Abstract: Sclerotinia blight is a destructive disease of peanut caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary and Sclerotinia minor Jagger. Crop management practices are routinely used to control Sclerotinia blight, however, development of resistant cultivars together with crop management practices may provide a lasting solution to control the disease in peanut fields. In this study, 95 accessions of United States' peanut mini-core collection were evaluated using detached leaflet and whole plant inoculation methods under greenhouse conditions. The area of detached leaflet infected was scored using a scale from 0 (no disease) to 4 (76%–100% leaflet area infected). Whole plants were evaluated based on disease severity index (DSI) from 0% (no disease) to 100% (entire plants infected). In the detached leaflet inoculation method, accessions PI-268586, PI-268696, PI-356004, PI-372305, and PI-429420 had the lowest average disease score of 2.7. In the whole plant inoculation method, accessions PI-200441, PI-259658, PI-319770, PI-323268, and PI-337293 had the lowest DSI from 86% to 90%. The two inoculation methods resulted in different set of accessions with the lowest disease level. These results may reflect differences in disease pressure between the two screening methods.


Use of at least one selected from oleates methyl, butyl, oleyl fatty ester; methyl ricinoleate; alkyl esters of avocado oil or mixtures of the latter for preparing a composition for the treatment of prostatic hypertrophy, prostate adenoma, acne, hyperseborrhoea of, alopecia and hirsutism.


This paper deals with the tendency of sedimentation at the basis of the sedimentation data in Fenhe Reservior from 1962 to 2010.The result shows that the growth rate of sedimentation in Fenhe Reservoir is slowing.And this paper establishes a mathematical model of the Fenhe Reservoir siltation trend over time by the least squares method.The correlation coefficient test results show that the mathematical model is highly fitting.This paper further illustrates the rationality of the mathematical model by analyzing the data of annual runoff,sediment load and the reservoir operation mode.In this paper,the mathmatical model is used to predict the sedimentation in Fenhe Reservior over the next 10-50 years.And this paper suggests improving the reservior operation mode to ease the problem of sedimentation.


Based on Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) in the 550nm NPP-EDR data, GOCIAOT in the 555nm for detecting and tracing sudden haze event on 2013 December in the Yangtze River Delta, while CDAS-NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis wind data is utilized to analyze the migrating routine The results show that: 1)GOCIAOT (555nm)<1 and NPPAOT (550nm)<1 is an effective indictor of distinguishing the haze event.2) The two-stream approximation algorithm can be used to retrieve GOCIAOT especially in China with high concentration of aerosol.3)Combined with high-temporal resolution of GOCIAOT is utilized for analyzing the forming mechanism of a sudden outbreak of haze event in Yangtze River Delta .The migration driven mechanism is diagnosed with CDAS-NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis wind data.4)the study suggests that the haze was formed in Hebei and Henan province on December 3, 2013.Under the strong northwest wind with the average rate of 4m/s, the haze rapidly moved to the Yangtze River Delta on December 4th2013, resulting in the most serious haze event in 2013 in there. Under the northwest wind control, the haze area expanded rapidly from 70,000km2 to 200,000km2 during its migration. The research suggests that it could be a feasible routine monitoring pattern in detecting the occurrence, migration of haze events in Yangtze River Delta.


Austenitic stainless steel AISI 304 was nitrided in a low-pressure RF plasma using pure nitrogen. With a treatment of time of 4.0 h at 400℃, the nitrogen-rich layer on the sample was 3 ㎛ thick and had a hardness of approximately 4.4 times higher than that of untreated material. XRD data showed that as the process temperature rose from 350~450℃, the expanded austenite peaks became more prominent while the austenite peaks became weaker. Expanded austenite was transformed to ferrite and CrN at the treatment of 500℃. Langmuir probe measurements showed that electron density decreased above 450℃.


About Amjad Publishing House in Amman, Jordan A new book was published by Professor Abdul Hamid Al-Eid Al-Mousawi, entitled: A Reading in Iran's Regional and International Relations, First Edition 2018. The book came in 295 pages divided into nine chapters. .


Man's health in all areas is deeply affected by his lifestyle. On the other hand, lifestyle and actions and conducts originate from man's mental and psychological processes and his style of thinking. The locus of control of man's character is among personality traits that significantly affect the way one thinks and behaves. Research findings show that many of men's problems and troubles are rooted in a belief in external control on individuals. But what affects does internal control have on individuals? Does external control not have any positive effects? A study of Quranic concepts, especially those related to the issue of determinism and free will point to the fact that Quranic discourse rules out absolute free will on the one hand and considers limited effects from external determinism on individuals, on the other. Hence, Quran's view of the locus of control is something in the middle of internal and external control.


Purpose – Aims to report on the various types of tele‐operated mobile service robots for remote inspection and maintenance, especially in the field of nuclear industry.Design/methodology/approach – Describes nuclear electric robot operator (NERO), Sizewell A duct inspection equipment (SADIE), Robug‐IIs (all leg‐based) and Roboslave (wheel‐based).Findings – That these robots can handle a significant portion of inspection and maintenance tasks in a typical nuclear plant, though, given that they are primarily tailor‐made, they are still too expensive for ordinary industries.Originality/value – As the interests of health and safety and paramount, this study sees the use of such robots expanding and diversifying, irrespective of cost.


Quantum dot (QD) semiconducting nanoparticles show great potential for enhancing the optical properties of plastic films towards the goal of increasing biomass production and efficiency of commercial greenhouse operations. In this work, cadmium sulfide (CdS) and cadmium sulfide – zinc sulfide (CdS-ZnS) core-shell QDs were synthesized by colloidal chemistry using a single-molecular precursor method. The QDs were integrated into poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) (EVA) films by melt mixing the particles with the plastic in a mini-compounder. The resulting blend was extruded and pressed into thin films using a Universal Film Maker and a Carver hydraulic press. The films were characterized in terms of their optical, and material properties using a variety of analytic methods including FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, TEM, SEM, AFM, and TGA/DSC analysis. The mechanical properties of the films were examined through tensile testing. The results were compared to the performance of commercial greenhouse plastics. After characterization, the synthesized QDs were confirmed to possess light selective properties desired for the enhancement of EVA films. The developed experimental nanocomposites displayed favorable optical performance including a decrease in light transmission in the UV range and an increase in the visible region, suitable for next generation light selective greenhouse films.


The adsorption of Na onto GaP(110) surfaces is markedly different when the substrate is held below 120 K and above 140 K. At 120 K, the development of core and valence level photoelectron emission spectra is consistent with charge transfer between the alkali metal and the surface atoms of a chemically undisrupted substrate. However, at 140 K, similar measurements show very different spectral changes, resembling more closely a reactive interface, involving interaction between the Na and bulk GaP atoms.


As interns, new doctors care for the dying or others who have palliative care (PC) needs.1 Undergraduate medical students need to learn about PC.2 Up to half of newly qualified doctors are underprepared for end of life issues and many feel it is a source of distress.3 4 Medical students value palliative education5 but many feel training is deficient.6 7

Undergraduate palliative care education (UPCE) for medical students shows wide variation throughout Europe and internationally.8 In 2015, PC was compulsory in only 14% of countries; only 30% of European medical schools taught PC.9 Medical curricula did not include PC in 14 countries (33%).

In the UK, the General Medical Council requires that newly qualified doctors: 'Contribute to the care of patients and their families at the end of life, including management of symptoms, practical issues of law and certification, and effective communication and team working.'10

Current UPCE-related literature gives guidance on effective delivery of PC education for medical students (box 1).

Box 1
### Effective Delivery of PC Education for Medical Students.


The decision to publish an article in Philosophical Psychology is based on criteria of philosophical and scientific merit, rather than ideological conformity. As a prime laboratory of blue-sky thinking, the philosophical debate is the forum par excellence for questioning consensus beliefs. Ideological red lines may still exist, but they are drawn more widely in this context than in, for example, the political forum. This principle is put to the test when the ideological undertones of a paper (and no article is free of them) do not square with one's own sensitivities. In Nathan Cofnas' article on the controversial subject of racial differences in IQ (Cofnas, 2020), the author argues that, to understand the adult black–white IQ gap, we cannot leave out of consideration the possibility of a genetic component and its possible implications for policymaking. Cofnas is careful to conclude only that "as of now, there is nothing that would indicate that it is particularly unlikely that race differences will turn out to have a substantial genetic component" (p. 130). To defend the plausibility of this hereditarian thesis on insufficient scientific grounds would cross a red line, that is certain. Even though Cofnas treads carefully here, he makes several claims and assumptions that one could question. However, we do not believe that any of these constitute the crossing of red lines that would speak against the paper's publication. A fundamental issue in the background of Cofnas' discussion concerns the very nature of race. The hereditarian thesis Cofnas tries to motivate is committed to the idea that racial groups are biologically real and that the empirical research conducted on behavioral geneticists concerns our everyday racial groupings. This is more controversial than Cofnas acknowledges. Many argue that everyday racial groupings have no biological grounding and that the ancestral populations used in behavioral genetics research have little to do with our socially constructed racial categories; this viewpoint is seen in Kahn et al.'s (2018) 67-person response to David Reich's (2018) book – a book which Cofnas cites approvingly. However, biological racial realism certainly has its defenders in the sciences and philosophy (Spencer, 2018a, 2018b, 2019). Another point ripe for controversy comes when Cofnas introduces his discussion of the current empirical research on group differences in IQ: PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020, VOL. 33, NO. 1, 148–150 https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2020.1709283


Abstract Objective: While scholarship has investigated how to provide more healthy food options in choice pantry environments, research has just begun to investigate how pantry users go about making decisions regarding food items when the ability to choose is present. The present analysis sought to investigate the factors prohibiting and inhibiting food decision making in choice pantries from the perspective of frequent pantry users. Design: Six focus group interviews were conducted with visitors to choice food pantries, to discuss the decision-making process involved in food selection during choice pantry visits. Each was provided a $US 15 remuneration for taking part. Setting: A school-based choice food pantry in Anderson, Indiana, USA, a small Midwestern community. Participants: Thirty-one men and women, largely aged 45–64 years, who made use of choice food pantries at least once monthly to meet their family's food needs. Results: Choice pantry visitors indicated that the motivation to select healthy food items was impacted by both individual and situational influences, similar to retail environments. Just as moment-of-purchase and place-of-purchase factors influence the purchasing of food items in retail environments, situational factors, such as food availability and the 'price' of food items in point values, impacted healthy food selection at choice pantries. However, the stigmatization experienced by those who visit pantries differs quite dramatically from the standard shopping experience. Conclusions: Choice pantries would benefit from learning more about the psychosocial factors in their own pantries and adapting the environment to the desires of their users, rather than adopting widely disseminated strategies that encourage healthy food choices with little consideration of their unique clientele.


The aim of this short paper or extended abstract is develop an intelligent lifelong learning cancer care framework that will be adapted by the King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan. Cancer Care is defined as "Comprehensive care for the cancer patient as a whole including all their needs - not just the medical and physical ones - using the services of many professionals working together" [3] . Lifelong learning is about continuous development throughout a life time. Our lives, as humans, span many decades in which the environment we grew up in is in a continuous state of change. Therefore, we need to be empowered to deal with emerging challenges and thrive in a continuously changing environment. Clearly, there are multiple interactions that take place between an individual human and the surrounding environment. The Oxford dictionary defines "interaction" as "Communication or direct involvement with someone or something". Another definition: "A particular way in which matter, fields, and atomic and subatomic particles affect one another, e.g., through gravitation or electromagnetism" [4] . Therefore, communication though interactions takes place and in certain times for precious causes and purposes. On the one hand, such communication is didactic with complex interactions between an individual and the environment, and on the other hand between an individual and other members of the community - who themselves are continuously changing.


[Objective] The aim was to study the pollution characterization of rainfall runoff of two different underlying surface,roof runoff and road runoff,in Hefei campus area.[Method] Choosing SS,CODCr,TN and TP as the main analyzing items of water quality,the distinction law and characterization of contamination from roof runoff and road runoff collected in 4 rainfall events in urban campus area of Hefei in 2010 were analyzed,and their difference was compared.[Result] The pollution loading of rainfall runoff in Hefei campus area was high,and the main contamination concentration was high at the initial stage commonly,while at the later stage the concentration was decreased with prolonging of the rainfall time and trended stable.The effects of different underlying surface on water characterization of rainfall runoff had great differences.Thereinto,the SS and TP average concentration of road runoff directly effected by human action were significantly higher than that of roof rainfall,while CODCr and TN average concentration of road runoff were a little higher than that of roof rainfall.Atmospheric wet deposition in Hefei contributed a lot to the TN of rainfall runoff.[Conclusion] The study can provide the basis for the reasonable development of the control of the runoff pollution and effective use of rainwater resources in urban area.


It was announced Thursday by Miss Elna Birath, president of the Woman's Council, that due to a reconsideration of the case of Petunia Miller versus the Constitution of the Woman's Council, the position of Miss Maryellen Snyder as Queen of the May has bccome royally invalid , and a re-election, with Pe-tunia Miller listed on the ballot has become a moral necessity. However, Miss Sarah Lane, Dean of Women, refused to consider re-election, statin# that the election of Miller was certain, and the further humiliation of the feminine candidates unnecessary, unwise and unavoidable. "Traditional Dignity," Says Lane "The traditional dignity has been stripped from the Institute and sold all over the country at five cents a sheet," she stated, "and we will grant Petunia anything to prevent a ropi-tition of this disgrace." When asked for a statement, Pe-tunia chewed his veil, adjusted his bodice, and stilted that it was that he had expected from the beginning. Almost simultaneously with this announcement came the word that Arthur "Goose Grease" Goforth, Pe-tunia's chosen king, had been accepted by the council. Osylvia Dem today revealed that a charter for the Young Engineering Society has been applied for and an answer from that chapter secretary is expected this week, after which plans will be completed for the girl's society which will assume the place on the campus which was left vacant this week by the dispersal of the Pallas Athene Literary Society. "We Y. E. S. girls plan to engineer several things on the campus which we think have for a long time needed engineering," said Miss Pvi-vian Ennington, a leader in the founding of the cultural group. Miss Sjune Iegert, another of the organizers, stated that the aims of the society had been under long and serious consideration , and the members will seek to accomplish the ends which have long been lost "We will not," said Miss Iegert, "take NO for an answer." Miss Ie-gert was not able to recall for the reporter the goal of the organization, but added "we feel that it iB very worth while." Miss Kflorence Less and Miss Mro-buerta Eyerson, when interviewed, said: "It is very worth while." Miss Lane could not be reached for a statement, but undoubtedly she considers the organization very worth while. "It was inevitable," explained Dean Weiser. "Since it's hybrid start at the Institute , 1 can honestly say that I have …


In the Gourock Range east of Cooma lies the isolated summit of Big Badja at 1363m. Until the road that crossed Pikes Saddle between Gundillion and Countegany was constructed in 1972 this summit would have been rarely visited except by a few bush walkers investigating the Woila wilderness. It is now easily accessible by a 4WD fire trail from the saddle and members of ANPS have visited it on three occasions as part of field trips and Wednesday walks. The trail is better walked than driven and is a scenic stroll through snow gum woodland and white ash forest to the heath- and shrub-covered summit.


Government Regulation No.41of 2007 inexplicitly stated the status of district and subdistrict, whether as staff agency, executive agency, or supporting agenct ? However, if seen from the job characteristic of camat (head of district) with its operational nature, namely providing public service directly, district is preferably categorized as executive agency. To distinguish it from regional office as authority executive agency with its technical characteristic, district administration is preferably referred to as regionality executive agency. Aus. J. Law, Ethics & Gov. Vol 2(1), April 2016, P 105-129


This paper examines the robustness of techniques commonly applied to failure time data to determine if the failure rate (Umean-time-between-failures (MTBE)) is changing over time. The models examined are the Duane Postulate, Crow-Army Material Systems Analysis Activity (AMSAA) , and Kalman Filtering (KF) (also referred to as Dynamic Linear Modeling (DLM)). Each has as a foundation the underlying premise of changing failure rate over time. The techniques seek to confirm or reject the fact that failure rate is changing significantly, based on observed data. To compare the ability of each method to accomplish such a rejection or confirmation, a known failure time distribution is simulated and then each model is applied and results compared.


A 48 year old man presented to the emergency department with a witnessed tonic clonic seizure by family members and 1 week worsening headaches and gait ataxia. Non-contrast CT of the head showed a large right-sided parietal mass. MRI of the head was done to further evaluate the mass (Figure 1). CT chest/abdomen/pelvis showed bilateral pulmonary nodules, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, hepatic lesions, and thickening of the mid-distal esophagus. The patient was evaluated by neurology and started on dexamethasone and levetiracetam. Neurosurgery was consulted and performed a right-sided craniotomy and parietal mass resection. Later, an EGD was performed and biopsies were taken of the esophagus. The patient was found to have metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma.


Background. The current study examined if early adversity was associated with accelerated biological aging, and if effects were mediated by the timing of puberty. Methods. In early mid-life, 187 Black and 198 White (Mage = 39.4, S.D.age = 1.2) women reported on early abuse and age at first menstruation (menarche). Women provided saliva and blood to assess epigenetic aging, telomere length, and C-reactive protein. Using structural equation modeling, we created a latent variable of biological aging using epigenetic aging, telomere length, and C-reactive protein as indicators, and a latent variable of early abuse using indicators of abuse/threat events before age 13, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. We estimated the indirect effects of early abuse and of race on accelerated aging through age at menarche. Race was used as a proxy for adversity in the form of systemic racism. Results. There was an indirect effect of early adversity on accelerated aging through age at menarche (b = 0.19, 95% CI 0.03–0.44), in that women who experienced more adversity were younger at menarche, which was associated with greater accelerated aging. There was also an indirect effect of race on accelerated aging through age at menarche (b = 0.25, 95% CI 0.04– 0.52), in that Black women were younger at menarche, which led to greater accelerated aging. Conclusions. Early abuse and being Black in the USA may both induce a phenotype of accelerated aging. Early adversity may begin to accelerate aging during childhood, in the form of early pubertal timing. Childhood adversity has lifelong consequences in the form of poor health in adulthood and premature mortality in that experiencing adverse events before age 18 reliably increases the risk for nine out of 10 leading causes of death in the USA (Hughes et al., 2017; Merrick et al., 2019). Health is consistently worse for Black Americans compared to White Americans, including higher rates of the leading causes of death in the USA (Adler & Rehkopf, 2008; Williams, 2012). Higher levels of early life adversity may help to explain health disparities between Black and White Americans (Slopen et al., 2016). To reduce health disparities, we need to understand the mechanisms that underlie the relationship between early adversity and health outcomes. Early adversity has been associated with accelerated biological aging (i.e. older than chronological age) as indexed by epigenetic clocks, which are reliable predictors of disease and mortality (Field et al., 2018; Horvath & Raj, 2018). Previous studies have found childhood trauma predicts accelerated epigenetic aging for children and adults (Hamlat et al., 2021; Sumner, Colich, Uddin, Armstrong, & McLaughlin, 2019; Wolf et al., 2018; Zannas et al., 2015). Moreover, early adversity has been associated with other indices of cell aging that predict disease and mortality, including shorter telomere length (TL; Li, He, Wang, Tang, & Chen, 2017) and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP; Baumeister, Akhtar, Ciufolini, Pariante, & Mondelli, 2016). Childhood adversity predicts shorter TL (Ridout et al., 2018); in turn, shorter TL predicts the earlier onset of diseases of aging, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD; D'Mello et al., 2015; Haycock et al., 2014; Willeit et al., 2014). CRP, an index of systemic inflammation which increases with age and thought to be a mechanism of aging-related disease (Kaptoge et al., 2010), has been associated with childhood trauma in meta-analysis (Baumeister et al., 2016). Early pubertal timing as accelerated aging In a risky environment, pubertal maturation may accelerate to increase opportunities to reproduce before the individual dies or becomes compromised, potentially at the expense of https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723001629 Published online by Cambridge University Press investments in adult health and longevity (Belsky, Steinberg, & Draper, 1991; Ellis, 2004). Early adversity may recalibrate the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, which influences sexual development directly and affects the hypothalamicpituitary-gonadal axis. Adversity may attenuate HPA-axis function, which results in the earlier onset of adrenal and gonadal hormones and has predicted earlier pubertal development in girls (Saxbe, Negriff, Susman, & Trickett, 2015). Early pubertal timing has been associated with higher morbidity and earlier mortality (Charalampopoulos, McLoughlin, Elks, & Ong, 2014) and with accelerated biological aging as indexed by epigenetic clocks (Binder et al., 2018; Hamlat et al., 2021; Simpkin et al., 2017; Sumner et al., 2019) and TL (Koss et al., 2020). In meta-analysis, early adversity was associated with early pubertal timing as well as accelerated cellular aging, as indexed by both epigenetic age and TL (Colich, Rosen, Williams, & McLaughlin, 2020). The possibility that there is an indirect effect of early adversity on health through pubertal timing has rarely been empirically examined. In one study of 73 girls, maternal depression in infancy predicted higher basal cortisol, which predicted accelerated pubertal (adrenarcheal) development, which resulted in health problems at age 18 (Belsky, Ruttle, Boyce, Armstrong, & Essex, 2015). The recalibration of the HPA-axis may also speed up the pace of development (Colich & McLaughlin, 2022), which would result in earlier pubertal timing and faster aging of physiological systems, more generally, which would be captured in assessments of biological aging. Multiple biomarkers as an index of biological aging While a growing number of studies have examined how specific biomarkers may predict health outcomes, few studies have combined biomarkers. Epigenetic aging, TL, and CRP are usually studied independently from one another; however, integrating multiple markers of biological aging may allow for a more complete profile of multisystem-level aging (Liu et al., 2019). Different indices of biological aging are likely to have reciprocal effects on one another regulated by feedback loops (Gassen, Chrousos, Binder, & Zannas, 2017). Given their associations with ELA and interrelationships with one another, epigenetic aging, TL, and elevated CRP may be aggregated and operationalized as a phenotype of biological aging. Each biomarker may represent distinct pathways of aging (Belsky et al., 2018); their shared variance allows them to be used as indicators of a latent variable. The current study examines if there is an indirect effect of adversity on such an aggregate composite of accelerated biological aging through pubertal timing. Using structural equation modeling, we created a latent variable of biological aging using epigenetic aging, TL, and CRP as indicators. Structural equation modeling (SEM)s partition variance unique to each indicator into separate residual variance estimates, purifying the structural path coefficients of measurement error, which is partitioned into the indicator-specific residual variances (Kline, 2011). Race differences in aging biomarkers Race differences in health outcomes are largely due to social determinants and to systemic racism, which is a fundamental cause of racial inequities in health (Churchwell et al., 2020; Paradies et al., 2015; Phelan & Link, 2015; Williams & Rucker, 2000; Williams, Lawrence, & Davis, 2019). Systemic racism and related factors that contribute to health disparities between Black and White Americans may engender a phenotype or profile of accelerated aging (Hooten, Pacheco, Smith, & Evans, 2022). In one study, by age 30, Black women had a higher allostatic load (i.e. physiological wear on bodily systems due to adaptation to stress; McEwen, 1998) than Black men and White Americans of the same age (Geronimus, Hicken, Keene, & Bound, 2006). Although there is variance across studies, evidence supports Black Americans have longer TL than White Americans (Hunt et al., 2008; Needham et al., 2019), and that the rate of TL shortening for Blacks may be more rapid than for Whites across time (Rewak et al., 2014). In some studies, by ages 49–55, Black women have shorter TL than White women (Geronimus et al., 2010). Black adults have larger prospective increases in CRP over time than White adults (Zahodne, Kraal, Zaheed, Farris, & Sol, 2019) and Black women have higher CRP levels than Black men and White adults (Khera et al., 2005). There is inconsistent evidence over whether Black Americans have accelerated, decelerated, or equivalent epigenetic aging as compared to White Americans; however, among postmenopausal women, Black women showed accelerated epigenetic aging in comparison to White women (Hamlat et al., 2022; Horvath et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2019). In addition to differences in aging biomarkers during adulthood, Black girls experience puberty at significantly younger ages than White girls (Bleil, BoothLaForce, & Benner, 2017; Freedman et al., 2002), and so demonstrate accelerated aging as indexed by pubertal timing. The current study examined the indirect effect of race (used as a proxy for adversity in the form of systemic racism, which was not directly measured) on accelerated aging through pubertal timing.


SUMMARY Unpublished data from our laboratory suggest that the respiratory tract may be a viable portal of entry for Salmonella infection. Further, field reports have indicated that tracheal sampling can be a sensitive tool for monitoring for Salmonella incidence in commercial flocks. In the present study we conducted a series of field trials in North and South America to evaluate the association between cecal and tracheal recovery of Salmonella in chickens and turkeys from commercial flocks. Environmental humidity and temperature were measured to evaluate their effects on frequency of isolation from the organs. Salmonella was recovered from tracheal samples in all trials. In 3 of the 4 trials in which both trachea and ceca were sampled, the incidence of Salmonella recovery was higher in tracheal samples. Though Salmonella was not recovered from ceca in trial 2, 5% of liver and spleen samples indicated infection. Environmental conditions were not associated with incidence of Salmonella recovery. These data suggest that tracheal contamination can be a good indicator of Salmonella infection under commercial poultry conditions.


Radiation-induced optically stimulated luminescence is observed in RbMgF3 when doped with Mn2+ or Eu2+. This compound can be used for radiation dosimetry where the dose information can be optically read and reset. The main difference between RbMgF3:Mn2+ and RbMgF3:Eu2+ is due to the fact that RbMgF3:Mn2+ has deep traps when compared with RbMgF3:Eu2+ that are evident as high temperature peaks in the thermoluminescence data. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


Battle Rope as early as the 1930 s the army precedent for military training, in the 1990 s was first professional boxers are widely used in integrated combat speed and physical training of core stability, more and more sports teams find that battle line training can better improve the comprehensive abilities of athletes, sports level of ascension, gradually accepted by more and more sports, provide effective training for professional help. Although relevant studies have shown that the war rope movement can improve the physical quality and health level as an intervention, it still lacks the basic research of its metabolic characteristics.


2-keto-L-gulonic acid (2-KGA), a key precursor in the synthesis of L-ascorbic acid, is produced by mixed fermentation of Bacillus megaterium and Gluconobacter oxydans with L-sorbose as substrate. For such mixed cultivation, the mechanistic modelling is difficult because the interactions between the two strains are not well known yet. Therefore, data-driven modelling is studied in this paper. The rolling learning-prediction (RLP) based on support vector machine (SVM) is practiced to predict the product formation. To satisfy the online application demand, pseudo-on-line prediction is carried out using the data from commercial scale 2-KGA cultivation. The prediction approach receives data in sequence and the historical database of the SVM is updated with statistical analysis of the product formation after the termination of a batch. The robustness of the prediction approach is further tested by adding extra noises to the process variables.


Background. Aliasing is a problem that every 3D game has because of the resolutions that monitors are using right now is not high enough. Aliasing is when you look at an object in a 3D world and se ...


Event poster, information and photos of speakers from the Keio University event about Open Research: The Future of Scholarly Communication.September 12, 2017Tokyo, Japan Speakers:- Jiro Kokuryo - Vice President for International Collaboration and Information Infrastructure; Professor of Policy Management, Keio University- Ed Gerstner - Regional Scientific Director, Greater China, SpringerNature- Nobuko Miyairi - Regional Director, Asia Pacific, ORCiD- Mark Hahnel - Founder and CEO, figshare (part of the Digital Science portfolio)- Yasuhiro Murayama - Research Executive Director of the Strategic Program Office, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)


The article argues that internal colonization should be analyzed from a transnational perspective, as a shared repertoire of ideas and practices that can be observed in the interwar period. First, it critically discusses the use of 'internal colonization' and 'internal colonialism' as historical and analytical concepts. It then links these to recent debates in historiography about the 'colonial' nature of continental empires and the distinct place and importance ascribed to internal colonization within these debates. The last part presents the variety of rationales underpinning resettlement schemes and shows how these were articulated in the various programmes and practices of internal colonization analyzed in this theme issue.


ABSTRACT To better understand agricultural equipment control, a simple electrohydraulic draft control system was constructed and tested. A procedure for mathematically modeling this electrohydraulic control system was investigated. Controller tuning techniques were utilized to theoretically estimate proportional controller gains. The effect of varying the controller gain was investigated for a constructed draft control system response. The theoretical controller gains produced conservative responses in actual testing.


The electroreduction mechanism of diheptylviologen (V2+) across a self-assembled dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) monolayer supported on a mercury electrode has been investigated in aqueous 0.1 M KCl by the chronocoulometric technique. V2+ is reduced in two consecutive charge steps, 2V2+ + 3e V+2 and V+2 + e 2V0, involving 3/2 and 1/2 of a faraday per mole of reactant, respectively. Both charge steps are controlled by the rate of the elementary coupling step V+ + V0 V+2. V2+ acts as an electron transfer mediator from ferric and ferricyanide ions dissolved in the aqueous solution to the mercury surface across the DOPC monolayer, which is impermeable to these metal ions in the absence of V2+. The electron transfer mediation is more effective along the first charge step, 2V2+ + 3e V+2, and increases with the V2+ concentration in the lipid monolayer less than proportionally, thus pointing to the radical cation V+ as the most effective electron carrier from the mercury surface to the metal ions.


largesamplesizesneededforcomparisonofqualitywhenevent rates are low makes such analyses relatively meaningless.2 A surgeon's training and operative skill are, of course, integral to a good patient outcome, and Jaffe and coauthors1 cite previous work3 to support the view that video assessment of a surgeon's operative skill may be an alternative and valid assessment tool. Indeed, quality of care may be influenced by anyactivity thatmakes theworkofpractitionersvisible toothers. However, wemust seek the truth beyond these individualized surgical performance measures. It is unfair to our surgical colleagues to judge them in individualsilos.1Modernperioperativecare isamultidisciplinaryeffort.An increasingly frail populationof elderlypatients areundergoing increasingly complex surgical procedures ina timeof constrainedresources.Hospitalsarebeingchallengedtorespond tothisconstraintbyimprovingefficiency,drivingupquality,and reducing levelsofharm.Failedsurgicalprocedures in this complexhealthcareenvironmentareareflectionof thefailureof the wholesystem,notof individualpractices.Mortalityaftersurgery usuallyoccurs severaldaysorweeksafter anoperation,usually frommultiple types of complications, andas a consequenceof "failure to rescue."4Theprevention, recognition, andmanagementof these failedsurgicalproceduresrequire input fromavariety of health care professionals. Amore holistic and ultimatelymore successful approach maybe toevaluatehospital and teamresults alongside (orperhaps instead of) individual surgeonperformance. Thiswould dealwith the issues of lowevent rateswhen conducting comparisons; furthermore, through timely feedback to clinicians of structures andprocesses, aswell as clinical outcomes, continual learning, transparency, and quality assurance may be facilitated. Perhaps most importantly—how good is good enough?Weknowthat thequalityof surgical carevarieswidely between institutions and countries. All organizations must strive for continuous quality improvement in a time of evershifting health care advancements, demands, and expectations. To improve the quality of care for our perioperative patients, we must strive to "observe, interpret, do something, assess what you have done, and never rest!"5(pXXVIII)


Population ageing in the OECD area is expected to affect labour and product markets and national rates of saving and capital accumulation. Ageing will also place significant pressures on public finances as the share of future output transferred to a large dependent population rises. This paper discusses some of the potential effects of ageing with particular emphasis on its implications for financing public pensions in Japan the Federal Republic of Germany Sweden and the United States. Future increases in retirement age and reduction of the ratio of benefits to wage levels could help reduce pressures on public finances while a trust fund can help smooth the transition. (EXCERPT)


The basic conception of C++ language and objectoriented are introduced. The model class of deformation of laneway are brought forward according to the method of objectoriented, and codes described with C++ of main class are given. The engineering FEM software based on Windows98/2000/NT is developed. The main classes are: the collectivity class, the element class, the grid class, the class of matrix, the node class, etc. The basic frame of program and related code are given.


To reduce the non-uniformity of print density. The three-dimensional ink-jet printer, the media holder 40 for holding the media M, the vibration generator 50 is mounted to apply a vibration to the media holding portion 40. Then, when ejecting the ink droplets from the inkjet head 20 relatively moving so a media holding section 40 and the inkjet head 20 while rotating the medium holding unit 40 to generate vibration from the vibration generator 50. Thus, the vibration medium M held by the medium holding unit 40, the landing position of ink droplets discharged from the inkjet head 20 is generally unevenly displaced. Thus, displacement of the dot positions is not visually inconspicuous, unevenness in print density is reduced.


Undoped, phosphorus-, and boron-doped microcrystalline silicon (/spl mu/c-Si:H) solar cell thin films have been prepared by using hydrogen radical chemical vapor deposition (HR-CVD) method. The relationship between deposition conditions and the structural, optical and electrical properties of /spl mu/c-Si:H films were investigated. Doped /spl mu/c-Si:H films with high conductivity and compensated material applicable to i-layers were obtained with high deposition rate. The crystalline volume fraction calculated from Raman spectrum showed a value over 0.9.


On the 6th congress of Hunan Association of Higher Education plus annual conference 2008,the council members were renewed.Academician ZHONG Zhi-hua,the principal of Hunan University,was named the chairman.The experts and scholars put their heads together to talk over the issue of assurance and improvement of university college teaching quality.The main topics were "emphasis on the core position of the teaching quality in different kinds of colleges and universities","the influences of different teaching subject to teaching quality","teaching reform being the core of the improvement of higher education quality assurance system",and so on.


Illicit drug related incidents occurring in schools or in areas under school supervision are a legal minefield for schools, principals, and other school staff. They can potentially expose a school to civil liability and the student to criminal sanctions. Staff therefore need to understand correct procedures for interviewing students, searching students' property, and notifying parents and police. Yet often the guidance provided to staff in dealing with such incidents is inadequate and may expose the staff to liability.

This article considers the tensions that can arise for a school when discharging their duty of care to the drug-affected student, and the student body as a whole. Using Queensland as an example, it also reviews the current Department of Education and Training's guidelines for the management of drug-related incidents in schools, and raises several concerns with the adequacy and generality of these guidelines. It suggests some areas where the guidelines could better align with criminal legislative standards.


In spite of Michel Foucault's questioning of the functioning of the author and Roland Barthes's declaring the death ()f the authot in the early 1970s, the author has remained alive and well in art history. Art monographs, ranging from the hagiographic to the scholarly, remain the largest genre of art publishing. The value of art works is still largely dependent on the name of the artist. Newly discovered works by named artists are sought after by auction houses and dealers. This paper will look at some of the instances of, some of the reasons for, and some of the implications of, the survival of the author. It will deal mainly with art history and the author as artist but much of the material could be transposed to other disciplines. At the end of the 1960s Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault, and others described the lessening importance of the author's voice in the understanding of a text. These writings were lumped together, as is well known, under Barthes's rather dramatic proposition of the death of the author. We do not have to look any further than the daily newspaper, though, to be reminded almost constantly that the author has not died. The recent controversies about Brett Whiteley, Helen Darville! Demidenko and Helen Garner stem from the importance of the concept of the author. Whiteley's work is valued and analysed according to his personality and life Gust one recent headline read, 'Buying a piece of Brett').1 Helen Darville was championed when it was thought that her life explained her work, but censured when it was discovered that it did not. lenna Mead has accused Helen Gamer of displacing in The First Stolle an 'analysis of events and their consequences ... in favour of [her) own fantasies, ... [and) accounts of her dreams' ,2 amongst other things, of the falsity of the author putting herself into a supposedly non-fictive work. In a 1976 article, 'The Death of the Artist as Hero', Bernard Smith identified three occasions in the history of Western society during which the artist hero flourished, and associate each of these with a major shift in the mode of production.3 The first instance, according to Smith, was the birth of technology (in ancient Greece), where charismatic innovators were seen as being aided by divine support. The second was at the separation of the fine arts from the


The utility model relates to a meat baking stove, which is composed of a casing body, an inner stove body, a heat insulation layer arranged between the inner stove body and the casing body, covers of front and back charcoal fire bins of the inner stove body, and a baking frame. The utility model has the advantages of simple structure, environmental protection, and sanitation. Water is contained in a basin, charcoal which is ignited is put in the front and back charcoal fire bins, meat strings are erected on the baking frame, and the meat can be baked. The utility model solves the problems of dust generated during the baking of meat foods, oil fume generated by the combustion of oil drips which drip on charcoal fire in the utility model and are dialysed from meat blocks, and the oxygen deficiency of the combustion of charcoal on the bottom of the charcoal fire bins in existing meat baking stoves. By using the utility model, the evaporation of water contained in the basin can supplement water content of meat foods which is lost during baking, and the baked meat foods are fresh and tender.


A linear-induction-motor drive system to position machine tool slides has been developed on a test bed that utilizes an air-bearing slide, laser interferometer feedback, and a microprocessor-based servo system. Static and dynamic positioning accuracies of +-16 nm (+-0.6 ..mu..in) have been demonstrated.


Hydromagnetic dynamo theory is applied to the problem of magnetic field amplification in the epoch after recombination but prior to galaxy formation. Large-scale density fluctuations acquire angular momentum from tidal torques exerted by neighboring fluctuations, and small-scale subfluctuations possess helicity due to the Coriolis forces associated with the rotation of the large-scale host fluctuations. Cosmic expansion and the interaction of matter with the ambient radiation field are taken into account. Despite many uncertainties, it is concluded that significant dynamo amplification may have occurred. 15 references.


Excessive nitrogen fertilization results in nitrate accumulation in leafy vegetables. Reducing the dose of mineral nitrogen or using alternate fertilizers lowers the nitrate accumulation; however, a critical minimum level of mineral nitrogen is necessary to maintain yield and nutritional quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two levels of mineral nitrogen (100% and 50%) and three levels of an amino acid solution (0, 0.3, and 0.9%) in the nutrient solution of two baby lettuce cultivars (green and red) grown in a floating system. Nitrogen reduction did not affect yield (12.9–13.4 and 11.0–11.3 g/plant, respectively) but reduced nitrate accumulation (by 43 and 19%, respectively) in both green and red lettuce, while enhancing phenolic content (by 28%) and antioxidant capacity (by 69%) in green lettuce and soluble solid (by 7%) and total chlorophyll content (by 9%) in red lettuce. Although nitrate accumulation was prevented (< 355 mg/kg FW) and most nutritional components increased in both lettuce types by amino acids supplementation, plant growth was negatively affected, especially in red lettuce, in both concentrations of amino acids (reduction by 9 and 35% in 0.3 and 0.9%, respectively). In both lettuce types, proline content increased by 0.9% amino acids supplementation (by 45%), implying a probable induction of a stress condition. Mineral nutrients were slightly affected by nitrogen reduction, which was probably perceived as an abiotic stress.


Purpose – To present an account of cognition integrating second‐order cybernetics (SOC) together with enactive perception and dynamic systems theory.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a brief critique of classical models of cognition then outlines how integration of SOC, enactive perception and dynamic systems theory can overcome some weaknesses of the classical paradigm.Findings – Presents the critique of evolutionary robotics showing how the issues of teleology and autonomy are left unresolved by this paradigm although their solution fits within the proposed framework.Research limitations/implications – The paper highlights the importance of genuine autonomy in the development of artificial cognitive systems. It sets out a framework within which the robotic research of cognitive systems could succeed.Practical implications – There are no immediate practical implications but see research implications.Originality/value – It joins the discussion on the fundamental nature of cognitive systems ...


Aleuroglyphus ovatus Troupeau is one of the most prevalent and gravest pests tostorage products in China. It not only inflicts heavy damages to storage grain, but alsocauses acariasis in humans. Although comparatively extensive records have hithertobeen made abroad on Acarus siro L., there still lacks detailed studies on Aleuroglyphusovatus Troupeau. In this paper an attempt has been made to deal with the morphology of the adultof the latter. Based on A. C. Oudeman's, A. A. Zakhvatkin's, F. Grandjean's andH. H. Nesbitt's nomenclature for the idiosoma and leg setae of Acaridae and using A.ovatus as material, a more detailed description is given of the morphology of this mitefor the purpose of an extended research in the morphology and classification of theChinese Acaridae. Proposals for a Chinese morphological terminology of the Acaridaeare also advanced.


A component is relevant if its status (failed or not) do affect the system state, which is traditionally a qualitative concept. In contrast, the importance is a quantitative measure to represent the contribution of component reliability to system reliability. Few researches have focused on the relation between relevance and importance, probably because components are usually assumed to be relevant to rule out trivial cases in reliability engineering. In this paper, we elaborate on the observations that an initially relevant component could become irrelevant later due to the failures of other components, and an irrelevant component may play an important role in system reliability when the fault coverage is imperfect. We then propose a dynamic relevance measure to represent the conditions and probability that a component can keep its relevance in all system states, and we compare it with the standard Birnbaum Importance measure with both qualitative and quantitative results. The analysis may serve as a corner stone for future study on appropriate relevance and importance measures in various coverage models.


Abstract Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blends using amino-ended hyperbranched polymers (HBP) as modifiers were prepared by melt-mixing through a double-roller mill and injection molding. It was found that when the content of HBP was 2.5 phr, the elongation at break and the impact strength of PLA/PBAT blends both reached peak values. Moreover, by addition of HBP, the ΔTg of the blends was smaller. These results, together with Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images on the fractured morphology of the blends, indicate that the compatibility between PLA and PBAT is improved upon addition of HBP. The mechanism of the impact of HBP on the improvement of the compatibility between PLA and PBAT is proposed based upon Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra.


Nickel containing titania thin films have been prepared on SiO2/Si(100) substrate by using the sol–gel deposition and annealing in the air at 450–1150 °C. Several experimental techniques [atomic force microscopy (AFM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray reflection (XRR), Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), UV–Vis spectroscopy and hydrophilicity measurements] have been applied to characterize these films. Further, the results of this study were compared to previously investigated nickel containing titania on HF‐etched Si(100) (i.e. without oxide layer). The morphological and structural properties of nickel containing titania were found to be dependent on the kind of the substrate on which the films were prepared. The thin films deposited on SiO2/Si(100) substrate, compared to similar films on HF‐etched Si(100) substrate, were more uniform, did not contain large pores and had smaller RMS roughness, especially when annealed below 650 °C. Also films on SiO2/Si(100) substrate were more crystalline and anatase transformation to rutile phase occurred at 150 °C lower temperature. Nickel in the films appeared to be in the 2+ oxidation state. When films were annealed above 650 °C, nickel was found mainly in the NiTiO3 crystallites. Nickel compounds segregated to the surface of the film, forming islands. Nickel addition red‐shifted the titania fundamental absorption edge further into the visible range. Films on both substrates demonstrated couple of tens of nanometers thick interlayer formation (between films and substrates) after annealing at 850 and 900 °C. We demonstrated that a well‐crystallined anatase was crucial for obtaining a good light‐induced hydrophilic nickel containing titania surface.


The purpose of the study is to evaluate the partition ratio of quaternary ammonium salts under the influence of alcohols in order to understand the performance of phase-transfer-catalyzed reaction system


Abstract : The current architecture of Internet Protocol (IP) multicasting is limited by the early binding of the membership of a router in a multicast group to the packet forwarding decisions the router must make for that group. The authors present a new architecture for IP multicasting that addresses these limitations by decoupling the mechanisms used for group addressing, group creation and management, and multipoint communication within a group. A new protocol is presented for the creation and management of multicast meshes that substitute for the traditional multicast trees as the underlying routing structure for multipoint communication within groups. Using simulation experiments, the overhead of mesh-multicast signaling and its packet-delivery ratios are compared against the overhead incurred with protocol independent multicast, dense mode (PIM-DM) and core-based tree (CBT), which are well-known examples of tree-based multicasting in the Internet.


The application of a low pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system is considered for the deposition of thin carbon films with alignment properties for liquid crystals (LC). The original electrode configuration induces directional planar alignment properties on deposited films, and makes possible to fabricate alignment layer in a one step process. To evaluate the LC alignment properties LC cells are assembled from substrates with deposited carbon films and observed in a polarizing optical microscope. Directional ion bombardment induced by the electrode configuration is considered to be the cause of the observed LC molecules alignment. The simultaneous deposition and ion bombardment processes induce a favorable condition for depositing carbon films with anisotropic properties.


The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, in particular an antacid, which is in solid or liquid dosage form and in each pharmaceutically effective amounts (a) healing earth and (b) alginic acid and / or at least one physiologically acceptable alginic acid salt together with (c) at least one of physiological Conditions in the stomach and / or under the action of acid, in particular hydrochloric acid, gas-releasing component contains. The pharmaceutical composition is particularly suitable for the prophylactic and / or curative treatment of hyperacidity and related sequelae and diseases, especially heartburn, esophagitis, dyspeptic disorders, irritable stomach, gastritis, ulcer and the like.


Background: Due to the widespread different pathogenic strains, Escherichia coli lead many severe to normal diseases worldwide. Finding the relation of clones with genomic content and clinical features is a key point to recognize the high potential-invasive strains. Specific virulence factors include adhesions, invasions, toxins, and capsule are the main determinants of pathogenic factors of E. coli strains. Methods: From Jun 2014 to Jun 2016, E. coli isolates recovered using standard bacteriological methods from wastewater sources in different hospitals in Tehran, Iran, were monitored to recognize the virulence genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Results: The high and low presences of virulence factors were fimH, 76% and afa, 13%, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicated the potential pathogenicity of E. coli strains circulating in hospital wastewaters in Tehran, Iran.


Satellite forest inventories are the only feasible way to map Canada's vast, remote forest regions, such as those in the Northwest Territories (NWT). A method used to create such inventories is the k-nearest neighbour (k-NN) algorithm, which spatially extends information from forest inventory (FI) plots to the entire forest land base using wall-to-wall features typically derived from Landsat data. However, the benefits of integrating L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, strongly correlated to forest biomass, have not been assessed for Canadian northern boreal forests. Here we describe an optimized multivariate k-NN implementation of a 151,700 km2 area in southern NWT that included ca. 2007 Landsat and dual-polarized Phased Array type L-band SAR (PALSAR) data on board the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS). Five forest attributes were mapped at 30 m cells: stand height, crown closure, stand/total volume and aboveground biomass (AGB). We assessed accuracy gains compared to Landsat-based maps. To circumvent the scarcity of FI plots, we used 3600 footprints from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) as surrogate FI plots, where forest attributes were estimated using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) metrics as predictors. After optimization, k-NN predicted forest attribute values for each pixel as the average of the 4 nearest (k = 4) surrogate FI plots within the Euclidian space of 9 best features (selected among 6 PALSAR, 10 Landsat, and 6 environmental features). Accuracy comparisons were based on 31 National Forest Inventory ground plots and over 1 million airborne LiDAR plots. Maps that included PALSAR HV backscatter resulted in forest attribute predictions with higher goodness of fit (adj. R2), lower percent mean error (ME%), and percent root mean square error (RMSE%), and lower underestimation for larger attribute values. Predictions were most accurate for conifer stand height (RMSE% = 32.1%, adj. R2 = 0.58) and AGB (RMSE% = 47.8%, adj. R2 = 0.74), which is much more abundant in the area than mixedwood or broadleaf. Our study demonstrates that optimizing k-NN parameters and feature space, including PALSAR, Landsat, and environmental variables, is a viable approach for inventory mapping of the northern boreal forest regions of Canada.


Abstract. Purwanto H, Soesilohadi RCH, Trianto M. 2022. Stingless bees from meliponiculture in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 1254-1266. Kalimantan Island has many species of stingless bees that are widespread throughout the province. However, their morphology, morphometry, and nest structure characteristics have not been documented comprehensively. This paper described the morphological characters, morphometric measurements, nest entrance, and brood cell characteristics of stingless bees from meliponiculture in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Ten stingless bee species were identified based on their morphological features: Tetragonula laeviceps (Smith, 1857), T. fuscobalteata (Cameron, 1908), T. drescheri (Schwarz, 1939), T. melanocephala (Gribodo, 1893), T. biroi (Friese, 1898), Homotrigona apicalis (Smith, 1857), H. canifrons (Smith, 1857), Heterotrigona itama (Cockerell, 1918), Geniotrigona thoracica (Smith, 1857), and Lepidotrigona terminata (Smith, 1878). Principal component analysis was performed to identify the grouping characters and thus determine their diagnostic characters. Furthermore, the shape, diameter, length, ornamentation, and color of the nest entrance and the arrangement, cells, and color of brood cells were observed. This study is the first to report high variations in the type of entrance opening and arrangement of brood cells for stingless bee species, which are abundant in South Kalimantan.


It is the purpose of this paper to present a theoretical analysis for unstiffened suspension bridges to determine the conditions under which an unstiffened bridge would be adequate. The analysis turns out to be far simpler than that of girder-stiffened bridges previously considered by the writer and yields a sharply defined, easily applied criterion for stability evaluation. The two case studies of the Wheeling Bridge and the George Washington Bridge serve as good examples to test the theory—with interest results.


ABSTRACT
 Openness and inclusiveness are central mechanisms for civil society participation in EU governance. Focusing on European Parliament's intergroups, this article explores unofficial participatory venues and their receptiveness towards civil society. Based on a novel data set with 135 intergroup meetings and 435 civil society speakers across four intergroups in the 8th European Parliament (2014-2019), this study delivers the first empirical account of intergroup participants, and thereby provides original insights into the types and functions of intergroups as participatory mechanisms. Employing openness and inclusiveness to assess the density, diversity and insider status of civil society, this explorative study maps intergroups on a continuum of participatory vehicles that serve both pluralist interests and individual clients. It reveals an insider status for different types of interests across the four intergroups and points to the special role of EU associations in intergroups. By opening the black box of intergroups, this study explores an understudied phenomenon in EP-civil society research and sheds light on civil society practices taking place beyond the official structures of the Parliament. It adds to the literature on civil society access in EU governance and contributes to the wider political and academic debates on civil society's contribution to the EU's democratic legitimacy.


Mantle xenoliths in basalt and tuffaceous volcanoes at the Shawran Crater, Bir Ali area, along the southeastern coast of Yemen are very useful to elucidate the nature of the lithospheric mantle beneath the area, which is characterised by rift tectonic activity and volcanism during the Pliocene–Quaternary period. The studied mantle xenoliths are mostly fresh showing igneous textures and composed mainly of spinel harzburgite and lherzolite, in addition to, less prominently, dunite. Spinel harzburgite and lherzolite are holocrystalline with abundant granular spinel that occurs interstitially to olivine, orthopyroxene, and clinopyroxene. The forsterite content of olivine is high (Fo89–91) attesting its mantle residue origin. Orthopyroxene is mostly enstatite (En89–92), and clinopyroxene is diopsidic in composition (Wo24–47En49–52 Fs2–4). Spinel Cr# (Cr/(Cr + Al) is distinguishable between lherzolites (Cr# = 0.12–0.15) and harzburgites (Cr# = 0.20–0.31). The calculated oxygen fugacity (logfO2) of the studied lherzolites (−1.76 to −0.20) and harzburgite (−2.7 to −0.98) xenoliths, and their equilibration temperature (~ 820–1,145°C) at about 1.5 GPa pressure, along with their mineralogical and petrological characteristics, are all support their evolution by mixed enrichment from a fertile and depleted asthenospheric mantle beneath the Bir Ali area.


A case of lumbosacral spina bifida occulta presented with resorption of toes which started at six years of age. Its differential diagnosis with neural leprosy is discussed.


Due to the cancellation of the BIOAQUA case in Decision Number: 618 K/Pdt.Sus-HKI/2020, the plaintiff did not receive the legal protection that he deserved. The study's goal is to examine the legal protection afforded to the first trademark registration applicant in the BIOAQUA trademark case, followed by an examination of the judge's decision to cancel the BIOAQUA trademark. This study is normative and legal in nature. The research strategy is a case study approach. The data source is secondary data, and the data analysis is qualitative. The findings revealed that in the case of the BIOAQUA trademark, legal protection is provided to the first applicant of trademark registration against the defendant. Because the judge considers the same as the authority under Article 3 of Law No. 20 of 2016 concerning Trademarks and Geographical Indications, the plaintiff is not considered the first registrant. The judge's consideration in the BIOAQUA trademark cancellation case is based on Articles 76 and 77 of Trademarks and Geographical Indications Law No. 20 of 2016. The judge considers the content of Article 76, namely that cancellation can be made against registered trademarks, but because the element of good faith cannot be proven, the defendant's trademark is not cancelled, and the legal effect of this is that the defendant's BIOAQUA trademark is protected by registered trademarks.


A series of 45 patients with space occupying lesions of the liver were investigated by a dual isotope scanning technique. The method is described, and the results are presented. The investigation is often helpful in the differentiation of malignant from non-malignant lesions of the liver.


In view of the dramatic changes induced by emerging social media, the present research focuses on Chinese multinational enterprises to understand how they conduct impression management work on Twitter through different face orientations, with a particular attention to the online presence of CSR activities. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, it is found that CSR activities have not received enough attention in such genre of company discourse. The present research also points that the frequent occurrence at Twitter is supposed to be of great value to impression management work of these multinational companies. However, some disparities also emerge in their face orientation across different industry.


The global economy has seen widespread creation of trade blocs for market expansion and product diversification. This is one of the approaches used to implement the advocated intra-continental trade, which could be achieved through execution of free trade arrangement by African States. It is, however, acknowledged that benefits that countries derive from the initiative vary depending on the level of economic development. Free trade is defined as a system in which trade in goods and services between or within countries flows without government-imposed restrictions. These interventions are mostly introduced to protect fledgling domestic industries against gigantic multinational companies. Dornbusch et at (1977: 823) defines this protectionism as a means of attempting to ensure that domestic industries are protected from competition from foreign producers and can be carried out through a variety of means such as; "Tariffs, which raise the price of goods coming into a country, quotas - a physical limit on the number of goods that can be brought into a country, and other non-tariff barriers such as regulations and legislation that make it very hard for foreign competitors to sell goods into another country." This article is inspired by commitment shown by the African leadership to unlock the apparent bottlenecks in business transactions and unleash the potential for economic development in the continent. It therefore provides some perspectives on intra-Africa trade.


Mine strength and depths are continuously enlargement.The work faces push forward quickly.The one face gas management method canot satisfy the modern production,must insist to use various methods to face for the gas comprehensive management.The gas comprehensive mangement at No.111217 fully mechanized coal face is successful.A new method of gas comprehensive mangement for coal mining faces is explored.


Abstract
 We conducted vessel-based line-transect sampling from December 2011 to November 2013 to quantify Tursiops truncatus (Bottlenose Dolphin) density over 8 consecutive seasons in the Mississippi Sound. Density estimates showed temporal variation ranging from 0.27 Dolphins/km2 (CV% = 31.3) in spring 2013 to 1.12 Dolphins/km2 (CV% = 21.6) in spring 2012. Density in winter and summer was stable compared to fall and spring, which fluctuated across years. We also noted spatial variation—density was commonly highest in the central and eastern portions of the Mississippi Sound. Spatial and temporal variation in temperature and salinity were potentially driving shifts in Bottlenose Dolphin density. Additional regularly collected density estimates using standardized protocols are needed in order to draw more definitive conclusions regarding the status and trend of this population.


In this article, the author presents the self-directed learning scheme she has implemented in her French language classroom in Norway. She finds that choosing a self-directed approach has allowed her both to follow the objectives of the Norwegian national curriculum, and to answer some of her own queries about helping all pupils to become better learners. She describes how she has modified her classroom in order to allow for small-group or individual work, how she has made language material available to her pupils, and how she has organized the working time in learning to learn phases in which pupils reflect on their learning behaviours, and French learning phases where she acts as a counsellor. In her conclusion, she shows that her pupils, trained in learning competence as much as in linguistic competence, fare better in French when they proceed to their upper secondary classes.


The resource utilization of industrial by-product gypsum is one of the important subjects on environmental protection and sustainable development.Through comparing the physical and chemical performances of Acesulfame-K Gypsum and natural gypsum compared,some problems exsiting in the comprehensive utilization of Acesulfame-K Gypsum were pointed out.The influences of water-purification of on the removal of organic matter and the performances of building gypsum were studied.The optimal washing condition was confirmed providing the reference for its comprehensive utilization.


Quantum chemical calculations at the NL-DFT (BP86, B3LYP) and CCSD(T) levels of theory predicted that the borylene ligand in (OC)4Fe–B(NH2) occupies the equatorial position, while the axial and equatorial forms of the parent compound (OC)4Fe–BH are energetically nearly degenerate. The axial isomer (OC)4Fe–B(NH2) is a transition state on the potential energy surface. Charge and energy analysis of the bonding situation suggests that the borylene ligands are rather strong π acceptors. The strengths of the Fe→BR (R = NH2 or H) π-back donation in the axial and equatorial plane are very different from each other which yields very different bond lengths and bond angles of the axial and equatorial CO ligands. The calculations show that B(NH2) is a weaker π-accepting ligand than BH, which contradicts the qualitative rule that the equatorial position is occupied by the better π acceptor.


Current research in Web Service discovery is towards building Context Aware Pervasive Systems that give appropriate results based on users interests, but it is not completely discussed how far the retrieved services are actually relevant to the user. Also, the current context aware systems confine themselves to giving best results for user's queries based on their profiles, which assume user to query based only on the interests which are listed or acquired by the context sensor. But this system can't be validated in the cases where users search for services beyond their interests. In this paper we discuss context based on two aspects namely service context and user's context. Also we discuss how the capabilities of UDDI can be extended to organize Web Services based on Conceptual Clustering so as to provide user with better results. Also we discuss how we achieve relevant services using clustering, context and user chosen QoS. In this paper we introduce an improvised model of COBWEB Algorithm for the incorporation QoS and Clustering Module for Conceptual Clustering.


In [7] a "goal-control expected utility model" was formulated which allows the decision maker to specify his acts in the form of "controls" (partial contingency plans) and to simultaneously choose goals and controls in end-mean pairs. It was shown that the Savage expected utility model, the MarschakRadner team model, the Bayesian statistical decision model, and the standard optimal control model can be viewed as special cases of this model. In this paper the goal-control expected utility representation for the goal-control model primitives is axiomatized.


The nuclear safety justification of a mixed array of dissimilar fissile units of metal units and dilute solution units, according to Clayton, has been a persistent and nagging problem. Dissimilar uranium metal or dissimilar uranium solution units in a mixed array can also create a modeling nightmare for the nuclear criticality safety engineer. Now, a calculational method known as the Law of Substitution has been developed to ensure that the k/sub eff/ of an array of uranium metal and uranium solution units will satisfy any k/sub eff/ limit set by the nuclear safety engineer. The nuclear criticality safety engineer can utilize the Law of Substitution to safely mix or substitute different uranium metal units, different uranium solution units, and more importantly, uranium metal and dilute UO/sub 2/ solution units in an array. The Law of Substitution is as follows: (1) calculate the k/sub eff/ of each unit type in its own infinite planar array. (2) Determine the edge-to-edge spacing of the infinite planar array of each type of unit to satisfy a desired k/sub eff/. (3) Select the largest edge-to-edge spacing from among the similar units in their infinite planar arrays and use that spacing for the finite or infinitemore » planar array of mixed units.« less


Objective. The objective of the article is to study the level of plagiarism in modern conditions, to pay detailed attention to the level of plagiarism in research work of institutions of higher education (IHE) of Ukraine and to compare it with the level of plagiarism among EU countries. The author pays attention to the substantiation of views and theoretical approaches that could comprehensively improve the situation with the level of plagiarism in Ukrainian IHE, determination of the practical aspects of the implementation of these measures, characteristics and practical application in the work of programs that check the content of plagiarism in research and bringing the relevance of programs to the level of plagiarism not only in scientific articles of IHE students, but also in any research articles. Methods. The solution of the tasks is carried out by using such methods as analysis and generalization of scientific, popular science literature to determine the level of plagiarism both in IHE and in Ukraine as a whole, research of available methods to determine the level of plagiarism and possible methods of solving this problem and indicating ways to implement the verification system. Results. To improve the situation with the level of plagiarism in students' research work we should carefully check the uniqueness of these works, encourage students to do their own research, allocate sufficient time to complete the task, the student must see the goal and achieve it during the research. In turn, each university should be provided with a free program that will perform high-quality and fast testing of works for the level of uniqueness. Not only works available on the Internet should be tested, but also the works that will be written by students and entered into the university database.


The rate of dissolution of sphalerite is shown to be directly proportional to the concentration of substitutional iron impurity in the solid. This is attributed to the formation of a narrow impurity band within the forbidden band gap of the sphalerite. The impurity band is of iron d-orbital origin. The transfer of electrons between this d-orbital band and the oxidant is energetically more favorable than the transfer of electrons between the valence band and the oxidant. A fundamental model combining the electronic structure of sphalerite and semiconductor electrochemistry is presented. An equation is derived that describes the rate of dissolution as being first order for the concentration of iron in the solid and half-order for the concentration of the oxidant. This is in agreement with the experimental evidence.


Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (αCaMKII) is thought to exert its role in memory formation by autonomous Ca2+-independent persistent activity conferred by Thr286 autophosphorylation, allowing the enzyme to remain active even when intracellular [Ca2+] has returned to resting levels. Ca2+ sequestration-induced inhibition, caused by a burst of Thr305/306 autophosphorylation via calmodulin (CaM) dissociation from the Thr305/306 sites, is in conflict with this view. The processes of CaM binding, autophosphorylation, and inactivation are dissected to resolve this conflict. Upon Ca2+ withdrawal, CaM sequential domain dissociation is observed, starting with the rapid release of the first (presumed N-terminal) CaM lobe, thought to be bound at the Thr305/306 sites. The time courses of Thr305/306 autophosphorylation and inactivation, however, correlate with the slow dissociation of the second (presumed C-terminal) CaM lobe. Exposure of the Thr305/306 sites is thus not sufficient for their autophosphorylation. Moreover, Thr305/306 autophosphorylation and autoinactivation are shown to occur in the continuous presence of Ca2+ and bound Ca2+/CaM by time courses similar to those seen following Ca2+ sequestration. Our investigation of the activity and mechanisms of phospho-Thr286-αCaMKII thus shows time-dependent autoinactivation, irrespective of the continued presence of Ca2+ and CaM, allowing a very short, if any, time window for Ca2+/CaM-free phospho-Thr286-αCaMKII activity. Physiologically, the time-dependent autoinactivation mechanisms of phospho-Thr286-αCaMKII (t½ of ∼50 s at 37 °C) suggest a transient kinase activity of ∼1 min duration in the induction of long term potentiation and thus memory formation.


Although many type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk factors have been identified, little is known regarding their contributions to the diabetes burden at the population level.


The purpose of this study is to detect and analyze the demeanor of a group of individuals and to know their views on the phenomenon of violence that it has spread at a rapid pace in Algerian society as a result of the social and urban transformation it produces... etc., we must take care and caution to avoid many problems. This is in the light of some variables such as sex and age. The method of social scanning was adopted using the random sample, where data were collected by forms and the SPSS system was identified as a tool for study. The results of the study showed responses Different members of the study sampleAbout the types of violence prevalent in the state of el-Tarf, Statistically, we found differences with a statistical function between the prevalence of violent Behaviours and unemployment, and we found differences of function Statistical differences between social and unemployment, but we also found differences with a statistical function between the group of comrades and the abandonment of the role of the institutions of upbringing.Finally, a set of recommendations was proposed, the most important of which was the search for the impact of other variables and further studies on the subject.


Load balancing for DHT (Distributed Hash Table)-based peer-to-peer (P2P) systems has been studied extensively. The DHT-scheme simply assigns each object to a specific peer with a hash function. This could result in O(logN) load imbalance, where N is the number of peers in a system. It is natural that a P2P system experiences frequent join and leave of both objects and peers. This dynamic characteristic may intensify load imbalance and, therefor e, could increase the overhead for load balancing. In this paper, we propose two load balancing schemes, the object lifetime-aware load balancing (OLLB) and the peer activity-aware load balancing (PALB) schemes. The OLLB scheme uses the predicted lifetimes of objects to deal with the trade-off between the load balancing and the load movement. And the PALB scheme manages intelligently the virtual server operations to reduce the load unbalance occurred by dynamic peer activities. The simulation results show that the proposed schemes improve the load balancing performance with less overhead in the dynamic environment.


We present batch-fabricated, low-power and highly sensitive sensors. We present the design, fabrication, and characterization of batch-fabricated sidewall etched vertical nanogap tunneling-junctions for bio-sensing. The device consists of two vertically stacked gold electrodes separated by a partially etched sacrificial spacer-layer of a-Si and SiO2. Using these devices, we demonstrate the electrical detection of certain organic molecules from measurements of tunneling characteristics of target-mediated molecular junctions formed across nanogaps.


Since 2014, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school meal funding option has enabled high-poverty schools nationwide to serve universal free breakfast and lunch. Evidence suggests that CEP has benefits for student meal participation, behavior, and academic performance. This qualitative study explores perspectives among food service staff (n=28) in CEP-participating school districts in Maryland on (1) implementation barriers, (2) implementation best practices, and a * Corresponding author: Amelie A. Hecht, Research Associate, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Amelie A. Hecht is now National Poverty Fellow, Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison; 1180 Observatory Drive; 3412 William H. Sewell Social Sciences Building; Madison, WI 53706-1320 USA; firstname.lastname@example.com b Roni A. Neff, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; firstname.lastname@example.com c Tam Lynne Kelley, Senior Manager, No Kid Hungry Maryland; email@example.com d Keshia M. Pollack Porter, Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; firstname.lastname@example.com Author Note This study was completed as part of a doctoral dissertation. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Funding Disclosure AAH was supported by the Center for a Livable FutureLerner Fellowship and the Johns Hopkins Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion. This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number 1 UB6HP31689‐01‐00 "Public Health Training Centers" for US$3,699,596. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development ISSN: 2152-0801 online https://foodsystemsjournal.org 530 Volume 10, Issue 2 / Winter 2020–2021 (3) impacts on students, school operations, and the broader food system. Perceived benefits of CEP include increased meal participation, reduced student stigma and financial stress among parents, and improved staff morale. Most participants did not report any change in wasted food or relationships with local or regional farms associated with CEP adoption. Implementation barriers, including concerns regarding CEP's impact on federal, state, and grant education funding, provide insight into potential policy interventions that may promote uptake. Best practices, including strong communication with parents and creative strategies to boost student meal participation, can be adopted by other districts.


Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been identified as a model bioenergy feedstock crop and is expected to become an important feedstock for future renewable fuel generation. Agronomic management combinations that maximize monoculture switchgrass yield are generally well understood; however, little is known about corresponding effects of differing switchgrass management combinations on near-surface soil properties. The objective of this research was to determine the residual near-surface soil property effects of three years (2008 to 2011) of consistent management combinations to maximize switchgrass biomass production, including cultivar ('Alamo' and 'Cave-in-Rock'), harvest frequency (1-cut and 2-cut systems per year), fertilizer source (poultry litter and commercial fertilizer), and irrigation management (irrigated and non-irrigated). Effects on soil properties were assessed on a Leadvale silt loam (fine-silty, siliceous, semiactive, thermic, Typic Fragiudult) at the USDA-NRCS Booneville Plant Materials Center in Logan County by evaluating soil bulk density, total water stable aggregates (TWSA), soil pH and EC, Mehlich-3 extractable soil nutrients, root density, and surface infiltration. Irrigating switchgrass, which did not increase past biomass production, increased (p > 0.01) soil bulk density in treatment combinations where poultry litter was applied (1.40 g cm-3) compared to non-irrigated treatment combinations (1.33 g cm-3). Total WSA concentration was greater (p < 0.05) in 'Alamo' (0.91 g g-1) than 'Cave-in-Rock' (0.89 g g-1) treatment combinations when averaged over all other treatment factors. Root density was greater (p = 0.031) in irrigated (2.62 kg m-3) than in non-irrigated (1.65 kg m-3) treatments when averaged over all other treatment factors. Surface infiltration rate under unsaturated conditions was greater (p = 0.01) in the 1-cut (33 mm min-1) than 2-cut (23 mm min-1) harvest treatment combinations when averaged over all other treatment factors, while surface infiltration rate under saturated conditions did not differ among treatment combinations (p > 0.05) and averaged 0.79 mm min-1. Results from this study indicate that management decisions to maximize switchgrass biomass production affect soil properties over relatively short periods of time and further research is needed to develop local best management practices to maximize yield while maintaining or improving soil quality. Acknowledgments I cannot fully express my gratitude toward my family, coworkers, mentors, and friends for helping me find the courage to finish this graduate program. Thanks are due first to my parents, Christina and Mike, for teaching me that the only true limits that exist are the ones that I set for myself—their zest for knowledge, love, support, and assiduous determination inspires me to regard major challenges as major opportunities. Though I only inherited a small bit of my mother's nerve, her fighting spirit has carried me through many obstacles. I want to thank my dad for teaching me that persistence makes progress, no matter the task. When I became a graduate student, my husband and partner-in-crime, Bryan, unknowingly became a unique hybrid of administrative assistant, accountant, therapist, and frozen pizza chef. I am so proud to be his teammate. I want to thank my family for standing with me symbolically and literally by helping me run samples or clean up various messes. Special thanks go to Brandon and Julieann, two wildlife biologists who know more about soil aggregation than they ever cared to learn. I could not have completed this program without the full support of four very special people at the Booneville Plant Materials Center. I want to thank my supervisor Randy King for encouraging me, accommodating my schedule, and allowing me to run with my ideas; Eddie Pratt for his support and for patiently sharing his extensive technical expertise; Debbie Orick for her invaluable logistical and spiritual support, and Dale Goff for his encouragement and help collecting samples. I will never forget the day Dale pulled me aside and told me everyone had my back at the office, which empowered me to go back to school. I owe them not only for their encouragement, but also for teaching me more than I could ever hope to learn in school. I would also like to thank all the staff members at the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center who were always willing to help with this and any other project. There are several people who have generously invested their time in my professional and scholastic development. I would like to thank Dr. Ramona Garner for her advice, for expecting great things from me, and for first hiring me on her farm—even after I came in for the interview in a suit and heels. I also want to thank Burthel Thomas for encouraging me to walk in like I already own half the place and I'm about to buy the rest tomorrow—no matter the situation. I am continually inspired by the motivational attitude and the contagious commitment of Ramona and Burthel, who, if they know fear, have never let it keep them from achieving their goals. My main goal in completing this program was to complete the last step of the scientific method by improving my skills as a technical writer. I would like to thank two people who were excellent role models as technical writers and who were instrumental in helping me achieve this goal: Dr. Kristofor Brye for his seemingly endless patience, insightfulness, and flexibility in allowing me to balance work and school, and Joel Douglas for his invaluable technical advice and dedication to helping me improve my skills as a credible researcher. Lastly, I would like to thank Michele Helton for her friendship and sampling assistance, Taylor Adams for his help running samples, and Katy Brantley and Jade Ford for their friendship and understanding. I am grateful for the support of my best friend Elsie Stott—thank you for inspiring me with your fearless spirit. I also want to thank my dear friend Julie Osborne for volunteering to help and for always encouraging me. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to better myself at a great university. I will use the skills gained from this program to work harder as a testament to those who have invested their time and energy in my success. Dedication My passion for balancing production agriculture and resource conservation first began during the 6th grade science fair. I installed soil dams and compared the amount of soil erosion occurring at two sites: the neighbor's lush stand of black and blue gramagrass and the overused pasture where I kept my horse. I was lucky to have a very patient land management professional as a consultant. He has been a trusted confidant, mentor, friend, and positive force in my life ever since then. I am extremely grateful to him for encouraging my curiosity in natural systems and helping me gain the confidence to pursue a career in conservation and leadership. This work is dedicated to Delbert Griego—muchas gracias, Viejo! Table of


Let $K$ be a locally compact hypergroup with a left invariant Haar measure. We show that the Liouville property and amenability are equivalent for $K$ when it is second countable. Suppose that $\sigma$ is a non-degenerate probability measure on $K$, we show that there is no non-trivial $\sigma$-harmonic function which is continuous and vanishing at infinity. Using this, we prove that the space $H_\sigma^p(K)$ of all $\sigma$-harmonic $L^p$-functions, is trivial for all $1\leq p<\infty$. Further, it is shown that $H_\sigma^\infty(K)$ contains only constant functions if and only if it is a subalgebra of $L^\infty(K)$. In the case where $\sigma$ is adapted and $K$ is compact, we show that $H_\sigma^p(K)={\mathbb C}1$ for all $1\leq p\leq\infty$.


Significance Many of the world's crops are pollinated by insects, and bees are often assumed to be the most important pollinators. To our knowledge, our study is the first quantitative evaluation of the relative contribution of non-bee pollinators to global pollinator-dependent crops. Across 39 studies we show that insects other than bees are efficient pollinators providing 39% of visits to crop flowers. A shift in perspective from a bee-only focus is needed for assessments of crop pollinator biodiversity and the economic value of pollination. These studies should also consider the services provided by other types of insects, such as flies, wasps, beetles, and butterflies—important pollinators that are currently overlooked. Wild and managed bees are well documented as effective pollinators of global crops of economic importance. However, the contributions by pollinators other than bees have been little explored despite their potential to contribute to crop production and stability in the face of environmental change. Non-bee pollinators include flies, beetles, moths, butterflies, wasps, ants, birds, and bats, among others. Here we focus on non-bee insects and synthesize 39 field studies from five continents that directly measured the crop pollination services provided by non-bees, honey bees, and other bees to compare the relative contributions of these taxa. Non-bees performed 25–50% of the total number of flower visits. Although non-bees were less effective pollinators than bees per flower visit, they made more visits; thus these two factors compensated for each other, resulting in pollination services rendered by non-bees that were similar to those provided by bees. In the subset of studies that measured fruit set, fruit set increased with non-bee insect visits independently of bee visitation rates, indicating that non-bee insects provide a unique benefit that is not provided by bees. We also show that non-bee insects are not as reliant as bees on the presence of remnant natural or seminatural habitat in the surrounding landscape. These results strongly suggest that non-bee insect pollinators play a significant role in global crop production and respond differently than bees to landscape structure, probably making their crop pollination services more robust to changes in land use. Non-bee insects provide a valuable service and provide potential insurance against bee population declines.


The fatty acid distribution in 19 strains of Spirulino was studied. All but one contained y-linolenic acid (GLA). No GLA was found in S. subs&a. which had a very high content of palmitoleicacid. The fatty acid content of all but one of the tested strains increased with cultivation temperature and the relative amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid decreased. The highest content of GLA was found at 30-35" for most strains. High light intensities at a high temperature (38"). while not affecting the fatty acid composition. had a drastic effect on the fatty acid content. reducing it by as much as 46 %.


The paper presents a method to obtain effects similar to those obtained by real mechanical loading, actuator and measurement noises and parameter variation but without any mechanical parts supplementary to the electric motor of the studied electric drive and without actually changing any electrical or mechanical parameter of the motor. The motor drive itself produces the load torque, noises and the parameter variations using a digital signal processing software. Therefore, the electric drive is virtually perturbed, while its behavior is similar to that of the really perturbed drive. The present method, which can be related to a class of hardware-in-the-loop simulations, could be used to test the implementation of advanced control algorithms or at didactic purposes using motion control kits found on the market.


Image segmentation is an important aspect of biomedical image analysis. Here we discuss the implementation of a system for segmentation of confocal electron microscope images of DNA within from rat liver cell nuclei. Segmentation is achieved using controlled continuity splines or 'snakes' proposed by Kass, Witkin, and Teraopoulos. A snake is an energy minimizing spline guided by external constraint forces and influenced by image forces that pull it toward features such as lines and edges. They are active contour models. They lock onto nearby edges, localizing them accurately.