In this work, we investigate the existence and regularity of solutions for some partial functional integrodifferential equations with finite delay. The continuous dependence upen initial values and asymptotic stability are also studied. Firstly, we show the existence of the mild solutions. Secondly, we give sufficient conditions ensuring the existence of the strict solutions. The method used treats the equations in the domain of A with the graph norm employing results from linear semigroup theory. To illustrate our abstract result, we conclude this work with an application.


Recent studies have shown that the testis is producing several biologically active peptides, namely the F5- and the NC1-peptides from laminin-γ3 and collagen α3 (IV) chain, respectively, that promotes blood-testis barrier (BTB) remodeling and also elongated spermatid release at spermiation. Also the LG3/4/5-peptide from laminin-α2 chain also promotes BTB integrity which is likely being used for the assembly of a "new" BTB behind preleptotene spermatocytes under transport at the immunological barrier. These findings thus provides a new opportunity for investigators to better understand the biology of spermatogenesis. Herein, we briefly summarize these recent findings and provide a critique update and a hypothetical model which can serve as the framework for studies in the years to come.


As LGBTI issues become visible within society there is a growing belief that society is ready to confront prejudices around sexuality and gender. But who is represented in these processes of visualization? The LGBTI agenda has focused on the defense of marriage, Don't Ask Don't Tell, federal hate crime statutes and the Employment Non-discrimination Act. The political strategy around these issues has been defined by a moderate approach based on demanding inclusion into existing institutions. A look at the normalization of sexual politics reveals that minorities remain at the margins. I approached activists from QUEEROCRACY and immigration activist Felipe Baeza to discuss: What are the social issues young people care about ? What forms of activism do young people favor and what motivates them to organize? What forms of visuality do young queer activists use and how do these relate to the strategies of the previous generations?


This paper introduces and studies the maximum k-plex problem, which arises in social network analysis and has wider applicability in several important areas employing graph-based data mining. After establishing NP-completeness of the decision version of the problem on arbitrary graphs, an integer programming formulation is presented, followed by a polyhedral study to identify combinatorial valid inequalities and facets. A branch-and-cut algorithm is implemented and tested on proposed benchmark instances. An algorithmic approach is developed exploiting the graph-theoretic properties of a k-plex that is effective in solving the problem to optimality on very large, sparse graphs such as the power law graphs frequently encountered in the applications of interest.


A building security management system based on single board computer is currently under development. In this paper, a part of the system which is an automatic door access system using contactless smart card for identification is discussed. Running test shows that the system is working as expected. The system can identify multiple users each with different card. More specific access such as access by day, hour, even minute can be implemented. Alarm is used as indicator if the door is unlocked or any forced intrusion is happening. The corresponding system is going to be integrated in a building security management system to provide safer work environment.


Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceived influence of major sports events on the subjective wellbeing of spectators. The research covered three sporting events featuring racket sports held in the UK between 2017 and 2018 and was concerned with spectators (aged 16 and over) who attended one of these events. Four aspects of subjective wellbeing were considered: life satisfaction, happiness, feeling worthwhile, and anxiety. A composite subjective wellbeing measure encompassing these aspects was also developed. Primary data were collected from spectators at each event and an overall spectator sample of 362 was achieved. Respondents perceived that their subjective wellbeing was enhanced significantly as a consequence of attending major sports events across all measures. We also found that frequency of event attendance and being inspired by events to be more physically active were positively and significantly associated with perceived improvements in subjective wellbeing attributed to attending events. Our study indicates that there are two potential mechanisms through which improvements in subjective wellbeing from attending major sports events are manifested. First, a direct effect of being at an event on subjective wellbeing. Second, an indirect effect of event attendance on subjective wellbeing that stems from a feeling of inspiration.


Thromboxane sensitive (TP)-receptors are widely distributed in the airways smooth muscle of various species. In man they mediate constrictor responses, not only to TxA2 but also to other prostanoids such as PGD2 and PGF2 alpha. The evidence for the involvement of these TP-receptors in human asthma is equivocal; however, the recent development of potent, selective TP-receptor blocking drugs such as GR32191 has provided the opportunity to answer this question. GR32191 (80mg p.o.) caused a marked inhibition of PGD2 but not methacholine-induced bronchospasm in asthmatic subjects, and also caused a modest reduction in allergen-induced bronchospasm. However, it had no inhibitory effect against the bronchoconstriction resulting from inhaled PAF or from exercise. Finally, GR32191 was tested in moderate to severe asthmatics for its ability to reduce symptom scores. At a dose of 40mg four times a day for three weeks, GR32191 had no effect upon morning or evening peak expiratory flow rates, on subjective symptom score, on bronchodilator usage or on occurrence of nocturnal dyspnoea. These results do not support a key role for prostanoids acting through TP-receptors in the aetiology of asthma.


Background and Objective: The Minor Ailment Service (MAS) in Scotland has provided free treatment via community pharmacy, for those eligible, for self-limiting conditions since its inception in 2006. MAS is a source of free expert advice and treatment which is readily available with no need for an appointment. This service contributes to the national enhancement of healthcare: improving access to services and minimising health inequalities. In 2016/17 over 2 million over-the-counter products were prescribed by pharmacists on MAS costing £4.9 Million. However, there is no information on the experiences of service users at a national level. A national evaluation is therefore planned in the latter part of 2018. The aim of this study is to gauge project feasibility, test the planned data collection and handling of the full scale project, and to obtain an expected response rate. Setting and Method: Five community pharmacies across Scotland were selected for the pilot study on the basis of deprivation and locations. Each pharmacy was provided with 25 study packs containing an initial questionnaire. Those service users who returned the initial questionnaire were mailed a follow-up questionnaire. Main outcome measures: The initial questionnaire included items on: previous use of MAS, presenting condition, expectations, reasons for using MAS, perceived privacy, planned use of other healthcare service(s), perceptions of consultation and views of pharmacist care (Consultation and Relational Empathy: CARE) and self-reported quality of life. The follow up questionnaire determined: perceived effectiveness of treatment, other sources of treatment, further use of MAS and self-reported quality of life. Results: Of the possible 125 questionnaires a total of 52 were distributed in a 1 week period. Pharmacies in the least deprived areas distributed the fewest study packs (n=11), while the most deprived areas distributed the most (n= 41). Of the 52 questionnaires distributed 14 were returned completed: a response rate of 27%. The pilot responses informed questionnaire development with minor changes in layout to increase response rate, and reduction in open ended questions which were rarely completed. Responses from the pilot questionnaires provide positive indications regarding MAS experiences but lack the statistical power to provide representational results. The pilot study has however provided the framework for the full scale study. Conclusion: The full study will distribute 10 study packs from every community pharmacy in Scotland within a 2 weeks period. Given the number distributed in the pilot, this should be achievable. Using the pilot response rate the full project should return in excess of 3000 questionnaires. The full study will provide national patient experience of MAS, allow quantification of the transfer of care to community pharmacy from other healthcare services and service users perception of effectiveness.


Secret-sharing schemes describe methods to securely share a secret among a group of participants. A properly constructed secret-sharing scheme guarantees that the share belonging to one participant does not reveal anything about the shares of others or even the secret itself. Besides being used to distribute a secret, secret-sharing schemes have also been used in secure multi-party computations and redundant residue number systems for error correction codes. In this paper, we propose that the secret-sharing scheme be used as a primitive in a Network-based Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) to detect attacks in encrypted Networks. Encrypted networks such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) fully encrypt network traffic which can include both malicious and non-malicious traffic. Traditional NIDS cannot monitor such encrypted traffic. We therefore describe how our work uses a combination of Shamir's secret-sharing scheme and randomised network proxies to enable a traditional NIDS to function normally in a VPN environment.


In this work, we report a new and promising approach towards the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of metallic Co thin films. Utilizing the simple and known CoCl2(TMEDA) (TMEDA = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) precursor in combination with the intramolecularly stabilized Zn aminoalkyl compound Zn(DMP)2 (DMP = dimethylaminopropyl) as auxiliary reducing agent, a thermal ALD process is developed that enables the deposition of Zn free Co thin films. ALD studies demonstrate the saturation behavior of both precursors, linearity in dependency of the applied number of cycles as well as investigations of the temperature dependency of film growth in a regime of 140 - 215 °C. While the process optimization is carried out on Si with native oxide, additional growth studies are conducted on Au and Pt substrates. This study is complemented by initial reactivity and suitability tests of several potential Zn alkyl reducing agents. For the CoCl2(TMEDA) - Zn(DMP)2 combination, these findings allow to propose a series of elemental reaction steps hypothetically leading to pure Co film formation in the ALD process whose feasibility are probed by a set of DFT calculations. The DFT results show that for reactions of the precursors in the gas phase and on Co(111) substrate surfaces, a pathway involving C-C coupling and diamine formation through reductive elimination of an intermediate Co(II) alkyl species is preferred. Co thin films with an average thickness of 10 - 25 nm obtained from the process are subjected to thorough analysis comprising AFM, SEM, RBS/NRA as well as depth profiling XPS. Resistivity measurements for ~ 22 nm thick films grown on a defined SiO2 insulator layer yield highly promising values in a range of 15 - 20 μΩ cm without any after treatment.


The study of dialects in literary works has always focus on the literary and linguistic significance, while the dialects used in literary works can also be of archival significance in cultural anthropology. From the perspective of archival science, this paper tries to illustrate the archival significance of dialects in literary works, and it concludes that dialects in literary works are of archival significance in that they provide evidence and information of social culture, supporting materials in researches of writers and effective historical materials and data in researches of regional and contemporary culture. This archival function of dialect used in literary works is of archival significance to Chinese history, literary history, folklore and anthropological research.


In certain problems in a variety of applied probability settings (from probabilistic analysis of algorithms to statistical physics), the central requirement is to solve a recursive distributional equation of the form X =^d g((\xi_i,X_i),i\geq 1). Here (\xi_i) and g(\cdot) are given and the X_i are independent copies of the unknown distribution X. We survey this area, emphasizing examples where the function g(\cdot) is essentially a ``maximum'' or ``minimum'' function. We draw attention to the theoretical question of endogeny: in the associated recursive tree process X_i, are the X_i measurable functions of the innovations process (\xi_i)?


Pharmaceutical care involves the process through which a pharmacist cooperates with a patient and other professionals in implementing a therapeutic plan for the quality use of medicines. However, traditional pharmacy were limited by the shortage of the pharmacists and capabilities of communication, the quality pharmaceutical care was not provided effectively. Previous studies have pointed out the implementation of telepharmacy have potential benefits for improving pharmacy service coverage regardless of where the pharmacist is located. The success of this program depends on the aggressive usages by the pharmacists. Therefore, it's noteworthy to investigate the determinants of pharmacists' intention to adopt telepharmacy in their clinical practice. By integrating the task-technology fit theory (TTF) and the unified theory of acceptance and usage of technology (UTAUT), this research proposed a telepharmacy adoption model including six constructs for the pharmacists. We conducted a questionnaire survey from 225 pharmacists in Taiwan and used partial least squares (PLS) via SmartPLS to test our hypotheses of the proposed model. Our results show that both performance expectancy and effort expectancy directly affect the adopting intention of telepharmacy, but the task technology fit will not. However, the antecedent factors of performance expectancy including task technology fit and technology characteristics have significant effect on pharmacists' intentions indirectly. This study offers a new perspective and a strategic guide for health care industries on how to promote pharmacists to implement telepharmacy and provide quality pharmaceutical care in their community.


The rapid progress of information and communication technologies and the improvements in road and air transport have increased not only the income levels but also the interaction of households with each other. Differences in consumption behaviors of the households across regions may be because of their income differences, if not due to their preferences. This study aims to investigate whether consumption behaviors converge together with income levels. For that purpose, we tried to identify the asymptotically perfect convergence clubs in household expenditures on 12 groups of goods and services as well as in their incomes for 26 NUTS-2 Turkish regions. The empirical results demonstrate a high number of convergence clubs, indicating a low level of convergence across the regions in terms of both consumption groups and income.


Cellular networks are widely deployed for wireless communication, and as the number of users of these networks increase, so does the need for higher spectral efficiency. Clever measures have to be taken in order to increase throughput for wireless networks because of the scarcity of radio resources. Ever higher rates are demanded, but we also want to conserve a fair distribution of the available resources. Therefore, we consider the problem of joint power allocation and user scheduling, while achieving a desired level of fairness in wireless cellular systems. Dynamic resource allocation is employed for the full reuse networks simulated, in order to cope with inter-cell interference and to optimize spectrum efficiency. Binary power allocation is implemented and compared to the performance without power control, for minimum transmit power levels equal to 0 and greater than 0. We show that binary power control with individual power levels for each cell is optimal for two-cell networks. We also present an extension to the proportional fair scheduling for multi-cell networks, and analyze its performance for different cell sizes and time windows. Finally, we highlight the equality between multi-cell, multi-user and multi-carrier proportional fair scheduling. Simulation results show how power control and user scheduling increase throughput, reduce power consumption and achieve a desired level of fairness. Hence, we can obtain considerable gains for the network throughput through adaptive power allocation and multiuser diversity.


Optical properties (OPs) of non-flat narrow plant leaves, i.e., coniferous needles, are extensively used by the remote sensing community, in particular for calibration and validation of radiative transfer models at leaf and canopy level. Optical measurements of such small living elements are, however, a technical challenge and only few studies attempted so far to investigate and quantify related measurement errors. In this paper we review current methods and developments measuring optical properties of narrow leaves. We discuss measurement shortcomings and knowledge gaps related to a particular case of non-flat nonbifacial coniferous needle leaves, e.g., needles of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.).


Southern New Brunswick consists of a complex collage of fault-bounded belts of Late Neoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic rocks, Early Paleozoic sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous units, and overlying Carboniferous sedimentary rocks. The area also contains the boundary between the Avalonian and Ganderian terranes as interpreted in the northern Appalachian orogen. New detrital zircon ages reported here provide improved understanding of depositional ages and provenance of diverse Neoproterozoic to Carboniferous rocks in this complex area. Detrital zircon data from samples with Neoproterozoic maximum depositional ages indicate a dominantly Gondwanan provenance with a strong influence from the Amazonian craton. However, quartzite from The Thoroughfare Formation on Grand Manan Island contains dominanly 2 Ga zircon grains, consistent with derivation from the West African Craton. The age spectrum is similar to that from the Hutchins Island Quartzite in the Isleboro block in Penobscot Bay, Maine, strengthening the previously proposed correlation between the two areas. Cambrian samples also show prominent peri-Gondwanan provenance with strong influence from Ediacaran to Early Cambrian arc magmatism. The maximum depositional ages of these samples are consistent with previous interpretations of Cambrian ages based on fossil correlations and field data. A Carboniferous sample from Avalonia shows a significant contribution from Devonian magmatism as the youngest detrital component, although its depositional age based on field relationships is Carboniferous. The results exemplify the need to integrate multiple datasets in making interpretations from detrital zircon data.


The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the EGFR family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). EGFR activation via ligand binding results in signaling through various pathways ultimately resulting in cellular proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Aberrant expression or activity of EGFR has been strongly linked to the etiology of several human epithelial cancers including but not limited to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer (CRC), breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and brain cancer. Thus intense efforts have been made to inhibit the activity of EGFR by designing antibodies against the ligand binding domains (cetuximab and panitumumab) or small molecules against the tyrosine kinase domain (erlotinib, gefitinib, and lapatinib). Although targeting membrane-bound EGFR has shown benefit, a new and emerging role for EGFR is now being elucidated. In this review we will summarize the current knowledge of the nuclear EGFR signaling network, including how it is trafficked to the nucleus, the functions it serves in the nucleus, and how these functions impact cancer progression, survival, and response to chemotherapeutics.


ObjectiveTo describe the integration of tuberculosis screening into the activities of an HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) centre in a country with endemic tuberculosis. SettingAn HIV VCT centre in Port au Prince, Haiti. DesignAll patients presenting for HIV VCT who reported cough received same-day evaluation for active tuberculosis. Of the 1327 adults presenting to the centre for the first time between January and April 1997, 263 (20%) reported cough and of these 241 (92%) were evaluated. ResultsOf the 241 patients evaluated for cough, 76 (32%) were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. Of the 76 patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, 28 (37%) had a positive smear for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), 14 (18%) had a negative AFB smear but a positive sputum culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and 34 (45%) had culture-negative tuberculosis. Also, 31 out of 241 (13%) VCT clients evaluated for cough were diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia. ConclusionThis report confirms that in areas with a high HIV and tuberculosis prevalence, a high proportion of VCT clients have active pulmonary tuberculosis. The integration of tuberculosis screening offers several benefits, including the diagnosis and treatment of large numbers of individuals with tuberculosis, a decreased risk of nosocomial tuberculosis transmission, and the opportunity to provide tuberculosis prophylaxis to HIV-positive patients in whom tuberculosis has been excluded. Future studies are needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of integrated tuberculosis and HIV VCT services, and whether integration should be recommended in all countries with high HIV and tuberculosis rates.


The paper describes a new approach to grasp synthesis by a highly dexterous robotic hand. The adopted design methodology is based on an AI technique called assumption-based truth maintenance system (ATMS). The validity of this approach has been ascertained with reference to a high-dexterity 3-finger, 10-degrees of freedom robotic hand (the University of Bologna Hand), but the underlying methodological issues can be specialized to many other robotic dexterous hands. The developed prototype system, while referring to some working hypotheses, has shown a satisfactory operative level.


We report the first detailed investigation of the kinetics of protein splicing by the Methanococcus jannaschii KlbA (Mja KlbA) intein. This intein has an N-terminal Ala in place of the nucleophilic Cys or Ser residue that normally initiates splicing but nevertheless splices efficiently in vivo [Southworth, M. W., Benner, J., and Perler, F. B. (2000) EMBO J.19, 5019–5026]. To date, the spontaneous nature of the cis splicing reaction has hindered its examination in vitro. For this reason, we constructed an Mja KlbA intein–mini-extein precursor using intein-mediated protein ligation and engineered a disulfide redox switch that permits initiation of the splicing reaction by the addition of a reducing agent such as dithiothreitol (DTT). A fluorescent tag at the C-terminus of the C-extein permits monitoring of the progress of the reaction. Kinetic analysis of the splicing reaction of the wild-type precursor (with no substitutions in known nucleophiles or assisting groups) at various DTT concentrations shows that formation of the branched intermediate from the precursor is reversible (forward rate constant of 1.5 × 10–3 s–1 and reverse rate constant of 1.7 × 10–5 s–1 at 42 °C), whereas the productive decay of this intermediate to form the ligated exteins is faster and occurs with a rate constant of 2.2 × 10–3 s–1. This finding conflicts with reports about standard inteins, for which Asn cyclization has been assigned as the rate-determining step of the splicing reaction. Despite being the slowest step of the reaction, branched intermediate formation in the Mja KlbA intein is efficient in comparison with those of other intein systems. Interestingly, it also appears that this intermediate is protected against thiolysis by DTT, in contrast to other inteins. Evidence is presented in support of a tight coupling between the N-terminal and C-terminal cleavage steps, despite the fact that the C-terminal single-cleavage reaction occurs in variant Mja KlbA inteins in the absence of N-terminal cleavage. We posit that the splicing events in the Mja KlbA system are tightly coordinated by a network of intra- and interdomain noncovalent interactions, rendering its function particularly sensitive to minor disruptions in the intein or extein environments.


The titanium complex Cp[1,3-(2',6'-Me2C6H3)2(CH2N)2C=N]Ti(CH2Ph)2, with a monoanionic eta 1-iminoimidazolidide ancillary ligand, is shown to be a highly efficient catalyst for olefin polymerisation when activated with the Lewis acid B(C6F5)3.


Abstract The recently developed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) proton density fat fraction (PDFF) allows measurement of the fat in all segments of hepatic tissue. However, it is time consuming and inconvenient to measure each segment repeatedly. Moreover, volume of each segment also should be adjusted with arithmetic mean of the selected segments when total amount of liver fat is estimated. Therefore, we try to develop a clinically-relevant and applicable method of estimating hepatic fat in PDFF image. A total of 164 adults were enrolled. We addressed the measurement frequency and segment selection to determine the optimal method of measuring intrahepatic fat. Total hepatic fat was estimated by the weighted mean of each segment reflecting their respective segmental volumes. We designed 2 models. In Model 1, we determined the segment order by which the mean was closest to the whole weighted mean. In Model 2, we determined the segment order by which the arithmetic mean of the selected segments was closest to the whole weighted mean. Fat fraction (FF) was most important risk factor of hepatic heterogeneity in multivariable analysis (&bgr; = 0.534, P < .001). In severe fatty liver (FF > 22.1%), intrahepatic fat variability was 2.47% (1.16–6.26%). The arithmetic mean total intrahepatic FF was 12.66%. But the weighted mean that applied to each segmental volume was 12.90%. In Model 1, arithmetic mean of segments 4 and 5 was closest to the total estimated hepatic fat amount. However, when we added segment 8, the mean of segments 4, 5, and 8 was significantly different from the estimated total hepatic fat amount (P = .0021). In Model 2, arithmetic mean of segments 4 and 5 was closest to the total estimated hepatic fat amount. There was a significant reduction in variability between segment 4 and segments 4 and 5 (P < .0001). Averaging the mean hepatic FF of segments 4 and 5 was the most reasonable method for estimating total intrahepatic fat in practice.


Filling is a task carried out by a machine that packages liquid products such as cold drinks or water. Traditional methods of bottle filling involved placing bottles onto a conveyor and filling only one bottle at a time. This method is time consuming and expensive. The present work briefs about a machine that used to prepare automatic filling of liquid in to the bottle of different height is fully controlled by the plc which acts as the heart of the system. The system sequence of operation is designed by ladder diagram and the plc programming software. Sensor usually plays its vital part as an input signal transmitter for the plc in the system. During this project sensor has been used to detect the bottle position that move along the conveyor belt at the low speed while the machine operates. The input signal that has been sent from the sensor to the plc has being made as a reference. Signal in order to determine the output signal that exactly a same with the plc programming language based on the user requirement. The entire system is more flexible and time saving.


Background: People whose chronic pain limits their independence are especially likely to become anxious and depressed. Mindfulness training has shown promise for stress-related disorders. Methods: Chronic pain patients who complained of anxiety and depression and who scored higher than moderate in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) as well as moderate in Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) were observed for eight weeks, three days a week for an hour of Mindfulness Meditation training with an hour daily home Mindfulness Meditation practice. Pain was evaluated on study entry and completion, and patients were given the Patients' Global Impression of Change (PGIC) to score at the end of the training program. Results: Forty-seven (47) patients completed the Mindfulness Meditation Training program. Over the year-long observation, patients demonstrated noticeable improvement in depression, anxiety, pain, and global impression of change. Conclusions: Chronic pain patients who suffer with anxiety and depression may benefit from incorporating Mindfulness Meditation into their treatment plans.


One result of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and related legislation is that most deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students attend local public schools. Although such placements may provide greater access to general education classrooms and curriculum, DHH students' specialized needs are less likely to be addressed. Using the Transition Competence Battery (TCB; Reiman, Bullis, & Davis, 1993), the researchers examined the transition strengths and needs of 53 middle and high school DHH students attending public schools. It was found that the students had substantial transition competence deficits and that none reached the recommended competence levels on more than 4 of the 6 subtests. The TCB is an important transition tool that fulfills requirements under the 2004 Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act Amendments to use age-appropriate and resultsoriented transition assessments that document program and intervention outcomes.


Zero tolerance policies against graffiti are rooted in moral panic and 'broken windows' theory, forging connections between illegal interventions in the city and social disorder. While these connections are now widely recognised as unfounded, they persist in anti-graffiti policy. Versions of the New York model of zero tolerance against graffiti were instituted with unique severity and with some peculiarities in Nordic cities such as Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Strict policy rarely has the intended effect of ridding the city of graffiti and other unwanted expressions. Undesirable interventions persist despite intense media and education campaigns, graffiti removal schemes, harsh punishments, and even modicums of censorship. The Norwegian capital of Oslo implemented a policy of zero tolerance against graffiti in 2000. Taking Oslo as its focus, this paper strives to uncover aesthetic consequences of such policy and looks for indications of what makes the zero tolerance city distinct. Drawing upon psychogeographic and photographic fieldwork conducted in Norway between 2013 and 2017, four potential consequences emerge: the creation of aesthetic tensions; the presence of buffed and negated spaces; changes in graffiti style and form; and differences in the scale of street art. This paper concludes by proposing that cities allowing for more agonism and tolerance may enable more meaningful and democratic creative expression of its citizens, leading to more diverse and vibrant urban aesthetics.


A 30-year-old man presented with psoriasis of the scalp, elbows and sacral region. Treatment with salicylic acid (3 % in petrolatum) provoked an immediate eczematous and exudative reaction at all the treated sites, most evident on the scalp. With copper and zinc sulphate lotion, ichthyol (3 %) in calamine lotion and intravenous antihistamines, the superimposed eczema disappeared. Further application of salicylic acid (3 % in petrolatum) produced the same reaction. Suspecting some kind of topical sensitization, we patch tested the patient with standard allergens of our department. Surprisingly, the patient showed positive reactions to all the tests, with the exception of turpentine, Bisphenol A and creosote, the vehicle for which is lanette wax; for the other allergens the vehicle was yellow soft paraffin (petrolatum). Fresh patch tests with pure white soft paraffin (Lab.Cusi) and with pure yellow soft paraffin (GEHECO) showed strong positive reactions to both.


Cartograms are a popular and useful technique for depicting geo-spatial data. Dorling style and rectangular cartograms are very good for facilitating comparisons between unit areas. Each unit area is represented by the same shape such as a circle or rectangle, and the uniformity in shapes facilitates comparative judgment. However, the layout of these more abstract shapes may also simultaneously reduce the map's legibility and increase error. When we integrate univariate data into a cartogram, the recognizability of cartogram may be reduced. There is a trade-off between information recognition and geo-information accuracy. This is the inspiration behind the work we present. We attempt to increase the map's recognizability and reduce error by introducing topological features into the cartographic map. Our goal is to include topological features such as a river in a Dorling-style or rectangular cartogram to make the visual layout more recognizable, increase map cognition and reduce geospatial error. We believe that compared to the standard Dorling and rectangular style cartogram, adding topological features provides familiar geo-spatial cues and flexibility to enhance the recognizability of a cartogram.


The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument is considered a very versatile tool in studying environmental changes. The multi-spectral sensor owns a high revisit period, a large scanning area, plus a handful of other advantages. The main purpose of this study is to employ reflectance data retrieved by the MODIS sensor in detecting smoke plumes, estimating their respective intensity and retrieving the AOD (Aerosol Optical Depth). Specifically, in the detection of the smoke plumes, biomass burning cases are studied in delineating the reflective characteristics. Following the detection, the Deep-Blue Aerosol Index (DAI) is utilized to evaluate the intensity. Relevant AOD information is retrieved by analyzing the relationship between the DAI and AOD. Results show a high correlation between the satellite-retrieved AOD and Sun Photometer-observed AOD data, thus demonstrating the feasibility in obtaining the aerosol distribution over highly reflective areas. As the proposed approach in this study is capable of accurately portraying the spatial distribution and intensity of smoke plumes, it can be effectively used in monitoring biomass burning hazards.


Abstract This work aimed to optimize the extraction of an extracellular protease produced by the cold-adapted yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa L7 using aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) comprising polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium citrate or sodium tartrate. First, the biocompatibility of the phase forming agents was assessed. The results obtained with PEG-2000, PEG-4000, and PEG-6000 demonstrated that even at large PEG concentrations (32 wt%) the protease maintains its activity after 3 h of reaction, whereas an increase in salt concentration provokes a gradual decrease in protease stability. Subsequently, the partitioning of the protease in both types of ATPS was assessed, evaluating the effect of temperature, molecular weight, and concentration of PEG on protease purification, using two 23-full factorial designs. The best partitioning conditions were obtained in PEG-6000/sodium tartrate-based ATPS, at 30ºC (with a yield of 81.09 ± 0.66% and a purification factor of 2.51 ± 0.03). Thus, considering the biodegradable characteristics of the system, the PEG/sodium tartrate ATPS is a viable and economic low-resolution step in protease purification, with a strong potential for future industrial application.


Purpose: This research aims to examine the association between perceived ethics and SMEs performance; also determine the mediation effect of organizational culture on the relationship. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the literature review, this research developed a conceptual model of Perceived ethics, organizational culture and performance. This research applied purposive sampling to gather data from owners/managers of SMEs in Kano State North-West of Nigeria. Apart from assessing the reliability and validity of the constructs through confirmatory factor analysis, this research also used Partial Least Square Techniques (PLS) of analysis approach to test the proposed hypothesis. Findings: Statistical result reveals that the relationship between perceived ethics and SMEs performance was found to be significant at p.value less than 0.001. Similarly as postulated the organizational culture mediates the relationships with significant value. Research limitations/implications: The sample for this study is based on SMEs and cross sectional in nature, In addition, the present study employed quantitative techniques future study can employed qualitative or case study method for design and analysis of information. Practical implications: The finding of this study can assist practitioners and policy makers in SMEs to support the idea of social responsibility in designing strategic plan for superior performance. As whole, the outcome of this research will assist managers for better understanding of the business social responsibility antecedents under the perspective SMEs. Originality/value: This paper has tried to provide a comprehensive understanding about business social responsibility antecedents under the perspective SMEs context in Nigeria. Since there was a lack of such research in SMEs context, this research can provide theoretical contribution and managerial basis for future researches as well as implications for the managers.


Patients with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) have limited time with supervised therapy in rehabilitation
hospitals. This makes it imperative for them to continue regular therapy at home so they can
maximize motor recovery especially for performing Activities of Daily Living (ADL). However,
physical therapy can be tedious and frustrating leading to a lack of motivation. A novel upper
extremity movement measurement tool was developed using a commercial VR system to rapidly
and objectively measure an individual's range of motion, velocity of movement on an individual
gesture basis, and frequency of movements in a three-dimensional space. Further, an exergame
with varied and customizable gameplay parameters was developed. Through the analysis of
participant interaction with the exergame, we identified gameplay parameters that can be adjusted
to affect the player's perceived and physiological effort. We observed that VR has a significant
motivational effect on range of motion of upper limbs in individuals with tetraplegia. The motion
data and kernel density estimation is used to determine areas of comfort. Moreover, the system
allowed calculation of joint torques through inverse kinematics and dynamics to serve as an
analysis tool to gauge muscular effort. The system can provide an improved rehabilitation
experience for persons with tetraplegia in home settings while allowing oversight by clinical
therapists through analysis of mixed reality videos or it could be used as a supplement or alternative
to conventional therapy.


This is the first study where historic perimeter land loss was quantified for both upland and marsh islands in the Chesapeake Bay. Rates and patterns of land loss were quantified for the years 1848 to1987 using digitized data from historical maps and vertical aerial photographs for seven islands: Barren, Bloodsworth, Hooper, James, Poplar, Smith and South Marsh. Processes of land loss were determined through field surveys and correlated with environmental factors. Future land loss was predicted based on historic trends of land loss and future scenarios of relative sea-level rise in Chesapeake Bay. Two distinct island types exhibited different, long-term patterns of land loss. Upland islands showed rapid land loss along the main stem of the Bay primarily due to wave action against low silt/clay cliffs. Since1848, they have been losing land at an average rate of 1.9 ha/yr. The average erosion rate on the western side of the islands is 4.9 m/yr, compared to 0.7 m/yr on the eastern side of the islands. In contrast, marsh islands experienced more uniform perimeter edge erosion and interior marsh loss. Marsh islands lost land at an average rate of 5.6 ha/yr, with an average rate of marsh edge erosion of 1.2m/yr. Interior marsh loss was not quantified in this study and, except for Bloodsworth Island, is otherwise unavailable; thus, this paper provides a minimum estimate of total land loss of these islands. Regardless of any rise in sea level, the upland islands will totally disappear in less than 20 years (before 2010). The marsh islands have a longer predicted life. Nevertheless, given the likelihood of accelerated sea-level rise and active interior marsh loss, the marsh islands are likely to be greatly reduced in size or totally lost in the coming century.


Herein, mesoporous silicon (PSi) is configured as a single sensing device that has dual readouts; as a photonic crystal sensor in a Rugate filter configuration, and as a high surface area porous electrode. The as-prepared PSi is chemically modified to provide it with stability in aqueous media and to allow for the subsequent coupling of chemical species, such as via Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition reactions between 1-alkynes and azides ("click" reactions). The utility of the bimodal capabilities of the PSi sensor for monitoring surface coupling procedures is demonstrated by the covalent coupling of a ferrocene derivative, as well as by demonstrating ligand-exchange reactions (LER) at the PSi surface. Both types of reactions were monitored through optical reflectivity measurements, as well as electrochemically via the oxidation/reduction of the surface tethered redox species.


In 6 normal weight juvenile diabetic patients treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) we have investigated whether the restrictive management of the diabetes diet could be relaxed. On 2-3 days of a 4 week period the patients ate a) a conventional diabetes diet consisting of 3 main meals and in-between snacks of a prescribed carbohydrate content or b) a liberal diabetes diet in which the patients could choose the number of meals and carbohydrate contents. With both diets, mean blood glucose levels during the day were in normal range (96 +/- 3 and 101 +/- mg/dl, mean +/- SEM). On the liberal diet meal frequency and carbohydrate intake per day were significantly lower, the carbohydrate content per meal significantly larger when compared with the conventional diabetes diet. There was not difference in insulin requirements per day (basal rate plus premeal dosage). All the patients preferred the liberal diet. CSII allowed juvenile diabetic patients a more liberal management of their diabetes diet without negative effects on blood glucose control. Hence CSII improved the quality of life in these patients.


During the three decades of British rule in Palestine (1918-1948), the question of Jewish immigration played a major role in the political arena of the country. As far as the Zionists were concerned, Jewish immigration was a vital and indispensable condition to the growth and strengthening of the Yishuv (Jewish community in Palestine), to the prosperity of the country and to the building up of the Jewish National Home. On the other hand, the Palestinian Arabs saw in Jewish immigration the most dangerous and tangible threat to their political existence. . and their economic, social and religious position. The British Government, which, according to the Balfour Declaration and the Mandate, took upon itself to assist the establishment of the Jewish National Home by facilitating Jewish immigration, was well aware of the controversial nature of this question and devoted considerable endeavour to finding a solution satisfactory to all parties concerned.

The present study examines the making of immigration policy during the first five years of the Civil Administration, which correspond to Sir Herbert Samuel's rule in Palestine. This includes an analysis of the different approaches and contributions of the various bodies and individuals which took part in the framing of the policy; an examination of the political, administrative arid legal patterns, procedures and schemes of immigration; and finally, the implementation of the schemes and their subsequent effects on the official policy.

With regard to the participants in this process, one can point to three political factors which acted concurrently in three different arenas: Jerusalem, London and the immigration centres in Europe. The first network consists of the Palestine Administration and the British Government: the High Commissioner, the Chief Secretary, the Legal Department, the Department of Immigration and Travel, the Sub-Department of Labour and various economic departments of the Palestine Administration; the British Cabinet, the Colonial Office, the Home Office, the Foreign Office and British Consuls in Europe, mainly those situated in the immigration centres: Warsaw, Constantinople, Vienna and Trieste. The second network includes the corresponding bodies of the Zionist Organisation: the Zionist Executive in London, the Zionist Commission to Palestine and later, the Palestine Zionist Executive and the branches of the Zionist Organisation in Europe.

An additional network is the supreme body of the Palestine Arab national movement - the Palestine Arab Congress, its Executive Committee and the several Delegations which were despatched to London during this period for negotiations with the Colonial Office. From a chronological and substantial point of view, this research is divided into two principal periods. The first is from July 1920, the date of the setting up of the Civil Administration, until the May Disturbances of 1921.

During this period, the primary political, administrative and legal patterns concerning immigration took shape, namely, crystallisation of concepts, outlining of policy, setting up of the Department of Immigration and Travel and legislation of the first Immigration Ordinance (Chapter 1). The later period runs between June 1921 until the middle of 1923, the end of Samuel's rule in Palestine. During this period a revision was made of the concepts and schemes of the policy (Chapter 3); negotiations regarding constitutional reforms in control of immigration took place (Chapter 9-); the Immigration Department and machinery of control were reorganised (Chapter 5); legislation of the second Immigration Ordinance (Chapter 6); and finally, an examination of the principle of Economic Absorptive Capacity as an indicator for immigration (Chapter 7).


Fourier-Laplace analysis of gain media predicts the existence of novel types of media. In particular it predicts the existence of media refracting positively and negatively at the same time, so-called simultaneous refraction. The effect is analytically derived through deformation of the inverse Fourier-Laplace integration surface. The requirements, and possible problems, of such media are discussed. It is argued that this is a 2-dimensional effect, meaning side waves must be present for the effect to occur. For a medium to be simultaneous refracting it must have gain, and it is discussed how this gain can be minimized. A Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method for dispersive Lorentz media was implemented in MATLAB. The program solves Maxwells equations numerically in the time domain, where the real physics happens. If the Fourier-Laplace theory predicts novel optical properties for a given $\epsmu$, the program can thus be used to simulate the actual response from a medium with permittivity and permeability $\epsilon(\omega)$ and $\mu(\omega)$. It can therefore be used to independently verify (or disprove) the results obtained using Fourier-Laplace theory. The FDTD-program was used to simulate various types of novel media. Simulation results showing the occurrence evanescent gain are presented. For media with large gain the program fails, due to artificial reflections caused by numerical errors are being amplified. The reflections were found to originate from the numerical precision of MATLAB, and it is therefore not much that can be done to prevent them from occurring. Infinite or semi-infinite gain media may involve instabilities, as the signal may propagate infinitely long. There are two types of instabilities, convective and absolute. A \emph{convective instability} is convected away. An \emph{absolute instability} grows with time, even at a fixed point in space. The deformation theory is used to explain the occurrence of such instabilities. Wave propagation in passive media are usually considered in the so called monochromatic and plane wave limits, meaning only a single frequency $\omegaobs$ and plane wave component $K_x$ is present. Physically these limits can never fully be reached. The monochromatic limit is approached by turning on a single frequency oscillation at $t=0$, and waiting a sufficiently long time $t\to\infty$. The plane wave limit is approximated by letting the source width $\sigma$ being infinitely large, $\sigma\to\infty$. The Fourier-Laplace theory is used to show that these limits do not necessarily exist in gain media, as instabilities may lead to diverging fields. Even for media where the monochromatic limit exists, it may for certain gain media take a very long time for the transients to die out. This fact is also seen in the simulations.


Information Visualization (InfoVis) focuses on the use of vi-sualization techniques to help people understand and analyze data. While related fields such as Scientific Visualization involve the presentation of data that has some physical or geometric correspondence, Information Visualization centers on abstract information without such correspondences. One important aim of this seminar was to bring together theoreticians and practitioners from Information Visualization and related fields as well as from application areas. The seminar has allowed a critical reflection on actual research efforts, the state of field, evaluation challenges, etc. This document summarizes the event.


This was the third of an ongoing series of biennial conferences held in a relaxed setting, where medicinal chemists congregated to discuss recent enabling developments in organic-medicinal chemistry and biological findings of relevance to the selection of promising drug targets. Approximately 240 academic, industrial and government scientists gathered for this 5-day symposium devoted to optimization in chemical synthesis, methodologies for parallel array medicinal chemistry, applications of structural biology to drug discovery, impact of genomics technologies on pharmaceutical research, and multidrug resistance (MDR). In addition, a keynote address was delivered by Steven Hanessian (University of Montreal, Canada) on "Synthesis... Where do we go from here?" Sixteen oral presentations were delivered and eight papers were presented in a poster session. The plenary lectures are to be published later this year in special issues of Medicinal Research Reviews.


Data indicate that HIV incidence is rising among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in New York City. We examined HIV testing behaviors along key demographics and in relation to substance use in a diverse sample of 18- to 29-year-old YMSM using cross-sectional survey data. The majority of YMSM had tested for HIV in their lifetime and had undertaken their most recent HIV tests as part of a scheduled health checkup or test, or a desire to know their status. In bivariate analyses, a greater proportion of Black men, Latino men, and YMSM of multiracial or other race/ethnicity had ever tested and were more likely to report a recent HIV test than White or Asian/Pacific Islander (API) men, while those living with their parents and those using stimulants were less likely to have tested. Taken together, multivariate analyses indicated that younger men, API men, and those using stimulants were less likely to have tested for HIV. Findings suggest that testing may be facilitated by reducing barriers to testing or embedding testing within routine health programs, and further, that services must be tailored to developmental and cultural nuances in order to reach all YMSM.


The two last novels by Richard Hughes (1900-1976), the first in his planned The Human Predicament series, are partly set in Germany in the years between the First and the Second World War. Much of the action in The Fox in the Attic (1961) takes part in and around Munich, culminating in a fictional reconstruction of the so-called Hitler Putsch on November 8-9, 1923, the future dictator's aborted early bid for power. In the sequel, The Wooden Shepherdess (1973), the time-span is wider and the places covered are more numerous. The novel's finale is a reconstruction of the so-called Rohm Purge, the internecine Nazi killings of the SA-leaders on June 30, 1934 and the following days.

The present study, with its focus on Hughes's German episodes and their sources, is based on extensive research into his unpublished papers in the Lilly Library, Bloomington, Indiana, and the Reading University holdings of his correspondence with Chatto & Windus, the London publishers. In two postscripts, Hughes acknowledged some of his sources. The list is considerably extended in this study which singles out fifteen of his providers of historical material, while assessing the impact the borrowings have had on his fiction: the Bavarian von Aretin family, distantly related to him; his Welsh friend Goronwy Rees; the Prussian Ernst von Salomon; a certain Captain F. Gotz; August Kubizek, Hitler's friend from their youth; three members of the Munich Hanfstaengl family: Ernst, Helene and Egon; the novelist and travel-writer Sir Philip Gibbs; the historians Sir John Wheeler-Bennett, Elizabeth Wiskemann and William Manchester; and finally three (former) Nazis: Walter Schellenberg, Kurt G. W. Ludecke and Otto Strasser.

The study's narratological considerations of the interplay of fact and fiction in Hughes's novels make use of some of Gerard Genette's distinctions (intradiegetic focalization, extradiegetic narration, etc), and the question of plagiarism (a term mentioned by Hughes himself) is briefly broached. The final chapters of the study concern Hughes and the German bookmarket, and his unfinished sequel, the torso published as The Twelve Chapters. In conclusion, Hughes's Hitler portrait and the critical response it provoked is discussed. The study quotes liberally from Richard Hughes's hitherto unpublished manuscript material.


The problem of reconstructing a 3D source distribution from Compton scattered data can be separated into two tasks. First, the angular distribution of line projections at different observation points within the detector volume are reconstructed. Then, reconstruction techniques are applied to the resulting cone-beam projections to synthesize the 3D source distribution. This paper describes an analytic solution for the first, yet unsolved, task. Building on the convolution theorem in spherical coordinates, a backprojection and inverse filtering technique in terms of spherical harmonics is formulated. The rotation invariance of the point response of the backprojection in spherical coordinates is proved; and the corresponding inverse filter function is derived. The resulting filtered backprojection algorithm then consists of a summation over all detected events of fixed and known event response functions. Measurement errors, which for Compton scatter detectors are typically different for each detected event, can easily be accounted for in the proposed algorithm. The computational cost of the algorithm is O(NT/sup 2/), where N is the number of detected events and /spl pi//T is the desired angular resolution.


The current transport characteristic is studied systematically based on a back-gate graphene field effect transistor, under repeated test and gate voltage stress. The interface trapped charges caused by the gate voltage sweep process screens the gate electric field, and results in the neutral point voltage shift between the forth and back sweep direction. In the repeated test process, the neutral point voltage keeps increasing with test times in both forth and back sweeps, which indicates the existence of interface trapped electrons residual and accumulation. In gate voltage stress experiment, the relative neutral point voltage significantly decreases with the reducing of stress voltage, especially in –40 V, which illustrates the driven-out phenomenon of trapped electrons under negative voltage stress.


An empirical relationship between the experimental inhibitory activities of triclosan derivatives and its computationally predicted Plasmodium falciparum enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase (PfENR) dock poses was developed to model activities of known antimalarials. A statistical model was developed using 57 triclosan derivatives with significant measures (r = 0.849, q2 = 0.619, s = 0.481) and applied on structurally related and structurally diverse external datasets. A substructure-based search on ChEMBL malaria dataset (280 compounds) yielded only two molecules with significant docking energy, whereas eight active antimalarials (EC50 < 100 nM, tested on 3D7 strain) with better predicted activities (pIC50 ~ 7) from Open Access Malaria Box (400 compounds) were prioritized. Further, calculations on the structurally diverse rhodanine molecules (known PfENR inhibitors) distinguished actives (experimental IC50 = 0.035 μM; predicted pIC50 = 6.568) and inactives (experimental IC50 = 50 μM; predicted pIC50 = -4.078), which showed that antimalarials possessing dock poses similar to experimental interaction profiles can be used as leads to test experimentally on enzyme assays.


The hulushan gulf crossing narrow bridge locates in the southwest of dalian urban of Liaoning province. The mid-span of main bridge bridgings over offing 80 meters and the main bridge adopts 30+100+30 meters flying bird mid-support arch bridge form. There exists typhoon during construction, which makes construction difficult. It is necessary to analyze the safety of formwork scaffold and construct platform because of the complex structure and bad weather. The stability and strength of formwork scaffold and construct platform structure is evaluated through numerical analysis. The result verify that the formwork scaffold and construct platform structure satisfy the demand of code and are designed logically.


Objective. To quantify the change in quality of life, disease-specific indicators, health and lifestyle before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among people with musculoskeletal diagnoses and symptoms. Methods. We undertook an additional follow-up of two existing UK registers involving people with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and participants in a trial in the UK who had regional pain and were identified at high risk of developing chronic widespread pain. Participants completed the study questionnaire between July and December 2020, throughout which time there were public health restrictions in place. Results. The number of people taking part in the study was 1054 (596 axSpA, 162 PsA, 296 regional pain). In comparison with their previous (pre-pandemic) assessment, there was an age-adjusted significant, small decrease in quality of life measured by EQ-5D [ 0.020 (95% CI 0.030, 0.009)] overall and across all population groups examined. This was primarily related to poorer mental health and pain. There was a small increase in fibromyalgia symptoms, but a small decrease in sleep problems. There was a small deterioration in axSpA disease activity, and disease-specific quality of life and anxiety in PsA participants. Predictors of poor quality of life were similar preand during the pandemic. The effect of lockdown on activity differed according to age, gender and deprivation. Conclusion. Important lessons include focusing on addressing anxiety and providing enhanced support for selfmanagement in the absence of normal health care being available, and awareness that all population groups are likely to be affected.


BACKGROUND
This paper describes a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a novel intervention to improve the management of hypertension among older people in rural South Africa. Older South Africans have the highest rates of uncontrolled hypertension recorded for any country. Notably, South Africa has a widely-available old age grant (pension), which is delivered on a monthly basis to citizens living in rural villages.

METHODS
We assessed the feasibility of engaging with older people at the point of pension delivery in the Agincourt sub-district of Mpumalanga Province. This included providing information about hypertension, measuring blood pressure, referral to primary care services, and providing a monthly supply of low sodium salt. We recruited 20 people aged 60 and over to participate in the pilot intervention, which was conducted over three months in two villages. Towards the end of the intervention, we conducted focus groups with study participants and held a meeting with local stakeholders, including the district health office and the state social security agency.

RESULTS
The pilot study demonstrated (i) Sustained engagement with the original 20 participants. Of these, 19 continued to participate in the intervention during subsequent monthly pension days. (ii) A high level of acceptance of the low sodium salt product reflected in repeat usage and comments made in the focus groups. (iii) Strong support for the intervention and a willingness to collaborate with local stakeholders. (iv) A perception among participants that symptoms they associated with hypertension had abated. This is supported by blood pressure readings made over the three months of follow-up.

CONCLUSION
Though limited in scope, this pilot study provided evidence of the feasibility of the intervention and justification for it to be tested on a larger and more robust basis.


The collection of perinatal data within Queensland, Australia, has traditionally been achieved via a paper form completed by midwives after each birth. Recently, with an increase in the use of e-health systems in healthcare, perinatal data collection has migrated to an online system. It is suggested that this move from paper to an e-health platform has resulted in improvement to error rates, completion levels, timeliness of data transfer from healthcare institutions to the perinatal data collection and subsequent publication of data items. Worldwide, perinatal data are collected utilising a variety of methods, but essentially data are used for similar purposes: to monitor outcome patterns within obstetrics and midwifery. This paper discusses current practice in relation to perinatal data collection worldwide and within Australia, with a specific focus on Queensland, highlights relevant issues for midwives, and points to the need for further research into the efficient use of an e-health platform for perinatal data collection.


Abstract Colorectal surgeons have lagged behind other professionals in the use of social media. Currently, Twitter is the most widely utilized social platform for professional purposes among them. Connection and contagion are the two key actions that, together with immediate feedback and quantifiable impact, favor the use of Twitter over other social networks. In early 2016, a group of colorectal surgeons launched the #colorectalsurgery hashtag and, in less than 1 year, the ecosystem has incorporated over 2,600 users that generated over 24,000 tweets and 100 million impressions. "Live-Tweeting" surgical conferences by attendees including institutional or society accounts have greatly contributed to the success of the initiative. However, there are some barriers to a more wide adoption of social media, such as misrepresentation of non–peer-reviewed data, challenges to intellectual property protection, or even damage to the professional image. Active engagement with the #colorectalsurgery community may result in benefits for the global surgery community through information sharing, social interactions, personal branding, and research.


Once employed, our graduates will be judged on their ability to be effective team players. In some professions, people's safety and even survival may depend on good teamwork. Yet teamwork assignments in university courses are not generally a popular option. Team projects are often viewed as a difficult and frustrating requirement, by students and faculty alike. Few instructors receive any formal training on how to create effective team assignments or on ways to educate their students about strategies for success in their team activities.  In this session, we discuss ways to educate students about the value of team experiences in their courses, so that they are motivated to improve their teamwork skills. We examine the dynamics of both face-to-face and virtual teamwork, in workplace environments and in a college setting, so as to understand the underlying reasons for the challenges inherent in team activities. Then finally we explore some techniques that instructors can use to design and deliver team assignments that support a positive student experience.


Abstract The case is reported of a 45-year-old male patient who fell when his ladder slipped away underneath him. He sustained a bilateral dislocation of the shoulders (bilateral luxatio erecta humeri). The injury on the one hand a gleno-humeral dislocation of the humerus head right to ventral and caudal, accompanied by a suspected fracture of the tuber-culum major and on the other hand a glenohumeral dislocation of the left humerus head to ventral and caudal, accompanied by a suspected total collum fracture. Based on this case and the pertinent literature, the patho-physiology, diagnosis and treatment of this rare injury are discussed. After immediate closed reduction, soft tissue damage, fractures or neurovascular lesions should be operated on as soon as possible.


Metal complexes at surfaces and interfaces play a prominant role in many
 areas of modern technology, including catalysis, sensors, and organic
electronics. An important aspect of these interfaces is the possible
exchange of the metal center, because this reaction can drastically
alter the properties of the metal complex and thus of the interface.
Here, we demonstrate that such metal exchange reactions are indeed
possible and can proceed already at moderate temperatures even in the
absence of solvents. Specifically, we studied the redox transmetalation
of a monolayer of lead(II)-tetraphenylporphyrin (PbTPP) with copper from
 a Cu(111) surface under ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) conditions using
multiple surface-sensitive techniques. Temperature dependent X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals that the Pb/Cu exchange starts
already below 380 K and is complete at 600 K. The identity of the
reaction product, CuTPP, is confirmed by mass spectrometric detection in
 a temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) experiment. Scanning tunneling
microscopy (STM) sheds light on the adsorbate structure of PbTPP at 300 K
 and uncovers the structural changes accompanying the transmetalation
and side-reactions of the phenyl substituents. Moreover, individual free
 Pb atoms are observed as a product of the metal exchange. Our study
suggests that surfaces functionalized with metal complexes may consist
of other species than intended under operation conditions, which often
involve elevated temperatures.


Intrinsic cardiac adrenergic (ICA) cells in developing rat heart constitute a novel adrenergic signaling system involved in cardiac regulation. Regulatory mechanisms of ICA cells remain to be defined. Immunohistochemical study of fetal rat hearts demonstrated ICA cells with catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT). The mRNA of TH and PNMP was also detected in fetal rat hearts before sympathetic innervation. Immunoreactivity of norepinephrine transporter (NET) was localized to ICA cells in rat heart tissue and primary cell culture. For the functional study, the activity of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) transients was quantified by a ratio fluorescent spectrometer in cultured ICA cells and myocytes. ICA cells generated spontaneous [Ca2+]i transients that were eliminated by tetrodotoxin or Ca(2+)-free solutions and showed greatly reduced amplitude with the addition of L-type Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine. [3H]norepinephrine studies demonstrate release and uptake of norepinephrine. Functional interaction between catecholamines produced by the ICA cells and cocultured myocytes was evident by the effect of the beta-adrenergic blocker atenolol eliciting a dose-dependent reduction in the amplitude and frequency of [Ca2+]i transients of beating myocytes. Hypoxia inhibited [Ca2+]i transient activity of ICA cells, which subsequently produced a reoxygenation-mediated rebound augmentation of [Ca2+]i transients. We conclude that ICA cells are capable of catecholamine synthesis, release, and uptake. They generate spontaneous [Ca2+]i transient activity that can be regulated by oxygen tension. ICA cells may provide an alternative adrenergic supply to maintain cardiac contractile and pacemaker function at rest and during stress in the absence of sympathetic innervation.


BACKGROUND
CD4+ T-lymphocyte (CD4) and platelet counts are good predictors of the 'maturity' of HIV infection and can be used to impute the date of infection/seroconversion in individuals for whom this date is unknown.

METHODS
Data from the Italian Seroconversion Study were used to develop a Weibull regression model for time since seroconversion as a function of the haematologic markers. The model was used to impute time since HIV infection/seroconversion in individuals from a prevalent cohort, recruited through the Lazio regional HIV surveillance system.

RESULTS
The range of the imputed calendar times of infection/seroconversion in 2599 HIV prevalent individuals was 1972-1992; the earliest seroconversions occurred among injecting drug users (IDU). The peak of incidence was reached in 1986 with 340 seroconversions. Among males, the estimated median time from seroconversion to HIV diagnosis was shorter in IDU (30 months) as compared to non-IDU (36 months). This difference was smaller for females (26.6 versus 28.4 in IDU and non-IDU, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS
This method permits the estimation of population-based curves of HIV incidence, using data from surveillance. The results support the hypotheses of an early spread of the epidemic among IDU in the Lazio region, and of shorter lead times in this population.


A synergistic experimental and numerical investigation has pro- vided quantitative information on the response of human tissue temperatures to misalignment of the implant and antenna of neu- romodulation devices during recharging. It was found that misalignment increases tissue temperatures for all of the investigated devices. These increases ranged from 0.5 °C to 2.7 °C. Notwith- standing these increases, the lowest temperatures were attained by the Restore Ultra device for all operating conditions. The tempera- ture levels achieved by the Precision Plus and Eon Mini devices were found to be greater than those for the Restore Ultra, but their relative rankings depend on the thermal boundary conditions and the duration of the recharging period.


The work presented here advances the technology to analyze experimental data and automatically hypothesize about explanatory models and physical laws that help explain observations. Automated Modeling, sometimes referred to as Symbolic Regression or System Identification, is the process of searching a possibly infinite space of mathematical expressions in order to optimize various objectives—for example, identifying the simplest possible nonlinear equation that captures the observed dynamics of a system.
Traditionally, the task of formulating analytical models and theory has remained entirely within the purview of human expertise, and also human limitation. However, the development of Evolutionary Algorithms, and more recently Genetic Programming, has made searching for analytical models automatically a possibility. The work presented here focuses on advancing the algorithms and techniques for Automated Modeling to shrink this "reality gap," and applies these advances to various real and experimental systems for the first time.
The specific contributions of this work fall into four categories: search methods and algorithms, model representations and the types of systems that can be analyzed, techniques for interpreting solutions and results, and applications in science and engineering fields.
The most important contribution in the search methods is the Fitness and Rank Prediction algorithm, which enables utilizing exceedingly large data sets with low computational effort. This algorithm is based on the idea that, at any given time, only a small number of carefully selected data points are necessary to discriminate among candidate models, allowing large reductions in computational effort. In model representations, the most important contribution is the principle for identifying meaningful invariant quantities amongst the infinite number of trivial invariant expressions. This principle enables searching for physical laws and conservations directly from experimental measurements. In the interpretation of results, the most important contribution is Parameter Mapping technique, which relates an automatically inferred model to a previous model through repeated regressions. Finally, the most important contribution in applications is the analysis of yeast Glycolytic oscillations, which demonstrates and compares several techniques in order to identify a complete nonlinear ordinary differential equation model directly from data.


The strange and unpredictable behavior of meso-scale adhesion and friction forces is a practical problem for the development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) with contacting surfaces. To overcome the associated limitations when designingMEMS devices, the first obstacle to remove is the fact that it is hard to measure displacements and forces in MEMS with sufficient resolution to discern atomic scale details from these meso-scale measurements. In this PhD thesis we show how an non-invasive, optical method can be used to measure forces and displacements inMEMS with sub-nanometer resolution. It is fundamentally impossible to opticallymeasure topological details below 500 nmin size, due to the wavelike nature of light. However, the location of a moving feature can be tracked with a much higher resolution, by curve-fitting a mathematical function to its shape.


Nowadays Cloud computing is recognized as the most emerging computing paradigm. Because of its promising benefits, every day more and more enterprises are relying on Cloud systems. Furthermore, new Cloud business models are appearing, most of them within the SaaS marketplace, which fully depend on PaaS and IaaS providers. In any case, the expectation from businesses that IT (Cloud) services and infrastructures should bring them closer to the achievement of their Business-Level Objectives (BLOs) is spreading. Due to this fact, the presence in Cloud providers of a self-management of Cloud services and infrastructures driven by business-level aspects is mandatory. In this direction, the Business-Driven IT Management (BDIM) discipline has been evolving as the most promising way in the sense of aligning IT (low-level) management decisions with business-level objectives coming from providers themselves, as well as from their users. In this paper, we expose several BDIM challenges on the Cloud computing paradigm. Consequently, we outline key issues for the inclusion of BDIM-related features into the core operation of Cloud providers.


Comparison of remove-compute-restore and least squares modification of Stokes' formula techniques to quasi-geoid determination over the Auvergne test area The remove-compute-restore (RCR) technique for regional geoid determination implies that both topography and low-degree global geopotential model signals are removed before computation and restored after Stokes' integration or Least Squares Collocation (LSC) solution. The Least Squares Modification of Stokes' Formula (LSMS) technique not requiring gravity reductions is implemented here with a Residual Terrain Modelling based interpolation of gravity data. The 2-D Spherical Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and the LSC methods applying the RCR technique and the LSMS method are tested over the Auvergne test area. All methods showed a reasonable agreement with GPS-levelling data, in the order of a 3-3.5 cm in the central region having relatively smooth topography, which is consistent with the accuracies of GPS and levelling. When a 1-parameter fit is used, the FFT method using kernel modification performs best with 3.0 cm r.m.s difference with GPS-levelling while the LSMS method gives the best agreement with GPS-levelling with 2.4 cm r.m.s after a 4-parameter fit is used. However, the quasi-geoid models derived using two techniques differed from each other up to 33 cm in the high mountains near the Alps. Comparison of quasi-geoid models with EGM2008 showed that the LSMS method agreed best in term of r.m.s.


In The Netherlands a new law, concerning the doctrine of informed consent, will be incorporated in the Dutch civil code. Some consequences for dental practitioners are discussed. The conclusion is that it is necessary that the dental profession has to re-examine its standards of conduct towards patients.


The study sought to assess Early Childhood Education Pre-service Teachers' Pedagogical Content
Knowledge in Teaching Psychosocial skills across the kindergarten curriculum in Ghana. A mixed
method approach was used. The study comprised 123 conveniently selected regular final year preservice
teachers pursuing a degree in early childhood education in a public university in Ghana, who
have completed their internship programme. Questionnaires were administered after which five
students were selected for a focused group discussion. Data were analysed using means, standard
deviation and narratives. The study showed that Pre-service teachers had enough knowledge in
achieving two goals of the KG curriculum and were also more familiar with the use of fieldtrips and
demonstration. They also had enough knowledge in the use of observation and conversation among
others. A thorough examination of the KG curriculum by pre-service teachers during pre and post
internship was recommended.


OBJECTIVES
To determine the color stability and microhardness of three bulk-fill composites with different polymerization characteristics, after immersion in four different solutions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Color measurements of three bulk fill (Viscalor (VIS), Tetric PowerFill (TPF), Fill Up! (FUP)) and a microhyrid composite resin (G-aenial posterior [GCP]) were performed after polymerization. The specimens were immersed in coffee, cola, red wine and distilled water. Discolorations were recorded after 24 h (T1), 10 days (T2) and 30 days (T3) of immersion. ΔE (CIEDE2000) values were calculated. Vickers microhardness (VHN) was measured from top and bottom surfaces at T0 and T3. Data was analyzed with Two-way ANOVA, One-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests.

RESULTS
The highest discoloration was seen in wine and the lowest in distilled water and cola. At T3, there was no difference in distilled water groups, while the statistically highest ΔE00 were obtained in TPF and GCP in coffee, cola and wine. VIS groups had the highest VHN values at T0 and T3 in all solutions.

CONCLUSIONS
Samples immersed in coffee and wine showed discoloration beyond clinically acceptable limits. After 30 days, discoloration occurred in all materials immersed in all solutions. At T3, VIS microhardness generally decreased, while TPF did not.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
After 30 days, all bulk-fill composites immersed in distilled water, coffee and wine showed clinically unacceptable ΔE00 .


Anemia is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in our community. Mean corpuscular volume is the average volume of red cells and largely depend upon these micronutrients like B12, folic acid and iron present in diet. Deficiency of these micronutrient affects MCV and can cause anemia. This study aimed to compare the MCV of lacto-vegetarian and non-vegetarian adult living in Tharparkar-Sindh village.
Study Design: Case control analytical descriptive study
Methods: One hundred apparently healthy strict lacto-vegetarian and non-vegetarians subjects were selected from the same village of Tharparkar. After written consent and preliminary physical examination, blood samples were collected under sterilized condition in two tube one containing EDTA for CBC and second for serum for B12 and folate. Peripheral smear was made at the research field site and fixed with 70% methanol to maintain cellular morphology. Samples were analyzed for complete blood count, serum B12 and folate.
 Results: The mean age in vegetarian group was 30.5 years (±8.36) and 30.13(±9.22) in non-vegetarian group. Male to female ratio was 3.4:1. On direct questioning 54 in vegetarian and 24 in non-vegetarian agreed to have fatigue and lethargy. Most of the subject in both groups relied on wheat, pulses, vegetable and milk product as staple food whereas non-vegetarian often consumed egg and meat as well. In vegetarian group 83% and in non-vegetarian 66% subjects were B12 deficient, while 7%in vegetarian and 23 %in non-vegetarian had low folate level. 9 people in vegetarian 22 peoples in non-vegetarian were found anemic. 20 subjects in vegetarian and 04 in non-vegetarian were found with definite high MCV i.e. more than100.
CONCLUSION: Majority of the vegetarians and more than half of non-vegetarian had vitamin B12 deficiency while folate levels were normal in most of the subject of both groups. MCV is poor indicator of severity of B12 and folate deficiency Anemia, and normal MCV does not exclude B12 or folate deficiency. Clinician need to be aware of the low sensitivity of the MCV while screening.


ABSTRACT A unique carbonate bed occurs within the dominantly siliciclastic Catskill Magnafacies (Upper Devonian) of southcentral New York. Associated strata comprise interbedded sandstones and mudstones with a variety of burrows, calcareous concretions, desiccation cracks, and remains of plants, fish, and the bivalve Archanodon. They are interpreted as the deposits of river channels, crevasse splays, levees, and floodbasins. The 0.4-0.5-m-thick carbonate bed is composed dominantly of dolomitic mudstone, containing calcispheres, rare ostracodes, and micron-scale algal filament molds. Laminae are disrupted by vertical and horizontal sheet cracks and burrow tubes which are filled with laminated mudstone, peloids and quartz silt, and spar-mosaic cements. The carbonate bed is interpreted as freshwater-marsh/shallow-lake deposit, where mud-sized particles originated by precipitation around filaments within cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) mats. Laminae were deposited mainly from suspension and disrupted by burrowing organisms and periodic desiccation. The Everglades and interior of Andros Island provide modern analogues, the paleoclimatic and paleolatitudinal implications of which are consistent with previous reconstructions of Catskill deposition under a tropical climate, 20°-30° from the paleoequator. The carbonate bed probably represents local reduction in siliciclastic deposition rate (associated with river diversion) superimposed upon a regional, increasing deposition rate. There is no evidence of hypersalinity or marine influence.


Nematodirosis was diagnosed in the south-east of Scotland during two consecutive autumns in lambs which were grazed on the same field. The problem was unpredicted based on the knowledge of the pasture and animal management, and rudimentary understanding of the behaviour of free-living stages of Nematodirus battus in the region. Unlike the epidemiology that has been described in the south of England, whereby autumn infection of lambs is believed to arise from autumn hatching of eggs shed during the previous spring without prior chilling, it is concluded that the autumn nematodirosis in a particular sheep flock in Scotland most likely arose following prolonged survival of larvae hatched during the spring from eggs shed during the previous summer, following periods of cold exposure over the previous winter. The infective larvae survived in large numbers in a small, sheltered strip of rough grazing, where they would have been protected from harmful ultraviolet radiation and heavy rainfall, before infecting lambs during the autumn. Understanding of the evolutionary potential, nematode parasites to adapt to changing environmental conditions depends on a thorough clinical investigative approach, and is a prerequisite for future preventive management.


The objective of this study was to determine the acceptability of using an interactive application (Fabio the Frog) to understand the experiences and perspectives of children and parents/carers regarding their health care encounter for the purpose of quality improvement and consumer feedback. Children's perspectives of their healthcare were collected via the interactive application through the use of a validated survey, the Children's Perceptions of Healthcare Survey (CPHS). The acceptability of eliciting views from children and parents via an interactive application platform was collected using an additional survey designed for this purpose. Data were collected in two phases. Overall, healthcare experiences were found to be positive across key areas including communication, care delivery, hospital environment, and interaction with staff. The application was identified as easy and fun to use from the perspective of children (n=96) and parents/carers (n=79). Parents/carers also responded positively to the ease and enjoyment they observed when their child was using this tool. Staff appreciated that eliciting children's responses to their care helps to inform high quality care. The interactive application - Fabio the Frog - was a successful strategy for understanding children's exper ience across a range of ages, abilities and medical conditions. The study demonstrated the acceptability of an application as an engaging and valuable means to collect meaningful feedback from children and their families. Nevertheless, limitations were noted in the practicality of providing an application to patients in a busy clinical environment. Additionally, the authors recognise that a greater challenge lies in finding ways to incorporate feedback into improving the patient experience


Instant Scene Modeler (iSM) is a vision system for generating calibrated photo-realistic 3D models of unknown environments quickly using stereo image sequences. Equipped with iSM, Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) can capture stereo images and create 3D models to be sent back to the base station, while they explore unknown environments. Rapid access to 3D models will increase the operator situational awareness and allow better mission planning and execution, as the models can be visualized from different views and used for relative measurements. Current military operations of UGVs in urban warfare threats involve the operator hand-sketching the environment from live video feed. iSM eliminates the need for an additional operator as the 3D model is generated automatically. The photo-realism of the models enhances the situational awareness of the mission and the models can also be used for change detection. iSM has been tested on our autonomous vehicle to create photo-realistic 3D models while the rover traverses in unknown environments. Moreover, a proof-of-concept iSM payload has been mounted on an iRobot PackBot with Wayfarer technology, which is equipped with autonomous urban reconnaissance capabilities. The Wayfarer PackBot UGV uses wheel odometry for localization and builds 2D occupancy grid maps from a laser sensor. While the UGV is following walls and avoiding obstacles, iSM captures and processes images to create photo-realistic 3D models. Experimental results show that iSM can complement Wayfarer PackBot's autonomous navigation in two ways. The photo-realistic 3D models provide better situational awareness than 2D grid maps. Moreover, iSM also recovers the camera motion, also known as the visual odometry. As wheel odometry error grows over time, this can help improve the wheel odometry for better localization.


In this review paper, we have discussed the existing state-of-the-art practices of improved intelligent features, controlling parameters and Internet of things (IoT) infrastructure required for smart building. The main focus is on sensing, controlling the IoT infrastructure which enables the cloud clients to use a virtual sensing infrastructure using communication protocols. The following are some of the intelligent features that usually make building smart such as privacy and security, network architecture, health services, sensors for sensing, safety, and overall management in smart buildings. As we know, the Internet of Things (IoT) describes the ability to connect and control the appliances through the network in smart buildings. The development of sensing technology, control techniques, and IoT infrastructure give rise to a smart building more efficient. Therefore, the new and problematic innovation of smart buildings in the context of IoT is to a great extent and scattered. The conducted review organized in a scientific manner for future research direction which presents the existing challenges, and drawbacks.


To examine the relationship I/D polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and polymorphism A1166S of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT2R1) gene with the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), the residents of Kharkiv region. The study involved 318 patients with CAD, of whom 54 (17,0%) patients with CHD and AF were included in group I, 264 (93,0%) patients without AF - in group II. The control group included 35 people without atherosclerotic and morphological changes of spacecraft. Study of ACE gene I/D polymorphism and A1166S polymorphism of AT2R1 gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with electrophoretic pattern of result detection. Established that the AF development in patients with CAD, residents of Kharkiv region was associated with carriage of C allele of AT2R1 gene A1166S polymorphism and the presence of DD genotype of the ACE gene I / D polymorphism. Proved that the risk of AF development in patients with coronary heart disease independently associated with the presence of C allele of AT2R1 gene A1166S polymorphism, hypertension, type II diabetes and obesity.


When freshly prepared glucocorticoid-receptor complex from rat liver cytosol was incubated at 23 degrees C in the presence of sodium molybdate, its subsequent binding to isolated nuclei, DNA-cellulose and ATP-Sepharose was blocked. In addition, binding to these acceptors by cytosol receptor complex fractionated with (NH4)2SO4 was also blocked by incubation of the complexes with 50 mM-sodium molybdate. However, molybdate had no effect on the binding of activated receptor complexes to ATP-Sepharose. Molybdate was also effective in extracting the nuclear- and DNA-cellulose-bound glucocorticoid-receptor complexes in a dose-dependent manner. Molybdate appears to exert its effects directly on the receptor by interacting with both non-activated and activated receptor forms.


Castor ( Ricinus communis L.) is an industrial non edible oilseed adapted to drier areas. An experiment was conducted in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia to determine optimum plant population of castor variety Hiruy. Four plant (50, 60, 70 and 80 cm) and four row spacing (60,80,100 and 120 cm) were arranged in factorial combination and RCBD design in three replications. The experiment was carried out for two years at Melkassa and Arsi Negelle in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. The result showed that plant population has no effect on the oil content of Castor. Plant spacing of 60 cm and row spacing of 80 cm resulted in longer main raceme, heavier seed weight and higher seed yield. Therefore, a plant population of about 20 833 plants per hectare or plant and row spacing of 60 x 80 cm can be used for castor production in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia for an upper branching variety such as Hiruy. Length of main raceme, capsules per plant and seed weight are the main yield components in castor. Keywords: Castor, Plant spacing, row spacing, seed yield


Abstract We develop a method for finding optimal designs in discrete choice experiments (DCEs). More specifically, we deal with individualized designs, which are sequentially generated for each person undertaking a survey, using, at each stage, responses from previous choice sets in order to select the next best set. Currently, the optimal design for a DCE is predicated on a specific mixed logit model that represents the probability of choosing a specific alternative in a choice set through a linear predictor combining several attributes or factors deemed to be relevant in each choice. Using a unique model represents a major limitation, which we overcome by allowing for a collection of different models characterized by distinct linear predictors. Our approach is fully Bayesian and incorporates a prior distribution on the model space as well as a prior on the parameter space specific to each respondent. To perform our optimal design strategy for DCEs, we specify two distinct utility functions, one being targeted to model discrimination while the other aims at the dual purpose of model discrimination and parameter estimation. We implement our methodology using a sequential Monte Carlo algorithm suitably tailored to account for model uncertainty and individual-specific parameters. To evaluate our methodology, several simulation settings are considered in detail. Comparisons with alternative methods are also investigated.


According to the modified amyloid hypothesis, the key event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the deposition of neurotoxic amyloid β-peptides (Aβs) in plaques and cerebral blood vessels. Additionally to full-length peptides, a great diversity of N-truncated Aβ variants is derived from the larger amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP). Vast evidence suggests that Aβx-42 isoforms play an important role in triggering neurodegeneration due to their high abundance, amyloidogenic propensity and toxicity. Although N-truncated Aβ peptides and Aβx-42 species appear to be the crucial players in AD etiology, the Aβ2-X isoforms did not receive much attention yet. The present study is the first to show immunohistochemical evidence of Aβ2-X in cases of AD and its distribution in AβPP/PS1KI and 5XFAD transgenic mouse models using a novel antibody pAB77 that has been developed using Aβ2-14 as antigen. Positive plaques and congophilic amyloid angiopathy (CAA) were observed in AD cases and in both mouse models. While in AD cases, abundant CAA and less pronounced plaque pathology was evident, the two mouse models showed predominantly extracellular Aβ deposits and minor CAA staining. Western blotting and a capillary isoelectric focusing immunoassay demonstrated the high specificity of the antibody pAb77 against Aβ-variants starting with the N-terminal Alanine-2.


The goal of this publication is to reinforce the interface between physical sciences, theoretical computer science, and discrete mathematics. The intersection of combinatorics and statistical physics has been an area of great activity over the past few years, fertilized by an exchange not only of techniques but of objectives as well. Some of the topics of particular interest are: percolation, random coloring, mixing, homomorphisms from and to fixed graph, phase transitions, threshold phenomena. This book is aimed to assemble theoretical physicists and specialists of theoretical informatics and discrete mathematics in order to learn more about recent developments in cryptography, algorithmics, symbolic calculus, non-standard numeration systems, algebraic combinatorics, automata etc., which could reveal themselves to be of crucial interest in natural sciences. This volume is organized along the following rough thematic division: Physics; Chaos and Fractals; Quasi-Crystals and Tilings; Numeration, Automata, and Languages; Algebraic Combinatorics; and Graphs and Networks.