OBJECTIVE
The aim: To compare the quality of root canal system preparation with the use of manual K-files, machine Protaper Universal and Silk files by in vitro studies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Materials and methods: Root canals preparation in 45 extracted premolars was performed in three groups with 15 teeth in each with K-files, Protaper Universal and Silk files. Transverse sections of the dental root were prepared. Histologically were assessed: amount of sawdust and predentin remaining, the purity degree of root canal walls.

RESULTS
Results: When calculating the sawdust amount at the distance of 3 mm from an apex, a high degree of contamination was observed in the manual K-file group: 53.3% versus 33.3% in the Protaper Universal group and against 20.0% in the Silk file group. The amount of predentin after root canal treatment with manual files reached 25-30%. At the distance of 5 mm from the apex the root canals with high and medium purity degree were detected in 86.7% with Silk files and 80.0% with Protaper Universal files used. All predentin was removed when working with Protaper Universal and Silk files.

CONCLUSION
Conclusions: In the histological sections of the root canals treated with K-files, the larger amount of dentine particles and predentin has been revealed than when using machine tools. The largest amount of predentin and dentine were removed with Protaper Universal files. Silk endodontic system is better for treatment of the root canals dentine surface in the apical area compared to Protaper Universal and K-files.


The X chromosome contains 867 identified genes; most of these genes are responsible for the development of tissues like bone, neural, blood, hepatic, renal, retina, ears, ear, cardiac, skin, and teeth. There are at least 533 disorders due to the involvement of the genes on the X chromosome. A 'trait' or 'disorder' determined by a gene on the X chromosome demonstrates X-linked inheritance. In 1961, Mary Lyon proposed that in the cells of mammalian females, one X chromosome out of the two would undergo random inactivation in early embryonic life, and therefore, both males and females have a single active X. Lyon's hypothesis provided an improved understanding of the basic mechanisms responsible for X-linked diseases.Classically, the descriptions of X-linked inheritance are either X linked recessive and X linked dominant. X linked Recessive InheritanceGenerally, it manifests only in males. A male with an affected allele on his single X chromosome is hemizygous and can not transmit the disorder to their male offsprings, but all his daughters would be obligate carriers. Healthy heterozygous carrier females pass the disorder to affected sons. So from affected males, it can be transmitted to male grandchildren through carrier daughter ('diagonal' or 'Knight's move' transmission). RISK CALCULATION: The X chromosome from a male is transmitted to daughters, and the Y chromosome is transferred to sons. If an affected male has kids with a healthy female, none of his male offsprings will be affected, but all of his female offspring will be carriers. If a carrier female has kids with a healthy male, each male offspring has a 50% chance of being affected, and female offspring have a 50% chance of being a carrier.VARIABLE EXPRESSION: Heterozygous female are those who are having mutant allele on one X chromosome, and normal allele on another X. Heterozygous female may have a variable expression of X linked recessive disorder due to the random process of X inactivation involving inactivation of the X chromosome with a mutant allele in some cells while inactivation of the X chromosome with a normal allele in other cells (mosaic pattern).X-LINKED DISORDERS IN FEMALES: Sometimes, females might be affected by X linked recessive disorders. This fact is explainable by one of the following possibilities.(a) Heterozygosity: X inactivation is a random phenomenon that can involve a mutant allele containing X and a normal allele X in equal proportion in the heterozygous female. It is a possibility that the active X chromosome in the majority of the cells of a heterozygous female is the one having a mutant allele (skewed X inactivation), leading to disorder expression; this has been the case in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and hemophilia A.(b) Homozygosity: When both X chromosomes of females have a mutant allele, as reported in hemophilia A and ichthyosis.(c) Translocations: If a female is having a translocation involving an autosome and one of the X chromosomes and the translocation disrupts a gene on an X chromosome, in that case, a female might be affected. This pattern has been observed in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.(d) A female having only a single X chromosome (Turner syndrome), which is bearing a mutant allele. Hemophilia has been reported in the girl infant with the turner syndrome.X linked Dominant InheritanceMale and female both are affected, but females are affected in excess and less severely. Affected males can transmit the mutant allele to female offspring but not to male offspring. Affected females can transmit the mutant allele to 50% of his male offspring and 50% of his female offspring. examples are Vitamin D resistant (hypophosphatemic) rickets, Charcot-Marie-tooth disease.Some X-like dominant disorders, such as incontinentia pigmenti (Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome), showed a mosaic pattern of involvement for heterozygous females.X-LINKED DOMINANT LETHALS: These disorders are incompatible with early embryonic survival. They are seen only in females and not in males because, in the severe form, they will cause the death of a male embryo, but as females are less severely affected female embryo will survive.Current ViewMany female carriers of X-linked 'recessive' disorders demonstrate abnormal phenotype. This is due to the variable expressivity of X-linked disorders and the involvement of several mechanisms (e.g. skewed X-inactivation, somatic mosaicism...etc). So, recently it has been proposed that the terms' dominant' and recessive' should be discontinued, and all disorders should categorize as X-linked.Common X-linked Disorders Red-green color blindness is a common trait that affects at least 10% of men and only one percent of women. The red-green color blindness may be partial or complete, but the latter is much less common. Hemophilia A results from a mutation in the factor VIII gene. Hemophilia A may be inherited or may occur due to a spontaneous mutation. Acquired hemophilia A can occur if a patient develops antibodies to factor VIII. The primary cause of morbidity and mortality in hemophilia A is hemorrhage, which can range from mild to severe. Although rare, transfusions of blood can sometimes lead to transmission of HIV and hepatitis C; this was more common in the 1980s and 1990s. Duchene muscular dystrophy is associated with a mutation in the dystrophin gene and is characterized by profound muscle weakness, leading to respiratory failure and death. X-linked agammaglobulinemia results in the inability to make plasma cells and antibodies. The individual develops susceptibility to a wide range of infections, which can be fatal. Alport syndrome is an X-linked disorder that has a heterogeneous presentation. The pathology involves the basement membrane, and chiefly affects the basement membrane of the kidney in addition to the eyes and cochlea. There appears to a mutation in the type IV collagen gene. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is the most common inherited neurologic disorder that is characterized by an inherited neuropathy in the absence of any metabolic or biochemical dysfunction. The disorder has variable penetrance, and there are also reports of spontaneous mutations. The age of presentation does vary, but the onset of the disorder is usually within the first two decades of life. Fabry disease is an X-linked disorder that involves the lysosomes. In this disorder, there is an excessive accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids in the vascular endothelium, smooth muscle, and epithelial cells. The continued accumulation of glycosphingolipids accounts for dysfunction in almost every organ in the body. In a young person who presents with a history of skin lesions, renal failure, stroke, or a heart attack, one must think about Fabry disease. Other less common X-linked disorders include adrenoleukodystrophy, Kabuki syndrome, and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.


Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) can cause diarrhea, dehydration, and high mortality in piglets, which is closely related to intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis caused by TGEV infection. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is the active metabolite of vitamin A, which has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. However, it is unknown whether ATRA can attenuate TGEV-induced IPEC-J2 cells apoptosis. Therefore, we investigated the protective effects of ATRA on TGEV-induced apoptosis of IPEC-J2 cells and explored the potential molecular mechanism. Our results indicated that TGEV infection caused IPEC-J2 cells damage and apoptosis. However, ATRA treatment attenuated TGEV-induced IPEC-J2 cells damage by upregulating the mRNA expressions of ZO-1, Occludin, and Mucin-1. ATRA treatment also attenuated TGEV-induced apoptosis in IPEC-J2 cells by downregulating the expression of Caspase-3, which is related to the inhibition of death receptor (Fas and Caspase-8) and mitochondrial (Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-9) pathways. Moreover, ATRA treatment prevented TGEV-induced ROS and MDA production and the upregulation of P38MAPK phosphorylation level, which is related to the increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and T-AOC) and the mRNA abundance of antioxidant-related genes (GPX1, GPX2, SOD1, CAT, GCLC, and GCLM). In addition, treatment of TGEV-infected IPEC-J2 cells with the ROS inhibitors (NAC) significantly reduced the protein levels of p-P38MAPK, Fas, Bax, and Cleaved-caspase-3 and the percentage of apoptotic cells. Our results indicated that ATRA attenuated TGEV-induced apoptosis in IPEC-J2 cells via improving the antioxidant capacity, thereby inhibiting the cell damage. the mechanism of which is associated with the inhibition of ROS-mediated P38MAPK signaling pathway.


Concept Description Language (CDL) is a common language that represents the semantics of content in a simple and structured manner. In particular, it is intended to describe Natural Language (NL) texts in a format that can be understood and processed by computers. Since words with multiple meanings can be found from texts, it becomes necessary to perform Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD) in order to achieve a correct representation. This paper presents a WSD approach that determines best candidates for word meanings and contributes to a semi-automatic conversion of NL into CDL. We perform preliminary experiments by evaluating the approach with some test sentences and comparing with other WSD methods. Results suggest that the existence of a proper correspondence of syntactic and semantic relations for the WSD process may lead to an accurate conversion to CDL.


In the present study, the effects of dissolved gas content on the unsteady cavitating flow around a Clark Y-11.7% hydrofoil are investigated in a cavitation tunnel. Lift and drag forces in various cavitating conditions are directly measured by strain gauges attached on the cantilever supporting the hydrofoil. In addition, the cavitating flow is filmed from the top and the side simultaneously using two high speed video cameras. The high (roughly 6–8ppm) and low (1–2ppm) DO conditions are examined to obtain the qualitative tendencies of the effects of dissolved gas on unsteady cavitation behavior and lift/drag characteristics. It is found that that the relationship between the cavitation behavior and the lift/drag fluctuations does not qualitatively differ in the two different DO conditions, while the amplitude is slightly larger in the low DO condition. At transitional cavity oscillation, in the both DO conditions, the lift/drag coefficients increase during the growth stage of sheet/bubble cavities on the hydrofoil and they decrease when the developed super-cavity disappears. Moreover, it seems that the amplitude of the lift/drag forces in the low DO condition is larger than in the high DO condition but the frequency of lift force fluctuation is not very different.Copyright © 2015 by JSME


A bidirectional dc-dc power converter is an essential part of a HFCEV (Hybrid Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) and renewable energy hybrid system. This paper presents a new bidirectional dc-dc power converter for HFCEV and renewable energy hybrid systems. The proposed converter is called four phases floating interleaved boost converter. Two control strategies of the dc-bus voltage are discussed. In the first one, a dual loop with linear current and voltage controllers is developed, based on the frequency response of the system. In the second one, the linear current controller is replaced by a non-linear sliding mode current controller, to improve the system performance from the robustness point of view. The non-linear sliding mode controller is designed based on the average model of the proposed topology. The proposed control strategies have been validated by simulation and experimental results.


Accurate measurement of dielectric properties of granular materials and powders is important in material science, pharmacology, agriculture, and other fields. Granular materials present a wide range of measurement challenges not encountered with solid and liquid samples. This paper presents the calibration process for measurement of granular material properties using a custom-designed dielectric spectroscopy system. The process uses systematic iterative calibration for the individual stages of the measurement circuit, the calibration of the sensor fixture, and the determination of a frequency-dependent phase-shift due to the operational amplifiers in the circuit. The results show that using the calibrated system to measure the air's relative dielectric permittivity noticeably reduces measurement deviation to 0.5%, from more than 30% in non-calibrated mode. Based on the material dielectric signature acquired in the frequency domain, the measurement system can be used to identify a broad variety of granular materials. Since allowing direct contact with the sensor electrodes is undesirable for some materials, this paper demonstrates how insulating the granular material in a thin film during material property measurement can be taken into account.


This chapter reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the Hoabinhian in the context of Southeast Asian prehistory, including the variability and distribution of Hoabinhian sites and assemblages and the nature and significance of archaeological data from the Late Pleistocene and Post-Pleistocene in Mainland Southeast Asia. The term "Hoabinhian" was initially applied during the Colonial Period to hunter-gatherer sites, mainly caves, located in Hoa Binh Province of northern Vietnam. Based largely on stone tool morphology, Hoabinhian sites are now widely distributed across Southeast Asia and southern China. Only a few excavated sites have been securely dated, and so, relative dating remains the main chronological approach, based on formal typological criteria. A simple definition of the Hoabinhian concept with regard to tool types should be reevaluated. However, new discoveries have suggested a holistic view of Late Pleistocene and Holocene culture as the analytical methods of explaining how cultural systems work within obvious limitations balance the attention focused on technologies.


Background and aims : The safety and health performance measurement, designed to provide the necessary information on the concern to progress and the current state of the organization's strategies, processes and activities. The purpose of this study is to present a new model for the development of safety performance indicators using the probability risk assessment model and applying experts' opinions. Methods : This descriptive-analytic study was carried out in 3 steps: categorize of the construction face activities and its related hazards identification; formation of the accident causal network occurred in the oil and gas refinery construction phase using the Bayesian network and the selection of key performance indicators using AHP method. Results : The statistical analysis of the recorded accidents showed that 21% of the incidence rate is related to the falling. Among all the construction phase activities, using the WBS analysis of the project, 27 activities with work at height risk of were identified. 18 active performance indicators were extracted the accident causal network that using SMART criteria and occurrence probability rate Calculated from the Bayesian network was selected as 5 active key performance indicators. Conclusion : Determining the leading performance indicators is influenced by various organizational, managerial, operational and other factors. As the project progresses, the nature and level of risk of the operation of construction projects is changing. Therefore, indicators of safety performance measurements in these projects should be sensitive to rapid changes. For this reason, active indicators with a short-term measurement period are more effective in measuring the safety performance of construction operations.


Results of histological examinations of sentinel lymphatic nodes (SLN) obtained by rapid peroperative biopsy (RPB) are presented. Our first experience with 77 patients undergoing localized excision of axillary sentinel nodes is reported. Negative nodes were subsequently examined by means of immunohistochemistry of serial sectioned blocks. The aim of the study was to verify the percentage of identified metastases, and thus define the reliability of the RPB. At the same time we tried to determine the ratio of the negative biopsies of SLN, which were found positive subsequent to immunohistochemistry examination of serial sections, to the total amount of peroperative negative findings or a "false negativity". Our results were compared with those recently published. Particular demands and possibilities of the method used are briefly discussed. In the group of 77 patients with breast cancer, the total number of 193 SLN were examined (average 2.5, in a patient ranging from 1 to 7). Out of all examined SLN, 45 patients (58.4%) were negative. Metastases were identified in 32 patients (41.6%). By rapid preoperative biopsy alone, metastases were found in 24%, which represents 75% sensitivity. The specificity was 100%. The following examination of serial sectioned specimens with or without immunohistochemistry showed 8 more patients with metastases, which represents the false negativity of 15.1%. The metastases found in all 8 patients were small micrometastases, isolated tumour cells or clusters of cells.


In October 2004, the Productivity Commission released a Discussion Draft
of its review of the National Competition Policy Reforms. While this
discussion draft is largely focused on competition and economic outcomes,
it also includes a draft proposal for a national review of consumer protection
policy and administration in Australia. The writer argues that such a review
is long overdue. The consumer protection provisions of the TPA have not
been subject to a comprehensive review in 30 years, and there is a risk that
they are failing to keep up with changes in consumer markets, developments
in other countries and in the States and Territories, and a more sophisticated
understanding of consumer behaviour. However, the Productivity
Commission's proposal appears to be pre-occupied with consumer policy as
a subset of competition policy. Instead, the writer suggests that if consumers
are to obtain the full benefits of a review, that review must treat consumer
policy as a high level policy goal in its own right, recognise the limitations of
competition theory and practice in protecting consumers, especially those
who are vulnerable or disadvantaged, and be supported by leadership from
the Commonwealth Government.


A full understanding of the assembly mechanisms of coordination complexes is of great importance for a directional synthesis under control. We thus explored here the formation mechanisms of the two new heterometallic nanoclusters [DyIII4NiII8(μ3-OH)8(L)8(OAc)4(H2O)4]·3.25EtOH·4CH3CN (1) and [DyIII10MnIII4MnII2O4(OH)12(OAc)16(L)4(HL)2(EtOH)2]·2EtOH·2CH3CN·2H2O (2) with different cubane-based squarelike ring structures, which were obtained from the reactions of 4-bromo-2-[(2-hydroxypropylimino)methyl]phenol (H2L) with Dy(NO)3·6H2O and the transition metal salt Ni(OAc)2·4H2O or Mn(OAc)2·4H2O. The high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESI-MS) tests showed that the skeletons of clusters 1 and 2 have a high stability under the measurement conditions for HRESI-MS. The intermediates formed in the reaction courses of clusters 1 and 2 were tracked using time-dependent HRESI-MS, which helped to determine the proposed hierarchical assembly mechanisms for 1 (H2L → NiL → Ni2L2 → Ni3L4 → Ni4L4 → DyNi4L5 → Dy2Ni6L6 → Dy3Ni6L6 → Dy3Ni7L7 → Dy4Ni8L8) and 2 (H2L → MnL → DyMnL → DyMn2L → Dy2Mn2Lx → Dy8Mn2L2 → Dy10Mn2L2 → Dy10Mn6Lx and H2L → DyL → Dy4L2 → Dy6L2 → Dy8Mn2L2 → Dy10Mn2L2 → Dy10Mn6Lx). This is one of the rare examples of investigating the assembly mechanisms of 3d-4f heterometallic clusters. Magnetic studies indicated that the title complexes both show slow magnetic relaxation behaviors and cluster 1 is a field-induced single-molecule magnet.


Although borders haunt its historical and recent past as well as its contemporary political situation, Kashmir has rarely been theorized as a borderland. This article examines the perspective of borderlands as conceptualized in North American, Asian and African borderlands scholarship. It argues that the application of this perspective – in which borderlands are defined as middle grounds where imperial competition and negotiations among a variety of imperial and indigenous actors led to the production of distinct political cultures – to rethinking Kashmir's history has the potential to liberate the region from the imperatives of national borders that misread its history, while also reinvigorating South Asian borderlands scholarship.


The crystallographic and magnetic structures of compounds at room temperature were refined by Rietveld analysis of the neutron powder diffraction data. The analysis indicates that (x = 5,8) compounds have type structure . For x = 5 Ga atoms partially occupy 18h and 18f sites with the occupancies of 0.40 and 0.43, and for x = 8 they occupy 18h, 18f and 6c sites with the occupancies of 0.20, 0.80 and 1.0 respectively. The magneto-anisotropy changes from easy planar to easy-axial when the Ga content x increases from 5 to 8. The magnetic measurements show that the magnetic ordering temperature increases abnormally with Ga content x increasing from 6.5 to 8. This paper gives a reasonable explanation for this phenomenon.


Reheating after inflation occurs due to particle production by the oscillating inflaton field. In this paper we describe the perturbative approach to reheating, and then concentrate on effects beyond the perturbation theory. They are related to the stage of parametric resonance called preheating. It may occur in an expanding universe if the initial amplitude of oscillations of the inflaton field is large enough. We investigate a simple model of a massive inflaton field coupled to another scalar field X. Parametric resonance in this model is very broad. It occurs in a very unusual stochastic manner, which is different from the parametric resonance in the case when the expansion of the universe is neglected. Quantum fields interacting with the oscillating inflaton field experience a series of kicks which occur with phases uncorrelated to each other. We call this process stochastic resonance. We develop the theory of preheating taking into account the expansion of the universe and backreaction of produced particles, including the effects of rescattering. The process of preheating can be divided into several distinct stages. At the first stage the backreaction of created particles is not important. At the second stage backreaction increases the frequency of oscillations of the inflaton field, which makes the process even more efficient than before. Then the effects related to scattering of X-particles terminate the resonance. We calculate the density of X-particles and their quantum fluctuations with all backreaction effects taken into account. This allows us to find the range of masses and coupling constants for which one has efficient preheating. In particular, under certain conditions this process may produce particles with a mass much greater than the mass of the inflaton field.


Abstract The rectification of oscillatory tidal currents on the sloping sides of a low submarine bank is discussed using the moment method. This method has been previously used in shear dispersion studies where it is used to analyze the advection-diffusion equation. In the present problem it is applied to the barotropic potential vorticity equation linearized about an oscillatory, spatially uniform tidal velocity. To apply the method it is necessary to assume that the topography produces only a small change in depth. The method economically provides the most important qualitative properties (e.g., transport, location and width) of the time averaged current. These results are obtained without making an harmonic truncation. They can then be used to assess the accuracy of the harmonic truncation approximation used by other authors. It is shown that harmonic truncation correctly predicts the transport and location of the rectified current when the bank is low. However if the width of the bank is much less tha...


The product mixture of isomeric hexanesulfonic acids in the ultraviolet light-induced sulfoxidation of n-hexane under various conditions has been analyzed by gas chromatography. On the basis of the data thus obtained, the relative reactivities of different C–H bonds in n-hexane towards light-excited sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide have been estimated. The ratio of the reactivities of C1–H : C2–H : C3–H has been calculated to be 1:0.8–1.3: 3.2–6.2. The higher reaction temperatures tend to lower the reactivity of C2–H. The mole ratio of SO2 vs. O2 has an appreciable effect on the composition of the isomers. The lower reactivity of C2–H than that of C3–H may be explained by the intermediary formation of a six-membered ring.


The numerical robustness of simulation results from explicit time integration is an important topic. We know for real world applications of passive safety and crashworthiness that we have some numerical noise, but the interesting question is if that really does influence significantly our simulation results. Furthermore, today the robustness of the designs against naturally given input scatter, in loading conditions, geometry or material become part of the virtual product development process. Then, the prognosis of the variation of important simulation results using stochastic analysis procedure is necessary. Again the question arises how much of the calculated variation is coming from numerical noise. The paper will present a procedure of numerical robustness evaluation using stochastic analysis to quantify the scatter of simulation results. Using coefficients of determination, a procedure of deselecting variation identified by correlation to physical input scatter and "undefined" variation is introduced. The breakthrough in practical application and the acceptance of stochastic analysis for robustness evaluations was achieved by using linear and quadratic correlations and the corresponding measures of determination as well as by projection of statistical measures on the finite element structure.


Extracts from isoflavones and soya are increasingly being investigated in clinical studies for their suitability in treating menopausal symptoms. Systematic reviews have pointed out substantial shortcomings in the methodological quality of the studies and mostly reached the conclusion that phytoestrogens from soya or red clover are not effective in treating menopausal symptoms. Further, insufficient data are available to evaluate the safety of phytoestrogen preparations. They do therefore not provide an alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for the treatment of hot flushes.


Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune process, and the dysregulated overproduction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays an important role in its pathogenesis. Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-6 receptor, and is recommended for use in RA. (1) There is evidence demonstrating good outcomes with TCZ in patients who have disease refractory to B-cell depletion with rituximab (RTX), a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting CD20 B-cells, with up to 18 months' follow-up. (2) Long-term data, however, on the efficacy, safety and tolerability of TCZ in RA that is refractory to sDMARDs, anti-TNF and RTX are lacking. Objectives To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of TCZ in real patients with RA refractory to synthetic DMARDs, anti-TNF agents and B cell depletion therapy with RTX, beyond 2 years. Methods We retrospectively studied 45 patients from two centres who received TCZ for median 48-months (range, 9–72) duration. All patients received anti-TNF and RTX previously. Efficacy and safety was evaluated according to the EULAR response criteria and EMEA guidance, respectively. Wilcoxon matched ranks test was used to assess changes in outcomes. Results Of 45 patients, 36 (80%) had previously discontinued RTX due to inefficacy and 9 (20%) due to intolerance. At most recent follow-up, median 48 months, 30 of 45 (67%) patients were continuing TCZ and 15 (33%) had discontinued, 7 due to inefficacy and 8 others due to intolerance. Of 36 patients with RTX-refractory RA, 25 (69%) were continuing TCZ and 11 had discontinued due to, inefficacy in 6 (17%) and intolerance in 5 (14%): 2 patients due to diverticulitis, 2 due to upper respiratory tract infections and 1 due to discitis. Of the 9 patients with RTX-intolerance, 5 (56%) were continuing TCZ and 4 (44%) had discontinued: 1 patient due to inefficacy and 3 due to intolerance, who had a prior history of hypogammaglobulinemia and infections associated with RTX. There were no significant differences in lipid profile in 25 of 36 of patients continuing TCZ therapy whereas 11 required statin therapy. Conclusions A majority of patients with RA refractory to synthetic DMARDs, anti-TNF and RTX responded to TCZ. Lipid profile in a majority of patients was stable in the long-term. Key messages: 1. The efficacy of TCZ is sustained in the long-term in patients with RTX-refractory RA. 2. TCZ appears to be safe in patients previously treated with RTX. TCZ does not alter lipid profile in a majority of the patients with RTX-refractory RA. References NICE. National Institute of Health and Care Excellence: tocilizumab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (rapid review of technology appraisal guidance 198). http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta2472012 Addimando O, Possemato N, Macchioni P, Salvarani C. Efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in refractory rheumatoid arthritis: a real life cohort from a single centre. Clin. Exp. Rheumatol. 2014;32(4):460–464 Acknowledgement The authors would like to thank Angela Smith, Pauline Buck, Nicola Whitbread, Nicola Daly and Lindsay Kidd for their help with maintaining a record of patients receiving tocilizumab at the two centres. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Transitions between light and darkness are particularly important where these serve as Zeitgebers to synchronize circadian rhythms. A special case is photoperiodism, which depends on the accurate detection of light-dark transitions and on the coupling of this information to a timing mechanism that appears to be based on the circadian clock. Results from laboratory experiments are considered in relation to the natural changes experienced at dawn and dusk, and evidence is presented that the light-dark transitions that couple to the timing mechanism in short-day plants are perceived through changes in irradiance rather than through changes in light quality. It has been generally accepted that the light-dark transition is sensed by a decrease of P$\_{fr}$ levels in darkness, whereas dark-light is sensed by the rapid formation of P$\_{fr}$ in the light. However, P$\_{fr}$ in light-grown plants appears to be rather stable and so changes in P$\_{fr}$ level after transfer to darkness may not be a sufficiently accurate method of detecting the light-dark transition in photoperiodism. The paper reviews some of the evidence from photoperiodic experiments and concludes that the plant may discriminate between light and darkness through the continuous or intermittent formation of `new' P$_{fr}$.


We present the results of a 3.3 yr project to monitor the flux density of Sagittarius A* at 2.0, 1.3, and 0.7 cm with the Very Large Array. Between 2000.5 and 2003.0, 119 epochs of data were taken with a mean separation between epochs of 8 days. After 2003.0, observations were made roughly once per month for a total of nine additional epochs. Details of the data calibration process are discussed, including corrections for opacity and elevation effects, as well as changes in the flux density scales between epochs. The fully calibrated light curves for Sgr A* at all three wavelengths are presented. Typical errors in the flux density are 6.1%, 6.2%, and 9.2% at 2.0, 1.3, and 0.7 cm, respectively. There is preliminary evidence for a bimodal distribution of flux densities, which may indicate the existence of two distinct states of accretion onto the supermassive black hole. At 1.3 and 0.7 cm, there is a tail in the distribution toward high flux densities. Significant variability is detected at all three wavelengths, with the largest amplitude variations occurring at 0.7 cm. The rms deviation of the flux density of Sgr A* is 0.13, 0.16, and 0.21 Jy at 2.0, 1.3, and 0.7 cm, respectively. During much of this monitoring campaign, Sgr A* appeared to be relatively quiescent compared with results from previous campaigns. At no point during the monitoring campaign did the flux density of Sgr A* more than double its mean value. The mean spectral index of Sgr A* is α = 0.20 ± 0.01 (where Sν ∝ να), with a standard deviation of 0.14. The spectral index appears to depend linearly on the observed flux density at 0.7 cm with a steeper index observed during outbursts. This correlation is consistent with the expectation for outbursts that are self-absorbed at wavelengths of 0.7 cm or longer and inconsistent with the effects of simple models for interstellar scintillation. Much of the variability of Sgr A*, including possible time lags between flux density changes at the different wavelengths, appears to occur on timescales less than the time resolution of our observations (8 days). Future observations should focus on the evolution of the flux density on these time-scales.


The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties and volatile compound contents of Moju acquired from 12 restaurants in Jeonju. The alcohol contents were lower than 2.1%, and the pH values ranged from 3.85 to 4.38. Total acidity, , and UV absorbance values differed among the samples according to the type of side materials added. Reducing sugar contents were found to be substantially superior to other commercial takju variants. Malic and lactic acid contents were higher than the contents of other organic acids, and the free sugar contents were as follows: maltose>glucose>fructose. Overall, the high b (yellowness) and cP values were attributable to the turbid yellow and heavy condition of the samples. The volatile compound contents of Moju were analyzed via GC and GC/MSD. 30 components were identified, including 3 alcohols, 12 esters, 7 hydrocarbons, and 4 aldehydes. Among the alcohol compounds, benzeneethanol levels were higher than the levels of isoamyl alcohol. Ethyl caprate, ethyl palmitate, and ethyl linoleate, which were fundamentally attributable to origin liquor, were highest among the 12 esters. (E)-cinnamaldehyde, which was the most abundant among 7 hydrocarbons, and (E)-cinnamyl acetate contents were attributed to the presence of cinnamon, a common supplement in the processing of Moju.


Durbin O., Chesselet P. & Labat J.-N. 2010. — Richesse de l'herbier de Paris en types d'Astragalus asiatiques et lectotypification d'Astragalus superbus Bunge (Fabaceae). Adansonia, sér. 3, 32 (1): 125-133. ABSTRACT The richness of the Paris herbarium in Asian Astragalus types and lectotypification of Astragalus superbus Bunge. In the context of the Global Plants Initiative digitization project of nomenclatural types and associated data, 864 type specimens of Asian and Middle-Eastern Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) species were discovered in the Paris herbarium collections (P). Emphasis is laid on the Bunge collection from which a significant number of Astragalus type specimens originate, as well as on the Paris herbarium's richness in type specimens. Finally, a lectotype is designated for Astragalus superbus Bunge based on material used in this study.


The most critical issue of an H.264/AVC decoder is the system architecture design with balanced pipelining schedules and proper degrees of parallelism. In this paper, a hybrid task pipelining scheme is first presented to greatly reduce the internal memory size and bandwidth. Block-level, macroblock-level, and macroblock/frame-level pipelining schedules are arranged for CAVLD/IQ/IT/INTRA/spl I.bar/PRED, INTER/spl I.bar/PRED, and DEBLOCK, respectively. Appropriate degrees of parallelism for each pipeline task are also proposed. Moreover, efficient modules are contributed. The CAVLD unit smoothly decodes the bitstream into symbols without bubble cycles. The INTER/spl I.bar/PRED unit highly exploits the data reuse between interpolation windows of neighboring blocks to save 60% of external memory bandwidth. The DEBLOCK unit doubles the processing capability of our previous work with only 35.3% of logic gate count overhead. The proposed baseline profile decoder architecture can support up to 2048/spl times/1024 30 fps videos with 217 K logic gates, 10 KB SRAMs, and 528.9 MB/s bus bandwidth when operating at 120 MHz.


As people's increasing requirement on rehabilitation and Chinese medicine, acupuncture has been extensively spread all over the world. Furthermore, due to the acupuncture cost low, and it has a curative effect, more people require acupuncture therapy. The effective acupuncture department design could improve both the doctor's and the patient's outcome. However, there are few pieces of research on the acupuncture department design.
This research focuses on the doctor's work efficiency in the acupuncture department. Through the method of literature review, observation and simulation, recommend layouts are given aim at improving the doctor's efficiency. It is found problems of confusing circulation, infection issues and patient's privacy-invading through observation. In addition, the layout of the acupuncture department is simulated and analyzed based on the space syntax theory. Furthermore, this research proposed recommendations based on the concept of the universal room.


Detecting and recognizing text in natural scene images is a challenging, yet not completely solved task. In re- cent years several new systems that try to solve at least one of the two sub-tasks (text detection and text recognition) have been proposed. In this paper we present STN-OCR, a step towards semi-supervised neural networks for scene text recognition, that can be optimized end-to-end. In contrast to most existing works that consist of multiple deep neural networks and several pre-processing steps we propose to use a single deep neural network that learns to detect and recognize text from natural images in a semi-supervised way. STN-OCR is a network that integrates and jointly learns a spatial transformer network, that can learn to detect text regions in an image, and a text recognition network that takes the identified text regions and recognizes their textual content. We investigate how our model behaves on a range of different tasks (detection and recognition of characters, and lines of text). Experimental results on public benchmark datasets show the ability of our model to handle a variety of different tasks, without substantial changes in its overall network structure.


The Central and Eastern European countries have made considerable economic progress since the capitalist transformation. This paper investigates whether there is a co-movement between two factors of well-being, improvement of economic and health status between 1995 and 2018 compared to the six founding European Union (EU) member states. Applying the Pedroni- and Fisher-type cointegration test and a panel vector error correction model, our estimations suggest that there is a mutual causal relationship between economic convergence measured in GDP per capita and health status convergence measured by life expectancy. The long-term bi-directional effects are also proved by impulse response functions. Using the same econometric methods, the examination of the relationship between government health expenditure and life expectancy indicates that governmental health expenditure promotes the health status convergence. This study concludes that the FDI-based, low-wage growth model of the Central and Eastern European countries has not impeded the convergence in both factors of well-being to the founding EU member states. The results demonstrate that the improvement of the healthcare system may be a channel for the acceleration of convergence.


: With our new biopsy-device it is now possible to perform fine-needle punctures of lesions in the abdomen, thoracic cage, cervical region and extremities under continuous visual control. This intervention can easily be done with low risk for the patient and can be repeated whenever necessary. It has proven its advantages for amniocentesis as well, especially in cases with a low amount of amniotic fluid. Moreover, our new device allows the combination of sonographical and radiological interventions, for example of the kidneys.


A rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap has been used to repair the abdominal wall, chest wall, sternum, breast, and groin. We describe a patient in whom a large deformity in the buttock caused by a road crash was repaired with a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap. Distally-based TRAM flaps provide a good and reliable way of reconstructing the buttock. Its advantages are a long arc of rotation and well-vascularised bulky tissue that serve as a partition and promote quick healing of the defect. However, the flap is not the first choice for traumatic and infected wounds where fatty tissue is not desired.


This study by Shi (1) is one in a series of studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of long-stem revision arthroplasty supplemented with cerclage for the management of Vancouver B2 peri-prosthetic femur fractures after total hip arthroplasty (THA). No randomized trials exist addressing the optimal management of such fractures; instead, management guidelines have been developed based upon accumulation of level IV evidence. This study reported the outcomes of 14 patients after a mean of 5.2 years. All patients had clinical and radiological fracture union within 6.5 months and no adverse events were reported. A mean Harris hip score of 83 points is above what has been typically reported for revision THA (2).


Although we are accustomed to drawing the ire of some readers, the Message from the Editor on the neurological exam generated a particularly large number of responses, both formal and informal. The more formal responses are now included in the correspondence section of this issue of Annals of Neurology, and we recommend them to you. We found them insightful and thought provoking, and we agree with some of the points raised. First, we want to reiterate that we love the neurological examination nearly as much as our own children, and like them, we recognize our healthy bias to exaggerate strengths and gloss over weaknesses. Our suggestion for more evidence is really a request to give the examination more opportunities to shine and to encourage its growth. Second, we disagree that studies of the neurological examination are necessarily poor. Yes, we have seen many poorly designed studies of specific elements of the exam—and more since the publication of the Message— but there are also many examples of elegant studies that teach us a lot about the examination. Third, we disagree that studies attempting to find new therapies are necessarily more important. We agree that studies of treatments may seem more exciting, and they are certainly necessary, but neglecting a subject that consumes so much time and energy is also inappropriate. Just as we talk about moving toward a future in which every patient is offered participation in a research study, could every student be offered participation in a study about how we teach the examination? Costs and risks of studies of the examination are also much lower, and often the research question can be framed to produce an important advance, regardless of the result. Fourth, we disagree that the neurological examination cannot be studied appropriately using the tools of clinical research. No question, the examination varies by setting, provider, and patient; components of the examination must be considered part of a much larger whole (including history, personality, and other parts of the exam); and gold standards are never perfect. Nonetheless, examination findings are data that we write down and communicate to others. As such, they need to be reproducible and meaningful. If a test is irreproducible in the hands of five master clinical neurologists evaluating the same patient, it's not a helpful test at least in that patient and probably many others. If five medical students can't agree on a finding, perhaps we need a better way to teach that part of the exam. We know this is a big problem for clinical trials; so why do we tolerate it in everyday care? Yes, other approaches to understanding the exam are more than welcomed, particularly given the tacit nature with which it is applied and interpreted, but there is plenty we can do with the tools of clinical research. Finally, we agree with the notion that not everything we do requires evidence from a controlled study. The examination has been honed through years of use and repeated practice. We can all relate compelling stories about when it defied expensive testing and saved a patient. Also, it is a very inexpensive and valuable alternative to laboratory and imaging tests. The stance should be to respect it unless there is evidence otherwise, distinct from our approach to therapies. We want to thank our critics for the great dialogue. This gave us an opportunity to question our own stance on the neurological examination and to reaffirm both our love for it and our love for data.


The Environment Agency's Water Resources Strategy (March 2009) states:

"Climate change will affect the amount of rain that supports river flows and replenishes groundwater, and when it does so it will also influence the demand for water and its quality, as well as the way land is used – all of which will put pressure on water resources."

This statement summarises the often conflicting pressures on the management of the water resources system and the additional stress that climate change could place on this. However, the UK water resources sector is undoubtedly one of the more advanced sectors in terms of addressing the potential consequences of future climate change. Indeed, it is virtually unique world-wide in explicitly incorporating climate change into the water resource management process. Both the water industry and regulators have a sound understanding of the potential risks and have provided quantitative evidence of the potential climate-change risks to their business. This understanding has fed into methodologies for incorporating climate change within water resources planning, for both water supply and demand, for the last three Periodic Reviews. These include guidelines from regulators on appropriate methods and data sources and the results of climate change modelling within water company plans.

While the majority of the quantitative work has focused on water supply, the water resources sector also needs to understand the potential risks to water demand and water quality, and some quantification of the potential risk to these from climate change have been considered within water resources planning.


Chronic proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) instability of the finger is rare, and when it occurs usually requires surgical reconstruction. Complications arising from failed ligament reconstruction may result in a situation more difficult to address than the initial reconstruction. This situation is more likely for the finger than other orthopaedic reconstructions because the phalangeal bones are so small. We present a case of chronic radial PIPJ instability of the finger and severe bony defect caused by multiple failed ligament reconstructions that was treated successfully using a modification of the bone-ligament-bone graft technique.


For all their ostensible difference and separateness, Judaism and Christianity have a long history of mutual engagement and profound entanglement. I take Daniel Boyarin's assertion that '…the borders between Christianity and Judaism are as constructed and imposed, as artificial and political as any of the borders of the earth' (2004, 1) as my starting point. But what Boyarin sees as an ongoing process of differentiation between Judaism and Christianity and distinct identity-building in late antiquity, I look for still today in Christian Zionism. The busy border crossing continues to separate people and ideas at the same time as it serves as the meeting place between them, the uncomfortable place where Judaism and Christianity rub up against each other. This paper examines some constructions of the Jewish–Christian border by way of two case studies of prominent religious leaders, each firmly at home in their respective communities, Jewish and Christian, who ventured out to the borderland of Christian Zionism. This is the story of what happened when they returned home to find themselves examined by those who monitor the Jewish–Christian border, and deemed to be over the limit with intoxicants brought over from the 'other side'.


Background. Fungal infections remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in lung transplant recipients. Aerosolized amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) may be more efficacious than conventional amphotericin B in the prevention of fungal infections in animal models, but experience with aerosolized ABLC in humans is lacking. Methods. We conducted a prospective, noncomparative study designed to evaluate safety of aerosolized ABLC in lung or heart-lung transplant recipients. Results. A total of 381 treatments were administered to 51 patients. Complete spirometry records were available for 335 treatments (69 in intubated patients, 266 in extubated patients). ABLC was subjectively well tolerated in 98% of patients. Pulmonary mechanics worsened by 20% or more posttreatment in less than 5% of all treatments. There were no significant adverse events related to study medication in any patient, and 1-year survival for all enrolled patients was 78%. Conclusion. Administration of nebulized ABLC is safe in the short-term and well-tolerated in lung transplant recipients. Additional prospective, randomized studies are needed to determine the efficacy of aerosolized ABLC alone or in conjunction with systemic therapies in the prevention of fungal infections in lung transplant recipients.


Liver fibrosis is common sequel of chronic liver injury regardless of any etiology. The experimental animal models of hepatic fibrosis remain hallmark for the evaluation of antifibrotic agents prior to clinical studies. Accumulating evidence indicates that carbon tetrachloride, N-nitrosodimethylamine, thioacetamide, ethanol and bile duct ligation models are commonly employed and these models have been extensively studied for their potency of inducing hepatic fibrosis and for the evaluation of various antifibrotic agents in experimental animals. However, none of these experimental models reproduces exactly human liver fibrosis, each model has its own limitation and disadvantages i.e., development of ascites, extra hepatic toxicity, mortality etc. The development, progression and resolution of hepatic fibrosis induced by these hepatotoxins in experimental animals varying on the routes of their administration, frequency (intermittent/chronic) of administration, dose, species, and strain. Nevertheless, over past three decades knowledge gained from these hepatotoxin induced fibrosis models has advanced our understanding of the pathophysiology, molecular mechanisms and wide spectrum of signaling pathways associated with hepatic fibrosis. This article reviews some of the most studied hepatic fibrosis experimental models.


There has been a steady stream of requests for MR imaging studies of the brain for investigating anosmia in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at our institution in Miami, which was briefly the American center of the pandemic. We read with great interest the report of Aragão et al in the September 2020 issue of AJNR, titled "Anosmia in COVID-19 Associated with Injury to the Olfactory Bulbs Evident on MRI," and we have occasionally encountered similar findings in patients with anosmia. In interpreting these examinations, we have assumed (given the limited history available to us) that these patients are either known or presumed to have been infected with COVID-19. As the novelty of these findings has lessened, members of our group have begun to realize similar findings are present in many patients who were referred for unrelated indications. Furthermore, we have ascribed the striking symmetry of the high signal to the presence of methemoglobin. The lack of morphologic (ie, swelling) changes in the areas of high signal and the lack of involvement of the olfactory bulb have led us to question the validity of these findings. The letter by Dr Mamourian published in the February 2021 issue of AJNR closely echoes the suspicion of members of our group that the observed areas of high signal were artifactual, likely secondary to magnetic susceptibility artifacts from the airbone interfaces present in the anterior cranial fossa. In March 2020, a patient underwent 3T MR imaging of her brain at our public hospital for investigation of anosmia. Areas of high T1 signal were present in the anterior cranial fossa bilaterally, localizing symmetrically to the olfactory sulcus and medial orbital gyrus. No abnormality was observed in the olfactory bulb itself (Fig 1). Upon review of the patient's medical records, it was discovered the patient's anosmia greatly predated (by many years) the COVID-19 pandemic and that the patient had antibodies negative for COVID-19. This information heightened our suspicion that the T1 shortening observed in this patient and others with similar findings represented magnetic susceptibility artifacts. It was hypothesized that these findings would be absent or less prominent on a repeat examination with a lower strength magnet, as this is a characteristic of magnetic susceptibility artifacts. After a discussion with the referring physician, the patient returned a week later for a repeat examination on a 1.5T scanner, and the previously observed findings were absent. This strongly indicates an artifactual origin of these findings (Fig 2). While COVID-19 has surely become the most prominent and is an increasingly important cause of anosmia in the American population, other causes of anosmia exist. Learning of purported MR imaging findings in the brain correlating with their symptoms might cause patients distress or a worsening of symptoms. It is incumbent upon neuroradiologists to exercise caution in the description of novel findings in novel diseases.


IL-1β contributes to post-trauma sepsis, and its release requires processing in inflammasomes. Hemorrhagic shock (HS) primes for IL-1β release in response to LPS via yet unclear mechanisms. We have reported that HS-activated neutrophils (PMN) augment LPS/TLR4 signaling upregulation of TLR2 in alveolar macrophages (AM), thereby sensitizing the AM to TLR2 ligands. Here, we addressed the role of upregulated TLR2 in the HS-primed IL-1β processing. WT, TLR4-mutant and TLR2 KO mice were subjected to HS, followed by intratracheal LPS (30 µg/kg B.W.) and PGN (30 µg/kg B.W.) at 2h and 4h after HS, respectively. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) were collected at 2 h after PGN for detection of IL-1β. In vitro, AM were co-cultured with PMN isolated from HS mice, and treated with LPS, PMN was then removed and PGN was added at 2h. IL-1β and caspase-1 maturation in the AM were assessed. In vivo treatments of LPS and PGN caused a marked increase in IL-1β in BALF in the WT/HS mice, but not in the WT/sham, TLR4-mutant/HS or TLR2 KO/HS mice. HS-activated PMN increased TLR2 expression in AM in response to LPS, and subsequently increased caspase-1 and IL-1β maturation in the AM as well as IL-1β release in response to PGN. Moreover increasing extracellular [K+] failed to prevent the TLR2 signal-induced IL-1β maturation. In HS, amplified TLR2 signaling acts as a second signal in stimulating caspase-1 and IL-1β maturation via mechanisms independent of K+ efflux.


The use of redundancy to attain a fault-tolerant system design is described. Specifically, a general theory of redundancy is proposed that allows the design of fault-tolerant structures at the system-level, gate-level, or both. The theory accounts for classic approaches to redundant design such as TMR, NMR, and quadded and interwoven logics. It is shown that, by using mathematical block theory, it is possible to describe complex interconnections of redundant elements in a simple, straightforward fashion. Comparisons are made with other approaches to redundant design. >


The range of comorbidities experienced by people who require lower-limb surgery to manage diabetic foot disease are many. These comorbidites make the undertaken of general anaesthesia both difficult and places them at high risk of complications during surgery or in the immediate postoperative period. In this article the authors present a description of a peripheral nerve block procedure as an alternative to general anaesthesia in patients undergoing lower-limb surgery. Two case reports are also presented.


Background: Few data are available on the effects of a psychiatric label on medical residents' attitudes towards an individual. Aims: To investigate the effect of a psychiatric label on the attitudes of medical residents towards an individual. Methods: Medical residents were randomly assigned to one of two vignettes describing the same apparently healthy person, differing only in the presence of a psychiatric label for one of them. Participants (N = 322) reported their attitudes towards the described individual and their willingness to treat this person. Results: Residents allocated to the psychiatric-diagnostic label group reported being less at ease with becoming the individual's nextdoor neighbour, working in the same place, sharing a house, having him look after their children, having a member of their family date him, having their finances run by the individual, less willing to become friends with the described individual and more uneasy having to examine him the next time he visits the emergency room. Conclusion: Implementing effective programmes to combat stigma in the curriculum of medical residents appears to be needed.


This work identifies and describes over 3,000 books, essays in books, and articles on Jewish given names and family names throughout history, spanning the Biblical period to modern times. The bibliography is a highly analytic one, recording published materials in a wide variety of research languages treating Jewish anthroponymy in the broadest sense from historical, sociological, and linguistic perspectives. The bibliography will be an invaluable resource for any researcher engaged in etymological studies, Jewish intralinguistics, or Jewish family history.


In this article, ground-motion models (GMMs) for subduction earthquakes recently developed as part of the Next Generation Attenuation-Subduction (NGA-Sub) project are compared. The four models presented in this comparison study are documented in their respective articles submitted along with this article. Each of these four models is based on the analysis of the large NGA-Sub database. Three of the four current models are developed for a global version as well as separate regionalized models. The fourth model was developed based on earthquakes only from Japan, and as such is applicable only for Japan. As part of this comparison study, a general discussion on the parameterization of the four models and the regionalization of the three models is provided. The specific strengths and or weaknesses or the technical decisions and justifications of any one model are not part of this comparison. A selected suite of deterministic attenuation curves and spectra are presented for the models along with a selected suite of currently used subduction models. A limited number of comparisons are presented in this article with a larger number of comparisons and the digital values provided in the electronic attachment. In addition to these scenario calculation comparisons, the results from a standard probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for two sites located in the Pacific Northwest Region in the state of Washington are presented. These calculations highlight the potential impact of using the new GMMs. Based on the comparisons presented here, a general understanding of these new GMMs can be obtained with the expectation that the implementation of a specific seismic hazard study should incorporate similar and additional comparisons and sensitivity studies pertinent to the site of interest.


Industrial application of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics is prevented by intrinsic thermal instability. Herein, we propose a method to achieve outstanding thermal stability of converse piezoelectric constant () in lead-free potassium sodium niobate (KNN)-based ceramics by inducing a synergistic interaction between the grain size and polar configuration. Based on computational methods using phase-field simulations and first-principles calculations, the relationship between the grain size and polar configuration is demonstrated, and the possibility of achieving improved thermal stability in fine grains is suggested. A set of KNN systems is presented with meticulous dopant control near the chemical composition at which the grain size changes abnormally. Comparing the two representative samples with coarse and fine grains, significant enhancement in the thermal stability of is exhibited up to 300 °C in the fine grains. The origin of the thermal superiority in fine-grained ceramics is identified through an extensive study from a microstructural perspective. The thermal stability is realized in a device by successfully demonstrating the temperature dependence of piezoelectricity. It is notable that this is the first time that lead-free piezoelectric ceramics are able to achieve exceptionally stable piezoelectricity up to 300 °C, which actualizes their applicability as piezoelectric devices with high thermal stability.


The Istanbul Strait is one of the choke points in the international maritime
 trade. 44868 ships have passed through the Istanbul Strait in the last two
 years. These merchant ships are emitting exhaust gas emissions such as CO2,
 NOx, SOx inten?sively. These pollutants also affect human health and the
 environment. There is a consensus among scientists that ambient
 concentrations of particulate matter and SOx have negative health impacts,
 including asthma, heart attacks, hospital admissions, and premature
 mortality. In this study, the exhaust gas emissions from ships are estimated
 based on real ship movements, and analyses are made accord?ing to the
 reduction from 3.5-0.5% of the allowed sulphur content of the fuel was
 implemented on January 1, 2020. Firstly, Annex four which is containing the
 reg?ulations imposed by the International Maritime Organization was
 examined, and also SOx emission which is caused by ships passing through the
 Istanbul Strait was investigated. Also, a new approach to Trozzi and Vaccaro
 methodology was built. After, emission projections for 2030 and 2040 were
 made and the rate of SOx and particulate matter were analysed.


The vinylketeneacetal obtained by deprotonation-silylation of methyl 3-trimethylstannyl-2-butenoate undergoes Diels-Alder addition regiospecifically with 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone to lead to organometallic derivatives in which the organic portion is a differentially protected polyketonic hydroanthracene system.


The high voltage withstanding capacity of a apparatus depends on the degree of uniformity of the electric field developed in the dielectric, which in turn is affected not only by the type of voltage applied also by the physical shape and size of the electrodes used. Different types of electrode systems such as Sphere-sphere, sphere-plane, plane-plane etc. are used in high voltage for the experimental investigation of breakdown mechanism as well as degree of uniformity of different gaseous and liquid insulating materials under high voltage. But it is a time consuming and costly affair to perform a series of experiments taking electrodes of wide variety of shape and size. In this paper, the results of simulation to estimate the distribution of equipotential lines and the intensity of the electric field developed in the inter-electrode gap for two different types of electrodes are presented. During characterization, voltage level and depth of insulating material are considered to be the same and the degree of uniformity has been estimated. From the experimental results and performance analysis, it has been observed that the distribution of equipotential lines are different for different types of electrode systems, even if the voltage level and the insulating materials are the same. The degree of uniformity is also different for different electrode system, even if the other conditions are similar.


Structural acoustic radiation controlling is very important for noise reduction. To minimize the acoustic radiation of folded plates, a topography optimization method is proposed in this paper. In the proposed method, the structural vibration characteristics of a folded plate structure are analyzed by using of FEM. Then the structural acoustic radiation is analyzed by using Helmholtz integral method. The natural frequency of the first mode shape of the folded plate structure is taken as the objective function. The average value of acoustic radiation power in the analysis frequency band can be minimized by maximizing the natural frequency of the first mode of the folded plate structure. The optimization software Altair OptiStruct is used to optimize the design of folded plate structures. Numerical results show that the acoustic radiation power of folded plate structures can be significantly reduced by topography optimization. 


Introduction. This work inspects the activities of Russian institutions (government agencies, foundations, public associations and educational organizations) as instruments of soft power in the field of the dissemination of the Russian language and culture in Spain. The pre-requisites of establishing the language strategy as a foreign policy instrument, the main forms and sphere of activities in promoting and supporting the Russian language in Spain are analyzed in this article.

Methods. The comparative historical method is used to substantiate the aspects of the formation and development of the language policy program of the Russian Federation in Spain and other European countries in the historical retrospective. The systematic approach is used to formulate a holistic view of the policy of promoting the Russian language and culture in Spain as an instrument of soft power. Also, the institutional and neo-institutional approaches are used to identify formal and informal institutions of soft power in the field of popularization of the Russian language and culture in Spain.

Analysis. As a result of analyzing the problem, the legal foundations and institutional foundations of the activities of the Russian Federation to popularize the Russian language and culture in Spain have been studied. The main directions and results of the soft power policy in the field of popularizing the Russian language and culture in Spain and their role in creating a positive image of Russia in Spain have also been identified.

Results. The study shows that in recent years, thanks to the soft power policy, the Russian Federation has managed to maintain and, in some positions, expand its presence in Spain in the humanitarian and information space.


Structural details of thermoresponsive, cationically poly(N-iso-propylacrylamide-co-methacrylamido propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) microgels and the influence of the anionic electrolyte polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) on the internal structure and dynamics of the cationic microgels have been studied with a combination of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin echo (NSE) spectroscopy. While SANS can yield information on the overall size of the particles and on the typical correlation length inside the particles, studying the segmental polymer dynamics with NSE gives access to more internal details, which only appear due to their effect on the polymer motion. The segmental dynamics of the microgels studied in this paper is to a large extent suppressed by the PSS additive. Possible scenarios of the influence of the polyanions on the microgel structure and dynamics are discussed.


The International Law Commission's (ILC) recent endeavor to progressively develop principles of responsibility applicable to international organizations (IOs) reignited an old debate: do IOs share a common set of core attributes? Or are they fundamentally sui generis, given their great variations in mandate, size, and power vis a vis member states? The comments submitted by IOs to the ILC demonstrate that there is very little consensus on the genus of IO, and consequently on the application of general rules to these increasingly important and pervasive bodies. Indeed, most IOs took the position that the founding premise of the international legal framework applicable to IOs should be speciality not generality.


Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004

622

RFB4 (dsFv)-PE38 (BL22) is a recombinant immunotoxin containing an anti-CD22 variable domain (Fv) fused to a 38-kDa form of Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE). BL22 has been evaluated in a Phase I clinical trial at the National Cancer Institute in patients with hematological malignancies. BL22 is able to induce a high complete remission rate in patients with purine analogue-resistant HCL. This finding establishes the concept that immunotoxins can produce clinical benefit to patients with advanced malignancies. Our laboratory recently made a mutant immunotoxin, HA22, with improved affinity and cytotoxic activity using a combination of phage display and hot spot mutagenesis techniques. HA22 is derived from BL22 and has three mutations in the heavy chain CDR3 that result in its increased activity. Previous studies using native PE showed that destruction of a protease sensitive site in domain 3 by deleting arginine 490 increased the half-life of PE in the circulation of mice. Several factors are thought to control the lifetime of proteins in the circulation and inactivation or degradation of proteins by proteolysis could be one of them. We have now extended these studies to immunotoxins. For this purpose we have chosen HA22 and made a new mutant in which arginine 490 is changed to alanine. We chose to mutate R490 to A rather than delete it to diminish possible changes in protein structure. We found that HA22 (R490A) is ∼2-fold more active than HA22 on several CD22-positive cell lines. Surprisingly, the plasma half-life of HA22 (490A) was not increased. It was 18.8 min compared to a half -life of 21.9 min for HA22. When injected into mice HA22 and HA22 (R490A) had very similar toxicities with an LD50 of about 1.3 mg/kg for each. However, HA22 (R490A) had a more potent anti-tumor activity than HA22 against CA46 tumors in mice reflecting its increased cytotoxic activity in cell culture. These studies show that protein engineering can be used to increase the efficacy of recombinant immunotoxins. Furthermore because HA22 (490A) has increased anti-tumor activity and not increased animal toxicity, immunotoxins with this mutation are better candidates for clinical development.


Surveillance wireless sensor networks are deployed at perimeter or border locations to detect unauthorized intrusions. For deterministic deployment of sensors, the quality of deployment can be determined sufficiently by analysis in advance of deployment. However, when random deployment is required, determining the deployment quality becomes challenging. To assess the quality of sensor deployment, appropriate measures can be employed that reveal the weaknesses in the coverage of SWSNs with respect to the success ratio and time for detecting intruders. In this article, probabilistic sensor models are adopted, and the quality of deployment issue is surveyed and analyzed in terms of novel measures. Furthermore, since the presence of obstacles in the surveillance terrain has a negative impact on previously proposed deployment strategies and analysis techniques, we argue in favor of utilizing image segmentation algorithms by imitating the sensing area as a grayscale image referred to as the iso-sensing graph. Finally, the effect of sensor count on detection ratio and time to detect the target is analyzed through OMNeT++ simulation of an SWSN in a border surveillance scenario.


Abstract. With increasing crop water demands and drought threats, mapping and monitoring of cropland evapotranspiration (ET) at high spatial and temporal resolutions becomes increasingly critical for water management and sustainability. However, estimating ET from satellite for precise water resources management is still challenging due to the limitations in both existing ET models and satellite input data. Specifically, the process of ET is complex and difficult to model, and existing satellite remote sensing data could not fulfill high resolutions in both space and time. To address the above two issues, this study presented a new high spatiotemporal resolution ET mapping framework, i.e., BESS-STAIR, which integrates a satellite-driven water-carbon-energy coupled biophysical model BESS (Breathing Earth System Simulator) with a generic and fully-automated fusion algorithm STAIR (SaTallite dAta IntegRation). In this framework, STAIR provides daily 30-meter multispectral surface reflectance by fusing Landsat and MODIS satellite data to derive fine-resolution leaf area index and visible/near-infrared albedo, all of which, along with coarse-resolution meteorological and CO2 data, are used to drive BESS to estimate gap-free 30-m resolution daily ET. We applied BESS-STAIR from 2000 through 2017 in six areas across the U.S. Corn Belt, and validated BESS-STAIR ET estimations using flux tower measurements over 12 sites (85 site-years). Results showed that BESS-STAIR daily ET achieved an overall R2 = 0.75, with RMSE = 0.93 mm d−1 and relative error = 27.9 % when benchmarked with the flux measurements. In addition, BESS-STAIR ET estimations well captured the spatial patterns, seasonal cycles, and interannual dynamics in different sub-regions. The high performance of the BESS-STAIR framework is primarily resulted from: (1) the implementation of coupled constraints on water, carbon, and energy in BESS, (2) high-quality daily 30-m data from STAIR fusion algorithm, and (3) BESS's applicability under all-sky conditions. BESS-STAIR is calibration-free and has great potentials to be a reliable tool for water resources management and precision agriculture applications for the U.S. Corn Belt, and even for worldwide given the global coverage of its input data.


Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms can be used to optimally solve dynamic decision-making and control problems. With continuous-valued state and input variables, RL algorithms must rely on function approximators to represent the value function and policy mappings. Commonly used numerical approximators, such as neural networks or basis function expansions, have two main drawbacks: they are black-box models offering no insight in the mappings learnt, and they require significant trial and error tuning of their meta-parameters. In addition, results obtained with deep neural networks suffer from the lack of reproducibility. In this talk, we discuss a family of new approaches to constructing smooth approximators for RL by means of genetic programming and more specifically by symbolic regression. We show how to construct process models and value functions represented by parsimonious analytic expressions using state-of-the-art algorithms, such as Single Node Genetic Programming and Multi-Gene Genetic Programming. We will include examples of nonlinear control problems that can be successfully solved by reinforcement learning with symbolic regression and illustrate some of the challenges this exciting field of research is currently facing.


Abstract Caliceal diverticular calculi are rather fixed and they are rare to be delivered spontaneously. We experienced a case of spontaneous passage of left ureteral multiple calculi from caliceal diverticular calculi. A 65-year-old female suffered from left back pain and was referred to our hospital. She was found to have left ureteral multiple calculi and left caliceal diverticular calculi. After a month observation, all ureteral calculi were delivered spontaneously. Multiple ureteral calculi from caliceal diverticular calculi could be delivered spontaneously and conservative management may be an option for the treatment.


We have previously shown that native human C-reactive protein (CRP) produces antitumor effects in experimental animals, and that these effects are mediated primarily through macrophages. More recently, we have observed that RS-83277, a synthetic peptide derived from CRP, appears to mimic the antitumor effects of native CRP. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of RS-83277 on normal human monocyte and alveolar macrophage tumoricidal activity, and cytokine secretion. At optimal doses of 250-500 micrograms/ml, RS-83277 significantly enhanced tumoricidal activity of both monocytes and macrophages. RS-83287, a CRP peptide derived from a different site, had no effect at these doses. Specificity of RS-83277 for monocyte/macrophage-mediated cytotoxic activity was demonstrated by the failure of RS-83277 to enhance either natural killer (NK) or lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell-mediated activity. RS-83277 also augmented secretion of interleukin-1-beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by monocytes. These data suggest a role for synthetic CRP peptide, RS-83277, as a novel biological response modifier in cancer therapy.


Compression therapy of vein and lymph vessel diseases of the lower extremities has been used for over 2 1/2 millenia. A short historic survey is given. The theoretic basis is to prevent edema by helping the pump action of the calf muscles reverse the pathologic caudad blood flow upward toward the vena cava inferior, and to attempt to fix a fresh thrombus in the calf veins and thus prevent pulmonary embolism. The available material, including bandages, elastic stockings, the technique, indications, complications, and especially allergic skin reactions are discussed.


Mobile social networks (MSNs) are a special kind of delay tolerant network (DTN), in which mobile users move around and communicate with each other via their carried short-distance wireless communication devices. Typical MSNs include pocket switch networks, mobile vehicular networks, mobile sensor networks, etc. As more users exploit portable short-distance wireless communication devices (such as smart phones, iPads, mobile PCs, and sensors in vehicles) to contact and share data between each other in a cheap way, MSNs attract more attention. Since MSNs experience intermittent connectivity incurred by the mobility of users, routing is a mainly concerning and challenging problem.Recently, some social-aware routing algorithms that are based on social network analysis have been proposed, such as Bubble Rap, SimBet, and algorithms, etc. Two key concepts in social network analysis are: (i) community, which is a group of people with social relations; (ii) centrality, which indicates the social relations between a node and other nodes in a community. Based on the two concepts, these algorithms detect the communities and compute the centrality value for each node. Messages are delivered via the nodes with good centralities. Since social relations of mobile users generally have long-term characteristics and are less volatile than node mobility, social-aware algorithms outperform traditional DTN algorithms, such as flooding-based algorithms and probability-based algorithms. Despite this, these algorithms tend to forward messages to the nodes with locally best centralities. Keywords—MSN.DTN, Bubble Rap, SimBet


Pastures containing alfalfa-smooth bromegrass or smooth bromegrass were stocked with .6, .8, or 1.0 cow-calf units per acre to compare cow and calf production in rotational grazing systems managed for optimum forage quality. To remove excess forage early in the grazing season, yearling heifers grazed with the cows in each pasture at a stocking rate of .6 heifers per acre for the first 28 days of grazing. Live forage density and days of grazing per paddock were estimated by sward height. Cows, calves, and heifers were weighed and cows condition scored every 28 days. All cows grazed for 140 days except those grazing the smooth bromegrass pasture stocked at 1.0 cow-calf units per acre; these were removed after 119 days in 1994 and 129 days in 1995 because of lack of forage. Alfalfa-grass pastures tended to have a more consistent supply of forage over the grazing season than the bromegrass pastures. Cows grazing the alfalfa-cool season grass pastures had greater seasonal weight gains and body condition score increases and lower heifer weight gains than the smooth bromegrass pastures. Daily and total calf weight gains and total animal production also tended to be greater in alfalfa-cool season grass pastures. Increasing stocking rates resulted in significantly lower condition increases and heifer weight gains, while increasing the amounts of calf and total growing animal produced.


Major exhibitions have revealed to a growing public the great and individual achievements of Nordic artists; yet there have been few surveys of the art of the Nordic countries - Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland - during its greatest period. The Danish Golden Age of the 18th century saw the first major flowering of Nordic art with the Danish and Swedish court painters. As the 19th century progressed the focus of development shifted to the Swedish schools and the newly blossoming art of Norway and Finland, which generated nationalistic work with peculiarly Scandinavian strengths. This study sets the discussion of individual artists in each period and country against the contemporary political, social and cultural background.


A FORTRAN program (NBSGSC) was developed for performing quantitative analysis of bulk specimens by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. This program corrects for x-ray absorption/enhancement phenomena using the comprehensive alpha coefficient algorithm proposed by Lachance (COLA). NBSGSC is a revision of the program ALPHA and CARECAL originally developedby R.M. Rousseau of the Geological Survey of Canada. Part one of the program (CALCO) performs the calculation of theoretical alpha coefficients, and part two (CALCOMP) computes the composition of the analyte specimens. The analysis of alloys, pressed minerals, and fused specimens can currently be treated by the program. In addition to using measured x-ray tube spectral distributions, spectra from seven commonly used x-ray tube targets could also be calculated with an NBS algorithm included in the program. NBSGSC is written in FORTRAN IV for a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC PDP-11/23) minicomputer using RL02 firm disks and an RSX 11M operating system.


Comorbid conditions require attention in the planning of treatment strategies for panic disorder, as they affect the course and prognosis of the disorder as well as its response to treatment. The literature documents high rates of comorbidity for depression, bipolar disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, other anxiety disorders, and personality disorders (especially dependent and avoidant personality disorders). The alcohol abuse research shows comorbidity rates that are lower than expected from clinical reports. Although agoraphobia is no longer considered a comorbid disorder, its presence with panic disorder represents more severe disturbance and involves a higher likelihood of one or more comorbid diagnoses. The disorders of depression and panic are usually more severe when they co-occur than when only one is present. Research on the role of specific comorbid conditions in the outcome of treatment for panic disorder is reviewed.


Botulism outbreak due to consumption of food contaminated with botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) is a public health emergency. The threat of bioterrorism through deliberate distribution in food sources and/or aerosolization of BoNTs raises global public health and security concerns due to the potential for high mortality and morbidity. Rapid and reliable detection methods are necessary to support clinical diagnosis and surveillance for identifying the source of contamination, performing epidemiological analysis of the outbreak, preventing and responding to botulism outbreaks. This review considers the applicability of various BoNT detection methods and examines their fitness-for-purpose in safeguarding the public health and security goals.


The influence of pH, initial concentration of Pb2+ ions, sorbent (poultry egg shells) dose, and contact time on the adsorption of Pb2+ from contaminated water to egg shells was studied. Results indicate that adsorption capacity increases with the increase of Pb2+ ion concentration and dose of egg shells, and varied with change of pH. Egg shell was mainly composed of CaCO3 and other few elements as, S, Al, Mg, Si, Cl, K and Zn. The optimum pH for lead removal was at pH 7 with highest efficiency of 96.65 %, this was also revealed by Freundlich adsorption isotherm that displayed the highest value of K of 3.18419 for wastewater of concentration 0.884 mg/l Pb. The optimum dose of egg shells was 25g with contact time of 90 min and residue lead of 0.027 mg/l which is lower than the Limits for Municipal and Industrial Wastewater discharge (0.1 mg/l). The adsorption isotherms also showed that the lead removal efficiency was descending from pH 7, 12.3 to 3.4. These results suggest that poultry egg shells can be a potential candidate adsorbent material for removal of lead ions from contaminated water.
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This paper takes advantage of a natural experiment in the Latino National Survey (2006) to examine the effects of exogenous events on self-identification. Roughly halfway through the survey's data collection, millions of Latinos took to the streets to protest the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act (H.R. 4437). This paper demonstrates the activities surrounding the marches impacted respondents' self-identification during this time period. My research divides the dataset into a control group interviewed prior to these events (n=3818) and a treatment group interviewed after the start of the marches (n=4816). Within these groups, I examine variation in the extent to which respondents identify with their ancestral subgroup; with a pan-ethnic identifier; and as American. During the marches, participants were encouraged to bring American flags and rally around the faces of America. Using multivariate and logistic regression, my findings indicate with a high degree of statistical significance that respondents surveyed after April 2006 were more likely to identify as American, with the strongest effects among Mexicans and Dominicans. This finding runs contrary to expectations of much existing literature, which assumes such events result in heightened pan-ethnic sentiment across the Latino population. Language of news consumption and gender are also highly significant in predicting identity responses.


The city waste production forecasting is one of the important prerequisites to develop disposal measures for public services. The city waste systematic management started relatively late in china, the influence factors of waste output are relative larger, and the relationships among the factors are sometimes difficult to accurately described, moreover, the forecasting data sample is seldom. So the errors of the prediction were over large always. Based on the analysis of the traditional prediction GM (1,1) model, the application of background value optimizing GM(1,1)model to city waste production forecasting is proposed in this paper. Comparative analysis the waste production forecasting results of the traditional model and the optimization model in Shanghai between the year 2004 to 2009, it got verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the optimal of the background value in GM (1,1) model. Finally, the optimized GM (1,1) model is used to forecast the future waste production in Shanghai.


In this paper, we describe an extension to the UML-Guide for model driven navigation design of Semantic Web applications. The UML-Guide is used to specify platform independent navigation guides in web applications. We describe an OWL model for state machines which serves as a metamodel for semantic web descriptions of the navigation guides on the Semantic Web. Following the MDA approach, a state machine model of such navigation guide is generated from the UML state diagrams. The possible applications of such generated state machines are also discussed.


We report a case of abdominal eventration associated with cystic fibrosis, diagnosed by mid-trimester ultrasonography. The defect concerned the abdominal muscles and their aponevrotic sheath, but respected the skin. There was no associated malformation. The outcome was favorable after surgery, and the infant is well at the age of 6 months.


In this paper, starting from the limitations and constrains of traditional human learning approaches, we outline new suitable approaches to education and training in future knowledge based society. In our vision, learning and teaching are no longer standalone activities but complex, conversational and experiential-based processes implying collaboration, direct experience, mutual trust and shared interests. We identify characteristics of the environments suitable for these processes, and we compare different enabling technology infrastructures in order to justify why the Semantic Grid for Human Learning, that is a particular enhanced instance of the traditional Semantic Grid, is the most appropriate infrastructure to build our vision on. Finally, we present a realistic learning scenario as a case study, proving the effectiveness of our innovative learning approachesforfuture Education and Training.


ABSTRACT This article suggests that the South African Students' Organisation (SASO) began its life committed to a policy of non-confrontational protest and that – until 1972 – its leaders sought to prioritise strategies of negotiation over strategies of public protest. This general policy was confirmed in SASO's response to white student protests in 1968 and 1970, as well as in a series of discussion documents and General Council resolutions proposed in 1970 and 1971. This policy was, however, challenged by the events that took place at the University of the North following the expulsion of Onkgopotse Tiro in 1972. A wave of seemingly spontaneous student protest forced SASO's leaders to reconsider their apparent suspicion of public, confrontational forms of protest and reluctantly to accept the necessity of committing the organisation to such protests. I argue that this reluctant embrace was the product of contingent circumstances and pressures from below, rather than the result of an ideological or theoretical shift on the part of SASO leadership. This in turn suggests an alternate approach to the history of SASO, an approach that focuses less on a process of ideological development and more on the contingent details of its institutional history.


Past research in vibration energy harvesting has focused on the use of variable capacitors, magnets, or piezoelectric materials as the basis of energy transduction. However, few of these studies have explored the detailed circuits required to make the energy harvesting work. In contrast, this thesis develops and demonstrates a circuit to support variable-capacitor-based energy harvesting. The circuit combines a diode-based charge pump with an asynchronous inductive flyback mechanism to return the pumped energy to a central reservoir. A cantilever beam variable capacitor with 650 pF DC capacitance and 347.77 pF zero-to-peak AC capacitance, formed by a 43.56 cm 2 spring steel top plate attached to an aluminum base, drives the experimental charge pump near 1.56 kHz. HSPICE simulation confirms that given a maximum to minimum capacitance ratio larger than 1.65 and realistic models for the transistor and diodes, the circuit can harvest approximately 1 ptW of power. This power level is achieved after optimizing the flyback path to run at approximately 1/4 of the mechanical vibration frequency with a duty ratio of 0.0019. Simulation also shows that unless a source-referenced clock drives the MOSFET, spurious energy injection can occur, which would inflate the circuit's conversion efficiency if the harvester is driven by an external clock. A working vibration energy harvester comprising a time varying capacitor with a capacitance ratio of 3.27 converted sufficient energy to sustain 6 V across a 20 MQ load. This translates to an average power of 1.8 pW. Based on a theoretical harvesting limit of 40.67 pW, the prototype achieved a conversion efficiency of 4.43 %. Additional experiments confirm that the harvester was not sustained by clock energy injection. Finally, the harvester could start up from a reservoir voltage of 89 mV, suggesting that the circuit can be initiated by an attached piezoelectric film. Thesis Supervisor: Jeffrey H. Lang Title: Associate Director, Laboratory for Electronic and Electromagnetic Systems


The article analyses an important but scarcely known aspect of Usaid's activity in Brazil: the advisement in order to train and modernize brazilian police corporations. Although already in activity since the fifties, the programm of police advisory was intensified after the Cuban Revolution and reinterpreted according to the modernization theories that prevailed in the sixties, promising the poor countries a better alternative of development than that offered by the revolutionaries. The text tries to synthesize the main aspects of this program (active in Brazil from 1960 to 1972) and to comprehend the objectives of the both sides involved, in the belief that this approach may help us to avoid superficial assessment.


Author(s): Sewart, Amy Rose | Advisor(s): Craske, Michelle G | Abstract: Systematic exposure to feared stimuli is an integral component of cognitive behavioral-based therapies and is often regarded as the 'gold-standard' psychotherapeutic strategy for anxiety-related disorders. While many individuals respond to exposure-based treatments, a significant proportion experience a return of fear after treatment has concluded (e.g., Loerinc et al., 2015) – with others failing to respond to treatment all together (e.g., Taylor, Abramowitz, a McKay, 2012). Over the past several decades, associative learning theory has continued to evolve and has given rise to significant paradigm shifts in our fundamental understanding of fear learning (e.g., Rescorla a Wagner, 1972). These theoretical updates have provided explanations as to why anxious individuals often fail to adequately extinguish fear during exposure and have provided modernized learning principles which may be translated to practice to enhance exposure-based outcomes (e.g., Craske, Liao, Brown, a Vervliet, 2012; Craske, Treanor, Conway, Zbozinek, a Vervliet, 2014; Sewart a Craske, 2019). In addition, our new understanding of these processes also give rise to additional questions regarding potential unidentified, aberrant fear learning processes in anxious individuals which may also interfere with treatment response. This dissertation will include three papers that aim to both enhance our understanding of fear conditioning phenomenology in humans and translate fear learning principles to optimize exposure-based treatments. Study 1 seeks to establish within-session expectancy violation as a more robust predictor of treatment response to exposure therapy when compared with within-session fear habituation. Study 2 seeks to investigate who benefits the most from a pharmacological augmentation exposure therapy that is to proposed to decontextualize extinction learning. Study 3 seeks to further investigate how perceptual similarity impacts return of fear for complex stimuli in individuals with and without anxiety disorders.