Genre theory in the past few years has contributed immensely to our understanding of the way discourse is used in academic, professional and institutional contexts. However, its development has been ...constrained by the nature and design of its applications, which have invariably focused on language teaching and learning, or communication training and consultation. This has led to the use of simplified and idealised genres. In contrast to this, the real world of discourse is complex, dynamic and unpredictable. This tension between the real world of written discourse and its representation in applied genre-based literature is the main theme of this book. The book addresses this theme from the perspectives of four rather different worlds: the world of reality, the world of private intentions, the world of analysis and the world of applications. Using examples from a range of situations including advertising, business, academia, economics, law, book introductions, reports, media and fundraising, Bhatia uses discourse analysis to move genre theory away from educational contexts and into the real world. Introduction Overview: Perspectives on Discourse The World of Reality The World of Private Intentions The World of Analysis The World of Applications References
This paper presents a broad review on the recent advances in the research and development of biobased plastics and bionanocomposites that are used in various applications such as packaging, durable ...goods, electronics and biomedical uses. The development of biobased materials is driven by renewability, low carbon footprint and in certain cases biodegradability (compostability) issues and helped them in moving from niche markets to high-volume applications. The inherent drawbacks of some biobased plastics such as the narrow processing window, low heat deflection temperatures, hydrophilicity, poor barrier, and conductivity and inferior biocompatibility can be overcome by bionanocomposites. The first part of the paper reviews the recent advances in the development of biobased and biodegradable materials from renewable resources and their advantages and disadvantages. In the second part, various types of bionanocomposites based on four types of fillers i.e. nanocellulose, carbon nanotubes, nanoclays, and other functional nanofillers are discussed. This review also presents up-to-date progress in this area in terms of processing technologies, product development and applications.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
•We have developed a fuzzy inference system to improve real time flood forecasting.•Introduced a threshold subtractive clustering fuzzy algorithm which improves the forecasting of floods.•Compared ...the performance of proposed model with ANN, SOM and Takage–Sugeno fuzzy models.•Proposed peak percent threshold statistics to evaluate the performance of flood forecasting model.•Proposed model enables and supports the creation and execution of real time flood forecasting system.
In order to improve the real time forecasting of foods, this paper proposes a modified Takagi Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy inference system termed as threshold subtractive clustering based Takagi Sugeno (TSC-T–S) fuzzy inference system by introducing the concept of rare and frequent hydrological situations in fuzzy modeling system. The proposed modified fuzzy inference systems provide an option of analyzing and computing cluster centers and membership functions for two different hydrological situations, i.e. low to medium flows (frequent events) as well as high to very high flows (rare events) generally encountered in real time flood forecasting. The methodology has been applied for flood forecasting using the hourly rainfall and river flow data of upper Narmada basin, Central India. The available rainfall–runoff data has been classified in frequent and rare events and suitable TSC-T–S fuzzy model structures have been suggested for better forecasting of river flows. The performance of the model during calibration and validation is evaluated by performance indices such as root mean square error (RMSE), model efficiency and coefficient of correlation (R). In flood forecasting, it is very important to know the performance of flow forecasting model in predicting higher magnitude flows. The above described performance criteria do not express the prediction ability of the model precisely from higher to low flow region. Therefore, a new model performance criterion termed as peak percent threshold statistics (PPTS) is proposed to evaluate the performance of a flood forecasting model. The developed model has been tested for different lead periods using hourly rainfall and discharge data. Further, the proposed fuzzy model results have been compared with artificial neural networks (ANN), ANN models for different classes identified by Self Organizing Map (SOM) and subtractive clustering based Takagi Sugeno fuzzy model (SC-T–S fuzzy model). It has been concluded from the study that the TSC-T–S fuzzy model provide reasonably accurate forecast with sufficient lead-time.
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4.
The role of DAT-SPECT in movement disorders Kägi, G; Bhatia, K P; Tolosa, E
Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry,
01/2010, Volume:
81, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging is a sensitive method to detect presynaptic dopamine neuronal dysfunction, which is a hallmark of neurodegenerative parkinsonism. DAT imaging can therefore assist ...the differentiation between conditions with and without presynaptic dopaminergic deficit. Diagnosis of Parkinson disease or tremor disorders can be achieved with high degrees of accuracy in cases with full expression of classical clinical features; however, diagnosis can be difficult, since there is a substantial clinical overlap especially in monosymptomatic tremor (dystonic tremor, essential tremor, Parkinson tremor). The use of DAT-SPECT can prove or excludes with high sensitivity nigrostriatal dysfunction in those cases and facilitates early and accurate diagnosis. Furthermore, a normal DAT-SPECT is helpful in supporting a diagnosis of drug-induced-, psychogenic- and vascular parkinsonism by excluding underlying true nigrostriatal dysfunction. This review addresses the value of DAT-SPECT and its impact on diagnostic accuracy in movement disorders presenting with tremor and/or parkinsonism.
This book addresses, in a range of ways and from various locations and sites, those aspects of arbitration practice that are considered crucial for its integrity as an institution and its ...independence as a professional practice. It hi-lights the challenges facing the institution of arbitration, and identifies the opportunities available for its development as an institution. This volume serves as a useful resource for all scholars and practitioners interested in the institution of arbitration and its professional practices.
With phase-contrast imaging, the MRI signal is used to visualize and quantify velocity. This imaging modality relies on phase data, which are intrinsic to all MRI signals. With use of bipolar ...gradients, degrees of phase shift are encoded and in turn correlated directly with the velocity of protons. The acquisition of diagnostic-quality images requires selection of the correct imaging plane to ensure accurate measurement and selection of the encoding velocity and thus prevent aliasing and achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio. Multiple applications of phase-contrast imaging are actively used in clinical practice. One of the most common clinical uses is in cardiac valvular flow imaging, at which the data are used to assess the severity of valvular disease and quantify the shunt fraction. In neurologic imaging, phase-contrast imaging can be used to measure the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. This measurement can aid in the diagnosis and direct management of normal pressure hydrocephalus or be used to evaluate the severity of stenosis, such as that in Chiari I malformations. At vascular analysis, phase-contrast imaging can be used to visualize arterial and venous flow, and this application is used most commonly in the brain. Three-dimensional imaging can yield highly detailed flow data in a technique referred to as four-dimensional flow. A more recently identified application is in MR elastography. Shear waves created by using an impulse device can be velocity encoded, and this velocity is directly proportional to the stiffness of the organ, or the shear modulus. This imaging modality is most commonly used in the liver for evaluation of cirrhosis and steatosis, although research on the assessment of other organs is being performed. Phase-contrast imaging is an important tool in the arsenal of MRI examinations and has many applications. Proper use of phase-contrast imaging requires an understanding of the many practical and technical factors and unique physics principles underlying the technique.
RSNA, 2020.
Alcaligenes sp. MTCC 10675 has been isolated from soil sample using enrichment method and has nitrilase catalytic system which is highly specific for the hydrolysis of arylaliphatic nitriles. ...Optimization of culture conditions using response surface methodology and inducer-mediated approach enhanced arylacetonitrilase production significantly (2.4-fold). Isobutyronitrile acted as an effective inducer for the induction of arylacetonitrilase, and it is highly specific for arylacetonitriles (phenyl acetonitrile and mandelonitrile). Arylacetonitrilase has no effect on its relative velocity (V ᵣ) up to 20 mM substrate (mandelonitrile) concentration and at 30 mM mandelonitrile, 23.4 % degree of inhibition (I d) was recorded. Half life of arylacetonitrilase of Alcaligenes sp. MTCC 10675 was 27.5 h at 25 °C. Hg²⁺, Ag⁺, Pb³⁺, and Co²⁺ were strong inhibitor of arylacetonitrilase activity which resulted into 100 %, 91 %, 84 %, and 83 % inhibition, respectively. Polar protic solvent (dichloromethane, dimethylsulphooxide, and n-butanol) reduce arylacetonitrilase activity up to 80–94 % at 10 % concentration. Alcaligenes sp. MTCC 10675 has higher biocatalytic activity, i.e., 3.9 gg⁻¹ dcw, which is highest in comparison to till reported organism. Arylacetonitrilase-mediated hydrolysis of racemic mandelonitrile resulted into R-(-) mandelic acid with 99.0 % enantiomeric excess (e.e.)
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CEKLJ, DOBA, EMUNI, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Objectives
To investigate the influence of variations in resting pressure (precompression) on thyroid ultrasound supersonic shear wave elastography (SWE).
Methods
Thirty-five normal thyroid glands ...(Norm), 55 benign hyperplastic nodules (BHN), and 17 papillary thyroid cancers (PTC) in 96 subjects underwent thyroid SWE. Four precompression levels were applied manually by the operator, ranging from A (baseline, 0 % strain) to D (high, 22–30 % strain). SWE results at each precompression level were compared using ANOVA tests with
P
< 0.05 indicating significance.
Results
SWE indices were highest in PTC, followed by BHN and Norm at each precompression level (
P
< 0.05). All tissue types showed successive increases in SWE results as precompression increased, although the rate was higher for PTC than BHN and Norm (Ps < 0.05). SWE values (kPa) of Norm, BHN, and PTC at baseline precompression (A) were 10.3 ± 3.3, 17.7 ± 7.6, and 22.2 ± 11.9 compared with 21.1 ± 4.2, 42.3 ± 16.0, and 97.6 ± 46.8 at high precompression (D). SWE index differences between precompression levels A and D were 10.8 kPa for Norm, 24.6 kPa for BHN, and 75.4 kPa for PTC.
Conclusion
PTCs show greater SWE stiffening than BHN as precompression rises. Precompression effects on thyroid nodules are not negligible and may account for wide discrepancies in published SWE discriminatory performance results for thyroid malignancy.
Key Points
•
Increases in resting pressure (precompression) applied by the operator increases thyroid stiffness
.
•
Papillary cancers show greater increases in stiffness (strain hardening) than benign nodules
.
•
Precompression may affect the diagnostic performance of shearwave elastography for thyroid malignancy
.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, VSZLJ, ZAGLJ
Water displays anomalous fast diffusion in narrow carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a behavior that has been reproduced in both experimental and simulation studies. However, little is reported on the effect ...of bulk water–CNT interfaces, which is critical to exploiting the fast transport of water across narrow carbon nanotubes in actual applications. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate here the effect of such interfaces on the transport of water across arm-chair CNTs of different diameters. Our results demonstrate that diffusion of water is significantly retarded in narrow CNTs due to bulk regions near the pore entrance. The slowdown of dynamics can be attributed to the presence of large energy barriers at bulk water–CNT interfaces. The presence of such intense barriers at the bulk–CNT interface arises due to the entropy contrast between the bulk and confined regions, with water molecules undergoing high translational and rotational entropy gain on entering from the bulk to the CNT interior. The intensity of such energy barriers decreases with increase in CNT diameter. These results are very important for emerging technological applications of CNTs and other nanoscale materials, such as in nanofluidics, water purification, nanofiltration, and desalination, as well as for biological transport processes.
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