This report describes the ongoing and planned development of the software package CT-Opt (Current/Tidal Optimization), a control co-design modeling tool for marine hydrokinetic turbines. The commercialization of these turbines has faced significant challenges due to the complex, multidisciplinary nature of their design and the extreme environmental conditions of their operation. This project aims to create a modeling tool that will enable the efficient design of robust, cost-competitive hydrokinetic turbine systems. Rather than using traditional optimization methods, CT-Opt combines multiple models across a range of fidelities to enable coupled optimization of the system design and system controller via a control co-design approach. With this method, the parameters that affect system performance are considered more comprehensively at every stage of the design process. The lowest-fidelity, frequency-domain model called by CT-Opt is RAFT (Response Amplitudes of Floating Turbines), which was originally developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to model response amplitudes of floating offshore wind turbines. The highest-fidelity, time-domain model is OpenFAST, which was developed by NREL for land-based and offshore wind turbines. As part of the CT-Opt project, new functionalities will be added to RAFT and OpenFAST to enable the accurate simulation of fixed and floating marine hydrokinetic turbines. In addition to expanding the capabilities of RAFT and OpenFAST, new mid-fidelity models will be developed. These models will be based on RAFT and OpenFAST and will consist of linearized, state-space models derived from the fully coupled, nonlinear OpenFAST equations and derivative function surrogate models that approximate the nonlinear system behavior. Each model will be coupled with controllers to allow control co-design methods to be applied both within models and across fidelity levels, enabling efficient system optimization.


A glass pill for digestive motility tracking with wireless communication is presented. The pill encapsulates three magnetic transmitter coils with a 125 kHz signal, the circuitry required to control the magnetic coil output and the battery. The system provides real time location of the pill inside the digestive tract of the patient using an external detector housed in a wearable jacket. The custom integrated circuit for this application reduces bill-of-materials (BOM) count and significant reduction in power consumption therefore resulting in further size reduction by adapting a smaller battery package. The outcome of the circuit integration enables the glass pill for pediatric use while providing a total pill diameter of 6 mm. The glass pill system operates continuously for 48 hours with a 1.55 V 8 mAh coin cell battery with an average power consumption of 250 microwatts.


In this paper, we proposed and analyzed the mathematical model of methamphetamine epidemics with the role of family was taken into account. The objective of this research was to investigate the role of family on the transmission model of methamphetamine epidemics. The standard method of differential equations was used to analyze the proposed model, to find the drug free equilibrium points and drug present equilibrium point of the model and to determine the stability of the proposed model for both equilibrium points. The drug reproductive number (R0) was found by applying the next generation matrix. The analytic solution and numerical solution were carried out. The results shown the proposed model which represented by five differential equations, consist of five subgroups that were the susceptible, light methamphetamine users, hard methamphetamine users, clients of health services in treatment and recovered individuals. We found that there were two equilibrium points, drug free equilibrium point and drug present equilibrium point. From the numerical simulation, when the effective of the role of family k = 0.9, the drug reproductive number R0 = 0.4928 <1, which mean that the methamphetamine epidemic was not occurred. Whenever the effective of the role of family k = 0.1, the drug reproductive number R0 = 0.37296 >1 which mean that the methamphetamine epidemic was occurred. Both drug free equilibrium points and drug present equilibrium points were local asymptotically stable. We concluded that if we increase the effective of the role of family (k) in the human population, then the methamphetamine users will decrease.


The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the published scientific literature pertaining to the relationship between physical activity (PA) in the natural outdoor environment (NOE) and well-being (WB). Of studies included in the primary analysis (N = 19), several studies (n = 5) were retained for secondary analysis to determine whether differences on WB exist between PA in the NOE with an indoor comparator group. The overall effect size for the primary analysis was moderate (d = .49). The largest effect of PA in the NOE was observed for positive affect (d = .56). Results from the secondary analysis indicated PA in the NOE was greater in the NOE (d = .53, 95% CI = .28, .78; p < 0.001) compared to indoors (d = .28, 95% CI = .04, .51, p = 0.02) however this finding was not statistically significant between environment types (p = 0.15). There was significant heterogeneity in the primary analysis of PA in the NOE only (Q = 68.72, p < 0.001). Results of the moderator analyses of PA (p = 0.06), sample (p = 0.34) and study (p = 0.13) characteristics did not reach conventional levels of statistical significance. Results of the subgroup analyses indicated that there were significant findings within but not between subgroups for NOE type (p = 0.37), PA type (p = 0.47) and PA intensity (p = 0.55). In conclusion, while PA in the NOE was associated with higher WB, there was limited evidence to support that PA in the NOE allots superior benefits to PA engaged in an indoor environment. Future investigations are encouraged to include study designs that measure markers of WB at multiple time points, consider the eudaimonic tradition of WB, include diverse NOE types such as blue space and include an indoor comparison. Practical implications of the findings of this research include the potential for stakeholders to incorporate findings into future nature-based solutions that address societal challenges like increasing WB.


"Liberation under Siege" analyzes knowledge produced about Japanese womenÕs enfranchisement under U.S. military occupation, 1945-52. American popular memory remembers that Douglas MacArthur "liberated" Japanese women but forgets that the space in which Japanese womenÕs civil rights was realized was one of un-freedom and non-rights. The article reveals the ways in which mainstream and other U.S. media representations over the transwar decade (from 1940 through 1955) contributed to the initial knowledge formation regarding how Japanese women obtained legal and other rights while under occupation. Relying on the critiques of liberal and radical feminisms by Third World and other feminists of color, the article demonstrates that the knowledge that uni-dimensionally celebrates the U.S. liberation of Japanese women while obscuring the reality of military occupation was in large part facilitated by what might best be termed a cold war feminism. Prescribing equal opportunity for women while insisting on a pure notion of gender and the disavowal of race, class, colonial, and other social relations, this feminism ultimately allowed the United States to assert itself as the liberator and rehabilitator of the defeated enemy while masking the paradox of the simultaneity of violence and benevolence. Moreover, cold war feminismÕs representation of Japanese womenÕs liberation was intimately tied to the American audienceÕs subjecthood: the presence of "Japanese women" helped contain "American women" domestically while centering them securely within cold war global politics. Finally, the article demonstrates that the knowledge concerning Japanese womenÕs enfranchisement has enduring ideological effects as it continues to be mobilized in the current post-9/11 milieu. Popular memories of Japanese womenÕs enfranchisement reinforces the belief that U.S. military operations serve the purpose of rescue and rehabilitation, so much so that they remain vital to the production of U.S. "just war" narratives. In order to undo this myth that propels us into wars and military occupations, it is crucial to remember that the celebrated space of womenÕs liberation was simultaneously one of liminality, a legal borderland in which U.S. sovereignty asserted itself by both suspending and granting the rights of people under siege.


The Minimum Airflow Particle Counter (MAPC) is a portable, low-power, low-cost, wireless optical counter which has been specifically designed for ultra-low-maintenance operation in heavily polluted environments. When exposed continuously to air with high particulate matter concentrations, the primary mode of failure for particle counters is a build-up of dust within the instrument. The MAPC circumvents this failure mode by severely restricting airflow through the system, enabling an estimated 5-year maintenance cycle. Such a long operational lifetime makes this instrument particularly suitable for IOT applications such as environmental air quality monitoring and pollutant source attribution using spatially distributed wireless sensor networks. Here, we present the theory of operation, instrument design, and collected data from a two-month field deployment in Beijing. We find that the MAPC performs comparably to other low-cost optical counters, but with a significantly enhanced maintenance-free operational lifetime.


This paper presents an anisotropic adaptation strategy for three-dimensional unstructured tetrahedral meshes, which allows us to produce thin mostly anisotropic layers at the outside margin, i.e., the skin of an arbitrary meshed simulation domain. An essential task for any modern algorithm in the finite-element solution of partial differential equations, especially in the field of semiconductor process and device simulation, the major application is to provide appropriate resolution of the partial discretization mesh. The start-up conditions for semiconductor process and device simulations claim an initial mesh preparation that is performed by so-called Laplace refinement. The basic idea is to solve Laplace's equation on an initial coarse mesh with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Afterward, the gradient field is used to form an anisotropic metric that allows to refine the initial mesh based on tetrahedral bisection


This EU IDEA paper engages with ideational origins and normative political theories of European differentiated integration. Specifically, it examines a "graduated" policy of integration backed by European-wide referenda in light of the work of Jürgen Habermas and Hannah Arendt – two theorists who are strong advocates of European political integration and constitutionalisation. The paper illuminates justifications, advantages, dilemmas and problems of such differentiated integration with regard to its democratic legitimacy and normative as well as political-theoretical plausibility. While Habermas has proposed and refined this model, Arendt's radically pro-European ideas can work as a cautioning corrective alerting to the risks and potentially disintegrating effects of differentiated solidarity and integration on the European project. While she would arguably see the democratic legitimation benefits of a European-wide constitutional referendum as suggested by Habermas, her work also points to the risks of further fragmenting or even dismantling the EU altogether. Lars Rensmann is Professor of European Politics and Society at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, the Netherlands, where he also serves as the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Cultures and Politics and as Chair of the Department of European Languages and Cultures.


Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) views clinical disorders as, at base, emotional disorders. Case formulation in EFT represents an organizing framework and a map to help therapists specifically address these emotional problems. This book presents a detailed, concrete, step-by-step process for constructing an emotion-focused case formulation, ready for use with clients. EFT case formulation focuses on the client's narrative content (the stories they tell) as well as emotional processing (how the client feels). By attending to the interaction between these two things and paying particular attention to the painful emotion underlying the presenting problem, therapists can make moment-to-moment decisions about how to proceed in therapy. As a result, clients change maladaptive emotions and create more adaptive meaning of events and feelings. The chapters present each stage of case formulation in depth, followed by case examples that apply the case formulation method to a cross-section of clinical disorders, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and eating disorders.


In this chapter, a live migration of the virtual machine (VM) power consumption (PC) model is introduced. The model proposed an easy and parameterised method to evaluate the power cost of migrating the VMs from one server to another. This work is different from other research works found in the literature. It is not based on software, utilisation ratio or heuristic algorithms. Rather, it is based on converting and generalising the concepts of live migration process and experimental results from other works, which are based on the aforementioned tools. The resulting model eventually converts the power cost of live migration from a function of utilisation ratio to a function of server PC. This means there will be neither a need for additional hardware, a separate software, nor a heuristics-based algorithms to measure the utilisation. The resulting model is simple, on the fly and accurate PC evaluation. Furthermore, the latency cost of live migration process, included the time it take the VM to be completely transferred to the target server, alongside the link distance/delay between the two servers is discussed.


Grating couplers are important photonic devices on a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible silicon-on-insulator platform to couple light between optical waveguides and free space optical components or fibers. In this letter, we report the combination of a tilted grating coupler design, which strongly suppresses the back-reflection for light incident on the grating coupler from a waveguide, and a silicon overlay locally deposited on top of the grating region, which enhances the coupling efficiency of the grating coupler, by means of simulation and experiment. The fabricated tilted focusing grating couplers with silicon overlay show a coupling efficiency of -2.2 dB in combination with a back-reflection of around -40 dB when excited from the silicon waveguide. The tilted design also provides an alternative approach to enhance the transmission of a grating coupler when the thickness of the Si overlay is not optimized.


Clinical ethics has been developing in paediatric healthcare for several decades. However, information about how paediatricians use clinical ethics case consultation services is extremely limited. In this project, we analysed a large set of case records from the clinical ethics service of one paediatric hospital in Australia. We applied a paediatric-specific typology to the case referrals, based on the triadic doctor–patient–parent relationship. We reviewed the 184 cases referred to the service in the period 2005–2014, noting features including the type of case, the referring department(s) and the patient's age at referral. The two most common types of referral involved clinician uncertainty about the appropriate care pathway for the child (26% of total referrals) and situations where the child's parents disagreed with the doctors' recommendations for the child's care (22% of total referrals). Referrals came from 28 different departments. Cancer, cardiology/cardiac surgery and general medicine referred the highest numbers of cases. The most common patient age groups were children under 1, and 14–15 years old. For three controversial areas of paediatric healthcare, clinicians had initiated processes of routine review of cases by the clinical ethics service. These insights into the way in which one very active paediatric clinical ethics service is used further our understanding of the work of paediatric clinical ethics, particularly the kinds of ethically challenging cases that paediatricians view as appropriate to refer for clinical ethics support.


ABSTRACT Prior research suggests that spontaneous saccades localized towards blank regions of space during memory storage and recall improve memory for items at the saccade locations. In the present study, we examined whether a recognition advantage can be observed when a single, exogenously directed saccade occurs during memory maintenance. We manipulated whether participants made a saccade to an item's previous location or maintained fixation, as well as whether tested items reappeared in their original location or not. The results of three experiments showed that visual recognition was better after a saccade to the location of a probed object than after no saccade or after a saccade to the location of a non-probed object, so long as saccades went to the to-be-tested location more often than chance. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that eye movements can elicit an item-specific recognition advantage in visual working memory.


The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of layer charge on the hydration of Mg-saturated expandable 2:1 phyllosilicates. Water retained by 12 Mg-saturated clays at 54% relative humidity was quantified gravimetrically. X-ray diffraction and total chemical analysis were used to determine the hydratable surface area (447–759 m2 g−1) and layer charge [0.327–0.754 electrons per formula unit (e f.u.−1)] of each sample. Water retained by the clays increased with both hydratable surface area and layer charge of the clays. However, the increase in H2O content with layer charge occurred only on external surfaces of the clays. This result suggests that the H2O on external surfaces is localized around the cation/charge sites rather than forming multi-layers as was suggested previously. A model is proposed for the hydration of expandable 2:1 phyllosilicates. The model assumes that interlayer volume controls interlayer hydration and that the number of cation/charge sites on external surfaces controls hydration of external surfaces.


A seroprevalence survey of viral hepatitis was conducted in Bucharest, Romania, between April and July 1990 on a systematic sample of 1355 persons drawn from the general population and groups at higher risk of infection. Sera were tested for hepatitis A, B, and C (HAV, HBV and HCV, resp.) markers using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The prevalences of HAV and HBV markers were high in all groups. A total of 47% of the adults from the general population and 39.8% of the children aged 0-16 years had at least one HBV marker. Of the pregnant women 7.8% were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Among infants (0-3 years of age) living in orphanages, the prevalence of at least one HBV marker was 54.6%. The findings also confirmed that HCV was circulating in Romania. The results are consistent with national surveillance data and confirm that viral hepatitis is a major public health problem in Romania. Preventive measures will have to include HBV immunization of infants, with an appropriately targeted immunization strategy being determined through further epidemiological studies.


This study examines the factors differentiating opinion leaders from non-leaders in a relatively progressive and less progressive village employing discriminant analysis technique. Data for this study were gathered using pre-tested personal interview schedule from 109 and 108 respondents respectively in the progressive and less progressive villages of Muktagacha Union in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. Characteristics differentiating opinion leaders from non-leaders varied from relative progressiveness of the villages in Bangladesh. In the progressive village both noneconomic and economic set of variables were equally efficient in differentating opinion leaders from non-leaders. To the contrary, non-economic set of variables is more able to discriminate opinion leaders from non-leaders than the economic set. Determining such characteristics differentiating opinion leaders from non-leaders would help extension workers to work with them rather than working with the individuals not largely accepted in the group.


Background: Inflammation is a protective physiological response to tissue injury that can be caused by harmful stimuli. If the inflammatory process is prolonged and cannot restore to homeostatic conditions, this may lead to pathological effects that can damage cells and cause various diseases. Elephantopus scaber is a plant that can easily be found in Indonesia. Elephantopus scaber is a type of plant that is often used as a traditional medicines. Several studies have shown that the compound bioactive content contained in plants has enormous potential as alternative medicine. Objective: This present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extract of Elephantopus scabe leaves. Methods: The Elephantopus scaber leaves were extracted using ethanol solvent into different concentration (50 mg/mL, 100 mg/mL, and 120 mg/mL). Diclofenac sodium was used as the standard. Anti-inflammatory assays were performed by the human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization method and heat-induced hemolysis method. Phytochemical screening that used in the present study was a conventional method. Results: Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. In the present study, ethanolic extract of Elephantopus scaber leaves has anti inflammatory activity by protecting the stability of red blood cell membrane. The highest protection capability possessed by the ethanolic extract of Elephantopus scaber leaves in both human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization method and heatinduced hemolysis method was at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of Elephantophus scaber has antiinflammatory activities by in vitro assays.


We consider a setting in which agents contribute amounts of a divisible resource (such as money or time) to a common pool, which is used to finance projects of public interest. How the collected resources are to be distributed among the projects is decided by a distribution rule that takes as input a set of approved projects for each agent. An important application of this setting is donor coordination, which allows philanthropists to find an efficient and mutually agreeable distribution of their donations. We analyze various distribution rules (including the Nash product rule and the conditional utilitarian rule) in terms of classic as well as new axioms, and propose the first fair distribution rule that satisfies efficiency and monotonicity. Our main result settles a long-standing open question of Bogomolnaia, Moulin, and Stong (2005) by showing that no strategyproof and efficient rule can guarantee that at least one approved project of each agent receives a positive amount of the resource. The proof reasons about 386 preference profiles and was obtained using a computer-aided method involving SAT solvers.


The study evaluated the effects of crimped corn preserved either with organic acids or with a microbial inoculant on a range of metabolic and production indicators of dairy cows. Two hundred and sixty in-calf, second and third parity cows were selected into pairs on basis of age, parity, milk production in previous lactation, days in milk and body condition score with the greatest possible conformity within pairs. Cow pairs were assigned into a 2-period crossover experiment (2 × 45 days) and kept in separate groups within the same shed. Dietary treatments were TMR with crimped corn preserved with either organic acids (treatment K) or microbial inoculant (treatment B). Ten superbly matched cow-pairs were selected to form nucleus pairs for metabolic studies. The preservatives had no effect on the nutrient content of crimped corn. Crimped corn preserved with the microbial inoculant were found mouldy, predominantly with Mucor sp. at a number high enough to inhibit the growth of lactic acid bacteria, and had significantly higher pH and ammonium concentration compared to the chemical treatment. The milk yield of treatment K cows was significantly higher than that of treatment B cows with identical feed intake. Blood beta-hydroxy-butyrate concentration was lower and blood aspartate amino transferase activity higher with treatment K compared to treatment B. Results of this study suggest the superiority of total mixed rations containing chemically preserved crimped corn in terms of ammonia and microbiological indicators of crimped corn, significantly higher milk yield, and balanced energy metabolism. Crimping, corn preservation, organic/microbial preservatives, energy and protein metabolism


This article explores how women interpreted everyday clothing practices and decoration of their body and how they positioned themselves in different social milieus during the period of socialist Slovenia (1945–1991). The new socialist middle class in Slovenia and Yugoslavia was defined by participation in a lifestyle, created and expressed through consumption and behaviors that turned everyday life into a symbolic display of taste and cultural distinction. This article shows the ways women engaged in self-expression and negotiated dressing up. It analyzes the self-emancipation of women as they challenged the boundaries of social hierarchies on the basis of self-transformations, pointing out the active role that women had in their self-positioning in social categories.


Maternal nutrition plays a major role in influencing fetal growth and birth outcomes. It is a modifiable risk factor which drags a significant public health consideration to avert adverse birth outcomes, specially, in low and middle income countries. Suboptimal dietary and nutritional characteristics and low birth weight are prevalent in the present study setting. This study was conducted to assess the association of maternal dietary and nutritional characteristics and newborn birth weight among pregnant mother who delivered in health institutions. Institution based cross sectional study was conducted among 541 pregnant mothers who delivered in Health Institutions of Jimma Town from March 1st, 2017 to April 30th, 2017. Data were entered into EPI data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS for windows, version 20.0; SPSS. Bivariate analysis was used to assess the association between birth weight and list of independent variables and to test significance of the association at p-value <0.25 for multivariable linear regression. Multivariable linear regression model was used to recognize the important predictors by controlling for possible confounding variables and statistical significance was measured at p-value <0.05. Majority of newborns had normal birth weight (91.0%). The mean birth weight of the newborns was 3224.6 ± 438.5 grams while low birth weight was 2%. In Multivariable linear regression analyses, birth weight was found to have increased by 13.5 grams (β=13.5, P=0.04), for every centimeter increment in maternal mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Similarly, with each increase in parity of the mother an increase in birth weight increased by 96.81 grams (β=96.81, P=0.01) was observed. Wealth index was also found to have a positive association with birth weight (β=49.04, P=0.01). Maternal MUAC, parity and wealth index were found to have a positive association with birth weight. Intervention directed on nutrition of pregnant mothers through nutrition counseling should be the major priority in addition to economic measure.

 Key words: Newborn birth weight, nutritional characteristics, mid-upper arm circumference.


The corporate governance mechanisms in the Pakistan are normally thought to be less important to achieve organizational success. By enduring the good corporate governance organizations may enlarge the circumstances where management can convince the employees particularly and share holders generally to capture long term organizational gains. We used five point Likert scale questionnaire to measure the corporate governance in banking sector of Pakistan. This empirical study suggests that the corporate governance has widespread role in organizational success. The results suggest that discipline, social awareness, accountability, fairness and responsibility have significant effect on organizational success. However, effect of discipline and social awareness is higher than accountability, fairness and responsibility. Moreover, our study shows that independence and transparency do not effect on organizational success significantly.


In recent years, a new type of hybrid dome structure called "suspen-dome" has become popular. The suspen-dome system is evolved as a combination of two structural systems, namely a single-layer dome and a cable-dome. This marriage of the two systems has proven to be highly successful, making it possible to combine the advantages of both systems. The upper part of a suspen-dome consists of a single-layer rigidly-jointed lattice dome and the lower part consists of a system of cables that are connected to the upper part of the dome by a series of struts. In fact, a suspen-dome is a double-layer lattice system. However, it is more economical, as well as, more visually attractive than a conventional double-layer lattice dome. In a suspen-dome the elegance of slim cables at the lower part makes the whole structure appear less crowded, allowing the beauty of the pattern of the upper single-layer part to stand out. Despite the increasing interest in the use of suspen-domes, the research into the behaviour of these domes is rather limited and there are no commonly acceptable procedures for their design. Hence, one of the main aims of this study is to provide a methodology for the analysis and design of suspen-domes. Another important objective of this work is to carry out an in-depth study into the behaviour of suspen-domes. In general, due to the rigidity provided by the upper single-layer dome, the geometry of a suspen-dome has an initial stable shape. However, for a suspen-dome to become a fully functional structural system, appropriate levels of prestress forces in the cables at the lower part of the dome are required. In this work, a thorough study is carried out for evolving a simple method of determining prestress forces. A proposed method is then presented in detail and exemplified using a finite element model of a suspen-dome structure. It is shown that the method works well and is effective in enhancing the performance of suspen-domes. To study the behaviour of suspen-domes, the linear and nonlinear response of three different patterns of suspen-domes with three different rises and spans under a combination of four different loading conditions, are examined. It is found that the functionality of prestress forces within a suspen-dome system is vulnerable when the system is exposed to unsymmetric loads. To overcome this issue, a new efficient way of adjusting prestress forces is proposed which is proven to be both simple and effective. One of the main achievements gained from the study of the behaviour of various suspen-dome test cases, is the realisation that these structures display a low degree of geometrical nonlinearity. In the structural system of a suspen-dome, when the system is stiffened by the application of appropriate prestress forces, there are clear indications that the behaviour of the structure is almost linear. This matter is discussed in Chapter 6. This will give designers the ability to estimate the behaviour of suspen-domes under the effects of loads by simple linear analysis.


Summary Changes in bee species richness and diversity were studied along a forest regeneration gradient in seven sites in Buyangu Nature Reserve, Kakamega Forest, Kenya. At each site, 12 belt transects of 100 m length and 2 m width were established. The selected sites ranged from relatively undisturbed primary to late secondary forests, bush lands and the surrounding farming areas. A total of 4,485 individuals were identified out of 234 species of bee in four families. A Renyi Diversity Index was used to analyse bee diversity. One-way measures of ANOVA were calculated for bee diversity and species richness, with study sites and year as independent factors. The highest species richness and bee diversity were recorded in the open areas followed by secondary forests while evenness was higher in forested sites. There was a general similarity between sites in bee species composition, especially between those of almost similar vegetation structure. This similarity was suspected to have important implications in promoting current understanding of ecological resilience of bees in tropical ecosystems. The study concludes that the future of forest biodiversity and pollination services are dependent on strategic and holistic management of natural forests, secondary forests and the neighbouring agro-ecosystems.


In this letter, the capacity of ultrawideband (UWB) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) on-body channels is evaluated. Three on-body channels are investigated-namely, Chest-Waist, Wrist-Waist, and Ankle-Waist channels. The data transmission capacities of each channel are evaluated and presented using the two power allocations schemes - namely, equal power allocation and the waterfilling power allocation. Statistical analysis is performed on the MIMO channel data, and the Rician K-factors of the channels are analyzed. It is found that the waterfilling scheme outperforms the equal power scheme in terms of capacity for all three on-body channels, with an average improvement of 1.2 b/s/Hz for signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) less than 12 dB (percentage improvement of 187% at 0 dB and 100% at 8 dB). However, the performances of the two schemes become comparable as the SNR increases with less than 0.28 b/s/Hz difference (percentage improvement of 3.6%) at an SNR level of 20 dB.


Standard multivariate analysis methods aim to identify and summarize the main structures in large data sets containing the description of a number of observations by several variables. In many cases, spatial information is also available for each observation, so that a map can be associated to the multivariate data set. Two main objectives are relevant in the analysis of spatial multivariate data: summarizing covariation structures and identifying spatial patterns. In practice, achieving both goals simultaneously is a statistical challenge, and a range of methods have been developed that offer trade-offs between these two objectives. In an applied context, this methodological question has been and remains a major issue in community ecology, where species assemblages (i.e., covariation between species abundances) are often driven by spatial processes (and thus exhibit spatial patterns). In this paper we review a variety of methods developed in community ecology to investigate multivariate spatial patterns. We present different ways of incorporating spatial constraints in multivariate analysis and illustrate these different approaches using the famous data set on moral statistics in France published by Andr\'{e}-Michel Guerry in 1833. We discuss and compare the properties of these different approaches both from a practical and theoretical viewpoint.


The expected growth in global population will inevitably put pressure on improvement of wastewater treatment systems. Crystalline polymers are often used for coagulation of solids, however, attempts to identify optimal polymer maturation time, with the use of viscosity and electrical conductivity, have not yielded conclusive results.
The first phase was aimed at developing a new methodology to determine the optimal polymer maturation time to yield the highest dewatering. This was done with spectrophotometry and corroborated by spiking sludge with polymers of different age. In addition, the spectrophotometer had the sensitivity to detect changes to polymer temperature, pH, chlorine content, and mixing method. In the second phase of the study the rheological properties of conditioned sludge were used to determine a relationship between the degree of shear and the resulting sludge dewaterability. The rheometer used for measuring sludge network strength was also able to capture the optimal polymer dose range.


This dissertation is written in the context of imparting sound Catholic education. Catholic meditation is a spiritual practice that focuses on the development of Christ consciousness. The primary focus will be on teachers
who lead from the centre of what the school should be doing as part of their mission to develop the whole child and maintain the integrity of gospel values.

The secondary focus will be on children who may come from difficult home backgrounds, unduly pressured by parental expectations of academic success. In this investigation, I will closely examine the benefits this meditation may achieve based on silence and stillness. Will they enjoy the fruit of building a personal relationship with Jesus through silent prayer?

The research will explore relevant scholarship written in the field by various authors in the literature review. This will be followed by a small-scale research project based on the Catholic Meditation practised in a small Catholic primary school. The methodology for gathering the data will be interviews.

This work will end by making several recommendations, which I hope will be of value to all practitioners especially senior leaders instrumental in guiding and preserving the Catholic distinctiveness of the school. I shall conclude by saying that it is possible for all teachers to use Christian Meditation as a powerful practice to their full advantage in focusing on a Christ Centered education.


Karen Heald proposes a new poetic film under the thematic scope of the conference 'female travellers in arts, music and film.' Throughout Heald's practice the relationship between travel, art history, film and painting has always been present. This is especially significant in the FRIDAm Series, an ongoing collaborative project with artist Sally Turner researching the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Heald and Turner first began collaborating in 2003. Turner working in the capacity as a fine art performer and Heald as a fine art filmmaker. The title of FRIDAm was chosen as a play on the words 'freedom' and Frida, Kahlo's first name. The focus was on the legacy of Kahlo, her approach to politics, women's equality, overcoming disability and establishing herself as a painter. Exploring the concept of how Kahlo might react and respond to an evolving art scene, FRIDAm attempts to capture the essence of Kahlo's spirit in a contemporary world. Working closely with Turner, who has a striking resemblance to Frida, Heald has enabled a relationship to unfold, a rapport to evolve that has transcribed through the films. Together they have created a visual poetry without vocabulary. To act is to pretend whereas a performance artist performs with intent. Trust and empathy is an important part of the collaboration. The artists have developed a relationship that is extremely responsive, thereby allowing the performances to be both spontaneous and experimental in nature; suggesting another space another time, further compounded by colour. FRIDAm was born out of these experiences. Filming is predetermined in the sense that locations and attire are pre-arranged but Heald and Turner allow for an intuitive response to the site. Initially conceptual the films explore feminist notions of art theory yet are also concerned with the graphics of line, colour and form. There then follows a process of critical reflection that utilises graphics in an aesthetic response, which is constantly reassessed. Varying the speed of the films by slow motion techniques emphasizes the films poetics. Working out of a suitcase the artists have travelled together nationally and internationally 'staging' live art performances. These ephemeral events have been portrayed through time-based media and transformed into films and installations.


A reliable islanding detection method is one of the most important function of a well designed inverter based distributed generation (DG) system. Active islanding detection methods have negligible non-detection zone, but they bring some power quality issues to the network. In this paper an islanding detection method which addresses constant current inverter based DGs is introduced. It has both high power quality and low non-detection zone. The method makes a positive feedback between reference current of the constant current controller and the rms voltage of inverter terminal in a way that it could detect islanding in the proper time, while providing constant current appropriately. The efficiency of the method is proved using simulations based on PSCAD/EMTDC.


This article utilizes input from service scholars, practitioners, reviews of published literature, and influential policy documents to identify service research priorities that push the boundaries of extant research. In a companion piece, we focused on four service research priorities related to managing and delivering service in turbulent times. Further, we identified a set of stakeholder-wants from the literature and included research questions that tie key stakeholder-wants to each of the three priorities in this article and the four priorities in the companion article. Here, we highlight the critical importance of scholarship and practice related to the design of sustainable service ecosystems and discuss three key service research priorities: large-scale and complex service ecosystems for transformative impact (SRP5), platform ecosystems and marketplaces (SRP6), and services for disadvantaged consumers and communities (SRP7). We call for an engaged service scholarship that considers the interrelationships among consumers, organizations, employees, platforms, and societal institutions and pursues transformative goals.


Head and human detection have been rapidly improved with the development of deep convolutional neural networks. However, these two tasks are often studied separately without considering their inherent correlation, leading to that 1) head detection is often trapped in more false positives, and 2) the performance of human detector frequently drops dramatically in crowd scenes. To handle these two issues, we present a novel joint head and human detection network, namely JointDet, which effectively detects head and human body simultaneously. Moreover, we design a head-body relationship discriminating module to perform relational learning between heads and human bodies, and leverage this learned relationship to regain the suppressed human detections and reduce head false positives. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we annotate head bounding boxes of the CityPersons and Caltech-USA datasets, and conduct extensive experiments on the CrowdHuman, CityPersons and Caltech-USA datasets. As a consequence, the proposed JointDet detector achieves state-of-the-art performance on these three benchmarks. To facilitate further studies on the head and human detection problem, all new annotations, source codes and trained models are available at https://github.com/ChiCheng123/JointDet.


After the most significant Supreme Court oral argument of the Roberts Court, elite law professors were stuck sitting on the sidelines at the Hogwarts-esque castle that is Yale Law School, mystified how they were likely headed towards an unprecedented defeat. Rather than accepting the validity of the arguments against Obamacare, leading academics directed their ire towards the recalcitrant Solicitor General, who, unlike his predecessor, shunned academics, and put forth losing arguments in Court. Further, the professors blamed the media (the New York Times in particular), that gave a "false equivalence" to libertarian law professors, and made their arguments legitimate.In writing Unprecedented: The Constitutional Challenge to Obamacare, I conducted over one-hundred interviews with the lawyers, journalists, professors, and politicos involved on both sides of the case. These insights shed light on the question Professor David Hyman seeks to answer in his important and timely new article: "Why Did Law Professors Misunderestimate the Lawsuits against PPACA?" For this contribution to a symposium in the Illinois Law Review, I highlight how the sentiments at this Ivy-League confab served as a fitting testament to the law professors' "misunderestimation" of NFIB v. Sebelius.


Background Macclesfield Hospital in Cheshire East has a Liaison Psychiatry service providing psychiatry input and wider staff education. Cheshire East has a higher than average number of people with Dementia, a higher than average number of hospital stays for self-harm and a higher than average admission rate for alcohol in those under 18 (Living Well for Longer in Cheshire East, 2013). No Health Without Mental Health (2011) highlights the importance that all NHS staff should have training in mental health, especially as 30% of those with a long term physical health condition also have a mental health problem (Barnett et al, 2012). Aims and hypothesis We hypothesised that staff working in a physical health setting supporting patients with co-morbid mental health needs, dementia or alcohol misuse, would have increased knowledge, feel more confident and have increased positive attitudes towards patients with these needs following the training. Method Initial training needs analysis indicated that we needed to provide training in depression, suicide risk assessment, alcohol misuse and challenging behaviour in dementia. We devised and delivered: A compulsory prerequisite e-learning package around basic mental health awareness. Multi-professional training days for community and acute hospital based staff A face to face, mixed method training approach using PowerPoint, video, simulation, roleplay and discussion. Staff were surveyed using validated measures: Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), Revised Depression Attitude Questionnaire (R-DAQ) and the Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (SAAPPQ). Results Final results still pending. Conclusions The training is achieving its aims of improving knowledge, skills and attitudes. We are working to ensure that the learning is embedded in systems within the hospital and hope to extend the training Practice Nurses and local authority staff. With NWSEN we hope to partner with other hospitals across the North West to deliver this.


For a differential-drive mobile robot equipped with an on-board range sensor, there are six parameters to calibrate: three for the odometry (radii and distance between the wheels), and three for the pose of the sensor with respect to the robot frame. This paper describes a method for calibrating all six parameters at the same time, without the need for external sensors or devices. Moreover, it is not necessary to drive the robot along particular trajectories. The available data are the measures of the angular velocities of the wheels and the range sensor readings. The maximum-likelihood calibration solution is found in a closed form.


This paper presents a new genera- tion 128x128 Focal Plane Analog Programmable Array Processor (FPAPAP), from a system level perspective. The design has recently sent to fabri- cation in a 0.35µm standard digital 1P-5M CMOS Technology. The chip has been designed to achieve the high-speed and moderate-accuracy constraints of most real time image processing applications. It has been designed to be easily embedded in conventional digital hosting systems: external data interchange and control are com- pletely digital. The chip contains close to four mil- lions transistors, 80% of them working in analog mode, and exhibits a relatively low power con- sumption (<4W, i.e. less than 1mW per transis- tor). Experimental results are expected for the date of paper presentation.


Each of the three cysteinyl residues per subunit in D-amino acid transaminase from a thermophilic species of Bacillus has been changed to a glycine residue (C142G, C164G, and C212G) by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant enzymes were detected by Western blots and a stain for activity. After purification to homogeneity, each mutant protein had the same activity as the wild-type enzyme. Thus, none of the Cys residues are essential for catalysis. Each protein when denatured showed the expected titer of two SH groups per subunit. In the native state, each of the three mutant proteins exhibited nearly the same slow rate of titration of SH groups as the wild-type protein with about one SH group titratable over a period of 4 h. Conversion of Ser-146, adjacent to Lys-145 to which the coenzyme pyridoxal phosphate is bound, to an alanine residue (S146A) does not alter the catalytic activity but has a significant effect on the SH titration behavior. Thus, three to four of the six SH groups of S146A are titratable by DTNB. The rapid SH titration of S146A is prevented by the presence of D-alanine. This finding suggests that the change of Ser-146 to Ala at the active site promotes the exposure and rapid titration of a Cys residue in that region. The rapid SH titration of S146A by DTNB is accompanied by a loss of enzyme activity. Two of the mutant enzymes, C142G and S146A, lose activity at 4 degrees C and also upon freezing and thawing. The mutant enzymes C164G and C212G show the same degree of thermostability as the wild-type enzyme.


Previously, we identified a novel human cytochrome P450 cDNA that is inducible by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and represents the first member of a new subfamily designated cytochrome P4501B1 (CYP1B1; Sutter, T. R., Tang, Y. M., Hayes, C. L., Wo, Y. P., Jabs, E. W., Li, X., Yin, H., Cody, C. W., and Greenlee, W. F. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 13092-13099). Here, we report on the isolation and initial characterization of the CYP1B1 gene. The CYP1B1 gene maps to human chromosome 2 at 2p21-22 and contains three exons and two introns. The putative open reading frame starts in the second exon and is 1629 base pairs in length. Southern analysis using DNA probes directed to each of the three exons confirmed that CYP1B1 is a single copy gene. Human CYP1B1 differs from its two most closely related members of the cytochrome P450 superfamily, CYP1A1 and CYP1A2, in the number of exons (3 versus 7) and chromosome location (2 versus 15). A single transcription initiation site was identified by primer extension analysis and S1 nuclease mapping. Based on nucleotide sequence analysis, the CYP1B1 gene lacks a consensus TATA box in the promoter region and contains nine TCDD-responsive enhancer core binding motifs (5′-GCGTG-3′) located within a 2.5-kilobase pair genomic fragment 5′-ward of the transcription initiation start site. Deletion analysis of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene constructs containing 5′ CYP1B1 genomic fragments indicates that a region from −1022 to −835 containing three of the nine core binding motifs contributes to the TCDD-inducible expression of CYP1B1.


Due to non-linear loads or non-linear behavior of some elements, harmonics currents are injected in the network generating a voltage distortion. To improve the voltage quality, some passive filtering are used to trap these harmonic currents. However a simple passive filter modifies significantly the characteristics of the network by generating a parallel resonance and can create some problems of oscillations and instability when associated with power electronics converters as large rectifiers or static var compensator. To avoid these problems, passive damping with parallel resistors is generally introduced. However this technique generates some losses in the whole filter and alters the efficiency of the filtering. This paper shows that dynamic damping with voltage source converter can contribute to improve the damping without altering the filter efficiency and to optimize the whole losses of the hybrid filter. Two industrial cases are presented: dynamic damping in the case of power supply and dynamic damping in the case of shunt compensation. Extension of this principle in a hybrid filter is presented in this paper with regards on losses and sizing. This article shows the strategic interest of small converters in AC filtering to make it evolute in new techniques associating passive and active elements to form hybrid dynamic damped filter


Nickel-bearing laterites occur as two parallel belts along Sedimentary Zagros Orogenic (SZO) and Metamorphic Sanandaj-Sirjan (MSS) petrostructural zones, Fars Province, south Iran. An undisturbed vertical profile of these laterites includes protolith, saprolite, clay, and oxide horizons from base to top. Highly serpentinized harzburgite with relicts of olivine and orthopyroxene is regarded as the source rock. The laterites are unusual in lacking a significant saprolite zone with little development of Ni-silicates. Hematite, saponite, dolomite, smectite and clinochlore increase, while calcite, olivine, lizardite and chrysotile decrease from saprolite to oxide zones. Smectite and clinochlore with minor calcite are the major minerals in clay zone. Contacts of different horizons in laterite profiles are gradual and characterized by a decrease in Mg concentration ranging from 18.1 to 9.3 wt.% in oxide and saprolite, respectively. The maximum Ni concentration is 0.34 wt.% (NiO) in the base of the oxide zone, and goethite is the major Ni-bearing phase. From saprolite to oxide horizons, Al2O3, K2O, TiO2, and CaO decrease, while SiO2, MnO, NiO, and Fe2O3 increase. Silica content reaches up to 45 wt.% in the upper part of the soil profile. There is a decrease in pH (8.44-8.17) and an increase in organic matter (0.280.59 wt.%) from base to top of the soils. The studied laterites are classified in the oxide clans which were derived from ophiolite ultramafic rocks under Mediterranean climate conditions. Keywords—Iran, laterite, mineralogy, ophiolite.


1. Stimulation‐dependent modulation of Ca currents was examined in guinea‐pig ventricular myocytes at room temperature. Whole‐cell recordings of Ca currents were made under conditions which minimized ionic fluxes through other channels. 2. Stimulation from rest at a rate of 2 Hz resulted in a decrease of the low threshold Ca current within one pulse and facilitation of the high threshold Ca current within five pulses. Facilitation was associated with a reduction in the rate of inactivation. 3. Pulse durations as short as 10 ms facilitated the high threshold Ca current in subsequent pulses. Facilitation produced by a single pulse decayed with a half‐time of several seconds. 4. Substitution of Ba2+ or Sr2+ for external Ca2+ reduced the rate of inactivation of the high threshold Ca current and abolished facilitation of the current. 5. Facilitation persisted with 40 microM‐Ruthenium Red added to the internal solution or 0.2‐2 microM‐ryanodine added to the bath solution to reduce Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. 6. Facilitation was modulated by isoprenaline. Low concentrations of isoprenaline (5‐10 nM) increased the amount of facilitation. Isoprenaline (1 microM) increased the Ca current approximately 3‐fold, however, facilitation was nearly abolished. 7. Caffeine (0.5 and 1 mM) affected the Ca current and facilitation in a manner similar to 1 microM‐isoprenaline. It increased the Ca currents approximately 2.5‐fold and facilitation was not observed. 8. We conclude that stimulation‐dependent facilitation of the high threshold Ca current is mediated by calcium and hypothesize that calcium affects a site near the Ca channel that modifies the rate of inactivation. The common actions of caffeine and high concentrations of isoprenaline suggest that calcium modulates a phosphorylation step.


In the article we present the results of a study devoted to identity changes in late adolescence. The participants were students of three types of upper-secondary schools: basic vocational schools, technical upper-secondary schools, and general upper-secondary schools. Measurement was performed five times, in three consecutive years: 2012/2013, 2013/2014, and 2014/2015. The first measurement was carried out in the first semester of the first grade (students' mean age: 16 years; n = 310), and the fifth measurement was performed during the first semester of the third grade (students' mean age: 18 years). The number of students who took part in all five measurements was 118 (38% of the initial sample of n = 310). The instrument we used was the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS/PL; Brzezinska & Piotrowski, 2010; Luyckx, Schwartz, Berzonsky et al., 2008). In the group of general upper-secondary school students, we observed an increase in adaptive exploration (in breadth and in depth) as well as an increase in the strength of commitments over the 2.5 years of schooling. Among students of vocational schools, especially basic vocational schools, we observed regressive changes, such as a decrease in adaptive exploration, a decrease in commitments, an increase in the experienced difficulties with identity formation (an increase in ruminative exploration). The results confirmed that different educational paths may involve differences in terms of the changes taking place in students' identity in the period of adolescence.


Author(s): Thamphiwatana, Soracha | Abstract: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection with its vast prevalence is responsible for various gastric diseases including gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric malignancy. While effective, current treatment regimens are challenged by a fast-declining eradication rate due to the increasing emergence of H. pylori strains resistant to existing antibiotics. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel antibacterial strategies against H. pylori. The first area of this research, we developed a liposomal nanoformulation of linolenic acid (LipoLLA) and evaluated its bactericidal activity against resistant strains of H. pylori. We found that LipoLLA was effective in killing both spiral and dormant forms of the bacteria via disrupting bacterial membranes. LipoLLA eradicated all strains of the bacteria regardless of their antibiotic resistance status. Furthermore, the bacteria did not develop drug resistance toward LipoLLA. Our findings suggest that LipoLLA is a promising antibacterial nanotherapeutic to treat antibiotic-resistant H. pylori infection. The next step, we investigated the in vivo therapeutic potential of LipoLLA for the treatment of H. pylori infection. In vivo tests further confirmed that LipoLLA was able to kill H. pylori and reduce bacterial load in the mouse stomach. LipoLLA treatment was also shown to reduce the levels of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin-[beta] (IL-1[beta]), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, which were otherwise elevated due to the H. pylori infection. Finally, toxicity test demonstrated excellent biocompatibility of LipoLLA to normal mouse stomach. Collectively, results from this work indicate that LipoLLA is a promising, new, effective, and safe therapeutic agent for the treatment of H. pylori infection. The second area is stimuli-responsive liposomes development. By adsorbing small chitosan-modified gold nanoparticles (AuChi) onto the outer surface of liposomes, we show that at gastric pH the liposomes have excellent stability with limited fusion ability and negligible cargo releases. However when the stabilized liposomes are present in an environment with neutral pH, the gold stabilizers detach from the liposomes resulting in free liposomes that can actively fuse with bacterial membranes. The reported liposome system holds a substantial potential for gastric drug delivery; it remains inactive (stable) in the stomach lumen but actively interact with bacteria once reaches the mucus layer of the stomach where the bacteria may reside. Another stimulus that can activate drug release from liposomes is virulence factor released from bacteria themselves. We formulate liposomes with a lipid composition sensitive to bacterium-secreted phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) degradation and then adsorb AuChi onto their surfaces. The resulting AuChi-stabilized liposomes (AuChi- liposomes) showed prohibited fusion activity and negligible drug leakage. When loaded with doxycycline, AuChi-liposomes effectively inhibit H. pylori growth in vitro. Overall, the design of AuChi-liposomes allows for a smart "on-demand" payload delivery : the more enzymes or bacteria at the infection site, which depends on the severity of infection, the more drug will be released. Given the strong association of PLA₂ with a diverse range of diseases, the present liposomal delivery technique holds broad application potential for tissue microenvironment-responsive drug delivery


This document presents a literature review that analyzes the articulation of modeling and digital technologies in the field of Mathematics Education. The review aims to find evidence of the use of digital technologies in modeling processes and how these practices can change some ways of working with students in the classroom. The results show, on the one hand, different roles that technology plays when it is articulated to a modeling process (as a resource in the process or as a means that reorganizes the process) and the uses given to diverse technological tools in the empirical studies analyzed. The findings present a new category that extends the classification of technologies and suggest the need to expand both theoretical and empirical research to get a better understanding of the impact of digital tools in modeling processes. In addition, the findings draw attention to the inclusion of mobile devices in future studies.


Nation-states have interfered with history education since its inception in the nineteenth century. Yet, over the last decade the quarrels have been particularly bitter and the stakes markedly high. The multiple claims of groups to tell their 'own' story and to erect their 'own' historical monument have occasioned impassioned public debates about the ownership of history. Recent political interventions in history education and public commemorations reveal ideological tensions and conflicts that come close to moral panic. National governments have become increasingly aware of losing control over who and what constitutes the 'common' past. The Florida Education Omnibus Bill, signed by governor Jeb Bush in 2006, is a significant example. A particularly difficult problem now faced by historians is how to teach a feasible history that does justice to the plurality of voices. Imposing national history does not solve these problems.


Boronia and Boronella form a monophyletic group within the tribe Boronieae of the Rutaceae. A cladogram for this group, constructed using 32 morphological characters, is presented. According to this hypothesis, Boronella is a monophyletic subgroup within Boronia, rendering the latter genus paraphyletic, and therefore we recommend that Boronella be included within Boronia. Two competing hypotheses of cytoevolution in Boronia are evaluated by superimposing them onto the cladogram. Smith-White's model requires fewer postulated polyploid and aneuploid changes in numbers of chromosome than James' model and is therefore preferred. The sister group of the New Caledonian species (Boronella plus Boronia koniambiensis) is restricted to disjunct south-eastem and south-westem areas in Australia. Under a vicariance model of historical biogeography this indicates that New Caledonia separated from Australia before the east-west separation within Australia. Wilson has provided the most satisfactory infrageneric classification for Boronia when compared with the cladogram.


In Telco cloud environment, virtual network functions (VNFs) can be shipped in the form of virtual machine images and hosted over commodity hardware. It is likely that these VNF images will contain highly sensitive data and mission critical network operations. For this reason, these VNF images are prone to malicious tampering during shipping and even after uploaded to the cloud image database. Furthermore, due to various applications, there is a requirement from mobile network operators to seal VNFs on specific platforms which satisfy certain hardware and software configurations. This requires cloud service providers to introduce some mechanisms to verify VNF image integrity and host sealing before the instantiation of VNFs. In this paper, we present a proof of concept demonstrated with the help of an experimental setup to solve the above-mentioned problems. We also evaluate the performance of the envisioned setup and present some insights on its usability.


Background Madagascar is famous for its extremely rich biodiversity; the island harbors predominantly endemic and threatened communities meriting special attention from biodiversity scientists. Continuing ongoing efforts to inventory the Malagasy ant fauna, we revise the species currently placed in the myrmicine genus Aphaenogaster Mayr. One species described from Madagascar, Aphaenogaster friederichsi Forel, is synonymized with the Palearctic A. subterranea Latreille syn. nov. This species is considered neither native to Madagascar nor established in the region. This revision focuses on the balance of species in the A. swammerdami group which are all endemic to Madagascar. Methods The diversity of the Malagasy Aphaenogaster fauna was assessed via application of multiple lines of evidence involving quantitative morphometric, qualitative morphological, and DNA sequence data. (1) Morphometric investigation was based on hypothesis-free Nest Centroid clustering (NC-clustering) combined with PArtitioning based on Recursive Thresholding (PART) to estimate the number of morphological clusters and determine the most probable boundaries between them. This protocol provides a repeatable and testable approach to find patterns in continuous morphometric data. Species boundaries and the reliability of morphological clusters recognized by these exploratory analyses were tested via confirmatory Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). (2) Qualitative, external morphological characteristics (e.g., shape, coloration patterns, setae number) were subjectively evaluated in order to create a priori grouping hypotheses, and confirm and improve species delimitation. (3) Species delimitation analyses based on mitochondrial DNA sequences from cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene fragments were carried out to test the putative species previously delimited by morphological and morphometric analyses. Results Five species can be inferred based on the integrated evaluation of multiple lines of evidence; of these, three are new to science: Aphaenogaster bressleri sp. n., A. gonacantha (Emery, 1899), A. makay sp. n., A. sahafina sp. n., and A. swammerdami Forel, 1886. In addition, three new synonymies were found for A. swammerdami Forel, 1886 (A. swammerdami clara Santschi, 1915 syn. n., A. swammerdami curta Forel, 1891 syn. n. and A. swammerdami spinipes Santschi, 1911 syn. n.). Descriptions and redefinitions for each taxon and an identification key for their worker castes using qualitative traits and morphometric data are given. Geographic maps depicting species distributions and biological information regarding nesting habits for the species are also provided.


ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study with an open-ended manner aimed (1) to evaluate the environmental risk perception levels of mothers having at least one child and living in Adana and (2) to determine their awareness of the risk factors in their environment. Of mothers, 30.2% did not know the concept of environmental risk factor. Most frequent perceived risks were violence (17%), air pollution (15.5%) and undefined pollution (15%). The most common mentioned problems in their environment were air pollution (9.9%), violence (7.9%) and municipal service problems (8.4%). Mothers living in the urban area reported more violence, air pollution and undefined pollution as environmental threats than those living in the countryside. The place of residence, the education level of the mother and the number of people in the house significantly were related with the risk perception. There is a need for studies in other regions to determine the environmental literacy of mothers.


The aim of this paper is to shed light on an under-researched area of study: that of the relations that the leading members of the «Caffe» – Paolo Frisi, Cesare Beccaria and the Verri – established with the Royal Society's Anglo-Italian circles in 1765-1767. These were generally men of science, even though it is also possible to detect the signs of their interest in the socio-legal topics underlying the iconic Dei delitti e delle pene. Building upon a complex epistolary network, as well as a series of unpublished materials, we shall try to show that Father Frisi was at the heart of the creation of a transnational cultural bridge between Milan and London, and that despite their stronger ties with Paris and its philosophes, Beccaria and the Verris benefited from these exceptional contacts. The picture that we shall draw will clarify the role of learned academies in eighteenth-century Europe, on the interdisciplinary nature of intellectual exchanges, particularly on the international milieu where the «book of crimes» was translated into English.


I Hanley SP, Bevan J, Cockbill SR, Hepinstall S. Differential inhibition by low-dose aspirin of human venous prostacyclin synthesis and platelet thromboxane synthesis. Lancet 1981 ;i:969-71. 2 de Gaetano G, Cerlett C, Bertele V. Pharmnacology of antiplatelet drugs and clinical trials on thrombosis prevention: a difficult link. Lancet 1982;ii:974-7. 3 Cerskus AL, Ali M, Davies BJ, McDonald JW. Possible significance of functional platelets in a population of aspirintreated platelets in vitro and in vivo. Thrombosis Research 1980;18:389-97. 4 Goodman LS, Gilman AG, Gilman A. The pharmacological basis oftherapeutics. 6th ed. London: Bailliere Tindall, 1980:694. 5 Merino J, Livio M, Raitar G, de Gaetano G. Salicylate reverses in vitro aspirin inhibition of rat platelet and vascular prostacyclin generation. Biochemtical Pharmacology 1980;29:1093-6. 6 Pedersen AK, Fitzgerald GA. Dose-related kinetics of aspirin. Presystemic acetylation of platelet cyclo-oxygenase. N EnglJ7 Med 1984;311:1206-l1. 7 Sinzinger H, O'Grady J, Fitscha P, Kaliman J. Extremely-lowdose aspirin (one milligram per day) renders human platelets more sensitive to antiaggregation prostaglandins. N Engl 7 Med 1984;311:1052. 8 Jakubowski JA, Stampfer MJ, Vaillancourt R, Deykin D. Cumulative antiplatelet effect of low-dose enteric coated aspirin. Br Haematol 1985;60:635-42.


The present study seeks to investigate the arrangement of the science of mythology at the turn of the 19th century, and an understanding of the scientific work, which enabled to consider mythology a discipline. The research in a case of interpretation of the notions of myth and symbol explores prerequisites and framework for the study. The findings of the research illustrate the role of the disciplinary argument and publishing strategies in the debates surrounding mythology's conceptual bases. The research demonstrates that at the turn of the 19th century mythology was established both as a subject of research and as a discipline in its own right on the crossroads of disciplinary arguments, knowledge differentiation and knowledge distribution strategies


In non-annealed 6H-SiC samples that were electron irradiated at room temperature, a new EPR signal due to a S=1 defect center with exceptionally large zero-field splitting (D = +652•10-4 cm-1) has been observed under illumination. A positive sign of D demonstrates that the spin-orbit contribution to the zero-field splitting exceeds by far that of the spin-spin interaction. A principal axis of the fine structure tilted by 59° against the crystal c-axis as well as the exceptionally high zero-field splitting D can be qualitatively understood by the occurrence of additional close-lying defect levels in defect clusters resulting in comparatively large second-order spin-orbit coup¬ling. A tentative assignment to vacancy clusters is supported by the observed annealing behavior.


The quantity of unstructured and semi-structured data available is growing rapidly. Adding structure to such data (by means of ontologies and tag-based taxonomic classifications) is potentially a very productive approach, which can lead to additional knowledge (e.g. by monitoring association and other relations between classes) as well as enabling more effective use and re-use of online knowledge. Formal concept analysis (and fuzzy formal concept analysis) enables us to identify hierarchical structure arising from similarities in attribute values, giving a starting point for an ontology. However, it is often difficult to determine the "best" attributes to use. Furthermore, in an environment where source data is updated, this data-driven approach may lead to concept lattices which vary in structure. In this paper, we describe a novel way of measuring the distance between concept lattices. The method can be applied to comparison of lattices derived from the same set of objects using different attributes or to different sets of objects categorised by the same attributes. Simple examples are used to illustrate the idea.


The effect of intravenous infusion of acetate, propionate and butyrate (0, 3, 10, 30 μmol kg-' min-1 over 40 min) on the secretion of growth hormone (GH), insulin and glucagon in response to growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) injection (0.25 μg/kg, 10 min after the onset of acid infusion) was determined in six sheep. The intravenous injection of GRF caused a marked increase in plasma GH at every dose of each acid. The GH response to GRF was unaffected by an intravenous infusion of acetate. The basal plasma levels of insulin, glucagon and glucose were unchanged by acetate infusion. The infusion of propionate markedly suppressed the GH response to GRF in a dose-dependent manner. Propionate produced increases in plasma insulin, glucagon and glucose concentrations. Butyrate infusion also caused a significant attenuation of GRF-induced GH secretion. Butyrate infusion stimulated the secretion of both insulin and glucagon and caused hyperglycemia. After cessation of the infusion of propionate or butyrate plasma GH tended to increase again. Plasma somatostatin concentrations, which were measured only for the highest dose of butyrate, were unchanged during acid infusion, but increased on discontinuing the infusion. It is concluded that propionate and butyrate suppress GH secretion, while stimulating the secretion of insulin and glucagon in sheep.


Motherhood is the institution on which state and society have traditionally depended for preparing a well-socialized populace even before formal educational systems begin to have an effect. Mothering has taken a new urgency in a 21st-century globalized, neoliberal, and intricately connected world in which the social contract between the state and the individual has been in profound revision. Mothers are being expected to adapt to rapidly changing educational environments with on-site school systems disrupted in response to global health crises and homeschooling assuming spectacularly new meanings. New blended roles for tutoring, mentoring, and counseling while also nurturing the child are now the newest normal for mothers. Considering the pivotal role played by mothers in a human being's birth, socialization, and education, perhaps educational research can progressively encourage a more nuanced incorporation of motherhood studies. It might be useful to examine the relationship between motherhood and education within a framework of familial power relations combined with a global studies in education perspective. The different facets of motherhood as well as the entangling of care and power are critical to the project of education. Motherhood as institution, motherhood as identity, and motherhood as experience thus become crucial coordinates for an interdisciplinary engagement with motherhood's relationship with education. While educational technologies and online communication platforms have incrementally transformed the field of education, the mothers role has evolved and mothers often need to be educated so they may best guide their digital native wards. Parents jointly take many decisions regarding children's education and future, but it is most often the mother who follows through with the agenda. This close personal involvement brings additional responsibilities, authority, and power—all of which have epistemological consequences, highlighting areas that might help establish nuanced connections between motherhood and education.


In this paper we propose a simple way to formulate geometric contact formation to have an arbitrary intersection shape in a robotic (humanoid) posture generation problem. The contact shape is the outcome of our posture generator that is formulated as a non-linear optimization programming to fulfill a large variety of robot intrinsic limitations (e.g. joint and torque limits) and tasks (e.g. desired contact). Starting by defining convex areas of contact on the robot's body and the environment, that we call contact patches, we can generate contacts with arbitrary intersection of a pair of any of these predefined patches. Our geometric contact modeling writes very simply as additional constraints and variables added to the optimization problem, translating the search for an ellipse inscribed in the intersection of the pair of patches we want in contact. The result of our posture generator is then a configuration where contact patches are not necessarily included in one another. This allows our posture generator to propose contacts of different shapes with a non-predefined number of contact points (used later to compute reaction/contact forces). We illustrate the efficiency of our method in multi-contact posture generation with the HRP-2 and ATLAS humanoid robots with results that can not be generated automatically by existing methods.


One of the lessons learned from the 2008 financial crisis is that when a bank in Europe goes into trouble the ensuing effects can reach far beyond the immediate threat to its depositors and shareholders. In particular, the crisis has revealed the extent to which irresponsible behavior in the banking sector could undermine the foundations of the financial system and threaten the real economy, turning a banking crisis into a sovereign debt crisis as occurred in the eurozone in 2011. In response to this lesson, Member States first tried to address the systemic fragility of their banking systems through national policy tools, but countries that share a common currency and are more interdependent required more integrated responses. Therefore, at the euro area summit in June 2012, the European Council agreed to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereign debt and decided to create a banking union that would allow a centralized supervision for banks in the euro area through a newly established Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) and a centralized resolution scheme. The SSM became operational in November 2014 and represents the building pillar of the banking union. The purpose of this paper is then to provide, after a brief description of the background (Par. 1), an analysis of the Single Supervisory Mechanism, illustrating its functioning (Par. 2), then focusing on the position and the powers of the ECB within it (Par. 3) and finally pointing out some remarks on the potential weaknesses of the new regime (Par. 4).


Spoken Language Understanding aims at mapping a natural language spoken sentence into a semantic representation. In the last decade two main approaches have been pursued: generative and discriminative models. The former is more robust to overfitting whereas the latter is more robust to many irrelevant features. Additionally, the way in which these approaches encode prior knowledge is very different and their relative performance changes based on the task. In this paper we describe a training framework where both models are used: a generative model produces a list of ranked hypotheses whereas a discriminative model, depending on string kernels and Support Vector Machines, re-ranks such list. We tested such approach on a new corpus produced in the European LUNA project. The results show a large improvement on the state-of-the-art in concept segmentation and labeling.


Urban streams and their associated riparian zones in western Washington contain important fish and wildlife habitat. This report summarizes the results of two seasons of in-stream salmon spawner surveys from November and December 2013 and 2014 and three years of wildlife surveys using tracking and camera traps from January 2012 to December 2014. Students from the Learn and Serve Environmental Anthropology Field (LEAF) School at Edmonds Community College conducted the surveys in Japanese and Big Gulches in response to requests from the City of Mukilteo and Snohomish County Airport. The surveys demonstrate that adult coho have returned to Japanese Gulch for the third year in a row after the completion of a significant stream restoration project removing four major barriers to salmon migration. The surveys confirm reports of salmon (both coho and chum) returning to spawn in Big Gulch and provide the first evidence of coho pre-spawn mortality in this stream. The surveys add six news species to lists of known fish and wildlife using Japanese Gulch and confirm an additional 27 species reported by other sources. This report initiates a new list of 34 species documented in Big Gulch, 30 of which had not been reported in other consulted sources. Collectively, the surveys demonstrate the ecological value of these two urban streams as fish and wildlife habitat. With contributions from 122 students, faculty, staff, and community members over a three year period, this project also demonstrates the value of citizen science and community engagement to the education of community college students and the endeavors of municipalities to protect fish and wildlife habitat.


ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to study molecular markers were linked to upland rice tolerance of Situ Patenggang x B11930F-TB2 against Al using SSR method. The plant materials were 36 lines of Situ Patenggang x B11930F-TB2 with categories tolerant, moderate, and susceptible to acid soil based on selection in East Lampung. IR6008032 line and ITA variety used as comparative control of tolerant and susceptible. The results showed that 40 primer pairs were applied to 36 lines and allegedly 3 primer pairs that are: RM205, RM257 and RM247 linked to Al tolerance. The markers location analysis on rice chromosome listed as follows: RM205 and RM257 were located on chromosome 9 and RM247 located on chromosome 12 with genetic distance 93,12 cM, 772.62 cM and 13,05 cM, respectively. Keywords: SSR marker, upland rice, aluminium tolerance, ultisols


Context. Since 1999, we have been conducting a radial velocity survey of 179 K giants using the Coude Auxiliary Telescope at UCO/Lick observatory. At present ∼20− 100 measurements have been collected per star with a precision of 5 to 8 m s − 1 . Of the stars monitored, 145 (80%) show radial velocity (RV) variations at a level >20 m s − 1 , of which 43 exhibit significant periodicities. Aims. Our aim is to investigate possible mechanism(s) that cause these observed RV variations. We intend to test whether these variations are intrinsic in nature, or possibly induced by companions, or both. In addition, we aim to characterise the parameters of these companions. Methods. A relation between log g and the amplitude of the RV variations is investigated for all stars in the sample. Furthermore, the hypothesis that all periodic RV variations are caused by companions is investigated by comparing their inferred orbital statistics with the statistics of companions around main sequence F, G, and K dwarfs. Results. A strong relation is found between the amplitude of the RV variations and log g in K giant stars, as suggested earlier by Hatzes & Cochran (1998). However, most of the stars exhibiting periodic variations are located above this relation. These RV variations can be split in a periodic component which is not correlated with log g and a random residual part which does correlate with log g. Compared to main-sequence dwarf stars, K giants frequently exhibit periodic RV variations. Interpreting these RV variations as being caused by companions, the orbital parameters are different from the companions orbiting dwarfs. Conclusions. Intrinsic mechanisms play an important role in producing RV variations in K giants stars, as suggested by their dependence on log g. However, it appears that periodic RV variations are additional to these intrinsic variations, consistent with them being caused by companions. If indeed the majority of the periodic RV variations in K giants is interpreted as due to substellar companions, then massive planets are significantly more common around K giants than around F, G, K main-sequence stars.


A compartmental transport model is developed, capable of predicting the evolution of CO2, HCO-3 and H+ in the cerebrovascular system. In the model, the transport of these components is simulated at a subset of three compartments: cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), capillary-choroid plexus and brain tissue, belonging to a seven compartmental assembly representing the entire brain. The remaining ones are; artery, vein, venous sinus and jugular bulb. The model accounts for advection associated with non-steady perfusion fluxes across semi-previous boundaries. Pressures, associated with perfusion, are solved in the seven-compartment model. The three-compartment transport model also takes into account changes in compartmental volume due to displacement of its boundaries, diffusion through boundaries and rate of generation of substances by chemical reactions. A first-order reaction rate is assumed in the CSF compartment. A parameter estimation method is then developed to assess boundary diffusivities from time-averaged observed values of perfusion pressure, tension of carbon dioxide, pH values, and concentration of free hydrogen and bicarbonate ions. An equation of state describing the regulation of flow from arteries to capillaries, as a function of CO2 tension in the CSF, is then suggested. Upon solving all coupled mass balance equations, and for a pre-evaluated perfusion pressure in the artery and capillary compartments, one can estimate the change in arteries to capillaries conductance at every time step. Boundary diffusivities between the capillary, cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue compartments, were estimated. A sensitivity analysis proves the consistency between model predictions and available clinical observations, this, in terms of the influence of the parameter associated with CO2 metabolic rate on CO2 tension. It was shown that decrease of this tension caused an abrupt pressure fall at the first instant which later increased to an asymptotic value. This, however, was not evident in the capillaries at which pressure slightly falls and then remains constant.


Background: The introduction of Gene Xpert® MTB/RIF assay ("genexpert"; Cepheid, Sunnyvale, USA) (GeneXpert) in the diagnosis of Tb has been a practice changer not only in the speed of diagnosis but also in the early and prompt identification of rifampicin resistance. Data generated from the use of geneXpert is managed in the GeneXpert Laboratory Information Management System (GX‐LIMS) as well as the Tuberculosis Information from Basic Units (TIBU). There is minimal knowledge on the interplay of the two platforms in the country. Objective: To determine of the level of congruence between the GeneXpert laboratory management information system and the TIBU surveillance system for Kiambu county TB patients, 2014 ‐2016. Design: An analytic comparative cross‐sectional study. Setting: Kiambu County, Kenya. Population: All patients notified into TIBU and entered in GX‐LIMS within Kiambu County, 2014 ‐2016. Results: In the study period, there was a gradual increase in the number of GeneXpert tests done in Kiambu County. Patients tested in GX‐LIMS were 171(2%), 1610(26%) and 6186 (78%) in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. Of these, 60(4%), 209(16%) and 1272(83%) were notified into TIBU in the respective years. In the study period, 29 patients were Rifampicin resistant as per GX‐LIMS, with 13 being notified into TIBU for care. Conclusion: Our study showed that there is poor congruence between GX‐LIMS and TIBU in Kiambu County. There is need for the development of unique patient identifiers that can be used to track and follow up patients from the point of testing in GX‐LIMS to notification into TIBU for care. This will limit the number of patients lost to follow‐up.


Prader-Willi syndrome was described for the first time in 1956. Due to its lack of biological markers its diagnosis is a clinical one, taking into consideration that it varies with age. It is characterised by neonatal hypotonia, obesity, mild mental retardation or learning incapacity, behavioural problems, mainly towards food. Most aspects studied have been centred in medical and genetic aspects, whereas those related to hearing and language have been somewhat limited. We carry out a revision of those aspects.


Background Exercise for people with Huntington's disease (HD) is safe, feasible and has benefit for those taking part in the studies (Busse et al 2013, Quinn et al 2016), yet people with HD tell us they struggle to keep physically active. Aim The aim of the study was to develop a tool to prompt discussion and identify physical activity goals to support people with HD become or stay physically active. Methods People with HD (n=8), their family (n=10), healthcare professionals (n=6) and specialist HD advisors (n=4) attended an event in the United Kingdom. Attendees worked together to 'co-produce' a compilation of activities suitable for people with HD; applied this information to complete a prototype physical activity tool and provided feedback on the tool. This information was used to develop a more detailed physical activity tool that was presented to and reviewed at a Huntington's Disease Association family day attended by 104 members of the HD community. Result A physical activity tool, PAT-HD, was developed based on existing research and feedback from people with HD, their carers, healthcare professionals and specialist HD advisors. The tool, an A4 double sided leaflet, consists of lists of activities suitable for people with HD and questions to facilitate discussion and personal goal setting for physical activity. People with HD felt that this was a useful tool that could be used in an easily accessible setting. Conclusion The successful co-production of a physical activity tool for people with HD needs to be evaluated within a suitable setting.


Temperature measurements have been made with the chromium resonance triplet at 4254, 4274 and 4289 Å, controlled amounts of chromium being introduced in the form of the volatile carbonyl; this method has the advantage that it can be used with explosive mixtures. Measurements of vibrational relaxation time have been made for carbon monoxide between 2200 and 2700°K and of the rate of dissociation of hydrogen in hydrogen + argon mixtures between 2400 and 2800°K. Temperature irregularities in the fronts of shocks through argon or neon are discussed, but no satisfactory explanation for them has been found. Excitation processes in monatomic gases are also examined. The method has been used to study the temperature distribution behind detonations which have been initiated by shocks of various strengths. For ethylene + oxygen detonations the chromium excitation temperature is very high at the front; this is attributed to chemiluminescent excitation in the reaction zone. In carbon monoxide + oxygen detonations initiated by weak shock waves we have observed interesting steps in the temperature behind the front and have explained these as being due to delayed ignition behind the shock and an acceleration of the front leading to detonation after the front has travelled some way along the shock tube.


Background: Maternal diabetes is associated with increased teratogenic effects on fetuses; it affects the structure and functions of fetal heart and alters the fetal-placental circulation. Although several articles have demonstrated fetal cardiac malformation and defects in diabetic mothers, ventricular systolic and diastolic function has not been properly investigated, particularly in Iran. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess ventricular function using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in fetuses of diabetic mothers compared with fetuses of non-diabetic mothers in the Iranian population. Patients and Methods: Twenty-one diabetic pregnantwomenat 28 weeks' gestation were enrolled as the case group, and 35 healthy pregnant women at the same gestation were considered as the control group. Fetal echocardiography, including TDI, was carried out for all cases. The variables measured by echocardiography were as follows: the systolic annular peak velocity (Sa), late-diastolic annular peak velocity (Aa), and diastolic annular peak velocity (Ea) waves on the lateral and septal walls of the left ventricle (LV) at the mitral valve annulus using TDI; mitral inflow E and A waves using pulse Doppler; and inter-ventricular septum thickness using two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. Results: According to cut-off value of 6.3% for hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), only one patient with HbA1c = 8 had uncontrolled diabetes. In 20 other patients with controlled diabetes, the mean HbA1c was 4.78 ± 1.22%. There was no significant difference between groups according to maternal age (29.24 ± 5.86 in the case group vs. 28.58 ± 4.42 in the control group, P = 0.6). No significant difference was found in the septal thicknesses between the two groups (P = 0.39). Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of other echocardiography variables (P > 0.05). Conclusions: We did notfindsignificant differences in ventricular function or ventricular septal thickness in the fetuses of mothers whowere referred to our hospital with a previous diagnosis of diabetes mellituscompared with the fetuses of non-diabetic mothers. This could be due to early identification, appropriate treatment, and tightly controlled diabetes in our study population. It should be noted that only pregnant women who were being closely monitored by their gynecologist were referred to us, so there may be some bias in our case selection; moreover, only patients who have taken steps to control their diabetes, so that only one of them had an abnormal HbA1c level. Other possible reasons for our results are over-diagnosis of gestational diabetes by gynecologists and an inadequate number of participants in our study.


The precocious knowledge on reckoning schemes scientifically and technically was replaced with the rapid amelioration in medicinal contrivance systems and treatment information registers. On average the management accomplishes hospital information system (HIS) and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) using digital entities to maintain medical examinations, images and statements. Such systems even though are much helpful for the hospital staff, doctor away from the hospital have lot of difficulty to access the patient data during risk facing situations. To iron out the above-mentioned complications, a new idea of the proposed framework has been disseminated for medical descriptions to the doctors at inaccessible areas. This organization requires a hand-hand PDA's that adopts CDMA techniques with mobile networks. This arrangement requires a server and PDA for its implementation. This model supports the entire reports of the patient to the doctors located even at remote location with accessibility and doctor information reliable for patients. PDA created will disclose the inmate's medicinal reports and scans over an outlying network. To corroborate or validate user data, remote data approach is applied by PDA that connects the server directory and for relegation of information from the server, uses file transfer protocol. From testing, observations show ninety seconds to convey thirty images with a fineness of 832 x 488, intensity of 24 bits and magnitude of 0.37 Mb. This idea proposed using bitmap image acquiring technique demonstrates no difficulty for distant doctors to collect and examine the sufferer images right away at the time of crisis or urgencies, which is completely subjective analysis based on doctor's point of view.


Purpose: To develop an efficient and accurate finite‐size pencil beam dose calculation engine for on‐line adaptive IMRT re‐planning with graphics processing units (GPUs). Method and Materials: This new GPU‐based fast and accurate dose engine was built on our previously published ultrafast finite‐size pencil beam (FSPB) model with 3D density corrections. Owing to the commissioning procedure based on Monte Carlo simulations, this model correctly accounts for medium heterogeneities. The new GPU implementation presented here has been designed to maximize the data‐parallel strength of GPU and minimize the memory‐conflict issues. Results: Our implementation was tested on two cases: 1) a phantom geometry with a volume of lung density inserted and 2) clinical head neck case. For both, the phantom case and in anthropomorphic geometry, percent depth dose (PDD) curves and cross‐profiles for various field sizes were calculated. The results show, that impact of lateral electron disequilibrium and changed beam attenuation affecting the dose distribution, like profile broadening and changed profile amplitude, were correctly modeled. For all tests, calculation acceleration of ∼100 times was achieved when using a NVIDIA Tesla C1060 card in comparison with a 2.27GHz Intel Xeon CPU. Eg. for the head neck case, the computation time for a 10×10 cm2 field with the beamlet size of 0.5×0.5 cm2 is less than 1 second. Conclusion: We have implemented a GPU‐accelerated dose calculation engine employing finite‐size pencil beam model. The results indicate that accurate dose calculation in real‐time is feasible and will enable the on‐line adaptive IMRT re‐planning.