Most available data on Taenia saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis risk factors in Botswana neither associate risk factors with Batswana's lifestyle nor rank risk factors' contribution to observed prevalence. This disconnect undermines usability of data for bovine cysticercosis control. This study identified bovine cysticercosis risk factors and quantitatively ranked risk factors' contributions to observed prevalence. Visual observation and interviews using Likert scale-formatted questionnaire was employed in collecting primary data from beef industry's stakeholders (149). Fourteen (14) out of eighteen (18) risk factors jointly predicted bovine cysticercosis prevalence (p <0.05), but the only factor of 'beef sold at non-licensed premises' predicted prevalence individually. Top 20% important risk factors were absence or distant pit latrines in farms (p <0.05; MD=1.288; CI: 1.15-1.43), proximity to uncontrolled human defecate (p <0.05; MD=1.184; CI=1.03-1.34), access to contaminated pasture (p <0.05; mean=4.13; MD=1.131), and failure to deworm herd boys (p <0.05; mean=4.10; MD= 1.097). Current prevention strategies in Botswana emphasizes proper disposal of human defecate. However, this study showed that minimizing butchers buying and slaughtering animals without proper ante-mortem and post-mortem examination would yield more efficient result. By adopting Pareto principle, this study modeled that controlling these top 20% important risk factors instead of targeting a repertoire of risk factors would result in 80% prevalence drop. Respondents showed greater consensus on risk factors with high odds to cause bovine cysticercosis. This consensus provides platform for driving attitudinal change, since risk factors were lifestyle-related. Associating people's lifestyle with risk factors of this zoonosis while targeting top 20% risk factors yields more efficient control outcomes.

 Key words: Batswana's lifestyles, Taenia saginata/cysticercosis, ranking risk factors, prevalence, Pareto principle, efficient control and prevention.


Heresy and Orthodoxy have been much discussed terms in theological studies from ancient times to the present day and various opinions and beliefs have been expressed on them. In this thesis, we have tried to gather the thought of Epiphanius on these terms on the basis of his works Panarion and Angyrotos. We have tried to let the texts of our author lead us to clear conclusions and this has meant that we made extensive use of the writings under examination. In this effort we are conscious that we have stood closer to Epiphanius' own methodology, namely his use of relevant texts, whereby the historical continuity of the faith of the Church, which lies at the root of her experience, is more adequately exposed. The thesis comprises three parts, dealing consecutively with a) Epiphanius' life and work, b) Epiphanius' views of Heresy and c) Epiphanius' views of Orthodoxy. In part a) we provide a brief account of Epiphanius' person and historical context, as well as his perception concerning his heresiology. In part b) we explore Epiphanius' sources for his account of heresy, his methodology, as well as his views on such central topics as the beginnings and development of heresy, the difference between schism and heresy, truth and heresy, church and heresy. Scripture and heresy, the devil and heresy and, finally the meaning of heresy suggested by the appelations which Epiphanius uses in his descriptions of it. In part c) we provide a general introduction on Epiphanius' understanding of orthodoxy, an account of the presuppositions of orthodoxy and the main contents of the orthodox faith as Epiphanius expounds them which comprise the topics of Theology/Triadology, Christology and Ecclesiology. In our conclusion we stress that, according to St. Epiphanius, Orthodoxy is the divinely provided and regulated truth which precedes the ecclesiastical life of the community and is expressed via all the manifestations of this life. By the same token. Heresy is any deviation from this divine and primordial truth as appropriated through and manifested in ecclesiastical life. As far as priority goes in respect to Orthodoxy and Heresy Epiphanius' view is contrary to that of Walter Bauer. For Epiphanius Orthodoxy precedes Heresy. The difference between these two views seems to lie in their choice of context. Bauer explores his topic in the context of historical and 'scientific' methods to which he subordinates his ecclesiastical data. Epiphanius develops his topic in the context of ecclesiastical tradition and life without neglecting the historical and scientific data. In Epiphanius' view ecclesiastical life and history do not constitute a field of fuction and confrontation between diverse ideologies and interpretations. Rather they constitute a living and unbreakable foundation of orthodoxy, which is expressed in the theory and practice of the Church.


English is generally accepted as a medium of international communication. It is therefore without doubt that one of the ultimate goals of students of English language learning is to be able to communicate in English. However, students for whom English is neither their mother tongue nor the official language in their country have limited exposure to the E n g l i s h language. The language classroom seems to be the only place w h e r e t h e y c a n learn, practise and use the target language. It is therefore claimed that it is crucial for teachers to point out the importance of English and to teach entirely in the target language to encourage students to use it in the classroom. On the other hand, it is argued that the exclusive use of English in the EFL classroom might hinder students' concept development process. When English language teachers should use the target language in the classroom is now being questioned. Therefore, this study aimed to examine what students really think about English teachers' use of L1 in the classroom. Three different age groups: high school students, undergraduates and graduates were randomly selected and asked to complete a questionnaire to show their conceptions of teachers' use of L1 in the classroom. Differences between age groups were discussed in order to provide fruitful implications for teacher training and teaching English as a foreign language (EFL).


Numerous current studies of traffic flow are being carried out via aerial photography. Aerial photography has dominated other means of traffic flow data acquisition, primarily because it provides the instantaneous state of all traffic over a very wide metropolitan area. Sequences of aerial photographs taken at predetermined intervals, for instance one-second intervals, provide discrete data from which the continuous traffic flow may be reconstructed. Vehicular trajectories and various traffic flow parameters are determined from this data. This paper describes ,the photographic techniques, data reduction, and computer interface methods which were developed at the Institute of Transportation and Traffic Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles. Photography is carried out with a camera of 70mm format, utilizing a 3 8mm lens. Data reduction employs the 29E Film Reading System, and its associated 282E Telecordex, both manufactured by Computer Industries. Computer pro-grams have been developed and imple-mented, using the IBM 7094 computer. To eliminate the human operator, computer-controlled film-scanning and data reduction are under development. This method reduces data reduction time to 5-10% of the time required by the method above. It employs the Programmable Film Reader (PFR-3), manufactured by Information International, Inc. This paper describes the photogram-metric techniques employed in locating a vehicle in a ground coordinate system. It also describes pattern recognition techniques, whereby the behaviour of each vehicle traversing the area under study can be determined.


This study aims to determine the optimal dosage of manure derived from cattle fed concentrated rations supplemented ammonium sulfate which can increase the productivity of Pueraria phaseoloidesvar .Javanica. The design used in this experiment was Completely Randomized Design (RAL) with 4 treatments and 5 replications. The four treatments were fertilized with doses of 10, 15, 20 and 25 tons / ha, respectively for the treatment of A, B, C and D, so overall there were 20 pot experiments. The study was conducted for 12 weeks. Observed variables were plant length, number of leaves, number of branches, dry weight (DW) of leaves, DW of stem DW, total BK, leaf color, leaf stem ratio (LSR) and leaf weight ratio"(LWR). The results showed that legumes treated A B, C and D produced high crop, leaf area, leaf color, LSR and LWR were not significantly different (P> 0.05). The treated legume C. resulted in a significantly higher leaf number than the treated legume A, B and D (P <0.05). The number of branches and DW leaves on legumes treated with C were significantly higher (P <0.05) than those receiving treatment A. and were not significantly different with legumes treated with B and D (P> 0.05). The DW of stem and total DW production from legume treated C were significantly higher with those treated with A and B (P <0.05) and the difference was not significant with those treated with D (P> 0.05). From the results of the study it can be concluded that legume treated with C or fertilized with manure derived from cattle fed concentrate containning diet supplemented ammonium sulfate at a dose of 20 tons / ha yield of leguminous productivity Peuraria phaseoloides var. javanica maximum.
Keywords: manure, pueraria phaseoloides, productivity.


The study of the management of the commons in the Vercelli area provides
the opportunity for a broader reflection on the transformations which
occurred in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, a period which has received
limited attention in the Italian historiography on the commons. In actual fact,
it marked a crucial turning point, as communities reconfigured their collective
properties, increasing forms of indirect management, limiting common
pastures, and investing in ovens and mills, which became public utilities of
sorts. Usurpations, which must no doubt be viewed within the context of
demographic growth and increased pressure on uncultivated lands, are another
indicator of this renewal in the management of the commons and of
the closer supervision exercised over them by local communities. In the area
under investigation, moreover, the State, which in other parts of Italy was
responsible for extensive enclosures of the commons, mostly contributed to
regulating access to such resources.


The results of truing and dressing depend on: sharpness of the dresser, speed of dressing, depth of cut and vibration phenomena. Prediction of the optimum wheel surface for grinding which produces an accurate profile and cuts most efficiently can minimize the time and cost and optimize performance of the operation before it is performed in the shop. It has especially significant meaning in truing and dressing of hard CBN wheels. The research described in this paper shows computer simulated and visualized wheel surface before and after the wheel dressing process. This paper provides additional results to those was reported in [8] taking into account the influence of vibrations. It is a companion paper to [8].


For many physicians, maintaining certification is but 1 of a number of nonclinical activities that require additional time and energy. The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is working to balance the importance of providing a mechanism for family physicians to demonstrate their ongoing competency and improvement with the additional burden and expense that federal efforts to move toward value-based payment will add to physicians' work. For this reason, the ABFM is investing heavily to align continuous certification with valuebased payment requirements in a manner that both reduces burden and bends value-based payments to primary care's value. A description of these multifaceted efforts is described below.


LPS is a potent stimulator of bone resorption in inflammatory diseases. The mechanism by which LPS induces osteoclastogenesis was studied in cocultures of mouse osteoblasts and bone marrow cells. LPS stimulated osteoclast formation and PGE2 production in cocultures of mouse osteoblasts and bone marrow cells, and the stimulation was completely inhibited by NS398, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. Osteoblasts, but not bone marrow cells, produced PGE2 in response to LPS. LPS-induced osteoclast formation was also inhibited by osteoprotegerin (OPG), a decoy receptor of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), but not by anti-mouse TNFR1 Ab or IL-1 receptor antagonist. LPS induced both stimulation of RANKL mRNA expression and inhibition of OPG mRNA expression in osteoblasts. NS398 blocked LPS-induced down-regulation of OPG mRNA expression, but not LPS-induced up-regulation of RANKL mRNA expression, suggesting that down-regulation of OPG expression by PGE2 is involved in LPS-induced osteoclast formation in the cocultures. NS398 failed to inhibit LPS-induced osteoclastogenesis in cocultures containing OPG knockout mouse-derived osteoblasts. IL-1 also stimulated PGE2 production in osteoblasts and osteoclast formation in the cocultures, and the stimulation was inhibited by NS398. As seen with LPS, NS398 failed to inhibit IL-1-induced osteoclast formation in cocultures with OPG-deficient osteoblasts. These results suggest that IL-1 as well as LPS stimulates osteoclastogenesis through two parallel events: direct enhancement of RANKL expression and suppression of OPG expression, which is mediated by PGE2 production.


Algorithmically generated personas can help organizations understand their social media audiences. However, when using algorithms to create personas from social media user data, the resulting personas may contain toxic quotes that negatively affect content creators' perceptions of the personas. To address this issue, we have implemented toxicity detection in an algorithmic persona generation system capable of using tens of millions of social media interactions and user comments for persona creation. On the system's user interface, we provide a feature for content creators using the personas to turn on or off toxic quotes, depending on their preferences. To investigate the feasibility of this feature, we conducted a study with 50 professionals in the online publishing domain. The results show varied reactions, including hate-filter critics, hate-filter advocates, and those in between. Although personal preferences play a role, the usefulness of toxicity filtering appears primarily driven by the work task – specifically the type and topic of stories the content creator seeks to create. We identify six use cases where a toxicity filter is beneficial. For system development, the results imply that it is beneficial to give content creators the option to view or not view toxic comments, rather than making this decision in their stead. We also discuss the ethical implications of removing toxic quotes in algorithmically generated personas, including potentially biasing the user representation.


There is much debate about researchers' ethical obligations to their informants, especially when they study marginalised communities in serious distress. Some say researchers should contribute to interventions to ameliorate the problems they investigate. Within this context, we report on a 'dissemination as intervention' exercise developed to report back research findings to a South African rural community -- using a dialogical approach which sought to strengthen participants' confidence and ability to respond more effectively to HIV/AIDS. Nine workshops were conducted with 121 participants (78 women, 41 men) including religious and traditional leaders, health volunteers, development and sewing groups, scholars, youth out-of-school, traditional healers and teachers. Workshop transcripts, fieldworker diaries and participant debriefing sessions were subjected to thematic content analysis. Workshops provided many with their first opportunity to discuss HIV/AIDS in a supportive context (in a wider climate of fear and denial) and to identify how their individual and collective responses were hampered by gender and age inequalities, stigma, resistance by local leaders and lack of outside support. Workshops alerted participants to the valuable role played by local volunteers and facilitated reflection on how they might support volunteers, assist those living with HIV/AIDS and protect their own sexual health. We highlight variations in the way different groups engaged with these topics in terms of both style of engagement and content of discussions. Workshops provided opportunities for participants to develop critical understandings of the possibilities and limitations of their responses to a pressing social problem, understandings which constitute a necessary (though not sufficient) condition for further action.


Caliste project aims at hybridizing 1 cm2 Cd(Zn)Te detectors with low noise front-end electronics, in a single component standing in a 1 × 1 × 2 cm3 volume. The micro-camera is a spectro-imager for X and gamma rays detection, with time-tagging capability. Hybridization consists in stacking full custom ASICs perpendicular to the detection surface. The first prototype Caliste 64 integrates a detector of 8 × 8 pixels of 1 mm pitch. Fabrication and characterizations of nine cameras samples validate the design and the hybridization concept. Spectroscopic tests result in a mean energy resolution of ∼0.7 keV FWHM at 14 keV and ∼0.85 keV FWHM at 60 keV with 1 mm-thick Al Schottky CdTe detectors biased at −400V and cooled down to −15°C. The new prototype called Caliste 256 integrates 16 × 16 pixels of 580 8m pitch in the same volume as Caliste 64. Electrical tests with the first sample fabricated without detector result in a mean equivalent noise charge of 64 el. rms (9.6 μs, no leakage current). Caliste devices are 4-side buttable and can be used as elementary detection units of a large hard X-ray focal plane, as for the 64 cm2 high energy detector of the Simbol-X astronomical space mission.


This study explores the impact of Social Network Sites (SNSs) usage on the formation of online bridging and bonding social capital, and the relationship between online and offline social capital. It is hypothesized that use of SNSs forms online social capital and online and offline social capital are positively correlated. A Chinese SNS, Renren, is studied specifically. Social capital scales and personality measures were adapted from existing literature to develop a questionnaire and a survey of 183 students was conducted in a university in China. Regression analyses suggest a strong positive relation between use of SNSs and online bridging social capital. Online social capital is demonstrated to be positively correlated with offline social capital. User extraversion is shown to predict certain use behaviors but its interaction effect with SNSs usage is not significant. Discussions about the theoretical and practical implications of the findings are provided.


Tissue culture is an attractive alternative for plant propagation. Micropropagation is a technique to ensure a constant and uniform source of ornamental plants. Matthiola incana is an important ornamental species mainly cultivate by seed. Matthiola incana seeds were germinated on solid MS medium without plant growth regulators. Shoot proliferation and root formation are possible using kinetin (Kn) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Shoot tips and leaf micro-cuttings derived from in vitro germinated seedlings were subcultured on solid MS medium containing Kn (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg l-1) and NAA (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg l-1) for shoot tips explants and Kn (0, 0.5 and 1 mg l-1) and NAA (0, 0.5 and 1 mg l-1) for leaf explants. Shoot tips media supplemented with 2 mg l-1 Kn without NAA and 2 mg l-1 NAA without Kn resulted in the best shoot length (1.20 cm) and root number (1.90), respectively. The callus was induced from most leaf media after four weeks of culture. MS mediums containing 0.5 mg l-1 Kn and 0.5 mg l-1. The largest number (1.94) and the highest length (16.60 mm) of roots were obtained in MS medium supplemented with 1 mg l-1 Kn+0.5 mg l-1 NAA. NAA prevented root formation originated from callus with concentration of 1 mg l-1+0.5 and 1 mg l-1 Kn.


In CI engines, the evaporation rate of fuel on various hot surfaces, including the combustion chamber, has a significant effect on deposit formation and accumulation, the exhaust emissions of PM and NOx, and their efficiency. Therefore, the evaporation of liquid fuel droplets impinging on hot surfaces has become an important subject of interest to engine designers, manufacturers, and researchers. The aim of this study is to investigate the evaporation characteristics based on droplet lifetime and critical surface temperature (the maximum heat transfer rate) of diesel and biodiesel fuel droplets on hot surfaces. In order to determine the effects of diesel fuel, canola oil biodiesel, and castor oil biodiesel, the droplets impinging on the hot surfaces of aluminum alloy (7075) and steel alloy (1.5920) and the evaporation lifetime of diesel and biodiesel fuels were measured. Statistical analysis (ANOVA and Duncan's multiple-range test) was carried out using SAS software. The results showed the maximum critical surface temperature of 450 °C for the castor oil biodiesel on steel 1.5920 surface and the minimum one for diesel fuel (350 °C). In this case, both surfaces had the same droplet lifetimes of approximately 2 s. The results of ANOVA showed the significant effect of the surface material and fuel type on the evaporation lifetime of fuel droplet at 1 % probability.


Organized by Chinese Society of Blood Transfusion and co-organized by Guangzhou Blood Center, the 28th Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) was successfully held in Guangzhou from Nov. 25 to 28. This four-day meeting has attracted experts from different countries and regions in the field of blood transfusion. Breakthroughs were shared and difficulties were discussed. Communication and brainstorm made this meeting a feast for all participants.


Student evaluations to measure the teaching effectiveness of instructor's are very fre- quently applied in higher education for many years. This study investigates the factors associated with the assessment of instructors teaching performance using two different data mining tech- niques; stepwise regression and decision trees. The data collected anonymously from students' evaluations of Management Information Systems department at Bogazici University. Additionally, variables related to other instructor and course characteristics are also included in the study. The results show that, a factor summarizing the instructor related questions in the evaluation form, the employment status of the instructor, the workload of the course, the attendance of the students, and the percentage of the students filling the form are significant dimensions of instructor's teaching performance.


Ionosphere has been studied by a number of scientists in recent years. Since GPS observations cannot provide TEC value directly, it can be estimated from combination of observations. In this study TEC values derived from GPS observations were produced variations with two hours increments from the eighth day to fifteenth day in months just after beginning of each season, namely January, April, July and October in 2014 for ZONG TUSAGA-Aktif station and 41 other stations (TUSAGA-Aktif, EUREF, IGS). TEC values computed by the Bernese 5.0 software were compared with the Global Ionosphere Model (GIM) TEC values regularly published by Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) and International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2012) TEC values. As a result of this study, with the comparison of GPS TEC values to GIM TEC values, it has become obvious that GPS TEC values are quite similar to the GIM TEC values. The differences of TEC values derived from GPS TEC and GIM TEC change from 0.91 TECU (January) to 1.88 TECU (October). On the other hand, GPS TEC values are also compared with IRI TEC values, and found out that there is a considerable difference between the two TEC values ranging from 6.30 TECU (January) to 15.15 TECU (April). Moreover, TEC values derived from GPS measurements are attained similar to GIM TEC, but found to stray from IRI-2012 TEC values remarkably.


In this paper, a series of 100 cases of acute hemiplegia were analysed as to diagnosis, usually by percutaneous carotid angiography, and as to treatment. Repeated stellate ganglion blocks were performed in 27 cases. They were mainly due to spontaneous intracerebral thrombosis, posttraumatic carotid thrombosis in the neck, and postoperative hemiplegia (where sometimes vasospasm was a factor). When this type of therapy was started within seven days, the results were satisfactory-namely full recovery or good recovery in eight cases out of 11; but when the commencement of treatment was delayed beyond a week, the final results were poor-namely, only slight recovery in seven cases out of 16.


Studies were undertaken under controlled conditions into the effects of different foliage components (cotyledon, first, second and third leaf) at three plant ages (3, 5 and 7 weeks old) on development of Alternaria leaf spot disease, caused by Alternaria japonica or A. brassicae, in canola (Brassica napus cv. Thunder TT) and mustard (B. juncea cv. Dune). Alternaria japonica generally showed percentage disease index (%DI) values similar to A. brassicae across the two Brassica species, different foliage components and plant ages. %DI from either pathogen was greater in older plants than younger plants for the same foliage components in both cultivars. Field studies were then undertaken with canola to compare disease development from A. japonica and A. brassicae across different plant components (leaf, pod and stem) and the consequent adverse impact on seed yield. Alternaria japonica was more severe in terms of leaf area diseased (%LAD 62.6) and stem area diseased (%SAD 69.8) than pod area diseased (%PAD 25.5), whereas A. brassicae was more severe on leaves (%LAD 61.9) than on pods (%PAD 47.4) or stems (%SAD 41.0). Stem disease incidence was greater for A. japonica (%SDI 94.0) than for A. brassicae (%SDI 56.5), but pod disease incidence was greater for A. brassicae (%PDI 93.5) than for A. japonica (%PDI 86.1). For A. japonica, AUDPC values of leaf disease incidence (LDI, 283.5), leaf area diseased (LAD, 253.3) and leaf collapse (LCI, 149.5) resulted in a yield loss of 58.1%, similar to A. brassicae, where AUDPC values of LDI (277.8), LAD (247.2) and LCI (111.0) caused a yield loss of 59.4%. These findings explain observed acceleration of Alternaria leaf spot severity from A. japonica, as from A. brassicae, through the growing season as plants become more susceptible with increasing age, and as more susceptible, later developing leaves become abundant. For the first time, we demonstrate that under conducive field conditions for disease development, A. japonica can cause serious seed-yield losses of a magnitude similar to those occurring with A. brassicae.


In the United States cases involving the interpretation of laws dealing with international trade are heard by a specialized court, the Court of International Trade, and on appeal by a specialized appellate court, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In a groundbreaking study, Isaac Unah studies these courts to explore the way specialized courts work and how they fit into the federal court system. We know little about why specialized courts are created and how their role in interpreting law might differ from the role played by the courts of general jurisdiction. These courts play an important role in regulating agencies that affect many aspects of our lives, including the Internal Revenue Service, the Patent Office, and agencies that administer trade laws. The author considers the way these courts relate to the work of the agencies whose cases must always come to these courts. And he offers fresh insights into the differences between specialized courts and courts of general jurisdiction.This book will be of interest to scholars studying the judiciary, bureaucracies, and international trade law and administration.Isaac Unah is Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina.


To explore more efficient mechanism so that P2P network can perform more use of it in applications is important. But the algorithms and mechanisms for P2P should been evaluated before deplore in real system and many existing simulation platforms are have many defaults such high cost in constructing or can not be used in generally, so explore simple and efficient simulator for P2P network is an interesting work. In this paper, we proposed a simpler trust simulator for P2P network, which can efficient to evaluate trust computation model and trust accumulating mechanism in structured overlay network.


With the accelerating pace of mordern medicine, the various transducers that applicat in clinical diagnosis are also more and more, most medical ultrasonic transducer using acoustoelectric transducer to emiting and receiving of ultrasonic wave. However, the selection of transducer's material is very important to the performance of medical ultrasonic transducer. This paper describes structures and properties of the medical ultrasonic transducer, and a variety of quantitative indicators that influence its performance. Aim to work out the most appropriate material for making the medical ultrasonic transducer.


Integrity of the sperm membrane, of which phosphatidyl serine (PS) plays a central role, is essential for fertilization. The externalisation of PS (EPS) occurs during capacitation and the acrosome reaction. EPS, from the inner to the outer membrane, is considered as a sign of early apoptosis. Therefore, EPS may have a dual function in sperm. This study has evaluated the relationship between EPS and fertilization, embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes in couples who were candidates for ICSI. Semen samples were collected from 43 ICSI candidates and assessed according to World Health Organization guidelines for semen parameters. EPS was assessed by Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) staining. Protamine deficiency was assessed by chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining. A significant positive correlation was observed between the percentages of fertilization and annexin‐positive PI‐negative (An+PI−) sperm. There was a significant negative correlation between the percentages of protamine‐deficient sperm with the percentage of fertilization. In addition, the percentage of An+PI− sperm in individuals with fertilization rates higher and lower than 50% significantly differed. The percentage of annexin‐positive PI‐positive (An+PI+) sperm in semen of the partners of pregnant women significantly differed from the partners of nonpregnant women. In conclusion, if An+PI− is a sign of capacitation and An+PI+ is a sign of apoptosis, the results suggest that semen samples with a higher ability to undergo capacitation have a higher chance to result in successful fertilization post‐ICSI. The presence of a high percentage of apoptotic sperm in the insemination sample before capacitation may reduce the chances of pregnancy.


Modern machine learning models are opaque, and as a result there is a burgeoning academic subfield on methods that explain these models' behavior. However, what is the precise goal of providing such explanations, and how can we demonstrate that explanations achieve this goal? Some research argues that explanations should help teach a student (either human or machine) to simulate the model being explained, and that the quality of explanations can be measured by the simulation accuracy of students on unexplained examples. In this work, leveraging meta-learning techniques, we extend this idea to improve the quality of the explanations themselves, specifically by optimizing explanations such that student models more effectively learn to simulate the original model. We train models on three natural language processing and computer vision tasks, and find that students trained with explanations extracted with our framework are able to simulate the teacher significantly more effectively than ones produced with previous methods. Through human annotations and a user study, we further find that these learned explanations more closely align with how humans would explain the required decisions in these tasks. Our code is available at https://github.com/coderpat/learning-scaffold


This volume serves as a critical examination of the discourses at play in the higher education system and the ways in which these discourses underpin the transmission of neoliberal values in 21st century universities. Situated within a Critical Discourse Analysis-based framework, the book also draws upon other linguistic approaches, including corpus linguistics and appraisal analysis, to unpack the construction and development of the management style known as managerialism, emergent in the 1990s US and UK higher education systems, and the social dynamics and power relations embedded within the discourses at the heart of managerialism in today's universities. Each chapter introduces a particular aspect of neoliberal discourse in higher education and uses these multiple linguistic approaches to analyze linguistic data in two case studies and demonstrate these principles at work. This multi-layered systematic linguistic framework allows for a nuanced exploration of neoliberal institutional discourse and its implications for academic labor, offering a critique of the managerial system in higher education but also a larger voice for alternative discursive narratives within the academic community. This important work is a key resource for students and scholars in applied linguistics, Critical Discourse Analysis, sociology, business and management studies, education, and cultural studies


The paper adopted a direct approach of putting melamine inside to modify the UF resin, tested the physical properties of UF adhesive and used DSC method to study the solidifying temperature. The results show that when the molar ratio (F / U) is 1.05 or 1.15 and the addition of melamine is 4% or 8%, the viscosity, solidifying temperature, solidifying time, as well as the application period of modified UF adhesive are suitable for the production of high quality particleboard. When the molar ratio (F / U) is 1.05, the addition of melamine is 4%, particleboard density is 0.80g/cm3, the thickness of particleboard is 12mm and the addition of waterproofing agent is 1%, the performances of particleboard achieve or exceed the standard value.


We have recently found that a long length of fiber of up to 1 km terminated with an in-fiber cavity structure can detect vibrations over a frequency range from 5 Hz to 2 kHz. We want to determine whether the sensor (including packaging) can be optimized to detect vibrations at even higher frequencies. The structure can be used as a distributed vibration sensor mounted on large motors and other rotating machines to capture the entire frequency spectrum of the associated vibration signals, and therefore, replace the many accelerometers, which add to maintenance cost. The sensor may also help detect in-slot vibrations which cause intermittent contact leading to sparking under high voltages inside air-cooled generators. However, that requires the sensor to detect frequencies associated with vibration sparking, ranging from 6 kHz to 15 kHz. Acoustic vibration monitoring may need sensing at even higher frequencies (30 kHz to 150 kHz) associated with partial discharge (PD) in generators and transformers. Detecting lower frequencies in the range 2 Hz to 200 Hz makes the sensor suitable for seismic studies and falls well into the vibrations associated with rotating machines. Another application of interest is corrosion detection in large re-enforced concrete structures by inserting the sensor along a long hole drilled around structures showing signs of corrosion. The frequency response for the proposed longgauge vibration sensor depends on packaging.


An electric arc discharge in de-ionised water between a solid graphite cathode and an anode made by compressing Ni and C containing powders in a mass ratio of Ni:C = 7:3 was used here to prepare carbon encapsulated Ni nanoparticles in the form of powder suspended in water. The morphology of the produced material was analysed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The magnetic properties of the samples were determined using a Princeton vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Collection of the powder produced from different depths in the water container has proved to be an effective method for obtaining samples with narrow particle size distribution. Further material purification by dry NH4 plasma etching was used to remove the amorphous carbon content of the samples. XRD and HRTEM analysis showed that the material synthesized is fcc Ni particles with mean particle size ranging from 14 to 30 nm encapsulated in 2 to 5 graphitic cages. The data suggests that the process reported has the ability to mass-produce carbon encapsulated ferromagnetic nanoparticles with desired particle size distribution, and hence with controlled size-dependent magnetic properties.


The purpose of this study is to investigate whether abnormal accrual mispricing acknowledged in accounting literature is a manifestation of documented value-glamour anomaly in finance literature. This study proposes the traditional value-glamour proxies (sales growth, book-to-market, earningprice, cash flows-price, and size) and CFO/P ratio (ratio of operating cash flows and stock price) to explain the mispricing of abnormal accruals. Using a sample of 540 firm-year observations of companies listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSE) from the period of 1993 to 2003, the study finds that individually, only either the E/P or CFO/P ratio can pick up the mispricing attributed to abnormal accruals. These results can be interpreted as follows: (1) as captured by E/P ratio, abnormal accrual mispricing is due to the market's inability to understand managers' attempts to manage reported earnings; (2) as captured by the CFO/P, the market is unable to assess the persistence of cash flows. From a practical standpoint, this study has simplified the research agenda related to asset pricing. The result suggests that a researcher can control for the abnormal accrual mispricing and the value-glamour anomaly parsimoniously via just one variable, E/P ratio. Keywords: business performance; entrepreneurial orientation; environmental uncertainty


The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and professional networks that specialises in issues related to the production and use of controlled drugs. We aim to promote objective and open debate on the effectiveness, direction and content of drug policies at national and international level, and support evidence-based policies that are effective in reducing drug-related harms. We produce occasional briefing papers, disseminate the reports of our member organisations about particular drug-related matters, and offer expert consultancy services to policy-makers and officials worldwide. IDPC members have a wide range of experience and expertise in the analysis of drug problems and policies, and contribute to national and international policy debates.
This drug policy guide was compiled in 2009 through research and consultation with our network of experts. It aims to provide our regional and national partners with a resource that they can use to conduct reviews of the national drug policies and programmes in their areas, and engage with policy-makers to work towards policy and programme improvements. The guide will be updated annually to reflect changes in global evidence and experience.


Next-generation sequencing is increasingly being used to study samples composed of mixtures of organisms, such as in clinical applications where the presence of a pathogen at very low abundance may be highly important. We present an analytical method (SIANN: Strain Identification by Alignment to Near Neighbors) specifically designed to rapidly detect a set of target organisms in mixed samples that achieves a high degree of species- and strain-specificity by aligning short sequence reads to the genomes of near neighbor organisms, as well as that of the target. Empirical benchmarking alongside the current state-of-the-art methods shows an extremely high Positive Predictive Value, even at very low abundances of the target organism in a mixed sample. SIANN is available as an Illumina BaseSpace app, as well as through Signature Science, LLC. SIANN results are presented in a streamlined report designed to be comprehensible to the non-specialist user, providing a powerful tool for rapid species detection in a mixed sample. By focusing on a set of (customizable) target organisms and their near neighbors, SIANN can operate quickly and with low computational requirements while delivering highly accurate results.


This thesis addresses the problem of robustness in control in two main topics:
linear output regulation when no knowledge is assumed of the modes of the exosystem, and hybrid gradient-free optimization. A framework is presented for the
solution of the first problem, in which asymptotic regulation is achieved in case of a
persistence of excitation condition. The stability properties of the closed-loop system are proved under a small-gain argument with no minimum phase assumption.
The second part of the thesis addresses, and proposes, a solution to the gradientfree optimization problem, solved by a discrete-time direct search algorithm. The
algorithm is shown to convergence to the set of minima of a particular class of non
convex functions. It is, then, applied considering it coupled with a continuous-time
dynamical system. A hybrid controller is developed in order to guarantee convergence to the set of minima and stability of the interconnection of the two systems.
Almost global asymptotic is proven for the proposed hybrid controller. Shown to
not be robust to any bounded measurement noise, a robust solution is also proposed.
The aim of this thesis is to lay the ground for a solution of the output regulation
problem in case the error is unknown, but a proxy optimization function is available. A controller embedding the characteristics of the two proposed approaches, as
a main solution to the aforementioned problem, will be the focus of future studies.


The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015 (AEC) is seen as a bold effort to promote regional cooperation among the ASEAN member states. It covers not only the usual trade policy prescriptions of lowering tariffs and other trade barriers, but other policy measures to create a single market for unhampered flow of goods, services, investments, labor, and capital. With the ASEAN countries' extensive intra- and extra-regional trade in agricultural products, the AEC can help further facilitate trade under its first pillar of economic integration. There also remains greater prospects for cooperation on technology transfer, facilitating regional investments in agricultural industries, strengthening agricultural cooperatives, trade in services allied with modern agricultural sectors, and food and nutrition security.


Date Presented 4/19/2018 Discerning personal preference and offering a choice within the context of therapeutic occupation are common constructs of occupational therapy and were this study's focus. The results suggest a positive influence of directive cuing in situations of low motivation or disinclination. Primary Author and Speaker: Martin Rice Additional Authors and Speakers: Melanie Conway Contributing Authors: Vanessa Alleruzzo, Andy Lipiec, Adam Manahan, Blake Ponist, Rachel Williams


This paper argues that satirical lithographs in nineteenth-century Paris allowed a representation of the people's sovereignty to take root in the social and political order. After the collapse of the July Monarchy in 1848, lithographs began to make irreverent depictions of the political realm. Desacralizing royal figures was their primary purpose. In the early days of this satirical turn, a socialist worker named Louis Marie Bosredon joined the revolt and drew a dozen caricatures that mocked the king. In 1848, the French Republic not only gave people the freedom to laugh but also consecrated popular sovereignty. Hundreds of drawings and caricatures represented "the common people." Bosredon was one of these caricaturists who laughed at the king and celebrated the person in the street. Analysis of his production relies not so much on making interpretations as it does on connecting them to their social and political context. How did these drawings become political ? How did laughing change what was considered sacred about the exercise of power ? The case of Louis Marie Bosredon allows us to understand how criticisms of the representative government were articulated at the time. This logic is not only a matter of the past : a parallel will be made with the birth of comic strips. Still images have their own temporality and narrative styles. They are a key component of what constitutes a political event.


Micro-arc oxidization of AM50 magnesium alloys was studied. The influence of micro-arc oxidization process was investigated; phase structure were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Open circuit potential (OCP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of ceramic coatings formed on magnesium alloys under stress conditions. XRD analyses indicate that the ceramic coatings fabricated on the surface of magnesium alloys by micro-arc oxidization are composed of spinel phase MgAl2O4 The corrosion resistance of ceramic coatings is improved compared with magnesium alloy substrate.


The control of mosquito borne diseases needs new methods given widespread insecticide resistance in many mosquito species. The inherited endosymbiont Wolbachia, found in many arthropods, provides a biological system to reduce the transmission of these diseases and replace the population of vectors with non-vectors using cytoplasmic incompatibility. The aim of this study was to understand the rate of Wolbachia infection among Culex species in the region and to see the effect of Wolbachia infection on mitochondrial genome. In this study three species of Culex mosquitoes were collected from Shoushtar in south west of Iran and examined for Wolbachia infection by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). All of the C. quinquefasciatus specimens were infected with Wolbachia, while C. tritaeniorynchus and C. theileri showed no infection with Wolbachia. The 340 bp of AT rich of mtDNA was sequenced from 30 individuals, 10 individuals of each species. Three sequence haplotypes were found in C. tritaeniorynchus and C. theileri while there was only one haplotype in C. quinquefasciatus. The reduction of haplotypes diversity may be result of a sweep of Wolbachia in this species.


A 7-month-old boy with a complete atrioventricular septal defect presented with severe left atrioventricular valve regurgitation 4 months after complete repair. As the valve was unsuitable for the repair and the annulus was too small to accommodate a mechanical prosthesis, the modified mitral Ross operation was performed. The long-term outcome was uneventful for 12 years. The mitral Ross procedure is an old-described technique in which classically the pulmonary autograft is encased in a prosthetic conduit preventing any growth potential. On the contrary, the modified technique used in this case shows that the long-term function can be obtained. This procedure may be a valuable option when mitral valve replacement is necessary in infants.


The concepts of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) have changed over the last decade. The spectrum of GBS ranges from acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy to pure motor, sensory-motor or bulbar variants and the Miller Fisher syndrome. Also CIDP includes different variants in addition to the typical clinical picture with symmetrical proximal and distal weakness, such as a form with predominant distal weakness, a pure sensory form, an asymmetric form and a form with predominant cranial nerve involvement. Detailed immunopathologic features have been described in GBS and CIDP: most current investigations are centered on the hypothesis of molecular mimicry in GBS and together with the pathogenic role of cell-mediated immunity different antibodies have been discovered in GBS which interfere with nerve impulse conduction on neuromuscular transmission. The immunopathogenesis of CIDP remains fragmentary and insufficient for a unified hypothesis. Activated macrophages and T-cells with the participation of T-1 helper cell related cytokines seem to play a fundamental role in demyelination. The nature of antigen presenting cells, T-cell receptors, adhesion molecules and the proinflammatory cytokines need to be explored to design more specific immunotherapies. Established treatments in GBS include intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange. Randomized trials have shown the efficacy of prednisone, intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange in CIDP. New insight in the pathogenetic role of the cytokine-network in CIDP opens new therapeutical possibilities with the modification of the T-1 helper cell reaction with interferon.


The purpose of this paper is to present an explorative analysis about the causes of children's high proportion of drop-outs from rural schools of Pakistan. For this purpose, simple random sampling technique was used by taking a sample size of 120 respondents from six villages of the rural areas of district Jhang, Pakistan in 2010. The major objectives of the said research were to investigate the socio-economic hurdles of the drop-outs of children from schools, to find out the attitude of parents towards the drop-outs, and finally to suggest the measures for solving the problems regarding drop-outs of rural children from schools. Initially, the pre-testing was done on ten respondents before starting the actual research. As a result of the said research, it was found that there are certain factors, e.g. uneducated parents, teachers' behavior, low mental ability, bad habits, bad peer group and scarcity of educated people in the community, which not only affects the performance of the children but also ends it in the form of their drop out from school.


OBJECT
Cerebrospinal fluid leaks due to unrecognized durotomy during spinal surgery are often managed with a second surgery for dural closure. CT-guided percutaneous patching targeted to the dural defect offers an alternative to surgery since it can be performed in a minimally invasive fashion without the need for general anesthesia. This case series describes the authors' experience using targeted CT-guided percutaneous patching to repair incidental durotomies incurred during spinal surgery.

METHODS
This investigation is a retrospective case series involving patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous patching of surgical incidental durotomies and were referred between January 2007 and June 2013. Their presenting clinical history, myelographic findings, and clinical outcomes, including the need for eventual surgical duraplasty, were reviewed.

RESULTS
Nine cases were identified, including 7 durotomies incurred during lumbar discectomy, one due to a medial transpedicular screw breach, and one incurred during vertebrectomy for spinal osteosarcoma. All patients who had favorable outcomes with percutaneous intervention alone had 2 common features: dural defect of 4 mm or smaller and absence of a pseudomeningocele. Patients with CSF leaks complicated by pseudomeningocele and those with a dural defect of 6 mm or more all required eventual surgical management.

CONCLUSIONS
The authors' results suggest that findings on CT myelography may help predict which patients with postsurgical durotomy can be treated with percutaneous intervention. In particular, CT-guided patching may be more likely to be successful in those patients with dural defects of less than 5 mm and without pseudomeningocele. In patients with larger dural defects or pseudomeningoceles, percutaneous blood patching alone is unlikely to be successful.


Background Septal perforation closure is still often invasive and complex, with relatively low closure rates. Objectives We aimed to provide the first results of a case series of 20 patients with nasal septal perforations who underwent septal perforation repair by both an open and a minimally invasive technique by using a graft that consisted of temporoparietal fascia and a polydioxanone (PDS) plate without mucosal flaps. Between 2014 and 2016, we tested, for the first time, the feasibility of the insertion of this graft via a hemitransfixion incision at our institution. The rationale for the closed approach was to avoid any visible nasal scars. We reported our results of both approaches. Methods The septal perforations were closed by insertion of a graft, which consisted of a 0.25-mm PDS flexible plate enveloped by temporoparietal fascia, into the perforation. The insertion of the graft was performed either via a columellar incision (open approach) or via a cosmetically advantageous hemitransfixion incision (closed approach) in an underlay technique. No attempts were made to close the perforation by mucosal flap rotation and/or advancement. Protective silastic sheeting to both sides of the perforation provided fixation to the graft while natural mucosal healing occurred over the perforation in the course of 3 to 8 weeks. Results Eighteen of 20 perforations were closed by mucosa at the last follow-up. The mean follow-up was 8.7 months. Thirteen patients had surgery via the closed approach. Conclusion We showed, for the first time, that the insertion of a graft that consisted of a PDS flexible plate enveloped in temporoparietal fascia via a hemitransfixion incision was feasible and resulted in complete mucosal closure of nasal septal perforations in most patients. By performing the hemitransfixion incision, we avoided any visible nasal scars.


Air-to-ground cooperative reconnaissance with UAVs is the main application aspect in UAV's operation research. This paper addresses the problem of UAV formation cooperative reconnaissance, and the models associated with it are built which contain targets search for, identification and reconnaissance time aspects; then the factors influencing formation's cooperative reconnaissance capability are discussed with an simple but illuminating instantiation according to information share mechanism and formation constitution. Investigating the models of the problem is the basic of optimizing the constitution and share mechanism.


Virally mediated RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down injury-induced genes could improve functional outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, little is known about the consequences of gene knockdown on downstream cell signaling pathways and how RNAi influences neurodegeneration and behavior. Here, we assessed the effects of adeno-associated virus (AAV) siRNA vectors that target two genes with opposing roles in TBI pathogenesis: the allegedly detrimental neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and the potentially protective glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx-1). In rat hippocampal progenitor cells, three siRNAs that target different regions of each gene (nNOS, GPx-1) effectively knocked down gene expression. However, in vivo, in our rat model of fluid percussion brain injury, the consequences of AAV-siRNA were variable. One nNOS siRNA vector significantly reduced the number of degenerating hippocampal neurons and showed a tendency to improve working memory. GPx-1 siRNA treatment did not alter TBI-induced neurodegeneration or working memory deficits. Nevertheless, microarray analysis of laser captured, virus-infected neurons showed that knockdown of nNOS or GPx-1 was specific and had broad effects on downstream genes. Since nNOS knockdown only modestly ameliorated TBI-induced working memory deficits, despite widespread genomic changes, manipulating expression levels of single genes may not be sufficient to alter functional outcome after TBI.


Refraction data indicate a significant high-density rift pillow beneath the New Madrid seismic zone. We present results of linear and nonlinear viscoelastic finite element modeling to determine whether support of the rift pillow may contribute significantly to the total present-day stress field, and we consider the implications for intraplate seismicity. These models were run for a loading time of 100 m.y. to account for relaxation and transfer of stress since the last reactivation of the rift in the mid-Mesozoic. Results indicate that the nonlinear viscoelastic model with rheological stratification based on composition and temperature agrees well with the observed deformation within the seismic zone and with estimates of regional stress magnitudes. The model predicts a maximum compression of 30–40 MPa above the rift pillow in the center of the rift axis. If the magnitude of local compression predicted by the nonlinear model produces the inferred clockwise rotation of the order of 10°–30° in the direction of SHmax (maximum horizontal compression) near the rift axis, the magnitude of regional compression is a factor of 1 to 2 times the magnitude of local compression and consistent with an origin due to ridge push forces. The addition of the local stress associated with the rift pillow, however, results in an approximately 30% reduction in the resolved maximum horizontal shear stress. Thus, while the stress associated with the rift pillow can rotate the stress field into an orientation favorable for failure, reduction in the resolved shear stress requires a separate mechanism for strength reduction. Results of the modeling indicate that stresses from the load of the rift pillow may still be present in the upper crust even after 100 m.y. and may still play a role in present-day deformation and seismicity of the New Madrid seismic zone. Local stress fields of significant tectonic magnitudes may also occur around other ancient rift pillows and help explain the observed correlation between intraplate seismicity and failed rift zones.


Natural products from plants have been in therapeutic use since many years. Novel molecules from plant sources have been isolated, characterized and used in managing different diseases. Alkannatinctoria (Family: Boraginaceae) is an important herb stated in Siddha medicine, which is used to cure many ailments alone and in formulations. The present study comprises isolation of Acetyl Alkannin, from hexane extract of the root bark of A. tinctoria, through silica gel column chromatography. Structure of the compound was elucidated through MS and H1, C13 NMR. The pure compound was analyzed for its antimicrobial action against common human pathogens, where it showed considerable Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) against most of the pathogens. Significant activity was observed against Bacillus subtilis (MIC: 28 μg/ml), Enterococcus faecalis (MIC: 28 μg/ml), Escherichia coli (MIC: 12 μg/ml), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC: 12 μg/ml). Studies on its combination with other commercial antibiotics depicted synergistic patterns against P. aeruginosa with most of the antibiotics. Also, it worked both synergistically and additively against microbes with other antibiotics. Thus, it could be used in combination with other antimicrobial agents in managing critical microbial infections.


Rumex abyssinica Jacq. (Polygonaceae) is locally used in management of allergies and female reproductive healthcare; whereas Mentha spicata L. (Lamiaceae) is used to treat gastrointestinal and respiratory distress, dandruff, halitosis and malaria in Uganda. Owing to the paucity of data on their safety profiles, this study evaluated the acute and sub-acute toxicities of 70% ethanolic leaf extracts of both plants in mice and Wistar albino rats. The oral acute toxicity of both plants was evaluated in Swiss mice of 7 8 weeks old (16 22 g) body weight and LD50 determined. Sub-acute toxicity was evaluated in Wistar albino rats (6 per group) at dose rates of 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg for 28 days. The LD50 of R. abyssinica and M. spicata in mice was 7727 mg/kg and 13,606 mg/kg body weight, respectively. General signs of toxicity due to large doses of both plants extract included hyperurination, abdominal muscle twitches and convulsions. In the sub-acute toxicity test, rats treated with both extracts did not exhibit any clinical signs of toxicity; no mortality and changes in body weight were observed. R. abyssinica did not cause significant changes in haemaCorresponding author. M. K. Mugisha et al. 310 tological indices, except a significant increase in HCT (p < 0.05). However, a dose dependant significant decrease in HCT (p < 0.05) and a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the levels of WBC, LMY and MCHC were observed in rats treated with M. spicata extract. Biochemical test showed that both extracts caused a significant dose dependent increase (p < 0.05) in levels of ALT and ALP. Marked increase in the levels of AST was also observed in rats treated with M. spicata extract. Of the two extracts, only rats treated with R. abyssinica revealed congestion, hemorrhages and cellular infiltration in vital organs. In conclusion, the LD50 values of both plant extracts were above 5000 mg/kg suggesting that they are experimentally safe, thus justifying their use in traditional medicine. However, prolonged exposure to higher doses may cause observable alterations in histopathological, biochemical, and haematological parameters, particularly with R. abyssinica.


Background: Several studies have examined Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and the effects of vitamin D therapy in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, a bibliometric assessment of research output on VDD in relation to COVID-19 is unavailable. Materials and Methods: We searched Elsevier's Scopus database for publications on VDD in COVID-19 using a defined search strategy. Data pertaining to the growth of publications, citation metrics, the most active countries, institutions, authors, journals, and the most cited articles, were analyzed using appro-priate bibliometric tools. Mapping of keywords was done to identify the research trends. Results: Of 435 global publications on VDD in COVID-19, 187 (42.9%) were original articles. The total and average citations per paper (CPP) were 5664 and 13.0, respectively. Eighty-eight (20.2%) publications were funded; the National Institute of Health, USA, was the leading funding agency (n=18). Seventy-four countries participated in research on this theme; the USA and Italy with 18.3% and 16.5% led in productivity, whereas Ireland and the USA were the most impactful. The most dominant research topic was "Risk Factors" with 29.6% share, fol-lowed by "Epidemiology" (27.3%), "Complications" (26.4%), "Clinical studies" (24.8%), and "Pathophysiology" (17.2%), only 14.0% studies were on "Treatment". The research patient populations were "Adults", "Aged," and "Middle-Aged," with 24.1%, 21.6%, and 17.7% share, respectively; only 6.4% studies involved children. The organizations and authors numbered 254 and 383, respectively; Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, and Harvard Medical School, USA, were the most productive, whereas St. James's Hospital, Ireland, and University Hospital Brigham, UK were the most impactful. Belgium's Delanghe and Ireland's Kenny were the top productive authors, and Grant (USA) and Laird (Ireland) were the most influential. Journal of Medical Virology and Endocrine lead productivity while Aging Clinical and Experimental Research and Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Review lead in impact. Conclusion: The research on VDD in relation to COVID-19 has primarily been conducted in high-income countries, with the USA, Italy, and UK accounting for almost 50% of total publication output. The research gaps appear to be treatment-related aspects and VDD in children with COVID-19. Our assessment of the current status of research on VDD in COVID-19 may help the research community and policy-makers to prioritize research needs in this field. Key words: Coronavirus disease 2019, Vitamin D Deficiency, Bibliometrics, Research impact, Scientometrics, Children.


Basic research is needed to further elucidate physical phenomena at surfaces as materials science applications progress to ever-shrinking length scales. Ion bombardment, or sputtering, is a ubiquitous technique used in surface preparation for both basic research and applied projects, but our understanding is incomplete concerning the nature of the process as it relates to surface modification. Investigations are presented in which electron spectroscopy and diffraction experiments and computer simulation inform a predictive model for the disorder sputtering imparts to atomically clean crystalline surfaces in pursuit of correcting this deficiency at a fundamental level. The results of Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) and Inverse Photoemission Spectroscopy (IPES) studies indicate that atoms of a crystalline nickel sample have sufficient surface mobility at room temperature to self-anneal, partially healing the surface of damage inflicted by sputtering. When the sample is bombarded and held at low temperatures for analysis, the results of LEED and IPES experiments indicate the self-annealing effect is eliminated or drastically reduced. A complex application of surface characterization with electron spectroscopy exists in the Surface Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), a protective film that grows on the electrodes of the LIB during charge/discharge cycling. Silicon is a promising anodic material for next generation LIBs because it can store more energy per unit mass than current standard materials, though steps must be taken to mitigate the effects of its large volumetric fluctuations during the cycling process, which limits performance and can destroy the battery. Investigations using Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (HAXPES) into two promising tactics for accommodating the silicon volume fluctuation are presented. HAXPES experiments permit characterization of the SEI at depths unavailable to conventional techniques and reveal unique information about the chemical compositions there. The results of HAXPES experiments performed on binder-free silicon nanoparticle anodes of batteries cycled with various electrolyte additives are presented and trends are identified to explain electrochemical cycling data which favor the electrolyte additive fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). Anode material binders were excluded from these systems to motivate understanding of the effect each electrolyte formulation has on SEI growth and composition. The results suggest the SEI developed for FEC is thinner and of a more homogeneous nature than that of ethylene carbonate (EC). Furthermore, the FEC-derived layer is more resistant to cracking, which will be necessary to successful deployment of Si-based anodes going forward. Anode material binders improve battery performance and lifetime by helping to maintain conductivity in the electrode as the battery is cycled. Results of HAXPES measurements on four systems which were prepared and cycled, differing only by the type of binder material used in the anode, are presented and trends identified to explain electrochemical cycling data which favor the binder polyacrylic acid (PAA).


Abstract Distance education, as a form of education that enables and promotes development of autonomous life-long learning skill, necessary to keep up with rapid changes and development in today's society, is a concept definitely worth considering. Teaching a foreign language in a distance education system is very challenging, primarily in terms of overcoming the main gap – lack of direct contact between teachers and learners. This paper focuses on the aspect of teaching materials used for ESL in a distance learning system.


This paper presents a statistical approach for identifying the significant impact of cracks on the output power performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Since there are a few statistical analysis of data for investigating the impact of cracks in PV modules in real-time long-term data measurements. Therefore, this paper will demonstrate a statistical approach which uses two statistical techniques: T-test and F-test. Electroluminescence (EL) method is used to scan possible cracks in the examined PV modules. Moreover, virtual instrumentation (VI) LabVIEW software is used to predict the theoretical output power performance of the examined PV modules based on the analysis of I-V and P-V curves. The statistical analysis approach has been validated using 45 polycrystalline PV modules at the University of Huddersfield, UK.


The question addressed in this study was whether high-flexion total knee arthroplasty (TKA) designs improve the mechanical behaviour of TKAs in high flexion and whether they maintain the mechanical performance of conventional TKAs at normal flexion angles. A finite element study was performed in which the mechanical behaviour of the conventional Sigma RP and the new high-flexion Sigma RP-F were compared, during a dynamic simulation of a high-flexion squatting activity. Forces, stresses, and contact positions were calculated during different stages of the simulations. In general, higher stresses were found with larger flexion angles for both designs. Mechanical parameters were similar in normal flexion. In high flexion, lower stress and deformation values were found for the high-flexion Sigma RP-F, except for the contact stress at the post of the insert. This study confirms that a high-flexion design can improve mechanical behaviour at high-flexion without changing the performance in normal flexion. Hence, although a high-flexion TKA may show a similar or better performance in comparison with a conventional TKA, high-flexion activities still cause an increase in the implant stress levels. Therefore, the patient's demand for large flexion angles may reduce the longevity of TKA implants.


Reasoning about mechanisms is one of the hallmarks of disciplined inquiry in science and engineering, but comparatively little is known about its precursors and development. Children at grades 2 and 5 predicted and explained the motion of simple mechanical systems composed entirely of visible linkages (levers). Students' explanations of device behavior suggested four forms of knowledge: simple recognition of device components, noting of structural relations among components, construction of cause-effect rules derived by observation of regularities in device behavior, and identification of essential system components and interactions among components that accounted for cause–effect rules. Only a few children coordinated multiple essential components to constitute a mechanistic causal scheme. Mechanistic causal schemes, in turn, were associated with successful prediction of the output motion of a system. Device tracing via gesture and talk appeared to support this form of knowledge development, and hence may inform future instructional design.


UDC 551.432.5 (497.4) Micheline Shehy Skeffington & Nick. E. Scott: Do turloughs occur in Slovenia? Turloughs are karst basins that fill seasonally with mostly groundwater and drain, usually in summer, to reveal a sedge or grassland community. They are often described as being virtually unique to Ireland. The much larger seasonal poljes of the Slovenian karst are considered different to turloughs. However, a series of small temporary karst lakes in the Slovenian Pivka valley seem remarkably similar to Irish turloughs. Like turloughs, they fill and empty largely through estavelles connecting to underground water systems, which rise and fall with high seasonal rainfall. The Slovenian sites, however, support less wetland communities than Irish turloughs, probably due to drier summer conditions. The plant communities of both systems occur in zones around the basin, related to flood duration. Releves taken at five Slovenian sites revealed that Petelinjsko jezero, which floods longest each year, is the most similar to turloughs, with, in the lower basin, Eleocharis palustris, potentilla reptans and the unusual form of Ranuculus repens commonly found in Irish turloughs. The difference in climate and terrain means that the Slovenian sites are managed for hay or silage, while the Irish turloughs are under pasture. However, for both, regular flooding precludes much agricul tural improvement, so that they are now refuges for flora and fauna. A revised definition for turloughs is proposed and a case made for these Slovenian wetland systems to be recognised as turloughs and for the EU Habitats Directive to be amended to include poljes and other similar temporary karst wetland sys tems as well as turloughs.


BREAKING UP, AND MOVING WESTWARD": THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY IN POST-COLONIAL AMERICA, 1787-1828 Bethany Harding, B.A., M.A. Marquette University, 2015 This dissertation approaches the early national United States as a post-colonial state, and draws new connections between the country's westward development and Americans' ability to detach from their colonial past. At the conclusion of the American Revolution in 1783, the new United States became the first nation built on the ruins of a British colonial foundation; its citizens faced the colossal task of forging an independent national consciousness without being able to draw clear racial or ethnic lines of distinction between themselves and the former mother country. White Americans of the founding generation occupied a unique and tenuous position: in a world of empires and colonies, they were "settler-subjects." As settlers, they had acted as proud agents of the imperial flag, but they were concurrently second-class citizens living on the wild peripheries of England's empire. The legacy of this dual identity remained in the postrevolutionary period. Although the founding generation in the Atlantic colonies had rejected monarchy, it retained a respect for and a dependence on British political principles. Thus eastern Americans held a position of power in a boundless continent, but were simultaneously left with little idea how to define themselves independent of England's laws and philosophies of governance. Easterners modeled British examples even to the extent of creating an imperial state in the West. Ultimately, and counterintuitively, distinguishing themselves from the mother country required a process wherein white Americans embraced rather than rejected their ethnic roots and the colonial role of "settler." Easterners and westerners alike ceased to be "subjects" as well only by creating their own unique imperial process and crafting a national identity that exalted rather than marginalized the frontier. Part One of this project examines the post-colonial position of the founding generation using Philadelphia as a primary reference point. Part Two turns west, analyzing the imperial nature of federal territorial policies and the colonial relationship between East and West. Part Three illustrates how changes in that colonial relationship helped break the patterns of post-colonialism, with special emphasis on the War of 1812 and the racialization of American continental imperialism in the nineteenth century.


Recent developments in the coherent manipulation of electrons in ballistic conductors include the generation of time-periodic electrical currents involving one to few electronic excitations per period. However, using individual electrons as carrier of quantum information for flying qubit computation or quantum metrology applications calls for a general method to unravel the single-particle excitations embedded in a quantum electrical current and how quantum information is encoded within it. Here, we propose a general signal processing algorithm to extract the elementary single-particle states, called electronic atoms of signal, present in any periodic quantum electrical current. These excitations and their mutual quantum coherence describe the excess single-electron coherence in the same way musical notes and score describe a sound signal emitted by a music instrument. This method, which is the first step towards the development of signal processing of quantum electrical currents is illustrated by assessing the quality of experimentally relevant single electron sources. The example of randomized quantum electrical currents obtained by regularly clocked but randomly injected unit charge Lorentzian voltage pulses enables us to discuss how interplay of the coherence of the applied voltage and of the Pauli principle alter the quantum coherence between the emitted single particle excitations.


BACKGROUND
Postoperative mortality after some types of cancer surgery is inversely related to the number of operations performed at a hospital (i.e., hospital volume). This study assessed the association of hospital volume with colostomy rates and survival for patients with rectal cancer in a large representative cohort identified from the California Cancer Registry.

METHODS
We identified 7257 patients diagnosed from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 1997, with stage I-III rectal cancer who underwent surgical resection. Registry data were linked to hospital discharge abstracts and ZIP-code-level data from the 1990 U.S. Census. Associations of hospital volume with permanent colostomy and 30-day mortality were assessed with the Mantel-Haenszel trend test and logistic regression. Overall survival was examined with the Kaplan-Meier method and a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model. Multivariable analyses adjusted for demographic and clinical variables and patient clustering within hospitals. All tests of statistical significance were two-sided.

RESULTS
In unadjusted analyses across decreasing quartiles of hospital volume, we observed statistically significant increases in colostomy rates (29.5%, 31.8%, 35.2%, and 36.6%; P<.001) and in 30-day postoperative mortality (1.6%, 1.6%, 2.9%, and 4.8%; P<.001) and a decrease in 2-year survival (83.7%, 83.2%, 80.9%, and 76.6%; P<.001). The adjusted risks of permanent colostomy (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10 to 1.70), 30-day mortality (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.41 to 4.93), and 2-year mortality (hazard ratio = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.15 to 1.44) were greater for patients at hospitals in the lowest volume quartile than for patients at hospitals in the highest volume quartile. Stratification by tumor stage and comorbidity index did not appreciably affect the results. Adjusted colostomy rates varied statistically significantly (P<.001) among individual hospitals independent of volume.

CONCLUSIONS
Rectal cancer patients who underwent surgery at high-volume hospitals were less likely to have a permanent colostomy and had better survival rates than those treated in low-volume hospitals. Identifying processes of care that contribute to these differences may improve patients' outcomes in all hospitals.


This research project provides an original contribution to knowledge, comprising a grounded and
unified theory of improvisational behaviours via Blended Learning and suggests a new paradigm
of self-regulated, improvisational learning for potential application beyond the field of study. The
study comprises an original Grounded Theory of 'Improvised Learning' demonstrating the most
prevalent challenges, strategies and behaviours of students undertaking Higher Education
programmes in a campus-based, low-contact teaching environment. The participant group were
typically undertaking accredited professional programmes (usually related to a profession such as
nursing or accounting). The students engaged in 'Blended Learning' i.e. study on-campus
alongside use of learning technologies such as a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The
research project used Grounded Theory as an holistic methodology to investigate the experience
of students in this study context. The main data collection phase consisted of informal individual
or group discussions held in classes, open plan Library areas or IT Labs.
Grounded Theory is a sociological methodology designed to formulate a new (Grounded) theory
from a 'substantive area', i.e. a participant group typically comprising a shared vocational role or
activity. Key elements of Grounded Theory include an emphasis on induction-based
conceptualisation of theory from descriptive participant indicators and the continuous comparison
of data for the emergence of 'theoretical categories' or codes. The ultimate aim of Grounded
Theory is to demonstrate how conceptual categories inter-relate within a common theoretical
explanation for the behaviour of participants (the 'core category').
This grounded study of professional learners identified a number of theoretical models of
behaviour for engaging with Blended Learning, including innovative self-led use of Information
Technology and collaborative learning. The emergent 'core category' - reflecting all dependant
codes or variables was defined as 'Improvised Learning', explaining conceptually how students
employ self-led strategies and skills to engage with disparate systems, environments and
resources.


Over the past few years, many research groups have attempted to build smart environments. Recently, several groups have been actively conducting research into the construction of smart home environment for service robots to be used as assistants. A home service robot must have are localization, navigation, object recognition, and object handling functionalities. These operations are usually performed by a service robot by itself and the robot can perform the given tasks in a limited environment. In addition, they have shown only limited capabilities in a natural environment. We initiated a smart home environment project, RoboMaidHome, for light-weight service robots to provide reliable services by interacting with the environment through wireless sensor networks. This environment consists of the following three main components: (i) smart objects and smart appliances with sensor network functionality; (ii) a home server that connects smart devices as well as maintains information for reliable services; and (iii) service robots that perform tasks in collaboration with the environment. In this paper, we explain the basic concepts and the architecture of our project and address some key issues related to the project. Finally, we discuss the future directions of our project.


Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have recently emerged as promising material candidates for structural seismic resisting purposes. Most of the existing SMA-based strategies, however, are based on the wire or rod form of SMAs, where issues such as gripping complexity and fracture may exist. This paper presents a proof-of-concept study on an innovative type of SMA-based self-centring system, namely, a superelastic SMA ring spring system. The proposed system includes a series of inner high-strength steel (HSS) rings and outer superelastic SMA rings stacked in alternation with mating taper faces, where the resisting load is provided by the wedging action which tends to expand the outer rings and concurrently to squeeze the inner rings. The superelastic effect of the SMA offers energy dissipation and a driving force for recentring, and the frictional effect over the taper face further contributes to the overall resisting load and energy dissipation. The feasibility of the new system is carefully examined via numerical studies considering the parameters of ring thickness, taper angle, and coefficient of friction. The key hysteretic responses, including resisting load, stiffness, stress distributions, source of residual deformation, energy dissipation, and equivalent viscous damping, are discussed in detail. The behaviour of the SMA ring springs is also studied via analytical models, and the analytical predictions are found to agree well with the numerical results. Finally, two practical applications of the new system, namely self-centring HS-SMA ring spring connections, and self-centring SMA ring spring dampers, are discussed via comprehensive numerical studies.


The recent developments in the manufacturing process and the entry of new privates companies in the space segment are feeding the in-space manufacturing theme. The development of a technology that combines manufacturing and assembly capabilities, practicable in a space environment, is a necessary step to improve safety and to reduce the cost of future space explorations and many other activities. The Additive Manufacturing, between the several technologies tryied in space, is the one that for different reasons, guarantee the highest percentage of success. The operations that can be performed are many: manufacturing and assembly of large-structures, systems' components, servicing, repair, and many others. Among these, the case of repairing on demand any failed components could dramatically reduce the risks and cost in comparison to the sequence of tasks today needed to achieve the same goal (ground-based manufacturing/assembly and transfer to orbit). The project of thesis here presented, carried out in collaboration with Thales Alenia Space, focuses on topology optimization of an impact shield for protection from collisions with micrometeoroids and orbital debris, which is a thin wall structure, in two different scenarios: (i) additive manufacturing ground-based production and transfer to orbit, (ii) in-space additive manufacturing production. After analyzing the structural performance of the original model, two topological optimizations were carried out whose results are analyzed and presented. A third optimization, of the lattice type, was carried out to propose another optimized configuration that respects the project requirements and the physics of the problem. The aim is to exploit all the potential of Additive Manufacturing via the most recent topology optimization tools. The thesis includes a review of the trends and state of the art of in-space manufacturing technologies with focus on additive manufacturing, presenting the benefits and current challenges to be overcome. In conclusion, possible future developments and studies are proposed.


Large conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels are important for regulating many essential cellular functions, from neuronal action potential shape and firing rate to smooth muscle contractility. In amphibians, reptiles, and birds, BK channels mediate the intrinsic frequency tuning of the cochlear hair cell by an electrical resonance mechanism. In contrast, inner hair cells of the mammalian cochlea are extrinsically tuned by accessory structures of the cochlea. Nevertheless, BK channels are present in inner hair cells and encode a fast activating outward current. To understand the role of the BK channel alpha and beta subunits in mammalian inner hair cells, we analyzed the morphology, physiology, and function of these cells from mice lacking the BK channel alpha (Slo-/-) and also the beta1 and beta4 subunits (beta1/4-/-). Beta1/4-/- mice showed normal subcellular localization, developmental acquisition, and expression of BK channels. Beta1/4-/- mice showed normal cochlear function as indicated by normal auditory brainstem responses and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Slo-/- mice also showed normal cochlear function despite the absence of the BKalpha subunit and the absence of fast activating outward current from the inner hair cells. Moreover, microarray analyses revealed no compensatory changes in transcripts encoding ion channels or transporters in the cochlea from Slo-/- mice. Slo-/- mice did, however, show increased resistance to noise-induced hearing loss. These findings reveal the fundamentally different contribution of BK channels to nonmammalian and mammalian hearing and suggest that BK channels should be considered a target in the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.


Hydrogeophysical study of parts of Charnockite terrain of Akure, southwestern Nigeria was carried out using the electrical resistivity method. The study involved one hundred and fifty two (152) Schlumberger geoelectric soundings (with seven (7) of them parametric)) alongside static water level measurements in 102 hand-dug wells. The Precambrian Crystalline Basement Complex rocks underlying the area consist largely of Charnockite with some granite and migmatite-gneiss bodies. The interpreted results enabled the determination of overburden thickness, longitudinal unit conductance (S) and coefficient of anisotropy (λ). The static water level measurements were used to determine the vadose zone thickness and groundwater flow direction. The overburden thickness in the study area ranges between 2.0 and 66.9 m; bedrock resistivity range between 748 and ∞ Ω-m while the vadose zone thickness ranges between 0.5 and 11.3 m.  The groundwater potential of the area was classified based on the overburden thickness (h) and resistivity values (ρ). Thus, areas characterized by 100 ≤ ρ ≤ 800 Ω-m with h ≥ 45 m are classified as high, while areas presenting 15 ≤ h ≤ 45 m are classified as medium and areas of h ≤ 15 m are classified as low. A modified geologic classification of the study area using λ values was undertaken with λ ≤ 1.2 areas classified as Charnockite while areas with λ > 1.2 classified as granite and migmatite-gneiss complex. A correlation of the field geological map with the λ map presents a good correlation especially within areas underlain by Charnockite.


We present the results of our automatic search for proximate damped Ly$\alpha$ absorption (PDLA) systems in the quasar spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12. We constrain our search to those PDLAs lying within 1500 km s$^{-1}$ from the quasar to make sure that the broad DLA absorption trough masks most of the strong Ly$\alpha$ emission from the broad line region (BLR) of the quasar. When the Ly$\alpha$ emission from the BLR is blocked by these so-called eclipsing DLAs, narrow Ly$\alpha$ emission from the host galaxy could be revealed as a narrow emission line (NEL) in the DLA trough. We define a statistical sample of 399 eclipsing DLAs with log$N$(HI)$\ge$21.10. We divide our statistical sample into three subsamples based on the strength of the NEL detected in the DLA trough. By studying the stacked spectra of these subsamples, we found that absorption from high ionization species are stronger in DLAs with stronger NEL in their absorption core. Moreover, absorption from the excited states of species like SiII are also stronger in DLAs with stronger NEL. We also found no correlation between the luminosity of the Ly$\alpha$ NEL and the quasar luminosity. These observations are consistent with a scenario in which the DLAs with stronger NEL are denser and physically closer to the quasar. We propose that these eclipsing DLAs could be the product of the interaction between infalling and outflowing gas. High resolution spectroscopic observation would be needed to shed some light on the nature of these eclipsing DLAs.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier Prima Official Game Guide: Know your surroundings - Labeled area maps with waypoints, enemy encounters, and other areas of interest will keep you well briefed in the Campaign, Guerrilla, and Adversarial modes. Knowledge is power - Complete breakdown of all three classes,weapons and Gunsmith perks. Unlock the best equipment - Follow detailed instructions to complete Mission Challenges and unlock the best gear. Max gamer score - Learn where and how to unlock all achievements/trophies. Learn from the best - Discover what tips and strategies the expert developers use in multiplayer."We wanted to make sure the player felt like they were playing as part of an elite unit of operatives and be one of those precision shooters. But we add a twist, and give them the tools to prepare and surprise the enemy with that violence of action that only a Ghost Unit can take to the battlefield of tomorrow!" - Jean-Marc Geffroy, Creative Director- Ubisoft


The purpose of this study was to compare the parameters of the dose–volume histogram (DVH) between proton beam therapy (PBT) and X-ray conformal radiotherapy (XCRT) for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the tumor conditions. A total of 35 patients having NSCLC treated with PBT were enrolled in this analysis. The numbers of TNM stage and lymph node status were IIB (n = 3), IIIA (n = 15) and IIIB (n = 17), and N0 (n = 2), N1 (n = 4), N2 (n = 17) and N3 (n = 12), respectively. Plans for XCRT were simulated based on the same CT, and the same clinical target volume (CTV) was used based on the actual PBT plan. The treatment dose was 74 Gy-equivalent dose (GyE) for the primary site and 66 GyE for positive lymph nodes. The parameters were then calculated according to the normal lung dose, and the irradiation volumes of the doses (Vx) were compared. We also evaluated the feasibility of both plans according to criteria: V5 ≥ 42%, V20 ≥ 25%, mean lung dose ≥ 20 Gy. The mean normal lung dose and V5 to V50 were significantly lower in PBT than in XCRT. The differences were greater with the more advanced nodal status and with the larger CTV. Furthermore, 45.7% of the X-ray plans were classified as inadequate according to the criteria, whereas 17.1% of the proton plans were considered unsuitable. The number of inadequate X-ray plans increased in cases with advanced nodal stage. This study indicated that some patients who cannot receive photon radiotherapy may be able to be treated using PBT.


The current economic situation in the country and the high physical wear and tear on the equipment of domestic refineries make it possible to influence the quality of diesel fuel only by reducing the beginning of its boiling. It should be noted that less than 1% of the produced diesel fuel is produced from the diesel fuel and about 10% is winter, the rest is summer, which does not correspond to the climate of our country at all. Forced use of summer diesel fuel in winter conditions leads to a huge over expenditure. At present, the production of high-quality diesel fuels is impossible without the addition of additives of various functional purposes, such as cetane-raising, anti-wear, anti-smoke, detergent, antioxidant, dispersant, depressant and others. In developing depressant additives to diesel fuel a lot of work has been done. Many compositions of popular solvents and additives were studied, as a result of which we came to the final choice of the necessary components for the development of this additive. Numerous organic solvents were used as the solvent, but for this type of additive, it did not show satisfactory results, which led to a study of the characteristics of the desired solvents with suitable properties. The main component was polystyrene. As we all know, polystyrene has a low density (1060 kg/m³), has excellent dielectric properties and good frost resistance (down to -40 °C), it suited as an excellent solvent for obtaining a depressant additive. It also has a low chemical resistance (in addition to dilute acids, alcohols and alkalis). It dissolves in acetone, toluene, dichloroethane, more slowly in gasoline. As a result of the tests, excellent results were obtained, but with varying concentrations, the results varied. Therefore, the task was to determine the optimum concentrations of the components in the depressant additive. After carrying out numerous tests with varying concentrations of components, data were obtained that allowed to determine those values at which we obtained the most rational values. To improve the low-temperature properties of hydrotreated diesel fuel, we first proposed the use of additives based on polymer ethyl derivatives of benzene. It was found that the depressant additive is a 10% polymer solution in a chlorinated alkane. The introduction of an additive based on PC-10 in an amount of 100-1500 ppm in hydrotreated diesel fuel reduces the pour point of the hydrotreated diesel fuel (Table 1). When comparing the pour point of diesel fuel with the Dodiflow commercial additive, it is established that the action of the additive based on PC-10 is more effective than in the case of commercial additive, which is a polymer of ethyl derivatives of benzene. The pour point of the diesel fuel with the additive PC-10 is -35 °С, whereas when using the commercial additive -34 °С. The additive developed on the basis of the polymer of ethyl benzene derivatives is not inferior in effectiveness to the currently used commercial additive Dodiflow. One important industrial problem is the wax precipitation of oil fractions. Factors such as oil composition, temperature, and pressure are effective in causing wax precipitation. One way to prevent wax precipitation is using of chemical inhibitors to reduce pour point. Studying the effects of additives on specific oil samples could help solve wax precipitation problems at various oil processing stages. Despite previous studies that have been done at this aim, finding materials that could decrease the pour point and be economically acceptable, environmentally well optimized, and reasonable is still an unsolved problem. So, it is important to make use of effective materials that could be influential in preventing of wax precipitation or reduction of the amount of precipitation and thus decrease the pour point temperature. In this study, the effects of industrial polymer additives and surfactants that are economically acceptable on decrement of pour point temperature were studied by using three oil product samples, namely light diesel, heavy diesel, and fuel oil (Purification Company of Esfahan). Furthermore, optimized type and concentration of the additives were studied. Results showed that copolymer ethylene-vinyl acetate 28% at a concentration of 500 ppm reduced pour point temperature by 12°C for diesel and that copolymer ethylene-vinyl acetate 19% at a concentration of 300 ppm reduced pour point temperature by 9°C for fuel oil.