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Jan2023Abstracts

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In the fi rst issue of African Arts devoted to ephemeral art (vol. 42, no. 3, 2009), articles by Aimee Bessire, Dominique Malaquais, David Doris, and Stephanie Hornbeck demonstrated the creative depth and range of the ephemeral as a technique for exploring the intersections between the temporal, material, and epistemological dimensions of aesthetic practice in Africa. Whether manifested in metaphor, as a physical attribute of an object, or in the very real experience of transience and loss, these authors revealed how ephemeral art was variously implicated in acts of coping, cautioning, protection and self-determination. Th e present set of articles is, again, wildly diverse in approach, and yet equally compelling in their ability to bring new thinking to bear on material with which these authors have become intimately familiar. Interestingly, each study conveys a sense of something “on the verge”—Kuba boys who are almost men; a vodun shrine that is always only almost “fi nished” and on its way to becoming something else; a reliquary fi gure that is present only in the imaginary of its former owners. In these papers, we fi nd transition, transformation, absence, and fl ux to be the constitutive aspects of the artworks at hand. In her paper “Ephemeral Fang Reliquaries: A Post-History,” Jessica Martinez uses the idea of the ephemeral as way to consider what happened in Africa aft er these powerful, iconic fi gures were vilifi ed, destroyed, hidden, or otherwise absconded with en masse over a relatively short period of Gabon’s colonial history. As the author argues, this veritable emptying out of a tradition left “palpable” traces in the lives and imaginations of Libreville residents. In their absence, a politics of the imaginary engendered stories of occult power and mystery, galvanized ethnic and national pride and, most recently, has inspired a heritage campaign that has culminated in the collection of virtual reliquary fi gures. Th us, while Fang reliquary fi gures became ephemeral due to a confl uence of destructive historical forces, despite their absence, their effi cacy has endured. A major contribution of Martinez’s study of these Fang reliquary fi gures is that she turns our attention from their anointed place in museums and private collections to the people and situations they left behind, showing that the ephemeral can be an enabler of both fantasy and violence. Pulling together material from both the past and the immediate present, Martinez brings us to a new place for thinking about the life histories of these famed guardian fi gures. In “Southern Kuba Initiation Rites: Th e Ephemeral Face of Power and Secrecy,” author (and initiate) David Binkley more than describes this pivotal Kuba rite of passage from boyhood to adulthood. His exploration of how ephemerality plays into the symbolic, spatial, and material dimensions of art-making and performance opens us up to how art “works” at the intersection of language, knowledge, and visuality. One of the most signifi cant contrasts in the Kuba aesthetic hierarchy exists between the ownership of the prestigious and exquisitely craft ed arts of leadership, and the disposability of the roughly made, transient arts of the initiation camp. As Binkley points out, metaphors abound in the highly stratifi ed world of the Kuba that promote distinctions between the civilized world from that of the wild, the permanent from the temporary, the fi ne from the coarse, the mature from the young. However, it is in the very space of the ephemeral—the liminal, the threshold—where mingling is permitted, where secrets are revealed, and where it is knowledge and not art that constitutes the “permanent” measure of value and prestige. Here, knowledge takes priority over objects, though objects are implicated in the knowledge purveyed. Paradoxically, it is with ephemeral materials that the longevity of the institution of initiation is promoted.

2022-02-11T17:52:21.495Z

Brazil is the world´s largest producer, consumer and exporter of acerola. Due to its high content of vitamin C, acerola has great potential for industrialization and has triggered the interest of producers and the consumer market. However, in areas with acerola tree orchards there has been a reduction in fruit yield and quality, due to the occurrence of root-knot nematodes (RKN) Meloidogyne spp. The objective of the present study was to identify RKN species associated with acerola tree orchards in Sub-middle of Sao Francisco River Valley, Brazil. For this, 75 samples, containing soil and acerola tree roots, were collected in areas of the irrigated perimeters of Petrolina, Pernambuco state, and Juazeiro and Sobradinho, Bahia state, Brazil. Based on the analysis of the esterase phenotypes, a total of 75 populations were identified, of which three were mixtures: 72 presented the typical phenotype of M. enterolobii (En4), two of M. incognita (I1), two of M. arenaria (A2), one of M. javanica (J3) and one with an atypical phenotype (P1). The main acerola tree cultivars planted in the region were hosts of RKN species, with emphasis on M. enterolobii.

2022-04-23T13:42:44.235Z

A young man developed obstruction of the small bowel due to a neoplastic process, which in retrospect proved to be a primary granulocytic sarcoma, preceding acute granulocytic leukemia for more than 3 years. The histologic, histochemical and ultrastructural findings are presented, together with a review of the literature on granulocytic sarcomas, particularly those presenting as aleukemic forms. It is suggested that these forms may not be so rare and that careful search, using currently available methods, will be rewarding.

2022-10-07T00:16:15.972Z

Violence against women is a public health problem. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of physical and psychological violence in pregnant women. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with pregnant women attended at the Primary Healthcare Center of Mi Peru district located in Callao Region. In total 122 pregnant women participated with a mean age of 26.2 years $SD=6.2$; Range: 14 to 43), 20.5% $(n=25)$ were victims of physical violence at least once in their lifetime and 4.1% $(n=5)$ in the present pregnancy; the psychological violence at least once in their lifetime occurred in 25.4% $(n=31)$, while in the present pregnancy it was reported in 8.2% $(n=10)$. In both types of violence, the aggressor was ex-partner and victim's family, with the equanimous aggressor, motivated by jealousy and issues economical.

2022-12-09T20:00:43.106Z

An orientation transformation (OT) algorithm is presented that increases the effectiveness of performing activity recognition using body sensor networks (BSNs). One of the main limitations of current recognition systems is the requirement of maintaining a known, or original, orientation of the sensor on the body. The proposed OT algorithm overcomes this limitation by transforming the sensor data into the original orientation framework such that orientation dependent recognition algorithms can still be used to perform activity recognition irrespective of sensor orientation on body. The approach is tested on an orientation dependent activity recognition system which is based on dynamic time warping (DTW). The DTW algorithm is used to detect the activities after the data is transformed by OT. The precision and recall for the activity recognition for five subjects and five movements was observed to range from 74% to 100% and from 83% to 100%, respectively. The correlation coefficient between the transformed data and the data from the original orientation is above 0.94 on axis with well-defined patterns.

2022-12-16T02:18:58.670Z

Summary The isotope 15N was used to study the rate of exchange between unlabelled NH4-hydrobiotite and labelled solution NH4. Most of the isotopic dilution occurred within 10 minutes of adding the solution to the solid, but even after 13 days less mineral-NH4 had exchanged with isotope than was removed by several extractions with KC1 solution. NH4 remaining in the mineral after extraction with KC1, conventionally named ‘fixed ammonium’, contained some isotope which was sorbed without release of unlabelled NH4; the fixed ammonium was, therefore, not isotopically exchangeable. The sorption was shown to result from incomplete ammonium saturation of hydrobiotite, isotope slowly replacing interlayer cations trapped by lattice collapse. The rate of sorption was initially controlled by a temperature-dependent diffusion process for which the activation energies were between 9 and 13 kcal/ mole. In the later stages of the reaction the rate became progressively slower than predicted by the diffusion equation, and analysis of the kinetics suggested that, ultimately, exchange of cations at the sorption sites was the rate-limiting process.

2022-12-27T16:33:57.659Z

La fidelite et la precision de deux methodes d'estimation des proportions de rongeurs dans l'alimentation du chat forestier (Felis silvestris silvestris) a partir de l'analyse des feces, ont ete evaluees durant des tests alimentaires realises avec des chats forestiers captifs

2022-09-08T03:30:57.830Z

Abstract Less than a decade ago, a number of scholars began a renewed discussion of Heimat film with the confident assumption that they were speaking about a genre that was passé. These German language films about belonging and attachment to a place and community are almost unanimously condemned in academic circles, despite being consistently well received by the public. Regardless of their reception, Heimat films have experienced something of a renaissance since the 1990s and I would like to argue that the genre's recent resurgence is related less to birthplace or place in general, than to a sense of belonging derived from relationships with others and often enhanced by experiences, performances and spectacle. Discussion of two recent films, Tom Tykwer's Winterschläfer/Wintersleepers (X-Filme, 1997) and Sönke Wortmann's Das Wunder von Bern/The Miracle of Bern (Senator Film Produktion, 2003) will illustrate this point. However, they respond to different cues and forbears of the Heimat genre: Tykwer to the Bergfilm tradition and Wortmann to 1950s Heimat films which in turn mainly recreate folk tales. Both directors are inspired by the past, Tykwer reworks the Heimat genre critically for Wintersleepers, whereas Wortmann adopts it in this case seemingly with little reflection.

2022-09-12T00:08:16.791Z

Chitosan is a popular biomaterial used in tissue engineering. Fibers of chitosan could provide a favorable anatomical substrate for cell growth which provides a promising application for axonal regeneration during peripheral injury. Neuroepithelial stem cells (NEPs) are the most primitive neural stem cells with multipotential for neuronal and glia differentiation. To assess the biocompatibility between NEPs and chitosan fibers, and to explore whether the NEPs have the ability to differentiation on chitosan fibers, NEPs were harvested from the neural tube and seeded on chitosan fibers in in vitro culture. The biocompatibility of chitosan fibers was tested by MTT assays. The growth and survival were observed by light and scanning electronic microscope at different times in culture. And, the differentiation of NEPs was examined by immunocytochemical staining. The results indicated that NEPs could grow on the chitosan fibers and attach firmly to the surface of fibers. On chitosan fibers, NEPs could differentiate into neurons and glia. Our study demonstrated that chitasan fibers had a good biocompatibility with NEPs which affords a potential alternative for the repair of peripheral nerve injury.

2022-09-13T04:56:02.557Z

Bei der Behandlung von Polypropylenfolien im NH3-Plasma trat nach photoelektronenspektroskopischen Untersuchungen bis mindestens 50 min Behandlungszeit keine Sattigung der Konzentration an N-haltigen funktionellen Gruppen an der Polymeroberflache ein. Bei den speziell gewahlten Plasmabedingungen kann auf das Vorliegen von NH2-Gruppen geschlossen werden. Strukturelle Veranderungen in tieferliegenden Schichten traten kaum auf. Durch O2-Plasmabehandlung wurde die Folienoberflache stark aufgerauht. Die Atztruktur entsprach einem uberwiegend monoaxial gereckten Polymer. As detected by photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) no saturation in concentration of N-containing groups occurs on the surface of polypropylene up to 50 minutes exposition in NH3 plasma. Under the particular conditions of the plasma the presence of amino groups is suggested. No large changes in structure of layers under the surface (up to 100 μm) were observed. The surface was roughed strongly by O2 plasma treatment. The etching patterns correspond to those of a predominantly monoaxialy stretched polymer.

2022-09-14T14:04:01.021Z

It is necessary to evaluate uncertainty so as to improve accountability for project evaluation. Existing researches have examined the ex-post evaluation technique or the evaluation at the time of adoption. However, there is a grate difference between these evaluation values and the value of ex-ante evaluation. Therefore, sensitivity analysis should be carried out to do ax-ante project evaluation.In this paper, a basic consideration for the cost management of project is done from the view of ex-ante evaluation. Methodology of sensitivity analysis in the ex-ante project evaluation so as to evaluate uncertainty is proposed. Numerical simulation of sensitivity analysis is also presented.

2022-02-10T02:57:41.671Z

This paper represents synthesis of a new family of a fluoride-free Fe-Biotite type compound having the general formula NaFe 2.5 (Al , Si) 4 O 10 (OH) 2 . It was prepared carefully by using solid- state reaction technique with nominal compositions of individual oxides in the main formula for the potential remediation of heavy metals and some radioactive elements from applying solution. The structural and micro-structural properties were determined using both XRD, SEM and IR techniques. The particle size estimated was 56 nm. Further electron spin resonance (ESR) proved that Fe-biotite is paramagnetic in nature, electrical conductivity was measured as a function of absolute temperature, while the thermal stability of the samples were studied using thermogravimetry (TG). Analytical applications were done by using (AAS). Investigations proved that synthetic fluoride-free Fe-biotite has medium of strong efficiency as cation selective clay towards metals under test

2022-03-08T02:59:47.991Z

Abstract The retention of psoralen derivatives, i.e., 8‐methoxypsoralen (8‐MOP), 5‐methoxypsoralen (5‐MOP), and trimethylpsoralen (TMP) in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was investigated using a C18 bond silica column, hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HP‐β‐CD) as mobile phase additive (0–19 mM) and a wide range of column temperature (−5°C–55°C). Such a study was carried out to demonstrate the potential drug complexing role of this cyclodextrin for a future application in pharmaceutical formulation. Assuming a 1:1 stoichiometry, the association constants (K) were calculated from the chromatographic data. At a column temperature of −5°C, and in a 42% water–58% methanol (v/v) mixture, K was equal to 30, 75, and 40 M−1 for the 8‐MOP/, 5MOP/, and TMP/, HP‐β‐CD associations, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters of the complexes were determined from linear van't Hoff plots for the three complexes. From the enthalpy and entropy changes, it appeared that the recognition mechanism of HP‐β‐CD for 8‐MOP and TMP was temperature dependent, and the hydrophobic effect between TMP and the flexible hydroxypropyl groups of HP‐β‐CD was counterbalanced by its steric hindrance. As well, the role of sucrose on this association was investigated. It was expected, that the sucrose would act on the psoralen derivatives/HP‐β‐CD association process by modifying the surface tension of the bulk solvent and increase the K f values.

2022-02-10T12:15:43.563Z

Read more and get great! That's what the book enPDFd joint protection and rehabilitation in chronic rheumatic disorders will give for every reader to read this book. This is an on-line book provided in this website. Even this book becomes a choice of someone to read, many in the world also loves it so much. As what we talk, when you read more every page of this joint protection and rehabilitation in chronic rheumatic disorders, what you will obtain is something great.

2022-07-09T02:53:28.005Z

A case is reported of a right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm rupture into the right ventricle during vaginal delivery in a 34‐year‐old healthy woman in her third pregnancy. Pregnancy was carried to term and a healthy baby was delivered vaginally. On day 7 following vaginal delivery she was admitted to hospital for dyspnea and cough, with clinical signs of severe heart failure. The diagnosis of the right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm rupture into the right ventricle was established by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Clinical recognition and early echocardiographic diagnosis followed by immediate surgical repair proved lifesaving in our patient. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 22, November 2005)

2022-08-24T07:41:37.500Z

The application of Si nanocrystals as floating gate in the metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) based memory, which brings many advantages due to separated charge storage, attracted much attention in recent years. In this work, Si nanocrystal memory with nanocrystals synthesized by ion implantation was characterized to provide a better understanding of the relationship between structure and performance -- especially charge retention characteristics. In the structural characterization it was demonstrated that scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) enable much more accurate measurements of the ensemble size distribution and array density for small Si nanocrystals in SiO₂, estimated to be around 2-3 nm and 4 x 10¹² -3 x 10¹³ cm⁻², respectively. The reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) pattern further verified the existence of nanocrystals in SiO₂. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements demonstrated the memory effects. The comparison between charge density and nanocrystal density suggests single charge storage on individual Si nanocrystals. The electronic property of tunnel oxide layer is a key factor influencing charge retention, and was characterized by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). An overall high conductance observed between the nanocrystal floating gate and the substrate is believed to be responsible for the relatively short retention time for electrons. A narrowed denuded zone contaminated with nanocrystals is suggested to be the reason for the high conductance, which is further supported by switching events and fluctuations in local current-voltage (I-V) curves. From the results of C-AFM, a better control of nanocrystal distribution close to the channel is shown to be critical for non-volatile nanocrystal memory made via Si ion implantation. Nanoscale charge retention characteristics of both electrons and holes were probed directly by ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) nc-AFM, in which a highly doped Si tip was applied to inject charges into the nanocrystal layer and monitor subsequent charge dissipation. The results reveal a much longer hole retention time (e.g., >1 day) than that for electrons (e.g., UHV nc-AFM guarantees high detection sensitivity and stability in charge imaging experiments due to a lack of air damping, so a three-dimensional (3D) electrostatic model can be developed to provide quantitative information regarding the distribution and evolution of the localized charges. For example, a transition from initial complementary error function distribution to Gaussian distribution was suggested in the simulation. In addition, charge detection sensitivity was found to increase with the scanning height, showing much room for further improvement of the sensitivity in UHV nc-AFM. The limitation of the electrostatic model is also discussed, and some knowledge regarding the charge distribution obtained from theoretical analysis and other experimental methods is suggested to be necessary supplements to the quantitative charge analysis by nc-AFM. Finally, the approach used in the electrostatic simulation of nc-AFM was applied in 3D simulation of Si nanocrystal memory. The dependence of Coulomb charging energy on dielectric environment is analyzed. From the local variation of channel minority carrier density due to separated charge storage, the threshold number density of charged nanocrytals for 1D approximation to break down is shown to be 10¹² cm⁻² in the sample geometry investigated.

2022-09-23T19:43:36.877Z

Many nonsense suppressors of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cause growth inhibition on hypertonic media. Eight tyrosine-inserting UAA (ochre) suppressors, eight tyrosine-inserting UAG (amber) suppressors, a leucine-inserting UAG suppressor, and a serine-inserting recessive lethal UAG suppressor cause osmotic sensitivity, whereas a serine-inserting UAA suppressor does not cause sensitivity. Although the mechanism is not understood, the growth inhibition of specific suppressors on hypertonic media is correlated with their efficiencies of suppression. This heretofore unknown property of nonsense suppressors is useful for mitotic mapping, selecting tRNA mutants, selecting antisuppressors, and scoring nonsense suppressors.

2022-11-12T16:53:42.436Z

While digital platforms have been intensively researched, there has been little investigation into their role in sustainable change. Our study focuses on food supply chains and food waste and sustainable challenges. Using data collected from exploratory case studies of digital platforms and traditional actors in the food industry of a Nordic country, we categorized three major sustainable platform types: Alterationist, Redistributor, and Capability Builder. We view these as “Zebras,” a business serving profit and social purpose, and observe their emerging role in the food supply chain. We also identify key dimensions of governance and sustainability impact. With this study, we investigate how digital platforms contribute to sustainable change while also retaining their profit focus.

2022-12-02T10:20:37.432Z

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a chronic autoimmune mucocutaneous disease. In most cases, the initial manifestation occurs in the mouth as multiple ulcerations preceded by blisters that rupture and later spread to other mucous membranes and the skin. Esophageal impairment is rare. We report a case of PV with esophageal involvement in a 53-year-old woman who sought medical care, complaining of diffuse painful lesions in the oral cavity for approximately 1 month, with no improvement with nystatin. Upper digestive endoscopy (UDE) was performed with findings of vesiculobullous lesions in the proximal and middle esophagus, which were biopsied and for which histopathology confirmed PV in the esophageal mucosa. We draw attention to UDE as important for the diagnosis, and it should be indicated in patients with vesiculobullous lesions of the mouth, especially if there are esophageal complaints.

2022-12-09T10:43:58.975Z

Abstract The discovery of giant planets around other Sun-like stars has stimulated interest in the search for planets capable of supporting life. Here, it is proposed that the abundance of water in the progenitor nebula is a fundamental determinant in the formation of planetary systems like our own, i.e., including an inner, water-rich planet (Earth) and an outer giant planet (Jupiter). The amount of water is a sensitive function of the elemental ratio of carbon to oxygen in the nebula. The Sun appears to be unusual in this respect since the ratio in most nearby stars suggests they formed from relatively water-poor nebulae. Chemical evolution models suggest that the Galactic disk is evolving from an oxidizing, water-rich state toward a carbon-rich, water-poor condition. This may have implications for the appearance and distribution of habitable worlds.

2022-12-14T08:50:22.569Z

It has previously been demonstrated that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations within the ND2 gene of histologically normal parotid salivary gland tissue of smokers may be molecular biomarkers for smoking-induced mtDNA damage. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is strongly related to cigarette smoking; therefore, we used PCR and direct sequencing to establish whether mtDNA mutations were also present in oral SCC which could be used as additional biomarkers for smoking-associated DNA damage. In addition to searching for mutations in the ND2 gene, the mitochondrial D-Loop was also analysed. Three mutation hotspots were observed in the D-Loop at nt 146, 152 and 186, two of which (nt 146 and 152) have also been implicated in oesophageal SCC, another smoking-related cancer. The mutation hotspot observed at nt 186 has not previously been reported in other tumours. Furthermore, we show that the mutations previously reported within the ND2 gene in normal parotid tissue of smokers were not evident in these samples, but that a mutation hotspot occurs at nucleotide 4917 in oral SCC. We also show that D-Loop mutations occur predominantly in male smokers and female non-smokers and that this association with gender is statistically significant (P = 0.003). We conclude that the mtDNA mutation hotspots found in this study, in particular nt 186, are potential biomarkers for oral SCC. However, owing to gender-specific differences in occurrence in smokers and non-smokers, and a lack of environmental smoking history, in general, it is difficult to associate these mutations with mtDNA damage induced by smoking. If the mutations observed in the subset of male patients are smoking induced, given our previous findings, mutation hotspots in the ND2 gene may be tissue specific suggesting the causative mutagens for mtDNA damage within these tissues are likely to be different.

2022-12-15T03:33:02.344Z

Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome is a rare complication of pregnancy that is associated with preeclampsia and may result in rupture of the liver. Although there have been case reports of liver transplantation for HELLP syndrome, the outcomes of transplantation for this rare indication have not been reported. Furthermore, the optimal management of complicated HELLP syndrome and indications for liver transplantation are unclear. Our objective was to review the national experience with liver transplantation for HELLP syndrome and to develop a comprehensive algorithm for the management of liver complications of HELLP syndrome, including indications for transplantation. A recent case from our institution is reported and the literature is reviewed. The results of liver transplantation for HELLP syndrome were analyzed from the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Between October 1987 and November 2003 there have been 8 deceased donor liver transplants performed for complications related to HELLP syndrome. As of the most recent follow‐up, 6 of the 8 patients are alive, with both deaths occurring within 1 month of transplantation, and 2 patients have required retransplantation. This review supports that good results can be obtained with liver transplantation for patients with complicated HELLP syndrome that have either ongoing, uncontrolled hemorrhage or liver necrosis and failure. Patients with complicated HELLP syndrome are best managed at a center with expertise in liver transplantation. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:224‐228.)

2022-12-17T20:56:08.364Z

We describe a case of an adolescent male with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP), presenting with cutaneous and gastrointestinal manifestations. Endoscopy revealed diffuse ulcerations in the stomach, duodenum, and right colon. Biopsies revealed a leukocytoclastic vasculitis in the skin and gastrointestinal tract. Steroid therapy led to complete resolution of the symptoms. HSP is the most common childhood vasculitis, and is characterized by the classic tetrad of nonthrombocytopenic palpable purpura, arthritis or arthralgias, gastrointestinal and renal involvement. It is a systemic disease where antigen-antibody (IgA) complexes activate the alternate complement pathway, resulting in inflammation and small vessel vasculitis. Mild disease resolves spontaneously, and symptomatic treatment alone is sufficient. Systemic steroids are recommended for moderate to severe HSP. The prognosis depends upon the extent of renal involvement, which requires close followup. Early recognition of multiorgan involvement, especially outside of the typical age group, as in our adolescent patient, and appropriate intervention can mitigate the disease and limit organ damage.

2022-12-19T21:50:32.465Z

Introduction . This article is devoted to the comparative analysis of the Russian and British approaches to restoration of the highest mental functions in patients with neurological disorders. The applicability of development of effective programs for neuropsychological rehabilitation of neurological patients is represented, where one of the main directions is the reconstruction of higher mental functions. Results . This article shows the importance of cooperation and understanding of specialists among the multidisciplinary team in medical rehabilitation system. The history of origin of the concept «multidisciplinary approach» is cited, it was spoken about by V. M. Bekhterev for the first time, emphasizing the necessity of multidisciplinary study of neuropsychic system of a healthy and ill person. Special aspects of rehabilitation process in Russia and in England were considered. Results of the comparison of neuropsychological rehabilitation models of two countries were presented. Conclusions . Further guidelines of cooperation between Russian and foreign neuropsychologists were identified. The attention is focused on determination of rehabilitation potential and inclusion of the patient and his family in rehabilitation process as it allows to solve problems of insufficiency of motivation, a self-assessment and to prevent emotional violations, increasing quality of life of patients.

2022-02-09T04:22:10.684Z

testing and reports his research mostly on dogs. He and his colleagues confirmed the thrombolytic properties of compound EN 1661L on artificial clots produced by the Wessler technique and evaluate its possible clinical use after further trials which should include additional techniques. There are two outstanding features of chapter 6 presented by a number of workers including the editor. First, a clinical trial of compound EN 1661 intravenously in varying dosages in 35 patients, 16 of whom had vascular thrombosis some with thromboembolism. A wide range of investigations were carried out during the study. They show active fibrinolysis in most patients with relatively minor side effects. The second part of the paper includes a report of a clinical study of the treatment of fibrinolytic haemorrhage by antifibrinolytic agents. Eighty patients were treated with epsilon-amino-caproic acid and 57 with Trasylol, Although there was clinical reduction of haemorrhage in the majority of patients, the authors consider their results promising but insufficient for any final conclusions. A clear and concise evaluation of fibrionlysis is given by Fearnley. He wisely questions the value of thrombolytic therapy in arterial disease especially of the heart or brain. He reviews the pharmacological agents that increase fibrinolysis and his own work includes the use of Atromid, Atromid S, phenformin and metformin in occlusive vascular disease. He also reports on his therapeutic trials of phenformin and ethylestrinol in rheumatoid arthritis; about 60 % of patients showing a good response. In the next chapter Hansch and von Kaulla give a detailed mathematical and structural report on a large number of synthetic fibrinolytic agents. The last two chapters are devoted to the use of antifibrinolytic agents. The first deals with their chemistry and biochemistry and includes an evaluation of their potency. The second includes their mode of action and interaction. The volume provides a wide background for all who are interested or working in the field of fibrinolysis but at its price will probably be used chiefly as a library reference. Ann. din. Biochem. 10 (1973) 2lJ

2022-03-04T11:35:47.617Z

Distinguish between: 1) rarely occurring multiple progressive and 2) more often observed limited ossifying myositis.

2022-08-14T18:10:44.470Z

Excited state production has been measured for {sup 7}Li, {sup 7}Be, and {sup 10}B fragments emitted in the {sup 40}Ar+{sup 12}C reaction at {ital E}/{ital A}=8, 10, and 12 MeV. The use of reverse kinematics and a system with low rotational kinetic energy permitted a more direct test of the excited state method for temperature determination than had previously been possible. The results show that the population of excited states reflects the temperature expected from Fermi gas calculations at the appropriate excitation energy for the compound nucleus and is consistent with the temperature determined from the slope of the fragment spectra.

2022-09-06T22:35:24.003Z

This paper presents an innovative design of a system of cages for an open-sea aquaculture. The concept is based on an existing successful concept of a system, which is flexible, submersible, and has a single point mooring. The new design, besides being much larger, presents a new concept of stabilizing the system at the submerged state. This new system is preliminarily designed by a simplified method, and then analyzed by the AQUASIM finite elements software system. The results of the nonlinear hydroelastic analysis confirm that the preliminary design by simplified calculations is adequate to the design conditions. The new concept of stabilizing the system at the submerged state is studied by simulations of four configurations, where the optimal is selected. The simulations show that the cages always retain above 70% of the volume. The paper presents valuable information of a practical design, such as the method of the analysis, the environmental design criteria, the scantlings of the structure, and the obtained usage factors at extreme sea conditions. The system was recently being constructed, launched, and anchored at open-sea offshore Ashdod. It is now tested at the sea before cultivation of fishes.

2022-09-12T03:04:01.772Z

We study conformal deformations of a uniform space that satisfies the Ahlfors Q-regularity condition on balls of Whitney type. We verify the Gehring–Hayman Theorem by using a Whitney Covering of the space.

2022-12-04T00:42:22.846Z

In many countries around the world, support for local agriculture has been a burgeoning issue involving the development of the local foods movement as an alternative marketing. This study investigated ethnic and geographic differences with respect to the consumers' perceptions of local foods in Indonesia. Semistructured interviews were conducted to examine consumers' views of local foods. “Location,” “quality,” and “price” were found to be the most salient characteristics of local foods. The idea of village was associated with the meaning of “local.” Although the respondents' levels of awareness of local foods were high, further education and dissemination of the national policy on local foods was urgently needed.

2022-12-07T23:30:32.741Z

BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults worldwide. Road traffic fatality is high in Iran; about 28,000 individuals die from road traffic accidents annually. Previous studies on trauma care in Iran have mainly focused on pre-hospital trauma care. This paper deals with the rate of traffic injury deaths in hospitals. Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to investigate the predictors of survival rates of 2-wheel vehicle and pedestrian traffic injuries in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Patients and Methods: This longitudinal study reviewed 15,331 injuries in 21 hospitals in the city of Tabriz from March 2012 to March 2013. The required data on motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian (MBP) traffic injuries were collected from hospital information systems (HISs). Operation codes were extracted according to the 2010 California Building Code and the data were analyzed using the STATA 13 statistical software package. Results: The total number of deaths due to traffic injuries was 266. Of these deaths, 184 were among inpatient traffic injuries 166 were MBP inpatients and 82 were outpatients. Young MBP patients (20 to 40 years of age) experienced a higher injury rate than older ones (48.4%, P Conclusions: Close attention to these predictors may aid officials in planning effective training programs and prevention measures. These predictors can also be used in the legislation of traffic laws and regulations and managerial plans of hospitals. Keywords: Traffic Injuries; Motorcycle; Bicycle; Pedestrian; Mortality Language: en

2022-12-12T03:09:56.711Z

Objective This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reporting and identify factors associated with ADRs reporting among healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in Tigray region, Ethiopia. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March of 2019 in a tertiary care hospital in Tigray region, Ethiopia. A self-administered, pretested questionnaire was administered to HCPs. Data were summarised using descriptive statistics. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with poor ADRs reporting practices. Results In total, 362 questionnaires were distributed, and the response rate was 84.8% (n=307). Of all respondents, 190 (61.9%) were nurses, 63 (20.5%) were pharmacist and 54 (17.6%) were physicians. About 58.3% of HCPs had poor knowledge of ADRs reporting. The majority of the respondents had a positive attitude (59.9%), and only a few (32.1%) respondents have good ADRs reporting practices. Poor knowledge (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.63, 95% CI: 1.26 to 5.45) and lack of training on ADRs reporting (AOR=7.31, 95% CI: 3.42 to 15.62) were both negatively associated with ADRs reporting practice, whereas higher work experience (≥10 years) (AOR=0.36, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.97) was positively associated with ADRs reporting practice. Conclusions The majority of HCPs had poor knowledge and practice, but a positive attitude towards ADRs reporting. Poor knowledge, less work experience and lack of training were associated with poor ADRs reporting practice. Hence, strategies to improve the knowledge and practice of ADRs reporting should be implemented, particularly for untrained and less experienced HCPs.

2022-12-21T01:35:09.983Z

Analyzing the relationship between Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and organizational resilience is the objective of this descriptive-documentary theoretical review research. The results allow us to reflect on neurolinguistic programming and how it constitutes an invaluable strength for overcoming potential adversities and unexpected change processes that may arise within an organization regardless of its nature, that is, from it organizational resilience is required. It is concluded that Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a tool whose implementation in the organizational environment has proven to be of indisputable help to achieve an adequate functioning that results in resilient capacity

2022-12-30T01:01:55.367Z

This study was developed in the central region of Tocantins, for the identification and analysis of positive factors, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the furniture supply chain in order to continue the formation of the regional furniture pole. To achieve this objective the methodology used was to listen to local actors and experts in the furniture segment. Seventy-five local actors among industry officials, academic institutions and university representatives were interviewed. They pointed out and analyzed the main points related to the economic, social, political and environmental contributions stemming from the creation of a pole in the region. The tool used was the SWOT Analysis associated with the Method of Judges, and then the variables were subjected to Principal Component Analysis - PCA. The SWOT Matrix proved to be adequate and effective to be used as diagnostic tool along with local actors. The examination of all the factors associated with local furniture production chain helped to understand the activity and indicate actions that affect this arrangement and that will bring economic, social and environmental benefits. According to the experts, the establishment of a furniture industry in the region will favor the employment and income creation, local and regional sustainable development, improvements in business management, raise the standard of quality and productivity of the local furniture industry and improve the quality of population standard of living.

2022-12-30T01:04:33.378Z

This study analyzed the message structure of persuasive storytelling which are expressed in the official travel guide booklets of 2010 Great Chungchung visit year. The qualitative content analysis technique proposed by Creswell was used. The results were: First, travel guide booklets used `~haseyo`, `~hapsida` styles to persuade the readers in friendly manners. Second, booklets used adjectives such as `beautiful`, `delightful` to emphasize the attractiveness of tourism product and events. With those adjectives, the message sounds more subtle and emotional to the readers so that the readers will be easily persuaded. Third, booklets used the polite ways of speaking to the readers by using `~supnida`, `~hapnida`. Fourth, English version of booklets lacked of storytelling structure in message.

2022-02-09T07:22:49.846Z

Groundnut is an important grain legume and oil seed crop grown all over the world. Fluorescent Pseudomonads are beneficial bacteria that inhabit the root zone of plants and increase the growth of plants by a wide variety of mechanisms. In our studies,, we have assessed the morphological and biochemical characteristics of 24 fluorescent pseudomonads isolated from groundnut rhizosphere collected from Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. All the Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf) strains showed development of fluorescent pigments under UV light. Morphological studies indicated that they have displayed (i) rod-shaped, (ii) smooth shiny surface, (iii) gram-negative reaction (iv) motility and (v) growth even at 410C. None of the strains were positive for the indole, and voges-proskauer test. All strains were positive for oxidase, citrate, catalase, and gelatin liquefaction test; 58% were starch hydrolysis-positive, 29.16% were methyl red-positive and 62.5% were H2S-positive. The present study proved that these Pf strains have potential plant growth-promoting activities. Our future studies are directed in establishing the plant growth-promoting effects of these Pf strains under Greenhouse and field conditions on groundnut.

2022-01-27T08:01:49.531Z

Over fifty years have elapsed since the dynamical theory of electron diffraction was developed [1], [2], [3] to interpret the early TEM diffraction contrast images of crystal defects including dislocations. Subsequent progress in experimental technique, instrumentation and theoretical interpretation has resulted in dramatically improved resolution of the dislocation core region. Dislocation mobility and other significant properties are determined by the core structure. Although the resolution was initially limited by the diffraction contrast mechanism rather than by instrumental aberrations, for widely dissociated core structures a bridge could be built via stacking fault energy between metal plasticity and electronic properties. With the weak beam imaging method [4] and more accurate simulations [5], core structure resolution reached about 1.5nm and is still widely used although the results are not always unambiguous. For dislocations precisely aligned with the microscope axis, the attractions of direct structure imaging are irresistible. With aberrationcorrected HREM or HAADF STEM, atomic columns are now routinely imaged in 2-d projection showing details of the core region for different dislocation configurations in many materials. Although the core scattering contribution is maximized in this projection configuration, some issues in the interpretation of these results are as yet incompletely resolved. Crucially important features of dislocation core structure such as jogs and kinks are likely to be inadequately registered or even to escape detection altogether in projection imaging. Matching of images with quantitative simulations might alert microscopists to such deviations from the assumed 2-d structure but are still very rarely attempted in structure imaging. Only recently have continuing difficulties over the quantitative simulation of image intensities even in perfect crystals (the Stobbs factor [6]) shown signs of being resolved. Fast electron scattering in the dislocation core region should also ideally be based on a scattering potential taking full account of electron density redistribution. Using forbidden reflections, kinks have been successfully observed in high resolution, plan view images of dislocations [7]. In such images, minimization of background intensity from surface and other diffuse scattering mechanisms is important. With this in mind it could be useful to employ energy filtering to allow still higher resolution in weak beam imaging. Weak beam electron holography also offers the possibility of rejecting thermal diffuse scattering and of providing the phase information generally missing in diffraction contrast imaging. [1] M. J. Whelan and P. B. Hirsch Phil. Mag. 1957, 2, 1121-1142; 1303-1324. [2] A. Howie and M. J. Whelan Proc. Roy. Soc. A 1961, 263, 217-237. [3] A. Howie and M. J. Whelan Proc. Roy. Soc. A 1962, 267, 206-230. [4] D. J. H. Cockayne, I. L. F. Ray and M. J. Whelan Phil. Mag. 1969, 20, 1265-1270. [5] A. Howie and Z. S. Basinski Phil. Mag. 1968, 17, 1039-1063. [6] M. J. Hytch and W. M. Stobbs Ultramicroscopy 1994, 53, 191-203. [7] H. Kolar, J. Spence and H. Alexander Phys. Rev. Lett. 1996, 77, 4031-4034.

2022-01-27T14:38:39.230Z

Two methods using LC-MS/MS were validated to quantify citalopram (CTP) racemate ((R/S)-CTP) and the enantiomers (R)-CTP and (S)-CTP in human plasma, respectively. Paroxetine hydrochloride was used as the internal standard (IS) and samples were extracted by protein precipitation with acetonitrile. The non-enantioselective method was conducted using an C18 column and a mobile phase consisted of water for solvent A and acetonitrile for solvent B, both with 0.1% formic acid. For the chiral method, an analytical column Lux Cellulose-1® was used. The mobile phase A was composed by water added with 0.025% of formic acid and 0.05% of diethylamine and the B component consisted of acetonitrile:2-propanol (95:5, v/v). No significant matrix effects were observed at the retention times of analytes, and IS. The mean recovery was 89% and the assays were linear in the concentration range of 1-50 ng/mL and 5-30 ng/mL for the non-enantioselective and enantioselective methods, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions of both methods were <12.30% and the accuracies were <12.13%. The validated methods were successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in which 20-mg CTP tablets were administered to healthy volunteers and their plasma levels were monitored over time in a bioequivalence study.

2022-09-01T11:23:31.957Z

One year after the suicide of a psychiatrist, five of the seven patients she had in therapy at the time of her death were located and interviewed. These interviews are presented, along with a discu...

2022-09-09T00:31:25.239Z

Background: Orbital floor fractures make up one of the most widely discussed clinical controversies of the maxillofacial region. Many have no major consequences if left untreated, however, some may result in unacceptable functional and cosmetic defects. We present our views regarding their diagnosis, treatment planning, and management. Patients and Methods: A postal survey was designed to assess the current concepts employed by the practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeons within the state of Kerala, India, regarding the management of these fractures, in the form of a tick box questionnaire. The questionnaire was formatted to include 18 closed questions divided into 5 different sections. The questionnaire was forwarded to 45 practicing oral and maxillofacial surgeons by post. Results: The response rate of the postal survey was 49%. Pre and postoperative prescription of antibiotics was practiced by 72% for 5-7 days. Sixty-three percent of the respondents used steroids while 81% wait for edema resolution before making the final decision to operate. All respondents relied on plain radiography and CT scanning for the final diagnosis and treatment planning. Most surgeons (63%) considered diplopia as the mostimportant ophthalmologic parameter determining the prognosis and the final treatment outcome. Conclusion: The following article discusses the results of this survey and reviews the past and current literature associated with these fractures. It can be very safely said that there is no real consensus regarding all the aspects of these injuries, with the management being mostly operator dependant.

2022-09-30T16:10:34.004Z

Estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) are ligand-activated transcription factors. We examined the effects of estradiol (E2), 4-hydroxytamoxifen (HT), and the estrogen response element (ERE) on the helical content and thermal unfolding of ERβ. A circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of ERβ showed changes at 210 and 222 nm that were due to the presence of E2, which is indicative of partial unfolding. In contrast, HT did not alter the CD spectrum of ERβ. The addition of E2 + ERE caused an increase in the α-helical content and an increase in the temperature midpoint of folding transition (TM) from 39 ± 0.7 °C to 57.2 ± 1 °C. The addition of E2 + mutant ERE, or E2 + control oligonucleotide, increased the TM of ERβ to 45 ± 2 °C only. In the presence of HT, ERβ yielded similar TM values (55–58 °C) with ERE, mutant ERE, or control oligodeoxynucleotide. The binding affinity of ERβ for ERE increased 125.7-fold as a result of the presence of E2, but only 4-fold as a result of HT. These results demonstrate coupled effects of E...

2022-12-21T02:07:50.875Z

Human activity recognition (HAR) has received a lot of attention due to its wide applications in recent years, while the improvement of recognition accuracy is seemingly considered to be one of the great challenges in this field. In this paper, a novel wearable device for improving the activity recognition accuracy is proposed based on the different multiple sensors, which simultaneously collects the muscle activity and motion information. The muscular activity is monitored by measuring the air pressure in an air bladder contacting the targeted muscle, while the motion information, such as three-axis accelerations and angular velocities of body movement, is collected via the on-body inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor. The performance of the air-pressure sensor is verified by comparing with the electromyography and the IMU sensors. To implement our device, we collect the labeled activities data from eight subjects as they perform 11 daily activities. Some commonly used features from raw data are calculated, and five popular classification techniques are evaluated in terms of the accuracy, recall, precision, and F-measure. The experimental results indicate that the proposed wearable device can improve the performance of HAR system. Particularly, the usage of air-pressure sensor can eliminate the confusions among dynamic activities, such as walking and going upstairs, which is an open problem in HAR.

2023-01-01T18:41:06.859Z

This chapter explores the ways in which young people growing up between the late 1910s and the early 1940s learned about reproduction and sex in the context of a public culture which avoided explicit reference to the subject and where the only official information available related to potential health dangers. In order to preserve the innocence of its young women, British society and popular culture during the first half of the twentieth century was constructed so as to exclude as far as possible all explicit references to sexual intercourse from both public and even private discourse within the family, particularly during the first decades of the twentieth century. Nevertheless, society did not insist on male innocence, though it was as important for a young man's honour as for a young woman's not to be held publicly responsible for a pregnancy in the community, unless he was prepared to go through with marriage. Indeed, it was accepted that somehow young men should and would acquire the necessary knowledge prior to marriage. Crucially, therefore, men and women offer very different narratives of how they responded to the culture of ignorance surrounding sex. Where a young woman, determined to be virtuous, knew it was safest to hold to a strategy of preserving her innocence, a respectable young man needed to acquire a degree of knowledge without being morally tainted by it.

2022-02-09T04:53:24.774Z

This paper reports predictions of the mean velocity, the turbulent kinetic energy and the pressure and skin friction coefficients for turbulent flow over a backward facing step based on the standard k – e closure for the turbulence shear stresses. In previous publications, errors due to the numerical algorithm as distinct from the turbulence model have been carefully assessed using different numerical schemes and finite volume geometries and it is argued that the current results are numerically accurate. Thus one can now assess the accuracy of the k – e model of turbulence independently of numerical error. The results predicted herein were found to be in reasonable agreement with relevant experimental data.

2022-12-08T22:58:03.175Z

CONTEXT Low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphomas frequently involve extranodal sites including the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and lung, either selectively or as part of widespread dissemination. Differentiation from inflammatory or infectious conditions requires knowledge of specific histologic characteristics of the various entities as well as ancillary techniques. OBJECTIVE To describe the key features and provide diagnostic clues to the identification of specific extranodal low-grade lymphomas of T-cell and B-cell types including small lymphocytic lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue, and hairy cell leukemia. Histologic and cytologic features are highlighted, as well as appropriate integration of results of ancillary diagnostic studies including flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, molecular features, and cytogenetics. DATA SOURCES The published literature as well as personal experience from a specialized hematopathology practice at a large university medical center. CONCLUSIONS Correct identification of extranodal low-grade lymphomas and differentiation from hyperplastic and inflammatory or infectious processes require the ability to distinguish each of the specific entities discussed. Ancillary studies are often indispensable in reaching a correct diagnosis.

2022-12-11T08:10:53.688Z

Marin, Andrei. 2010. Chasing the Rains: Mongolian Pastoralists’ Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in ‘The Age of the Market’ Thesis for the degree of philosophiae doctor, November 2010...

2022-12-17T15:56:13.084Z

Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) are a method to summarize the additive trait variance captured by a set of SNPs, and can increase the power of set‐based analyses by leveraging public genome‐wide association study (GWAS) datasets. PRS aims to assess the genetic liability to some phenotype on the basis of polygenic risk for the same or different phenotype estimated from independent data. We propose the application of PRSs as a set‐based method with an additional component of adjustment for linkage disequilibrium (LD), with potential extension of the PRS approach to analyze biologically meaningful SNP sets. We call this method POLARIS: POlygenic Ld‐Adjusted RIsk Score. POLARIS identifies the LD structure of SNPs using spectral decomposition of the SNP correlation matrix and replaces the individuals' SNP allele counts with LD‐adjusted dosages. Using a raw genotype dataset together with SNP effect sizes from a second independent dataset, POLARIS can be used for set‐based analysis. MAGMA is an alternative set‐based approach employing principal component analysis to account for LD between markers in a raw genotype dataset. We used simulations, both with simple constructed and real LD‐structure, to compare the power of these methods. POLARIS shows more power than MAGMA applied to the raw genotype dataset only, but less or comparable power to combined analysis of both datasets. POLARIS has the advantages that it produces a risk score per person per set using all available SNPs, and aims to increase power by leveraging the effect sizes from the discovery set in a self‐contained test of association in the test dataset.

2022-12-21T20:12:55.498Z

More than ever, companies are challenged to improve their performance and respond quickly and accurately to changes within the market. Because of external dynamics, competition is moving towards the level of networks of organisations, and thus the individual firm is an inadequate entity for identifying improvements. The concept of continuous improvement must be applied and used in inter-organisational settings, leading to the concept of collaborative improvement. In order to gain an insight and develop knowledge of the process of collaborative improvement from a system integrator perspective, we use the network model of actors. This paper will discuss some empirical findings on the scope, scale, skill and value, and social networking of collaborative improvement as part of the network model.

2022-12-30T01:16:04.194Z

Polycarbonate is an amorphous polymer which exhibits nonlinear deformation before failure. It shows a pronounced strength‐differential effect between compression and tension. Strain rate influences the mechanical response of the polycarbonate. In particular, the yield stress is increased with increasing strain rate. The concept of stress mode dependent weighting function is used in the proposed model to simulate the asymmetric effects for different loading speeds. In this concept, an additive decomposition of the flow rule is assumed into a sum of weighted stress mode related quantities. The characterization of the stress modes is obtained in the octahedral plane of the deviatoric stress space in terms of the mode angle, such that stress mode dependent scalar weighting functions can be constructed. The resulting evolution equations are updated using a backward Euler scheme and the algorithmic tangent operator is derived for the finite element equilibrium iteration. The numerical implementation of the resulting set of constitutive equations is used in a finite element program for parameter identification. The proposed model is verified by showing a good agreement with the experimental data. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

2022-03-26T13:01:37.991Z

state powers and with some of the problems of regulation and control of the j economy, and with civil rights, particularly free speech, press, and religion, ] and fair trial. Black believes in broad construction of the commerce power, and j rejects the view that the due process clause should be used by the courts to j determine the "reasonableness" of regulation, the latter being a matter for j the legislature to decide. Black has bitterly opposed monopolistic practices in business, and has supported strong enforcement of federal labor legislation. He holds that "the Fourteenth Amendment makes the entire Bill of Rights a limitation on the states as well as the federal government" (p. 119), whereas the present majority has taken the view that only the guarantees of the First Amendment restrict the states. This volume will be helpful to students and teachers of constitutional law, and to others who would gain a fuller appreciation of the Court's role in promoting a proper balance between public power and private rights in a social welfare state. ALDEN L. POWELL. Louisiana State University.

2022-07-28T05:46:09.534Z

Abstract This article is an ethnographic study of contemporary ritual and well-being in the Buddhist 88-temple-pilgrimage on Shikoku Island, Japan, drawing on some findings of my PhD thesis. It will be shown how rituals are employed by pilgrims to gain this-worldly benefits and well-being, such as happiness, assurances about the future, success, and lives that can be lived free from problems and dangers, which mirror how contemporary pilgrims see their obligations and responsibilities in society. Further in-depth analysis of pilgrimage items and related rituals clarify what pilgrims deem ‘sacred’, and how they respond to this, why and through what experiences and actions they set things as ‘sacred’: ‘spaces’, items, and rituals are regarded as very sacred or more or less sacred. This research finds that there is a ‘sacred’ on a continuum, which it labels as ‘spectrum of the sacred’.

2022-07-10T03:50:05.163Z

High molecular weight b-D-glucans derived from Basidiomycetes cell walls are able to specifically activate cellular and humoral components of the host immune system. The aim of this paper was to examine immunomodulating activity of native, chemically and enzimatically modified glucans from Agaricus blazei mushroom and to determine which structural features are of primary importance for their stimulation referring to humane immune cells. The immunomodulating activities were tested in vitro, by stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and measuring of interferon-gamma (IFN-g) production by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Measurements of immunomodulatory capacity of Agaricus blazei native glucans showed their expressive immunostimulating effect on activated PBMCs and synthesis of IFN-g. The results obtained after the stimulation of cells with 1M H2SO4 and 1M NaOH, the treated glucans showed that primary structure is of more importance than the tertiary structure of the triple helix for their immunostimulating activity and synthesis of IFN-g. Glucans of lower molecular weight obtained after acid hydrolysis appeared as effective immunostimulators of PBMC's. The results obtained after the incubation of cells with 1,6 b-glucanase modified glucans suggest that b-(1,6) binding of glucose monomers probably has no importance for the production of imunostimulating effects, in vitro. This confirmed that b-(1,3) bonds are the primary determinants of immunomodulatory activities and stimulation of IFN-g synthesis.

2022-09-02T03:39:50.062Z

Das Editorial gewährt einen Überblick über die im Themenheft versammelten Beiträge und ordnet diese in theoretische sowie aktuelle bildungspolitische Diskurse ein. Dazu werden zunächst theoretische Leitthemen erläutert, die für den Auswahlprozess der Beiträge eine entscheidende Rolle spielten: Schulentwicklung, Digitalisierung und Kooperation sind demnach Schlüsselbegriffe bzw. thematische Ankerpunkte, die in allen Beiträgen in unterschiedlicher Intensität aufgegriffen werden. Im Editorial werden diese vorgestellt und miteinander in Beziehung gesetzt. Dabei wird den Fragen nachgegangen, was unter Schulentwicklung verstanden wird, was Schulentwicklung mit Digitalisierung zu tun hat und inwiefern Kooperation ein Merkmal gelingender Schulentwicklung im Kontext der Digitalisierung darstellt – theoretisch sowie unter Aufbereitung des Forschungsstandes. Anschliessend folgt eine Synthese der Beiträge des Themenhefts. Die insgesamt 20 Beiträge werden dabei sowohl hinsichtlich der ihnen zugrunde liegenden Forschungsdesigns sowie methodischer und theoretischer Zugänge beleuchtet. In dem daraus resultierenden Resümee werden einige wenige «blinde Flecken» beschrieben, die im Diskurs um Schulentwicklungsprozesse für Bildung in der digitalen Welt aus Sicht der Herausgebenden eine wichtige Rolle spielen, in den Beiträgen jedoch noch nicht im Fokus stehen und sich daher anbieten, in künftiger Forschung verstärkt aufgegriffen zu werden. Abschliessend wird die Relevanz des Themenheftes für den Gesamtdiskurs des Themenfeldes herausgestellt. Zudem werden in einem Ausblick zahlreiche Herausforderungen benannt, die für Schulentwicklungsprozesse für Bildung in der digitalen Welt bestehen und weitere Forschung erfordern.

2022-11-18T00:46:21.757Z

The response of the nephrological community to the Haiti and Chile earthquakes which occurred in the first months of 2010 is described. In Haiti, renal support was organized by the Renal Disaster Relief Task Force (RDRTF) of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) in close collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and covered both patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The majority of AKI patients (19/27) suffered from crush syndrome and recovered their kidney function. The remaining 8 patients with AKI showed acute-to-chronic renal failure with very low recovery rates. The intervention of the RDRTF-ISN involved 25 volunteers of 9 nationalities, lasted exactly 2 months, and was characterized by major organizational difficulties and problems to create awareness among other rescue teams regarding the availability of dialysis possibilities. Part of the Haitian patients with AKI reached the Dominican Republic (DR) and received their therapy there. The nephrological community in the DR was able to cope with this extra patient load. In both Haiti and the DR, dialysis treatment was able to be prevented in at least 40 patients by screening and adequate fluid administration. Since laboratory facilities were destroyed in Port-au-Prince and were thus lacking during the first weeks of the intervention, the use from the very beginning on of a point-of-care device (i-STAT®) was very efficient for the detection of aberrant kidney function and electrolyte parameters. In Chile, nephrological problems were essentially related to difficulties delivering dialysis treatment to CKD patients, due to the damage to several units. This necessitated the reallocation of patients and the adaptation of their schedules. The problems could be handled by the local nephrologists. These observations illustrate that local and international preparedness might be life-saving if renal problems occur in earthquake circumstances.

2022-12-18T20:36:45.398Z

The role of scientific computing has been heavily promoted in many fields to improve understanding the physics of complex engineering systems in recent years while conduct the experiments can be time-consuming, inflexible, expensive and difficult to repeat, e.g. nuclear reactor systems. The ultimate goal of scientific computing is to provide more reliable predictions for engineering systems within certain acceptable tolerance. To realize the benefits of scientific computing, extensive effort has been devoted to the development of efficient algorithms for Sensitivity Analysis (SA) and Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) whose numerical errors is under control and understood. However, the repeated execution of the simulations with different samples is computationally intractable for large-scale system with large number of Degrees of Freedom (DOF). The object of this manuscript will be focus on presenting our own developments of stochastic higher-order generalized perturbation theory to address the explosion in the computational load burden. Additionally, an overview of the current state-of-the-art of SA/UQ will also be provided.Copyright © 2013 by ASME

2022-12-20T23:04:49.410Z

Abstract The aim of the article is to characterize the well-recognized early Neolithic settlement region of Targowisko in SE Poland. It is located in southern Poland, on the northern outskirts of Western Carpathians, 30 km to the east of Krakow. It functioned throughout the development of the entire Linienbandkeramik and the subsequent Malice culture, in the period from 5300 to 4500 BC. The analysis of the settlement and internal colonization processes of the region showed their dynamic nature and the relative instability of the particular microregions, typically the increased mobility of small groups of people undertaking risky colonization actions in the Targowisko area. The region also offers a rare opportunity to trace the nature of socio-cultural change on a microscale. Impulses from various cultural environments contributed to the formation of the MC, which proves its heterogeneous character and the complicated course of its genesis.

2022-12-12T11:47:08.389Z

Burke, Fournier, and Prasad (2007), henceforth BFP, recently presented in these pages an important and path-breaking exploration of social learning models, noting potential welfare consequences of heterogeneous diffusions of innovations in medicine. Unfortunately, while I am broadly sympathetic to the central hypothesis of social learning in medical practice, there remains a series of questions regarding the conceptual model of BFP.1 Establishing the claim that social influences may significantly affect the timing and rate of technological adoption among physicians would be easier if these key issues were addressed differently. Most prominent of these issues is the possibility of omitting key variables that might independently explain diffusion of medical innovations. In this light, it is instructive to consider the backstory to the classic study of Coleman, Katz, and Menzel (1966), which investigated the dynamics of physician adoption of tetracycline antibiotics. As BFP point out, Coleman, Katz, and Menzel found that peer effects mediated by influential physicians drove adoption. Unfortunately, when Van den B?lte and Lilien (2001) reanalyzed Coleman's data and controlled for pharmaceutical company marketing mix variables, the conclusion was that peer effects were no longer significant drivers of adoption. Notwithstanding these comments, I conjecture that the heterogeneous adoption observed in practice is due to serious structural issues (principally the unequal distribution of higher volume teaching and for-profit hospitals, rather than unequal distributions of particular star physicians). BFP's central conclusion on the resultant unequal adoption/utilization entailing welfare costs is thus likely to remain an important and urgent one, albeit one even less amenable to policy changes.

2023-01-02T04:52:39.456Z

Urea dialysance and ultrafiltration at constant blood flow has been compared in two-parallel-flow artificial kidneys—the A-G and R-P Haemodialysers. The urea dialysance was constant in both cells. At dialysate flows of between 450 and 800 ml/min the efficiency of the R-P Haemodialyser was the greatest. At an average dialysate flow of 602 ml/min the urea dialysance was 68 ml/min for the A-G Haemodialyser. At an average dialysate flow of 632 ml/min the urea dialysance was 86 ml/min with the R-P Haemodialyser. The ultrafiltration rate was found to be greater with the A-G Haemodialyser.Membrane rupture was observed in the A-G Haemodialyser in 0.1% compared to 2.5% in the R-P Haemodialyser. Pyrogene reactions were not observed with either of the two units.The application of either the A-G or R-P Haemodialysers could result in a possible saving in labour costs when dialysis is carried out in two shifts. There is also a reduced risk of infection.

2022-02-13T12:56:11.201Z

This article describes the design and development of a portable system solution focused on an automated audit system of Wi-Fi networks in indoor premises as well as in the immediate proximity of audited organizations. The solution uses well-known methods of penetration testing with the intention of monitoring the radio environment of the organization to detect fake and poorly secured wireless networks. The solution was created as a part of the practical and project-oriented teaching strategy based on the cooperation of the academic sector and industry experts.

2022-03-12T05:26:01.198Z

Let E be an elliptic curve over a given number field . By Mordell’s Theorem, the torsion subgroup of E defined over Q is a finite group. Using Lutz-Nagell Theorem, we explicitly calculate the torsion subgroup E(Q)tors for certain elliptic curves depending on their coefficients.

2022-10-14T00:27:19.118Z

Frankfurt a.M. Digital Farming zur Optimierung des Betriebsmanagements nutzen viele Landwirte. Entscheidend für Datenanalyse und entsprechende Mehrwerte ist die Kompatibilität zwischen Maschinen und Anbietern. Nun wollen die Bayer-Tochter Climate Corporation und der Landtechnikanbieter Horsch ihr Angebot miteinander verknüpfen.

2022-01-27T08:21:15.102Z

For all its titular emphasis on ongoing diasporic displacements, Crossing the River prominently weaves the threads of a reflection about pasts and memories spanning from the late eighteenth century to the 1960s – and even to the very contemporary period in the epilogue. Francoise Kral attends to these temporal configurations as they are deployed by Caryl Phillips in his fourth novel, which has been included in the curriculum for the French exam of the agregation externe. The present monograph...

2022-02-08T19:46:46.520Z

An analysis of the literature was carried out whose main objective was to evaluate the influence of the  Body Mass Index, pregestational and gestational, on the weight of newborns. We designed a systematic  review of observational studies (retrospective, cross-sectional or prospective), fulfilling the guidelines of  the review protocol Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The  protocol was registered on the PROSPERO website, and it was assigned the registration number:  CRD42017080707. We searched by applying the inclusion criteria in the following electronic databases; Pubmed, Scielo,  Cuiden, Google Scholar and Scopus. We identified 372 articles that met the inclusion rules. We carried  out a screening in duplicates, reading the title and abstract of the identified articles, and subsequently  an in-depth reading of the articles, 10 articles were included in the present systematic review. Once the articles are analyzed, it is observed in the results that the BMI is positive and significantly  related to the birth weight of the children. Thus, mothers who begins gestation with low weight have a  greater risk of conceiving children with low birth weight for gestational age, just as obese and overweight women have  a greater risk of having macrosomic children. No data have been observed that relate the weight of newborns of women with normal weight, with the  weight gain of mothers.

2022-02-11T03:14:58.928Z

Various kinds of social work intervention dependent on the person's symptomatic state, personality, and interest are identified

2022-02-11T17:44:15.495Z

Three popular feasible direction methods for solving convex programming problems are reformulated so that they now work in the absence of Slater’s condition or any other constraint qualification.

2022-08-27T00:13:04.779Z

We report on the influence of ZnO on the structural, thermal, and crystallization behavior of the diopside-Ca-Tschermak based glasses, and on the processing, microstructure, and the properties of the sintered glass ceramics. Four glasses with nominal compositions of CaMg0.8Al0.4Si1.8O6, CaMg0.75Zn0.05Al0.4Si1.8O6, CaMg0.70Zn0.10Al0.4Si1.8O6, and CaMg0.60Zn0.20Al0.4Si1.8O6 were obtained by melting at 1580 °C for 1 h. Structural and thermal behavior of the glasses was investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, density measurements, dilatometry, and differential thermal analysis. Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics has been employed to study the crystallization mechanism in the glasses. Sintering, crystallization, microstructure, and properties of the glass ceramics were investigated under nonisothermal heating conditions in the temperature range of 850–1000 °C.

2022-08-28T07:59:52.097Z

Background After the implementation of the universal salt iodization (USI) program in 1996, seven cross-sectional school-based surveys have been conducted to monitor iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) among children in eastern China. Objectives This study aimed to examine the correlation of total goiter rate (TGR) with average thyroid volume (Tvol) and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in Jiangsu province after IDD elimination. Design Probability-proportional-to-size sampling was applied to select 1,200 children aged 8–10 years old in 30 clusters for each survey in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009 and 2011. We measured Tvol using ultrasonography in 8,314 children and measured UIC (4,767 subjects) and salt iodine (10,184 samples) using methods recommended by the World Health Organization. Tvol was used to calculate TGR based on the reference criteria specified for sex and body surface area (BSA). Results TGR decreased from 55.2% in 1997 to 1.0% in 2009, and geometric means of Tvol decreased from 3.63 mL to 1.33 mL, along with the UIC increasing from 83 μg/L in 1995 to 407 μg/L in 1999, then decreasing to 243 μg/L in 2005, and then increasing to 345 μg/L in 2011. In the low goiter population (TGR < 3.9%), TGR was positively associated with average Tvol (r = 0.99); UIC showed a non-linear association with average Tvol, and UIC > 300 μg/L was associated with a smaller average Tvol in children. Conclusions After IDD elimination in Jiangsu province in 2001, lower TGR was associated with smaller average Tvol. Average Tvol was more sensitive than TGR in detecting the fluctuation of UIC. A UIC of 300 μg/L may be defined as a critical value for population level iodine status monitoring.

2022-09-15T05:33:05.967Z

Transformation of a perforated lamella of an ABA triblock copolymer melt confined in a thin film under an electric field is studied by real-space dynamical self-consistent field theory. Starting from a perforated lamella structure, we apply an electric field along [100] and [010] directions which are parallel to the surfaces of the thin film, and along [001] direction which is perpendicular to the thin film. With a sufficiently high value of the electric field, transitions to cylinders or perpendicular lamellae occur. Several kinetic pathways of the transitions have been found, some of which are very different from the ones observed for a perforated lamella in an AB diblock copolymer.

2022-09-15T11:15:22.356Z

Cloud computing is considered as the sixth generation of computing. It is a kind of distributed and parallel systems based on a pay-as-you-go model that offers computing resources to users. These resources are used in such manner to fulfill workload demands of customers. However, one of the main challenges in cloud computing is how to manage in an optimal way the cloud resources in response of execution needs; so that we can reach the two performance objectives that we are targeting: reducing both the cost and the time of running users applications. In this paper, we propose an optimization-based solution which aims to achieve the aforementioned objectives. First, we improved an existing mathematical model based on integer programming formulation. Then, we proposed a metaheuristic solution based on genetic algorithms. To check effectiveness of our solution, we tested it over some real applications using a set of cloud resources available on the market. The obtained results demonstrate clearly that our algorithms succeeded to find reasonable solutions that ensure a fair dealing with each objective function.

2022-10-25T17:16:23.772Z

Pharmaceutical companies engage heavily in promoting their products worldwide, and India is no exception. This article begins with an analysis of the therapeutic value of medications on the Indian market because, by definition, if a drug has no therapeutic value or has a negative benefit-to-harm ratio, then any promotion of that drug is inappropriate. It then examines 2 Indian case studies: drug promotion in Mumbai and the misuse of the World Health Organization logo in promotion. Next it describes specific types of promotion: advertisements in medical journals, brochures, and pamphlets; the actions of sales representatives; and the content of continuing medical education courses and medical conferences. The next sections examine medical students’ and trainees’ exposure to promotion and their attitudes about promotion; the attitudes of doctors about their interactions with the pharmaceutical industry; and whether promotion has an influence on prescribing. The article concludes with a critique of the existing industry, professional, and government regulatory regimes in India.

2022-12-12T11:00:50.428Z

Among the common approaches for global glycopeptide enrichment, hydrazide chemistry is well recognized. However, conventional hydrazide-functionalized products are composed of a single layer of hydrazide functional groups. Due to the limited specific surface area of such a structure, the loading amount of hydrazide groups immobilized on these materials is restricted. Therefore, these materials can only provide a limited reaction rate with glycopeptides in complex protein samples, which is exacerbated by the microheterogeneities of glycosylation. Here, we introduce a new functionalized magnetic nanoparticle coating with hydrazide-modified non-crosslinked polymer chains. The multivalent hydrazide-functionalized particles were synthesized by the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) technique. The density of the hydrazide groups on the surface of these nanoparticles was three-fold higher than that of conventional single-layered materials. The new particles enabled the highly sensitive and selective enrichment of glycopeptides from a digestion mixture of fetuin, even from a background mixture of non-glycosylated protein that was 100-fold more abundant. The recovery ratio of glycopeptides was determined to be 77.8%, and the glycopeptide binding capacity of the materials was determined to be 25 μg mg(-1). Finally, the novel multivalent hydrazide-functionalized particles were applied in the enrichment of N-linked glycopeptides from mouse liver tissues, which resulted in the assignment of 511 unique glycopeptides belonging to 372 different glycoproteins. The results further demonstrated the potential of the multivalent particles for glycopeptide enrichment in complex proteomics samples.

2022-12-15T04:46:30.632Z

In order to study the host-parasite interaction of native fish Middle Parana system, Santa Fe, Argentina, the digestive tracts of 64 specimens of Hoplias malabaricus (Pisces, Erythrinidae) and of 70 specimens of Pimelodus maculatus (Pisces, Pimelodidae) were analyzed. These native species are important for the economy and recreational activities of the region. The fish were collected from two lentic environments associated with the San Javier River, Cayasta, in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. After dissecting the digestive tracts, parasites were detected by stereoscopic microscopy, collected and preserved in alcohol at 70% for subsequent taxonomic identification and description. In the intestines of both hosts, sixty-nine specimens of Quadrigyrus machadoi (Acanthocephala, Quadrigyridae) were reported for the first time in the Middle Parana System in this province. The parasitic prevalence was determined for each case (P= 20.31 %, H. malabaricus; P= 28.6 %, P. maculatus) and an extended description of the icthyoparasite was carried out. This work broadens the geographical distribution of Q. machadoi for both hosts and contributes to the advancement of knowledge on the icthyoparasites associated with the regional icthyc fauna.

2022-01-27T14:44:27.194Z

Self-organizing map (SOM) is an important statistical method for cluster analysis. The conventional single instruction multiple data (SIMD) solution sufficiently exploits the massive intrinsic parallelism of artificial neural networks. In this paper, we introduce a parallel-elementary-stream (PES) architecture for nearest-neighbor-search (NNS) based SOM model as an alternative to SIMD. The PES defines p parallel units each of which can process one element per clock. Meanwhile, every d-dimensional neuron vector (NV) as well as the input vector is partially stored in p dual-port memory blocks. In particular, each memory block stores ⌈d/p⌉ vector-components each of which is defined as an element. The distance between n NVs and one input vector for NNS can be sequentially calculated in n×⌈d/p⌉+α clock cycles where α is the pipeline delay. Furthermore, the processing unit for NNS is reconfigured to update the winner neurons. The experimental results show that the NNS performance is 3 times higher than the SIMD solution with the same working frequency and process technology but the core area is 4.3 times smaller than that of the SIMD solution.

2022-01-27T05:43:41.179Z

We theoretically study the nonequilibrium transport properties in an Aharonov‐Bohm ring with an embedded quantum dot, in the presence of electron‐phonon interaction. The differential conductance is calculated under finite bias voltages, using Keldysh Green function method. By the perturbation of the electron‐phonon interaction, we find that the Fano resonance is more suppressed with increasing bias voltage. This bias‐voltage dependence of the dephasing effect cannot be obtained using the canonical transformation method of electron‐phonon interaction.

2022-02-09T22:44:57.502Z

RESUMEN: Segun las normas de derecho internacional los Estados, frente a los crimenes mas graves, tienen una obligacion ineludible, para con sus propios ciudadanos, pero tambien para con la comunidad internacional, de investigar, perseguir y castigar a los responsables. El desarrollo del derecho penal internacional y el caracter taxativo de las obligaciones de los Estados no ha evitado, sin embargo, que el procesamiento a los perpetradores de crimenes masivos sea considerado a menudo como una tarea imposible, irrealizable e incluso no siempre deseable. En este articulo se analizan las criticas al instrumento juridico-penal como el mecanismo adecuado para enfrentar la violencia colectiva en el ambito de la justicia transicional. ABSTRACT: According to the rules of international law, States, in the face of the most serious crimes, have an inescapable obligation, to their own citizens, but also to the international community, to investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible. The development of international criminal law and the binding character of States' obligations have not, however, prevented the prosecution of perpetrators of mass crimes from being often considered an impossible, unrealizable and even not always desirable task. This article will focus on such criticism against criminal law as an appropriate tool in the field of transitional justice

2022-02-09T12:05:16.116Z

We herein present the first left atrial appendage (LAA) percutaneous closure procedure performed in our Institution with use of the Watchman device in an 82-year old woman with atrial fibrillation, unable to continue receiving anticoagulation therapy due to bleeding complications. A propos with this case, we discuss the data related to this therapeutic approach geared to prevent thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation and contraindications to treatment with anticoagulants.

2022-02-13T06:37:41.894Z

Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar o perfil das publicações dos principais periódicos voltados à abordagem da Universidade Empreendedora. O Estudo foi conduzido pela técnica estatística da Bibliometria, seguindo suas Leis: Lei de Lotka, Lei de Brandford e Lei de Zipf, além de outras informações referentes à cerca da produção científica de 1983 até 2019. O estudo adotou abordagem quantitativa de natureza descritiva. A pesquisa resultou em uma amostra de 229 artigos nas bases de dados Web of Science, Scopus, Speel e EBSCO. Os resultados bibliométricos não confirmam as diretrizes estimadas pela Lei de Lotka, ou seja, não caracterizou elitismo entre os autores. A Lei de Brandford foi confirmada referente análises dos periódicos, da mesma forma a Lei de Zipf foi confirmada, um pequeno grupo de palavras ocorre muitas vezes e um grande número de palavras é de pequena frequência de ocorrência. O auge de publicações foi no ano de 2019 com mais de 18% das publicações, e o acumulado dos últimos cinco anos equivalem a 59,39% de toda amostra. Para além da bibliometria o estudo aponta a predominância de pesquisas empíricas qualitativas sobre o tema, sendo que o método de estudo de caso está entre os mais utilizados para investigação científica sobre a universidade empreendedora. A partir dos resultados encontrados sugere-se que a escala da comunidade universitária mundial vai em direção ao modelo da universidade empreendedora com aceleração exponencial, em busca da realização da terceira missão da universidade, voltada ao desenvolvimento econômico e social.  

2022-05-27T00:58:36.771Z

Swarm intelligence is defined as the properties of artificial systems. It is suited to depict people's daily behavior, such as social media users' behavior. Social media users have some characteristics. For one thing, users who have the same interest will focus on the same VIP (Very Important Person) users inside the industry. For another, the users concentrating on the same VIP user may focus on each other. It is formed by common interests as the cluster center. Based on the characteristics, we analyse the Sina Weibo as the research object. From the perspective of swarm intelligence, the multi-agent mechanism model has been established. In this paper, we implemented the user behavior model and studied the following aspects. Firstly, we clarify how the same interests can lead to the clustering of the users, and what the path of the clustering evolution would be. Secondly, we measure the influence of VIP users in the industry. In order to solve the above problems, we use the computational experiment method to simulate clustering process via the K-PSO algorithm (K-Particle Swarm Optimization). We select the RePast as the simulation experiment tool. The simulation results are highly consistent with the expected experimental results.

2022-09-08T02:58:31.354Z

We extend our previous analysis for photons to write down the most general equations of motion of any gauge field, Abelian or non-Abelian, within a medium. We discuss the implications of the effects that are asymmetric under various discrete symmetries, including CPT

2022-09-18T02:30:36.866Z

The power penalties due to double Rayleigh backscattering are calculated for coherent lightwave systems with optical in-line amplifiers. It is shown that coherent systems are less sensitive to Rayleigh noise than high-speed direct-detection systems. For PSK heterodyne systems, the maximum gain of in-line amplifiers that can be achieved without optical isolation is limited to about 25 dB.<<ETX>>

2022-12-20T22:00:23.793Z

Atopic dermatitis or eczema is a chronic pruritic skin disorder whose appearance signals the first step of the atopic march (a term that refers to the progression of atopic diseases). It is the most common skin disorder in preschool children, with a prevalence of up to 20%, and affects up to 3% of adults [5] . Around half of the patients suffer from moderate to severe disease symptoms [6] . The disease course differs greatly from patient to patient and is characterized by flares of varying severity and duration [7] . The most debilitating feature, however, is the recurrent pruritus, which can lead to infection and cause great emotional stress for the patient and the family. In the first article, Sophie Nutten [5] covers the global epidemiology and risk factors that affect the function of the skin barrier and how these modulate the immune response. By linking the environmental, genetic and physiological players, Nutten outlines the pathogenesis of the disease and applies this knowledge to possible preventive actions. How does atopic dermatitis affect the developing world and emerging economies, which are already burdened with urgent health-care issues? In the second article, Bee Wah Lee and Patrick R. Detzel [8] examine the management and cost burden of childhood atopic dermatitis in the Asia Pacific region. The treatment practices in this region are not only influenced by the different healthcare systems, but also by cultural and environmental factors, such as climate and access to medical care. Not surprisingly, atopic dermatitis presents a significant economic burden in this part of the world. Using an extensive literature search, Lee and Detzel provide several estimates of the direct and indirect costs of the disease in several The last few decades have witnessed a considerable increase in atopic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis or eczema according to the new nomenclature, which collectively affect an estimated 20% of the world’s population – particularly children [1–3] . This increase in atopic disorders is not confined to industrialized countries but also affects developing nations. At first glance, atopic diseases appear to be a group of heterogeneous, unrelated disorders that share some risk factors. Indeed, the complex nature and etiology of these diseases have made it difficult to develop a unifying hypothesis to explain their steeply increasing prevalence worldwide. If two or more allergic diseases (asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis) occur within one child, the question is whether this occurs purely by chance due to the high prevalence of these disorders or whether there are other factors at play. Furthermore, can the presence of atopy (defined as being positive for a specific IgE) contribute to the excess comorbidity frequently seen with these conditions? Pooled data from different European birth cohort studies including data from more than 10,000 children with information on underlying diseases and sensitization at 4 and 8 years of age showed that IgE sensitization is associated with the presence of excess comorbidity, irrespective of preexisting diseases [4] . However, the level of comorbidity is even higher in children with no sensitization. The authors concluded that the presence of sensitization accounted for <40% of comorbidity, suggesting that IgE sensitization can no longer be considered the dominating causal mechanism of allergic comorbidity. Published online: April 24, 2015

2022-01-27T02:07:05.688Z

By using the three-photon parametric process, tunable infrared pulses between 2500 and 7000 cm-1 can be generated with LiNbO3 crystals. By varying the time delay between the pump pulse and a signal input pulse the duration of the i.r. pulses may be changed. I.r. pulses as short as 0.5 ps have been experimentally observed. The dynamics of vibrational modes of polyatomic molecules was studied by using a two-pulse system. A first i.r. pulse excites a specific molecular vibration while a second properly delayed pulse monitors the instantaneous state of the vibrational system. Two types of experiments are discussed, those where the anti-Stokes Raman scattering or a fluorescence signal is observed.

2022-02-09T18:47:48.839Z

Exploration in transition zone regions (defined as the tidal flat for this study) has been deterred by such environmental factors as extreme tidal ranges, strong currents, near shore ice, coastline morphology and swampy conditions. Advances in acquisition technology (Michelson, 1988, Sheriff, 1980, Lauhoff, 1979 and others) and processing techniques have again encouraged activity in these challenging areas. Surface conditions necessitate the use of different source, receiver, and instrumentation configurations within a single seismic profile. An integrated acquisition/processing approach to survey design enabled optimum phase matching of data acquired using these different equipment types. A seismic survey acquired in the Redoubt Bay tidal flat utilized different combinations of airgun and mini-hole sources hydrophone, marshphone, and geophone receivers, and DFS-V, Digiseis, and SGR-III instruments. The method for obtaining an internally phase consistent stack section relies on the acquisition design to provide certain degree of common CDP locations for each transition between equipment types. These common traces were used to develop filters which phasecorrected the entire survey to a standard equipment set. In addition, signal to noise problems, preprocessing, and use of manufacturer specifications are discussed. Although particularly beneficial in tidal flat area, these concepts should also be of use in any survey where multiple acquisition techniques are required.

2022-08-26T22:08:12.826Z

A clinical syndrome of gastroenteritis in an 11-year-old patient, followed five weeks later by intense headache and sudden, unexpected death, is reported. At autopsy, significant structural abnormalities consisted of the presence of inflammatory infiltrates confined to the myocardium, the choroid plexuses, and the leptomeninges. Unfixed portions of lower medulla oblongata and upper cervical spinal cord were obtained within six hours of the patient's death, and from these tissues Coxsackie B-5 virus was isolated in monolayer tissue cultures. The significance of this viral isolation and the rarity with which this syndrome occurs, as a fatal one, are discussed.

2022-08-27T19:43:38.871Z

The spontaneous electrical activity was sampled at 2-second intervals from 50 electrodes on the MES area. Chi-square tests indicated normality for the amplitude values of potential obtained at each electrode. The range for standard deviations was 43–113 µv but averaged between 77 and 85 for three animals. Correlation coefficients greater than 0.7 were obtained between electrodes 2 mm apart in the anterior-posterior direction with a decrement to 0.4 at a separation of 4 mm. Dorso-ventrally, correlations greater than 0.7 were obtained between electrodes 4–6 mm apart, suggesting a strip-like character. Low values of correlation were obtained between an electrode in the MES area and an electrode on the AES or PES area. Assuming independence of the true response and spontaneous electrical activity the mean curve and standard deviation curve of the true response were computed. The standard deviation curve of the true response increased during the positive component gradually decreasing toward the end of the negative component.

2022-09-14T19:21:50.041Z

In a data processing device using flexible magnetic disc media, apparatus is disclosed for improved positioning of a magnetic read/record head against the recording surface of a magnetic disc. A carriage, moveable radially on the disc, has two opposed swing arms pivotal between a load position and a retracted position. A gimbal spring is cantilevered to each swing arm and carries at its free end a transducer. A retainer is attached to the end of each swing arm. During movement of the swing arm toward the load position, each retainer is engaged with its associated gimbal spring and maintains its associated head in a controlled attitude as the head approaches the disc. In the load position, the heads are opposite one another against recording surfaces on opposite sides of the disc, and each is free of its associated retainer. As the swing arms are moved from the load position toward the retracted position, each retainer engages its associated gimbal spring to pull the associated head from the disc surface in a controlled attitude.

2022-10-14T00:30:42Z

Bats are known natural reservoirs of several highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses, including Hendra virus, Nipah virus, rabies virus, SARS-like coronaviruses, and suspected ancestral reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The capacity to survive infections of highly pathogenic agents without severe disease, together with many other unique features, makes bats an ideal animal model for studying the regulation of infection, cancer, and longevity, which is likely to translate into human health outcomes. A key factor that limits bat research is lack of breeding bat colonies. To address this need, a captive bat colony was established in Singapore from 19 wild-caught local cave nectar bats. The bats were screened for specific pathogens before the start of captive breeding. Custom-made cages and an optimized diet inclusive of Wombaroo dietary formula, liquid diet, and supplement of fruits enabled the bats to breed prolifically in our facility. Cages are washed daily and disinfected once every fortnight. Bats are observed daily to detect any sick bat or abnormal behavior. In addition, bats undergo a thorough health check once every 3 to 4 mo to check on their overall wellbeing, perform sampling, and document any potential pregnancy. The current colony houses over 80 bats that are successfully breeding, providing a valuable resource for research in Singapore and overseas.

2022-12-18T05:44:26.895Z

The present study provides insights into the perception of EFL teachers (Native and Non-native) and students of dictionary use. Participants were 99 (56 NS and 43 NNS) EFL teachers and 3993 (1815 male and 2178 female) students and were invited to respond to a questionnaires. 40 students participated in a follow-up interview. The results indicate that students overwhelmingly prefer bilingual dictionary to another type of dictionaries. Moreover, the students reported using online dictionaries and Google translator significantly more than print dictionaries. The study also revealed that meaning was reported to be the most lexical information sought by the subjects of the current study. Furthermore, the findings showed that most of the students refer to their dictionaries for word meaning and spelling but pay little attention to other aspects such as pronunciation, illustrated examples, and collocations. The findings revealed that EFL teachers held different perceptions on the role of the dictionary in their learning and teaching experiences. The results of the study suggest that the EFL teachers should incorporate ongoing training about dictionary use in the teaching-learning process and make the students aware of the extensive vocabulary input available in the standard dictionaries. Exposure to the parts of speech and collocation in dictionary entries can be useful for improving productive language abilities.

2022-12-21T18:34:39.863Z

Sweet pumpkin paste (SPP) was fermented by Leuconostoc mesenteroides SM at 25°C for 3 days for enhancing its physicochemical properties. SPPs with 5%, 10%, and 15% solid contents (SC) were fortified with 20% sucrose and 0.5% yeast extract. The unfermented SPP with 15% SC indicated L, a, and b color values of 25.02, 4.66, and 13.35, respectively, and a consistency index of 48.6 Pa·s. During the 3 days of fermentation, both the a and b color values decreased slightly, whereas the consistency index increased to 188.8 Pa·sn, giving the fermented product a pudding-like consistency. This fermented SPP (15% SC) showed the highest acid production and viable cell counts among samples, indicating pH 3.85, 1.30% acidity and 9.2×10 CFU/mL respectively. The added sucrose was completely utilized after 1 day of fermentation. After 3 days, the insoluble and soluble dextran contents were 8.9% and 4.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the contents of mannitol and fructose were 3.11% and 1.76%, respectively. Regarding the sensory evaluation, this fermented sample also indicated the highest color, taste and texture scores, and was the overall preferred sample. In conclusion, the fermented SPP with 15% SC was carotinoid-rich a wholesome pumpkin-based product that is rich in probiotics and lactic bacteria-produced mannitol and dextran, which gave the product an acceptable viscous pudding-like consistency and good organoleptic properties.

2022-02-08T02:00:22.024Z

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui apakah BI Rate, penyaluran kredit dan ROA perbankan berpengaruh terhadap kredit bermasalah atau NPL di Industri perbankan Indonesia. Dalam penelitian ini, populatiannya adalah bank-bank di industri perbankan Indonesia. Sampel penelitian ini menggunakan bank umum konvensional (BUK) yang terdaftar di Otoritas Jasa Keuangan atau OJK tahun 2015-2019. Pada penelitian ini digunakan pengujian asumsi klasik yaitu, uji normalitas, uji multikolinearitas, uji heteroskedastisitas dan uji autokorelasi untuk mengetahui keterkaitan antara variabel. Teknik menguji data penelitian ini menggunakan regresi linier berganda. Hasil penelitian ini menemukan fakta bahwa kredit bermasalah atau NPL perbankan Indonesia konsisten di bawah 5% sesuai dengan aturan otoritas perbankan. Sehingga hal ini mempengaruhi pengambilan kesimpulan  penilitian ini. Hasilnya, BI Rate, penyaluran kredit dan ROA perbankan tidak berpengaruh terhadap kredit bermasalah atau NPL.

2022-02-07T23:02:50.544Z

味覚異常の治療として亜鉛製剤が使用される場合が多いが, 反応しない症例や高齢者においては難治となる例も少なくない。筆者らは漢方治療が奏功した味覚低下の三症例を経験した。第1例49歳女。口腔疾患の後遺症で味覚と知覚の低下があり, 黄連解毒湯が奏功した。第2例43歳男, 精神分裂病合併例と, 第3例76歳女, 特発性味覚低下症には, ともに柴胡加竜骨牡蛎湯が奏功した。漢方薬による味覚異常改善の機序として, 味蕾で亜鉛の関与する種々の情報伝達系に好影響を及ぼしている可能性が推測されているが, 今回の症例においてはさらに黄連解毒湯の口腔粘膜修復作用, あるいは柴胡加竜骨牡蛎湯の向精神作用が症状改善に貢献したものと考えられた。高齢者の味覚異常が近年増加しているが, その原因として加齢に伴う抑鬱状態が潜んでいるとの指摘があり, 気鬱を改善する柴胡加竜骨牡蛎湯をはじめとする漢方方剤によるアプローチは本症の治療にとって有用性が増すものと考えられる。

2022-02-11T07:35:04.793Z

This paper focuses on the analysis of autonomic nervous system responses of programmers during tasks of code comprehension and code writing. The signals analyzed are the heart rate variability and the respiratory signal, acquired using unobtrusive sensors connected to a polygraph. A bivariate time-variant autoregressive model was used to compute frequency domain features and their variations in time. A significant increase in heart rate and respiratory rate and a reduction in the total power of the heart rate variability were identified during code writing compared to other protocol tasks. This research is part of the second study of the BASE (Biofeedback Augmented Software Engineering) project.

2022-08-11T17:38:03.172Z

A new method to classify and describe grasping and manipulation is proposed. It is based on a combination of functions of each of the grasping surfaces composing a grasp. The description is illustrated through example grasps and manipulations by a human hand. The proposed method is useful to design robot hands when some specific desired tasks are given. The designing procedure is also illustrated with a solution to an example design problem. Since our description provides neutral expression of desired tasks in a fashion independent from specific hardware, we can expect to obtain the design of a simplified robot hand to satisfy required task conditions with a structure completely different from that of the human hand.

2022-08-28T01:52:59.700Z

Region 8, as defined by the National Petroleum Council's Committee on Future Petroleum Provinces of the United States, includes Wisconsin, Michigan, and the northern parts of Indiana and Ohio. The region includes three geologic provinces: the Wisconsin arch, the Lake Superior basin, and the Michigan basin. The Wisconsin and Lake Superior provinces have no established hydrocarbon production and offer little possibility of future production. The Michigan basin has been an oil- and gas-producing province for more than four decades and is the most likely area for future undiscovered reserves. The Michigan basin covers about 122,000 sq mi (315,980 sq km) and contains about 108,000 cu mi (450,040 cu km) of sedimentary rock. About 36,800 cu mi (153,350 cu km) of this volume is considered potentially productive. The consolidated rocks filling the basin include Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, and remnant Jurassic sediments. The entire rock sequence, including the Jurassic, is estimated to be 14,000-15,000 ft (4,270-4,570 m) thick in the central part of the basin. Pleistocene glacial drift, ranging up to 1,000 ft (305 m) or more in thickness, blankets virtually all bedrock. The Michigan part of the basin, specifically the Southern Peninsula, had produced nearly 552 million bbl of oil and 580 billion cu ft of gas through 1967. These hydrocarbons have come from about 600 individual pools, most of which are small. The bulk of oil and gas in past years has been produced from Mississippian and Devonian rocks. Silurian and Ordovician rocks also produce and in recent years have become increasingly important as drilling objectives. Cambrian rocks have not produced and their potential is not known. Large areas of the basin are still inadequately explored, especially to formations older than Devonian. Several estimates were made of the volume of hydrocarbons yet to be found in the Michigan basin. The first estimate, based on oil yield per cubic mile of sedimentary rock, is more than 1 billion bbl. The other estimates, based on actual hydrocarbon yield per square mile of proved area, range from about 673 million to more than 1.2 billion bbl. The latter figures apply only to the Southern Peninsula of Michigan and not the entire Michigan basin as defined. New pools, generally of small size, are found each year in the basin. Exploratory and development drilling always has been cyclic, and is closely related to the number and size of new discoveries. The gradual decline in exploratory drilling in recent years, the results of this drilling as reflected by the number and small size of dis overies, and the sagging annual production do not lend high confidence to the estimates of hydrocarbons yet to be discovered.

2022-08-28T19:33:58.343Z

This paper presents a framework for incorporating the assessment of psycholinguistic constructs into spoken language proficiency testing. Although response time and automaticity of language processing are vital factors in language acquisition, as constructs they are rarely explicitly assessed in language tests. It is proposed that efficiency of processing, although it does not appear in most models of communicative language competence, might be viewed as a language competence in its own right. In contrast to communicative approaches to testing which evaluate mastery of complex language structures or domain-specific vocabulary, an approach which emphasizes efficiency of processing evaluates the speed and accuracy with which a learner processes familiar language, as this provides equally useful information about their L2 proficiency. In a study to demonstrate this, the speech of 147 test takers was evaluated as they performed on conceptually simple and straightforward performance tasks such as elicited imitation. It was found that sentence repetition and sentence building tasks reliably separated test takers according to proficiency in a way that accounts for the trade-off between fluency, accuracy and complexity. While these tasks would not be considered communicative, they are psycholinguistically valid and also link to good practice in classroom language learning activities.

2022-09-07T19:08:28.558Z

Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability which requires accommodation in this course, please see me as soon as possible. I will make appropriate accommodations (such as alternative formats) when and where possible. Wheelchair accessible entrances to Ruttan Hall are at the north end of the ground and first floor levels and from McGrath Library. Elevators are located at each end of the building.

2022-09-15T05:51:49.810Z

The free convective boundary layer flow induced by a uniform temperature semi-infinite vertical surface embedded in a porous medium is considered. Particular attention is paid to how inertial effects (form drag or Forchheimer) combine with a spanwise pressure gradient to affect the otherwise two-dimensional flow. The resulting flow is three-dimensional but self-similar. The boundary layer equations are supplemented by an algebraic equation governing the magnitude of the spanwise velocity field. The modifications required to solve this problem using the Keller box method are described. It is found that inertial effects serve to inhibit the spanwise flow near the heated surface.

2022-11-23T15:15:30.537Z

A sequence of 31 amino acids (S565-K595) in domain 6 of the light chain of high molecular weight kininogen (HK) has previously been shown to be responsible for the binding of plasma prekallikrein (PK) or kallikrein. To find effective peptides that might block binding between HK and PK on cell surfaces, a new series of synthetic peptides has now been prepared that incorporates portions of this binding domain sequence. For mapping the minimal sequence within HK, these new peptides were tested for their ability to compete with HK for binding PK in a cell-free system and on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In the former, at pH 7.4, the kds for binding between kallikrein and either D567-K595, S565-P594, D567-S593, or D567-T591 were all similar to that for the binding of S565-K595 (0.2 to 0.4 micromol/L), but those for the binding of D568-K595, W569-K595, and D567-P589 were an order of magnitude greater (kd = 2 to 5 micromol/L). D567-S586, the shortest chain length of the N- and C-terminal truncation sequences tested, does not effectively compete with kininogen for kallikrein binding (kd = 100 micromol/L). These results imply that D567-T591, a 25-residue peptide (HK25c), contains sufficient structural information for binding kallikrein in solution. D567-T591 also is the minimum structural sequence to block binding of kallikrein to HUVEC-bound HK (IC50 = 50 nmol/L) and to inhibit PK activation to kallikrein on the cell surface (IC50 = 80 nmol/ L). In addition, D567-T591 also inhibits the generation of kallikrein-activated urokinase, which activates plasminogen to plasmin (IC50 = 100 nmol/L). Thus, HK-derived peptides may be useful compounds for modulating excessive fibrinolysis and hypotension in sepsis and multiple trauma.

2022-12-10T09:36:22.992Z

The low-energy (0-15 eV) resonance electron interaction with two organic acids, oxaloacetic and α-ketoglutaric, is studied under gas-phase conditions using dissociative electron attachment spectroscopy. The most unexpected observation is the long-lived (microseconds) molecular negative ions formed by thermal electron attachment via the vibrational Feshbach resonance mechanism in both compounds. Unlike oxaloacetic acid, for which only one slow (microseconds) dissociative decay is detected, as many as five metastable negative ions are observed for α-ketoglutaric acid. These results are analyzed using density functional theory calculations and estimations of electron affinity using the experimental electron detachment times. The results are of considerable interest for understanding the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the dynamics of highly excited negative ions and the transformation pathways of biologically relevant molecules stimulated by excess electron attachment.

2022-12-12T02:22:42.493Z

The light from a strongly coupled atom-cavity system will also be considered as a source. Different parameter regimes of this system can yield a large variety of statistical properties in the output light, e.g., variations from strongly bunched to strongly antibunched light. Interesting effects of such light on atoms and atom-cavity systems can arise, such as enhancement of antibunching from a two-level atom driven with strongly bunched light. 'Physics Department, University of Waiknto, Hamilton, New Zealand 1. G. Rempe, R. J. Thompson, R. J. Brecha, W. D. Lee, H. J. Kimble, Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 1727 (1991). E. S. Polzik, J. Carri, H. J. Kimble, Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 3020 (1992). M. I. Kolobov, I. V. Sokolov, Opt. Spektrosk. 62,112 (1987); C. W. Gardiner, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 2269 (1993); H. J. Carmichael, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 2273 (1993). See, for example, the review of A. S. Parkins in Modern Nonlinear Optics, Part 2, M. Evans, Stanislaw Kielich, 2.

2022-12-18T14:07:39.647Z