Ionic co-crystals (ICCs) of L- and DL-histidine with CaCl2, CaBr2 and CaI2 were prepared by mechanochemical and solution methods and were structurally characterized by either single crystal or powder X-ray diffraction methods. The L-histidine molecules bridge Ca2+ cations forming enantiopure ribbons in the homochiral crystals (L-His)2·CaX2·nH2O (X = Cl and Br n = 3, X = I n = 4), as well as in the partial dehydration product of (L-His)2·CaI2·4H2O, namely (L-His)2·CaI2·3H2O. In the racemic (DL-His)2·CaX2·4H2O cases (X = Cl, Br, X = I), molecules of both chiralities are accommodated in the coordination sphere of the Ca2+ cation forming ribbons with homochiral rims as in the enantiopure crystals. Intrinsic dissolution rate measurements show that the histidine-CaCl2 co-crystals have a much higher IDR with respect to both enantiopure and racemic histidine solids.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Since the FDA approval of Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum (CCH) for the treatment of Peyronie's Disease (PD), several investigators have reported outcomes of CCH, with improvements ranging from approximately 15-30%. More recently, we reported improved results (49% mean improvement) when CCH was combined with RestoreX penile traction therapy (RxPTT). Since then, we have made additional modifications to create a more aggressive injection / traction protocol to further optimize outcomes. The objective of the current study was to report outcomes of a more aggressive CCH injection/traction protocol in men with PD. METHODS: A prospective database has been maintained of all individuals undergoing CCH injections since 2014. Our CCH injection protocol has evolved from the one described in the IMPRESS trials to a more aggressive use of injections and manual and mechanical traction. Currently, the protocol consists of injecting 0.9 mg of CCH in 0.7 ml of saline into approximately 15-20 sites around the point of maximal curvature (pharmacologically-induced erection performed with the first injection of each series). Injections are only performed on subsequent days (not 2-3 days apart), and very aggressive (i.e. 10-15 lbs of force) modeling is performed with the 2 injection. Patients are counseled to begin RestoreX traction at 24-48 hours after the 2 injection for 30-60 minutes daily, and to continue aggressive manual modeling for at least the first week post injection. Penile wraps are applied for 5 days post injection. A descriptive analysis was subsequently performed to review outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 438 men underwent at least 1 series of CCH and had baseline and follow-up curve assessment data available. Mean age was 55.8, with a mean PD duration of 32 months and a median baseline composite curvature of 64 degrees. Using the definition of most recent curve assessment, mean composite curve improvements were 27.1 degrees (41%) with the new technique vs 17.8 (24.6%, p<0.001). Of men who completed all 8 injections or stopped early due to satisfaction, the mean improvements were 36.4 degrees (59%) vs 19.8 (30.5%, p<0.001). Despite the more aggressive stretching and traction protocol, erectile function was similar to baseline (IIEF-EFD þ0.5). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a more aggressive CCH injection protocol has resulted in improved curvature outcomes. Given the specialized nature of technique modifications described, these results would argue for a center-of-excellence model for CCH administration to achieve optimal outcomes.


The healthcare environment today is causing many healthcare organizations to consolidate and form healthcare delivery systems. Organizations are assembling themselves into systems so that most, if not all, facets of healthcare delivery are available within their system. This approach aims to keep patients within the system and makes care more efficient, cost effective, and continuous. Patient leakage from the system results in adverse effects for the organization including higher costs and lower quality outcomes, both detrimental in today's healthcare framework. This essay conducts an in-depth analysis of the causes of volume leakage including physician referrals out of the system, lack of patient engagement, and inefficient organizational referral processes. Identifying and rectifying gaps in the system where the patient or provider has latitude to go outside the system is the most fundamental first step in solving the problem of patient leakage. Leakage prevention methods include physician incentives and contracting, improving patient engagement and loyalty, streamlining referral processes, and educating support staff on the importance of patient "keepage". When a strong and continuous network of care has been set up, several barriers are in place keep patients from leaving the system. The issue of patient leakage is an important one as the adverse effects are not limited to decreased revenue and poorer outcomes for the one organization itself. From a public health perspective, patients leaving a healthcare system results in uncoordinated, broken care which leads to poorer quality of life across a population. The cost inefficiencies also result in more capital being spent by the healthcare system to make up for the loss rather than on actual high quality care for the patient. Healthcare organizations exist to provide all types of care ranging from preventive to acute to tertiary care. When a patient leaves a healthcare system, they are not able to receive the specialized and coordinated care they need, rendering the organization unable to properly take care of the population they serve. This paper concludes with best practices and recommendations for preventing patient leakage, enabling the healthcare system to deliver coordinated, efficient, and high quality care.


In recent days, usage of internet is increasing so; authentication becomes the most important security services for communication purpose. Keeping this into consideration, there is need of robust security services and schemes. This paper proposes Group Authentication authenticates all users at a time belonging to the same group. The (n, n) Group Authentication Scheme is very efficient since it authenticates all users if they are group members. If they are nonmembers, then it may be used as a preprocess and apply authentication before and it identifies the non-members. Also, if any of the users present in group authentication is absent then the group is not authenticated at all, as each share is distributed to each user. It results in best authenticated system as the Group Authentication is implemented with Neural Network. So it becomes complicated for hackers to hack each neuron in a neural network. The Neural Network based group authentication is specially designed for applications performing group activities using Shamir Secret Sharing Scheme.


In this paper, a new method for the determination of bismuth in urine and tap water is described. The methodology combines determined using a hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) with pre-concentration of the bismuth on the modified organobentonite by dithizone (D-O-bentonite). Optimal experimental conditions for the adsorption and elution of the bismuth, including pH, contact time, eluent concentration, eluent volume and co-existing ions have been investigated. The result showed that the bismuth ion could be adsorbed on the D-O-bentonite. The adsorbed quantitive was affected by the pH value and contact time. In the medium of pH 5.0, the shaking time was 10 min, the adsorption capacity was 15.2 mg·g-1. The bismuth adsorbed on the modified organobentonite by dithizone could be completely eluated by using 2 mol·L-1 HNO3. The method has been applied to the pre-concentration/separation of bismuth in the human urine and tap water samples with satisfied results.


Transcription: "My dear Sir I thank you for your extremely interesting letter, & valuable references, though God knows when I shall come again to this part of my subject. One cannot of course judge of style when one merely hears a paper, but yours seemed to me very clear & good. Believe me that I estimate its value most highly. Under a general point of view, I am quite convinced (Hooker & Huxley took same view some months ago) that a philosophic view of nature can solely be driven into naturalists by treating special subjects as you have here done. Under a special point of view I think you have solved one of the most perplexing problems which could be given to solve. I am glad to hear from Hooker that Linn. Soc. will give Plates, if you can get drawings; but I suppose they might be drawn on to stone or copper. Pray excuse me for again saying if ever you want £10 or £20, I shall be pleased to send it, for any aid in Natural History. Do not complain of want of advice during your Travels; I daresay part of your great originality of views may be due to the necessity of self exertion of thought. I can understand that your reception at B. Museum would damp you; they are a very good set of men, but not the sort to appreciate your work. In fact I have long thought that too much systematic work of description somehow blunts the faculties. The general public appreciates a good dose of reasoning, or generalisation with new & curious remarks on habits, final causes c I am very busy, but I shall be truly glad to render any aid which I can by reading your 1st Chapter or two. I do not think I shall be able to correct style, for this reason, that after repeated trials I find I cannot correct my own style till I see the M.S. in type. Some are born with a power of good writing, like Wallace; others like myself & Lyell have to labour very hard & slowly at every sentence. I find it very good plan, when I cannot get a difficult discussion to please me, to fancy that some one comes into the room, & asks me what I am doing; & then try at once & explain to the imaginary person what it is all about. I have done this for one paragraph to myself several times; & sometimes to Mrs. Darwin, till I see how the subject ought to go. It is, I think, good to read one's M.S. aloud. But style to me is a great difficulty; yet some good judges think I have succeeded, & I say this to encourage you. What I think I can do will be to tell you whether parts had better be shortened. It is good I think to dash "in medias res", & work in later any descriptions of country or any historical details which may be necessary. Murray likes lots of woodcuts- give some by all means of Ants. The public appreciate Monkeys, our poor cousins. What sexual differences are there in monkeys? Have you kept them tame? if so about their expression. I fear that you will hardly read my vile handwriting, but I cannot without killing trouble, write better. You shall have my candid opinion on your M.S., but remember it is hard to judge from M.S.- one reads slowly & heavy parts seem much heavier. A first rate judge thought my Journal very poor; now that it is in print, I happen to know, he likes it. I am sure you will understand why I am so egotistical. I was a little disappointed in Wallace's Book on the Amazon; hardly facts enough. On other hand in Gosse's books there is not reasoning enough to my taste. Heaven knows whether you will care to read all this scribbling M.S. can be sent by Book Post, if marked to be printed. Had you not better register it? Many thanks for Wallace's letter; he rates me much too highly & himself much too lowly. That was an admirable paper of his in Linn. Journal. But what strikes me most about Mr Wallace is the absence of jealousy towards me: he must have a really good honest & noble disposition. A far higher merit than mere intellect. With cordial good wishes & thanks, Yours sincerely, C. Darwin I am glad you had pleasant day with Hooker: he is an admirably good man in every sense. Endorsement: Endorsement: 1861" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.


Fish habitats sustain essential functions for fish to complete their life cycle, such as feeding, growing and spawning. Conservation is crucial to maintain fish populations and their exploitation. Since 2013, the spawning stock biomass of the northern stock of European seabass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) has been in a worrying state. A series of low recruitments with a persistently high level of fishing has been blamed, raising concerns about the processes involved in seabass reproduction and settlement in nurseries. Here, we characterise seabass spawning areas along the French Atlantic coast using vessel monitoring system (VMS) data. A non-linear geostatistical approach was applied, from 2008 to 2014, to detect locations where seabass aggregate for spawning. Occurrence maps of spawning distribution were combined into probability maps to quantify the seasonal and inter-annual variability and to highlight recurrent, occasional and unfavourable spawning areas. We identified three main spawning areas: the Rochebonne Plateau in the Bay of Biscay, the Western English Channel and the North of the Cotentin peninsula in the Eastern English Channel. The correlative link between this geographical distribution and environmental factors was investigated using a Bayesian spatio-temporal model. The spatio-temporal structure accounted for the vast majority of the model predictive skills, whereas environmental covariates had a negligible effect. Our model revealed the persistence of the spatial distribution of spawning areas with intra- and inter-annual variability. Offshore areas appear to be essential spawning areas for seabass, and should be considered in spatial management strategies.


Background Despite a relatively high prevalence of eye disease, the Indian population in London does not fully utilize the available eye care services. This study in Ealing, London was aimed at determining the reasons for poor utilization of eye care services. Methods Qualitative research methods were used. These included: focus group discussions with community members and religious leaders; semi-structured interviews with general practitioners and Indian patients attending the eye unit for the first time at Ealing hospital, and non-participatory observation methods. Results Attitudinal barriers showing visual health is not a priority and the elderly are resigned to a 'fate' of poor vision in old age. Difficulties in the patient-doctor relationship at the primary care level that cause delays in gaining access to specialist care. Dissatisfaction at hospital level due to long waiting lists and poor communication with specialists and staff. Although the community does not perceive language as a major barrier, the majority of patients receiving health care in the hospital system still need interpreters often resulting in dissatisfaction and misconceptions. Conclusion The social attitudes towards visual health issues, along with the perceived difficulties with their general practitioners result in delays in seeking help for their visual impairment. These are the principal barriers that would have to be addressed if uptake of services is to be improved.


Aims Problem gambling, even if it occurs in leisure time, can cause harm in the workplace. Problem gamblers are preoccupied with gambling and often suffer from psychiatric and psychosomatic symptoms caused by their excessive gambling. This may lead to inefficiency at work and absenteeism. Severe gambling problems typically lead to a constant need for money, which may result in theft of money or goods from the workplace and in embezzlement. This paper outlines measures to prevent and respond to gambling-related harm and crime in the workplace. Methods A review of the literature and qualitative interviews with therapists specializing in problem gambling treatment, peer counsellors from mutual support societies, recovered problem gamblers who have embezzled, and professionals working in workplace crime security and the prevention of alcohol, drug and gambling harm. Results Important measures in preventing and responding to gambling harm in the workplace include: substance use and gambling policy, problem gambling awareness, attention to signs of gambling-related harm, control functions, appropriate responses to harmful gambling, and rehabilitation. Conclusion The workplace should play a greater role in the universal, selective and indicated prevention of problem gambling.


We present Autonomous Rssi based RElative poSitioning and Tracking (ARREST), a new robotic sensing system for tracking and following a moving, RF-emitting object, which we refer to as the Leader, solely based on signal strength information. Our proposed tracking agent, which we refer to as the TrackBot, uses a single rotating, off-the-shelf, directional antenna, novel angle and relative speed estimation algorithms, and Kalman filtering to continually estimate the relative position of the Leader with decimeter level accuracy (which is comparable to a state-of-the-art multiple access point based RF-localization system) and the relative speed of the Leader with accuracy on the order of 1 m/s. The TrackBot feeds the relative position and speed estimates into a Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller to generate a set of control outputs to control the orientation and the movement of the TrackBot. We perform an extensive set of real world experiments with a full-fledged prototype to demonstrate that the TrackBot is able to stay within 5m of the Leader with: (1) more than 99% probability in line of sight scenarios, and (2) more than 75% probability in no line of sight scenarios, when it moves 1.8X faster than the Leader.


A series of 36 patients with specific neurological lesions affecting those parts of the nervous system thought to be involved in the control of bladder function have been studied by urodynamic, electromyographic and neurohistochemical means and the results compared with those obtained in 20 control subjects. In patients with pelvic nerve injury urethral sphincter electromyography (EMG) revealed abnormal motor units and the density of bladder innervation was significantly reduced (P less than 0.01). By contrast, in patients with distal autonomic neuropathy the innervation of the striated muscle of the urethra was unaffected and although there was an almost total loss of nerves from the bladder muscularis, the subepithelial plexus of nerves was preserved. In patients with progressive autonomic failure and multiple system atrophy, the bladder neck was incompetent in every case and the striated muscle of the urethra was affected by a process of denervation and re-innervation. These findings serve to distinguish patients with autonomic failure from those with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and influence the selection of patients for transurethral surgery.


Novel asymmetric-circular shaped slotted microstrip patch antennas with slits are proposed for circularly polarized (CP) radiation and radio frequency identification (RFID) reader applications. A single-feed configuration based asymmetric-circular shaped slotted square microstrip patches are adopted to realize the compact circularly polarized microstrip antennas. The asymmetric-circular shaped slot(s) along the diagonal directions are embedded symmetrically onto a square microstrip patch for CP radiation and small antenna size. The CP radiation can be achieved by slightly asymmetric (unbalanced) patch along the diagonal directions by slot areas. Four symmetric-slits are also embedded symmetrically along the orthogonal directions of the asymmetric-circular shaped slotted patch to further reduce antenna size. The operating frequency of the antenna can be tuned by varying the slit length while keeping the CP radiation unchanged. The measured 3-dB axial-ratio (AR) bandwidth of around 6.0 MHz with 17.0 MHz impedance bandwidth is achieved for the antenna on a RO4003C substrate. The overall antenna size is 0.27λo × 0.27λo × 0.0137λo at 900 MHz.


This paper introduces two informed spatial regularizations dedicated to multiband image fusion. The fusion process combines a multispectral image with high spatial resolution and a hyperspectral image with high spectral resolution, with the aim of recovering a full resolution data-cube. In this work, we propose two spatial regularizations that exploit the spatial information of the multispectral image. A weighted Sobolev regularization identifies the sharp structures locations to locally mitigate a smoothness-promoting Sobolev regularization. A dictionary-based regularization takes advantage of spatial redundancy to recover spatial textures using a dictionary learned on the multispectral image. The proposed regularizations are evaluated on realistic simulations of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations of the Orion Bar and show a better reconstruction of sharp structures compared to a non-informed regularization. Since JWST is now in orbit, we expect to use this method on real data in the near future.


Valorization of carbon dioxide into organic
molecules using catalytic approaches has witnessed an upsurge in recent years.
Here, the influence of an Al(III) aminotriphenolate complex on the regio- and
stereo-chemical features of the coupling between carbon dioxide and a cyclic
epoxy alcohol has been studied. Three distinct bicyclic carbonate products were
produced from a single starting material depending on the catalytic conditions.
The proposed carbonate configurations were examined by solution and solid phase
techniques including NMR spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analyses.
Control experiments combined with DFT calculations provide a rationale for the
distinct catalytic manifolds observed in the presence and absence of the
Al(III) complex.


As radio frequency identification (RFID) applications become ubiquitous, security and privacy issues have been addressed with universal acceptances. This paper proposes a lightweight Zero-Knowledge Authentication Protocol (ZKAP) based on alternative mode to address such severe problems. In ZKAP, dual zero-knowledge proofs are randomly chosen to provide anonymity and mutual authentication without revealing any sensitive identifiers. Pseudo-random flags and access lists employed for quick search and check ensure high efficiency and scalability. Meanwhile, formal proof model based on reasonable mathematical assumptions is established to prove the adaptive completeness, soundness and zero-knowledgeness, and the attack models are adopted to analyze the resilience and resistance for malicious attacks. It indicates that ZKAP owns no obvious design defects theoretically and is robust enough to resist major attacks (e.g., forgery, replay, Man-in-the-Middle, and tracking). The protocol is attractive and appropriate for low-cost and resource-restricted RFID systems.


Gear pumps are largely employed in aero-engine fuel systems to provide the combustor with fuel at adequate pressure and flow rate. The radial load applied on the gears, as a consequence of the pump pressure rise, is entirely supported by the hybrid journal bearings. Lubrication of these is accomplished using low viscosity aviation fuel, which makes the design and analysis of journal bearings particularly challenging. A numerical model has been developed to support the analysis and future design of hybrid journal bearings for fuel pump applications. The primary objective of the tool is to characterise the equilibrium position of the journal during steady-state operation at part and full load, where the resultant elastic displacements are more significantly affecting the pressure distribution of the lubrication film. The developed method effectively combines Elrod's cavitation algorithm with the dimensionless pressure definition known as the Vogelpohl parameter, resulting in a simple and robust methodology to characterise the pressure distribution within the lubricant for different bearing designs and operating conditions. Six different multidimensional root-finding solvers have been implemented and their performance evaluated against robustness, accuracy and computational speed requirements. Newton-Raphson based methods have shown promising trade-offs for the problem at hand. Validation of the tool has been made comparing experimental film thickness measurements, performed on a fuel pump from a modern turbofan engine, with predicted data from the numerical model.


This thesis proposes two different frameworks in the field of Games in Research. Contribution 1 Architectural design decisions stand to benefit by accounting for the presence and activities of human crowds that inhabit these spaces. Computational methods for simulating synthetic crowds provide a cost effective means of exploring and analyzing the design search space. However, crowd-aware architectural design is a complex combinatorial decision process, where small changes in the design solution may affect crowds and their flow patterns in unexpected and potentially unintuitive ways. Existing solutions rely on expert intuition or automation, but are unable to account for many contradicting, and often subjective properties while optimizing designs. A single solution approach may also miss potential design solutions that achieve the desired objective specifications, while meeting subjective criteria. We propose a means of combining these methods in a gamified framework. Using our system, "players" (novice users or experts) can rapidly iterate on their designs while soliciting feedback from computer simulations of crowd movement, as well as the designs of previous players. Our approach affords a new way of thinking of the solution space in that it inherently supports competitive co-design and crowd sourced solutions. We evaluate our framework through a user study and demonstrate the potential of crowd-aware co-design of environments using simulation guided multiplayer games. Contribution 2 Games in research is a modern trend in the world of research. Games are being used to simulate, monitor and test occurrences in the real world. However, Game development knowledge is the initial requirement to use games in research either in any non-technical or technical field. Besides, availability of existing games suited to research is very meager. Also, attracting and reaching out to enough users for proper user study is a difficult task. We propose a connected real-time website and desktop-based game application. The website is themed as a social network which will help connect researchers with gamers and keep them updated. Our application also allows a researcher to choose and modify a few configuration parameters to change the game according to his requirement as well as dedicated ownership to the collected data. The game application provides a robust Massive Multiple Online game environment for a smooth and exciting gaming experience to involve gamers to contribute to research. Defense Committee: Dr. Mubbasir Kapadia (chair), Dr. Kostas Bekris, Dr. Jingjin Yu


: This study assessed perceived quality of life in elderly, surgically managed renovascular hypertension patients. Twenty-three patients, aged 55 to 90 years, with unilateral or bilateral aortorenal bypass grafting or transrenal or transaortic endarterectomy, participated in the study. The Sickness Impact Profile was used to measure perceived quality of life. Overall, elderly, renovascular hypertension patients, at least 1 year postoperatively, experienced quality of life comparable to persons with other serious chronic illnesses; and females reported significantly poorer quality of life than males.


SUMMARYInvasion of Varroa jacobsoni into honey bee (Apis mellifera) brood cells was studied in three initially mite-free colonies. Frames with emerging worker brood, heavily infested with mites, were introduced into each colony and removed the next day. During the experiments ample worker brood was available for the mites to invade. Invasions into brood cells started immediately after the introduction of the mite-infested combs, showing that mites do not necessarily have to have a period on adult bees before invading a cell. However, as most mites stayed on the bees for several days or even several weeks, the average rate of invasion was rather low. In addition, replicate experiments in the three colonies showed much variation: 50% of the mites invaded brood cells within 2.0 days in the first replicate, within 8.3 days in the second replicate and within 4.3 days in the third replicate. Possible causes for the low and variable invasion rates are discussed.


Background : Pediculosis capitis is a lice infestation on scalp with high prevalence on the age of elementary school students. It is one of neglected diseases. Predisposing factors such as hair type and length, self higienities, and sosioeconomic can influence prevalence of pediculosis capitis. The aim of the study was to reveal pediculosis capitis prevalence and its predisposing factors on elementary school students at Jatinangor. Methods : This study used cross-sectional descriptive method which conducted in September 2014 at Jatinangor. The study subjects were elementary school students graded 1 to 6 taken from two elementary schools by multistage random sampling technique. Data was presented in a table. Results : The prevalence of pediculosis capitis from 123 study subjects was 55.3%. The prevalence found on girls (81.3%), students with long hair (76.9%), students with curly hair (52.9%), students of third grade (66.7%), students with washing hair three times or more in a week (59.3%), students with mothers only graduated from elementary school (60%), students parents with income less than one million rupiah (63.3%), students staying with four or more persons in the same house (56.3%), and students with having previous this disease (60.2%). Conclusions : Pediculosis capitis prevalence on elementary school students is quite high. The prevalence based on subject characteristics and sosioeconomic is suitable with previous studies. [AMJ.2016;3(2):254–8] DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n2.787


The on-chip inductive impact on signal integrity has been a problem for designs in deep-submicrometer technologies. The inductive impact increases the clock skew, max timing, and noise of bus signals. In this letter, circuit simulations using silicon-validated macromodels show that there is a significant inductive impact on the signal max timing (~ 10% pushout versus RC delay) and noise (~2timesRC noise). In nanometer technologies, process variations have become a concern. Results show that device and interconnect process variations add ~ 3% to the RLC max-timing impact. However, their impact on the RLC signal noise is not appreciable. Finally, inductive impact in 65- and 45-nm technologies is investigated, which indicates that the inductance impact will not diminish as technology scales


For the special requirements of grid-connected inverter used in wind power generation system, a kind of three-phase Z-Source inverter operational principle is analyzed in this paper. Formulas for the design of main parameters under the control of constant duty cycle of shoot-through switching state are derived. Then the simulation models of SVPWM with shoot-through zero vectors are established by using Matlab/Simulink in order to control the switches of Z-Source inverter on and off. The independent control strategy of d-axis and q-axis currents is used to achieve a unity power factor grid-connected aim. Simulation results show that the theoretical analysis and the simulation models are validity.


: Presentation of the results obtained in 35 patients with ureteral lithiasis treated over a two-year interval by means of ureteroscopy with pseudoanalgesia at the Hospital Insular, with a 89% success rate. We conclude that in selected cases, the use of peg ureteroscopy or pneumatic lithotrite is a valid therapeutical option since it is well-tolerated and has the benefit of a short or null hospitalization.


Metallic glass (MGs) has many unique properties such as low density, low Young's modulus, and so on. These unique physical and mechanical properties attract much attention on their application in manufacturing production. While, structural proper‐ ties such as complete absence of the long‐range order and most MGs are consist of equal or more than ternary constituent which complex factors make that the atomic level structure of metallic glass still have not well known by researchers. The limited methods and data sets obtained by experiment make the acknowledge in uncovering atomic structure of melt states of alloy, and the supercooled liquid about the alloy is absent as well. These messages are important to improve and increase the understanding of MGs, as we know that glasses are essentially frozen liquid made by quenching of their high‐ temperature melts. Computer simulation method is an useful tool to obtain structure messages of melt and the supercooled liquid. The static, dynamical properties as a function of temperature can also be investigated by ab initio MD simulation. The atomic level rearrangement consists of both local topological structure change and chemical reordering and evolution of electronic properties of the Al 87 Ni 7 Nd 6 and Ca 50 Mg 20 Cu 30 alloy during the glass transition process is investigated, and the discussion of the results is given in this chapter.


In this paper we address multi-target domain adaptation (MTDA), where given one labeled source dataset and multiple unlabeled target datasets that differ in data distributions, the task is to learn a robust predictor for all the target domains. We identify two key aspects that can help to alleviate multiple domain-shifts in the MTDA: feature aggregation and curriculum learning. To this end, we propose Curriculum Graph Co-Teaching (CGCT) that uses a dual classifier head, with one of them being a graph convolutional network (GCN) which aggregates features from similar samples across the domains. To prevent the classifiers from over-fitting on its own noisy pseudo-labels we develop a co-teaching strategy with the dual classifier head that is assisted by curriculum learning to obtain more reliable pseudo-labels. Furthermore, when the domain labels are available, we propose Domain-aware Curriculum Learning (DCL), a sequential adaptation strategy that first adapts on the easier target domains, followed by the harder ones. We experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed frameworks on several benchmarks and advance the state-of-the-art in the MTDA by large margins (e.g. +5.6% on the DomainNet).


The Market Economy: A Reader outlines the characteristics and philosophical underpinnings of the market economy and its usefulness in the allocation of resources. This anthology offers a comprehensive set of authentic, primary source selections that demonstrate how the tenets of classical economic liberalism provide the foundation for an efficient economic system--while also maximizing individual freedom. The readings also provide a structure for analyzing economic and philosophical issues. The book includes selections from several authors who are not economists but whose work is important in terms of their contribution to economic thought, such as Henry David Throeau and Ayn Rand. It also features classic readings such as Adam Smith's invisible hand from his Wealth of Nations, David Ricardo's original explanation of comparative advantage from Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, and John Stuart Mill's eloquent expression of the limits of government in On Liberty. Latter day proponents of private enterprise include Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, and Milton Friedman. These authors and others address how the market economy responds to such topical issues as the environment, income distribution, and free trade.


A new marine gastrotrich species, Desmodasys abyssalis sp. nov. (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida), is described from deep-sea hydrothermal vents of the East Pacific Rise based on light microscopy and scanning electron microscope observations. Desmodasys abyssalis was collected from artificial tubeworm aggregations exposed to the intermediate flow zone (medium productivity) and occurred in low abundance. Desmodasys abyssalis is the first record of a gastrotrich inhabiting a deep-sea hydrothermal vent habitat and is the first description of a deep-sea gastrotrich.


Background Buruli ulcer is a neglected tropical disease of the skin that is caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. We recently established an experimental pig (Sus scrofa) infection model for Buruli ulcer to investigate host-pathogen interactions, the efficacy of candidate vaccines and of new treatment options. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we have used the model to study pathogenesis and early host-pathogen interactions in the affected porcine skin upon infection with mycolactone-producing and non-producing M. ulcerans strains. Histopathological analyses of nodular lesions in the porcine skin revealed that six weeks after infection with wild-type M. ulcerans bacteria extracellular acid fast bacilli were surrounded by distinct layers of neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes. Upon ulceration, the necrotic tissue containing the major bacterial burden was sloughing off, leading to the loss of most of the mycobacteria. Compared to wild-type M. ulcerans bacteria, toxin-deficient mutants caused an increased granulomatous cellular infiltration without massive tissue necrosis, and only smaller clusters of acid fast bacilli. Conclusions/Significance In summary, the present study shows that the pathogenesis and early immune response to M. ulcerans infection in the pig is very well reflecting BU disease in humans, making the pig infection model an excellent tool for the profiling of new therapeutic and prophylactic interventions.


This Article engages the long-running debate about the geographical and contextual scope of U.S. constitutional protections. There is agreement that both citizens and noncitizens enjoy largely equal rights when present within the United States, and that when they venture abroad, U.S. citizens carry most of their constitutional rights with them. But beyond that, there are many disputes. Do noncitizens have any constitutional protection from the U.S. government when it acts against them outside U.S. borders? Does it matter whether the location is the ungoverned high seas or the sovereign territory of another nation? Does the context matter? Is law enforcement different from military force? Does it matter whether the subject is an internationally-recognized sovereign versus a non-state actor?

Scholars have tried to bring the original understanding of the Constitution to bear on these questions, with some hoping to show that individual rights were understood to be global and universal. A vision of extraterritorial constitutional rights for all has most recently been offered by Professor Nathan Chapman, in an article entitled Due Process Abroad, addressing the legal framework for English and American governmental efforts to suppress piracy. Chapman argues that, outside the context of state-to-state warfare, due process required that anyone, anywhere, suspected of violating criminal or civil anti-piracy statutes could only be proceeded against by judicial process, rather than military force.

I conclude that Chapman's historical arguments for global due process are unsupported and unsound. By first examining piracy suppression in the law of nations, English domestic law, and English government practice in the centuries leading up to American independence, and then American law and government practice during the Founding and antebellum periods, I conclude that pirates on the high seas were viewed as outside the protection of domestic and international law and thus could lawfully be subject to summary violence. Although both England and the early United States did frequently use the criminal justice system to address piracy, due process did not require that approach. The extensive use of law enforcement methods (with its attendant procedural protections) was driven by a mix of factors, sounding in international law, government policy, and a concern for fair treatment. These considerations, rather than a misplaced theory about the original meaning of the Constitution, should be at the center of our debates about counterterrorism and other extraterritorial security efforts today, as they were in our predecessors' approach to piracy.


Water resources in arid and semi-arid regions, such as the Gaza Strip (GS), are generally under increasing stresses in terms of water quality and quantity. Therefore management of these valuable resources is one of the crucial concerns and challenges facing researchers and specialists worldwide. In these areas, there is a pressing need to evaluate the water situation in terms of its quality using the available limited data. The Water Quality Index (WQI) helps managers and planners working in the water sector to qualitatively map water quality; which in turn enables them to propose the possible management options, and to prioritize the capital investment for the water sector. Being the only source of water for the GS population of more than 1.8 million, the Gaza Coastal Aquifer (GCA) is in a disastrous quality situation. It represents an extreme prototype model on how several negative factors (unstable political environment, disastrous economic situation, decaying environmental conditions, unplanned & disorganized human activities), are combined together to further deteriorate the groundwater quality. The objective of this paper is to assess and map the spatial distribution of groundwater quality of the GCA using the WQI approach. Research results indicate that severe water quality deterioration has occurred in the GS. The area fraction that is classified as "not good" based on the WQI jumped from about 30% to 55% over 10 years (between 2000 and 2010). The WQI maps developed in this research work assisted in forming a simple yet comprehensive view about groundwater quality in the GS. This, in turn, helps spotting critical locations in terms of water quality, and setting management priorities accordingly. In summary, the space-time analyses of WQI provide support for the decision making process, i.e., for drawing policies and proposing remediation measures to restore and maintain water resources.


Flower constellation design scheme was applied to design new global navigation system constellations called GNFCs. To investigate the possibility of reduced number of satellites in a GNFC, both genetic algorithms and flower constellation schemes are applied to find optimality. The proposed optimal GNFCs are then compared with GalileoSat constellation. New approach shows the better navigation performance than that of GalileoSat constellation


Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a disruptive technology for creating organotypic constructs for high-throughput screening and regenerative medicine. One major challenge is the lack of suitable bioinks. Short synthetic self-assembling peptides are ideal candidates. Several classes of peptides self-assemble into nanofibrous hydrogels resembling the native extracellular matrix. This is a conducive microenvironment for maintaining cell survival and physiological function. Many peptides also demonstrate stimuli-responsive gelation and tuneable mechanical properties, which facilitates extrusion before dispensing and maintains the shape fidelity of the printed construct in aqueous media. The inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability bodes well for in vivo applications as implantable tissues and drug delivery matrices, while their short length and ease of functionalization facilitates synthesis and customization. By applying self-assembling peptide inks to bioprinting, the dynamic complexity of biological tissue can be recreated, thereby advancing current biomedical applications of peptide hydrogel scaffolds.


This article explores the impact of the binary configuration of disabled bodies as opposite and unequal to able bodies, and whether or not contemporary bodybuilding provides a space where this dualism can be overcome. Drawing on life history interviews with Dan, a professional wheelchair bodybuilder, we consider how his hyper-muscular upper body may position him as a supercrip and thereby reinforce bodily and gender norms. Simultaneously, Dan's powerful, disabled body and a competitive context that applies standard judgement criteria across all bodies potentially subverts this normative configuration. We reflect on the contradictions engendered by Dan's corporeality by drawing on notions of the bodybuilder as body-garde involved in a process of enfreakment that disrupts and transcends contemporary bodily ideals. Here, variable self-reflexive bodybuilding projects can accommodate contingent conceptualisations of perfection, including disability, with implications for disabled bodies and identities more broadly.


Introduction Beneficial effects of stem/progenitor cell therapies for the treatment of ischaemic diseases have been established; however, there remains conflicting evidence on whether cells act by incorporation into the existing vasculature or by paracrine effects. Objective This study aims to quantify the bio-distribution of transplanted, proangiogenic, human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells (hESC-ECs) in a murine model of hind limb ischaemia over 21 days using qPCR-detection of human DNA. Methods CD1 nude mice (male, 6–8 weeks old; n=6 per group) underwent femoral artery ligation followed by injection with hESC-ECs into ischaemic muscle of the hindlimb. Mice were sacrificed at 0 hour, 4 hour, 24 hour, 7d, 14d, and 21d post-transplantation, and DNA extracted from the hind limb. A paired-qPCR assay was run with a set of human-specific and mouse-specific primers to allow for detection of hESC-ECs in mouse tissue. Results A standard curve was constructed using mixtures of DNA extracted from mouse tissue and a population of hESC-ECs. The mean percentage of human cells at each time-point was determined accordingly. At the first time-point (0 hour), 1.77%±0.55% human cells were present within the ischaemic limb, with no significant change at 4 hour post-injection. However, by 24 hour and 7 days post-injection, the% human cells present significantly decreased to 0.67%±0.24% (p=0.05) and 0.35%±0.09% (p=0.05) respectively. At 14 and 21 days post-injection, the level of human DNA present had decreased to background levels. Conclusion Our results suggest the majority of injected hESC-EC cleared from the injection site within the first 24 hours, with the remainder of the cells no longer present at 14 days post-injection. This is consistent with imaging data obtained prior to this study, and suggests that injected hESC-ECs improve perfusion in the mouse ischaemic limb by a paracrine mechanism rather than direct incorporation into the existing vasculature.


: The neuropathogenicity of Coxsackie B3, B1, and B5 virus strains was studied in experimentally infected suckling BALB/c mice and in contact animals from the same nest and litter infected due to the natural virus spread. The similar neurological disorders were found in both groups of animals. The data on pathological and morphological changes in the medulla oblongata as dystrophic and necrotic changes in the neurons with their lysis and deletion, brain tissue edema, and hemodynamic changes confirmed the neutrotropicity of the strains under study. The revealed pattern of brain lesions did not depend on the time of isolation of the viral strains being examined.


Peptide tandem mass spectrometry has emerged as a key technology to detect and measure proteins in biological systems. A core problem is the interpretation of tandem mass spectra. These spectrum annotations are then used to study post-translational modifications, disease biomarkers, protein-protein interactions, and subcellular localization. Technological breakthroughs have led to the generation of ever-increasing volumes of data. Experiments generating tens of millions of spectra are routine, and require efficient algorithms to be effectively analyzed. Filters using sequence tags, as implemented in the InsPecT software toolkit, allow spectra to be rapidly searched against a large proteomics database. The MS-Alignment algorithm addresses the still more challenging problem of interpreting mass spectra in the presence of unanticipated modifications. A key consideration is the efficient handling of large data volumes without the need for manual intervention. In any high-throughput biological experiment, calculation of a false discovery rate is essential. The use of a decoy database of shuffled proteins is emerging as a key method for measuring false discovery rates. In addition, decoy database allows a direct comparison of the quality of results from different search parameters, instrument settings, or software tools. We adopt a principled approach to correcting or filtering spurious annotations and experimental artifacts. A key idea is the focus on error rate, not at the level of individual spectra, but at the level of distinct peptides, or modification sites. Results at this higher level can be made more accurate by integrating data across mass spectra. Additional research is presented on the analysis of RNA microarrays. Here the goal is the identification of gene sets - such as members of a pathway - which are up- or down-regulated. Here the fundamental data is differential transcription levels, as measured by a t statistic. As with mass spectra, leveraging separate measurements (expression levels across many genes) improves accuracy. And computing the false positive rate in a principled way, with an appropriate null model, is vital for computing valid p-values


Small spindleless veneer lathe technology was used to produce veneer sheets as an alternative processing option to optimise the use of small log plantation resource. Thinned (300 spha) and unthinned control (1000 spha) plantings of 10.5-year-old Corymbia citriodora ssp. variegata (CCV) and E. dunnii (Dunn's white gum) grown in two contrasting sites from climatic regions with large annual rainfall differences were studied. Overall veneer gross recoveries ranged from 50% to 70%, which were up to 3 times higher than typical sawn green-off saw recoveries from small plantation hardwood logs of similar diameter. Major limiting factors preventing veneer from meeting higher grades were the presence of kino defects and encased knots. Splits in E. dunnii veneer also contributed to reduced grade quality.
Differences between two thinning treatments for veneer properties and grade recovery were generally small. There was significant evidence of site and species differences on veneer quality. The good quality site with higher rainfall in northern New South Wales produced denser and stiffer veneers with higher grade recoveries. CCV is a superior structural veneer species with high wood density and hardness as well as very good veneer stiffness exceeding 15,000 MPa but Dunn's white gum has also demonstrated good potential as a useful structural plywood resource.
Results indicate that relatively high veneer recoveries were achieved for the sub-tropical plantation hardwoods combined with very superior mechanical properties which suggest that veneer production have suitable attributes for a range of engineered wood products including plywood and laminated veneer lumber.


Resources for students in UM's History Honors Colloquium: how to find background information on a topic, how to search the library catalog, how to locate primary and secondary sources in a variety of formats, and how to create and manage citations.


A simple analytical condition for the radiation resistance and conductance (R, G) of an equivalent composite right/ left-handed (CRLH) balanced leaky-wave antenna unit-cell is pro- posed to achieve a constant radiation rate. Similar to the CRLH "balanced condition," which allows a smooth phase transition from the left-handed to the right-handed frequency regions, the pro- posed R-G condition provides a continuous and smooth transition of the radiation losses from the left-handed to the right-handed frequency region. Moreover, this condition also solves the phase fluctuations that traditionally occur around the CRLH transition frequency due to real radiation losses. Several numerical results are included to confirm the uniform radiation rate obtained when the new derived condition is used.


Multimodal models trained on large natural image-text pair datasets have exhibited astounding abilities in generating high-quality images. Medical imaging data is fundamentally different to natural images, and the language used to succinctly capture relevant details in medical data uses a different, narrow but semantically rich, domain-specific vocabulary. Not surprisingly, multi-modal models trained on natural image-text pairs do not tend to generalize well to the medical domain. Developing generative imaging models faithfully representing medical concepts while providing compositional diversity could mitigate the existing paucity of high-quality, annotated medical imaging datasets. In this work, we develop a strategy to overcome the large natural-medical distributional shift by adapting a pre-trained latent diffusion model on a corpus of publicly available chest x-rays (CXR) and their corresponding radiology (text) reports. We investigate the model's ability to generate high-fidelity, diverse synthetic CXR conditioned on text prompts. We assess the model outputs quantitatively using image quality metrics, and evaluate image quality and text-image alignment by human domain experts. We present evidence that the resulting model (RoentGen) is able to create visually convincing, diverse synthetic CXR images, and that the output can be controlled to a new extent by using free-form text prompts including radiology-specific language. Fine-tuning this model on a fixed training set and using it as a data augmentation method, we measure a 5% improvement of a classifier trained jointly on synthetic and real images, and a 3% improvement when trained on a larger but purely synthetic training set. Finally, we observe that this fine-tuning distills in-domain knowledge in the text-encoder and can improve its representation capabilities of certain diseases like pneumothorax by 25%.


In 1990, the United States Supreme Court decided Employment Division v. Smith. This decision significantly changed the legal analysis of First Amendment claims under the United States Constitution, including Free Exercise Clause claims made by those practicing minority religions. Thus, the Smith decision affected the debate surrounding the possession of eagle feathers for religious purposes. Unless an individual has a government-issued permit, federal law prohibits the possession of eagle feathers. Currently, the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals have split as to the constitutionality of the permit system and the system itself strains from excess demand for eagle feathers. This article examines the complex legal issues associated with having both Indian and non-Indian religious practitioners as well as the procedural issues surrounding the federal permit scheme for possessing eagle feathers. I. INTRODUCTION The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the free exercise of religion. (1) In defining the contours of the free exercise doctrine, the Supreme Court of the United States has reviewed claims made by religious minorities seeking protection for their religious exercise from laws that they allege to impede such exercise. (2) In the case of Indians, (3) there is ongoing conflict concerning the First Amendment and religious free exercise of religion, and the "legal battles involving Indian religions have involved four distinct areas: the use of peyote, protection of sacred sites, possession of eagle feathers, and the rights of Indian inmates." (4) This article focuses on the multifaceted procedural and legal issues surrounding the possession of eagle feathers for religious purposes. (5) The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA) establishes criminal and civil penalties for the possession or taking of eagle feathers or eagle parts. (6) In 1962, however, Congress created a religious exception to BGEPA. (7) Indians who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes are authorized to apply for a permit to possess or possibly take a bald or golden eagle or their parts. (8) Many individuals (both Indian and non-Indian) have challenged this religious exception to BGEPA claiming it infringes upon their free exercise rights. (9) The majority of claimants rely on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) for relief. (10) These cases often reach the federal courts of appeals, but the Supreme Court of the United States has not yet determined whether the religious exception to BGEPA and its permit system violates RFRA. (11) Without direction from the Supreme Court, and given the complexities of the government's obligations and relationship with Indian tribes, the issue of whether the BGEPA religious exception violates RFRA can seem convoluted. (12) Moreover, the BGEPA religious exception affects the First Amendment rights of both Indians and non-Indians. (13) Part II of this article examines the relationship between religion and the United States Constitution, focusing on the First Amendment, the evolution of religious exceptions, and RFRA. (14) Part III reviews the federal statutory protection of bald and golden eagles and the applicable permit system and procedure. (15) Part IV summarizes challenges to the BGEPA permit system within the past decade. (16) Part V analyzes the procedural problems individuals encounter when applying for a permit under the BGEPA permit system and offers a possible remedy. (17) Part V also discusses the complex legal issues associated with challenges to the BGEPA permit system. (18) II. RELIGION, THE CONSTITUTION, AND THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT Challenges to the BGEPA permit system are based upon First Amendment principles, and although the courts' decisions are primarily reached solely on statutory grounds under RFRA, a review of First Amendment law is foundational to a discussion of the religious exception to BGEPA and the free exercise fights of Indians. …


There is an increasing commercial interest in finding alternative ways to produce phenol that overcome the disadvantages of the current cumene process used to synthesize phenol. The drivers for the change are both economic and environmental. A direct oxidation route for producing phenol
from benzene is based on using N2O as an oxidizing agent in the gas phase
in the presence of modified Fe-ZSM5 zeolite. One of the main objectives was
to examine the effect of different Si/Al ratios, temperatures and iron content on
the selective conversion of benzene to phenol with a desire to achieve high
selectivity and minimise catalyst deactivation. Also one of the research
objectives was to identify the active sites in the catalyst and design the
catalyst which is able to delay coke formation. The methodology was to
incorporate iron directly at extra-framework positions via liquid ion-exchange.
In this project, a series of selective Fe-ZSM5 catalysts with different Si/Al
ratios have been prepared and evaluated for selective formation of phenol.
The catalyst samples were characterized (by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
(AAS), Malvern mastersizer and Nitrogen adsorption using N2 at 77 K via
Micromeritics to determine the elemental composition, average particle size,
BET surface area and pore size distribution) and their catalytic activities
compared. A quantitative comparison between the number of active sites
using isopropylamine decomposition method shows that active sites increase
as the Si/Al ratio increased and also as the iron content increased. (Continues...).


Electrical energy demands are increasing at a rapid rate. This has led to high consumption of fossil fuels, with negative environmental consequences, including global warming, acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer. The change of energy resources is important in order to overcome the negative impacts of fossil fuel energy technologies that threaten the ecological stability of the earth. Furthermore, rising fuel prices and the growing scarcity of fossil fuel may have negative economic and political effects on many countries in the near future. The improvement of energy efficiency and the effective use of renewable energy sources are key to fulfil the energy demand. PV (Photo Voltaic) generation is becoming a good solution in the event of an energy crisis. For example, multi megawatt PV plants are common in many places. There are many topologies for connecting PV modules to the grid. Among these, the centralized inverter is preferred in large-scale PV applications for practical reasons . However, in terms of maximum power point tracking (MPPT), the mid point inverter may not be the best topology with which to maximize the power generation, as all of the PV modules are tied to a single inverter. It would be desirable to consider the mismatches in PV modules. For better MPPT, additional dc–dc converters can be used to connect split PV modules to the mid point inverter.The simulation is carried over by MATLAB-SIMULINK software.


The Red Queen hypothesis predicts that sex should be more common in populations heavily infested with parasites, than in those without. This hypothesis was investigated in the aquatic snail Melanoides tuberculata, in which both sexual and parthenogenetic individuals exist in natural populations, and some populations are heavily infested by trematodes. The presence of fertile males and the higher genetic diversity of bisexual populations are indicative of sexual reproduction. We compared sites in 1990, 1999, and 2001, and we looked for a positive correlation between male and parasite frequencies. Male frequency was not correlated with the frequency of individuals infected by trematodes. This lack of correlation was reconfirmed in a retrospective power analysis. In a period of 9 years, male frequencies decreased but infection levels increased. These results do not support the Red Queen hypothesis. In samples with high male frequency the number of embryos was low, perhaps indicating that males may have a negative effect on embryo numbers. This effect of males on fitness could perhaps suggest that the cost of sex is fewer embryos. The reduction in embryo numbers may also represent a trade‐off between mating and egg production costs.


ObjectiveElevated plasma homocysteine has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The association between open-angle glaucoma and cardiovascular disease has recently stimulated interest in the role of homocysteine in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Some studies report elevated plasma homocysteine in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXFG), but have not found this association consistently in other types of open-angle glaucoma. In this study, we have measured plasma homocysteine and C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation, the commonest genetic cause of elevated plasma homocysteine, in patients with PXFG, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and normal tension glaucoma (NTG). DesignProspective cross-sectional cohort study. ParticipantsForty-eight patients with PXFG, 36 patients with POAG, 34 patients with NTG, and 42 controls without glaucoma. MethodsFasting venous blood samples from each participant were analyzed for plasma homocysteine and the C677T MTHFR gene mutation. Main Outcome of InterestMean plasma homocysteine levels, number of individuals with homocysteine above the reference range, and percentage of individuals with heterozygous or homozygous C677T MTHFR gene mutations. ResultsMean plasma homocysteine was significantly higher in PXFG (11.77±4.18 μmol/L), POAG (11.21±2.84 μmol/L), and NTG (11.74±3.79 μmol/L) compared with control (9.82±1.75 μmol/L). Hyperhomocysteinemia was found in 27.1% of PXFG patients, 30.6% of POAG patients, and 29.4% of NTG patients. There was no significant difference in frequency of MTHFR C677T gene mutation between groups. ConclusionsPlasma homocysteine was elevated in PXFG, POAG, and NTG. Elevated plasma homocysteine seems to be associated with glaucoma in these patients.


The Vireo ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) Submission and Management System began service in the graduate office at Texas A&M in 2008.  An open source software project, Vireo has now been deployed at over a dozen universities in Texas and almost as many outside of the state, and is used to process thousands of theses and dissertations every semester.  Developed primarily as a collaboration of Texas A&M University Libraries and the Texas Digital Library, new features and changes originate from – and are approved by - the Vireo Users Group, a nation-wide community of practitioners from both libraries and graduate schools.  This community effort has resulted in the release of new versions of the software on a continual basis.  The current release in deployment is Vireo 3.0.5. As practices have matured, needs and expectations of students, administrators, and libraries of record have evolved and the community has become aware of the potential for more robust uses of the software.  In Summer 2016, Vireo 4 will undergo its beta release and first deployments.  This latest version involves a fundamental reimagining of the flexibility and power of the system.  Customers of the Vireo software have come to recognize the diversity of needs among various schools, programs, and departments, and version 4 addresses these needs with highly customizable workflows that can be applied at any level from the institution to the specific degree.  In a related initiative, input forms can now be customized with controlled vocabularies to enhance discipline-specific metadata and facilitate knowledge-capture from authors at the time of submittal.  Finally, the software is being migrated to a modern web-framework using Spring Boot and Angular.js.  The reimagined functionality has meant that the migration is more than a simple re-write, and required software developers to devise a novel, highly sophisticated data model to efficiently support new dynamic use cases. This presentation will discuss the workings of the Vireo User Group and the major changes this will mean for Vireo as a tool and for users.  We will discuss the software development process, technical decisions made among the development team in conjunction with the Co-Chair of the Vireo Users Group, and the plans surrounding the 4.0 release.


Most would agree that for change to be successful and positive, those carrying out the change must be involved and engaged in the process itself. By engaging practitioners in the change process, action research provides ownership and often results in a sense of efficacy In recent years, researchers exploring K-12 issues have identified several outcomes of participation in action research. For instance, they have found that educators grow professionally, intellectually and establish more meaningful relationships with their learners using action research (Shalaway, 1990). They feel a sense of empowerment and increased self-esteem. They also are more open to change, more reflective about practice and decision-making and are better problem-solvers. Overall, they have greater expertise in the field and a fresher attitude toward the educational process (Bennett, 1994). In adult literacy, Quigley (1995) discusses how practitioners can use action research to "satisfy the itch" about problems in their own practice. This work has led to a practitioner-based movement in professional development and program improvement in Pennsylvania. Literacy Action Research in Pennsylvania In 1995, Pennsylvania created a statewide effort to bring action research to adult literacy practitioners as a professional development tool. Supported by the Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) of the Department of Education, one project in this "Learning from Practice" initiative was the Pennsylvania Action Research Network (PAARN). We trained practitioners (administrators, teachers, trainers and volunteers) to develop better problem-posing and problem-solving skills to improve their practice using this systematic approach of action research. The Pennsylvania Action Research Handbook and Project Planner (Quigley, 1995) and Creating Practical Knowledge through Action Research: Posing Problems and Improving Daily Practice (Quigley & Kuhne, 1997) have been used to facilitate the training. PAARN was committed to sharing the results with others; therefore, each participant wrote a monograph about the action research project. These were published and made available through a literature network, and are posted on the Web site (www.learningfrompractice.org.) PAARN was evaluated annually in two ways. First, practitioners were interviewed to determine their perception of success, the usefulness of the model and their professional growth. Second, one year after the project was completed, the participants' supervisor was interviewed to evaluate the lasting impact that the action research project may have had on the agency itself. This article shares the synthesized results of the supervisor evaluations to show how the process is transferable, and we offer snapshots of four projects highlighting outcomes that have been made part of the literacy institutions for long-term change. Four Snapshots of Success For four consecutive years, an annual impact survey was conducted with supervisors of action research participants. A total of 33 supervisors were interviewed about their 61 participants. One question asked them to contrast the benefits of action research to those of traditional workshops for professional development. Forty five percent of the supervisors felt action research provided greater benefits, 37 percent said it was hard to tell and only 18 percent felt that workshops were more valuable. As one supervisor commented in 1998, "Those who have taken action research are much less hesitant to share information, are comfortable making suggestions and are able to receive constructive criticism. They are able to work on a project, follow through and implement, have a more questioning attitude and are more willing to examine their practice." In 2000, another observed, "Those in action research see their everyday attempts at program improvement as meaningful, not futile, attempts." Each year, we asked if the participating staff had experienced an attitude change. …


This paper analyses the suitability of certain refactoring methods, in particular those concerning naming, to spreadsheet development, and the effect they can have on both spreadsheet quality and the behaviour of novice end-users. Spreadsheets are normally developed by the end user, and are rarely designed beforehand. They are extremely error prone and often business critical. While naming of ranges in spreadsheets is a recommended best practice, there is little supporting research. This paper describes an experiment to investigate the impact of range names on the debugging performance of novice spreadsheet users.


It is well known that since neither the inflectional morphemes nor most of the closed-class items of the lexifier language survive in pidgins, grammatical distinctions are not obligatorily marked. We thus find a large number of unmodified nouns and verbs. As pidgins are elaborated, processes of grammaticalization work to regularize the marking of grammatical categories and relations, and to increase redundancy overall. This paper considers the grammaticalization of determiners in Tok Pisin, looking at the extent to which the semantic features of specificity and definiteness are sufficient to explain the distributions we find in texts both from contemporary fluent second-language and creole speakers, and from earlier stages of the language. We suggest that the semantic feature of inalienability, marked in the grammars of many substrate languages, also plays an important role in determining Tok Pisin noun phrases.


Abstract. The response of the albedo of bare sea ice and snow-covered sea ice to the addition of black carbon is calculated. Visible light absorption and light-scattering cross-sections are derived for a typical first-year and multi-year sea ice with both "dry" and "wet" snow types. The cross-sections are derived using data from a 1970s field study that recorded both reflectivity and light penetration in Arctic sea ice and snow overlying sea ice. The variation of absorption cross-section over the visible wavelengths suggests black carbon is the dominating light-absorbing impurity. The response of first-year and multi-year sea ice albedo to increasing black carbon, from 1 to 1024 ng g−1, in a top 5 cm layer of a 155 cm-thick sea ice was calculated using a radiative-transfer model. The albedo of the first-year sea ice is more sensitive to additional loadings of black carbon than the multi-year sea ice. An addition of 8 ng g−1 of black carbon causes a decrease to 98.7% of the original albedo for first-year sea ice compared to a decrease to 99.7% for the albedo of multi-year sea ice, at a wavelength of 500 nm. The albedo of sea ice is surprisingly unresponsive to additional black carbon up to 100 ng g−1 . Snow layers on sea ice may mitigate the effects of black carbon in sea ice. Wet and dry snow layers of 0.5, 1, 2, 5 and 10 cm depth were added onto the sea ice surface. The albedo of the snow surface was calculated whilst the black carbon in the underlying sea ice was increased. A layer of snow 0.5 cm thick greatly diminishes the effect of black carbon in sea ice on the surface albedo. The albedo of a 2–5 cm snow layer (less than the e-folding depth of snow) is still influenced by the underlying sea ice, but the effect of additional black carbon in the sea ice is masked.


Liquid crystals is a class of materials possessing properties from both solids and fluids. Similar to solids the molecules arrange themselves in some sort of order. In the liquid crystal state there are multiple phases, smectic being one of them. In a smectic liquid crystal the molecules are aranged (along z) in layers. Of the smectic liquid crystals there exists different phases. In the smectic-A (Sm-A) phase the avarage tilt is 0 relative to z and in the Smectic-C (Sm-A) phase the avarage tilt is nonzero relative to z. Normally the liquid crystal will transition between the two phases by altering the temperature. In chiral smectics (i.e. Sm-A*, Sm-C*) it is possible to induce director tilting (i.e. the Sm-C* phase) from the Sm-A* phase via the application of an electric field. This is known as the bulk electroclinic effect (BECE). Also possible to have high-tilt lowtilt Sm-C* transition, analogous to liquid-gas transition. Like liquid-gas transition, there is a critical point. We investigate possibility of high-tilt low-tilt phase boundary with two critical points, one at each end of the boundary.


The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) superfamily of enzymes catalyses the ADP-ribosylation (ADPr) of target proteins by using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a donor. ADPr reactions occur either in the form of attachment of a single ADP-ribose nucleotide unit on target proteins or in the form of ADP-ribose chains, with the latter called poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation. PARPs regulate many cellular processes, including the maintenance of genome stability and signal transduction. In this review, we focus on the PARP family members that possess the ability to modify proteins by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, namely PARP1, PARP2, Tankyrase-1, and Tankyrase-2. Here, we detail the cellular functions of PARP1 and PARP2 in the regulation of DNA damage response and describe the function of Tankyrases in Wnt-mediated signal transduction. Furthermore, we discuss how the understanding of these pathways has provided some major breakthroughs in the treatment of human cancer.


Metastasis from primary prostate cancer (PCa) to the ureter is extremely rare. This study reports a 61-year-old male presenting with right flank pain and fever. Computed tomography urography (CTU) and magnetic resonance hydrography (MRH) showed right hydroureteronephrosis obstructed by soft tissue in the right ureter, retroperitoneal and left iliac vascular area lymphadenectasis. In addition, transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) was highly suspected. Ureteroscopy was performed, but nothing was found. Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder cuff removal was finally applied as a thorough treatment based on its malignant intra-operative frozen result. Pathological examination revealed right ureteral carcinoma in the form of metastatic PCa. The Gleason score was 9 (5+4), grade V. We determined that RNU with bladder cuff removal was the best treatment for him and hematogenous metastasis was the most possible metastatic pathway from the prostate to the right ureter.


This review describes the present status of fisheries in Iran. Iranian fisheries include the Cas-pian Sea, the Southern Seas (the Persian Gulf, the Oman Sea and the Indian Ocean), inland wa-ter fisheries and aquaculture. Fish production in Iran enlarged from about 400000 mt in 1997 to 562000 mt in 2008. However, it was 451.189 ±66.625 mt annually between 1997 and 2008. The most important fish species in the Caspian Sea are kutum, grey mullets, Sturgeon and kil-ka. Tuna fishes are predominated in the Southern Seas. Chinese carps and rainbow trout are the most important fish in aquaculture and freshwater fishery. The catch composition of the Caspi-an Sea includes especially bony fishes species and Sturgeons. These fish species are also based on the artificial propagation to produce fry and fingerling for restocking. In recent years, there has also been an increase in the aquaculture production and fishery industry in Iran. For exam-ple, annual mean production of fry and fingerling between 1997 and 2008 was 541.874 ± 254.450 million. The production of kutum fry and fingerling was the most abundant with an-nual average 182.731 ±42.699 million. After 1997, the production of shrimp post larva was 524.2 ±349.9 per year. In addition, the consumption of fisheries production per person per year and annual average of exported fisheries production value (61.43 ±14.39 million $) also in-creased after 1997.


This paper discusses the penetration behavior of fully supported sandwich panels with micro-lattice and foam cores, and composite skins. This behaviour is of importance during foreign object impact and perforation of sandwich structures. Experimental results are given for quasi-static penetration of micro-lattice and foam blocks, and it is shown that these two cellular materials are comparable. Experimental results are also given for drop weight penetration of fully supported skinned panels, and it is shown that skin failure and core penetration are also similar for the two core materials. It is concluded that there is scope for improving the performance of micro-lattice structure and so making such material superior to that of aluminium foam.


Virtual reality (VR) offers a great new perspective on what it can offer an individual. These new approaches can give an individual the immersion and cognitive guidance that they need to help overcome his or her disorder. VR differs from the traditional displays in computer graphics as these various displays are integrated to give the user a sense of presence or immersion in the virtual world. To more effectively treat panic and agoraphobic patients using VR, it is necessary to determine the physiological responses of nonphobics when placed in the virtual panic and agoraphobia environments. This study exposed nonphobic participants to virtual panic and agoraphobia worlds with a program entitled "Virtual Medicine." Individuals without a diagnosis of panic and agoraphobia, as confirmed by intake and self-report questionnaires, were exposed to four different VR environments (elevator, supermarket, town square, and beach). During these VR experiences, physiology was measured by noninvasive sensors (peripheral skin temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration, and skin conductance). These measurements were compared to baseline physiology, which was recorded for five min prior to the VR exposure. These levels of physiological arousal will be useful in comparing against the phobic responses during virtual exposure. It will be useful to explore differences between immersion, physiological responses, and self-report responses in nonphobics versus phobics.


This paper aims at analyzing the diffusion of investment appraisal methods in non-manufacturing companies Poland. In particular, it deals with the relationships between the methods used and the selected characteristics of companies. The questionnaire was completed in 2012 by representatives of non-manufacturing companies operating in Poland and focused on three areas: (a) general firm characteristics, (b) organization of investment process, (c) investment evaluation methods used. The questionnaire research has shown that service companies in Poland use the same investment appraisal methods as companies in more developed countries; however, the diffusion of these methods is less. What is more, a foreign origin of equity capital, the magnitude of the capital expenditures budget, and a company size have significant and statistically positive influence on the investment appraisal methods in use, especially on: (a) formalization of the investment appraisal process, (b) the use of discounted cash flows – DCF methods, (c) employment of risk assessment methods, and (d) audit after closing the investment process. The author believes that the study bridges the gap in management accounting literature and researchers will use the results of this study to question current ideas and develop new theories. The results of the conducted study may also help practitioners identify the areas in their companies where academic recommendations have not been implemented and their use could be beneficiary for the company due to the fact that they facilitate activities which create value of the company. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ss.82.4.6612


Higher seedling vigour and greater coleoptile length are important for early establishment of wheat crops and subsequently higher grain yield in many dry environments. Seedling vigour includes those seed properties that determine the potential for rapid, uniform emergence and development of normal seedlings under a wide range of field conditions. Genotypes with the widely used gibberellic acid (GA)-insensitive dwarfing genes Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b have good partitioning and grain yield under optimal conditions, but may perform poorly under stressed conditions due to poor crop establishment. Breeding programmes are in search of GA-sensitive dwarfing genes that do not affect seedling vigour under dry conditions. This study evaluated 40 genotypes currently used in wheat breeding programmes of south Asia for seedling vigour-related traits in greenhouse and field experiments during 2006–2007 at IAAS, Rampur, Nepal. Wide variation in coleoptile length, seedling vigour, as well as sensitivity to GA was observed. Among the genotypes studied, there were positive correlations among coleoptile length, leaf width and plant height. Genotypes, SW89-5193, SW89-5422/NL251 and SW89-5422, were found to have longer coleoptile, higher seedling vigour and response to GA application. This shows a promise for their further applications in the breeding programmes.


Bark beetles are a group of phytophagous insects which are considered important pests of conifer and broadleaf forests. In order to carry out the characterization and monitoring of bark beetles communities present in Majorca, flight interception traps (cross-vane type trap) have been placed in three plots of pine forest (Pinus halepensis) and three plots of evergreen oak forest (Quercus ilex). The content of the traps were collected monthly and were taken to the laboratory and analyzed for their entomological determination. The main objective of this study is to present four scolytid species reported in Majorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) for the first time: Chaetoptelius vestitus, Coccotrypes dactyliperda, Xylocleptes bispinus and Xyleborus eurygraphus, as well as increase the knowledge of this coleopteran group with specific importance on forestry management in Mediterranean conditions.


Purpose

This paper aims to examine the role of "restructuring" in confronting the challenges facing contemporary high streets in the devolved UK. It complements three articles concerned with repositioning, reinventing and rebranding and illustrates the multi-faceted approaches involved in addressing retail change and town centre transformations. This paper emphasises the role of planning and governance in effecting change.

Design/methodology/approach

Informed by a literature review, action research involved inter-related interventions in selected locations, and associated workshops with engaged practitioners and community actors.

Findings

The findings highlight that the "resilience" of contemporary town centres demands resisting efforts to return to the status quo and necessitate forms of adaptive management. Understanding high street degeneration and the limitations of a retail-only led policy focus as a "wicked issue" further demands socially constructing town centres as an ecosystem requiring a holistic response. New forms of joint-working involve selecting appropriate models, attending to relational aspects and defined roles and responsibilities. Land use planning, including masterplanning and creating evidenced policy options, provides an important democratic space for legitimising action, offering leadership and extending participation to new change agents.

Practical implications

Restructuring of governance is an essential prerequisite in effecting change.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in the application of the restructuring element of the 4 Rs Framework which enables a focus on the governance dimensions of town centre and high street regeneration. The findings are enhanced through the experiential evidence which stresses both the importance of place-based diversification and value of prioritising holistic and joint actions developed through participatory visioning exercises.


A scheme for the mitigation of Rayleigh backscattering (RB) in hybrid passive optical networks (PON) is presented. Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) of the optical network units (ONU) are advantageously used as nonlinear elements, exploiting Four-Wave Mixing (FWM) between the downstream signals to create a spectrally displaced optical upstream carrier. The proposed technique is experimentally proven in a long reach and high split PON, and the suppression of the pumps and further FWM products, obtained via a modified filtering scheme inside the PON, is analyzed. Full-duplex transmission at 10/2.5 Gb/s is demonstrated, showing that upstream transmission is possible despite low optical signal-to-RB ratios (OSRR) of ~ 12 dB.


Mastitis is among the main reasons women cease breastfeeding, which leads to them supplementing breast milk with artificial formula. In farm animals, mastitis results in significant economic losses and the premature culling of some animals. Nevertheless, researchers do not know enough about the effect of inflammation on the mammary gland. This article discusses the changes to DNA methylation in mouse mammary tissue caused by lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation (4 h post-injection of lipopolysaccharide). We analysed the expression of some genes related to mammary gland function, epigenetic regulation, and the immune response. The analysis focused on three comparisons: inflammation during the first lactation, inflammation during second lactation with no history of inflammation, and inflammation during second lactation with previous inflammation. We identified differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs), differentially methylated regions (DMRs), and some differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for each comparison. The three comparisons shared some DEGs; however, few DMCs and only one DMR were shared. These observations suggest that inflammation is one of several factors affecting epigenetic regulation during successive lactations. Furthermore, the comparison between animals in second lactation with and without inflammation, with no inflammation history during first lactation showed a different pattern compared to the other conditions in this experiment. This indicates that inflammation history plays an important role in determining epigenetic changes. The data presented in this study suggest that lactation rank and previous inflammation history are equally important when explaining mammary tissue gene expression and DNA methylation changes.Abbreviations: RRBS, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing; RT-qPCR, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; MEC, mammary epithelial cells; TSS, transcription start site; TTS, transcription termination site; UTR, untranslated region; SINE, short interspersed nuclear element; LINE, long interspersed nuclear element; CGI, CpG island; DEG, differentially expressed gene; DMC, differentially methylated cytosine; DMR, differentially methylated region; GO term, gene ontology term; MF, molecular function; BP, biological process.


We present a method that operates an electrolyzer to meet the demand of a hydrogen refueling station in a cost-effective manner by solving a model-based optimal control problem. To formulate the underlying problem, we first conduct an experimental characterization of a Siemens SILYZER 100 polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzer with 100 kW of rated power. We run experiments to determine the electrolyzer's conversion efficiency and thermal dynamics as well as the overload-limiting algorithm used in the electrolyzer. The resulting detailed nonlinear models are used to design a real-time optimal controller, which is then implemented on the actual system. Each minute, the controller solves a deterministic, receding-horizon problem which seeks to minimize the cost of satisfying a given hydrogen demand, while using a storage tank to take advantage of time-varying electricity prices and photovoltaic inflow. We illustrate in simulation the significant cost reduction achieved by our method compared to others in the literature, and then validate our method by demonstrating it in real-time operation on the actual system.


Salmonella enterica serovars have been isolated from Colombian broilers and broiler meat. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of ESBL/pAmpC genes in extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistant Salmonella enterica and the phylogeny of ESBL/pAmpC-carrying Salmonella using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS). A total of 260 cefotaxime resistant Salmonella isolates, obtained between 2008 and 2013 from broiler farms, slaughterhouses and retail, were included. Isolates were screened by PCR for ESBL/pAmpC genes. Gene and plasmid subtyping and strain Multi Locus Sequence Typing was performed in silico for a selection of fully sequenced isolates. Core-genome-based analyses were performed per ST encountered. blaCMY−2−like was carried in 168 isolates, 52 carried blaCTX−M−2 group, 7 blaSHV, 5 a combination of blaCMY−2−like-blaSHV and 3 a combination of blaCMY−2−like-blaCTX−M−2 group. In 25 isolates no ESBL/pAmpC genes that were screened for were found. WGS characterization of 36 selected strains showed plasmid-encoded blaCMY−2 in 21, blaCTX−M−165 in 11 and blaSHV−12 in 7 strains. These genes were mostly carried on IncI1/ST12, IncQ1, and IncI1/ST231 plasmids, respectively. Finally, 17 strains belonged to S. Heidelberg ST15, 16 to S. Paratyphi B variant Java ST28, 1 to S. Enteritidis ST11, 1 to S. Kentucky ST152 and 1 to S. Albany ST292. Phylogenetic comparisons with publicly available genomes showed separate clustering of Colombian S. Heidelberg and S. Paratyphi B var. Java. In conclusion, resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins in Salmonella from Colombian poultry is mainly encoded by blaCMY−2 and blaCTX−M−165 genes. These genes are mostly associated with IncI1/ST12 and IncQ1 plasmids, respectively. Evolutionary divergence is observed between Colombian S. Heidelberg and S. Paratyphi B var. Java and those from other countries.


Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) describe a subset of neurodevelopmental disorders categorized by refractory epilepsy that is often associated with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. The majority of DEEs are now known to have a genetic basis with de novo coding variants accounting for the majority of cases. More recently, a small number of individuals have been identified with intronic SCN1A variants that result in alternative splicing events that lead to ectopic inclusion of poison exons (PEs). PEs are short highly conserved exons that contain a premature truncation codon, and when spliced into the transcript, lead to premature truncation and subsequent degradation by nonsense-mediated decay. The reason for the inclusion/exclusion of these PEs is not entirely clear, but research suggests an autoregulatory role in gene expression and protein abundance. This is seen in proteins such as RNA-binding proteins and serine/arginine-rich proteins. Recent studies have focused on targeting these PEs as a method for therapeutic intervention. Targeting PEs using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) has shown to be effective in modulating alternative splicing events by decreasing the amount of transcripts harboring PEs, thus increasing the abundance of full-length transcripts and thereby the amount of protein in haploinsufficient genes implicated in DEE. In the age of personalized medicine, cellular and animal models of the genetic epilepsies have become essential in developing and testing novel precision therapeutics, including PE-targeting ASOs in a subset of DEEs.


ABSTRACT In this article Nigel Copsey explores the British National Party's 2010 general and local election campaign and the political responses to it in two key BNP target constituencies (Barking and Stoke-on-Trent Central). As he shows, despite fractious legal action brought against the party by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, and a negligent attitude towards local activity, the BNP had approached the 2010 general and local elections in confident mood. In the biggest electoral push by an extreme-right party in British history, the BNP stood a record 338 parliamentary candidates, and no fewer than 739 local election candidates. Nick Griffin promised a major electoral breakthrough with the party expecting to make a serious challenge for the Barking parliamentary seat and to emerge as the largest single party on Barking and Dagenham council. When the results of the elections were announced, contemporary opinion had it that the BNP had taken a hammer blow, and was smashed into electoral oblivion. As Copsey reveals, the BNP was in part the author of its own electoral misfortune, but a resurgent Labour vote and a sophisticated anti-fascist campaign that created space for Labour to reconnect with its constituency were other key factors. Even though the 2010 general election was the party's best ever, the BNP sustained a major blow to its expectations. The results were a bitter pill for party members to swallow and the fortunes of Britain's leading extreme-right party have continued on a downward slide since.


LiNi0.4Co0.2Mn0.4O2 sampleswas synthesized via urea co-precipitation method. The XRD, SEM and electrochemical measurements were used to examine the structure,morphology and electrochemical characteristics, respectively. LiNi0.4Co0.2Mn0.4O2 powders show excellent electrochemical performances. The optimum sintering temperature and sintering time are 800°C and 20 h, respectively. The LiNi0.4Co0.2Mn0.4O2 powders shows the discharge capacity of 145.1 mAh·g-1 in the range of 3.0-4.5 V at the first cycle, and the discharge capacity remains 132.3 mAh·g-1 after 30 cycles. The urea co-precipitation method is suitable for the preparation of LiNi0.4Co0.2Mn0.4O2 cathode materials with good electrochemical performances for lithium ion batteries.


Abstract Franciscus Van den Enden (1602–1674) is commonly considered as the man who taught Latin to B. de Spinoza (1632–1677). It is unknown if he actually taught him something else, but we do know he used a pedagogy of his own and made the young philosopher aware of the importance of pedagogical issues. The present article helps to document their relationship from a historical and theoretical perspective, by clarifying Van den Enden's ideas on a most debated subject: the use of honorary titles to distinguish pupils in the classroom. In particular, it shows how the rejection by Van den Enden of titles commonly used in Jesuits schools finds echoes in Spinoza's philosophy. At the same time, the article argues that through their common participation in theatrical plays, Van den Enden and Spinoza shared a pedagogical experience that helped to overcome the problems linked to the introduction of a hierarchy, not theoretically, but in practice.


Multiunit activity was recorded in the auditory and motor cortex of cats with implanted electrodes, impulses with highest and lowest amplitudes being isolated by means of an amplitude discriminator. Crossinterval histograms were obtained for two simultaneous records. Functional relationships between neurons under different electrodes were evaluated by statistical interdependence of isolated trains. In the auditory cortex, neurons with high amplitude spikes mainly produced connections of excitatory type whereas neurons with low amplitude spikes produced connections of inhibitory type. In the motor cortex neurons producing heterogenous effect were predominant.


The temporal stationarity of the teleconnection between the tropical Pacific Ocean and North America (NA) is analyzed in atmosphere‐only, and coupled last‐millennium, historical, and control runs from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 data archive. The teleconnection, defined as the correlation between December‐January‐February (DJF) tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and DJF 200 mb geopotential height, is found to be nonstationary on multidecadal timescales. There are significant changes in the spatial features of the teleconnection over NA in continuous 56‐year segments of the last millennium and control simulations. Analysis of atmosphere‐only simulations forced with observed SSTs indicates that atmospheric noise cannot account for the temporal variability of the teleconnection, which instead is likely explained by the strength of, and multidecadal changes in, tropical Pacific Ocean variability. These results have implications for teleconnection‐based analyses of model fidelity in simulating precipitation, as well as any reconstruction and forecasting efforts that assume stationarity of the observed teleconnection.