OBJECTIVE:To study the causes of precipitation of ammonium chloride mixture and to compare the different methods for determining the contents.METHODS:The pH of preparation was determined after adding different amount of ammonia solution and the contents of glycyrrhizic acid in supernate and sedment of the preparation were defermined.The content of ammonium chloride in one sample was determined with different methods.RESULTSCONCLUSION:Adding ammonia solution could not obviously change the pH value and reduce the precipitation because of the buffering and salting actions.In case of precipitation,the content of glycyrrhizic acid was still up to standard.The method in Chinese Hospital Preparation Standard is most accurate.


In this paper, two TS-type fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) in direct and incremental forms are constructed for freeway local ramp metering tasks. The values of consequent part of fuzzy rules are optimized with a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO). The optimization process under PSO is carried out on PARAMICS microscopic traffic simulation platform. FLC methods and the traditional ALINEA control method are examined and compared on the traffic density performance. Simulation results on PARAMICS show the applicability and efficiency of the proposed FLC.


The pulokerto region has been planned for agrociry tourism by the Palembang City Government. The changing function of these areas give some effects to quality of watei and biota around the river. The aims of this research is to study of macrozoobenthos structure commurity as biomonitoring instrument. The research was conducted during September until December 2010. The location sampling was determined by purpossive random sampling method in 8 stations. The sampting in the moody area was carried out by Eckman grab' The results showed ttui t+ g.nrru have been classified into 5 classes suclt as Oligochaeta, Gastropoda, Insecta, Bivalvia and Crustacea. Population og. genera is in around 75-600 ind/mr. Diversity index is low until moderate with value 0.27-0.74 and there is no domination of species in the community. The cluster analysis showed that 2 community groups of macrozoobenthos have relation with population of individu to physicochlmical quality of water. The overall study shows the balancing of community in the Putokerto region but still susceptible to pressure effect of environment.


Atomic pseudopotentials simplify electronic calculations by eliminating atomic core levels and the potentials that bind them. Outside some core radius, norm-conserving pseudopotentials produce the same scattering properties (radial logarithmic derivatives of wave functions for angular momenta of interest) as full-atomic potentials to zeroth and first order in energy about valence-level eigenvalues. We extend the correctness of the radial logarithmic derivative one order further in energy and present analytic and numerical results showing that this extension improves higher-order energy derivatives as well. We also show how our change improves predictions of excited single-particle eigenvalues in a wide variety of atoms, as well as high-energy scattering properties, with effects visible in a band-structure calculation. Our potentials converge nearly as quickly in reciprocal space as the Vanderbilt (modified Hamann-Schl{umlt u}ter-Chiang) potentials from which they are derived, and are easily generated.


Over at least the past 20 years, putative and real conflicts of interest (COI) at academic medical centers have been featured prominently in the lay press, often with reputational damage to individuals and institutions.1 The heightened focus of concern about alleged financial payments to physicians and academic institutions by pharmaceutical and device companies, coupled with increasing concern by medical students (most notably in the American Medical Student Association scorecard, which gave grades to medical schools ranging from A to F based on how well they performed in avoiding conflicts of interest with the pharmaceutical industry) shone a bright light on individual and institutional integrity.


Bulk InxGa1-xAs is an excellent lattice-matched substrate material for InGaAs-based laser diodes. However, it is very difficult to grow compositionally homogeneous InxGa1-xAs single crystal. The growth of single crystal with homogeneous composition using the newly developed traveling liquidus zone (TLZ) growth method is expected. In the TLZ method, cylindrically shaped polycrystalline starting material with a graded compositional profile is the basic requirement. This paper presents some results of micro-Raman scattering studies of the compositional fraction in these starting materials. The compositions evaluated by Raman scattering in various InxGa1-xAs wafer-type samples show good agreement with those examined by the standard method of chemical analysis. Compositional profiles obtained from as-ground and polished surfaces have been compared to understand the necessity of surface polishing in our experiments. The results presented here demonstrate that micro-Raman scattering is one of the best non-destructive methods for analyzing the entire compositional range of InGaAs compound materials.


The descriptions used in the databases of press images available on internet are analysed: the use of descriptors, taxonomy, and methods for information retrieval from the examples of Getty Images, Newscom, Corbis, Age Fotostock.


A dvance directives occupy an important place in the debate about the limits of patient autonomy, the right to refuse life–saving medical treatment and euthanasia. In February 1994, the House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics strongly endorsed the use of advance directives as a way of enabling patients to express in advance their individual preferences and priorities for medical treatment in the event that they should subsequently become incompetent. The Committee felt that the preparation of advance directives could often stimulate healthy dialogue between doctor and patient about health care choices, assist health carers in decisions about appropriate treatment and provide secure knowledge for patients that their wishes have been properly documented. With advance directives entering the public domain in increasing numbers and the recommendation by, amongst others, the Law Commission for legislation to define and regulate their use the legal and ethical debate over the effect, use, limitations and general desirability of advance directives continues to intensify. This chapter attempts to examine the present status of advance directives in English law and explore a number of the important legal and ethical questions to which they give rise. THE NATURE AND FORM OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES An advance directive is essentially a stipulation made by a competent person about the medical treatment he should or should not receive in the event of his becoming incompetent to make or communicate treatment choices.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders have shown a high prevalence among workers, among these, law enforcement officers have been greatly affected. The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders symptoms in the Ostensive Motorcycle Patrol Group of the Military Police of Pernambuco, PE. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study developed from February to June 2016. The subjects were 28 police officers from the Ostensive Motorcycle Patrol Group, of the 5th Battalion of the Military Police. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire with sociodemographic variables and professional characteristics. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the visual analog scale were used. RESULTS: In the study sample, most of the individuals were male with an average of 62±8 working hours per week. Regarding the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms, the most affected anatomical region was the back, followed by the knees and then the chest. As for the pain perception of the subjects, the spine and lower limbs showed higher pain intensity when compared to other regions. Most of the sample believe that musculoskeletal symptoms are related to work. CONCLUSION: The findings in this study demonstrate the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the studied population. The analysis of the musculoskeletal disorders of these police officers will serve as an input for the planning of intervention actions to improve the general conditions of the service provided by the Ostensive Motorcycle Patrol Group.


Polar dielectrics are a promising platform for mid-infrared nanophotonics, allowing for nanoscale electromagnetic energy confinement in oscillations of the crystal lattice. We recently demonstrated that in nanoscopic polar systems a local description of the optical response fails, leading to erroneous predictions of modal frequencies and electromagnetic field enhancements. In this Paper we extend our previous work providing a scattering matrix theory of the nonlocal optical response of planar, anisotropic, layered polar dielectric heterostructures. The formalism we employ allows for the calculation of both reflection and transmission coefficients, and of the guided mode spectrum. We apply our theory to complex AlN/GaN superlattices, demonstrating the strong nonlocal tuneability of the optical response arising from hybridisation between photon and phonon modes. The numerical code underlying these calculations is provided in an online repository to serve as a tool for the design of phonon-based mid-infrared optoelectronic devices.


# 2005 International Union of Crystallography Printed in Great Britain ± all rights reserved The nickel(II) ion in the title complex, [Ni(C19H16N4O2)] H2O, is coordinated by four N atoms from the 5,6:14,15dibenzo-1,4,8,12-tetraazacyclopentadeca-7,13-diene-2,3dione(2ÿ) ligand in chelating mode, forming a distorted square-planar geometry. The complex molecules are associated into a two-dimensional superamolecular architecture through weak intermolecular OÐH O and CÐH O hydrogen bonding.


According to the connotation of new-type industrialization,the new-type industrialization indicator system has designed.Using the indicator system and composite index method,the realized degree of new-type industrialization to 11 provinces in the east and our country has been measured.The current situation,question of the new-type industrialization process of Shandong province has especially been analyzed,and some countermeasures to accelerate the new-type industrialization process of Shandong were put forward.


Abstract Haplothrips pellucidus (Ananthakrishnan) is redescribed, based upon females from Karnal, Haryana, and two paratypes. The species is micropterous, having small fore wing stubs, 21–35 µt m in length. A detailed analysis of measurements and morphological characters is given.


The software Pro/E was applied to the design of an injection mould for a doorbell shell.The drawing data was transformed to the software MasterCAM for NC-programming and then the NC machining process of the mould was performed.


The role of the foetal adrenal cortex in the initiation of parturition in the sheep is well established; however the evidence for a similar role by the human foetal adrenal is circumstantial and based upon the association of prolonged gestation with foetal adrenal hypoplasia (Anderson, Laurence & Turnbull, 1969; Roberts & Cawdery, 1970) and of premature delivery with foetal adrenal hyperplasia (Anderson, Laurence, Davies, Campbell & Turnbull, 1971). There is no information concerning changes in levels of corticosteroids in the human foetus in late pregnancy and the present study was undertaken in order to examine the relationship of umbilical cord arterial and venous plasma concentrations of corticosteroids at the time of delivery to gestational age of the foetus and type of labour. Matched samples of umbilical cord arterial and venous blood were collected during December 1971 \p=m-\January1972. Plasma levels of corticosteroids were determined by a competitive protein-binding technique (Murphy, 1967), using methylene chloride for extraction of the plasma samples, 0\m=.\1% human late pregnancy plasma labelled with [l,2-3H]corticosterone as the binding protein, and Florisil for the adsorption of the unbound corticosteroids. No attempt to separate individual corticosteroids by preliminary chromatography was made at this stage and the results are expressed in terms of equivalence to cortisol standards. There was no relationship between circulating corticosteroid levels and the type of labour in term (37-40 week) vaginal deliveries; the mean levels + s.e.m. were 200-1 + 12-9 ng/ml (arterial) and 245-1 + 12-8 ng/ml (venous) for 56 spontaneous deliveries and 201-0+17-1 ng/ml (arterial) and 244-4+14-4 ng/ml (venous) for 42 oxytocin-induced or oxytocin-augmented deliveries. However, corticosteroid levels in the foetal circulation were influenced by gestational age and both arterial and venous levels showed a surge at 35-37 weeks gestation (Fig. 1). The mean level of corticosteroids for each gestational age category was less in arterial plasma than in venous plasma. The relevance of the observed surge in umbilical corticosteroid levels at 35-37 weeks to foetal maturation and the initiation of parturition in the human being is uncertain, but it is perhaps significant to note that this surge occurs concurrently The Queen Elizabeth II Research Institute for Mothers and Infants, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia


The molting hormone, α-ecdysone, and an analog ▵7-5β-cholestene-2β,3β, 14α-triol-6-one when applied externally, terminates diapause in larvae of the winter tick, Dermacentor albpictus. This is the first reported hormonal termination of diapause in an arthropod other than an insect.


Pete Daniel, former Curator, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, will lead an interdisciplinary discussion about environmental history with students, faculty, and staff of Wake Forest University on February 27, 2014, as part of the History Engagement Series. To facilitate discussion, permission to post chapter 2, "Poisoning," from Daniel's book, "Toxic Drift: Pesticides and Health in the Post-World War II South," has been granted by the publisher, Louisiana State University Press.


Reaction of [MX(PR3)2(η-C5H5)](M = Ru, X = Cl; M = Os, X = Br; R = Me or Ph) with HPF6 gives the metal(IV) complexes [MH(X)(PR3)2(η-C5H5)][PF6], and with Cl2–[NH4][PF6] gives [RuCl2(PMe3)2(η-C5H5)]-[PF6]. Reaction with [NO][PF6] gives the dications [M(NO)(PR3)2(η-C5H5)]2+, which have unusually high ν(NO) frequencies (1 850–1 875 cm–1). The crystal structure of [Os(NO)(PMe3)2(η-C5H5)][PF6]2 has been determined by single-crystal X-ray methods at 295 K and refined by least squares to a residual of 0.044 for 2 038 'observed' reflections. Crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pbca, with a= 21.680(6), b= 16.606(4), c= 12.772(5)A, and Z= 8. The Os–N–O system is linear, Os–N 1.75(1), N–O 1.17(2)A being indicative of the OsN+O moiety; Os–P lengths are 2.367(4) and 2.364(4)A and Os–C 2.23(2)–2.29(2)A.


The United Kingdom's opposition Conservative party is considering offering NHS patients the option to maintain their own medical records on commercial internet services rather than in NHS computers.

The idea, say Tory policy makers, is to "yield control of personal information to individual citizens," both as an end in itself and as a way of saving money on centrally procured electronic health records systems, which, they say, are unpopular and subject to delays.

However, the plan will raise concerns …


The soil moisture diffusivity in Weichang region was studied.The results were as follows: Firstly,the soil moisture diffusivity was changeable form to cm~2min~(-1).There was spatial variability in soil moisture diffusivity,and the high soil moisture diffusivity occurred in the second soil layer while the low in the third soil layer.The relationship between soil moisture diffusivity and soil water content in every soil layer were sharp positive exponential function,and these relationship were significant by statistical analysis.Then,the bulk density,porosity,the type of pore and clay content in the soil affected the soil moisture diffusivity.


Objectives A low CD4/CD8 ratio during treated HIV identifies individuals with heightened immunoactivation and excess mortality. Whether ART regimens elicit distinct CD4/CD8 ratio recovery remains unknown. We aimed to compare the efficacy of an integrase inhibitor versus a non-nucleoside to normalize the CD4/CD8 ratio. Methods We conducted a post hoc analysis of the STARTMRK study, a randomized, blinded, double-dummy Phase III trial of raltegravir versus efavirenz, and each in combination with tenofovir/emtricitabine, in treatment-naive HIV-infected adults. Blinding was maintained for the entire 5 year duration of the study. Kaplan–Meier methods for time-dependent variables were used to calculate the rates of CD4/CD8 normalization at different cut-offs and cumulative probabilities. Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare probabilities of CD4/CD8 normalization by treatment arm. Results A total of 563 patients were analysed; 81% were males and the mean age (SD) was 37 (10) years. Raltegravir was associated with higher rates of CD4/CD8 ratio normalization at the >0.4 cut-off (median time to normalization = 56 versus 84 days; P = 0.048 by log-rank test). A Cox proportional hazard model stratified based on baseline CD4 counts showed an association between raltegravir and higher rates of CD4/CD8 ratio normalization (HR = 1.23; P = 0.02). Conclusions We herein show that normalization of the CD4/CD8 ratio above a clinically meaningful threshold may be dependent on the drug class used. Raltegravir showed faster CD4/CD8 ratio normalization compared with efavirenz, a finding with potential clinical implications. Whether other integrase inhibitors have a similar impact for this outcome remains to be explored.


A.-It would be easier to answer the second part of the question first. Poliomyelitis is spread from person to person by contact; wherever contact is close, the risk of infection will be increased. In this respect the family presents highly favourable conditions. Multiple cases of poliomyelitis in families was recognized as an epidemiological feature of the disease more than forty years ago.' Subsequent work'' showed this to be even more frequent when abortive cases were taken into account, the incidence being higher in families with children aged 1-10 years. The first clinical case in a family is often regarded as the first case, but in poliomyelitis, where inapparent infection is common, the first may often be an asymptomatic carrier. Recent epidemiological studies by Horstmann' and Paffenbarger et al.' indicate that members of the family in which a case of poliomyelitis occurs become faecal carriers of virus about the same time irrespective of whether they contract an asymptomatic, abortive, non-paralytic, or paralytic infection. Two further reports' ' on family infections are of particular interest in demonstrating the simultaneous onset of infection. This is confirmed by recent studies based on the detection of viraemia and specific antibody response (antibody conversion) which pin-points the time of onset more accurately. In one series reported by Bodian and Paffenbarger' all the 61 child household contacts of paralysed cases became infected as determined by antibody conversion, but in a smaller series of 23 contacts at least six children still had no antibody to any of the three types of poliomyelitis virus one month later. Although the chances of infection are clearly great it cannot be assumed that all members of a household will in all instances develop natural infection followed by immunity. It is therefore advisable to immunize brothers and sisters of a child -attacked by poliomyelitis. If they are already immune further immunization will do no harm.


In this paper, a novel magnetic integrated Boost-forward converter based on Boost and Forward topology is proposed. This topology not only eliminates the right half plane zero point and input current ripple, but also reduces the volume and weight of the converter. The converter uses magnetic integration technology to increase power density. The magnetic integrated module includes an input inductor, an auxiliary inductor and a ripple cancellation inductor. The three inductors are coupled to the same magnetic core to achieve the purpose of magnetic integration. The proposed converter has the same voltage gain as the boost converter, but has no input current ripple and right half plane zero, which benefits from its special structure. Moreover, a prototype with an input of 60V and an output of 100V has been built and tested. Experimental results show that the proposed topology achieves right half plane zero point elimination and extremely low input current ripple. The simulation and experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed converter.


Though executives are limited to influence new product development projects directly, they greatly influence the success of new products indirectly by directing a firm's innovation activities. Drawing on strategic leadership theory, this study investigates how executives' strategic actions on innovation, i.e., encouragement to take risks, autonomy, and customer orientation, differentially affect new product performance in a non-linear fashion. In resolving the debate on whether and how executives play important roles in shaping different strategic actions for better new product performance, this study offers a more fine-grained perspective regarding what degree of intensity of each different strategic action on innovation is optimal and conducive to new product performance. Relying on dyadic data collected from marketing executives and project managers in the U.S. high-tech industries, the results show that new product development projects get most benefit if executives' support either very low or high le...


Efforts to control the rapid spread of leafy spurge have proven to be either too expensive or ineffective. Herbicides can provide partial control of the plant but effective treatment costs are prohibitive for use on wide spread infestations. Biological control methods using insects or pathogens have long-range potential but much research still needs to be conducted before these agents can be efficiently utilized.


On the basis of the analysis of structural characteristics and study of stratigraphy, and by using the principle and approach of wave process analysis, the authors set up the wave process equations in section of typical areas in the Tarim basin. It is shown that the unconformities S/AnS, D 3/AnD 3,T/AnT and J/AnJ which control the formation, migration, accumulation and conservation of oil and gas are of importance in the evolution of the Tarim basin. S/AnS was formed during the late caledonian orogeny and mainly distributed at the Tazhong,Bachu and Tabei Areas. The amount of erosion is great in the areas of Tazhong 18 and Tazhong 5(800~1000m), and becomes smaller to the south and north. T/AnT started at the end of the Permian and behaved extensively in the North of the Tarim basin. The contour of eroded thickness is along NW—SE and becomes smaller from NE to SW(2000m at areas of Ti1 and Cao 2100m at areas of Xuecan1 and Tazhong2. The amount of erosion is 100~600m in the Bachu Area and becomes greater to the NW from SE. J/AnJ is the result of Indochina movement, and the amount of erosion becomes greater from Tazhong to Tadong(200m to 2500m). The amount of erosion in the Bachu uplift becomes greater from SE to NW, and is more than 500~1000m in the most of Tabei uplift.


ABSTRACT This paper describes how various initiatives to develop SoTL culture can be inspired by the eight steps of Kotter's model of organizational change. The purpose of each step is to provide a set of probing questions for institutional leaders, academic developers, and faculty leaders on their roles to support this enculturation. Mapping Kotter's steps with this list of questions and potential initiatives may guide the process of weaving SoTL into a university's teaching and learning culture.


Introduction: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with a P2Y12 inhibitor added to aspirin is considered the standard of care for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous int...


Biographical information with regards to artist George Ackermann and discussion of his work in relation to its artistic and cultural context.


Environmental disclosure conveys non‐financial information primarily through narrative descriptions. The readability of such narratives affects the effectiveness of environmental communication and shapes information content. Prior research on the influence of institutional ownership on corporate disclosure strategy remains inconclusive due to the heterogeneity of institutional investors. In this study, we analyze a comprehensive sample of A‐share Chinese companies that issued corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports to examine the impact of institutional investors on the overall readability of environmental disclosure. Our findings indicate that long‐term institutional investors have a positive influence on the readability of environmental disclosure, while short‐term institutional investors do not show significant correlation with readability. Furthermore, corporate governance acts as a mediating factor in the relationship between long‐term institutional investors and readability. We also find that long‐term institutional investors can enhance firm value by improving the readability of environmental disclosures.


Driving involves visual exploration of the road environment and one important driving subtask is to look for road signs. We propose a new computational model of visual search saliency in natural scenes, as current ones are limited to laboratory situations. Relying on statistical learning algorithms, our algorithm captures the priors a driver learns on road signs appearance. It can also be applied to other kind of objects. The proposed algorithm is designed to develop a diagnostic system for the road signs saliency allowing to decide if drivers can noticed them well enough. We performed a psycho-visual experiment to asses our model, in a context close to driving, with a remote eye tracker. Subjects were asked to pretend they were drivers of the car from which the images were taken. In the first phase of the experiment, the subjects were asked to count for the "no entry" signs. In the second phase, they had to rate the saliency of each "no entry" sign. The statistical analysis showed that the proposed model is correlated to human behavior using objectives (detection rates and fixation's durations) and subjectives (scoring) indicators of the visual saliency of road signs.


This paper presents an autonomous docking system with novel integrated algorithms for mobile self-reconfigurable robots equipped with inexpensive sensors. A novel docking algorithm was developed to determine the initial distance and orientation of the two modules, and sensor models were established through experiments. Both Extended Kalman filter (EKF) and particle filter (PF) were deployed to fuse the measurements from IR and encoders and provide accurate estimates of orientation and distance. Simulation experiments were carried out first and then real experiments were conducted to verify the feasibility and good performance of the proposed docking algorithm and system. The proposed system provides a robust and reliable docking solution using low cost sensors.


Recreational surfing has been studied in Hawaii to develop criteria for the preservation, enhancement and design of surf sites. The criteria will aid in planning compatible uses of the coastal zone. Surfing characteristics and wave transformations were studied in the field and related to ocean bottom features at prime surf sites. A small scale, three dimensional, hydraulic model study was conducted to determine the effect that a given bottom feature had upon the surfing wave. A concept of a multiple-purpose surfing shoal to be compatible with several varied interests in the coastal zone was hypothesized from field, analytic, and model studies.


Music is the combination of melody, linguistic information and the vocalist's emotion. Since music is a work of art, analyzing emotion in music by computer is a difficult task. Many approaches have been developed to detect the emotions included in music but the results are not satisfactory because emotion is very complex. In this paper, the evaluations of audio features from the music files are presented. The extracted features are used to classify the different emotion classes of the vocalists. Musical features extraction is done by using (Music Information Retrieval) MIR tool box in this paper. The database of 100 music clips are used to classify the emotions perceived in music clips. Music may contain many emotions according to the vocalist's mood such as happy, sad, nervous, bored, peace etc. In this paper, the audio features related to the emotions of the vocalists are extracted to use in emotion recognition system based on music.


To the Editor: Professor Housman's article (Feb. 23 issue)1 succinctly covers many of the issues in the use of DNA typing in forensic settings. The movement of this method from research contexts to courtrooms has been rapid and controversial and has engendered misunderstanding. For example, prosecutors and judges have mistaken the probability of a sample match for the probability of guilt in presentations to juries. This so-called prosecutor's fallacy has led to convictions being overturned by higher courts.


Mushroom cultivation as a subsidiary occupation has great potential for sustaining rural livelihood. Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Patiala has always remained a leader in extending agricultural technologies in general and mushroom cultivation in particular to enhance the economic status of rural youth. KVK, Patiala has organized seven vocational training programmes (5 days duration) on mushroom cultivation to 146 participants from 2005-06 to 2009-2010. With a view to assess the effectiveness of such training programmes the present study was conducted to assess impact of training programmes in terms of adoption and continuation of mushroom units, the knowledge gain of the participants and constraints of the mushroom growers. A maximum adoption of 40.91 per cent was observed in the year 2008-09. Continuation of mushroom units showed the decreasing trend. Initially adoption was higher in case of trainees with non-farming background as compared to trainees with farming background but continuation of mushroom production units was higher in case of trainees with farming background as compared to trainees with non-farming background.  Among the various practices of mushroom cultivation maximum knowledge gain (52.2%) was observed in compost preparation. Aspect of disease and pest management was least understood by the participants (23.4%) followed by filling and spawning (37.3 %) so more emphasis should be given to these practices during training courses conducted by KVKs. As perceived by 55 mushroom growers major constraints faced by the mushroom growers were pertaining to higher cost of wheat straw, less remunerative enterprise, high incidence of nematodes, non-availability of good quality spawn, more labour intensive and lack of government policies.


The present invention provides methods and kinds of image capturing using the image capturing apparatus of this method. This method is suitable for image capture lens module having a first, a second angle of view based image capture apparatus lens module, the first module is larger than a second camera lens module, the method comprising: a first exposure time to improve and reduce the lens module photosensitive value and using the first camera module capturing a first image; reducing the exposure time of the second lens module and improve the photosensitive value, a second lens and a second image capturing module; a plurality of images are captured and the second image image characteristic, and accordingly determines the first image corresponding to the second image region; and finally, the second image is fused to the inner region of the image capturing and generating an output image.


A real time radiographic inspection facility has been developed for nondestructive evaluation applications. It consists of an X-ray source, an X-ray sensitive television imaging system, an electronic analog image processing system, and a digital image processing system. The digital image processing system is composed of a computer with the necessary software to drive the overall facility. Descriptions are given of the design strategy, the facility's components, and its current capabilities.


The Permo-Triassic unconformity is perhaps the most important hiatus in the Appalachian-Variscan orogen, embracing both the terminal phase of plate consolidation and the onset of plate break-up that culminated in the opening of the central Atlantic Ocean. Yet events documenting this critical tectonic reversal have been obscured or erased through erosion, non-deposition and/or deep burial. Now for the first time in the Appalachians a potential post-Middle Permian to pre-late Triassic rift sequence has been identified through a three-dimensional seismic grid, in the Durham basin, North Carolina. This Permo-Triassic synrift sequence unconformably overlies the Carolina Slate belt with its metamorphic overprint of 265 Ma, and underlies a dated Late Triassic synrift sequence with a pronounced angular unconformity. Other geophysical data indicate that these Permo-Triassic strata are mildly metamorphosed or tightly indurated, and thus are similar in age and deformational state to a thermally altered pre-Late Triassic synrift sequence with Permian to Middle Triassic palynomorphs in the Deep Run Basin, Virginia (200 km north of the Durham Basin), as described by Robbins and Weems (1988). These new findings extend the zone of Late Paleozoic extension across Variscan-Alleghanian orogen from Europe, Africa and the northern Appalachians to the southern Appalachians. The picture thusmore » emerging for the Permo-Triassic hiatus is one in which thermal metamorphism and rapid uplift was occurring in the tectonized lower crust, while incipient rifting, heating, tectonic inversion and perhaps orographic collapse was occurring in the highly elevated upper crust.« less


Gastroduodenal pathology, functional disorders and inflammatory diseases of the biliary tract take leading position among the diseases of the digestive system in children. Precisely these clinical forms are more intensive then other nosology. Continuous screening questionnaire of 786 children aged 1.5 to 7 years was carried out to study the prevalence and risk factors for diseases of the digestive system in children. Based on retrieved data was determined that 47,1 ± 3,5% of children had symptoms of gastro-intestinal tract and biliary system diseases. They met 2.3 times more often in children aged 4 to 7 years, than in children from 1.5 to 3 years old. Immerced examination revealed that the incidence of dyskinesia of the biliary tract was 33 ± 3,3%, chronic gastritis (CG) and gastroduodenitis (GDD) — 6,2 ± 1,8%, chronic cholecystitis — 4,2 ± 1,4%, functional disorders of the stomach (FGD) — 2,8 ± 1,2% and duodenal ulcer (DU) — 0,3 ± 0,4% of cases. In the structure of digestive diseases in children from 1.5 to 7 years in the first place were DBT — 70%, the second — CGD and CG — 14.7% — the third chronic cholecystitis — 8.9%, the fourth — FGD — 5.9% and in fifth place — DU—0.5% of cases. At the care record in the pediatric clinic with diseases of the digestive system were registered only 7,9 ± 1,9% of children, which is 5.9 times lower accordinig to data of active diagnostic. The leading medical and social risk factors and their complex influence on the formation of digestive diseases in infants and preschool children.


The fatty acids components of medlar were studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry,using CH3OH(10%H2SO4)-C6H14 as the methyl esterification solvent,the direct methyl esterification of fatty acids components in the Chinese material under the microwave-assisted conditions.According to GC/MS standard mass spectrometry database index combined with the regular patterns of organic spectrometry,the structure elucidation of the straight chain saturated fatty acids,single unsaturated fatty acids and double unsaturated fatty acids were analyzed.The novel method was established that can ascertain carbon atom number and double bond number in fatty acids using characteristic ions.The fatty acids components are quantified by the accuracy of area percent method.21 fatty acids components are identified,accounting for 93.794% of the total components.


Client controlling remote server is usual for industry automation. A monitor software adopted C/S frame and based on improved algorithms of compressed image are designed that client computer perform actions of remote server. This software realizes that one client computer can execute mouse and keyboard actions of multiple servers.


Audio source separation models are typically evaluated using objective separation quality measures, but rigorous statistical methods have yet to be applied to the problem of model comparison. As a result, it can be difficult to establish whether or not reliable progress is being made during the development of new models. In this paper, we provide a hypothesis-driven statistical analysis of the results of the recent source separation SiSEC challenge involving twelve competing models tested on separation of voice and accompaniment from fifty pieces of "professionally produced" contemporary music. Using non-parametric statistics, we establish reliable evidence for meaningful conclusions about the performance of the various models.


This paper discusses a graph based route solving algorithm to find the optimal path for an electric vehicle picking the best charging locations among thousands to minimize the total cumulative driving distance between the end points of the trip. To this end, we have devised a combinatorial optimization algorithm and a fixed storage graph topology construction for the graph road network of the continental USA. We have also re-purposed our existing Dijkstra solver to reduce the computational cost of many shortest path solves involved in the algorithm. An adaptive and light weight spatial search structure is also devised for finding a set of prospective stations at each charging location using uniform bins and double link associations. The entire algorithm is implemented as yet another multi-threaded at-scale graph solver within the suite of Kinetica-Graph analytics, exposed as a restful API endpoint and operable within SQL. Several example trips are solved and the results are demonstrated within the context.


To the Editor. —The technique of fluorescein angioscopy has been used by ophthalmologists to supplement ophthalmoscopy in the diagnosis of retinal diseases. 1,2 The usual technique consists of the intravenous injection of fluorescein sodium following placement of a cobalt blue filter over the illumination source of the indirect ophthalmoscope. The blue light excites the fluorescein, which and this is then visualized in the fundus as a green color. This technique has been used to identify leaking neovascularization, to diagnose cystoid macular edema, to identify nonperfusion of the retina, and to view lesions of the peripheral fundus when fluorescein angiography cannot provide adequate visualization. In patients with opacities in the media (eg, cataract or vitreous hemorrhage) that make fluorescein angiography impossible, fluorescein angioscopy may still allow localization of leaking lesions, such as neovascularization. This is particularly helpful for peripheral retinal lesions, and may allow treatment such as transscleral cryotherapy. The


The study described in this paper deals with an issue of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and also with sensors integration within UAV system. The specific sensor is a low-cost barometric altimeter and its usage as a vertical speedometer. The whole study is based on UAV system knowledge and consequential Matlab simulation


Some special industries are very sensitive to electromagnetic interference caused by harmonics,over-voltage,short cuts,voltage sharply,voltage sag in grid.In order to solve the power quality problems,we first need to detect the disturbance voltage wave and the information.In order to overcome this problem in all kinds of algorithms in real-time and accurate,we introduced a mathematical morphology(mm) theory based low-pass filter and the "Selective Harmonic Elimination" method to filter out noises,high frequent harmonics and low frequent harmonics in transient power quality,and abstracted the base frequent component.Accordingly,with the improvement of traditional dq transformation matrix,a selective harmonic abstraction filtering algorithm was introduced.The simulation has verified the practicability of the algorithm.The proposed algorithm for the power system harmonic analysis provides a new way of thinking.


One of the most important characteristics of porous concrete is the ability to capture and transport water. The permeability of porous concrete is therefore needs to be evaluated. This paper will investigate various methods for testing the permeability of porous concrete and compares the different results from falling head and constant head tests. The hydraulic theories were then applied into the analysis to determine the permeability of the porous concrete samples.


The article presents one of the possible solutions to the problem of controlling the movement of raw materials in the warehouse of an industrial enterprise. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to improve the management of material and information flows of the enterprise. One of the important directions is to increase the efficiency of operations management in the warehouse of an industrial enterprise. The solution to the problem is proposed by designing an automated information system for monitoring the receipt and movement of raw materials in the warehouse, which will allow you to monitor the process of receiving and storing raw materials, store and analyze data for any period of time, and search for the necessary information according to various selection criteria. The article substantiates the relevance of creating and implementing an automated information system in the activities of enterprises in order to increase their competitiveness. The introduction of an automated information system will provide an opportunity to reduce management costs by freeing up human resources and maintaining operational records of business transactions. Considering the possibility of integrating modules of ready-made solutions for the introduction of an automated raw material accounting system at an enterprise, the authors carried out a comparative analysis of some workflow automation systems. The study is based on a general scientific methodology, which provides for the application of a systematic approach to solving problems of improving the manageability of an enterprise. In this regard, the methodologies of structural and object-oriented approaches to the analysis, design and implementation of design solutions were used as research methods. The authors in the paper presented in detail a description of the key modules of the automated system for controlling the movement of raw materials in the warehouse. The results of the study can be used to develop recommendations for improving the activities of the warehouse of a manufacturing enterprise.


Context Aware Mobile Learning (CAML) provides learning material tailored to the need and particular circumstances of the learner. This paper proposes a reference architecture named Ref-CAMLA to support the development of future CAML applications that would help in achieving; standardization, reduce development cost, and shorter time to market. The evaluation results indicate that Ref-CAMLA contains the necessary elements required of the reference architecture and solves the motivated problem in this research.


The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) is a statewide education program located in the Midwest of the United States. The goal of the program is to leverage teacher education to improve and increase energy literacy in Wisconsin's K-12 schools as a means of contributing to statewide energy savings. Created in 1995, the program continues to effectively reach out to and educate teachers, and receive significant stakeholder support. Over 5,500 teachers in Wisconsin have availed themselves of KEEP support services and materials, including 2,124 teachers of the middle grade years. A key reason for the success of the program is periodic and ongoing assessments that inform and guide program development and ensure customer and stakeholder satisfaction. These assessments also serve to provide insights into program effectiveness, helping to determine if goals and objectives are being met. This overview will highlight a number of the assessments of KEEP that have taken place over the past 18 years and provide insights into how other teacher educators can use these strategies to ensure their program success.The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) is a state-based program administered by the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE) located in the College of Natural Resources of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Since its beginning in 1995, KEEP's primary source of program funding has come directly and indirectly through utility rate-payer dollars. These funds are matched with support from the uni1 versity and supplemental grants. Millions of dollars have been invested in KEEP, and program assessments have helped ensure this funding has resulted in a growing number of teachers who are learning how to improve and increase their energy education.The impetus for creating KEEP in Wisconsin began in the early 1990s. In 1994, the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education completed a statewide environmental literacy assessment. The WCEE is a state-government legislated organization created in 1990 to improve environmental education in the state of Wisconsin. The assessment comprised an administrative needs assessment, a teacher survey of perceived competencies, and student environmental literacy assessments. A wide range of findings was gained from the study, among them that students' knowledge of important energy concepts was lacking, and teacher indication of the need for additional professional development and support materials. Another notable finding of the teacher survey was that the number of professional development courses taken served as a good predictor for the amount of class time a teacher devoted to teaching about the environment. These conclusions motivated the WCEE to seek and secure funding to create an energy education program for teacher professional development.The source of initial funding was the Energy Center of Wisconsin (Energy Center), a nonprofit energy-efficiency research organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. To confirm the need for its support, the Energy Center conducted a study in 1998 that consisted of a baseline survey of fourth- through 12th-grade students. The study found that many students lacked the knowledge characteristic of energy literacy. For example, just over half of the students in seventh through 12th grades knew that the sun was the source of energy on Earth. Only 12% of fourth-sixth grade students surveyed knew the definition of conduction, convection, and radiation. Well under half (38%) of the respondents in Grades 7-12 acknowledged that conservation was a solution to energy shortages (HaglerBailly, 1998).The Energy Center's baseline study also assessed teachers' perceived competencies in teaching about energy; it found that only 12% of the respondents indicated that they were competent in energy education. In fact, of the teachers who completed the survey, 49% indicated that lack of background knowledge was the number one reason why teachers do not include energy topics in their classroom teaching. …


This paper describes elements of an integrated modeling approach to human behavior and energy consumption. Developing a sustainable society is a key aspect of international security, and understanding the areas where consumption and carbon emissions can be reduced is essential. We employ statistical analysis of residential energy consumption in the US and other countries to describe the underlying patterns of energy use, and provide international comparisons at an aggregate level.


Richard W. Casteel and George I. Quimby, eds. Maritime Adaptations of the Pacific. The Hague and Paris: Mouton Publishers, 1975. Distributed in North America by Aldine Publishing Company, x + 319 pp. Tables, figures, biographical notes, and index. $28.50.


Aims:  To assess clinical outcomes for women undergoing induction of labour either for fetal anomaly or following intrauterine fetal death using intravaginal misoprostol.


Grid computing leverages and generalizes distributed computing by focusing on large scale resource sharing for high performance and innovative applications. Those applications require the simultaneous or successive use of various grid resources. An important problem that faces Grid computing is then to ensure the timed access to various resources. One possible way to achieve this is to negotiate some service level agreement between the application and the infrastructure. This is called Advanced Reservations (AR). This paper focuses on this important problem. We take the rationale of a Grid resource broker which maximizes its utility with respect to incoming demands for resource access. We define two new algorithms for this. The first one computes optimal solutions through a problem decomposition strategy while the second one uses greedy exploration to quickly find a solution.


Eleven patients with bilateral loss and 14 with unilateral loss of caloric response were examined clinically. The patients with bilateral loss had more frequent vertigo attacks than did those with unilateral loss. Ten patients (91%) with bilateral loss and five patients (36%) with unilateral loss had bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Five patients (45%) with bilateral loss showed "vestibular recruitment", and the caloric response of these patients fluctuated. Only one patient (7%) with unilateral loss showed "vestibular recruitment".


The role of robots in automatic assembly as viewed by industry in Japan, including some of the major robot makers, is reported by John Hartley.


In this research, in an effort to illuminate the perception of the franchise'value and the development direction by some leading people who...


The invention discloses an arrangement system and an arrangement method of bus green wave signals controlling bus station stop time and road section driving speed. By pre-controlling station stop time of buses, inducing road section driving speed of the buses and adjusting phase difference of adjacent signalized intersection, bus green wave driving is achieved. The method is that firstly, bus route basic information, bus system operation data, intersection signal control schemes and other basic data are collected, then bus station stop time and the intersection signal control schemes are pre-arranged, and finally, road section driving speed of the buses is induced, and bus green wave driving is achieved. According to the arrangement method, on the basis of bus system operation conditions, the station stop time of the buses is pre-arranged, the intersection signal control phase difference is adjusted, road section driving speed of the buses is induced in a real time mode, and therefore bus green wave driving is achieved. The method is simple and convenient to operate, strong in practicability and capable of being widely used in engineering practice.


A large section of salt bed is contented in Tarim region Piedmont which constructs complex geological conditions. For high-pressure gas well cementing difficulties from the region, high density cement slurry system has been researched through reasonable level of particle size distribution and second weighting up. The results of laboratory tests and field applications show that the high density cementing slurry system is available to Tarim region cementing because this system has a well performance in slurry stability, gas breakthrough control, fluidity, water loss, and strength.


IVUS opened new perspectives in our understanding of human coronary atherosclerosis and triggers of ACS (especially plaque rupture as its most dominant cause). Throughout this chapter we list the shortcomings of conventional (greyscale) IVUS to characterize tissue components of plaques and the potentials of radiofrequency signal processing to overcome these. In recent years, the technology matured, and especially with VH and IB-IVUS, many clinical studies showed accurate plaque estimation. Results of a prospective, natural history study have just been presented and proved the ability of VH to predict ACS. Palpography derives compositional information from functional (strain) measurements. Assessing several characteristics of a given plaque could potentially enhance invasive risk stratification by identifying very high-risk plaques, thereby reducing the number of vulnerable plaques that need to be serially followed and ultimately treated. Moreover, if a safe prophylactic local treatment was available, a sophisticated IVUS procedure would be a part of a "one-stop-shop" in preventive cardiology.


Nearly 677,000 consumers participated in the 2009 Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) program, also known as "Cash for Clunkers". The program offered financial incentives to scrap older, inefficient cars and light trucks and replace them with new, more fuel-efficient vehicles. This report investigates the decisions of the program participants and the fuel efficiency of the vehicles purchased. It was found that vehicles purchased under the program were more efficient than the typical vehicle in the market, but the differences translated to only modest fuel economy gains. Vehicles averaged 2.4 miles per gallon (mpg) higher than the market as a whole and 2.9 mpg higher than vehicles which participants would have otherwise purchased. Results show that it was easy for a CARS participant to find a qualifying vehicle, as approximately 68% of the new car and light truck market was available. On average, the program paid $4200 for its fuel economy gains. The primary goal of CARS was economic stimulus, however, the authors contend that by setting more demanding vehicle requirements, lawmakers could have increased the fuel economy benefits of the program while still preserving the positive effect on the economy.


objects of clinical concern in postnatal life, prenatal influences truly play a major role in the formation of the deciduous teeth and a role at least as important, though variable, in the formation of many of the permanent teeth. Besides the evidence from experimental studies, wherein vitamin deficiencies or excesses during gestation are found to have covert effects on the postnatal development of the teeth and jaws, there is wide clinical evidence that interference with the course of prenatal growth during periods of cortisone therapy or as a result of the use of folic acid antagonists may interfere with normal tooth formation. Under these circumstances, it is well to reconsider the array of prenatal and perinatal influences so that better epidemiologic and experimental research will result.


7Be, 210Pb and 137Cs activity concentrations in ground level air at five
 monitoring stations (MS Vinca, Zeleno Brdo, Zajecar, Vranje and Zlatibor) in
 Serbia were determined during the period from May 2011. to September 2012.,
 as part of the project monitoring of Serbia. Activity of the radionuclides in
 air was determined on an HPGe detector (Canberra, relative efficiency 20 %)
 by standard gamma spectrometry. Concentrations of cosmogenic 7Be, ranged from
 1.5 to 8.8 mBq m-3 and exhibit maxima in the spring/summer period. The
 maximum concentrations for 210Pb were generally obtained in the fall for all
 investigated locations, and concentrations were in range 3.6 - 30 × 10-4 Bq
 m-3. The activity concentrations of anthropogenic 137Cs in ground level air,
 during the observed period, were at level 0.3 - 8 μBq m-3. The variations in
 7Be/210Pb activity ratio for the investigated stations are also presented.
 [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III43009]


The use of cross-correlation between seismic stations has had widespread applications particularly in the exploitation of ambient seismic noise. We here show how the effects of a non-ideal noise distribution can be understood by looking directly at correlation properties and show how the behaviour can be readily visualised for both seismometer and DAS configurations, taking into account directivity effects.  For sources lying in a relatively narrow cone around the extension of the inter-station path, the dispersion properties of the correlation relate directly to the zone between the stations.  We illustrate the successful use of correlation analysis for both a large-N array perpendicular to a major highway and DAS cable along a busy road.  For correlation work, the co-array consisting of the ensemble of inter-station vectors provides an effective means of assessing the behaviour of array layouts, supplementing the standard plane-wave array response. When combined with knowledge of the suitable correlation zones for noise sources, the co-array concept provides a useful way to design array configurations for both seismometer arrays and DAS.


THESIS 8408%%%%Acquisition and consolidation of newly-acquired information is essential for
formation of long-lasting memories, and both these processes may share common
signaling pathways. The neurotrophins NGF, BDNF, NTS and NT4 have diverse
functions in the adult brain, including learning and memory. Their biological effects are
elicited by binding to Trk receptors and activation o f the ERK/MAPK pathway or the
PI3K/AKT pathway which is believed to mediate protein synthesis, which has previously
been identified as an essential process in memory formation (Kelly et al., 2003). In this
study we investigated the roles of neurotrophins in both acquisition and consolidation of
recognition memory by using neutralising antibodies against each neurotrophin isoform.
An object recognition task was used to test acquisition and consolidation of
memory; rats were tested 10min and 24hr after training to discriminate experimentally
between acquisition and consolidation respectively. Rats treated with the pan-Trk
antagonist tyrphostin AG879 were unable to discriminate between the novel and the
familiar object at both 10min and 24hr when compared with controls, suggesting Trk
receptor activation is required for both acquisition and consolidation, in contrast, rats
treated with anti-BDNF, anti-NGF and anti-NT4/5 displayed comparable learning to
control rats at the 10min timepoint, but displayed learning impairments 24hr later.
Treatment with anti-NT3 had no effect on learning at either timepoint.


This experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of undegradable dietary protein (UDP) level on milk production and composition of 24 lactating dairy cows. Treatments consisted of T0: ) control diet without UDP (forage and concentrate were offered in total mixed ration); T1: control diet without UDP (forage and concentrate were offered separately); T2: control diet + UDP 40 gr/L milk + mineral mix; and T3: control diet + UDP 60 gr/L milk + mineral mix. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the differences between treatment means were examined by duncan multiple range test (DMRT). The results showed that UDP supplementation significantly (p<0.05) affected nutrient consumption (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and total digestible nutrient). In addtion, UDP supplementation significantly increased milk production and 4% FCM production (p<0.05). A higher level of milk production and 4% FCM yielad in animals fed with T2 and T3. Thus, UDP supplementation may be an alternative supplement for the lactating dairy cows.


The invention relates to a driver assistance apparatus and a vehicle. The driver assistance apparatus includes a stereo camera, a memory to store road surface data regarding a state of a road surface classified into a dry state, a wet state, a snow covered state, and an icy state, and a processor to classify the state of the road surface as any one of the dry state, the wet state, the snow covered state, and the icy state based on stereo images received from the stereo camera and the road surface data. Consequently, it is possible to recognize a current road surface state.


This volume is part of a continuing effort to explore the problems of the present systems of American railroads and to provide solutions. Among these concerns are achieving greater cooperation from labor, more progressive marketing and better utilization of plant and equipment.


We have investigated comparative experiments for spin injection into semiconductor in an ordered L10-FePt/MgO/n-GaAs hybrid structure using electrical and optical detection methods. Spatial-resolved Kerr rotation microscope image clearly demonstrates accumulation of perpendicularly oriented spins in an n-GaAs channel at zero magnetic field. On the other hand, electrical three-terminal Hanle measurement shows shorter spin lifetime than that of the optical measurement. It suggests that the spin lifetime obtained from three-terminal Hanle method originates from spins at the MgO/GaAs interface but not in the bulk GaAs channel.


Abstract A shunt type RF MEMS switch design and analysis are presented in this paper for tunable applications. Switch operations are based on the principle of electrostatic actuation. The electromechanical and electromagnetic simulation tests were contrasted with the hypothetical measured switch parameters. The effect of different materials such as conductor and dielectrics & parameters such as air gap, beam width on the switch's electromechanical parameters is analyzed to obtain low pull-in voltage, high switching speed, better capacitance ratio, return loss, insertion loss, and insulation loss. The condition capacitance of the turn up and down is 40.9fF and 4.45pF respectively. The switch's down to state capacity ratio is 108.69. The designed switch has a 32V voltage of actuation. Simulation of RF output from 1-10GHz. The return loss in the ON state shift (switch) is-35dB, the insertion loss is-0.1dB. There is a return loss of -1dB in the OFF-state switch and a loss of -11dB in isolation.


It is disclosed in the CI (G) S-based thin film produced by the method and a method of manufacturing the solar cell CI (G) S-based thin film using a flux having a melting point of a low temperature. Production method of the CI (G) S-based thin film of the present invention, CI (G) S based steps for producing the nanoparticles (step a); CI (G) to prepare a slurry with a melting point S based nanoparticles comprising a flux in the range of 30 ~ 400 ℃ (step b); A step of non-vacuum coating the slurry on a substrate in which a CI (G) S-based precursor thin film (step c); CI (G) drying the S-based precursor thin film (step d); And CI (G) (step e) the heat treatment selenide using the S-based precursor thin films of selenium vapor; It includes. In this way, while reducing the manufacturing cost and the selenide heat treatment at a lower temperature in a conventional CI (G) S-based thin film can be formed of, can be made sufficiently thin the crystal growth at low temperatures.


Adipose tissue dysfunction is central to insulin resistance, and the emergence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with elevated levels of carbonyl metabolites from glucose metabolism. In this study, using methylglyoxal (MGO) and glycolaldehyde (GAD) carbonyl metabolites, induced protein glycation leading to misfolding and β-sheet formation and generation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The formed AGEs compromise adipocytes activity. Microscopic and spectroscopic assays were used to examine the impact of MGO and GAD on lipid droplet - associated proteins. The results provide information about how glycation leads to the appearance of amyloidogenic proteins formation that hinders metabolism and autophagy in adipocytes. We measured the beneficial effects of metformin, an anti-diabetic drug, on misfolded protein as assessed by thioflavin (ThT) spectroscopy and improved autophagy. In vitro findings were complemented by in vivo analysis of white adipose tissue (WAT), where lipid droplet-associated β-amyloid deposits were predominantly linked to adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), a lipid droplet protein. Bioinformatics, imaging, and biochemical methods affirm ATGL's role in β-sheet secondary structure creation. Our results highlighted the pronounced presence of amyloidogenic proteins in adipocytes treated with carbonyl compounds, potentially reshaping our understanding of adipocyte pathology in the context of T2D. This in-depth exploration offers novel perspectives on related pathophysiology and underscores the potential of adipocytes as pivotal therapeutic targets, bridging T2D, amyloidosis, protein glycation, and adipocyte malfunction. Significance Statement The generation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has a strong connection to diabetes severity . Adipose tissue is known to play a key role in the metabolic impairment and obesity associated with diabetes. We used the carbonyl compounds methylglyoxal (MGO) and glycolaldehyde (GAD) to create AGEs in adipocytes. The results of this study indicate that glycation not only affects cell metabolism and impairs adipocyte lipolysis, but also alters autophagy and increases protein amyloid deposits related to the membrane of lipid droplets. We identify the ATGL as a protein prone to β sheet alteration. consequently, ATGL emerges as a pivotal actor in lipid droplet metabolism and a prospective therapeutic target for T2D complications.


Participatory processes have been used in development programs for many years to target and include the rural poor (Chambers 1-293). They have been deployed in rural East Africa to identify and ensure inclusion of the poorest households as well as to understand "locally relevant dimensions of poverty" (Hargreaves, Morison, et. al. 212229) Assessing the effectiveness of community-based qualitative approaches is critical to field program design. Village Enterprise, an International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) that specializes in microenterprise development for the rural poor in East Africa, employs a mixed methods targeting approach using Participatory Wealth Ranking (PWR) and Progress out of Poverty Index survey (PPI). This combined approach offers a unique opportunity to assess the validity of the PWR targeting methodology and to open the discussion of an end-of-project PWR as a potential evaluation tool as well. Village Enterprise staff use the PWR process first to identify qualified households within a village, working with village opinion leaders both to develop characteristics of four categories of relative wealth (wealthy, moderate, poor, very poor) and to place households in quadrants. Field staff then follow up by administering country-specific PPI surveys to households in the PWR 'poor' and 'very poor' categories to verify the likelihood that each household is living in poverty. This mix of processes helps to confirm the village socioeconomic stratification and to validate the ability of the PWR to find and include the poor (Van Campenhout 406-438). This paper will compare the number of qualifying households in PPI surveys of 5,724 households placed in the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories from PWRs conducted in each of the 46 villages across Uganda. Using Village Enterprise data, this paper seeks to understand: 1) if PWR is an effective initial ("baseline") tool for successfully targeting the poorest members of a rural village; and 2) if PWR should also be applied at program conclusion "end line" for qualitative evaluation purposes. Regarding targeting, initial analysis indicates that PWR does successfully identify poor households within a village, but must be followed up with verification. For end-of-project evaluation, early comparisons suggest that an endline PWR could be important as it would put impact on households in the context of community observations and movements. When applied PWRs can be used as a valid tool for identifying households in extreme poverty, a rapid means of assessing village level socio-economic diversity, and a useful post-program evaluation process. 1 Originally developed by The Grameen Bank as a straightforward, statistically sound way to determine the likelihood that a household is living in poverty. Each PPI survey is country-specific and includes 10 questions about asset ownership, household health, housing materials, and education to ascertain the likelihood that a household is living in extreme poverty. Each question is scored, and then the total score for all 10 questions correlates to a probability that the household lives in extreme poverty.


SMEs are small and medium enterprises owned by individuals or individual business entities. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have an important role in supporting the national economy. Therefore, SMEs need to get attention from the government and academics. Various processed food products are produced by SMEs. Lontong is one of the staple food products that we often encounter and consume. Lontong is made from rice wrapped in plastic, banana leaves and boiled. The majority of Lontong business owners continue to produce their goods using firewood and improvised tools. As a result, the quality and production capacity remain low. However, on this occasion the researchers conducted research on the mini Lontong UKM located in the village of Pond, Kab. Deli Serdang Kec. Percut Sei Tuan here, researchers see the production process for making rice cake at Mrs. Risna's house. The manufacturing process is very modern because it uses modern cooking utensils, namely using a gas stove and the cooking process takes 6 hours faster. The mini size of the lontong and the cheap and economical price makes it attractive for the public to buy the product and the owner distributes it to markets and online media such as social media and other online media.
Keywords : Lontong UKM, Productivity, Production Marketing


Application of complex approach to the creation of holistic educational platform of project activities in the field of energy efficiency. The well-known personal-oriented methods of quality assurance of educational services are used as the basic factors of creating a complex set of skills, knowledge and competencies in the sphere of energy efficiency and an innovative process of obtaining them for students with different basic professional level. The realization of project-oriented educational platform involves the use of personalized learning technologies with the use of base of engineering and scientific projects to increase energy efficiency; allows forming elastically the content of the modules of multi-level training of students with a unique set of practical skills, knowledge and competences for each using the innovative process of obtaining them. The basic principles of educational platform for project activities in the field of energy efficiency creating are formed, the components of which have a multi-level structure for training and advanced training, implemented in the form of interconnected modules, courses, trainings that allowing to choose an individual educational trajectory for the hearer, taking into account the direction of specialization and professional interests.


In this post Dr. Heather Green, Senior Lecturer, considers the law setting the franchise for the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, which takes place on 23 June of this year. She argues that lawful residence should determine the right to vote, rather than the possession of a UK passport.


The scattering of a plane electromagnetic wave from a dielectric or metallic sphere external to another one, also dielectric or metallic, of electrically small radius, is examined. The method of separation of variables is used, in conjunction with translational addition theorems for spherical vector wave functions. Analytical expressions are obtained for the scattered field and the various scattering cross-sections. Numerical results are given for dielectric and metallic spheres and for various values of the parameters.


The essay introduces the writer's view on how to guide the students to carry out explorative study effectively. According to the writer, the choice of the research subject is very important. Openness should be displayed during the process of choosing subject and researching. The essay also emphasizes that it is very important to have the students involve into the learning process of explorative study.


OBJECTIVE
To study the chemical constituents of Myristica yunnanensis.

METHOD
Compounds were isolated using silica gel and reversed-phase C18 column chromatography, their structure were identified by means of spectral method.

RESULT
Five known compounds were identified as otobain(I), beta-sitosterol(II), ergosterol(III), afzelin(IV) and quercetrin(V).

CONCLUSION
Compounds IV and V were isolated first from Myristica.


in that at first it was believedthat this might have been a case of death due to natural causes, coming within the group of cases designated as Reye's syndrome. Hyperpyrexia or heat stroke is neither a common nor a fashionable diagnosis in Australia despite the presence of climatic conditions and of occupations conducive to it. It is likely that it occurs more often than it is recognized. The influenceof high environmental temperatures on children and their sensitivity to heat and to dehydration are well known, but there are few well documented clinical records of heat stroke. The clinical features of heat stroke and the important diagnostic signs need to be appreciated if preventive or curative measures are to be taken. The aspects of this case which make it worth recording medically are: the diagnostic problem posed, particularly with the concealment of the train of events which preceded the first presentation of the child for medical treatment; the post-mortem features and their relation to Reye's syndrome; and the doubt cast on the syndrome as a meaningful entity by the findings in this case. The diagnosis of heat stroke was not established until some time after death, largely owing to the fact that the history given to the treatment doctors was deliberately falsified, and at postmortem examination the macroscopic pathological appearances were those of Reye's syndrome. Reye's syndrome was first described by Reye, Morgan and Baral in 1963. 1 The basis for its being diagnosed initially in this patient would seem to be the post-mortem findings of an oedematous brain and a bright yellow fatty liver. As Macpherson points out, whether this syndrome is a specific entity has been seriously questioned, and the occurrence of its two most typical attributes in this case would support the view that there is no specific aetiology for the condition, but 1hat it represents the final common path of a number of disease processes. The effect of prolonged intensive resuscitation as occurred in this case also needs appraisal in terms of the postmortem findings. The record is also of unique interest in that there was a finding by the Judge in the trial courts of criminal negligence against the herbalist, who presented himself as having the powers of a medical practitioner and being able to effect near miraculous cures. It is interesting to recall that it was the activities of this herbalist that had earlier led to an amendment to the Medical Practitioners Act in Victoria, making it an offence for anyone, apart from a medical practitioner, to claim the ability to cure cancer. The complexity of this case from a clinical viewpoint was confusing enough to the medical practitioners consulted. But it posed real problems to the Prosecuting Barrister, who did not have the benefit of a medical education. During the court case extensive discussion took place concerning the legal aspects of criminal negligence and the nature of proof which would be required for such a finding to be arrived at. At the same time the Judge and the Barrister for the Defence went to great pains to ensure that the accused's case was not prejudiced by his having been branded a quack and by the fact that he was not a registered medical practitioner. The finding in this case would doubtless set a precedent in future courts, and it is reassuring to note that, despite the legal difficulties, it was possible for a verdict of criminal negligence to be brought in. This case was further complicated by the agreement of the parents, who in fact physically carried out the directions given


Image segmentation using transition region has been quite effective for grayscale images in recent years. Application of transition region for color image segmentation is a new prospective. So, we propose a novel approach for colour image segmentation containing single and multiple objects using transition region. The proposed method decomposes the colour image into its respective colour components red, green and blue. For each component, a global threshold and local variance is used to extract the transition regions. The transition region, thus obtained undergoes morphological operation to get object contours. The morphological filling operation is employed on object contours to extract object regions. The intersection of results for individual object regions provide the exact object regions. Finally, the objects are extracted using the object regions. The performance of the proposed method is compared with different methods for single and multiple object segmentation on color images and simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Since the introduction of the thermionic valve amplifier, the science of acoustics has been revolutionized and the need for accuracy in the measurement of acoustical quantities is becoming ever more important. The measurement of the intensity of sound has always presented grave difficulties, and while, at the present time, we possess several instruments with which intensities may be compared with considerable accuracy, the absolute measurement of intensity is still subject to a great deal of uncertainty. One of the most attractive methods of making such measurements was first proposed by the late Lord Rayleigh (1882) and is generally known as the Rayleigh disk method. When a thin circular disk is situated in a fluid stream, it experiences a torque tending to twist it so that its axis shall He in the direction of the stream.


Auxin-induced pea (Pisum sativum) stem section elongation is enhanced at levels of 3 to 40 micromolar by six new classes of alkane derivatives additional to those described earlier, provid-ing that length of their molecules exceeds 20 A. Increasingly longer homologous series of alkyl chlorides, bromides and iodides, alkyl benzenes, dialkyl ethers, and sulfides show a logarithmically linear increase in specific activity above this length, reaching an optimum near 28 to 30 A. Longer dialkyl ethers and sulfides are less effective, while steroids, or alkanes with substituents at both ends, are ineffective. Molecular Lengths. For calculations of the length of the lipid molecules, the techniques and assumptions of Vandenheuvel


The chromatographic behaviour on silicic acid columns of phosphatidylserine has been previously reported (Hanahan, Dittmer & Warashina, 1957; Marinetti, Erbland & Stotz, 1958; Macfarlane, Gray & Wheeldon, 1960). From these and other studies it may be concluded that phosphatidylserine is eluted together with the ethanolaminecontaining phospholipids from silicic acid by a solvent containing 10-20% (by vol.) of methanol in chloroform, and that there is no satisfactory separation of these two types of phospholipid. A statement on the elution pattern of brain phosphatidylserine on an alumina column has also appeared (Barkhan, Flute & Rhodes, 1957). Long, Shapiro & Staples (1960) have reported that the phosphatidylserine of rat brain is very strongly adsorbed on alumina, whereas the whole of the ethanolamine-containing phospholipid is readily eluted by a chloroform-methanol solvent mixture containing 8-14% (by vol.) of water (Long & Staples, 1961 b). Elution of the phosphatidylserine could only be effected by the use of an alkaline solvent, albeit with some decomposition. Final purification was achieved by subsequent chromatography of the eluted material on silicic acid. The present paper describes the detailed procedure for isolating about 70% of the serine-containing phospholipids present in a brain extract. The material is free from other contaminating lipids.


In this essay,  I argue that, for the most part, hybridity is a state of confusion or complication rather than a state of empowerment. Because diasporic individuals experience a constant state of flux, the state of hybridity can be considered a fluid state of being that allows contestation, negotiation, and (re)creation of cultural identities. Consequently, diasporic individuals—particularly queer diasporic people—carve out physical, psychological, or cyber locations (homes) where they exist simultaneously within their host, diasporic, and queer cultures.


The main issue faced when manufacturing a high-accuracy large flat mirror is measurement accuracy. It is difficult to measure a large flat mirror because interferometers require light reflected from the test surface to be focused back into the instrument in order to analyze the wavefront. Since a flat surface has no power, it is difficult to measure unless the collimated beam from the interferometer and the reference optic are as large as the flat. For meter-class flat mirrors, the cost of this system quickly becomes prohibitive. Another issue that affects the production of these large mirrors is the inability to scale up standard fabrication techniques. For example, continuous polishing (CP) machines manufacture small flat mirrors economically. However, for meter-class mirrors, the CP process becomes less feasible because the tool diameter of a CP machine must be three times larger than the parts being produced. Overcoming these challenges will enable the manufacture of high-precision large flat mirrors for space-based and astronomical applications. The most accurate technique for measuring a large flat is the Fizeau test,1 but this is cost prohibitive for flats ≥1m. On large flats this is usually done by testing subapertures and stitching the data together. While this method is accurate for measuring surface irregularities, it is not for low-order errors such as power and astigmatism. As an alternative, the Ritchey-Common test is sometimes used for large flats,1 however this has limited accuracy and requires a spherical reference mirror larger than the flat being tested. Facilities have traditionally used small tool polishing to produce flats that are too large for CP machines.2 The limiting factor in this approach is that the polishing runs are guided by test data that, if inaccurate, make it impossible to produce a highprecision large flat mirror. In addition, the geometry of the polishing tool has a direct impact on the results. In the past, the tool geometry was driven by experience and empirical results, Figure 1. Scanning pentaprism measurement system. (ELCOMAT and UDT are the companies that made the autocollimation equipment).


contained in the linguistic atlases, we will bring back into discussion some aspects regarding the antiquity of the Romance element in the South Slavic languages and its territorial spread.


High efficiency silicon monocrystalline solar cells commonly adopt point contacted rear surfaces to reduce the recombination losses in the rear side of the device. However, the reduction of the rear contact surface leads to an increase of series resistance losses. Modeling and analysis of rear point contact solar cells is strategic to optimize the device design by taking into account several competing physical mechanisms. Owing to their complicated geometries, the analysis of these devices requires three-dimensional (3-D) numerical simulation. In this work we analyze the influence of the most important geometrical and electrical parameters on the conversion efficiency of rear point contact solar cells.


Anomaly detection is widely applied in a variety of domains, involving for instance, smart home systems, network traffic monitoring, IoT applications and sensor networks. In this paper, we study deep reinforcement learning based active sequential testing for anomaly detection. We assume that there is an unknown number of abnormal processes at a time and the agent can only check with one sensor in each sampling step. To maximize the confidence level of the decision and minimize the stopping time concurrently, we propose a deep actor-critic reinforcement learning framework that can dynamically select the sensor based on the posterior probabilities. We provide simulation results for both the training phase and testing phase, and compare the proposed framework with the Chernoff test in terms of claim delay and loss.


An ever-increasing industrial demand for pressurized thick-walled cylindrical components drives research and practice to increase their strength–weight ratio, extend their fatigue life, or to increase their pressure-carrying capacity. This can be achieved through an energy-efficient and safe two-pass swage autofrettage process by generating a favorable compressive residual hoop stress field in the inner layer of the cylinder prior to use. In this paper, a two-pass swage autofrettage process of a thick-walled cylinder was systematically investigated based on finite element analysis. A 105 mm cannon barrel made of high-pressure vessel steel ASTM A723-1130 was taken as a case study. An elastic nonlinear-hardening plastic material model with the Bauschinger effect was adopted. The mandrel's axial pushing forces during swage autofrettage processes were analyzed. A 30–35% reduction in mandrel's pushing forces has been achieved in the two-pass process. The residual stresses in swage autofrettaged thick-walled cylinders were predicted. The results of computer modeling were in agreement with neutron diffraction measurements. A maximum 18% reduction in von Mises stress in the swage autofrettaged thick-walled cylinders under an elastic-limit working pressure was identified. A maximum 31% increase in pressure-carrying capacity for the swage autofrettaged thick-walled cylinders was revealed. The optimum radial interference was proposed. Results from the two-pass process were compared with those from the single-pass process.


As the medical community continues to explore and harness the potential of biosimilars, it is imperative to accumulate robust real-world evidence (RWE) to guide informed decision-making, and enhance patient outcomes in cancer treatment. This article reviews the current understanding and utilisation of biosimilars in the treatment of breast and lung cancers by reviewing existing RWE. A literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Scopus was performed to analyse observational studies pertaining to the adoption of biosimilars in people living with breast or lung cancer, with publications considered since 2019. The review summarises the current RWE relating to biosimilar use for its approved indications across breast and lung cancer. Despite the scarcity of evidence addressing the cost-effectiveness of biosimilars in breast and lung cancer treatment, biosimilars may offer a dual benefit by enhancing patient outcomes, while ensuring cost-effectiveness, thereby increasing access to oncology therapies globally. The increased access to biosimilars within community oncology practices, hospitals, and national healthcare systems, promises substantial cost savings. This review highlights the evolving landscape of biosimilar utilisation in oncology, revealing their potential as a more affordable and inclusive approach to cancer care, while also indicating areas for further research.


This study was performed to determine the connections resistance with dowel of some beech wood materials and board types used in furniture industry, which are bonded by polyvinyl acetat (PVAc) and polyurethane based (Desmodur-VTKA) glues. For this purpose, the tensile resistance was made with wood materials; scotch pine (Pinus silvestris L), oriental beech (Fagus orientalis lipsky) and oak (Quercus petraea spp.) using cross and radial section with polyurethane based glue, edges of particle or fiber boards processed and unprocessed with beech wood, polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) glue. At the result of experiments, it was obtained the highest tensile resistance, by cross section of the oriental beech (4,403 N/mm2) and the processed with beech wood fiberboards edges (5,818 N/mm2).


The invention provides a butadiene preparation method which comprises (1) separation of components with more than 4 carbon atoms; (2) isomerization reaction of the components with more than 4 carbon atoms in the presence of an isomerization catalyst t for isomerization of at least part of 1-butene into 2-butene, and separation of the 2-butene from obtained isomerization products; and steam cracking reaction of the 2-butene separated by the step (2), wherein the components with more than 4 carbon atoms at least comprise the 1-butene. The method can obtain high butadiene yield.


Melibiose transport via the melibiose transport system of Escherichia coil utilizes either H+ or Na+ as a coupling cation. This system may represent a evolutional transition state between H+-substrate cotransport (bacteria type) and Na+-substrate cotransport (animal type). We have isolated mutants which showed altered cation specificity for melibiose transport. The melibiose carrier of the mutants has lost the ability to recognize H+. This communication describes the properties of the melibiose transport system and the properties of the mutants.


WHILE INCREASED USE, FAMILIARITY, AND CONFIDENCE IN THE ROAD METER HAVE OCCASIONED THE PRESENT WORKSHOP AND ITS EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, MANY USERS ARE DISTURBED BY ONE OR MORE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE ARISEN IN THE SEVEN YEARS SINCE THE AUTHOR DEVELOPED THE METER FOR THE PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION: DIFFERENCES IN MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT CONTROL ROAD METER OUTPUTS, DIFFERENCES IN ROAD METER OUTPUT WHEN A METER IS USED IN VARIOUS AUTOMOBILES, EFFECTS OF SEASONAL AND DIURNAL AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE ON THE METER AND THE PAVEMENT, DIFFERENCES IN ROAD METER OUTPUT CAUSED BY AMBIENT WIND VELOCITIES DURING TEST, AND THE NEED FOR A DEPENDABLE STANDARD FOR ROAD ROUGHNESS MEASUREMENTS THAT IS ESSENTIALLY TIME-STABLE AND IS AVAILABLE FOR CALIBRATING ALL ROAD METERS AND PROFILOMETERS. EACH OF THESE PROBLEMS IS DISCUSSED, AND APPROACHES TO A SOLUTION ARE PROPOSED.


This paper is to analyze the stability of Timoshenko beam-column on Pasternak foundation, with the extensional and the rotational spring at center point of span by Finite Element Method. To verify this Finite Element Method, the results by the proposed method are compared with the existing solutionsof Timoshenko beam-column without the extensional and the rotational spring and the shear foundation. The dynamic stability regions are decided by the dynamic stability analysis of Timoshenko beam-column on Pasternak foundation with the extensional and the rotation spring at center point of span.


This paper arose in response to observing the frustration expressed by researchers that there were so few accessible documents from which to write biographies of early women architects, planners and designers. As an archivist, it is a disheartening experience to explain to users that, because of limited donations, few such records exist in archival collections. Exemplifying the current predicament is the absence of the architectural work of the first woman officially qualified in South Australia, Beverly Bolin, from any archival collection in her own name. Moreover, extant items that were uncovered about Beverley Bolin, following months of searching, spoke more of her personal, than of her professional life. This led to the question: where are the professional records of women architects and why have they not donated their records to archival repositories? Through a survey of literature and the author's own direct observation as manager of an archival collection specialising in architecture, this paper discusses possible reasons and offers potential strategies to attract future donations.


Achieving remission from type 2 diabetes was once only thought to be realistic for patients undergoing bariatric surgery. But this view is changing with early publication of results from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) based in Scotland and Tyneside, which has found success through a strict low‐calorie diet. This article discusses the implications of the study for the future of diabetes treatment.


Using a large sample of 3000 normal men and women (M age = 26 yr.), the primary factor scores on Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire were subjected to factor analysis. The purposes of this investigation were (1) to provide a precise definition of 16 PF second-order factor structure, (2) to shed additional light on the nature of two second-order factors that have been previously identified but described as "unstable" and "poorly reproduced," and (3) to determine the degree of factorial similarity between matrices of men and women. The resulting solutions were substantially congruent with previous studies and showed high similarity between men and women, but no support was provided for the two additional second-order factors.