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62758731 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-02-14T14:18:54.389Z | 1998-11-08T00:00:00.000Z | Application of data aided phase control in the implementation of differential GMSK receivers
An implementation method for differential Gaussian minimum shift keying receivers with phase control is presented. It is shown that in such receivers the effect of intersymbol interference (ISI) on the signal, caused by the adjacent bits is reduced by introducing phase control in accordance with the data stream. This results in improved system performance, particularly at low values of 'time-bandwidth product' of the premodulation Gaussian filter, where ISI is high. With the application of this technique the performance of differential receiver is enhanced to a level where it is comparable to that of coherent receiver and yet avoids the problems associated with the complex carrier recovery in the latter case. |
137081581 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-28T13:10:10.209Z | 2010-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | Design of the Digital Simulation System for Corrosion Damage on Marine Steel Structures
Corrosion of ocean engineering steel structures leads huge economic loses each year. To decrease corrosive loses and guarantee the safety of ocean steel structures, on the basis of Database on Corrosion of Ocean Engineering Materials and Structures (DCOEMS), the overall architecture of a digital simulation system is proposed based on the collection of existing models of corrosion damage on marine steel structures. Typical models involving uniform corrosion, pitting corrosion, stress corrosion and corrosion fatigue are sorted out and integrated in the simulation system which makes a thorough analysis for calculation and principle of professional module. The effective integration of corrosion damage, structural simulation and visualization is implemented successfully. It achieves the applications of the digital simulation. In the case of prediction and evaluation, it lays a good foundation for the development of the simulation system with independent intellectual property rights. |
233449731 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2021-04-30T13:23:17.813Z | 2021-06-21T00:00:00.000Z | The Medial Orbitofrontal Cortex–Basolateral Amygdala Circuit Regulates the Influence of Reward Cues on Adaptive Behavior and Choice
Adaptive reward-related decision making requires accurate prospective consideration of the specific outcome of each option and its current desirability. Often this information must be inferred based on the presence of predictive environmental events. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) are two key nodes in the circuitry supporting such outcome expectations, but very little is known about the function of direct connections between these regions. Here, in male rats, we first anatomically confirmed the existence of bidirectional, direct projections between the mOFC and BLA and found that BLA projections to mOFC are largely distinct from those to lateral OFC (lOFC). Next, using pathway-specific chemogenetic inhibition and the outcome-selective Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer and devaluation tests, we interrogated the function of the bidirectional mOFC–BLA connections in reward-directed behavior. We found evidence that the mOFC→BLA pathway mediates the use of environmental cues to understand which specific reward is predicted, information needed to infer which action to choose, and how desirable that reward is to ensure adaptive responses to the cue. By contrast, the BLA→mOFC pathway is not needed to use the identity of an expected reward to guide choice but does mediate adaptive responses to cues based on the current desirability of the reward they predict. These functions differ from those we previously identified for the lOFC–BLA circuit. Collectively, the data reveal the mOFC–BLA circuit as critical for the cue-dependent reward outcome expectations that influence adaptive behavior and decision making. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To make good decisions we evaluate how advantageous a particular course of action would be. This requires understanding what rewarding outcomes can be expected and how desirable they currently are. Such prospective considerations are critical for adaptive decision making but disrupted in many psychiatric diseases. Here, we reveal that direct connections between the medial orbitofrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala mediate these functions. These findings are especially important in light of evidence of dysfunction in this circuit in substance use disorder and mental illnesses marked by poor decision making. |
359281 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T03:06:32.641Z | 1985-07-01T00:00:00.000Z | Modulation of oxidant lung injury by using liposome-entrapped superoxide dismutase and catalase.
Increased cellular generation of partially reduced species of oxygen mediates the toxicity of hyperoxia to cultured endothelial cells and rats exposed to 95-100% oxygen. Liposomal entrapment and intracellular delivery of superoxide dismutase (SOD) to cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells increased the specific activity of cellular SOD up to 15-fold. The liposome-mediated augmentation of SOD activity persisted in cell monolayers and rendered these cells resistant to oxygen-induced injury in a cell SOD activity-dependent manner. Addition of free SOD to culture medium had no effect on cell SOD activity or resistance to oxygen toxicity. SOD and catalase-containing liposomes injected i.v. into rats increased lung-associated enzyme specific activities two- to fourfold. Liposome entrapment of both SOD and catalase significantly increased the circulating half-lives of these enzymes and was critical for prevention of in vivo oxygen toxicity. Free SOD and catalase injected i.v. in the absence or presence of control liposomes did not increase corresponding lung enzyme activities or survival time in 100% oxygen. These studies show that O2- and H2O2 are important mediators of oxygen toxicity and that intracellular delivery of oxygen protective enzymes can reduce tissue injury owing to overproduction of partially reduced oxygen species. |
244153631 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2021-11-17T16:20:48.007Z | 2021-11-13T00:00:00.000Z | Cultivation of Solanum lycopersicum under Glass Coated with Nanosized Upconversion Luminophore
The effect of upconverting luminescent nanoparticles coated on glass on the productivity of Solanum lycopersicum was studied. The cultivation of tomatoes under photoconversion glass led to an increase in plant productivity and an acceleration of plant adaptation to ultraviolet radiation. An increase in the total leaf area and chlorophyll content in the leaves was revealed in plants growing under the photoconversion glass. Plants growing under the photoconversion glass were able to more effectively utilize the absorbed light energy. The results of this study suggest that the spectral changes induced by photoconversion glass can accelerate the adaptation of plants to the appearance of ultraviolet radiation. |
247682681 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2022-01-13T16:28:42.488Z | 2022-04-01T00:00:00.000Z | State-Based Dynamic Event-Triggered Observer for One-Sided Lipschitz Nonlinear Systems With Disturbances
Considering that the communication networks usually suffer from limited communication resources with detrimental consequences, this brief considers the state-based dynamic event-triggered observer issue for one-sided Lipschitz nonlinear systems (OLNSs) with disturbances. To reduce the supervision time, a discrete-time event-triggering mechanism (DETM) is proposed in accordance with sampled signals (SSs) and a dynamic function, which not only significantly reduces the utilization of communication resources but also maintains the desired system performance. Then, by resorting to an input-delay protocol, sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee that the state observer can availably estimate the state of the system. An illustrative example is provided to verify the merit of the achieved strategy. |
25102331 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T06:16:07.607Z | 2003-10-01T00:00:00.000Z | Comparison of the E-test Method with an Automated Bacterial Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Detection System for Screening Extended-spectrum β-Lactamase Producers
Some automated systems used in clinical microbiology laboratories are able to detect products responsible for antimicrobial resistance. In this study, 626 isolates (436 Escherichia coli, 134 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 56 Klebsiella oxytoca strains) were examined for the presumptive detection of extended-spectrum b-lactamase (ESBL) production by 2 methods: the Sceptor system (BD, Sparks, MD, USA) and the E-test. ESBL production was detected in 26 E. coli strains (5.96%), 60 K. pneumoniae strains (44.77%) and 15 K. oxytoca strains (26.78%) by ceftazidime/ceftazidime–clavulanate E-test. Using the E-test, ESBL production was detected in 25 of 201 E. coli strains (12.43%), 55 of 75 K. pneumoniae (73.33%) and 14 of 27 K. oxytoca strains (51.85%) that were alerted as ESBL-producing strains by the Sceptor system. ESBL positivity was detected in 1 E. coli, 5 K. pneumoniae and 1 K. oxytoca strains, that were not warned as being ESBL producers by the Sceptor system. These data suggest that clinical microbiology laboratories should not only rely on these rapid automated systems but also use another method for screening ESBL producers, such as the E-test. The rates of these ESBL-producing isolates in this study were lower than those in other studies reported from other parts of Turkey, but higher than those reported from the USA and Europe. |
46101581 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T06:14:35.358Z | 1998-04-01T00:00:00.000Z | A Final Word
near. Campbell does not see the relevance of my discussion of the Bible and of Christian thought prior to Augustine since ’the best he (Badham) can say is that he finds no opposition to it (the voluntary giving up of life) in early Christian thought’. But that is all I need to show. Christianity claims to be a ’revealed religion’ and my point is that total opposition to the voluntary giving up of life cannot be justified from the primary Christian sources, but is largely a product of ’the Augustinian Reversal’ of the original position. Campbell suggests that the high suicide rate among doctors is related to stress rather than to terminal illness, but these are not |
22368381 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T01:12:54.915Z | 1988-09-10T00:00:00.000Z | Human red cell antigens
The In(Lu) gene, which inhibits the expression of Lutheran blood group antigens by red cells (RBCs), also down‐regulates the expression of an 80‐kD glycoprotein, In(Lu)‐related p80, by both RBCs and a subset of white cells. This study examined the expression of multiple‐RBC p80 epitopes by autosomal and X‐linked recessive‐type Lu(a−b−) RBCs in order to explore the relationship, if any, between expression of In(Lu)‐ related p80 and Lutheran antigens. Both autosomal and X‐linked types of recessive Lu(a+b−) RBCs expressed near‐normal to increased amounts of p80 antigens, as measured by radioimmunoassay. P80 from both types of recessive Lu(a−b−) RBCs had apparently normal molecular weight in denaturing polyacrylamide gels and showed normal sensitivity to digestion by trypsin and chymotrypsin. Thus, the absence of Lutheran antigens on recessive‐type Lu(a−b−) RBCs is not associated with decreased or absent p80 antigens. Furthermore, the XS2 gene probably does not act via a mechanism similar to that of the In(Lu) gene, since the expression of p80 remains undiminished in X‐linked recessive‐type Lu(a−b−) RBCs. |
143648331 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-04T13:05:52.658Z | 2014-09-02T00:00:00.000Z | A veritable game of the nation: on the changing status of football within the Egyptian national formation in the wake of the 2009 World Cup qualifiers against Algeria
This article details the agitated emotional reactions and heated public debate that surrounded Egyptian football in the weeks before and after two World Cup qualifying games against Algeria in November 2009. During the late Mubarak era, Egypt experienced unprecedented successes on the football pitch, triumphs that together with a rapid increase in media attention, created a politicized and highly nationalist hype around the game. Drawing on press material from autumn 2009 and ethnographic interviews from fieldwork conducted a few years later, this article argues that the Algeria games constituted both the pinnacle of this hype and the point in time when football began to lose its central position in many Egyptians’ lives. In particular, this article shows how the social and political role of football, in the weeks after the matches came under increased criticism from Egyptian intellectuals and Islamists. During a brief and intense period, this debate over the appropriate status of football turned into a struggle over how Egyptian nationalism and Egyptian national subjectivity should best be constituted and embodied. In this contestation, ‘respectfulness’ stood against ‘vulgarity’, and different notions of Egypt's position vis-à-vis continental Africa and the rest of the Arab world were repeatedly employed. |
23777181 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-06-08T08:44:31.172Z | 2014-03-31T00:00:00.000Z | Dietary habits among persons hired on shift work.
INTRODUCTION
Shift-work determinates irregular nutrition habits. The quality as well as the quantity of meals consumed by shift-workers can significantly affects their health.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary habits of people performing shift work in the Bogdanka mine.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study was carried out in the Bogdanka mine in Leczna. The questionnaire, which was designed by the author of this dissertation, was conducted among 700 shift-workers, working underground. The results were subjected to statistical analysis based on STATISTICA v. 7.1 (StatSoft, Poland) software.
RESULTS
Nearly half of respondents reported regular consumption of meals (40.0%) Interviewees admitted having warm meals during the day (81.4%). The most frequently consumed meal during the day was the hot one (50.9%), three meals and more were consumed the least frequently (8.1%). Almost half of respondents considered their eating habits as inappropriate (46.3%). Among those, nearly half (68.2%) stated that shift - work is the reason for their nutrition habits. More than half of respondents (66.0%) admitted that shift work hampers regular consumption of meals.
CONCLUSIONS
Shift work makes nourishment and regular consumption difficult. It contributes to the limited amount of warm meals eaten during the day. In order to maintain preventive health care and the improvement of quality of life, shift workers should be provided with an easier access to meals (including warm one) at specified times of the day. |
18780931 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2016-01-11T18:29:14.669Z | 2007-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Health effects of viewing landscapes – Landscape types in environmental psychology
The visible landscape is believed to affect human beings in many ways, including aesthetic appreciation and health and well-being. The aim of this paper is to analyse the range of landscapes used in environmental psychology studies, and the evidence of health effects related to viewing these landscapes. A literature review of publications linking landscapes and health effects was conducted. This reported evidence of health and well-being effects related to exposure to visual landscapes. The results of the review include an overview of the types of landscape used in the studies, the evidence on health effects, the methods and measures applied and the different groups of respondents. The analysis reveals a predominance of studies using only coarse categories of landscapes. Most landscape representations have been classed as ‘‘natural’’ or ‘‘urban’’. Few studies were found to use subcategories within these groups. Generally, the natural landscapes gave a stronger positive health effect compared to urban landscapes. Urban landscapes were found to have a less positive and in some cases negative effect on health. Three main kinds of health effects have been identified in the study; short-term recovery from stress or mental fatigue, faster physical recovery from illness and long-term overall improvement on people’s health and well-being. The study provides an overview of the relationships between health and landscapes arranged in an accessible format, identifying gaps in our knowledge requiring further research. The identification of quantifiable landscape attributes that affect health is seen as an important factor in enabling future landscape design to be of benefit to human health. r 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. |
6813181 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2016-10-26T03:31:20.546Z | 2011-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Low-Melting CaCl 2-NaCl-Al 2 O 3 Electrolyte for Direct Electrochemical Reduction Solid Al 2 O 3
The electrical conductivity and density of the low-melting CaCl2-NaCl-Al2O3 systems at 550°C~800°C ranges were respectively measured by the Continuously Varying Cell Constant Technique, ac-techniques and Archimedes method. The materials were applied as the electrolyte for the direct electrochemical reduction solid Al2O3 at 550°C ~800°C. The materials were composed of 71wt.%~87wt.%CaCl2 (corresponding NaCl), NaCl and Al2O3(without and saturated). The results showed that additive Al2O3 decreased the electrical conductivity of the materials, and resulted in the increase of activation energy of conductance. The functional relationship between the electrical conductivity and temperature was linear, and conformed to the Arrhenius equation. Increasing the CaCl2 content decreased the electrical conductivity of the materials, but the density was increased. Increasing the CaCl2, the decrease scope of the electrical conductivity was small and the increase trend of the density was slowed down, the influence of increasing the content of CaCl2 in systems on the direct electrochemical reduction solid Al2O3 process is smaller. The temperature was a decisive factor on the electrical conductivity of the electrolytes and electrolysis process. |
36043581 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T03:03:05.187Z | 1990-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Aluminum-induced microcytosis in a child with moderate renal insufficiency.
A child with moderate renal failure, on high doses of aluminum compounds for treatment for hyperphosphatasemia, presented with unexplained microcytosis. The patient also had psychomotor delay. On discontinuation of aluminum, microcytosis reversed in 2 months. Four months later, psychomotor development improved. Children with renal failure, on aluminum supplementation, should be carefully monitored for toxicity. Microcytosis may be a clue to aluminum toxicity in such patients. |
154486781 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-05-08T18:20:54.928Z | 2005-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Service sector employment in Germany and the UK
Given the poor jobs record in Germany since the mid 1990s, much political interest has been shown in the potential for job creation in the service sector. However, service sector employment raises a number of controversial issues associated with the encouragement of low-skill, low-wage jobs in a country traditionally classified as having a high-skill, high-wage equilibrium. Thus, a cross-national comparison with a country like the UK appears to be of interest, where labor market structures are quite different in terms of labour market regulation and levels of female employment (Hall and Soskice 2001; O’Reilly and Bothfeld 2002). Our analysis covers the different patterns of growth in services tracking transition patterns between occupations and employment and non-employment to see how precarious service employment is in each of the countries, and for whom. In conclusion, the empirical analysis is set within national debates in economics, concerning the role of macro-economic policy impacts on the domestic demand for services. The findings are also located in relation to the sociological literature on self-serving households and the impact of strong male breadwinner households, which dampen demand for service jobs. This project is work in progress. |
244776281 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2021-12-02T14:10:28.275Z | 2021-10-09T00:00:00.000Z | Efficient Loop Closure Detection Method for Lidar SLAM in Challenging Environment
With the development of automatic driving cars, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) becomes a widely discussed topic. Loop closure detection, as an important module in lidar slam, can provide strong constraint for localization and mapping. In classical lidar SLAM algorithm, traditional loop closure detection method often fails to find out the matching nodes, or even has false positive results, especially in challenging environment like the crossroads or sharp turns. In this paper, a lidar SLAM loop closure detection method using adjacent nodes to check the reliability is introduced. A series of experiments is implemented to verify the effectiveness of the method. |
198874431 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-29T13:09:53.353Z | 2004-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Timing of International Bailouts
This paper proposes that international rescue financing should not be provided to a country where a crisis first occurs, but rather to any country that suffers a subsequent crisis. Such a timing-based lending facility can be Pareto-superior to both laissez-faire and existing international crisis lending facilities, when domestic governments have more information on their own economies than does the international lender of last resort. The new facility mitigates moral hazard owing to information asymmetry by not rescuing the first-hit country. At the same time, it limits crisis contagion by rescuing countries in subsequent crises. Even in the presence of common shocks, the timing-based facility can reduce global risks of crisis because it induces countries to undertake greater crisis-prevention efforts so as not to become the first country hit. |
120477181 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-18T13:13:39.643Z | 2008-05-01T00:00:00.000Z | Possible -order magnetic phase transition in the Gd1-xYx system
The magnetic phase transition “helical antiferromagnet-ferromagnet” in the Gd0.66Y0.34 and Gd0.65Y0.35 samples was examined by means of the specific heat, resistivity and magnetic susceptibility vs. temperature. The characteristic anomaly on the temperature dependence of the specific heat suggests that this phase transition in both the samples is not a second-order phase transition as might be expected, but a so-called second-and-a-half–order phase transition. The phenomenon is due to the change in the Fermi surface topology with temperature that is also responsible for the change in the magnetic structure. |
26199831 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T00:41:57.434Z | 2002-10-25T00:00:00.000Z | Detection and resolution of intermediate species in protein folding processes using fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies and multivariate curve resolution.
Thermally induced protein unfolding/folding processes have been studied on alpha-lactalbumin and alpha-apolactalbumin. Experiments monitored by fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopic techniques on alpha-apolactalbumin showed the formation of an intermediate species, whereas in the case of alpha-lactalbumin, this intermediate species was not detected. The presence and resolution of this intermediate species, its spectrum, and the evolution of all conformations during protein unfolding/folding processes were estimated using the multivariate curve resolution-alternating least-squares method. Elucidation of the nature and contribution of the different secondary structure motifs in each of the resolved protein conformations, including the intermediate, was also carried out. Multivariate resolution has shown to be an excellent tool for the complete characterization of all protein conformations involved in folding processes, including intermediate species that cannot be isolated by physical or chemical means. Indeed, it is in the determination and modeling of these intermediates that this chemometric approach outperforms in power and reliability previous methodologies based on simpler measurements and data treatments and fills the void linked to the elucidation and interpretation of complex mechanisms in protein folding processes. |
210974631 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-03-12T13:07:59.306Z | 2015-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Diabetes Mellitus and Oral Cancer: Are They Connected?
Introduction: Malignant neoplasm is a major cause of death in developed countries, and its incidence continues to grow, placing a heavy burden on the community. Diabetes mellitus is a serious and leading health problem. Recent studies demonstrated that glucose intolerance was associated with a higher risk of oral cancer death, beginning in the prediabetic range of glucose intolerance. However, few population-based studies, especially in Asian populations, have addressed these issues or have estimated glucose intolerance status. Aim: We undertook this study with the aim of finding out an association between impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and oral cancer along with finding out prevalence of other risk factors for oral cancer. Materials and Methods: Forty-five cases and 45 controls were selected for the study. Oral glucose tolerance was performed on subjects who satisfied inclusion criteria and were willing to sign informed consent form. Results: Fifty-three percent of the cases had abnormal glucose tolerance when compared to 31% of the controls. Conclusion: To conclude, hyperglycemia (which includes impaired fasting glucose, IGT and diabetes) increases the risk of oral cancer two-fold, however IGT alone as defined by American Diabetes Association does not appear to play a role. |
119201631 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2012-07-20T23:53:48.000Z | 2012-07-20T00:00:00.000Z | Thermal evolution of the full three-dimensional magnetic excitations in the multiferroic BiFeO3
We present neutron inelastic scattering measurements of the full three-dimensional spin-wave dispersion in the multiferroic material BiFeO3 for temperatures from 5K to 700K. Despite the presence of strong electromagnetic coupling, the magnetic excitations behave like conventional magnons over all parts of the Brillouin zone. At low temperature the spin-waves are well-defined coherent modes, described by a classical model for a G-type antiferromagnet. A softening of the spin-wave velocity and broadening in energy is already present at room temperature, which is well below the N eel temperature TN 640K, and increases on heating. In addition, a strong hybridization of the Fe 3d and O 2p states is found to modify the distribution of the spin-wave spectral weight significantly, which implies that the spins are not restricted to the Fe atomic sites as previously believed. |
75504681 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-03-13T13:26:44.224Z | 2013-06-01T00:00:00.000Z | SAT0310 Use of Low Dose Aspirin is Associated with Reduced Medial Tibial Cartilage Loss in Symptomatic Osteoarthritis: Data from a Cohort Study
Background Inflammation and vascular disease have recently been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Low dose aspirin is commonly used in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Its effects have been attributed to a variety of actions, including anti-inflammatory effects and effects on platelet function (both anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory) and lipids. However whether it affects human joints has not been studied. Objectives The aim of this study was to examine whether the use of low dose aspirin affects change in knee cartilage volume over 2 years. Methods 117 people with symptomatic knee OA underwent magnetic resonance imasging of the knee at baseline and 2 years later. Medial and lateral tibial cartilage volumes were measured using validated methods. Annual absolute change and annual percentage change in cartilage volume were calculated. Information about regular low dose aspirin use was collected at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. Participants who reported taking regular low dose aspirin (≤ 150 mg per day) at more than 1 time point were defined as being aspirin users. Results Twenty six participants reported taking aspirin at more than one visit, with 91 not taking aspirin. At baseline, the only significant difference between the 2 groups was that those taking aspirin were older than those who did not (p = 0.03). In those taking aspirin, annual change in medial tibial cartilage volume and annual percentage change in cartilage volume was approximately half that seen in those not taking aspirin (-50 vs. -102 mm3 and -2.5% vs. -5.5%, respectively, P=0.04 for both). These differences became more significant after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, initial cartilage volume and severity of radiographic change in the medial compartment. The annual change in medial tibial cartilage volume was -40 mm3 (95% confidence interval (CI) -83, 1.3) in aspirin users vs. -105 mm3 (95% CI -127, -82) in non-aspirin users (P = 0.009 for difference). The annual percentage change in medial tibial cartilage volume was -2.0% (95% CI -4.6, 0.53) in aspirin users vs. -5.6% (95% CI -6.9, -4.0) in non-aspirin users (P=0.02 for difference). There were no significant differences observed in change in lateral tibial cartilage volume. Conclusions This study showed that in people with knee OA, the use of low dose aspirin was associated with reduced medial tibial cartilage loss over 2 years. This requires confirmation in a randomised controlled trial. If this hypothesis were proven, aspirin may provide a cost effective disease modifying therapy for OA as it is a cheap medication that is already in common use and known to be well tolerated. Disclosure of Interest None Declared |
19298381 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-09-30T06:57:38.505Z | 2008-10-16T00:00:00.000Z | I'll be the judge of that: Diversity in social perceptions of (ING)
ABSTRACT This article examines divergent listener perceptions with an expanded form of the Matched Guise Technique, using 32 matched pairs of short recordings of natural speech. Social evaluations were collected in open-ended interviews (N = 55) and an online experiment (N = 124). Three speakers are described who prompted disagreement about the English variable (ING). One's -ing use is seen by some as more intelligent and by others as annoying, less intelligent, and trying to impress. Another's -in guise is seen as compassionate by some and as condescending by others, while a third, when using -in, is seen by some as annoying and less masculine, while others describe him as a masculine “jock.” These findings show that listeners shift their interpretations of a linguistic resource, highlighting the ambiguous role intention plays in social meaning and calling into question long-held assumptions about the need for conscious introspection in sociolinguistic perception. |
137222431 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-28T13:06:49.073Z | 2006-06-01T00:00:00.000Z | A novel cavity control technique for the stabilization of a burst, pulsed laser
This paper describes a novel technique used to get a high frequency stable pulsed laser used for spaceborn applications. The Laser assembly is based on a diode pumped tripled Nd:YAG laser, used to generate tunable laser pulses of 150 mJ at a nominal wavelength of 355 nm. This laser can operates in single mode at a pulse repetition rate of 100 Hz. A high frequency stability (< 4MHzrms @355nm) of the emitted laser pulse is maintained over several tens of seconds. A long time stability of 60MHz is also provided. |
11056781 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-02-24T22:43:12.633Z | 2012-05-02T00:00:00.000Z | Color separation to facilitate handwriting examination
Often the forensic document examiners encounter cases where the ink of handwriting interferes with other writings. In these cases, a serious problem is to distinguish and to separate the different color components. The purpose of this paper is shows an image processing method that could accomplish this task without use of expensive material/equipment or to solve cases in which even high level technical instrumentation (IR absorption or luminescence) does not provide good results. In the proposed system one user can choose more than one point for each different color component, respectively desired, undesirable and background. The results obtained with our color separation methods to specific color combinations (i.e. handwriting ink/handwriting ink and handwriting ink/rubber stamp ink) show that the effect of the intersecting ink may indeed be minimized if not canceled altogether. |
30885081 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T01:44:37.300Z | 1987-11-01T00:00:00.000Z | [Space flight effects on bioobjects flown on Cosmos-1514].
The effect of space flight factors, particularly radiation, on Artemia salina cysts, tobacco and rice seeds (embryos and caryopses) was investigated. Artemia salina cysts showed no significant deviations in response to this exposure. Minor changes in certain cyst groups were related to their packing, humidity and preirradiation level. Tobacco seeds exhibited a higher frequency of somatic and morphologic changes that were independent of their packing arrangement. Rice seeds developed no changes that could be associated with space flight effects. The changes seen are considered in relation to the radiation dose absorbed. The results obtained in different space experiments are discussed. |
3143381 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T03:23:59.680Z | 2010-05-01T00:00:00.000Z | [Analysis of color gamut of LCD system based on LED backlight with area-controlling technique].
Color gamut as a significant performance index for display system describes the color reproduction ability IN real scenes. Liquid crystal display (LCD) is the most popular technology in flat panel display. However, conventional cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlight of LCD can not behave high color gamut compared with cathode ray tube (CRT). The common used method of color gamut measuring for LCD system is introduced at the beginning. According to the inner structure and display principle of LCD system, there are three major factors deciding LCD's color gamut: spectral properties of backlight, transmittance properties of color filters and performance of liquid crystal panel. Instead of conventional backlight CCFL, RGB-LED backlight is used for improving color reproduction of LCD display system. Due to the imperfect match between RGB-LED' s spectra and color filter's transmittance, the color filter would reduce the color gamut of LCD system more or less. Therefore, LCD system based on LED backlight with area-control technique is introduced which modifies backlight control signal according to the input signal After analyzing and calculating the spectra of LED backlight which passes through the color filters using method of colorimetry, the area sizes of color gamut triangles of RGB-LED backlight with area-control and RGB-LED backlight without area-control LCD systems are compared and the relationship between color gamut and varying contrast of liquid crystal panel is analyzed. It is indicated that LED backlight with area-control technique can avoid color saturation dropping and have little effects on the contrast variation of liquid crystal panel. In other words, LED backlight with area-control technique relaxes the requirements of both color filter performance and liquid crystal panel. Thus, it is of importance to improve the color gamut of the current LCD system with area-control LED backlight. |
232254331 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-08-18T01:53:18.138Z | 2005-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | A Note from the Editor
While it is not the practise of the Journal of American Studies to have editorials, this issue marks an exception. We celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the British Association for American Studies (BAAS), the academic organization which sponsors the Journal, and whose members receive the Journal as one of the benefits of membership. Most practitioners of American studies in the United Kingdom belong to the BAAS, giving it a truly interdisciplinary membership united by interest in the United States as a site of academic study. Members are drawn principally from the ranks of historians, litterateurs, political scientists and analysts of popular culture, along with some geographers, sociologists and economists. Its annual conference draws participants from many nations and at all levels of the academic hierarchy. |
52957681 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-10-27T16:49:07.453Z | 2018-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Security and Other Ethical Concerns of Instant Messaging in Healthcare.
There is a growing body of evidence highlighting the benefits of mobile health in terms of cost effectiveness, efficiency and patient satisfaction. These benefits have been further enhanced through the development of Instant Messaging (IM) applications (apps) that enable the transmission of images and text messages. The aim of this paper is to review the use of IM in clinical services, and to understand the medico legal concerns with regard to the security and management of protected health information on doctors' phones.
METHOD
PubMed was searched using the various IM apps as a search term. Inclusion criteria were that the paper was in English and described the use of IM in a clinical service.
RESULTS
39 papers met the inclusion criteria. Data are at risk at several levels, including during transmission, storage on servers en route, and on the sender's and receiver's phones. Consent is seldom obtained for instant messaging, and confidentiality, privacy, data security and record keeping remain areas of concern.
CONCLUSION
The use of IM, and in particular WhatsApp, is now commonplace amongst clinicians and used extensively across different clinical services. Security concerns have created barriers preventing the global adoption of IM in healthcare. Guidelines in the management and use of IM need to be developed in order to prevent the unwanted consequences of non-compliance by uninformed clinicians. With improved security, IM has proven to be a viable option in the developing world. |
143705731 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-04T13:07:10.465Z | 2013-01-24T00:00:00.000Z | The sociology of regulation: the case of psychotherapy and counselling and the experience of the arts therapies
ABSTRACT This article draws on insights from the sociology of professions to explore the regulatory debate in the psychotherapy and counselling field contrasted with the regulation of arts therapists (art, drama and music therapists). A partial explanation is offered, illustrating the applicability of theory to these groups, but with adaptations to reflect the modern context in which professions and regulation now exist. |
210892431 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-01-26T14:05:07.658Z | 2020-01-24T00:00:00.000Z | Family members and health care workers' perspectives on motivational factors of participation in physical activity for people with intellectual disability: A qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
People with intellectual disabilities (ID) have lower levels of physical activity than the general population. The aim of this study was to understand the motivational factors of participation in physical activity for people with ID from the perspectives of the family members and staff.
METHOD
An abductive qualitative design was used. Social Cognitive Theory constituted the theoretical frame of reference of the study. Two focus group interviews with health care workers and family members and two individual interviews with health care workers were conducted at their workplace. A thematic analysis was performed.
RESULTS
Three main themes were identified. According to support persons, motivation could be promoted at the individual level by fun, mastery, social setting, technology and knowledge about health behaviours. At a contextual level, physical activity was mediated by engagement with support individuals and available resources. At an interactional level, individuals were more motivated if the interaction was featured by joint activities, predictability and the use of rewards.
CONCLUSIONS
Motivation for participation in physical activity might be promoted at the individual, contextual and interactional levels. The interactions between individuals with ID and their support persons should work in a supportive way and strengthen mastery experiences. Support and engagement in the context could serve as a prerequisite for motivation and participation in physical activity and should be considered when developing interventions for physical activity for individuals with ID. |
6476051 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T03:40:08.701Z | 2012-05-25T00:00:00.000Z | A tutorial on fatty acid biology.
Fatty acids are an extraordinarily diverse set of molecules that serve as sources of fuel, key components of cell structure, and parent molecules for bioactive second messengers. The metabolism of fatty acids is part of a delicate homeostasis that is fundamental to normal functioning and the response to pathophysiologic insult. The growing body of evidence on nutrition demonstrates that we truly "are what we eat," and the fatty acid content of our diets has far-reaching physiologic implications, many of which we are only beginning to understand. As the gap between basic science and patient care becomes increasingly narrow, clinicians should have a working knowledge of fatty acid biology. This tutorial provides an overview of fatty acid biology with the goal of increasing comfort in discussing how these heterogeneous molecules are classified and metabolized, in addition to how fatty acid content influences basic cellular processes. |
197430651 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-07-17T01:55:42.000Z | 2019-07-16T00:00:00.000Z | Comment on “Analysis of recent interpretations of the Abraham-Minkowski problem”
In a recent paper [I. Brevik, Phys. Rev. A 98, 043847 (2018)], Brevik analyzed the experiment by Kundu et al. [A. Kundu et al., Sci. Rep. 7, 42538 (2017)] reporting deformation of a graphene oxide (GO) film after it has been irradiated by a laser beam. The two-dimensional atomic force microscope (AFM) line scanning of the deformation of the GO film after switching off the laser beam takes by far too much time for any elastic changes to remain in the AFM scans. Thus, the changes in the GO film are irreversible and the optoelastic model used by Brevik is not applicable. The rough estimates of the kinetic energy and displacement of atoms by the optical force of a light pulse calculated by Brevik are correct, but in making a comparison with the corresponding high-precision results for the kinetic energy and displacement of atoms in our work [M. Partanen et al., Phys. Rev. A 95, 063850 (2017)], the kinetic energy of atoms is confused with their rest energy. The atoms and their masses are displaced forward by the field and their displaced rest energies give rise to an energy flux. The difference of arguments between ours and Brevik's culminates on the question whether the flux of rest energy caused by the displacement of the medium moving with light should be included in the total energy flux. We also show that the four-divergence of the stress-energy-momentum tensor of the mass polariton theory of light is zero. |
201088851 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-08-17T00:39:59.627Z | 2007-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | THE TANTALIZING TWO-SLIT EXPERIMENT
The continued inability of physicists to explain the mys teries of action-at-a-distance without invoking metaphysical hypotheses about ‘superluminal’ influences an d so on, suggests that something is radically wrong with our present ways of thinking about nature. If t hat is so, then nothing less than a radical overhaul of those current ways of thinking may be neces sary. Accordingly, this paper analyses the standard historical conceptions of distance, time and mo tion that have created these conundrums and presents a radical, ahistorical alternative to the pre sent conceptual course. It is claimed that this is more logical, more direct and more conceptually efficient tha n the usual historical route and that nothing less than this radical overhaul of our ideas about nature – thi s paradigm switch, in effect – will suffice to explain the chronic enigma of the two-slit experiment. T he point of departure for this new paradigm is a logical revision of the customary ‘velocity in vacuo’ interpretation of light and the constant, c. 1. NECESSARY PRELIMINARIES For every motion there are two velocities. One is the distance a body travels betwe n A and B in the time measured by the observer of that motion; he other is that same distance as seen by the same observer, but registered by the time, called t h proper time, of the body itself as viewed in the telescope, say, of the observer of the motion. The first of these is what we may call the Einsteinian velocity, which tends to the fi nite limit c. The other is precisely Newtonian and tends to a limit of infinity. In classi cal physics there is no such distinction between these two velocities. This, we claim, is th e root cause of the present confusion over relativistic time-delayed and quantum-instantaneous action -a -a-distance. Now it needs to be stressed that these Einsteinian a nd Newtonian accounts of the motion of a body, although numerically different, are ne vertheless no more than two different-dimensional aspects of the same observed motion. That is to say, they are both equally applicable. Unfortunately, the circumstances of t he history of our academic science have made it seem that the two accounts are in some s ense antagonistic, that they are contradictory and that the Einsteinian theory of moti on has somehow replaced the Newtonian. This creates a false dichotomy. In truth, t e two accounts are entirely complementary and inter-derivable, each with its own s pecial application for the conduct of physics, the Einsteinian for the relativistic aspect of physics, and the Newtonian for the quantum aspect. 1.1. Natural relativity For instance, on the evidence provided by Römer et al., all distances of bodies in observerspace are times in the constant ratio of units c. This enables us logically to deduce the relativistic time-dilation of Einstein and Lorentz in the following unusual but very straightforward and conceptually economical way. Let s/c be the observational distance-time, measured in seconds travelled by an object, P, in the t ime (proper time) tP, also in seconds, of that object itself over that distance as seen, say, in the telescope of the remote observer, O. These measures s/c and tP are now axes of a graph whose units are fixed. That is to say, unlike an ordinary scalar graph, the axes of this time-gr aph of s/c by tP are dependent variables, measured in the same units of seconds, which means that there is a geometrically |
22394351 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-06-22T12:52:09.292Z | 1999-10-01T00:00:00.000Z | COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS OF REASONS FOR PREFERENCE FOR CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES IN PAKISTAN
Although the recent Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) show that two-thirds of marriages in Pakistan are consanguineous, the sociocultural determinants of such marriages remain largely unexplored. This paper examines the relative importance of the three commonly perceived reasons for such marriages: religious, economic and cultural. The analysis is based on qualitative data collected in 1995 from multi-ethnic and multi-religious communities in Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan. Results show that consanguineous marriages are preferred across all ethnic and religious groups to a varying degree, and that parents continue to be the prime decision-makers for marriages of both sons and daughters. The major reasons for a preference for consanguineous marriages are sociocultural rather than any perceived economic benefits, either in the form of consolidation of family property or smaller and less expensive dowries. Among Muslims, following religious traditions is the least commonly cited reason for such marriages. Despite the reported sociocultural advantages of consanguineous marriages, such unions are perceived to be exploitative as they perpetuate the existing power structures within the family. |
170154551 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-31T13:09:46.035Z | 1972-04-01T00:00:00.000Z | Belief or Anamnesis: Is a Rapprochement between History of Religions and Theology Possible?
Such was Tillich's last hope in 1965, but there is not yet a single sign to indicate that a serious interpenetration between Christian theology and history of religions is taking place. This is not to say that there is a lack of interest, concern, and effort. Rather, in my judgment, all efforts have failed and will continue to fail precisely because we refuse to abandon belief or faith (I shall use these terms interchangeably and uncritically) as the fundamental hermeneutical category of religion. It is my contention that belief or faith is specifically a biblical category, not a universal category applicable to all religions. In the history of religions, belief is a secondary and specific category, not a primary, definitive, and generic category. Further, faith cannot be a hermeneutical category because by definition it precludes the possibility of progressive elucidation. |
252676601 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2022-10-02T23:34:20.720Z | 2022-09-30T00:00:00.000Z | Directed Energy Deposition via Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Approaches
Additive manufacturing (AM) has been gaining pace, replacing traditional manufacturing methods. Moreover, artificial intelligence and machine learning implementation has increased for further applications and advancements. This review extensively follows all the research work and the contemporary signs of progress in the directed energy deposition (DED) process. All types of DED systems, feed materials, energy sources, and shielding gases used in this process are also analyzed in detail. Implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in the DED process to make the process less human-dependent and control the complicated aspects has been rigorously reviewed. Various AI techniques like neural networks, gradient boosted decision trees, support vector machines, and Gaussian process techniques can achieve the desired aim. These models implemented in the DED process have been trained for high-precision products and superior quality monitoring. |
34884101 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-02-14T02:49:55.623Z | 2011-09-01T00:00:00.000Z | The electrodynamic characteristics of a transversal slot radiator based on an inverted strip dielectric waveguide
The results of experimental investigations of the characteristics of hybrid metal-dielectric structures, which based on a combination of an inverted dielectric waveguide, a segment of a microstrip line and slot discontinuity are observed. The results allow predicting radiating structures designing with high level parameters and good agreement with external circuits as well. |
24364851 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-08-14T22:18:27.799Z | 1978-11-01T00:00:00.000Z | Bladder surface mucin. Its antibacterial effect against various bacterial species.
We previously reported the results of quantitative and histochemical studies implicating the surface mucin of the bladder mucosa as an important antibacterial defense mechanism, which functions by preventing bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall. We call the mucin "anti-adherence factor" and we feel this is a previously undocumented role for mucin as a type of host antibacterial defense. These experiments were conduced with Escherichia coli. In an effort to determine whether the anti-adherence ability of the vesical mucin was a generalized phenomenon, we repeated these studies using unrelated bacterial species, including E coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. The ability of the vesical mucosa to resist bacterial adherence to its surface was found to be independent of the bacterial species that was investigated. |
59606251 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-02-07T14:08:34.137Z | 2016-10-03T00:00:00.000Z | Towards Improvements in resource management for content delivert networks
During the last decades, the world web went from a way to connect a handful of nodes to the
meanswithwhichpeoplecooperateinsearchofknowledge,socialinteraction,andentertainment.
Furthermore, our homes and workstations are not the only places where we are connected, the
mobile broadband market is present and changing the way we interact with the web. According
to Cisco, global network traffic will be three times higher in 2018 than it was in 2013. Real-time
entertainment has been and will remain an important part of this growth. However, the internet
was not designed to handle such demand and, therefore, there is a need for new technologies to
overcome those challenges.
ContentDeliveryNetworks(CDN)provetobeanalternativetoovercomethosechallenges. The
basic concept is to distribute replica servers scattered geographically, keeping content close to
end users. Following CDN’s popularity an increasing number of CDNs, most of them extremely
localized, began to be deployed. Furthermore, Cloud Computing emerged, making software and
hardware accessible as resources through well-defined interfaces. Using Cloud services, such as
distributed IaaS, one could deploy complex CDNs. Despite being the best technology to scale
content distribution, there are some scenarios where CDNs may perform poorly, such as flash
crowd events. Therefore, we need to study content delivery techniques to efficiently accompany
theeverincreasingneedforcontentcontemplatingnewpossibilities,suchasgrowingthenumber
of smaller localized CDNs and Cloud Computing.
Examining given issues this work presents strategies towards improvements in Content Delivery
Networks (CDN). We do so by proposing and evaluating algorithms, models and a prototype
demonstrating possible uses of such new technologies to improve CDN’s resource management.
We present P2PCDNSim, a comprehensive CDN simulator designed to assist researchers in
the process of planning and evaluating new strategies. Furthermore, we propose a new dynamic
Replica Placement Algorithm (RPA), based on the count of data flows through network
nodes, that maintains similar Quality of Experience (QoE) while decreasing cross traffic during
flash crowd events. Also, we propose a solution to improve the mobile backhaul’s replica
placement flexibility based on SDN. Our experimental results show that the delay introduced by
the developed module is less than 5ms for 99% of the packets, which is negligible in today’s
LTEnetworks, andtheslightnegativeimpactonstreamingrateselectioniseasilyoutweighedby
the increased flexibilit |
26349151 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-11-08T02:12:16.104Z | 1985-04-01T00:00:00.000Z | 912 STUDIES RELATED TO THE CRISIS EPISODES IN SICKLE CELL PATIENTS
In this study we have measured a variety of hematogical parameters in 17 sickle cell disease (SCD) patients (mean age: 35 years) for a period of 30 months. Several hematological parameters were measured under conditions of vaso-occulsive crisis as well as in the steady state noncrisis period. The mean serum calcium content (mg of calcium per dl) was found to be less (P < 0.05) during crisis (8.24 ± 0.73, N = 7) than during the non-crisis states (8.81 ± 0.43, N = 15). This decrease in serum calcium may be the result of calcium influx into Hb SS-erythrocytes. Irreversibly sickled Hb SS-erythrocytes are known to have a particularly high calcium content. Fibrinogen levels were also found to be much higher (P < 0.01) in the crisis state (426±195 mg/dl, N = 3) compared to the noncrisis state (236 ± 47 mg/dl, N = 14). Measurements of serum LDH and of oxygen saturation (p-50 per cent) and blood gases were not significantly different in the two states (crisis vs steady state). There is an increased shift to the right of the optical density of sickle hemoglobin during crisis compared to the steady state. Measurement of the optical density of sickle hemoglobin may be useful in predicting the frequency of sickle cell crisis in some patients. |
23576451 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T01:39:03.874Z | 2012-08-01T00:00:00.000Z | Myocardial infarction with acute valvular regurgitation.
Left-sided valvular lesions are commonly associated with acute and chronic coronary syndromes. Ischemic mitral regurgitation is well described in the literature. We report a case of acute ischemic right-sided valvular disease in which the presenting symptom of an infarction was severe tricuspid regurgitation. This rare entity is usually caused by distortion of the valve apparatus due to underlying wall motion abnormalities. In conclusion, tricuspid regurgitation is an important yet uncommon presentation of acute ischemia that requires a high degree of suspicion for diagnosis. |
251590351 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-04-13T08:29:11.893Z | 2011-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | DifferentiationCell Function Depending on the Stage of Mycophenolic Acid Differentially Impacts B
Production of pathogenic Abs contributes to disease progression in many autoimmune disorders. The immunosuppressant agent mycophenolic acid (MPA) has shown clinical efficacy for patients with autoimmunity. The goal of these studies was to elucidate the mechanisms of action of MPA on B cells isolated from healthy individuals and autoimmune patients. In this study, we show that MPA significantly inhibited both proliferation and differentiation of primary human B cells stimulated under various conditions. Im-portantly, MPA did not globally suppress B cell responsiveness or simply induce cell death, but rather selectively inhibited early activation events and arrested cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Furthermore, MPA blocked expansion of both naive and memory B cells and prevented plasma cell (PC) differentiation and Ab production from healthy controls and individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, whereas MPA potently suppressed Ig secretion from activated primary B cells, terminally differentiated PCs were not susceptible to inhibition by MPA. The target of MPA, IMPDH2, was found to be downregulated in PCs, likely explaining the resistance of these cells to MPA. These results suggest that MPA provides benefit in settings of autoimmunity by directly preventing activation and PC differentiation of B cells; however, MPA is unlikely to impact autoantibody production by preexisting, long-lived PCs. The Journal of Immunology , 2011, 187: 000–000. |
61672451 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-02-15T14:17:17.072Z | 2000-06-28T00:00:00.000Z | Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) based real-time control of CF/sub 4//O/sub 2/ plasma etching of silicon nitride
Real time feedback controllers for the electron cyclotron resonance CF/sub 4//O/sub 2/ plasma etching of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride thin films are designed and tested. Variations in etch rate resulting from factors such as etch chamber wall seasoning which are inherent to plasma etching necessitate the use of feedback control to achieve precise and reliable etching of ultrathin films. In this paper, a non-adaptive and an adaptive controller are proposed for this task. The controllers are implemented and tested both in simulation studies and in the laboratory on the actual etching chamber. The results of these tests are reported and discussed. |
18352201 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2014-10-01T00:00:00.000Z | 2010-08-10T00:00:00.000Z | Just-in-Time Production, Work Organization and Absence Control
Studies of sick-pay and absenteeism have traditionally treated absence as a worker-related phenomenon. There are good reasons to suppose, though, that firms' incentives to control absenteeism are not uniform. Using an employee/employer-matched data set, we investigate the relationship between the firm's production methods and the generosity of its sick-pay. The results suggest that firms that might be expected to value reliability highly, characterized as those that use just-in-time, are more likely to provide less generous sick-pay. Those findings survive when we control for the use of complementary policies that buffer production from absence shocks. |
226230651 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-08-27T09:04:53.817Z | 2020-08-24T00:00:00.000Z | Hierarchical Resource Allocation in Multi-Service Wireless Networks With Wireless Network Virtualization
To balance the contradiction between the rapid growth of data service demands and the limited spectrum resources, wireless network virtualization (WNV) has been proposed as a promising technology by isolating and sharing wireless resources among different virtual networks in the future wireless networks. In this paper, a two-dimension-time-scale hierarchical resource allocation scheme is proposed in the multi-service wireless virtualized network, which consists of three 5G generic scenarios. The resource slicing problem is decomposed into two time scales including large time period for inter-slice resource pre-allocation and small time slot for intra-slice resource scheduling. In large time period, the inter-slice resource pre-allocation problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem (MOOP) by modeling the packets arriving and serving process of each slice as a queueing system. While in small time slot, the resource block (RB) and power scheduling in each slice is formulated as a stochastic optimization problem considering dynamic traffic arrivals and time-varying channel conditions, which is aimed at optimizing the overall performance subject to various quality of service (QoS) requirements such as network stability, delay, reliability, transmission rate and power constraints. The stochastic optimization problem can be transformed into a delay-aware optimization problem by applying Lyapunov optimization technique, and be solved by the proposed algorithm consisting of a heuristic algorithm and a concave optimization algorithm. The simulation results show that the proposed schemes are close to the optimal solution with a lower complexity, which can also achieve a performance-delay tradeoff related to the control factor. |
122814051 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-20T13:14:49.308Z | 2011-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Boundary layers of the incompressible fluids for a permeable wall
In this article, the aim is to study the incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations with a permeable wall and derive the complete asymptotic expansion with respect to the kinematic viscosity ν. More precisely, we derive the physically uniform (in time and space) estimates of the boundary layers and prove that the asymptotic expansion is reasonable in uniform norm. This improves the results already obtained by R. Temam and X. Wang (2000, ZAMM, Volume 80 Issue 11–12, Pages 835–843). |
16062351 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2016-01-29T17:58:53.149Z | 2013-03-15T00:00:00.000Z | Digital Music Consumption on the Internet: Evidence from Clickstream Data
We use clickstream data on a panel of more than 16,500 European consumers to analyze the relationship between different online music consumption channels. In particular, we revisit the question of sales displacement in the digital era, and analyze how licensed online music streaming affects digital music purchasing behavior. Our results show no evidence of digital music sales displacement by unlicensed downloading and present, for some countries in our sample, a rather small but positive elasticity of up to 0.04 between these two channels. We also find a positive relationship between the use of licensed streaming websites and licensed websites selling digital music, suggesting a stimulating effect of music streaming on digital music sales. Our results present important cross country differences in these effects, with elasticities ranging between 0.09 and 0.01. Finally, we find heterogeneous effects according to individuals’ profiles. For both unlicensed downloading and licensed streaming alike, our results suggest that consumers with higher interest in music view these channels as complements to licensed digital purchases to a larger extent. |
46476401 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T06:20:52.090Z | 2008-11-01T00:00:00.000Z | The Y chromosome and male infertility
Purpose of review Therapies for the treatment of severe male factor infertility have advanced well beyond our knowledge of the conditions we are treating. An intact Y chromosome is necessary for optimal spermatogenesis. It is imperative for the clinician to understand the molecular basis and clinical implications of anomalies that might afflict the Y chromosome. Recent findings The molecular geography of the Y chromosome has recently been described, allowing correlations to be made to various clinical states of severe spermatogenic compromise. Microdeletions of parts of the Y chromosome are found in a small number of men with spermatogenic failure involving, predominantly, three regions termed AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc. Summary It is necessary that a Y chromosomal microdeletion assay be carried out prior to any intervention using ejaculated sperm or prior to any surgical procedure to try to find spermatozoa in an azoospermic man. |
252740751 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2022-10-07T15:02:58.524Z | 2021-08-01T00:00:00.000Z | Current therapeutic options for treatment of pericoronitis: what evidence is available?
OBJECTIVE: To identify all current treatment methods for symptomatic pericoronitis around the mandibular third molar, in the current context, to guide the clinical practice of dental surgeons. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The review protocol was previously registered (PROSPERO; CRD42019138130). Searches were conducted in MEDLINE [Pubmed], Web of Science, and Virtual Health Library databases, including studies published from 1st January 2000 to 30th June 2019. All studies reporting any treatment for pericoronitis and their efficacy in affected patients, evaluating at least one of the following variables of interest, were included: pain, swelling, trismus, presence and/or amount of bacteria, inflammatory infiltrate, and quality of life. RESULTS: A total of nine studies were included. Interventions included laser therapy, ozone therapy, trichloroacetic acid, curettage and sodium hydrochloride irrigation, electroacupuncture, magnesium sulfate and methocarbamol, hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, green tea and chlorhexidine mouthwash, and antibiotic therapies. Antibiotics were prescribed in the majority of cases reported in these studies. CONCLUSIONS: The present review suggests that the most common treatment for pericoronitis with satisfactory results is the use of antibiotic therapy associated with curettage and chlorhexidine irrigation. Due to the heterogeneity between the studies and methods used, it was not possible to confirm the effectiveness of one treatment in relation to the others. Future clinical trials are recommended for definitive conclusions about treatment for pericoronitis. |
137488651 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-28T13:13:58.053Z | 2014-06-01T00:00:00.000Z | Analysis and Suggestions on Monitoring of the Population of Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw. In Remote Parts of the Geographical Range (Based on the Examples of Pennsylvania (USA) and Kostroma Region (Russia)
In this analysis we present the characteristics of the habitats of a species rare in Europe - Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw., in remote parts of the geographical range on the territories of USA and Russia. The analysis confirms the possibility of the the growth of this species in naturally recovering forests, gives an update of the information about a variety of environmental conditions of growth of this species and shows its similarity in different parts of Europe. At the time of research conducted in Bethlehem this species appeared to be rare, their populations small, which is connected with the cryptic character of the populations of this species as well as with the ability of showing a wide range of polyvariety of ontogenesis. Only in one of the examined populations the age spectre is fully represented and we can see all the basic states of ontogenesis. This species is also rare on the territory of the Kostroma region while the populations are larger and contain all states of ontogenesis of sporophyte. The phenology of the species was examined. The analysis points to the vista of creation of new populations by introduction of spores in new areas and shows the necessity of monitoring in order to develop mechanisms of protection if the species. |
80529501 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-03-17T13:05:21.955Z | 1997-05-01T00:00:00.000Z | Linear and nonlinear prediction techniques for short‐term forecasting of HF fading signals
There exist two major mechanisms which are responsible for the fading phenomenon at HF frequencies. They are the multiple‐mode interference and distortions due to the ionospheric irregularities. Fading time series produced by the first of these mechanisms alone should typically represent a multiple‐periodical process. This kind of signal may also be produced by an autonomous dynamical system. The character of the time series produced by the second mechanism depends on the nature of the ionospheric irregularities. Recently, evidence has been accumulated to show that sometimes the ionospheric turbulence on equatorial and middle latitudes represents a low‐dimensional deterministic chaotic process. These facts suggest that for both mechanisms the fading time series may have a deterministic nature and therefore is predictable. Accordingly we apply the nonlinear predicting technique proposed by Farmer and Sidorovich [1987] to the fading time series obtained by the University of Illinois HF sounder. In its application the prediction technique is modified to take into account specifics of the HF data. For comparison, the conventional linear autoregression prediction technique is also tested. It is found that, in general, the nonlinear prediction and the linear autoregressive forecasting allow prediction on a few correlation times and work with roughly the same success. |
144254951 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-05T13:05:04.187Z | 1993-08-01T00:00:00.000Z | Sex Differences in Second-Language Ability
Approximately 1200 children aged 8-14 in Ireland were tested for general intelligence and for ability in Irish learned as a second language. There were minimal differences in intelligence but a large female superiority of 0.52 of a standard deviation in ability in Irish. Female superiority is present among 9-year-olds and does not increase over the age range tested. |
39815001 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T04:38:49.313Z | 2011-03-01T00:00:00.000Z | GhMYB25-like: a key factor in early cotton fibre development.
MYB transcription factors have been implicated in regulation of the development of ovule epidermal cells into the elongated seed fibres of cotton. An R2R3 MYB, GhMYB25-like, identified from its reduced expression in a fibreless mutant of cotton (Xu142 fl), is here shown to play a key role in the very early stages of fibre cell differentiation. A GhMYB25-like promoter-GUS construct was expressed predominantly in the epidermal layers of cotton ovules before anthesis (-3days post-anthesis, dpa), increasing in expression in 0-dpa ovules, primarily in those epidermal cells expanding into fibres, and then in elongating fibres at +3dpa, declining thereafter. This was consistent with GhMYB25-like transcript abundance during fibre development. RNA interference suppression of GhMYB25-like resulted in cotton plants with fibreless seeds, but normal trichomes elsewhere, phenocopying the Xu142 fl mutant. Like Xu142 fl these plants had reduced expression of the fibre-expressed MYBs, GhMYB25 and GhMYB109, indicating that GhMYB25-like is upstream from those MYBs. This hierarchy was supported by the absence of any change in transcript level of GhMYB25-like in GhMYB25- and GhMYB109-silenced transgenic lines. Transgenic cotton with an additional copy of the native gene had elevated expression of GhMYB25-like in ovules, but no obvious increase in fibre initials, suggesting that there may be other factors that interact with GhMYB25-like to differentiate epidermal cells into fibre cells. |
28944651 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T01:17:09.563Z | 1980-08-01T00:00:00.000Z | Metoprolol in anaesthesia for oral surgery
Metoprolol, a cardioselective beta‐adrenergic blocking drug, was given, with a placebo as an alternative, in a double‐blind trial to 60 patients who were undergoing removal of third molar teeth under general anaesthesia. Dysrhythmias occurred in significantly fewer patients in the metoprolol group than in the control group, and when ventricular dysrhythmias occurred they were abolished in every case by the administration of metoprolol. It is concluded that metoprolol is effective in preventing cardiac dysrhythmias occurring during oral surgery carried out under general anaesthesia. |
28554351 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T01:13:59.895Z | 2002-09-01T00:00:00.000Z | Endothelins and Markers of Renal Damage in Recently Diagnosed Hypertensive Patients
Endothelin has been identified as a potent vasoconstrictor. The aim of this study was to evaluate urinary endothelins and their relation to other markers of renal damage, such as microalbuminuria, creatinine, and N‐acetyl‐β‐glucosaminidase (NAG), in a group of recently diagnosed (less than 1 year) hypertensive subjects and a control group. We selected 50 subjects and divided them into two groups: 27 hypertensive patients (15 females and 12 males) without previous pharmacologic therapy, and 23 healthy, normotensive subjects (12 females and 11 males). All patients underwent a history and physical examination, chest x‐ray, electrocardiography, funduscopy, and hematologic and biochemical analyses. Endothelins, microalbuminuria, creatinine, and NAG values were also determined in 24‐hour urine samples. Creatinine, microalbuminuria, and NAG values were found to be higher in hypertensive than in normotensive subjects. The hypertensive group showed a nonsignificant elevation of total endothelin. In conclusion, the determination of elevated urinary endothelin does not appear to be an early marker of organ damage in hypertensive subjects. The urinary excretion of protein, creatinine, and NAG was higher in hypertensive subjects. A positive correlation was found between the urinary excretion of endothelins and markers of renal damage, microalbuminuria and NAG values. The relationship between endothelins and hypertension was without statistical significance. |
25293951 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T04:08:41.234Z | 2009-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | Subcellular Distribution of Tail‐Anchored Proteins in Arabidopsis
Tail‐anchored (TA) proteins function in key cellular processes in eukaryotic cells, such as vesicle trafficking, protein translocation and regulation of transcription. They anchor to internal cell membranes by a C‐terminal transmembrane domain, which also serves as a targeting sequence. Targeting occurs post‐translationally, via pathways that are specific to the precursor, which makes TA proteins a model system for investigating post‐translational protein targeting. Bioinformatics approaches have previously been used to identify potential TA proteins in yeast and humans, yet little is known about TA proteins in plants. The identification of plant TA proteins is important for extending the post‐translational model system to plastids, in addition to general proteome characterization, and the identification of functional homologues characterized in other organisms. We identified 454 loci that potentially encode TA proteins in Arabidopsis, and combined published data with new localization experiments to assign localizations to 130 proteins, including 29 associated with plastids. By analysing the tail anchor sequences of characterized proteins, we have developed a tool for predicting localization and estimate that 138 TA proteins are localized to plastids. |
6967151 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T03:35:56.811Z | 2013-08-01T00:00:00.000Z | What is the role of the non-coding regions of the CFTR gene in cystic fibrosis?
Once upon a time there was junk DNA. Today we know that non-coding DNA plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression. And, once upon a time, a baby whose skin tasted salty was thought to be bewitched and was doomed to an early death. Today we know that the baby was affected by cystic fibrosis (CF), and some cases of CF are due to mutations in non-coding DNA. Cystic fibrosis is the most frequent lethal inherited disorder among Caucasians with an incidence of 1:2500 newborns. It appears with pancreatic insufficiency and pulmonary disease due to a vicious circle of infl ammation and bacterial colonization that gradually lead to respiratory insufficiency, increased sweat chloride and two severe mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) disease gene. Clinical forms presenting with pancreatic sufficiency, single organ involvement, normal or borderline sweat chloride and one or both mild |
23933601 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T02:18:40.745Z | 2004-10-01T00:00:00.000Z | [The influence of Bazhen decoction on hematopoietic modulator in anaemic mice].
This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Bazhen decoction on bone marrow depression induced by cyclophosphamide (CY) in mice. An experimental model of mouse bone marrow injury was established through cyclophosphamide induced and the following phenomena were observed. The techniques of culture of hematopoietic progenitor cell and hematopoietic growth factor assay were used. Bazhen decoction could obviously promote the proliferation of bone marrow cells of anaemic mice. The culture media of spleen cell, macrophage, lung and skeletal muscle treated with Bazhen decoction had much stronger stimulating effects on hematopoietic cells. The bone marrow cells of the anaemic mice could yield TNF through Bazhen decoction treatment. It was suggested that Bazhen decoction is clinically a hopeful drug used to cure bone marrow depression and attenuate the side effects of CY. |
24008401 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T04:04:06.015Z | 2014-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | [The influence of knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors for 1st and 6th year medical students' lifestyle].
BACKGROUND
The most important way to reduce the incidence of the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is prevention, which should include modification of risk factors.
AIM
To define knowledge of primary CVD prevention, and to rate compliance with prevention rules among students'.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study included 275 first year (ly) students and 161 sixth year (6y) students of the Faculty of Medicine (303 Females and 133 Males; aged 18-29 years). Anonymous questionnaire on acquaintance with the primary prevention, compliance with it and correct values and units of blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol level was conducted among survey participants.
RESULTS
6y students indicated risk factors of CVD significantly more correctly than ly students. The proper value of male and female waist circumference was indicated correctly more often by 6y students than ly students. When compared to ly students, 6y students more often marked properly the heart attack symptoms, tests which are necessary to diagnose ACS, and markers of the myocardial necrosis. Respectively, among the ly and 6y students the mean BMI was: 20.82 kg/m2 vs. 21, 74 kg/m2, mean waist circumference: 70.00 cm vs.74.81 cm. 6y students more often than ly students eat regular meals, eat fruits and vegetables more than 4 times a week, exercise more than 30 minutes a day.
CONCLUSIONS
Sixth year medical students' knowledge about the prevention of CVD is greater than the first year students' but still is unsatisfactory. Sixth year students slightly often follow the rules of primary prevention than first year students. |
144616901 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-05T13:02:16.849Z | 2006-04-25T00:00:00.000Z | A Culture of Light: Cinema and Technology in 1920s Germany (review)
397 a lot of material was imported from the USA (like the unidirectionnal microphones), it was not used the same way. The actual sound of the set was preferred in France by the large majority of directors. Multi-camera shooting and multi-microphones recording can be explained, according to the author, by the importance of the recreation of a live action performance by each actor on the set, and the actors’ improvization. This is a very signifi cant point on the French cinema, and it explains a lot of differences between the national cinemas of that time. I completely agree with the description of the Pathé-Natan “house style,” and the centrality of this fi rm to French fi lm. The book ends on the evolution of direct sound from the transition period to the present in France. O’Brien explains clearly that there was no artistic self-conciousness in the use of direct sound in the 1930s (although Renoir, Pagnol, and a few others insisted on the aesthetic choice of this method), contrary to French fi lmmakers since the 1960s. This remarkable project helps work on the subject of sound and its importance in each national fi lm industry. It will lead the way for other works on the question of direct sound and postsynchronization, the importance of improvization, and the consequences on fi lm styles. It is a signifi cant contribution against the idea of homogenization of the world cinema in the 1930s. |
206087601 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T00:17:14.727Z | 2005-06-01T00:00:00.000Z | Collaborating to manage vendor interactions and protect quality of care in the OR.
A culture that provides for safe patient environments demands that health care risk managers address all barriers to safe care, sometimes in extraordinary ways. For example, the operating room is one environment that has gained attention with policies on performing "time outs" before beginning a case and strong emphasis on correct site, correct patient and correct procedure surgery. However, a common hospital practice that has been generally accepted is to invite, allow and encourage sales representatives, or vendors, into the operating room to help surgeons use new equipment or devices. This article will describe how risk managers - partnering with their facility's sourcing and materials management departments - were able to influence a network-wide shift in vendor interactions in the operating room to create safer places for patient care. |
25013501 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T04:51:11.320Z | 1997-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device-wearing women express contraceptive glycodelin A in endometrium during midcycle: another contraceptive mechanism?
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) exert contraceptive action by interfering with sperm transport, ovum development, fertilization and implantation. Glycodelin A (GdA) is a uterine glycoprotein that has local contraceptive activity by inhibiting sperm-egg binding. GdA is normally absent from endometrium during the fertile midcycle and it is not expressed until the fifth postovulatory day. The phase of menstrual cycle addressed in this study covers the phase when conception is most likely to follow an unprotected intercourse and when GdA is normally absent. We present here evidence that levonorgestrel-releasing IUD (LNg-IUD) is accompanied by 'inappropriate' expression of GdA in endometrium between days 7 and 16 of the menstrual cycle (six out of six cases). The same was also found in copper-releasing IUD (Cu-IUD)-wearing women, but less frequently (four out of 11 cases, P < 0.0345, Fisher's exact test). In-situ hybridization localized GdA mRNA into endometrial glands in the midcycle endometrium, confirming the cellular site of synthesis. Based on the potent inhibitory activity of GdA on sperm-egg binding, the presence of GdA in uterine glands of IUD wearers may lead to prior exposure of sperm to contraceptive GdA, thus contributing to the contraceptive activity of the IUD. |
52075401 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-08-24T13:02:26.939Z | 2018-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Pharmacy and Pharmacology Research in the BRICS Countries: A Scientometric Analysis
The present study deals with the scientometric analysis of the BRICS countries’ research output in the area of pharmacy and pharmacology on the basis of publications as indexed in the Web of Science, a multidisciplinary database. The parameters used for the analysis of the research output include authorship and collaboration pattern, citation distribution, publication activity, Relative Growth Rate and Doubling Time. The study reveals that China has exhibited a significant increase in its publication activity during the period. The reason may be that China’s rise in its Research and Development (R&D) expenditure and the practice of utilitarian governance is at institutional as well as at national level. |
121875401 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-19T13:02:32.543Z | 1998-04-11T00:00:00.000Z | AXAF high-resolution camera (HRC): the challenge of calibration
The High Resolution Camera (HRC) is a microchannel plate based, photon counting, imaging detector for the Advanced X- ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) that will be placed in a high earth orbit scheduled for launch in December, 1998. An end-to-end calibration of the HRC and the AXAF High Resolution Mirror Assembly was carried out at the Marshall Space Flight Center's X-ray Calibration Facility. This activity was preceded by various subsystems level calibrations of the detector components, but only through complete end-to-end testing was it possible to fully study the instrument and identify areas for improvement. As a result, several modifications were made to the HRC. These were followed by a series of flat field calibrations used to 'correct' the end-to-end results for flight. |
144232441 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-05T13:05:40.619Z | 2002-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | Children Working with Text in Science: Disparities with 'Literacy Hour' practice
The National Literacy Strategy (NLS) provides a coherent plan of what and how children should be taught about non-fiction text. Nevertheless, the difficulties that children actually experience when using science texts are not fully addressed: in particular, the use and interpretation of the visual elements of science text is given limited attention in the prescriptions for teaching the 'Literacy Hour'. Such disparities identified by prior research and by a content analysis of the NLS Framework Document are considered alongside evidence of the difficulties encountered by a class of Year 5 pupils working with a range of non-fiction texts during science lessons. Pupils' text use is studied through observations and interviews with children, through interviews with their teachers and through a questionnaire about text use strategies. The findings suggest that (1) the pupils experienced considerable difficulty in making sense of the science content of non-fiction text, particularly in terms of interpretation of visual elements and their links to written text and (2) use of retrieval strategies taught during the Literacy Hour was not transferred to learning from text during science lessons. The study proposes closer planning of text use in science and literacy lessons. |
219705691 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-06-16T20:06:44.995Z | 2020-03-01T00:00:00.000Z | [Effects of seeding pattern and phosphorus application on population structure, photosynthe-tic characteristics and yield of winter wheat].
Under Xinjiang winter wheat seeding pattern, in order to sort out proper phosphorus application (PA) and find out the effects and mechanism of PA on population structure, photosynthesis characteristics and yield and provide reliable evidence for PA management of winter wheat, we arranged a two-factor complete split-plot design of wheat variety "Xindong 22". The main area consisted of two seeding ways: drill seeding pattern (D) and uniform seeding pattern (U), while in the sub-area there were four levels of PA(P2O5): 0, 60, 120, and 180 kg·hm-2(represented by P0, P60, P120 and P180 for those treatments, respectively). The results showed that the earbearing percentage in U was 15.9% higher than that in D, and the other features (PAR interception rate, extinction coefficient, leaf area index, SPAD and photosynthetic parameters) were more optimal in 120 kg·hm-2 treatment. Our results showed that the 120 kg·hm-2 treatment in U would be the optimal option with respect to population structure, photosynthetic characteristics, and yield. |
238712841 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2021-09-27T19:35:23.435Z | 2021-08-11T00:00:00.000Z | Homogeneous Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 by a CrN3O Complex: Electronic Coupling with a Redox-Active Terpyridine Fragment Favors Selectivity for CO.
Electrocatalyst design and optimization strategies continue to be an active area of research interest for the applied use of renewable energy resources. The electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) is an attractive approach in this context because of the added potential benefit of addressing its rising atmospheric concentrations. In previous experimental and computational studies, we have described the mechanism of the first molecular Cr complex capable of electrocatalytically reducing CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO) in the presence of an added proton donor, which contained a redox-active 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) fragment, CrN2O2. The high selectivity for CO in the bpy-based system was dependent on a delocalized CrII(bpy•-) active state. Subsequently, we became interested in exploring how expanding the polypyridyl ligand core would impact the selectivity and activity during electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. Here, we report a new CrN3O catalyst, Cr(tpytbupho)Cl2 (1), where 2-(2,2':6',2″-terpyridin-6-yl)-4,6-di-tert-butylphenolate = [tpytbupho]-, which reduces CO2 to CO with almost quantitative selectivity via a different mechanism than our previously reported Cr(tbudhbpy)Cl(H2O) catalyst. Computational analyses indicate that, although the stoichiometry of both reactions is identical, changes in the observed rate law are the combined result of a decrease in the intrinsic ligand charge (L3X vs L2X2) and an increase in the ligand redox activity, which result in increased electronic coupling between the doubly reduced tpy fragment of the ligand and the CrII center. The strong electronic coupling enhances the rate of protonation and subsequent C-OH bond cleavage, resulting in CO2 binding becoming the rate-determining step, which is an uncommon mechanism during protic CO2 reduction. |
17394291 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2014-10-01T00:00:00.000Z | 2004-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Playing to win in the downstream: Looking beyond tomorrow
deeper The IBM Institute for Business Value develops fact-based strategic insights for senior business executives around critical industry-specific and cross-industry issues. This paper is a part of an ongoing commitment by IBM Business Consulting Services to provide forward-looking industry and business points of view, and to help companies and industries transform their futures. You may contact the authors or send an |
230576691 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-12-17T09:12:10.555Z | 2020-12-15T00:00:00.000Z | Repeatability Analysis of Overconstrained Kinematic Coupling Using a Parallel-Mechanism-Equivalent Model
A novel method for repeatability analysis of overconstrained kinematic coupling using a parallel-mechanism-equivalent-model is proposed. An overconstrained Kelvin-type coupling with one additional support is introduced and used for method illustration. Contact forces of the overconstrained coupling under preload are computed with Moore-Penrose inverse and the deformations are obtained using the Hertz theory. The couping is equivalently modeled as a 7-SPS parallel mechanism, spherical joints of which represent the centers of the supporting balls and the contact points, respectively, and prismatic joints are used to simulate the deformations. Therefore, pose error of the coupling arisen from preload is analyzed using the well-appraised incremental method for forward kinematics analysis of parallel mechanisms. The uncertainties of the preload are discussed and a boundary-sampling method is proposed for repeatability analysis. The main contribution of this study lies in that the proposed parallel-mechanism-equivalent-model and the boundary-sampling method greatly simplify the repeatability analysis of overconstrained kinematic couplings. Finally, the proposed methods are validated by case study. |
22214841 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2014-10-01T00:00:00.000Z | 2007-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Cryptography and security services - mechanisms and applications
Today's information technology and security networks demand increasingly complex algorithms and cryptographic systems. Individuals implementing security policies for their companies must utilize technical skill and information technology knowledge to implement these security mechanisms. Cryptography and Security Devices: Mechanisms and Applications addresses cryptography from the perspective of the security services and mechanisms available to implement these services: discussing issues such as e-mail security, public-key architecture, virtual private networks, Web services security, wireless security, and the confidentiality and integrity of security services. This book provides scholars and practitioners in the field of information assurance working knowledge of fundamental encryption algorithms and systems supported in information technology and secure communication networks. |
38772741 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T04:23:11.911Z | 2007-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Specificity of TRAF3 in its negative regulation of the noncanonical NF-kappa B pathway.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are critical signaling adaptors downstream of many receptors in the TNF receptor and interleukin-1 receptor/Toll-like receptor superfamilies. Whereas TRAF2, 5, and 6 are activators of the canonical NF-kappaB signaling pathway, TRAF3 is an inhibitor of the noncanonical NF-kappaB pathway. The contribution of the different domains in TRAFs to their respective functions remains unclear. To elucidate the structural and functional specificities of TRAF3, we reconstituted TRAF3-deficient cells with a series of TRAF3 mutants and assessed their abilities to restore TRAF3-mediated inhibition of the noncanonical NF-kappaB pathway as measured by NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) protein levels and processing of p100 to p52. We found that a structurally intact RING finger domain of TRAF3 is required for inhibition of the noncanonical NF-kappaB pathway. In addition, the three N-terminal domains, but not the C-terminal TRAF domain, of the highly homologous TRAF5 can functionally replace the corresponding domains of TRAF3 in suppression of the noncanonical NF-kappaB pathway. This functional specificity correlates with the specific binding of TRAF3, but not TRAF5, to the previously reported TRAF3 binding motif in NIK. Our studies suggest that both the RING finger domain activity and the specific binding of the TRAF domain to NIK are two critical components of TRAF3 suppression of NIK protein levels and the processing of p100 to p52. |
557841 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-04-11T08:10:20.710Z | 1999-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Inotropic effects of endothelin-1: interaction with molsidomine and with BQ 610.
-In vivo studies could not detect a positive inotropy of endothelin (ET)-1 as described in in vitro experiments. ET-induced direct positive inotropy, which seems to be mediated by ETB receptors, may be antagonized in vivo by an indirect cardiodepressive effect owing to an ET-induced coronary vasoconstriction via ETA receptors. This study compares the effects of a dose of 1 nmol/kg ET-1 alone on myocardial contractility and myocardial energy metabolism with the effects of 1 nmol/kg ET-1 after pretreatment with 5 mg/kg molsidomine or with 100 microg/kg of the ETA receptor antagonist BQ 610. We investigated the effects of ET-1 versus saline controls in open-chest rats. In addition to measurements in the intact circulation, myocardial function was examined by isovolumic registrations independent of peripheral vascular effects. We also studied the effect of ET-1 on myocardial high-energy phosphates. Pretreatment with molsidomine and BQ 610 attenuated the ET-induced reduction of cardiac output (ET-1: -62%; molsidomine+ET-1: -47%; BQ 610+ET-1: -27% different from controls). After a transient initial vasodilation, ET-1 raised total peripheral resistance (ET-1: +190%; molsidomine+ET-1: +171%; BQ 610+ET-1: +89%). BQ 610 was more effective in preventing ET-induced vasoconstriction. The increase of isovolumic peak first derivative of left ventricular pressure (ET-1: -2%; molsidomine+ET-1: +16%; BQ 610+ET-1: +19%) after pretreatment with molsidomine or BQ 610 indicates that these drugs unmask the positive inotropy of ET-1. ET-induced myocardial ischemia was abolished by molsidomine and BQ 610. Pretreatment with molsidomine or blockade of ETA receptors by BQ 610 can unmask the positive inotropy of ET-1 by preventing ET-induced myocardial ischemia. The positive inotropic effect of ET-1 seems to be mediated by ETB receptors. |
236249991 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2021-07-26T00:06:20.751Z | 2021-06-06T00:00:00.000Z | Indigenizing Engineering education in Canada: critically considered
ABSTRACT This article critically considers the work being done to bring Indigenous Peoples, Knowledges, and perspectives into the dominant structures of engineering education in Canada. We use Gaudry and Lorenz’s (2018. “Indigenization as Inclusion, Reconciliation, and Decolonization: Navigating the Different Visions for Indigenizing the Canadian Academy.” AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous PeoplesAlterNative 14 (3): 218–227. doi:10.1177/1177180118785382) spectrum of Indigenization to evaluate self-reported contributions from 25 engineering programs and four engineering organizations. Findings show much of the work being done in Canada is in Indigenous Inclusion and Reconciliation Indigenization, with some Decolonial Indigenization. Efforts in reconciliation and decolonization are seen predominantly in integrated, grassroots initiatives, with institutional initiatives found largely in inclusion. We submit that a diversified strategy and decolonized policies are needed to achieve Decolonial Indigenization. The intention of this work is to create an ethical space where Indigenous and non-Indigenous engineering educators can listen to and learn from one another. Guided by Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing), we can advance Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing in engineering education in Canada and around the world. |
7469941 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T03:41:17.944Z | 1992-05-01T00:00:00.000Z | Health, art, and culture: the juggling cultures program.
At a time in life when establishing self-identity is most important, multicultural youth experience special stress as they try to juggle living in two or more cultures on a daily basis. The use of art as a vehicle for communication - a creative and innovative challenge to service providers such as family physicians - often proves very rewarding for both client and practitioner. |
73350491 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-03-11T13:11:51.990Z | 2010-07-16T00:00:00.000Z | Introducing a new type of article for Platelets: Spotlight articles
From June 2010 Platelets is introducing a new article category called ‘Spotlight articles’. These articles are invited and are essentially mini-reviews based around a single defined subject matter (often a single molecule or family of molecules), and also based around a single ‘poster-style’ figure. They will be limited to no more than 1500 words and the review should be summarised in the central figure. This poster style figure should contain more information than for a standard figure, and may also contain boxes within the figure. The number of references should be minimal, with a maximum of 20 key references. These should be limited to resources for further reading (reviews, etc.) rather than comprehensive citations. It is envisaged the poster style figure will be something readers can print out and pin on their notice boards etc. as well as being ideal for teaching purposes. The first example of these articles is now published: Stefanini & Bergmeier (2010) CalDAG-GEFI and platelet activation. |
234588391 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-12-17T09:14:04.356Z | 2020-12-14T00:00:00.000Z | Influence of thermal treatment on structure and properties of RF-Magnetron calcium phosphate coatings deposited on Mg-based alloy
Mg-based alloys became a material of interest for biomedical applications. The major difficulty in the Mg-based alloy application is its rapid corrosion rate. Various coating methods are used to form a barrier layer onto Mg-based materials. In this work, a thin film of calcium phosphate was deposited on an Mg–0.8 at % Ca alloy using RF magnetron sputtering. As-deposited coatings were in an X-ray amorphous state. Post-deposition heat treatment resulted in the coating crystallization, exhibiting the pure HA phase. Heat-treatment at 450°C for 3 hours did not significantly change the coating integrity and adhesion strength to the Mg–0.8 at % Ca substrate. The Ca/P ratio, however, was changed from 1.85 for as-deposited to 2.00 for heat-treated samples. Both coating and substrate material after heat treatment exhibit preferential crystallographic growth in (002) direction with Tc(002) = 2.86 and 5.79, correspondingly. |
44252591 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T05:43:56.169Z | 2009-08-13T00:00:00.000Z | A multivariate test of an expanded Andersen Health Care utilization model for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in African Americans.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study were (1) to determine which Andersen Model variables [predisposing, enabling, and need (PEN)] are related to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by African Americans in the past 12 months; and (2) to determine whether the addition of disease states to the Model will explain significant variation in CAM use in the past 12 months.
DESIGN
The 2002 National Health Interview Survey was used with 4256 African American adults (n = 23,828,268 weighted) selected as the study population. The dependent variable, CAM Past 12 Months, represented participants' use of at least 1 of 17 CAM modalities during the past 12 months. The Andersen Model variables [predisposing (e.g., age); enabling (e.g., insurance); and need (e.g., medical conditions)] and prevalent disease states (> or =10%) comprised the independent variables. Logistic regression analyses, incorporating the sampling weights, were employed.
RESULTS
Among predisposing factors, CAM use was associated with middle-aged to older, more educated, and female African Americans. Region (Northeast less likely than South) was the only significant enabling factor. Need factors had the most frequent relationships, with more medical conditions, more physician visits, better health status, prescription and over-the-counter medication use, more frequent exercise, and having activities of daily living limitations being associated with CAM use. After adjusting for PEN factors, the disease states of pain/aching joints, recurring pain, and migraine were related to CAM use.
CONCLUSIONS
African American CAM users are middle-aged to older, female, educated, and have more medical conditions (especially pain-related). Users report higher utilization of "traditional" care (e.g., physician visits), indicating that CAM is likely a complement to conventional treatment in this population. Health care providers should use these factors as prompts for inquiring about CAM use in African American patients. |
116059891 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-16T13:28:54.882Z | 2018-04-01T00:00:00.000Z | 13.1: Invited Paper: Single‐Photon‐Capable Detector Arrays in CMOS—Exploring a New Tool for Display Metrology
The technology of CMOS‐compatible Single Photon Avalanche Diodes is evolving rapidly and has matured to the point at which it can address the requirements of a range of imaging applications. In this report we consider the current suitability and future potential of CMOS‐compatible Single Photon Avalanche Diodes to address the particular application of display metrology. |
573341 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T03:08:32.011Z | 2018-01-18T00:00:00.000Z | Regioselective Reaction of Heterocyclic N-Oxides, an Acyl Chloride, and Cyclic Thioethers.
Treatment of electron deficient pyridine N-oxides with 4-nitrobenzoyl chloride and a cyclic thioether in the presence of triethylamine leads to the corresponding 2-functionalized product in up to a 74% isolated yield. The transformation can also be accomplished with alternative nitrogen containing heterocycles, including quinolines, pyrimidines, and pyrazines. To expand the scope of the transformation, diisopropyl ether can be used as the reaction medium to allow for the use of solid thioether substrates. |
119589241 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-18T13:10:01.309Z | 2009-05-20T00:00:00.000Z | Advantages of Densely Packed Multi-Wire Transistors with Planar Gate Structure Fabricated on Low-k Buried Insulator over Planar Silicon-on-Insulator Devices
In this paper, electrical characteristics of densely packed multi wire transistors with a planar gate structure are systematically investigated using three-dimensional device simulations in terms of dependences of threshold voltage roll-off and current drivability on a channel width, height, and distance. The simulation results revealed that densely packed multi wire transistors with a planar gate structure have advantages over planar silicon-on-insulator (SOI) devices in terms of both threshold voltage roll-off characteristics and current drivability. It is shown that narrowing a width and lowering a height of channels are effective for improvement in both threshold voltage roll-off characteristics and current drivability and that shrinking a distance between channels is effective for improvement in current drivability although it degrades threshold voltage roll-off characteristics. It is also shown that lowering a dielectric constant of a buried insulator below wires is effective for improvement in both threshold voltage roll-off characteristics and current drivability of wire transistors. |
1592491 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-02-19T07:31:34.500Z | 1987-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Interpolation from Samples on a Linear Spiral Scan
An interpolation method useful for reconstructing an image from its Fourier plane samples on a linear spiral scan trajectory is presented. This kind of sampling arises in NMR imaging. We first present a theorem that enables exact interpolation from spiral samples to a Cartesian lattice. We then investigate two practical implementations of the theorem in which a finite number of interpolating points are used to calculate the value at a new point. Our experimental results confirm the theorem's validity and also demonstrate that both practical implementations yield very good reconstructions. Thus, the theorem and/or its practical implementations suggest the possibility of using direct Fourier reconstruction from linear spiral-scan NMR imaging. |
33824241 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T02:32:02.521Z | 2013-02-01T00:00:00.000Z | Brief historical perspectives of malaria in Iran.
The history of malaria as a serious human disease dates back to ancient times. For centuries, malaria has been a deadly disease with high morbidity and mortality that profoundly impacted the socioeconomic status of endemic countries. However, its causative agent remained unidentified until the last decades of the nineteenth century. There were no effective synthetic anti-malarial agents until the mid-twentieth century. Currently malaria has been eliminated or pre-eliminated in numerous countries; however, this preventable and curable disease remains a significant global health problem. A major concern is drug resistance. Presented here, is a brief look at the history of malaria in Iran and the rest of the world, particularly during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. |
214723491 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-03-31T21:07:48.088Z | 2020-03-24T00:00:00.000Z | Flexible Representations of Odour Categories in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb
The ability to group sensory stimuli into categories is crucial for efficient interaction with a rich and ever-changing environment. In olfaction, basic features of categorical representation of odours were observed as early as in the olfactory bulb (OB). Categorical representation was described in mitral cells (MCs) as sudden transitions in responses to odours that were morphed along a continuum. However, it remains unclear to what extent such response dynamics actually reflects perceptual categories and decisions therein. Here, we tested the role of learning on category formation in the mouse OB, using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging and behaviour. We imaged MCs responses in naïve mice and in awake behaving mice as they learned two tasks with different classification logic. In one task, a 1-decision boundary task, animals learned to classify odour mixtures based on the dominant compound in the mixtures. As expected, categorical representation of close by odours, which was evident already in naïve animals, further increased following learning. In a second task, a multi-decision boundary task, animals learned to classify odours independent of their chemical similarity. Rather, odour discrimination was based on the meaning ascribed to them (either rewarding or not). Following the second task, odour representations by MCs reorganized according to the odour value in the new category. This functional reorganization was also reflected as a shift from predominantly excitatory odour responses to predominantly inhibitory odour responses. Our data shows that odour representations by MCs is flexible, shaped by task demands, and carry category-related information. |
24875591 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T02:02:05.668Z | 2006-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | [Prevalence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) among biopsied cases of a urban hospital in Japan: significance of measurement of serum ferritin in the detection of NASH].
From April 1989 to December 2004, we performed liver biopsy on 475 patients and obtained biopsy proven 35 cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver. Among them, 18 cases were diagnosed as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). During the last three years, we have tried to detect NASH using ultrasonography and elevated value of serum ferritin (> 300 ng/ml). All of the eligible 7 cases biopsied during the course were diagnosed as NASH. In these 7 cases, ALT levels improved after the body weight loss accompanied by the parallel decrease of serum ferritin levels. Measurement of serum ferritin is useful in the detection of NASH but the normal value of ferritin cannot rule out the possibility of NASH. |
109159591 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-04-12T13:58:53.462Z | 2009-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | Objects tracking in a dense reader environment utilising grids of RFID antenna positioning
One of the fundamental constraints in radio frequency identification (RFID) large scale deployment, such as in warehouse RFID deployment, is the positioning of RFID reader antennas to efficiently locate all the tagged objects distributed in a dense RFID reader environment. For tracking the tagged objects in a dense RFID deployment, the required number of reader antennas must be optimised in order to reduce the overall cost. This study proposes highly accurate square and hexagonal grid-based positioning and tracking techniques mainly for use indoors and includes performance comparison of both of these grids. The study involves the design of the square and hexagonal grid reader antenna networks and position calculation using a diffusion algorithm. Both of these grids of RFID antenna positioning present a solution for the problem of the placement pattern of RFID reader antennas in a dense reader environment, hence an optimal number of required reader antennas and guaranteed coverage can be achieved. This study also presents a path loss model that can be applied to predict the radio signal strength information at a certain distance. The proposed diffusion algorithm estimates RFID tag position by using distance information between the reader and the tag. The obtained results show that a square grid can yield higher positioning accuracy compared to the hexagonal grid. The obtained results further show that the proposed tracking techniques can achieve an average positioning error below 1 m, which is 85% better in some cases than the results obtained by other known methods. |
25710191 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T05:34:39.363Z | 2013-06-01T00:00:00.000Z | Ethical issues in practice: a survey of home-visiting nurses in Japan.
AIM
The purposes of this study were to identify specific components and frequencies of ethical issues that home-visiting nurses encountered in their practice, relationships between ethical issues and demographic data, and experience of ethics education and workplace environment.
METHODS
A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to home-visiting nurses in Japan. Usable data (1961) were analyzed.
RESULTS
Item and exploratory factor analysis for the frequency of encountering ethical issues revealed: (i) concern about respecting client or relationships with relevant professionals; (ii) differences in treatment or care-taking views among home-visiting nurse and client and family, or relevant professionals; and (iii) discrepancy of intention between family and client or home-visiting nurse. All factors were significantly positively related to the current position, duration of working experience as a home-visiting nurse, and type of nursing education; age was significantly negatively related. Home-visiting nurses noted that programmed continuing education systems and staff-training programs were not sufficiently available.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this study indicated the characteristics of ethical issues that home-visiting nurses encountered in their practice and insufficient continuing education system including ethics education. Ethics education programs tailored to home-visiting nurses ethical concerns and traits and continuing education systems are needed. |
23107691 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T04:44:59.609Z | 2012-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | Evaluation of different protections of butyric acid aiming for release in the last part of the gastrointestinal tract of piglets.
Three tests, 2 in vivo and 1 in vitro, were conducted to compare how 2 forms of protection of butyric acid (BA) affect its liberation along the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of piglets. The 2 forms of BA were vegetable fat-encapsulated sodium butyrate (SBE) and monoglyceride of butyric acid (MB). In the first trial, 528 piglets were weaned at 21 d of age and assigned to 3 diets in 8 replicate pens of 22 piglets per pen for 39 d. The 3 diets were (i) prestarter and starters I and II (Con), (ii) C + SBE (6 kg/t in both prestarter and starter feeds), and (iii) C + MB (2.5 kg/t in the prestarter feed, 2 kg/t in the starter feed I, and 0 kg/t in the starter feed II). Piglets receiving C and SBE feeds tended to show higher BW (18.74, 18.66, and 17.82 kg; P < 0.1) and ADG (331.2, 330.5, and 308.9 g/d; P < 0.1) than MB piglets; no significant differences were observed in feed intake or FCR. In the second trial, 8 pens of 4 piglets each (4 pens per treatment), weaned at 21 d, were given either a standard postweaning program with SBE (2 kg/t) or with MB (2 kg/t) and received the same amount of BA. Body weight, feed intake, and FCR were evaluated at days 14 and 28 of trial. At the end of the trial, 1 animal per pen was euthanized and the concentration of BA and VFA in duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and cecum were quantified with HPLC. There were no statistical differences in growth, feed intake, or FCR. However, SBE-fed animals had higher concentration of VFA in colon than MB-fed animals. There were relevant numerical differences in the rest of the GIT sections but they were not statistically significant. The in vitro digestion of the products confirmed that BA can be released more easily from SBE (157.2 g of BA/kg of product after 7 h) than from MB (56.4 g of BA/kg of product after 7 h). It is concluded that the addition of SBE allows more BA to reach the distal sections of the GIT than MB. |
52265041 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-09-13T05:18:03.472Z | 2013-07-22T00:00:00.000Z | Adolescent delinquency and diversity in behavior settings
Purpose: This study aimed to test whether adolescents’ delinquency is related to the geographic, functional and social diversity of the behavior settings that they are exposed to. Methods: Data were collected in a two-wave panel study amongst 616 adolescents. In the first wave, diversity was measured using a space-time budget interview recording their activities from hour to hour during four days. Self-control, morality, peer deviance, unsupervised peer activity, and parental supervision were measured using a self-report questionnaire. Delinquency was measured using self-report questions in the second wave. Results: The findings demonstrated that setting diversity is positively related to delinquency. For geographic and functional setting diversity, a substantial part of the positive association is independent of gender, age and the other explanatory variables. Conclusions: Adolescents’ delinquency is not only affected by the overall contents of the settings that they encounter, but also by how much the content of settings varies over the course of the day. |
35243441 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T02:48:27.781Z | 2006-03-01T00:00:00.000Z | Second intron of mouse nestin gene directs its expression in pluripotent embryonic carcinoma cells through POU factor binding site.
Nestin, an intermediate filament protein, is expressed in the neural stem cells of the developing central nervous system. This tissue-specific expression is driven by the neural stem cell-specific enhancer in the second intron of the nestin gene. In this study, we showed that the mouse nestin gene was expressed in pluripotent embryonic carcinoma (EC) P19 and F9 cells, not in the differentiated cell types. This cell type-specific expression was conferred by the enhancer in the second intron. Mutation of the conserved POU factor-binding site in the enhancer abolished the reporter gene expression in EC cells. Oct4, a Class V POU factor, was found to be coexpressed with nestin in EC cells. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays and supershift assays showed that a unique protein-DNA complex was formed specifically with nuclear extracts of EC cells, and Oct4 protein was included. Together, these results suggest the functional relevance between the conserved POU factor-binding site and the expression of the nestin gene in pluripotent EC cells. |
26773491 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-04-03T00:49:44.461Z | 1974-12-01T00:00:00.000Z | The validity of the methylene blue reduction test in the grading of ice cream.
Summary. Samples of ice cream from small manufacturers’plant were examined and graded by the Methylene Blue Reduction Test. The effect of the 17 h incubation period on bacterial populations was examined and the resultant increase in numbers was determined with a Coulter Counter. Most of the ice creams examined fell into Grades 1, 2 or 3, but only a small difference in the colony count range between Grade 1 and Grade 2 samples was observed. Sterile ice cream samples were seeded with pure cultures of selected coliforms and the effect on methylene blue grading was determined. It was found that for each grade of ice cream a far higher number of the added pure culture bacteria was required to achieve the same methylene blue reduction as bacteria of the mixed flora already present. |
28486291 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2014-10-01T00:00:00.000Z | 2008-01-05T00:00:00.000Z | On the Monochromatic Schur Triples Type Problem
We discuss a problem posed by Ronald Graham about the minimum number, over all 2-colorings of $[1,n]$, of monochromatic $\{x,y,x+ay\}$ triples for $a \geq 1$. We give a new proof of the original case of $a=1$. We show that the minimum number of such triples is at most $\frac{n^2}{2a(a^2+2a+3)} + O(n)$ when $a \geq 2$. We also find a new upper bound for the minimum number, over all $r$-colorings of $[1,n]$, of monochromatic Schur triples, for $r \geq 3$. |
211025591 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-02-05T14:05:17.776Z | 2020-02-04T00:00:00.000Z | Syntheses of N-Alkyl 2-Arylindoles from Saturated Ketones and 2-Arylethynylanilines via Cu-Catalyzed Sequential Dehydrogenation/aza-Michael Addition/Annulation Cascade.
We describe here a Cu-catalyzed and 4-OH-TEMPO-mediated sequential dehydrogenation/aza-Michael addition/annulation cascade reaction for the construction of N-alkyl 2-arylindoles from facilely available saturated ketones and 2-arylethynylanilines. This reaction shows high regioselectivity and tolerates a variety of functional groups. Moreover, 3-alkyl substituted indoles can also be achieved when using 2-alkylethynylanilines as starting materials. |
225489841 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2020-10-30T07:12:06.260Z | 2020-07-24T00:00:00.000Z | MONITORING OF HEAVY METALS, EOX AND LAS IN SEWAGE SLUDGE FOR AGRICULTURAL USE: A CASE STUDY
Subsequent to the increasing diffusion of wastewater treatment, particularly in high- and middle-income countries, the sewage sludge generated should be treated and valorised in an ecological and economic way, thus contributing to the circular economy. In this study, the monitoring of Heavy Metals (HM), Extractable Organic Halogens (EOX) and Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate (LAS) in sewage sludge from 10 different wastewater treatment plants located in Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy) was reported, and their macronutrient content provided.
The obtained results showed, for all tested samples, that HM content in sewage sludge was below the maximum permitted limits provided for by Italian and European regulations for agricultural reuse. Comparison with a similar monitoring campaign carried out in 2006 revealed how, while wastewater treatment plants efficiently resolved water pollution, they accumulated heavy metals and other persistent toxic compounds in sludge, thus restricting their potential reuse. Consequently, consistent and regular sludge monitoring should be undertaken to prevent soil and groundwater contamination. These outcomes could be of particular relevance for the future perspective of agricultural reuse of sewage sludge in waste management practices. |
145808441 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2019-05-06T14:05:11.720Z | 2012-09-28T00:00:00.000Z | An example to be followed or a warning to be avoided? The British, Boers, and guerrilla warfare, 1900–1902
This article examines the British response to the onset of guerrilla warfare launched by the Boers in March 1900. It argues that although Britain had signed the Hague Convention in July 1899, the two commanders, Lords Roberts and Kitchener, combated this unprecedented challenge with their own notions of what constituted ‘civilised warfare’ or ‘the usages of war’. They did not concern themselves with winning ‘hearts and minds’, and both commanders used destructive measures against the civilian population, either to punish them for helping the guerrillas, or to turn them against those still fighting. Kitchener implemented a thorough strategy based on the destruction of farms and livestock and on imprisoning Boer and African families in what became known as ‘concentration camps’. Although the ‘collective punishment’ of civilians was against the Hague Convention, the British utilised such methods to destroy the independence of the Boer republics. The article also suggests that the nature of the guerrilla war undermines any claim that it was fought in a ‘gentlemanly’ manner, and shows that in British Cape Colony, rebels were dealt with by martial law and the use of African collaborators, to the detriment of civil governance and the racial hierarchy. |
13512841 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2015-07-15T00:15:54.000Z | 2001-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Regularity and Normality via Ideals
In this paper, the concepts of I-regular, I-normal and completely I-normal spaces have been presented utilizing the I-open notion. Moreover, , T I − -spaces, 5 , 4 , 3 = i are also given. The similarities and dissimilarities between them and some other known corresponding types are discussed. Also, some of their characterizations and several of fundamental properties have been established. |
32590191 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2018-05-31T14:44:17.077Z | 2014-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | iomechanical evaluation of two commonly used external fixators in he treatment of open subtalar dislocation — A finite element analysis
Subtalar dislocation is a rare injury caused by high-energy trauma. Current treatment strategies include leg casts, internal fixation and external fixation. Among these, external fixators are the most commonly used as this method is believed to provide better stabilization. However, the biomechanical stability provided by these fixators has not been demonstrated. This biomechanical study compares two commonly used external fixators, i.e. Mitkovic and Delta. CT imaging data were used to reconstruct three-dimensional models of the tibia, fibula, talus, calcaneus, navicular, cuboid, three cuneiforms and five metatarsal bones. The 3D models of the bones and cartilages were then converted into four-noded linear tetrahedral elements, whilst the ligaments were modelled with linear spring elements. Bones and cartilage were idealized as homogeneous, isotropic and linear. To simulate loading during walking, axial iomechanics loading (70 N during the swing and 350 N during the stance phase) was applied at the end of diaphyseal tibia. The results demonstrate that the Mitkovic fixator produced greater displacement (peak 3.0 mm and 15.6 mm) compared to the Delta fixator (peak 0.8 mm and 3.9 mm), in both the swing and stance phase, respectively. This study demonstrates that the Delta external fixator provides superior stability over the Mitkovic fixator. The Delta fixator may be more effective in treating subtalar dislocation. © 2014 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
25057191 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-02-20T03:12:56.871Z | 2005-01-01T00:00:00.000Z | Effect of traffic channel configuration on the orthogonal frequency division multiple access downlink performance
This paper studies traffic channel design tradeoffs for downlink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems. For fixed and portable users where the propagation channels are quasistatic, we show that the aggregated rate can be maximized by exploiting "multiuser diversity" through intelligent channel allocation. In this case, the traffic channel should be configured so that its corresponding achievable data rate has the highest variance among users. The capacity upper and lower bounds are derived to quantify the impact of different traffic channel configurations. For mobile services where multiuser diversity cannot be efficiently exploited due to the signaling overhead, we show that the system outage capacity is maximized when the traffic channels are configured with maximum frequency diversity. Using the results presented, designers of OFDMA system can determine the optimum traffic channel configuration based on the types of services supported by the network. |
14505041 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-04-13T07:33:54.097Z | 2008-09-01T00:00:00.000Z | The role of state and non-state actors in the policy process: the contribution of policy networks to the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy in Thailand.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is difficult in poor settings. In 2001, the Thai government adopted the policy to scale-up its treatment initiative to meet the needs of all its people. Employing qualitative approaches, including in-depth interviews, document review and direct observation, this study examines the processes by which the universal ART policy developed between 2001 and 2007, with the focus on the connections between actors who shared common interests--so-called policy networks. Research findings illustrate the crucial contributions of non-state networks in the policy process. The supportive roles of public-civic networks could be observed at every policy stage, and at different levels of the health sector. Although this particular health policy may be unique in case and setting, it does suggest clearly that while the state dominated the policy process initially, non-state actors played extremely important roles. Their contribution was not simply at agenda-setting stages--for example by lobbying government--but in the actual development and implementation of health policy. Further it illustrates that these processes were dynamic, took place over long periods and were not limited to national borders, but extended beyond, to include global actors and processes. |
7097141 | s2ag/train | v2 | 2017-07-08T02:33:02.556Z | 2014-12-31T00:00:00.000Z | Plasmodium falciparum evades mosquito immunity by disrupting JNK-mediated apoptosis of invaded midgut cells
Significance The Anopheles gambiae mosquito is a very effective vector of human Plasmodium falciparum malaria. We recently found that the Pfs47 gene allows the parasite to survive, by evading the mosquito immune system. In this study, we explored the mechanism of Pfs47 immune evasion. We found that Pfs47 inhibits Jun-N-terminal kinase-mediated activation of apoptosis in invaded mosquito midgut cells by preventing activation of several caspases. Furthermore, the lack of caspase-S2 activation prevents the induction of enzymes that potentiate epithelial nitration, a reaction required for parasites to be “visible” to the mosquito complement-like system. These findings shed new light on how a single parasite gene inactivates the mosquito immune system and allows it to be successfully transmitted to a new host. The malaria parasite, Plasmodium, must survive and develop in the mosquito vector to be successfully transmitted to a new host. The Plasmodium falciparum Pfs47 gene is critical for malaria transmission. Parasites that express Pfs47 (NF54 WT) evade mosquito immunity and survive, whereas Pfs47 knockouts (KO) are efficiently eliminated by the complement-like system. Two alternative approaches were used to investigate the mechanism of action of Pfs47 on immune evasion. First, we examined whether Pfs47 affected signal transduction pathways mediating mosquito immune responses, and show that the Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway is a key mediator of Anopheles gambiae antiplasmodial responses to P. falciparum infection and that Pfs47 disrupts JNK signaling. Second, we used microarrays to compare the global transcriptional responses of A. gambiae midguts to infection with WT and KO parasites. The presence of Pfs47 results in broad and profound changes in gene expression in response to infection that are already evident 12 h postfeeding, but become most prominent at 26 h postfeeding, the time when ookinetes invade the mosquito midgut. Silencing of 15 differentially expressed candidate genes identified caspase-S2 as a key effector of Plasmodium elimination in parasites lacking Pfs47. We provide experimental evidence that JNK pathway regulates activation of caspases in Plasmodium-invaded midgut cells, and that caspase activation is required to trigger midgut epithelial nitration. Pfs47 alters the cell death pathway of invaded midgut cells by disrupting JNK signaling and prevents the activation of several caspases, resulting in an ineffective nitration response that makes the parasite undetectable by the mosquito complement-like system. |