In this essay Stephen Mason (Barrister; IALS Associate Research Fellow) explores whether it is possible to move towards a global or regional law of electronic evidence. The purpose is to open the debate, particularly as the advent of instant communications has arguably resulted in the ability of the judicial systems of the world to interact globally and across jurisdictions in the interests of justice generally.


Abstract. Many batoid species will form aggregations while resting on the seafloor; however, the environmental variables that drive resting habitat selection behavior, and how it varies among species are not well understood. Bat rays (Myliobatis californica), shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus), and round stingrays (Urobatis halleri) have been observed forming heterospecific aggregations. We investigated the effects of substrata type and seafloor water temperature as two likely variables that would influence resting habitat selection for these species. Spatial distribution patterns of individuals were determined via diver-based surveys over two survey seasons (Fall 2013 and Summer 2014) and related to detailed georeferenced habitat maps. While these batoids were found resting on both soft sediment types available, fine-sand was selected by all three species, whereas bat rays were the only one of the three species to select for vegetated-sand. The varying thermal sensitivities of the batoids likely influenced their responses to daily and seasonal temperatures within the study area. During Fall 2013, the three species were most abundant across a narrow temperature range (18.00 – 18.25°C); during Summer 2014, there were higher densities of bat rays in areas where daily maximum seafloor temperature reached 20°C. Each species demonstrated habitat selection decisions that were indicative of balancing tradeoffs between environmental variables. As K-selected, meso-level predators, aggregating in predictable ways can ultimately make batoids more susceptible to fishing and anthropogenic pressures. Therefore, knowledge of how batoids select their resting habitat and how environmental conditions shape distributions may provide managers with opportunities to implement better protection for resting species.


Background: In Indian traditional system of medicine, goat urine is believed to have therapeutic value and is also reported its use in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). On the basis of reported traditional uses for the treatment of TB and/or leprosy, Curcuma caesia and Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes were selected. Aim: It was aimed to study the antimycobacterial activity of goat urine and extracts of the rhizome of the two plants obtained using goat urine as menstruum. Materials and Methods: The rhizomes were amassed from in and around Dibrugarh. The clean sliced rhizomes were dried at room temperature. The dried rhizomes of both the plant species were extracted using raw and photoactivated goat urine as menstruum by maceration process. In vitro antimycobacterial activity of the rhizome extracts was carried out by disc diffusion method. Results and Discussion: Crude photoactivated goat urine extracts of both the plants C. caesia (paGuCc) and C. zedoaria were found to have higher antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis than that of raw goat urine extracts of both the plants C. caesia and C. zedoaria. Among all paGUCc extracts were found to exhibit highest antimycobacterial activity. Conclusion: The extracts obtained using photoactivated goat urine showed higher activity than the extracts obtained using raw goat urine. Goat urine also exhibited antimycobacterial activity, but not as much as the extracts. Thus, it is proved that the extracts and goat urine have antimycobacterial activity and extracting with goat urine and thus have improved activity.


Objective To compare the efficacy and survival of trabeculectomy with intraoperative application of mitomycin-C (MMC) in Asian Americans and Caucasians at the University Glaucoma clinic in a retrospective case-controlled comparison. Methods Trabeculectomies performed between July 1997 and April 2003 (69 months) were reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-nine Asian Americans (29 eyes) older than 30 with at least one year of follow-up were case-matched with 29 Caucasians. Primary matching criteria included age, glaucoma subtype, and preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP). Secondary matching criteria included gender, surgeon who performed the operation, and ocular history. The two groups were compared for IOP control, visual outcome, complication rate, hypotony rate, surgical success rate, and survival. Criteria of success included: (1) IOP reduction at least 20% of the preoperative IOP, or final IOP equal 10 mmHg or less, (2) final IOP was greater than 5 mmHg and less then 22 mmHg, and (3) without additional glaucoma surgery, loss of light perception, or devastating complication. Results Mean follow-up durations of Asian American and Caucasian group were 28.6± 16.9 months and 31.2± 14.6 months, respectively. (p=0.52). One year after trabeculectomy, IOP decreased from 18.7±6.1 mmHg to 10.9±3.9 mmHg (p≤0.0001) in the Asian American group, and 19.0± 5.5 mmHg to 10.6± 3.4 mmHg (p≤0.0001) in the Caucasian group. At the final visits, IOP decreased to 11.9± 4.6 mmHg in the Asian American group (p≤0.0001) and 11.0± 3.8 mmHg in the Caucasian group (p≤0.0001). There were no significant differences between the groups in postoperative IOP levels at 6 months, 1 year, and at the final follow-up visit, at a power of 90% and 80% to detect a difference of 3.2 mmHg and 2.8 mmHg, respectively, between the groups at an á = 0.05. The probability of trabeculectomy survival at 12 and 36 months was 75.9% and 54.8% in the Asian American group, and 75.9% and 70.8% in the Caucasian group (p = 0.54). There were no significant differences in the rates of surgical success, failure, complication, vision decrease, hypotony, and cataract development. Conclusions In a case-controlled comparison of trabeculectomies, Asian Americans have a similar efficacy and survival probability as Caucasians.


An important problem in statistics is to determine a joint probability distribution from its marginals and an important problem in Computed Tomography (CT) is to reconstruct an image from its projections. In the bivariate case, the marginal probability density functions f1(x) and f2(y) are related to their joint distribution f(x,y) via horizontal and vertical line integrals. Interestingly, this is also the case of a very limited angle X-ray CT problem where f(x,y) is an image representing the distribution of the material density and f1(x), f2(y) are the horizontal and vertical line integrals. The problem of determining f(x,y) from f1(x) and f2(y) is an ill-posed undetermined inverse problem. In statistics the notion of copula is exactly introduced to characterize all the possible solutions to the problem of reconstructing a bivariate density from its marginals. In this paper, we elaborate on the possible link between copula and CT and try to see whether we can use the methods used in one domain into the other. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


A polyimide–MWCNT composite (PNP@CNT) synthesized from 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic-dianhydride (NTCDA) and phenylene diamine (PDA) was investigated as a novel anode for aqueous Na-ion batteries. This composite demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 149 mA h g−1 at quite a low potential of −0.65 V (vs. SCE), superior rate capability and long-term cycling stability. The feasibility of PNP@CNTs in aqueous Na-ion full batteries is also confirmed in conjunction with the Na0.44MnO2 cathode, possibly serving as a high performance aqueous Na host anode for large-scale electric energy storage applications.


With the rapid development of tourism in"3+5" urban agglomeration, more and more attention is paid to ecological security triggered by tourism wave. Taking Loudi City in urban agglomeration as an example, conduct empirical study on the application of ecological footprint theories and methods on the quantitative evaluation of sustainable development of regional tourism. The results show: tourism ecological footprint per capita of Loudi was 768.9881×10-5hm2 in 2009 in which transportation taking 55.3156% is the maximum, and food consumption taking 39.7622% is the second one. Tourism ecological capacity per capita was 1520.5170×10-5hm2; tourism ecological surplus per capita was 751.5289×10-5hm2 and ecological security degree was 0.5057 which showed a common condition or could be said as a safer condition. However, with the rapid development of tourism, tourism ecological footprint of Loudi City shows an increasing trend year by year. We should coordinate well the relationship between tourism development and ecological environmental protection.


The I1deep line and its LO phonon replicas have been studied for the first time in the photoluminescence of ZnSxSe1-x (0.02<or=x<or=0.125) single crystals at 2 K using excitation spectroscopy, selectively excited photoluminescence and by doping and annealing with controlled partial pressures. The Huang-Rhys parameter S, defined by the intensity ratio of the one LO phonon and no-phonon luminescence lines, increases non-linearly as the composition parameter x increases.


Thirty South American species of Cortinarius belonging to the subgenera Telamonia, Dermocybe, Myxacium, Phlegmacium, and Cystogenes were studied using an integrated approach that included morphological, anatomical, and ultrastructural data, and also molecular phylogenetic analysis of nuclear rDNA sequences. The micromorphology of the basidiomes was studied by light microscopy, and the principal structures were illustrated by line drawings. Basidiospore ornamentation was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nuclear internal transcribed spacers (ITS, including the 5.8S gene) and the rDNA coding for the D1/D2 domains of the large ribosomal subunit (LSU) were sequenced and analysed using a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method to estimate phylogenetic relationships between the studied Cortinarius species. Morphology and anatomy of the pileus surface and basidiome pigmentation appeared to be the most useful characters to delimit some natural groups, whereas microcharacters related to the structure of pileus context, hymenophoral and stipe trama were of little taxonomic value. Basidiospore morphology and cheilocystidia seem to be taxonomically relevant at the species level. The following five infrageneric groups were supported by the morphological, chemical and molecular data: (1) Telamonia characterized by wide hyaline hyphae of the veil and by small basidiomes; (2) Dermocybe spp. with an epicutis as the most external layer of the pileus, and skyrin and hypericin pigments; (3) Dermocybe spp. with a thin viscid layer on the pileus, and endocrocin and dermolutein pigments; (4) Phlegmacium spp. characterized by a long and radicating stipe; and (5) Phlegmacium spp. that overlap in some macrocharacters with Telamonia species. Our analyses suggest that classification concepts based mainly on macromorphological characters are likely to lead to artificial grouping, whereas certain microscopical and chemical characters seem to be useful in constructing a more natural classification system for Cortinarius.


Nonlinear finite element analysis of the cast steel spherical joint is performed by using ANSYS program. The deformation process, the failure mode and the effects of parameters on bearing capacity for the joint are analyzed. The results show that the outer diameter of sphere D, wall thickness of sphere t, external diameter of cast steel tube d, radius of outer fillet r which is located in the connection of sphere to cast steel tube, material strength f have remarkable effects on the bearing capacity of the joint. The results also show that with the increasing of parameter t, d, r, and f, the bearing capacity increases, and with the increasing of parameter D, the bearing capacity decreases.


Over the past 100 years, modern Western states have undergone two historic transformations. The first occurred between the 1920s and the 1940s, when the liberal, non-interventionist form that had dominated the 19th and earlier centuries gave way to the Keynesian welfare interventionist (or Fordist) form. From its origins in the 1930s (in the UK, the USA and Sweden), the Keynesian welfare state project emerged as the dominant post-war model of social and economic regulation among many of the advanced industrialized nations. Its twin goals were the stabilization of the inherent cyclical instabilities of capitalist growth and the construction of mass societal support and cohesion through the maintenance of full employment and provision of a public welfare system. Of course, nation states pursued different variants of the basic model ( Esping-Andersen, 1990; Painter, 2001). Specific policies and the degree of intervention differed according to the particular balance of socio-economic forces and historical political–institutional legacies in each country. At the same time, the Keynesian welfare state project brought about changes to the territorial organization of the state. Although, again, the nature and extent of these changes varied across nation states and interacted with the diverse national structures inherited from the past, involving differing degrees and forms of devolution of powers and responsibilities to subnational regional, city or local levels, the ascent of the Keynesian welfare state reinforced national or federal governments virtually everywhere at the expense of subnational governments and authorities ( Brenner 2004; Donahue, 1997; Rodriguez-Pose and Gill, 2003). These common features permit some generalization as to the implications of the Keynesian welfare state model of state regulation for patterns of uneven regional development (see Martin and Sunley, 1997).


Background: Ankyloglossia is a congenital oral anomaly, which the lingual frenulum unusually short, restricting the movement of the tongue. Also, no relevant report has been published in Indonesia. This study was conducted to report an ankyloglossia case in Universitas Sumatera Utara/Adam Malik General Hospital Medan-Indonesia, and the frenotomy procedure that was taken to handle the cases. Case: A 6 years old girl was unable to speak, was admitted to Adam Malik General Hospital. According to the alloanamnesis from her parents, she has been suffering from slurred speech for 5 years. The physical examination found her frenulum was attached very close to the tip of the tongue, and such condition was able to affect the ability to produce speech sounds which require raising or extending the tip of the tongue, the patient then diagnosed with ankyloglossia or tonguetie. We did frenotomy to make her tongue free and able to touch her hard palate, post operation the patient learns speech therapy. Results and discussion: The 6 years old girl underwent functional re-education and reported back with considerable improvement in her


Synopsis The effect of in-patient and individual orientated psychosocial intervention (IPI) and in-patient and individual and family orientated intervention (IPFI) across levels of expressed emotion (EE) on relapse was compared in a group of patients with recent onset schizophrenic disorders. Patients were randomly assigned to an individual orientated psychosocial intervention programme or to an identical psychosocial programme plus a behavioural family intervention. Seventy-six patients were studied during a 12 month out-patient treatment period after an in-patient treatment programme in which parents followed a psychoeducational programme. Overall relapse rates during the out-patient interventions were low (16%). Adding family intervention to the psychosocial intervention did not affect the relapse rate. Patients in low EE families relapsed slightly more often during the psychosocial plus family intervention. In-patient treatment with psychoeducation for parents, followed by an out-patient psychosocial intervention programme, has a favourable impact on relapse. Additional family intervention may increase stress in low EE families, thus affecting relapse in their children.


Three-dimensional (3D) maps of the nearside and polar regions of the Moon can be obtained with an Earth-based radar interferometer. This paper describes the theoretical background, experimental setup, and processing techniques for a sequence of observations performed with the Goldstone Solar System Radar in 1997. These data provide radar imagery and digital elevation models of the polar areas and other small regions at /spl sim/100 m spatial and /spl sim/50 m height resolutions. A geocoding procedure relying on the elevation measurements yields cartographically accurate products that are free of geometric distortions such as foreshortening.


The traditional role of the Architect on UK building projects is well-known and has been the subject of much study and comment. However, recent surveys indicate that design-and-build arrangements now exceed traditional procurement in terms of their share of total UK construction. On such projects, architects and other designers are engaged, not by the employer, but under sub-contract to the main contractor. The question arises as to the effect this has had. This has been approached by considering architects and other design consultants as professional contractors, as opposed to trade contractors - a term adopted to describe the more traditional type of subcontractor. Within these distinctions there are contractual, managerial and cultural implications for the relationships between the parties. To explore this further, representatives of five main contractors were questioned on their relationships with the two types. Clear differences emerged in matters such as contract formation, price-setting, payment and claims; the treatment of selection, work scheduling, and defects / omissions was more complicated. Within trade contractors there is a strong argument for recognising a further category of specialist contractors, who include a design service in their work package. Within the professional contractor category, architects were clearly differentiated from other design team members. The findings are analysed to suggest a theoretical framework with four dimensions that relate to process/product, attitude/motivation, working culture and relative power. The concern is not to be definitive at this stage, but to suggest an agenda for future research into the issues that have emerged.


A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Johannesburg, 2017


ministration of griseofulvin results in the incorporation of the antibiotic into the keratinized tissues of the skin, hair, and nails. The presence of griseofulvin in these structures inhibits the growth and further invasion of sensitive dermatophytes, and results in the eventual elimination of the fungus. At the present time the mechanism by which griseofulvin is incorporated into these keratinized tissues is not known. It would appear that some of the antibiotic is firmly bound in the cornified elements, while the remainder is not so bound and may be eliminated by sweating, maceration, insensible perspiration, sebaceous secretion, or other normal functions of the skin. Gentles1 fed guinea pigs 40 mg/kg. of griseofulvin for 23 days. At the end of this period hair clippings were extracted first with water and then by refluxing with methanol. One gram of hair yielded 5\g=m\g.to 6\g=m\g.of griseofulvin as determined by bioassay. Utilizing a spectrophotofluorometric assay, Bedford and co-workers 2


 Abstract — Wildlife crime is a complex problem with many interconnected facets, which are generally responded to in parts or fragments in efforts to "break down" the complexity into manageable components. However, fragmentation increases complexity as coherence and cooperation become diluted. A whole-of-society approach has been developed towards finding a common goal and integrated approach to preventing wildlife crime. As part of this development, research was conducted in rural communities adjacent to conservation areas in South Africa to define and comprehend the challenges faced by them, and to understand their perceptions of wildlife crime. The results of the research showed that the perceptions of community members varied - most were in favor of conservation and of protecting rhinos, only if they derive adequate benefit from it. Regardless of gender, income level, education level, or access to services, conservation was perceived to be good and bad by the same people. Even though people in the communities are poor, a willingness to stop rhino poaching does exist amongst them, but their perception of parks not caring about people triggered an attitude of not being willing to stop, prevent or report poaching. Understanding the nuances, the history, the interests and values of community members, and the drivers behind poaching mind-sets (intrinsic or driven by transnational organized crime) is imperative to create sustainable and resilient communities on multiple levels that make a substantial positive impact on people's lives, but also conserve wildlife for posterity.


Although older students are participating in formal educational programs at increasingly higher rates, few studies have examined learning outcomes or the relationship between motivational factors for participation and outcomes. This research project surveyed 560 older students attending Elderhostel programs. The purpose of the study was to examine self‐reported learning outcomes and study the predictive relationships between reasons for participation and outcomes. Students reported moderate levels of growth on two outcomes factors: humanities/critical thinking and human relations/personal development. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the best predictors of learning outcomes among older participants in Elderhostel programs were setting clear goals for learning and the specific nature of the courses and institutions attended.


Zingiber cassumunar belongs to the family Zingiberaceae and is locally known as 'bonglai' in Malay and 'plai' among Thais. It has been traditionally used as treatment for women after giving birth or during confinement. Extraction and isolation of phytochemical compounds from the rhizome of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. using various chromatographic techniques identified five compounds, namely, cis-3-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)-3''',4'''-dimethoxystyryl]cyclo-hex- 1-ene (1), (E)-4-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl) but-3-en-1-ol (2), 3,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid (3), 8-(13,14-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-methoxynaphto-1,4-quinone (4) and β-sitosterol (5). Structure elucidation of these compounds was carried out by various spectroscopic means. The cytotoxic activity of isolated compounds against human T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia cancer cells (CEMss) and human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) were carried out using MTT assay. Only the chloroform extract showed strong activity against CEMss cancer cells with IC50 values of 9.20 ± 0.02 μg/ml. Compounds (1), (2) and (4) showed strong cytotoxicity activity against HeLa cancer cells with IC50 values <15 μg/ml whilst compounds (1) and (4) demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity activity against CEMss cells with 1C50 values of 28.34 ± 0.39 μg/ml and 25.96 ± 0.94 μg/ml respectively. Therefore, Zingiber cassumunar has high potential to be commercially domesticated based on the anti-cancer properties of its compounds.


Many abuses in prisons such as wrongful death, sexual perversion, bribery, which is not optimal health, torture, and the non-fulfillment of the right to a clean and healthy environment, and many more are emerging. In connection with this study it was also raised that aims to reveal the perceptions and expectations of inmates drugs on mental development, social and self-reliance in Class IIB Pekanbaru Penitentiary. This study uses a descriptive approach kantitatif. The population of inmates are drug which totaled 53 in Class IIB Pekanbaru Penitentiary, while all respondents in the sample population. Research instrument using a questionnaire with Likert scale distributed to inmates. The data was then analyzed using SPSS version 11.5. The results showed that perceptions and expectations about the development of drug inmates it can be concluded that the perception of drug inmates in prison Pekanbaru Class IIB pretty good. Meanwhile drug inmates in prisons Class IIB Pekanbaru expects coaching. This means that inmates at the prison drug class IIB Pekanbaru has given the perception that coaching is still far from their expectations related to the development of mental, social and independence.


Firstly, a new analytical error model of the cumulative geoid height using the three-dimensional diagonal tensors of satellite gravity gradiometry (SGG) is introduced based on the variance-covariance matrix principle. Secondly, a study for the requirements demonstration on the next-generation GOCE Follow-On satellite gravity gradiometry system is developed using different satellite orbital altitudes and measurement accuracies of satellite gravity gradiometer by the new analytical error model of SGG. The research results show that it is preferable to design satellite orbital altitudes of 300 km-400km and choose the measurement accuracies of 10-13/s2 -10-15/s2 from satellite gravity gradiometer. Finally, the complementarity of the four-stage satellite gravity missions, including past CHAMP, current GRACE, and GOCE, and next-generation GOCE Follow-On, is contrastively demonstrated for precisely recovering the Earth's full-frequency gravitational field with high spatial resolution.


This research aimed to examine the social space of Myanmar migrant labourers within Thai society. The study applied a qualitative approach in studying Myanmar migrants working in Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand. The key informants were migrant labourers specifically selected from the populated area of Maueng District. The data was collected by in-depth interviews, participatory and non-participatory observations during 2014. Content analysis was employed to draw findings from the data. The findings revealed that migrant workers used the physical space of Thai Buddhist temples located in their residential community to reproduce their cultural and traditional activities on their non-working day which was Sunday. This was generally concerned with Buddhist religious beliefs, worship, and the paying of respect to spirits which created personal contentment. They had time on holidays and after work to socialize and interact with others at shops in the nearby market place, especially Gwyn and tea shops. This inherited tradition and culture was reproduced in the new location resulting in the reproduction of values within new social spaces in Thailand. The obvious way of maintaining Myanmar culture in these new social spaces included the wearing of traditional clothes, speaking their own mother language, chewing Gwyn and drinking tea, and using goods imported from their home country.


Over 250 operas are described in this book, most of which have been performed in the major opera houses of the English-speaking world since the 1970s. A handful of additional works have been selected by Stanley Sadie - operas that lend themselves to CD recording or festival revival. The operas are listed in alphabetical order. In addition to a full synopsis of every plot, there is a cast list and a note of the singers in the original production, as well as information about the origins of the work and its literary and social background. Each contribution concludes with a brief comment on its place in operatic history. There is also a listing by composer, a glossary and indexes of the names of operatic characters and the first line of arias. The illustrations shows how opera has been staged from its beginnings to "deconstructed" productions.


The development of highly efficient nanomaterial-based mimetic enzymes is much needed to replace natural enzymes due to their low cost, high stability and efficient catalytic ability. Herein, multiple Mo-doped CeO2 nanoparticles (Mo/CeO2 NPs) with different molar ratios of Mo were synthesized using a facile microwave-assisted method. For characterizing the as-prepared Mo/CeO2 NPs, XRD, TEM, HRTEM, BET and XPS have been performed systematically. The peroxidase-like activity of Mo/CeO2 NPs was investigated, and they exhibited enhanced peroxidase-like activity in comparison to that of pure CeO2 NPs, the best peroxidase-like activity was obtained for the Mo/CeO2 NPs when the molar ratio of Mo was 9%. On the basis of the high activity of Mo/CeO2 NPs, the reaction provides a simple, sensitive and selective method for colorimetric detection of glucose with the detection limit of 4 × 10−7 mol L−1 and in a dynamic range from 5 × 10−7 to 5 × 10−5 mol L−1. This work will pave a way for high throughput synthesis of other ultra-small doped metal oxide nanoparticles, which have bright prospects in biomedical analysis.


1 Endoscopic resection of a polyp involving a colonic diverticulum is challenging. As there is no muscularis propria within a diverticulum, the potential risk of perforation associated with endoscopic resection must be considered. A 72-year-old man underwent follow-up colonoscopy after surgery for rectal cancer. A sessile polyp, 3 mm in size, was found in a cecal diverticulum. The underwater method eliminated halation and expanded the diverticulum cavity, making it possible to observe the lesion stably (Fig. 1A, Supplementary Video 1). Subsequently, underwater cold forceps polypectomy (CFP) was performed using Radial Jaw4-Jumbo cold polypectomy forceps (Boston Scientific, Tokyo, Japan) (Fig. 1B, C). Observation using narrow-band imaging and continuous irrigation confirmed that there were no residual lesions or perforations (Fig. 1D), and the wound was closed using clips. The pathological result was a tubular adenoma (Fig. 2). The underwater method made it possible to expand the diverticulum cavity and float the lesion, allowing CFP to be performed safely. Cold biopsy forceps polypectomy was performed to avoid the risk of delayed perforation associated with hot polypectomy. This technique may be useful for cold snare polypectomy of larger polyps extending into a diverticulum. However, it would not be safe for large polyps involving more than one-fourth of a diverticulum. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of underwater CFP for an adenoma within a colonic diverticulum. BRIEF REPORT


BACKGROUND
The association between body mass index (BMI) and outcomes in critically ill patients is unclear. Our objective was to determine the association between BMI and outcomes in a population-based cohort of patients with acute lung injury (ALI).

METHODS
In a prospective cohort study of all ICU patients in King County, Washington, with ALI in 1 year (1999 to 2000), 825 patients had a BMI recorded. Using multivariate analysis, patients in the abnormal BMI groups were compared to normal patients in the following areas: mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, duration of mechanical ventilation, and discharge disposition.

RESULTS
There was no mortality difference in any of the abnormal BMI groups compared to normal-weight patients. Severely obese patients had longer hospital LOS than normal-weight patients (mean increase, 10.5 days; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.8 to 16.2 days; p < 0.001); this was accentuated when analysis was restricted to survivors (mean increase, 14.3 days; 95% CI, 7.1 to 21.6 days; p < 0.001). ICU LOS and duration of mechanical ventilation were also longer in the severely obese group when analysis was restricted to survivors (mean increase, 5.6 days; 95% CI, 1.3 to 9.8 days; p = 0.01; and mean increase, 4.1 days; 95% CI, 0.4 to 7.7 days, respectively; p = 0.03). Severely obese patients were more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility than to home.

CONCLUSIONS
BMI is not associated with mortality in patients with ALI, but severe obesity is associated with increased morbidity and resource utilization in the hospital and after discharge.


Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has rapidly spread all over the world. HIV-1 is the most common type but the less spoken HIV-2 is present in many places including India.
Methods: The data of HIV serological assays performed on serum samples at our hospital between the years 2006 and 2010 were analyzed with special reference to HIV-2.
Results: A total of 47,876 serum samples were tested for HIV infection, of which 1537 were reactive for HIV antibodies. Among them, 1509 were HIV-1, 23 were HIV-2 and five were reactive for antibodies of both HIV-1 and HIV-2.
Conclusions: HIV-2 exists in this part of India also. The overall HIV infection rate has decreased over the five year period in our hospital. Though the control measures appear to be effective, rigorous control measures must be continued without any place for complacence.


Human Rights, Civics and Democracy Curriculum for 4th graders was began to be implemented in 2015-2016 academic year. In this study, we aim to evaluate this curriculum regarding the universality of human rights concept; the appropriateness of the curriculum with its educational goals, content, instructional material and methods in terms of students' cognitive level and finally teacher competencies to teach this course. A qualitative intrinsic case study method was utilized. The data was collected through document analysis; eight-hours of classroom observation, and semi-structured interviews with seven elementary school teachers and six "experts". Eisner's Educational Connoisseurship and Criticism Model was used as an evaluation framework. Deductive content analysis was used to analyze the data and to illuminate specific details about the case under investigation. Results showed that attainments and content were consistent with the universality of human rights perspective; also, instruction and assessment methods were consistent with the philosophy (constructivism) of the curriculum. However, the course material, as regards to its aims, content and philosophy; and the practices applied inside the classroom were highly inconsistent with the goals of the curriculum.


Climate change owing to global warming is a paramount concern for society in the 21st century, and it is not an issue that can be solved by individual academic or scientific disciplines working in isolation. Because climate change involves a wide range of interlinked problems, solutions must be pursued in an interdisciplinary manner. This book adopts just such a holistic approach in examining various aspects of global warming, and offers readers a comprehensive overview of the problem.


Abstract. The aim of this work was to explore the feasibility of using plant functional
traits to identify differences in sediment organic carbon (OC) storage within
seagrass meadows. At 19 sites within three seagrass meadows in the coastal
waters of Zanzibar, Tanzania, species cover was estimated along with three
community traits hypothesized to influence sediment OC storage (above and
belowground biomass, seagrass tissue nitrogen content, and shoot density).
Sediments within four biogeographic zones (fore reef, reef flat, tidal
channel, and seagrass meadow) of the landscape were characterized, and
sediment cores were collected within seagrass meadows to quantify OC storage
in the top 25 cm and top meter of the sediment. We identified five distinct
seagrass communities that had notable differences in the plant traits, which
were all residing within a thin veneer (ranging from 19 to 78 cm thick) of
poorly sorted, medium to coarsely grained carbonate sands on top of carbonate
rock. One community (B), dominated by Thalassodendron ciliatum,
contained high amounts of above (972±74 g DW m−2) and
belowground (682±392 g DW m−2) biomass composed of low-elemental-quality tissues (leaf C : N = 24.5; rhizome C : N = 97). While
another community (C), dominated by small-bodied ephemeral seagrass species,
had significantly higher shoot density (4178 shoots m−2). However,
these traits did not translate into differences in sediment OC storage and
across all communities the percentage of OC within sediments was similar and
low (ranging from 0.15 % to 0.75 %), as was the estimated OC storage
in the top 25 cm (14.1±2.2 Mg C ha−1) and top meter (33.9±7.7 Mg C ha−1) of sediment. These stock estimates are considerably
lower than the global average (194.2±20.2 Mg C ha−1) reported for
other seagrass ecosystems and are on the lower end of the range of estimates
reported for the tropical Indo-Pacific bioregion (1.9 to
293 Mg C ha−1). The uniformly low OC storage across communities,
despite large inputs of low-quality belowground tissues in community B,
indicates that the geophysical conditions of the coarse, shallow sediments at
our sites were not conducive to OC stabilization and outweighed any
variation in the quantity or quality of seagrass litter inputs. These results
add to a growing body of evidence showing that geophysical conditions of the
sediment modulate the importance of plant traits in regards to retention of
OC within blue carbon ecosystems and cautions against the use of plant
traits as a proxy for sediment OC storage across all seagrass ecosystems.


Proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a crucial effector of immune responses in the brain that participates in the pathogenesis of several acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Accumulating evidence has suggested that TNF-α negatively regulates embryonic and adult neurogenesis. However, the effect of TNF-α on cell fate decision in human neural progenitor cells (NPCs) has rarely been studied. Our previous studies have shown that recombinant TNF-α enhances astrogliogenesis and inhibits neurogenesis of human NPCs through the STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) pathway. In the current study, we further elucidated the specific mechanism involved in TNF-α-induced astrogliogenesis. We found that TNF-α activated STAT3 at delayed time points (6 h and 24 h), whereas conditioned medium collected from TNF-α-treated NPCs induced an immediate STAT3 activation. These data suggest TNF-α plays an indirect role on STAT3 activation and the subsequent NPC differentiation. Further, we showed that TNF-α induced abundant amounts of the IL-6 family cytokines, including Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6), in human NPCs. TNF-α-induced STAT3 phosphorylation and astrogliogenesis were abrogated by the addition of neutralizing antibody for LIF, but not for IL-6, revealing a critical role of autocrine secretion of LIF in TNF-α-induced STAT3 activation and astrogliogenesis. This study generates important data elucidating the role of TNF-α in neurogenesis and may provide insight into new therapeutic strategies for brain inflammation.


China's transition into a developed economy is driving changes in consumer preferences and demand for foods. To evaluate consumer preferences for U.S. pork in urban China, primary data were collected in two metropolitan areas- Beijing and Shanghai. Estimated logit models revealed that an individual's age, shopping location and food safety concerns significantly influenced their willingness-to-pay for U.S. pork. A proportional linear model was developed to evaluate factors affecting purchasing behavior of western-style pork cuts vs. traditional Chinese cuts. Food safety concerns were linked to a previous lean-meat additive scare and a lack of consumer confidence on the Chinese food inspection system.


Although relative contributions of dialect and voice quality are difficult to tease apart, previous research has shown that listeners can perceive the gender and ethnicity of speakers at better than chance performance from recorded speech samples. The present study attempted to mitigate dialect cues and measure the resulting effects on perception by screening for dialect and by varying stimulus length. In experiment I, passages produced by ten African‐American males, ten African‐American females, ten Caucasian males, and ten Caucasian females were presented to 40 listeners with the same gender/ethnic distribution. In experiment II, sentence and citation /hVd/ stimuli produced by five of the speakers from each of the gender/ethnic groups were presented to 40 listeners. Both experiments required listeners to categorize the speakers by gender and ethnicity. Listeners were able to identify speaker gender and ethnicity at far better than chance performance. Accuracy of identification increased with stimulus length. Accurate identifications were made even in the citation condition, suggesting a unique contribution of voice quality apart from dialect. Caucasian male speakers were most accurately identified, while African‐American females were least accurately identified. No listener gender/ethnic group performed more accurately than another. [Work supported by NIDCD.]


: Primordial cells presumably combined RNAs, which functioned as catalysts and carriers of genetic information, with an encapsulating membrane of aggregated amphiphilic molecules. Major questions regarding this hypothesis include how the four bases and the sugar in RNA were selected from a mixture of prebiotic compounds and co-localized with such membranes, and how the membranes were stabilized against flocculation in salt water. To address these questions, we explored the possibility that aggregates of decanoic acid, a prebiotic amphiphile, interact with the bases and sugar found in RNA. We found that these bases, as well as some but not all related bases, bind to decanoic acid aggregates. Moreover, both the bases and ribose inhibit flocculation of decanoic acid by salt. The extent of inhibition by the bases correlates with the extent of their binding, and ribose inhibits to a greater extent than three similar sugars. Finally, the stabilizing effects of a base and ribose are additive. Thus, aggregates of a prebiotic amphiphile bind certain heterocyclic bases and sugars, including those found in RNA, and this binding stabilizes the aggregates against salt. These mutually reinforcing mechanisms could have driven the emergence of protocells.


This paper proposes an approach to estimate groundwater recharge using an optimization‐based water‐table fluctuation method combined with a groundwater balance model in an arid hardrock‐alluvium region, located at the Oman–United Arab Emirates border. We introduce an "effective hardrock thickness" term to identify the percentage of the considered hardrock thickness in which effective groundwater flow takes place. The proposed method is based upon a Thiessen polygon zoning approach. The method includes subpolygons to represent specific geologic units and to enhance the confidence of the estimated groundwater recharge. Two linear and 1 nonlinear submodels were developed to evaluate the model components for the calibration (October 1996 to September 2008) and validation (October 2008 to September 2013) periods. Long‐term annual groundwater recharge from rainfall and return flow over the model domain are estimated as 24.62 and 5.71 Mm3, respectively, while the effective groundwater flow circulation is found to occur in the upper 7% of the known hardrock thickness (42 m), confirming conclusions of previous field studies. Considering a total difference in groundwater levels between eastern and western points of the study area of the order of 220 m and a 12‐year monthly calibration period, a weighted root mean squared error in predicted groundwater elevation of 2.75 m is considered quite reasonable for the study area characterized by remarkable geological and hydrogeological diversity. The proposed approach provides an efficient and robust method to estimate groundwater recharge in regions with a complex geological setting in which interaction between fractured and porous media cannot be easily assessed.


The unstable radium nucleus is appealing for probing new physics due to its high mass, octupole deformation and energy level structure. Ion traps, with long hold times and low particle numbers, are excellent for work with radioactive species, such as radium and radium-based molecular ions, where low activity, and hence low total numbers, is desirable. We address the challenges associated with the lack of stable isotopes in a table-top experiment with a low-activity ($\sim 10 \ \mu\mathrm{Ci}$) source where we laser-cool radium ions to form radium Wigner crystals. With a laser-cooled radium ion we measured the $7p\ ^2P_{1/2}^o$ state's branching fractions to the ground state, $7s\ ^2S_{1/2}$, and a metastable excited state, $6d\ ^2D_{3/2}$, to be $p=0.9104(7)$ and $0.0896(7)$, respectively. With a nearby tellurium reference line we measured the $7s\ ^2S_{1/2} \rightarrow 7p\ ^2P_{1/2}^o$ transition frequency, 640.09663(6) THz.


Abstract. In 2011 the ISCR (Rome), in the frame of the Project Restoring Underwater directed by Barbara Davidde Petriaggi, started to test Naumacos Laser Scann 1, designed by Gabriele Gomez de Ayala, in order to document the restoration of a room paved with opus sectile probably part of the Bath of Punta Epitaffio (Underwater Park of Baiae – Marine Protected Area, Naples). The experimentation conducted in Baiae by ISCR has shown the effectiveness of the Laser Scanner; this method also allowed to considerably reduce times and costs of underwater surveying. Moreover, the 3D relief obtained, has the characteristic of being geometrically (accuracy is sub-millimetric) and chromatically faithful to the reconstructed structure, as well as being exportable in various forms and usable in several contexts. From 2011 to 2013 the evolution of the instrument Naumacos Laser Scanner 3 was developed and tested in the restoration work of the Villa con ingresso a protiro, where three structures were documented in 3D (a paved with black and white mosaic decorated with hexagons and peltae, a very fragmentary black and white mosaic and a stone artefact. This paper shows the results of this documentation campaign and it underlines the prominent role in documentation and in museum display of Underwater Cultural Heritage played by the three-dimensional laser scanning survey. This technique also contributes to the increase of the value of scientific dissemination.


. New parallel algorithm is developed for simulating the dynamics of a thin circumstellar disk. It is based on the combination of a gridless method of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and the grid-based convolution method for calculating a gravitational potential. To develop the algorithm, we made software profiling of numerical experiments aimed at simulating gravitational fragmentation and subsequent inward migration of dense clumps onto the star.


I N CONJUNCTION WITH JOHN S. HALDANE, C.H., M.D., D.Sc, LL.D., F.R.S., Late Beader in Physiology in the University of Oxford. J. C. Q. LEDINGHAM, C.M.G., M.B., D.Sc., F.R.S., Professor of Bacteriology in the University of London, Director of the Lister Institute, London. Q. S. GRAHAM-SMITH, M.D., F.R.S., Reader in Preventive Medicine, Cambridge. MAJOR GREENWOOD, D.Sc., F.R.C.P. (LOND.), F.R.S., Professor of Epidemiology and Vital Statistics in the University of London. SIR DAVID MUNRO, K.O.B., O.I.E., M.B., Secretary, Industrial Health Research Board, Medical Research Council.


Hypoxia is defined as the state in which the availability or delivery of oxygen is insufficient to meet tissue demand. It occurs particularly in aggressive, fast-growing tumours in which the rate of new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) cannot match the growth rate of tumour cells. Cellular stresses such as hypoxia can cause cells to undergo apoptosis; however some tumour cells adapt to hypoxic conditions and evade apoptosis. Tumour hypoxia has been linked to poor prognosis and to greater resistance to existing cancer therapies. This thesis provides evidence that alterations in alternative splicing patterns of key genes is one method tumour cells adapt to hypoxia.

This study confirms a hypoxic-induced change in the alternative splicing of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) following 1% oxygen treatment. CA IX is one of the best studied hypoxia markers, involved in maintaining an intracellular pH that favours tumour cell growth. Furthermore, evidence is provided here that in PC3 cells the regulation of CA IX splicing involves the SAFB1 and PRPF8 splice factors. Additionally, SAFB1 expression is shown to decrease in hypoxia.

This study further demonstrates that alternative splicing patterns of previously documented cancer-associated genes are altered in hypoxia. PCR analysis showed that hypoxia significantly altered the alternative splicing of apoptotic-associated genes: caspase-9; Mcl-1; Bcl-x; survivin. The expression of the pro-apoptotic isoforms of the first two genes, and the anti-apoptotic isoforms of the latter two genes were favoured by hypoxia. Furthermore, high-throughput PCR analysis provided evidence of significant changes in the alternative splicing of several other cancer-associated genes in hypoxia: APAF1; BTN2A2; CDC42BPA; FGFR1OP; MBP; PTPN13; PUF60; RAP1GDS1; TTC23; UTRN. Most notably, the pro-oncogenic isoforms of APAF1, BTN2A2 and RAP1GDS1 were favoured in hypoxia. The majority of alternative splicing changes were found in the PC3 cell line. However changes in alternative splicing patterns that mirrored those in the PC3 cell line were also found in the VCaP (CDC42BPA, RAP1GDS1 and UTRN) and PNT2 (BTN2A2, CDC42BPA, FGFR1OP and TTC23) cell lines.

The mRNA expression of splice factors (SRSF1, SRSF2, SRSF3, SAM68, HuR and hnRNP A1) and splice factor kinases (CLK1 and SRPK1) were shown to significantly increase in hypoxia. Subsequent experiments provided evidence that CLK1 and SRSF1 protein expression also increased in hypoxia. The phosphorylation of SRSF4 and SRSF5 were demonstrated to increase in hypoxia. However, the phosphorylation of SRSF6 was not. In addition, siRNAs and chemical inhibitors of CLK1 (TG003) and SRPK1 (SPHINX) were used to assess the effect of these splice factor kinases on the subsequent splicing of cancer-associated genes. There were no significant changes to splicing found with SRPK1 siRNA knockdown or SPHINX treatment. However CLK1 siRNA knockdown and TG003 treatment demonstrated a shift in FGFR1OP splicing that mirrored the effect of hypoxia on FGFR1OP splicing. This suggests that CLK1 activity is inhibited in hypoxia. Furthermore, in contrast to previous research CLK1 was found to be localised to the cytoplasm in both normoxia and hypoxia in the PC3 cell line.

This work has uncovered factors and provided an insight into mechanisms that are involved in alternative splicing changes in hypoxia in mammalian cell lines. It is hoped that these novel research findings will aid in the understanding of how cells adapt to hypoxia especially in regards to alternative splicing, and may offer future therapeutic targets in hypoxic tumours.


Older individuals are generally assumed to be less risk tolerant compared to others. The purpose ofthis research was to test how accurately working adults at different ages ih the lifespan estimate their risk-tafdng propensity. Differential predictions, using ANOVA and regression analyses, were assessed. Findings suggest that younger working adults tend to over-estimate their risk tolerance compared to older worldng adults. Although those in middle-age were shown to under-estimate their risk tolerance compared to the youngest working adults, the results were not significant. A discussion offindings is presented with the proposition that overand under-estimation of risk tolerance might help explain the types of risk-taA-ing behaviors engaged in by individuals over


This study focuses on developments of the exile motive in the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish's writings 1960-1995. The sources consist primarily of Darwish's diwans of poetry and articles published in literary magazines. The theme of exile in Darwish's writings is placed in relation to literary developments of the 20th century, especially early Modernism. Special reference is made to the use of religious mythology. Founding myths of the Abrahamitic religions - creation, the death and resurrection of Christ and Muhammad's hijra - are particularly important. The study shows how Darwish places poetry in a position similar to that of religion in traditional society. The theoretical framework is provided by models of the religious rites de passage, based primarily on Mircea Eliade's theory, but also on theories dealing with psychological responses to exile. Based on the rite de passage-pattern, three main strategies of responding to exile are dealt with: separation, liminality and reintegration. The study shows a gradual development of these three strategies in Darwish's works. In the 1960s, a pattern of separation, representing the exclusion of physical and symbolical exile, is predominant. In the 1970s, liminal patterns and a quest for reintegration become the dominant models. Until 1982, the rite of passage is nearly always aborted. Only later, with the use of mythological models for "a new beginning" constituting an eschatological rupture with the past, the reintegration of self, world and word becomes possible in Darwish's poetry.


Although Congress may, as a general matter, extensively regulate interstate commerce, the federal government's authority to legislate in areas of traditional state concern is limited. Courts, spurred by a renewed interest in federalism, have begun scrutinizing federal criminal laws that regulate noncommercial intrastate behavior by means of de minimus jurisdictional elements—statutory provisions that purport to ensure legislation's constitutionality by limiting its applicability to conduct involving items that have previously traveled in interstate commerce. In United States v. Alderman, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in a case of first impression, considered whether 18 U.S.C. § 931 constitutionally prohibits a felon from possessing body armor where the sole link to commerce is the body armor's prior interstate movement. The court deemed § 931's jurisdictional element sufficient to render the statute an appropriate exercise of congressional power under the Commerce Clause.


Directional hearing in fish is a complex, ambiguous, and poorly understood phenomenon. Some nonostariophysian fish, particularly the cod, have shown the ability to unambiguously determine the direction of a monopole sound source and that their angular resolution is perhaps as good as 10°. Although considered ''hearing specialists,'' there is little evidence that ostariophysian fish are capable of directional hearing. An attempt to classically condition the ostariophysian goldfish to discriminate sound sources differing only in location failed. The sound signal was pulsed bandpass filtered noise at least 20 dB above previously determined sound pressure masked thresholds. Ostariophysian fish are characterized by the presence of Weberian ossicles, coupling the air filled swim bladder to the inner ears. This may enhance pressure sensitivity at the expense of directionality. This apparent lack of directional hearing capability will be examined in light of the known ability of goldfish to show directionality in...


Background The aim of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) was to compare immunological changes in virally suppressed people living with HIV (PLWH) switching from a three-drug regimen (3DR) to a two-drug regimen (2DR). Methods An open-label, prospective RCT enrolling PLWH receiving a 3DR who switched to bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) or dolutegravir/lamivudine (DTG/3TC) was performed. Blood was taken at baseline and months 6 and 12. The primary outcome was the change in CD4+ or CD8+ T-cell counts and CD4/CD8 ratio over time points. The secondary outcomes were the changes in immunological and inflammatory parameters. Parametric mixed-linear models with random intercepts and slopes were fitted separately for each marker after controlling for potential confounders. Results Between the two arms (33 PLWH each), there was no difference in CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, CD4/CD8 ratio, and IL-6 trajectories. PLWH switching to DTG/3TC had increased levels of both transitional memory and terminally differentiated CD4+ T cells (arm–time interaction p-value = 0.02) and to a lesser extent for the corresponding CD8+ T-cell subsets (p = 0.09). Significantly lower levels of non-classical monocytes were detected in the B/F/TAF arm at T6 (diff = −6.7 cells/mm3; 95% CI; −16, +2.6; p-value for interaction between arm and time = 0.03). All differences were attenuated at T12. Conclusion No evidence for a difference in absolute CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell counts, CD4/CD8 ratio, and IL-6 trajectories by study arm over 12 months was found. PLWH on DTG/3TC showed higher levels of terminally differentiated and exhausted CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and non-classical monocytes at T6. Further studies are warranted to better understand the clinical impact of our results. Clinical Trial Registration https://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04054089.


This paper deals with the analysis of the impact of credit rationing on the farmer's economic equilibrium and the analysis of different policy scenarios in a derived neoclassical adjustment cost framework. The theoretical model is an optimal dynamic investment model, in which the upper bound on investment is introduced. The limit of the investment enables to analyse the consequence of the occurrence of credit rationing on farmer's capital accumulation, investment and supply. The method of optimal control is used to solve the optimization problem. The results show that the occurrence of credit rationing may significantly determine a farmer's economic equilibrium. Then the analysis of defined policy scenarios suggests that a loan guarantee efficiently solves the problem of the occurrence of external credit rationing. Interest rate subsidy may produce overinvestment and, thus, increases the probability of occurrence of the crowdingout effect, especially in the group of non-credit constraint farmers. Moreover, as far as the cost of agricultural policy is concerned, other agricultural support tools are less effective. The numerical application shows that the farmer's economic equilibrium is mostly sensitive to the initial bound on investment, the parameter of the cost function, the price, the level of technology and the discount rate. Finally, if the uncertainty is introduced, then the level of investment spending and capital accumulation is lower.


OBJECTIVE
This review was conducted to provide information on nonstimulant medications used to treat ADHD.

METHOD
Previous investigations on several groups of nonstimulant medications were reviewed, and a discussion of antidepressants, antihypertensives, atypical antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and cholinergic agents is included.

RESULTS
The results of this review provide information on several viable options of treatment in situations in which the use of a stimulant would be inappropriate or in situations in which stimulants have provided limited effectiveness.

CONCLUSION
Despite their viability as alternatives, each type of medication has certain limitations, side effects, and varying amounts of research available to substantiate its use for the treatment of ADHD. These medications offer several potentially successful options to those who fail to respond to stimulants or to those who find the side effects of stimulants bothersome.


Although solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) provide clean and efficient electricity generation, high operating temperatures (T > 800 °C) limit their widespread use. Lowering operating temperatures (600 °C < T < 800 °C) requires developing next-generation mixed ion-electron conducting (MIEC) cathodes that permit facile oxygen transport. One promising MIEC material, La1−xSrxCo1−yFeyO3 (LSCF), can operate at intermediate temperatures, has a longer cell lifetime, and permits less expensive interconnect materials. However, the road to optimization of LSCF compositions for SOFC applications would benefit from fundamental, atomic-scale insight into how local chemical changes affect its oxygen ion conductivity. We provide this insight using ab initio density functional theory plus U (DFT+U) calculations to analyze the factors governing oxygen transport in the LSCF parent material LaCoO3. We show that oxygen diffusion in LaCoO3 depends strongly on the spin state of the Co3+ ions: in particular, low spin Co3+ promotes higher oxygen vacancy concentrations than other spin states. We also predict that different spin states of Co3+ significantly affect the oxygen ion migration barrier. Through electronic structure analysis, we uncover the fundamental details which govern oxygen diffusivity in LaCoO3.


This paper analyzes higher education funding in Germany from a distributional perspective. For this, I first compare the quantitative importance of different funding instruments, from free tuition to subsidized health insurance for students. I show that free tuition is, by far, the most important instrument. Then, I take a lifetime perspective and assess how individuals of different expected lifetime incomes benefit from higher education funding. I distinguish between different fields of study as there are large differences in both the expected lifetime earnings of graduating from a specific field and the social cost of tuition associated with each field. Finally, I focus exclusively on the instrument of subsidized tuition and simulate the introduction of different tuition fee schemes with income-contingent loans. While the distributional effects would be sizable in absolute terms, I estimate that they would cause few individuals to change their educational decisions.


Planning of treatment in psychiatry does not receive the same careful attention that is given to formulation and diagnosis. Very often the choice oftheformat and the orientation of the treatment is determined by the personal preference of the therapist. It is suggested that proven effectiveness of the treatment for the condition presented by the patient should be given a priority. Where no treatment is proven to be superior, such considerations asparsimony and availability ofexpertise should be taken into account.


Modern industrial control systems (ICS) act as victims of cyber attacks more often in last years. These attacks are hard to detect and their consequences can be catastrophic. Cyber attacks can cause anomalies in the work of the ICS and its technological equipment. The presence of mutual interference and noises in this equipment significantly complicates anomaly detection. Moreover, the traditional means of protection, which used in corporate solutions, require updating with each change in the structure of the industrial process. An approach based on the machine learning for anomaly detection was used to overcome these problems. It complements traditional methods and allows one to detect signal correlations and use them for anomaly detection. Additional Tennessee Eastman Process Simulation Data for Anomaly Detection Evaluation dataset was analyzed as example of industrial process. In the course of the research, correlations between the signals of the sensors were detected and preliminary data processing was carried out. Algorithms from the most common techniques of machine learning (decision trees, linear algorithms, support vector machines) and deep learning models (neural networks) were investigated for industrial process anomaly detection task. It's shown that linear algorithms are least demanding on computational resources, but they don't achieve an acceptable result and allow a significant number of errors. Decision tree-based algorithms provided an acceptable accuracy, but the amount of RAM, required for their operations, relates polynomially with the training sample volume. The deep neural networks provided the greatest accuracy, but they require considerable computing power for internal calculations.


Nonlinear optics has been a very dynamic field of research with spectacular phenomena discovered mainly after the invention of lasers. The combination of high intensity fields with resonant systems has further enhanced the nonlinearity with specific additional effects related to the resonances. In this paper we review a limited range of these effects which has been studied in the past decades using close-to-room-temperature atomic vapors as the nonlinear resonant medium. In particular we describe four-wave mixing and generation of nonclassical light in atomic vapors. One-and two-mode squeezing as well as photon correlations are discussed. Furthermore, we present some applications for optical and quantum memories based on hot atomic vapors. Finally, we present results on the recently developed field of quantum fluids of light using hot atomic vapors.


The English language needs of students in teacher education programmes have become an issue of concern. There has been an increase in the numbers of local and international students, the range of their backgrounds and the diversity of their language needs. This paper explores the question of what constitutes effective English language support for students, focusing on the development of provision for a group of 110 overseas-trained teachers undertaking teacher education at the University of Sydney between 1999 and 2002. Data are drawn from focus group interviews, semi-structured interviews with students and staff and student learning journals. The paper proposes an integrated and flexible model of English language support involving content-based units, tutoring/mentoring programmes and self-directed study. Such a model may be useful for English language support for different groups of English as a second language (ESL) students in other contexts at tertiary and secondary levels.


Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) promote metastasis of breast cancer cells that can differentiate into carcinoma-associated cells in tumor microenvironments. However, the precise mechanism is poorly understood. This study shows that interaction of ADSCs with breast cancer MCF-7 cells changes the level of metastasis-related functional proteins in MCF-7 cells, as well as that of oncogenes in ADSCs. ADSCs were isolated from adipose tissues of patients. The interaction of ADSCs with MCF-7 cells was performed by coculturing ADSCs (or MCF-7 cells) with exosomes derived from MCF-7 cells (or ADSCs). Exosomes were labeled by DiI. In cocultures, migration-related regulators in MCF-7 cells were significantly enhanced in both protein (Smad, Slug, Snail1/2, Twist1, N-cadherin, vimentin) and mRNA (SMAD, SLUG, SNAIL1/2, TWIST1, N-cadherin, and vimentin) levels. The expression levels of oncogenes (RAS and HER-2) and an antioncogene gene (P53) in ADSCs were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. Interestingly, variation tendencies of the molecules were more conspicuous in inflammatory circumstances than without. In conclusion, interaction of MCF-7 cells with ADSCs increases the levels of a series of metastasis-related functional proteins in MCF-7 cells and enhances the expression of oncogenes in ADSCs.


BACKGROUND: This study aims to present the usability of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) in the differential diagnosis of granulomatous appendicitis (GAp), especially in areas where tuberculosis (TB) is endemic. METHODS: Sixteen patients underwent appendectomy with presumed diagnosis of acute appendicitis were retrospectively analyzed for histopathological diagnosis of GAp. Real-time PCR method was used to show the whether presence of DNA of the tubercle bacilli in paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. IGRA test was used to investigate whether tubercle bacillispecific interferon gamma was present in peripheral blood. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (male: 10 female: 6) aged between 21 and 82 years were included in this study. All patients had acute appendicitis and three of them also had appendiceal perforation. Histopathologically, necrotizing granulomatous inflammation was detected in all appendectomy specimens. Acid-fast bacilli were not detected in any of the pathology slides stained with Ehrlich-Ziehl-Neelsen . Real-time PCR was studied in paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of all patients with GAp, but the TB bacilli DNA was amplified in only three patients. IGRA test was studied in peripheral blood samples of 12 patients with GAp and results were as follows: negative (n=9), positive (n=2) and indeterminate (n=1). CONCLUSION: We believe that the use of anamnesis, histopathological findings, tissue PCR, blood IGRA and clinical findings together are important for differential diagnosis of GAp, especially where TB is endemic. We also suggest that all appendectomy specimens should be sent to the laboratory for histopathological evaluation even if specimens appear macroscopically normal.


'Marconia' hamiltoni s.l. is known from two discrete mountainous areas in Malawi, i.e. the (southern) Mt. Mulanje complex, and the (more northern) Zomba Plateau s.l. These uplands are separated by about 65 km of lower lying land with different types of vegetation and climate. Material from these two regions may be distinguished as separate species, the southern populations having comparatively small and broad shells with some apertural dentition ('M'. hamiltoni, lectotype designated), while the northern populations have noticeably larger and more slender shells with a more reduced apertural dentition ('M'. malavensis). Discussion of the type localities for both taxa shows that these are either localized in an unlikely place ('M'. hamiltoni) or unclear ('M'. malavensis). Radula and genital anatomy of 'M'. hamiltoni are described and depicted for the first time. Both species are ovoviviparous, a rarely reported phenomenon in the Streptaxidae. The genitalia are markedly different from what is known in various streptaxid genera with which these species may be or have been classified. In spite of the confused streptaxid taxonomy, a new genus, Austromarconia, is introduced with Ennea hamiltoni as type species.


This article explains how the breakthrough performance of UnitedSiC 750 V Gen 4 SiC FETs enables a simple design of highly efficient totem-pole PFC. Efficiency measurements on the developed unit will demonstrate a 99.3% efficiency rating. Insight into the losses is provided by the new UnitedSiC FET-Jet calculator on-line tool, which are shown to match the actual measurements quite well. Finally, it discusses how the high efficiency of SiC FETs allows further BOM cost reduction for totem-pole PFC.


Background: The flexibility of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint in patients with hallux rigidus (HR) has not been studied. Compared to measuring range of motion alone, measures of joint flexibility provide additional information that may prove useful in the assessment of HR. The purpose of this study was to assess the flexibility of the hallux MTP joint in patients with HR compared to controls using a novel flexibility device. Methods: Fifteen patients with Coughlin stage II or III HR and 20 healthy controls were recruited prospectively. Using a custom flexibility jig, each of 2 raters performed a series of seated and standing tests on each subject. Dorsiflexion angle and applied torque were plotted against each other to generate 5 different parameters of flexibility. Differences between (1) HR patients and controls and (2) the sitting and standing testing positions were assessed with t tests. Intrarater test-retest reliability, remove-replace reliability, and interrater reliability were assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: Patients in the HR group were older than patients in the control group (P < .001) and had lower maximum dorsiflexion (P < .001). HR patients were less flexible as measured by 3 of the 5 flexibility parameters: early flexibility (first 25% of motion; P = .027), laxity angle (P < .001), and torque angle (P = .002). After controlling for age, only laxity angle differed significantly between HR patients and controls (P < .001). Generally, patients were more flexible when seated compared to standing, with this effect being more marked in HR patients. All parameters had good or excellent intra- and interrater reliability (ICC ≥ 0.60). Conclusions: Hallux MTP joint flexibility was reliably assessed in HR patients using a flexibility device. Patients with HR had decreased flexibility of the hallux MTP joint compared to control patients. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective comparative study.


Our understanding of a major methane sink is based on studies of quiescent sediments and dynamic seeps. But do the same processes operate in both environments? Each year, ocean sediments produce a quantity of methane equivalent to about half of the methane emitted to the atmosphere from all natural sources (1). Very little of the methane produced below the sea floor, however, reaches the ocean or the atmosphere; most is consumed by anaerobic microorganisms as it diffuses up through oxygen-poor (anoxic) sediments. Researchers recognized this process, known as anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO), nearly 35 years ago (2), but it remains poorly understood. Investigators have not been able to firmly establish the reaction mechanism, fully understand the factors that control oxidation rates, or isolate the responsible organisms. This represents a gaping hole in our understanding of one of Earth's primary sinks for methane. Recent studies of a rare but intriguing sedimentary environment–sea-floor seeps of methane-rich fluids–have provided new insights into the microorganisms that inhabit methane-rich sediments, but raised new questions regarding reaction mechanisms.


This thesis investigates the two dimensional, integrable field theories known as the affine Toda field theories, which are based on the Kac-Moody algebras with zero central extension. In particular, the construction of static solitons in these theories and their topological charges are considered. Following a general overview of the affine Toda theories and the Kac-Moody structure which underlies them, the construction of solitons in the a(_n)((^1)) theory using Hirota's method, originally used by HoUowood, is generalized and extended to the remaining theories. The soliton masses are calculated and general expressions presented for the twisted as well as the untwisted theories. The major results of this work concern the calculation of topological charge, one of the infinite number of conserved quantities that each theory possesses. Firstly, the a(_n)((^1)) model is considered. An expression for the number of charges associated with each soliton, as well as a general expression for the charges themselves, is constructed. The previously alluded to connection between the charges and the associated fundamental representations is proven showing that the charges are, in general, a subset of the weights lying in these representations. For the a(_n)((^1)) theory, the charges associated with each soliton can be derived from just one by making use of the cyclic symmetry of the model's extended Dynkin diagram. Further, the action of this symmetry on the set of charges is synonymous with the action of a Coxeter element. It is found that the ordering of the Weyl reflections which make up this element is important (except when the end-point solitons are considered) - the familiar "black-white" ordering doesn't work. The multisolitons of the theory are considered and it is shown that when the individual solitons are sufficiently well separated their topological charges simply add together. Multi-solitons can be constructed having topological charge equal to each of the simple roots, and can therefore be used to construct further solitons filling the entire weight lattice. Next, the topological charges of the remaining aflttne Toda theories are investigated. For the infinite series of algebras the number of topological charges and expressions for the charges themselves are derived. For the remaining cases, the charges are calculated explicitly. This thesis concludes with some comments on more recent work into the theory of quantum solitons and considers further lines of enquiry.


Marking reliability is purported to be produced by having an effective community of practice. No experimental research has been identified which attempts to verify empirically the aspects of a community of practice that have been observed to produce marking reliability. This research outlines what that community of practice might entail and presents two experimental studies on the effects of particular aspects of community of practice on examiners' marking reliability. In the first study, the impact of exemplar work is investigated: examiners were provided with mark schemes and some examiners were provided with exemplar scripts and given feedback about the marking of those scripts. In the second study, the effects of discussion of the mark scheme are explored: all examiners received mark schemes and exemplar scripts, but some examiners did not attend a coordination meeting. Neither procedure (use of exemplar scripts or discussion between examiners) demonstrated an improvement in marking reliability, which called into question the predictive utility of the theory of community of practice.


Abstract This article reviews how the European Central Bank (ECB) implemented its monetary policy for the euro area from 1999 to 2018 from two perspectives. Taking a Keynesian point of view, the euro area economy was beset for a long time by secular stagnation and required the ECB to ensure a protracted period of relatively low interest rates to provide continuous support to aggregate demand at the level of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). By contrast, the Austrian School of Economics argues that the low-interest rate bias of the ECB caused financial excesses and prevented a more rapid reallocation of unviable resources necessary for a sustainable expansion of aggregate supply. Both the Keynesian and the Austrian paradigm appear relevant when examining the monetary and financial aspects of the euro area business cycle and the secular decline of interest rates over the past 20 years. For most of the time, ECB monetary policy was the 'only game in town' and the EMU architecture was unable to deliver the balanced macroeconomic and financial policy mix required for a sustainable path of the euro area economy.


The Doppler shift and the Doppler broadening of prompt gamma emissions were measured for some residues formed in the interaction of 33 A MeV 12C ions with a 63Cu target using the AFRODITE detector array at Faure, Cape Town. This is a potentially new technique to carry out nuclear interaction studies. Coincident gamma rays emitted by the residues are used in their identification. Detection at angles other than 90◦ with respect to the beam axis gives the magnitude of the mean Doppler shifts and the average linear momentum transfer. The Doppler broadening of the detected gamma lines at 90 ◦ with respect to the beam axis could give the residue recoil angular distribution. The precise shapes of the Doppler shifted and broadened gamma lines for each of the residues extracted, reveals the distribution, in magnitude and angle, of the momentum transferred in the interaction process. In addition, characteristic gamma energy transitions of each residue populated carry additional information on angular momentum (spin) transfer, production cross-section and nuclear excitation states. The measured residues show a unique distribution of momentum ranging from single nucleon transfer to complete damping of the projectile momentum. The measured observables are consistent with the existing data from other techniques, making the new technique viable option for studying nuclear interaction kinematics. A comparison of the experimental measurements with the predictions of the model developed in Milano 1 and GEANT4 calculations shows that the model developed in Milano model give a much better agreement compared to the GEANT4 calculations, attributed to the assumption of projectile break-up and re-emission process of some of the fragments during the first step of the nuclear interaction process. 1 All calculations relating to this model and presented here is the work of E. Gadioli, University of Milano


Background: Governments faced with family planning funding shortfalls have moved toward mobilizing and coordinating all sectors through a "total market approach" (TMA). This retrospective analysis focuses on best practices from TMA experiences in Indonesia, Mexico, Romania, Thailand, and Turkey. We aimed to learn which practices or contextual factors fostered total market planning, and specifically whether and how deliberate, proactive and coordinated approaches by government may have contributed to total market engagement. Methods:  For each country, we examined government support for family planning, level of contraceptive use, coordination with broader health sector reforms, and operating environments for the private sector. We considered policy change in terms of eight good practice hypotheses and gathered data on modern contraceptive prevalence rates (MCPR) by wealth quintile and public-private sources. Results:  Based on this analysis, especially alongside contextual factors of government leadership and stable demand, six of the eight processes can be hypothesized as good practices for total market planning: ensuring problem recognition among key stakeholders, aligning priorities with national government strategies, collecting data about health markets, evaluating options through pilots, engaging all levels of the health system (national and sub-national), and evaluating results. Our review found that government agencies in Indonesia and Thailand played a significant role in deliberate, proactive, and/or coordinated planning processes to meet demand for family planning across sectors. Conclusions:  We concluded that deliberate government planning and action, especially leadership and support for family planning, contribute to total market programming. Prospective monitoring and evaluation of TMAs moving forward can contribute to clearer roadmaps.


OBJECTIVE
To determine CD4+ T-cell count and circulating and tissue levels of HIV before and after surgery in a patient with recent-onset ulcerative colitis.

STUDY DESIGN/METHODS
CD4 lymphocytes and circulating and tissue HIV RNA levels were measured in an HIV-infected patient with ulcerative colitis before and after proctocolectomy.

RESULTS
Approximately 3 weeks prior to surgery for ulcerative colitis that was unresponsive to corticosteroids, the patient's CD4 count was 930 cells/mm3 and fell to 313 cells/mm3 within 10 days; the viral burden was approximately 80,000 RNA copies/mL. Tissue macrophages and lymphocytes in biopsy and resection specimens were shown to express high levels of HIV RNA by in situ hybridization. Five days postoperatively, the patient became asymptomatic and was discharged on tapering prednisone without antiretroviral agents. After surgery, the patient's CD4 count progressively rose, while viral RNA levels precipitously dropped. At 3, 6, and 15 weeks postoperatively, CD4 and viral RNA counts were 622 cells/mm3 and 31,300 RNA copies/mL, 843 cells/mm3 and 11,400 RNA copies/mL, and 747 cells/mm3 and 1500 RNA copies/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Circulating levels of HIV and CD4+ cells, as well as tissue expression of HIV, apparently can be influenced by localized inflammatory processes such as those occurring in inflammatory bowel disease.


Roentgen endovascular occlusion with spiral emboli was used in 240 patients with different diseases. The introduction of spiral emboli into the arteries of abdominal and retroperitoneal organs was fulfilled through usual angiographic catheters. Duration of the arterial occlusion was checked up in the following angiographic examinations and showed the devices described to be appropriate for a continuous arterial blockade. No complications resulting from the introduction of the spiral embolus were noted.


An efficient recognition scheme for large-set handwritten characters is proposed in the framework of multiple stochastic models, in this case, first order hidden Markov models which can model stochastically the input pattern with numerous variations. In this scheme, after extracting four kinds of regional projection contours for an input pattern by using the regional projection contour transformation, four kinds of HMMs are constructed during the training phase based on the direction components of these contours. In the recognition phase, the four kinds of HMMs constructed in the training phase are combined to output the final recognition result for an input pattern.<<ETX>>


Polyphenols are phytochemicals widely available in plants. Dark chocolate (DC) is a high source of polyphenols, particularly flavanols. Studies previously reported a beneficial effect of polyphenol-rich dark chocolate (PRDC) on insulin sensitivity and oxidative stress, while its effects on blood pressure, serum lipid levels and inflammation remain unclear. In addition, a research area regarding the effect of PRDC on body weight control emerged recently. Two investigations were carried out. Study I (61 participants) looked at the effect of PRDC on insulin sensitivity in normal weight and overweight adults, while Study II (14 participants) investigated the effect of PRDC on body weight in overweight individuals. Volunteers received 20g of either PRDC (500mg of polyphenols) or placebo DC (low in polyphenols) daily for 4 weeks (Study I) or 12 weeks (Study II). Anthropometric measures and blood, saliva and urine samples were taken. Results showed that 4 weeks of PRDC supplementation decreased insulin levels (p<0.001) and HOMA-IR (p=0.003), and increased QUICKI (p<0.001), but had no significant impact on glucose levels (p=0.16). However, participants administered placebo DC showed an increase in insulin (p=0.014), HOMA-IR (p=0.003), TG (p= 0.008), glucose (p=0.041) and BMI (p=0.007) levels and a decrease in QUICKI (p=0.013). No significant changes in blood pressure, other serum lipid levels or glucocorticoid hormones were noted in both groups. In study II, there was an increase in BMI in the whole study population (p=0.046) with no significant difference between groups.
Results indicate a potential implication of PRDC in the prevention of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Findings also highlight the detrimental effects of placebo DC, and propose the analysis of polyphenol content of different DC brands in the market. The increase in BMI and other markers only in the placebo group after four weeks, suggests that PRDC may counteract the adverse effects of fat and energy in the diet. However, the increase in BMI in both groups after 12 weeks implies further investigations to test the counteracting effect of PRDC over the long term.


Background. Recurrent glomerulonephritis (GN) remains an important cause of kidney allograft loss and whether rapid discontinuation of steroids (RDS) is associated with a higher risk of recurrence is not known. Methods. We studied recurrence rate, and graft and patient survival in four groups of recipients: 216 recipients with GN transplanted under RDS (group 1), 978 concurrent non-GN recipients transplanted under RDS (group 2), 260 historic comparator group transplanted for GN between 1994 and 1999 with steroid maintenance (group 3), and 950 recipients who were also transplanted between 1994 and 1999 for non-GN and also maintained on steroids (group 4). Regression analysis adjusting for donor and recipient factors, steroid and sirolimus use, and also GN type was used to address factors associated with recurrent disease. Results. The 1-, 5-, and 7-year recurrence rate in the GN group under RDS was 6.7%, 13.7%, and 19.2% and in historic GN recipients maintained on steroids it was 2.4%, 3.8%, and 5.3%, respectively (P<0.0001). RDS was associated with a higher adjusted risk of recurrent disease for all GN types (hazard ratio 4.86; 95% confidence interval 2.34–10.07; P<0.0001). Graft and patient survival were similar in the two GN groups and both were highest among all groups. Notably, death-censored graft survival was not different among the groups. Conclusion. Steroid avoidance may be associated with a higher rate of recurrent GN but no apparent increase in risk of graft loss. This group of recipients needs to be studied more carefully, in larger numbers, and for a longer time period.


There are very few data about the relationship between acute myeloid leukemia (AML) prognosis and bone marrow recovery kinetics following chemotherapy. In this study, we aimed to assess the prognostic importance and clinical associations of neutrophil and platelet recovery rates and rebound thrombocytosis (RT) or neutrophilia (RN) in the postchemotherapy period for newly diagnosed AML patients. De novo AML patients diagnosed between October 2002 and December 2013 were evaluated retrospectively. One hundred patients were suitable for inclusion. Cox regression analysis using need for reinduction chemotherapy as a stratification parameter revealed RT as the only parameter predictive of OS, with borderline statistical significance (p = 0.06, OR = 7; 95% CI 0.92-53), and it was the only parameter predictive of DFS (p = 0.024, OR = 10; 95% CI 1.3-75). In order to understand whether RT or RN was related to a better marrow capacity or late consolidation, we considered neutrophil recovery time and platelet recovery time and nadir-first consolidation durations in all patients in the cohort. Both the marrow recovery duration and the time between marrow aplasia and first consolidation were shorter in RT and RN patients. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report a correlation between RT/RN and prognosis in AML.


The effect of pod number on the seed yield and components of seed yield was examined for narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) grown at a plant density of 36 plants/m2 in both the glasshouse and the field. Diflerent numbers of pods per plant in the glasshouse-grown lupin were generated by the application of N6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) to a specific number of flowers to ensure artificially that they set pods, and the subsequent removal of the remaining untreated flowers. Pod number ranged from 6 to 65 pods/plant in the glasshouse and was naturally distributed from 2 to 22 pods/plant in the field. Increases in seed yield per plant occurred as pod number per plant increased from 2 to 30 pods. No further increases in seed yield resulted when pod number per plant increased from 30 to 55 pods. Seed yield per plant was depressed as pod number increased from 55 to 65 pods. Seed size fell as pod number per plant increased over 20 pods and was less affected once the number of seeds per pod was reduced. The reduction in seed number per pod resulted from an increase in the number of seeds that aborted during seed filling. The data suggest that at a plant density of 36 plants/m2 there is potential for improving seed yield per plant by increasing the number of pods that reach maturity, provided it does not exceed 30 pods/plant. However, if consideration is given to producing large seeds, often preferred by buyers, the number of pods per plant should not exceed 20 pods.


We present a thorough Se-77 nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) study of a single crystal of the magnetoelectric compound Cu2OSeO3. The temperature dependence of the local electronic moments extracted from the NMR data is fully consistent with a magnetic phase transition from the high-T paramagnetic phase to a low-T ferrimagnetic state with 3/4 of the Cu2+ ions aligned parallel and 1/4 aligned antiparallel to the applied field of 14.09 T. The transition to this 3up-1down magnetic state is not accompanied by any splitting of the NMR lines or any abrupt modification in their broadening, hence there is no observable reduction in the crystal symmetry from its high-T cubic P2(1)3 space group. These results are in agreement with high-resolution x-ray diffraction and magnetization data on powder samples reported previously by Bos et al. [Phys. Rev. B 78, 094416 (2008)]. We also develop a mean-field theory description of the problem based on a microscopic spin Hamiltonian with one antiferromagnetic (J(afm) similar or equal to 68 K) and one ferromagnetic (J(fm) similar or equal to -50 K) nearest-neighbor exchange interaction.


Procedures aimed at explaining outcomes and behaviour of opaque predictors are becoming more and more essential as machine learning (ML) black-box (BB) models pervade a wide variety of fields and, in particular, critical ones - e.g., medical or financial -, where it is not possible to make decisions on the basis of a blind automatic prediction. A growing number of methods designed to overcome this BB limitation is present in the literature, however some ML tasks are nearly or completely neglected-e.g., regression and clustering. Furthermore, existing techniques may be not applicable in complex real-world scenarios or they can affect the output predictions with undesired artefacts.

In this paper we present the design and the implementation of GridREx, a pedagogical algorithm to extract knowledge from black-box regressors, along with PEDRO, an optimisation procedure to automate the GridREx hyper-parameter tuning phase with better results than manual tuning. We also report the results of our experiments involving the application of GridREx and PEDRO in real case scenarios, including GridREx performance assessment by using as benchmarks other similar state-of-the-art techniques. GridREx proved to be able to give more concise explanations with higher fidelity and predictive capabilities.


This paper elaborates on four previously proposed rules of engagement between conscious states and physiological states. A new rule is proposed that applies to a continuous model of conscious brain states that cannot precisely resolve eigenvalues. If two apparatus states are in superposition, and if their eigenvalues are so close together that they cannot be consciously resolved on this model, then it is shown that observation will not generally reduce the superposition to just one of its member eigenstates. In general, the observation of a quantum mechanical superposition results in another superposition. Key words: Brain states, consciousness, conscious observer, macroscopic superposition, measurement, state reduction, state collapse, von Neumann.


This paper proposed a new approach to control the micro-quality of sapphire substrate, in order to grow GaN on substrate. The main factors that influence macro-quality are the method of slicing, grinding and polishing. Thread speed of slicing is less than 0.5m/s. Ductile mode grinding of substrate is achieved by #3000 diamond wheel and feed of 1μm/r. The suitable polishing conditions are that the SiO2 grain size is less than 10nm, the concentration SiO2 is 3%, pH value of polishing liquid is 10.5 and polishing stress is 190Pa. The undamaged substrates have been obtained steadily. The surface roughness RMS is less than 0.4 nm.


The north-eastern coast of Sicily is characterized by deep, steep bottoms, not easily exploitable by trawl fishery. In this area few fishermen use bottom traps to catch shrimps and Norway lobsters. Our studies were aimed at identifying the species' composition, abundance and biomass of crustaceans exploitable by bottom traps in this area. Monthly samples over one year were obtained from two lines of 30 baited traps each, at depths between 100 and 500 m. One line was placed in an area usually exploited by this fishery; the other line was used in the unexploited deepest bottoms. Trapped specimens were counted and weighed. ANOVA test, post hoc multiple comparisons and Student's t test were applied on abundance and biomass data, for testing differences between areas, among seasons and species. During 22 fishing days, 23 species characteristic of the bathyal mud assemblage were caught, 8 of which were not considered commercial. Plesionika edwardsii was the most important species, recorded in the whole bathymetric range investigated; Nephrops norvegicus was significantly higher in terms of biomass in the unexploited area. The discard, of slight importance, was mostly represented by the crab Liocarcinus depurator . Spring season yielded the best catches in both areas, showing the highest values for both abundance and biomass


A 3-dimensional double stacked 4 gigabit multilevel cell NAND flash memory device with shared bitline structure have successfully developed. The device is fabricated by 45 nm floating-gate CMOS and single-crystal Si layer stacking technologies. To support fully compatible device performance and characteristics with conventional planar device, shared bitline architecture including Si layer-dedicated decoder and Si layer-compensated control schemes are also developed. By using the architecture and the design techniques, a memory cell size of 0.0021 mum2/bit per unit feature area which is smallest cell size and 2.5 MB/s program throughput with 2 kB page size which is almost equivalent performance compared to conventional planar device are realized.


This thesis describes the development of a reaction to prepare aryl sulfides from aryl iodides under visible light photoredox catalysis. Visible light is used to excite a photocatalyst which leads to an oxidative catalytic cycle. The excited photocatalyst reduces a chosen aryl iodide forming an aryl radical to undergo electrophilic addition with a disulfide to form a desired aryl sulfide. This research addresses some of the limitations of traditional transition-metal catalysed cross-coupling reactions, through the development of a radical-mediated cross-coupling reaction to afford aryl sulfides. An introduction to cross-coupling reactions and visible light photoredox catalysis is described in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 describes the reaction design and mechanistic studies with a focus on eliminating competitive reduction of the starting aryl iodide. Particular interest was taken in examination of Single Electron Transfer (SET) donors and solvents as these would be the most probable source of reduction in the reaction. A summary of this work and proposed future studies is delineated in Chapter 3. All procedures and results are present in Chapter 4.