Background: Rotator cuff tear is one of the most common causes of shoulder complaints in the elderly. Based on the severity and patient's condition, a variety of methods applies to manage the tear and surgery is an important method, which could be done by open or arthroscopic technique. The current study aimed to investigate and report short-term results of arthroscopic repair of complete rotator cuff tears. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 183 patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair rotator cuff tear in three different hospitals of Tehran between January 2003 and August 2006. Of all patients, 107 cases included in our study, which had a complete rotator cuff tear, and at least one-year follow up record. 89 patients (56 male and 33 female) attended assessment sessions and were evaluated by UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Shoulder and Elbow Scoring System, pre- and post-operatively, and acromioplasty was performed in 83 patients. Results: With a mean age of 53.2 ± 15.8 (32-71) years, the average UCLA score was 11.3 before the surgery and 31.4 post-operatively. There were 11 patients with excellent scores, 62 good, 11 fair, and 5 poor scores. 9 out of 11 cases with excellent score and 34 out of 62 with good score were younger than 55 years; however, 13 cases were older than 60 years amongst 16 fair or poor scores. Conclusions: Arthroscopic repair of complete rotator cuff tear would cause a significant improvement in a short-term period and results are better in younger patients, through the UCLA scoring system.


AIM: To evaluate and compare the shear bond strength of resilient liners with heat cure denture base resins in the presence or absence of saliva. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two commercially available heat polymerized acrylics and three commercially available denture liners were immersed in artificial saliva for 7 days and 14 days, respectively. A total of 180 (Acralyn-H, No.90 and Lucitone - 199, No.90) specimens were prepared. Total of 90 overlapping joint specimens were prepared, 45 of them using Acralyn H (AGroup) and rest 45 using Lucitone-199 (L-Group). The specimens were tested for flexural strength with a 3-point bending test on an Instron universal testing machine. The results were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The mean difference in shear bond strength (SBS) at different time intervals was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). Lucitone-199 recorded a significantly higher mean SBS compared to Acralyn H (p < 0.001). Further, significant differences between GC and Densply, GC and Aswin liners, and between Dentsply and Aswin were noted (p < 0.001). Difference between baseline and 7 days time interval, as well as, between baseline and 14 days time interval with respect to the mean SBS of these materials were significant (p < 0.001). Also, the mean difference in SBS between 7 days time interval and 14 days time interval was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Among the three different liners, GC yielded a higher mean SBS compared to Aswin and Dentsply at all the three time intervals. The mean SBS recorded in Dentsply and Aswin was almost same at 14 days time interval, but at baseline and 7 days, it was higher in Aswin compared to Dentsply. CONCLUSION: Lucitone-199 recorded a higher mean SBS compared to Acralyn H. As the time interval increases, the mean SBS recorded in both the denture base materials decrease. Among the three different liners, GC yields a higher mean SBS compared to Aswin and Dentsply at all the three time intervals. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The most common reason for failures of resilient linings in removable dentures is the separation of these linings from the denture base. Therefore, poor adhesive bond properties are one of the serious defects of the material in clinical practice.


Semecarpus anacardium is classified in Ayurveda under the category of toxic plants. However, this toxic plant is reported to possess anti-inflammatory activity, anti-arthritic effect, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, anti- carcinogenic activity, hypoglycemic activity, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and hypolipidemic activity etc. All these activities are attributed to its various constituents like phenolic compounds, flavonoids, carbohydrates, alkaloids, steroids, etc. In Ayurveda, a series of pharmaceutical procedures which converts a poisonous drug into a safe and therapeutically effective medicine is termed as Shodhana. Shodhana improves the yield, decreases the phenolic and flavonoid content; and converts toxic urushiol into nontoxic anacardol derivative thereby reducing toxicity of nuts of Semecarpus anacardium. There are reports of alteration in pharmacology and phytochemistry of nuts of Semecarpus anacardium due to Shodhana.


Molecular and vibrational dynamics of a widely used cholesterol-lowering agent, lovastatin, have been studied by combining nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation experiments (1H NMR) with inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and periodic density functional theory modeling (plane-wave DFT). According to a complementary experimental study, lovastatin shows no phase transitions down to cryogenic conditions, while a progressive, stepwise activation of several molecular motions is observed below room temperature. The molecular packing and intermolecular forces were analyzed theoretically, supported by a 13C NMR study and further correlated with observed molecular dynamics. The NMR relaxation experiments combined with theoretical calculations disclose that molecular dynamics in solid lovastatin is related to methyl group motions and conformational disorder in the methylbutanoate fragment. This is precisely assigned and analyzed quantitatively from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. The neutron vibrational spectroscopy further corroborates that the methyl rotors have a classical nature. In addition to the intramolecular reorientations, the vibrational dynamics was analyzed with an emphasis on the low-wavenumber range. For the first time, the terahertz response of lovastatin was studied by confronting neutron and optical techniques and clearly illustrating their complementarity. The consistent picture of the molecular dynamics is provided, which may support further considerations on alternative drug formulations and the amorphization tendency in this important lipid-lowering drug.


Programming with dependent types is a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing to be able to bake invariants into the definition of datatypes: we can finally write correct-by-construction software. However, this extreme accuracy is also a curse: a datatype is the combination of a structuring medium together with a special purpose logic. These domain-specific logics hamper any attempt to reuse code across similarly structured data. In this article, we capitalise on the structural invariants of datatypes. To do so, we first adapt the notion of ornament to our universe of inductive families. We then show how code reuse can be achieved by ornamenting functions. Using these functional ornaments, we capture the relationship between functions such as the addition of natural numbers and the concatenation of lists. With this knowledge, we demonstrate how the implementation of the former informs the implementation of the latter: the user can ask the definition of addition to be lifted to lists and she will only be asked the details necessary to carry on adding lists rather than numbers. Our presentation is formalised in a type theory with a universe of datatypes and all our constructions have been implemented as generic programs, requiring no extension to the type theory.


David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime-minister, is regarded more of a "security-minded leader" than a "civilian leader". Nevertheless, as premier of a fledgling state, he played a major role in shaping Israel's civil institutions and establishing democracy and the rule of law. Even his attitude toward the army and security matters derived from a solidly-constructed civil-legal weltanschauung. This paper demonstrates the civil roots of his concept of army by analyzing his insistent demand for the enactment of a comprehensive and efficient military criminal code (known in Israel as the Military Justice Law).


The iron and steel industry accounts for approximately 45% of the CO 2 emissions in the Japanese industrial sector, and therefore is investing in improvements to reduce the CO 2 emissions. Current projections are for the stock of scrap iron and steel products to increase in the future. Being already in the reduced state, such scrap can be regenerated to steel with lower CO 2 emissions than iron ore. The "Packed bed type Partial Smelting Reduction process" (PSR), which concurrently smelts scrap and reduces iron ore, is a promising method to utilize scrap iron. This work evaluates the feasibility of combining PSR with top gas recycling, a process commonly called the 'SMART steelmaking system'. In the SMART system, CO 2 derived from the PSR gas is reduced into CO or CH 4 and recycled to the furnace as a reducing agent. The integrated whole process including shaft furnace, CO 2 electrolysis, pressure swing adsorption, and other conventional auxiliary systems was modelled in Aspen Plus, and CO 2 emissions reduction and exergy analysis of the system adaptive for flexible operating conditions was performed. Increasing the scrap ratio by 5% consistently lead to a 4% reduction in CO 2 emissions. Similarly, increasing the CO input rate by 100 kg/THM consistently resulted in a reduction of CO 2 emissions of approximately 3%. The maximum CO 2 emissions reduction of 22% was achieved at the condition of the operably highest scrap ratio and CO input rate.


This study tested the hypothesis that varying degrees of hemodynamic fluctuations seen after birth following immediate cord clamping were related to development of asphyxia with longer cord clamp-to-ventilation intervals, resulting in higher perinatal circulating levels of the catecholamines norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (Epi), and thus increased heart rate, blood pressures, and cardiac contractility after birth. Anesthetized preterm fetal lambs were instrumented with 1) aortic (AoT) and pulmonary trunk (PT) micromanometers to obtain pressures and the maximal rate of pressure rise (dP/dtmax) as a surrogate measure of ventricular contractility, and 2) an AoT catheter to obtain samples for blood gas and catecholamine analyses. After delivery, immediate cord clamping was followed by ventilation ∼40 s (n = 7), ∼60 s (n = 8), ∼90 s (n = 9), or ∼120 s later (n = 8), with frequent blood sampling performed before and after ventilation. AoT O2 content fell rapidly after immediate cord clamping (P < 0.001), with an asphyxial state evident at ≥60 s. Plasma NE and Epi levels increased progressively with longer cord clamp-to-ventilation intervals, with an exponential relation between falling AoT O2 content and rising catecholamines (R2 = 0.64-0.67). Elevated circulating catecholamines persisted for some minutes after ventilation onset, with postbirth surges in heart rate, AoT and PT pressures, and AoT and PT dP/dtmax linearly related to loge of catecholamine levels (R2 = 0.41-0.54, all P < 0.001). These findings suggest that 1) a greater degree of asphyxia-induced sympathoadrenal activation (reflected in elevated circulating catecholamine levels) occurs with longer intervals between immediate cord clamping and subsequent ventilation, and 2) this activation is a major determinant of hemodynamic fluctuations evident with birth.


A healthy and empowered workforce is the backbone of every thriving organization. Shell companies in the Philippines considers its people as its main asset – its over 4,000 employees who enable the company to continuously operate critical economic assets and deliver products and services that fuel the activities of its customers and the nation.
 Thus, Shell makes it a priority to foster a workplace that is nurturing and where employees can perform to their full potential. Guided by the results of the Shell People Survey, an annual survey that determines the pulse of the Shell employees, as well as feedback from face-to-face business engagements and ad hoc medical consultations, Shell Health develops strategic interventions to promote employee welfare.
 One of the initiatives borne out of this need was the transformation of its clinics to Wellness Hubs – centers of care that offer a personalized and holistic approach to employee wellness, deviating from the traditional and transactional style of rendering health services. This transformation stems from the recognition of Shell employees' preference for customized approaches.
 To date, this effort has translated to improved personal engagements and follow-through, recording 74% uptake of Wellness Talk during medical interpretation visits versus 21% previous. Further, 68% of Shell Philippines employees have committed to health targets, versus 5% previous, and among those with committed targets, 19% successfully achieved their health targets within 3-6 months. There is now 100% reach to employees based in remote locations, versus 50% previous reach, and 93% of them have committed to health target versus previous 10% health target commitment.


Recent developments in the study of the biosynthetic processes Of OOgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster (Jacob & Sirlin, 1959; King & Sang, 1959; Zalokar, 1960; Sirlin & Jacob, 1960) and a more extensive knowledge of the submicroscopic structure of the developing egg (King & Devine, 1958; Waddington & Okada, 1960) have renewed interest in the 'mosaic' character of the freshly deposited egg. This has long been a subject of investigation for insect embryologists, but the available experimental techniques have not provided the necessary refinement for detailed studies.

Previously, the most successful method of experimental investigation was that of partial egg irradiation with ultra-violet light (Geigy, 1931 a , b ). The ultraviolet was particularly suitable for this type of work because of its comparatively low penetration into protoplasm: roughly 85 per cent, absorption occurred in 50 μ at a wavelength of 300 mμ (from data of Bachem & Read, 1931, for the stratum malpighii), and stronger absorption was obtained at shorter wavelengths.


There are many evolving challenges and opportunities for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) related distribution packaging as the global retailing industry rapidly shifts its emphasis from the traditional brick-and-mortar strategy to ecommerce and omni-channel (cross-channel business model) retailing. Ecommerce and omni-channel related retail poses the unique challenges of CPGs arriving in bulk and then undergoing inventorying, picking and shipping typically as individual products towards customers' order fulfilment. As business strategies continue to evolve and take advantage of how technology is shaping consumer trends, former traditional aspects of the classic supply chain are starting to take on new roles and responsibilities. The role of distribution packaging is paramount in the new ecommerce and omni-channel strategies. As businesses make the shift in retailing strategies, it is apparent that the demands on distribution packaging become critical towards delivering the goods in a desired form to the end customer - it needs to meet the functional requirements of containment, protection, utility and communication. Consumers expect their products to be delivered on time and free of any damage, so the packages need to optimally contain and protect the products. Consumers expect companies to minimize their carbon footprint and use sustainable packaging materials that can be recycled. Finally, packaging must communicate a tremendous amount of information through the distribution channels in terms of product information, location through the supply chains, and eventually, marketing and product information to the customer. This paper (1) compares traditional, ecommerce and omni-channel logistics strategies; (2) discusses evolving omni-channel retailing strategies; (3) confers the challenges faced by distribution packaging specifically in ecommerce logistics; (4) highlights the implications of evolving disruptive ecommerce business strategies on distribution packaging; (5) identifies the opportunities to increase value through strategic distribution packaging; and (6) summarizes the evolving pre-shipment distribution packaging test standards.


Rahmaniazad, Emad. M.S.E.C.E., Purdue University, December 2020. Community Recommendation in Social Networks with Sparse Data. Major Professors: Brian King and Ali Jafari. Recommender systems are widely used in many domains. In this work, the importance of a recommender system in an online learning platform is discussed. After explaining the concept of adding an intelligent agent to online education systems, some features of the Course Networking (CN) website are demonstrated. Finally, the relation between CN, the intelligent agent (Rumi), and the recommender system is presented. Along with the argument of three different approaches for building a community recommendation system. The result shows that the Neighboring Collaborative Filtering (NCF) outperforms both the transfer learning method and the Continuous bag-of-words approach. The NCF algorithm has a general format with two various implementations that can be used for other recommendations, such as course, skill, major, and book recommendations.


Previous studies have demonstrated that monoclonal IgG and IgM antibodies to phosphocholine (PC), a determinant in the cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae, can protect mice from fatal infection with S. pneumoniae. In this study we demonstrate that both passive and naturally occurring anti-PC antibodies promote the clearance of S. pneumoniae from the blood. The bulk of the cleared pneumococci are apparently killed, because they fail to accumulate in reticuloendothelial tissues. These findings suggest that their protective effect is probably dependent on their ability to promote phagocytosis. We have found that on a weight basis IgG antibody is more effective at promoting blood clearance than IgM antibody. This observation fits with our earlier findings that IgG anti-PC antibody is more protective against i.v. infection than IgM anti-PC antibody. We have also demonstrated that anti-PC antibodies are protective against S. pneumoniae infection when given as late as 24 hr postinfection. This finding makes it unlikely that the ability to protect against pneumococcal infection with anti-PC antibody is dependent on an artifact associated with either their in vitro growth or the harvesting procedure.


Exact cover is the problem of finding subfamilies, S*, of a family of sets, S, over universe U, where S* forms a partition of U.  It is a popular NP-hard problem appearing in a wide range of computer science studies. Knuth's algorithm DLX, a backtracking-based depth-first search implemented with the data structure called dancing links, is known as state-of-the-art for finding all exact covers. We propose a method to accelerate DLX. Our method constructs a Zero-suppressed Binary Decision Diagram (ZDD) that represents the set of solutions while running depth-first search in DLX. Constructing ZDDs enables the efficient use of memo cache to speed up the search. Moreover, our method has a virtue that it outputs ZDDs; we can perform several useful operations with them. Experiments confirm that the proposed method is up to several orders of magnitude faster than DLX.


A novel methodology base on multi-feature object-oriented MRF(MFOMRF) is proposed in order to obtain precise segmentation of high resolution satellite image. Conventional pixel-by-pixel MRF model methods only consider spatial correlation and texture of each pixel fixed square neighborhood, which are not satisfactory as the high resolution satellite contains complex spatial and texture information. the segmentation method of high resolution remote sensing image based on pixel-by-pixel MRF model usually suffer from salt and pepper noise. Based on the analysis of problems existing in pixel-by-pixel MRF model methods of high-resolution remote sensed images, an multi-feature object-oriented MRF-based segmentation algorithm is proposed. The proposed method is made up of two blocks: (1) Mean-Shift algorithm is employed to obtain the over-segmentation results and the primary processing units are generated, based on which the object adjacent graph (OAG) can be constructed. (2) The generation of objects by overly segmented, the spectral, textural, and shape feature are extracted for each node in the OAG, all of these features are constructed in a feature vector, based on which the feature model is defined on the OAG, and the neighbor system, potential cliques and energy functions of OAG are exploited in the labeling model. The proposed segmentation method is evaluated on high resolution remote sensed image data set-GeoEye, And the experimental results verified that MFOMRF has the capability to obtain better segmentation results, especially for textural and shape richer images.


Introduction Genome editing tools including TALENs and the CRISPR/ Cas9 system have revolutionized our ability to edit the genome of any cell, including human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Sequence-specific nucleases induce double-strand breaks or nicks at target sites, activating the DNA repair pathways of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homology-directed repair (HDR). NHEJ produces small insertions or deletions (indels) and is useful for disrupting gene function. HDR can induce precise gene repair of one to thousands of base pairs in the presence of a homologous donor molecule, allowing for correction of point mutations and introduction of exogenous sequences. Genome editing is an increasingly common part of the molecular biologist's toolkit and is being actively developed for therapeutic indications.


OF DISSERTATION ACCULTURATION OF ASIAN INDIAN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES The United States is home to nearly three million Asian Indians. The difference in Asian Indian and American cultures creates a need for Asian Indians to acculturate, upon migration to the U.S. It has been theorized that acculturation becomes harder when the two cultures of contact are dissimilar. Particularly, immigrant women and children have been found to be more vulnerable than men to acculturative stress, where acculturative stress is defined as the psychological impact of adaptation to a new culture. Hence, this study focuses on acculturation of Asian Indian women and specifically on factors influencing their acculturation. Research findings from this study on acculturation of Asian Indian women provide information, useful for public policy makers. They have been utilized to develop a program (used by settlement service providers) designed specifically to facilitate acculturation of Asian Indian women in the U.S. A two-dimensional model developed by J.W. Berry, a prominent researcher in the field of acculturation, is employed to classify the acculturation process of Asian Indian women who were part of this study. Based on Berry's model, the acculturation process of an immigrant can be described by one of the following four strategies: 1) Assimilation, 2) Integration, 3) Separation, or 4) Marginalization. According to Berry, the Integration strategy is considered the most effective acculturation strategy in terms of long-term health and wellbeing of the individual. This study employed a cross-sectional design, using quantitative methods for data analysis. Data were collected by means of a web-based acculturation survey that was developed as part of the study. Data analysis indicated that a majority of the Asian Indian women adopted the Integration strategy. A conceptual model was developed and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the key acculturation factors that influenced Asian Indian women using the Integration strategy. These identified key factors helped to understand the cultural adaptation of Asian Indian women.


The impact of credit supply on asset prices is one of the central puzzles in finance, given the simultaneous causal effects of credit and asset prices. In this paper, we provide a clean identification of the causal effect of credit supply on farmland values with a difference-in-differences approach. In the past decade, farmland values skyrocketed in the U.S. Heartland due in large to the increased demand for corn induced by ethanol policy. We compare changes in farmland values before and after the ethanol boom, for counties with low and high credit supply. We find a large negative and statistically significant impact of low credit supply on farmland values during the ethanol boom.


A combined method of discrete event and agent based modelling has been applied to the computer modelling and simulation of the tensile strength of one-dimensional fibrous materials (ODFM). This combined method is based on the concept of discrete event simulation as being applied to the modeling of the structure of the fiber flow and on the concept of agent based modelling for modelling and simulation of the fiber interaction within the structure of the fibrous material. Frictional and traction forces arise as the result of this fiber interaction. A model of the ODFM tensile strength, which is based on the slippage effect, is created and studied in this research. Only frictional and traction forces determine the tensile strength in this kind of the model. The article examines the validation problem of the slippage effect based tensile strength model and questions regarding the strength potential estimation through variation in the parameters of the model.


We present an agent-based simulation model of open source software (OSS). To our knowledge, this is the first model of OSS evolution that includes four significant factors: productivity limited by the complexity of software modules, the software's fitness for purpose, the motivation of developers, and the role of users in defining requirements. The model was evaluated by comparing the simulated results against four measures of software evolution (system size, proportion of highly complex modules, level of complexity control work, and distribution of changes) for four large OSS systems. The simulated results resembled all the observed data, including alternating periods of growth and stagnation. The fidelity of the model suggests that the factors included here have significant effects on the evolution of OSS systems.


The International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) is the premier international gathering in the field of Asian Studies. It attracts participants from over 60 countries to engage in global dialogues on Asia that transcend boundaries between academic disciplines and geographic areas. Since 1997, ICAS has brought more than 17,000 academics together at eight conventions. Join us in Adelaide, home of high culture, multiple universities, extensive Asia knowledge, great wine as well as fascinatin...


The name Arundo Bambos L. Sp. Pl. 81, 1753, is interpreted as properly belonging to the common thorny bamboo of India; therefore this species should be called Bambusa Bambos (L.) Voss. Arundo Bambos L. Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 120, 1762, insofar as it is represented by Linnaeus' specimen labeled "1. Bambos" and by his description of this specimen, is based on a misidentification of a Chinese species: Bambusa flexuosa Munro (1868). Bambos arundinacea Retz. Obs. Bot. 5:24, 1789, is shown to have been based on the plant known today as Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex Wendl. (Coll. Pl. 2:26, pl. 47, 1810), and not on the common thorny bamboo of India, properly called Bambusa Bambos (L.) Voss. Bambusa arundinacea Willd. Sp. Pl. 2:245, 1799, is based on Bambos arundinacea Retz., but Willdenow is shown to have confused, in his text, as in his mind, at least two species under this name: 1. The plant which has since come to be known as Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. (of which he had a specimen labeled "B. arundinacea 1.") and 2. The common thorny bamboo of India (properly called Bambusa Bambos [L.] Voss) of which he had no specimen. Traditional usage for 150 years has overlooked the facts in this case, and has erroneously applied Bambusa arundinacea Willd., and Bambusa arundinacea Retz. (as Bambos) to the common thorny bamboo of India. As a result of the long-continued misapplication of the name Bambos arundinacea Retz. and its variants, it will be exceedingly difficult to reinvest the name with its original meaning. It may come to pass that consensus of leadership will be to avoid the use of the name Bambos arundinacea Retz and its variants altogether, at least for some time, because of the risk of being misunderstood, and to continue the use of the name Bambusa vulgaris Schrad., which is generally accepted in its proper sense. Those who use Bambusa arundinacea Retz. (as Bambos) or any of the other variants of the name, may be able to avoid being misunderstood by citing Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. as a synonym. Bambusa Schreb. Gen. Pl. 1:236, 1789, and Bambos Retz. Obs. Bot. 5:24, 1789, are synonymous, and are believed to have been based on the same species, namely the plant commonly known today as Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. Strict adherence to Recommendations IV and V of the fifth edition of the International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature, and probably the claims of priority, would indicate the replacement of Bambusa Schreb. by Bambos Retz. The continuation of the use of the generic name Bambusa Schreb., instead of Bambos Retz., has the sanction of tradition, and of contemporary preference; but in order to be fully justified and stabilized, this usage should be regularized and legalized by action of the International Botanical Congress, placing Bambusa Schreb. on the list of Nomina Conservanda. The genus Leleba Rumph. ex Nakai, Jour. Jap. Bot. 9: 9 et seq. 1933, is added to the recognized synonymy of Bambusa Schreb.


In one of the paintings in the Central Church of Abdallah-n-Irqi an enigmatic element can be seen: a small figure of a man in a jar. No satisfactory explanation for this detail has been found so far. Although a parallel representation seemed to have been discovered in Banganarti, it remains a unique and problematic representation. On the basis of a renewed investigation of the iconography of martyrs in the fourth century, the author proposes a new interpretation of the man in the vessel.


A photosensitive lichen planus-like eruption developed in a 63-year-old man during postoperative chemotherapy with 1-(2-tetrahydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil. The action spectrum for the photosensitivity was in the long-wave ultraviolet light (UV-A). The reaction was reproducible on readministration of the drug and exposure to UV-A. At the time of this test, a flare-up phenomenon was observed at previously involved sites. The photopatch test was negative with the drug. Patients taking the drug who had no dermatitis were not sensitive to UV-A. These observations suggest that the photosensitivity that occurred in the patient was possibly photoallergic.


The main purpose of this study is to evaluate Iran`s tax system efficiency through tax elasticity and buoyancy indexes. In doing so, using tax income and tax base data on various types of direct and indirect taxes during the period of 1980-2015, initially the buoyancy of taxes was estimated by the ARDL and ECM models, and then, tax elasticity was estimated considering the proxy of tax policy and by a non-linear model. Eventually, the sensitivity of buoyancy estimation to inflation and economic expansion and economic contraction was evaluated. Results suggest that in long term buoyancy and elasticity for various taxes are almost equal. But in short terms, elasticity is greater than buoyancy. According to this fact, tax policies do not play a significant role in tax income increment, and tax income increases due to tax basis growth. Also, inflation only affects buoyancy rate in short terms, and longterm buoyancy is independent from the inflation changes. Furthermore, direct taxes are not flexible in terms of periods of economic expansion and economic contraction, and only taxes on goods and services have a compatible behavior into the periods of economic expansion and economic contraction


In this paper, the design and implementation results of a system on a chip (SOC) based speech recognition system as software/hardware co-design is presented. The hidden markov model (HMM) is used for the speech recognition. In order to implement this in SOC, the various tasks required are optimally partitioned between hardware and software. The SOC, housed in Altera FPGA boards , has Nios II soft core processor. Custom hardware blocks are developed for computationally intensive blocks such as Viterbi decoder. The preprocessing and training of HMM are implemented in software (using C program). The Viterbi decoding is implemented in hardware as custom block for real time recognition. It is also implemented in software for verification and comparison. It is observed that the sequential hardware implementation of viterbi block is 80 times faster than the software approach using C program with UP3 kit. An over all recognition accuracy of 94.8% is achieved for speaker independent digit recognition for our own database of 6 speakers. Altera's DE2 board with cyclone II FPGA is used to implement TI46 digit recognition. Since the logical elements in DE2 board is high compared to UP3 kit the viterbi decoding is implemented in parallel for 0-9 digits. Because of this speed of recognition is '772' times faster than software implementation with cyclone II FPGA. And also it is observed that for TI-46 speech database for f1 speaker the recognition accuracy is 87% using LPC as feature extraction technique. Extension of this work for larger vocabulary size and using MFCC as feature extraction is under progress.


A total of 90 mares and horses were subjected to blood sampling for determining the effect of management (farm), reproductive condition, sex, age, breed and month of the year during breeding on circulating levels of cortisol and sex hormones. Blood samples were collected from December to the following June from four farms. Blood sera underwent testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and cortisol assaying using ELISA kits. Cortisol levels were significantly low in lactating mares during their foal heat but significantly high levels were recorded in both repeat breeder mares and horses used for racing. High and significant testosterone and estradiol levels were recorded in both stallions used for breeding especially after semen collection and early pregnant mares. Similar testosterone levels were recorded in both early pregnant mares and racing horses but high levels were recorded in stallions. Estradiol was high in both early pregnant and mares with endometritis but the highest levels were observed in stallions. Horses held in private farms had high cortisol levels compared to those of governmental farms. In contrast to mares, horses had low cortisol and high estradiol levels. Cortisol levels were high from April to June (Spring and early summer) compared to its levels from December to March (Winter). Arab horses had low cortisol compared to native and imported foreign breeds. In conclusion, environmental condition, exercise, breed, management and the purpose of raising horses all are affecting its cortisol levels.


Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) has been used to detect and evaluate the severity of damage on a flat metallic plate. The damage takes the form of a semi-circular notch that represents a surface flaw. Thermoelastic data was gathered from the undamaged side of the plate. The experimental results show that shallow surface flaws can be detected by using phase information from thermoelastic data. This information can then be used to indicate the flaw severity in terms of the notch depth. It is shown that the phase data is dependent on the heat conduction effects around the notch, which enable an assessment of the damage. This is modelled using a simple finite element simulation of the effects of heat conduction on the thermoelastic response. A discussion on the potential of using phase variation across damaged regions to analyse damage severity is provided.


This paper presents simulated ignition delay (ID) results for diesel ignition in a pilot-ignited partially premixed, low temperature natural gas (NG) combustion engine. Lean premixed low temperature NG combustion was achieved using small pilot diesel sprays (2–3% of total fuel energy) injected over a range of injection timings (BOIs ∼ 20°–60° BTDC). Modeling IDs at advanced BOIs (50°–60° BTDC) presented unique challenges. In this study a single-component droplet evaporation model was used in conjunction with a modified version of the Shell autoignition (SAI) model to obtain ID predictions of pilot diesel over the range of BOIs (20°-60° BTDC). A detailed uncertainty analysis of several model parameters revealed that Aq and Eq , which affect chain initiation reactions, were the most important parameters (among a few others) for predicting IDs at very lean equivalence ratios. The ID model was validated (within ± 10 percent error) against experimentally measured IDs from a single-cylinder engine at 1700 rpm, BMEP = 6 bar, and intake manifold temperature (Tin ) of 75°C. For BOIs close to TDC (e.g., 20° BTDC), the contribution of diesel evaporation times (Δθevap ) and droplet diameters to predicted IDs were more significant compared to advanced BOIs (e.g., 60° BTDC). Increasing Tin (the most sensitive experimental input variable affecting predicted IDs), led to a reduction in both the physical and chemical components of ID. Hot EGR led to shorter predicted and measured IDs over the range of BOIs, except 20° BTDC. In general, the thermal effects of hot EGR were found to be more pronounced than either dilution or chemical effects for most BOIs. Finally, uncertainty analysis results also indicated that ID predictions were most sensitive to model parameters AP3 , Aq , and Af1 , and Eq , which affected chain initiation and propagation reactions and also contributed the most to overall uncertainties in IDs.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


The somite is the most prominent metameric structure observed during vertebrate embryogenesis, and its metamerism preserves the characteristic structures of the vertebrae and muscles in the adult body. During vertebrate somitogenesis, sequential formation of epithelialized cell boundaries generates the somites. According to the "clock and wavefront model," the periodical and sequential generation of somites is achieved by the integration of spatiotemporal information provided by the segmentation clock and wavefront. In the anterior region of the presomitic mesoderm, which is the somite precursor, the orchestration between the segmentation clock and the wavefront achieves morphogenesis of somites through multiple processes such as determination of somite boundary position, generation of morophological boundary, and establishment of the rostrocaudal polarity within a somite. Recently, numerous studies using various model animals including mouse, zebrafish, and chick have gradually revealed the molecular aspect of the "clock and wavefront" model and the molecular mechanism connecting the segmentation clock and the wavefront to the multiple processes of somite morphogenesis. In this review, we first summarize the current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying the clock and the wavefront and then describe those of the three processes of somite morphogenesis. Especially, we will discuss the conservation and diversification in the molecular network of the somitigenesis among vertebrates, focusing on two typical model animals used for genetic analyses, i.e., the mouse and zebrafish. In this review, we described molecular mechanism for the generation of somites based on the spatiotemporal information provided by "segmentation clock" and "wavefront" focusing on the evidences obtained from mouse and zebrafish.


Abstract Sources of heterogeneous geospatial data such as the elevation, the slope, the aspect, the water network and the current settlements related to the known Neolithic archaeological sites of Magnesia, are used in an attempt to confirm the existence and allow for the prediction of other archaeological sites using predictive modelling theory. Predictive modelling allows the update of the problem solving strategy as soon as new data layers are available. The Dempster–Shafer Theory also commonly referred to as evidential reasoning (ER) is used to compose probability maps of areas of archaeological interest from physiographical and historical data. The advantage of this theory is that the ignorance is quantified and used to compose the probability maps named as belief, plausibility and belief interval for the archaeological sites. The final digital probability maps show that the Neolithic archaeological sites can be detected in the prefecture of Magnesia. This research study forms a methodological tool for the prediction of new archaeological sites in other areas of archaeological interest according to the physiographical and historical characteristics of the archaeological period being examined. It also contributes to the digital earth modelling and archaeological site protection, one of the most critical and challenging global initiatives.


Providing high quality and safe patient care is a challenge in the current rapidly changing and complex health care environment. A variety of independent tools and methodologies contribute to this effort, e.g. regulatory requirements, quality improvement tools and accreditation methodologies. A concern is that each alone will not achieve the tipping point in health care quality that is required. This paper suggests that the methodology and application of accreditation have the potential to be the force to bring these approaches into alignment and ultimately measurably improve the quality of care.


The expression of the cbb and gap-pgk operons of Xanthobacter flavus encoding enzymes of the Calvin cycle is regulated by the transcriptional regulator CbbR. In order to identify other genes involved in the regulation of these operons, a mutant was isolated with a lowered activity of a fusion between the promoter of the cbb operon and the reporter gene lacZ. This mutant was unable to grow autotrophically and had a reduced growth rate on medium supplemented with gluconate or succinate. The regulation of the gap-pgk operon in the mutant was indistinguishable from the wild-type strain, but induction of the cbb operon upon transition to autotrophic growth conditions was delayed. Complementation of the mutant with a genomic library of X. flavus resulted in the isolation of a 1.1 kb ApaI fragment which restored autotrophic growth of the mutant. One open reading frame (ORF) was present on the ApaI fragment, which could encode a protein highly similar to triosephosphate isomerase proteins from other bacteria. Cell extracts of the mutant grown under glycolytic or gluconeogenic conditions had severely reduced triosephosphate isomerase activities. The ORF was therefore identified as tpi, encoding triosephosphate isomerase. The tpi gene is not linked to the previously identified operons encoding Calvin cycle enzymes and therefore represents a third transcriptional unit required for autotrophic metabolism.


The colonisation of the North Atlantic from the eighth century AD was the earliest expansion of European populations to the west. Norse and Celtic voyagers are recorded as reaching and settling in Iceland, Greenland and easternmost North America between c. AD 750 and 1000, but the date of these events and the homeland of the colonists are subjects of some debate. In this project, the birthplaces of 90 early burials from Iceland were sought using strontium isotope analysis. At least nine, and probably thirteen, of these individuals can be distinguished as migrants to Iceland from other places. In addition, there are clear differences to be seen in the diets of the local Icelandic peoples, ranging from largely terrestrial to largely marine consumption.


In 1991, frustrated by the failure of lawmakers to produce meaningful progress on environmental issues, Allen Hershkowitz, a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) opted for an innovative approach. Resolving to put market forces to work for the environment, Hershkowitz devised a plan to develop a world-scale recycled-paper mill on the site of an abandoned rail yard in the South Bronx. Created in collaboration with colleagues at NRDC, the private sector, government, unions, and community groups, and with a building designed by renowned architect and designer Maya Lin, the Bronx Community Paper Company was intended to put the ideas of industrial ecology to work in a project that not only avoided exacerbating environmental problems but actually remediated them. One of the primary goals of the project was to show that environmental protection, job production, social assistance, economic development, and private-sector profitability can work together in a mutually supportive fashion. Unfortunately, it didn't quite turn out like that. In Bronx Ecology, Hershkowitz tells the story of the BCPC from its earliest inception to its final demise nearly ten years later. He describes the technical, economic, and competitive barriers that arose throughout the project as well as the decisive political and legal blows that doomed their efforts to secure financing, ultimately killing the project. Interwoven with the BCPC tale is Hershkowitz's vision for a new, engaged environmentalism, complete with principles for a new era of industrial development that combines social and environmental responsibility with a firm commitment to profit-making. As Hershkowitz explains, while the project was never built, its groundbreaking collaboration can hardly be considered a failure. Rather the BCPC, in the words of veteran environmental journalist Philip Shabecoff, "can be seen as the beginning of a learning process for entrepreneurial environmentalism, a pathway to a new approach in the 21st century." Bronx Ecology offers a compelling vision of that exciting new pathway.


ABSTRACT In the Argentine tango music culture of Japan, to have undergone many life experiences is considered critical in order to perform the powerful emotions of tango. Narratives by Japanese tango musicians stress 'each musician's feelings' as crucial in shaping a good tango performance, while empathy is considered important in cultivating such feelings. Based on the author's field research in Japan and Argentina, and by adding a different nuance to Carolyn Pedwell's notions of transnational 'affective relations', this essay examines how Japanese historical narratives, rooted in aesthetic and moral ethos, fabricate discourses of tango authenticity by Japanese musicians. Taking a closer look at the ways in which Japanese musicians discuss tango's emotion illuminates how Argentine tango's aesthetics of emotion are given renewed meanings through the channelling of cultural and historical symbols in Japanese contexts. This article argues that Japanese tango musicians create their discourses surrounding tango authenticity at such transnational instances when aesthetics, affect and morality intersect.


The report describes a study of the coherence and quality of health care when transferring patients from hospitals to nursing homes. The purpose of this study is to gain better insight into what is needed to offer patients continuity and quality of health care when a patient crosses the boundaries between hospital and nursing home. It is an objective that the findings of the study may form part of the knowledge platform for developing medical systems specialist health and health care services in the community.The study was conducted using qualitative research methodology, observations, interviews and document studies. The observations were carried out in two stages at a nursing home in Oslo. The first stage was carried out at an intermediate section of the nursing home in autumn 2012, whose purpose was primarily to be familiar with the environment and experience how it is to be an observer. The second stage was completed in 2013 at the same intermediate section and on and another section where patients were admitted to the nursing home a short period of time. Interviews were conducted with nurses and doctors during this period. I had prepared a guidance interview guide. The document studies were carried out during the entire study period.The study is showing communication challenges when transferring patients from hospital to nursing home. The information provided in advance of the transfer did not reflect the patient's condition upon arrival at the nursing home. The hospital and nursing home had not established electronic communication. The same information was registered several places in the patient's medical record. Journal documents came together with the patient, and it happened often that information was missing. Information missing was requested by phone and answered by fax. The nurses spent a long time on electronic registration of the information that was submitted, including medical information and blood test results. The phone was central communication channel. The departments were highly knowledge-intensive. Knowledge creation occurred primarily between staff internally, the interaction face to face interaction and meeting with patients. To achieve coherence and quality health care to patients discharged from hospitals to nursing homes needs more facilitates, such as:Health care providers must be able to easily find and be able to contact other health professionals involved in health care to the patient. Such information must "follow" the patient.The information technology in use must have capability to reuse the information, so that healthcare providers should not have to record the same information in several placesInformation technology capable of communicating "complete" information.Healthcare professionals who are trained in using technology.Common meeting places where health professionals can discuss and talk things thoroughly.


Over the past few decades, researchers have come to recognize that a mother's physiological response to her environment can have transgenerational effects. Females transfer testosterone to their young prenatally and this maternal effect makes offspring more aggressive. Aggression can strongly influence an animal's success depending on environmental context, and maternal effects are an important source of variation in aggressive behavior; yet, we do not fully understand what shapes maternal hormone responses or the proximate mechanisms that mediate its effects. While it is generally assumed that females in competitive environments allocate more testosterone, adaptively creating more aggressive offspring, not all bird species (in which maternal effects are best studied) respond by allocating more testosterone to egg yolks, making it hard to predict how different bird species' behaviors and egg components will respond to environmental change. Additionally, we do not know what mechanisms mediate the effects of prenatal testosterone on offspring behavior, preventing us from understanding how it fits into larger ecological and evolutionary frameworks. Hence, my dissertation addressed 1) the causes of interspecies variation in yolk testosterone allocation in competitive environments and 2) the molecular mechanisms facilitating behavioral plasticity in offspring exposed to prenatal testosterone. For Aim 1, I performed a meta-analysis to identify species-specific traits influencing yolk testosterone allocation (Chapter 2) and experimentally tested the findings (Chapter 3). I found that colonial species do not allocate more yolk testosterone in competitive environments, unlike solitary species. This work challenges a widely held assumption that this maternal effect is characterized by a uniform response to competition, showing that it should be contextualized with life-history traits. Next, I explored natural variation in molecular responses to yolk testosterone in a wild songbird (Chapter 4) and experimentally tested the mechanisms in a captive species (Chapter 5). Hundreds of neural genes are differentially expressed in offspring exposed to yolk testosterone, including genes in behavioral pathways (e.g., nitric oxide and serotonin). Additionally, the data suggest epigenetic mechanisms may play a role in mediating the effects of maternal testosterone on offspring phenotype. Ultimately, this work helps us better understand the environmental and molecular causes of phenotypic plasticity. INDEX WORDS: yolk testosterone, aggressive behavior, avian, maternal effect, competitive environment, DNA methylation THE ROLE OF MATERNAL HORMONES IN PROGRAMMING OFFSPRING AGGRESSION


ABSTRACT With the goal of generating retinal cells from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells by exogenous gene transfer, we introduced the Rx/rax transcription factor, which is expressed in immature retinal cells, into feeder-free mouse ES cells (CCE). CCE cells expressing Rx/rax as well as enhanced green fluorescent protein (CCE-RX/E cells) proliferated and remained in the undifferentiated state in the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor, as did parental ES cells. We made use of mouse embryo retinal explant cultures to address the differentiation ability of grafted ES cells. Dissociated embryoid bodies were treated with retinoic acid for use as donor cells and cocultured with retina explants for 2 weeks. In contrast to the parental CCE cells, which could not migrate into host retinal cultures, CCE-RX/E cells migrated into the host retina and extended their process-like structures between the host retinal cells. Most of the grafted CCE-RX/E cells became located in the ganglion cell and inner plexiform layers and expressed ganglion and horizontal cell markers. Furthermore, these grafted cells had the electrophysiological properties expected of ganglion cells. Our data thus suggest that subpopulations of retinal neurons can be generated in retinal explant cultures from grafted mouse ES cells ectopically expressing the transcription factor Rx/rax.


Control chart is the most successful statistical process control (SPC) tool, originally developed by Walter Shewhart in the early 1920s. A control chart can easily collect, organize and store information, calculate answers and present results in easy to understand graphs. It helps to record data and allows to see when an unusual event, e.g., a very high or low observation compared with "typical" process performance, occurs. Computers accept information typed in manually, read from scanners or manufacturing machines, or imported from other computer databases.The resulting control charts can be examined in greater detail, incorporated into reports, or sent across the internet. A stable process is a basic requirement for process improvement efforts. A computer collecting information in real time can even detect very slight changes in a process, and even warn you in time to prevent process errors before they occur. First, control charts demonstrate how consistently process is performing, and whether you should, or should not, attempt to adjust it. Next, the statistical process control chart compares the process performance to standard pharmaceutical requirements, providing a process capability index as an ongoing, accurate direction for quality improvement. Finally, control charts and its resulting process capability index quickly evaluate the results of quality initiatives designed to improve process consistency. This review focuses on elements of control chart and types of various control charts along with example. Advantages of various control charts are also included.


AgBiS2 nanocrystals are good candidates in optoelectronic applications due to their solution-processability, earth abundance and non-toxic properties. AgBiS2 thin film solar cells have demonstrated promising performance due to their high absorption coefficients and suitable bandgaps for light harvesting. However, their physical properties such as mobility, carrier concentration and photosensitivity, which are very important for photovoltaics, remain unreported. Herein, we develop an improved amine-based synthesis route and systematically investigate these properties by characterizing field effect transistors and photodetectors fabricated from AgBiS2 nanocrystals. We found that the amine-based synthesis improved their measurable semiconducting properties and their solar cell performance. The optimal thickness of a champion solar cell was found to increase to 65 nm, which achieved a power conversion efficiency of 4.3% based on a ZnO/AgBiS2/P3HT/Au device structure, compared with 35 nm of a champion solar cell with a power conversion efficiency of 3.9% reported previously. This modified approach could be applied in the preparation of other high quality nanocrystals that uses silver, where single valence Ag cations are of increasing importance in stable solution processed nanomaterials.


This paper proposes a Nash Bargaining model to show that there exits the inverted U-shaped relationship between state-owned enterprises (SOEs)' corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and the level of executive compensation received by SOE managers. Based on annual data for Chinese-listed SOEs over the period 2013-2018, this research also empirically explores the effect of executive compensation on CSR performance. Our empirical results show that the executive compensation of SOEs has an inverted U-shaped effect on CSR fulfillment, and that the inverted U-shaped effect is robust to endogeneity corrections. Subsample analysis suggests that marginal contributions of executive compensation on CSR performance are different in the secondary industry and service industry. The ERG hierarchy of needs and the upper echelon theory help explain the non-linear effects. Based on our both theoretical predictions and empirical results, this paper provides a new channel of unlocking the dynamics of CSR fulfillment.


Objective
The current study is based on the framework of the Self-Regulatory Model of Illness (SRM). The aim of this work was to examine perception of illness in eating disorder (ED) patients and investigate whether illness perception is related to psychosocial adaptation in these patients.

Method
A total of 98 female ED patients completed the specific eating disorders Spanish version of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) and a range of adjustment variables including the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD).

Results
ED patients reported a moderate number of physical symptoms, and perceived their illness as controllable, treatable, highly distressing, as a chronic condition and with serious consequences. Emotional representation was the most significant dimension related to emotional adjustment. Illness identity and cure dimensions were the most significant dimensions associated with psychosocial adaptation.

Conclusion
This study shows that patients' illness perceptions are related to illness adaptation. Illness identity was associated with emotional and psychosocial adjustment, and having faith that treatment may control the illness was related to positive benefits for ED. These results suggest that a psychological intervention, which addresses patients' illness representations, may assist in their adjustment to ED. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.


With the controversy over genetically modified (GM) foods continuing to grow, there has been a major push for mandatory labeling of GM foods by consumer advocacy and environmental groups in the United States. These groups maintain that consumers would benefit from labels. Other groups think that requiring mandatory GM food labels would be too costly, or could confuse consumers. Currently the United States has voluntary labeling policy for GM foods, but several other countries require mandatory labeling. Implementing a mandatory labeling policy in the United States would involve costs, both variable and fixed, and would have benefits. This paper presents empirical evidence on consumers' willingness to pay for foods with and without GM labels using laboratory auction experiments for three food items. These experiments used a randomly selected sample of 174 individuals from two Midwestern U.S. cities, Des Moines, Iowa and St. Paul, Minnesota. Our results indicate that consumers will pay less for a food that is labeled as genetically modified than for the counterpart food product with a standard food label. The average premium that consumers were willing to pay for the food with the standard label was fourteen percent. We also finds that how consumers receive the information on whether a good is genetically modified significantly impacts willingness to pay for GM labeled food - the sequence of bidding on GM foods matters. Our study suggests the discounting for GM foods does not depend on demographic characteristics of consumers. Household income, gender, and marital status are among variables that do not appear to matter in consumer views towards GM foods.


Multiple miliary osteoma cutis of the face represents primary extra‐skeletal bone formation that arises within the skin of the face. Multiple miliary osteoma cutis of the face is a rare complication of chronic inflammatory acne vulgaris and has invasive and non‐invasive treatment alternatives different from acne vulgaris. Invasive techniques should be simple, easy, and inexpensive, with minimal risk of scarring and pigmentation. We used a needle microincision‐extirpation technique in a patient with multiple miliary osteoma cutis unresponsive to non‐invasive treatment modalities. Skin overlying the papules was incised with a needle and then the calcificated papules were extirpated by using a small curettage device. Lesions were left to secondary healing. Results were quite good and cosmetically acceptable.


Radical cyclizations of amide substrates were performed to establish the Memory of Chirality (MOC). Amides with N-tert-butyl substituent due to their hindered rotation around C-N bond gives cyclized product with retention of configuration upon radical reaction condition. Chiral GC analysis and theoretical optical rotation calculation were used to verify the MOC. An unexpected 1,4-phenyl radical migration was also observed during the radical reaction of N-benzyl substituted amides.


Most reuse libraries come with few source-code examples that demonstrate how the library at hand should be used. We have developed a source-code recommendation approach for constructing and delivering relevant code snippets that programmers can use to complete a certain programming task. Our approach is semantic-based; relying on an explicit ontological representation of source-code. We argue that such representation opens new doors for an improved recommendation mechanism that ensures relevancy and accuracy. Current recommendation systems require an existing repository of relevant code samples. However, for many libraries, such a repository does not exist. Therefore, we instead utilize points-to analysis to infer precise type information of library components. We have backed our approach with a tool that has been tested on multiple libraries. The obtained results are promising and demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.


Papers.- Evaluation of Chess Position by Modular Neural Network Generated by Genetic Algorithm.- Coevolution of Algorithms and Deterministic Solution of Equations in Free Groups.- Designing Optimal Combinational Digital Circuits Using a Multiple Logic Unit Processor.- A Data Structure for Improved GP Analysis via Efficient Computation and Visualisation of Population Measures.- Boosting Technique for Combining Cellular GP Classifiers.- Co-evolving Faults to Improve the Fault Tolerance of Sorting Networks.- Toward an Alternative Comparison between Different Genetic Programming Systems.- Lymphoma Cancer Classification Using Genetic Programming with SNR Features.- A Practical Approach to Evolving Concurrent Programs.- Evolutionary Induction of Grammar Systems for Multi-agent Cooperation.- Genetic Programming Applied to Mixed Integer Programming.- Efficient Crossover in the GAuGE System.- Grammatical Evolution by Grammatical Evolution: The Evolution of Grammar and Genetic Code.- Constrained Molecular Dynamics as a Search and Optimization Tool.- On the Performance of Genetic Operators and the Random Key Representation.- Analysis of GP Improvement Techniques over the Real-World Inverse Problem of Ocean Color.- Evolution and Acquisition of Modules in Cartesian Genetic Programming.- How to Choose Appropriate Function Sets for Gentic Programming.- Improving Grammar-Based Evolutionary Algorithms via Attributed Derivation Trees.- Posters.- Evolved Matrix Operations for Post-processing Protein Secondary Structure Predictions.- Genetic Programming for Natural Language Parsing.- Comparing Hybrid Systems to Design and Optimize Artificial Neural Networks.- An Evolutionary Algorithm for the Input-Output Block Assignment Problem.- Genetic Programming for Subjective Fitness Function Identification.- Saving Effort in Parallel GP by Means of Plagues.- Sampling of Unique Structures and Behaviours in Genetic Programming.- The Evolution of Concurrent Control Software Using Genetic Programming.- Extending Grammatical Evolution to Evolve Digital Surfaces with Genr8.- Evolving Text Classifiers with Genetic Programming.- Automatic Synthesis of Instruction Decode Logic by Genetic Programming.- Alternatives in Subtree Caching for Genetic Programming.- Structural Risk Minimization on Decision Trees Using an Evolutionary Multiobjective Optimization.- Global Distributed Evolution of L-Systems Fractals.- Reusing Code in Genetic Programming.- Exploiting Reflection in Object Oriented Genetic Programming.- Evolutionary Feature Construction Using Information Gain and Gini Index.- On the Evolution of Evolutionary Algorithms.- Genetic Programming with Gradient Descent Search for Multiclass Object Classification.


A new endoscopic procedure, the "Transforaminal Endoscopic Stenosis Surgery" (TESS), is presented. This technique is performed through a posterolateral transforaminal approach and allows widening the foramen in a collapsed lumbar disc by undercutting the superior facet under direct endoscopic control. A new endoscopic small reamer is used for this purpose that allows minimizing the aggression to the surrounding tissues.This study of 216 cases of lumbar foraminal stenosis compares the results of one group, in which the new endoscopic bone reamers were used for the foraminoplasty, with another group, in which only classical foraminoplasty was performed with a standard Holmium-YAG laser.Methods: 216 patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis underwent endoscopic spine surgery from 2003 to 2008 at Centro Medico Teknon in Barcelona (Spain). 125 patients underwent classical endoscopic surgery, thus, only a Ho-YAG laser was used for the foraminoplasty (Group A). 91 patients underwent TES surgery, hence, the new endoscopic bone reamers were used for the foraminoplasty (Group B).The inclusion criteria were: a) unilateral or bilateral radicular leg pain associated to image evidence of foraminal or lateral stenosis. b) Inadequate response to conservative treatment for > 6 months. All 216 procedures were performed in prone position and under local anesthesia. Pain was scored for every patient, preand post-operatively, with a Visual Analogic scale (VAS) and the disability with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The post-operative scores were updated every 3 months. The mean follow-up period was 2.8 years (with a range of 6 61 months).Results: 216 patients who met the inclusion criteria underwent TES surgery. These 216 patients comprised 143 men and 73 women with ages ranging from 17 to 82 years (mean age 45.8 years). The overall results, evaluated according to Macnab criteria, for the 216 cases were: 151 excellent (69.9%), 45 good (20.8%), 16 fair (7.4%), 4 poor (1.9 %). Results for group A (125 cases): 90 excellent (72%), 20 good (16%), 14 fair (11.2%), 1 poor (0.8%). Results for group B (91 cases): 61 excellent (67%), 25 good (27.5%), 2 fair (2.2%), 3 poor (3.3%). The surgical time average was of approx. 50 min. for group A, while the surgical time average was of approx. 30 min. for group B.Conclusions: This study demonstrates the efficacy and efficiency of a new surgical technique (TESS) for foraminal stenosis that uses bone reaming under direct endoscopic control to widen the foramen in cases of foraminal or lateral stenosis. This endoscopic technique appears to be more accurate than other reaming techniques that only use X-ray C-arm control and have no direct endoscopic vision. Similar outcome and scoring results were achieved by the laser foraminoplasty and the reamed foraminoplasty but the latter was more efficient as it presented a lower average surgical time (approx. 20 min less) and lower material costs.This new endoscopic reaming technique opens the way for surgeons to primarily avoid more aggressive methods of decompression and minimize the surgical costs.


OBJECTIVE
To observe the protective effect of soybean isoflavones (SI) on the heart function of the rats with adriamycin induced heart failure.

METHODS
Thirty adult male SD rats were divided into 5 groups:normal control (NC) group, adriamycin (ADR) group, L-SI group, M-SI group and H-SI group. SI of 30, 60, 120 mg.kg(-1).d(-1) was orally administered through a stomach tube once a day for 6 days in L-SI group, M-SI group and H-SI group, respectively. The other two groups were given the same amount of normal saline the same way. Then ADR of 10 mg/kg was given intraperitoneally once to copy the model of heart-failure. The MedLab-U/4c biological signal collecting system was used to record and analyze the LVSP of the rats. The pathological changes of the cardiomyocytes were observed.

RESULTS
As compared with NC group, the LVSP,+/-dp/dt max, Vpm of the ADR group were significantly lower (P<0.05 or P<0.01), but those of the H-SI group were markedly higher than those of the ADR group (P<0.01). Electron microscopic morphometry of the heart samples of the rats in ADR group revealed typical alterations, consisting an increase of collagen content, vacuolation, diminishing of the cardiomyocyte diameter, alteration of myofilaments and Z-lines of myofibers, and myofibrillar degeneration. SI of 120 mg.kg(-1).d(-1) treatment could prevent the loss of myofibrillae and the reduction of myocyte diameter, and the degeneration of myofilaments and Z-lines were reversed by SI.

CONCLUSION
SI of 120 mg.kg(-1).d(-1) treatment can relieve the toxic effect of ADR on myocardium, and also obviously improve the cardiac contractility of heart-failure rats.


The use of machine learning (ML) in health care raises numerous ethical concerns, especially as models can amplify existing health inequities. Here, we outline ethical considerations for equitable ML in the advancement of health care. Specifically, we frame ethics of ML in health care through the lens of social justice. We describe ongoing efforts and outline challenges in a proposed pipeline of ethical ML in health, ranging from problem selection to post-deployment considerations. We close by summarizing recommendations to address these challenges.


A novel SPECT collimation method, termed the synthetic collimator, is proposed. The synthetic collimator employs a multiple-pinhole aperture and a high-resolution detector. The problem of multiplexing, normally associated with multiple pinholes, is reduced by obtaining projections at a number of pinhole-detector distances. Projections with little multiplexing are collected at small pinhole-detector distances and high-resolution projections are collected at greater pinhole-detector distances. These projections are then reconstructed using the ML-EM algorithm. It is demonstrated through computer simulations that the synthetic collimator has superior resolution properties to a high-resolution parallel-beam (HRPB) collimator and a specially built ultra-high-resolution parallel-beam (UHRPB) collimator designed for the authors' 0.38-mm pixel CdZnTe detectors. It is also shown that reconstructing images in three dimensions is superior to reconstructing them in two dimensions. The advantages of a high-resolution synthetic collimator over the parallel-hole collimators are apparently reduced in the presence of statistical noise. However, a high-sensitivity synthetic collimator was designed which again shows superior properties to the parallel-hole collimators. Finally, it is demonstrated that, for the cases studied, high-resolution detectors are necessary for the proper functionality of the synthetic collimator.


We have hypothesized that the ratio of the excreted by-products of niacin metabolism, N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2-pyr) + N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide (4-pyr)/N1-methylnicotinamide (MNA), might be useful as an index to assess the adequacy of amino acid intake in rats. The experiment reported herein was performed to test this hypothesis. When a 10, 20 or 40% casein diet supplemented with 0.1, 0.2 or 0.4% L-methionine, respectively, was fed to rats, the urinary excretion of MNA decreased, and that of 4-pyr increased, as the level of dietary casein and methionine increased. Therefore, the ratio of (2-pyr + 4-pyr)/MNA increased with increasing dietary casein and methionine levels. When the limiting amino acids of casein or soy protein isolate were added to a low casein or low soy protein isolate diet, the urinary ratio of (2-pyr + 4-pyr)/MNA also increased. These results indicate that the increased urinary ratio of (2-pyr + 4-pyr)/MNA can serve as a biological marker for adequate amino acid intake.


Main objects of uniformization of the curve $y^2=x^5-x$ are studied: its Burnside's parametrization, corresponding Schwarz's equation, and accessory parameters. As a result we obtain the first examples of solvable Fuchsian equations on torus and exhibit number-theoretic integer $q$-series for uniformizing functions, relevant modular forms, and analytic series for holomorphic Abelian integrals. A conjecture of Whittaker for hyperelliptic curves and its hypergeometric reducibility are discussed. We also consider the conversion between Burnside's and Whittaker's uniformizations.


In recent years, in the UK, the prevalence of obesity in women has been rapidly increasing, and is currently approaching 25%. Besides leading to unwanted consequences on the health of the women, obesity has a negative influence on fertility and may lead to potential problems in pregnancy. This text, produced by the 53rd RCOG Study Group, provides a comprehensive review of the effects of obesity on various important issues pertaining to reproductive health. The text provides largely evidence-based information on the management of obese women with menstrual disturbances and/or infertility, and includes an excellent chapter on the polycystic ovary syndrome. The importance of lifestyle improvement is emphasised. The maternal, fetal and obstetric complications of maternal obesity are covered. The use of hormonal contraceptives in overweight women who may be at additional risk is carefully discussed. This well-written book would be of value to clinicians involved in the practice of reproductive health and also to other healthcare personnel with an interest in obesity.


We give a formal definition of a multiplex network and using its supra-adjacency matrix representation we construct the multiplex communicability matrix. Then we prove that the communicability function naturally induces an embedding of the multiplexes in a hyperspherical Euclidean space. We then study (i) intra-layer, (ii) inter-layer, and (iii) inter-layer self-communicability distance and angles in multiplex networks. Using these multiplex metrics we study a social multiplex related to an office politics and the multiplex of synaptic interactions between neurons in the worm C. elegans. We find that the average communicability angles in these multiplexes exhibits a minimum for certain value of the interlayer coupling strength. We provide an explanation for this phenomenon which emerges from the multiplexity of these systems and related it to other important phenomena like the synchronizability of these systems. Finally, we define and study communicability shortest paths in the multiplexes. We show how the communicability shortest paths avoid the most central nodes in the multiplexes in terms of their degree and betweenness, which is a main difference with (topological) shortest paths. We explain this behavior in terms of a diffusive model in which the 'information' not only diffuses between the nodes but it is also processed internally on the entities of the complex system. Finally, we give some new ideas on how to extend the current work and represent complex systems as 'multiplex hypergraphs' and 'multi-simplicial complexes'.


In mammals, skeletal muscle mass is negatively regulated by a muscle-derived growth/differentiating factor named myostatin (MSTN) that belongs to the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. Although putative MSTN homologs have been identified from several vertebrates, nonmammalian orthologs remained poorly defined. Thus, we isolated and characterized MSTN complementary DNA clones from the skeletal muscle of the tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus and the white bass Morone chrysops. The nucleic and amino acid sequences from both fish species are highly homologous to the previously identified mammalian and avian orthologs, and both possess conserved cysteine residues and putative RXXR proteolytic processing sites that are common to all transforming growth factor-beta family members. Western blotting of conditioned medium from human embryonal kidney (HEK293) cells overexpressing a His-tagged tilapia MSTN indicates that the secreted fish protein is processed in a manner similar to mouse MSTN. However, in contrast to mice, MSTN expression in tilapia is not limited to skeletal muscle as it occurs in many tissues. Furthermore, the timing of MSTN expression in developing tilapia larvae coincides with myogenesis. These results suggest that the biological actions of MSTN in the tilapia and possibly in other fishes may not be limited to myocyte growth repression, but may additionally influence different cell types and organ systems.


Weaver is a high‐level distributed computing framework that enables researchers to construct scalable scientific data‐processing workflows. Instead of developing a new workflow language, we introduce a domain‐specific language built on top of Python called Weaver, which takes advantage of users' familiarity with the programming language, minimizes barriers to adoption, and allows for integration with a rich ecosystem of existing software. In this paper, we provide an overview of Weaver's programming model, which allows users to organize and specify scientific workflows by using a collection of datasets, functions, and abstractions. We also explain how these workflow specifications are compiled into a directed acyclic graph that is used by the Makeflow workflow manager to dispatch work to a variety of distributed execution platforms. To demonstrate the power and benefits of using the framework in constructing scientific research applications, the paper examines four distinct real‐world applications scripted using Weaver and analyzes the performance, scalability, and impact of the distributed generated scientific workflows. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Every experience, those we are aware of and those we are not, is embedded in a subjective timeline, is tinged with emotion, and inevitably evokes a certain sense of self. Here, we present a phenomenological model for consciousness and selfhood which relates time, awareness, and emotion within one framework. The consciousness state space (CSS) model is a theoretical one. It relies on a broad range of literature, hence has high explanatory and integrative strength, and helps in visualizing the relationship between different aspects of experience. Briefly, it is suggested that all phenomenological states fall into two categories of consciousness, core and extended (CC and EC, respectively). CC supports minimal selfhood that is short of temporal extension, its scope being the here and now. EC supports narrative selfhood, which involves personal identity and continuity across time, as well as memory, imagination and conceptual thought. The CSS is a phenomenological space, created by three dimensions: time, awareness and emotion. Each of the three dimensions is shown to have a dual phenomenological composition, falling within CC and EC. The neural spaces supporting each of these dimensions, as well as CC and EC, are laid out based on the neuroscientific literature. The CSS dynamics include two simultaneous trajectories, one in CC and one in EC, typically antagonistic in normal experiences. However, this characteristic behavior is altered in states in which a person experiences an altered sense of self. Two examples are laid out, flow and meditation. The CSS model creates a broad theoretical framework with explanatory and unificatory power. It constructs a detailed map of the consciousness and selfhood phenomenology, which offers constraints for the science of consciousness. We conclude by outlining several testable predictions raised by the CSS model.


A direct dynamics technique, using energies, forces and second derivatives calculated at the UHF/6–31G* level of theory, was used to investigate product energy distributions of the F+C2H4→C2H3F+H collision reaction. The shifting and broadening of the product translational energy distribution as the system moves from the exit-channel barrier to the products was studied. Since properties associated with the rupturing C···H bond are similar for the C2H5‡ and C2H4F‡ exit-channel barriers, and integration of the C2H5‡→C2H4+H reaction is approximately 2.5 times faster than the C2H4F‡→C2H3F+H reaction, trajectories of the former reaction were propagated to gain insight into the exit-channel dynamics. Ensemble averaged results for C2H5‡ dissociation are well described by a model based on isotropic exit-channel dynamics which assumes that the product relative translational distribution arises from the centrifugal potential and relative translational energy distributions at the exit-channel barrier plus the exit-channel potential release. The width of the product translational energy distribution is sensitive to overall rotational angular momentum and its partitioning between C2H4···H‡ orbital angular momentum and C2H4‡ rotational angular momentum. The simulated product translational energy distribution for the C2H4F‡→C2H3F+H reaction is broadened by relative translation–vibrational couplings in the exit-channel and is similar to the distribution used to fit crossed molecular beam data. Approximately 50% of the available energy is in product relative translation, which also agrees with experiment. RRKM calculations indicate that a second reaction mechanism, involving 1–2 hydrogen migration prior to C···H bond fission, does not significantly contribute to C2H3F+H product formation.


This study examined to what extent advanced and beginning readers, including dyslexic readers of Dutch, make use of morphological access units in the reading of polymorphemic words. Therefore, experiments were carried out in which the role of singular root form frequency in reading plural word forms was investigated in a lexical decision task with both adults and children. Twenty-three adult readers, 37 8-year-old children from Grade 3, 43 11-year-old children from Grade 6, and 33 11-year-old dyslexic readers were presented with a lexical decision task in which we contrasted plural word forms with a high versus low frequency of the singular root form. For the adults, it was found that the accuracy and speed of lexical decision is determined by the surface frequency of the plural word form. The frequency of the constituent root form played a role as well, but in the low-frequency plural words only. Furthermore, a strong developmental effect regarding the accuracy and speed of reading plural word forms was found. An effect of plural word form frequency on word identification was evidenced in all groups. The singular root form frequency also had an impact of the reading of the plural word forms. In the normal reading and dyslexic children, plurals with a high-frequency singular root form were read more accurately and faster than plurals with a low singular root frequency. It can be concluded that constituent morphemes have an impact on the reading of polymorphemic words. The results can be explained in the light of a word experience model leaving room for morphological constituency to play a role in the lexical access of complex words as a function of reading skill and experience and word and morpheme frequency.


The effects of various doses of L-arginine, a nitric oxide substrate, on lithium-pilocarpine-induced seizures were studied in rats. Rats were implanted with chronic, stainless steel screw electrodes epidurally for electrocortical recordings. A control group received 3 mEq/kg LiCl (i.p.) and 24 h later 45 mg/kg pilocarpine HCl (i.p.). Two different experimental procedures were followed: (1) L-arginine was applied in doses of 100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg (i.p.), 30 min before pilocarpine injection; (2) 300 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg (i.p.) L-arginine was injected either 5 min or 30 min after the onset of status epilepticus (SE). L-arginine (300 mg/kg) injected 30 min before pilocarpine significantly reduced the percentage of SE, but did not change the latency to SE or 24-hour survival. These parameters were not significantly affected by the 100 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg dose of L-arginine. On the other hand, no dose of L-arginine that was applied after SE had begun, had any significant influence on the seizures. We concluded that L-arginine may prevent seizure activity in some but not all doses, and does not have any effect on the ongoing seizure activity.


The composite materials are increasingly being used in applications where their fire response is a critical consideration. Composite in the marine application was growing rapidly especially in the ship and boat building was prevalent in recent decades. As the synthetic materials nowadays are more flammable, they required modification to decrease their flammability through the addition of flame-retardant compounds. This journal presents an investigation of a combination of two series of carbon black namely N330 and N660 in order to improve the fire resistance. The method was, by mixed two different series of carbon black (N330 and N660) into the resin and deployed using vacuum infusion process to get 5 mm thickness of polymer composite. The flame test will be conducted and the properties of fire retardant being studied. A factor to be recorded and identify was flame spread and burn rate including smoke density.


Elite athletes often find themselves in a dilemma between maintaining optimal health to be successful and accepting health risks by pushing their physical limits. For elite adolescent athletes, this dilemma becomes a trilemma as they are also confronted with developmental challenges typical for adolescence. As many adolescents encounter different substances during this critical period of development, we analyzed prevalence of substance use to identify determinants related to these behaviors and to compare the prevalences with nonelite athletes. Our main data were drawn from the German Young Olympic Athletes' Lifestyle and Health Management Study (GOAL Study) including 1138 elite adolescent athletes (14–18 years). For comparisons, the data were combined with data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). Beside uni‐ and bivariate analyses, we conducted (conditional) logistic regression analyses. Eighty‐six percent had consumed alcohol at least once. Binge drinking was performed by 24% during the last month. Alcohol consumption was positively associated with age, education, technical sports, lower squads, and attending boarding schools. Binge drinking was higher in males, older adolescents, and in technical sports. Smoking (3%) and marijuana use (3%) were less prevalent. Compared with nonelite athletes, they showed less risky behavior except for binge drinking. As we could identify risk groups, prevention and health promotion programs could be developed for this specific target group.


Italians have engaged in the tradition of the "passeggiata" for centuries. In villages and neighborhoods, residents come out each evening to stroll. On these strolls, they see and are seen, and they exchange pleasantries, gossip, and news. Today, however, a new, decentralized kind of passeggiata may be arising, thanks to high levels of mobility and the unprecedented availability of location-based information through mobile devices and other information technologies (IT). As social networking accelerates, and individuals share ever more information with their community, the inclusion of location in that mix will facilitate a decentralized passeggiata where community members continually meet up across the city to reinforce the ties initially made through social networking. This travel will take advantage of the relatively high levels of mobility, whether by car or transit, available to many city dwellers. This research reviews the literature of several disciplines into order to understand information technologies' potential effect on travel behavior. The review suggests that such technologies may encourage an increase in social travel, or at least a change in social travel patterns. A 2007 Chicago-area travel survey is used to test the hypothesis that availability of information technologies would result in an increase in non-work, social trips to places beyond what would normally be considered an individual's "home range." Results, while preliminary, do indicate a positive relationship between a particular type of information technology, the cellphone, and social travel across longer distances, and to neighborhoods on the edge of urban core. Further, the use of cellphones appears to have a particular effect on the location of walk trips, facilitating pedestrian social and recreational activities a long way from home. The influence of social networking platforms and location information on activity and travel behavior represents a further evolution in the structure of cities and their role in people's lives, facilitating ever more complex and flexible patterns of activity through the urban milieu. Expanded social travel presents planners with opportunities to energize less-known and potentially neglected parts of a region, as well as the challenges of sustainably providing access between all parts of that region.


The development of single clones of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa was analysed using a growth model based on the formation of structures limited by diffusive aggregation. The model implemented the measured clonal growth rules (i.e. rhizome elongation and branching rates, branching angle, and spacer length between consecutive shoots) and shoot mortality rate for C nodosa at Alfacs Bay (Spain). The simulated patches increased their size nonlinearly with time displaying two different domains of growth. Young patches showed a rapid increase with time of the length of rhizome network and the number of living shoots, which depended on rhizome branching rate, and increased the radial patch size (Rg) algebraically with the number of living shoots as R g N 1/D f s , being D f the fractal dimension of the patch structure. Patches older than 4 years increased the production of rhizome network and the number of living shoots much more slowly, while their radial patch size behaved as Rg N 0.5 s resulting from an internal patch compactation. Moreover, the linear growth rate of the simulated patches changed up to 30 fold during patch development, increasing with increasing patch size until patches reached an intermediate size. The modelled patch development was found to closely reproduce the observed patch structure for the species at the Alfacs Bay (Spain). Hence, the growth of C. nodosa patches initially proceeds with a growth mode controlled by the branching pattern (branching frequency and angle) of the species, producing sparse and elongated patches. Once patches exceed 4-5 years of age and contained >500 shoots, becoming dense and circular, they shift to a growth model typical of compact structures. These results explain previously unaccounted evidence of the emergence of nonlinear patch growth from simple clonal growth rules, and highlight the importance of branching frequency and angles as critical determinants of the space occupation rate of seagrasses and probably other clonal plants.


The paper evaluates the possibilities for the use of computer aided design and desktop virtual reality technologies as tools for architectural composition. An experimental teaching programme involving undergraduate architectural students at the University of Luton, in which aspects of compositional theory are explored through the direct creation of architectural form and space in digital formats is described. In the programme principles of architectural composition, based upon the ordering and organisation of typological architectural elements according to established rules of composition are introduced to the students through the study of recognised works of design theory. CAD and desktop virtual reality are then used to define and manipulate architectural elements, and to make formal and spatial evaluations of the environments created. The paper describes the theoretical context of the work, assesses the suitability of the software used for performing compositional manipulations, and evaluates the qualities of immersion and intuitive feedback which virtual reality based modelling can offer in the design visualisation process. The teaching programme utilises standard software packages, including AutoCAD, and 3D Studio, as well as Superscape VRT, a PC based desktop VR package.


Introduction/Background The aim of this study was to compare TFF3, AIF-1, S100-A11 and DKK1 serum levels in surgically staged patients with cervical cancer, and in healthy female controls. Methodology In total 85 consecutive patients diagnosed with cervical cancer stage undergoing radical hysterectomy or fertility sparing surgery with pelvic lymphadenectomy were included in the study. The control group was comprised of 90 patients who underwent elective total hysterectomy for nonmalignant disorder. In all patients preoperative serum samples were taken, separated and the sera were all stored at −80°C until analysis for TFF3, AIF-1, S100-A11 and DKK1. Results According to the final histopathologic examination, 32 (37,6%) out of 85 cervical cancer patients were lymphonode positive. S100-A11 (p<0.0001) and AIF-1 (p<0.0001) were higher in cervical cancer patients than in controls. Furthermore, S100-A11 (p>0.04) and AIF-1 (p>0.01) were significantly higher in lymphonode positive as compared to lymphonode negative patients. Levels of TFF3 and DKK1 were higher (p<0.0001) in controls than in cervical cancer patients and were not different in groups with or without nodal involvement. Conclusion S100-A11 and AIF-1 represent potential biomarkers in patients with cervical cancer. Moreover S100-A11 and AIF-1 levels increase in patients with lymph node involvement. Disclosure Nothing to disclose.


We are interested in the automation of planning and learning in dynamic physical environments. Recently we have begun to consider the game of pinball as a robotics testbed. Our intention is to build an autonomous learning agent that controls the game and improves its performance over time. We believe that pinball will give us a structured environment in which to investigate issues of planning and learning, while providing the real-world constraints of uncertainty and real-time control. Our work to date has led to a simple, physically realistic pinball simulation, which we are now using to test learning agents. In the future we will have a physical game interfaced to our computer system.


In this work, we investigate the knowledge learned in the embeddings of multimodal-BERT models. More specifically, we probe their capabilities of storing the grammatical structure of linguistic data and the structure learned over objects in visual data. To reach that goal, we first make the inherent structure of language and visuals explicit by a dependency parse of the sentences that describe the image and by the dependencies between the object regions in the image, respectively. We call this explicit visual structure the scene tree, that is based on the dependency tree of the language description. Extensive probing experiments show that the multimodal-BERT models do not encode these scene trees.