The study was conducted in Mosul city to show the effect of pollutants on some antioxidant enzymes which included: catlase (CAT.), glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The study included (153) persons represented in four groups, three of which were subjected directly to different pollutants (petroleum station workers (n= 37), workers in x-ray diagnosis (n=39) and cement production workers (n=33)). The fourth group as a control included outside city center living (n=44). The results showed a significant decrease for CAT and GPx enzymes in all groups incomparison with control group. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in GST with petroleum station and cement workers. For SOD, the results revealed a significant increase in workers of x-ray diagnosis , but a decrease non significantly in other groups. In addition, the increase of period of pollution, produced a decrease in CAT for all groups except in petroleum station workers and workers in x-ray diagnosis. Moreover a decrease in GST, SOD and GPx for all different pollutant groups were observed. In conclusion, an increase exposure of different pollutants led to an increase in the oxidative stress in workers which decreased the antioxidant enzymes levels. This behaviors might give an indication for the oxidation that take place in exposed persons.


The Technical and Management Information System (TMIS) Life-Cycle Process Document describes the processes that shall be followed in the definition, design, development, test, deployment, and operation of all TMIS products and data base applications. This document is a roll out of TMIS Standards Document (SSP 30546). The purpose of this document is to define the life cycle methodology that the developers of all products and data base applications and any subsequent modifications shall follow. Included in this methodology are descriptions of the tasks, deliverables, reviews, and approvals that are required before a product or data base application is accepted in the TMIS environment.


Background: Multimorbidity and suicide rates are on the rising among older Korean population. Recent studies have shown that multimorbidity is associated with increased suicidal ideation. Thus, this study was to investigate individual factors of suicidal ideation among older Korean adults with multimorbidity.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a subsample (n=20,533) with multimorbidity aged 65 over of the 2017 Korean community health survey. Binary logistic regression model assessed the association of physical activity, sitting times, self-reported sleep duration, and depression with suicidal ideation in older adults with multimorbidity.Results: Overall, 2,790 (13.6%) of the sample reported suicidal ideation within the past year. Logistic regression analysis showed that women, low monthly family income, low physical activity, long sitting times, inappropriate sleep duration and depression were significantly associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation in older adults with multimorbidity.Conclusions: To reduce the rate of suicidal ideation in older adults with multimorbidity, healthcare providers should be aware of the importance on routine assessment for physical activities, sleep pattern, and mental status of older adults in clinical settings. Particularly, female and low-income older adults with multimorbidity should be prioritized for early detection and individualized suicide prevention based on our findings.


first place it is impossible to discover who wrote it. Was it Waghji Muni (p. 13) or not ? Does A.D. 1435 (again p. 13) represent the date of its composition or only of the terminal verses ? There is no index, so that it is impossible to find out all the references to any disease or to any drug. For there is no apparent system in the treatment of the subject matter. Again, many of the technical terms must be mistranslated. Syphilis (p. 46) was not known in India eight hundred years ago. Nor is it likely that the disease now known as sprue (p. 57) was then recognized as a clinical entity. And what, pray, is the disease translated so frequently as peenus (p. 94) ? The fault lies in the translation of a highly technical work being made by a person with no knowledge of the technicalities of the subject. The author disarms criticism by her frank acknowledgment of her incapacity (p. 6), so no more can be said. Nor does she seem to know any Arabic, when she writes Damal-ook-wain for Dragons' Blood (p. 124). Nor is her Latin above suspicion (p. 68). It is a pity, because at present the main sources of our knowledge of Indian Medicine are Persian expositions, such as the Firdaus-ul-Hikmat and the Liber Regius. A translation into English of Sus"ruta, Charaka, and even the later physicians of India, is a work which is still eagerly awaited by all historians of Arab Medicine.


I may have met Jorma Rissanen in the flesh for the first time in Japan on Mount Fuji, in the Fuji Center for Training and Education, a marvelous facility for small conferences on the slope of Fuji-San, where an IEEE Workshop was organized in 1993. Jorma turned out to be a dapper, ramrod straight, wiry and muscular, little man with sand-colored hair that stood straight up on his head. Talking with others, he stood straighter than ever and defiantly looked up, and either got bored or said "gosh, that may well be true; I may have to look into that." His size is a source of worry to him, not in the last place because it prevented his dream come true. As he told me many times over the years, in his youth he was an intrepid soccer player. But he became a scientist instead. Spending most of his career at IBM Almaden Research Center, he has been the main stay of the IBM soccer team, practicing almost daily, until his retirement at the age of seventy. Lucky for Jorma, he has been supported and guided by his lovely wife Riitta. "Riitta is infinitely wise. Sometimes I go against her counsel, but she is always right and I live to be sorry." Jorma gave evidence: "Let me tell you a story. There was a meeting in Khwarizm, south of the Aral Sea in central Asia, where Al-Khwarizmi came from. Riitta told me that I was stupid to go there, and why should I want to go there anyway? Nonetheless I went. The first evening I had something to eat that didn't agree with me. The remainder of the meeting I spent in the bathroom, and couldn't talk with anyone. Riitta was right again." Jorma told about Linkoping University "they offered me a professorship at the University. Riitta said 'don't go, what do you want there?' I went nonetheless, no doubt driven by ambition. But I felt miserable there. After a year I quit. Riitta was right." If I quote Jorma, it is from memory. Nothing I can write will do justice to his inimitable style, lucid, brief, to the point, and disconcertingly honest, both in writing and in the spoken word. Thinking about Jorma I have many fond memories; to group them may be easiest by tying them to various beverages. My present circumstances where the consumption of alcohol is a hazard, excuses this greediness, much like Evelyn Waugh states in the Preface to 'Brideshead Revisited:'


While nuclear suppliers currently track uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) cylinders in various ways, for their own purposes, industry practices vary significantly. The NNSA Office of Nonproliferation and International Security's Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) has begun a 5-year program to investigate the concept of a global monitoring scheme that uniquely identifies and tracks UF{sub 6} cylinders. As part of this effort, NGSI's multi-laboratory team has documented the 'life of a UF{sub 6} cylinder' and reviewed IAEA practices related to UF{sub 6} cylinders. Based on this foundation, this paper examines the functional requirements of a system that would uniquely identify and track UF{sub 6} cylinders. There are many considerations for establishing a potential tracking system. Some of these factors include the environmental conditions a cylinder may be expected to be exposed to, where cylinders may be particularly vulnerable to diversion, how such a system may be integrated into the existing flow of commerce, how proprietary data generated in the process may be protected, what a system may require in terms of the existing standard for UF{sub 6} cylinder manufacture or modifications to it and what the limiting technology factors may be. It is desirable that a tracking system should provide benefitmore » to industry while imposing as few additional constraints as possible and still meeting IAEA safeguards objectives. This paper includes recommendations for this system and the analysis that generated them.« less


Earthworm populations have been recognized as indicators of soil fertility and health. To examine the influence of tropical land-use changes on earthworm community structure, we sampled earth- worm populations in three plots in two adjacent sites: a tropical pasture and a forest both developed on an alluvial soil. We found that (1) the density of endogeic worm dominated by Pontoscolex corethrurus was greater in the pasture than in forest; and (2) there were no anecic worms present in the pasture. Our results support the findings from other studies that converting tropical wet forests to pasture may lead to the extinction or populations reduction of anecic earthworms in tropical soils.


Fetal brain metabolism was investigated in utero noninvasively using multinuclear nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in rats at two representative prenatal stages: early (17‐18 days) and late (20‐21 days) stages. Phosphorus‐31 (31P) spectroscopy revealed that phosphocreatine is significantly lower in the early stage and increases to the level of early neonates by the late prenatal stage. Intracellular pH at the early stage was found to be strikingly high (7.52 ± 0.21) and decreased to a level similar to that of neonates by the late stage (7.29 ± 0.07). Phosphomonoester levels at both stages were similar to the values reported for early neonates. Water‐suppressed proton (1H) spectroscopy demonstrated a distinctive in vivo fetal brain spectral pattern characterized by low levels of N‐acetyl aspartate and high levels of taurine. High‐resolution proton spectroscopy and homonuclear chemical‐shift correlate spectroscopy of brain perchloric acid extracts confirmed these in vivo findings. In vitro 31P spectroscopy of acidified chloroform methanol extracts showed the characteristic membrane phospholipid profiles of fetal brain. The phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)‐to‐phosphatidylcholine (PC) ratio (PE/PC) did not show significant changes between the two stages at 0.40 ± 0.11, a value similar to that of early neonates. © 1989 Academic Press, Inc.


In this paper we introduce a new method for computing the eigenpairs of a matrix. The quadratic method which has the advantage of working in parallel, is based on solving quadratic nonlinear systems. The starting values of Newton's method used to solve the systems, are obtained by using a homotopy method together with polynomial interpolation. The algorithm is described and several numerical examples are given.


A function / defined in a domain D is n-valent in D if f(z) — w0 has at most n zeros in D for each complex number w0. The purpose of this paper is to show that a sufficient condition for a holomorphic function / i n \z \ < 1 to have angular limits almost everywhere on \z \ — 1 is that there exist a positive integer n and a positive number r0 such that / is w-valent in each component of the set {z: \ f(z) \ > r0}.


Evaluating existing flexible pavement condition is a pre-requisite to choose improvement technique that has to be adopted to enhance its quality. To evaluate existing pavements, non-destructive testing methods are desirable. Benkelman Beam and 5 th Wheel Bump Integrator are used to conduct non-destructive tests like deflection and roughness surveys on the existing pavement of 4 lane divided carriageway of Nandigama – Ibrahimpatnam section of NH-9 in the state of Andhra Pradesh (India). In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop and validate linear and logarithmic models between deflection and unevenness index for pavement under study and the correlation between these two parameters. The section selected for model validation is Naidupet – Sullurpet section of NH-5 in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is found that validated unevenness index (UI) values from the model are 90% similar with the UI values obtained from roughness survey at second location. Conducting deflection and roughness surveys cost around . 2,00,000 per Km and is time consuming. The objective of the study is to develop a relation between deflection and unevenness index, such that, if one parameter is known, the second parameter can be calculated and hence, the survey time and cost can be minimized.


This report is based on data gathered for the European Schools Project for Alcohol and Other
Drugs (ESPAD) Survey carried out in Ireland in 2015. The ESPAD survey takes place
concurrently every four years in more than 35 European countries and is based on a common
set of questions and methodology. This series of studies began in 1995 following an initiative by
the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAN) to connect with
researchers in other European countries, including Ireland, with a view to conducting a common
survey on the usage of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs in the school-going population. The
main aim of the ESPAD survey is to monitor trends in alcohol and other drug use among 15-16
year-olds and to compare trends between countries and groups of countries. In doing so,
researchers compile a large database of information that can play an integral role in the planning
and implementation of future initiatives and policies. The 2015 data collection wave marked the
20th anniversary of the first ESPAD survey and Ireland has participated in every phase of data
collection since the launch in 1995 (Hibell et al, 1997, 2001, 2004; Morgan et al., 2008, 2012).


Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) have been studied and used extensively in speech and birdsong recognition but they are not robust to limited training data and noise. This work present a novel method to training GMM-HMMs with extremely limited data—and possibly noisy—by sharing HMM components and generating more training samples that cover the variation of the models. We propose an efficient state-tying algorithm that takes advantage of unique characteristics of birdsongs. Specifically, the algorithm groups HMM states based on the spectral envelopes and fundamental frequencies, and the state parameters are estimated according to the group assignments. For noise-robustness, prominent time-frequency regions (time-frequency ranges expected to contain high energy for a particular HMM state) are used to compute the state emitting probability. In Cassin's Vireo phrase classification using 75 phrase types, the results show that the proposed state-tying algorithm significantly outperforms both traditional state-tying ...


I am in absolute agreement with the points made by Roger Mason on the BVA taking a stance on a no deal Brexit ( VR , 12 October 2019, vol 185, p 446). To my knowledge, never in …


The recycling of sulphur and zinc can be realized by a process using zinc oxide as the absorbent,which is especially suitable for flue gas desulphurization in lead-zinc metallurgical industry.The reaction of zinc oxide with SO2 in aqueous solution was studied in laboratory.The sulphite content in solid and solution,Zn2+ concentration and pH of solution were used to characterize the reaction and the effects of SO2 concentration and temperature on reaction were examined.The results showed that SO2 in aqueous solution first reacted with zinc oxide to form zinc sulphite solid,which then dissolved in aqueous solution.At the SO2 concentration of above 1% wt,the temperature of 25-35 ℃ was favorable for SO2 conversion.The further analysis of apparent activation energy showed that the reactivity of zinc oxide with SO2 in solution was similar to that of Ca(OH)2.


A plasma etching apparatus and storage media are provided to prevent the crack and to lightweighting the surface state the photoresist pattern. The wafer (W) is located on the susceptor(16) within the chamber(10). Process gas including the CF4 gas, the CH2F2 gas, and the C5F8 gas are injected into the chamber. The high frequency power is applied in the upper electrode(34) and then the plasma is generated. The direct current voltage is applied at the upper electrode. The opening formed in the photoresist film is lightweighted by the generated plasma. The object film on wafer is etched.


Acrylic acid is an essential chemical and a vital intermediate used in the production of various commodities and industrial chemicals. However, continued reliance on petroleum-based feedstocks for the production of...


The sodium salt form of fomivirsen, an antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) with potent antiviral property. Fomivirsen is a 21-nucleotide ODN complementary to mRNA of the immediate-early region 2 of human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Hybridization of this antisense ODN to CMV mRNA prevents RNA transcription from the immediate-early region 2 gene, thereby inhibiting viral replication. In addition, this agent inhibits adsorption of CMV into host cells via a sequence-independent mechanism. Overall, fomivirsen inhibits viral propagation via inhibiting viral replication and viral uptake by host cells, hence delaying progression of CMV-associated retinitis.


The invention provides a pre-formed rope core for a steel wire rope and a manufacturing method of the pre-formed rope core. The pre-formed rope core comprises grooves and protrusions. The four or more grooves are evenly and spirally distributed on the surface of the rope core, and one protrusion is formed between every two adjacent grooves. The rope core is provided with the spiral grooves and the protrusions after being produced through the hot extrusion forming technology, and the shapes and the sizes of the spiral grooves and the protrusions are matched with relevant parameters of the steel wire rope with the rope core. When rope strands and the rope core are twisted, the rope core and the rope strands are embedded into the grooves of the rope core, the adjacent rope strands are filled with the protrusions between the grooves, the structure of the steel wire rope is more stable while the rope strands are supported, friction between the rope strands is reduced, and the service life of the steel wire rope is prolonged.


ABSTRACT This article examines the ways in which the financial polemic created by the Spanish Cortes bonds helped to shape notions around international credit and state reputation in the 1820s and 1830s. It also explores its impact in the design of the emerging modern financial markets centred on London and Paris. The Cortes bonds were foreign loans contracted by the Spanish government during the liberal Triennium (1820–1823), subscribed by European investors and rejected by King Ferdinand VII. The article focuses on the actions, opinions and attitudes of their foreign bondholders. The crisis of the Cortes bonds promoted the formation of a distinctive rhetoric around foreign debt that was relevant not only for the Spanish case, but also for the modern discourse and practice of international finance.


A study was conducted to establish the effect of different planting densities of oregano plants on its yield under drip irrigation. The economic estimation of the developed technologies of cultivation is executed. The profitability of crop production in the first and second year of cultivation was calculated. It is established that the economic indicators in the first year of growing oregano are not high, due to the low yield of dry raw materials — a biological feature of the culture. In the second year of growing oregano, the yield of dry raw materials was much higher, as a result, economic indicators were quite high, the profitability of production ranged from 162.1 to 264.4%. Based on the analysis of the cost structure, the factors that most significantly affect the cost of raw materials are identified. The high efficiency of the seedling method of growing oregano under conditions of drip irrigation has been proved.


In the era of communicative technology and information, science is considered as the importance ofessential and vital source of competitive organizations for achieving sustained competitive advantage. Synchronized with the rotation of the industry-based economy to a knowledge-based economy organizations also have to rely on its own knowledge and use it to increase their competitiveness in the business process. This study of research is examined the relationship between knowledge management processes with time management school Administrators in Mazandaranprovince. This is a descriptive research and correlation method. The studies of samples are included 617 people who are all school managers in Mazandaranprovince. Sample size determinations were performed by using; accordinglyKerjesyand Morgan's tables, the number of 238 randomly were selected. Data collection methods questionnaire with 23 questions , knowledge management and time management questionnaire contains 50 questions that the questionnaire were taken from Poorazizy and co-worker questions (1390 ), and were answered by managers . Content validities of the questionnaires were confirmed by experts and the reliability coefficient using Cronbach's alpha for each scale respectivelyo.85 and o.86. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient .The results of these calculations are shown that between knowledge creation, sharing and usageof knowledge with time management, there is a significant relationship. But between knowledge acquisition and storage of knowledge, there is no significant relationship with timemanagement.


1, VO(sal-tod) 2 2, VO(hmp-and) 2 3 and VO(hmp-oxime) 2 4 have been studied in DMF/0.1 M TBAP using cyclic voltammetry at a Pt-working electrode. The electrochemistry of sal-anl and sal-tod ligands was also examined for the sake of comparison. Complexes 1 and 2 show almost similar electrochemistry. Oxidation of complex 2 is easier while reduction is difficult in comparison to 1 due to the +I inductive effect of electron-donating methyl group at the para position of toluidine. Complex 1 showed two irreversible anodic waves at E Pa1 = +0.68 V and E Pa2 = +1.06 V vs SCE and two irreversible cathodic peaks at E pc , 1 = -0.90 V and E pc2 = -1.325 V vs SCE followed by an irreversible anodic peak at E pa'2 = -0.42 V at scan rate 100 mV s -1 . On the basis of CV results, it is concluded that in complexes 1 and 2, the redox processes a 1 and c 2 are metal-based while the redox processes a 2 and c 1 ' seem to be ligand-based. The CVs of 3 and 4 are also qualitatively similar. It is noteworthy that the anodic peak potential for the process VO 2+/3+ shifted to more positive values in the sequence: VO(sal-tod) 2 → VO(sal-anl) 2 → VO(hmp-oxime) 2 → VO(hmp-and) 2 .


We give a condition on the defining graph of a right-angled Artin group which implies its automorphism group is virtually indicable, that is, it has a finite-index subgroup that admits a homomorphism onto $\Z$.
We use this as part of a criterion that determines precisely when the outer automorphism group of a right-angled Artin group defined on a graph with no separating intersection of links has property (T). As a consequence we also obtain a similar criterion for graphs in which each equivalence class under the domination relation of Servatius generates an abelian group.


(J. Extra-Corpor. Technol. 19[4]: p. 406-407 Winter 1988). A clinical evaluation of an air-bubble detector system used in conjunction with a non-occlusive pumphead is described in this report. The detector system was originally designed for occlusive roller pumpheads. A non-occlusive pump system can now be integrated with an existing rollerhead pump setup to accomplish the same desired effect, that is, automatic shutoff of the non-occlusive arterial pumphead if air is detected. The system is designed to produce an audible alarm when a bolus of air enters the bypass circuit. This system can be operated in a manual or automatic mode for arterial pump shutoff. This system has been judged effective in our clinical setting.


Exploring Strategies Required for Small Business Sustainability in Competitive Environments by Christian Akaeze MBA, Devry University, 2010 BS, Ambrose Alli University, 1994 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University January 2016 Abstract Owners of small businesses contribute approximately 39% of the gross domestic product and create 2 out of every 3 new jobs, but only 25% of startup small businesses stay afloat after 5 years. Guided by the resource-based view theory of the firm, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small auto dealership business owners use to sustain businesses in New York City. Data were collected through semistructured interviews from 3 participants who owned small auto dealership businesses and succeeded beyond 5 years. Data analysis entailed using coding techniques and cluster analysis. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of participants' responses. The 3 themes that emerged in the final report related to small business owners' strategies for success, influence of customer satisfaction on small business survival, and influence of prior industrial experience on small business owners' success. Findings from this study may contribute to social change by indicating some strategies that business owners use to sustain business and mitigate harmful effects of job loss. Data from this study may contribute to the prosperity of small business owners, their employees, and local community. The beneficiaries of this research include small business owners, practitioners, and policy makers.Owners of small businesses contribute approximately 39% of the gross domestic product and create 2 out of every 3 new jobs, but only 25% of startup small businesses stay afloat after 5 years. Guided by the resource-based view theory of the firm, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small auto dealership business owners use to sustain businesses in New York City. Data were collected through semistructured interviews from 3 participants who owned small auto dealership businesses and succeeded beyond 5 years. Data analysis entailed using coding techniques and cluster analysis. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of participants' responses. The 3 themes that emerged in the final report related to small business owners' strategies for success, influence of customer satisfaction on small business survival, and influence of prior industrial experience on small business owners' success. Findings from this study may contribute to social change by indicating some strategies that business owners use to sustain business and mitigate harmful effects of job loss. Data from this study may contribute to the prosperity of small business owners, their employees, and local community. The beneficiaries of this research include small business owners, practitioners, and policy makers. Exploring Strategies Required for Small Business Sustainability in Competitive Environments by Christian Akaeze MBA, Devry University, 2010 BS, Ambrose Alli University, 1994 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University January 2016 Dedication I dedicate this study to my wonderful wife, Nana, for her boundless love and support throughout the doctoral journey. I also dedicate this study to my children, Chris Jr, Solomon, and Samuel, for all the sacrifices, prayers, and missed vacations during my stormy periods of this journey. This doctoral study is for my wife and children as a reminder that God is able to do all things. My hope is that this achievement will be a source of inspiration to future generations of my family and symbolize that success is a result of discipline, commitment, hard work, and perseverance. Acknowledgments I would like to thank God for the grace, strength, and resources to complete this doctoral study. I want to thank my research committee chairman, Dr. Charles Needham, personally, who graciously extended me a life raft after my earlier terrible experience in the early stage of my effort. Dr. Needham was always willing and ready to help, encourage, and advise me through the successful conclusion of this doctoral journey. I doff my hat in salute to you for your mentoring. I also wish to thank committee members Dr. Robert Miller, my second committee member, and Dr. Alexandra Larzo, university research reviewer (URR) for their guidance and support. My special acknowledgement goes to Dr. Gene Fusch, for his inputs and guidance through teleconference that contributed to the knowledge to complete this doctoral research study. The last acknowledgment is to Dr. Freda Turner, Director of the Doctor of Business Administration program, for her teachings, leadership, and encouragement.


Background Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are the enzymes that hydrolyze cyclic nucleotides (cAMP and cGMP) playing a key role in the homeostasis of these two second messengers. PDE2A is a dual-specific PDE that breaks down both cAMP and cGMP and can be activated by cGMP. It appears peculiar that the Pde2A-deficient (Pde2A-/-) mouse model is embryonically lethal, likely due to a strongly reduced size of liver and to a severe anemia. In addition, the heart of Pde2A-/- embryos shows ventricular and atrial septum defects, hypertrabeculation, heart dilatation and non-compaction defects. We recently highlighted a direct relationship between Pde2A impairment, consequent increase of cAMP and the onset of mouse congenital heart defects (CHDs), however the molecular mechanisms underlining the heart defects remain unknown. Methods Transcriptome analysis of Pde2A-/- embryonic heart was performed by RNA sequencing and the most altered genes were also analyzed by quantitative real time PCR. In vivo treatment with drugs acting on cAMP signaling (Metoprolol and H89) and oxidative stress (N-Acetyl-Cysteine, NAC) were carried out on pregnant Pde2A+/- female. Histological, biochemical, and molecular analyses were then performed on embryonic hearts. Results We found a significant modulation of more than 500 genes affecting biological processes involved in the immune system, cardiomyocyte development and contractility, angiogenesis, control of gene transcription and oxidative stress in hearts from Pde2A-/- embryos. Metoprolol and H89 administration were able to prevent heart dilatation and hypertabeculation in Pde2A-/-embryos. Metoprolol was also able to partially impede heart septum defect and oxidative stress at tissue and molecular levels. Partial rescue of cardiac defects was observed by using the antioxidant NAC, indicating oxidative stress like one of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the CHDs. Conclusions We identified specific biological processes, molecules and cell signaling that can be targeted by selected drugs with consequent beneficial effects for cAMP-dependent CHDs. Novelty and Significance What is Known? Congenital Heart Defects are the most frequent heart birth defects including septal defects, hypertrabeculation and non-compacted myocardium. Pde2A hydrolyses the cAMP and cGMP second messengers. Pde2A-deficient mice are embryonic lethal and show cAMP-dependent Congenital Heart Defects. What New Information Does This Article Contribute? We identified several novel pathways altered in hearts of Pde2A-/- embryos. We demonstrated that drugs lowering cAMP levels rescued specific CHDs in Pde2A-/- embryos. We discovered that antioxidants are beneficial for CHDs in Pde2A-/- embryos. The significance of this work relay in molecular discoveries and pharmacological approaches to treat CHDs by using a mouse model that recapitulate the major congenital heart defects. Among the pathways involved in specific defects associated with CHDs, the transcriptome analysis revealed an impairment of genes of the immune system, cardiomyocyte development and contractility, angiogenesis, control of gene transcription and oxidative stress in Pde2A-/- hearts. The scientific community will have open access to the RNA-seq data that can be utilized to further understand the congenital cardiac pathology and clarify the molecular implication in selected defects such as septal and ventricular wall defects. Up to date CHDs, when possible and if identified in time, are mostly treated trough surgery. The identification of drugs blunting the cAMP signaling response or reducing oxidative stress pathways will be useful for setting therapeutic approaches to alleviate CHDs.


t is shown that the description of the dispersive
transport of hole polarons based on the multiple capture model
makes it possible to quantitatively describe the kinetics of the
accumulation and relaxation of space charge in MOS- structures
after ionizing irradiation at low temperatures. Modeling of time
dependences of threshold voltage on temperature, electric field
strength and gate oxide thickness is carried out. It is shown that the
kinetics of space charge relaxation is determined by the hopping
transport of hole polarons with the levels of localized states in
the range of 0.08−0.55 eV, the concentration of polaron states,
the influence of the electric field strength on the average polaron
energy, as well as gate oxide thickness on dispersive parameter.
The polaron radius is estimated.


The ability to recognize and discriminate is assumed in studies of nepotism, mate choice, and habitat selection, among others. Interestingly, the ability to recognize and discriminate is required of the researcher studying these topics. Researchers may take the importance of recognition for granted because it is such an integral part of what they do in using the scientific method. Indeed, a quick scan of a few animal behavior textbooks will reveal that recognition behavior is generally allocated only a few pages within a section on kin selection, and then under the title kin recognition.


The lower limestone Khanasir Member of the Aruma Formation in central Saudi Arabia is characterized by Campanian rudist biostrome at its uppermost part. The most abundant rudist fauna are Eodictyoptychus arumaensis, Durania sp. and Biradiolites sp. Succession is overlying continental siliciclastics of Wasia Formation and comprises shale at the base followed by slightly dolomitized, burrow, nodular limestone and caps with rudist biostrome. Abundant microfacies types are wackestones, packstones, grainstones and floatstones with green algae, benthic foraminifers. The succession in general, indicated shallowing upward sequence and rudist biostrome represents a shallow marine lagoonal environment.


The accuracy and fairness of the assessment results to a large extent limited by the choice of methods of assessment data processing. In the current practice of the equipment support core competencies (ESCC) assessment, there are two methods of assessment data processing mainly used, which are named the simple arithmetic average method and the weighted arithmetic average method. In this paper, an assessment data processing method is given, which is based on the accuracy of the expert assessment data. This method can be better to eliminate the subjectivity and contingency of expert assessment, and to improve the fairness and reliability of the assessment results.


'The Learning Organization' has become very fashionable on the conference circuit and among management consultants. The central message here is that there are various types of knowledge systems in organizations and care is needed in applying new learning approaches to them.


The strain product heat resistance protease was screened on the milk agar plate through the separation and purification from the high-temperature daqu samples,then the strain A1 which can produce more enzyme from further purification was selected by measuring the liquid fermentation enzyme protease.The strain A1 was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis through morphological characteristics,biochemical identification,16S rDNA sequencing and molecular biology.Three main factors which have affected the choice of glucose,yeast extract and pH,was optimized for fermentation medium with response surface method.The optimum medium for enzyme production was pH value of 8.4,glucose dosage 1.092%,yeast extract dosage of 0.902%,the best enzyme activity was 142.81u/mL.Determination of protease enzyme optimum temperature was 61℃,and it was higher enzyme activity when 55 ~ 70℃,the relative activity was 97.63% at 60℃.


With the rapid development of web2.0 technologies, tagging become much more important today to organize information and help users search the information they need with social bookmarking tools. In order to finish the second task of ECML PKDD challenge 2009, we propose a graph-based collaborative filtering tag recommendation system. We also refer to an algorithm called FolkRank, which is an adaptation of the famous Page Rank. We evaluate and compare these two approaches and show that a combination of these two methods will perform better results for our task.


Renewable source of energies are playing an important role in the national and international podium. There has been tremendous increase in solar power in India and this energy is utilized for further development of the household and industrial sector.Various initiatives have been taken to promote the development of Solar Power in India. This renewable energy is not only strengthening the economic sector but it is also empowering the social sector by creating many employment opportunities. Thus, solar power can be considered an important tool for promoting overall economic development.


The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought a global socio-economic crisis to almost all sectors including the fishery. To limit the infection, governments adopted several containment measures. In Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia, a lockdown period was imposed from March to May 2020, during which many activities, including restaurants had to close or limit their business. All of this caused a strong reduction in seafood requests and consequently, a decrease in fishing activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 in the Northern and Central Adriatic fleet, by comparing the fishing activities in three periods (before, during, and after the lockdown) of 2019 and 2020. The use of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) data allowed us to highlight the redistribution of the fishing grounds of the trawlers, mainly located near the coasts during the 2020 lockdown period, as well as a reduction of about 50% of fishing effort. This reduction resulted higher for the Chioggia trawlers (−80%) and, in terms of fishing effort decrease, the large bottom otter trawl was the fishing segment mainly affected by the COVID-19 event. Moreover, by analysing the landings of the Chioggia fleet and the Venice lagoon fleets, it was possible to point out a strong reduction both in landings and profits ranging from −30%, for the small-scale fishery operating at sea, to −85%, for the small bottom otter trawl.


Summary 8 Using the high-entropy alloys (HEAs) CoCuGaNiZn and AgAuCuPdPt as starting points we 9 provide a framework for tuning the composition of disordered multi-metallic alloys to control the 10 selectivity and activity of the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to highly reduced compounds. 11 By combining density functional theory (DFT) with supervised machine learning we predicted 12 the CO and hydrogen (H) adsorption energies of all surface sites on the (111) surface of the two 13 HEAs. This allowed an optimization for the HEA compositions with increased likelihood for 14 sites with weak hydrogen adsorption–to suppress the formation of molecular hydrogen (H 2 )– 15 and with strong CO adsorption to favor the reduction of CO. This led to the discovery of 16 several disordered alloy catalyst candidates for which selectivity towards highly reduced carbon 17 compounds is expected, as well as insights into the rational design of disordered alloy catalysts 18 for the CO 2 and CO reduction reaction. 19 wavefunction. Adsorption energies were calculated on planar periodic 2x2x5 slabs and 3x3x5 slabs illus- trated in Figure S1 with a plane-wave cutoff at 400 eV and a Monhorst-Pack k-point sampling 207 of the Brillouin zone of (4,4,1) for CoCuGaNiZn and (8,8,1) for AgAuCuPdPt. The slabs were 208 relaxed to a maximum force of 0 . 1 eV / ˚A on the atoms and in the case of CoCuGaNiZn the 209 calculations were performed with spin polarized orbitals. A 10 ˚A layer of vacuum was added 210 on the top and bottom of the slab and the positions of the atoms where fixed for all but the 211 two top layers which were allowed to relax. The energy of the gas phase reference molecules 212 CO and H 2 were calculated in identical super cells and with the same DFT parameters as for 213 the slabs. The adsorption energies of CO and H were calculated as where ∆ E ∗ CO and ∆ E H ∗ are the adsorption energies of CO and H, E ∗ CO and E H ∗ are the DFT 215 energies of the relaxed slabs with the adsorbate, E ∗ is the DFT energy of the slab without any 216 adsorbate, and E CO and E H 2 are the DFT energies of the molecular gas phase references. 217 The lattice parameter for the slabs was chosen as the weighted average of the DFT calculated 218 lattice parameters of the constituent elements in the top layer of the slab. We expect this lattice 219 parameter to most accurately account for the effect of strain on a real HEA surface. The lattice parameters corresponding to a minimum in energy of the individual elements 221 listed in Table S1 were calculated for a primitive fcc unit cell with a plane-wave cutoff of 400 eV 222 and a Monkhorst-Pack k-points sampling of (14,14,14) with spin-polarized orbitals for Co and 223 Ni, and spin-paired orbitals for the other elements. reaction, CO reduction reaction, high-entropy alloy, multicomponent alloy, 226 complex solid solution, rational design, adsorption energy prediction.


This article is meant to serve as an introduction to online machine learning, one of the most fascinating and challenging sub-domains in Computational Learning Theory. Recently, online learning and incremental learning gained attention, especially in the context of big data and learning from data streams, conflicting with the traditional assumption of complete data availability. Even though a variety of different methods are available, it often remains unclear which are suitable for specific tasks and how they perform in comparison to each other. Following are brief explanations of some of the basic concepts on online machine learning. What is Online Machine Learning? Online machine learning, a well-established learning paradigm that has both theoretical and practical applications, has been studied in many research fields, including online anomaly detection, incremental learning, game theory, and information theory. It also became of great interest to data science practitioners due to the recent emergence of large-scale applications such as financial fraud detection, social media, healthcare, and online web ranking. Online machine learning is about making consequential predictions given a knowledge of the correct answer to previous predictions and potentially additional available information. An online learner needs to make predictions about a sequence of instances, one after the other and receives feedback after each prediction. The performance of the online learner is typically compared to the best predictor from a given class, often in terms of its excess loss (the regret) over the best predictor.


An operationally simple protocol for the enantioselective electrophilic α-cyanation of β-keto amides catalyzed by cinchona-derived catalysts has been demonstrated. The resulting products could be obtained with good to high enantioselectivities (up to 88% ee) and with excellent yields (up to 94%) by employing the mild active 4-acetylphenyl cyanate as the cationic cyano source in the catalytic asymmetric α-cyanation reaction.


Security of online software upgrade has become one of the most important evaluation criteria of cyber security. It is too inefficient to evaluate the security of software upgrade by manual reverse analysis method, which requires high-level cryptography knowledge and reverse analysis ability of researchers. The universality of software upgrade vulnerability puts forward high requirements for efficient and automatic analysis methods. In this paper, we propose a program analysis method combining dynamic analysis and static analysis to automatically evaluate software upgrade security. By parsing the process of software online upgrade deeply, we establish the upgrade vulnerability models, and utilize the program analysis method to evaluate the upgrade security. The experimental result has shown that this method can evaluate the security of software upgrade accurately and quickly.


The 2018 M7.2 Pinotepa earthquake ruptured a shallow slab section along the Middle America subduction zone. We demonstrate how a geodetic Green's function (GF) library and efficient modeling algorithm can rapidly resolve earthquake slip and contribute to early warning systems. The source is characterized with InSAR data and a finite‐element model mimicking realistic slab geometry (Slab1.0) and velocity structures (CRUST2.0) that are not considered in the conventional homogeneous (HOM)‐ or layered(1‐D)‐crust solutions. The rupture is imaged 18 min after geodetic data are downloaded to a 16‐CPU‐thread workstation. Nearby Mw8.6‐megathrust scenarios are also studied with synthetic GPS data in the Guerrero/Oaxaca area. Our results show that earthquake slip solutions are sensitive to the materials of elastic‐modeling domains. Attaining smaller misfits or sums of squared errors, models by 3‐D GFs significantly better recover coseismic displacements than those estimated with 1‐D GFs or HOM GFs at 95% confidence.


Policy to guide ecological restoration needs to aim toward minimizing the causes of ecosystem degradation; where causes cannot be eliminated or minimized, policy needs to shift toward accommodating irreversible landscape alterations brought about by climate change, nitrogen deposition, altered hydrology, degraded soil, and declining biodiversity. The degree to which lost diversity and ecosystem services can be recovered depends on the extent and nature of landscape change. For wetlands that occur at the base of watersheds that have been developed for agriculture or urban centers, the inflows of excess water, sediment, and nutrients can be permanent and can severely challenge efforts to restore historical services, including biodiversity support. In such cases, the historical state of downstream wetlands will not be completely restorable. Wetland restoration policy should promote watershed planning, wherein wetland and upland restoration is prioritized to achieve multiple, specific ecosystem services. For downstream wetlands, it is realistic to aim to enhance nitrogen removal and to establish native plants that are matrix dominants, namely, those that facilitate rather than displace other natives. More ambitious objectives such as maximizing diversity would be suitable for less-altered, upstream wetlands. Policy should also call for adaptive restoration and long-term assessments. For large sites and multiple sites of a given wetland type within a region, experimental tests can determine a wetland's ability to support high levels of ecosystem services. Once projects are underway, long-term monitoring of structural and functional indicators can characterize progress toward each objective. Managers can then learn which targets are unachievable based on data, not just opinion. Where an experimental treatment shows limited progress, practitioners would shift to more promising treatments and targets, thereby adapting restoration efforts to changing landscapes. Rather than ensuring duplication of historical conditions, an adaptive restoration framework allows practitioners to aim high while using field tests to identify unachievable targets and adapt ecological restoration to landscape change.


My researches are based upon the photographical corpus of the Hungarian periodical journals in the 1960's. I have been examined six journals: Family and School (Család és Iskola), Our Child (Gyermekünk), Public Education (Köznevelés), Education in Kindergarten (Óvodai Nevelés), The Elementary Teacher (A Tanító) and The Work of the Elementary Teacher (A Tanító Munkája). Combining various methods of history of education, iconography and anthropology, we can separate several sequences of pictures in the 5371 elements' corpus – one possible sequence is the subject about foreign countries in Africa, Asia and Latin-America (with 158 items). The presentation forms of the Non-European, Third World are stressful in this decade, according to the revolutionary-egalitarian rhetoric and libertarian tendencies of the socialist pedagogy. These pictures reshaped the dominant European point of view in the name of the solidarity and internationalism, we can interpret these visual sources as the instruments of ideological and political will. Short description: Five photographs constitute the sequence: from the elementary level of education to the high school. The students are naked, half-.naked or dressed, the represented educational places are also various: outside, in a tent, or in a modern building. Some elements clearly refer to the learning: desktop, table, books and exercise books. description: see a mosque-like building on this picture, in front of it there are people and autos. On the left side there is the Egyptian flag and the image of Nasser, implied the photograph's location.


Contemporary trend is to use simulation for understanding or training for a physical process. Nuclear simulators are complex systems to model. Control logic is an important part of simulation, and it is useful for turning various equipment on/off, interlocks handling and alarm triggering. This paper reports development of the software for automating various chores required by the designers of Full Scope Training Simulator (FSTS) of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-2 (CHUSHNUPP-2) i.e. FSTS C-2. Designer may arrange components in a special manner as required by control logic information in the system manuals. The software provides online simulation of circuits made, and when design is complete, the file may be saved in the format required by simulation software, which does not have designer facility. The software is developed using latest software techniques and vector graphics. Vector graphics enable printing as drawing at desired scale. Existing control logic circuits developed for FSTS C-1 have been tested and the results have been found accurate.


The article is devoted to control system occurrence by human resources. Historical process of organizational and cultural evolution of management by human resources and the subsequent development of a control system by the human resources, led to a system current state is investigated.


A two-stage transmission set with spur gears driven by a 2-pole motor and loaded by a brake was studied,the simplified mathmatical model was built through transferring the model from a three dimensional constructional unit into a plane chain one.Dynamic simulation analysis was performed through the perfect and deformed meshing teeth.Simulation results provide useful references to gearbox design research.


The proto-Photocycloadducts of methyl 2,4-dioxopentanoate to several methylenecycloalkanes and -alkenes spontaneously caused retro-benzilic acid rearrangement, exclusively. The reaction proceeded quite cleanly, and a simple work-up without chromatographic separation allowed to isolate the products directly in very good material balance.


Abstract GUARDIANS OF MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE: THE GENESIS OF THE MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. Connor, Jennifer. Lan-ham, MD and London: The Medical Library Association and The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2000, 248 pages, $52 ($65 MLA members), ISBN 0-8108-3470-7. Reviewed by M. J. Tooey. LIBRARIES WITHOUT LIMITS: CHANGING NEEDS-CHANGING ROLES: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 6TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH LIBRARIES, UTRECHT, 22-27 JUNE 1998. Bakker, Suzanne, ed. AH Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1999, 305 pages, $120, ISBN 0-7923-5626-8. Reviewed by E. Diane Johnson. ETHNOGRAPHY IN NURSING RESEARCH. Roper, Janice M. and Shapira, Jill. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc., 2000, 150 pages, $69.95, ISBN 0-7619-0873-0 (cloth: acid-free paper); $34.95, ISBN 0-7619-0874-9 (paper: acid free paper). Reviewed by Michelynn McKnight.


This paper presents the results of a research work where an intentional connection is made in island mode, a low power isolated photovoltaic system (300W) is used as a reference for an interconnected photovoltaic system (1,270W). The objective is to configure an islanded system that does not require the main grid to generate the synchronization parameters for grid-tie inverters to operate. This work presents suitable building block models (converters, inverters and LCL filters) that can be used to design of a control scheme that can maintain performance parameters such as % THD and RMS level of the voltage in the load according to the IEEE-Std-1159-1995 standard. The control system is based on an intelligent controller using the technique of artificial neural networks, for the activation and deactivation of ballast loads to maintain the voltage level at 120VRMS and balance the active power produced by the interconnected system and the active power consumed by the load. In addition to the mentioned power-system performance parameters, the work focuses on evaluating response times of the intelligent controller to number of ballasts loads according to the power consumed by the load. The tests are made in scenarios of stability and variation in solar radiation, the power produced by the interconnected system and the power consumed by the load. The complete system can be configured with standard commercial devices which do not require advanced or complex operation techniques in inverters, converters and filters.


At this time of each year a wave of new optometrists joins our ranks. Having joined the Australian Optometrical Association, they receive their first issue of Clinical and Experimental Optometry as qualified and registered optometrists. I extend to you all a big welcome on behalf of your optometric colleagues. After four years of extensive study a new world dawns with vast new challenges and horizons for our new colleagues. I t is interesting to examine the factors which determine success in optometry. It may be a clicht! but what an optometrist derives from the profession is frequently proportional to what he or she contributes to it. Most practitioners would agree that the most important ingredient of a good and successful optometrist-both professionally and financially-is a genuine concern for people. Living the professional ethic of putting the interests of the patient first is a sure sign of a successful practitioner. The next essential is experience, for which there is no substitute. The type of experience is determined by the type of practice and the specific interests and motivation of the practitioner. Gaining useful experience is not a passive process; it must be active. Solutions to the patient's problems should be sought not only to obtain a satisfactory answer but also to gain knowledge of the cause, be it psychological, environmental or pathological, and also an understanding of the diagnostic process. More than ever bel'ore continuing professional education is important. It has evolved from being the 'flavour of the month' and is now compulsory. This should be viewed as a very positive step, for there is a wealth of knowledge which can benefit us all. Moreover, this increased professional activity helps to improve the bond among all optometrists, something on which our profession has been built. We learn primarily from our patients. When we have a particularly interesting case we should seek more information, perform additional tests, consult texts and ensure that complete reports and documentation are received from general medical practitioners and ophthalmologists. Once this data has been collected why not prepare a case report for publication in Clinical and Experimental Optometry? This journal is dependent on practitioners for support and for contributions. Several optometrists in practice have contributed to this issue. I thank them and congratulate them for their enterprise and for their interest in our journal. Some practitioners consider that research is the exclusive province of visual scientists and academics. However, much useful research is conducted in private practice and can form the basis of interesting reports to be published in Clinical and Experimental Optometry to help inform our colleagues. There are many facets of optometry. Hence i t is difficult to imagine how an optometrist can ever become bored. Ifyou care for people, the challenges of practice can be very interesting because people are interesting. I invite all optometrists and particularly our newest colleagues to share their o p tometric problems and their interesting cases with us all through this journal. Finally, I wish all a happy, successful and productive 1995. H Barry Collin


This paper presents the review of several performance measurement methodologies used to benchmark the VxWorks and RTLinux real-time operating systems. While various approaches to achieve fair and accurate metric have been suggested, only effective methods should be chosen to assert the RTOS suitabili ty of running RT applications. This survey begins with a brief overview of the two operating systems followed by the examination of different metric used to evaluate them, and concluded with the challenges face to achieve the project goal.


There are several well-known algorithms for the computation of numeric singular value decompositions [8, 4]. Now (1) is only an approximate equality. It is sometimes important to have a rigorous bound for the distance between an approximate solution and some exact solution. More precisely, we may ask for a diagonal matrix Σr ∈ (F⩾)m×n and matrices Ur ∈ F[i]m×m, Vr ∈F[i]n×n, such that there exist unitary matrices Ũ ∈Cm×m, Ṽ ∈Cn×n, and a diagonal matrix Σ̃∈Cm×n for which M = Ũ Σ̃ Ṽ∗


The paper is devoted to an experimental study of natural disturbances evolution and laminar-turbulent transition in a three-dimensional supersonic boundary layer on swept wing at different Mach numbers. Characteristic zones of disturbances evolution are determined. It is found that for Mach numbers 2 and 2.5 measurements were performed in the region of linear stage of disturbances evolution, and the experimental data can be compared with the results of the calculations on linear stability theory. Oscillograms, amplitude-frequency spectra, pulsation profiles and statistical diagrams of natural fluctuations are obtained. Secondary instability of supersonic boundary layer on swept wing is under consideration


The lambda calculus (or λ-calculus) is a mathematical formalism developed by the logician Alonzo Church (q.v.) in the 1930s to model the mathematical notion of substitution of values for bound variables. Consider the definition f(x) = x + 1, which defines f to be the successor function. The variable x in this definition is a bound variable in the sense that replacement of all instances of x by some other variable (say, y) yields a definition f(y) = y + 1, which is semantically equivalent. In the λ-calculus, the successor function f may be defined by the λ-expression λx(x + 1). The subexpression (x + 1) is referred to as the body of the λ-expression. The subexpression λx is referred to as the bound variable part and specifies that x is to be regarded as a bound variable in the body with which λx is associated.


The communication channels of information theory are generated for simple orbital models, in which each atom contributes a single atomic orbital (AO) to form the chemical bonds in the molecule. The 2- and 3-AO models represent the prototype chemical bonds in a diatomic molecule and in a symmetrical transition-state complex, respectively. The representative conjugated π bond systems (butadiene and benzene) in the Hückel approximation are also examined. Several entropy/information concepts introduced in Part I of this series (preceding article of this issue), including the conditional entropy, mutual information and information distance (entropy deficiency) quantities involving the input and output probability distributions of molecular communication systems in the atomic/orbital resolution, are used to characterize the chemical bond and its covalent and ionic components. The two-orbital model is used to generate representative atoms-in-molecules (AIM) information networks for both the orbital and spin probabilities of the ground- and excited-state configurations. The entropy 'signatures' of the model bonding, non-bonding, and antibonding electron configurations are discussed for both the orbital (atomic), spin, and orbital–spin probability distributions. A distinction between the electron-sharing and pair-sharing (coordination) bonds is explored and the entropic indices of the localized bonds are proposed. The overall bond-order conservation and a competition between the bond ionic and covalent components are examined in some detail. The entropy/information indices of the localized bond between a given pair of atoms in a polyatomic molecule are re-examined and tested on the model polyatomic systems.


Objective To characterize anomalous junction of pancreaticobiliary duct (APBD)and correlate the findings with clinical pancreaticobiliary disorders.Methods Since l992, 76 patients with pancreaticobiliary disorders underwent direct cholangiography.Cholangiography through external drainage tube was performed on l2 patients,percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography was performed on 7 ,endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography on 2 and intraoperative cholangiopancreatography on 55.Results APBD was diagnosed in 62 cases.According to Komi's categorization,29 cases were classified into type Ⅰ (bile duct drained into pancreatic duct),31 type Ⅱ(pancreatic duct drained into bile duct)and 2 type Ⅲ(complicated APBD with patent accessory pancreatic duct).Of the 32 cystic dilatation, 24 cases were of type I. Of the 22 biliary fusiform dilatations, 18 were of type Ⅱ. Of 8 patients without biliary dilatation, 7 were of type Ⅱ ( χ 2 , P 0.01 ). Of 18 pancreatic disorders, 3 were of type Ⅰ,13 of type Ⅱ and 2 of type Ⅲ APBDs.There were significant differences in the internal diameters of distal bile ducts( 0.16 ?cm± 0.07 ?cm vs 0.32 ?cm± 0.16 ?cm, P 0.01 ),the diameters of the common channel( 0.37 ?cm± 0.41 ?cm vs 0.76 ?cm± 0.36 ?cm, P 0.01 ),the diameter of main pancreatic duct( 0.15 ?cm± 0.08 ?cm vs 0.22 ?cm± 0.12 ?cm, P 0.05 ) and the average angle of pancreaticobiliary junction( 70.5 °± 25.1 ° vs 36.6 °± 17.5 °, P 0.01 ) between the cystic and fusiform group.Conclusions The different types of APBD are related to different pathological changes of pancreaticobiliary duct.The narrowed distal bile duct joins with the pancreatic duct at a right angle in most choledochal cystic dilatation. The pancreatic duct joins the bile duct at an acute angle in most biliary fusiform dilatation,cholangitis and pancreatitis?


This chapter describes the historical and contemporary theoretical underpinnings of learning communities and argues that there is a need for more complex models in conceptualizing and assessing their effectiveness.


This article addressed some issues in cultivating practice-oriented talents in some newly established local universities. Training talents with hands-on experience is a necessary option for local higher institutions.A solid foundation is essential and multi-direction is the disctinction between practice-oriented talents and academic-oriented ones.Emphasis on practice is basic requirement while the combination of production,education and research is the necessary approach.


Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a monovalent rotavirus vaccine against severe rotavirus disease and to assess its impact on diarrhoea in children aged less than 2 years after national introduction in El Salvador, a low-middle income country in Central America. Design Matched case-control study. Setting Seven hospitals in cities across El Salvador, January 2007 to June 2009. Participants 323 children aged less than 2 years admitted with laboratory confirmed rotavirus diarrhoea and 969 healthy controls matched for age and neighbourhood. Main outcome measure Effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination ((1–adjusted odds ratio of vaccination)×100) against rotavirus diarrhoea requiring hospital admission. Results Cases and controls were similar for breast feeding, premature birth, maternal education, and socioeconomic variables. G1P[8] strains were identified in 92% of rotavirus cases. Effectiveness of two doses of vaccination against diarrhoea requiring hospital admission was 76% (95% confidence interval 64% to 84%). Protection was significantly lower (P=0.046) among children aged 12 months or more (59%, 27% to 77%) compared with children aged 6-11 months (83%, 68% to 91%). One dose of vaccine was 51% (26% to 67%) effective. At the sentinel hospitals, all admissions for diarrhoea among children under 5 declined by 40% in 2008 and by 51% in 2009 from the prevaccine year 2006. Conclusions A monovalent rotavirus vaccine was highly effective against admissions for rotavirus diarrhoea in children aged less than 2 years in El Salvador and substantially reduced the number of such admissions in this low-middle income setting. The impact on disease epidemiology after vaccination, particularly among older children, warrants future attention.


Diabase is widely used in construction industry because of highly strength properties. This study aims at determining the some physical and mechanical properties of Çamlıbel (Tokat) diabase. Experimental studies were determined according to TS 699. In this study, appearance, unit volume weight, water absorption ratio, hardness, porosity, flexural strength, böhme abrasion resistance, bending strength and bending strength value after frost were found. In addition to the chemical, petrographic and mineralogical characteristics were determined. According to the results of the experimental studies, the diabase samples have been classified and investigated if they are suitable to standards in country. In result of obtained data indicated the Çamlıbel of diabases usable in structure, floor, interior trim and shell by TSE standard.


Endometrial cancer (EC) is a malignant cancer originating from the uterine endometrium. Although the incidence of endometrial cancer in reproductive age is relatively low, its impact on pregnancy outcome is critical. To date, it is difficult to find a standard method which can be referred to these patients who have a strong desire to preserve fertility. Presented is a report of a 35-year-old women with early-stage Endometrial cancer treated with progestin and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) with a good prognosis.


As one of the worst droughts on record continues its crippling hold on much of Queensland, one outback family is refusing to let the devastating conditions destroy their Christmas spirit.


We give a recursive formula for purely real Welschinger invariants of real Del Pezzo surfaces of degree K2 ≥ 3, where in the case of surfaces of degree 3 with two real components we introduce a certain modification of Welschinger invariants and enumerate exclusively the curves traced on the non-orientable component. As an application, we prove the positivity of the invariants under consideration and their logarithmic asymptotic equivalence, as well as congruence modulo 4, to genus zero Gromov–Witten invariants.


Human behavior is marked by a sophisticated ability to attribute outcomes and events to choices and experiences with surprising nuance. Understanding the mechanisms that govern this ability is a major focus for cognitive neuroscience. Reinforcement learning (RL) theory has provided a tractable


Biology for Biomedical Science: Organ Systems is a challenging Stage I human biology course with a large student enrolment (1200+) and encompassing a diverse range of abilities and motivations. A series of literature-informed, interwoven interventions were designed to improve student attainment in the course. Data collected over two semesters of implementation suggest the various interventions appear to have a synergistic effect in improving the attainment of participating students. Interestingly, emerging evidence suggests that participation in these interventions tend to have greater impact on students with low (GPA < 3 / C+) and medium (GPA < 6 / B+) GPA, when compared with higher-achieving counterparts (GPA > 6 / B+). These class-wide interventions also appear to have an equalising impact on Māori and Pacific participants (MAPAS), suggesting that interventions do not necessarily have to target sub-populations specifically in order to be successful / effective. Furthermore, whereas traditional, sub-cohort-targeted interventions run the risk of being perceived as stigmatising "additional help" intended for underachieving students, these non-grade bearing (i.e. completely voluntary), class-wide initiatives have the potential of being inclusive, non-judgemental, and non-identifying tools to assist students in the achievement of their personal goals.


Public Service Motivation (PSM) has been shown to be a consistent model in the various studies in which it was used. This study aims to contribute to the validation of PSM, conceptualized by Perry and Wise (1990), within the Portuguese context. Starting from the dimensions that make up PSM in the model proposed by Perry (1996), we intend to identify the dimensions with possible relevance to the Portuguese context. This research inserts itself into the context of a large project of validation of the PSM model representative of the Portuguese Public Administration. Using a questionnaire initially proposed by Perry (1996) which covers forty items to measure the six dimensions, we performed different Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) through the elimination of the items that presented a factor loading of below 0,50 and/or saturated with a factor loading greater than 0,50, in more than one extracted factor. Following this, by using the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), we compared the measurement model achieved (EFA) with the two other models. One was that initially proposed by Perry (1996) and the other was the final model discovered in this study by Perry (1996). The results obtained allowed the identification of three dimensions of the six proposed initially by Perry (1996) and two new dimensions which assume a reverse nature. They are Social Selfishness and Social Cynicism, there not being, however, any literature found to contextualize them within the scope of PSM. The implications of these results were also discussed and future studies suggested.


To see and describe aspects in Wittgenstein (aspects of insight, of perspicuity, of profundity, etc.) is what any discussion of his writings, and in particular of the enigmatic Philosophical Investigations, attempts to do. It would be a cute pun, but a sad excuse for a book, if this volume of new essays offered simply the promise of "seeing" and describing "aspects" in Wittgenstein's discussion of aspect-seeing. Having invited and then discussed the essays in the present volume with our contributors over a handful of years, we find that they offer more than that simple promise. At a minimum, they bring out a range of connections between Parts I and II of the Investigations that should interest Wittgensteinian scholars whose central concerns would otherwise seem untouched by the discussions of aspect-seeing in the Investigations and elsewhere. More than occasionally these essays open up novel paths across familiar fields of thought to anyone for whom, for example, the objectivity of interpretation, the fixity of the past, the acquisition of language, or the nature of human consciousness remain live issues. But a recurring discovery in the chapters that follow is that there is something to be found in his remarks on aspectseeing that is crucial to, yet all but overlooked in, the reception of the later Wittgenstein. And since the fate of the reception of the later Wittgenstein remains tied to one's reading of the Investigations, however broadened by the publication of subsequent volumes of his later writings, it matters that these essays also have something to contribute to that perennial, and perhaps most pressing, question in


A summary of different approaches for laser beam wander statistics estimation is presented. The principles of an imaging LIDAR technique for remote measurements of refractive turbulence vertical profile based on image motion analysis of a secondary source created by a laser beam at a given altitude are described. The turbulence-induced beam displacement statistics and angle-of-arrival variance of backscattered wave-front are analyzed for different sensing configurations. This study has implications for airborne reconnaissance image restoration, optical satellite communication, adaptive optics, and atmospheric effects on laser weaponry.


Notes the importance of adjusting regulations to identify areas of high rock pressure in the modern conditions of development outburst coal seams. Partial results are estimates of changes in the width of the pressure depends on the length of output. The mechanism of the formation of technological outburst zones. Shows the software package to build a refined and unloading zones of high rock pressure.


Light scattering and viscosity measurements on dilute solutions of cyclized cis-1,4-polybutadiene polymers (CBR) with different degrees of cyclization (DC) and their fractions are reported in this paper. The data were obtained in both cyclohexane and mixed theta solvents at 30.0°C. The curves of the intrinsic viscosity [η]0 in mixed theta solvents vs. the weight average molecular weight Mw for CBR with DC over 30% exhibited two distinct regions with slopes of 0.5 and less. Thus, the exponent in the viscosity equation is the same as that for the original uncyclized samples at Mw below the critical point Mwc and decrease with increasing DC at Mw above Mwc. The Mwc shifts to lower Mw as DC is increased. The relation of the molecular structure of CBR with DC is discussed. The results led to the conclusions that 1) at DC below 25%, the molecules are linear in the overall structure, but locally contain short intramolecular cyclic structures, e.g., mono- and/or bicyclic structures, 2) at DC between 25 and 60%, the molecules are randomly branched, and 3) at DC over 80%, the molecules have probably very compact structure formed by internal crosslinks.


Extension of buried object detection sonar system concepts to include low grazing angle geometries (i.e., beyond critical angle) would provide useful gains in coverage rate, provided acceptably high detection probabilities can be maintained for sufficiently low probabilities of false alarm. Several experiments have recently been conducted at shallow water sites with sandy seabottoms near Elba Island, Italy, in order to study the acoustic backscattering characteristics of the seabed and buried targets in a range of grazing angles both above and below the nominal critical angle of the seabed. A parametric sonar with significant secondary frequency source levels in the range 2–16 kHz was used (the size of the targets yielded ka values also in the approximate range 2–16). Modeling results for buried objects have shown that subcritical insonification can produce relatively high monostatic echo levels, especially at lower frequencies where the evanescent field is strongest. Some results of the experiments are d...


A complex index for comparison of treatment methods effectiveness is proposed. Procedure of the index construction allows the investigator to take into account several particular effectiveness characteristics considering their relative weight in over-all efficiency.


Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIMS Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a potential complication of COVID-19 and the hypercoagulation tendency of SARS-CoV-2 infection is considered one of the underlying mechanisms. Fibrinolysis markers have been described as severity parameters, independent of clinically manifested thromboembolic events. The aim of this study is to evaluate the contribution of D-dimer testing in appreciating the extent of AKI and renal function recovery in COVID-19. METHOD We have conducted a retrospective study on 253 AKI adult patients confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection by molecular testing and hospitalized in two emergency university hospitals over the course of 6 months. Diagnosis and staging of AKI were performed with KDIGO 2012 criteria. We analysed the impact of peak D-dimers on the severity of AKI, recovery of renal function and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). Additionally, we searched the relationship between D-dimers and survival and COVID-19 severity parameters. Severity of respiratory failure was classified as mild-moderate (no support or low-flow oxygen) and severe (mechanical ventilation: continuous positive airway pressure and endotracheal intubation). All data was analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics v.25 (IBM, Corp.). RESULTS The average age was 72.4 ± 13.33 years, 159 patients were male (62.84%). According to KDIGO staging, 79 patients were in stage 1, 74 in stage 2 and 100 patients in stage 3. Overall mortality was 50.59% (N = 128). The mean peak of D-dimers was 6.08 ± 6.53 µg/mL. We found a significant direct relationship between D-dimers and AKI stage (3.72 ± 5.84 µg/mL—stage 1; 6.67 ± 6.60 µg/mL—stage 2; 7.50 ± 6.46 µg/mL—stage 3; P < .0001). There was a significant inverse relationship between D-dimers and odds of renal recovery, lower values being noted in the complete renal recovery group (3.79 ± 5.10 µg/mL, N = 77) compared with partial recovery (5.22 ± 6.89 µg/mL, N = 57; P < .02), while D-dimers were strikingly high in patients needing RRT (8.11 ± 5.92 µg/mL, N = 29). Regarding the severity of respiratory failure, we found that mild-moderate cases had lower D-dimers (4.23 ± 5.46 µg/mL, N = 146) compared with severe failure (8.60 ± 7.00 µg/mL, N = 107; P < .003). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was also correlated with levels of D-dimers (8.55 ± 6.76 µg/mL, N = 107 versus non-ICU 4.27 ± 5.70 µg/mL, N = 146; P < .01). D-dimers were higher in deceased patients (7.91 ± 6.60 µg/mL) compared with survivors (4.20 ± 5.88 µg/mL; P < 0.001) (Table 1).Table 1. CountN (%) Peak D-dimer levels (average ± SD; µg/mL) Statistical significance (P-value) Entire cohort 253 6.08 ± 6.53 AKI severityKDIGO stage 1KDIGO stage 2KDIGO stage 3 79 (31.22)74 (29.24)100 (39.52) 3.72 ± 5.846.67 ± 6.607.50 ± 6.46 P < .0001*Kruskal–Wallis H Test Recovery of renal functionTotalPartialNeed for HDNone (excl. death) 77 (30.43)57 (22.52)29 (11.46)8 (3.16) 3.79 ± 5.105.22 ± 6.898.11 ± 5.926.25 ± 5.75 P < .02*Kruskal–Wallis H Test AKI timingAt admissionDuring hospitalization 172 (67.98)81 (32.01) 5.75 ± 6.336.77 ± 6.86 P = .307, ns**Mann–Whitney U Test Respiratory supportNone/low-flow oxygenCPAP/ETI 146 (57.7)107 (42.29) 4.23 ± 5.468.60 ± 7.00 P < .003**Mann–Whitney U Test ICUNon-ICU 107 (42.29)146 (57.70) 8.55 ± 6.764.27 ± 5.70 P < .001**Mann–Whitney U Test MortalitySurvivedDeceased 125 (49.40)128 (50.59) 4.20 ± 5.887.91 ± 6.60 P < .001**Mann–Whitney U Test SD, standard deviation; HD, haemodialysis; CPAP, continous positive airway pressure; ETI, endotracheal intubation; ICU, intensive care unit; and ns, not significant. CONCLUSION Increased D-dimer levels in COVID-19-associated AKI have a negative impact on the severity of AKI, need for RRT and recovery of renal function. AKI patients with high levels of D-dimers are more often admitted to the ICU, have an increased need for mechanical ventilation and have poor survival. Due to the additional negative impact of AKI in COVID-19 and possible preventability of severe disease, D-dimers may be a useful tool to assess the need and duration of adequate prophylactic anticoagulation.


Clouds provide highly elastic resource provisioning styles through which scientific workflows are allowed to acquire desired resources ahead of the execution and build required software environment on virtual machines (VMs). However, various challenges for cloud workflow, especially its optimal scheduling, are yet to be addressed. Traditional approaches mainly consider VMs to be with non-fluctuating, time-invariant, stochastic, or bounded performance. This work describes workflows to be deployed and executed over distributed infrastructure-as-a-service clouds with time-varying performance of VMs and is aimed at reducing the execution cost of workflow while meeting deadline constraints. For this purpose, the authors employ time-series-based prediction approaches to capture dynamic performance fluctuations, feed an evolutionary algorithm with predicted performance information, and generate schedules at real-time. A case study based on multiple randomly-generated workflow templates and third-party commercial clouds shows that their proposed approach outperforms traditional ones.


Topology, as defined by the "who knows whom" relation, has many applications that are of crucial importance in distributed systems. For example, characteristics of the communication topology play a key role in determining the performance of many functions including search, routing, monitoring, control and information dissemination. Other essential properties of functions such as scalability and robustness to failures are also heavily dependant on the communication topology. The "who knows whom" relation can also be used to define solutions for problems such as sorting a set of numbers, clustering nodes based on similarity or pairing search requests with the locations of the information. In large-scale, dynamic, fully distributed systems constructing and maintaining a topology is a highly non-trivial problem. In this paper we identify topology management as an abstract service, independent of application or function, and propose a gossipbased scheme called T-MAN for the construction of a large class of different topologies. The topology is defined by a ranking function which can be based on any appropriate property of components, including geographical location, semantic proximity, bandwidth, or simply on an abstract, pre-defined topology over an ID space like a ring or a torus. In the present work, we examine three specific topologies: ring, torus and binary tree. We give theoretical arguments and experimental results to demonstrate that the proposed protocol is lightweight and fast in that it converges quickly, approximately in logarithmic time, and that this speed is largely independent of the actual topology being constructed. We also demonstrate how to apply T-MAN for sorting a set of numbers. Finally, we address some practical issues and propose techniques to improve convergence during the end-phase and the bootstrapping problem of the protocol. 1. This work was partially supported by the Future and Emerging Technologies unit of the European Commission through Project BISON (IST-2001-38923). 2. Department of Computer Science, University of Bologna, Italy


In the last forty years many attempts have been made to measure ionospheric plasma motions with HF radio sounders, generally specialized ionosondes. Starting in the 1950's, the so-called similar fading and the correlation methods were applied to estimate the velocities in the ionosphere. More recently, the interferometric Doppler technique was introduced which successfully measured ionospheric drifts that were verified by incoherent scatter radar measurements. The latter technique is discussed in some detail in this paper.


The relation between knowledge management (KM) and innovative performance has always been mentioned in scientific literature; however, it has become a black box because there are few studies showing detailed characterization. The aim of this paper is to explore the existing relation between knowledge management maturity (KMM) and product and marketing innovation in leading R&D companies. A survey was applied to R&D staff and then, Chi Square test was used to establish associations among variables. As a result, the collection of knowledge is the variable that has the most significant impact on both types of innovation. It is also important to mention that Meaning Management is related to product innovation, as KM technologies to marketing innovation. In conclusion, it is evident the importance of KM variables related to cultural aspects on product innovation, while those related to technological aspects have more impact on marketing innovation


A common problem faced by geography departments, particularly during times of fiscal compression and mounting pressure for accountability, is how to compare themselves and their faculty with others. The recent revolution in bibliometrics provides a growing volume of data that can be used in benchmarking exercises. In this article, we assess the production and citation of journal articles and books by tenure-track and tenured faculty in selected U.S. and Canadian geography departments (n = 17) according to a set of readily derived and transparent performance indicators derived from publicly available data. Scopus was used to assess article production and citation; Google Scholar was used for book citation. Results point to significant heterogeneity in department characteristics, productivity, and citation of published work. The number of publications, citations, and h-Index scores among scholars in the sample (n = 369) is related strongly to academic age and subfield of enquiry (i.e., physical or human geography) but not—despite apparently marked differences in output and citations—to gender.


Further optimization of the agricultural growth process and quality control of perishable food which can be fruits and vegetables as well as every kind of meat or milk product requires new approaches for the sensitive front end. One possibility is reflectance or fluorescence spectroscopy in a wide wavelength range. By now broad usage is hindered by costs, size and performance of existing systems. MOEMS scanning gratings for spectrometers and translational mirrors for Fourier Transform spectroscopy enable small robust systems working in a range from 200nm to 5μm. Both types use digital signal processors (DSPs) capable to compute the spectra and execute complex evaluation and decision algorithms. The MOEMS chips are realized by anisotropic etching of a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate. First the backside silicon and buried oxide is removed by a wet process then the front side structure is realized by dry etching. Depending on the bearing springs a silicon plate up to 3 x 3 mm2 wide and typically 30μm thick can be driven resonantly to rotational or translational movement. Combined with additional optical components and appropriate detectors handheld Czerny-Turner or Fourier Transform spectrometers have been realized and tested. Results of first measurements of reflection spectroscopy on model substances have been performed with both system types in the NIR range. Measurements on real objects like tomatoes or apples are intended for a wider wavelength range. Future systems may contain displays and light sources as well as data storage cards or additional interfaces.


THE rapid entrance and application of roentgen diagnosis to the various specialties in medicine and surgery have been observed with much interest by us as roentgenologists. The gradually increasing field of pathology recognized and diagnosed roentgenologically offers an inspiration to members of our specialty, and also brings us in touch with men with investigative minds, oftentimes located in fields where a large amount of clinical material presents itself. In 1917 Case (1) reported the first instance of roentgen diagnosis of anencephalus, before birth, and again (2), in 1926, reported three additional cases, similarly diagnosed, at which time he bibliographically referred to Campbell and Willetts' report of one similarly diagnosed in 1923; Spangler (3), two cases in 1924; E. B. Andersen and T. O. Menees,2 two cases in 1925; Doub (4), four cases in 1925. Maier (5), of Chicago, in 1927 reported two additional cases. This brings the published report to date to fifteen cases. James T. Case states that the f...


: This project proposes a new extendable single stage multi-input dc-dc/ac boost converter. This proposed structure comprises two current bidirectional ports in the converter central part to interface battery and load in order to provide reliability in the supply. This proposed topology consist of two set of parallel boost converters, which are actively controlled to produce two independent output voltage components.


Since its inception in 1971, the International Continence Society has assumed the monumental task of writing standards for just about everything it knows about. Their most important effort, the `̀ Standardisation of Terminology of Lower Urinary Tract,'' has rede®ned our lexicon. Currently, there are more than 20 internal committees at work on such important matters as research methodology in incontinence and algorithms for treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men, women, and children. These committees are constantly confronted with the task of bringing many different and often contradictory opinions together into a uni®ed position. The individuals who comprise these committees have the daunting task of having to agree with one another about certain things. They also have the task, largely ignored, of deciding how they are going to decide how to agree when they actually disagree. Take, for example, a very simple question about formulating a diagnostic algorithm for urinary incontinence: Should urodynamics be performed routinely? The proponents argue that performing urodynamics permits a more precise diagnosis and therefore more effective treatment. The opponents counter that this is neither necessary nor costeffective for routine cases. The committee as a whole must make a single recommendation and must therefore decide how to resolve the con ̄ict. There are two common ways to proceed: a `̀ winner-take-all'' vote or a compromise incorporating modi®ed positions from both sides. The zero-sum (winner-takeall) vote promotes resentment, anger, and disunity with the losers, who could potentially be dissatis®ed enough to attempt to undermine the results. The negotiated compromise, while creating less intense con ̄ict, may nonetheless result in unanimous dissatisfaction as each side is forced to abandon important parts of their original positions. If, however, a committee agrees beforehand that disputes will be resolved only when there is unanimous agreement as to the terms, the recommendations of the committee will always conform to the universal level of agreement among the committee members. In the example given above, because some members believe that urodynamics should be done routinely and others do not, the committee could unanimously agree that clinicians should consider the role of urodynamics as optional. Any other solution creates disunity, carries the above disadvantages, and undermines the effectiveness of the committees' important work.


The recent craze for artificial neural networks has spread its roots towards the development of neuroscience, pattern recognition, machine learning and artificial intelligence. The theoretical neuroscience is basically converging towards the basic concept that the brain acts as a complex and decentralized computer which can perform rigorous calculations in a different approach compared to the conventional digital computers. The motivation behind the study of neural networks is due to their similarity in the structure of the human central nervous system. The elementary processing component of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is called as 'Neuron'. A large number of neurons interconnected with each other mimic the biological neural network and form an ANN. Learning is an inevitable process that can be used to train an ANN. We can only transfer knowledge to the neural network by the learning procedure. This chapter presents the detailed concepts of artificial neural networks in addition to some significant aspects on the present research work.


This thesis presents the development of a scanning tunneling microscope purpose built for point contact investigations of magnetodynamics. The contributed changes include new measurement electronics, with 40-60% improvement in noise characteristics over previous versions, as well as major changes to the microscope's control software, increasing stability and functionality. The microscope is demonstrated with repeated measurements of giant magnetoresistance in a FeMn/FeNi/Cu/FeNi spin valve. These measurements are shown to induce a training effect of the exchange bias in the top FeMn/FeNi bilayer, and a logarithmic time dependence of the recovery of the exchange field is uncovered, resulting in a recovery time in the order of 50 s. Both effects are shown to be in agreement with past experimental results.


Medicare's salience to health policy and American politics is suffi ciently obvious that it needs no explanation. Yet scholarly attention to Medicare has never matched its fi scal and political signifi cance. Medicare has long been on the margins of political science, while book-length treatments of Medicare policy have been rare. That relative obscurity, though, is about to end. To date, attention to the baby boomers' impact on public programs has emphasized the fate of Social Security; far more books have been written on the alleged Social Security crisis than on Medicare's future. But the high, unpredictable rate of health care spending makes Medicare a more vexing fi nancial challenge than Social Security, and we are likely to hear increasing warnings about Medicare's fi nancing gap in coming years. In a health care system that lurches from one crisis to the next,


Abstract : A groundwater contamination study was performed at Forbes Field ANGB. The field investigation was conducted from November, 1984 to September 1985 and included installation of 12 monitor wells, collection and analysis of groundwater samples from the monitor wells and collection and analysis of soil samples. The groundwater and soil samples were analyzed for oil and grease concentrations. Based on the findings of the sampling and analytical work, additional investigations have been recommended at the site.


A cellular binary tree machine proposed by Magó accommodates the parallelism inherent in the functional programming languages of Backus by simultaneously executing innermost applications. Data communication time on this machine is linear in the number of elements moved. This paper addresses the problem of permuting a vector of atomic elements stored in the leaf cells of the tree machine. An O(log n) algorithm for circular rotation of an n-vector of atoms is presented. A program that uses this algorithm to solve tridiagonal linear systems by the cyclic reduction method requires O(log n)2 time. For general data movement in the tree machine, an algorithm that routes data along the shortest path through the tree and is sublinear in communication time whenever possible is described.


The aim of the study is to assess the clinical spectrum of immunorestitution disease (IRD) in hospitalised patients over a 12-month period. In 9 of 18 patients who presented with clinical deterioration during reduction or cessation of immunosuppressants (n=6) or bone marrow engraftment (n=3), IRD cases included scabies infestation (n=1), gastric strongyloidiasis (n=1), hepatosplenic candidiasis (n=1), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus abscess formation (n=2), polyomavirus-related hemorrhagic cystitis (n=3), and influenza A pneumonitis (n=1). Immunopathological damage during withdrawal of immunosuppression is an incidental way to uncover an asymptomatic infectious disease. Serial monitoring of hematological and clinical profiles are essential in making a diagnosis of IRD.


Background The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent "infodemic" increased concerns about Twitter's role in advancing antivaccination messages, even before a vaccine became available to the public. New computational methods allow for analysis of cross-platform use by tracking links to websites shared over Twitter, which, in turn, can uncover some of the content and dynamics of information sources and agenda-setting processes. Such understanding can advance theory and efforts to reduce misinformation. Objective Informed by agenda-setting theory, this study aimed to identify the content and temporal patterns of websites shared in vaccine-related tweets posted to COVID-19 conversations on Twitter between February and June 2020. Methods We used triangulation of data analysis methods. Data mining consisted of the screening of around 5 million tweets posted to COVID-19 conversations to identify tweets that related to vaccination and including links to websites shared within these tweets. We further analyzed the content the 20 most-shared external websites using a mixed methods approach. Results Of 841,896 vaccination-related tweets identified, 185,994 (22.1%) contained links to specific websites. A wide range of websites were shared, with the 20 most-tweeted websites constituting 14.5% (27,060/185,994) of the shared websites and typically being shared for only 2 to 3 days. Traditional media constituted the majority of these 20 websites, along with other social media and governmental sources. We identified markers of inauthentic propagation for some of these links. Conclusions The topic of vaccination was prevalent in tweets about COVID-19 early in the pandemic. Sharing websites was a common communication strategy, and its "bursty" pattern and inauthentic propagation strategies pose challenges for health promotion efforts. Future studies should consider cross-platform use in dissemination of health information and in counteracting misinformation.