In his exegesis of the Transfiguration, Thomas Aquinas says that the vision of divine glory was given to Peter, James, and John in order to prepare them for Christ's imminent Passion and Resurrection (Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae III, Q.45). The brilliance of Christ's face shining like the sun (cf. Mt. 17:2) strengthened the apostles so that they would not lose heart during the darkness that would come, but would wait for Christ's splendor to be revealed again after the Resurrection. The entire mystery is an icon of hope, for it shows that visions of glory are always given as part of a journey towards their fulfillment. "It is good for us to be here," Peter recognized, but the apostles were not brought up to the mountain to remain there. The revelation sent them back down the mountain to fare forward in hope. In this paper, I would like to suggest that the work of theology is meant to share in the mystery of the Transfiguration, and thus cultivate the virtue of hope. In this task, theology can learn from literature, for the way of revealing is as important as the message to be revealed. I would like to propose Shakespeare's The Tempest as a model. In its dramatic structure and wonder-inspiring poetic form, The Tempest participates in the mystery of the Transfiguration, sending the audience away from the strange island refreshed and reoriented, set on the way with Prospero towards freedom. The play challenges theology to present the Good News of the Gospel in a way that makes the glory of the Lord visible by the radiance of its form, and interrupts into ordinary time, like the storm with which The Tempest begins, so that the revelation is not an end in itself.  If theology is able to set human beings on a journey by cultivating patience and wonder in the very way it reveals, then it will effect the mysteries that it signifies, and truly impart Christian hope.


Property transaction taxes - also known as stamp duty - are widely viewed as an inefficient form of taxation. In this paper, we examine the welfare implications of removing stamp duty in a general equilibrium overlapping generation model with heterogeneous agents. Our model features an idiosyncratic shock to housing preferences which may create mismatch or induce household to move. When examining steady states we find that newborn households prefer entering an economy with a recurring property tax rather than one with stamp duty. In contrast, when examining transition dynamics we find that existing households prefer replacing stamp duty with a consumption tax.


Treatment of inflammatory diseases of asthmatics can be a serious problem since some patients show intolerance to aspirin and other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs that are cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Salicylates were believed to be well tolerated, but recent reports have demonstrated that diflunisal and salicylsalicylic acid can precipitate asthma attacks in aspirin-intolerant patients. This study was designed to determine the tolerance of choline magnesium trisalicylate (CMT), a nonacetylated salicylate with potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity, in 23 asthmatics with aspirin hypersensitivity confirmed by oral challenge. The study consisted of three phases: 1) patients received increasing doses (50-1,500 mg) of CMT under a single-blind protocol; 2) patients received either a placebo or CMT challenge in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over design; 3) patients received CMT at daily 3,000 mg doses for 1 week. Throughout the study, pulmonary function tests, peak nasal inspiratory flow, and serum salicylate and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) levels were monitored. Results showed no airway obstruction, nasal congestion or rhinorrhea after CMT. There was no significant decrease in serum TXB2 levels, indicating the absence of cyclooxygenase inhibition with CMT. We conclude that choline magnesium trisalicylate is a safe drug for treatment of different anti-inflammatory disorders in asthmatics with aspirin hypersensitivity.


Every year about 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools. A major obstacle to their attending college is not being eligible for in-state tuition. Today, nine states permit it while four prohibit it. Even if the federal DREAM Act passes, state policy decisions will continue to strongly shape college opportunities for undocumented students. This situation makes the contrasting policies of Texas and Arizona—one permits in-state tuition eligibility; the other prohibits it—highly instructive. To analyze the political origins of their divergent responses, we draw on the advocacy coalition framework and policy entrepreneurship theory of policymaking.


In recent years, there has been a remarkable increase in rural migrant children with 0 to 5 years of age, which accounts for one third of all Chinese rural migrant children from 0 to 17 years of age. Previous studies regarding rural migrant primary/ secondary students consistently found that rural migrant children showed more frequent behavior problems, which were closely related to their relationships with parents and teachers. However, no empirical study to date has addressed the influence of adult-child interpersonal relationships on young rural migrant children's social behavior. To address this issue, the present study focused on a group of rural migrant children in kindergartens and examined the links between the parent-child relationship, the teacher-child relational climate (which was obtained by averaging teacher-reported ratings of teacher-child closeness and teacher-child conflict for all sampled children in each classroom), and the young rural migrant child's problem behaviors. In addition, the interaction between parent-child relationship and teacher-child relational climate was investigated. The data were obtained from the Preschool Education Quality Evaluation Project that was conducted in one district in Beijing. Among 97 kindergartens in this project, the ones with at least 5 rural migrant children were selected, resulting in 40 kindergartens including 336 classes which were used to construct the classroom-level data. In each class, 40% of children were randomly selected. In total, 2894 urban children [Beijing urban household registration; M ( SD ) month age = 53.42 (9.70), range = 30~79 months old] and 536 rural migrant children [rural household registration outside of Beijing; M ( SD ) month age = 53.46 (9.80), range= 31~74 months old] constituted the participants in the present study. Children's primary caregivers reported mother and father's educational levels, family monthly income, child's age and gender, and parent-child relationships. One experienced teacher of each class individually rated teacher-child relationships and children's behavior problems. We used Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) to construct two-level models including individual level and classroom level to investigate how the parent-child relationship and teacher-child relational climate independently and interactively influenced early internalizing and externalizing behavior problems of urban preschoolers and rural migrant preschoolers. The results were as follows: (1) Both parent-child conflict and teacher-child conflictual climate were significant risk factors for both urban and rural migrant children's behavior problems. (2) Teacher-child close and conflictual climate had greater influences on urban children's (as compared to rural migrant children's) internalizing problems. (3) For rural migrant children who had frequent conflict with their parents at home (dual-risk children), teacher-child conflictual climate had a less detrimental influence on their externalizing behavior problems. (4) Greater parent-child closeness compensated for internalizing behavior problems of rural migrant children who experienced higher levels of teacher-child conflictual climate. The present study expands the research about Chinese rural migrant children into the early childhood period and enriches the international literature about interpersonal relationships and underprivileged children's development. Findings underscore the importance for parents and teachers to develop emotionally closer and less conflictual relationships with children. For urban children, teachers are advised to construct positive relationships with them to support their behavior development. Parents of rural migrant children would be wise to cultivate close relationships with their children to protect them from developing behavior problems. In addition, guiding parents to establish close relations with rural migrant children should be emphasized in the family-kindergarten cooperation.


Abstract Campi Flegrei caldera, west of Naples in southern Italy, has an exceptional documented record of ground deformation from Roman times onwards. Systematic recording began in the nineteenth century. For earlier dates, information has been obtained from archaeological studies and from contemporary descriptions of the locations of buildings, usually Roman, with respect to sea-level. Especially important have been accounts related to the Serapis, a Roman market-place built in the second century bc and now incorporated within the modern town of Pozzuoli. The long-term patterns of ground deformation have conventionally been investigated on the premise that Campi Flegrei naturally tends to a state of static equilibrium. This study argues that, instead, the area naturally tends to a steady rate of subsidence, at about 17 mm a−1. After this background rate has been removed, the data indicate that a permanent uplift of some 33 m has occurred from Roman times (up until the present day: 2005 at the time of writing), attributable to the intrusion of 1.85 km3 of magma, of which only 1% has been erupted. Uplift has occurred in three episodes, the third of which is still in progress. The behaviour can be interpreted in terms of the intermittent ascent of magma between a reservoir of c. 102–103 km3 at depths of 8–15 km or greater, to a much smaller, shallower system at depths of about 3–4 km. Should the current pattern of deformation follow previous trends, uplift is expected to continue for another 80–90 years, during which time Campi Flegrei will be characterized by an elevated possibility of eruption.


The chemistries within phagosomes of APCs mediate microbial destruction as well as generate peptides for presentation on MHC class II. The antimicrobial effector NADPH oxidase (NOX2), which generates superoxide within maturing phagosomes, has also been shown to regulate activities of cysteine cathepsins through modulation of the lumenal redox potential. Using real-time analyses of lumenal microenvironmental parameters, in conjunction with hydrolysis pattern assessment of phagocytosed proteins, we demonstrated that NOX2 activity not only affects levels of phagosomal proteolysis as previously shown, but also the pattern of proteolytic digestion. Additionally, it was found that NOX2 deficiency adversely affected the ability of bone marrow–derived macrophages, but not dendritic cells, to process and present the I-Ab–immunodominant peptide of the autoantigen myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Computational and experimental analyses indicated that the I-Ab binding region of the immunodominant peptide of MOG is susceptible to cleavage by the NOX2-controlled cysteine cathepsins L and S in a redox-dependent manner. Consistent with these findings, I-Ab mice that were deficient in the p47phox or gp91phox subunits of NOX2 were partially protected from MOG-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and displayed compromised reactivation of MOG-specific CD4+ T cells in the CNS, despite eliciting a normal primary CD4+ T cell response to the inoculated MOG Ag. Taken together, this study demonstrates that the redox microenvironment within the phagosomes of APCs is a determinant in MHC class II repertoire production in a cell-specific and Ag-specific manner, which can ultimately impact susceptibility to CD4+ T cell–driven autoimmune disease processes.


This study was aimed at numerically investigating the source, generation mechanism, and strategy for reducing aerodynamic noises inside a steam turbine control valve. A delayed detached eddy simulation was performed to extract the three-dimensional unsteady turbulent flow structures formed within the serpentine flow passage of the turbine valve. Acoustic analogies, spatial Fourier transform, and spectral proper orthogonal decomposition on the delayed detached eddy simulation-simulated flow data were complementarily combined to clarify the generation mechanism of tonal and broadband aerodynamic noises. The results showed that broadband noises were produced by wall-attached jet flow and turbulent mixing flow between the annular wall jets and central reverse flow. High-intensity tonal noises were generated by the excitation of multi-order natural acoustic modes of the bell-shaped valve spindle. The intensive acoustic pressure pulsations concentrated inside the bell jar and propagated along the diffuser to the downstream turbine chamber. A novel ring acoustic liner was designed using the acoustic impedance model to reduce the valve noises without sacrificing the flow performance. The noise reduction effectiveness was evaluated by solving the linearized Navier–Stokes equations in the frequency domain.


The Goochland terrane is a structurally isolated crustal block in the eastern Piedmont of Virginia. It is composed of the previously named State Farm Gneiss, Montpelier Anorthosite, Sabot Amphibolite, and Maidens Gneiss, but also includes the Scotchtown Gneiss, Teman Gneiss, and Old Bandana Gneiss which are formally named and defined herein. The eastern part of the Goochland terrane is antiformal and cored by Mesoproterozoic rocks (the State Farm Gneiss and the Montpelier Anorthosite). These basement units are overlain by a late Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic (Ediacaran to Early Cambrian) saprolitic, metavolcanic, and metasedimentary sequence that sequentially includes the Scotchtown Gneiss, Sabot Amphibolite and Maidens Gneiss. The western part of the terrane is synformal and includes in its core two additional units that overlie the Maidens Gneiss: the Teman Gneiss and the Old Bandana Gneiss. Based on mineralogy and zircon grain morphology, the protoliths of the Maidens, Teman, and Old Bandana gneisses were predominantly sedimentary rocks. The protoliths of the Teman Gneiss and Old Bandana Gneiss were deposited unconformably upon the protolith of the Maidens Gneiss. The eastern and western parts of the Goochland terrane are separated by the Dabneys fault, which has considerable east-side-up vertical offset and possibly also significant transverse displacement. Correlation of the upper part of the Goochland terrane (Teman and Old Bandana gneisses) with the Setters and Cockeysville gneisses in the Baltimore region suggests that the Goochland terrane was left about 135 miles (ca. 220 km) southwest of its original North American location, which was to the east of Baltimore, Maryland. This displacement was caused by the oblique collision of the eastern North American continent with the western edge of the Gondwanan craton during the later Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) Period.


We have fabricated and characterized microstructured biodegradable and biocompatible polymer optical fibers using commercially available poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA). We first report on the preparation of the preforms by means of a novel technique based on transfer molding and on the fiber manufacturing using a regular heat-drawing process. We address the influence of the polymer processing on the decrease of the molar mass of PDLLA following the preform fabrication and the fiber optic drawing process. We investigate the in vitro degradation of the fabricated fibers in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) that reveals 21, 25 and 43% molar mass loss over a period of 105 days for fibers with diameters of 400, 200 and 100 μm, respectively. Cutback measurements return an attenuation coefficient as low as 0.065 dB/cm at 898 nm for a microstructured fiber with a diameter of 219 ± 27 μm. Due to immersion in PBS at 37 °C, the optical loss increases by 0.4 dB/cm at 950 nm after 6 h and by 0.8 dB/cm after 17 h.


This paper explores the potential to retrieve surface soil moisture and optical depth simultaneously for several different patches of land cover in a single pixel from dual polarization, multiangle microwave brightness temperature observations such as will be provided by, for instance, the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. MICRO-SWEAT, a coupled land-surface and microwave emission model, was used in a. year-long simulation to define the patch-specific soil moisture, optical depth, and synthetic, pixel-average microwave brightness temperatures similar to those that will be provided by SMOS. The microwave emission component of MICRO-SWEAT also forms the basis of an exploratory retrieval algorithm in which the difference between (synthetic) observations of microwave brightness temperatures and modeled, pixel-average microwave brightness temperatures for different input values of soil moisture and optical depth is minimized using the shuffled complex evolution (SCE) optimization procedure. Results are presented for two synthetic pixels, one with eight patches, where only the soil moisture is retrieved, and one with five patches, where both the soil moisture and the optical depth are retrieved.


In an industry that sells experiences rather than tangible products, destination image is an important strategic marketing tool through which destinations, such as Linz, Austria, compete with each other, strengthen their positioning on the market and attract potential visitors.
A literature review suggests a lack of agreement among destination image researchers as to how to define, conceptualise and operationalise tourism destination image since it is of a "complex, multiple, relativistic and dynamic nature" (Gallarza et al., 2002: 56).
Initially, an exploratory online survey was conducted to unveil the destination image of Linz held by its potential visitors and to identify its cognitive and affective dimensions. The findings of this first stage influenced the formation of the questionnaire used to collect data from 400 visitors during the European Capital of Culture Event in Linz in 2009 during the summer month of August. Different statistical techniques such as t-tests, ANOVAs, MANOVAs and factor analysis were employed to analyse the collected data.
This thesis contributes to the existing body of knowledge on destination image by presenting and discussing a conceptual framework of Linz's multi-staged ("a priori" and "on situ") process of image formation and development. This model is also linked with consumer behaviour and a set of image determinants (including information sources, socio-demographic and psychological factors, and a major cultural event) elicited from the literature related to destination image.
The proposed conceptual framework has implications for marketers, tourist destination planners and authorities.


Background and aims Meeting the nutritional requirements recommended by ESPGHAN remains challenging during early NICU care. We aimed to evaluate local practice and compare provision to recommendations. Methods In this retrospective study, nutritional data were collected from birth on all neonates admitted to a tertiary referral centre from September to December 2013. Data were obtained from the national database and medical notes. We assessed enteral and parenteral intake and calculated protein (Grams/Kg/day) and Calories (Kcal/kg/day). Enteral feed data collected included volumes of breast, donor and formula milks. Protein and calorie intake were calculated based on known milk composition values. Subgroup analysis was performed on infants born less than 32 weeks gestation. Results Abstract PO-0604 Figure 1 Abstract PO-0604 Figure 2 40 infants (14 male and 26 female) were studied. Median gestation was 37 weeks. Median birth weight 1847 grams and Median Day 14 weight 1887 grams. 8 infants were less than 32 weeks.19 had enteral feeds only and 21 had enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (PN). No infant had fortifier. In infants less than 32 weeks, median weight was 772 grams, median protein intake was 2.74 G/Kg/day and median calorie intake was 93.65 Kcal/Kg/day. The majority i.e. 75% were on full feeds of unfortified breast milk by day 14. Conclusion Protein and Calorie intake met recommendations from day 4 onwards in the whole group but there was a deficit in total calories in a subgroup analysis of the less than 32 week gestation group who were predominantly enterally fed.


Immersion quenching is a widely used technique in heat treatment, because this technique provides higher heat transfer coefficients than the most alternative gas quenching techniques. The disadvantage of immersion quenching in evaporating fluids is the complex heat transfer mechanism which consists of three phases, namely film boiling, nucleate boiling and convective cooling. Especially the transition from film to nucleate boiling – the rewetting of the sample surface – is a complicated process which leads to an extreme local dependence of the heat transfer coefficient. Therefore immersion quenching is very difficult to control and often leads to distortion of the quenched workpieces. During our experiments the rewetting behaviour was investigated by means of hollow and solid cylinders. These workpieces offer the possibility to investigate different distributions of surface temperatures of samples with the same outer geometry/curvature. The observation of the rewetting process was done by means of video films. Additionally, the cooling curves at two positions near to the surface were measured. From these data, the heat transfer for the quenching simulation by Finite Element Method were estimated and rewetting curves were calculated.


Riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin, which serves as a precursor to flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide. This study aimed to develop a simple and rapid liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis for the quantification of riboflavin in the Beagle dog plasma. This method utilized simple protein precipitation with acetonitrile and 13C4,15N2-riboflavin was used as an internal standard (IS). For chromatographic separation, a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) column was used with gradient elution. The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% (v/v) aqueous formic acid with 10 mM ammonium formate and acetonitrile with 0.1% (v/v) formic acid. Since riboflavin is an endogenous compound, 4% bovine serum albumin in phosphate buffered saline was used as a surrogate matrix to prepare the calibration curve. The quantification limit for riboflavin in the Beagle dog plasma was 5 ng/mL. The method was fully validated for its specificity, sensitivity, accuracy and precision, recovery, and stability according to the US FDA guidance. The developed LC-MS/MS method may be useful for the in vivo pharmacokinetic studies of riboflavin.


Background: The reason of variability of clinical course and progression to end-stage renal failure (ESRF) of two widespread chronic nephropathies–-autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and IgA nephropathy (IGAN) is not clear. The endothelial dysfunction is considered in the number of factors possibly influencing the prognosis of these nephropathies. Our study tried to verify the hypothesis that endothelial nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) gene polymorphisms in intron 4 could have some relevance to the progression of ADPKD and/or IgA nephropathy. Methods: We examined 128 Czech patients with ADPKD (62 males, 66 females) and 93 patients with IGAN (51 males, 42 females). As a control group we used 100 genetically unrelated healthy subjects (50 men, 50 women, mean age 51.2 ± 8.2). The genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the products were separated on 1.5% agarose gel and visualized by ultraviolet transillumination. We compared homozygous subjects for ecNOSb allele with homozygous and heterozygous subjects for ecNOSa allele. Results: The frequencies of ecNOSa/b + a/a and ecNOSb/b genotypes were 19% (19/100) and 81% (81/100) in the control group. The frequencies of ecNOSa/b + a/a and ecNOSb/b genotypes in ADPKD patients were: 26.6% (8/30) and 73.4% (22/30) in ADPKD patients with normal renal function, 30% (9/30) and 70% (21/30) in ADPKD with ESRF, 35.2% (18/51) and 64.8% (33/51) in young ADPKD patients, 60% (12/20) and 40% (8/20) in ADPKD patients with ESRF later than in 62 years. In IGAN the frequencies of ecNOSa/b + a/a and ecNOSb/b genotypes were 24% (12/50) and 76% (38/50) in IgA with normal renal function and 20.9 % (9/43) and 79.1% (38/43) in IgA with ESRF. Conclusion: Both in ADPKD and IGAN groups there was no significant difference in the frequencies of ecNOS genotypes between patients with normal renal function and age matched patients with ESRF and between patients with normal renal function and control group. The frequency of ecNOS a allele was significantly higher in a number limited group ADPKD patients with ESRF later than in 62 years (Chi-square test p < 0.05). This higher frequency of a allele among ADPKD patients with later onset of ESRF could suggest the trend of positive influence of a allele in ADPKD patients.


Pediatric cutaneous lymphomas are a group of lymphoproliferative diseases with obvious heterogeneity, which are primarily derived from the skin. The classification is mainly based on the WHO-EORTC and WHO systems. The most common types of primary cutaneous lymphomas in children are cutaneous mature T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) and cutaneous mature B-cell lymphomas (CBCL) . Pediatric cutaneous lymphomas are rare, and their treatment approaches are mainly based on some case reports because of their clinical manifestations different from those of adults, few clinical trials and cautious medication. Treatments include topical drugs, phototherapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, stem cell transplantation and some new drugs. There are great differences in the therapeutic approaches and responses among various types of cutaneous lymphomas. Conservative treatment is effective in most childhood mycosis fungoides and other cutaneous lymphomas with inert biological features, while invasive cutaneous lymphomas still require chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Invasive cutaneous lymphomas occur more frequently in children than adults, so more attention should be paid to systematic assessment and follow-up observation.

Key words:
Lymphoma; Skin; Lymphoma, T-cell; Lymphoma, B-cell; Child; Therapeutic uses


This research investigates why certain enterprise resource planning (ERP) system adopters have pursued high levels of software customization during implementation despite the generally accepted best-practice heuristic of limiting customization. Qualitative data from ERP adoption projects and consultants working with ERP implementations have been collected. This study empirically identifies customization drivers and explains their relationship to customization. The results suggest that high customization may occur because of: unnecessary redevelopment of functionality that is available in the ERP system standard, resistance to change based on cultural issues and low project acceptance, insufficient weight given to the implementation team's recommendations, and the implementation team's lack of opposition to customization requests. The results of this study also explain how these problems occur and why they lead to overcustomization.


Abstract A surface cooling of ∼1.7°C occurred over the ∼two millennia prior to ∼1700 CE at the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) Divide site, based on trends in observed bubble number-density of samples from the WDC06A ice core, and on an independently constructed accumulation-rate history using annual-layer dating corrected for density variations and thinning from ice flow. Density increase and grain growth in polar firn are both controlled by temperature and accumulation rate, and the integrated effects are recorded in the number-density of bubbles as the firn changes to ice. Number-density is conserved in bubbly ice following pore close-off, allowing reconstruction of either paleotemperature or paleo-accumulation rate if the other is known. A quantitative late-Holocene paleoclimate reconstruction is presented for West Antarctica using data obtained from the WAIS Divide WDC06A ice core and a steady-state bubble number-density model. The resultant temperature history agrees closely with independent reconstructions based on stable-isotopic ratios of ice. The ∼1.7°C cooling trend observed is consistent with a decrease in Antarctic summer duration from changing orbital obliquity, although it remains possible that elevation change at the site contributed part of the signal. Accumulation rate and temperature dropped together, broadly consistent with control by saturation vapor pressure.


In this paper psychometric analysis of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Women living in Wazirabad City has been explored. Cluster sampling technique was used to collect a sample of size 334. For this purpose Urdu version of Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS-21) questionnaire was administered along with 10 demographic. DASS-21 data has been analyzed to study the relationship between "depression", "anxiety" and "stress" across various demographic characteristics. DASS-21 shown good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.86) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed consistency with previously found factor structures. Strong relationship of "anxiety" and "stress" has been observed with age; while no association was observed with "income". "Education" has mild effect with the items of "depression", "anxiety" and "stress". "Illness" and "occupation" found to be strong factors of "depression", "anxiety" and "stress". Another major factor of "stress" found to be "family living system" while "marital status" also affects some of items.


The problem of flash data dissemination refers to spreading dynamically-created medium-sized data to all members of a large group of users. In this paper, we explore a solution to the problem of flash data dissemination in unstructured P2P networks and propose a gossip-based protocol, termed catalogue-gossip. Our protocol alleviates the shortcomings of prior gossip-based dissemination approaches through the introduction of an efficient catalogue exchange scheme that helps reduce unnecessary interactions among nodes in the unstructured network. We provide deterministic guarantees for the termination of the protocol and suggest optimizations concerning the order with which pieces of flash data are assembled at receiving peers. Experimental results show that catalogue-gossip is significantly more efficient than existing solutions when it comes to delivery of flash data.


The swift evolution of networks and computer systems has generated substantial improvements and marked benefits in several aspects of our personal and professional lives. However, these advantages come at the expense of an increased complexity of the security mechanisms protecting them. Defending the systems has become a big challenge both for individuals and for enterprises. The age of cloud computing and the Internet of Things significantly aggravated the problem. The main reason is that these technologies call into question the classic centralized security models and require contemplating completely distributed approaches. Given this context, computer systems security can no longer be assured solely by the application of best practices,
and a formal and rigorous approach is henceforth necessary. This thesis tackles the question of automatic protection of computer systems by exploring the use of formal methods for policy specification, verification and enforcement. In order to build our formal framework, we have defined algebraic formalisms and modal logics that allow specifying information systems
and their behaviour in an elegant and concise manner. We have also defined formal verification techniques for assessing the compliance of the systems with the security policies. Finally, we have devised an enforcement operator capable of generating an automatic enforcement process. The latter has the ability to rewrite the algebraic specification of a computer system in a way that renders it compliant with a security policy.


A technique to combine the three processes of a digital communication system, namely source coding, channel coding and modulation, is presented. The proposed system employs Huffman code for source coding, run length limited/error control codes (RLL/ECC) for channel coding and binary frequency shift keying/multi-phase shift keying (BFSK/MPSK) for modulation. It is shown that a reduction of the overall complexity in the combined demodulator/decoder is obtained as compared to its separate counterparts. The error performances are also shown to yield similar results for both the combined and separate block coded modulation (BCM) schemes. The algorithms for the proposed BCM schemes are designed and implemented and their error performances are compared with those employing coded, as well as uncoded, MPSK modulation.


Si3N4-based composite powders have been synthesized by vapor phase and liquid phase processes. Nano-sized Si3N4-TiN composite particles were formed by the vapor phase method, in which TiN nanocrystallites were included in amorphous Si3N4 particles. The composite powder was also formed by the liquid phase method, where Si and Ti complex imide powders were prepared in an organic solvent and decomposed by heating. Si3N4-TiN nanocomposites were fabricated by hot pressing of the composite powders. The Si3N4-TiN composites were also fabricated by in-situ process from amorphous Si3N4 and Y2O3-TiO2-AlN additive. In all processes, rod-like Si3N4 grain growth was stimulated by TiN inclusion.


Anti-idiotypic antibodies made against antigen-binding receptors on T lymphocytes with specificity for certain Ag-B locus antigens selectively react with T lymphocytes with potential immune reactivity against the very same Ag-B antigens. This was shown by affinity chromatography of normal Lewis T lymphocytes on anti-Ig columns after contact with the relevant anti-idiotypic antiserum. Here, it could be shown that incubation of the cells with an anti-(Lewis-anti-BN) antiserum caused subsequent selective retention of potential graft-vs.- host (GvH)-reactive cells against BN on the anti-Ig column, whereas Lewis T cells with reactivity against DA or August (Au) (carrying distinct Ag-B antigens in comparison to BN) passed through. The retained cells could be eluted and shown to display highly increased reactivity against BN with virtually no reactivity left against DA or Au antigens. Analogous results were obtained using an anti-(Lewis-anti- DA) antiserum. The anti-idiotypic antibodies can be used in fluorescent antibody tests to directly visualize the idiotype-positive cells. Using the separation design described above we analyzed selectively enriched or deleted T lymphocytes for presence of idiotypic cells as well as specific GvH reactivity. A highly significant positive correlation was found between percentage of a given idiotype in a population of T cells and the relevant GvH potential of the same T cells that can be visualized are indeed the very same T cells that express immune reactivity against the expected antigens. The present data would thus directly demonstrate the existence of a largely nonoverlapping population of immunocompetent T cells capable of reacting against the various Ag-B locus antigens in the rat. Highly purified, functionally intact immunocompetent T lymphocytes with restricted immune reactivity can thus be produced from normal lymphocyte populations for further analysis.


The nitrogen mineralization rates in the soils of three coniferous forest communities (Pinus nigra subsp pallasiana, Abies cilicica subsp cilicica, Cedrus libani) in the middle Taurus Mountains (Turkey) were investigated. N mineralization was determined by the standard incubation method under laboratory conditions at 20oC and 60 %WHC. Mineral nitrogen (NH4 + -N ve NO3 - -N) was analyzed in the beginning, 21st and 63rd days of incubation by micro-distillation. Net mineral nitrogen accumulations were calculated for the 63-days (mg N min / 100 g dry-soil / 63-days). Needle-leaf forest communities were crossexamined based on their mineral nitrogen and soil parameters. The relationships between the mineral nitrogen production and soil factors were analyzed by a simple correlation test. Mineral nitrogen production in the soils of these communities is strongly related to the total nitrogen rate. The highest total nitrogen mineralization rates were determined in the soils of the Abies cilicica community. The nitrogen mineralization in the soils of three closely related needle-leaf forest communities in the Eastern Mediterranean phyto-geography region were found to be different.


ABSTRACT This article explores the International Journal of Lifelong Education archives in the period 1982–2020. We analyse how the Journal engages with the issue of inequality. This is accomplished by systematically identifying relevant articles within the archives, and reviewing these whilst taking account of the societal, cultural and political or economic contexts in which they were written. Most articles identified for review focused on specific disadvantaged groups, discussing ways in which adult education might help, support and strengthen them. A minority took a more critical approach, assessing the drivers for inequality, or problematising the role of lifelong education as a catalyst for addressing inequality or social injustice. In our analysis, we distinguish between inequalities related to class, gender and migration/ethnicity as themes emerging from our initial sweep of the archives, however these themes are represented unequally both in terms of number and attention given across the decades. Perhaps surprisingly, given the different forms of inequality addressed in the Journal, it seems that only very few of these papers can be directly associated with historical events and contexts relevant to the times in which they were written. Theoretically driven conceptualisations of inequality are rarities within the archives, with some notable exceptions.


Intentional self-poisonings with seeds from the yellow oleander tree (Thevetia peruviana) are widely reported. Activated charcoal has been suggested to benefit patients with yellow oleander poisoning by reducing absorption and/or facilitating elimination. Two recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of activated charcoal yielded conflicting outcomes in terms of mortality. The effect of activated charcoal on the pharmacokinetics of Thevetia cardenolides has not been assessed. This information may be useful for determining whether further studies are necessary. Serial blood samples were obtained from patients enrolled in an RCT assessing the relative efficacy of single-dose and multiple-dose activated charcoal (SDAC and MDAC, respectively) compared with no activated charcoal (NoAC). The concentration of Thevetia cardenolides was estimated with a digoxin immunoassay. The effect of activated charcoal on cardenolide pharmacokinetics was compared between treatment groups by determining the area under the curve for each patient in the 24 hours following admission, the 24-hour mean residence time, and regression lines obtained from serial concentration points, adjusted for exposure. Erratic and prolonged absorption patterns were noted in each patient group. The apparent terminal half-life was highly variable, with a median time of 42.9 hours. There was a reduction in 24-hour mean residence time and in the apparent terminal half-life estimated from linear regression in patients administered activated charcoal, versus the control group (NoAC). This effect was approximately equal in patients administered MDAC or SDAC. Activated charcoal appears to favorably influence the pharmacokinetic profile of Thevetia cardenolides in patients with acute self-poisoning and may have clinical benefits. Given the conflicting clinical outcomes noted in previous RCTs, these mechanistic data support the need for further studies to determine whether a particular subgroup of patients (eg, those presenting soon after poisoning) will benefit from activated charcoal.


Summary: Strain D-315 was isolated from a wild-type strain of Serratia marcescens as a methionine-sensitive mutant. In this mutant, methionine-mediated growth inhibition was reversed by threonine or homoserine. The homoserine dehydrogenase activity of strain D-315 was about 20% lower than that of the wild-type and was not inhibited by threonine. The methionine-sensitive mutation was located in the thr region on the chromosome, indicating that strain D-315 lacked homoserine dehydrogenase I, whose activity is inhibited by threonine and whose synthesis is multivalently repressed by threonine plus isoleucine. In a methionine bradytroph derived from strain D-315, homoserine dehydrogenase activity was high during growth in the absence of methionine and low during growth in the presence of excess methionine. Strain D-413, a homoserine auxotroph derived from strain D-315, had no detectable homoserine dehydrogenase activity, indicating that S. marcescens had homoserine dehydrogenase II, whose synthesis is controlled by methionine-mediated repression. The gene coding for homoserine dehydrogenase II was located in the metB-argE region. Strain TA-191, having homoserine dehydrogenase I and lacking the other isoenzyme, was constructed by transduction. This strain was sensitive to threonine-mediated growth inhibition.


The squint side-looking imaging mode SAR has a squint angle at the side-looking direction. This imaging mode can obtain multi-resolution images of a same scene with the variation of squint angle. But the imaging mode has to overcome three problems: (1) compensate the range walk and curve; (2) develop a mapping technique that works even when the size, shape, and orientation of a resolution cell varies; and (3) fuse the different resolution images to obtain the best imaging results and the most messages of the imaging terrain. The paper analysis and present an imaging schedule including imaging algorithm, geometry correction method and a different resolution images fusion method.


The speed that a tooth bud or growing tooth attains on its way to the level of occlusion merits biological and clinical interest. In this work, all data available in the literature related to the eruptive movement of the various permanent teeth in man, both prior and after their clinical emergence in the oral cavity, have been gathered and recalculated in rates of movement per day. For comparative purposes, the rates of migration of nonerupted teeth, of bone resorption and bone apposition, as well as the rate of elongation of growing tooth roots were also collected from the literature. The standardized data (rates in micron/day) revealed the intraosseous movements of tooth buds and growing teeth are dependent and limited in speed by the rates of bone resorption and bone apposition. The extra-alveolar movement of clinically visible tooth crowns on their course of prefunctional eruption occurs at a much higher speed which probably results from a combination of the rate of bone apposition in the apical region and the rate of root elongation. These findings are discussed in connection with our present knowledge on the mechanisms of tooth eruption.


Two soybean insulin-binding proteins were isolated using affinity chromatography on insulin-Sepharose. Both proteins have molecular mass about 39 kDa and consist of two subunits linked by disulphide bonds. According to the amino acid composition and N-terminal sequences of the subunits, these proteins, characterized by the absence of free thiol groups and sugar residues, are variants of the previously described soybean basic 7S globulin. The blotted proteins as well as their subunits were shown to bind 125I-labelled bovine insulin. For one of the proteins and insulin, dissociation constant of 4.10(-9) M was measured. The existence of plant insulin-binding proteins suggests the insulin-like regulation in the plant metabolism.


There is now a widespread recognition in the policy community of the need to strengthen the macroprudential orientation of financial regulatory and supervisory frameworks. At the same time, the usage of the term "macroprudential" remains ambiguous. This essay summarises the specific definition and characterisation of the term that was developed in the early 2000s at the BIS and outlines the policies needed for implementing the approach. The policies are discussed with reference to two dimensions of the approach. The first is the cross-sectional dimension and is concerned with how aggregate risk is distributed in the financial system at a given point in time. The policy issue here is how to calibrate prudential instruments so as to address common exposures across financial institutions and the contribution of each institution to system-wide tail risk. The second is the time dimension and is concerned with how aggregate risk evolves over time. The policy issue is how to dampen the inherent procyclicality of the financial system, seen as a key source of financial instability. The essay also briefly considers the implications of the adoption of a macroprudential approach for the institutional set-up.


Following the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government in May 2010, David Cameron and Nick Clegg sought to persuade party members, the electorate and a sceptical media that their partnership would hold together for the duration of the parliament. Taking as its starting point Kenneth Burke's theory of rhetoric as identification, this article explores the strategies employed by senior Coalition figures to construct and present an image of unity to these different audiences. Of particular concern are appeals to the parties' shared values and to the 'national interest', as well as the narrative of Britain's 'debt crisis'. This narrative served to minimise inter-party divisions by inviting MPs and supporters to unite behind the cause of deficit reduction, in opposition to the 'fiscally irresponsible' Labour Party that had allegedly wrecked the economy. The article concludes by reflecting on the lessons for the partners in a future UK coalition government.


The objective of this research is to elucidate the role of various chemical additives on ethanol synthesis over Rh- and Ni-based catalysts. Chemical additives used for this study will include S, P, Ag, Cu, Mn, and Na which have different electronegativities. The effects of additives on the surface state of the catalysts, heat of adsorption of reactant molecules, reaction intermediates, reaction pathways, reaction kinetics, and product distributions is/will be investigated by a series of experimental studies of NO adsorption, reaction probing, study state rate measurement, and transient kinetic study. A better understanding of the role of additives on the synthesis reaction may allow us to use chemical additives to manipulate the catalytic properties of Rh- and Ni-based catalysts for producing high yields of ethanol from syngas.


Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of soccer-specific fatigue on the kinematics of an agility sprint. Ten male professional soccer players (age 24.7±4.4 years, body mass 77.1±8.3 kg) completed an intermittent treadmill protocol replicating the activity profile of match-play, comprising two 45-min halves separated by a 15-min passive half-time interval. Pre-exercise and at 15-min intervals each player completed an agility sprint that consisted of a 180° cutting manoeuvre. Knee joint kinematics in the frontal and sagittal planes were determined for both the support and turning leg using a nine-camera automated motion analysis system operating at 200 Hz. During the penultimate foot contact, knee kinematics were characterized by joint flexion and increased varus alignment. Knee flexion at touchdown decreased significantly (P<0.05) as a function of exercise duration from 57.4±15.5° before exercise to 37.0±5.9° at the end of the second half. The range of joint movement during the knee flexion phase increased significantly during the first half (T 45=66.6±18.2°) and remained elevated during the second half (T 75=66.4±18.1°; T 90=65.7±20.4°; T 105=70.2±19.4°) relative to pre-exercise values (51.8±18.8°). During the final foot contact, knee kinematics were also characterized by flexion and increased varus alignment. Knee flexion at touchdown decreased during each half, with the knee angle at the end of the first half (30.6±7.0°) significantly (P=0.02) straighter than before exercise (39.5±6.3°), and significantly straighter at the end of the second half (30.2±2.9°) than after the half-time interval (37.7±7.8°) or before exercise. The range of knee flexion during ground contact increased significantly during each half. The range of knee varus during flexion changed from a varus displacement during the first 15 min to a valgus displacement thereafter. Peak valgus observed at the end of each half (T 45=4.7±7.9°; T 105=6.9±7.4°) was significantly (P<0.05) greater than before exercise. The range of valgus movement during knee extension was greatest following the passive half-time interval (T 60=6.2±7.3°), and tended to increase throughout the second half. Prolonged exposure to soccer-specific intermittent exercise therefore induced changes in knee kinematics that may have implications for injury incidence. The increased varus alignment and time-dependent decrease in knee flexion at touchdown represent two potential mechanisms for increased injury risk.


We classify two-qubit commuting Hamiltonians in terms of their computational complexity. Suppose one has a two-qubit commuting Hamiltonian H which one can apply to any pair of qubits, starting in a computational basis state. We prove a dichotomy theorem: either this model is efficiently classically simulable or it allows one to sample from probability distributions which cannot be sampled from classically unless the polynomial hierarchy collapses. Furthermore, the only simulable Hamiltonians are those which fail to generate entanglement. This shows that generic two-qubit commuting Hamiltonians can be used to perform computational tasks which are intractable for classical computers under plausible assumptions. Our proof makes use of new postselection gadgets and Lie theory.


Porous organic materials (POMs) are of growing interest due to their potential uses in gas adsorption, separation, and catalysis. In comparison to porous inorganic materials (e.g., zeolites and metal oxides) or inorganic–organic hybrids (e.g., metal–organic frameworks), POMs possess a number of advantages, such as being composed of only light elements, possessing accessible functionality for organic reactions, having high stability in air and at atmospheric moisture levels, and possessing chemical robustness to acids and bases. Borrowed from the rich library of organic chemistry, various reaction routes like Sonogashira–Hagihara coupling, Yamamoto polymerization, Suzuki couplings, oxidative polymerization, the trimerization reaction of carbonitriles, solvothermal radical polymerization, and the imine condensation reaction, to name just a few, have been used to construct POMs. Not surprisingly, nearly all chemical transformations for POM construction proceed via solution-based synthesis methods. Just recently, much interesting progress on the mechanochemical synthesis (MS) of POMs has been made, highlighting the unique features of this method, such as solvent-free processing and fast reaction rates. In this mini-review, we wish to summarise the recent advances on the design of polymers of intrinsic microporosity, covalent–organic frameworks, covalent triazine-based frameworks, ordered mesoporous polymers, and ordered mesoporous carbons via MS. A brief comment about the MS of POMs in the future will also be discussed.


Fish and other aquatic biota are hampered by mixtures of pesticides which pollute natural water through agricultural runoff and other sources. Toxicity of combined exposures of endosulfan and imidacloprid on zebrafish in terms of oxidative stress and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in liver and histological alterations in gills and muscles was investigated. Zebrafish were exposed to three different sub-lethal concentrations of endosulfan and imidacloprid along with control selected for each treatment for 21 days: control treatment (CT), treatment 1 (T1), treatment 2 (T2) and treatment 3 (T3). T1, T2 and T3 groups were exposed to 0.1, 0.5 and 1 μg/L of endosulfan, respectively, while imidacloprid concentration was maintained at 1 ppm in all three treatments. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Comet assay was applied to measure degree of DNA damage. Dose- and time-dependent decrease in SOD and CAT activity was observed after 21 days of exposure while low concentrations of pesticides induced SOD and CAT activities after early exposure to reduce the oxidative stress. MDA content was found to be increased in T3 having high concentrations of pesticides. Substantial increase in DNA damage was noticed after 21 days' exposure to pesticides. Significant morphological changes were observed in gills relative to muscles.


SIR,-I can only concur with Dr. C. Watson (27 September, p. 783). The situation at present would appear to be that if you don't collect the requisite number of " signatures " your seniority pay is forfeit. But what about the ne6xt artifice-that is, that you must pay for such education, whether you take it or not, for fear of losing your registration ? Are we still schoolboys? Which other intelligent group of people agrees to such pressures? Which other section of the community is so beset ? Does not " general practitioner" mean something? If all this goes through, which heaven forbid, our little outposts will have to go unmanned, and the local contentment that we have been trying to foster will revert to distress and anger.-I am, etc.,


This document summarizes the proofs made during a Coq development in
Summer 2015. This development investigates the function G introduced
by Hofstadter in his famous "Godel, Escher, Bach" book
as well as a related infinite tree. The left/right flipped variant
of this G tree has also been studied here, following
Hofstadter's "problem for the curious reader".
The initial G function is refered as sequence A005206 in
OEIS, while the flipped version is the sequence A123070.


Cutting and friction forces have been widely studied for PDC bits. Rock/bit interaction models are currently verified with a single cutter experiment and the utilization of multi-axis load cells. This paper aims to demonstrate an innovative method that experimentally validates the embedded cutter sensing on a laboratory scaled-drill bit to measure the forces acting on a single cutter.
 A unique two-cutter drill bit design allows the integration of a sensor measuring the applied force on a cutter while drilling. A fully instrumented mini-rig is a key criterion to recreate the drilling environment. Control of the system and data analysis are performed while drilling, allowing continuous assessment of the drilled formations. Experiments are performed with new and worn cutters to independently evaluate the cutting and frictional components of the total measured force and compare them to the literature models. The high-frequency measurements at the cutter downscale the understanding that industry has on the bit-rock interaction and bring it to the cutter scale.
 The effective cutting area changes dynamically depending on the position of the cutters in three dimensions and axial speed. The architecture of the mini-rig control system allows accurate control of depth of cut and interactive graphs of the acquired data. The cutter sensing enables spatial monitoring distribution of the cutting forces over the face of the scaled-drill bit.
 Cutter/rock interaction models are validated with the acquired data from the cutter force sensing, enabling the evaluation of drilling efficiency while drilling different layers of rocks. Each cutter contributes to the weight-on-bit and torque-on-bit; thus, force sensing on a single cutter allows comprehensive performance evaluation for known drill bit design. The study of new and worn cutters provides insightful information on the drilling process in the cutter scale. In perspective, cutter force sensing might enable monitoring the wear evolution of individual cutters, which is impossible to detect with existing at-the-bit sensors.
 The present work assesses the potential of integrating a force sensor at the cutter. The development of this work built the foundation for up-scaling research on cutter force monitoring.


To improve on the traditional approaches of dental treatment need estimation, a new theoretical model of treatment needs composed of 'Normative', 'Impact-Related', 'Effective' and 'Accessible' treatment needs, is proposed. The aim of the present study was to develop an appropriate socio-dental indicator to generate 'Impact-Related Treatment Need', compare them with traditional professionally assessed normative need, and to explore the preliminary approach to assess 'Effective Treatment Need' for periodontal treatment. An oral health survey was carried out in Ban Phang district, Khon Kaen, Thailand. 501 people aged 35-44 years in 16 villages, selected by cluster random sampling process, were interviewed about oral impacts on daily performances and their oral health behaviours, and then were had clinical examinations. A concise indicator 'Oral Impacts on Daily Performances' (OIDP) was developed, based on measuring impacts on eight physical, psychological and social aspects of daily activities. Scores were calculated by multiplying the frequency by the severity scores of each performance, then scores were summated. The indicator was tested for psychometric properties on the study sample, using interviews and clinical examinations. Cronbach alpha of internal consistency was 0.65. Kappa of test-retest reliability ranged from 0.6 to 1.0. Criterion validity was shown by a strong relationship with general perceptions of oral impacts (p<0.001). Construct validity was demonstrated by significant differences of scores between groups with high and low prevalence of deep periodontal pockets, decayed and missing teeth, and number of functional teeth (p<0.001). The combination of specific OIDP scores and normative needs generated the impact-related need for various dental treatments. As expected, the percentage of people with need was decreased from normative need, when Impact-Related Treatment Need was applied. The differences were large in needs for prostheses, orthodontics and periodontal treatment (ranging from 21.7% to 40.2% of normative need); moderate for restorations (64%); and low for pulp care, extractions and treatment for deep periodontal pockets (81.7%-91.7%). A similar pattern of need reduction was obtained when increasing cut-off points of OIDP scores. An exploratory study to develop 'Effective Treatment Need' for periodontal treatment was done. It was shown, using logistic regression that plaque control and smoking were the behaviour-oriented risk factors which affected behavioural propensity for periodontal destruction. Receiver Operating Curve showed the appropriate cut-off point of plaque level at 0.8. Behavioural propensity was determined from people who are non-smokers with plaque index of 0.8 or lower, to generate Effective Treatment Need. The results indicated that the majority of people who had Impact-Related Treatment Need for periodontal treatment did not have the acceptable level of behavioural propensity required for effectiveness of treatment. The advantages of the socio-dental needs approach in dental care planning were demonstrated and discussed. It was concluded that the OIDP is a valid and reliable indicator of oral outcomes. Integrating it into Impact-Related Treatment Need, as well as further integration of behavioural propensity to generate Effective Treatment Need could provide alternative improved dental treatment need estimations.


SIGNIFICANCE
Essential metals such as copper, iron, manganese, and zinc play a role as cofactors in the activity of a wide range of processes involved in cellular homeostasis and survival, as well as during organ and tissue development. Throughout our life span, humans are also exposed to xenobiotic metals from natural and anthropogenic sources, including aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. It is well recognized that alterations in the homeostasis of essential metals and an increased environmental/occupational exposure to xenobiotic metals are linked to several neurological disorders, including neurodegeneration and neurodevelopmental alterations. Recent Advances: The redox activity of essential metals is key for neuronal homeostasis and brain function. Alterations in redox homeostasis and signaling are central to the pathological consequences of dysfunctional metal ion homeostasis and increased exposure to xenobiotic metals. Both redox-active and redox-inactive metals trigger oxidative stress and damage in the central nervous system, and the exact mechanisms involved are starting to become delineated.

CRITICAL ISSUES
In this review, we aim to appraise the role of essential metals in determining the redox balance in the brain and the mechanisms by which alterations in the homeostasis of essential metals and exposure to xenobiotic metals disturb the cellular redox balance and signaling. We focus on recent literature regarding their transport, metabolism, and mechanisms of toxicity in neural systems.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Delineating the specific mechanisms by which metals alter redox homeostasis is key to understand the pathological processes that convey chronic neuronal dysfunction in neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1669-1703.


In preparation for designing and undertaking trials of strategies that can modulate "innate inflammation" to improve outcomes of ischemic injury, consideration of approaches that have managed cellular inflammation in ischemic stroke are instructive. Robust experimental work has demonstrated the efficacy (and apparent safety) of targeting PMN leukocyte–endothelial cell interactions in the early moments following focal ischemia onset in model systems. Four clinical trial programs were undertaken to assess the safety and efficacy of inhibitors to PMN leukocyte interactions with the endothelial cell during ischemic stroke. Experiences in those clinical trial programs indicate specific limitations that halted progress in this line of investigation before an adequate hypothesis test could be achieved. Although innate inflammation is a central part of injury evolution following focal ischemia, great care in the translation from experimental studies to Phase I/II clinical safety assessments and to the design and conduct of Phase III trials is needed.


Endothelial coverage of an exposed cardiovascular stent surface leads to the occurrence of restenosis and late-stent thrombosis several months after implantation. To overcome this difficulty, modification of stent surfaces with topographical or biochemical features may be performed to increase endothelial cells' (ECs) adhesion and/or migration. This work combines both strategies on cobalt-chromium (CoCr) alloy and studies the potential synergistic effect of linear patterned surfaces that are obtained by direct laser interference patterning (DLIP), coupled with the use of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg (YIGSR) peptides. An extensive characterization of the modified surfaces was performed by using AFM, XPS, surface charge, electrochemical analysis and fluorescent methods. The biological response was studied in terms of EC adhesion, migration and proliferation assays. CoCr surfaces were successfully patterned with a periodicity of 10 µm and two different depths, D (≈79 and 762 nm). RGD and YIGSR were immobilized on the surfaces by CPTES silanization. Early EC adhesion was increased on the peptide-functionalized surfaces, especially for YIGSR compared to RGD. High-depth patterns generated 80% of ECs' alignment within the topographical lines and enhanced EC migration. It is noteworthy that the combined use of the two strategies synergistically accelerated the ECs' migration and proliferation, proving the potential of this strategy to enhance stent endothelialization.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review was to provide an overview of technologies (devices, tools, or software applications) used to facilitate remote rehabilitation of adults with deconditioning, musculoskeletal conditions, stroke, or traumatic brain injury, and to summarize the quantitative evidence of their efficacy.

INTRODUCTION
Health care providers are considering how to meet longer-term rehabilitation needs of people whose health or level of activity and participation has been impacted directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic. Demands on rehabilitation services are increasing, driving a need for more services to be delivered in homes and communities. This review will identify the effectiveness of health care technologies to facilitate remote rehabilitation.

INCLUSION CRITERIA
This review included quantitative systematic reviews where participants were adults requiring rehabilitation for musculoskeletal conditions, stroke, or traumatic brain injury, or older adults requiring rehabilitation for deconditioning. Interventions included a technology and focused on recovery or rehabilitation with one of the following primary outcomes: physical activity levels, balance and/or gait, physical performance (mobility), or functional performance. Secondary outcomes included levels of pain, cognitive function, health-related quality of life, and adverse effects.

METHODS
Five databases were searched from 2016 to 2020 to identify English-language publications. Critical appraisal of five systematic reviews was conducted independently by two reviewers. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. Data were summarized using a tabular format with supporting text.

RESULTS
Despite the large number of systematic reviews found in the initial search, only five met the inclusion criteria. Of these, each explored a different technology, including wearable activity trackers, computer-based activities, non-immersive virtual reality, mobile apps, web-based rehabilitation interventions, and electronic health-based interventions (web-based or app-based with a wearable activity tracker). Computer-based activities were beneficial for improving cognitive function but showed no benefit on quality of life in post-stroke rehabilitation. Interventions that included wearable activity trackers showed mixed findings for increasing levels of physical activity for community-dwelling older adults with deconditioning. Mobile apps were beneficial for increasing levels of physical activity and physical or functional performance for post-stroke rehabilitation. Web-based rehabilitation that contained a variety of components to support home exercise was not effective in improving physical performance or QoL, reducing pain, or increasing levels of physical activity among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. Electronic health-based interventions (web-based or app-based with a wearable activity tracker) were effective in improving physical performance and reducing pain in individuals with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. Therapy in the form of screen-based, non-immersive virtual reality could be successfully transferred to the home environment for improving the balance/gait of individuals with stroke.

CONCLUSIONS
The small number of heterogeneous systematic reviews included in this umbrella review and the very low quality of evidence, mostly from single small primary studies, make it difficult to draw overall conclusions that differ from the original review findings. This highlights a paucity of strong, high-quality evidence underpinning technologies that can be used to facilitate remote rehabilitation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.


The weather index insurance market in India is the world's largest, having transitioned from small-scale and scattered pilots to a large-scale weather based crop insurance program covering more than 9 million farmers. This paper provides a critical overview of this market, including a review of indices used for insurance purposes and a description and analysis of common approaches to design and ratemaking. Products should be designed based on sound agronomic principles and further investments are needed both in quantifying the level of basis risk in existing products, and developing enhanced products with lower basis risk. In addition to pure weather indexed products, hybrid products that combine both area yield and weather indices seem promising, with the potential to combine the strengths of the individual indices. A portfolio approach to pricing products, such as that offered by Empirical Bayes Credibility Theory, can be significantly more efficient than the standalone pricing approaches typically employed in the Indian market. Legislation for index insurance products, including consumer protection legislation, should be further enhanced, for example by requiring disclosure of claim payments that each product would have made in the last ten years. The market structure for weather based crop insurance products could better reward long-term development of improved product designs through product standardization, longer term contracts, or separating the roles of product design and delivery.


Following on from the success of PROBA-1, which successfully completed its technological goals in its first year of flight and continues to provide valuable scientific data now into its fifth operational year, PROBA-2, now in phase C/D and due for launch in September 2007, will once again fly a suite of new technology demonstrators with an 'added value' science package of four experiments. Altogether there are seventeen new developments being flown on Proba-2, divided into two groups: platform technologies which are part of the infrastructure and are mission critical and passenger technologies to gain flight heritage and experience before committing them to the infrastructure of other missions. Of the four Science experiments, two are dedicated to solar physics. The two other will study the space weather (plasma physics) The paper will provide an overview of the PROBA-2 mission and spacecraft along with a description of the scientific payload and technology experiments.


To evaluate the immunological effects of three types of domestic 10-μg/dose hepatitis B vaccines in adults compared with a foreign vaccine, and to provide scientific evidence in support of adult hepatitis B vaccination. Adults from five counties (Deqing, Changxing, Nanxun, Wuxing, Anji) in Huzhou City, Shaoxing County and Tongxiang County, Zhejiang Province, China were selected. Blood samples were taken to assess serum HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc using a chemiluminescence immunoassay. Adults, aged 16 to 49 years and who were anti-HBs negative at baseline, received hepatitis B immunizations at 0, 1, and 6 months. Anti-HBs levels were assessed one month after the third and final vaccination. A total of 1 872 adults were immunized and the average positive rate was 89.5%. Four types of hepatitis B vaccine were used, including three from Chinese companies (Shenzhen Kangtai, Dalian High-Tech, and North China Pharmaceutical) and one from a UK company (GlaxoSmithKline). Their seroconversion rates were 81.67%, 95.05%, 89.64%, and 86.81%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the anti-HBs positive conversion rates of the four types (P<0.005) but the seroconversion rates among the different vaccines were not significantly different (χ2=2.123, P=0.145). The average anti-HBs geometric mean titers (GMTs) of non-immune adults immunized with each of the four vaccines were 177.28, 473.23, 246.13, and 332.20 mIU/ml, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the GMTs between the three types of domestic vaccine and the foreign vaccine (t=−1.575, P=0.116). Domestic recombinant hepatitis B vaccines can achieve immunization effects comparable to those of a foreign vaccine.


Abstract In the context of Free Probability Theory, we study two different constructions that provide new examples of factors of type II1 with prescribed countable fundamental group. First we investigate state-preserving group actions on the almost periodic free Araki-Woods factors satisfying both a condition of mixing and a condition of free malleability in the sense of Popa. Typical examples are given by the free Bogoliubov shifts. Take an ICC w-rigid group G such that ℱ(L(G)) = {1} (e.g., G = ℤ2 ⋊ SL(2, ℤ)). For any countable subgroup S ⊂ , we construct an action of G on L(𝔽∞) such that the associated crossed product L(𝔽∞) ⋊ G is a type II1 factor and its fundamental group is S. The second construction is based on a free product. Take (B(H),ψ) any factor of type I endowed with a faithful normal state and denote by S ⊂ the subgroup generated by the point spectrum of ψ. We show that the centralizer (L(G) ∗ B(H)) τ * ψ is a type II1 factor and its fundamental group is S. Our proofs rely on Popa's deformation/rigidity strategy using his intertwining-by-bimodules technique.


Abstract This article elucidates the role of historians in times of war and the peculiarities of popular history narratives written by historians who became activists. The article focuses on historians who call themselves "Likbez. Historical Front." This cohort gave rise to a new professional species—activist historians—who are different from so called memorians or propagandists, who work in service of authorities. Likbez historians tried to use their power to influence and promote their activist agenda not only in the realm of memory and history but also in reformation of state institutions. I argue that for Likbez historians, securitization of the past is the main strategy employed for producing historical knowledge. Historians' work is a part of postcolonizing process observed in Ukrainian society since the Maidan protests. As the analysis shows, popular history narratives written with an open activist agenda are a result of many compromises made by scholars in the intersection of several factors: professional ambitions, political and civic aims, social and political context, popular expectations, and market environment. In line with the increased attention to agency in memory studies, this article demonstrates that historians have a much more nuanced relation to power than straightforward opposition or co-option.


Vascular calcifications can occur in the elderly and in patients suffering from various diseases. Interestingly, depending on the pathology, different regions of the arterial system can be affected. Embryonic observations have clearly indicated that vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) origin is notably heterogeneous. For instance, in the aorta, VSMCs colonizing the aortic arch region derive from cardiac neural crest cells, whereas those populating the descending aorta derive from the mesoderm. We examined here whether the embryonic origin of aortic VSMCs would correlate with their ability to mineralize. Under hyperphosphatemic conditions that induce vascular calcifications, we performed ex vivo aortic explant cultures as well as in vitro VSMC cultures from wild‐type mice. Our data showed that VSMC embryonic origin affects their ability to mineralize. Indeed, the aortic arch media made up of VSMCs of neural crest origin calcifies significantly earlier than the descending aorta composed of VSMCs, which are mesoderm‐derived. Similar results were obtained with cultured VSMCs harvested from both aortic regions. We also demonstrated that in a mouse model deficient in matrix Gla protein, a potent calcification inhibitor, developing extensive and spontaneous medial calcifications of the aorta, lesions initiate in the aortic arch. Subsequently, calcifications progress outside the aortic arch region and ultimately spread all over the entire arterial tree, including the descending aorta. Altogether, our results support an unsuspected correlation between VSMCs of embryonic origin and the timing of appearance of calcifications. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.


Silica nanowires have recently been grown via the vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism where the vapor precursor is obtained directly from the substrate via active oxidation processes. In this study, we extend this technique to the Ge-O system and show that Au coated Ge substrates can be used as a volatile GeO source, resulting in germania nanowire formation above 550°C. The process is highly dependent on Au and native oxide thickness', the partial pressure of O2 and annealing temperature. If the oxide layer is too thick, the bare wafer is protected from the active oxidation process. However, if the oxide layer is too thin, it will be readily decomposed leaving no stable surface for nanowires to grow and only an etched surface is observed. In this study we show that a native Ge oxide is unstable and that a thicker oxide is required as a buffer layer, separating active oxidation and nanowire nucleation processes. We also show that nanowires can be grown on stable oxide particles present on the Ge wafer surface.


Abstract The programme which was planned for more stages started in 2010 and undertook the monitoring of Hungarian news programmes (since 2011, cultural programmes have also been monitored) of national audiovisual media from different regions. The aim of monitoring these programmes is to study the strength of samples as to what extent professional speakers, reporters observe the norms of vernacular language and to what extent their use of language acts as part of sample language in a regional, bilingual, and dialectical environment. In my study, I present the methodological questions of media monitoring (the aspects of sampling, the requirements regarding content and form in processing documentary material), paying attention to the differences between Romanian and Hungarian media-monitoring programmes.


Answering natural language questions against structured knowledge bases (KB) has been attracting increasing attention in both IR and NLP communities. The task involves two main challenges: recognizing the questions' meanings, which are then grounded to a given KB. Targeting simple factoid questions, many existing open domain semantic parsers jointly solve these two subtasks, but are usually expensive in complexity and resources.In this paper, we propose a simple pipeline framework to efficiently answer more complicated questions, especially those implying aggregation operations, e.g., argmax, argmin.We first develop a transition-based parsing model to recognize the KB-independent meaning representation of the user's intention inherent in the question. Secondly, we apply a probabilistic model to map the meaning representation, including those aggregation functions, to a structured query.The experimental results showed that our method can better understand aggregation questions, outperforming the state-of-the-art methods on the Free917 dataset while still maintaining promising performance on a more challenging dataset, WebQuestions, without extra training.


In the light of several previous studies, this contribution aims to introduce the study of Neẓāmi's poetics through the reading of his poems but specifically through the verses dedicated to his reflection on the soḵan. In this first essay, we start from the reading and analysis of two chapters from Maḵzan al-asrār explicitly dedicated to this subject. The paper proposes a brief introduction to place the two chapters in their more general context, the translation of the 93 verses and a brief thematic and rhetorical analysis of their development, which represents the theoretical-aesthetic premise for all his later works.


This paper examines whether a tipping point exists for real GDP growth in Italy above which the ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) to total loans falls significantly. Estimating a heterogeneous dynamic panel-threshold model with data on 17 Italian regions over the period 1997-2014, we provide evidence for the presence of growth-threshold effects on the NPL ratio in Italy. More specifically, we find that real GDP growth above 1.2 percent, if sustained for a number of years, is associated with a significant decline in the NPLs ratio. Achieving such growth rates requires decisively tackling long standing structural rigidities and improving the quality of fiscal policy. Given the modest potential growth outlook, however, under which banks are likely to struggle to grow out of their NPL overhang, further policy measures are needed to put the NPL ratio on a firm downward path over the medium term.


This article uses the method of ethnic stratification analysis and participant observation to raise questions about what appears to be one of the hidden ethnic transformations that has occurred in the disciplines of anthropology and sociology in the past two decades; the replacement of Jews. Jews, who were among the founders of and became "over-represented" in these disciplines, have now been replaced with other minorities through a process of selection based on "representation". Along with the use of these disciplines for overall university quota filling, in order to promote statistics for hiring of underrepresented groups, has come the loss of the empirical "scientific" approach of Jewish scholars and the idea of application of "universal" principles for social progress. These two phenomena appear to be related, raising questions about the actual social justice and social progress impacts of what was claimed as "diversity". Under the veneer of apparent diversity, the costs to social science and actual social justice may outweigh the benefits. In today's political environment, there seems to be an unwillingness to pursue and raise these questions.


This study assessed the feasibility of a multi-domain measure of the occurrence, impact, and timing of childhood/adolescent psychological adversity exposure, the Subjective Impact and Timing of Adversity Scale (SITA). Participants were from among those who had previously participated in two waves of data collection when aged approximately 14 and 21 years. Internal consistency estimates at both online and interview stages were acceptable for all SITA domains (with the exception of parental loss). SITA domain scores correlated meaningfully with scores on other scales and psychological measures, supporting convergent validity. Those with lifetime psychiatric diagnoses scored significantly higher on SITA domains than those not meeting diagnostic threshold. There was evidence of the importance of both the subjective impact and timing of adversity with regard to psychiatric diagnoses. The study demonstrates the viability of the SITA; however, further studies are required to substantiate these findings in larger samples.


The effect of anomalous pathway (AP) location and conduction time on the cycle length (CL) and sustainability of paroxysmal A-V reentrant tachycardia was studied in 15 dogs, using an anomalous pathway simulator (APS). The APS was a programmable digital electronic circuit with ability for unidirectional conduction, ventricular sensing, adjustable delay, and atrial stimulation. Contiguous pairs of ventricular sensing electrodes were placed along the A-V ring in each dog at the following sites: anterior, posterior, and lateral right (AR, PR, and LR) and anterior, posterior, and lateral left (AL, PL, and LL) and septal (S). There were significant differences in the CL of tachycardias among the tested sites (P less than 0.01). The CL of tachycardias from the LL site was significantly longer and from the PR site significantly shorter than that from the other sites (P less than 0.05). These differences in CL of tachycardias in relation to the AP location were explicable in terms of corresponding variation in conduction times of the various components of the tachycardia circuit (e.g., intra-atrial, A-V nodal, intraventricular conduction times). The differences in magnitude of the CL of tachycardias, although significant, were small. It was also found that all sites allowed maintenance of tachycardias up to an AP conduction time of 10 ms. In 27% of experiments, atrial refractoriness prevented sustained tachycardias at pathway delays of 1 ms. The relationship between AP conduction time and CL of tachycardias was exponential.


By Gaussian mixture autoregressive model, the probability density and power spectrum density of non-Gaussian colored processes can be well fit. Its parameters can be exact estimated through the LS-EM algorithm discussed in this paper. After descriptions of the model and estimation problem, LS-EM algorithm is deduced. And a numerical instance is illustrated. In fact, LS-EM is an algorithm for coupling estimation of parameters between probability density and power spectrum density. Firstly, rough estimation of the latter is obtained using the conventional least squares technology and then prewhitening is applied to forecast white driving source, based on which estimation of the former is produced by the EM iteration. And then, a weighted function is founded on probability density parameter, with which the weighted least squares estimation is built up. In such a way, the accurate estimation of model parameters is obtained


For centuries, the Viking age has exerted a fascination on European art and literature through, for example, sagas, Norse mythology and runes. The enigmatic Northerners were romanticised by 18th-century poets, dresssed up by 19th-century painters, and misused to serve the propagandistic purposes of 20th-century National Socialism, which saw itself as the legitimate heir to a mythical Germanic past. This collection of essays in English and Scandinavian languages has its origins in a 1993 symposium on The Scandinavian Past in European Culture. Through case studies of different periods, the authors trace the influence of Scandinavia's heroic past on post-Renaissance France, Germany, Britain, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The title of the book is taken from a famous old Norse Poem, published in English in 1703. Contributors include: Inge Adriansen, Hans Bekker-Nielsen, Francois-Xavier Dillmann, Christine Fell, Pal Hougen, Bo Jansson, Jorgen Hojgaard Jorgensen, Michael Mueller-Wille, Gerd Wolfgang Weber and Sir David Wilson.


In Section 3.9.3, the point was made that a radar receiver performs a cross-correlation between the received signal and a reference of the transmitted waveform. Furthermore, the received signal may differ from the transmitted signal on account of being time delayed and Doppler shifted. The design of a matched receiver usually entails designing the receiver to match the transmitted waveform and so may no longer match the received signal on account of the time and frequency displacements of the received signal over the transmitted one. Matched reception is tantamount to autocorrelation of the received signal at a particular time shift. In radar, it is most convenient to think of the particular time shift associated with a given range cell. While the autocorrelation function handles shifts in time, it offers no provision for handling shifts in frequency. The ambiguity function describes the response of a matched receiver to a finite duration signal. The use of the ambiguity function in ambiguity analysis considers the receiver to be matched to a signal received from a target at a given time delay (range cell) and frequency. The ambiguity function describes the matched receiver response as a function of any additional time delay and any additional Doppler frequency.


Quickprop is one of the most popular fast learning algorithms in training feed-forward neural networks. Its learning rate is fast; however, it is still limited by the gradient of the backpropagation algorithm and it is easily trapped into a local minimum. Proposed is a new fast learning algorithm to overcome these two drawbacks. The performance investigation in different learning problems (applications) shows that the new algorithm always converges with a faster learning rate compared with Quickprop and other fast learning algorithms. The improvement in global convergence capability is especially large, which increased from 4 to 100% in one learning problem.


In accordance with the obvious characteristics of the pressed raised character image and the shortages of the template matching method.a new method of using the general radial-basis function neural network (GRBFN) for testing the quality of the pressed character is presented. The structures and training methods of GRBFN are fully analyzed, as well as the functionality of hidden layer, excited focus and area. The results show the checker based on GRBFN has highly checking ratio for the label pressed raised characters. It is suited to the quality testing of raised characters.


In this research, IR and frontier molecular orbital computations were employed for investigating the influence of B12N12 on the energetic and thermodynamic parameters of TATB. The Computed enthalpy changes and Gibbs free energy variations showed TATB interaction with this nanostructure is exothermic, spontaneous and experimentally possible. The specific heat capacity values (CV) revealed the heat sensitivity of TATB has improved sharply after its interaction with BN nanocage. Some structural features like bandgap, chemical hardness, chemical potential, electrophilicity and maximum transferred charge capacity were also computed and the results indicated that the reactivity, conductance and electrophilicity of TATB enhances substantially after its reaction with B12N12. All of the computation were done by density functional theory in the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory.


PURPOSE: Additionally to the typical carpal tunnel symptoms, the patients of this study had atypical complaints. Other reasons for these symptoms than those caused by the compression of the median nerve could be excluded using medical examination or imaging techniques. Purpose of this study was to investigate whether decompression of the median nerve may reduce or even abolish the atypical complaints. METHOD: For this prospective study 378 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were clinically and electroneurographically examined, which was performed before and after (3 months) they underwent surgical decompression of the median nerve. RESULTS: 70 patients (19 % of all patients) with carpal tunnel symptoms suffered from additional atypical symptoms such as cardiac pain, ipsilateral headache as well as neck and shoulder pain. The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome was made using clinical and electroneurographical examination. Carpal tunnel symptoms of all patients disappeared completely after surgery. Respectively, 61 % of those patients with preoperative atypical complaints did also fully recover. CONCLUSION: This study shows that patients with carpal tunnel syndrome may also suffer from atypical complaints. These symptoms have been shown to be associated with the compression of the median nerve. They may be caused by spinal synaptic interaction between sensory and sympathetic/parasympathetic neuronal pathways by somatically-induced reflex responses.


Critical aspects of HIV-1 infection occur in mucosal tissues, particularly in the gut, which contains large numbers of HIV-1 target cells that are depleted early in infection. We used electron tomography (ET) to image HIV-1 in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of HIV-1–infected humanized mice, the first three-dimensional ultrastructural examination of HIV-1 infection in vivo. Human immune cells were successfully engrafted in the mice, and following infection with HIV-1, human T cells were reduced in GALT. Virions were found by ET at all stages of egress, including budding immature virions and free mature and immature viruses. Immuno-electron microscopy verified the virions were HIV-1 and showed CD4 sequestration in the endoplasmic reticulum of infected cells. Observation of HIV-1 in infected GALT tissue revealed that most HIV-1– infected cells, identified by immunolabeling and/or the presence of budding virions, were localized to intestinal crypts with pools of free virions concentrated in spaces between cells. Fewer infected cells were found in mucosal regions and the lamina propria. The preservation quality of reconstructed tissue volumes allowed details of budding virions, including structures interpreted as host-encoded scission machinery, to be resolved. Although HIV-1 virions released from infected cultured cells have been described as exclusively mature, we found pools of both immature and mature free virions within infected tissue. The pools could be classified as containing either mostly mature or mostly immature particles, and analyses of their proximities to the cell of origin supported a model of semi-synchronous waves of virion release. In addition to HIV-1 transmission by pools of free virus, we found evidence of transmission via virological synapses. Three-dimensional EM imaging of an active infection within tissue revealed important differences between cultured cell and tissue infection models and furthered the ultrastructural understanding of HIV-1 transmission within lymphoid tissue.


Wearing a safety helmet is important in construction and manufacturing industrial activities to avoid unpleasant situations. This safety compliance can be ensured by developing an automatic helmet detection system using various computer vision and deep learning approaches. Developing a deep-learning-based helmet detection model usually requires an enormous amount of training data. However, there are very few public safety helmet datasets available in the literature, in which most of them are not entirely labeled, and the labeled one contains fewer classes. This paper presents the Safety HELmet dataset with 5K images (SHEL5K) dataset, an enhanced version of the SHD dataset. The proposed dataset consists of six completely labeled classes (helmet, head, head with helmet, person with helmet, person without helmet, and face). The proposed dataset was tested on multiple state-of-the-art object detection models, i.e., YOLOv3 (YOLOv3, YOLOv3-tiny, and YOLOv3-SPP), YOLOv4 (YOLOv4 and YOLOv4pacsp-x-mish), YOLOv5-P5 (YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m, and YOLOv5x), the Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Faster-RCNN) with the Inception V2 architecture, and YOLOR. The experimental results from the various models on the proposed dataset were compared and showed improvement in the mean Average Precision (mAP). The SHEL5K dataset had an advantage over other safety helmet datasets as it contains fewer images with better labels and more classes, making helmet detection more accurate.


The denunciation of corruption as a means of gaining power in Spain (1989-1996) - This article examines the public denunciation of political life in Spain during the second period of the long years of PSOE government, presided over by Felipe Gonzalez from 1982 to 1996. During those years, with a consolidated democracy in place, the main opposition party, the conservative PP, called on the socialist leaders to deal with the corruption among those holding political office - particularly from the beginning of 1989. Not only did the denunciation of the various cases of corruption and of the "dirty war" against ETA terrorism occupy the political agenda as a means of challeng-ing and discrediting the government, but it also led to a "corrosion" of the political discourse that had characterized the democratic transition in Spain. With regard to these events in recent political life in Spain, the article emphasizes that political scandal is a slightly different phenomenon from corruption, understood as an abuse of the law that undermines the political system.


On July 2, 2003, Russian law enforcement arrested billionaire Platon Lebedev, chairman of the Board of Directors of MENATEP, the financial center of the oil giant YUKOS. A few days earlier the police had arrested Alexei Pichugin, the head of the Economic Security Department of the Security Service of YUKOS. The General Procuracy (Russia's chief law enforcement agency) charged Lebedev with financial fraud, dating back to the privatization of the phosphate-producing plant Apatit in 1993–1994, and with tax evasion by MENATEP subsidiaries in the Tomsk oblast'. Pichugin was charged with much more serious offenses: organizing five contract killings. On October 25, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the head of YUKOS and one of Russia's leading oligarchs, was arrested and charged with fraud, tax evasion, and theft. Two days later, Vladimir Putin publicly declined to engage in any bargaining over the activities of law enforcement agencies and abruptly called for an end to all speculation and hysteria around the arrests of YUKOS management. Then, on October 30, the General Procuracy (GP) froze 44 percent of YUKOS stock (the major part of which belongs to Khodorkovsky and his closest associates). The same day Putin accepted the resignation of Alexander Voloshin, the Head of the Administration of the President (AP), and appointed Dmitri Medvedev as his successor. Finally, while still in detention, Khodorkovsky resigned as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of YUKOS.


Previous research discusses the superiority of actuarial models over clinical models in a number of areas related to accuracy and consistency in decision making. The current project sought to develop an actuarial candidate selection model for affirmative action in higher education that would achieve the goal of diversity by assigning points for a number of diversity-related characteristics in addition to standard academic admission criteria. Two experiments showed that participants who used actuarial models selected applicants with more markers of academic success and greater diversity using factors favored by recent U.S. Supreme Court cases. The second experiment showed that an unweighted actuarial model also helped decision makers select more minority student candidates and that it produced higher ratings of procedural fairness. The article discusses how an actuarial model might pass Constitutional muster in light of recent Supreme Court cases.