ABSTRACT In the summer of 2019/20, bushfires of unprecedented scale in south-eastern Australia focused attention on how forest management might have affected their risks and impacts. Some argued that the severity and extent of these fires were made worse by timber harvesting and associated forest management and that harvesting in native forests should cease as a means for reducing fire risk. Little evidence has been presented to support these contentions. This article reviews evidence for the relationship between harvesting and fire extent and severity from these fires. The proportion of forested conservation reserves burnt in these fires was similar to that for public forests where timber harvesting is permitted, and the proportion of forest burnt with different levels of fire severity was similar across tenures and over time since timber harvest. Recent analysis of the areas burnt in 2019/20 indicated that the extent and severity of the fires was determined almost entirely by three years of well-below-average rainfall (leading to dry fuels across all vegetation types), extreme fire weather conditions and local topography and that past timber harvesting had negligible or no impact on fire severity. Three major inquiries into the fires made no recommendations regarding the impact of timber harvesting on fire risk. We argue that policy proposals to mitigate fire risk and impacts should be evidence-based and, to avoid the cognitive bias associated with expert opinions, should integrate the multiple perspectives of traditional Indigenous knowledge, the experience of local and professional fire managers, and the breadth of evidence from bushfire research. Together, these perspectives should inform strategies for reducing bushfire impacts and increasing forest resilience and community safety.


This work aims to describe the larval stages and the seasonal variation in the abundance of three mesopelagic species whose larvae are surprisingly abundant near coral reef areas in the Red Sea. The larvae were collected monthly using a plankton net (500 µ) from three coastal coral reef areas surrounding Sharm El-Sheikh on the Egyptian Red Sea coast between January and December 2015. The identification of larvae was based on the morphological and meristic characteristics according to the available literature. The larvae of this species were divided into preflexion, flexion, and postflexion stages and they were also categorized according to their size into relevant size classes. Mesopelagic fishes were represented in the collection by four species belonging to four families: Vinciguerria mabahiss (Family: Phosichthyidae), Benthosema pterotum (Family: Myctophidae), Astronesthes martensii (Family: Stomiidae; subfamily: Astronesthinae), and Trichiurus sp. (Family: Trichiuridae). In general, a total of 3678 larvae were collected, of which 1191, constituting about 32% of the total fish larvae, belonged to mesopelagic species. The most abundant species was V. mabahiss, with 677 larvae that constituted 18% and 57% of the total larvae and mesopelagic fish larvae, respectively. The second most abundant species was B. pterotum, which was represented by 485 larvae (13% of the total larvae and 40% of the mesopelagic fish larvae). A. martensii was represented by the lowest number of larvae (29 larvae, 2%). Most larvae of the three species were small and in the preflexion stage, whereas larger larvae are absent. They are highly abundant in the cooler months of the year between November and April. The high number of preflexion larvae may indicate that the three mesopelagic species spawn in the colder times of the year.


Legal information systems offers unique possibilities and challenges compared to other classes of knowledge management and information retrieval systems. One such difference is the sliding scale between authoritative and nonauthoritative information.1 Another is that the non-authoritative information often is used to structure and augment the authoritative information.2 This means that even if authoritative content is unique (there is only one Code of contracts, not several from which you can pick and choose), non-authoritative content is non-unique and alternate (you can pick and choose from a number of commentaries on the code of contracts). A similar division exists between public legal information and private legal information.3


Filarial infections were studied in Amassoma community between March 2006 and April 2007. Seven hundred and eighty blood samples were obtained and examined using standard parasitological techniques. Of this number, 227 (25.5%) samples were infected with filarial spp as follows: Mansonella perstans 121 (43.8%), Wuchereria bancrofit 80 (28.8%), Loa loa 75 (27.1%) and Onchoceria volvulus 1 (0.3%). Peak infection (44.3%) occurred in the 30-39 years age bracket. The lowest infection rate was observed in the candidates above 70 years old. Microfilarial density (mfd) was highest in this age bracket. The lowest mfd occurred in 1-9 years old. Infection was higher (38.9%) in the males than in the females (33.9%). Higher infection in the males was attributed to fishing, which was predominantly a male occupation. Three of the five mosquito spp collected from the community hardboured microfilariae: Anopheles gambiae (9.5%), A- funestus (6.6%), Culex quinquefestus (4.1%), Anopheles nili (-%), Aedes aegypti (0%). The presence of the microfilariae confirms that filarial infections in the study area are endemic. Entomological survey was done in the night and insects that were active in day-time were not trapped.


The properties of microdischarges (MDs) in a surface barrier discharge, operating on various electrode materials are studied by current measurements and submicrosecond photography. Based on these data, the dynamics and statistics of MDs at various phases of the applied voltage are analyzed. It is shown that differences in oxide layer structure on the electrode edge strongly affect the spatial organization of the discharge and the properties of the current pulses.


Objective: This study aimed at finding out the normal physiological parameters of blink reflex in Sudanese population. The study was meant to compare between the parameters of both the right and left sides and to look for the effect of age and gender on these parameters Background: The blink reflex (BR) is a neural-reflex that requires two neurons, a sensory (Trigeminal) and a motor (Facial) neuron connected by interneurons. It can be stimulated electrically through supraorbital nerve stimulation and recorded through recordings from the orbicularis-oculi muscles. The reflex shows two responses, a first, unilateral response(R1) and a late, bilateral responses [ipsilateral R2 (R2i) and contralateral (R2c)]. The R2 response is clinically observed as the actual blink. It is useful for the diagnosis of different central and peripheral trigeminal and facial nerve disorders. Design/Methods: Fifty normal healthy individuals were included in the study [mean age (24.58± 9.07) years, ranges ( 15–49 years) and gender distribution: (68%) females, (32 %) males]. Blink reflex test using supraorbital nerve stimulation was done bilaterally using Digital Medelec synergy machine. Results: The study revealed mean reference values±SD as follows: right R1 latency (9.98± 1.14 milliseconds), right R2i latency (30.12± 2.26 milliseconds), right R2c latency (31.31± 3.04milliseconds), Left R1 latency (9.81± .94milliseconds), Left R2i latency (29.70± 2.35 milliseconds), Left R2c (30.84± 2.15 milliseconds). There was no significant difference between Right and Left parameters of blink reflex. Female subjects had shorter Left R2i and Left R2c latencies compared with males (P value = .042). It was found that as age increases, Left R1 latency and Left R2i latency increase. Conclusions: The study has established reference values of Sudanese population similar to that worldwide. More future studies including larger population size representing all age groups might be of help in the establishment of correlation of age and gender with blink reflex parameters. Disclosure: Dr. Musa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Musa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Karrar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ahmed has nothing to disclose.


The drying kinetics of bleached skinless figs was studied under different operating conditions. The samples were subjected to three air temperatures (45, 60 and 75°C) at a constant air velocity of 1 m s -1 . The process efficiency was analyzed on the basis of moisture content and in relation to water activity, apparent density, shrinkage coefficient and color. As expected, the final moisture contents varied from 1.9 to 0.03% as the temperature of the air that was used increased and as the relative humidity decreased. The apparent density increased from 1.025 to 1.186 g mL -1 during the drying process and was linearly related to the volume, as the volume decreased the apparent density increased. The final volume of the produce was 7.8 times smaller than the initial volume. A linear shrinking coefficient of 0.8779 was obtained, revealing that the dimensionless volume decreased faster than the dimensionless moisture content. Minor color changes were observed when figs were dehydrated at 60°C, the temperature that provided the best drying conditions with respect to maintenance of produce quality.


Abstract Three species of Rustia Klotzsch (Rubiaceae, Cinchonoideae) were previously known from Peru, R. rubra Standl. ex D. R. Simpson, R. schunkeana Delprete, and R. viridiflora Delprete. A fourth species from the Kosñipata Valley (Cuzco Department), R. kosnipatana S. Will & C. M. Taylor, is newly described and illustrated here. This tree species differs in its inflorescences with erect pink flowers, fusiform flower buds, and corollas with dense pubescence in the throat and the lobes longer than the tubes. This is the first record of Rustia in the southern zone of Peru.


In view of the above discussion, .the difficulties encountered by many investigators in inducing mutations near the extremes of a population may be interpreted in terms of Buffers and Enhancers. Efforts to induce mutations for H should not be made in the High zone because screening is difficult; even the H genes resident in the germplasm are unable to express themselves due to buffers. By attempting to induce mutations to H in the Low zone of the population, the desired mutant can express itself and screening is feasible. Likewise, attempts to induce mutations to L in the High zone of the population should result in visible mutants.


[1] The goal of this paper is to understand the formation of the Harang reversal and its association with the region 2 field-aligned current (FAC) system, which couples the plasma sheet transport to the ionosphere. We have run simulations with the Rice convection model (RCM) using the Tsyganenko 96 magnetic field model and realistic plasma sheet particle boundary conditions on the basis of Geotail observations. Our results show that the existence of an overlap in magnetic local time (MLT) of the region 2 upward and downward FAC is necessary for the formation of the Harang reversal. In the overlap region the downward FAC, which is located at lower latitudes, is associated with low-energy ions that penetrate closer to Earth toward the dawn side, while the upward FAC, which is located at higher latitudes, is associated with high-energy ions. Under the same enhanced convection we compare the Harang reversal resulting from a hotter and more tenuous plasma sheet with the one resulting from a colder and denser plasma sheet. For the former case the shielding of the convection electric field is less efficient than for the latter case, allowing low-energy protons to penetrate further earthward, resulting in a Harang reversal that extends to lower latitudes, expands wider in MLT, and is located further equatorward than the upward FAC peak and the conductivity peak. The return flows of the Harang reversal in the hot and tenuous case are located in a low conductivity region. This leads to an enhancement of these westward flows, resulting in subauroral polarization streams (SAPS).


Abstract More and more Chinese high- and new-technology companies have entered the global market in the recent years. While their business success has attracted widespread attention, their engagement in governance innovation has been largely ignored by previous studies. This special issue explores the governance challenges and opportunities for Chinese high- and new-technology companies at multiple levels. The empirical case studies of prominent Chinese companies, such as Alibaba, Huawei, the China Railway Corporation, and the State Grid Corporation of China, show a variety of experiences and approaches regarding governance innovation. We hope these studies will encourage more scholars to explore wider patterns of business actor engagement in governance innovation, paying special attention to the new actors from the Global South.


Category: Hindfoot Introduction/Purpose: Talonavicular fusion has been established as a reliable intervention for degenerative, inflammatory, and traumatic joint lesions as well as hindfoot deformities. In order to achieve optimal fusion, various versions of the procedure have been introduced in literature and have remained a topic of contention, with the most common variation involving the insertion of 1 to 3 screws dorsomedially and dorsolaterally. Dorsolateral screw placements commonly cause neurovasculature injury. The purpose of our cadaveric study was first to establish the safety of the dorsolateral percutaneous screw insertion in relation to these dorsal neurovascular structures, and then subsequently to standardize the ideal placement of the dorsolateral screw by comparing two insertion sites based on consistent bony landmarks. Methods: Ten fresh-frozen cadaver legs amputated at the knee were used for this study. Percutaneous cannulated screws were inserted to perform isolated talonavicular arthrodesis. The screws were inserted at 3 consistent sites: "medial screw" at dorsomedial navicular where it intersected at the medial plane of the first cuneiform, "central screw" at the edge of dorsal navicular between medial and intermediate cuneiforms, and "lateral screw" at the edge of dorsal navicular between intermediate and lateral cuneiforms. Superficial and deep dissections were carried out to identify any injured nerves, arteries, and tendons. Results: The mean age at death in our sample of cadavers was 80.1 ± 7.5 years (range 68 to 92) and had the BMI of 21.8 ± 2.4 (range 18.1 to 25.1). There were 5 males (50.0%) and 5 females (50.0%). The medial screw injured the anterior tibialis tendon in 2 cases (20.0%), the central screw injured the extensor hallucis longus tendon in 3 cases (30.0%), and the lateral screw injured the anterior branch of SPN, lateral branch of SPN, and medial branch of DPN once each in a total of 3 cases (30.0%). Conclusion: TN fusion with central screw placement at the interspace between the medial and intermediate cuneiforms protects the neurovasculatures of the foot to a superior extent than lateral screws between the intermediate and lateral cuneiforms.


Cement is the world's largest building material and is fundamental to modern socio-economic development. However, its production generates high consumption of energy resources, large emissions of greenhouse gases, and pollutants in the production processes. Due to the above, the standards that formulate the prescription of Portland cements according to the chemical composition have changed in Colombia and established the scope of specifications covering hydraulic cements through performance requirements without compositional restrictions. Therefore, present research characterized the composition of commercial cement for general use in Colombia by fluorescence and X-ray diffraction, along with particle size and morphology by scanning electron microscopy. Subsequently, setting times and mechanical compressive strength were evaluated. The results established little compositional variation and relatively similar characteristics to traditional Portland cements; however, there was evidence of an elevation of Felite, due to the possible inclusion of supplementary alternative cementitious agents and a decrease in Celite, which led to an increase in setting times. In addition, a high-quality control was established in its manufacture through the inclusion of elements that reduce the environmental impact and relation of its components that affect the hardening process.


Soil organic carbon (SOC) pool in the reclaimed minesoils (RMS) is the mixture of coal C originating from mining and reclamation activities and recent plant-derived organic carbon (OC). Accurate estimates of OC pools and sequestration rates in the RMS are limited by lack of standard and cost-effective method for determination of coal-C concentration. The main objective of this project was to develop and test analytical procedures for quantifying pool sizes of coal-derived C in RMS and to partition organic C in RMS into coal-derived and newly deposited SOC fractions. Analysis of soil and coal artificial mixtures indicated that the {Delta}{sup 13}C method developed was very effective in estimating coal C added in the mixtures, especially soils under C4 plants. However, most of the reclaimed sites in Ohio are under C3 plants with range of {Delta}{sup 13}C signal falling within ranges of coal. The wide range of {Delta}{sup 13}C signal observed in minesoils, (i.e. -26 to -30 for plants and -23 to -26 for coal) limits the ability of this approach to be used for southeast Ohio minesoils. This method is applicable for reclaimed prime farm land under long term corn or corn soybean rotation. Chemi-thermal method was very effective inmore » quantifying coal-C fraction in both soil-coal artificial mixtures and minesoils. The recovery of coal-C from the mixture ranged from 93 to 100% of coal. Cross-validation of chemi-thermal method with radiocarbon analysis revealed that chemi-thermal method was as effective as radiocarbon analysis in quantifying coal-C in RMS. Coal C determined after chemi-thermal treatment of samples was highly correlated with coal C concentration calculated by radiocarbon activity (r{sup 2} = 0.95, P < 0.01). Therefore, both radiocarbon activity and chemi-thermal method were effective in estimating coal carbon concentration in reclaimed minesoils of southeast Ohio. Overall, both coal-C and recent OC fraction exhibited high spatial and depth variation, suggesting that approaches used to obtain representative samples in undisturbed soils may not be effective in RMS sites. Analysis of coal-C fraction in RMS indicated that the contribution of coal C to SOC increased with increase in soil depth, accounting for up to 92% of SOC in the sub-soil. Our data indicated that land use and land management practices plays significant role in enhancing SOC sequestration in reclaimed mined lands.« less


Numerous devices have been developed for controlling valve timings in SI engines. Among them, the electromagnetic valve train (EMV) actuator can fully control valve timings to improve fuel consumption and emission. In addition, an EMV with a permanent-magnet and electromagnetic-coil (PM/EM) hybrid actuator has several advantages of control, energy consumption, and time response compared over conventional EMVs. This paper proposes a novel EMV with a PM/EM hybrid actuator that differs considerably from existing EMVs. Finite element analysis was used for analyzing the EMV design. The optimization was based on criteria that ensured the EMV to satisfy holding forces in closed and open states at high speed in SI engines. Several parameters such as PM, armature dimensions, and electromagnetic coil sizes were analyzed. The results indicated that the EMV satisfies the required space limit. Furthermore, the optimal EMV design also matches the transition time and holding force. A holding force of approximately 719 N is created when the desired current is supplied to the coils, and the efficiency of the force dropped by 42.22%. Therefore, the EMV can fully control the timings of the closed and open valves at high speed in SI engines.


Studies have been conducted to demonstrate that weapons-grade plutonium can be readily disposed of by utilizing it as a fuel in pressurized water reactors (PWR). The disposition can be achieved by first fabricating the weapons-grade plutonium into a mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel form and then irradiating it in either advanced or existing PWRs to a depleted level similar to commercial spent fuel. Preliminary neutronics studies pertaining to safety-related core design using 100% weapons-grade MOX fuel are presented. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a small plutonium disposition reactor of 600-MW(electric) capacity called the PDR600, a large plutonium disposition reactor of 1,400-MW(electric) capacity called the PDR1400, and a typical four-loop modified Westinghouse reactor. Feasible loading patterns are obtained for the initial and equilibrium cycles using discrete borosilicate glass burnable absorbers and a heavy loading of zirconium diboride integral fuel burnable absorbers in every fuel rod. The preliminary core physics results include information on soluble boron concentration, peaking factors, Doppler and moderator reactivity coefficients, boron, xenon and control rod worths, shut-down margin and delayed neutron parameters. The core design for weapons-grade plutonium disposition can be achieved with minimum changes in the present safety and licensing criteria of advanced or existing PWRs.


Not only has the use of computers as writing instruments had a profound effect on the writing practice and the attitudes towards writing, it has also created new possibilities for research on writing. In the fi eld of cognitive writing research especially, keystroke logging programs have become very popular. In this chapter we describe a logging program called Inputlog. Inputlog 2.0 Beta consists of four modules: (1) a data collection module that registers digital writing processes on a very detailed level; (2) a data analysis module that offers basic and more advanced statistical analyses (e.g. text and pause analysis); (3) an integration module that allows data merging between data fi les; (4) a playback module that enables researchers to review the writing session. In this chapter we describe the technical and functional characteristics of Inputlog 2.0 Beta and give advice on applying Inputlog as a research tool. We conclude the paper with a preview of the plans for further developments.


Few studies have explored the effect of hydrogen on neuronal apoptosis or impaired nerve regeneration after traumatic brain injury, and the mechanisms involved in these processes are unclear. In this study, we explored neuroprotection of hydrogen‐rich medium through activation of the miR‐21/PI3K/AKT/GSK‐3β pathway in an in vitro model of traumatic brain injury. Such model adopted PC12 cells with manual scratching. Then, injured cells were cultured in hydrogen‐rich medium for 48 hours. Expression of miR‐21, p‐PI3K, p‐Akt, p‐GSK‐3β, Bax and Bcl‐2 was measured using RT‐qPCR, Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Rate of apoptosis was determined using TUNEL staining. Neuronal regeneration was assessed using immunofluorescence staining. The results showed that hydrogen‐rich medium improved neurite regeneration and inhibited apoptosis in the injured cells. Scratch injury was accompanied by up‐regulation of miR‐21, p‐PI3K, p‐Akt and p‐GSK‐3β. A miR‐21 antagomir inhibited the expression of these four molecules, while a PI3K blocker only affected the three proteins and not miR‐21. Both the miR‐21 antagomir and PI3K blocker reversed the protective effect of hydrogen. In conclusion, hydrogen exerted a neuroprotective effect against neuronal apoptosis and impaired nerve regeneration through activation of miR‐21/PI3K/AKT/GSK‐3β signalling in this in vitro model of traumatic brain injury.


We use tax files from 2004 to 2010 to document the recent evolution of earnings inequality in Spain. We find that inequality went in parallel with the evolution of the unemployment rate during the period. This evolution is consistent with the evidence from Social Security records recently documented in Bonhomme and Hospido (2012). Quantitatively, the 90/10 percentile ratio of daily earnings experienced a 10% increase between 2007 and 2010, which is partly but not fully explained by changes in labour force composition. We also use the tax data to study the evolution of the gender earnings gap, and find that it has decreased throughout the distribution during the period. Lastly, we tentatively exploit the panel dimension of the data to explore the permanent and temporary dimensions of Spanish inequality.


This work presents a new PWM boost converter with nondissipative snubber. This proposed approach allows building a converter with high frequency operation. The boost converter proposed allows to join the characteristics of the nondissipative switching with the characteristics of the PWM switching, the converter using this association works with constant frequency. This paper presents the complete operating principles, theoretical analysis, relevant equations, simulation and experimental results.


Biblical commentators through history have employed various methods to facilitate interpretation, including rhetorical criticism, with emphasis on classical rhetoric. Despite a resurgence of interest in rhetoric in the past two decades, only a few commentators in the New Interpreter's Bible and the Hermeneia series have undertaken in-depth rhetorical analysis. Most observations of these commentators are derived from the rhetorics of Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian and the Rhetorica ad Herennium. This essay sets forth and evaluates the various methods of rhetorical analysis and their employment in the two above-mentioned commentary series.


This is a case of a healthy 15-yr-old woman who presented to the emergency room with a history of worsening chest pain and shortness of breath. The day before her admission, she felt an object hit her in the chest while mowing the lawn. Physical examination revealed a 2-mm entrance wound in the right midaxillary line. Her chest radiograph was significant for a foreign body in the mediastinum without evidence of a pneumothorax. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a metallic object oriented in an anteromedial direction (relative to the entry site) that appeared to extend into the left ventricle (Fig. 1). The transthoracic echocardiogram examination excluded the presence of a pericardial effusion, yet could not provide a precise location of the foreign body within the heart or its functional impact. The patient was taken to the operating room and, after an uneventful anesthetic induction and intubation, a right radial arterial line and right femoral vein cordis introducer were placed. A comprehensive transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination was conducted prior to incision. The exam demonstrated normal ventricular and valvular function. The midesophageal bicaval (Fig. 2), midesophageal long axis (Fig. 3), and deep transgastric (TG) long axis (LAX) (Fig. 4) views revealed a linear foreign body with a high degree of reflection that appeared to traverse the atrial and ventricular septums and enter the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) (Video clips 1 and 2; please see video clips available at www.anesthesia-analgesia.org). The deep TG LAX view suggested the object might also be in the right ventricle. Thrombi appeared to be attached to a portion of the foreign body located in the right atrium (Fig. 2) and LVOT (Fig. 3; TEE clips). Color Doppler detected small (left-to-right jets) atrial and ventricular septal defects. No evidence of a LVOT obstruction was seen by color Doppler. Based on these findings, the surgeons elected to approach the heart via a median sternotomy. Initial visual inspection of the heart demonstrated no evidence of a foreign body. Subsequent palpation of the posterior aspect of the heart, however, revealed a foreign body entering the right atrium. Following the performance of a right atriotomy, a slightly bent, 12-cm piece of wire was found imbedded in the atrial and ventricular septums. The foreign body could not be seen in the right ventricle. The wire, along with the atrial thrombus, was removed, and suture closures of the atrial and ventricular septal defects were performed. A left atriotomy was then made to remove the thrombus in the LVOT. Although no residual trauma, valvular or ventricular dysfunction were noted by TEE examination after the initial repair, a second thrombus was discovered within the left atrium. This thrombus was subsequently removed after reinstitution of cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient's postoperative course was unremarkable and she was discharged home on the eighth postoperative day. Intraoperative TEE can play a significant role in the operative management of cardiac foreign bodies. The impact of the examination is probably greatest when patients are too unstable to undergo other imaging studies (CT, etc). Historically, the assessment of the structural damage in urgent cases has been limited to what the surgeon could directly This article has supplementary material on the Web site: www.anesthesia-analgesia.org.


Fraser's Hill, a popular highland retreat in Peninsular Malaysia, is rich in bio-diversity. The seven trails within Fraser's Hill is collectively the main attraction. The aim of this paper is to analyse and evaluate the sustainability of Fraser's Hill as an ecotourism destination. Three research methods were adopted for this study, namely key informant approach, participant observation and secondary analysis. The findings show that the trails are well maintained and show very little signs of stress. The rebranding and positioning of Fraser's Hill as an eco-destination and as The Little England is not in sync with the high-rise hotels which have a larger carbon footprint. Infrastructure development has to a limited extent impaired the fragile eco-system. There is also a lack of community participation in ecotourism activities within Fraser's Hill. In conclusion, the rebranding and positioning of Fraser's Hill is unequivocally appropriate. However, high-rise hotel development and the broadening of appeal towards mass tourism are not in sync with an eco-destination theme. However, the high-rise hoteliers could adopt environmentally-friendly practices to help preserve the fragile forest ecosystem health. More should be done for the local community as they could partake in activities that are associated with an eco-destination.


Many studies have implicated the cAMP Response Element Binding (CREB) protein signaling pathway in long-term memory. To identify small molecule enhancers of CREB activation of gene expression, we screened ≈73,000 compounds, each at 7–15 concentrations in a quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) format, for activity in cells by assaying CREB mediated β-lactamase reporter gene expression. We identified 1,800 compounds that potentiated CREB mediated gene expression, with potencies as low as 16 nM, comprising 96 structural series. Mechanisms of action were systematically determined, and compounds that affect phosphodiesterase 4, protein kinase A, and cAMP production were identified, as well as compounds that affect CREB signaling via apparently unidentified mechanisms. qHTS folowed by interrogation of pathway targets is an efficient paradigm for lead generation for chemical genomics and drug development.


Abstract : In this note it is shown how partial fractions may be used to derive the properties of linear recursive sequences and, in particular, of Bose- Chaudhuri codes. One of the novel features of this method is a new and transparent proof of the basic result of MattsonSolomon.


PURPOSE: A container for masks, a method for transferring lithographic masks therein and a method for scanning masks in the container are provided to preserve the mask from contamination by performing scanning on at least one of a containing device and a transferring device. CONSTITUTION: A mask container(70) is configured to enclose a mask. The container is at least partially translucent for radiation of at least a predetermined wavelength and the container is formed in such a way that an image can be obtained of the mask from outside the container using light of said wavelength. The container includes a bottom portion(71) and a top portion(72), the bottom and top parts each having connecting members(74). The connecting member of the bottom portion is configured to be connected to the connecting member of the top portion.


Long-term addition of manure increases soil organic carbon (SOC), provides nutrient supply, enhances soil quality and crop yield (CY), but may also increase global warming potential (GWP). In this study, a long-term experiment was conducted to investigate impacts of organic dairy manure and inorganic fertilizer on the spatial distribution of soil quality indicators in field scale. The experiment was initiated in 2008 (seven years), and includes three manure and two inorganic fertilizer treatments along with a control (no manure or no inorganic fertilizer addition). The study was set into a randomized complete block design with six treatments and four replications in a total of 24 plots with an equal size each of 6 × 18 m (108 m2). Soil physical, chemical and biological properties (total 26 properties) were considered as the total data set and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine long-term organic and inorganic fertilizer-induced changes in soil quality. Ordinary kriging interpolation methods were used to predict the spatial distributions of soil quality index (SQI) and mean soil quality values were compared with fertilization treatments by using Duncan's test. Results showed that most measured soil quality index parameters showed significant differences (p < 0.05). The long-term dairy manure applications had positive impacts on soil quality index parameters where overall SQI scores were higher under high manure (HM) compared to medium manure (MM), low manure (LM), medium fertilizer (MF), high fertilizer (HF), control (CK) by 25%, 27%, 47%, 55% and 92%. A similar trend was observed for CY and GWP. This indicates that long-term dairy manure can be an option to increase SQI values and provide higher CY, however, this may lead to greater GWP.


Molecular dynamics (MD) study on glycolic acid in the physiological salt solution has been performed, which is a model of a biofuel cell. The structure and charge distribution of glycolic acid in aqueous solution used in MD is beforehand optimized by Gaussian09 utilizing the density functional theory. MD is performed in the NPT constant condition, i.e. the number of particles, pressure, and temperature of MD cell are definite. The structure difference of the glycolic acid and oxalic acid is detected by the water distribution around the molecules using the pair distribution functions, gij(r), and the frequency dependent diffusion coefficients, Di(?). The transport properties for glycolic acid anion and oxalic acid anion are quite different, which may be attributed to the structural difference. The anomalous dielectric constant of the solution, i.e. about 12 times larger than that of water, has been obtained, which may be attributed to the ion pair formation in the solution This fact may be explained by the large dipole moment formation in the solution, however the further analysis is left for the future study.


Females in monogamous species tend to be more sexually active than females in species with other mating systems. In this paper we consider the possibility that female sexuality has evolved because more sexually active females have received more male assistance. We develop a model in which there is no direct cue available to males indicating whether the female is fertile. Instead males might respond to female behaviour as an indirect cue. The latter could favour increased female sexuality if males tend to stay longer with more sexually active females. Our results show that female sexual behaviour can have a significant impact on social behaviour and that sexually active females and sexual behaviour outside fertile periods can evolve under some circumstances. We end with a discussion of theories of the evolution of female sexuality. We believe that theories based on male assistance fit empirical findings better than theories based on variation in male genetic quality.


We determine the general solution of the functional equation f(x + y) + f(x y) = A(y)f(x) (xy E G), where G is a 2-divisible abelian group, f is a vector-valued function and A is a matrix-valued function. Using this result we solve the scalar equation f(x + y) + f(x-y) = g1(x)hl(y) + g2(x)h2(Y) (xy E G), which contains as special cases, among others, the d'Alembert and Wilson equations and the parallelogram law.


The removal of noise from speech signals has applications ranging from speech enhancement for cellular communications, to front ends for speech recognition systems. A nonlinear time-domain method called dual extended Kalman filtering (DEKF) is presented for removing nonstationary and colored noise from speech. We further generalize the algorithm to perform the blind separation of two speech signals from a single recording.


Ineffective erythropoiesis remains the principal source of diseaserelated symptoms and morbidity in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), resulting in symptomatic anemia, red blood cell transfusion dependence (RBC-TD), iron overload, and progressive physical debility. Potential mechanisms of ineffective erythropoiesis include alterations in both early and late-stage erythropoiesis secondary to clonal stem cell defects (e.g., SF3B1, TET2, and DNMT3A mutations), abnormalities in signaling pathways (e.g., JAK-STAT, SMAD2/3), overproduction of inflammatory cytokines (NLRP3 related ILIβ, IL6 and TNFα), unbalanced iron homeostasis, and free radical mediated damage. Several strategies have been employed to manage anemia in MDS including erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs), lenalidomide, androgens such as danazol, DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi), and combinatorial strategies with these agents. Two new drugs that have been added to this arsenal include luspatercept and imetelstat, with luspatercept being US FDA/EMA approved for use in adult patients with RBC-TD beta thalassemia and in patients with low-/intermediate-risk MDS-RS (ring sideroblasts) and MDS/MPNRS-T (MPN-myeloproliferative neoplasm, RS-T-ring sideroblasts with thrombocytosis). Luspatercept is a recombinant activin receptor type IIB fusion protein that is designed to trap TGF-β superfamily ligands (including activin), blocking their engagement with their cognate receptors, which otherwise would have resulted in activation of SMAD2/3 signaling (SMAD2/3 signaling is known to inhibit terminal erythroid differentiation). While luspatercept can alleviate anemia by enhancing late-stage erythropoiesis, it does not modify disease biology, with progression remaining inevitable. Luspatercept's US FDA/EMA approval was based on the Phase-3, randomized, placebo-controlled MEDALIST trial, where 229 patients with RBC-TD low-/intermediate-risk MDS-RS who failed treatment with ESAs or had an endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) level of >200 U/L, were randomized to receive luspatercept versus placebo (Table 1). Twenty-eight percent of patients in the luspatercept-treated group versus 8% in the placebo group achieved RBC-TI (transfusion independence) for a consecutive 12-week period during weeks 1 through 24 (p < .001); median duration of RBC-TI was 31 versus 14 weeks, respectively. This number increased to 33% for the luspatercept arm versus 12% for the placebo arm during weeks 1–48 (p < .001). However, only 14% of patients in the luspatercept arm had their 24-week response for RBC-TI maintained at 1 year. Luspatercept-treated patients experienced higher rates of erythroid-lineage hematologic improvement (HI—53% vs. 12%) and platelet responses (63% vs. 33%), while the rate of leukemic progression was similar between the two treatment arms. On longer term follow-up, the median duration of RBC-TI ≥ 8 weeks in the heavy RBC-TD patients was 26.9 weeks, whereas the median duration of the longest major erythroid response (mHI-E) was 11.86 weeks (similar to placebo arm), highlighting limitations with durability. The MEDALIST trial also led to the approval of luspatercept for MDS/MPN-RS-T, an MDS/MPN overlap syndrome with a high frequency of SF3B1 (80%–90%) and JAK2 (50%) mutations, without any clinical trial data supporting safety and efficacy. This was surprising given that 70% of luspatercept-treated patients versus 42% of placebo-treated patients in this study had a ≥30 10/L mean increment in their platelet counts, although these counts did remain within upper limits of normal. It was after approval that a post hoc analysis of the MEDALIST trial found that 23 (10%) patients actually met criteria for MDS/MPN-RS-T, with 14 receiving luspatercept and 9 receiving placebo. RBC-TI ≥ 8 weeks was seen in 64.3% of luspatercept-treated patients versus 22% of placebo-treated patients, with one patient developing a transient ischemic attack on the study drug. Given the higher thrombotic risk associated with MDS/MPN-RS-T, Mayo Clinic is now leading a prospective Phase 2 study to establish safety, efficacy, and an optimal dosing strategy for luspatercept, especially when concomitant cytoreduction with hydroxyurea is warranted (NCT05005182, www.clinicaltrials.gov). After luspatercept's approval, important real-world studies failed to replicate the initial enthusiasm for the agent, highlighting nuances with clinical trial selection criteria and the application of response crtieria. In a Mayo Clinic study, 39 (83% SF3B1 mutant) MDS-RS patients received luspatercept, with 31 patients having RBC-TD. Erythroid responses were documented in 18%, with 16% of RBC-TD patients responding. One reason for the suboptimal response might have been the fact that 95%, 38%, and 26% of these patients had prior exposures to ESA, DNMTi, and lenalidomide, respectively. In a second study assessing responses in 27 patients with chronic myeloid neoplasms without RS (Table 1; not including MPN), only 11% met the criteria for anemia response, including 8% of RBC-TD patients. Again, in this analysis, 70%, 44%, and 11% of luspatercept-treated patients did have prior exposures to ESA, DNMTi, and lenalidomide, respectively. In this issue of the journal, Lanino et al. present realworld data from an Italian luspatercept compassionate use trial for patients with lower risk MDS-RS (R-IPSS—very low, low, and intermediate risk; FISiM study), who were refractory to, or ineligible for ESA therapy and who were RBC-TD (≥2 units of red cells/8 weeks in the last 16 weeks prior to enrollment). Notably, these patients were not Received: 11 June 2023 Accepted: 12 June 2023


N-(2-diethylaminoethyl)-4-iodobenzamide has been reported to be an excellent agent for malignant melanoma diagnosis by SPECT. To obtain a 99mTc analogue, we synthesized a sodium N-{2-[4-(N-diethylaminoethylcarbamoyl)phenyl]ethyl}-N-methyldithiocarbamate ligand in 7 steps from methyl 4-(bromomethyl)benzoate. The corresponding nitridotechnetium complex formed by a ligand exchange method was purified and its biodistribution in mice bearing the B16 murine melanoma was determined. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The 11th of September 2001 is a date that will be engraved upon our minds for the rest of our lives. It will be engraved upon our minds not just because of the shock and the horror of human tragedy, not just because of the gross cruelty Inflicted upon human beings by fellow human beings although both of these are true--but because It was the day on which the golden barricades of the First World were breached in a manner unimaginable to most of us. ********** I use the word `barricades' advisedly. It is the word used by the Shell Group when they described two equally plausible scenarios for the future of our world. The first scenario they dubbed the `story of barricades'. I cannot do their research justice in such time as I have but essentially in this scenario the biggest divide in the world is between the rich and the poor countries. Jaworski (157) describes it as follows: "The rich fear the turbulent politics of the poor world. They see its spillover effects in refugees, lawlessness, the drug trade, and environmental damage, and they want to insulate themselves. They are repelled by what they see as alien values: for example, Islamic fundamentalism and the tribal bloodletting in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Africa. They avert their attention inward and take steps to isolate themselves from these impoverished and disease-ridden countries. "For their part, the poor-country governments are suspicious of the motives of the rich, remembering their history of colonial exploitation, gunboat diplomacy, and political destabilization. The endless portrayal of rich societies as selfish, godless, amoral, and racist creates a deep alienation. Fear and suspicion rule on both sides." The scenario planners saw this situation as basically unsustainable, with the distinction between war and crime becoming increasingly blurred, and criminal anarchy emerging as a "significant danger to the rich countries." (Jaworski, 159) The second plausible scenario is entitled `the new frontiers story'. This is a story where the liberalization of economies continues and there is a shift in the center of gravity in the world's economies. Dramatic growth in the big-populous countries notably China and India combined with more careful economic policies in the present First World make this possible. "Governments over time learn to pay attention to the very poor and to avoid social explosions. They also learn to spread the benefits of growth more equitably and to provide the necessary safety nets." (Page 167) By the end of the scenario period the world is a very different place and this is largely due to the fact that people, "rich and poor alike, have come to realize their economic, social and environmental interdependence." (Jaworski, 169) It is not just this particular set of scenarios that give us pause for thought. Political, social and economic theorists from all over the world are, in one way or another, sounding alarm bells about a status quo that cannot be sustained; in particular the divide between the rich and the poor cannot be sustained. Social theorist, Manuel Castells tells us in very powerful and moving terms that the most striking consequence of the new global network society is its corrosive effect on equality and social justice. In his blunt words: "Entire countries around the world and large segments of the population everywhere are becoming excluded." (Quoted by Barber, 1999) This kind of society is based on a systemic disjunction between the local and the global for most individuals and social groups. "It devours itself," he says, "losing the sense of perspective of continuity of life across generations, so denying the future of humans as a humane species." (Ibid) Castells concludes that the system, over time, is not only economically and technologically unsustainable, but socially and politically unsustainable. (Muller, Cloete and Badat, page 20) Not the politics of the nation state, not the politics of the city, not even the grand unifying ideal of democracy itself have so far managed to halt the growing divide of rich and poor. …


Momentum-resolved photoemission spectroscopy indicates the instability of the Dirac surface state upon deposition of gold on the (0001) surface of the topological insulator Bi2Se3. Based on the str ...


The compression offers a means to reduce the cost of storage and increase the speed of transmission. Image compression is used to minimize the size in bytes of a graphics file without degrading the quality of the image. There are two types of image compression is present. The aim of this paper is based on the wavelet based image compression, using Neural Network, SPIHT, EZW & STW. While compressing the wavelet based images, these have shown good adaptability towards a wide range of data, while existing reasonable complexity. Spatial-orientation tree wavelet (STW) and Embedded Zero tree Wavelet (EZW) has been proposed as a method for effective and efficient embedded image coding. This method holds an important features like PSNR, MSE,BPP,CR, image size. SPHIT has been successfully used in many applications. (The techniques are compressed by using the performance parameters PSNR , MSE,CR,BPP.)


Fashion commodities played a key role in the construction of Mod subcultural identities during the 1960s, but how do we account for the fact that individuals continue to employ similar commodities to construct subcultural looks five decades later? This paper investigates how present-day members of the Mod subculture engage with fashion commodities, employing virtual ethnography to study an online forum for Mods referred to as 'Modforum.' I engage with debates in the study of subculture, arguing that while the age and class make-up of the contemporary Mod subculture differs greatly from that postulated in the 1970s by the researchers at University of Birmingham's Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, the continued commitment of contemporary 'Mod Men' to an authentic subcultural style means that this group cannot be characterised as post-subcultural. I make the case for adapting the literary and queer studies scholar Judith Halberstam's notion of 'queer time,' devising the term 'subcultural time' to conceptualise the way in which subcultural participation extends beyond youth for contemporary members of the Mod subculture. I describe how the quest for the 'right' garments, those that accurately reproduce not just the appearance but the ethereal essence of Mod, characterises the online discussions of this predominantly male and heterosexual subculture. Furthermore, the centrality of online shopping to the Mod subcultural experience intensifies the postmodern blurring of the lines between leisure and consumption. As consumption of fashion commodities moves from the street to the screen, so too does the display of subcultural stylisation, and I explore contemporary Mods' mediated display of subcultural outfits. The disjuncture between these practices and dominant notions of masculinity is interpreted by way of the cultural historian Frank Mort's concept of the 'homosocial gaze' and the sociologist Sean Nixon's dualarticulation of 'the look.'


n-Bottle lab exercises are popular with both students and instructors. They rely on unique patterns of reaction between substances in aqueous solution. Such exercises test observation, measurement, and deductive reasoning skills of students while presenting the puzzle, "What's in the bottle?" Traditional n-bottle exercises include precipitation reactions of environmentally hazardous substances, thereby creating a waste disposal problem. The lab exercise described here uses substances whose waste can be easily treated and disposed in the trash. Different versions of the lab are presented which pose various levels of difficulty for students.


This paper provides an OT account for the realization of informational focus in Mandarin Chinese. The analysis is based on the conclusion drawn in my dissertation (Li 2009) that informational focus in Mandarin is realized in-situ with prosodic prominence (sentential stress), but no part is in particular prosodically more prominent if the entire sentence is the focus or when the sentence-final element is the focus. I treat this as a case of 'do something except when...', more specifically, 'stress the focused element except in the sentence-final position' in my analysis. Enlightened by Samek-Lodovici (2005), I account for the patterns in Mandarin by proposing three types of constraints: syntactic constraints, *FinalStress and Stress-Focus and ranking SF lower than the other two. I also Compare Mandarin with Italian and English and show that Mandarin is just a specific case in the language typology of the realization of informational focus through the interaction of various grammar components.


Based on Lyapunov stability theorem,the asymptotic synchronization of globally coupled network is studied,a method is proposed for global chaos synchronization,and applied to secure communication.Using two coupled identical systems,a novel method of chaos encryption is proposed,after encrypting in the two systems,information signal can be recovered exactly at the receiver end.Finally,the result of numerical calculation for the global connected networks with Liu nodes shows that the theorem is reliable.


Water temperature affects not only the water quality and ecological balance of the reservoir, but the temperature and stress field distribution of the high arch dam during water storage and operation management. During low water storage and initial operation, the concrete in reservoirs over 100 m deep in particular can easily crack or expand because of low temperature reservoir water. This paper studies the water temperature distribution law of the reservoir during initial storage by establishing a three-dimensional fluid dynamics model. Based on this, this paper explores the three-dimensional temperature field and stress field of the dam body during the storage period, the causes of cracking, and stress distribution in key parts of the arch dam.


Hospital beds are widely used around the world for its various unique qualities. Hospital beds can be categorized into two main types: medical and surgical bed along with intensive care bed. An adjustable backrest is one of the main traits of a hospital bed. Various mechanisms have been found and applied for lifting the backrest. Normally hospital beds are operated manually with the help of both patient and healthcare workers The present study of the various alternative models of hospital beds , has been decided to modify to automated bed that possess various adjustable for the comfort of the patient. Present fabrication model of automated bed system uses different actuation systems like D.C motor, screw jack and link mechanism. Effective control over the dynamic motions of the bed is acquired through installation of a control panel that is easily accessible by the patient.


........................................................................................................................................ vi Chapter One Introduction ...........................................................................................................1 Research questions ............................................................................................................7 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................7 Chapter Two Literature Review .................................................................................................9 Exposure to violence and links to antisocial behavior ................................................9 Learning theory ...................................................................................................10 Behavioral theory ................................................................................................13 Social and biological approaches ......................................................................14 Self-control links to antisocial behavior .......................................................................17 Self-control theory ...............................................................................................18 Self-control moderates effects of criminological constructs .....................................19 Exposure to violence moderation/interaction effects ...............................................23 Internal factors, environment, and antisocial outcomes ...........................................27 Summary of the literature review .................................................................................29 The current study ............................................................................................................32 Chapter Three Methodology .....................................................................................................34 Data collection and procedures ....................................................................................34 Goals of the Pathways study .............................................................................35 Baseline interviews .............................................................................................35 Time point interviews ........................................................................................36 Location of interviews ........................................................................................36 Site differences .....................................................................................................38 Measurement of Pathways study .....................................................................39 Method for data collection .................................................................................39 Tracking participants over time ........................................................................40 Data justification for current study ..................................................................41 Current study design ......................................................................................................41


Campbell, M. L. 2008. Organism impact assessment: risk analysis for post-incursion management. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 795–804. Risk analysis is a management tool that is becoming increasingly common in biosecurity because it aids decision-making in the face of uncertainty. A risk analysis model [referred to as an organism impact assessment (OIA)] is described, one that was developed in New Zealand to facilitate the management of incursions of introduced aquatic species in a post-border (after quarantine is breached) scenario. The New Zealand biosecurity risk-management framework assesses ecological, cultural, social, and economic values congruently, ensuring that a transparent and objective framework is established with clearly stated ecological and socio-political imperatives. Using expert heuristics and published and observed data, the present study assesses the likelihood that a target introduced species will have ecological, cultural, social, and economic impacts. The consequences (impact and/or change) of such events are then determined, to establish a relative risk ranking, using consequence matrices to aid assessment of the ecological, cultural, social, and economic value impacts of species unintentionally introduced to New Zealand. To illustrate the risk model, the OIA for the incursion of the fresh-water diatom Didymosphenia geminata is presented. The likelihood and consequences resulting in risk pertaining to the introduction of D. geminata varied across regions, but based on public perception at the initial incursion location, Southland, D. geminata was considered to be an extreme risk across all core values.


1 The basal epidermal keratinocytes of the skin are a main target for the vesicating agent, sulphur mustard (SM). A human keratinocyte cell line (SVK-14) has been used to model the effects of SM on the basal epidermal keratinocytes and subsequently to test the efficacy of potential prophylactic compounds in reducing the SM-induced cytotoxicity. 2 The cultures were pretreated with mixtures of methe namine (HMT) and glutathione (GSH) for 1 h prior to exposure to 10 μM SM. The viability of the cultures was then assessed using neutral red (NR) dye uptake and crystal violet DNA staining assays at 24 h intervals post exposure. 3 Pretreatment led to a 1.9 fold increase in culture viability (NR assay) compared to those exposed to SM only, and a 2.3 fold increase in cell number (crystal violet assay). Photomicrography showed that pre treatment preserved the morphology of the cultured cells and maintained their mitotic activity whereas those exposed to SM only show non-proliterative cultures with extensive cellular damage. 4 The results of this study show that it is possible to protect mitotically active cultures from the effects of SM, however the measures must be in place prior to SM exposure.


Hydrogen is a high quality energy carrier, contains no carbon and generates little or no polluting emissions at the point of use. A hydrogen-based energy system is an advantageous option for delivering efficient, clean and safe energy in a wide range of applications [1]. At present, significant cost and performance improvements in production, storage, transportation and technologies are required. Research, development and commercial efforts should be combined to achieve these goals. Hydrogen is a secondary form of energy, produced using other primary energy sources. Most of the hydrogen is made by steam reforming of natural gas (which is mainly methane). However, the use of coal as source is desirable, being a low-cost fuel and guaranteeing a longterm availability. Coal gasification is an efficient, clean and versatile process, which can be adapted for producing hydrogen [2]. The comparison of different technologies as well as the assessment of advanced options (e.g. introduction of a combined cycle, use of pure oxygen, CO2 sequestration) are necessary to maximize the conversion, the process efficiency and the environmental benefits [3]. Even, the integration of the gasification process with a centralized power plant (thus sharing steam, heat, emissions and residue char) may be competitive, reducing significantly the cost for hydrogen production. This work aims to assess the efficiency of the coal gasification process, the opportunity of different options and the effect of the operating conditions on hydrogen production, net energy production. Preliminary experimental applications and process modeling on the coal pyrolysis Enel plant of Bastardo (Perugia – Italy) gave promising results [4]. These are the bases to develop a process optimization method, which uses thermodynamic databases, parametric models (for the pyrolysis and gasification steps) and a steady state simulation software. The results reported in this work are a first example of the potential of combining these tools and will be deepened in the frame of the FISR project "Integrated Systems for Hydrogen Production and Use in Distributed Generation", which will optimize the integration with a centralized power plant [5].


Single copy DNA measurements were determined among isolates of Cladophoropsis membranacea from the Caribbean, Mauritania, the Canary Islands and the Red Sea using DNA-DNA hybridization. The genotypic relationships found amongst the Atlantic isolates demonstrate that the present day distribution pattern has been affected by jump dispersal. We have to reject strict trans-Atlantic vicariance and unimpeded gene flow through the Atlantic. The isolate from the Red Sea is more closely related to the Mauritanian/Caribbean isolates than to the Canarian one. This can be explained by jump dispersal around southern Africa. Any of these events should postdate the separation of the Canarian and Caribbean populations from which the isolates have been sampled.


ABSTRACT. A metal-adhered ceramic fixed-partial-prosthesis is proposed for the replacement of one or two posterior teeth. Although the pontics are metal-ceramic standard type, retainers are simplified metal inlays or onlays with undercuts as retention forms. The occlusal surfaces will be made of porcelain, that necessarily and inevitably will need adhesive cementation procedures in order to be adequately supported. They are aesthetic fixed partial prosthesis, of less invasive preparations of the teeth for anchorage, especially indicated when the pillars are sound or have suffered minor structure loss.


Adversarial attacks on machine learning models have proven to be a major contributor for the lack of actual deployment and adoption of ML in many practical use-cases. They have been found to be equally lethal in video streams as they are in images and texts. This finds particular relevance in the domain of autonomous driving tasks, which make use of object recognition neural architectures. In this paper, we take a step back from the cat and mouse chase of novel attacks and ad-hoc defenses and try to explain adversarial attacks from the perspective of the geometry of the high-dimensional spaces that the models operate in. Additionally, we make use of our idea of relating adversarial attacks to dimensionality to propose a counter-measure that uses dimension reduction. We have tested our proposition on state-of-the-art object detection and classification models on video streams including Faster-RCNN and YOLO and corresponding adversarial attacks on these models. Having optimally tuned the hyper-parameter associated with variability preservation upon dimension reduction using simple Singular Value Decomposition, we have shown that the performance of the robust version of the object detector models is within 2−3% of that on the clean samples, despite the presence of adversarial perturbation.


The present master dissertation is the imprint of an action research, as it was materialized between the months January and May 2017 at 39o Primary School of Athens. For its purpose, there were used qualitative as well as quantative means of data collection in order to be shown the contribution of Drama in Education to the enhancement of self concept of primary school students.
 Ρesearch hypothesis of the present dissertation is if the tecniques of Drαmatic Art lead to the enrichment of self-concept of fourth grade students of Primary School. In this research, eighteen students took part among of which eleven (11) girls and seven (7) boys. In order for the prosecution of the research, the questionnaire Patem II (How I perceive myself) by Susan Harter was used and translated in greek by Evi Makri Botsari, as a quantative investigational tool both with the observance of diary from the part of the researcher.
 At the first chapter is presented the theoretical part of the dissertation. Namely, it is made an expatiation to the signification of self-concept and to the definitions that have been attributed to it. In continuance, it is discussed Drama in Education. In the third chapter, there are presented research data that promote the enhancement of self concept and, mainly, through Drama.
 In the second part of the dissertation, it is recorded the purpose of the research, the research hypotesis, the methodology and the means of data collection. Also, it is referred for the sample, the data analysis, the foundings and the restrictions.


The problem of the static analysis of simple supported, fan-shaped, multibeam bridges is reformulated by the Fourier's series method for the purpose of introducing certain new features. Poisson's ratio is retained as a problem parameter. A procedure is devised to accelerate the convergence of bending moments in beams located directly under concentrated loads. A method is developed for the determination of influence surfaces for various effects at a specified section of a specified beam.


is in the area of &dquo;structuring groups for learning a body of knowledge&dquo;. This relfects the many enthusiastic attempts that have been and are being made to integrate and reconcile the structured needs of academic courses with a sound learning situation which ideally is unstructured. &dquo;The great advantage of group work is in faciilitating the understanding, as distinct from mere acceptance, of information&dquo;&dquo;


A full-wave method based on an integral equation formulation is proposed for computing path loss in urban areas. Unaccelerated full-wave methods potentially have massive associated computational burdens. In order to reduce the computational complexity, a Hybrid Forward Backward Method (HFBM) is applied (the conventional Forward Backward Method diverges in this scenario). The numerical analysis demonstrates that the path-loss generated by a forward-scattering HFBM matches those generated by a numerically precise solution. In addition the simulation results show that the path-loss generated by the forward-scattering HFBM show better agreement with the measurement data than those generated by the slope diffraction method (SDP) which is another vertical plane model used as the reference method in this paper.


Human bone‐derived cells, grown in monolayer culture, were dissociated by incubations with trypsin/EDTA and subjected to thin‐layer counter‐current distribution in a 'low potential' aqueous two‐phase system. Two major populations of cells were detected. The number of cells in the second (more hydrophobic) population increased with length of trypsinization and time in culture. Cells allowed to 'regain' surface molecules lost by trypsinization did not produce the second population.


This article analyses state-led place-making practices in Melbourne. The two levels of government that influence planning in Melbourne make much of the city as 'culturally vibrant' and 'creative', and have incorporated creative city-inspired place-making principles into many layers of the planning system. An examination of the development of two mixed-use megaprojects in central Melbourne reveals however that ideals of culturally engaging public places, and indeed of creative landscapes for middle-class consumption, wither in the face of more basic imperatives for economic development. In these case studies the 'creative city', no matter how the idea is interpreted, has little traction either as a set of inclusive place-making principles or as a gentrification strategy. The article concludes that the creative city-inspired place-making objectives in the planning system at both state and local levels are ambiguous in their overall intents and completely unsupported by statutory controls. Such place-making objectives as are realised are the compromised results of the interplay of uncoordinated decisions, delivered at the pleasure of the developer.


Abstract : This report details the engineering considerations of a program designed to investigate the effects of chronic low-level radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure on cell growth and differentiation. The protocol required the exposure (1 mW/cm2 20 hours daily AVERAGE, 7 days per week) of 200 female, mammary-tumor-prone mice (strain C3H/HeJ) to 435-MHz pulsed-wave (1.0 us pulse width, 1.0 kHz pulse rate) RFR for a duration of 21 months. In addition, a sham-exposure group consisting of 200 female, C3H/HeJ mice was housed under identical conditions, but not exposed to the 435-MHz pulsed-wave radiation. The program's engineering considerations involved developing and providing the facility and equipment used to expose the mammary-tumor-prone mice and the development of a procedure for reliable identification of the mice. Also described are the design of the antenna and transmitter system, animal caging, cage washing procedures, and the data collection system. Bioeffects of radiofrequency radiation, Mammary tumors and electromagnetic fields, Electromagnetic field studies.


A spinal orthopedic device comprising a rear panel (36), a flat panel spinal curvature is arranged to generate a three o'clock after the pressure in the system for the spinal column is reversed. Providing the reversed three point pressure system is to relieve pressure on the back side of the spine, for certain indications (e.g. spinal stenosis) beneficial. Provide various arrangements to allow the rear panel (36) secured to the spinal orthosis. The spinal orthosis comprises a belt length adjusting member, the system comprising: a belt member (112, 114) having a reduced end portion length; and a waistband panel (122,124,150,152), which is adapted the length of the reduced end portion fixed to said belt member (112, 114) to form the waistband circumference of said spinal orthosis at least partially.


The authors review the history of the concept of freedom in humanistic counseling theory and present a contemporary rationale for including certain negative implications of existential indeterminate free will in the theoretical foundations of the profession. Implications for counseling and a table of definitions that clarifies unique constructs are included. ********** Psychological humanism came into existence as a causal paradigm that challenged the biological/psychic determinism of psychoanalysis and the reductionism and mechanistic determinism of behaviorism (Hansen, 2005a). Since that time, the term free will has been consistently characterized in the literature as a component of various existential, phenomenological, and humanist paradigms (Delprato, 2003; Hansen, 2000, 2005a). However, genuine indeterminate free will, philosophically defined as "the will's alleged independence of antecedent psychological and physiological conditions" (Runes, 1962, p. 112), has never constituted a causal component in a major theory of counseling and psychology, including humanism (Morganstein, 1974; Roediger, Goode, & Zaromb, 2008). Instead, historically, humanist counseling embraced free will that was conceived of as self-determinism or "decision independent of external constraint but in accordance with the inner motives and goals of the actor" (Runes, 1962, p. 112; Wilks, 2003, 2004). Recently, however, indeterminate free will has been revisited by a number of researchers (Baer, Kaufman, & Baumeister, 2008; Phemister, 2001), and the growing body of revisitation literature includes data (Libet, 2001; Ratheal & Wilks, 2006) supporting the inclusion in counseling theory of both the construct of event-causal self-determinism and the construct of genuine, agent-causal free will. (Philosophical terms are defined in Table 1.) In this article, we (a) trace and critique the philosophical causal assumptions of humanism, (b) argue for humanism's inclusion of the negative side of its philosophical existential free will roots (Hansen, 2005b; Wilks, 2003) in its theory base as a complement to the positive freedom of goal-directed self-determinism, and (c) reiterate the Wilks and Ratheal (2009) theory of unidirectional free will as an effective causal construct in counseling theory. HUMANISM'S PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND In relation to the counseling profession, existentialism has been considered to be a sound theoretical base (Ginter, 1996), and humanist counseling theory has been described as a mixture of philosophical assumptions drawn from existentialism and phenomenology. However, in the selectivity process, darker conceptual elements (e.g., despair, meaninglessness, the absurdity of life and death) that were associated with genuine indeterminate free will and advocated by existential writers such as Sartre (1938/1959) and Camus (1955) were excluded from the emerging theoretical system. Hansen (2005b) wrote, Humanism is a unique distillation of the existentialist and phenomenological systems (Hansen, 2000). From existentialism, humanism borrowed an emphasis on human freedom. The gloomier aspects of existentialism, such as the focus on death, were not incorporated into humanistic theory. From phenomenology, humanism gained an appreciation for conscious experience and human subjectivity. (p. 5) Wilks (2003) also addressed the absence of certain bleak existential perspectives in counseling theory. She pointed out that humanism included positive existential freedom (self-determinism) but excluded negative aspects such as Sartre's (1938/1959) view of agent-causal, responsibility-producing free will as a state of existence in which humans are condemned to be free to choose their own moral or immoral essence in a world in which there are no a priori values. In contrast, humanist counseling theory did not adopt and build upon a theoretical foundation of nonbeing, nihilism, or perspectives that focused on meaninglessness or valueless nothingness. …


Blade-tip measurement systems are in development for monitoring and prognosis of rotor health and blade health in turbomachinery. The preliminary development of these systems suffers from lack of experience with failure signatures; technical staff are improvising with a combination of test and inspired guesswork. Perhaps mistakes are being made; it may be that mature systems of the future will use logic very different from what is being implemented by the developers today. This paper makes a small contribution to the knowledge base of failure modes and failure signatures in axial compressors. The paper describes observed signatures in data taken with a turbomachinery tip-timing system in the final 12 minutes of operation of an axial compressor before one of the blades of this axial compressor was liberated by growing crack. The crack growth was driven by a resonant vibration of that blade. The data file ends when the blade is liberated. The data system employed for this test used non-intrusive sensors. Each sensor launched a laser beam into the compressor inlet from several feet range. The blades were driven at a 2/rev synchronous resonance. This paper details signatures of impending failure on both leading edge and trailing edge measurements.


Widespread enforcement of the noise control provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act is just getting underway. Therefore, companies now being cited for excessive noise will have little precedent to guide them. Initial reaction is often one of dismay, with a desire to contest the action. Most companies, however, will decide to comply with the regulations. This means a compliance plan must be made and submitted to OSHA for approval. A typical plan could include control of individual noise sources, retirement of noisy machines, mandatory hearing protection, and changes in processes. The various steps in the plan must be scheduled with completion dates shown. The elements of a typical plan are discussed and options described.


The charge density wave system K0.3MoO3 has been studied using variable pulse energy pump–probe spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and inelastic light scattering. The observed transient reflectivity response exhibits quite a complex behaviour, containing contributions due to quasi-particle excitations, coherent amplitudons and phonons, and heating effects. The generation of coherent amplitudons is discussed in terms of relaxation of photo-excited quasi-particles, and is found to be resonant with the interband plasmon frequency. Two additional coherent excitations observed in the transients are assigned to zone-folding modes of the charge density wave state.


An interlocking pedal of a building scaffold comprises a pedal component. The upper-lower side and/or the left-right side of the pedal component are provided with more than one pedal hanger, and the pedal hangers are integrated or split with the pedal component. The pedal hangers are in inverted L shapes; one side of each pedal hanger is fixedly arranged on the pedal component; and the other side of each pedal hanger is bent downwardly to form a perpendicular flange. By additionally arranging the pedal hangers on the pedal component, when in assembly, the pedal hanger of a first pedal and the pedal hanger of a second pedal are interlocked and connected integrally after being overlapped mutually. Moreover, the length or the width of the pedal component can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of pedals according to actual needs, so that staff can walk or work on the scaffold conveniently. The interlocking pedal has the advantages of simple and reasonable structure, convenience in assembly and assembly, low manufacturing cost and reusability.


INTRODUCTION: To study prospectively the application of Biodegradable Magnesium Screw in the retention treatment of the femoral head and to discuss the follow-up evaluation of the pure magnesium biodegradable screws of stability, degradation and safety. METHODS: 48 patients with ONFH met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled into the study from February 2013 to April 2014. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: the Mg screw group (vascularized bone grafting fixed by Mg screw) and the control group (vascularized bone grafting without fixation by Mg screw). The Mg corrosion rate, new bone formation, and the density around the Mg screw were determined. During the patients' 12 month follow-up period, the treatment effects including – imaging and functional recovery-Harris hip score (HHS) were assessed respectively. The serum levels of Mg, Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P) ions were determined at baseline (before operation) and postoperative. RESULTS: It showed a slow degradation of the fixation Mg screw. The new bone formation and the density around the Mg screw increased with implantation over time. Compared to the control group, the HHS improved significantly in the Mg screw group. The angiography imaging showed more new bone formation and angiogenesis in Mg screw group. The postoperative serum levels of Ca, Mg, and P ions relevant for function of the liver and kidney were all within normal physiological range in all patients of both groups.


Polyester fiber was grafted with polyvinylacetate (PVAc) using gamma radiation to different PVAc contents. Moisture regain decreased slightly from 0.38% to 0.34%; crystallinity index did not show any appreciable change due to grafting. These grafted polyester fibers were dyed with disperse dyes at 100°C and 130°C. It was observed that saturation dye uptake as well as rate of dyeing increased with PVAc content. The above phenomenon could be attributed to the increased affinity of the grafted fiber to the dyes investigated and the increase in diffusion coefficient due to the plasticization action of PVAc.


We have used the perturbed angular correlation technique to measure the orientation of the electric‐field gradients (EFGs) due to vacancy trapping by substitutional indium donors in the II‐VI semiconductor Hg0.79Cd0.2Te. Previously, two hyperfine interaction frequencies were measured and were attributed to the trapping of a metal vacancy at a next nearest‐neighbor site to the indium atom in bulk solid‐state recrystallized materials. In the present experiments, measurements are done on thin‐film samples to find the principal axes of the EFGs. Both EFGs are found to have principal axes parallel to a 〈111〉 crystal axis, despite the fact that a simple point charge model supports a 〈110〉 EFG for this 〈110〉‐oriented In‐VHg complex. A similar situation exists for indium‐vacancy pairing in other II‐VI semiconductors. We propose that the 〈111〉 EFG orientation arises from the electric dipole moments of the highly polarized Te ions in the region of the vacancy.


The invention discloses a preparation method of guanfacine hydrochloride, comprising the steps of carrying out esterification reaction to obtain 2,6-dichlorobenzene methyl acetate by taking 2,6-dichlorobenzene acetic acid and methanol as raw materials and taking concentrated sulfuric acid as a catalyst, carrying out reaction on industrial-grade sodium ethoxide-ethanol solution and guanidine hydrochloride to obtain free guanidine ethanol solution, dissolving the obtained 2,6-dichlorobenzene methyl acetate in absolute ethyl alcohol to obtain 2,6-dichlorobenzene methyl acetate solution, carrying out reaction on the 2,6-dichlorobenzene methyl acetate solution and the free guanidine ethanol solution to obtain guanfacine, and finally dissolving the obtained guanfacine in absolute ethyl alcohol and adding hydrogen chloride ethanol solution for reaction to obtain the product guanfacine hydrochloride. According to the preparation method, the preparation of free guanidine is improved by selecting the industrial-grade sodium ethoxide-ethanol solution which is low in cost and wide in source and the use of the relatively expensive sodium iso-propoxide and isopropanol is avoided, so that the cost is greatly reduced, the operation is more simple and convenient, the process is stable and the yield and purity are improved.


Objective: To study the effects of trans retinoid acid(ATRA) combined with interferonα(IFN-α) on the growth of androgen-independent prostate cancer PC-3 cell line and apoptosis-related gene GRIM-19 and oncogene STAT3 expression.Methods:PC-3 cells were treated with ATRT in combination or not with INF-α in vitro.Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay.Cell morphological changes were observed under phase-contrast microscope.Apoptotic cells were detected by AO staining and DNA ladder agarose gel electrophoresis.GRIM-19 mRNA expression was measured by RT-PCR.GRIM-19 and STAT3 protein expression was determined by Western blot.Results:Compared with control,IFN-α,or ATRA group,proliferation of PC-3 cells was significantly inhibited after incubation with ATRA 1 μmol/L plus IFN-α 1 000 IU/mL for 72 h(P0.05).Cells showed apoptotic characteristics after ATRA plus IFN-α treatment.DNA was degraded more in ATRA plus IFN-α group than that in ATRA group.No DNA degradation was observed in IFN-α group and control group.GRIM-19 mRNA and protein expression was increased but STAT3 protein expression was decreased after ATRA plus IFN-α treatment(P0.05).Conclusion:ATRA in combination with INF-α suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptosis of PC-3 cells partly by up-regulation of GRIM-19 gene expression and down-regulation of STAT 3.


While there has been considerable interest in public participation in new and controversial technologies in the last two decades, less attention has been paid to how different 'publics' and 'participation' are constructed and defined in the context of policy development and the contingencies (historical, cultural, and situational) that can contextualize these processes. This study examines the development of xenotransplantation policy in the US, Canada and the UK in order to understand the emergence of different publics and versions of participation in the social appraisal of a controversial biomedical technology. By examining publics in invited arenas and those that operate in public spaces outside of these official rooms (paying special attention to animal rights and welfare groups), we suggest that a broader understanding can be gained of the nuances in policy trajectories. Contrasting experiences in three case countries with close cultural and historical traditions further elucidate the nature of the framing activities of policy-makers around public participation and the boundary work around different practices that emerged. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.


This study presents an adaptation of a novel estimation methodology to the general nonlinear three-dimensional problem of tracking a maneuvering target. The two-step optimal estimator (TSE) suggests an attractive alternative to the standard extended Kalman filter (EKF). A superior performance is accomplished by dividing the estimation problem into two steps: a linear first step and a nonlinear second step. The target tracking performance of the TSE is shown to be better than the EKF implemented in either inertial or modified spherical coordinates.


Yantai has the most complete culture of grape-based wines in China. The research explored connotation and promotion degrees of culture of grape wines, analyzed recognition of consumers on culture of grape wine in Yantai, promotion and development potential of grape wine culture, and proposed countermeasures and suggestions in order to advance culture industry of grape wines in Yantai.


Supported in part by NICECAP cooperative agreement FA8750-07-2-0037 administered by AFRL, AFOSR grant F9550-06-0019, National Science Foundation grants 0430161, 0964409, and CCF-0424422 (TRUST), ONR grants N00014-01-1-0968 and N00014-09-1-0652, and grants from Microsoft.


ABSTRACT: This paper pursues more specifically the recommendations of a recent National Research Council report recommending greater attention to research on institutions in the field of water resource management. The important challenge for the future in institutional research lies in going beyond the observation that institutions are important and in explaining instead how institutions actually affect management options and outcomes. It is possible to illuminate the relationships between institutional features and water management through comparative institutional research. This paper offers recommendations for studying water institutions in a comparative context, including methodological recommendations concerning approaches to comparative institutional research, and topics for comparative institutional research that appear especially fruitful at this time. The example of conjunctive management is used to illustrate the importance of institutional factors in water management, drawing to some extent on the authors' recent experience with a comparative study of conjunctive management institutions.


The railway technical station's Broad Dynamic Wagon-Flow Allocated Problem (BDWFAP) is related to design an optimum way to get the railway technical station's Static Wagon-Flow Allocated Process (SWFAP) in coordination with the Adjusting the Train Sorting and Classification Sequence Process, which is based on comprehensively taking the Train Classified Rules, Train Stop Rules, and the relationships between arrival and departure trains into account. Respectively aiming at maximizing the number of departure trains, maximizing the number of departure wagon flows and minimizing the average transfer time per wagon flow staying idle at a station in a stage plan, a mixed integer programming model with multiple objectives has been established to solve this problem. Aiming at this to solve the problem, a local neighborhood search algorithm and a genetic algorithm solving strategy has been designed.


Recent tests have examined the properties of block samples and tube samples from depths to 12 m in Winnipeg clay. Careful trimming and a wide variety of testing procedures have permitted new insigh...


The SMEs engaged in marine fish processing industry in Muara Angke, Jakarta have the potential to be better developed, considering that most of the entrepreneurs are young, experienced and well educated although most enterprises are not yet in the form of legal entities. This study aims to determine the level of performa nce achievement based on marketing metrics and business development strategy model as well as recommendations for SMEs in marine fish processing in Muara Angke, Jakarta. The study used 40 SMEs entrepreneurs involved in marine fish processing as random respondents. Data were analyzed based on SWOT and EFE-IFE analysis. The results of the study indicate that the marketing metrics-based performance achievement level of the enterprises is moderate. The model of enterprise development strategy of this business is W - O strategy, that is, the SMEs entrepreneurs first minimize the weaknesses in order to take advantage of opportunities. So the recommendation of strategy is to carry out a directed and more vigorous campaign by organizing, following, or sponsoring various events, promotion through printed media, and social networking media, and adding sales network.


Recent experiments by Venkataraman et al (2006 Nature 442 904) on a series of molecular wires with varying chemical compositions revealed a linear dependence of the conductance on cos2 θ, where θ is the angle of twist between neighbouring aromatic rings. To investigate whether or not this dependence has a more general applicability, we present a first-principles theoretical study of the transport properties of this family of molecules as a function of the chemical composition, conformation and the contact atom and geometry. If the Fermi energy EF lies within the HOMO–LUMO (highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) gap, then we reproduce the above experimental results. More generally, however, if EF is located within either the LUMO or the HOMO states, the presence of resonances destroys the linear dependence of the conductance on cos2 θ and gives rise to non-monotonic behaviour associated with the level structure of the different molecules. Our results suggest that the above experiments provide a novel method for extracting spectroscopic information about molecules contacted to electrodes.


There is a great need to devise new planning methodology to deal with the tremendously growing but highly unpredictable IP traffic. Two key requirements for future backbone networks are dynamic service provisioning and full survivability. We introduce a new survivable network concept called the "generalized survivable network" (GSN) to satisfy these two requirements. GSN is a generalization of the non-blocking network concept to the survivable network models and has the special property that it remains survivable no matter how traffic is provisioned dynamically, as long as the input and output capacity constraints at the nodes remained unchanged. GSN is also deterministic and easy to characterize. GSN can be categorized into wide-sense non-blocking and rearrangeably non-blocking. We present a complete mathematical framework for designing both types of GSN. We carried out numerical computations for different networks to demonstrate the validity of the GSN concept and show that the cost of a GSN is only a fraction (within a factor of 2) more than a single-period survivable network


A (globally) neutral two-body system is supposed to obey a pair of coupled Klein-Gordon equations in a constant homogeneous magnetic field. Considering eigenstates of the pseudomomentum four-vector, we reduce these equations to a three-dimensional eigenvalue problem. The frame adapted to pseudomomentum has in general a nonvanishing velocity with respect to the frames where the field is purely magnetic. This velocity plays a crucial role in the occurance of motional terms; these terms are taken into account within a manifestly covariant framework. Perturbation theory is available when the mutual interaction doesnot depend on the total energy; a weak-field-slow-motion approximation is more specially tractable.


The levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 p24 antibodies and p24 antigen among 256 Ethiopians and Africans and 86 Swedes were compared. The elevated levels of total anti-p24 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-p24 IgG4 among the Ethiopian and African patients suggest influences from T-helper-cell type 2-like responses.


The present invention relates to a method for controlling the flow control fluid flow loop and a flow control device. Providing passive flow control circuit, for directing different fluid enters common volume, or mixed with each other without cross contamination. The connection point of the flow through the control circuit, the direction and rate of flow nodes and channels, the state of the upstream valve (e.g., open or closed), the hydraulic pressure difference, the flow passage resistance or the like circuit inlet at an upstream reservoir control. Nonselected fluid inlet to the fluid outlet or other common inlet junction point or node free diffusion or leakage from the flow inlet to prevent fluid selection, the inlet portion of the fluid swept unselected entrance and exit control loop from the waste stream mouth, thereby establishing a confrontation due to leakage or diffusion caused by the outflow of undesired intermixing of the barrier. In the step for carrying much more sensitive reaction, such as pH-based DNA sequencing reaction apparatus, the present invention is particularly advantageous.


Airways obstruction occurs in young children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Our aim was to test the hypothesis that increased pulmonary capillary blood volume at least in part explained the increased airways obstruction as this would inform which therapy might be most appropriate to treat the airway obstruction.


The Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL) is a feeding ground for several baleen whale species from the North Atlantic, providing them with an abundant supply of krill during their seasonal presence. Krill aggregations are found along the abrupt topography formed by the deep channels, but the dynamics of krill aggregations have not yet been characterized at the scale of the whole GSL. In this study, we combined extensive dual‐frequency acoustic observations of krill and Lagrangian numerical simulations to identify the recurrent areas of krill accumulation in summer and the mesoscale circulation mechanisms responsible for their formation. Throughout the GSL, the topographic forcing of the surface circulation appeared essential in forming convergence zones where observed krill concentrations were systematically higher than average, and within which most of the densest patches were observed. This approach can help in defining the dynamics of the feeding habitat of baleen whales in the GSL, in particular blue and fin whales whose diet is dominated by krill.