The incidence of wound infection in three different departments: general surgery (GS), interdisciplinary intensive care (IIC) and pediatric intensive care (PIC) in King Khalid Hospital in Hail was studied during the hot months June-October. A total of 2,331 wounds were examined. One hundred and ninety-three of them were infected (8%). The overall monthly infection rates in these departments were significantly different. They were 18, 9 and 4% in the IIC, GS, and PIC respectively. The monthly infection rates varied, the highest rates occurred in July. Two hundred and eighty three strains were isolated from the infected wounds. Seventy ones were isolated during June, and 69, 60, 42 and 41 strains were isolated during July, October, August and September, respectively- Thirty five per cent of these strains were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, 31% as Escherichia coli, 25% as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 10% as Klebsiella. S. aureus was the predominant organism during July; while E. coli predominated during August and October. S. aureus and P. aeruginosa strains were isolated in equal numbers during June. The sensitivity of these bacteria to ampicillin, cephalotin, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and gentamicin was tested by the standard disk diffusion technique. The most effective antibiotic against S. aureus was chloramphenicol (78%) followed by gentamicin (63%) and tetracycline (57%); against E. coli cefotaxime (82%) followed by cefoxitin (77%), cephalitin (62%) and chloramphenicol (53%); against Klebsiella cefotaxime (95%) followed by chloramphenicol (90%), tetracycline (70%), cephalotin and gentamicin (each 66%); and cefoxitin (60%); against P. aeruginosa cefotaxime (56%), gentamicin (33%) and chloramphenicol (29%).


Switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives conventionally use current control techniques at low speed and voltage control techniques at high speed. However, these conventional methods usually fail to restrain the torque ripple, which is normally associated with this type of machine. Compared with conventional three-phase SRMs, higher phase SRMs have the advantage of lower torque ripple: To further reduce their torque ripple, this paper presents a control method for torque ripple reduction in six-phase SRM drives. A constant instantaneous torque is obtained by regulating the rotational speed of the stator flux linkage. This torque control method is subsequently developed for a conventional converter and a proposed novel converter with fewer switching devices. Moreover, modeling and simulation of this six-phase SRM drive system has been conducted in detail and validated experimentally using a 4.0-kW six-phase SRM drive system. Test results demonstrate that the proposed torque control method has outstanding performance of restraining the torque ripple with both converters for the six-phase SRM, showing superior performance to the conventional control techniques.


EGFR-mediated tumors have been targeted to overcome several different malignant cancers. EGFR overexpression and mutations are directly related to the malignancy, which makes the therapy more complicated. One reason for the malignancy is the induction of AP1 followed by inflammation via IL-6 secretion. Current therapeutic strategies to overcome EGFR-mediated tumors are tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies, and the combination of these two agents with classic chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Although the strategies are straightforward and have shown promising efficacy in several studies, there are still hurdles to overcoming the adverse effects and limited efficacy. This study reviews the current therapeutic strategies to target EGFR family members, how they work, and their effects and limitations. We also suggest developing novel strategies to target EGFR-mediated tumors in a novel approach. A lysosome is the main custodial staff to discard unwanted amounts of EGFR and other receptor tyrosine kinase molecules. Targeting this organelle may be a new approach to overcoming EGFR-mediated cancers.


Media Scores provide a theoretical and technical means to orchestrate multiple modalities in the creation of expressive works of art and performance. New technologies afford numerous opportunities to tell stories and create expressive artworks through a variety of media. However, the tools of planning, composition, design, and creation of these works remain disjoint with respect to the artwork's constituent disciplines and from the final experience. Media Scores extend the metaphor of a musical score to other modalities in order to facilitate the process of authoring and performing multimedia compositions, providing a medium through which to realize a modern-day Gesamtkunstwerk. Research into the representation and encoding of expressive intent provides the conceptual underpinnings for the development of novel interfaces for composing and performing with Media Scores. Using such a tool, the composer is able to shape an artistic work that may be performed through human and technological means in a variety of media and utilizing various modalities of expression. Media Scores offer the possibility of authoring content that incorporates live performance data and the potential for audience participation and interaction. This paradigm bridges the extremes of the continuum from composition to performance, allowing for improvisatory compositional acts at performance-time. The Media Score also provides a common point of reference in collaborative productions, as well as the infrastructure for the real-time show control of any technologies used during a live performance. Thesis Supervisor: TOD MACHOVER Muriel R. Cooper Professor of Music and Media Program in Media Arts and Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology MEDIA SCORES A Framework for Composing the Modern-Day Gesamtkunstwerk PETER ALEXANDER TORPEY The following person served as a reader for this thesis:


The cause of venous ulceration remains unclear but recent evidence suggests that white cell trapping may play a significant role. In this study venous blood taken from the dependent leg of 15 normal subjects was compared to samples taken from a similar number of patients with deep venous insufficiency. About 25 p. cent fewer white cells and platelets left the dependent foot of the patients with venous hypertension. When the foot was elevated there was a significant washout of white cells but not platelets suggesting platelet consumption within the microcirculation of the dependent foot. In 8 of the patients these changes were reversed by external compression.


The subject of the study in this paper is the basic terms of the field of mechanics as a broad field, understanding with this concept not only nouns with nominal base, like pair and kinematic pair, but also other units that can be called terms if they are seen from a certain perspective when connected to the system by terms of nouns or when expressing the specifics of the field as kinematics (adj.) - kinematic (adv.) - shifting (v.), in Albanian kinematik-e (mb.) – kinematikisht (ndajf.) – zhvendoset (fol.). As it is well known in the compilation of terminology dictionaries, both criteria apply, although it can be said that there is no definite stance on this problem. By appearing as single word units, on their own, as well as in wider compounded units (word group), these units serve as compound elements of around 70-80% of the whole Mechanics vocabulary, as they are in Albanian and respectively in English: mekanizëm XE "mekanizëm – mechanism, makin XE "makinëë – machine, hallkë XE "hallkë – link, zinxhir – chain, zhvendosje XE "zhvendosje – displacement, lëvizje XE "lëvizje" – motion XE "motion" , rrotullim XE "rrotullim – rotation, rrotulloj – rotate, rrotullues-e – rotary, kinematik-e – kinematic, kinematikisht – kinametically etc. All of this base vocabulary appears mainly in the basic subfields of Mechanics, in the Theory of Mechanics and in the Applied Mechanics in Machines, in the special subfields, as well as in the subfield of Mechanical Technology of automobiles, of heat technology etc., but it connects also with the base fields of knowledge which stands at the foundation of Mechanics, as with mathematics, geometry, physics, chemistry etc.


This thesis concerns biogas-operated fuel cells. Fuel cell technology may contribute to more efficient energy use, reduce emissions and also perhaps revolutionize current energy systems. The technology is, however, still immature and has not yet been implemented as dominant in any application or niche market. Research and development is currently being carried out to investigate whether fuel cells can live up to their full potential and to further advance the technology. The research of thesis contributes by exploring the potential of using fuel cells as energy converters of biogas to electricity. The work includes results from four different experimental test facilities and concerns experiments performed at cell, stack and fuel cell system levels. The studies on cell and stack level have focused on the influence of CO, CO2 and air bleed on the current distribution during transient operation. The dynamic response has been evaluated on a single cell, a segmented cell and at stack level. Two fuel cell systems, a 4 kW PEFC system and a 5 kW SOFC system have been operated on upgraded biogas. A significant outcome is that the possibility of operating both PEFCs and SOFCs on biogas has been established. No interruptions or rapid performance loss could be associated with the upgraded biogas during operation. From the studies at cell and stack level, it is clear that CO causes significant changes in the current distribution in a PEFC; air bleed may recover the uneven current distribution and also the drop in cell voltage due to CO and CO2 poisoning. The recovery of cell performance during air bleed occurs evenly over the electrode surface even when the O2 partial pressure is far too low to fully recover the CO poisoning. The O2 supplied to the anode reacts on the anode catalyst and no O2 was measured at the cell outlet for air bleed levels up to 5 %. Reformed biogas and other gases with high CO2 content are thus, from dilution and CO-poisoning perspectives, suitable for PEFC systems. The present work has enhanced our understanding of biogas-operated fuel cells and will serve as basis for future studies.


Teleradiology provides an intriguing snapshot of the development of radiology. Its use reflects the changing world of clinical practice, technology, and service delivery. It challenges conventional models of care and is leading to a globalization of radiology. Is this a change for better or for worse? Teleradiology was first developed for military purposes, enabling x-ray images acquired at field units to be sent to specialist centers. Informed decisions on patient management and evacuation could be made remotely. In the U.K., teleradiology was deployed in the late 1980s to support the transfer of neuroimaging results for immediate expert opinion. Head trauma patients, in particular, could then benefit from efficient and rapid decision making. Image transmission has generally occurred through a hub and spoke arrangement that linked neurosurgical centers (the central hub) with multiple district hospitals. The technology was also used to link remote offshore communities with mainland hospitals. This enabled radiological opinion to be given more rapidly and maximized use of personnel. Early systems were hampered by slow transmission speeds and loss of image quality, but today massive data loads may be managed efficiently and securely. Networking between institutions with different IT systems can cause problems, but progress is being made toward vendor-independent integration. The above suggests that teleradiology is a true friend—a friend of patients, that is. So is there a downside? The private healthcare sector in the U.K. has recognized the commercial benefits of transmitting images for remote reporting, nationally and internationally. The traditional pattern of radiologic service delivery has consequently been challenged. Some would say that teleradiology has literally forced efficiencies within the state sector at the risk of losing imaging contracts. Radiologists have sought to affirm the importance of direct clinician contact in an effort to maintain local service delivery. Governance issues have led to double reporting and language checking, in some instances. The issue of extending double reporting beyond mammography in the public sector has also been raised. The impact of teleradiology has gone way beyond the application of a technology to facilitate rapid image transfer. The widespread use of teleradiology may cause radiology to be viewed as a commodity rather than a mature clinical specialty. If radiology can be shipped to reporting houses, where value is placed on cost containment and reporting speed, it is little different from services purchased over the Internet. If teleradiology is breaking up effective clinical links, surely it is a foe? I believe that clinical radiologists should see teleradiology as complementary to their core activities. Hospital-based radiologists offering good quality and timely clinical management advice are at the center of care. Teleradiology can be used to seek expert opinion, support clinical networks, and cover short-term service delivery issues. The real power of teleradiology is the transfer of diagnostic images for expert opinion. We currently seek expert advice by posting queries on Internet discussion boards or by sending images to colleagues on CD-ROM or in compressed format via e-mail. The next step in the evolution of teleradiology must be to embrace the need for widespread, cross-vendor transfer of studies with efficient display on diagnostic workstations. Then we really will have entered the era of telereferral. We must embrace teleradiology and use the concept of telereferral to strengthen our working relationships with clinical colleagues.


Natural medicine products usually consist of two to five kinds of plants that have synergistic biological activity. The responsible constituents for the therapeutic activity in plants often involve diverse chemical components. The combination of ethanol extracts of Annona squamosa L. (EEAS) and Persea americana M. (EEPA) has been shown to have antihyperlipidemic activity. To ensure the correctness and consistency of the EEAS and EEPAs combination as the antihyperlipidemic treatments, it is necessary to characterize the plant's secondary metabolites. This study aimed to obtain the profiles of the secondary metabolites of Annona squamosa L. and Persea americana M. using the TLC-densitometry technique. Extract samples were applied to TLC plates and screened using densitometry at 254 nm. The obtained chromatogram peak was measured at the wavelength range of 200–700 nm to obtain the maximum wavelength of each peak. The results showed that EEAS had 5 peaks with rf values of 0.00, 0.61, 0.67, 0.73, and 0.87. The TLC-densitometry analysis results of EEPA showed eight peaks with rf values of 0.00, 0.11, 0.19, 0.49, 0.56, 0.71, 0.77, and 0.90. The extract chromatograms spectra showed that 2–3 peaks at the wavelength range of 300-350 nm. Chromatogram TLC-densitometry profile data on EEAS and EEPA can be used as the indicators in the raw material combinations standardization process of EEAS and EEPA as natural medicine products to treat antihyperlipidemic.


Objective— To assess the phospholipase activity of endothelial (EL) and hepatic lipase (HL) in postheparin plasma of subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS)/obesity and their relationship with atherogenic and antiatherogenic lipoproteins. Additionally, to evaluate lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and HL activity as triglyceride (TG)-hydrolyses to complete the analyses of SN1 lipolytic enzymes in the same patient. Approach and Results— Plasma EL, HL, and LPL activities were evaluated in 59 patients with MS and 36 controls. A trend toward higher EL activity was observed in MS. EL activity was increased in obese compared with normal weight group (P=0.009) and was negatively associated with high-density lipoprotein–cholesterol (P=0.014 and P=0.005) and apolipoprotein A-I (P=0.045 and P=0.001) in control and MS group, respectively. HL activity, as TG-hydrolase, was increased in MS (P=0.025) as well as in obese group (P=0.017); directly correlated with low-density lipoprotein–cholesterol (P=0.005) and apolipoprotein B (P=0.003) and negatively with high-density lipoprotein–cholesterol (P=0.021) in control group. LPL was decreased in MS (P<0.001) as well as in overweight and obese compared with normal weight group (P=0.015 and P=0.004, respectively); inversely correlated %TG-very low-density lipoproteins (P=0.04) and TG/apolipoprotein B index (P=0.013) in control group. These associations were not found in MS. Conclusions— We describe for the first time EL and HL activity as phospholipases in MS/obesity, being both responsible for high-density lipoprotein catabolism. Our results elucidate part of the remaining controversies about SN1 lipases activity in MS and different grades of obesity. The impact of insulin resistance on the activity of the 3 enzymes determines the lipoprotein alterations observed in these states.


A morphometric analysis on Anoplosolenia brasiliensis(calcareous nannoplankton) was conducted employing samples obtained from 0 to 120 m water depths in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean along the equator ranging from 166.3°E to 170.1°W. Measured cell length of A. brasiliensis showed the minimum of 39 μm to the maximum of 165 μm. The cell width ranged from the minimum of 1 μm to the maximum of 10 μm. Measured cell volumes ranged from the minimum of 28.3 μm3 to the maximum of 2,741 μm3. In addition, length/width ratios ranged from the minimum of 6.8 to the maximum of 37.5. The cell size of this taxon is very large compared to that of other calcareous nannoplankton taxa such as Emiliania huxleyi. Related factors for such a large cell size appears to be: (1)population density of the own taxon; (2)ambient temperature; (3)ambient dissolved oxygen concentration; and (4)other phytoplankton population density such as that of E. huxleyi. The life adaptation of A. brasiliensis is interpreted as fundamentally pursuing a K-strategy, but this taxon is also pursuing an r-strategy when appropriate situation arises. The population density of this taxon may be related to ambient nutrient concentrations, intricate balance among several species of nutrients, and competitions with other coccolithophore taxa such as E. huxleyi.


In this study, a novel controller is proposed to improve vehicle handling safety. The vehicle utilizes from steer by wire technology to actively control both front wheels steering angle independently. This technology can improve vehicle maneuverability and driver comfort. The controller consists of Fuzzy PID controller plus Fuzzy compensator. Dynamic of a nonlinear 8DOF model of a vehicle is derived for Simulation purpose. Desired yaw rate is designed based on steady-state steering on the circular path. The controller feedback from yaw rate error and its time derivative, lateral acceleration, side slip angle and roll angle to improve vehicle handling safety and roll stability. Simulation results show the controller high performance in tracking desired yaw rate and simultaneously preservation of stability. Furthermore, results show amazing robustness of the controller due to model uncertainties such as vehicle longitudinal velocity, mass, location of center of mass, moment of inertia, coefficient of friction and disturbance of braking moment.


This paper presents results for the machining of materials typically applied in ultra precision machining in comparison to a nitrocarburized tool steel. Analyzing and evaluating the machining results regarding surface integrity lead to recommendations for the ultra precision machining of this new mold material. The influence of feed, depth of cut and cutting speed on surface quality, resulting cutting forces and tool wear have been investigated. The results show that the decisive factor for the ultra precision machining of nitrocarburized tool steel are the significantly higher cutting forces. In some cases the high cutting forces lead to vibrations during the turning process deteriorating the surface integrity. Therefore, tool nose radius and depth of cut have to be reduced to minimize the cutting forces and avoid the vibrations.


This paper explains why it is possible to perform accurate quantitative SPECT when scatter correction is based on stationary and non-stationary scatter functions. This is achieved by comparing the variations of scatter parameters as a function of phantom thickness. The results show that the decrease of scatter fraction with phantom thickness and the decrease of values of scatter kernel inside the field of view are about equal. The deviation of the position-dependent slope from the average value is small for central distributions. These observations explain why estimations of scatter projection by non-stationary convolution and by stationary convolution are comparable when SPECT measurements are conducted with uniform cylindrical phantoms. It is concluded that investigations on the perceived superiority of non-stationary over stationary scatter subtraction in SPECT should be conducted with elliptic phantoms that deviate appreciably from cylindrical shape.


Al-substituted α-Ni(OH)2 was synthesized by a chemical co-precipitation. The as-prepared α-Ni(OH)2 particles were characterized by the means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The obtained α-Ni(OH)2 particles were well crystallized, spherical shape with the particle sizes of 20-35 nm. The electrochemical performance of β-Ni(OH)2 electrode with addition of nanosized α-Ni(OH)2 was investigated by galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. The nanosized α-Ni(OH)2 as additive in the commercial microsized spherical β-Ni(OH)2 electrode improved the discharge capability. As compared to commercial β-Ni(OH)2 electrode, the electrode with nanosized α-Ni(OH)2 exhibited excellent better charge-discharge cycling stability. It may be a promising positive active material for alkaline secondary batteries.


Mineral depositions are basic sources for obtaining metal production. Increasing metal demand based on increasing world population and decreasing grade value of mineral deposition make the evaluation to mineral processing more important, so that all metal production stages must be economical. Because of this important requirement, many researchers and practitioners have focused to the optimization of all processes. The optimization of metal production processes provide some advantages such as reducing the influence of experimental errors, statistical analysis, determining important parameters and trivial parameters, and measuring interactions between parameters. Although there are many design methods, choosing the most appropriate method is of great importance in terms of the results to be achieved. In this chapter, presumed experimental data about hydrometallurgical copper extraction accompanied by three parameters were applied to two different design models to compare the results.


Textiles are increasingly studied to use them as sensing and measuring devices of body parameters. For this purpose they need to be modified to provide on the one hand reliable and stable electroconductive properties and on the other they should be biocompatible. This can be achieved by depositing electroconductive materials such as metals on the textile surface. Gold is an ideal material to use as it offers the aforementioned criteria and can be applied as a thin coating on the surface of a fibre, yarn or fabric. We developed gold coated yarns that are highly electrically conductive, skin-friendly and stable. In this presentation, we describe the gold coating method and show first results of the characterisation of the coated yarns. A commercially available polyester yarn was coated with a thin layer of gold by using an electroless plating method. The plating solution was optimised towards the concentration of each component, the working temperature and pH. The quantitative analysis of the surface coverage of gold with EDAX and cyclic voltammetry showed in both cases a surface coverage of more than 95%. For the future, research will be continued to characterise the longterm behaviour of the yarns.


Background: While medication use to manage cardiovascular disease during pregnancy is widespread, data on its safety for the developing infant is scarce. We used population-based data from 5 HMOs to study risks for perinatal complications and congenital defects among infants exposed in-utero to beta -blockers and calcium-channel blockers. Methods: We studied women older than 15 years who delivered an infant between 1/1/96 to 12/31/00, and who had been continuously enrolled with prescription drug coverage for one year prior to delivery. We further limited our study to mother-infant pairs with 30 and 365 days follow-up for the evaluation of perinatal outcomes and congenital anomalies, respectively. Information on prescription drug dispensing, and inpatient and outpatient diagnoses and procedures was obtained from automated databases at each health plan. Results: There were a total of 87,407 mother-infant pairs with at least 30 days follow- up in the five health plans. Of these, a total of 405 full- term infants were exposed during pregnancy to beta-blockers and 721 full- term infants were exposed to calcium-channel blockers. Infants exposed to beta-blockers in the third trimester of pregnancy were at over three-fold increased risk for hypoglycemia (RR 3.1; 95% CI 2.2, 4.2), for feeding problems (RR 1.8; 95% CI 1.3, 2.5) and for prolonged hospitalization (RR 2.0; 95% CI 1.3, 3.1). Infants exposed to calcium-channel blockers in the third trimester had an increased risk for neonatal seizures (RR 3.6; 95% CI 1.3, 10.4), and for hematological disorders (RR 2.6; 95% 1.4, 5.1). A chart review confirmed the seizures and hypoglycemia cases but found no serious hematologic conditions common to the calcium-channel exposed infants. There were no increased risks for congenital anomalies among either group of infants. Conclusions: Infants whose mothers receive beta-blockers are at increased risk for neonatal hypoglycemia. Beta-blockers can cross the placenta, increasing insulin and decreasing glucagon in the newborn, leading to hypoglycemia. Infants whose mothers take calcium-channel blockers are at increased risk for neonatal seizures, although the mechanism leading to this increased risk is less clear. These data should be disseminated to the obstetric and neonatal community so that appropriate newborn management strategies may be developed.


The effect of different spinning parameters on cotton rotor-spun yarns has been studied. Three different groups of variables related to the three main sections of spinning process including the carding (main cylinder speed and licker-in roller speed), the draw-frame (total draft, number of slivers fed into the drafting zone, and distance between rollers of break-draft zone), and the rotor (opening roller speed, rotor speed, navel type, yarn count and yarn twist) have been considered in this investigation. Twenty-nine different samples have been produced and the hairiness tests are carried out using the Shirley method. The results reveal that all the considered variables could significantly affect the yarn hairiness. For reducing number of hairs, the optimum conditions must be applied to the variables, such as  750-800 rpm licker-in speed of carding machine; 51-53 mm distance between drawing rollers in draw-frame; 7500 rpm opening roller speed in rotor-spinning followed by 55000 rpm rotor speed; 17-20 Ne yarn fineness; and 800-900 TPM yarn twist. Moreover, decreasing the main cylinder speed as well as increasing the number of fed slivers to draw-frame, result in hairiness decrement.


In this paper, a multiple feature regularized kernel is proposed for hyperspectral imagery classification. To exploit the label information, a regularized kernel is used to refine the original kernel in the Support Vector Machine classifier. Furthermore, since spatial features have been widely investigated for hyperspectral imagery classification, different types of spatial features including spectral feature, local feature (i.e. local binary pattern), global feature (i.e. Gabor feature), and shape feature (i.e. extended multiattribute profiles) are included to provide distinguish discriminative information. Finally, a majority voting-based ensemble approach, which combines different types of features, is adopted to further increase the classification performance. Combining different discriminative feature information can improve the classification performance since one type of feature may result in poor performance, especially when the number of training samples is limited. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed approach has superior performance compared with the state-of-the-art classifiers.


The relationship between Long Covid (LC) symptoms and physical activity (PA) levels are unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we examined this association, and the advice that individuals with LC received on PA. Adults with LC were recruited via social media. The New Zealand physical activity questionnaire short form (NZPAQ-SF) was adapted to capture current and pre-COVID-19 PA levels and activities of daily living (ADLs). Participants reported how PA affected their symptoms, and what PA recommendations they had received from healthcare professionals and other resources; 477 participants completed the survey. Mean age (SD) was 45.69 (10.02) years, 89.1% female, 92.7% white, and median LC duration was 383.5 days (IQR: 168.25,427). Participants were less active than pre-COVID-19 (26.88 ± 74.85 vs. 361.68 ± 396.29 min per week, p < 0.001) and required more assistance with ADLs in a 7-day period compared to pre-COVID-19 (2.23 ± 2.83 vs. 0.11 ± 0.74 days requiring assistance, p < 0.001). No differences were found between the number of days of assistance required with ADLs, or the amount of PA, and the different durations of LC illness (p > 0.05). Participants reported the effect of PA on LC symptoms as: worsened (74.84%), improved (0.84%), mixed effect (20.96%), or no effect (28.72%). Participants received contradictory advice on whether to be physically active in LC. LC is associated with a reduction in PA and a loss of independence, with most participants reporting PA worsened LC symptoms. PA level reduction is independent of duration of LC. Research is needed to understand how to safely return to PA without worsening LC symptoms.


The article concerns the social theory of an unconditional basic income (a regular payment to each person regardless of their level of need or employment). The article points out that, during the last three years in Russia, the idea of a basic income has been actively discussed. This applies mainly to economists, whereas the author puts the question of a basic income in the context of Western social theory. In a situation of ever-accelerating changes that affect society (from technologicalization and automation to the reduction of social time), the world faces many global challenges. A basic income is one of them. The article highlights the reasons for the actualization of the topic of a universal basic income in contemporary social theory of the last ten years. These include automation, the transformation of the economy leading to changes in the types of employment, experiments on the implementation of a basic income in some countries, and most importantly, the discussion of "bullshitization", which has happened to many jobs in the framework of contemporary financial capitalism (David Graeber). It reveals the understanding of a basic income by its key proponents and theorists (Srnicek, Williams, Van Parijs, Vanderborght, Ford, Graeber, Standing, and others), as well as the fact that freedom is often called as the main goal of a basic income implementation. The paper demonstrates that, in fact, we are mostly talking about the imperative of freedom, which is not always properly clarified. However, it does not matter how freedom is understood in the works of basic income theorists since it is unlikely to be realized in modern socio-economic conditions, and because current capitalism has mutated so much that it now uses the very fabric of human experience rather than labor as its raw material. In this context, talks about automation is more of a thought experiment, and therefore the discussion should be shifted to another perspective. Despite the fact that, according to the author's case, a basic income is not entirely impossible in practice (and even perhaps not being desirable), it provides fruitful material for the development of contemporary social theory.


Estimating sediment transport rate in rivers has high importance due to the difficulties and costs associated with its measurement, which has drawn the attention of experts in water engineering. In this study, Gaussian process regression (GPR) is applied to predict the sediment transport rate for 19 gravel-bed rivers in the United States. To compare the performance of GPR, the support vector machine (SVM) as a common type of kernel-based models was developed. Model inputs of sediment transport were prepared based on two scenarios: the first scenario considers only hydraulic characteristics and the second scenario was formed using hydraulic and sediment properties. Obtained results revealed that the GPR models present better performance compared to the SVM models and other empirical sediment transport formulas. Also, it was found that incorporating the second scenario as input led to better predictions. In addition, performing sensitivity analysis showed that the ratio of average velocity to shear flow velocity is the most effective parameter in predicting the sediment transport rate of gravel-bed rivers.


INTRODUCTION
Several studies describe barriers and facilitators for implementing shared decision-making in mental care. However, a deeper understanding of the meaning of shared decision-making in this context is lacking. Shared decision-making is aimed at facilitating patients' active participation in their care by placing them at the centre of care. Too much focus on the patients' autonomy may hinder them getting the help they need. A comprehensive understanding of shared decision-making is needed for its implementation.

AIM/QUESTION
To interpret the meaning of shared decision-making in mental care as perceived by patients and mental healthcare professionals. The research question was: What is the meaning of shared decision-making in mental care?

METHOD
A hermeneutic inductive design with a thematic interpretative analysis of data was performed from in-depth interviews with 16 patients and multistage focus group interviews with eight mental healthcare professionals.

RESULTS
The overall theme being in a space of sharing decision-making for dignified mental care was described by the three themes engaging in a mental room of values and knowledge, relating in a process of awareness and comprehension and responding anchored in acknowledgement.

DISCUSSION
Balancing the patients' need for assistance with autonomy, whilst safeguarding their dignity, is a challenging process requiring mental healthcare professionals to possess professional competence.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
Organized professional development of the carers' professional competence is important to facilitate shared decision-making. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


I examine statistical considerations in the analysis of functional outcome following stroke and discuss the mathematical relation between improvement in function and discharge functional score. I demonstrate mathematically that the predictor variables of improvement and discharge functional score are the same and that the regression coefficients for improvement and discharge functional score will be equal, except for the admission functional score, for which a mathematically denned relation exists. I argue that the relation between admission functional score and discharge functional score must be positive and strong and that the relation between admission functional score and improvement must be negative for the stroke population. I believe that an ignorance of statistical concepts, especially confounding, and of the differences between raw correlations, partial correlations, and predictors have led to much confusion in functional outcome research. (Stroke 1991^2:105-108)


The treatment of hip fractures in the elderly represents a major public health priority and a source of ongoing debate among orthopaedic surgeons and anesthesiologists. Most of these injuries are treated with surgery in an expedient fashion. From the surgical perspective, there are certain special considerations in this population including osteoporosis, pre-existing arthritis, age, activity level, and overall health that contribute to the type of surgical fixation performed. Open reduction and internal fixation versus arthroplasty remain the two major categories of treatment. While the indications and treatment algorithms still remain controversial, the overall goal for these patients is early mobilization and prevention of morbidity and mortality. The use of preoperative, regional anesthesia has aided in this effort. The purpose of this review article is to examine the various treatment modalities for hip fractures in the elderly and discuss the most recent evidence in the face of a rapidly aging population.


Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between two semi-quantitative Doppler US scoring systems (SQS), and the quantitative scoring (QS) of Doppler pixel count. Methods. Adult patients with RA and inadequate clinical response to anti-rheumatic therapy were examined with musculoskeletal US (MSUS). Dorsal MSUS of the wrists, MCP and MTP 2–5 were performed. MSUS images with sign of synovitis were collected and the QS was measured. Five assessors blinded to the QS evaluated the images independently, according to either SQS method. Association between QS and SQS was studied using correlations and multilevel models taking into account the clustering of ratings at the rater, patient and joint levels. Results. Analysis of the 1190 ratings revealed a strong correlation (&rgr; = 0.89, P < 0.0001) and significant associations (P < 0.0001) between QS and SQS. Correlations between QS and SQS according to Szkudlarek et al. (&rgr; = 0.87, P < 0.0001) or Hammer et al. (&rgr; = 0.91, P < 0.0001) were similar. A total of 239 (20.1%) images were given a SQS grade that did not match that expected based on initial QS, using pre-defined cut-offs. Main explanations for discrepancies were different perceived region of interest (40.7%) and Doppler pixel count near cut-offs between SQS grades (32.3%). Conclusion. We showed that both SQS methods correlated well with QS to assess synovitis, but SQS methods are intrinsically limited when the Doppler pixel count is close to the cut-offs between the SQS grades. Analysis discrepancies between these methods may help further revision of criteria used to assess disease activity with MSUS in RA.


Walter Charles Mycroft (1890-1959) was the film critic of the Evening Standard from 1922-1927, and also a founding member of London's Film Society. In 1928, he was appointed Head of the Scenario Department-and then Director of Production-at British International Pictures (later Associated British Pictures). In 1941 Mycroft was sacked following the death of the company's Managing Director and the requisition of Elstree studios by the British Government for war purposes. After that his career went into steady decline, although after the Second World War he worked for nearly a decade as Scenario Adviser to Robert Clark, who ran the rebuilt Elstree studios. This long-lost memoir, which Mycroft wrote mainly in the 1940s, offers a detailed account of the vagaries and complex economic vicissitudes of British film production in the 1930s. Mycroft also recalls how he selected film stories for directors Harry Lachman, E. A. Dupont and Alfred Hitchcock, and he reveals, for the first time, the true story behind Hitchcock's departure from British International Pictures. Mycroft also provides incisive portraits of British film industry captains: the charismatic Alexander Korda, C. M. Woolf, the rising J. Arthur Rank, and above all John Maxwell, the shrewd iconoclastic Scots lawyer who built Associated British into the largest and most financially successful film corporation in pre-war Britain. The memoirs conclude with the death of Maxwell and Mycroft's fall from grace at Elstree. The volume is supplemented by four appendixes consisting of Mycroft's earlier writings on the aesthetics and business of film production, along with a filmography of over 200 films on which he worked. This memoir provides both scholars and the general reader with new and fascinating insights into the worlds of British journalism during the first two decades of the twentieth century and of British film production during the 1930s.


To the Editor. —Dr Crosby's review of The Spleen by Macpherson et al (135:625, 1975) quoted from the book, "There have been rare reports of polycythaemia as a late result of splenectomy." Then, the reviewer said, "0, to get one's hands on those reports!" I should like to offer some tangentially relevant citations dealing with erythrocytosis, and, in a few cases, perhaps polycythemia, that developed after removal of the spleen. The older references, 1-5 although mentioning polycythemia, definitely do not fulfill present criteria for this disorder, since they rely on high red blood cell (RBC) counts or hemoglobin levels, 1-3 or merely state that "polycythemia" occurred, 4,5 antedating RBC mass determinations. No attempt was made to differentiate erythrocytosis from polycythemia. However, one report 2 exists of three cases with symptomatic pancytosis diagnosed two, three, and 11 years after splenectomy. Other than for perhaps that one, Dr. Crosby is correct in


Iron is vital for all processes of life. It is the fourth most abundant element of the Earth's crust and a crucial component of countless biochemical pathways. It can readily accept or donate electrons during the interconversion of Fe3+ and Fe2+, and this property is fundamental to many of its biological roles. Iron is integral to the catalysis of the redox reactions of oxidative phosphorylation in the respiratory chain, and it provides a specific binding site for oxygen in the heme-binding moiety of hemoglobin, which allows oxygen transport in the blood.

In contrast to these beneficial features, unless appropriately chelated, iron can catalyze the formation of highly reactive toxic compounds, such as hydroxyl radicals, via the Fenton and Haber-Weiss disproportionating reactions and can thereby lead to the damage of DNA and proteins and, hence, cellular destruction. Iron in the body must therefore be very carefully regulated. Furthermore, most environmental iron is in the Fe3+ state, which is almost insoluble at neutral pH. To overcome the virtual insolubility and potential toxicity of iron, a myriad of specialized transport systems and associated proteins have evolved to mediate regulated acquisition, transport, and storage of iron in a nontoxic way. We are gradually beginning to understand how these proteins individually and in concert serve to maintain cellular homeostasis of this crucial yet potentially very harmful metal ion. Recent studies of these proteins and their functions are shedding new light on the mechanisms underlying a wide range of human diseases associated with iron deficiency, iron overload, and other imbalances of iron metabolism.

The cloning of the transferrin receptor in 19841was a major breakthrough. However, it proved frustratingly difficult to make subsequent progress in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of iron transport. An understanding of iron deficiency, iron overload, …


Parasitic inductance in power modules generates voltage spikes and current ringing during switching which cause extra stress in power electronic devices, increase electromagnetic interference (EMI), and degrade the performance of the power converter system. As newer power devices have faster switching speeds and higher power ratings, the effect of the parasitic inductance of the power module is more pronounced. This dissertation proposes a novel packaging method for power electronics modules based on the concepts of novel switching cells: P-cell and N-cell. It can reduce the stray inductance in the current commutation path in a phase-leg module and hence improve the switching behavior.
Taking an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) as an example, two phase-leg modules, specifically a conventional module and a P-cell and N-cell based module were designed. Using Ansoft Q3D Extractor, electromagnetic simulation was carried out to extract the stray inductance from the two modules. An ABB 1200 V / 75 A IGBT model and a diode model were built for simulation study. Circuit parasitics were extracted and modeled. Switching behavior with different package parasitics was studied based on the Saber simulation.
Two prototype phase-leg modules were fabricated. The parasitics were measured using a precision impedance analyzer. The measurement results agree with the simulation very well. A double pulse tester was built in laboratory. Several approaches were used to reduce the circuit and measuring parasitics. From the switching characteristics of the two modules, it was verified that the larger stray inductance in the layout causes higher voltage overshoot during turn off, which in turn increases the turn off losses.
Multichip (two in parallel) IGBT modules applying novel switching cells was also designed. The parasitics were extracted and compared to a conventional design. The overall loop inductance was reduced in the proposed module. However, the mismatch of the paralleled branches was larger.


The Trials of Academe: The New Age of Campus Litigation (Harvard University Press 2009) explores First Amendment rights on campus in the context of academic freedom. Traditionally, just as courts have given a broad berth to journalists under the First Amendment, courts and other legal actors have deferred heavily to college and university defendants in academic disputes. This deference, embodied in both common law and constitutional doctrines, is meant to ensure that judgments about academic inquiry and merit are placed outside the courts in the hands of the scholars most competent and motivated to decide them wisely. The book shows how two related trends challenge the tradition of judicial deference: (1) faculty, administrators, and students are increasingly likely to take their academic grievances to court, and (2) courts are increasingly willing to overcome their traditional disinclination to become entangled in academic controversies and to decide them on the merits. It explores the causes of this growing assertiveness by the courts over campus affairs, ranging from the rise of statutory and constitutional protection for civil rights to the rising "commercialization" of academia. Of particular importance, it demonstrates the ways in which the growing resort to courts and other legal intervention is threatening basic academic freedoms, in research, teaching, scholarly publications, and even in the university's definition of its academic mission. Finally, the book offers possible responses that might channel dispute resolution away from the courts and restore a larger measure of legal respect for academic autonomy. The book seeks to advance understanding of the balance between campus values and competing social interests, articulating ways in which courts can constructively safeguard those interests without threatening the basic conditions necessary for vital academic freedom.


In Western Europe, USA and other developed countries agriculture is dominated by small family farms. In Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and Former Soviet Union (FSU) dual structure of farms exists. There are large corporate farms (CF) and small family farms (FF) in CEEC and FSU. Our paper shows that both CF and FF specialize in commodities in which they have comparative advantage. CF specialize in capital intensive products and in products with low labor monitoring. FF specialize in products with higher labor monitoring requirements. The implication of this paper is that farm structure determines in which products the country will be competitive on international markets. This is especially important for transition countries where high transaction costs hinder the change of farm organization. For this reason in transition countries suffering from high transaction cost the choice of product structure is more important than the choice of farm organization.


We consider a possible equilibrium configuration under dead load of a vertical cylindrical specimen which is composed of a mixture of two elastic materials. An energetic approach in the mixture evolution is performed and this particular approach can be utilized to describe the bi-phase characterization of the mixture material. Our final aim is to build a theoretical simple model to determine the decrease load bearing capacity of mixture.


Melatonin, the main hormone secreted by the pineal gland, plays many roles in reproduction. In ram spermatozoa, melatonin administration increases plasminogen activator activity (Tsantarliotou MP et al. 2007 Theriogenology 69, 458-465), known to be involved in sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction (Taitzoglou IA et al. 1996 Mol. Androl. 8, 187-197). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of melatonin to induce buffalo in vitro sperm capacitation, indirectly assessed by estimating the capability of spermatozoa to acrosome-react. Frozen-thawed semen from 4 different bulls was pooled and treated by swim-up in order to select only the motile population. Spermatozoa (n = 829) were assessed immediately after swim- up separation, to evaluate the incidence of acrosomal loss in non-treated cells (time 0). The remaining spermatozoa were incubated in the absence of capacitating agents (negative control; n = 513), in the presence of 0.01 mM heparin (positive control; n = 775), 10 μM melatonin (n = 684), 100 μM melatonin (n = 751), and 1 mM melatonin (n = 650), for 2 h. Sperm were then exposed for 15 min to 60 μg mL-1 of lysophosphatidylcholine, an agent known to induce acrosome reaction (AR) only on capacitated spermatozoa. Trypan blue was used first to differentiate live from dead spermatozoa and the dried smears were then fixed in 37% formaldehyde and stained with Giemsa for acrosome evaluation by microscopic examination. The percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa in each group was used to assess the efficiency of capacitation under different incubation conditions. The experiment was repeated 4 times. Differences among groups were analyzed by chi-square test. Acrosomal loss was observed only in 2.1% of the sperm population at time 0. Interestingly, sperm treatment with both heparin and the different concentrations of melatonin resulted in a significantly higher incidence of AR compared to the negative control (24.4, 20.5, 20.0, 23.6 v. 8.0% for the positive control, 10 μM melatonin, 100 μM melatonin, 1 mM melatonin, and the negative control, respectively; P < 0.01). These results demonstrated that melatonin determines capacitation of buffalo spermatozoa in vitro. Furthermore, the effect of melatonin was comparable to that of heparin, that is, the capacitating agent currently used in the IVF system. The capacitating effect was observed at all the tested concentrations, and viability was not affected. This suggests to extend the range of concentrations to test in future studies, in order to identify the optimal dose. Moreover, considering the seasonality of the species and the great differences in fertility attitude of buffalo bulls, it would be interesting to investigate the capacitation effect of melatonin in relation to both the season and the bull.


Life-cycle management of stateful VNF services is a complicated task, especially when automated resiliency and scaling should be handled in a secure manner, without service degradation. We present FlowSNAC, a resilient and scalable VNF service for user authentication and service deployment. FlowSNAC consists of both stateful and stateless components, some of that are SDN-based and others that are NFVs. We describe how it adapts to changing conditions by automatically updating resource allocations through a series of intermediate steps of traffic steering, resource allocation, and secure state transfer. We conclude by highlighting some of the lessons learned during implementation, and their wider consequences for the architecture of SDN/NFV management and orchestration systems.


Objective Intra-articular injections of the C1–2 joint are an effective therapeutic option for pain generated from degenerative and inflammatory conditions affecting the joint. Limited information exists about the adverse events (AEs) associated with these injections. The primary aim of this study is to describe the frequency and type of AEs associated with C1–2 joint injections. The secondary aim is to identify clinical factors associated with the occurrence of AEs of C1–2 joint injections. Design/methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on all C1–2 joint injections performed at the Mayo Pain Medicine Clinic in Rochester, MN, from January 1, 2005 through July 31, 2015. AE data were extracted from procedural and post-procedural clinical notes. Analysis was conducted to determine correlations between any AE and demographic and clinical characteristics. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, associations were determined. Results From January 1, 2005 to July 31, 2015, 135 C1–2 injections were performed on 72 patients. Overall, at least 1 AE was reported in 18.5% of the injections. The most common AEs were post-procedural increase in pain and procedural vascular contrast uptake. There was a significant association between AE occurrence and greater pre-procedural maximum pain score. Conclusions AEs from C1–2 joint injections occurred commonly, but there were no persistent or serious AEs associated with these injections. The data also demonstrate that patients with higher pre-procedural maximum pain scores are more likely to experience an AE.


There is an emerging set of research operating systems that provide specialized support for continuous media and other soft real-time applications. A number of these systems provide QoS scheduling abstractions, some of which may dynamically change the QoS allocations to applications during application execution. The tools and environments that allow application developers to take advantage of these abstractions generally do not exist. This paper describes a dynamic QoS resource manager (DQM), which is a middleware application that abstracts these new operating system interfaces so that they can be easily used in contemporary application environments.


Financially the repercussions of the economic and financial crisis will strongly limit the increase of the budget. Of the budget of the EU surely the euro crisis will enhance the pressure even more. On top of that new policy priorities like energy, climate and infrastructure will demand substantial means. So the budget for the CAP will become under serious pressure. It is not to bold to expect a 10 to 20% cut will be the target for the next budget period after 2013.


Background Yersiniosis is one of the most common food-borne zoonoses in Europe, but there are large variations in the reported incidence between different countries. Aim We aimed to describe the trends and epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed Yersinia infections in England and estimate the average annual number of undiagnosed Yersinia enterocolitica cases, accounting for under-ascertainment. Methods We analysed national surveillance data on Yersinia cases reported by laboratories in England between 1975 and 2020 and enhanced surveillance questionnaires from patients diagnosed in a laboratory that has implemented routine Yersinia testing of diarrhoeic samples since 2016. Results The highest incidence of Yersinia infections in England (1.4 cases per 100,000 population) was recorded in 1988 and 1989, with Y. enterocolitica being the predominant species. The reported incidence of Yersinia infections declined during the 1990s and remained low until 2016. Following introduction of commercial PCR at a single laboratory in the South East, the annual incidence increased markedly (13.6 cases per 100,000 population in the catchment area between 2017 and 2020). There were notable changes in age and seasonal distribution of cases over time. The majority of infections were not linked to foreign travel and one in five patients was admitted to hospital. We estimate that around 7,500 Y. enterocolitica infections may be undiagnosed in England annually. Conclusions Findings suggest a considerable number of undiagnosed yersiniosis cases in England, with possibly important changes in the epidemiology. The apparently low incidence of yersiniosis in England is probably due to limited laboratory testing.


We present a biophysically constrained cerebellar model of classical conditioning, implemented using a neuromorphic analog VLSI (aVLSI) chip. Like its biological counterpart, our cerebellar model is able to control adaptive behavior by predicting the precise timing of events. Here we describe the functionality of the chip and present its learning performance, as evaluated in simulated conditioning experiments at the circuit level and in behavioral experiments using a mobile robot. We show that this aVLSI model supports the acquisition and extinction of adaptively timed conditioned responses under real-world conditions with ultra-low power consumption.


To determine whether the detergent-solubilized and purified vacuolar H(+)-ATPase from plants was active in H(+) transport, we reconstituted the purified vacuolar ATPase from oat roots (Avena sativa var Lang). Triton-solubilized ATPase activity was purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. Incorporation of the vacuolar ATPase into liposomes formed from Escherichia coli phospholipids was accomplished by removing Triton X-100 with SM-2 Bio-beads. ATP hydrolysis activity of the reconstituted ATPase was stimulated twofold by gramicidin, suggesting that the enzyme was incorporated into sealed proteoliposomes. Acidification of K(+)-loaded proteoliposomes, monitored by the quenching of acridine orange fluorescence, was stimulated by valinomycin. Because the presence of K(+) and valinomycin dissipates a transmembrane electrical potential, the results indicate that ATP-dependent H(+) pumping was electrogenic. Both H(+) pumping and ATP hydrolysis activity of reconstituted preparations were completely inhibited by <50 nanomolar bafilomycin A(1), a specific vacuolar type ATPase inhibitor. The reconstituted H(+) pump was also inhibited by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or NO(3) (-) but not by azide or vanadate. Chloride stimulated both ATP hydrolysis by the purified ATPase and H(+) pumping by the reconstituted ATPase in the presence of K(+) and valinomycin. Hence, our results support the idea that the vacuolar H(+)-pumping ATPase from oat, unlike some animal vacuolar ATPases, could be regulated directly by cytoplasmic Cl(-) concentration. The purified and reconstituted H(+)-ATPase was composed of 10 polypeptides of 70, 60, 44, 42, 36, 32, 29, 16, 13, and 12 kilodaltons. These results demonstrate conclusively that the purified vacuolar ATPase is a functional electrogenic H(+) pump and that a set of 10 polypeptides is sufficient for coupled ATP hydrolysis and H(+) translocation.


The paper discusses the tensor coherence properties of thermal radiation emitted into space by a blackbody source and presents numerical results for observation points restricted to a volume of space with linear dimensions small compared with the distance to the source, from which the source subtends a solid angle of circular cross section. For the first time, to my knowledge, surface and contour plots are given, showing the magnitude of the electric, magnetic, and mixed cross-spectral tensor components on selected planes as a function of the spatial separation between the observation points. Also, it is shown how these distributions change as the angular diameter of the source is varied. Small angular diameter sources are well described by the van Cittert–Zernike theorem of scalar coherence theory. For large angular diameter sources all nonzero components are of the same order of magnitude and are not properly described by the scalar theory. However, the trace of the electric tensor is in agreement with scalar theory.


Never before has there been a book focusing on the theme of tea as it relates to both the fine and decorative arts. With over 330 beautiful color images, this book explores the history of tea with special attention to the impact its popularity has had on the development of porcelain, furniture, silver, and the other decorative objects employed in serving tea. Here are teapots, cups and saucers, kettle stands, tea caddies, silverware, and more, inspired both by the expense of the tea itself and the various social significances surrounding its consumption. The valued place of tea in society at all levels has also created a subject for the fine arts. From maritime paintings, to portraiture and still lifes, artists have captured the romance of tea through the works shown in this book. Images from top dealers, galleries, and collectors, representing some of the highest quality tea ware created, illustrate the fascinating and well researched text to please readers around the world.


We investigate the influence of additional nonlinear terms in the Dirac Lagrangian on strongly bound electron states in heavy and superheavy atoms. Upper bounds for the coupling constants are deduced by comparison with precision spectroscopy data in QED. We demonstrate that nonlinear interactions may cause significant modifications of electron binding energies in superheavy quasiatomic systems which would not be visible in ordinary atomic-physics measurements.


We retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of 53 patients admitted for 73 episodes of myasthenic crisis at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center over a period of 12 years, from 1983 to 1994. Median age at the onset of first crisis was 55 (range, 20 to 82), the ratio of women to men was 21, and the median interval from onset of symptoms to first crisis was 8 months. Infection (usually pneumonia or upper respiratory infection) was the most common precipitating factor (38%), followed by no obvious cause (30%) and aspiration (10%). Twenty-five percent of patients were extubated at 7 days, 50% at 13 days, and 75% at 31 days; the longest crisis exceeded 5 months. Using survival analysis and backward stepwise Cox regression, we identified three independent predictors of prolonged intubation: (1) pre-intubation serum bicarbonate ≥30 mg/dl (p = 0.0004, relative hazard 4.5), (2) peak vital capacity day 1 to 6 post-intubation <25 mYkg (p = 0.001, relative hazard 2.9), and (3) age >50 (p = 0.01, relative hazard 2.4). The proportion of patients intubated longer than 2 weeks was 0% among those with no risk factors, 21% with one risk factor, 46% with two risk factors, and 88% with three risk factors (p = 0.0004). Complications independently associated with prolonged intubation included atelectasis (p = 0.002), anemia treated with transfusion (p = 0.03), Clostridium diffcile infection (p = 0.011, and congestive heart failure (p = 0.03). Three episodes of crisis were fatal, for a mortality rate of 4% (3/73); four additional patients died after extubation. All seven deaths were due to overwhelming medical comorbidity. Over half of those who survived were functionally dependent (home or institutionalized) at discharge. In addition to prospective controlled studies of immuno-therapies, the prevention and treatment of medical complications offers the best opportunity for further improving the outcome of myasthenic crisis.


The concept of postponement is increasingly drawing the attention of researchers and practitioners. Postponement means delaying activities in the supply chain until customer orders are received with the intention of customizing products, as opposed to performing those activities in anticipation of future orders. This paper reviews the literature on postponement dating back to 1965, and puts it in a systematic framework. In light of the classification of the literature developed, opportunities are identified for integration and cross-fertilization between research papers in disciplines such as logistics and operations management and between the variety of research methods used. Some directions for research (in terms of content and methodology) are then formulated. For instance, the development of a more integrated supply chain perspective on postponement, and the application of triangulation rather than single methods. Specific research activities to meet these challenges are suggested in the paper. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


In the second half of the nineteenth century, Portugal built the main branches of its railway system. In this paper, I will use technical and military reports, parliamentary debates and sundry bibliography to analyse the influence of the different stakeholders. I investigated the expectations, priorities and agendas of engineers, army officers, policymakers and lobbyists in the design of the Portuguese railway network. I argue that historiography about Portuguese railways usually considers the rationale behind their discussion as entirely technological and focuses mainly on their outputs, taking railways for granted, or black-boxed. However, the planification of large transportation systems depends on the sociotechnical context and on hierarchies of power of their time. I will show that experts (mostly engineers) played a decisive role in the planning of the network, but a large part of its design was due to non-technical issues, including political machinations, budgetary constraints and corporative lobbying.


Abstract : The evolution of water from serpentine and kaolinite has been studied in relation to temperature and water vapor pressure. For both minerals, the dehydroxylation reaction is controlled primarily by a diffusion process. Additional data are presented for the dehydroxylation of brucite which show the intrinsic difficulties of establishing the basic dehydroxylation mechanisms of hydrous minerals. The previously reported high pressure dehydration data are extended to the mineral diaspore, and additionally a summary is provided of the temperatures of dehydration of a number of minerals at water vapor pressures of 1 atm, 100 psi, 1000 psi, and 10,000 psi, together with values for the heats of reaction, deltaH, in cal/g of mineral at 1 atm. vapor pressure. A preliminary exploration was made of the possible effects of proton bombardment (such as can arise by solar wind on the lunar surface) on retention of protons by minerals, and on their dehydration behavior. Insofar as protons are captured, there is the possibility of an additional source of lunar water and insofar as minerals are disordered by the bombardment, there is the possibility of an easier release by hydroxyl water. The tentative results obtained indicate the possibility of both these effects, though their magnitude under lunar conditions and with geological time are still unknown.


Modeling to predict flame spread and fire growth is an active area of research in Fire Safety Engineering. A significant limitation to current approaches has been the lack of thermophysical material properties necessary for the simplified pyrolysis models embedded within the models. Researchers have worked to derive physical properties such as density, specific heat capacity, and thermal conductivity from data obtained using bench-scale fire tests such as Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). While Genetic Algorithms (GA) have been successfully used to solve for constants in empirical models, it has been shown that the resulting parameters are not valid individually as material properties, especially for complex materials such as wood. This paper describes an alternate approach using Genetic Programming (GP) to automatically derive a mass loss model directly from TGA data.


In this thesis, we explore techniques for the development of recursive functional programs over unbounded domains that are proved correct according to their high-level specifications. We present algorithms for automatically synthesizing executable code, starting from the speci- fication alone. We implement these algorithms in the Leon system. We augment relational specifications with a concise notation for symbolic tests, which are are helpful to characterize fragments of the functions' behavior. We build on our synthesis procedure to automatically repair invalid functions by generating alternative implementations. Our approach therefore formulates program repair in the framework of deductive synthesis and uses the existing program structure as a hint to guide synthesis. We rely on user-specified tests as well as automatically generated ones to localize the fault. This localization enables our procedure to repair functions that would otherwise be out of reach of our synthesizer, and ensures that most of the original behavior is preserved. We also investigate multiple ways of enabling Leon programs to interact with external, un- trusted code. For that purpose, we introduce a precise inter-procedural effect analysis for arbitrary Scala programs with mutable state, dynamic object allocation, and dynamic dispatch. We analyzed the Scala standard library containing 58000 methods and classified them into sev- eral categories according to their effects. Our analysis proves that over one half of all methods are pure, identifies a number of conditionally pure methods, and computes summary graphs and regular expressions describing the side effects of non-pure methods. We implement the synthesis and repair algorithms within the Leon system and deploy them as part of a novel interactive development environment available as a web interface. Our implementation is able to synthesize, within seconds, a number of useful recursive functions that manipulate unbounded numbers and data structures. Our repair procedure automatically locates various kinds of errors in recursive functions and fixes them by synthesizing alternative implementations.


We present a simulation model to determine optimal budget allocation strategies for real-time bidding (RTB) based display advertising. A common challenge across RTB exchanges is to optimize both budget spend and performance attainment. Our simulation model uses a stochastic dynamic programming approach based budget allocation to determine budget for each time instant. We report on results from a real-world pilot in which our approach delivered an average 18% performance gain.


In the era of real time big data stream processing, the past decade has witnessed emergence of wide variety of applications to tap into live social data feed to gain awareness about events, opinions and sentiments of the community. Social data has the potential to bring new functionalities and improvements in a wide variety of domains from Emergency Response to Political Analysis. Thus, there is an increasing demand for executing up-to-the-minute analysis tasks on top of these dynamic data sources by modern applications. Such new requirements have created new challenges for traditional data processing techniques. In this thesis, we respond to some of these challenges.First, we explore the problem of online adaptive topic focused tweet acquisition. Specifically, we propose a Tweet Acquisition System (TAS), that iteratively selects phrases to track according to a reinforcement learning algorithm. The selection follows an explore-exploit policy to approximate the effectiveness of different phrases in retrieving relevant tweets based on Bayesian inferences. We also develop a tweet relevance model, which enables checking the relevance of collected tweets to the topic of interest based on multiple criteria. The objective of TAS is to improve the recall of collected relevant tweets. Our experimental studies show significant improvements over the state-of-the-art, furthermore the performance gap increases when the topics are more specific.Subsequently, efficient processing of top-k mentioned entities query posed on a stream of tweets has become a key part of a broad class of real-time applications, ranging from content search to marketing. Given that words are often ambiguous, entity linking becomes an important step towards answering such queries. Furthermore, the continuous and fast generation of tweets makes it crucial for such applications to process those queries at an equally fast pace. In order to address these requirements, we propose TkET (pronounced ticket) as an analysis-aware entity linking framework for efficiently answering top-k entities query over Twitter stream in an sliding window fashion. The comprehensive empirical evaluation of the proposed solution demonstrates its significant advantage in terms of efficiency over the traditional techniques for the given problem settings.


Methods: Cast models of 77 patients, 30 males and 47 females, with an average age of 21 years and no syndromes were taken. They were in the permanent dentition and had not undergone orthodontic treatment. The sample was divided into non-operated and operated patients, the latter having been submitted to palatoplasty at a mean age of 2.2 years. Results: Almost 80% of the sample exhibited sagittal discrepancies in the inter-arch relationship, with a Class II malocclusion prevailing (59.74%) followed by Class III (20,78%), regardless of palatoplasty. Transverse analysis showed a 23% incidence of posterior crossbite also not influenced by palatoplasty. Intra-arch relationship indicated that constriction and crowding on the upper arch were more frequent in the operated group (p=0.0238 and p=0.0002, respectively), showing an influence of palatoplasty on its morphology. The predominant morphological characteristics in patients with isolated cleft palate were a Class II malocclusion, upper dental arch constriction and upper and lower anterior crowding. Conclusion: The influence of palatoplasty was restricted to constriction and crowding of the upper dental arch, with no interference from the extension of the cleft, except for the upper crowding, which occurred more in patients with complete cleft palates.


This paper examines the impact of rising trade and financial integration on international business cycle comovement among a large group of industrial and developing countries. The results provide at best limited support for the conventional wisdom that globalization has increased the degree of synchronization of business cycles. The evidence that trade and financial integration enhance global spillovers of macroeconomic fluctuations is mostly limited to industrial countries. One striking result is that, on average, cross-country consumption correlations have not increased in the 1990s, precisely when financial integration would have been expected to result in better risk-sharing opportunities, especially for developing countries.


OBJECTIVE
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is an iatrogenic fibrosing disorder that primarily affects individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) following exposure to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). Derangements of calcium and phosphorus have been reported in patients with NSF. The aim of this study was to investigate potential factors in addition to GBCA exposure that may be involved in the pathogenesis of NSF. We hypothesized that patients with stage 5 CKD and NSF would manifest greater alterations in calcium, phosphorus and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels than those who do not have NSF.

METHODS
Levels of phosphorus, calcium, FGF23 and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D were measured in 10 patients with stage 5 CKD and biopsy-proven NSF and in 19 patients with stage 5 CKD without NSF. Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables.

RESULTS
Patients with NSF had significantly lower phosphorus levels compared with controls (P = 0.01). There were no significant differences between NSF patients and controls in calcium, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone or FGF23 levels.

CONCLUSION
Differences in phosphorus metabolism may exist between patients with stage 5 CKD and NSF compared with patients with stage 5 CKD without NSF.


In data gathering wireless sensor network applications, data correlation among the sensor nodes have been utilized to extend network lifetimes. It has been shown that the data correlation also exists between nodes that are far away, contrary to the assumption that correlation decreases as a function of distance. Therefore, it is possible to group the nodes based on the correlation among their data regardless of their location. Given that data from one active node per group is sufficient to reconstruct the sensed data for the remaining sensor nodes, most of the nodes can be kept in low-power sleep mode. However, only few active nodes will usually create a disconnected network, and hence failing the purpose of the deployment. In this paper we formalize this problem, referred to as Sleep-route, of selecting the minimum number of connected active nodes that are sufficient to predict the sensed data for remaining sleeping nodes with high accuracy. We prove that the problem is NP-hard. Thus, we develop a greedy algorithm, Sleep-route heuristic that provides near-optimal solutions. Using Contiki-based simulations, we show that our scheme can extend network lifetime up to 42% as compared to the state-of-the-art solutions.


La doped ZnO nanorods were synthesized via solvothermal technique using Zn(AC)2 and La(NO3)3 as starting materials. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with an energy dispersion X–ray (EDX) spectrometer, photoluminescence spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results of XRD in combination with EDS indicated that La was successful doped in ZnO. The obtained La doped ZnO sample exhibited nanorod like morphology and the diameter was about 30 nm. The photocatalytic property of La doped ZnO was evaluated by the variation of the concentration of RhB.


We present a 169-km wide-angle velocity model across the Goban Spur rifted margin, southwest of the UK. A 120-km-wide intermediate region is identified between the first clear seafloor spreading magnetic anomaly (anomaly 34r) and thinned continental crust, where velocities increase from 4.5 km s1 to 6.8 km s1 in the top 4 km beneath acoustic basement. At depth it can be divided into a region where a 1.5-km-thick high-velocity layer (7.2–7.6 km s1) exists and a region where this layer is absent but velocities of 7 km s1 are present. Wide-angle PmP arrivals are observed across the whole of the intermediate region but a normal incidence reflection Moho is not present. Based on these velocities and combined with seismic reflection, gravity and magnetic modelling along this transect we interpret the intermediate region to consist of a 70 km wide zone of exhumed mantle with high Poisson's ratio at top basement (>0.34), an extremely low topographic expression and a high-velocity deep layer. Empirical relationships between velocity and degree of serpentinization suggest that serpentinite content decreases with depth from 100 per cent at top basement to <25 per cent from 5–7 km into basement. The observed magnetic anomaly is best fit by a thin magnetized layer (1 km) of magnetization 2–3 A m1. The intense magnetization may be due to magnetite formation during a prolonged interaction of serpentinite with sea water. Between this exhumed mantle and anomaly 34r is a 50-km-wide region raised 400 m above the adjacent exhumed mantle, consisting of a series of basement ridges. Poisson's ratio is not well defined in this region, which may be composed of anomalous oceanic crust or exhumed mantle.


Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is almost universally assigned reading for high school students in the United States. Its protagonist, Atticus Finch, is widely hailed as a paragon of virtue because he represents an African-American man falsely accused of rape. However, this paper will argue that the character of Atticus Finch should be re-evaluated, especially since, throughout the novel, he is known to espouse racist and sexist beliefs. Atticus Finch purports to be a man of the law, but there are several episodes that call into question his commitment to justice. These include Atticus' attempt to make excuses for the leader of a lynch mob, as well as his intentional deception of law enforcement in agreeing to cover up an act of homicide and not to have the murderer arrested. This paper will argue that, on balance, Atticus Finch merely purports to be a champion of the oppressed, but, in truth, is actually complicit in perpetuating the inequality and injustice that he claims to condemn.


The investigation at 19 hospitals in 18 cities showed that the incidence of premature and low-birth-weight (LBW) infant in live births was 4.9% and 5.1% respectively. The mortality rate was as high as 85.5/1000 and 97.7/1000 and the deaths accounted for 45.9% and 54.5% of total neonatal deaths respectively. The male infant's mortality rate was higher than the female; the twins' and triplets' was higher than the single births'. The mortality was mainly attributed to the preterm, LBW and related diseases. The first six causes of deaths were respiratory diseases, prenatal asphyxia, infection, scleredema congenital malformation and intracranial hemorrhage. The approaches for reducing the mortality rate of premature and LBW infants were discussed.


At the U.C. Berkeley Forum on Knowledge and the Firm, leading academics and knowledge practitioners from Japan, the U.S, and Europe discussed their understandings of organizational knowledge and how firms can influence its creation and use. The meeting brought to the surface a diversity of goals, assumptions, and vocabularies—most notably a contrast between the aim of nurturing the process of knowledge creation and that of managing and measuring knowledge use. By exploring both common ground and differences, participants began to weave a knowledge context: a fabric of varied and mutually illuminating ideas about knowledge. Given the complexity of knowledge, this kind of rich context should provide a better framework for answering questions about how to approach and value knowledge work than any single point of view could provide.


Abscisic acid (ABA) is a hormone that controls seed dormancy and germination as well as the overall plant response to important environmental stresses such as drought. Recent studies have demonstrated that the ABA-bound receptor binds to and inhibits a class of protein phosphatases. To identify more broadly the phosphoproteins affected by this hormone in vivo, we used 14N/15N metabolic labeling to perform a quantitative untargeted mass spectrometric analysis of the Arabidopsis thaliana phosphoproteome following ABA treatment. We found that 50 different phosphopeptides had their phosphorylation state significantly altered by ABA over a treatment period lasting 5–30 min. Among these changes were increases in phosphorylation of subfamily 2 SNF1-related kinases and ABA-responsive basic leucine zipper transcription factors implicated in ABA signaling by previous in vitro studies. Furthermore, four members of the aquaporin family showed decreased phosphorylation at a carboxy-terminal serine which is predicted to cause closure of the water-transporting aquaporin gate, consistent with ABA's role in ameliorating the effect of drought. Finally, more than 20 proteins not previously known to be involved with ABA were found to have significantly altered phosphorylation levels. Many of these changes are phosphorylation decreases, indicating that an expanded model of ABA signaling, beyond simple phosphatase inhibition, may be necessary. This quantitative proteomics dataset provides a more comprehensive, albeit incomplete, view both of the protein targets whose biochemical activities are likely to be controlled by ABA and of the nature of the emerging phosphorylation and dephosphorylation cascades triggered by this hormone.


Apolipoprotein E (apoE - e2, e3, e4 alleles) plays a role in the regulation of lipid metabolism, with the e4 considered to be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to evaluate the apoE polymorphisms in Brazilians with CAD and their influence on the lipid profile and other risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking). Two hundred individuals were examined: 100 patients with atherosclerosis confirmed by coronary angiography and 100 controls. Blood samples were drawn to determine apoE polymorphisms and lipid profile. As expected, the e3 allele was prevalent in the CAD (0.87) and non-CAD groups (0.81; P = 0.099), followed by the e4 allele (0.09 and 0.14, respectively; P = 0.158). The e3/3 (76 and 78%) and e3/4 (16 and 23%) were the most common genotypes for patients and controls, respectively. The lipid profile was altered in patients compared to controls (P < 0.05), independently of the e4 allele. However, in the controls this allele was prevalent in individuals with elevated LDL-cholesterol levels only (odds ratio = 2.531; 95% CI = 1.028-6.232). The frequency of risk factors was higher in the CAD group (P < 0.05), but their association with the lipid profile was not demonstrable in e4 carriers. In conclusion, the e4 allele is not associated with CAD or lipid profile in patients with atherosclerosis. However, its frequency in the non-CAD group is associated with increased levels of LDL-cholesterol, suggesting an independent effect of the e4 allele on lipid profile when the low frequency of other risk factors in this group is taken into account.


Abstract Katayama and colleagues proposed in their article a therapeutic window for lamotrigine in affective disorders between 5 and 11 μg/mL. Despite potential differences in lamotrigine metabolism, the results of their retrospective study in a Japanese population match nicely with what we have previously reported in a Caucasian population with rapid cycling bipolar disorder. It is suggested that not only in epilepsy, but also in mood-disordered patients clinicians should rather consider lamotrigine plasma levels than dosage when in doubt about the efficacy of treatment.


Objective: The purpose of this manuscript was to review the evidence concerning the role of an allergic reaction to silicone as the basis for the reported increase in contact lens–associated infiltrates in wearers of silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Methods: A literature review was undertaken to investigate the antigenic properties of silicone and the causes of contact lens–associated inflammatory reactions. Results: Immune cells cannot interact with silicone directly but can interact with antigens on these lenses. These antigens could be due to tear film deposits, microbial contamination, or components of care systems used with these lenses. Conclusions: Inflammatory reactions associated with silicone hydrogel contact lens wear are not caused by an allergic reaction to silicone alone.


The objective of this investigation was to identify the channels and marketing margins for dairy products in the community of Dobladero Jose Azueta, Veracruz, Mexico. To this end, we interviewed key participants including producers, owners of dairies and retailers. The results show that the main distribution channel is formed by the sale of milk to cheese producers in the area, who transform it into cheese and string cheese products that are either sold to consumers directly or through retailers, resulting in variation in Gross Marketing Margins (MBC) and Direct Producer Participation (PDP). We conclude that the increase of intermediaries and the costs incurred by each participant influence the price increases to consumers. However, the roles played by intermediaries in the channel are essential as they allow consumers to obtain the dairy products with the quality and price, at the time and place required.


Sport Stars: The Cultural Politics of Sporting Celebrity. David L. Andrews and Steven J. Jackson, eds. London: Routledge, 2001.280 pp. $75 hbk. $22.95 pbk. What do Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Andre Agassi, Tiger Woods, Venus Williams, Ian Wright, Paul "Gazza" Gascoigne, David Beckham, Diego Maradona, Wayne Gretzky, Hideo Nomo, Martina Hingis, Nyandika Maiyoro and Kipchoge Keino, Imran Khan, Brian Lara, and Cathy Freeman have in common? They are all athletes, they are all sport stars, and they are the subjects of the sixteen chapters in this excellent collection of case studies. Given the ubiquity of sporting celebrity worldwide, it was inevitable that someone would come out with a volume like this one. It is our good fortune that Andrews and Jackson answered the call, for they have taken advantage of their academic connections to amass a collection of unusually strong essays from contributors around the globe. Andrews, associate professor of sport and cultural studies at the University of Maryland at College Park and a senior visiting research fellow at De Montfort University, Bedford, United Kingdom, is an associate editor of the Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Jackson, senior lecturer in sport and leisure studies at the University of Otago, New Zealand, serves on the editorial board of Sociology of Sport. In a comprehensive introduction to the volume, they elaborate a view of celebrity that draws on the work of P. David Marshall, Leo Brandy, and Daniel Boorstin. The anthology, they state, "is underpinned by the notion of the sport celebrity as a product of commercial culture, imbued with symbolic values, which seek to stimulate desire and identification among the consuming populace." Celebrity is broadly defined as comprising various forms of public individuality within popular culture. The role of the mass media is, in Braudy's phrase, to act as the "arbiters of celebrity." The mass media feature prominently throughout the book, beginning with the first newspaper sports section in William Randolph Hearst's the New York Journal in 1895. That innovation and its imitators are credited with providing a mechanism "for the transformation of notable athletes into nationally celebrated figures," while at the same time increasing newspaper circulation. But it is television, of course, that draws the most attention. The relationship between sport and television is seen as "ever more collusive," and the editors, at least, seem to accept Charles P. Pierce's 1995 pronouncement that sport has become "basically media-driven celebrity entertainment." We've come a long way since Babe Ruth. Or maybe not, since the editors identify him as the "prototypical sport celebrity endorser," someone who served as spokesperson for a myriad of commercial entities. …


Methyltransferases are powerful tools for site-specific transfer of non-natural functional groups from synthetic analogs of their cosubstrate S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet). We present a new class of AdoMet analogs containing photo-caging (PC) groups in their side chain, enzymatic transfer of PC groups by a promiscuous DNA MTase as well as light-triggered removal from the target DNA. This strategy provides a new avenue to reversibly modulate the functionality of DNA at MTase target sites.


Recent experiments revealed that the Mg–Zr codoped Ta3N5 semiconductor exhibited improved photoelectrochemical activities, but the role of Mg–Zr codoping in the improved photoelectrochemical activity remained unclear. In this study, the density functional theory calculations were preformed to investigate the electronic structures and thermodynamic properties of the Mg–Zr codoped Ta3N5. The results showed that Mg and Zr dopants had nearly the same effects on the electronic structures of Ta3N5, while the thermodynamic properties of Mg and Zr in Ta3N5 were different. The Zr dopant preferentially substituted the Ta atom and compensated for oxygen impurities and nitrogen vacancies, resulting in the cathodic shift of the onset potential of Ta3N5. The Mg dopant preferentially occupied the interstitial site and acted as a delocalized electron donor, contributing to the enhanced photocurrent.


Lipid accumulation in white adipose tissue is the key contributor to the obesity and orchestrates numerous metabolic health problems such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Nonetheless, the prevention and treatment of obesity are still inadequate. Recently, scientists found that brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult humans has functions that are diametrically opposite to those of white adipose tissue and that BAT holds promise for a new strategy to counteract obesity. In this study, we evaluated the potential of sinapic acid (SA) to promote the thermogenic program and lipolysis in BAT. SA treatment of brown adipocytes induced the expression of brown-adipocyte activation–related genes such as Ucp1, Pgc-1α, and Prdm16. Furthermore, structural analysis and western blot revealed that SA upregulates protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation with competitive inhibition by a pan-PKA inhibitor, H89. SA binds to the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) site on the PKA catalytic subunit where H89 binds specifically. PKA-cat-α1 gene–silencing experiments confirmed that SA activates the thermogenic program via a mechanism involving PKA and cyclic AMP response element–binding protein (CREB) signaling. Moreover, SA treatment promoted lipolysis via a PKA/p38-mediated pathway. Our findings may allow us to open a new avenue of strategies against obesity and need further investigation.


Subjects extensively and chronically infected with dermatophytes were shown to be atopic by demonstration of multiple immediate skin test sensitivities and elevated levels of serum IgE. Three atopic men with no evidence of prior dermatophyte infection were experimentally infected (forearm) with Trichophyton mentagrophytes var granulare . All of the subjects developed cell-mediated immunity (CMI). In two of the subjects, the infections healed spontaneously. In the third subject, who, in addition, developed type I humoral immunity (T-I-HI), the infection did not heal and it spread to his feet. A local antagonism between T-I-HI and CMI was demonstrated. Chronic dermatophytosis develops in most individuals due to immunologic factors, including a local functional, if not actual, defect in CMI. Atopic individuals are predisposed to chronic dermatophytosis because of T-I-HI antagonism of CMI, and the rapid development of CMI tolerance.


Two-wheeled systems have many advantages compared to statically stable systems. This paper describes a control strategy of dynamically-balanced two-wheeled wheelchair system that does not have any front casters. In this system, rider can sit the seat and control the motion of the system by adjusting CoG of his/her body. Unlike other commercial two-wheeled systems, CoG position of the upper body is mainly determined by the position of the user. Thus, there is a possibility that CoG position may not overlap with the wheel axis. In that case, sensor information cannot be used to measure the exact position of the CoG. This paper shows an estimation of method of the unknown CoG position for Two-Wheeled Dynamically-Balanced Wheelchair (TWDBW) is considered. Gravity torque observer with a compliance control is utilized to realize stable compensation according to the variable CoG position. Backstepping based nonlinear control design is applied to regulate and track the CoG motion of the upper body in the TWDBW. The validity of proposed method is verified by simulation and experimental results.


The aim of this paper is to develop a new concept of unconventional airship based on morphing a lenticular shape while preserving the volumetric dimension. Lenticular shape is known to have relatively poor aerodynamic characteristics. It is also well known to have poor static and dynamic stability after the certain critical speed. The new shape presented in this paper is obtained by extending one and reducing the other direction of the original lenticular shape. The volume is kept constant through the morphing process. To improve the airship performance, four steps of morphing, starting from the lenticular shape, were obtained and compared in terms of aerodynamic characteristics, including drag, lift and pitching moment, and stability characteristics for two different operational scenarios. The comparison of the stability was carried out based on necessary deflection angle of the part of tail surface. The comparison results indicated that new shape concept possesses much better aerodynamic and stability characteristics and could be used for detailed optimisation studies.