Abstract Hicks, K. O., Siim, B. G., Pruijn, F. B. and Wilson, W. R. Oxygen Dependence of the Metabolic Activation and Cytotoxicity of Tirapazamine: Implications for Extravascular Transport and Activity in Tumors. Radiat. Res. 161, 656–666 (2004). The hypoxic cytotoxin tirapazamine (TPZ) is currently in phase III clinical trial and appears to have clinical activity. One hypothesis as to why TPZ has been used more successfully in the clinic than most other bioreductive drugs is that its unusual O2 dependence allows killing of radioresistant cells at "intermediate" O2 concentrations. We have determined the O2 dependence of the metabolism of TPZ to its reduction product SR 4317, and its cytotoxicity, in stirred suspensions of HT29 colon carcinoma cells while monitoring O2 in solution with an Oxylite™ probe. The O2 dependence of the cytotoxicity of TPZ is entirely accounted for by its inhibition of the metabolism of TPZ, with a KO2 value (O2 concentration for 50% inhibition) of 1.21 ± 0.09 (SEM) μM. We used this experimental O2 dependence to extend a recent (Hicks et al., Cancer Res. 63, 5970–5977, 2003) pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model for the cytotoxicity of TPZ in anoxic HT29 multicellular layers to model cell killing in tumors. The model indicates that the O2 dependence of killing by TPZ complements that of radiation well during fractionated radiotherapy. It predicts that lowering KO2 would decrease killing in radioresistant cells at intermediate O2 concentrations, while higher KO2 values would exacerbate metabolic consumption of TPZ and thus further impede its penetration into hypoxic regions. Raising KO2 would also increase metabolic activation at physiological O2 concentrations, thereby compromising hypoxic selectivity. We conclude that the KO2 value of TPZ is indeed close to the optimum for a bioreductive drug of this class (i.e. one that kills only cells in which it is reduced).


In this paper, a reliable server assignment problem in networks is defined as determining a deployment of identical servers to maximize a measure of service availability, and solved using nature-inspired metaheuristic approaches, namely Ant Colony Optimization, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Clonal Selection Principle of Artificial Immune Systems. In networks, the communication between a client and a server might be interrupted because the server itself is offline or unreachable as a result of catastrophic network failures. Therefore, it is very important to deploy servers at critical network nodes so that the reliability of the system is maximized. A new reliability measure, called critical service rate, is defined to evaluate alternative server assignments with respect to the network's ability to provide services in the case of catastrophic component failures. The structure of the optimal server assignments is studied, and the performances of three nature inspired metaheuristics are investigated in a rigorous experimental study. Based on the computational studies, their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.


Future personal communication networks (PCN), due to the growing user demand in personal communication services in combination with the ongoing development of broadband wireless air interface access technology are expected to offer broadband multimedia services using the ATM/B-ISDN as the backbone transport network. This paper proposes a new operational concept for such a mobile ATM network, called the mobile virtual path network architecture (MVPA), minimizing the handover signalling load and facilitating high handover frequencies. Signalling and control functions for connection setup and rerouting during handover are presented, as well as means for preventing cell loss and maintaining cell sequence integrity during handover.


We numerically study a hardware method for network authentication, where a pair of matched (twins) chaotic lasers generate the same chaos when they synchronize, being subject to the same optical injection from a third chaotic laser. One of the lasers is in the secure environment, the other in the unsecure environment, and authorization is granted only if the two responses match. As in other PUF (Physically Unclonable Functions) related schemes, security is based on unavoidable differences between nominally identical but physically separate devices, and, more specifically, to the sensitivity of chaos to laser parameter dispersion.


Many published papers have analysing the close relationship between atherosclerosis and systemic autoimmune diseases because atherogenesis and its complications play a major role in the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality of such patients. It is also important to underline the pivotal role of specialists in the early diagnosis of preclinical abnormalities as this allows the timely implementation of appropriate therapeutic and preventive measures, which should form the operational backbone of the work of the teams involved in studying and treating systemic autoimmune diseases. In particular, primary prevention is essential in order to avoid cardiovascular events such as acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction and sudden death.
The aim of this review was to highlight the central role of an echocardiographic stress examination and the
non-invasive assessment of coronary flow reserve as a means of detecting endothelial dysfunction and sub-clinical atherosclerosis with the final objective of improving the prognosis and outcomes of even asymptomatic patients with or without overt cardiovascular diseases.


The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, is an obligate sedentary endoparasite with a narrow host range. It is considered the most economically important pathogen of soybean, causing a loss of $1.286 billion in yield annually in just the United States alone. Cyst nematodes use stylet-secreted effector proteins to modify a selected host cell into an elaborate feeding cell. The function of the novel effector proteins 16B09 and 2D01 from the SCN and sugar beet cyst nematode (BCN) H. schachtii was studied. This class of effectors is expressed in the dorsal gland cell of parasitic life stages and was found to be highly expanded in the SCN genome suggesting that the 16B09 and 2D01 superfamily is essential in plant-nematode interactions. Host-induced gene silencing targeting 16B09 demonstrated that this effector protein is required for cyst nematode parasitism. The susceptibility of Arabidopsis to BCN significantly decreased when the expression of Hs16B09 was reduced. Plants overexpressing Hs16B09, however, did not show any abnormal phenotypes to provide clues to its function. Interestingly, however, unlike the closely related 2D01 effector, 16B09 was found to be toxic to the growth of yeast suggesting that it may be modulating an important eukaryotic cellular process. Because 16B09 toxicity to yeast precluded the use of a yeast two hybrid approach to identify potential host targets, a screen with 2D01 was carried out and HAE, an Arabidopsis leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase that controls floral organ abscission and lateral root emergence, is expressed in the nematode feeding cell, and was identified as a potential host target of this effector.


In prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical studies, pulsed, low-intensity ultrasound has been proven to be effective in decreasing the time to heal in both fresh diaphyseal (tibia) and metaphyseal (distal radius) fractures. It also decreases the likelihood of a delayed union (>150 days to heal) in tibia fractures and loss of reduction in distal radius fractures. World-wide clinical studies, using pulsed, low-intensity ultrasound for treatment of non-union in a self-paired control study design, have demonstrated a heal rate of 88% with an average treatment time of 4.5 months in non-unions and an average fracture age of 23 months. The therapy is safe and non-invasive, and is used by the patient at home for a 20-minute treatment session per day.


Jatropha curcas Linn. seed upon oil extraction resulted in a protein enriched byproduct called kernel meal. The presence of anti-nutritional metabolites in high levels renders the meal unsuitable as an animal feed. This research was carried out to determine the effects of physical and chemical treatments on the level of anti-nutritional metabolites present in the kernel meal. The effects of treated kernel meal on rumen microbial fermentation were evaluated in vitro. Proximate analysis of kernel meal obtained from J. curcas grown in Malaysia showed 61.8% crude protein, 9.7% NDF and 4.8% ADF. The anti-nutritional metabolites analyses showed high levels of total phenolic (3.9 mg g-1 DM), total saponin (1.9 g 100 g-1 DM), phytic acid (9.1%), trypsin inhibitors (34.2 mg g-1 DM), lectin activity (102.7 mg mL-1) and phorbolesters (3.0 mg g-1 DM). Combination of hydrothermal treatment, alkali and oxidizing agents alleviated the levels of anti-nutritional metabolites. Phenolic compounds, saponin and phorbolesters levels declined significantly (p<0.05) while the level of phytic acid did not decrease. Trypsin inhibitors and lectin activity were fully inactivated. The level of phorbolesters decreased by 76.7% in treatment with heat, 3% (w/w) NaOH and 10% (v/w) NaOCl. In vitro fermentation by rumen microbes showed significant (p<0.05) decrease in fermentation parameters when chemically treated kernel meal was used as substrates while physically treated kernel meal did not affect the fermentation parameters significantly.


Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1), a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, is important in regulating inflammation. Inflammation of the prostate has been suggested to favor tumor development. A recent study (JNCI 2004, 96:1248-1254) found marginal evidence of an association between the presence of the mature MIC-1 protein nonsynonymous polymorphism H6D C-to-G (rs1058587) with reduced prostate cancer risk [odds ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.69-0.99]. We tested this in a population-based study of 819 cases and 731 controls from Australia and found a similar, yet not significant, odds ratio of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.7-1.04; P = 0.11). We also tested the potential association between the H6D variant and disease-specific survival in 640 cases followed-up for an average of 8.2 years. We found that cases carrying the H6D G allele had an increased risk of death from prostate cancer than cases carrying two copies of the C allele (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.06-2.78; P = 0.03). Our data suggest that the H6D variant in MIC-1 might play a role in prostate cancer, but it is difficult to explain how a variant can be associated with lower risk of developing prostate cancer but more aggressive growth if cancer develops. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(6):1223–5)


Small hydropower resources for five major river systems have been studied. The model, which can predict flow duration characteristic of stream, was developed to analyze the variation of inflow caused from rainfall condition. And another model to predict hydrologic performance for small hydropower(SHP) plants is established. Monthly inflow data measured at Andong dam were analyzed. The predicted results from the developed models in this study showed that the data were in good agreement with measured results of long term inflow at Andong dam. It was found that the models developed in this study can be used to predict the available potential and technical potential of SHP sites effectively. Based on the models developed in this study, the hydrologic performance for small hydropower sites located in river systems have been analyzed. The results show that the hydrologic performance characteristics of SHP sites have some difference between the river systems. Especially, the specific design flowrate and specific output of SHP sites located on North Han river and Nakdong river systems have large difference compared with other river systems.


We examined sexual dimorphism in bill size in adult Adelie Penguins Pygoscelis adeliae, adult Chinstrap Penguins P. antarctica and adult and juvenile Gentoo Penguins P. papua at King George Island, Antarctica, using a DNA-based molecular sexing technique. Bill length and depth were the most consistent dimorphic character examined, with measurements 5.4%–11.5% larger in males than in females, on average. Within breeding pairs sampled, male Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins had consistently longer and deeper bills than their mates, although bill measurement overlapped between sexes at the population level. We used bill measurements to calculate species- and age-specific discriminant functions that correctly classified 83.2%–96.7% of the individuals in our study following cross-validation. The discriminant functions derived from this analysis provide a practical method of sex determination for all three Pygoscelis penguin species in the South Shetland Islands where they breed sympatrically. Posterior probability analysis can also be used to identify individuals that are likely to be incorrectly classified using discriminant function analysis, allowing DNA-based tests for gender to be reserved for targeted use. Furthermore, we report raw morphometric data to facilitate future analysis and discriminant function improvement


Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is severe inflammation of the pancreas that can be of two major types: mild AP (MAP) and severe AP (SAP). Objective: To study the therapeutic effect of Ibudilast in comparison with older drug, octreotide, in the rat model of AP. Methods: A total of 48 male rats were divided into 8 groups with each group consisting of 6 rats. Acute Pancreatitis was induced by L-arginine model which has a high reproducibility. Octreotide and Ibudilast were administered individually and in combination at 0, 8 and 16 hours after induction. After 24 hours of treatment, each rat was weighed and blood samples were withdrawn for ELISA test for interleukin- 1 beta (IL-1β) and biochemical test for serum lipase, and then the pancreas was extracted for histopathological examination. Results: In Octreotide and Ibudilast groups there was a statistically significant decrease in serum IL-1β, lipase enzyme, and decrease in histopathological changes. Conclusion: Ibudilast and octreotide can significantly attenuate the local and systemic effect of AP. Ibudilast and the combination decreased serum lipase more significantly than octreotide. Thus these drugs can be used effectively in cases of pancreatitis as it leads to high morbidity and mortality


The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) entered into force on May 25, 2018. Compliance with GDPR is especially relevant to the Digital Health (DH) domain, as it is common to process highly sensitive personal data regarding a person's health. However, GDPR compliance is a very challenging process since it requires implementing several technical and organizational measures to maintain compliance. With the aim to facilitate this process, we reviewed the published best practices in GDPR compliance. Then, we customized the findings to fit into the DH domain and created a toolkit for GDPR implementation and compliance. The Activity Planning Tool (APT) is provided as an example of how this toolkit could be utilized in new application development in mobile health in Austria. In the case of our APT, the toolkit was very helpful in integrating the GDPR technical requirements in addition to creating the corresponding compliance impact assessment, processing agreements, privacy policy, data flowcharts, and compliance checklists.


A newly developed grammar-based lossless source coding theory and its implementation was proposed in 1999 and 2000, respectively, by Yang and Kieffer. The code first transforms the original data sequence into an irreducible context-free grammar, which is then compressed using arithmetic coding. In the study of grammar-based coding for mammography applications, we encountered two issues: processing time and limited number of single-character grammar G variables. For the first issue, we discover a feature that can simplify the matching subsequence search in the irreducible grammar transform process. Using this discovery, an extended
grammar code technique is proposed and the processing time of the grammar code can be significantly reduced. For the second issue, we propose to use double-character symbols to increase the number of grammar variables. Under the condition that all the G variables
have the same probability of being used, our analysis shows that the double- and single-character approaches have the same compression rates. By using the methods proposed, we show that
the grammar code can outperform three other schemes: Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW), arithmetic, and Huffman on compression ratio, and has similar error tolerance capabilities as LZW coding under similar circumstances.


In order to study the supporting structure under different distances between inner pit-in-pit and foundation pit, width and depth of pit-in-pit and general excavation depth of external foundation pit, PLAXIS is adopted to simulate the whole process of pit-in-pit excavation in a foundation pit of Shanghai. The factors which influence wall deflection are analyzed using orthogonal experimental design software. The results show that the factors which influence deformation of pit-in-pit and supporting structure of foundation pit are sorted with range value or sensitivity descending: depth of pit-in-pit, location of pit-in-pit, general excavation depth of external foundation pit, and width of pit-in-pit. Depth and location of pit-in-pit are the most two significant factors, and they have the strongest interactions.


Neutron irradiation can promote significant changes in the microstructure and associated mechanical properties of low alloy steels. In particular, irradiation can induce the formation of non-equilibrium phases and segregation, which may lead to a degradation in toughness. In this study, the microstructural changes caused by neutron irradiation have been characterized in A508 Grade (Gr) 4N-type steels ({approx}3.5% Ni) using a variety of state-of-the-art analytical techniques including 3D-Atom Probe Field-Ion Microscopy and Small Angle Neutron Scattering, along with post-irradiation annealing studies combining Positron Annihilation Lineshape Analysis and hardness measurements. Important differences between conventional and ''superclean'' A508 Gr 4N steel have been identified in this investigation. The data indicate that Ni is not the controlling factor in the irradiation damage behavior of these materials; rather, the Mn content of the steel is a dominant factor in the irradiation-induced microstructural development of solute-related hardening features.


Many genes are only active following the intake of an inducer by the cell, via passive diffusive, positive, or negative feedback intake mechanisms. Based on measurements of the in vivo kinetics of intake and subsequent transcription events in Escherichia coli, we use stochastic models to investigate how the kinetics of intake affects both transient and nearequilibrium dynamics of gene expression. We find that the intake kinetics affects mean and variability of the transient time to reach the steady state of proteins numbers and also the degree of fluctuations in these numbers. Fluctuations in the extracellular number of inducers affects the variability of protein numbers at steady state in a degree that differs with the intake kinetics. Finally, changing the intake kinetics of an inducer of a genetic switch allows tuning the bias in the choice of noisy attractor. We conclude that the kinetics of inducer intake affects transient and near-equilibrium gene expression dynamics and, consequently, the phenotypic diversity of organisms in fluctuating environments.


The primary goal of Eco-labels is to promote the knowledge of consumers about positive environmental effects of products and to guide them toward purchasing environmental friendly products. The purpose of the study is to understand fashion consumers' purchasing behavior toward eco-labelling with respect to four factors: the current fashion system, environmental responsibility, ethical responsibility, and social responsibility. The relationship between these four factors in conjunction with eco-labelling and purchase behavior was tested and analyzed. The results proved that eco-labels did influence consumers' buying behavior. Eco-label help consumers to make their decision faster, distinguish those products that they want to buy from the other ordinary products.


Rhodopemorphs are small, interstitial or psammobiotic heterobranch slugs, which have been troubling to place phylogenetically. Their small size and habit of living in or among sediment have led to a correlated reduction and simplification of morphology, and consequently to contradictory phylogenetic signal from anatomical features. When morphological data have previously been used to generate phylogenetic hypotheses, these were vulnerable to the effects of homoplasy. We collected multiple species of Rhodope, along with another rhodopemorph genus Helminthope, to produce DNA sequence data for the first time to test their monophyly. We sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear genes, and analysed the data under maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. By analysing these data in a broader heterobranch dataset, we also examined the placement of Rhodopemorpha within Heterobranchia. Despite rhodopemorphs showing aspects of a euthyneurous (and pentaganglionate) condition, their placement in a molecular phylogeny occurs outside the taxon defined by this term (i.e. Euthyneura = Pentaganglionata). Instead, model-based inferences placed rhodopemorphs among basal heterobranch taxa, usually as a clade sister to a shelled group (Murchisonellidae) that was recently removed from the Pyramidelloidea. The Rhodopemorpha + Murchisonellidae clade is herein termed Allomorpha. Three-dimensional reconstruction methods have elucidated potential morphological homologies for Rhodopemorpha and comparisons with Murchisonellidae have also uncovered morphological support for this placement. Thus, we consider the phylogenetic placement of Rhodopemorpha solved, although relationships among lower Heterobranchia lineages remain challenging.


Improving local rice production capacity is a key element on the agenda of most countries in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). There are several reasons for this drive: (1) the high levels of rice imports, which constitute a burden on the countries' financial resources; (2) the relatively high contribution of the commodity to national food security programmes; (3) income generation for smallholder farm communities; and (4) the contribution of rice to the improvement of nutritional status. The policy analysis matrix approach was used to evaluate the policy-induced effects of the WAEMU common external tariffs on the performance of irrigated rice production systems in Niger. The results show that the irrigated rice production system receives little protection, and that retail rice marketing channels are even less protected. The negative net policy effects indicate that greater incentives are needed for enhanced system performance.


Balance maintenance is crucial to participating in the activities of daily life. Balance is often considered as the ability to maintain the centre of mass (COM) position within the base of support. Primarily, to maintain balance, reliance is placed on the balance related sensory systems i.e., the visual, proprioceptive and vestibular. Several factors can affect a person's balance such as neurological diseases, ageing, medication and obesity etc. To gain insight into the balance operations, studies rely on statistical and machine learning techniques. Statistical techniques are used for inferencing while machine learning techniques proved effective for interpretation. The focus of this study was on the issues encountered in human balance analysis such as the quantification of balance by relevant features, the relationships between COM and ground projected body sway, the performance of various sensory systems in balance analysis, and their relationships between the directions of body sway (i.e., mediolateral (ML) and anteriorposterior (AP)). A portable wireless accelerometry device was developed, balance analysis methods based on the inverted pendulum were devised and evaluated for their accuracy and reliability against a setup designed to allow manual balance measurements. Balance data were collected from 23 healthy adult subjects with the mean (standard deviation) of the age, height and weight: 24.5 (4.0) years, 173.6 (6.8) cm, and 72.7 (9.9) kg respectively. The accelerometry device was attached to the subjects at the approximate position of the illac crest, while they performed 30 seconds trials of the four conditions associated with a standard balance test called the modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (mCTSIB). These required standing on a hard (ground) surface with the eyes open, standing on hard surface with the eyes closed, standing on a compliant surface (sponge, 10 cm thick) with the eyes open and standing on a compliant surface with the eyes closed. Statistical and machine learning techniques such as t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the Mann-Whitney U test, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman test, correlation analysis, linear regression, Bland and Altman analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), K-means clustering, and Kohonen neural network (KNN) were employed for interpreting the measurements. The findings showed close agreement between the developed balance analysis methods and the related measurements from the manual setup for balance analysis. The COM was observed to be responsible for differing amount of sway across the subjects and could affect both the angle and ground projected sway. The AP direction was more sensitive to sway than the ML direction. The subjects were observed to depend more on their proprioceptive system to control balance. The proprioceptive system was observed to have a greater impact in controlling the AP velocity of the subjects as compared to their visual system. The proprioceptive system had no impact on the ML velocity. The visual system was responsible for the control of the ML velocity and for reducing the acceleration in both directions. It was concluded that for comparison of postural sway information, subjects with closely related COM positions should be compared, comparison should be carried out in respect to the base of their support. The sway normalisation by dividing with COM position should be performed to reduce the obscuring effect of the COM. Enhancement of the proprioceptive system should be carried out to reduce the AP velocity while enhancement of the visual system should be used to reduce the ML sway and acceleration in ML and AP directions. The velocity in the AP direction should be used to examine the performance of the proprioceptive system while the ML velocity and acceleration should be used for the visual system. The vestibular system characterised sway more in the AP direction, and hence, the AP direction should be used to examine its performance in balance.


Although HLA-DQ genes are the major celiac disease (CD) susceptibility genes, results from Finnish families suggest that not all DQ2-encoding haplotypes confer equal susceptibility to CD, implying the effect of other gene(s) in the HLA region. The aim of the present work was to extend and confirm the aforementioned results in a southern European population ( Italian) and to better localize the additional risk factor/s. The association of nine loci spanning the HLA region from DR to HFE, 4.5-Mb telomeric of HLA-A, was tested. The analysis was performed by comparing marker frequencies in DR3-DQ2 haplotypes transmitted and non-transmitted to the affected offspring in 156 Italian CD families selected for having at least one DR3-positive parent. The same analysis was performed independently in 101 Finnish CD families selected with the same criteria. Three alleles, MICA-A5.1, MICB-CA24 and MIB-350, all characteristic of the B8-DR3 extended haplotype, showed a significantly increased frequency in DR3 transmitted haplotypes in the Italian families. DR3 haplotypes carrying the combination of these alleles conferred an approximate fourfold increased CD risk. B8-DR3 transmitted haplotypes were significantly more conserved telomerically down to the MIC-Class I region. Similar results were seen in the Finnish families. The major conclusion that holds true in both populations is that, while DQ2 is an absolute requirement for the development of CD, the presence of an additional genetic factor within the MIC-Class I region confers an approximate 4-fold increased risk of the disease.


New, high-quality bathymetric data for Henderson Seamount (about 80 km west of the southern tip of Baja California) reveal complexities of structure that allow comparison with subaerial volcanoes. Henderson is 3.3 km high, with a basal diameter of 33 km, resembling a subaerial shield volcano in gross morphology. The summit is composed of alkali basalts. There is no summit caldera, but a large subcircular depression on the volcano9s eastern flank may reflect a trapdoor caldera similar to those of the Canary Island volcanoes, or it may be a large landslide scar. Smaller cones around the base of the central volcano appear to be formed by two different processes, perhaps related to different rates of basaltic extrusion. One cone appears to be topped by a large crater. Morphologically, this structure resembles subaerial cinder cones; thus, its existence suggests that explosive volcanism of the type that forms cinder cones subaerially may occur at abyssal depths.


The loudness of a sound was made to grow as a function of time along a variety of paths.Observers judged the degree of apparent deviation from linearity of the various paths of loudness growth. The growth of loudness was judged to be least nonlinear when the sound pressure was made to increase as the 1.67 power of time. It follows, therefore, that loudness must be related to sound pressure by a power function with exponent 0.6 (reciprocal of 1.67). This outcome shows that the exponent of the psychophysical power function may be verified by a procedure that does not require the assumption that numerical estimates are proportional to subjective magnitudes.


This dissertation examines the influence of attitudes, beliefs, and preferences of energy industry practitioners on investment decision-making with regard to fuel choice for new electric power plants. The conclusions are based on in-depth interviews and an extensive online survey I conducted of 600-800 energy professionals in the U.S. power sector.Chapter 1 analyzes the impact of policy uncertainty on investment decision-making in renewable energy, using the federal production tax credit (PTC) and wind energy investment as an example. It is generally understood that the pattern of repeated expiration and short-term renewal of the PTC causes a boom-bust cycle in wind power plant investment in the U.S. This on-off pattern is detrimental to the wind industry, since ramp-up and ramp-down costs are high, and players are deterred from making long-term investments.The widely held belief that the severe downturn in investment during off years implies that wind power is unviable without the PTC turns out to be unsubstantiated: this chapter demonstrates that it is not the absence of the PTC that causes the investment downturn during off years, but rather the uncertainty over its return. Specifically, it is the dynamic of power purchase agreement negotiations in the face of PTC renewal uncertainty that drives investment volatility. This suggests that reducing regulatory uncertainty is a crucial component of effective renewable energy policy. The PTC as currently structured is not the only means, existing or potential, for encouraging wind power investment. Using data from my survey, various alternative policy incentives are considered and compared in terms of their perceived reliability for supporting long-term investment.Chapter 2 introduces the concept of expected payment of carbon as a factor in investment decision-making. The notion of carbon risk (the financial risk associated with CO2 emissions under potential climate change policy) is usually incorporated into investment decision-making by including a cost of carbon in the budget analysis. Most existing literature uses the expected price of carbon as a proxy for this cost, where expected price is a weighted average of various scenarios, often comparing policy proposals and representing either the price of traded permits or level of carbon tax, depending on the type of policy. The literature focuses on the minimum price of carbon required to influence power plant investment decisions.In contrast, this chapter introduces expected payment as a more accurate measure of carbon cost as it is perceived by industry practitioners. The expected payment of carbon is the expected price of carbon times the probability that this cost would actually be faced in the case of a particular investment. This concept helps explain both the 2005-2006 surge of activity in coal-fired power plant development and the subsequent decline in that interest.The energy industry has been slow to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable resources. In chapter 3 I find evidence for a cognitive bias that plays a role in this momentum. Energy executives' expectations of future energy prices are strongly correlated with their own preferences, which I document for the case of natural gas prices. This is an example of wishful expectations, a form of overconfidence in which people are excessively optimistic over uncontrollable future outcomes. This implies energy executives with strong exposure to fossil fuels are excessively optimistic on future prices and so continue to invest despite the presence of superior alternatives.


A sampling oscilloscope macro which is easily embedded in an actually operating LSI in the field has been developed to enable practical use of the feedback physical design methodology. The macro features (1) a high-speed input-isolated comparator to measure signals on GHz-digital-LSIs, (2) a voltage-range converter to widen the input range to 2 V at a 1-V supply voltage, (3) D/A converters to eliminate the use of analog I/O for the macro, (4) an on-chip power supply noise filter to eliminate the need for a dedicated power supply, and (5) an embedded clock generator to eliminate the need for a dedicated clock signal. By using the macro, the world's first measurement of an undershooting waveform caused by an on-chip inductive effect has been demonstrated.


MIMO systems have raised a lot of interests in the recent years especially in the radar community. For MIMO systems with widely spaced antennas for example it has been shown that channel matrices are decorrelated from one another. The view diversity of an illuminated target is then increased. And as a consequence the detection probability of statistical MIMO systems increases thanks to this gain diversity. In this paper we present the finite scattering point model introduced by Haimovich and demonstrate the equivalence between the MIMO scattering problem using the finite scattering point model and the random walk problem. Studying the convergence of the central limit theorem applied to this problem, we demonstrate that it is possible to estimate the scattering points density for a low number of scatterers in the resolution cell. Finally we show that statistical MIMO system suppresses the interferences between scatterers and maximises the target response.


The problem and the solution. The impact of crises on organizations and individuals has been stronger than ever. Despite increasing recognition of the effects of crisis events, most organizations are found not adequately prepared in managing crises. The increasingly frequent occurrence of organizational crises exemplifies the need for human resource development in preparing organizations and their members for crisis situations. However, very little effort has been made in this direction. Recognizing the dynamics and interconnectedness of crisis management, organizational learning, and organizational change, this article proposes an integrated model of organizational learning for crisis management that will likely strengthen organizational capacity and resilience in coping with crises and resultant changes.


To the amazement of the public, pundits, and even the policy-makers themselves, the ideological and political conflict that endangered the world for half a century came to an end in 1990. How did that happen? What had caused the cold war in the first place, and why did it last as long as it did? To answer these questions, Melvyn P. Leffler homes in on four crucial episodes when American and Soviet Leaders considered modulating, avoiding, or ending hostilities and asks why they failed. He then illuminates how Reagan, Bush, and, above all, Gorbachev finally extricated themselves from the policies and mind-sets that had imprisoned their predecessors, and were able to reconfigure Soviet-American relations after decades of confrontation.


Endoanal ultrasound (EAUS) and endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) have been introduced to clinical use since the 1980s. The techniques have been used to assess various anorectal disorders and conditions, including anorectal abscess and fistula, fecal incontinence, anorectal tumor, anorectal pain and occasionally evaluation of adjacent pelvic pathology. Information acquired includes anatomical location of disease, extent of disease, involvement of anal sphincter by disease and the status of anal sphincter. This information is valuable for treatment planning, prevention of disease recurrence, prevention and/or correction of sphincter defect and follow-up evaluation. The technique is cheap, simple, well tolerated, and repeatable with acceptable accuracy. Although the interpretation is operator-dependent, technology has developed to improved image quality such as 3D-reconstruction, peroxide-enhanced technique and volume render mode. This chapter reviews the current application of anorectal ultrasound in the common anorectal disorders.


Y chromosome short tandem repeat markers have a number of applications in human identity testing including typing the perpetrator of sexual assault cases without differential extraction and tracing paternal lineages for missing person investigations. In order for Y STR systems to become more widely accepted within the forensic DNA typing community, population studies and robust assays are required. We have focused on developing new Y STR multiplexes that can provide a high degree of discrimination between unrelated males. The Y STR markers we are working with include the hexanucleotide repeat DYS448, pentanucleotides DYS438, DYS446, DYS447, DYS450, tetranucleotide repeat DYS19, DYS385 I/II, DYS389I/II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS393, DYS437, DYS439, DYS441, DYS442, GATA A7.1, GATA H4, G09411, trinucleotides DYS388, DYS392, DYS426, and the dinucleotide repeat YCAII. Primers for the markers DYS385, DYS389, and YCAII target duplicated regions of the Y chromosome and thus can produce two polymorphic peaks with each primer set. The multiplexes we are developing are the first to include all of the European "extended haplotype" (11 PCR products) in a single reaction. We have compared our results to the commercially available Y-Plex 6 kit from Reliagene that amplifies 6 Y STRs. In order to improve the power of discrimination for Y chromosome tests, we have developed strategies for rapidly preparing multiplex PCR assays that utilize both four and five dye chemistries for detection and permit simultaneous amplification of 20 or more Y STR markers in a single reaction. Primer design issues will be reviewed, as will our efforts to avoid any homology with X chromosome sequences. Prime rs have been redesigned from previously published work with these Y STR markers in order to make them more compatible in a multiplex amplification. Results will be shown using our new Y STR multiplex from 3 different laboratories. In addition, allele ranges for each of the Y STR markers have been well characterized in a diverse set of world samples.


This paper indicates that an appropriate design of metric leads to significant improvements in the adaptive projected subgradient method (APSM), which unifies a wide range of projection-based algorithms [including normalized least mean square (NLMS) and affine projection algorithm (APA)]. The key is to incorporate a priori (or a posteriori) information on characteristics of an estimandum, a system to be estimated, into the metric design. We propose a family of efficient adaptive filtering algorithms based on a parallel use of quadratic-metric projection, which assigns every point to the nearest point in a closed convex set in a quadratic-metric sense. We present two versions: (1) constant-metric and (2) variable-metric, i.e., the metric function employed is (1) constant and (2) variable among iterations. As a constant-metric version, adaptive parallel quadratic-metric projection (APQP) and adaptive parallel min-max quadratic-metric projection (APMQP) algorithms are naturally derived by APSM, being endowed with desirable properties such as convergence to a point optimal in asymptotic sense. As a variable-metric version, adaptive parallel variable-metric projection (APVP) algorithm is derived by a generalized APSM, enjoying an extended monotone property at each iteration. By employing a simple quadratic-metric, the computational complexity of the proposed algorithms is kept linear with respect to the filter length. Numerical examples demonstrate the remarkable advantages of the proposed algorithms in an application to acoustic echo cancellation.


The interaction of an air jet with a resonator is fundamental to the operation of several musical instruments and a significant topic in musical acoustics courses. Recent studies of a Helmholtz resonator excited by an air jet have explored the dependence of the frequency and amplitude of the Helmholtz mode on jet speed and other parameters. [R. Khosropour and P. Millet, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 88, 1211–1221 (1990); J. P. Cottingham et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 92, 2380 (1992)]. It has been observed that domains of jet speed, for which a single‐frequency Helmholtz mode occurs, are separated by narrow transition regions. Investigation of this phenomenon, which is audible as well as measurable, has been adapted as a set of laboratory exercises for use in musical acoustics courses. Using a homemade air jet with the laboratory compressed air supply, students are able to study the internal sound field of a jet‐excited resonator with a small tie clip microphone. Investigation of a significant nonlinear phenomenon is ...


Background and aims - Large-celled Eunotia species from tropical central Africa are documented in order to define morphological variation within species and to describe new or poorly documented taxa.
Methods - Samples were collected from the Congo River between Kisangani and Bumba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These samples were prepared for diatom analysis and examined according to standard methods and documented using both light and scanning electron microscopy.
Key results - A single population of Eunotia zygodon is used to demonstrate the high degree of change in gross cell morphology during its life cycle, changes previously observed in cultures of this genus. Cells of this taxon from each extremity of the reproductive cycle could be, and probably often were, placed in discrete taxa during sample analysis, especially as this taxon occurs rather infrequently. We also describe Eunotia leonardii as new to science. It has an undulate valve margin and is closely related to Eunotia serra and Eunotia georgii but differs in respect to overall cell size and the structure of the terminal raphe endings. The bi-undulate Eunotia papilio var. africana is raised to the rank of species and named Eunotia fuseyi as it is clearly a discrete taxon from E. papilio s. str.


This paper presents a new recursive information consensus filter for decentralized dynamic-state estimation. Local estimators are assumed to have access only to local information and no structure is assumed about the topology of the communication network, which need not be connected at all times. Iterative Covariance Intersection (ICI) is used to reach consensus over priors which might become correlated, while consensus over new information is handled using weights based on a Metropolis Hastings Markov Chain (MHMC). We establish bounds for estimation performance and show that our method produces unbiased conservative estimates that are better than CI. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated and compared with competing algorithms on an atmospheric dispersion problem.


EQUINE influenza (EI) is caused by type A influenza virus (IVA) belonging to the genus Influenzavirus A of the family Orthomyxoviridae. EI is a severe respiratory disease of horses with high morbidity and low mortality (Mumford and others 1990, Daly and others 2004). It is commonly encountered in most countries except Australia, Iceland and New Zealand (Daly and others 2004, OIE 2011). Until 2007, Australia had always been free of EI virus (EIV), but experienced a severe outbreak in August 2007 following the introduction of virus with imported horses (Kirkland and others 2011, Watson and others 2011). More than 75,000 horses were infected on approximately 10,000 farms in the two eastern states of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (Gilkerson 2011, Moloney and others 2011). The disease was brought under control and eradicated within six months following the application of strict movement controls, zoning of areas with differing levels of infection or freedom, implementation of biosecurity measures in affected premises and vaccination of healthy horses in buffer zones surrounding the affected areas (Scott-Orr 2011). For immunisation, a recombinant canarypox virus vector expressing the haemagglutinin gene of two strains of EIV (H3N8) was used (Paillot and others 2006, Perkins and others 2011).

Detection of EIV was routinely undertaken during diagnostic and surveillance operations during the outbreak with a real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay that had originally been developed for the surveillance of type A avian …


This dissertation is about the structure of temporal semantics and children's acquisition of temporal language. It argues for the importance of investigating semantics both at the abstract level of linguistic structures and at the concrete level of the time-course of acquisition, as these two levels provide natural constraints for each other. With respect to semantics, it provides a computationally inspired analysis of tense, grammatical aspect and lexical aspect that uses finite state automata to dynamically calculate the progress of an event over a time interval. It is shown that the analysis can account for many well-known temporal phenomena, such as the different entailments of telic and atelic predicates in the imperfective aspect (the imperfective paradox), and the various unified and serial interpretations of sentences involving a cardinally quantified phrase, such as Three Ringlings visited Florida. With respect to children's acquisition of temporal language, the dissertation investigates the Aspect First hypothesis which states that children initially use tense and grammatical aspect morphology to mark the lexical aspect property of telicity. Two forced-choice comprehension experiments were conducted with children aged 2.5 to 5 years old to test children's understanding of tense and grammatical aspect morphology; in a control condition, open class cues were used to test children's conceptual competence with tense and grammatical aspect information independently of their competence with the relevant morphology (e.g., in the middle of and in a few seconds were the open class cues for imperfective aspect and future tense, respectively). Results showed that even the youngest children understood the concepts underlying tense and grammatical aspect as measured by their performance with the open class cues but they did not demonstrate adult competence with the closed class morphology for grammatical aspect and did so only marginally for tense. Comprehension of tense morphology preceded that of grammatical aspect morphology and in particular, children showed an early facility with markers of the future tense. Comments University of Pennsylvania Institute for Research in Cognitive Science Technical Report No. IRCS-98-14. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/ircs_reports/59 i THE SEMANTICS AND ACQUISITION OF TIME IN LANGUAGE


Introduction: Chitotriosidase (CTO) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) are both markers of sarcoidosis activity and both derive from chronically activated macrophages. In this study we compared the two biomarkers in the follow-up of sarcoidosis. Methods: The study comprised 100 patients. Five were excluded because they lacked CTO activity (homozygotes for common CHIT1 polymorphism) and 8 because they were receiving ACE inhibitors (87 included, 46 female, mean age 44±13 years). The patients were followed-up for 24-60 months. CTO and ACE measurements were done every 3-6 months and correlated to clinical symptoms, chest X-ray and lung function (FVC, DLco). In 33 patients clinical outcome status (COS) at 5 years was determined. Results: Initially, ACE was increased above upper normal level in 35.6% and CTO in 98.9% of patients. ACE and CTO were both significantly lower in no disease groups (COS 1 and 2) versus persistent disease groups (COS 5 through 9) (p = 0.008 and p = 0.050, respectively). In the follow-up period, there was a positive correlation between ACE and CTO and changes in clinical symptoms (p Conclusions: Both biomarkers correlated similarly with COS score and with changes in clinical symptoms and chest X-ray. Only CTO correlated with changes in lung function. The interpretation of ACE values can be difficult due to large number of patients with ACE activity in the normal range. In comparison, CTO was increased in majority of patients and had a greater range of blood concentrations.


It is demonstrated that in an antiferromagnetic metal a steady-state transport current generates a current-induced out-of-plane spin density, resulting in torques on the magnetization. This spin density is parameterized by a velocity that is proportional to the current. The generalization of the non-linear sigma model equation of motion for antiferromagnetic magnetization dynamics in an antiferromagnetic metal in the presence of a transport current is presented. From this equation of motion a current-induced shift of the spin-wave dispersion is found, as well as current-induced torques that lead to current-driven antiferromagnetic domain wall motion. A key finding is that the form of the current-induced spin density, expressed in terms of the N\'{e}\`{e}l vector is similar to the current-induced spin density in ferromagnets with the N\'{e}\`{e}l vector replaced by the magnetization direction. The velocity that characterizes the efficiency of the coupling between current and magnetization is calculated, using linear-response theory in the Boltzmann transport regime. In the absence of dissipation, current-driven antiferromagnetic domain walls are found to move with this characteristic velocity. When magnetization damping is included, the domain wall moves a finite amount and then stops, similar to the intrinsic pinning of current-driven ferromagnetic domain walls. Like in the latter case, including dissipative coupling or non-adiabatic effects between current and magnetization removes this intrinsic pinning. In magnetic insulators there is no transport of electronic charge. Still, there can be transport of spin in the form of spin waves, or, in their quantized form, magnons. Spin transport, carried by quasi-equilibrium magnons, in a magnetic insulator within a Boltzmann transport framework is considered. The spin resistivity of quasi-equilibrium magnons is found to be strongly reduced in comparison with equilibrium magnons, a property that may be useful in designing magnon spintronics applications. The contribution of magnon interactions to their resistivity has been studied for the reason that these dominate in the materials that are experimentally relevant, such as yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG). Firstly, the spin resistivity of a magnon gas using the simplest model, the Heisenberg model, is used. The investigation of material-specific models, in particular for YIG, is then presented. Despite the simplified model, the main qualitative result, the reduction of spin resistivity as a result of enhancing the magnon number by pumping, remains valid. This is because it only depends on the bosonic nature of the magnon excitations that leads to enhanced scattering into states that are already occupied


Leishmania parasites cause a wide spectrum of diseases known collectively as the leishmaniases. The three main forms of the disease are cutaneous (CL), mucocutaneous (MCL) and visceral (VL) leishmaniasis and particular species are usually associated with particular disease tropism. A better understanding of the mechanisms of disease would be beneficial in identifying potential drug targets and vaccine candidates. Genome projects for three species have now been completed: L. major (CL), L. infantum (VL) and L. braziliensis (MCL) and analysis of the highly syntenic genomes has revealed a small subset of species specific genes that are hypothesised to contribute in some way to the tropism of that species. Four L. infantum-specific genes were investigated in this project (LinJ28.0330, LinJ36.2750, LinJ20.1200 and LinJ36.2050). All four genes, which are pseudogenes (or absent) in L. major and L. braziliensis, were found to be intact in L. donovani, another species that can cause VL. All genes except LinJ20.1200 are expressed in all three main life cycle stages, procyclic promastigote, metacyclic promastigote and amastigote. LinJ20.1200 appears to be promastigote-specific. LinJ36.2050 encodes a protein that is a putative orthologue of yeast SEC14. A LinJ36.2050 null mutant (DeltaSEC14) was generated. No defect in growth or in vitro infectivity of macrophages phenotype was observed with the ΔSEC14 cells. They were unable to establish cutaneous infection in mice and at the time of writing, it is not yet known if ΔSEC14 clones can be recovered from the spleens of hamsters at 4 months post-infection. Further detailed analysis is required to determine if the ΔSEC14 cells have a phenotype at the cellular level.


SIP networks use signaling monitoring tools to debug customer-
reported problems and for regression testing if network or client
software is upgraded. As networks grow and become interconnected,
including connection via transit networks, it becomes impractical to
predict the path that SIP signaling will take between clients and,
therefore, impractical to monitor SIP signaling end-to-end. This
document describes the requirements for adding an indicator to the SIP
Protocol Data Unit (PDU) or a SIP message that marks the PDU as a
candidate for logging. Such a marking will typically be applied as
part of network testing controlled by the network operator and not
used in regular client signaling. However, such a marking can be
carried end-to-end, including the SIP terminals, even if a session
originates and terminates in different networks.


N INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY to infections in leukemia and in primary malignant disorders of the reticuloendothelial system. especially in some forms, is generally admitted. The nature of the defects in host resistance to bacterial infections in these diseases has not been clearly defined. One possible cause which has been considered is a decrease in the ability to form circulating antibodies. In patients with malignant blood disorders, this power has usually been investigated by determining the circulating antibodies arising as a response to an artificially induced antigenic stimulus. Acute leukemia, chronic lymphatic leukemia and Hodgkin's disease in particular were investigated in this way. The results, however, show certain discrepancies.4'10' '12' 14,15,25,26,28 Various authors used different antigens, and sufficient attention was not always paid to the stage of the neoplastic process, or to complications and other factors different for each patient-e.g., the manner of treatment. The study of the ability to form circulating antibodies in leukemia is important from still another aspect. In recent years, immunologic patterns of defense of the animal organism have already been demonstrated in some experimental leukemias. It cannot he ruled out, though evidence is still lacking, that a similar mechanism may also be operative in cases of human hemoblastosis. Certain spontaneous remissions might well be interpreted as the result of successful immunologic defense. In defense of this nature, circulating antibodies may also play a role. If the chemoand immunotherapy of leukemia become a practical possibility at some time in the future, it will certainly he important to know whether organisms affected by hemoblastosis (which frequently invades the RES and lymphoid system-known to he closely related to antibody formation), are still capable of immunologic response. With experimental tumors the question has already been raised in contemporary literature of whether the increased susceptibility of certain mouse strains to tumors of viral origin is not due to an inborn-deficient capacity to form circulating antibodies.31 We have studied several factors of immunologic reactivity in patients suf-


Systems integrators can play a conspicuous role in automotive supply chains. A systems integrator is an organisation with the capabilities to incorporate modular systems based on new technologies generated by its suppliers without its direct involvement. This work investigates the role of systems integrators at managing complex products with modular architectures under technological uncertainty in the automotive supply chain. For this research, it was decided to rely on existing architecture typology that included high-to-low technological uncertainty in complex, modular products. The research methodology included case studies comprising two segments in the automotive industry. The results of the study show systems integrators in low technological uncertainty, such as coach and bus manufacturing, have to be able to redesign those architectures due to the implementation of unknown technologies in key individual components (i.e. transmission and engine technology). For complex product, architectures under high technological uncertainty, the most important source of innovation still lies in the specialisation of individual activities. The role of the system integrator in the automotive supply chain is reduced to create basic interfaces for the adaptation and incorporation of untested and uncertain technologies in the overall architecture. OEMs performed the role of systems integrators in this study.


Two common quantification methods for subseafloor microorganisms are catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Using these methods, we quantified Bacteria and Archaea in Baltic Sea basin sediments (IODP Exp. 347) down to 90 mbsf, testing the following hypotheses in an interlaboratory comparison: (1) proteinase K permeabilization of archaeal cell walls increases CARD-FISH accuracy and (2) qPCR varies by more than an order of magnitude between laboratories using similar protocols. CARD-FISH counts did not differ between permeabilization treatments, demonstrating that proteinase K did not increase accuracy of CARD-FISH counts. However, 91% of these counts were below the quantification limit of 1.3 × 107 cells cm-3. For qPCR, data varied between laboratories, but were largely within the same order of magnitude if the same primers were used, with 88% of samples being above the quantification limit. Copy number values were elevated by preparing a sediment slurry before DNA extraction: 3.88 × 106-2.34 × 109 16S rRNA gene copies cm-3 vs. 1.39 × 107-1.87 × 109 total cells cm-3. By qPCR, Bacteria were more abundant than Archaea, although they usually were within the same order of magnitude. Overall, qPCR is more sensitive than CARD-FISH, but both require optimization to consistently achieve both precision and accuracy.


In folklore studies, there is a dearth of information about the transnational processes by which diasporic communities actively negotiate their identities. In this article, I examine the variables that affect the cultural performances of the DiDinga, an understudied group of southern Sudanese refugees, known in the United States by the moniker "The Lost Boys." In today's world of globalization and transnationalism, documentation and interpretation of recontextualized performances is more critical than ever before. Part of this inquiry seeks to make explicit the tensions that affect ways by which this small group of parentless male youth come to consensus about appropriate and meaningful traditions performed for the public in a new context. Drawing on public sector work with refugees, I explore how folklore research contributes to identifying internal and external forces that act on the aesthetics of recontextualized performance of diasporic groups, as well as how folklorists work effectively to present and interpret recontextualized traditions of people now residing in the United States.


The recombination model as a model for hadronization from a quark–gluon plasma has been recently revived since it has advantages in explaining several important features of the final state produced in heavy-ion collisions at the RHIC, such as the constituent quark number scaling of the elliptic coefficient versus the transverse energy of identified hadrons, the bending shape of the pT spectrum of hadrons near 5 GeV/c, and the measured large value of baryon-to-meson ratio (of the order of unity) in the same pT range. We have developed a dynamic simulation model of heavy-ion collisions in which a quark–gluon plasma, starting from a certain initial condition, evolves hydrodynamically until it reaches the phase boundary, and then hadronizes by valence quark recombination. Rescattering after hadronization is described by UrQMD. We discuss some details of the model and report first, preliminary results.


Abstract This study examines one aspect of the early history of meteorology as a university discipline in America—the establishment in the late 19th century of a program of research and graduate training at The Johns Hopkins University. The cooperative efforts of Cleveland Abbe and other Weather Bureau officials with President Daniel Coit Gilman and Hopkins faculty members resulted, in 1891, in the establishment of the Maryland State Weather Service in association with the university. Under Hopkins geologist William B. Clark, the Service became both the focus for research and publication concerning the meteorology and climatology of the Chesapeake Bay region, and the vehicle for a graduate program, culminating in the award of the first American doctorate in this field to Oliver L. Fassig in 1899.


The Maintenance Management have their own guidelines based on the types of building which is commercial building, residential buildings, institutions buildings, etc to maintain their building. Every resort building need a maintenance works so that the building should have their own maintenance management to keep maintain the condition of building. The beach house resort in coastal area need the maintenance management for keep maintain that building as a tourism places. The resort building
also should be considered when the designers specify the building materials to keep maintain the building in long term. Maintenance management of the resort in coastal area are very important because of the highest humidity problem. It will give the more of impact to that adjacent building whether the houses or resort. Because of that, the adjacent building have many problem such as corrosion, lack of the building's colour, etc. but the management of the resort building should be provide a
comfortable place to the tourist or any visitor to the resort. Every resort should have maintenance management for keep maintain and control the humidity problems due of wind and weather. When the building have their own maintenance management,they can be perform daily housekeeping and cleaning to maintain a properly presentable facility, promptly respond and repair minor discrepancies in the facility,develop and execute a system of regularly scheduled maintenance actions to prevent premature failure of the facility and its system and components, complete
major repairs based on lowest life-cycle cost, operate the facility utilities in the most economical manner while providing necessary reliability, and etc. The environment in coastal area is the different working environment in maintenance so that the owner of resort need occupational health and safety management systems to
prevent and minimize the accident to the tourist or visitor. The resort building in coastal area have a different practice, the maintenance programme should comprised of three basic components organization, inspection, and maintenance plan. The management of resort must provide guidance to the resort in preparing detailed list of areas, spaces, materials, furniture, and equipment to be maintained as well as a list of defect to be corrected. The users satisfaction also important to
the future life of the building.


We have measured high-resolution Ru K-edge x-ray absorption spectra for the intermetallic La1-xCexRu2 system. Multiple-scattering calculations are made to explore the origins of different features observed in the experimental x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and their variation with Ce doping. The experiments and theoretical analysis demonstrate that the Ce doping in La1-xCexRu2 has a direct influence on the states at the Fermi level and hence the hybridization between the f and d states induced by doping.


Background Since 1988, the LSPQ (Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec) coordinates the Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance programme,to support treatment guidelines updates. In the context of decreasing susceptibilities to 3rd generation cephalosporins, azithromycin and cefixime were added to our antibiotic susceptibility panel. Methods All N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated in clinical laboratories throughout the province were submitted to the LSPQ. The susceptibility profiles to azithromycin (AZI), cefixime (CEF), ceftriaxone (CFX), ciprofloxacin (CIP), ertapenem (ERT), gentamicin (GEN), penicillin (PEN), spectinomycin (SPE), tetracycline (TET), and tigecycline (TIG) were determined by the agar dilution method according to CLSI guidelines. WHO criteria were used to determine decreased susceptibility (DS) to cephalosporins. In 2010 and 2011, 5 antibiotics were tested (AZI, CEF, CFX, CIP and SPE) and 5 other antibiotics were added in 2012 (ERT, GEN, PEN, TET and TIG). Results In 2012, a total of 502 strains isolated from 352 males (70%), 145 females (29%) and 5 unknown (1%) were tested. All strains were susceptible to cefixime, ceftriaxone and spectinomycin, 47.4% were resistant to ciprofloxacin, 35.7% to tetracycline, 26.3% to penicillin, and 1.4% to azithromycin (MIC = 16 mg/L). Gentamicin MICs ranged from 2 to 16 mg/L (MIC50 = 8 mg/L and MIC90 = 16 mg/L). Tigecycline MICs ranged from 0.03 to 2 mg/L (MIC50 = 0.5 mg/L and MIC90 = 1 mg/L). Ertapenem MICs ranged from ≤ 0.004 to 0.12 mg/L (MIC50 = 0.03 mg/L and MIC90 = 0.06 mg/L). DS to cefixime, DS to ceftriaxone and resistance to azithromycin data are presented in the attached table. Cefixime MIC of 0.125 mg/L was identified in 61 strains (6.6%) in 2010, 72 (9.0%) in 2011 and 20 (4.0%) in 2012. Conclusions Although DS to cefixime has emerged in Québec, it remains at low level. Resistance to an alternative treatment option, azithromycin, is also emerging. This highlights the need to continue our resistance monitoring programme to support public health interventions. Abstract P2.089 Table 1 Antibiotic susceptibility AB2010 (n = 920) AB2011 (n = 797) 2012 (n = 502) * DS to cefixime(≥ 0.25 mg/L) 0.2% 0.8% 0.8% DS to ceftriaxone(≥ 0.125 mg/L) 0.1% 0.1% 0.6% Resistance to azithromycin(≥ 2 mg/L) 1.2% 1.0% 1.4% Legend: * partial data, DS: decreased susceptibility


One of the most important components of ecotourism is the participation of the indigenous people and this is often defined as a major way in ecotourism's main purpose. While they are often service providers for visitors, it is sometimes possible to see that they are just the main reason why the area is visited. This study examines the different approaches of eco-tourists and indigenous people to some important characteristics of the ecotourism areas and it proves how their understanding might be different from each other. To do this, five highland tourism centers in Trabzon city of Turkey were chosen as the research areas. Two different questionnaire forms were given to the eco-tourists and to the indigenous people in the areas to be able to identify their approaches regarding different characteristics of the areas. While only one person was randomly chosen from a group of visitors in the areas so that those who were in the same group might have had same or similar approaches, only one indigenous person was also chosen from a household for the same reason. Findings revealed that the eco-tourists and the indigenous people had quite different approaches and perceptions even on the same issues in the same areas, which meant that there was a potential offer-demand problem especially because the indigenous people were the only service providers in the research areas. The aim of this investigation is to contribute to the knowledge base needed to plan more efficient ecotourism areas and to address the growing gap between offer (from the indigenous people) and demand (from the ecotourists) in ecotourism business.


The objectives of this paper are to find the strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of concrete adding admixtures by glass fiber and nano-clay. Residual strength and residual UPV of concrete specimens subjected to elevated temperatures are investigated. Experiment results showed that adding glass fiber and nano-clay would be beneficial for the later-age compressive strength of concrete. Adding nano-clay could considerably increase the flexural and split strength and the toughness of concrete. It is revealed that adding nano-clay could significantly maintain residual compressive and split strength of specimens after high temperature exposure. Regression analysis results revealed that the residual strength and residual UPV of concrete specimens had a high relevance after elevated temperatures exposure.


In this study, the authors present an accurate approach for the estimation of statistical distribution of leakage power consumption in the presence of process variations in nano-scale complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies. The technique, which is additive with respect to the individual gate leakage values, employs a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution. Compared with the previous methods based on (two-parameter) lognormal distribution, this method uses the GEV distribution with three parameters to increase the accuracy. Using the suggested distribution, the leakage yield of the circuits may be modelled. The accuracy of the approach is studied by comparing its results with those of a previous technique and HSPICE-based Monte Carlo simulations on ISCAS85 benchmark circuits for 45 nm CMOS technology. The comparison reveals a higher accuracy for the proposed approach. The proposed distribution does not add to the complexity and cost of simulations compared with the case of the lognormal distribution based on the additive approach.


Alexis Wright's Carpentaria (2006) is a highly significant event in Australian Literature, winning the 2007 Australian Literary Society Gold Medal among many other awards. The story constructs various fictional and real contemporary, historical, and Indigenous mythological events in Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria in tropical, far northern Australia. It examines themes such as frontier violence, land rights, deaths in custody, impacts of mining, activism and the "Dreaming". Yet, its potential to influence the mindsets of sustainability exist beyond the literary, because while the novel is an exploration of the regionally specific perspective of its author, a member of the Waanyi nation of the Gulf, it also stands in metonymic eco-critical significance for all Australians. For the gulf country, with its extremes in seasonal shifts, experiencing flooding rains, cyclones, and intense heat and aridity presages the vulnerable future for all of Australia during climate change. This is painfully ironic, given that Australia is recognised as one of the most unsustainable and most environmentally vulnerable continents (WWF Living Planet Report 2010). There is, it is clear, recourse in Indigenous epistemologies. This paper investigates how Carpentaria, with its epic scope and experimental structure, suggests a new poetics and discourse for human engagement with the environment. The non-Indigenous reader is immersed in a startling and transforming story. The poetics constructing the novel normalises both cyclical temporality and communal cognition. The narrative incorporates climate and landscape as character rather than simply backdrop setting. Most importantly, it offers a non-didactic warning against human hubris in environmental interaction. This paper, using eco-critical analyses, proposes that such aesthetically innovative and compelling construction of narrative operates to dilute the anthropocentric nature/culture divide, a divide arguably at the heart of human destruction of the environment.


ABSTRACT In 2018, the Trump Administration took the unprecedented step of allowing states to impose work requirements as a condition of Medicaid eligibility. States can apply for a demonstration waiver to require Medicaid beneficiaries aged 19–64 who do not meet exemption criteria (e.g., disability, caring for a sick relative) to participate in "community engagement" activities, which include employment, volunteering, and enrollment in a qualifying education or job training program. Debate thus far has focused primarily around the important issue of whether such requirements are legal. Less attention has focused on another serious concern – namely, that work requirements could exacerbate the nation's most urgent public health crisis: the opioid epidemic. Many enrollees with opioid use disorder who are unable to meet states' community engagement criteria will not qualify for an exemption from the work requirements, and risk being dropped from Medicaid enrollment. Refusing health insurance to individuals who are unable to meet work requirements could result in significant losses in coverage among a highly vulnerable population. Implementing new barriers to Medicaid coverage will hinder the effectiveness of massive state and federal investments in improving access to evidence-based addiction treatment.


Background. The child care center (CCC) environment presents opportunities for healthy weight promotion in preschoolers. Our study examined the current state of CCC adherence to nutrition, physical activity, and screen time legislative regulations and the differences in their adherence by center socioeconomic position (SEP: low, middle, high) in Miami-Dade County. Method. In 34 CCC, we used the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation tool to evaluate nutrition, physical activity, and screen time practices during 1-school day. Results. Twenty-five of the centers (73.5%) were participants of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Almost 80% of the centers adhered to serving low-fat/fat-free milk to children older than 2 years. Only 34.5% served vegetables and 75.9% served whole fruits during meals/snacks. Ninety-four percent of the centers had quiet and active play incorporated into their daily routines. All centers adhered to the 2-hour screen time limit for children older than 2 years. Low- and middle-SEP centers fared better in the serving of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat/fat-free milk. The centers averaged 1 hour in outdoor play regardless of SEP. High-SEP centers had no TV or screen time during day of observation. Conclusion. CCC practices highlight opportunities for improvement in nutrition, physical activity, and screen time practices in the prevention of overweight in early childhood.


This dissertation offers a critical reading of Western academic discussions of the role of new communication technology in the Arab and Iranian movements that started in 2009. It demonstrates that while academic efforts to interpret the role of new technology in the movements display discursive variety, technological utopianism is operative in many of these efforts, generating particular images of the movements in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Critics, James Carey (1989) and Vincent Mosco (2005), understand technological utopianism as an extension of religious ideology (Carey) or ancient mythology (Mosco), concealing unequal economic relations (Mosco, 2005; Carey, 1989). This conceptualization of technological utopianism results in a lack of attention to technological utopianism's internal complexity and heterogeneity. This study attempts to acknowledge the discursive reality of technological utopianism by heeding its discursive, institutional, and historical nuances, while also tracing its effect on developing perceptions of the contemporary movements in MENA.
Acknowledging the multi-stranded nature of Western discourse of technology and its ramifications, this study employs a mixed-perspective approach. The first part of the dissertation (Chapters 2 and 3) is an historical and philosophical investigation that looks at Western discourse of technology, with special attention given to technological utopianism. Through this exploration, I put forward various models that have informed prevailing visions of technology. The second part (Chapters 5 and 6) relies on these models to critically assess their distribution in academic texts investigating the MENA movements. It detects, through this assessment, ways technological utopianism affords particular images of MENA's politics and societies.
In order to carry out these two projects, the multi-stranded history and the empirical examination of academic discourse, this dissertation puts two discourse traditions in dialogue (Chapter 4): Foucault's sense of power and history (1971, 1977a, 1977b, 1988) and Fairclough's critical discourse analysis (2013). The empirical evidence for this study is provided via two different means of data sampling: systematic and case-based. This work carries out a systematic study of journal publications representing academic research discourse on technology in the MENA movements. It offers further evidence in three case studies chosen from three academic-related domains: public, pedagogic, and policy-setting.


He demonstrates that Ashkenazic Jewish culture was profoundly shaped and conditioned by life in an overwhelmingly Christian society. Drawing on diverse Christian documents, he portrays Christian beliefs about medieval Jews and Judaism with a degree of detail seldom found in Jewish historics. Emphasizing social, political, and economic history, but also duscussing religious topics, Glick describes the evolution of a complex, inherently unequal relationship. Because the Ashkenazic Jews of medieval Europe were ancestral to almost the entire Jewish population of eastern Europe, their historical experience played a major role in the heritage of most Jewish Americans.


This article provides a comparative and intersectional analysis of East-Central European Holocaust testimonies by women survivors narrated in writing at the time of the Shoah and recorded five decades later by the USC Shoah Institute's Visual History Archive. The comparison explores both the continuities and changes particularly in the beginning and end of the persecution, which are usually associated with the terms "occupation" and "liberation." I suggest that these conceptualizations prominent in the archive collide with survivor testimonies from the region in that survivors do not interpret Hitler's rise to power and the German occupation as formative events of the persecution against the local Jewry. Further, I provide a typology of liberation narratives arguing for a multiplicity of interpretation based on survivor narratives countering the popular consensus of liberation as a carefree moment in time. Lastly, I conclude that the regional approach is particularly useful in understanding Holocaust memory in Hungary today as it is conducive to highlighting the specific relation of the global to the local.


Nunoa is a high altitude rural Peruvian community characterized by socioeconomic stratification and differential access to the market economy. Nursing practices and the effects of nursing are also stratified; this translates into a risk of menses at 12 months postpartum nearly 7 times greater in wealthier than in poorer women. In 1985 30 women were interviewed and 10 of these women were observed going about their normal daily routines including nursing. Most nursing occurs in the morning among those who practice on-demand breast feeding. Nursing episodes are clustered into sessions; the amount of breast feeding is regulated by varying the number of episodes per session rather than by changing the duration of suckling episodes or the frequency of sessions per hour. Thus resumption of ovulation is not dependent on the variable spacing of nursing episodes or sessions. The components of nursing activity most likely to be responsible for variation in the duration of postpartum amenorrhoea in these nursing women are mean session duration and mean number of episodes per session. The mean duration of morning nursing sessions is negatively associated with infants age reflecting the greater reliance of younger children on breast milk. The mean duration of afternoon nursing sessions is positively associated with mothers age independent of infants age possibly reflecting maternal age-related variation in milk production capabilities. Baby minding by older daughters may also help to explain variation in afternoon nursing. (authors)


Greetings, and best wishes for a successful academic year. The intent of this message is to reflect upon issues and events that affected our association during the past twelve months and to delineate a course of action for the next twelve months. The Year in Review As our association celebrates its 70th anniversary, I am pleased to report that it has been well served by a dedicated Board of Directors, a devoted Executive Director, and a committed association staff during the last twelve months. The Board of Directors framed a three-year strategic plan during the summer of 2008. President Len Litowitz is in the process of assembling a team to implement the plan. The board members are currently developing strategies and procedures to address membership growth, membership needs, new products for members, income initiatives, a "T and E in STEM" position statement, TIG guidelines, a leadership training program, and profession identity issues. Pilot Technology Interest Groups (TIGS) were launched during the past year, and association listservs continue to grow in popularity. A "Green Technology" campaign was introduced during the past year. The Technology Education Advisory Council presented reports and recommendations to the Board of Directors in November on the topics of STEM, K-12 Engineering Education in the United States, and Technological Literacy Assessments. The EbD[TM] Consortium continues to grow and is now in nineteen states. The Salt Lake City Conference was a success, and preparation activities for the Louisville Conference remain on schedule. The preliminary planning process for the 2010 Charlotte Conference is underway. In his 2008 President's Message, Len Litowitz cited data from a Phi Delta Kappan article that indicates a decline in K-12 technology education programs and technology education teacher preparation programs. The article indicated that the technology education profession has lost over 25,000 teachers during the past 25 years. These issues have not improved during the past twelve months and continue to be cause for concern for all technology educators. Technology education continues to have an identity problem because of the public's confusion in understanding the differences between technology education, education technology, and information technology. Profession identification, program funding, increased academic graduation requirements, content philosophy, traditional certification vs. alternative certification, traditionally designed laboratories vs. modular laboratories, and commercially prepared curricula vs. district-designed curricula continue to segment the membership. A Course of Action There are actions that need to be taken over the next twelve months to ensure the future of technology education. These actions are intended to mitigate issues of concern that were not resolved during the previous twelve months. Many of the actions will require the collective efforts of all members of the association. Failure to take action is not a viable option. Suggested actions include: * Eliminate the confusion created by the terms technology education, education technology, information technology, and technology. The association needs to resolve its identity issue by bringing clarity to the name and mission of the discipline. Technology educators should be able to define and describe the mission of technology education in two or three sentences and in under two minutes. * Implement a plan and campaign to articulate the mission, features, and benefits of technology education to students, parents, educators, policy makers, the business community, organized labor, professional associations, and the general public. …


Background: In order to support people throughout their cancer journey, the UK charity, Macmillan Cancer Support offers a range of free courses, training opportunities, workshops and e-learning for people living with and affected by cancer, including carers, family members, volunteers and community members. Macmillan asked the University of Lincoln to carry out a study around Learning and Development (L&D) provision focusing on (although not exclusive to) the Midlands region of England.

Methods: The study collected quantitative and qualitative data from August to November 2019. This was done using an online survey (N=119) that asked people living with and affected by cancer questions on demographics and L&D provision. Participants could select multiple responses to the majority of questions. In addition, a series of semi- structured interviews (N=10) were conducted with a range of Professionals who were involved in supporting people living with and affected by cancer. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: There was demand for L&D to be delivered face-to-face (N=74), as well as, online (N=66). Participants reported that they would like Health and Social Care Professionals (N=54) and people with a personal experience of a cancer diagnosis (N=64) to do facilitate the L&D. The most popular settings for L&D to be delivered were: in the community (N=75) and online (N=47) although some participants also reported wanting clinical or healthcare settings (N=38). There were four themes from the qualitative data with Professionals (1) Setting (2) Including the Lived Experience (3) Communication and Inclusiveness and (4) Tailoring to Individual Needs.

Conclusion: Macmillan should ensure that their future L&D offer is available face-to-face, as well as, online. Although the mode of delivery is likely to be dependent on the L&D on offer. Where L&D is delivered face-to-face, there would appear to be demand for this to be held in both a clinical and community setting. Where appropriate this should be facilitated by experienced Health Professionals and people with lived experience.


It is often argued that minimum wage increases can lead to increased inflation. This paper examines the impact of minimum wage increases on inflation in Vietnam during the 1994– 2008 period. Inflation is measured by a monthly overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) and a monthly food CPI. It is found that the minimum wage increases did not increase inflation. Since the minimum wage increases often took place one or two months before the Vietnamese New Year festivals, observed increases in monthly inflation after the minimum wage increases were caused by increased consumption demand during the New Year festivals, not by the minimum wage increases.


Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have lately been hailed as robust lubricant additives for improving tribological properties, and as ideal catalysts for synthesizing carbon-based nanomaterials. In this paper, in-situ analytical tools are used to track the evolution of the crystal structure and chemical composition of LDHs during calcination. Nickel oxide and elemental nickel can be produced by calcining NiAl-LDH in air (LDH-C-Air) and argon (LDH-C-Ar), respectively. For the base oil with 1 wt% LDH-C-Air, negligible wear can be detected even after a 2-hour friction test under severe contact pressure (~637 MPa). A relatively thick tribofilm (~60 nm) with better mechanical property is formed, which protects the solid surface from severe wear. Besides, the possible formed carbon debris may also prevent the direct collision of asperities and effectively improve the wear resistance. This work provides a unique vision toward the application of calcined LDHs with the combination of catalysis and tribology.


This thesis contains three empirical essays. It is mainly motivated by the economic situations (low economic growth and high economic inequality) of many developing countries including Thailand. Nonetheless, the labour supply literature regarding developing countries necessary to address these issues is very limited.

The first empirical chapter investigates the determinants of labour supply at the extensive margin in the formal labour market of Thailand as a developing country. This chapter applies the structural binary probit to model behaviour of labour supply participation using the Household Socio-Economic Survey (HSES) of Thailand covering 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015. The key focuses are the role of the informal sector, the effect of income restructure policies in 2012, and the impact of debt constraints on labour force participation. The results show that the informal sector has a negative effect on labour supply participation; the set of income restructure policies affects labour supply at the extensive margin negatively; and the amount of debts encourages people to participate in the labour market.

The subsequent chapter studies individual and household labour supply using a structural discrete hours approach. This essay adopts Thailand HSES covering 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015 to estimate different model specifications based on the degrees of model flexibility and applies five criteria to select the preferred model at individual and household level. The results suggest that the most flexible model are preferred for individual and family labour supply.

The final essay focuses on applying the microsimulation technique to explore the effects of three different policy reforms including the perfect compliance of the national minimum wage, increases in non-transferable allowances, and a proposed personal income tax package. This chapter applies Thailand HSES in 2013 and 2015. The results of the first policy suggest that the minimum wage with perfect compliance helps promote household income at the bottom end of the distribution; the policy therefore ameliorates the poverty and income inequality problems. Increases in non-transferable allowances as implemented in 2017 marginally impact labour supply response as well as gross and disposable incomes; however, the reform decreases the tax burden significantly. The results of the final simulation (the proposed tax package) reveal that it causes negative effects on labour supply and financial factors overall. Introducing this policy intensifies poverty and income inequality problems.


ABSTRACT Tropical forests plays a vital role in mitigating atmospheric CO2 but the retention capacity of such ecosystems has changed greatly due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, of which firewood extraction is the main one activity in rural areas. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the biomass stocks of pine and oak forests with different pressure of fuelwood extraction in Chiapas, Mexico. The study was carried out in four locations in the state of Chiapas, southern Mexico; two of them with high extraction levels and the other two with lower extraction levels. Pine and Oak forests are the predominant forest types in the region. A total of sixteen plots of 400 m2 were established to measure the biomass stocks of the trees with > 7.5 cm DBH. Published allometric equations were used to quantify the biomass stocks. The average biomass of the pine forest with low fuelwood extraction was 213.4 Mg ha-1, and that of the oak forest was 189.5 Mg ha-1. On the other hand, the biomass stocks of the pine forest with high fuelwood extraction was 138.2 Mg ha-1, and that of the oak forest was 92.0 Mg ha-1. Communities with agricultural diversification like apiculture and agroforestry practices were found more effective in forest biomass conservation when compared to those who are only dedicated to Milpa cultivation and extensive bovine livestock production. The adoption of silvopasture systems, the use of crop residues and the use of ecological cooking stoves can be the alternatives to reduce forest fuelwood extraction.


We present an annotation approach to capturing emotional and cognitive empathy in student-written peer reviews on business models in German. We propose an annotation scheme that allows us to model emotional and cognitive empathy scores based on three types of review components. Also, we conducted an annotation study with three annotators based on 92 student essays to evaluate our annotation scheme. The obtained inter-rater agreement of α=0.79 for the components and the multi-π=0.41 for the empathy scores indicate that the proposed annotation scheme successfully guides annotators to a substantial to moderate agreement. Moreover, we trained predictive models to detect the annotated empathy structures and embedded them in an adaptive writing support system for students to receive individual empathy feedback independent of an instructor, time, and location. We evaluated our tool in a peer learning exercise with 58 students and found promising results for perceived empathy skill learning, perceived feedback accuracy, and intention to use. Finally, we present our freely available corpus of 500 empathy-annotated, student-written peer reviews on business models and our annotation guidelines to encourage future research on the design and development of empathy support systems.


Obstetrical Department, Luoyang Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Luoyang 471009, Henan, People's Republic of China Introduction: Emerging evidence has demonstrated that circRNAs are implicated in the progression of cervical cancer (CC). However, the roles and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs remain unclear in CC. Methods: QRT-PCRwas performed to detect hsa_circ_0008285 expression in CC tissues and cell lines. The roles of hsa_circ_0008285 on CC progression were explored by function assays. Next, the underlying mechanisms of hsa_circ_0008285 in CC progression were determined by bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assays. Results: In the present study, we identified a new circRNA hsa_circ_0008285, which was significantly up-regulated in CC tissues and cell lines. Loss-of-function assays showed that hsa_circ_0008285 suppression reduced the proliferation and invasion of CC cells in vitro and reduced tumor growth in vivo. In mechanism, bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter and RIP assays showed that hsa_circ_0008285 served as a sponge for miR-211-5p in CC. Next, we confirmed that SOX4 served as a target gene for miR-211-5p in CC. Additionally, we revealed that miR-211-5p inhibitors abolished the effects of hsa_circ_0008285 on SOX4 expression in CC cells. Conclusion: Therefore, our research highlighted that hsa_circ_0008285 promoted CC progression via serving as a ceRNA of miR-211-5p to release SOX4, which might provide a potential therapeutic target for tumor treatment.


The introduced cutting model uses the widely applied mechanical-dynamical differential Lagrange model together with one of the most popular experimental force model (Kienzle-Victor model) in order to provide the more accurate demonstration and simulation of cutting processes. To increase the reliability of the results the authors considered as much parameters and as complex chip geometry as the calculations and processing made it possible. In this paper the sophisticated model of milling operation was the aim of the authors. The simulation results show good equivalency with the measured real cutting experiments. In spite of the complexity of the equations the rapid development in the informatics (hardware and software tools) helped the handling and quick calculation of the equations in this type of models.


This investigation was an examination of the effects of testing apparatus, specimen type and density, normal stress, and sequence of loading on the residual strength of various clays and clay shales. Annular shear and repeated direct shear tests were conducted on intact shale specimens with precut failure planes, while comparison rotational shear tests were conducted on the same shale material subjected to various degrees of remolding. Test results indicate that comparable residual strengths can be obtained, regardless of equipment type and procedure or degree of remolding. Supplemental annular shear tests on residual clay and silty sand show that precutting of the failure plane or the specimen density has no effect on the Φ r ' value. The residual friction angle is independent of stress history and normal load [when greater than 2 kg/cm 2 (1.96 X 10' Pa)].