Purpose: In today's era smartphones have become an inseparable part of our daily life and due to technology
usage of various apps is also increasing. People use various apps like different mobile wallet for recharge, bills
payments, online transaction, or many other purposes. Since Mobile wallets are convenient ,user friendly as well
as time saving applications their popularity is increasing day by day. The present ails to study about the
perception of the youth regarding Mobile wallets and what are the issues they are facing or satisfaction towards
Mobile wallets.
Design / methodology / Approaches: This study follows a descriptive research design where an empirical study
was carried out among 165 users of mobile wallets in a of prominent university in North India .The structured
questionnaire was created and shared and data was collected via an online survey. The research instrument
was developed using a five point likert-type scale and items for the constructs in study were taken after literature
review. The SPSS 22.0 for moderation graph were employed for data examination and analysis.
Findings: The mean and standard deviation for all the variables representing perception and usage factors was
analysed. And it was found that respondents agreed to statement that Security is important factor while adopting
mobile wallets as mode of payment (Mean= 1.95, SD= 0.926) and the factor having highest mean value was
Trend and Culture but still most of the respondents agreed to importance of this factor while adoption
(Mean=2.16, SD=1.042). It was found that respondents mostly agreed to the importance of all mentioned factors
like Convenience and Ease of use (Mean=2.19, SD=1.01), Privacy (Mean= 1.99, SD= 0.950), Services Offered
(Mean= 2.09, SD= 0.955), Discounts (Mean=2.16, SD= 1.030), Wide acceptance (Mean=2.04, SD=1.032) and
Trend and Culture (Mean= 2.16, SD= 1.042). As the standard deviation all above mentioned usage factors is ~1
therefore it could be concluded that the responses are not scattered and are closed situated to mean value.
The agreement of respondents to the statements relating to their perception towards mobile wallets was analysed
and following observations were there:
Mobile wallet can substitute cash payment method: (Mean= 3.64, SD= 1.036) respondents agreed to this
statement and feel that mobile wallets can substitute cash payment method.
Mobile wallet can support cash payment method: (Mean= 3.47, SD= 1.057) respondents agree to the statement
of mobile wallets supporting the current cash mode of payment.
Mobile can be alternative mode of payment: (Mean= 3.59, SD=1.036) to this statement, the respondents shown
that they agree and perceive mobile wallets to be alternative mode of payment.
Mobile wallet is not at all required: (Mean= 2.24, SD= 1.163) respondents were neutral on agreement to this
statement i.e. they neither agree nor disagree to the statement.
Mobile wallet is developing to be more secure mode of payment: (Mean= 3.56, SD= 1.106) while analysing the
responses it clear that respondents feel mobiles wallets to be developing as more secure mode to payment.
How satisfied you are from the use of mobile wallets and their services you have used: (Mean= 3.65, SD= 0.999)
respondents are satisfied from the mobile wallets and the experience of using it.
Originality/value: The study is unique and aims to contribute towards knowledge and understanding of
perceptions and concerns of youth towards increasingly popular mobile wallets.


BACKGROUND
Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are the two procedures used in the mangement of patient with obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but it is still unclear which of the two is more efficient in remission of Type-2 Diabetes mellitus.

METHODS
To study the efficiency of RYGB and SG in remission of Type-2 Diabetes mellitus after 1, 3 and 5 years of surgery. Three databases i.e. PubMed, Scopus, Central and Web of science and were searched. All randomized control trial studies with at least 12 years follow up were selected with Type-2 Diabetes mellitus in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or Sleeve gastrectomy .The broad and the narrow criteria were lined with individual patients reported being analyzed and pooled using the randomeffects model.

RESULTS
The 15 selected articles, consisting of 707 adult, obese type 2 diabetes patients, met the eligibility criteria for this Meta-Analysis. RYGB when compared with SG shows increased broad remissions (RR=1.43, 95% CI 1.13-1.80; p=0.003) and narrow remissions (RR=1.32, 95% CI =1.15-1.58; p=0.003) after one year of surgery and broad remissions 5 years after surgery (RR=1.58, 95% CI = 0.97-2.56; p=0.06). No significant difference was identified between the two groups in broad and narrow remissions after 3 years of surgery and narrow remissions 5 years after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggests that RYGB was more effective in the remission of Type-2 Diabetes mellitus at 1 year and 5 years considering the broad and narrow criteria while there was no difference found at 3 years of surgery.


In the single-interval paradigm, which is commonly used in separation discrimination and Vernier acuity studies, a single stimulus is presented on each trial, and the observer reports how that stimulus compares to a remembered referent. In separation discrimination, the referent is the average separation. In Vernier acuity, it is collinearity. The problem is that, if uncertainty about the remembered referent is large, the computed threshold can be an overestimate of the true threshold, whereas if it is small, it can be an underestimate. Our experiments were designed to determine the effect on threshold of using remembered referents in these two tasks. We compared thresholds obtained with a remembered mean (single-interval paradigm) and with a presented mean [two-interval forced choice (2IFC)]. We found that for separation discrimination, the single-interval paradigm yielded a slightly higher threshold than did the 2IFC paradigm, whereas for Vernier acuity, the reverse was true. In terms of signal detection theory, this implies that the variance of the remembered referent is smaller (relative to the variance of the test stimuli) for Vernier acuity than for separation discrimination. Given the naturalness of the Vernier acuity referent (collinearity) and the arbitrariness of the separation discrimination referent, this explanation seems plausible.


Scholars studying migration processes through the transnational prism have expanded the concept of 'diaspora' with a new meaning as a transnational, hybrid identity and condition, which has displaced the classical interpretation constructed around ethnicity and territory. By analyzing the activities of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, which represents the organised Ukrainian community in Canada, an old-type diaspora, this paper argues that transnationality and hybridity have always been the inner attributes of diaspora identity and experience and stresses the importance of an essential characteristic of diaspora: the conscious effort to maintain a distinctive collective identity. Only if a community succeeds in maintaining its collective identity throughout multigenerational change can it qualify as a diaspora. These two dimensions – the self-consciousness of diaspora as a distinctive group and the survival of its distinctive identity through multigenerational change – set diasporas apart from transnational communities.


The determination and adsorption of Hg2+ in/from solution system is of great significance in environmental monitoring and remediation. In this study, we present the design and synthesis of peptide nanosheets...


Abstract. In this paper, the thermal expansion characteristics of epoxy resin/crepe paper composite insulation structure for high-voltage DC bushing were studied. The results showed that when temperature was lower than the glass transition temperature(Tg) of epoxy resin, coefficients of thermal expansion along axial and radial direction of the insulation structure increased with increasing temperature; When higher than Tg, with an increasing temperature, the CTE along radial direction of the structure increased-even larger than the pure epoxy, while axial decreased. Tg is obtained by DSC. The microstructure of high-voltage DC bushing was observed by polarizing microscope. On the basis of the above analysis, the different trend in thermal expansion characteristics may be resulted from the sample structure, fiber distribution of crepe paper and the movement of epoxy resin molecular chains.


The invention discloses an antibacterial leather ring rubber. The anti-bacterial leather ring rubber comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 100-104 parts of N41 nitrile rubber, 1-2 parts of pyromellitic dianhydride, 2-3 parts of isothiazolinone, 1-2 parts of captan, 1-2 parts of ferrous sulfate, 0.4-0.6 part of dimethyl aminopropyl amine, 2-4 parts of antimonous oxide, 12-14 parts of wollastonite powder, 6-10 parts of sebacic acid dioctyl phthalate, 0.8-1.2 parts of sulfur, 1-2 parts of a DM accelerant, 1-2 parts of an NBC anti-aging agent, and 20-24 parts of composite filler; the antibacterial leather ring rubber has the benefits that isothiazolinone added in the antibacterial leather ring rubber can rapidly and irreversibly restrain the growth of a microorganism after being contacted with the microorganism, thereby killing the microorganism cell, as a result, the antibacterial leather ring rubber has a strong suppressing and killing effect on common bacteria, fungus, and algas and the like; besides, the rubber has high killing rate; the rubber can perform a better bacteria-killing effect through compounding with raw materials such as captan, thereby postponing the aging time of the rubber.


With the enormous amount of data generated through the internet and sensors, Internet of Things, it becomes too overwhelming for humans to examine it all. One solution is to reduce the data to a set of statistics. The perspective in this paper is the opposite, namely that most of this data is just background noise, and the interesting parts are those that deviate from background noise, the parts that are atypical. In order to find such "interesting" parts of data, universal approaches are required, since it is not known in advance what we are looking for. The paper develops new algorithms for detecting atypical data based on information theory concepts. These are applied to a number of real-world data.


Abstract: The production of industrial waste is one of the main causes of environmental degradation. The industries have demonstrated an increasing effort to make their productive processes less harmful, especially regarding the generation and management of solid waste. The objective of this research was to study the solid waste generated in the manufacturing process of an automobile company in order to propose waste reduction action plan. The study was carried out based on observations in loco, photos, and calculations of the quantity of solid waste generated in the process of Molding and Finish of Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic parts. It was observed that the open mold process adopted by the factory represents the main source of waste generation. Another source of material waste lies in the lack of qualification and Environmental Education. It was concluded that the adoption of a cleaner production process and an Environmental Education Program should be considered by the company studied.


During the three great nineteenth-century debates on the charter of the East India Company, Whiggery's finest orators arraigned the system of patronage by which the Directors nominated civil servants to appointments in India. In 1813, Lord Grenville, in a speech to which for decades men turned for 'inspiration and guidance', advocated the appointment of writers 'by free competition and public examination from our great schools and universities'. Defeated at the time, the case for the competitive principle was revived twenty years later by Macaulay in an address before the House of Commons which, it was said, would 'console the young people for never having heard Mr. Burke'. That 'universal genius', as Sir Charles Trevelyan, his brother-inlaw, once described him, carried into legislation a plan for selecting by competitive examination the students for Haileybury, the Company's training college for civil servants. Nominees, four times as numerous as the places at the College, would be examined and the best of them enrolled. However, as Macaulay's biographer observed, 'backstairs influence in Leadenhall Street' contrived to render the plan inoperative, until 'backstairs influence in Parliament' effected its repeal.


This paper presents the design of 0.5 tonnes solar air conditoner. The design of energy systems becomes more important due to limitations of fossil fuels and the environmental impact during their use. Energy systems are complex as they involve in economic, technical and environmental factors. The continuous increase in the cost and demand for energy has led to more research and development to utilize available energy resources efficiently by minimizing waste energy. Absorption refrigeration systems increasingly attract research interests. Absorption cooling offers the possibility of using heat to provide cooling. The objective of this paper is to design and study an environment friendly vapour absorption refrigeration system of half unit capacity using R 717 (NH3) and water as the working fluids. The system is designed and tested for various operating conditions using hot water as heat source. The basic idea of this paper is derived from the solar water heating panel installed on the hostel roofs of the institute.


A module M is said to be modest if the injectivity domain of M is the class of all crumbling modules. In this paper, we investigate the basic properties of modest modules. We provide characterizations of some classes of rings using modest modules. In particular, we show that a ring having the class of crumbling modules as the only right middle class of injectivity domains is either a right V -ring or right Noetherian; and a commutative ring with this property is regular. We also give criteria for a ring having the class of crumbling modules as the only right middle class of injectivity domains. AMS subject classifications: 16D50, 16D70


Democratic representation is constrained by the alternatives available to voters. To assess the extent to which the "supply side" of politics hinders voter welfare, we use rich data on thousands of candidates in three Brazilian legislative elections to (i) quantify the relative value voters place on candidates' policy positions and non-ideological attributes and (ii) evaluate voters' welfare given the set of candidates they face. Our estimates uncover substantial welfare losses for voters relative to three alternative benchmarks of ideal representation. The average voter suffers only a moderate loss due to policy incongruence but a large loss due to deficiencies in candidates' non-ideological characteristics. For the typical municipality, the welfare loss attributable to non-ideological factors is more than seven times larger than the policy welfare loss. To evaluate the consequences of potential institutional reforms, we develop and estimate a model of equilibrium policy determination. Through counterfactual experiments, we show that institutional reforms aimed at improving the quality of representation may have sizable unintended welfare consequences due to equilibrium policy adjustments.


A large variety of model order determination problems involve testing the eigenvalue of a sample covariance matrix to estimate how many of the smallest eigenvalues of the true covariance matrix are equal. Using the theory of multiple hypothesis tests, the author derives the minimum probability of error criterion that is similar to AIC and MDL and is implemented in exactly the same manner, but is designed to minimize the probability of choosing the wrong model order. The basic structure of this test is very similar except for an extra term that increases adaptability and enables this criterion to outperform both AIC and MDL.<<ETX>>


Hospice palliative care (HPC) in Korea has developed steadily since its introduction in 1965. Currently, HPC in Korea is targeted only towards terminal cancer patients and their families, and the national health insurance scheme covers only inpatient hospice care for said patients. In recent years, ...


The author considers the corporate culture as an instrument for the improvement of the effectiveness of the company's activity and its business reputation. The different points of view about elements of the corporate culture are presented in the article. The functions of the corporate culture including the ones influencing on the business reputation are discussed there.


The hierarchical multi-scale procedure is analysed in this paper. The local multi-scale model has been studied with respect to the macro-level mesh dependency and meso-level size dependency. The material behaviour has been analysed in case of linear-elasticity, hardening and softening. Though the results show no dependency in cases of linear-elasticity and hardening, the strong dependency on both macro-level mesh and meso-level size in case of softening has been found. In order to eliminate both macro-level mesh dependency and meso-level size dependency, a new multi-scale procedure has been proposed. This procedure uniquely links the numerical parameter (macro-level mesh size) and model parameter (meso-level size). The results of this coupled-volume multi-scale model show no dependency on the macro-level mesh or meso-level size in any regimes.


Multiple classifier system trains different classifiers and combines their predictions to improve the accuracy of classification. This paper explains the popular algorithms and strategies in multiple classifier system, and points out the key factors to affect the performance of the application of multiple classifier system. The experiments are carried out on given environmental audio data in order to compare the singular classifier methods with multiple classifier system such as Random Forest and MCS, as well as Bagging and AdaBoost. The experimental results show that the multiple classifiers technology outperforms the singular classifier and obtains better performance in environmental audio data classification. It provides an effective way to guarantee the performance and generalization of classification.


Due to its micro fibrous pores, paper has gained traction in the use as a scaffold for 3D cell culture.�To study melanoma mechanism, screening the amount of melanin production and invasion study are major keys for drug development. In this work, we developed paper-based devices for culturing melanoma cells. Through the development process, we obtained the optimal parameters, which were applied for 3 different projects; 1) Anti-melanogenic effect screening, 2) Impedance-based E-screen assay, and 3) A membrane insert for real-time invasion assay. As a result of melanin production from melanocytes, the cells can be easily observed after a few days of culturing due to their black color. Fortunately, this color change can easily be visualized when melanocyte is cultured in the paper due to the white color of the paper. The paper was then applied for anti-melanogenic screening of the natural compounds with short analysis time and easy steps. In order to develop the real-time invasion assay, we primarily study the impedance characteristics of cells. The obtained impedance parameters were applied for real-time estrogen screening as a parallel project. Based on the estrogen receptor on breast cancer cells, the binding of estrogen can increase cell proliferation, resulting in the increased impedance magnitude. The estrogenic effect of the test compounds, Bisphenol-A and Irgarol 1051, were�then monitored in real time. After that, we applied the obtained impedance parameters for the development of real-time invasion assay device using paper as a membrane insert. The concept was based on the blockage of invasive cells within paper pores, resulting in the increased impedance magnitude. The device was applied for real-time invasion study of melanoma cells under the treatment of IGF-1.��Melanoma invasion could be tracked within 7 h after IGF-1 treatment.�Thus, the invasion of melanoma cells was less likely affected by cell proliferation.�


A static spherically symmetric wormhole solution for conformal gravity in vacuum is found. The solution possesses a single integration constant which determines the size of the neck connecting two static homogeneous universes of constant spatial curvature. Time runs at different rates on each side of the neck, and depending on the value of the parameter, the wormhole can develop a cosmological horizon only at one side. It is shown that the wormholes correspond to the matching of different Einstein spacetimes by means of improper conformal transformations.


We investigate the spin tunnelling of spin-1 Bose–Einstein condensates in a linearly swept magnetic field with a mean-field treatment. We focus on the two typical alkali Bose atoms 87Rb and 23Na condensates and study their tunnelling dynamics according to the sweep rates of the external magnetic fields. In the adiabatic (i.e. slowly sweeping) and sudden (i.e. fast sweeping) limits, no tunnelling is observed. For the case of moderate sweep rates, the tunnelling dynamics is found to be very sensitive to the sweep rates, so the plots of tunnelling probability versus sweep rate only become resolvable at a resolution of 10−4 G s−1. Moreover, a conserved quantity standing for the magnetization in experiments is found to affect dramatically the dynamics of the spin tunnelling. Theoretically we have given a complete interpretation of the above findings, and our studies could stimulate the experimental study of spinor Bose–Einstein condensates.


The scale of features that control the physical properties of engineered materials is ever decreasing. We can investigate the structure of these materials using several techniques. The techniques are usually selected based on the feature size of interest. Typical scales are the millimeter or optical scale, the micron or microscopic scale, and the nanometer or atomic scale. As the feature size decreases, the capabilities of the technique must increase. Typical features that require at least microscopic characterization include particles in super alloys, grain misorientations in high temperature superconductors and thin films, inclusions in steels, reaction products in gas chambers.


Abstract This paper evaluates a natural experiment which occurred in Ohio in 2005 when the state amended the tax system. The change sets up a dramatic corporate tax cut of 8.3 percentage points (p.p.) over the period 2006–2010 corresponding to a 96.9% reduction in the tax. Policymakers also reduced the personal income tax over the same period by 0.95 percentage point (p.p.). I investigate the incidence of the reform on wages in general and corporate wages in the short-run. To do so, I use a synthetic control method along with an event study design applied to individual records of the Current Population Survey (CPS). The results in this paper suggest that the corporate tax cut may have resulted in a one-time payment in corporate wages at the onset of the reform.


Horticultural producers and retailers are experiencing increasing consumer concern regarding food quality and safety. While some of these concerns may be unwarranted, consumers will always express their opinions about a product through their pocketbooks. Lacking information about these trends, producers and retailers have often found themselves out-of-step with changing tastes and preferences. An alternative and much more profitable approach would be for producers and retailers to better anticipate consumer concerns regarding quality and develop new products, practices, or information that satisfy the consumer's real and perceived needs. An important consequence of this approach is that producers and retailers would need much more information on consumer preferences than they currently possess and would need to develop in-house research programs or fund external researchers to develop the needed information. However, little research at land grant universities examines consumer demand for or economic implications of providing various levels of quality. Consequently, the lack of an explicit consumer orientation in horticultural research may have reduced the earnings of horticultural businesses by forcing them to search for relevant research findings rather than having readily available results from goaloriented research programs. To better understand this approach, we will discuss the theory and definition of quality. A discussion of the use of perceived quality to enhance profitability will show how the theoretical precepts can be applied. While many of these studies use food products, a few use fresh foods or horticultural products.


Abstract Net power plant efficiency is the ratio of exportable electrical power output to the product of fuel consumption rate and fuel heating value. Conventionally, power plants are designed to attain the maximum net power plant efficiency by using regenerative feed water heating, in which extracted steam from steam turbine is used to increase feed water temperature. An important factor that determines the net power plant efficiency is the temperature of flue gas exhausted from the power plant. Decreasing this temperature increases the net power plant efficiency. However, exhaust flue gas temperature should not be lower than the lower limit in order to avoid the corrosion resulting from condensation of sulfuric acid vapor in flue gas on heat exchanger tubes. The lower limit can be raised by reducing fuel moisture content and raising air temperature at boiler inlet. In this paper, it is proposed that low-pressure extracted steam should be used for fuel drying in steam dryer, and vapor released from steam dryer should be used for air heating in heat recovery air preheater. By doing so, the lower limit of exhaust flue gas temperature is decreased, and the net efficiency of the power plant is increased. A case study of a 600-MW lignite-fired power plant is used to demonstrate that the integration of steam dryer and heat recovery air preheater is economically justified.


Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is considered to be crucial for the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with obvious sexual dimorphism. Pre‐mRNA processing factor 6 (PRPF6) was identified as a coactivator of AR. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the modulation function of PRPF6 on AR‐mediated transcriptional activity in HCC needs to be further clarified. In this study, we analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas to show that PRPF6 is highly expressed in HCC. . Our data indicated that PRPF6 interacts with AR/AR splice variants (AR‐Vs) and upregulates AR/AR splice variant 7‐mediated transcriptional activity even without dihydrotestosterone treatment. We observed that AR is obviously induced by androgen treatment and is mainly expressed in the nucleus in HCC‐derived cell lines. Moreover, overexpression of PRPF6 enhances AR expression accompanied with the increase of AR‐Vs expression. We provided evidence that PRPF6 participates in upregulating AR self‐transcription. PRPF6 facilitates the recruitment of AR to the androgen responsive element region of the AR gene. Finally, PRPF6 depletion inhibits cell proliferation in HCC cells and mouse xenografts. Taken together, our results suggest that PRPF6 as a splicing factor enhances AR self‐transcription, thereby coactivating oncogenic AR/AR‐Vs actions in HCC.


Abstract : A modified composition NiAl + 5% Ni was produced from which bodies were successfully fabricated by powder metallurgical techniques. Properly hot- pressed bars of the NiAl + 5% Ni composition showed strengths in modulus of repture as high as 144,000 psi at room temperature and 68,000 psi at 980C. The air oxidation resistance of the modified NiAl + 5% Ni composition was excellent up to 1095 C; weight gains of the order of 1.25 mg/sq cm were exhibited after 300 hr of exposure. Heat-shock properties were considered satisfactory on the basis of both NACA tests and performance in the Air Force heat-shock apparatus.


Power system reliability operation has been one of the most vital topics under research. The power system network, mostly the long transmission lines is often subjected to different types of faults leading to maloperation of power flow. The idea of a reliable protection system is to most accurately and efficiently identifying the fault, classifying and the locating of fault. This paper represents the application of dynamic phasors in the form of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify fault in a three phase one end fed 150 km long radial power system transmission line. In the proposed work, (1/4) cycle pre-fault and (1/2) cycle post fault line voltages have been extracted from Electromagnetic Transient Programming (EMTP) simulation. The proposed algorithm is trained using only one set of receiving end data carrying out fault only at the midpoint of the line to generate fault signatures using PCA. The eigenvectors and the score matrix thus obtained corresponding to the three phases using the above analysis have been utilized to construct the component distances, which have been analyzed using ratio analysis to extract the similar features of any particular fault individually.


To the Editor: I have read with great interest the recently published article by AlHarithy and AlGhamdi1 in the Annals of Saudi Medicine and I appreciated the authors' efforts and work. However, I would like to make few comments on it because of the apparent conflicting results of different studies investigating the differences in resistin levels between healthy subjects and type 2 diabetics, which the author admitted in their discussion. The authors mentioned that "these conflicting data may reflect the lack of adjustment for potential confounding factors, i.e. age and body fat distribution". I agree with the authors, partially, in their explanation. However, conflicting studies could also be attributed to nonfulfillment of certain prerequisites or assumptions before running a statistical model, a common problem in health research in which the authors themselves have fallen. The authors mentioned that "resistin concentrations were not correlated with BMI in lean subjects whereas there was a highly significant positive correlation between resistin and BMI in overweight/obese (OW/OB) nondiabetic and diabetic women". That means the authors have calculated a Pearson correlation coefficient between BMI and resistin level for each of the three studied groups separately. Albeit that the first and second group constituted 21 and 24 participants, respectively, the authors did not mention in their methodology that they tested the three groups for linearity before running Pearson's correlation for each. Linearity would be suspected given the paucity of participant numbers, especially for the first two groups. Pearson's correlation coefficient is a measure of linear association. Two variables can be perfectly related, but if the relationship is not linear, Pearson's correlation coefficient is not an appropriate statistic for measuring their association. If linearity is not met, we can use a transformation or one of the rank correlation methods.2 I think it would also be better if the authors would pool the data of the three groups together (summing to 89 participants) and run a partial correlation between BMI and resistin adjusted for the type of group. Moreover, the results of any study should be consistent irrespective of the statistical tool used, especially if it is on the bivariate level. BMI was found to be significantly associated with resistin level by the ANOVA test (in Table 1). Accordingly, results of simple correlation should be in the same vein. Moreover, when the authors mentioned in the results section that "HOMA-R were similar in lean and OW/OB subjects, but significantly higher in diabetic compared with non-diabetic women", they were semantically incorrect. The right description of what their data revealed is that there was no significant difference in HOMA-R between the lean and OW/OB groups, whereas the difference was significant between the lean and diabetic group as well as the OW/OB and diabetic group. As regards the adjustment of confounding variables mentioned above, the authors, in the methods section, mentioned that "the findings from the bivariate correlation analysis were further explored using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with resistin concentration as the dependent variables." I think it was better to enumerate the predictors or the independent variables in the regression model. If we look in Table 1 we could easily detect that many variables with strong co-linearity were significantly associated with resistin in bivariate analysis. The co-linearity of waist circumference with waist-hip ratio, and weight with BMI is manifest. Selecting one of any strongly co-linear variables should be done before running regression models. Finally, I wish to close with what Altman et al3 concluded in their study: "Statistical input to medical research is widely recommended but inconsistently obtained. Individuals providing such expertise are often not involved until the analysis of data and many go unrecognized by either authorship or acknowledgment."


In this paper, the electric field integral equation (EFIE) in conjunction with the moment method is used to analyze the electromagnetic scattering problem of rivets on the conducting plate. The surfaces of the rivets and the plate are partitioned into triangular cells, the current distribution on the patches is represented by a subdomain-type basis function, the EFIE is translated into a matrix equation by the Galerkin method, then the current coefficient is obtained. Results show the properties of RCS varying with the incident angle when there are rivets on the plate. Furthermore, we can see the effect of rivets on RCS.


Changes in permeability and porosity during shortening deformation of Carrara marble and hot-pressed calcite aggregates were measured under high pressure at room temperature using argon as pore fluid. At effective pressures of 30 and 50 MPa, the permeability of Carrara marble increased by up to 2 orders of magnitude with less than 2% strain during which the connected porosity increased by only 0.005. The permeability increased more slowly with further strain up to 18%, during which the connected porosity increased by a further 0.05 to 0.06. At effective pressures of 100 MPa to 200 MPa, these effects were much less marked. In hot-pressed calcite aggregates, deformed at an effective pressure of 50 MPa, the permeability increased by about 2 orders of magnitude after about 12% strain and an increase in connected porosity of about 0.03. Microstructural studies indicate that, in the coarse-grained Carrara marble specimens, both transgranular and grain boundary cracks are present after room temperature deformation. For a given strain, the average length and the linear density of transgranular cracks decrease with increasing effective pressure. In fine-grained, hot-pressed calcite aggregates, dilatancy is mainly due to opening of grain boundary cracks. The very marked increase in permeability with small strain at low effective pressure can be correlated with the proliferation of connected microcracks of relatively large apertures, deduced on the basis of theoretical models.


Dielectric measurements on liquid crystalline samples with different molecular shape are summarised. Most of the experimental data were already published before by different authors. Potential models are used to understand the partly exotic behaviour of the samples. The data underline the importance of repulsive forces for the formation of the liquid crystalline state.


Cassini's Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) coverage obtained to date shows that the Saturnianmoon Enceladus has evolved through a long and complex tectonic history[1]. The most recent episodes of major tectonic activity are identified by a peculiar hemispheric pattern of fractures and lineations that exhibit a remarkable symmetry relative to the satellite's spin-axis. These tectonic patterns appear to be closely tied to a unique, geologically active region known as the South Polar Terrain (SPT) province, where ongoing eruptions of water plumes were recently discovered by Cassini[2] The detailed shapes and symmetry of the young tectonic patterns, detailed below, suggest that they formed in response to a global change in rotational figure. We investigate the extent to which the morphology, geographic placement, and orientations of these tectonic patterns are consistent with axial shortening of Enceladus' spin axis, as suggested by Porco et al.[2].


The objective of this study was to assess the rate and possible reasons for false‐negative (FN) reflex human papillomavirus (HPV)‐DNA tests.


The WENDELSTEIN 7-X Stellator is a further experiment in the small group of next-step fusion devices in the world. An essential goal of this machine is to demonstrate concept improvement towards the development of fusion devices. The magnet system is designed for optimum stellator plasma performance and the technical layout will allow steady-state plasma operation. The whole magnet is encapsulated by an inner and outer toroidal cryostat tube for cold operation. The schedule for the experimental device aims at a start of technical operation in 2002 and plasma operation two years later. 4 refs., 9 figs.


A total of 1113 individuals of moths representing 167 species in 118 genera under 17 families have been recorded for Johore National Park, Gunung Ledang, based on five sampling occasions conducted on 28 May – 2 June 2014 (P1), 25 – 30 June 2014 (P2), 20 – 25 July 2014 (P3), 17 – 22 August 2014 (P4) and 17 – 22 September 2014 (P5). Samplings had been done at three locations based on different altitudes i.e. location L1 (1100 m), L2 (700 m) and L3 (310 m). The main objective of this research is to provide a preliminary inventory and faunistic aspect of moth in Gunung Ledang. At every sampling location L1, L2 and L3, passive sampling was conducted using light traps of 160 watt mercury vapour light. Samplings were conducted at 1900 to 2300 hours during a dark moon phase. The Margalef's Species Richness Index (R') according to the sampling month shows the highest species richness was in P5 (R' = 12.55) and the lowest at P2 (R' = 8.28). The R' value based on altitude  shows that the highest was at L1 (R' = 15.67) and the lowest was at L2 (R' = 11.50). Analysis of the Shannon Diversity Index (H') and Evenness Index (E') based on sampling month shows that the highest H' was at P5 (H' = 3.73) and the lowest at P2 (H' = 3.02) The highest value of E' was recorded at P5 (E' = 0.67) and the lowest at P2 (E' = 0.41).The highest H' value following altitude was at L1 (H' = 3.67) and the lowest was at L2 (H' = 3.47), whereas the highest E' value was recorded at L3 (E' = 0.54) and the lowest at L1 (E' = 0.38). As a whole, the plotted species accumulation curve plotted shows that the curve does not reach the asymptote meaning that further sampling must be done to reach the asymptote. Lyssa zampa (Butler) appeared as the most common species spatially (found in every altitudes) and temporally (found in 12 out of 15 subsamplings). The most abundance species in Gunung Ledang was Pogonopygia nigralbata Warren with total of 131 individuals recorded, whereas the totals of 78 species have been identified as rare species. The highest percentage of overlapping species following sampling month is between P3 and P4 (75%), whereas following altitude is between L2 and L3 (100%).


This thesis develops strain and kinetic energy functions and a finite beam element useful for analyzing curved beams which go through large deflections, such as a hockey stick being swung and bent substantially as it hits the ice. The resulting beam model is demonstrated to be rotation invariant and capable of computing the correct strain energy and reaction forces for a specified deformation. A method is also described by which the model could be used to perform static or dynamic simulations of a beam.


Many observational and modelling studies have highlighted the important role that irrigation plays in the terrestrial hydrological and energy cycle. Land surface models are a key tool to study these interactions, underlining the importance of an accurate representation of irrigation in these models. However, most land surface models either ignore irrigation or represent it in a crude way. Here we improve and evaluate the implementation of irrigation in the Community Terrestrial Systems Model (CTSM), the land component of the Community Earth System Model (CESM). In this improvement, we consider three irrigation techniques (flood, sprinkler and drip), which differ in the amount and way of water applied. By combining global maps of the area equipped for irrigation with the distribution of different irrigation techniques, we represent the transient spatial distribution of irrigation techniques. Subsequently, we evaluate the performance of CTSM with the improved irrigation module. Three experiments are conducted: one with irrigation switched off, the second with the original irrigation module and the third with the improved irrigation module implemented. All three outputs are evaluated against observed or remotely sensed land surface energy fluxes and near-surface climate datasets. We anticipate that the results will reveal how our new irrigation schemes improve or reduce the performance of the land surface model.


On the way to sustainability in the transport sector.- Collaboration models for sustainable transport.- Information systems and information management supporting sustainable transport.- Intermodal transport and models for CO2 reduction.


The general aim of an anthropology may be said to be the determination of man's characteristics in his environment. In social anthropology, however, the trend has been to emphasise the environment at the expense of man. The present article argues that a similar tendency prevails in theology's typical description of man as a 'hearer' of the Word of God and finds illuminating parallels in Berger and Luckmann's sociology of knowledge. The failure of these two authors to maintain a true dialectic between individual creativity and the formative influences of society appears in connection with their view of human inquiry. By developing George Kelly's model of man as an inquiring scientist, the article attempts to show that a theological anthropology is bound to take the empirical fact of the theologian's own spirit of inquiry into account and also that it must develop a theory of its own activity which overcomes conceptually the tendency to lose sight of man the inquirer in favour of divine grace or human social structures.


Formation of spermatozoa is a complex process whereby undifferentiated diploid cells multiply and undergo meiotic division to form haploid cells which differentiate into highly specialized flagellated, mo tile cells, the spermatozoa. This process takes place in a specialized epithelium, the seminiferous epithe lium, which lines the seminiferous tubules of the testes. The presence of appropriate levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone is es sential for initiation and maintenance of the sper-matogenic process. 1


We discuss phenomenological results relating to Colour Reconnection, and review the Rope Hadronization formalism, including the ARIADNE/DIPSY final state swing. In this formalism, corrections to hadron flavour ratios in pp, have previously been calculated. We suggest new flavour ratio observables, based on event shapes, which are well suited for e+e−, and show that Colour Reconnection corrections can feasibly be measured at a new FCC-ee.


The text of Anibal Quijada Cerco de puas, is a good example of the double fi liationof the testimonies of chilean exile. In one hand, these testimonies had a close relationship with the international protest against the military rule and, one the other hand, the cultural community made them appear as a main element in the crise of the concept of literature. The author focuses in the strategies used by the text of Quijada in that turbulent context.


Significance The notorious dendrite growth and the massive formation of dead Li, rooted in the unfair competition between electrodissolution of Li metal and electrodeposition of Li+ ions with concomitant reduction, degrade the ability of all-solid-state Li-metal batteries (ASSLBs) to reach the desired electrochemical performance. With a theoretical and experimental analysis of the driving forces for dendrite growth, herein, we report the incorporation of piezo-/ferroelectric materials into solid electrolytes can effectively decrease the overpotential directly, thus optimizing the Li+ flux distribution and facilitating an orderly Li deposition and leading to dendrite-free cycling.


The article talks about the transition from reading fiction on screen to teaching literature through the screen of online educational platforms. The peculiarities of "vertical" screen reading do not lead to durability and depth of reading, but it saves time and allows for multiple returns to the text. Constructive changes as a result of online learning are mainly related to the acquisition of new digital competencies for teachers and students, which support in different ways the reading and understanding of fiction. This opens the prospect of hybrid education with the best of face-to-face learning and the effectiveness of distance learning.


Althoughcreationofatracheostomydoesfacilitatesuctioningoftheairwayandoften simplifies usage of mechanical ventilation (as discussed in Part I), numerous complications can occur. Some occur immediately after tracheostomy placement (e.g., bleeding, laryngealnervedamage,andpneumomediastinum)andothersduringlong-term follow-up (e.g., tracheoesophageal fistula, tracheal stenosis, tracheomalacia, swallowingdysfunction,andaspiration).Therefore, ineachpatient inwhomthisprocedureis performed, the potential long-term risks and possible benefits must be carefully weighed. Insomepatients, tracheostomyusagewillbeneededonalife-longbasis. In others, once the primary process that led to the placement of the tracheostomy is reversed or when alternative noninvasive measures are thought to be adequate, decannulation should be contemplated. However, the procedure of decannulation andthetimingshouldbeindividualized.Someguidelinesareprovidedinthisarticle and are based, when possible, on objective data. For many of the issues regarding tracheostomy usage (e.g., timing of decannulation, best decannulation approach, and best approach to dealing with swallowing dysfunction induced by tracheostomy), additional studies are needed to objectively define the best therapeutic approaches.


Objective:To observe the curative effects of Zhitang Baoshen Granule in early diabetic nephropathy.Methods:60 cases were randomized into two groups:treatment group with 30 cases treated by Zhitang Baoshen Granule and Benazipril;control group with 30 cases treated by Benazipril.Results:In treatment group the blood sugar and uric microalbumin significantly reduced (P0.05~0.01) and the clinical signs improved (P0.05);in control group only uric microalbumin significantly reduced (P0.05).Conclusion:The Zhitang Baoshen Granule was a valid treatment in diabetic nephropathy.


Rapid changes in the information age indirectly require reforms in the public sector. The public sector must continue to improve, one of which is through the creation of innovation. Innovation in the public sector is carried out through the creation of ideas that cannot be separated from the knowledge sharing process. Knowledge sharing is important for organizations considering the nature of knowledge which is complementary and no single individual masters all fields of knowledge. Unfortunately, not many public agencies have implemented knowledge management properly through the use of information technology by considering organizational culture and the type of organizational structure. The purpose of this study was to examine how the influence of internalization of organizational culture and functional organizational structure on knowledge sharing capability at PT. PLN (Persero) Palembang Area by including information technology as an intervening variable. The method used in this study is a quantitative method using a questionnaire as primary data. The sample used in this study is a census sample so that the entire population is used as research respondents. The results showed that the use of information technology mediates the effect of internalization of organizational culture on knowledge sharing capabilities but does not mediate the effect of functional organizational structures on knowledge sharing capabilities. Based on these findings, the suggestions given by the researcher are: maximizing the use of information technology while maintaining a conducive organizational culture and climate for increasing knowledge sharing capabilities.


The extent t o which the po e t r y o f Manuel Machado was i n f l u e n c e d by th a t of V e r l a i n e has been noted by many c r i t i c s s ince the p u b l i c a t i o n o f Alma i n 1 9 0 1 , and i t i s g e n e r a l l y agreed t h a t the two years Machado spent i n P a r i s p r i o r t o the p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h a t c o l l e c t i o n were res p o n s i b l e f o r French elements i n h i s work. Never t h e l e s s , no close t e x t u a l examination o f Machado*s poetry f o r d i r e c t V e r l a i n i a n i n f l u e n c e had been made u n t i l now, p o s s i b l y because h i s contemporary Darfo i s f r e q u e n t l y considered t o have been the f i r s t to introduce V e r l a i n e * s themes and techniques i n t o Spanish verse. Recent s t u d i e s o f V e r l a i n e ' s i n f l u e n c e on t h e work o f Antonio Machado, however, have shown t h a t i t i s p o s s i b l e to demonstrate such i n f l u e n c e w ithout o t i o s e reference t o D a r f o , s i n c e i t i s c l e a r t h a t b o t h the Machado b r o t h e r s were c l o s e l y acquainted w i t h the p o e t r y of V e r l a i n e at f i r s t hand. This study c o n s i s t s of a t e x t u a l a n a l y s i s o f Manuel Machado's best p o e t r y , t h a t p u b l i s h e d between 1 9 0 1 and 1 9 1 9 » i n d i c a t i n g French i n f l u e n c e i n themes, images and technique. Where there appears t o be an e a r l i e r Spanish borrowing from the French t h i s i s i n d i c a t e d , but closeness t o the o r i g i n a l French i s accepted as showing d i r e c t i n f l u e n c e . I n the course of the i n v e s t i g a t i o n so much evidence was found of i n f l u e n c e s from other French poets of the l a t t e r h a l f o f the nineteenth century that the scope o f the d i s s e r t a t i o n was widened to i n c l u d e d i s c u s s i o n o f these. They i n d i c a t e the depth o f Machado's knowledge o f French p o e t r y , and are a d d i t i o n a l p r o o f t h a t he was able t o draw d i r e c t l y from French sources. The examination o f V e r l a i n e ' s i n f l u e n c e was f a c i l i t a t e d by computer concordances. Machado's t r a n s l a t i o n s o f V e r l a i n e ' s poetry together w i t h the P l e n i t u d e d i t i o n of h i s own work (Madrid, I 9 6 7 ) were used t o make computerised a l p h a b e t i c a l word-count d i c t i o n a r i e s . These were compared f o r s i m i l a r i t i e s of image and theme, and the words thus s e l e c t e d were p r i n t e d out


An Amplitude Modulated Continuous Wave (AMCW) radar system is proposed that uses both the phase from the envelope and carrier to achieve micrometer accuracy distance measurement. The system has the benefit of using only two frequencies instead of an entire frequency band which is the case with FMCW radars. Many radar systems can therefore be used in a small area without risking interference. An experimental radar setup at 78 GHz is measured and verified to have a measurement error magnitude of less than 10 micrometer. This system is suitable for modern manufacturing and industry.


Objective: To evaluate the tolerance, variability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of QX001S, a biosimilar for ustekinumab, in healthy Chinese men. Methods: One hundred and seventy-eight healthy men were recruited in this randomized, double-blind, single-dose, two-arm, parallel study, and received 45 mg of QX001S or ustekinumab in a single subcutaneous injection. PK, immunogenicity, and tolerance were evaluated in all participants for a period of 113°days. Results: The similarity between the two drugs was determined by comparing the baseline characteristics for each drug. The PK parameters were similar in the two groups: QX001S (n = 89) and ustekinumab (n = 88). The 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the geometric mean ratio (GMR) of QX001S to the reference (ustekinumab) for the maximum observable serum concentration (C max ), area under the curve (AUC) from zero to the final quantifiable concentration (AUC0–t), and AUC from zero to infinity (AUC0–∞) were 100.90–118.68%, 98.71–115.26%, and 98.49–115.81%, respectively, which were within the predefined bioequivalence limit of 80.00–125.00%. High inter-subject variability (ranging from 32.0 to 33.5%) was observed. A total of 17 participants (19.1%) in the QX001S group and 36 (40.9%) in the ustekinumab group developed anti-drug antibodies (ADA) after administration. Nevertheless, the ADA did not affect the outcomes of the bioequivalence tests. Adverse reactions were recorded in 38 individuals injected with QX001S and 37 injected with ustekinumab. The most common adverse reactions were upper respiratory infection and elevated alanine aminotransferase. Conclusions: Our study ratified pharmacokinetic biosimilarity between QX001 S and ustekinumab, with high variability between subjects.


In recent decades, the idea of "health" as an appropriate paradigm to assess the condition of ecosystems has been raised. Ecosystem health is the watchword of contemporary ecosystem management, it is also a controversial topic in ecology because there is still no explicit definition, which makes it difficult to assess ecosystem health. As there are too many uncertain factors accompanied with complexity, the qualitative and semi-qualitative methods have become the main approaches to assess ecosystem health. In this study, based on GIS and remote sensing technique we take China's forest ecosystems as a case study and assess the health status of forests. Vigor (V), Organization (O), and Resilience (R) are taken as the indicators to evaluate large-scale forest ecosystem health. As this model is applied to assess forest ecosystems, NPP, Gleason index of biodiversity, and resistance to forest pest-disease disaster are selected as concrete indicators to assess forest ecosystem health in China.The spatial pattern of forest ecosystem health shows a decreasing trend along latitude gradient and longitude gradient. According to the zonation of forest in China, the healthy forests are mainly distributed in natural forest, tropical rain forest and seasonal rain forest distributed areas, as well as northeast national forest zone. Whereas the unhealthy forests are mainly distributed in warm temperate zone and Xinjiang-Mongolia forest zone. Many catastrophic events such as forest fire, acid deposition, pest-disease disasters affect forest health. The health status relates to landform, climate condition, forest species structure, exotic forest pest invasion, human activities disturbance, national law and policy and so on.We measure the correlation coefficient by spatial correlation analysis. The coefficient of correction between FEHI and annual average precipitation is 0.58 (p 0.01), while the coefficient of correlation between FEHI and annual mean temperature is 0.49 (p 0.01), which means that the precipitation and temperature affect the pattern of FEHI, and the precipitation's effect is stronger than the temperature's. We also measure the correlation coefficient between FEHI and NPP, biodiversity and resistance, the coefficient of correlation is 0.64, 0.76 and 0.81 (p 0.01) respectively. The order of effect on forest ecosystem health is vigor, organization and resistance.


In recent years, artificial intelligence is increasingly being applied widely in many different fields and has a profound and direct impact on human life. Following this is the need to understand the principles of the model making predictions. Since most of the current high-precision models are black boxes, neither the AI scientist nor the end-user deeply understands what's going on inside these models. Therefore, many algorithms are studied for the purpose of explaining AI models, especially those in the problem of image classification in the field of computer vision such as LIME, CAM, GradCAM. However, these algorithms still have limitations such as LIME's long execution time and CAM's confusing interpretation of concreteness and clarity. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a new method called Segmentation - Class Activation Mapping (SeCAM) that combines the advantages of these algorithms above, while at the same time overcoming their disadvantages. We tested this algorithm with various models, including ResNet50, Inception-v3, VGG16 from ImageNet Large Scale Visual Recognition Challenge (ILSVRC) data set. Outstanding results when the algorithm has met all the requirements for a specific explanation in a remarkably concise time.


The two main material instability cases are divergence and flutter. By using the methods of the theory of dynamical systems, a stability condition is formulated. Divergence and flutter are studied as violations of the stabilty condition and are classified as the generic loss of stability scenarios in the dynamical system theory. The investigations are performed analytically in both one and three axes cases. The results show that divergence is a static bifurcation for both rate dependent and independent materials, but the nature of flutter is different. In the rate dependent case flutter is the start of a decreasing oscillation, while in the rate independent case the birth of oscillation is coupled with a dynamic bifurcation.


Coconut fiber has been considered an adequate alternative material as substrate for soilless potted plants under semi or protected cultivation. Several water extracts are used for the determination of pH, EC and available nutrients in substrates for plants, but there is little information about the relations among them for a more correct plant nutrient evaluation. The objective of this research was to compare current procedures of water extraction for the chemical analysis of coir substrate incubated with conventional NPK and slow-release fertilizers (SRF). Samples were collected at 20, 60 and 120 days of incubation and submitted to the following water extraction methods: 1:1.5 v/v; 1:2 v/v; 1:5 v/v; 1:10 m/v; and saturation extract. NPK showed a faster nutrient-releasing rate compared to the SRF. The substrate did not present excess sodium or high electrical conductivity (EC). However, pH decreased with period of incubation independently of treatment. The initial pH was increased in the conventional NPK-fertilizer and decreased in the SRF treatments. Ammonium and nitrate presented a different behavior along the time, according to fertilizer source. Phosphorus concentrations were not influenced, however, EC and all other macronutrients in the coir substrate were significantly affected by the water extraction methods. The best methods for the substrate analysis were the saturation and 1:1.5 water extracts for nutrient evaluation purposes. INTRODUCTION The plant production system in substrates under semi or protected cultivation has been actually considered an important agribusiness activity in Brazil. There is an increasing demand for substrates and techniques for improving plant management, yield and product quality. Coir has been considered an adequate material as substrate for potted plants due to its exceptional physical properties, although it sometimes may present salinity. This material has in Brazil a large availability and low price, since it is a by-product of the coconut industry (Kämpf, 2002). One of the main difficulties in the soilless production system is the nutrient management, which depends on adequate evaluation of substrate nutrient availability. The substrate chemical analysis faces a lack of standard procedures for results and interpretations accuracy. Different extraction methods have been currently used for the determination of pH, EC and available nutrients in substrates for plants: saturation extract (SE) is adopted in the USA (Warncke, 1986) and water extracts with fixed water volumes is adopted in Europe 1:1.5 v/v; 1:2 v/v, 1:10 m/v; and 1:5 v/v (CEN, 2001; Sonneveld et al., 1974; Sonneveld and Elderen, 1994; Sonneveld et al., 1990). These methods provide proportionally unequal concentration values for the same treatment in function of different procedures, such as extraction time, shaking and dilutions, what turns difficult the use of substrate analysis as a reliable nutrient diagnosis tool for a better nutrient management. The objective of this research was to compare laboratory current procedures of water extraction for the chemical analysis of available macronutrients, Na, pH and EC in coir substrate incubated with mineral fertilizers. MATERIALS AND METHODS An experiment was carried out in the greenhouse, in Instituto Agronômico, at Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil, with coir incubated with conventional (NPK) and slowrelease fertilizers (SRF). The treatments were applied as follows: (1) control; (2) NPK + S; Proc. IS on Soilless Cult. and Hydroponics Ed: M. Urrestarazu Gavilán Acta Hort. 697 ISHS 2005 110 (3) NPK + S + micronutrients; (4) SRF + S and; (5) SRF + S + micronutrients. The SRF (formula NP2O5 K2O = 14-14-14) presents a releasing period of three to four months and it was applied at a rate of 6 g L of coir. The conventional fertilizer was applied at the same rate, using the sources: urea, potassium chloride and triple superphosphate. Sulfur (S) was added as CaSO4.2H2O at the rate of 40 mg L of coir. The micronutrients were applied in the nutrient solution as follows (mg L of coir): 0.6B (H3BO3); 1.5Cu (CuSO4.5H2O ); 2.1Zn (ZnSO4.7H2O); 2.1Mn (MnSO4.H2O); 2.1Fe [Fe (NH4)2 (SO4)2.6H2O]. The fertilizers were thoroughly mixed to the coir that was incubated up to 120 days. Substrate samples were collected at 20, 60 and 120 days for the chemical analysis, using the following methods of water extraction: 1:1.5 v/v water extract (Sonneveld et al., 1974; Sonneveld and Elderen, 1994) this method is currently used in The Netherlands for pH, EC, macro and micronutrients determination in substrates. The procedure consisted of: 200 mL of substrate sample was moisturized with deionized water, enough to drip when slightly hand pressed. The sample was then submitted to 10 kPa in a pressure ring; thereafter, 100 mL previously treated sample was added to 150 mL deionized water, shake during 15 minutes at 220 rpm and filtered through paper filter; 1:2 v/v water extract (Sonneveld et al., 1990) method used by some Brazilian substrate producing companies for pH and EC evaluation according the following procedure: 100 mL sample (without previous prepare) is added to 200 mL of deionized water, shake for 20 minutes at 220 rpm and filtered through paper filter; 1:5 v/v water extract (CEN, 2001) – method adopted by the Comité Européen de Normalization (CEN), which consists of adding 250 mL of water to 50 mL of substrate sample (without previous prepare), shake for 20 minutes at 220 rpm and filtered through paper filter; 1:10 m/v water extract – method originally used in Germany and adopted by the research group of the "Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul", Brazil, for EC, pH and macronutrient determinations. This procedure requires moisture standardization (by oven drying at 105C or addition of water) when sample humidity is different from 50%: 20 g of material with 50% humidity is added to 200 mL of deionized water, shake during 3 hours and filtered after a 24-hour rest period; saturation extract (SE) (Warncke, 1986) distilled water was added to about 400 mL of substrate and stirred with a spatula, until the mixture showed a glittering surface or until a spatula-made ridge vanished rapidly. After one-hour rest, the mixture was again adjusted to saturation and thereafter transferred to a Buchner funnel with paper filter connected to a vacuum flask to which it was applied suction to obtain 25 mL extract. The nutrients and Na were determined in the extracts by ICP-OES (spectrometer model Jobin Yvon JY50P). The data was submitted to analysis of variance for a completely randomized design, in a 5x3x5 factorial arrangement (fertilizer, incubation period and extraction method) and the mean comparisons were made by Tukey test (0.05). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Although the pH values showed variation among fertilizer treatments (means over treatments, Table 1) the differences within treatments were not statistically significant by any of the methods. Differences among methods were also not significant, maybe due to the significant interactions found for the variables, in spite of the low coefficient of variation for pH (CV = 6.8%). The average pH values increased according to the water extraction method in the following order: SE ≤ 1:1.5 = 1:2 = 1:10 < 1:5. Addition of SRF significantly decreased the initial pH values (Table 1), which also decreased with the period of incubation for all treatments (Table 3), whereas NPK increased them (Table 3); pH decreased with incubation period in all treatments, and at 60 and 120 days no significant pH differences were found within treatments with added fertilizers. The EC values expressed total ionic activity in the solution and were differentiated among treatments in the SE, 1:1.5, 1:2 and 1:10 water extracts, but differences were not detected by the 1:5 method (Table 1). Low sodium (Na) concentrations were found in coir, which were lowest in the control and highest in the SRF-treatments (control< NPK< SRF), indicating that the original material contained small amount of sodium and that the fertilizers contributed to add the element as a contaminant (Table 1). The low Na concentrations evidenced also that the EC values were much more affected by chloride (Cl), firstly, and potassium (K), secondly, than by sodium contained in the fertilizers, since higher EC values were observed in NPK-


A positron emission imaging algorithm which makes use of the entire set of lines-of-response in list-mode form is presented. The algorithm parameterises the lines-of-response by a Cartesian mesh over the field-of-view of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner to find their density distribution throughout the mesh. The algorithm is applied to PET image reconstruction and Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT). For the PET image reconstruction, a redistribution of the lines-of-response is employed to remove the discrete nature of the data caused by the finite size of the detector cells, and once the density distribution has been determined, it is filtered and corrected for attenuation. The algorithm is applied to static and dynamic systems of hard phantoms, biological specimens and fluid flow through a column. In the dynamic systems, timesteps as low as 1 second are achieved. The results from the algorithm are compared to the standard Radon transform reconstruction algorithm, and the presented algorithm is observed to produce images with superior edge contrast, smoothness and representation of the physical system. For the application of the algorithm to PEPT, the density distribution is determined for a short time slice of the data, and from this the locations of the particles are identified; this process is repeated for subsequent time slices to track the particles over time. The algorithm is successfully applied to multiple particle tracking, and up to 16 particles are tracked simultaneously. With other groups previously tracking only up to 3 particles [1]; this is the first time a PEPT algorithm has tracked such a high number of partjcles. The algorithm produces performs well in applications where the particles do not collide, but freely moving particles are also tracked with some success. The algorithm is found to be at least as accurate as the standard PEPT algorithm the Birmingham algorithm [2] and a stationary particle is located with an uncertainty of ±1.4 mm in 3 dimensions. Un ive rsi ty of Ca pe To wn


Wireless sensor is a consolidated technology with high potential in the Internet of Things. However, some open issues must be tackled in order to leverage the whole potential of this technology. One of the challenges is the energy consumption. Many algorithms have been proposed for saving energy; a promising alternative is an evolutionary multi-objective technique. However these approaches offer a set of solutions and the selection of the optimal solution is not trivial. This paper present an algorithm based in NSGA-II for selecting the best sensor distribution as well as a mechanism for optimization of results.


INTRODUCTION Due to the increasing importance of the tertiary sector, information technology (IT) organizations need to face up to new challenges, since their daily business has changed from development and operation of information technology to the customer oriented provision and management of IT services. In order to survive in the market, service providers need to offer and manage competitive and distinctive IT services. The " Profit Impact of Market Strategies " (PIMS) program has emphasized the need for service quality as being a crucial, strategic competitive factor. However, IT service providers do not have guidance of what quality requirements are supposed to be fulfilled to provide high-quality IT services. Different reference models and frameworks such as ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology) and ISO 20000 are widely used by many IT organizations for improving service management processes and performance. However, these reference models do not address the improvement of service quality in a consistent manner and it is not clear whether these models have the capability to close quality gaps which may arise within a service provider environment. Therefore, this chapter proposes an IT service quality model for identifying potential quality gaps and quality dimensions in an IT service provider environment. Furthermore, it proposes a set of different quality requirements combined in a " Quality Requirements Model for IT Services " that are needed in order to close the respective quality gaps and fulfill the individual quality dimensions. The model is developed by mapping the reference models ITIL v3, COBIT and ISO 20000 to the previously developed quality model. The results of the mappings emphasize that all three models are partially capable to close the individual gaps of the quality model as well as to guarantee the fulfillment of respective quality dimensions. The fulfillment of these developed quality requirements can be utilized as a guideline for providing and managing high-quality IT services in the long term. Finally, the maturity level is analyzed and pointed out that most of the quality requirements are assigned to maturity stage 2 or 3. This implies that an IT service provider does not necessarily have to reach a maturity stage 4 or 5 being able offering high service quality. In summary, the chapter provides guidance and quality-oriented IT Service Management to answer the following questions: • What kind of quality gaps exist in a service provider environment? • …


The title compound, C12H8Cl2N4O, was synthesized by the reaction of 5-amino-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonitrile and 2-chloroacetyl chloride. The dihedral angle between the pyrazole and benzene rings is 30.7 (3)°. In the crystal structure, strong N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains along [001]. C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds are also present.


AIM: To investigate the therapeutic effects and the toxicity of intrapleural injection of natural growth factors (NGF, with main component of staphylococcal aureus enterotoxin C) in the treatment of patients with malignant pleural effusions. METHODS: Patients with histopathologically confirmed malignant pleural effusions were evaluated for treatment with NGF. Twelve patients with malignant pleural effusions received NGF pleural instilations until the end of the survey. Drugs were administered according to the following schedule: NGF 2000-2500 intrapleural injection twice weekly. The courses stopped when pleural effusions disappeared or severe toxic reactions occurred. RESULTS: A total of 12 objective responses were assessed, including 10 complete responses (83%), and 2 partial responses. Mean time of following up was 11.1 (3-25) months, 11 patients died during the visit, and the mean survival time was 10.2 months, significantly longer than that (3 months) in literature. One of the patients in CR group survived 25 months in a disease-free status; 2 patients died after 10 and 6 months respectively without local relapse. Compared with pretherapy, the percentage of lymphocyte in the surrounding blood reduced while that in pleural effusions rose. No significant side effects were observed. CONCLUSION: The NGF intrapleural instillations are highly effective and well tolerated in patients with malignant pleural effusions.


This study is aimed at stabilizing a three dimensional biped passive walker in various environments and achieving climbing and turning control. The novel control method synchronizes a period of the changing motion of the stance leg in frontal plane (frontal motion) with a period of the swing leg by periodic input in order to stabilize the three dimensional passive walker. A mechanical oscillator is utilized to change the period of the frontal motion. The target path of the oscillator is automatically generated based on frequency entrainment in order to adjust the period of the frontal motion. In the climbing and turning control of the passive walker, the amplitude and the phase generating algorithm of the target path of the oscillator are improved. It is analytically demonstrated that the biped passive walker can be stabilized even in climbing and turning.


Summary
The diatom flora of a salt marsh at Neston, Cheshire, and its seasonal cycle has been investigated. The flora on the surface of sand, silted sand, a stream and in pans has been recorded. The differences in the flora of the habitats on the salt marsh and the variation in the flora from the upper to the lower marsh have been examined and the data as a whole compared with that of earlier workers.


ABSTRACT Comparing allometrically estimated biomass of shellfish versus vertebrates exploited throughout the Holocene reveals that many coastal Californians relied heavily on readily accessible invertebrates for dietary protein. During the Paleocoastal occupation of the coast, shellfish represented as much as 92% of consumed dietary flesh. Data show that this dependence lessened over time, coinciding with an overall reduction in total quantity of consumed animal flesh. The causes of this change are unclear, but it appears to have begun after 9000 BP and involved a gradual increase in the use of vertebrates for the remainder of the Holocene. Considering the preponderance of shellfish in the diet, the increased use of vertebrates would have done little to compensate for the decline in shellfish biomass, especially considering the growth of coastal populations. To sustain themselves, coastal Californians appear to have increased intake of plant resources.


The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of thiolated carbopol 974P (carbcys) on the enzymatic activity of vaginal aminopeptidase N in‐vitro. Mediated by a carbodiimide, L‐cysteine was covalently linked to carbopol 974P. Depending on the weight ratio of polymer to cysteine during the coupling reaction, resulting conjugates displayed 31.3–54.4 μmol thiol groups per g polymer. The inhibitory effect of carb‐cys conjugates was evaluated towards isolated aminopeptidase N and aminopeptidase‐N‐like activity of excised vaginal mucosa covered with native mucus, respectively. Enzymatic activity was assayed spectrophotometrically using L‐leucine‐p‐nitroanilide (L‐leu‐pNA) as a synthetic substrate. Carb‐cys thereby showed a significantly higher inhibitory effect than unmodified polymer towards both isolated enzyme and vaginal mucosa. Moreover, enzyme inhibition was strongly dependent on the amount of thiol groups being immobilised. The more thiol groups available the higher was the inhibitory effect. Due to its additional high cohesive properties and the possibility of a sustained drug release, which could be shown for the model drug LH‐RH, carb‐cys appears interesting for the development of vaginal peptide drug‐delivery systems.


The invention discloses a small pitch high speed orthogonal backplane connector, which includes at least one signal transmission component. The signal transmission component includes a plug-in connector, a press-in connector, and a PCB. A row of bonding pads is arranged on the side edge of one side of the PCB, and a row of gold fingers is arranged on the side edge, adjacent to the side where the bonding pads are located, of the PCB. Each bonding pad corresponds to one gold finger through the wiring trace on the PCB, and an extension line of each bonding pad is perpendicular to an extension line of the gold finger. The plug-in connector is installed on the bonding pad side of the PCB and conducts with the bonding pads. The press-in connector is installed on the gold finger side of the PCB and conducts with the gold fingers.


In the past half century, the effect of global warming has caused the Arctic sea ice thickness to reduce by 50% [1]. The thinned ice vibrates under the excitation from ocean waves, known as its hydroelastic response. Studies on hydroelastic wave-ice interactions started by theoretical models, in which a very long ice floe is usually assumed as semi-infinite and subjected to regular ocean waves. Fox and Squire [2] assumed that the ice floe deforms into a sinusoidal wave-shape, while of a different wavelength and amplitude from the incident waves. By contrast, other authors [3–5] emphasise the hydroelastic waves attenuate with propagation distance and provided predictions of the attenuation. To assess the applicability of these theoretical models, Sree et al. [6] conducted corresponding laboratory experiments using an artificial viscoelastic ice floe and found large discrepancies against the theoretical predictions. Similar inaccuracies of theoretical models were also demonstrated by the experiments of Toffoli et al. [7] and Nelli et al. [8]. With the increasing demand for Arctic Engineering purposes, Squire [9] suggests current theories may have oversimplified the sea ice hydroelasticity, indicating the need to develop numerical models to obtain more realistic solutions.


We report the electrical transport properties of ferrimagnetic Mn4N (001) epitaxial thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition on MgO (001) substrates. The Mn4N thin films were tetragonally distorted with a ratio of out-of-plane to in-plane lattice constants of 0.987 and showed perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with an effective magnetic anisotropy constant of 0.16 MJ/m3, which is comparable with that of a recently reported molecular-beam-epitaxy-grown film. The thin films exhibited metallic transport with a room temperature resistivity of 125 μΩ cm in addition to a large anomalous Hall effect with a Hall angle tangent of 0.023.


Young dace fry were stocked into nylon mesh cages at densities ranging from 0·044 to 7·230 1-1, and the cages anchored in a backwater area where the fry gathered naturally. The fry began feeding on small organisms drifting into the cages 2-4 days after hatching. The growth rate of the fry was inversely proportional, and the death rate directly proportional, to initial density. Soon after the exhaustion of endogenous food reserves (as determined from unfed fry), there was a period of massive mortality at the highest initial densities, probably due to starvation. After 20 weeks, the cages stocked at the two highest initial densities contained the lowest biomass of fry. Transfer of fry to cages with a larger mesh size produced increased growth and 46% survival over 20 weeks at the lowest initial density. These fry reached an overwintering length of 35·5 mm compared with 48·0 mm for naturally occurring fry.


Abstract Amidst the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the German Federal Constitutional Court rendered a little-noticed, but potentially far-reaching decision regarding European integration. When it declared the law ratifying the Unitary Patent Court Agreement unconstitutional, it did so because it is a treaty "supplementing or being otherwise closely tied to the EU", in other words, a satellite treaty, inter-se agreement, or more generally: an international law agreement furthering European integration outside the EU law framework. This commonly used integration technique is therefore going to be a lot more difficult in future whenever Germany is involved. At the same time, the court order gives all German citizens a far-reaching right to have laws ratifying such treaties checked before the Constitutional Court, which is a significant extension compared to its earlier case-law. In future cases of disagreement, EU Member States may have to find different ways to proceed than resorting to international law, such as using the enhanced cooperation mechanism.


As Kawabata Yasunari once said,the longing for human life run through Snow Country.Illusory,intangible and beautiful leaves represent human's longing for eternal spiritual realm,and vivid foal long for life is the avatars of longing for real life value.Island village stands between these realms.Based on original novel,this paper,from the perspective the theory of Lacon's Gaze,analyzes island village's gaze in the mirror of dusk and dawn,and explores the self-life value in order to understand Kawabata Yasunari' attention to living condition.


Radial profiles of electron temperature and density through type I ELM filaments have been obtained from a new edge Thomson scattering diagnostic at MAST. The lasers were fired in burst mode, 5 µs apart, to study profile evolution of a single filament as it moves toroidally past the laser beams. The plasma particle and energy loss due to each filament can be deduced from these profiles. As the filaments move out of the plasma, the ne pedestal is seen to collapse locally inwards by as much as 7.5% of the plasma minor radius. Insight into the toroidal structure of the perturbation has been obtained from high time resolution interferometry data. The interferometer data show excursions in line integral density through the midplane of the plasma occurring from 150 µs before the onset of the ELM particle loss. These excursions are due to the evolution of the spatial structure of the plasma during the ELM and indicate that the filaments may develop from broader structures. By combining the toroidal structure information from the interferometer and the radial structure information from the TS system with other diagnostic data on MAST, a two dimensional picture of the ELM phenomenon is obtained.


A measure of microeconomic disequilibrium for households facing both budget and quantity constraints is estimated from East German data. Using a new specification, the Flexible-Cobb-Douglas utility function, the parameters of a "German" direct utility function are estimated from West German family budgets. It is estimated that an average East German family in 1977 would have been willing to give up 13% of its total expenditure in order to attain its demands at official prices.


THE INVENTION CONCERNS A DEVICE FOR TYING STACKED PAPER SHEETS IN HOPPER IN SETS CONSISTING EACH OF A NUMBER OF PAPER SHEETS PREDETERMINED. INVENTION, INCLUDING THE DEVICE DRUM SEPARATOR 5 rECEIVING THE PAPER SHEETS 2 HOPPER 1 AND LEAVING A A A, A METER 11 COUNTING THE NUMBER OF SHEETS OF PAPER FROM THE DRUM sEPARATOR, AND STACKER 12 MAY MOVE BETWEEN LEAF RECEIPT OF POSITIONS AND REMOVAL OF LEAVES; WHEN STACKING IN POSITION FOR RECEIVING SHEETS RECEIVED PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF SHEETS OF PAPER, IT PASSES ITS POSITION EVACUATION AND LEAVES are evacuated ON BLOCKS SUPPORT UNIT TIE BY DEVICE TRANSFER 30, 31; UNITY TIE LIE NUMBER PREDETERMINED PAPER SHEETS INTO A BUNDLE WITH A RIBBON AND PRINTING DEVICE OF PREDETERMINED FEATURES 40 PRINTED ON TAPE. THE INVENTION APPLY PARTICULAR PAPER MONEY.


Let G = (V, E) be a simple graph. A set S ⊆ V is a dominating set of G, if every vertex in V-S is adjacent to atleast one vertex in S. Let 2 n L be the square of Ladder graph and let 2 ( , ) n D L i denote the family of all dominating sets of 2 n L with cardinality i. Let 2 2 ( , ) ( , ) n n d L i D L i = . In this paper, we obtain a recursive formula for 2 ( , ) n d L i and study the dominating sets of 2 n L .Using this formula, we construct the polynomial, 2 2 1 4 ( , ) ( , ) n i n n n i D L i d L i x   = +     = ∑ which we call domination polynomial of 2 n L and some properties of this polyno-


The essay ascertains that the monastic center located on Mount Athos and the
 Ohrid Archbishopric played a very important role in the policies pursued by
 Basil II. It was during his rule that the first foreign monasteries, which
 later Greek sources refer to as monastic communities διφόρωυ γλωσσωυ (Iveron
 and Amalfi), were established. The third monastery displaying this
 characteristic was the Serbian monastery Hilandar. Since Hilandar had been
 established after the Bulgarian and Russian monasteries, the question arose
 why sources dating from the late 12th century do not mention Zographou and
 St. Panteleimon's monastery among the διφόρωυ γλωσσωυ monasteries. The
 answeris to be found in the circumstances surrounding the establishment of
 Slavic monasteries on Mount Athos. The essay also assesses the importance of
 Mount Athos and the Ohrid Archbishopric for the process of deeper integration
 of Slavs into the Byzantine religious and political-ideological system.
 [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177032: Tradicija,
 inovacija i identitet u vizantijskom svetu]


Objective:To systematically review the etioolgy,clinical feature and treatment of cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension in neonate.Methods:Data on cerebral edema in neonate were obtained by review.Etiology and treatment were the focus of this analysis.Results:All applicable extracted.Conclusion:Accumulating data suggested that selecting optimal treatment according to the etiology and clinical feature of cerebral edema would be of great importance in increasing the cure rate and reducing the morbidity and mortality of cerebral edema in neonate.


We augment the canonical neoclassical model of trade to allow for interstate disputes over land, oil, water, or other resources. The costs of such disputes in terms of arming depend on the trade regime in place. Under either autarky or free trade, the larger country (in terms of factor endowments) need not to be more powerful. Yet, under free trade, there is a stronger tendency for arming incentives to be equalized and thus for a "leveling of the playing field.�? Depending on world prices, free trade can intensify arming incentives to such an extent that the additional security costs swamp the traditional gains from trade and thus render autarky more desirable for one or both rival states. Furthermore, contestation of resources can reverse a country's apparent comparative advantage relative to its comparative advantage in the absence of conflict. And, where such conflict is present, comparisons of autarkic prices to world prices could be inaccurate predictors of trade patterns.


The genetic studies of tropical tree species containing high amount of phenols are greatly hampered by the inability to extract sufficient quantities of high quality DNA and the presence of PCR inhibitors in extracted DNA samples. While there are some DNA extraction and PCR protocols for such species, no consistency in results. Hence, optimization of such protocols is a prerequisite for conducting research studies on tropical flora. This study reports the optimization of cheaper DNA extraction and PCR procedures for plants having high amount of phenolic compounds and PCR inhibitors. Three fruit crop species, Bael ( Aegle marmelos L. Correa), Pomegranate ( Punica granatum L.) and Mango ( Mangifera indica L.), with distinctly diverse secondary metabolic profiles, were used as examples. The CTAB DNA extraction method, with some modifications, was compared with two commercially available DNA extraction kits namely; Promega Wizard® Genomic DNA purification kit and QIAGEN DNeasy® Plant Mini kit. DNA from three to five genotypes from each species was extracted from each method and the quality and quantity were assessed. Spermidine was added to the PCR mix at the rate of 0.8 μM to block the PCR inhibitors and the DNA samples were amplified using universal plant barcoding primer pair rbcL , and SSR or ISSR primers. The modified CTAB method resulted significantly higher quantity of quality DNA in all samples compared to two commercial kits. Henceforth DNA extracted from CTAB method, and the two commercial kits were used to precede PCR. However, expected bands were not generated in regular PCR. Interestingly, the inclusion of spermidine amplified the relevant band/s in relatively easy PCR reactions such as rbcL , as well as trickier reactions such as SSR and ISSR. These results suggest that cheaper alternative procedures used in this research study could be used successfully for the range of applications in plants with array of secondary metabolic profiles.


Various developments have taken place in the ecofriendly processing of textiles involving enzymes. Among the various enzymes, cellulase is extensively used on cellulosic materials. There are two types of cellulase, namely, acid cellulase and neutral cellulase. Acid cellulase is used in biopolishing, which is a very popular finishing treatment given to cellulosic fabrics. Apart from polishing the fabrics, the treatment offers a number of other benefits such as improvement in pill resistance, cooler feel, brighter luminosity of colours and softness. At the same time, the treatment results in certain adverse effects like loss in weight and strength. All the above effects are influenced by a number of factors like, composition of the acid cellulase, pretreatments given to the fabrics and process parameters used at the time of treatment. Moreover, the treatment has influence on post treatments given to the fabrics. This review exclusively deals with all the above mentioned factors in order to bring out the current status of understanding on acid cellulases and its application on cotton fibre and products made from it.


The purity of extracted genomic DNA greatly affects the results of PCR-based molecular marker techniques such as ISSR and SRAP.This paper reported an improved CTAB protocol in extracting genomic DNA from kenaf.The key steps in this DNA extraction protocol included the collection of sufficient quantities of young leaves from kenaf seedlings,addition of β-mercaptoethanol into extraction buffer,the use of 2.5% CTAB during the extraction process,and the use of pre-chilled absolute ethanol to precipitate DNA.This protocol had resulted in high DNA extraction efficiency and purity.The extracted DNA had an average OD260/OD280 ratio of 1.824.The genomic DNA extracted by this improved protocol had brought the satisfactory results in the PCR-based analyses of ISSR and SRAP.Some key steps in extracting high quality DNA were also discussed in this paper.


Description BATF regulates ILC2-mediated tissue repair and inflammation resolution during acute respiratory virus infection. BATF boosts lung healing Acute respiratory virus infections cause lung damage that needs to be repaired after viral clearance to restore normal pulmonary function. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are known contributors to the resolution of inflammation, but the ILC2-intrinsic factors that initiate and sustain this healing program are not well characterized. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of pulmonary ILCs from mice recovering from influenza infection, Wu et al. identified a proliferative ILC2 subset enriched for expression of wound healing genes and the transcription factor BATF. Genetic deletion of BATF in ILC2s interfered with emergence of this wound healing ILC2 subset during recovery from influenza. These findings provide deeper insights into how the proresolution program of lung-resident ILC2s is activated after infection with respiratory viruses. Activated group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) accumulate and promote inflammatory resolution and tissue repair in host defense against acute respiratory viral infections. However, the heterogeneity of ILC2s in the lung and the mechanisms by which ILC2 cells contribute to tissue repair remain elusive. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we identify a transcriptionally distinct ILC2 subset that showed enrichment for wound healing signature genes and the transcription factor BATF. BATF promotes the proliferation and function of ILC2s and restricts their plasticity during infection with influenza virus. In the absence of BATF, ILC2s lose their immune protective properties and acquire pathogenic ILC3-like functions, leading to persistent neutrophil infiltration, tissue damage, and respiratory failure. Mechanistically, BATF directly binds to the cis-regulatory elements of wound healing genes, maintains their chromatin accessibility, and promotes their expression. Last, BATF plays an important role in an IL-33–ST2 feed-forward loop that supports ILC2 cell identity and function. Collectively, our findings shed light on a BATF-dependent ILC2 program, thereby providing a potential therapeutic target for terminating detrimental inflammation during acute viral infection.


This paper attempts to demonstrate the incompleteness of the incompleteness of the "distinction between language and meaning" in wei-chin-hsuan-hsueh as the dispute concerning whether "language exhausts meaning". According to such intepretation, "language" is but metaphysical discourse, and "meaning" is but metaphysical truth, Undoubtedly, this metaphysical dimension represents the main stream of the philosophical thought in the Wei and Chin Dynasties, But there is another dimension of the "distinction between language and meaning," which is always neglected by the historians of Chinese philosophy, In contrast to the metaphysical one, this dimension envisages "language" and "meaning" from a general point of view and places no emphasis on any particular type of language or meaning. Due to such negligence, the views of some important figures of wei-chin-hsuan-hsueh, namely, Ou-Yang Chian and Chi Kang, on the "distinction between language and meaning" become incomprehensible. This incomprehensibility of Ou-Yang Chian and Chi Kang's views on language and meaning on one side, and the lights shed on the implications of their views with the introduction of this dimension on the other, together justify my distinction of the two dimensions of this theme in wei-chin-hsuan-hsueh.


Clostridium perfringens is a saprozoonotic bacterium which causes food poisoning and wound infections in humans and enterotoxemia in animals. Camels are a common food animal in Egypt. There is a lack of available literature on genotypes of C. perfringens strains recovered from camels and humans in Egypt. So, the present study aims to detect some toxins genes in the circulating C. perfringens strains in man and camels. The multiplex PCR assay is effective and simpler and may be a useful alternative to standard in vivo typing methods. A total of 210 samples including 150 from camels (75 stool and 75 carcass swabs) and 60 human stools (40 diarrheic and 20 nondiarrheic) were collected from Zagazig Abattoir and Zagazig General Hospital, respectively. The samples were examined for isolation of C. perfringens then toxins genes were detected by multiplex PCR assay, using six pair primers to amplify the target genes. C. perfringens was isolated from camel stools, meat swabs, diarrheic and non-diarrheic human stool samples at the rate of 20/75 (26.7%), 2/75 (2.7%), 15/40 (37.5%) and 3/20 (15%), respectively. Multiplex PCR assay was performed to detect some toxin genes: alpha (cpa), beta (cpb), iota (iap), epsilon (etx) enterotoxin (cpe) and beta 2 (cpb2) in the isolates (No=40). The obtained results revealed that C. perfringens types A, B, C, D and E in the present study were detected at the rate of 26/40 (65.0%), 4/40 (10.0%), 1/40 (2.5%), 1/40 (2.5%) and 0/40 (0%), respectively. Eight C. perfringens isolates were negative to the toxin genes indicating that they are non-toxigenic. Two human enteritis strains of C. perfringens type A were positive to cpe and another two strains were cpb2 positive. The present study indicates that C. perfringens harboring toxin genes are prevalent in camels and humans in Egypt. The most common circulating C. perfringens strains in camels and humans were C. perfringens type A. Further research is needed to study the molecular relationship between C. perfringens from camels and human strains to trace the source of infection.


In paper the tools of multilanguage model translation were reviewed. They work within Distributed storage of models and used for extension of state-of-the-art modeling environments possibilities. Basic Distributed storage of models functions and Multitranslator tools were reviewed also. As example is considered the interaction of the modeling tool called NAME with Distributed storage to show expanded possibilities and functionality with usage of new translated models from other modeling languages. To implement this approach we developed new translation module ModelicaToC# using Multitranslator, which describes specifics of models format in C# language for NAME tool.