The seed maturity, which is one of the important factors that affect seed vigor, is an important quality index. During seed sorting, separating mature seeds from immature seeds can improve the vigor of seed lot and keep vigor consistency. Hyperspectral imaging that covered the range of 400~1 000 nm was used to find out the sensitive bands reflecting corn seed maturity, and corresponding images were employed to classify the immature corn seeds. Principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm was adopted to analyze the hyperspectral image. PC2 of PCA had the greatest difference between immature and mature areas on the seeds, therefore, the weighted coefficients of PC2 was selected to extract sensitive wavebands (501 nm). Regions of interest (ROI) from mature and immature area of 70 immature kernels was selected for mean spectra calculation. Partial least square regression (PLSR) algorithm was employed to analyze the spectra of ROI and extract wavelength related to maturity (518 nm). Band ratio algorithm and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to select the best band ratio that had the biggest difference between mature and immature areas (640 nm/525 nm). 864 kernels of corn seed were analyzed by gray images of the selected wavelengths as well as band ratio images. Results showed that the light color regions of the seed crown were misidentified as immature region when the images of selected single band wavelengths were used, while the band ratio image of 640 nm/525 nm could be identified correctly. The immature seeds can be separated from the mature seeds according to the area ratio of segmented immature region to the whole kernel. The correct recognition rate was 93.9%. Using the grey images of selected band ratio can differentiate immature corn seeds from mature seeds effectively, which provide a theoretical reference for the development of seed sorting device in further work.


The present report presents a series of experiments using Bartha's K strain of pseudorabies virus (PRV) designed to test the specificity of this virus as a retrograde transneuronal marker in the sympathetic nervous system of rats. Three experiments were performed. First, an injection of PRV was made in the anterior chamber of the eye, followed 24 hr later by an injection of WGA-HRP. PRV infected neurons in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) always contained WGA-HRP. This dual labeling of SCG neurons suggests that the PRV cell body labeling does not nonspecifically infect nearby neurons. Second, after PRV injections into the pinna or eye, a specific segmental distribution of the transneuronal cell body labeling occurred in the intermediolateral cell column and related spinal areas. After eye injections, the majority of transneuronally labeled neurons were in the T1-T3 segments. After pinna injections, the majority of labeled cells were in the T2-T5 segments. Since the SCG cells innervating these 2 end organs lie in close proximity to each other within the ganglion, these results suggest that a specific transfer of the virus to the preganglionic neurons occurred, possibly via a transsynaptic mechanism. Third, virally infected glial cells were rarely found in the SCG or spinal cord. In summary, Bartha's K strain of PRV is a specific transneuronal retrograde grader marker in the sympathetic nervous system.


The use of piezoelectric material as transducer is prevalent. Piezoelectric bending mode element can be used for vibration energy harvesting because it can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. In this article, electrical impedance characterization and equivalent circuit of triple-layer piezoelectric bender are discussed. Triple-layer piezoelectric bending device is fabricated, measured and modeled. This paper is aimed to explore simple but practical equivalent circuit models, expressed using electrical parameters of triple-layer piezoelectric bender and investigate the applicability of the Van Dyke circuit model and the complex circuit model in modeling the specimen's equivalent circuit. The models produced impedance curves that closely matched the impedance measured for piezoelectric sample. The impedance characterization can provide a good understanding on the electrical behaviors of the triple layer piezoelectric bender when analyzing the performance of piezoelectric device.


Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) is a powerful, high-throughput tool for whole genome analysis. Until recently, aCGH could only be reproducibly performed on frozen tissue samples and with significant tissue amounts. For brain tumors however, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from small stereotactic biopsies may be the only tissue routinely available. The development of methods to analyze formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) material therefore has the potential to impact molecular diagnosis in a significant way. To this end, we constructed a BAC array representing chromosomes 1, 7, 19, and X because 1p/19q deletion and EGFR gene amplification provide clinically relevant information for glioma diagnosis. We also optimized a two-step labeling procedure using an amine-modified nucleotide for generating aCGH probes. Using this approach, we analyzed a series of 28 FFPE oligodendroglial tumors for alterations of chromosomes 1, 7, and 19. We also independently assayed these tumors for 1p/19q deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization and by loss of heterozygosity analyses. The concordance between aCGH, standard loss of heterozygosity and fluorescence in situ hybridization was nearly 100% for the chromosomes analyzed. These results suggest that aCGH could offer an improved molecular diagnostic approach for gliomas because of its ability to detect clinically relevant molecular alterations in small FFPE specimens.


In the Republic of Kalmykia, the horse breeding segment is reaching up to 6 % of the whole agricultural industry. The number of horses has a tendency to increase. This is determined by the low cost, as well as by environmental friendliness of keeping horses, and horses' adaptability to harsh conditions. There are four breeding plants on the territory of Kalmykia, which are actively involved in Kalmyk horses breed rearing. Recently a distinct meat-type was isolated within the Kalmyk breed, which was named "Tselinny" meat-type (further Tselinny). The goal of the presented paper is to compare purebred horses with a pool of horses belonging to newly isolated type Tselinny. Genotype of both populations consists of 14 and 15 alleles, as 84.4 % and 78.8 % of horses have these alleles (purebred and Tselinny type respectively). Animal of Tselinny meat-type do not have 16 and 17 alleles, while more than 10 % of purebred horses of the Kalmyk breed have these two alleles in their genotype. The difference in genotype is confirmed by the difference in phenotype: these are differences in size and meat productivity of horses. Both stallions and mares of Tsenilly meat type are bigger and have higher weight. When we come to the meat productivity, the weight of the meat from young animals of Tselinny type was by 21 % (45 kg) higher. Horses belonging to the Tselinny type differ from purebred animals of Kalmyk breed both in genotype and phenotype. At the same time, exemplar of both groups keep features of Kalmyk horse breed. It is important to develop different types within the breed, based on the intended goal of breeding.


During the postretrieval reconsolidation "window", memories can be disrupted, strengthened, or updated using various pharmacological and behavioral manipulations. Behavioral manipulations are more ecologically valid, thus allowing better understating of memory modification under natural conditions, but they can also be less potent compared to pharmacological interventions. In this review we present the current human and animal literature, aiming to understand the modulatory factors (i.e., task relevance, complexity, intensity) that promote reconsolidation disruption in purely behavioral means. The reviewed studies have suggested that both very simple tasks and more complex learning paradigms can be used to disrupt or update memory reconsolidation, even of stronger emotional memories. Stress exposure is a possible interference task, yet the conflicting results leave many open questions regarding its required timing and intensity. Going from bench to bedside and back again, we point to the need for more research in clinical populations to establish the therapeutic potential of reconsolidation-based treatments. Several findings from outside the laboratory offer promising leads for future research.


Because of the positive corelation between healthy cardiovascular system and sexual life we aimed to evaluate the effect of caloric restriction (CR) on endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, nNOS) expression in cavernousal tissues and eNOS expression in the internal iliac artery in young and aged rats. Young (3 mo, n = 7) and aged (24 mo, n = 7) male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 40% CR and were allowed free access to water for 3 months. Control rats (n = 14) fed ad libitum had free access to food and water at all times. On day 90, rats were sacrificed and internal iliac arteries and penis were removed and parafinized, eNOS and nNOS expression evaluated with immunohistochemistry. Results were evaluated semiquantitatively. eNOS and nNOS expression in cavernousal tis- sue in CR rats were more strong than in control group in both young and old rats. eNOS expression was also higher in the internal iliac arteries of CR rats than in control in young and old rats. As a result of our study we can say that there is a positive link between CR and neurotransmitter of erection in cavernousal tissues and internal iliac arteries. CR has beneficial effect to prevent sexual dysfunction in young and old animals and possible humans.


This study investigated the effect of linguistic-stylistic technique on the effective teaching and learning of poetry in Nigerian senior secondary school. The sample of the study comprised of 310 senior secondary two (SS II) students from six schools randomly selected from Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigerian A non-randomized pre-test post test control group design was used for the study. The reliability co efficient of poetry in English Achievement Test (PEAT) was 0.75 using Kuder- Richardson formula 21. The student's t-test was used in the analysis of the data. The results showed that students taught with linguistic-stylistic technique achieved and retained better than students taught with traditional method in poetry. The results also showed an insignificant difference existing between the achievement of male and female students in poetry taught with linguistic-stylistic technique. It is recommended that linguistic-stylistic technique should be used in schools to teach various concepts in poetry. Keywords: Poetry, Literature – in – English, Linguistic-Stylistic technique, Traditional Method.


Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive
therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment but it always suffers from low
reactive oxygen species (ROS) efficiency generated from traditional organic dyes owing to weak
absorption in the optical transparent window of biological tissues and
fluorescence quenching at a concentrated solution or in nanoparticles. Herein, we present cationic
lipid-encapsulated aggregation-induced emission (AIE) nanoparticles (NPs) that
have a high quantum yield (23%) and a maximum two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section
of 560 GM irradiated by near infrared light (800 nm). The AIE NPs can
serve as imaging agents for spatiotemporal
imaging of tumor tissues with a penetration depth up to 505 µm on mice melanoma model. Noteworthy, the AIE NPs can efficiently generate
singlet oxygen (1O2) and highly toxic hydroxyl
radicals (·OH) upon 800 nm-light irradiation for photodynamic tumor ablation. In addition, the AIE NPs can be
effectively cleared from the mouse body after the imaging and therapy. This
study provides a new strategy to develop theranostic agent for cancer
image-guided PDT with high brightness, superior photostability and high
biosafety


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Bariatric surgery has included a large number of operative procedures, some of which have become extinct and others, such as gastric restrictive procedures, which continue to be performed. While these operative procedures play an important role in the management of obesity, they are associated with significant failure rates. This study was performed to evaluate the results of operations performed on patients to revise failed gastric restrictive procedures.

METHODS
During the past 15 years operative revision of gastric restrictive procedures was performed on 65 patients. The demographic, operative, and postoperative information has been prospectively collected. The patients were divided into 20 non-obese patients who weighed less than 250 pounds (range 90-247 pounds) and 45 obese patients weighing more than 250 pounds (range 256-527 pounds). The primary indications for operation on the non-obese patients were intragastric foreign body, gastric fistula, gastroesophageal reflux, and non emptying gastric pouch. The obese patients underwent revision for gastroesophageal reflux and failure to maintain weight loss. The obese patients frequently had obesity associated health problems including sleep apnea (N = 5), hypertension (N = 6), diabetes (N = 5) and ventral hernia (N = 30). The operative procedures in the non-obese patients consisted of revision of a gastroplasty in two patients, conversion of a gastroplasty to a gastric bypass in 12 patients and revision of a gastric bypass in eight patients. In the obese patient group, eight patients underwent revision of a gastroplasty, 19 patients had a gastroplasty converted to a gastric bypass and 14 patients underwent revision of a gastric bypass. The mean +/- SEM length of follow-up was 57 +/- 8 months.

RESULTS
There were two postoperative deaths, one from a pulmonary embolus and one from unknown cause. There was no significant difference regarding the results of the various operations to revise gastric restrictive procedures on the weight of the non-obese patients at long-term follow-up. When obese patients underwent revision of a gastric bypass procedure, they lost 69 +/- 9 pounds which was significantly less than the 82 +/- 12 pounds lost by the patients who underwent revision of a gastroplasty. Conversion of gastroplasty operations to gastric bypass operations in obese patients resulted in the loss of 110 +/- 7 pounds at long-term follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS
Revision of gastric restrictive procedures can be performed with durable control of obesity; however, revision of gastric bypass restrictive procedures in obese patients produced the least benefit.


: Generation of electric (delta psi) and chemical (delta pH) components of electrochemical proton gradient delta muH+, in plasma membrane vesicles of Heracleum sosnovskyi phloem cells was investigated. ATP-dependent generation of delta psi at pH 6.0 in the presence of Mg2+ and K+ was established with the help of fluorescent probes AU+ and ANS-. Protonophore CCCP and proton ATPase inhibitor DCCD suppressed generation, whereas oligomycin, the inhibitor of mitochondrial ATPases did not affect it. Measurings of delta psi value indicated its oscillations within the limits from 10 to 60 mV. ATP-dependent generation of delta pH was established by means of fluorescent probe 9-AA. The effect was eliminated by CCCP and stimulated by K+, that may testify to the transformation of a part of delta psi into delta pH at antiport H+/K+. Existence of H+-ATPase in the plasma membranes of higher plant cells insuring generation of delta muH+ is supposed.


OBJECTIVE
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in the pathogenesis and development of multiple cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanisms of LINC01278 in CRC remain unknown. Our research aims to identify the regulatory mechanisms of LINC01278 in CRC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The expression of LINC01278 was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). StarBase and TargetScan websites were used to predict the interaction between miR-134 and LINC01278 or KDM2A, which was further confirmed by Dual-Luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Cell viability, migration, and invasion were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assays.

RESULTS
LINC01278 was upregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and knockdown of LINC01278 suppressed CRC cell progression. In addition, LINC01278 inhibited miR-134 expression by direct interaction, and the inhibition of miR-134 abolished the suppressive effects of LINC01278 knockdown on viability, migration, and invasion of CRC cells. Furthermore, KDM2A was confirmed to be a target gene of miR-134. Overexpression of KDM2A facilitated the tumorigenesis of CRC, while this effect was reversed by the upregulation of miR-143. Finally, it was demonstrated that miR-134 inhibitor reversed the shLINC01278‑mediated inhibitory effect on KDM2A expression.

CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrated that LINC01278 upregulated KDM2A to promote CRC progression by interacting with miR-143, suggesting that LINC01278 might be a new therapeutic target of CRC.


This paper presents the methane coupling with a new developed rotary multidentate helix electrode under plasmas at atmospheric pressure and in the presence of hydrogen to investigate the effects of peak voltage input the electric fields and feed flow rate on CH4 conversion and C2 yield and selectivity. The best result without remarkable amount of coke is 69.85% of single pass yield of C2 hydrocarbons with 70.46% of CH4 conversion and 99.14% of selectivity of C2 hydrocarbons. The emission of excited species such as excited radicals and atoms (C,CH,C2,H and H2) were detected in the spectra range of 300 nm~700 nm.


Purpose of reviewTo describe available markers of male puberty, discuss associations between adiposity and pubertal timing and to review recent evidence of a possible secular trend in male pubertal timing. Recent findingsAn expert panel reviewing existing American pubertal data from boys in 2005 could not confirm a secular trend in male pubertal timing. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III findings have been confirmed by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study reporting a mean age of 10.4 years for Caucasian boys entering Tanner stage G2. Furthermore, the Copenhagen Puberty Study reported a 3 months decline in pubertal onset during a 15-year period (from 11.92 years in 1991 to 11.66 years in 2008).A negative association between obesity and early puberty was found in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study, in contrast to the positive association found in a Danish study. Other studies have not been able to document an association between prepubertal BMI and age at pubertal onset. SummaryEvaluation of Tanner stage and especially assessment of testicular volume should both be used in epidemiological studies. We speculate that the association between fat mass and pubertal timing may be nonlinear and recent studies may indicate a small decline in age at pubertal onset in boys.


SUMMARY. This study introduced a novel phase separation technique for the microencapsulation of metoprolol tartrate as a model. Non-solvent addition coacervation technique was employed for the loading of drug into ethylcellulose, a hydrophobic plastic polymer. Dichloromethane (DCM) and paraffin oil were employed as solvent and non-solvent, respectively. Microparticle batches abbreviated as M1, M2 and M3 were formulated by embedding 1 g of drug into 1 g, 2 g and 3 g of polymer, respectively followed by direct compression into tabletted microparticulate batches named a T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The drug and polymer remained intact in encapsulated form as confirmed by FTIR, XRD and DSC. However, a slight change in drug nature from crystalline to amorphous behavior and an endothermic peak for metoprolol tartrate at 130 oC was observed in drug and microparticle thermograms. Slightly aggregated spherical free flowing microparticles in a size range of 64 ?m-103 ?m were obtained. The entrapment efficiency ranged from 77% to 89%. The straight line obtained from a plot between square root of time (Hrs) versus percent drug release (%) and regression co-efficient (R2) confirmed that best fit model to all dissolution profiles was Higuchi's model. The modes of drug release from microparticles and tabletted microparticles were Quasi-Fickian diffusion and anomalous diffusion, respectively. T3 was selected as an optimum formulation as its dissolution profile resembled (f2 = 76.25) Mepressor® (Novartis Pharma-Pakistan). The accelerated stability study, regarding dissolution behavior and drug contents, at 40oC/75% RH proved T3 stable in 40 oC/75% RH for six months. Non-solvent addition coacervation technique involving comparatively safe solvents such as dichloromethane and paraffin oil as solvent and non-solvent, respectively is a good techniques for the encapsulation of Biopharmaceutics Classification System class I drugs such as metoprolol tartrate.


We model the volatility of a single risky asset using a multifactor (matrix) Wishart affine process, recently introduced in finance by Gourieroux and Sufana. As in standard Duffie and Kan affine models the pricing problem can be solved through the Fast Fourier Transform of Carr and Madan. A numerical illustration shows that this specification provides a separate fit of the long-term and short-term implied volatility surface and, differently from previous diffusive stochastic volatility models, it is possible to identify a specific factor accounting for the stochastic leverage effect, a well-known stylized fact of the FX option markets analysed by Carr and Wu.


Background Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with reduced morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease. However, how the MD exerts its effects is not fully known. Aim To assess the 12-month effects of two enhanced MDs compared to a low-fat diet on inflammatory biomarkers related to atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability in a subcohort of the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) study. Methods A total of 164 participants at high risk for cardiovascular disease were randomized into three diet groups: MD supplemented with 50mL/d of extra virgin olive oil (MD+EVOO) or 30 g/d of nuts (MD+Nuts) and a low-fat diet. Changes in classical cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory biomarkers of atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability were measured after 12 months of intervention. Results Compared to participants in the low-fat diet group, those receiving MD+EVOO and MD+Nuts showed a higher decrease in systolic (6mmHg) and diastolic (3mmHg) blood pressure (P = 0.02; both), as well as a reduction of 10% and 8% in LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.04), respectively. Patients in the MD+Nuts group showed a significant reduction of 34% in CD40 expression on monocyte surface compared to low-fat diet patients (P = 0.03). In addition, inflammatory biomarkers related to plaque instability such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 were reduced by 45% and 35% and 95% and 90% in the MD+EVOO and MD+Nuts groups, respectively (P<0.05; all) compared to the low-fat diet group. Likewise, sICAM and P-selectin were also reduced by 50% and 27%, respectively in the MD+EVOO group (P = 0.04) and P-selectin by 19% in MD+Nuts group (P = 0.04) compared to the low-fat diet group. Conclusions Adherence to the MD is associated with an increase in serum markers of atheroma plaque stability which may explain, at least in part, the protective role of MD against ischemic heart disease. Trial Registration www.controlled-trials.com ISRCTN35739639


Iron (Fe) toxicity is a widespread nutrient disorder and limit to grain yield in lowland rice. As it is, however, sometimes associated with deficiency of other nutrients, Fe toxicity might be also managed and alleviated by applications of concerned nutrients such as potassium (K) and zinc (Zn). However, the information on this topic available in literature is very limited, especially in the case of Zn. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil and foliar Zn applications on severity of Fe toxicity and grain concentrations of Zn in rice grown on a Fe-toxic soil in Laos under field conditions. Soil Zn applications have been realized in 2 forms: 1.5 % Zn-containing KCl (KCl-Zn) and ZnSO4. The results with soil Zn applications showed that plant growth at early growth stage was increased by both forms of Zn applications which in turn contributed to final grain yield. The increases in grain yield resulted from the KCl-Zn and ZnSO4 applications were similar and were around 35 % compared to the control treatment without any Zn application. Leaf Zn concentrations were also increased by Zn applications while Fe concentrations tended to decrease. In a separate experiment soil and foliar applications of ZnSO4 were examined for their effectiveness in affecting plant Zn concentration. Soil Zn application was not affective in increasing grain Zn concentration, but foliar-applied Zn increased Zn concentration of brown rice up to 34 %. This study suggested that Zn fertilizer strategy is a promising approach to contribute to both grain yield and grain Zn concentrations in rice under Fe toxic soil conditions.


The light emission properties of GeSn pn diodes were investigated as a function of alloy composition and doping levels. Very sharp interfaces between contiguous ultra-highly doped p- and n-layers were obtained using in situ doping with B2H6 and P(SiH3)3 in a chemical vapor deposition environment, yielding nearly ideal model systems for systematic studies. Changes in the doping levels and layer Sn concentrations are shown to greatly affect the electroluminescence spectra. This sensitivity should make it possible to optimize the emission efficiency for these structures in the interesting quasi-direct regime, for which direct gap luminescence is observed due to the proximity of the conduction band quasi-Fermi level to the minimum of the conduction band at the center of the Brillouin zone. Such structures represent the basic building block of Ge-based electrically pumped lasers.


The digital innovative evolution of platform enterprises has shown obvious advantanges in promoting the development of value creation, and encouraging business transformation in current digital economy era. However, we still know little about the value innovation mechanism in platform enterprises. Thus, based on grounded theory, this paper explores the characteristics of collaborative enabling and extracts three attributes -openness, symbiosis and collaborationin driving the internal development of platform enterprises, by coding the relevant information of Shi Wai Tao Yuan (SWTY). Through the case analysis on SWTY, this paper proposes three enabling functions in the field of culture, technology and data, and builds the multi-level path of value innovation including value co-creation, resource sharing and idea symbiosis. Finally, this paper constructs a theoretical framework on collaborative enabling and value innovation in platform enterprises based on nine core categories. Overall, this paper contributes to research on the formation process and action mechanism of collaborative enabling and value innovation in platform enterprises, also shed light on the exploration on platform enterprises, and business ecosystems evolution. In doing so, this paper also provides novel insights into the sustainable development of platform enterprises in practice.


The main dosimetric characteristics are presented of newly prepared tissue-equivalent, highly sensitive thermoluminescent detector, Li,B4O7:Cu,Ag,P in the form of sintered pellets, developed at the Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Vinca. As a result of an advancement in the preparation procedure by the sensitising of basic copper activated lithium borate TL material, significant improvement in the TL sensitivity of Li2B4O7:Cu,Ag,P was gained. The glow curve of Li,B4O7:Cu,Ag,P consists of well defined main dosimetric peak situated at about 185-190 degrees C with the TL sensitivity which is about four to five times higher than that of LiF:Mg,Ti (TLD-100). From the experimental results a very wide linear dose response range, up to 10(3) Gy is evident. Dosimetric characteristics make sintered solid Li,B4O7:Cu,Ag,P TL detectors very promising for different dosimetry applications particularly in medical dosimetry and also for individual monitoring.


CONTEXT
The presence of multiple neoplasms in one patient is an uncommon event. Its occurrence ranges from 1.2% to 4.5% of cancer patients in autopsy and clinical studies. In the present article, cases of synchronous diagnoses of carcinoma and lymphoid neoplasms are reported. The intention of this report was to alert clinicians and pathologists to the possibility of the existence of concomitant neoplasms, in order to prevent inaccurate or delayed diagnosis and staging.

CASES
Seven patients (four female and three male) with a median age of 61.4 years were diagnosed as having concomitant epithelial and hematological neoplasms.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Lymph nodes should be carefully examined when searching for metastases, because of the possibility of a second hematological malignancy. Whenever uncommon suspicious morphological features are seen in such neoplasms, an immunohistochemical analysis is essential.


Following a proposal by Architects Plus for the refurbishment of existing buildings to create residential accommodation at the YMCA, 22-24 Fisher Street, Carlisle, Cumbria (NY 3996 5607), an archaeological desk-based assessment was requested by Cumbria County Council's Historic Environment Service (CCCHES) to further inform the planning process. The proposed works include new footings, foundations and drainage runs, all of which have the potential to damage or disturb buried archaeological deposits, dependent upon the exact nature of the groundworks. The works would take place in an area of extremely high archaeological potential; in the early Roman period (late first and early second centuries AD), the site was situated just outside the south-east corner of Carlisle's first timber fort (the fort itself lay north of Annetwell Street), although it is not clear if it lay within a possible defended annexe on the south side of the fort or in the civilian settlement (vicus) that grew up to the south. In the later Roman period, however, the site was certainly located within the vicus, which had grown into a sizeable town and an important regional centre. In the medieval and post-medieval periods the site was situated on Fisher Street, one of the principal thoroughfares of the historic walled city, and which was in existence at least as early as the twelfth century. This report presents the results of the desk-based assessment, which was undertaken by Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) in December 2007.

An outline of the topographical and historical background of the assessment area was produced, covering all periods, in order to provide a context for the results of the archaeological study. The assessment examined all available relevant secondary and primary sources, including early maps of the area held in the Cumbria County Record Office (CRO) in Carlisle. Cumbria County Council's Historic Environment Record (HER) was also consulted. All sites identified during the course of the work were listed in a gazetteer and plotted onto a map of the study area.


Nonassembled products, which are produced from a raw material and post-processed to a final form without any assembly steps, form a large and potentially growing share of the manufacturing sector. However, the design for manufacturing literature has largely focused on assembled products and does not necessarily apply to nonassembled products. In this paper, we review the literature on design for nonassembly (DFNA) and the broader literature on design for manufacturing that has design guidelines and metrics applicable to nonassembled products, including both monolithic single-part products and nonassembly mechanisms. Our review focuses on guidelines that apply across multiple manufacturing processes. We identify guidelines and metrics that seek to reduce costs as well as provide differentiated products across a product family. We cluster the guidelines using latent semantic analysis and find that existing DFNA guidelines fall into four main categories pertaining to (1) manufacturing process, (2) material, (3) tolerance, and (4) geometry. We also identify existing product family metrics that can be modified for nonassembled products to measure some aspects of these categories. Finally, we discuss possible future research directions to more accurately characterize the relationships between design variables and manufacturing costs, including investigating factors related to the complexity of operations at particular process steps and across process steps.


On 19 April 2013, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage was passed by the New Zealand House of Representatives, which made the country the fifteenth in the world to give homosexuals the right to marry. This research examined the images accompanying 654 articles about gay marriage in The New Zealand Herald, a mainstream news outlet, and GayNZ, an alternative publication in the calendar year surrounding the bill's passage. All photographs were analysed through the framework of shame and pride, given the centrality of pride (and conversely, shame) to the gay and lesbian political movement worldwide. This study explored the connection of shame to the visual representation of marginalization, anonymity, othering, dependence, heteronormativity and sadness. Pride, in relation to samesex marriage, was examined through the visual framework of collectivism, accountability, inclusivity, independence, homonormativity and happiness. None of the individual variables examined for this research would suggest a uniform visual representation of either emotional position. However, when all 654 images were examined in accordance to the host of variables constructed for this study, a pattern of visual representation emerged that suggested a continued heterosexist representation of gay shame.


BACKGROUND
Over the last two decades, ovarian cancer mortality rates have levelled or declined. There are, however, persisting and substantial differences in ovarian cancer patterns and trends.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
We updated global trends in ovarian cancer mortality to 2012, and predicted trends in rates to 2020 using data from the World Health Organization database.

RESULTS
In the EU, age-adjusted ovarian cancer mortality rates decreased 10% between 2002 and 2012, to 5.2/100 000. The decline was ∼16% in the USA, to 4.9/100 000 in 2012. Latin American countries had lower rates, and declines were observed in Argentina and Chile. Likewise, modest declines (-2.1%) were observed in Japan, whose rate remained low (3.2/100 000 in 2012). Australia had a rate of 4.3/100 000 in 2012, and a 12% decline. The falls were larger in young women, than in middle or old age. Recent rates at age 20-49 were higher in Japan than in the EU and the USA. Predictions to 2020 indicate a further 15% decline in the USA and 10% in the EU and Japan.

CONCLUSIONS
The main reason for the favourable trends is the use of oral contraceptives (OCs), particularly, in the USA and countries of the EU where OCs were introduced earlier. Declines in menopausal hormone use may also have played a favourable role in elderly women, as well as improved diagnosis, management and treatment.


An historic achievement was realized in Paris in December 2015 when most of the world's greenhouse-gas (GHG) emitting countries voluntarily submitted their post-2020 plans for action on climate change. These Intended Nationally Determined Contribution plans are aimed at keeping the global temperature rise well below 2°C, but apparently, the plans will require substantial improvement to attain that goal.1 Adjusting these plans is undoubtedly complex, but regardless of the specifics, it is difficult to imagine any mitigation or adaptation plan that does not include forests and other woody vegetation. By the process of photosynthesis, plants take in the GHG carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, and use energy from the sun to power chemical reactions with water to form sugar, a building block of life. Woody plants can accrue huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and these stocks persist: globally, forests store 861 (±66) Petagrams of carbon.2 This process of carbon removal and deposition into longlived storages such as forests is defined as carbon sequestration by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.3 Natural processes such as plant respiration and organic matter decomposition, as well as both natural and human-caused disturbances, emit CO2 back into the atmosphere. As such, many factors interact to determine whether a forest will function as a sink that reduces atmospheric CO2 levels and mitigates global warming, or as a 2 source of CO2. Fast-growing and well-managed forests capture more CO2 from the atmosphere than they emit and can accumulate large stocks of carbon in the vegetation and soil.4 On the other hand, deforestation represents a loss in the capacity to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and also results in emissions of CO2. Land-use change and forestry accounted for 10-12% of global GHG emissions from 2000-2011. However, forests, as a result of their growth, were a net sink for CO2 over the 2000-2009 period by a variety of estimation methods.5 Given the critical but variable role of forests in global carbon cycling, it is crucial to communicate to policymakers and other experts involved in climate-change planning how basic forest biology and forest management translate into climate warming mitigation (hereafter referred to simply as 'mitigation'). This Report by the Food and Agriculture Organization addresses this pressing need at an opportune time. The development of the Report was initiated during the "International Online Conference on the Economics of Climate Change Mitigation Options in the Forest Sector," which was convened in February 2015. The Report's goal is to provide urgently required information that is relevant for making decisions regarding policy that aims to foster low-carbon-emission forests. Moreover, it provides guidelines for enhancing socioeconomic benefits of forests in ways that can be tailored to specific needs at the regional level. An Advisory Committee formulated the Report's outline, organized to contain an Executive Summary, Introduction, six chapters (summarized below) and a Conclusion. Each Chapter concludes with 'Key messages' listed as bulleted points. Most Chapters also contain sub-sections entitled 'Bottlenecks in harnessing potentials' and 'Embracing opportunities.' There are contributions from 113 experts and 22 expert reviewers provided comments on the draft. Acronyms abound, but there is a comprehensive list of definitions at the beginning of the Report. Disciplines Forest Sciences | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/nrem_pubs/265 Comments This is a manuscript of an article published as Russell, Ann E., and B. Mohan Kumar. "Forestry for a LowCarbon Future: Integrating Forests and Wood Products Into Climate Change Strategies." Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development 59, no. 2 (2017): 16-23. doi: 10.1080/ 00139157.2017.1274580. Posted with permission. This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/nrem_pubs/265 1 Report on Reports: Forestry for a low-carbon future: Integrating forests and wood products in climate change strategies. FAO Forestry Paper 177. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome 2016, 151p. ISBN 978-92-5-109312-2 By Ann E. Russell & B. Mohan Kumar Overview An historic achievement was realized in Paris in December 2015 when most of the world's greenhouse-gas (GHG) emitting countries voluntarily submitted their post-2020 plans for action on climate change. These Intended Nationally Determined Contribution plans are aimed at keeping the global temperature rise well below 2°C, but apparently, the plans will require substantial improvement to attain that goal.1 Adjusting these plans is undoubtedly complex, but regardless of the specifics, it is difficult to imagine any mitigation or adaptation plan that does not include forests and other woody vegetation. By the process of photosynthesis, plants take in the GHG carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, and use energy from the sun to power chemical reactions with water to form sugar, a building block of life. Woody plants can accrue huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and these stocks persist: globally, forests store 861 (±66) Petagrams of carbon.2 This process of carbon removal and deposition into longlived storages such as forests is defined as carbon sequestration by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.3 Natural processes such as plant respiration and organic matter decomposition, as well as both natural and human-caused disturbances, emit CO2 back into the atmosphere. As such, many factors interact to determine whether a forest will function as a sink that reduces atmospheric CO2 levels and mitigates global warming, or as a


Single cell storms in the United Kingdom can produce lightning, despite apparently only having developed to towering cumulus rather than cumulonimbus. Such marginal thunderstorms still present severe weather hazards but are difficult to identify and predict and therefore provide a warning. Observations from the Met Office radar mosaic and ATDNet (Arrival Time Difference Network) show that these single cell storms demonstrate a characteristic increase in the area of high reflectivity storm core during the 15 min prior to the first lightning. By using the Met Office Unified Model to investigate reflectivity development in modelled storms, a microphysical explanation for the observed reflectivity increase is identified. During a rapid reflectivity increase, the updraft area at the melting layer, the peak updraft velocity and the storm graupel mass increase. The three quantities examined are linked to each other and to the generation of charge within the storm. The production of graupel is promoted by the increase in updraft area and charge separation is enhanced by the faster peak updraft velocity. This explains some of the physical differences between single cell storms that produce lightning and apparently similar storm systems which do not. It also provides a new basis with which to predict lightning hazard for marginal storms.


This paper proposed an efficient phase-locked loop (PLL) that features zero steady-state error of phase and frequency under voltage sag, phase jump, harmonics, DC offsets and step-and ramp-changed frequency. The PLL includes the sliding Goertzel discrete Fourier transform (SGDFT) filter-based fundamental positive sequence component separator (FPSCS), the synchronousreference-frame PLL (SRF-PLL) and the secondary control path (SCP). In order to obtain an accurate fundamental positive sequence component, SGDFT filter is introduced as it features better filtering ability at the frequencies that are integer times of fundamental frequency. Meanwhile, the second order Lagrange-interpolation method is employed to approximate the actual sampling number including both integer and fractional parts as grid frequency may deviate from the rated value. Moreover, an improved SCP with single-step comparison filtering algorithm is employed as it updates reference angular frequency according to the FPSC, which promises a zero steady-state error of phase and improves the frequency tracking speed. In this paper, the mathematical model of the proposed PLL is constructed, its stability is analyzed. Also, design procedure of the control parameters is presented. The effectiveness of the proposed PLL is confirmed by experimental results and comparison with advanced pre-filtering PLLs.


This study uses GLOBIOM ‒ the most detailed global economic model of agriculture, land use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions ‒ to assess the effectiveness of different policies in cutting net emissions from the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector, with a view to helping limit long-term global temperature increases to 1.5°C and 2°C. Trade-offs between emission reductions and impacts on food producers, consumers and government budgets are also evaluated for each policy package. A full complement of policy options is deployed globally across AFOLU, comprising emission taxes for emitting AFOLU activities and subsidies rewarding carbon sequestration. Using a carbon price consistent with the 2°C target (1.5°C target), this is projected to mitigate 8 GtCO2 eq/yr (12 GtCO2 eq/yr) in 2050, representing 89% (129%) reduction in net AFOLU emissions, and 12% (21%) of total anthropogenic GHG emissions. Nearly two-thirds of the net emission reductions are from the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) component of AFOLU, mostly from reduced deforestation. A global carbon tax on AFOLU is found to be twice as effective in lowering emissions as an equivalently priced emission abatement subsidy because the latter keeps high emitting producers in business. However, a tax has trade-offs in terms of lower agricultural production and food consumption, which a subsidy avoids. A shift to lower emission diets by consumers has a much smaller impact on reducing agricultural emissions than any of the policy packages involving taxes on emissions.


Both mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K+(KATP) channels and the actin cytoskeleton have been proposed to be end-effectors in ischemic preconditioning (PC). For evaluation of the participation of these proposed end effectors, rabbits underwent 30 min of regional ischemia and 3 h of reperfusion. PC by 5-min ischemia + 10-min reperfusion reduced infarct size by 60%. Diazoxide, a mitochondrial KATP-channel opener, administered before ischemia was protective. Protection was lost when diazoxide was given after onset of ischemia. Anisomycin, a p38/JNK activator, reduced infarct size, but protection from both diazoxide and anisomycin was abolished by 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD), an inhibitor of mitochondrial KATP channels. Isolated adult rabbit cardiomyocytes were subjected to simulated ischemia by centrifuging the cells into an oxygen-free pellet for 3 h. PC was induced by prior pelleting for 10 min followed by resuspension for 15 min. Osmotic fragility was assessed by adding cells to hypotonic (85 mosmol) Trypan blue. PC delayed the progressive increase in fragility seen in non-PC cells. Incubation with diazoxide or pinacidil was as protective as PC. Anisomycin reduced osmotic fragility, and this was reversed by 5-HD. Interestingly, protection by PC, diazoxide, and pinacidil could be abolished by disruption of the cytoskeleton by cytochalasin D. These data support a role for both mitochondrial KATP channels and cytoskeletal actin in protection by PC.


PACE Center for Girls is a Florida-based nonprofit organization that serves girls of middle school and high school age who are at risk of involvement with the justice system. Girls who fit this profile often face challenges distinct from those faced by at-risk boys: They are more likely to have histories of abuse, trauma, truancy, substance abuse, and academic disruption. PACE aims to get these girls back on track by taking a gender-responsive approach, providing a blend of academic and social services that are shaped by an awareness of girls' particular development and gender-specific needs.


Sow milk is the major source of nutrients for suckling piglets and taking into account the large litter sizes of our current sow genotypes, it is imperative to maximize nutrient use by the mammary gland. The amount of nutrients available to mammary tissue is dependent upon the concentrations of nutrients in blood and the rate of its flow to the lactating glands. Nutrient availability to the udder may be estimated by measuring mammary arteriovenous differences, and mammary blood flow can be measured either directly or via indirect calculations. For all these measures, mammary venous and arterial blood samplings are required and catheters must be inserted in mammary veins. Blood flow to the udder is influenced by numerous factors, such as litter size, time since feeding, postural behaviour, vasoactive substances, and ambient temperature; yet, the single most important effector of mammary blood flow is milk removal. Glucose represents 40 to 60% of the total carbon mass taken up by sow mammary tissue and its uptake by the mammary gland appears to be mediated by glucose transporter proteins. Other energetic precursors which are used by the mammary gland are triglycerides, phospholipids, acetate, propionate and lactate. The uptake of amino acids by sow mammary glands has been extensively studied and is affected by diet, stage of lactation, and milk demand. Recent data also showed that amino acid uptake is controlled by transporter proteins that channel amino acids intracellularly, and that these proteins are in turn affected by diet and physiological status. Data on mammary uptake of hormones are contradictory; yet, the endocrine involvement in the regulation of milk synthetic processes is evidenced by the presence of specific hormonal receptors in mammary tissue.


Public policies often involve choices of alternatives in which the size and the composition of the population may vary. Examples are the allocation of resources to prenatal care and the design of aid packages to developing countries. In order to assess the corresponding feasible choices on normative grounds, criteria for social evaluation that are capable of performing variable-population comparisons are required. We review several important axioms for welfarist population principles and discuss the link between individual well-being and the desirability of adding a new person to a given society.


While the role of frontal and parietal cortex in spatial orientation has been studied extensively, the contribution of the basal ganglia and especially the subthalamic nucleus to spatial orientation remains less clear. Here we use subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) as a reversible model of functional lesioning to evaluate the influence of the STN in extrapersonal space orientation. To this end, 12 PD patients were examined 1 year after implantation of DBS electrodes in the STN after overnight withdrawal of L‐dopa. Patients were tested in a pseudorandomized order while both stimulators, the right only, the left only, or no stimulator, were switched on. Patients performed line bisection and a reaction time task responding to stimuli of the middle, the left, and the right extrapersonal space. A separate assessment of the right and left hand responding to visual stimuli in each hemispace made it possible to distinguish hemispatial and hemimotor impairments. No asymmetries in space orientation were found when both stimulators were switched OFF, when both stimulators were switched ON, and when only the right stimulator was switched ON. When only the left subthalamic stimulation was switched ON, the reaction times of both hands to visual stimuli in the left extrapersonal hemispace increased significantly and the line bisection test showed a significant orientation to the right. These results lead to the conclusion that the STN and its cortical projections influence the network involved in visuospatial orientation. These patterns of symptoms of neglect demonstrate the influence of the STN on the attentional system of the nondominant hemisphere. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society


ABSTRACT Although much literature highlights the importance of teacher expectations for students' academic success, a very small number of studies used large-scale data to examine school-level factors associated with group-level teacher expectations – defined as expectations that teachers have for many students in their class or school, rather than for a specific student – in the US context. Using contextual data provided by mathematics and science teachers participating in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, the current study addressed this issue with paying attention to the roles of principal support and professional learning community in group-level teacher expectations. We found that both principal support and professional learning community were positively associated with group-level teacher expectations, even after controlling for other variables. We also found that much of the relationship between principal support and group-level teacher expectations was explained by professional learning community. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.


This paper aims to delineate the stylistic history of Wethersfield, Connecticut's domestic architectural culture from the time of its founding in 1634 by Massachusetts adventurer John Oldham through the completion of the Hubbard Community in the mid1930s by visionary developer and historic home restorer Albert G. Hubbard, originally of Simsbury, Connecticut. Due to its status as the oldest town in Connecticut, Wethersfield has the advantage of having at least one example of each major style of home building from the midseventeenth century age of settlement to the birth of the streetcar suburb and a class of corporate commuters and automobile owners. A relatively unique position, though one that is not entirely uncommon in the Northeast, Wethersfield has devoted itself to preserving the finest examples of historic homes. This paper seeks to bring to light the history, context, and a concise summary of major restorative efforts, including challenges and setbacks, of and to these homes. The Buttolph-Williams House (c. 1686), the Silas W. Robbins House (1873), the Joseph Webb House (1753), and the Hubbard Community (1912-1938) were chosen as benchmarks in the domestic architectural history of Wethersfield not only for their relative fame, but for their idiosyncrasies as well. These houses may not represent the average home of the day—few residents of the town, after all, could have afforded to build a house as grand as Robbins's Second Empire mansion—but they symbolize points of great change, or phases of growth in the town's history. The Buttolph-Williams House, considered a mansion for its time, represents a later phase of the tradition of Medieval English vernacular housing styles that were preserved until about 1750 as (in Wethersfield, mostly Puritan) settlers arrived to the New World and began to forge lives for themselves. The Webb House, a splendid Georgian gambrel house, is one of rather many of its kind on Main Street, though few are so well preserved. Its solidity, but also its elegance, show the development of the town from the fearful, modest settlement it had been in the seventeenth century to a small, busy place of some sophistication, and, as will be seen, a spot of particular interest for the American Revolutionary War. As mentioned above, the Robbins House especially represents nothing of the norm of Wethersfield, but instead serves as an example of the prowess of entrepreneurship, particularly in agriculture and the seed industry specifically, that ruled the town's upper class. Finally, the Hubbard Community will be discussed. This area is interesting not only because it shows the intentional imitation of the rhythmic eclecticism of various housing styles standing side-by-side as a result of centuries of change, but also because it is the first automobile-enabled, strategically planned suburban community in Connecticut. Comprised of over two-hundred craftsman, Jacobean Revival, and English Manor style homes, the Hubbard Community was a twenty-five year project resulting in a close-knit, unified community of well-built homes of various designs, completed using local materials and construction teams to ensure quality and affordability.


Jeffrey Miner, Advisor This dissertation examines straying in Lake Erie steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and investigates how stocking practices can influence the propensity of steelhead to stray. The Lake Erie steelhead fishery generates millions of dollars in revenue each year for local economies in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and the province of Ontario. This fishery is overwhelmingly dominated by stocking from each of the four contiguous US states, and approximately 1.8 million juvenile steelhead are stocked each year to sustain population numbers. River-spawned salmonids generally exhibit high rates of philopatry, while for stockedfish straying rates of up to 15% are common. In Chapter I, we quantify the proportion of straying adult steelhead in five Lake Erie tributaries using state-hatchery specific otolith chemical signatures to identify sources. We also investigate the prevalence of naturally produced fish and identify spatial differences in the proportion of strays at different stream locations within two Lake Erie tributaries. Because straying proportions were found to be high in New York, in Chapter II an otolith back-calculation method was used to investigate the influence of size at stocking on the survival of juvenile steelhead released by the New York hatchery program. In Chapter III, we investigate additional drivers of straying by using dual-frequency identification sonar (DIDSON) to estimate survival and tributary residence time of juvenile steelhead stocked into a small Lake Erie tributary. Patterns in emigration, and the role of environmental factors and individual size on emigration timing were also investigated. In Chapter IV, we identify the prevalence of aragonite versus vaterite sagittal otoliths in steelhead raised in Lake Erie hatcheries. We then present a technique to use sagittal otoliths that have transitioned from iv aragonite to vaterite to help develop otolith chemistry signatures of steelhead from different hatchery sources in Lake Erie. This research was an attempt to identify potential drivers of straying in Lake Erie steelhead. From an applied management perspective, we attempted to identify straying proportions in different Lake Erie tributaries and examine how differential stocking practices may influence overall survival and return rates. Straying is a complex process driven by a number of different biotic and abiotic factors. The identification of mechanisms that increase straying, especially those which can be controlled by hatchery managers, would be invaluable and greatly advance our ability to manage steelhead populations.


This article describes the homeopathic tradition and considers the safety, manufacture, effectiveness and regulation of homeopathic medicines. These medicines are commonly purchased without prescription for children, so an understanding of the basis of therapy is important to ensure appropriate and safe usage. The role of integrated medicine in the National Health Service is also reviewed with identification of research priorities.


Summary:  Inflammatory processes are essential for recruiting leukocytes to the site of infection in sufficient numbers and for initiating adaptive immunity. Unresolved inflammation, however, can cause serious damage to host tissues and indeed is known to contribute to the pathology of many acute and chronic diseases. Leukocytes activated by pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) respond, in part, by secreting tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and by shedding the TNF receptor, the latter process occurring with slower kinetics. We suggest that this pro/anti‐inflammatory switch is a simple program that helps ensure the resolution of inflammation. To examine this idea, we have developed a microsimulation model in which individual leukocytes with non‐trivial internal dynamics move in three‐dimensional tissues and interact with each other and with stromal cells through diffusing soluble factors, including TNF, the soluble form of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR), and the chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein‐1. By manipulating parameters in numerical experiments with soluble PAMP stimulation of varying intensity and duration, we elicit qualitatively distinct patterns of innate immune response and elucidate a key relationship between leukocyte density enhancement by chemotaxis and paracrine TNF signaling. By reducing the rate of sTNFR shedding, we induce massive unresolved inflammation, underscoring a potentially crucial role of sTNFR in controlling innate immunity.


This work presents a platform-based SoC hardware/software co-design environment named HSCDE. It introduces the overall structure of HSCDE, describes the platform-based SoC system modeling technology, and algorithm based hardware/software partitioning technology and hierarchical directed acyclic graph based performance constraint assignment technology. HSCDE supports platform-based SoC hardware/software co-design methodology. It supports almost all the design phases from SoC system modeling to RTL level SoC system. It divides SoC hardware/software co-design into system modeling level (level 1), virtual components level (level 2) and real components level (level 3), and it performs the 2 mappings among the 3 design levels by design planning (mapping 1) and virtual-real synthesis (mapping 2). We have done SoC system design for MP3 player SoC, MEPG2 player SoC and CDMA wireless communication SoC in HSCDE environment. Results show that HSCDE effectively supports platform-based SoC hardware/software co-design methodology; it enhanced system reuse of existing SoC design. Statistics indicate an average of 10%/spl sim/25% revisions on platform templates for a new SoC design, and we achieved platform template reuse ratio by 75%/spl sim/90%.


Research productivity is one means by which academic units attain legitimacy within their institutional milieu and make their case for resources. Journal quality assessment is an important component for assessing faculty research productivity. We introduce the Author Affiliation Index (AAI), a simple method for assessing journal quality, to the IS domain. Essentially, the AAI of a journal is the percentage of academic authors publishing in that journal who are affiliated with a base set of high-quality academic institutions. Besides explaining the AAI, we demonstrate its use with a set of well-known IS journals, discuss its rankings vis-a-vis those resulting from other methods, and provide an example of how the basic AAI approach can be modified by changing the base school set that is used to define journal quality. The AAI has a number of advantages. First, it is a simple, low cost and transparent method for assessing any journal given a base school set. Second, it provides a consistent ranking of journals, particularly of those beyond the top consensus journals where less consistency is achieved with other measures. Third, it enables new journals to be rapidly assessed against more established ones without the lags or costs of other measures. The AAI provides another indicator of journal quality that is different from surveys and citation analyses.


As is true for any human tissue, normal cellular differentiation and migration in the central nervous system is crucial for normal functioning of the body. Any defects in the neuronal migration can be disastrous, and can potentially lead to devastating disability. Amongst the spectrum of various neuronal migration defects within the brain, schizencephaly is the most severe form and is an extremely rare clinical entity. Schizencephaly can pose different health related problems to the affected child. Refractory seizure disorder and developmental delay are amongst such issues. Although; normally, schizencephaly presents during the 1st decade of life, rarities do exist. We report one such rare presentation of bilateral closed lip schizencephaly in a previously healthy 35 years old gentleman who was admitted with new onset generalized seizures, unmasked by a urinary tract infection. This is possibly the first ever case of bilateral schizencephaly, presenting for the first time in the fourth decade of life.


The water sorption, solubility, hardness, and color stability of thin specimens of auto-polymerized and heat-polymerized denture base polymers with and without a UV light-polymerized coating material were investigated. The specimens were saturated after storage in water for 24 h. The thin coating reduced the leakage of soluble ingredients from an auto-polymerized denture base material. The coated materials had increased surface hardness compared with the uncoated, but the difference in hardness was reduced on water uptake. A continuous increase in yellowing of the auto-polymerized coated and uncoated specimens was observed when stored in water at 37 degrees C.


It has been known for some time that dietary salt intake correlates with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. However, the molecular link between dietary salt and cardiovascular disease is poorly understood. On this background, it has been observed that there are a class of hormones called cardiotonic steroids whose concentrations increase in response to increases in dietary salt. We have shown that some of these hormones may be natriuretic, but we have also shown that they may also be responsible for progressive renal and cardiac injury. Based on data summarized in this review, we propose cardiotonic steroids may serve as the molecular link between dietary salt and cardiovascular disease.


A 44-YEAR-OLD WOMAN with a progressive neurologic illness characterized by headache and seizurewasadmitted to thehospitalwith new dysarthria, left facial droop, and left hand weakness. Cerebrospinal fluid examination findings were unremarkable except for 5 oligoclonal bands. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated ring lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with corresponding changes on apparent diffusion coefficient mapping with associated gadolinium enhancement and increased signal on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging (Figure 1). The patient's condition deteriorated and she died after a 3-week hospitalization. Autopsy showed pulmonary embolism as the cause of death. Neuropathologic examination of the brain demonstrated a cavitated lesion in the right centrum semiovale. Microscopy showed multiple lesions of active and recent demyelination in the periventricular white matter and left middle cerebellar peduncle with alternatingbandsofmyelinatedanddemyelinated axons, characteristic of Baló concentric sclerosis, along with macrophages containing myelin breakdown products (Figure 2).


We know from CMB observations that the universe at recombination was the same temperature in all directions to better than 10−4. Unless the universe has been able to smooth itself out dynamically, this means that the universe must have started in a very special initial state, being essentially uniform over the entire observable universe. Furthermore if we look at the small fluctuations in the temperature we see correlations on degree scales: there are 10−4 hot and cold spots of larger than degree size on the sky. Since random processes cannot generate correlations on scales larger than the distance light can travel, these fluctuations must have been in causal contact at some time in the past. This is telling us something very interesting about the evolution of the early universe, as we shall now see. Let's investigate the distance travelled by a photon from the big bang to recombination and then from recombination to us. A photon follows a null trajectory, ds = 0, and travels a proper distance cdt in interval dt. Setting c = 1 the comoving distance travelled is dr = dt/a ≡ dη, where we have defined η, the conformal time. The comoving distance light can travel from the big bang to a time t, the particle horizon, is therefore ∫ dr = η = ∫ t


Background: Fever and severe myalgia in a tropical country like India bring to mind leptospirosis, rickettsioses, dengue, and other viral fevers. Enteric fever is widely prevalent in Asia, but myositis has not been previously described in Salmonella paratyphi A bacteremia. Materials and Methods: Retrospectively, we recruited patients with enteric fever admitted to our treating unit over a 6-month period. Demography, historical, clinical, and laboratory data were obtained. Data of culture-positive S. paratyphi A patients were analyzed and were compared with those patients with culture-negative enteric fever. Results: Forty-three cases were found in total with 19 of S. paratyphi A bacteremia. Elevations in creatine kinase (CK) ranged from one-and-half to six times normal. Forty-seven percent had thrombocytopenia and alanine transaminase elevations, while aspartate transaminase elevations were seen in 17 patients, which corresponded to those with elevated CK levels. Conclusions: Myositis associated with S. typhi and S. paratyphi is very rare and is more often due to non-typhoidal Salmonellae. Elevated creatine kinase was seen in most of our patients with S. paratyphi A bacteremia. Such myositis has not been described previously and hence, myalgia with fever in a tropical country could be a harbinger of paratyphoid fever.


The first half of the 16th century is one of the most important cultural and artistic periods in Iran, in which painting grew at an unprecedented rate. Shah Tahmaseb I ascended the throne in Tabriz in 1524 and supported artists until the transfer of the center of rule to Qazvin in 1548, due to his intense interest in painting. He moved many artists from the schools of Timurid Herat, Turkmen Tabriz and Shiraz to his court. This is how one of the most brilliant schools of painting in Iran flourished in Tabriz.
One of the most important illustrated versions of this period is the great Shahnameh called "Tahmasebi Shahnameh" which, in addition to its excellent quality, can be referred to for creativity and variety in the characterization of its drawings. This copy was compiled in the library of the Safavid court in Tabriz and contains 258 images and prominent artists of that time collaborated in illustrating these assemblies
Undoubtedly, the diversity of characters in the literary text of Shahnameh has played an important role in this development, but the most important factor is the time of creation of this great version, which was formed during the intellectual and artistic maturity of one of the most prominent schools of painting in Iran, which itself was under the strong support of the court and this has led to the innovation and creativity of artists and sometimes the deconstruction of previous rules. What this research seeks to identify is the qualitative characteristics and diversity of different types of characterization in Tahmasebi Shahnameh drawings.
The research hypothesis acknowledges that the painters of Tahmasebi Shahnameh, while adhering to the literary and artistic traditions in drawing, tended to deconstruct and innovate in characterization. The question is: What qualitative features have been used in the characterization of the Tahmasebi Shahnameh drawings? Considering the special place of Tahmasebi Shahnameh, which is a great treasure of Safavid art that has been effective on the process of Shahnameh writing in the history of Iranian painting, recognizing various features in characterization and different approaches to painting faces and iconography of this version matters, while little research has been focused on it.
This research in terms of method is historical-analytical, and data was collected using library research method and documented material. The statistical population consists of 9 miniatures that include various visual capabilities, abundance of iconography and characterization, which are illustrated in different parts of Shahnameh. These drawings are in order of review: 1-Kiomars Court, 2-The killing of the black demon, 3-The court of Jamshid, 4-Seeing Zal by the caravan,5-Rostam's battle with Afrasiab, 6- Kikaus goes to heaven, 7- Conquest of Bahman Castle, 8- The story of Haftavad and Karam, 9- Young Shapur in the court. The method of analysis of the selected society is qualitative, based on the types of characters from the two perspectives of narrative and image, and the way of their representation.
The studies that have been done so far on the paintings of Tahmasebi Shahnameh are more from the point of view of visual arts and aesthetic aspects, and the painter's approach to characterization has rarely been considered; hence, no source was found that was related to the problem and objectives of the research.
The studies of the present research indicate that in terms of narration, there is a significant variety in all types of characters in the drawings of Tahmasebi Shahnameh and artists have had no restrictions in drawing narrative characters. In analyzing the characteristics of characterization, the important point is that artists have tangibly gone beyond the norm and deconstructed. This deconstruction is most evident in the display of facial expressions, strange and abnormal body movements, and exaggeration in human proportions. The authors of this version, in characterizations, did not consider themselves obliged to follow the defined rules and in order to create new characters and the best visual expression, had the courage to break any pre-determined principles and rules.
The deconstructive features in the characterizations of this Shahnameh are such that some of the characters seem very different; to the extent that Eva Beer, a scholar of Islamic art, also acknowledges about the Tahmasebi Shahnameh that some of the figures in this version are "caricatures". The artists of the Tahmasebi Shahnameh have ridiculed the characters of the story and have depicted fat and big-bellied, thin and tall, staggering and thin as well as complaining figures. However, it must be acknowledged that this deconstruction does not include all characters. Rather, it consists mostly of base and ugly characters, and the main characters and some important court figures of the narrative have not undergone the changes that were introduced as deconstructive features in characterization.


The effect of the precursor concentration and the concentration of citric acid (CA) on the properties of (La0.6Sr0.4)0.99CoO3 (LSC), prepared by spray pyrolysis, has been studied. Precursor solutions with concentrations ranging from 67 to 222 g/L, and with CA:LSC ratios of 0.1, 0.5, and 1, were used to synthesise LSC powder. The samples were calcined at 750 °C for 6 hours, and subsequently milled for 48 hours. The powders were characterised by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, gas adsorption, and laser diffraction spectrometry. The morphology of the as-prepared powders was found to vary with precursor concentration and amount of citric acid used. More evenly sized agglomerates, and thinner core shells were observed for powders produced from low concentration precursor solutions with high CA:LSC ratios. Post calcination, all samples were found to be phase pure LSC with rhombohedral symmetry. The highest surface area, with a value of 21.2 m2g−1, was measured for the sample made from the precursor solution with the lowest concentration and highest CA:LSC ratio. The particle size distribution was found to be the most narrow for the high concentration sample with the highest CA:LSC ratio. This sample also had the lowest median particle size. The crystallite size calculated from the XRD patterns varied from 42 to 45 nm. The particle size measured from SEM images had larger variations with the smallest value, 85 nm, measured for the sample from the high concentration batch with the lowest ratio of CA:LSC. Symmetric cells with LSC cathodes on Ce0.8Gd0.2O2 (CGO) electrolytes were fabricated by spray deposition and fired at various temperature programs. The deposited cathodes were uniform, with a thickness of 1-2 μm. A firing temperature of 800 °C with no annealing time was found to give good adhesion between cathode and electrolyte. The cell was analysed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in oxygen atmosphere at 600, 700, and 800 °C, and the area specific resistance was determined to 3.02, 1.27, and 0.32 Ωcm2 respectively. The results in this work indicate that LSC powders produced by spray pyrolysis are suitable as cathode materials for use in IT-solid oxide fuel cells.


This paper discusses ways in which the innate act of "telling" can be used in teaching to strengthen the bond between teacher and student and enrich the process of learning. The paper offers an intuitive rationale for using "telling" as a teaching mode in the community college classroom and provides a formal explanation of "telling" based on the work of theorists in the fields of cognitive science and speech-act theory. Among these theorists are 'the Russian meta-linguist, M. M. Bakhtin; Jurgen Habermas, the founder of "universal pragmatics"; and Dan Sperber, who developed the general "relevance" theory of communication which suggests that, for communication to occur, the speaker must "make manifest" his/her intention to effect "a change in the listener's cognitive environment" and that this show of intention ("ostension") is a precondition tor meaningful exchange. After discussing the relationship between "ostension" and "telling," the paper provides examples of performative teaching that took place in classrooms at Northampton Community College (Pennsylvania) between 1986 and 1988. Dialogues between studLnts and teachers in speech/theater, economics, English literature, composition, and social science classrooms are used to illustrate acts of disclosure, active listening, restatement, and teaching within the context of interrogating learners. Concluding comments indicate that all acts of "telling" share the intention of reaching understanding and that from this common ground they diverge according to the demands of course content and mutual cognitive environments. (JMC) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from ,.he original document. * ***********************************************************************


"Account bombing" is the phenomenon in which Internet regulators permanently block some individual users' social media accounts without the users knowing in advance. In this study, we frame account bombing as a form of user-targeted censorship by Internet platforms, which disrupts individual users' daily routines. To understand how Chinese Internet users make sense of their experiences of account bombing, our study examines user narratives about this practice, paying particular attention to the metaphors they employ. Our findings suggest that users often use metaphors related to the body and death, such as "death sentence, ghosts, reincarnation," and a person's "will." Overall, body-and-death metaphors reveal the irreversibility of account bombing and the uneven power relations of the Chinese Internet, which are heavily skewed toward regulators. These metaphors also establish the relevance of the seemly individual, sporadic experience of account bombing to a broader audience, evoking affective and political sympathy.


This article addresses the theoretical and practical challenge faced by the European policy community and Member States trying to simultaneously pursue renewable energy and environmental goals, as incorporated in the EU Renewable Energy Directive and the Water Framework Directive. Through the case of hydropower, which is today at a crossroads between being a renewable electricity source − answering to climate change and energy security concerns − and a local environmental challenge in the light of degradation of river ecosystems and local biodiversity, the article explores the way renewable energy and water protection objectives are integrated inside the Common Implementation Strategy at the EU level. Based on document analysis and interviews, the mapping of the different frameworks shows that old conflicts and controversies related to the hydropower technology have been reopened and reframed to accommodate both the issue of energy security and the discourse on EU sustainability and climate change. Conclusions reveal that despite the creation of a multi-stakeholder platform for negotiation and collaboration, the Common Implementation Strategy fails on several occasions to explain how to achieve the right balance and leaves unclear what specifically has to be integrated and to what degree. Hence, given the plurality and diversity of values, interests and concerns in relation to hydropower and goals of the Water Framework Directive, a prioritization between water, climate and energy policy goals might be needed, with the possibility of having real winners and losers of the integration process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment


According to quantum field theory an oscillation of boundary conditions in the vacuum can generate real photon pairs, which pop into existence from the zero-point energy. This surprising effect is known as the dynamical Casimir effect (DCE). In this thesis, we focus our attention on using the DCE as a route to experimentally study the quantum vacuum. Initially we explore experimental approaches that rely on an oscillation of vacuum boundary conditions. These require a direct temporal modulation of the boundary condition, which we achieve by temporally modulating the refractive index through the second order nonlinearity of the medium. We show that the key condition for this approach is that the medium is subwavelength in thickness. This leads to a temporal modulation of the refractive index. We use a mechanically exfoliated MoS2 monolayer. We present a detailed study of the second order nonlinearity of 2D (mono-atomic layer) dichalcogenide MoS2, and test its potential for spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) i.e. amplification of vacuum fluctuations mediated by optical nonlinearity. We present a model of SPDC in MoS2 monolayers and show that our data are compatible with theoretical estimates. We show exciting indications that SPDC may be possible in this material by performing polarization and lifetime measurements. We also discuss and characterise a new photo-luminescence emission around 1500 nm which is enhanced at the edges of multi-layer MoS2. In chapter three we present experimental approaches using spatially modulated third order nonlinear media along the propagation axis. We show that under certain conditions the spatial modulation of the boundary conditions along the nonliner media can be considered as a temporal modulation. Modulated waveguides provide an intensity variation of the pulse along the waveguide. Two different materials are used as substrate material for the waveguides; gallium lanthanum sulphide (GLS), which has a high third order nonlinear susceptibility and fused silica. We present numerical simulation results for photon generation from the modulated waveguides in GLS sample. We also characterise the nonlinear response and effects of the waveguides. In both substrates, we show that the lack of nonlinearity and different sources of losses prevents the creation of photon pairs. Finally, we present an experimental method in which the group velocity dispersion (GVD) is modulated along a photonic crystal fiber. Measurements of the temporal correlations between the newly generated frequencies is presented with a coincident to accidental ratio (CAR) of 7.5: yielding proof of a quantum correlation between the generated photon pairs. I DEDICATE THIS THESIS FOR MY LOVED ONES.


The short circuit current density (Jsc) of polymer solar cells is strictly related to the absorption of the blend film. Recently it has been shown that the use of [70]PCBM as electron acceptor can improve the current output of such devices because C70 derivatives have a stronger and broader absorption compared to C60 ones. The aim of this work is to study the influence of the fullerene on the optical behaviour of the photoactive blend film of a polymer solar cell. We have determined the optical constants of a P3HT:[70]PCBM blend film and studied their variation as a function of the annealing temperature. Afterward, we simulated the optical absorption of the active layer inside the device structure and calculated the maximum achievable Jsc with the aim to correlate the variation of the optical constants to the device output current. We compared this value with that one obtained using a P3HT:[60]PCBM blend.


Biaxial compressive tests of plain concrete specimens under normal temperature and suffering high temperature(200600 )were completed under four lateral constant stress rates. The tests were completed by using the large static-dynamic triaxial test system for concrete in the State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology. The biaxial compressive strength and deformation characteristics of concrete confined by lateral stress after suffering different temperature were studied in a systematic way. On the basis of the tests, the failure criterion of concrete subjected to constant lateral compressive stress after suffering different temperature was established in the Octahedral stress space. The conclusions can provide the testing and theoretical basis for deeper study of the concrete construction subjected to biaxial compressive combined loads suffering different temperature such as chimney, building after fire and safety shell for nuclear reactor.


Abstract The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate timekeeping constructs of 4- and 5-year-old children in Campeche, Mexico, and North Carolina, United States, as well as the sociocultural conditions that shaped changes in their ideas about timekeeping (methods to mark and measure time) before, during, and after their kindergarten year. Eleven children constituted the case studies. The children entered public school kindergarten during the fall of the research period and had no prior long-term institutional experience, such as preschool or child care. Data were collected in three phases over the course of one year through: 1) semi-structured interviews with children, parents, teachers, and education administrators; 2) semi-structured activities with children, including drawings of time-related objects and concepts, verbal descriptions of time-related photographic images from the home and classroom, and problem-solving constructions; 3) observational field notes of the homes, communities, schools, and physical surroundings with a special emphasis on time indicators; 4) classroom observations; 5) the completion of a classroom environmental rating scale focused on time; and 6) a review of national, state, and local education policies affecting time in public schools. Data were analyzed within and across cases, sites, and phases to look for commonalities and differences in the children's timekeeping constructs. Three methods for marking and measuring time emerged from the data: biological, environmental, and conventional timekeepers. Each of these timekeeping methods proved to be relative to individual children, as well as replete with common features across cultural, geographical, and biological boundaries. Environmental cues and activities not ordinarily considered timekeepers proved to be more temporally significant than anticipated, and formal school instruction was sometimes out of step with home and community practices. The results of this research suggest that many critical ideas about timekeeping change during a child's first year of formal schooling as children learn to adhere to external schedules, which may constrain or enhance their ability to fully engage in school activities.


Professional dispositions are recognized as a fundamental to counselor professional practice, but this construct remains largely undefined. This qualitative study explored the professional dispositions that rehabilitation counselors should demonstrate for effective service delivery, particularly within rural areas. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews to gather perspectives on the conceptualization and identification of professional dispositions in the field. Participants for this study were practicing rehabilitation counseling supervisors (n = 14) from five states and largely represented state/federal vocational rehabilitation agencies (n= 12). A preliminary, field-driven definition of the term professional disposition is presented, and primary dispositional categories are identified. Findings indicated three major dispositional themes that are necessary and generalizable to rehabilitation service delivery: traditional rehabilitation counseling values, professional attitude and conduct, and ethically principled behavior. A theme discrete to rural rehabilitation is also identified, community oriented. These domains reflect a focus on the client, the agency, and the community. The concept of ethically principled practice was a bridging theme that connects and is interwoven across the three main themes. Implications for practice and future research suggestions are also discussed.


This study examined the relationship between faculty attitudes toward computer technology and student attitudes toward computer technology in advanced arts classes at Middle Tennessee State University during spring semester 2004. This study was focused on the disciplines of art, dance, music, and theatre, and was limited to faculty and students engaged in the 3000 and 4000 level classes. The Computer Attitude Scale (CAS) developed by Loyd and Gressard (1984) was used to gather information regarding participant perception of confidence, usefulness, liking, and anxiety toward computer technology. The participant demographics and characteristics of gender, age, academic discipline, ethnicity, college level completed, the number of arts degrees obtained, experience in the arts, computer ownership, hours per week using a computer, perceived computer expertise, and formal computer training were also used in the evaluation.
The study sample consisted of 45 faculty members and 306 students. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at a .05 level of significance. The results indicated that there was not a significant relationship between faculty and student attitudes toward computers; however, a significant positive relationship was found between faculty and student liking of computers. The evidence indicated that both faculty and students attitudes toward computers were significantly related to the perceived level of computer expertise. The summary of the data analysis indicated that 87% of the student participants had one or more formal computer training classes while 51% of the faculty participants had no formal computer training.
The researcher concluded that both arts faculty members and students had more positive attitudes toward computers when more competent with computers. Because of the student exposure to computers, preconceived attitudes tended to dominate student attitudes toward computers. The overall responses from both arts faculty and students toward computers were positive however, the response level suggested only conservative attitudes toward computers that were consistent with the arts academic discipline culture.


Modular building construction can benefit a project by reducing construction time, delivering a consistently high-quality product, and potentially saving the owner money. Modular works best for structures with many repetitive elements; for this reason, university dorms are prime candidates for modularization. Through a University of North Carolina (UNC)-wide survey and interviews with UNC decision makers this research shows that most UNC campuses have neither used nor considered this. Campuses that have not used, or that have not considered using, modular construction cite concerns about quality, conflicts with the existing campus standards, and questions about whether modular is acceptable to the NC State Construction Office standards as reasons for not pursuing modular. Mountaineer Hall is the only modular project and it was a positive experience for Appalachian State University (ASU). This research includes a case study comparing Mountaineer Hall and Summit Hall, both at ASU that illustrates potential advantages of modular. Construction on both residence halls began in 2010. Mountaineer Hall is a 118,434 square feet, 460-bed facility that cost $16,500,000 and was built in less than one year. Summit Hall is a 106,820 square feet, 333-bed facility that cost $31,000,000 and was built in two years.


We propose a scheme to implement fermionic quantum SWAP and Fredkin gates for spin qubits with the aid of charge detection. The scheme is deterministic without the need of qubit—qubit interaction, and the proposed setups consist of simple polarizing beam splitters, single-spin rotations, and charge detectors. Compared with linear optics quantum computation, this charge-measurement-based qubit scheme greatly enhances the success probability for implementing quantum SWAP and Fredkin gates and greatly simplifies the experimental realization of scalable quantum computers with noninteracting electrons.


Background: The global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to threaten all human health worldwide. Although the symptoms, signs, responses, and outcomes associated with the disease varies for individuals, few studies have reported on pediatric patients with COVID-19.Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records from three tertiary hospitals in Anhui province, China, of 23 children with COVID-19. Here, epidemiologic characteristics, clinical features, laboratory test results, and treatment strategies for these pediatric patients are reported and analyzed.Results: In total, 23 children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were analyzed. All patients were given a nucleic acid detection test for SARS-CoV-2, and positive results confirmed the diagnosis of COVID-19. Ten patients (43.5%) were female, and 19 patients (82.6%) had defined exposure history and familial clustering. The youngest patient was 16 months of age, the oldest, 17 years. The clinical symptoms of all included pediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were mild, with cough (12, 52.2%) and fever (10, 43.5%) being the most frequent, making their symptoms indistinguishable from common respiratory infections. There was no difference in clinical manifestation between males and females (P > 0.05). Eight patients (34.8%) showed changes on chest computed tomography imaging. The median level of each laboratory test parameter was within the normal reference range. Treatments primarily included antiviral therapies, traditional Chinese medicine therapies, and symptomatic supportive treatment.Conclusions: The symptoms of all 23 pediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection included in this study were mild. Because the primary presenting symptoms were indistinguishable from common respiratory infections and because most patients had an exposure history and familial clustering, we recommend supporting the diagnosis of mild or atypical COVID-19 in children with detailed epidemiologic information and chest computed tomography imaging as well as with nucleic acid detection tests. Obtaining a correct diagnosis in the early stage of the disease will contribute to controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to providing more immediate relevant treatment for infected children.


In this paper, a design methodology to implement low-power and high-speed 2nd order recursive digital Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter has been proposed. Since IIR filters suffer from a large number of constant multiplications, the proposed method replaces the constant multiplications by using addition/subtraction and shift operations. The proposed new 6T adder cell is used as the Carry-Save Adder (CSA) to implement addition/subtraction operations in the design of recursive section IIR filter to reduce the propagation delay. Furthermore, high-level algorithms designed for the optimization of the number of CSA blocks are used to reduce the complexity of the IIR filter. The DSCH3 tool is used to generate the schematic of the proposed 6T CSA based shift-adds architecture design and it is analyzed by using Microwind CAD tool to synthesize low-complexity and high-speed IIR filters. The proposed design outperforms in terms of power, propagation delay, area and throughput when compared with MUX- 12T, MCIT-7T based CSA adder filter design. It is observed from the experimental results that the proposed 6T based design method can find better IIR filter designs in terms of power and delay than those obtained by using efficient general multipliers.


In order to attain joining the super-elastic Ti-Ni alloy wire to the Co-Cr alloy wire and be able to maintain the super-elasticity of the Ti-Ni alloy wire, a new soldering method was devised. The silver solder was first molten on the 0.016 x 0.022 inch Co-Cr alloy wire (Co-Cr) and then flowed onto the 0.016 x 0.022 inch super-elastic Ti-Ni alloy wire (Ti-Ni) to form soldering. The specimens of soldered Ti-Ni to Co-Cr butt joint, TN-CC, were examined for its super-elasticity, torsional strength, tensile strength and the metallographic structure of the soldered joint. The findings were as follows: 1. TN-CC still maintained its super-elasticity. 2. The torsional strength of TN-CC was equal to that of Ti-Ni. The tensile strength of TN-CC was 73% of that of Ti-Ni. 3. The tensile strength of TN-CC immersed in 1%NaCl solution at 37 degrees C for 30 days was considered to be still strong enough for clinical use. 4. During the tensile strength test, the breakage of TN-CC occurred at the area of merger of the solder and Ti-Ni. As the reason for this breakage, it suggested that Ti-Ni was stretched and narrowed at the soldered area and that the Sn-rich phase in the solder was induced along Ti-Ni. 5. This new soldering method was shown to be useful in clinical cases, and the fabrication of new orthodontic appliance using two distinct types of wire, one to independently move teeth and the other to be the anchorage, has already been developed.