Introduction Ciprofloxacin and meropenem have effects on intestinal bacteria that are responsible for pancreatic infection, and on the basis of recent data it has been argued that probiotics, especially those used in the food industry, could improve efforts to prevent and treat secondary pancreatic infections by inhibiting bacterial translocation. Aims To evaluate the effects of probiotic treatment alone or in combination with early administration of two different antibiotics on serum amylase, pancreatic histopathology, bacterial translocation, and oxidative markers. Methodology Acute pancreatitis was induced in rats with 3% sodium taurocholate (1 mL/kg intraductally), except in group VI (sham group). After the stabilization period, the rats were divided into seven groups (n = 20) randomly. At hour 6 after injection, group I rats received probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii (25 mg/d orally q.d.), group II received meropenem (60 mg/kg intraperitoneally b.i.d.), group III received ciprofloxacin (40 mg/kg intraperitoneally b.i.d.), group IV received the same dose of probiotic plus meropenem, and group V received probiotic plus ciprofloxacin. Treatment was not given to group VI (sham group) and group VII (pancreatitis group). At hour 48 after induction, specimens were collected. Results and Conclusion Although histopathologic scores in treatment groups were found to be lower than in group VII, the difference was statistically significant only in group V (p < 0.001). In evaluation of oxidative stress, we found that MDA levels decreased and SOD levels increased in treatment groups in comparison with levels in group VII. Probiotic treatment alone reduced bacterial translocation. Probiotic–antibiotic combination therapy was shown to improve histopathologic scores and oxidative parameters.


Objectives: Infectious gastroenteritis is one of most important causes of morbidity and mortality in children. Rotavirus and enteric adenoviruses are the most important agents of infectious gastroenteritis. Little is known about the epidemiology of rotavirus and enteric adenovirus gastroenteritis in our region. This study was aimed to determine the frequency of rotavirus and enteric adenovirus gastroenteritis in pediatric patients admitted to our hospital. Materials and Methods: Fresh stool specimens of total 941 pediatric patients admitted to our hospital during October 2008 and September 2009 due to acute gastroenteritis were studied. Rotavirus and enteric adenovirus antigens were investigated in the fresh stool specimens with the qualitative immunochromatographic test. Results: In 170 (18.1%) of fresh stool specimens, viral antigens were determined. Of these 170 specimens, rotavirus was established in 157 (16.7%), enteric adenovirus in 9 (1.0%), both rotavirus and enteric adenovirus in 4 (0.4%). The viral antigen positive cases were most frequently seen during autumn and winter months in children between 5-24 months of age. Conclusion: Rotavirus is most important agent in acute gastroenteritis of childhood in our region too. It should be investigated routinely in fresh stool specimens, especially in the autumn and winter months.


Governments the world over are increasingly challenging universities to produce human resources with the right skills sets and knowledge required to drive their economies in this twenty-first century. It therefore becomes important for universities to produce graduates that bring tangible and meaningful contributions to the economies. Graduate tracer studies are hailed to be one of the ways in which universities can respond and reposition themselves to the actual needs of the industry. It is against this background that this study was conducted to establish the relevance of the Department of Information and Communication Technology at Mzuzu University to the Malawian economy by systematically investigating occupations of its former students after graduating from the University. The study adopted a quantitative design by distributing an online-based questionnaire with predominantly closed-ended questions. The study focused on three key objectives: to identify key employing sectors of ICT graduates, to gauge the relevance of the ICT programme to its former students' jobs and businesses, and to establish the level of satisfaction of the ICT curriculum from the perspectives of former ICT graduates. The key findings from the study are that the ICT programme is relevant to the industry. However, some respondents were of the view that the curriculum should be strengthened by revising it through an addition of courses such as Mobile Application Development, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Data Mining, and LINUX Administration to keep abreast with the ever-changing ICT trends and job requirements. The study strongly recommends the need for regular reviews of the curriculum so that it is continually responding to and matches the needs of the industry.


Abstract When Louis Agassiz went to America in 1846, he took with him, or was soon joined by, a whole retinue of Swiss protègès and assistants who in the preceding decade had turned his scientific work into a corporate, collective enterprise. Among the new arrivals were E. Desor, A. Guyot, L. Lesquereux, C. Girard, and L. Pourtalès—a labour pool that enabled Agassiz to re-assemble the Neuchâtel 'scientific factory' on American shores. Indeed, some of the troop immediately went to work under Agassiz's supervision, plunging eagerly into the rich new fields of investigation that America afforded them. Although it was seemingly productive, by 1850 the group had dispersed. Some of the Neuchâtel naturalists, urged on by the egalitarian politics of the day, lost patience with Agassiz's domineering ways and determined to strike out on their own, fashioning independent careers. Others, still loyal to Agassiz, left to establish themselves in regular posts. All of these young naturalists struggled to adapt to American culture and make a go of it. Although Agassiz himself was hospitably received and well provided for, his followers found that they were looked down upon because of their foreign manners, broken English, and idealized scientific pursuits that appeared lacking in usefulness to their practically-minded hosts. Nor did they have abundant prospects for earning a living, obliged as they were to compete with native-born Americans for the few full-time scientific positions then available. Nevertheless, in the end they were remarkably successful. Lesquereux in palaeobotany and Guyot in physical geography reached the top in their fields in America. These two, along with Pourtalès, were honoured by election to the National Academy of Sciences. As for the others, Desor was launched on a productive career as a Quaternary geologist, when a family matter recalled him to Switzerland, and Girard was building an excellent reputation in ichthyology and herpetology, when he was obliged to return to Europe because of his support for the Confederacy in the Civil War. Working in geology and natural history, where broad experience and comparative observation paid dividends, the Swiss turned their European background into an advantage.


A series of novel 2, 4-thiazolidinedione derivatives 2-{4-[(E)-(2,4-dioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-5-ylidene)methyl] phenoxy}- N-(substituted phenyl) acetamides d (1-12) have been accomplished in good yields by stirring 2,4-thiazolidinedione a and 2-(4-formyl phenoxy) N-substituted acetamide c (1-12) at room temperature. Some of the reaction sequences were carried under microwave irradiation which resulted in increased reaction rate and yield enhancement. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their hypoglycemic activity in Wister albino mice animal model and histopathological studies for kidney and Liver were performed. Some of the derivatives have exhibited promising hypoglycemic activity.


Nowadays, the direct effects of lightning to aircrafts are of great importance because of the massive use of composite materials. In comparison with metallic materials, composites present several weaknesses for lightning strike direct effects. Especially, their low electrical and thermal conductivities lead to severe lightning strike damage. The lightning strike direct effects are burning, heating, magnetic force, sparking and arcing. As the problem is complex, we investigated it gradually. A magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model is developed to simulate the lightning strikes in order to estimate the damages on the composite materials. Then, a coupled thermalelectrical finite element analysis is used to study the interaction between the lightning arc and the composite laminate and to investigate the material degradation. Keywords—Composite structures, lightning multiphysics, magnetohydrodynamics, coupled thermal-electrical analysis, thermal plasmas.


As ecosystem engineers, North American beavers (Castor canadensis) change many environmental conditions in water-sheds, felling trees, damming streams, and flooding riparian zones. In Tierra del Fuego, where beavers were introduced in 1946, these alterations have produced meadows that appear to be long-term alternate stable states, lacking signs of resilience and natural forest regeneration. The aim of this work was to determine the abiotic and biotic factors that affect native tree seedling success in abandoned beaver meadows in Nothofagus pumilio forests. Environmental conditions including light, soil moisture, herbaceous plant community composition, and reinvasion potential were measured in areas impacted by beavers and in unimpacted old-growth forests. Additionally, we monitored the survival and success of N. pumilio seedlings transplanted in plots where meadow vegetation was cleared. Tree seedlings showed little growth, and survival varied by type of beaver impact. While survival was high and similar to unimpacted sites in zones cut but not flooded by beavers, it was significantly lower in meadow zones that were previously flooded and cut, compared to old-growth forests. We found that the reinvasion of herbaceous plants into transplantation study plots was negatively related to tree seedling survival, and herbaceous (monocot) plant cover itself was related to beaver-created gradients in soil moisture and light availability. Overall, these abiotic changes modified the meadow's plant community and enhanced herbaceous vegetation cover, particularly monocots and exotics, thus hindering transplanted seedling survival.


Abstract : The Kurds are currently the largest nation of people without their own country. They are divided among several states, predominantly Iran, Iraq and Turkey where they constitute large minorities. They have persistently been used as pawns by these countries and others, including the United States; only to be ignored once supporting them has no longer been beneficial. The Kurdish struggle for an independent homeland has repeatedly erupted into violence throughout history. To date there has been no permanent solution that has been acceptable to both the Kurds and the states they live in. This thesis will examine the history of the Kurdish struggle in order to understand how their experiences have shaped the current conditions, and to help develop an effective, long term American policy to control the situation. It will examine how the lessons of the past can be applied to policies today. The Kurdish struggle has periodically disrupted the stability and security of three of the largest nations in the Middle East. In this area, which is of vital interest to the United States, these movements threaten the fragile stability of the region. The recurring nature of these rebellions implies that it is only a matter of time before one directly threatens our interests in the area. For this reason, a thorough understanding of the Kurdish struggle is necessary.


Capparaceae and Brassicaceae have long been known to be closely related families, with the monophyly of Capparaceae more recently questioned. To elucidate the relationship between Brassicaceae and Capparaceae as well as to address infrafamilial relationships within Capparaceae, we analyzed sequence variation for a large sampling, especially of Capparaceae, of these two families using two chloroplast regions, trnL-trnF and ndhF. Results of parsimony and likelihood analyses strongly support the monophyly of Brassicaceae plus Capparaceae, excluding Forchhammeria, which is clearly placed outside the Brassicaceae and Capparaceae clade and suggest the recognition of three primary clades-Capparaceae subfamily (subf.) Capparoideae, subf. Cleomoideae, and Brassicaceae. Capparaceae monophyly is strongly contradicted with Cleomoideae appearing as sister to Brassicaceae. Two traditionally recognized subfamilies of Capparaceae, Dipterygioideae and Podandrogynoideae, are embedded within Cleomoideae. Whereas habit and some fruit characteristics demarcate the three major clades, floral symmetry, stamen number, leaf type, and fruit type all show homoplasy. Clades within Capparoideae show a biogeographical pattern based on this sampling. These results are consistent with several alternative classification schemes.


: Utilization of oxygen in rat liver mitochondria was studied using two nitrofuran derivatives 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde semicarbazone (furacin) and soluble derivative of nitrofuran--M-106-P. The substances at 10(-3) M concentration increased O2 consumption in mitochondria with simultaneous decrease in the respiratory control. After blocking of respiration with KCN, antimycine, rhothenone, the nitrofurans stimulated O2 consumption in mitochondria up to 30% as compared with controls.


Background: Cymbopogon citratus commonly known as lemon grass is a valuable medicinal plant. In present investigation variation in the antidermatophytic potential of C. citratus essential oil was estimated in different temperature and storage periods. Materials and Methods: C. citratus essential oil was extracted through hydrodistillation methods and kept in amber bottles in three different temperature conditions like room temperature (variable from 8-45°C), refrigerator temperature(2-6°C) and 30°C for 2 years. Minimum inhibitory concentration was determined after every fourth month of storage against selected dermatophytes. Results: Antidermatophytic activity of C. citratus oil was found prominent due to high concentration of citral derivatives. MIC was found to be stable against Trichophyton rubrum (MTCC 296) (0.1μL/mL) and T. mentagrophytes (MTCC 7687) (0.1μL/mL) at the end of experiment in all three temperature conditions. 30°C temperature condition was also found quite stable. A very slight increase of MIC was found against Candida albicans (MTCC 3018) and Microsporum fulvum (MTCC 2837) at 24 months (Sixth testing) of storage. Oil stored at room temperature showed variation in MIC as compared to initial one. MIC was found to double against M. fulvum (MTCC 2837) at sixth testing (0.4μL/mL) of storage as compared to first testing (0.2μL/mL). Conclusion: Present work concluded that essential oil stored in low temperature condition can maintained their primary composition and properties for long time. Therefore, storing of essential oil products in low temperature (below 8°C) condition is best practices for long time application of medicinal products. biological activities of oil. Light, temperature and oxygen presence are important key ABSTRACT Present work demonstrated the longevity of C. citratus essential oil stored in three different temperature conditions. After every fourth month of storage antidermatophytic potential of oil was checked against human pathogenic fungi Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, M. fulvum and Candida albicans. C. citratus oil exhibited excellent antifungal activity against all test pathogens. Present finding revealed if essential oil store in low temperature conditions they can be used for long time without any potential changes or with negligible changes.


LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract in English only.In the dominant discourse of the "human–machine relationship," people and machines are the subjects, with a mutually shaping influence. However, this framework neglects the crux of the current critical analysis of AI. It reduces the problems with new technology to the relationship between people and machines, ignoring the re-shaping of the relationship between "people and people" in the era of new technology. This simplification may mislead policy and legal regulations for new technologies. Why would a robot killing cause more panic than a murder committed by a human? Why is a robot's misdiagnosis more troubling than a doctor's? Why do patients assume that machines make more accurate diagnoses than doctors? When a medical accident occurs, who is responsible for the mistakes of an intelligent medical system? In the framework of traditional professionalism, the relationship between doctors and patients, whether trusted or not, is based on the premise that doctors have specialized knowledge that patients do not possess. Therefore, the authority of a doctor is the authority of knowledge. In the age of intelligence, do machines provide information or knowledge? Can this strengthen or weaken the authority of doctors? It is likely that in the age of intelligence, the professionalism, authority and trustworthiness of doctors require a new knowledge base. Therefore, the de-skilling of doctors is not an issue of individual doctors, but demands an update of the knowledge of the entire industry. Recognizing this, policy makers must not focus solely on the use of machines, but take a wider perspective, considering how to promote the development of doctors and coordinate the relationship between doctors with different levels of knowledge development. We often ask, "In the era of intelligence, what defines a human?" This philosophical thinking should be directed toward not only the difference between machines and people as individuals, but also how the relationship between human beings, i.e., the social nature of humans, evolves in different technological environments. In short, this commentary stresses that a "good" machine or an "evil" machine—beyond the sci-fi romance of such discourse—reflects the evolution of the relationships between people. In today's smart age, the critical issue is not the relationship between people and machines. It is how people adjust their relationships with other people as machines become necessary tools in life. In the era of intelligence, therefore, our legislation, policy and ethical discussion should resume their focus on evolutionary relationships between people.DOWNLOAD HISTORY | This article has been downloaded 41 times in Digital Commons before migrating into this platform.


Female genital cutting (FGC) is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights. About 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the consequences of FGC and about 92 million girls aged 10 years and above are estimated to have undergone FGC. In Nigeria, FGC is of public health importance because of its high prevalence and association with maternal and child morbidity and mortality.  The study set out to determine the practice of FGC amongst adults in Ilorin metropolis, north- central Nigeria. This descriptive cross sectional survey was carried out in Ilorin metropolis amongst 1,000 household heads and their spouses recruited using a multi stage sampling technique. A pretested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was the data collection instrument used. Data was analyzed using the EPI-INFO version 3.5.1 statistical package. Data were presented using frequency distribution tables and charts. Cross tabulations of important variables were done. Chi-square test was used to determine the statistical difference in observation where necessary. A P value < 0.05 was considered significant at 95% confidence level. The mean age of the respondents was 35.7(±13.6) years and about half of them 947 (47.4%) were between the ages of 30 and 39 years. Almost all the respondents were married (93.4%).More than half of the households 570 (57%) practiced female genital cutting. Majority 524 (92%) of the female genital cutting was done by a traditional practitioner. Slightly more than half of the respondents 247 (50.4%) practiced FGC as a form of religious obligation while just a few 55 (9.6%) practiced it to ease childbirth. There was a statistically significant association between socio-demographic variables and practice of female genital cutting (p values <0.05). Majority of the respondents in the study area practiced FGC and they hold a lot of misconceptions about the effect of FGC. Concerted efforts of stakeholders to curb the menace will have beneficial effects on children yet unborn. Keywords: North-central Nigeria, practice, Female Genital Cutting


PurposeIn the automotive industry, the high process complexity becomes an important issue because of the increased number of product and process variants demanded by the customers. To avoid quality defects in assembly and losses in such a complex manufacturing environment, new predictive support systems are required. This study aims to develop a multiple attribute decision support system (DSS) for the prediction and quantification of the risk of failures on the workstations of a leading Turkish automotive manufacturing company.Design/methodology/approachInitially, the factors affecting the failures in workstations and the attributes to evaluate the factors are identified. Subsequently, the relations among the attributes are specified and priorities of them are calculated. Finally, the risk of failures is calculated and tested in a pilot study and validated with real production data.FindingsTo the best of authors' knowledge, this is a unique study that computes the risk scores on the workstations via DSS. The DSS has various advantages for improvements of the manufacturing quality: the risk of failures can be detectable and comparable, the effect of changes in the design of new workstations can be observed. Stations that have medium or high complexity scores demonstrated strong correlation with failure rates. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to predict the effect of improvement actions on the riskiness of the workstations.Originality/valueHigh level of production complexity becomes a crucial issue for companies that use various production processes. Considering this fact, it is a requirement for companies to observe and monitor the risk factors, especially in the assembly lines to be able to eliminate failures derived from complexity. Accordingly, to measure risk scores of the workstations in the assembly lines, a decision support for companies aids executives to manage the complexity level in a reliable and effective way. In this study, the authors develop such a DSS for TOFAS, a leading Turkish automotive company. The proposed DSS is verified and applied through a pilot study on a specific basic production unit. A sensitivity analysis is also conducted to see the effects of potential improvements on the risk scores. Additionally, the trend of risk scores for the stations can also give valuable information for tracing the changes in the time horizon. The proposed DSS also enables an opportunity for the executives in their decision of design processes of new production lines by allocating limited resources in an appropriate way based on the risk scores of possible workstations. The proposed DSS is the first and unique proactive failure prevention model developed in a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) plant across the world. TOFAS executives also plan to introduce and enlarge the usage of the model to other FCA plants. It may also be possible to apply the model to other assembly lines in any sector. Another plan of the executives of TOFAS is developing a software, which manages each parameter, to constitute data to the DSS to run this system more instantly and effectively. Moreover, they can take integration actions of the software with world-class manufacturing problem management system that is currently in use in TOFAS.


Background: Survival of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) subgroups in relation to the general population is poorly described. Data on the factors predicting long-term biochemical cure in MTC patients are nonexistent at a population level. A nationwide retrospective cohort study of MTC in Denmark from 1997 to 2014 was conducted, aiming to detect subgroups with survival similar to that of the general population and to identify prognostic factors for disease-specific survival and long-term biochemical cure. Methods: The study included 220 patients identified from the nationwide Danish MTC cohort between 1997 and 2014. As a representative sample of the general population, a reference population matched 50:1 to the MTC cohort was used. Results: Patients diagnosed with hereditary MTC by screening (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.5 [confidence interval (CI) 0.5–4.3]), patients without regional metastases (HR = 1.4 [CI 0.9–2.3]), and patients with stage I (HR = 1.3 [CI 0.6–3.1]), stage II (HR = 1.1 [CI 0.6–2.3]), and III (HR = 1.3 [CI 0.4–4.2]) disease had an overall survival similar to the reference population. On multivariate analysis, the presence of distant metastases (HR = 12.3 [CI 6.0–25.0]) predicted worse disease-specific survival, while the absence of regional lymph node metastases (odds ratio = 40.1 [CI 12.0–133.7]) was the only independent prognostic factor for long-term biochemical cure. Conclusions: Patients with hereditary MTC diagnosed by screening, patients without regional metastases, and patients with stages I, II, and III disease may have similar survival as the general population. The presence of distant metastases predicted worse disease-specific survival, while the absence of regional metastases predicted long-term biochemical cure.


We investigate the behaviour of flows, including turbulent flows, driven by a horizontal body force and subject to a vertical magnetic field, with the following question in mind: for a very strong applied magnetic field, is the flow mostly two-dimensional, with remaining weak three-dimensional fluctuations, or does it become exactly 2-D, with no dependence along the vertical direction? We first focus on the quasi-static approximation, i.e. the asymptotic limit of vanishing magnetic Reynolds number, $\mathit{Rm}\ll 1$ : we prove that the flow becomes exactly 2-D asymptotically in time, regardless of the initial condition and provided that the interaction parameter $N$ is larger than a threshold value. We call this property absolute two-dimensionalization: the attractor of the system is necessarily a (possibly turbulent) 2-D flow. We then consider the full magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations and prove that, for low enough $\mathit{Rm}$ and large enough $N$ , the flow becomes exactly 2-D in the long-time limit provided the initial vertically dependent perturbations are infinitesimal. We call this phenomenon linear two-dimensionalization: the (possibly turbulent) 2-D flow is an attractor of the dynamics, but it is not necessarily the only attractor of the system. Some 3-D attractors may also exist and be attained for strong enough initial 3-D perturbations. These results shed some light on the existence of a dissipation anomaly for MHD flows subject to a strong external magnetic field.


Background: Hall (Embryologic development and monozygotic twinning. Acta Geneticae Medicae et Gemellologiae, Vol. 45, 1996, pp. 53–57) hypothesized that chromosomal aberrations can lead to monozygotic (MZ) twinning. However, twinning and chromosomal aberrations increase prenatal mortality and could reduce the prevalence of chromosomal aberrations in live-born twins. We compared prevalence proportion ratios (PPR) of chromosomal aberrations and trisomy 21 (T21) in live-born twins versus singletons born in Denmark during 1968–2009. Methods: We linked the Danish Twin Registry and a 5% random sample of all singletons to the Danish Cytogenetic Central Register and calculated PPR adjusted for maternal age for MZ, dizygotic (DZ), and all twins versus singletons. Zygosity was based on questionnaires or genetic markers. Results: No overall difference in risk of chromosomal aberrations or T21 in twins versus singletons was found. PPR in MZ and DZ twins was 0.87 (95% CI [0.60, 1.27]) and 1.05 (95% CI [0.88, 1.27]), respectively. For T21 there was a tendency to a lower prevalence in MZ twins compared to singletons (PPR: 0.29, 95% CI [0.07, 1.14]), whereas PPR was significantly increased in DZ twins (1.62, 95% CI [1.20, 2.19]). The observed proportion of MZ twin pairs among twin pairs with aberrations (0.22, 95% CI [0.16, 0.28]) was significantly lower than the proportion expected from the Weinberg method (0.32, 95% CI [CI, 0.26, 0.39]). Conclusion: Based on databases providing complete national coverage on twins with chromosomal aberrations, we found no overall difference in risk of chromosomal aberrations or T21 in twins versus singletons. Around conception twins may have an increased risk of chromosomal aberrations, but loss of especially MZ embryos could lead to similar risk among live-born twins and singletons.


Author(s): Taing, Allan | Advisor(s): Palardy, Gregory J | Abstract: Since Equality of Educational Opportunity was published in 1966, evidence has accumulated supporting the Coleman Report's original finding that socioeconomically-segregated schools depress educational outcomes. Research over the past half century indicates that the socioeconomic composition (SEC) of a school – as measured by the average socioeconomic status (SES) of its students – is associated with student achievement and attainment above and beyond individual SES. In the context of growing income inequality and rising neighborhood and school segregation across the country, this study addressed gaps in the school effectiveness literature by examining the relationship between high school SEC and sequential outcomes of college enrollment, persistence, and graduation. Drawing on a nationally-representative sample of public high school students from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, this quantitative study employed a multilevel multiple group analysis approach to unpack the SEC effect by investigating differential effects across SEC settings and the mechanisms through which SEC is theorized to impact student outcomes. Results indicate that high school SEC has a robust association with success along the entire college pipeline; students who attended higher SEC schools were more likely to enroll at 4-year institutions than not enroll (ES = .16), to enroll at 4-year than 2-year institutions (ES = .19), to persist into the third year (ES = .10), and to ultimately graduate with a bachelor's degree (ES = .13). Effect sizes were consistent for students regardless of individual SES. The distal effect of SEC was due in part to its indirect effect through mediating factors of college readiness and institutional start level. SEC could be partially explained by the underlying mechanisms of peer influences and school practices – especially the effect of close friends and the normative peer environment. Overall, the findings from this study suggest that addressing the negative long-term impact of class-based school segregation on college access and completion necessitates the integration of public schools along socioeconomic lines.


To investigate the determinants of protein order and disorder, three primary and one derivative database of intrinsically disordered proteins were compiled. The segments in each primary database were characterized by one of the following: X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), or circular dichroism (CD). The derivative database was based on homology. The three primary disordered databases have a combined total of 157 proteins or segments of length.30 with 18,010 residues, while the derivative database contains 572 proteins from 32 families with 52,688 putatively disordered residues. For the four disordered databases, the amino acid compositions were compared with those from a database of ordered structure. Relative to the ordered protein, the intrinsically disordered segments in all four databases were significantly depleted in W, C, F, I, Y, V, L and N, significantly enriched in A, R, G, Q, S, P, E and K, and inconsistently different in H, M, T, and D, suggesting that the first set be called order-promoting and the second set disorder-promoting. Also, 265 amino acid properties were ranked by their ability to discriminate order and disorder and then pruned to remove the most highly correlated pairs. The 10 highest-ranking properties after pruning consisted of 2 residue contact scales, 4 hydrophobicity scales, 3 scales associated with.-sheets and one polarity scale. Using these 10 properties for comparisons of the 3 primary databases suggests that disorder in all 3 databases is very similar, but with those characterized by NMR and CD being the most similar, those by CD and X-ray being next, and those by NMR and X-ray being the least similar.


We present experimental observations of the onset of flow for horizontally vibrated 3D granular systems. For accelerations Γ above Γ*, the top layers of granular material flow, leading to convection with motion both parallel and transverse to the shaking; the lower part of the layer moves with the shaker in solid body motion. With increasing Γ, more of the layer becomes liquefied. The initial bifurcation is backward, but a small amount of fluidization by gas flow lifts the hysteresis. A new convective mechanism, which we explore both experimentally and computationally, associated with horizontal shearing at the walls, is identified as the mechanism driving the transverse convective flow.


Sulfane sulfur species such as persulfides and polysulfides along with hydrogen sulfide protect cells from oxidative stress and are key members of the cellular antioxidant pool. Here, we report perthiocarbamate-based prodrugs that are cleaved by β-glycosidases to produce persulfide and relatively innocuous byproducts. The β-glucosidase-activated persulfide donor enhances cellular sulfane sulfur and protects cells against lethality induced by elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS).


This work was conducted to study the extraction of pelletierine sulphate from Punica granatum L. roots by liquid membrane techniques. Pelletierine sulphate is used widely in medicine. The general behavior of extraction process indicates that pelletierine conversion increased with increasing the number of stages and the discs rotation speed but high rotation speed was not favored because of the increased risk of droplet formation during the operation. The pH of feed and acceptor solution was also important. The results exhibit that the highest pelletierine conversion was obtained when using two stages, (10 rpm) discs speed of stainless steel discs, (pH=9.5) of feed solution and (pH=2) of acceptor solution in n-decane. Assuming the existence of two thin reaction layers in the feed and stripping solutions, mathematical model was developed to describe the pelletierine transport. On the basic of the experimental data obtained under various conditions and the model proposed, it was found that the solute transfer into the liquid membrane is mainly diffusion-controlled.


Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome that involves chronic pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance and impaired quality of life and daily functioning. In addition to medical and psychological therapies, other therapies including acupuncture and dry needling aim to reduce pain and disability in patients with FM. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of dry needling and acupuncture in patients with FM regarding pain, function and disability in both the short and the long term. MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trial studies evaluating efficacy data of dry needling or/and acupuncture treatments to improve pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance and impaired quality of life and/or daily function. A qualitative analysis including the methodological quality and a systematic data synthesis was performed. A total of 25 studies addressed the selection criteria. Most studies had an acceptable methodological quality. Four studies assessed the effect of dry needling, and twenty-one studies assessed the effect of acupuncture. In general, both interventions improved pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, stiffness, quality of sleep and quality of life. However, both techniques were not compared in any study. Acupuncture and dry needling therapies seems to be effective in patients with FM, since both reduced pain pressure thresholds, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances and disability in the short term. It is still required to compare both techniques and their application in the long term.


ABSTRACT Introduction Anxiety disorders are common, disabling psychiatric conditions associated with excessive worry, irritability, and physiological symptoms of stress. Following insufficient response to psychological therapies, first-line pharmacological treatments for anxiety disorders suffer from inconsistent efficacy, addiction, and intolerable side-effect profiles (e.g. sedation), especially when used inappropriately or contrary to evidence-based guidelines. Developing anxiolytics acting via cholinergic modulation may provide novel options for the treatment of anxiety disorders, without the drawbacks of existing anxiolytics. Areas covered We review pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders and proposed mechanisms of action in relation to the associated neural circuitry. We then consider the mechanism of action, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics of the negative-allosteric modulator of the alpha7 nicotinic receptor BNC210, an investigational anxiolytic so far employed in studies of those with social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and agitation in hospitalized elderly. Lastly, we consider the environment of competitor compounds for this indication, and BNC210ʹs place within it, in both the present and near-future. Expert opinion : There is a relative paucity of data regarding BNC210, albeit the small amount of mostly non-peer reviewed data indicate it is a well-tolerated, effective anxiolytic. Phase III trials are required for proper appraisal of its utility.


The emergence and spread of β-lactams and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli in birds deserve a special concern worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the presence of β-lactams and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli strains isolated from the faeces of urban and rural pigeons in Batna, Algeria, and to characterise their molecular traits of resistance. Between March and April 2019, a total of 276 faecal droppings samples were collected in Batna, Algeria. Samples were subjected to selective isolation of β-lactams and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli. The representative colonies were then identified using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disc diffusion method. β-lactamases, as well as mcr genes, were screened for by PCR and confirmed by sequencing. Genetic relatedness of the mcr-positive E. coli strains was determined using multi-locus sequence typing analysis. Transferability features of carbapenemase genes were assessed by conjugation experiments. Overall, thirty-five E. coli isolates were obtained only from urban pigeon samples. All carbapenem-resistant isolates harboured the blaOXA-48 gene as the only carbapenemase gene detected (n = 11), while blaESBL genes were detected in eighteen isolates. Out of the thirty-five isolates, four E. coli isolates were positive for the mcr-1 gene. The obtained mcr-1 positive E. coli isolates belonged to four STs, including ST1485, ST224, ST46, and a new ST. This study is the first to report the isolation of E. coli strains carrying the mcr-1 gene from pigeon faeces in Algeria and also the first to report the detection of blaOXA-48-positive E. coli in pigeons. Close surveillance is, therefore, urgently needed to monitor the dissemination of blaOXA-48 and mcr-1 producing E. coli strains in wildlife.


The distribution of the fuel among the various cylinders of a Pratt and Whitney 1340 S1H1-G engine was determined by chemically analyzing samples of exhaust gas from each cylinder. The engine was operated in the 20-foot wind tunnel at different power outputs, specific fuel consumptions, and engine speeds. The results showed that the variation in the quality of the mixture among the different cylinders was approximately 4 percent and was independent of power output, specific fuel consumption, and engine speed. The results also showed that the top cylinders operated with a lower air-fuel ratio than the bottom cylinders.


We argue that the software engineering (SE) community could have a significant impact on the future of the discipline by focusing its efforts on improving the education of software engineers. There are some bright spots such as the various projects to codify knowledge, and the development of undergraduate SE programs. However, there remain several key challenges, each of which is addressed in this paper: The challenges are 1) making programs attractive to students, 2) focusing education appropriately, 3) communicating industrial reality more effectively, 4) defining curricula that are forward-looking, 5) providing education for existing practitioners, 6) making SE education more evidence- based, 7) ensuring that SE educators have the necessary background, and 8) raising the prestige and quality of SE educational research. For each challenge, we provide action items and open research questions.


ABSTRACT Given rapid changes in agricultural practice, it is critical to understand how alterations in ecological, technological, and economic conditions over time and space impact ecosystem services in agroecosystems. Here, we present a benefit transfer approach to quantify cotton pest-control services provided by a generalist predator, the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana), in the southwestern United States. We show that pest-control estimates derived using (1) a compound spatial–temporal model – which incorporates spatial and temporal variability in crop pest-control service values – are likely to exhibit less error than those derived using (2) a simple-spatial model (i.e., a model that extrapolates values derived for one area directly, without adjustment, to other areas) or (3) a simple-temporal model (i.e., a model that extrapolates data from a few points in time over longer time periods). Using our compound spatial–temporal approach, the annualized pest-control value was $12.2 million, in contrast to an estimate of $70.1 million (5.7 times greater), obtained from the simple-spatial approach. Using estimates from one year (simple-temporal approach) revealed large value differences (0.4 times smaller to 2 times greater). Finally, we present a detailed protocol for valuing pest-control services, which can be used to develop robust pest-control transfer functions for generalist predators in agroecosystems. EDITED BY Neville Crossman


Wae Sano volcano is included in the inner Banda arc, Mount Wae Sano is a type C volcano and formed the Sano Nggoang crater lake. The magmatism activity produces geothermal manifestations such as; hot spring, rock alteration, and sulfur deposits, the hottest water temperature is 81 0 C, with neutral pH, but the Sano Nggoang Lake water has acid pH. It becomes interesting to examine the characteristics of the geothermal system in that area. The research was conducted by Volcanostratigraphic studies to reconstruct the geological process and Geochemical sampling of hot springs, lake water, ground air, and the soil side to understand the subsurface characterization. The result showing some period of volcano products, with the youngest come from the product of Sano Nggoang 2 that spills its product to on the north-east side of Poco Dedeng volcano. The geochemical analysis shows all manifestations originate from one reservoir, chloride water type, NaCl type of the lake water with a few SO 4 influence, presumably, the hot springs supply is influenced by seawater, the estimation of the reservoir has a temperature about ± 230 0 C, with dacite and the rich organic sedimentary rock, and located at ± 1456 m from the manifestation, the isothermal section shows the rate of temperature increase at 97.07 m / 10 0 C. The hypothetical resource is counted about 1,488.6 kWe.


Squall lines (SLs) are convective systems that cause heavy precipitation and consequently modify the atmospheric thermodynamic structure near the surface. SLs generated along the northern coast of Brazil and their effect upon atmospheric structure during their westward displacement into the Amazon are studied. Satellite imagery was employed to identify an SL above two experimental sites in the central Amazon and to characterize differences in the near-surface turbulent and ozone exchange during the passage of the SLs. The two sites, which are separated by about 100 km, feature contrasting vegetation. One site is tall canopy rainforest and the other is deforested. From our case study, it is noted that: equivalent potential temperature significantly drops, principally in the forested region; the average near-surface wind speed increases 5 fold; the skewness of vertical wind velocity becomes considerably negative; significant increases in turbulence intensity are observed. These changes suggest the presence of strong downdrafts generated by the SL. Shear production and dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy are considerably larger during the SL when compared to periods with absence of SL. In this study, we show that SLs are capable of modifying the vertical organization of the turbulence over forested and deforested areas, leading to changes in certain chemical processes that occur near the surface. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents a first in demonstrating that near-surface turbulent flow in the Amazon region is modified by the presence of SLs.


This paper analyses the role of information security (IS) in shaping the dissemination and re-use of biomedical data, as well as the embedding of such data in material, social and regulatory landscapes of research. We consider data management practices adopted by two UK-based data linkage infrastructures: the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage, a Welsh databank that facilitates appropriate re-use of health data derived from research and routine medical practice in the region, and the Medical and Environmental Data Mash-up Infrastructure, a project bringing together researchers to link and analyse complex meteorological, environmental and epidemiological data. Through an in-depth analysis of how data are sourced, processed and analysed in these two cases, we show that IS takes two distinct forms: epistemic IS, focused on protecting the reliability and reusability of data as they move across platforms and research contexts, and infrastructural IS, concerned with protecting data from external attacks, mishandling and use disruption. These two dimensions are intertwined and mutually constitutive, and yet are often perceived by researchers as being in tension with each other. We discuss how such tensions emerge when the two dimensions of IS are operationalized in ways that put them at cross purpose with each other, thus exemplifying the vulnerability of data management strategies to broader governance and technological regimes. We also show that whenever biomedical researchers manage to overcome the conflict, the interplay between epistemic and infrastructural IS prompts critical questions concerning data sources, formats, metadata and potential uses, resulting in an improved understanding of the wider context of research and the development of relevant resources. This informs and significantly improves the reusability of biomedical data, while encouraging exploratory analyses of secondary data sources.


This paper reports on the synthesis of Cannabis indica fiber-reinforced composites using Urea-Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (URF) as a novel matrix through compression molding technique. The polycondensation between urea, resorcinol, and formaldehyde in different molar ratios was applied to the synthesis of the URF polymer matrix. A thermosetting matrix based composite, reinforced with lignocellulose from Cannabis indica with different fiber loadings 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% by weight, was obtained. The mechanical properties of randomly oriented intimately mixed fiber particle reinforced composites were determined. Effects of fiber loadings on mechanical properties such as tensile, compressive, flexural strength, and wear resistance were evaluated. Results showed that mechanical properties of URF resin matrix increased considerably when reinforced with particles of Cannabis indica fiber. Thermal (TGA/DTA/DTG) and morphological studies (SEM) of the resin, fiber and polymer composite thus synthesized were carried out.


Understanding the
level of drought tolerance of the varieties available in each country is of paramount importance for breeding common bean for drought adaptation. The goal of
this study was to evaluate 25 common bean genotypes of which 24 were
released/recommended varieties for
production by farmers and one was a drought tolerant check. The
genotypes were planted at two sites in Ethiopia, Hawasssa and Amaro, using
variable sowing dates, one that was early to avoid drought and one that was
late to expose the crop to drought. The experiments were repeated over two
years in Hawassa and one year in Amaro. This resulted in treatments with high
and low total seasonal rainfall and six environments for analysis. The impact
of drought stress on the trait expression of the varieties was not uniform
across traits assessed and varieties tested. The effect of drought on
photosynthate translocation and partitioning traits was much greater than on
yield component traits in the varieties studied. This indicating less breeding
efforts has been made in improving the varieties ability to mobilize
photosynthate to the developing grain as compared to the yield component
traits. Drought tolerant varieties like Hawassa Dume maintained better
photosynthate translocation and partitioning than the drought sensitive
varieties like Brown Speckled bean. Hawassa Dume also showed better yield
stability and performed well under both drought stress and nonstress
conditions. Our results indicate the relevance of high levels of photosynthate
translocation and partitioning as an effective selection objective for
improving drought tolerance in common bean. The information generated on
the drought tolerance of the available varieties should help in the design of a
breeding strategy that incorporates adaptation traits with commercial
characteristics preferred by common bean farmers for varieties to be grown in
diverse environments.


In this paper we propose a novel Conditional Random Field (CRF) formulation for the semantic scene labeling problem which is able to enforce temporal consistency between consecutive video frames and take advantage of the 3D scene geometry to improve segmentation quality. The main contribution of this work lies in the novel use of a 3D scene reconstruction as a means to temporally couple the individual image segmentations, allowing information flow from 3D geometry to the 2D image space. As our results show, the proposed framework outperforms state-of-the-art methods and opens a new perspective towards a tighter interplay of 2D and 3D information in the scene understanding problem.


BACKGROUND Postural modification in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy either causes further H-reflex suppression, indicating increased root compression, or it effects recovery, indicating decompression of the spinal root. The posture that effects maximum recovery of the H-reflex amplitude is called optimum spinal posture (OSP) and is suggested as a therapeutic exercise to decompress the compromised nerve root. The focus of this study was to identify the OSP that effects the maximum recovery of the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) H-reflex and to study its effect on the disability status in patients with cervical radiculopathy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Fourteen patients (46 +/- 12 y) with confirmed symptoms of C7 radiculopathy for the previous 6 months volunteered for the study. The FCR H-reflex was elicited by electrical stimulation of the median nerve at the cubital fossa (0.5 ms, 0.2 pps at H-max). Signals from the FCR muscle were recorded using a Cadwell 5200A EMG unit. The FCR H-reflex was recorded in natural sitting position with the head in natural position and in the OSP. Four traces of the H-reflex were recorded and averaged. The disability status was evaluated, using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), before exercising in the OSP and after 2 days of exercise in the OSP. DATA ANALYSIS Paired t-test and Spearman's correlation coefficients were used. RESULTS The H-reflex amplitude and latency were significantly different in the OSP and with the head in a natural position (P < 0.004; P < 0.011). Larger reflex amplitude and shorter latency were recorded in the OSP. The NDI scores were considerably improved after exercising in the OSP (P < 0.001). Spearman's correlation coefficient showed negative association between the H-reflex amplitude and the NDI scores (r = -0.64 to -0.54; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Exercising in the OSP increased the H-reflex amplitude and decreased latency of the compromised cervical root. It resulted in decreasing the disability status in this group of patients.


Crohn' s disease (CD) is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disorder characterized by aberrant mucosal Th1 cell activation and production of IL-12, the major Th1-driving factor. The T cell response to IL-12 is dependent on the expression of a specific receptor composed of two subunits, termed IL-12Rβ1 and IL-12Rβ2. The content of IL-12Rβ2, as measured at the mRNA level, is crucial in regulating Th1 differentiation. In this study we therefore investigated IL-12Rβ2 RNA transcripts in CD. IL-12Rβ2 expression was increased in active CD as well as Helicobacter pylori (HP)-associated gastritis and Salmonella colitis compared with that in inactive CD, ulcerative colitis, noninflammatory controls, and celiac disease. In contrast, IL-12Rβ1 transcripts were expressed at comparable levels in all samples. In CD, IL-12Rβ2 expression strictly correlated with tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT4, a key component of the IL-12-dependent Th1 polarization. This was associated with a pronounced expression of IFN-γ. Transcripts for IL-12/p40 were detected in CD, HP-positive, and Salmonella colitis patients, but not in celiac disease, indicating that IL-12Rβ2 up-regulation occurs only in IL-12-associated Th1 gastrointestinal diseases. Finally, we showed that stimulation of lamina propria mononuclear cells with IL-12 enhanced IL-12Rβ2, suggesting that IL-12 regulates IL-12Rβ2 expression in human gastrointestinal mucosa. The data show that the signaling pathway used by IL-12 to induce Th1 differentiation is increased at the site of disease in CD, further supporting the view that IL-12/IL-12R signals contribute to the inflammatory response in this condition.


Computer science studies in Spain are organized in such a way that software engineering courses normally appear in the last years. This situation establishes a programming-first approach in the overall curricular structure, and the resulting situation produces several unwanted side effects. One of the main problems is that students lack the abstraction capability they need in order to model software. For this reason, the practical classes of the first software engineering course have been organized in workshop sessions, where each session is devoted to a concrete modeling technique. A workshop session is built around a problem published on the teacher's website. The session is divided into two parts. In the first part, the students are organized into work groups, and they give an initial solution to the proposed modeling problem. In the second part of the session, one volunteer group presents its solution, and afterwards, in a moderated debate, the rest of the students discuss the proposed solution. Finally, the volunteer group writes a workshop session report that contains the final agreed-on solution. This approach has been successfully applied to the software modeling practical classes of a first software engineering course during the last five years, achieving important improvements in the students' abstraction capabilities, which is much needed in software modeling.


Case report A 51-year-old male presented with left-sided hemiparesis and aphasia upon awakening to an outside facility with a NIHSS of 9. CT displayed a basilar artery (BA) occlusion. Upon presentation to our institution his NIHSS had progressed to 11. Angiography displayed a BA thrombus and mechanical thrombectomy was performed with a TICI score of 2B. The large basilar aneurysm was then visualized, measuring 1.1 x 1.2 cm, at which no intervention was performed. Angiography at 4 and 11 months yielded no change and partial luminal thrombosis, respectively. No intervention was performed due to vertebral stenosis and the patients stable neurologic examination. A two-year follow-up angiogram showed the right vertebral artery to have a normal caliber and course with abrupt termination distal to the PICA and no aneurysm was visualized. The left vertebral was catheterized and found to have a normal course and caliber with normal filling of the left PICA and AICA. The basilar was noted to be occluded for two-thirds of its superior course. Discussion: Many giant posterior circulation aneurysms are known to thrombose spontaneously. Cases of concurrent thrombosis of the parent vessel have also been described.5–7 Multiple mechanisms for this have been suggested in the literature. Maeda, Usui, Tsutsumi, and Iijima specifically described proximal spread of a giant basilar aneurysm dissection with thrombus formation from an intramural hemorrhage within the aneurysm. Giant aneurysms are known to have a vascularized wall where hemorrhages may occur and contribute to their growth. This has been discovered to occur either by angiogenesis in the arterial wall or the vasa vasorum.6 We hypothesize this mechanism occurred in our case, where the large aneurysm was initially partially thrombosed with concurrent complete BA occlusion. The initial thrombectomy was performed due to the progressing NIHSS. During follow-up angiography, the patient's neurologic exam remained stable therefore a conservative approach was chosen. If the large aneurysm microhemorrhaged and dissected, the dissection most likely spread superiorly into the remaining portion of the BA creating a thrombus which instigated the patient's presenting symptoms. This was confirmed by MRI, which showed acute/subacute infarction within the pons and left cerebellar vermis on DWI. Fakhouri and McCullough described a case with aggressive intra-arterial thrombolysis although studies have argued that outcomes are variable in these cases.1,3–5,10 Indications for intervention of these aneurysms include mass effect of the surrounding eloquent parenchyma or strokes. Treatment options include open bypass, stent-assisted coiling, hunterian ligation or flow-diversion. Treatment options have significant risks with flow diversion having the lowest mortality of twenty-five percent. Treatment patterns have evolved as endovascular techniques have become advanced. 2,8,9 Conclusion There are few reported cases of spontaneous large basilar aneurysm thrombosis without intervention. Small retrospective studies have shown a variety of outcomes.1,3,4 Further research is required in order to standardize treatment and improve outcomes. Because posterior circulation aneurysms are variable in size, character, behavior and vascular territory, individualized treatment plans remain the best option for patients. Disclosures: T. Dawley: None.


In the last one hundred years, the higher education sector at a global stage has been rapidly expanding, a phenomenon that education specialists call "massification" of education. From a net enrolment of 500000 students in higher education institutions globally, at the turn of the last century, the numbers had grown to 178 million by the year 2010. In Kenya, over 300,000 students are enrolled in universities and other higher education institutions in the country in the current cohort. Approximately 20% or 60,000 of these students are enrolled in the private higher education sector. In this context, the competition for students has become intense creating a need for creation of competitive strategies in order to attract students faced with too many options. In the process, private TVET colleges have become casualties as prospective students either join universities or other government owned tertiary institutions. This has led to a dearth in establishment of private mid-level colleges in the country and even those available are still contending with several challenges among them student retention. However, despite the efforts by private TVET Colleges in investing enormous resources to attract students, the level of enrolment and retention of students remains unsustainable. However, the factors behind this state of market performance of the privately owned TVET colleges remain relatively unknown. This, therefore, motivated the need to determine effect of competition on market performance of privately owned TVET colleges in Kenya. Guided by the Porter's Five Forces theory, the study employed descriptive survey design targeting privately owned TVET colleges drawn from 25 counties across the country. Kathuri and Pals formula was to select a sample size of 267 colleges for the study from which members of the management provided the data for the study through questionnaires and interview schedules. Data was be analyzed using descriptive statisticsand inferential statistics, mainly Pearson product moment correlation and multiple linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between competition and market performance of privately owned TVET colleges in Kenya. The study recommends that the privately owned TVET colleges should adopt the competitive strategies proposed by Porter in order to withstand the competition and thrive in the higher education sector.


The work aims to determine, with scientific rigor, differences in key parameters of the yarns produced by conventional ring spinning systems, open-end and air spinning and its interrelation with the main parameters of those products that are intended for medical-sanitary sector. The experiences have been made in a Spanish company from short fibers sector that has three spinning systems, with tradition and prestige in world market, validating the results in Innotex Center laboratories of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Considering the results, it shows that the technology of manufacture of yarns by air is suitable for yarn, woven fabrics and knitting, structures to textile medical-sanitary application, by specific properties as well as enhanced competitiveness, due to the high production rate and shortened spinning process. The viscose yarns manufactured by air mass are more mass regular. The new DR parameter clearly indicates a better look of the finished fabric when we work with yarns produced by air technology. The significant reduction of the hairiness means less formation of loose fibres by friction, very important in the application of these yarns in the manufacture of textile structures for medical-sanitary use. Also no-table increase of about 15% in the absorption capacity of the fluids, especially water, from the yarns made by air. In the functionalization of fabrics obtained from spun yarn by air will need to apply a permanent smoothing


LED lighting products have become a significant revolution in this technological sector. These components are, by nature, digital emitters created with semiconduc tor crystals that are powered with very low voltage and direct current (DC). Under these conditions, they have become one of the most relevant actors in the present ten-dency that is recovering the DC as the channel to transport and distribute energy and is reinforcing the photovoltaic (PV) panels as a relevant sustainable energy source that allows to improve the efficiencies of all types of lighting installations with the local self-generated energy. An analysis of the working principles of this component and the mechanism implemented for their control as lighting equipment to be powered with both conventional alternate current (AC) and DC is presented. A specific differentia tion is done upon indoor and outdoor applications where new standards and regula - tions, specific technical procedures, and singular experimental project descriptions are detailed. The results expose the advantages and difficulties of implementation of this new DC paradigm, the main conclusion obtained up to this moment, and trends of future evolution.


Struggles over housing are one of the most pressing social, economic and political issues of our time. Yet questions over access to, plus the redistribution and maintenance of secure housing have only recently begun to be considered anthropologically. Drawing on E.P. Thompson's concept of moral economy, this special issue addresses these questions and considers how contemporary moral economies of housing play out. Citizens try to make their demands for adequate and safe housing heard, but such aspirations are often undermined by, political rhetoric, state officials, loan terms and the law. People claim allegiances to particular moral communities, thus (re)constituting themselves as deserving of secure tenure and proper homes, often in the face of stigma, laws or policies that construct them as the very reverse. By placing fine-grained ethnographic analysis in conversation with the political economy of housing, we rede-fine housing as an essentially contested domain where competing understandings of citizenship are constructed, fought over and acted out.


Staging for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) requires accurate assessment of the mediastinal lymph nodes which determines treatment and outcome. As radiological staging is limited by its specificity and sensitivity, it is necessary to sample the mediastinal nodes. Traditionally, mediastinoscopy has been used for evaluation of the mediastinum especially when radical treatment is contemplated, although conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) has also been used in other situations for staging and diagnostic purposes. Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) offers a minimally invasive alternative to mediastinoscopy with additional access to the hilar nodes, a better safety profile, and it removes the costs and hazards of theatre time and general anaesthesia with comparable sensitivity, although the negative predictive value of mediastinoscopy (and sample size) is greater. EBUS-TBNA also obtains larger samples than conventional TBNA, has superior performance and theoretically is safer, allowing real-time sampling under direct vision. It can also have predictive value both in sonographic appearance of the nodes and histological characteristics. EBUS-TBNA is therefore indicated for NSCLC staging, diagnosis of lung cancer when there is no endobronchial lesion, and diagnosis of both benign (especially tuberculosis and sarcoidosis) and malignant mediastinal lesions. The procedure is different than for flexible bronchoscopy, takes longer, and requires more training. EBUS-TBNA is more expensive than conventional TBNA but can save costs by reducing the number of more costly mediastinoscopies. Revenue based tariff systems have been slow to reflect the innovation of techniques such as EBUS-TBNA. In the future, endobronchial ultrasound may have applications in airways disease and pulmonary vascular disease.


Numerical simulation of the plaster stemming method (PSM) was performed and compared with the conventional drill cuttings stemming method (DCSM). Many earlier in situ tests have proved that PSM can use the blast energy more efficiently than DCSM. Despite PSM generating more blast vibrations, it has advantages over DCSM such as better fragmentation and lower cost per unit volume of rock blasted. In this study, numerical simulation with Autodyn software using a 2D tool was employed to prove the efficiency of plaster stemming by comparing parameters such as pressure, Y-velocity, Y-force, internal energy, acceleration-Y, and compression. For example, the maximum pressure attained at the top of explosive column was 7 395 MPa for DCSM whereas it was as high as 11 945 MPa for PSM. Most of the computed parameters were significantly higher in PSM than those obtained for DCSM. This paper is the first study elucidating the efficiency of PSM by numerical simulation. It is concluded that PSM can save substantial amounts of money and effort.


Volume-based network denial-of-service (DoS) attacks refer to a class of cyber attacks where an adversary seeks to block user traffic from service by sending adversarial traffic that reduces the available user capacity. In this paper, we explore the fundamental limits of volume-based network DoS attacks by studying the minimum required rate of adversarial traffic and investigating optimal attack strategies. We start our analysis with single-hop networks where user traffic is routed to servers following the Join-the-Shortest- Queue (JSQ) rule. Given the service rates of servers and arrival rates of user traffic, we first characterize the feasibility region of the attack and show that the attack is feasible if and only if the rate of the adversarial traffic lies in the region.We then design an attack strategy that is (i). optimal: it guarantees the success of the attack whenever the adversarial traffic rate lies in the feasibility region and (ii). oblivious: it does not rely on knowledge of service rates or user traffic rates. Finally, we extend our results on the feasibility region of the attack and the optimal attack strategy to multi-hop networks that employ Back-pressure (Max-Weight) routing. At a higher level, this paper addresses a class of dual problems of stochastic network stability, i.e., how to optimally de-stabilize a network.


Abstract : While Iranian foreign policy making since the 1979 revolution has been erratic and even hostile to the interests of the United States, it has been anything but irrational and unintelligible. This thesis argues that Iranian foreign policy making is not enigmatic but rather can be understood in a systematic and rational manner. The key to understanding Iranian foreign policy making is the notion of factional politics in an unconsolidated polity. Put briefly, Than has lacked a consistent and decisive center of power, leaving foreign policy-making in the hands of various elite factions. The seemingly erratic nature of Iran's actions is explained by noting which taction is behind various policies. Seemingly self-defeating foreign policies have often been designed for domestic political advantage. Foreign policy, like domestic policy, is a tool for advantage in Iran's factional power struggle-conclusions directly at odds with Neo-Realist theory. President Khatami's pursuit of liberalization and rapprochement with the U.S. has highlighted the factional component of Iranian policy making. Understanding Iranian policy in this manner leads to a logical conclusion for U.S. policy makers: Khatami's overtures are genuine and strategic, not only because they will help Iran forward but also because the will help Khatami remain in power.


Transit oriented development (TOD) advocates enhancing public transport connectivity, clustering urban development around public transport nodes and creating station areas with high‐density, diverse land uses and pedestrian‐ and cycling‐friendly environments. While this urban development approach is expected to have positive effects on the urban economy, the impacts of TOD strategies on economic efficiency are yet to be empirically examined. This study operationalised economic efficiency as labour productivity; developed a methodology to investigate how labour productivity is distributed at the local level, to explore the relationships between TOD characteristics and the clustering of labour productivities across different types of industries within a city; and applied it to the case of Beijing, China. The results show that in most cases the distribution of labour productivity has no significant association with TOD characteristics. However, in certain consumer‐service‐related economic sectors (i.e. wholesale and retail; accommodation and catering; and culture, sports, and entertainment) labour productivity is on average significantly higher in an area with stronger transit‐oriented development characteristics. Furthermore, within the conceptual framework of agglomeration economies, the paper identified specific TOD characteristics that are related to the clustering of the higher level of labour productivities in certain industry sectors. These outcomes provide insights for developing more focused TOD strategies, aimed at enhancing the clustering of labour productivities in the identified industries around the existing metro station areas in Beijing.


Stabilized finite elements on strongly anisotropic meshes are considered. The design of the stability coefficients is addressed for both the advection-diffusion and the Stokes problems when using continuous piecewise linear finite elements on triangles. Using the polar decomposition of the Jacobian of the affine mapping from the reference triangle to the current one, K, and from a priori error estimates, a new definition of the stability coefficients is proposed. Our analysis shows that these coefficients do not depend on the element diameter hK but on a characteristic length associated with K via the polar decomposition. A numerical assessment of the theoretical analysis is carried out.


Abstract Purpose: This study investigates the determinants of audit committee (AC) formation in a semi-mandatory setting of a European economy, in which ownership and control are predominantly in the hands of families and business groups, and the voluntary practice of forming an AC has not been widely accepted. Methodology: This research uses a sample of Polish nonfinancial firms listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) in 2008–2015. The study implemented logistic regression to test the role of the supervisory board (SB) and companies' compositional characteristics in AC creation. Findings: Primary analysis provided evidence of an inverted association between commonly accepted determinants of AC formation – such as the number of independent members on the supervisory board (SB) – and accounting and finance expertise of the SB members. The study also revealed that companies with foreign ownership are more likely to have an AC. Originality: This study indicates an important relationship between the existence of other SB committees as a meaningful determinant of AC formation. This article is valuable for supervisory bodies and regulators as they provide insights into factors that influence audit committee formation.


There are many different types of skin tumors in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. The natural course and treatment varies according to the histological type. This review summarizes clinical experience for treatment decision. Contemporary radiotherapy and systemic therapy are improving. Landmark studies for basal cell and Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC) trigger further research and impetus for improving treatment outcome. Avelumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, ipilimumab appear to be promising for treatment of advanced MCCs and adjuvant trials are underway.


At the beginning of 2008, a landmark ruling was issued by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA); the decision ordered some carriers to adopt a 'one-person-one fare' policy for persons with severe disabilities who travel within Canada by air. The rule provided the airlines a one-year period for the implementation of the new policy. This decision was unsuccessfully challenged before a Canadian Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. Hence, the rule became effective as of 10 January 2009.
This article analyzes this decision and the legislation in force in the European Union and the United States addressing the rights of air passengers with disabilities. It also includes a brief commentary on the pertaining rules contained in Annex 9 of the Chicago Convention, and the most relevant and recent jurisprudential developments in this matter are summarized. In addition, the possibility of adoption of a similar regulation in other countries and some nuances derived from the construction and implementation of the Canadian regulation are presented.


Introduction: The Fontan procedure is a palliative operation for patients with single functional ventricles, arising from a heterogeneous group of heart defects. There is a considerable gap in evidence regarding the self-reported physical and mental health of these patients surviving to adulthood. Methods and Results: We administered the PROMIS® Global Short Form (v 1.2) to Fontan patients during their scheduled clinic visits during 2017–2018. The raw PROMIS scores were subsequently converted to standardized T-scores, where the mean performance was 50 for the general population. We used Cronbach's alpha to assess reliability, with >0.8 considered good. A total of 42 patients were included. The median age was 30 (IQR: 24–34) years and 59% (95% CI: 43–74%) were female. The median time from birth to operation was 4.5 (IQR: 3–8) years, with 55% having an extracardiac Fontan. The questionnaire had good internal reliability with an alpha of 0.87. Seventy-one percent of respondents rated their overall health as "excellent" or "good". The mean T-score for physical health was 46.6, lower than the age-group mean (51.6, p < 0.001). The mean T-score for mental health was 53.3, higher than the age-group mean (48.5, p < 0.001). T-scores showed strong correlation with each other (r = 0.7) and weak correlation with age and time from procedure. There was no association of T-score with diagnosis or operation type. Conclusions: Adult Fontan patients report better mental health despite worse reporting physical health compared with the age group means. Patient-reported measures can provide clinically meaningful insights about the care of patients with complex congenital heart disease.


This study sought to establish the association between the attributes of primary healthcare (PHC) and the professional qualification of physicians and nurses. For data collection, the child version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (Child PCA-Tool) was applied to the caregivers of children resident and registered in the areas covered by the family health teams. The attributes of PHC were evaluated using the scores of the caregivers in the test. After bivariate analysis, seeking an association between the degree of orientation to the PHC and the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, as well as the professional characteristics of the health units, a multivariate model was established using Poisson regression. The teams in which there were professionals with residence in family health or family and community medicine achieved higher scores than those in which the professionals did not have this qualification. The authors concluded that specialization in residence in family and community medicine for physicians, and residence in family health for nurses, have higher potential for the transformation of the care model, based on the attributes of the PHC.


Mathematical models and synthetic gene circuits are powerful tools to develop novel treatments for patients with drug-resistant infections and cancers. Mathematical modeling guides the rational design of synthetic gene circuits. These systems are then assembled into unified constructs from existing and/or modified genetic components from a range of organisms. In this chapter, we describe modeling tools for the design and characterization of chemical- and light-inducible synthetic gene circuits in different organisms and highlight how synthetic gene circuits are advancing biomedical research. Specifically, we demonstrate how these quantitative model systems are being used to study drug resistance in microbes and to probe the spatial–temporal dimensions of cancer in mammalian cells.


The modern vehicles demand a better fuel economy, decrease in ozone harming substance outflows, and superior safety requirements led to new developments of steel grades with higher strength and good formability. Third generation of advanced high strength steels are the next stage for the automotive companies in steel sheets development. The principal concept of third generation of AHSS is to reap the mechanical properties benefits from first and second generation of AHSS at cost neither too high nor too low. This literature review summarizes the results achieved in a previous paper of the Third Generation of Advanced High Strength Sheet steels literature published by D. Krizan et al. Where we intend to focus on, the recent developments and future trends of the third generation of advanced high strength sheet steels (3-GEN AHSSs) including quenching and partitioning (Q&P), TRIP bainitic ferrite (TBF), medium manganese, density reduced TRIP (δ-TRIP) and nano steels for the modern automotive industry, with emphasis on their main characteristics, processing, and applications.


ABSTRACT Jurassic radiolarites that were deposited on continental crust and which are overlain and underlain by pelagic limestones were examined in four basins. Radiolarites studied range from bedded chert, where chert occurs in even, continuous beds separated by conscpicuous rhythmic shale interbeds, to nodular-lumpy chert, where chert occurs as isolated nodules in limestone at one extreme to lumpy beds of irregular thickness at the other extreme. Bedded chert formations are composed of microcrystalline quartz, clay minerals, and minor amounts of either hematite or organic matter pigment; nodular cherts contain in addition considerable micrite (altered coccolith ooze). Chert nodules, lenses, and beds all formed by the diagenetic reorganization of silica almost entirely of biogenic origin, chiefly from Radiolaria. Nodular-lumpy chert beds and even some bedded chert formed by partial to complete replacement of limestone. Lumpy beds formed because compaction, dissolution of calcite, and replacement of calcite were not uniform in either time or place within a bed. Many even-bedded chert layers were originally silts or sands composed almost entirely of current-deposited Radiolaria. The rhythmic bedding of radiolarite is the product of 1) episodes of rapid current-deposition (e.g., turbidity currents) of radiolarian sediment alternating with slow deposition of hemipelagic mud and 2) episodic growth of Radiolaria. Bioturbation blurs the evidence of these two different origins, but the following features indicate that many chert-precursor beds were current-deposited: sharp chert-shale bedding contacts, flute casts, graded beds, clay clasts, laminations and rapidly buried animal tracks and trails. Water depths during radiolarite deposition are uncertain. Regional stratigraphic data, evidence of redeposited radiolarian sand, and acceptance of the Bosellini-Winterer model of carbonate dissolution surfaces during Late Jurassic time leads EFM to conclude that well-bedded radiolarite was deposited at depths close to the CCD (2500 m) and that lumpy-bedded chert was deposited between the ACD and the CCD (1500 to 2000 m). Features indicating the presence of evaporites (evaporite pseudomorphs, breccias formed by crystal growth, quartzine, lutecite), paleosoil fabrics, stalactite-stalagmite fracture fillings, and disbelief in the validity of the CCD in Late Jurassic time in the Tethys leads RLF to conclude that the Lombardy radiolarites were deposited in environments that were, in part, shallow intertidal mudflats where local precipitation and solution of evaporite minerals and occasional subaerial exposure took place.


'A foot and a boot'. Narratives about children killed by wolves in Finnish folk tradition and media material

Sofie Stranden-Backa

Keywords: wolf attacks in Finland 1880–1881, children, living tradition, mass and social media

The article focuses on narratives about children and wolves, and the material consists of different texts that deal with children who have been killed by wolves in Finland in earlier times. The particular events in question are a series of well-known and documented wolf attacks on children in the Turku region during 1880 and 1881. Older newspaper articles, as well as contemporary texts, are analysed. One aim of the study is to investigate what is set in motion when the relationship between wolves and children is discussed and which underlying patterns emerge as part of that discussion. Another aim is to allow for narrative elements to create a base for discourse about the dangerous wolf. The analysis covers peoples' comments on websites where the discourse is both defended and challenged and where negotiations about the prerogatives of the animal are made visible. Ever-returning narratives about the dangerous wolf are part of a legend process, where one goal is to convince the audience of the truth of the stories. One way of doing so, throughout the years, has been to present what could be called 'the bloody list', a list that consists of the name and age of the dead children, the circumstances under which they were killed and what was left of their bodies. In the stories, there was no way to protect the children, and there is nothing the parents could have done once the wolf got hold of their child. The message in these stories from the 1880s is that there is no rescue from the wolf. This message is passed down to parents and further to the children of today, creating a child-eating beast of (every) wolf. Another goal is to keep the stories alive for future generations, since the events are viewed as so important that they are not to be forgotten. The stories have a somewhat emblematic character, since they reflect an original myth about the genesis of modern Finland, freed from untamed nature and the chaos of wolves.


Many mobile devices have reached the point where the users' (active) working set is smaller than the amount of storage available and that trend is likely to continue. Currently these resources are made available for recording new data, but we think that we could make better use of this capacity. Hoarding previously not accessed data could give better data coverage in cases of disconnected operation, when wireless networks are not available or access to them is expensive.We gathered a trace from a university file system used by more than 5000 people over a period of 16 months. This trace is used to drive a simulation model of distributed file systems. This paper studies a novel hoarding scheme that uses the access profile of other users to predict what files a user would need in the future. This hoarding scheme is shown to avoid between 30% and 75% of remote file accesses to files that are accessed for the first time. Furthermore, hoarded but not used data can be expired, because we note experimentally that the population shifts focus each month.


Information on the relationship of rainfall with discharge and sediment are required in watershed management.This relationship is known to be highly nonlinear and complex. Although discharge and sediment has been monitored continuously, but sometimes the information is not or less complete. In this condition, modeling is indispensable.The research objective is to create a model to predict the monthly direct runoff and sediment using Artificial Neural Network (ANN).The model was tested using rainfall data at t-3 and t-4 as input, and discharge and sediment at t+3 and t+4 as output. The data used is the data from 2001 to 2014. The results showed that of some models tested there are two models for the prediction of discharge and two models for sediment.The model was chosen because it has the smallest MSE, the largest R 2 and satisfying K (0.5 to 0.65).Thus, these models can be used to predict discharge andsediment for a period of t+3 and t+4. Prediction of discharge of t+3 and t+4 may use Q t+3 = 0,64 Q t-3 + 0,05 and Q t+4 = 0,65 Q t-4 + 0,074 res pectively, while for predicting sediment of t+3 and t+4 may use equations QS t+3 = 0,45 QS t-3 + 0,052 and QS t+4 = 0,45 QS t-4 + 0,052. This ANN modeling can be applied to predict the flow and sediment in other locations with an architecture adapted to the conditions of available data.


The paper explores the processes and challenges involved in multinational enterprise (MNE) establishing and operating regional headquaters (RHQs) as bridges between the parent HQ and their subsidiaries within a region. The role of regional structures has been neglected in research on international management, and, until recently, especially in research on HRM and talent management (TM). We know little about how MNEs develop, introduce and adapt TM (global TM (GTM) in this context) to accommodate local/country/regional contexts and challenges. The paper addresses these lacunae by reviewing the literature on GTM, MNE regional structures and GTM in the Asia Pacific region, and by presenting our findings from a study of the recent establishment by a multinational vehicle manufacturer of a regional headquarters in the Asia Pacific region. Four main challenges were identified: setting up the regional headquarters, legitimacy and contribution issues relating to the role of the RHQ, specific regional TM matters and centralisation versus decentralisation within the region.


The goal of this thesis is to develop a program for measuring lightness properties of car lights. Input parameter of this program is an image of a car light's beam. Beam is projected on a wall where guidelines are. Three horizontal and one vertical line. Program calculates from the image the cut-off line of the beam. This is a transition line from dark to light. User can select a vertical line on an image to see it's light intensities on a chart. User interface is composed of a set of plug-ins. They are read from a certain directory and loaded into a program dynamically. Each gets it's own tab. They use a Publisher-Subscriber model to communicate with each other. Through it images and other parameters are passed between steps in a program. Input image is first transformed into a black and white image. Then a Sobel's filter and Hough's line transformation are used to extract the guidelines. Guidelines are later used to help calculate real distances on the image in angles and centimetres from the central guidelines. For each vertical on an image light intensities of pixels are calculated. Then the light cut-off point is calculated, which is equal to the inflection point on a curve of light intensities. This is where a second derivative of this curve equals zero. Then the beginning and the end of the cut-off line are calculated (maximum and minimum of the second derivative). At the end width of the cut-off line is calculated from these points and shown on a chart. Program was written as an alternative to a machine called Photometer which with a help of a light detector and mechanical movements of a car light calculates the cut-off line. Results of our program are comparable with a Photometer, but they depend on a quality and lightness of an input image. Program works fast. It can find a cut-off line on an image (with an interval of 0.25°) in about two seconds.


The twelfth number of this occasional series publishes the papers given at the Interregional Seminar on Mythology held in Heidelberg in 1987. Sadly, it will be the last number published under the general editorship of Gunther Sontheimer, whose tragically early death in May 1992 came as a great shock to all indologists. There are seven papers in all. Parameswara Aithal refers fairly briefly to the various versions of the Ramayana in Kannada, with particular reference to modern literature. Pratibha Bhattacharya writes ostensibly on Kama, but in fact the article is merely a summary of a recent Marathi novel, Mrtyunjay, by Shivaji Savant. Alokeranjan Dasgupta's ' The metamorphosis of a goddess' similarly summarizes the Bengali Candl-mangal of Mukundaram with a few translated passages. Ayyadurai Dhamotharan's 'Akalya—an immortal example' tells the familiar story of AhalyS followed by the translation of a modern Tamil short story said to be derived from it. V. D. Kulkarni, another Indian scholar whose recent death must be recorded with great sadness, did not participate in the seminar but later contributed an article on ' Folk myths and transcreative literature'. This covers a variety of folk versions, some wildly extravagant, of well known puranic tales, or ' transcreations', as Kulkarni terms them. This, incidentally, is the only Indian contribution that is written in acceptable English and with adequate footnotes. The last two articles are by the German hosts. Lothar Lutze follows an introduction on ' myth and modernity' with translations of four poems on the death of Krsna by modern Hindi poets—the last, and by far the best, translated by himself. Finally, Irmtraud Stellrecht has a long paper on changing fashions in the treatment of myth over the last two centuries.


The range of variation of the microspores of five species of the Paleozoic lycopod cone Lepidostrobus is reported [Pennsylvanian, Des Moines Series, central U.S.]. Size is fairly constant but, for some features, variation exists which, if observed in dispersed spores, might be interpreted as specific differences. Structure of the microspores was determined in part by sectioning. At this time, none of the cone microspores were found unequivocally referable to any species of Lycospora.


A new method for the transmission of intelligence by means of a signal having certain correlation properties has been evolved. The theoretical and practical aspects of this concept are presented. An important advantage of these techniques is that for a fixed performance criteria, considerably higher speeds are possible compared to the presently known methods. In addition, the implementation is simple and straightforward. An unusual property of these techniques is the capability of error detection without the introduction of redundancy into the original data. Finally, expressions for spectral distributions and error performance as well as methods for practical implementation, including the errordetection process, are presented.


Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) techniques are increasingly used for test purposes because of their advantages over classical simulations. Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are becoming popular in HIL systems because of their parallel computing capabilities. In most cases, FPGAs are mainly used for signal processing, such as input pulsewidth modulation sampling and conditioning, while there are also processors to model the system. However, there are other HIL systems that implement the model in the FPGA. For FPGA implementation and regarding the arithmetics, there are two main possibilities: fixed-point and floating-point. Fixed-point is the best choice only when real-time simulations with small simulation steps are needed, while floating-point is the common choice because of its flexibility and ease of use. This paper presents a novel hybrid arithmetic for FPGAs called parametrizable fixed-point which takes advantage of both arithmetics as the internal operations are accomplished using simple signed integers, while the point location of the variables can be adjusted as necessary without redesigning the model of the plant. The experimental results show that a buck converter can be modeled using this novel arithmetic with a simulation step below 20 ns. Besides, the experiments prove that the proposed model can be adjusted to any set of values (voltages, currents, capacitances, and so on.) keeping its accuracy without resynthesizing, showing the big advantage over the fixed-point arithmetic.