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Traveller Recurrence and Inter- versus Intratraveller Speed Variability: Analysis with Bluetooth Data This paper proposes a linear mixed model of route speed distributions that separates the variability into an intertraveller component, consistent across days and time intervals for each recurrent traveller, and an intratraveller component representing uncertainty. The intratraveller variability corresponds to travel time uncertainty, while the total variability is typically captured by empirical measurements and used in travel time reliability assessments. The intratraveller and the total variability differ if there are systematic differences in speed between different recurrent travellers. The paper also investigates to what degree vehicles traversing a route during the morning or evening peak over multiple days are recurrent travellers. Using data from Bluetooth and Wifi sensors on 26 routes in Stockholm, Sweden, over a three-month period, we find that the traveller recurrence is higher towards the city in the morning peak and out from the city in the afternoon. Model estimation results show that the relative intratraveller variability is also significantly higher in the commute direction (towards the city in the morning and out from the city in the afternoon) and on routes with high congestion levels. The relations revealed in this paper may be used to estimate the relevant intratraveller variance based on the total variance and readily available route attributes. Without this correction, the costs associated with travel time variability may be overestimated.
The ambiguity function of a linear signal space and its application to maximum-likelihood range/Doppler estimation The concept of the ambiguity function (AF) is extended to linear signal spaces. Some properties of the AF of a linear signal space, its relations with other space representations, and the results obtained for some specific signal spaces are discussed. It is shown that the AF of a signal space describes the performance of the maximum likelihood (ML) range/Doppler estimator for a slowly fluctuating point target when a series of orthogonal signal pulses are transmitted. This multipulse estimator is more accurate than a conventional signal-pulse estimator since the AF of a linear signal space may have arbitrarily good thumbtack shape.<<ETX>>
Influence of carbon monoxide leaks on the measurement error of total haemoglobin mass Abstract Total haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) can be assessed with low measurement error using carbon monoxide (CO) rebreathing. However, variability in measurement error of Hbmass has been reported across laboratories and it has previously been suggested that CO leaks contribute to this variability. As a result of employing a standardized leak monitoring procedure using two CO detectors, we were able to retrospectively examine the impact of CO leaks on Hbmass values from past test-retest studies in our laboratory using the optimized CO rebreathing method. Test-retest data were collected to determine measurement error, with subjects tested twice within 5 days. Test-retest data were placed into separate categories based on magnitude and duration of CO leak observed during one of the two tests. The No Leak category contained test-retest data in which no leak occurred during either test. The Minor Leak category contained test-retest data in which one of the tests had a CO leak of magnitude less than 30 ppm and less than 5 seconds duration, whereas the Major Leak category included test-retest data in which a leak greater than this magnitude or duration occurred. Measurement error was lowest in the No Leak category (1.9%; 95%CI: 1.6–2.3%; n = 56), approximately doubled in the Minor Leaks category (3.6%; 95%CI: 2.6–6.1%; n = 13), and dramatically increased in the Major Leaks category (9.3%; 95%CI: 6.3–17.6%; n = 10). We recommend careful monitoring of potential CO leaks using multiple detectors. To minimize measurement error, tests in which any CO leak is detected should be excluded.
The observation of self-channeling of a relativistically-intense laser pulse in an underdense plasma Four spatial/spectral imaging diagnostics show relativistic self-channeling of a 25 TW, 1 ps laser pulse limited only by the length of the gas-jet target. Collective scattering of a probe beam provides a spectrally-resolved image of large-amplitude plasma waves indicating an intensity >10/sup 18/ W/cm/sup 2/ at 4 mm from the laser focus.
Analysis of Temperature and Thermal Stress Distribution on KDP Crystal Wire Saw Slicing Temperature variation of KDP crystal is an important reason for its cracking. A finite element model was constructed to analyze temperature and thermal stress distribution of KDP crystal during wire saw slicing. The results showed that the highest temperature of the crystal which was located on the sawing kerf remained stable during slicing. The temperature inside the crystal rose slowly at the start of the slicing, and then tended steady with the continued increase of sawing depth. Because of the good cooling condition during the sawing process, the overall rise in temperature was small, and the maximum thermal stress on the sawing kerf was less than the tensile strength of KDP crystal, so temperature variation during slicing had little effect on crystal cracking.
Treatment of urinary incontinence in the elderly. The most common and most difficult type of urinary incontinence in older people is associated with a low-capacity neurogenic bladder. Patients with cerebrovascular disease are particularly affected. A basic consideration in treatment is provision of adequate facilities for the patient to empty his bladder regularly and quickly. Regulation of fluid intake and use of various drugs may be beneficial. An indwelling catheter may be the best alternative for intractable incontinence, even with the hazard of inevitable infection.
The K computer: user-friendly. The News & Analysis article “Utility sacrificed for speed, supercomputer critics say” (D. Normile, 5 October, p. [26][1]) discussed our project, the Japanese 10-petaflops supercomputer (or “K computer”). Some criticisms reported in the article were based on misunderstandings, which I would like to clarify. Contrary to the title “utility sacrificed for speed,” I am confident that the K computer is the most user-friendly among the world's top-ranking supercomputers. In designing it, we focused not only on peak performance but also on sustained performance on real applications in a wide range of science and engineering fields. For example, the memory and network bandwidth per performance ([ 1 ][2]), which are key factors for application efficiency, are much better than those of IBM Sequoia (BlueGene/Q) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ([ 2 ][3]) or Cray Titan at Oak Ridge National Laboratory ([ 3 ][4], [ 4 ][5]). We have also adopted the widely used standard programming model (MPI/openMP) as in BlueGene/Q. The K computer demonstrated an extraordinary level of stability for one of the world's largest-scale systems; the overall system comprised of 88,128 CPUs ran without a single failure for 29.5 hours. All these features (high bandwidth, standard software environment, and high reliability) require extra hardware and software costs, which decrease the peak performance possible for a given cost. Thus, we are proud to say that in reality, we sacrificed speed for utility in the K computer design. ![Figure][6] Supercomputer. Japan's K computer contains 864 watercooled cabinets. CREDIT: D. NORMILE/ SCIENCE In the article, Jun Makino implied that we did not explore the design sufficiently. The truth is that we accepted proposals on architecture from academia and industry in the design process. In the selection of benchmark applications, we paid special attention to the parallelizability (i.e., the marginal number of processors that minimize an execution time of an application) of the algorithms we used, which is strongly related to optimal supercomputer architecture. Performance was never the only criterion: Some proposals were retracted, and others judged as infeasible due to their weak developmental systems. I am confident that we explored various architectural possibilities, taking into consideration their relations to algorithms. Takafumi Matsui said that the project was designed just to serve the computer industry. This is not the case. Of the total project cost of $1.4 billion, $500 million was devoted to software development for life sciences and nanoscience, in addition to buildings and facilities. We recognize that the project's main goal was the development of the supercomputer, with the goal of broad application in science and engineering. Is this a bad thing? It would be if no one wanted to use our computer. The good news, as the article noted, is that many users have applied to use the K computer. Its true value will soon be proved. 1. [↵][7] 1. Riken , K Computer ([www.aics.riken.jp/en/][8]). 2. [↵][9] IBM, Blue Gene ( ). 3. [↵][10] 1. Cray , Cray XK7 ([www.cray.com/Products/XK/XK7.aspx][11]). 4. [↵][12] 1. Nvidia , Tesla GPU Accelerators for Servers ([www.nvidia.com/object/tesla-servers.html][13]). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.338.6103.26 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #ref-3 [5]: #ref-4 [6]: pending:yes [7]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [8]: http://www.aics.riken.jp/en/ [9]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2 in text" [10]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3 in text" [11]: http://www.cray.com/Products/XK/XK7.aspx [12]: #xref-ref-4-1 "View reference 4 in text" [13]: http://www.nvidia.com/object/tesla-servers.html
Incidence and predictors of postoperative ischemic stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting Data on the incidence and outcomes of ischemic stroke in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the current era are limited. The goal of this study was to examine contemporary trends, predictors, and outcomes of ischemic stroke following CABG in a large nationally representative database over a 12‐year‐period.
Formation of Microgrooving on C110 Casing Steel After Sulfide Stress Cracking Test NACE TM0177 is a commonly used materials qualification standard specifying how sulfide stress cracking (SSC) tests must be conducted and interpreted to verify the suitability of material application in sour service. This standard specifies through the so-called method A test (a tensile uniaxial environmental cracking test) that a material could be considered acceptable for sour service as long as no failure is evidenced after 720 h of exposure, and no initiation of environmental cracking is observed on the reduced length of the specimen after macrographic observations. After cross-sectional observations, so-called “microgrooves” can sometimes be evidenced on the surfaces of nonfailed specimens. Such features can hardly be interpreted as SSC crack initiation sites considering their shape and depth. Experience, however, shows that the formation of these microgrooves appears to be dependent on test conditions and type of load. This paper presents the results of investigations on the parameters influencing the microgroove formation on C110 steel after the method A uniaxial tensile SSC test. Test parameters influencing the groove formation are studied, and the results suggest that grooving is not SSC initiation for the testing conditions used in this work.
Comparison between one-session psychological treatment and benzodiazepine in dental phobia. To compare the effects of a single session of psychological treatment and acute administration of benzodiazepine, 50 dental phobic patients were allocated either to psychological treatment, benzodiazepine, or no treatment for anxiety. Psychological treatment consisted of stress management training and imaginal exposure to phobic stimuli with homework assignments. Benzodiazepine was administered 30 min before dental treatment. Both treatment conditions led to less anxiety during dental surgery than did the control condition. Phobic patients in the benzodiazepine condition showed a relapse after dental treatment, whereas those in the psychological treatment condition showed further improvement until the follow-up 2 months later. Of the latter group, 70% continued dental treatment; only 20% and 10% returned in the benzodiazepine and control conditions, respectively.
Metabolic fate of pitavastatin, a new inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase--effect of cMOAT deficiency on hepatobiliary excretion in rats and of mdr1a/b gene disruption on tissue distribution in mice. Pitavastatin is a potent competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase. In the current study, to elucidate the hepatobiliary excretion of pitavastatin, we investigated the plasma concentration and biliary excretion of (14)C-pitavastatin in EHBR. We also evaluated the distribution of pitavastatin in mdr1a/b knockout mice by whole body autoradiography and quantitative radioassay. In view of the widespread clinical use of pitavastatin and the importance of drug-drug interaction, the inhibitory effect on Pgp-mediated activation of ATPase was also investigated. No marked difference was observed in the plasma concentration and biliary excretion of radioactivity between SDR and EHBR after dosing of (14)C-pitavastatin. Little radioactive transfer into the brain was detected in mdr1a/b knockout mice and the ATPase activity of human Pgp was negligible in the presence of pitavastatin. Moreover, no inhibitory effect on the Pgp-mediated activation of ATPase by verapamil was found in the presence of pitavastatin over a wide concentration range. These results indicated that a cMOAT and Pgp-mediated transport mechanism did not play a major role in the distribution of pitavastatin.
Tapered Photonic Crystal Microcavities Embedded in Photonic Wire Waveguides With Large Resonance Quality-Factor and High Transmission We present the design, fabrication, and characterization of a microcavity that exhibits simultaneously high transmission and large resonance quality-factor (Q-factor). This microcavity is formed by a single-row photonic crystal (PhC) embedded in a 500-nm-wide photonic wire waveguide - and is based on silicon-on-insulator. A normalized transmission of 85%, together with a Q-factor of 18 500, have been achieved experimentally through the use of carefully designed tapering on both sides of each of the hole-type PhC mirrors that form the microcavity. We have also demonstrated reasonably accurate control of the cavity resonance frequency. Simulation of the device using a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain approach shows good agreement with the experimental results.
Finnish Ecosystem Observatory (FEO) - operationalizing remote sensing analyses for threatened habitats and biodiversity monitoring Biodiversity crisis calls for better knowledge of the status of biodiversity, but also drivers and pressures behind the ecosystem change and the vulnerability of habitats. There is growing demand for the biodiversity data for decision-making on national, regional and global scales. However, the operationalized biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring systems which can integrate remote sensing, in situ and modelling data are still rare despite of that there are good co-operation initiatives such as Australian TERN and US NEON in place. In Finland, we have launched the Finnish Ecosystem Observatory (FEO) as a reaction to such a need to upgrade and modernize biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring schemes. We have started a development of national research and monitoring infrastructure/platform which can integrate different data types and provide timely data and knowledge for various decision-making purposes. In this short paper, we describe three case studies as examples of different data types and different monitoring needs: i) habitat mapping for large area, ii) hydrological condition of aapa mires, and iii) automated Aspen mapping for boreal forests. We will evaluate the possibilities to operationalize the production of such data sets in a long-term as well as the challenges and bottlenecks related either to data, processing or applicability. Finally, we will also discuss how FEO and similar kind of biodiversity monitoring platforms could be further developed, and how the network of such observatories could co-operate in the future.
Epidemiologic Study and Containment of a Nosocomial Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in a Medical Center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan Objective. We conducted an epidemiologic investigation at the beginning of a nosocomial outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to clarify the dynamics of SARS transmission, the magnitude of the SARS outbreak, and the impact of the outbreak on the community. Methods. We identified all potential cases of nosocomially acquired SARS, linked them to the most likely infection source, and described the hospital containment measures. Setting. A 2,300-bed medical center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Results. A total of 55 cases of SARS were identified, and 227 hospital workers were quarantined. The index patient and neighboring patients were isolated. A chest physician team reviewed medical charts and chest radiographs and monitored the development of SARS in patients staying in the ward. The presence of underlying lung disease and immunocompromise in some patients made the diagnosis of SARS difficult. Some cases of SARS were diagnosed after the patients had died. Medical personnel were infected only if they cared for patients with unrecognized SARS, and caretakers played important roles in transmission of SARS to family members. As the number of cases of nosocomial SARS increased, the hospital closed the affected ward and expedited construction of negative-pressure rooms on other vacated floors for patient cohorting, and the last case in the hospital was identified 1 week later. Conclusions. Timely recognition of SARS is extremely important. However, given the limitations of SARS testing, possible loss of epidemic links, and the nonspecific clinical presentations in hospitalized patients, it is very important to establish cohorts of persons with low, medium, and high likelihoods of SARS acquisition. Rapid closure of affected wards may minimize the impact on hospital operations. Establishment of hospitals dedicated to appropriate treatment of patients with SARS might minimize the impact of the disease in future epidemics.
Influence of Mucoid Coating on Clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Lungs Pulmonary infection with mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in present in the majority of cystic fibrosis patients with chronic lung disease. It has been postulated that this mucoid coating may act to decrease lung clearance of Pseudomonas by limiting access of phagocytes, antibodies, and antibiotics to the bacteria. To determine whether mucoid coating of Pseudomonas might decrease intrapulmonary killing, groups of guinea pigs were infected with intrabronchial instillations of equivalent numbers of mucoid and nonmucoid Pseudomonas. For this study, mucoid strains of Pseudomonas were obtained from cystic fibrosis sputa and passaged on blood agar plates to obtain their nonmucoid revertants. Animals were then sacrificed at timed intervals after infection, and quantitative cultures were performed on lung homogenates. In all cases, mucoid challenge strains retained their mucoid morphology after passage in guinea pig lungs. No difference in killing of mucoid and nonmucoid Pseudomonas could be detected at 6, 24, or 48 h after lung infection. Further challenge studies used guinea pigs that were either prevaccinated with lipopolysaccharide P. aeruginosa vaccine or else treated with tobramycin sulfate after infection. Nonvaccinated or untreated controls had reduced intrapulmonary killing of Pseudomonas compared with vaccinees or treated groups (P < 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively). However, there were no differences in pulmonary killing of mucoid and nonmucoid Pseudomonas in the presence of either specific antibodies or antibiotic. We conclude from these studies that mucoid coating of Pseudomonas does not selectively impede mechanisms of intrapulmonary killing in guinea pig lungs.
Highly stereoselective epoxidation with H2O2 catalyzed by electron-rich aminopyridine manganese catalysts. Fast, efficient, and highly stereoselective epoxidation with H2O2 is reached by manganese coordination complexes with e-rich aminopyridine tetradentate ligands. It is shown that the electronic properties of these catalysts vary systematically with the stereoselectivity of the O-atom transfer event and exert fine control over the activation of hydrogen peroxide, reducing the amount of carboxylic acid co-catalyst necessary for efficient operation.
Cardiac beta-adrenoceptors during normal growth of male and female rats. 1 A binding assay involving (-)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol (DHA) and KCl-washed cardiac membranes were used to assess the numbers and affinities of beta-adrenoceptors in hearts from male and female rats varying in age from about 2 weeks to 18 months. 2 Although female rats grow more slowly and attain lower adult weights than male rats, heart weights increased in approximate proportion to body weight with little sex difference. 3 As heart weight increased about three fold, beta-receptors increased three fold. Since the number of myocardial cells is believed to be nearly constant during postnatal growth, the numbers of receptors/cell presumably increases similarly. 4 As heart weight increased, the number of beta-receptors per g of tissue decreased according to the equation: total pmol/g = 4.33 - 1.43 x heart weight, equally in males and females. 5 Dissociation constants for DHA (2 to 4 nM) remained the same, and equal, in male and female rats during their growth. 6 An excellent correlation was found between the decline in beta-receptors/g tissue during growth and the decline in the area of the external sarcolemma/g tissue. The data suggest that the number of receptors per unit area remains constant during growth, and thus that cell surface area is a major factor determining normal numbers of receptors per cardiocyte.
Effect of electrode surface roughness on the electrical impedance of ionic polymer–metal composites In this paper, we study the effect of electrode surface roughness on the electrochemical response of ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) subjected to a time-varying voltage input. We use the linearized Poisson–Nernst–Planck model to describe the dynamics of the electric potential and mobile counterions’ concentration within the polymer. We derive a closed form solution of the three-dimensional boundary value problem by employing the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Specifically, the polymer region is decomposed into a bulk region, where mainly diffusive phenomena take place, and boundary layers in proximity of the polymer–electrode interfaces, where charge storage develops as a function of the electrode surface roughness. Leading order solutions are derived and matched on account of electric potential, counterions’ concentration, and counterions’ flux continuity. We find that IPMC charge storage is greatly enhanced by the increase in effective electrode surface area. On the other hand, bulk diffusion phenomena remain largely independent of the microscopic topography of the electrode. Thus, the hypothesis of rough electrodes is found to be very well suited in interpreting the anomalous values of IPMC capacitance which scales linearly with the electrode’s actual surface area.
Forecasting with Panel Data This paper gives a brief survey of forecasting with panel data. Starting with a simple error component regression and surveying best linear unbiased prediction under various assumptions of the disturbance term. This includes various ARMA models as well as spatial autoregressive models. The paper also surveys how these forecasts have been used in panal data applications, running horse races between heterogeneous and homogeneous panel data models using out of sample forecasts.
On the study of the semantics of the animal style: The functional purpose of the artistic bronze of proto-circassians This article discusses the possibility of deciphering the Koban-Scythian animal style artifacts in terms of the transfer of information about the functional purpose of the object on the basis of the Circassian language. According to the materials of the archaeology and linguistics of the studied subjects and drawings with the use of the dictionary meanings of the Kabardino-Circassian language.
1973 Annual Meeting Notices one was teaching courses in a prison, this would be fairly well known throughout the institution.) But in five of the eleven, one respondent said that this was now present in the institution, while the other respondent said that it had never been considered as an option! In fourteen institutions there was a disagreement between the two respondents over whether or not the institution had "programs to prepare or assist new students by summer readiness skills centers, developmental programs, peer tutors, or counselors." In two institutions, one respondent said, "We have adopted this within the last two years," and the other respondent said, "We have never formally considered it." In seventeen institutions there was a discrepancy between the respondents on whether or not the institution had instituted "organizational changes (clusters, interdisciplinary departments, special instructional groupings, and new offices)". In four institutions, the differences were those of one respondent saying, "We have adopted it within the last two years," and the other saying, "We have never formally considered it." These errors, taken as a totality, seem to us to be of a prodigiously high magnitude. These "factual" data raise some doubts about the validity of data reporting in such systems as HEGIS and many of the other data-reporting systems developed through the U.S. Office of Education, HEW, regional accrediting associations, etc. (Indeed, in another study in which we had opportunity to compare HEGIS data with the data from the same institutions on the same categories, a large number of discrepancies emerged.) The institutions reporting to us with two questionnaires per institution seem to be a random collection of institutions in terms of our sample criteria. They represent small institutions as well as large, public and private; institutions that offer the Associate in Arts degree as well as others that offer the Ph.D. degree; some on the semester plan, some on the quarter plan, etc. The number of discrepancies per institution seems to vary in an unsystematic way and has no relationship to institutional size or type of control. A fair number of articles in the past several years have been critical of the broad-scale use of questionnaire research in higher education, but most of these criticisms have been directed at the inordinate load that is placed on local campus staff to provide the information. It has not been suggested before that the survey information itself may be false. However, the assumption appears untenable that data from an institution, even if it is in number form, can be accepted as prima facie truths. A corroboration system whereby one set of data on an institution is linked to an independently derived set appears in order. It is true that 25 institutions out of 1,863 are not very many, but we have to remember that the 25 were not selected by us in any way and represent a relatively "normal" sampling of institutions within the total. They are not the worst in terms of budgeting, size, location in the country, etc. Indeed, six of the 25 have between 5,000 and 40,000 students enrolled. Persons wishing to crossvalidate our findings may want to compare information from HEGIS categories that overlap data categories in other reporting systems, such as the WICHE system.
Time-parallel algorithms for simulation of multiple access protocols We present time-parallel algorithms for parallel simulation of multiple access protocols for medium access-in particular slotted Aloha and slotted p-persistent CSMA. Two mechanisms are presented-regeneration point-based and fix up-based. Aloha is simulated using both mechanisms and CSMA is simulated using only the first mechanism. An analytical technique is developed to predict speedup for the regeneration point-based scheme for slotted Aloha. Speedup values obtained from the analytical technique are found to be in good agreement with those obtained from simulations. In general, it is observed that any mechanism that reduces the number of backlogged packets has good parallel performance regardless of the protocol simulated or the mechanism used to parallelize the simulation.
Resounding the great divide: theorising music in everyday life at the end of life Abstract Music in contexts of death and dying is an important but often-overlooked aspect of music in everyday life. In this article I develop an ecological perspective for end of life experience that takes account of the temporal-cultural complexity of being gravely ill and, by implication, being well. This perspective views wellness and illness as inextricably linked and relationally determined. To develop these ideas I use auto-ethnographic examples from a case study of ‘everyday’ musical interaction in a domestic context of death and dying over a three-year period. I suggest that this domestic musical praxis illuminates the cultural and situational figuration of end of life experience, in particular how situations, moods and social ties can be refigured and transfigured, although not without potential uncertainty and risk. I conclude that music opens up opportunities for action and social relation at end of life. Music is a dynamic medium for the collective performance of what it means to be well or ill, and what it means (and can mean) to be alive, dying or dead.
The alcohol-impaired dentist: an educational challenge. A cross-sectional survey of 370 dental practitioners, a 74% response rate, was conducted and data collected. Prevailing attitudes within the dental profession toward the alcohol abuser and the role of peer intervention were recorded. Data collectively indicated a need for further strengthening educational efforts and the need for further development of a peer-assistance network.
Dynamic Power Allocation for Downlink NOMA Dynamic Power Allocation for Downlink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) is a critical research area in wireless communication systems. This study focuses on implementing and evaluating dynamic power allocation strategies in the context of downlink NOMA. We compare the performance of dynamic power allocation with fixed power allocation schemes to assess their impact on system throughput, interference management, and overall efficiency. Through extensive simulations and analysis in this paper using MATLAB, we demonstrate a comparison between dynamic power allocation and fixed power allocation, and the advantages of dynamic power allocation in adapting to changing channel conditions and user requirements, leading to improved system performance. Our results show the data rate and outage probability which provides valuable insights into the benefits of dynamic power allocation in downlink NOMA systems and highlight the importance of adaptive power management techniques in enhancing wireless communication networks.
Public School Music Teachers' Perceptions of the Effect of Certain Competencies on Pupil Learning A list of competencies was developed and rated by 201 public school music teachers. Fifty-one competencies were classified as musical, and 59 were identified as teaching competencies. General music, instrumental, and choral teachers rated the competencies in terms of their effect on pupil learning. Competencies were ranked on the basis of the mean rating. The highest rated musical competencies required aural skills to detect errors in performance; the lowest ratings were given for competencies in accompanying. Teaching competencies, which received the highest ratings, were connected with evaluation of the music program or of self; those competencies receiving the lowest ratings were related to evaluation of pupils. The three groups of teachers gave significantly different ratings to 45.1% of the musical competencies and to 25.4% of the teaching competencies.
Maximizing Design Accommodations for Composite User Populations: Methodology Applicable to Mixed Male and Female Populations Methods for maximizing the accommodation of composite user populations in designs, with fixed limit constraints, are delineated. Initially, the probability density function (PDF) for a composite user population, derived from a mix of subpopulations, is characterized in terms of subpopulation PDF's and methods of estimating univariate and multivariate PDF's given. Subsequently, necessary, but not sufficient, conditions for maximizing fixed limit accommodation are given in terms of the accommodation ranges and composite PDF. Motivating examples and discussion are in terms of mixes of male and female subpopulation.
Nonlinear Superconducting Magnetoelectric Effect A supercurrent flow can induce a nonvanishing spin magnetization in noncentrosymmetric superconductors with spin-orbit interaction. Often known as the non-dissipative magnetoelectric effect, these are most commonly found at linear order in supercurrent flow. Here, we argue that a nonlinear superconducting magnetoelectric effect (NSM) can naturally manifest in altermagnet/superconductor (ALM/SC) heterostructures: NSM manifests as a spin polarization generated as a second-order response to a driving supercurrent. Strikingly, we find NSM is the leading order magnetization response in ALM/SC heterostructures and survives even in the presence of centrosymmetry; $C_4 \mathcal{T}$ symmetry in altermagnets zeroes both the equilibrium magnetization as well as out-of-plane linear magnetoelectric response. This renders NSM a powerful electric and non-dissipative means of controlling magnetization in ALM/SC heterostructures, a promising platform for superconducting spintronics.
Roles of heme iron-coordinating histidine residues of human hemopexin expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells. Hemopexin (Hx), the major heme-binding plasma glycoprotein, scavenges circulating heme and performs an antioxidant function. In the present study, human Hx was expressed in a baculovirus system and its presumed essential His residues were mutated to Thr as a means of investigating their participation in heme binding. The recombinant Hx proteins were purified by sequential chromatography on Con A-agarose and SP-Sepharose. The purified recombinant wild-type Hx retained its heme binding. The binding constant for heme was considerably reduced, however, suggesting that glycosylation contributes critically to the heme binding property of Hx. Mutation either at His-127 or at His-56 plus His-127, but not at His-56 per se, reduced the affinity for heme by an order of magnitude relative to wild-type Hx. It is concluded that His-127 contributes to the high affinity for heme. We recorded proton NMR spectra to investigate the possibility that the degree of high-spin content is increased by deletion of an axial His-iron coordination. 1H NMR data indicate that each of the single-mutant heme-Hx complexes is predominantly low-spin, perhaps owing to coordination of the heme iron by the Thr side-chain oxygen or water oxygen coordinating to the iron.
Video Face Recognition on Invariable Moment There are three limitations in video face recognition. Firstly, face does not lie in image center, secondly, the size of face is bigger or smaller than those in the facial database, and lastly it exists possibly rotation in the face. In order to overcome these drawback caused by the above factors, the paper presents a novel method based on invariable moment that chooses candidate faces using principle. If number of candidate faces is more than one, we reconstruct face that has not been recognized using invariable moment and compare it with candidate faces to accomplish recognition. The experimentations show that the method can solve the insufficiencies in the certain extent and suppress refusal recognition in the video face recognition.
Rigidification Dramatically Improves Inhibitor Selectivity for RAF Kinases. One effective means to achieve inhibitor specificity for RAF kinases, an important family of cancer drug targets, has been to target the monomeric inactive state conformation of the kinase domain, which, unlike most other kinases, can accommodate sulfonamide-containing drugs such as vemurafenib and dabrafenib because of the presence of a unique pocket specific to inactive RAF kinases. We previously reported an alternate strategy whereby rigidification of a nonselective pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-based inhibitor through ring closure afforded moderate but appreciable increases in selectivity for RAF kinases. Here, we show that a further application of the rigidification strategy to a different pyrazolopyrimidine-based scaffold dramatically improved selectivity for RAF kinases. Crystal structure analysis confirmed our inhibitor design hypothesis revealing that 2l engages an active-like state conformation of BRAF normally associated with poorly discriminating inhibitors. When screened against a panel of distinct cancer cell lines, the optimized inhibitor 2l primarily inhibited the proliferation of the expected BRAFV600E-harboring cell lines consistent with its kinome selectivity profile. These results suggest that rigidification could be a general and powerful strategy for enhancing inhibitor selectivity against protein kinases, which may open up therapeutic opportunities not afforded by other approaches.
Inverse-Covariance-Intersection-Based Distributed Estimation and Application in Wireless Sensor Network In a sensor network, estimation performance may degrade when unknown correlations among local estimates are not addressed carefully. This article presents a novel distributed estimation algorithm based on inverse covariance intersection for effectively solving the cross correlation and dynamic state estimation problems in a wireless sensor network. The intermediate results of a set of consensus filters running in parallel are utilized to realize a global fusion of estimates, which involves all agents' local estimates and improves the estimation accuracy. Meanwhile, the global consistency of the proposed algorithm can be guaranteed theoretically since the fusion process considers all local estimates jointly and in a unified way. Furthermore, besides the asymptotic performance, the boundedness and consistency of the fused estimate can be achieved under finite iterations, which demonstrates its robustness and potential in practical applications. A cooperative target tracking problem illustrates the performance of the proposed algorithm.
586 GLYCOLYTIC ENZYME DEFICIENCY IN NEONATAL GRANULOCYTES Newborn infants are known to be particularly susceptible to infections. Various contributing factors have been implicated including defective chemotaxis and phagocytosis of their neutrophils. The energy required for these two neutrophil functions is derived from A.T.P. produced from glycolysis. Decreased granulocyte glycolytic enzyme activity may impair chemotaxis and phagocytosis due to decreased energy supply. Eight granulocyte glycolytic enzymes were studied in 15 adults and 15 full-term newborns. Placental cord blood was drawn immediately after the delivery of placentae, and granulocytes were isolated within 20 minutes of delivery by Ficoll Hypaque centrifugation. Venous blood from adult volunteers was processed at the same time. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, enolase, and phosphofructokinase was significantly lower in cord-blood granulocytes compared to that of the adult volunteers (P < 0.01). Phosphoglycerate kinase activity was also lower in cord blood (0.01 < P < 0.05). The activity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, hexokinase, and glucose phosphate isomerase were lower in cord blood but not to a significant level. Whether the decreased activity of these glycolytic enzymes contributes to the previously reported impaired phagocytosis and chemotaxis and hence the increased susceptibility to infections is open to question.
Timely redistribution of information for epidemiological surveillance and alert: the experience from the French communicable diseases network Since 1984 the French Communicable Disease Network (FCDN) collects and analyses epidemiological information obtained online from a team of "Sentinel General Practitioners" (SGPs). It redistributes this information in the form of standardised weekly incidence estimates. These weekly estimates now appear on the Internet and are the basis for issuing alerts of influenza epidemics. We postulate that day to day estimations would be highly desirable to achieve timely detection of the actual onset of the epidemic, a need dramatically underscored by the emergence of bioterrorism. The present paper suggests the feasibility of reconstructing daily epidemiological information using local smoothing with a suitable spline function to obtain short latency alert messages.
1852 PROSTAGLANDIN (PG) SYNTHESIS INHIBITORS AND LUNG DEVELOPMENT IN FETAL SHEEP Before delivery in fetal sheep tracheal fluid production decreases and surfactant content of lung increases. This occurs as plasma Cortisol and PGE2 concentrations increase. As PGE2 infusions decrease tracheal fluid production and increase cortisol concentration, the increase in PGE2 concentration before delivery may contribute to the above changes. To test this hypothesis, we suppressed PG production by continuously infusing Meclofenamate (0.8 mg/kg/h), a PG synthesis inhibitor, into 5 fetal sheep (Mec) for 5-13d until delivery (133 to 150d gest). We infused solvent into 4 controls (Con) for 5-11d (131 to 146d gest). Both groups had similar daily HR, BP, pH, PO2, and PCO2.Meclofenamate infusion decreased PGE2 concentration, but in both groups, tracheal fluid production and Cortisol concentration were similar. Surfactant content of lungs of Mec were lower than of Con (P= 0.1). Birthweight and lung weight were the same in both groups. We conclude that normal lung growth and the changes in tracheal fluid production and cortisol concentration before delivery are not dependent on high plasma PGE2 concentrations. (Supported by USPHS HL27356, Pulmonary SCOR, and ALA fellowship.)
Optimization of Injection Molding Process by using different types of Conformal Cooling Channels This paper objects to deliver a brief summary on different types of Conformal cooling channel designs available for injection molding process, Also, the conformal cooling channel plays very important role in plastic injection process of injection molding by improving its efficiency and quality thus, reducing the whole cycle time of production. A comparative study of different conformal cooling channels like Series and parallel Conformal cooling channel, square section conformal cooling channel (SSCCC), Spiral cooling channel, Scaffold conformal cooling channel, array of baffle conformal cooling channel, micro cooling channel and their effects on injection molding based manufacturing process are shown. Study related to the performance analysis of different conformal cooling channels is done by using “Autodesk moldflow Advisor”. This paper presents a succinct review of recent progress in Conformal cooling channels.
Lactarius guangdongensis sp. nov. (Russulaceae, Russulales), a species of Lactarius sect. Deliciosi growing with a vulnerable five-needle pine, Pinus kwangtungensis Lactarius sect. Deliciosi is a group of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms showing high host specificity with trees of Pinaceae and more rarely Fagales. A new species of this section, L. guangdongensis, is described from South China. This new species has the smallest basidiocarps (pileus 1–3 cm) in the section. The pure orange basidiocarps with faint greenish discoloration are similar to those of Abies-associated L. abieticola and L. laeticolor and Pinus-associated L. vividus. The subdistant lamellae and absence of pleuromacrocystidia can be used as valid characters for this species. It grows with Chinese national protected plant Pinus kwangtungensis and might be one of the very few species that form symbiosis with five-needle pines. Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS region and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (gpd) show that L. guangdongensis clearly diversified from its relatives and look-alikes and probably represents an early diverging lineage in the section. Molecular and morphological characters provided in this study will be useful for in situ and ex situ conservation of P. kwangtungensis in the future.
The Effectiveness of Parenting Interventions on Psychosocial Adjustment in Parents of Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis. AIMS Parenting interventions in this review refer to supportive parenting training provided for parents or primary caregivers of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The review aimed to synthesize evidence about parenting interventions in parents or caregivers of children and adolescents with T1DM, and to evaluate the effect of interventions in reducing parents' or caregivers' psychological distress, helping them share diabetes management responsibility, seek social support, and improve their quality of life. METHODS We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science from January 1978 to October 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing an intervention group of parenting programs with a control group of usual care were included. The primary outcomes were stress, family responsibility and conflict, and social support. Secondary outcomes included other psychological index and quality of life. Pooled effect sizes of weighted mean difference (WMD) were calculated. RESULTS A total of 17 RCTs with 962 participants met the inclusion criteria. Findings of the meta-analysis showed parenting interventions could significantly reduce parents' depression (WMD = -5.78, 95% CI: -6.23 to -5.33, I2 = 0%) and distress (WMD = -5.28, 95% CI: -10.31 to -.25, I2 = 0%), and help them ask for positive social support (WMD = .83, 95% CI: .03 to 1.64, I2 = 0%). No beneficial changes of other outcomes were found. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION Parents of children and adolescents with T1DM need support from the multidisciplinary team in health care, especially in mental health, family management of childhood diabetes, and social support. Parenting interventions may help parents reduce psychological distress and depression and assist them to ask for social support. Future research should include well-designed RCTs with large samples, appropriate measures with clear definitions, objective assessment, and separation of effects on mothers and fathers.
Comparison of Si and GaN power devices used in PV module integrated converters Using the newly developed enhancement-mode Galium-Nitride-on-Silicon (eGaN) devices with high conductivity and very fast switching speed a breakthrough in switching performance can be achieved. Multi-megahertz switching frequency capability will significantly reduce the size of passive components, adding the cost benefits and increasing the integration level and power density. As to date, the use of GaN devices in power converters is still in its infancy, but its widespread application is a near reality. PV converter industry is one of the areas which would greatly benefit from the new GaN technology. The most important requirements for a PV converter, efficiency and cost effectiveness, can both be addressed with improved switching devices. This paper presents a performance comparison of a PV module integrated DC-DC converter based on commercially available GaN and Si power devices. The presented results show that the first generation of GaN devices outperforms the best in class Si devices. Since GaN is immature technology, further improvements will be seen in the years to come.
Feldspar – A Functional Embedded Language for Digital Signal Processing * Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms are usually designed and described on an abstract level and than transformed to a DSP chip speciﬁc C code by expert programmers. The problem is that the gap between the abstract description and the platform dependent code is huge and even the C code optimized for two diﬀerent chips diﬀer a lot. This makes it expensive to rewrite the algorithms each time a new chip is targeted. We expect that designing and implementing a high-level domain-speciﬁc language (DSL) will make the implementation of algorithms easier and a compiler together with platform-speciﬁc code generator and optimizer modules will take the burden of target-dependent low-level programming oﬀ the programmers. To address these problems, we propose a new programming language called Feldspar (Functional Embedded Language for Digital Signal Processing and Parallelism). We started the design and implementation of this language a year ago, and now we have a compiler prototype which translates programs written in Feldspar into hardware-indepdendent ISO C99-compilant code.
Solid-State and Dynamic Solution Behavior of a Cationic, Two-Coordinate Gold(I) π-Allene Complex The cationic gold π-allene complex {[P(t-Bu)2o-biphenyl]Au[η2-H2C═C═C(CH3)2]}+SbF6− was isolated in 98% yield from reaction of 3-methyl-1,2-butadiene with a mixture of [P(t-Bu)2o-biphenyl]AuCl and AgSbF6 and was characterized by X-ray crystallography and variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy. These studies revealed preferential binding of gold to the less substituted C═C bond of the allene in both the solid state and solution and also revealed fluxional behavior consistent with π-face exchange of the allene ligand via an η1-C2 allene intermediate or transition state.
[High-dose immunoglobulins in children with Guillain-Barré syndrome]. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin was effective in 3 children with severe Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). They presented with mild to moderate, flaccid weakness which progressively deteriorated to severe tetraparesis and weakness of ocular, facial and bulbar muscles. 1 of them was treated with steroids with no response. Serum immune globulins were infused (1g/kg/day) for 2 consecutive days. There was marked clinical improvement in all 3 after the second day of infusion, and there were no adverse affects. All became ambulatory and were able to walk within the first week. Ocular, facial and bulbar impairment gradually subsided and disappeared, as did hypertension in 1. A 6-year-old boy completely recovered after 3 weeks while the 2 girls, both aged 9 years, still have mild weakness which is gradually improving. High-dose immunoglobulin therapy may be effective in children with severe GBS, with no significant adverse effects. It presumably provides idiotypic antibodies that block the autoimmune process responsible for demyelination.
Clinical Significance of Growth Restriction in Pregnancies With Gastroschisis INTRODUCTION: To characterize the consequences of growth restriction according to birth weight in pregnancies complicated by fetal gastroschisis. METHODS: This was a population-based, retrospective study of all singleton pregnancies with fetal gastroschisis that underwent prenatal sonography and delivered at our institution between August 1997 and December 2012. Pregnancies were identified from an obstetric database. Atypical defects in which no ventral wall could be identified were excluded. Cases of stillbirth and neonatal death were analyzed separately. Neonate birth weight percentile was determined using gestational age-specific, institution-based nomograms. RESULTS: There were 111 deliveries with gastroschisis during the study period, 5.9 per 10,000 births. Growth restriction was common with 37 neonates (33%) 10th percentile or less for gestational age and 16 (14%) third percentile or less. Four stillbirths were identified (3.6/100); none had evidence of growth restriction. Neonate birth weight percentile was not associated with gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, nor other measures of maternal or infant morbidity (Table 1). Similarly, neonatal mortality was unrelated to birth weight percentile. Table 1 Outcomes of Gastroschisis According to Birth Weight Percentile CONCLUSIONS: Although growth restriction was common among neonates with gastroschisis, affected neonates were not at increased risk for morbidity or mortality in the immediate neonatal period.
More ways to successfully supplement vitamin D. Our attention was drawn to your recently published original research article titled “A micronutrient-fortified young-child formula improves the iron and vitamin D status of healthy young European children: a randomized, double-blind controlled trial” by Akkermans et al. (1). We compliment the authors on this publication and their commitment to these relevant public health issues. The authors studied hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in toddlers in relation to the consumption of a newly developed young-child formula. The formula is fortified with carbohydrates, fibers, nonheme iron, essential trace elements, vitamins, and folic acid; and the amounts of proteins and electrolytes in this formula are lower than in cow milk. During the study period, parents were asked not to change their child’s dietary habits, including the use of supplements. A minority of 30% of children received vitamin D supplements. So, in fact, 4 groups can be distinguished: those who drank cow milk with or without vitamin D supplementation and those who drank formula with or without supplementation. The authors report that the intake of the young-child formula resulted in increased concentrations of the biomarkers after 20 wk of consumption, whereas these decreased in the controls. The effect of vitamin D supplementation in this respect remains unclear. As a final remark, the authors state that a standard young children’s diet containing cow milk with or without vitamin D supplements is “insufficient for preventing [iron deficiency] and [vitamin D deficiency]” in toddlers and they conclude that the new product “preserves [iron] status and improves vitamin D status.” The latter seems accurate, but we are not sure that adequate supplementation would not have equally improved the iron and vitamin D status (2, 3). An equally appropriate conclusion could have been to endorse the current national guideline for a healthy diet with a daily supplement of 10 lg vitamin D (4, 5). A comparison between the above-mentioned 4 groups could have provided us with the answer. Raw data, however, have not been made available with the open-access publication. Parents ignore the guideline on vitamin D supplementation on a large scale (1, 5). Yet, the dropout ratio during the formula intervention also was considerable, higher than the previously estimated 25%. This is remarkable because the young-child formula was available free of charge. This study merely seems to confirm the difficulties that are met when implementing healthy dietary habits during a toddler’s transition to table foods (6). This article certainly will not be the last reporting outcomes of this intervention. We hope that future conclusions will be better in tune with the European guidelines on toddlers’ nutrition. Long-term benefits of this well-conducted randomized, doubleblind, controlled trial on neurodevelopment and overall health are awaited and we expect that outcomes will include growth (7). We also are curious to learn about the effects of the increased carbohydrate and fiber content of the elevated trace element and vitamin amounts, and of the folic acid content, as well as the reductions in proteins and electrolytes.
Health-education package to prevent worm infections in Chinese schoolchildren. BACKGROUND Soil-transmitted helminths are among the most prevalent sources of human infections globally. We determined the effect of an educational package at rural schools in Linxiang City District, Hunan province, China, where these worms are prevalent. The intervention aimed to increase knowledge about soil-transmitted helminths, induce behavioral change, and reduce the rate of infection. METHODS We conducted a single-blind, unmatched, cluster-randomized intervention trial involving 1718 children, 9 to 10 years of age, in 38 schools over the course of 1 school year. Schools were randomly assigned to the health-education package, which included a cartoon video, or to a control package, which involved only the display of a health-education poster. Infection rates, knowledge about soil-transmitted helminths (as assessed with the use of a questionnaire), and hand-washing behavior were assessed before and after the intervention. Albendazole was administered in all the participants at baseline and in all the children who were found to be positive for infection with soil-transmitted helminths at the follow-up assessment at the end of the school year. RESULTS At the follow-up assessment, the mean score for the knowledge of helminths, calculated as a percentage of a total of 43 points on a questionnaire, was 90% higher in the intervention group than in the control group (63.3 vs. 33.4, P<0.001), the percentage of children who washed their hands after using the toilet was nearly twice as high in the intervention group (98.9%, vs. 54.2% in the control group; P<0.001), and the incidence of infection with soil-transmitted helminths was 50% lower in the intervention group than in the control group (4.1% vs. 8.4%, P<0.001). No adverse events were observed immediately (within 15 minutes) after albendazole treatment. CONCLUSIONS The health-education package increased students' knowledge about soil-transmitted helminths and led to a change in behavior and a reduced incidence of infection within 1 school year. (Funded by UBS Optimus Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland; Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12610000048088.).
Questioning English standards: Learner attitudes and L2 choices in Norway Abstract This study investigates attitudes towards varieties of English among Norwegian adolescent learners and assesses the role of social evaluation for second language (L2) pronunciation choices by combining a verbal guise test with speaker commentary and reports of language choices. The results suggest that while American English is the most accessible English accent and the preferred L2 choice, Standard Southern British English remains the most prestigious English accent and retains its position as a formal English language teaching standard. However, not all learners want to convey the social meanings attributed to these widely identified English varieties, and therefore aim towards a “neutral” variety of English not associated with any native-English-speaking people or culture. The avoidance of standard varieties as L2 targets suggests that the tradition of questioning standard language norms in Norway is mirrored in L2 practices. The investigations into social motivations for L2 behaviour contribute to the ongoing discourse on the global spread and local appropriation of English. The results have implications for English language educators, who must meet the needs of proficient learners in an environment with increased intra-national use of English and no explicit model of pronunciation.
Design and deployment of a heart rate monitoring system in a senior center While wearable sensor systems are now widely used to monitor vital signs in hospitals and at home, most such systems are designed for bedridden patients. In contrast, the use of wireless sensors to capture physiological data from patients for long term health monitoring is becoming increasingly popular although some previous studies recorded complaints from users about discomfort when wearing these. In addition, these systems can sometimes suffer from interference from existing Wi-Fi traffic. Therefore, a sensor system that is both comfortable to use and does not encounter interference with existing wireless traffic is required. This paper presents a system design that includes a probe, sensor, radio, and receiver for a long term heart rate monitoring in a senior center. This system has been deployed in a senior center since May 2012, and 63 seniors have used this system in this period. The senior center has its own wireless network, and no changes were made to this. The monitoring system presented in this work runs together with the existing network, and achieves a 97% packet delivery rate.
LEGAL REGULATIONS REGARDING ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINIAN CITIZENS IN CONNECTION WITH THE ARMED CONFLICT ON THE TERRITORY OF THAT STATE The author discusses the principles of assistance to Ukrainian citizens who came to Poland in connection with the war caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation on February 24, 2022. Under the law of the European Union, the assistance is provided for by Council Directive 2001/55/EC of July 20, 2001 on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons and on measures promoting a balance of efforts between Member States in receiving such persons and bearing the consequences thereof. However, detailed rules of assistance are laid down by the Polish Act of 12 March 2022 on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that state. The Act was not intended to grant to Ukrainian citizens special rights which they would not have if residing legally on the territory of Poland; its purpose was to shorten and simplify the procedures of legalization of stay for those refugees from Ukraine who directly crossed the borders of Poland from February 24, 2022. Thanks to legalizing their stay, they gained access to the labour market and public services in Poland.
The canid genome: behavioral geneticists' best friend? We review a range of studies on the genetic contribution to behavior in canid species. We begin by identifying factors that make canids a promising model in behavioral genetics and proceed to review research over the last decade that has used canids to identify genetic contributions to behavior. We first review studies that have selectively bred dogs to identify genetic contributions to behavior and then review studies that estimate heritability from populations of non‐laboratory bred dogs. We subsequently review studies that used molecular genetics to identify gene–behavior associations and note associations that have been uncovered. We then note challenges in canid behavioral genetics research that require further consideration. We finish by suggesting alternative phenotyping methods and identify areas in which canids may have as yet unexploited advantages, such as in gene–environment interaction studies where genetic factors are found to moderate the effects of environmental variables.
REVIEW: QUALITY OF LIFE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENT WITH APPLICATION OF LIFESTYLE Diabetes is a chronic disease that has increased growing from year to year in the number of sufferers from year to year. It is associated with changes in lifestyle in modern times that can affect the quality of life of the patients. The quality of life itself refers to the value assigned during a lifetime that changes with decreased functional, perceptual, and social value and can be affected by disease and treatment. The assessment of the quality of life, especially for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, aims to restore not only physical function in terms of mobility but also perceptions of health. This research aims to determine the role of lifestyle in improving the quality of life of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The non-experimental study is based on a review of various articles on the quality of life of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus published in various national journals from 2016 to 2022. The results of this study showed that exercising, consuming a balanced, nutritious diet, and monthly health check-ups greatly contribute to the improvement of the quality of life. The quality of life can also be measured using the EQ-5D-5L instrument which cover five domains mobility (the ability to move or walk), self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression and five domain levels. This article concludes that a good lifestyle can improve the quality of life of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Malignant hypercalcaemia and leucocytosis associated with carcinoma of the bronchus. A 63-year-old man, with an eight-year history of rheumatoid disease, was admitted after the development over four weeks of a large painful swelling above the right shoulder. In addition, he complained of anorexia, night sweats, and constipation. He was a non-smoker. His treatment consisted of prednisolone 5 mg daily and indomethacin 100 mg twice daily. Clinical examination showed him to be ill but afebrile. The swelling, measuring 12 x 6 x 8 cm, was red and tense. The chest was normal. The results of laboratory investigations included the following: haemoglobin 9-8 g/dl, erythrocyte sedimentation rate 99 mm in one hour, serum sodium concentration 137 mmol (mEq)/l, potassium 4-3 mmol (mEq)/l, chloride 97 mmol (mEq)/l, urea 12-0 mmolI (72.3 mg/100 ml), creatinine 0-14 mmol/l (1-6 mg/100 ml). The white cell count on admission was 34 x 109 1 (75% neutrophils, 21% lymphocytes, 2% monocytes, 1% eosinophils, 1% metamyelocytes). Blood, urine, and sputum specimens were sent for culture. In view of the possibility of a septic arthritis masked by steroid treatment, aspiration of the cyst was carried out and 2000 ml of straw-coloured fluid was obtained. No organisms were seen or cultured. Treatment was commenced empirically with amoxycillin 250 mg thrice daily. The patient deteriorated five days after admission, becoming confused and paranoid. A radiograph showed erosion of the lateral half of the right clavicle. A chest radiograph showed an opacity in the left upper zone and fractures of the fourth right rib and the third left rib. A diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma of the bronchus was made. The serum calcium concentration was 3-60 mmol/l (14-4 mg/100 ml) uncorrected (serum albumin 26 g/l), serum phosphate 1-11 mmol/l (3-4 mg/100 ml), serum alkaline phosphatase 338 ml/l, and serum parathormone less than 0-3 ng/l (normal range 0-2-0-7 ng/l). Bone marrow examination six days after admission showed an
Plasmon excitation on a thin metal-film grating: Profile effect and applications We investigate plasmon excitation on the surfaces of a thin metal-film grating, which are sinusoidally modulated with a common period and different initial phases. Employing Yasuura's method of modal expansion, we numerically find the resonance angle, field distribution, power flow in the vicinity of the grating surfaces, and efficiency of propagating orders. By setting the amplitude of the metal-film grating and the phase difference between the top and the bottom surface, we can examine the profile effect on plasmon excitation. In addition we show some results for a grating in conical mounting.
Fractional order differentiation by integration and error analysis in noisy environment : Part 2 discrete case In the first part of this work [1], the differentiation by integration method has been generalized from the integer order to the fractional order so as to estimate the fractional order derivatives of noisy signals. The estimation errors for the proposed fractional order Jacobi differentiators have been studied in continuous case. In this paper, the focus is on the study of these differentiators in discrete case. Firstly, the noise error contribution due to a large class of stochastic processes is studied in discrete case. In particular, it is shown that the differentiator based on the Caputo fractional order derivative can cope with a class of noises, the mean value and variance functions of which are time-variant. Secondly, by using the obtained noise error bound and the error bound for the bias term error obtained in the first part, we analyze the design parameters’ influence on the obtained fractional order differentiators. Thirdly, according to the knowledge of the design parameters’ influence, the fractional order Jacobi differentiators are significantly improved by admitting a time-delay. In order to reduce the calculation time for on-line applications, a recursive algorithm is proposed. Finally, numerical simulations show their accuracy and robustness with respect to corrupting noises. D.Y. Liu, and T.M. Laleg-Kirati are with Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955-6900, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]) O. Gibaru is with LSIS (CNRS, UMR 7296), Arts et Métiers ParisTech, 8 Boulevard Louis XIV, 59046 Lille Cedex, France (e-mail: [email protected]) W. Perruquetti is with LAGIS (CNRS, UMR 8146), École Centrale de Lille, BP 48, Cité Scientifique, 59650 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France (e-mail: [email protected]) O. Gibaru, and W. Perruquetti are with Équipe Projet Non-A, INRIA Lille-Nord Europe, Parc Scientifique de la Haute Borne, 40, avenue Halley Bât.A, Park Plaza, 59650 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France January 19, 2013 DRAFT ha l-0 07 79 18 2, v er si on 1 21 J an 2 01 3 2 Index Terms Digital fractional order differentiator, Error analysis, Time-delay. EDICS: SSP-FILT; ASP-ANAL.
LASER: Linear Compression in Wireless Distributed Optimization Data-parallel SGD is the de facto algorithm for distributed optimization, especially for large scale machine learning. Despite its merits, communication bottleneck is one of its persistent issues. Most compression schemes to alleviate this either assume noiseless communication links, or fail to achieve good performance on practical tasks. In this paper, we close this gap and introduce LASER: LineAr CompreSsion in WirEless DistRibuted Optimization. LASER capitalizes on the inherent low-rank structure of gradients and transmits them efficiently over the noisy channels. Whilst enjoying theoretical guarantees similar to those of the classical SGD, LASER shows consistent gains over baselines on a variety of practical benchmarks. In particular, it outperforms the state-of-the-art compression schemes on challenging computer vision and GPT language modeling tasks. On the latter, we obtain $50$-$64 \%$ improvement in perplexity over our baselines for noisy channels.
HLA DRB1 Alleles and Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients T cell responses against HCV are regulated by the host’s human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, which thus are ideal candidate genes to investigate for associations with HCV susceptibility. We aimed to identify associations of HLA DRB1* alleles with HCV infection in a high risk of exposure population, chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis, and to study any possible relationships with allele zygosity. The study population comprised 110 HCV infected and 143 HCV uninfected CKD patients undergoing regular hemodialysis. HLA DRB1* alleles were determined using polymerase chain reaction followed by hybridization with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. We found a significant negative association between HLA DRB103 and HCV infection, but the association did not retain significance after adjustment for multiple comparisons. HLA DRB103 was found at reduced frequency in HCV antibody positive compared to HCV antibody negative CKD patients on regular dialysis (corrected p was not significant). No significant association between HCV infection and HLA DRB1* zygosity was observed. Our results suggest that there is minimal evidence for a significant role of a particular HLA DRB1* allele or allele zygosity in the susceptibility or protection to HCV in high-risk hemodialysis patients with similar exposure to infection.
Money and Productive Efficiency: Evidence from a High-Inflation Country This paper examines how money balances held by manufacturing firms affect their efficiency in generating sales revenue in a high-inflation economy. The analysis employs data from Turkish firms to estimate a stochastic frontier model, finding a strong positive association between the firms' money holdings and their efficiency. However, the role of money balances seems to diminish as firms hold higher raw material inventories.
Planar relative equilibrium vortices with free boundaries A variational characterization is employed to find isolated vortices-steady solutions of the two-dimensional Euler equations-as relative equilibrium solutions. The steady states are parametrized by the values of invariant integrals of the dynamical system corresponding to the physical quantities of enstrophy, positive and negative circulation and linear and angular momentum. The variational principles can be treated analytically in special configurations but are solved numerically in other cases, where the optimization scheme by Eydeland solves for the free boundaries. We find continuous distributions of vorticity on supports that are not necessarily simply connected. For special choices of the parameter values isolated mono-, di-, tri- and quadrupolar vortices are found.
Informational uses of spiritual information: an analysis of messages reportedly transmitted by extraphysical means This article explores informational uses of spiritual information presented in spiritual publications. Informational use entails cognitive or communicational activity that — on the basis of information — focuses on representations of the perceived existence, whereas practical use of information centres on tangible — material or energetic — activities of the real world. Some earlier research has been done on the informational uses of information, but spiritual information has been ignored almost altogether in this context. The empirical work was grounded on a representative sample of spiritual texts. The method of analysing the data was inductive content analysis. The main result of this study was the discovery and dissection of three fundamental varieties of informational information use: internalizing information, processing knowledge, and externalizing knowledge. The classification constructed in this study can be seen as a useful tool for further investigation into information use, but it should be refined in subsequent research.
A self-reference sensing technique for ultra-sensitive chemical and biological detection using whispering gallery microresonators Ultra-sensitive and label-free chemical and biological sensing devices are of great importance to biomedical research, clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and homeland security applications. Optical sensors based on ultra-highquality Whispering-Gallery-Mode (WGM) micro-resonators, in which light-matter interactions are significantly enhanced, have shown great promise in achieving compact sensors with high sensitivity and reliability. However, traditional sensing mechanisms based on monitoring the frequency shift of a single resonance faces challenges since the resonant frequency is sensitive not only to the sensing targets but also to many types of disturbances in the environment, such as temperature variation and mechanical instability of the system. The analysis of the signals is also affected by the positions of sensing targets on the resonator. Thus, it is difficult to distinguish signals coming from different sources, which introduces 'false positive' detection. We report a novel self-reference sensing mechanism based on mode splitting, a phenomenon in which a high-quality optical mode in a WGM resonator splits into two modes due to intra-cavity Rayleigh scattering. In particular, we demonstrated that the two split modes that can be induced by a single nanoparticle reside in the same resonator and serve as a reference to each other. As a result, a self-reference sensing scheme is formed. This allows us to develop a position-independent sensing scheme to accurately estimate the sizes of nanoparticles. So far we have achieved position-independent detecting and sizing of single nanoparticles down to 20 nm in radius with a single-shot measurement using an on-chip high-quality WGM microtoroid resonator.
Analytically Expressed Dispersion Diagram of Unit Cells for a Novel Type of Holographic Surface A novel type of surface-impedance modulation mechanism for designing of microstrip-technology-based surface-wave-excited holographic antennas is proposed. The advanced radiating geometry consists of quasi-periodic arrangement of unit cells operating in the leaky-wave region. Flexible design requires a considerable numerical effort determining the dispersion characteristics of any possible unit cell present in the geometry. In this context, an analytic determination of the dispersion diagram for a unit cell with a sinusoidal modulation of the effective dielectric constant in its inside is presented. In this particular case, the solution is expressed in terms of Mathieu functions. The good agreement between numerical data and analytic solutions for an open, unbounded microstrip structure allows introducing the principle of a novel type of holographic surface obtained by cascading unit cells with different modulation parameters, where the phase of the radiating field can be geometrically controlled.
What are we teaching about lifting and transferring patients? Lifting patients under the axilla has been found to be physically stressful for nurses and uncomfortable for patients. The goals of this study were to find out: how often educators teach this method and observe it in the clinical field; which assistive devices are used in teaching; and what authors of textbooks teach about the under-axilla method. A questionnaire was sent to 546 baccalaureate (BS) and associate (AD) degree programs; 358 educators responded and 337 responses were analyzed. Eighty-three percent of the educators teach the under-axilla method for in- and out-of-bed transfers; 94% observe it used in the clinical field. For lifting up in bed, 56% teach the under-axilla method; 86% observe it in the clinical field. When assistive devices are included in teaching, the hydraulic lift and gait belt are taught most often; less stressful and more comfortable devices are not taught or observed by most respondents. None of the authors of the 3 most frequently used textbooks describe the use of the under-axilla method; authors of 2 textbooks state patients should not have pressure placed on the axilla area.
[Tracing investigation and analysis of a Clostridium botulinum food poisoning incident in Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang]. To analyze a suspected case of Clostridium botulinum food poisoning in Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang and to help validating the diagnosis and providing technical support for clinical treatment. The basic information and clinical manifestations of food poisoning cases were investigated by using the epidemiological method of food safety accidents. The botulinum toxin genes in the samples were detected by real-time PCR and inoculation of KM mouse. The enriched bacteria were further purified and validated. PFGE and cluster analysis were performed on five isolates. Clostridium botulinum type A was detected in two homemade fermented bean samples and stool lavage fluid samples of three patients from enriched samples by toxin test and real-time PCR, and were further validated after isolation of Clostridium botulinum. PFGE showed 100% homology among five isolates. Five isolates of bacteria isolated from the stool lavage fluid of three patients and two homemade fermented bean curd were identified as the same source through PFGE. The cause of this food poisoning cases is food pollution of Clostridium botulinum type A.
Speed of information-processing and structural limitations by mentally retarded and dual-diagnosed retarded-schizophrenic persons. Three experiments were conducted in an investigation of information-processing capabilities of mentally retarded adults, nonretarded children (mental age control), and nonretarded adults (chronological age control). In all experiments, one of two target stimuli was presented to the center and to the right or left of central fixation. Subjects were required to detect the presence of a stimulus in a yes-no forced-choice paradigm (Experiment 1), identify which of the two targets had been presented in a forced-choice discrimination paradigm (Experiment 2), or distinguish between the targets in a forced-choice discrimination task when the target was preceded by, presented stimultaneously with, or followed by a patterned noninformational masking stimulus. The findings support the theory of a structural defect in mentally retarded persons that results in slow information-processing.
China--the politics of revolutionary reintegration culture, and politics—is the account of what Witke saw, not the tale that Chiang Ch'ing told. The pleated skirts and the personal movie collection; the lush secret garden; the sumptuous life, with its retinue of innumerable courtiers, air conditioning, billiards, swimming pools emptied and refilled at the snap of a finger; the private airplanes; elaborate photographic equipment; quiet vacation spots that could be escaped to at a whim—one cannot help wondering if this is not a very ordinary ruling group with all the perquisites of state power. Witke makes no claims that this "proletarian-imperial" style of life holds in all aspects beyond Chiang Ch'ing. She notes that Chiang Ch'ing insisted time and again that her political initiatives were her own and often went against the will of Mao Tse-tung (pp. 224, 226, 240, 301).
Distinct Escape Mechanisms of HLA Class I Allele-Lacking Hematopoietic Stem Progenitor Cells (HSPCs) from GPI-Deficient HSPCs in Acquired Aplastic Anemia [Background] In cases of immune-mediated bone marrow (BM) failure, such as acquired aplastic anemia (AA) and AA/PNH, aberrant hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) that acquire resistance to immune attack are thought to survive and support hematopoiesis in convalescent patients. Two representative progenies of such "escape" HSPC clones are HLA class I allele-lacking (HLA[-]) leukocytes and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein-deficient (GPI[-]) cells. The mechanism underlying the immune selection of HLA(-) HSPCs is the failure of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) to recognize target antigens that are presented by particular HLA class I alleles of HSPCs. However, the mechanisms underlying the immune selection of GPI(-) HSPCs remain unclear. In addition, whether or not immune pressure that persists after immunosuppressive therapy (IST) contributes to the development and maintenance of clonal hematopoiesis by HLA(-) or GPI(-) HSPCs that are often seen in patients in long-term remission is also unknown. Phenotypical analyses of HSPCs that can be obtained from peripheral blood (PB) of AA patients who possess HLA(-) or GPI(-) leukocytes may provide a hint to elucidate these unsolved issues. [Objectives/Methods] We analyzed PB lineage-CD45dimCD34+CD38+ HSPCs of 15 AA patients who had 1%-99% HLA-A2(-) or HLA-A24(-) granulocytes (Gs) using flow cytometry (FCM). PB samples from 1 patient with severe AA were obtained before IST while the other 14 patients were in remission at the time of sampling; 10 were on cyclosporin (CsA) and eltrombopag (EPAG) (n=1), CsA and anabolic steroids (n=3), CyA (n=4), anabolic steroids (n=1) and EPAG alone (n=1); and 4 were free of therapy. We also determined the percentages of HLA(-) cells in different CD34+ subsets of BM, including HSCs (CD38-CD90+CD45RA-), MPPs, CMPs, GMPs, MEPs and CLPs for patients whose BM cells were available. Six AA/PNH patients whose GPI(-) Gs were 4-99% of the total Gs were subjected to the same PB HSPC analysis. For a separate group of seven AA patients who responded to CsA and had both HLA(-) and GPI(-) G populations, the percentages of each population were serially determined over one to 12 years. [Results] FCM identified 0.01%-0.4% (median 0.01%) CD45dimCD34+CD38+ HSPCs in the mononuclear cell population of the 15 AA patients, values that were significantly lower than those of seven healthy volunteers (0.19-0.78%, median 0.58%, P<0.05). In 4 of the 9 patients on treatment and in 4 patients who had been free of therapy, the percentages of HLA(-) cells in HSPCs were similar to those of Gs (1%/1%, 1%/1%, 14%/15% and 100%/98% in the 4 treated patients; 16%/11% in the untreated patient; 13%/13%, 95%/95%, 99%/99% and 99%/99% in the 4 patients in remission after therapy). BM subsets including HSCs of 2 patients whose Gs and PB HSPCs lacked HLA-A2 almost completely, were 99% negative for HLA-A2. In contrast, in the remaining 6 patients, the percentages of HLA(-) cells in HSPCs were markedly lower than those in Gs (0%/25%, 2%/7%, 4%/65%, 6%/77% [Case 1], 9%/75% and 10%/39% [Case 2]), suggesting the persistence of CTL attack against HPCs or more differentiated myeloid cells (Figure 1). In contrast to HLA(-) PB HSPCs, there was no discordance in the percentage of GPI(-) cells between PB Gs and HSPCs (4%/4%, 49%/50%, 94%/100%, 96%/96%, 96%/99% and 99%/92%) in all 6 AA/PNH patients including 3 responding to CsA. Lastly, serial changes in the percentage of PB HLA(-) and GPI(-) Gs during CsA therapy were compared in seven patients who possessed both aberrant cells. In 4 patients who were responding to CsA, the HLA(-) G percentage gradually decreased in 3 and remained stable in the remaining one, while the GPI(-) G percentage reciprocally increased in 3 and remained stable in one. In contrast, in 3 patients who obtained sustained remission after CsA therapy, the HLA(-) G percentage increased after cessation of CsA. The GPI(-) G percentages decreased in 1 and remained unchanged in 2 (Figure 2). [Conclusions] Immune selection that favors the survival of HLA(-) HSPCs or HPCs takes place even in AA patients who have been in remission for many years after successful IST and may contribute to clonal hematopoiesis by HLA(-) HSPCs. Given no signs of selection at the HSPC stage and the reciprocal increases in the percentage of GPI(-) Gs in AA/PNH patients responding to CsA therapy, the proliferation of GPI(-) HSPCs may not be affected by immune pressure in convalescent patients. Yoroidaka: Ono Pharmaceutical: Honoraria. Nakao:Ono Pharmaceutical: Honoraria; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd: Honoraria; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Novartis Pharma K.K: Honoraria; SynBio Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Daiichi-Sankyo Company, Limited: Honoraria; Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K.: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Ohtsuka Pharmaceutical: Honoraria; Alaxion Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Kyowa Kirin: Honoraria.
Registry-Managed Care Coordination and Education for Patients With Co-occurring Diabetes and Serious Mental Illness. OBJECTIVE Longitudinal changes in health outcomes of patients with serious mental illness and co-occurring diabetes were examined after introduction of an intervention involving electronic disease management, care coordination, and personalized patient education. METHODS This observational cohort study included 179 patients with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type 2 at a behavioral health home in Chicago. The intervention employed a care coordinator who used a diabetes registry to integrate services; patients also received personalized diabetes self-management education. Outcomes included glucose, lipid, and blood pressure levels as assessed by glycosylated hemoglobin, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and systolic/diastolic values from electronic medical records and completion of specialty visits confirmed with optometrists and podiatrists. Interrupted time-series segmented random-effects regression models tested for level changes in the eight study quarters following intervention implementation compared with eight preimplementation study quarters, controlling for clinic site and preimplementation secular trends. RESULTS Significant declines were found in levels of glucose, lipids, and blood pressure postimplementation. In addition, completed optometry referrals increased by 44% and completed podiatry referrals increased by 60%. CONCLUSIONS Significant improvement in medical outcomes was found among patients of a behavioral health home who had comorbid diabetes and mental illness after introduction of a multicomponent care coordination intervention, regardless of which clinic they attended.
Deep learning-based learning to rank with ties for image re-ranking In existing learning to rank problems, the learned ranking function sorts objects according to their predicted scores. Therefore, a full-ordering object list is obtained even if two or more objects have almost identical degrees of relevance (or called objects with ties). For objects containing ties, a more reasonable ranking approach is to learn a ranking function which can judge both the preference and ties relationships among objects. In this paper, we propose a new pairwise ranking algorithm and apply it to image re-ranking. Specifically, we utilize deep learning to re-rank images based on a new loss function. The ties-relationship is considered in both training and testing process. As a result, the learned ranking function can be used to rank objects containing ties. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Effect of topical lignocaine on the sympathoadrenal responses to tracheal intubation. The catecholamine and cardiovascular responses to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation have been studied in 30 patients undergoing elective gynaecological surgery, allocated randomly to one of three groups: group 1 received 4% lignocaine 160 mg using a Forrester Spray; group 2 received 4% lignocaine 160 mg by "Laryng-o-jet"; group 3 received an equal volume of saline administered by Forrester Spray. In all three groups, there were similar and statistically significant increases in mean arterial pressure and plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations 1 min after intubation, with diminution of these responses by 5 min after intubation. There were no differences between the three groups at any stage, which suggests that topical anaesthesia of the mucosa of the upper airway, as performed conventionally, is ineffective as a means of ameliorating the pressor and catecholamine responses to routine laryngoscopy and intubation.
Pre- and Postemergence Herbicides for Row Middle Weed Control in Vegetable Plasticulture Production Systems In plasticulture vegetable production systems, broadleaf weeds and grasses emerge in the crop planting holes and between the raised beds. Weeds emerging on the bare ground between the raised beds can be the most difficult to control. Experiments were conducted in the spring and fall of 2014 at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm, FL, to evaluate a range of herbicides for use in row middles in vegetable crops. Weed counts and control ratings did not differ over time and as a result are averaged across 2, 4, and 8 wk after treatment. In the absence of PRE herbicides, carfentrazone did not differ from the nontreated control, whereas paraquat reduced total weed density by 67 and 61% in the spring and fall, respectively. In the fall, carfentrazone tank-mixed with flumioxazin, S-metolachlor + flumioxazin, or paraquat tank-mixed with flumioxazin, S-metolachlor, metribuzin, or S-metolachlor + flumioxazin had 81 to 90% fewer broadleaf weeds than the nontreated control. Total weed density was 70 to 90% lower than the nontreated control when carfentrazone was tank-mixed with flumioxazin or S-metolachlor + flumioxazin or paraquat was tank-mixed with flumioxazin, S-metolachlor, oxyfluorfen, metribuzin or S-metolachlor + flumioxazin. Similar trends occurred in the spring. A tank mix of a soil residual herbicide and POST burn-down herbicides tended to have a greater reduction in weed numbers compared to the POST treatment alone. The most consistent row middle tank-mixes were paraquat tank-mixed with flumioxazin, S-metolachlor + flumioxazin, or S-metolachlor + oxyfluorfen. Nomenclature: EPTC; fomesafen; halosulfuron; napropamide; S-metolachlor; purple nutsedge, Cyperus rotundus L.; tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.
An Improved Exponential Distributed Power Control Algorithm for MIMO Cellular Systems MIMO is a key technology in the fourth generation cellular mobile communication system. Because of channel reuse, it may bring with serious co-channel interference (CCI). In order to reduce such interference, an improved distributed power control algorithm has been proposed. The exponential iteration has been taken in this algorithm, whose convergence speed is much faster than traditional arithmetic iterations. Moreover, in order to improve its robustness, the previous power in iterations has been added in current power iterative equation as a weighted feedback. In addition, this algorithm has been extended into multi-user MIMO cellular communication system. Compared to traditional algorithms, simulation results show that its iterative convergence rate is faster and its efficiency function is more efficient.
Recombinant Brucella abortus proteins that induce proliferation and gamma-interferon secretion by CD4+ T cells from Brucella-vaccinated mice and delayed-type hypersensitivity in sensitized guinea pigs. Optimal protective immunity to Brucella abortus infection is dependent on a coordinate interaction between different T-cell subsets which leads to an antigen-specific T-lymphocyte-mediated activation of macrophages, the main cellular reservoir for the bacterium. As an initial step in the identification of bacterial proteins that mediate cellular immunity, we have subcloned the B. Abortus ssb, uvrA, GroES, and GroEL genes into the prokaryotic expression vector pMAL-c2 using PCR. Escherichia coli DH5 alpha was transformed with the pMAL-ssb, pMAL-uvrA, pMAL-GroES, and pMAL-GroEL constructs separately, and gene expression was induced by isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside. The resulting fusion proteins were purified by affinity chromatography and confirmed by Western blot analysis using an anti-maltose-binding protein antibody. Furthermore, we have examined the pattern of T helper (Th) cell response from vaccinated BALB/c mice after in vitro stimulation with the recombinant (r) fusion proteins. In addition to T-cell proliferative responses, CD4+ T cells were tested for interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) secretion. Primed CD4+ T cells proliferated to the rUvrA, rGroES, and rGroEL, but not to rSsb. The cytokine profile of the proliferating cells was characteristic of a Th1 type, as we detected IL-2 and IFN-gamma but not IL-4 in the T-cell culture supernatants. The recombinant B. abortus proteins were also screened in vivo to their ability to elicit DTH reaction in Brucella-sensitized guinea pigs. Moreover, the results of this study suggest that B. abortus rUvrA, rGroES, and rGroEL might be important sources of potentially protective molecules.
Psychological well-being in parents of children with Angelman, Cornelia de Lange and Cri du Chat syndromes. BACKGROUND The current study focuses on mothers and fathers of children with three rare genetic syndromes that are relatively unexplored in terms of family experience: Angelman syndrome, Cornelia de Lange syndrome and Cri du Chat syndrome. METHOD Parents of children with Angelman syndrome (n =15), Cornelia de Lange syndrome (n = 16) and Cri du Chat syndrome (n = 18), and a matched comparison group of parents of children with autism and intellectual disabilities (n = 20) completed questionnaires on both psychological distress (stress, anxiety, depression) and positive psychological functioning. RESULTS Parents of children with Angelman syndrome consistently reported the highest levels of psychological distress, and parents of children with Cornelia de Lange syndrome the lowest, with parents of children with Cri du Chat syndrome and autism scoring between these two. Positive psychological functioning was similar across the four aetiology groups. CONCLUSIONS Parents of children with rare genetic syndromes are at risk for high levels of stress and mental health problems. Methodological issues and the practical applications of these results are discussed.
The Effect of Follow-up Contact in Reoccurrence of Psychiatric Readmission This study examined if clinical contact with clients within one week of discharge from an inpatient psychiatric facility had an influence on their readmission. One of the factors explored in this study was whether the impact of clinical contact could reduce readmission rates after discharge used to develop intervention strategies to reduce readmission. The study found that those individuals who had a case management appointment set within the first seven days of discharge from an inpatient psychiatric facility was approximately eight times more likely than non-clinical referrals, 32 % vs. 4 %, to be not readmitted to an inpatient psychiatric facility. When this was examined even more closely, it was determined that case management appointments attended within the first day following discharge from an inpatient psychiatric facility was significantly associated with attendance following discharge. The number of individuals who attended case management appointments dropped approximately 50% within 24 hours of discharge, as compared with the number of individuals who attended appointments following two days after discharge (18 % to 8 %). This trend continued as time progressed for the first two to seven days following discharge from an inpatient psychiatric facility, where the attendance of a clinical appointment dropped to 4% within seven days following discharge. These findings have implications on what type of clinical contact should be pursued following discharge from an inpatient facility, and how soon that appointment should be accomplished in order to decrease readmissions.
Investigating the Anticancer Properties of Novel Functionalized Platinum(II)–Terpyridine Complexes Novel platinum(II) complexes of 4′-substituted terpyridine ligands were synthesized and characterized. Each complex had a different biomolecule (amine, glucose, biotin and hyaluronic acid) as a targeting motif, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes. We demonstrated that complexes can self-assemble in water into about 150 nm nanoparticles. Moreover, the complexes were assayed in vitro toward a panel of human cancer cell lines (ovarian adenocarcinoma A2780, lung cancer A549, breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231, neuroblastoma SHSY5Y) to explore the impact of the pendant moiety on the terpyridine toxicity. The platinum complex of terpyridine amine derivative, [Pt(TpyNH2)Cl]Cl, showed the best antiproliferative effect, which was higher than cisplatin and [Pt(Tpy)Cl]Cl. Selective in vitro antiproliferative activity was achieved in A549 cancer cells with the Pt–HAtpy complex. These findings underline the potential of these novel platinum(II) complexes in cancer therapy and highlight the importance of tailored molecular design for achieving enhanced therapeutic effects.
Design and implementation of an adaptive dispatching controller for elevator systems during uppeak traffic We design a dispatching controller for elevator systems during uppeak passenger traffic with the ability to adapt to changing operating conditions. The design of this controller is motivated by our previous paper (1997) where we proved that for a queuing model of the uppeak dispatching problem a threshold policy is optimal (in the sense of minimizing the average passenger waiting time) with threshold parameters that depend on the passenger arrival rate. The controller, which we call the concurrent estimation dispatching algorithm (CEDA), uses concurrent estimation techniques for discrete-event systems. The CEDA allows us to observe the elevator system while it operates under some arbitrary thresholds, and concurrently estimate, in an unobtrusive way, what the waiting time would have been had the system operated under a set of different thresholds. These concurrently estimated waiting times are used to adapt the operating thresholds to match the elevator service rate to a changing passenger arrival rate. Implementation issues relating to the limited state information provided by actual elevator systems are resolved in a way that maintains modest computational requirements and avoids the need for supplemental sensors beyond those already typically provided. Numerical performance results show the advantages of the CEDA over currently used dispatching algorithms for uppeak.
Trade Credit in an Overconfident Supply Chain We propose a price-only trade credit model in an overconfident supply chain with a price-setting newsvendor. Stackelberg equilibrium in different scenarios are derived, respectively. The retailer’s pricing power prevents the manufacturer from squeezing all profit. When the manufacturer knows the retailer holds a different overconfidence parameter, the optimal wholesale price decreases in the manufacturer’s overconfidence, while when the manufacturer believes that the retailer holds the same overconfidence parameter as it, this monotonicity may not be valid. Bilateral overconfidence may partially coordinate the supply chain. Retailer’s strategic default induces a higher wholesale price, while its impacts on the equilibrium retail price and order quantity depend on the bankruptcy cost coefficient. We present the impacts of the manufacturer’s capital constraint and retailer’s risk-aversion.
Transfer of Parahydrogen Induced Polarization in Scalar Coupled Systems at Variable Magnetic Field Abstract Para-Hydrogen Induced Polarization (PHIP) experiments were performed in coupled multispin systems at variable magnetic fields. We studied the magnetic field dependence of PHIP in styrene, which is the product of hydrogenation of phenylacetylene. At low magnetic fields where the spins are coupled strongly by scalar interaction efficient polarization transfer among the interacting protons takes place. The experimentally observed spectra are in good agreement with the simulation, which takes into account eight coupled spins. We also demonstrate effects of nuclear spin level anti-crossings on the PHIP pattern. It is shown that rapid passage through the level anti-crossing enables highly efficient polarization transfer between specific spin orders. In addition, we studied PHIP transfer to 13C and 19F hetero-nuclei. It is shown that hetero-nuclei can be efficiently polarized in a wide field range; in particular, for polarizing them it is not necessary to go to ultra-low fields, which provide their strong coupling to protons. The resulting polarization is of the multiplet type and gives strong enhancements of the individual NMR lines. In general, variation of the magnetic field gives the opportunity for manipulating PHIP patterns and transferring polarization to target spins of choice.
CLOUD MICROPHYSICS AND THE TROPICAL CLIMATE � IDEALIZED AQUAPLANET SIMULATIONS USING THE CLOUD RESOLVING CONVECTION PARAMETERIZATION CRCP This paper presents results from idealized simu lations using a nonhydrostatic general circulation model with Cloud Resolving Convection Parame terization CRCP the super parameterization Grabowski hereafter G The cornerstone of CRCP is to use a D cloud resolving model to represent the impact of cloud scale processes such as convective motions precipitation formation and fallout interaction of clouds with radiative and surface processes in every column of a large scale or global model We consider an idealized prob lem of convective radiative equilibrium on a rotat ing constant SST C aquaplanet with the size and rate of rotation of the Earth as in section of
Limit Theorems for Randomly Selected Ratios of Order Statistics from a Pareto Distribution Abstract Consider independent and identically distributed random variables {X nk , 1 ≤ k ≤ m, n ≥ 1} from the Pareto distribution. We randomly select a pair of order statistics from each row, X n(i) and X n(j), where 1 ≤ i < j ≤ m. Then we test to see whether or not Strong and Weak Laws of Large Numbers with nonzero limits for weighted sums of the random variables X n(j)/X n(i) exist where we place a prior distribution on the selection of each of these possible pairs of order statistics.
[Dementia in the elderly. A 3-year project]. In order to meet the need of proper examination and treatment of memory problems in the elderly a specialized unit of psychogeriatrics has been established as a pilot project. In the period from September 1986 to April 1988, 146 persons were examined, 42% as outpatients and 58% as inpatients. The average age was 75.3 years. 54% had dementia senilis and 16% other sorts of dementia. 30% were not demented: 14% had a psychiatric illness, 8% organic damage or illness of the brain and 7% were confused. Overdose or wrong use of psychopharmacological drugs was a frequent problem, and cutting out the medication, regulating the dose, or changing to another medicine had surprising consequences. The further treatment was planned in cooperation with the patient's family and the community health service. A follow-up after nine months indicated that this was a positive procedure for the patients, and that the unit was a professional resource to the local health services in the whole district. The hospital has now been allocated funds from the Government to function as a competence centre for part of Eastern Norway.
Passive in Danish, English, and German We show how the variation in the passive in Danish, English, and German can be accounted for. The dimensions in which the three languages differ are the existence of a morphological passive in Danish a subject requirement in Danish and English resulting in expletive insertion in impersonal constructions in Danish and absence of impersonal passives in English the possibility to promote the secondary object to subject in Danish The differences are accounted for by differences in the structural/lexical case distinction and by mapping processes that insert expletives in Danish. The passive in general is accounted for by a lexical rule that is uniform across languages and hence captures the generalization regarding passive.
Detecting Persistent One-Sided Intervention in Foreign Exchange Markets: A Simple Test This paper examines currency manipulation policy in foreign exchange markets. In particular, we focus on whether a country has implemented asymmetric interventions that mostly lean against the appreciation wind in foreign exchange markets. Using quarterly data from 1998:Q1 to 2017:Q2 for Switzerland and 13 emerging countries, we find that three countries, China, Malaysia, and Taiwan, have engaged in persistent one-sided interventions. A further rolling regression analysis shows that India, Thailand, Singapore, and Switzerland may start to engage in one-sided intervention in the more recent years.
Stereoselective metabolism of fenoxaprop-ethyl and its chiral metabolite fenoxaprop in rabbits. The stereoselective metabolism of the enantiomers of fenoxaprop-ethyl (FE) and its primary chiral metabolite fenoxaprop (FA) in rabbits in vivo and in vitro was studied based on a validated chiral high-performance liquid chromatography method. The information of in vivo metabolism was obtained by intravenous administration of racemic FE, racemic FA, and optically pure (-)-(S)-FE and (+)-(R)-FE separately. The results showed that FE degraded very fast to the metabolite FA, which was then metabolized in a stereoselective way in vivo: (-)-(S)-FA degraded faster in plasma, heart, lung, liver, kidney, and bile than its antipode. Moreover, a conversion of (-)-(S)-FA to (+)-(R)-FA in plasma was found after injection of optically pure (-)-(S)- and (+)-(R)-FE separately. Either enantiomers were not detected in brain, spleen, muscle, and fat. Plasma concentration-time curves were best described by an open three-compartment model, and the toxicokinetic parameters of the two enantiomers were significantly different. Different metabolism behaviors were observed in the degradations of FE and FA in the plasma and liver microsomes in vitro, which were helpful for understanding the stereoselective mechanism. This work suggested the stereoselective behaviors of chiral pollutants, and their chiral metabolites in environment should be taken into account for an accurate risk assessment.
Characterization of nuclear microsatellite loci in the Neotropical tree Parkia panurensis (Fabaceae). PREMISE OF THE STUDY We present here a set of nine polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci, identified for the first time within the neotropical legume tree species Parkia panurensis Benth. ex H. C. Hopkins, which is widespread in western and central Amazonia. METHODS AND RESULTS To characterize these loci, 33 Parkia panurensis adult trees were analyzed. The number of alleles ranged from eight to 32, with an average of 14.4 alleles per locus. Mean expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.74 to 0.955. CONCLUSIONS All nine loci could also be verified in six other Parkia species and polymorphic fragments amplified. The new marker set can be used for future studies of genetic diversity and differentiation, as well as estimation of gene flow and parentage analyses in various Parkia species.
A Probable Long Barrow, High Melton, South Yorkshire Nos 5 and 6 are lozenge-sectioned penannular bracelets with overlapping ends of Rowlands's Class Cib (1976, g 1—94). They are frequently found in ornament hoards, and have a distribution closely comparable to that of the spiral twisted tores, perhaps representing the use of bronze rod of similar section in untwisted form. No. 7 is a D-sectioned decorated annular bracelet of Rowlands's Class D2 (1976, 91-95). The only example known with a comparable decoration of light incisions is from the Ebbesbourne Wake hoard, Wilts. (Rowlands 1976, 271, no. 155, 15 and pi. 1, 15). There the incised chevrons form a more coherent pattern of lozenges, but the similarity of size, section and decoration is very close. All the items can therefore be well paralleled in Middle Bronze Age ornament hoards of southern England, and the hoard as a whole fits very well into the established regional pattern. Rowlands (1976, 111—13, 136—37) has drawn attention to a Dorset/South Wiltshire metalworking tradition, characterized in particular by small hoards containing a limited range of ornaments only, showing affinities both to the Somerset/Devon industry to the west and the South Coast industry to the east. The South Wonston hoard conforms exactly, since the tores and bracelets link it to the Somerset hoards, and the incised annular bracelet belongs to a general family more common in the South Coast industry. The South Wonston and Ebbesbourne Wake hoards are the only recorded examples of the association of twisted tores, penannular bracelets and decorated annular bracelets. The discovery of this hoard offers an appropriate opportunity to publish a fragment of a quoit-headed pin, newly recognized in Winchester City Museum.
Impacts of Different Physical Parameterization Configurations on Widespread Heavy Rain Forecast over the Northern Area of Vietnam in WRF-ARW Model This study investigates the impacts of different physical parameterization schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting model with the ARW dynamical core (WRF-ARW model) on the forecasts of heavy rainfall over the northern part of Vietnam (Bac Bo area). Various physical model configurations generated from different typical cumulus, shortwave radiation, and boundary layer and from simple to complex cloud microphysics schemes are examined and verified for the cases of extreme heavy rainfall during 2012–2016. It is found that the most skilled forecasts come from the Kain–Fritsch (KF) scheme. However, relating to the different causes of the heavy rainfall events, the forecast cycles using the Betts–Miller–Janjic (BMJ) scheme show better skills for tropical cyclones or slowly moving surface low-pressure system situations compared to KF scheme experiments. Most of the sensitivities to KF scheme experiments are related to boundary layer schemes. Both configurations using KF or BMJ schemes show that more complex cloud microphysics schemes can also improve the heavy rain forecast with the WRF-ARW model for the Bac Bo area of Vietnam.
Temperature Variability Differs in Urban Agroecosystems across Two Metropolitan Regions Climatically similar regions may experience different temperature extremes and weather patterns that warrant global comparisons of local microclimates. Urban agroecosystems are interesting sites to examine the multidimensional impacts of climate changes because they rely heavily on human intervention to maintain crop production under different and changing climate conditions. Here, we used urban community gardens across the California Central Coast metropolitan region, USA, and the Melbourne metropolitan region, Australia, to investigate how habitat-scale temperatures differ across climatically similar regions, and how people may be adapting their gardening behaviors to not only regional temperatures, but also to the local weather patterns around them. We show that, while annual means are very similar, there are strong interregional differences in temperature variability likely due to differences in the scale and scope of the temperature measurements, and regional topography. However, the plants growing within these systems are largely the same. The similarities may be due to gardeners’ capacities to adapt their gardening behaviors to reduce the adverse effects of local temperature variability on the productivity of their plot. Thus, gardens can serve as sites where people build their knowledge of local weather patterns and adaptive capacity to climate change and urban heat. Climate-focused studies in urban landscapes should consider how habitat-scale temperature variability is a background for interesting and meaningful social-ecological interactions.
Text mining patient experiences from online health communities Social media has had an impact on how patients experience healthcare. Through online channels, patients are sharing information and their experiences with potentially large audiences all over the world. While sharing in this way may offer immediate benefits to themselves and their readership (e.g. other patients) these unprompted, self-authored accounts of illness are also an important resource for healthcare researchers. They offer unprecedented insight into understanding patients’experience of illness. Work has been undertaken through qualitative analysis in order to explore this source of data and utilising the information expressed through these media. However, the manual nature of the analysis means that scope is limited to a small proportion of the hundreds of thousands of authors who are creating content. In our research, we aim to explore utilising text mining to support traditional qualitative analysis of this data. Text mining uses a number of processes in order to extract useful facts from text and analyse patterns within – the ultimate aim is to generate new knowledge by analysing textual data en mass. We developed QuTiP – a Text Mining framework which can enable large scale qualitative analyses of patient narratives shared over social media. In this thesis, we describe QuTiP and our application of the framework to analyse the accounts of patients living with chronic lung disease. As well as a qualitative analysis, we describe our approaches to automated information extraction, term recognition and text classification in order to automatically extract relevant information from blog post data. Within the QuTiP framework, these individual automated approaches can be brought together to support further analyses of large social media datasets.
Determinants of visiting a referral hospital for cervical cancer screening at Uganda Cancer Institute Abstract Background Despite the many cervical cancer prevention interventions recommended and supported by WHO and partners of low- and middle-income countries; the burden of cancer is high in Uganda and the East African region. Little is known about factors associated with participating in screening at a primary health facility (PHF) and referral to a high-level facility. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2018 at Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) among women visiting for cervical cancer screening. A structured questionnaire was used. Women suspected for cervical cancer and provided consent were enrolled and administered the questionnaire. Ethics review and approval was obtained from UCI research and ethics committee. A Stata version 14.1 software was used and Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses performed. Results Among 522 women enrolled, only 3.26% (17) had a formal referral note and 62.64% (327) had participated in cervical cancer screening before visiting UCI. There was a 17.65% false-positive rate among the referred women suspected with cervical cancer. 67.18% (131) among those who had never screened reported personal beliefs as a factor deterring their participation. Most women were aged between 35-44 years old (ORs=2.45, 95% CI = 1.61-3.72) who were divorced/widowed (ORs=1.89, 95% CI = 1.07-3.34) and drinking alcohol (ORs=0.51, 95% CI = 0.31-0.83). Among the referred women, 17.65% delayed to honour a referral request for more than a month because of socio-economic challenges. Factors such as high education level (ORs=0.11, 95% CI = 0.02-0.48) and confirmatory tests (ORs=6.10, 95% CI = 1.93-19.31) done at UCI were associated with referrals. Conclusions The present study identified factors associated with participation in screening at a PHF and referral to a high-level facility, which provides better understanding of lost follow-up after screening. Awareness in high risk groups, increase of screening facilities and integration of screening services with existing health programs is necessary. Legal entity responsible for the study The author. Funding Uganda Cancer Institute-African Development Bank capacity building fund. Disclosure The author has declared no conflicts of interest.
A New Method For Scanning Electron Microscopic Visualization Of Dermal Elastic Fibres Autoclaving sections of dermis for 8 h followed by fixation, dehydration and xylol‐air drying yields a pure preparation of elastic fibres for scanning electron microscopy which retains the native architecture of this component. Elastic fibres were intertwined in a complex fashion with numerous branches. Fibres were predominantly cylindrical in the upper dermis and became larger and more elliptical in the deeper dermis. This method produces a means to study the organization of elastic fibres in a variety of disorders in which dermal changes are prominent.
Highly sensitive detection of microcystin-LR under visible light using a self-powered photoelectrochemical aptasensor based on a CoO/Au/g-C3N4 Z-scheme heterojunction. Based on the unique photoelectrochemical properties of a CoO/Au/g-C3N4 Z-scheme heterojunction, a self-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor was constructed for the detection of microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR). Z-scheme heterojunctions can promote the separation of a photo-induced electron-hole pair, and the surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) of Au nanoparticles can significantly enhance the adsorption of visible light. Importantly, MC-LR molecules were captured by aptamers initially immobilized on the modified electrode due to their high affinity, and then oxidized by the photogenerated holes, which caused an amplified photocurrent signal, allowing the quantitative analysis of MC-LR by measuring the photocurrent intensity change. This PEC MC-LR aptasensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity within a wide linear response range from 0.1 pM to 10 nM and a detection limit of 0.01 pM. The application of this sensor in the analysis of lake water samples provided accurate results with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.6%-4.2%.
Distribution and Incidence of Iris yellow spot virus in Colorado and Its Relation to Onion Plant Population and Yield. Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) is an emerging and potentially devastating disease of onion that was recently detected in Colorado and other onion producing regions in the western United States. In annual surveys, IYSV was confirmed in one of 18 fields (5.6%) in 2001, four of 24 (16.7%) in 2002, and 41 of 56 (73.2%) in 2003. IYSV was confirmed on volunteer onions in 2003 at all four locations where IYSV was observed in the onion crop the previous year. The disease was detected in six of seven western Colorado onion fields surveyed in 2003, but was not observed any year in southern or northeastern Colorado. The spatial variability of disease incidence, yield, and plant population also was mapped in two fields in 2003 using the global positioning system and a geographic information system. Disease incidence varied among cultivars, plant population, fields, and location in the field. Distinct disease gradients were observed in both fields with susceptible cultivars Teton and Granero, but not in the moderately resistant cultivar Sterling. In fields planted to the susceptible cultivars, disease incidence was highest on the field edges and lowest near the field centers. Plant population was negatively correlated with IYSV incidence in cultivar Sterling (R2 = 0.56, P = 0.003), but not with the susceptible cultivars. Yield of jumbo market class onions, but not total yield, was negatively correlated with increasing IYSV incidence (R2 = 0.37, P = 0.012) in cultivar Teton. Colossal market class yield, but not other yield components, was negatively correlated with IYSV incidence in cultivar Sterling (R2 = 0.28, P = 0.061). The results of these studies indicate the distribution of IYSV is rapidly expanding in Colorado and is associated with a general reduction in bulb size.
Design and operational analyses of an electromagnetic hybrid shock absorber system for scooter application To effectively harvest the inherent vibration energies, feasibility of replacing those common mechanical shock absorbers that are mounted between the wheels and bogie of a scooter with electromagnetic motion device will be assessed. Instead of consuming additional energies to control the vibration patterns, the main design objectives are to produce the suspension forces to meet the maximum encountered force specifications, and to convert the input mechanical vibrations to electric energies directly. Based on proper emulation designs and electric output controls, the operational fluxes and dynamic characteristics of this hybrid suspension system at various operational conditions will be thoroughly investigated, and the satisfactory performances of the proposed system can then be systematically validated.
Treatment of women in the U.S. Social Security system, 1970-88. This article, a reprint of a paper presented in 1988 to the International Social Security Association, traces the debate from 1970 through 1988 over treatment of women in the Social Security system. It traces issues relating to working women, couples with two earners, homemakers, widows, and divorced women. It describes the debate that led to widespread support for the concept of earnings sharing. It then addresses the paradox that despite continued widespread support for earnings sharing, despite continuation of the factors underlying its proposal, by 1988 no comprehensive legislation related to the treatment of women under Social Security had been enacted nor was being generally contemplated. This is still true in 1993. The article argues that apparently insoluble, inherent conflicts among the objectives underlying earnings sharing ultimately doomed its enactment. Cost considerations, the realization of unintended side effects, and issues relating to transition to a very different Social Security system also helped remove earnings sharing from the legislative agenda. The article also describes the role policy analysis played in the debate over this proposed reform.
Prediction of flood depth detection system from rainfall with normal, alert and hazard levels based on fuzzy logic Floods are natural calamities that frequently transpire and are of primary concern for governmental entities due to their potential for significant losses and casualties. Heavy rainfall and overflowing water stand as the primary triggers for flooding. Many communities lack adequate knowledge to forecast floods, thus necessitating technological interventions for early water depth detection and issuing flood warnings. This study devised a water depth detection system based on fuzzy logic using Arduino as a microcontroller. The system employs ultrasonic sensors for water level detection and a Tipping Bucket for precipitation measurement. Its primary objective is to establish a system capable of issuing early flood warnings through alarms. The outcome of this research entails the implementation of an Arduino Uno-based flood detection system that aids users in monitoring water levels and anticipating floods. Safety considerations are also addressed by incorporating fuzzy logic technology to forecast flood potential based on water level and rainfall data. The utilization of fuzzy logic enables the system to navigate uncertainties and ambiguities in data, thus furnishing more precise and dependable early warnings. Consequently, the findings of this study serve as a groundwork for the advancement of more sophisticated and efficient flood detection systems in the future.
RESEARCH NOTES: EVIDENCE OF RECENT POPULATION INCREASES IN COMMON EIDERS BREEDING IN LABRADOR Populations of several sea ducks are declining across their North American ranges (Sea Duck Joint Venture Management Board 2001), including populations of all 4 eider species (Somateria spp. and Polysticta steller; Kertell 1991, Stehn et al. 1993, Gratto-Trevor et al. 1998). Declines in common eider populations have been documented in Greenland, Hudson Bay, and Alaska (Robertson and Gilchrist 1998, Sudyam et al. 2000, Merkel 2004). Reasons behind these population decreases vary, and many are unclear. Factors identified as causing these declines include human disturbance, overharvesting, and climatic events (Robertson and Gilchrist 1998, Suydam et al. 2000, Merkel 2004). However, not all common eider populations in the north are decreasing; Christensen and Falk (2000) recently found evidence of population increase in an eider population in Northwest Greenland, while others have documented increases in Hudson Strait (Hipfner et al. 2001, Falardeau et al. 2003).
Combined laser-assisted microdissection and short tandem repeat analysis for detection of in situ microchimerism after solid organ transplantation. Following the transplantation of a solid organ leukocytes of donor origin migrate out of the organ, contributing to a chimeric blood cell population ("peripheral microchimerism"). At the same time, leukocytes and pluripotent precursor cells of the recipient migrate into the organ, creating an "in situ microchimerism." A method is described for the identification of cells with the recipient's genotype in the transplanted organ by combining laser-assisted microdissection and short tandem repeat analysis. The microdissection allows the contamination-free isolation of morphologically and immunohistochemically characterized cells or groups of cells from histological tissue sections. The subsequent analysis of highly polymorphic short tandem repeats enables unequivocal genotyping in nearly all donor-recipient instances. Employing this new methodological approach, we could identify in individual transplanted organs differentiated parenchymal cells of recipient's origin, which most probably are derived from circulating precursor cells from the bone marrow.
In vivo measurement of immunoglobulin accumulation in the pancreas of recent onset type 1 diabetic patients. OBJECTIVE The possibility to quantify in vivo the severity of the inflammatory process in the pancreas of patients with recent onset insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) could be of great relevance for follow-up studies involving immunotherapy. Scintigraphy with radiolabelled human polyclonal immunoglobulins (99mTc-HIG) is currently used for the diagnosis and follow-up of several acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. In this longitudinal study we have investigated to what extent 99mTc-HIG accumulate in the pancreas of patients with recent onset IDDM and in subjects at risk to develop IDDM. METHODS Combined computerised tomography and gamma camera imaging were used to measure the radioactivity in the pancreatic region, as the pancreas/bone radioactivity ratio (P/B). Patients with IDDM (n = 15) were investigated at the time of diagnosis and after 1 year. Five pre-diabetic ICA+ve subjects and 8 age and sex matched normal subjects were also investigated. RESULTS Eight out of 15 newly diagnosed IDDM patients and 2/5 ICA+ve subjects showed a significant accumulation of radiolabelled HIG in the pancreas (P/B higher than the upper 1st centile of normal subjects). One year after the diagnosis a significant accumulation of immunoglobulins was still detectable in the pancreas of IDDM patients positive who were positive at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that immunoglobulins home and bind to the pancreas of patients with recent onset IDDM and also in some ICA+ve individuals. This may reflect an increased vascular permeability of pancreatic capillaries as a consequence of the inflammatory process involving the islets. Thus, this technique may be useful for monitoring the efficacy of immune intervention at diagnosis.
On the origin and preservation of cumulative record in its struggle for life as a favored term. This paper offers a case study of the origins, emergence, and evolution of the term cumulative record as the name for the means by which B. F. Skinner brought his behavior under the control of his subject matter. Our methods included on-line searches, reviews of Skinner's publications, and journal codings and counts. The results reveal that the term is not originally attributable to Skinner, but emerged earlier in ordinary language and in another discipline--education. It was not even original to Skinner in print in his own science. Still, the term was once original to him, which we address with additional analyses of his having originated and advanced it. We conclude with a discussion the constraints of our methods, suggestions for future research, and the variable appreciation of technology and terminology in science studies.
Music Programs Designed to Remedy Burnout Symptoms Show Significant Effects after Five Weeks Earlier studies have demonstrated that music interventions can lessen symptoms of depression. Depression and burnout are closely related. We hypothesized that specially designed receptive music therapy programs and protocols might reduce the symptoms of burnout. In a four‐arm randomized, placebo‐ and waiting‐list‐controlled double‐blind study, including 150 participants, two specific music programs significantly reduced burnout symptoms after 5 weeks. The effects were maintained over a long time period. This newly developed method of receptive music therapy was also evaluated for the treatment of depression and dysthymia, with significant outcomes.