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The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Mrhl has been shown to be involved in coordinating meiotic commitment of mouse spermatogonial progenitors and differentiation events in mouse embryonic stem cells. Here, we characterized the interplay of Mrhl with lineage-specific transcription factors during mouse neuronal lineage development. Our results demonstrate that Mrhl is expressed in the neuronal progenitor populations in mouse embryonic brains and in retinoic acid-derived radial-glia-like neuronal progenitor cells. Depletion of Mrhl leads to early differentiation of neuronal progenitors to a more committed state. A master transcription factor, PAX6, directly binds to the Mrhl promoter at a major site in the distal promoter, located at 2.9 kb upstream of the transcription start site (TSS) of Mrhl. Furthermore, NFAT4 occupies the Mrhl-proximal promoter at two sites, at 437 base pairs (bp) and 143 bp upstream of the TSS. Independent knockdown studies for PAX6 and NFAT4 confirm that they regulate Mrhl expression in neuronal progenitors. We also show that PAX6 and NFAT4 associate with each other in the same chromatin complex. NFAT4 occupies the Mrhl promoter in PAX6-bound chromatin, implying possible coregulation of Mrhl. Our studies are crucial for understanding how lncRNAs are regulated by major lineage-specific transcription factors, in order to define specific development and differentiation events.

There has been development, deployment and exploitation of various systems to trigger snow avalanche artificially and minimize the chance of occurrence of snow avalanche in an unpredicted manner. Few of these are based on the usage of explosives to generate adequate blast Peak Over Pressure (POP) above the fracture zone in the pre-surveyed and identified avalanche prone areas. In an ongoing study on development of a special class of high explosive ammunition for being fired with 84mm Recoilless Weapon System, the need to evaluate the quantum of blast POP has been understood. In the presented study, the tentative configuration of the projectile, the nature and quantity of explosive and the resulting terminal performance have been discussed. Numerical simulations and well-established formulations have been used to predict the levels of blast POP generation due to the ammunition and the outcomes have been compared. The work has been extended to validation of the generated outcomes with the data obtained by conducting static experimentation with the high explosive filled prototypes and measuring the blast POP at mean sea level as well as at high altitude.

Sox8 is a developmentally important transcription factor that plays an important role in sex maintenance and fertility of adult mice. In the B-type spermatogonial cells, Sox8 is regulated by the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) Mrhl in a p68-dependant manner under the control of the Wnt signaling pathway. The downregulation of Mrhl leads to the meiotic commitment of the spermatogonial cells in a Sox8-dependant manner. While the molecular players involved in the regulation of transcription at the Sox8 promoter have been worked out, our current study points to the involvement of the architectural proteins CTCF and cohesin in mediating a chromatin loop that brings the Sox8 promoter in contact with a silencer element present within the gene body in the presence of lncRNA Mrhl concomitant with transcriptional repression. Further, lncRNA Mrhl interacts with the Sox8 locus through the formation of a DNA:DNA:RNA triplex, which is necessary for the recruitment of PRC2 to the locus. The downregulation of lncRNA Mrhl results in the promoter-silencer loop giving way to a promoter-enhancer loop. This active transcription-associated chromatin loop is mediated by YY1 and brings the promoter in contact with the enhancer present downstream of the gene.

The industry’s extensive use of petroleum-based metalworking fluid (MWF) harms the environment and humans. The production of bio-based MWF, especially from crude jatropha oil (CJO), has therefore taken numerous initiatives. This aimed to formulate newly modified jatropha oil (MJO) with the addition of 0.05wt.% hBN and 0.05wt.% MoS2 as the nanofluid for MWF. The performance of the nanofluids was determined through the turning process in terms of cutting temperature, workpiece surface roughness, tool life and tool wear of the tool lubricated by the nanofluids. The performance of the nanofluid samples was compared with the synthetic ester (SE). From the results, after conducted 100mm axial cutting length MJO+hBN+MoS2 recorded the lowest in cutting temperature and surface roughness compared to all samples. The result shows that MJO+hBN+MoS2 has longer tool life (6500mm) compared to SE (6000mm). Abrasion and adhesion were observed as the dominant tool wear mechanism. In conclusion, MJO+hBN+MoS2 shows better machining performance and has the potential to be an environmentally friendly metalworking fluid.

Noncoding RNAs are increasingly being accredited with key roles in gene regulation during development and disease. Here we report the discovery and characterization of a novel long noncoding RNA, Hmrhl, which shares synteny and partial sequence similarity with the mouse lncRNA, Mrhl. The human homolog, Hmrhl, transcribed from intron 14 of phkb gene, is 5.5 kb in size, expressed in all tissues examined and is associated with chromatin. Analysis of Hmrhl locus using ENCODE database revealed that it exhibits hallmarks of enhancers like the open chromatin configuration, binding of transcription factors, enhancer specific histone signature etc. in the K562 Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) cells. We compared the expression of Hmrhl in the normal lymphoblast cell line, GM12878, with that of K562 cells and lymphoma samples and show that it is highly upregulated in leukemia as well as several cases of lymphoma. Further, we validated the enhancer properties of Hmrhl locus in K562 cells with the help of ChIP-qPCR and Luciferase assay. Moreover, siRNA mediated down-regulation of Hmrhl in K562 cells leads to a concomitant down regulation of its parent gene, phkb, showing that Hmrhl functions as an enhancer RNA and positively regulates its host gene, phkb, in chronic myelogenous leukemia. This study is significant in view of the fact that a better understanding of mechanism of gene regulation under normal conditions and its perturbation in cancer could in turn help in its therapeutic intervention through molecular medicine/RNA based drug discovery.

This paper deals about the development of intelligent controllers (ICs) for load voltage regulation of a double switch noninverting buck-boost DSNIBBC operated in pseudo continuous coil current (PCCC). The DSNIBBC is a kind of DC-DC converter, which converts the positive DC source voltage into the positive DC load voltage (buck to boost mode and boost to buck mode). Due to the time changing, ON/OFF characteristics along with its transient and dynamic characteristics of DSNIBBC have become nonlinear. Since the classical linear controllers are inappropriate to enhance the transient and dynamic performances of DSNIBBC, ICs are designed to improve the load control of the same DSNIBBC operated in transient and dynamic regions. In this paper, two ICs, namely, fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and neuro controller (NC) incorporated in the load voltage regulation loop are utilized. The performance comparison between the ICs and the classical proportional integral (PI) controller is discussed and validated at various regions through both software and prototype field programmable gate array [FPGA] plants. The responses are depicted to support the designed ICs.

The containment of a nuclear reactor acts as the ultimate barrier for radionuclides to be leaked in the environment. Severe accidents in nuclear reactors may result in the pressurization of the containment and may provide different potential leak paths. So, to enhance the safety of new designs of Indian pressurized heavy water reactors, an additional safety measure called containment Spray System is introduced. The system is designed to cater/mitigate the conditions after design basis accidents. As a contribution to the safety analysis of condition post severe accident, experiments are carried out to investigate the system performance. The accidental conditions are simulated by injecting the saturated steam into the test vessel filled with air at atmospheric pressure and temperature. The effect of different spray parameters such as nozzle geometry, spray mass flow rate and Sauter mean diameter on vessel pressure and temperature is measured. Three initial vessel pressure 1.5 bar, 2.0 bar, 2.5 bar and five different nozzles with nozzle orifice diameter as 1.65 mm, 2.10 mm, 2.45 mm, 2.75 mm and 3.10 mm are chosen for the experimental investigation. The vessel pressures are chosen based on the post accidental conditions in Indian pressurized heavy water reactor. Experiments are conducted with water at room temperature as the spray medium. The experiments are carried out in a vessel of 500 mm diameter and 1200 mm height. These studies are carried out to optimize the containment spray system configuration for best effectiveness. It is seen that the Sauter mean diameter and nozzle geometry influences the depressurization rate of the vessel. The depressurization rate is inversely proportional to the Sauter mean diameter while it increases with the increase in the spray mass flow rate/Reynolds Number. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Since the annotation of the mouse genome (FANTOM project) [Kawai J et al (2001) Functional annotation of a full-length mouse cDNA collection. Nature 409(6821):685-690] or the human genome [An integrated encyclopedia of DNA elements in the human genome. (2012) Nature 489(7414):57-74; Harrow J et al (2012) GENCODE: the reference human genome annotation for the ENCODE project. Genome Res 22(9):1760-1774], the roles of long noncoding RNAs in coordinating specific signaling pathways have been established in a wide variety of model systems. They have emerged as crucial and key regulators of stem cell maintenance and/or their differentiation into different lineages. In this chapter we have discussed the recently discovered lncRNAs that have been shown to be necessary for the maintenance of pluripotency of both mouse and human ES cells. We have also highlighted the different lncRNAs which are involved in directed differentiation of stem cells into any of the three germ layers. In recent years stem cell therapies including bone marrow transplantation are becoming an integral part of modern medicinal practices. However, there are still several challenges in making stem cell therapy more reproducible so that the success rate reaches a high percentage in the clinic. It is hoped that understanding the molecular mechanisms pertaining to the role of these newly discovered lncRNAs in the differentiation process of stem cells to specific lineages should pave the way to make stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine as a normal clinical practice in the near future.

One hundred and sixty five patients, treated with carbondioxide (CO2) laser for benign and malignant lesions of the head and neck were studied. Alveolo-buccal complex (68/165) had the majority of benign and malignant tumors followed by larynx (23/165) and tongue (21/165). All lesions were widely excised, none were reconstructed and all defects healed well with minimal scarring. The post-operative morbidity was minimal and the hospitalization period was 1 to 5 days. Complications were not serious and could be managed easily. This study confirms the usefulness of CO2 laser surgery for both benign and malignant conditions in head and neck.

Chromatin architecture in mammalian spermatogenesis undergoes extensive structural and functional reorganization during which several testis-specific histone variants and other chromatin proteins are expressed in a stage-dependent manner. The most dramatic change in chromatin composition is observed during spermiogenesis where nucleosomal chromatin is transformed into nucleoprotamine fiber. Role of posttranslational modification (PTM) of somatic canonical histones and histone variants is well documented and effect several chromatin-templated events. PTM of testis-specific chromatin proteins is proposed to orchestrate chromatin-templated events during mammalian spermatogenesis and their identification and subsequent functional characterization is key to understand chromatin restructuring events and establishment of sperm epigenome. Here, we present protocols for the purification of endogenous testis chromatin proteins from different stages of spermatogenesis and identification of their PTM repertoire by mass spectrometry through examples of testis-specific histone variants (TH2B and HILS1), and transition proteins (TP1 and TP2).

ABC framework for requirements prioritization for software products development proposed by the author is compared with some of the well known methods in the literature—AHP, Cost-Value method, Wiegers method and Priority Groups. Simplicity, Scalability, Closeness to Practical development, Amenability to Change Management and Release Planning, Ability to Visualize Prioritization are considered for comparison.

In this paper, the Peak-to-Average Ratio reduction in OFDM systems is implemented by the Adaptive Active Constellation Extension (ACE) technique which is more simple and attractive for practical downlink implementation purpose. However, in normal constellation method we cannot achieve the minimum PAR if the target clipping level is much below than the initial optimum value. To get the better of this problem, we proposed Active Constellation Algorithm with adaptive clipping control mechanism to get minimum PAR. Simulation results exhibits that the proposed algorithm reaches the minimum PAR for most severely low clipping signals to get minimum PAR.

The construction sector is a key driver of the overall development a country. The sector focuses on power, roads and bridges, dams and urban infrastructure. Government of India policies and plans aimed at improving the infrastructure, with specific focus on urban transformation (Smart City, Housing for all, etc.). This growth of the infrastructure sector offers job opportunities for Civil Engineering (CE) graduates. The construction Industry offers variety of job roles in different sectors. Construction industry requires application of skills and knowledge to perform duties in the planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities. Roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, water and sewage systems, and waste disposal units are specific areas to fit for the jobs. Therefore, students enroll to civil engineering degree for build their career. The present paper focuses on civil engineering students’ specific skills and how roles and responsibilities can be allocated to them. This paper also suggests initiatives to improve the skills and knowledge preferred by the Indian construction companies for the jobs.

Studying dissolution of copper during bioleaching of sulfide-bearing granite rock obtained from Malanjkhand copper mines (Hindustan Copper Ltd.), India, using electron microscopy technique is the main thrust of this investigation. The micron scale examination of metal distribution under electron microprobe at different stages of leaching was studied to interpret the chemical phenomena involved in the transformation process. Bioleaching studies were carried out in vertical columns using acidophilic microorganisms operated at ambient temperature. It was observed that leaching efficiency increased with decrease of particle size and lixiviate flow rate. The electron probe documented the morphological evolution of the granite sample before, after, and during column bioleaching. The feed sample constitutes plagioclase feldspar, orthoclase feldspar, and quartz as major phases. During 15 days of bacterial attack, several disseminated grains appear over the surface leading to surface defects or crystallographic he...

Consistency and variations in relevant parameters' influence on requirements prioritization as the data gathered grew in size over a period of 2 years is analyzed. Effect of data sample increase from 53 respondents from 20 companies to 87 respondents from 40 companies to 106 respondents from 60 companies is analyzed. Parameters used in practice and the order, they are used are identified in the process of comparison across data sets.

The conceptual ABC framework for requirements prioritization for software products development is analyzed mathematically adapting sets for each layer of the framework. Weights are associated with classes of each set and requirements priorities are determined based on contribution from membership in each set. A unique number sequencing scheme is proposed to visually interpret the priorities associated with requirements.

Survey on requirements prioritization to identify the practices related to requirements prioritization among the software development organizations and to understand association of requirements prioritization’ effects on software deliveries and resources is designed and conducted for projects/products in different domains across organizations. The results are analyzed for identifying areas that needed attention in terms of requirements prioritization. The survey and analysis enable understanding the need for requirements prioritization for stable and smooth release cycles. A multi-level framework utilizing the concepts of ABC analysis is suggested as a method for prioritization, for predictable and stable releases.

A simple, precise, accurate, reproducible, robust reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous estimation of frovatriptan, almotriptan and zolmitriptan in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The method was validated as per ICH and FDA guidelines. Analysis of the drugs was performed on Phenomenex Chromosil C-18 (250 x 4.6 mm, 5 mc) column, in an isocratic mode employing methanol, acetonitrile and THF in the ratio of 46:50:04 (v/v/v) as mobile phase. UV-visible detector at 269 nm was found to be suitable for detection. Linearity was observed in the range of 40-100 ppm.The % recovery was found to be 99.51, 99.69 and 99.34 for frovatriptan, almotriptan and zolmitriptan respectively. The % RSD values for method precision was found to be 0.86, 0.65 and 1.28 for frovatriptan, almotriptan and zolmitriptan respectively. Limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) values were found to be 0.15, 0.08 and 0.09 ppm. and 0.05, 0.02, 0.03 for frovatriptan, almotriptan and zolmitriptan respectively.

When the samples selected from k normal populations are of unequal sizes, we consider the empirical best linear unbiased predictor, EBLUP, for the mean of each population. For fixed values of the means of these populations, conditions for the Mean Square Error (MSE) of the EBLUP to be smaller than the variance of the sample mean and, at the same time, for its absolute bias to be smaller than a specified fraction of the square root of its MSE are obtained. Preference of the EBLUP over the sample mean is examined for the estimation of the averages of the daily hospital expenses of the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSAs) of twenty states in the US.

Best estimate accident analysis with uncertainty evaluation is being encouraged in the present licensing scenarios of nuclear power plants. This paper deals with uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for station blackout in PSB VVER integral test facility under the framework of coordinated research project of IAEA. Nodalization was developed using best estimate system code RELAP5/MOD3.2 and its steady state and transient level qualifications are achieved. Sampling based approaches are used to carry out uncertainty and sensitivity/importance analysis. The objective of the analysis is to get confidence for uncertainty methodology by comparing with the experimental results and extend its applicability to NPPs. Uncertainty analysis is carried out by selecting nine important input parameters with specified ranges and its uniform distributions. A design matrix of 45 × 9 is generated for variations of input parameters with the Latin Hypercube Sampling and 45 code runs were taken. Linear regression was also carried out to quantify the effect of each individual input parameter on output parameters in terms of standard rank regression coefficients. Uncertainty band in output parameters is defined between 95th and 5th percentile value. It is observed that most of the experimental values and code calculated reference values are lying within the uncertainty band. For most of the parameters, width of uncertainty band increases with transient progression time.

Deterministic Safety Analysis and Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) analyses are used to assess the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) safety. The conventional deterministic analysis is conservative. The best estimate plus uncertainty analysis (BEPU) is increasingly being used for deterministic calculation in NPPs. The PSA methodology integrates information about the postulated accident, plant design, operating practices, component reliability and human behavior. The deterministic and probabilistic methodologies are combined by analyzing the accident sequences within design basis in the event trees of a postulated initiating event (PIE) by BEPU. The peak clad temperature (PCT) distribution provides an insight into the confidence in safety margin for an initiating event. The paper deals with calculating the safety margin with 95% confidence and 95% probability in large break loss of coolant accident (LBLOCA). In the present study, five uncertain input parameters were selected. Uniform probability density function was assigned to the uncertain parameters in the selected range and these uncertainties are propagated using Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) technique. The sampled data for five parameters was randomly mixed by LHS to obtain 25 input sets. An event tree for the initiating event, LBLOCA inside containment, has been used from a VVER study on Level-1 PSA and four non-core damage (NCD) accident sequences were identified for this study. In the accident analysis the success and failure of safety systems reflected in event tree was appropriately modeled in the system thermal hydraulics code runs. The PCT was obtained for each of 25 code runs for each accident sequence. A Kolmogorov – Smirnov goodness-of-fit test carried out for PCTs indicated that they followed normal distribution for each of the accident sequences. The probability distribution of safety margin (difference between acceptable value and PCT) in each accident sequence was also obtained. The values of safety margin for the 95% confidence and 95% probability are estimated. The robustness of the system can be judged based on this. This paper describes the methodology. LBLOCA in a VVER type reactor is considered as an example.

Sampling based uncertainty analysis was carried out to quantify uncertainty in predictions of best estimate code RELAP5/MOD3.2 for a thermal hydraulic test (10% hot leg break LOCA) performed in the Large Scale Test Facility (LSTF) as a part of an IAEA coordinated research project. The nodalisation of the test facility was qualified for both steady state and transient level by systematically applying the procedures led by uncertainty methodology based on accuracy extrapolation (UMAE); uncertainty analysis was carried out using the Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) method to evaluate uncertainty for ten input parameters. Sixteen output parameters were selected for uncertainty evaluation and uncertainty band between 5 th and 95 th percentile of the output parameters were evaluated. It was observed that the uncertainty band for the primary pressure during two phase blowdown is larger than that of the remaining period. Similarly, a larger uncertainty band is observed relating to accumulator injection flow during reflood phase. Importance analysis was also carried out and standard rank regression coefficients were computed to quantify the effect of each individual input parameter on output parameters. It was observed that the break discharge coefficient is the most important uncertain parameter relating to the prediction of all the primary side parameters and that the steam generator (SG) relief pressure setting is the most important parameter in predicting the SG secondary pressure.

When the unbiased estimators of a set of parameters are independently and normally distributed, the Empirical Bayes Estimator (EB) for each of the parameters depends on all the parameters. When these parameters are considered to be fixed, Rao and Shinozaki (1978) [7] compared the mean square error (MSE) of this estimator for an individual parameter with the variance of its unbiased estimator, and cautioned that its bias may be large. In this article, the conditions required for (a) the MSE of the EB to be smaller than the variance of the unbiased estimator and (b) at the same time, for its bias to be smaller than a specified fraction of the square root of the MSE are evaluated. To satisfy these conditions, critical limits for the difference of the parameter from the average of all the parameters and the sum of such differences over all the parameters are determined. As an illustration, for the daily inpatient hospital expenses in the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) of 15 states in the US, the sample means and EBs are compared through the estimates of these limits.

Molecular Aspects of Chromosome Behaviour during Mammalian Spermatogenesis

We report simulations of adamantane by carefully combining ab initio and empirical approaches to enable simulations with internal degrees of freedom on crystalline adamantane up to a pressure of 26 GPa. Two sets of simulations, assuming the adamantane molecule as a rigid (RB) and flexible body (FB), have been carried out as a function of pressure up to 26 GPa to understand changes in the crystal structure as well as molecular structure. The flexible body simulations have been performed by including 6 lowest frequency internal modes (obtained from DFT calculations performed with Gaussian98) out of the total of 72. The calculated variation in c/a and V/V(0) from the RB and FB calculations as a function of pressure have been compared with the experimental curve. Other relevant thermodynamic and structural properties reported are the radial distribution functions, deviation in the position of a given type of atom with respect to its position at standard pressure, delta(s), cell parameters, volume, and energy. With an increase in pressure, three additional peaks are seen to develop gradually at three different pressures in the center of mass (com)-com radial distribution function (rdf). We attribute these changes to structural transformations (probably second-order phase transitions) which is consistent with the three phase transitions reported by Vijayakumar et al. for adamantane in the pressure range of 1 atm-15 GPa. Our simulations also show that these additional peaks in the rdf's are associated with the differences between opposite and parallel spin neighbors of Greig and Pawley as well as the crystallographic directional dependence of intermolecular distances in the first three shells of the neighbors. Also, the structural quantities from the RB calculation show considerable deviation from the FB calculation for pressures greater than 5 GPa, which suggests that the rigid body assumption for molecules may not be valid above this pressure.

The linear model with random intercept and random slope is considered to assess degradation and reliability of a component or a system. For the case of known variance and covariance components of the above model, bias and standard error (SE) of the estimator of the time-to-failure distribution are examined through the Taylor's series expansion, Gaussian quadrature method and the simulation procedure. The simulation procedure is also considered when the variance and covariance components are estimated. Information from practical situations is used to examine the biases and SEs.

This study discusses inter basin transfer of water from designated surplus basins to deficit basins in space and time with reference to monsoon rainfall runoff conditions prevalent in south India. A linear network of multi-basins is connected for integrated operation. The network problem is solved using linear programming. The utility of the study is demonstrated with the help of a trade-off curve between two conflicting objectives i.e. minimizing cost of transferring water though the links while maximising the storage in deficit reservoirs.

The relative merits of ten estimators for the variance component of the balanced and unbalanced one-way random effects models are compared. Six of the estimators are nonnegative, two of which are obtained by modifying the Minimum Variance Quadratic Unbiased Estimator (MIVQUE) and the Weighted Least Square Estimator (WLS), and two more from the positive parts of these estimators. The Minimum Norm Quadratic Estimator (MINQE), which is nonnegative, is adjusted for reducing its bias. The nonnegative Minimum Mean Square Error Estimator (MIMSQE), the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Unweighted Sums of Squares (USS) estimator are also included.

Power distribution system acts as a bridge between the customers and the utility. With changing times , the consumers expectation is not power supply to them but a reliable and quality power supply with timely redressal of complaints . With advent of IT , and mobile technologies changing of our lives , consumers expects the utilities with accurate metering and billing free from any errors with facilities like online payment of bills and from mobile applications All of these can be possible only by adopting innovative and smarter technologies to curb human intervention and provide better services to the consumers in terms of handling complains and automate the consumer's redressal mechanism. IT and associated technologies also address in solving energy audit issues and identification of more problematic areas and which needs more focus and attention. The paper tries to assess the level of technologies implementation in power distribution companies in National Capital Region and proposes a power distribution Technology Index.

This paper describes an experimental test-bed that was developed to assist and assess rehabilitation during physical and occupational therapy. A PUMA 260 robot was used with a controller and interface software developed in-house. The robot is designed to operate in two modes: (1) passive and (2) active. In the passive mode, the robot moves the subject's arm through specified paths. In the active mode, a subject guides the robot along a predefined path overcoming specified joint stiffness. In this mode, the controller compensates for gravity so that the robot can support its own weight in an arbitrary configuration. The developed graphical interface enables display of the current configuration of the robot in real-time, and allows us to customize experiments for a subject, and collect force and position data during an experiment. The results of a preliminary study with healthy subjects using this test-bed are also presented along with issues involved in the choice of paths and interpretation of the results.

Deposition temperature and annealing conditions have pronounced effects on the structure and electrical properties of LPCVD silicon thin films. Films grown at 580°C are amorphous whereas those grown at 620°C are microcrystalline. All thin films are subjected to phosphorous diffusion followed by different annealing treatments. Annealing of amorphous films at 1000°C results in large grains with no favoured orientation and with a relatively high mobility value. Annealing treatment at 1000°C of the microcrystalline sample results in moderate grain growth with a relatively low mobility which presumably is due to some favoured grain orientation.

It is established that obesity is an important risk factor for hypertension, but there is little information on this relationship among highly educated black women. We assessed the relationship of body mass index (weight (kg)/height2 (m)) to prevalent hypertension among US black women who had completed college, and among less educated women as well. The data were collected in 1995 in the Black Women's Health Study: 64530 African-American women aged 21 to 69 years enrolled by completing mailed health questionnaires; 44% of the participants had completed college. We compared the 9394 participants who reported a diagnosis of hypertension treated with a diuretic or antihypertensive drug (cases) with 9259 participants of similar ages who did not have hypertension (controls). Multivariate odds ratios were estimated by logistic regression. The odds ratio for treated hypertension increased with increasing body mass index at every educational level. Among college-educated women, the odds ratio for hypertension was 2.7 for overweight women (index 27.3-32.3) and 4.9 for severely overweight women (index > or =32.3), relative to women with a body mass index

Interval analysis is a growing branch of computational mathematics where operations are carried out on intervals instead of real numbers. This paper presents the first application of this method to robotic mechanisms for the solution of inverse kinematics. As shown in this paper, it is possible to potentially compute all solutions of the inverse kinematics problem using this method. This paper describes the preliminaries of interval analysis, the numerical algorithm, the computational complexity, and illustrations with examples.

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTEstimation of the variance and covariance matrices of the random effects and the residuals is considered. The Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and the Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) estimators are examined. A simple procedure for adjusting the MANOVA estimator for nonnegativeness is suggested. For both balanced and unbalanced designs, biases and mean square errors (MSEs) of the different procedures are compared through simulation studies.