Background: Most nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to their hidden anatomical structure and atypical clinical symptoms and often require chemoradiotherapy. Here, we present a systematic review and pooled analysis to synthesize existing research on the efficacy and adverse effects of weekly versus triweekly cisplatin chemotherapy concomitant with radiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC). Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to 1 September 2021, for relevant original research articles published in English. The literature search and data extraction were done independently by two investigators. We used random-effects models to provide point estimates [95% confidence interval (CI)] of overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and the incidence rate of adverse effects (AEs) and with subgroup analysis according to each study type. The primary endpoints were ORR, OS, and PFS; LRFS, DMFS, and grade ≥3 acute AEs were secondary endpoints. Results: In total, 2,305 patients of eight studies were included in this review. We found that patients who were administered cisplatin weekly or triweekly had no differences in ORR, OS, PFS, DMFS, LRFS, severe mucositis, dermatitis, nausea/vomiting or nephrotoxicity. Patients who were administered weekly cisplatin were at a higher risk of hematological toxicity compared with patients who received the chemotherapy triweekly. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that both regimens could be recommended as the standard of care for the chemoradiotherapy treatment of LANPC, the perceived benefit of lower toxicity with weekly cisplatin could not be established.


ANG II alters the short-term blood pressure buffering capacity of the baroreflex in many adult animals. In embryonic chickens, high plasma ANG II levels contribute to baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP, kPa) without changing heart rate (ƒH, beats/min). We hypothesized, on the basis of these features, that an ANG II-induced reduction in baroreflex sensitivity is present in embryonic chickens as in adults. We examined baroreflex function in day 19 embryonic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) after chronic depletion of endogenous ANG II via angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition with captopril (5 mg/kg) from days 5-18 of incubation. The correlation between MAP and ƒH was assessed using increasing doses of sodium nitroprusside, a vasodilator, and phenylephrine, a vasoconstrictor. We used two analytical methods to evaluate baroreflex function: a conventional "static" method, in which maximal MAP and ƒH responses were examined, and a "dynamic" method that assessed beat-to-beat changes during the response to pharmacological manipulation. Captopril-treated embryos were hypotensive by 19% with baroreflex slopes ∼40% steeper and normalized gains ∼50% higher than controls, and differences across treatments were similar using either analytical method. Furthermore, reintroduction of ANG II via infusion raised MAP back to control levels and decreased the baroreflex gain in captopril-treated embryos. Therefore, during typical chicken development, ANG II dampens the baroreflex regulatory capacity and chicken embryos can be used as a natural model of elevated ANG II for studying developmental cardiovascular function. This study is the first to demonstrate that reduction of embryonic ANG II alters normal baroreflex function.


The purpose of a shopping window is to attract attention and interest to the store, hoping to get as many passersby as possible to become new customers or tempt old ones to new purchases. Today, the shopping windows most often have a display consisting of merchandise or services that the store sells. In some cases they take it a step further, adding a digital screen to allow a better display of a larger range of merchandise, with the help of a slideshow of pictures. There is however a limitation to this solution. You can't control what pictures are shown when a specific individual is passing by the store, thus having the risk of losing a potential customer.
We have together with a company named VisioSign explored different solutions on how to add interactivity to the shopping windows, allowing customers to view more specific merchandise or services that the store offers. We aimed to create an interaction that would allow the users to gain as much information as possible in a simple and entertaining manner. Different types of technology for interaction through a glass window were investigated and evaluated with respect to each other. Webcams, Kinect, mobile device connection through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, voice control, and touch screens were considered to be viable solutions. After researching them, we decided on a Wi-Fi connection between the shopping window screen and a mobile device running the Android OS.
The main part of the project then revolved around the creation of an interaction between the shopping window screen and the user, using an Android device as the interaction medium. We put much time into designing the interaction, as well as implementing the applications. For communication between the Android device and the shopping window screen, we needed two applications, one server application for the screen, and one client application for the user's device. Through iterations ending with company tests and feedback, as well as some user tests, we developed and improved the interactions. The final result was two applications allowing the user to browse through categories, save viewable information, and browse webpages on the shopping window screen by the use of his Android device.


Abstract Background: Functional disability is the most common disorder that occurs after stroke and seriously affects the quality of life of stroke survivors. Tai Chi Yunshou (TCY), a fundamental form of Tai Chi, is a simple, convenient, and economical exercise therapy from ancient China. Some clinical trials have reported that it improves upper limb function and balance during stroke rehabilitation. Thus, we plan to conduct a systematic review to investigate the effects of TCY in stroke survivors. Methods: This review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement. We will search English and Chinese databases for randomized controlled trials on TCY for stroke survivors from the dates when the databases were established to 1 July 2020. The English databases will include MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE (embase.com), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library). In addition, the Chinese databases will include the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, the Wanfang database, and the Chinese Dissertation Database. The primary outcomes will include upper limb function and balance function, as measured by the Fugl-Meyer assessment and Berg balance scale, respectively. Two reviewers will independently screen the studies on the basis of the inclusion criteria and extract data. Review Manager (v5.3) will be used for data synthesis, and Cochrane Collaboration's tool will be used to assess the risk of bias. A fixed effects model or a random effects model will be selected based on the level of heterogeneity. The grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation system will be used to evaluate the quality of the outcomes. Results: This systematic review results will be carried out after the completion of the protocol. Conclusions: This protocol aims to guide a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the effects of JCY on upper limb function and body balance in stroke survivors, which will provide evidence for post-stroke rehabilitation training. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020169549.


Classrooms provide a poor acoustical environment for children who have a hearing loss. Frequency modulation (FM) systems can reduce the signal‐to‐noise problems of hearing aids by providing a constant sound pressure of the speaker's voice. A new type of FM receiver combines the hearing aid and the FM system in a single behind‐the‐ear unit (BTE/FM). This new BTE/FM system eliminates the body‐worn case as well as all loops and cords. A new product, which will shortly be introduced into the market, is an FM system, where all the components are contained in the ''boot'' which is then attached to the bottom of the hearing case. In this way, the hearing aid itself converts into an FM system. This paper will discuss this new technology and its contribution to children with a combined hearing and vision loss. [Work supported by OSERS.]


Abstract Wetlands are among the most vulnerable ecosystems, stressed by habitat loss and degradation from expanding and intensifying agricultural and urban areas. Climate change will exacerbate the impacts of habitat loss by altering temperature and rainfall patterns. Wetlands within Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchment are not different, stressed by extensive cropping, urban expansion, and alteration for grazing. Understanding how stressors affect wildlife is essential for the effective management of biodiversity values and minimizing unintended consequences when trading off the multiple values wetlands support. Impact assessment is difficult, often relying on an aggregation of ad hoc observations that are spatially biased toward easily accessible areas, rather than systematic and randomized surveys. Using a large aggregate database of ad hoc observations, this study aimed to examine the influence of urban proximity on machine‐learning models predicting taxonomic richness and assemblage turnover, relative to other habitat, landscape, and climate variables, for vertebrates dwelling in the wetlands of the GBR catchment. The distance from the nearest city was, by substantial margins, the most influential factor in predicting the richness and assemblage turnover of all vertebrate groups, except fish. Richness and assemblage turnover was predicted to be greatest nearest the main urban centers. The extent of various wetland habitats was highly influential in predicting the richness of all groups, while climate (predominately the rainfall in the wettest quarter) was highly influential in predicting assemblage turnover for all groups. Bias of survey records toward urban centers strongly influenced our ability to model wetland‐affiliated vertebrates and may obscure our understanding of how vertebrates respond to habitat loss and climate change. This reinforces the need for randomized and systematic surveys to supplement existing ad hoc surveys. We urge modelers in other jurisdictions to better portray the potential influence of survey biases when modeling species distributions.


We recorded a MWR3.6 earthquake in Idaho (USA) on 7 April 2020 with a network of six three‐element infrasound arrays and co‐located broadband seismometers situated within 25 km of the hypocenter. Infrasound array processing is used to identify the arrival of seismic‐to‐atmospheric coupled phases and as much as 90 s of infrasound coda. Apparent velocities ranging from seismic speeds to subhorizontal atmospheric sound speeds are attributed to a superposition of coincident waves arriving at the arrays. We find that the arriving infrasound originates from a broad range of back azimuths that deviates from epicentral back azimuth and indicates the ubiquity of secondary radiators for this relatively small earthquake. Secondary radiators, which often locate in regions of elevated topography, are identified using backprojections and earthquake initiation time. Analysis of infrasound sources from proximal earthquakes can be used to map ground shaking distributions, which are important for assessment of earthquake hazards.


Engineering nanoparticles (ENPs) are an integral part of consumer products. Released to the atmosphere or disposed to sewage, ENPs quickly penetrate to surface and ground water sources. An absence of a dedicated ENP-retaining water treatment strategy imposes a potential health threat on drinking water consumers. The threat is met by gearing up an upgrade of treatment systems towards membrane filtration that provides a better barrier to ENP penetration at higher energy costs. The current study compares the energy demand of granular and membrane filtrations, with the retention efficiency of inorganic and organic ENPs. Dedicated experiments with gold and silver nanoparticles, dyed viruses, proteins, polysaccharides, and plasmid DNA showed that the energy demand increases from slow to river bank to rapid sand filtration, and to membrane ultrafiltration (UF). The UF alone consumes on average two times more energy than the entire coagulation–flocculation–sedimentation–sand filtration tray. The differences in retention efficiency however are much less pronounced. The traditional retention tray requires 0.4–0.45 kWh per m 3 of effluent (kWh/m 3 ) to provide between 90% and 99% (1 and 2 logs) ENP retention; 1 kWh/m 3 on average is needed to secure the retention of 99.9% (3 log) ENPs by UF.


In this paper the principles and processes of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Appreciative Inquiry Coaching (AIC) are described to illustrate the theory and vision behind a recent paradigm shift in promoting change both in business and everyday life settings. Appreciative Inquiry evolved in the 1980s as a revolutionary and positive philosophy aimed at creating organisational change and is a process that focuses on leveraging an organisation's core strengths, rather than seeking to overcome or minimise its weaknesses. Appreciative Inquiry has been used to cultivate peak performance leadership in the workplace and appreciative organisational practices have been used to create strategic competitive advantages. The AI 4-D Model (Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny) is used to illustrate how AIC can be applied by coaching practitioners and additional applications of appreciative coaching that address frequently encountered coaching issues are provided.


Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) obtained from the nasal cavity of participants and investigate the antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolates from Sokoto state, Nigeria. Methods: Nasal swabs of both nares were obtained from 378 participants across three study centers within the six-month study period. The Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered were characterized, and their resistance phenotype determined in conjunction with MRSA prevalence. Results: Phenotypic screening of isolates obtained in this study revealed a total of 131 (17.3%) coagulase-positive Staphylococci out of 756 samples. Of this number, there were 81 (61.8%) S. aureus, 36 (27.5%) Staphylococcus intermedius, 6 (4.5%) Staphylococcus hyicus, and 8 (6.1%) Staphylococcus schleiferi. Conclusion: This study found a prevalence of 61.8% and 46.9% of S. aureus and MRSA among the studied hospitals in Sokoto state, thus demonstrating that the nares of the hospital populace are not free from S. aureus and MRSA colonization.


Min ordering of a digraph H plays an important role in deciding the existence of a list homomorphism to H. For reflexive oriented trees T , there exists a concrete forbidden induced subgraph characterization to have a min ordering. For irreflexive oriented trees T , the existence of a min-ordering turned out to be somewhat harder, as there are many types of obstructions to its existence. In this thesis, we first review the existing results for list homomorphism problems LHOM(H) for digraphs and graphs. Second, for a specific subclass of irreflexive oriented trees, we present a concrete forbidden induced subgraph characterization to have a min ordering and to have an obstruction called invertible pair (I-pair) and digraph asteroidal triple (DAT ). Moreover, for this subclass of irreflexive oriented trees T , we show that if T contains one of the forbidden obstructions, then the problem LHOM(T ) is NP -complete, and is polynomial otherwise. Third, we discuss general trees, and present some approaches to find the minimal forbidden obstructions in the general case.


For 3D digital measurement of large scale objects, image mosaic is the key technology to achieve whole measurement for a small measuring field of the sensor unit. A viscous-target-based three-dimensional image mosaic technology is proposed. The screw theory is introduced to realize the spatial image mosaic. The method permits an automatic identification of targets and a better matching for the feature coded technology. In experiments, the method was proved to be valid, with a relatively high precision on three-dimensional image mosaic. The relative error of the space length measurement is less than 0.6%.


Abstract. Based on the twenty years' hydrologic data and water quality materials from the year 2005 to 2010, this article studies the water environment changes of reservoir type water source and the water quality protection countermeasures. Through the analysis, it founds that, with the increase of the rainfall, voluminous non-point source pollution was brought to water. The increase of rainfall runoff influences differently to the reservoir's major pollutants -TN and TP. The increase of the rainfall runoff has a dilute effect on TN; with the increase of the rainfall runoff, the TP threshold will increase.


Objective — The present study was designed to explore the roles of MMP-2/TIMP-2 in cardiac fibrosis and to study the effects of benazepril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) on cardiac remodelling in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods and results — Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: a normal control group (NC), a diabetes mellitus-untreated group (DM) and a diabetes mellitus benazepril-treated group (DB). Diabetes mellitus was induced in the DM and DB groups by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). DB rats were treated with benazepril 10 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks by remedial perfusing of the stomach. In the DM group, compared with the NC group, the gene and protein expression of MMP-2 decreased while the TIMP-2 gene and protein expression increased in heart tissues, along with a markedly cardiac collagen deposition. All the above changes were attenuated by benazepril treatment in the DB group. Conclusions — The imbalance of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 expressions in heart tissues might participate in interstitial fibrosis in diabetic myocardiopathy. Benazepril may ameliorate cardiac fibrosis partly by regulating the MMP-2/TIMP-2 system.


The release of gases heavier than air like propane, at ground level, or lighter than air like hydrogen, close to a ceiling, can both lead to fire and explosion hazards that must be carefully considered in safety analyses. Even if the simulation of accident scenarios in complex installations and long transients often appears feasible only using lumped parameter computer codes, the phenomenon of denser or lighter gas dispersion is not implicitly accounted by these kind of tools. In the aim to set up an ad hoc model to be used in the computer code ECART, fluid-dynamic simulations by the commercial FLUENT 6.0 CFD code are used. The reference geometry is related to cavities having variable depth (2 to 4 m) inside long tunnels, filled with a gas heavier or lighter than air (propane or hydrogen). Three different geometrical configurations with a cavity width of 3, 6 and 9 m are considered, imposing different horizontal air stream velocities, ranging from 1 to 5 m/s. A stably-stratified flow region is observed inside the cavity during gas shearing. In particular, it is found that the density gradient tends to inhibit turbulent mixing, thus reducing the dispersion rate. The obtained data are correlated in terms of main dimensionless groups by means of a least squares method. In particular, the Sherwood number is correlated as a function of Reynolds, a density ratio modified Froude numbers and in terms of the geometrical parameter obtained as a ratio between the depth of the air-dense gas interface and the length of the cavity. This correlation is implemented in the ECART code to add the possibility to simulate large installations during complex transients, lasting many hours, with reasonable computation time. An example of application to a typical case is presented.


Semantic publishing can enable richer documents with clearer, computationally interpretable properties. For this vision to become reality, however, authors must benefit from this process, so that they are incentivised to add these semantics. Moreover, the publication process that generates final content must allow and enable this semantic content. Here we focus on author-led or "grey" literature, which uses a convenient and simple publication pipeline. We describe how we have used metadata in articles to enable richer referencing of these articles and how we have customised the addition of these semantics to articles. Finally, we describe how we use the same semantics to aid in digital preservation and non-repudiability of research articles.


Permanent magnet excited synchronous motor servo drives are increasingly employed in industrial applications. During mass production deviations from the ideal machine occur. Thereby, parasitic effects such as cogging torque and torque ripple are influenced in particular. For permanent magnet excited machines the magnet's quality is important. There are many possible failure configurations requiring the study of their influence on the machine's behavior. In this paper, an approach for the estimation of cogging torque considering magnetization faults is presented. This approach is applied to determine crucial configurations of permanent magnet faults. The intent is to evaluate the influence of the faulty magnetic materials with its asymmetries on the later produced machine. In the process, analytical and numerical methods are combined whereby finally a small computational effort with accurate results is achieved.


A new optimal technology and process of separating plastic from domestic waste was presented according to the recycling benefit. An optimal analysis modal was established and the recycling benefit was analyzed. The technique and process of plastic separation was studied. As a result, the investment is much less than that of the synthetic recycling treatment and the recycling benefit is also higher. Depending on optimal separating technique and process, it can reclaim plastic that has high recycling value to a maximum in 15 separating type. A mathematical model of the separating process was established, and the effect of some parameters such as wind speed, sloping angle of airflow on the separating rate was studied; with an optimal 15 m/s wind-speed horizontally and 14-degree blowing angle, so that the rate of separating plastic is over 85%. Therefore, the enterprises can realize persistent development for a long run without government allowances.


This thesis focuses on the replacement of animal fat by vegetable oil in the diet for growing-finishing pigs. Generally, but not exclusively, fats of animal origin contain higher proportions of saturated fatty acids (SFA) than vegetable oils that are commonly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). There is concern among the consumers of pork meat as to the use of fats of animal origin in the diet of pigs. High intake of animal fats by pigs leads to pork meat rich in SFA, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in man. Consequently, consumers tend to prefer animal products derived from animals fed on diets containing oils of plant origin. The PUFA concentrations in pork meat can be raised by feeding pigs diets rich in PUFA, but the impact on physical meat quality was not known. From biochemical studies it follows that PUFAs are preferentially oxidised when compared to SFA. Thus, it could be suggested that the inclusion of vegetable oils into the diets for pigs would alter the metabolism of fatty acids and energy. The main question that was addressed in this thesis is as follows: What is the effect of feeding diets containing either sunflower oil (SO) or beef tallow (BT) on meat quality and fatty acid and energy metabolism? Variables measured were the incorporation of fatty acids into adipose tissue, meat and the whole body, the oxidation and de novo fatty acid synthesis of fatty acids and energy expenditure. The feeding of diets with SO instead of BT did not affect growth performance, but markedly increased the level of linoleic acid (LA) in adipose tissues and pork meat without any adverse effect on the physical aspects of pork quality. The digestibility of crude fat and fatty acids was higher for the SO diets, except for the digestibility of stearic acid. The SO diets raised the oxidation of LA and the de novo synthesis of SFA synthesis. To study fatty acid metabolism at the level of the whole body, the relatively small, Thai indigenous pigs were used as a model. In these pigs the metabolism of LA and ALA was compared after feeding diets with a low or high LA:ALA ratio. Adipose tissue and pork of the pigs fed on the high-ALA diet were enriched with ALA. The ratios of deposition: digestible intake for LA and ALA were lower than 1, indicating preferential oxidation of these fatty acids, which was associated with increased de novo synthesis of SFA synthesis in keeping with the studies in commercial pigs. For both the high-ALA and high-LA diet, the rate of ALA incorporation into the whole body was lesser than for LA, which is in line with preferential oxidation of ALA over LA. In a subsequent study, ALA metabolism was studied in pigs fed ALA-rich diets with identical levels of either SO or BT as fat background. It was found that the digestion and deposition of LA, de novo synthesis of SFA synthesis and ALA oxidation were higher, whereas ALA deposition was lower for the SO diet. It is concluded that the fat background of the diet can affect metabolism of supplemental fatty acids. In order to assess the digestibility of fatty acids more accurately, cannulated pigs were used to determine apparent ileal digestibility instead of faecal digestibility of fatty acids. The apparent ileal digestibility of fatty acids was found to be lower than apparent feacal digestibility, except for that of stearic acid. The aberrant outcome for stearic acid indicates that C18 unsaturated fatty acids are escaping from ileal digestion and are hydrogenated and transformed into C18 saturated fatty acids by microbes in the large intestine. Energy expenditure and proximate body composition was not influenced by the type of fat in the diet.


The magnetostriction in electrical steel under rotational magnetization is usually measured with cross-shaped samples. However, the inhomogeneity of the magnetization and stress in the sample might hinder the measured results. In this paper, we investigate this phenomenon by using a magneto-mechanically coupled energy-based model to simulate the sample in a single sheet tester measurement setup, and compare the simulations and measurements. The results show that some anomalies in the measured magnetostriction can be explained by the inhomogeneous magnetization in the sample and the form effect, which result in inhomogeneous stresses and thus affect the observed quantities. The validity of the model as well as the presented statements are ascertained through experiments on the single sheet tester. The backgrounds of the used modelization technique are also detailed.


There is mounting evidence that a variety of drugs delivered as aerosols are likely to be of benefit in neonatal units. To avoid many of the problems associated with the use of jet nebulisers in ventilator circuits, a chamber was designed to be used in conjunction with a metered dose inhaler (MDI). The dimensions (4 cm x 11 cm) were chosen in an attempt to maximise drug delivery. In vitro studies were subsequently performed in order to determine the optimum operating conditions. Sodium cromoglycate delivered via this system was collected on a filter placed between the tip of an endotracheal tube and a model lung. The dose delivered was determined by means of an ultraviolet spectrophotometric assay. Using a Draeger Babylog 8000 ventilator it was found that drug delivery as maximised by actuating the device just before the inspiratory cycle when the chamber was placed adjacent to the endotracheal tube and by using a long (one second) inspiratory time. Under these conditions 1.5-2% of the original dose was deposited upon the filter at tidal volumes of 11-22 ml. When considered in terms of body weight this is many times the equivalent dose delivered to adults from an MDI. Effective drug delivery to the filter was confirmed using a radiolabelled aerosol. Radiolabelled studies delivering aerosol to the lungs of intubated rabbits demonstrated that deposition aerosol was distributed uniformly between lobes when corrected for the weight of each lobe. In conclusion, the device appears likely to deliver significant, reproducible quantities of drug to the lower respiratory tract while being simple to use.


This paper outlines an approach to designing a course entirely in learning objects. It provides a theoretical basis for the design and then presents evaluation data from a master's level course using this design. It also describes several re-uses of the learning objects on other courses and in different contexts. Each learning object is conceived as a whole learning experience, thus avoiding many of the problems associated with assembling components of disparate kinds.


Previous studies have shown that children of alcohol use disorder (AUD) parents are more likely to develop alcohol problems as well as antisocial and other behavior problems. The purpose of this study was to examine gender discordance in the effect of early maternal and paternal influences on antisocial behaviors of boys and girls, as well as the environmental factors that moderate the parental effects. Specifically, we examined the effects of childhood and adulthood antisocial behavior of the parents on offspring antisocial behavior as young adults. We also examined whether mothers' and fathers' drinking problems when offspring were young children (6–8 years) affected offspring antisocial behavior as young adults (18–21 years). We evaluated 655 children from 339 families in the Michigan Longitudinal Study (MLS), a prospective study of AUD and non-AUD families. Path models were constructed in order to test for the parental contributions to offspring outcomes. We found that both mothers' and fathers' antisocial behavior contributed to the children's young adult antisocial behavior. Only mothers' drinking problems while their children were little had a significant effect on their sons' later drinking, but not on their daughters'. These different parental effects suggest that maternal and paternal influences may be mediated by different mechanisms.


The research presented in this thesis concerns latency in VR and synthetic environments. Latency is the end-to-end delay experienced by the user of an interactive computer system, between their physical actions and the perceived response to these actions. Latency is a product of the various processing, transport and buffering delays present in any current computer system. For many computer mediated applications, latency can be distracting, but it is not critical to the utility of the application. Synthetic environments on the other hand attempt to facilitate direct interaction with a digitised world. Direct interaction here implies the formation of a sensorimotor loop between the user and the digitised world - that is, the user makes predictions about how their actions affect the world, and see these predictions realised. By facilitating the formation of the this loop, the synthetic environment allows users to directly sense the digitised world, rather than the interface, and induce perceptions, such as that of the digital world existing as a distinct physical place. This has many applications for knowledge transfer and efficient interaction through the use of enhanced communication cues. The complication is, the formation of the sensorimotor loop that underpins this is highly dependent on the fidelity of the virtual stimuli, including latency. The main research questions we ask are how can the characteristics of dataflow computing be leveraged to improve the temporal fidelity of the visual stimuli, and what implications does this have on other aspects of the fidelity. Secondarily, we ask what effects latency itself has on user interaction. We test the effects of latency on physical interaction at levels previously hypothesized but unexplored. We also test for a previously unconsidered effect of latency on higher level cognitive functions. To do this, we create prototype image generators for interactive systems and virtual reality, using dataflow computing platforms. We integrate these into real interactive systems to gain practical experience of how the real perceptible benefits of alternative rendering approaches, but also what implications are when they are subject to the constraints of real systems. We quantify the differences of our systems compared with traditional systems using latency and objective image fidelity measures. We use our novel systems to perform user studies into the effects of latency. Our high performance apparatuses allow experimentation at latencies lower than previously tested in comparable studies. The low latency apparatuses are designed to minimise what is currently the largest delay in traditional rendering pipelines and we find that the approach is successful in this respect. Our 3D low latency apparatus achieves lower latencies and higher fidelities than traditional systems. The conditions under which it can do this are highly constrained however. We do not foresee dataflow computing shouldering the bulk of the rendering workload in the future but rather facilitating the augmentation of the traditional pipeline with a very high speed local loop. This may be an image distortion stage or otherwise. Our latency experiments revealed that many predictions about the effects of low latency should be re-evaluated and experimenting in this range requires great care.


1. The haemolymph concentration in the pomatiasids is higher than in any other terrestrial gastropods so far studied. 2. P. elegans shows a yearly cycle of haemolymph concentration, showing maximum values in January and February 1971, and June and July 1971. Minimal values were obtained between March and May 1971. 3. The concentration of calcium in the haemolymph (especially of Pomatias) is high, a value of 20.2 mM/l being obtained for one group of Pomatias. This reflects their dependence on calcareous soils for survival. 4. Haemolymph and urine are isosmotic and isoionic. 5. The mantle fluid is generally less concentrated than the haemolymph and urine, ionic reabsorption presumably occurring over the mantle epithelium. Potassium, calcium and magnesium ions are selectively reabsorbed. 6. The highest haemolymph concentrations in pomatiasids were found in animals that inhabited areas with the least rainfall, and vice versa. 7. During inactivity the percentage ionic composition of the haemolymph of P. elegans altered as the O.P. increased. Sodium decreased, magnesium increased, and bicarbonate decreased. It is suggested that the fall in bicarbonate concentration is due to a change in the buffering capacity of the haemolymph.


Spanning knowledge group boundaries is both a source of and barrier to design performance and innovation. Objects—from prototypes to kanban boards—are frequently used in cross-functional design practice, but their associated outcomes appear varied and dependent not only objects themselves but on how, when, and by whom they are used. We conducted a two-year ethnography within a turbomachinery design company to understand how designers span knowledge boundaries to advance their designs and design processes. Our findings identify three roles of objects of collaboration: routinizing cross-boundary interaction, translating information across boundaries, and motivating joint negotiation or discovery. We illustrate two prominent outcomes—the co-discovery of a design risk, opportunity, or bottleneck and the co-design of a joint integrated solution—and describe two object role sequences from which these outcomes seemed to follow. These findings are significant because they suggest ways for designers to effectively use objects to span knowledge group boundaries.


Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopic analysis of mixtures has been used extensively for a variety of applications ranging from the analysis of plant extracts, wine, and food to the evaluation of toxicity in animals. For example, NMR analysis of urine samples has been used extensively for biomarker discovery and, more simply, for the construction of classification models of toxicity, disease, and biochemical phenotype. However, NMR spectra of complex mixtures typically show unwanted local peak shifts caused by matrix and instrument variability, which must be compensated for prior to statistical analysis and interpretation of the data. One approach is to align the spectral peaks across the data set. An efficient and fast warping algorithm is required as the signals typically contain ca. 32,000-64,000 data points and there can be several thousand spectra in a data set. As demonstrated in our study, the iterative fuzzy warping algorithm fulfills these requirements and can be used on-line for an alignment of the NMR spectra. Correlation coefficients between the aligned and target spectra are used as the evaluation function for the algorithm, and its performance is compared with those of other published warping methods.


Femoral fractures between a total hip arthroplasty prosthesis and total knee arthroplasty prosthesis, also called interprosthetic fractures, are challenging clinical problems. The number of patients who have undergone ipsilateral primary or revision joint arthroplasty procedures in both the hip and the knee continues to rise, and the number of interprosthetic fractures is increasing, as well. The growing body of biomechanical and clinical literature on interprosthetic fractures reflects the increased frequency of and interest in these injuries. Similar to the management of periprosthetic fractures, the management of interprosthetic fractures depends on the location of the fracture, the stability of the implant, and the ability to achieve stable fracture fixation. These factors are the basis of recently described classification systems and treatment strategies. In patients with stable implants, fracture fixation alone is performed. When the implant is loose, both revision arthroplasty and fracture fixation may be required to provide stability of the limb.


In this paper, we study the quasi-static motion of an elastically suspended, unilaterally constrained rigid body. The motion of the rigid body is determined, in part, by the position controlled motion of its support base and by the behavior of the elastic suspension that couples the part to the support. The motion is also determined, in part, by contact with a frictional surface that both couples the rigid body to the unilateral constraint and generates a friction force. The unknown friction force, however, is determined in part by the unknown direction of the rigid-body motion. We derive an analytically solvable set of equations that simultaneously determines both the friction force and the resulting rigid-body motion. We also address the issues of whether a solution to these equations exists and whether the obtained solution is unique. We show that, for any passive compliant system in which the nominal motion imposes contact, a solution to the set of motion equations always exists. We also show that, for any passive system with an upper bounded friction coefficient, the solution is unique. Two sufficient conditions that guarantee the uniqueness of the solution are presented.


The importance of real estate management as a part of spatial management system is not arguable , as real estate resources are limited and sustainable development requires rational allocation. The interdsciplinarity of real estate management sector and the necessity of relations among varius levels of govermental and local administration should be underlined. Basing on own detailed studies conducted in 2000-2010, and additonally on results of researches published by FIG and FAO , in this particular article some dilemmas and directions for solutions regardinng active real estate management were also highlighted.


Based on the ideas of wall-guiding-spray and spatial dispersion, A new type of diesel engine double-wall-jet combustion system is designed. The effect of speed, load and injection condition on the double-wall-jet combustion system is researched by testing, on the double-wall-jet combustion system, the combustion modes for whole working condition is analyzed, the comparison of combustion and performance between the original machine with the new one is carried out. The results showed that: Instantaneous heat release rate of double-wall-jet combustion system shows a single peak. As the speed increases, the corresponding crank angle of ignition retards, the peak outbreak pressure increases and then decreases, the peak instantaneous heat release rate, the peak average temperature, the peak cylinder pressure rise ratio, and the cumulative heat release per unit mass of working gas is reduced. As the load increases, the corresponding crank angles of peak cylinder pressure and gravity center of heat release rate are postponed. With the load increasing, the ignition crank angle corresponds early at low speed, and the ignition point does not change significantly with the load at high speed. The effect of the injector hole diameter/number on the cylinder pressure and instantaneous heat release rate curve is not significant at high speed and large loads, but at low speed and large loads is significant. Cylinder pressure of 6-Φ21 injector is higher than 5-Φ25, the instantaneous heat release rate of 6-Φ21 injector has a trend of a single peak, the instantaneous heat release rate of 5-Φ25 injector has a trend of a double peak and the focus of the heat release rate postponed. With the advancing of injection timing, the ignition crank angle and combustion phase advances, the peak cylinder pressure increases. Injection pressure has little effect on the combustion characteristics. By comparison with the original machine, while maintaining the power performance of the same circumstances, the cylinder pressure and NOx emissions of double-wall-jet engine are reduced in degree, fuel consumption rate is not almost changed, and the same plane rather, smoke intensity is improved at low speed, smoke intensity at high speed smoke high-speed only deteriorates of 0.2-0.3 BSU.


Banking plays an important role in the economy of any country. The success of a healthy economy depends on a robust and healthy banking system. Savings, investments, production, employment and growth in the national economy are affected by the operations and decisions of the banking system. Lending is one of the main activities of most banks and this is affected by risk. Changes in economic conditions affect bank risk. The borrower's credit status may deteriorate over time due to various factors. Credit risk and its management at the branch level can greatly assist banks' performance. Paying attention to credit risk indices at bank branch level is an issue that has been less addressed. In this study, the researchers have prioritized the evaluation of branch-level indicators using new decision-making techniques, such as SWARA and MABAK, by presenting a general model of the factors influencing credit risk at banks level. We first obtained the weight of the indices using the SWARA technique and using the opinions of ten banking experts and then we are ready to enter the MABAK model. The analysis was carried out in qard al-hasan RESALAT Bank, and in 30 selected branches of the bank.


Chitosan has been shown to have great potentials in various pharmaceuticals and biomedical applications, including drug delivery. Derived from chitin abundantly available in the shells of crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps, this naturally occurring polysaccharide is classified based on its molecular weight: low, medium or high. This study aimed to explore the production of chitosan nanoparticles (NP) and the influence of different factors on the physical properties of the NP produced. These factors were the concentrations of acetic acid, chitosan flakes and tripolyphosphate (TPP). The design of experiment (DoE) approach was used to determine the optimum conditions for the production of chitosan NP, with particle size (nm) and polydispersity index (PdI) being set as the responses. The chitosan flakes were solubilised in acetic acid at a specific concentration determined by the DoE before dropwise addition of TPP in an ice bath. The mixture was stirred at room temperature and subsequently centrifuged to remove the unformed materials, and then was spray-dried into powder. The size, surface charge, shape and morphology of the particles produced were characterised and infrared analysis was conducted. The results showed that the particles were spherical, slightly positively charged (ζ-potential: +2.89 at pH 7) and the infrared analysis displayed important peaks of the chitosan NP. The DoE results showed that not all combinations of parameters could produce NP; hence, determination of concentration for each parameter is essential. The equation produced by the DoE will be a useful guide to minimise error in this circumstance. In conclusion, the acetic acid and chitosan flakes concentrations were found to influence the particle size positively, whilst the increment in TPP concentration will adversely affect the particle size. Similar pattern of response was also observed for the PdI of the particles. The methods used in this study has successfully produced spherical particles, with evidence of interactions between TPP and chitosan in the NP as shown in the infrared spectrum.


Rare de novo and inherited copy number variations (CNVs) have been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk. However, the genetic underpinnings of ASD remain unknown in more than 80% of cases. Therefore, identification of novel candidate genes and corroboration of known candidate genes may broaden the horizons of determining genetic risk alleles, and subsequent development of diagnostic testing. Here, using genotyping arrays, we characterized the genetic architecture of rare CNVs (<1% frequency) in a Finnish case–control dataset. Unsurprisingly, ASD cases harbored a significant excess of rare, large (>1 Mb) CNVs and rare, exonic CNVs. The exonic rare de novo CNV rate ( 22.5%) seemed higher compared to previous reports. We identified several CNVs in wellknown ASD regions including GSTM1-5, DISC1, FHIT, RBFOX1, CHRNA7, 15q11.2, 15q13.2-q13.3, 17q12, and 22q11.21. Additionally, several novel candidate genes (BDKRB1, BDKRB2, AP2M1, SPTA1, PTH1R, CYP2E1, PLCD3, F2RL1, UQCRC2, LILRB3, RPS9, and COL11A2) were identified through gene prioritization. The majority of these genes belong to neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction pathways, and calcium signaling pathways, thus suggesting that a subset of these novel candidate genes may contribute to ASD risk. Furthermore, several metabolic pathways like caffeine metabolism, drug metabolism, retinol metabolism, and calcium-signaling pathway were found to be affected by the rare exonic ASD CNVs. Additionally, biological processes such as bradykinin receptor activity, endoderm formation and development, and oxidoreductase activity were enriched among the rare exonic ASD CNVs. Overall, our findings may add data about new genes and pathways that contribute to the genetic architecture of ASD. VC 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Title: The significance of the space of kota lama Kupang street according to the informal and formal street vendorsThe Space at Soekarno Street and Siliwangi Sreet in the Kota Lama Kupang area has existed since the establishment of Kupang city. Since then, this space has developed into a trading area and played important role as economic and social interaction instrument in the life of the people. The long-lasting activities and usage of the space by users, especially by the informal and formal traders indicate how they give meaning to the space. Finding the meaning of street space of Kota Lama will be benefitial in encouraging development sustainability and in contributing thoughts to the parties responsible for the continuing life at Kota Lama Kupang. The aim of this research was to find out the meanings of street space of Soekarno and Siliwangi Streets at Kota Lama Kupang and the underlying terms according to the space users of informal and formal sellers. The research employed qualitative approach with inductive analysis method. The informants were 24 informal sellers and four formal sellers who have been at the space for more than 15 years. The finding of the research was the depth knowledge about the meaning of space according to the informal and formal sellers and the concept underlying their existence. There were two concepts of meanings of the space found, namely living survival and local life unity (community). Both concepts were supported by six themes, namely theme of economy, kinship, togetherness, bonding with the place, gender and annual event. It was concluded that the meaning of Space Street at Kota Lama Kupang was categorized as local meaning.


To the Editor.— Azidothymidine (zidovudine) is frequently used in the treatment of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or with AIDS-related complex. Side-effects during azidothymidine treatment are common and different. Bone marrow depression is the most relevant among them. 1 Recently, several patients affected by nail pigmentation have been described. 2 We describe two patients affected by pigmentation of the oral mucosa that appeared after the beginning of azidothymidine therapy. Report of Cases.—Case 1.— A 47-year-old homosexual man, who was anti-human immunodeficiency virus positive since 1986, began treatment with azidothymidine in March 1989, at a dose of 800 mg/d. After approximately 15 days, he developed three irregularly pigmented macules, ranging from 0.5- to 2-cm wide, on the lateral and upper sides of the tongue. The macules showed irregular borders and their color varied from yellowish to light brown. Neither hyperkeratosis nor infiltration was clinically appreciable. At the same time the patient presented with a single hyperpigmented longitudinal band on the thumbnail of the right hand.


Background In other fields of medicine, simulation training has become increasingly recognised as a useful tool for teaching on a wide range of subjects that highlight both technical and non-technical skills. However, simulation for psychiatry education is not widely reported in the literature. Methodology Our centre has designed and delivered a programme of simulation-based interventions to multi-disciplinary mental health professionals, using a combination of high and low fidelity simulation approaches, including mannequins, actors, and props. The courses address different aspects of clinical care for psychiatric patients, including: Acute medical care for the psychiatric patient (centre- and in-situ based) Interacting with legal tribunals and coroner's courts Assessing risk and clinical decision making Emergency psychiatry We are also developing unique models of debriefing that are better suited to mental health simulation. This presentation will report on these innovative courses and on our experiences designing and delivering them. We will explore the unique technical challenges and nuances of working with actors in mental health simulation. Results/outcomes In the last two years, our centre has trained more than 300 staff members in more than 10 newly developed courses. Our initial evaluation data shows: statistically significant increase in knowledge around the management of self-harm and risk assessment significant increase in awareness around the process of decision making and insight into personal and systemic bias significant increases in confidence around management of health at the mental/physical divide Potential impact The courses have been very well-received and popular, with word-of-mouth feedback continuing to increase demand. As such, our centre aims to continue to expand and develop this programme to further serve other professionals who regularly encounter mental health issues. We are continuing to evaluate these innovative courses and are preparing to submit many of them for peer-reviewed publication to share them more widely. References Subodh D. Simulation in psychiatric teaching. Advances in Psychiatry Treatment 2012;18:292–298 Thomson AB, Cross S, Key S, et al. How we developed an emergency psychiatry training course for new residents using principles of high-fidelity simulation. Med Teach 2013;35(10):797–800


An interferometer for the absolute measurement of the length of end standards is described in which the optical path difference introduced between the interfering beams is only half the length of the gauge. This permits the direct measurement of gauge blocks up to 1 meter long with the isotope sources currently available. Other advantages of the instrument are its relatively compact layout and simplicity of operation.


We report the interaction of resveratrol with an octamer DNA sequence d(CCAATTGG)2, present in the promoter region of many oncogenes, using a combination of absorption, fluorescence, calorimetric and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques to probe the binding. Resveratrol binds to the duplex sequence with a binding constant 2.20×106 M−1 in absorption studies. A ligandduplex stoichiometry of 2.2:1 was obtained with binding constant varying from 109 to 106M−1 with the concentration of DNA varied in fluorescence titration measurements. Spectral changes indicated external binding of resveratrol to duplex DNA. Circular dichroism data displayed minimal variation suggesting external binding. Melting temperatures of DNA and its 1:1 complex showed a difference of approximately 2.25°C, which supports the external binding. Nuclear magnetic resonance data showed resveratrol binds to the minor groove region near the AT basepair from the nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopic cross peaks. Distance restrained molecular dynamics was employed in explicit solvent condition to obtain the lowest energy structure. The complex was stable and retained the B-DNA conformation. Findings in this study identify resveratrol as a minor groove binder to the AT region of DNA and pave the way for exploring resveratrol and its analogues as promising anticancer/antibacterial drug.


The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between flourishing and self-compassion. Participants were 347 (194 female and 153 male) university students, between age range of 18-24, who completed a questionnaire package that included the Flourishing Scale and the Self-compassion Scale. The relationships between flourishing and self-compassion were examined using correlation analysis and the hypothesis model was tested through structural equation modeling. In correlation analysis, self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness factors of self-compassion were found positively and self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification factors of self-compassion were found negatively related to flourishing. The model demonstrated fit (χ²=37.12, χ²/df = 4.12, RMSEA = .095, SRMR = .074, GFI = .97, AGFI = .91, CFI= .97, and NFI = .96). According to path analysis results, self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness were predicted positively by flourishing. Further, flourishing predicted self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification in a negative way. Results were discussed in the light of the related literature.


The study of the feloid carnivores from Coderet allows the distinction of 4 species including Stenogale bransatensis n. sp., assigned to 3 genera, including Viretictis n. g. The presence of Proailurus lemanensis is confirmed and a comparison of the material assigned to this species shows little morphological variation, except at St-Gerand where forms of different size may have been present.


(1999), is a robust perceptual shift in the appearance of faces after a brief adaptation period. For example, prolonged exposure to Asian faces causes a Eurasian face to appear distinctly Caucasian. This adaptation effect has been documented for general configural effects, as well as for the facial properties of gender, ethnicity, expression, and identity. We began by replicating the finding that adaptation to ethnicity, gender, and a combination of both features induces selective shifts in category appearance. We then investigated whether this adaptation has perceptual consequences beyond a shift in the perceived category boundary by measuring the effects of adaptation on RSVP, spatial search, and discrimination tasks. Adaptation had no discernable effect on performance for any of these tasks.


At the request of the US Department of Energy (DOE), a team from Oak ridge National Laboratory conducted a radiological survey at 6 Cliff Street, Beverly, Massachusetts. The survey was performed in May 1991. The purpose of the survey was to determine if uranium dust from work performed under government contract at the former Ventron facility had migrated off-site to neighboring areas. The survey included a surface gamma scan and the collection of soil samples for radionuclide analyses. Results of the survey demonstrated no radionuclide concentrations or radiation measurements in excess of the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program guidelines.


Abstract Objective: To study the treatment effect and safety of diazoxide on patients with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI). Research design and methods: A total of 44 patients who have been hospitalized to our hospital and used diazoxide as a trial after diagnosis of CHI were chosen as research subjects. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed, and the treatment effects and safety of diazoxide on CHI were evaluated. Results: In the 44 patients studied, the blood glucoses of 36 cases recovered to normal level after using diazoxide, indicating that the 36 patients respond to the treatment of diazoxide. Eight cases still showed severe hypoglycemia after using diazoxide for 10 days, which indicated that the eight patients were unresponsive to diazoxide treatment. Eighteen patients suffered the side effect of fluid retention, and 12 patients suffered transient gastrointestinal reactions. Conclusion: Diazoxide is a first-line treatment of CHI with high safety. Most of the patients with CHI were responsive to diazoxide treatment. Diazoxide should be used as a trial immediately after CHI diagnosis was made.


Between 1968 and 1971 beef cattle numbers in Australia expanded by 38 per cent compared with an increase in production of about 14 per cent. This paper presents projections to 1976 for beef and veal production. The projections indicate an expansion of 70 per cent in beef production by 1976 and are not sensitive to assumptions about the future rate of increase in cattle numbers. Supplies available for export will approximately double unless there is an increase in domestic consumption. It is concluded that the increased supplies will result in considerable downward pressure on beef prices unless export outlets expand more rapidly.


The endovaginal probe can be used in the umbilicus to improve fetal imaging. In 27 of 31 patients, an optimal ultrasound examination was achieved because of this added technique. The procedure is most useful in obese women and those with prior abdominal surgery.


While many small American dairy farms are struggling to stay in business due to fluctuating milk prices and rising production costs, value-added products such as cheese may help to boost revenue and diversify production practices. This study assesses consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for selected cheese attributes (farmstead, artisan, organic, local, and use of renewable energy in cheese production) through a conjoint survey conducted in Vermont, Manhattan, and Boston. Survey participants were found to segment into two groups: a quality-seeking group that displays strong preferences and a significant WTP of 15% to 25% more for each of the quality attributes, and a price-sensitive group with preference ratings highly determined by price. This research provides useful information to managers and marketers involved in farmstead and artisan dairy production and marketing.


Using the plateau wood frog Rana kukunoris from the Hengduan Mountains as a model system, we tested whether rivers form significant genetic barriers (the riverine barrier hypothesis) to high elevation amphibians. Samples were collected from eight sites across three major river drainages, the Min, the Dadu and the Yalong Rivers, and the population genetic structure of these frogs was evaluated with data from eight microsatellite DNA loci. A large amount of genetic structure was found, and the pairwise F-ST ranged from 0.022 to 0.508 and a global F-ST was 0.215. Both analysis of molecular variance and isolation by distance analysis suggested that rivers, mountain ridges and geographic distances all contributed significantly to the population structure. However, no single landscape has prominent barrier effect to the plateau wood frog populations. An assignment analysis using the computer program Structure grouped the eight populations into four population clusters, and no single type of landscape can sufficiently explain the clustering. In conclusion, rivers do not appear to be the leading genetic barriers for the plateau wood frog. The strong population genetic structure is likely the consequence of attributes of the species, as opposed to environmental fragmentation, and the barrier effect of the landscapes is largely swamped by the large amount of intrinsic population structure.


An angular velocity of flow sensor for liquids based on single-walled carbon nanotube thin films is presented. The carbon nanotubes in this study were fabricated on Si substrate by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The experimental results showed that the flow-induced current on the surface of carbon nanotube thin films was closely depended upon the angular velocity, concentration, properties and temperature of the liquids. The current increased with increasing angular velocity, concentration and temperature of the liquids. In this study, the liquids such as water, NaCl solution and other electrolyte were flowing over the sensor. The results obtained were also discussed. The theoretical and experimental studies have shown that there was electronic friction and electron drag effect of carbon nanotubes in flowing liquids. This effect in carbon nanotubes can be used for a new flow sensor.


Objective. To determine the effectiveness and risks of fluoroscopically guided lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections. Design. Systematic review of the literature with comprehensive analysis of the published data. Interventions. Three reviewers with formal training in evidence-based medicine searched the literature on fluoroscopically guided lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections. A larger team consisting of five reviewers independently assessed the methodology of studies found and appraised the quality of the evidence presented. Outcome Measures. The primary outcome assessed was pain relief. Other outcomes such as functional improvement, reduction in surgery rate, decreased use of opioids/medications, and complications were noted, if reported. The evidence on each outcome was appraised in accordance with the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system of evaluating evidence. Results. The search yielded 71 primary publications addressing fluoroscopically guided lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections. There were no explanatory studies and all pragmatic studies identified were of low quality, yielding evidence comparable to observational studies. Conclusions. The body of evidence regarding effectiveness of fluoroscopically guided interlaminar epidural steroid injection is of low quality according to GRADE. Studies suggest a lack of effectiveness of fluoroscopically guided lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injections in treating primarily axial pain regardless of etiology. Most studies on radicular pain due to lumbar disc herniation and stenosis do, however, report statistically significant short-term improvement in pain.


The machining characteristics of cemented carbide YG8 under high speed grinding conditions are reported in this paper. The experimental investigation focused on the grinding force, surface roughness and surface characteristics influenced by various wheel speeds, feed rates and depths of cut. Surface roughness was slightly improved by increasing of wheel speed, and the increase in hmax generated bigger grinding force and decreased specific energy, which could be explained by material removal mode and SEM micrographs of surface. The results revealed that high machining efficiency was achieved and relatively good surface roughness was obtained simultaneously.


AIM
In an effort to minimize tooth preparation, yet provide additional retention to compromised tooth structure, bonded amalgam restorations were introduced. Various resin-based adhesives have been tried earlier under bonded amalgam restorations. Still there are controversies regarding the outcome of bonded amalgam restorations regarding their adaptability to the tooth structure and microleakage. Therefore, this study was undertaken to compare the microleakage of bonded amalgam restorations using different adhesive materials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Standard Class I cavities were prepared on occlusal surfaces of 60 human molars. Teeth (n=60) were divided into three groups according to the material employed, as follows: group I: amalgam with glass ionomer cement (GIC) (type I); group II: amalgam with resin cement (Panavia F 2.0) and group III: amalgam with Copalex varnish as a control. Following restoration, the teeth were submitted to thermal cycling. The teeth were subsequently immersed in 2% rhodamine B dye under vacuum for 48 hours and sectioned to allow the assessment of microleakage under stereomicroscope.

RESULTS
The values were tabulated and the results were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey's post hoc test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Amalgam with type I GIC showed the least leakage with no statistically significant difference (P value 0.226) when compared to amalgam with Panavia F 2.0 and amalgam with varnish (P value 0.107).

CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that bonded amalgam with type I GIC is a good alternative to amalgam with resin cement (Panavia F 2.0) and amalgam with varnish for large restorations, with the added advantages of GICs.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Bonded amalgam restorations prevent over-preparation and reduce the tooth flexure. GIC type I under amalgam provides chemical bonding in between amalgam and tooth structure and thus reduces the microleakage.


A great historical transition is underway from American-led Globalization 1.0 to Globalization 2.0—the interdependence of plural identities where no one power or alliance of powers dominates.

The G-20 is floundering as the immediate global financial crisis has receded. The United Nations and the old Bretton Woods institutions—the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO—have lost their vigor and are struggling to adjust to the global powershift with the rise of the emerging economies. While Europe is paralyzed as the historic project of integration stalls, the world's two largest economies—the United States and China—are as yet unable to figure out how to share power.

The danger now is that the geopolitical vacuum will invite assertions of national self-interest that will unravel the rules-based order that enabled stability and prosperity over recent decades.

America's leading geopolitical strategist, China's most outspoken strategic thinker and one of Asia's leading global thinkers from Singapore offer their reflections on this state of affairs.


Transgenerationally heritable epialleles are defined by the stable propagation of alternative transcriptional states through mitotic and meiotic cell cycles. Given that the propagation of DNA methylation at CpG sites, mediated in Arabidopsis by MET1, plays a central role in epigenetic inheritance, we examined genome-wide DNA methylation in partial and complete loss-of-function met1 mutants. We interpreted the data in relation to transgenerational epiallelic stability and provide evidence that DNA sequence features such as density of CpGs and genomic repetitiveness can be used to predict susceptibility to epiallelic switching. The importance of these rules was confirmed by analyses of common epialleles in natural Arabidopsis accessions and verified in rice.


This critical analysis essay highlights the primary ideas that educational philosopher Paulo Freire presents in his text Pedagogy of Freedom: Ethics, Democracy, and Civic Courage. One of Freire's primary visions and ideas regarding community development in education is for people to exercise the art of individualized, creative learning in a manner that is compatible to their own unique culture and thinking process free from "oppressive" forces that ultimately smother educational imagination. Moreover, this essay illuminates Freire's strong opposition to the "Banking Concept," which is a suppressive system practiced by many educators in which they simply "fill" students with information, rather than encouraging them to be independent, creative, and individualized learners. Ultimately, this essay highlights Freire's assertion of how we as educators must begin to exercise "collaborative dialogue" regarding the vast realm of education, as well as general worldly views as a whole with students, rather than practicing a "totalitarian" persona.


Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) powders were successfully synthesized from ball-milled amorphous carbon under NH3 atmosphere at high temperature, for the first time to the best of our knowledge. The combined charac-teristic data obtained by x-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission-electron microscopy, electron energy losss pectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis, and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy provide substantial evidence for the graphite-like sp^2-bonded structure with C3N4 stoichiometry.


All sales managers work like crazy, but few are true managers. That's because they tend to fall back on the skills that made them great at sales...instead of adopting the new skills that will make them great managers. This essential book, which speaks their language, will turn them into management pros. It teaches a proven method for managing the sales process as well as the salespeople. Packed with specific, field-tested techniques, ProActive Sales Management shows sales managers how to: Regain control of their time Create a proactive sales culture Motivate a sales team Manage to simple yet powerful metrics Weed out failures quickly Effectively coach and counsel up and down the sales organization Measure not to revenue, but to the things that create revenue Reduce reports to one sheet of paper and 10 minutes a week Forecast more confidently Manage the sales organization the way it should be managed.


Chemical–mineral and material–genetic classifications of technogenic mineral raw materials including up to 36 polyphase groups of materials that form the basis of secondary resources suitable for the production of refractories and ceramics after additional processing are proposed. It is shown that technogenic materials of the Urals are cheap multifunctional raw materials and can be used in the production of magnesia-silicate ceramics, carbon– and zirconium–containing high-alumina refractories and cements.
Keywords: classification, secondary mineral resources, composition, recycling, refractories, ceramics


We present a 21-year-old Caucasian female with antibody positive NMO, mis-diagnosed as MS for a period of 5 years. The diagnosis became evident only when bilateral severe optic neuritis occurred shortly after the introduction of Natalizumab. The patient presented in 2005, aged 15, with hemi-sensory symptoms and diplopia, resolving with methylprednisolone. MRI revealed a non-enhancing lesion in the left thalamus. CSF oligoclonal bands were absent. She experienced two further relapses characterised by hemi-sensory disturbance, diplopia and fatigue; again responding to steroids. MRI revealed a new brain stem lesion. A diagnosis of MS was made and she was treated with Interferon. Despite treatment she had two further relapses, brain-stem and spinal, with recovery. Treatment with Mitoxantrone followed by Glatiramer Acetate resulted in a 2-year remission. In 2010 she experienced three further sensory events (MRI spine normal). Treatment with Natalizumab was initiated. She experienced a further spinal event following the second infusion, resolving rapidly with steroids. In April 2011, after six infusions, she presented with rapid onset bilateral optic neuritis to NPL and was found to be Aquaporin-4 antibody positive. Treatment with steroids and plasma exchange resulted in full visual recovery over 6 weeks. She has now been commenced on Azathioprine. The clinical spectrum of NMO is expanding. In "MS" patients experiencing frequent relapses despite escalating therapy, even if attacks are non-disabling, NMO should be considered. Although n=1, this case suggests that Natalizumab may be ineffective in, or indeed exacerbate, NMO.


Multihop wireless networks have unique features such as lossy links and interference. Both interference and lossy links affect the maximum achievable throughput of a network. Some wireless networks have energy constraints. Lossy links also affect energy efficiency due to retransmissions and broadcasting. We investigate the impact of lossy links on maximum achievable throughput and minimax energy utilization. These can be modeled as linear programming optimization problems. We give optimal solutions for both flow-based and destination-based routing. Experiments show that lossy links do have significant impact on the maximum achievable throughput. There are cases where a network can only achieve half of the throughput of the corresponding lossless network. The results show less significant impact of loss on energy efficiency. In some cases, the loss may be advantageous for energy efficiency, since the energy consumption may be reduced due to the loss of broadcasting messages. Experiments also show the significant impact of overhearing on energy efficiency.


The coupled structural-acoustic Boundary Element Method (BEM) has been widely used in vibro-acoustic analysis for decades now, due to its ease of model building and high accuracy. Recently, evolutions of BEM to solve large Aero-Vibro-Acoustic (AVA), space and underwater problems have been introduced. However, the large-frequency range of excitations, sometimes compounded by the large-size nature of the models at hand implies that such problems have a large number of degrees of freedom. As a consequence, while BEM can provide an accurate solution, the time and memory requirements related to model size and frequency range tend to create practical limitations. The advent of affordable large-scale distributed memory computing power enables a new generation of BEM solvers to push forward the capabilities of BEM in addressing large problems. It enables coupled indirect BEM problems to be solved on large clusters and distribute all CPU-intensive steps on a large number of CPUs. In this paper, the theory behind DMP (Distributed Memory Processing) for BEM will be introduced and illustrated on an automotive wind noise case.


Actuator is a fluid control component, which will be used in any of the fluid control requirements. The proposed actuator is normally closed and electro-mechanically actuated with armature configuration. The armature movement is the path opening to facilitate the actuator flow and is controlled by the flexure positioned over the armature. Flexure not only provides the armature movement but also guides in the designed path. Configuration and thickness of flexure plays vital role in the actuator design. Three configurations have been studied for this application. By considering the fabrication feasibility, flexure third configuration has been conceptualised for the actuator. Analysis has been carried out for the third configuration by considering the flexure material as SS302. Based on design requirement, flexure has to travel by 0.3mm maximum on both sides from neutral position to get the desired armature movement of 0.6mm. Three variants of thickness viz., 100, 150 and 250 microns are selected for the flexure third configuration. By flexure stiffness analysis, it is clear that the force required for achieving the desired deflection of 0.30mm for 150 microns thickness is nominal and is extent of 0.8N. Hence 150 microns thickness flexure was selected for the actuator design. This paper describes stiffness variation of flexure with varying thickness for the configuration and related analysis test results.


In the move to world-class manufacturing (WCM) many firms are realizing a critical need for effective maintenance of production facilities and systems. (WCM) can only be achieved through an organisation adopting a system of continuous improvement and relentless pursuit of the elimination of wastes which can all be delivered through implementing Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Traditionally, maintenance has been considered as a support function that was unproductive and adding little value to the business However, production systems have undergone major changes in recent years. TPM is a Japanese concept and implementing it in a developing country such as Egypt is faced with many challenges. The gravity and importance of these challenges vary from organisation to organisation depending on the local culture, people, values of the company, style of management etc. The culture must constantly support the business initiatives. Left unattended, the two will lose their harmony and may make the business less efficient. This paper will present a comparative study for the implementation of TPM in two different contexts. The first is a Chinese company that manufactures semiconductor assembly equipment and lead frames using high precision machinery while the second is an Egyptian company which a specialist for Automotive Brake Components. The comparison focuses on items such as cultural issue, organisational environment and management style. The main purpose of this comparison is to emphasize the importance of top management support in the success of TPM implementation whatever context it is being implemented in. It is not however an indication of the state of TPM implementation in all Egyptian and Chinese companies implementing TPM.


This work generalizes graph neural networks (GNNs) beyond those based on the Weisfeiler-Lehman (WL) algorithm, graph Laplacians, and diffusions. Our approach, denoted Relational Pooling (RP), draws from the theory of finite partial exchangeability to provide a framework with maximal representation power for graphs. RP can work with existing graph representation models and, somewhat counterintuitively, can make them even more powerful than the original WL isomorphism test. Additionally, RP allows architectures like Recurrent Neural Networks and Convolutional Neural Networks to be used in a theoretically sound approach for graph classification. We demonstrate improved performance of RP-based graph representations over state-of-the-art methods on a number of tasks.


The costs of health care have been escalating at such a rapid rate, especially during the past decade, that not only in the United States but throughout the Western World, stringent efforts are being made to control and decrease costs. Physicians, through their orders, are responsible for the major part of escalating costs. Sophisticated modern technology plays a large role in medical expense, and will need to be used very discriminately if costs are to be controlled and decreased. Although modern medical technology frequently enhances diagnosis and management, even physicians experienced with its use will attest to its overutilization. Pediatric surgeons and other physicians at times will substitute technology for the basics of history taking and meticulous physical examination. Controlling and lowering the cost of children's surgical care can be achieved in balance and in concert with the provision of optimal care.


Chronic constrictive pericarditis (CCP) is not rare in Africa with tuberculosis as the most common etiology. A long history of visceral tuberculosis, typical symptoms of CCP because of late clinical presentation in most cases, make diagnosis almost easy to establish. Echocardiography and cardiac catheterization may be helpful as final investigation when differentiation between CCP, endomyocardial fibrosis, and restrictive ventricular heart disease is difficult to attest. Pericardiectomy remains the only efficient treatment to carry out. We review the African teams' surgical experiences on pericardiectomy and report their surgical results and those worldwide in literature overall. In African groups, early mortality varies from 0 to 22% versus 2.1 to 18.6% outside Africa associated with New York Heart Association Functional Class IV as the most common significant risk factor for early deaths in all series in the World, including Africa.


Abstract: This paper is distinguished from previous research in term of using sectoral electricity consumption data (residential, commercial, public, and industrial) rather than of using aggregate electricity consumption data in order to examine the relationship between electricity and economic growth. The vector error correction model is employed to scrutinize the linkage based on data covering time span 1995-2031 in Indonesia's Province of Aceh. The empirical evidences indicate that the long-run bidirectional relationship exists between, (1) commercial electricity consumption and economic growth and, (2) public electricity consumption and economic growth. In addition, the short-run bidirectional relationship exists between economic growth and all of the sectoral electricity consumption. The results imply that the government policy for power development is purposed to maintain the bidirectional causality between economic growth and electricity consumption. Keywords: Sectoral Electricity Consumption, Economic Growth, Aceh, Vector Error Correction Model.


Fusarium head blight (FHB) severity was evaluated in a set of recombinant inbred (RI) lines from a cross between the two-rowed barley varieties, Harbin 2-row (resistant) and Turkey 6 (susceptible). Harbin 2-row was one of the most resistant varieties to FHB among ca. 5,000 barley germplasm accessions stored at Okayama University. The FHB severity of the RI lines and their parents was evaluated by the 'cut-spike test' in the 2000–2001 and 2003–2004 seasons. Spikes with disease symptoms were scored based on eleven grades from resistant (0) to susceptible (10). A high-density linkage map, including 328 AFLP, 45 SSR, one RFLP-STS, one AFLP-STS, four resistance gene analog (RGA) and four morphological markers, was constructed to detect QTLs for FHB severity. Composite interval mapping enabled to detect one QTL on chromosome 2H in the 2000–2001 season, and one QTL on chromosome 4H and another QTL on chromosome 6H in the 2003–2004 season. At these three QTLs, the alleles from Harbin 2-row contributed to a lower severity. A QTL on chromosome 2H was located in the vicinity of the cleistogamy locus (cly1 or Cly2) that determines open/closed flowering type. The comparison with previously identified QTLs for FHB severity by the present authors indicated that Harbin 2-row might harbor the same resistance allele in the vicinity of the cly1/Cly2 locus as Russia 6, which was used as a resistant parent in the previous study. The QTL in the vicinity of the cly1/Cly2 locus is one of the promising sources for FHB resistance breeding in barley.


In this paper we present a survey on the structure and equation of state for some silicon clathrates and their carbon analogues, as obtained by means of ab initio calculations within the Hartree–Fock approximation. We restrict our consideration to type-I clathrates, namely Mx(Si, C)46, with M = Na, Ba. The insertion of guest species into the carbon clathrate cages promotes a significant increase in the host volume, thus reducing the bulk modulus for these compounds. In spite of that, the estimated hardness for C46, of about 61 GPa, constitutes an exceptionally large value for a structure with such an open framework. The issue of electronic charge transference from the guest species to the host framework and the stability of carbon and silicon clathrates relative to the diamond phase are also discussed.


Background: cataract is remaining a health problem worldwide and is a leading cause of blindness. The majority of cases were reported in the developing countries. Ocular sonography is an important imaging method to evaluate abnormalities of the posterior segment of eyes. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the ocular posterior segment abnormalities in Sudanese adult patients using ultrasound and to describe the different types of cataract and their association with age and gender. Materials and Methods: This was a single-center, cross-sectional study conducted in Al Walidain Eye Hospital in Khartoum State (Omdurman) from February to July 2017. Data collection sheet was designed to include a detailed history and demographic data. An ultrasound machine MEDA ultrasonic A/B scanner for ophthalmology Model ODM-2100S with probe 10 MHz was used to investigate the participants. Patients with known lesions in posterior segment and those who had a previous history of ocular surgery were removed from the study. Chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between qualitative variables. Results: A total of 102 known preoperative cases of cataracts were evaluated in either gender; 60 females and 42 males. The mean age was 61 ± 13.87 years. The incidence of cataract was more frequent in the age groups of 61–70 and 51–60 years than other age groups. The prevalence of significant types of cataracts was as follows: nuclear cataract 61.7%, secondary 21.57%, traumatic 12.75%, and posterior subcapsular 3.92%. Sonographic findings revealed a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) of 19.2% of the cases, vitreous hemorrhage of 0.98%, and complicated PVD of 1.96%. All types of cataracts were strongly associated with age (P < 0.001). Nuclear and secondary cataracts were more common in females (P = 0.04). Conclusion: Abnormalities of posterior segment are indicative features that should be evaluated by ultrasound before ocular surgery. Age and gender were significant factors for all types of cataracts. Ocular sonography is essential before cataract surgery.


This report summarizes and assesses the state of knowledge about children and youth with disabilities who are at risk of delinquency and involvement in the juvenile justice system or have already entered it. Topics include (1) laws and philosophical frameworks affecting this population of youth; (2) causal relationships between disability, delinquency, and justice system involvement; (3) factors affecting disability and delinquency; (4) current and anticipated programming; (5) the effectiveness of prevention, intervention and treatment, and management strategies; (6) barriers and facilitators to implementing effective strategies; and (7) recommended next steps for increasing knowledge and effective practice. By highlighting what is known about addressing delinquency and the diverse needs among this population, it aims to inform policy discussions among policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.


Where possible, automation has been a common response of humankind to many activities that have to be repeated numerous times. The routine identification of specimens of previously described species has many of the characteristics of other activities that have been automated, and poses a major constraint on studies in many areas of both pure and applied biology. In this paper, we consider some of the reasons why automated species identification has not become widely employed, and whether it is a realistic option, addressing the notions that it is too difficult, too threatening, too different or too costly. Although recognizing that there are some very real technical obstacles yet to be overcome, we argue that progress in the development of automated species identification is extremely encouraging that such an approach has the potential to make a valuable contribution to reducing the burden of routine identifications. Vision and enterprise are perhaps more limiting at present than practical constraints on what might possibly be achieved.


This paper looks at the effectiveness of R&D grants for Canadian plants that already benefit from R&D tax credits. Using a non-parametric matching estimator, we find that firms that benefited from both policy measures introduced more new products than their counterparts that only benefited from R&D tax incentives. They also made more world-first product innovations and were more successful in commercializing their innovations.


OBJECTIVES
Short-term results indicated that the Brånemark Novum® protocol (Nobel Biocare AB, Goteborg, Sweden) allowed successful rehabilitation of mandibular edentulism with immediately loaded implants. Yet, long-term studies are lacking. The aim of the present retrospective study was to report the 11-year outcomes for patients treated according to this protocol.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Four patients treated according to the Brånemark Novum protocol (Nobel Biocare AB) were followed-up to evaluate implant and prosthesis cumulative survival rate (CSR), implant stability (RFA), marginal bone loss by periapical radiographs, probing depth (PD), and possible complications. Clinical and radiographic parameters were evaluated immediately after completion of the treatment and 1, 5, and 11 years after loading.

RESULTS
The 11-year implant and prosthesis CSRs were 100%. Implant stability (RFA values) remained stable over the 11-year follow-up. Small bone resorption was found next to distal implants (median 1 mm) after 11 years, while central implants showed greater bone resorption (median 4.5 mm). The PD (mean 3.75 mm at 11 years) grew together with marginal bone loss. One implant complication was detected on a central implant (crater-form bone destruction), and 10 prosthetic complications (fractures of resin or teeth), 80% of which registered on the same parafunctional patient.

CONCLUSIONS
The 11-year results demonstrated that the Brånemark Novum protocol (Nobel Biocare AB) is a predictable technique with favorable long-term outcomes. This was a rigid protocol, which could be applied only in patients with specific anatomical characteristics of the lower jaw, but it had the merit of indicating the key factors for full-arch immediate loading rehabilitations.


River has strategic role as one of the natural resources that supports people's lives. Ciliwung has the most widespread impact during the rainy season because it flows through the center of the city of Jakarta and across many villages, dense housing and slums. This paper aims to formulate a concept for managing a slum neighborhood on the banks or Ciliwung watershed. This concept is supported by the main concept of the Green Water Front. Based on the results of our analysis, it is known that the low citizens living in the area Ciliwung River in maintaining the environment. To increase awareness of citizens in maintaining the environment, we carry a concept of Green Water Front, which is the core of this concept will change as the river behind the house into the river as the front of the house. So the river will be a point of interest. On this concept there will be a bridge crossing over the river which we call the bridge "Rhombus". The concept of Green Water Front will increase the interaction between people separated the river because of its function as well as bridges. The public rooms are located in the middle of the Green Water Front can serve as a plaza, children's playground, or farming. So that this concept can be implemented properly, it must be required cooperation from various parties including students and university, government, and communities around the watersheds that are subject to the application of this concept. Keywords: Green water front, Ciliwung river, seedy neighborhood


A seamless support of information flow for increasingly distributed healthcare processes requires to integrate heterogeneous IT systems into a comprehensive distributed information system. Different standards contribute to ease this integration. In a research project focussing on the development of a reference architecture for inter-institutional health information systems, we identified concurring standards currently in use. We therefore categorized these integration standards by distinguishing between technical and semantic integration on the one hand, and data and functional integration on the other hand. In addition, standards for semantic integration are roughly categorized according to their scope. By placing standards into a corresponding matrix a "semantic gap" is revealed, which cannot be covered by standards as it contains volatile medical concepts. As a conclusion, it is recommended to conceptually consider the necessity of system evolution in system architectures and also in future integration standards.


The experience with the use of a method of bone plasty developed by the authors in the treatment of 13 children with a pathologic fracture of metacarpal bones is summarized. In follow up of from 1 to 6 years, the complete reconstruction of a transplant with replacing the defects by bone tissue which do not differ in structure from the own one was noted. A hand function restored to the full volume. No impairment in growth was noted.


2019 (COVID-19) patients often felt stress, worry, and infection fears. However, there was a nurse's responsibility toward the patient's safety. This study aimed to describe nurses' experiences while treating COVID-19 patients. Methods: This study was conducted with a systematic review. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines were used, with keywords "Determinant Factors" and "Mental Disorder" or "Mental Health," and (COVID-19 or "coronavirus diseases 2019"). The databases used were PubMed, Proquest, Springer Link, Taylor and Francis, and Science Direct. There were 72 articles from PubMed, 1012 from ProQuest, 2143 from Springer Link, 167 from Taylor Francis, and 2705 from Science Direct were used to identify phases. However, only 16 articles were analyzed. Results: Nurses caring for COVID-19 patients endure stress and anxiety, according to eight articles. According to three studies, nurses are socially stigmatized in society. Listening to prayer produces mental peace and calming sentiments for both nurses and patients, according to the spiritual experience of nurses. Conclusion: Nurses' psychological reactions to caring for COVID-19 patients were mostly fear, sadness, nervousness, worry, and exhaustion as a result of the condition in the COVID-19 isolation ward. They require appropriate psychological care to alleviate their psychological distress and provide comfort.


Using the inverse scattering method known for solving partial differential equations such as nonlinear Schrödinger equation, we analyse a fibre optic communication system which maps data on both discrete and continuous spectra defined by nonlinear Fourier transform. By signalling over both spectra, the degrees of freedom of the channel can be exploited to potentially increase the achievable data-rate in an attempt to approach the capacity of the optical fiber. Considering such a system, our results demonstrate the signal-dependency of the noise mapped to the nonlinear frequency domain. The temporal broadening factor is also studied for different pulse shapes and pulse sequence lengths modulated over the continuous spectrum. Finally, the error rate performance of the communication system signalling over both discrete and continuous spectra is presented.


This study involves a layered vehicle dynamics control system, which is composed of an adaptive optimal control allocation method using Lagrangian neural networks for optimal distribution of tyre forces and the sliding mode yaw moment observer for robust control of yaw dynamics. The proposed optimal control allocation method eliminates the requirement of solving optimization problem in every time step and it is a convergent and stability guaranteed solution for the optimal tyre force distribution problem. The aim in the sliding mode yaw moment observer is to force the vehicle to track a reference vehicle dynamic behaviour by estimating the equivalent input extended disturbance, which is the required stabilizing virtual yaw moment. The proposed layered stability control scheme has been tested on a four-wheel drive–four-wheel steer electric Fiat Doblo Van, which is modelled in CarSim. Both the sliding mode disturbance observer and the optimal control allocation methods are the first known applications to the stability control problem of road vehicles.