The recent sovereign debt crisis in Europe, now a Eurozone crisis, has prompted a growing awareness of the disparities in the economic conditions and competitive positions of Eurozone countries. Such disparities are reflected in the accumulation of imbalances to the disadvantage of countries in Southern Europe, with the Eurozone tending to split into two groups, north and south. The present study explores the impact of Europe's existing institutional framework on the degree of macroeconomic disparity in the Eurozone. It draws on analysis of the costs and benefits of this framework, and how they are distributed geographically. There is a fundamental difference between the economic advantages of European economic and monetary union, and the costs and risks associated with the system set up to promote union. Many of the benefits of economic and monetary union will only really be felt in the medium or even long term. In contrast the impact of the costs incurred by EMU operation is increasingly apparent - and more so as time passes - mainly penalizing the least developed European countries. The thrust of this study is that in its current form the EMU's institutional framework is not viable. It encourages the accumulation of lasting imbalances at the expense of Europe's least developed nations. While giving rise to substantial costs and risks for these countries, it jeopardizes the institutions and mechanisms which would enable them to cope. An increasingly global market - to which the Treaty on the Single European Act contributed - reveals and accentuates the Community's structural imbalance. The growing imbalance fuelled by the way the Eurozone currently operates is undermining the EMU itself. It is also exacerbating tension between member states and the growing disaffection of public opinion with regard to the single currency. To maintain consistent operation of the EMU, the burden of these costs and risks must be shouldered collectively, through the coordination and centralization of economic policies and the development of budgetary federalism. But such conditions are extremely difficult to achieve and involve significant costs - some monetary, others not - borne by the most prosperous countries in the European Union. These costs give rise to an uncooperative attitude, compromising the EMU as a viable system. One solution which merits consideration would be a reappraisal - on a negotiated and collectively approved basis - of certain aspects of Europe's existing institutional framework.


Until last year, biofuels seemed to promise a greener future and a solution to the problems of fossil fuels. Suddenly in 2008, things appeared to be less certain when biofuels became the subject of debate as to whether they were as environmentally friendly as originally thought. Jon Evans reports on the new race worldwide to establish appropriate sustainability criteria. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd


Introduction Deep tissue injury has recently been recognized as a specific type of pressure ulcer, and was defined as pressure-related damage to subcutaneous tissues under an intact skin. These wounds often require long hospitalization because of poor healing and they seriously decrease quality of life. Prevention and early detection are hampered by incomplete understanding of the underlying damage pathways. Previous animal experiments demonstrated that the ischemic area was much larger than the damaged area and suggested that strains were directly responsible for tissue injury (Stekelenburg et al. 2007): Figure 1: MR-image of cross-section of rat hindlimb during 2h compression (left), perfusion during compression (blue = low, red = high perfusion)(center), T2-weighted MR-image 4h after unloading (high intensity = damage)(right).


Using instrumental variable analysis, I show that the initial maximum pricing range estimate (IMPRE) by a company contemplating an initial public offering (IPO), submitted weeks before an IPO, affects IPO pricing and returns to initial investors after the IPO. Contrary to dominant theories in the academic literature, this association is independent of new information produced during the roadshows. High ball IMPREs generate more IPO proceeds than low ball estimates. Given the empirical link between low ball IMPREs and diminished IPO proceeds, why do more than half of issuers in the data set pursue a low balling strategy? Using difference-in-difference analysis, I do not find support for the claim that improving the information set available to issuers at the time they file their IMPRE improves the accuracy of these estimates. My results are better explained if some issuers fail to identify ∗Associate Professor of Law, Notre Dame Law School. For thoughtful comments, I am grateful to Maria Macia, Ben Matthies, and participants at the Notre Dame Law School Junior Faculty Workshop. Henry Lay, Andrew McKinley, and Theresa Yuan provided excellent research assistance. My email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


Abstract Responsiveness is one of the key performance factors that firms need to face up to the challenges posed by today's markets. Many manufacturing firms are investing in advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) with a view to improving competitiveness. However, empirical evidence shows that investments in AMT alone do not lead to improvements in performance. In this study, a model that links AMT implementation and responsiveness through internal integration and external integration is proposed. A sample of 441 Spanish industrial companies was used to test the model through structural equation modelling. The findings highlight that internal integration needs to be supplemented with external integration in order to ensure that the implementation of AMT will result in improved responsiveness. Supply chain managers should focus on integration within the supply chain – firstly internal and later external – to obtain returns on investments in AMT in the form of improved flexibility and more reliable and faster deliveries.


The Na/K‐pump or Na+/K+‐ATPase (EC 126.96.36.199), couples the hydrolysis of ATP to the active transport of Na+ and K+ ions across the plasma membrane of virtually all animal cells. The relationship between activity of the Na+/K+‐ATPase and the sensitivity of Schistosoma mansoni to immunological attack has been investigated. It has been observed that ouabain, the specific inhibitor of the pump, via a synergistic effect with specific antibody and complement, affects the average membrane potential causing depolarization and death of complement resistant parasites. Thus, apparently, there is association between the inhibition of the Na/K‐pump and the lysis and death of the complement‐resistant parasite.


In this work, the existing LTCM falling lm facility was utilized to perform
falling lm evaporation measurements on a vertical row of horizontal tubes.
The enhanced boiling tube, Wolverine Turbo-B5, was tested using R-134a
and R-236fa. The tests were carried out at di erent saturation temperatures
of: 7.5 C, 10 C, 12.5 C, 15 C, 17.5 C, 20 C, 22.5 C, 25 C, 27.5 C and 30 C
adding them to the existing 5 C saturation temperature in the database
from previous work. All the tests were carried out with liquid lm Reynolds
numbers ranging from 0 to 3000, and nominal heat
uxes of 20, 40 and
60 kW/m2. The experimental results for all temperatures are compared
with the current prediction method of Christians (2010). The e ects of
the di erent saturation temperatures on the heat transfer coe cient were
analyzed and compared for R-134a and R-236fa. Pool boiling heat transfer
coe cients were measured in the LTCM pool boiling facility to obtain the
falling lm multiplier Kff (Falling lm heat transfer coe cient relative to
pool boiling coe cient at the same heat
ux). These tests were carried out
at 20 C and 30 C for both R-134a and R-236fa. Finally an uncertainty
analysis of the refrigerant lm Reynolds number was carried out in order
to quantify the error in its calculation and a new lter for the experimental
data was proposed.


Embedded system approaches to edge computing in IoT implementations are proposed and discussed. Rationales of edge computing and essential core capabilities for IoT data supply innovation are identified. Then, innovative roles and development of MCU and embedded flash memory are illustrated by technology and applications, expanding from CPS to big-data and nomadic/autonomous elements of IoT requirements. Conclusively, a technology roadmap construction specific to IoT is proposed. key words: edge computing, embedded system, embedded flash memory, IoT, AI


According to the distinct properties between the complex wavelet coefficients of partial discharge (PD) signals and white noises, this paper presents the specific compound information (CI) of WTRIn series for complex wavelet transform (CWT), which are utilized to suppress white noises. Through the simulation case, the influence of n-index value on denoising effect is discussed and the optimal CI of corresponding to different PD waveforms is analyzed by the simulation investigation. The parameters of variable tendency parameter (VTP), normalized correlation coefficient (NCC), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are defined to synthetically evaluate the denoising effect. The db4 complex wavelet is constructed to suppress the white noise in ultra high frequency (UHF) PD detection system. The results indicate that the denoising effect of the CI for CWT is better than the simple information (SI) for CWT and the CI of WTRIn series have the optimal denoising effect to suppress white noise for UHF PD signals. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The predominance of B. botulinus, type A, in the Pacific Coast States is in striking contrast to that of type B in the Atlantic States, England and Europe. These differences in the distribution of types cannot be attributed to any topographic factors but coincide amazingly with the density of the population and agricultural activity. It naturally suggests itself to compare these observations with those found in specimens collected in other portions of the Western Hemisphere and in certain parts of the Eastern Hemisphere. The Hawaiian Islands have been chosen on account of their mountainous surface and their


A system and a method for providing a human network building service in an Internet site by using celebrities are provided to effectively build the human network with other persons by matching with a homepage of the celebrity or the person based on similarity and harmony applying fortune-telling. A fortune-telling database(30) stores basic fortune-telling information based on user information including gender and birth information inputted when a user is registered as a member. A matching manager(70) calculates a matching value based on a city, the similarity, and the harmony of the basic fortune-telling information between the user and the members, and provides the information of the members having a value over the predetermined matching value. A matching ranking display part(90) provides matching ranking between the members and the user. A matching database(40) stores the matching value. A control server(80) moves the user to a webpage operator of other members through a tag included in an image or a word by visiting the webpage operator of the member.


Abstract : The framework for temporary seizures under the Fourth Amendment represents a balance between two competing interests. On one side is the Government's desire to use temporary seizures as a tool to maintain the status quo while moving forward with the investigation. On the other side is the owner's interest in avoiding government interference with the possession of his property. Meanwhile, the principle of reasonableness weighs against both of these interests to create the proper balance. The Government demonstrates the reasonableness of a particular temporary seizure by diligently developing probable cause and seeking a search authorization during the seizure period. By initiating a temporary seizure, government agents bear the responsibility to proactively gather vital pieces of information in order to understand whether reasonable suspicion or probable cause exists with regard to the property and how the seizure affects the property owner's interests. This information consequently triggers the level of diligence required in developing probable cause and seeking a search authorization with regard to the property. The duration of a particular seizure in itself does not make a temporary seizure unreasonable. However, armed with the proper analytical tools, a government agent should prepare for and execute a temporary seizure in a conscientious manner, as if a clock were ticking. The appendix to this primer presents such a tool. For a temporary seizure based upon probable cause, the agent must progress methodically. For a temporary seizure based upon a reasonable suspicion that implicates a possessory interest and more, the agent must move efficiently and swiftly.


One of the greatest challenges facing conservationists in the Sky Islands region is finding a realistic means to maintain historic travel routes for wide-ranging species crossing the United States-Mexico border. This challenge is made difficult due to the ongoing efforts by the Federal government to install additional security infrastructure to stem the flood of undocumented immigrants now entering southern Arizona. Existing and proposed fencing, solid steel walls, allnight stadium lighting, vehicle barriers, an immense network of roads, a 24-hour flow of patrol vehicles, and low-level aircraft overflights are creating an impenetrable barrier to trans-border wildlife movement. Creative solutions are needed now.


Abstract: The problems that hamper the financing of sustainable forest management (SFM) are manifold and complex. However, forestry is also facing unprecedented opportunities. The multiple functions and values of forests are increasingly recognized as part of the solution to pressing global issues (e.g., climate change, energy scarcity, poverty, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and raw material supply). Emerging initiatives to enhance forest carbon stocks and cut greenhouse gas emissions associated with forest clearing (known as REDD+), together with voluntary carbon markets, are offering additional funding options for SFM. Indigenous peoples, local communities and small scale farmers feature as key players in the discourse on implementing such initiatives. Based on the experience of countries developing national forest financing strategies and instruments, we suggest the following points be considered when financing such initiatives, particularly for small scale forestry: (1) Integrate financing of REDD+ and similar initiatives within broader national strategies for SFM financing; (2) Design REDD+ finance mechanisms that are ‗community ready',


Background : In our recent studies, yeast double - stranded RNA showed radioprotective effect in mice exposed to 9.4 Gy of gamma radiation. The current work continues our inquiry and describes the changes in the number and morphology of blood cells in mice injected with double - stranded RNA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae prior to gamma irradiation. To be capable of estimating the required parameters, we have used 8 Gy of radiation, which allowed mice to survive for up to 37 days (LD60/30). Materials and Methods : Animals received single intravenous injections of one of the following compounds: (1) 7 mg of total RNA isolated from baking yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae , (2) 200 μ g of double - stranded RNA or (3) 400 μ g of double stranded RNA. 30 minutes later, using a 137 Cs gamma emitter, mice were irradiated with a dose of 8 Gy at the rate of 1.4 Gy/min. The radioprotective effect of preparations was assessed based on death rates. Results : Injections of both 200 μ g of double - stranded RNA and 7 mg of total RNA prior to irradiation provided the best radioprotective effects, ensuring the survival of 100% of animals. Changes in the number of blood cells and their morphological aberrations were being monitored for 37 days after irradiation. Conclusion : The protection from lethal radiation doses is associated with the preservation and rapid recovery of leukocytic and erythroid lineages.


The ASA calls for 80% royalties, literary agents say 50% is fair, while some publishers are offering 20% royalties on net receipts. So what's a fair payment on a digital book? Jacinta Cleary reports.


On the flat of GIS,using principal component analysis and dynamic stepwise cluster analysis of SPSS,tobacco growing area in Yunnan is regionalized different ecoclimate types.This method preferably colligate many different ecological factors such as climate and geography and soil.So,the result is more objective and quantitative and practical.We also summarily narrate the characteristic of different tobacco areas.The conclusion have definite significance for guiding tobacco production.


By partial reduction of Pa/sup 5+/ in extremely dilute solution (~ 10/ sup 10/ M) into Pa/sup 4+/ with Cr/sup 2+/ + Cr/sup 3+/ or V/sup 2+/ + V/sup 3+/ in variable proportion of the two ions in each of these mixtures, the electrochemical potential of the Pa/sup IV//Pa/sup V/ couple in 6N HCl solution was determined to be E = --0.29 plus or minus 0.03 v. The discussion of the probable ionic forms of Pa/sup 4+/ and Pa/sup 5+/ in 6N and normal HCl solution leads to the conclusion that the apparent normal potential of the couple is E'/ sub o/ approx equal 0.25 v. (tr- auth)


The notion of the Subaltern subject is foregrounded at different instances within the novel The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017) by Arundhati Roy. In this essay, we will focus on gender and language since the treatment of those aspects in this text highlights the marginalisation of post-colonial societies. In order to discover how the author constructs the resistance of the Subaltern, we will explore concepts such as hybridization, the Other, double-colonisation, heteronormative societies, and the analysis of in-between identities. The theoretical background will be provided by different authors, for instance Gayatri Spivak, Bill Ashcroft, Homi Bhabha, Ritu Tyagi, among others.


- This paper investigates the worthiness of implementing an active PID control on the driver seat alongside with semi-active ground-hook control on the suspension system in order to compensate the down side of the ground-hook control in terms of driving comfort. The suspension - driver seat model is derived using half car model with five degrees of freedom and Matlab Simulink is utilized to simulate the Active/Semi-active stability and comfort of the different proposed setups of the suspension system. Binary and continuous ground-hook control are attempted separately while the optimum combination between them is presented using the Matlab optimization toolbox. Finally, it was deduced that implementing semi-active controlled car seat doesn't provide any significant improvement, in terms of comfort, when combined with semi-active controlled suspension system. It is also found that implementing an active controlled car seat could significantly restore or even improve the deteriorated comfort caused by ground hook controlled suspension while maintaining its superior performance in terms of stability.


Chronic actinic dermatitis represents a rare, immunologically mediated and therapeutically challenging photodermatosis.1 It is associated with a significant negative impact on the quality of life of those affected.2 Treatment consists of sun protection and sun avoidance measures. The disease can be further investigated by patch testing with avoidance of elicited contact allergens.3 Systemic immunosuppression in severe cases is also indicated in the form of ciclosporin, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine.3 Spontaneous remission has also been reported.4 We report the first case of severe, refractory CAD treated successfully with dupilumab combined with methotrexate. A 60yearold man gentleman presented to dermatology services due to a fouryear history of an erythematous, pruritic and oedematous rash affecting sunexposed sites occurring during the summer months (Figure 1). He described that the onset of this seasonal rash would occur within minutes of sun exposure and resolve within three days. There was no family history of atopy or photosensitivity. On examination, an erythematous rash was appreciated at the neck and face with a sharp cutoff in a V distribution. His neck was markedly lichenified. A porphyrin screen and connective tissue disease screen were negative. His IgE returned elevated at 1004 UI/ml (normal 150– 300 UI/ml). A punch biopsy revealed hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis with underlying irregular acanthosis and prominent epidermal spongiosis. A perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltrate was reported with associated scattered eosinophils. The overall impression histologic impression was that of a spongiotic dermatitis. The diagnosis of chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) was made on the basis of monochromated light testing to narrowband width UVB, UVA and visible radiation showing severely reduced erythemal thresholds. The worst affected wavelengths were UVB where his threshold was as low as 1.8 J/cm2. Provocation testing to broadband UVA provoked scattered small papules consistent with eczema. Provocation testing for the solar simulator provoked moderatesevere papular eczema. Patch testing revealed a +2 reaction at 96 h to Tinosorb M and an equivocal reaction at 96 h to SunSense Ultra SPF 50+. The patient was advised regarding strict protection measures, including photoprotective clothing and UV films for windows. In addition to clobetasol propionate ointment, clobetasone ointment and topical immunomodulators, he was commenced on methotrexate which was uptitrated to a dose of 25 mg once weekly. Our patient experiences intermittent flares at the higher doses of methotrexate which further exhibited secondary failure following 18 months of treatment. He required a course of highdose oral corticosteroids prior to switching to ciclosporin at a dose of 5 mg/kg/day in divided doses. Due to persistent flares one year following the commencement of ciclosporin, azathioprine 100 mg once daily was added. Treatment failure to both was noted within four months. On the basis of recalcitrant disease, dupilumab was commenced at a loading dose of 600 mg, with 300 mg given every other week. The patient flared considerably eight months following dupilumab initiation. As a result, methotrexate was added and titrated to 15 mg once weekly with an excellent response seen. Currently, the patient has remained on dual immunosuppression with dupilumab and


Abstract Hypoxic patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at high risk of adverse outcomes. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) has shown anti-viral and immunomodulatory effects in vitro. However, in vivo evidence of efficacy in hypoxic COVID-19 is sparse. This open label feasibility study was conducted at a single referral center in South India and evaluated the effectiveness of repurposed iNO in improving clinical outcomes in COVID-19 and its correlation with viral clearance. We recruited hypoxemic COVID-19 patients and allocated them into treatment (iNO) and control groups (1:1). Viral clearance on day 5 favored the treatment group (100% vs 72%, P < 0.01). The speed of viral clearance as adjudged by normalized longitudinal cycle threshold (Ct) values was positively impacted in the treatment group. The proportion of patients who attained clinical improvement, defined as a ≥2-point change on the World Health Organization ordinal scale, was higher in the iNO cohort (n = 11, 79%) as compared to the control group (n = 4, 36%) (odds ratio 6.42, 95% confidence interval 1.09-37.73, P = 0.032). The proportion of patients progressing to mechanical ventilation in the control group (4/11) was significantly higher than in the treatment group (0/14). The all-cause 28-day mortality was significantly different among the study arms, with 36% (4/11) of the patients dying in the control group while none died in the treatment group. The numbers needed to treat to prevent an additional poor outcome of death was estimated to be 2.8. Our study demonstrates the putative role of repurposed iNO in hypoxemic COVID-19 patients and calls for extended validation.


Abstract Set at the interface between second language acquisition and second language writing, this study examines how different types of written corrective feedback (WCF) influence the writing accuracy of Chinese college students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and whether WCF facilitates the students' grasp of the focused linguistic knowledge. The participants (n = 60) were divided into direct correction group (n = 20), indirect error-coding group (n = 20) and metalinguistic explanation group (n = 20). The three groups wrote four essays in two months and received WCF for the first three essays on the five targeted error types, namely tense errors, confusion of different forms of a word, word (articles, prepositions, etc.) missing, errors in subject-verb agreement and inappropriate verb-noun collocations. The results show that all three types of WCF improved students' writing accuracy but none of them had any statistical advantage, and the metalinguistic WCF was more effective than the other two forms in facilitating the acquisition of the targeted linguistic features. These results shed some light on teaching and consolidation of language points through writing in EFL contexts.


The approach of child participation is a significant perspective for fostering self-reliance education, grounded in the trust teachers place in children. This approach empowers children, creating favorable conditions for decision-making and choice. Investigation into the current status of self-reliance education for 3-4 year-olds in several preschools within Hanoi reveals that children's self-reliance predominantly resides at a moderately developed level. These findings are influenced by several factors, notably the teacher's flexibility and creativity in tailoring appropriate approaches – including objectives, content, methods, forms, and interventions – to each child's individuality and the practical conditions of the school and local context. This study proposes eight self-reliance education strategies for 3-4 year-olds based on the child participation rights approach. These strategies are aligned with the characteristics of children aged 3-4, ensuring target-oriented, systematic, developmental, feasible, practical, and age-appropriate methods, as well as organizing playful and educational activities within preschool settings.


The structure of 2,2'-bithiophene-5-carbaldehyde, C 9 H 6 OS 2 , has been determined and shows a predominantly cisoid structure for the bithiophene rings


very rare; indeed, MacCallan and Rasheed Bev have niever seen the accommodator muscle affectedl in any of their cases. All varieties of membranious conjunictivitis mlay be accompaiiied by glanduilar enlargement. Wrhen it occurs in epi(lemics true diphtherial coniunctivitis appears to pass from eye to eye, and it is rare. to get a history of conltact witl Patients stifferiing from tlle usual forms of diplhtheria. Symblepharon is never seeni after the disease in Egypt, but 63 per cent. of MacCallan anid Rasheed Bey's cases had corneal ulcerationi, and 50 per cent. lost one or both eyes; this unfoltuinate record-so much worse thaan might have beeni anticipated from European experience--wis lar-gely due to the fact that diphtherial, like many other forms of tiopical conjunctivitis, is often a mixed infection. When in doubt as to the cause of a membratious conijuinctivitis a dose of antitoxin should always be given whilst waitinig for tlle b)acteriological report. Constant irrigations wvith eusol andel painting of the conjunctiVra with 2 per cent. silver niitrate saliition are recommended; when the lids are swollen hot fomentations should be used. Fly-proof rooms or tents are advocated, and careful disinfection slhould be car-ried out at the end of each case, for diphtherial membranes, wlhe dry and kept in the dark, miiay produce cultures months afterwards. Those in conitact with the cases are advised to gargle witlh potassium permanganate solutioni (1 in 5,000) thrice daily, anid to wear protected glasses; utensils should be disinfected in buckets conitaining solution of cyllin (1 in 200), and the same disinfectant should be placed in coiltvenient spittoons.


The main occurrence of vitamin E basing on its synthesis and its lipophilic character are vegetable oils, seeds, nuts and cereals. The most important task of tocopherols are their antioxidative capacity in food lipids. The antioxidative potential of tocotrienols in comparison to their corresponding tocopherols is lower. According to the chemical structure γ- and δ-tocopherol are more effective than α-tocopherol. An improvement of the antioxidative capacity is possible by controlled adding to tocopherol compounds as well as by the use of synergists like ascorbylpalmitate. For this improvement the composition of fatty acids, the tocopherol content in native oil and the circumstances of the oxidation should always be considered.


Objective To investigate the effects of bovine colostrum truncated insulin like growth factor 1 (BC tIGF 1) on GH/IGF 1 axis of STZ induced diabetic rats. Methods Diabetes was induced in male SD rats (180~200g) by intraperitoneal injection (IP) of STZ at a dose of 55mg/kg and diabetic animals were divided into two groups: DM C group ( n =5), treated with NS 0.1ml/d, IP; DM BC, treated with BC tIGF 1 250ng/kg·d -1 IP. Therapy lasted for 6 weeks. The BG,plasma FMN,CHO,TG,GH,IGF 1 and hepatic tissue level of IGF 1 were determined. Results Compared with DM C, DM BC had a marked low BG? FMN and TG .The plasma GH of DM C was 1.44 times higher than that of normal group (2.00±0.50ng/ml vs 0.82±0.43ng/ml, P 0.01). The plasma IGF 1 of DM C was significantly lower than that in normal group (732.2±145.9ng/ml vs 1989.2±368.8ng/ml, P 0.01), and the hepatic content of IGF 1 in DM C was also markedly lower than that in normal group (442.84±222.05 ng/g hepatic tissue vs 2617.73±1102.26 ng/g hepatic tissue, P 0.01). Compared with DM C group, the hepatic content of IGF 1 in DM BC was statistically increased (1615.1±583.56 ng/g hepatic tissue vs 442.84(222.05ng/g hepatic tissue P 0.01). Conclusion STZ induced diabetic rats had a disturbance of GH/IGF 1 axis and a decreased hepatic content of IGF 1. Treatment with BC tIGF 1 was able to reverses the disturbance of GH/IGF 1 axis and improve the metabolism in diabetic rats.


Aim. To study the parameters of ferritin, uric acid in the serum and urine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in patients with hypertension in combination with gout and the relationship between these data and clinical manifestations of gout. Materials and methods. 61 patients with hypertension, middle age of whom amounted to 54.25 (10.29) years, had been surveyed, 39 (64 %) men and 22 (36 %) women. All patients were divided into two groups: the main group – 36 patients with hypertension in combination with gout and the comparison group – 25 patients with hypertension without gout. Determination of ferritin level in serum was carried out by using an immunochemical method with electrochemiluminescence detection (Cobas 6000 analyzer, Roche Diagnostics test system,Switzerland). Colorimetric analysis was used to determine the concentration of serum uric acid, the spectrophotometric method – of uric acid in urine, the immunoassay method – of hsCRP. Results. The average serum uric acid level significantly differed (P = 5.4 E-5) in the main group and the comparison group and was 443.44 (129.66) μmol/L and 317.16 (77.60) μmol/L, respectively. The level of ferritin in the main group was significantly higher (237 (237; 247), P = 4.3 E-5 ng/mL) than in the comparison group (137 (83,23; 137) ng/mL), as well as the level of hsCRP (P = 4.4 E-6) 11.78 (3.70; 12.66) mg/L and 1.07 (0; 3.82) mg/L, respectively. The level of uric acid in urine was not significantly different (P = 0.23) in both groups and amounted to 2470.92 (836.89) μmol/L in the main group and 2198.00 (881.73) μmol/L in the comparison group. A significant correlation (r = 0.30; P < 0.05) was found between the levels of serum uric acid and ferritin in the main group patients, as well as a significant correlation between the levels of serum uric acid and the duration of gout (r = 0.41; P < 0.05), the total number of affected joints (r = 0.51; P < 0.05), gout severity (r = 0.36; P < 0.05), the level of ferritin and the number of gout exacerbation (r = 0.31; P < 0.05). Conclusions. Elevated serum ferritin concentration increases the risk of gouty arthritis exacerbation. Establishing the relationship between the concentration of ferritin and serum levels of uric acid and the number of gout exacerbations in the main group suggests that iron plays an important role in the disease pathogenesis.


The invention discloses a reinforcing modified polypropylene material which is characterized by comprising the following components in parts by weight: 60-95 parts of polypropylene, 5-20 parts of modifying agents, 5-20 parts of compatilizers and 1-3 parts of surface treating agents. The reinforcing modified polypropylene material disclosed by the invention is obviously enhanced on the aspects of strength, modulus and thermal property; an obtained product has very good surface gloss; because shell powder can absorb and decompose harmful gases, namely formaldehyde, benzene, TVOC, radon and the like, the polypropylene material obtained by reinforcing and modifying with the shell powder is a novel environment-friendly material with good appearance and especially has good market application prospect in an automobile industry, a home decoration industry and the like.


European regulation changes have pushed electric machine manufacturers to request new materials suitable for impregnation of High Voltage motors and generators that are also compliant with European health restrictions. Until now, the most widely used materials for coils insulation are a blend of epoxy resin and anhydride that impregnates mica tapes, containing an epoxy binder with a Zinc naphthenate catalyst, which has the advantage of stability in storage tanks and good thermal and electrical properties. The development of a new impregnating resin, made with a hybrid epoxy-polyester chemistry, highlighted the need to find a way to improve compatibility with mica tapes. This new resin / tape combination has been visually evaluated, as first step, and then tested on bars, observing how dissipation factor versus voltage change after thermal ageing at high temperatures. Test bars made with new resin/tape combination withstood thermal ageing for a longer time than reference materials, confirming that compatibility between impregnating resin and mica tapes is a crucial factor influencing thermal resistance of a coil main wall insulation system.


A diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis (CE) with two partly calcified hepatic lesions was made in a Turkish patient who immigrated to Germany 38 years ago. One lesion, which was 10 cm × 10 cm, was located in the quadrate lobe close to the gallbladder. The other lesion, which was 4.3 cm × 3.5 cm, was located in the left lobe of the liver. These lesions showed no internal structures and were considered inactive, corresponding to type 5 of the World Health Organization classification. The patient had cholecystolithiasis and developed biliary pancreatitis. Laparotomy and cholecystectomy were performed. Four months later, severe bacteremic cholangitis was diagnosed. Abdominal computed tomography showed cystobiliary fistula of the echinococcal lesion in the quadrate lobe. The fistula had a diameter of 2.5 cm (Figure 1A, arrow). The choledoch duct was dilated. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography demonstrated an amorphous mass discharging into the duodenum after incision of the duodenal papilla (Figure 1B). Microscopic examination of the material showed echinococcal membranes and detritus (Figure 1C). The lesion in the quadrate lobe was then resected and remaining echinococcal material was evacuated from the choledoch duct. Results of a follow-up examination were uneventful. Cystic echinococcosis is a cosmopolitan zoonosis and this clinical image illustrates its most common complication, spontaneous rupture into the biliary tract.


Nests provide a comfortable environment for individuals to raise young,avoid predators and rest,therefore,nesting is a critical facet of life for many species. A detailed understanding of nest site characteristics of species is important for the development of sound conservation and habitat management plan. The Grey-headed flying squirrel(Petaurista caniceps) is a small,nocturnal,arboreal mammal. It is found in southern,central and southwestern China. As a mammal in the list of National Protection of Useful or Have Important Economic and Scientific Research Values in China,little is known about the nest site use of this species. We conducted research on the nest site characteristics of the Grey-headed flying squirrel at three spatial scales(nest placement,nest tree,and nest site) in Baima Snow Mountain National Nature Reserve,Yunnan,China,in order to reveal the important ecological factors affecting the nest site selection of Grey-headed flying squirrel and further enrich wild species ecological and biological data. Data were collected from June to August and September to December 2012. The results showed that Grey-headed flying squirrel preferred two types of nest which included drey and cavity. All nests were found in the live trees. Dreys were typically made up of twigs,bark,moss and other materials. Dreys had larger openings(12.1 ± 0.1) cm(n = 15) than those of cavities(10. 8 ± 0. 5) cm(n = 15)(MannWhitney U test Z =-3.521,P = 0.000),and shallower nests were built in the case of dreys(23.4±1.1) cm than cavities(59.2±1.2) cm(Mann-Whitney U test Z=-4.692,P= 0.000). Most nests of the flying squirrel were built close to the main trunk(0.2±0.1) m and at a similar height(11.3 ± 0.8) m(n = 30). The average relative height of the nests is(0.67±0.03),indicating that Grey-headed flying squirrel usually built nest in the upper part of the tree. There was significant difference(One-Way ANOVA Test,F1,28= 38.865,P = 0.000) in the relative height between dreys(0.77±0.03)and cavities(0.51± 0.03),but not(One-Way ANOVA Test,F1,28= 2.195,P = 0.150) in the average nest height. The Grey-headed flying squirrel did not show a significant preference(χ2= 13. 733,df = 7,P = 0. 056) to the nest entrance direction. We found most cavities in the broadleaf trees(i. e. Quercus aquifolioides, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, Acer oliverianumi) and dreys only in the conifer species(i.e. pinus yunnanensis,Sabina pingii). The DBH(average diameter at breast height) and the average height of drey trees was significantly smaller than those of cavity trees. Characteristics of nest trees and nest sites were compared with randomly selected trees and sites. Grey-headed flying squirrel prefers to the nest trees with larger crown size and more access routes. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that differences in slope,slope position,slope aspect,and distance to water between nest sites and random sites was non-significant. On the contrary,nest sites used by Grey-headed flying squirrel differed from the random sites in that their larger canopy cover and higher shrub cover,suggesting that the Grey-headed flying squirrel seem to select nesting areas with high security and food availability.


The clamp sclerites of Pricea multae and other higher monogeneans was fuchsin-positive in Mallory's and Masson's triple stain, and the staining was not affected by detanning agents, suggesting some form of stabilization in the protein. The sclerites were positive in Millon's, Morner's and Xanthoproteic tests for aromatic amino acids, but negative in tests for sulphydryl and disulphide groups. Quinone, phenol and phenol oxidase were absent. They stained with basic dyes such as toluidine blue and methylene blue in the pH range of 3·5–9·5, and also exhibited bluish fluorescence in u.v. light which was not affected by lipid solvents, indicating the presence of dityrosine and recalling the protein present in the ligament cuticle of insects. These features indicate that the clampprotein is stabilized by the formation of dityrosine. It is suggested that this protein may be responsible for the biological properties of the clamp sclerites. This mode of stabilization by tyrosyl residues of the protein, resulting in the formation of dityrosine, is the first record of its kind to be reported in platyhelminths.


Focused Clinical Question: Do soft-shell helmet covers reduce head impact severity in American football helmets? Clinical Bottom Line: There is consistent SORT level C evidence to support that soft-shell helmet covers reduce measures of head impact severity and measures of linear and rotational acceleration. The impact reductions occurred at magnitudes less than the average reported concussive impact, which limits the application of the evidence with respect to concussion incidence or risk among American football players.


The article is devoted to the analysis of a fragment of Kyiv Rus' linguistic picture of the world and to the reconstruction of human ethic orientations of the Early Middle Age. The aim of this scientific research is to highlight the semantic scope and functions of language units in the Kyiv-Pechersk Patericon are to describe the moral and ethic portrait of a monk. The proposed theme of a study allows updating the analysis aimed at the reconstruction of the Old Ruthenians ethical ideals. The Kyiv-Pechersk Patericon is the first original collection of lives of the Old East Slavic saints of the 13th century. It does not only fully describe the images of the first Rus' ascetics, but thanks to its unique structure it is the only one among the East Slavic written papers, which gives a valuable possibility to unite different materials into a holistic picture of the moral life in ancient Kyiv. The linguistic means of depicting the moral and ethical characteristics of the inhabitants of the monastery became the subject of the study. It is concluded that in the selection of the characteristics of the monks in the text under consideration there is a tendency to idealize, focus on the literary etiquette norms and highlight the concept of the honor of the clergy. A special attention is paid to such qualities as the allegiance to Christian teaching, humbleness, restraint, mercy, expressed through about 40 positively connotated substantive and adjective lexemes (some negative characteristics are isolated and, therefore, are not involved in the analysis). The selected names don't perform any terminological functions (they are not components of the titles of the highest ranks of the clergy or namings of the faces of holiness) but rather represent moral and ethical characteristics. In the use of most part of laudatory epithets-definitions there is a tendency to associate them with a specific person, which in the process of further canonization will be the basis for the inclusion of each of them in the certain category of sainthood. According to the origin and character of their use, these lexemes pertain to the church-bookish element. The consistency in refusing to borrow Greek or Latin words to denote the holiness idea indicates a high level of language and cultural-religion consciousness and can be regarded as the main feature of the Slavic choice in denoting this idea. The proposed article considers one of the fragments of the lexical originality of the Kyiv-Pechersk Patericon, which opens us prospects for further studies of this ancient text at different language levels.


The article examines various theological aspects of the perception of the coronavirus pandemic in the global Orthodoxy in general and the Russian Orthodox Church in particular Among other aspects, it touches upon issues pertinent to the practices of celebration and dis‑ tribution of the Eucharist under the conditions of hygienic restrictions It also explores Christological arguments in support of each practice The article proposes some particular interpretations of both phe‑ nomenology and etiology of the so‑called Covid dissidence It argues that artificial polarization on the ideological grounds between the so‑ called "liberals" and "conservatives" is one of the reasons why many bishops, priests, and lay people in the Russian Orthodox Church mis‑ trust the quarantine measures © 2021 Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration All rights reserved


It is well known that the PDE (1) has at least one positive solution for any choice of (M, g). If n > 6 and (M, g) is not locally conformally flat, this follows from results of T. Aubin [3]. The remaining cases were solved by R. Schoen using the positive mass theorem [16]. Solutions to (1) are not usually unique. As an example, consider the product metric on 51(L) x 5n_1(l). If L is sufficiently small, then the Yamabe PDE has a unique solution. On the other hand, there are many non-minimizing solutions if L is large. D. Pollack [14] has used gluing techniques to construct high energy solutions on more general background manifolds: given any conformai class with positive Yamabe constant and any positive integer iV, there exists a new conformai class which is close to the original one in the C?-norm and contains at least N metrics of constant scalar curvature (see [14], Theorem 0.1). It is an interesting question whether the set of all solutions to the Yamabe PDE is compact (in the C2-topology, say). A well-known conjecture states that this should be true unless (M, p) is conformally equivalent to the round sphere (see [17], [18], [19]). This conjecture has been verified in low dimensions and in the locally conformally flat case: if (M, g) is locally conformally flat, compactness follows from work of R. Schoen [17], [18]. Moreover, Schoen proposed a strategy for proving the conjecture in the non-locally conformally flat case based on the Pohozaev identity.


Introduction: Body composition analysis, in particular, measurement of body fat and its distribution is gaining popularity. There is increasing interest in using this information to identify health risks such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The importance of identifying predictive markers for diseases is being increasingly acknowledged in management of diseases such as diabetes, the prevalence of which is increasing worldwide posing a major health challenge (1). From effective therapeutic management for diseases, emphasis is shifting to their prevention and identification of risk factors. There are different methods to assess the body fat and its distribution. In this study, fat content assessed using MRI, Dual energy x-ray absorptiometery (DEXA) (2) and Bio-impedance analysis (BIA) (3) methods are correlated individually with biochemical parameters such as lipid profile, insulin sensitivity, BMI and BMR and compared. These biochemical parameters are considered risk factors for diabetes, obesity, CVD, etc. Materials and methods: Twelve healthy volunteers (9 males, 3 females) in the age group of 17-35 yrs, having no history of diabetes and hypertension were recruited for the study. MRI evaluation of subcutaneous fat (SF) was carried out at 1.5 T (Siemens Avanto, Germany) using the following parameters: TR of 650 ms, TE of 11 ms and 256 x 256 matrix. For abdomen, T1-weighted breath hold sequences were used to obtain transverse images (8mm contiguous slices) from T9 vertebra to the superior surface of hip joint. Subcutaneous fat area was evaluated for each slice by drawing regions of interest and its volume calculated using slice thickness. Fat volume for the entire region studied was converted to fat mass (in kg) by multiplying the volume by specific density of fat (0.92 kg/L). T1 weighted whole body MRI (10 mm contigual slices in the coronal plane) was also carried out to study the fat distribution. In addition, DEXA (HOLOGIC QDR 4500W densitometer, Hologic Inc, Bedford MA, USA) was used to assess abdominal fat mass and Bioimpedance (Tanita TBF215 analyser, Japan) to evaluate BMI, BMR and total body fat mass. The body fat assessed using each of these techniques was correlated individually with BMI, BMR, lipid profile and insulin sensitivity [assessed Glucose tolerance test (GTT)] and compared. Results: Figure 1 shows the whole body coronal images of 2 of the volunteers. Figure 1a shows a higher fat distribution in the abdomen and thigh region. This volunteer had a BMI of 23.2 and BMR of 5640 KJ. Figure 1b is that of a volunteer with BMI of 20.5 and BMR of 6273 KJ. It can be seen that this volunteer had uniform (and very little) SF fat distribution throughout the body. Figure 2 shows the correlation of fat mass assessed by MRI (Fig. 2a), DEXA (Fig. 2b) and BIA (Fig. 2c) with insulin sensitivity. MRI data shows the highest correlation (r = 0.7), followed by DEXA (r = 0.67) and BIA (r = 0.65). While BMI also showed good correlation with fat mass assessed with all the 3 techniques, only MRI data showed good correlation with cholesterol levels (r=0.76).


In the present work, a previous superstructure model developed for simultaneous optimization of the process configuration and equipment dimensions, i.e., optimal process synthesis and design and the operation conditions of activated sludge wastewater treatment plants, is extended to account for phosphorus as well as nitrogen removal. Along the activated sludge treatment process, the wastewater stream is exposed to different environmental conditions (anaerobic, anoxic, and aerated zones) in order to facilitate the different microbiological processes such as the release and uptake of phosphorus and the nitrification/denitrification processes. The Activated Sludge Model No. 3 extended with the Bio-P module for computing biological phosphorus removal is used to model the reaction compartments and the Takacs model for representing the secondary settler. The performance criterion selected is the minimization of the net present value that includes investment and operating costs while verifying compliance with th...


Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) of the neck or cervical spine result in longer sick leaves, substantial levels of human suffering, and high costs for society. Epidemiological studies clearly indicate strong associations between MSD of the neck and the work activities requiring forceful arm exertions and heavy lifting. However, most of the existing studies that evaluate the neck or cervical spine disorders focus mainly on exertions demanding sustained neck postures of repetitive arm exertions. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review of existing epidemiological and experimental studies that evaluates neck or cervical spine disorders and identify the gaps in the literature for future research.


Herein, we report an new approach to synthesis of graphene-like MoS2 flakes and tunable layers (from mono- to multi-layer) easily controlled by the thermal decomposition temperature of a single source (Mo(Et2NCS2)4). The approach opens a new way to controlled large-scalable synthesis of graphene-like transition metal sulfides for energy storage, nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.


The present invention provides an antifouling coating composition which can be used to form an antifouling coating layer having excellent antifouling properties and hue stability. The present invention also provides a method for forming an antifouling coating layer having such characteristics, and a method for producing a ceramic building material using such a coating layer. The antifouling coating composition according to the present invention contains fine silica particles (A), a nonionic surfactant (B), and a nonionic surfactant (C), wherein the nonionic surfactant (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of acetylenediol surfactants (b-1) and polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether surfactants (b-2), the nonionic surfactant (C) is at least one selected from the group consisting of vinyl polymer surfactants (c-1) and polyoxyalkylene fatty acid ester surfactants (c-2), and the mass ratio ((B)/(C)) of the nonionic surfactant (B) to the nonionic surfactant (C) is 5/95 to 90/10.


Growing literature points to the effectiveness of leveraging social interactions and nudges to spur adoption of prosocial behaviors. This study investigates a large-scale behavioral intervention designed to actively leverage social learning and peer interactions to encourage adoption of residential solar photovoltaic systems. Municipalities choose a solar installer offering group pricing and undertake an informational campaign driven by volunteer ambassadors. We find a causal treatment effect of 37 installations per municipality from the campaigns and no evidence of harvesting or persistence. The intervention also lowers installation prices. Randomized controlled trials based on the intervention show that selection into the program is important, whereas group pricing is not. Our results suggest that the program provided economies of scale and lowered consumer acquisition costs, leading to low-cost emission reductions. This paper was accepted by Matthew Shum, marketing.


This article reviews the literature related to issues of communication augmentation for individuals with severe and profound intellectual disabilities within the framework of the "Participation Model" (Rosenberg & Beukelman, 1987). This model consists of a communication opportunity strand and a communication access strand. The opportunity strand is discussed briefly in terms of the knowledge and attitudinal barriers that may limit communication, with suggestions for remediation of these problems. The access strand is discussed in detail, beginning with a review of current methods of assessing capability in relevant domains. The relevant literature related to the learning characteristics of both unaided and aided communication techniques is reviewed next, followed by a discussion of potential external constraints that may affect the range of options for consideration. This information facilitates the next step of selecting communication options with a view to the current and future needs and capabilities of the individual. Following this, a review is presented of vocabulary selection and effective instructional techniques in augmentative communication interventions. Finally, evaluation issues are discussed in relation to level of disability.


In this second of two related papers in this issue, the causes of declining levels of housing transactions in Britain during the 1990s are explored. The lower transaction levels resulted partly from the changing behavior of young individuals. Both household formation and owner-occupation rates of these groups also fell sharply. Using panel data, we investigate the causes of reduced new household formation and owner-occupation, finding that changes in the income distribution away from young cohorts have been an important factor. Copyright 2003 American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association


An 85-year-old white woman with longstanding atrial fibrillation and hypertension presented to our emergency department with a 2-day history of progressive dyspnea. Earlier that week she had been seen by an outpatient provider and was found to be hypotensive. Her home bumetanide was discontinued, and she developed dyspnea that progressed after missing 2 doses. She reported that she was sleeping with more pillows and that she had a limited ability to walk and a new cough. Her recent history was notable for progressive fatigue and dyspnea over the past year. In the past 3 months she had been treated as an outpatient with loop diuretics for presumed congestive heart failure by a cardiologist. Her recent history was also notable for recurrent hematochezia requiring 5 admissions, including an intensive care unit admission for hemorrhagic shock, over the preceding 6 months. An extensive evaluation, including esophagastroduodenoscopy, several colonoscopies, and a small-intestine capsule study were unrevealing; she was noted only to have severe diverticulosis. During this period, her warfarin and, after additional bleeding episodes, her aspirin were stopped in light of her recurrent bleeding. Additional medical history included a diagnosis of cataracts, macular degeneration, and osteoarthritis. Medications included bumetanide 1 mg daily, metoprolol succinate 50 mg daily, omeprazole 40 mg daily, and calcium supplements. She had no known drug allergies.


............................................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgments............................................................................................................ vii List of Figures .................................................................................................................... x Introduction: The Lotus-Eaters................................................................................................................. 1 Act One -Unsettled Vision Voyages Out: Virginia Woolf and Vanishing Points....................................................... 25 Act Two -Intensities of Vision Still the Moon: Elizabeth Bowen, Bill Brandt, and Quiet Exposures............................... 80 Act Three -Dynamic Vision Ways of Escape: Graham Greene and the Shelter of Blind Spots.................................. 129 Epilogue: What Tiresias Sees ......................................................................................................... 181 Works Cited.................................................................................................................... 187


ABSTRACT It used to be widely accepted that neural tube closure in the human initiates at the level of the future neck and proceeds both cranially and caudally like zip fastener closing. This continuous closure model was recently challenged, and observation of human embryos at the neurulation stage revealed that the closure of the human neural tube initiates at multiple sites. Multi‐site closure of the neural tube has been observed in many other animal species, but the initiation sites and the process of neural tube closure are variable among species. Therefore we should be careful when extrapolating the data of normal and abnormal neurulation in laboratory animals to the human. Recent studies in mouse genetics and developmental biology have shown that neural tube defects are quite heterogeneous both etiologically and pathogenetically. Gene mutations responsible for human neural tube defects are largely unknown, but molecular studies of human cases of neural tube defects and their comparison with the mouse genome data should provide a molecular basis for human neural tube defects.


The use of FPGA could generate tunable high-frequency sinusoidal excitation and control multi-channel selection circuit for data acquisition part of ECT system.The shortcoming of the poor updating ability was overcome by using VHDL language programming.The part of sinusoidal excitation was suitable for plate of 8,10,12 or 16.The system had the characteristics of high-speed,small interfering,good integration,easy to optimization and updating.Test results show that the linearity of measurement devices can be up to 0.999 4,and the 8-electrode date acquisition rate can be up to 27 415 frames per second.


The full three-dimensional structure of Ag-intercalated molybdenum disulfide has been experimentally determined. The atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis technique has been employed because of the very limited structural coherence in this nanocrystalline material. We found that at the atomic scale, this compound can be well-described as an assembly of anionic MoS2 slabs encapsulating the Ag+ ions. Silver is found in an almost linear coordination of two sulfur atoms at 2.41 and 2.46 A. The molybdenum atoms engage in strong metal−metal bonding giving rise to Mo−Mo zigzag chains within the MoS2 slabs. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of PDF technique in determining the structure of poorly diffracting, heavily disordered, and nanocrystalline materials. The new structural information obtained for AgxMoS2 could not have been obtained by any other currently available technique.


regimens in our patient cohort. Conclusions: Co-therapy treatment was superior to split-dose regimens in our patient cohort, demonstrating that low-dose azathioprine and allopurinol co-therapy is a safe and effective treatment option in pIBD. This should encourage trialling co-therapy before considering switching to other medication. Background: Ulcerative proctitis (UP) has better prognosis com-pared with left-sided colitis or extensive colitis, and local mesalamine therapy is a mainstay of inducing and maintaining remission of UP. However, in some UP patients with an acute exacerbation, proxi-mal progression of disease extent is noted. The extensive disease is associated with more advanced treatment or unfavourable clinical course. Nevertheless, clinical features of the extent progression and the influence of mesalamine maintenance therapy have been rarely studied. The aim of this clinical study is to evaluate the potential efficacy of mesalamine maintenance on the extension of the UP. Methods: We reviewed the data of 490 patients (296 males and 194 females; median age 39 years) with an initial diagnosis of UP at Daehang Hospital, Seoul and Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Gumi-si, from January 2005 to October 2015. UC was cat-egorised as proctitis (E1, limited to the rectum), left-sided colitis (E2, within splenic flexure), and extensive colitis (E3, beyond splenic flexure). Extent progression was defined when the disease extent was stepped-up from E1 to E2 or E3. Patient demographics, disease duration, endoscopic finding, medication history


Because metal-halogen bonds are of comparable strength to carbon-halogen bonds, it is thermodynamically and kinetically feasible to produce organic free radicals during the dissociative adsorption of halogenated hydrocarbons on metal surfaces. The authors have studied this progress for alkyl and aryl halides on atomically-clean, single-crystal copper surfaces under ultra-high vacuum conditions. In the case of CH{sub 3}I on Cu(111), it is found that methyl radicals are ejected from the surface during C-I bond dissociation at 140 K. The majority of the methyl groups, however, are trapped on the surface where they are thermally stable to temperatures above 400 K. For alkyl chlorides and bromides as well as longer chain alkyl iodides, radical evolution into the gas phase is not observed, but intramolecular cyclization reactions by 1,3-dihalopropanes suggest that free radicals are intermediates in these reactions as well. The competition between radical bonding to the copper surface and reaction with other adsorbed species will be illustrated with results for the Ullmann coupling reaction in which iodobenzene is coupled to form biphenyl on a Cu(111) surface.


The powder of nanostructured WC-10Co-0.8VC-0.2Cr 2C 3 cemented carbides is prepared by high energy ball milling process, and then is treated by rapid hot pressing sintered to form the composite block, the microstructure of the composite is observed and investigated by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy X-ray dispersive spectroscopy. In the microstructures, the binder phase is netlike dispersive and embedded in the gaps of polygonal WC grains. The cloud like nanosized precipitates inside WC grains are found in the microstructures of nanostructured WC-Co cemented carbides, and the nanoprecipitates are the cobalt-rich phase, they are formed by the mechanism of nanocrystalline WC-Co composites structure destabilization, the phase transformation behavior induced by thermal and pressure fields.


In the modern world, the robot has involved in a lot of human activities and become a part of human essential. It takes not only part of simple tasks such as robot vacuum cleaner [1], or robots cleaning house[2] but also for a heavy task like manufacture a car [3] or shipway [4]. It helps people to make their jobs faster, save time more and safer, particularly in dangerous situations[5]. There are types of robot in the industry where each one of them has a specific function and unique to each other. Forest pruning is also a task very difficult and strenuous. It is a vital aspect of the forestry industry that helps to increase high-quality wood, contributes to the maintenance of forest environments and especially reduces the accident rate in the forestry sector. To improve high-quality wood, we need to prevent insect and decay organisms from entering the tree by removing dead, damaged and diseased on the tree. Therefore, the tree will have a dense canopy of a tree to increase air and sunlight, resulting in fewer disease problems. Beside that this prevents the branches from splitting and tearing wood that is often a problem in heavy winds. Correct pruning procedures create and maintain a strong tree structure, preventing safety hazards such as low-growing branches and growth forms subject to storm damage near a sidewalk or driveway. Often erratic or vigorous branches grow that change the growth habit of other branches, this result is in a misshaped tree. Early removal of these vigorous branches maintains a natural tree form [6]. Cutting tree branches is a dangerous task. A forestry worker doing cutting must climb high trees, support their body with one hand while and cut branches with the other hand. Therefore, the development of robot is necessary to replace manual work. To solve this problem, we will use an aerial robot to move a robot with of pruning mechanism from the ground up tree branches. So the robot can move on long branches and prune them. My research is to design a robot move on the tree branches. I will design the mechanical system and perform some experiments in a test bed. Step 1: Aerial Robot brings Robot from the land to tree branch. Then aerial robot comes back the land.


We present a method that estimates graspability measures on a single depth map for grasping objects randomly placed in a bin. Our method represents a gripper model by using two mask images, one describing a contact region that should be filled by a target object for stable grasping, and the other describing a collision region that should not be filled by other objects to avoid collisions during grasping. The graspability measure is computed by convolving the mask images with binarized depth maps, which are thresholded differently in each region according to the minimum height of the 3D points in the region and the length of the gripper. Our method does not assume any 3-D model of objects, thus applicable to general objects. Our representation of the gripper model using the two mask images is also applicable to general grippers, such as multi-finger and vacuum grippers. We apply our method to bin picking of piled objects using a robot arm and demonstrate fast pick-and-place operations for various industrial objects.


The installation of precision electromechanical equipment is an indispensable part of the engineering construction process. With the deepening of the national supply-side reform, the importance of the installation and construction of precision electromechanical equipment has gradually attracted widespread attention. The performance of precision electromechanical equipment determines the production capacity and product quality of industrial enterprises. Optimizing the performance of precision electromechanical equipment can improve the electromechanical enterprises. Economic benefits, the installation process of precision electromechanical equipment can improve the performance of electromechanical equipment. The article discusses the technical points from several important aspects of the precision electromechanical equipment installation project.


Convenient methods have been developed to transform Panax gineseng with Ri plasmids of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Crown galls were formed on the stems of ginseng plants by infecting them wirh A__-. rhizogenes. Hairy roots were generated from the crown galls when the stem segments bearing the crown galls were incubated on solid Murashige-Skoog's (MS) medium. The hairy roots were also generated on excised ginseng root segments which had been inoculated with A. rhizogenes. The ginseng hairy root cultures, established as liquid cultures in MS medium, produced 0.34-0.82% ginsenosides on a dry weight basis. The ginseng hairy roots were found to contain nucleosides, adenosine and guanosine, at signifivantly higher levels than normal ginseng plants. The transformed hairy roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis were obtained by the infection of A__-. rhizogenes either in asceptically grown plantlets or in excised plant stems. One of the established liquid culture lines produced glycyrrhizin at an yield of 4.7%.


Precise relative navigation is a critical enabler for distributed satellites to achieve new mission objectives impossible for a monolithic spacecraft. Carrier phase differential GPS (CDGPS) with integer ambiguity resolution (IAR) is a promising means of achieving cm-level accuracy for high-precision Rendezvous, Proximity-Operations and Docking (RPOD), In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) as well as satellite formation flying and swarming. However, IAR is sensitive to received GPS signal noise, especially under severe multi-path or high thermal noise. This paper proposes a sensor-fusion approach to achieve IAR under such conditions in two coupling stages. A loose coupling stage fuses through an Extended Kalman Filter the CDGPS measurements with on-board sensor measurements such as range from cross-links, and vision-based bearing angles. A second tight-coupling stage augments the cost function of the integer weighted least-squares minimization with a soft constraint function using noise-weighted observed-minus-computed residuals from these external sensor measurements. Integer acceptance tests are empirically modified to reflect added constraints. Partial IAR is applied to graduate integer fixing. These proposed techniques are packaged into flight-capable software, with ground truths simulated by the Stanford Space Rendezvous Laboratory's S3 library using state-of-the-art force modelling with relevant sources of errors, and validated in two scenarios: (1) a high multi-path scenario involving rendezvous and docking in low Earth orbit, and (2) a high thermal noise scenario relying only on GPS side-lobe signals during proximity operations in geostationary orbit. This study demonstrates successful IAR in both cases, using the proposed sensor-fusion approach, thus demonstrating potential for high-precision state estimation under adverse signal-to-noise conditions.


This degree project report consists of an individual study, IMAC – a review, and a study made by atotal of three students at the Uppsala School of Entrepreneurship, The Establishment of a SmallChal ...


The end XVI the beginning of XVII centuries for the Russian state became an epoch of colonization of the Siberian subcontinent. Part of the State's colonization was the extension of State legislation. State servitors (sluzhilie liudi) the main group of the population who mastered territories. State servitors were engaged in agriculture. The legislation on the ground developed. The state authorized application of various documents in this field. These documents are the basis of ownership and use of land. State servitors carried military service, performed household tasks, addressed with various requests to administration about distribution of the ground. In the documentation of the beginning of 1650th it take place references to standards of Ulozhenie of 1649 year. Problem for the state was the organization of agriculture. Standards of legislative acts contained orders of two versions. The first groups the general orders, the second standards which were devoted to particular circumstances. As the main source of standards were the documents classified as «decrees» (ukazy). In the XVIIth century legislation becomes more complex. Great importance had standards of town planning. State servitors, as a rule, were builders of the first cities. Legislation had regulated the standards in the field of transport. State servitors took part in many trips in different regions of Western Siberia. Besides in this sphere there was a system of interdictions. Interaction between the state and church also was regulated. In this case state servitors had the status of intermediaries. In particular, when there was a necessity to accompany ecclesiastics on trips. In the end XVI -the beginning of XVII centuries the legislation starts to regulate questions of trade and the customs administration. The customs is formed. During the period of the voivodship of Y. I Suleseva have been entered a number of the important principles of control which were used up to the end of century. In 1653 the decree according to which new taxes and rules of management of trade were entered has been published. The given standards have been widespread to Siberia, but later. Similar legislative acts characteristic for the end of XVII century. As a result the legislation became dynamical: standards of the Siberian origin which are applied with standards from European Russia are formed, supplementing each other. That development of the Russian legislation in Siberia has been caused by factors of legal and other character: social and economic, military-political, sociocultural. Character of another factors was wide enough, but legallistic aspects had the influence. Standards had, as a rule, casual and situational character at a priority of subjectivity of administration. The system of the rules in legislative acts which was combined with norms standards of generalizing character that allowed to maintain the integrity of the legislation is by degrees built and made by its normative basis of activity of state servitors.


The phenomenon of artistic quarters has been explored by many researchers interested in the spatial behaviours of artists in North American and Western European cities. Their analyses have often focused on the impact of this occupational group on transformations of selected urban areas: the arrival of artists as pioneers in degraded, problem neighbourhoods and the evolution of those neighbourhoods, which then attract more established artists, followed by creative professionals and non-creative gentrifiers. As over time the built environment, functions, cultural, gastronomic offer and ambiance of such areas change significantly, their progressive mainstreaming and commercialization prompt some artists to venture into new districts and spaces. The article first offers a review of existing findings with respect to artistic quarters and their transformations. The discussion of the possible stages of development of artistic quarters present in literature is followed by the application of this theoretical framework in the context of Polish cities using the examples of Krakow and Katowice. These significant regional capitals represent two major types of urban centres in Poland: a city with medieval roots, and a city which emerged during the 19th-century industrialisation process. The phases of evolution of the artistic quarters in both cities are analysed by examining the spatial perceptions of students of artistic majors. The analysis shows that the transformations of urban spaces in terms of their functions and perceptions as artistic quarters are not as straightforward and linear as earlier studies might suggest. Krakow's more vibrant artistic life and its historic, concentric urban structure, combined with strong commercial pressures, are conducive to the development of new artistic quarters, although its traditional city centre continues to some extent to maintain its position on the artistic map of the city. In contrast, in Katowice the chaotic spatial structure of the heart of this historic industrial region makes the flow of artists more difficult and less likely, as they tend to concentrate in a poorly delineated area of the inner city. In addition, as the case studies reveal, spatial choices of artists are not only dependent on a city's development path and its built environment but are also to a significant extent shaped by the diverse artistic backgrounds of its creatives and a host of factors linked with post-socialist transformation and neoliberal urban policies.


context of training. Her final chapter finds that formal educational institutions participated in this shift by transmitting social values alongside academic lessons. Education fitted children for adulthood and adult responsibilities within an emerging Protestant state, as they offered 'boys the opportunity to learn academic skills while also seeking to provide an equally valuable and productive education in courtesy, morality, virtue and religious character' (192). Bailey describes the overall value of her work as 'identifying trends and patterns promoted over time that indicate and reflect new emphases in what was seen as important in socialisation, based on religious uncertainties and changing social context' (158). But Bailey is being modest, for not only does her work identify and trace such patterns, it also insists that we address codicological issues when we discuss courtesy or conduct texts. She does indeed locate trends, but in so doing she not only casts more light on the subjective identity of late medieval childhood, she also discovers the transmission and reception of vernacular literature that provided detailed guides to socializing children. That is not to say the book is without its limitations. Indeed, one question we might ask of Bailey's deft study is one asked of all studies of all conduct literatures, whatever the century: do the idealized versions of childhood presented in these texts accurately reflect historical childhood? What about the child reader who resists or subverts the polite society promulgated by conduct literature? Bailey's first chapter begins with a depiction of a boy reading courtesy poems before a question is posed – 'What did a young boymake of this?' – a topic again broached near the end of her study: 'Of course, these were "guidelines of perfection" rather than the reality of boys' behaviour' (11, 176). Sadly, such questions and observations are never answered or theorized in a particularly helpful manner. Nevertheless, Socialising the Child will enjoy a long shelf life. The author's four appendices, an impressive 41-page codicology that lists the proscriptive literatures she consulted, alone attests to as much, and it is through her exhaustive research and a rigorously detailed interrogation into the attitudes of childhood and the literature that shaped those attitudes that make Bailey's work a vital contribution to childhood studies. This impressive work will be of immediate and lasting interest to scholars interested in the history of childhood, the book, education or conduct literature.


In the long run, this holistic approach to dealing with pests should reduce pesticide use, provide economic savings for the farmer and protect both the environment and human health. The term 'integrated' implies incorporation of natural enemy/antagonist levels into decision-making, and use of compatible, non-disruptive tactics that preserve these agents. Integration can be viewed as either vertical (i.e., within a class of pests; sometimes called first-level) or horizontal (i.e., among all classes of pests; sometimes called second-level). For example, an insecticide applied for control of an insect pest that also kills natural enemies of that and other insect pests represents a lack of vertical integration; similarly, a fungicide applied for plant disease management that also kills natural enemies of insect or mite pests represents a lack of horizontal integration. Historically, the lack of such integration has been one of the major impediments to the implementation of IPM in agriculture.


Grooved glass substrates for use in media directly readable with optical disks players (CD-audio,CD-ROM, WORM or erasable disks) are fabricated with conventional UV photolithography and etching techniques. The mask preparation is made by compact disk mastering equipment. After exposure and development of the photoresist, etching of the glass disk is done. The quality of the replication and of the etching process can be judged only by the undamental quality criteria (block error rate) of the compact disk. If any region of the replica is unacceptable, the disk must be rejected.


Reminiscing is a valuable activity throughout the lifespan, helping people establish and maintain their identities and their relationships. Much of this happens in an everyday way, with reminiscing arising naturally out of one's experiences, thoughts, and conversations. In this article we describe work around Pensieve, a tool to support everyday, spontaneous, individual reminiscing through memory triggers—e-mailed reminders that contain snippets from content one has previously created in social media or generic questions that encourage people to reflect on their past. Through a combination of interviews, questionnaires, design activities, and a long-term deployment of Pensieve, we demonstrate the potential value of social media content such as Facebook wall posts and status updates for supporting reminiscence, the utility of systems that support spontaneous reminiscing and writing about the past, the importance of reminders to both reminiscing and lifelogging systems, and insights into people's current practices in reminiscing in social media. Through this work, we generate a number of design goals, issues to consider, and directions for future work around designing systems to support reminiscence and other types of reflection on personal experience.


Purpose – The correct functioning of the European Union Single Market requires the elimination of discriminatory or protective internal taxation of goods. This paper aims to provide an overview of developments in indirect tax harmonization within the European Union (EU).Design/methodology/approach – The approach is to provide a history of tax harmonization and a description of the present functioning of the system within the EU.Findings – The paper illustrates that through partial harmonization of indirect taxes (value‐added tax and excise duties) the EU has reached a considerable degree of fiscal neutrality. The attitudes of Member States suggest that closer harmonization (or even unification) of tax rates may not be considered.Originality/value – The paper provides a summary of the progress of tax harmonization in the EU.


Active surveillance followed by selective treatment for men who have evidence of disease progression may be an option for select patients with early‐stage prostate cancer. In this article, the authors report their experience in a contemporary cohort of men with prostate cancer who were managed with active surveillance.


This paper proposes a criterion for detecting change structures in tensor data. To accommodate tensor structure with structural mode that is not suitable to be equally treated and summarized in a distance to measure the difference between any two adjacent tensors, we define a mode-based signal-screening Frobenius distance for the moving sums of slices of tensor data to handle both dense and sparse model structures of the tensors. As a general distance, it can also deal with the case without structural mode. Based on the distance, we then construct signal statistics using the ratios with adaptive-to-change ridge functions. The number of changes and their locations can then be consistently estimated in certain senses, and the confidence intervals of the locations of change points are constructed. The results hold when the size of the tensor and the number of change points diverge at certain rates, respectively. Numerical studies are conducted to examine the finite sample performances of the proposed method. We also analyze two real data examples for illustration.


Infrared biosensor has been a hot area of research for several years in infrared field. This paper proposes a method to test infrared biosensor array which is not bonding with ROIC. The presented ROIC-less infrared biosensor is encapsulated in a vacuum chip scale packaging, and we design the off-chip "ROIC" in order to read out signal of infrared biosensor. It is necessary to apply bias voltage on pixels when infrared biosensor works, we gave a simulation of infrared biosensor in pulsed bias votage mode according to the infrared biosensor heat balance equation. Based on the simulation result, we have implemented the test system for ROIC-less and small-scale infrared biosensor array. We use FPGA as main controller to readout the infrared signal and transfer the data to PC via USB interface.


Abstract : The hydrodynamic equations for one-dimensional spherically-symmetric flow are coupled to the chemical reaction kinetics to describe the nonisentropic flow within the reaction zone in the solid explosive TNT. The explosive is considered to be composed of grains which begin to burn when excited by the shock wave heading the detonation and continue to burn throughout the reaction zone. By neglecting certain partial derivatives a set of ordinary differential equations describing the pressure, particle velocity, density, and the shock-front velocity is obtained. Simultaneous solution of these equations, plus certain other algebraic equations, using the IBM-704 computer provides numerical values for the hydrodynamic variables within the reaction zone. These values indicate that although the spherical-detonation-wave values approach the plane-waves as the detonation moves through the spherical charge, the spherical-wave behavior is basically different from the planewave behavior. Decay rates are smaller for the spherical detonation; the burning is completed at the Chapman-Jouguet zone only at infinity; and infinite derivatives of the hydrodynamic variables are found at the end of the reaction zone.


Residual life of the insecticide spinosad (Success Naturalyte), on kiwifruit cv. Hayward foliage, was determined by bioassay and chemical techniques. Spinosad was applied at 1.2 - 19.2 g/100 litres. Leaves were sampled for analysis at intervals between 1 and 55 days post-application. Neonate brownheaded leafroller (Ctenopseustis obliquana) larvae were exposed to residues for 1, 4 or 7 days. Spinosad had persistent residual activity on kiwifruit foliage, with 2.4 g/100 litres or more, giving 98% control for up to 28 days after application. The proportion of spinosynA to -D on the treated leaves was initially 4:1 and decreased with time due to the greater persistence of spinosyn-D. The residue declines for spinosyn-A and -D over days 1 to 28 fitted first order models. Half-lives were 6.2-12 and 10-16.5 days for spinosyn-A and -D respectively with faster degradation at the lower rates.


Megellan radar imaging and topography data are now available for a number of volcanos on Venus greater than 100 km in radius. These data can be examined to reveal evidence of the flexural response of the lithosphere to the volcanic load. On Earth, flexure beneath large hotspot volcanos results in an annual topographic moat that is partially to completely filled in by sedimentation and mass wasting from the volcano's flanks. On Venus, erosion and sediment deposition are considered to be negligible at the resolution of Magellan images. Thus, it may be possible to observe evidence of flexure by the ponding of recent volcanic flows in the moat. We also might expect to find topographic signals from unfilled moats surrounding large volcanos on Venus, although these signals may be partially obscured by regional topography. Also, in the absence of sedimentation, tectonic evidence of deformation around large volcanos should be evident except where buried by very young flows. We use analytic solutions in axisymmetric geometry for deflections and stresses resulting from loading of a plate overlying an inviscid fluid. Solutions for a set of disk loads are superimposed to obtain a solution for a conical volcano. The deflection of the lithosphere produces an annular depression or moat, the extent of which can be estimated by measuring the distance from the volcano's edge to the first zero crossing or to the peak of the flexural arch. Magellan altimetry data records (ARCDRs) from data cycle 1 are processed using the GMT mapping and graphics software to produce topographic contour maps of the volcanos. We then take topographic profiles that cut across the annular and ponded flows seen on the radar images. By comparing the locations of these flows to the predicted moat locations from a range of models, we estimate the elastic plate thickness that best fits the observations, together with the uncertainty in that estimate.


Zhuangzi seems to hold contradicting attitudes toward "self" : on one hand, he tells us that we should lose ourselves and merge into the myriad things - "the utmost man is selfless至人無己" in Xiaoyaoyou逍遙遊for example; on the other, he also advocates that we should protect ourselves from the world - "holding on the distinction between internal and external定乎內外之分" in Xiaoyaoyou for example. It seems puzzling whether the ideal person in Zhuangzi's philosophy is one who loses himself, or one who preserves himself. In this thesis I attempt to solve the tension between these two notions by arguing that what Zhuangzi really advocates is that we should cast off our "self-consciousness" rather than "self" or "fake-self". This interpretation leads to what I call the "paradox of the self-cultivation of 'No-Self'" since self-cultivation conceptually requires self-cultivation and thereby cannot help us cast off our self-consciousness. This thesis hence also attempts to show that the metaphor of animal and "knack-training" are of great importance for the solution of the paradox.


The sum-product algorithm (probability propagation) can be mapped directly into analog transistor circuits. These circuits enable the construction of analog-VLSI decoders for turbo codes, low-density parity-check codes, and similar codes.


C-reactive protein (CRP) produced by the liver is one of the most characteristic acute-phase proteins. It has been suggested that the level of CRP in human serum may be a significant tool of detecting risks of developing cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Here we propose an advanced plasmonic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bioassay with Au nanoparticles embedded in the dielectric film that demonstrates a 10X improvement in resolution compared to the conventional SPR biosensor. The co-sputtered film was modified with (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane to sequentially immobilize protein G, monoclonal anti-CRP antibody (C8), and human serum albumins (HSA). After blocked by ethanolamine, the sensor was used to detect CRP. Using this extremely sensitive biochip, the lowest reliable concentration of CRP without any exterior labeling is simplified to human physiological level. The novel assay has the latent capability of not only eliminating the disturbances coming from serum proteins resulting in false signals, but is also able to be applied in rapid and label-free clinical detections of CRP with large improved sensitivity.


PT Matahari Department Store Tbk is one company that stands in the fashion world. At this time in measuring customer satisfaction is still managed manually by using a piece of paper called VOC (Voice Of Customer). The data can be stored in the VOC map (Voice Of Customer) record can be stored in a different place. This results in not taking a while when making a subscription to follow up in improving service to customers. System design in measuring customer service to improve work efficiency and can be useful in helping work creativity and progress in services that are increased by the company takes precedence. The method that can be used to measure customer satisfaction is one of them is the servqual method. This method makes a comprehensive customer satisfaction assessment for services in the department store field. Assessment is carried out on the quality of 5 dimensions of service quality, namely: Tangibles or direct evidence, Reliability or reliability, Responsiveness or responsiveness, Assurance or guarantee, Emphaty or attention. Customer dissatisfaction arises because of the gap between customer expectations and the reality of service performance felt.


We present a compact, stable, unambiguous and extensible nomenclature for unique chromosomal elements from genomic DNA, developed to meet the increasing need created by the increasing number of yeast sequencing projects. Our proposal, adopted for use in the Génolevures project, is specifically designed to facilitate basic tasks in comparative genomics. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


influenced the historical narrative in Crimea and the Donbass, and in Ukraine and Russia as a whole. By the end of the book, Walker has made two points very clear. First, he has shown how the propagation of specific historical episodes, such as the Great Patriotic War, leads to the deliberate forgetting of other events, such as the Soviet gulags and mass deportations. Second, he has successfully illustrated the interaction between Putin's memory politics and local remembrance, showing both the synchronization and dichotomies. Walker's book strikes true with its diversity and richness of sources. He interviews post-Soviet citizens from all spheres of society, ranging from middle-aged military commanders in Donetsk to elderly women living in a town in the Russian tundra. Bywielding a journalistic angle rather than an academic one, he paints a lively portrait of the plethora of characters playing a role in the formation of individual and collective memory within Putin's nation-building quest.Walker complements his interviews with sources such as Russian newspaper articles and Levada surveys. Another strength is how clearly Walker spells out the complex interaction and interconnectedness of all actors, levels, and spheres of society surrounding memory. This relationship has been frequently emphasized bymemory scholars but has rarely been captured more clearly. Throughout the chapters, he seamlessly charts the individual and collective remembrance and amnesia of the Soviet period, providing historical context and analyses of contemporary events. He masterfully uncovers the interaction between political, socioeconomic, and historical elements. Throughout this process, he smoothly alternates between the macro perspective of the official historical narrative and the micro perspective of grassroots individual memory and factchecking. Walker successfully walks the fine line between apologetic and judgmental. He understands Russia on a deeper level and succeeds in capturing the complex and multifaceted character of the post-Soviet Russian Federation. From an academic viewpoint, engagement with the academic debates surrounding memory and nation-building would have added extra value to Walker's broad collection of presented sources and allowed layman readers to contextualize the author's viewpoints and analyses. The Long Hangover lends enriching insights in the hearts and minds of the Russian people and shows how the official narrative interacts with grassroots remembrance. The book illustrates how the Soviet past floods into the Russian present and how both collective and individual memory are fickle and frail shifting sands. Putin's attempt to sculpt these sands into his desired form is largely successful, but in this process he neglects dealing with the darker pages of the past. In themeantime, the past is weaponized during periods of conflict, and the population's remembrance proves both highly personal and politicized. This book leaves both experts and laypeople understanding Russia a little better than before.


Summary: The objective of this study was to determine whether syntactic structure analysis (SSA) can predict survival outcome and chemotherapeutic response in ovarian carcinoma. Syntactic structure analysis parameters, blindly determined in archived hematoxylin and eosin sections of 132, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I to IV serous ovarian tumors, and clinicopathologic parameters were evaluated as to their univariate and multivariate prognostic value and ability to predict chemotherapy response as measured by changes in CA125 levels. Univariate analysis revealed FIGO stage, tumor grade, preoperative CA125, presence of ascites, extent of disease residuum, and the SSA parameters minimum spanning tree (min MST), maximum MST (max MST), percent connectivity to 1, and 2 nearest neighbors to be significant predictors of overall survival and disease-free survival. Tumor grade, FIGO stage, extent of disease residuum, presence of ascites, and percent connectivity to 2 nearest neighbors were found to be significant predictors of chemotherapy response. Multivariate analysis revealed extent of disease residuum to be a significant predictor for overall survival (P ≤ 0.01) and prediction of chemotherapy response (P = 0.05). International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage was a significant predictor for disease-free survival (P ≤ 0.01). Syntactic structure analysis parameters did not retain independent significance. Syntactic structure analysis features can predict survival outcome and chemotherapy response in ovarian carcinoma but, with multivariate analysis, are overshadowed by FIGO stage and residual disease.