This article aims to give a survey of preparations conducted by Spartan king Agis III before he commenced his war against Macedonians. Based on the remaining narrative sources, mostly Arrian, ...Diodorus, Curtius Rufus and Justin, the author gives an account of king Agis’doings up until the very beginning of his war. The author argues also why is that a real, full open war, not a „rebellion“ as it is dubbed in some of the literature. Author gives his opinion about the beginning of the preparations for the open war and concludes that they began in November333 BC, at latest. This article also tackles the question of mercenaries which Agis took after the Battle of Issus. Due to the uncertainty of the sources themselves it can be concluded at best that Agis hired a great number of them after Issus.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder, known to affect about 20% of the Western population. Although conventional medical or surgical treatment has proven effective, there is ...certainly room for improvements. As only 10% of GERD patients are finally treated by antireflux surgery, a large therapeutic window exists. This treatment gap consists of patients who are not effectively treated with proton pump inhibitor but do not want to run the potential risks of conventional surgery. During the last two decades, several novel and intriguing options for the surgical treatment of GERD have been introduced and found their way into clinical use. The following summary will give an update of certain alternative therapeutic options to treat GERD or its pathological consequences.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder, known to affect about 20% of the Western population. Although symptomatic therapy with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) or causative therapy by conventional anti‐reflux surgery has been shown to be effective there is certainly room for improvements. The following summary will give an update of certain alternative therapeutic options to treat GERD or its pathological consequences.
In this paper, we present a hardware and software platform for signal processing (SPP) in long-range, multi-spectral, electro-optical systems (MSEOS). Such systems integrate various cameras such as ...lowlight color, medium or long-wave-infrared thermal and short-wave-infrared cameras together with other sensors such as laser range finders, radars, GPS receivers, etc. on rotational pan-tilt positioner platforms. An SPP is designed with the main goal to control all components of an MSEOS and execute complex signal processing algorithms such as video stabilization, artificial intelligence-based target detection, target tracking, video enhancement, target illumination, multi-sensory image fusion, etc. Such algorithms might be very computationally demanding, so an SPP enables them to run by splitting processing tasks between a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) unit, a multicore microprocessor (MCuP) and a graphic processing unit (GPU). Additionally, multiple SPPs can be linked together via an internal Gbps Ethernet-based network to balance the processing load. A detailed description of the SPP system and experimental results of workloads for typical algorithms on demonstrational MSEOS are given. Finally, we give remarks regarding upgrading SPPs as novel FPGAs, MCuPs and GPUs become available.
The speed of growth, as well as the height of plants on sown lawns, are important from the point of view of the possibility of obtaining a larger number of swaths if the growth is faster, and ...obtaining a higher yield, if the plants are of a higher age, at the same crop density. Sown lawns, usually called grass-leguminous mixtures in practice, comprise different types of grasses and legumes. Depending on the variety, growing conditions, vegetation cycle and the like, in principle, the plants of the first vegetation cycle (first cutting) reach the highest height. Considering the mentioned facts, the proposed research aimed to analyse the influence of the vegetation cycle and the mixture on the height of grasses and legume plants in the plant community under different defoliation regimes. The three-year research results showed that the height of the plants at mowing depended on the species (mixture), year (age of plants and weather conditions) and vegetation cycle. In general, the plants of all species are the lowest in the year of sowing. In the second and third years, the plants of the first cut are the tallest, with almost all mowing regimes. However, the tallest plants in the first swath are in the flowering phase of the plants, where among the tested species, the tallest plants are orchard grass in all mixtures (average 91.99 cm), followed by Italian ryegrass (average 82.77 cm). The lowest plants are bird's foot trefoil (average 48.97 cm).
Objective: To evaluate multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) findings in patients with achalasia, to assess its role in differentiating subtypes in detecting lung involvement and extra-esophageal ...thoracic complications. Subjects and Methods: This clinical retrospective study included 51 patients with manometrically confirmed achalasia who underwent chest X-ray and MDCT in diagnostic work-up. Esophageal wall thickness and morphology, luminal dilatation, lung changes, and extra-esophageal manifestations were analyzed on MDCT by 2 readers. Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test were used for assessing the differences among the achalasia subtypes, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) assessing the inter-observer agreement between the measurements of 2 readers. Results: Fourteen (27.5%) patients had achalasia subtype I, 21 (60.8%) had subtype II while 6 (11.8%) had subtype III. Esophageal wall thickness of the esophageal body (EB) and distal esophageal segment (DES) as well as nodular/lobulated appearance of DES were found significantly more often in subtype III (p = 0.024, p < 0.001, p = 0.009, respectively). Esophageal dilatation gradually decreased from subtype I to III (p = 0.006). Chest X-ray revealed lung changes in 9 (17%) and MDCT in 21 (41%) patients (p = 0.001), most frequently in subtype I, with predominance of ground-glass opacities. Tracheal/carinal compression was detected in 27 (52.9%) and left atrial compression in 17 (33.3%) patients. Excellent inter-observer agreement was observed in measuring the EB and DES wall thickness, and diameter of EB (ICC 0.829, 0.901, and 0.922). Conclusion: MDCT is a useful tool for detecting lung and extra-esophageal thoracic complications in patients with achalasia, and could be a valuable additional imaging modality in the differentiation of achalasia subtypes.
Background
Ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease includes three different subsets that may affect symptom profiles. Our aim was to assess symptoms and ...functional outcome in patients with erosive esophagitis according to different subsets of IEM, before and after Nissen fundoplication (NF).
Methodology
A retrospective study with prospective follow-up of 72 patients with reflux esophagitis and IEM in whom open NF was performed. Based on principal manometric esophageal body motility disorder, patients were divided in three groups: predominantly low-amplitude (LAC,
N
= 38), non-propulsive (NPC,
N
= 18), and simultaneous low-amplitude esophageal contractions (SC,
N
= 16). Patients underwent symptomatic questionnaire and stationary esophageal manometry before and 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years after surgery.
Results
Preoperatively, patients in NPC and SC groups had higher mean scores of dysphagia, without statistical significance as opposed to the LAC group (
p
= 0.239). Postoperative dysphagia occurred in 36 patients, without statistical significance between groups regarding dysphagia grades (
p
= 0.390). A longer duration of postoperative dysphagia was noted in the SC group (
p
< 0.05). Improvement of nadir values of contraction amplitudes in distal esophagus occurred postoperatively in all groups, significantly higher in LAC (
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion
Three years after NF, successful symptomatic and functional outcome was achieved in analyzed groups of patients with erosive esophagitis regardless of IEM subtype.
The main nitrogen (N) sources in soybean production originate from soil fixing bacteria Bradyrhizobium spp. and from mineralization of soil organic N. These sources of N are often not sufficient to ...cover the N needs of the soybean. The present two-year field study aimed to evaluate the effects of soybean genotypes (Valjevka and Galina) and rates of starter fertilizer N (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg ha−1) on quantitative and qualitative parameters and on rain use efficiency (RUE) under contrasting weather conditions in the Pannonian region of Serbia. A field study conducted during two different growing seasons: first year with unfavorable weather conditions and second year with favorable weather conditions. As expected, the quantitative parameters, oil content, and RUE were higher in the year with favorable growing season, the second one. According to measured parameters, the genotype Valjevka performed higher yield potential as compared to the genotype Galina. The highest values of quantitative parameters and RUE were recorded at 60 kg N ha−1, protein content at 90 kg N ha−1 and oil content 0 kg N ha−1 (control). This study suggests that proper genotype selection and application of 60 kg N ha−1 as a starter dose with rhizobial inoculation could contribute to the high yield, while protein could be altered by N amount, independently on genotype.
Summary A cutting trial was conducted to determine the nutritional value, crude protein (CP) fractions distribution and CP ruminal degradability of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Kentucky ...bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) as the dominant species of permanent grassland. The legume and grass herbage was obtained in the field experiment carried out on pasture throughout a spring growth season where rotational grazing was simulated using three consecutive cuts, which were compared. The fractionation of CP, according to Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS v6.5), was used to predict protein degradability of the legume and grass forage. A significant (p <0.05) lowering of the CP content in the legume and grass herbage was found, while NDF (neutral detergent fiber) and ADF (acid detergent fiber) significantly increased (p <0.05) as the spring growth season progressed. A significant decrease (p <0.05) of fractions A1 and A2 was noted in the legume and grass herbage, with a significant (p <0.05) increase of CP fractions B2 and C as the vegetation season progressed. A higher rumen degradable protein (RDP) content (p <0.05) of white clover and Kentucky bluegrass herbage was obtained in the first harvest, compared with the second and third one. Significantly larger values (p <0.05) of net energy were observed in the white clover and Kentucky bluegrass forage obtained from the first cut, compared with later regrowths, and white clover was characterized by a higher energy content of 12.4–33.1% (dry matter basis), relative to Kentucky bluegrass.
PDF
