OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the changes of carotid adventitial thickness (AT) and intima media thickness (IMT) and their relationship in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients using high-frequency ultrasound.

METHODS
The values of mean AT and mean IMT were measured and calculated for 161 MS patients and compared them with 94 age and gender-matched controls as determined by high-frequency ultrasound between 2009-2011. And 161 patients were divided further into 2 groups of MS with plaque (MS-P, n = 70) and MS without plaque (MS-NP, n = 91).

RESULTS
MS-P and MS-NP patients had significantly higher values of mean IMT and carotid artery wall thickness than controls and MS-P patients had significantly higher values of mean AT than controls ((0.77 ± 0.13) mm vs (0.66 ± 0.11) mm, P < 0.01). Moreover, MS-P patients had significantly higher values of mean IMT ((0.98 ± 0.20) mm vs (0.76 ± 0.10) mm, P < 0.01), mean AT ((0.77 ± 0.13) vs (0.69 ± 0.13) mm, P < 0.01) and carotid artery wall thickness ((1.61 ± 0.16)mm vs (1.42 ± 0.09) mm, P = 0.002) than MS-NP patients. And mean AT was positively correlated with mean IMT in controls,MS-P and MS-NP patients (r = 0.603, P < 0.01, r = 0.325, P = 0.005 and r = 0.344, P = 0.004 separately).

CONCLUSION
For IMT and AT in MS patients with and without plaques, adventitia participates in vascular remodeling and may be distinguished by high-frequency ultrasound.


A fast algorithm is presented for solving a time-domain electric field integral equation (EFIE) pertinent to the analysis of scattering from uniformly meshed, perfectly conducting structures. The marching-on-in-time (MOT) scheme that results from discretizing this EFIE is accelerated by using the fast Fourier transform to perform spatial convolutions. The computational cost and storage requirements of this algorithm scale as O(NtNs 1.5) and O(Ns 1.5), respectively, as opposed to O(NtNs 2) and O(Ns 2) for classical MOT methods. Simulation results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the approach and suggestions for extending the technique are proffered.


In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the electronic records management systems (ERMS) used in universities in the context of interoperability from a technical and organizational perspective. For this purpose, a survey was applied to the administrative staff of universities in Ankara, Turkey and 104 people participated in the survey. In the light of the data obtained, it was concluded that the records management procedures in universities are carried out in a distributed manner and are not gathered under a single unit. Official correspondence between institutions in universities is mostly carried out by registered electronic mail (REM). It was determined that while there are not many legal and technical obstacles to the interoperability of electronic records management systems, there are more organizational and administrative problems. Within the scope of the results, some suggestions have been made to university administrators and system developers. The study may guide universities in the transition and development stages to ERMS.


To meet the evolving demands of programmable networks and address the limitations of traditional fixed-type protocol parsers, we propose a dynamic and configurable low-latency parser implemented on an FPGA. The architecture consists of three protocol analysis modules and a TCAM-SRAM. Latency is reduced by optimizing the state machine and parallel extraction matching. At the same time, we introduce the chain mapping idea and container concept to formulate the matching and extraction rules of table entries and enhance the extensibility of the parser. Furthermore, our system supports dynamic configuration through SDN control, allowing flexible adaptation to diverse scenarios. Our design has been verified and simulated with a cocotb-based framework. The resulting architecture is implemented on Xilinx Ultrascale+ FPGAs and supports a throughput of more than 80 Gbps, with a maximum latency of only 36 nanoseconds for L4 protocol parsing.


Cold-adapted organisms produce antifreeze and ice-nucleating proteins to prevent and promote ice formation. The crystal structure of hyperactive bacterial antifreeze protein (AFP) MpAFP suggests that this protein binds ice through an anchored clathrate motif. It is not known whether other hyperactive AFPs and ice-nucleating proteins (INPs) use the same motif to recognize or nucleate ice. Here we use molecular simulations to elucidate the ice-binding motifs of hyperactive insect AFPs and a model INP of Pseudomonas syringae. We find that insect AFPs recognize ice through anchored clathrate motifs distinct from that of MpAFP. By performing simulations of ice nucleation by PsINP, we identify two distinct ice-binding sites on opposite sides of the β-helix. The ice-nucleating sequences identified in the simulations agree with those previously proposed for the closely related INP of Pseudomonas borealis based on the structure of the protein. The simulations indicate that these sites have comparable ice-nucleating efficiency, but distinct binding motifs, controlled by the amino acid sequence: one is an anchored clathrate and the other ice-like. We conclude that anchored clathrate and ice-like motifs can be equally effective for binding proteins to ice and promoting ice nucleation.


The article is devoted to examine Russian-Turkish relations in the historical retrospective review. The regional and geopolitical goals which Russia had to realize in XVII – beginning XX centuries and which is stipulated the necessity to ensure Russia security and further economical development are revealed. The factors which led to push of Russia and Turkey interests and which became the cause of Russian-Turkish military conflicts which is occurred at interval of cooperation and partnership in this period are represented. The results of Russian military and political efforts which allowed realize the tasks to liberate Crimea, for Russia passage to Black Sea and to Mediterranean Sea basin, to support Balkan peoples to win their national independence, what strengthened Russian regional and geopolitical positions considerably are examined. The character of Russian-Turkish relations in Soviet period which passed the stages of the cooperation and confrontation which caused "Cold War" is revealed.The main attention is allotted to analyze in details the recent stage of Russia – Turkey relations. The character of the actual Turkish ruling elite, which is represented of the Justice and Development Party (JDP), which is confessing the ideology of the moderate Islamism and Neo Osmanism is exposed. The internal social and economical politics of JDP is examined. The goals and intentions, which Turkish leadership pushed forward, are analyzed and their influence on Russian-Turkish relations is inspected. The activity of the Turkish foreign politics on the different directions in the Arab World, Europe, countries of CIS, Moslem regions of Russian Federation is examined. In the conclusions the differences and common interests in the foreign politics of Russia and Turkey and the possibility of their cooperation are analyzed.


ABSTRACT UK Higher education has for many years been offered to students at different institution types, one such being colleges of further education. He offered at further education colleges differs in many ways from that offered to a university . One way in which it differs greatly is the mode of provision. Traditional university degrees typically a commitment to a named three-year programme of study. Provision through colleges differs as students typically enrol on a two-year associate degree, which they may then decide to top up to a full bachelor's degree at either their FEC or at partnered universities (2 + 1 mode). This research sought to investigate what factors students believed to be important when making course choices, and their reflection on the course type they chose. It was found that associate degree students tended to remain at the FEC if top-up options were available, and indicated a preference for the flexibility of the 2 + 1 mode. Factors that the majority of students deemed as important in their choice of top-up course was their career potential; students remaining at colleges were also concerned about the continuity of their educational experience and course content.


Scepticism about the value of parochialism and local belonging has been a persistent feature of geographical scholarship, which has advocated a relational account of place and a cosmopolitan worldview. This paper revisits the Parish Maps project that was instigated in 1987 by UK arts and environment charity Common Ground, which led to the creation of thousands of maps across the UK and beyond, and was appraised in 1996 by Crouch and Matless in this journal. Drawing on archival materials and in‐depth interviews, we examine the legacy of the project. We argue that Common Ground's vision for Parish Maps represents a "positive parochialism" that confidently asserts the validity of the parish without retreating towards insularity. We complicate this by revealing diverse ways that communities took up Common Ground's vision. We conclude by arguing that the view of parochialism manifest by Parish Maps offers a foundation for ecological concern that remains relevant today, with places offering the potential for solidarities that bring together local and incomer. This "positive parochialism" disturbs assumptions that local attachments are necessarily exclusive and indicates the unresolved challenge of finding ways to realise the value of affect and creative environmental engagement in wider policy and land‐use planning.


Fault diagnosis and condition monitoring for rotating machines are important for efficiency and accident prevention. The process of fault diagnosis is to extract the feature of signals and to classify each state. Conventionally, fault diagnosis has been developed by combining signal processing techniques for spectral analysis and pattern recognition, however these methods are not able to diagnose correctly for certain rotating machines and some faulty phenomena. In this paper, we add a minimum detection error algorithm to the previous method to reduce detection error rate. Vibration signals of the induction motor are measured and divided into subband signals. Each subband signal is processed to obtain the RMS, standard deviation and the statistic data for constructing the feature extraction vectors. We make a study of the fault diagnosis system that the feature extraction vectors are applied to K-means clustering algorithm and minimum detection error algorithm.


Hip fractures involve high morbidity and mortality and extensive treatment costs and are thus considered an important public health issue. Hip fracture incidence varies greatly between countries and even between cities in the same region. This study aimed to determine hip fracture incidence in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil. Hip fracture cases were identified prospectively in patients aged 45 and over attending private and public hospitals in Fortaleza from July 2001 to June 2002. The study identified 673 patients with hip fractures, 382 of whom from Fortaleza. Annual hip fracture incidence in Fortaleza for patients over 60 years was 21.7/10,000 inhabitants (13.0/10,000 for men and 27.7/10,000 for women). Hip fractures were more frequent among women and with advancing age. Hip fracture incidence in Fortaleza was very low compared to rates reported from other parts of the world.


This work represents our first experiences relating to IMRT verification using a relatively new 3D dosimetry system consisting of a PRESAGETM dosimeter (Heuris Inc, Pharma LLC) and an optical-CT scanning system (OCTOPUSTM TM MGS Inc). This work builds in a step-wise manner on prior work in our lab.


Background: There is little information on the clinical profile and outcome of children with diabetic ketoacidosis in India. We analysed the data of children managed by us at a tertiary care hospital in order to study the clinical profile of the children admitted with DKA. Methods: This descriptive retrospective study was conducted in pediatric ICU of tertiary level care hospital at Chitradurga, Karnataka (between June 2011 and May 2014). The case records of 52 children admitted with DKA were reviewed and information with respect to the personal details, clinical features, laboratory parameters, management and outcome was recorded using a predesigned proforma. The data was analyzed using SPSS VS-21. Results: The median age at presentation was 7.52 years (range: 2-14 years) with a male:female ratio of 1.3:1. 80.7% were newly diagnosed type 1 DM. 46(88 %) of the cases belonged to lower socio economic status.41 (78%) were from rural areas. The most common presenting complaints were polyuria and polydipsia in 42 cases (80.7%). Twenty eight children (53.8%) presented with severe DKA. The most common presenting complaints were polyuria and polydipsia (80.7%). The average length of stay in the ICU was 3.5 days. The mortality rate was 11.5% (6 cases). Cerebral edema was the commonest cause for fatality. The prevalence of DKA amongst all pediatric admissions was higher than that estimated in previous studies (1 in 419 cases). Conclusions: The outcome of active management of diabetic ketoacidosis in children is rewarding. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life threatening complication of diabetes mellitus in children. Boys and girls were equally affected. Early identification and careful monitoring of fluids, electrolytes and renal function are the cornerstones of successful DKA management.


Aim    Identifying high-risk groups in patient with coronary artery disease (CAD) is critical for predicting future adverse events. fQRS has been shown to be related to major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) in patients with CAD. However, predictive value of fQRS for more than 5 yrs has not been evaluated. This study examined the predictive value of fQRS in patients with CAD and percutaneous coronary intervention during a 10‑yrs period.Material and methods    Patients with CAD and percutaneous coronary intervention between March 2007 and May 2009 were included the study. An electrocardiogram was recorded following percutaneous coronary intervention and analyzed for the presence of fQRS. The fQRS pattern was defined as an additional spike inside the QRS complexes of at least two consecutive leads. Patients were followed for 10 yrs. A MACE was all-cause mortality or new-onset decompensated heart failure. Patients were divided into two groups according to presence or absence of MACE, and their clinical variables were compared.Results    Of 1261 patients included in the study, MACE developed in 374 (29.6 %). MACE (+) patients were older (p<0.001), more likely to have diabetes mellitus (p=0.003), fQRS (p<0.001), and ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) (p<0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that age (p<0.001), STEMI (p=0.001), fQRS (p=0.017), and elevated serum creatinine (p=0.001) were independent predictors of MACE.Conclusion    The presence of fQRS predicted MACE during 10 yrs of follow-up of patients with CAD and percutaneous coronary intervention.


Abstract : This Final Report describes the details of Environmental Security Technology Certification Program Project ER-200825: In Situ Wetland Restoration Demonstration. The overall objective was to field demonstrate and validate activated carbon (AC) in situ wetland remediation technologies which have been designed to sequester contaminants in wetlands without adversely impacting system ecology. The Field Demonstration was performed at Canal Creek, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Aberdeen, Maryland. This report includes discussion of quantitative and qualitative performance objectives, information about the study area, pre-demonstration testing, and the implementation and monitoring of the demonstration. Performance assessment criteria and methods, evaluation of the demonstration results, cost, potential implementation issues, and uncertainties associated with these findings are also discussed. The field demonstration was designed to evaluate three potential AC remediation technologies: two pelletized A C products, a powder AC slurry, and an engineered manufactured soil cover system. The efficacy to treat hydric soils impacted by polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) was assessed via analyses of PCB pore water and tissue residue concentrations. The partitioning of PCBs from soil-to-pore water and from soil-to-benthic tissue was also evaluated. The uptake of nutrients by plants was measured for each of the treatment types.


Classroom research involves a number of techniques for careful and systematic observation of the process of teaching and learning. Its primary purpose is not to seek generalizations about teaching and learning, but to discover specific localized "truths" for a particular classroom. It involves classroom assessment, consisting of small-scale assessments conducted continuously in the classroom to determine what students are learning in that class. At California State University, Northridge, there has been an ongoing classroom research group with participants from many disciplines. Examples from courses in journalism, child development, and speech communication illustrate the kinds of techniques found useful in classroom assessment projects. However, faculty should ask only those questions they are prepared to answer, and realize that classroom research takes time. The classroom researcher should: (1) start small; (2) start with assessable goals; (3) get students actively involved; and (4) be flexible and willing to change. The most effective classroom assessment techniques are those that are limited, simple to analyze, and appropriate for the teacher and the subject matter. They provide valuable feedback for the teacher to use in enhancing the teaching/learning process. (A detailed description of a classroom assessment technique called "focused dialectical notes" is attached.) (SR) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** CLASSROOM RESEARCH: IF IT'S SO SIMPLE, HOW CAN IT BE ANY GOOD? Elizabeth Berry Speech Communication Department California State University,Northridge Northridge, CA 91330


The strategy of Financial Services in Libyan pioneer companies has begun to achieve a transformation from providing ordinary services to electronic services through financial services technologies, which necessitates the qualification of employees in Libyan software companies. To facilitate this, recent agile software agile project management strategies and their possible advantages, disadvantages, and possible limitations will be discussed. In the context of improving software development for changing work conditions or requirements, he current state of agile project management (APM) will be studied and enhancement with best APM practices will be implemented within Masarat IT & Financial Services, a pioneer Libyan company. Our findings demonstrate that the application of agile project management best practices has a positive impact on project success. The benefits of agility were immediately apparent, and the advantages of adopting APM methodologies were a crucial factor in successfully completing the project.


This paper is an extended version of the chapter about France within the comparative volume edited by F. Bernardi and G. Ballarino (2016), Education, Occupation and Social Origin. A Comparative Analysis of the Transmission of Socio-Economic Inequalities, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing. On the basis of the 1977, 1985, 1993 and 2003 Formation & Qualification Professionnelle surveys and various indicators of labour market success, it establishes three main results: (1) after controlling for education, there still exists a 'direct' effect of class origin on labour market success which is visible more at an advanced stage of the occupational career than at its outset; (2) this 'direct' origin effect varies in strength over educational categories, being weaker or non-existent among the higher educated, i.e., a higher social background is to a certain extent able to compensate for less prominent educational assets; (3) the 'direct' origin effect has strengthened in the recent cohorts or the last decade observed.


We introduce an extended Dicke model with controllable long-range atom-atom interaction to simulate topologically ordered states and achieve decoherence-protected qubits. We illustrate our idea in an experimentally feasible circuit quantum electrodynamics scenario. Due to the intrinsic competition with the atom-field coupling strength, we first demonstrate that this atom-atom interaction can exhibit a novel topological quantum interference effect arising from the instanton and anti-instanton tunneling paths. As a consequence, this proposed model only with a few odd-number of atoms has a two-fold absolute degenerate ground-subspace with a large energy gap, which can become larger with the increasing of the system-size. It may also support the excitation of anyonic statistics, and thus can be regarded as a possible candidate for processing topological quantum memory.


This study investigates risk-seeking and optimal decisions of annuity providers. On the basis of a sample of U.S. life and annuity (L/A) insurers between 1997 and 2016, the results show clear performance-dependent risk attitudes. Specifically, insurers with returns below aspiration levels take more risks, whereas those with returns above reference levels decrease their risk-seeking, which supports the basic propositions of the cumulative prospect theory (CPT). Given initial evidence of mixed risk preferences in the L/A insurance industry, we derive an annuity insurer's optimal investment and business strategies in a CPT decision-making framework. We show that changing risk preferences considerably affect an annuity provider's decisions. We further illustrate how risk management changes an annuity insurer's optimal strategies. Our results suggest that risk management lowers downside risk and allows a loss-averse decision maker to assume more risk and achieve a higher level of utility.


Hemorrhage and immune cell infiltration are the main pathological features of spinal cord injury (SCI). Excessive iron deposition is caused by leaking hemosiderin which may over-activate ferroptosis pathways, resulting in lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction in cells. Inhibiting ferroptosis after SCI has been shown to aid functional recovery. However, the essential genes involved in cellular ferroptosis following SCI are still unknown. Here we show that Ctsb is a statistical significance gene by collecting multiple transcriptomic profiles and identifying differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes, which are abundantly expressed in myeloid cells after SCI and widely distributed at the epicenter of the injury. The expression score of ferroptosis, calculated by ferroptosis driver/suppressor genes, was high in macrophages. Furthermore, we discovered that inhibiting cathepsin B (CTSB), specifically with a small-molecule drug, CA-074-methyl ester (CA-074-me), reduced lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction in macrophages. We also found that alternatively activated M2-polarized macrophages are more susceptible to hemin-induced ferroptosis. Consequently, CA-074-me could reduce ferroptosis, induce M2 macrophage polarization, and promote the neurological function recovery of mice after SCI. Our study comprehensively analyzed the ferroptosis after SCI from the perspective of multiple transcriptomes and provided a novel molecular target for SCI treatment.


This study was carried out to evaluate the shelf life of minimally processed (MP) watercress exposed to gamma radiation with doses of 1.0; 3.0; 4.0 kGy. Packaged irradiated and non-irradiated MP watercress was subject to sensory analysis. A panel consisting of 25-30 non-trained members, aged 20-55 years, was used. Sensory evaluation was carried out on days 0, 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12 after treatment with packages maintained at 7 °C. The members of the panel rated each sample for overall liking on a hybrid 10 hedonic scale (0 = extremely dislike; 10 = extremely like). Microbiological analyses were also conducted. Compared to the non-irradiated sample, 1 kGy irradiated watercress increased its shelf life by one day (16 days). Shelf lives of samples exposed to higher doses were reduced to 9 days (3 kGy) and 6 days (4 kGy) due to changes in appearance. The microbiological quality was good throughout the experiment.


Four identical spinless bosons with purely attractive two-body short-range interactions and repulsive three-body interactions under external spherically symmetric harmonic confinement are considered. The repulsive three-body potential prevents the formation of deeply-bound states with molecular character. The low-energy spectrum with vanishing orbital angular momentum and positive parity for infinitely large two-body $s$-wave scattering length is analyzed in detail. Using the three-body contact, states are classified as universal, quasi-universal, or strongly non-universal. Connections with the zero-range interaction model are discussed. The energy spectrum is mapped out as a function of the two-body $s$-wave scattering length $a_s$, $a_s>0$. In the weakly- to medium-strongly-interacting regime, one of the states approaches the energy obtained for a hard core interaction model. This state is identified as the energetically lowest-lying "BEC state". Structural properties are also presented.


Abstract
 The study traces the evolution of the concept of time from ancient to postmodern times. It explores how great philosophers, theoreticians and scientists have treated the idea of time during different periods. The research finds out that despite the variegated nature of the development of the concept of time, much of human history has observed alternate periods of the linear, teleological and cyclical, non-teleological conceptions of time. The study has established that the same alternating trends mainly influence the human perception of time during the modern and postmodern eras. It also indicates that the progressive and teleological view of time resonates well with the spirit of the modern age. On the other hand, the research argues that the perpetual present, as a non-teleological notion of time, predominates the postmodern time-world.


The scientific investigation involves the examination of copper alloy nails dated back to
 the Roman Age. The artifacts were retrieved from a shipwreck discovered offshore Elba
 island (Italy). Further carbon dating measurements indicated the origin between 140 and
 300 AD. This work includes a brief overview of the ship's routes and fortunes in order to
 give some context to the metallographic investigations. The experimental procedure
 involves the use of both Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (OM and SEM) coupled
 with EDS and EBSD probes. The attention has been focused on the metallurgical features of
 the nails with the intent of casting some light on the metalwork processes of the Roman
 Age. The scientific trials revealed a "brazed" joint, which allowed to learn more about
 the applications of this technique during this historical period. In addition, the
 textural analysis yielded a strong work-hardening, evidence of an intense cold shaping
 procedure in use by the Roman blacksmiths.


The second edition of Bayesian Methods: A Social and Behavioral Sciences Approach is a major update from the original version. New material has been added, the order of topics has changed, and the concentration on social and behavioral sciences has been reduced. The result is a general-audience text suitable for a first course in Bayesian statistics at the upper undergraduate level for highly quantitative students, or at the graduate level for students in a wider variety of fields. I just finished using this book as the text for my class which includes graduate students in fields from statistics and computer science to geology, political science, and environmental studies, as well as advanced undergraduates in statistics and bioinformatics. Of the texts I have tried so far in this class, Gill's book has definitely worked the best for me. In the first edition, the choice of topics appeared targeted toward those most useful in the social sciences, such as a large emphasis on generalized linear models. In the second edition, most of the data examples are drawn from the social sciences, but the topics and methodology are all of the standard items one would want in a general interest course: Bayesian philosophy, likelihoods, normal models, linear regression, priors, robustness and sensitivity, hypothesis testing and Bayes factors, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), and hierarchical modeling. The material on frequentist approaches to generalized linear models has been moved to an appendix. Several new chapters on MCMC methods have been added to this version, giving a more extensive coverage of both standard implementational issues as well as more advanced techniques such as reversible jump and perfect sampling. The topics are generally presented in a reasonable order, although I found that MCMC seems to be introduced quite early in the implementation of various models despite not formally being covered until much later in the book. Also, exchangeability does not appear until late in the book, in the context of hierarchical models, which is admittedly a reasonable place for such a discussion, but traditionally it usually appears in the first chapter in most Bayesian texts, as it provides the fundamental theoretical underpinning via de Finetti's results. In some sense, the placement of exchangeability is representative of the overall approach of this book—topics are covered from a practical aspect, with the theory motivated by the modeling, rather than the other way around. From the beginning, the book takes a practical perspective. The whole Bayesian paradigm is introduced through data-analytic concerns. Many students will find this approach more convincing than starting from a definition based on the theory of mathematical coherence and exchangeability. Examples of proper handling of uncertainty and of the use of prior information provide ample motivation, along with numerous other issues that arise naturally in data analysis. Only after the conceptual introduction do the equations start flowing. Computing is a core component of modern Bayesian statistics, and there are numerous examples of R code provided. There is also an R package, BaM, available that includes data and code for examples in the book. I have found this book good as a text, as topics are introduced at a more conceptual level, with the mathematical details following. In most cases, sufficient details are provided, and in many cases calculations are done in full, making it easier for students to follow along. One possible complaint is that more advanced students may not find as much technical detail as desired. That is part of the trade-off in keeping the book suitable for a wider audience, and keeping it from being overwhelming for those who are not quite as strong mathematically. That is not to say that the book is "lite," as it explicitly assumes knowledge of calculus and linear algebra, and makes use of those tools throughout. The point is that the book tries to keep a balance between the concepts and the details. For those who do want more details, extensive references are provided. Where this edition does add quite a lot of detail is in the implementation of MCMC. About a third of the book now relates to MCMC. This content starts with a brief introduction in the first chapter and reappears much later as a full introductory chapter. Only after the conceptual and basic implementational introduction does a full chapter on the theoretical aspects appear. That is followed by a full chapter on implementational details. The book concludes with a chapter on "advanced" MCMC techniques, including simulated annealing, Metropolis coupling, simulated tempering, reversible jump, and perfect sampling. Compared to the rest of the book, this last chapter seems a bit out of place, being rather more advanced. Perhaps the idea was that, for many students, this would be the only book on Bayesian statistics that they own, so they might in the future want more details on these techniques. But I'm not convinced that this is the best use of space in the book, as a second chapter on hierarchical modeling or a second chapter on more advanced linear modeling might have been more helpful. To summarize, this book fills an important market segment for classes where the canonical Bayesian texts (such as Gelman et al. 1995) are a bit too advanced. The emphasis is on using Bayesian methods in practice, with topics introduced via higher-level discussions followed by implementation and theory. As such it is not the book you would use for a class composed exclusively of Ph.D. students in statistics, but it is a good text for wider audiences.


For a possibility of using the safety relevant system in practice, it is necessary to prove, that safety requirements, which are defined based on results of risk analysis, are fulfilled. Part of proving the safety of safety relevant system is also quantitative evaluation of safety integrity of the hardware which is involved in the safety functions realization. Objective of the paper is to compare different ways of the quantitative hardware safety integrity evaluation. For a specific technological process are identified hazards, their consequences and from them resulting safety functions. For each defined safety function is, by three different procedures, calculated the probability of dangerous failure per hour. At the end of the paper are stated reasons of results mismatch, which were obtained using different approaches.


The Weibull log-linear model is a widely-used accelerated life-test model in reliability engineering. The standard deviation of log(life), s, was often assumed to be a constant or stress-independent. However, theoretical and experimental research results suggest that, in many cases, s is stress-dependent. The data analysis via the MLE method must be performed numerically, because of the complexity of the model and many unknown parameters being involved. The commonly-used methods often fail to converge when the starting point is not close to the solution, especially for censored data. Generally, no easy-to-use software is available for the Weibull log-linear model. To facilitate this process, an efficient algorithm is presented in this paper, to obtain the MLE of the model parameters from test data (with or without censoring) for both stress-independent and stress-dependent models. The validity and effectiveness of this procedure are illustrated with numerical examples. The method is numerically stable, and easy to implement and program.


A new approach to polymer self-assembly was presented recently [M. Sedlák, Č. Koňák, J. Dybal, Macromolecules 2009, 2, 7430-7438 and 7439-7446.] (1, 2) where stable polymeric nanoparticles were formed from poly(ethylacrylic acid) homopolymers without any assembly triggering additives, simply by heating polymer solution under conditions of thermosensitivity to certain temperature. In the current Article, we present successful results on poly(propylacrylic acid), which is a more hydrophobic polymer. We also present results on a less hydrophobic polymer from this series, poly(methacrylic acid), from which nanoparticles cannot be formed. Comparison of results on all three polymers gives a solid physicochemical insight and supports the molecular mechanism of the self-assembly previously suggested: The solvent quality gradually worsens upon heating of a thermosensitive polymer solution, and polymer-polymer contacts are preferred over polymer-solvent contacts, which leads to the formation of polymer assemblies. The presence of a significant amount of charge on chains prevents macroscopic phase separation. Upon subsequent cooling to laboratory temperature, the assemblies (nanoparticles) should eventually dissolve; however, this is not the case due to the fact that polymer chains brought to a close proximity at elevated temperatures become hydrogen-bonded. In addition, hydrogen bonds strengthen upon cooling. Mainly carboxylic-carboxylate hydrogen bonds (COOH····COO(-)) are responsible for the irreversibility of the process and the stability of nanoparticles. Conclusions are supported by results from static and dynamic light scattering, FTIR spectroscopy, and cryo-TEM microscopy. Size of nanoparticles can be monitored during the growth and custom-tailored by tuning critical parameters, especially the degree of ionization, temperature, and time of heating. Nanoparticles are stable over long periods of time. They are stable in a broad range of salt concentrations, including physiological conditions, and possess a mild acceptable degree of polydispersity.


Purpose
Some studies have suggested that a supply chain augmented with information technology (IT) has a positive effect on performance in the marketplace. However, these studies have not explained how the IT-based supply chain achieves this superior performance. This study aims to reveal some of the mediating influences at play: the new product development (NPD) activities of product launch, product innovativeness and product development capability.

Design/methodology/approach
Taking the electronics manufacturer's perspective, this study took a resource-based view to propose that NPD activities are affected by IT advancement and that IT-based supply chain architecture is a critical resource that ultimately affects new product performance. Thus study focuses on product launch, because this is the most expensive and risky stage of NPD; product innovativeness, because it plays a substantial role in achieving a competitive advantage; and product development capability, because it leads to superior product performance. A questionnaire was used to collect data from managers of projects, products and supply chains of computer and communication electronics manufacturers; 235 valid questionnaires were returned. These data were subsequently analyzed using a variety of statistical methods.

Findings
The results support that manufacturers' IT resources enable them to enhance NPD activities effectively with their suppliers, and that NPD activities play a key role in moderating the relationship between IT-based supply chains and new product performance.

Originality/value
This paper provides an empirically tested model of how IT-based supply chain architecture can lead to superior new product performance through product lean launch, product innovativeness and product development capability.


Various methods of substrate in situ cleaning have been investigated with the aim of preventing the formation of pinholes which degrade the superconductive properties of sputtered films. Ion bombardment resulted in limited improvement for short etching times, but grossly detrimental for longer periods. Substrate heating, in the case of copper, produced significant improvement both in the structure and purity of the films. Between substrate and film a relatively thin contamination `layer' has been observed and attempts to identify its composition have been made.


Synthesis and characterization of a series of new amino-phenol/naphthol ligands (L(1,2)-H) have been developed and their respective zinc complexes ( 1 and 2-Zn ) have been synthesized. The molecular structures of L(1)-H and 1, 2-Zn were explored in detail by NMR, single-crystal X-ray studies and DFT calculations, which confirmed the existence of complexes as stabile dimers both in a solution and in the solid state. All complexes mediate the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide highly efficiently, at room temperature, in a controlled fashion. The influence of the architecture of the ligand on the desired homo/heteroleptic complex formation, as well as the relationship between the initiator design and the catalytic activity have been investigated.


Volatile and dynamic, Ulster has for centuries been at the eye of the storm between Ireland and Britain, the complexity of its history embroiling its people and baffling the outside world. A History of Ulster achieves what few other books have attempted a comprehensive account of the province, spanning nine thousand years of social, political and economic life: the early settlements; the Viking and Norman invasions; the plantations and the Penal Laws; the rise of the United Irishmen and Orangeism; the Act of Union; emigration and the Great Famine; the linen industry and shipbuilding; the Home Rule crisis and partition; the Second World War and the blitz; civil rights and the turmoil of the current troubles. First published in 1992, A History of Ulster was an instant success with historians and the wider reading public, and quickly became established as the definitive book on the subject. For this edition Jonathan Bardon has written an introductory chapter covering events since 1992. His description of the process that saw the region emerge from thirty years of brutal conflict and move haltingly towards peace is a fitting coda to this classic of Irish history. Through compelling narrative and masterly use of contemporary sources, this major new history disentangles the past and captures Ulster in all its energy and obduracy.


Background: Adult acquired flatfoot deformity is characterized by midfoot abduction and collapse of the medial longitudinal arch. Lateral column lengthening osteotomies primarily correct the abduction deformity, but the effects of graft shape on deformity correction and forefoot loading are unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effect of graft shape and taper on deformity correction and forefoot loading mechanics in a cadaveric flatfoot model. Methods: Flatfoot deformity was simulated in 18 cadaveric specimens. A lateral column lengthening osteotomy was performed using a triangular, trapezoidal, and rectangular graft for each specimen. During each testing condition, talonavicular joint angles and forefoot plantar pressures were measured. Results: Each graft shape corrected abduction and dorsiflexion deformity at the talonavicular joint. Coronal plane correction was affected by graft shape, and the less tapered trapezoidal and rectangular grafts overloaded the lateral forefoot compared to the intact condition. The more tapered triangular graft did not cause a lateral shift in forefoot pressures. Forefoot plantar pressures were strongly correlated with talonavicular abduction correction (R2 = .473, P < .001). Conclusion: Graft shape had no effect on the correction of talonavicular abduction or dorsiflexion but did influence coronal plane motion and forefoot loading mechanics. Also, overcorrecting the abduction deformity was predictive of increased lateral plantar pressures. Clinical Relevance: Although overcorrection of the abduction deformity at the midfoot remains the primary determinant of lateral forefoot overload, utilizing a graft with a larger taper may lower the incidence of lateralized forefoot pressure following correction.


A new broadband textile based PIFA antenna structure designed for wireless body area network (WBAN) applications is presented. The new topology can be directly integrated into clothing. The study starts by considering three different materials: flexible copper foil, and ShieldIt Super and pure copper polyester taffeta conductive textiles. Bandwidth broadening is successfully achieved by implementing a novel and simple slot in the radiating patch. The measured reflection coefficient and radiation characteristics agree well with simulations. Moreover, radiation characteristics and bandwidth show satisfactory immunity against detuning when operating on-body, especially when placed on the back. To our knowledge, the proposed structure is the first fully fabric based slotted PIFA to be reported in open literature with high bandwidth (more than 46%) and reasonable gain (ca. 1.5 dB), to be used for multiple applications in the frequency band of 1.8 to 3.0 GHz.


The reasons why fitness is important for college students are to keep in shape and exercising, but for college students it can be an especially important part of their college years and their overall health, this research is to explore the effect of two important variables that according to author gives significant effect on retention of college students membership in fitness center Manado, the two variables are: reliability and tangibles. This research is tried to prove that the two variables are the most suitable variables to explain the retention on fitness center. Research method that had been used for this research is associated with multiple linear regression analysis technique. The population is college students in Manado, observed based on gender, age, marital status and income rate with sample as many as 100 respondents. The result of this research shows positive impact for these two variables which are reliability and tangibles generally give the significant influence for the customer retention  for college students in Manado. This shows that the quality of service in the fitness center greatly affect a students decision to visit a fitness center. Company must improve their service quality to improve students intention to come in the fitness center. Keywords: customer retention, reliability, tangibles


Since the middle of the 1990s, the creative city concept has gradually interfered with debates related to the governance and development of urban areas in France. This interference has occurred through a discourse which seeks to praise the territorial virtues of culture. This concept emerged in Anglo-Saxon countries and has since seduced numerous local decision-makers in France. Culture is thus central to city strategies, and is seen as a resource which is mobilised and used in political, economic or touristic projects. This new trend has benefit from the increasing power of cities in terms of public policy implementation, but also from the « post industrialisation » of urban economies, in which culture is part of territorial showcasing. Undoubtedly, Paris has always been considered to be one of the most creative cities in the world, in cultural as in touristic terms. The city, number one tourist spot in Europe, and equipped with one of the best museums of the world is considered to be a creative city par excellence. However, other cities in France, such as Lyon, Lille, Nantes, St Etienne, Nice or Marseille are worthwhile to explore when it comes to illustrate the French attitudes towards the creative city paradigm. Two of these cities, St Etienne and Nantes are taken as examples in this paper because of their earlier strategies to promote their creative soul as an urban development tool.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the taxonomic status of Paragonimus hokuoensis, P. paishuihoensis, P. menglaensis, P. bangkokensis and P. xiangshanensis in Genus Paragonimus Braun, 1899.

METHODS
DNA sequences were obtained from the ITS2 and CO I genes and phylogenetic trees were built from these.

RESULTS
There are some DNA sequence differences among P. paishuihoensis, P. menglaensis, P. bangkokensis and P. xiangshanensis, but the differences are small. P. hokuoensis and P. skrjabini are similar in DNA sequence.

CONCLUSION
P. paishuihoensis, P. menglaensis, P. bangkokensis and P. xiangshanensis are closer in the genetic relationship. Their taxonomic status lies between P. skrjabini and P. westermani. The genetic relationship between P. hokuoensis and P. skrjabini is very close.


Satellite DNA is a class of repetitive sequences that are organized in long arrays of tandemly repeated units in most eukaryotes. Long considered as selfish DNA, satellite sequences are now proposed to contribute to genome integrity. Despite their potential impact on the architecture and evolution of the genome, satellite DNAs have not been investigated in oomycetes due to the paucity of genomic data and the difficulty of assembling highly conserved satellite arrays. Yet gaining knowledge on the structure and evolution of genomes of oomycete pathogens is crucial to understanding the mechanisms underlying adaptation to their environment and to proposing efficient disease control strategies. A de novo assembly of the genome of Phytophthora parasitica, an important oomycete plant pathogen, led to the identification of several families of tandemly repeated sequences varying in size, copy number, and sequence conservation. Among them, two abundant families, designated as PpSat1 and PpSat2, displayed typical features of satellite DNA and were collectively designated as PpSat. These two satellite families differ by their length, sequence, organization, genomic environment, and evolutionary dynamics. PpSat1, but not PpSat2, presented homologs among oomycetes. This observation, as well as the characterization of transcripts of PpSat families, suggested that these satellite DNA families likely play a conserved role within this important group of pathogens.


How can journalist groups and media organizations challenge media capture? Previous research has documented how governments in authoritarian contexts seek to control and dominate the media sector by, for instance, introducing laws and regulations that limit free speech, corrupting licensing systems, and directing government funding and advertisement to loyal media outlets. In Uganda – as in several other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa – government liberalized the media sector in the early 1990s and passed a new constitution that guarantees press freedom, but has since tightened its control of independent media through a range of legislative and regulatory measures as well as outright assaults on individual journalists. However, this raises questions about how the primary targets of such capture – journalists, press freedom groups and media houses – respond to and seek to resist media capture. In this paper, we seek to explain how journalist groups and media organizations can challenge government attempts to subvert independent media. Drawing on original fieldwork data, including a set of semi-structured interviews with journalists and media freedom activists in Uganda, we analyze mobilization strategies to counter government attempts to control the media sector. We tentatively conclude that the media sector as a collective in some cases has been able to push back government control attempts. However, since media houses and journalists in general suffer material and economic deprivation, successful resistance requires combining legal mobilization with other forms of contention.


Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common seizure type in children and recurrent FS are a risk factor for developing temporal lobe epilepsy. Although the mechanisms underlying FS are largely unknown, recent family, twin and animal studies indicate that genetics are important in FS susceptibility. Here, a forward genetic strategy was used employing mouse chromosome substitution strains (CSS) to identify novel FS susceptibility quantitative trait loci (QTLs). FS were induced by exposure to warm air at postnatal day 14. Video electroencephalogram monitoring identified tonic–clonic convulsion onset, defined as febrile seizure latency (FSL), as a reliable phenotypic parameter to determine FS susceptibility. FSL was determined in both sexes of the host strain (C57BL/6J), the donor strain (A/J) and CSS. C57BL/6J mice were more susceptible to FS than A/J mice. Phenotypic screening of the CSS panel identified six strains (CSS1, ‐2, ‐6 ‐10, ‐13 and ‐X) carrying QTLs for FS susceptibility. CSS1, ‐10 and ‐13 were less susceptible (protective QTLs), whereas CSS2, ‐6 and ‐X were more susceptible (susceptibility QTLs) to FS than the C57BL/6J strain. Our data show that mouse FS susceptibility is determined by complex genetics, which is distinct from that for chemically induced seizures. This is the first data set using CSS to screen for a seizure trait in mouse pups. It provides evidence for common FS susceptibility QTLs that serve as starting points to fine map FS susceptibility QTLs and to identify FS susceptibility genes. This will increase our understanding of human FS, working toward the identification of new therapeutic targets.


The effect of coupling between quantum wells on the gain spectra, and on the differential gain is investigated assuming that the optical gain possess multiple peaks. The gain spectra showed many peaks located at the heavy-hole and light-hole transitions. Therefore, the lasers under investigation are being treated as multiple-level systems. It is shown that the dependence ofthis peaks is a function of the barrier thickness. Computer generated plots illustrate the use of analytic expressions for finding eigenvalues of the Schrodinger equation. Results and discussion for the gain spectra and for the differential gain are explained as bearing a relation to the bound-state energy eigenvalues. Such parameters of a GaInAsP-InP double quantum well laser are presented as a specific example.


Most atmospheric models such as weather forecast models and climate models are dependent on the turbulent exchange of momentum and scalars (heat, CO2 …) at the air-sea interface. These exchange processes are often described by simplified bulk formulas describing the average effects of complicated turbulent structures which are presently only partly understood. A numerical technique called large eddy simulation (LES) can be used to reveal certain aspects of the dynamics of the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer towards a better understanding and representation of the governing processes. We will attempt to explain some of the mechanisms (sources) of turbulence and visualize some of the dominant structures obtained from LES under different atmospheric conditions/forcing.


A fundamental human expectation is to stand upright. This exposes the cardiovascular system to gravitational forces, with a fall in pressure above heart level exposing organs such as the brain to impaired perfusion if adequate adaptive mechanisms are not activated. The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the initial response to standing upright, and can be affected by several disorders, some rare, some common. Autonomic failure can result in orthostatic hypotension with hypoperfusion of vital organs, causing a variety of symptoms including syncope. Thus, it is important to recognise orthostatic hypotension, determine its aetiology, evaluate and treat it. Intermittent autonomic dysfunction (such as neurally mediated syncope without chronic neurogenic failure) also results in falls and syncope; various forms include the 'common faint' (vasovagal syncope) and carotid sinus hypersensitivity (especially in the elderly). Orthostatic intolerance without orthostatic hypotension is increasingly recognised as due to an autonomic disturbance. New techniques are helping to unravel the functional anatomy of cerebral autonomic centres and their pathways in the causation of orthostatic intolerance.


This text is proposed to discuss, between those who are linked to phenomenology, the strange fact of that, in contrast of what happens to Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre or Merleau-Ponty, few of them seem to recognize the important contribution of Franz Brentano for humanistic psychotherapies. Although he was not a psychologist, Brentano was dedicated to psychology and, as a precursor of phenomenology, he was a pioneer of fundamental questions that, currently, cross the epistemological and philosophical bases of phenomenological and humanistic approaches in psychotherapy. Thus, the text discusses his theory of intentionality, the Act-Psychology and the Philosophy of the Present as meaningful contributions to the practice of humanis- tic psychotherapies.


Bluetongue disease (BT) was introduced into Central Europe in the summer of 2006 and has since affected most European countries. In this study we analysed the distribution of the biting midge vector Culicoides spp. in Austria and modelled Bluetongue disease risk zones. Culicoides spp. abundance data was collected from weekly catches of 14 months from 54 trapping locations. The corresponding weather data mean temperature (p < 0.001), wind (p < 0.001), relative humidity (p = 0.019) and altitude (p = 0.059) were identified as predictors on Culicoides spp. distribution in a regression model (R 2.8.0). The majority of catches were detected at temperatures above 10 degrees C and at relative humidities between 65-80%. The point data of these parameters originating from 186 meteorological stations were interpolated using the Geostatistical Analyst Kriging tool (ESRI ArcGIS 9.3). To create seasonal risk maps we overlaid regions with optimal temperature and humidity conditions with domestic ruminants density data. Our results show that the summer season holds the greatest risk of a BT epidemic with 25.9% of the analysed area providing optimal conditions for vector abundance and 12.4% showing contact risk with ruminant hosts. This project (1) provides fundamental data on the Culicoides spp. distribution in Austria, (2) determines limiting climatic parameters on vector abundance and (3) identifies risk areas by including areas of possible host-parasite-interactions. These high-risk areas can subsequently be given special attention for precautionary monitoring and surveillance measures.


A study was undertaken to determine the pressor and toxic effects of etoposide, an antineoplastic agent, when administered IV in 0.9% sodium chloride solution (0.4 mg of etoposide/ml) over a 30-minute period to dogs at a dosage of 40 mg/m2 of body surface. On day 1, 6 adult German Shorthaired Pointers were anesthetized with halothane, and blood pressures were measured via a femoral artery catheter before, during, and after the etoposide was administered. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures of each dog decreased [corrected] significantly (P less than 0.01) within 30 minutes after initiation of etoposide infusion. On day 3, when the dogs were not anesthetized, etoposide was again administered to each dog, using the same dosage. Each dog developed a moderate to severe cutaneous reaction characterized by moderate to severe pruritus, urticaria, and swelling of the head and extremities that began during the second infusion of etoposide. These same cutaneous reactions were seen on day 30, when etoposide was administered to 3 of the previously treated dogs and 2 previously untreated Beagles. We concluded that the administration of the commercial preparation of etoposide is likely to cause a significant reduction in blood pressure of anesthetized dogs, and that the drug is likely to induce a moderate to severe cutaneous reaction when administered to unanesthetized dogs.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the precision of Intraocular Lens (IOL) power calculation using a new optical low-coherence reflectometry biometer (Lenstar) and compare the results with those obtained with IOLMaster.

METHODS
It was a prospective controlled study. Biometry measurements in 157 eyes of 98 cataract patients were performed by the same examiner with Lenstar and IOLMaster. Axial length (AL), corneal keratometry readings (Km), and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were obtained. Correlation and differences of biometry measurements obtained with two biometers were made. Intraocular Lens power were calculated using 4 formulas and the corresponding IOL constants, the target was emmetropia. Then statistical analysis was proceeded.

RESULTS
Axial length were (23.65 ± 1.17) mm and (23.65 ± 1.16) mm respectively, Km (44.15 ± 1.58) D and (44.17 ± 1.58) D respectively by Lenstar and IOLMaster and no statistical differences were found (P > 0.05). ACD were (3.09 ± 0.41) mm and (3.05 ± 0.41) mm respectively by Lenstar and IOLMaster and there was statistical difference between them (P = 0.001). All biometry measurements showed good linear correlation (r > 0.9, P < 0.001). IOL power calculations with biometry values between Lenstar and IOLMaster using the 4 formulas showed good agreement. The least difference was obtained with formula SRK/T and the most with formula Haigis.

CONCLUSIONS
Lenstar can provide precise and noncontact biometry measurements easily and safely, which are welcome by patients. Providing precise and reliable biometry measurements of cataract patients for Intraocular Lens power calculation, it shows good agreement with IOLMaster and the two biometers can be interchanged.


Rural modern distance education in China has become an important approach to promote the quality of rural education and all rural population. But we should not only train the teachers through distance education, but also provide persistent concern and support with them. This essay first analyzes why we should design the teaching support platform, then discusses the conceptual model of the platform, based on this we design a Web-based distance teaching support platform including its system architecture, main function module and main techniques used to implement the platform.


One major goal in medical imaging is the elaboration of more efficient contrast agents (CAs). Those agents need to be optimized for the detection of affected tissues such as cancers or tumors while decreasing the injected quantity of agents. The paramagnetic contrast agents containing fluorine atoms can be used for both proton and fluorine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and they open the possibility of simultaneously mapping the anatomy using 1H MRI and accurately locating the agents using 19F MRI. One of the challenges in this domain is to synthesize molecules containing several chemically equivalent fluorine atoms with relatively short relaxation times to allow the recording of 19F MR images in good conditions. With that aim, we propose to prepare a CA containing a paramagnetic center and nine chemically equivalent fluorine atoms using a cycloaddition reaction between two building blocks. These fluorinated contrast agents are characterized by 19F NMR, showing differences in the fluorine relaxation times T1 and T2 depending on the lanthanide ion. To complement the experimental results, molecular dynamics simulations are performed to shed light on the 3D-structure of the molecules in order to estimate the distance between the lanthanide ion and the fluorine atoms.


The current study is a descriptive research that analyzes the impact of work-from-home policies on employees who worked during the pandemic. This policy is also a followup to the government's efforts with business organizations to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), primarily to help the health pillars, especially for health security. The authors used a quantitative and qualitative research design and data were collected through interviews. Of the 3205 bank employees, 50 were interviewed. The results indicated the pros and cons of the work-from-home policy. Although the employees had both positive and negative feelings toward the policy, they realized that the work target must be achieved. The results of this research can be used as a reference in developing policies in each company that aims to improve performance while protecting the health of employees and supporting health security as part of Indonesian society.
Keywords: kwd


Research in urban evolution requires that the features of cities are accurately captured for input into evolutionary models. Until recently, the evolutionary effects of cities have often been addressed using single sites, dichotomous urban–rural contrasts or, to a lesser extent, using urban gradients. However, urbanization does not produce a homogenous spatial continuum: cities are highly heterogeneous environments, with sharp and often non-linear environmental changes related to the amount of impervious surface, green vegetation, air pollution, light, noise, or contrasted temperature profiles. The comprehensive quantification of urban heterogeneity in space and time is essential for exploring the origins of organismal variation and adaptation in cities, and to best identify the strength and directionality of selective pressures and neutral processes occurring in populations of urban organisms. This chapter reviews frameworks that can be used to describe and quantify urbanization—these include classical ecological frameworks, the understudied temporal dimension of urban evolutionary biology, and the concept of replicated insight into urban-driven evolutionary processes. The chapter further discusses how axes of variation capturing the urban environment can be quantified with univariate and multivariate approaches, and presents quantitative results on how urbanization is captured in published studies of urban evolution. Finally, it discusses study design and statistical approaches of interest when testing for urban evolution: these include the question of model selection and variable fitting, spatial autocorrelation, and appropriate scale use in studies of urban evolution.


Abstract Profiles of current velocity, temperature, and salinity were obtained in the Internal Wave and Mixing Experiment in the South China Sea (SCS), the Luzon Strait, and the North Pacific. The observations are examined for evidence of enhanced diapycnal mixing in the SCS, which reaches O(10−3 m2 s−1) in magnitude. Results from independent casts reveal that diapycnal diffusivity in the SCS and the Luzon Strait is elevated by two orders of magnitude over that of the smooth bathymetry in the North Pacific, which are typical of background values in an open ocean. The vertical distribution of diapycnal diffusivity is nonuniform in the SCS, exhibiting higher values at depths greater than about 1000 m. This result compares favorably with the direct microstructure measurements at four stations in the SCS. Velocity and density profiles are combined to estimate the internal tide energy flux generated in the Luzon Strait and directed into the SCS. The energy amounts to 10 GW, most of which is rationalized to be ...


Various market research data show that the profits for the brokerage industry in major European markets dropped 54% in 2001 after the peak in 2000 (Chart 1). The decline in profits for retail brokers was 58%. Wholesale brokerage profits (brokers mainly for institutional investors) fell 51%. Consolidation of the brokerage industry is clearly taking place, and the industry has to adjust quickly to the new environment.


A unique feature of soil-steel structures, unlike classical bridges, for example vaulted ones, is the very large effect of backfill and road superstructure on the bearing capacity of the bridge. In the model of a buried structures made of corrugated steel plates, two structural subsystems are distinguished: a flexible arch shell and a soil backfill with road superstructure. The interaction between these subsystems is modelled as a contact layer, i.e. forces with a normal and tangent direction to the surface of the steel shell. It is a static condition for the compatibility of mutual interactions between soil and coating. Between the sub-systems, slip is allowed, i.e. the difference of displacements. The paper presents the structure safety assessment algorithm based on the shell deformation determined on the basis of deflection measurement and change of curvature in the shell crown point. The construction phase of the structure is analysed and a also the symmetrical deformation is assumed during the backfill material placement. Usually, during the bridge construction the forces in the steel shell are several times greater than those arising from operational loads. For this reason, the results of analyses given in the paper are also important as the basis for calculation and behaviour of the soil during live loads. 160 Czesław Machelski, Michał Mo ka, Piotr Tomala


The relationship research among the normalized distance,the similarity measure,the entropy and the inclusion measure of interval-valued fuzzy sets is a hot topic.Considering that the interval-valued fuzzy set includes more information than the ordinary fuzzy set.In this paper,we introduce an axiomatic definition of the normalized distance of the interval-valued fuzzy sets based on the interval-number measurement,investigate the relationship among the normalized distance,the similarity measure,the entropy and the inclusion measure of the interval-valued fuzzy sets in detail,prove five theorems that the normalized distance,the similarity measure,the entropy and the inclusion measure of the interval-valued fuzzy sets can be transformed by each other based on their axiomatic definitions and propose some formulas to calculate the similarity measure,the entropy and the inclusion measure of the interval-valued fuzzy sets.These conclusions can be applied in many fields such as approximate reasoning,decision-making analysis,pattern recognition and so on.


ABSTRACT
 The Pacific geoduck Panopea generosa is distributed throughout the North Pacific temperate zone from Alaska to Baja California and is described as a species that reaches large sizes, has prolonged longevity, and exhibits slow growth. This study assessed the individual growth and population structure of the P. generosa population located at its southernmost geographic distribution limit. Shell length and total weight data were obtained from a commercial fishery established on Punta Canoas, Baja California. Individual age was determined by counting growth lines for 243 organisms. The results revealed the following averages: shell length (SL), 113.5 mm; total weight, 511.8 g; age, 12.5 y. The relationship of SL to total weight showed negative allometric growth (b = 2.16). Size-at-age data were adjusted to von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, logistic, Johnson, and Schnute growth models according to the multimodel inference (MMI) approach. The best candidate growth model was selected based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the Schwartz—Bayesian criterion (SBC). The AIC indicated that the Schnute growth model was the best candidate growth model, whereas the SBC showed the Johnson growth model was best. These growth models indicate that between 7 y and 8 y of age, organisms reach 75% of their estimated asymptotic length (SL, ∼103 mm), and although the growth rate decreases subsequently, growth continues up to 25 y (maximum age observed). The MMI approach applied to the analysis of growth in Panopea species identified particular population attributes that are not observable via the von Bertalanffy model. The population of P. generosa from Punta Canoas exhibited smaller mean SL, lower mean weight, an age structure with fewer age classes, and slower growth when compared with northern populations in Washington state and British Columbia, Canada.


The purpose of education is to develop self-ability, knowledge, skills, and habits that are passed down from one generation to the next and from educators to students through a teaching process to shape a personality physically and spiritually. It also serves as a benchmark of success for a region. Education indicators can be used as a measuring tool to analyze the quality of education in an area. The current study aimed to determine the level of education in the districts of the Sidoarjo Regency, Indonesia. In this study, the sub-districts of the Sidoarjo Regency were grouped based on the education indicators using cluster analysis. Cluster analysis is a multivariate analysis that groups objects into different categories. Based on the results, two clusters were formed. Of the 18 districts in Sidoarjo Regency, the first cluster comprised of 14 districts (Prambon, Tulangan, Krembung, Tarik, Wonoayu, Gedangan, Porong, Buduran, Candi, Sukodono, Tanggulangin, Sedati, Jabon, Balongbendo), while the second included 4 (Sidoarjo, Waru, Taman, Krian). The results showed higher education indicators in the second cluster. Therefore, the researchers recommend using the results of this study as a reference for developing an equal distribution of education in the Sidoarjo Regency.
Keywords: education indicators, cluster analysis, Sidoarjo districts


Autistic disorders - the state of the art and recent findings: epidemiology, aetiology, diagnostic criteria, and therapeutic interventions This review article is based on a state-of-the-art lecture given at the 32nd meeting of the German Child Psychiatry Association in March 2011. It summarizes recent findings from epidemiological studies (comorbid disorders, risk factors), early diagnosis, classification, and evidence-based therapeutic interventions (psychopharmacology, early intervention, group-based behavioural interventions). Intensive research over the last years has led to a better understanding of, and improved therapeutic options for, autism spectrum disorders.


The process of conducting a mission for an autonomous aircraft includes determining the set of waypoints (flight planning) and the path for the aircraft to fly (path planning). The autonomous aircraft is an under-actuated system, having less control inputs than degrees of freedom and has two nonholonomic (non integrable) kinematic constraints. Consequently, the set of feasible trajectories will be restricted and the problem of trajectory generation becomes more complicated than a simple interpolation. Care must be taken in the selection of the basic primitives to respect the kinematic and dynamic limitations. The topic of this paper is trajectory generation using parametric curves. The problem can be formulated as follows: to lead the autonomous aircraft from an initial configuration qi to a final configuration qf in the absence of obstacles, find a trajectory q(t) for 0 ≤t ≤ T. The trajectory can be broken down into a geometric path q(s), s being the curvilinear abscissa and s=s(t) a temporal function. In 2D the curves fall into two categories: • Curves whose coordinates have a closed form expressions, for example B-splines, quintic polynomials or polar splines. • Curves whose curvature is a function of their arc length for example clothoids, cubic spirals, quintic or intrinsic splines. Some 3D solutions will be presented in this paper and their effectiveness discussed towards the problem in hand.The process of conducting a mission for an autonomous aircraft includes determining the set of waypoints (flight planning) and the path for the aircraft to fly (path planning). The autonomous aircraft is an under-actuated system, having less control inputs than degrees of freedom and has two nonholonomic (non integrable) kinematic constraints. Consequently, the set of feasible trajectories will be restricted and the problem of trajectory generation becomes more complicated than a simple interpolation. Care must be taken in the selection of the basic primitives to respect the kinematic and dynamic limitations. The topic of this paper is trajectory generation using parametric curves. The problem can be formulated as follows: to lead the autonomous aircraft from an initial configuration qi to a final configuration qf in the absence of obstacles, find a trajectory q(t) for 0 ≤t ≤ T. The trajectory can be broken down into a geometric path q(s), s being the curvilinear abscissa and s=s(t) a temporal function....


Rapid vascularization is vital for dermal regeneration, nutrient and nutrition transfer, metabolic waste removal, and prevention of infection. This study reports on a series of proangiogenic peptides designed to undergo self-assembly and promote angiogenesis and hence skin regeneration. The proangiogenic peptides comprised an angiogenic peptide segment, GEETEVTVEGLEPG, and a β-sheet structural peptide sequence. These peptides dissolved easily in ultrapure water and rapidly self-assembled into hydrogels in a pH-dependent manner, creating three-dimensional fibril network structures and nanofibers as revealed by a scanning microscope and a transmission electron microscope. In vitro experiments showed that the peptide hydrogels favored adhesion and proliferation of mouse fibroblasts (L929) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In particular, many connected tubes were formed in the HUVECs after 8 h of culture on the peptide hydrogels. In vivo experiments demonstrated that new blood vessels grew into the proangiogenic peptide hydrogels within 2 weeks after subcutaneous implantation in mice. Moreover, the proangiogenic-combined hydrogels exhibited faster repair cycles and better healing of skin defects. Collectively, the results indicate that the proangiogenic peptide hydrogels are a promising therapeutic option for skin regeneration.


Author(s): Discekici, Emre | Advisor(s): Hawker, Craig J; Read de Alaniz, Javier | Abstract: The development of new synthetic platforms for the preparation of small molecule and polymeric materials represents a research area of tremendous value for modern day society. Progress in chemical synthesis has enabled innumerable advances in areas ranging from biodegradable plastics to new pharmaceuticals and drug delivery technologies. Importantly, there has been a concerted effort to ensure that many of these novel synthetic processes are realized using "green" methodologies. This includes using non-toxic reagents, readily available solvents and abundant stimuli such as visible light. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of the use of light in chemical synthesis as an enabling platform to unlock exceedingly mild chemical pathways otherwise not accessible using more conventional thermally driven processes. In the context of macromolecular synthesis, light mediated controlled radical polymerization has emerged as a powerful strategy, offering an added dimension of control over reaction kinetics, macromolecular sequence and overall material composition. Herein, I would like to showcase the implementation of light in a few cutting-edge areas of polymer synthesis, including spatial patterning of surface-tethered polymer brushes, facile polymer chain-end modification, easy access to functional semi-fluorinated and degradable polymers, and the synthesis of multifunctional, temperature tunable materials. The aforementioned topics all rely on the simplicity of external regulation using light, and provide proof-of-concept utility that will create both synthetic and application-driven opportunities across the broader chemical sciences.


In this note, we construct a pseudo-linear kind discrete operator based on the continuous and nondecreasing generator function. Then, we obtain an approximation to uniformly continuous functions through this new operator. Furthermore, we calculate the error estimation of this approach with a modulus of continuity based on a generator function. The obtained results are supported by visualizing with an explicit example. Finally, we investigate the relation between discrete operators and generalized sampling series.


The ras family of oncogenes has been extensively studied for its implication in several types of human malignancies. Activation of ras genes involves mutations that alter the catalytic activity of the protein enhancing the downstream signals mostly towards cell proliferation and malignant transformation. Ras genes are also involved in induction of senescence or apoptosis, suggesting activation of alternative pathways that may be anti-oncogenic. Early experiments showed that transfection of wild-type ras in transformed cells reversed the oncogenic phenotype suggesting that wild-type ras has onco-suppressive properties. Indeed, expression of wild-type ras genes in several human malignancies is associated with good prognosis. In tumors carrying mutant ras genes the levels of expression of the wild-type allele never exceeded the mutant counterpart, indicating that the wild-type protein suppresses the effect of the mutant one. Recent development of the Kras2 deficient mice provided the tool to study the role of wild-type ras genes in tumorigenesis.


Butterfly–flower morphological interrelationships were investigated for 108 butterfly species and 20 plants at Nagpur, India. Distinct clusters of higher taxa (families) are disclosed for butterfly morphology and significant morphological and taxonomic associations occur in nectar exploitation. Flower corolla depth generally restricts exploitation by butterflies in relation to proboscis length and butterflies with high wing load indices bias their feeding to plants with massed flowers. However, important exceptions emerge; also, a substantial number of butterflies feed on plants with massed flowers though their proboscises are of marginal length for corolla depths. These butterfly species are significantly smaller, lighter, with lower wing loading and shorter proboscis indices than species which easily access the same flowering plant species. It is suggested that small size and short proboscises could give them a competitive advantage (increased rate of nectar uptake) for exploiting nectar in such situations. The significance of the findings for conservation is discussed.


Recent cytogenetic and molecular investigations have improved our understanding of endometrial stromal tumors, including sarcomas (ESS), and helped redefine their classification into more pathogenetically meaningful categories. Because much more can be gained through such studies, we add information on another 22 ESS examined by karyotyping, PCR analysis, expression array analysis, and transcriptome sequencing. In spite of the known preference for certain pathogenetic pathways, we found considerable genetic heterogeneity in high‐grade (HG) as well as in low‐grade (LG) ESS. Not all HG tumors showed a YWHAE‐NUTM chimeric transcript and as many as six LGESS showed no hitherto known ESS‐related fusions. Among the transcripts identified by transcriptome sequencing and verified by Sanger sequencing, new variants of ZC3H7‐BCOR and its reciprocal BCOR‐ZC3H7 were identified as was involvement of the CREBBP and MLLT4 genes (both well known leukemia‐related genes) in two new fusions. FISH analysis identified a known EPC1‐PHF1 fusion which led to the identification of a new variant at the molecular level. The fact that around 70 genes were found differentially expressed, by microarray analysis, when comparing LGESS showing ESS‐related fusions with LGESS without such transcripts, underscores the biochemical importance of the observed genetic heterogeneity and hints that new subgroups/entities in LGESS still remain undiscovered. © 2016 The Authors. Genes, Chromosomes & Cancer Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


As a people, Australians have lost contact with the world of nature, risking the collapse of civilisation. One factor in the alienation of nature in Australia is the failure of the scientific community to take responsibility for the technology created by the knowledge generated from scientific research. Science has failed to protect Australia's flora and fauna. Scientists must communicate more widely with society, but need to be educated on how to communicate and on their ethical responsibilities to others and other species. Government needs to show leadership in environmental management and nature conservation, while conservationists need to 'invert the paradigm', taking a new, less anthropocentric approach to conservation. None of this is possible in a market-place economy and Australians must move to an economic system that is ecocentric. This will not be easy as it requires a reduction in the consumption of resources and a smaller population. Received 28 December 2014, accepted 27 January 2015, published online 21 April 2015


In this paper, the strain rate effect on mechanical properties, failure modes, acoustic emission (AE) characteristics, and energy mechanism of the karst limestone was analyzed based on uniaxial compression tests with different strain rates (5×10 –5×10 / s). /e results showed that the peak strength increased linearly and peak strain increased quadratically with the logarithm value of the strain rate. Moreover, the strain rate effect on elastic modulus was not significant. Under low strain rates, the rock was damaged seriously, AE signals appeared continuously, and the cumulative number of AE signals was high. Under high strain rates, the total quantity of the macroscopic cracks decreased, but the crack length extended with better coalescence. /e AE peak significantly increased under high strain rates, while the cumulative AE activity significantly reduced. /e energy evolution of the karst limestone failure process had significant stage characteristics, and the strain energy ratio presented an S-shape. /e maximum value of the elastic strain energy at peak stress showed a linear relationship with the logarithm value of the strain rate.


Emerging therapies including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy targeting B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) have shown promising clinical outcomes in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). However, majority of patients eventually develop progressive disease due to heterogeneity in BCMA expression or loss of antigen during treatment. Therefore, new targets are required to overcome the problem of resistance encountered with these agents. The expression of GPRC5D (G-protein-coupled receptor class 5 member D) is high on MM cells and low in normal tissues. Although high levels of GPRC5D and BCMA were found in similar proportions of MM patients, they are independently expressed by MM cells. GPRC5DxCD3 bispecific T-cell-redirecting antibody is currently under clinical investigation. Preliminary results have shown early evidence in efficacy with tolerable safety profile. These findings identified GPRC5D as an ideal therapeutic antibody drug conjugate (ADC) target for the treatment of patients with RRMM. Therefore, the present study was aimed at developing a novel anti-GPRC5D ADC drug LM-305 and evaluating its preliminary efficacy by performing preclinical activity using in vitro and in vivo mouse models. The binding affinity of LM-305 was evaluated by flow cytometry in engineered GPRC5D over-expressing MM tumor cells and endogenous GPRC5D-expressing MM tumor cells. The internalization of LM-305 was assessed with pH-dependent dye in NCI-H929 and MM.1R cell lines. The cytotoxicity of LM-305 was assessed by cell viability assay in MM tumor cell lines. In vivo anti-tumor activity of multiple doses of LM-305 (1mg/kg, 3mg/kg, 10mg/kg) was evaluated in NCI-H929 and MM.1R tumor cell line derived xenograft (CDX) models. In vitro studies revealed that LM-305 binds with high affinity to GPRC5D over-expressing cell lines and GPRC5D endogenously expressing MM cells in a dose-dependent manner. It can be efficiently internalized by GPRC5D expressing cells and further lysosomal lysis was detected by pHrodo dye. LM-305 displayed potent cytotoxicity when co-cultured with MM tumor cells (NCI-H929 and MM.1R) with IC50 values ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 nM. In vivo tumor xenograft models suggested that treatment with LM-305 resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth in tumor bearing mice. Additionally, LM-305 exhibited complete response (CR) in the GPRC5D high-expressing MM CDX models at a dose of 3mg/kg. Moreover, LM-305 showed good safety profile in the animal studies. In conclusion, this preclinical data suggested that LM-305 is a novel GPRC5D targeting ADC with best-in-class potential, and therefore it can be a promising therapeutic candidate for the treatment of RRMM patients expressing GPRC5D.
 Citation Format: Wentao Huang, Jie Luo, Yifan Li, Da Fei, Xia Qin, Runsheng Li. Preclinical activity of LM-305 targeting G-protein-coupled receptor class 5 member D (GPRC5D) antibody drug conjugate for the treatment of multiple myeloma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 6020.


Due to a rising demand for social and integrative interaction among nations, the cultural and educative role of foreign language learning compatible to a sustainable pedagogy learning environment is a priority to be investigated, especially in countries which are heading toward European integration, like Albania is. This paper addresses the enhancement of formal education curriculum with focus at foreign language in order to meet the needs of learning environment by employing an interactive pedagogy methodology. The instrument used in this research is the Socio-Educative Model, Gardner R.C. (2001) which measures the intensity of the impact that cultural and educative constructs have in students` social and integrative attitudes. On national basis, by a random selection technique the Socio-educative Model presented by Attitude Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) was conducted on a sample size of N=1500. The Likert scale of assessment at a range from (1-6) with code (1) indicating absolute disagreement and (6) absolute agreement to the test statements, was used for the instrument and the results of the data gathered indicated that: English learners have moderate positive attitudes toward foreigners speaking English; the language is marked as a high priority when integration is concerned, and they expressed a very strong interest to learn the English language. Overall, the cultural aspect of learning environment reflects the students` social and integrative attitudes to learning English as a foreign language.


This study analyses the newly available statistical evidence on income distribution in the former Soviet Union both by social group and by republic, and considers the significance of inequalities as a factor contributing to the demise of the Communist regime. Among the topics covered are wage distribution (interbranch and skill differentials and distribution in terms of gender, education, and age), income distribution for the former USSR as a whole, and wage and income distribution patterns for each republic, with analysis of regional differences.


New generation of mobile wireless networks utilizes IP mobility protocols to handle handovers between their different subnets. Among existing options, Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6) as a network-based protocol presents higher handover performance comparing with its client-based counterparts such as Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) and Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6). Nevertheless, the PMIPv6's operation is limited to a relatively small domain. This motivated researchers to try to extend PMIPv6 operation beyond its local mobility domain, while preserving its network-based nature. However, the existing globally extended PMIPv6 solutions experience longer handover latency and higher packet loss comparing to the original PMIPv6. This paper suggests a low-latency global PMIPv6 scheme, which creates the mobile node's binding record inside the target domain before its real attachment to that domain. The proposed scheme takes advantage of link layer events to initiate IP-level handover in parallel with link reconnection process. The analytical and simulation-base evaluations demonstrate the enhanced performance of the proposed scheme concerning to the handover latency and packet loss.


We study strong-field ionization of dielectric nanospheres and focus on the enhancement of the cut-off energies for backscattering electrons resulting from charge interaction. Though recent studies clearly demonstrated the decisive impact of a surface trapping field on the electron backscattering process, a clear picture of the underlying mechanism is lacking. Here, we provide this picture and present a simple and transparent extension of the famous three-step model of strong-field science by adding a triangular surface trapping potential. We justify this model for the case of dielectric nanospheres based on high-level transport simulations. The analysis of the trapping field assisted backscattering provides a universal scaling of the maximal recollision and backscattering energies as 9 and 14.5, respectively, where is the local ponderomotive potential. The universal nature of the enhancement over the conventional three-step model is of particular interest for the generation of attosecond electron bunches via near-field induced photoemission and high harmonic generation at nanostructures.


The antiferromagnetic state observed in Lu2Fe17 at elevated temperatures is stabilized down to the ground state in (Lu0.8Ce0.2)2Fe17 and Lu2Fe16.5Ru0.5. The Neel temperature TN decreases from 275 K in Lu2Fe17 to 247 K and 208 K in (Lu0.8Ce0.2)2Fe17 and Lu2Fe16.5Ru0.5, respectively. Both compounds exhibit the easy-plane magnetic anisotropy and a metamagnetic transition at fields below 1 T. External pressure pushes the transition towards higher field and reduces the magnetization as well as TN to 234 K and 185 K for (Lu0.8Ce0.2)2Fe17 and Lu2Fe16.5Ru0.5, respectively, under pressure 0.8 GPa. The pressure and the substitution effects can be understood in terms of exchange interaction varying strongly with changes of the lattice parameter c.


Introduction: Breast cancer accounts for 25% of all female cancer cases in India. Although, lipids and free radicals like Nitric Oxide (NO) have been related to breast cancer, but its pathogenesis remains controversial. Aim: To estimate NO, endothelial NO Synthase (eNOS) and lipid profile in serum of breast cancer patients and also to determine their possible role in patients of breast cancer in Indian women. Material and Methods: This was a hospital-based case-control study conducted for a period of 24 months from July 2012 to June 2014 in Dr VM Government Medical College, Solapur, with a total of 100 women (50 breast cancer cases and 50 healthy age matched controls) of age group 35-65 years. Fasting venous blood samples were collected. Biochemical parameters analysed in the study were serum NO, serum eNOS, serum Total Cholesterol (TC), serum Triglycerides (TG), serum High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and serum Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). Results were expressed as mean±Standard Deviation (SD) and Student's unpaired t-test was used to compare the pairs of means. Results: There was no difference in mean age between cases (49.73±8.16 years) and controls (48.23±8 years). Serum levels of NO, eNOS, TC, TG and LDL were significantly higher in cases than in controls (55.92±6.54 µmol/L v/s 49.58±6.74 µmol/L for NO; 175.4±22.92 U/mL v/s 148.6±9.77 U/mL for eNOS; 271±9.16 mg/dL v/s 177.58±6.41 mg/dL for TC; 180.70±8.48 mg/ dL v/s 107.57±8.98 mg/dL for TG ; 177.39±6.21 mg/dL v/s 98.16±8.90 mg/dL for LDL). However, serum HDL levels did not showed significant difference in case group (57.55±6.40 mg/dL) when compared with control group (57.15±5.35 mg/dL). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that high serum levels of NO, eNOS and lipids are associated with breast cancer and thereby suggests that increased NO, eNOS and abnormal lipid profile may have a role in pathogenesis of breast cancer.


From the beginning, machine learning methodology, which is the origin of artificial intelligence, has been rapidly spreading in the different research communities with successful outcomes. This chapter aims to introduce for system analysers and designers a comparatively new statistical supervised machine learning algorithm called support vector machine (SVM). We explain two useful areas of SVM, that is, classification and regression, with basic mathematical formulation and simple demonstration to make easy the understanding of SVM. Prospects and challenges of future research in this emerging area are also described. Future research of SVM will provide improved and quality access to the users. Therefore, developing an automated SVM system with state-of-the-art technologies is of paramount importance, and hence, this chapter will link up an important step in the system analysis and design perspective to this evolving research arena.


Cationic starches possess a positive or cationic charge. Because of this charge, they have found widespread use at the wet end of the papermachines. When applied properly, cationic starches have been found to increase filler and fines retention, improve interfiber bonding, increase pick resistance and reduce BOD in mill effluent. In order to obtain these benefits, it is first important to retain the cationic starch in the sheet. Several factors have been determined to affect cationic starch retention. These factors include pH, starch molecular weight, starch charge density, rate of application, retention aid used, furnish type and degree of fiber mechanical treatment. It was discovered that a discrepancy existed in the the role of fiber mechanical treatment on the retention of cationic starch. An experiment was designed and conducted to charify what effects fiber mechanical treatment had on the retention of cationic starch under conditions that simulate the wet end of a papermachine. It was found that as fiber mechanical treatment was increased, the retention of cationic starch increased to a maximum, then decreased as a greater amount of fines was lost in the white water. It was also found that in the absence of fines, fibers themselves retained more cationic starch because they were subjected to mechanical treatment.


An experiment of laser-triggered electric discharges has been conducted in a uniform background electric field. By focusing the beam of a pulsed Nd-YAG laser (wavelength 532 nm, pulse duration 5 ns) in a narrow (15 mm) plane-parallel air gap exposed to a DC voltage, streamer discharges and disruptive discharges were triggered. The laser energy and the background electric field strength were varied in the ranges 0-180 mJ and 0.8-1.4 MV/m, respectively, and the laser plasma was induced either close to the anode, close to the cathode or mid-gap. From images of the electrode gap and from current measurements, the occurrence of and time to the streamer discharge and the disruptive discharge were determined. No distinct level was found of either the laser energy or the plasma energy for the transition from one discharge case to another, even if the general trend was that the energy required for a certain discharge case was reduced when increasing the background electric field. These and other observations make the method of laser triggering a less suitable method for studies of streamer initiation and streamer propagation, but revealed several interesting features of laser-triggered electric discharges.