Researchers have noticed that readers are increasingly skimming instead of reading in depth. Skimming also occur in re-reading activities, where the goal is to recall specific topical facts. Bookmarks and highlighters were invented precisely to achieve this goal. For skimming activities, readers need effective ways to direct their attention toward the most relevant passages within text. We describe how we have enhanced skimming activity by conceptually highlighting sentences within electronic text that relate to search keywords. We perform the conceptual highlighting by computing what conceptual keywords are related to each other via word co-occurrence and spreading activation. Spreading activation is a cognitive model developed in psychology to simulate how memory chunks and conceptual items are retrieved in our brain. We describe the method used, and illustrate the idea with realistic scenarios using our system.


Traceability and quality assurance of bedside processes are often still manual, without the appropriate support of information systems. Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) solutions integrated with Mobile&Wireless devices are key solutions to meet the needs of secure identification of persons and items and of traceability of processes in healthcare organizations. These technologies can fit a variety of processes, like enterprise-wide person/item identification, blood transfusions, surgical samples identification, therapy management. The challenge is to extend the use of these solutions also to other processes like biobanking, where stem cellular products require strict procedures of collection and manipulation, even in critical environmental conditions. Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan (Italy) has a wide experience in RFId projects and is starting to lead a project aimed to design, develop and implement a set of organizational models, acknowledged procedures and ICT tools in order to improve actual support to collection and transplantation of Human Stem Cells. In this paper we present a literature overview of cases of implementation of AIDC technology solution and of how its character of ubiquity and versatility could fit well with process requirements, discussing the Istituto's business case.


Abstract Focusing on the local community level, this study draws on representative survey data to examine how Ukrainians perceive social cohesion on the basis of objective and subjective criteria. Building on Chan et al.'s operationalisation of social cohesion, we use factor analysis to identify four dimensions of social cohesion: social engagement, connectedness, civic participation and intergroup concordance. Although we find no differences in assessments between the various regions of the country, social cohesion appears stronger in voluntarily formed amalgamated territorial communities compared to other territorial units. We discuss how and why Ukraine differs from other societies as to social cohesion features.


In order to investigate the kinetics of direct oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by ozone molecule, the oxidation of 2,4-D by ozonation was studied in a laboratory scale reactor. 2,4-D dissolved in water was dissociated to deprotonized and protonated species. The results showed the dependence of second-order rate constants on the degree of dissociation. A kinetics model in view of dissociation was proposed to predict overall 2,4-D degradation for different pH values and was proved to be good for practical degradation.


Antibody-forming cells suspended from a mouse spleen and transferred to intact animals of the same genotype face a barrier which severely affects their capacity to implant and/or to function. This phenomenon was quantitatively studied in a model system which, utilizing the immunogenic properties of human serum albumin in mice, allows the secondary response of the transferred cells to be followed without interference from the host's own reactivity. The barrier to syngeneic transplantation was found (a) to be radiosensitive (500 R X-rays to the recipient abolishes it and insures optimal functional conditions to the donor cells) in the same order of magnitude of other mammalian systems involving rapidly dividing cell populations, and (b) to depend upon the age of the recipient: its linear rise is documented from birth time (when ∼50% of the maximal immune capacity of the transfer is expressed) to the age of 2 months (∼ 1 %). The significance of these findings to the immune response and to cell growth and differentiation is discussed.


We present new approaches which can be used to reduce power consumption and/or increase speed of DSP algorithms. Two main ideas are presented; low power quantization, and, computational redundancy removal. The first approach reduces dynamic power consumption of DSP algorithms by trading-off accuracy. A general mathematical frame-work is developed which describes the nature of low-power quantizations and relates these to optimal solutions of constrained least-squares (CLS) problems in the context of FIR digital filter implementation. Arithmetic architectures which validate our dynamic power reduction approaches are also presented. In particular, we present low-switching array multipliers which are hybrids of LSB-first and MSB-first array-multipliers. A detailed switching activity analysis of variants of array multiplier and a 4:2 compressor based tree multiplier shows that various architectures are suitable for various applications based on the statistical properties of signals processed.
In the second part, we address reducing computational redundancy by efficiently sharing computation. This approach reduces the complexity of DSP algorithms without compromising performance. We show that common DSP tasks can be expressed as multiplication of vectors by scalars and by using a graph theoretic approach, one can obtain a solution which efficiently shares computation to eliminate all multipliers from the algorithm. We demonstrate this point by obtaining very low-complexity multiplierless filters. New multiplication strategies are proposed which reduce redundant computation from such operations, thereby resulting in a low-power and/or high speed implementation. The idea of increased computation sharing by introducing further quantizations is also presented and explored for low-complexity design.


Background: The nutritional content of maggot Hermetia illucens L. is very good as a potential source of animal protein as an alternative to natural fish feed. Therefore maggot Hermetia illucens L. is very potential as a substitute for fish meal which is currently the main raw material for fish pellets. Our study sought to determine the effect of a combination of maggot flour and fish meal on the growth of Sangkuriang catfish (Clarias sp.). This research is a continuation of research that has been done in 2017 using fresh maggot as catfish feed and freshwater pomfret.
Methods: Data were performed using a completely randomized design (CRD) technique with 4 replications and 6 treatments of catfish seeds, namely giving maggot concentrations of 10% (P1), 20% (P2), 30% (P3), 40% (P4), 50% ( P5), control treatment (without maggot) and analyzed using ANAVA.
Results: The percentage of maggot 30% and 70% fish meal provide increased growth and good survival for Sangkuriang catfish (Clarias sp.). Statistical tests at a significant level of 5% showed that feeding maggot flour significantly (P> 0.05) on absolute length, relative weight and relative length but did not significantly influence the absolute weight and feed efficiency ratio.
Conclusions: Giving maggot flour can increase the growth rate of Sangkuriang catfish (Clarias sp.) On growth parameters.


The relatively rapid development of a platinum-associated hypersensitivity reaction in an ovarian cancer patient receiving second-line chemotherapy more than a decade following her last course of primary platinum-based chemotherapy demonstrates that the prolonged persistence of immune cells recognizing platinum after sensitization has been established.


The development of sustainable transportation infrastructure for people and goods, using new technology and business models, can prove beneficial or detrimental for mobility, depending on its design and use. The focus of this paper is on the increasing impact new mobility services have on traffic patterns and transportation efficiency in general. Over the last decade, the rise of the mobile internet and the usage of mobile devices have enabled ubiquitous traffic information. With the increased adoption of specific smartphone applications, the number of users of routing applications has become large enough to disrupt traffic flow patterns in a significant manner. Similarly, but at a slightly slower pace, novel services for freight transportation and city logistics improve the efficiency of goods transportation and change the use of road infrastructure. This paper provides a general four-layer framework for modeling these new trends. The main motivation behind the development is to provide a unifying formal system description that can at the same time encompass system physics (flow and motion of vehicles) as well as coordination strategies under various information and cooperation structures. To showcase the framework, we apply it to the specific challenge of modeling and analyzing the integration of routing applications in today's transportation systems. In this framework, at the lowest layer (flow dynamics), we distinguish routed users from nonrouted users. A distributed parameter model based on a nonlocal partial differential equation is introduced and analyzed. The second layer incorporates connected services (e.g., routing) and other applications used to optimize the local performance of the system. As inputs to those applications, we propose a third layer introducing the incentive design and global objectives, which are typically varying over the day depending on road and weather conditions, external events, etc. The high-level planning is handled on the fourth layer taking social longterm objectives into account. We illustrate the framework by considering its ability to model at two different levels. Specific to vehicular traffic, numerical examples enable us to demonstrate the links between the traffic network layer and the routing decision layer. With a second example on optimized freight transport, we then discuss the links between the cooperative control layer and the lower layers. The congestion pricing in Stockholm is used to illustrate how also the social planning layer can be incorporated in future mobility services.


The information technology revolution has produced a network society that Manuel Castells characterizes as space of flows and timeless time . Network logic is inclusive to various dimensions of human life and is exclusive to those who are not involved in the network. In a network society the public sphere is expanding, dynamic and increasingly interactive due to the Internet mediation. The transformation of public space also spreads political power amongst the public. An example is the birth of various volunteer groups that have extensive networks in a short time without face-to-face processes. There have also been various attempts to embrace as many groups as possible as reflected in the change of campaign strategy and regeneration by political parties. In addition, the democratization in the Arab countries ( Arab Spring ) was possibly happened due to the transmission of information and public consolidation which was facilitated by information and communication technology (ICT), specifically social media. The questions are, how far is the role of social media as a forum for political interaction in the network and what kind of interaction that will be formed? This article uses a qualitative approach that contains analytical description that will reflect the transformation of public space in a network society, particularly on how the democratization faces opportunities as well as challenges in its process and the role of social media in the new political interaction. Focusing on Castells' theory of network society, this article shows that the transformation of public space at the political level has led to an existential crisis that engulfed most of political actors at this time.


A total of 150 honey, 43 syrup and 40 dry cereal samples were analyzed for Clostridium botulinum spores, each in triplicate quantities of 25 g. The foods were sampled randomly, except for two lots of honey which were potentially associated with illness. Botulinal spores were detected in a sample of honey associated with infant botulism and in a single sample of rice cereal.


CONTEXT
Delayed puberty (DP) is a common issue and, in the absence of an underlying condition, is typically self limited. Alhough DP seems to be heritable, no specific genetic cause for DP has yet been reported. In contrast, many genetic causes have been found for idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH), a rare disorder characterized by absent or stalled pubertal development.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this retrospective study, conducted at academic medical centers, was to determine whether variants in IHH genes contribute to the pathogenesis of DP.

SUBJECTS AND OUTCOME MEASURES
Potentially pathogenic variants in IHH genes were identified in two cohorts: 1) DP family members of an IHH proband previously found to have a variant in an IHH gene, with unaffected family members serving as controls, and 2) DP individuals with no family history of IHH, with ethnically matched control subjects drawn from the Exome Aggregation Consortium.

RESULTS
In pedigrees with an IHH proband, the proband's variant was shared by 53% (10/19) of DP family members vs 12% (4/33) of unaffected family members (P = .003). In DP subjects with no family history of IHH, 14% (8/56) had potentially pathogenic variants in IHH genes vs 5.6% (1 907/33 855) of controls (P = .01). Potentially pathogenic variants were found in multiple DP subjects for the genes IL17RD and TAC3.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that variants in IHH genes can contribute to the pathogenesis of self-limited DP. Thus, at least in some cases, self-limited DP shares an underlying pathophysiology with IHH.


In the era of e-business, the traditional business services are greatly challenged by the ever-increasing demands from customers with various backgrounds and personalities. Large numbers of new e-businesses are driven by the needs of customers. This paper proposes a situation calculus based approach to dynamically manage e-business services in the ubiquitous and networked environment. By employing this formalism, the approach can implement service model verification and automatic composition.


Abstract Although the skills and attributes, needed for classroom language teaching, have been extensively researched and generic competencies for distance teaching have been defined, the skills required for effective distance language teaching have received little attention, other than with respect to online language learning. The study reported here represents the student-focused phase of a research project into the knowledge, attributes and skills required by distance language tutors. The taxonomy derived from earlier phases of the research was used in a survey of distance language learners (N=144) of French, German and Spanish at The Open University (UK); in-depth interviews were also carried out with 12 students to provide further insights into what students value in their tutors. The study also investigated student perceptions of differences between their requirements of distance tutors compared to classroom tutors. Qualities students considered to reflect effective tutoring intersect with the views of tutors in earlier phases of the research and encompass three meta-themes: the domains of tutor expertise; the affective dimensions of tutor engagement; and organisational dimensions of tutor practice. Implications for learner support and tutor professional development are suggested, together with avenues for further research.


Covalent modification of proteins by phosphorylation represents a major mechanism of signal transduction that contributes to many physiological and pathophysiological processes. The enzymes that regulate protein phosphorylation (e.g., protein kinases and phosphatases) are, therefore, potential targets for the rational design of small-molecule drugs for the treatment of many diseases. A critical aspect of drug design is the reliability of proof-of-principle studies that demonstrate the therapeutic potential of the drug target. Studies using genetically modified mouse models that lack expression of the drug target using gene ablation and RNAi-based technologies have been widely employed. Recently, an alternative strategy using a chemical genetic approach has been proposed. Here, the authors discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the chemical genetic approach for studies of target validation.


The agricultural productivity levels and variations in agricultural performance have been analysed across districts and regions in the state of Uttar Pradesh with the aim of identifying factors that affect land and labour productivity and in turn, rural poverty. The performance of agriculture in Uttar Pradesh has been found to vary considerably across districts and regions and has strong linkages and implications for poverty reduction. Irrigation and fertilizer-use are the major determinants of the level and variations of agricultural productivity in the state. Econometric analysis has indicated strong linkages between agricultural productivity and poverty. An increase of 10 per cent in land productivity would reduce poverty by 4.3 per cent. The dependence of workers on agriculture has shown inverse relationship and 10 per cent reduction in labour force could result in 7.7 per cent reduction in poverty. The study has highlighted the need for strengthening the non-farm employment and income opportunities along with improved farm productivity through resource diversification towards high-value crops like fruits and vegetables. Region-specific development strategies of generating non-farm activities along with improving land productivity are required for reducing rural poverty in Uttar Pradesh. The policy imperatives include public investment in irrigation and incentives to encourage agricultural diversification and intensive-use of inputs like fertilizer.


The aim of this study was to determine the toxic effects of manganese in the brain as well as assess the role that could be played by iron to reduce the toxic effects of manganese in male rats .In this experiment (21) animals of male rats were divided randomly into three groups , the first group(C): it as control group was given saline physiological and given bush normal , the second group( G1): that given manganese chloride concentration of 150 mg / kg of body weight per day , the third group( G2): which given manganese chloride concentration of 150 mg / kg of body weight was also given ferrous sulfate concentration of 30 mg / kg of diet per day. After the end of experiment the following parameters were studied: neurotransmitters included dopamine and acetylcholine in the brain antioxidants included Glutathione and MDA in the brain and superoxide dismutase and Catalase in serum . The results showed that given manganese chloride in rats has led to a significant decrease (P <0.05) in the level of dopamine in the brain with significant increase (P <0.05) in the level of acetylcholine in the brain . Also these results were showed a significant decrease (P <0.05) in the level of Glutathione in the brain , accompanied by a significant increase (P <0.05) in the level of MDA in the brain. While there was a significant decrease (P <0.05) in SOD concentration and CAT concentration in serum . Animals that given of ferrous sulfate simultaneously with manganese chloride in groups G2 has led to obtain a significant improvement in studied parameters compared with the group G1 which given manganese chloride and soon sometimes for control group. Key word : iron , manganese, dopamine, acetylcholine, catalase . Zoology Classification: QP1 –(981). *The Research is apart of on Ph.D. dissertation in the case of the Second researcher


Philosophy has investigated the phenomenon of life [throughout this article, the word "life" is used in its biological sense, not in its biographical sense] from two perspectives: the philosophy of life (PhL) and the philosophy of biology (PhB). Both perspectives are currently converging (section 1). PhL uses more and more information from biology, and PhB has recently broadened its scope to include problems such as the concept of life and the ontology of living beings. This article claims that the concept of living being is prior to that of life, and that we cannot understand what life is if we do not deal first with the ontological question of the living being (section 2). In order to investigate this kind of problem we need the conceptual resources of both the above-mentioned perspectives. The convergence between these two perspectives needs therefore to be welcomed and fostered. In order to contribute to this convergence, this paper addresses the ontology of living beings via the concept of difference (section 3) which belongs to both traditions. We find that the concept of difference is already present in Aristotle's biological and philosophical works. Today it has appeared forcefully in the so-called philosophy of difference, as well as in the biology of development. The thesis that will be defended here is that each living being is a difference, and that finding out what this is will require metaphorical creativity and the analogical use of biological concepts. These are the conclusions summarized in section 4.


Experimental studies show that dc and dynamic chirps in directly modulated distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers cause even larger distortion penalties in lower speed (155-622 Mb/s) wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) fiber transmission systems than in high speed (2.5 Gb/s) when the passband edges of the wavelength-selective components act as frequency discriminators and result in FM-to-AM conversion. Such penalties impose laser-to-filter wavelength alignment accuracy requirements on the order of 0.1 nm for 1-dB penalty. Low-chirp lasers such as directly modulated fiber Bragg grating lasers are shown to reduce penalties to less than 0.5 dB for 0.2-nm detuning.


Background. Observational studies evaluating elective training programs may be biased if learners who enroll differ from nonenrollees. To assess self-selection bias, we compared participants who enrolled in 2 different online courses in complementary and alternative medical therapies. Methods. Participants were recruited from entering classes in medicine, nursing, social work, and dietetics, and residencies in family medicine and pediatrics. The 2 electives were (a) herbs and dietary supplements and (b) mind–body skills training. Participants completed standardized questionnaires before training. Results. The 218 participants had an average age of 28 years; 76% were trainees. There were no significant differences between enrollees in mind–body skills and herbs and dietary supplements with regard to age, gender, stress levels, mind–body training or practice, mindfulness, empathy, compassion, or resilience. Conclusions. Those who enroll in mind–body skills are not measurably different than those who enroll in herbs and dietary supplements. There is no evidence of self-selection bias or "preaching to the choir."


Baby boomers in Australia are entering retirement with a higher life expectancy and more wealth than any generation before them. Mental and physical decline can make it difficult or impractical for many older people to safeguard their own financial interests. In particular, guardians and attorneys who manage property for the elderly have the opportunity to misuse their power to enrich themselves. Responding to recommendations from law reform commissions, Australian legislatures tend to impose the strictest form of fiduciary regulation on guardians and attorneys. Bucking the trend, this article argues in favour of a flexible model of fiduciary regulation. This model originates from historical Chancery jurisprudence and continues to enjoy support in New South Wales. The prevailing, strict model not only tends to be overprotective, it also ignores the reality that litigation about the properties of the elderly is often driven by inheritance expectations. The flexible model can alleviate the potential overprotectiveness of fiduciary law and accommodate harmless conflicts in close families.


This study describes a low-power 16-bit logarithmic signal processor built using clocked adiabatic logic. The circuit has been designed and implemented using an Austria Micro Systems 0.35 μm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process. A test device has been fabricated and functionally verified. The processor architecture has an active area of 0.57 mm2. Simulation results with this architecture, using clock frequencies up to 100 MHz have confirmed results from other researchers that clocked adiabatic consumes up to ten times less power than conventional CMOS logic.


Query languages for XML such as XPath or XQuery support Boolean retrieval where a query result is a (possibly restructured) subset of XML elements or entire documents that satisfy the search conditions of the query. Web search engines, on the other hand, are based on the ranked retrieval paradigm, but do not consider the additional information and rich annotations provided by the structure of XML documents and their element names. Furthermore, web search engines have very little "semantic" data and are thus unable to cope with ambiguous search terms. Ontological knowledge and appropriate index structures are necessary for semantic similarity search on XML data extracted from the web. In this paper we present a powerful ontology index which supports domain-specific semantic similarity search with a new measure for expressing the relevance of query results.


Abstract : This report summarizes work conducted to establish a purification procedure specific to a narrow-spectrum antimicrobial peptide. This antimicrobial agent, termed a bacteriocin, was evaluated in previous work and determined to exhibit activity against a pathogenic organism of interest to the Army, Bacillus anthracis Sterne, a surrogate of the active form of Bacillus anthracis. As the current application of broad-spectrum antimicrobials promotes the development of multi-drug resistant microorganisms, targeted antimicrobials are being investigated as a suitable alternative. Although bacteriocins have exhibited great promise as narrow-spectrum antimicrobial agents, their wide-spread adaptation has been limited in part due to the time-consuming and costly processes employed for development. The work cited in this report presents a robust purification procedure for an individual bacteriocin to maximize the yield of the antimicrobial peptide for employment in future assays and development into a platform, such as a textile, that relays antimicrobial activity.


Aim: To assess the perception of fourth year MBBS students regarding online learning during Covid 19 pandemic. Study Design: Cross sectional survey. Setting: Department of Community Medicine, Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Duration of study: Four months, from April to July, 2022. Study population: All students registered in fourth year MBBS. Methodology: A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 154 study participants. It consisting of two sections. The first part consisted of background information of study participants. The second portion assessed the perception of students regarding online education during Covid 19.The data was recorded and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Data were described in the form of frequencies and percentages and presented as tables. Results: Study participants included 51% females, 57%-day scholars and 83% who had done FSc. Around 62% did not find online learning effective, 73% had communication difficulties, 75% liked self-directed approach of online learning but 74% thought that it was difficult to collaborate with each other, 71% found time management easy, though it was difficult to ask questions and receiving answers (59%). Around 78% of students perceived lack of satisfaction compared with class room learning, 66% preferred face to face learning and 73% found online education less comprehensible than class room activities. Among students, 53% recognised online learning as enjoyable and 34% wanted it to be done regularly, as 32%students never experienced any difficulty during online sessions. The main issues faced in online activities were absence of internet connection (85%), poor computer skills (73%), electricity breakdown (85%) and lack of concentration (80%). Practical implication: The present study highlighted that majority of fourth year MBBS students preferred classroom learning in comparison with online sessions. In light of pandemic, online education has proven valuable in managing sudden crisis, which is why it was important to understand the student perception regarding online education during covid-19 at Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Conclusion: Compared with males, higher number of females complained of lack of internet access and having poor computer skills. Seminars and regular training must be undertaken by medical colleges for their staff and students to inculcate interest and highlight the importance of online education as one of the tools for learning. Online education must be made more interactive and student cantered to create interest and improve student concentration. Keywords: Perceptions, online learning, MBBS students, Covid-19 pandemic, face to face education, communication barriers,


The acidophilic iron and sulfur oxidizing bacteria were isolatedfrom black water ecosystem, an 'extreme' ecosystem affected indirect or directly by peat land Isolation and selection were done on minimal media (liquid and solid). All selected strain of bacteria (BB 179, OM 349, AH 41, TB 23, TB 27, TP 3, NN 323, and SI 188) were identified as Thiohacillus ferrooxidans. Biooxidation and bio-leaching tests were accomplished using the isolated bacteria. The results showed the capability of the isolated bacteria to oxidize ferrous-salt and to leach the low qualities of sulfide ores.


Introduction According to the Finnish regulations the health and physical work capacity of operative firefighters has to meet the demands of work throughout their career, therefore they must be evaluated regularly. This study is part of large research and developmental project of the assessment, feedback and follow-up method of firefighters' physical work capacity (FireFit method). Methods The aim was to find out short term effectiveness of the use of FireFit method. Web-based questionnaire was sent to 18 actors of all 22 regional rescue services (RRS) and to their occupational health personnel (OHP). The response rate was 60%. In addition, the actors of two RRS and their OHP were interviewed about the developmental needs of the method especially concerning ageing firefighters. Result The quality, equality and the use of tests in professional manner has improved. They reported that it has been easier to influence the problems of work ability using the system. As a whole, the comprehensive and work related feedback from the assessments has made discussion easier leading to the real causes of the problems and to wider health promotion issues. The consultation of OHP has been more prevalent and early enough, especially for persons with musculoskeletal problems. A total of 77% of the respondents felt that the quality and comprehensiveness of physical training has improved. However, there were also developmental needs. For example, in all RRS there should be an established and well-known action plan for what to do when ageing firefighter fails to pass the cut-off values of the tests. Discussion The FireFit method seems to act as a tool of co-operation between OHP and actors in RRS. It seems to make early interventions more appropriate for firefighters with decreasing work ability. High quality use of the method requires continuous education and training of its users.


IRS RULINGS: CUTTING THROUGH THE RED TAPE The Internal Revenue Service receives thousands of formal ruling requests for changes in accounting methods or periods, but many of them are unnecessary and can easily be avoided. Under a new initiative, the service has published a number of revenue procedures that allow taxpayers to avoid the formal ruling process for some changes. In the past, those seeking such changes--and in some cases those who wanted to adopt or retain an accounting period -- had to file a formal ruling request with the IRS commissioner using either Form 1128, Application for Change in Accounting Period, or Form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method. Taxpayers that qualify under the new procedures must still file the appropriate forms but need not request rulings. The IRS returns unnecessary ruling requests and refunds any accompanying user fees, but practitioners who are aware of the service's expeditious approval procedures can prevent delays for their clients. This article highlights some of the more common procedures. ACCOUNTING PERIODS C corporations: Revenue procedure 84-34, 1984-1 C.B. 508. Section 1.442-1(c)(2) of the income tax regulations allows many C corporations to change their accounting periods automatically. This procedure expands the group eligible for an automatic change by omitting the 80% annualization requirement found in that section and providing terms and conditions to follow whenever taxpayers have a net operating loss in the short period. A C corporation can use this procedure as long as it * Has not changed its tax year within the past 10 years. * Is not a member of a partnership, beneficiary of a trust or estate or shareholder of a domestic international sales corporation (DISC). * Is not a DISC. * Is not an S corporation and does not elect this status for the year immediately following the change in accounting period. * Is not a foreign corporation that meets the stock ownership requirements of a foreign personal holding company. * Is not a controlled foreign corporation. * Is not a tax-exempt organization. * Is not a cooperative. Section 4.02 of the procedure describes compliance requirements. Section 6 describes how the change should be effected. Partnerships, S corporations and personal service corporations: Revenue procedure 87-32, 1987-2 C.B. 396. No formal ruling request is necessary in these circumstances: * An adoption of or change by one of these entities to an accounting period that is its required tax year (usually the calendar year) is automatic as long as the entity is not terminating its IRC section 444 election and follows the special notification guidelines in section 5 of this procedure. * A taxpayer terminating its section 444 election and changing to its required tax year must follow the procedures described in section 1.444-1T(a)(5) of the regulations. Section 4 of the procedure describes provisions that allow expenditious approval for use of other than a required tax year. They apply to one of these entities if it is not * A taxpayer that has already used these provisions in the past six years (unless it is an S corporation using them in the first tax year in which it no longer meets the ownership tax year test described below). * A PSC seeking to change its tax year that elects S status for the tax year following the short tax year. * A partner in a partnership, a beneficiary of a trust or estate, a U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation or a shareholder of a DISC as of the dates that are listed in the procedure. Section 4 describes two expeditious approval tests. The ownership tax year test allows an S corporation to use a fiscal tax year if the same year is used by shareholders holding more than one-half of the issued and outstanding stock (as of the first day of the tax year to which the request relates) or if these shareholders also are changing to the tax year desired by the S corporation. …


A representative condensation of acrylonitrile and aryl acetonitrile has been reported for the synthesis of α-amino-β-cyano cyclohexene. The reaction was carried out mildly in an open environment at room temperature. The scope and versatility of the method have been demonstrated with 20 examples, containing highly active ethynyl groups. Further applications for 4-aminopyrimidine compounds were performed. A mechanism was proposed, involving Michael additions between acrylonitrile and aryl acetonitriles as well as intramolecular condensation.


DMBA exerts strong oncogenic activity on the mammary tissue of female Wistar rats, inducing neoplasms in 74% of the animals exposed to it. Most of the tumors obtained in this way are of an epithelial nature, and show histological characteristics of malignancy. The castration of animals which have been administered DMBA drastically reduces the appearance of tumors, but does not totally eliminate them. The joint administration of Sulpiride and DMBA neither modifies the incidence of mammarian tumors nor their nature and histology with respect to the tumors obtained from the administration of DMBA alone. Sulpiride does not modify the DMBA tumoral induction in castrated rats. The Sulpiride itself cannot induce mammarian tumors in Wistar rats, according to the Huggins experimental model (production of mammarian tumors in Wistar rats by the administration of DMBA). The stimulating diencephalic action of the secretion of prolactin with Sulpiride is not tumorogenical in the experimental model investigated.


Customer lifetime value (LTV) is an important construct in designing and budgeting for customer acquisition programs and a number of other decision areas. This article adapts a simple taxonomy of buyer-seller relationships to distinguish basic approaches for LTV estimation.


Ontology evaluation is a maturing discipline with methodologies and measures being developed and proposed. However, evaluation methods that have been proposed have not been applied to specific examples. In this paper, we present the state-of-the-art in ontology evaluation - current methodologies, criteria and measures, analyse appropriate evaluations that are important to our application - browsing in Wikipedia, and apply these evaluations in the context of ontologies with varied properties. Specifically, we seek to evaluate ontologies based on categories found in Wikipedia.


Society's approach to children during the past half-century has changed dramatically, and a transformation of medical and hospital pediatric care has followed. Dentistry has been slower to incorporate sound, child-friendly approaches to care. Nonetheless, much has changed in dental practice pertaining to children. The regular involvement of parents in the surgical/therapeutic suite is one such change. Expanded communication to ensure informed consent for treatment as well as consent for type of management approach to children is the standard of care. Since sedation policies are becoming more complex, enhancing the skills of all dentists and staff members in the best methods of nonpharmacological child management will be essential in the next decades. Biobehavioral methods will gain prominence, along with better communication skills of the dental team. These changes will occur only if more time and resources are positioned to teach dental students, dentists, and staff the necessary skills. Emphasis must be placed on early, timely intervention; parental involvement; effective communication; cultural competence; and the "medical/dental home" concept as methods to reduce negative dental attitudes and behaviors of children.


We propose a new exercise, the abdominal rise on the ball, to replace the traditional crunch in exercise programs. The aim of this study is to compare the activity of the abdominal muscles when performing an ARB with the same activity when performing a traditional crunch. Twenty healthy adults participated in the study. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the upper and lower rectus abdominis (URA, LRA), internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), transversus abdominis (TrA), and erector spinae (ES). EMG values were normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction. A paired t-test, nonparametric Wilcoxon test and correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. The normalized EMG values of EO, TrA and ES, were statistically significantly higher during the abdominal rise on the ball compared to the traditional crunch, while URA, LRA and IO were significantly lower during the abdominal rise on the ball compared to the traditional crunch. TrA, EO and IO are sufficiently activated during an abdominal rise on a ball, so the exercise could be deemed effective for strengthening these muscles.


Friction and wear of sliding surfaces are responsible for important energy losses and negative environmental effects. The use of environmentally friendly and cost-effective protic ionic liquids as neat lubricants and lubricant additives has the potential to increase the efficiency and durability of mechanical components without increasing the environmental damage. In this work, three halogen-free protic ionic liquids with increasing extent of ionicity, 2-hydroxyethylammonium 2-ethylhexanoate, 2-hydroxymethylammonium 2-ethylhexancate, and 2-hydroxydimethylammonium 2-ethylhexanoate, were synthesized and studied as neat lubricants and additives to a biodegradable oil in a steel–steel contact. The results show that the use of any protic ionic liquid as a neat lubricant or lubricant additive reduced friction and wear with respect to the biodegradable oil. The ionic liquid with the lowest ionicity reached the highest wear reduction. The one possessing the highest ionicity presented the poorest friction and wear behaviors as a neat lubricant, probably due to the more ionic nature of this liquid, which promoted tribocorrosion reactions on the steel surface. This ionic liquid performed better as an additive, showing that a small addition of this liquid in a biodegradable oil is enough to form protective layers on steel surfaces. However, it is not enough to accelerate the wear process with detrimental tribocorrosion reactions.


Ripe rot caused by Colletotrichum acutatum (CA) has been the most serious preharvest disease of grape berries/clusters. Furthermore, the pathogen is highly resistant to benomyl and iminoctadine-triacetate. A rapid assay for screening ripe rot (CA) resistance of breeding materials in table grapes was developed in which the harvested berries are washed with water and surface-sterilized in ethanol. The berries were then inoculated with conidial suspensions (ca. 3.0 × 10 5 spores/mL per ten berries) in a polyethylene bag, and incubated at 25°C in the dark for 2 weeks. The percentage of diseased berries increased as the ripening of berries proceeded. A period of 70 to 80 days after full bloom was suitable for berry sampling and subsequent CA inoculation to evaluate varietal differences in the ripe rot resistance of grapevine.


Abstract When bilinguals name pictures while in 'monolingual mode', we expect that under conditions of language-constraint and no cognate facilitation, factors influencing lexical retrieval in monolinguals ought to exert similar effects on bilinguals. To this end, we carried out a L1-only naming task on early Hindi–English bilinguals. Results of linear mixed effects analysis reveal AoA, Familiarity, Image Agreement and Codability (availability of alternate names) to be the most significant predictors of lexical retrieval speed for early bilinguals, confirming our expectations. However, we report, for the first time, a by-subject variation in Codability for bilinguals. Implications of the results are discussed in the context of current theories of bilingual lexical access and competition. In preparation for this study, Hindi norms from bilinguals for items in the Snodgrass and Vanderwart set have been established, which will be of use for stimuli selection in experimental studies involving bilinguals.


The aim of this paper is to develop new goodness-of-fit (GOF) tests for the two-parameter Weibull distribution based on the Laplace transform. The principle of the tests relies on the measure of the closeness between the theoretical Laplace transform and its empirical version. Three estimation methods are used to simplify the building of the statistics. The paper also introduces a new version of Caba\~{n}a and Quiroz statistic using the maximum likelihood estimators of the parameters. All these tests are not asymptotic and can be used for small samples size. A comprehensive comparison study is presented. Among all the proposed GOF tests, the best ones are identified. The results strongly depend on the shape of the underlying hazard rate.


The development and progress of artificial intelligence (AI) has greatly changed people's ways of production and life. At this stage, the rise of all kinds of terminal products and industry due to artificial intelligence rapid rise, it promotes the development of the country, social and individuals, but at the same time, as a result of artificial intelligence in benefiting the nation, society and individual human beings, the lack of critical thinking has caused many in the formulation of laws and regulations, employment and ethical issues. Take one-dimensional people, Marcuse profoundly pointed out the absence of critical thinking and the rule of science and technology on state, society and individual. Whether the artificial intelligence can bring people benefits and convenience while correctly applying critical thinking to deal with the crisis caused by it becomes the key factor for the artificial intelligence to continue to better benefit mankind.


Araecerus fasciculatus (De Geer) (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), a cosmopolitan pest, especially of stored coffee and cocoa beans, is reported for the first time as a pest of papaya in the Philippines. The weevils were first observed to infest papaya planted outside the greenhouses of the Institute of Plant Breeding, Crop Science Cluster, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Banos, College, Laguna in 2007. Hence, a survey was conducted from 2007 to 2010 to determine the extent of occurrence of the weevil. The nature of damage on papaya is also described for the first time. The life stages reckoned from field-collected specimens were also studied. The eggs are laid on near-ripe fruits and the developing larvae feed inside the maturing fruits, causing blister-like spots which become cracked wounds and later start to rot and become covered with molds. Key Words: Anthribidae, Araecerus fasciculatus , Carica papaya , coffee bean weevil, papaya


Designed for organizational leaders and business graduate students, this book is a great guide on planning and implementing a business strategy that will lead to success in the present without jeopardizing the future (Sustainable Business Strategy). The book covers important concepts of strategy planning, strategy thinking, complexity, sustainability, and how to leverage these concepts to build a winning business strategy. A real world example is provided for each concept.


Part 1: the epidemiology of work-related injury, G. Letz the worker's compensation system, J. LaDou the occupational health clinic, F. Leone, S, Schumann administrative aspects of patient care, T. Herington, L. Morse information management and computer application, K. Wolfe legal issues, E. Spieler ethical issues, L.H. Clever. Part 2 Occupational injuries: hand and wrist injuries, Leonard Gordon elbow and shoulder injuries, J. Halbrecht neck and thoracic spine injuries, G.P. Keane low back pain, M. Sontag knee injuries, L. Anderson foot and ankle injuries, E. Spector head trauma/mild traumatic brain injury, D. Doherty, J. Wilson eye injuries, T.O. Paul, R. Stamper injuries to the skin, E. Sheretz burns, B. Toth respiratory injuries, J. Balmes, C. Scannell chest and abdominal injuries, B. Medoff. Part 3 Special issues: challenges in patient management, T. Herington pain management, M. Rokeach, W. Baumgarten cumulative trauma disorders/repetitive motion injuries, T. Herington, L. Morse building-related illnesses, R. Harrison work-related infections/exposures, G. Fujimoto toxic/chemical exposures, P. Lichty temperature-related injuries, J. Forsyth noise-induced hearing loss, S. Tierman vibration-related injuries, P. Pelmear pressure-related injuries, J. Farmer, R. Moon radiation exposure, G. Voelz lightening and electrical injuries, G. Pasternak psychiatric issues - stress, suicide and violence, R. Smith, G. Becker. Part 4 Prevention and control: medicine and safety, R. Spence personal protective equipment, L. Morse, T. Herington practical ergonomics, L. Morse, T. Herington vocational rehabilitation, L. Bloomberg, A. Campbell White drug testing, B. Pohlman. Appendix: Addresses/resources - OSHA, NIOSH, toxicology resources, various state worker's comp institutes/agencies.


Three patients with severe symptomatic iron deficiency anemia and thrombocytopenia had a significant rise in platelet count a few days following packed red blood cell transfusion. Pre-transfusion platelet count of patient one was 17 x 10(9)/L, 22 x 10(9)/L in patient 2 and 29 x 10(9)/L in patient 3. On the 6th day post transfusion, the platelet count rose to 166 x 10(9)/L in patient one, 830 x 10(9)/L in patient 2 and 136 x 10(9)/L in patient 3. The possible mechanisms behind such an unreported observation are discussed.


Abstract : The United States government and the US military are struggling with strategic communications. To succeed the USG must improve its ability to understand the social context and cultural characteristics of the population, identify target audiences from a population, and engage the target audience through unified action. The Quadrennial Defense Review Roadmap for Strategic Communications and the Department of Defense, Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Strategic Communication both concluded that the US military must organize supporting communications capabilities better to provide a coherent message through unified action synchronized with operations. The current Department of Defense solutions to military strategic communications do not address the entire scope of the strategic communications problem. Consequently, the messages are still ineffective and not synchronized with other military actions to mass effects on the battlefield. To remedy this situation, the US military needs a more effective planning process and organizational structure to help commanders focus their military strategic communications planning efforts at the operational and tactical level. Achieving success in strategic communications requires an agile, adaptable, and scalable planning process that provides a commander a framework to synchronize message and action in their area of operations. Political campaigning was one resource identified by the Department of Defense Science Board. Applying the political campaign planning process to military strategic communications suggests such a framework. The framework presented at the conclusion of this paper was derived from an assessment of the current shortfalls in the strategic communications system and a comparison of that system with political campaign processes. The framework provides a foundation from which to alter current military doctrine.


The coordination geometries of 154 dinuclear di-\mu-chloro, di-\mu-bromo and di-\mu-fluoro five-coordinate (4 + 1) copper(II) complexes have been analyzed by the structural correlation method. Two reference CuII polyhedra have been established: (i) a trigonal bipyramid (TBP) in which the equatorial bond lengths are equal, but with the symmetry at the metal often deformed from D3h to C2, and (ii) an elongated square pyramid (SQP), with either a pyramidally or tetrahedrally distorted base, in which the trans valence angles are equal. Six different paths for the SQP⇌TBP deformation of the CuII coordination have been established from three criteria: (a) the location of the bridging ligands (axial and equatorial or equatorial and equatorial in TBP); (b) the nature of the deformation of the SQP base plane (pyramidal or tetrahedral); (c) whether a bridging or nonbridging bond is elongated in a SQP. The causes of the angular distortions from C2 symmetry along the apical bond of a SQP, typical for the TBP⇌SQP Berry path, are analyzed. A progressive reduction of the tetragonal elongation of the Cu—D apical (SQP) bond length along the SQP⇌TBP transformation path and trigonal equalization of the three equatorial Cu—D (TBP) bonds are observed. The dependence of the average Cu—Cu′ distance and Cu—X—Cu′ angles on the deformation path are also established.


ABSTRACT Drawing on pragmatic and occupational sociology, this paper examines how individuals in Sweden embark on occupations that are in nascent stage and for work tasks that are weakly defined. I accompanied a group of aspirants as they moved from a higher vocational education programme into the labour market, following their learning journeys towards emerging occupational roles. The present paper focuses on how they face reality tests related to their unclear occupational futures and the navigation of ethical grey zones when in the labour market. These tests occur in transition from education to work, and particularly for emerging occupations, due to the uncertain and fragile logics that surround new work tasks; in this case, offering digital data services. Through encountering these tests, aspirants are offered the opportunity to negotiate and develop moral competence, although they vary in their coping strategies. The findings of this analysis set out to contribute to the literature on how individuals are prepared for emerging occupations and propose the concept of 'weak-form occupations' as a means to characterise and examine education to work pathways that are less intuitive or predictable.


Texture is the term used to characterize the surface of a given object or phenomenon and is an important feature used in image processing and pattern recognition. Our aim is to compare various Texture analyzing methods and compare the results based on time complexity and accuracy of classification. The project describes texture classification using Wavelet Transform and Co occurrence Matrix. Comparison of features of a sample texture with database of different textures is performed. In wavelet transform we use the Haar, Symlets and Daubechies wavelets. We find that, thee 'Haar' wavelet proves to be the most efficient method in terms of performance assessment parameters mentioned above. Comparison of Haar wavelet and Cooccurrence matrix method of classification also goes in the favor of Haar. Though the time requirement is high in the later method, it gives excellent results for classification accuracy except if the image is rotated.


The history of empirical social research projects tends to be downplayed in histories of National Sociologies and indeed sociology more generally. The history of New Zealand social research began with the iconic 'Littledene' study and then showed broadly similar patterns over time with Sociology departments hosting somewhat empiricist community surveys, often at least in part as student exercises, in their earlier years with this tradition largely abandoned after the 1980s although continuing in some policy research circles. Community-orientated research has been largely replaced by small-scale ethnographic studies applied across a very wide range. There is, too, a more statistical tradition that has continued in New Zealand sociology. The topics and research methods used in empirical social research have been partially shaped over time by organisational arrangements, societal and government research agenda, funding opportunities, ethical constraints and trends in fashionable methodologies so some of these effects are pointed to. Although there have been connections with the empirical sociologies of the world metropolitan core, New Zealand empirical social research has largely remained local and has seldom affected policy-makers the general public, or the broader sociological community.


Purpose: Investigation of safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and anti-tumor activity of the Lewis Y-specific, fully humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) IGN311 in patients with Lewis Y positive tumors in a Phase I clinical trial. Experimental Design: Twelve patients (pts) were enrolled in an open-label, uncontrolled, dose escalating Phase I study. Three pts received 50 mg, three pts 100 mg and six pts 200 mg IGN311 by i.v. infusion on days 1 and 15. Blood samples were taken immediately before infusion, and 0.5, 4, 8, 24 hours post infusion, as well as on days 3, 5 and 8 after the first and second infusion, respectively, and day 29. A final visit was scheduled for day 43. Results: No drug related adverse events were observed in the 50 mg and 100 mg dose groups. Three out of six patients in the 200 mg dose group showed drug related adverse reactions with nausea, vomiting and hypotension in one patient (NCI CTC grade 3) being the dose limiting toxicities. t1/2 of IGN311 was ~20 days after second infusion of IGN311. Sera of patients receiving IGN311 were capable of lysing Lewis Y positive tumor cells in vitro by both, complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Circulating tumor cells found in the peripheral blood in two out of twelve pts prior to treatment were reduced after treatment to below the quantification limit of the detection method. None of the patients showed an increase in the number of disseminated tumor cells during treatment period. Conclusions: The good safety and PK profile, the biological activity regarding CDC and ADCC mediated tumor cell lysis, and the elimination of circulating tumor cells warrant further clinical investigation of IGN311.


BACKGROUND
Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in both athletes and the general population. A major problem accompanying ankle injury is the high rate of recurrence, with about 20% of acute ankle sprain patients developing chronic ankle instability. Unlike acute ankle sprain, chronic ankle instability usually needs surgical intervention. Various anatomic reconstruction techniques using the ruptured ends of the ligaments to restore stability have gained popularity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional results of the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability with anatomic repair of the injured ligaments and reinforcement with polyester tape.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
A prospective study of 30 consecutive patients who underwent anatomic reconstruction of the lateral ligaments using transosseous suturing and augmentation using a polyester tape done at a single centre by a single surgeon from 2016 to 2017. All patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at 6 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) and Free Online Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) were recorded and used for results analysis.

RESULTS
At 12 months' follow-up, the AOFAS had improved from mean 52.47 ± 2.06 to 91.0 ± 6.03 (p< 0.001) .The FAAM mean score had improved from mean 55.21± 1.9 to 90.43 ± 4.02 Conclusion. The ankle ligament reconstruction with additional polyester tape augmentation is an effective technique in treating chronic ankle instability with a satisfactory surgical outcome.


The invention relates to a composite impactor for percussion crushers, said impactor comprising a ferroalloy which is at least partially reinforced with titanium carbide in a defined shape, said reinforced part comprising an alternate macro-microstructure of millimetric areas concentrated with micrometric globular particles of titanium carbide, which are separated by millimetric areas essentially free of micrometric globular particles of titanium carbide, the areas concentrated with micrometric globular particles of titanium carbide forming a microstructure wherein the micrometric gaps between the globular particles are also filled by the ferroalloy.


Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the tumor characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes of adjuvant treatments after surgery with a curative aim for patients with breast cancer who are 65 years and older. Materials and Methods Patients with breast cancer who underwent curative surgery from 2000 to 2009 were analyzed (n=4,388). Tumor characteristics and survival outcome were compared by dividing the patients into two age groups (< 65 and ≥ 65 years old). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for comparison of survival rates by log-rank test, and a Cox regression model was used to examine the effect of variables. Results Among 4,388 patients with invasive breast cancer, 317 patients (7.2%) were 65 years or older and the median age of all patients was 47 years (range, 18 to 91 years). Tumor characteristics were similar between the two age groups, but the older patients were treated less often with adjuvant treatments. During a median follow-up period of 122 months, recurrence-free survival (RFS) was equivalent for patients 65 years and older compared to younger patients, but significantly worse in overall survival (OS) and breast cancer–specific survival (BCSS) (5-year OS, 94.3% vs. 90.5%; p < 0.001 and 5-year BCSS, 94.7% vs. 91.8%; p=0.031). In the multivariate model, age ≥ 65 years old was identified as an independent risk factor for OS and RFS. Conclusion Elderly breast cancer appeared to have worse outcomes with very low prevalence in Korea, despite similar tumor characteristics. More active adjuvant therapies would have a role for aggressive subtypes for fit, elderly patients.


The production of official statistical and geospatial data is often in the hands of highly specialized public agencies that have traditionally followed their own paths and established their own production frameworks. In this article, we present the main frameworks of these two areas and focus on the possibility and need to achieve a better integration between them through the interoperability of systems, processes, and data. The statistical area is well led and has well-defined frameworks. The geospatial area does not have clear leadership and the large number of standards establish a framework that is not always obvious. On the other hand, the lack of a general and common legal framework is also highlighted. Additionally, three examples are offered: the first is the application of the spatial data quality model to the case of statistical data, the second of the application of the statistical process model to the geospatial case, and the third is the use of linked geospatial and statistical data. These examples demonstrate the possibility of transferring experiences/advances from one area to another. In this way, we emphasize the conceptual proximity of these two areas, highlighting synergies, gaps, and potential integration.


Retinoids are potent, effective, and versatile therapeutic agents. They ameliorate chronic diseases, such as the inherited disorders of keratinization; they virtually cure nodulocystic acne; and they may well prevent some epithelial tumors of the skin and genitourinary tract. They are also toxic. Much is known about the biologic and biochemical effects of retinoids, yet very little is known about their basic mechanisms of action. Therefore, knowledge of their clinical efficacy and toxicity is based largely on empiricism and careful observation. Retinoids are reliably effective treatment for some diseases yet are only sporadically effective for others. Early investigations with vitamin A led to the expectation that synthetic retinoids would be effective therapy for acneiform eruptions and inherited disorders of keratinization. As anticipated, isotretinoin had a predictably beneficial effect on nodulocystic acne and autosomal recessive (lamellar) ichthyosis. Further clinical experience with isotretinoin yielded some surprising results. Nodulocystic acne not only improved after a course of therapy but also


Introduction: Racial and ethnic disparities in limb-salvage surgery have been reported among adult sarcoma patients. The purpose of this work was to explore treatment patterns by ethnicity and gender in a cohort of pediatric sarcoma patients Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all consecutive patients under the age of 18 treated for sarcoma at the study institution with diagnoses from 1999 to 2011 who underwent surgery for limb salvage or amputation. Statistical analysis of patient demographics (age, sex, ethnicity and BMI) was performed to assess for factors associated with limb salvage surgery. Results: 51 records were identified as pediatric patients who underwent surgery for extremity sarcoma in the defined study period. 5 records were excluded due to inadequate availability of body site or surgery type documentation, leaving a cohort of 46 patients. Hispanic patients were more likely to undergo amputation (10 of 36) compared to non-Hispanics (5 of 10; p = 0.03). Female patients were more likely to have had limb salvage (8 of 17) than males (7 of 29; p = 0.04). Logistic regression analysis showed no difference between likelihood of limb salvage and amputation when stratified by BMI or age. Conclusions: Hispanic ethnicity and male gender were predictors of amputation in a cohort of pediatric sarcoma patients undergoing surgical treatment. Further study should be devoted to identifying underlying factors for ethnic and gender discrepancies between treatment groups. Citation Format: Jeremy Somerson, Isaac Kim, Rajiv Rajani. Ethnic and gender disparities in limb-salvage rates among pediatric sarcoma patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A51.


Several groups developed in the last years augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) programs and apps to visualize 3D molecules, most rather static, limited in content, and requiring software installs, some even requiring specialized hardware. During the Covid-19 pandemic, our team launched moleculARweb (https://molecularweb.epfl.ch), a website that offers interactive content for chemistry and structural biology education through web-based AR that works on consumer devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops. The website quickly got thousands of student and teacher users, a substantial fraction of them accessing from their homes given the pandemic. Teachers have been increasingly requesting more biological macromolecules to be available in AR, a demand that we cannot satisfy individually. Therefore, to allow them to build their own material, and also to help us expedite development of activities, we built a web interface where any user can build any online AR experience in few steps starting from a PDB structure or from virtual objects/scenes exported from VMD. We here briefly describe the tool, that is accessible at https://molecularweb.epfl.ch/pages/pdb2ar.html.


Abstract
Purpose
The modern social and political order is characterised by a range of disparate moralities which lead to a plethora of interpretations and competing perspectives as to what ought to be the appropriate ethical template for corporate social responsibility. The possibility of uniting these disparate threads into a unified whole is explored by addressing the complex philosophies of Immanuel Kant and his alleged successor, Hans Kelsen; paying particular attention to their contrasting views of the proper foundations of public consensus towards establishing an idealised moral community of corporate actors.

Design/methodology/approach
The research is library-based and suggests that philosophy (in this instance, Kant's moral philosophy and Kelsen's general theory of law and state, for example) is able to offer an alternative rational and morally grounded ethics of law and governance; pertinent to the effective governance of corporate behaviour and moral management practices.

Findings
Central concepts, characteristic of both the Kantian and Kelsenian philosophical methodologies, have the capacity to act as a positive influence on the development of effective CSR mechanisms for assuring greater accountability. In addition, it is suggested that by prescribing ethically appropriate corporate behaviour as a first consideration, such philosophical frameworks are capable of providing a powerful disincentive against corporate crime.

Originality/value
The paper is interdisciplinary and (in an era of mistrust, global financial impropriety and other corporate misdemeanours) explores the utility of a philosophical approach towards articulating the conditions for imposing a moral duty incumbent upon all corporate actors in addressing the practical and conceptual needs of their shareholders and wider society.


The oxygen consumption rate of a freshwater catfish Clarias gariepinus in relation to the individual different body weight classes was investigated. The average body weight of the fry and fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus were 0.25 – 0.50 g, and 3.80 – 6.60 g, respectively. The oxygen consumption rates for both treatments (feeding and starvation) for Clarias gariepinus fry ranged from 1.28 mlO2h-1 to 9.55 mlO2h-1 and for the fingerlings was 0.13 ml O2 h-1 to 0.89 mlO2h-1 when fed commercial to satiation (37% crude protein). Oxygen consumption ranged from 1.675 mlO2h-1 to 1.163 ml O2 h-1 for the fry, and from 4.244 mlO2h-1 to 0.170 mlO2h-1 for fingerlings starved for 72 h. Oxygen consumption rate differed in both sizes and between feeding status during the measurement period compared. Oxygen consumption rates was also influenced by the prevailing temperature (range= 18oC – 20oC) in which it decreased during nighttime and increased during daytime (24 – 28oC). Individual oxygen consumption was positively correlated with body weight but was inversely correlated with the unit weight of the catfish.


Since Kamiokande, the basic design of water-Cherenkov detectors has not changed: the walls of a water tank are lined with photodetectors that capture Cherenkov photons produced by relativistic particles. However, with this design the majority of photons are lost in insensitive regions between photodetectors, while at the same time most photodetectors are outside the ring and remain dark. To fix both issues at once, we propose fixing retro-reflectors between all photodetectors. These devices will reflect uncollected photons back through their emission point onto photodetectors at the other side of the tank, producing a secondary, delayed Cherenkov ring. Numerical simulations show that, due to the parallax effect of this antipodal ring, our system can yield up to 2x improvement of detector vertex and angle resolutions. This improvement would be beneficial for kinematic selection of multi-ring events and would lower detector costs by decreasing the number of required photodetectors.


Like the sequence of the strongest 601 clone nucleosome of Lowary and Widom, the SV40 genome sequence contains tracks of YR dinucleotides separated by small integers of the 10.4n base series (10, 11, 21 and 30 bases). The tracks, however, substantially exceed the nucleosome DNA size and, thus, correspond to more extended structure - columnar chromatin. The micrococcal nuclease digests of the SV40 chromatin do not show uniquely positioned individual nucleosomes. This confirms the columnar structure of the minichromosome, as well as earlier electron microscopy studies.


 Collected data from Ministries of Education and development partners in 40 developing countries on selected Paris Indicators which were adapted for this education sector exercise (Table 1). Additional to the Paris Indicators information was collected on: three-year predictability of domestic financing and development partners' commitments; learning outcomes; governance of Local Education Groups (LEGs); and participation of civil society in education sector processes.


We present specific sources, including specimens of the Medicean cabinet and geological outcrops in Tuscany, probably used by Nicolaus Steno to build a theory on the origin of organic fossils, crystals and sedimentary strata, in order to construct the history of the Earth based on universal geometric principles. Phenomena he observed in Tuscany and in precedeing travels were revealing a sequence of events consistent with the biblical account. We propose that he devised his method to reconstruct a chronology of primordial events to demonstrate the historicity of the biblical creation in contrast to unorthodox thinking. This had been spreading in philosophical circles of northern Europe since the 1650s, circles frequented by Steno before his arrival in Tuscany in 1666. Steno knew in advance what places to visit to find fossils from literature such as Michele Mercati's Metallotheca. This was a manuscript owned by the Florentine Carlo Dati, whom Steno probably heard about while in Paris in 1664-1665. In Tuscany he soon formed a tight interaction on matters regarding the interpretation of fossils with the local community of learned men. These included Giovanni Alfonso Borelli who was asked by Prince Leopoldo de' Medici to provide Steno with fossils from Sicily and Malta. Steno's theory and scale-independent, geometrical method of inquiry of geological objects found in Tuscany is hinted at in his Canis Carchariae Dissectum Caput, a geological essay completed in a few months in 1666. The theory was published in its most complete form in the so-called Prodromus of 1669. In both works he demonstrated that fossils in younger strata in the Tuscan hills, such as shark teeth and molluscan shells, have an origin analogous to solids which living animals form. In both essays he explicitly related the deposition of strata with marine fossils to the biblical flood, an idea foreshadowed in his oldest known manuscript of 1659, when he was a student in Copenhagen. He found no fossils in older sandstones of the Apennines and understood those strata to have formed before the creation of life. These discoveries  and other observations he made in Tuscany were, for Steno, the final proof that natural philosophy and biblical revelation disclose in synergy the mysteries of God's creation.


BACKGROUND
Isolated pulmonary valve stenosis (PVS) is a common heart defect (6-9%); the preferred treatment is balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV).

AIM
To assess BPV results in children with isolated PVS treated between 1988 and 2004, with a mean follow-up of 6.1 +/- 3.4 years.

METHODS
The studied group consisted of 137 children (76 males and 61 females), aged 5.4 +/- 4.8 years. The diagnosis was based on physical examination, ECG, chest radiograph, echo, haemodynamic and angiocardiographic studies. The patients were divided into three groups, depending on the ratio of right ventricular systolic (RVSP) to systemic pressure (SP): I (n = 58) - RVSP < or = 75% of SP, II (n = 41) - RVSP = 76-100% of SP, III (n = 38) - RVSP > 100% of SP. In 7.3% of patients, dysplastic pulmonary valve (DPV) was seen. The balloon diameter to pulmonary valve annulus ratio was 1.29 +/- 0.1, and 1.42 +/- 0.1 in DPV children.

RESULTS
Immediately post-BPV, the patients showed significantly (p < 0.001) decreased pressure gradient across PVS (I: 49.3 +/- 11.1 - 12.5 +/- 7.6, II: 75.6 +/- 12.3 - 17.0 +/- 13.0, III: 117.3 +/- 28 - 17.9 +/- 15.5 mmHg), decreased RVSP (I: 65.3 +/- 10.3 - 28.6 +/- 7.6, II: 91.7 +/- 11.6 - 35.0 +/- 14, III: 133.0 +/- 27.3 - 38.4 +/- 19.2 mmHg) and end-diastolic RV pressure (I: 6.2 +/- 3.0 - 5.6 +/- 7.6, II: 6.3 +/- 3.0 - 5.5 +/- 2.9, III: 8.5 +/- 3.0 - 7.2 +/- 2.3 mmHg), non-significant (p > 0.05) increase in pulmonary artery pressure in group I (15.8 +/- 1.1 - 16.8 +/- 0.9 mmHg) and II (15.8 +/- 1.2 - 17.8 +/- 1.3 mmHg) and a significant (p < 0.003) rise in group III (14.5 +/- 1.3 - 19.4 +/- 2.1 mmHg). The procedure was ineffective only in one (2.4%) child in group II, who required surgery. Complications were seen in five (3.6%) patients, including one case of a balloon being lodged in the iliac vein (surgical repair). Follow-up echo showed similar to immediate post BPV values of pressure gradients across PVS. Pre-BPV subpulmonary stenosis was seen in 5.1%, post-BPV - 15.3%, and end of follow-up - only 3.6% of children, mainly from group III. Pre-BPV tricuspid insufficiency > IIo was noted in 8.8%, significantly more frequently in group III; while in late follow-up, it was seen in 7.2%, e.g. twice as often in group III vs. groups I and II. Pulmonary regurgitation > IIo increased from 2.2% before BPV to 25.5%, i.e. 17.2%, 24.4% and 39.5%, respectively in groups I-III. Restenosis was observed in eight (5.8%) patients (group I - 1, III - 7), of whom five had re-BPV, two were operated on and one was disqualified due to insignificant restenosis.

CONCLUSIONS
These long-term follow-up data confirm efficacy and safety of BPV performed in children with isolated PVS.


Rha1, an Arabidopsis Rab5 homolog, plays a critical role in vacuolar trafficking in plant cells. In this study, we investigated the localization of Rha1 and Ara7, two Arabidopsis proteins that have highly similar amino acid sequence homology to Rab5 in animal cells. Both Ara7 and Rha1 gave a punctate staining pattern and colocalized when transiently expressed as GFP- (green fluorescent protein) or small epitope-tagged forms in Arabidopsis protoplasts. In protoplasts, transiently expressed Rha1 and Ara7 colocalized with AtPEP12p and VSR(At-1), two proteins that are known to be present at the prevacuolar compartment (PVC). Furthermore, endogenous Rha1 also gave a punctate staining pattern and colocalized with AtPEP12p to the PVC. Mutations in the first and second GTP-binding motifs alter the localizations of GFP: Rha1[S24N] in the cytosol and Rha1[Q69L] in the tonoplast of the central vacuole. Also, mutations in the effector domain and the prenylation site inhibit membrane association of Rha1. Based on these results, we propose that Rha1 and Ara7 localize to the PVC and that GTP-binding motifs as well as the effector domain are important for localization of Rha1 to the PVC.


Investigation of hormonal homeostasis in 51 women with urogenital disorders (urogenital prolapse, vaginal atrophy, urinary incontinence) and 10 healthy women (control group) was carried out. There was studied the concentration of pituitary-ovarian hormones, thyroid and adrenal glands hormones. The hormonal research showed a significant reduction of gonadotropins, prolactin, total testosterone, DHEA-S, cortisol in women of late reproductive age with urogenital disorders. In perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with urogenital disorders gonadotropins and TSH rates increased. Levels of prolactine, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone total, DHEA-S and cortisol reduced. In perimenopausal women with urogenital disorders level of total thyroxine (Т4) was significantly elevated.


Background: Little is known about the patterns of care related to the diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including the use of modern diagnostic techniques such as flow cytometry. A population-based analysis of the diagnostic process for CLL patients, including predictors and consequences of diagnostic delay, could fuel quality improvement efforts. Methods: The SEER-Medicare linked database for the years 1991–2003 was used to identify traditional Medicare enrollees diagnosed with CLL. Both inpatient and outpatient claims were analyzed from one year before, through six months following, the SEER diagnosis date. Signs, symptoms, and diagnostic studies commonly encountered in CLL diagnoses were identified by ICD-9 diagnosis and CPT procedure codes. Using the dates on claims, we calculated the time between the first visit for a sign or symptom and the SEER diagnosis date. Diagnostic delay was considered present if this time period met or exceeded the median number of days for the sample. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of receipt of flow cytometry and of diagnostic delay, using clinical and sociodemographic predictor variables. Overall survival was examined using a Cox proportional hazards model. Analyses were adjusted to account for a known lag time in SEER cancer diagnosis dates. Results: We studied 5,086 patients who met eligibility criteria. Of those, 2,282 (48.9%) had a claim for flow cytometry during the study period, and 1,965 (38.6%) were performed within 30 days of the SEER diagnosis date. The most frequent signs and symptoms prior to diagnosis were infection (32.2%), lymphocytosis, (28.7%), and anemia (23.9%). The median survival time was 9.9 years. The median time between sign or symptom and CLL diagnosis date in SEER (defined as diagnostic delay) was 63 days (interquartile range = 251). Significant predictors of diagnostic delay included age of 75 or higher (OR=1.45, 95% CI = 1.27 to 1.65), female gender (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.39), urban resident (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.19 to 1.79), one or more comorbidities, as measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR = 2.83, 95% CI = 2.45 to 3.28), and care in a teaching hospital in the year preceding diagnosis (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.38). Significant predictors of receipt of flow cytometry were age below 75 (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.30 to 1.66), urban residence (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.53), northeast residence (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.69 to 2.39), southern residence (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.22 to 1.89) and increasing number of pre-diagnosis signs or symptoms (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.22). In multivariate models, diagnostic delay was not a significant predictor of overall survival (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.98–1.25). Conclusions: In this large national cohort of older adults, age and gender both significantly impact diagnostic delay for CLL, raising a concern for sociodemographic differences in clinicians' responses to signs and symptoms of hematologic malignancy. In addition, our analysis suggests that the presence of comorbidities may lead clinicians to overlook malignancy as an explanation for hematologic anomalies. Finally, initial use of flow cytometry varies significantly by geography and population density, which may reflect knowledge gaps in recommended diagnostic studies or lack of access to hematopathology services.


Motivation: Many models and analysis of signaling pathways have been proposed. However, neither of them takes into account that a biological pathway is not a fixed system, but instead it depends on the organism, tissue and cell type as well as on physiological, pathological and experimental conditions. Results: The Biological Connection Markup Language (BCML) is a format to describe, annotate and visualize pathways. BCML is able to store multiple information, permitting a selective view of the pathway as it exists and/or behave in specific organisms, tissues and cells. Furthermore, BCML can be automatically converted into data formats suitable for analysis and into a fully SBGN-compliant graphical representation, making it an important tool that can be used by both computational biologists and 'wet lab' scientists. Availability and implementation: The XML schema and the BCML software suite are freely available under the LGPL for download at http://bcml.dc-atlas.net. They are implemented in Java and supported on MS Windows, Linux and OS X. Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com; email@example.com Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.


The efficiency of the discrete element method for studying the fracture of heterogeneous media has been demonstrated, but it is limited by the size of the computational model. A coupling between the discrete element and the finite element methods is proposed to handle the simulation of impacts on large structures. The structure is split into two subdomains in each of which the method is adapted to the behaviour of the structure under impact. The DEM takes naturally into account the discontinuities and is used to model the media in the impact zone. The remaining structure is modelled by the FEM. We propose an extension of the coupling procedure to connect the Discrete Element model to shell-type Finite Elements. The efficiency of the coupling method is tested and validated.


OBJECTIVE
The majority of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) do not engage in sufficient leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) to attain fitness benefits; however, many have good intentions to be active. This paper describes two pilot interventions targeting people with SCI who are insufficiently active but intend to be active (i.e., "intenders").

METHOD
Study 1 examined the effects of a single, telephone-based counseling session on self-regulatory efficacy, intentions, and action plans for LTPA among seven men and women with paraplegia or tetraplegia. Study 2 examined the effects of a home-based strength-training session, delivered by a peer and a fitness trainer, on strength-training task self-efficacy, intentions, action plans, and behavior. Participants were 11 men and women with paraplegia.

RESULTS
The counseling session (Study 1) yielded medium- to large-sized increases in participants' confidence to set LTPA goals and intentions to be active. The home visit (Study 2) produced medium- to large-sized increases in task self-efficacy, barrier self-efficacy, intentions, action planning, and strength-training behavior from baseline to 4 weeks after the visit.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS
Study 1 findings provide preliminary evidence that a single counseling session can impact key determinants of LTPA among intenders with SCI. Study 2 findings demonstrate the potential utility of a peer-mediated, home-based strength training session for positively influencing social cognitions and strength-training behavior. Together, these studies provide evidence and resources for intervention strategies to promote LTPA among intenders with SCI, a population for whom LTPA interventions and resources are scarcely available.


Here we investigated how well internal estimates of direction of gravity are preserved over time and if the subjective visual vertical (SVV) and horizontal (SVH) can be used inter-changeably. Fourteen human subjects repetitively aligned a luminous line to SVV, SVH or subjective visual oblique (± 45°) over 5 min in otherwise complete darkness and also in dim light. Both accuracy (i.e., the degree of veracity as reflected by the median adjustment error) and precision (i.e., the degree of reproducability as reflected by the trial-to-trial variability) of adjustments along the principle axes were significantly higher than along the oblique axes. Orthogonality was only preserved in a minority of subjects. Adjustments were significantly different between SVV vs. SVH (7/14 subjects) and between ±45° vs. -45° (12/14) in darkness and in 6/14 and 14/14 subjects, respectively, in dim light. In darkness, significant drifts over 5min were observed in a majority of trials (33/56). Both accuracy and precision were higher if more time was taken to make the adjustment. These results introduce important caveats when interpreting studies related to graviception. The test re-test reliability of SVV and SVH can be influenced by drift of the internal estimate of gravity. Based on spectral density analysis we found a noise pattern consistent with 1/fβ noise, indicating that at least part of the trial-to-trial dynamics observed in our experiments is due to the dependence of the serial adjustments over time. Furthermore, using results from the SVV and SVH inter-changeably may be misleading as many subjects do not show orthogonality. The poor fidelity of perceived ± 45° indicates that the brain has limited ability to estimate oblique angles.


Thanks to their high bandwidth capability, asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSL) and very high speed DSL (VDSL) are access technologies that permit the transmission of several applications simultaneously on telephone subscriber lines. Considering that these applications may require a different quality of service (QoS), and particularly different bit error rates (BER), for transmission, this paper addresses the problem of providing simultaneously two BERs for transmission over a DMT-based ADSL or VDSL link. Both coded and uncoded systems are considered.


Internal control is an integral part of an organization's economic security. The purpose of the study is to determine the internal control tools that allow you to ensure and maintain a sufficient level of economic security of the enterprise. The subject is the internal control system, which is used to identify external and internal threats to the economic security of an economic entity at the micro level. The research methodology is based on the collection and generalization of facts related to the subject under study, the formation of a hypothesis about the subject of research – the Internal Control System (ICS) – and the development of a general idea of ways to overcome existing threats. As a result, the authors made a conclusion about the effectiveness of the internal control system in the enterprise in order to ensure its economic security.


This is a pre-experimental research using one-shot case study design that aims to get the description of physics learning outcomes from cognitive, affective and psychomotor aspect of students in Tenth Science-Grade of SMA Negeri 1 Sungguminasa Academic Year 2014/2015 after being taught by using worksheet based on local wisdom. The subject in this research were students in class X MIA 5 that consist of 41 people. Descriptive analysis showed that in the realm of cognitive, about 2.44% of students ranked in the "very understanding" category, while 90,24% of students were in the "understanding" category and the remaining 7.32% were in the "quite understanding" category. In affective aspect, there are about 95.12% of students who were in the "good" category and 2.44% were in the "quite good" category. Meanwhile, in psychomotor aspect, "highly skilled" category occur in 7.32% of students, while 73.17% of students were in the "skilled" category and the remaining 19.51% were in the "skilled enough" category. The result indicated that the physics learning achievement of students in the whole three aspects is good. Thus, it can be concluded that learning physics by applying worksheet based on local wisdom is one of the alternative that can be used to maximize the physics learning outcomes of students. Keywords: learning outcome, local wisdom, worksheet


Although the future cannot be predicted with certainty, there are a number of potentially useful new bridge concepts and ideas in the offing that give forecasting some credibility. These are discussed first with regard to the repair or rehabilitation of old existing bridges and then with respect to new 21st Century bridges. Three classifications of changes are expected in new bridges: namely minor, major, and radical. Each of these is described in some detail. Finally, examples of some of the more interesting new structures are illustrated, along with their possible locations. It is hoped that this presentation, although speculative, will not only stimulate thinking but lead to the eventual construction of the next generation of bridges.


Certain conflicts between offenders over their illicit activities end in the murder of one of the protagonists. These homicides are refered to as settling of accounts. This article examines why and under what circumstances offenders choose to solve their differences by a settling of accounts. Three categories of conflicts between offenders were identified. The 444 cases of settling of accounts ending with 531 victims that occured in Quebec from 1970 to 1986 were analyzed within those categories. The findings indicate that these homicides occured in cases where the stakes were very high. This study also shows why certain criminal activities and certain illicit markets give rise to more settling of accounts than others.


This article contributes to the understanding of public policies through the proposal and analysis of a new definition of public policy. This definition resulted from an academic exercise led by its author with the participation of various university students from Bogota, complemented by a review of definitions existing in specialized literature. It is divided into three parts. It first justifies the need to provide a new definition that alludes to gaps found in definitions by other authors. Secondly, it outlines the proposed definition, presents considerations about the nature of said definition, and points out some public policy typologies for advancing in understanding the definition. Finally, it analyzes the elements that constitute the definition, pointing out major adjustments introduced from class debates.


In 1923 a magnitude 7.9 earthquake devastated the Tokyo area, resulting in more than 100,000 deaths. About 200 years earlier, in 1703, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck the same region, causing more than 10,000 deaths. These earthquakes, which occurred just south of the area hit by the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake, were produced by slip on the boundary between the subducting Philippine Sea plate and the overlying plate. To estimate the average recurrence time between earthquakes in this region, and thus learn more about earthquake hazard, scientists need to know when earthquakes occurred before 1703. There are few historical documents describing earlier earthquakes, though some records indicate that earthquakes occurred in 1293 and 1433.


The non-linear behaviour of electrorheological (ER) and magnetorheological (MR) dampers makes it difficult to design effective control strategies, and as a consequence a wide range of control systems have been proposed in the literature. These previous studies have not always compared the performance to equivalent passive systems, alternative control designs, or idealised active systems. As a result it is often impossible to compare the performance of different smart damper control strategies. This article provides some insight into the relative performance of two MR damper control strategies: on/off control and feedback linearisation. The performance of both strategies is benchmarked against ideal passive, semi-active and fully active damping. The study relies upon a previously developed model of an MR damper, which in this work is validated experimentally under closed-loop conditions with a broadband mechanical excitation. Two vibration isolation case studies are investigated: a single-degree-of-freedom mass-isolator, and a two-degree-of-freedom system that represents a vehicle suspension system. In both cases, a variety of broadband mechanical excitations are used and the results analysed in the frequency domain. It is shown that although on/off control is more straightforward to implement, its performance is worse than the feedback linearisation strategy, and can be extremely sensitive to the excitation conditions.


Objective: The diagnostic stability of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) at very young ages continues to be debated, despite empirical evidence that ASDs can be reliably diagnosed in children under the age of 3 years. This topic is of the upmost importance given that early intervention increases long-term outcomes in this population. Methods: The goal of the current study was to examine the stability of symptoms of ASD between two assessment times for 114 toddlers. The following was compared from the first to second assessment: diagnostic classification stability, correlations between scores and the impact of time between the first and second assessment. Results: Significant correlations were found for toddlers as young as 18 months of age. In addition, even with up to a year between assessment intervals, symptoms of ASD were relatively stable prior to 3 years of age. Conclusions: Implications of the current findings are discussed.


The processing and cooking of meat, during meat product preparation, affects the DNA quality and its concentration during DNA isolation. In this study, the effect of processing and cooking, during Rista preparation, on meat speciation of beef and buffalo meat in mutton Rista was studied. The study material involved three types of meat i.e. unprocessed meat, Rista emulsion and the final cooked Rista product. In each type of meat, pure meat samples of mutton, beef and buffalo meat were studied along with the adulterated mutton sample having 10% beef and 10% buffalo meat adulteration level. The meat samples were subjected to mtDNA isolation and multiplex PCR analysis. The results of this study showed that processing and cooking decreases the concentration of extracted DNAs but does not affect the detection of beef and buffalo meat in adulterated mutton Rista (unprocessed, processed and cooked) at 10% level of adulteration.