Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D CRT) can be considered as an integrated process of treatment planning, delivery, and verification that attempts to conform the prescription dose closely to the target volume while limiting dose to critical normal structures. Requiring the prescription dose to conform as closely as possible to the target volume raises the level of the precision and accuracy requirements generally found in conventional radiation therapy. 3D CRT treatment planning requires robust patient immobilization/repositioning systems and volumetric image data (CT and/or MR) acquired in the treatment position. 3D treatment planning more explicitly details the particulars of a patient's treatment than was ever possible with 2D treatment planning. In 1992, we implemented a formal 3D treatment planning service in our clinic and at that same time instituted a formal quality assurance (QA) program addressing the individual procedures that make up the 3D CRT process. Our 3D QA program includes systematic testing of the hardware and software used in the 3D treatment planning process, careful review of each patient's treatment plan, careful review of the physical implementation of the treatment plan, a peer review 3D QA Case Conference, and a formal continuing education program in 3D CRT for our radiation therapy staff. This broad 3D QA program requires the involvement of physicians, physicists, dosimetrists, and the treating radiation therapists that complete the team responsible for 3D CRT. 3D CRT capabilities change the kinds of radiation therapy treatments that are possible and that changes the process with which treatment planning and treatment delivery are performed. There is no question that 3D CRT shows significant potential for improving the quality of radiation therapy and improving the efficiency with which it can be delivered. However, its implementation and wide spread use is still in its initial stages. The techniques used for 3D treatment planning and the associated QA procedures and tests should still be considered developmental and changes are likely to continue to occur over the next several years.


Background Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) has achieved infection control for human immunodeficiency virus type 1, decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with it. But on the other hand, it can produce short and long-term side effects. Previous studies have shown that the ethnic Muslim population has a better lipid profile than the ethnic Christian population in Spain. Purpose To analyse differences in the lipid profile, blood glucose levels, CD4 count and viral load (VL) between the ethnic Christian and Muslim populations with antiretroviral treatment in a university hospital. Material and methods A descriptive cross-sectional study of patients with antiretroviral treatment, who collected medicines from the outpatient unit of our pharmacy department (PD). The information collected was: age, sex, current drug treatment (obtained from PD program) and glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VL, CD4 count (obtained from the hospital's clinical laboratory program). The results were analysed using SPSS version 15.0. Results 85 patients were included; 47 (55.3%) were Christians and the rest Muslims. 59 (69.4%) were men, of whom 23 (39%) belonged to the Muslim ethnic and 36 (61%) to Christian ethnic. Of the 26 women, 15 (57.7%) were Muslim and 11 (42.3%) Christian. The mean age of patients was 47.8 years (SD: 10.1). We found 19 different pharmacological treatments and the most prescribed were: efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir (32.9%), lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy (29.4%) and lopinavir/ritonavir + emtricitabine/tenofovir (9.4%). 24 Christian and 11 Muslim patients had hypertriglyceridemia (value >150 mg/dL) with statistically significant differences (p = 0.039). 21 Christian patients had CD4 counts below 450/mmc; this number of patients was statistically significant (p = 0.044). No statistical significance was found in the other laboratory test values. Conclusion Our results show that ethnic Christians had a higher rate of hypertriglyceridemia and low levels of CD4. However other studies would be needed to confirm these findings, which could contribute to a better selection of antiretroviral therapy. References and/or Acknowledgements Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in a bicultural population (Muslim and Christian). Instituto Nacional de Gestión Sanitaria; 2005 Segura M, et al. Cardiovascular risk and inter-ethnic variability. XXXI National Congress of the Spanish Association of Nursing in Cardiology. 2010 [Abstract] No conflict of interest.


OBJECTIVES: Expression of prostaglandin biosynthetic pathway enzymes in mucinous pancreatic cysts is unknown. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition is a potential cancer chemoprevention strategy for these lesions. We evaluated the expression of COX-2, cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), and protein kinase B (AKT) in the epithelium of pancreatic cysts and correlated enzyme expression with aspirin (ASA) use and cyst fluid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentration. METHODS: Pathology of 80 resected pancreatic cysts was reviewed. Expression of COX-2, cPLA2, and AKT was quantified by tissue immunohistochemistry immunoreactivity scores (IRSs). IRS values were compared between cyst types and (in 30 cases) with matched cyst fluid PGE2 concentrations. RESULTS: The mean IRS was higher in the epithelium of mucinous vs nonmucinous cysts for COX-2 (6.1 ± 4.7 vs 3.2 ± 2.8, P = 0.01) and cPLA2 (6.9 ± 3.0 vs 2.9 ± 2.9, P < 0.001). Cyst epithelial COX-2 expression was higher in mucinous cysts with low-grade dysplasia vs those with high-grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma (IRS 8.0 ± 3.9 vs 1.5 ± 2.9, P < 0.001), whereas the opposite was found for cPLA2 (6.2 ± 3.0 vs 8.6 ± 2.3, P = 0.005). Cyst fluid PGE2 concentrations did not correlate with either the IRS or a history of low- to moderate-dose ASA use. CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 and cPLA2 are overexpressed in the epithelium of mucinous pancreatic cysts. COX-2 and/or cPLA2 inhibition might prevent the emergence or progression of mucinous pancreatic cysts, but higher doses of ASA or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be necessary to substantially inhibit cyst epithelial COX-2 activity.


This study examines the factors influencing the adoption of ASC technologies and AG systems among cotton producers in the Southern United Sates. The data used is from a survey of cotton producers in 14 states. Using a random intercept bivariate probit regression, we evaluated the influence of crop acres harvested, education level, age of producer, field shape, use of farm dealers to obtain PA information, and the use of cover crops on the adoption decisions. Data from the NASS Crop Data Layer was used to estimate field shape measures included in this analysis. Results suggest that producers who are younger have more years of education, harvest more crop acres, and use farm dealers for information about precision agriculture are more likely to adopt ASC technologies and AG systems. Additionally, farms located in counties likely to have more irregularly shaped fields have a higher probability of adopting ASC technologies.


The purpose of this study is to develop a model that quantifies in three dimensions changes in bladder shape due to changes in bladder and/or rectal volume. The new technique enables us to predict changes in bladder shape over a short period of time, based on known urinary inflow. Shortly prior to the treatment, the patient will be scanned using a cone beam CT scanner (x-ray volume imager) that is integrated with the linear accelerator. After (automated) delineation of the bladder, the model will be used to predict the short-term shape changes of the bladder for the time interval between image acquisition and dose delivery. The model was developed using multiple daily CT scans of the pelvic area of 19 patients. For each patient, the rigid bony structure in follow-up scans was matched to that of the planning CT scan, and the outer bladder and rectal wall were delineated. Each bladder wall was subdivided in 2500 domains. A fixed reference point inside the bladder was used to calculate for each bladder structure a "Mercator-like" 2D scalar map (similar to a height map of the globe), containing the distances from this reference point to each domain on the bladder wall. Subsequently, for all bladder shapes of a patient and for all domains on the wall individually, the distance to the reference point was fitted by a linear function of both bladder and rectal volume. The model uses an existing bladder structure to create a new structure via expansion (or contraction), until the expressed volume is reached. To evaluate the predictive power of the model, the jack-knife method was used. The errors in the fitting procedure depended on the part of the bladder and range from 0 to 0.5 cm (0.2 cm on average). It was found that a volume increase of 150 cc can lead to a displacement up to about 2.5 cm of the cranial part of the bladder. With the model, the uncertainty in the position of the bladder wall can be reduced down to a maximum value of about 0.5 cm in case the bladder volume increase is known. Furthermore, it was found that a change in rectal filling causes a shift of the bladder, while its shape is hardly influenced. In conclusion, we developed a model that describes the bladder shape and position as a function of the bladder volume and the rectal filling. The model accurately describes the complex shape of the bladder as it works on each domain of the bladder separately.


Grape seed procyanidin B2 (GSPB2), an antioxidative and anti-inflammatory polyphenol in grape seed, has been found to have protective effects on diabetic nephropathy. Based on its favourable biological activities, in the present study, we aimed to investigate whether GSPB2 could inhibit apoptosis in rat mesangial cells treated with glucosamine (GlcN) under high-dose conditions. The results showed that the administration of GSPB2 (10 μg/ml) significantly increased the viability of mesangial cells treated with GlcN at a dose of 15 mM. We found that GSPB2 inhibited apoptosis in mesangial cells using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphates (dUTP) nick-end labelling staining and flow cytometry technique (P< 0·05 for both). GSPB2 treatment also suppressed oxidative stress by elevating the activity of glutathione peroxidase (P< 0·05) and superoxide dismutase (P< 0·01), as well as prevented cellular damage. GSPB2 enhanced the mRNA expression of nuclear respiratory factor 1, mitochondrial transcription factor A and mitochondrial DNA copy number in mesangial cells as determined by real-time PCR (P< 0·05 for each). Finally, GSPB2 treatment activated the protein expression of PPARγ co-activator-1α (PGC-1α), silent mating type information regulation 2 homologue 1 (SIRT1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in mesangial cells. These findings suggest that GSPB2 markedly ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibits apoptosis in rat mesangial cells treated with high-dose GlcN. This protective effect could be, at least in part, due to the activation of the AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α axis.


Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for a function to be the driving-point impedance of a physically realizable network consisting (essentially) of lumped resistors and lossless transmission lines. The circuits so developed are thoroughly practical for pure reactances and in many other special cases, but, in general, ideal transformers are sometimes required. A rigorous correspondence between lumped-constant circuits and line-resistor circuits is established. This correspondence immediately extends the usefulness of a wealth of theorems and techniques.


A dual-axial anisotropy film which consists of two uniaxial sandwiches of Co/sub 91/Nb/sub 6/Zr/sub 3//SiO/sub 2//Co/sub 91/Nb/sub 6/Zr/sub 3/ with their easy axes orthogonally oriented, was fabricated by RF-sputtering using a water-cooled, magnetic substrate holder, for application in a new type of submicron trackwidth thin film head. The thermal stability of the induced uniaxial anisotropy of the film was studied by heat treatment in a magnetic field and subsequent magnetic measurements. The magnetic properties of the films before and after rotational field annealing (RFA) mere studied by their B-H loops and permeability spectrum along various directions in the film plane. It was found that the B-H loops of the as-deposited dual-axial film along either axis were the superposition of the easy axis and hard axis B-H loops of the two uniaxial sandwiches along that axis. The two uniaxial sandwiches appear to behave independently before RFA. In-plane isotropic B-H loops and isotropic permeability of 2640 at 10 MHz were obtained for the dual-axial films after RFA at 320/spl deg/C. The small H/sub k/ and the magneto-static interaction between the two sandwiches may be mainly responsible for the isotropic magnetic properties of the dual-axial film after RFA.


In this study, the effects of gyttja on some soil properties in two different nickel-contaminated soils (Inceptisol and Entisol) were investigated. This study was conducted with the application of three levels of gyttja (0, 5 and 10%) in two different soils (Inceptisol and Entisol) contaminated with Ni at three levels of concentration (0, 40 and 80 mg kg) in a factorial experimental design with three replications. Some soil properties showed differences in different nickel and gyttja applications. Soil nickel content significantly (P < 0.01) increased in nickel-contaminated soils. Soil organic matter and phosphorus contents in gyttja applicated soils were found to reach higher levels compared to those without gyttja application.


Drug delivery systems involving microcapsules provide an attractive way to improve the performance of many chemical and biological substances. These systems may be used for several industrial segments, especially medical, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. PHB is a polyhydroxyalkanoate available in powder form, biocompatible, biodegradable and inert towards animal tissues. The obtained PHB/smectite clay nanocomposite improved the physical-chemical properties of PHB, including its biodegradability. In this work, we describe the preparation of microcapsules from two nanocomposites systems: a) PHB and Cloisite 20A organoclay (PHB1) and b) PHB and natural Brazilian green policationic clay (PHB2). When analyzed by XRD, the films and microcapsules did not show a d(001) peak, demonstrating an exfoliated structure for the nanocomposites. The films have shown by SEM an homogeneous distribution with the clay mineral particles spread homogeneously by the PHB film. The new microcapsules/nanocomposites showed an "hydrangea" morphology. The diameter of the microcapsules was variable between 0.5-15 µm.


Seneca's masterful application of metaphors often illuminates some Stoic technical terminology in contexts, which render them meaningful and familiar to his Roman readers. In this paper I argue that in certain instances, these metaphors are also used to organize whole systems of concepts that refer to an essential theoretical component of Seneca's philosophy. By studying the literary and philosophical context of these metaphors, I reconstruct Seneca's requirement for moral self-improvement in his Epistles and propose that his conception of conscientia or 'moral conscience'—a notion scattered throughout his writings but which, as the examination of his systematic metaphors will prove, has a consistent, identical function everywhere it appears—points to some novel rational characteristics of the philosopher's conception of the self.


In this paper we present the design concept and experimental evaluation results of a newly developed DWDM Radio on Free Space Optics (RoFSO) system capable of transmitting simultaneously multiple RF service signals. The system performance is evaluated under effects of atmospheric turbulence over 1-km free-space transmission. Effectiveness of a proposed tracking scheme used to mitigate beam angle-of-arrival (AOA) effect and the viability of the communication system using a specially designed optical antenna are illustrated. An initial attempt to estimate an additional link margin to compensate for tracking error loss is also presented. Finally, we evaluate the performance of heterogeneous wireless signals after being transmitted over the system. We verify that the system can provide a stable connection for heterogeneous wireless services especially in the absence of strong atmospheric turbulence.


Del22q11 syndrome is caused by heterozygous deletion of an approximately 3 Mb segment of chromosome 22q11.2. Children diagnosed with del22q11 syndrome commonly have learning difficulties, deficits of motor development, cognitive defects and attention deficit disorder. They also have a higher than normal risk for developing psychiatric disorders, mainly schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder. Here, we show that mice that are heterozygously deleted for a subset of the genes that are deleted in patients have deficits in sensorimotor gating and learning and memory. The finding of sensorimotor gating deficits is particularly significant because patients with schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder show similar deficits. Thus, our deletion mouse models at least two major features of the del22q11-associated behavioral phenotype, and as such, represents an animal model of this complex behavioral phenotype. These findings not only open the way to pharmacological analyses that may lead to improved treatments, but also to the identification of gene/s that modulate these specific behaviors in humans.


This PhD thesis focuses on the synthesis and characterization of multifunctional polymer-derived SiOCN ceramics. The main objective is to synthesize N-doped silicon oxycarbides (SiOCs), to characterize their structure and their properties (mainly electrical conductivity) and correlate them with the presence of N in the structure. We also aim to understand how the architecture of the starting polymer can influence the retention of N into the SiOC structure. First, N-doped SiOC polymer precursors were synthesized via hydrosilylation reaction between Si-H groups present in a commercial polysiloxane (PHMS) and –CH=CH2 groups of three different commercial N-containing compounds. The structural characterization of as-synthesized preceramic polymer precursor was investigated by FT-IR and NMR. Thermal degradation was studied by TGA. The results show that the architecture of the polymer precursors plays an important role on the pyrolythic transformation. Then, SiOCN ceramics were obtained by pyrolysis of the as-synthesized polymer precursors in nitrogen atmosphere at various temperatures for 1h using a tubular furnace. Subsequently, high temperature structural evolution was studied using combined techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, NMR, Elemental analysis, and XPS. The obtained results show that the type of N-containing compounds impacts on the crystallization behavior of the final ceramics. Elemental analysis clearly indicates that N is present in the SiOC matrix and the degree of N retention after pyrolysis is related to the type of N-containing starting compounds. XPS data indicate that N-C bonds are present in the SiOC ceramic samples even if only N-Si bonds exist in the starting N-containing precursor. However, a larger fraction of N-C bonds is present in the final SiOCN ceramic when N atoms form bonds with sp2 carbon atoms in the pre-ceramic polymer. We have also studied electrical and optical properties of the SiOCNs. Electrical conductivity of the powdered ceramic samples was determined using powder-solution-composite technique. The results show an increase in room temperature AC conductivity of three orders of magnitude, from ≈10-5 (S/cm) to ≈10-2 (S/cm), with increasing pyrolysis temperature from 1000 to 1400 °C. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of the SiOCN ceramic derived from N-C bond bearing precursor is three to five times higher than that of the sample derived from N-Si containing precursor at each pyrolysis temperature. The combined structural study by Raman spectroscopy and chemical analysis suggests that the increase of electrical conductivity with the pyrolysis temperature is due to the sp3-to-sp2 transition of the amorphous carbon phase. The higher conductivity of the amine-derived SiOCN is also discussed considering features like the volume % of the free-carbon phase and its possible N-doping. Fluorescence of the SiOCN samples treated at low temperatures, 400 and 600 °C, has been studied. The spectra show that the heated precursors fluoresce in the visible range with a dominant blue emission. Since the non-heated polymer precursors do not fluoresce, emitting centers must be formed during the polymer-to-ceramic transformation and associated with the structural changes. The origin of the luminescence could be originated from defects related to C, O and/or Si.
Finally, we investigated the gas sensing behavior of the SiOCNs pyrolyzed at low and high temperatures. Regarding the electrical gas sensing of the SiOCN ceramics pyrolyzed at 1400 °C, the response to two target gases NO2 and H2 was tested by in situ DC conductance measurements at operating temperatures from 200 to 550 °C. The SiOCN ceramics are sensitive to NO2 at temperatures below 400 °C and to H2 at temperatures above 400 °C. In addition, the response observed for the studied SiOCN ceramics is higher than that reported in the previous studies for SiOC ceramic aerogels. With regard to the optical gas sensing of the SiOCNs obtained from the heat treatment of the polymer precursors at 400 and 600 °C, fluorescence spectra in the presence of organic vapors such as acetone and hexane were recorded. The results show that these tested vapors quench the fluorescence of the studied SiOCN. In conclusion, the SiOCN ceramics can be promising materials for the gas sensing application.


Research on firm performance after the introduction of a radical technological change has primarily concerned itself with differences between incumbents and entrants. This paper explores other factors that may influence firm performance over the longer term after a radical change—specifically, those related to product line management strategy. Following a radical change, a period of incremental technological change typically creates the opportunity for rapid development of new products. In such settings, strategies to manage multiple products, including families of related products that can be derived from a common platform, may be expected to impact competitive performance, especially over the longer term. The data for the study are from the telecommunications switching sector, specifically the private branch exchange (PBX) industry. Fifty‐six firms and over 240 new products were analyzed over 22 years. This study shows that incumbent–entrant‐based explanations of firm performance are incomplete. In particular, the results demonstrate that product line strategy explains significant additional variation in firm performance. The paper tests hypotheses linking both overall product line strategy and product platform strategy to firm performance. It finds that overall product introduction rates and product longevity can be linked to performance. It also shows that decomposing overall strategy into product platform strategy—rates of platform and derivative introduction, and platform longevity—can further increase explanatory power. In total, the results indicate that strategic prescriptions in the literature that emphasize development speed alone are oversimplified. They also suggest that differences in how relationships among products derived from a common platform are managed can contribute to competitive advantage and demand complex trade‐offs. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Modern standing doctrine has been the subject of substantial scholarly inquiry. Critics charge that it allows judges to resolve cases based on their own ideologies, favoring corporations over individuals and those who harm over those harmed. The doctrine likewise disserves social justice, preventing adjudication of indisputably meritorious claims. Yet the focus on the substance of standing doctrine has obscured an equally significant impediment to justice created by the procedures that judges use to adjudicate questions of standing and subject matter jurisdictional generally. The unusual dimensions of jurisdictional procedure have largely escaped notice. This Essay interrogates the history and context of jurisdictional procedure, offers an explanation for its invisibility, and identifies the consequences of that neglect.


Dynamic muscle transfers offer the hope of improved facial support and symmetry, with volitional movement. These are most commonly employed for reanimation of the oral commissure to produce a smile. In addition, muscle transfers have been used successfully to reestablish eye closure. Facial paralysis of long-standing duration presents challenges quite distinct from paralysis that is managed early after onset. It is in this situation, most commonly, that dynamic muscle transfers are used. In this respect, the alternative is free tissue transfer. Each of these two options have advantages and disadvantages.


The course of Arabic in WHO began in September 1954 when the Regional Subcommittee "A" requested the Regional Director to study the possibility of using Arabic as a working language for WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. At WHO Headquarters, Arabic was used as an official language in the World Health Assembly in May 1972, and became a working language for the Organization in May 1975. This article reviews the progression of the use of Arabic in WHO since then.


Traditional pulmonary therapies for cystic fibrosis (CF) target the downstream effects of CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunction (the cause of CF). Use of one such therapy, β-adrenergic bronchodilators (such as albuterol), is nearly universal for airway clearance. Conversely, novel modulator therapies restore function to select mutant CFTR proteins, offering a disease-modifying treatment. Recent trials of modulators targeting F508del-CFTR, the most common CFTR mutation, suggest that chronic β-agonist use may undermine clinical modulator benefits. We therefore sought to understand the impact of chronic or excess β-agonist exposure on CFTR activation in human airway epithelium. The present studies demonstrate a greater than 60% reduction in both wild-type and modulator-corrected F508del-CFTR activation following chronic exposure to short- and long-acting β-agonists. This reduction was due to reduced cellular generation of cAMP downstream of the β-2 adrenergic receptor-G protein complex. Our results point towards a posttranscriptional reduction in adenylyl cyclase function as the mechanism of impaired CFTR activation produced by prolonged β-agonist exposure. β-Agonist-induced CFTR dysfunction was sufficient to abrogate VX809/VX770 modulation of F508del-CFTR in vitro. Understanding the clinical relevance of our observations is critical for CF patients using these drugs, and for investigators to inform future CFTR modulator drug trials.


College is generally considered to be the most exciting and enjoyable time of a young adult's life. It is a period where students typically expect to focus on academic learning and personal growth to prepare to be independent adults and valuable contributors to society. Unfortunately, the college population is vulnerable to developing mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders (Zivin, Eisenberg, Gollust, & Golberstein, 2009). The pressures of achieving high academic success while balancing a healthy social life are burdensome, and those students who also suffer from mental health issues face a greater challenge. Surprisingly, despite this issue, many colleges and universities do not offer adequate mental health resources to meet the demand (NEDA, 2013). While increasing the availability and options for mental health resources on college campuses is needed, it is also important to focus on prevention of mental health issues. The purpose of this study is to address the issue of the development of eating disordered behavior on college campuses. Specifically, this study examines changes in norm misperception in terms of disordered eating behaviors across class years (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) and help to identify possible developmental milestones associated with greater or lesser misperception. We used various measures to assess student's perception of importance of thinness (females), importance of muscularity (males), acceptability of unhealthy weight loss behaviors, and prevalence of disordered eating behaviors among peers. Although research related to the development of eating disorders on campus has been conducted numerous times, no study has yet to investigate class year as a factor of the development of such behaviors. The results of this study will be used to give us insight as to what measures to take the prevent the development of eating disorders on college campuses and how to promote a healthy body image among this population.


as Baltimore and London. He also describes the instruments suitable for use in psychiatric screening-questionnaires long and short and interviews standardized or not-and stresses the need for such instruments to be valid, reliable, and stable. In an important section of his paper the author describes a psychiatric screening survey which formed part of a multiple screening programme carried out in one London borough. He achieved only a 70% acceptance rate, which must limit any conclusions that can be drawn. The screening test used was a selection of 20 items from the Cornell Medical Index. People scoring more than 5 were given a standardized clinical interview. There were 19% false negatives and 6% false positives. Moreover, interesting differences appeared between the assessments of the research psychiatrist and of five general practitioners taking part in the project. In psychiatry the major research effort so far has been directed to psychoses, the severe neuroses, and alcoholism. Eastwood has made a case for devoting more attention to the minor psychiatric disorders and offers some suggestions on how that might be done. Even so, there is no dissenting from his conclusion that "for the present, as with some other forms of morbidity, screening for psychiatric disorder must remain at the experimental phase and is not ready for inclusion in the medical services."


Cross-lingual natural language inference (XNLI) is a fundamental task in cross-lingual natural language understanding. Recently this task is commonly addressed by pre-trained cross-lingual language models. Existing methods usually enhance pre-trained language models with additional data, such as annotated parallel corpora. These additional data, however, are rare in practice, especially for low-resource languages. Inspired by recent promising results achieved by prompt-learning, this paper proposes a novel prompt-learning based framework for enhancing XNLI. It reformulates the XNLI problem to a masked language modeling problem by constructing cloze-style questions through cross-lingual templates. To enforce correspondence between different languages, the framework augments a new question for every question using a sampled template in another language and then introduces a consistency loss to make the answer probability distribution obtained from the new question as similar as possible with the corresponding distribution obtained from the original question. Experimental results on two benchmark datasets demonstrate that XNLI models enhanced by our proposed framework significantly outperform original ones under both the full-shot and few-shot cross-lingual transfer settings.


The transfer of catalytic hydroalkoxylation reactions of olefins from homogeneous to heterogeneous conditions has been studied using two types of solid catalysts, namely montmorillonite (MMT) doped with metal cations and metal nanoparticles supported on oxides. In the case of intramolecular reactions, 38–99% yields of cyclic ethers have been obtained using Fe-MMT and Bi-MMT both in CH3NO2 and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) compared with other supported metal salts or metal nanoparticles. In the case of more challenging intermolecular reactions, conversions up to 72% and yields up to 54% were obtained with metal-doped MMT as well, such as Fe-, Bi-, and Ti-MMT. In this paper, we detail the substrate scope and limitations for both classes of reactions and tandem processes, their transposition in flow and some mechanistic insights concerning the active species, in processes identified as truly heterogeneously catalysed. As a general trend, it was observed that trisubstituted double bonds allowed the best results both in intra- and intermolecular reactions. The transfer of homogeneous catalysts onto heterogeneous ones in the case of Fe-MMT and Bi-MMT was successful and even allowed enhanced catalytic activities in the case of Bi-MMT.


ABSTRACT Civil society engagement around health care and population health improvement is an important driver towards Health for All. Research can improve the effectiveness of health activism by examining the resources, structures and strategies of civil society engagement. However, research to support such engagement faces epistemological and methodological challenges which call for specific research strategies. A four year multi-country study was undertaken by the People's Health Movement, a global network working for health for all. The research took place in six countries (Brazil, Colombia, DR Congo, India, Italy, South Africa) and globally, and was directed to understanding five domains of civil society engagement: movement building; campaigning and advocacy; capacity building; knowledge generation, access and use; and engaging with governance. The research plan and methods of data collection and analysis were tailored to address the objective of improving activist practice, while negotiating research challenges identified during the design phase. Results include insights into the practice of civil society engagement in relation to the five domains of activist practice, as well as experience gained in managing six methodological challenges which we describe as: making meaning, aligning research and action, managing power relations, valuing experiential knowledges, chaos and contingency, challenging preconceptions. Researching activism can produce useful insights into practice as well as support continuous improvement in the effectiveness of such activism. However, there are significant methodological challenges that can be addressed through appropriate strategies. More research, building on the approach described in this paper, can contribute to more effective civil society activism for health.


The method for thin-layer chromatography has been developed for determination of epsilon-caprolactam in food media: fats, dry products. The method sensitivity is 0.01 mg/kg (mg/1) for fats and 0,005 mg/kg for dry products. The method error is 20%. epsilon-Caprolactam was extracted from fats by water, from dry products by ethyl alcohol. The extracts were evaporated and chromatographed in a thin layer of silica gel. epsilon-Caprolactam was determined on the plates from the spot area. The method was used for hygienic evaluation of polyamide-6 film intended for packing fats and dry products.


Foodborne diseases continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality both in developing and developed countries. Its spectrum has vastly expanded in recent years with the recognition of new foodborne pathogens and clinical syndromes. The increase in international travel and demand for exotic and raw food underscore the importance of traveller's diarrhoea. The emergence of day care centres and residential institutions predispose to an environment that enhances the transmission of foodborne pathogens. Last but not least, our greying population, the AIDS pandemic and increasing use of immunosuppressive chemotherapy have produced a special population that is easily susceptible to the microbial contamination of food. Diseases in these individuals are usually more chronic, severe or life-threatening. This article seeks to address the above issues as well as to present a practical approach to the diagnosis and management of foodborne diseases.


The motivation of this thesis is to generate an understanding of how cities can begin to shift towards pedestrian friendly centres for activity. Introducing streams into urban environments through the process of daylighting can generate public life, improve sustainability, and enable growth. Daylighting is the process of bringing a stream back to the surface into a more natural state. By ensuring the stream is used as the core driver for strategic change, development can occur on the edges of the stream as a decentralised hub for activity and movement within the public realm. The stream as a public element can connect people and create active stakeholders within urban communities as the contributors to the vibrancy of the city.  Daylighting can be the catalyst to revitalise Wellington and demonstrate that urban environments are not confined to the existing structure of the city when reintegrating natural elements. Pedestrian activity along stream edges can act as a central mode of urban life, complementing Wellington's existing waterfront. Generating public space around water as a central hub can connect people to social spaces that the city has previously turned from in favour of roads. Establishing dominant pedestrian areas located around a daylighted stream enables public space to prioritise activity over movement and allows infrastructure to prioritise people over vehicles. From hills to harbour, water can be used as a design tool, generating a language that can activate urban environments.  In developing the stream's framework, it is important that the first considerations take regard of the direction and flow of the water's path. The directionality of the stream should have the greatest benefit to the affected stakeholders to ensure the stream positively contributes to the qualities of the city. This contribution is essential for the people that work or live adjacent to the new infrastructure, as they will occupy the new space most frequently. Viability of the stream is dependent on the path it takes through the city, as this affects which landowners will be included in the project. Old or small structures, empty sites such as car parks, or roadways with limited vehicle movement could provide the greatest opportunity for development within the city. These should be considered fundamental to the implementation of the stream as they mitigate the changes to the affected stakeholders and benefit other members within the adjacent area.


Semi-supervised support vector machines is an extension of standard support vector machines with unlabeled instances, and the goal is to find a label assignment of the unlabeled instances, so that the decision boundary has the maximal \textit{minimum margin} on both the original labeled instances and unlabeled instances. Recent studies, however, disclosed that maximizing the minimum margin does not necessarily lead to better performance, and instead, it is crucial to optimize the \textit{margin distribution}. In this paper, we propose a novel approach SODM (Semi-supervised Optimal margin Distribution Machine), which tries to assign the label to unlabeled instances and achieve optimal margin distribution simultaneously. Specifically, we characterize the margin distribution by the first- and second-order statistics, i.e., the margin mean and variance, and extend a stochastic mirror prox method to solve the resultant minimax problem. Extensive experiments on UCI data sets show that SODM is significantly better than compared methods, which verifies the superiority of optimal margin distribution learning.


Following the supramolecular synthon approach, a combinatorial library comprising 35 organic salts derived from 7 dicarboxylic acids (malonic-, succinic-, adipic-, L-tartaric-, maleic-, phthalic-, and isophthalicacid) and 5 primaryalkyl amines Me-(CH2)n-NH2 (n = 11-15) was prepared and scanned for gelation. About 66% of the salts in the combinatorial library were found to show moderate to good gelling ability in various polar and nonpolar solvents including commercial fuels such as petrol. The majority of the salts having a rigid, unsaturated anionic backbone (maleate, phthalate, and isophthalate) did not show gelation; only the corresponding hexadecylammonium salts showed gelation. Some of the representative gels were characterized by rheology, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), optical microscopy (OM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Single-crystal structures of two gelator and two nongelator salts were also discussed in the context of supramolecular synthon and structure-property correlation.


METAMORPHIC DEVELOPMENT OF MANDUCA SEXTA: AN IN VIVO INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO STUDYING WHOLE ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY Ayesa Kaur, Ph.D. Cornell University 2013 Multicellular organisms have evolved specialized tubular structures to transport gases and liquids throughout the body. For vertebrates, such structures include the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and blood vessels. The genesis of these elaborate tubular structures, known as tracheogenesis for trachea and angiogenesis for blood vessels, has received a great deal of attention in the last decade in many fields, including developmental biology and oncology. It has become increasingly important to understand how the genesis of these structures is regulated to produce a functional organ system where the transport capacity matches the physiological needs of the organism. In particular, investigators have asked when do new branches arise, what determines the direction of growth, what specifies the formation of the next generation of branches, and how do tubular networks fuse to create functional organs. This PhD. dissertation research attempts to address some of the above questions in the context of tracheogenesis, using a unique animal model, a moth Manduca sexta. During a relatively short, on average 19 day, cycle of development known as pupal metamorphosis, the respiratory system of this invertebrate remodels completely to accommodate new adult organ systems such as an extensive tracheal network and thoracic fight muscles. The goal of this research is to understand and establish the dynamics of tracheogenesis and organ development by conducting a longitudinal study of pupal metamorphosis, in vivo, using minimally invasive diagnostic imaging technology of micro-computerized tomography (Micro-CT). Interestingly, our animal model, the moth, is also capable of surviving conditions of anoxia that would be lethal for humans. As a result, another important aim of this research was to establish the role of unusual structures and adaptations specific to the pupal respiratory system of Manduca (e.g., airsacs) during metamorphosis via Micro-CT imaging and flow respiratory. This dissertation also describes the successful application of the information on tissue morphogenesis acquired from Micro-CT images to construct an efficient protocol for implantation of MEMS probes into Manduca pupae. This project aimed at creating insect bioborgs where the flight capacity of insects, some of nature's best fliers, was harnessed by surgically integrating micro actuators inside or on an insect body. In my aim to design inquiry based lessons and low-cost experimental protocols to enhance the science curriculum for the CLIMB GK-12 education program, I combined advanced imaging systems such as MCT with traditional bio laboratory methods of bioinquiry and respirometry, to teach students important concepts on developmental biology, anatomy, ecology and evolution. By posing real life examples and problems, such as global warming and resulting changes in physiology, ecology and habitat of insect pests, I attempted to link what we learn in a classroom to dynamic physiological phenomenon occurring in organisms in our surrounding environment.


The design and fabrication of a self-contained 10-b monolithic digital-to-analog converter is described. To overcome the limitations of standard bipolar processing and to achieve a circuit with reasonably low process sensitivities, a new process incorporating ion implantation is used. The circuit has been designed in a manner to fully utilize the characteristics of this process with the objective of high performance along with simple wafer processing. System considerations as well as the design of each component block are discussed.


Over the last decades, bank failures in different EU-countries have increasingly led to liability claims being directed against supervisory authorities for alleged negligence or improper conduct in the course of exercising prudential supervision over banks. The basic assertion of this paper is that integrated markets within the European Union, and in the near future, also including Central and Eastern European countries, should function under more or less similar rules as regards possible supervisory liability. After having analysed the existing legal regime as regards to supervisory liability in different EU-countries, we examine to which extent supervisory liability, as far as it is related to the European banking directives, could be directly based on EU-law. We argue that requirements set by the European Court of Justice in this respect could be met as far as prudential supervision is based on obligations deriving from the EU-banking directives. In our view, this situation does not create negative effects, as the European case law allows to duly take into account the complexity of prudential supervision and the discretion left to supervisory authorities in performing their functions.


Abstract: Background Treatment switching commonly occurs in clinical trials of novel interventions,
particularly in the advanced or metastatic cancer setting, which causes important problems for health
technology assessment. It is unclear which methods to adjust for switching are most appropriate in
realistic scenarios.

Objectives: We aimed to assess statistical approaches for adjusting survival estimates in the
presence of treatment switching in order to determine which methods are most appropriate in a range
of realistic scenarios.

Methods: We conducted a simulation study to assess the bias, mean squared error and coverage
associated with alternative switching adjustment methods across a wide range of realistic scenarios.
Results Simple methods such as censoring or excluding patients that switch always resulted in high
levels of bias. More complex randomisation-based methods (e.g. Rank Preserving Structural Failure Time Models (RPSFTM)) were unbiased only when the treatment effect was not time-dependent.

Observational-based methods: (e.g. inverse probability of censoring weights (IPCW)) coped better with time-dependent treatment effects but are heavily data reliant, are sensitive to model misspecification and often produced high levels of bias in our simulations, particularly when the proportion of patients that switched treatments was very high (approximately 90%). We introduce a
novel "two stage" method, whereby a specific disease-related time-point is used to define a secondary
baseline after which switching is permitted, allowing treatment effects to be estimated separately for
patients that switch and patients randomised to the experimental group. We find that this method can
perform well provided the treatment switching mechanism is amenable.

Conclusions: Randomisation-based methods can accurately adjust for treatment switching when the treatment effect received by patients that switch is the same as that received by patients randomised to the experimental group. When this is not the case observational-based methods or simple twostage methods should be considered, although the IPCW is prone to substantial bias when the proportion of patients that switch is greater than approximately 90%. Simple methods such as censoring or excluding patients that switch should not be used.


BACKGROUND
Adverse effects of industrially produced trans fatty acids (iTFAs) on the risk of coronary artery disease are well documented in the scientific literature; however, effects of naturally occurring trans fatty acids (TFAs) from ruminant animals (rTFA), such as vaccenic acid (VA) and cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (c9,t11-CLA), are less clear. Although animal and cell studies suggest that VA and c9,t11-CLA may be hypocholesterolemic and antiatherogenic, epidemiologic data comparing rTFAs and iTFAs are inconsistent, and human intervention studies have been limited, underpowered, and not well controlled.

OBJECTIVE
We determined the effects of VA, c9,t11-CLA, and iTFA, in the context of highly controlled diets (24 d each), on lipoprotein risk factors compared with a control diet.

RESULTS
We conducted a double-blind, randomized, crossover feeding trial in 106 healthy adults [mean ± SD age: 47 ± 10.8 y; body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 28.5 ± 4.0; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol: 3.24 ± 0.63 mmol/L]. Diets were designed to have stearic acid replaced with the following TFA isomers (percentage of energy): 0.1% mixed isomers of TFA (control), ∼3% VA, ∼3% iTFA, or 1% c9,t11-CLA. Total dietary fat (34% of energy) and other macronutrients were matched. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, triacylglycerol, lipoprotein(a), and apolipoprotein B were higher after VA than after iTFA; high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein AI also were higher after VA. Compared with control, VA and iTFA both increased TC, LDL cholesterol, ratio of TC to HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B (2-6% change; P < 0.05); VA also increased HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a) (2-6% change; P < 0.05), whereas iTFA did not. c9,t11-CLA lowered triacylglycerol (P ≤ 0.01) and had no effect on other lipoprotein risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS
With respect to risk of cardiovascular disease, these results are consistent with current nutrition labeling guidelines, with the requirement of VA, but not c9,t11-CLA, to be listed under TFA on the Nutrition Facts Panel. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00942656.


Face annotation in images and videos enjoys many potential applications in multimedia information retrieval. Face annotation usually requires many training data labeled by hand in order to build effective classifiers. This is particularly challenging when annotating faces on large-scale collections of media data, in which huge labeling efforts would be very expensive. As a result, traditional supervised face annotation methods often suffer from insufficient training data. To attack this challenge, in this paper, we propose a novel Transductive Kernel Fisher Discriminant (TKFD) scheme for face annotation, which outperforms tradi- tional supervised annotation methods with few training data. The main idea of our approach is to solve the Fisher's discriminant using deformed kernels incorporating the information of both labeled and unlabeled data. To evaluate the effectiveness of our method, we have conducted extensive experiments on three types of multimedia testbeds: the FRGC benchmark face dataset, the Yahoo! web image collection, and the TRECVID video data collec- tion. The experimental results show that our TKFD algorithm is more effective than traditional supervised approaches, especially when there are very few training data.


Over the last two decades a category of artefact has appeared that has come to be
termed 'design art': highly expressive furniture and domestic products that are created as self-initiated, often limited edition designs, sold through galleries, exhibited in museums and collected in the manner traditionally ascribed to art. To date no in-depth theoretical analysis of the growth of such design has been conducted and key protagonists such as Droog Design have received little critical attention, as those involved have been largely left to write their own history. Consequently, the aim of this thesis is to account for the development of these objects as the products of particular cultural and historical conditions and ask what the implications of the rise of these particular practices of making, distribution and use may be.

This thesis proposes that close analysis of the objects, their form and functional potential, reveals their dialectical qualities, in that in their materiality the tensions and conflicts of the period of their development can be discerned. Through an account of the development of the market for such goods it examines the way in which these things can be studied as commodities, in that they can clearly be understood as status symbols or a form of cultural capital. It is also asserted that by regarding such design as having the potential to impact upon everyday life, and not just as existing as something to be consumed by an elite, such practices illuminate broader problems of the ethics of design in a wider sense.

In this way it is argued that these communicative objects, in their ambiguous form and problematic relationship to function, can give an insight into the way we live with performative things: the ideological products of modernity that act upon us as we use them and which contain in their being the protocols and disciplinary forces of their time. The intention therefore is to ask whether design art can be seen as a politically radical practice that suggests ways in which both makers and users can assert a new relationship to the things with which we live.


We explore the direct and inverse problem of thermodynamics in the context of rule-based modelling. The direct problem can be concisely stated as obtaining a set of rewriting rules and their rates from the description of the energy landscape such that their asymptotic behaviour when t→ ∞ coincide. To tackle this problem, we describe an energy function as a finite set of connected patterns P and an energy cost function e which associates real values to each of these energy patterns. We use a finite set of reversible graph rewriting rules G to define the qualitative dynamics by showing which transformations are possible. Given G and P , we construct a finite set of rules GP which i) has the same qualitative transition system as G and ii) when equipped with rates according to e, defines a continuous-time Markov chain that has detailed balance with respect to the invariant probability distribution determined by the energy function. The construction relies on a technique for rule refinement described in earlier work and allows us to represent thermodynamically consistent models of biochemical interaction networks in a concise manner. The inverse problem, on the other hand, is to i) check whether a rule-based model has an energy function that describes its asymptotic behaviour and if so ii) obtain the energy function from the graph rewriting rules and their rates. Although this problem is known to be undecidable in the general case, we find two suitable subsets of Kappa, our rule-based modelling framework of choice, were this question can be answer positively and the form of their energy functions described analytically.


Introduction: An ischemic stroke is a clinical condition that affects thousands of people worldwide. As a result of this injury, neuronal death can be observed, and in the natural course of recovery, the individual may develop sepsis. Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response that can lead the patient to death. To assess the clinical condition of a patient with this condition, the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) can be useful, since it is not an invasive procedure, it is a fast technique and it can be done at the bedside. Purpose: To assess auditory brainstem response (ABR) latency values in gerbils subjected to ischemia and sepsis. Methods: ABR values were collected from 72 adult male gerbils, which were divided into six groups: control, sepsis, ischemia, sham, ischemia with sepsis, and sham with sepsis. For the induction of sepsis, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was applied intraperitoneally in gerbils. The animals were anesthetized with a ketamine/xylazine combination before collection; their ABR were collected before any procedure (base collection), after ischemia, and 24 hours after the application of LPS. The absolute latency of wave IV was evaluated, and the values were compared between groups. Results: There were significant differences in the groups submitted to sepsis in the latency value of wave IV in relation with the other groups. Conclusion: ABR was sensitive to sepsis with the increase in latency of wave IV during the development of the disease in the experimental model used.


BACKGROUND Scarring alopecias are classified into primary and secondary types according to the initial site of inflammation. In primary scarring alopecias, the hair follicle is the main target of destruction; the term secondary cicatricial alopecia implies that follicular destruction is not the primary pathologic event. AIMS To review the histopathologic diagnoses of cases of cicatricial alopecia in order to classify them according to the North American Hair Research Society. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with biopsy specimens diagnosed as cicatricial alopecia seen from 2000 to 2005 at the Dermatologic Department of Hospital das Clinicas, São Paulo University Medical School had hematoxylin and eosin, Periodic acid-Schiff and Weigert stained slides reevaluated and sub-typed into different primary cicatricial alopecias. RESULTS Thirty-eight cases of primary cicatricial alopecias were reclassified as: chronic cutaneous lupus (17), lichen planus pilaris (4), pseudopelade of Brocq (12), folliculitis decalvans (3), dissecting folliculitis (1), and non-specific scarring alopecia (1). In our cases, the methods employed allowed an accurate diagnosis in 12 of 13 cases (92.3%) previously classified as non-specific cicatricial alopecias. CONCLUSIONS Even in the late, pauci or non-inflammatory phases, an approach with systematic evaluation of a constellation of criteria in routine hematoxylin and eosin stain, Periodic acid-Schiff and Weigert stain allowed for a more accurate diagnosis of cicatricial alopecias.


Nek2 kinase, a NIMA-related kinase, has been suggested to play both meiotic and mitotic roles in mammals, but its function(s) during development is poorly understood. We have isolated here cDNAs encoding a Xenopus homolog of mammalian Nek2 and have shown that Xenopus Nek2 has two structural variants, termed Nek2A and Nek2B. Nek2A, most likely a C-terminally spliced form, corresponds to the previously described human and mouse Nek2, while Nek2B is most probably a novel, C-terminally unspliced form of Nek2. As a consequence of this (probable) alternative splicing, Nek2B lacks the C-terminal 70-amino-acid sequence of Nek2A, which contains a PEST sequence (or a motif for rapid degradation). Western blot analysis reveals that Nek2A is expressed predominantly in the testis (presumably in spermatocytes) and very weakly in the stomach and, during development, only after the neurula stage. By contrast, Nek2B is expressed mainly in the ovary and in both primary and secondary oocytes and early embryos up to the neurula stage. These results suggest that Nek2A and Nek2B may play both meiotic and mitotic roles, but in a spatially and temporally complementary manner during Xenopus development, and that Nek2B, rather than Nek2A (or the conventional form of Nek2), may play an important role in early development. We discuss the possibility that a counterpart of Xenopus Nek2B might also exist and function in early mammalian development.


The identification accuracy of intense basic facial expressions during the saccadic eye movements is studied. An original hardware-software apparatus based on high frequency video eyetracker was used which makes it possible to change visual stimulus twice during a saccade. A reliable identification at a frequency of 0,61 is observed. The identification frequency is related both to the expression modality and alternative response. No relation to egocentric stimulus position is observed.


With a large number of aging transportation infrastructure assets in North America and the growing problem of deterioration across the globe, managing these assets have been the subject of ongoing research. There is an overwhelming amount of maintenance and rehabilitation works to be done and selecting a suitable maintenance, repair or replacement (MRR) strategy is one of the most challenging tasks for decision makers. Limited budget and resources are even making the decision making process more challenging. Maintaining infrastructure to the highest possible condition while investing the minimal amount of money has promoted innovative contracting approaches. Transportation agencies have increased private sector involvement through long term performance-based maintenance contracts or what is called Performance-Based Contracting. PBC is a type of contract that pays a contractor based on the results achieved, not on the methods for performing the maintenance work. By looking into the literature, it is observed that agencies are expanding the amount of contracting they do in order to maintain and achieve a better standard of infrastructure facilities. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to study and review performance-based contracting for transportation infrastructure with emphasis on bridge assets.


There continues to be considerable public debate on the possible benefits regarding the growing popularity of the consumption of raw milk. However, there are significant concerns by regulatory, or public health, organizations like the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because of risk of contracting milkborne illnesses if the raw milk is contaminated with human pathogens. This review describes why pasteurization of milk was introduced more than 100 years ago, how pasteurization helped to reduce the incidence of illnesses associated with raw milk consumption, and the prevalence of pathogens in raw milk. In some studies, up to a third of all raw milk samples contained pathogens, even when sourced from clinically healthy animals or from milk that appeared to be of good quality. This review critically evaluates some of the popularly suggested benefits of raw milk. Claims related to improved nutrition, prevention of lactose intolerance, or provision of "good" bacteria from the consumption of raw milk have no scientific basis and are myths. There are some epidemiological data that indicate that children growing up in a farming environment are associated with a decreased risk of allergy and asthma; a variety of environmental factors may be involved and there is no direct evidence that raw milk consumption is involved in any "protective" effect.


One hundred and ninety-seven boreal forest stands, in a region of Ontario and Quebec south of James Bay, were examined. Tree species were summarized as relative density of each of five stem size classes. These data formed the basis for an exclusive polythetic divisive stand classification into 10 groups. Most of these groups were characterized by a single tree species. The affinity of each of 410 understorey taxa was assessed with respect to each canopy stand group or natural combination of groups. Only 121 understorey taxa showed specificity to the canopy classes identified. This apparent lack of tight overstorey–understorey affinity is discussed in relation to site nutrient status and regeneration following forest fire.


A novel all-optical linearization technique has been developed for discrete multiquantum-well electroabsorption modulators by exploiting the wavelength dependence of the quantum-confined Stark effect. The correcting signal for a particular order of nonlinearity is generated by the same modulator at a detuned optical wavelength, canceling the undesired order of nonlinear distortion via coherent RF recombination at the photodetector. This dual-wavelength approach is simple and insensitive to the microwave subcarrier frequency. A dramatic 30-dB reduction in the third-order nonlinear distortion at 10 GHz and 8-dB increase in the suboctave link dynamic range were achieved experimentally.


Reinforced mortar samples were exposed in humidity chambers with different relative humidity or exposed in cyclic moisture conditions. The rebars were in an "as received" condition meaning that the preexisting oxide scale were intact. The lowest chloride concentration that initiated corrosion was 1% Cl− by mass of cement, corrosion was then observed for samples exposed at 97% relative humidity. It is suggested that the corrosion rate decreases when samples are exposed to a relative humidity lower than 97%. The results indicate that threshold levels should be evaluated at rather humid conditions (97%) despite the fact that the maximum corrosion rate at higher chloride levels is observed in the interval 91–94%. For samples exposed to cyclic moisture conditions, a lower chloride concentration was needed to initiate corrosion compared to samples exposed in static moisture conditions.


The efficacy of 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) applied with one or two chisels was determined for control of Rotylenchulus reniformis on pineapple. The soil was fumigated with 1,3-D at 157 liters/ha with either a single chisel 46 cm deep or two chisels 41 cm deep in replicated experiments conducted in four commercial fields. Soil samples were collected before fumigation and 45 days afterward from three depths and three positions. The three depths were 0-15, 16-30, and 31-45 cm; and the three positions were the center of the bed, plant line, and interbed area. The single-chisel injection was comparable to the two chisels in percentage control of R. reniformis. Satisfactory control was achieved in three fields (percentage reduction from untreated = 79, 81, and 83) but not in the fourth field. The highest level of control was at the lowest soil depth (31-45 cm) nearest the points of injection. Among the sampling positions, control in the interbed area was generally the lowest. A single-chisel injection may be recommended because of the slightly enhanced control.


L.Q.R. 519 In January 2015 the Supreme Court of the UK delivered its much-anticipated decision in Michael v Chief Constable of South Wales Police [2015] UKSC 2; [2015] 2 All E.R. 635. The proceedings arose as a result of a failure by police services to intervene in time to prevent a woman from being murdered. The police had been advised of the identities of both the murderer and the victim. The overarching question in the case was whether the police owed the victim a duty of care. Standing in the way of the recognition of a duty of care was the decision of the House of Lords in Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [1989] A.C. 53; [1988] 2 All E.R. 238. The House held in that famous case that the police did not owe a duty of care to a woman who had been killed by the Yorkshire Ripper. Crucial to the decision in Hill was the fact that the woman was merely one of a vast number of the Ripper's potential victims. A majority of the Supreme Court held in Michael that the Hill principle — the rule that the police do not owe victims of crime a duty of care — applies even when the identities of both the victim and the perpetrator are known to the police. Michael is obviously important for what *L.Q.R. 520 it says about the private law responsibilities of police officers. But the decision is of much wider significance. It arguably signals a major shift in the approach to determining when a duty of case exists generally.


Code cognition models examine how programmers understand program code. The authors survey the current knowledge in this area by comparing six program comprehension models: the Letovsky (1986) model; the Shneiderman and Mayer (1979) model; the Brooks (1983) model; Soloway, Adelson and Ehrlich's (1988) top-down model; Pennington's (1987) bottom-up model; and the integrated metamodel of von Mayrhauser and Vans (1994). While these general models can foster a complete understanding of a piece of code, they may not always apply to specialized tasks that more efficiently employ strategies geared toward partial understanding. We identify open questions, particularly considering the maintenance and evolution of large-scale code. These questions relate to the scalability of existing experimental results with small programs, the validity and credibility of results based on experimental procedures, and the challenges of data availability. >


Juxtaglomerular appartus of 17 allotransplanted human kidneys was studied by the karyometric method at various periods of existence in the recipient's organism. Kidneys of persons who died of craniocerebral trauma or acute cardiac incompetence served as control. At the early periods (up to 2 months) there was revealed an authentic increase in the nuclear volume of the epitheloid-modified cells of the afferent arteriole and of the Goormaghtigh cells. There was also a tendency to increase in the volume of the macula densa cells. At the late periods the juxtamolecular apparatus persisted in the allotransplanted kidneys with a but little injured parenchyma. Reduction of the juxtaglomerular appartus occurred in case of marked sclerosis and atrophy of the transplant parenchyma.


Strategic Enterprise Resource Planning Models for E-Government: Applications and Methodologies is a collection of research from professionals and researchers working in the field of e-government including policymakers, ICT vendors, consultants, and implementing agencies. This book will aim to suggest enterprise resource planning frameworks for government enterprises along with their applications and methodologies to improve effectiveness of processes and enhance citizen-centric services. The research initiatives presented in this book will ease the process of implementing customized enterprise resource planning solutions in e-government.


condition as the number of inoculated who developed plague, counting from the Arst twelve hours of inoculation, was propo)rtionately five times smaller than the corresponding number among the uninoculated, and the two cases that appeared among the inoculated-one on the next morning after inoculation-both ended in recovery. The same course of events-that is, a sudden decrease after the date of operation, in the proportionate number of cases occurring in the inoculated group, is noted by him in other instances in the same paper-for example, in Undhera. It will be seen, then, that I have Haffkine's support when I urge that in a plague-infected locality the correct course is to employ his vaccine in all cases without distinction, for it is wel tried, harmless, and efficient in its action. To substitute for it, even where " history shows actual infection is highly probable" (and who is sufficient for such inquiries in the midst of an epidemic ?), the serum of Calmette-Yersin, which has never been tried in a bad epidemic among human beings, and which at present at least is outside the arena of practical politics on account of its expense and scarcity, would, in my opinion, be most unwise. WVhen I wrote the protest against the use of the word "haffkinine" I was aware that Mr. Haffkine had been consulted in the matter, and had sanctioned its use after consultation with the President, Medical Board, India Office, yet I know from conversation with Mr. Haffkine that the use of the term does not afford him any personal satisfaction. If Colonel King had wished to correct the " haphazard terminology" of the early days of plague inoculation in India, it would surely have been easy to obtain sanction for the use of the proper term (vaccine).-I am, etc., W. B. BANNERMAN Edinburgh, Nov. 13th. _ _ _ _MajorI.M.S.


AIM
Concerning the biomechanical properties of the iliotibial tract different opinions can be found in the literature. Due to this fact it was the aim of this study to take measurements about the hip centralising forces of the iliotibial tract in a neutral position as well as in abduction, adduction and flexion of the hip joint at different femoral neck angles by using a custom-made hip prosthesis.

METHOD
By using a custom-made measuring endoprothesis with the capability for adjusting different femoral neck angles and lengths and, furthermore, by measuring the intra- and subligamentous forces at the height of the greater trochanter, we measured the forces for validating the influence of the iliotibial tract for hip joint centralisation.

RESULTS
By increasing the CCD angle (coxa valga) a higher load on the hip joint results. By decreasing the CCD angle (coxa vara) a lowering of the coxalfemoral load results. Flexion of the knee joint leads to a decrease of the iliotibial tract tension. By extension of the knee joint and resulting tightening of the iliotibial tract, a triplication of the forces at the femoral neck was measured. Flexion of the hip joint exerted a ventralising of the iliotibial tract with an initial decrease of the centralising hip forces. Subligamentous measurement of the iliotibial tract showed increasing forces upon adduction as well as decreasing forces upon abduction of the hip joint. In the investigations about the forces with various femoral neck lengths, we saw a considerable increase by lengthening the femoral neck and resulting higher forces in the acetabulum.

CONCLUSION
The clinical relevance of these results concerns the predictability of the in- or decreasing tension band wiring effect of the iliotibial tract in correlation to the CCD angle and the direction of motion of the hip joint. The measurements give the clinical users a benchmark for the expected subligamentous forces of the iliotibial tract and the resulting hip centralising forces. The influence of the lengthening of the femoral neck for the hip centralising forces clarifies the importance of the iliotibial tract when planning displacement osteotomies or hip joint replacement.


Background: Complex spine surgery predisposes patients to substantial levels of blood loss, which can increase the risk of surgical morbidity and mortality. Case Description: A 29-year-old achondroplastic male required thoracolumbar deformity correction. However, he refused potential allogeneic blood transfusions for religious reasons. He, therefore, underwent pre-operative autologous blood donation and consented to the use of the intraoperative cell salvage device. Immediately prior to the incision, he underwent acute normovolemic hemodilution. Throughout the case, we additionally utilized meticulous hemostasis. Postoperatively, he was supplemented with iron and erythropoietin and recovered well. When he required a revision procedure 3 months later, similar strategies were successfully employed. Conclusion: Numerous strategies exist pre-operatively, intraoperatively, and post-operatively to optimize blood loss management for patients who refuse blood transfusions but warrant major spinal deformity surgery.


In this paper, we proposed the object classification method using genetic and dynamic random forest consisting of optimal combination of unit tree. The random forest can ensure good generalization performance in combination of large amount of trees by assigning the randomization to the training samples and feature selection, etc. allocated to the decision tree as an ensemble classification model which combines with the unit decision tree based on the bagging. However, the random forest is composed of unit trees randomly, so it can show the excellent classification performance only when the sufficient amounts of trees are combined. There is no quantitative measurement method for the number of trees, and there is no choice but to repeat random tree structure continuously. The proposed algorithm is composed of random forest with a combination of optimal tree while maintaining the generalization performance of random forest. To achieve this, the problem of improving the classification performance was assigned to the optimization problem which found the optimal tree combination. For this end, the genetic algorithm methodology was applied. As a result of experiment, we had found out that the proposed algorithm could improve about 3~5% of classification performance in specific cases like common database and self infrared database compare with the existing random forest. In addition, we had shown that the optimal tree combination was decided at 55~60% level from the maximum trees.


Pig production has become a great source of income and employment in Sub-Saharan countries and Cameroon in particular. However, many pig farmers face difficulties as the production system has not been improved everywhere. Hence, the present study was conducted in other to assess the socio-economic and technical characteristics of pig production system in the humid forest with monomodal rainfall agro-ecological zone of Cameroon. For this purpose, a total of 45 smallholder pig farmers were selected using a snow ball test from the study zone and investigated. A structural questionnaire was used to interview the pig farmers. Data generated included: socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, housing, breeding, feeding, health care, management practices and challenges in pig production. The data collected were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The study revealed that most of the respondents (62.2%) were male and 35.6% were between 40-69 years old. 82% of the pig farmers were married and all (100%) were Christians. With regards to education, only 4.4% of the farmers had no formal education while 55% had an experience of 10 years in pig farming. Majority of the farmers (44.4%) jointly reared cross (exotic x local), local and exotic pigs. 57.8% of farmers feed their pigs with compounded feed associated with kitchen and farm residues twice daily, morning and evening in feeding through mostly made of plastic materials (37.8%). 84.44% of farmers housed their pigs to avoid destruction and diseases (64.44%). Piggeries were mostly made of wood (60.0%) and had concrete floors (57.8%). However, 22.2% of farmers practiced free range production system. The farmers mostly practiced free will (55.6%) and group mating and delivery takes place in the herd (62.2%). 77.8% of the farmers faced health problems and 91.1% considered pig farming to be profitable. The main challenges faced by farmers were disease outbreak and expensive feed cost (22.2%). Although pig production is profitable, there is no ready market. Nevertheless, pig production has a positive impact in the lives of rural dwellers. Keywords : Socio-economic, pig farmers, Production system, Cameroon.


The study aims to evaluate the readiness of the Regional Work Unit ( Satuan Kerja Perangkat Daerah/SKPD ) to meet the substantive, technical, and administrative requirements of financial management of Regional Public Service Agency ( Badan Layanan Umum Daerah ). This descriptive qualitative research applies a case-study approach toward eleven public health centers ( Puskesmas ) proposing for PPK-BLUD in Ngawi regency, consisting of the Puskesmas in the district of Jogorogo, Kauman, Kendal, Tambakboyo, Paron, Sine, Walikukun, Pangkur, Bringin, Karanganyar, dan Kasreman. The eleven centers have completed the substantive, technical, and administrative requirements. The evaluation result on the substantive requirements shows that all institutions have owned a legal basis for its operation as public health centers, its implementation of PPK-BLUD, and its administration of public agencies providing goods/public services. In addition, the evaluation result on the technical requirements illustrates that the service performance in terms of their duties and functions are worth-managing for future achievement of the financial performance, as shown in the financial dependence and income growth. Meanwhile, the evaluation result on the administrative requirements reveal that all health centers proposing for PPK-BLUD have earned the full status of BLUD with values ranging between 90.20 up to 94.00. Key Word: Evaluation, Requirements, Public Service Agency, Community Health Center.


These three short papers were delivered at the 72nd General Meeting of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, held in Pretoria, South Africa, on 8–11 August 2017. The 'Quaestiones disputatae' session was chaired by the President of the Society, Professor Michael Wolter. The first two papers engage with Teresa Morgan's book, Roman Faith and Christian Faith, and Professor Morgan responds to them in the third.


We have cloned the alpha-agglutinin structural gene, AG alpha 1, by the isolation of alpha-specific agglutination-defective mutants, followed by isolation of a complementing plasmid. Independently isolated alpha-specific agglutination-defective mutations were in a single complementation group, consistent with biochemical results indicating that the alpha-agglutinin is composed of a single polypeptide. Mapping results suggested that the complementation group identified by these mutants is allelic to the ag alpha 1 mutation identified previously. Expression of AG alpha 1 RNA was alpha specific and inducible by a-factor. Sequences similar to the consensus sequences for positive control by MAT alpha 1 and pheromone induction were found upstream of the AG alpha 1 initiation codon. The AG alpha 1 gene could encode a 650-amino-acid protein with a putative signal sequence, 12 possible N-glycosylation sites, and a high proportion of serine and threonine residues, all of which are features expected for the alpha-agglutinin sequence. Disruption of the AG alpha 1 gene resulted in failure to express alpha-agglutinin and loss of cellular agglutinability in alpha cells. An Escherichia coli fusion protein containing 229 amino acids of the AG alpha 1 sequence was recognized by an anti-alpha-agglutinin antibody. In addition, the ability of this antibody to inhibit agglutination was prevented by this fusion protein. These results indicate that AG alpha 1 encodes alpha-agglutinin. Features of the AG alpha 1 gene product suggest that the amino-terminal half of the protein contains the a-agglutinin binding domain and that the carboxy-terminal half contains a cell surface localization domain, possibly including a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchor.


Atherosclerosis is a complex process mediated by leukocytes, macrophages and various inflammatory markers. Galectin-3 is secreted by activated macrophages and is involved in cardiac fibrosis, cardiac remodeling, and inflammation. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and serum galectin-3 levels. The study included 82 patients with CAD confirmed via coronary angiography and 82 healthy participants as control group. Angiographic CAD was defined as ≥50% luminal diameter stenosis of at least one major epicardial coronary artery. The severity of CAD was determined by the Gensini score; and the serum galectin-3 levels were measured via ELISA. Serum galectin-3 levels were significantly higher in the patient group with CAD than in the control group (12.96±4.92 vs 5.52±1.9 ng/mL, p<0.001). In the correlation analysis, serum galectin-3 showed significant correlation with the Gensini score (r=0.715, p<0.001), number of diseased vessels (r=0.752, p<0.001) and serum hs-CRP level (r=0.607, p<0.001). In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the serum galectin-3 levels were significant and independent predictors of the presence of angiographic CAD (OR=3.933, 95% CI 2.395 to 6.457; p<0.001). In the present study, the serum galectin-3 levels were higher in the patients with CAD than in healthy controls. Also, serum galectin-3 levels showed a significant positive correlation with the severity of CAD. An increased serum galectin-3 level may be considered an important activator and a marker of the atherosclerotic inflammatory process in CAD.


In this paper, a new CMOS current-mode single input and multi-outputs (SIMO) universal filter and quadrature oscillator with a similar circuit are proposed. The circuits only consist of three Current differencing transconductance amplifiers (CDTA) and two grounded capacitors, which are resistorless, and they are suitable for monolithic integration. The universal filter uses minimum CDTAs and passive elements to realize SIMO type low-pass (LP), high-pass (HP), band-pass (BP) band-stop (BS) and all-pass (AP) filter functions simultaneously without any component matching conditions. The angular frequency (ω0) and the quality factor (Q) of the proposed filter can be electronically controlled and tuned orthogonal. By some modifications of the filter, a new current-mode four-phase quadrature oscillator (QO) can be obtained easily. The condition of oscillation (CO) and frequency of oscillation (FO) of the QO can be controlled electronically and independently through the bias current of the CDTAs, and it is suitable for variable frequency oscillator. Moreover, all the passive and active sensitivities of the circuits are low. SPICE simulation results are included to confirm the theory. Keywords—Universal Filter, Quadrature Oscillator, Current mode, Current differencing transconductance amplifiers.


This study discusses a structural ambiguity between synthetic compounds and other syntactic phrases in Thai, as they potentially appear identical. Productive Ns and Vs were extracted from the Thai National Corpus. The data were divided into two groups. Group A consists of seven N-V(P) strings with the strongest collocations, each of which exhibits a semantically different relation. Group B is a similar set of N-V(P)s to Group A, but they feature interventions, coordinations, and modifications or alterations within a 5-word span. To test the state of being a lexical or syntactic unit, the Lexical Integrity Hypothesis served as a template to build internal cohesion. The corpus frequency and native speakers' judgment were also taken into account. The comparison shows that Group A has a much higher frequency of occurrence than Group B. There are tendencies that native speakers consider tightly cohesive and frequently occurring strings in Group A as singlewhole units, while the status of members of Group B is arguable depending on their Type/Token Ratio and cultural familiarity. As for Thai synthetic compounds, the division between the lexicon and syntax is yet a fuzzy boundary.


Organized groups of physicians should be considered potential initiators of any concerted effort to solve the medical malpractice problem. This may occur by a number of means, among them (a) establishment of malpractice review panels, (b) a patient's compensation board, (c) no-fault malpractice insurance, (d) substitution of claims-made insurance policies for the present-occurrence system now in use, and (e) malpractice insurance funds supported by insurance premiums and administered by panels composed in part of insured physicians. Cooperation between the insurance industry and the legal and medical professions might make it unnecessary for external agencies to impose regulations and policies at some future date.


ABSTRACT 5-Fluorouracil loaded magnetic field sensitive methylcellulose and polycaprolactone gels were prepared and characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, SEM, and VSM. Swelling analysis supplied important information on drug diffusion properties. The release profile of gels was investigated in different buffer solutions and the highest release values were observed at pH = 7.2. Release kinetic was analyzed using an empirical equation to clarify the transport properties of drug. The effects of nanoparticle concentration and applying external magnetic field were investigated on release profile. The results indicated that the drug release decreased by both, applying external magnetic field and increasing the concentration of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Trained historians reconstruct past human actions with the aid of available pieces or fragments of evidence from available sources. These could be primary or secondary. While none is infallible or can stand on its own without recourse to the others, secondary sources are ubiquitous and more readily accessible than the others. Newspapers, journals, theses and dissertations, conference proceedings, seminar reports, books, etc are more readily available and accessible to the researcher and less cumbersome than ancillary and allied disciplines like numismatics (the collection and study of coins); epigraphy (the study and deciphering of old inscriptions); linguistics (the systematic and scientific study of language); dendrochronology (the use of tree growth rings for dating historical events and changes in the environment) and archaeology (the study of ancient cultures through remains). Although, oral information are also always almost readily available, there are instances where custodians of vital historical information, eye witnesses of or dramatis personae in events being reconstructed live hundreds of miles away from the researcher. This is not the case with secondary sources. However, just as secondary sources are prevalent so are they replete with erroneous submissions. It is for this purpose that this paper attempts to correct some of the erroneous submissions in some of the available secondary sources on Nigerian (particularly political) history. The method of data analysis employed in this paper is the historical method - simple descriptive collation and analysis of historical data.


Thrombosis of the great arteries rarely occurs in the neonate. We report a case of thrombosis of the aortic arch, the brachiocephalic truncus, the left carotid and subclavian arteries, seen in a one-day-old neonate. The clinical findings were at first misdiagnosed as interrupted aortic arch syndrome, though, in retrospect echocardiography was very suggestive of the correct diagnosis. On the basis of the histological examination we assume, as the most likely cause for thrombosis, an aortitis in the prenatal period. Following thrombectomy and Gore-Tex bypass from the ascending to the descending aorta, combined with ligature of a PDA, the child developed a low output state and died on the table. The postmortem examination revealed that the latter was due to multiple infarcts of the left ventricular myocardium.


Background and Aim Lower limb fractures are often associated with poorer patient outcomes. The aim was to describe the 12-month outcomes of bony union, complication rates, health related quality of life (HRQL) and pain following femoral shaft fractures in a trauma registry based cohort. Methods Data for all patients with an ICD-10 injury code for femur, below the level of neck, admitted between May 2005 and June 2009 were obtained from the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR) database. Data were collected at baseline (patient, injury, x-ray and hospital record details) and 12-months (bony union, complications, pain and HRQL—short form-12 (SF-12) summary scores for physical and mental component summary (PCS-12, MCS-12). Results 417 femoral shaft fractures (AO-32) were identified in 403 patients (70% male; average (SD) age=37.6(20.6) years). Transport crashes were the most common cause of injury (66%). Simple femoral fractures (51%) were the most common type. Most patients underwent fixation using an antegrade femoral nailing approach (62%). Fracture union was confirmed in 231 patients (average time: 196.5 days), although 45% and 12% demonstrated non-union at 6 and 12-months respectively. 23% of the reviewed cases underwent further femoral surgical intervention including implant exchange, dynamisation and/or bone grafting. There was no association between fixation approach and pain or bone union. The antegrade group had better 12-month physical function scores (PCS-12) (p<0.001). Significance The high rate of delayed union, and the requirement for further surgical intervention in this registry based cohort warrants further investigation in the real world environment.


How to control the size and dispersity of co-catalysts and enhance the interaction between the catalyst and co-catalysts are open issues in catalysis. In this work, we have developed a novel approach to solve the aforementioned problems by utilizing the interlayered spatial steric inhibition effect of layered materials and the self-assembly of 2D nanosheets. A Ni(OH)2-modified few-layered HNb3O8 photocatalyst is taken as a typical example. SEM and TEM results show that the co-catalyst Ni(OH)2 with an ultrasmall size has been uniformly dispersed on the HNb3O8 layers through our method. However, the samples prepared by a traditional deposition method exhibit a heterogeneous Ni(OH)2 modification with a large size. That is, our method could provide a larger number of surface active sites. Furthermore, due to the confined interlayer region of the layered HNb3O8, a very strong interaction between Ni(OH)2 and HNb3O8 is achieved. As a result, the photogenerated charge carriers have been separated efficiently and the lifetime of the charge carrier is prolonged. Thus, the photocatalytic activities of our Ni(OH)2/HNb3O8 samples are greatly enhanced. The optimal H2 evolution rate of our sample is about 15.7 times higher than that of the sample prepared by a traditional co-catalyst modification method. This work highlights an efficient strategy for obtaining a highly dispersed co-catalyst, which might help to guide the way toward the development of highly efficient co-catalyst-modified photocatalyst systems.


In new energy development, wind power has boomed. It is due to the proliferation of wind parks and their operation in supplying the national electric grid with low cost and clean resources. Hence, there is an increased need to establish a proactive maintenance for wind turbine machines based on remote control and monitoring. That is necessary with a real-time wireless connection in offshore or inaccessible locations while the wired method has many flaws. The objective of this strategy is to prolong wind turbine lifetime and to increase productivity. The hardware of a remote control and monitoring system for wind turbine parks is designed. It takes advantage of GPRS or Wi-Max wireless module to collect data measurements from different wind machine sensors through IP based multi-hop communication. Computer simulations with Proteus ISIS and OPNET software tools have been conducted to evaluate the performance of the studied system. Study findings show that the designed device is suitable for application in a wind park.


A J-lay crane barge named Double-8000, the two cranes of which have the lifting capacity of up to 8000t, is about to be constructed by Offshore Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. (COOEC) in order to meet the requirements of oil and gas development in South China Sea. This paper presents the overall structure design of the J-lay system and corresponding method for strength calculation. The hardware and software for the J-lay control system are also developed. The model test on such a designed J-lay system along with its control system is investigated by applying the similarity theory and the hybrid model test method. A specially designed platform simulating the motion of the crane barge in 6 degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) in different sea conditions is used for the model testing in order to get the results of the influence of the crane motion on the performance of the J-lay system. The model tests verify the functionality and safety performance of the system. The results show that the test data are in good agreement with the numerical simulation. It can be seen that the J-lay system can meet the challenging requirements of Double-8000 for pipeline laying in waters deep to 3000m in South China Sea.


Researchers studying type 2 diabetes are optimistic that they are closing in on the elusive causes of the world's most prevalent metabolic disorder--although no one is willing to bet the bank on it. Using both biochemical and genetic approaches, diabetes researchers have identified multiple intracellular signaling pathways that appear to lie at the heart of this condition, which affects some 250 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and amputation among adults. And in the process, they have thrown out much of the dogma of the past 10 years.


Sheep were immunized by multiple injections of acid-extracted rat tail tendon tropocollagen. Antibody activity could be demonstrated by quantitative precipitation and passive haemagglutination against denatured tropocollagen. Immunodiffusion experiments showed strong precipitin lines with denatured tendon tropocollagen, and with peptides obtained by CNBr digestion of whole rat tail tendon. Immunoelectrophoresis showed one line with denatured tropocollagen but four lines with the CNBr digest of whole tendon indicating at least four antigenic determinants. Immunosorbents prepared from antisera raised against tropocollagen readily absorbed labelled peptides from CNBr digests of rat tail tendons reduced with tritiated borohydride. These peptides were recoverable by desorption with 1 M ammonia and had a hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine content typical of collagen but increased tyrosine levels. Presence of the normal reducible components of collagen known to be involved in cross-linking was confirmed by ion-exchange chromatography, and there was an increase in the proportion of fraction C. The majority of the tritium label was found in a cross-linked peptide, or group of peptides, with molecular weight around 60,000. The technique therefore has the potential for further development in the isolation of specific collagen peptides.