The objective of the present work is to study and model the interfacial structure development of air-water two-phase flow in a confined test section. Experiments of a total of 9 flow conditions in a cap-turbulent and churn-turbulent flow regimes are carried out in a vertical air-water upward two-phase flow experimental loop with a test section of 20-cm in width and 1-cm in gap. The miniaturized four-sensor conductivity probes are used to measure local two-phase parameters at three different elevations for each flow condition. The bubbles captured by the probes are categorized into two groups in view of the two-group interfacial area transport equation, i.e., spherical/distorted bubbles as Group 1 and cap/churn-turbulent bubbles as Group 2. The acquired parameters are time-averaged local void fraction, interfacial velocity, bubble number frequency, interfacial area concentration, and bubble Sauter mean diameter for both groups of bubbles. Also, the line-averaged and area-averaged data are presented and discussed. The comparisons of these parameters at different elevations demonstrate the development of interfacial structure along the flow direction due to bubble interactions.


The strategy to local resources is an overview of development management. It tries to answer developmental challenges in the form of poverty, the deterioration of the environment, the lack of public participation. Local resource management is a people centered development planning mechanism that emphasizes social learning technology and program formulation strategies that aim to improve community capacity through capacity building. A number of points in the management of local resources include: (1) Institutional strengthening that meets the needs of the fishing community at the local level and has an identity and recognized role (2) Management of local resources strengthens the ability to direct and address assets in the local fishing community to meet their needs (3) Strengthening institutions with the support of autonomous and independent fishermen organizations by utilizing modern technology. This study wants to try to provide a basis and analysis in strengthening the institutional (capacity building) of the Coastal Fishermen of Surabaya East Java in order to advance, independent and prosper.


"The Great Reset" is a conspiracy theory that has become popular among people resisting public health recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The name comes from the 2021 theme of the World Economic Forum's annual summit and claims that global elites have manipulated the course of the pandemic to implement various forms of economic and social control. While the conspiracy is easily debunked, we argue that it also reflects important cultural trends at the heart of the current epistemic crisis. Our study adopts a theoretical approach that frames conspiracy theories as cultural expressions of social problems. We conducted a qualitative analysis of media content shared on Twitter related to the nascent campaign #StopTheGreatReset. We found that Great Reset narratives not only relied on traditional conspiracy tropes but also reflected a newer and concerning anti-institutional discourse that expressed social anxiety about the pandemic as a form of antidemocratic politics.


In order to study characteristics of anaerobic co-digestion of corn straw and cabbage, the experiment was performed with corn straw to cabbage (S:C) of 4:1, 6:1 and 10:1 based on total solids (TS) at 35±1°C at initial TS of 8%. The effects of co-digestion on pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and biogas yield were examined. Results showed that the S:C of 4:1 was optimal with accumulative biogas yield of 334.53mL/gTS compared with S:C of 6:1 and 10:1 with accumulative biogas yield of 289.31mL/gTS and 311.37 mL/gTS, respectively. This should be attributed to the high VFA concentration achieved by S:C of 4:1.


week compared with 10 of 26 (38%) of similar controls (much less impressive, but more logical). The Chi-square test applied to these figures gives x2, 1.1, and P<0.2. The difference between the groups is not statistically significant. Limitation of straightleg raising may be used to separate between two clinically distinguishable types of patient with low backache or sciatica.3 Thus in this series under discussion three clinically distinct groups of patients are being lumped together (those with a severely limited S.L.R., those with slightly limited S.L.R., and those with no limitation of S.L.R.). Is the thesis held that these clinically separate and probably pathologically different groups are all amenable equally to one form of treatment ? Many cases of derangements of intervertebral joints, and lesions of the supporting ligaments of the spine, may give rise to referred sciatica.4-6 These cases have been excluded, for no patients with radiation below the buttock were selected. There has been no selection, for example, according to mode of onset, surely most important in, relation to reaction to treatment. Although site of pain, presence of congenital defects, and recurrences and other factors have been recorded these hAve not been separately analysed, so the unwary reader is led to the conclusion that, having excluded " rarer and more seiious causes," manipulation is the treatment of choice whatever the,diagnosis. As many cases of derangement and prolapse are excluded, as indicated above, then what was the pathological lesion ih most of the patients in this series ? It is felt that many may have been postural defects, muscular lesions and similar disabilities in which rest and sedation were in fact contraindicated.


The paper aims to trace the evolution of the concept of "giftedness" in the context of accumulation and enrichment of its ideological content with new meanings. We have used the principles and methods of historical, sociocultural and comparative analyses. In particular, the application of the principle of differentiating between the theory and concept helped to identify the subject of research. The paper determines the nature of the concept, its difference from such forms of thought as notion, idea, image. Based on the historical and genetic analysis it became possible to identify and to describe five main stages or ways of conceptualizing giftedness: antique, religious-ethical, empirical, proto-scientific (from the standpoint of particular social sciences), holistic (in the framework of scientific psychology). Keywords—concept; giftedness; conceptualization; ancient stage; religious-ethical stage; empirical stage; proto-scientific stage; holistic stage


The electrocatalytic characteristics of N4-chelatele electrodes is well known for several redox reactions. The N4-chelate can function thereby according to the principle of the heterogeneous redox catalysis as an intermediate fixed at the electrode surface. The main problem is the limited service life of such electrodes which prohibits the practical application in organic electrosyntheses. The electrochemical properties of N4-chelate electrodes and specially of copper phthalocyanine electrodes were investigated using several electrochemical methods. The results of these measurements lead into a significant refinement of the models of heterogenous redox reaction at N4-chelates. Furthermore models for the degradation process of N4-chelate electrodes could be derived. Finally, quite stable electodes were produced and tested.


[1] Micropulse lidar (MPL) systems were used to measure aerosol properties during the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) 1999 field phase. Measurements were made from two platforms: the NOAA ship R/V Ronald H. Brown, and the Kaashidhoo Climate Observatory (KCO) in the Maldives. Sun photometers were used to provide aerosol optical depths (AOD) needed to calibrate the MPL. This study focuses on the height distribution and optical properties (at 523 nm) of aerosols observed during the campaign. The height of the highest aerosols (top height) was calculated and found to be below 4 km for most of the cruise. The marine boundary layer (MBL) top was calculated and found to be less than 1 km. MPL results were combined with air mass trajectories, radiosonde profiles of temperature and humidity, and aerosol concentration and optical measurements. Humidity varied from approximately 80% near the surface to 50% near the top height during the entire cruise. The average value and standard deviation of aerosol optical parameters were determined for characteristic air mass regimes. Marine aerosols in the absence of any continental influence were found to have an AOD of 0.05±0.03, an extinction-to-backscatter ratio (S ratio) of 33±6 sr, and peak extinction values around 0.05 km−1 (near the MBL top). The marine results are shown to be in agreement with previously measured and expected values. Polluted marine areas over the Indian Ocean, influenced by continental aerosols, had AOD values in excess of 0.2, S ratios well above 40 sr, and peak extinction values approximately 0.20 km−1 (near the MBL top). The polluted marine results are shown to be similar to previously published values for continental aerosols. Comparisons between MPL derived extinction near the ship (75 m) and extinction calculated at ship level using scattering measured by a nephelometer and absorption using a particle soot absorption photometer were conducted. The comparisons indicated that the MPL algorithm (using a constant S ratio throughout the lower troposphere) calculates extinction near the surface in agreement with the ship-level measurements only when the MBL aerosols are well mixed with aerosols above. Finally, a review of the MPL extinction profiles showed that the model of aerosol vertical extinction developed during an earlier INDOEX field campaign (at the Maldives) did not correctly describe the true vertical distribution over the greater Indian Ocean region. Using the average extinction profile and AOD obtained during marine conditions, a new model of aerosol vertical extinction was determined for marine atmospheres over the Indian Ocean. A new model of aerosol vertical extinction for polluted marine atmospheres was also developed using the average extinction profile and AOD obtained during marine conditions influenced by continental aerosols.


BACKGROUND
Collaboration with care partners is a political aim in recent white papers in Norway and internationally. Home care services regularly work closely with care partners, but there are many indications that the collaboration does not work satisfactorily.

AIM
To explore home care staff and leaders' experiences of collaborating with care partners of older people with mental health problems through a personhood perspective.

METHODS
The study had a qualitative design and comprised eight health professionals in two focus groups and in-depth interviews with three leaders in one home care district. The data were analysed using a thematic framework analysis building on previous research on personhood. criteria for reporting qualitative reporting guidelines were used to ensure comprehensive reporting.

RESULTS
Four themes were identified in the analysis: 'non-negotiated relationships', 'contradictory agendas', 'weak paternalism' and 'moral compromise'.

CONCLUSION
There seems to be a lack of facilitation of collaborative relationships through all levels of the home care organisation. The interactions between care partners and home care staff sometimes appear to produce low or negative levels of emotional energy, and situations where the personhood of neither of them is respected occurs. Paying attention to the four modes of being as a framework for understanding personhood creates the foundation for a person-centred approach that enhances the potential of creating stronger partnership in care relationships.


BACKGROUND
In the United States, postoperative opioid prescriptions have been implicated in the so-called 'opioid epidemic'. In Europe, the extent of overprescribing or misuse of opioids is not known.

OBJECTIVES
To describe the proportion of persistent postoperative opioid use in adults (>18 years) in European countries.

DESIGN
Systematic review of the published data.

DATA SOURCES
We searched the electronic literature databases MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Studies describing opioid use in adult patients (>18 years) at least 3 months after surgery.

RESULTS
One thousand three hundred and seven studies were found, and 12 studies were included in this review. The rate of opioid use after 3 to 6 months was extracted from the studies and categorised by the type of surgery. Nine studies investigated opioid use after total hip or total knee arthroplasties (THA and TKA) and reported opioid user rates between 7.9 and 41% after 3 months. In all the included studies, a proportion between 2 and 41% of patients were opioid users 3 months after surgery. The level of evidence varied from high to very low.

CONCLUSION
To describe persistent opioid use in relation to specific countries or types of surgery is not possible. Because of the wide ranges observed, we can neither confirm nor rule out a possible public health problem linked to the persistent use of opioids in Europe.

STUDY REGISTRATION
PROSPERO: CRD42019154292.


Over the last 25 years, Russia has passed from the group of countries distinguished by low levels of income inequality to the group distinguished by high ones. The macroeconomic analysis shows that this process is due to the differences in salaries, the weak equalizing effect of social transfers and new sources of income such as the income from property and of business activity. We have a poor understanding of the factors determining this inequality at the household level so far. Decomposition of equivalised household expenditure inequality into inter- and intra-groups using cross-sectional data (RLMS-HSE, 1994-2014) shows that during the whole research period one of the most significant factors of intergroup inequality is region of residence. During periods of high economic growth the significance of education and intensity of employment increased in intergroup inequality; however, during the period of economic stagnation the intergroup differentiation of educational potential began to decrease. Despite the important population policy aimed to increase the birth rate, children in families have become the most significant factor of intergroup inequality for the last years. A regression analysis of the determinants of inequality, which allows us to estimate the contribution of each factor to the model dispersion of per capita expenditure allows us to draw the conclusion that meritocratic factors explain a majority of observed inequality. The contribution of the child-burden factor to total inequality did not change during the past ten years, and at the same time, the inequality-decreasing effect of the presence of pensioners in households has continuously increased.


This article provides an analysis of Chimalpahin's additions to Francisco López de Gómara's Historia de la conquista de México. In his account, Chimalpahin draws attention to the plurality of ethnic states, their cultural practices, and political conflicts. In this article, the author argues that Chimalpahin's modifications depict a Nahua version of the conquest in which the emphasis on the native's active participation reflects its effect in the outcome of the war even though such contributions are often unseen in the most representative narratives of the event. It shows that Chimalpahin participates in the production of an indigenous collective memory and that he had the agency to create an account that clarifies, and even challenges, Spanish-centered narratives such as López de Gómara's work.


We present preliminary results on the successful culturing of different microbial taxonomic groups on media containing white phosphorus (P4) as the sole source of phosphorus. The increase in culture resistance resulting from targeted selection was demonstrated. The highest concentration of P4 used in the study exceeds the threshold limit concentration of P4 in wastewater mud by 5000 times. Putative metabolites of P4 were also investigated.
Keywords: biodegradation; white phosphorus; Aspergillus niger; Streptomyces sp. A8


The color line is still a central problem in the United States, as Du Bois declared more than a century ago. But economic, demographic, and social trends have subdivided it in ways that Du Bois could not have foreseen, creating tremendous intra-ethnoracial group diversity. A challenge for twenty-first-century scholarship is to make sense of the implications of growing intra-group diversity for the boundaries and meaning of group identity. Meeting this challenge requires treating intra-group diversity not merely as an outcome of various social processes. Intra-group diversity must also be seen as the origin of processes shaping the boundaries and meanings of group identities, as well as intergroup attitudes and relations. Meeting the challenge also necessitates adopting ethnographic and survey research practices that better capture the dynamism of the multiple color lines defining the American ethnoracial landscape and the implication of this dynamism for identity.


Modern telemonitoring systems identify a serious patient deterioration when it already occurred. It would be much more beneficial if the upcoming clinical deterioration were identified ahead of time even before a patient actually experiences it. The goal of this study was to assess artificial intelligence approaches which potentially can be used in telemonitoring systems for advance prediction of changes in disease severity before they actually occur. The study dataset was based on daily self-reports submitted by 26 adult asthma patients during home telemonitoring consisting of 7001 records. Two classification algorithms were employed for building predictive models: naïve Bayesian classifier and support vector machines. Using a 7-day window, a support vector machine was able to predict asthma exacerbation to occur on the day 8 with the accuracy of 0.80, sensitivity of 0.84 and specificity of 0.80. Our study showed that methods of artificial intelligence have significant potential in developing individualized decision support for chronic disease telemonitoring systems.


This research aims at revealing the linguistic realization of legitimation in the discourses of Zia and Musharraf during the Afghanistan wars for the periods of 19791988 and 2001-2008. The data comprises of their official discourses on Afghanistan war during their respective regimes as head of the state. Using the Nomination strategies suggested by Discourse Historical Approach by Wodak and Meyer (2001) and Van Leeuwen"s Social Actors Representation model (2008), this study reveals the linguistic realization of legitimation through the dichotomous construction of self and Other representation. Moreover, it is argued in the study that different social actors have been constructed in their discourses through the categorization of Inclusion/Exclusion and Activation/Passivation to rationalize the perspective of self/ in-group, in order to justify their respective policies on Afghanistan issue.


In this paper we investigate the existence of quasi-periodic solutions of non-autonomous two-dimensional reversible and Hamiltonian systems under the Bruno condition. As an application we study the dynamical stability of the trivial solution at the origin of a quasi-periodically forced planar system. Under a mild non-degeneracy condition we give a criterion that is necessary and sufficient for a large class of systems.


Growth-inhibitory activity of human recombinant beta-interferon (GKT-beta) against 20 human cultured cell lines derived from leukemias and lymphomas was measured quantitatively by regrowth assay. Daudi cells were the most sensitive to GKT-beta. Two T-cell lines (RPMI-8402, HUT78), three B-cell lines (Raji, P3HR-1, A3/Kawakami), one non-T, non-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell line (KOPN-1) and one monocytoid cell line (U937) were moderately sensitive to GKT-beta. Although the levels of sensitivity of these cell lines to GKT-beta were different, the cells could be killed by GKT-beta. Morphological changes of the sensitive cells treated with GKT-beta were decrease in mitosis, pyknosis and segmentation of cells. Twelve other cultured cell lines, comprising four T-cell lines, four B-cell lines, one non-T, non-B ALL cell line and three myelomonocytoid cell lines, were not sensitive to GKT-beta. The results indicated that the growth-inhibitory activity of GKT-beta was not always cell lineage-specific or differentiative stage-specific. GKT-beta was instable in vitro and its antiviral activity was reduced to about 10% during the first 24 hr of incubation in culture medium with or without cells. This instability was reflected in a similar reduction of its growth-inhibitory activity. It was demonstrated that GKT-beta had a time-dependent, but not a concentration-denpendent antiproliferative action. This suggests that, in the clinical use of the interferon, direct antiproliferative activity of GKT-beta may be expected only through the use of therapeutic schedules which are suitable for its time-dependent action, such as through daily long-term treatment, but not through a single large-dose therapy.


It is shown how the combination of atomic deposition and nonlinear diffusion may lead, below a critical temperature, to the growth of nonuniform layers on a substrate. The dynamics of such a system is of the Cahn-Hilliard type, supplemented by reaction terms representing adsorption-desorption processes. The instability of uniform layers leads to the formation of nanostructures which correspond to regular spatial variations of substrate coverage. Since coverage inhomogeneities generate internal stresses, the coupling between coverage evolution and film elasticity fields is also considered, for film thickness below the critical thickness for misfit dislocation nucleation. It is shown that this coupling is destabilizing and favors nanostructure formation. It also favors square planforms which could compete, and even dominate over the haxagonal or stripe nanostructures induced by coverage dynamics alone


During cancer progression, the angiogenesis that occurs is involved in tumor growth and hematogenous-distant metastasis, whereas lymphangiogenesis is involved in regional lymph node metastasis. Angiogenesis is counterregulated by various endogenous inhibitors; however, little is known about endogenous inhibitors of lymphangiogenesis. We recently isolated vasohibin1 as an angiogenesis inhibitor intrinsic to the endothelium and further demonstrated its anticancer activity through angiogenesis inhibition. Here, we examined the effect of vasohibin1 on lymphangiogenesis. Vasohibin1 exhibited broad-spectrum antilymphangiogenic activity in the mouse cornea induced by factors including VEGF-A, VEGF-C, FGF2, and PDGF-BB. We then inoculated highly lymph node-metastatic cancer cells into mice and examined the effect of vasohibin1 on lymph node metastasis. Tail-vein injection of adenovirus containing the human vasohibin1 gene inhibited tumor lymphangiogenesis and regional lymph node metastasis. Moreover, local injection of recombinant vasohibin1 inhibited lymph node metastasis. These results suggest vasohibin1 to be the first known intrinsic factor having broad-spectrum antilymphangiogenic activity and indicate that it suppresses lymph node metastasis.


in the following paper i argue that Plato's Protagoras is fundamentally about the utilization of mousikē to define sophistry. Protagoras imitates a choral education and argues for sophistry as the endpoint for musical education in Greek society. However, in setting sophistry in dialogue with mousikē Plato gestures to the radical implications of the private training of sophistic mousikē and its performance in public context.


This dissertation investigates the phenomenon of dissimilation from a theoretical perspective, with special attention to crosslinguistic patterns. After first arguing that the previous accounts based on the Obligatory Contour Principle (OCP) (Leben 1973, McCarthy 1979, 1986) are not satisfactory, I propose an alternative theory of identity avoidance, GENERALIZED OCP (GOCP) which generalizes the applicability of the traditional OCP to a wider range of phenomena, not just autosegmental (i.e. featural) ones. My proposal asserts that identity avoidance between two elements in sequence is fundamental to linguistic theory, an idea that can be characterized by a universal constraint governing various types of dissimilatory phenomena. This concept is implemented within the framework of Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky 1993, McCarthy and Prince 1993a,b), which provides the flexibility for constraints to be both violable and rankable. Contrary to the traditional OCP based approach which is bound by various representational properties such as feature geometry and underspecification, the proposed approach abandons this representational dependency in favor of the richly articulated constraint-based system. Based on the data collected from 57 language cases, I then examine the various factors that play a role in dissimilation, including the elements involved, their adjacency relations, and the domain of dissimilation. I demonstrate that the GOCP constitutes a consistent formal apparatus on the one hand, and the versatility to accommodate the complexity of dissimilation patterns on the other. Moreover, it is shown that the present approach formally unifies the characterization of both the similarity effects and blocking effects by directly incorporating Local Conjunction as a uniform mechanism of accounting for the Similarity effect, OCP-subsidiary feature phenomena. As a result,


Vietnam is located on the normal arterial maritime route between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, between Europe, the Middle East, China and Japan with regional countries. In the context of the industrial revolution 4.0 and the deeper integration of Vietnam's economy into the global economy, Vietnam's maritime industry is increasingly developing and deepening international integration. The rapid development of the domestic fleet and the labour export service of seafarers are setting out for our maritime schools the opportunity to train crew members. Improvement of training program for seafarers are considered an urgent issue, which is also a prerequisite for contributing to the development of the maritime industry actively.However, the initial integration and practice in the past few years show that the officers and crew have increased in sufficient quantity to meet the market demand but are showing many professional and operational defects, practical skills, foreign languages when working on modern ships or multinational vessels. The limitation of crew members is due to many factors, one of the basic factors is the quality of crew training, and the defects that do not meet the practical needs, especially training programs at training institutions are outdated. The paper analyses the status of the quantity and quality of Vietnamese seafarers from 2010 to 2018, propose measures to improve the quality of maritime human resources, with a focus on building and developing crew training programs by CDIO approach to meet the requirements of businesses and society for future crews.


Abstract This paper will report on the proof-of-principle (POP) experiments conducted to demonstrate reduced wall recycling, using a laboratory-scale test unit, constructed based on the concept of moving-surface plasma-facing component (MS-PFC). In this concept, the moving-surface exposed to edge plasmas in steady state magnetic fusion devices is continuously deposited ex-situ with a getter material, so that particle trapping capabilities can be regenerated prior to the subsequent exposure. In our previous paper, the construction details of the MS-PFC test unit and the first results in the case of titanium gettering was reported, but in the present paper preliminary results in the case of lithium gettering will be presented for comparison. Results indicate that the Hα light intensity used as the measure of hydrogen recycling is reduced by ~6% due to titanium gettering and by ~12% due to lithium gettering, both at steady state.


Several lines of evidence support immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We have shown that intratumoral injections of the immune primer ilixadencel (pro-inflammatory allogeneic dendritic cells) are safe in renal-cell carcinoma. Here, we assessed ilixadencel as a single agent and combined with sorafenib in advanced HCC. Of 17 HCC patients enrolled, 12 patients received ilixadencel at the dose of 10 × 106 cells (six as monotherapy and six in combination with sorafenib), and five received ilixadencel at the dose of 20 × 106 cells as monotherapy. The primary objective was to evaluate tolerability. All patients had at least one adverse event, with 30% of such events considered as treatment-related, with one single treatment-related grade three event. The most common toxicity was grade 1 and 2 fever and chills. Eleven of 15 evaluable patients (73%) showed increased frequency of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood. Overall one patient had a partial response (with ilixadencel as monotherapy), and five had stable disease as overall best response per mRECIST. The median time to progression was 5.5 months, and overall survival ranged from 1.6 to 21.4 months. Our study confirms the safety of ilixadencel as single agent or in combination with sorafenib and indicates tumor-specific immunological responses in advanced HCC. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT01974661


Atlas of fortified settlements in the province of Viterbo, Italy (tenth-fifteenth centuries). Sources and methods for the reconstruction of the late-medieval settlement networkThis study addressed the historical phenomenon known as incastellamento, in the area of the current province of Viterbo, from a quantitative and geographical perspective. The time period considered was the tenth-fifteenth century. The paper describes the documentary sources, historical maps, aerial images, past studies and archaeological sources that are available to researchers, and which have been used, in good measure, to reconstruct the fortified settlement network. Moreover, the paper explains the methodologies used to identify, store and geocode the whole dataset, which so far comes to a total of 191 fortified settlements. In conclusion, we discuss the main characteristics of the online atlas, intended as an open and interoperable platform to consult, query and retrieve information from the dataset of late-medieval fortified settlements.


Introduction Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by an immune response to gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is produced by macrophages, epithelial cells and endothelial cells. Therefore, IL8 has an important role in the innate immune response and associated with inflammation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the elevation of IL8 level in patients with celiac diseasecompare with control group. Methods Fifty three confirmed treated or untreated celiac disease patients referred to Taleghani hospital, Iran as cases were matched according to age and gender with 300 healthy controls, screened with ELISA to determine the level of IL8. Results Serum IL8 levels were evaluated in all patients with positive CD compare to healthy control. The minimum level of IL8 in cases was 16.3 and maximum level was 397.7. On the other side the minimum and maximum level of IL8 in controls was 10.3 and 397.7 respectively. The mean level of IL8 in celiac disease patients was 116.8 compare with 84.8 in healthy control. This differences was statistically significant between 2 groups (p = 0.0001). Conclusion Increased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL8 seem to be increased in patients with celiac disease. It is the inflammation inherent in gluten sensitivity rather than mucosal atrophy that results in malabsorption and nutrient deficiency. Our findings suggest that higher level of IL8 in patients with celiac disease characterise the higher inflammatory response of this disease in the active phase. The inflammatory response including increasing the level of IL-8 may cause or not damage to the intestinal mucosa but in both cases lead to increased permeability of the intestinal epithelium. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


For a number of years, the creep performance of standard High Modulus Polyethylene (HMPE) fiber types has limited their use in synthetic offshore mooring systems. In 2003, a low creep HMPE fiber was introduced and qualified for semi-permanent MODU moorings. This paper reports on the introduction of a new High Modulus Polyethylene fiber type with significantly improved creep properties compared to other HMPE fiber types, which, for the first time, allows its use in permanent offshore mooring systems, for example for deep water FPSO moorings. Industry guidelines and standards mentioning HMPE creep are briefly discussed, and results on fiber and rope creep experiments reported. Laboratory testing has shown that ropes made with the new fiber type retain the properties characteristic of HMPE such as high static strength and stiffness and yarn-on-yarn abrasion resistance. Link to download paper: https://www.onepetro.org/conference-paper/OTC-23333-MS


This paper outlines a RBF/EBF neural network approach for automatic musical instrument classification using salient feature extraction techniques with a combination of supervised and unsupervised learning schemes. 829 monophonic sound examples (86% Siedlaczek Library [2], 14% other sources) from the string, brass, and woodwind families with a variety of performance techniques, dynamics, and pitches were used for the development of feature extraction, network initialization algorithms, and training of the neural networks resulting in approximately 71% individual instrument and 88% instrument family classification. A novel approach for automatically fine-tuning the system using the Nearest Centroid Error Clustering (NCC) method which determines a robust number of centroids is also discussed.


Cryptic diversity that corresponds with island origin has been previously reported in the endemic, geographically restricted sooglossid frogs of the Seychelles archipelago. The evolutionary pattern has not been fully explored, and given current amphibian declines and the increased extinction risk faced by island species, we sought to identify evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) to address conservation concerns for these highly threatened anurans. We obtained genetic data for two mitochondrial (mtDNA) and four nuclear (nuDNA) genes from all known populations of sooglossid frog (the islands of Mahe, Praslin, and Silhouette) to perform phylogenetic analyses and construct nuDNA haplotype networks. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses of mtDNA support monophyly and molecular differentiation of populations in all species that occur on multiple islands. Haplotype networks using statistical parsimony revealed multiple high-frequency haplotypes shared between islands and taxa, in addition to numerous geographically distinct (island-specific) haplotypes for each species. We consider each island-specific population of sooglossid frog as an ESU and advise conservation managers to do likewise. Furthermore, our results identify each island lineage as a candidate species, evidence for which is supported by Bayesian Poisson Tree Processes analyses of mtDNA, and independent analyses of mtDNA and nuDNA using the multispecies coalescent. Our findings add to the growing understanding of the biogeography and hidden diversity within this globally important region.


This study set out to examine the current state of Bibliographical control, accessibility and use of government publications in Kenya. Government publications are sold at the Government Press Bookshop. Except prestige Bookshop. Other bookshops in the city do not sell Government publications except Prestige Bookshop. Outside Nairobi there is no bookshop selling them. Bibliographically Kenya does have adequate bibliographical tools. There is only the government publications catalogue. It lags several years behind. The latest is a 1977 edition. It is supplemented with the Kenya Gazette which lists only publications which are in stock for sale. The study identified many obstacles to access. They include languages, legal impediments, change of organization's titles or names, Classification of documents, closed access, geographical distance etc. The thirty-year period during which government publications remain classified and the public cannot be allowed access is a major obstacle. The use of government publications is still very limited. Government officials, Students, and academicians use them. The use of government publications by the public at large is negligible. Government publications remain underused resources. All in all government publication are seen as meant for Government officials only and therefore the general public does not bother much to acquire them.


The aligned silver nanorod array substrates prepared by the oblique angle deposition method are capable of providing extremely high enhancement factors (~5times108) at near-infrared wavelengths (785 nm) for a standard reporter molecule 1,2 trans-(bis)pyridyl-ethene (BPE). The enhancement factor depends strongly on the length of the Ag nanorods, the substrate coating, the polarization of the excitation light, as well as the incident angle. With the current optimum structure, we demonstrate that the detection limit for BPE can be lower than 0.1 fM. We also show that this surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active substrate can serve as a sensor to detect and differentiate the molecular fingerprints of several important human pathogens, particularly, respiratory syncytial virus, human immunodeficiency virus, rotavirus, and the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Utilizing chemometric methods, SERS nanorod array data can be used to sensitively detect and to classify viruses at the strain level. These results suggest that the SERS Ag nanorod array is a powerful technique for direct, rapid, and sensitive detection of infectious agents.


A polynomial-time algorithm is presented for partitioning a collection of sporadic tasks, each constrained to have its relative-deadline parameter be no larger than its period parameter, among the processors of an identical multiprocessor platform. Since the partitioning problem is easily seen to be NP-hard in the strong sense, this algorithm is unlikely to be optimal. A quantitative characterization of its worst-case performance is provided in terms of resource augmentation. It is shown that any set of sporadic tasks that can be partitioned among the processors of an m-processor identical multiprocessor platform will be partitioned by this algorithm on an m-processor platform in which each processor is (3-(1/m)) times as fast.


What is an 'economic agent'? Who is 'the' economic agent? This question is one of the basic issues dealt with by the founder of the Austrian school of Economics, Carl Menger (1840-1921) even though the terminology of his times was different from ours  : Menger did not coin the term "methodological individualism", which his heir's, Friedrich von Wieser, and would popularized by Josef Schumpeter. But he gave all the elements necessary to build it. In the era around 1900's "selfrealization and identity" were not discussed as today, so this paper, historically oriented, will aim at restoring the questioning upon the nature (das Wesen) and the identity of the economic agent in this era of the "Great Crossroads" of economic schools, and the way it was seen by the father of the methodology later known in economics as 'Methodological individualism' is here described against that background. Menger's views on how individuals interact with one another and how social complexity spontaneously builds in are here at stake.


Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IRBCs) synthesize several histidine-rich proteins (HRPs) that accumulate high levels of [3H]histidine but very low levels of amino acids such as [3H]isoleucine or [35S]methionine. We prepared a monoclonal antibody which reacts specifically with one of these HRPs (Pf HRP II) and studied the location and synthesis of this protein during the parasite's intracellular growth. With the knob-positive Malayan Camp strain of P. falciparum, the monoclonal antibody identified a multiplet of protein bands with major species at Mr 72,000 and 69,000. Pf HRP II synthesis began with immature parasites (rings) and continued through the trophozoite stage. The Mr 72,000 band of Pf HRP II, but not the faster moving bands of the multiplet, was recovered as a water-soluble protein from the culture supernatant of intact IRBCs. Approximately 50% of the total [3H]histidine radioactivity incorporated into the Mr 72,000 band was extracellular between 2 and 24 h of culture. Immunofluorescence and cryothin-section immunoelectron microscopy localized Pf HRP II to several cell compartments including the parasite cytoplasm, as concentrated "packets" in the host erythrocyte cytoplasm and at the IRBC membrane. Our results provide evidence for an intracellular route of transport for a secreted malarial protein from the parasite through several membranes and the host cell cytoplasm.


While genetic counselor (GC) utilization of telehealth has increased in recent years, the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic significantly accelerated the adoption of telehealth for many. We investigated GC experiences with telehealth including perceived advantages, disadvantages, and barriers using a one‐time online survey of GCs who provided direct patient care in recent years. The survey examined experiences with telehealth before and after the onset of COVID‐19. We made broad comparisons to findings from a similar study our research team conducted five years ago. GCs reported an increase in the utilization of telehealth over time, with significant increases from pre‐2017 (44%) to pre‐COVID‐19 (70%) and then to present (87%) (p<.001 and .02, respectively). There was no significant change in the total number of hours worked from pre‐COVID‐19 to the time of survey completion, nor were there significant changes in the amount of time spent on clinical responsibilities or interfacing with patients. However, the total number of hours worked in telehealth significantly increased (z = 5.05, p<.001) as did the percent of time spent interacting with patients via telehealth [t(72)=3.74, p<.001, d = 0.44]. Participants overwhelmingly preferred video (84%) over telephone; this differs from our previous survey where video was the preferred modality for 59% (p<.001). We utilized open‐ended questions to elicit reasons for modality preference. The most‐cited barrier to telehealth utilization was billing/reimbursement issues, with 39% noting this obstacle. This is consistent with our previous study where 30% cited billing/reimbursement as the primary barrier. These findings indicate a need for continued efforts to improve billing and reimbursement for genetic counseling offered via telehealth. They also present an opportunity for additional exploration regarding patient preferences for telehealth modality.


In Peru, anemia affects around 30% of children under the age of four, making it one of the major public health problems of the country. The literature suggests that water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions may reduce anemia prevalence; however, empirical evidence of this association remains scarce for the Peruvian context. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between WASH conditions and office visits due to anemia (OVA), at the regional level during the years 2010–2018. Using generalized estimating equation models (GEE), we find that the prevalence of OVA increases by 0.24/1,000 per one percentage point (PP) increase in the proportion of households with access to safe drinking water and decreases by 0.22/1,000 per one PP increase in the proportion of households with basic sanitation. Our results suggest that policymakers should not only ensure a better coverage of drinking water sources but also ensure adequate quality.


This research represents a highly personalized account of my experience as a black male frontline worker supporting black families impacted by community violence. Using myself as the subject this paper explores complexities of navigating community violence in relation to structural violence, anti-black racism mental health impacts. Through utilizing autoethnography as a methodology this paper examines two transformative events that provides an insider's vantage point into the challenges I have faced as a black man within my practice. Through sharing my experience, I hope to raise awareness about the impacts on mental health on frontline workers that support communities that experience trauma.


Solitudetime spent by oneselfis a common human experience, though its possible benefits may not be appreciated by many. In a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental evaluation of an exercise designed to teach the psychological benefits of solitude, 54 undergraduate students went on a date with the self, i.e., planning and deliberately spending an afternoon or evening by oneself engaged in personally chosen leisure activity. Results showed that the date with the self produced significant gains in appreciation of time spent alone, relative to a comparison group of 49 students. Of the features of solitude, anonymity and low levels of negative affect during the exercise accounted for increased appreciation for time spent alone, while feelings of inner peace, low levels of loneliness, and previous attitudes toward solitude were related to overall enjoyment of the activity.


Magnesium alloys have been increasingly used in automobile, aerospace, consumer electronics and communication industries due to their low density, high strength to weight ratio, good impact resistance and castability. Impact situations in vehicles and airplanes and high speed metal working are characterized with the high rates of loading. The dynamic properties of materials are critical to evaluate the materials' response in impact situations. They are also useful to design various automotive and aerospace components that are subjected to high rates of loadings. In current study, the compressive behaviour of magnesium alloy AZ31B has been examined over a wide range of strain rate between 103 and 3x103 s-1 in order to evaluate its potential in structural applications. Higher stresses are observed at higher strain rates. The peak stress increases about 10% for an increase in the strain rate from 980 s-1 to 2450 s-1. The hardening exponent n increases from 0.65 to 0.72 with increasing strain rate from 980 s-1 to 2450 s-1 indicating that the alloy is rate sensitive. However, the rate sensitivity of the alloy is negligible at lower strains and is significantly higher at higher strains. Energy absorption during deformation in general is increased with the strain rate.


Autonomic peripheral activity is partly governed by brain autonomic centers. However, there is still a lot of uncertainties regarding the precise link between peripheral and central autonomic biosignals. Clarifying these links could have a profound impact on the interpretability, and thus usefulness, of peripheral autonomic biosignals captured with wearable devices. In this study, we take advantage of a unique dataset consisting of intracranial stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) and peripheral biosignals acquired simultaneously for several days from four subjects undergoing epilepsy monitoring. Compared to previous work, we apply a deep neural network to explore high-dimensional nonlinear correlations between the cerebral brainwaves and variations in heart rate and electrodermal activity (EDA). Further, neural network explainability methods were applied to identify most relevant brainwave frequencies, brain regions and temporal information to predict a specific biosignal. Strongest brain-peripheral correlations were observed from contacts located in the central autonomic network, in particular in the alpha, theta and 52 to 58 Hz frequency band. Furthermore, a temporal delay of 12 to 14 s between SEEG and EDA signal was observed. Finally, we believe that this pilot study demonstrates a promising approach to mapping brain-peripheral relationships in a data-driven manner by leveraging the expressiveness of deep neural networks.


Fetal germ cell development is tightly regulated by the somatic cell environment, and is characterised by cell cycle states that differ between XY and XX gonads. In the testis, gonocytes enter G1/G0 arrest from 12.5 days post coitum (dpc) in mice and maintain cell cycle arrest until after birth. Failure to correctly maintain G1/G0 arrest can result in loss of germ cells or, conversely, germ cell tumours. High mobility group box containing transcription factor 1 (HBP1) is a transcription factor that was previously identified in fetal male germ cells at the time of embryonic cell cycle arrest. In somatic cells, HBP1 is classified as a tumour suppressor protein, known to regulate proliferation and senescence. We therefore investigated the possible role of HBP1 in the initiation and maintenance of fetal germ cell G1/G0 arrest using the mouse model. We identified two splice variants of Hbp1, both of which are expressed in XY and XX fetal gonads, but only one of which is localised to the nucleus in in vitro assays. To investigate Hbp1 loss of function, we used embryonic stem (ES) cells carrying a Genetrap mutation for Hbp1 to generate mice lacking Hbp1 function. We found that Hbp1-genetrap mouse mutant germ cells proliferated correctly throughout development, and adult males were viable and fertile. Multiple Hbp1-LacZ reporter mouse lines were generated, unexpectedly revealing Hbp1 embryonic expression in hair follicles, eye and limbs. Lastly, in a model of defective germ cell G1/G0 arrest, the Rb1-knockout model, we found no evidence for Hbp1 mis-regulation, suggesting that the reported RB1-HBP1 interaction is not critical in the germline, despite co-expression.


An increasing focus on the relationship between AIDS prevalence and socio-economic inequality signals the need for a revaluation of the role of "politics" and "power" in AIDS prevention. This revaluation bears great significance when considering the future trajectories of the AIDS prevention efforts that target highly marginalised populations with high prevalence rates. An emphasis on intersecting forms of inequality has direct implications for the future of AIDS prevention practice. This study explores the experiences of participants, facilitators and local stakeholders applying the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Community Capacity Enhancement-Community Conversations (CCE-CC) approach to AIDS prevention in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It uses the political narrative analysis of life histories and semi-structured interviews as a means to interrogate the lived experiences of local actors participating in or influenced by this popularised form of community mobilisation used throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Findings suggest the need for a more explicit and intentional valuation for the intersection between the social and political determinants of health in programmes that use community mobilisation as prevention. They also signal a need to critically re-evaluate "community mobilisation" as an AIDS prevention tradition. Intersecting social and political power dynamics play a significant role in both opening up and constraining community mobilisation efforts. This paper proposes the need for a pedagogical turn to "deep organising" and "participatory forms of democracy", as a necessary frontier for programmes working with highly marginalised populations with high prevalence rates. Programmes need to more explicitly support, protect, and advocate for the ability of affected communities to engage in political processes, discourse and long-term organising.


To the Editor .—The article by Ameriks et al, "Hepatic Cell Adenomas, Spontaneous Liver Rupture, and Oral Contraceptives" ( Arch Surg 110:548, 1975), summarizes the recent reports of hepatic tumors and their possible association with oral contraceptives. However, we believe it necessary to point out several inconsistencies requiring clarification. First, the title is misleading as it implies that all of their patients had "hepatic cell adenomas" complicated by spontaneous liver rupture; in fact, only half of their cases (cases 4, 6, 7, and 8) had this complication. Second, we disagree that histopathologic differentiation of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) from liver cell adenoma is often impossible. By definition, liver cell adenomas lack a substructure and FNH characteristically shows a central stellate scar with proliferating intranodular and internodular bile ductules. 1,2 That the authors do not appreciate these histopathologic criteria is evidenced by several of their remarks: (1) "both adenomas and FNH may


Introduction Contract negotiation is a high-stakes interaction, yet most physicians are never taught negotiation skills. Studies suggest that women, as compared with men, display a lower propensity to initiate negotiations and negotiate less competitively, highlighting a need for training to help level the playing field for female physicians. Methods We devised a learner-centered workshop for female physicians that included a mini-didactic on negotiation principles, a question-and-answer time with a lawyer, an interactive role-play on contract negotiation style, and guided reflection. The workshop was intended for women in medicine from the level of medical student to full professor. The workshop was evaluated by pre- and postworkshop surveys with quantitative questions assessing perceived comfort with and knowledge of negotiation skills and strategies, as well as qualitative questions assessing lessons learned and areas for improvement. Results After the workshop, participants (n = 34) reported significantly improved comfort with contract negotiation (p < .01) and with negotiation skills and strategies (p < .01). Through qualitative evaluation, we discovered that participants gained an appreciation for the self-advocacy in negotiation, as well as a better understanding of negotiation logistics. We also received positive feedback from participant comments, with most learners reporting that the topic was useful and worthwhile. Discussion We believe that this workshop fills a gap in the literature regarding contract negotiation training for physicians while also helping to level the playing field with regard to female physicians and the gender pay gap.


Solubilization of cholesterol by sodium salts of cholic, glycocholic, deoxycholic, lithocholic and oleic acids was studied. Dynamics of the solubilization process is described and a comparative characteristic of solubilizing ability of the substances under investigation is given. Cholesterole solubilization is studied as dependent on the concentration of the given substances. The possible mechanisms of solubilization is discussed.


In today's interconnected global economy, advertising plays a crucial role. Advertising, as the most effective marketing communication tool, generates informative value, consumer demand, company visibility, awareness to public, clear market positioning and economic vitality. According to most literature, a company which doesn't neglect marketing obligations and specifically advertising, tends to protect and gain market share and creates a positive brand image and reputation. The present study has explored the relationship between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Advertising expenditures (ADspend) according to the development levels of countries. This relation has inspected with using Panel Granger Causality Test, which reformed by Dumitrescu ve Hurin (2012). After that, the study has focused on establishing whether there is a cointegration relationship between GDP and Advertising Expenditures in the selected groups of countries with different types of development levels.


Objectives: Single lung transplantation is a viable option for patients with end-stage pulmonary disease; despite encouraging results, we observed serious complications arising in the native lung. We retrospectively reviewed 36 single lung transplants to evaluate the incidence of complications arising in the native lung, their treatment and outcome. Methods: Between 1991 and 1997, 35 patients received 36 single lung transplants for emphysema (16), pulmonary ®brosis (14), lymphangioleiomyomatosis (4), primary pulmonary hypertension (1) and bronchiolitis obliterans (1). The clinical records were reviewed and the complications related to the native lung were divided into early (up to 6 weeks after the transplant) and late complications. Results: Nineteen complications occurred in 18 patients (50%), leading to death in nine (25%). Early complications (within 6 weeks from the transplant) were bacterial pneumonia (1), overin ̄ation (3), retention of secretions with bronchial obstruction and atelectasis (1), hemothorax (1), pneumothorax (1) and invasive aspergillosis (3); one patient showed active tuberculosis at the time of transplantation. Two patients developed bacterial pneumonia and invasive aspergillosis leading to sepsis and death. The other complications were treated with separate lung ventilation (1), bronchoscopic clearance (1), chest tube drainage (1) and wedge resection and pleurodesis (mechanical) by VATS (1). One patient with hyperin ̄ation of the native lung eventually required pneumonectomy and died of sepsis. The patient with active tuberculosis is alive and well after 9 months of medical treatment. Late complications were recurrent pneumothorax (4), progressive overin ̄ation with functional deterioration (2), aspergillosis (1) and pulmonary nocardiosis (1). Recurrent pneumothorax was treated with chest tube drainage alone (1), thoracoscopic wedge resection and/or pleurodesis (2) and pneumonectomy (1); hyperin ̄ation was treated with thoracoscopic lung volume reduction in both cases; both patients with late infectious complications died. Conclusions: After single lung transplantation, the native lung can be the source of serious problems. Early and late infectious complications generally result in a fatal outcome; the other complications can be successfully treated in most cases, even if surgery is required. q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


An evolutionary method based on backtracking search optimization algorithm (BSA) is proposed for linear antenna array pattern synthesis with prescribed nulls at interference directions. Pattern nulling is obtained by controlling only the amplitude, position, and phase of the antenna array elements. BSA is an innovative metaheuristic technique based on an iterative process. Various numerical examples of linear array patterns with the prescribed single, multiple, and wide nulls are given to illustrate the performance and flexibility of BSA. The results obtained by BSA are compared with the results of the following seventeen algorithms: particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA), modified touring ant colony algorithm (MTACO), quadratic programming method (QPM), bacterial foraging algorithm (BFA), bees algorithm (BA), clonal selection algorithm (CLONALG), plant growth simulation algorithm (PGSA), tabu search algorithm (TSA), memetic algorithm (MA), nondominated sorting GA-2 (NSGA-2), multiobjective differential evolution (MODE), decomposition with differential evolution (MOEA/D-DE), comprehensive learning PSO (CLPSO), harmony search algorithm (HSA), seeker optimization algorithm (SOA), and mean variance mapping optimization (MVMO). The simulation results show that the linear antenna array synthesis using BSA provides low side-lobe levels and deep null levels.


We have performed multimodal imaging of live fibroblast cells infected by murine cytomegalovirus (mCMV). The infection process was monitored by imaging the two-photon fluorescence signal from a GFP-expressing strain of mCMV, whilst changes to lipid droplet configuration were observed by CARS imaging. This allowed us to identify three visually distinct stages of infection. Quantitative analysis of lipid droplet number and size distributions were obtained from live cells, which showed significant perturbations across the different stages of infection. The CARS and two-photon images were acquired simultaneously and the experimental design allowed incorporation of an environmental control chamber to maintain cell viability. Photodamage to the live cell population was also assessed.


Recently, many studies have been performed worldwide to extend the persistence of underwater operations by autonomous underwater vehicles. Underwater battery recharging technology is one of the solutions even though challenges still remain. The docking function plays an important role not only in battery recharging but also in other advanced applications, such as intervention. Visual servoing in undersea environments inevitably encounters difficulties in recognizing the environment when captured images are disturbed by noise. This study describes the effective recognition performance and robustness against air bubble disturbances in images captured by a real-time position and orientation (pose) tracking and servoing system using stereo vision for a visual-servoing-type underwater vehicle. The recognition of the vehicle pose based on dynamic images captured by dual video cameras was performed by a real-time multistep genetic algorithm (RM-GA). In previous studies, the docking performance was investigated under the condition that there were no disturbances in the captured images that address image degradation. In this paper, the robustness of the RM-GA against air bubble disturbances was verified through visual servoing and docking experiments in a pool test to confirm that the system can continue to recognize the pose of the 3-D marker and can maintain the desired pose by visual servoing. Then, the effectiveness of the proposed system against real disturbances such as turbidity that may degrade the visibility of the system in the sea was confirmed by conducting the docking experiment in a real sea, having verified the practicality of the proposed method.


In this work we provide polyconvex models for arbitrary anisotropic materials. The fundamental idea is the introduction of second–order, symmetric and positive definite structural tensors which are motivated by some basic crystallographic geometric relations. The deduced invariant functions automatically satisfy the polyconvexity condition and ensure the requirement of a stress free reference configuration. Restrictions coming along with the polyconvexity condition and the usage of second–order structural tensors will be pointed out. Furthermore the results of three representative fittings show the adaptability of the proposed models for the description of real anisotropic material behavior. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


The High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) facility is one of several space astronomy payloads of the cosmic lighthouse program onboard China's Space Station, which is planned for operation starting around 2020 for about 10 years. The main scientific objectives of HERD are indirect dark matter search, precise cosmic ray spectrum and composition measurements up to the knee energy, and high energy gamma-ray monitoring and survey. HERD is composed of a 3-D cubic calorimeter (CALO) surrounded by microstrip silicon trackers (STKs) from five sides except the bottom. CALO is made of about 104 cubes of LYSO crystals, corresponding to about 55 radiation lengths and 3 nuclear interaction lengths, respectively. The top STK microstrips of seven X-Y layers are sandwiched with tungsten converters to make precise directional measurements of incoming electrons and gamma-rays. In the baseline design, each of the four side SKTs is made of only three layers microstrips. All STKs will also be used for measuring the charge and incoming directions of cosmic rays, as well as identifying back scattered tracks. With this design, HERD can achieve the following performance: energy resolution of 1% for electrons and gamma-rays beyond 100 GeV, 20% for protons from 100 GeV to 1 PeV; electron/proton separation power better than 10-5; effective geometrical factors of >3 m2sr for electron and diffuse gamma-rays, >2 m2sr for cosmic ray nuclei. R and D is under way for reading out the LYSO signals with optical fiber coupled to image intensified CCD and the prototype of one layer of CALO.


This thesis aims to critically examine the development of Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) in the UK: organisations that lend to businesses unable to access finance from mainstream sources. The overall aim of the research is to capture the development of a proto-type sector into a recognisable and fully-fledged financial sector. The research found there was considerable interest in CDFIs in the late 1990s fuelled by research reports published by the New Economics Foundation. Ideas and influences were being transferred to the UK from North American CDFIs and from micro-finance lenders in the developing world. While a few CDFIs had existed in the UK since the 1970s, from the late 1990s a new generation of organisations were being established to help combat what New Labour had defined as financial exclusion. The thesis identifies this group of CDFIs the 'British New Wave', because they were developing their own products and services to meet local needs. After 1997, New Labour ideas about a potential Third Way and Communitarianism were increasingly influential. This thesis argues that the subsequent development of CDFIs can be strongly interpreted as offering a Third Way between the market and the state. Their links with local communities or sectors (such as social enterprise) also enhanced their importance at district, regional and national levels. The research also analyses a number of individual case studies such as the Aston Reinvestment Trust and Street UK, the CDFI sector and government policy to highlight the complexity of the challenges facing CFDIs particularly the range of issues relating to funding. The thesis argues that the government's initial interest in the sector has waned over time and some of New Labour policies aimed at promoting localism have in practice restricted the growth of CDFIs. At the end of the first decade of the twenty first century, the UK CDFI sector is surviving and offering loans to businesses excluded from finance and offering social and economic benefits that should be recognised and supported through social investment. However, despite the optimistic note in some areas of the thesis, it will be argued many CDFIs remain financially unsustainable precisely because they offer small business loans and work with their borrowers.


This thesis attempts to resolve the problem of verb-noun collocation in English-Arabic Machine Translation engines. This problem can be seen from the semantic ill-formed
output produced by current machine translation systems when the wrong verb synonym is chosen for the Arabic translation. Initially, this problem starts when a given engine tries to select from a set of polysemous verbs in English to find the equivalent meaning of the verb in Arabic. Mostly, this selection depends on the syntactic environment and verb semantic features serving as selectional restrictions. These selectional restrictions
can be very effective when it comes to solving verb polysemantic ambiguity, but lead to a dead end when trying to find the verb that collocates most with the noun in the output Arabic translation. To resolve this problem, this work uses a statistical method inspired by Church et al. (1991) in a prototype designed to retrieve verb-noun collocates in Arabic. The testing data sets for this prototype were chosen from various topics. Two multi-domain corpora in modern standard Arabic were chosen for this work: the Contemporary Corpus of Arabic and the Arabic Corpus by Mourad Abbas. The total number of words in the chosen corpora is 14 million words. The testing data sets were translated by Google, Bing and the prototype designed for this thesis. For the evaluation of these three engines, a simple metric was proposed including a gold standard value for the nounverb collocation in the Arabic translation. According to the evaluation metric, the results
showed that Bing scored a verb-noun collocation value of 0.72, Google scored a collocation value of 0.75 and the prototype scored a collocation value of 0.89. The final
results showed that the average performance rate for Bing is between 0.65-0.67, the average performance rate for Google is between 0.63-0.85 and the average performance
rate for the prototype is between 0.82-0.88.
This thesis shows that retrieving the verb that collocates most with the noun in Arabic corpora is a sophisticated task, due to the highly inflectional and agglutinated
nature of Arabic where particles, personal pronouns (both for subject and object) and possessive pronouns are agglutinated to the verb in Arabic texts. This task involves two aspects: choosing the query of the search and the distance between the noun and the verb. Choosing the query for the noun and the verb is highly governed by the verb conjugation and noun declension. This requires modifying the search query (stem or lemma) according to the verb features such as tense, number, mood, aspect, etc., and
noun features such as, number, gender, definitiveness, case and possessive clitic. Furthermore, decreasing the search distance may lead the search results to ignore some
tangible collocation results, but increasing the distance can lead to the inclusion of some noise results.
Keywords: English-Arabic machine translation; verb-noun collocation in Arabic; statistical machine translation; collocation retrieval, polysemy and collocation; Arabic
corpora


Statement of purpose First responders, including Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel, law enforcement officers, and firefighters, play a critical role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of others. However, due to the nature of their occupation, first responders are exposed to a number of violent situations and traumatic or stressful events that may increase their risk for violent death. The purpose of this study was to examine violent deaths among first responders using data collected by the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS). Methods/Approach Data regarding violent deaths in North Carolina were obtained from NC-VDRS for 2004 to 2011. Key word searches of occupational variables from all data sources were used to identify North Carolina residents who died as a result of violence and were current or former first responders. These deaths were compared to violent deaths among all other North Carolina residents. Results In North Carolina between 2004 and 2011, 75 law enforcement officers, 23 firefighters, and 19 EMS personnel died as a result of violence. Of these deaths, 74% were suicides and 22% were homicides. All of the violent deaths among EMS personnel were the result of suicide, and the majority of homicide deaths were among law enforcement officers with 52% occurring while the officer was on duty. A significantly higher percentage of first responder suicide victims had an intimate partner problem and a job problem compared to all other North Carolina resident suicide victims. Conclusions Violent death, particularly suicide, affects individuals in first responder occupations with certain circumstances being particularly prevalent. Significance and contribution to the field Gaining a greater understanding of violent deaths among first responders provides valuable information for prevention and intervention strategies aimed at establishing a culture of safety and wellbeing in these occupations. For example, in Western North Carolina, a peer response network of first responders has used these findings to inform their efforts to promote mental wellbeing and reduce risk factors for suicide among colleagues.


Uncomplicated club foot appears at first sight to be purely an effect of intrauterine posture and pressure. Against this, however, is the difficulty with which some patients are treated and their tendency to relapse. A study of twins in Germany' first showed clearly that genetic factors must play a part, for of identical twins with club foot both were found to be much more often affected (33%) than among fraternal twins (3%). In addition, the fact that in many pairs of identical twins only one was affected showed that genetic factors were only part of the aetiology. Until recently no good family studies have been available, only series based on questionaries or routine inquiry in the hospital outpatient department. Now, however, Ruth Wynne-Davies' has made a thorough family study from the Orthopaedic Hospital at Exeter, which serves most of the county of Devon apart from Plymouth. The series covers patients who attended the hospital over a period of 20 years in the case of talipes equinovarus and 15 years in the case of other forms of club foot. There was a substantial familial concentration for talipes equinovarus. About 2% (12 out of 560) of first-degree relatives (parents and sibs) were similarly affected, compared with the population incidence of 0.12%. This is about a 20-fold increase. It is of interest that the relatives of the rarer female index patients were more often affected than the relatives of the male patients. Second-degree relatives (aunts and uncles) had a proportion affected of about six times, and third-degree relatives (first cousins) about twice the incidence in the general population. Other forms of talipes on rather smaller series showed a similar concentration among relatives. In addition the family findings suggested an association of talipes equinovarus with metatarsus varus, postural equinovarus, and calcaneo-valgus. Talipes calcaneo-valgus showed the usual association with congenital dislocation of the hip, and, like the latter condition, occurred especially often in first-born babies. Unfortunately Wynne-Davies had no information on the proportion of breech births in any of the groups. Both talipes equinovarus and calcaneo-valgus, but not metatarsus varus, showed an association with generalized joint laxity, and the two former conditions were also associated with inguinal hernia. Family patterns of the type shown by club foot are best interpreted in terms of a genetic predisposition, governed by a multiplicity of genes, interacting with intrauterine environmental factors.' Nothing is yet known of the nature of the genetic or the invironmental factors. But the fact that the proportion of parents affected is similar to that of sibs indicates that the intrauterine environmental factors, presumably postural, are not such that they tend to persist from one pregnancy to the next. Although data on the proportion of breech-born babies are missing from the Exeter inquiry, the association with congenital dislocation of the hip suggests that the posture associated with breech malposition is important in causing talipes calcaneo-valgus, though perhaps not equinovarus. Genetic counselling of parents may be based on the empirical finding that the risk of normal parents who have had one child with talipes equinovarus having a second affected child in the next pregnancy is about 1 in 50. The risk of an affected parent having an affected child is about the same. If there is already more than one affected person in the family the risk is increased.


The aim of this study was to improve the MRI diagnosis of CMP, with special reference to the early stages and accurate staging. For this purpose, the retropatellar cartilage was examined by MRI while compression was carried out, using 21 patients and five normal controls. The compression was applied by means of a specially constructed device. Changes in cartilage thickness and signal intensity were evaluated quantitatively during FLASH and FISP sequences. In all patients the results of arthroscopies were available and in 12 patients, cartilage biopsies had been obtained. CMP stage I could be distinguished from normal cartilage by reduction in cartilage thickness and signal increase from the oedematous cartilage during compression. In CMP stages II/III, abnormal protein deposition of collagen type I could be demonstrated by its compressibility. In stages III and IV, the method does not add any significant additional information.


To facilitate efficient cloud managed resource allocation solutions, collection of key wireless metrics from multiple access points (APs) at different locations within a given area is required. In unlicensed shared spectrum bands collection of metric data can be a challenging task for a cloud manager as independent self-interested APs can operate in these bands in the same area. We propose to design an intelligent crowdsourcing solution that incentivizes independent APs to truthfully measure/report data relating to their wireless channel utilization (CU). Our work focuses on challenging scenarios where independent APs can take advantage of recurring patterns in CU data by utilizing distribution aware strategies to obtain higher reward payments. We design truthful reporting methods that utilize logarithmic and quadratic scoring rules for reward payments to the APs. We show that when measurement computation costs are considered then under certain scenarios these scoring rules no longer ensure incentive compatibility. To address this, we present a novel reward function which incorporates a distribution aware penalty cost that charges APs for distorting reports based on recurring patterns. Along with synthetic data, we also use real CU data values crowdsourced using multiple independent measuring/reporting devices deployed by us in the University of Oulu.


Oral medicine is principally considered as medical specialty but ended up in dentistry and now suffers an "Identity crisis", bestriding both dentistry and medicine. We discuss the toil faced by the subject and the specialists in India and Internationally in the curriculum, at awareness level and the perseverance to change the consequence. Automated searches of Medline, Pubmed and the Cochrane Library were conducted for data collection; additional searches of main oral medicine journals were done manually using the keywords Growth and future of Oral medicine, Trends in oral disease, awareness of Common Oral Diseases, career preferences in dentistry, referral pattern to an oral medicine unit and survey of oral medicine practice. Several recent reviews have discussed the nature and extent of training the Oral Medicine specialists currently receive and the need for further enhancement of dental curriculum. Despite these apprehensions, we are quite passionate about the future. This enthusiasm is balanced by the realization that some impairments lie in our path. These collective signals are a clear wake-up call for our discipline. Key words: Curriculum, Dentistry, Oral disease, Oral Medicine.


The primary objective of this doctoral thesis was to investigate the effect of swirl in steady turbulent pipe flows. The work has been carried out by a numerical approach, with direct numerical simulations as the method of choice. A key target to pursue was the effects of the swirl on the wall friction in turbulent pipe flows. The motivation came from studies of rotating pipe flows in which drag reduction was achieved. Drag reduction was reported to be due to the swirl favourably influencing the coherent turbulent structures in the near-wall region. Based on this, it was decided to investigate if similar behaviour could be obtained by inducing a swirl in a pipe with a stationary wall. To do a thorough investigation of the general three-dimensional swirl flow and particularly of the swirl effects; chosen variations of mean and turbulent flow parameters were explored together with complementary flow visualizations. Two different approaches in order to induce the swirl in the turbulent pipe flow, have been carried out. However, the present thesis might be regarded to be comprised of three parts. The first part consists of the first approach to induce the swirl. Here a prescribed circumferential force was implemented in a serial open source Navier-Stokes solver. In the second approach, the swirl was intended induced by implementing structures at the wall. Simulations of flows through a pipe with one or more helical fin(s) at the pipe wall was decided to be performed. In order to pursue this approach, it was found necessary to do a parallelization of the existing serial numerical code. The key element of this parallelization has been included as a part of the present work. Additionally, the helical fin(s) were implemented into the code by use of an immersed boundary method. A validation of this work is also documented in the thesis. The work done by parallelizing the code and implementing an immersed boundary method constitutes the second part of the present thesis. The last part of this thesis includes the simulations of flows with helical fin(s) at the pipe wall. First laminar flow in different pipe configurations were investigated; varying fin height, fin number, and fin angle. Secondly, turbulent flow in a pipe configuration with one helical fin was studied.


5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, frequently occurred 5-FU resistance poses a great challenge in the clinic. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms and developing effective strategies against 5-FU resistance are highly desired. Here we identified the upregulation of FOXM1 in 5-FU nonresponsive CRC patients by gene expression profile analysis and 5-FU-resistant CRC cells by qRT-PCR assay. Silencing of FOXM1 promoted the sensitivity of CRC cells to 5-FU by enhancing cell apoptosis, while overexpression of FOXM1 conferred CRC cells with 5-FU resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we showed that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of FOXM1 resensitized resistant CRC cells to 5-FU treatment. Mechanistically, FOXM1 promoted the transcription of ABCC10 by directly binding to its promoter region. Notably, treatment with ABCC10 inhibitor reversed FOXM1-induced resistance to 5-FU in vivo. Clinical investigation revealed that the levels of FOXM1 and ABCC10 were positively correlated in CRC tissues. Therefore, FOXM1 promotes 5-FU resistance by upregulating ABCC10, suggesting that FOXM1/ABCC10 axis may serve as a potential therapeutic target for 5-FU resistance in CRC patients.


The degradation of neoprene often occurs as a slow and gradual process and it is cannot be used abruptly. In order to keep the safety of equipments and people, it is important to consider the development of such process to correctly estimate its service life. The heat seawater method was designed and the accelerated aging tests of the neoprene were carried in laboratory. The tearing strength of the neoprene in aging time was investigated. The rule of tearing strength and aging time was studied. The service life prediction function of the neoprene was established and service life at 25°C was estimated based on the index of tearing strength. The result shows that tearing strength of the neoprene decreases in exponential form with aging time, and the service life of the neoprene used in sea water at 25°C is 29.79 years.


The dental practitioner is in a unique position to detect the early signs of HIV infection that appear in the mouth. By identifying such lesions, the dentist can contribute to the early diagnosis and timely treatment of HIV-positive individuals. This article, the second of a two-part series, will review the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of the common viral infections and neoplastic lesions seen in association with HIV infection.


:هلاقم هصلاخ The use of ultra high voltage electrical equipment in modern day transmission systems is increasingly being used in many countries, the main drivers being safety, reliability and ease of transport of electricity with minimum loss. These equipments are expensive and need to be reliable and viable all time. Insulating liquid is used for insulation and cooling in this equipment and this liquid plays an important role in the safe operation of these units. Insulating liquid used in UHV transmission is constantly subjected to high electrical stress, which could lead to oil and paper deterioration. As a result, oil looses its electrical properties with an increase in DDF. Clearly such oil is not fit for purpose as high DDF of the oil leads to electrical losses in the equipment, consequently, insulation deterioration and equipment failure. Therefore oil selection for UHV is an important factor and oil with high resistance to deterioration, good electrical properties and high cooling efficiency should be used. It is also important that such oil is able to sustain these properties during service life of these units. There are oils available in the market being beyond the severe requirements of IEC ۶۰۲۹۶, High Grade Oil. Such oils are used for UHV and are usually referred to Super Grade Oil. To produce such oil, selection of correct crude oil, refining technique and knowledge of proper use of distillates for production of Super Grade Oil is vital. Viscosity index of the oil plays an important role for heat dissipation and oil with high solvent power are preferred option. Pour Point is also complemented to the above factors and can influence performance of the oil over the life of the equipment.


A deformation of the dimensional-regularization technique that is useful for theories where the common dimensional regularization does not apply is formulated. The Dirac algebra is not dimensionally continued, to avoid inconsistencies with the trace of an odd product of gamma matrices in odd dimensions. The regularization is completed with an evanescent higher-derivative deformation, which proves to be efficient in practical computations. This technique is particularly convenient in three dimensions for Chern–Simons gauge fields, two-component fermions and four-fermion models in the large N limit, eventually coupled with quantum gravity. Differently from even dimensions, in odd dimensions it is not always possible to have propagators with fully Lorentz invariant denominators. The main features of the deformed technique are illustrated in a set of sample calculations. The regularization is universal, local, manifestly gauge-invariant and Lorentz invariant in the physical sector of space–time. In flat space power-like divergences are set to zero by default. Infinitely many evanescent operators are automatically dropped.


Fas-mediated apoptosis plays an important role in normal tissue homeostasis, and disruption of this death pathway contributes to many human diseases. Induction of apoptosis via Fas activation has been associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and down-regulation of FLICE inhibitory protein (FLIP); however, the relationship between these two events and their role in Fas-mediated apoptosis are unclear. We show herein that ROS are required for FLIP down-regulation and apoptosis induction by Fas ligand (FasL) in primary lung epithelial cells. ROS mediate the down-regulation of FLIP by ubiquitination and subsequent degradation by proteasome. Inhibition of ROS by antioxidants or by ectopic expression of ROS-scavenging enzymes glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase effectively inhibited FLIP down-regulation and apoptosis induction by FasL. Hydrogen peroxide is a primary oxidative species responsible for FLIP down-regulation, whereas superoxide serves as a source of peroxide and a scavenger of NO, which positively regulates FLIP via S-nitrosylation. NADPH oxidase is a key source of ROS generation induced by FasL, and its inhibition by dominant-negative Rac1 expression or by chemical inhibitor decreased the cell death response to FasL. Taken together, our results indicate a novel pathway of FLIP regulation by an interactive network of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that provides a key mechanism of apoptosis regulation in Fas-induced cell death and related apoptosis disorders.


Endurance racing places high demands on energy metabolism pathways. Metabolomics can be used to investigate biochemical responses to endurance exercise in humans, laboratory animals, and horses. Although endurance horses have previously been assessed in the field (i.e., during races) using broad-window Nuclear Magnetic Resonance metabolomics, these studies included several different race locations, race distances, age classes, and race statuses (finisher or elimination). The present NMR metabolomics study focused on 40 endurance horses racing in three race categories over 90, 120, or 160 km. The three races took place in the same location. Given that energy metabolism is closely related to exercise intensity and duration (and therefore distance covered), the study's objective was to determine whether the metabolic pathways recruited during the race varied as a function of the total ride distance. For each horse, a plasma sample was collected the day before the race, and another was collected at the end of the race. Sixteen, 15, and 9 horses raced over 90, 120, and 160 km, respectively. Proton NMR spectra (500 MHz) were acquired for these 80 plasma samples. After processing, the spectra were divided into bins representing the NMR variables and then classified using orthogonal projection on latent structure models supervised by the sampling time (pre- or post-race) or the distance covered. The models revealed that the post-race metabolomic profiles are associated to the total ride distance groups. By combining biochemical assay results and NMR data in multiblock models, we further showed that enzymatic activities and metabolites are significantly associated to the race category. In the highest race category (160 km), there appears to be a metabolic switch from carbohydrate consumption to lipid consumption in order to maintain glycaemia. Furthermore, signs of protein breakdown were more apparent in the longest race category. The metabolic shift seen in the different racing categories could be related to a mixture of three important factors that are the ride distance, the training status and the inherited endurance capacity of the various horses competing.


Learning distances that are specically designed to compare histograms in the probability simplex has recently attracted the attention of the community. Learning such distances is important because most machine learning problems involve bags of features rather than simple vectors. Ample empirical evidence suggests that the Euclidean distance in general and Mahalanobis metric learning in particular may not be suitable to quantify distances between points in the simplex. We propose in this paper a new contribution to address this problem by generalizing a family of embeddings proposed by Aitchison (1982) to map the probability simplex onto a suitable Euclidean space. We provide algorithms to estimate the parameters of such maps, and show that these algorithms lead to representations that outperform alternative approaches to compare histograms.


The essay examines the peculiarities, both formal and of content, of Giovanni Episcopo (1891), considering its incipit – a mimetically connoted space, compared to those of d'Annunzio's novels that frame him. Particular attention was paid to the debate that was dedicated to the genre of the novel, in its various formulations, also related to the writings of the self (confession, memory, autobiography). This happens in a season marked by restless research, measuring itself against theoretical and aesthetic horizons determined to reread in dialectical terms the lesson already imparted by French Naturalism.


A copy of the financial report was distributed. The income statement for the period January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012, indicated income of $111,270.59 and expenses of $120,632.88. Total assets as of December 31, 2012, were $170,218.84, with no liabilities. The estimated budget for 2013, along with the final budget for 2012, is attached.


Complementary foods are foods other than breast milk or infant formula (liquids, semisolids, and solids) introduced to an infant to provide nutrients as well as energy. To ensure sustainable consumption of the improved recipes, sensory evaluation is important to assess acceptability of the modified recipes among the targeted consumers or population. This study was to assess sensory attributes of the improved recipes for children in two rural villages of Tanzania. Consumer preference of eight recipes was assessed using a nine-point hedonic scale. The results revealed that the improved recipe of 'Katogo' dry beans with amaranth and palm oil and 'Katogo' fresh beans, pumpkin leaves and sunflower oil had the highest scores for colour (7.9 to 8.1), aroma (7.6 to 7.7), taste (7.6 to 7.8), texture (7.7 to 7.8) and overall acceptability (7.8 to 7.9) compared to local recipe of 'Katogo' steamed sardines and improved 'Katogo' with groundnut flour and pumpkin. Recipe 'Katogo' fresh beans, pumpkin leaves and sunflower oil was the most preferred recipe compared to other recipes due to its colour, aroma, and taste, which resulted after adding red palm oil and amaranth. Likewise, the preference could have been contributed by the ingredients used in the recipes, which were similar to the local ones. This suggests that the modification improved the nutrient contents without affecting the preference. Porridge prepared using maize flour and orange fleshed sweet potatoes scored the highest for all attributes compared to porridge that had eggs in it (recipe egg porridge) and plain local maize porridge (recipe local maize flour porridge). Knowledge on nutrition education to enable community to accept other tastes than their own for better choice of healthy food is highly recommended.

 Key words: Improved recipes, sensory evaluation, infant.


Alcohol and other drugs of abuse, including psychostimulants and opioids, can induce epigenetic changes: a contributing factor for drug addiction, tolerance, and associated withdrawal symptoms. DNA methylation is a major epigenetic mechanism and it is one of more than 200 methylation reactions supported by methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Levels of SAM are controlled by cellular redox status via the folate and vitamin B12-dependent enzyme methionine synthase (MS). For example, under oxidative conditions MS is inhibited, diverting its substrate homocysteine (HCY) to the trans sulfuration pathway. Alcohol, dopamine, and morphine, can alter intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH)-based cellular redox status, subsequently affecting SAM levels and DNA methylation status. Here, existing evidence is presented in a coherent manner to propose a novel hypothesis implicating the involvement of redox-based epigenetic changes in drug addiction. Further, we discuss how a "gene priming" phenomenon can contribute to the maintenance of redox and methylation status homeostasis under various stimuli including drugs of abuse. Additionally, a new mechanistic rationale for the use of metabolic interventions/redox-replenishers as symptomatic treatment of alcohol and other drug addiction and associated withdrawal symptoms is also provided. Hence, the current review article strengthens the hypothesis that neuronal metabolism has a critical bidirectional coupling with epigenetic changes in drug addiction exemplified by the link between redox-based metabolic changes and resultant epigenetic consequences under the effect of drugs of abuse.


In distributed systems, communication cost is one of the major concerns. Many existing research have been conducted on placement of data to reduce communication cost and improve performance in widely distributed systems. All these research works focus on independent data objects. However, data are correlated due to accesses from clients and the correlation has some impact on date placement. In our previous research, we addressed the replica placement issue on correlated data to achieve improved performance for systems supporting mobile transactions. In internet environment, additional issues need to be considered. In this paper, we first show that replica allocation decisions can be made locally for each replica site in a tree network, with data access knowledge of its neighbors. We then develop a new replication cost model for correlated data objects in Internet environment. Based on the cost model and the algorithms in previous research, we develop a distributed optimal replica allocation algorithm (DOPR) for correlated data in internet environment. A distributed heuristic algorithm (DHPR) is then developed to efficiently make replica placement decisions. The algorithm obtains near optimal solutions for the correlated data model and yields significant performance gains. Experimental studies show that the distributed heuristic allocation algorithm significantly outperforms the general frequency-based replication schemes.


Background Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a common disease that is associated with chronic pain. This study aimed to identify and investigate the functional role of biomarkers associated with long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in the progression of OA of the knee by lncRNA-associated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) integrated network analysis. Material/Methods High-quality microRNA (miRNA)-lncRNA and miRNA-mRNA interactions and lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles for patients with OA of the knee with mild and severe pain were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE99662). A three-step computational method was used to construct the lncRNA-associated ceRNA interaction network in OA by integrating miRNA-lncRNA/mRNA interactions and lncRNA/mRNA expression profiles in patients with OA with mild and severe pain. Results A total of 1,870 dysregulated lncRNA-mRNA interactions were obtained in the lncRNA-associated ceRNA network in OA, including 476 gain and 1,394 loss interactions, covering 131 lncRNAs and 1,251 mRNAs. Characterization of the lncRNA-associated ceRNA network in OA indicated that lncRNAs had roles in the network. Further differential expression analysis identified eight lncRNA biomarkers, which could distinguish between patients with OA with mild pain and severe pain. These lncRNA-associated interactions showed significantly different co-expression patterns in samples from patients with OA of the knee associated with mild pain. Conclusions Integrated network analysis of lncRNA-associated ceRNA identified eight lncRNA molecular biomarkers associated with the progression of OA of the knee.