"Secure Device Pairing" is the process of bootstrapping a secure channel between two previously unassociated devices over a (usually wireless) human-imperceptible communication channel. Lack of prior security context and common trust infrastructure open the door for Man-in-the-Middle (also known as Evil Twin) attacks. Mitigation of these attacks requires user involvement in the device pairing process. Prior research yielded a number of interesting methods utilizing various auxiliary human-perceptible channels, e.g., visual, acoustic or tactile. These methods engage the user in authenticating information exchanged over human-imperceptible channels, thus mitigating MiTM attacks and forming the basis for secure pairing. We present the first comprehensive comparative evaluation of notable secure device pairing methods. Our results identify methods best-suited for a given combination of devices and human abilities. This work is both important and timely, since it sheds light on usability in one of the very few settings where a wide range of users (not just specialists) are confronted with security techniques.


The past 30 years have seen dramatic advances concerning safety of the unborn child unsurpassed during 2400 years before, i.e. since the time of Hippocrates. Part of these advances is fetal monitoring during labor. It has recently been recognized that severe brain damage due to intrapartum fetal hypoxia is more rare than previously assumed. Legal consequences are to be expected. Expert opinion ought to investigate and judge the cause of possible intrapartum fetal damage more thoroughly and critically than it was customary. It is unfortunate that some authors in the framework of this development and for other reasons as well have come to the erroneous conclusion that the intensive intrapartum fetal monitoring is of less significance than previously believed. Such opinions are slanted and scientifically untenable. Intensive intrapartum fetal monitoring fulfills also the important task of reducing the early acidosis related to morbidity which has to be taken seriously since it may affect nearly all important organ systems of the fetus and the newborn. Intrapartum fetal monitoring has to (correction for o) be considered of great value regard to modern medical knowledge.


Badan Penyelengara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) program Old Age Security is, one program BPJS intended for the workforce in order to get bail, Old Age Security are cash benefits paid at once when the participant retires, dies, or prevent a total disability fixed. How Implementation BPJS Employment Old Age Security Program at PT Yogya Tehniktama Precision Industry (YPTI) in Yogyakarta. Tesisi aims to see how the implementation of the employment BPJS Old Age Security program in PT YPTI. Research conducted in this thesis is empirical research focuses on the behavior of law. This research requires primary data as the main ingredient in addition to secondary data. The method used is descriptive qualitative analysis The conclusions drawn in this study, namely, the implementation of the work program BPJS old age security in PT Yogya precision Tekniktama Industry in Yogyakarta have not done well, the cause is often delayed payment of dues JHT, and lack of socialization of the workers which resulted workers do not understand and comprehend JHT. Associated with the implementation of the Work Programme BPJS Old Age PT YPTI expected for sosialisalsi the old age security program for workers and no late payment fees.


Finite elements simulations of indentation loads caused by an ice sheet on a rigid conical offshore structure were carried out using the ANSYS structural commercial code (www.ansys.com). A square level ice sheet (20.0 m X 20.0 m) pushing a 10 m waterline diameter cone was considered as the engineering application. The interactions between the structure and the ice sheet were modeled using a nonlinear 3-D contact element formulation. The mechanical behaviour of ice (constitutive model for ice) is elastic, while its failure was modeled using a multi surface failure criterion. The latter includes the effects of the strain (loading) rate, temperature, salinity and porosity on the magnitude of ice strength. During the simulations, failed elements (i.e. elements that satisfy the stress conditions of failure criterion) were taken out from the initial geometry of the ice sheet. Therefore, the process and sequence for breaking ice pieces from the original ice sheet were modeled. This was achieved via developing an ANSYS macro (routine) for element death numerical technique. The validation of the numerical model is presented. The validation was achieved by comparing the computed ice loads from the numerical simulations with full-scale ice load measurements obtained from the Kemi-I test cone (Maattanen et al., 1996). In addition to the validation, the results of sensitivity and parametric analyses are presented and discussed. Conclusions and recommendations are provided.


In recent years the social sciences and the humanities have drawn closer to each other in thought and method. This rapprochement has led to new perceptions of human behavior by sociologists, as well as new methodological orientations. Sociologist Joseph R. Gusfield draws upon drama and fiction to show how human action is shaped by the formal dimensions of performance. Gusfield first defines the concept of behavior as artistic performance. He then analyzes routine and classic social research reports as literary performances in qualitative and quantitative terms. Next he moves to social movements and public actions, demonstrating how objects and events are products of the interpretation and reflection of individuals. He draws upon literary and artistic conventions to deal with issues of representation and meaning. In the first and last chapters, Gusfield provides a conceptual summary examining the relation between sociology as science and art, arguing that sociological methods are neither science nor art, but partake of both. Following the philosopher Paul Ricouer, Gusfield shows how human behavior can be read as a text, always telling the participant or observer "something about something." Performing Action will be of interest to sociologists, psychologists, and students of aesthetics and critical theory.


When three sheep were abruptly changed from a ration of 100% orchardgrass hay to 60% cracked corn-40% orchardgrass hay, fed at equal dry-matter intakes, significant increases in concentration were observed in the rumen microbial population. Bacterial numbers (colony counts) per gram of rumen contents did not appear to have stabilized within 21 days after the ration change; however, protozoan numbers per milliliter plateaued after 5 days. The concentration of cellulose-digesting bacteria varied considerably between animals and decreased in all animals with the change. Changes were observed in total and molar percentages of volatile fatty acids, which were typical for the two types of rations. Although the concentration of protozoa increased after the ration change, only minor differences were observed in their percent generic distribution. A significant decrease in rumen volume was measured in two of the three sheep with the change in ration; however, fluid turnover rates were not significantly affected. Rates of rumen dry-matter turnover were slower with the concentrate ration, although rumen dry-matter digestion was increased. Calculation of total bacterial numbers based on total rumen volume completely negated the effect of ration change in one animal, whereas total numbers in the other two animals were still significantly different between rations and very similar between animals. Adjustment of total protozoa numbers did not alter the trends seen previously with concentration values.


Using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for different natural killer (NK) receptors, we studied the lymphocyte population from 18 patients with NK-type lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes (LDGL). The analysis of both resting and cultured NK cell populations demonstrated that these patients are frequently characterized by NK cells displaying a homogeneous staining with given anti-killer Ig-like receptor (anti-KIR) mAb (11 of 18 patients). In most patients NK cells were characterized by the CD94/NKG2A+ phenotype, whereas only a minor fraction of the cases expressed CD94/NKG2C. In 7 of these patients we could also assess the function of the various NK receptors. Remarkably those KIR molecules that, in each patient, homogeneously marked the NK cell expansion were found to display an activating function as determined by cross-linking with specific anti-KIR mAb. The KIR genotype analysis performed in 13 of 18 cases revealed that in NK-type LDGL certain activating KIRs, as well as certain infrequent KIR genotypes, were detected with higher frequencies as compared to previously analyzed healthy donors. Moreover, most KIR genotypes included multiple genes coding for activating KIRs. The analysis of non-HLA-specific triggering receptors indicated that the natural cytotoxicity receptors (NKp46, NKp30) were expressed at significantly low levels in freshly drawn NK cells from most patients analyzed. However, in most instances the expression of NKp46 and NKp30 could be up-regulated on culture in interleukin 2. Our data indicate that in NK-LDGL the expanded subset is frequently characterized by the expression of a given activating KIR, suggesting a direct role for these molecules in the pathogenetic mechanisms of this disorder.


Objective To evaluate the influence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) on the diastolic dysfunction in older hypertensive patients. Methods In total 665 patients (58% men, 61% White, aged 55–80 years) with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension underwent Doppler echocardiography. Data included left ventricular dimensions, left ventricular mass index, body mass index, E- and A-wave mitral flow velocities, E:A ratio, deceleration time and three mitral flow patterns [normal (E:A ratio >1.0, deceleration time >150 ms), impaired relaxation (E:A ratio <1.0, prolonged deceleration time according to age), and restrictive physiology (E:A ratio >2.1, deceleration time <150 ms)]. Data were distributed according to age (50–59, 60–69, and 70–80 years). Results The overall prevalence of sex-adjusted LVH in this study was 65%. When we compared hypertensive patients with and without LVH, the E- and A-wave velocities, E:A ratio, and deceleration time were similar. Moreover, the prevalences of normal, impaired relaxation, and restrictive physiology patterns among patients with and without LVH did not differ significantly (20, 79.5, and 0.5 versus 24, 75.5, and 0.5%). When the mitral flow patterns were adjusted according to age, the impaired relaxation pattern increased further with age (to 73% during the fifth decade, 83% during the sixth decade, and 88% during the seventh decade). Conclusions LVH is not an independent factor associated with abnormal flow patterns in hypertensive patients aged over 50 years with normal systolic contractility. The impaired relaxation is the predominant pattern of diastolic dysfunction in older hypertensive patients and increases further with aging.


Cancer, a growing health problem around the world, affects millions of people every year, so that innovative anticancer drugs with specific molecular mechanisms of action are essential in chemotherapeutic treatment to kill specific cancer types, and to overcome toxic side effects as well as chemoresistance. Impaired apoptosis and autophagy seem to play a central role in cancer development and constantly limit the efficacy of conventional cytotoxic therapies. Indeed, current research efforts are focused on a deeper understanding of the cellular response and/or resistance to anticancer treatments, including the role of cell death pathways activation by metallochemotherapeutics such as novel ruthenium-based drugs, proposed as safe and effective potential drugs. Moreover, in the last few years nanostructures have gained considerable interest for the safe delivery of therapeutic agents.
In these fields, we have recently developed a novel approach for the in vivo delivery of novel Ru(III) complexes, preparing stable nucleolipidic-based formulations endowed with considerable antiproliferative activity. In particular, aiming at improving the suitability of Ru(III) complexes in biological environment - specifically of AziRu, a pyridine NAMI-A analog - as well as their advantages for biomedical applications, we have designed innovative nanoaggregates by means of high-functionalized nucleolipidic Ru(III) complexes, ad hoc mixed with zwitterionic or cationic lipids to provide stable and biocompatible liposome formulations for cancer therapy.
Hence, in line with this project and by in vitro bioscreens in the frame of preclinical studies, we have focused on the ability of nucleolipidic ruthenium-containing liposomes to inhibit cancer proliferation in selected human breast cancer models in vitro, possibly by predisposing cells to programmed cell death. In the case, breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide after lung cancer, the fifth most common cause of cancer death, and the leading cause of cancer death in women. The global weight of breast cancer exceeds all other cancers and the incidence rates of breast cancer are increasing. Luckily, the total survival rates of most cancers have been prolonged due to the energies of both clinicians and scientists. Behind an in-depth microstructural characterization, we have herein demonstrated that the most efficient ruthenium-containing cationic nanoaggregates we have hitherto developed are able to elicit both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis, as well as autophagy. Using especially designed fluorescent formulations and confocal microscopy approaches for targeted studies of intracellular localization, in addition to subcellular fractionation and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess cellular accumulation, we have detected, unlike the naked AziRu, a wide both cytosolic and nuclear distribution of the active Ru(III) complex. This would allow the ruthenium to interact with both mitochondrial and nuclear molecular targets, accounting for its ability to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation by the activation of multiple cell death pathways, possibly via mitochondrial perturbations involving Bcl-2 family members, and Ru(III) ions incorporation into double-stranded DNA. To limit chemoresistance and counteract uncontrolled proliferation, multiple cell death pathways activation is a promising strategy for targeted therapy development, especially in aggressive cancer diseases such as triple-negative breast cancer with limited treatment options. The heterogeneity of breast cancers makes them both a fascinating and difficult solid tumour to diagnose and treat. Triple-negative breast cancers in particular are difficult to define lacking Her2 expression, estrogen and progesterone receptor, and do not respond to hormonal therapies or Her2-targeted therapies; hence, new systemic therapies are desperately needed. The oncology community needs for a new dawn of innovative and creative means to overcome these challenges so we can witness further breakthroughs. Moreover, allowing for the importance of the tumour microenvironment as well as of the stromal components playing both critical role in the tumourigenic process, the function of cancer-associated immune cell system and their cellular secrets were also investigated, in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the typical molecular pathways involved in the cross-talk between tumour components and stromal cells; this would allow to properly act on tumour microenvironment in order to further improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. In this case, the EPO/ESA treatment – commonly used in therapy for anaemia – can induce tumour progression and growth, because of its impact on the anti-cancer immune response.
So overall these outcomes discharge original knowledge in the field of anticancer therapy and on ruthenium-based candidate drugs, thus providing new insights for future optimized cancer treatment protocols.


The underlying philosophy of the book is that old people are normal members of the community and, as such, should not be medically segregated. The book also recognises that there are opportunities for prevention, maintenance and rehabilitation which can improve quality of life. The author makes a useful distinction between 'usual' ageing and 'successful' ageing, to counteract the negativism induced by the idea of inevitable decline.


.The goal of this article is to place the role of the social media in collective action within a more general theoretical structure using the events of the Arab Spring as a case study. Three theoretical principles are put forth all of which center around the idea that one cannot understand the role of any media in a political conflict without first considering the political context in which they are operating. The first principle states that: "Political variables are likely to be more important in explaining the extensiveness of a popular uprising than the overall penetration of the social media in a particular country". The second principle is referred to as the "principle of cumulative inequality". It states that: "Citizens who most need the media are the ones who find it the most difficult to exploit them." The third and final theoretical principle states that: "A significant increase in the use of the new media is much more likely to follow a significant amount of protest activity than to precede it." The three principles are examined using political, media, and protest data from 22 Arab Countries. The findings provide strong support for the validity of the claims.


The recent development of high-strength (HSS) weldable steels has enlarged the range of design alternatives for the optimization of high-head steel-lined pressure tunnels and shafts (SLPTS) in the hydropower industry. With the liberalization of the European energy market and increasing contribution of new renewable volatile energies in the electricity grid due to high subsidies, storage hydropower and pumped-storage plants are subject to more and more severe operation conditions resulting in more frequent transients. The use of HSS allows the design of thinner and thus more economic steel liners. However, welded HSS do not provide higher fatigue resistance than lower steel grades, and may be particularly subject to the risk of cold cracking in the weld material as dramatically illustrated by the failure of the Cleuson-Dixence pressure shaft in 2000. Fatigue behavior may become the leading limit state criterion. This research project aims at improving the comprehension of the mechanical behavior of SLPTS and at developing a framework for probabilistic fatigue crack growth and fracture assessment of crack-like flaws in the weld material of longitudinal butt welded joints, considering all possible steel grades for high-head hydropower schemes. The influence of anisotropic rock behavior and geometrical imperfections at the longitudinal joints on the structural stresses have been studied by means of the finite element method accounting for the interaction with the backfill concrete-rock multilayer system. Parametric correction factors have been derived to estimate stress concentrations and structural stresses in steel liners with ease in practice, allowing the use of $S$-$N$ based engineering fatigue assessment approaches. Stress intensity factors (SIF) for axial cracks in the weld material of the longitudinal joints have also been obtained by means of computational linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The use of the previously developed parametric equations in the classical formulas for SIF in cracked plated structures has been validated, and new parametric equations for the weld shape correction have been proposed. A probabilistic model for fatigue crack growth assessment has been developed in the framework of LEFM in combination with the Paris-Erdogan law. The probability of failure is estimated by means of the Monte Carlo simulation procedure, in which the crack growth rate parameters and the crack shape ratio are defined as stochastic variables. A week-long normalized loading spectrum derived from prototype measurements on an alpine pumped-storage hydropower plant in Switzerland is used. This approach provides relative and quantitative results through parametric studies, giving new insights on the fatigue behavior of steel liners containing cracks in the weld material of the longitudinal joints. Finally, a fatigue assessment case study is presented, detailing the entire calculation procedures developed in this research. It aims at ensuring the transfer of knowledge toward practitioners.


Nowadays there is no doubt about the importance of production animals in the economy and food security of the population throughout the world. For an animal to be productive (cattle, small ruminants, swine or poultry) is needed to be in adequate health conditions. The health of these animals can be altered by the direct and indirect effects of ticks, causing significant losses in the production of meat, milk, eggs, leathers, and in many cases the death of the affected animals. The direct losses are related to the damage produced by the ticks when feeding on the blood of their hosts, while the indirect losses are related to the infectious agents transmitted by the ticks, and the costs associated to the treatment and control. It is important then, to know what are the economic and health impacts of ticks on the main production animals.


10582 Background: Up to 10% of all cancers are associated with hereditary cancer syndromes; however, guidelines for germline testing are currently limited to patients and families with specific cancer types (ovarian, breast, prostate, pancreatic, etc.). Although germline alterations have been shown in genes associated with cancers such as bile-duct, head & neck, brain, bladder, esophageal, and lung cancers, genetic testing is not routinely offered (PMID: 28873162). In such cancers, a guidelines-based approach may fail to detect cancer risk variants found by tumor-normal (T/N) matched sequencing. Here, we report the prevalence of incidental germline findings in patients with the aforementioned 6 cancer types and highlight frequently mutated genes by cancer type. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed next-generation sequencing data from de-identified records of 19,630 patients tested using Tempus|xT T/N matched assay. Incidental germline findings (i.e., single nucleotide variants and small insertions/deletions) detected in 50 hereditary cancer genes were determined for: bile duct (n = 466), head & neck (n = 673), esophageal (n = 395), brain (n = 1,391), bladder (n = 810), and lung (n = 5,544), where n = total patients. For comparison, we also included 4 cancer types that frequently undergo germline testing: ovarian (n = 2,042), breast (n = 3,542), prostate (n = 2,146), and pancreatic (n = 2,621). Results: We detected incidental pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline variants (P/LPV) in 6.5% (601/9,279) of patients diagnosed with the 6 selected cancer types lacking hereditary cancer testing guidelines. The highest prevalence of P/LPV was identified in patients with bladder (8%), brain (6.9%), and lung (6.5%) cancers. Frequently mutated genes (Table) include ATM (n = 62), BRCA2 (n = 60), BRCA1 (n = 33), APC (n = 27), and CHEK2 (n = 21). Of note, the Ashkenazi Jewish variant (p.I1307K) was the most frequent mutation in APC. For cancer types where patients frequently undergo germline testing, the rates of incidental germline findings in descending order were ovarian (15%), breast (12%), prostate (9.4%), and pancreatic (8.5%) cancers. Conclusions: In addition to enhanced variant calling, T/N matched sequencing may identify germline variants missed by a guidelines-based approach to testing. The identification of such germline findings may have clinical implications for the patient, as well as at-risk family members, thereby resulting in the opportunity for genetic counseling and risk-stratified intervention.[Table: see text]


The importance and role of hickory (Carya spp.) in the Oak-Hickory forest community complex has been studied over the last 70 years and questioned by several investigators. Until recently, there were virtually no species-level landscape-scale studies that accurately defined the role of hickory in these systems. Data from the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, were used to describe the distribution and compositional status of several hickory species across Virginia. Oak-Hickory was the predominant forest-type group in Virginia, covering 3 859 500 ha and accounting for 78 430 000 m2 of basal area. A total of 1 880 live hickory trees (d.b.h. ≥ 12.7 cm) occurred and were measured on 51 percent of plots. Across all plots in the study, the average basal area of hickory was 1.2 m2 ha-1. On plots where hickory was present, basal area was 2.4 m2 ha-1. Mockernut (Carya tomentosa (Poir.) Nutt.) and pignut (C. glabra (Mill.) Sweet) hickory were the most prevalent hickory species measured. Mockernut (basal area = 0.5 m2 ha-1) and pignut (basal area = 0.5 m2 ha-1) were tallied on 29 and 30 percent of plots, respectively. Shagbark (C. ovata (Mill.) K. Koch) and bitternut (C. cordiformis (Wangenh.) K. Koch) hickory were also tallied, but they occurred less frequently. Hickory ranked in the top three species, by importance value, on 25 percent of all plots. This study sheds new light on the importance and species-level distribution of hickory in the Oak-Hickory forest complex at the landscape scale.


In reply to a critique of the episodic/semantic distinction (McKoon, Ratcliff, & Dell, 1986), Tulving (1986) argues that the usual rules for testing theories do not apply to the classification of phenomena with respect to memory systems. But we respond that the classification methods proposed by Tulving (1986) may be detrimental to the advancement of theory and that whole domains of inquiry should not be excluded from the usual criteria of experimental psychology.


African trypanosomes evade the immune response in the bloodstream of mammalian hosts by antigenic variation, that is by continually switching their variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) coat on the cell surface. VSG genes are first expressed at the host- infective metacyclic stage in the salivary glands of the insect vector, the tsetse fly. At this stage each trypanosome expresses a single gene from a small specific subset of VSG genes (≤27 in Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense). Unusually for trypanosomes the metacyclic VSG genes (M-VSG genes) are transcribed as short, monocistronic transcription units located at the ends (telomeres) of the largest set of trypanosome chromosomes. Previously, nuclear run-on analysis identified the promoter region of one metacyclic VSG gene, the ILTat 1.22 M-VSG gene, at a position 2.6-3.0 kb upstream of the VSG gene. The promoter region was shown to be active only at the metacyclic stage and silent at both the procyclic and bloodstream stages. This is the only gene analysed thus far in Kinetoplastida shown to be transcriptionally regulated: all other genes are, at least in part, under post- transcriptional control. In this study a cloned restriction fragment containing the 1.22 M-VSG gene promoter was placed upstream of a copy of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene in a plasmid vector and used in transient transfection of trypanosomes. In transient transfection of bloodstream trypanosomes the putative 1.22 M-VSG gene promoter was highly active although, previous studies had shown the same fragment to be inactive in transient transfection of procyclic trypanosomes (Graham and Barry, 1995). In order to determine what sequences within the promoter region were necessary for the observed activity of the promoter, a series of deletion mutants were prepared across the promoter region in a 5' to 3' direction and 3' to 5' direction. These deletion mutants were cloned into a CAT reporter plasmid and promoter fragment activity was determined by transient transfection of bloodstream trypanosomes. The deletion analysis indicated a region of 96 bp was necessary to maintain frill promoter activity. In vivo promoter analysis had shown that the 1.22 M-VSG gene promoter was inactive in bloodstream trypanosomes and it was possible that promoter activity in the transient transfection experiments was due to loss of regulation imposed by its normal chromosomal context. To study the effect of chromosomal location on the 1.22 M-VSG gene promoter, experiments integrating reporter constructs into the bloodstream trypanosome genome were conducted. First, bloodstream trypanosomes of stock EATRO 795 (from which the putative promoter fragment of the 1.22 M-VSG gene was isolated) were adapted to axenic culture to allow transfection, cultivation and selection of stable transformants. Culture adapted bloodstream trypanosomes were phenotypically bloodstream forms which were highly virulent in mice and could differentiate, at least partially, to procyclic forms. For stable transformation two reporter constructs were used to integrate the promoter first to its endogenous expression telomere and second, to a chromosomal-internal position, the untranscribed spacer region of the ribosomal RNA gene transcription unit. In both cases the reporter construct contained a copy of the 1.22 M- VSG gene promoter directing transcription of a CAT gene. The promoter was flanked 5' by sequences homologous to the appropriate site of genomic integration. CAT gene expression was analysed in the cloned, transformed cells lines by CAT enzyme activity and Northern blot analysis. For the ribosomal untranscribed spacer region, nuclear run-on analysis showed that CAT gene transcription initiated at the 1.22 M-VSG gene promoter. The promoter was found to be up to 40 times more active at the ribosomal locus than when positioned at the 1.22 M-VSG gene expression telomere. Reduced activity of the 1.22 M- VSG gene promoter at the 1.22 M-VSG gene expression telomere suggests that one mechanism for down-regulation of the M-VSG gene promoter in bloodstream trypanosomes may be related to its telomere positioning.


This paper presents experimental results of cyclic loading tests carried out on three L-shaped prestressed concrete beam-column corner joints. Three types of reinforcing methods to enhance the anchorage performance of beam and column longitudinal reinforcing bars were studied based on the experimental results such as the load-displacement relation curves, deformation capacity, prestressing force variation, and strain measurements of the beam and column reinforcing bars. The test specimens were KPCL1 with the column longitudinal reinforcement with 180-degree hooks at their ends, KPCL2 with the column longitudinal reinforcement bent in a U-shape, and KPCL3 with U-shaped column longitudinal reinforcement and additional transverse reinforcement on the beam longitudinal reinforcement. It can be concluded that the anchorage performance was somehow enhanced by the three reinforcing methods in the positive direction of loading (closing direction), while in the negative direction of loading (opening direction) there was no remarkable improvement.


The insulation system of inverter-fed motors is subjected to repetitive impulse voltages, which are generated by pulse width modulation (PWM) converters, and is expected to withstand partial discharge (PD) activity during service. PD-induced dielectric breakdown becomes one of the most important reasons for premature failures of motor insulation. Therefore, the dielectric properties of insulation material used in inverter-fed motors need to be improved to meet the requirement for rapid development of applications. Many approaches have been proposed to improve dielectric properties of insulation material used in inverter-fed motors. In this chapter, we will discuss the failure mechanism, modification approaches, and their effects on dielectric properties of insulation material of inverter-fed motors.


A cross sectional study was done in December 1994 to determine the prevalence rate of anemia and the associated factors among standard six students in the district of Kuala Terengganu. Three schools was randomly selected from 65 schools in Kuala Terengganu which involved a sample of284 students. Data was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire, anthropometry measurement, 24-hour dietary recall, academic assessment and mental activities. The health knowledge of mothers of the students were also assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence rate of anemia (Hb < 12 gm.%) was 12.7%. It is higher among female students. The other variables including nutrition intake, antropometry status, family size, sanitation and health knowledge of mothers did not show any significant difference between anemic and non anemic students. These could be due to the fact that the population is homogenous. There is a situation indicating lower school performance based on examination result of three subjects (English, mathematics and Human Science). However this study does not shows any significant difference. This could be due to other confounding factors such as severity of anemia, homogenesity of sample and others not studied. The mental performance of the student is measured by the duration to complete a set of activities involving puzzle, quiz and others was done. The linear regression analysis showed that for every I gm % decrease in level of hemoglobin of the children, there is an increase of 18 second in time to complete the mental activities. (p < 0.05, r = 0.19 and r = 3.8 %). These infer that anemia as indicated by the hemoglobin levels cause a decrease in attention spans of children conducting a set of mental activities. Since anemia is still prevalence among the school children in Kuala Terengganu screening of cases and follows up to over come the problem is importance to ensure that the children are alert at school.


Drawing on life history theory, this research explores the moderating role of childhood economic background in the relationship between sex ratio and the female's mate preference for male resource availability. Using different priming materials, three experiments consistently found that women with a rich childhood economic background showed a stable level of mate preference for good resource—this applied regardless of male- or female-biased sex ratio. But females with a poor childhood economic background showed a higher level of preference for male resource availability under the condition of female-biased sex ratio (vs. the condition of male-biased sex ratio). These findings support the moderating role of female childhood economic background in the relationship between sex ratio and their mating preference of good resources.


Administrative patent revocation in the U.S. is poised to enter a new period of efficiency, though ironically it will be an efficiency that the America Invents Act originally put in place. The Court's recent approval of the constitutionality of Patent Trial and Appeal Board ("PTAB") proceedings was blunted by the Court's accompanying rejection of partial institution. This Patent Office practice of accepting and denying validity review petitions piecemeal had been a key part of the agency's procedural structure from the start. As a result, the Court's decision in SAS Institute v. Iancu to require a binary choice — either fully accepting a PTAB petition or fully denying it — is already being criticized for sacrificing efficiency on the altar of wooden statutory interpretation, including two dissents from the decision itself. Starting from the premise that SAS Institute was rightly decided, however, this paper makes two contributions. The theoretical contribution is to contrast PTAB estoppel with ordinary principles of res judicata and collateral estoppel. This important context is lacking in the literature, and the profound effect of SAS Institute on PTAB estoppel makes this evaluation especially timely. The empirical contribution is to marshal new data and guide the difficult structural choices that the agency must now make in order to comply with SAS Institute.

Notably, though Justice Ginsburg's dissent suggested that the agency could comply with the Court's decision through a few empty gestures, her mock proposal is actually a sound plan of action. By reinvigorating Congress's view of efficiency, one that is more systemic than merely minimizing short-term agency workload, the Court has enabled the Patent Office to resolve open questions about the maturing system for resolving patent validity through administrative, rather than judicial, process.


This paper describes an investigation into mechanical cross-talk within 1-3 and 2-2 connectivity piezoelectric composite array configurations, comprising a matrix of active piezoelectric elements embedded within a passive, polymeric, material. One way to take full advantage of the reported sensitivity and bandwidth improvements from single-crystal materials is to configure them as a piezoelectric composite. For this work, piezoelectric ceramic, lithium niobate and single-crystal pmn-pt materials are investigated as the active component in the piezocomposite array designs. Within these piezoelectric configurations, the generation of ultrasonic inter-pillar modes, which arise due to the periodicity of the active piezoelectric elements within the piezocomposite lattice, can be detrimental to the array performance. Consequently, finite element (FE) modelling, using PZFlex, is utilised to provide design techniques for the removal of these inter-pillar modes from the frequency band of interest and the realisation of unimodal piezocomposite transducer structures. Further FE modelling is used to generate dispersion data for 2-2, and doubly periodic 1-3, composite substrates. This dispersion data is used to design the linear arrays, with the objective of minimising mechanical inter-element cross-talk. A comparison between the FE predicted mechanical cross-coupling between array elements, for each composite material operating in air, is supported by experimentally measured data. Subsequently, the validated FE models are extended to include both operation into a solid load and the introduction of a backing material to simulate the operation of a practical NDE array transducer. The design techniques obtained from PZFlex are shown to produce arrays with low cross-talk and the extent of the cross-talk in manufactured and modelled ceramic and pmn-pt single-crystal arrays is compared.


The story of Zenobia in The House of the Seven Gables is taken from the suicide of Martha Hunt. Standing at the periphery of the Transcendentalists in Concord, Hunt embraced its lessons of equality for women and its transformative intellectual lessons; however, the intellectual promise of her associations turned to despair and led to her suicide illustrating the darker side of the movement.


To the Editor:— The lead article inThe Journal, Nov. 19, 1955, page 1175, contains many errors in history, fact, spelling, and English usage. For example, in the first paragraph, "Jallibert first induced muscle contraction by electric spark in 1732. Thus began the use of electrical currents in the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders." The man's name was Jallabert; many had contracted muscles with the spark before him; he first applied the spark to muscle on Dec. 26, 1747; he was not a physician; he never used electricity for diagnosis nor did anyone even mention such a possibility in his lifetime. In the same paragraph, "In 1786 Galvani produced muscle contraction by the constant current"; Galvani used the spark, since Volta's discovery of the constant current and its production, as well as its announcement, were all made after Galvani's death. In this article the upper limit of the normal chronaxy is


While textbooks on evidence-based medicine still mainly focus on accuracy studies as most appropriate level of evidence for diagnostic questions, the guideline developers have moved forward to patient important outcomes. In other words, a perfect test may still be useless if it does not change clinical decisions and outcomes for patients. What is the current state of evidence-based diagnostics and how can this be translated to different veterinary situations?


PURPOSE
Future developments in image guided adaptive radiotherapy (IGART) for bladder cancer require accurate deformable image registration techniques for the precise assessment of tumor and bladder motion and deformation that occur as a result of large bladder volume changes during the course of radiotherapy treatment. The aim was to employ an extended version of a point-based deformable registration algorithm that allows control over tissue-specific flexibility in combination with the authors' unique patient dataset, in order to overcome two major challenges of bladder cancer registration, i.e., the difficulty in accounting for the difference in flexibility between the bladder wall and tumor and the lack of visible anatomical landmarks for validation.

METHODS
The registration algorithm used in the current study is an extension of the symmetric-thin plate splines-robust point matching (S-TPS-RPM) algorithm, a symmetric feature-based registration method. The S-TPS-RPM algorithm has been previously extended to allow control over the degree of flexibility of different structures via a weight parameter. The extended weighted S-TPS-RPM algorithm was tested and validated on CT data (planning- and four to five repeat-CTs) of five urinary bladder cancer patients who received lipiodol injections before radiotherapy. The performance of the weighted S-TPS-RPM method, applied to bladder and tumor structures simultaneously, was compared with a previous version of the S-TPS-RPM algorithm applied to bladder wall structure alone and with a simultaneous nonweighted S-TPS-RPM registration of the bladder and tumor structures. Performance was assessed in terms of anatomical and geometric accuracy. The anatomical accuracy was calculated as the residual distance error (RDE) of the lipiodol markers and the geometric accuracy was determined by the surface distance, surface coverage, and inverse consistency errors. Optimal parameter values for the flexibility and bladder weight parameters were determined for the weighted S-TPS-RPM.

RESULTS
The weighted S-TPS-RPM registration algorithm with optimal parameters significantly improved the anatomical accuracy as compared to S-TPS-RPM registration of the bladder alone and reduced the range of the anatomical errors by half as compared with the simultaneous nonweighted S-TPS-RPM registration of the bladder and tumor structures. The weighted algorithm reduced the RDE range of lipiodol markers from 0.9-14 mm after rigid bone match to 0.9-4.0 mm, compared to a range of 1.1-9.1 mm with S-TPS-RPM of bladder alone and 0.9-9.4 mm for simultaneous nonweighted registration. All registration methods resulted in good geometric accuracy on the bladder; average error values were all below 1.2 mm.

CONCLUSIONS
The weighted S-TPS-RPM registration algorithm with additional weight parameter allowed indirect control over structure-specific flexibility in multistructure registrations of bladder and bladder tumor, enabling anatomically coherent registrations. The availability of an anatomically validated deformable registration method opens up the horizon for improvements in IGART for bladder cancer.


Hepatolithiasis, or primary intrahepatic stones, is prevalent in the Far East. The majority of primary intrahepatic stones were calcium bilirubinate stones 30-40 years ago in Korea. However, intrahepatic stones with high cholesterol purity have recently been recognized. Since 1990s, mixed stones constituting about 40-50% of all intrahepatic stones, and pure intrahepatic cholesterol stones have been observed in Korea. Although advances in interventional radiological techniques, cholangioscopic technique, and novel surgical technique have led to significant changes in treating the patients with hepatolithiasis, it is still considered as an intractable disease and more common in Korea than western countries. Therefore, Korean gastroenterologists should have more interest and accomplish passionate researches on hepatolithiasis.


Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) shows wide geographic variation in histological subtypes and in its association with the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). HL has three main epidemiological patterns (I, II and III). Type I pattern, which is prevalent in developing countries, shows a relatively high incidence in male children, a low incidence in the third decade and a second peak of high incidence in older age groups. Type III, which is usually seen in developed countries, is characterised by a low rate in children and a pronounced initial peak in young adults. The third pattern (Type II), which is described in many Asian countries, is intermediate and reflects a transition between types I and III. In this pattern there is both a childhood and a third decade peak. The proportion of EBV positive HL is low in industrialised countries, high in non-industrialised countries and intermediate in early-industrialised countries. Reports from the Arabian Gulf and Middle East are few. The aim of this study is to determine the epidemiology of HL in a population of United Arab Emirates (UAE) nationals, an early industrialised country in the Arabian Gulf, and to delineate the extent of its association with EBV. In total, 88 cases of HL were diagnosed in native patients during the period 1988 through 2004 at Tawam hospital. Forty-five paraffin blocks were available for this study. Five-micrometer sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and the immunohistochemical streptavidin–biotin methods for CD45, CD3, CD20, CD15 and CD30. Other sections were examined for the presence of EBV using the immunohistochemical streptavidin–biotin method for the latent membrane protein 1 and in situ hybridisation for EBV encoded RNA to determine the prevalence of EBV in Hodgkin cells and its possible role in the pathogenesis of HL. Nodular sclerosis (NS) subtype was the most common type of HL among UAE nationals followed by mixed cellularity (MC), lymphocytic predominant (LP), unclassified, lymphocytic depletion (LD) and lymphocyte rich (LR) subtypes, respectively. EBV was seen in 17 of 45 (38%) cases of HL and was predominately seen in the MC subtype followed by NS, LD and LR subtypes, respectively. EBV was more frequently expressed in HL in the pediatric age group than the adult age group. These data indicate that the epidemiology of HL in a native population of the UAE is suggestive of a type II epidemiologic pattern in terms of age distribution, and histopathologic subtypes, whereas the frequency of EBV expression is more suggestive of a type III epidemiologic pattern. The significant association between EBV and HL that we have found further strengthens the suggestion that all cases of HL should be assessed for EBV status, because its presence may have a significant impact on prognosis and response to therapy.


Monoclonal antibodies are a critical tool for immunologists, with applications including immunomicroscopy and cytometry, and non-human primates are essential models for drug development. Very few antibodies are raised against non-human primate antigens; instead, researchers typically use anti-human antibodies that are found to be cross-reactive with non-human primates. The NIH maintains a valuable database of cross-reactivity, but its coverage is not complete, especially for less common species. Furthermore, the database only indicates the presence or absence of staining and does not indicate if a different cell population is stained in the NHP species than in humans. We screened 332 antibodies in five immune cell populations in blood from cynomologus macaques (Macaca fascicularis), rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) and olive/yellow baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis × Papio hamadryas cynocephalus), thereby generating a comprehensive cross-reactivity catalog that includes cell type-specificity. We subsequently used this catalog to help create large CyTOF mass cytometry panels for three of those species and humans. The curated dataset containing the primary data for each antibody has been deposited as a browsable resource at https://immuneatlas.org and https://flowrepository.org/id/FR-FCM-Z2Z7.


Students are increasingly subject to a series of learning pressures that prevent effective engagement in assessment. Thus, the aim of this study was to create a multi‐faceted formative assessment approach that better enabled students to engage in the assessment process. A formative assessment approach, consisting of six key initiatives, is outlined and shown as being useful in helping to improve student engagement with the subject area of environmental governance. The effectiveness of the assessment approach was assessed via analysis of written student feedback that facilitated analysis of student perceptions of the assessment process. The paper argues that for formative assessment to be more widely embraced, and made more effective in encouraging learning, greater recognition must be accorded to the strategies that can be adopted to facilitate the uptake of formative assessment. A reduction in summative assessment burden and the recognition of the need for better 'information' on the aims and objectives of the assessment, and subsequent discussion of these, are highlighted as having played their role in facilitating the uptake, and effective implementation, of formative assessment.


A pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of the National Research Centre at Dokki, Cairo Egypt in 2006 and 2007 during winter season to evaluate the effect of different salt stress degrees on the growth, photosynthetic pigments and yield characters. The differences between varieties in all estimated growth criteria (Plant height, number and area of green leaves/mean stem, number of tillers, number of spikes and length of spike) were significant. Plant height and number of green leaves were higher in Sohag3, number of tillers and spikes were higher in BaniSweef3 and area of leaves/mean stem and length of spike were higher in Sohag2 plants. The lowest values of all these characters were in BaniSweef1. BaniSweef3 exceeded BaniSweef1 in growth characters, however, the differences between both Sohag cultivars were not significant in the above mentioned criteria. Salt stress had remarkable negative effects on growth parameters of durum wheat plants. The depression in growth attributes increased as the salt level increased in water of irrigation. The differences in chl.b, carotenoids and total chlorophyll were not significant. Among the three varieties ,Banisweif 3 variety was superior in chl.a :chl.b and ch.a + chl.b:total carotenoids ratios. This indicated that there is a positive relationship between salt stress and the concentration of both parameters. Similar response s were detected by chla; chl.band chl.a+chl.b : total carotenoids ratios. However, the concentration of chl.b as well as total carotenoids did not significantly affected by salinity. Both concentration of salt stress led to a decrease in total carotenoides concentration in Banisweif 3 and Sohage3. The reverse was true with babisweif1 and Sohag2.


Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) is a complex disease in which both genetic and environmental factors interact in determining impaired β-cell insulin secretion and peripheral insulin resistance. Insulin resistance in muscle, liver and fat is a prominent feature of most patients with T2DM and obesity, resulting in a reduced response of these tissues to insulin. Considerable evidence has been accumulated to indicate that heredity is a major determinant of insulin resistance and T2DM. It is believed that, among individuals destined to develop T2DM, hyperinsulinemia is the mechanism by which the pancreatic β-cell initially compensates for deteriorating peripheral insulin sensitivity, thus ensuring normal glucose tolerance. Most of these people will develop T2DM when β-cells fail to compensate. Despite the progress achieved in this field in recent years, the genetic causes of insulin resistance and T2DM remain elusive.Candidate gene association, linkage and genome-wide association studies have highlighted the role of genetic factors in the development of T2DM. Using these strategies, a large number of variants have been identified in many of these genes, most of which may influence both hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance, adipogenesis and β-cell mass and function. Recently, a new gene has been identified by our research group, the HMGA1 gene, whose loss of function can greatly raise the risk of developing T2DM in humans and mice. Functional genetic variants of the HMGA1 gene have been associated with insulin resistance syndromes among white Europeans, Chinese individuals and Americans of Hispanic ancestry. These findings may represent new ways to improve or even prevent T2DM.


Abstract Genetic variation in the growth response to temperature is a basis for developing adaptation measures to global warming, but evaluation of cultivars for the temperature responses may depend on other environmental factors such as light. In this study, we tested the growth responses of 18 diverse rice cultivars to constant day/night temperature of 25, 28, 31 and 34ºC in artificially-lit growth chambers (ALC) in Wagga Wagga (7.8 MJ m-2 d-1), and in naturally-lit chambers (NLC) in Yanco (25 and 28ºC and 13.4 MJ m-2 d-1; 31 and 34ºC and 11.5 MJ m-2 d-1), both in NSW, Australia. There was a significant interaction between temperature and chamber type for total shoot and panicle biomass; total shoot biomass was largest at 31ºC in ALC, and at 25 and 28ºC in NLC. From the average of all temperatures, the total shoot biomass declined by 29.5% in plants grown in ALC compared with those grown in NLC. Importantly, cultivar performance in ALC was similar to that in NLC at these temperatures, as evidenced by the highly significant correlation in total shoot biomass between ALC and NLC. Among 18 cultivars, IR64, IR72, N22, Vandana, Takanari and Koshihikari commonly produced a larger total shoot biomass under higher temperature conditions. Leaf area at earlier measurement date was highly correlated with the final total shoot biomass at the higher temperature more than specific leaf area.


In the present study, linear orthogonal projection algorithms (least square sense linear mapping (LSLM), minimum variance estimation (MVE), spectral domain estimation (SDC) and time domain constraint (TDC)) have been applied to reduce the background EEG noise on small number of trials elicited by auditory stimuli. These methods are compared to each other with respect to eigendecomposition based spectral signal-to-noise-ratio (SSNR) in tests where the grand average of experimental observations is considered as the template evoked potential (EP) signal. The actual ongoing EEG series and single-sweep EP are summed in pseudosimulations. The LSLM having simplest formulation is found to be most useful pre-filter among those methods in removing large amount of the noise without loss of information about EP components since both EEG noise level and EP component variations are highly correlated with eigenspectra of the raw data.


The embedding of passive components such as resistors, capacitors and inductors within printed circuit boards (PCBs) is motivated, to a large extent, by the desire for increased miniaturisation of electronic goods. However, resistors and, to a lesser extent, inductors are heat generating devices, and the temperature developed within PCBs as the result of the operation of embedded passives is a significant aspect of the design of a multilayer PCB. Here we investigate, by simulation, temperature fields associated with operation of embedded resistors. It is shown that for board dimensions less than 2cm × 2cm temperatures achieved are higher than those associated with larger boards having identical structures and identical resistor heat generation. Detailed simulations are used to investigate the sensitivity of the temperature rises associated with embedded resistors to copper track coverage and to thermal coupling of the PCB to ambient on its upper and lower surfaces. The implications of these findings are discussed both in the context of the design of real PCBs and in the context of thermal simulation.


This paper reviews the lessons of democratic decentralisation in Madhya Pradesh (MP), a poor and semi-feudal Indian state that emerged as a leader and bold experimenter in institutional design in the 1990s. Despite inauspicious beginnings, political leadership in MP set out to use decentralisation as a lever to expand and improve basic service delivery. The architects of the MP strategy were fully aware of the social and economic constraints, but they believed that through careful design, proper support to build social capital, and the achievement of early successes, the initiative could unlock powerful forces for community development. This article focuses on two initiatives, one to improve access to school and another to promote direct democracy at the village level. The authors find that, while the first phase of decentralisation has resulted in some significant improvements, especially in the area of education, the second stage has been far less successful. This article is hosted by our co-publisher Taylor & Francis.


To provide an excellent operation environment for micro-precise instruments in a narrow space with strict restrictions on weight, this study proposes a small-scale vibration isolation system with six-dimensional quasi-zero stiffness (QZS), consisting of at least three non-collinear fulcrums with three-dimensional QZS. The response characteristics of the QZS fulcrum, including the transfer rates, its stability, and convergence speed, are investigated by both quantitative calculations and simulations conducted using Simulink. A prototype is designed and manufactured and is then compared with other vibration isolation methods via experiments. The results show that the QZS isolator achieves a high performance and adequately reconciles the contradiction between vibration isolation and stability.


As the movement to integrate students with handicaps into regular education classrooms continues, regular education teachers are a critical component of the successful implementation of the integration process. Because building principals must assume responsibility for selecting the teachers who will be assigned integrated classrooms, this investigation determined the degree to which principals were able to predict the attitudes of regular education teachers toward the integration of students with handicaps. From public school districts in a Midwestern state, 85 pairs of teachers and principals were randomly selected from three educational levels: (a) elementary, (b) middle, and (c) secondary. The data were collected from questionnaires completed by the teachers, and from questionnaires completed by their principals predicting the attitudes of those regular education teachers regarding the following six factors: Factor 1, willingness; Factor 2, location of information; Factor 3, confidence about skills; Factor 4, effects on placement; Factor 5, adequate time; and Factor 6, teacher input. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The results showed difference scores between teachers and principals were significant on Factors 2, 3, 5, and 6; whereas, principals' predictions were not significantly different on Factors 1 and 4. With regards to educational level of the school, there were no differences between elementary;middle, or secondary level principals' ability to predict teacher responses. Although principals were able to identify the teachers willing to teach students with handicaps, they overestimated teachers' knowledge of where to obtain help or information about handicapped students, confidence in their personal skills about instruction and management in an integrated classroom, and sufficiency of time for carrying out the integration process. Principals also underestimated teacher attitudes regarding their input into the integration process. Principals can accurately predict teacher attitudes about integration and, therefore, place handicapped students appropriately with willing teachers. False assumptions, based on the overestimation on the three factors, can lead principals to believe that once initiated, the integration process will be maintained and sustained. Therefore, principals need to provide Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. additional information, staff development, and support to the regular education teachers to ensure that the integration of students with handicaps reaches its optimum potential. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.


Cancer cell migration is often guided by cell protrusions, whose formation and activity involve subcellular localization of mitochondria. However, the role of subcellular mitochondrial trafficking during cell protrusion generation is not well understood amidst a lack of quantitative data. Here, we present a high-throughput microfluidic platform that enables the quantitative, single-cell precision analysis of cell protrusion formation during cell migration that is regulated by subcellular mitochondrial trafficking. Gene expression profiling of the isolated cell protrusions suggested that mitochondria were found in high numbers within cell protrusions, a finding validated by mitochondrial staining. Quantitative analysis revealed that the formation of cell protrusions could be effectively suppressed by inhibiting subcellular mitochondrial trafficking. We further demonstrated that rapid screening of mitochondria-specific therapeutic drugs to evaluate their effects on cell protrusion formation with single-cell precision could be achieved in the microfluidic platform, which could have clinical utility in the development of new anti-cancer agents.


A database of decaying homogeneous, isotropic turbulence is constructed including reference direct numerical simulations at two different Reynolds numbers and a large number of corresponding large-eddy simulations at various subgrid resolutions. Errors in large-eddy simulation as a function of physical and numerical parameters are investigated. In particular, employing the Smagorinsky subgrid parametrization, the dependence of modeling and numerical errors on simulation parameters is quantified. The interaction between these two basic sources of error is shown to lead to their partial cancellation for several flow properties. This leads to a central paradox in large-eddy simulation related to possible strategies that can be followed to improve the accuracy of predictions. Moreover, a framework is presented in which the global parameter dependence of the errors can be classified in terms of the "subgrid activity" which measures the ratio of the turbulent to the total dissipation rate. Such an analysis allows one to quantify refinement strategies and associated model parameters which provide optimal total simulation error at given computational cost.


We present Magellan/IMACS spectroscopy of three recently discovered ultra-faint Milky Way satellites, Grus II, Tucana IV, and Tucana V. We measure systemic velocities of , , and for the three objects, respectively. Their large relative velocities demonstrate that the satellites are unrelated despite their close physical proximity. We determine a velocity dispersion for Tuc IV of , but we cannot resolve the velocity dispersions of the other two systems. For Gru II, we place an upper limit (90% confidence) on the dispersion of σ < 1.9 , and for Tuc V, we do not obtain any useful limits. All three satellites have metallicities below , but none has a detectable metallicity spread. We determine proper motions for each satellite based on Gaia astrometry and compute their orbits around the Milky Way. Gru II is on a tightly bound orbit with a pericenter of kpc and orbital eccentricity of . Tuc V likely has an apocenter beyond 100 kpc and could be approaching the Milky Way for the first time. The current orbit of Tuc IV is similar to that of Gru II, with a pericenter of kpc and an eccentricity of . However, a backward integration of the position of Tuc IV demonstrates that it collided with the Large Magellanic Cloud at an impact parameter of 4 kpc ∼120 Myr ago, deflecting its trajectory and possibly altering its internal kinematics. Based on their sizes, masses, and metallicities, we classify Gru II and Tuc IV as likely dwarf galaxies, but the nature of Tuc V remains uncertain.


Background—Optimal management of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) requires medical expertise, diagnostic testing and therapies, which may not be consistently available throughout the entire week. We sought to assess whether there are associations between weekday and weekend admission and mortality and length of hospital stay for patients hospitalized with PE. Methods and Results—We evaluated patients discharged with a primary diagnosis of PE from 186 acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania (01/2000-11/2002). We used random-effect logistic models to study the association between weekend admission and 30-day mortality and used discrete survival models to study the association weekend admission and time to hospital discharge, adjusting for hospital (region, size, teaching status) and patient factors (race, insurance, severity of illness, use of thrombolytic therapy). Among 15,531 patient discharges with PE, 3286 (21.2%) were admitted on a weekend. Patients admitted on weekends had a higher unadjusted 30-day mortality (11.1% vs 8.8%) compared to patients admitted on weekdays, with no difference in length of stay. Patients admitted on weekends had a significantly greater adjusted odds of dying (odds ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.34) compared to patients admitted on weekdays. The higher mortality among patients hospitalized on weekends was driven by the increased mortality rate among the most severely ill patients. Conclusions—Patients with PE who are admitted on weekends have a significantly higher shortterm mortality than patients admitted on weekdays. Quality improvement efforts should aim to ensure that there is a consistent approach to the management of PE 7 days a week.


Phase I clinical trials concerns the estimation of the MTD (maximum tolerated dose), the dose level corresponding to the target toxicity rate. A great deal of methods have been proposed to address the MTD estimation problem, among which the CRM (continual reassessment method) stands out due to its simplicity and outstanding performance. We extend the classic CRM by incorporating the idea of optimal design theory. We denote this new approach the OD-CRM, which indicates that this strategy is developed within the CRM framework, and coupled with the optimal design theory.
Then we move on to a more practical problem encountered in the oncology clinical studies, the late-onset toxicities. We adopt the weighting mechanism discussed in Cheung and Chappell (2000) which essentially assigns each toxicity response to a weight that depends on the patient's enrollment time and the observed data.
We also offer a general dose- finding algorithm based on the OWEA (optimal weight exchange algorithm, Yang, Biedermann, and Tang, 2013), to explore the performance of the OD-CRM under a broader clinical trial setup.


In an experimental flight test campaign, the usage of a real time Ground Telemetry System (GTS) provides mandatory support for three basic essential services: a) Safety storage of Flight Tests Instrumentation (FTI) data, in the occurrence of a critical aircraft failure; b) Monitoring of critical flight safety parameters to avoid the occurrence of accidents; and c) Monitoring of selected parameters that validates all tests points. At the operational side the test ranges typically works in two phases: a) In real time where the GTS crew performs test validation and test point selection with Telemetry data; and b) In post mission where the engineering crew performs data analysis and reduction with airborne recorded data. This process is time consuming because recorded data has to be downloaded, converted to Engineering Units (EU), sliced, filtered and processed. The main reason for the usage of this less efficient process relies in the fact that the real time Telemetry data is less reliable as compared to recorded data (i.e. it contains more noise and some dropouts). With the introduction of new technologies (i.e. i-NET) the telemetry link could be very reliable, so the GTS could perform data reduction analysis immediately after the receipt of all valid tests points, while the aircraft is still flying in a quasi-real time environment. To achieve this goal the Brazilian Flight Test Group (GEEV) along with EMBRAER and with the support of Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) started the development of a series of Decision Aid Tools that performs data reduction analysis into the GTS in quasi-real time. This paper presents the development and the evaluation of a tool used in Air Data System Calibration Flight Tests Campaign. The application receives the Telemetry data over either a TCP/IP or a SCRAMnet Network, performs data analysis and test point validation in real time and when all points are gathered it performs the data reduction analysis and automatically creates HTML formatted tests reports. The tool evaluation was carried out with the instruction flights for the 2009 Brazilian Flight Test School (CEV). The results present a great efficiency gain for the overall Flight Test Campaign.


Despite many advances in cancer diagnosis and therapy in the last few decades, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most fatal types of human malignancies, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 6%. One of the major contributing factors for the poor prognosis of this malignancy is the lack of specific markers for its early detection. In addition, pancreatic tumours are highly resistant to conventional types of therapy. Of the numerous anti-cancer agents investigated during the last decade, only erlotinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor has been added to the weaponry against pancreatic cancer. However, the therapeutic benefit of this approach is limited since the majority of patients simply do not respond or eventually acquire resistance to this type of therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-tumour effect of chemotherapeutic agents such as gemcitabine and several HER and IGF-IR inhibitors, including the pan-HER inhibitor afatinib, when used alone or in combination or 'in vitro'. The expression levels of all HER family members and IGF-IR in a panel of human pancreatic cancer and their association with response to treatment with HER and IGF-IR inhibitors was also investigated. Furthermore, the expression levels of these receptors as well as several ABC transporters and putative pancreatic cancer cell variants developed by chronic treatment with escalating doses of targeted agents or chemotherapeutic agent gemcitabine, of their parental counterparts. All pancreatic cancer cell lines investigated were found to be positive for EGFR, HER-2 and IGF-IR, however, over-expression of these receptors was found to be uncommon. In addition, no correlation was found between the expression levels of HER family members or IGF-IR and sensitivity to their respective inhibitors. Growth inhibition studies revealed that the pan-HER inhibitor afatinib had greater anti-tumour efficacy compared to first generation TKIs erlotinib and gefinitib, supporting its utilization in the treatment of this malignancy. Most importantly, co-targeting of HER family members and IGF-IR was found to be superior to single treatment, providing a rationale for investigating the therapeutic potential of this combination 'in vivo' (animal models and in a clinical setting).


As the result of a preliminary study of the value of sodium amytal as an anesthetic in general surgery, I am of the opinion that its best field of usefulness is as a basal anesthetic administered intravenously. In this regard I am quite in accord with the views of Holman and Palmer 1 and others, and I now prefer to use comparatively small doses of the drug, supplementing it with some form of inhalation anesthetic, either nitrous oxide and oxygen or ether, preferably the former. My experience with sodium amytal by mouth has been comparatively small, and no accurate comparison of the cases in which it was so given could be made with the present series. It has been my observation, however, that the results have been considerably less satisfactory and the effect less certain with such a method of administration. The intravenous route enables one to gage accurately the


In contemporary China, there are two far-reaching developments that impact directly on graduate employment: (a) a highly entrepreneurial and rapidly growing small business sector and (b) a rapidly expanding higher education sector. Paradoxically, while the small business sector continues to suffer from acute skills shortages, new graduates are still reluctant to seek employment in smaller firms. The attitudes of Chinese graduates are not unusual, and most tend to perceive employment and promotion prospects as significantly better in larger organizations. Competition for jobs in China is increasing and there is growing pressure on new graduates to consider smaller firms as a viable and long-term career option. The authors argue that it is necessary to take a holistic view of graduate employment issues and to facilitate better and closer linkages between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and higher education institutions. This article highlights the need of the Chinese small business sector for a better qualified and more dynamic graduate labour force to help sustain the momentum of rapid growth experienced in recent years. It highlights specific areas in which the higher education sector could make a significant contribution to the long-term competitiveness of SMEs in China. The scope and direction of further research are identified and discussed.


This study aimed to investigate the effect of an electronic sow feeder (ESF) on the productivity of swine farms. The ESF is a specific component of the Internet of Things (IoT)-based swine production management systems, which are prevalently used by swine farms. Though the effect of weight sorter adoption, another component of swine production management systems, have been clarified, the effect of ESF adoption has not yet been understood. To accomplish the aim of study, data from 19 swine farms were collected in Korea and a t-test was conducted. This study found that the ESF has a positive effect on decreasing the number of farrowing accidents, the mean days to reservice, and increasing the average number of farrowing accidents. Though the findings of this study are limited to the selected farms in Korea, the method of this study can be generally applied to other swine farms that use IoT-based swine production management systems. Future research will extend these results while considering productivity data and environmental data simultaneously. Examining the effects of other components of IoT-based production management systems is another possible direction to extend this study.


The U.S. Supreme Court has moved beyond its cautious intervention in Baker v. Carr and now firmly controls the law of democracy. Yet political gerrymandering questions so understood have traditionally proven difficult for the Court to examine properly. The recent Vieth v. Jubelirer is but a further example of this phenomenon. This Essay situates Vieth within the reapportionment revolution and ultimately concludes that the central question in gerrymandering cases is the question of judicial will and whether the Court will choose to exercise its power. This Essay closes with a cautionary note: in light of the Court's general performance in the field of democracy and its propensity to wield its power in accordance with its idiosyncratic views of the political process and the maladies that corrupt it, do we really want the Court doing our bidding?


The molecular and compound-specific isotopic composition of the n-alkanes in 30 oil samples from the Central Sumatra Basin were analyzed with the purpose of determining facies variations of the source rock in this basin. The oil samples were generated by the Eocene-Oligocene lacustrine Brown Shale Formation. Biomarkers in the oil samples indicate varying contributions from algal and terrigenous organic matter, primarily under oxic, or suboxic depositional conditions. Five source rock facies were identified based on the relative concentrations of n-alkanes, isoprenoids, tricyclic terpanes, and steranes. The individual facies were also distinguished by the compound-specific isotopic composition of the n-alkanes. Source rock depositional environments vary from deep lacustrine, shallow lacustrine, and lacustrine saline to coal and mixed coal and lacustrine shale. Deep lacustrine facies predominate in the Aman and Bengkalis troughs whereas saline and shallow lacustrine facies predominate in the South Aman and Kiri troughs, respectively. Oils derived from coal and mixed coal and lacustrine shale facies predominate in the northern part of the Central Sumatra Basin, in the Tanjung Medan and north of the Balam grabens.


This study explored the security implications of oil exploration on the social activities in South Lokichar Basin, Turkana County, Kenya. It was motivated by the disagreements between the county government and national government on the exploration, extraction, production and sharing of oil benefits. Oil discovery and revenues fuel ethnic and political tension in any country, result in war and political instability. Nigeria's Biafran war was due to oil discovery between July 6, 1967 and January 15, 1970. Such tensions are due to unfulfilled expectations of the host communities, corruption, environmental degradation, socio-economic disruptions and exploitation. In a region of extant and prevalent insecurity over scarce resources, there is the likelihood of violent disagreements over ownership and utilization of a newly discovered resource. Using Yamane's formula, a sample of 382 respondents was drawn; 8,493 were adults from Turkana County. Whereas most studies relating to oil discovery in Kenya have centred on the economic implications; this study filled the gap from the security perspective. Oil exploration had security implications on social activities as confirmed by 70% of the respondents. 65% also confirmed it, while 60% confirmed that oil exploration led to increased insecurity. 65% of the respondents felt that the security measures were insufficient to deal with security threats as a result of oil exploration while 60% of the respondents did not feel entitled to the benefits of oil exploration and production. The study concluded that oil exploration had both positive and negative security implications on socio-economic activities in South Lokichar Basin, Turkana County, Kenya.

 Key words: Security, implications, oil exploration, social activities, indigenous communities, community participation.


[Extract] In Southeast Asian and West African linguistics, clauses containing multiple chained verbs are typically referred to as "serial verb constructions." In the South Asian linguistic tradition, the closest analogue to the serial verb construction is often labeled a "compound" or "explicator compound" verb (Brown 1997; Burton-Page 1957; Hacker 1961; Hook 1974; Kachru and Pandharipande 1980; Nespital 1989), to some a subtype of "converb" construction or "conjunctive participial" (Bisang 1995 and references therein). Qualified use of the term "serialization" has occasionally been introduced (Kachru 1979; Kachru 1993; Pandharipande 1993; Steever 1989). However, a detailed comparative study of multi-verb constructions in e.g. South and Southeast Asian languages remains to be conducted.2

While our data at present remain insufficient to conduct this larger study, I argue in this paper that verb chains in at least Assamese are in fact direct analogues to the serial verb constructions of West Africa and Southeast Asia. Structurally, their surface syntax is comparable in the crucial respects, and they exhibit analogous properties with respect to argument structure, scope of tense-aspect marking and polarity. More tellingly, however, they share a precisely analogous diachronic origin and functional motivation for their development, as well as serve as a primary channel for the recruitment of new grammatical morphemes. Although in terms of frequency distribution, as well as sheer number of functions handled, verb-serialization appears far deeper in more prototypical verb-serializing languages such as Lahu or Akan, these differences should probably be understood in terms of typological constraints on their development rather than as differences of kind per se.

The paper has the following structure: section (2) briefly discusses some typological features of Assamese with reference to contact in the Northeast Indian linguistic area. Sections (3) and (4) review the synchronic and diachronic characteristics respectively of serial verb constructions in languages commonly identified as having them. Section (5) then reviews the major structural and semantic features of the Assamese serial verb construction. Section (6) concludes the presentation.


Bioethanol can be made from three kinds of materials which contains glucose, starch, and cellulose. The creation of bioethanol from glucose substance considered the easiest because only needs two-stage process, fermentation and distillation. Nowadays, the creation of bioethanol from glucose and starch creates new problem due to the demand of the glucose and starch for food needs. Therefore, the non-food sources bioethanol should be found. One of them is from expired date powder beverage. The purpose of the research is to compare the bioethanol creation process using two kinds of distillation equipment. The analysis consist of yield and the purity of the bioethanol. Fermentation is carried out for 14 days using a 0.5% Fermipan yeast, Urea and TSP fertilizers. One time distillation using equipment with controlled temperature about 78oC for 6 hours produced bioethanol yield 20% and 95% purity. The simpler distillation tools without temperature controls, due 21.5% bioethanol, with 80% purity in twice distillation process. It can be concluded that controlled temperature at the ethanol's boiling point during the distillation process, produces higher yield and purity of the bioethanol also faster processing time. If the distillation temperature is too high, there will be lots of evaporated bioethanol to the ambient and water will evaporated and condensed, so the ethanol purity will be lesser.


G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-canonical four-stranded structures and are emerging as novel genetic regulatory elements. However, a comprehensive genomic annotation of endogenous G4s (eG4s) and systematic characterization of their regulatory network are still lacking, posing major challenges for eG4 research. Here, we present EndoQuad (https://EndoQuad.chenzxlab.cn/) to address these pressing issues by integrating high-throughput experimental data. First, based on high-quality genome-wide eG4s mapping datasets (human: 1181; mouse: 24; chicken: 2) generated by G4 ChIP-seq/CUT&Tag, we generate a reference set of genome-wide eG4s. Our multi-omics analyses show that most eG4s are identified in one or a few cell types. The eG4s with higher occurrences across samples are more structurally stable, evolutionarily conserved, enriched in promoter regions, mark highly expressed genes and associate with complex regulatory programs, demonstrating higher confidence level for further experiments. Finally, we integrate millions of functional genomic variants and prioritize eG4s with regulatory functions in disease and cancer contexts. These efforts have culminated in the comprehensive and interactive database of experimentally validated DNA eG4s. As such, EndoQuad enables users to easily access, download and repurpose these data for their own research. EndoQuad will become a one-stop resource for eG4 research and lay the foundation for future functional studies.


This paper presents the development of families of control-volume distributed flux-continuous schemes with full control-volume surface pressure continuity for the general three dimensional pressure equation. Most effort to date has focused on schemes with pointwise continuity where the local continuity conditions are relatively compact. While full surface pressure continuity requires an increase in the number of local continuity conditions the new schemes prove to be relatively robust. Families of full pressure continuity schemes are developed here for structured and unstructured grids in three dimensions. The resulting Darcy flux approximations are applied to a range of three dimensional test cases that verify consistency of the schemes. Convergence tests of the three-dimensional families of schemes are presented, for a range of quadrature points. M-matrix conditions are presented and the schemes are tested for monotonicity. The full pressure continuity schemes are shown to be beneficial compared with earlier pointwise continuity schemes [1] both in terms improved monotonicity and convergence. The schemes are applied to challenging three dimensional test cases including heterogeneity for both structured and unstructured grids. TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS Extension of full control-volume surface pressure continuity flux continuous schemes to structured and unstructured grids in three dimensions. M-matrix and monotonicity analysis of three dimensional methods. Benefits are demonstrated for challenging three dimensional test cases including heterogeneity on structured and unstructured grids.


Lung cancer shows the highest incidence rate in the world. Thus, it has increasingly become an important issue to find the therapeutic drugs to treat lung cancer. Farfarae Flos (FF) has been used in the traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) in the treatment for the pulmonary diseases such as cough, bronchitis and asthmatic disorders. In this study, the anti-proliferation effect of petroleum extracts of FF (PEFF) against Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells and the corresponding mechanisms were studied using cell metabolomics. Fifteen differential metabolites in the cell extracts and the corresponding medium related with the anti-proliferation effect of PEFF were identified, which were probably involved with the Pyruvate metabolism and Glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. For the cellular uptake compounds of PEFF, six metabolites derived from two prototype compounds, were also tentatively identified by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS. Network pharmacology analysis demonstrated that the anti-proliferation mechanism of PEFF was also probably related to the target genes, including Aurora-A, GSTM1, GSTP1, PGR and HO-1, and further related with the Proteoglycans and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Cell metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis provided a holistic method for the investigation of the anti-proliferation mechanisms of PEFF. However, further studies were still needed to validate the potential target genes, pathways and active compounds in PEFF.


neuroscience, there are some things that we know about our brains with certainty. There are a massive number of cells in the brain doing different things; some that we use often become more dominant in the mass as the less-used atrophy. On how we developed such an adaptive brain, however, there is less agreement, but for most involved in theoretical neuroscience our brains evolved along Darwinian lines. Accidental genetic mutations in individuals that were advantageous to survival became more frequent in subsequent populations. The processes that have delivered the kinds of brains we see in humans today were active at least 200,000 years ago, and today's brain is the consequence of a massive number of accidental mutations at the molecular level. More recently a global effort to identify laws and develop theories has had wide influence on how we think about individual destiny and familial heredity. Under the rubric of genetics, science has found itself back at the center of key debates in the humanities concerning determination and free will that were at the core of the universities from which science emerged in the medieval and early modern periods. David Wootton, in his recent book on the scientific revolution during this period (roughly the 14th and 15th centuries) [1], claims that the majority of students studied natural philosophy in the faculty of arts in a strictly secular context. Wootton's argument is that science emerged from a humanitiesbased exploration of Greek, Chinese and Islamic texts. The foundational emphasis on communicating findings during the experimental turn by letter (and later journals) is testament to the legacy of the arts and humanities in the construction of scientific knowledge. The 2015 STM Report [2], celebrating 350 years of journal publishing, reveals some startling statistics such as that the number of annual downloads of scientific papers is 2.5 billion and that the average reading time for papers has dropped from 45 minutes in the mid-1990s to just over 30 minutes today, which adds up to about 143,000 reading years per annum. And with reviewers reporting an average of 5 hours per paper—of which there were c. 2.5 million in 2014 taking up another 1,000 years at least—it is clear that modern science is a significantly literary practice, with its origins and current practices firmly in the arts and letters. From time to time this philosophical heritage surfaces almost irresistibly, as for example in the recovery of some Lamarckian thoughts about evolution in the most recent turn in epigenetics. A resistance to a perceived mechanistic determinism and loss of free will in the understanding of molecular inheritance has revived interest in C.H. Waddington's 1940s work on hereditable features that cannot be fully accounted for by gene-centered explanations. Waddington conducted experiments that showed that the biological and behavioral consequences of a particular environmental condition were passed on to subsequent generations even when the condition was no longer a determining force. Inasmuch as some environmental conditions are within our control, this suggests that our social and cultural choices, particularly as they impact on our cognitive processes, might actively contribute to the ongoing evolutionary journey of humans and, by association, the rest of the natural world. Perhaps it is some surprise that in epigenetics—at the core of contemporary biology and neuroscience—we have the strongest case for arguing that any division between science and culture is both unsupportable and foolhardy.


Polystyrene(PS)/Low density Polyethylene(LDPE) blends were prepared in a twin-roll mill. Effects of the addition of nano-CaCO3, LDPE-g-MA, and the mixing procedure on the morphology, crystallization behavior, rheological and mechanical properties of the blends were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Advanced Rheometric Expansion System (ARES) and mechanical testing. The results show that the addition of nano-CaCO3 reduces the droplet size and the crystallinity of LDPE dispersed phase, hence increases both the tensile and impact strength of the blends. The two-step mixing procedure in which LDPE and nano-CaCO3 were premixed prior to mixing with PS, facilitates forming encapsuled morphology, leading to a lower viscosity and a higher tensile strength of the blends.


Sumenep Regency has high tourism potential where there are about 32 tourist attractions in which one of them is Sumenep Palace. However, in 2016 Sumenep Palace is still less touristy compared to other tourist attractions such as Lombang Beach which can attract around 66.000 tourists, while Sumenep Palace is only around 49.000. In addition, some travel agents also still do little tourism promotion, because they prefer to offer beach tour packages. Therefore, in order for tourism development to run optimally, Sumenep Regency carries out a collaborative strategy involving the private sector and the community. The research method used was the descriptive qualitative method to provide an overview of the strategy of Sumenep Regency Government in developing tourism of Sumenep Palace based on collaborative strategy. Data collection techniques are carried out through the process of observation, interviews, and documentation. The theory used is collaborative governance by Chriss Ansell and Alisson Gash which emphasizes that collaboration is carried out formally between government and non-government actors, where the government becomes the initiator in the collaboration. The results showed that the collaboration included government actors carried out by Disparbudpora, travel tourism agents and klenengan art groups. Each of these actors has acted as a facilitator, carried out tourism promotions, and supported the implementation of collaboration activities. The achievements of collaborative activities indicate the presence of increasing tourist visits from 2016 to 2017, but in terms of regional revenue, the contribution is still not that significant. Overall, the realization of the collaboration is supported by a forum for dialogue, trust, and commitment between actors. But there are some drawbacks in the absence of regulations to support the collaboration process, the absence of hotel and restaurant involvement and the lack of involvement of travel agents. Key Word: Government Strategy, Collaborative Governance, Tourism Development


By using the Saint Venant`s semi-inverse method stress-strain state of stretching nonlinearly elastic cylinder containing screw dislocation was analyzed. The ranges of material parameters when diagram of loading (the relationship between the axial load and the elongation of the cylinder) has a falling segment were defined. The existence of such segments can be treated as a stability loss of stretching cylinder. To analyze the stability the bifurcation approach was used that based on linearization of the equilibrium equations in the neighborhood of the obtained solutions. The bifurcation point was defined as such value of the "loading" parameter (Burgers vector magnitude, stretch ratio or other strain characteristic) for which the linearized problem has a nontrivial solution. Numerical determination of the bifurcation points was based on the analysis of the homogeneous linear boundary value problem of sixth order whose coefficients expressed through the radial displacement function and its derivative. The similar problem of compression was used for verification purposes.


Acoustic emission (AE) signals, obtained during the isothermal oxidation of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel at 773 K, 873 K, 973 K and 1073 K, have been analyzed. The results indicated that the rate of occurrence of AE events and consequently the total number of AE events generated during isothermal oxidation at these temperatures increased with an increase in the oxidation rate. Variation in the temperature of oxidation did not show any variation in the root mean square (RMS) level of the AE signals. The b-parameters obtained from a logarithmic cumulative amplitude distribution plot indicated that the strength of the AE signals did not change during isothermal oxidation carried out at these temperatures. Different event rates, and consequently the difference in the total number of AE events generated during isothermal oxidation at these temperatures, are indicative of the increased rate of energy release associated with the growth of oxide layers formed at higher temperatures. The rate of energy release has been found to be higher for higher temperatures of oxidation.


Dendroecology, or the use of ring patterns to assess the age of trees and environmental factors controlling their growth, is a well-developed method in climatologic studies. This method holds great potential as a forensic tool for age dating, contamination assessment, and characterization of releases. Moreover, the method is independent of the physical presence of contamination at the time of sampling because it is focused on the effect rather than the cause. This review is one of the very few articles published to date exploring the forensic applicability of dendroecology. This article is organized in two parts: Part I describes the method principles and proposes a practical procedure for forensic applications; Part II exemplifies and validates the method through six case studies of successful forensic application (related to petroleum products and chlorinated solvent spills).


The intron-encoded enzyme I-CeuI provides an excellent tool for rapidly examining the organization of genomes of related species of bacteria. Vibrio cholerae strains belonging to serovars O1 and O139 have 9 I-ceuI sites in their genomes, and V. cholerae strains belonging to serovars non-O1 and non-O139 have 10 I-ceuI sites in their genomes. This information can be used as a criterion to differentiate O1 strains from non-O1 and non-O139 strains. To our knowledge, intraspecies variation in the number of rrn operons has not been reported in any other organism. Our data revealed extensive restriction fragment length polymorphism based on a comparison of the I-ceuI digestion profiles of strains belonging to different serovars and biovars. From the analysis of partial digestion products, I-CeuI macrorestriction maps of several classical, El Tor, and O139 strains were constructed. While the linkage maps are conserved within biovars, linkage maps vary substantially between biovars.