The spectrum of lymphoproliferative disorders linked to human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection has constantly been increasing since the discovery of its first etiologic association with primary effusion lymphoma (PEL). PEL is a rapidly progressing non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma that develops in body cavities in an effusional form. With the increase in the overall survival of PEL patients, as well as the introduction of HHV-8 surveillance in immunocompromised patients, the extracavitary, solid counterpart of PEL was later identified. Moreover, virtually all plasmablastic variants of multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) developing in HIV-1-infected individuals harbor HHV-8, providing a strong etiologic link between MCD and this oncogenic herpesvirus. Two other pathologic conditions develop in HIV-1-infected persons concomitantly with MCD: MCD with plasmablastic clusters and HHV-8-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (HHV-8+ DLBCL NOS), the first likely representing an intermediate stage preceding the full neoplastic form. MCD in leukemic phase has also been described, albeit much less commonly. The germinotropic lymphoproliferative disorder (GLPD) may resemble extracavitary PEL, but develops in immune competent HHV8-infected individuals, and, unlike the other disorders, it responds well to conventional therapies. Almost all HHV-8-mediated lymphoproliferative disorders are the result of an interaction between HHV-8 infection and a dysregulated immunological system, leading to the formation of inflammatory niches in which B cells, at different developmental stages, are infected, proliferate and may eventually shift from a polyclonal state to a monoclonal/neoplastic disorder. Herein, we describe the association between HHV-8 and lymphoproliferative disorders and highlight the predominant distinctive features of each disease.


ABSTRACT There is increasing interest worldwide to utilize unconventional water resources such as reclaimed water, urban stormwater, or impaired surface water to augment drinking water supplies. Given the presence of traditional and emerging microbial and chemical contaminants (e.g., pathogens, trace organic chemicals, nutrients, trace metals) in these waters, efficient and reliable treatment processes are needed to assure a product water quality that is protective of public health. Natural treatment processes such as managed aquifer recharge (MAR) combine the benefits of efficient biological treatment for these contaminants with a low carbon footprint and a residual free operation. The drawbacks of MAR are the rather large space requirements and a lack of process understanding that can guide more efficient design and operation of these facilities. Among appropriate design and operational parameters as well as geochemical and hydrological conditions, retention time has been identified as a key parameter to achieve attenuation of microbial and chemical contaminants during MAR. Shorter retention time can result in significantly reduced footprints and thus facilitate the integration of MAR into urban and peri-urban water infrastructure. However, different minimum retention times are required to achieve reliable removal of microbial and chemical contaminants.


Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive paralysis due to degeneration of motor neurons by unknown causes. Recent evidence shows that Wnt signaling is involved in neurodegenerative processes, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. However, to date, little is known regarding the expression of Wnt signaling components in this fatal condition. In the present study we used transgenic SOD1G93A mice to evaluate the expression of several Wnt signaling components, with special focus on Frizzled-5 cellular expression alteration along disease progression. Findings Based on previous studies demonstrating the expression of Wnts and their transcriptional regulation during Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis development, we have analyzed the mRNA expression of several Wnt signaling components in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A transgenic mice at different stages of the disease by using real time quantitative PCR analysis. Strikingly, one of the molecules that seemed not to be altered at mRNA level, Frizzled-5, showed a clear up-regulation at late stages in neurons, as evidenced by immunofluorescence assays. Moreover, increased Frizzled-5 appears to correlate with a decrease in NeuN signal in these cells, suggesting a correlation between neuronal affectation and the increased expression of this receptor. Conclusions Our data suggest the involvement of Wnt signaling pathways in the pathophysiology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and, more specifically, the implication of Frizzled-5 receptor in the response of neuronal cells against neurodegeneration. Nevertheless, further experimental studies are needed to shed light on the specific role of Frizzled-5 and the emerging but increasing Wnt family of proteins research field as a potential target for this neuropathology.


Wireless power transfer has its roots in Tesla's experiments and his proposition that electric power can be transferred not only by means of radiation, but also by means of induction and resonant coupling. Recent trends in the development of this technology are addressed. Also the basic mathematical ideas that help us understand the various parameters and issues for optimization of power transfer are given. The power in a given load in case of two coils is compared with that obtained in a modified set up consisting of three coils and it is shown that by proper choice of coupling coefficients, one might improvise the existing methods.


Problem: A common assumption is that students prefer to select their friends for group-work. The prime goal of this study was to understand the impact of two group selection methods on how students from diverse cultural backgrounds build learning and work relations. Method: Social Network Analysis in a pre-post test manner in a quasi-experimental design of 81 vs. 70 third-year students. Solution: In this study, we "disrupted" this group selection process after Day 1 by balancing students from different parts of the social network together. In one condition the students were "balanced" into groups by staff to encourage structural hole formation, and in the other condition students were allowed to self-select their group members to encourage network closure. Results: Students in the self-selected condition primarily selected their friends from a similar cultural background. In both conditions the learning networks after 11 weeks were primarily predicted by the group allocation and initial friendships. However, students in the balanced condition developed more cross-cultural learning links. These results indicate that teachers can actively intervene in the cross-cultural dynamics in- and outside the classroom.


Thirteen-lined (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) and Richardson's (Urocitellus richardsonii) ground squirrels survive harsh winter conditions by entering hibernation, spending the majority of their time in a state of torpor, where metabolic functions are strongly suppressed and reprioritized to ensure long term survival. This thesis analyzed biochemical controls on carbohydrate metabolism during hibernation by characterizing the regulation of crucial enzymes of the glycolytic and gluconeogenic pathways: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), pyruvate kinase (PK), and
fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase). Important signal transduction enzymes regulating carbohydrate metabolism were also evaluated: protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). The state of glycolysis in ground squirrel skeletal muscle was assessed by characterizing the bifunctional enzyme GAPDH and the terminal enzyme PK. Results showed that muscle GAPDH and PK activities were substantially suppressed during torpor. PK suppression was linked to reversible serine/threonine phosphorylation. GAPDH regulation was more complex with activity potentially mediated by one
or more posttranslational modifications including acetylation, methylation and phosphorylation, as identified through mass spectrometry and Western blot analyses. The gluconeogenic state of muscle was assessed by characterizing FBPase as well as GAPDH operation in its gluconeogenic direction. In both cases, results indicated reductions in gluconeogenic function during torpor. Suppressed FBPase activity (i.e. decreased Vmax, increased Km F1,6P2) was linked with an increase in FBPase phosphorylation and allosteric controls by AMP and F2,6P2. Analysis of PP2A catalytic subunit showed that
elevated phosphorylation at tyrosine307 accompanied a significant increase in Km peptide, indicating reduced activity of PP2A during torpor. This was corroborated by computational analysis of tyrosine307 phosphorylation effects on substrate binding. Skeletal muscle GSK3 activity also decreased during torpor associated with enhanced GSK3 phosphorylation at serine9. However, the principal substrate of GSK3, glycogen synthase, showed increased phosphorylation suggesting that a different protein kinase was responsible for its control during torpor. Taken together these studies suggest that
skeletal muscle glycolysis and gluconeogenesis are suppressed during ground squirrel torpor via posttranslational modification and regulation of key enzymes. Reversible controls over glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes would allow for the quick reactivation of muscle metabolism to support shivering thermogenesis and a return to normal euthermic function during arousal.


This paper develops a model of demand estimation in which consumers learn about their true preferences through consumption experiences. We develop a theoretical model of Bayesian updating, perform comparative statics over the model, and show how the theoretical model can be consistently incorporated into a reduced form econometric model. We then estimate the model using data collected for two quasi-public goods. We find that the predictions of the theoretical exercise that additional experience with a good will make consumers more certain over their preferences in both mean and variance are supported in each case.


Background: In settings like the Ebola epidemic, where proof-of-principle trials have provided evidence of efficacy but questions remain about the effectiveness of different possible modes of implementation, it may be useful to conduct trials that not only generate information about intervention effects but also themselves provide public health benefit. Cluster randomized trials are of particular value for infectious disease prevention research by virtue of their ability to capture both direct and indirect effects of intervention, the latter of which depends heavily on the nature of contact networks within and across clusters. By leveraging information about these networks—in particular the degree of connection across randomized units, which can be obtained at study baseline—we propose a novel class of connectivity-informed cluster trial designs that aim both to improve public health impact (speed of epidemic control) and to preserve the ability to detect intervention effects. Methods: We several designs for cluster randomized trials with staggered enrollment, in each of which the order of enrollment is based on the total number of ties (contacts) from individuals within a cluster to individuals in other clusters. Our designs can accommodate connectivity based either on the total number of external connections at baseline or on connections only to areas yet to receive the intervention. We further consider a "holdback" version of the designs in which control clusters are held back from re-randomization for some time interval. We investigate the performance of these designs in terms of epidemic control outcomes (time to end of epidemic and cumulative incidence) and power to detect intervention effect, by simulating vaccination trials during an SEIR-type epidemic outbreak using a network-structured agent-based model. We compare results to those of a traditional Stepped Wedge trial. Results: In our simulation studies, connectivity-informed designs lead to a 20% reduction in cumulative incidence compared to comparable traditional study designs, but have little impact on epidemic length. Power to detect intervention effect is reduced in all connectivity-informed designs, but "holdback" versions provide power that is very close to that of a traditional Stepped Wedge approach. Conclusion: Incorporating information about cluster connectivity in the design of cluster randomized trials can increase their public health impact, especially in acute outbreak settings. Using this information helps control outbreaks—by minimizing the number of cross-cluster infections—with very modest cost in terms of power to detect effectiveness.


The growing body of preclinical data, as well as clinical data from the phase II doseranging study in immunocompetent patients and from liver transplant recipients participating in the compassionate use program, indicates that famciclovir offers the promise of safe and convenient oral treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection. The results of phase III pivotal studies are eagerly awaited. Denavir is a trademark of SmithKline Beecham plc.


It is a truism that much of construction management research is preoccupied with helping the sector to deliver buildings and infrastructure more quickly, cheaply and efficiently. And yet, historical concerns with the efficiency of production have done little to bring about an industry, or profession, which is seen as contributing to societal well-being. Indeed, it is questionable as to whether this instrumental and rationalistic approach to improvement has even had significant effects on the cost and quality of the built environment. Hence, here we try to develop a counterposition on the role of construction management research, and the construction sector more generally. We argue that the built environment is at the centre of societal interaction, both positive (such as in enabling social and physical mobility) and negative (as the reproduction of socio-economic inequalities through poor housing, limited access and so on). It is commonly
accepted that good quality housing, transport and public facilities such as schools and hospitals are central to a fair society. But we see little rehearsal of these priorities in discussions on the delivery of the built environment in our field. So we ask – what would construction management (and construction management research) look like, if it placed its societal function above time, cost and quality? We take inspiration from both critical studies of projects - notably those of the
Scandinavian School that sees projects as being in a constant state of drift - and Mills' (1970) classic concept of the 'sociological imagination', which contends that sociological thinking should be the bridge between individual concerns and macro-level societal and economic
structures. We re-cast these perspectives in relation to both technology (building information modelling) and a project (the 2012 Olympic Games) to explore the connectivity between societal contribution, and narrower pre-occupations with delivery and efficiency within the sector. This
leads us to provide new provocations around the relationship between construction management
and the built environment that it brings about. Specifically, seeing construction management as
an enabler of the built environment shifts debates away from myopic obsessions with the
management of production, to a focus on the multiple contributions that it makes to society.
Moreover, it suggests a fundamentally different role for construction management research in
understanding the implications of industry practices across multiple societal contexts and scales.


Objective
To evaluate the application value of an intelligent fundus assisted diagnosis system for detecting retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) based on deep learning.

Methods
A total of 38 895 fundus images for premature infants screening were collected from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Eye Center and were labeled by 10 licensed ophthalmologists.A deep learning network model was established to acquire automatic classification of disease stages and plus disease.The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the algorithm were calculated to evaluate the performance of the artificial intelligence system for ROP automatic diagnosis.This study protocol was approved by Ethic Committee of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University (No.WDRY2019-K032). Written informed consent was obtained from the guardians of the children before entering the study cohort.

Results
The intelligent system achieved an accuracy of 0.931.Specifically, the accuracies in detecting demarcation line (stage Ⅰ) was 0.876, ridge (stage Ⅱ) was 0.942, ridge with extra retinal fibrovascular (stage Ⅲ) was 0.968, subtotal retinal detachment (stage Ⅳ) was 0.998, total retinal detachment (stage Ⅴ) was 0.999, vascular tortuosity and dilatation (plus disease) was 0.896, optic disc was 0.954, macular was 0.781, and laser scars were 0.974, respectively.

Conclusions
Deep learning algorithm can detect the stages and plus disease of ROP with excellent accuracy, and it provides the feasibility of applying the algorithm for ROP automated screening in clinical.

Key words:
Artificial intelligence; Deep learning; Retinopathy of prematurity; Assisted diagnosis


: Introduction : We examined arrange I-III intrusive bosom malignant growth sufferers of European lineage, adding 9,333 ER-positive (3,152 cured with therapy) and 2,335 ER unhelpful sufferers (1,498 cured by means of therapy).Cancer leukocyte invasion is related by means of medical reaction to therapy in estradiol receptor (ER) negative bosom disease. To recognize variations in amethopterin trail qualities related by means of visualization following additive chemotherapy for ER-negative sufferers. Methods: Multivariable Cox relative peril relapse was utilized to evaluate hereditary relationship with by and large endurance (OS) and bosom malignant growth explicit endurance (BCSS). By and large 3,612 solitary nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 132 qualities were genetic as a component of the Collaborative Oncological Gene-condition Study, in which phenotype and medical information were gathered and orchestrated. We shared information from 16 examinations since the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC), and utilized two free investigations for duplications. Heterogeneity as per therapy or ER position was assessed by means of the project probability proportion test. Results: Relationship through TGFBR2 rs1367610 but not IL12B alternative simulated by means of BCAC Asian examples and the self-governing potential learning of results in Sporadic against Hereditary Breast Cancer Study and yielded a combined HR of 1.57 ((95% CI 1.28 to 1.94), P = 2.05 × 10−5) devoid of learning heterogeneity.Three autonomous SNPs in TGFBR2 and IL12B were connected with OS (P <10−3) completely in ER-negative sufferers following chemotherapy (267 events). Of inferior excellence OS connected with TGFBR2 rs1367610 (G > C) (per allele danger relation (HR) 1.54 (95% self-assurance time (CI) 1.22 to 1.95), P = 3.08 × 10−4) was not establish in ER-negative sufferers devoid of chemotherapy or ER-positive sufferers with chemotherapy (P for communication <10−3). Two SNPs in IL12B (r2 = 0.20) established dissimilar relations with ER-negative ailment following chemotherapy: rs2546892 (G > A) with inferior OS (HR 1.50 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.86), P = 1.81 × 10−4), and rs2853694 (A > C) with enhanced OS (HR 0.73 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.87), P = 3.67 × 10−4). Comparable relations were pragmatic with BCSS. Conclusions: Our discoveries give further bits of knowledge addicted to the improvement of immunotherapeutic focuses for ER-negative bosom cancer. TGFBR2 variations may have predictive and prescient incentive in ER-negative bosom malignant growth sufferers cured with adjuvant therapy.


The government have plans to improve the railway transport capacity and transport hub for the sustainable national transport and logistics system. Specially, there are much efforts to improve transportation capacity such as high speed transportation of rail freight, enlargement of BT train, development of double stack train, etc. between railway transport hubs. If the transport capacity between railway logistics hubs is increased as planned, we must increase the handling capacity of railway hub terminals. But there are limits to enlarge the terminal infrastructure because of investment scale, location circumstances and urban development plans. To ensure the capacity, with the minimum required enlargement of infrastructure, it is necessary to extremely increase the efficiency of terminal operations. For improving the efficiency, we have to introduce the efficient terminal operation systems based on u-IT and operation optimize technologies. In this paper, we analyse the issues and problems of railway terminals(including ICD) and suggest the concept of intelligent railway terminal and the construction components of technology.


OBJECTIVE
To describe and analyze the demographics and academic backgrounds of United States otolaryngology program directors (PD) and assess gender disparity in the field.

METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study in which an online search using publicly available sources was performed to gather information on PDs for 125 United States otolaryngology programs from May 14, 2021, to May 30, 2021. Data collected included PD appointment year, age, gender, resident gender breakdown, degree, as well as training location and graduation year.

RESULTS
There were 69.6% programs with a male PD and 30.4% with a female PD. Ninety percent of PDs have an MD degree and 9.6% have a DO degree. The current average age of PDs was 49.9 years old (range 35-79). Males were older than females PD (51.0 vs 47.1 years, P = 0.045) and have served a longer time as PD (7.1 vs 4.8 years, P = 0.019). There was no significant difference in other variables collected. There were 27.3% of program directors that held the position of professor, 44.5% associate professor, and 28.2% assistant professor. The most common subspecialty practiced by otolaryngology PDs was head and neck oncology.

CONCLUSION
Disparity in women's representation in otolaryngology still exists, but the program director leadership position demonstrates better parity. There is an equal percent representation when examining female PDs and female otolaryngologists in academic medicine. Continued efforts to encourage women to enter and become leaders in otolaryngology are necessary moving forward.


The use of materials with otherwise desirable mechanical properties is often problematic in practice as a result of corrosion. Susceptibility may arise for a number of reasons, including an electrochemically heterogeneous surface or destabilisation of a passive film. These shortcomings have historically been overcome through the use of various coatings or claddings. However, a more robust surface layer with enhanced corrosion resistance could possibly be produced via local surface alloying using a fluidised bed. A fluidised bed treatment allows a surface to be alloyed, producing a distinct surface layer up to tens of microns thick. Surface alloying additions can be selected on the basis of whether they are known or suspected to enhance the corrosion resistance of a particular material, whilst at a minimum, surface alloying likely provides a more electrochemically homogeneous surface. Electrochemical evaluations using potentiodynamic polarisations in NaCl electrolytes have shown chromised plain carbon and stainless steel surfaces have decreased rates of corrosion, decreased passive current densities, and ennobled pitting potentials relative to untreated specimens.


This paper describes the technology of welding of finned tubes made of the X5CrNi1810 (1.4301) austenitic steel, developed at Energoinstal SA, allowing one to get high quality joints that meet the requirements of the classification societies (PN-EN 15614), and at the same time to significantly reduce the manufacturing costs. The authors described an automatic technological line equipped with a Trumph disc laser and a tube production technological process. To assess the quality of the joints, one performed metallographic examinations, hardness measurements and a technological attempt to rupture the fin. Analysis of the results proved that the laser-welded finned tubes were performed correctly and that the welded joints had shown no imperfections.


The paper discusses electronic leadership (e-leadership) competencies that would ensure organizational competitiveness in the digital transformation of an organisation or a unit of an organisation. Like any other large-scale transformation of a business that has high failure rates, digital transformation can fail and it is failing in organisations in Africa; making them bankrupt requiring business rescue or taking them completely out of business. Digital transformation is considered as the process of using digital technologies (integrating cyber-physical systems (CPS) i.e., (intelligent network systems) and business processes) to create and improve production, sustain customer experiences; thus, the use of digital technologies to integrate business process, office automation, industrial process and factory automation to transform business. It is therefore argued that most African organizations are currently faced with the critical challenge of determining the pre- convergence and convergence of technologies, their alignment with strategy and their integration with business processes and systems to build digital business infrastructure for competitiveness. The concept of enactment of technology-in-practice derived from Adaptive Structuration Theory was used as a lens through which to understand and interpret the implications of the digital transformation on leadership competencies to derive e-leadership profile to lead African businesses in the digital age. As such the objective of this paper is to determine the competencies of e-leadership to lead digital transformation agenda of an organization in a highly and digitally competitive marketplace. It is a qualitative study, using an interpretative paradigm in a case study methodology where semi- structured interviews were used to collect data from each unit of analysis representing specific South African based businesses. The selected Cases in South African were extensively investigated. The enactment of e-leadership derived from AST is proposed to lead digital transformation. The implication is that the deployment of e-leadership in an organization has a potential to yield benefits such as the creation of higher organisational flexibility, empowerment of staff and strategic/competitive advantages for the organization. This paper proposes that having effective e-leaders in an organisation would lead to adequate appropriation of digital technologies to digitally transform an organisation.


Abstract Du Toit & Ally's (2003) results on the casualisation of farm work in the Western Cape confirmed the worst fears of sociologists: Globalisation and/or labour laws increased casualisation in agriculture. New labour data and a study conducted in 1976 allow one to revisit the casualisation result for the table grape industry of the Hex River Valley. This paper resolves imprecise definitions of regular versus permanent status, and of casual versus seasonal status. It also examines casualisation and job shedding. Results show a decrease in the share of seasonal work and no change in the casual component of seasonal work. The job status of most farm women in the Valley improved as a result of legislative changes implemented since 1994. Outsourcing is present but insignificant at this point. On the whole data for the table grape industry of the Hex River Valley does not support the hypothesis that globalisation and labour market reform caused dramatic increases in casualisation.


This study examined the influence of 12 different synthetic sport surfaces (bitumen, concrete, 3 samples of synthetic grass, and 7 samples of rubber surfaces) on ground reaction forces at landing in netball. Ground reaction force data were obtained for 10 skilled netball players at landing after performing a typical attacking netball movement pattern. Force–time histories of the maximum peak vertical ground reaction forces (VGRF), the initial peak VGRF, and peak braking forces were determined for each trial. Results of the a priori planned comparison analysis indicated that subjects demonstrated significantly longer time to maximum peak VGRF and initial peak VGRF when landing on grass, higher peak braking forces when landing on bitumen and concrete combined, and a significantly shorter time to peak braking force when landing on grass in comparison to other samples tested. It was concluded that the rubber surfaces tested demonstrated the potential for being the most suitable playing surface for minimizatio...


Objective Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Exposure to workplace carcinogens is an important factor, yet there are sparse data about the numbers and types of LAC workers exposed. This project aimed to build capacity for CARcinogen EXposure (CAREX) programs in LAC. Methods The CAREX method, originally developed in the European Union for estimating exposure to occupational carcinogens, has been used and modified in some Central American countries and Canada. Generally, the approach combines labour force data with estimates of the proportions of workers exposed to priority carcinogens in each country. A two-day workshop involving over 20 participants from Canada and 12 LAC countries was held to discuss methodological approaches, issues unique to LAC, and research opportunities. Certain individual countries subsequently developed CAREX programs by holding consultations to identify priority carcinogens and adapting proportion of exposure values from existing CAREX programs. Results CAREX programs in LAC have been established in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Guyana, Colombia, Peru, and Chile. Central American CAREX projects included exposure estimates by sex for approximately 30–35 carcinogens that incorporated levels of uncertainty. Both informal and formal workers were covered in exposure estimates, although estimates for these populations are challenging in most countries. In general, agents with the greatest prevalence of exposure in all industries included solar radiation, environmental tobacco smoke, crystalline silica, and pesticides. In Peru, exposure estimates were based on data from LAC and Europe with the involvement of experts from 43 institutions. Preliminary results from Chile have also been produced using a slight variation of this approach. Conclusions This project demonstrates that the CAREX methodology can be readily adapted to different countries, economies, and priority carcinogens. CAREX exposure estimates are integral for informing primary prevention activities and improving estimates of the global occupational cancer burden.


The molecular mechanisms underlying the caudal-to-rostral progression of Lewy body pathology in Parkinson's disease (PD) remain poorly understood. Here, we aimed to unravel transcriptomic signatures across brain regions involved in Braak Lewy body stages in non-neurological controls and PD donors. Using human postmortem brain datasets of non-neurological adults from the Allen Human Brain Atlas, we identified expression patterns related to PD progression, including genes found in PD genome-wide associations studies: SNCA, ZNF184, BAP1, SH3GL2, ELOVL7, and SCARB2. We confirmed these patterns in two datasets of non-neurological subjects (Genotype-Tissue Expression project and UK Brain Expression Consortium) and found altered patterns in two datasets of PD patients. Additionally, co-expression analysis across vulnerable regions identified two modules associated with dopamine synthesis, the motor and immune system, blood-oxygen transport, and contained microglial and endothelial cell markers, respectively. Alterations in genes underlying these region-specific functions may contribute to the selective regional vulnerability in PD brains.


The purpose of this two-year study, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), was to examine the impact of "musically trained" early childhood specialists on the music achievement and emergent literacy achievement of preschool students. The sample, obtained through use of a letter of recruitment mailed to a regional group of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) members, consisted of 11 teachers who met the criteria for the project and their respective students ( N = 165). Following a year of intensive staff development training in musicianship skill and pedagogical strategies for guiding young children's music development, the teachers implemented the curriculum in the second year and several measures were used to collect data relative to student music and literacy outcomes. Analyses included the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test and multivariate techniques of MANCOVA and multiple regression. Results were mixed for music achievement. Median scores were similar for the experimental and control groups on use of singing voice. Students' tonal pattern achievement in the experimental group was significantly higher but no significant differences were found in children's rhythm-pattern achievement. When controlling for age and prior knowledge, the music intervention significantly increased children's oral vocabulary and grammatic understanding and was especially effective for children who began with lower literacy skills.


Directional communication at millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies is one of the key technologies under development towards the anticipated deployment of fifth generation mobile access (5G). Silicon-based multi-antenna systems are strong candidates for the implementation of such directional links; however, the performance requirements are in general significantly more challenging than those posed by mmWave WLAN links demonstrated so far (e.g. for 802.11ad). This work presents an overview of recent innovations in circuit design, antenna design, and beamforming architecture which enable complex phased arrays with precise and agile beamforming for mmWave-based 5G communications. Specifically, this work discusses: (1) a 28-GHz phase shifting transceiver front end, (2) beamforming architecture considerations to enable dual polarized operation as well as multi beam configurability, and (3) two different 28-GHz antenna-in-package (AiP) designs. These advances have been jointly demonstrated in a 64-element dual polarized phased array antenna module (PAAM) consisting of four SiGe ICs and an AiP array. The PAAM supports two simultaneous and independent 64-element beams in either TX or RX modes. PAAM-level measurement results over the air without calibration show +/− 50° beam scanning with >10dB silde-lobe rejection, <1.4° beam steering resolution with 0.6° RMS error, and 54 dBm saturated EIRP in each polarization. On-wafer measurement results from a front-end breakout and a full phased array IC are presented as well.


Loanable technology in libraries is not a new phenomenon and libraries have for many years made laptops and other items available to students and faculty for their research and class projects. However, tablets are a newer technology that presents new challenges for libraries wishing to loan them to patrons. This article explores the process by which one music and performing arts library implemented a loanable iPad program. Issues regarding setup, device control and management, applications, marketing, and circulation procedures, policies and problems are presented and discussed.


The study of patients being weaned from mechanical ventilation has offered new insights into the physiology of respiratory failure. Assessment of the balance between respiratory muscle strength, work and central drive is essential if difficulty in weaning occurs, and optimisation of these elements may improve the success of weaning. Psychological support of patients and the creation of units specialising in weaning have also resulted in a higher success rate.


Nitrogen (N) availability is the main constraint on primary production in most Arctic ecosystems, with microbial fixation of atmospheric N as the primary source of N input. However, there are only few reports on N fixation rates in relation to climate change in the Arctic. In order to investigate the effects of anticipated global climate change on N fixation rates in a subarctic moist heath, a field experiment was carried out in Northern Sweden. Warming was induced by plastic tents, and in order to simulate the effects of future increased tree cover, birch litter was added each fall for 9 years before the measurements. We analyzed N fixation rates on both whole‐ecosystem level and specifically on two moss species: Sphagnum warnstorfii and Hylocomium splendens. The whole‐ecosystem N fixation of the warmed plots almost tripled compared with the control plots. However, in the Sphagnum and Hylocomium mosses we observed either no change or occasionally even a decrease in N fixation after warming. Both measured on whole‐ecosystem level and on the two moss species separately, litter addition increased N fixation rates. The results suggest that warming will lead to a general increased ecosystem N input, but also that the N fixation associated to some moss species is likely to decrease. Hence, this study shows that the scale of measurements is crucial when investigating on ecosystem responses to manipulations.


Like their conventional optical lithography counterparts (discussed in Chapter 13), EUV lithography and x-ray lithography utilize photons to image and pattern devices. But unlike their conventional optical lithography counterparts, they utilize
extremely short-wavelength photons in the soft (for EUV lithography) and hard x-ray (for x-ray lithography) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Of these two lithographies, x-ray lithography was the first to be successfully demonstrated to be useful in lithographic patterning. The resolution potential of both x-ray and EUV lithographies, given their short wavelengths, was the main motivation for their development. The two main printing modes of these lithographies are in proximity mode (for x-ray lithography) and projection mode (for soft x-ray lithography, also called EUV lithography). In the
following sections, we discuss the essential attributes of these lithographies. 14.2 Proximity X-Ray Lithography Lithography using x-ray photons with extremely short wavelengths in the range of 0.4 nm to 2 nm can inherently overcome the diffraction effects associated with imaging features with sizes comparable to the exposure wavelengths of UV lithographies. This was the main motivation underlying x-ray lithography. However, at
x-ray wavelengths, there are no known materials for making image-forming lenses or mirrors. Consequently, proximity x-ray lithography (see Fig. 14.1), where the mask is brought to within a few microns of the wafer and the x rays are passed directly through the mask and onto the wafer, was invented. The year 1972 witnessed the invention of proximity x-ray lithography by Hank Smith at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Many companies (IBM, Cannon, Nikon), universities (MIT and the University of Wisconsin), and governments (United States and Japan) spent well over a billion dollars on its development. The first attempts at production of x-ray aligners were made in the mid-1970s by AT&T and MIT, and in the early 1980s by Micronix Partners, Hampshire Instruments, Nikon, and Karl Suss. X-ray step-and-repeat and step-and-scan systems were eventually made commercially available.


In the past several years, researchers, educators, policymakers, and activists have initiated sustainable agriculture programs and efforts the world over. This development has sometimes been accompanied by a sense that it is time to stop discussing sustainability at a conceptual level and get on with the work of making agriculture sustainable. Our perspective is that it is critical to pursue a comprehensive definition of sustainability in order to set sustainable agriculture priorities and ensure that sustainable agriculture takes a path that does not reproduce problems of conventional agriculture. In this paper we briefly review some popular definitions of sustainable agriculture and find that their focus is primarily on farm-level resource conservation and profitability as the main components of sustainability. Others have challenged this approach for either not examining the social aspects of sustainability or for containing an implicit assumption that working on the environmental, production, and microeconomic aspects of sustainability will automatically take care of its social aspects. We propose an expanded conceptualization of sustainability—one that focuses on the entire food and agriculture system at a global level and includes not only environmental soundness and economic viability, but social equity as well. In this perspective, issues such as poverty and hunger are as central to achieving agricultural sustainability as those of soil erosion and adequate farm returns.


BACKGROUND
Chronic diseases represent a major clinical and social problem. Both institutions and professionals are called upon to provide accurate and efficient care at all stages in the clinical pathway. Heart failure (HF) is one of the most chronic diseases with the highest impact on survival, quality of life, and overall costs and assistance. However, healthcare support is often fragmented and with little attention to coordination through the different stages of the clinical pathway.

METHODS
On the basis of the synergistic approach for implementation of clinical pathways between the Regional Healthcare Agency of the Marche Region and the consensus document of the Italian Federation of Cardiology, we decided to conduct a survey on assistance programs to patients with HF in the Marche Region. The questionnaire was modeled on one developed by the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO) during the years 2004-2005, and was sent to all facilities participating in the Cardiology Network of the Marche Region; all the 15 facilities surveyed answered correctly.

RESULTS
An outpatient HF clinic is available only in 5 of the 15 facilities surveyed. Five facilities have dedicated medical staff, whereas only 3 facilities have nursing staff. A clinical pathway is planned with general practitioners only in 2. The discharge letter is well structured and also provides a direct management of follow-up controls. None of the facilities offer medical or nursing staff to support patients at home.

CONCLUSIONS
In the Marche Region, although few in number, outpatient HF clinics provide good-quality care. Clinical pathways are currently implemented in 2 facilities. Another clinical pathway, however, is going to be developed including all hospital facilities (Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Geriatrics) and out-of-hospital healthcare providers (local care planning, general practitioners, outpatient specialists) with the active participation of all professionals involved in the clinical pathways of HF patients.


Conserved segments in DNA or protein sequences are strong candidates for functional elements and thus appropriate methods for computing them need to be developed and compared. We describe five methods and computer programs for finding highly conserved blocks within previously computed multiple alignments, primarily for DNA sequences. Two of the methods are already in common use; these are based on good column agreement and high information content. Three additional methods find blocks with minimal evolutionary change, blocks that differ in at most k positions per row from a known center sequence and blocks that differ in at most k positions per row from a center sequence that is unknown a priori. The center sequence in the latter two methods is a way to model potential binding sites for known or unknown proteins in DNA sequences. The efficacy of each method was evaluated by analysis of three extensively analyzed regulatory regions in mammalian beta-globin gene clusters and the control region of bacterial arabinose operons. Although all five methods have quite different theoretical underpinnings, they produce rather similar results on these data sets when their parameters are adjusted to best approximate the experimental data. The optimal parameters for the method based on information content varied little for different regulatory regions of the beta-globin gene cluster and hence may be extrapolated to many other regulatory regions. The programs based on maximum allowed mismatches per row have simple parameters whose values can be chosen a priori and thus they may be more useful than the other methods when calibration against known functional sites is not available.


Oxidation in hot stamping of ultra high strength steel sheets was prevented by coating the sheets with an oxidation preventive oil. For four types of oxidation preventive oil, the degree of oxidation under natural cooling of the heated sheets without forming was first evaluated. The oil that forms a liquefied film at elevated temperatures exhibited high oxidation prevention, and this oil was chosen for a hot bending experiment. Hot hat-shaped bending of the coated sheets using resistance heating was carried out to examine the properties of the products. The bending load was markedly decreased, the shape accuracy of bent products was very high, the surface roughness was similar to that of the sheet, and the hardness was about 1.5 times larger than that of the sheet before the bending due the die quenching. In addition, the layer remaining on the surface of the formed product could be removed using phosphoric acid. It was found that the hot stamping operation using the oxidation preventive oil is effective in the precision forming of ultra high strength steel sheets.


Argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) is central to two metabolic pathways: i) the liver-based urea cycle, which detoxifies ammonia, ii) the citrulline-nitric oxide cycle, which synthesises nitric oxide from L-arginine. Patients deficient in argininosuccinate lyase present with argininosuccinic aciduria characterised by hyperammonaemia and a multi-organ disease with a severe neurological phenotype. Compared to other urea cycle disorders, argininosuccinic aciduria presents a low frequency of hyperammonaemic crises but a high frequency of cognitive impairment. This paradox questions the causative role of hyperammonaemia in the neuropathology. An observational UK-wide study was designed to study the natural history. Data about clinical status, neuroimaging and hASL genotyping were collected from 56 patients. Six had molecular analysis performed in this work. A homogeneous neurological phenotype was observed in most patients. hASL sequencing was available in 19 patients and 20 mutations (1) were found. A genotype-phenotype correlation showed that the prognosis was more likely related to genotype rather than severity of hyperammonaemia. The hypomorph mouse model AslNeo/Neo mimicking the human disease was used to study the neuropathology in argininosuccinic aciduria and showed a neuronal disease with oxidative/nitrosative stress. To define the role of hyperammonaemia in this finding, a gene therapy approach using an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) encoding the murine Asl gene was delivered in AslNeo/Neo mice. The long-term correction of both pathways was observed: i) the urea cycle after a single systemic injection in adult mice; ii) the citrulline-nitric oxide cycle in the brain after a single systemic injection at birth. The neuronal disease persisted if ammonaemia only was normalised but was dramatically reduced after correction of both ammonaemia and neuronal ASL activity. This demonstrated the key-role of a neuronal disease independent from hyperammonaemia in argininosuccinic aciduria. This work provides new insight in the neuropathology of argininosuccinic aciduria and a proof of concept of successful AAV-mediated gene therapy.


Navigation in pedestrian environments is critical to enabling independent mobility for the blind and visually impaired (BVI) in their daily lives. White canes have been commonly used to obtain contact feedback for following walls, curbs, or man-made trails, whereas guide dogs can assist in avoiding physical contact with obstacles or other pedestrians. However, the infrastructures of tactile trails or guide dogs are expensive to maintain. Inspired by the autonomous lane following of self-driving cars, we wished to combine the capabilities of existing navigation solutions for BVI users. We proposed an autonomous, trail-following robotic guide dog that would be robust to variances of background textures, illuminations, and interclass trail variations. A deep convolutional neural network (CNN) is trained from both the virtual and realworld environments. Our work included major contributions: 1) conducting experiments to verify that the performance of our models trained in virtual worlds was comparable to that of models trained in the real world; 2) conducting user studies with 10 blind users to verify that the proposed robotic guide dog could effectively assist them in reliably following man-made trails.


A MICROMACHINED THERMO-OPTICAL LIGHT MODULATOR BASED ON SEMICONDUCTOR-TO-METAL PHASE TRANSITION by Lijun Jiang In this research, a micromachined thermo-optical light modulator was realized based on the semiconductor-to-metal phase transition of vanadium dioxide (V02) thin film. VO2 undergoes a reversible phase transition at approximately 68 °C, which is accompanied with drastic changes in its electrical and optical properties. The sharp electrical resistivity change can be as great as five orders. Optically, VO 2 film will switch from a transparent semiconductor phase to a reflective metal phase upon the phase transition. The light modulator in this research exploits this phase transition related optical switching by using surface micromachined low-thermal-mass pixels to achieve good thermal isolations, which ensures that each pixel can be individually switched without cross talking. In operation, the pixel temperature was controlled by integrated resistor on each pixel or spatially addressed thermal radiation sources. Active VO2 thin film was synthesized by thermal oxidation of e-beam evaporated vanadium metal film. The oxidized film exhibits a phase transition at —65 °C with a hysteresis of about 15 °C. A transmittance switching from --90% to —30% in the near infrared and a reflectance switching from --50% to —15% in the visible have been achieved. The surface microstructure was studied and correlated to its optical properties. A study on the hysteresis loop reveals that the VO2 can be repetitively switched between the "on" and "off' states. The micromachined thermal isolation pixel was a bridge-like silicon dioxide platform suspended with narrow supporting legs. The pixel design was optimized with both thermal and optical simulations. The VO2 light modulator was fabricated by surface micromachining based on dry processing. Silicon dioxide was deposited on a polyimide sacrificial layer by PECVD and patterned to form the structural pixel. Vanadium film was e-beam evaporated and patterned with lift-off process. It was thermally oxidized into V02 at 390 °C. The thermal isolation pixel was anchored on substrate by aluminum pedestals. Finally, the structure was released in an oxygen plasma barrel asher. The VO2 array was experimentally tested and its light switching and modulation ability were demonstrated. Further study shows that the surface micromachining process has no degrading effect on the optical property of VO2 thin film. A MICROMACHINED THERMO-OPTICAL LIGHT MODULATOR BASED ON SEMICONDUCTOR-TO-METAL PHASE TRANSITION


This report, which follows five earlier discussion papers on cost-benefit analysis (CBA) methods and their application to animal health programs, examines two applied areas of animal health economics in more detail. First, specific categories of costs and benefits of improved animal health are examined in more detail, with particular emphasis on foot-and mouth disease (FMD) and other major diseases in cattle, buffaloes, pigs and poultry in Thailand. Some of the information on disease costs and AHP benefits has been derived from audience surveys carried out during the Lampang workshop. Comment will also be provided on methods which may be used for modelling and estimation of benefits of improved animal health in cost-benefit analysis. The second purpose of this discussion paper is to examine the application of CBA to animal health information systems (AHIS).


Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesised via sol-gel method. Aluminum nitrate and aluminum chloride, as two widespread doping sources, have been compared in various Al/Zn molar ratios of 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5. After sol preparation, all samples with different Al content have been aged and then dried at 120°C. The resultant grinned powders calcined at different temperatures of 400, 500, and 600°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) method has been used to investigate crystallisation behaviour and structural properties of samples. Less crystallinity in chloride source samples is detected compared to the nitrate source; however, identical distortion of hexagonal wurtzite unit cell in both sources was evident in XRD results. Field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrates semisphere morphology of ZnO nanoparticles with particle size less than 60nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was conducted to find possible chemical reactions and complexes during the sol-gel process in different Al source samples. UV-vis spectroscopy was carried out to find optical properties of the Al:ZnO samples. The results represent different optical properties in Al chloride and Al nitrate sources.


'This accessible and groundbreaking book...shows how literature and archaeology can illuminate each other to new and stimulating effect' - Professor Helen Cooper, University of Oxford. 'Eye-opening, exciting and absorbing book...The author's close reading of familiar works...produces exciting new arguments on texts ranging from Anglo-Saxon poems to those of William Carlos Williams. Archaeologists, cultural critics, and literary scholars, medieval and modern, will all learn much from its bold insights' - Professor Allen J. Frantzen, Loyola University, Chicago. "Voices in the Past" is a pioneering exploration of the scope for linking archaeology and the critical reading of literature. It begins by introducing and comparing the theories and methods of the two subjects; Professor Hines shows how material and literary artefacts are related, arguing for a fully interdisciplinary approach as a means of gaining a deeper understanding of their meaning and value. This new perspective is then applied to a series of texts and contexts from the Anglo-Saxon period through the High Middle Ages to the Renaissance and Restoration, the 1850s, and American modernism of the 1930s. Key topics considered are the functions and meanings of references and objects, the physical surroundings of literary performances, the emergence of books as commodities and authorship as a profession, and the role of literature in responses to accelerating material change in the modern world. Through this reading of creative writing and archaeological heritage, the author offers fresh and rewarding insights into all periods of English cultural history. Professor John Hines teaches at the School of History and Archaeology, Cardiff University.


Colorado, the headwaters for much of the United States, is one of the fastest growing states in terms of both population and land development. These land use changes are impacting jurisdictional streams, and thus require compensatory stream mitigation via environmental restoration. In this article, we first characterize current demand and supply for stream mitigation for the entire state of Colorado. Second, we assess future demand by forecasting and mapping the lengths of streams that will likely be impacted by specific development and land use changes. Third, based on our interviews with experts, stakeholders, resource managers, and regulators, we provide insight on how regulatory climate, challenges, and water resource developments may influence demand for stream mitigation. From geospatial analyses of permit data, we found that there is currently demand for compensatory stream mitigation in 13 of the 89 HUC-8 watersheds across Colorado. Permanent riverine impacts from 2012–2017 requiring compensatory mitigation totaled 38,292 linear feet (LF). The supply of stream mitigation credits falls well short of this demand. There has only been one approved stream mitigation bank in Colorado, supplying only 2539 LF credits. Based on our analyses of future growth and development in Colorado, there will be relatively high demand for stream mitigation credits in the next 5–10 years. While most of these impacts will be around the Denver metropolitan area, we identified some new areas of the state that will experience high demand for stream mitigation. Given regulatory agencies' stated preference for mitigation banks, the high demand for stream mitigation credits, and the short supply of stream credits, there should be an active market for stream mitigation banks in Colorado. However, there are some key obstacles preventing this market from moving forward, with permanent water rights' acquisitions at the top of the list. Ensuring stream mitigation compliance is essential for restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of stream systems in Colorado and beyond.


BACKGROUND
Acquired heart diseases (AHDs) are serious but largely preventable diseases. They are highly prevalent in developing countries where poverty, illiteracy, and poor socioeconomic conditions still pose a significant challenge. The prevalence and pattern of AHD among children have not been previously documented within the study area.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the pattern and outcome of AHDs among children in Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
A prospective study conducted at the Pediatric Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria from 1st July 2009 to 30th June 2014. Data from all the subjects with AHD were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.

RESULTS
Of the 3810 children, 110 (2.9%) children were diagnosed with AHD over the study period. The mean age of the subjects was 10.4±3.4 years with M: Fratio of 1.2:1. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) was the most common AHD seen in 47 (42.7%) patients, followed by dilated cardiomyopathy/myocarditis in 36 (32.7%) and pericardial effusion in 12 (10.9%) patients. Endomyocardial fibrosis was seen in 7 (6.4%) patients while infective endocarditis and Kawasaki disease occurred in 6 (5.5%) and 2 (1.8%) patients respectively. Mortality rate was 17.3%. Commonly observed co-morbidities included heart failure, bronchopneumonia, and pulmonary hypertension.

CONCLUSION
The pattern of AHD is similar to other studies in developing countries, with RHD being the most prevalent. There is a need for increased emphasis on primary prevention to reduce the burden of these diseases in the study area.


Open source projects rely heavily on online forums as a key input to the requirements process. These forums are valuable sources for information about the users and their needs. Part of the success of open source projects depends on the collaboration and synergy of community members as they engage in active and productive discussions through posting comments, questions, and advice to online forums. However, the lack of feedback which occurs when initial posts go unanswered can negatively affect the users' perception of the project, and can subsequently impede adoption, create frustration, and lead to loss of opportunities from not understanding and satisfying the users' needs. This problem is quite common in open source forums. Our recent analysis of seven open source projects found that anywhere from 14% to 37% of user posts never get a reply. This paper directly addresses the problem of unanswered posts by presenting a hybrid recommender system that can be used to identify potential users who might be capable of responding to unanswered posts. The proposed system was evaluated using a statistical cross validation, and results show that it significantly outperformed a benchmark random recommender in terms of precision and recall. In addition, an informal analysis of the relationships between the users and the threads is presented to provide further evidence for the potential of recommender systems in this area.


Several di-isocyanates have become commercially important materials, used as intermediates in the manufacture of a wide variety of polyurethane products, yet little is recorded on their behaviour if involved in fire. This paper describes a series of programmes carried out under the auspices of the International Isocyanate Institute Inc. First, a small scale laboratory investigation of the ignition, heat release, smoke and toxic gas production characteristics of di-isocyanates was carried out. Second, their behaviour in drumstock and pool fires, respectively, was examined, using full-sized samples and selected real-fire scenarios. Part 1 records the results for toluene di- isocyanate (TDI) showing the need for a modest energy input to ignite it from a pilot flame. It then burns in a steady rather than vigorous manner, leaving no residues. Toxic gases evolved are mainly carbon monoxide, while free isocyanate is likely in the early stages of the fire, and hydrogen cyanide may be important in well-developed fires. Drumstock material behaviour in a fire is dictated mainly by the rupture characteristics of the containers, which can be violent. A series of simple guidelines is suggested, which includes the need for firefighters to wear full protective clothing and fresh-air breathing equipment. It is also recommended that drumstock TDI should be stored away from easily ignitable materials.


Fenton oxidative wastewater treatment of CI Reactive Black 5 and CI Reactive Blue 19 effluent was performed after a simulated laboratory-scale dyeing process, and the cytotoxicity of the treated effluent was evaluated using human skin cell lines. Among the components for Fenton oxidation, the human skin cell results showed that iron(II)sulfate at 150 mm did not show any significant cytotoxic effect, while other components, such as Glauber's salt solution (20 g l−1; 14%), CI Reactive Black 5 (30 mg l−1; 24%), caustic soda (5 g l−1; 30%), CI Reactive Blue 19 (30 mg l−1; 32%), hydrogen peroxide (0.01 m) and soda ash (5 g l−1) showed cytotoxic potential; the reagent sodium sulfite (30 mm; 48%) exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity level. Fast decolorisation (>95%) was achieved within 10 min for CI Reactive Black 5, while for CI Reactive Blue 19 it took longer (1.5 h) to achieve the same decolorisation. Studies showed that decolorisation for both dyes followed second-order kinetics. In spite of the remarkable efficacy of the Fenton oxidation process in removing colour within a short period of time, the resulting treated wastewater (within a reaction time of 1.5 h) also showed cytotoxicity towards the human HaCaT skin keratinocyte cell line. This observation can be explained by the strong oxidant and intermediate species produced during the advanced oxidation process, and a treatment step using sodium sulfite and a prolonged residence time can help to reduce the cytotoxicity.


Change the practice through imperative policy? Teachers' conditions for doing assessments in preschool class. This study examines the conditions given to teachers in preschool class in order to execute the guarantee for early interventions and mandatory assessments of six-year-olds. The reform contributes an imperative policy that is to be interpreted literally to ensure equality. The study involves the analysis of survey responses from 792 teachers in 191 Swedish municipalities. The results reveal three gaps: 1) there is variety in the local preconditions and time spent on the assessments despite the standardization in this imperative policy, 2) the guarantee seems to be integrated into the local institutional culture rather than to be driving change, and 3) the reform seems to have become the teachers' responsibility to implement within existing resources and timeframes. The conclusion is that the reform and its policy lead to large variation when implemented in local practice. Thus, national equality in education is difficult to achieve, even if the policy is imperative.


By combining analytic and geometric viewpoints on the concentration of the curvature of the Milnor fibre, we prove that Lipschitz homeomorphisms preserve the zones of multi‐scale curvature concentration as well as the gradient canyon structure of holomorphic functions of two variables. This yields the first new Lipschitz invariants after those discovered by Henry and Parusiński in 2003.


After two hectic years, Blake collectors deserved a respite. It was not to be. January brought to auction Two Visionary Figures on a leaf from the Smaller Blake-Varley Sketchbook and, for the second time in seven years, The Gambols of Ghosts According with Their Affections Previous to the Final Judgement, one of Blake's watercolor illustrations to Robert Blair's The Grave. The estimate range for Gambols was considerably lower than in 2006, when bidders failed to exceed the reserve price. Sotheby's New York succeeded this time at the top estimate of $600,000 ($722,500 inclusive of the buyer's premium charged by the auction house).


A high field Nb3Al common coil magnet is under development as an R&D of "Advanced Superconducting Magnets for the LHC Luminosity Upgrade", in the framework of the CERN-KEK cooperation program. The goal of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of high field magnet wound with Nb3Al cable. The common coil approach and the shell-based structure were adopted in the design of this magnet. Besides three Nb3Al coils, two Nb3Sn coils were included to increase the peak field of the whole magnet. The two types of coils were designed with different straight lengths to reduce the peak field of the Nb3Sn coils. The peak fields of the Nb3Al and Nb3Sn coils are 13.1 T and 11.8 T respectively. An aluminum shell together with four aluminum rods applies stress to the coils to overcome the Lorenz force during excitation. Two different support structures for the superconducting coils were introduced in this paper. The development status is also presented.


In adults and in very preterm neonates, systemic infection is a well-recognised cause of encephalopathy. Although the manifestations of encephalopathy are very similar in the fetal inflammatory response and in acute hypoxic-ischaemic events, neonatal encephalopathy (NE) in term infants is more often attributed primarily to hypoxia-ischaemia rather than to infection. Is systemic infection an important etiological factor in NE in term and late preterm infants?

A striking 1999 case report1 showed that placental infection with group B streptococcus can cause NE and that the clinical picture can closely mimic both immediate and later signs commonly assumed to indicate birth asphyxia. Many other reports describe associations of placental infections with encephalopathy in term neonates, suggesting that infection, or the resulting inflammation, can indeed underlie NE without an associated sentinel event causing asphyxia. This brief discussion considers the evidence of an infection-NE association, the difficulty of distinguishing infectious from non-infectious inflammation and the way forward.

Most of the evidence relating infection to NE has concerned infections identified during the admission for delivery, usually defined histologically in the placenta, or clinically. Histological evidence includes chorioamnionitis, which is inflammation on the maternal side of the placenta and funisitis on the fetal side, with infiltration of the umbilical cord with inflammatory cells. Clinical evidence of infection includes maternal fever in labour, uterine tenderness, purulent discharge or fetal tachycardia. A third approach to identifying placental infection is by microbiological evaluation. Unfortunately, results of these approaches are often not in agreement,2 ,3 and multiple identification methods are rarely used in the same study.

McDonald et al 4 compared placentas of 93 infants with NE with placentas of normal term controls (n=816) and of random controls (n=387), finding funisitis in 31.2% of NE placentas versus 5.4% and 4.4% of controls (p=0.002). Chorioamnionitis and villitis were …


Barrett's esophagus is an acquired condition that results in a serious injury of the esophageal mucosa and whose importance lies in the possible progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma. The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma continues to rise in the Western world, being survival rate very grim when diagnosis is made in later stages. For this reason the current strategies to improve survival in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma focus on cancer detection at an early and potentially curable stage. This purpose could be achieved either by screening patients most likely to have Barrett's esophagus or by endoscopic surveillance in patients with known Barrett's esophagus. However, the detection and monitoring strategies are currently invasive, expensive and with not really proven benefit. However, new techniques have been and are developed to improve the diagnosis and treatment in order to change the current reality. The aim of this paper is to update the reader on this pathology in terms of pathophysiological and epidemiological aspects, but especially in relation to advances in diagnosis and endoscopic treatment. We also propose a guideline for monitoring and clinical management in this group of patients.


The general objective of the thesis is automation of the analysis of the pathological
lung from CT images. Specifically, we aim for automated detection and classification of
abnormalities in the lung parenchyma.

We first provide a review of computer analysis techniques applied to CT of the lungs as published in the past five years. The rest of the thesis focuses on the steps needed for computer aided detection and diagnosis of disease in High Resolution CT (HRCT) images of the lung parenchyma: segmentation of the pathological lung, detection of abnormalities and classification of abnormalities.

For the normal lung, segmentation can be performed making use of the excellent contrast between air and surrounding tissues. However, this approach fails when the lung is affected by high density pathology. Dense pathologies are present in approximately a fifth of clinical scans, and for computer analysis such as detection and quantification of abnormal areas it is vital that these pathologies are not missed in the initial segmentation. We propose a hybrid approach that incorporates atlas-based registration and voxel classification and as such responds to both shape and textural cues from both inside and outside the lung. It is shown that the proposed method can accurately segment scans with up to a quarter of the lung volume affected by high density pathology and therefore presents a considerable improvement over conventional techniques.

After the lung fields have been identified, the task is to recognize possibly abnormal regions within them. We present an automated method for making the distinction between normal and abnormal lung tissue that makes use of the pattern recognition technique of statistical feature-based learning. Its performance in classifying a set of regions of interest (ROIs) is compared to that of two experts. It is concluded that the computer system is almost as adept at retrieving diagnostic information from the isolated ROIs as are the expert radiologists. However, performance of the radiologists when reviewing the entire scan is not rivaled by the automated system, indicating that further improvement should be sought in incorporation of the context of the ROIs.

In the final chapter it is investigated whether the more complex differentiation between several types of abnormal tissue can be made automatically. This analysis is performed on the entire lung field, rather than a selected set of ROIs. To this end, we propose an automatic unsupervised method of subdividing the lung fields into regions that are homogeneous in texture. It is shown that the proposed subdivision more closely resembles freehand drawing than the popular square grid, and additionally improves the computer classification performance. In classification of the entire lung fields, the automated system mostly confuses the same classes as do the experts. On a more global scale, the computer is used to answer the question whether or not a certain type of abnormality is present in a slice. In this task it achieves accuracies comparable to that of the experts.


An opera about bloodlines and memory, time, erasure and illumination based on Jonathan Safran Foer's Tree of Codes and Bruno Schulz' Street of Crocodiles scored for soprano, tenor, baritone, sixteen musicians, electronics + theatre performers. Opera commissioned by Oper Koln, Ensemble musikFabrik and HELLERAU – Europaisches Zentrum der Kunste, Dresden in co-operation with the Akademie der Kunste der Welt Cologne and other festival partners and with support for research from ZKM – Centre for Media and Art and the Australia Council (Senior Creative Fellowship). Premiere 8 April 2016


Non-invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) seek to enable or restore brain function by using neuroimaging e.g. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to engage brain activations without the need for explicit behavioural output or surgical implants. Brain activations are converted into output signals, for use in communication interfaces, motor prosthetics, or to directly shape brain function via a feedback loop. The aim of this thesis was to develop cognitive BCIs using realtime fMRI (rt-fMRI), with the potential for use as a communication interface, or for initiating neural plasticity to facilitate neurorehabilitation. Rt-fMRI enables brain activation to be manipulated directly to produce changes in function, such as perception. Univariate and multivariate classification approaches were used to decode brain activations produced by the deployment of covert spatial attention to simple visual stimuli. Primary and higher order visual areas were examined, as well as potential control regions. The classification platform was then developed to include the use of real-world visual stimuli, exploiting the use of category-specific visual areas, and demonstrating real-world applicability as a communications interface. Online univariate classification of spatial attention was successfully achieved, with individual classification accuracies for 4-quadrant spatial attention reaching 70%. Further, a novel implementation of m-sequences enabled the use of the timing of stimuli presentation to enhance signal characterisation. An established rt-fMRI analysis loop was then used for neurofeedback-led manipulation of category-specific visual brain regions, modulating their functioning, and, as a result, biasing visual perception during binocular rivalry. These changes were linked with functional and effective connectivity changes in trained regions, as well as in a putative top-down control region. The work presented provides proof-of-principle for non-invasive BCIs using rt-fMRI, with the potential for translation into the clinical environment. Decoding and 4 neurofeedback applied to non-invasive and implantable BCIs form an evolving continuum of options for enabling and restoring brain function.


This study explores the patterns of language learning strategies and the degree of tolerance of ambiguity of Diploma students of UITM Perak Branch. It involved 180 participants who were randomly chosen from a number of faculties at the university. The study also sought to find out any relationships between language learning strategies and tolerance of ambiguity. For the study, the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL for EFL/ESL) and the Second Language Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale were used.It was found that language learning strategies mean was moderate overall. It shows that the language learning strategies usage is common among the samples. Students' most preferred language learning strategies were Metacognitive strategies, while the least preferred was Memory strategies. Their overall tolerance towards ambiguities caused by the use of English inside and outside the language classrooms was also moderate. This signifies that they do not exhibit high tolerance that would lead them to accept new and ambiguous language elements unquestioningly. On the other hand, they also do not possess high intolerance that could impede their L2 learning process. Correlations between tolerance of ambiguity and language learning strategies were weak and not significant, although positive. There is no relationship between students' tolerance of ambiguity and their language learning strategies usage. Keywords— Tolerance of Ambiguity, Language Learning Strategies, ESL.


Hydrogen presents an attractive option to decarbonise the present energy system. Hydrogen can extend the usage of the existing gas infrastructure with low-cost energy storability and flexibility. Excess electricity generated by renewables can be converted into hydrogen. In this paper, a novel multi-energy systems optimisation model was proposed to maximise investment and operating synergy in the electricity, heating, and transport sectors, considering the integration of a hydrogen system to minimise the overall costs. The model considers two hydrogen production processes: (i) gas-to-gas (G2G) with carbon capture and storage (CCS), and (ii) power-to-gas (P2G). The proposed model was applied in a future Great Britain (GB) system. Through a comparison with the system without hydrogen, the results showed that the G2G process could reduce £3.9 bn/year, and that the P2G process could bring £2.1 bn/year in cost-savings under a 30 Mt carbon target. The results also demonstrate the system implications of the two hydrogen production processes on the investment and operation of other energy sectors. The G2G process can reduce the total power generation capacity from 71 GW to 53 GW, and the P2G process can promote the integration of wind power from 83 GW to 130 GW under a 30 Mt carbon target. The results also demonstrate the changes in the heating strategies driven by the different hydrogen production processes.


Purpose of review Thrombus formation, usually on a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque, is pivotal in the pathogenesis of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This thrombus formation provides the milieu for re-occlusion of the infarct-related artery, the main location of re-infarction post-STEMI. Although rates of re-infarction are lower after reperfusion by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) than after fibrinolytic therapy, re-infarction remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Recent findings The predominant cause of re-infarction after primary PCI is stent thrombosis. Two recent trials [A Prospective, Randomized Trial of Ambulance Initiation of Bivalirudin vs. Heparin ± Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors in Patients with STEMI Undergoing Primary PCI (EUROMAX) and Unfractionated heparin versus bivalirudin in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (HEAT-PPCI)] have each reported higher rates of stent thrombosis in the first 24 h after primary PCI in patients assigned to receive bivalirudin, which affects the balance of risks and benefit of bivalirudin post-STEMI. Also, in a subanalysis of the Platelet Inhibition And Patient Outcomes trial, ticagrelor reduces re-infarction compared with clopidogrel in patients with STEMI after primary PCI. Other nonpharmacological or mechanical interventions during primary PCI, with the exception of newer-generation drug-eluting stents in the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry, have not affected rates of re-infarction. Summary Re-infarction remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Re-infarction rates are altered by pharmacological strategy and stent selection in primary PCI. The design of future trials to detect possible treatment differences in relatively low event rates will provide challenges, and may require more novel strategies such as administrative data collection for patient characteristics and key outcomes.


The point density is a preeminent parameter on airborne laser scanner surveys. It is not only related to accuracy but costs and savings. The lack of uniformity of the point density across the survey is well-known in the scientific community. This paper analyzes the behaviour of the point density derived by an oscillating mirror laser scanner on different single strips on flat bare ground in order to estimate a meaningful mean density value. The variation of the point density at both extreme ends of the oscillating mirror scan is meaningful. It will be demonstrated that excluding the extreme sectors across the strip corresponding to 1/8 of the swath width (12.5% of the sampling area, half in each side) for the computation of the mean density value is enough to satisfy light detection and ranging (LiDAR) specifications for national level surveys.

 Key words: Light detection and ranging (LiDAR), point density, point distribution.


Bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus are important human and veterinary pathogens. A crucial characteristic for this group of bacteria is that they can easily acquire mechanisms of antibiotic resistance for a plethora of antibiotics currently in use for human and animal therapies. Therefore, there is a great need to find novel, non-antibiotic chemotherapeutics with marked antistaphylococcal activity. Promising but still underesti- mated group of potential antistaphylococcal chemotherapeutics constitute bee products: honey, pollen, royal jelly, fermented pollen and especially propolis. Another group of natural products that exhibit promising antibacterial activity is essential oils. Usefulness of bee products and essential oils in the treatment of infections caused by S. aureus has been confirmed by results of many investigations carried out by researches in different regions of the world. In this chapter, we have presented the review of publication in this area as well as perspectives and limitations of future applications of these two groups of natural products.


Neurodegenerative disorders are caused by the progressive loss of the structure and/or function of neurons, often through cell death, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Cytoplasmic aggregation of proteins into inclusion bodies is a pathological characteristic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and Alzheimer's disorder (AD). These inclusion bodies have been shown to contain RNA-binding proteins participating in RNA-dependent and RNA–independent protein:protein interactions. RNA-binding motif protein 45 (RBM45), also known as developmentally regulated RNA-binding protein-1 (Drbp1), was first identified as a novel RNA binding protein in rat that functions in neural development. Advancing research has indicated a connection between the presence of human RBM45 protein cytosolic aggregates and degenerative neurological diseases. This review considers the structure, function, and distribution of RBM45 along with a look into potential future research on this multifunctional RNA-binding protein.


Several ordering techniques for block based preconditioning are presented.

The XPABLO algorithm as an extension of the original PABLO and TPABLO algorithms incorporates as a preprocessing step a nonsymmetric permutation combined with row and column scalings to obtain a large diagonal. A more general parametrization can be implemented in XPABLO while keeping the original time complexity of PABLO. It is shown that a block Gauss-Seidel preconditioner can be implemented to have the same execution time as the corresponding block Jacobi preconditioner. Experiments are presented showing that for certain classes of matrices, the block Gauss-Seidel preconditioner used with the system permuted with the XPABLO algorithm can outperform the best ILUTP preconditioners in a large set of experiments.

The new OBGP algorithm extends a given nonoverlapping block ordering to an overlapping ordering to be used for algebraic Schwarz preconditioners. It is shown by experiments that using a multiplicative Schwarz preconditioner based on the extended ordering instead of using a block Gauss--Seidel preconditioner based on the original ordering can result in faster convergence.


Dear Editor,
Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), because of their potential for treating diseases, have gained considerable attention over the past 30 years for their immunosuppressive properties and tissue regeneration capabilities.1,2 This grew into an interest in the 1970s by Friedenstein and contemporaries after studying the bone m ar row.3 MSCs are an excellent candidate for cell therapy because of having intrinsic differentiation potentials into bone, cartilage and fat cells not found previously in other cells. They can also be isolated and expanded easily in vitro, and produce abundant useful growth factors and cytokines.2,4Mesenchymal stem cells have become the top used stem cell type for clinical application with encouraging results.5,6 Significant progress has been made in stem cell research in recent years. The main therapeutic effects of MSCs are now attributed to the stimulation of several innate repair processes in injured tissues in vivo by secreted factors as well as the immunomodulation response. Therefore, MSC therapy is expected to find clinical application in human diseases.6,7 However, there are some critical issues that need to be addressed before MSCs can be used for clinical therapy in humans which will help determine the efficiency of cells administered to the patients as a therapeutic approach, most important of which is immunosuppressive properties.8,9 MSCs can be affected by tumor support that may affect potential tumorigenesis after MSCs transplantation, including different donors and tissues, inconsistent protocols, varying dosages and differing transfusion patterns, and mechanisms that control the behavior of the MSCs at the target site.10,11 Because of their unique features, stem cells are undoubtedly a great hope for the treatment of many diseases. More research is developing on the potential long-term risks associated with MSC therapy. However, Additional studies would also be a major contribution to stem cell biology in general as well as their transplantation.


This article examines the regime changes in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM), by applying the duration model approach to quarterly data of eight currencies participating in the ERM, covering the complete European Monetary System history. We first make use of the nonparametric (univariate) analysis, finding that the probability of maintaining the current regime decreases very rapidly for the short durations to register then smoother variations as time increases. Second, we apply a parametric (multivariate) analysis to investigate the role of other variables in the probability of a regime change. In particular we consider three alternative theoretical frameworks to select potential explanatory variables: first- and second-generation models of currency crisis and an eclectic model that combines the explanatory variables suggested by both models. Our results suggest that the Weibull specification of the eclectic model would be the more appropriate to fit our data set, finding that the real exchange rate, the interest differentials and the central parity deviation would have negatively affected the duration of a given regime, while credibility, the level of international reserves and the price level in the anchor country would have positively influenced such duration. Finally, we do not find evidence of observed heterogeneity associated to currencies with different behaviour in the sample, nor the existence in our sample of unobserved heterogeneity caused either by misspecification or omitted covariates.


The objective of this research work was to produce an indicative assessment of the impact of selected Driver Assistance Systems on road network efficiency and environmental impact at both a local scale (using microscopic models) and network level (using macroscopic models). A methodology has been developed that integrates several degrees of analysis and facilitates the flow of information from microscopic to macroscopic and traffic to environmental models, as appropriate. A number of parameters have been considered in the determination of the scenarios that were used as the basis for the simulation. The presented model system application suggests that positive impacts may be obtained from the introduction of the considered Driver Assistance systems (Adaptive Cruise Control and Intelligent Speed Adaptation) to traffic efficiency and fuel emissions. Furthermore, results about the safety impact of the introduction of these systems can be indirectly obtained from the traffic efficiency results. The sensitivity of the obtained results to small variations of the inputs has also been tackled.


There are two traditional views of the role of intellectual property (IP) within the field of innovation management: in innovation management research, as an indicator or proxy for innovation inputs or outputs, e.g. patents or licensing income; or in innovation management practice, as a means of protecting knowledge. Exploiting Intellectual Property to Promote Innovation and Create Value argues that whilst both of these perspectives are useful, neither capture the full potential contribution of intellectual property in innovation management research and practice.

The management of IP has become a central challenge in current strategies of Open Innovation and Business Model Innovation, but there is relatively little empirical work available. Theoretical arguments and empirical research suggest that from both an innovation policy and management perspective, the challenge is to use IP to encourage risk-taking and innovation, and that a broader repertoire of strategies is necessary to create and capture the economic and social benefits of innovation. This book identifies how intellectual property can be harnessed to create and capture value through exploiting new opportunities for innovation. It is organized around three related themes: public policies for IP; firm strategies for IP; and creating value from IP, and offers insights from the latest research on IP strategies and practices to create and capture the economic and social benefits of innovation


This paperback textbook, edited by an infectious disease specialist, an internist, and a professor of surgery, joins the respected "Current Diagnosis and Treatment" series that has enjoyed such success with Lange Medical Publications. The editors follow the Lange format of a relatively inexpensive but well-printed paperback, with crisp illustrations; multiple tables, graphs, and diagrams; and a concise, semioutline text. The final product is a fascinating collection of fact-filled review chapters, didactic flow diagrams, and enough substantive tables and figures to alone justify the purchase of the book. The editors and their 35 associate authors emphasize two unique aspects of emergency medicine: first, diagnoses are often unknown when patients are initially seen in the emergency room; and second, evaluation and treatment must frequently proceed simultaneously. In the emergency room, many problems yield a diagnosis only after treatment begins, and the response to therapy makes the diagnosis. This unconventional approach is made


Femtosecond time-resolved extreme-ultraviolet core-level absorption spectroscopy has developed into a powerful tool for investigating chemical dynamics due to its sensitivity for detecting changes in electronic structure. By probing the core-levels of atoms and molecules, dynamics may be monitored with elemental specificity, as well as localized sensitivity to the oxidation state around the atomic absorber. Previous experiments with this technique demonstrated the capability to quantitatively resolve strong-field ionization dynamics including the complete |j,m> quantum state distribution of Xe + and the dissociative ionization of CH2Br2, both monitored in real-time with femtosecond resolution. In this thesis, the complete reconditioning of the experimental apparatus is described and its application to the study of vibrational wave packets created by strong-field ionization of Br2 is discussed. Initially, the experimental apparatus was meant as a proof of principle demonstration for table-top extreme ultraviolet transient absorption spectroscopy based on a high-order harmonic generation source. To achieve the experiments discussed here, substantial changes were required to its construction concerning the high harmonic source and overall stability of the apparatus, which are discussed in terms of increasing the operation of the experiment to several days as opposed to a few hours, yielding an unprecedented spectral resolution after Fourier Transform of the signal versus pump-probe time delay for a table-top core-level spectrometer, better than 1.5 cm -1 . The improvements to the apparatus are exploited in terms of examining the vibrational wave packet dynamics in Br2 induced by optical strong-field ionization.First, extreme-ultraviolet transient absorption is established as a bond-length specific probe capable of resolving vibrational motion in Br2 and due to a change in the transition amplitude and energy versus bond length of the 3d5/2,3/2 core-level transitions to unoccupied molecular orbitals. Furthermore, the degree of coherence and beat composition of the 1 &Sigma + g ground state vibrational wave packet is established. Second, the preparation of vibrational wave packets by strong-field ionization of Br2 is analyzed as a function of field intensity. At a field intensity near the threshold of ionization, selective depletion of the vibrational amplitude is observed near the inner turning point, corresponding to the minimum in the ionization energy for the unperturbed molecular potential energy curves. The observed superposition is determined to be primarily composed of the &nu0&nu1 vibrational beat. As the field intensity is increased, perturbation of the potential curves results in preparation of the wave packet at longer internuclear separations, and the distortion of the potentials is directly observed by a shift in the core-level transition energy within the intense laser pulse. Moreover, the composition of the wave packet is found to involve higher vibrational levels, indicating the involvement of a Raman pumping mechanism in the preparation of the superposition. Third, several ongoing experiments utilize the unique instrumental capabilities including the elemental specificity and polarization dependence of the absorption. The elemental specificity and nuclear motion dependence of the core-level probe is utilized to investigate the correlated detection of vibrational wave packet dynamics in IBr on the iodine 4d and bromine 3d core-level absorptions simultaneously. Also, polarization dependent absorption of Xe 2+ looks to extend the quantitative measurements conducted for Xe + to determine the complete |j,m> state populations after sequential ionization. Lastly, polarization dependent measurements of the strong-field ionization of Br2 suggest alignment between the molecular axis and the electric field of the ionizing pump at field intensities near the threshold for ionization, which is lost at higher field strengths. These studies expand the repertoire of capabilities for high-order harmonic generation beyond the proof of principle experiments and establish the technique as a practical tool for monitoring complex, ultrafast molecular dynamics by core-level probing.The capabilities of femtosecond transient absorption have since been expanded here to include the investigation of strong-field generated vibrational wave packets in molecular bromine. To this end, a theoretical model for determining the sensitivity of XUV absorption to valence vibrational motion generated by strong-field ionization was developed utilizing Restricted Excitation Window Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory coupled with internuclear separation, vibrational state sensitive Ammosov-Delone-Krainov tunnel ionization rates. This theoretical model, including details of traditional Ammosov-Delone-Krainov tunnel ionization rates, is presented in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 describes the experimental changes incorporated into the apparatus for successful multi-day experiments for the determination of vibrational dynamics with ~1 cm-1 spectral resolution. Demonstration of the sensitivity of XUV transient absorption to non-stationary ground state vibrational dynamics is then presented in Chapter 4, investigating the vibrational superposition generated in Br2 after irradiation with a 1.6 x 10 14 W/cm 2 driving pump pulse. Chapter 5 expounds upon the dependence on field intensity to the observed vibrational dynamics in Br2 as well as Br2 + . Chapter 6 discusses the currently ongoing experiments being conducted for ground state vibrational wave packet preparation in iodine monobromide, the determination of the complete |j,m> quantum state population of Xe 2+ , and the alignment of the molecular axis of Br2 with the electric field of the ionizing 800 nm field following strong-field ionization. Chapter 6 also presents the conclusions of the experimental work presented here as well as the future outlook of XUV transient absorption spectroscopy in the broader perspective of investigating chemical reaction and dynamics.


We present ZnO-channel thin-film transistors with actively tunable photocurrent in the visible spectrum, although ZnO band edge is in the ultraviolet. ZnO channel is deposited by atomic layer deposition technique at a low temperature (80 °C), which is known to introduce deep level traps within the forbidden band of ZnO. The gate bias dynamically modifies the occupancy probability of these trap states by controlling the depletion region in the ZnO channel. Unoccupied trap states enable the absorption of the photons with lower energies than the bandgap of ZnO. Photoresponse to visible light is controlled by the applied voltage bias at the gate terminal.