, which is known as a budget-of-uncertainty constraint and has received much attention in the robust optimization literature, we introduce a budget of resource consumption by the uncertainty. This budget limits the amount of the resource that can be used by the random part of the cumulative demand, and allows us to derive key insights on the structure of the optimal solution for a broad class of nominal demand functions. We establish the existence of a reference price for the product and show that this new parameter plays a crucial role in understanding the impact of uncertainty on the optimal prices. In particular, it is not always optimal to decrease prices when demand is uncertain. Whether it is optimal or not will instead depend on whether the price at a given time period is above or below the reference price, and whether the maximal amount of uncertainty at that time exceeds a threshold. We compare the optimal solution in the cases of additive and multiplicative uncertainty and analyze the problem with linear nominal demand in detail. Numerical results are encouraging.


Although mosquitoes can be annoying, and some are serious health threats, they can play an important role in natural communities. ENY-727S, an 8-page Spanish language illustrated fact sheet by Jorge R. Rey, presents an unbiased view of this versatile organism. Includes information about the mosquito life cycle, exactly what is happening when a mosquito bites someone, how to avoid mosquito bites, and how they transmit diseases. The author also addresses several common misconceptions about mosquitos and provides several sources of additional information and references. Published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, September 2006. Also available in English (ENY-727, The Mosquito).


The Sustainable development strategies' focus is on five dimensions: economic sustainability, social sustainability, ecological sustainability, sustainable spatial development, and cultural continuity. Thus, sustainable housing is one of the fundamental pillars of sustainable development, and sustainable urban development can be discussed in this context. The target of sustainable urban development process is to achieve the status of "sustainability" in urban communities and also to create or to strengthen the sustainability's characteristics of economic, social, cultural and environmental city.This essay tries first to have a brief review on the history of sustainable development. Then, it continues to find out how to promote that concept and why it is necessary to be focused through different definitions.To understand the principles and pillars of sustainable development, based on the current worlds' environmental, economic, social and political realities, concepts, words and condition of the Earth Summit, the Rio Declaration and the Works Program of 21 and the different experts and researchers' views are used. Then by reviewing the principles and concepts of sustainable development (in general), a primary concept of sustainable urban development (in particular) is achieved. Finally, some general suggestions are made on the sustainable urban development, urban planning and the importance of providing realization conditions of the urban sustainable development.What is important here is to emphasis on Physical – space considerations which are under focus in this research too. And the most important points which should be considered as a Physical consideration in sustainable settlement is also mentioned in this paper.By comparing what should be done with what is today common in urban development planning, and according to above-mentioned comments and topics, it can be concluded that to achieve the urban sustainability, It is necessary to make some structural reforms and to create some deep and fundamental changes in all levels of society, especially in the three levels of: 'government and management', 'technology' and 'life methods'


This issue offers excellent papers on a variety of topics. Here, I highlight two original research papers on genetic counselor training. BThe Relationship Between the Supervisory Working Alliance and Student Self-Efficacy in Genetic Counseling Training,^ Caldwell, S., Wusik, K., He, H., et al. J Genet Counsel (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-018-0263-3 This paper represents a breakthrough in the empirical study of clinical supervision for genetic counseling trainees. It deftly demonstrates how one can create an evidence base relevant to clinical supervision by examining tenets of the Reciprocal Engagement Model–Supervision, the only theoretical model of genetic counseling supervision. In this particular case, the authors designed a study that produced data bearing on the second tenet, that is, the role of a supervisory working alliance in the development of the trainee. Second year genetic counseling trainees completed surveys assessing their perceptions of the supervisory working alliance and their selfefficacy using the recently published Genetic Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale. Analyses demonstrated that self-efficacy and trainee's perception of the supervisory working alliance are associated, suggesting that student's confidence in their clinical skills may be enhanced if supervisors are encouraged to build a strong relationship with their trainees. These results are not only important in their own right but also provide a foundation for evidence-based clinical supervision! BTraining Methods for Delivering Difficult News in Genetic Counseling and Genetics Residency Training Programs,^ Andoni, L., Hobson, W.L., Carey, J.C., et al. J Genet Counsel (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-0180271-3 Genetic counselors and clinical geneticists often work together, and though they may have distinctly different responsibilities in some areas, there is overlap in other areas. This paper by Andoni and colleagues is unique because it examines how genetic counseling trainees and clinical geneticist trainees are trained on a topic of overlap between the two professional groups, in this case, delivering difficult news to patients. The paper not only provides very useful information on training methods for delivering difficult news but also illustrates similarities and differences in the training of these two professional groups. Their results showed that these methods are more fully integrated into genetic counseling program curricula than genetics residency curricula, a finding that the authors hypothesize could be related to the emphasis on communication within the practice-based competencies of the genetic counseling profession. Overall, these results are interesting because they illustrate different approaches to addressing the same topic. Future research is needed to determine if these curricular differences are associated with trainee performance or patient outcomes.


Acute respiratory disease (ARD) caused by 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has rapidly spread throughout China. Children and adults show a different clinical course. The purpose of the current study is to comparatively analyze the clinical characteristics of 2019-nCoV infection in children and adults and to explore the possible causes for the discrepancies present. The medical records of 25 adults and 7 children confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV ARD were reviewed retrospectively. All children were family clusters. The total adult patients were differentiated into: the local residents of Wuhan, a history of travel to Wuhan and direct contact with people from Wuhan. The numbers were 14 (56%), 10 (40%) & 1 (4%), respectively. The median incubation period of children and adults was 5 days (range 3-12 days) and 4 days (range 2-12 days), respectively. Diarrhoea and/or vomiting (57.1%) were more common in children, whereas for adults it was myalgia or fatigue (52%). On admission, the percentage of children having pneumonia (5, 71.4%) was roughly the same as adults (20, 80%). 20% of adults had leucopoenia, but leukocytosis was more frequently in children (28.6%, P=0.014). A higher number of children had elevated creatine kinase isoenzyme (57.1% vs. 4%, P=0.004). Antiviral therapy was given to all adult patients but to none of the children. In summary, knowledge of these differences between children and adults will not only be helpful for the clinical diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but also for a future discussion on age-specific coronavirus infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


We present a first-principles method for studying the electronic transport through nanoscale atomic systems under non-equilibrium conditions. The method is based on density functional theory, and allows the calculation of the response of the system to an applied finite potential difference. The potential drop profile and induced electronic current (and therefore the conductance) are obtained from first principles. The method takes into account the atomic structure of both the nanoscale structure and the semi-infinite electrodes through which the potential is applied. Non-equilibrium Green's function techniques are used to calculate the quantum conductance. Here we apply the method to the study of the electronic transport in wires of gold and silver with atomic thickness. We show the results of our calculations, and compare with some of the abundant experimental data on these systems.


OBJECTIVE: This study examined the bioactivity of porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS Wound Matrix [SISWM], USP) and oxidized regenerated cellulose/collagen (ORC). DESIGN: Bioactivity was assessed in vitro as the ability to stimulate neurite outgrowth in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, proliferation of human fibroblasts, secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from human fibroblasts, and in an in vivo angiogenesis model. In the angiogenesis model, SISWM and ORC were implanted subcutaneously into the mice, and vessel ingrowth was assessed at day 21 after implantation using fluorescence microangiography and histology. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The change in cellular differentiation, proliferation, growth factor secretion, and angiogenesis over the negative control was measured after exposure to SISWM or ORC. MAIN RESULTS: SISWM increased neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells by approximately 22% over negative controls and induced proliferation in 50.8% of human fibroblasts. These increases were comparable to positive controls. ORC was not active in either of these assays. SISWM also stimulated fibroblast VEGF secretion to a greater extent (422.4 pg/mL) than ORC (4.2 pg/mL) (P < .001). At 21 days, fluorescence microangiography showed dense infiltration of blood vessels in the SISWM that extended approximately 3 mm from the edge of the disc. In contrast, the ORC implant showed blood vessel incursion less than 1 mm from the edge of the disc, and it dissolved in the site. CONCLUSIONS: SISWM shows much greater bioactivity than ORC. This is likely related to its close structural and biochemical approximation to natural dermal extracellular matrix and may help explain the strong clinical successes of SISWM.


To date, few double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant in pure cocaine abusers or in cocaine abusers with comorbid disorders have been reported. In this study, 17 patients with DSM-III-R diagnoses of major depressive disorder, alcohol dependence, and cocaine abuse were included along with 34 non-cocaine-abusing depressed alcoholics in a pharmacotherapy trial involving the SSRI antidepressant fluoxetine. All 51 patients participated in a double-blind, parallel group study of fluoxetine versus placebo in depressed alcoholics. The principal focus of this article is the one-third of the depressed alcoholics who also abused cocaine and how the treatment response of those 17 patients compared with that of the 34 depressed alcoholics who did not abuse cocaine. During the study, no significant difference in treatment outcome was noted between the fluoxetine group (N = 8) and the placebo group (N = 9) for cocaine use, alcohol use, or depressive symptoms. In addition, no significant within-group improvement was noted for any of these outcome variables in either of the two treatment groups. Indeed, across the combined sample of 17 depressed alcoholic cocaine abusers, the mean Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score worsened slightly from 19 to 21 during the course of the study, and 71 percent of the patients continued to complain of suicidal ideations at the end of the study. The 17 cocaine-abusing depressed alcoholics showed a significantly worse outcome than the 34 non-cocaine abusing depressed alcoholics on the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and BDI depression scales and on multiple measures of alcohol consumption. These findings suggest that comorbid cocaine abuse acts as a robust predictor of poor outcome for the drinking and the depressive symptoms of depressed alcoholics.


This thesis emanated from a conviction that major gaps in our knowledge of Liberal history remain, especially in the realm of regional politics. The research aims to challenge the widely held view that Tyneside was a bastion of Liberalism for the greater part of the nineteenth century. Summary electoral statistics are shown to be wholly unreliable as a description of the prevailing political ethos. The dynastic dominance of the Cowen family and, in particular, the salutary influence of Joseph Cowen Jnr. (1829-1900) ensured that Tyneside retained its strong radical tradition.
The work begins by identifying the powerful agrarian and international roots of local politics and hiqhlighting the pivotal role of Thomas Spence. Tyneside was demonstrably in the vanguard of early nineteenth century movements, notably the 1832 Reform Act campaign and Chartism. In 1848, Cowen redirected radical energies into the cause of European nationalism and subsequently regenerated electoral reform through the formation of the Northern Reform Union. Politically ambitious, he sought to to win the confidence and loyalty of the working classes by involving himself in a plethora of 'improving' organisations. He actively encouraged mechanics' institutes to adopt a democratic structure and was responsible for introducing Cooperation into the region in 1859. Under his proprietorship, the Newcastle Chronicle became a powerful medium for the dissemination of radical ideas, thus extending his influence
far beyond the immediate locality.
By 1873, Cowen's charismatic leadership was a reckonable force, uniquely strengthening his bargaining position and making him powerbroker of the Radical/Liberal alliance. The Irish dimension of Tyneside politics, it is argued, was extremely important. Elsewhere, the Irish vote proved to be notoriously unpredictable. His staunch defence of Irish interests and close friendship with prominent Irish nationalists ensured that all the available Irish votes were pledged in his favour. The thesis concludes by appraising Cowen's apparent conversion to an imperialist foreign policy, and considers how far this constituted a compromise of his patriotic radical principles.


We construct a model where firms compete in both political and economic markets. In political markets, firms compete for influence over government transfer policy (rents). This activity can be beneficial for the firm, but is purely wasteful from the point of view of society because resources are utilized to achieve a redistribution of income. In the economic market, firms compete for market share through cost reducing technological innovation. Market structure plays an important role in this economy because competition drives firms to invest more in innovation resulting in higher growth. Rent-seeking affects economic growth in two important ways. It diverts resources away from innovation and it affects the number of firms that are supported in equilibrium. The former has a negative effect on growth while the latter effect is ambiguous, depending on whether rent seeking induces entry or exit. This market structure effect depends on a combination of political and economic factors that the theory highlights.


The ABA's 2016 promulgation of Model Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(g) has stoked an unnecessary culture war between the First Amendment and anti-discrimination. Thus far, the overarching trend of states has been to reject the rule in light of its potential infringement of lawyer First Amendment rights. Nevertheless the promulgation of the rule has led to the proliferation of legal scholarship that discards lawyer First Amendment rights in the shadow of defending Model Rule 8.4(g). This body of scholarship has dire potential consequences in diverse disciplinary and regulatory contexts and can be relied upon by state bars and judiciaries to punish lawyers without recourse to the First Amendment. By protecting lawyer speech, association, and petitioning, the First Amendment works to protect the lawyer's role in the system of justice and cannot be discarded without undermining justice itself.

Importantly, neither the ABA nor the states needs to cut down the First Amendment to appropriately curb lawyer discrimination and harassment. The recent redrafting and adoption of anti-discrimination rules by Maine and New Hampshire demonstrate that drafting such a rule can be done without jettisoning the First Amendment rights of lawyers. Rather than continuing to inflame the culture war by forcing people to take sides in a false dichotomy between the First Amendment and anti-discrimination, the ABA and defenders of Model Rule 8.4(g) should own the constitutional deficiencies of the rule and work to redraft a constitutionally sound rule. Taking such a course would work to actually curb harassment and discrimination because an appropriately narrowed rule would be far more likely to be adopted by states and to remain law after enactment without constitutional challenge.


To understand a visual scene, the brain segregates figures from background by assigning borders to foreground objects. Neurons in primate visual cortex encode which object owns a border (border ownership), but the underlying circuitry is not understood. Here we used multielectrode probes to record from border ownership selective units in different layers in macaque visual area V4 to study the laminar organization and timing of border ownership selectivity. We find that border ownership selectivity occurs first in deep layer units, in contrast to spike latency for small stimuli in the classical receptive field. Units on the same penetration typically share the preferred side of border ownership, also across layers, similar to orientation preference. Units are often border ownership selective for a range of border orientations, where the preferred sides of border ownership are systematically organized in visual space. Together our data reveal a columnar organization of border ownership in V4 where the earliest border ownership signals are not simply inherited from upstream areas, but computed by neurons in deep layers, and may thus be part of signals fed back to upstream cortical areas or the oculomotor system early after stimulus onset. The finding that preferred border ownership is clustered and can cover a wide range of spatially contiguous locations, suggests that the asymmetric context integrated by these neurons is provided in a systematically clustered manner, possibly through corticocortical feedback and horizontal connections.


A simulation analysis demonstrates the use of tuition as a policy tool to achieve financial independence among the six South Dakota public universities under University Managed Resources (UMR). The simulation analysis maintains an overall environment of funding stability and is guided by horizontal equity, a concept from the economics of public finance that all entities of the same or similar situation are treated similarly. Financial independence is defined as an annual budgeting process with no reallocation of financial resources among or between the six universities. For each of the three indicators of horizontal equity simulated, achieving financial independence also realized a convergence of base funding per state-support-tuition student full-time-equivalents (FTE) among the six universities.


This paper aims to profile solo independent women travellers in Tropical North Queensland, describe their key motivations for travel and behaviours, and locate this group on a typology of solo independent travellers in Australia. Previous research has painted solo independent women at one end of a travel spectrum as fearful and risk-adverse and at another end, as risk-takers who have few concerns about safety within the destination. This analysis is based on visitor surveys completed over 21 months at Cairns Airport (n = 2,618). The results indicated that solo independent women travellers (n = 228) felt safe in the destination and participated in a wide variety of activities including those with some degree of risk.


We have previously reported that the expression of mitochondrial deacetylase SIRT3 is high in the slow oxidative muscle and that the expression of muscle SIRT3 level is increased by dietary restriction or exercise training. To explore the function of SIRT3 in skeletal muscle, we report here the establishment of a transgenic mouse model with muscle-specific expression of the murine SIRT3 short isoform (SIRT3M3). Calorimetry study revealed that the transgenic mice had increased energy expenditure and lower respiratory exchange rate (RER), indicating a shift towards lipid oxidation for fuel usage, compared to control mice. The transgenic mice exhibited better exercise performance on treadmills, running 45% further than control animals. Moreover, the transgenic mice displayed higher proportion of slow oxidative muscle fibers, with increased muscle AMPK activation and PPARδ expression, both of which are known regulators promoting type I muscle fiber specification. Surprisingly, transgenic expression of SIRT3M3 reduced muscle mass up to 30%, likely through an up-regulation of FOXO1 transcription factor and its downstream atrophy gene MuRF-1. In summary, these results suggest that SIRT3 regulates the formation of oxidative muscle fiber, improves muscle metabolic function, and reduces muscle mass, changes that mimic the effects of caloric restriction.


Mutations in KRAS and over-expression of MET, the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor, are both negative prognostic factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). We studied the KRAS-MET interplay using human isogenic CRC cells with defined KRAS status and human HGF knock-in SCID mice, thereby reproducing species-specific HGF-MET paracrine signaling. We show that KRAS-mutant CRC cells display an extraordinary high glycolytic rate that makes them 'addicted' to glycolysis. When glucose availability is scarce or upon drug-mediated impairment of glucose metabolism, KRAS-mutant cells rapidly undergo apoptosis, unless 'salvaged' by micro-environment-borne HGF, which permits their survival by enhancing glucose influx, sustaining glycolysis and activating autophagy, thus improving energetic efficiency and preventing a mitotic catastrophe. In an orthotopic model of metastatic CRC using human HGF knock-in SCID mice and human KRAS-mutant CRC cells, combined pharmacological blockade of glucose metabolism and of HGF/MET signaling resulted in synthetic lethality and achieved superior tumor inhibition and metastasis suppression compared to metabolism-active drugs or HGF/MET inhibitors alone. In the same system, paracrine HGF signaling also protected KRAS-mutant tumors against anti-angiogenic therapy, which caused more dramatic and less specific metabolic stress by depriving tumors of both nutrients and oxygen. However, in contrast to selective glucose metabolism impairment, anti-angiogenic therapy exacerbated tumor hypoxia, promoted HGF-dependent metastatic dissemination and gave rise to acquired resistance. These results indicate that selective impairment of glucose metabolism is a much safer and effective approach to target KRAS-mutant CRC metabolic vulnerability compared to angiogenesis inhibition. They also show that microenvironment-borne HGF is a major source of resistance to anti-tumor therapies that cause metabolic stress to cancer cells. Considering that angiogenesis inhibition is the only biological therapy currently available for KRAS-mutant tumors, the data generated by this study open new perspectives for the treatment of this highly aggressive cancer type. Citation Format: Alessia Mira, Paolo Michieli. Concomitant blockade of glucose uptake and paracrine HGF signaling uncovers the metabolic vulnerability of KRAS-mutant colorectal tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr C116.


Competitive sorption capacity of equal concentration of Cs+ and Sr2+ in zeolite and palygorskite were studied by the intermittence method. zeolite and palygorskite of adsorbed Cs+ and Sr2+ were analysed with the XRD. They could offer some references for the sake of valuing mid-lower radwaste disposition. The results showed that adsorptive equilibrium time of NF to Cs+ and Sr2+ was about seven day, that of ZF was about three day, and that of CA was about fourteen day. Equilibrium adsorptive quantity of ZF to Cs+ and Sr2+ was the best, and that of NF was second, and that of CA was third. Sorption capacity of NF to Cs+ was the better than that to Sr2+, and selection of CA to Cs+ and Sr2+ was the little, and that of ZF was the lest. Equilibrium adsorptive rate of ZF to Sr2+ was almost the 100% and that of ZF to Cs+ was about 71.8% and that of NF to Cs+ was 66% and that of NF to Sr2+ was only 15% and that of CA to Sr2+ was about 28.6% and that of CA to Cs+ was only 16.4%. Crystal unit cell cubage and parameter a of zeolite and palygorskite adsorbed Cs+ and Sr2+ decreased and change of crystal unit cell parameter a、b and β of zeolite and palygorskite were ruleless.


The physics of optical vortices, also known as twisted light, is now a well-established and a growing branch of optical physics with a number of important applications and significant inter-disciplinary connections. Optical vortex fields of widely varying forms and degrees of complexity can be realised in the laboratory by a host of different means. The interference between such beams with designated orbital angular momenta and optical spins (the latter is associated with wave polarisations) can be structured to conform to various geometrical arrangements. The focus of this review is on how such tailored forms of light can exert a controllable influence on atoms with which they interact. The main physical effects involve atoms in motion due to application of optical forces. The now mature area of atom optics has had notable successes both of fundamental nature and in applications such as atom lasers, atom guides and Bose–Einstein condensates. The concepts in atom optics encompass not only atomic beams interacting with light, but atomic motion in general as influenced by optical and other fields. Our primary concern in this review is on atoms in structured light where, in particular, the twisted nature of the light is made highly complex with additional features due to wave polarisation. These features bring to the fore a variety of physical phenomena not realisable in the context of atomic motion in more conventional forms of laser light. Atoms near resonance with such structured light fields become subject to electromagnetic fields with complex polarisation and phase distributions, as well as intricately structured intensity gradients and radiative forces. From the combined effect of optical spin and orbital angular momenta, atoms may also experience forces and torques involving an interplay between the internal and centre of mass degrees of freedom. Such interactions lead to new forms of processes including scattering, trapping and rotation and, as a result, they exhibit characteristic new features at the micro-scale and below. A number of distinctive properties involving angular momentum exchange between the light and the atoms are highlighted, and prospective applications are discussed. Comparison is made between the theoretical predictions in this area and the corresponding experiments that have been reported to date.


Abstract This paper provides empirical interpretation of the do(x)do(x) operator when applied to non-manipulable variables such as race, obesity, or cholesterol level. We view do(x)do(x) as an ideal intervention that provides valuable information on the effects of manipulable variables and is thus empirically testable. We draw parallels between this interpretation and ways of enabling machines to learn effects of untried actions from those tried. We end with the conclusion that researchers need not distinguish manipulable from non-manipulable variables; both types are equally eligible to receive the do(x)do(x) operator and to produce useful information for decision makers.


Comparative effects of effluents from six major industries viz. Diesel Power House, Hetaunda Iron and Steel, Hulas Wire, Himalaya Soap and Chemicals, Leather Industry, Shah Udyog and sub-metropolitan Sewage of Biratnagar on germination and seedling growth of rice and black gram were studied. Effluent of Himalaya Soap and Chemicals showed toxic lethal effect on both the test crops. On germination rice remained more sensitive and susceptible to the toxic effects of industrial effluents but black gram proved to be more tolerant. Effluents of Diesel power House and Shah Udyog remained toxic for seedling growth of black gram as their effects were significant while Leather Industry effluent showed toxic effect on rice for germination as well as seedling growth. Keywords: Industrial effluents, Sewage, Germination doi:10.3126/on.v1i1.296 Our Nature (2003) 1: 10-14


The Basidiomycota, also called club fungi, comprise a diverse group of fungi. Basidiomycota are strongly related to ecosystem functioning along with human life. These fungi display a wide range of bioactivities, and some are known to produce of deadly toxins or hallucinogens. Some Basidiomycota have be used as medicinal mushrooms for thousands of years. Recently, the biosyntheses of several classes of natural products from Basidiomycota have been reported. Here, we review recent studies on the biosynthetic pathways and enzymes of bioactive natural products from Basidiomycota fungi, with a focus on terpenoids, alkaloids, ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), and polyketides.


Identification of transcriptional regulatory mechanisms and signaling networks involved in the response of host to infection by SARS-CoV-2 is a powerful approach that provides a systems biology view of gene expression programs involved in COVID-19 and may enable identification of novel therapeutic targets and strategies to mitigate the impact of this disease. In this study, we combined a series of recently developed computational tools to identify transcriptional regulatory networks involved in the response of epithelial cells to infection by SARS-CoV-2, and particularly regulatory mechanisms that are specific to this virus. In addition, using network-guided analyses, we identified signaling pathways that are associated with these networks and kinases that may regulate them. The results identified classical antiviral response pathways including Interferon response factors (IRFs), interferons (IFNs), and JAK-STAT signaling as key elements upregulated by SARS-CoV-2 in comparison to mock-treated cells. In addition, comparing SARS-Cov-2 infection of airway epithelial cells to other respiratory viruses identified pathways associated with regulation of inflammation (MAPK14) and immunity (BTK, MBX) that may contribute to exacerbate organ damage linked with complications of COVID-19. The regulatory networks identified herein reflect a combination of experimentally validated hits and novel pathways supporting the computational pipeline to quickly narrow down promising avenue of investigations when facing an emerging and novel disease such as COVID-19.


Traumatic or degenerative etiology of rotator-cuff-tears is a matter of controversial discussion in legal proceedings. This article presents a review on the literature about current knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics and pathogenesis of rotator-cuff pathology. According to this a catalogue of potentially adequate and inadequate trauma mechanisms is proposed. Furthermore clinical history and examination as well as sonographic and radiologic findings and intraoperative pathology may help to distinguish between traumatic and degenerative changes of rotator-cuff lesions. The keypoints for and against traumatic etiology of rotator-cuff-tears are mentioned that could help the expert in the preparation of an adequate expert opinion.


Research on polyomaviruses began in 1953 when Ludwik Gross isolated a filterable agent that induced tumours in newborn mice. This agent became the archetypal member of the Polyomaviridae family. In 1971, JC virus and BK virus were reported and named after the patients' initials. More than 30 years passed before the Karolinska Institute virus and Washington University virus were identified from respiratory samples in paediatric patients. The Merkel cell polyomavirus was identified in 2008 for its association with the aggressive Merkel cell carcinoma skin cancer. Recently, polyomaviruses 6, 7, 9 and the trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus have been discovered. Along with simian virus 40, which has been associated with human disease, there are now 10 polyomaviruses relevant to humans. The range of diseases associated with these human polyomaviruses shows that they are significant causes of human infections. The accumulated knowledge gained from the study of each individual virus helps to understand each in their particular niche.

Key Concepts:

Polyomaviruses are DNA viruses.

Polyomaviruses cause significant human infections, especially in the immunocompromised population.

Human infection most likely occurs during childhood.

Haemorrhagic cystitis and polyomavirus-associated nephropathy are significant clinical entities caused by the BK virus in solid organ transplant recipients.

Progressive multifocal encephalopathy is a fatal demyelinating disease caused by the JC virus.

Merkel cell virus and SV40 are potential oncogenic agents.

Treatment is supportive and an effective antiviral agent has not been identified so far.

Keywords:

polyomavirus;
human polyomavirus infections;
polyomavirus nephropathy;
haemorrhagic cystitis;
progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy;
trichodysplasia spinulosa;
Merkel cell carcinoma;
polyomavirus 6 and 7;
human polyomavirus 9;
KI and WU polyomavirus


The aim of the work was to determine the effect of the physiological age of lettuce transplants on further growth and development of plants in the field. Transplants were sown in polystyrene trays using a commercial substrate mixture, without any additional supply of nutrients. Water was delivered periodically to compensate evapotranspiration losses, as done in the commercial practice of growing lettuce seedlings. Sowing was done in four dates: 5, 11, 19 and 26 July, named T1, T2, T3 and T4 treatments, respectively. Planting in the field was done at 3 September, at 60, 54, 46 and 39 days after sowing, respectively. At this date, average number of leaves was 6.0, 6.0, 4.8 and 4.0 and dry mass was 0.7, 0.5, 0.5 and 0.3g/transplant, respectively. Number of leaves, dry mass and specific leaf area (SLA) in a per plant basis were determined at 25, 30, 35, 42, 46 and 51 days after planting (DAP). Average number of leaves at ending date was similar in T1, T2 and T3 plants: 21.2, 21.2 and 20.6 leaves/plant, respectively. In T4 plants, the number of leaves/plant was 15.4. At the same period, growth was also similar in T1, T2 and T3 plants: 12.4, 12.2 and 11.2 g/plant, respectively. In T4 plants, this variable reached only 6.0g/plant. For SLA, values increased during growth of plants and were higher at 46 DAP, decreasing thereafter, and did not differed among T1, T2 and T3. In T4, values decreased during the experimental period and differed significantly at last harvest. It was concluded that planting can be done at 5.0 leaves/transplant and 0.5g/transplant and that in winter and spring grown periods it may be delayed until 6.0 leaves/transplant and 0.7g/transplant.


To the Editor .—The article on subclavian vein cannulation by Conces and Holden 1 was interesting and informative. However, although a comprehensive discussion was proffered, their main thrust was to promote reliance on the roentgenogram for correct catheter placement. While radiologic confirmation of correct catheter placement indisputably is important, the chief emphasis must remain on the demonstration of simple free siphon return of blood at the time of placement and after infusion of a small volume of conventional fluids; thereby, cannulation of a large vein is ascertained and the likelihood of catastrophe while awaiting the performance of a roentgenogram disappears. As a junior resident, I recall assuming duty from a fellow resident who asked me to initiate hyperalimentation through a subclavian vein catheter he had placed. He told me to simply "check the chest x-ray" and direct the administration of the hyperalimentation fluids. He was irritated that I inquired after


A framework for process monitoring and diagnosis, called Mimic, is described. Mimic is based on the observation that the key cognitive skill for process operators is the formation of a mental model that not only accounts for current observations but also lets them predict near-term behavior as well as the effect of possible control actions. Mimic exploits three relatively new technologies: semiquantitative simulation, measurement interpretation (tracking), and model-based diagnosis. These technologies work together in a hypothesize-build-simulate-match cycle. Each of these technologies is discussed. To illustrate Mimic at work, an electric water heater modeled and tested with Mimic is considered. The advantages and limitations of Mimic, as seen by this example, are examined. Related work is discussed.<<ETX>>


It is believed that G-protein-coupled receptors are the most promising target proteins for drug research. The β2-adrenergic receptor has been analyzed extensively in terms of its structure, regulation and signaling as a prototype G-protein-coupled receptor. Recent development of a recombinant β2-adrenergic receptor reveals that the receptor exists in different conformations in addition to the resting and active forms. Furthermore, different conformations that are important for coupling with G-proteins are induced in a ligand-specific manner. After the receptor binds an agonist, the receptor is phosphorylated by G-protein-coupled receptor kinase or second messenger-dependent kinase. β-Arrestin is a cytosolic protein that binds to receptors phosphorylated by G-protein-coupled receptor kinase, but not those phosphorylated by second messenger-dependent kinase, and plays important roles in agonist-induced desensitization. However, β-arrestin has recently been recognized as a scaffold protein that helps to achieve efficient transmission of internalization and signaling. Receptor agonists can be divided into two groups: full and partial agonists. Partial agonists have an advantage over full agonists because desensitization is less likely to be induced following stimulation with a partial agonist. However, the effects of partial agonists on β-arrestin-mediated signaling and internalization have not been fully examined so far. Information regarding the binding sites of partial agonists is still not sufficient to explain why they cannot fully activate the receptor. In the present study, recent progress regarding the structure, regulation and signaling of β2 adrenergic receptors and about differences between full and partial agonists will be summarized.


The 2019 Association of Pathology Chairs Annual Meeting included a discussion group sponsored by the Senior Fellows Group (former chairs of academic departments of pathology who have remained active in Association of Pathology Chairs) that was focused on serving as temporary pathology chair. Such positions include "acting chair" (service while the permanent chair is on leave or temporarily indisposed), "interim chair" (service after departure of the prior chair and before a new chair is appointed), "term-limited chair" (usually one nonrenewable term of less than 5 years), and "terminal chair" (permanent chair being asked to stay until a successor is appointed). Discussion group panelists represented each of these positions and included the perspective of 3 former deans about the rationale for making such appointments. The potential benefits and risks of serving in these roles were discussed. Issues addressed included acting as "caretaker manager" or "change-agent leader"; whether such service and experience would enhance or harm one's chances to become a permanent chair of that or another department; the effect of such service on academic productivity; the influence of department and institutional factors on the position; the range of authority provided, particularly in addressing significant problems affecting the department's future; and the impact of time served in these various positions. The "lame-duck" effect of prolonged service as "terminal chair" was also discussed. The observations and advice provided by the panelists and audience discussion are reported and may be useful for those considering service as temporary chair in pathology as well as other academic leadership positions.


Human induced climate change is driving rapid biophysical changes throughout the oceans and seas that cover over two-thirds of the Earth's surface. The most widely discussed effect of climate change in the marine and coastal environment is sea level rise, and the transformation of coastal geography poses a profound climate adaptation challenge in the longer term. Accompanying sea level rise are other more immediate climate change impacts upon coastal and marine areas. These include rapid melting of sea ice (most notably in the Arctic Ocean, where the extent of summer sea ice reached a record low in 2012), saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers (affecting water supplies), rising water temperatures (affecting the productivity and distribution of fisheries, causing algal blooms, and damaging corals), storms and storm surges (which are exacerbating erosion), and ocean acidification (the changing chemistry of the oceans damaging many marine organisms). All of these impacts can be tempered, at least to some extent and within certain time scales, by general or tailored adaptive responses at national and international levels. This chapter surveys and assesses the emerging international legal framework for the adjustment of natural and human systems in coastal, inshore and offshore marine environments in response to climate change.


Objective. To evaluate, under laboratory conditions, the sensitivity and specificity of a rapid diagnostic test (OptiMAL), based on immunoreactive strips, to detect Plasmodium vivax infection in febrile patients in Southern Chiapas, Mexico. Material and Methods. The presence of parasites in blood samples of 893 patients was investigated by Giemsa-stained thick blood smear microscopic examination (gold standard). A blood drop from the same sample was smeared on immunoreactive strips to investigate the presence of the parasite pLDH. Discordant results were resolved by PCR amplification of the parasite's 18S SSU rRNA, to discard infection. Results. OptiMAL had an overall sensitivity of 93.3% and its specificity was 99.5%. Its positive and negative predictive values were 96.5% and 98.9%, respectively. Signal intensity in OptiMAL strips correlated well with the parasitemia density in the blood samples (r= 0.601, p= 0.0001). Conclusion. This rapid test had acceptable sensitivity and specificity to detect P. vivax under laboratory conditions and could be useful for malaria diagnosis in field operations in Mexico.


Short Message Service (SMS) is a popular channel for online service providers to verify accounts and authenticate users registered to a particular service. Specialized applications, called Public SMS Gateways (PSGs), offer free Disposable Phone Numbers (DPNs) that can be used to receive SMS messages. DPNs allow users to protect their privacy when creating online accounts. However, they can also be abused for fraudulent activities and to bypass security mechanisms like Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). In this paper, we perform a large-scale and longitudinal study of the DPN ecosystem by monitoring 17,141 unique DPNs in 29 PSGs over the course of 12 months. Using a dataset of over 70M messages, we provide an overview of the ecosystem and study the different services that offer DPNs and their relationships. Next, we build a framework that (i) identifies and classifies the purpose of an SMS; and (ii) accurately attributes every message to more than 200 popular Internet services that require SMS for creating registered accounts. Our results suggest that the DPN ecosystem is globally abused for fraudulent account creation and access, affecting all major Internet platforms and online services.


The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has negatively impacted the world in a variety of ways. Thousands have died, many more have fallen ill, and it continues to have a disastrous impact on the global economy. The virus has also significantly impacted people's well-being and their mental health, where the effects are expected to continue long after businesses begin to re-open. Promoting resilience and positive mental health coping strategies are, therefore, vital to assisting people as this pandemic continues and long after a sense of "normalcy" returns. This paper, a program analysis of warr;or21, a resilience program, utilizes qualitative research methods to share the insights of participants who completed the program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The warr;or21 program was designed initially to enhance resilience in law enforcement and other first responders and has since been adapted for the general public. The data reveals that, from the perspective of the participants, warr;or21 has helped many of them cope and manage positively, specifically amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the warr;or21 program has the potential to help enhance people's resilience and mental health during future adverse events as well as to be used proactively to further develop a person's overall mental health and resilience.


MOTIVATION
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have largely failed to identify most of the genetic basis of highly heritable diseases and complex traits. Recent work has suggested this could be because many genetic variants, each with individually small effects, compose their genetic architecture, limiting the power of GWAS, given currently obtainable sample sizes. In this scenario, Bonferroni-derived thresholds are severely underpowered to detect the vast majority of associations. Local false discovery rate (fdr) methods provide more power to detect non-null associations, but implicit assumptions about the exchangeability of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) limit their ability to discover non-null loci.

METHODS
We propose a novel covariate-modulated local false discovery rate (cmfdr) that incorporates prior information about gene element-based functional annotations of SNPs, so that SNPs from categories enriched for non-null associations have a lower fdr for a given value of a test statistic than SNPs in unenriched categories. This readjustment of fdr based on functional annotations is achieved empirically by fitting a covariate-modulated parametric two-group mixture model. The proposed cmfdr methodology is applied to a large Crohn's disease GWAS.

RESULTS
Use of cmfdr dramatically improves power, e.g. increasing the number of loci declared significant at the 0.05 fdr level by a factor of 5.4. We also demonstrate that SNPs were declared significant using cmfdr compared with usual fdr replicate in much higher numbers, while maintaining similar replication rates for a given fdr cutoff in de novo samples, using the eight Crohn's disease substudies as independent training and test datasets. Availability an implementation: https://sites.google.com/site/covmodfdr/

CONTACT
: email@example.com

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.


Neuroadaptive changes underlying repeated exposure to cocaine‐induced behavioural sensitization have been related to modification in the pattern of synaptic connectivity and excitatory transmission. Remarkably, even a single exposure to abused drugs is sufficient to elicit lasting behavioural sensitization. The present study investigated whether in Sprague–Dawley rats a single, behavioural sensitizing dose of cocaine is sufficient to induce changes in the mRNA levels of growth‐associated protein 43 (GAP‐43), an important protein in mediating experience‐dependent plasticity and synaptic reorganization, and of glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1), a subunit of AMPA glutamate receptors, a protein that is up‐regulated with repeated cocaine. Single exposure to 20, but not 10 mg/kg cocaine induced locomotor sensitization to a second injection of 10 mg/kg cocaine, observed at 24 h, 48 h and 7 days. Single dose of 20 but not 10 mg/kg cocaine 48 h before scheduled death significantly enhanced GluR1 and GAP‐43 mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), both shell and core subregions, and ventral tegmental area (VTA). No changes were found in the levels of mRNA for GluR1 and GAP‐43 in the frontal cortex, caudate putamen, dentate gyrus of hippocampus and basolateral nucleus of the amygdala after the single dose of 20 mg/kg cocaine. These results further strengthen the involvement of NAc and VTA in the behavioural sensitization and suggest a role of GAP‐43 in the synaptic reorganization associated to drug abuse.


Yellow electroluminescence (EL) of a 20-pair Si-rich SiNx /SiOx superlattice is demonstrated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and annealing process. After annealing at 900°C for 30 min, two photoluminescence (PL) peaks at 480 and 570 nm are observed to blue-shift the PL wavelength, and the corresponding peak intensity is enhanced due to the self-aggregation of Si quantum dots (QDs). When increasing the annealing temperature to 1050°C , the PL peaks caused by the aggregated Si-QDs in SiNx and SiOx layers red-shift to 500 and 600 nm, thereby shifting the PL peak wavelength to 520 nm. Such a wavelength red-shifting phenomenon is mainly attributed to the formation of large Si-QDs due to the Ostwald ripening effect. The turn-on voltage and the V-I slope of the ITO/SiNx/SiOx/p-Si/Al LED device are 200 V and 15.5 kV/mA with Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling assistant carrier transport under an effective barrier height of 1.3 eV. Maximum output-power-current slope of 0.2 μW/A at power conversion efficiency of 10-6 is detected.


The Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson (LGW) paradigm is the backbone of the modern understanding of critical phenoma. It rests on the assumption that a continuous phase transition can be described solely in terms of a fluctuating order parameter. In this sandwich thesis, we analyze several quantum phase transitions in two-dimensional systems where this basic assumption is violated. Our analysis is structured in three parts: In the first part, two ordering transitions in metals are studied, where the presence of gapless fermionic modes invalidates the pure order parameter description. Instead, we apply a renormalization group approach which retains both fermionic and bosonic (order paramater) degrees of freedom, using the deviation from an upper critical dimension of d = 5/2 as a control parameter. We first apply this technique to describe the quantum phase transition between a normal metal and an inhomogeneous (FFLO) superconductor. Our analysis rigorously confirms the mean field expectation that this transition is continuous, and shows that interesting non-Fermi liquid physics can arise at the critical point, manifesting itself in unusual scaling of various observables. The second case study is the onset of incommensurate 2kF charge density wave order. While non-Fermi liquid features are less pronounced at this transition, we find a strong dynamical nesting of the Fermi surface, which stabilizes the density wave formation and results in a continuous transition, opposed to early theoretical claims. In the second part, we present a novel case study of "deconfined criticality" for a quantum magnet: Here, symmetries are broken on both sides of the phase transition, which would be first order within a conventional two-order-parameter LGW description. By contrast, the scenario of deconfined criticality predicts a continuous transition, driven by condensation of topological defects which carry quantum numbers of the opposite phase. Its paradigmatic application is the transition from a SU (2)-Neel state to a valence-bond solid (a singlet covering configuration that breaks spatial symmetries) on the square lattice. Here, we propose a novel extension and study a SU (3) antiferromagnet on a triangular lattice, which supports a transition between a magnetic, three-sublattice color-ordered phase and a trimerized SU (3) singlet phase. We provide a critical theory in terms of fractional bosonic degrees of freedom (and with a topological defect interpretation), and study its fixed point properties with functional renormalization group. This yields a critical fixed point in a suitable large-N -limit, implying a continuous transition in accordance with the deconfined criticality framework. In the third and final part, we study the "polaron"-problem of a single impurity coupled to a majority Fermi sea, which is particularly interesting when formation of a bound state ("molecule") between impurity and majority is allowed for. Starting from the exactly solvable limit of infinite impurity mass, we present a controlled computation of impurity spectra (both single- and two-particle) for heavy impurities based on Feynman diagram techniques, with an eye for experiments on doped semiconductors and ultracold gases. Furthermore, we discuss various aspects of the "molecule-to-polaron" transition that occurs in these systems, which also defies a simple LGW description in the single-impurity limit.


The intent of this paper is to provide a practitioners insight into the present and foreseeable future of problem of transaction cost economics related to culture and business etiquette that may increase the of complexity of business communication. We will also explore whether it impacts participant's mindsets regarding opportunistic or passive aggressive behavior. We will study the role of culture, ethics, information asymmetry, and legal systems regarding their importance towards the business contracts and lack of knowledge in local environments. We will make connections to contract theory strategies and objectives and recommend business practices. Furthermore, economic theory explores the role of the impossibility of the perfect contract. Historical and present day operational factors are examined for the determination of forwardlooking contract law indications worldwide. This paper is intended provide a practitioners view with a global perspective of a multinational, mid-sized and small corporations giving consideration in a non-partisan and non-nationalistic view, yet examines the individual characteristics of the operational necessities and obligations of any corporation. The study will be general, yet cite specific articles to each argument and give adequate consideration to the intricacies of the global asymmetry of information. This paper defends that corporations of any kind and size should be aware of the risk of international business etiquette and cultural barriers that might jeopardize the savings you could obtain from engaging international suppliers.


The attraction of foreign direct investment is a common objective in developing countries, and this broad aim is carried out with different approaches in public policies. Corporate social responsibility is very common in international corporations, and it tends to produce a positive image for investors and in the surrounding society. This study aims to clarify the influence of the enhancement of corporate social responsibility by companies established in Tunisia as a consequence of the host country government general policies on the attraction of direct foreign investment. We propose the testing of a conceptual framework that describes this influence and explains the benefits of the social commitment, especially when it will be encouraged by public policies which can favor the attraction of foreign investments. The paper opted for an exploratory analysis on a sample of foreign companies with subsidiaries in the country. It contains a descriptive analysis, a study of the reliability of the scales of measurement and a principal components analysis. This approach is completed by an analysis of moment structures (AMOS) through a structural equation model linking the interactions of public policies with the development of strategies in social responsibility in companies, and their induced effects on the investment decisions in their subsidiaries. This approach tends to be associated with the sustainability and the commitment in the country, which is especially important in the present moment, with the political changes in the Maghreb region. With the models proposed, it has been shown that public policies, in addition to having a direct impact on investment decisions, can produce positive effects when they are carried out with the aim of promoting sustainable growth, and using indirect tools like the promotion of corporate social strategies in the companies that are already established in the country.


The results of large-scale clinical trials involving granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-based mobilization of bone marrow stem cells to improve cardiac remodeling and function after acute myocardial infarction have been disappointing. These trials came about as the result of an explosion of animal studies reporting dramatic successes with this therapeutic approach and small-scale nonrandomized, nonblinded clinical trials suggesting beneficial effects in humans as well. It would be rash to conclude, however, that G-CSF-based stem cell therapies for repairing the injured or failing heart are not worth pursuing. Recent advances in basic science not only help explain the failure of the larger clinical trials but have revitalized interest into using G-CSF-based or G-CSF-related therapies for the injured heart. This article will provide an overview of recent advances that have been made in the direct protective actions of G-CSF on cardiac cells, the mobilization of stem cells from the bone marrow, and the delivery of these cells to the heart. Such knowledge could be readily exploited to make G-CSF-based therapy a reality for the clinician.


Reproduced with permission from the Radiation Research Society. Radiation Research Society allows published articles to be archived in institutional repositories.


A simulator capable of simulating rail span collapse from layout-level inputs was developed. The simulations require radiation-induced photocurrent partitioning among proximal physical collection regions and electrical contacts to the power distribution network. The simulation approach incorporates simple geometric rules for current division inside a contiguous region along with the automated extraction of the power distribution network. Experimental results to verify the current division algorithms are also presented. Pixel-plane and scan-line techniques used for the automated extraction of the power distribution network are described. For simulation of the circuit, a simulator using conjugate-gradient algorithms is used. A postsimulation processor maps the actual supply rails onto the layout itself for easy identification of critical subcircuits. >


For over two hundred years, Congress has enjoyed plenary power over Indian affairs under the Indian Commerce Clause. This Clause has allowed preferential treatment for Native Americans to bypass strict scrutiny despite the evolution of modern race law. But late last year, the Bureau of Indian Affairs published new regulations requiring courts to follow a strict set of procedures to ensure that Native American children will be placed with tribe-affiliated families.This sparked immediate backlash. Adoption agencies argue that the BIA's new regulations impose undue burdens on Native American children because of their race. This litigation has profound implications for the continued existence of modern Indian law, which rests on the assumption that government regulations affecting Native Americans is a "political" — not "racial" — classification. So far, current scholarship has failed to foresee or respond to these equality-based attacks.This note proposes a new response, and a new interpretation of Congress's powers under the Indian Commerce Clause. It focuses on the word "Indian" in Article I to argue that the Constitution contains a latent ambiguity highlighted by the BIA's rulemaking. It proposes that the term "Indian" refers to an individual's political, social, and cultural connections rather than their ethnic heritage. This novel interpretation accords with historical practice, the evolution of judicial precedent, and an intra-textual analysis of the Constitution. The effect of this interpretation is to recognize a previously unarticulated constitutional limit on Congress's power to regulate individual Native Americans, granting the ultimate recognition of tribal citizenship to the eligible individual.


Head pose estimation, though a trivial task for the human visual system, remains a challenging problem for computer vision systems. The task requires identifying the modes of image variance that directly pertain to pose changes, while generalizing across face identity and mitigating other image variances. Conventional methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) fail to identify the true relationship between the observed space and the pose variable, while supervised methods such as Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) neglect the continuous nature of pose variation and take a discrete multi-class approach. We present a method for estimating head pose using Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA), where pose variation is regarded as a continuous variable and is represented by a manifold in feature space. The proposed technique directly identifies the underlying dimension that maximizes correlation between the observed image and pose variable. It is shown to increase estimation accuracy and provide a more compact image representation that better captures pose features. Additionally, an enhanced version of the system is proposed that utilizes Gabor filters for providing pose sensitive input to the correlation based system. The preprocessed input serves to increase the overall accuracy of the pose estimation system. The accuracy of the techniques is evaluated using the Pointing '04 and CUbiC FacePix(30) pose varying face databases and is shown to produce a lower estimation error when compared to both PCA and LDA based methods.


[1] Recent research shows that active fault systems produce multisegment earthquakes; however, we have yet to understand the faulting behavior of various spatial patterns of segments. We conducted a three-dimensional trenching survey to reconstruct the detailed slip history of a fault segment that ruptured as one of the multisegment ruptures along the North Anatolian fault system. The trench site, on the Gerede segment, recorded a maximum right-lateral slip of up to 6 m that was associated with the 1944 Bolu-Gerede earthquake (M 7.4). Fault exposures show evidence of four paleoearthquakes. Radiocarbon dates, a refined probability density distribution, and correlation with historical earthquakes place the mean repeat time at ∼330 years. Four discrete paleoslips yield a slip per event of 5.0 ± 0.8 m with a coefficient of variation of 0.2. Our research suggests that multisegment earthquakes exhibit various spatial patterns, regardless of recurrence with quasiperiodicity and characteristic slip. Coincidentally, the fault geometry exhibits extremely linear traces, suggesting simple stress accumulation and release through earthquake cycles. Furthermore, the 1944 event did not occur in a single segment, and the Gerede segment probably ruptured within a slip-pulse-like rupture during a multisegment earthquake. A comparable geological slip rate of ∼17 mm a−1 based on a GPS-based strain rate supports the persistence of macroscopic asperity through recent geological time. Therefore we conclude that a segment with simple fault geometry along a strike-slip fault system plays an important role in forecasting the timing of future multisegment earthquakes, but the spatial extent of such earthquakes needs to be explored further.


The Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) with methanol (100C and 100 atm) from river sediments was compared with methanolic Soxhlet extraction, the standard method for the sediment analysis. The ASE method showed a precision (average RSD ranged from 6 to 33%) and an accuracy (average recovery 85 and 87% for 4-NP and 4-NPEO respectively) comparable to those of Soxhlet. The extraction was performed on river sediments and no organic carbon content influence was found. The comparative study presented in this paper demonstrates that Accelerated Solvent Extraction is an alternative suitable extraction method for 4-nonylphenol and 4-nonylphenol ethoxylate determination in sediments.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the factors associated with the onset of cannabis use through a systematic review of cohort studies.

METHODS
An internet-based search was performed using several keywords and their combinations. Original studies with longitudinal design and the onset of cannabis use as dependent variable, as well as review studies were included, published between January 1980 and May 2004. Methodology quality of the studies was assessed independently by two reviewers, according to pre-established criteria, in order to classify studies in high, mid or low quality. Agreement between reviewers was assessed through kappa coefficient.

RESULTS
A total of 32 relevant studies were identified, of which 13 were of higher quality. Selection bias for the inclusion of consumers at the baseline measurement and lack or insufficient adjustment for confounders were the causes of exclusion. The factors of great evidence related to the onset of cannabis use were masculine sex, consumption of tobacco or alcohol, having a problematic relationship with parents, and cannabis consumption by friends.

CONCLUSION
Results highlight the importance of different individual, family and environmental factors on the onset of cannabis use. These must be considered to properly arrange intervention programs focusing on primary prevention among teenagers.


The pharmacological inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been suggested as a potential therapy for the treatment of pain and inflammatory diseases through the stabilization of endogenous epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. Numerous potent sEH inhibitors (sEHI) have been developed, however many contain highly lipophilic substituents limiting their availability. Recently, a new series of benzohomoadamantane-based ureas endowed with potent inhibitory activity for the human and murine sEH was reported. However, their very low microsomal stability prevented further development. Herein, a new series of benzohomoadamantane-based amides were synthetized, fully characterized, and evaluated as sEHI. Most of these amides were endowed with excellent inhibitory potencies. A selected compound displayed anti-inflammatory effects with higher effectiveness than the reference sEHI, TPPU.


Credit ratings are an important metric for business managers and a contributor to economic growth. Forecasting such ratings might be a suitable application of big data analytics. As machine learning is one of the foundations of intelligent big data analytics, this chapter presents a comparative analysis of traditional statistical models and popular machine learning models for the prediction of Moody's long-term corporate debt ratings. Machine learning techniques such as artificial neural networks, support vector machines, and random forests generally outperformed their traditional counterparts in terms of both overall accuracy and the Kappa statistic. The parametric models may be hindered by missing variables and restrictive assumptions about the underlying distributions in the data. This chapter reveals the relative effectiveness of non-parametric big data analytics to model a complex process that frequently arises in business, specifically determining credit ratings.


Predictive analytics includes many statistical and other empirical methods that create various data predictions as well as different methods for assessing predictive power. Predictive analytics not only helps in creating practically useful models but also plays an important role in building new theory for further study and research. Today, the use of available data to extract inferences and predictions by using predictive analytics has grown in the industry from being a small department in large companies to being an active component in most mid to large sized organizations. This paper addresses to reduce a particularly large gap of, the nearabsence of empirical or factual predictive analytics in the mainstream research going on in this field by analyzing the issues faced in predictive modelling by the empirical determination of data with its experimental facts for latency pattern. Keywords: Predictive Analytics, Big Data, Business Intelligence, Project Planning.


We present a range image refinement technique for generating accurate 3D computer models of real objects. Range images obtained from a stereo-vision system typically experience geometric distortions on reconstructed 3D surfaces due to the inherent stereo matching problems such as occlusions or mismatchings. We introduce a range image refinement technique to correct such erroneous ranges by employing epipolar geometry of a multiview modelling system and the visual hull of an object. After registering multiple range images into a common coordinate system, we first determine if a 3D point in a range image is erroneous, by measuring registration of the point with its correspondences in other range images. The correspondences are determined on 3D contours which are inverse-projections of epipolar lines in other 2D silhouette images. Then the range of the point is refined onto the object's surface, if it is erroneous. We employ two techniques to search the correspondences fast. In case that there is no correspondence for an erroneous point, we refine the point onto the visual hull of the object. We show that refined range images yield better geometric structures in reconstructed 3D models.


My paper contextualizes and evaluates the interwar economic policies of the National Socialist Workers' Party (NSDAP). I consider economic policies relating to unemployment, autarky, the working-class, as well their standard of living. I argue against the idea perpetuated by Nazi propaganda that the Party was able to achieve an 'economic miracle,' by 1939. Instead, I posit that the economic agenda of the NSDAP was not sustainable in the long-term and could only produce short-term measures to serious structural economic issues. Specifically, I posit that the NSDAP prioritized autarky through rearmament and the acquisition of Lebensraum, which was only sustainable in the case of a German victory in the Second World War. Furthermore, I argue that the working-class was especially affected by these policies. Yet, I concede that in some instances the standard of living did improve under the NSDAP. In sum, however, I believe the so-called 'economic miracle' was nothing more than a temporary mirage.


The electrical conductivity of icosahedral Al70:5Pd21Re8:5 samples with residual resistance ratio RRR = p(4:2K)=p(295K), in the range from 10 to 220 are reported. The samples were manufactured by melting in an arc furnace and then annealed at 940 °C. One of the samples (RRR=10) was made by melt spinning. In this work, the magnetoresistance, MR, and resistivity, p(T), of the samples with RRR values 10, 31, 71 and 220 has been measured in the temperature range from 50 K to 250 K and the magnetic field up to 12 Tesla. The electronic transport properties of the sample Al-Pd-Re strongly depend upon temperature. The p(T) increases with decreasing temperature. The MR of the sample is larger than the MR of most metals. At 50 K, MR increases with increasing magnetic field for samples with RRR value of 10, 31 and 220. At 100 K and 175 K, MR decreases with increasing magnetic field. But MR at 100 K decreases more than MR at 175 K. At 250 K, MR increases even more than MR at 50 K, which is very strange behaviour. Sample with RRR value 71, MR behaviour is quite different from remaining samples. MR of this sample decreases with increasing field, at decreases more at 175 K and less at 250 K. The present samples show high MR at temperature (100-250 K) as compared with Al-Cu-Fe.


Negroes, and Basques. His comments show him as a man of his time. 'In India and many of our Colonies the absence of satisfactory means of identifying persons of other races is seriously felt. The natives . .. in too many cases are characterised by a strange amount of litigiousness, wiliness and unveracity.' But he also saw anthropological value in fingerprints, for instance 'in the hill tribes of India . . . for the chance of discovering ... a more monkey-like pattern'. This reprint will be of value to anyone interested in the development of dermatoglyphics. The introduction by Dr. Cummins lists all Galton's publications on the subject and assesses the part played byhim in its development. The book does not compete in comprehensiveness or in price with the paperback reissue in I96I of Cummins and Midlo's own (I943) volume, Fingerprints, Palms and Soles, but has a unique historical flavour. JAMES SHIELDS


BACKGROUND
Evidently, there is a fast-moving shift from delayed to immediate implant loading. The hypothesis to be tested was that bone reactions adjacent to single TiO2-microthreaded implants exposed to immediate masticatory loading for 10 weeks after placement would modulate osseointegration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Cylindrical- and tapered-designed implants (Astra Tech AB, Mölndal, Sweden) replaced first and third mandibular premolars respectively in 12 pigs. The animals were allocated into two groups based on soft and hard diet feeding. Each animal received, at random positions, four different masticatory loading conditions: implant with either (1) a cover screw only, (2) a healing abutment, (3) an implant with a crown without occlusal contact, or (4) an implant with a crown in contact with the antagonistic teeth.

RESULTS
Histomorphometry showed that there were no statistically significant differences in bone-implant contact (BIC), bone mass inside/outside of the threads and soft tissue ingrowth ratio for all the implants at 10 weeks after placement irrespective of masticatory loading condition. Bone loss showed a trend of progressive increase for implants with a healing abutment toward implants with occlusal contact.

CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study rejected the hypothesis and could be explained by the fact that grit-blasted acid-etched implants were already placed in dense bone.


Being able to measure time, whether directly or indirectly, is a significant advantage for an organism. It permits it to predict regular events, and prepare for them on time. Thus, clocks are ubiquitous in biology. In the present paper, we consider the most minimal abstract pure clocks and investigate their characteristics with respect to their ability to measure time. Amongst other, we find fundamentally diametral clock characteristics, such as oscillatory behaviour for local time measurement or decay-based clocks measuring time periods in scales global to the problem. We include also cascades of independent clocks ("clock bags") and composite clocks with controlled dependency; the latter show various regimes of markedly different dynamics.


This article looks at the history of military manuals and their role in the dissemination of the law of armed conflict. It divides manuals into three categories, international, national, and internal, examining each in turn in relation to its role. The author concludes that there is a tension between the role of a manual as evidence of 'state practice' in the development of customary international law and the need to provide service personnel with clear understandable instructions for use in military operations. He counsels against excessive reliance on manuals as evidence of state practice as this could have the effect of making states reluctant to openly publish such documents with a detrimental effect in the operational field.


Female participation in the Latin American paid labor force is increasing dramatically. Building upon Portes and Hoffman's (2003) model, we use occupational data to measure gendered changes in Latin America's class structure over the last two decades of economic restructuring and adjustment and to investigate the causes and consequences of these regional patterns. Our results suggest two important conclusions. First, economic adjustment and restructuring is increasing women's parity with men in terms of class position largely as a consequence of the deterioration of men's once-privileged location in the class structure. Second, recent economic adjustment and restructuring has altered power relations between social classes in Latin America in part because it has inspired both qualitative and quantitative changes in the gendered composition of Latin American labor. The number of women entering the work force, and the labor conditions suffered particularly by women workers, has resulted in both the literal and figurative "emasculation" of the Formal Proletariat. These preliminary findings make clear the explanatory benefits of including gender in analyses of changes in the Latin American class structure.


Eye-tracking can be valuable for researchers in many domains. Most eye-tracking technologies require an extra piece of costly hardware. Several other available eye-tracking solutions are usually not very accurate and require a costly subscription. Our project was oriented at creating a free and open-source al-ternative that does not require additional equipment. We developed a deep learning-based solution as a prototype for this project. Specifically, we developed a deep learning model to predict a user's gaze position on the screen. We created our training data set using a commercially available eye-tracker to train the model. Each training sample consists of a video frame of a person looking at the screen (input feature) and the corresponding true gaze location on the screen (output labels). When using a model with a gaze location output on a 2d plane, a deep learning model was able to in most cases interpret and predict a correct gaze position. Our results demonstrate that with minimal processing a deep learning algorithm can be effectively used to create and deploy eye tracking solutions.


Study Design. Narrative review and discussion of the selected literature. Objectives. To discuss some important methodologic challenges in low back pain research in primary care. Summary of Background Data. Many methodologic problems must be confronted when conducting low back pain research. Some of these problems are back pain specific or specific to the primary care setting. Methods. Methodologic problems related to four research issues will be discussed: study designs, definition of low back pain, determinants of low back pain, and outcome assessment. Results. Two fundamentally different study designs are frequently used in low back pain research, namely observational studies and experimental studies. The definition of low back pain is typically restricted to a highly variable self‐reported symptom, the sensation of pain in the back. There clearly is a need for an evidence‐based classification system for low back pain. Because a tenable theoretical framework is lacking, it is difficult to know which determinants of low back pain should be quantified. Low back pain studies focus usually on health‐related quality‐of‐life outcome parameters. The identification of the minimum clinically relevant changes for the most important outcome instruments needs further consideration. Conclusions. In years to come, low back pain researchers are challenged to overcome some of these(and other) problems to enhance the quality of low back pain research in primary care.


Delayed planting or replanting of corn can result in significant yield losses. Recently, planting date studies in Iowa have shown 3% yield loss comparing mid-May planting dates with late April planting dates and 20-30% yield loss comparing June planting dates with late April planting dates. These yield losses can be partially attributed to the hastened vegetative development from increased accumulation of thermal units at later planting dates, which contribute to lessened capture of light resources and thus less carbon fixation. In Iowa, it has been shown that starter fertilizer can increase the early growth of corn from stage V3 to V8. Narrow row spacing will also improve light interception during early vegetative development. During the 1999 and 2000 growing seasons, the effects of planting date, row spacing, and starter fertilizer on corn yield were evaluated. The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of starter fertilizer and row spacing at later planting dates would reduce the associated yield loss by improving early resource capture.


ABSTRACT Asymptomatic replication of human herpesviruses (HHV) is frequent in HIV-infected men and is associated with increased T-cell activation and HIV disease progression. We hypothesized that the presence of replication of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (the most frequently detected HHV) might influence HIV DNA decay during antiretroviral therapy (ART). We investigated 607 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from 107 CMV-seropositive, HIV-infected men who have sex with men, who started ART within a median of 3 months from their estimated date of infection (EDI) and were monitored for a median of 19 months thereafter. Levels of HIV, CMV, and EBV DNA and cellular HIV RNA were measured by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for each time point. Using a general linear mixed-effect regression model, we evaluated associations between the presence of detectable CMV DNA and EBV DNA levels and HIV DNA decay and cellular HIV RNA levels, while adjusting for peak HIV RNA, nadir CD4+ count, CD4/CD8 ratio, CMV IgG levels, time from EDI to ART initiation, time from ART initiation to virologic suppression, detectable CMV DNA pre-ART, and age. The presence of intermittent CMV DNA in PBMC during ART was significantly associated with slower decay of HIV DNA (P = 0.011) but not with increased cellular HIV RNA transcription or more detectable 2-long terminal repeat circles. Higher levels of EBV DNA were also associated with higher levels of HIV DNA (P < 0.001) and increased unspliced cellular HIV RNA transcription (P = 0.010). These observations suggest that replication of HHV may help maintain a larger HIV DNA reservoir, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. IMPORTANCE Over three-fourths of HIV-infected men have at least one actively replicating human herpesvirus (HHV) in their mucosal secretions at any one time. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are the most common, and although it is often asymptomatic, such CMV and EBV replication is associated with higher levels of immune activation and HIV disease progression. We hypothesized that HHV-associated activation of HIV-infected CD4+ T cells might lead to increased HIV DNA. This study found that detectable CMV in blood cells of HIV-infected men was associated with slower decay of HIV DNA even during antiretroviral therapy (ART) that was started during early HIV infection. Similarly, levels of EBV DNA were associated with higher levels of HIV DNA during ART. If this observation points to a causal pathway, interventions that control CMV and EBV replication may be able to reduce the HIV reservoir, which might be relevant to current HIV cure efforts.


Residential broadband gateways (comprising modem, router, and Wi-Fi access point), though individually consuming only 5-10 Watts of power, are significant contributors to overall network energy consumption due to large deployment numbers. Moreover, home gateways are typically always on, so as to provide continuous online presence to household devices for VoIP, smart metering, security surveillance, medical monitoring, etc. A natural solution for reducing the energy consumption of home gateways is to leverage the overlap of Wi-Fi networks common in urban environments and aggregate user traffic on to fewer gateways, thus putting the remaining to sleep. In this paper we propose, evaluate, and prototype an architecture that overcomes significant challenges in making this solution feasible at large-scale. We advocate a centralized approach, whereby a single authority co-ordinates the home gateways to maximize energy savings in a fair manner. Our solution can be implemented across heterogeneous ISPs, avoids client-side modifications (thus encompassing arbitrary user devices and operating systems), and permits explicit control of session migrations. We apply our solution to Wi-Fi traces collected in a building with 30 access points and 25,000 client connections, and evaluate via simulation the tradeoffs between energy savings, session disruptions, and fairness. We then prototype our system on commodity Wi-Fi access points, test it in a two-storey building emulating 6 residences, and demonstrate radio energy reduction of over 60 percent with little impact on user experience.


Sparse signal models are used in many signal processing applications. The task of estimating the sparsest coefficient vector in these models is a combinatorial problem and efficient, often suboptimal strategies have to be used. Fortunately, under certain conditions on the model, several algorithms could be shown to efficiently calculate near-optimal solutions. In this paper, we study one of these methods, the so-called Iterative Hard Thresholding algorithm. While this method has strong theoretical performance guarantees whenever certain theoretical properties hold, empirical studies show that the algorithm's performance degrades significantly, whenever the conditions fail. What is more, in this regime, the algorithm also often fails to converge. As we are here interested in the application of the method to real world problems, in which it is not known in general, whether the theoretical conditions are satisfied or not, we suggest a simple modification that guarantees the convergence of the method, even in this regime. With this modification, empirical evidence suggests that the algorithm is faster than many other state-of-the-art approaches while showing similar performance. What is more, the modified algorithm retains theoretical performance guarantees similar to the original algorithm.


Because Turkey is an energy-important country, external combustion engines for Turkey possess strategic importance. Turkey's annual biomass potential is 32 million tons of oil equivalent. Gasoline is 9.836 fold more expensive than wood in Turkey. Railway transportation that operate with external combustion engines with wood or coal fire is more economic than highway transportation for Turkey. Thermal energy, produced by burning biomass and other low grade fuels, can be used for small-scale power generation using an external combustion engine, such as the Stirling engine.


Nowadays, the technology evolves rapidly and with it increases the need for qualified professionals in the field of ICT. Employment of IT professionals is projected to grow worldwide by 22% till 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. The main reason for this rapid growth is a large increase in the market demand for computer software and mobile applications. In regard, nonprofit organizations and established businesses are looking for alternative ways to educate and grow the number of people, in particular students, involved in learning computer programming.

On the other hand, most of the students regardless of their age have access to the Internet via laptops, tablets, smartphones which turns them into intuitive and everyday learners and gives them access to unlimited resources, content and information in the form of web-based platforms, mobile e-learning applications, social media, online games and others providing abundant and diverse learning experience.

However, no matter how fast technology evolves and how many alternative teaching techniques are introduced constantly, the major challenge of the education still remains motivation. In this context, students are more driven to learn by playing online games, interacting via social media and expressing themselves via digital resources rather than struggling with the traditional educational methods.

A relatively new, but gaining popularity, form of education is the use of interactive online e-learning platforms that merge the possibility of learning computer programming skills while building digital games. Most of the platforms are designed using gamification approach and provide vast and entertaining methods, based on rich user experience, interaction and simulation.

The purpose of this paper is to present these innovative e-learning platforms for learning computer programming, to explore their features, advantages and drawbacks as well as to investigate the impact of the interactive learning experience they create.


Serving both as home to the Confederacy's capital, Richmond, and as the war's primary battlefield, Virginia held a unique place in the American Civil War, while also witnessing the privations and hardships that marked life in all corners of the Confederacy. Yet despite an overwhelming literature on the battles that raged across the state and the armies and military leaders involved, few works have examined Virginia as a distinctive region during the conflict. In "Crucible of the Civil War: Virginia from Secession to Commemoration", Edward L. Ayers, Gary W. Gallagher, and Andrew J. Torget together with other scholars, offer an illuminating portrait of the state's wartime economic, political, and social institutions. Weighing in on contentious issues within established scholarship while also breaking ground in areas long neglected by scholars, several of the essays examine such concerns as the war's effect on slavery in the state, the wartime intersection of race and religion, and the development of Confederate social networks. Other contributions shed light on topics long disputed by historians, such as Virginia's decision to secede from the Union, the development of Confederate nationalism, and how Virginians chose to remember the war after its close. For anyone interested in Virginia during the Civil War, "Crucible of the Civil War" offers new ways to approach the study of the most important state in the Confederacy during the bloodiest war in American history.


Dysphagia is considered a serious problem affecting geriatric patients because of the increased risk of aspiration. Dysphagia and risk for aspiration is a geriatric syndrome that should be screened early and treated in all hospital admitted geriatric patients in order to reduce morbidity and length of hospital stay. Objective: Identify the factors associated with aspiration risk among geriatric patients with dysphagia. Setting: The study was carried out in the Medical Units of the Main University Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt. Subjects: The study included 100 geriatric patients with dysphagia admitted to the selected units and fulfilling the following criteria; age 60 years and more, with no contraindication for oral feeding, able to maintain sitting position, able to communicate and available at the time of data collection. Tools: Four tools were used for data collection: 1) Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS), 2) Socio-demographic and clinical data of geriatric patients with dysphagia structured interview schedule, 3) Factors associated with aspiration risk among geriatric patients with dysphagia structured interview schedule, 4) Barthel Index. Results: Severe dysphagia with a high risk of aspiration was observed in 37.0% of the study geriatric patients, while moderate dysphagia with a risk of aspiration in 27.0% and those who had slight dysphagia with a low risk of aspiration in 36.0%.The severity of dysphagia and aspiration risk is affected significantly by living arrangement, level of dependency, receiving chemotherapy treatment, mouth dryness and weak tongue movement as a side effects of medication. Conclusion: The severity of dysphagia and aspiration risk were affected by several factors as filing mouth with foods, feeling tired and fatigued during meals. Moreover, dysphagia and aspiration risk were associated with illiteracy and specific medical diagnosis as hypertension, heart failure and leukemia. Recommendations: Comprehensive assessment of geriatric patients for dysphagia and aspiration risk should be a routine and basic procedure of the gerontological nurse in order to identify early those at risk and implement appropriate nursing interventions to prevent complications.


The application of this relation to the determination of the joint resistance of several resistances iu parallel was, I believe, first pointed out by the Elektrotechnische Zeitschrift, and it appeared later in Le Genie Civil, May 2, 1891, and in the Electrician, Dec. 18, 1891. The following is a simple and obvious extension to any number of quantities, such as resistances in parallel, electrical capacities in series, focal lengths of thin lenses in contact, etc., connected by the relation -*'-' = Sar. As apparently it is not given in the text-books it may be of some interest. On any two parallel lines mark off lengths AB, CD, CE, CF, CG, etc., representing the quantities to scale, and combine in pairs as shown in the figure. The last parallel PT will represent the quantity sought. AB and CD are for convenience drawn perpendicular to AC. Directed quantities, such as focal lengths, must be drawn above or below AC according to sign. If AB = 3, CD = 6, CE=5, CF=<L, CG=-Z, we get P r = 2 ' 2 2 . For the application to combinations of co-axial refracting surfaces, see paper by H. S. Allen, Proceedings of the Physical Society, vol. xxi. p. 480. J . A. TOMKIKS.