The development and acceptance of new image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) technologies have often been initiated with the treatment of prostate cancer. Imaging and tracking of the prostate during a treatment course has yielded a great deal of information about the motion and deformation of the gland during radiotherapy, and has led the way toward the development of more accurate treatment methods including dose-guided and adaptive strategies. Now, there is long-term experience with the use of fiducials and electromagnetic implantable beacons that give high-quality tracking of prostate motion. From analyzing these extensive tracking data sets, a clear understanding of prostate motion and its dosimetric significance has developed. This knowledge can now be used to define current expectations and guidelines for clinical care. The random nature of prostate motion requires daily localization if treatment is to be delivered with small margins. Interfraction motion can have a significant impact on prostate gland dosimetry, and even more of an impact on the seminal vesicles and possibly intraprostatic tumor areas. The dosimetric impact on normal structures (bladder/rectum) is less clear, and there are significant individual variations. Interfraction and intrafraction rotations and deformations of the prostate are routinely detected. The dosimetric impact of these motions of the prostate gland is minimal when daily localization is used, even when the treatment margins are small. However, deformations of the seminal vesicles, rectum and bladder are much more pronounced. The dosimetric impact of deformation of the rectum and bladder is highly variable among patients, and the clinical consequences remain unclear. Daily volumetric imaging and dosimetry may become quite important for these volumes. Due to the random nature of motion/deformation during prostate radiotherapy, adaptive radiotherapy ideally would be performed as an on-line process. On-line adaptive radiotherapy requires robust deformable registration and replanning programs. These are beginning to emerge in useful clinic applications.


In MIMO systems, where multiple antennas are used at both transmitter and receiver to achieve high spectral efficiency, channel impulse responses are often assumed to be constant over a block or packet. This assumption of block stationarity on channels is valid for most fixed wireless scenarios. However, for communications in a high mobility environment, the assumption will result in considerable performance degradation. In this paper, we focus on channel estimation for a MIMO system with OFDM transmission technique. In our system, pilots are placed on N/sub P/ subcarriers for a novel channel estimation at the receiver with Kalman filters. With the channels estimated by a Kalman filter, we apply the QRD-M algorithm for suboptimal data detection with reasonable computational cost. The outputs of data detection are fed back to another Kalman filter for an improved channel estimation. By alternatively and iteratively using these two Kalman filters, a better channel estimation can be obtained. A simulation result of the bit error rate shows the improvement of 10 dB in SNR with four iterations over noniteration.


OBJECT
The goal of this study was to develop a practical landmark for the safe and easy identification of the cochlea when performing anterior petrosectomy based on cadaver dissection results.

METHODS
The cochlear line was defined as the line drawn from the crossing point between the greater superficial petrosal nerve (GSPN) and the petrous internal carotid artery to the line drawn over the apex of the superior circumference of the dura of the internal auditory canal at a right angle. The validity of the cochlear line marking the anteromedial perimeter of the cochlea at the angle of the GSPN and the internal acoustic canal as a practical landmark were evaluated using 5 cadaver heads.

RESULTS
The mean distance (± SD) measured from the cochlear line to the margin of the cochlear cavity was 2.25 ± 0.51 mm (range 1.50-3.00 mm).

CONCLUSIONS
Anterior petrosectomy can be performed more efficiently by using the cochlear line as a key landmark to preserve the cochlea.


In Reply.—The excretory urograms of all five cases were reviewed and discussed with pediatric radiologists in the Department of Pediatric Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Representative photographs from each urogram were supplied to the editors. Unfortunately, during revision, the legend to the figure was incorrectly transcribed by the authors, and the correct legend should have read "This patient has bilateral papillary necrosis, an example of which is shown in the upper pole of the right kidney." We agree with Dr Bowen that the diagnosis of RPN is a radiologic diagnosis. We are confident that the quality of the excretory urograms and the interpretation by the radiologists is adequate to support the diagnosis in each case.


In this study new ternary bioactive mixtures were investigated, which are appropriate for applications as coatings on the surface of dental ceramics. The fabrication of mixtures based on the combination of dental ceramic, hydroxyapatite and bioactive glass was demonstrated. The mixtures were characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM and their bioactive behavior was investigated by immersion in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF). The ternary mixture consisted of a high fusing leucite-feldspathic dental ceramic which exhibited the highest bioactive behavior assigned to the characteristic crystal phases occurring under the specific heat treatment investigated.


Liverpool is on the edge, its born from the edge and retains a distinctive edgy disposition. Liverpool's edge opens onto the Atlantic a characteristic which drove the city's exponential growth in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as gateway to the New World. The city has a distinctively Northern "vitality, sheer staggering vitality" [01] a characteristic it shares with other Northern cities, such as Manchester, Sheffield and Hull. These cities are where the heavy industrialisation was concentrated and consequently all were adversely affected by the de-industrialisation of the United Kingdom. The docks were Liverpool's economic 'raison d'etre' they were also integral to its cultural character providing an exchange of strangers and the strange as unique events in a folded 'fecund' of cultural creativity. This is a distinctive characteristic of edge territories; the edge holds in or out encouraging overlapping and subsequent interaction. The closure of the docks and the subsequent exodus of heavy industries in the 60s left seven linear miles of redundant docklands. Liverpool's edge redundancy removed 'event' as that difference generated from repetition. The city needed to transform to adapt however the extent of the redundant dockland was vast and so inextricably linked to the cities existence that it constituted an inconceivable endeavour. The change required was so vast that the city went into a double decade transitional state that can best be explained as a 'liminal defensive reaction'.


The genus Oryctonema was erected for the rather unusual species genitalis Poinar (1970) which lives in the bursa copulatrix and aedaegus of tropical dynostid beetles. A closely related nematode was discovered in the genital system of the beetle, Pentodon punctatus in Italy. Both species of nematodes resemble each other in general morphology and habitat, however there are several basic morphological characters that separate them. The nematode from P. punctatus is described in the present study as a new species in the genus Oryctonema. In so doing, the original description of the genus has been revised. The larvae of the host, P. punctatus often cause damage while feeding on the roots of young grape plants. It has not been determined whether the nematode has a detrimental effect on its host.


Particulate exposure has been implicated in the development of a number of neurological maladies such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Only a few studies have focused on the olfactory pathway as a portal through which combustion-generated particles may enter the brain. The primary objective of this study was to define the deposition, uptake, and transport of inhaled ultrafine iron–soot particles in the nasal cavities of mice to determine whether combustion-generated nanoparticles reach the olfactory bulb via the olfactory epithelium and nerve fascicles. Adult female C57B6 mice were exposed to iron–soot combustion particles at a concentration of 200 μg/m3, which included 40 μg/m3 of iron oxide nanoparticles. Mice were exposed for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 5 consecutive weeks (25 total exposure days). Our findings visually demonstrate that inhaled ultrafine iron–soot reached the brain via the olfactory nerves and was associated with indicators of neural inflammation.


We present here the detection of a system of four low-mass planets around the bright (V=5.5) and close-by (6.5 pc) star HD219134. This is the first result of the Rocky Planet Search program with HARPS-N on the TNG in La Palma. The inner planet orbits the star in 3.0937 +/-0.0004 days, on a quasi-circular orbit with a semi-major axis of 0.0382 +/- 0.0003 AU. Spitzer observations allowed us to detect the transit of the planet in front of the star making HD219134b the nearest known transiting planet to date. From the amplitude of the radial-velocity variation (2.33 +/- 0.24 m/s) and observed depth of the transit (359 +/- 38 ppm), the planet mass and radius are estimated to be 4.46 +/- 0.47 M_{\oplus} and 1.606 +/- 0.086 R_{\oplus} leading to a mean density of 5.89 +/- 1.17 g/cc, suggesting a rocky composition. One additional planet with minimum mass of 2.67 +/- 0.59 M_{\oplus} moves on a close-in, quasi-circular orbit with a period of 6.765 +/- 0.005 days. The third planet in the system has a period of 46.78 +/- 0.16 days and a minimum mass of 8.7 +/- 1.1 M{\oplus}, at 0.234 +/- 0.002 AU from the star. Its eccentricity is 0.32 +/- 0.14. The period of this planet is close to the rotational period of the star estimated from variations of activity indicators (42.3 +/- 0.1 days). The planetary origin of the signal is, however, the preferred solution as no indication of variation at the corresponding frequency is observed for activity-sensitive parameters. Finally, a fourth additional longer-period planet of mass of 62 +/- 6 M_{\oplus} orbits the star in 1190 days, on an eccentric orbit (e=0.27 +/- 0.11) at a distance of 2.14 +/- 0.27 AU.


The combination of ZnO, InN, and GaN epitaxial layers is explored to provide long wavelength photodetection capability in the GaN based materials. Growth temperature optimization was performed to obtain the best quality of InN epitaxial layer in the MOCVD system. The temperature dependent photoluminescence (PL) can provide the information about thermal quenching in the InN PL transitions and at least two non-radiative processes can be observed. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy are applied to confirm the inclusion of indium and the formation of InN layer. The band alignment of such system shows a typical double heterojunction, which is preferred in optoelectronic device operation. The photodetector manufactured by this ZnO/GaN/InN layer can exhibit extended long-wavelength quantum efficiency, as high as 3.55%, and very strong photocurrent response under solar simulator illumination.


The climate change assumes the warming of the climate systems due to increase of global average temperature to the observed increase of the greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered the most important GHG. The processes of CO2 capture are gaining a great attention on the scientific community as an alternative for decreasing CO2 emission and reducing its concentration in ambient air. In this study, we report a new deep eutectic solvents (DESs) made of monoethanolamine hydrochloride-diethylenetriamine exhibits a great candidate for CO2 capture. We developed solubility and physical properties studies at different pressures and temperatures, and regression model was well in agreement with the calculated αCO2 values with R-square: 0.976. The strong properties of DESs in CO2 capture make them as a suitable solvent for absorption CO2 to replace the conventional amine based scrubbing technology and are worth for further exploration.


Pathophysiology for the Boards and Wards, Fifth Edition offers the information most tested on the USMLE Step 1 in a systematic, outline manner. This essential guide eases the transition from classroom to wards and works well as a companion on rotations, covering the information you need to master your clerkships in a concise, handy pocket reference. The book includes clinical cases with board-formatted questions and answers. Numerous tables, illustrations, and "buzzwords" aid in retention of facts. Pathophysiology for the Boards and Wards, Fifth Edition is perfect for medical students. Physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and related health professionals will also find Boards and Wards valuable.


In this paper, we present an analytical model of silicon-based hetero-material-gate (HMG) tunnel field effect transistor (TFET). This model includes the calculation of electric potential, electric field and band-to-band tunneling rate. Electrical characteristics of the HMG TFET can be accurately described by this model. The electrical behavior of the HMG TFET obtained by the analytical model is compared with the numerical simulation results, and shows excellent agreement. It is demonstrated that the HMG TFET has superior electrical performance than single-material-gate TFET.


Cinnamomum burmannii Blume (cinnamon stick) from Indonesia is a little-investigated spice. In this study, the antibacterial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of cinnamon stick extract were evaluated against five common foodborne pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella anatum). Cinnamon stick extract exhibited significant antibacterial properties. Major compounds in cinnamon stick were tentatively identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography (LC-MS) as a predominant volatile oil component ((E)-cinnamaldehyde) and several polyphenols (mainly proanthocyanidins and (epi)catechins). Both (E)-cinnamaldehyde and proanthocyanidins significantly contributed to the antibacterial properties. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy was used to observe morphological changes of bacteria treated with the crude extract of cinnamon stick and its major components. This study suggests that cinnamon stick and its bioactive components have potential for application as natural food preservatives.


: The salt extract of the nuclear fraction of a homogenate of the retinal pigment epithelium from 12-15 day old chick embryos inhibits selectively the proliferative activity in the retinal pigment epithelium of 3-5 day old embryos. The inhibiting effect of the nuclear factor is found within 20 h after its introduction into the egg. The nuclear extract from the pigment epithelium does not affect the level of proliferation in retina and lens anterior epithelium.


Purpose. To report the incidence and risk factors for postkeratoplasty glaucoma (PKG), as well as its management. Subjects and Methods. 122 eyes, (43% with pseudophakic and aphakic bullous keratopathy (PABK)) which underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PK), were analyzed. Results. The rate of PKG development was 34% within 39 months of follow-up. PABK, corneal perforations, keratitis, and previous high intraocular pressure (PHIOP) were high risk factors for PKG. Glaucoma was controlled medically in 62% of PKG cases. Surgery (Ex-PRESS shunt in 63%) and diode laser cyclophotocoagulation were applied in others (38%). The rate of postoperative complications and graft survival was similar in eyes with and without PKG. Conclusion. PHIOP, preoperative diagnoses other than keratoconus, and corneal dystrophies were highly associated with PKG. Ex-PRESS shunts were effective in refractory PKG. If glaucoma is controlled, it is possible to obtain similar rates of graft survival and postoperative complications in eyes with and without PKG.


SEVERE sporadic "viral" pneumonias have been cited as often giving rise to diagnostic and therapeutic problems. 1 During recent years previously unidentified diseases have been found to present themselves as pneumonia of an "atypical" nature. The advent of newer antibiotics to which some of these diseases readily respond has accentuated the importance of accurate diagnosis. Recently at an Army hospital in Kobe, Japan, there occurred an explosive outbreak of "atypical" pneumonia—sharply localized to patients (almost all evacuees from Korea) and members of the staff of the installation. This outbreak afforded an opportunity to characterize the natural history of a form of "patchy" pneumonia, to note certain abnormal laboratory findings, and to evaluate therapy with an antibiotic usually effective against several such pneumonias. I. MATERIAL This study is based on 45 patients whose conditions were related clinically, roentgenographically, epidemiologically, and by laboratory findings. Of these, 7 were physicians, 5 were nurses,


GDP-L-Fuc:N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide alpha1,6-fucosyltransferase (alpha1,6FucT) catalyzes the transfer of a fucosyl moiety from GDP-fucose to the asparagine-linked GlcNAc residue of complex N-glycans via alpha1,6-linkage. We have cloned the genomic DNA which encodes the human alpha1,6FucT gene ( FUT8 ) and analyzed its structure. It was found that the gene consists of at least nine exons spanning more than a 50 kbp genomic region, and the coding sequence is divided into eight exons. The translation initiation codon was located at exon 2, and thus exon 1 encodes only 5'-untranslated sequences. Transcription initiation site of FUT8 was determined by 5'-rapid amplification of the cDNA end and a primer-extension analysis using the total RNA isolated from SK-OV-3 cells, which have a high level of alpha1,6FucT activity. We then characterized the FUT8 promoter region by a reporter gene assay. The luciferase reporter assay indicated that the 5'-flanking region of exon 1, which covered about 1 kbp, conferred the promoter activity in SK-OV-3 cells. This region contains potential binding sites for some transcription factors, such as bHLH, cMyb, GATA-1, as well as a TATA-box, but not a CCAAT motif. 5'-Untranslated sequences found in ESTs and the cDNA for the FUT8 suggest the presence of an additional exon(s) at the upstream of the first exon identified in this study, and therefore, the transcription of the gene would be regulated by multiple promoters.


A method is presented that compensates for manipulator end-point errors in order to achieve very high position accuracy. The measured end-point error is decomposed into generalized geometric and elastic error parameters that are used in an analytical model to calibrate the system as a function of its configuration and the task loads, including any payload weight. The method exploits the fundamental mechanics of serial manipulators to yield a non-iterative compensation process that only requires the identification of parameters that are function only of one variable. The resulting method is computationally simple and requires far less measured data than might be expected. The method is applied to a six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) medical robot that positions patients for cancer proton therapy to enable it to achieve very high accuracy. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the method.


This study examines the role of environment in the development of pragmatic comprehension. It tracks two groups of Japanese students of English: 60 students in a college in Japan (English as a foreign language [EFL] learners) and 57 students in a college in the United States (English as a second language [ESL] learners). The learners completed a computerized listening task that measured their ability to comprehend two types of implied meaning: indirect refusals (k = 24) and indirect opinions (k = 24). The task was given to each group twice, before and after the students received approximately 120–130 hr of classroom instruction. Comprehension was analyzed for accuracy (scores) and speed (average time taken to answer each item correctly). Results showed that, in both learner groups, accuracy and comprehension speed improved significantly over time. For the EFL group, the magnitude of effect was much less for speed than for accuracy. In contrast, ESL learners showed significant improvement in comprehension speed, with a sizable effect size, but only marginal improvement in accuracy.


The Bibliometric-enhanced Information Retrieval (BIR) workshop series has started at ECIR in 2014 and serves as the annual gathering of IR researchers who address various information-related tasks on scientific corpora and bibliometrics. We welcome contributions elaborating on dedicated IR systems, as well as studies revealing original characteristics on how scientific knowledge is created, communicated, and used. This editorial presents all accepted papers at the 7th BIR workshop at ECIR 2018 in Grenoble, France.


ABSTRACT Information Security Governance (ISG) is now considered a vital component of any organization's Information Technology (IT) Governance. ISG consists of the processes, organizational structures, and most importantly, the corporate leadership involved in the safeguarding of organization's information assets. Hence, the purpose of ISG is to bring information security to the attention of the executives such as CEOs and Boards, so that the executives can address the issues of information security and take security-related decisions that lead to outcomes that better align with organizational goals such as value delivery, better performance measurement, business process assurance, and risk management. In order for the corporate leadership to make data-driven decisions, data related to various security metrics are collected and presented in the form of dashboards. The goal of this article is to identify those security metrics that are particularly important from an ISG standpoint. A survey was performed on security literature to identify and categorize ISG metrics. An ISG metrics taxonomy was developed as a result of this study. Security teams can benefit from the ISG metrics taxonomy as, when creating security dashboards, the taxonomy can focus their attention on those specific security metrics that are of most value to the corporate leadership.


Fast growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has facilitated access to information as well as communication across the world. Although, penetration of ICT is not homogeneous in the developed and developing countries, resulted an increase in the information gap between these regions. There may be several reasons for asymmetrical diffusion but education plays an important role in the diffusion of a new product or technology. Therefore, our objective is to analyse growth of enrollment at different educational levels and linkages between levels of educational attainment and diffusion of ICT indicators. The paper is divided into two sections (i) to analyse enrollment trends at primary, secondary and tertiary level and (ii) to investigate relationship between levels of educational attainment and diffusion of ICT indicators; Internet user, Internet user and personal computers per 100 populations in Brazil, China, India and USA. Results show that enrollment at primary level in Brazil, China and USA is expected to decline whereas in the case of India it may increase. Likewise enrollment at secondary and tertiary level in China, India and USA may increase in future. Analysis also indicates positive correlation between enrollment at primary level and penetration of Internet users personal computers in India whereas in the case of tertiary level it shows weak correlation. In the case of tertiary level except India there is a strong correlation between penetration of Internet and personal computers. Further, it may be noticed that in the case of Brazil secondary education shows negative correlation in all cases.


The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief review of comparative research on welfare
reform in Europe and to justify the approach taken in the WRAMSOC project.
BACKGROUND: REVIEW OF RELEVANT COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
Three questions are of central importance in comparative welfare state studies: what is
welfare in a capitalist society? How do you study it? and how do you understand welfare
state change? - object, method and process. The first two questions received most attention
during the early development of the area of study, for the simple reason that welfare states
seemed to be developing on a smooth trajectory of growth. In recent years the obvious
challenges to welfare states have generated interest in understanding change, and focused
attention more on the third - what are the factors causing welfare states to change and how do
they operate?.
The post-war trajectory of welfare state studies started out with simpler approaches to both
object and method that steadily grew more sophisticated, aided by improvements in the
quality and availability of data. Welfare was defined initially in terms of state spending on
defined services or 'welfare effort'(Wilensky and Lebeaux, 1958). Over time this notion
broadened to include output and outcome measures in terms of recipients of services and
benefits and impact on issues such as inequality or labour market participation. The
information used initially relied on official data on spending, but later expanded to include a
range of measures of economic, political and social activity (growth rates, participation of
business, unions and other groups in politics, impact on family and household structure). A
wider range of methods including more sophisticated statistical techniques and, later,
qualitative approaches from political science and sociology were used. One outcome of
growing complexity was that researchers began to move away from unidimensional
approaches to understanding welfare systems and to realise that politics (both party politics
and 'power resources'), institutional structure, different varieties of capitalism and differences
in social structure make a difference to the operation of welfare systems. The problem that
now arises is that so many disparate issues have become relevant to the understanding of
welfare policies that research is extremely difficult to conduct successfully.


We examine ways of funding higher education, comparing upfront tuition fees with graduate taxes. The tax dominates, as volatility in future income is transferred from risk-averse students to the risk-neutral state. However, a double moral hazard problem arises when students' efforts to raise lifetime income and universities' activities to improve teaching quality are endogenized. We show that graduate taxes reduce work incentives but provide incentives to improve teaching quality. Yet if tax revenues are distributed evenly among universities there is free riding. To solve this problem each university should be allocated the revenue generated by its own alumni. In addition, we demonstrate how a budget-balancing graduate tax would encourage more people to attend university than would the equivalent upfront tuition fee.


Scrambling transformation plays an important role in information hiding application, so offering an effective evaluation method for scrambling algorithms is becoming increasingly necessary. The paper firstly analyzed the Arnold transformation process to get some universal rules about the periodicity of scrambling process, then used the improved Intersecting Cortical Model Neural Network (ICMNN) designed especially to extract 1D signatures of the original image and scrambled images which could effectively reflect the image structure changing processing. Finally L1 norm was adopted to evaluate the scrambling degree and the universal rules obtained above were used to verify the results. The experimental results showed that the proposed method could analyze and evaluate the scrambling degree efficiently and had a promising application future.


The TRAPPIST-1 planetary system provides an unprecedented opportunity to study terrestrial exoplanet evolution with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ground-based observatories. Since M dwarf planets likely experience extreme volatile loss, the TRAPPIST-1 planets may have highly evolved, possibly uninhabitable atmospheres. We used a versatile, 1D terrestrial planet climate model with line-by-line radiative transfer and mixing length convection (VPL Climate) coupled to a terrestrial photochemistry model to simulate environmental states for the TRAPPIST-1 planets. We present equilibrium climates with self-consistent atmospheric compositions and observational discriminants of postrunaway, desiccated, 10–100 bar O2- and CO2-dominated atmospheres, including interior outgassing, as well as for water-rich compositions. Our simulations show a range of surface temperatures, most of which are not habitable, although an aqua planet TRAPPIST-1 e could maintain a temperate surface given Earth-like geological outgassing and CO2. We find that a desiccated TRAPPIST-1 h may produce habitable surface temperatures beyond the maximum greenhouse distance. Potential observational discriminants for these atmospheres in transmission and emission spectra are influenced by photochemical processes and aerosol formation and include collision-induced oxygen absorption (O2–O2), and O3, CO, SO2, H2O, and CH4 absorption features, with transit signals of up to 200 ppm. Our simulated transmission spectra are consistent with K2, Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer observations of the TRAPPIST-1 planets. For several terrestrial atmospheric compositions, we find that TRAPPIST-1 b is unlikely to produce aerosols. These results can inform JWST observation planning and data interpretation for the TRAPPIST-1 system and other M dwarf terrestrial planets.


Background
Pediatric survivors of childhood cancer are at increased risk of poor quality of life and social-emotional outcomes following treatment. The relationship between parent psychological distress and child adjustment in pediatric cancer survivors has been well established. However, limited research has examined the factors that may buffer this association. The current study examined the associations between psychosocial family risk factors, parental psychological distress, and health-related quality of life (hrql) in pediatric cancer survivors.

Methods
Fifty-two pediatric cancer survivors (34 males, 18 females, mean age = 11.92) and their parents were recruited from a long-term cancer survivor clinic. Children and their parents who consented to participate completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0. Parents completed a demographic information form, the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (pat 2.0) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (bsi). The Intensity of Treatment Rating (itr-3) was evaluated by the research team.

Results
Multiple regression analyses revealed that parental psychological distress negatively predicted parent-reported hrql, while treatment intensity, gender, and psychosocial risk negatively predicted parent and child-reported hrql. Psychosocial risk moderated the association between parent psychological distress and parent-reported child hrql (p = 0.03), whereby parents with high psychological distress but low levels of psychosocial risk reported their children to have higher hrql.

Conclusion
Low levels of family psychosocial risk buffer the impact of parent psychological distress on child hrql in pediatric cancer survivors. The findings highlight the importance of identifying parents and families with at-risk psychological distress and psychosocial risk in order to provide targeted support interventions to mitigate the impact on hrql.


Abstract. Using the example of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), we investigate the use of Lagrangian particle dispersion models (LPDMs) for inverse modeling of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and explore the limitations of this approach. We put the main focus on the impacts of baseline methods and the LPDM backward simulation period on the a posteriori emissions determined by the inversion. We consider baseline methods that are based on a statistical selection of observations at individual measurement sites and a global-distribution-based (GDB) approach, where global mixing ratio fields are coupled to the LPDM back-trajectories at their termination points.
We show that purely statistical baseline methods can cause large systematic errors, which lead to inversion results that are sensitive to the LPDM backward simulation period and can generate unrealistic global total a posteriori emissions. The GDB method produces a posteriori emissions that are far less sensitive to the backward simulation period and that show a better agreement with recognized global total emissions.
Our results show that longer backward simulation periods, beyond the often used 5 to 10 d, reduce the mean squared error and increase the correlation between a priori modeled and observed mixing ratios. Also, the inversion becomes less sensitive to biases in the a priori emissions and the global mixing ratio fields for longer backward simulation periods. Further, longer periods might help to better constrain emissions in regions poorly covered by the global SF6 monitoring network. We find that the inclusion of existing flask measurements in the inversion helps to further close these gaps and suggest that a few additional and well-placed flask sampling sites would have great value for improving global a posteriori emission fields.


Investigation of the influence of intermetallic phases on the mechanism of fatigue fracture of the secondary aluminum alloys was made.


In this paper we are interested in discussing the possibility of theusage of Data Mining tasks in order to reveal knowledge resident in Trajectory Data Warehouses (TDW). We consider a data stream environment where a set of mobile objects send the data about its location in a irregular and unbounded way. The data volume is stored in a centralized and traditional DW with precomputed aggregations values (preserving the trajectories privacy). Through of analysis of the TDW measures (pre-computed aggregation values) we can reveal some characteristics about trajectories in a given spatio-temporal area. The revealed knowledge can be useful in order to describe or show the occurrence of a real phenomenon. We present a review of a proposed structure of a TDW and discuss the use of Data Mining tasks to improve the analysis of the trajectory data warehouse environment.


The prognostic power of myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been demonstrated since planar imaging. We aimed to investigate whether gated SPECT retains this value in current cardiology if compared with a complete diagnostic work-up and with more recent prognostic indicators. Methods: We selected from our database a cohort of 676 consecutive inpatients who underwent a complete diagnostic work-up that included gated SPECT and coronary arteriography for known or suspected IHD. Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), previous coronary artery bypass surgery, or overt hyperthyroidism and patients who were undergoing dialysis treatment were excluded. During follow-up (median, 37 mo), 24 patients died from cardiac causes and 19 experienced a nonfatal MI. Results: The following were determined to be independent predictors of event-free survival (cardiac death and nonfatal MI) in the different phases of diagnostic work-up using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis: among clinical variables, a previous MI; among laboratory examinations, serum creatinine and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels; among electrocardiographic and echocardiographic variables, left ventricular ejection fraction; and among SPECT variables, summed rest score (SRS) and summed difference score (SDS). In addition, a score of coronary stenoses at angiography was an independent predictor. When the above predictors were tested together, SRS (P < 0.0001), SDS (P = 0.0108), and serum creatinine (P = 0.0186) and LDL and HDL cholesterol levels (P = 0.0222) were the final independent predictors of event-free survival. When gated SPECT was added to the clinical, laboratory, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic variables, the prognostic stratification significantly improved (P < 0.05); when coronary arteriography was added to gated SPECT, prognostic stratification did not further improve (P > 0.25). If the information provided by gated SPECT was made available after clinical, laboratory, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and angiographic variables, the prognostic stratification still improved significantly (P < 0.05). In 492 of these patients with ascertained IHD, SRS and SDS were the final independent predictors of survival. Medical treatment and coronary revascularization did not affect the prognostic information of gated SPECT. Conclusion: Myocardial perfusion abnormalities at rest and after stress are still the best predictors of cardiac event–free survival in patients with known or suspected IHD, even when compared with an extensive diagnostic work-up.


The filaggrin gene (FLG) is essential for skin differentiation and epidermal barrier formation with links to skin diseases, however it has a highly repetitive nucleotide sequence containing very limited stretches of unique nucleotides for precise mapping to reference genomes. Sequencing strategies using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and conventional Sanger sequencing have been successful for complete FLG coding DNA sequence amplification to identify pathogenic mutations but this time-consuming, labour intensive method has restricted utility. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) offers obvious benefits to accelerate FLG analysis but standard re-sequencing techniques such as oligoprobe-based exome or customized targeted-capture can be expensive, especially for a single target gene of interest. We therefore designed a protocol to improve FLG sequencing throughput using a set of FLG-specific PCR primer assays compatible with microfluidic amplification, multiplexing and current NGS protocols. Using DNA reference samples with known FLG genotypes for benchmarking, this protocol is shown to be concordant for variant detection across different sequencing methodologies. We applied this methodology to analyze cohorts from ethnicities previously not studied for FLG variants and demonstrate usefulness for discovery projects. This comprehensive coverage sequencing protocol is labour-efficient and offers an affordable solution to scale up FLG sequencing for larger cohorts. Robust and rapid FLG sequencing can improve patient stratification for research projects and provide a framework for gene specific diagnosis in the future.


Congestive heart failure is characterized by peripheral circulatory abnormalities including arterial and venous vasoconstriction and redistribution of regional blood flow. These peripheral factors are consecutive to a neurohumoral activation of sympathetic, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and arginine-vasopressin systems. Clinical consequences of these neurohumoral changes are: excessive increase of aortic impedance and myocardial work, salt and water retention a processus which is angiotensin II-dependent, and eventually, hyponatremia. A growing body of evidences suggests that pharmacological blockade of this neurohumoral activation improves clinical and hemodynamic status in patients with congestive heart failure.


Four Methylobacterium extorquens strains were isolated from strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa cv. Elsanta) leaves, and one strain, called ME4, was tested for its ability to promote the growth of various plant seedlings. Seedling weight and shoot length of Nicotiana tabacum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Sinapis alba, and Fragaria vesca increased significantly in the presence of the pink-pigmented facultative methylotroph (PPFM), but the germination behaviour of seeds from six other plants was not affected. The cell-free supernatant of the bacterial culture stimulated germination, suggesting the production of a growth-promoting agent by the methylotroph. Methanol emitted from N. tabacum seedlings, as determined by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 ppbv (parts per billion by volume), while significantly lower levels (0.005 to 0.01 ppbv) of the volatile alcohol were measured when the seedlings were co-cultivated with M. extorquens ME4, demonstrating the consumption of the gaseous methanol by the bacteria. Additionally, by using cells of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris transformed with the pPICHS/GFP vector harbouring a methanol-sensitive promoter in combination with the green fluorescence protein (GFP) reporter gene, stomata were identified as the main source of the methanol emission on tobacco cotyledons. Methylobacterium extorquens strains can nourish themselves using the methanol released by the stomata and release an agent promoting the growth of the seedlings of some crop plants.


Engineering systems are becoming increasingly complex as state of the art technologies are incorporated into designs. Surety modeling and analysis is an emerging science that permits an engineer to qualitatively and quantitatively predict and assess the completeness and predictability of a design. Surety is a term often used in the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DOE) communities, which refers to the integration of safety, security, reliability and performance aspects of design. Current risk assessment technologies for analyzing complex systems fail to adequately describe the problem, thus making assessment fragmented and non-integrated. To address this problem, we have developed a methodology and extensible software toolset to address model integration and complexity for high consequence systems. The MultiGraph Architecture (MGA) facilitates multi-domain, model-integrated modeling and analyses of complex, high-assurance systems. The MGA modeling environment allows the engineer to customize the modeling environment to match a design paradigm representative of the actual design. Previous modeling tools have a predefined model space that forces the modeler to work in less than optimal environments. Current approaches force the problem to be bounded and constrained by requirements of the modeling tool and not the actual design problem. In some small cases, this is only marginally adequate. The MGA facilitates the implementation of a surety methodology, which is used to represent high assurance systems with respect to safety and reliability. Formal mathematical models are used to correctly describe design safety and reliability functionality and behavior. The functional and behavioral representations of the design are then analyzed using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) tools.


Environmental hazards created by resource extraction impose numerous risks on rural populations, but have been understudied in quantitative analyses of environmental inequality. This study fills that gap by examining whether neighborhoods with socioeconomic disadvantages are disproportionately proximate to coal impoundments in Appalachia. Coal impoundments are large, hazardous dams that hold billions of gallons of wastewater and slurry, a sludge-like by-product of processing coal. I ground this study in William Freudenburg's double diversion framework, which highlights "disproportionality"—the unequal trade-off between economic benefits and environmental costs of certain industries. Disproportionality is evident in Appalachia, where coal mining makes up a small percentage of the region's jobs, but threatens local communities through the creation of environmental hazards. Spatial regression results indicate that neighborhoods closest to impoundments are slightly more likely to have higher rates of poverty and unemployment, even after controlling for rurality, mining-related variables, and spatial dependence. The findings also suggest that a neighborhood's proximity to past mining activity is a stronger predictor of impoundment proximity than current levels of mining employment. This article lays the groundwork for future research on resource-based environmental inequality that considers the uneven spatial distribution of hazards created by resource extraction.


We provide a general formulation of the energy eigenvalue problem for a two-electron atomic system interacting with a monochromatic radiation field using interparticle coordinates to describe the internal motion; electron correlation is fully incorporated. No restriction is placed on the total orbital angular momentum of the system. We have applied this formulation using the perimetric combination of interparticle coordinates to the calculation of accurate second- and fourth-order ac shifts and widths of the negative hydrogen ion. In addition, we have obtained estimates of the ac shifts and widths in the nonperturbative regime, using a three-level model Hamiltonian constructed from the zeroth-, first-, and second-order perturbed wave functions. We have used this model to investigate the intensity dependence of absorption profiles in the autoionizing resonance region below the two-electron escape threshold. We have also used the model to estimate the intensity for onset of stabilization (against ionization) at frequencies above the threshold for two-electron escape; the onset intensity increases as the third power of the frequency, in accord with earlier results for atomic hydrogen. [S1050-2947(97)09311-6].


In speech production, the motor system organizes articulators such as the jaw, tongue, and lips into synergies whose function is to produce speech sounds by forming constrictions at the phonetic places of articulation. The present study tests whether synergies for different constriction tasks differ in terms of inter-articulator coordination. The test is conducted on utterances [ApA], [AtA], [AiA], and [AkA] with a real-time magnetic resonance imaging biomarker that is computed using a statistical model of the forward kinematics of the vocal tract. The present study is the first to estimate the forward kinematics of the vocal tract from speech production data. Using the imaging biomarker, the study finds that the jaw contributes least to the velar stop for [k], more to pharyngeal approximation for [A], still more to palatal approximation for [i], and most to the coronal stop for [t]. Additionally, the jaw contributes more to the coronal stop for [t] than to the bilabial stop for [p]. Finally, the study investigates how this pattern of results varies by participant. The study identifies differences in inter-articulator coordination by constriction task, which support the claim that interarticulator coordination differs depending on the active articulator synergy. VC 2019 Acoustical Society of America. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5093538


In this work, we address the problem of performing class specific unsupervised object segmentation, i.e., automatic segmentation without annotated training images. We propose a hybrid graph model (HGM) to integrate recognition and segmentation into a unified process. The vertices of a hybrid graph represent the entities associated to the object class or local image features. The vertices are connected by directed edges and/or undirected ones, which represent the dependence between the shape priors of the class (for recognition) and the similarity between the color/texture priors within an image (for segmentation), respectively. By simultaneously considering the Markov chain formed by the directed subgraph and the minimal cut of the undirected subgraph, the likelihood that the vertices belong to the underlying class can be computed. Given a set of images each containing objects of the same class, our HGM based method automatically identifies in each image the area that the objects occupy. Experiments on 14 sets of images show promising results.


Evolutionary Psychology studies suggest that women prefer slightly older or similarly aged partners, although to date few hypotheses have been put forth to explain this pattern of choice. Several recent studies have shown changes in male reproductive parameters as a result of increased age. In the current review of medical literature, we found evidence that much older men are more likely to be infertile, women with much older partners are more likely to experience problems during pregnancy, and children of much older men are more likely to have genetic abnormalities. Based on these findings, we suggest that reproducing with much older men does not represent the best reproductive option for women, which would explain the female preference for only slightly older or similarly-aged mates.


The Advanced Encryption Standard is probably the most used symmetric encryption cipher in use today, which makes it particularly interesting for cryptanalysis. This thesis attacks smallscale variants of AES through a particular branch of algebraic cryptanalysis known as Compressed Right-Hand Sides. We see some success, as we are able to break for the first time three rounds of a 32-bit small-scale variant. We also make an interesting discovery, in that we get indications that some plaintext values result in easier-to-break small-scale instances.


In the present study, direct numerical simulations for smouldering in a horizontal channel are performed for both compressible and incompressible flows. The reactant gas is passing through the char surface, where the chemical reaction is going to take place. For the sake of simplicity, the smouldering is treated to be a single step chemical reaction. In the incompressible flow, a set of governing parameters are discussed to elucidate their influences on the process of smouldering. Furthermore, the variations of density and dynamic viscosity of gaseous mixture are taken into account in the compressible flow. The comparison between the compressible and incompressible flows reveals that the effects of local compressibility and gaseous mixture on the propagation of smouldering wave are trivial.


Visual object tracking aims to estimate the location of an arbitrary target in a video sequence given its initial bounding box. By utilizing offline feature learning, the siamese paradigm has recently been the leading framework for high performance tracking. However, current existing siamese trackers either heavily rely on complicated anchor-based detection networks or lack the ability to resist to distractors. In this paper, we propose the Siamese keypoint prediction network (SiamKPN) to address these challenges. Upon a Siamese backbone for feature embedding, SiamKPN benefits from a cascade heatmap strategy for coarse-to-fine prediction modeling. In particular, the strategy is implemented by sequentially shrinking the coverage of the label heatmap along the cascade to apply loose-to-strict intermediate supervisions. During inference, we find the predicted heatmaps of successive stages to be gradually concentrated to the target and reduced to the distractors. SiamKPN performs well against state-of-the-art trackers for visual object tracking on four benchmark datasets including OTB-100, VOT2018, LaSOT and GOT-10k, while running at real-time speed.


Cross-lingual embeddings aim to represent words in multiple languages in a shared vector space by capturing semantic similarities across languages. They are a crucial component for scaling tasks to multiple languages by transferring knowledge from languages with rich resources to low-resource languages. A common approach to learning cross-lingual embeddings is to train monolingual embeddings separately for each language and learn a linear projection from the monolingual spaces into a shared space, where the mapping relies on a small seed dictionary. While there are high-quality generic seed dictionaries and pre-trained cross-lingual embeddings available for many language pairs, there is little research on how they perform on specialised tasks. In this paper, we investigate the best practices for constructing the seed dictionary for a specific domain. We evaluate the embeddings on the sequence labelling task of Curriculum Vitae parsing and show that the size of a bilingual dictionary, the frequency of the dictionary words in the domain corpora and the source of data (task-specific vs generic) influence performance. We also show that the less training data is available in the low-resource language, the more the construction of the bilingual dictionary matters, and demonstrate that some of the choices are crucial in the zero-shot transfer learning case.


A three-dimensional magnetically driven microrobot can carry and deliver cells to targeted areas in vivo. The precise delivery of targeted cells through magnetic field–driven microrobots/carriers is a promising technique for targeted therapy and tissue regeneration. This paper presents a microrobot designed with a burr-like porous spherical structure for carrying and delivering targeted cells in vivo under a magnetic gradient field–driven mechanism. The robot was fabricated by using three-dimensional laser lithography and coated with Ni for magnetic actuation and Ti for biocompatibility. Numerical and experimental studies demonstrated that the proposed microrobot design could enhance magnetic driving capability, promote cell-carrying capacity, and benefit cell viability. Microrobots loaded with cells could be automatically controlled to reach a desired site by using a self-constructed electromagnetic coil system, as verified by in vivo transport of cell-cultured microrobots in zebrafish embryos. The carried cells could be spontaneously released from the microrobot to the surrounding tissues; in vitro experiments showed that cells from the microrobot were directly released onto the desired site or were able to pass through the blood vessel–like microchannel to arrive at the delivery area. Further in vivo cell-releasing tests were performed on nude mice, followed by histological study. This research provides a microrobotic device platform for regenerative medicine and cell-based therapy.


SUMMARY L-Asparaginase is immunosuppressive, inhibiting both the cellular and humoral responses, as well as the concanavalin A-and/or phytohemagglutinin-induced blastogenesis of lymphocytes. However, its mechanism of action is presently unclear. This study dealt with the enzyme effects on the lymphocyte surface leading to interference with the binding of concanavalin A. The mitogen was labeled with ' 25I and added to lymphocyte cultures prior to or following incubation with L-asparaginase. The data permitted the following conclusions. L-Asparaginase treatment prior to introduction of mitogen reduced the capacity of the lymphocyte to bind concanavalin A. Enzymatic treatment of lymphocytes 90 min after the introduction of mitogen did not influence this binding. Addition of L-asparagine, L-glutamine, and aspartic acid did not reverse the inhibitory effects of the enzyme. The decrease in mitogen binding (20%) led to a 95% decrease in subsequent DNA synthesis. Mitogen binding to receptors on lymphocytes precedes their subsequent stimulation. It appears that the decrease of mitogen binding by L-asparaginase results from an alteration on the lymphocyte surface. Any such alteration by the enzyme could account for its immunosuppressive activity.


To be able to identify those thyroid nodules at an elevated risk of developing cancer from among the numerous nodules detected (demonstrable by sonography in 20% of the population) an effective rational approach to the differential diagnosis is required. In the meantime, relevant guidelines are available. Sonography and determination of TSH form the basis of every diagnostic approach to thyroid nodules. Single sonographic signs of malignancy are too insensitive and unspecific for differentiating between benign and malignant nodules. However, together with the patient's history, the combination of several sonographic criteria may be of help in identifying cases for fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Every normally functional or hypofunctional (cold) nodule > or = 1 cm should be subjected to FNAC: In the case of multinodular glands, cold areas should be selected for FNAC by scintigraphy, even in euthyrotic patients.


Aims. To investigate how the interfacial shear strength of the dentin - post interface with and without defects changes for different combinations irrigant/sealer. Methods. In forty human decoronated and instrumented teeth, fibreglass posts were inserted. The obtained root segments were randomly assigned to four different groups according to the irrigant adopted and the cement used to seal the root canal. The root segments were processed for metyl-methacrylate embedding. Serial sections were obtained and submitted to histomorphometric analyses in order to observe any defect of adhesion at the dentin - post interface and to measure the defects' dimension. The serial sections were also submitted to micro-push-out test. The measured shear strength values were subjected to statistical analysis by one-way ANOVA. The values of bond strength determined for the defective samples were correlated with the dimension of the defects. Finite element models were built to interpret and corroborate the experimental findings. Results. ANOVA showed that the generic combination irrigant/sealer does not affect the interfacial shear strength values. The bond strength of the samples without defects was averagely twice as large as that of the defective samples. The defects occupying more than 12 % of the total transverse section area of the endodontic cement layer led to a reduction of the bond strength of about 70 %. The predictions of the finite element models were in agreement with the experimental results. Conclusion. Defects occupying less than 2 % of the total transverse section area of the cement layer were shown to be acceptable as they have rather negligible effects on the shear strength values. Technologies/protocols should be developed to minimize the number and the size of the defects.


Ethnic divisions have been shown to adversely affect economic performance and political stability, especially in Africa, but the underlying reasons remain contested, with multiple mechanisms potentially playing a role. We utilize lab experiments to isolate the role of one such mechanism—ethnic preferences—which has been central in both theory and in the conventional wisdom about the impact of ethnic differences. We employ an unusually rich research design, collecting multiple rounds of experimental data with a large sample of 1,300 subjects in Nairobi; employing within-lab priming conditions; and utilizing both standard and novel experimental measures, as well as implicit association tests. The econometric approach was pre-specified in a registered pre-analysis plan. Most of our tests yield no evidence of differential altruism towards coethnics relative to non-coethnics. The results run strongly against the common presumption of extensive ethnic bias among ordinary Kenyans, and suggest that other mechanisms may be more important in explaining the negative association between ethnic diversity and economic and political outcomes.


Many years ago, the National Electrical Code established a maximum setting for this instantaneous trip breaker of seven times motor full load amperes (FLA), the theory being that that value was just above the typical 6X locked rotor current. In a 1986 IEEE IAS paper Scheda noted that the two most commonly encountered problems in applying high-efficiency motors are (1) replacing a standard motor with a high-efficiency motor, and (2) the need to use thermal sensors on larger machines since higher settings for electronic control would violate the NEC. His paper concludes: "It is suggested that work be done in the industry and standards organizations to serve the needs arising from the use of electronic detection of instantaneous currents for motor protection." This article addresses some of the work done in the industry to serve these needs and, in particular, how the use of an "electronic detection" inverse time circuit breaker can be appropriately applied when an instantaneous trip breaker would nuisance-trip.


In the last two decades, the industrial tree plantation (ITP) sector has expanded rapidly in southern China, causing important changes in land-use and land control. It involves both domestic and transnational corporations, and has provoked widespread conflict and political contestations. The villagers who are affected by the expansion of ITPs have reacted in varied and complex ways: some of the villagers were incorporated in the ITP sector, while others are excluded; some have embraced the change, while others have complaints; and some of the complaints remained latent, while others developed into (overt or covert) forms of resistance. This paper explores how and why various social groups have responded differently to the expansion of ITPs. This paper reveals the dynamics of villagers' inclusion and exclusion in the ITP sector, covering both 'passive' and 'active' forms of inclusion and exclusion, resulting in differentiated political reactions from villagers. This paper hopes to contribute towards a more comprehensive understanding of the complex engagement of villagers in changes in land use and land control, not just in the most commonly studied countries in global land grabbing but inside China, and in transactions that involved large foreign companies, something that has so far been missed in the literature on land grabbing.


Chloroplast development is crucial for photosynthesis and plant growth and many factors are involved in its regulation. The regulatory mechanism differs in different green tissues, and previous studies have focused on chloroplasts in leaves. In this study, a mutant with sepal-specific chlorophyll-deficiency was observed in Brassica napus and named as df74. Genetic analysis indicated that the phenotype was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. The gene was located on chromosome C08 by bulked-segregant analysis with whole-genome sequencing, which was designated as BnC08.cds. To fine-map the BnC08.cds, a F2 population was created from the cross of df74 and Zhongshuang11 (ZS11). Finally, the BnC08.cds was fine-mapped in the region between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers M5 and M6, corresponding to a 228.72 kb interval of the B. napus "ZS11" genome. Eighteen genes were predicted in the target region, and it was speculated that BnaC08G0442100ZS was the most likely candidate gene based on the results of transcriptome analyses and sequence variation analyses. These results provide a foundation to explore the regulation of chloroplast development in sepals.


MOTIVATION
Next-generation sequencing affords an efficient analysis of transposon insertion libraries, which can be used to identify essential genes in bacteria. To analyse this high-resolution data, we present a formal Bayesian framework for estimating the posterior probability of essentiality for each gene, using the extreme-value distribution to characterize the statistical significance of the longest region lacking insertions within a gene. We describe a sampling procedure based on the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm to calculate posterior probabilities of essentiality while simultaneously integrating over unknown internal parameters.

RESULTS
Using a sequence dataset from a transposon library for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we show that this Bayesian approach predicts essential genes that correspond well with genes shown to be essential in previous studies. Furthermore, we show that by using the extreme-value distribution to characterize genomic regions lacking transposon insertions, this method is capable of identifying essential domains within genes. This approach can be used for analysing transposon libraries in other organisms and augmenting essentiality predictions with statistical confidence scores.


Involvement of the skeletal muscle by non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is unusual. The most commonly affected muscles are those of the extremities, pelvis, and gluteal regions; rarely are the muscles in the head and neck involved. We report the clinical, CT, and MR imaging findings in two patients with extranodal NHL in the head and neck region involving the muscles of mastication. One patient was immunocompetent and had lymphoma that arose within the muscles; the other was a patient with AIDS who had disseminated disease at diagnosis. In both patients, the involved muscles were isodense with normal muscles on CT scans. On MR images, the infiltrated muscles were isointense with normal muscles on the T1-weighted sequence and hyperintense on the fast spin-echo T2-weighted sequence, with variable enhancement after administration of intravenous contrast material.


We study a class of optimal transport planning problems where the reference cost involves a non-linear function G(x, p) representing the transport cost between the Dirac measure δx and a target probability p. This allows to consider interesting models which favour multi-valued transport maps in contrast with the classical linear case (G(x, p) = ∫ c(x, y) dp) where finding single-valued optimal transport is a key issue. We present an existence result and a general duality principle which apply to many examples. Moreover, under a suitable subadditivity condition, we derive a Kantorovich-Rubinstein version of the dual problem allowing to show existence in some regular cases. We also consider the well studied case of Martingale transport and present some new perspectives for the existence of dual solutions in connection with Γ-convergence theory.


Conditional generative adversarial networks have shown exceptional generation performance over the past few years. However, they require large numbers of annotations. To address this problem, we propose a novel generative adversarial network utilizing weak supervision in the form of pairwise comparisons (PC-GAN) for image attribute editing. In the light of Bayesian uncertainty estimation and noise-tolerant adversarial training, PC-GAN can estimate attribute rating efficiently and demonstrate robust performance in noise resistance. Through extensive experiments, we show both qualitatively and quantitatively that PC-GAN performs comparably with fully-supervised methods and outperforms unsupervised baselines. Code and Supplementary can be found on the project website*.


The purpose of this paper is to construct a weak hyper semi-quantale as a generalization of the concept of semi-quantale and used it as an appropriate hyperlattice-theoretic basis to formulate new lattice-valued topological theories. Based on such weak hyper semi-quantale, we aim to construct the notion of a weak hypervalued-topology as a generalized form of the so-called lattice-valued topology (or many-valued topology). Some properties of weak hyper semi-quantales and weak hypervalued-topologies will be studied. An adjunction between the category of weak hyper semi-quantales and the category of weak hypervalued quasi-topological spaces will be established.


In this work, MOS current mode logic (MCML) is analyzed for application to low power, mixed signal environments. A small MCML cell library is developed and optimized for several different performance requirements. The cells are then applied to the generation of pipelined CORDIC structures and compared with equivalent CMOS circuits. MCML CORDICs are designed which can operate from 125 MHz to 310 MHz with power consumption varying between 4.3 mW and 18.6 mW. These power results are up to 1.5 times less than CMOS CORDICs with equivalent propagation delays. Design was done in a 0.25 /spl mu/m standard CMOS process from ST Microelectronics.


A solution growth of 3C-SiC was performed on (111)Si-face or )111(C-face of 3C-SiC seed crystal at around 1700 °C by dipping method. The polytype of the crystal grown on the Si-face immediately changed to 6H-SiC. On the other hand, 3C-SiC stably grew on the C-face except for a small number of 6H-SiC precipitates. The polytype transition phenomenon can be explained by the difference of the chemical potential and the solution-crystal interfacial energy between 3C-SiC and 6H-SiC. To grow a larger 3C-SiC crystal, we carried out a long-term growth for 30 hours on the C-face. In the first 10 hours, the polytype of the grown crystal was 3C-SiC. In the next 10 hours, however, the polytype changed from 3C-SiC to 6H-SiC. According to our studies, 6H-SiC tends to grow on 6H-SiC at around 1700 °C, while both of 3C-SiC and 6H-SiC can grow on 3C-SiC at around the same temperature. In this case, 6H-SiC grows on 6H-SiC precipitates and then the dominant polytype changes to 6H-SiC after several 6H-SiC precipitations. To grow 3C-SiC crystal stably, it is necessary to surpress completely the polytype transition by the growth on C-face at lower growth temperatures.


The levels of concentration and distribution patterns of aliphatic (n-hydrocarbons) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (or PAH's) were determined in 16 samples of recent marine sediments of Bahia de Todos Santos, Baja California. The purpose was to stablish base line data as a future reference. We report here on our findings. The extraction was carried out by means of a solid phase extraction procedure reported by Burrows (1983) both for cleaning and separation of fractions of compounds. For identification and quantification of compounds we used capillary gas chromatography with FID detection for both fmilies of molecules. The concentrations found within the Bay were relatively small and homogeneous (from 0.1 to 2.6 mg g1). Cluster analysis suggests three significantly different zones. The indexes used for source identification of hydrocarbons are presented and discussed. Possible origins for these materials are discussed. Similarly, possible explanations are offered on the fluxes suggested by the isophlets. The overall conclusion is that the Bay can be considered as a relatively clean bay with respect to hydrocarbon pollution and that anthropogenic (or even natural) processes have not a major impact on the Bay.


Facial injuries are cause of consultation in emergency departments. The maxillofacial region contains several structures that are vital for life. Hence, an early assessment and management of facial injuries is important to avoid their consequential complications and eventual mortality. This article is a review of the literature about the emergency clinical assessment and management of traumatic facial injuries by non-specialists.


Driving the mechanism of education in Thai traditional medicine over the past 3 decades has developed and became more prominent. There has been a rapid development, which includes education management at the bachelor degree level, and graduate degree level. It is shows that the Thai society is more alert with the study of Thai traditional medicine, which reflects the value of Thai medicine that is more beneficial to society, and nation. The curriculum of Thai traditional medicine at various level has developed more academic, personnel, and management styles. Data analysis from documentation, and in-depth interview the lecturers, who had worked in Thai traditional medicine, and Applied Thai traditional medicine institutes. It was found a total of 19 institutes teaching in Thai traditional medicine at bachelor degree level (certified by the council of Thai traditional medicine), and was found a total of 10 institutes teaching in Applied Thai traditional medicine at bachelor degree level (certified by the council of Thai traditional medicine). Driving mechanism for management, and academic support considered as an important form that affects the development of Thai traditional medicine. For example, the health service area management mechanism in collaboration with the mechanism of district health insurance system is decentralized management process, and related areas are involved in job development. Establishing guidelines, and standards for health services is a central tool that encourages each health service unit to develop guidelines for service standards in each area. Propulsion in health service units, and pilot of Thai traditional medical hospital considered an important strategy for finding a model for the development of quality service units, and find the dimensions of the health service unit for the people. There are currently 26 institutions of the knowledge building unit, clinical operation unit of Thai traditional medicine, and the practice place of Thai traditional medicine students. Course management is based on standards, qualifications in each profession, but there may be differences in teaching and learning in each context of institutes.


In air drying of Eucalyptus urophylla and Corymbia citriodora logs for the production of charcoal it is necessary to be able to predict when logs have reached the required moisture content of ≤ 35%.This study is aimed to produce models using basic density and diameter to predict the moisture content of Eucalyptus urophylla and Corymbia citriodora logs after 30, 60 and 90 days drying. 1,2 m long logs were taken at three different heights from three C. citriodora trees and three trees each from two E. urophylla clones (VM4 and Mn463). The 27 debarked, end sealed logs were air dried under cover for 90 days during which the change in moisture content was monitored. The relationship between density and drying was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient and the models for predicting the moisture content based on the basic density and diameter were produced. The density and the drying showed a high correlation coefficient. The coefficient of determination of the models was above 0,89 with a standard error lower than 6%. The use of the density and diameter to estimate the wood moisture content simplifies the production of the models, which can be used for Eucalyptus and Corymbia genetic materials.


For gaining strip edge drop controllability and increasing roll grinding precision, the edge drop control work roll (EDW) was developed and designed in 1700 mm tandem cold rolling mill. During the rolling trial, the roll configuration between EDW and conventional backup roll didn't match well because of the large fluctuation of strip edge drop, the lower shape control ability and non-uniform roll wearing, so the new roll configuration between EDW and varying contact backup roll (VCR) was proposed. After analyzing by finite element model, the result showed that the roll system configuration of VCR and EDW was better by 10.7% larger roll gap crown adjustable scope, 19.1% larger roll gap stiffness characteristics and 21.6% smaller pressure peak between rolls than before. The new roll system configuration has been applied to 1700 tandem cold rolling mill at WISCO after industrial testing.


KInetic code for Plasma Periphery (KIPP) was used to assess the importance of kinetic effects of parallel ion transport in the scrape-off layer (SOL) and divertor of JET high radiative H-mode inter-edge localised mode plasma conditions with strong nitrogen (N2) injection, leading to partial detachment at divertor targets. Plasma parameter profiles along the magnetic field from one of the EDGE2D-EIRENE simulation cases were used as an input for KIPP runs. The profiles were maintained by particle and power sources. This work is a continuation of the previous study carried out for electrons (Chankin et al 2018 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 60 115011). In this modelling KIPP calculated ion distribution functions and ion parallel power fluxes. In the main SOL kinetic effects lead to a reduction of heat (conductive power) fluxes compared to Braginskii fluxes by factors 3−4 ('heat flux limiting'). In the divertor, on the contrary, a strong 'heat flux enhancement', by up to two orders of magnitude above Braginskii's, was found. Similar to cases for electrons, high ion heat flux enhancement factors, in particular near targets, are attributed to a non-local transport of super-thermal ions originating from positions along field lines with the highest ion temperature, resulting in the appearance of bump-on-tail features on ion heat flux density profiles. Despite ion heat flux enhancement factors at the target being much higher than for electrons, total power fluxes, ion plus electron, were dominated by ion and electron convection and electron conduction, with ion conductive fluxes playing a secondary role. This must be attributed to lower ion (than electron) velocities (factor ∼ me/mi reduction), which are not compensated by kinetic effects of lower ion upstream collisionality.


The main purpose of this work is to describe a new fossil subfamily of ostracods, Rocaleberidinae, and three new genera which belong to it: Rocaleberis, Wichmannella and Neoveenia. The new subfamily is represented in surface sediments from the Roca (Lower Danian), Jaguel, Huantrai-co, Malargue and Coli Toro (Lower and Middle Maastrichtian) Formations (Bertels, 1969). The type material is from the Roca Formation (Lower Danian) at its type locality Fortin General Roca (Rio Negro Province, Argentina). Within the microfaunistic assemblage of ostracods, the specimens included in the new subfamily constitute a high percentage of the whole of the fossil thanatocenosis belonging to this subclass; foraminifera, which were used for dating the marine sequences, were also found together with bryozoa, echinoid plates, etc. A summary of the features taken into account by different authors for the delimitation of the families Tracbyleberididae Sylvester-Bradley, 1948 and Hemicytheridae Puri, 1953, and their diagnosis are given, as well as the characters, that according to different author's criteria should be taken into account for the delimitation of farnilies, subfamilies, genera and species. Brief comparisons of the new subfamily Rocaleberidinae follow each diagnosis, in the different sense given by various authors. The subfamily Rocaleberidinae is characterized in lateral view by a carapace with subrectangular outline, dorsal and ventrally subparallel, anterior margin broadly rounded, posterior rounded to obliquely rounded, dorsal margin straight, ventral concave; ovate in dorsal view; extremities with rows of small tubercules or denticulations; eye tubercules and eye sinus clearly developed; subcentral node present or only revealed by strongly reticulation or by an anular depression; subcentral muscle scar pattern in a low depression formed by four from the adductor, from which the upper dorsal is divergent respect to the other three, two ventrals partially superposed, frontal in V. U. J or heart shape; inner calcareous Iarnella moderately wide with inner margin and concrescence line not coincident, vestibule always present; marginal zone with sparce or in a modera te number of marginal pore canals, straight, simple or branched; submarginal pores present; normal pore canals open, big, sparce; hinge amphidont; sexual dimorphism strongly developed. Rocaleberis n. gen. is characterized in lateral view by a carapace subrectangular in shape, anterior and posterior extremities rounded; ovate in lateral view; ocular tubercule pronounced, eye sinus present, post-ocular depression marked, subcentral swelling developed; primary surface ornamentation with three low longitudinal foldings and reticulations, superimposed by small tubercules or spines. W ichmannella n. gen. is characterized by its subrectangular carapace outline shape in lateral view, anterior broadly rounded, posterior somewhat obliquely rounded; ovate in dorsal view; eye tubercule and eye sinus present, post ocular depression marked; subcentral node insinuated by a light annular depression; primary ornamentation consisting of reticulations, arranged more or less parallel to the peripherie, superimposed sometimes by sparced tubercules at the reticulum intersections. Neoveenia n. gen. shows in lateral view a sub rectangular to subtrapezoidal carapace outline shapc, dorsal straight, ventral slightly convex, anterior bluntly rounded, posterior obliquely rounded originated by the prolongation from the ventral border to the dorsal at the posterior cardinal extremity; ovate in dorsal view; dorsal margin straight, ventral concave; eye tubercule markedly developed, post ocular depression and eye sinus present, primary ornamentation with three longitudinal foldings that do not reach the valve extremities, and reticulations. Phylogenetieally, by the morphologieal features of the earapaee, the author's idea is that the new subfarnily is an intermediate group between the Tracbyleberididae and Hemicytberidae in the sense of the Treatise (Moore, 1961); from the Trachyleberidinae and Hemicytberinae in van Morkhoven's (1962-63) sense and/cr from the subfamilies Tracbyleberidinae and Campylocytherinae or Tracbyleberidinae and Ecbinocytherinae in the sense of Hazel (1967 a) in virtue of the muscle sear pattern and external features, sueh as shape. Some primitive features from the new subfamily could be the parcial fusion of the outer with the inner ealcareous lamella, the big normal pore eanals, open and sparce; in the same sense the subeentral muscle sear pattern could be taken as primitive in the case that the group is really intermedia te from both subfamilies and originated from a racbyleberidinae ancestcr. The new genus Rocaleberis from the Paleocene of Argentina shows similarities with Haryboioella Puri, 1957 which appears in the Mioeene; if the duplieature not completely fused is a primitive feature, Rocaleberis could be the aneestor - not neeessarily a direct one- of Henryhowella; the evolutionary change eould be the complete fusion of the outer with the inner calcareous lamella and the reduction in size of the normal pore canals. The genus Wicbmannella shows affinities with Ecbinocvtbereis Puri, 1954 whieh appears in the Eoeene; phylogenetieally it eould be a split of the frontal sear, the aequisition of a eompletely fused duplieature and the reduetion in size of the normal pore canaIs. The genus Neoveenia phylogenetically shows to be more related in external features, sueh as shape, with Protocytbere Triebel, 1938 and Veenia Butler & Jones, 1957, both from the Cretaeeous. Internal features, like hingement and duplieature show however important differences. Comparisons and suggested phylogenetic trends made independentelly for each genus sppear logic and possible, but seen as a whole, we are dealing with genera with eomon features, with an homogeneous group belonging to one subfamily; consequently rt seems Improbable that Protocytbere or Veenia eould be the ancestors of the new subfamily Rocaleheridinae, since its ascendency on the new genera Rocaleberis and Wicbmannella would split the new subfamily into two or three phylogenetic branehes to give rise to Henryboioella and Ecbinocytbereis respectively - if they are related -, aecording to the present sistematic schemes.


BACKGROUND & AIMS
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of gut-brain interaction associated with significant disease burden. This American Gastroenterological Association guideline is intended to support practitioners in decisions about the use of medications for the pharmacological management of IBS-C and is an update of a prior technical review and guideline.

METHODS
The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework was used to assess evidence and make recommendations. The technical review panel prioritized clinical questions and outcomes according to their importance for clinicians and patients and conducted an evidence review of the following agents: tenapanor, plecanatide, linaclotide, tegaserod, lubiprostone, polyethylene glycol laxatives, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and antispasmodics. The Guideline Panel reviewed the evidence and used the Evidence-to-Decision Framework to develop recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS
The panel agreed on 9 recommendations for the management of patients with IBS-C. The panel made a strong recommendation for linaclotide (high certainty) and conditional recommendations for tenapanor, plecanatide, tegaserod, and lubiprostone (moderate certainty), polyethylene glycol laxatives, tricyclic antidepressants, and antispasmodics (low certainty). The panel made a conditional recommendation against the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (low certainty).


This work is devoted to an experimental study and comparison of the kinetics of hydrogen absorption by an intermetallic compound LaNi4.4Al0.3Fe0.3 in form of pure intermetallic compound free backfill and a compact based on it obtained by cold pressing with a spiral matrix of nickel-foam. To calculate the kinetic parameters of the hydrogen absorption reaction, the initial rates method is used. The PCT absorption isotherms are measured at temperatures of 313, 333, and 353 K. The experimental data are described with quite high confidence by the chosen model, which assumes that the reaction rate controlling step is the dissociative absorption of hydrogen on the surface of the a-phase. The rate of hydrogen absorption increases with increasing pressure drop and temperature. It is shown that the rate of hydrogen absorption by the sample of pure IMC is significantly less dependent on temperature compared to the compact sample. In addition, the reaction rate at temperatures of 313 and 333 K is higher for the free backfill sample, and at 353 K it is higher for the metal hydride compact. The values of the absorption constant and the activation energy of the hydrogen absorption reaction are determined for both samples.


A 180-GHz interferometric imager uses compact receiver modules, combined high- and low-gain antennas, and ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) correlator technology, enabling continuous, all-weather observations of water vapor with 25-km resolution and 0.3-K noise in 15 minutes of observation for numerical weather forecasting and tropical storm prediction. The GeoSTAR-II prototype instrument is broken down into four major subsystems: the compact, low-noise receivers; sub-array modules; IF signal distribution; and the digitizer/correlator. Instead of the single row of antennas adopted in GeoSTAR, this version has four rows of antennas on a coarser grid. This dramatically improves the sensitivity in the desired field of view. The GeoSTAR-II instrument is a 48-element, synthetic, thinned aperture radiometer operating at 165-183 GHz. The instrument has compact receivers integrated into tiles of 16 elements in a 4x4 arrangement. These tiles become the building block of larger arrays. The tiles contain signal distribution for bias controls, IF signal, and local oscillator signals. The IF signals are digitized and correlated using an ASIC correlator to minimize power consumption. Previous synthetic aperture imagers have used comparatively large multichip modules, whereas this approach uses chip-scale modules mounted on circuit boards, which are in turn mounted on the distribution manifolds. This minimizes the number of connectors and reduces system mass. The use of ASIC technology in the digitizers and correlators leads to a power reduction close to an order of magnitude.


The mass, accretion rate, and formation time of dark matter haloes near protofilaments (identified as saddle points of the potential) are analytically predicted using a conditional version of the excursion set approach in its so-called upcrossing approximation. The model predicts that at fixed mass, mass accretion rate and formation time vary with orientation and distance from the saddle, demonstrating that assembly bias is indeed influenced by the tides imposed by the cosmic web. Starved, early-forming haloes of smaller mass lie preferentially along the main axis of filaments, while more massive and younger haloes are found closer to the nodes. Distinct gradients for distinct tracers such as typical mass and accretion rate occur because the saddle condition is anisotropic, and because the statistics of these observables depend on both the conditional means and their covariances. The theory is extended to other critical points of the potential field. The response of the mass function to variations of the matter density field (the so-called large-scale bias) is computed, and its trend with accretion rate is shown to invert along the filament. The signature of this model should correspond at low redshift to an excess of reddened galactic hosts at fixed mass along preferred directions, as recently reported in spectroscopic and photometric surveys and in hydrodynamical simulations. The anisotropy of the cosmic web emerges therefore as a significant ingredient to describe jointly the dynamics and physics of galaxies, e.g. in the context of intrinsic alignments or morphological diversity.


Video-equipped mini unmanned aerial vehicles (mini-UAVs) are becoming increasingly popular for surveillance, remote sensing, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations, all of which rely on thorough coverage of a target observation area. However, coverage is not simply a matter of seeing the area (visibility) but of seeing it well enough to allow detection of targets of interest, a quality we here call "see-ability". Video flashlights, mosaics, or other geospatial compositions of the video may help place the video in context and convey that an area was observed, but not necessarily how well or how often. This paper presents a method for using UAV-acquired video georegistered to terrain and aerial reference imagery to create geospatial video coverage quality maps and indices that indicate relative video quality based on detection factors such as image resolution, number of observations, and variety of viewing angles. When used for offline post-analysis of the video, or for online review, these maps also enable geospatial quality-filtered or prioritized nonsequential access to the video. We present examples of static and dynamic see-ability coverage maps in wilderness search-and-rescue scenarios, along with examples of prioritized nonsequential video access. We also present the results of a user study demonstrating the correlation between see-ability computation and human detection performance.


The digestive tract of Tribolium confusum Duv. larvae was studied for proteolytic enzymes properties. The pH optima are determined for the enzymes effect on various substrates. Proteases were partially purified by gel chromatography on Sephadex G = 100 and investigated for thyol compound influence on their activity. The activity of the enzymes is shown to increase considerably with addition of cystein, glutathione, 2-mercaptoethanol. dithiotreitol and EDTA. Dithiotreitol produces the strongest restoring effect and in concentration of 10(-6) M it activates the enzyme almost twice. Storage for 48 h at 4 degrees C induced a 2.5-fold decrease in the proteolytic enzyme activity; SH-groups in the catalytic action of enzymic solutions is shown. The maximum proteolytic activity is found in extracts from 14-day insects.


Hα is a powerful tracer of accretion and chromospheric activity, which has been detected in the case of young brown dwarfs and even recently in planetary mass companions (e.g. PDS70 b and c). Hα detections and characterisation of brown dwarf and planet companions can further our knowledge of their formation and evolution, and expanding such a sample is therefore our primary goal. We used the Zurich Imaging POLarimeter (ZIMPOL) of the SPHERE instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to observe the known 38−72 MJ companion orbiting PZ Tel, obtaining simultaneous angular differential imaging observations in both continuum and narrow Hα band. We detect Hα emission from the companion, making this only the second Hα detection of a companion using the SPHERE instrument. We used our newly added astrometric measurements to update the orbital analysis of PZ Tel B, and we used our photometric measurements to evaluate the Hα line flux. Given the estimated bolometric luminosity, we obtained an Hα activity (log(LHα/Lbol)) between −4.16 and −4.31. The Hα activity of PZ Tel B is consistent with known average activity levels for M dwarf of the same spectral type. Given the absence of a known gaseous disk and the relatively old age of the system (24 Myr), we conclude that the Hα emission around PZ Tel B is likely due to chromospheric activity.


N-Reasons is an experimental Internet survey platform designed to enhance public participation in applied ethics and policy. N-Reasons encourages individuals to generate reasons to support their judgments, and groups to converge on a common set of reasons pro and con various issues.  In the Robot Ethics Survey some of the reasons contributed surprising judgments about autonomous machines. Presented with a version of the trolley problem with an autonomous train as the agent, participants gave unexpected answers, revealing high expectations for the autonomous machine and shifting blame from the automated device to the humans in the scenario. Further experiments with a standard pair of human-only trolley problems refine these results. While showing the high expectations even when no autonomous machine is involved, human bystanders are only blamed in the machine case. A third experiment explicitly aimed at responsibility for driverless cars confirms our findings about shifting blame in the case of autonomous machine agents. We conclude methodologically that both results point to the power of an experimental survey based approach to public participation to explore surprising assumptions and judgments in applied ethics. However, both results also support using caution when interpreting survey results in ethics, demonstrating the importance of qualitative data to provide further context for evaluating judgments revealed by surveys. On the ethics side, the result about shifting blame to humans interacting with autonomous machines suggests caution about the unintended consequences of intuitive principles requiring human responsibility.


Interacting with nature is essential for harmonious growth of an individual. Children being sensitive towards the environment, in which they grow, leave a lasting impression on their minds. The Built environment of children features a huge range of educational buildings, from small nurseries to vast schools and university campuses in which children spend over 1000 hours a year. Urbanization has shrunk a number of green spaces within these educational settings compared to earlier days. This has led towards children becoming disengaged from the natural environment and have lessened their opportunities to play outdoors. This is one of the reasons that children have lost appreciation of nature which is around them. Biophobia, an aversion to nature may develop if children's innate feelings towards nature are not flourished in their early years by providing opportunities to interact with the natural surroundings.Virtual nature experience diminishes the value of local natural environments and reduces the future potential for protecting it. "Biophilia" is the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature that even in the modern world continues to be critical to people's physical health, mental health, and wellbeing. Biophilic design enhances human well-being by fostering connections between people and nature in the modern built environment.Through literature exploration, the paper tries to focus on the need of creating an interconnection between life, nature and the built environment of schools. Studies on the importance of biophilic design and sustainability in school buildings have been enlisted and paper is concluded with the aspects of biophilic building design that makes an impact on the psychological well-being of children.


Two types of large, branched structures from the Lower Pleistocene (Calabrian) high-energy calcarenites of Favignana Island are described: Faviradixus robustus gen. et sp. nov. and Egadiradixus rectibrachiatus gen. et sp. nov. They may be interpreted as root structures of large plants, trees and trees or shrubs, respectively. The former taxon co-occurs with the marine animal trace fossils Ophiomorpha nodosa , Ophiomorpha isp., Thalassinoides isp. and Beaconites isp. The interpretation as root structures although tentative is probable and can be related to short emergence episodes for the formation of E . rectibrachiatus or to longer emergence, responsible for the discontinuity at the base of the overlying Tyrrhenian deposits, for F . robustus . Calcified root mats of smaller plants associated with the Tyrrhenian or younger emergence surfaces are common.


Earthquakes are a well known natural hazard to urban environments. According to [2] under certain conditions, building vibrations significantly decrease when the mu l t iple interactions between the soil layers and all the buildings present in a city are considered in the analysis (site city interaction phenomenon). The present study focuses on the analysis of the multiple interactions between the soil and a city through 3D finite element models (FEM). The infl uence of the topography, buildings distributions, types of buildings (different resonant freque ncies) and spatial incoherency of the seismic motion will be also studied. Moreover, [1]proposed the idea of a novel device named vibrating barrier (ViBa) as a viable option to reduce the vibrations of adjacent buildings by exploiting the well known soil structure interaction phenomenon (SSI). The implementation of the ViBa device will be undertaken in a simplified FEM of an existing city as a way to enhance the resilience of the urban environment under seismic ground motion.
References [1] P. Cacciola and A. Tombari, 2015. Vibrating barrier: a novel device for the passive control of structures under ground motion. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci, 471, 20150075.[2] M. Kham, J. F, Semblat, P. Y. Bard, P. Dangla, 2006. Seismic site-city interaction: Main governing phenomena through simplified numerical models. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 96, 1934-1951