Product search engines like Amazon Search often use caches to improve the customer user experience; caches can improve both the system's latency as well as search quality. However, as search traffic increases over time, the cache's ever-growing size can diminish the overall system performance. Furthermore, typos, misspellings, and redundancy widely witnessed in real-world product search queries can cause unnecessary cache misses, reducing the cache's utility. In this paper, we introduce ROSE, a RObuSt cachE, a system that is tolerant to misspellings and typos while retaining the look-up cost of traditional caches. The core component of ROSE is a randomized hashing schema that makes ROSE able to index and retrieve an arbitrarily large set of queries with constant memory and constant time. ROSE is also robust to any query intent, typos, and grammatical errors with theoretical guarantees. Extensive experiments on real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of ROSE. ROSE is deployed in the Amazon Search Engine and produced a significant improvement over the existing solutions across several key business metrics.


The versatility of a rare metal, molybdenum (Mo) in many industrial applications is one of the reasons why Mo is currently one of the growing environmental pollutants worldwide. Traces of inorganic contaminants, including Mo, have been discovered in Antarctica and are compromising the ecosystem. Bioremediation utilising bacteria to transform pollutants into a less toxic form is one of the approaches for solving Mo pollution. Mo reduction is a process of transforming sodium molybdate with an oxidation state of 6+ to Mo-blue, an inert version of the compound. Although there are a few Mo-reducing microbes that have been identified worldwide, only two studies were reported on the microbial reduction of Mo in Antarctica. Therefore, this study was done to assess the ability of Antarctic bacterium, Arthrobacter sp. strain AQ5-05, in reducing Mo. Optimisation of Mo reduction in Mo-supplemented media was carried out using one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and response surface methodology (RSM) approaches. Through OFAT, Mo was reduced optimally with substrate concentration of sucrose, ammonium sulphate, and molybdate at 1 g/L, 0.2 g/L, and 10 mM, respectively. The pH and salinity of the media were the best at 7.0 and 0.5 g/L, respectively, while the optimal temperature was at 10 °C. Further optimisation using RSM showed greater Mo-blue production in comparison to OFAT. The strain was able to stand high concentration of Mo and low temperature conditions, thus showing its potential in reducing Mo in Antarctica by employing conditions optimised by RSM.


Сarbon dioxide fluxes from substrates and consortiums were estimated for the first time in the photic zones of seven caves of Montenegro. The dependence of consortiums productivity with their species composition and structure, as well as determination of the priority source of carbon dioxide for the primary producers of trophic chains of the photic zones were revealed.Five consortiums were distinguished in the fouling communities of the photic zones of seven karst caves of Montenegro: with the dominance of acrocarpous mosses, pleurocarpous mosses, green algae, cyanobacteria biofilms and sheath-forming cyanobacteria on various substrates. The closed chamber technique was used to calculate carbon fluxes. The net carbon flux, gross respiration of substrates and consortiums, and gross primary production of consortiums in the summer and winter were determined. The biomass of the phototrophic and heterotrophic components of the consortiums was estimated. Isotopic analysis of clay deposits and phytomass of bryophytes in the consotriums as well as on the surface was carried out. All of the investigated consortiums function as a carbon sink in both seasons, providing a negative balance to the atmosphere. Consortiums with the dominance of bryophytes possessed the greatest biomass, spores of micromycetes dominated in the heterotrophic component. The respiration of substrates was maximized on clay deposits, the respiration rate increased in winter. Phototrophic respiration and gross primary production were maximal in the consortiums of acrocarpous mosses and case-forming cyanobacteria in terms of dry phytomass. Increased content of the light carbon isotope 12C in the bryophytes phytomass in the photic zones compared to the bryophytes phytomass on the surface was established.


A Self-Organizing Map (SOM) has good quality when both of its measures, quantization error (QE) and topographic error (TE), are small. Many researchers have tried to reduce these measures by improving SOM's learning algorithm, however, most results only decrease either QE or TE. In this paper, a method to improve the quality of the map obtained when the SOM's learning algorithm ended is proposed. The proposed method re-adjusts weight vector of each neuron according to the cluster's center that neuron represents and optimizes clusters by "different elements'' competitive strategy. In this method, QE always decreases each time the competition "different elements'' occurs between all neurons, TE may reduce when the competition "different elements'' occurs between adjacent neighbors. The experiments are performed on assumed datasets and real data sets. As the results, the average reduction ratio of QE is from 50% to 60%, TE gets the average reduction ratio from 10% to 20%. This reduction ratio is larger than some other solutions but does not need to adjust the parameters for each specific dataset.


Colleagues stopped me in the corridor to discuss it. Others wrote of their own similar experiences on Christmas cards that year. The reason for this sudden rush of attention? I had written a personal view in the BMJ (17 December 1994, p 1666). No research paper I have written has provoked such a response. It led me to believe that most doctors read the personal view section. But since 1994 there have been changes at the BMJ , and if the article had been submitted today it would not have been accepted. The issue is one of patient consent.

The personal view contained details of a father's response to being confronted with the diagnosis of Down's syndrome in his newborn son. I was aware that he might recognise himself from the details but was confident that others would not identify him. So far, no litigation having resulted, it seems I am in the clear, although having drawn attention to it again might prove to have been a risky move. I would not have sought the patient's consent as this would have merely brought the article to …


The research experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of various nitrogen sources combination on biochemical indices in Swietenia macrophylla and Swietenia mahogany at Forest College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mettupalayam. The study consists of ten different types of nitrogen fertiliser combinations (Organic and inorganic sources) includes control (without any fertilisers application) to compare the treatment effect in two tree crops. Research experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Swietenia macrophylla T2 (Urea + sheep manure) combined application shows statistically significant differences in bio chemical indices (Chlorophyll a and b) after the fertiliser application during the research experiment. In Swietenia mahogany T2 (Urea alone) shows the statistically significant difference in biochemical indices (Chlorophyll a and b) during the experimental research period. In both tree, crops did not explain any statistically significant differences in Carotenoids content due to fertiliser application at the time of research experiment.


This thesis presents the design of an 8x8-bit novel multiplier, which can provide a better performance that its counterparts in the sense that it has a fraction of the silicon area, delay and power consumption of the common architectures such as the conventional linear array multipliers. At the system-level high performance is obtained by implementing a pair-wise multiplication algorithm. Also, parallel addition algorithm is used to add up partial products. Combining these two algorithms results in an efficient cell-based circuit realization. In the circuit-level, pseudo-NMOS full adder cell is chosen amongst the several existing full adder cells due to its superior speed and power performance. The performance of this design has been evaluated by comparing it to those of the recently reported multipliers. The results of the comparison, both in theory and simulation, prove the superiority of the proposed multiplier.


Author(s): Bolyanatz, Mariska Aldora | Advisor(s): Mendoza-Denton, Norma; Kim, Ji Young | Abstract: Coda /s/ weakening is among the most studied phonological phenomena in Spanish, and variationists have shown that /s/ weakening and complete deletion are conditioned by many factors. Though complete deletion of a plural /s/ may occasion homophony with singular items in Spanish, few studies have examined the acoustic and prosodic cues that speakers may use to signal plurality when a final /s/ is deleted. In this dissertation, I explore cues used by speakers and listeners of Chilean Spanish, an /s/ weakening variety, to distinguish plural from singular Noun Phrase (NP) constituents in both speech production and perception. I analyze acoustic cues of duration, vowel quality, and breathiness from the sociolinguistic interviews of 60 Santiago residents grouped by age and gender, comparing singular word-final vowels to plural word-final vowels with the final /s/ completely deleted. These 60 participants also took part in a two-alternative forced-choice perception task, asked to identify plurality on isolated natural stimuli extracted from sociolinguistic interviews. I determined that utterance-medial vowel shortening is a cue for plurality, produced and perceived by only members of the middle age groups across genders and SES groups demonstrating age grading and overall community stability. Additionally, breathiness is a prestigious cue for plurality produced and perceived reliably by high SES speaker-listeners, and produced by younger members of the lower SES as well, though these low SES speakers do not perceive breathier vowels as plural. I posit that these younger speakers are adopting the use of breathy plural vowels in a change from above, and that the mismatch between production and perception signals the instability of the nascent change. Utterance-final lengthening is produced but not perceived by young females in the low SES, while middle- and older age group females in this neighborhood perceive breathier vowels as plural but do not produce them as such. Again, I posit that this mismatch signals instability of this cue as it is begun as a change from below by these low SES female speakers. Finally, plural vowel lowering is produced only by young males in the high SES group, but is perceived by all males and young females in both SES groups. It is therefore a perceptually robust but seemingly unreliable cue, signaling some type of instability. Plural vowel raising, on the other hand, is produced by middle- and older age group speakers in the lower SES, but not perceived by any groups. I therefore posit that plural raising is moving toward loss, as younger speakers in the low SES do not produce their singular and plural vowels with any F1 differences.In sum, this dissertation contributes findings from both production and perception, offering the first acoustic evidence for shifts in multiple directions of the several cues that mark the singular~plural distinction in this /s/ weakening dialect of Spanish.


A trial at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Serdang, Malaysia
consisting of twenty eight provenances of Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex.
Benth was assessed at four years for total height, diameter at breast height,
specific gravity and fibre length. Of these provenances, 7 were from
Queensland (QLD), 15 from the Northern Territory (NT) and 6 from Papua
New Guinea (PNG). The provenances and geographic regions differed
significantly at p < 0.05 in their growth performance. Generally the
Queensland provenances recorded the best growth in both height and diameter
followed by the Northern Territorry and Papua New Guinea Provenances. The
mean total heights for provenances from Queensland, Northern Territory and
Papua New Guinea were 13.38 m, 12.37 m and 11.89 m respectively. The
mean diameters at breast height for provenances from Queensland, Northern Territory and Papua New Guinea were 12.67 em, 11.04 em and 10.69 em
respectively.
A similar pattern of variation was found in the wood properties except
for wood specific gravity where there was no significant difference
encountered between the three geographic regions. However, there were
significant variation between provenances on both wood properties studied.
The mean specific gravity ranged from 0.53 for the provenance from Balamuk
on Bensbach (PNG) to 0.61 for the provenance from South Balamuk (PNG).
The mean fibre length ranged from 0.865 mm for the provenance from
Balamuk on Bensbach (PNG) to 0.993 mm for the provenance from eoen
River (QLD).


How can we approach possible but unknown futures of the study of culture? This volume explores this question in the context of a changing global world.

The contributions in this volume discuss the necessity of significant shifts in our conceptual and epistemological frameworks. Taking into account changing institutional research settings, the authors develop pathways to future cultural research, addressing the crucial concerns of the cultural and social worlds themselves. The contributions thereby utilize contact zones within a wide range of disciplines such as cultural anthropology, sociology, cultural history, literary studies, the history of science and bioethics as well as the environmental and medical humanities.

Examining emerging inter- and transdisciplinary points of reference, the volume invites scholars in the humanities and social sciences to take part in a conversation about theories, methods, and practices for the future study of culture.


Historically, European Jews have specialized in financial services while being the victims of antisemitism. We find that the present-day demand for finance is lower in German counties where historical antisemitism was higher, compared to otherwise similar counties. Households in counties with high historical antisemitism have similar saving rates but invest less in stocks, hold lower saving deposits, and are less likely to get a mortgage to finance homeownership after controlling for wealth and a rich set of current and historical covariates. Present-day antisemitism and supply-side forces do not fully explain the results. Households in counties where historical antisemitism was higher distrust the financial sector more—a potential cultural externality of historical antisemitism that reduces wealth accumulation in the long run.


Particle swarm optimization (PSO), an intelligent optimization algorithm inspired by the flocking behavior of birds, has been shown to perform well and widely used to solve the continuous problem. But the traditional PSO and most of its variants are developed for optimization problems in continuous space, which are not able to solve the binary combinational optimization problem. To tackle this problem, Kennedy extended the PSO and proposed a discrete binary PSO. But its performance is not ideal and just few further works were conducted based on it. In this paper, we propose a novel probability binary particle swarm optimization (PBPSO) algorithm for discrete binary optimization problems. In PBPSO, a novel updating strategy is adopted to update the swarm and search the global solution, which further simplify the computations and improve the optimization ability. To investigate the performance of the proposed PBPSO, the multidimensional knapsack problems are used as the test benchmarks. The experimental results demonstrate that PBPSO has a better performance for solving the multidimensional knapsack problem in terms of convergent speed and global search ability.


If such a thing as a "postmodern" perspective on politics exists, it can only be understood through its relation to something called a "modern" perspective. Politically, modernity is many things, but there are two types perhaps which are emblematic of a particularly modern approach to politics: the bureaucrat and the revolutionary. The bureaucrat is a modern man. Rule by knowledge, the domination of experts who act in their areas of specialization according to objective criteria, bureaucratic rationality subsumes cases under norms and weighs ends and means. An abstract way of thinking, it strives to eliminate all consideration of persons. While by duty upholding professional standards, bureaucrats have no personal interest in their administration (being salaried officials, they do not personally own the organization they run) and do not operate under personal motives. The rule of bureaucracy is regular, matter-of-fact, according to fixed rules which can be learnt, and exercised by officials who make it their career and have private lives of their own. Bureaucratization expands the rule of law and formal equality, and meets the demands for greater security and order.1 The revolutionary is also a modern man. Doubting the inevitability of poverty and suffering, the revolutionary wants to begin anew in history. Preoccupied with establishing a permanent foundation for politics, he seeks more than just restoring civil rights, but of obtaining a new freedom, admission to the public sphere. The bureaucrat rules by the application of specialized knowledge; the revolutionary likewise wants to apply what he has learned through study and reflection.2 The revolutionary is a thinker. Motivated by ideas, he passionately believes that a perfect secular order - not just a new government - will emerge by destroying traditional authority. Lacking an interest in and understanding formed by the study of history, the revolutionary treats history "prophetically as a kind of unfolding morality play."3 History is the story of progress, the expansion of rationality, which revolution can only further. Revolution has "history on its side." But that which the revolutionary desires is only "the simple, almost banal aims of modern secular man generally"4 which are pursued with great intensity. Modern politics is about solving problems through reason or through revolution. If reason cannot prevail on a social level it is because freedom is being obstructed by the dominant class, a blockage which can only be removed through the alliance offeree with reason, overturning the false order of society through revolution. When problems are not solved by modern reason and revolution, when they seem to deepen rather than dissipate, when new problems are created by the blunt, impersonal technique of bureaucracies, or when the cruelties of revolution, rather than being temporary, are propagated and multiplied, and the revolution itself peters out, the rationality of each is exposed as a ruse, a dogma which justifies the exploitation of some over others. If reason is only a tactic to justify a partial and in no way universal interest, this must be explained and dealt with by rethinking reason to find space for that which is left out of the scheme of progress. This rethinking is performed by existentialism, which, as exemplified by the thought of Nicholas Berdyaev, opposes both bureaucratic rationality and revolutionary action. In Berdyaev's case, as for others, this is done by speaking a language of "values." The logic of the language of values, however, is not one of outright repudiation of the two forms modern rationality can take: bureaucratic instrumental reason and revolutionary faith in reason. Rather, it allows them to supplement each other. Bureaucracy can supplement itself with revolutionary jargon by making it "part of the conventional phraseology of political Philistines and banausic technicians,"5 through values-speak. …


Virtual traffic environments allow for evaluations of automated driving functions as well as future mobility services. As a key component of this virtual proving ground, a traffic flow simulation is necessary to represent real-world traffic conditions. Real-world observations, such as historical traffic counts and traffic light state information, provide a basis for the representation of these conditions in the simulation. In this work, we therefore propose a scalable approach to transfer real-world data, exemplarily taken from the German city Ingolstadt, to a virtual environment for a calibration of a traffic flow simulation in SUMO. To recreate measured traffic properties such as traffic counts or traffic light programs into the simulation, the measurement sites must first be allocated in the virtual environment. For the allocation of historical real-world data, a matching procedure is applied, in order to associate real-world measurements with their corresponding locations in the virtual environment. The calibration incorporates the replication of realistic traffic light programs as well as the adjustment of simulated traffic flows. The proposed calibration procedure allows for an automated creation of a calibrated traffic flow simulation of an arbitrary road network given historical real-world observations.


Positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) may show negative results for bronchioloalveolar lung carcinoma. We investigated the correlation of Glut-1 glucose transporter expression with [18F]FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer. Thirty-two patients with 34 non-small cell lung cancers (7 bronchioloalveolar carcinomas, 23 non-bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinomas, 3 squamous cell carcinomas, and 1 adenosquamous cell carcinoma) were studied. Final diagnoses were established by histology (via thoracotomy) in all patients. [18F]FDG PET was performed 40 min after i.v. injection of 185 MBq [18F]FDG. For semi-quantitative analysis of [18F]FDG uptake, standardized uptake values (SUVs) were calculated. Glut-1 expression was studied in terms of the immunohistochemistry of paraffin sections using anti-Glut-1 antibody to determine the intensity (0-3) of Glut-1 immunoreactivity and percentage of the Glut-1-positive area. Of seven bronchioloalveolar carcinomas, six (85.7%) were negative for the expression of Glut-1, while only one (4.3%) of 23 non-bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinomas was negative (P < 0.0001). The percentages of Glut-1-positive area, as well as the SUVs, were significantly lower in bronchioloalveolar carcinomas (n = 7) (2.86% +/- 7.56% and 1.25 +/- 0.75, respectively) than in non-bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinomas (n = 23) (54.83% +/- 25.64%, P < 0.0001, and 3.94 +/- 1.93, P = 0.001, respectively). The degree of cell differentiation correlated with the percentage of Glut-1-positive area and SUVs in adenocarcinoma of the lung. Correlations between SUVs and the intensity of Glut-1 immunoreactivity were also significant (intensities 0 and 1, n = 11, SUV 1.47 +/- 0.63; intensities 2 and 3, n=23, SUV 4.78 +/- 2.13; P < 0.0001). The percentage of Glut-1-positive area correlated significantly with SUVs (n = 34, r = 0.658, P < 0.01). Overexpression of Glut-1 correlated with high [18F]FDG uptake. These findings suggest that Glut-1 expression is related to [18F]FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer. Glut-1 expression, as well as [18F]FDG uptake, correlated with the degree of cell differentiation in adenocarcinomas, and both Glut-1 expression and [18F]FDG uptake were significantly lower in bronchioloalveolar carcinomas than in non-bronchioloalveolar carcinomas.


Objective Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a neurosurgical emergency, identified by a range of clinical symptoms including back pain coupled with saddle anaesthesia, bladder or bowel symptoms. A high index of suspicion for CES warrants an emergency lumbar MRI. However, up to 48% of patients undergoing such scans have no radiological correlate for their symptoms but are clinically indistinguishable from those with established CES (Rooney et al, 2009, J Neurol). Relatively little is known about this scan-negative patient group. We therefore examined a cohort of "CES" patients from a single regional centre and examined radiological and referral outcomes. Method 179 patients who had a lumbar MRI at Kings College Hospital, London, after attending A and E in a 12 month period ending December 2015 were retrospectively identified. 160 patients met the inclusion criteria: over 18; had lumbar MRI performed specifically to exclude suspected CES; and had an admission entry in the medical notes detailing their history. Electronic patient records were then assessed for age, gender, presenting symptoms and follow up. Results CES was confirmed in 16% of lumbar MRI scans (n=25), 84% (n=135) were 'scan-negative' with no structural correlate for CES although 44% showed some evidence of root involvement. Fisher's exact test (two-sided) was used to compare the groups' symptomology. No significant differences were found for back pain (p=0.59), urinary incontinence (p=0.98), urinary retention (p=0.16), altered urinary sensation (p=0.57), bowel incontinence (p=0.80), leg weakness (p=0.67), sciatica (p=0.57), leg paresthesia (p=0.37). There was an observed difference in the demographics: the scan-negative group was predominantly female [71% vs 48% (p=0.023)] and significantly younger [42.7 vs 54.7 years (p<0.005)]. 90% of the confirmed CES underwent surgical intervention. Follow up for the scan-negative group was variable and included surgery (22%, n=30), neurosurgery clinic (16%, n=22), neurology clinic (13%, n=17), physiotherapy (24%, n=33), pain clinic (16% n=22), psychiatry (4%, n=5), GP (22% n=30) and no follow up (13%, n=18). Conclusion These findings replicate established difficulties in identifying CES from clinical symptoms alone. Demographic differences between scan-positive and negative patients indicate heterogeneity requiring further investigation. It is likely that a proportion of the scan negative patients have a functional neurological disorder although the precise figure has yet to be determined. Routine follow up was inconsistent. More detailed neuropsychiatric evaluation and longer follow-up are required to characterise this patient group which would inform a range of clinical care pathways addressing their medical and psychiatric needs.


The technique of ionic self‐assembly (ISA), on the basis of electrostatic interactions, is a powerful tool to create new material nanostructures and chemical objects due to its advantages of facility, reliability, cost saving, flexibility, and universality. It has attracted great attention because of its promising applications in catalysis, drug delivery, and molecular detection. This review focuses on recent advances in the construction of self‐assemblies with different morphologies on the basis of ISA strategy and its applications. The ISA method provides an opportunity to generate complex and hierar‐ chical assemblies with tunable properties, which is regarded as a very promising case of supramolecular chemistry.


Motivated by the fact that the taxation of natural resources is both crucial and particularly challenging for developing countries, this paper draws on a unique dataset to produce empirical evidence on two issues pertaining to the fiscal impact of oil. On a sample of 31 countries during the 2000s oil price boom, we first assess which country and sector characteristics are correlated with the effective tax on oil, i.e. the share of oil income collected by the government. Secondly, we test whether oil revenue evicts traditional tax revenues. We propose a new methodology to address this question and we conclude to the absence of such an eviction effect: we observe no effect of oil revenue on non-oil taxes through taxation channels, and linkages with the non-oil economy seem to yield additional non-oil tax revenues. These econometric analyses are complemented by six comparative case studies of countries observed before and after oil production begins. Historical, institutional and oil sector-specific information allows to account for differences observed in the evolution of the effective tax on oil and of non-oil taxes.


Kleptoparasitism, the stealing of food items from other animals, is an important
foraging strategy for many taxa. In many cases the kleptoparasites and hosts are
different species but less commonly, prey items are stolen from conspecifics.
Recent studies have highlighted the potential importance of intra-specific
kleptoparasitism in food-stressed populations, and here we show facultative
kleptoparasitism at two North Sea colonies of Common Guillemots Uria aalge
during one year of poor breeding success and one year of near average breeding
success. The frequency of kleptoparasitism differed between colonies and years,
reflecting variation in the magnitude of the benefits from kleptoparasitism, which
was probably associated with variation in prey availability at sea. Specialised
foraging strategies such as kleptoparasitism may allow individuals to buffer adverse
conditions more effectively than those foraging only at sea.


Ecstasy did for house music what LSD did for psychedelic rock. Now, in "Energy Flash," journalist Simon Reynolds offers a revved-up and passionate inside chronicle of how MDMA ("ecstasy") and MIDI (the basis for electronica) together spawned the unique rave culture of the 1990s. England, Germany, and Holland began tinkering with imported Detroit techno and Chicago house music in the late 1980s, and when ecstasy was added to the mix in British clubs, a new music subculture was born. A longtime writer on the music beat, Reynolds started watching--and partaking in--the rave scene early on, observing firsthand ecstasy's sense-heightening and serotonin-surging effects on the music and the scene. In telling the story, Reynolds goes way beyond straight music history, mixing social history, interviews with participants and scene-makers, and his own analysis of the sounds with the names of key places, tracks, groups, scenes, and artists. He delves deep into the panoply of rave-worthy drugs and proper rave attitude and etiquette, exposing a nuanced musical phenomenon. Read on, and learn why is nitrous oxide is called "hippy crack."


This paper describes the current state of the United States economy and provides general and statistical information on forest products markets in terms of production, trade, consumption, and prices. Market developments are described for sawn softwood, sawn hardwood, softwood log trade, wood-based panels, paper and paperboard, fuelwood, forest product prices, and housing starts. Policy initiatives that can affect domestic markets and international trade in wood products are also discussed in some detail. Data are provided through the end of the year 2014 with estimates for 2015 and forecasts for 2016.


The velocity control of a direct-drive robot arm with high friction is considered in this paper. The friction at the robot joints is assumed to be captured by the Dahl model (1976), which has a bristle deflection interpretation. A joint velocity controller with friction compensation based on the Dahl model is introduced. Experiments show the superiority of the proposed scheme with respect to the velocity controller when friction is compensated using the classical viscous plus Coulomb model of friction.


Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging. Understanding how the disease progresses and identifying related pathological biomarkers for the progression is of primary importance in Alzheimer's disease research. In this paper, we develop novel multi-task learning techniques to predict the disease progression measured by cognitive scores and select biomarkers predictive of the progression. In multi-task learning, the prediction of cognitive scores at each time point is considered as a task, and multiple prediction tasks at different time points are performed simultaneously to capture the temporal smoothness of the prediction models across different time points. Specifically, we propose a novel convex fused sparse group Lasso (cFSGL) formulation that allows the simultaneous selection of a common set of biomarkers for multiple time points and specific sets of biomarkers for different time points using the sparse group Lasso penalty and in the meantime incorporates the temporal smoothness using the fused Lasso penalty. The proposed formulation is challenging to solve due to the use of several non-smooth penalties. We show that the proximal operator associated with the proposed formulation exhibits a certain decomposition property and can be computed efficiently; thus cFSGL can be solved efficiently using the accelerated gradient method. To further improve the model, we propose two non-convex formulations to reduce the shrinkage bias inherent in the convex formulation. We employ the difference of convex programming technique to solve the non-convex formulations. Our extensive experiments using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed progression models in comparison with existing methods for disease progression. We also perform longitudinal stability selection to identify and analyze the temporal patterns of biomarkers in disease progression.


Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) were labeled with indium-111 oxine in ethanol, and the effects of the labeling procedure, radioactivity, and concentrations of oxine and ethanol on PMN function and structure were studied in vitro. The standard labeling procedure did not alter the viability, random migration, chemotaxis, bactericidal capacity, or the ultrastructure of PMNs. Exposure to higher doses of radioactivity, or to higher concentrations of ethanol, had no appreciable effects on random migration and chemotaxis of PMNs. A dose-dependent reduction in their random migration and chemotaxis was observed when higher concentrations of oxine were used. These results indicate that In-111-labeled PMNs are structurally intact and have normal in vitro locomotion and bactericidal activity. Indium-111-labeled PMNs should be suitable for studying the kinetics and distribution of these cells in health and disease.


In the current research, a novel technology that has been proposed for automated fabric placement for the wind industry is investigated virtually using the finite element method and a review of previous works in the field of automation of longfiber composite manufacturing for the manufacture of wind blades that were found to be unviable is shared. The proposed novel technology uses an automated piecewise shifting method for fabric placement and was designed for the manufacture of large wind turbine blades. The mechanical behavior of the fabric is incorporated into the simulation through a user-defined material model that can predict process-induced failure zones and defects such as wrinkling. To demonstrate the application of modeling for the integration of the kinematics of the automation process and the mechanical behavior of the fabric, a simulation of shifting fabric placement is performed using the geometry of a typical wind turbine blade. Application of such a virtual investigation using the proposed approach of considering the mechanical behavior of the fabric could provide a significant design tool to assist in the development of future cost-effective systems for automated fabric deposition for wind blades and thereby avoid the shortcomings of past concepts that were concluded to be unviable.


The Web has been defined as the interface between Web servers and Web clients. Traditionally, HTML has been used as an intercommunication medium for the Web. Web-Based Information Systems (WBISs) is the most general class of Web sites being fully distributed, platform-independent and having a hypertextual user interface. XML is emerging as a new standard for data exchange and data representation on the Internet. The W3C Consortium is responsible for the development of standards for the Web. In this dissertation we have showed how XSL and XPath could be used to meet the query requirements of SWISS-PROT, which is a WBIS. We have showed that XSL offers some level of extensibility as a query language for SWISS-PROT, but if queries were to be extended to a high level of complexity XQuery would be more appropriate to use since using XSL for this purpose includes hand-coding of for-loops and if-statements. Another problem is related to maintenance. Updating the structure of the XML source would include updating hand-coded for-loops and if-statements. There is still no recommendation available for XQuery at the W3C Consortium. Considering other factors of information management, we have showed that XSL and XPath would play a significant role in displaying and formatting information in SWISS-PROT. This would though require that Web browsers in SWISS-PROT have standardised support for XML.


Hyperfine structures of ICl in its vibronic ground state due to the nuclear spin and electric quadruple interactions are determined by diagonalizing the effective Hamiltonian matrix. Furthermore, the Stark sub-levels are precisely determined as well. The results are helpful for electro-static manipulation (trapping or further cooling) of cold ICl molecules. For example, an electric field of 1000 V/cm can trap ICl molecules less than 637 μK in the lowest hyperfine level.


Reconstructions of coldest month mean temperature (CMMT) in the geologic past are important for understanding the dynamics of the climate system operating at that time. A common method for estimating CMMT involves applying the climatic tolerances of modern plant species to close analogues in the fossil record (the so-called nearest living relative [NLR] approach). Here we show that the leaves of seven modern species commonly used as NLRs to reconstruct CMMT from the fossil record freeze at warmer temperatures when grown at high CO2 (800 vs. 400 ppmv). This CO2 effect was found across all tested plant groups, including palms, taxodiaceous conifers, and two Southern Hemisphere evergreen species. This pervasive response indicates that many NLR-derived estimates of CMMT for times of high CO2 should be adjusted by at least 11.5 to 13 8C. A revision of CMMT estimates toward warmer values further increases the disparity in continental interiors between CMMT indicators from the fossil record and the colder predictions from general circulation models.


Chromatic and high-acuity aspects of vision are mediated by cone photoreceptors, which sample the image relayed by the eye's optics and transduce it into the neural signals that give rise to perception. Our understanding of how individual cones function has largely been gleaned from in vitro electrophysiological preparations, which allow the experimenter to stimulate single receptors while simultaneously recording their outputs. Building upon these findings requires investigating how signals arising from single sensory input neurons are handled downstream by the nervous system, up to and including the perceptual stage. With these goals in mind, the tools to approach these questions in vivo must be developed. The challenges associated with studying the perceptions arising from single sensory receptors are not trivial--doing so requires an ability to visualize and repeatedly stimulate the receptor of interest, which can be difficult when it is situated within a densely packed array of similar cells that is itself contained within a sensory organ. The eye, however, represents a unique case because the receptor layer can be visualized directly through the transparent cornea and lens. The fidelity of this view is diluted only by optical imperfections in the refractive components of the eye. Advances in ocular imaging that have taken place over the past 20 years now make it possible to overcome these imperfections and image individual photoreceptors in vivo. The series of experiments described in this document involve the development of methods to overcome these obstacles, the application of this technology to study single-cone-driven perception in healthy subjects, and the translation of these tools to the clinical realm, where cone structure and function were studied with micron-scale resolution in patients with retinal disease.


—We investigated ectoparasite loads between two syntopic species of whiptail lizards (Teiidae) which differ in reproductive modes and occur in native and non-native riparian forests. Tiger Whiptails (Aspidoscelis tigris) reproduce sexually and Sonoran Spotted Whiptails (A. sonorae) are an all-female parthenogenic species. Both lizards carry ectoparasites and reside in riparian habitats. Our objectives were to compare ectoparasitic mite loads between whiptail species and compare mite loads on whiptails from three habitat types; native cottonwood (Populus) forests and mesquite (Prosopis) woodlands, and non-native saltcedar (Tamarix). We quantified mite loads during dry, hot, summer months and the wetter monsoon season. We captured whiptails from trap arrays and photographed their ventral side. We calculated mite infestation by dividing the number of scales with mites present by the total number of ventral scales. Sonoran Spotted Whiptails had higher mite loads than Tiger Whiptails, but the best predictors of mite load were the type of riparian habitat and seasonality. Whiptails from native vegetation forests had six times higher mite loads compared to non-native saltcedar sites. Mites were most abundant on whiptails during cooler early summer and during humid monsoon months. Although non-native habitats had a similar microclimate to native habitats, the ectoparasite loads on lizards were much lower, perhaps related to the low abundance of lizard hosts in the non-native habitat. Our results suggest that environmental factors such as habitat and climate may be better predictors of ectoparasitism than host reproductive mode when comparing sexual and unisexual species of lizards.


The recent CASP15 competition highlighted the critical role of multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) in protein structure prediction, as demonstrated by the success of the top AlphaFold2-based prediction methods. To push the boundaries of MSA utilization, we conducted a petabase-scale search of the Sequence Read Archive (SRA), resulting in gigabytes of aligned homologs for CASP15 targets. These were merged with default MSAs produced by ColabFold-search and provided to ColabFold-predict. By using SRA data, we achieved highly accurate predictions (GDT_TS > 70) for 66% of the non-easy targets, whereas using ColabFold-search default MSAs scored highly in only 52%. Next, we tested the effect of deep homology search and ColabFold's advanced features, such as more recycles, on prediction accuracy. While SRA homologs were most significant for improving ColabFold's CASP15 ranking from 11th to 3rd place, other strategies contributed too. We analyze these in the context of existing strategies to improve prediction.


The relationship between humans and the environment is becoming unsustainable. Technologies mediate this relationship. In turn, technology is a product of dense cultural phenomena, from research institutions to capitalism, from ethics to cosmology. This paper investigates the 'cosmotechnics' of technical interactions with the environment and explores the sources of these social, ethical and environmental problems. The disconnect between humans and nature is traced to the roots of Western culture, while alternative views have emerged within the West and through its awareness of other cultures.
Technology in the West betrays a titanic urge to overcome nature. Since all technologies mesh with their immediate and global environment, invention arises from the interaction between assemblages of humans, machines and the environment. All contribute incrementally to new developments, which are not conscious projects fulfilling specific intentions, but evolving scenarios.
Without any clear intentional drive determining technological developments—nor any clear distinction between intended and unintended consequences—the concept of intention has little probative value. Instead, we approach the ethical judgment of outcomes from the viewpoint of responsibility. The social milieu and its actors are to be held to account for the consequences, regardless of intentions.
The paper identifies a malaise arising when the products of labour are split from an awareness of agency. This alienation opens up a misrecognition basic to unsustainable technologies. It operates at three discernible levels: technology split from culture; technology split from ethics and values; and theory split from technological practice. Solutions are sought through overcoming each of these gaps.


Background and objective: Urinary crystal precipitation is necessary for the initial step of stone formation. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are known to be associated with renal stone (RS) disease, particularly struvite stone.  We simultaneously examined both semi-quantitative amount and types of crystal in the urine of RS formers with and without UTI. Methods: The subjects were recruited from two hospitals in Northern Thailand. RS and UTI were diagnosed by the physicians.  The subjects were divided into four groups; group 1 (RS subjects without UTI; n=94), group 2 (RS subjects with UTI; n=83), group 3 (UTI subjects; n=210) and group 4 (healthy subjects; n=100). The semi-quantitative amount and types of crystal and bacteriuria of midstream urine were evaluated after centrifugation under light microscopy and urinalysis was also performed. Results: The semi-quantitative amount of crystalluria was not significantly different among the four groups. However, the common types of crystalluria were calcium oxalate, uric acid and triple phosphate, respectively. Calcium oxalate crystal was the most common crystal found in all groups (³75%). Uric acid crystals were found in 13% 5% and 25% in group 1,2 and 3, respectively. Triple phosphate crystal was found 2% only in group 3. Calcium oxalate and uric acid crystals were found in urinary pH 5-7, whereas triple phosphate crystal was found only in urinary pH 9. In addition, triple phosphate crystal was found in the subjects with UTI, while the calcium oxalate and uric acid crystals were found in both subjects with and without UTI. Conclusions: Urinary pH and bacteriuria were associated with crystal types. These data may explain the pathogenesis of RS formation on the basic knowledge of UTI and types of crystal formation. Keywords: crystalluria, urinary tract infection and renal stone disease


In this article we present ludomusicological research associated with the development of the video game Otogarden. Players of Otogarden are able to repeat short musical phrases through the use of a loop mechanic, juxtaposing sounds extemporaneously. By using the methodology of research through design, Otogarden addresses aesthetic and design issues related to musical participation in video games. Specifically, this article argues that video games, a contemporary venue for technologically augmented musicking, can allow access to novel forms of musical improvisation. In fact, while video games afford a remarkable variety of musicking, examples related to musical improvisation remain underexplored, with popular games favoring score-based interactions, as established by titles such as Guitar Hero or Rock Band. In similar examples, music is presented as a task to be completed, mediated by prerecorded compositions and simplified notations. Notable exceptions, such as the experimental game Electroplankton, have been criticized specifically for their lack of composition-oriented functionalities, seemingly neglecting the inherent value of improvisatory musical practices in video games.
 Otogarden challenges this understanding of a "music game" by focusing on the largely untapped potential of musical improvisation, "an activity of enormous complexity and sophistication, or the simplest and most direct expression."1 In order to gain feedback on Otogarden's special characteristics, we held a playtesting session with a sample of university students (N=21) with a special interest in music and music education. We collected research data from this session in the form of a survey. Analysis reveals different manifested perspectives, offering players novel creative opportunities. In addition, the game has surprising potential as a music-education tool. We conclude that it is possible to deliberately stimulate players' perspective on the game in an improvisatory musical direction, making evident the extemporaneous musical possibilities connected with digital game engagement.


Dermatophytosis or ringworm is a clinical condition caused by fungal infection of the skin in humans, pets and domesticated animals. The dermatophytes are groups of closely related filamentous fungi that infect only superficial keratinized tissues- the skin, hairs and nails. They cause a variety of clinical conditions, collectively known as dermatophytes, popularly called tinea or ring worm. Dermatophytes have been classified into three genera-Trichophyton, microsporum and epidermophyton. All are known to cause infection in man and animals1. The objective of this current study is to evaluate the effects of Cassia tora extracts on the growth of ring worm fungi in vitro. Crude extracts of lipid and alkaloids compounds from leaves of Cassia tora with the help of petroleum ether and methanol were investigated for their antifungal activities on ring worm or dermatophytes basically trichophyton and epidermophyton. Both the extracts of lipids and alkaloids have given the results on the basis of well diffusion method. In this experiment we observed that alkaloid compounds are more effective than lipid compounds. These types of fungus infect only keratinized tissues, so protein extract may not be effective for them. Five different fungal growth sample collected from two patients (P1 & P2) has shown different size of zone of inhibition in different concentration of alkaloid and lipid compounds (100%, 75%, 50% and 25%). From P1 we got four different fungal colonies (1, 2, 3 and 4) and from P2, only single colony obtained. In the test of alkaloids, in P1, colony 1 did not give any result while colony 2 has shown 9 mm, 7 mm, 6 mm and 4 mm zone of inhibition in 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% conc. respectively. Same like colony 3 and 4 also shown good result, in colony 3 we observed 6 mm, 5 mm and 3-3 mm and in colony 4, 6 mm, 5 mm,5 mm and 3 mm in 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% respectively. But in P-2, colonies did not give any results. In the test of lipid compounds, in P1, colony 1 has shown zone of inhibition of 8 mm on 100% conc. lipid compounds and on 50% and 25% shown 4mm, while 75% give 5 mm. Same like this, colony 2 shown the zone of inhibition of 11 mm, 10 mm, 5 mm on 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%, respectively. And colony 3 & 4 did not give any result. In P2, colony has shown 4 mm and 3 mm in 100% and 75% respectively, but 50% and 25% conc. did not given any results. Effectiveness of the plant extract can be concluded as - Alkaloids > Lipids


We consider the problem of adaptive sampling for global emulation (metamodeling) with a finite budget. Conventionally this problem is tackled through a greedy sampling strategy, which is optimal for taking either a single sample or a handful of samples at a single sampling stage but neglects the influence of future samples. This raises the question: "Can we optimize the number of sampling stages as well as the number of samples at each stage?" The proposed thrifty adaptive batch sampling (TABS) approach addresses this challenge by adopting a normative decision-making perspective to determine the total number of required samples and maximize a multistage reward function with respect to the total number of stages and the batch size at each stage. To amend TABS' numerical complexity we propose two heuristic-based strategies that significantly reduce computational time with minimal reduction of reward optimality. Through numerical examples, TABS is shown to outperform or at least be comparable to conventional greedy sampling techniques. In this fashion, TABS provides modelers a flexible adaptive sampling tool for global emulation, effectively reducing computational cost while maintaining prediction accuracy.


A mepridine-bovine serum albumin (Mep-BSA) conjugate with 15-20 moles of meperidine per mole of BSA was synthesized and characterized. Rabbits immunized with Mep-BSA produced antibodies that were assayed utilizing saturated ammonium sulfate to separate 3H-meperidine (3H-M) bound to antibody from free 3H-M. Antibody specificity was assessed by competitive inhibition studies. The nanomoles of inhibitor required to decrease the binding of 3H-M by 50% were: meperidine .046; meperidine acid, 3.2; alphaprodine, 7.8; dextromethorphan, 20; codeine, 50; and morphine 55. The sensitivity of the assay is approximately 30 ng/ml; sufficient for pharmacokinetic studies of the disposition of meperidine in man.


The present work reports on the preparation of the Ta5SiB2 compound by highenergy ball milling and subsequent heat treatment from elemental Ta-12.5at%Si-25at%B powder mixture. The milling process was carried out at room temperature in a planetary ball mill under argon atmosphere. Following the milling process, the powders were heat-treated at 1200oC for 4h under Ar atmosphere in order to obtain the equilibrium microstructure. The milled and heat-treated powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results indicated that the Si peaks disappeared after milling for 1h. It was noted that the broadening and the reduced intensity of Ta peaks occurred continuously up to milling for 10h, suggesting that the Si and B atoms were preferentially dissolved into the Ta lattice during ball milling to form a supersaturated solid solution. A halo was formed in Ta-12.5at%Si-25at%B powders milled for 100h, suggesting that an amorphous phase was achieved. No intermetallic phase was formed in powders milled for 200h. A large amount of Ta5SiB2 was formed after heat treatment at 1200oC for 4h. In addition, peaks of TaB and another unknown phase were also identified.


SUMMARY: Reversions to wild type occurred when conidia of a number of biochemically deficient mutants of Aspergillus niger were treated with DNA from the wild-type strain. No reversions or wild-type colonies were obtained when an equivalent number of conidia from deficient strains were either treated with the same DNA as the recipient, or were plated without any DNA treatment. Increase in the percentage of transformation was observed up to 6 μg./ml. of donor DNA. The transforming activity of the donor DNA was found to be inhibited by the action of u.v. radiation, heat and DNase. The frequency of transformation was low which could be attributed to the method of extraction of DNA which involved crushing of cells in the presence of alumina, possibly breaking the DNA into small fragments thus making it biologically less active.


This volume contains the proceedings of an international conference on Solomon that was held at the University of Leuven in 2009 and discussed various aspects of this multifaced character as he appears in Jewish, early Christian, and Islamic tradition.


Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is a resonant absorption–emission interaction process between irradiated laser photons and atoms or molecules. Due to the resonant character of the excitation process, minor combustion species at very low concentration levels (ppm or sub-ppm) can be probed using single-photon absorption processes, or by tuning the exciting laser to a wavelength where the species absorbs two photons simultaneously (two-photon LIF). Quantitative concentration measurements are feasible, but hindered by inter- or intramolecular energy transfer processes. Additionally, the temperature can be measured by determining the population distribution of the molecules, using Boltzmann's statistics. In many practical combustion systems the combustion fluid of interest (e.g., fuels or fuel components) does not give any LIF signal at all, or provides too-strong fluorescence contributions that are composed of signals from numerous species. Here, quantitative interpretation of the signals is typically not feasible. For the quantitative analysis of non- or weakly fluorescing fluids, it is advantageous to add well-characterized fluorescing tracers to the fluids (tracer LIF). The appropriate choice of the best suitable tracer system strongly depends on the particular application case. Recent laser developments have provided an increase of repetition rates into the multi-kHz regime. Using these high repetition rates, integral time scales of typical turbulent flames can be resolved in the measurements. In combination with intensified complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) cameras, cinematographic imaging of flame dynamics becomes feasible, providing a complementary view compared to statistically independent sampling. This chapter includes a brief introduction to the most recent developments in the field of LIF at high repetition rates (high-speed LIF), and also provides detailed information on suitable instrumentation for LIF applications, in particular for high-speed LIF.

Keywords:

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF);
tracer LIF;
planar LIF;
flame front imaging;
thermometry;
minor species detection


Conventional soil sampling is time consuming and requires meticulous laboratory analysis. Hence, mapping of soil apparent in respect to electrical conductivity (ECa) has been developed to identify areas of contrasting soil properties. Such ECa values are represent measures of soil properties. The sensor system, GF Instrument model CMD-4 were used to analyze soil physical properties. This system consists of three important parts, ECa sensor, data logger and Global Positioning System (DGPS) receiver. This research was aimed to evaluate the relationships between ECa and soil properties as well as the yield of rice (paddy) in paddy's farming fields. One study site was chosen. The sensor was pulled through a plotted area of 0.25 km 2 . The distribution map of ECa was developed to identify the contrast of ECa. More than 100 ECa of data points were collected in 3-hour for the large plot. The data was later transferred to a notebook computer for generation of ECa maps using Surfer 11 software. According to the data analyses, field and ECa showed positive correlation. The average values of ECa are significantly different between hilly area and drainage canal area signifying differences in soil structure. Soil ECa could provide a measure of the spatial differences associated with soil physical and chemical properties, which for paddy soil may be a measure of soil suitability for crop growth and its productivity. This sensor can measure the soil ECa through the field quickly for detailed features of the soil and can be operated by just one worker. The ECa map provides some ideas for future soil management


Lipemia retinalis is a rare ocular manifestation of certain types of hyperlipidemia. A case of a newborn with lipemia retinalis evaluated by laboratory and dinical findings is described. A creamy white appearance of all retinal blood vessels was demonstrated by color fundus photographs. The patient had elevated levels of triglycerides (29,000 mg/dL) and cholesterol (1,470 mg/dL). Lipid electrophoresis indicated hyperprebetalipoproteinemia. Type IV primary hyperlipoproteinemia was diagnosed.


The aim of this study was to test whether experimentally induced destruction and fragmentation of habitat and varying degrees of patch isolation applied to 11 experimental populations of root voles affected space use and fitness parameters in radio-tracked females. It was predicted that the habitat destruction would disrupt the spatiosocial relations between breeding individuals, which, in turn, would cause lowered survival and reproductive success. Different degrees of patch isolation were expected to affect the rate of risky and energetically costly interpatch movements. The experimental habitat destruction comprised the removal of more than half of the habitat area (meadow vegetation) in each of seven populations that had been established in a large continous habitat block. This treatment yielded six small, habitat patches arranged in two clusters with long and short interfragment distances, respectively. Measures of individual space use, survival rates (predation and unknown causes) and litter production were contrasted with equivalent measures obtained from four control populations. The control populations had been established in permanently fragmented plots with the same fragment configuration as the post-destruction treatment populations. The effect of different interpatch distance was tested by comparing movement rates, space use and demographic parameters between the two types of patch cluster. Home ranges were larger in the continuous predestruction populations compared to the permanently fragmented control populations. There was a large decrease in home range area of individual females as a result of habitat destruction, and they became temporally smaller than in the control plots. The degree of overlap only increased on home range core areas. The degree of space sharing between matrilineal related females, a main characteristic of Microtus social organization, was higher in the permanently fragmented populations (controls) than in the treatment populations. This difference was also maintained after habitat destruction. Thus, the basic spatio-social organization of reproductive females when first established, seems to be very resistant to habitat destruction. There were no effects of habitat destruction on female fitness parameters when tested for either at the cluster or the population level. There were less between-patch movements when interpatch distances were large than when they were small, irrespective of the fragmentation history of the population. Predation by avian predators, the main mortality cause, was highest in fragment clusters with long interpatch distances, probably because long distance movements between fragments increased the predation risk. There was a large intrapopulation variation with respect to how severely individuals were affected by the habitat destruction. The farther a female had to relocate her home range because of habitat destruction, the higher was the predation risk. Thus, this study predicts that the most influential aspect of habitat fragmentation on demography may be that causing long interpatch movements.


BACKGROUND
Surgical site infections (i.e. incisions that become infected) are a continuing concern in health care. Microbial sealant is a liquid that can be applied to the skin immediately before surgery and is thought to help reduce the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) by sealing in the skin flora, thus preventing contamination and infection of the surgical site.

OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of the preoperative application of microbial sealants (compared with no microbial sealant) on rates of SSI in people undergoing clean surgery.

SEARCH METHODS
For this second update we searched the following electronic databases in May 2015: the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library); Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations); Ovid EMBASE and EBSCO CINAHL. There were no restrictions based on language or date of publication or study setting.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible for inclusion if they involved people undergoing clean surgery (i.e. surgery that does not involve the breathing system, gut, genital or urinary tract, or any part of the body with an existing infection) in an operating theatre and compared the use of preoperative microbial sealants with no microbial sealant.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
All review authors independently extracted data on the characteristics, risk of bias and outcomes of the eligible trials.

MAIN RESULTS
Seven trials (859 participants undergoing clean surgery) met the inclusion criteria. The trials all compared cyanoacrylate microbial sealant with no sealant. We found there were fewer SSIs with the use of microbial sealant (23/443 participants) than with the control comparison (46/416 participants). There was no evidence of a difference between the two groups in surgical site infection rates following the use of microbial sealants when the results were pooled (risk ratio (RR) 0.53, 95% CI 0.24 to 1.18). There were adverse events in three studies, but these were not judged to be a result of the use of microbial sealant.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
In this second update there is still insufficient evidence available to determine whether the use of microbial sealants reduces the risk of surgical site infection or not. Further rigorous, adequately-powered RCTs are required to investigate this properly.


This paper proposes a robust method for recovery of motion and structure from two image sequences taken by stereo cameras undergoing a planar motion. The feature correspondence between images are extracted and refined automatically by the relation of the stereo cameras and the property of the motion. To improve the robustness, the random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm is adopted in the motion and structure estimation. Unlike other researchers to recover of epipolar geometry, here we use it to recover the 2D motion and to exclude the outliers not only out of the epipolar lines but also in them. Also the spirit of RANSAC is used in structure estimation to exclude the outlier from the sequence view. The most important contribution of this work is a way to make this estimation scheme more robust and efficient so as to be used in real applications. The experiments indoor and outdoor have been done to verify the feasibility of the algorithm. The results show the algorithm is robust and efficient for applications in planar motion.


Preventive conservation is described by Thomson (1986) as both the control of the environment to minimize degradation by ageing, the destruction of art exhibits and material, and the treatment of exhibits and materials so that they are stabilised and degradation slowed. This paper concerns the control of the environment, which in conservation means mainly the control of humidity. The aim must be to keep relative humidity (Rh) within the acceptable limit. What comprises a suitable limit is still the subject of debate, as the literature quotes quite a wide range of figures from around 40-70 percent Rh, depending on the geographic location, the building, and the objects being preserved. In the projects described here, an upper limit of 65 percent Rh has been used. The large technical survey on museum storage rooms in Sweden (Holmberg and Johansson 1996) showed that unheated but dehumidified buildings could be an acceptable alternative to traditional buildings with mechanical and electrical systems for indoor climate control. This paper describes measurements of air infiltration, relative humidity and temperature at three unheated historic palaces in Sweden: Skokloster, Lacko and Salsta. The descriptions are aimed at conservators, curators and other museum staff, rather than engineers, although some technical explanations have been included. As a result of the measurements, three solutions for improvements were tried: at Skokloster, almost nothing was done; at Lacko, the building envelope was improved by installing inner windows, and dehumidification was installed; and at Salsta, the building envelope was improved by a "Tempereirung" system, in which copper pipes carrying warm water were installed within the walls.


Wall materials play a vital role in the development of micro-/nanocapsules to protect the bioactive compounds against external factors. The encapsulation process and the type of polymers exert a direct impact on the development of bioactive micro-/nano-capsules, which greatly reflect in encapsulation efficiency, solubility, stability, surface permeability, and release profile of desired bioactive compounds. Among the polymers, biodegradable polymeric materials have been the focus for various applications in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Thus, this chapter focuses on different encapsulation techniques and the importance of biodegradable polymers employed as wall materials for developing stable and safe micro-/nanocapsules. Among the natural polymers, protein- and polysaccharide-based polymers are widely used. Similarly, the most commonly used synthetic polymers are polycaprolactone, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), and polyethylene glycol. Synthetic polymers have been classified based on their exogenous and endogenous responsive natures. At the end, we have also discussed on the applications of biodegradable polymers employed in the development of micro-/ nanocapsules. To compile this chapter and to provide adequate information to the readers, we have explored various sources, such as reviews, research articles, books, and book chapters including Google sites.


To eliminate the elaborate processes employed in other non-biological-based protocols and low cost production of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), this study reports biogenic synthesis of AgNPs using silver salt precursor with aqueous extract of Aspergillus fumigates MA. Influence of silver precursor concentrations, concentration ratio of fungal extract and silver nitrate, contact time, reaction temperature and pH are evaluated to find their effects on AgNPs synthesis. Ultraviolet-visible spectra gave surface plasmon resonance at 420 nm for AgNPs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques further confirmed the synthesis and crystalline nature of AgNPs, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy observed spherical shapes of synthesised AgNPs within the range of 3-20 nm. The AgNPs showed potent antimicrobial efficacy against various bacterial strains. Thus, the results of the current study indicate that optimisation process plays a pivotal role in the AgNPs synthesis and biogenic synthesised AgNPs might be used against bacterial pathogens; however, it necessitates clinical studies to find out their potential as antibacterial agents.


New cellular functions and developmental processes can evolve by modifying the functions or regulation of preexisting genes, but the creation of new genes and their contributions to novel processes is less well understood. New genes can arise not only from mutations or rearrangements of existing sequences, but also via acquisition of foreign DNA, also called horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Here we present evidence that HGT contributed to the creation of a novel gene indispensable for reproduction in some insects. The oskar gene evolved to fulfil a crucial role in insect germ cell formation, but was long considered a novel gene with unknown evolutionary origins. Our analysis of over 100 Oskar sequences suggests that Oskar arose through a novel gene formation history involving fusion of eukaryotic and prokaryotic sequences. One of its two conserved domains (LOTUS), was likely present in the genome of a last common insect ancestor, while the second (OSK) domain appears to have been acquired through horizontal transfer of a bacterial GDSL-like lipase domain. Our evidence suggests that the bacterial contributor of the OSK domain may have been a germ line endosymbiont. This shows that gene origin processes often considered highly unusual, including HGT and de novo coding region evolution, can give rise to novel genes that can both participate in pre-existing gene regulatory networks, and also facilitate the evolution of novel developmental mechanisms.


Spectral values of light absorption by yellow substance at near ultraviolet to visible wavelengths were measured in 22 storm runoff samples from the wharf log handling areas at the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand, to ascertain the feasibility of measuring light absorption for monitoring yellow substance in storm runoff. As in previous research on natural marine and inland waters, the spectral shapes of yellow substance absorption in storm runoff from the wharf log handling areas fitted an exponential model. The spectral slope varied only slightly, though the suspended solid concentration of the samples varies from 9.2 to 1,100 mg/l. The overall mean g 440 was 17.9 m -1 85 and 160 - 1,280 times that of natural marine waters in the Tauranga Harbour and around the South Island of New Zealand. The method appears feasible for rapid monitoring of yellow substance in storm runoff from log handling areas and provides a basis for tracing dispersion of the storm effluent in the receiving tidal waters.


The food safety issue has become a public health priority. Serious outbreaks have been reported over the past few decades because of eating unsafe food. Food-borne diseases such as Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad-cow disease) pose a serious threat to consumers. However, there is a dearth of study of consumer perceptions in the Philippines regarding food safety of vegetables. Therefore, this study investigated how consumers define food safety and analyzed their purchasing habits. A household survey of 300 respondents, 100 each from low-, middle-, and high-income groups, was conducted. The study selected ampalaya (bitter gourd), pechay (bok choy), and lettuce for the valuation scenario since these vegetables are more exposed to pesticides. We found that all income groups are more concerned with the visual appeal of the vegetables. This included the appearance, freshness, cleanliness, and presence of physical damages. The low-income group bought vegetables from the wet market at least twice a week and has less awareness of food safety. The low-income respondents were price conscious and had the highest average quantity of ampalaya purchased (0.69 kg). They rarely bought lettuce and were not particular on the food safety labels and brand names. Meanwhile, the middle-income group purchase vegetables from the wet market and supermarket weekly. This income group bought the highest average quantity of pechay (0.48 kg) and lettuce (0.72 kg). They defined food safety as "clean vegetables," and some have started to be food safety conscious by purchasing vegetables that are organic, food safety labeled, and well packaged. Similarly, majority of the high-income group bought vegetables from the supermarket weekly and were more concerned about food safety. They defined food safety as "proper food handling" and thought that food safety in vegetables meant naturally grown, organic, and chemical/pesticide-free vegetables. Based on the results, vendors should wash vegetables to take away residues such as dirt and biotic and nonbiotic contaminants to satisfy consumers' expectations and to generate consumer loyalty. The results of the study show that for the wet market, transactions in volumes should be continued and enhanced to provide low prices for the consumers. For the supermarket, innovation in food products can be done through the inclusion of food safety labels and certifi cations in the packaging of the vegetables sold.


The aim of the present study was to identify cluster of differentiation 4+ (CD4+)CD25+CD127regulatory T cells (Tregs) and CD14+ human leukocyte antigen-antigen D-related (HLA-DR-)/low myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in patients with breast cancer of varying stages, and investigate their roles and the potential interactions in the prognosis of breast cancer. A total of 40 patients with breast cancer were included in the study. A total of 30 healthy individuals served as the healthy control. Flow cytometry was performed for the identification of biomarkers. Natural Tregs were characterized by the expression of CD4+CD25+CD127-. The MDSC frequency was expressed as the percentage of CD33+CD11b+HLA-DR-lineage markers (Lin)-. The absolute number of Tregs was higher in breast cancer patients compared to the healthy control. The absolute number of Tregs in the patients with stage III or IV breast cancer was higher than those of the stage I or II, respectively. The percentage showed a gradual increase in the patients with breast cancer compared with the normal control. No direct correlation was established between the number or percentage of Tregs and the patient survival. There was a higher percentage of circulating MDSCs in breast cancer patients compared with the normal individuals. A close correlation was established between clinical cancer stage and percentage and total number of circulating MDSCs. To be exact, a significant increase of MDSC percentage and total number was observed in patients with stage III-IV breast cancer compared with the other cancer patients (stage I-II) and the normal individuals. No statistical difference was observed in the 3and 5-year survival rates in the breast cancer patients with enhanced expression of Tregs, compared with the normal individuals. In conclusion, enhanced expression of CD4+CD25+CD127Tregs cells and CD33+CD11+HLA-DR-LINMDSCs were identified from patients with breast cancer. Patients with advanced stage breast cancer showed upregulation of such cells. However, these 2 types of cells showed no correlation with the prognosis of breast cancer.


Exercise prescriptions that can be translated into clinical recommendations are clearly needed for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). A pilot project was developed to document the effectiveness of a structured low-intensity walking protocol on capillary glucose control in GDM women. Ten GDM women followed conventional management of diet and insulin therapy, plus a low-intensity walking program (W) from diagnosis to delivery. Capillary glucose concentrations, insulin requirements, and pregnancy outcomes were compared with a matched cohort by body mass index (BMI), age, and insulin usage (20 GDM women who followed conventional management alone (C)). Baseline capillary glucose concentrations were not significantly different between the W and C groups. The W group had an average acute drop in capillary glucose concentration from pre- to post-exercise of 2.0 mmol x L(-1). In addition, the W group had significantly lower mean glucose concentrations in the fasted state and 1 h after meals than the C group in the week prior to delivery. These lower glucose concentrations were achieved while requiring fewer units of insulin per day (C, 0.50 +/- 0.37 U x kg(-1); W, 0.16 +/- 0.13 U x kg(-1); p < 0.05), injected less frequently. These results suggest an effective role in glucose regulation for this structured walking program.


Penetration and diffusion of chloride ions in concrete can lead to the corrosion of steel bar and shorten the service life of concrete structures. Phosphoaluminate cement (PAC) is a new cementitious material which has many special properties compared to Portland cement (PC). In the study, chloride ion diffusion in PAC concrete was tested with RCM method. The phase composition and morphology of hydration products, pore volume of hardened paste cured for 28d were analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The results show that chloride ion diffusion coefficient of PAC concrete is much lower than that of Portland cement concrete under the same test conditions. The hydration products of PAC are main micro-crystalline phase and gel of phosphate and/or phophoaluminate, which formed a dense microstructure. There is no calcium hydroxide produced in the PAC hydration system. In hardened PAC paste, chloride ions might replace the atom group [OH] - and [PO4]3- of hydrates and become stable compounds. The resistance to chloride ion diffusion of PAC concrete will increase with the hydration age, because its microstructure becomes denser with the hydration age increasing.


A crisis seems to be developing in the ongoing dilemma of the relationship of orthodontics to temporomandibular disorders. Articles in the lay and dental press bear out this increasing concern. This paper provides a six step TMJ screening process for all dental practitioners providing orthodontic services. Specialty licensed orthodontists as well as dentists providing orthodontics as a part of family practice will find these guidelines simple to incorporate into their clinical evaluations.


The official Iranian calendar is a solar one that in both the length and the first day of its year is based not on convention, but on two natural (i.e. astronomical) factors: a) the moment of coincidence of the centre of the Sun and the vernal equinox during the Sun's apparent revolution around the Earth; and b) the time length between two successive apparent passages of the Sun's center across that point. These factors give this calendar the chance that 1) its beginning is the beginning of natural solar year, 2) its length is the length of solar year, and 3) the length of its months is very close to the time of the Sun's passage across twelve signs of the Zodiac from Farvardin/Aries to Esfand/Pisces. In this paper it would be shown that a) discussions concerning these facts have their own historical backgrounds, and b) up-to-date computations, being based on choosing the tropical year (i.e. 365.24219879 days) as the length of the calendar year, give the best possible intercalation with its specific system of leap years. Thus, on the grounds of historical documents, astronomical data, and mathematical calculations, we establish the Iranian calendar with the highest possible accuracy, which gives it the unique exemplary place among all calendars.


Summary Bidirectional transport is a key issue in cellular biology. It requires coordination between microtubule-associated molecular motors that work in opposing directions. The major retrograde and anterograde motors involved in bidirectional transport are cytoplasmic dynein and conventional kinesin, respectively. It is clear that failures in molecular motor activity bear severe consequences, especially in the nervous system. Neuronal migration may be impaired during brain development, and impaired molecular motor activity in the adult is one of the hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases leading to neuronal cell death. The mechanisms that regulate or coordinate kinesin and dynein activity to generate bidirectional transport of the same cargo are of utmost importance. We examined how Ndel1, a cytoplasmic dynein binding protein, may regulate non-vesicular bidirectional transport. Soluble Ndel1 protein, Ndel1-derived peptides or control proteins were mixed with fluorescent beads, injected into the squid giant axon, and the bead movements were recorded using time-lapse microscopy. Automated tracking allowed for extraction and unbiased analysis of a large data set. Beads moved in both directions with a clear bias to the anterograde direction. Velocities were distributed over a broad range and were typically slower than those associated with fast vesicle transport. Ironically, the main effect of Ndel1 and its derived peptides was an enhancement of anterograde motion. We propose that they may function primarily by inhibition of dynein-dependent resistance, which suggests that both dynein and kinesin motors may remain engaged with microtubules during bidirectional transport.


Abstract:Kinsey Institute (KI) librarians created Sexual Nomenclature in the 1970s as a means of improving cataloging accuracy for KI collections. This article traces the two origins of the thesaurus: Alfred Kinsey's original library organization in the 1940s and 1950s and gay and lesbian library activism in the 1960s and 1970s. Sexual Nomenclature's authors aimed to create and to deploy sex-specific terms that other libraries could use to improve user access to and knowledge of sex-related materials. An examination of Sexual Nomenclature's functionality in the past and present demonstrates both the difficulty and necessity of keeping controlled vocabularies for sexological concepts up-to-date.


Brachypodium distachyon is an excellent model system for the grasses and has been adopted as a research organism by many laboratories around the world. It has all of the biological traits required for a model system, including small stature, short life cycle, small genome, simple growth requirements, and a close relationship to major crop plants (cereals). In addition, numerous resources have been developed for working with this species, including genome sequences for many lines, sequenced mutant collections, and a large, freely available germplasm collection. Fortunately, among grasses B. distachyon is one of the most easily transformed species, an absolute necessity for a model system. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is the preferred method to transform plants because it usually results in simple insertions of target DNA. In this article, we describe a method for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of the inbred B. distachyon lines Bd21 and Bd21-3. Embryogenic callus induced from immature embryos is co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain AGL1 or Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain 18r12v. Hygromycin and paromomycin are used as selective agents, with comparable transformation efficiencies (defined as the percentage of co-cultivated callus that produce transgenic plants) of 40% to 70%. It takes 20 to 30 weeks to obtain T1 seeds starting from the initial step of dissecting out immature embryos. This protocol has been shown to be efficient and facile in several studies that resulted in the creation of over 22,000 T-DNA mutants. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


The function of the neocortex is fundamentally determined by its repeating microcircuit motif, but also by its rich, hierarchical, interregional structure with a highly specific laminar architecture. The last decade has seen the emergence of extensive new data sets on anatomy and connectivity at the whole brain scale, providing promising new directions for studies of cortical function that take into account the inseparability of whole-brain and microcircuit architectures. Here, we present a datadriven computational model of the anatomy of non-barrel primary somatosensory cortex of juvenile rat, which integrates whole-brain scale data while providing cellular and subcellular specificity. This multiscale integration was achieved by building the morphologically detailed model of cortical circuitry embedded within a volumetric, digital brain atlas. The model consists of 4.2 million morphologically detailed neurons belonging to 60 different morphological types, placed in the nonbarrel subregions of the Paxinos and Watson atlas. They are connected by 13.2 billion synapses determined by axo-dendritic overlap, comprising local connectivity and long-range connectivity defined by topographic mappings between subregions and laminar axonal projection profiles, both parameterized by whole brain data sets. Additionally, we incorporated coreand matrix-type thalamocortical projection systems, associated with sensory and higher-order extrinsic inputs, respectively. An analysis of the modeled synaptic connectivity revealed a highly nonrandom topology with substantial structural differences but also synergy between local and long-range connectivity. Long-range connections featured a more divergent structure with a comparatively small group of neurons serving as hubs to distribute excitation to far away locations. Taken together with analyses at different spatial granularities, these results support the notion that local and interregional connectivity exist on a spectrum of scales, rather than as separate and distinct networks, as is commonly assumed. Finally, we predicted how the emergence of primary sensory cortical maps is constrained by the anatomy of thalamo-cortical projections. A subvolume of the model comprising 211,712 neurons in the front limb, jaw, and dysgranular zone has been made freely and openly available to the community.


4,4'-Methylene-bis (2-chloroaniline) (MOCA), a curing agent used in polyurethane manufacture, is a genotoxic and carcinogenic amine. This study aimed to assess occupational exposure to MOCA using as indices: (1) the post-work urinary output of MOCA; (2) urinary thioethers, assuming that conjugation with glutathione might be a significant pathway for the elimination of putative electrophilic metabolites of MOCA; and (3) sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency in peripheral lymphocytes as an indicator of genetic damage. Process workers at a polyurethane production unit were found to have up to 38 μmol MOCA mol -1 creatinine in their urine at the end of a work shift. Smaller quantities were found in the urine of laboratory and supervisory staff, but none was detected in the urine of a group of office and sales staff from an unrelated industry, who served as unexposed controls. There was no evidence of MOCA-related urinary thioether output. There was a graded increase in SCE frequency from controls to process workers, consistent with their apparent exposure to MOCA. Administration of MOCA to rats (5 daily i.p. injections of 125 or 250 mg kg-1 resulted in dose-related increases in MOCA excretion and in lymphocyte SCE frequency, but there was no change in thioether output. These results indicate that urinary thioether excretion is inappropriate for monitoring MOCA exposure, but that where MOCA exposure can be demonstrated, by the presence of MOCA in urine, this is associated with genetic damage in both man and in the rat.


The basic aim of this thesis is to investigate unemployment in Australia using a disequilibrium framework. In particular, involuntary unemployment is examined from both a Keynesian and a Classical perspective. As a consequence, both Classical and Keynesian doctrines were interpreted as disequilibrium theories called Neo-Classical and (New) Keynesian respectively. Examined within a (New) Keynesian (disequilibrium) theory an unambiguous definition of involuntary unemployment emerges. The Neo-Classical (disequilibrium) theory, unlike the Classical theory, also allows for bouts of involuntary unemployment. Consequently, a distinction between Neo-Classical and (New) Keynesian involuntary unemployment is considered a matter of degree rather than principle; if wages adjust more rapidly than employment toward equilibrium, then unemployment would be Neo-Classical. Furthermore, since involuntary unemployment is a disequilibrium concept, the unemployment model was estimated using a disequilibrium procedure. After reviewing the econometrics and theory of disequilibrium a generalized partial adjustment equation, developed by Chow (1983), was adopted. This procedure has distinct advantages over other techniques. The unemployment model was estimated for Australia over two periods: 1964 to 1972 for the first period and from 1972 to 1986 for the second period. It was found that neither period could be classified as either pure (New) Keynesian or Neo-Classical; however, there is evidence of elements of both theories in each period. This thesis also examined structural and search unemployment. Finally, evidence of labour dishoarding in period two was also found.


This document introduces a new class of Model-Based Metrics designed
to assess if a complete Internet path can be expected to meet a
predefined Target Transport Performance by applying a suite of IP
diagnostic tests to successive subpaths. The subpath-at-a-time tests
can be robustly applied to critical infrastructure, such as network
interconnections or even individual devices, to accurately detect if
any part of the infrastructure will prevent paths traversing it from
meeting the Target Transport Performance. Model-Based Metrics rely on
mathematical models to specify a Targeted IP Diagnostic Suite, a set
of IP diagnostic tests designed to assess whether common transport
protocols can be expected to meet a predetermined Target Transport
Performance over an Internet path. For Bulk Transport Capacity, the
IP diagnostics are built using test streams and statistical criteria
for evaluating the packet transfer that mimic TCP over the complete
path. The temporal structure of the test stream (e.g., bursts) mimics
TCP or other transport protocols carrying bulk data over a long path.
However, they are constructed to be independent of the details of the
subpath under test, end systems, or applications. Likewise, the
success criteria evaluates the packet transfer statistics of the
subpath against criteria determined by protocol performance models
applied to the Target Transport Performance of the complete path. The
success criteria also does not depend on the details of the subpath,
end systems, or applications.


The quality of guidance services has become a crucial public policy-making issue in OECD member-countries. In order to improve this quality, some countries are setting up competence standards, introducing market mechanisms or specific managerial procedures. The highly segmented French system makes it difficult to improve the quality and user-friendliness of services rendered to citizens. Various national and regional initiatives have been launched, based on coherent lifelong vocational guidance policies. However, some debate has been focusing on the questions wich arise : is it preferable to develop all-inclusive, cross-sectional quality standards or specialized ones targeting specific groups ? Should the system be decentralized for the sake of greater proximity ? And what methods of assessment should be adopted ?


This dissertation examines the different ways actor training techniques in the United States have conceived of and utilized the actor's memory as a means of inspiring the actor's performance. The training techniques examined are those devised and taught by Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Joseph Chaikin, Stephen Wangh and Anne Bogart and Tina Landau. As I shall illustrate, memory is not the unified phenomenon that we often think and experience it to be. The most current research supports the hypothesis that the human memory is composed of five distinctly different, yet interrelated systems. Of these five my research focuses on three: episodic, semantic, and procedural. As I believe no one theoretical approach could do justice to the variety of ways the actor's memory has been conceived of and used in U.S. training techniques I have chosen to explore the issue from three different theoretical perspectives. Beginning with a conception of memory that will, in all likelihood be the most familiar to my readers, I explore the ways in which contemporary neuroscience can help us to understand how Strasberg's Method uses the actor's episodic memory to achieve a state of affective remembering. I then use sociologist Maurice Halbwach's theory of collective memory to reveal how the techniques of Adler and Chaikin utilize the actor's semantic memory system but to very different ends. Philosopher Edward Casey's phenomenological study of procedural, or as it is more commonly known, body memory serves as the foundation for my examination of how Wangh's acrobatic technique uses the actor's procedural memory to stimulate a state of affective remembering in a manner which is remarkable similar to Strasberg's use of the actor's episodic memory. My study concludes with an examination of another highly physical technique known as Viewpoints, developed by Bogart and Landau. In Viewpoints we see a technique that utilizes not just procedural memory, but also the actor's episodic and semantic memory systems in a manner that is unique in United States actor training.


Approximately one-third of cancer deaths are caused by cachexia, a severe form of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue wasting that affects men more than women. The heart also undergoes atrophy in cancer patients, but the mechanisms and the basis for apparent sex differences are unclear. In a mouse colon-adenocarcinoma model, cancer causes a loss of cardiac mass due to a decrease in cardiac myocyte size that is associated with reduced levels of all sarcomeric proteins. Unlike skeletal muscle cachexia, atrophic hearts do not upregulate the ubiquitin-proteasome system or its activity but increase autophagy. Thus, cancer causes cardiac atrophy by a mechanism distinct from that in skeletal muscle. Male tumor-bearing mice have a more severe phenotype than females, including greater cardiac mass loss and mortality, a more robust pro-inflammatory response to the tumor, and greater cardiac autophagy. In females, estrogen protects against cancer-induced cardiac atrophy and body weight loss by signaling through its receptor. Sex differences in cardiac atrophy need to be considered during the treatment of patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy to prevent exacerbation of cardiac dysfunction.


Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. The memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S. during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people to the common defense of the nation and to the broader causes of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world. It will inspire future generations of Americans, deepening their appreciation of what the World War II generation accomplished in securing freedom and democracy. Above all, the memorial stands as an important symbol of American national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and awesome power that can flow when a free people are at once united and bonded together in a common and just cause.


This article investigates how the idea of European solidarity and the vision of Europe changed over time amongst Italian groups and individuals engaged in solidarity actions in support of Internally Displaced Persons (idp s) and refugees in the Western Balkans in the 1990s and 2020s. By means of document analysis and in-depth qualitative interviews, the article shows that individuals partaking in solidarity initiatives framed their action as European grassroots solidarity, enacted to replace the institutional solidarity that the EU failed to offer. While solidarity groups in the 1990s saw the EU-in-the-making as alternative to the power politics of member states worsening the conflicts in the region, those mobilising in the 2020s expressed a more critical and disenchanted vision characterised by rage, disillusionment, and disappointment towards an EU perceived as having betrayed its ideal foundations while dealing with migration along the Balkan route.