This article presents a novel control method for a multilevel dc–dc flying capacitor converter for applications in medium voltage range. Quasi-two-level modulation provides the possibility to obtain low flying capacitance even below 1 μF, whereas the triangular current mode controller part enables to achieve zero voltage switching at turn-on for a wide operating range, lowering power losses, and providing the possibility to operate at higher frequencies. The proposed novel control converges the advantages of these both methods leading to very high efficiency with high power density. Performance of the flying capacitor converter with the proposed control method is illustrated with a model-based Saber simulation at first, and then, an experimental model operating at wide frequency range (40 ÷ 250 kHz) and in medium voltage range was designed and constructed. A series of laboratory tests at up to 1.5 kV dc and 10 kW confirmed the noteworthy characteristics of the converter. The voltage between the power devices is balanced and the efficiency achieved reached as high as 99.1%. Therefore, the proposed converter can be competitively employed against classical two-level, as well as three-level and series connection-based counterparts.


High Order Thinking Skills (HOTs) is the way of thinking which should have been mastered by students everywhere early for their life skills. This HOTs skill has been internationally assessed since 2000 every three years attended by all OECD members includes Indonesia through Program International for Student Assessment (PISA). Result of PISA of Indonesian students from 2000 until 2018 still have achieved at level 1a of highest level 6 as national average. Considering geographical area located from West to East, it is very important to map students literacy in each area as base-line of creating integrated effort for Junior High School to increase student's literacy. This descriptive study aims to promote the profile of Junior High School Literacy. About 40 of 9-grade students and two science teachers involved in this study as research subject. Data were obtained through participative observation, test and video typing for classroom activity during two months on the topic of heredity and electricity. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively as well. Result showed that students literacy still in low category based on national competence assessment. However there is increase of learning outcome proven by pretest (24.46), post test (33.46), and second post test (59.82). Looking into class level in detail based on daily assessment on the topic of electricity and heredity percentage of students literacy can be categorized as scientific comprehension (57%), higher than partial comprehension (19%) and naïve or wrong comprehension (24%). Student scientific comprehension promoted close to PISA literacy competencies includes explaining phenomena scientifically, evaluating and designing scientific enquiry, interpreting data and evidence scientifically. The study imply the important of keep improving daily science classroom activity which promote students higher order thinking skills in order to achieve better scientific literacy.


Purpose; – This study aims to investigate generational disparities of Chinese Generation (Gen) X and Y tourists by examining their loyalty determinants in a luxury hotel setting. Design/methodology/approach – A survey of five-star hotel guests in Macau yielded 285 complete responses. Structural equation modeling was used to test the quality-loyalty framework through the mediating roles of perceived value and satisfaction, with a multi-group comparison to examine generational differences. Findings – The results indicate that top quality rooms and services are high on the agenda of both generations, while Gen X places more weight on convenience and food and Gen Y on security; satisfaction does not induce loyalty, whereas value fully or partially mediates the quality-loyalty relationship; and Gen X is value-centered in building loyalty, yet Gen Y exhibits both value consciousness and stronger demands for upscale quality features. Practical implications – The findings help hotel managers cater to different ge...


Map shows elevations along the 35th parallel at specific points between St. Louis and San Francisco. Relief shown by profile. Scale [ca. 1:2,534,000].


A method is described for subdivision of an arbitrary polygon into triangular elements. The method involves construction of a boundary-matching superposition mesh to form interior elements followed by a procedure to connect the interior to the boundary.


The paper gives discussion to realize visualization study on distribution law of tunneling temperature based on ArcView, displays lots of data in simple style, which offers more scientific basis for framing more effective measures to improve the danger environment caused by high tunneling temperature.


In today's wireless communications, microstrip patch antennas are popular for SHF applications due to their low profile, light weight, ease of fabrication and compatibility with printed circuits. These antennas suffer from a number of disadvantages as compared to conventional antenna like narrow bandwidth, small gain, small efficiency and low power handling capacity For improving the gain and directivity, array arrangements can be used. In this paper proposed triangular array are used for SHF application and for software simulation use HFSS.


EFORE Papua New Guinea obtained its independence on 16 September B 1975, and became formally responsible for its relations with other countries, its Prime Minister, Michael Somare, and its Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Sir Maori Kiki, had expressed the broad terms of the country's foreign policy. Papua New Guinea was to be "universalist."' Subsequently proclaimed at Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings, in the General Assembly of the United Nations, and at formal receptions for visiting Heads of State, "universalism" has been defined and qualified. Papua New Guinea seeks friendly relations with countries irrespective of their commitments to major ideological and military alliances. Universalism is said to be different from non-alignment: it is more active and positive. After one year of independence, Sir Maori Kiki chose to illustrate to members of the General Assembly his country's stance by pointing out that Papua New Guinea had recognized m d entered into friendly relations with both the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea2 To emphasize that Papua New Guinea's policy is not determined by Australia, its spokesmen have several times quoted President Nyerere of Tanzania : "We do not want our friends to choose our enemies for us." But Papua New Guinea's universalism has not been extended to "racist" regimes. Somare has declared his opposition to the policies of the South African Government, supporting his words by cutting trade links in September 1977; and he has been more willing than the leaders of some newly-independent countries to condemn ''in the strongest possible terms" the Government of Uganda.3 Few formal occasions have passed without Papua New Guinean speakers calling for the Pacific and Indian Oceans to be zones of peace; and they have specifically opposed French nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll. That is the basis and the rhetoric of Papua New Guinea's foreign policy. Itsgeneral tolerance comes easily to a Government that is a coalition of parties, regions and individuals that came to power without violence and with few disputes, that conducts domestic business with rare references to ideology, and that has attempted to solve internal conflicts by engaging and absorbing opponents, rather than isolating and defeating them. But inevitably, Papua New Guinea has faced issues where a general, universalist, stance is irrelevant.


Effect of water addition on the packing of multi-sized spheres has been experimentally investigated under standard poured packing conditions. The results indicate that porosity is strongly affected by particle characteristics such as particle size and size distribution, in addition to water content. The packing features in the relationship between porosity and moisture content for wet multi-sized spheres are found to be similar to those for wet mono-sized spheres, implying that the same mechanisms effect. The comparison between the dry and wet packing systems has been carried out extensively. The results confirm the similarity between the two systems.


Pastoral dairy farmers continually make sequential decisions in the face of long-term environmental uncertainty and price volatility. Decisions made early in the season, such as the number of cows to farm per hectare, can have significant effects later in the season if, for example, the farmer is forced to import additional feed to meet the cows' energy demands during a drought. This thesis analyses the problems faced by pastoral dairy farmers through the lens of multistage stochastic optimisation. The thesis is structured in two distinct parts that are approximately equal in content. The first part of this thesis, Multistage Stochastic Optimisation, addresses the theory and computation of multistage stochastic optimisation. We focus on the stochastic dual dynamic programming algorithm as a solution technique for multistage stochastic optimisation models. There are three main chapters in Part I. First, we conduct a literature review of the current state-of-the-art stochastic dual dynamic programming implementation. We also discuss our experience of a range of numerical issues related to stochastic dual dynamic programming. Second, we describe SDDP.jl, a software package we have developed for solving multistage stochastic optimisation problems using stochastic dual dynamic programming. Finally, we describe an extension to the stochastic dual dynamic programming algorithm to enable the solution of problems with stagewise-dependent objective uncertainty. The second part of the thesis, Applications in the Dairy Industry, applies the theory and techniques developed in the first part of the thesis to the problems faced by pastoral dairy farmers in New Zealand. We develop two models: MOO – the Milk Output Optimiser, and POWDER – the milk Production Optimiser incorporating Weather Dynamics and Economic Risk. We use these models to analyse the decision-making of a farmer in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand in a variety of circumstances. Finally, we introduce forward contracting for milk and show how a risk-averse farmer can use forward contracts to effectively manage their downside risk.


The study aims to reveal the correlations between the evolution of the Romanian population in the past 20 years and the changes in family behavior, also highlighting territorial disparities of nuptiality and divortiality.


Up to now, the performance of current control for field-oriented control of the induction machine using pulsewidth-modulated (PWM) voltage source inverter have the problem that it can not provide high-accuracy and quick-tracking response simultaneously. For improvement, two variable structure approaches are proposed in this paper. One is the so called Discontinuous Damping System method implemented by software alone, which is suitable when switching frequency of inverter is higher. The other is a combination of software PI controller and hardware hysteresis comparator, which is necessary in the case of lower switching frequency. Experimental results show that both approaches have the dynamic response as fast as that of a hysteresis controller as well as an accurate static response with the least harmonic currents. An optimum PWM pattern of the inverter based on the space vector concept was also implemented so that not only the harmonic currents are limited but also, with the proposed methods, it becomes easy to compensate the dead-time of the inverter and to sample motor current eliminating the distortions.


We review the recent progress of a system designed to compensate exactly the nonlinearity in WDM transmission. Its superior performance, experimentally demonstrated, is empowered by two nonlinear processes: optical phase conjugation and Raman amplification.


The present invention relates to a method and a system for mutually compatible payment account information frequently used among a plurality of non-face-to-face channels. When the frequently used deposit account information of the customer newly added or changed in the face-to-face channel is generated, the new non-face-to-face channel management server managing the first non-face-to-face channel is added to the previously stored customer's frequently used deposit account information. After updating or applying the frequently used deposit account information of the updated or changed customer, the frequently used deposit account information of the renewed customer to the second non-facing channel management server to N (N = 2, 3, ... N) transmitting to the non-facing channel management server, and the second non-facing channel management server to the N (N = 2, 3, ... N) non-facing channel management server Storing the frequently used deposit account information of the stored customer with the frequently used deposit account information of the customer transmitted by the first non-facing channel management server; and storing the frequently used deposit account information of the customer and the second non-facing channel to N th (N = 2). , 3, ... N) when connected to the non-face-to-face channel transfer transaction, the second non-face-to-face channel management server to N (N = 2, 3, ... N) non-face-to-face channel management server replacement And providing the customer's frequently used deposit account information to the customer through the second non-facing channel to N-th (N = 2, 3, ... N) non-facing channel. Non-facing, channel, ledger, banking


Photocatalysis has been paid great attention since it was first explored in 1972 in order to generate hydrogen from water utilizing the solar energy. From the literature, it can be seen that any effort to improve the activity of the photocatalyst or to obtain new effective catalyst is always recommended and encouraged. Zeolites, widely applied in the fields of catalysis, adsorption and separation, are expected to show effective photocatalytic activity due to their special structure and properties. In this review, the merits of zeolite-based photocatalysts and the study status of the application of zeolites in photocatalysis have been introduced and highlighted respectively. Also the significance and promise of this photocatalyst are covered.


A confined electrical double‐layer (EDL) inside nanoporous electrodes has a large capacitance and deviates from traditional ones. Unfortunately, its capacitive mechanism is still unclear. Herein, expanded vertical graphene/diamond (EVG/D) films with regular and ordered 0.7‐nm layered channels are designed and synthesized to serve as an ideal model for understanding confined EDL. A clear overall picture of confined EDL is provided at an atomic resolution with the aid of in situ electrochemical Raman spectroscopy, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations combined with three‐dimension reference interaction site method (3D‐RISM). It is especially interesting that the induced charges in electrode hosts are highly localized with a density far higher than that on a traditional EDL and even close to those of ion batteries. It is proposed that such a high localization of induced charges plays an essential role in the high energy storage efficiency of confined EDL capacitance. This work not only provides a previously unexplored way to refine the mechanism of confined EDL, but also further lays the foundation for understanding the functions of nanoporous or layered materials in electrochemical energy storage.


The invention relates to a method for preparing active carbon, which comprises the following steps: crushing, sieving and drying woody raw materials, soaking the raw materials into a zinc chloride solution according to the mass ratio of the raw materials to zinc chloride of 1:1-4, and drying the solution; performing cracking activation under the vacuum condition, wherein the temperature rise rate is between 5 and 15 DEG C per minute, and the cracking final temperature is between 400 and 500 DEG C; maintaining at the cracking final temperature for approximately 1 hour; and performing acid washing, water washing and drying on the reaction product to obtain the product, namely the active carbon. Compared with active carbon prepared under the condition of normal pressure, the active carbon prepared by the method has the advantages that the micropore rate is improved by 5.34 to 13.18 percent, the specific surface area is increased by 6.21 to 20.31 percent, and the adsorption performance is superior. Moreover, a byproduct, namely biological oil, can be collected when the active carbon is obtained simultaneously, so that the resource utilization rate is high and the energy consumption is reduced.


Abstract : This thesis discusses the problems of information management within a Naval Shipyard. The research was conducted at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California; however, the findings may apply on a much larger scale to all NAVSEA industrial facilities. Discussion is focused on the Shipyard MIS installed by the Bureau of Ships (BUSHIPS) in the early sixties to aid shipyard managers in accomplishing a complex overhaul of a modern vessel. Present system problems resulting in inefficiencies and information degradation are described and possible actions to improve information flow without cognitive overload are explored. Keywords: Data processing; ADP design; ADP user problems; Token ring; Network; Mainframe; These.


. In aerodynamic design, both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and wind tunnel (WT) experiments deliver datasets that are complementary in terms of uncertainties and density of information. In many situations it is desirable to use methods that combine all available information while accounting for the strengths of both sources. In this paper, we combine the sources in a multi-fidelity Gaussian process (GP) model to foretell the aerodynamic forces and moments. The resulting model accounts for input-dependent error measurements in both experimental and simulated data. To validate the model, we construct a proper multi-source aerodynamic database containing CFD and WT data. This database is based on the NASA Common Reference Model. The CFD simulations are based on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. We demonstrate in numerical settings that the suggested multi-fidelity GP framework outperforms the single-fidelity one in terms of prediction accuracy at the highest level of fidelity (i.e. WT data). The resulting model also allows to reconstruct common aerodynamic profiles (e.g. representations of longitudinal forces) with uncertainties.


Climate disasters have a high impact on farming communities in terms of crop loss or reduced income. In the context of disasters, resilience is defined as the capacity to absorb its impacts, bounce back and even improve their previous status. The recent past two disasters namely Cyclone Thane (2011) and the South Indian floods (2015) had caused major crop loss in Cuddalore, India. A Farmer Resilience Index (FRI) has been assessed at the household level using primary data from 93 households (total) in Silambimangalam and Chinnakomatti villages in Cuddalore, with respect to the 2011 and 2015 disasters. The index has 18 parameters and 55 variables under four dimensions, namely, economic, social, technical, and physical. Farmers in both villages have average resilience to precipitation extremes, with FRI of 0.61 and 0.54, respectively. Seventy percent of the total samples are marginal farmers who have the lowest FRI of 0.47 and 4.3% are medium farmers having FRI of 0.83. Marginal farmers are poor and typically belong to lower castes with their farmlands located at lower elevations, which diminish their physical and economic resilience. The outcomes of the index reveal the current adaptive capacities of the farmers and have the potential to support future planning decisions.


This article presents the results of a multimodal approach to postoperative pain control in laparoscopic sterilization. In a clinical research study results indicated that for treating pain after laparoscopic sterilization nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) alone are unlikely to provide adequate postoperative pain relief. Unsatisfactory effects of naproxen suppositories administered preoperatively were reported by most of the patients still requiring opioids. In addition ambulation and rehabilitation was usually prolonged. However in the multimodal approach excellent postoperative pain relief and facilitated rapid postoperative rehabilitation were noted in the evaluation of a perioperative pain protocol. This protocol combined a preoperative NSAID (ketoprofen) with direct intraoperative mesosalpinx infiltration. These conclusions correspond with one of the conclusions drawn by Chung et al. which states that certain types of surgery could lead to severe postoperative pain.


High capacitance and low leakage current of capacitors are crucial for scaling down dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In this study, high-work-function (WF) indium sesquioxide (In2O3) and vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) ultrathin films were inserted as interlayers to reduce the leakage current of capacitors by using a titanium dioxide (TiO2) dielectric, which has a particularly high dielectric constant. This modification improved the morphology and increased the conduction-band offset. Consequently, the leakage current was reduced by more than 3500 times compared with that of the device without an interlayer. Furthermore, each interlayer functioned as a seed layer in the growth of TiO2 and exhibited a change in the crystallinity of the anatase phase, which resulted in an increase of 12.5% in capacitance. These results revealed that the proposed method effectively reduced the leakage current and maintained capacitor capacitance, thereby addressing a critical problem of TiO2 dielectrics.


Horseshoe crabs are archetypal marine chelicerates with an exceptionally long fossil record. Due to the historical nature of the genus Limulus, which extends back to Linnaeus' descriptions, many horseshoe crab fossils were traditionally placed in Limulus and the family Limulidae. Despite continued research into the accurate placement of species within Limulidae, a systematic outline of characteristics that define limulid genera, specifically using exclusively dorsal characteristics, does not yet exist. However, such an approach is essential as appendage data is rarely preserved in fossil horseshoe crabs. Here we present a systematic review of Limulidae with a focus on dorsal features, and illustrate all accepted limulid species across the 12 genera. Through this descriptive lens, we consider the validity of supposed Limulus species outlined in a recent xiphosurid review. We find evidence for only one fossil Limulus species: Limulus coffini. This revision therefore excludes Limulus from Jurassic‐aged deposits. We refer 'Limulus' darwini from the Upper Jurassic (Upper Tithonian) of Poland to Crenatolimulus darwini comb. nov. and 'Limulus' woodwardi from the Middle Jurassic (Aalenian) of England to Mesolimulus woodwardi comb. nov. This highlights that the Limulus evolutionary record is highly constrained and started as recently as the Late Cretaceous. The rare Limulus fossil record emphasizes the current need for conservation of extant species and the importance of thoroughly scrutinizing the morphology of fossil specimens to uncover all facets of the limited limulid evolutionary record.


The Deformable Mirror Demonstration Mission (DeMi) was recently selected by DARPA to demonstrate in-space operation of a wavefront sensor and Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) deformable mirror (DM) payload on a 6U CubeSat. Space telescopes designed to make high-contrast observations using internal coronagraphs for direct characterization of exoplanets require the use of high-actuator density deformable mirrors. These DMs can correct image plane aberrations and speckles caused by imperfections, thermal distortions, and diffraction in the telescope and optics that would otherwise corrupt the wavefront and allow leaking starlight to contaminate coronagraphic images. DeMi is provide on-orbit demonstration and performance characterization of a MEMS deformable mirror and closed loop wavefront sensing. The DeMi payload has two operational modes, one mode that images an internal light source and another mode which uses an external aperture to images stars. Both the internal and external modes include image plane and pupil plane wavefront sensing. The objectives of the internal measurement of the 140-actuator MEMS DM actuator displacement are characterization of the mirror performance and demonstration of closed-loop correction of aberrations in the optical path. Using the external aperture to observe stars of magnitude 2 or brighter, assuming 3-axis stability with less than 0.1 degree of attitude knowledge and jitter below 10 arcsec RMSE, per observation, DeMi will also demonstrate closed loop wavefront control on an astrophysical target. We present an updated payload design, results from simulations and laboratory optical prototyping, as well as present our design for accommodating high-voltage multichannel drive electronics for the DM on a CubeSat.


Background: Abdominoperineal resection (APR) along with permanent colostomy is the standard method of low rectal cancer operation and resection. The laparoscopic APR provides better visualization of pelvic structures compared to the open approach. Disadvantages of the laparoscopic approach have been reported as longer operation duration and requirement of expensive equipment Although this issue has been investigated extensively worldwide, data is limited from Iran. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare short-term outcome of Laparoscopic Abdominoperineal Resection (APR) with open APR in patients with low rectal cancer in Shiraz, southern Iran. Patients and Methods: This was a non-randomized controlled trial study performed in Shahid Faghihi Hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from 2007 to 2012. We included all patients with rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic or open APR with permanent colostomy. Both groups were evaluated regarding oncology results. Volume of intraoperative bleeding, short-term complications, operation to diet interval and duration of hospitalization were recorded and further compared between the laparoscopy and open APR groups. Results: Overall, 24 patients were included in this study of whom 11 underwent laparoscopy and 13 underwent open APR. The two study groups were comparable regarding age (P = 0.747), gender (P = 0.605), tumor stage (P = 0.116), tumor histopathology grade (P = 0.421) and distance from the anal verge (P = 0.711). The duration of operation was comparable between the groups (P = 0.336). Those who underwent laparoscopy had significantly lower intraoperative bleeding (485.5 ± 139.8 vs. 658.3 ± 183.2; P = 0.024), shorter operation-diet interval (2.27 ± 0.46 vs. 3.15 ± 0.37; P < 0.001) and shorter duration of hospitalization compared to the open APR group (4.09 ± 0.53 vs. 4.76 ± 0.59; P = 0.008). Conclusions: Laparoscopic APR is associated with minimal perioperative bleeding, shorter operation-diet interval and shorter durations of hospitalization compared to open approach in patients with low rectal cancer who had not received neoadjuvant chemo radiotherapy. Oncologic results in this operation were comprisable to open procedure because the mesorectal, anus and sphincter complex excision are performed in the same method. . Therefore, laparoscopy could be the method of choice for APR.


An analytical method for the determination of buprenorphine in biological samples was developed.In the procedure a solid-phase extraction for the isolation of Buprenorphine was employed,The samples were analyzed by reversed-phase high performance liquid hromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.The qualitative analysis was based on the retention time and fragment ions,and the quantitation was carried out with parent ion m/z 468.The linear ranges were from 10ng /ml(ng/g) to 500ng / ml(ng/g) and the correlation coefficients(r2) were all greater than 0.993.The average recoveries for Buprenor-phine ranged from 74% to 94% in biological samples spiked with the drug concentrations of 50,100 and 500ng / ml(ng/g),and the relative standard deviations(RSD s) were less than 8% for intra-day and 10% for inter-day determinations.The method is simple and suitable for the determination and confirmation of Buprenorphine in biological samples.


In this paper it is solved the problem of lead extraction from accumulator batteries scrap..It is recommended lead extraction by electrolysis with subsequent secondary product (gypsum building plaster) preparation


Giant T4 phage capsoids formed in canavanine-treated cultures infected by phage mutants in genes 21 and 17, respectively, differ with regard to cleavage of the major capsid protein, gp23, and in the fine structure of their hexagonal surface lattices. Quantitative computer processing of electron micrographs shows that the significant differences in capsomer morphology amount to six symmetrically placed features present in the uncleaved hexamer but absent after cleavage. These features may be related with the N-terminal portions of gp23 monomers excised by phage-specific proteolysis. Cleaved 17- giants can be induced to undergo a further structural transformation (expansion). Structural characteristics of partially transformed giant particles give clues about the dynamics of the cleavage and expansion transformations. Both processes appear to be polar, initiating in one cap and propagating along the particle. The transition zone of partial cleavage is diffuse, whereas the transition between unexpanded and expanded areas is confined to a narrow band of some 20 nm width.


If classes are kinds of people who compete for social goods, then civil law is a natural tool for class conflict. Zoning provides one example. Zoning rules against low‐cost housing in a "good" district create a privileged class of residents within the high‐priced district and an unprivileged class of people forced to congregate on low‐rent ground somewhere else. These "bad housing" class members may seek relief from biased legislation in the courts. But the forms or structures of procedure in U.S. court law tend to favor legislative law regardless of what a particular judge may think about equity between classes. The low‐rent class in this instance lacks "standing." Members do not live in the high‐priced district and, therefore, have no cause to complain about district laws. Even when courts do admit such cases, the courts have trouble providing a legal remedy. Because court structures evolved to protect private rights, not solve class problems, the courts confuse class advantage with private claims. Inst...


The current research examines the interplay of individualism- collectivism and team composition in team cohesion. I predict that individualism generates greater cohesion in diverse teams than does collectivism, whereas collectivism generates greater cohesion in homogeneous teams than does individualism. The underlying reasoning is that team composition is a cue that provides verification of one's self-construal and that such verification fosters cohesion in work teams via the mediating effect of energetic affective tone. An experimental study that manipulated a specific psychological states representing individualistic vs. collectivistic self-construal provided evidence for the hypothesis. Results showed that individualistic self-construal generates greater energetic feeling in diverse teams than does collectivistic self-construal, which in turn promotes cohesion. Theoretical and practical implications of such findings for teams and organizations are discussed.


This paper considers transition modeling for the flow over small unmanned aerial vehicles with a span of around 1 m. Such flows are characterized by very low values of turbulence intensity, and the...


ABSTRACT

Most studies of parameter optimization focus on the quantitative quality response. The parameter optimization of the qualitative (or linguistic) quality response is seldom mentioned. For the proposed approaches, only the optimum categorical level settings of factors can be determined even though the control factors have the continuous values. Artificial neural networks (ANN) have been successfully employed to model a complexity system, specially by modeling the linear or non-linear relationship behind the system's architecture. Employing ANN to model the interrelations among system's factors and system's response from experimental data is easier than most statistical approaches. In light of such considerations, the objective of this study is to develop an approach based on ANN to deal with the parameter optimization for quality response involving the linguistic ordered category. A case study involving a taping process from a lead frame (L/F) manufacturer in Taiwan's science-based park demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


Plasma levels of the platelet specific protein, platelet factor 4 (PF4), may reflect alteration in platelet turnover or activation. Measurements more sensitive and specific than bioassay are required to test this hypothesis. Highly purified human PF4 prepared by affinity chromatography on heparin/agarose and cation exchange chromatography has been used to develop a sensitive radioimmunoassay. A standard double antibody technique with goat antirabbit serum as second antibody has been used. Anti-PF4 antibody was raised in rabbits with the multiple subcutaneous injection technique. Following a single booster an antibody was obtained which, at a final dilution of 1:75,000, binds 37% of tracer PF4. Iodinated tracer PF4 was produced by the lactoperoxidase labelling technique and purified by gel chromatography in heparin containing buffer to prevent absorptive losses. The assay buffer also contains heparin 1 U/ml. The tracer shows good stability (4-8 weeks) and adequate immunoreactivity. Non-specific binding was 2.4 ± 0.8% in 11 consecutive assays. Sensitivity of the assay, expressed as 50% displacement of the tracer, is normally 0.3-0.4 ng per tube with a working range of 0.06-1.25 ng (20-80% displacement). Twelve replicate determinations of a single plasma sample yielded a within-assay standard deviation of 0.6 ng/ml and coefficient of variation of 0.1%. The assay is highly specific, the closest cross reactivity being obtained with β-thromboglobulin which produces 50% displacement of tracer with 5 μg/tube. Plasma preparation may not yet be optimal, but normal values in carefully prepared samples lie below 10 ng/ml.


Squeeze casting is an efficient,energy-saving,widely-adaptable molding process,which is particularly suitable for the production of high performance requirements of complex shape parts.Auto Shift Fork is important parts in the automotive parts,of whose last force and torque will be the role.The squeeze casting mold design in this paper focuses on these structural characteristics,including the use of AutoCAD for the design of molds for two-dimensional mapping.


In order to more effectively cultivate creative talent, China's higher education institutions have actively offered art education courses that can optimize their course system and have also built art troupes for their students. This paper mainly aims to promote equality in China's higher arts education system, narrow the development gap between student art troupes at undergraduate schools and those of vocational and technical colleges in China's higher education system, and explore the characteristics and flexible schemes of China's higher vocational and technical colleges' students' art troupes. In this line, the students' art troupe at N Higher Vocational and Technical College in China was used as a case study to analyze the four dimensions of the management system, student structure, faculty strength and activity scope of the students' art troupe at this school based on investigation, observation and interview. The research results showed that in China's higher vocational and technical colleges has the following four characteristics. First, Management has begun to develop but is not systematic. Second, Enrollment quality is low and talent is scarce. Third, The faculty is limited and has high turnover. Fourth, There is a diversified campus culture but its branding is not distinct. Based on these characteristics, this paper presents the flexible scheme.


The effect of x radiation on the excretion of radioactive phosphorus (P/ sup 3/) in the urine of rats was followed. Radioactive phosphorus was applied intraperitoneally within half an hour after irradiation, and its excretion was followed at intervals of 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after irradiation with doses of 10, 25, 50, 100, and 600 r. In addition, the effect of starvation, scalding, and administration of 2,4dinitrophenol on the excretion of P/sup 32/ in the urine of rats, was under investigation. It was found that: doses of 10 and 25 r lower the level of radioactive P/sup 32/ in the urine of rats, as compared with a control group; from the dose of 50 r there occurs a significant rise in the excretion of radioactive phosphorus in the urine of rats; at the dose of 100 r this rise is still more accentuated; the amount of excreted radioactive phosphorus is a function of radiation dose, the dose of 50 r being the dose from which the mentioned effect is observed; after doses of 100 and 600 r there is a oneorder difference between the amount of radioactive phosphorus excreted by irradiated animals and that, observe in controlmore » animals; the factor of starvation increases the excretion of labeled phosphorus by the urine of experimental as well as control animals as compared with fed rats, but there remains still a significant difference between the values obtained in irradiated animals and those observed in control animals; severe scalding produces a contrary effect, i.e., it lowers the excretion of radioactive phosphorus in the urine in comparison with control animals; following administration of 2,4-dinitrophenol, excretion of P/sup 32/ is increased in the same way as after irradiation. The increased excretion of radioactive phosphorus by the urine of rats after irradiation with x rays, as well as after the administration of 2,4-dinitrophenol is explained as disturbance of oxidative phosphorylation. (auth)« less


This article discusses the relationships among the different graphical projection techniques used by engineers and architects. These relationships are examined in the context of the transformation matrices that are employed to generate such projections on the computer. The report shows that the transformations that produce parallel (isometric and orthographic) and perspective projections can be derived as special cases of a transformation matrix that produces a three‐point perspective view. For this reason, the latter transformation matrix is referred to here as the "universal transformation matrix." A better understanding of the different projection techniques, and the relationships among them, emerges from the recognition that all parallel and perspective transformations may be written as special cases of a single, general transformation matrix.


The biggest challenge in the 21st century is global warming,which seriously threatens humanity.The Building sector,which accounts for 40 % of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions,plays a key role in this threat. In this regard,the effects of cooling systems can not be ignored if,together with ventilation and heating systems, they account for 60 % of the energy consumed in buildings.Passive cooling systems (natural ventilation) can be a promising alternative to reduce energy consumption,especially when using two natural ventilation systems combined together.However,there are little studies that look into the combined system between two types or more of natural ventilation systems.Therefore, this study looks into the design of the combined system of windcatcher and solarchimney for natural ventilation system with ground cooling system for a single storey building as a concept for natural ventilation system and evaluate the airflow of the system by using simulation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).The simulation models were run for different wind speeds (0.5,1,and 1.5 m/s) and 303.15 K outdoor temperature.The simulation results obtained for the temperature distributions and the airflow patterns inside the room were presented with and without windcatcher,solarchimney and corrugate heat exchanger at different outdoor wind speed.The results shows that the temperature distribution in the room decreased by using catcher,solarchimney and corrugate heat exchanger.In addition,a greater temperature reduction was obtained by using the corrugated heat exchanger.The results obtained that the corrugated heat exchanger was able to reduce the temperature of the induced air stream while ensuring that the space was adequately ventilated.Moreover the results indicates that the air velocity distribution for the room increase with the increase of wind speed.


Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the posture-induced intraocular pressure (IOP) changes in primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) with or without glaucoma medications, and healthy control eyes with normal IOPs in Indian subjects. Materials and Methods: The IOP was measured in the sitting position and the supine position after 10, 20, and 30 min with a rebound tonometer. Results: Twenty-five patients with PACG and 30 controls with normal IOPs were studied. The IOP in the sitting position measured with the rebound tonometer was 13.8 + 3.2 mm Hg in eyes with PAC, and 12.9 + 2.9 mm Hg in eyes with normal IOPs. The IOP increased to 14.4 mm Hg, 16.8 mm Hg, and 18.9 mm Hg at 10 min, 20 min, and 30 min in PACG subjects. In normal age-matched controls, the IOP increased to 13.4 mm Hg, 14.9 mm Hg, and 17.8 mm Hg at 10 min, 20 min, and 30 min, respectively, but none of these differences were significant (P = 0.09; P = 0.08, P = 0.08). The mean postural IOP change from baseline was also not significant between the two groups. Only three patients were on single antiglaucoma medication with well-controlled IOP in the PACG group. Conclusions: Postural IOP changes are comparable among eyes with PACG with and without glaucoma medications, and control eyes.


Researchers in all academic disciplines benefit from an understanding of the intellectual development of their field. This understanding is essential for conducting studies which build systematical...


Nanothermites are composite energetic materials in which nanoscale active metal fuel (e.g. Al) and metal oxide (e.g. CuO, Fe2O3, MoO3, Bi2O3, etc.) are brought together in nanometer proximity. Reduction of the length scale leads to several advantages. Reaction rate can be increased due to the smaller diffusion distance between the nanoscale fuel and oxidizer particles. The enhanced surface-to-volume ratio of the smaller particles also results in enlarged interfacial contact such that ignition delay and potentially ignition temperature are decreased [1]. The highly exothermic and violent oxidation-reduction reactions of energetic materials have potential applications in propellants, welding, explosives, bicidal, drug delivery and pyrotechnics [2-7].


Objective To promote establishment of the basic health service system in our country,explore its operational mode,and ensure the citizens and villagers to enjoy fairly the basic health service.Methods Based on the research resources of the Ministry of Health of the People′s Republic of China,and combining with the actual circumstances of Chongqing,the information-based strategy was enforced so as to strengthen supervision and improve achievement.Results To ensure the citizens and villagers to enjoy fairly the basic health service,it is necessary to establish the basic health service system in our country.The paper discussed the construction plan of Chongqing basic health service information system in view of overall ideas,requirements analysis and general planning.Conclusion The paper provides a reference for the establishment of the basic health service system in our country.


The adsorption properties of silicas have been much studied because of their great practical importance and the widespread industrial use of silica materials. This entry presents an introduction to common experimental techniques in the study of adsorption at the solid-liquid interface, and also provides an overview of the most important scientific progress related to the adsorption of acids on silica.


Editor ± In his commentary `Teaching the Teachers', Colin Coles argues that doctors must understand and articulate their own `practical wisdom' by engaging in `collective deliberation' and the `process of critical reconstruction'. Only then can they teach others. He does not put forward any practical way by which this can be achieved but, without any evidence, criticises existing teacher training programmes and suggests they `miss the point'. As medical teacher trainers we feel that Coles is unaware of the types of courses being run today and assumes that they only train participants in mindless and unre ̄ective teaching techniques. On the contrary, we argue that well designed `teaching the teachers' programmes that allow participants to begin the process of critical evaluation are essential starting points for professional learners. It is often in the process of microteaching, feedback, re ̄ection and observing the teaching of others that many doctors for the ®rst time begin to analyse their own teaching behaviours and begin to articulate their own `practical wisdom'. Coles appears to have ignored the fundamental educational principle that one should start where the learner is and teach accordingly. That is why the two papers criticised by Coles in his commentary are important, in as much as they attempt to identify what consultants' perceived learning needs are. Most `teaching the teachers' courses that we know of build on existing knowledge and skills, develop con®dence and encourage re ̄ective practice. Furthermore, many lead on to the development of teaching portfolios and participation in peer evaluation schemes. In addition, professional medical teacher trainers base their courses on an increasing body of empirical evidence in the medical education literature. To suggest that consultants can only begin to teach when they have understood the Aristotelian notions of `phronesis' and `phronimos' would be to postpone `teaching the teachers' programmes inde®nitely. We believe that teaching people to teach is not missing the point ± it is the starting point.


The development of a novel technique for measuring TWT AM and PM noise is reported. The new method utilizes a dual channel microwave downconverter and a 16-bit high-speed digitizer to directly sample the IF allowing digital demodulation of AM and PM noise simultaneously. A prototype AM/PM noise measurement system has been built with a measurement single-sideband noise floor of −155 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset from the carrier.


Background: Kinesiophobia has been reported as one of the most common factors that hinder the exercise based cardiac rehabilitation. According to the evidences in the literature and clinical observations, chest binder is prescribed post median sternotomy to reduce the postoperative complaints and complications. Till date no sufficient evidence has been reported regarding effectiveness of chest binder on kinesiophobia in CABG patients post median sternotomy. Purpose: To assess the effect of chest binder on the level of kinesiophobia; in CABG patients over a period of one month. Methods: Participants: Total 70 (50 – males; 20 – females) post CABG via median sternotomy, hemodynamically stable patients, aged between 40 – 70 years, with Tampa Scale for kinesiophobia – short version (TSK – SV) Heart scores > 37 were included. On the 4th post operative day, patients were assessed for level of kinesiophobia using TSK – SV Heart. The patients were divided in to two groups depending on the prescription of chest binder by their surgeons as Group A (with binder), Group B (without binder). One month post CABG, the patients in both the groups were asked to fill the TSK – SV Heart, via telephonic conversation. Analysis: Comparison of TSK – SV Heart score at baseline and after one month within Group A and Group B was done using Wilcoxon signed rank test with continuity correction. Comparison of difference of TSK – SV Heart score at baseline and after one month between Group A and Group B was done using Mann – Whitney test. The p value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The mean of TSK –SV Heart score on 4th day post CABG in group A and group B was 43.42 (±7.717) and 43.45 (±4.64) respectively. The mean of TSK –SV Heart score on one month post CABG in group A and group B was 35.82 (±8.372) and 39.51 (± 6.03) respectively. A significant reduction in kinesiophobia was observed in group A and group B, p-value 0.00001188 and 0.00007886 respectively. The 95% Confidence Interval (CI) median estimate of group A and group B was 7.9 (5.0 – 10.5) and 4.5 (3.0 – 6.0) respectively. The mean of difference of TSK – SV Heart score in group A and group B was 7.6 (±8.24) and 3.94 (±4.82) respectively. The reduction in kinesiophobia in group A was significantly more than in group B, p-value = 0.00792. The 95% Confidence Interval (CI) median estimate of the mean of difference of TSK – SV Heart score in group A and group B was 3.7 (2.48 4.92). Conclusion: There was significant reduction in kinesiophobia irrespective of the use of chest binder post CABG via median sternotomy over a period of one month. There was marked reduction in kinesiophobia in patients who were using chest binder. Implications: Use of chest binder is recommended in patients who have kinesiophobia to encourage their participation in exercise based cardiac rehabilitation.


Sun-aligned arcs (SAA) are frequently observed at latitudes higher than the auroral oval when the IMF is directed northward. Study of SAA is very important because they can provide an information on the plasma structure at magnetospheric altitudes during northward IMF conditions. In this paper, we have studied fundamental characteristics of SAA observed with the OMTI (Optical Mesosphere Thermosphere Imager) at Resolute Bay, Canada (74.7N, 265.1E). In particular, motion of SAA was statis-tically analyzed by using image-by-image 2D cross correlation analysis developed by Hosokawa et al. (2006). Then, it is found that the arc appears on the duskside (dawnside) and moves dawnward (duskward) when the IMF By is negative (positive). We also revealed plasma convection behind SAA by employing SuperDARN (Super Dual Auroral Radar Network). It is suggested that there exists shear of plasma convection across SAA. This implies an upward field-aligned current produced by converging electric field at SAA.


Objective To measure von Willebrand factor(vWF)concentrations and von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease(vWF-cp)(ADAMTS-13) activity in plasma of lung cancer patients and to evaluate their clinical significance.Methods The vWF:antigen(vWF:Ag),vWF-cp activity and the serum of TNF-α were measured by using ELISA and residual-collagen binding assay(R-CBA),respectively in 78 patients with lung cancer.Results(1)The level of vWF:Ag in lung cancer patients(107.7±43.7)was significantly higher than that in benign diseases(71.3±49.5) and normal controls(82.4 ± 41.3)(P0.05),while the level of vWF-cp(59.2 ± 21.5)was significantly lower than that in those with benign diseases(79.4 ± 13.3) and normal controls.(86.6 ± 1.8)(P0.05);The serum level of TNF-α in benign and cancer diseases was significantly higher than that in controls.(2)There was significant difference in vWF:Ag,ADAMTS-13 and TNF-α between metastasis and localized tumors.Conclusion The vWF and TNF-αconcentration of lung cancer patients was increased,while their ADAMTS-13 activity was decreased,that may have some influence on disease prognosis.


A looming skills shortage, combined with the low retention rate of apprentices in traditional trades, makes it all the more important for those thinking about a future in the building industry to make sure it is the right fit for them. Dimi Kyriakou reports on a pilot program in New South Wales that has the potential to be replicated throughout Australia.


Blockchain is favored for its characteristics of decentralization, non-tampering and traceability. As a large-scale application of blockchain technology, the PoWbased(Proof Of Work) block-generating method used by Bitcoin has always been a hot topic in the field of blockchain. This paper proposes a TPS(Transaction Per Second) model that can validly describe the PoW-based block-generating method and constructs a simulation experiment. Besides, actual data does not reach the peak of TPS, we assume that each block is full of transactions and get a set of fixed data. By comparing the fixed data, it can be found that when the block size is 1MB, the average relative error between the experimental results and the fixed TPS is 13.00%. The average relative error between the calculated results and the fixed values is 16.90%. When the block size is 4 MB, it is 14.93% and 15.25% respectively. The experimental results show that the proposed model can validly describe the TPS of the blockgenerating method based on PoW when it works saturated.


Studies of eating disorders in general and of anorexia nervosa in particular are abundant in Western countries and perspectives on causes are plentiful. However, in South Asia this condition has not been investigated extensively. During my voluntary work in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand I forged a friendship with a young woman with disordered eating. Her condition seemed much more complex and multilayered than suggested by the literature I could find on the topic. In this article, I describe the methods I used to examine the various meanings of "being too weak and thin" in rural India through an ethnographic case study. In particular, I give an account of the friendship I developed with my informant, the implications it had on the choice of this research topic, and the ways in which it helped me understand my informant's condition better. While friendship is by no means an unproblematic method in the social sciences, it proved to be a highly valuable approach in this study.


A descriptive and cross sectional study of 853 patients under 15 years with injuries due to burns who were discharged from "Dr. Juan de la Cruz Martinez M...


Based on lots of research on talent shortage,the paper analyses enterprise type which exists talent shortage,the reasons of talent shortage and the countermeasures of the talent shortage.


THE INVENTION CONCERNS A PROCESS AND FERMENTATION UNIT. UNIT INCLUDES A CONTAINER WITH INTERNALLY 10 OUTSIDE OF 20 PLASTIC BAG HANGING IN THE NECK 12 CONTAINER WAY TO DEFINE A ROOM 60 BETWEEN THE BAG AND CONTAINER, DEVICE FOR PRESSURIZE ROOM WITH FLUID TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN ORDER TO FERMENTATION OF THE MATERIAL LOCATED IN THE BAG, A pRESSURISATION ADDITIONAL ROOM 60 EXPULSION OF CAUSING fERMENTED LIQUID BY THE EMBOUCHURE23 SAC 20. APPLICATION TO DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF WINE AND BEER.


Two Elements antenna with parasitic patch are presented for fifth generation (5G) wireless standards. Each antenna consists of a single element antenna with parasitic patch for the bandwidth enhancement. The primary patch is fed by the coaxial probe. Antennas are designed and simulated, which are single antenna, single antenna with parasitic patch, two-elements antenna arrayed in the H-plane and the E-plane with varying element spacing. Simulation results show wide bandwidth of 17% can be achieved using parasitic patch techniques. The mutual coupling of the two-elements antenna arrayed in the H-plane for all elements spacing is less than -20 dB, which means the effect of mutual coupling can be ignored. Whereas the mutual coupling of two-elements antenna arrayed in the E-plane with elements spacing λ and 3/4 λ are based on criteria. But the element spacing of ½ λ does not match criteria because there is a peak greater than -20 dB, so it is necessary to apply the method of mutual coupling reduction. The bandwidth of the two-elements subarray in the H-plane and E-plane is 609.9 – 616.4 MHz on all variations of the element spacing, so it can be used for 5G applications.


Today many journalists are concerned personally with the matter of adequate employment after years of education and sometimes even experience. The demise of the "Big City" press in most American cities has been joined by new technologies to create a "perfect storm of threat AND opportunity. Using some ideas from the economist Josef Schumpeter, and making comparisons with the American academic job market, we consider options both within and outside traditional journalism. It is apparent that journalists with "get up and go"— Schumpeter's entrepreneurs—will find a exciting world in which they should be able to apply themselves. The additional challenge will probably be that entrepreneurship is not a one time event, but an approach to life which may yield a number of job descriptions over the decades of one's life.


ABSTRACT Heritage has the potential to foster introspection and reflection about the many communities co-existing within nation-states, and therefore, can lead to complex intercultural engagement. In Chile, recent efforts to catalogue intangible collective indigenous heritage ask Mapuche groups to self-represent univocally, giving way to a limited and static understanding of Mapuche culture and presence in Chile. A productive counterpoint can be found in Mapuche poetry, specifically, in the work of renowned poet Jaime Huenún. Though not officially considered within the realm of heritage, the literary representations I analyze emphasize the equivocal and entangled nature of indigenous and non-indigenous cultures in Chile. Focusing on the metatextual space of Huenún's anthology prologues, I show how Huenún resignifies the notion of Mapuche community beyond the national framework of heritage, offering a resource for rethinking heritage's role in creating productive spaces for interculturality.


{[Ni2C6H2(COO)4(H2O)4]·H2O2,5}n binuclear coordination compound with supramolecular structure has been synthesized. The composition and chemical structure of the coordination compound have been determined by the elemental, X-ray, IR spectroscopic and differential thermal analyzes. The unit cell parameters have been determined by identifying the diffraction pattern and the inferred schematic structure of the two-dimensional polymer layer of the coordination polymer, which is the building block for all the studied coordination compounds from this series, has been given. The layers are connected with each other and shifted relative to each other depending on the direction and strength of the hydrogen bonds; and this leads to a change in the parameters of the unit cells. Thus, two-dimensional polymer layers (2D) are transformed into a 3D supramolecular structure


Abstract The use of the Schmidt hammer for the relative‐age dating of boulder and bedrock surfaces is outlined. Two examples of the application of the Schmidt hammer for the dating of Holocene moraines in Mt Cook National Park, Southern Alps, New Zealand, confirm the potential of this method. With this technique it is possible to differentiate between Holocene moraines of different age (especially those built up since c. 5000 yr BP). The results show partial differences to those obtained from other dating techniques in previous work.


While Genetic Algorithm (GA) is a powerful tool for combinatorial optimization, the vast population of candidate solutions it typically deploys and algorithm's intrinsic randomness lead to difficulty in understanding its search behavior. We discuss in this paper a clustering-based visualization tool for GA that attempts to mediate this problem. GA population across its entire generations are clustered, and each cluster and its individuals are mapped to a visual symbol. The tool enables a GA researcher or user to understand better the behavior of a GA run, specifically the local searches it performs in its global exploration to go from one generation to


In recent years rare-earth manganese oxide compounds have been the object of numerous studies because of their large magnetoresistance. The (Nd,Sm)0.5Sr0.5MnO3 compounds have been reported to exhibit magnetic-field-induced first-order phase transitions as well as striction coupled magnetoresistance properties.12 We have prepared samples across the (Nd1−xSmx)0.5Sr0.5MnO3 series with x=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0 to study the physical properties of this system. The x-ray diffraction studies revealed that all samples have almost identical patterns with a few very weak additional reflections on the Nd-rich end that are due to the presence of (<5%) of the SrMnO3 phase. The observed x-ray diffraction patterns matched with the La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-type monoclinic structure (S.G. P2/c) with lattice parameters a=5.429 A, b=5.450 A, c=7.652 A, and B=90.2°. The slight distortion of angle B from 90° suggests that the x-ray data may also be indexed by a closely related GdFeO3-type (S.G. Pbnm) orthorhombic structure reporte...


Radiation protection aims to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure and minimize the potential harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Medical exposure is needed to help establish the diagnosis, if the procedure is carried out correctly, the patient will receive clinical benefits that are greater than the risks involved. Under certain conditions, unnecessary radiation exposure (unnecessary exposure) can be accepted by patients. The aims of this research are to classify unnecessary radiation exposure (unnecessary exposure), conduct a review of optimization efforts based on unnecessary radiation exposure data and identify and recommend preventive measures that can be taken. The method used in this study is descriptive qualitative by direct observation and interviews with radiation workers. The results of the classification of causes of unnecessary radiation exposure to patients from the results of repeated exposures include collimation factors, artifacts, positioning, uncooperative patients, movement unsharpness, human error, aircraft factors and exposure factors. Efforts that have been made to prevent unnecessary exposure include preparing SPOs for examinations in treatment rooms, provision of mobile shielding, use of PPE (gonad shields) for pediatric patients, implementation of dose audits and image QC, evaluation and monitoring of service quality assurance, application of procedures and optimization measures. Recommendations that can be given include providing ongoing training for radiation workers, creating a cultural socialization and radiation safety program, creating a reporting and monitoring system for the implementation of radiation protection, and increasing awareness of radiation workers. Keywords: optimization, radiation protection, unnecessary exposure.


Maize is commonly planted in monoculture. However, in several areas of West Sumatra, it is also cultivated as polyculture side-by-side with oil palm. The study aimed to investigate the important pests that attacked maize plants in oil palm plantations in Pasaman, West Sumatra. This research was conducted in existing and replanting oil palm plantations. Insect pests data collection was purposive random sampled from represented plots of maize plants that were attacked by pests. Five sample plots of 1x1 m2 were taken for assessing insect pests incidence. The average number of maize plant stalks observed 32. Observations were made on the condition of the maize and oil palm agroecosystem, species and populations, and symptoms of insect pests that attack maize. The result showed that Stenocranus pacificus and Spodoptera frugiperda were the most dominant insect pests. The insects damaged the leaves and stems of maize plants. Stenocranus pacificus population was 4.45 individuals/plants, and Spodoptera frugiperda was 1.7 individuals/plants. The maize in West Pasaman is mostly planted on oil palm plantations consisting of monoculture and in oil palms that would be replanted. It was found that two insect pest species were dominant attackers, i.e., Symptoms of the attacks were seen on the leaves and stems of the plants.


… The party's Central Committee and the State Council have always been most concerned with the building up of our public security force. Leaders of the Central Committee had issued a number of important directives in this area. Recently, Comrade Hu Yaobang pointed out that, generally speaking, our public security force is a good one. In the Cultural Revolution, it went through some bad times. It does have some weaknesses in not being able to adapt quickly to the needs of changing times. Since the establishment of our People's Republic, the prestige of our party has depended to a large extent upon the public security force and the people's supervision. Many of the police officers and rank and file are exemplary people, but in general the force has not built up the fine image it should.


Abstract Dasymutilla nigra and D. imperialis, two new species of Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), are described from males only from Texas and California, respectively. The males of both species have the integument and the pubescence entirely black, unlike any previously described species of Dasymutilla. They are easily distinguished from one another by the specific characters. Descriptions are given, including figures of the male genitalia.


Safety, reliability and risk are key issues in preservation of the built, cultural heritage. Structural collapses such as the Basilica of San Francis (Italy, 1997) and the Civic Tower in Pavia (Italy, 1989), make us aware of the vulnerability of our technical and natural environment and demand an adequate engineering response. The architectural preservation process is generally based on a sequence of analysis, diagnosis, therapy and control. In the analysis phase, an objective way to assess the safety of the structure is essential. The present raises the need for a reliability based assessment framework for existing masonry structures. As it is a major concern of engineers, the notions of reliability and risk and related theory and practice are no longer working topics for specialists only. Powerful methods are available for the calculation of structural safety values. These permit to calculate the global failure probability of complex structures, relying on deterministic techniques able to calculate the stability state for a prescribed set of parameters. The safety of arches is a typical example of new fields for these methods. Traditionally their stability is assessed using a deterministic approach, resulting in safety factors. To relate these safety factors to an absolute safety requires a great deal of engineering judgement. In case of an existing arch, this judgement depends on a variety of uncertainties such as on the accuracy of the geometry measurements, the uncertainty on the material properties, support conditions and the constructional history of the structure. This article will deal with the methodology of reliability methods and their applicability for safety assessment in practice. The method will be outlined using an illustrative example. The example of the masonry arch demonstrates the applicability in practice.


Ru/Al2O3 catalyst was investigated by using Mn addition for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis under pressurized conditions. On the basis of catalyst activity, selectivity and deactivation, small amount of Mn addition such as Mn/Al=1/19 molar ratio on Ru/Mn/Al2O3 was effective for improving the catalytic performance, where Ru/Al2O3 was deactivated in the slurry phase reaction. Under high pressure of 6 MPa, equilibrium CO conversion was estimated to be about 96%.


Slippage rj between a revolving package and a drum is examined with a new torque-meter. The relation between v and torque M can be expressed in a wide range by log r~= log A+ BM, where A and B are constants but change by the drum-RPM. Eleastic slip would occur accompanied by rolling friction when M <M1, and sliding slip occur mainly when M2> M> M1, although they would coexist more or less. Beyond M2 the package stops to revolve, and only sliding slip exists.


The consistent and cost-effective modeling of large-scale EMC structures, is presented in this paper via a novel parametric hybrid method. The proposed scheme blends a stencil-optimized time-domain algorithm in curvilinear coordinates and a modified finite-element time-domain approach to divide the problem into smaller flexible regions. Constructing a class of curvilinear 3-D operators, the framework assigns weights to each spatial increment and approximates spatial derivatives through interpolating polynomials. An important asset is that the two techniques are updated independently and interconnected by versatile boundary conditions. Numerical results from different realistic EMC setups verify our method and reveal its universal applicability.


This diploma project is about exploring the current state of music streaming, and looking into how it could be improved. Through this exploration I have looked into if any new interactions and features could be introduced in today's streaming services, and giving the listeners new opportunities in their music consumption.


AbstractThe occurrence of severe weather events appears to have become more frequent, more widespread, and more intense during the last century. One of the results of this phenomenon is that vital ...


Employers got a lot more aggressive about managing specialty pharmacy costs in 2011, according to a new report by the Pharmacy Benefits Management Institute.


The international practice of organization of cargo transportation by inland waterways within the city has been analysed. The ways of including inland water transport into the city logistics schemes of cargo delivery in European countries have been described. The key success factors of such projects and the role of local public authorities in their implementation have been defined. Attempts at effective using of water transport as a remedy for traffic congestion in Russian riverside cities have been complemented by the progressive experience of the European Union leading countries.


AbstractDespite considerable progress in mesoscale numerical weather prediction (NWP), the ability to predict summer severe rainfall (SSR) in terms of amount, location, and timing remains very limited because of its association with convective or mesoscale phenomena. In this study, two representative missed SSR events that occurred in the highly populated Great Lakes regions are analyzed within the context of moisture availability, convective instability, and lifting mechanism in order to help identify the possible causes of these events and improve SSR forecasts/nowcasts. Results reveal the following limitations of the Canadian regional NWP model in predicting SSR events: 1) the model-predicted rainfall is phase shifted to an undesired location that is likely caused by the model initial condition errors, and 2) the model is unable to resolve the echo-training process because of the weakness of the parameterized convection and/or coarse resolutions. These limitations are related to the ensuing model-predi...


A highly disciplined approach to measure the number of process defects in any organization and their elimination to deliver near perfect product and/or service/s is what is Six Sigma (3.4 DPMO).This concept can be applied from Process to Products to Services and is not merely confined to manufacturing industries only.With the number of Private Life Insurance companies in India facing tough competition from Govt. Agencies like LIC of India and from other similar emerging business competitors, it is becoming extremely difficult for these companies to sustain or survive and they are on the verge of either shrinking or closure of their operations in such a big market like India, where the scope and potential of expansion or growth is high. Under such circumstances Six Sigma concept can be applied to understand and eliminate their process defects and reduce their wastages to improve their profit margins .This paper will highlight the challenges and problems faced by the employees and employers and will brief out the concerns of the customers by focusing upon key areas of interest. Detailed study has been carried out in understanding the functioning and execution of Life Insurance companies and critical data has been acquired in conjunction with Six Sigma tools that will enable us to capture the previously unattainable opportunities... It will also help in understanding about the nature of the business and its requirements. Emphasis is given on Recruitment, Training, Sales, HR policies, Sales


List of Figures and Tables Preface 1. The Settlement of New Philadelphia 2. Expansion and Decline 3. It Was Never Lost 4. From Grass Roots to a National Movement 5. The First Field Season 6. Race and the Illusion of Harmony 7. The Apple Festival and National Significance 8. Family Reunion and Division 9. Three Generations of Building and One Hundred Years of Living in New Philadelphia 10. A Case for Landmark Status 11. Some Thoughts, but Not the Final Word Appendix References Index


The World Ocean Museum presents the exhibition "Oceania Distant and Near" within the framework of the Fifth International Scientific and Practical Conference, "Problems of studying and preserving the marine heritage" (October 5-9, 2021). This exhibition, integrated into the exposition "People of the Sea" in the Maritime Exhibition Center of our museum in Svetlogorsk, is dedicated to the history of the eighteenth voyage of the NIS Dmitry Mendeleev in 1976-77 to Oceania, for the purpose of comprehensive study of the Pacific Islands. Scientists carried out oceanological work and studied the nature and population of this amazing territory, while the artists accompanying the expedition, M. L. Plakhova and B. V. Alekseev, created hundreds of wonderful works vividly conveying exotic life, types, traditions and unique culture of the Oceania islands.


: Postmortem examinations are crucial in understanding the events surrounding death in medico-legal applications. While traditional autopsy procedures and visual examinations represent the routine processing scheme, a novel tool that has emerged in forensic applications is odor analysis. With respect to postmortem examination applications, the use of odor analysis has catapulted into understanding volatile odor signatures indicative of distinctive human decomposition stages. In turn, this quest for the decomposition odor signature has shed light into understanding the chemical characterization of target odor volatiles emitted by a range of sources available in the postmortem window. This review introduces the use of odor evidence in general forensic practices and provides a brief synopsis of the principles of odor and its subsequent laboratory analysis. A short description of the decomposition process is provided, followed by a review of recent trends in analytical studies that have embarked on using volatile odor profiles to enhance various postmortem examination perspectives.


Abstract The control of relationships among partner companies involves all the actions they develop together to achieve their common objectives and to react in time to any failure of one of the partners. A negotiation among partners is thus required. In this context, we have proposed a new approach of Customers Suppliers Relationships Control by considering that all partners' entities negotiate to answer as well as possible to the customers' needs. The proposed self organized control refers explicitly to a heterarchic approach. It is characterized by an organisational architecture of the flat holonic form type. This latter is based on the concept of Autonomous Control Entity (ACE). We present the ACEs operation as well as the modelling of ACE behaviour via DEVS formalism. We describe the interaction mechanism among the ACEs in a holonic control system. The implementation of the simulation of such a system has been realized via HLA environment.


Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as alternative OER catalysts due to their easy regulation, such as in situ self-reconstruction from MOFs to metal hydroxides through alkaline hydrolysis. Herein, we demonstrate a facile strategy for the in situ transformation of FeCo layered double hydroxide (FeCo-LDH) nanosheets into 1D spindle-shaped FeCo-MOFs for efficient OER. An optimized electrode of FeCo-MOF on a nickel foam (NF) was achieved by adjusting the addition of organic ligands and the reaction time in the hydrothermal reaction. Based on the unique 1D nanostructure and the cation regulation, the obtained FeCo-MOF exhibits a good catalytic performance toward the OER with a low overpotential of 475 mV at 100 mA cm−2, a small Tafel slope of 121.8 mV dec−1, and high long-term durability. This study provides a facile strategy for preparing bimetal-MOFs as catalysts for efficient OER.


Extracts from grape seed are chosen as raw materials to study grade purification of proanthocyanidins with AB-8 macro porous adsorption resin, and HPLC method was set up, with which grape seed proanthocyanidin extract is qualitative analysed and the OPC is quantitative analysed. To get a different degree of polymerization of proanthocyanidins, 20%, 40%, 60% ethanol are selected to gradient eluting the proanthocyanidins in this study, and roanthocyanidin in a solid state can get from eluate through vacuum drying, that is the eluate ultimated product. It is indicated from the result of HPLC analysis that: the monomer and OPC are in 20% ethanol eluate, and OPC accouts for 17.42%; the OPC and PPC are in 40% ethanol eluate, OPC is 80.32%; in 60% ethanol eluate, PPC is existed only.


The interesting hydrogen sensing properties of a Pt-oxide-GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor-type Schottky diode are comprehensively studied and demonstrated. In the hydrogen-containing environment, the shift in current-voltage curves and decrease in turn-on voltage are found to be caused by the lowering of Schottky barrier height. Also, the corresponding series resistance is decreased from 191.8 (in air) to 155.3 Ω (for a 9970 ppm H2/air gas) at 30 °C. As the carrier gas is replaced by a nitrogen gas, a significant variation of 0.32 V and 19.56 Ω in the turn-on voltage Von and series resistance Rs values, respectively, is obtained at 30 °C, even at an extremely low hydrogen concentration of 4.3 ppm H2/N2. Since the oxygen atoms will be dissolved on the Pt metal surface and react with hydrogen atoms by the formation of hydroxyl and water, the number of adsorbed hydrogen atoms on the Pt surface is reduced. Moreover, the shorter response time constant and the larger initial rate of current density variation are ...


The development of oil palm plantations aimed to eliminate poverty and underdevelopment, especially in rural areas through enhancement of the incomes of the smallholders. However, most of the number of plants have entered the rejuvenation period, which influenced the performance of the cultivation. The objective of this research was to identify the performance of the oil palm cultivations in Muaro Jambi District and analysed the oil palm smallholding incomes. Using survey method, the results showed that age of the smallholder plantation, land size and price, have affected the number of costs incurred and the revenues in old-aged plants. The annual income per smallholder farmer reached IDR 38,211,648 or IDR 18,964,782 per hectare per annum. The research indicated that it would be better to maximize the activities in the use of agricultural inputs and be aware of the most current related innovations and technologies in productivity improvement of oil palms.


Experiments have been initiated at the University of Wisconsin and Brookhaven National Laboratory to study the relative mutagenic effectiveness of neutrons of different energies employing X-linked recessive lethal and specific locus mutation tests. The energies and doses carried out. to data are .68 MeV, 2 MeV, and 6 MeV (250 and 500 R), and 15 meV (250, 500, and 100OR). The data thus far collected from the recessive lethal test indicate that .68 MeV neutrons have the highest RBE among the energies tested, followed by 6 and 2 MeV. The specific locus mutation data also indicate the highest RBE for .68 Mev, followed respec-tively by 2 and 6 MeV. The 15 MeV data is as of now incompletely analyzed, as are some dose points of 2 and 6 MeV.


Hierarchical decomposition of images and their relationship with motion fields continues to be a hotly pursued topic, and the role of backward motion information in coding is beginning to capture the interest of the video coding community. This paper simultaneously addresses some of the fundamental issues in multi-resolution and backward motion systems. From a coding viewpoint, a multi-resolution motion hierarchy should be coupled with an estimation system that deals with a maximally subsampled wavelet decomposition of the frames, to avoid redundancy of representation. Through a frequency domain argument, we expose the difficulties associated with such an approach, and in fact show that a band-to-band motion compensated estimation in a wavelet domain is not possible. This analysis leads to an alternative approach for estimation of detail bands. The resulting estimation errors were coded through a zerotree quantizer. We circumvented the causality problem associated with determination of zerotree information in a recursive coder through using a suitable substitute zerotree. Simulations show that a prototype coder of this type is very competitive, with a performance similar to forward (block-based) coders. The results show that the commonly held belief by many, that backward (pel-based, or pel-recursive) coding algorithms are inherently inferior to block-based methods, is not true, and will hopefully spawn interest and open a debate on the role of backward motion information in video coding.


We may investigate time-dependent phenomena in a non pump-probe configuration combining a SR THz source and an IR thermal source. A "proof of concepts" experiment of the evaporation of a deuterated water droplet cast on a diamond substrate was performed simultaneously in the IR and in the THz ranges.


FIELD: hygiene. SUBSTANCE: group of inventions includes a system for controlling amplitude for use in the device for oral care and oral care device, refers to the medical equipment field, in particular, hygiene, and is intended for use in oral care. System for controlling amplitude for use in oral care device has a working element, movable during operation. System includes receiving touch matrix, sensor (30) for determination of characteristics of contact at the output of the matrix and a controller or processor. Bearing up the touch matrix has a part of the image providing at its output variable value of selected touch characteristics, while the value depends on the position of touching the part of the display by the user. Controller unit or processor responds to the sensor for control of working characteristics of the excitation signal for oral care device to vary amplitude of movement of the working element in accordance with characteristics of contact. EFFECT: inventions enable the user to control the working element within the selected range during operation. 14 cl, 2 dwg


Fifteen genotypes of cassava were tested for two seasons in each of six locations (representing mineral soils and drained peat as well as three agro-ecological zones [AEZ]), and data collected on fresh root yield and root starch content. Highest fresh yield and starch content was recorded at Serdang (mineral soil, AEZ 3 with no distinct dry season). However, peat locations were capable of productivity and starch content equivalent to the mineral soil locations. CM 982-7 produced the highest genotype mean for yield over all locations. With its moderately low root cyanide content, this genotype is suitable for eating. However, because of its low starch content, this genotype is not as good as 17/A and Black Twig for planting on mineral soils, nor CM 982-2 for peat. MARDI Res. J. 21(2) (1993): 89–98 *Division of Horticulture, Headquarters Station, MARDI Serdang, P.O. Box 12301, 50774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia **Department of Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Authors' full names: Tan Swee Lian and Mak Chai †Part of this paper is a Ph.D dissertation submitted to the University of Malaya ©Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute 1993


Roadway pavement surface distress information is critical for effective pavement asset management, and subsequently, transportation management agencies at all levels (i.e., federal, state, and local) dedicate a large amount of time and money to routinely evaluate pavement surface distress conditions as the core of their asset management programs. However, currently adopted ground-based evaluation methods for pavement surface conditions have many disadvantages, like being time-consuming and expensive. Aircraft-based evaluation methods, although getting more attention, have not been used for any operational evaluation programs yet because the acquired images lack the spatial resolution to resolve finer scale pavement surface distresses. Hyper-spatial resolution natural color aerial photography (HSR-AP) provides a potential method for collecting pavement surface distress information that can supplement or substitute for currently adopted evaluation methods. Using roadway pavement sections located in the State of New Mexico as an example, this research explored the utility of aerial triangulation (AT) technique and HSR-AP acquired from a low-altitude and low-cost small-unmanned aircraft system (S-UAS), in this case a tethered helium weather balloon, to permit characterization of detailed pavement surface distress conditions. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Mann-Whitney U test, and visual comparison were used to compare detailed pavement surface distress rates measured from HSR-AP derived products (orthophotos and digital surface models generated from AT) with reference distress rates manually collected on the ground using standard protocols. The results reveal that S-UAS based hyper-spatial resolution imaging and AT techniques can provide detailed and reliable primary observations suitable for characterizing detailed pavement surface distress conditions comparable to the ground-based manual measurement, which lays the foundation for the future application of HSR-AP for automated detection and assessment of detailed pavement surface distress conditions.


We study the observability of investors' information-acquisition activities in financial markets. Improving observability leads to two strategic effects on information acquisition: (1) the pricing effect, which arises from interactions between investors and the market maker and can encourage or discourage information acquisition, and (2) the competition effect, which concerns interactions among investors and always encourages information acquisition. We apply our theory to study voluntary and mandatory disclosures of corporate site visits. When the competition effect dominates, investors voluntarily disclose their visits. When the pricing effect dominates, mandatory disclosure is effective. Our analysis sheds novel light on Regulation Fair Disclosure.


The presence of lymph node metastasis puts patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) at a high risk of disease recurrence, and these patients would benefit from neoadjuvant treatment. However, current clinical staging is not enough to capture all patients with high-risk disease, and novel diagnostic tools are required to improve the accuracy of treatment planning. We tried to explore a better prediction using genomic features from large-scale gene mutation data.
 The major public data repositories of whole-exome sequencing for ESCC were involved in this study. The absolute differences in gene mutation frequency were calculated using Fisher's exact test in nodal negative versus nodal positive patients. The classification of gene mutation status was dichotomized as wild-type and mutant type. To find a reliable gene panel that could provide sufficient population coverage, we set the cut-off level above 85% in both nodal phenotypes. The genomic classifier for nodal metastasis risk prediction was further generated by LASSO logistic regression analysis with 10-fold cross-validation based on the topmost significantly different genes.
 Above the threshold values, a total of 120 differentially mutated genes were identified in the 561 ESCC genomic sequencing data. The population coverage rates were 85.97% in the nodal positive group (n = 335) and 88.05% in the nodal negative group (n = 226), respectively. According to the LASSO logistic regression approach, a panel of 112 topmost relevant genes (termed LNM112) was selected. The receiver operating characteristic curve of the LNM112 predictive model was plotted with an area under the curve value of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93–0.96). The sensitivity and specificity of the LNM112 model were 96.72% (324/335) and 71.24% (161/226), respectively.
 We identified a genomic signature (112 genes) from the large-scale genomic repertoires capable of predicting lymph node metastasis in ESCC. It can be incorporated into the current staging modalities to help inform treatment decisions, and external validation is warranted in different populations.


The article considers the issue of variability among derivative preposition forms. It is stated that in the context of the suggested in the native linguistics criteria of qualification of a certain lexemes as a non-derivative or derivative preposition (such as derivative, syntactical and morphological features) the linguistic conditions of differentiation of variants of derivative prepositions haven't been fully investigated. The purpose of this article is to analyze and define the basic criteria of selection among the variants of derivative prepositions in the text of A.S. Pushkin. Reference to the language of this writer as the material of linguistic studies, on one hand, may be explained by recognition of the epoch of A.S. Pushkin to be the starting period in the establishment of the modern Russian literary language; on the other hand, the research opens an opportunity to trace vital changes in the language system within two centuries. The multiaspectual analysis helped to discover that the selection of a certain variant of prepositions pozadi / pozad', vperedi / vpredi, poseredi / posredi, vokrug / vkrug, vsled / vosled depends on the morphological, syntactical, semantic, stylistic, rhythmical criteria, namely the part of speech of the governed word, the syntactical structure and semantic construction into which a certain preposition is included, stylistic markedness of the context, and the poetic metre requirements.


Aim: The aim of present study was to evaluate if an enamel matrix derivative (Emdogain®) may enhance bone formation and osseointegration of titanium implants, using a well-documented rabbit model.
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Eighteen scientists met at Jurata, Poland, to discuss various aspects of the transition from adolescence to adulthood. This transition is a delicate period facing complex interactions between the adolescents and the social group they belong to. Social identity, group identification and identity signalling, but also stress affecting basal salivary cortisol rhythms, hypertension, inappropriate nutrition causing latent and manifest obesity. Moreover, in developing and under-developed countries, parasitosis causing anaemia thereby impairing growth and development, are issues to be dealt with during this period of the human development. In addition, some new aspects of the association between weight, height and head circumference in the newborns were discussed, as well as intrauterine head growth and head circumference as health risk indicators.


The feasibility of CuI and C60 as hole transport layer and electron transport layer in the perovskite solar cell is tested by using the software Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS). It is found that the thicknesses of the absorption layer, electron transport layer and hole transport layer, and the Interface Density of Defect State of their interface have a key influence on the efficiency of the perovskite solar cells. After optimization, the efficiency was as twice as that before, 22.70% to 11.62%, and the fill factor can still be at a high value, 76%.


Objective To evaluate the clinicopathological features,immunohistochemical profiles and differential diagnosis of extragastrointestinal stromal tumor(EGIST).Methods The clinical data of EGIST cases admitted were analyzed retrospectively.The expression of DOG1,CD117,CD34,S-100,vimentin,SMA,CD68,Ki-67 and desmin was evolved with SP method.Results Palpable mass and abdominal pain were among the most common clinical manifestations.Tumor originated from mesentery in 15 cases,from omentum in 6 cases,from retroperitoneum in 5 cases,and from other regions 4 cases.The average diameter of tumor size was 12 cm.Histologically,there were 23 cases of mainly spindle cell type,3 cases of mainly epithelioid cell type and 4 cases of mixed cell type.Immunohistochemically,DOG1,CD117,CD34,vimentin,Ki-67,SMA,CD68 and S-100 were positive,but desmin was negative.Conclusions The diagnosis of EGIST depends on elinieopathology,histopathology,immunohistochemit and genetic testing.Positive DOG1 and CD117 stainings are considered to be the definate markers to differentiate EGIST from other omentum and mesentery tumors.Differential diagnostic considerations of EGIST should include smooth muscle tumor and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor.


Janet Cherry ' s review of my book is confused, in some places demonstrating a gross misreading and in other places devolving to quibbles over details in ways that do not challenge – and sometimes even con fi rm – my primary thesis. Cherry insists that ' to argue that the current problems of South Africa are somehow linked to the counterinsurgency strategy of the past is a " long stretch " , to put it mildly, and verges on conspiracy theory ' . 1 But she vastly over-states her case and makes a crude caricature of my book ' s actual argument. I do not, as she claims, blame apartheid counterinsurgency for all the ills plaguing South Africa today, including unemployment, corruption, and state capture. Rather, my book shows that during the pivotal 10 to 15 years following South Africa ' s 1994 transition to democracy, counterinsurgency legacies played a crucial and thus far undertheorised role in undermining state institutions and democratic norms, thereby contributing to the weakness in South Africa ' s democracy today. As Cherry must know, I am hardly the fi rst to argue that elements of the apartheid regime ' s covert war continued to destabilise South Africa after April 1994. Previous literature has already explored this phenomenon, giving credence to President Nelson Mandela ' s claims that in attempting to overcome apartheid ' s overwhelming legacies of poverty, inequality, and crime, his government faced old-guard security force elements aiming to desta-bilise the new democracy. 2