Low earth orbit (LEO) satellite-assisted communications have been considered as one of the key elements in beyond 5G systems to provide wide coverage and cost-efficient data services. Such dynamic space-terrestrial topologies impose an exponential increase in the degrees of freedom in network management. In this paper, we address two practical issues for an over-loaded LEO-terrestrial system. The first challenge is how to efficiently schedule resources to serve a massive number of connected users, such that more data and users can be delivered/served. The second challenge is how to make the algorithmic solution more resilient in adapting to dynamic wireless environments. We first propose an iterative suboptimal algorithm to provide an offline benchmark. To adapt to unforeseen variations, we propose an enhanced meta-critic learning algorithm (EMCL), where a hybrid neural network for parameterization and the Wolpertinger policy for action mapping are designed in EMCL. The results demonstrate EMCL's effectiveness and fast-response capabilities in over-loaded systems and in adapting to dynamic environments compare to previous actor-critic and meta-learning methods.


The operation of the remedies for breach of the equitable duty of confidence are confused, largely because of a recent tendency to treat the action as a tort, with a consequent lack of emphasis of the equitable origins of the action for breach of confidence. This paper places the action and the available remedies in its equitable context. It surveys the operation of the pecuniary remedies which are available, with particular reference to negotiating damages and breach of confidence. Principles are identified to determine when each remedy should be available, including two fundamental principles of but for causation and conscience. The paper also considers whether profits made from breach of confidence should be held on constructive trust. Whilst it is argued that it is now time to recognise a principled remedial constructive trust in English law, the role of such a trust as a remedy for breach of confidence is likely to be very limited.


Waterpipe (also called hookah, shisha, or narghile) smoking is a common form of tobacco use in the Middle East. Its use is becoming more prevalent in Western societies, especially among young adults as an alternative form of tobacco use to traditional cigarettes. While the risk to cigarette smoking is well documented, the risk to waterpipe smoking is not well defined with limited information on its health impact at the epidemiologic, clinical and biologic levels with respect to lung disease. Based on the knowledge that airway epithelial cell DNA methylation is modified in response to cigarette smoke and in cigarette smoking-related lung diseases, we assessed the impact of light-use waterpipe smoking on DNA methylation of the small airway epithelium (SAE) and whether changes in methylation were linked to the transcriptional output of the cells. Small airway epithelium was obtained from 7 nonsmokers and 7 light-use (2.6 ± 1.7 sessions/wk) waterpipe-only smokers. Genome-wide comparison of SAE DNA methylation of waterpipe smokers to nonsmokers identified 727 probesets differentially methylated (fold-change >1.5, p<0.05) representing 673 unique genes. Dominant pathways associated with these epigenetic changes include those linked to G-protein coupled receptor signaling, aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling and xenobiotic metabolism signaling, all of which have been associated with cigarette smoking and lung disease. Of the genes differentially methylated, 11.3% exhibited a corresponding significant (p<0.05) change in gene expression with enrichment in pathways related to regulation of mRNA translation and protein synthesis (eIF2 signaling and regulation of eIF4 and p70S6K signaling). Overall, these data demonstrate that light-use waterpipe smoking is associated with epigenetic changes and related transcriptional modifications in the SAE, the cell population demonstrating the earliest pathologic abnormalities associated with chronic cigarette smoking.


: The experience of 10 year application of the preparation dona - glucosamine sulphate (Sachet) Rottapharm, Italy among the children age group during the conservative treatment of thighbone head osteochondropathy (Pertes disease) at the Tbilisi, Children's Sanatorium "Gazapkhuli" orthopedic department is described in the article. In the article, it is mentioned the great importance of glicosaminglycans (GAG) in the matter of formation and existence of connective tissue, their greatest role in the metabolism of bone and cartilaginoid tissue, the considerable importance of preparation dona components (glucosamine, sulphate group) in biochemical processes that proceeds in cartilaginoid tissue - in the gialuroni acid and glicosaminglycans synthesis (the substances that the proteoglycans are composed of). The experience that the Department has in the application of polysulphate glicosaminglycan - preparation rumalon (Russia), during the conservative treatment of Pertes disease, is mentioned. Taking into account the afore-mentioned, the preparation dona was introduced into the scheme of conservative treatment of 300 child patients within 5-14 age group having different stages of Pertes disease. During 5-6 years after the treatment cessation, observation on children patients showed that during the lasting treatment period with the preparation, the hypersensitivity, negative circumstances and complications were not observed. The positive results of the treatments (90-92%), structural restoration processes both in bone and cartilaginoid tissue after the intake of roentgenologically approved preparation, gives the basis for the author of the article to express its opinion on the possibility of application of preparation dona - glucosamine sulphate (Sachet)-1500, as a structural-modified preparation, during the complex conservative treatment of Pertes disease among children within 5-14 age group.


The execution of data-intensive tasks such as entity matching on large data sources has become a common demand in the era of Big Data. To face this challenge, cloud computing has proven to be a powerful ally to efficient parallel the execution of such tasks. In this work we investigate how to efficiently perform entity matching over multiple large data sources using the MapReduce programming model. We propose MSBlockSlicer, a MapReduce-based approach that supports blocking techniques to reduce the entity matching search space. The approach utilizes a preprocessing MapReduce job to analyze the data distribution and provides an improved load balancing by applying an efficient block slice strategy as well as a well-known optimization algorithm to assign the generated match tasks. We evaluate our approach against an existing one that addresses the same problem on a real cloud infrastructure. The results show that our approach increases significantly the performance of distributed entity match tasks by reducing the amount of data generated from the map phase and minimizing the execution time.


Dibenzo[a,e]pentalene (DBP), a ladder-type fused-ring system with 16π anti-aromatic nature, is integrated into conjugated polymers with oligothiophene building blocks to examine the potential of DBP as a new building block for semiconducting polymers. Depending on the incorporation manner of the DBP unit in the polymer backbone, via the 5,10- or 2,7-positions, the polymers show distinct colours, reflecting the different electronic structures, though the HOMO and LUMO energy levels estimated from cyclic voltammograms are almost the same. Interestingly, the impact of the incorporation manner was observed in the characteristics of their field-effect transistors (FETs). For PDTDBP2Ts, in which the DBP units are integrated into the polymer backbone via the 5,10-positions, the DBP units behave like a "dibenzo-annulated 1,3-butadiene" moiety, and their FET characteristics are strongly affected by orientational ordering and crystallinity, similar to ordinary "donor-only" polymers such as P3HT. On the other hand, iPDTDBP2Ts, in which the whole 16π DBP unit is integrated into the polymer backbone via the 2,7-positions, behave like a certain kind of donor-acceptor polymers, and the FET characteristics are independent of orientational order: the field-effect mobilities are higher than 0.1 cm2 V−1 s−1 regardless of the polymer orientation in the thin film. From these results, we can recognize the 16π anti-aromatic DBP unit as a useful building block with transmutable nature for the development of new conjugated polymers.


If the biographical works regarding hadith narrators are glanced, it will be seen that the criticisms about many narrators have been conditioned in sorne ways such as period, place, teaeber (sheikh), student (rawi), subject, and terrns of narration, and whether having been narrated from original book or by heart. These criticisms are sametimes confined to one or a few certain narrations of some narrators. This fact rnust be accepted understandable to a certain extent, for the humankinci is the elemental part of the isnad sistem, which constitutes the backbone of narrating. Since humankinci is naturally prone to change in the force of reason, and the narrators and their works may undergo sorne negative effects, it may be to! d that it is very hard or ev en irnpossible to find any narrator who has never been criticised although he has been we!l-qualifited in general. Therefore, it is necessary to dassify these criticisms as unconditioned and conditioned, as well as they are dassified as unexplained (mujrnal) and explained (mufassar). Here, in this artide we try to study the conditioned criticisms and explain its results in practice with examples.


There has been substantial social scientific research to determine how people perceive the risks of nuclear power, wastes, and waste management, but not much attention has been given to risk perceptions of other types of nuclear activities. Knowledge about attitudes towards uranium mining and exploitation is increasing, and more attention should be paid to how people perceive the risks of both ends of the nuclear fuel cycle. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze the risk perceptions towards nuclear waste and uranium mining and how these perceptions relate to each other. The analysis is based on Finnish survey data (N = 1180) gathered in 2007. Renewed international interest in nuclear power raised the price of uranium from 2005 to 2007. International mining companies started uranium explorations in Finland because Finnish bedrock is the oldest in Europe, and it is similar to and of the same age as that of the major foreign uranium producers and exporters. Changes in Finnish nuclear power policy make this study timely: while the site for a spent nuclear fuel repository in Eurajoki was chosen in 2001, in 2010, two companies were selected to construct two new nuclear power reactor units in the country. Cross-tabulation of a series of contingency tables based on the survey was used to explore a diversity of nuclear risk perception views. We found that the perception of risks of nuclear waste is quite diversified and that there is no any clear linkage between nuclear waste attitudes and uranium mining attitudes. Although we found that there is a group of double risk deniers and a group of double risk perceivers, risk attitudes cannot be derived automatically from the attitudes towards either end of the nuclear fuel cycle.


Purpose: To describe the demographic profile, clinical presentation, microbiological profile, and management outcome of primary canaliculitis. Methods: Single-center, retrospective, interventional case series. Clinical records of all patients diagnosed with primary canaliculitis and treated at the Department of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India, between 1987 and 2010 were reviewed. Retrospective data analysis included demographic profile, clinical presentation, microbiological profile, and management outcomes. The management outcome was further analyzed regarding conservative medical treatment alone, versus punctoplasty with canalicular curettage. Results: Of the 74 patients, 40 (54%) were women. Mean age at presentation was 48 years. Right eye was involved in 38 (51%) patients, left eye in 34 (46%) patients, and both eyes in 2 (3%) patients. The mean delay in diagnosis was 10 months. Lower canaliculus was involved in 48 (65%) patients, upper canaliculus in 17 (23%) patients, and both canaliculi in 9 (12%) patients. The most common presenting symptom was epiphora, noted in 63 (85%) patients, and the most common clinical sign was thickening of canalicular portion of eyelid seen in 53 (72%) patients. Microbiological workup was available in 54 patients, of whom 49 (91%) yielded positive results. The most common isolate was staphylococcus species in 19 (39%) patients. Conservative medical therapy (punctal dilatation, canalicular expression, and topical antibiotics) resulted in resolution in 35 of 51 (69%) patients, whereas punctoplasty with canalicular curettage resulted in resolution in all 39 (100%) patients. Of the 74 patients, 57 (70%) resolved completely with single intervention, 14 (19%) with 2 interventions, 6 (8%) with 3 interventions, and 2 (3%) with 4 interventions. Recurrence was noted in 2 (3%) patients that subsequently resolved with treatment. Conclusion: Primary canaliculitis is predominantly a unilateral disease with a significant delay in diagnosis. The microbiological profile of canaliculitis is evolving, with staphylococcus species emerging as the most common pathogen. Although conservative medical therapy is beneficial, punctoplasty with canalicular curettage combined with topical antibiotic therapy is the gold standard treatment for canaliculitis.


Our understanding of how people learn is continually changing. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences revolutionized the field education, because it accounts for a broader range of human potential in children and adults and suggests that individuals learn in a multitude of ways. Gardner's theory suggests there are a variety of possibilities to facilitate learning. People with heightened verbal, linguistic skills are often referred to as word smart. Verbal, linguistic students learn best through the comprehension of language which includes speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Students with verbal linguistic intelligences can easily access information through worldwide databases and computer networks. Any subject content can be enhanced, enriched, and updated from a variety of easily accessed sources which allow students to master the use of technology to access and share information. Students with logical mathematical intelligence are individuals who are number smart and have innate skills which involve logical, problem solving abilities, creative and manipulative skills, and are adept visual learners. Educators can enhance logical-mathematical intelligence through challenging and innovative multimedia technology. With innovative multimedia technology, students learn at all levels and effectively gain knowledge through a variety of different software programs that offer immediate feedback. Learners with visual-spatial intelligence are aesthetically oriented and may have a greater capacity for learning certain sciences like anatomy or topology. They are skillful when it comes to visualization and memory, but may be challenged with auditory memory. Learning for visual-spatial students takes place all at once, with large chunks of information grasped in intuitive leaps. Many people have an innate kinesthetic ability, as well as a natural sense of how their body should react in physical situations. Students with bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence learn best through tactile learning experiences. Bodily-kinesthetic proficiency can be enhanced for students through the use of the whole body to express ideas and feelings. Gardner proposed that musical intelligence almost parallels linguistic intelligence. The person with interpersonal is able to collaborate, understand and work effectively with others. They are aware of their interactions with others and usually take notice of and react to the feelings of others. The interpersonal learner learns best in group situations and structured class settings. Learners with intrapersonal intelligence have accurate self-understanding and are skilled in problem-solving. There is a multitude of different ways to integrate technology into our classrooms and all should focus on learning theory and educational practices. The use of technology should not occur without thinking about how people learn best. To actively engage diverse learners in higher education, the instructor should have a good understanding of the overall nature and purpose of the group, as well as the ability to interact well within the learner's unique world. The instructor must also be able to structure learning activities to meet their learning needs. The use of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, coupled with an understanding of how effective technology can enhance the learning community, can meet the diverse learning needs of all students.


Porous activated nanocarbons with well-controlled dimensionality and morphology (i.e. 0D activated carbon nanoparticles, 1D activated carbon nanotubes, and 2D activated carbon nanosheets) were derived successfully from different template-induced polyaniline nanostructures by facile carbonization and activation processes. The obtained nanocarbons show large specific surface areas (1332–2005 m2 g−1), good conductivities, and highly porous nanoscale architectures. The supercapacitors fabricated using the shape-controlled nanocarbons exhibit high specific capacitance, excellent rate capability, and superior long-term cycling stability in both aqueous and ionic liquid electrolytes. More importantly, a very high energy density of 50.5 W h kg−1 with a power density of 17.4 kW kg−1 can be obtained from the activated carbon nanotube based supercapacitors in an ionic liquid electrolyte (with a charge time of ∼10 s), making the shape-controlled nanocarbons promising candidates for high-performance energy storage devices.


The ideals and aims which motivate radical third world student movements generally reflect broader popular aspirations for political and socioeconomic change. Such movements are political in the sense that, going beyond narrow educational goals and sectional concerns, they champion the interests and struggles of oppressed classes and nations. Indeed, in underdeveloped societies where classes tend to be weakly grounded in forces and relations of production, and as such lack adequate material and ideological capacities to act as autonomous agents of socioeconomic change in the sense originally theorized by Marx, progressive student movements and other "unconventional" carriers of revolutionary consciousness and practice acquire special political importance.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.


An illustrated edition of the 11th-century epic of love, betrayal and death at the imperial court of Japan. A lushly illustrated edition of a world classic The third in this series of illustrated Japanese classics, The Tale of Genji again combines Miyata's captivating paper cut-outs with a modern retelling of a vintage story. This well-known tale of the amorous adventures of Prince Genji is widely considered world literature's first novel, and with its precise and poetic prose, it is also considered one of its finest. Written with precision by a lady of


AIMS
To test a decision model for non-invasive estimation of left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and a wide range of ejection fractions (EF).

METHODS AND RESULTS
In patients with LV dysfunction (n = 270; EF = 42 +/- 16%), classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to generate a model for the prediction of elevated LVFP, defined as pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) >15 mmHg, in a derivation cohort (n = 178). At each step of the decision tree, nodes including single or multiple criteria connected by Boolean operators were tested to achieve the best information entropy gain. Averaged mitral-to-myocardial early velocities ratio (E/e') > or =13 OR E-wave deceleration time <150 ms was closely associated with elevated LVFP. Alternatively, prediction of PCWP >15 mmHg needed the following criteria to be satisfied: (i) intermediate E/e' (13 > E/e' > 8); (ii) left atrial volume index >40 mL/m(2) OR ratio of mitral E-wave and colour M-mode propagation velocity >2 OR difference in duration of pulmonary vein and mitral flow at atrial contraction >30 ms; (iii) estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure >35 mmHg. Patients were correctly allocated according to PCWP with an 87% sensitivity and a 90% specificity. Compared with the best single parameter estimating LVFP, a 17% relative increase in accuracy was achieved in patients with EF >50%. The model was prospectively validated in a testing group (n = 92): 80% sensitivity, 78% specificity.

CONCLUSION
This sequential testing is useful to non-invasively predict LVFP in patients with LV dysfunction, especially in those with preserved EF.


The Black Sea region is coming into its own although it is at times a contested and dangerous neighbourhood. Despite heightened interest in the region, its real priorities and needs are still being largely ignored by insiders and outsiders alike. What is needed are regional solutions for regional problems. The authors present the key findings and recommendations of the Commission on the Black Sea, a civil society initiative comprising a number of current and former policy‐makers, scholars and practitioners both from within the region and from outside, with the purpose of contributing to a joint vision and a common strategy for the Black Sea region by developing new knowledge in areas of key concern.


Transgender individuals face challenges dealing with health care providers. For reasons that are poorly understood, the prevalence of gender dysphoria (GD) in veterans is higher than in the general population. LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) health issues, particularly those of the transgender community, are inadequately covered in recent medical publications and most training programs, and previous negative experiences in health care settings have created barriers for appropriate care of transgender veterans resulting in decreased preventive services, continuity of care, and life expectancy. Future research must focus on the unique needs of transgender veterans so that health care providers have greater understanding and are better prepared to render appropriate care. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to providing sensitive, evidenced-based care and has made significant progress in achieving this goal although much remains to be done. Transgender individuals, including those who meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5; APA, 2013) criteria for the diagnosis of GD, are inadequately understood by health care providers. For reasons that are unclear, the prevalence of GD in veterans is higher than in the general population, even though individuals with GD cannot serve openly in the military. 1,2 VA is committed to caring for transgender veterans who require sensitive, evidence-based care and has made significant progress in achieving this goal although much remains to be done. 2,3


The transition to lead-free materials within the electronics industry has raised the question of solder joint reliability for automotive applications. Traditional analysis methods like shear testing and light microscopic cross section analysis do not offer explanations for different damage appearances of solder joints that seem to have same material properties, same production and aging history. A better understanding of microstructural properties and changes will help to solve those questions. Therefore, EBSD is used to analyze the grain structure of solder joints in the as-soldered state and after different aging conditions. In this paper a test program that is just being carried out at the Volkswagen Lab is summarized and first results of texture analysis are presented.


Regulation of virulence of Campylobacter jejuni by norepinephrine has implications for the husbandry of food production animals and transmission of infection to man

Bacteria living within the environs of a host (whether human or animal) are subject to stressful conditions and have to overcome them to survive.1,2 In particular, enteric bacterial pathogens have to tolerate exposure to the acid environment of the stomach, resist the detergent-like activity of bile salts and ever decreasing oxygen concentrations as they descend the gastrointestinal tract, the presence of a competing microbial flora and the antimicrobial peptides of the epithelial surfaces they encounter. Bacteria—whether commensal, obligate or opportunist pathogens—live in a permanent state of stress and regulate their gene expression and, in the case of potential pathogens, virulence gene expression1,2 in response to these environmental stresses.

The mammalian or avian hosts harbouring these organisms may themselves be subject to conditions that induce stress and the physiological responses that characterise that rather imprecise term. Thus, ill human patients in hospital—whether due to acute illness, infection, any form of accidental/induced trauma or animals reared and transported under some food production conditions—have a neurophysiological response to stress by the local (enteric) and systemic release of catecholamine hormones and, in particular, norepinephrine (noradrenaline) by the enteric nervous system.3,4

It has been recognised for some time that norepinephrine potentiates bacterial growth both in vivo and in vitro and induces expression of virulence determinants in enteric pathogens, particularly Escherichia coli .5,6 In this issue of Gut , Cogan et al 7 ( see page 1060 ) provide evidence that norepinephrine also regulates virulence in the important intestinal food-borne pathogen …


Examines the status and well being of wives in rural India using results from interviews. Surveys were conducted in three villages in the southwest of West Bengal and in three villages in the west of Orissa. The survey in West Bengal contained a large proportion of Santal tribals and the Oriyan survey was dominated by Kondh tribals. The relationships between variables representing economic, social and cultural factors are compared with 'dependent' variables representing the status of wives within their family and their wellbeing. Wellbeing is indicated by whether the basic needs of wives for food and medical care are met. Status of wives is indicated by their 'control' over family resources, whether or not they are restricted in joining social groups and in working outside their home, and the extent of their involvement in family decision-making. Cultural factors are found to be the dominant influence on the status of wives. Family income and other economic factors are found to be associated cross sectionally with greater restrictions on wives within their family. Nevertheless, the higher in the economic status of the household, the more likely are the basic needs of wives to be met


Diversity distinguishes the Swiss Archives of Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and this is particular true for this issue, which will interest both psychiatrists and neurologists. This issue starts with a review "Working with relatives in the treatment of people suffering from dementia" by Jacqueline Minder et al., which describes the importance of family systems in the care of patients with dementia. It is well known that family members of patients with dementia carry a heavy burden and often run the risk of developing physical and/or mental illness themselves. It is therefore of central importance that the patient is not to be considered separately from his family environmental system and to understand patient-family-environment as a whole. In "Introduction to medical orgone therapy", Alberto Foglia presents a forgotten psychotherapeutic technique initiated by Wilhelm Reich in the 1920s. It is actually a disputable treatment and Reich himself was a controversial person. Foglia assumes that medical orgone therapy deserves more attention for its role in clinical practice and theory, as an integrative bridge between the various psychiatric disciplines. The readers of this journal will make their own judgment on the validity of this psychotherapeutic approach. Patrick Caroll discusses the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain and presents some of the current pharmacological treatments as well as novel targets for the development of new treatments for peripheral neuropathic pain. A key question that remains is how to explain the different susceptibilities of individuals to developing persistent pain in response to similar lesions. There is now good evidence to question the concept of pain as a purely physical phenomenon as more and more data suggest that pain is not only a sensation but also an emotion. Multiple sclerosis is a disease with many facets and autonomic symptoms such as bladder disorders, impotence, gastrointestinal disturbances and orthostatic intolerance are frequent. Giacomo Chiaroa et al. describe a patient with multiple sclerosis who presented with a relapsing form of acute paralytic ileus requiring surgery. They discuss the possibility that lesions invisible to routine neuroimaging might have played a role in precipitating the episodes of paralytic ileus. The case report and quiz by Sanaz Attaripour Isfahani and Mark Hallett will test our clinical knowledge on the particularly complex field of movement disorders, an area of interest to both neurologists and psychiatrists. The authors report of the case of a 16-year-old woman who was referred to a neurology office by her psychiatrist, who was following her up for a diagnosis of social phobia. Her social phobia was attributed by her psychiatrist to her "abnormal gait". I leave it up to the readers to find out whether the patient was suffering from a functional or a neurological movement disorder. The movie analysis by Natacha Pougnier et al is devoted to the motion picture "Les Émotifs Anonymes "(Romantics Anonymous). The movie is an illustration of protagonists affected by anxiety disorders and social phobia. It provides a first approach of the theme of anxiety and ensures a good understanding of the diagnostic criteria defined by the DSM-V. In the interview, Karl Studer speaks with a resident in training in psychiatry and psycho-therapy at a university clinic. The different challenges and requirements of the clinical training and the avenues open for research in the field of mental health disorders are addressed. Finally you will find a book review by Thomas von Salis. The book is called "In jail. A report" (Im Knast. Ein Bericht). The author, himself a former inmate, describes the inner workings of one of the largest Swiss prisons.


Scaling in situ soil water content time series data to a large spatial domain is a key element of watershed environmental monitoring and modeling. The primary method of estimating and monitoring large-scale soil water content distributions is via in situ networks. It is critical to establish the stability of in situ networks when deploying them to study hydrologic systems. Two watersheds in Oklahoma, the Little Washita River Experimental Watershed (LWREW) and the Fort Cobb Reservoir Experimental Watershed (FCREW), are two prime examples of well-equipped research watersheds that provide long-term measurements of atmospheric and soil water content from in situ networks. The soil water content measurement network on the LWREW has been in operation since 2002, with 20 stations available for investigating soil water dynamics at the watershed scale. Temporal stability analysis of the network is complicated by the changing configuration of the network, but it is possible to determine a singular long-term average for the network. The FCREW consists of 15 soil water content stations and began operation in 2007, providing detailed information across a mixed agricultural domain and was determined to be stable and representative of the region. This study reinforces the applicability of temporal stability analysis to very long time scales, which are now becoming available for soil moisture monitoring. Each of these networks is temporally stable with respect to soil water content at each depth on a spatial basis. The LWREW has a persistent pattern through the root zone profile, but the FCREW does not, which requires further investigation.


In the work environment, the structure of aircraft's hydraulic pipes and the fluid inside constitute a typical fluid-structure interaction (FSI) system, in which there are transfers of momentum and forces between the pipes and fluid. Excitation caused by high frequency pulsation of flow and pressure may lead to fatigue damage of the structure. In order to help the designers estimate the dynamic response of the aircraft's hydraulic pipes, the FSI of aircraft's hydraulic pipes is investigated in this paper. Using ANSYS CFX and ANSYS Mechanical as the tools, a finite element analysis was done to compute the stresses and strains of the fluid-filled pipes caused by high-pressure pulsation. Furthermore, the fatigue analysis was done to evaluate the safety of the structure.


This research guide provides a list of resources and strategies which may prove helpful to students who need to research suitable topics for debate.


Six peanut genotypes (ICGV 86388, IC 34, IC 10, JL 24, Khon Kaen 60-1, and Khon Kaen 4) were evaluated for reaction to peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV) in the field and in the greenhouse in Thailand in 2000 and 2001. The objectives of this study were to (a) investigate if disease score or the area under the disease progress curve (ADPC) would be effective in identifying peanut genotypes resistant to PBNV, (b) determine the appropriate time for assessing PBNV resistance under field conditions by means of disease incidence, and (c) identify peanut genotypes having stable resistance to PBNV by considering their responses to mechanical inoculation and field infection. Results from natural infection by PBNV indicated that differences among the genotypes could be observed by 40 d, but not 30 d after sowing (DAS). Genotypes ICGV 86388, IC 34, and IC 10 had lower field disease incidence than JL 24, Khon Kaen 60-1, and Khon Kaen 4. The proportion of treatment mean square for disease incidence was highest at 50 or 60 DAS depending on the trial, indicating that assessment of disease incidence at these dates could best differentiate the reaction of these genotypes to PBNV. ADPC was an alternative to disease incidence for comparing genotypes affected by PBND in the field, as resistant and susceptible genotypes were readily identified. Mostly, a scoring based on disease severity did not facilitate identifying PBNV resistance in the genotypes used in this study. Greenhouse tests yielded similar results to field disease incidences, indicating the usefulness of greenhouse tests in identifying PBNV resistance. Genotypes ICGV 86388, IC 34, and IC 10 were identified as potential resistant sources for breeding for resistance to PBNV.


In this review I will discuss aspects of diving medicine that cause clinical problems but are considered only in specialist postgraduate training. Experience suggests that most problems arise in determining fitness to dive and in recognising and treating medical conditions caused by exposure to raised environmental pressure.

People's obsession with the underwater world began long before recorded history. Diving is considered in Greek mythology. Plutarch tells of an extraordinary fishing competition, using divers, between Anthony and Cleopatra, and Pliny refers to the use of military swimmers.

As underwater endurance and depth are limited by the ability to hold breath, people have continually striven to extend their underwater capabilities by mechanical means. From the fourteenth century onwards various designs for equipment have been found, including some attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. The use of diving bells is well recorded, one of the earliest being by Alexander the Great during the siege of Tyre in about 332 BC. Edmund Halley designed and used a bell to dive in the Thames in 1690, achieving a depth of 10 fathoms (60 feet of sea water; 18 m of sea water) for about one and a half hours. Such systems were clearly the forerunners of modern bell diving systems.

In 1819 Augustus Siebe introduced the "open diving dress," the antecedent of the well known copper helmeted "standard diver," supplied with air under pressure from pumps operated at the surface. Developing technology improved pump performance and hence the depths that could be achieved. The apparent poor performance of military divers in the first decade of this century prompted the Admiralty to commission an investigation. Far from criticising the men, the report identified nitrogen narcosis and hypercarbia as the physiological limitations on ability.1 The investigations also described the first scientific approach to decompression modelling and provided …


Besides its importance for glucose, lipid and energy metabolism, the present paradigm defines adipose tissue as thebody's largest endocrine and paracrine organ. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that adipose tissue cells synthesize and release a large number of signaling proteins collectively termed adipokines. Adipokines regulate a broad spectrum of biological processes, with inflammation being a key example. This defines a new field of study: adipobiology of inflammation. Herewe shalldance round it, supposing that the pathogenesis of inflammation-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, inflammatory bowel diseases, and breast cancer may be influenced by competing stimulatory and inhibitory effects mediated by adipokines. This concept may reveal new tools for the development of adipopharmacology of inflammatory disease. Biomedical Reviews 2005; 16: 83-88.


The conversion of wetlands to agriculture through drainage and flooding, and the burning of wetland areas for agriculture have important implications for greenhouse gas (GHG) production and changing carbon stocks. However, the estimation of net GHG changes from mitigation practices in agricultural wetlands is complex compared to dryland crops. Agricultural wetlands have more complicated carbon and nitrogen cycles with both above- and below-ground processes and export of carbon via vertical and horizontal movement of water through the wetland. This letter reviews current research methodologies in estimating greenhouse gas production and provides guidance on the provision of robust estimates of carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural wetlands through the use of low cost reliable and sustainable measurement, modelling and remote sensing applications. The guidance is highly applicable to, and aimed at, wetlands such as those in the tropics and sub-tropics, where complex research infrastructure may not exist, or agricultural wetlands located in remote regions, where frequent visits by monitoring scientists prove difficult. In conclusion, the proposed measurement-modelling approach provides guidance on an affordable solution for mitigation and for investigating the consequences of wetland agricultural practice on GHG production, ecological resilience and possible changes to agricultural yields, variety choice and farming practice.


ABSTRACT Technical benefits of additives in polymers stand in marked contrast to their associated health risks. Here, a multi-analyte method based on gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was developed to quantify polymer additives in complex matrices such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and isolated human skin layers after dermal exposure ex vivo. That way both technical aspects and dermal exposure were investigated. The effects of polymer additivation on the material were studied using the example of LDPE. To this end, a tailor-made polymer was applied in aging studies that had been furnished with two different mixtures of phenol- and diarylamine-based antioxidants, plasticizers and processing aids. Upon accelerated thermo-oxidative aging of the material, the formation of LDPE degradation products was monitored with attenuated total reflectance—Fourier transformed infrared (ATR–FTIR) spectroscopy. Compared to pure LDPE, a protective effect of added antioxidants could be observed on the integrity of the polymer. Further, thermo-oxidative degradation of the additives and its kinetics were investigated using LDPE or squalane as matrix. The half-lives of additives in both matrices revealed significant differences between the tested additives as well as between LDPE and squalane. For instance, 2-tert-butyl-6-[(3-tert-butyl-2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)methyl]-4-methylphenol (Antioxidant 2246) showed a half-life 12 times lower when incorporated in LDPE as compared to squalane. As a model for dermal exposure of consumers, human skin was brought into contact with the tailor-made LDPE containing additives ex vivo in static Franz diffusion cells. The skin was then analyzed for additives and decomposition products. This study proved 10 polymer additives of diverse pysicochemical properties and functionalities to migrate out of the polymer and eventually overcome the intact human skin barrier during contact. Moreover, their individual distribution within distinct skin layers was demonstrated. This is exemplified by the penetration of the procarcinogenic antioxidant N-phenylnaphthalen-2-amine (Neozon D) into the viable epidermis and the permeation through the skin of the neurotoxic plasticizer N-butylbenzenesulfonamide (NBBS). In addition, the analyses of additive degradation products in the isolated skin layers revealed the presence of 2-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol in all layers after contact to a polymer with substances of origin like Antioxidant 2246. Thus, attention needs to be paid to absorption of polymer additives together with their degradation products when it comes to dermal exposure assessment.


Background: Limited access to exercise testing facilities means that the diagnosis of exercise induced asthma (EIA) is mainly based on self-reported respiratory symptoms. This is open to error since the correlation between exercise related symptoms and subsequent exercise testing has been shown to be poor. Aim: To study the accuracy of clinically diagnosed EIA among Vancouver schoolchildren. Methods: Fifty two children referred for investigation of poorly controlled EIA were studied. Following a careful history and physical examination, children performed pulmonary function tests before, then 5 and 15 minutes after a standardised treadmill exercise test. Based on overall assessment, a diagnostic explanation for each child's respiratory complaints was provided as far as possible. Results: Only eight children (15.4%) fulfilled diagnostic criteria for EIA (fall in FEV1 ⩾10%). Of the remainder: 12 (23.1%) were unfit, 14 (26.9%) had vocal cord dysfunction/sigh dyspnoea, 7 (13.5%) had a habit cough, and 11 (21.1%) had no abnormalities on clinical or laboratory testing, so were given no diagnosis. Initial reported symptoms of wheeze or cough often changed significantly following a careful history, particularly among the eight elite athletes. The final complaint was sometimes not respiratory, and, in a few cases, was not even associated with exercise. Conclusions: The clinical diagnosis of EIA is inaccurate among Vancouver schoolchildren, principally due to the unreliability of their initial exercise related complaints. Symptom exaggeration, familiarity with medical jargon, and psychogenic complaints are all common. A careful history is essential in this population before basing any diagnosis on self-reported respiratory symptoms.


Graph Neural Networks are perfectly suited to capture latent interactions between various entities in the spatio-temporal domain (e.g. videos). However, when an explicit structure is not available, it is not obvious what atomic elements should be represented as nodes. Current works generally use pre-trained object detectors or fixed, predefined regions to extract graph nodes. Improving upon this, our proposed model learns nodes that dynamically attach to well-delimited salient regions, which are relevant for a higher-level task, without using any object-level supervision. Constructing these localized, adaptive nodes gives our model inductive bias towards object-centric representations and we show that it discovers regions that are well correlated with objects in the video. In extensive ablation studies and experiments on two challenging datasets, we show superior performance to previous graph neural networks models for video classification.


In this interview, Vivian Paley describes how her curiosity and love of young children led her to work in early childhood education. She shares some of her own learning experiences with children that eventually resulted in her writing 13 books. As children go to school earlier, there is less and less time for play. This dramatic play and re-enactment is critical for children and constitutes an "original level playing field" in classrooms with wide diversity in culture and language. Finally, she explains that the most important characteristic of an excellent early childhood teacher is that of valuing kindness, in order to create a classroom that is fair and inclusive.


Heat stress can be a significant problem for pilots wearing protective clothing during flights, because they provide extra insulation which prevents evaporative heat loss. Heat stress can influence human cognitive activity, which might be critical in the flying situation, requiring efficient and error-free performance. This study investigated the effect of wearing protective clothing under various ambient conditions on physiological and cognitive performance. On several occasions, eight subjects were exposed for 3 h to three different environmental conditions; 0°C at 80% RH, 23°C at 63% RH and 40°C at 19% RH. The subjects were equipped with thermistors, dressed as they normally do for flights (including helmet, two layers of underwear and an uninsulated survival suit). During three separate exposures the subjects carried out two cognitive performance tests (Vigilance test and DG test). Performance was scored as correct, incorrect, missed reaction and reaction time. Skin temperature, deep body temperature, heart rate, oxygen consumption, temperature and humidity inside the clothing, sweat loss, subjective sensation of temperature and thermal comfort were measured. Rises in rectal temperature, skin temperature, heart rate and body water loss indicated a high level of heat stress in the 40°C ambient temperature condition in comparison with 0°C and 23°C. Performance of the DG test was unaffected by ambient temperature. However, the number of incorrect reactions in the Vigilance test was significantly higher at 40°C than at 23°C (p = 0.006) or 0°C (p = 0.03). The effect on Vigilance performance correlated with changes in deep-body temperature, and this is in accordance with earlier studies that have demonstrated that cognitive performance is virtually unaffected unless environmental conditions are sufficient to change deep body temperature.


© 2016 GEUS. Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 35, 27–30. Open access: www.geus.dk/publications/bull As part of its strategy, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) is to develop a national, digital 3D geological model of Denmark that can act as a publicly accessible database representing the current, overall interpretation of the subsurface geology. A national model should be under constant development, focusing on meeting the current demands from society. The constant improvements in computer capacity and software capabilities have led to a growing demand for advanced geological models and 3D maps that meet the current technical standards (Berg et al. 2011). As a consequence, the users expect solutions to still more complicated and sophisticated problems related to the subsurface. GEUS has a long tradition of making 2D maps of subsurface layer boundaries and near-surface geology (Fredericia & Gravesen 2014), but in the change from 2D to 3D and when combining data in new ways, new geological knowledge is gained and new challenges of both technical and organisational character will arise. The purpose of this paper is to present the strategy for the national 3D geological model of Denmark and the planned activities for the years ahead. The paper will also reflect on some of the challenges related to making and maintaining a nationwide 3D model. Initially, the model will only include the Danish onshore areas, with the Danish offshore areas and Greenland to be added later using a similar general setup.


The debate on the differential effects of mathematics textbook series is a recurrent topic in the research literature. Research results remain inconclusive, pointing to a lack of evidence to decide on the relevance of the selection by schools of a mathematics textbook series. Studies also point to difficulties in comparing textbooks. Recently, in order to examine the influence of mathematics textbook series on student learning, the need to take into account mediating variables between the mathematics textbook series and the enacted curriculum is stressed. This paper focuses on one such mediating variable: teachers' views of mathematics textbook series. Views of a mathematics textbook series of 814 teachers and mathematics performance results of 1579 students were analysed. The results point out that, with regard to teachers' views of mathematics textbook series, the question 'Does it really matter which mathematics textbook series schools choose' has to be answered positively. Implications of the findings are discussed.


Prostate Cancer (PCa) is a major clinical problem worldwide with considerable variability in clinical outcome of patients. PCa diagnostics and prognostics currently lack specific and sensitive clinical biomarkers and treatment is not well individualised. The PCA3 test, amongst others, highlights the utility of urine in PCa diagnostics and prognostics. Urine contains cells and extracellular vesicles (EV) that originate in the prostate. There are many areas of the PCa clinical process that could be aided with an expression based urine test, including diagnosis, prognosis and response to therapy.

NanoString data (167 transcripts) from 485 EV RNA samples were collected from PCa patients and used to build models that would aid in PCa diagnosis and prognosis i.e. i) PCa (low- (L), intermediate-(I), and high-risk(H)) vs CB (Clinically Benign/No evidence for cancer), ii) high-risk PCa vs CB, and iii) trend in expression across CB>L>I>H. These models were validated in 235 samples, with AUCs of i) 0.851 ii) 0.897 and iii) 0.709, respectively.

The potential of using urine EVs to predict patient response to treatments was also investigated. In a pilot data set a signature of seven transcripts was identified that could optimally predict progression of patients on hormone therapy (p = 2.3x10-05; HR = 0.04288). Models were also built using NanoString data from 92 cell RNA samples. Intercomparing expression data from matched cell and EV fractions of urine showed that transcripts significantly higher in the EV samples were associated with the prostate, PCa and cancer in general, supporting them as a viable source of biomarkers in the clinical management of PCa.

In conclusion my analyses have demonstrated the utility of examining urine RNA for the diagnosis and prognosis of PCa. My studies have formed the basis of the production of a Prostate Urine Risk test that is currently under development at UEA.


This study evaluates a random sample of eighteen bicycle and pedestrian facilities, sixteen of which
were funded by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program in the Chicago metro
area. Users of these facilities were surveyed in intercept mode during specific intervals of time
starting in the summer of 2009 and ending in the spring of 2011, leading to 376 responses. Usage
levels were also enumerated in all sites. The study showed varying levels of use at the different
facilities and that motorized mode substitution (change from personal car use to bicycle and
pedestrian modes) resulted after the facilities became available to users, potentially leading to
improved air quality outcomes. There is also evidence of latent mode substitution, i.e., respondents
self-reported that the current non-motorized trip could have been made by using motorized modes,
but that they chose not to. The majority of users cited recreation and exercise to be the primary
reason for using the facilities.
Site-level factors play an important role in the propensity to switch from being exclusively Single
Occupant Vehicle (SOV) users to bicycle and pedestrian users, controlling for individual sociodemographic
factors. Users of bicycle paths were less likely than pedestrians to have been SOV
users for their trip purpose prior to starting use of the non-motorized facility. Bicyclists are more
likely to self-report using public transportation or bicycles on alternative facilities prior to using the
CMAQ-funded facility. Respondents surveyed in high density areas were also more likely to have
been non-car users for the current trip prior to using the facility. Respondents surveyed in areas
farther away from the center of the City of Chicago are more likely to have switched from SOV
modes. Finally, respondents surveyed in areas with lower levels of car ownership are less likely to
have used SOV modes for the current trip prior to using the facility.
The propensity to switch from being exclusively SOV users is positively correlated with the higher
levels of Average Daily Traffic in highway links in surrounding census tracts and with the percent of
population who speak limited or no English in surrounding areas. Finally, the ability to connect
directly to a transit station is positively correlated while the recreational usage is negatively
correlated with the propensity to switch from being previously exclusively SOV users for the trip
purpose. Our analysis also found that depending on the location and overall sociodemographic,
transportation and other characteristics of the surrounding areas, there are likely to be at least four
groupings of CMAQ-funded projects that exhibit various combinations propensity to switch and
overall use levels.
Although data on 4 randomly selected intersection improvement and 4 randomly selected signal
interconnect projects ("roadway projects") were collected for the "before" period of a before-andafter
evaluation of traffic outcomes, only two projects, both signal interconnect projects, were
completed within the timeline of the project. The field observations reveal that there is a 7.15% and
10.68% improvement on the southbound and northbound direction respectively in one of the
signal interconnect sites, which equates to a 2.8 mph and 3.2 mph increase in the southbound and
northbound respectively. Field observations in the other location revealed that while there is a
5.81% improvement in speed (representing a 2mph increase) on the southbound direction, the
northbound direction incurred a speed reduction of almost 11%, i.e., a 4.2 mph decrease in speed.
Due to the extremely small sample size of completed before-and-after cases, we do not consider the
results of the roadway project analysis to be conclusive or generalizable.


The oral histories utilized by this research reveal the experiences of those who suffered leprosy in five South Pacific nations, Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. This thesis explores how leprosy and its stigma impacted on the lives of these people, some of whom suffered decades of isolation at various leprosaria including the case of one New Caledonian resident for nearly seventy years. The testimonies of their experiences of diagnosis, removal into isolation, medical treatment and eventual discharge back to their homes implicitly contain descriptions of attitudes of stigma in their communities. This research reveals that where there is openness and knowledge about the minimal risk of leprosy contagion, as occurred in Fiji and Vanuatu from the 1950s, less stigma is attached to the disease. Nevertheless even in these countries, prior to the 1950s and availability of any effective medication, the fear and horror of the physical effects of leprosy was such that the victims were either cast out or chose to move away from their homes. This segregation led to groups of leprosy sufferers banding together to help care for each other. Once the policy of isolation in leprosaria was implemented, advanced cases of leprosy benefited from the better medical facilities and found opportunities for friendships and camaraderie. However, where the conditions at leprosaria were miserable and movements of the residents visibly restricted by fences, as occurred in Samoa and Tonga, there was heightened leprosy stigma. Perceptions of stigma varied from person to person and region to region. Higher levels of stigma were evident in New Caledonia, where leprosaria had been situated at former prison sites and strict isolation enforced, and in Tonga, where the removal of all leprosy sufferers had from the earliest days been associated with biblical strictures asserting that leprosy was a curse and the sufferers unclean. Following the availability of sulphone treatment in the South Pacific in the1950s and the improved medication in the 1980s, leprosy need no longer be physically disfiguring or disabling. Assisted by the generous donations gathered by the Pacific Leprosy Foundation in New Zealand to the medical services at the central leprosy hospital in Fiji, and by direct assistance to leprosy sufferers in the Pacific, the disadvantages that were imposed by leprosy in the past are disappearing and as one contributor to the project said 'the time of darkness' is ending.


In an effort to discover a novel cefozopran (CZOP) derivative having excellent antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), we performed chemical modification of the alkoxyimino moiety and imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazinium group of CZOP. Among the prepared compounds, the cyclopentyloxyimino derivative 7beta-[2-(5-amino-1,2,4-thiadiazol-3-yl)-2(Z)-cyclopentyloxyiminoacetamido]-3-(3,6-diaminoimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazinium-1-yl)methyl-3-cephem-4-carboxylate (20 g) showed the most potent anti-MRSA activity, reflecting its high affinity (IC50 = 1.6 microg/ml) for penicillin binding protein 2' (PBP2'), although its anti-MRSA activity was slightly inferior to that of vancomycin (VCM). In experimental systemic infection in mice, however, 20 g showed activity comparable to that of VCM against MRSA. In addition, 20 g showed activity similar or slightly inferior to that of CZOP against Pseudomonas aeruginosa both in vitro and in vivo. Considering its favorable antibacterial activity profile, 20 g was considered to be the most promising CZOP derivative for further studies.


Erosion in the first year after a wildfire can be up to three orders of magnitude greater than the erosion from undisturbed forests. To mitigate potential postfire erosion, various erosion control treatments are applied on highly erodible areas with downstream resources in need of protection. Because postfire erosion rates generally decline by an order of magnitude for each year of recovery, effective erosion mitigation treatments are most needed during the first year or two after a fire. Postfire treatments include broadcast seeding, scarification and trenching, physical erosion barriers such as contour-felled logs and straw wattles, and mulching with wheat straw, wood straw, and hydromulch. This paper summarizes data from more than seven years of studies to evaluate the effectiveness of postfire erosion mitigation treatments at the hillslope and small watershed-scale in the western U.S. Results suggest that some mitigation treatments may help reduce erosion for some, but not all, rainfall events. Generally, mulching is more effective than seeding, scarifying, or erosion barriers. For small rainfall events, reduction in first year erosion rates have been measured for engineered wood straw and straw mulch (60 to 80%), contour-felled log erosion barriers (50 to 70%), and hydromulch (19%). Grass seeding treatments have little effect on first year erosion reduction. For intense rain events (I10 greater than 40 mm h -1 ) there was little difference between treated and non-treated areas.


No-reference image quality assessment is an important issue for video compression and communication. This work presents a no-reference objective image/video sharpness method based on visual perception metric (VPM). The algorithm gets image typical edge and edge width firstly, and then gets gray contrast of typical edge region, finally utilizes these factors to integrate a probability summation assessment model. The proposed metric is able to predict the amount of sharpness in image with different content. Experimental results show that this method is consistent with subjective assessment of human being and can be use to describe the visual perception of image effectively.


Serialization of threads due to critical sections is a fundamental bottleneck to achieving high performance in multithreaded programs. Dynamically, such serialization may be unnecessary because these critical sections could have safely executed concurrently without locks. Current processors cannot fully exploit such parallelism because they do not have mechanisms to dynamically detect such false inter-thread dependences. We propose Speculative Lock Elision (SLE), a novel micro-architectural technique to remove dynamically unnecessary lock-induced serialization and enable highly concurrent multithreaded execution. The key insight is that locks do not always have to be acquired for a correct execution. Synchronization instructions are predicted as being unnecessary and elided. This allows multiple threads to concurrently execute critical sections protected by the same lock. Misspeculation due to inter-thread data conflicts is detected using existing cache mechanisms and rollback is used for recovery. Successful speculative elision is validated and committed without acquiring the lock. SLE can be implemented entirely in microarchitecture without instruction set support and without system-level modifications, is transparent to programmers, and requires only trivial additional hardware support. SLE can provide programmers a fast path to writing correct high-performance multithreaded programs.


The phenomenon of benign overfitting, where a predictor perfectly fits noisy training data while attaining near-optimal expected loss, has received much attention in recent years, but still remains not fully understood beyond well-specified linear regression setups. In this paper, we provide several new results on when one can or cannot expect benign overfitting to occur, for both regression and classification tasks. We consider a prototypical and rather generic data model for benign overfitting of linear predictors, where an arbitrary input distribution of some fixed dimension $k$ is concatenated with a high-dimensional distribution. For linear regression which is not necessarily well-specified, we show that the minimum-norm interpolating predictor (that standard training methods converge to) is biased towards an inconsistent solution in general, hence benign overfitting will generally not occur. Moreover, we show how this can be extended beyond standard linear regression, by an argument proving how the existence of benign overfitting on some regression problems precludes its existence on other regression problems. We then turn to classification problems, and show that the situation there is much more favorable. Specifically, we prove that the max-margin predictor (to which standard training methods are known to converge in direction) is asymptotically biased towards minimizing a weighted \emph{squared hinge loss}. This allows us to reduce the question of benign overfitting in classification to the simpler question of whether this loss is a good surrogate for the misclassification error, and use it to show benign overfitting in some new settings.


We are a group of faculty from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who came together from the disciplines of literature, history, and religion as part of a Global Humanities research initiative. In addition to discussing our current research, and to introducing each other to a variety of different critical methodologies, we wanted to ask what the humanities does, and can, and must, contribute to broader discussions of contemporary environmental issues. We also aimed to discover what shared terminology already exists and what meta-language can be created to describe and analyze concepts of landscape and place culture across disciplinary and cultural boundaries. The evolution of the group, however, is an essential part of our "end-product," which is, in turn, a work in process. Thus we emphasize the importance of the processual aspect of both our research and our research dynamic. Rather than formulate a pre-existing goal, our ideas have grown organically into a shared sense of the importance of place to our work in the humanities. We have committed ourselves to pursuing broader ideals of promoting a sustainable university and more just social understandings of our place in the world. Through our conversations and differing expertise on various geographical and temporal locales, we have confirmed our sense of the necessity of grounding our work in the places where it occurs.


In a recent report, the Committee on Health Risks of Contact Lenses from the Health Council of the Netherlands evaluated the health risks of contact lens wear in the Netherlands. Contact lens-related eye disease appears to be common, with an incidence of approximately 80,000 persons per year, who suffer from self-limiting or mild conditions. Such conditions are multifactorial, caused for example by chronic hypoxia, tear-film dysfunction or inadequate fit of the lens. They can range from ocular irritation to giant papillary conjunctivitis, a common cause of permanent lens intolerance. A very serious complication of contact lens wear is infectious keratitis, caused by bacteria or fungi. This is most common in users of permanent-wear soft lenses (20 per 10,000 persons per year) and can lead to a severe loss of vision. Therefore, the Committee has recommended that permanent-wear lenses should not be used. Moreover, lens fitting and follow-up of contact lens wearers should be a prerequisite for optometrists and ophthalmologists. However, the Dutch government has not taken action with respect to this last recommendation.


The continuous increasing of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in our environment, their combinatorial diversity, and the associated genotoxic risks, highlight the urgent need to better define the possible toxicological effects of ENMs. In this context, we present a new high-throughput screening (HTS) platform based on the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay, lab-on-chip cell sorting, and automated image analysis. This HTS platform has been successfully applied to the evaluation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPs). In particular, our results demonstrate the high cyto- and genotoxicity induced by AgNPs and the biocompatibility of SiO2NPs, in primary human lymphocytes. Moreover, our data reveal that the toxic effects are also dependent on size, surface coating, and surface charge. Most importantly, our HTS platform shows that AgNP-induced genotoxicity is lymphocyte sub-type dependent and is particularly pronounced in CD2+ and CD4+ cells.


Pig meat quality is determined by several parameters, such as lipid content, tenderness, water-holding capacity, pH, color and flavor, that affect consumers' acceptance and technological properties of meat. Carcass quality parameters are important for the production of fresh and dry-cure high-quality products, in particular the fat deposition and the lean cut yield. The identification of genes and markers associated with meat and carcass quality traits is of prime interest, for the possibility of improving the traits by marker-assisted selection (MAS) schemes.
Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to investigate seven candidate genes for meat and carcass quality traits in pigs. In particular, we focused on genes belonging to the family of the lipid droplet coat proteins perilipins (PLIN1 and PLIN2) and to the calpain/calpastatin system (CAST, CAPN1, CAPN3, CAPNS1) and on the gene encoding for PPARg-coactivator 1A (PPARGC1A).
In general, the candidate genes investigation included the protein localization, the detection of polymorphisms, the association analysis with meat and carcass traits and the analysis of the expression level, in order to assess the involvement of the gene in pork quality.
Some of the analyzed genes showed effects on various pork traits that are subject to selection in genetic improvement programs, suggesting a possible involvement of the genes in controlling the traits variability. In particular, significant association results have been obtained for PLIN2, CAST and PPARGC1A genes, that are worthwhile of further validation. The obtained results contribute to a better understanding of biological mechanisms important for pig production as well as for a possible use of pig as animal model for studies regarding obesity in humans.


This study aims to evaluate the sensing performance of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) rock bolt sensors instrumented with strain gauges for monitoring rockslides. Experimental studies are conducted with four different types of GFRP rock bolt sensors and concrete blocks having central holes and two shear joints. Two GFRP rock bolt sensors are inserted into holes and then fixed in concrete blocks with cement grout and soil, respectively. The other two are coated with heat-shrink tubes to protect strain gauges and wires, which are then fixed in concrete blocks with cement grout and soil, respectively. Double shear tests are performed to produce shear deformations of GFRP rock bolt sensors, and then strain change with shear displacement is monitored. The results manifest that the variation in strain with shear displacement is more sensitive in the GFRP rock bolt sensor fixed with soil than with cement grout. Also, strain gauge wires in the GFRP rock bolt sensor fixed with cement grout are broken earlier than with soil. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the heat-shrink tube effectively protects strain gauges and wires, so that GFRP rock bolt sensors coated with heat-shrink tubes work for a longer time than the uncoated sensors. The present study shows that the GFRP rock bolt sensor can be useful for monitoring rock slope failure.


The morphological and genetic characteristics of the mountain brushtail possum (Trichosurus caninus) are described for animals from a range of locations throughout its known geographic distribution in eastern Australia. Although there is considerable variation among populations, unequivocal morphological and genetic differences exist between northern and southern populations of the species. Specimens from southern populations (from Victoria) have a significantly (P < 0.001) larger ear conch, a significantly (P < 0.001) longer pes, and a significantly (P < 0.001) shorter tail than do specimens from northern populations (from New South Wales and Queensland). Animals can be clearly distinguished using a simple index based on these three morphological measures, which are gathered from live animals. North–south dimorphism is strongly supported by patterns in genetic data that show genetic distances of 2.7–3.0% between the southern and northern populations. The combined outcomes of morphological and genetic analyses suggest the existence of two distinct species. We recommend that the northern form, distributed from central New South Wales north to central Queensland, retain the name Trichosurus caninus; the southern form from Victoria is described here as Trichosurus cunninghami, sp. nov. The common names of these new species should be the 'short-eared possum' and the 'mountain brushtail possum', respectively.


The construction industry has been struggling with the issue of inconsistent performance
with respect to cost of projects, completion time and the delivery of a quality product. In
an attempt to address this issue the Design-Build (D&B) project delivery system was
initiated primarily to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional procurement
strategies. Although, traditionally D&B delivery system was aimed to greatly enhance
client's benefits, this has not significantly been achieved. It lacks clear benefits
realization management process to deliver the planned client's benefits. In particular, the
Transaction Costs (TCs) incurred at the post-contract phase (PTCs) through D&B
system has been the subject of criticism, wherein it has been unable to achieve the
expected resounding success of a total shift away from the issues attributed to the
traditional systems. This research aims to establish the importance of leveraging on
D&B project team-competency and commitment structured within a strategic Benefits
Realization Management framework to optimize client's benefits in terms of minimizing
PTCs. The focus is on the aspect of competencies of key project participants and their
project team commitment with respect to minimizing TCs that is structured within a
Benefits Realization Management (BRM) practice. Questionnaire survey data was
obtained from 231 respondents out of 357 administered questionnaires to G7 contractors
registered under CIDB Malaysia that was based on a systematic sampling of the existing
CIDB contractor database. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLSSEM)
technique was used to test the relationships being hypothesized and to validate
and confirm the developed Competency Driven Benefits Realization Model (CDBREM).
Exploratory preliminary research findings reveal that post-contract TCs for
D&B projects range from 3.5% to 13.5% of the project value. The primary research
findings reveal that D&B team commitment has partial mediating effect between team
competency and post-contract TCs. Whilst, BRM was found to have a partial mediating
effect between team competency and post-contract TCs and no moderating effect as
initially hypothesized. In general the research findings indicate that team competency,
commitment and BRM have significant positive influences on post-contract TCs. This
research provides a multi-dimensional perspective of the D&B project benefits
realization concept and has the potential to address the issue of minimizing PTCs, which
is seen as a social waste of wealth. Using CD-BREM it is possible to identify key
human factors that can contribute to high project performance that also serves as an
enabling mechanism for realizing the full potential of the D&B method for delivering
successful projects. This research is timely to help reverse the trend of poor performance
within the construction industry as a whole. Further work on the implementation of this
CD-BREM model on construction projects and the consideration of including additional
independent variables in the research theoretical framework can be explored to
strengthen the credibility of the outcome of this research which is aimed at minimizing
PTCs.


We investigated the association between the polymorphisms GSTP1 rs1695 and XRCC1 rs1799782 and rs25487 and the clinical outcome of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Genotyping of GSTP1 rs1695 and XRCC1 rs1799782, and rs25487 was conducted by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. By conditional logistic regression analysis, patients carrying the GG genotype of GSTP1 rs1695 and the AA genotype of XRCC1 rs25487 were found to be more highly associated with response to chemotherapy than were those carrying the AA genotype; the ORs (95%CIs) were 0.13 (0.04-0.37) and 3.37 (1.44-8.53), respectively. Presence of the GG genotype of GSTP1 rs1695 and the GA and AA genotypes of XRCC1 rs25487 was associated with overall survival of NSCLC, and the hazards ratios (95%CI) were 4.35 (1.40-17.92), 0.53 (0.31-0.91), and 0.39 (0.18-0.83), respectively. The results of our study suggest that the GSTP1 rs1695 and XRCC1 rs25487 polymorphisms might affect the clinical outcome of patients with advanced NSCLC receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy.


ABSTRACT In previous studies we have characterized the cp32/18 loci inBorrelia burgdorferi 297 which encode OspE and OspF orthologs and a third group of lipoproteins which possess OspE/F-like leader peptides (Elps). To further these studies, we have comprehensively analyzed their patterns of expression throughout the borrelial enzootic cycle. Serial dilution reverse transcription-PCR analysis indicated that although a shift in temperature from 23 to 37°C induced transcription for all nine genes analyzed, this effect was often markedly enhanced in mammalian host-adapted organisms cultivated within dialysis membrane chambers (DMCs) implanted within the peritoneal cavities of rats. Indirect immunofluorescence assays performed on temperature-shifted, in vitro-cultivated spirochetes and organisms in the midguts of unfed and fed ticks revealed distinct expression profiles for many of the OspE-related, OspF-related, and Elp proteins. Other than BbK2.10 and ElpA1, all were expressed by temperature-shifted organisms, while only OspE, ElpB1, OspF, and BbK2.11 were expressed in the midguts of fed ticks. Additionally, although mRNA was detected for all nine lipoprotein-encoding genes, two of these proteins (BbK2.10 and ElpA1) were not expressed by spirochetes cultivated in vitro, within DMCs, or by spirochetes within tick midguts. However, the observation that B. burgdorferi-infected mice generated specific antibodies against BbK2.10 and ElpA1 indicated that these antigens are expressed only in the mammalian host and that a form of posttranscriptional regulation is involved. Analysis of the upstream regions of these genes revealed several differences between their promoter regions, the majority of which were found in the −10 and −35 hexamers and the spacer regions between them. Also, rather than undergoing simultaneous upregulation during tick feeding, these genes and the corresponding lipoproteins appear to be subject to progressive recruitment or enhancement of expression as B. burgdorferi is transmitted from its tick vector to the mammalian host. These findings underscore the potential relevance of these molecules to the pathogenic events of early Lyme disease.


Polypyrrole-multiwall carbon nanotubes (PPy/MWCNT) nanocomposites were synthesised by in-situ chemical oxidative polymerisation method. The MWCNTs were functionalised prior to the formation of nanocomposites. These nanocomposites were characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to study the effect of incorporation of functionalised MWCNT in PPy matrix. The results showed the successful formation of PPy/MWCNT nanocomposite and there is significant interaction between PPy and MWCNTs. The response of the prepared PPy/ MWCNT nanocomposites sensors was studied in the form of sensitivity towards ethanol vapours. Results showed that the response increases with ethanol concentration and it is also affected by the MWCNT content in PPy matrix.


In 2011, Japan received a massive blow from the Tohoku Earthquake and the ensuing disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Generation Plant (hereafter, the Fukushima Nuclear Plant), with 18,000 people dead or missing, and more than 330,000 evacuated long-term. Anxiety among the people of Japan concerning earthquakes and nuclear accidents is higher than ever, but other hazards confront them as well. This research investigated whether the Japanese people's anxiety about a variety of other hazards has increased or decreased since the Tohoku Earthquake. Based on the availability heuristic, the contrast effect, and the finite-pool-of-worry hypothesis, it was predicted that public anxiety about earthquakes and nuclear accidents would increase, but anxiety about other hazards would decrease. Data from two nationwide surveys conducted in January 2008 and January 2012 were compared to see the change in societal levels of anxiety toward 51 types of hazards. The results showed that anxiety had increased after the Tohoku Earthquake for only one hazard other than earthquakes and nuclear accidents. For 29 other hazards, the anxiety levels had significantly decreased; and for the remaining 19 hazards, there was no significant change. These results support the prediction, indicating that post-disaster, the overall anxiety levels of the Japanese people tended to decline. Practical implications were discussed with a focus on problems that might be caused by the changes in anxiety level.


This paper initially addresses the possibility that expanding human-robot interaction (HRI) – particularly HRI involving humanoid service robots – may increasingly encourage de facto assignment of some measures of moral status to such artifacts. Finding reasons to believe that emergence of a social phenomenon of this kind is plausible, it then examines such assignment from the perspective of a specific example of contemporary Christian theology – viz., the theological ethics of Paul Tillich. Results of the examination raise questions strongly encouraging continued multidisciplinary attention to implications of expanding HRI wherever understandings of morality resembling those of Tillich are meaningful.


A sexually parasitized female of the deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish Centrophryne spinulosa is described for the first time, bringing the number of ceratioid species known to exhibit sexual parasitism to 24 and the number of ceratioid families to six. The attached pair represents the largest known individuals of both sexes. The extreme and puzzling rarity of parasitized females in some of the best known ceratioid species is discussed. While it has been hypothesized that some ceratioid taxa reproduce solely by temporary male–female attachment, it now seems reasonable to expect the eventual discovery of parasitized females in any of the remaining ceratioid taxa.


The world headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist, is located on several acres in the Back Bay section of Boston. Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) founded the church in 1879, was ordained as its first pastor, and continues to be the shaper of the church's perspective through her writings, especially Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (first published in 1875). In order to prevent "human opinion" from influencing the church, Mrs. Eddy later declared that the Bible (the church uses the King James Version) and Science and Health were to be the pastor of the church; that designation will be especially evident in the church service itself. The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, "the mother church" of the denomination, is the centerpiece of a complex of buildings, including the Publishing House (1934) and three buildings designed by I. M. Pei and constructed between 1969-72 (the Sunday School building, a Church Administration building, and the Christian Science Broadcasting Center). A several-hundred-foot-long reflecting pool and a fountain that operates in the summer add dramatic visual effects. The church itself is actually two buildings connected to each other. The first, "the Original Edifice," erected in 1894, is Romanesque in style, constructed in granite, and features a bell tower on one side. It seats almost 1,000 people. The second, "the Extension," was completed in 1906, seats more than three times that number, was built along Italian Renaissance and Byzantine styles, and is dominated by a large dome. The Extension had been undergoing major renovation for more than a year, which meant that all services during this period were conducted in the original building. Normally, the Sunday morning service is held in the Extension and the evening service in the Original Edifice. Tours of the church buildings are available at certain designated hours during the week and following the Sunday morning service. The interior of both worship areas is in the auditorium style, with three-sided balconies providing additional seating. The platform at the front of the Original Edifice, where the service was held this Sunday morning in November 1999, has two lecterns, with several seats behind them, and an organ behind that. Four lamp stands, two at the front of the platform and two at the sides, provide modest decoration. Above the organ on the wall are the words "God is Love-John"; behind the lecterns are the words "Who is so Great a God as Our God-Psalms." Other texts appear on the walls with authors cited as "Christ Jesus," "Paul," and "Mary Baker G. Eddy"; one extended citation from Mrs. Eddy states that "The best sermon is the practice of Truth, and its demonstration through the destruction of sin, sickness, and death." Rose windows of opalescent glass on each side of the auditorium show Jesus raising Jairus's daughter and the wedding at Cana. Other windows at the front and sides represent other biblical scenes, while smaller windows on each side of the front picture the Bible and Science and Health, respectively. Although the auditorium was certainly not crowded at the opening of the service this morning, there were three to four hundred persons present, a cross-section of ages and a rough balance of men and women. Children are not in evidence, no doubt because Sunday School classes for persons under twenty are held at the same time as the church service. As people enter the building, they are given a copy of the current issue of the Christian Science Quarterly, which contains Bible lessons for each week in the quarter together with the Order of Sunday Services, printed on the inside front cover. Every Christian Science church throughout the world follows the same order and uses the same readings every Sunday. The service on Sunday evening is identical to that of the morning; among other things, it specifies three hymns, the Lord's Prayer "with its spiritual interpretation," a solo, and a "collection. …


A standing wave thermoacoustic engine was designed and constructed to examine the effect of curvature on thermoacoustic performance. Sound pressure level at the pressure node of the engine was recorded in conjuction with the temperature at the hot and ambient sides of the stack. Curvature was varied using flexible tubing from 0 to 45. It was found that the curvature had a negative effect on the thermoacoustic intensity, measured using the sound pressure level and the temperature difference between the hot and ambient sides of the stack. Additionally, a strong relationship between the sound pressure level and the temperature behavior was identified. The findings of the investigation were applied to a study of a traveling wave engine. A looped tube design was employed with a regenerator mounted in a straight section of the tube. Thermocouples were mounted in the regenerator to investigate the temperature behavior. Initial results of the thermoacoustic effect were established by calculating the difference in behavior between operation with oscillation and without. These were followed by an investigation of the relationship between the temperature behavior and the positioning of the regenerator in the looped tube. An optimal spacing was identified for positioning the stack in the straight portion of the tube.


Background: Fibrocystic disease of the
breast in one of the commonest diseases in
women above 30 years of age. The assumption of it being innocuous and benign is
questionable with increased incidence of malignancies developing in these
women. Introduction: Understanding the pathophysiology of fibrocystic disease
is essential for identifying determinants of malignant change. Case Report: A
case of carcinoma of breast developing in a longstanding and recurrent
fibrocystic disease is reported. Discussion: The pathological changes including
the influence of hormones on the natural history of the disease arediscussed to identify the
determinants of malignant transformation. Conclusion: Breast cyst fluid,
patterns of cellular lining of the cysts, multiplicity, recurrence and patterns
of cellular morphology are important determinants of malignant change.


The way in which leaders in sport organizations are evaluated by their employees is dependent upon perceived levels of credibility and implicit theories of leadership. Leader knowledge and expertise play significant roles in this process, yet both have been treated as comprehensive constructs irrespective of specific knowledge domains. Drawing from the education literature, this research looks to disentangle the global perspective used by the credibility and prototypicality literatures. It is proposed that employees in sport organizations expect managers to possess domain-specific expertise which is separate from the functional area requirement. Two different samples including professional sport employees and sport management students were used, with confirmatory factor and conjoint analyses used to test the research hypotheses. The results support the notion that distinct psychological processes exist within sport organizations, and that sport domain knowledge and expertise are distinct constructs which play important roles in the perception of leaders within this context.


This study was conducted to assess the effects of absence of a legal framework regulating the animal feeds industry on poultry value chain actor performance and sustainability. The objectives of the study were to identify the key constraints faced by individual farmers, livestock feed manufacturers, and field veterinary personnel; and assess challenges cutting across the industry actors. Data used in the study were collected using formal survey techniques and key informant surveys. Farmers who mix their own feed and those who buy already mixed reported poor quality and seasonal variation in prices as the main constraints associated with feeds.  Adulteration of feed was mostly linked to scarcity of crop-based raw materials, namely maize, sunflower, cotton seedcake, and soya bean and those obtained from lakes, such as lake shells and haplochromis (silver fish) whose supply is seasonal in nature.  The following findings are unveiled from the study.  Intensive commercial poultry is a major source of income especially to female headed households.  Long-term investment in housing structures confirms that farmers have a strong resolve to sustain poultry farming as a priority income generation enterprise. Performance, gains, and delivery of services by all value chain actors - farmers, feed manufacturers/ mixers, and field veterinary officers are adversely affected by lack of a regulations and standards as a result of absence of the animal feeds act.  It is concluded that innovation platforms that bring together actors would be necessary to lobby government on legislation.  This would enhance improved grain drying and bulk storage and put in place trade barriers restricting exportation of primary farm produce especially maize grain/bran. It is recommended that research expedites efforts to develop and promote energy substitutes to maize.

 Key words: Innovation platforms, policy, public-private-participation, supply chains.


Rothermel's surface fire spread model was developed to use a value for the wind speed that affects surface fire, called midflame wind speed. Models have been developed to adjust 20-ft wind speed to midflame wind speed for sheltered and unsheltered surface fuel. In this report, Wind Adjustment Factor (WAF) model equations are given, and the BehavePlus fire modeling system is used to demonstrate WAF calculation and effect on modeled fire behavior. There are differences in implementation of the same basic wind adjustment models in various fire behavior applications, including the Fireline Handbook and FARSITE. Differences are due to assumptions such as tree shape and rules for transition from sheltered to unsheltered conditions. Specifics are given for differences among WAF tables and calculation applications. This technical documentation is useful to analysts, system developers, fire weather meteorologists, and those who are interested in model background and foundation.


Small Island Developing States (SIDS) share a common vulnerability to climate change. Adaptation to climate change and variability is urgently needed yet, while some is already occurring in SIDS, research on the nature and efficacy of adaptation across SIDS is fragmentary. In this article, we systematically review academic literature to identify where adaptation in SIDS is documented; what type of adaptation strategies are taken, and in response to which climate change impacts; and the extent to which this adaptation has been judged as successful. Our analysis indicates that much adaptation research is concentrated on the Pacific, on independent island states, and on core areas within SIDS. Research documents a wide array of adaptation strategies across SIDS, notably structural or physical and behavioral changes. Yet, evaluation of concrete adaptation interventions is lacking; it thus remains unclear to what extent documented adaptation effectively and sustainably reduces SIDS' vulnerability and increases their resilience.


Background: Various efforts have been made to reduce the risk of head injury due to motorcycle accident. But the effort has not succeeded that looks still high head injury rate so that it enters in 10 diseases most in Surakarta. Police records, motorcycle accidents in the Surakarta region ranks the highest compared to five other Central Java areas which tend to increase. An effort to reduce the risk of head injury is to increase knowledge about head injury. Especially in the vocational school students who use motorcycles for their groups at high risk of accidents and head injuries. The study wanted to see the effect of watching videos on knowledge and compliance using helmets of motorcycling students in Surakarta. Method: The design of this study was quasi experiment using pre-post test approach on population of vocational students in Surakarta with 343 samples using a knowledge questionnaire observation and compliance observation sheets using a helmet. Research data were analyzed using Chi Square Test. Result: The results showed that there was a significant difference in knowledge of vocational students about head injuries before and after watching video. As for the helmet there are significant differences. Conclusion: Researchers suggest student knowledge about head injury and compliance using a helmet.


Wound is common problems from ancient time. Wound is simply a disruption of any tissues: soft tissue or bone or internal organs. Wound may be produced by physical, chemical, thermal, microbial or immunological insult to the tissue. Although wound healing is a natural restorative response to any kind of tissue injury but due to bacterial contamination of an open wound delays the process of healing. Therefore the aim of treating a wound is to either shorter the time required for healing or to minimize the undesired consequences. In present study 16 patients with classical signs and symptoms of wound were randomly selected in OPD/IPD of govt. Ayurved Hospital Patna. The fine powder and decoction of Haridra were prepared. Decoction applied externally for dressing the wound and 3gm. fine powder given orally twice a day for 30 days. The area of wound measured manually by tracing methods. The values of scores of different variables i.e. signs & symptoms recorded before & after the treatment were statistically analyzed. It is observed that the size, pain, tenderness, swelling, discharge, burning sensation, and colour of wound all were decreased with statistically highly significant value at the level (P< 0.001). The study shows that Haridra having excellent properties to accelerate the wound healing safely.