We propose AppFA, an Application Flow Analysis approach, to detect malicious Android applications (simply apps) on the network. Unlike most of the existing work, AppFA does not need to install programs on mobile devices or modify mobile operating systems to extract detection features. Besides, it is able to handle encrypted network traffic. Specifically, we propose a constrained clustering algorithm to classify apps network traffic, and use Kernel Principal Component Analysis to build their network behavior profiles. After that, peer group analysis is explored to detect malicious apps by comparing apps' network behavior profiles with the historical data and the profiles of their selected peer groups. These steps can be repeated every several minutes to meet the requirement of online detection. We have implemented AppFA and tested it with a public dataset. The experimental results show that AppFA can cluster apps network traffic efficiently and detect malicious Android apps with high accuracy and low false positive rate. We have also tested the performance of AppFA from the computational time standpoint.


We investigate the existence of solutions for a large class of semilinear elliptic problems with nonlinear Neumann boundary conditions. We study separately the one-dimensional case and show how to count the solutions. In higher dimension we give existence results under some compactness assumption.


In this work, we investigate the influence of weak intermolecular interactions, which have not previously been carefully considered, in hole transport material (HTM)/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3)-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Although such weak interactions quench Alq3 fluorescence, no significant spectral shift is identified. Electroluminescence of OLEDs containing HTM:Alq3 codeposited (mixed) emitter is quenched by the formation of such exciplexes. In general, the electroluminescence quantum efficiency of OLEDs correlates closely with the photoluminescence quantum yields of HTM:Alq3 codeposited films. In contrast, in an OLED containing a layered structure of HTM/Alq3, exciplexes are less effective at quenching the electroluminescence of Alq3. Because exciplexes form only at the interface between the HTM and Alq3 layers in HTM/Alq3-based OLEDs, exciplex formation is affected not only by the electron donating nature of the HTM but also by the position of the electron−hole recombin...


In this work, in situ non-perturbing method of optical emission spectroscopy is used to examine the features of the emission spectra of NF3/Xe plasma, which can be used for the process of continuous plasma-chemical etching of lithium niobate. To understand the physicochemical processes occurring in plasma, the influence of high-frequency power, pressure in the chamber, bias voltage and substrate temperature on the emission intensities of the F, N, Xe lines was studied. It was determined that increasing the bias voltage from -300 to -50 V and the temperature from 50 to 300°C doesn't change the relative intensities of the analysed spectral lines, while increasing the high-frequency power from 500 to 750W and decreasing the pressure from 1.95 to 0.95Pa increase the intensities of the F, N, Xe lines.


Physical-layer key generation (PKG) exploits the reciprocity and randomness of wireless channels to generate a symmetric key between two legitimate communication ends. However, in multi-cell systems, PKG suffers from severe pilot contamination due to the reuse of pilots in different cells. In this paper, we invoke multiple reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) for adaptively shaping the environment and enhancing the PKG performance. To this end, we formulate an optimization problem to maximize the weighted sum key rate (WSKR) by jointly optimizing the precoding matrices at the base stations (BSs) and the phase shifts at the RISs. For addressing the non-convexity of the problem, we derive an upper bound of the WSKR and prove its tightness. To tackle the upper bound maximization problem, we apply an alternating optimization (AO)-based algorithm to divide the joint optimization into two sub-problems. We apply the Lagrangian dual approach based on the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions for the sub-problem of precoding matrices and adopt a projected gradient ascent (PGA) algorithm for the sub-problem of phase shifts. Simulation results confirm the near-optimal performance of the proposed algorithm and the effectiveness of RISs for improving the WSKR via mitigating pilot contamination.


Abstract: When performing a calibration, the risk of incorrectly declaring a device as in-tolerance (false-accept risk) is dependent upon several factors. Those factors include the specified tolerance limit, guard-band, the calibration process uncertainty and the a priori probability that the device is in-tolerance. A good estimate of the a priori probability may be difficult to obtain. Historical or device population information for estimating the a priori probability may not be readily available and may not represent the specific device under test. A common strategy for managing measurement decision risk is to choose a guard-band that results in the desired false-accept risk given the tolerance limit, the calibration process uncertainty and the a priori probability. This paper presents a guard-band strategy for managing false-accept risk with only limited knowledge of the a priori probability that a device is in-tolerance and with minimal increase in false-reject risk.


Using a sample of 149 firms from the UK and New Zealand, we extend previous research on the nature of contemporary marketing practices by Brodie et al. (1997) to examine the practice of e-Marketing in relation to other aspects of marketing. Analysis reveals four combinations of marketing practice. While one third of firms emphasize either a Traditional Transactional or Traditional Relational approach to their markets, another third practice e-Marketing in combination with Transaction and Database Marketing, and a final third integrate all of Transaction, Database, Interaction, Network and e-Marketing. The findings show that for most firms, the level of e-Marketing practice reflects the extent to which information technology plays either a reinforcing, enhancing or transforming role in the organisation.


Several recent patents have described Hewlett Packard Optoelectronics Division light emitting diode, or LED, lamp designs. These designs have led to several innovative, mass produced products that are now on the market. These designs can be directly traced to the known principles of non-imaging optics, and can thus serve as a guide to solar optics fabrication.


How to design a safe ecological pattern is significant for sustainable land use and regional ecological security,and it has become an international hot issue.The construction of the ecological security pattern needs the integration of multiple disciplines,perspectives and approaches.The theoretical foundation of the construction involves landscape ecology,disturbance ecology,conservation ecology,restoration ecology,ecological economics,ecological ethics and integrated ecosystem theory,and so on.Generally,various methods are applied to build an ecological security pattern with a reasonable structure,an efficient function and a harmonious relationship,e.g.landscape pattern optimization,optimal allocation of land resources,landscape restoration,and so on.In this paper,through reviewing the previous studies in this field,the approaches of building ecological security pattern are summed up as three categories: quantitative optimization,spatially explicit optimization,and integrative optimization,and then the applicability,advantages and disadvantages,and improvement of different approach are discussed.Quantitative optimization models include system dynamics and optimization techniques such as linear programming,nonlinear programming,multi-objective optimization,dynamic programming,and so on.Generally speaking,quantitative optimization models could optimize the allocation of quantitative structure of land use,but could not make an optimal allocation spatially.Spatially explicit optimization models mainly cover cellular automata and landscape pattern optimization models such as minimum cumulative resistance,Gap analysis,landscape ecological restoration and reconstruction,and so on.Integrative optimization mainly contains CLUE-S model and integrated model.The synthesis of various methods,such as the combination of multi-objective optimization,GIS,BP network,and CA model,is a more desirable approach to build the regional ecological security pattern considering the lack of a full-fledged theory.Taking into consideration the drawbacks and limits of each approach,the general procedures of the construction of the ecological security pattern are proposed:(1) to analyze and evaluate the regional eco-environment conditions,including the aspects of land-use dynamics,land suitability assessment,and regional ecological security assessment;(2) to determine the overall objectives through making the prediction and comparison of different scenarios;(3) to design the regional ecological security pattern by choosing appropriate models;(4) to calibrate the aforementioned regional ecological security pattern by implementing the designed scheme,monitoring its effect,and collecting the feedbacks;and(5) to implement the planning program.The ultimate planning program is carried out,and the corresponding management measures should be taken to guarantee the effective implementation and further to ameliorate the regional environment.In the future,priorities should be given to the following aspects:(1) to further improve the spatially explicit optimization model so as to better build regional ecological security pattern both quantitatively and spatially;(2) to gauge the level of regional ecological security and to ensure the quantification of the standard of regional ecological security not only to reflect the aim of ecological security,but also to keep pace with socio-economic development and ecological environment improvement;and(3) to pay more attention to the willingness and interests of the masses and the coordination of the benefits of stakeholders at different levels to ensure that the planning program is more practical and effective.


Binarization is a machine learning optimization for limited resource devices that has achieved significant results in edge applications. As microcontrollers are the mainstream platform for field applications in industry, this article investigates memory efficient deployment of binary neural networks (BNNs) to such devices. To this end, we developed a library of binarized NN layers in platform-independent C language. The implementation optimizes the memory footprint by adapting the number of filters and neurons for each layer to the C language specifications (8 bit addressable spacing and 32 bit floating points). We tested the library by implementing a BNN for robotic touch classification on a Cortex-M7 microcontroller. Experimental results show the validity of the proposed hardware and software architecture, with improvements over the state of the art in robotic touch classification in terms of accuracy (+2%), memory footprint (+15%), and latency (+25%).


This paper focuses on automatic speech recognition systems combination based on driven decoding paradigms. The driven decoding algorithm (DDA) involves the use of a 1-best hypothesis provided by an auxiliary system as another knowledge source in the search algorithm of a primary system. In previous studies, it was shown that DDA outperforms ROVER when the primary system is guided by a more accurate system. In this paper we propose a new method to manage auxiliary transcriptions which are presented as a bag-of-n-grams (BONG) without temporal matching. These modifications allow to make easier the combination of several hypotheses given by different auxiliary systems. Using BONG combination with hypotheses provided by two auxiliary systems, each of which obtained more than 23% of WER on the same data, our experiments show that a CMU Sphinx based ASR system can reduce its WER from 19.85% to 18.66% which is better than the results reached with DDA or classical ROVER combination.


The only uncontractable 4-connected graphs are C2n for n ≥ 5 and the line graphs of the cubic cyclically 4-connected graphs.


This paper is concerned with Stratification as a component of design effect (Deff). There is a need to determine the pattern and magnitude of this component when the sample allocation is proportional, and to see how such component behaves when parameters like strata means, strata variances, strata proportions and sample size of each stratum vary. Factorial analysis is carried out, to determine the effects of those various factors on the design effect and to form some idea about its expected magnitude when faced with a design of a specific given structure. Also, an attempt will be made to arrive at the expressions, which are believed original, for the design effect in the case of a population consisting of two strata. It is shown that the different combinations of strata means and strata variances affect significantly the design effect. The Deff values increase with the increase in the levels of variances of strata, and as differences in strata means become less. But decrease as strata sizes tend to equality. The precision of proportionate stratified sampling is investigated and examined, and consequently, it is confirmed that it is the same as that of simple random sampling (SRS) when strata means are equal. صلختسملا ميمصتلا رثلأ يساسأ نوكمك ةيقبطلا ةنياعملا ةساردب ةقرولا هذه صتخت (Deff) . و طمن ديدحت كلذ يعدتسا دقو بسانتملا ميسقتلا ةلاح يف نوكملا اذه كولس , يباسحلا طسولا يف لثمتت يتلا عمتجملا ملاعم ريغتت امدنع اديدحت تاقبطلل نيابتلاو , لا مجح و ةيقبطلا ةبسنلا ةقبط لك يف ةنيع . ميمصتلا رثأ يلع لماوعلا كلت راثا ديدحتل و , مت لثامم ميمصتب ثحابلا هجاوي امدنع عقوتملا طمنلا نع ةركف نيوكت متي يتح يلماعلا ليلحتلا مادختسا . كانه و ةرثؤملا ملاعملا ةللادب ميمصتلا رثلأ غيص قاقتشلا اضيا ةلواحم . ضإ لثمت غيصلا هذه نأ دقتعي و ةليصأ ةفا . و ميمصتلا رثأ يلع ةلاعف ةروصب رثؤت تاقبطلل تانيابتلا و ةيباسحلا طاسولأا نأ يلإ لصوتلا مت دق , يلا ةيدؤم عم هضافخنإ و ةيباسحلا طاسولأا يف تاقورفلا و تاقبطلا تانيابت تايوتسم عافترإ عم هتميق ضافخنإ و عافترإ تاقبطلا مجح براقت , يلاوتلا يلع . فاضلإاب كلذ يلا ة , ةلاح يف ةيقبطلا ةنياعملا ةقد صحف و يرحت مت ميسقتلا


Abstract Two new vagrant species of the genus Phytoptus Dujardin (Eriophyoidea, Phytoptidae, Phytoptinae) from Serbia are described: Phytoptus argenteus n. sp. from Potentilla argentea and P. serbicus n. sp. from Potentilla tommasiniana. Remarks on morphology of Phytoptus alchemillae Jočić et al. 2011 collected from Alchemilla plicata in Serbia and supplementary description of infrequently encountered species Phytoptus potentillae Chen et al. 2005 from Potentilla bifurca (Poaceae) based on mummies recovered from dry plant material from southern Russia are given. Sequences of mtCOI barcode region (658 bp) of three Phytoptus species (P. alchemillae, P. argenteus n. sp., and P. serbicus n. sp.) are provided. A brief comparison of pairwise genetic distances between congeneric eriophyoid mites across taxa of Eriophyoidea (including genus Phytoptus) indicates that COI sequences of congeneric eriophyoid mites do not precisely reflect phylogenetic relations of their hosts. This fact may be explained by (a) different rate of the COI evolution in different mite clades associated with phylogenetically related and unrelated hosts or by (b) similar timing of the associations between mites and plants (while having the same rate of COI evolution).


The invention provides a resource processing method and a resource processing device. The resource processing method comprises the following steps: receiving a resource allocation request which is transmitted from a host computer code in an application program deployed in first equipment; according to a resource allocation request and a mapping logic from hardware resources maintained provided by at least one GPU of the maintained first equipment to uniform virtual GPU resources, allocating resources required for operation to equipment codes in the application program from the hardware resources provided by at least one GPU of the first equipment; feeding back information of allocated resources to a host computer code. By adopting the resource processing method and the resource processing device, GPU resources can be effectively utilized, and the achievement cost can be reduced.


Objectives: This study was to develop a mouse model of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease.Methods: C57BL/6J female mice(aged 6-8 weeks) were randomly assigned to parenteral nutrition or control group.A central venous catheter was inserted for intravenous infusion of a parenteral nutrition solution(model group) or saline(control group) for 7 days.Weights changes,hepatic biochemical tests and liver pathology were analyzed.Results: The model group gained significantly less weight than the control group(P0.05).The model group showed significant increases in direct bilirubin,total bilirubin and serum cholesterol to the control group(P0.05).Livers in model group had severe,diffuse involvement of hepatocytes by macrovesicular and microvesicular steatosis.The pathological score were significantly higher in the model group than the control group(3.1±0.5 and 1.0±0.0 respectively,P0.05).Conclusion: The model provides the opportunity to further investigate pathogenesis and treatment of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease.


The recovery of flow curves for non-Newtonian fluids from Couette rheometry measurements involves the solution of a quite simple first kind Volterra integral equation with a discontinuous kernel. In this paper, a new implementation of regularization is proposed. It involves the direct regularization of the observational equations through the construction of basis functions that exploit the mathematical structure in the integral equation. The proposed implementation is first derived for a general first kind integral equation and then applied to the Couette rheometer equation. For the regularization of this problem, the basis functions take on a form similar to that for B-splines.


2D single‐element materials, which are pure and intrinsically homogeneous on the nanometer scale, can cut the time‐consuming material‐optimization process and circumvent the impure phase, bringing about opportunities to explore new physics and applications. Herein, for the first time, the synthesis of ultrathin cobalt single‐crystalline nanosheets with a sub‐millimeter scale via van der Waals epitaxy is demonstrated. The thickness can be as low as ≈6 nm. Theoretical calculations reveal their intrinsic ferromagnetic nature and epitaxial mechanism: that is, the synergistic effect between van der Waals interactions and surface energy minimization dominates the growth process. Cobalt nanosheets exhibit ultrahigh blocking temperatures above 710 K and in‐plane magnetic anisotropy. Electrical transport measurements further reveal that cobalt nanosheets have significant magnetoresistance (MR) effect, and can realize a unique coexistence of positive MR and negative MR under different magnetic field configurations, which can be attributed to the competition and cooperation effect among ferromagnetic interaction, orbital scattering, and electronic correlation. These results provide a valuable case for synthesizing 2D elementary metal crystals with pure phase and room‐temperature ferromagnetism and pave the way for investigating new physics and related applications in spintronics.


The global LNG trading has been dominated by long-term and fixed contract but recently short-term contract and spot transaction start to play some roles in this field.The incentives come from the changing structure of the LNG market,the increasing need of peak-shaving facility,the improving ability of liquefaction and regasification,and more LNG ships into use.This paper suggests that the emerging Chinese LNG traders should pay close attention to the developing trend of global LNG market,searching for long and steady LNG sources from abroad and exploring more trading ways for rapidly increasing demand of domestic energy market.


2-(p-Toluidino)naphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) binds in a reversible bimolecular reaction non-covalently to RUBISCO, the water-soluble enzyme for carbon dioxide fixation. TNS does not change the substrate activity at the active site of RUBISCO. Rate constants k
 +
 and k
 −
 for the association and dissociation were measured as (1.2 ± 0.2) × 10
 7
 dm
 3
 mol
 −1
 s
 −1
 and 1020 ± 300 s
 −1
, respectively. The binding of the steryl dye N-(4-sulfobutyl)-4-{4-[p-(dipentylamino)phenyl]butadienyl}pyridinium inner salt (RH421) to RUBISCO is a diffusion-controlled reversible bimolecular reaction with an association rate constant k
 +
 of (7 ± 0.6) × 10
 9
 dm
 3
 mol
 −1
 s
 −1
 and a dissociation rate constant k
 −
 of (1.8 ± 0.2) × 10
 4
 s
 −1
. The dissociation constants K
 d
 for the binding of TNS and RH421 to RUBISCO were calculated from the kinetically determined rate constants. These data are in good agreement with the dissociation constants measured by equilibrium techniques. Upon binding to RUBISCO the fluorescence of TNS and RH421 is more intense and blue shifted. The fluorescence lifetimes of TNS and RH421 are longer compared to those of both dyes dissolved in aqueous solution. The fluorescence anisotropy correlation time of 200 ns for TNS bound to RUBISCO corresponds to a rigidly bound dye which rotates with the same rotational correlation time as the whole protein. Both dyes can be used as probes sensitive to their molecular environment. In further experiments they were applied to the detection of ligand binding events at the active site of RUBISCO as will be described in a forthcoming publication.


A nonplanar triangular carboxylate ligand has been synthesized and applied to assemble metal-organic frameworks under hydro- or solvothermal conditions. Five new metal-organic complexes, [H 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 ] 2 [Cd(HTMBTC) 2 ]·2H 2 O-dmf (1), [Cu 3 (TMBTC) 2 (2,2'-bpy) 2 ]·H 2 O (2), [Zn 3 (TMBTC) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ]· H 2 O (3), [Cd 3 (TMBTC) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ]·4H 2 O (4), and [Cu 3 (TMBTC) 2 ] (5), (dmf = dimethylformamide; TMBTC = 2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid; bpy = bipyridine) were crystallized; they possess four different structural types. In 1, the nonplanar carboxylate ligand connects the cadmium ion to give rise to a 2D (4,4) topological layer that contains two vertical left- and right-handed helical chains. In 2, the carboxylate ligands first link the copper ions to generate a 1D tubular unit, which can be considered the basic building block. The 1D tubular units are further connected by the ligand to form a 2D layer structure. Complexes 3 and 4 have similar structural types. The zinc and cadmium ions are connected by the ligand to form a bilayer framework that contains double (6,3) topological nets. Different from complexes 1-4, complex 5 has a 3D framework. The copper ions are first connected by the ligand to generate a bilayer structure that contains double (6,3) nets, which are further connected by sharing the copper ion to form the final 3D framework. Photoluminescence measurements of 1, 3, and 4 in the solid state at room temperature show that all three coordination networks exhibit similar, strong luminescence, which can be assigned to an intraligand π→π* transition.


The article attempts to create а fragment of language world picture of a modern pupil based on the material of speech syntax. The comparative analysis of the usage of syntactic structures in the speech of a particular pupil was carried out following the method of statistic analysis.


<jats:p>Let <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><mml:mi>X</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">{</mml:mo><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>X</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>i</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo>,</mml:mo><mml:mi>i</mml:mi><mml:mo>≥</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">1</mml:mn><mml:mo stretchy="false">}</mml:mo></mml:math> be a sequence of real valued random variables, <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>S</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">0</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">0</mml:mn></mml:math> and <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>S</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>k</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:msubsup><mml:mo stretchy="false">∑</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:mi>i</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">1</mml:mn></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>k</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msubsup><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>X</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>i</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:mrow><mml:mo> </mml:mo><mml:mo> </mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:mi>k</mml:mi><mml:mo>≥</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">1</mml:mn><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo></mml:math>. Let <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">{</mml:mo><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:mi>x</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo><mml:mo>,</mml:mo><mml:mi>x</mml:mi><mml:mo>∈</mml:mo><mml:mi mathvariant="double-struck">Z</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">}</mml:mo></mml:math> be a sequence of real valued random variables which are independent of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>X</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math>'s. Denote by <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6"><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>K</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:msubsup><mml:mo stretchy="false">∑</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:mi>k</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">0</mml:mn></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msubsup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌊</mml:mo><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>S</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>k</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌋</mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:mrow><mml:mo> </mml:mo><mml:mo> </mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:mi>n</mml:mi><mml:mo>≥</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">0</mml:mn><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo></mml:math> Kesten-Spitzer random walk in random scenery, where <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7"><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌊</mml:mo><mml:mi>a</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌋</mml:mo></mml:math> means the unique integer satisfying <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8"><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌊</mml:mo><mml:mi>a</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌋</mml:mo><mml:mo>≤</mml:mo><mml:mi>a</mml:mi><mml:mo><</mml:mo><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌊</mml:mo><mml:mi>a</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">⌋</mml:mo><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">1</mml:mn></mml:math>. It is assumed that <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M9"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math>'s belong to the domain of attraction of a stable law with index <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M10"><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">0</mml:mn><mml:mo><</mml:mo><mml:mi>β</mml:mi><mml:mo><</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">2</mml:mn></mml:math>. In this paper, by employing conditional argument, we investigate large deviation inequalities, some sufficient conditions for Chover-type laws of the iterated logarithm and the cluster set for random walk in random scenery <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M11"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>K</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>. The obtained results supplement to some corresponding results in the literature.</jats:p>


During tree growth, mechanical stresses accumulate in the trunk and branches due to the increasing
weight and wood maturation. The progressive increase of the weight of the tree induces self-support
stress whose distribution is very different from a homogeneous beam with load uniformly distributed
over its section. Because the vertical position is challenging gravity, increase in tree weight during
growth may disturb the mechanical equilibrium of the stems or branches. During the formation of a
new wood layer at the periphery of the stem or branch, physico-chemical transformations occurring
with the thickening of the cell wall generate mechanical stresses at periphery, called maturation
stress, and used by the tree to control posture and preserve shape in a standing position. The
combination of self-support stress and maturation stress is called growth stresses.
Measuring the corresponding released strain at the periphery of stems may evidence maturation
stress: isolating a piece of stressed wood from surrounding tissues leads to shrinkage if the stress is
tensile, swelling if the stress is compressive. These measurements may be achieved by different
experimental means, using simple strain gauges for example. The occurrence of radial cracks at a log
end, or lumber crooking, may also evidence growth stresses. We will present methods to evaluate
these growth strains.
Patterns of growth stress always exhibit very non-linear variations across the diameter: although the
stress increment associated to a radius increment has linear variations within the section, the
integration of this stress over growth is non-linear. We will present the modelling of some growth
scenarios leading to very different growth patterns, and discuss the consequences of the state of prestressing
on stem strength: What effect of pre-stressing on tree buckling? What happens in case of
wind loading? May a branch break due to its self-loading?


Using Er-doped fiber and polarization maintaining highly nonlinear dispersion shifted fiber, ultrabroad supercontinuum is generated. The spectrum expands from 0.9 to 2.7 /spl mu/m, and the bandwidth is over 1.8 /spl mu/m.


Uprooting Community: Japanese Mexicans, World War II, and the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands . By Selfa A. Chew. (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2015. x + 237 pp. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $50.00.)

Writing against a tendency to view the concentration of Japanese Mexicans in more sanguine terms than Japanese American internment, Selfa A. Chew demonstrates how forced relocation led to "the loss of freedom, property, and lives of Japanese immigrants and their Mexican spouses, children, and grandchildren" (p. 7). Using U.S. National Archives and Mexican Department of Political and Social Investigations files, Chew's work illustrates how the Mexican government took advantage of a climate of suspicion of Japanese in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands to restrict civil liberties and improve its relationship … Fredy.gonzalez{at}colorado.edu


Problems arising from the different operating conditions of the Electric Power System make essential the studies in the area of signal processing applied to digital protection. Generators and transformers are subject to extensive damage, which occurs during faults or improper system operations. These conditions must be quickly identified and eliminated. Thus, the ANSI 24 function is used to protect transformers and generators against overexcitation, where its actuation is given by the percentage value of the Volts/Hertz ratio. Considering that the frequency is one of the parameters used by the referred relay, it can be concluded that the computational tool used to estimate the frequency directly influences the performance of this relay. Thus, this work aims to demonstrate the behavior of function 24 using different frequency estimation methods published in the specialized literature. So, a test system was implemented in the ATPDraw software, in order to simulate overexcitation events. The voltage signal generated in the simulations were processed by the frequency estimators and by the Volts/Hz digital relay logic, which were implemented in Matlab® software. Finally, the results obtained allowed to conclude that, as expected, the frequency estimators directly influence the performance of function 24, causing delays in the operation, as well as the non-functioning or inadequate operation of the Volts/Hertz relays.


Let Fn denote a family of disjoint n balls in Rd(d?2), and let ?=?(Fn) denote the ratio (maximum radius)/(minimum radius) among the balls in Fn. We prove that (1) there is a unit vector \vec{u} such that every line parallel to \vec{u} intersects at most O((1+log?)nlogn) balls of Fn, and (2) there is a family Fn such that for any unit vector \vec{u} there is a line parallel to \vec{u} that intersects at least n?d+1 balls of Fn.


July September 2016 1491 JCPS Volume 9 Issue 3 Green corrosion inhibitors control the disaster of carbon steel surface J. Wilson Sahayaraj, A. John Amalraj, Susai Rajendran Department of Chemistry, Jeppiaar Engineering College, Chennai600119, Tamil Nadu, India. Corresponding author email: email@example.com PG and Research Department of Chemistry, Periyar E.V.R College, Trichy 620023, Tamil Nadu, India. Corrosion Research Center, Department of Chemistry, RVS School of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul – 624005, Tamil Nadu, India. *Corresponding author: E-Mail: email@example.com ABSTRACT The accidents due to corrosion can be greatly exaggerated in many industries. The impact of environmental safe inhibitor valine controls the natural damage on the surface of steel immersed in rain water by mass-loss method. The mixture of 50 ppm valine 50 ppm zinc sulphate system has 74% inhibition efficiency. This is due to the synergistic effect exist between valine and zinc ion. That is, the combined inhibitors show excellent inhibition percentage than individual. The addition of additive increases the inhibition efficiency and prevents the corrosion on metal surface. The polarization study reveals the types of inhibitor. The formation of protective film on the steel specimens confirms by AC-impedance and scanning electron microscopy. The FTIR spectra concluded that the iron Val complex existed to control the anodic reaction and Zn(OH)2 produced on the cathode region to control the cathodic reaction. The EDS study determines the elements of Val Zn system in the carbon steel specimens. The formulation consisting of 50 ppm Val-50 ppm Zn-100 ppm of CTAB system has 100% biocidal efficiency.


This paper presents an optimization based strategy to design shaped dual reflector antenna systems to meet secondary pattern specifications when a realistic feed pattern is used to illuminate the system. For this application the secondary pattern performance of a similar unshaped system using the same feed is assumed to be known. Using the ideal mapping from the primary to the secondary patterns, the ideal performance of the unshaped as well as the shaped systems may be calculated. Full wave or asymptotic techniques are used to predict the actual unshaped system performance, and comparisons between the ideal and actual unshaped performance are used to estimate the actual shaped performance in terms of the desired secondary pattern specifications. This method allows for rapid optimization of the shaped mapping to produce a system with superior performance to the unshaped system when a realistic, frequency dependent, feed pattern is used. Simulations of the optimized shaped system with the realistic feed pattern shows the expected improved performance over that of the unshaped system.


Range resolution in FMCW radar is inversely proportional to the swept bandwidth. This phenomenon is observed in both pulse compression filters as well as stretch processors. The swept bandwidth required to meet a given range resolution, however, may not be available. In this work, we propose an algorithm that meets two conflicting requirements; high range resolution and a small swept bandwidth. A single wideband pulse is replaced by multiple shorter pulses each swept over a fraction of the original bandwidth. The high spectral resolution is achieved by extending the sinusoidal beat signals across multiple pulses periods. The challenge to the extension is to maintain phase continuity at pulse boundaries. This approach in effect creates a longer coherent observation interval from shorter pulses. The matching is performed by applying a phase correction vector in the frequency domain where each frequency component is advanced by the appropriate phase change needed at the end of the interval. Simulation results show how a longer observation interval can be traded off for a smaller swept bandwidth to achieve higher range resolution and dispel false targets.


It is known that high frequency in the teraHertz range (THz) have unique advantage in the reflective properties for biological objects and penetration through dielectric material. These radiations are non-ionizing for use in civilian applications. High frequency aperture size can be fairly small allowing the equipment to be portable. THz components mainly consist of sources detectors up-converters down-converters mixers and circulators and associated femto second laser generators. These components are under active development. However each component of these high frequency modules for transmission and reception can be fairly large. In this paper a deterministic thinning procedure is derived for designing an array, with sidelobe control, of these transmission and receiver modules. Circular as well as elliptical arrays are discussed. Algorithm is developed based on Taylor synthesis procedure with zero sampling. Grid locations of these large arrays are given with some examples. Using the results of thinned circular array we design elliptical array using invariant principal of the synthesis. The array design is based on analytic solutions of aperture integral equations. Side lobe control is achieved by controlling the illumination of the aperture. This illumination corresponds to the density of the elements in the sparse array, with each element of the array having uniform amplitude.


5‐Hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT), a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the central nervous system of the leech Hirudo medicinalis hyperpolarizes the giant glial cell in the neuropil of segmental ganglia at micromolar concentrations. The 5‐HT‐evoked glial response (EC50 ≈2.5 μM) is mediated by a non–desensitizing, G‐protein‐coupled receptor and due to activation of a Ca2+‐independent K+ conductance. The adenylyl cyclase inhibitor SQ22,536 blocks the response to 5‐HT; in the presence of 1 mM db‐cAMP, but not of 1 mM db‐cGMP, the glial response is suppressed. The 5‐HT‐evoked response is reduced by Ba2+ with half‐maximal inhibition at 50 μM Ba2+. The results suggest that release of 5‐HT from serotonergic neurons, or the maintenance of micromolar levels of extracellular 5‐HT in the ganglion, may help to set the glial membrane potential close to the K+ equilibrium potential. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The issues of early diagnostics of cardiovascular disorders in neonates with sepsis using up-to-date methods of examination are relevant today and will remain so in the future. They can be used as screening methods with the purpose to verify the possible development of cardiovascular dysfunction. Aim of the study: The study aimed to investigate the peculiarities of possible changes in the cardiovascular system and physiological electrical heart activity in neonates with signs of generalised infectious-inflammatory process, and to assess possible diagnostic methods and use of electrocardiography to verify cardiovascular disorders in newborns with neonatal sepsis. Materials and methods: To achieve the study objective, we followed up a total of 69 neonates with signs of generalised infectious-inflammatory process. Group I (32 patients – 46.4%) included neonates with a term of gestation of 37–42 weeks, and group II included 37 preterm neonates (53.6%) with a term of gestation under 36 weeks inclusive. Results: Generalised infectious-inflammatory process during the neonatal period of term infants is accompanied by electrocardiographic signs of left ventricular overload associated with the female sex (r = 0.30), delivery by cesarean section (r = 0.27), and assessment of neonatal condition by a 5-minute Apgar score (r = −0.33). The study demonstrates that increased values of lactate dehydrogenase activity in the blood plasma both in the term and preterm neonates are associated with left ventricular overload among the former, and the right ventricular overload among the latter, that is, preterm neonates. Conclusions: Increased values of lactate dehydrogenase activity in the blood serum of both term and preterm neonates are associated with left ventricular overload in term neonates, while right ventricular overload in preterm infants thus can be considered as a marker of cardiovascular dysfunction caused by neonatal sepsis, especially in the subpopulation of term patients considering its diagnostic value. Changes found in electrophysiological heart activity promote the necessity of routine use of electrocardiography in neonates with signs of the septic process.


Abstract School‐age children frequently consume snacks. However, most of the snacks they consume are of low nutritional quality. The objective of this study was to develop a nutrient‐rich and acceptable extruded bean‐based snack, which could contribute to improved nutrient intake, especially for school‐age children. Snack formulations developed from Roba1 beans, maize, orange‐fleshed sweet potato, and amaranth mixtures, and processed in a twin‐screw extruder, were evaluated and optimized for nutritional, textural and sensory properties. High proportion of beans in the formulation was associated with high protein, iron, zinc, and dietary fiber content. An optimal formulation (82.03:10: 5:2.97; beans, maize, OFSP, amaranth), containing 20.38 g, 4.12 g, 4.83 mg, and 1.51 mg per 100 g, of protein, dietary fiber, iron, and zinc, respectively, was obtained. The snacks were crunchy and moderately acceptable with average sensory scores of 6 on a 9‐point hedonic scale, and hardness 26.6 N. Nutrient contribution 43, 19, and 12% for protein, iron, and zinc, respectively, to children aged 6 to 8 years; and 24, 19, and 7.6%, respectively, to children aged 9 to 12 years from a 40 g serving was estimated from the snack. The results demonstrate the potential of using extrusion to produce nutrient enriched value‐added food products from blends of iron‐rich beans and common staples.


A new material for use in shaping has been created using urushi (Japanese lacquer) as a matrix, with natural fibers, such as cellulose as a filler and a primary amine as an additive, to promote the...


Peter Gay's massive new biography of Freud is subtitled: "A Life for Our Time." Although Gay does not discuss the intended meaning of the subtitle, even a casual reader of his text will soon become aware of at least two ways in which Freud's life is to be perceived as a life for "our time." First, Gay presents Freud's life as an exemplary ideal, as the historical embodiment of intellectual and moral virtues relevant to an "our time" defined broadly enough to encompass Freud's own time and perhaps even "all" time, or at least modem times. Readers of Gay's earlier work will find few surprises in this richly detailed, elegantly written portrait of Freud as both the indefatigable, tough-minded investigator of life's riddles who succeeded in making the pursuit of "truth" a full-time, lifelong profession and the courageous self-overcomer whose triumphs over his own irrational wishes and illusions grounded his objective, "scientific" description of the workings of the unconscious mind in all of us. 1 Without obvious irony Gay can introduce his life as a history of Freud's "conquests," of which the most dramatic was "that of himself" (p. xx). But Gay clearly intends his phrase "a life for our time" to be read in another way as well-as a description of his own project in composing a biography of Freud from the historical perspective and for the historical consciousness of our specific time, a half century after Freud's death. From this perspective Freud's struggles and projects, his pursuit of truth and self-mastery, appear to Gay not so much culturally alien or historically outdated as simply


Well-motivated elementary particle candidates for the dark matter, such as the sterile neutrino, behave as warm dark matter (WDM). For particle masses of order a keV, free streaming produces a cutoff in the linear fluctuation power spectrum at a scale corresponding to dwarf galaxies. We investigate the abundance and structure of WDM haloes and subhaloes on these scales using high resolution cosmological N-body simulations of galactic haloes of mass similar to the Milky Way's. On scales larger than the free-streaming cutoff, the initial conditions have the same power spectrum and phases as one of the cold dark matter (CDM) haloes previously simulated by Springel et al as part of the Virgo consortium Aquarius project. We have simulated four haloes with WDM particle masses in the range 1.4 − 2.3 keV and, for one case, we have carried out further simulations at varying resolution. N-body simulations in which the power spectrum cutoff is resolved are known to undergo artificial fragmentation in filaments producing spurious clumps which, for small masses (< 10 7 M ⊙ in our case) outnumber genuine haloes. We have developed a robust algorithm to identify these spurious objects and remove them from our halo catalogues. We find that the WDM subhalo mass function is suppressed by well over an order magnitude relative to the CDM case for masses < 10 9 M ⊙ . Requiring that there should be at least as many subhaloes as there are observed satellites in the Milky Way leads to a conservative lower limit to the (thermal equivalent) WDM particle mass of ∼ 1.5keV. WDM haloes and subhaloes have cuspy density distributions that are well described by NFW or Einasto profiles. Their central densities are lower for lower WDM particle masses and none of the models we have considered suffer from the "too big to fail" problem recently highlighted by Boylan-Kolchin et al.


The objective of this cross-sectional study was to compare the quality of life and socioeconomic characteristics of women with and without pelvic pain and investigate clinical and surgical findings about women with chronic pelvic pain. Data were collected in a public hospital in Goiânia, Goias, Brazil. Pain intensity was measured using the visual analogical scale, whereas quality of life was assessed through the SF-36. Most women classified pain as intensive (52%) and lived with pain for 8.8 (±7.7) years. Women belonging to the group of chronic pelvic pain scored less in all dimensions evaluated by the SF-36 (p< 0.05), except for the mental health dimension, when compared to the painless group. Correlation was negative (p=0,017) between pain intensity and the SF-36 bodily pain dimension. Pelvic pain presented significant negative impact on quality of life with losses to the physical and mental health of women.


Recent captioning models are limited in their ability to scale and describe concepts unseen in paired image-text corpora. We propose the Novel Object Captioner (NOC), a deep visual semantic captioning model that can describe a large number of object categories not present in existing image-caption datasets. Our model takes advantage of external sources – labeled images from object recognition datasets, and semantic knowledge extracted from unannotated text. We propose minimizing a joint objective which can learn from these diverse data sources and leverage distributional semantic embeddings, enabling the model to generalize and describe novel objects outside of image-caption datasets. We demonstrate that our model exploits semantic information to generate captions for hundreds of object categories in the ImageNet object recognition dataset that are not observed in MSCOCO image-caption training data, as well as many categories that are observed very rarely. Both automatic evaluations and human judgements show that our model considerably outperforms prior work in being able to describe many more categories of objects.


Because of the rapid evolution of 3D acquisition and modelling methods, highly complex and detailed polygonal models with constantly increasing polygon count are used as three-dimensional geometric representations of objects in computer graphics and engineering applications. The fact that this particular representation is arguably the most widespread one is due to its simplicity, flexibility and rendering support by 3D graphics hardware. Polygonal models are used for rendering of objects in a broad range of disciplines like medical imaging, scientific visualization, computer aided design, film industry, etc. The handling of huge scenes composed of these high-resolution models rapidly approaches the computational capabilities of any graphics accelerator. In order to be able to cope with the complexity and to build level-of-detail representations, concentrated efforts were dedicated in the recent years to the development of new mesh simplification methods that produce high-quality approximations of complex models by reducing the number of polygons used in the surface while keeping the overall shape, volume and boundaries preserved as much as possible. Many well-established methods and applications require "well-behaved" models as input. Degenerate or incorectly oriented faces, T-joints, cracks and holes are just a few of the possible degenaracies that are often disallowed by various algorithms. Unfortunately, it is all too common to find polygonal models that contain, due to incorrect modelling or acquisition, such artefacts. Applications that may require "clean" models include finite element analysis, surface smoothing, model simplification, stereo lithography. Mesh repair is the task of removing artefacts from a polygonal model in order to produce an output model that is suitable for further processing by methods and applications that have certain quality requirements on their input. This thesis introduces a set of new algorithms that address several particular aspects of mesh repair and mesh simplification. One of the two mesh repair methods is dealing with the inconsistency of normal orientation, while another one, removes the inconsistency of vertex connectivity. Of the three mesh simplification approaches presented here, the first one attempts to simplify polygonal models with the highest possible quality, the second, applies the developed technique to out-of-core simplification, and the third, prevents selfintersections of the model surface that can occur during mesh simplification.


Hailstorm causes huge damages to the orchards and vineyards in the Republic of Armenia. Particularly the yield, annual and perennial shoots, as well as the fruiting organs are badly damaged.
A fertilizer has been synthesized and applied by our research group, by means of which the artificially simulated injuries on the shoots or those caused by the hailstorm are recovered with noticeable intensity.
According to the experimental data the artificially simulated wounds on the shoots of "Victoria" plum tree have been well recovered, the index of which makes 35-45 % in the control variant, while in the variant where Complexon-3 has been twice administered it has amounted to 95-99 % with slight differences.


The notion of exterior space consists of a topological space together with a certain nonempty family of open subsets that is thought of as a 'system of open neighborhoods at infinity'. An exterior map is a continuous map which is 'continuous at infinity'. In this paper we present and develop the category of exterior spaces as a good framework for proper homotopy theory. As an application we give a new version of the Whitehead theorem for proper homotopy theory. We also give simplicial models for this new category and we analyze singular and realization-type functors for these models.


Lithium is a mood stabilizer widely used in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Lithium has been linked to malignant proarrhythmic electrocardiographic changes such as QT-prolongation, atrioventricular and sinoatrial block. However, evidence regarding the risk of cardiac arrest with lithium use is lacking.

 We investigated the risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest associated with lithium use among patients with bipolar disorder.

 All out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases from 2001 through 2014 of presumed cardiac cause with a history of bipolar disorder were identified from the nationwide Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry. We conducted a nested case-control study by matching all cardiac arrest cases with bipolar disorder on age, sex and time since first diagnosis of bipolar disorder with four controls from the general population who also had a history of bipolar disorder. Conditional logistic regression adjusted for comorbidities and concomitant pharmacotherapy was used to determine the association between lithium monotherapy and risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest compared to mood stabilizing monotherapy with valproate, lamotrigine and quetiapine, respectively. Exposure was defined as redeemed prescriptions for only one of either lithium, valproate, lamotrigine or quetiapine up to two months before index.

 The study population consisted of 1,410 patients with bipolar disorder, comprising 282 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases each matched with 4 controls. The median age was 69 years, 47.2% were male and the median time from first diagnosis of bipolar disorder was 7.25 years. Among cases, 59 (20.9%) were in lithium monotherapy and among controls the number was 299 (26.5%). For monotherapy with other mood stabilizers we observed the following distributions: quetiapine 18 (6.4%) cases and 51 (4.5%) controls, valproate 12 (4.3%) cases and 51 (4.5%) controls, and lamotrigine 15 (5.3%) cases and 64 (5.7%) controls. Lithium was not associated with an increased risk of OHCA compared to other mood stabilizing drugs: Hazard ratio (HR) 0.64 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31–1.33] (reference quetiapine), HR 0.56 [95% CI 0.25–1.24] (reference valproate) and HR 0.53 [95% CI 0.25–1.10] (reference lamotrigine).
 Figure 1

 Among patients with bipolar disorder, lithium was not associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrest compared to other mood stabilizing drugs. Further studies focusing on the cardiovascular safety of mood stabilizing drugs are warranted.


Production of MgB 2 film on metallic Hastelloy with SiC as the buffer layer was achieved by means of hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition technique, whereas SiC buffer layers with varied thickness of 170 and 250 nm were fabricated inside a pulsed laser deposition chamber. Superconducting transition temperature and critical current density were verified by transport and magnetic measurement, respectively. With SiC buffer layer, the reduced delaminated area at the interface of MgB 2 -Hastelloy and the slightly increased T c of MgB 2 tapes were clearly noticed. It was found that the upper critical field, the irreversibility field and the critical current density were reduced when MgB 2 tapes were buffered with SiC buffer layer. Clarifying the mechanism of SiC buffer layer in MgB 2 tape in affecting the superconducting properties is considerably important for practical applications.


Photodeposition rates for ten hydrocarbon species have been measured on CaF2 substrates under 157-nm irradiation in the presence of ppm scale levels of oxygen. The species are representative of hydrocarbon based compounds observed in outgassing studies of common build materials used in 157-nm based lithographic systems. Photodeposition rates have also been measured for a subset of the hydrocarbon species on a MgF2 thin film, six anti-reflective dielectric stacks, and fluorine doped fused silica for comparison with the results on CaF2 substrates. Two contamination processes are observed. One is the formation of an equilibrium layer on the surfaces. The other is a quasi-permanent contamination which is most pronounced at elevated levels of contaminant.


The author outlines the basis of Transit New Zealand - a Crown Agency set up in 1989 to manage New Zealand's land transportation system. The objective of the authority is to 'promote policies and allocate resources to achieve a safe and efficient land transport system that maximises national economic and social benefits'. The authority manages and facilitates but does not provide services, all of which have been privatised. The organisation and source of funding of Transit NZ are outlined. An annual Statement of Intent outlines targets and budgets. A strict reporting discipline ensures data is available for industry or public comment. There has been a move away from standard method specification towards performance output measurement using QA techniques. The author identifies a number of benefits of this new arrangement. These include the degree of consultation, the dissemination of responsibility, the coordination of various transport modes, the encouragement of innovation and the increased flexibility.


The work presented here shows some preliminary results from an on-going U.S. – Egypt collaborative project that deals with the assessment of natural resources in an area located west of the Nile Valley near Aswan and Kom Ombo in the Western Desert of Egypt. The exploration and assessment of new untapped groundwater resources may enable the gradual expansion of urban and agricultural areas away from the Nile Valley into the desert. In the Western Desert of Egypt these additional water resources are mainly found in the Nubian aquifer systems where large quantities of groundwater accumulated during previous pluvial times. Present recharge of the Nubian aquifer is limited to areas near mountains or permanent water bodies (such as the River Nile and Lake Nasser), where occasional rainfall events and excess water from rivers and lakes may recharge the aquifer. Often this recharge occurs along open and well-connected fractures, which act as preferential water conduits. However, in desert areas (such as the Western Desert of Egypt) these fracture zones are often difficult to locate because they are covered by windblown sand deposits. Ground penetrating radar together with a new generation of satellite borne radar images are revolutionizing the way we map and identify these hidden structures. Some of the fracture systems revealed by radar technology seem to be particularly promising in terms of bringing groundwater from the Nubian aquifer and possibly excess water from the River Nile or Lake Nasser into the study area. Detecting and mapping these potential water conduits will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the geo-structural framework of the underlying aquifer, and its potential to support agriculture and other land development plans in a sustainable way. In addition, optical satellite sensors (such as Landsat) provide useful information for monitoring and assessing the rate of land use change along the Nile River and its tributaries.


In a replication of a previous descriptive study, the uses of corporal punishment with mildly handicapped students in American public schools are described. A school discipline survey was mailed to 371 principals in 18 randomly selected states representing the nine U.S. census regions. Results indicated widespread use of corporal punishment with handicapped students at every grade level in the majority of regions of the United States. Descriptions of the use of corporal punishment across demographic and administrative/ procedural variables are provided and discussed. Comparisons of current findings to previous findings are made and trends noted and discussed, Further research directions and instructional implications are also provided.


This narrative study presents a collection of personal experience stories from five young women enrolled in grades 11 and 12 of an alternative education program. The purpose of this study is twofold exploring how the participants perceive and experience leadership in their lives and how their experiences with leadership affect the participants' development of a stable sense of identity and an empowered sense of self. The collected data is presented first as whole narratives and then through themes that emerged from a content analysis. The analysis revealed helpfulness as the defining characteristic of leadership and that the participants believe they are leaders, at least some of the time. The participants demonstrated having reached a stable sense of identity but expressed a lack of confidence as a barrier to becoming fully empowered persons. Using these findings, the researcher outlines ideas for the development, recruitment, and implementation of youth leadership development programming. --P.ii.


"Permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidences of infection caused by a specific agent as a result of deliberate efforts: intervention measures are no longer needed" [1]. As epidemics recede, investment of time, money and resources are often reduced, with results dependent on the level of control adopted by the country that undertakes the least control [2]. Misunderstanding of eradication criteria has led to neglect or complete cessation of intervention activities—with concurrent decrease in financial resources—and thus to re-emergence of the target disease [3]. Despite strong biological, technical and cost-benefit arguments for infectious-disease eradication, securing societal and political commitments is often a substantial challenge [4] (Table 1). Abstract


With the advancement in technology and accompanying information age and globalization, firms are increasingly exposed to financial risks, posing a threat to their financial performance even leading ultimate collapse. Nonetheless, innovation has led to innovative ways of hedging against financial risks through derivatives. However, financial risk hedging and derivative use in Kenya has remained low in Kenya coupled with lack of studies and dearth of knowledge on the possible reasons for limited use of derivatives, this study is warranted. The study looks at financial risk exposures facing financial firms, their hedging practices and challenges facing derivative use. The descriptive study was conducted on the 39 nonfinancial firms listed at the NSE. The firms' heads of finance or risk management department were the targeted respondents to whom semi structured questionnaires were sent. The study used descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviations to analyze and summarize the results. The findings and concluded that nonfinancial firms do not use derivatives owing to managerial skepticism, limited derivative market microstructure, and knowledge on derivative use and accounting. The study recommends that education programs on derivative and their use should be rolled to firm's managers and firms to develop hedging policies that act as blueprint in hedging financial risks.


Thromboembolic complications are considered as the major cause of death in pregnant ladies. Objectives: To evaluate the presence of this complication. Design: Retrospective and comparative study. Setting: Services Hospital Lahore. Period: From 2010 to 2012. Materials and Methods: Forty pregnant ladies admitted in Services Hospital Lahore were subjected to estimation of fibrinogen level, FDP level and plasma D-dimer level within 24 hours of delivery. Results: Twenty controls and 40 patients (pregnant ladies) were studied. Fibrinogen level, FDP level and plasma D-dimer levels were increased in all patients as compared to the controls and this increase in all three investigations was statistically significant (P˂ O.O5). Conclusion: Significant changes in Fibrinogen level, FDP level and plasma D-dimer level were found in pregnant ladies immediately after delivery (within 24 hours).


Background: The accurate measurement of patient reported outcomes is a priority for patient-centered care in SLE, a chronic systemic disease with significant impact on quality of life. PROMIS CATs are precise measures of physical, mental, and social health with construct validity in SLE. The longitudinal responsiveness (sensitivity to change) of PROMIS CATs in SLE patients is unknown. Objectives: To evaluate the responsiveness of PROMIS CATs in SLE outpatients using patient and physician-derived anchors. Methods: Adult SLE patients were recruited from an SLE Center of Excellence. Subjects completed 14 selected PROMIS CATs at two visits a minimum of one month apart. SLE disease activity was measured with a patient global assessment of change, a physician global assessment and the physician-derived SELENA-SLEDAI. Responsiveness of PROMIS scores was evaluated using known-groups validity. Effect sizes were compared across groups of patients who differed in their patient global assessment of change, physician global assessment, and SELENA-SLEDAI using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Results: A diverse cohort of 228 SLE patients, including 45 (19.8%) patients flaring by SELENA-SLEDAI, completed baseline surveys. Follow up surveys were completed by 190 (83%). There was poor agreement between patient and physician global assessments (weighted kappa statistic [95% CI]=0.16 [0.04–0.28]. Using the patient-based anchor, Anger, Pain Interference, and Physical Function CATs showed low to moderate responsiveness (table 1). Using the physician global assessment, only Anxiety CAT showed low to moderate responsiveness (effect size -0.27, -0.17, and 0.06 [p=0.03] with ≥0.5 point decrease, <0.5 point change, and ≥0.5 point increase respectively), while with the SELENA-SLEDAI as anchor, only Applied Cognition-Abilities CAT showed responsiveness (0.34, -0.01, 0.0 [p<0.01] with ≥3 point decrease, <3 point change, and ≥3 point increase respectively). PROMIS CAT Patient Global Assessment of Change p-value Better (n=74) Same (n=79) Worse (n=33) Ability to Participate in Social Roles 0.14 0.00 0.00 0.19 Anger -0.37 -0.08 0.00 0.03 Anxiety -0.38 -0.04 -0.02 0.13 Applied Cognition-Abilities 0.15 0.00 -0.03 0.30 Applied Cognition-General Concerns -0.08 0.00 -0.06 0.47 Depression -0.15 0.00 0.36 0.15 Fatigue -0.16 0.00 -0.15 0.51 Mobility 0.14 0.00 0.00 0.26 Pain Behavior -0.14 0.00 0.10 0.07 Pain Interference 0.00 0.00 0.25 0.02 Physical Function 0.15 0.01 -0.14 0.02 Satisfaction with Social Roles& Activities 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.21 Sleep Disturbance 0.00 -0.14 -0.04 0.50 Sleep-Related Impairment -0.07 0.00 -0.02 0.95 Conclusions: PROMIS CATs showed modest responsiveness to patient-reported, but generally not physician-derived changes in lupus health status in domains of anger, pain interference, and physical function. These data suggest that certain PROMIS CATs are precise and sensitive tools which may be used to measure and monitor important aspects of the patient experience of lupus not captured by physician-derived metrics. Further studies are needed to evaluate the responsiveness of PROMIS CATs in populations with greater SLE disease activity and more regular follow up. Acknowledgements: Funding was provided by the Rheumatology Research Foundation Scientist Development Award. Disclosure of Interest: None declared


The workload in delivery suites can not easily be managed as women arrive in labour and give birth at any time in the day or night, and emergencies can arise at any time. Matching this dynamic work pattern with the necessary numbers and skills of midwives to meet agreed care standards is difficult. The Birthrate Plus Acuity tool has been designed to give midwives a prospective and predictive measure of client needs and the staff needed to meet those needs, and to assist the development of care policies in clinical governance. First developed with services in Wales, the Acuity system has now been used in a variety of maternity services. This is the third article in the series.


Objective:To Investigate the occurring frequency and manner of the GJB6 gene mutations from 925 children with prelingual nonsyndromic hearing impairment(NSHI) living in Hubei province. Methods:Blood samples were obtained from 925 children with prelinguai NSHI and 180 normal controls.Genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood.PCR and direct sequencing were used to analyze the coding region of GJB6 gene. Results:Neither del(GJB6-D13S1830) or other mutation in GJB6 was detected in 925 prelingual NSHI patients and normal controls. Conclusion:GJB6 mutation is not the common cause of prelingual NSHI in Hubei province.The findings suggest that GJB6 mutation detection will not be an effective means to reduce the occurrence of prelingual NSHI.


Abstract : The purpose of the present study, the first in a series of longitudinal turnover investigations, was to assess the impact of individual and organizational variables as multivariate predictors of attrition during recruit training. A sample of 4911 recruits was administered a questionnaire on the fourth day of recruit training to obtain information about various demographics, enlistment motivations, general Navy attitudes, personality variables, and work outcomes. Results indicated important differences between eventual attrites and nonattrites. The best predictor of attrition was the reported intention to complete one's enlistment. Also, attrites were more influenced to join the Navy because of reactions to events in their civilian environments; and nonattrites, by opportunities to obtain various 'self' needs. Attrities also perceived work outcomes as less desirable and did not expect them to occur within a Navy setting to the same extent as did nonattrites. It was concluded that, during recruit training, individual-type variables were more significant predictors of attrition than were organizational variables. (Author)


An algorithm for computing the solution of a linear system of algebraic equations is described. If the system is rank deficient, then the minimum norm least-squares solution is obtained. The method utilizes Gaussian elimination with scaled partial pivoting and (in rank deficient case) orthogonal triangularizations on the remaining coefficient matrix.


A low-cost, cross-country vehicle known as the Yak Yeoman, developed by Manchester garages, uses high volume Ford escort components to reduce costs. Instead of incorporating costly four-wheel drive, an automatic differential lock to avoid wheelspin is used. Only fine forming tools are needed for the bonnet, wings and wheelarches, and other simple panels. The vehicle is based on a space frame of hot-rolled rectangular section steel tube in six sub-assemblies. Components for six vehicles can be packed into a standard 6 M freight container and it is claimed that a vehicle can be assembled by two unskilled workers within a working day. (TRRL)


Empirical results are consistent with the hypothesis that socioeconomic factors contribute to initial disparities in performance that are perpetuated by demoralizing grading, testing, and grouping practices throughout the K-12 years. The hypothesis may explain why the achievement gap increases after children enter the school system, why Black students lose ground within schools and within classrooms, why value-added modeling (VAM) estimates of teacher performance are unstable from year to year, why Rothstein found that VAM estimates of teacher performance predict prior student performance, why VAM estimates of teacher performance predict gains in student achievement, and why persistent sorting may account for the Gates Foundation's Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) results despite random assignment of class rosters to teachers.


Imaging in the atmosphere is often degraded by scattering due to atmospheric particles such as haze, fog, and mist. In this paper, we propose a novel fast defogging method based on the atmospheric scattering model. The white balance is performed and the atmospheric scattering model is simplified prior to visibility restoration. In the inference process of the atmospheric veil, the coarser estimate is refined using a fast bilateral filtering approach that preserves edges. Finally, the scene albedo is recovered by inverting this simplified model. The complexity of the proposed method is only a linear function of the number of input image pixels and this allows a very fast implementation. Results on a variety of outdoor foggy images demonstrate that the proposed method achieves good restoration for contrast and color fidelity, resulting in a great improvement in image visibility.


When a 'say' clause is combined with a quoted-speech clause, one of two hypothetical pathways may be followed: (a)
 a complementation pathway on which the 'say' clause takes the quoted-speech clause as its complement clause and thus becomes its
 matrix clause; (b) a conjoining pathway which involves no syntactic operation but rather the loss of a prosodic gap between the
 two. Following the second pathway, 'say' may become grammaticalized into a quotative particle. On neither pathway is 'say'
 grammaticalized into a complementizer. It is proposed that cross-linguistically so-called 'say' complementizers, including the
 alleged Chinese complementizer shuō, are more likely to be not complementizers but rather quotative
 particles.


Rail transit is prospering in the Soviet Union. Five major cities have modern subways, and planners expect to double this number by the year 2000. A total of 26,000 streetcars are in use on streets of 110 cities. About 3 billion passengers ride long distance trains each year, and another 2.7 billion ride commuter trains. The 87 mile Moscow subway, and the four in other cities, are much alike. Most stations are at least 100 feet below the street. Although this eliminates utility relocation, it requires high speed escalators. Station platforms are wide and well lighted. The fare on the subway is about six cents in U.S. money. All subway systems use five foot gage, use 825 volt direct current, and have an underrunning third rail. Moscow subway carries 5 million passengers on a weekday, and has 86 stations. Even smaller cities have subways, Kiev has only 1.5 million population. The subways prosper because the Soviet government has chosen not to emphasize automobiles. The Russians are continuing to develop streetcar technology.


How cabinet government works is cabinet government in decline? the prime minister's role prime ministerial power theories of prime ministerial power portraits of recent prime ministers.


Background An atypical subgroup of patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been identified with active disease but normal levels of the acute phase protein C-reactive protein (CRP), considered an accurate marker of disease activity. Previously we identified that patients with normal CRP (nCRP) during flares of RA had an altered immunological profile, had diagnostic delays and seemed to respond less well to conventional treatment compared to RA patients who mounted an appropriately high CRP (hCRP) response. Activation of the complement pathway has been associated with disease activity in RA patients and it is suggested both the presence of autoantibodies and activation of complement are required during the inflammatory processes that lead to joint damage. CRP plays a crucial role in the regulation of complement activation via both the alternative and classical pathways, either through interaction with C4 binding protein or degrading C3 fragment-C3b to C3i via factor H. However, it is not known whether these pathways are altered in RA patients with nCRP compared with hCRP during active flares. Objectives To investigate how altered CRP response may differentially regulate C3 cleavage in RA patients with nCRP compared to hCRP levels during flares of RA. Methods 24 RA patients with active synovitis were recruited, defined by ≥1 joint with Power Doppler detected by US, 15 had normal (n)CRP (≤5 mg/L) and 9 had high (h)CRP (>5 mg/L) levels. Serum and detailed clinical data were collected. 18 age and sex matched healthy donors (HCs) were also analysed. Serum was subjected to SOMAscan Proteomic Assay. Complement components were analysed by Western blot following 1:400 serum dilution and assessed for C3/C3a and albumin expression. Densitometric analysis was applied to the Western blots and the C3a values were normalised against albumin, resultant values were expressed as fold change from HC. Results were correlated with clinical and disease features using linear regression curves in Prism. Results Proteomics identified differential expression of complement components in serum from hCRP compared to nCRP patients; specifically a significant upregulation of alternative complement pathway factors (eg Factors I, H and B) was seen in hCRP patients and a downregulation of kallistatin, an inhibitor of the classical pathway in nCRP patients. Average C3 cleavage product was 4.8 (0.18–14.4) for hCRP and 3.05 (0.28–6.6) for nCRP, both significantly higher compared to HCs (p<0.01 HC vs nCRP, p<0.05 HC vs hCRP). The levels of C3 cleavage were then correlated against ESR, CRP and anti- Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) levels in both sets of patients. In hCRP patients, strong correlations (R2 >0.5) were observed for C3 vs ESR (p<0.05), C3 vs CRP (p<0.03) and ESR vs CRP (p<0.0003) but no correlation was found between C3 and levels of anti-CCP antibodies (R2=0.208, p=0.255). In contrast nCRP patients demonstrated a strong correlation between C3 levels vs anti-CCP antibodies (R2=0.53, p<0.05) whilst no correlation was seen with CRP or ESR levels (R2 0.0004, p=0.236).Abstract THU0095 – Table 1 A table of proteins related to complement and coagulation found differentially expressed between hCRP and nCRP patients by SOMAscan proteomics. Conclusions Cleavage of complement factor C3 appears to be driven by a different mechanism in hCRP compared to nCRP patients suggesting that complement is activated via different pathways. This supports the hypothesis that nCRP and hCRP patients have an altered disease pathogenesis. Disclosure of Interest None declared


In Colombia, Renewable Natural Resources owns to the Nation.Their management corresponds to the Environmental Authorities,at a regional level, through actions and procedures ranging fromthe grant of authorizations, concessions, licenses and/or permission,to the imposition of sanctions because of the nonfulfilmentof the environmental normativity.This work gives tools for the understanding of the missionaryexercise of the Regional Autonomous Corporations from theenvironmental licensing, water concession for its use and profit,and the permission of atmospheric emissions. It also describesthe functions of environmental control and follow-up and theexercise of these Environmental Entities coercive faculties.


In a recent Letter we presented a systematic way of testing the seesaw origin of neutrino mass in the context of the Minimal Left-Right Symmetric Model. The essence of the program is to exploit lepton number violating decays of doubly charged scalars, particles which lie at the heart of the Higgs-mechanism-based seesaw, to probe the Dirac neutrino mass term which in turn enters directly into a number of physical processes including the decays of right-handed neutrinos into the $W$ boson and left-handed charged leptons. In this longer version we discuss at length these and related processes, and offer some missing technical details. We also carefully analyze the physically appealing possibility of parity conserving Yukawa sector showing that the neutrino Dirac mass matrix can be analytically expressed as a function of light and heavy neutrino masses and mixing, without resorting to any additional discrete symmetries, a context in which the seesaw mechanism can be disentangled completely.When parity does get broken, we show that, in the general case, only the Hermitian part of the Dirac mass term is independent which substantially simplifies the task of testing experimentally the origin of neutrino mass. We illustrate this program through some physical examples that allow simple analytical expressions. Our work shows that the Minimal Left-Right Symmetric Model is a self-contained theory of neutrino mass which can be in principle tested at the LHC or the next hadron collider.


Abstract For the eigenvalue problem of the Steklov differential operator, an algorithm based on the conforming finite element method (FEM) is proposed to provide guaranteed lower bounds for the eigenvalues. The proposed lower eigenvalue bounds utilize the a priori error estimation for FEM solutions to non-homogeneous Neumann boundary value problems, which is obtained by constructing the hypercircle for the corresponding FEM spaces and boundary conditions. Numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed method.


Background: The purpose of the present work is two-fold: the frac- tionation of Salvia officinalis essential oil and the cytotoxic study of this oil with its fractions "in vitro" tumor cell lines. Materials and Methods: S. officinalis essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and fractionated with column chromatography; the essential oil and its fractions were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). The cytotoxic activity was evaluated in cellular lines of breast cancer MCF-7, colon cancer HCT-116, and murine macrophage RAW264.7 cell lines by the MTT assay. Results: the sub-subfraction F1.1.1 of S. officinalis essential oil containing α- humulene present highest activity on RAW264.7 and HCT-116 with


Relaxation rates of carbon-13 magnetization of the C9 carbon positions in two poly-n-octyl star-hydrocarbon oils, 9-n-octyl-n-heptadecane and 9,10-di-n-octyl-n-octadecane, and of deuterium magnetization in 9-n-octyl-n-heptadecane-9d 1 and 9,10-di-n-octyl-n-octadecane-9d 1 , labelled with deuterium at the same carbon position, have been measured over wide ranges of temperature and at two field strengths. In this paper simulation of the observed relaxation rates within the assumptions of the Lipari and Szabo picture of molecular rotational diffusion, and dipolar and quadrupolar relaxation mechanisms, determined molecular rotational diffusion constants, activation energies, and Lipari and Szabo order parameters and correlation times for internal molecular motion at the labelled positions. The appropriate quadrupolar coupling constants could also be determined from the measured data. The effect of the rate of internal molecular isomerization was discussed and it was shown that in general this had to be included in the theoretical picture in order to derive a consistent set of motional parameters that generated all observable relaxation rates of magnetization.


The current status of energy sources in models of gamma-ray bursts is examined. Special emphasis is placed on the thermonuclear flash model which has been the most developed model to date. Although there is no generally accepted model, if the site for the gamma-ray burst is on a strongly magnetized neutron star, the thermonuclear model can qualitatively explain the energetics of some, but probably not all burst events. The critical issues that may differentiate between the possible sources of energy for gamma-ray bursts are listed and briefly discussed.


This is a report on the use of quasi-static tests to predict fundamental parameters for punch valve development. This report summarizes the results from low and high velocity tests performed with 0.63 and 0.38 cm diameter plungers, 5 cm long penetrating aluminium and composite targets. The low velocity tests, 0.025 m/s, were performed to understand the effects and interactions of plunger diameter plunger tip shape, target material, and target support on penetration energy and plunger functionality. High velocity tests, 75 m/s, were compared to low velocity results.


In order to quantify the use of technical throwing techniques in British Judo, the 2013 Junior and Senior British Championships were subject to analysis. 292 competitors of differing age and gender, competing in 558 contests under the 2010 – 2012 IJF rules, were analysed using SportsCode Pro software and publically available video footage. The overall aim was to develop a technical profile for standing techniques in British Judo, looking primarily at technique type and throw efficiency. The data exemplified that British judoka most effectively use foot techniques (ashi-waza) to obtain scores, with uchi-mata (inner thigh throw) proving to be the most efficient technique in the British repertoire. Males and females, juniors and seniors execute differing techniques; however only junior males provided data that didn't match the overall trend, with te-waza (hand throws) and seoi-nage (shoulder throw) being the highest scoring and most efficient.


AC servo systems have some strongpoint, such as fast response speed, high accuracy positioning, etc. The performance of entire machine is enhanced when it applies in control system of sewing machine. This article analyzes the mechanism of sewing machine and the load characteristics, and designs the sample of the sewing machine's control system by using permanent magnetism synchronous motor, magnetism encoder and 32 bit single chip. It is showed that the basic design requirements have been fulfilled after testing and analyzing the control performance. The electromechanics level of industry sewing machine has been integrated.


The publication of the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) in 2010 established crash frequency prediction as the essential safety measure for safety studies. However, given that the models were developed using a single state's data, the HSM recommends calibration of the prediction models using data from the jurisdiction where they will be applied. This calibration process has been conducted in several states and many questions have been raised as a result. This paper is intended to investigate different definitions and criteria for the calibration factors, and provide recommendations for practitioners on which definition to use. In addition to the calibration factors in the HSM and previously published definitions, two other calibration factor equations are proposed and compared using multiple goodness of fit measures. Whereas each definition may outperform others in certain measures, in this study, it is recommended to use the definition that maximizes the likelihood between predicted and observed crashes. The idea is to follow the same concept in both state-specific safety performance functions development and calibration process, which is maximizing the likelihood of predicted and observed crashes.


The paper considers and analyzes the main factors affecting the integration of these systems in the enterprise. Possible solutions necessary for the tasks of data integration between different systems are presented. This article describes the main approaches to the integration of information systems, which in turn demonstrate possible ways to solve various problems of enterprises associated with the need to organize the interaction of heterogeneous systems.


Functional Selectivity at the Dopamine D2 Receptor by Sean M Peterson Department of Cell Biology Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Marc G. Caron, Supervisor ___________________________ Scott H. Soderling, Chair ___________________________ Vadim Y. Arshavsky ___________________________ Terrence Peter Kenakin ___________________________ Sudha Shenoy An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Cell Biology in the Graduate School of Duke University 2015 Copyright by Sean Michael Peterson 2015


Seven Italian regions were sampled in 1996-97 to investigate on the occurrence of Bursaphelenchus species associated with coniferous forests showing decline symptoms of unknown etiology. A total of 68 composite samples were collected in 38 localities from 169 trees of Pinus pinaster, P. sylvestris, P. halepensis, P. pinea, P. nigra austriaca, P. strobes, Larix decidua and Juniperus communis. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus was never detected. Specimens of B. mucronatus occurred in eight localities, B. leoni in seven, B. sexdentati in five and B. teratospicularis in three. Bursaphelenchus sp., considered to be an undescribed species, was found in the xylem of P. pinea in a single locality in Tuscany. Six B. mucronatus, two B. sexdentati and the Bursaphelenchus sp. Populations were reared in vitro on cultures of Botrytis cinerea. B. teratospicularis is recorded for the first time in Italy. New host records for Italy are P. sylvestris, P. nigra austriaca and P. strobes for B. mucronatus; P. sylvestris for B. leoni; P. pinea and P. halepensis for B. sexdentati. No Bursaphelenchus specimens were recovered from insects of the genera Monochamus, Pissodes, Sirex, Rhagium, Acanthocinus, Horthotomicus, Arhopalus and Tomicus captured in the samples forests.


Simulations have been used to investigate angle of arrival (AOA) estimation for all‐sky interferometric meteor radars using the Jones et al. (1998) antenna configuration. The results suggest that the use of 2λ spacing phase differences significantly improves AOA accuracy, while use of wraparound and differencing the sines of the zenith angles lead to small improvements in AOA accuracy. The combined use of 2λ spacing, wraparound, and differencing the sines of the zenith angles reduces the percentage of estimates outside ±1° of the actual AOA by a factor of 2.5. The results suggest that the use of 2.5, 3, and 5.5λ spacing produces more accurate AOA estimates than the standard 2, 2.5, and 4.5λ spacing and that the optimal spacing for the addition of a fourth antenna to each antenna arm is around 20λ.


on 8 ABSTRACT Background: Whipple procedure is performed for various tumors of the periampullary region. Mortality and morbidity of patients undergoing Whipple procedure has been reduced significantly. The prognosis of such patients invariably depends on precise histopathological examination of Whipple specimen including tumor type, tumor site, tumor size, tumor extent, margin status, angioinvasion, perineural invasion and lymph node status. Material and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Northern Railway Central Hospital. Various histopathological parameters like, location of the tumor, tumor morphology, grading, lymphovascular/perineural invasion, margin status and lymph node status were assessed. Also TNM staging of the tumor was done. Result: Sixteen patients underwent Whipple's Pancreaticoduodenectomy procedure during the study period. Among the 16 specimens, malignant tumor was present in 12 cases (75%), whereas 4 cases (25%) were benign. Periampullary mixed carcinoma was the predominant tumor (25%) followed by pancreatic adenocarcinoma (18.75%), neuroendocrine tumor (18.75%), periampullary duodenal (12.5%), ampullary carcinoma (12.5%), and papillary adenocarcinoma of common bile duct (6.25%). Benign gastrointestinal stromal tumor were (6.25%). Conclusion: Pancreaticoduodenectomy specimen requires detailed histopathological evaluation for proper histological type, stage and other features which affect patient survival following Whipple's procedure. The present study showed that most of our subjects were diagnosed with malignancy, at an advanced stage, and further research is needed to develop practical methods for early diagnosis.


(57) Abstract: The present invention provides a deflector for changing the direction of the leakage of cooling air in order to improve the efficiency of the gas turbine engine. Conventional gas turbine engines include a rotor assembly comprising a front of the stator assembly, and a circumferential array of air cooled rotor disc and the blade retaining slots. Row of cooling rotor blades comprising a blade base portion is retained in each slot. The rotor blades are disposed at regular intervals over the periphery of the rotor disk, the gap extending in the radial direction is provided between each rotor blade adjacent. The present invention focuses on adverse effects of the cooling air that leaks into these gaps. The present invention relates to providing a deflector that is disposed in front face of the cover plate in the circumferential direction. The deflector, the leakage of cooling air flowing from the running seal through the cooling air leakage flow path, together with the deflecting away from the gap between the blades, in the axial direction behind the gas flow path on the outer surface of the blade platform leading to the gas flow path at an acute angle to the flow.


Introduction The INPULSIS® trials assessed the effects of nintedanib versus placebo in patients with IPF. Time to first investigator-reported acute exacerbation over 52 weeks was a key secondary endpoint. Adverse events that were considered by an investigator to fulfil pre-defined criteria for an acute exacerbation were categorised by an adjudication committee as a confirmed acute exacerbation, suspected acute exacerbation, or not an acute exacerbation. We assessed the effect of nintedanib on acute exacerbations reported as serious adverse events and non-serious adverse events and the impact of these events on survival. Methods A post-hoc analysis of patients with acute exacerbations reported as serious adverse events or non-serious adverse events over 52 weeks was undertaken using pooled data from the INPULSIS® trials. Results Of the 63 patients who had ≥1 investigator-reported acute exacerbation, 49 (77.8%) had an acute exacerbation reported as a serious adverse event. Of these 49 patients, 31 (63.3%) had an adjudicated confirmed or suspected acute exacerbation reported as a serious adverse event. A higher proportion of patients with investigator-reported acute exacerbations reported as serious adverse events died than patients with acute exacerbations reported as non-serious adverse events (30 of 49 patients [61.2%] versus 1 of 15 patients [6.7%]) (Figure). Nintedanib significantly reduced the risk of a first investigator-reported acute exacerbation reported as a serious adverse event versus placebo (HR 0.57 [95% CI: 0.32, 0.99]; p = 0.0476). Investigator-reported acute exacerbations reported as serious adverse events occurred in 3.6% of patients in the nintedanib group and 6.1% in the placebo group. Nintedanib significantly reduced the risk of having a first adjudicated confirmed or suspected acute exacerbation reported as a serious adverse event versus placebo (HR 0.30 [95% CI: 0.14, 0.64]; p = 0.0019). Adjudicated confirmed or suspected acute exacerbations reported as serious adverse events occurred in 1.6% in the nintedanib group and 5.0% in the placebo group. Conclusion In pooled data from the INPULSIS® trials, nintedanib significantly reduced the risk of acute exacerbations reported as serious adverse events. Acute exacerbations reported as serious adverse events were associated with a much higher risk of death than acute exacerbations reported as non-serious adverse events. Abstract S99 Figure 1