Isotopic composition analysis of natural and depleted uranium by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) requires the use of a high-resolution instrument due to the very slight isotopic shifts between the atomic emission spectra of the 238U and 235U isotopes. In this work, we show that conventional ICP-OES (without high-resolution optics) can be used for highly accurate uranium isotopic analysis, on par with the results obtained by ICP-MS. Such accurate measurements are achieved by applying a preparatory mathematical procedure termed the optimal sensitivity position (OSP) procedure. In the OSP procedure, a theoretical spectrum for 238U is constructed and subtracted from the measured spectra of calibration solutions encompassing various isotopic ratios. The resultant spectra are used to locate the optimal measurement positions for both major uranium isotopes (238U and 235U) and the background measurement position. Herein, the optimal measurement positions are revealed to be located not at each isotope's peak maximum but at 424.427, 424.409, and 424.390 nm for 238U, 235U, and the background position, respectively. These locations remained stationary during the period of this work, implying that the use of a routine mathematical procedure is not required before every analysis. The OSP procedure offers a direct and highly accurate approach for determining the isotopic ratio of uranium in a relatively cheap and simple fashion. Furthermore, this work also demonstrates the possibility of greatly enhancing ICP-OES capabilities using mathematical analysis of spectra.


What are the tradeoffs that the public is willing to accept between inflation and unemployment? We find that people dislike unemployment more than inflation. This is true for both Europe and Latin America. For the latter, the aversion to unemployment relative to inflation is much greater. Moreover, in both regions, the poor's distaste for unemployment relative to inflation is significantly greater than that of the rich. This result contributes to the literature on the costs of inflation and questions the commonly held view that prescribes strong anti-inflationary postures as a way to implement policies consistent with the preferences of the poor.


Statewide monitoring of pink bollworm susceptibility to Bt toxin was conducted in Arizona in 1997 and 1998. In bioassays in which Bt toxin was incorporated into insect diet, a concentration of 10 )g/ml Cry1Ac caused >80% mortality of all field populations. LC50s of Arizona populations ranged from 0.35 to 1.7 )g Cry1Ac/ml of insect diet. A laboratory strain of pink bollworm had an LC50 of 0.53 )g/ml. A selection experiment was conducted in which survivors of bioassays of 3.2 and 10 )g/ml of Cry1Ac from all Arizona populations tested in 1997 were pooled and reared for one generation on diet containing 10 )g Cry1Ac/ml. Selection produced a strain of pink bollworm that was 100to 460-fold less susceptible to Cry1Ac, than were the field populations from which it was derived. Preliminary results from greenhouse evaluations concerning survival of this resistant strain on Bt cotton showed that larvae were able to complete development in bolls of Bt cotton, pupate, and successfully reproduce. We conclude from these preliminary results that the type of resistance we have isolated in the laboratory is likely to negatively impact field performance of Bt cotton in Arizona in the future. However, we found no evidence that field performance of Bt cotton has yet been compromised. In large field trials, in-field refuges of non-Bt cotton were contrasted with the standard, external refuges. During both 1997 and 1998, in-field refuge plots yielded comparable to, or better than, plots of 100% Bt cotton, yet they produced substantial numbers of pink bollworm late in the season on non-Bt plants.


The Ng Ka Ling decision by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeals and its reversal by the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, raise serious concerns regarding the adequacy of judicial review and the protection of the rule of law in the new special administrative regions under China's "One Country, Two Systems" approach. Judicial review lies at the forefront of this controversy because it largely delineates the contours of local autonomy and the extent to which those who experience legal violations will have remedies. This Comment explores the roots of the conflict in Hong Kong and examines whether those same factors are present in Macau. After comparing the Basic Laws of Macau and Hong Kong, it concludes that the conflicts over judicial review in Hong Kong could occur in Macau. However, because of Macau's legal culture, particularly the inexperience of its judiciary, conflicts over judicial review will probably not reappear in Macau.


Immune escape in cancer poses a substantial obstacle to successful cancer immunotherapy. Multiple defects in HLA class I antigen presentation exist in cancer that may contribute to immune escape, but less is known about roles for HLA class II antigen presentation. On class II(+) leukemic blasts, the presence of class II-associated invariant chain peptide (CLIP) is known to be correlated with poor survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this study, we evaluated the functional significance of CLIP expression on leukemic blasts of AML patients. CD4(+) T cells from patients were cocultured with autologous CLIP(-) and CLIP(+) primary leukemic blasts and analyzed for several functional parameters by flow cytometry. Increased HLA-DR and IFN-γ expression was observed for CD4(+) T cells stimulated with CLIP(-) leukemic blasts, in contrast to CLIP(+) leukemic blasts, which indicated an activation and polarization of the CD4(+) T cells toward T-helper 1 cells. In addition, CLIP(-) leukemic blasts induced greater outgrowth of effector memory CD4(+) T cells (with HLA-DR-restricted T-cell receptor Vβ repertoires) that were associated with better leukemia-specific reactivity than with CLIP(+) leukemic blasts. Our findings offer a clinical rationale to downmodulate CLIP on leukemic blasts as a strategy to degrade immune escape and improve leukemia-specific T-cell immunity in AML patients.


The AIC welcomes Richard Wagman, co-counder of the Union Juive Francaise pour la Paix (UJFP), commenting on reports about rising anti-semitism in France. According to a study recently published by Tel Aviv University, anti-semitic acts rose by one third in 2012. Richard Wagman refutes the numbers published and highlights how the issue of racism should be taken on more generally.


Background: The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor ranibizumab is emerging as an efficacious treatment for diabetic macular oedema. Large clinical trials have shown improvements in visual acuity and reduced central retinal thickness. Details of its effect on other retinal functional parameters are lacking. There is a concern that repeated ranibizumab treatment could exacerbate macular ischaemia or lead to global retinal dysfunction by inhibiting physiological isoforms of VEGF. Outcomes of surgery for advanced proliferative retinopathy remain variable and post-operative complications including recurrent haemorrhage can limit visual recovery. VEGF is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of advanced retinopathy, so VEGF inhibition prior to surgery may improve outcomes. Trials have failed to demonstrate a clear benefit for bevacizumab, so investigation of the licensed intraocular agent ranibizumab represents a logical next step. Aims: To investigate the effects of ranibizumab and laser treatment in diabetic macular oedema on the following parameters: visual acuity, protan and tritan colour contrast sensitivity, 4° and 12° macular sensitivity by microperimetry, electrophysiological indices from pattern and full field electroretinograms. To report structural retinal changes following ranibizumab and laser treatment in terms of qualitative and quantitative optical coherence tomography outcomes, and to quantify macular ischaemia by fluorescein angiography. To investigate the effect on visual acuity at three months post-surgery of ranibizumab pre-treatment in patients undergoing vitrectomy for advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Methods: Randomised clinical trial of intravitreal ranibizumab vs. laser in 36 subjects with centre-involving diabetic macular oedema (The LUCIDATE study). Randomised clinical trial of pre-operative intravitreal ranibizumab vs. subconjunctival saline injection in 30 subjects undergoing vitrectomy-delamination for advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy (The RaDiVit study). Results: Thirty six subjects with diabetic macular oedema were recruited and 33 completed the trial. Ranibizumab treated subjects gained a mean of 6 letters compared with 0.9 letter loss for laser at 48 weeks. Retinal sensitivity improved in the central macular 4° and 12° in both groups but to a greater extent with ranibizumab. There was no evidence of worsening global retinal dysfunction by electroretinograms in either group. Retinal thickness decreased in both groups: there was a 132 µm reduction in central macular thickness with ranibizumab compared with 103 µm for laser. Fluorescein angiography showed no evidence of significantly increased macular ischaemia in either group. Thirty subjects with advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy were recruited, underwent surgery, and completed the study. At three months post-surgery, visual acuity in the ranibizumab group was 53 letters compared with 47 letters in the control group. Conclusion: In diabetic macular oedema, there is evidence that ranibizumab leads to greater improvements in visual acuity and retinal sensitivity than laser, with a corresponding greater reduction in retinal thickness. There is no evidence that it worsens macular ischaemia or indices of global retinal electrophysiological function, but larger trials designed to address each of the outcomes investigated here would be required to confirm these findings. In proliferative diabetic retinopathy, there is evidence from this small pilot study that ranibizumab treatment leads to better visual acuity at 3 months post-surgery. An appropriately powered trial would be required to confirm this.


Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a widely used fluorescent probe in the life sciences and biosciences due to its high quantum yield and extinction coefficient, and its ability to bind to biological systems of interest. This study measures the fluorescence lifetime of GFP in sucrose/water solutions of known molarity in order to determine the refractive index dependent lifetime of GFP. A range of refractive indices from 1.43-1.53 were probed by levitating micron sized droplets composed of water/sucrose/GFP in an optical trap under well-constrained conditions of relative humidity. This setup allows for the first reported measurements of the fluorescence lifetime of GFP at refractive indices greater than 1.46. The results obtained at refractive indices less than 1.46 show good agreement with previous studies. Further experiments that trapped droplets of deionised water containing GFP allowed the hygroscopic properties of GFP to be measured. GFP is found to be mildly hygroscopic by mass, but the high ratio of molecular masses of GFP to water (ca. 1500 : 1) signifies that water uptake is large on a per-mole basis. Hygroscopic properties are verified using brightfield microscope imaging, of GFP droplets at low and high relative humidity, by measuring the humidity dependent droplet size. In addition, this experiment allowed the refractive index of pure GFP to be estimated for the first time (1.72 ± 0.07). This work provides reference data for future experiments involving GFP, especially for those conducted in high refractive index media. The work also demonstrates that GFP can be used as a probe for aerosol studies, which require determination of the refractive index of the aerosol of any shape.


The biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate, a fundamental precursor for isoprenoids, via the mevalonate pathway is completed by diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase. This enzyme catalyzes the formation of isopentenyl diphosphate through the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of the 3-hydroxyl group of (R)-5-diphosphomevalonate followed by decarboxylation coupled with the elimination of the 3-phosphate group. In this reaction, a conserved aspartate residue has been proposed to be involved in the phosphorylation step as the general base catalyst that abstracts a proton from the 3-hydroxyl group. In this study, the catalytic mechanism of this rare type of decarboxylase is re-investigated by structural and mutagenic studies on the enzyme from a thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. The crystal structures of the archaeal enzyme in complex with (R)-5-diphosphomevalonate and adenosine 5′-O-(3-thio)triphosphate or with (R)-5-diphosphomevalonate and ADP are newly solved, and theoretical analysis based on the structure suggests the inability of proton abstraction by the conserved aspartate residue, Asp-281. Site-directed mutagenesis on Asp-281 creates mutants that only show diphosphomevalonate 3-kinase activity, demonstrating that the residue is required in the process of phosphate elimination/decarboxylation, rather than in the preceding phosphorylation step. These results enable discussion of the catalytic roles of the aspartate residue and provide clear proof of the involvement of a long predicted intermediate, (R)-3-phospho-5-diphosphomevalonate, in the reaction of the enzyme.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Nephrolithiasis is rising in prevalence and continues to pose an increasing financial burden on society. Common management options for stones include watchful waiting, percutaneous stone removal, ureteroscopy and shock wave lithotripsy, with the latter two comprising the majority of interventions for stones in the US. When multiple treatment options exist, effective care is heralded by equal utilization rates in disparate locations. Conversely, if variation is identified, this may be secondary to unwarranted variation, potentially driven by either supply-sensitive or preference-sensitive care. Responsible health care spending dictates identification of variation in surgical utilization as a first step in unravelling and then addressing underlying sources of potentially unwarranted variation. Variation in the utilization of SWL has been suspected but not comprehensively evaluated in the United States. METHODS: Utilizing the full 100% Medicare dataset from the year 2014, we identified all patients with the diagnosis of a renal stone within the previously defined and validated 306 hospital referral regions (HRR's) of the US. Among beneficiaries with the diagnosis of a renal stone, we then assessed the rate of any type of surgical management of the stone, and then specifically the rate of use of SWL, both on a national level and by HRR. Both crude rates and rates adjusted by age, sex and race were generated. RESULTS: In 2014 there were a total of 806,652 included Medicare beneficiaries with a diagnosis of a renal stone. Nationally, the rate of any surgical intervention was 71.34/1,000. The HRR with the lowest rate of surgical intervention was 31.67/1,000 while that with the highest was 131.02/1,000, representing an approximately 4-fold variation in the rate of all surgical management. For SWL, the national rate of utilization was 45.48/1,000 patients with kidney stones. The HRR with the lowest rate of SWL utilization was 9.24/1,000 while that with the highest was 105.80/1,000, representing a greater than 11-fold regional variation in SWL utilization among those with stones. CONCLUSIONS: In this all-inclusive population of Medicare beneficiaries with a diagnosis of a renal stone, there is dramatic variation in the rate of SWL utilization. Although this may reflect overutilization of SWL in some centers and underutilization in others, these findings clearly suggest that the probability of having SWL as opposed to any other management option for a stone may depend heavily upon the hospital to which one is referred. Whether this is due to supply-sensitive factors including the availability of a lithotripter or number of urologists on staff, or preference-sensitive factors including the surgeon's preferred treatment, warrants further investigation. Future efforts to standardize treatment algorithms and develop shared decision-making models may reduce unwarranted variation in the care of patients with kidney stones. Source of Funding: none


Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a multicarrier modulation technique that has become a viable method for wireless communication systems due to the high spectral efficiency, immunity to multipath distortion, and being flexible to integrate with other techniques. However, the high-peak-to-average power ratio and sensitivity to synchronization errors are the major drawbacks for OFDM systems. The algorithms and architectures for symbol timing and frequency synchronization have been addressed in this thesis because of their critical requirements in the development and implementation of wireless OFDM systems. For the frequency synchronization, two efficient carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation methods based on the power and phase difference measurements between the subcarriers in consecutive OFDM symbols have been presented and the power difference measurement technique is mapped onto reconfigurable hardware architecture. The performance of the considered CFO estimators is investigated in the presence of timing uncertainty conditions. The power difference measurements approach is further investigated for timing synchronization in OFDM systems with constant modulus constellation. A new symbol timing estimator has been proposed by measuring the power difference either between adjacent subcarriers or the same subcarrier in consecutive OFDM symbols. The proposed timing metric has been realized in feedforward and feedback configurations, and different implementation strategies have been considered to enhance the performance and reduce the complexity. Recently, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems have received considerable attention. Therefore, the proposed algorithms have also been extended for timing recovery and frequency synchronization in MIMO-OFDM systems. Unlike other techniques, the proposed timing and frequency synchronization architectures are totally blind in the sense that they do not require any information about the transmitted data, the channel state or the signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). The proposed frequency synchronization architecture has low complexity because it can be implemented efficiently using the three points parameter estimation approach. The simulation results confirmed that the proposed algorithms provide accurate estimates for the synchronization parameters using a short observation window. In addition, the proposed synchronization techniques have demonstrated robust performance over frequency selective fading channels that significantly outperform other well-established methods which will in turn benefit the overall OFDM system performance. Furthermore, an architectural exploration for mapping the proposed frequency synchronization algorithm, in particular the CFO estimation based on the power difference measurements, on reconfigurable computing architecture has been investigated. The proposed reconfigurable parallel and multiplexed-stream architectures with different implementation alternatives have been simulated, verified and compared for field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation using the Xilinx's DSP design flow.


This textbook provides beginning graduate students and advanced undergraduates with an accessible introduction to the rich subject of partial differential equations (PDEs). It presents a rigorous and clear explanation of the more elementary theoretical aspects of PDEs, while also drawing connections to deeper analysis and applications. The book serves as a needed bridge between basic undergraduate texts and more advanced books that require a significant background in functional analysis. Topics include first order equations and the method of characteristics, second order linear equations, wave and heat equations, Laplace and Poisson equations, and separation of variables. The book also covers fundamental solutions, Green's functions and distributions, beginning functional analysis applied to elliptic PDEs, traveling wave solutions of selected parabolic PDEs, and scalar conservation laws and systems of hyperbolic PDEs. * Provides an accessible yet rigorous introduction to partial differential equations * Draws connections to advanced topics in analysis * Covers applications to continuum mechanics * An electronic solutions manual is available only to professors * An online illustration package is available to professors


IT/ICT using hopefully can give a great benefit to such a competitive world of education. One of technology implementations in terms of business competition improvement and products selling is to use Web to provide information about a university/higher education institution. The parties who are related to the university such as lecturers, staffs, students, parents of students, alumni, the employee of alumni, and the government will have their roles in the using of informatics technology at university. The objectives of this study are: (1) What motives that encourage a university/higher education institution to use Web for business interest, and (2) What benefits that have already been obtained when a university/higher education institution has used Web already for the sake of educational institution development. The sample of this research contains of 85 universities. The result shows that, the most ten motives of universities to use web are: to access global information, to promote available facilities and infrastructure, to build the image of university, to provide information for candidate students, to help competing with large universities, to give a positive image to the institution (Higher Education), to help faster communication with the users of information at universities, to facilitate the communication of information users at universities, to be closer to the users of information at universities and to broaden the spread of students. The other finding of the research show that the most three benefit of using Web at universities are: competitive strategy, an easy access to information and the satisfaction of information users at universities (student and their parents).


Improving energy efficiency of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems is a primary objective for the society. Model Predictive Control (MPC) techniques for HVAC systems have recently received particular attention, since they can naturally account for several factors, such as weather and occupancy forecasts, comfort ranges and actuation constraints. Developing effective MPC based control strategies for HVAC systems is nontrivial, since buildings dynamics are nonlinear and affected by various uncertainties. Further, the complexity of the MPC problem and the burden of on-line computations can lead to difficulties in integrating this scheme into a building management system.


How to deal with used rubber has become a difficult problem worldwide. Adding powdered used tires in certain grain sizes to cement concrete can modify cement concrete, which is also a nuisance-free treatment and rational utilization thereof. In the early stage of research work, the author found that the rubber concrete mixed with fine used rubber powder whose grain diameters are 80, 100, 120 meshes showed a good anti-freeze durability. Based on these, the basic mechanical properties of rubber concrete within that grain size range are studied in this paper. The relations between axial compressive strength and cubic compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and cubic compressive strength are established to provide a design basis for engineering applications.


The combination of photographs taken at two or three wavelengths at and bracketing an absorbance peak indicative of a particular compound can lead to an image with enhanced visualization of the compound. This procedure works best for compounds with absorbance bands that are narrow compared with "average" chromophores. If necessary, the photographs can be taken with different exposure times to ensure that sufficient light from the substrate is detected at all three wavelengths. The combination of images is readily performed if the images are obtained with a digital camera and are then processed using an image processing program. Best results are obtained if linear images at the peak maximum, at a slightly shorter wavelength, and at a slightly longer wavelength are used. However, acceptable results can also be obtained under many conditions if non-linear photographs are used or if only two wavelengths (one of which is at the peak maximum) are combined. These latter conditions are more achievable by many "mid-range" digital cameras. Wavelength selection can either be by controlling the illumination (e.g., by using an alternate light source) or by use of narrow bandpass filters. The technique is illustrated using blood as the target analyte, using bands of light centered at 395, 415, and 435 nm. The extension of the method to detection of blood by fluorescence quenching is also described.


Tensions between watercourse states are likely to escalate in the absence of effective legal frameworks by which to evaluate the impacts of large-scale unilateral water projects. Conscious of the need for such a framework, the lower Mekong River Basin States have developed the 1995 Mekong Agreement and related procedures for prior notification and consultation. The Xayaburi Hydropower Project constitutes the first project on the mainstream of the Mekong River that has been submitted to the consultation procedures under the 1995 Mekong Agreement. An analysis of the Xayaburi Project shows that both the design and implementation of the consultation process might be improved. The need to strengthen this process is particularly pertinent due to the numerous plans to further exploit the hydropower potential of the Mekong River and its tributaries. Additionally, examination of the prior consultation process under the Mekong Agreement offers valuable lessons for other international watercourses facing similar challenges.


New SHRIMP-RG (sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe–reverse geometry) data confirm the existence of Archean components within zircon grains of a sample from the orthogneiss of Angel Lake, Nevada, United States, previously interpreted as a nappe of Archean crust. However, the combined evidence strongly suggests that this orthogneiss is a highly deformed, Late Cretaceous monzogranite derived from melting of a sedimentary source dominated by Archean detritus. Zircon grains from the same sample used previously for isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) isotopic work were analyzed using the SHRIMP-RG to better define the age and origin of the orthogneiss. Prior to analysis, imaging revealed a morphological variability and intragrain, polyphase nature of the zircon population. The SHRIMP-RG yielded 207Pb/206Pb ages between ca. 2430 and 2580 Ma (a best-fit mean 207Pb/206Pb age of 2531 ± 19 Ma; 95% confidence) from mostly rounded to subrounded zircons and zircon components (cores). In addition, several analyses from rounded to subrounded cores or grains yielded discordant 207Pb/206Pb ages between ca. 1460 and ca. 2170 Ma, consistent with known regional magmatic events.

All cores of Proterozoic to latest Archean age were encased within clear, typically low Th/U (<0.015), oscillatory zoned, mostly euhedral, Late Cretaceous zircon. The younger zircon yielded essentially concordant 206Pb/238U ages between 72 and 91 Ma, consistent with magmatic ages from Lamoille Canyon to the south. An age of ca. 90 Ma is suggested, the younger 206Pb/238U ages resulting from Pb loss. The Cretaceous and Precambrian zircon components also have distinct trace element characteristics, indicating that these age groups are not related to the same igneous source.

These results support recent geophysical interpretations and negate the contention that the Archean-Proterozoic boundary extends into the central Great Basin area. They further suggest that the world-class gold deposits along the Carlin Trend are not underlain by Archean cratonal crust, but rather by the Proterozoic Mojave province and Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic metasedimentary sequences dominated by detritus derived from Late Archean sources rather than Proterozoic sources, as is evident farther to the south in the Ruby Mountains.


Administration of ethanol extract of Polygala rosmarinifolia whole plant (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg body weight) to alloxan induced diabetic rats for 14 days reduced the elevated level of lipid peroxidation (LPO). The treatment also resulted in significant increase in reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in serum, liver and kidney. The results confirm the antioxidant activity of Polygala rosmarinifolia whole plant and suggest that because of its antioxidant effects its administration may be useful in controlling the diabetic complications in experimental diabetic rats.


Due to the intensive use of discrete transforms in pic-ture coding, the search for fast and power-efficient approaches for their hardware implementation has gained importance. The DTT (Discrete Tchebichef Transform) represents a discrete class of the Chebyshev orthogonal polynomials, and it is an al-ternative for the DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform), commonly used in picture coding. In this work, we propose a new approx-imation for the integer DTT, with better quality and power-ef-ficiency by exploring truncation and pruning. The principal idea is reduce the values of coefficients to fractions enables trun-cation by shifts in the internal transform calculations and lead to lower values for the non-diagonal residues, which reduces non-orthogonality. We have also selectively pruned the rows of the state-of-the-art approximate DTT matrix. The approximate DTT architectures were synthesized for ASIC in Cadence RTL Compiler tool using a realistic power extraction methodology considering real-inputs vectors and the delays, with the Nangate 45 nm standard cells library. The synthesis results show that the proposed-pruned approximate DTT hardwired solution in-creases the maximum frequency about 10.78%, minimize cells area by 50.2%, with savings up to 55.9% of power dissipation with more compression ratio and less quality losses in the com-pressed image, when compared with state-of-the-art approxi-mate DTT hardware designs.


The pressure at the turn of the 21st century for Waste Disposal Authorities to change their waste disposal systems was both urgent and comprehensive, with emphasis being placed on moving towards the 3Rs; Reducing, Recycling and Recovering value from Municipal Wastes. This thesis explores how a mass balance model was created for the Brighton & Hove City and East Sussex County council Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract, in response to the pressures for change and need for investment up to 2002. An identification and evaluation of the drivers for change at the time has been undertaken; with it being demonstrated that legislation, lack of landfill space and underlying public pressure were the stimulus for change.


Free-ViewPoint (FVP) interpolation allows creating a new view between the existing reference views. Applied to 3D multi-view video sequences, it leads to two important applications: (1) FVP service provided to the user, which enables the possibility to interactively select the viewing point of the scene; (2) improved compression of multi-view video sequences by using view prediction for inter-view coding. In this chapter, the authors provide an overview of the essential steps for 3D free-view video communication, which consists of the free-viewpoint interpolation techniques, a concept for free-view coding and a scalable free-view video streaming architecture. For facilitating free-view to the user, the chapter introduces the free-viewpoint interpolation techniques and the concept of warping. The authors assume that 3D video is represented by texture and depth images available for each view. Therefore it is possible to apply Depth Image Based Rendering (DIBR), which uses the depth signal as a important cue for geometry information and 3D reconstruction. Authors analyze the involved interpolation problems, such as cracks, ghost contours and disocclusions, which arise from an FVP interpolation and propose several solutions to improve the image quality of the synthesized view. Afterwards, they present a standard approach to FVP rendering used currently by the research community and our FVP interpolation. Additionally, authors show the use of FVP rendering for the multi-view coding and streaming and discuss the gains and trade-offs of it. At the end of the chapter are the state-of-the-art achievements and challenges of FVP rendering and a vision concerning the development of free-viewpoint services.


Sterols are crucial components of biological membranes that help maintain membrane integrity and regulate various processes such as endocytosis, protein oligomerization and signaling. Although synthetized in the ER, sterols are at highest concentrations at the plasma membrane (PM) in all eukaryotic organisms. Here, by applying a genetically encoded sterol biosensor (D4H), we visualize a sterol flow between PM and endosomes in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. While D4H is detected at the PM during steady-state growth, inhibition of Arp2/3-dependent F-actin assembly unexpectedly promotes the reversible re-localization of the probe to internal sterol rich compartments (STRIC), as shown by correlative light-electron microscopy. Time-lapse imaging identifies STRIC as a late secretory, endosomal compartment labelled by the synaptobrevin Syb1. Retrograde sterol internalization to STRIC is independent of endocytosis or an intact Golgi. Instead, it depends on Ltc1, a LAM/StARkin-family protein that localizes to ER-PM contact sites. In ltc1Δ, sterols over-accumulate at the PM, which forms extended ER-interacting invaginations, indicating that sterol transfer by Ltc1 contributes to PM size homeostasis. Anterograde sterol movement from STRIC is independent of canonical vesicular trafficking components but requires Arp2/3 activity, suggesting a novel physiological role for this complex. Thus, transfer routes orthogonal to vesicular trafficking govern the retrograde and anterograde flow of sterols in the cell.


Background Research has raised significant concern regarding the affective consequences of synthetic drug use. However, little evidence from well-controlled longitudinal studies exists on these consequences. The aim of this study was to determine whether use of meth/amphetamine (speed) and ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is independently predictive of subsequent depressive symptoms in adolescents. Methods A sample of 3880 adolescents from secondary schools in disadvantaged areas of Quebec, Canada, were followed over time (2003–2008). Logistic regression was used to test the association between meth/amphetamine and MDMA use in grade 10 (ages 15–16 years) and elevated depressive symptoms on an abridged Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale in grade 11, controlling for pre-existing individual and contextual characteristics. Results After adjustment, both MDMA use (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.6) and meth/amphetamine use (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.3) in grade 10 significantly increased the odds of elevated depressive symptoms in grade 11. These relationships did not vary by gender or pre-existing depressive symptoms. Increased risk was particularly observed in concurrent usage (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.9). Conclusions Adolescent use of meth/amphetamine and MDMA (particularly concurrent use) is independently associated with subsequent depressive symptoms. Further enquiry must determine whether these associations reflect drug-induced neurotoxicity and whether adolescence is a period of increased vulnerability to the hazards of synthetic drug exposure.


BACKGROUND
Combined injuries to the spinal cord and brachial plexus present challenges in the detection of both injuries as well as to subsequent treatment. The purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiology and clinical factors of concomitant spinal cord injuries in patients with a known brachial plexus injury.

METHODS
A retrospective review was performed on all patients who were evaluated for a brachial plexus injury in a tertiary, multidisciplinary brachial plexus clinic from January 2000 to December 2008. Patients with clinical and/or imaging findings for a coexistent spinal cord injury were identified and underwent further analysis.

RESULTS
A total of 255 adult patients were evaluated for a traumatic traction injury to the brachial plexus. We identified thirty-one patients with a combined brachial plexus and spinal cord injury, for a prevalence of 12.2%. A preganglionic brachial plexus injury had been sustained in all cases. The combined injury group had a statistically greater likelihood of having a supraclavicular vascular injury (odds ratio [OR] = 22.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9, 271.9) and a cervical spine fracture (OR = 3.44; 95% CI = 1.6, 7.5). These patients were also more likely to exhibit a Horner sign (OR = 3.2; 95% CI = 1.5, 7.2) and phrenic nerve dysfunction (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.0, 5.8) compared with the group with only a brachial plexus injury.

CONCLUSION
Heightened awareness for a combined spinal cord and brachial plexus injury and the presence of various associated clinical and imaging findings may aid in the early recognition of these relatively uncommon injuries.


The topic of stress is one that has been explored for many years, as individuals have aimed to understand this phenomenon, as well as provide insight into why stress occurs and how it occurs. Besides the interest in this phenomenon, it becomes apparent when examining literature pertaining to this topic that little or no consensus exists surrounding its definition. However, what these diverse accounts do share is an extremely individualised conceptualisation of stress, which homogenises the stress experience. Hobfoll (1998) critically argues that as much as stress is interpreted and experienced at the level of the individual, the experience and interpretation transpires within a social context, a context that constructs and hence influences the experience itself (Hobfoll, 1998). One particular vehicle that plays a role in constructing one's perceptions regarding the phenomenon of stress is that of the Print Media. This study therefore aims to challenge these individualistic conceptualisations by exploring the ways in which the Print Media constructs our perceptions of the organisational phenomenon of stress. The sample for this research consists of four newspaper groups, namely the Business Day, Sunday Times, Mail and Guardian, as well as all those newspapers that fall under the company title Independent Newspapers. Only articles found between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 2004 are drawn upon. The data is organised and analysed on the 'thematic method of analysis' which consists of both 'theory-led' and 'inductive' thematic analysis. This analysis provides insight into the construction and understandings of organisational stress presented by the Print Media, understandings that tend to, on the whole, construct the stress experience at the level of the individual, independent of the role of the organisation in the process. However, there is a group of articles that move away from these constructions to critically note the role of the organisation and the social in one's understandings of organisational stress, and in the stress experience itself.


This study examines male and female influence on reproductive success in mallards
(Anas platyrhynchos).
Chapter One investigates three notable features of the breeding system in wild mallard
populations (Lake Starnberg and Lake Ammer, Southern Germany) based on
microsatellite analysis of 41 clutches. First, adult populations are male biased, although
mallards form social monogamous pairs and unpaired males may suffer reduced
reproductive success. We show that this male surplus is already prevalent at egg laying
(60% males). Second, egg dumping is a common female strategy in waterfowl and
increases reproductive output of parasitic females. We report on high levels of brood
parasitism in a mallard population with high nesting density (53%) whereas no egg
dumping was observed under low nesting density. Finally, forced extra-pair copulations
are commonly pursued by drakes. We assess the level of extra-pair paternity (56% of
broods containing extra-pair young), which so far is the highest reported in waterfowl.
However extra-pair fertilization was lower than expected from rates of extra-pair
copulations described in literature.
Chapter Two experimentally examines the relevance of postcopulatory female control of
male fertilization success in comparison to sperm competition. By artificially
inseminating groups of four sisters with a sperm mixture containing equal sperm numbers
of one brother and one unrelated male we did not observe any effect of parental
relatedness on gain of paternity. However male reproductive success was significantly
influenced by long-term sperm performance (sperm motility, sperm swimming speed).
Chapter Three investigates whether the female environment differentially influences
sperm activity (concentration of motile sperm, sperm swimming speed). To test sperm
activity in different female environment we measured sperm swimming in buffer and
added female blood plasma. Again no effect of genetic relatedness was observed, but
female reproductive status significantly influenced the amount of motile sperm and sperm
SUMMARY
96
swimming speed. Furthermore we observed a strong individual female effect on sperm
activity.
Chapter Four discusses the relationship between frequent copulations and ejaculate
quality (sperm concentration, sperm swimming speed). After males were prevented to
copulate with their social partner, sperm concentration and sperm velocity increased
significantly. Therefore number of copulations trade against competitiveness of single
ejaculates.
Chapter Five describes the positive relationship of testis size and circulating levels of
testosterone in mallard drakes during the reproductive season.


SIR,-While your leading article (Journal, August 13, p. 422) contains several controversial points, its gravest defect is one of omission. Perhaps the single most important fact about breath-holding attacks is that the child is in no immediate danger. The attacks are self-limiting and have no unpleasant sequelae, provided one is sure that they are breath-holding attacks. There may be real difficulty in making the differentiation from epilepsy even when actually witnessed, but this is only in the very occasional case. If, then, the attack is, in itself, harmless, why the dramatic first-aid measures-the splashing, the slapping, the laying down ? The very mention of such activities contains the implicit suggestion of danger, precisely the notion which we must seek to remove from the distraught parents if we are to break the recurrent and ever stronger cycle of stimulus-> breath-holding as a reaction--parental fear->relief->chronic anxiety, with wildly fluctuating behaviour from punitive to over-solicitous, often in turn the reinitiating stimulus. In fact, the chosen measure itself becomes a new ritual incorporated in the cycle of events. It is true that treatment is not easy, if by that it is meant that no briefly imparted, snappy formula will produce permanent results. It may be helpful, however, to state the basic requirements of successful management. The parents, or more particularly, where very young children are concerned, the mother, should be given the opportunity of telling their story spontaneously and in their own time to an attentive, sympathetic, and relaxed listener on at least two occasions. Direction by the physician should be limited to gentle deflection from absolute irrelevancy, incidentally quite rare. It is frequently difficult, but important, to resist giving premature advice on the management of this or that situation, in any case the advice being so often quite arbitrary. The parents, given these necessary therapeutic conditions, will usually find their own solutions with minimal intervention. Disappearance of the breath-holding attacks becomes almost incidental to the real therapeutic task.-I am, etc.,


ABSTRACTIn daily existence, people can't be isolated from the impact of their current circumstance. In the climate can be tracked down cases like moral debauchery, murder, burglary, polishing off liquor or medications, assault, free sex, robbery and, surprisingly, additional astonishing instances of packs of looters. Obviously this will influence the advancement of human profound quality. Accordingly, the job of guardians in working on the nature of ethics, particularly the ethics of syaja'ah and 'adalah vital to do. This study means to decide the job of guardians in working on the ethical nature of syaja'ah and youngsters. This examination utilizes spellbinding subjective strategy with writing survey. The outcomes showed that working on the ethical nature of syaja'ah and 'adalah through the job of guardians according to an ethical viewpoint as indicated by Al-Ghazali and Ibn Miskawaih should be possible by teaching, giving inspiration and offices, giving help and oversight to kids. The rule of parent in working on the ethical nature of syaja'ah and 'adalah on kids is vital considering youth is a brilliant period in deciding moral improvement later on.Keywords: Syaja'ah ethics, 'adalah ethics, rule of parent


Purpose: This study is intended to gain insight into the association of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) implementations and the achievement of competitive advantage focusing on the mediation role of company reputation (CR) in this relationship. Design/Methodology/Approach: Semi-structured interview technique was used to confirm the validity of the research model. In addition, the purposive sampling method has been used targeting senior decision makers in different well-known 5-star hotels and resorts in Jordan. A total of three hundred (300) questionnaires were distributed. While two hundred and forty (240) questionnaires were retrieved from respondents, two hundred and eleven (211) questionnaires were valid and usable. Findings: The results elucidated the mechanism of CSR and competitive advantage relationship. Although the results confirmed the positive (direct and indirect) effect of the social, the legal, and the ethical dimensions of (CSR) on competitive advantage, data analysis did not support any significant impact for the environmental dimension on competitive advantage (CA) through the company reputation (CR) as a mediator variable. Practical Implications: This study raises awareness of (CSR) implementations in service-oriented developing economies through highlighting the mechanism and relationships of CSR and competitive advantage. It is hoped that, it will contribute to generate interest towards the concept of ``Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility`` (ECSR), as a strategic alternative at the aim of the achievement of competitive advantage. Originality/Value: The study goes beyond examining the causal relationship between (CSR) and competitive advantage. It focuses on achieving a deep understanding of this relationship by exploring the mechanisms of its work through illustrating the mediation role of reputation.


There has been considerable speculation about whether Pynchon's story "Under the Rose" was written before V. or simply extracted from the manuscript, published separately, and then extensively revised as Chapter 3 of the novel. David cowart has put forward evidence for the latter hypothesis, although the question will not be answered definitely until the manuscript of v. comes to light.


Late embryogenesis abundant ( LEA) proteins are thought to protect against water stress in plants. Characteristics of sequence and expression of barley gene HVA1, a member of LEA group 3 protein, were investigated in hulless barley ( Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare), associated with phenotypically diverse drought- tolerant genotypes. Sensitive and tolerant genotypes were identified from Tibetan populations of cultivated hulless barley, based on scores of water loss rate ( WLR), maldondialdehyde ( MDA), and proline content. The results indicated that lower MDA contents, lower scores of WLR, and higher proline contents were associated with drought- tolerant genotypes in hulless barley. Notably, differential trends of expression patterns were detected among the selected contrasting genotypes, depending on the duration of dehydration stress. The HVA1 gene tended to respond earlier in the tolerance ( after 2 h) compared with sensitive genotypes ( after 4 h). Results of quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the relative level of HVA1 expression was always higher in tolerant genotypes, rapidly increasing at the earlier stages ( after 2 - 4 h of dehydration). However, HVA1 expressions of sensitive genotypes had a fast increase from 8 to 12 h of stress. Variable numbers of the 11-amino-acid-motif in LEA3 proteins were not consistent with the lines of drought resistance in hulless barley. Molecular characteristic of LEA3 protein in tolerant lines existed in the consistency of Gln32, Arg33, and Ala195 in Tibetan hulless barley. The present study may indicate that the differential HVA1 gene has a functional role in the dehydration tolerance in hulless barley. The authors suggested that the observed variability in sequence and expression of HVA1 could be related to the diverse drought- tolerant genotypes in crops.


Numerous quantitative relationships have been formulated to describe the nature of surface-drainage networks. These relationships have been used in various studies of geomorphology and surface-water hydrology, such as flood characteristics, sediment yield, and evolution of basin morphology. The study area lies in west of Iraq, in Al-Anbar province. With an area of 2754.33 Km². And the geographic coordinates of the study area is (40°, 27` E- 32°, 47` N). (44°, 34` E - 33°, 36` N). DEM image were used with (90 m) resolution and the drawing tools in ARC GIS program to delineate the total basin of the study area and watersheds. We conclude that there were 31 watersheds in the study area and that group of parameters were calculated such as (Basin Area, Basin Length, Basin Diameter, Stream order Length, Differences between max and min Altitude, Elongation, Circularity, Stream Density, Basin Form, Relief). The study shows that the stream density was (8.481289828) Km/Km 2 which mean that the study area has a good discharge of water and sediments, the elongation in the study area is (0.511549442) and that mean the study area is closer to a rectangular shape, and the relief in the study area is (3.2816911) m/Km and it reflects that the study area had poor effects of erosion and weathering.


ABSTRACT The spatial distribution and dispersion of Anaphothrips obscuras (Müller) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) was examined with the goal of establishing a sequential sampling plan for this pest in timothy, Phleum pratense L. (Poaceae). Approximately 16 different California timothy fields were sampled twice yearly from 2006 to 2008 using direct observation and the beat cup method. For direct observation, the number of thrips on each leaf of the plant was counted. For the beat cup method, tillers were tapped into a cup and dislodged thrips were counted. Samples were separated by ∼3 m in 2006 and 2007 and exactly 3 m in 2008. Spatial autocorrelation of intrafield population distribution was tested for significance in 2008 using Moran's I, but autocorrelation was not detected. The population dispersion was assessed by Taylor's power law and was determined to be aggregated and density-dependent. Intraplant population dispersion and distribution for each year were also evaluated for adults, larvae, and total thrips. All lifestages were highly spatially dependent and more thrips were found near the top of the plant than the bottom. Direct observation proved to be a more accurate and precise method than the beat cup method, especially when thrips abundances were greater than one. However, the number of samples required to provide an accurate level of precision was unrealistic for both methods. A sequential sampling plan was evaluated, but was not practical for the beat cup method because few thrips were found using this method. Because there was no spatial autocorrelation at sampling distances of 3 m, samples can be taken at intervals at 3 m to obtain spatially independent population abundance estimates.


ABSTRACT The relationship between climate and visitation to managed natural areas has been analyzed at a variety of different spatial scales. We expand upon our existing knowledge on this topic by: (1) determining how a wide range of climate variables affect visitation across a regional tourism system; and (2) identifying which variables affect visitation system-wide and which variables only affect visitation at specific parks. Our analysis focuses on five national parks located in southern Utah (USA) commonly referred to as 'the Mighty 5'. We found monthly average daily maximum temperatures were the best predictor of system-wide visitation, suggesting average daily maximum temperatures play a more direct role in tourists' travel decisions relative to other climate variables, including other derivations of temperature. We also found declines in monthly park visitation for three parks (Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef) once average daily maximum temperatures exceed 25 C. For Bryce Canyon and Zion however, monthly visitation continued to increase well above this threshold. The geophysical characteristics of these parks appear to mediate the relationship between average daily maximum temperature and visitation. The commonly found 'inverted U-shape' relationship between temperature and visitation should not be seen as a universal maxim. We also found precipitation to be a poor predictor of system-wide visitation, but a significant factor shaping the travel decisions of visitors to Bryce Canyon, the only park to offer snow-based outdoor recreation opportunities. Future research should not disregard the possibility of precipitation being a significant factor shaping visitors' travel decisions. By conducting our analyses at two distinct scales, we have found there is a difference between the individual climate variables that are regionally-significant drivers of visitation and those that are locally-significant drivers of visitation. Scale matters in analyses of the relationship between climate and visitation.


From the Publisher:
Here is the most comprehensive reference available on GSM applications and services that's intended to build on — not replace — the basic technical information in the authors' original bestseller, An Introduction to GSM.

The book provides a close-up look at this hot technology, offers in-depth discussions of the features and services available through GSM, and includes new and more in-depth coverage of applications and implementations of the GSM standard. It also explains how GSM has succeeded in becoming the major digital wireless standard — and addresses both past and future standardization, regulation, and development issues.

The book uses non-technical language and unique technical implementation and performance figures to help you:

? Learn how intelligent mobile networks function — and what benefits they provide to users
? Compare PCS to GSM and other competing digital radio systems
? Gain a thorough understanding of state-of-the-art mobile communications services
? Take a look at the technology and techniques used in PCS handsets

The book is an up-to-date, single-source guide for engineers, technical managers, and consultants at communications manufacturing and network operating sites who need a technical background on services, features, and implementation — or information on the adoption of GSM and competitive technologies. It is also a valuable source for marketing and sales professionals, university lecturers, and post-graduate students who need to acquire background knowledge of GSM technology or services.


Parametric families in the center Z(C[Sn]) of the group algebra of the symmetric group are obtained by identifying the indeterminates in the generating function for Macdonald polynomials as commuting Jucys-Murphy elements. Their eigenvalues provide coefficients in the double Schur function expansion of 2D Toda τ-functions of hypergeometric type. Expressing these in the basis of products of power sum symmetric functions, the coefficients may be interpreted geometrically as parametric families of quantum Hurwitz numbers, enumerating weighted branched coverings of the Riemann sphere. Combinatorially, they give quantum weighted sums over paths in the Cayley graph of Sn generated by transpositions. Dual pairs of bases for the algebra of symmetric functions with respect to the scalar product in which the Macdonald polynomials are orthogonal provide both the geometrical and combinatorial significance of these quantum weighted enumerative invariants.


Fast and label-free techniques to analyze viruses and bacteria are of crucial interest in biological and bio-medical applications. For this purpose, optofluidic systems based on the integration of photonic structures with microfluidic layers were shown to be promising tools for biological analysis, thanks to their small footprint and to their ability to manipulate objects using low powers. In this letter, we report on the optical trapping of living bacteria in a 2D silicon hollow photonic crystal cavity. This structure allows for the Gram-type differentiation of bacteria at the single cell scale, in a fast, label-free, and non-destructive way.Fast and label-free techniques to analyze viruses and bacteria are of crucial interest in biological and bio-medical applications. For this purpose, optofluidic systems based on the integration of photonic structures with microfluidic layers were shown to be promising tools for biological analysis, thanks to their small footprint and to their ability to manipulate objects using low powers. In this letter, we report on the optical trapping of living bacteria in a 2D silicon hollow photonic crystal cavity. This structure allows for the Gram-type differentiation of bacteria at the single cell scale, in a fast, label-free, and non-destructive way.


There are several robots and other devices which can now be controlled over the Internet. It is possible that an expansion of this concept ultimately leading to an Internet controlled factory could assist Australia overcome the 'tyranny' both of distance and of small production volumes. This paper discusses initial work being performed to investigate the relevance and practicality of the Internet for remote factory operations. A review of current Internet controlled equipment is presented. New experimental work involving the development of a web based graphical interface enabling clear observation and control of an Adept-One robot over the World Wide Web is also described.


As mobile technologies grow in popularity and widespread use, more and more applications--from banking software to online education--make their way to smartphones, tablets, and other such mobile devices. To be truly effective, organizations must adapt to this changing online landscape and the paradigm of anytime, anywhere access. User Behavior in Ubiquitous Online Environments explores how users interact with mobile devices and applications in an array of contexts, providing relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research on ubiquitous computing. Within this reference, researchers and professionals in fields such as computer science, information technology, education, and library science will find a detailed discussion of implementing ubiquitous technologies in a variety of organisations and situations.


Between April 1986 and June 1987, 50 patients meeting the CDC criteria for AIDS were studied for serological and virological evidence of CMV infection. Attempts for virus isolation from peripheral blood, urine and saliva were performed in cell culture lines of human foreskin fibroblasts and CMV specific IgG and IgM were assayed by IFI and IgG by ELISA. A total of 121 blood, 119 urine and 96 saliva samples were collected. During the study period viremia was noted at least once in 12,5%, viruria in 23,2%, and excretion in saliva in 21,9%. When admitted in the study, 20% (10/50) of the patients had anti-CMV IgM antibodies and 100% (50/50) of them had IgG anti-CMV antibodies (IFI). Five of the 40 patients IgM negative at admission presented anti-CMV IgM antibodies during the study, suggesting CMV reactivation or reinfection. Active CMV infection based on virus isolation and/or IgM positivity was demonstrated in 60% of the patients. Histopathological studies were performed in 24 patients. CMV was found in 50% of the autopsies, mainly in the digestive system, lungs and adrenals. There was no correlation between clinical, virological (serology and isolation) and histopathological diagnosis.


The main objective of this dissertation is to investigate the ability of utilizing artificial impedance surfaces and wire media for absorption and cloaking applications. The dissertation includes two parts which focus on the electromagnetic wave propagation in absorbers formed by stacked metasurfaces and structured wire media, and electromagnetic wave interaction with the cylindrical cloaking structures. In the first part, we propose a variety of physical systems that show multiband and wideband absorption properties in the microwave regime. For the multiband absorbers, we propose a simple analytical model to study the absorption properties. Further, using the same circuit model, the physical mechanisms of the observed behaviour is clearly explained in terms of the open/coupled Fabry-Pérot resonators. To design wideband absorbers, we first analyze a single-layer wire medium loaded with an arbitrary material (a thin copper patch with finite bulk conductivity and a graphene patch characterized by its complex surface conductivity) at one end and a ground plane at the other. Based on the properties of the single-layer structure (which acts as a narrowband absorber), we next propose a novel multilayered mushroom structure with thin resistive patches at the wire-medium junctions for wideband absorption. To characterize the wideband properties, here, we derive new additional boundary conditions and solve the scattering problem using an analytical model developed particularly for the problem at hand. We also show a methodology to design these absorbers and explain the wideband absorption mechanisms. The second part focuses on the application of various metasurfaces for cloaking dielectric and conducting cylinders for plane-wave incidence and for line sources in close proximity. The cloaking mechanism is based on a mantle cloaking technique, wherein the scattered field produced by the object is cancelled by the cloak. The purpose of this work is to design the mantle cloaks using the metasurfaces, to render the objects invisible. The analysis here is carried out using a rigorous analytical model which employs the Lorenz Mie-scattering theory. Two-sided impedance boundary conditions are applied at the interface of the metasurfaces and analytical grid-impedance expressions derived for the planar cases have been successfully used in tailoring the


The Maïdo high-altitude observatory located in Reunion Island (21 ∘ S, 55.5 ∘ E) is equipped with the Lidar1200, an innovative Raman lidar designed to measure the water vapor mixing ratio in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere, to perform long-term survey and processes studies in the vicinity of the tropopause. The calibration methodology is based on a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) IWV (Integrated Water Vapor) dataset. The lidar water vapor measurements from November 2013 to October 2015 have been calibrated according to this methodology and used to evaluate the performance of the lidar. The 2-year operation shows that the calibration uncertainty using the GNSS technique is in good agreement with the calibration derived using radiosondes. During the MORGANE (Maïdo ObservatoRy Gaz and Aerosols NDACC Experiment) campaign (Reunion Island, May 2015), CFH (Cryogenic Frost point Hygrometer) radiosonde and Raman lidar profiles are compared and show good agreement up to 22 km asl; no significant biases are detected and mean differences are smaller than 9% up to 22 km asl.


Refrigerant injection techniques are considered as modifications to vapor compression refrigeration systems to improve the performance of these systems when operating at high or low ambient temperatures. In this study a liquid and vapor refrigerant injections were implemented using heat exchangers arrangement. An investigation to the effects of these techniques on the performance of refrigeration cycle was conducted. A decrease in discharge temperature was obtained using hybrid injection cycles from 20% to 19% when the ambient temperature varies from 14°C to 8°C. Also the decrease in pressure ratio varied from 24% at an ambient temperature of 14°C to 18% at 8°C. The enhancement in performance factor varied from 35% at 14 °C to 28% at 8 °C.


Cell-wall preparations of Micrococcus luteus (lysodeikticus) catalyze in vitro peptidoglycan synthesis from UDP N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, UDP N-acetylmuramic acid-pentapeptide, and glycine. Newly synthesized peptidoglycan is partially cross-linked by a transpeptidation reaction with concomitant release of C-terminal D-alanine. Penicillin not only strongly inhibits release of D-alanine (98% at 1 mug/ml), but also markedly inhibits incorporation of acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid-pentapeptide into the preformed cell-wall peptidoglycan. The simplest explanation for the results is that incorporation of newly synthesized strands of peptidoglycan and their attachment to "older" cell-wall peptidoglycan proceeds mainly by transpeptidation and that transglycosylation is responsible only for part of the elongation of the pre-existing peptidoglycan. Another possibility is that incorporation occurs by transglycosylation, but it cannot continue without concurrent formation of peptide cross-bridges.


Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a syndrome of unknown etiology characterized by an association with inflammatory bowel disease in 50% or more cases. Since altered immunity, including circulating immune complexes, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, we postulated that humoral immune mechanisms might also be important in the development of PSC. Therefore, as an initial step in testing this hypothesis, we examined sera of patients with PSC for the presence of circulating immune complexes by two independent methods: Clq binding and Raji cell assays. Twenty‐four patients with PSC, 16 of whom had coexisting chronic ulcerative colitis, were prospectively selected by predefined biochemical, histologic, and radiographic criteria. Sixteen patients with inflammatory bowel disease and normal liver tests as well as six patients with extrahepatic biliary obstruction served as disease controls. Sera were positive for circulating immune complexes by at least one method in 80% (16/20) of patients with PSC; 70% (14/ 20) were positive by the Raji cell assay, 58% (14/24) by the Clq binding assay, and 45% (9/20) by both methods. Levels of circulating immune complexes by each assay were higher in sera from patients with PSC than in sera from healthy controls or patients with inflammatory bowel disease alone (p < 0.01). There were no differences in the levels of circulating immune complexes or in the frequency of positive tests in PSC patients with or without associated inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, there was no difference between the Raji cell binding of sera from six patients with extrahepatic biliary obstruction and six healthy controls tested concurrently. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that immunologic mechanisms may be important in the pathogenesis of PSC.


The (n, γ) cross sections of the gadolinium isotopes play an important role in the study of the stellar nucleosynthesis. In particular, among the isotopes heavier than Fe, 154Gd together with 152Gd have the peculiarity to be mainly produced by the slow capture process, the so-called s-process, since they are shielded against the β-decay chains from the r-process region by their stable samarium isobars. Such a quasi pure s-process origin makes them crucial for testing the robustness of stellar models in galactic chemical evolution (GCE). According to recent models, the 154Gd and 152Gd abundances are expected to be 15-20% lower than the reference un-branched s-process 150Sm isotope. The close correlation between stellar abundances and neutron capture cross sections prompted for an accurate measurement of 154Gd cross section in order to reduce the uncertainty attributable to nuclear physics input and eventually rule out one of the possible causes of present discrepancies between observation and model predictions. To this end, the neutron capture cross section of 154Gd was measured in a wide neutron energy range (from thermal up to some keV) with high resolution in the first experimental area of the neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF (EAR1) at CERN. In this contribution, after a brief description of the motivation and of the experimental setup used in the measurement, the preliminary results of the 154Gd neutron capture reaction as well as their astrophysical implications are presented.


Cell signalling pathways that regulate proliferation and those that regulate programmed cell death (apoptosis) are co-ordinated. The proteins and mechanisms that mediate the integration of these pathways are not yet fully described. The phosphoprotein PEA-15 (phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes) can regulate both the ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase)/MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway and the death receptor-initiated apoptosis pathway. This is the result of PEA-15 binding to the ERK/MAPK or the proapoptotic protein FADD (Fas-activated death domain protein) respectively. The mechanism by which binding of PEA-15 to these proteins is controlled has not been elucidated. PEA-15 is a phosphoprotein containing a Ser-104 phosphorylated by protein kinase C and a Ser-116 phosphorylated by CamKII (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) or AKT. Phosphorylation of Ser-104 is implicated in the regulation of glucose metabolism, while phosphorylation at Ser-116 is required for PEA-15 recruitment to the DISC (death-initiation signalling complex). Moreover, PEA-15 must be phosphorylated at Ser-116 to inhibit apoptosis. In the present study, we report that phosphorylation at Ser-104 blocks ERK binding to PEA-15 in vitro and in vivo, whereas phosphorylation at Ser-116 promotes its binding to FADD. We further characterize phospho-epitope-binding antibodies to these sites. We report that phosphorylation does not influence the distribution of PEA-15 between the cytoplasm and nucleus of the cell since all phosphorylated states are found predominantly in the cytoplasm. We propose that phosphorylation of PEA-15 acts as the switch that controls whether PEA-15 influences proliferation or apoptosis.


Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic now, and the severe COVID-19 determines the management and treatment, even prognosis. Thus, we aim to develop and validate a radiomics nomogram for identifying severe patients with COVID-19. Methods There were 156 and 104 patients with COVID-19 enrolled in primary and validation cohorts respectively. Radiomics features were extracted from chest CT images. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was used for feature selection and radiomics signature building. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to develop a predictive model, and the radiomics signature, abnormal WBC counts, and comorbidity were incorporated and presented as a radiomics nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was assessed through its calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness. Results The radiomics signature consisting of 4 selected features was signi�cantly associated with clinical condition of patients with COVID-19 in the primary and validation cohorts (P < 0.001). The radiomics nomogram including radiomics signature, comorbidity and abnormal WBC counts, showed good discrimination of severe COVID-19, with an AUC of 0.972, and good calibration in the primary cohort. Application of the nomogram in the validation cohort still gave good discrimination with an AUC of 0.978 and good calibration. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the radiomics nomogram was clinically useful to identify the severe COVID-19. Conclusions We present an easy-to-use radiomics nomogram to identify the severe patients with COVID-19 for better guiding a prompt management and treatment.


In reviewing the causes of maternal deaths in the Department of Obstetrics at the Cook County Hospital, we found that in an 11 year period only three women with adequate antepartum care had died of heart disease and its complications. In the same period however, 21 pregnant women with cardiac disease who had inadequate or no antepartum care died. This seemed to us significant enough to warrant a careful study of the value of antepartum care to pregnant women with cardiac disease. The Department of Obstetrics at the Cook County Hospital has had a special clinic for pregnancy-complicating heart disease since 1925. In 1935 one of us (J.E.F.) 1 reported on 126 closely controlled pregnant women with heart disease. In 1937 Engbring and Sutton 2 reported on the clinic. There was one death from malignant endocarditis in these two groups of patients who had been under the constant direction of


This article describes the restorative treatment of a 49-year-old woman whose lower anterior teeth had over-erupted, reducing the space available for a denture. Areas of the acrylic resin had fractured off her upper cobalt/chromium denture. The treatment plan and a variety of the treatment planning options are discussed. The initial treatment provided included an upper bite-raising appliance and routine periodontal and restorative treatment. This was followed by full coronal coverage of 6, 4 and 6 incorporating rest seat preparations and guide planes and the provision of the definitive cobalt/chromium overdenture. The article concludes with a discussion of the aims, objectives and prognosis of the treatment provided.


A ICAL MEDICAL diagnosis of Adolf Hitler is presented: giant cell arteritis—temporal arteritis. It is based on findings of attacks of temporal headaches, tenderness of the temporal and supraorbital regions, an enlarged temporal artery, visual loss in the right eye, low-grade fever, weight loss, normochromic anemia, and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The likelihood of this diagnosis and its relationship to Hitler's cardiological, gastrointestinal, hepatic, dermatological, ophthalmological, and neurological symptoms is discussed. In 1975, I embarked on a psychiatric and medical study of Hitler. During the course of this study, I acquainted myself with the numerous biographical works; examined thousands of references in the National Archives of Washington, DC, Germany, and Austria; and interviewed persons who knew Hitler. The result of this study will be presented in a forthcoming book to be published by Oxford University Press Inc, New York, NY. In this article, I am concerned exclusively with a


Fault detection is critical for all-optical networks (AONs). This paper introduces the concept of monitoring cycles and proposes a mechanism for fault detection and path performance monitoring based on decomposing AONs into monitoring cycles. Two monitoring cycle finding algorithms are developed: heuristic depth first searching (HDFS) and shortest path Eulerian matching (SPEM). The two algorithms are compared in terms of wavelength overhead in nodes and links. It is shown that the proposed fault detection mechanism based on monitoring cycles is effective and cost efficient.
Heuristic depth first searching (HDFS):
1) Given graph G(V, E) , let the cycle cover C = = = null ; number all nodes in V; and label all nodes in V and all links in E as "uncovered";
2) Select an uncovered link e in E, if multiple such links are available; select the uncovered link whose endpoints are also uncovered. Start DFS from e and go to that Uncovered endpoints of e if possible; if no uncovered link with uncovered endpoint is available, apply the largest/smallest rule described below;
3) At each step of the DFS, select an uncovered link if possible. If multiple links are available, alternatively use the largest/smallest node number first rule in the iteration, e.g. if the last time we selected the node with the largest number among multiple nodes with the same priority, then this time we select the node with the smallest number;
4) Once a link returns to the previously visited part, a cycle c can be formed and add the cycle to the cover C; label all the links and nodes in cycle c as "covered";
5) Repeat (2)-(4) until all links in E are "covered".
Shortest path Eulerian matching (SPEM):
(1) For a non-Eulerian graph G (V, E), find the set V' of odd-degree nodes;
(2) Start from a node x∈∈∈V' and find the shortest path to every other node, select the smallest one among them, denote as p(x, y). Add path p(x, y) to G (now some links in G are "doubled") and remove x, y from V' ;
(3) Repeat (2) until V' = = = null. Now G (V, E) is Eulerian;
(4) Find an Eulerian cycle of the augmented G(V, E) and decompose it to a cycle cover as mentioned above.
This paper introduced the concept of monitoring cycles and proposed a fault detection and path performance monitoring mechanism based on decomposing AONs into monitoring cycles. The heuristic depth first searching (HDFS) and shortest path Eulerian matching (SPEM) algorithms are developed for finding monitoring cycles in AONs. The two algorithms are compared with respect to the maximum and average number of wavelengths occupied by monitoring in nodes and links. The results for the 4 network examples show that the wavelength overhead is pretty low with this mechanism. Thus the proposed mechanism based on monitoring cycles is a promising fault detection method for AONs. It is also applicable to path transmission performance monitoring. The results also suggest that the SPEM algorithm is better than the HDFS algorithm in terms of the wavelength overhead.


Purpose
To better understand how to retain hospitality customers in the fierce competition among mobile applications, this study aims to propose and empirically validates an integrative framework, which elaborates how conscious and subconscious factors, together with affective factors, may induce app loyalty and how brand viscosity moderates such effects.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted an online survey to collect data and received a total of 268 valid responses. This study splits the data into two groups (brand viscosity vs non-viscosity). Then, the authors performed a multi-group structural equation modeling with Chi-square difference tests to compare the model between the two groups.

Findings
The findings support the integrative model and reveal that the influence of app satisfaction on loyalty is stronger for app users who do not stick to one brand across the website and mobile app channels. Moreover, for those with brand viscosity, habit and switching cost are two significant determinants that exert positive effects in inducing app loyalty.

Research limitations/implications
Brand viscosity across different channels matters for the effects of habit and switching costs in shaping app loyalty. E-commerce managers should elaborate on brand management among various booking channels and establish effective digital marketing strategies to facilitate the formation of usage habits and switching costs and to enhance brand viscosity across channels.

Originality/value
This research advances the knowledge of app loyalty in hospitality by providing a comprehensive explanatory framework from affective, conscious and subconscious lenses. This research is among the first to unveil the impact of brand viscosity on the links between loyalty and its determinants.


Recent cosmic-ray measurements by the ATIC, CREAM and PAMELA experiments have found an apparent hardening of the energy spectrum at TeV energies. Although the origin of the hardening is not clearly understood, possible explanations include hardening in the cosmic-ray source spectrum, changes in the cosmic-ray propagation properties in the Galaxy and the effect of nearby sources. In this contribution, we propose that the spectral anomaly might be an effect of re-acceleration of cosmic rays by weak shocks in the Galaxy. After acceleration by strong supernova remnant shock waves, cosmic rays undergo diffusive propagation through the Galaxy. During the propagation, cosmic rays may again encounter expanding supernova remnant shock waves, and get re-accelerated. As the probability of encountering old supernova remnants is expected to be larger than the young ones due to their bigger size, re-acceleration is expected to be produced mainly by weaker shocks. Since weaker shocks generate a softer particle spectrum, the resulting re-accelerated component will have a spectrum steeper than the initial cosmic-ray source spectrum produced by strong shocks. For a reasonable set of model parameters, it is shown that such re-accelerated component can dominate the GeV energy region while the non-reaccelerated component dominates at higher energies, explaining the observed GeV-TeV spectral anomaly.


An apology is a complicated thing. Coming clean is hard; if done poorly, it can make things worse. Just ask Bill Clinton or Pete Rose. But when done right, talking can be powerfully productive, as suggested in the article by Mazor and colleagues in this issue (1). As former litigators and now mediators and clinical law teachers, we have spent our careers learning how conflicts arise and what is really at stake when people sue. We have also learned how words can be used to change perceptions and, ultimately, to find constructive and less costly ways to resolve conflicts. Our experience has taught us how nuanced the subject of apology can be. Apologies have a potential for healing that is matched only by the difficulty most people have in offering them. Physicians as a group face special challenges in this realm. Like the rest of us, physicians are subject to shame, guilt, and grief when their actions harm others, even if fault is unclear. These feelings, coupled with the fear of litigation that permeates medicine, may get in the way of effective communication with patients and their families after a medical error. In addition, since statements of sympathy, regret, or responsibility can be used to prove legal liability in medical malpractice cases in many states, lawyers and risk managers routinely advise physicians against being open about what happened and against apologizing, especially at the time when such communications might be most valued by a patient. These personal and institutional impediments to openness are at odds with what research is beginning to show us: that ineffective communication is the single largest factor in producing patient litigation (2) and that good communication, including effective apologies, can avert or help end conflict, especially litigation. Moreover, laws in some states mandate doctors to come clean after serious adverse events (3-5). In light of this tension and the emerging legal requirement of disclosure, this study by Mazor and colleagues is both welcome and timely (1). In the study, questionnaire respondents (all managed care patients) were presented with 2 hypothetical cases of undisputed medical error (failure to check for penicillin allergy and failure to monitor antiepileptic drugs) with varying degrees of clinical outcome (life-threatening and less serious) to the patient. Physician fault was clear. Respondents were given hypothetical doctorpatient dialogues that were randomized for these factors and 2 levels of physician disclosure: full disclosureacceptance of responsibility, a clear description of the error, and an apology with a promise of reform to prevent recurrent errorand a low or partial level of disclosurean expression of regret without acceptance of responsibility or an apology or accurate information about what went wrong. Participants were then asked to provide their reactions. Overall, Mazor and colleagues found that respondents are more likely to respond favorablymore trusting, more satisfied, and less likely to change physicianswhen physicians fully disclosed medical errors. The strongest of these responses were in cases of more severe patient harm. Physician openness, however, did not seem to diminish the inclination to seek legal advice about the error. On one level, these results confirm what we have generally learned through our mediation work with litigants, what scholars in law are beginning to learn, and, indeed, what one might simply suspect on the basis of human experience. It is hardly surprising that patients want and respond well to full disclosure and an apology in which the physician takes responsibility for what happened in cases of clear error and clear fault. Partial apologylimited to an expression of sympathy without acknowledging faultlacks the moral dimension of its fuller counterpart and, even worse, may seem insincere or evasive. Indeed, research in the context of civil litigation suggests that partial apologies may, where fault is clear, be worse than none at all (6). The positive response to full disclosure may be explained by another of the study's findings: Patients are somewhat torn and of two mindson the one hand, they feel that physicians are only human and thus will make errors, but on the other hand, they think they have a right to be free from physician mistakes. Full disclosure may tip the balance to give the physician the benefit of the doubt. One of the study's findings may seem a bit anomalous at first glance: Full disclosure and apology did not have the same positive effect on patients with regard to seeking legal advice about the medical error, at least in the case of serious harm to the patient. The researchers themselves seemed surprised at this finding, but to us, it was not at all unexpected. Patients seeking advice from a lawyer about the possibility of obtaining compensation after a harmful medical error should be no more surprising than patients seeking the services of a physician if they were hurt in a road or workplace accident. Both professionals can help remedy the injury. Beyond this, it is significant that none of the study vignettes included an offer of a financial nature (for example, money or relief from past or future bills for treatment) in the discussions. While apologies by definition deal with the intangible aspects of injury, they do not eliminate the need to address the tangible aspects as well. Moreover, not every legal consultation produces litigation. Indeed, given the cost of prosecuting a lawsuit on the basis of medical error, the likelihood of an actual claim being brought in a minor harm scenario is remote. Finally, even where a patientvictim sues after receiving full disclosure and an apology, the apology may nonetheless have a positive and significant (albeit delayed) effect. As shown in the case of Veterans Affairs hospitals (7) and other industries (as recently exhibited by such celebrated apologizers as the Ford Motor Company [8]), those who file lawsuits are inclined to accept reasonable compensation more quickly if they perceive the wrongdoer as having a heart and taking responsibility. The study by Mazor and colleagues points to the need for more work of this kind. This study dealt with doctorpatient communication in the relatively easy area of undisputable professional negligence causing clear harm. But many, if not most, claims of patient harm take place under cloudy circumstances. What if a nonpreventable adverse event occurs? What about cases where a physician makes a mistake, but her or his conduct is not negligent (that is, within the acceptable standard of care in the community)? In such cases, physicians will understandably be reluctant to take responsibility. But what kind of communication before and after such events will be most productive? And what about the effects of openness versus guardedness on the physicians in these different scenarios? They too must deal with the emotional consequences of being involved in an adverse event, both while disclosing the event to the patient and in the longer term. This study also points out significant policy choices on several fronts. Physicians and related professionals must learn the kind of communication skills that are often in short supply in medical training and practice and be rewarded when they use them skillfully. The study may also shed light on 2 important law reform questions: whether we should seek to encourage more open communication by doing what some states have donemaking apologies or statements of regret inadmissible in court (9-12)and whether more states should follow the lead of Pennsylvania, Florida, and Nevada by mandating disclosure of serious adverse events. On the level of institutional and risk management, the study should trigger more inquiry about what sorts of conversations between physicians and patients (regardless of whether the conversations receive evidentiary protection) should occur. Good discussion after an error might produce more positive patient attributions (13) and thus fewer law suits. More important, if such conversations promote physician reflection and institutional learning (especially if they provide patients and families with an opportunity to add their insights), they may lead to increased patient safety. Finally, this study indicates the potential value to be gained if lawyers, physicians, and patients talk together about these difficult issues. While discussion may not solve the malpractice crisis, it may shed some light on the enormous potential power of a few well-chosen, well-delivered, and well-timed words.


In this paper, we theoretically investigated the influence of nonlocality on (1+2)-dimensional spatial solitons in undoped nematic liquid crystals (NLCs). We confirmed that the nonlinear index coefficient and the general characteristic length of the nonlinear nonlocality for the NLC are dependent on the pretilt angle of the NLC molecules. Then the Schrdinger-type nonlinear equation in strong nonlocality was given and from the equation the analytical expressions of the single soliton and the critical power were respectively obtained. In experiment, we varied the degree of nonlocality by changing the bias voltage and indirectly determined the relation between the critical power and pretilt angle. At last, by comparison of analytical solutions with the numerical simulation and the experimental result, we verified that our expressions are precise.


Does the truth come naturally? And by implication, does this mean that a lie may not come as naturally as the truth? Truth-Default Theory and the Information Manipulation Theory 2 diverge in their opinion on whether people's natural response is to lie or tell the truth. In line with Truth-Default Theory, cognitive psychology research supports the notion that the truth is the default in human communication. Information Manipulation Theory 2 holds that lying may come as naturally as, or even more naturally than, truth telling, and recent social psychology research supports this possibility. We suggest that motivation may explain the divergence between the two theories and the two lines of research. We raise the hypothesis that truth telling may be the natural response absent clear motivations to lie (hence, most human communication) and that lying may prevail as the automatic reaction when it brings about important self-profit. We hope that this hypothesis will stimulate new research that will allow for bridging the theoretical and empirical findings that seem discrepant at first and show when the truth (vs. the lie) comes naturally.


ABSTRACT Inguinal herniorraphy is a possible cause of iatrogenic seminal tract obstruction. Diagnosing and correcting these vasal injuries can be challenging. Successful re-anastomosis is technically challenging, with relatively low success rates. An uncommon alternative for selected cases is the crossover transseptal vasovasostomy. We herein report a case of a 36-year-old male patient with vas deferens injury after herniorraphy and a contralateral hypotrophic testis. He was successfully treated through microsurgical crossover transseptal vasovasostomy, with spontaneous pregnancy achieved, and the technique is presented in details.


We report a systematic study of the effects of the external force F on the nonequilibrium steady-state (NESS) dynamics of the diffusing particles over a tilted periodic potential, in which detailed balance is broken due to the presence of a steady particle flux. A tilted two-layer colloidal system is constructed for this study. The periodic potential is provided by the bottom-layer colloidal spheres forming a fixed crystalline pattern on a glass substrate. The corrugated surface of the bottom colloidal crystal provides a gravitational potential field for the top-layer diffusing particles. By tilting the sample at an angle θ with respect to the vertical (gravity) direction, a tangential component of the gravitational force F is applied to the diffusing particles. The measured NESS probability density function P(ss)(x,y) of the particles is found to deviate from the equilibrium distribution P(x,y) to a different extent, depending on the driving or distance from equilibrium. The experimental results are compared with the exact solution of the one-dimensional (1D) Smoluchowski equation and the numerical results of the 2D Smoluchowski equation. From the obtained exact solution of the 1D Smoluchowski equation, we develop an analytical method to accurately extract the 1D potential U(0)(x) from the measured P(ss)(x). This work demonstrates that the tilted periodic potential provides a useful platform for the study of forced barrier-crossing dynamics beyond the Arrhenius-Kramers equation.


Purpose This study was conducted to evaluate prognostic factors and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in a cohort of 41 patients with urachal carcinoma by use of a Bayesian model-averaging approach. Materials and Methods Our cohort included 41 patients with urachal carcinoma who underwent extended partial cystectomy, total cystectomy, transurethral resection, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy at a single institute. All patients were classified by both the Sheldon and the Mayo staging systems according to histopathologic reports and preoperative radiologic findings. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional-hazards regression models were carried out to investigate prognostic factors, and a Bayesian model-averaging approach was performed to confirm the significance of each variable by using posterior probabilities. Results The mean age of the patients was 49.88±13.80 years and the male-to-female ratio was 24:17. The median follow-up was 5.42 years (interquartile range, 2.8-8.4 years). Five- and 10-year CSS rates were 55.9% and 43.4%, respectively. Lower Sheldon (p=0.004) and Mayo (p<0.001) stage, mucinous adenocarcinoma (p=0.005), and larger tumor size (p=0.023) were significant predictors of high survival probability on the basis of a log-rank test. By use of the Bayesian model-averaging approach, higher Mayo stage and larger tumor size were significant predictors of cancer-specific mortality in urachal carcinoma. Conclusions The Mayo staging system might be more effective than the Sheldon staging system. In addition, the multivariate analyses suggested that tumor size may be a prognostic factor for urachal carcinoma.


Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is recognised globally as a prevalent, costly and disabling condition. Recurrences are common and contribute to much of the burden of LBP. Current evidence favours exercise and education for prevention of LBP recurrence, but an optimal intervention has not yet been established. Walking is a simple, widely accessible, low-cost intervention that has yet to be evaluated. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to establish the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a progressive and individualised walking and education programme (intervention) for the prevention of LBP recurrences in adults compared with no treatment (control). Methods and analysis A pragmatic, two-armed RCT comparing walking and education (n=349) with a no treatment control group (n=349). Inclusion criteria are adults recovered from an episode of non-specific LBP within the last 6 months. Those allocated to the intervention group will receive six sessions (three face to face and three telephone delivered) with a trained physiotherapist to facilitate a progressive walking programme and education over a 6-month period. The primary outcome will be days to first recurrence of an episode of activity-limiting LBP. The secondary outcomes include days to recurrence of an episode of LBP, days to recurrence of an episode of LBP leading to care seeking, disability and quality of life measured at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and costs associated with LBP recurrence. All participants will be followed up monthly for a minimum of 12 months. The primary intention-to-treat analysis will assess difference in survival curves (days to recurrence) using the log-rank statistic. The cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted from the societal perspective. Ethics and dissemination Approved by Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee (Reference: 5201949218164, May 2019). Findings will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. Trial registration number ACTRN12619001134112.