The present situation with regard to experimental data on ultra high-energy cosmic rays is briefly reviewed. Whilst detailed knowledge of the shape of the energy spectrum is still lacking, it is clear that events above 10 20 eV do exist. Evidence for clustering of the directions of some of the highest energy events remains controversial. Clearly, more data are needed and these will come from the southern branch of the Pierre Auger Observatory in the next few years. What is evident is that our knowledge of the mass composition of cosmic rays is deficient at all energies above 10 18 eV. It must be improved if we are to discover the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays. The major part of the paper is concerned with this problem: it is argued that there is no compelling evidence to support the common assumption that cosmic rays of the highest energies are protons. Efforts to discover the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays have been on going for many years. Since the recognition in 1966, by Greisen and by Zatsepin and Kuzmin, that protons with energies above 4 × 10 19 eV would interact with the cosmic microwave radiation, there has been great interest in measuring the spectrum, arrival direction distribution and mass composition of ultra high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR). UHECR may be defined as those cosmic rays having energies above 10 19 eV. Specifically, it was pointed out that if the sources of the highest energy protons were universally distributed, then there should be a sharp steepening of the energy spectrum in the range from 4 to 10 × 10 19 eV. This predicted feature has become known as the GZK cutoff. If the UHECR were mainly Fe nuclei then there would also be a steepening of the spectrum. However, it is harder to predict this feature accurately as the relevant diffuse infrared photon field is poorly known: the steepening is expected to set in at higher energy.


Using the daily rainfall data of 159stations during the flood season(from May to October)in the period of 1961~2007in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau,the severe rainfall and the extreme rainfall thresholds of different stations was defined by percentile method,and the severe rainfall and the extreme rainfall events were analyzed.The results showed that in geographic distribution features,the thresholds of the severe rainfall and the extreme rainfall events in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau had biggish difference.The correlation of the thresholds with the total precipitation in flood season was not significant,but with the sea level elevation of stations was close negative.The variation trend of the total precipitation in flood season was not obvious in the period of 1961~2007,but the rainfall days displayed a significant decreasing trend,and the precipitation had a concentrating trend.The severe precipitation and the extreme precipitation had similar annual undulation features with the total precipitation in flood season,and the correlation of the extreme precipitation with the total precipitation in flood season was better than the severe precipitation.Using the ratio of the severe rainfall and the extreme rainfall to the total rainfall in flood season indicated the intensity of events.Both of them showed remarkable rising,and occurred a sudden rising change in the beginning of 1990s.There was an obvious anticorrelation between the severe rainfall,the extreme rainfall and the change of summer monsoon intensity.


Abstract: Although the impact of fame on John Lennon's music and personae has been well documented, issues of celebrity are often overlooked in critical studies of Jorge Luis Borges. However, a comparison of their respective crucifixion narratives, "The Ballad of John and Yoko" and "The Gospel According to Mark," which were completed almost synchronously in April 1969, illuminates striking thematic and personal similarities between the two writers during a time in which each was experiencing an unprecedented growth in popularity. As such, Lennon's life and music provide important lenses through which one can better interpret the meaning and context of Borges's later work.


With rapidly increasing knowledge of toxicological processes, the scientific value and relevance of toxicity studies for risk assessment must be re-evaluated. In this paper, it is proposed that the rigid risk evaluation currently required should be replaced by a more flexible, case-by-case approach, in order to increase the relevance of each animal test conducted. The development of new types of toxicity studies and their application in risk evaluation are also described.


A rigorous asymptotic theory for Wald residuals in generalized linear models is not yet available. The authors provide matrix formulae of order 𝒪(n −1), where n is the sample size, for the first two moments of these residuals. The formulae can be applied to many regression models widely used in practice. The authors suggest adjusted Wald residuals to these models with approximately zero mean and unit variance. The expressions were used to analyze a real dataset. Some simulation results indicate that the adjusted Wald residuals are better approximated by the standard normal distribution than the Wald residuals.


The Telesat Mobile Incorporated (TMI) Mobile Data System (MDS) was developed to apply satellite technology to the transportation industry's requirement for a fleet management system. It will provide two-way messaging and automatic position reporting capabilities between dispatch centers and customers' fleets of trucks. The design was based on the Inmarsat L-Band space segment with system link parameters and margins adjusted to meet the land mobile satellite channel characteristics. The system interfaces with the Teleglobe Des Laurentides earth station at Weir, Quebec. The signaling protocols were derived from the Inmarsat Standard C packet signalling system with unique trucking requirements incorporated where necessary.


Open access journal is a kind of deep online resources and disperses on the Internet, and it is difficult for the traditional search engines to index these online resources, so the user can not access directly the open access journal via search engines, resulting in a waste of these open resources. This paper proposes a novel focused Web crawler with distributed architecture to collect the open access journal resources scattering throughout the Internet.This architecture adopts the distributed master-slave design, which consists of a master control center and multiple distributed crawler nodes, and proposes an academic information extraction method based on user predefined rules from the open access journals. These distributed crawling nodes can be adjusted dynamically and use Chrome browser based plug-in mechanism to achieve scalability and deployment flexibility.


Objective:To summarize the experience in diagnosis and treatment of main artery of limbs.Methods: Sixty-eight patients with main arterial trauma of limbs were included from 1989 to 2000 in this paper.The injured arteries were divided into three types,and were repaired by end-to-end anastomosis,arteri-oplasty,ligation,and venous graft.Results:All patients were followed up for 2~11 years.Traumatized limbs were survived with good function in 62 cases,and amputated in 6 cases.Two cases suffered from slight ischemia muscular contracture in the forearms.Conclustions:Monitoring the ischemia signs of trumatized limbs carefully is very important to the diagnosis of arterial trauma early.The main arterial trauma of limbs should be treated as soon as the diagnosis was made.If the ischemic time is longer than 8 hours,it will affect survival of limbs.The management of injured artery depends on the type of the injured artery.The treatment of complication is conducive to promotion of function of limbs.


Physical therapy is an important form of rehabilitation for patients suffering from a variety of disorders. Since professional physiotherapists are not always available, there is a need to introduce an intelligent system that assets the patients to perform the exercise by themselves. Any evaluation system consists of hardware interfacing, computers, processing, and evaluation tools. These tools made it easier to build methods for automating the evaluation of patient performance and advancement in functional rehabilitation. In this research, about one hundred research papers are classified according to the above-mentioned system parts. The review of current tools for capturing rehabilitative motions shows that the Kinect camera has been used in about 35% of the studies. This review concentrates on using machine learning techniques to evaluate motion in rehabilitation. The most relevant research for physiotherapy evaluation using deep learning have shown that the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is widely used by 44% of the researcher. A useful overview the collection of the reference datasets illuminates that the KIMORE dataset is popular and used by 38% as compared with other types of datasets. The advanced literature in the present peer-reviewed paper (2016–2022), includes primary studies and organized reviews.


Clustering can be used in VANETs to partition the network into smaller groups of moving vehicles embedded with computing and network devices. Each cluster having a cluster head (CH), Gateway (GW) node and junction those are responsible for all management and coordination tasks of its cluster. We have designed algorithm for CH, GW Selection, Packet forwarding & Junction services. This paper presents the developed algorithm to provide Efficient and secure communication to the vehicles that allow drivers to warn other vehicles of potential dangers, and also provide valuable information to specified vehicle.


Dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) maps the local Green's function of the Hubbard model to that of the Anderson impurity model and thus gives an approximate solution of the Hubbard model from the solution of simpler quantum impurity model. Quantum and hybrid quantum-classical algorithms have been proposed to efficiently solve impurity models by preparing and evolving the ground state under the impurity Hamiltonian on a quantum computer that is assumed to have the scalability and accuracy far beyond the current state-of-the-art quantum hardware. As a proof of principle demonstration targeting the Anderson impurity model we close the DMFT loop with current noisy hardware. With a highly optimized fast-forwarding quantum circuit and a noise resilient spectral analysis we observe a Mott phase transition. Based on a Cartan decomposition, our algorithm gives a fixed depth, fast-forwarding, quantum circuit that can evolve the initial state over arbitrarily long times without time-discretization errors typical of other product decomposition formulas such as Trotter decomposition. By exploiting the structure of the fast-forwarding circuits we reduce the gate count (to 77 CNOTs after optimization), simulate the dynamics, and extract frequencies from the Anderson impurity model on noisy quantum hardware. We then demonstrate the Mott transition by mapping the full metal-insulator phase-diagram. Near the Mott phase transition, our method maintains accuracy where Trotter error would otherwise dominate due to the long-time evolution required to resolve quasiparticle resonance frequency extremely close to zero. This work presents the first computation of the Mott phase transition using noisy digital quantum hardware, made viable by a highly optimized computation in terms of gate depth, simulation error, and runtime on quantum hardware.


Interview with Dr. Stephen Shawl, professor and astronomer at the University of Kansas. In the interview, Dr. Shawl discusses the Harlow Shapley lecture series and its goal for the field of astronomy.


Objective To investigate multi-slice spire CT manifestions of gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs)and analyze the misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis reasons,in order to improve the diagnosis accuracy.Materials and Methods Clinical data and CT images of 79 patients with GISTs,all confirmed by pathology and immunohistochemistry,were retrospectively analyzed.Results 66/79 locating diagnosis were correct and 58/79 cases CT diagnosis were correct.The main misdiagnoses were leiomyoma,cancer,lymphoma and fibroma.10 cases(12.66%)GISTs accompanied with others tumor,and 6 cases of GISTs and 1 case of neurofibromatosis were missed diagnosis before operation.Conclusion Erroneous judgments the relationship of the tumor and gastrointestinal tract and lack knowledge about accompany tumors of GISTs were the major factors responsible for misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.Accurate judgments the tumors' blood supply vessel and their relationship with gastrointestinal tract are based on the suitable CT exam methods.Overall knowledge about GISTs may conduce to correct diagnosis.


Abstract: A smart checkout system for a supermarket can be designed using a combination of hardware and software solutions to provide an efficient and streamlined checkout experience for customers. Implementing a smart checkout system requires careful planning, testing, and evaluation to ensure it meets the needs of both the supermarket and its customers. However, the benefits of a smart checkout system can include improved efficiency, reduced costs, and increased customer satisfaction. Overall, a smart checkout system can provide significant benefits to supermarkets and their customers, making the shopping experience faster, more convenient, and more enjoyable.


In this study, galactose was treated under subcritical water conditions at 140 °C and 5 MPa in a mixture of 10 mmol/L sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and ethanol using a tubular reactor. The effec...


In the first decade or so of 21 cm studies the galactic spiral structure problem was treated in a very straightforward manner. A simple velocity-distance transformation was used to derive the locations of the spiral arms from the radial velocities of the main features on the 21 cm profiles. Some well-known diagrams were obtained in this way.


This paper presents a novel platform as a workflow engine service which helps users to utilize cloud computing for addressing problems of large scale data processing without knowledge of underlying configuration details for computing applications. Our platform provides elastic resources for workflow applications to ensure that users leverage resources efficiently with the consideration of their budgets. To achieve this goal, we propose a cost-oriented scheduling strategy to guarantee workflow applications to match appropriate resources and to be scheduled in a minimum makespan, These workflows consist of serial and parallel tasks. In addition, we discuss the architecture and the key modules of our platform.


ABSTRACT. The steroid 4-C14-tetrahydrocortisol was prepared by an enzymatic technique and was administered to 5 normal males. Four of them received the compound intravenously, while the 5th subject received it orally. Urine was collected 0–6, 6–24 and 24–48 hr after steroid administration. The glucuronide fraction of each of the urine samples was studied for the following compounds: tetrahydrocortisol, tetrahydrocortisone, allotetrahydrocortisol, cortol, cortolone and 11-oxygenated 17-ketosteroids. It was noted that, in the 0–6 hr sample, tetrahydrocortisol represented approximately 80 % of the total glucuronide fraction, whereas in the 24–48 hr sample it represented only 10% of the radioactivity in the glucuronide fraction. Conversely, the amounts of tetrahydrocortisone, cortol, cortolone, and 11-oxygenated 17-ketosteroids increased relative to the amounts of total glucuronides. The main steroid excreted on the 2nd day was 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone. The conversion of tetrahydrocortisol to tetrahydrocort...


Asia's local-currency bond markets continue to develop and are expanding at a pace that exceeds the economic growth of countries in the region. This strong growth of Asia's bond markets is due to a number of reasons, among which we highlight the contribution to market infrastructure and systems development from the Asian Bond Markets Initiative, which was launched in 2003. This paper presents the ABMI's key initiatives and results to date as well as the challenges that must be overcome to support the continued growth of Asia's bond markets.


A six-issue, four-fetch, out-of-order execution, 6OOMHz Alpha microprocessor achieves an estimated 40SpecInt95, 60SpecFP95 and 1800MB/s on McCalpin Stream. The 16.7x18.8mm2 die contains 15.2M transistors and dissipates an estimated 72W. It is in 2.0V, 6-metal, 0.35/spl mu/m CMOS with CMP planarization. The chip is in a 587-pin ceramic IPGA with 198 pins for VDD/VSS that includes a CuW heat slug for low thermal resistance between die and detachable heat sink. An on-chip PLL performs frequency multiplication of a differential PECL reference and synchronizes I/O by phase-aligning a CPU clock to the reference.


The phosphorylation of tyrosine protein residues in spermatozoa was dependent on the semen of individual boars at different stages of the cryopreservation technology. Sperm proteins in the fresh semen of a boar with poor semen freezability (boar K) exhibited a higher content of phosphotyrosine residues compared to boars with better semen freezability (boars F and J). In the semen samples extended in a Kortowo 3 extender (K3) and cooled at 16 o C, there was a marked increase in protein phosphorylation in the sperm proteins of boars with good semen freezability. This was manifested in the appearance of phosphoproteins with molecular weights of 17, 32, 43, 52, 63 and 78 kDa. In the case of boar K, the cooled-storage of K3-extended semen at 5 o C caused the extensive phosphorylation of sperm proteins, with molecular weights of 45, 65 i 100 kDa. A gradual reduction in sperm protein tyrosine phosphorylation was detected in the extender containing lipoprotein fraction isolated from ostrich egg yolk (LPFo) compared with the K3 extender, what has no protective substances. It might be suggested that seminal plasma acid phosphatases, especially the vesicular molecular form of acid phosphatase (PTAP), played a very important role in the regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation in boar sperm plasmalemma proteins. Differences were observed in the number of dephosphorylated proteins by different molecular forms of phosphatases. It was shown that phosphotyrosine residues in sperm proteins could be completely dephosphorylated by the vesicular PTAP. It seemed that only sperm phosphotyrosine proteins, with molecular weights of 17, 32, and 63 kDa, could be dephosphorylated by the epididymal molecular form of acid phosphatase.


Moving objects are usually detected by measuring the appearance change from a background model. The background model should adapt to slow changes such as illumination, but detect faster changes caused by moving objects. Particle filters do an excellent task in modeling non parametric distributions as needed for a background model, but may adapt too quickly to the foreground objects. A persistent particle filter is proposed, following bacterial persistence. Bacterial persistence is linked to the random switch of bacteria between two states: A normal growing cell and a dormant but persistent cell. The dormant cells can survive stress such as antibiotics. When a dormant cell switches to a normal status after the stress is over, bacterial growth continues. Similar to bacteria, particles will switch between dormant and active states, where dormant particles will not adapt to the changing environment. A further modification of particle filters allows discontinuous jumps into new parameters enabling foreground objects to join the background when they stop moving. This can also quickly build multi-modal distributions.


The ultraviolet photon-induced interface defects that degrade the performance of a semiconductor device are reduced by the optimal pulse repetition rate of a pulse-modulated inductively coupled plasma. The defect density depends on the pulse repetition rates; it takes minimum value at a few hundred pulses s−1 and peaks at a few k pulses s−1. The repetition rate-dependent behavior is suggested to be caused by the transient behavior between the plasma's ON and OFF phases. Note that controlling the transient behavior for reducing the photon-induced damage is essential.


Inspection separator of gas / liquid serviceable (300) is provided. Gas / liquid separation device comprises a cross-section of elliptical shape having at least 1.3 aspect ratio of the single major axis and one of the short axis. The separator unit is available assembly is provided. Further Usage optimum structure is provided.


Abstract. This paper studies links between uniform pseudorandom sequences of real numbers in [0, 1) and pseudorandom binary sequences. It is proved that good pseudorandom [0, 1) sequences induce binary sequences that have small correlation and well-distribution measures. On the other hand, given a binary sequence with small combined well-distribution-correlation measure, it is shown how to construct a [0, 1) sequence with small discrepancy. The special cases of linear congruential pseudorandom sequences and of Legendre symbol sequences are analyzed in more detail.


Volcano -phi tonic bel ts a r e unusual s t r u c  tu re s of continental and oceanic c rus t , formed in var ious phases of i ts development. Two types of be l t s have been recognized: the geosyncl inal type, associa ted with the init ial and orogenic s tages of development of the geosynclinal zones, and the nongeosynclinal type, developed during the p rocess of t ec tono-magmat ic activation of the consolidated s t ruc tu r e s of the continental c rus t . Eas te rn Asia is a r e  gion of the g rea t e s t development of these s t ruc t u r e s . Here may be recognized the vo lcanoplutonic bel ts of the island a r c s ( Kur i l -Kamcha t  k a ) , the marginal -cont inenta l bel ts (OkhotskCliukotka, Sikhote-Alin ' , and Cathays ian) , and the intracontineii tal types ( the Near -Baykal and the Mongolian-Okhotsk). A brief descr ipt ion of them is given below (table 1) .


Abstract : A test of Fast Foods for Navy afloat feeding was conducted aboard the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. A diary-interview technique was used by the team from Letterman Army Institute of Research to evaluate the nutrient intake of 203 enlisted sailors before (July - August 1977) and 150 sailors after (November 1978) a Fast Food system was implemented in the forward galley. The aft galley continued to serve full course meals. The short order meals served forward in 1977 were low in vitamins A and C. Limited refrigerated storage space caused rapid exhaustion of fresh milk supplies and reduced calcium and riboflavin intakes. In 1978, vitamin A fortified milk shakes (dry base) and vitamin C fortified extruded French fried potatoes and vitamin C fortified non-carbonated were provided with the Fast Food meals. These items improved the crew's consumption of calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin A and C. The cholesterol, animal fat, precent fat calories, and energy content of the average Fast Food meal did not exceed that of the average full course meal. (Author)


The common Early Triassic (Olenekian) gastropod Turbo rectecostatus from the upper Werfen Formation of the Alps is placed in the new genus Werfenella. Elimination of the wrong or outdated generic assignments of Late Palaeozoic and Early Mesozoic gastropods to archetypical genera such as Turbo, Trochus ,o rNatica (all with Recent type species) repre− sents an important step toward understanding the evolutionary history of the gastropods across the Permian/Triassic mass−extinction event. The first appearance of Werfenella in the Olenekian, as well as the origination of other groups of gastropods, suggests an early turnover in the aftermath of the end−Permian mass extinction event. The relatively large size of Werfenella (up to 35 mm) sheds doubt on assertions that all Early Triassic gastropods are microgastropods (Lilliput ef− fect). The new genus is placed in the caenogastropod family Purpurinidae and represents its earliest occurrence. However, a placement of Werfenella in the Archaeogastropoda (Vetigastropoda) is also possible because it resembles the paraturbinid genus Chartronella. The characteristic Werfenella rectecostata–Natiria costata gastropod association from the Werfen Formation is not found in the approximately contemporaneous Sinbad Limestone of the Moenkopi Formation (Utah, USA) nor elsewhere outside Europe. This suggests that the similarities between Olenekian gastropod faunas from the Tethys and western North America are more limited than previously thought.


In the view of the article,lag of salar`s population culture is resulted from lag of educate consciousness.Will develop it's education,must build up education consciousness,resolve girl education,sweep out young illiteracy and strongly restrain new illiteracy.


BODY: Introduction: Intraoperative complications of tracheostomy including hemorrhage, perforations of the walls of the trachea and esophagus, tracheocutaneous fistulas, pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, intraoperative fire are well described in the literature. Bilateral pneumothoraces is an extremely rare complication of tracheostomy. We present the case of a patient with Charge syndrome who required a tracheostomy, complicated by bilateral pneumothoraces. Case Report: A full-term 6 week-old 2.9 kg girl with CHARGE syndrome (with bilateral choanal atresia) was scheduled for tracheostomy. The baby was initially intubated at birth for respiratory distress and subsequently remained intubated for respiratory failure. In addition to bilateral choanal atresia and coloboma of the eye she was noted to have the dysmorphic features associated with CHARGE syndrome (hypertelorism, low set ears, typically asymmetric square face, malar flattening, and micrognathia), She had previously undergone a PDA ligation. In the operating room, the patient was positioned on a shoulder roll with the neck fully extended to improve operative exposure. Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane 2.5% in oxygen and fentanyl 2 mcg/kg. Spontaneous ventilation was maintained. The surgeon made with a 1-cm vertical incision in the skin overlying the second and the third tracheal rings, followed by a tracheal incision. After the endotracheal tube had been withdrawn 1 cm by the anesthesia team, the surgeon inserted a 3.5 tracheostomy tube into the trachea. The anesthesia machine breathing circuit was connected to the tracheostomy tube but no end-tidal CO2 was recorded after 3 gentle squeezes of the ventilation bag. A change in the 'feel' with manual ventilation was also noted by the anesthesiologist and the tracheostomy tube was rapidly removed. Adequate ventilation and normal respiratory pressures were re-established with advancement of the endotracheal tube past the tracheal incision. A second attempt at placing the tracheostomy tube through the same tracheal incision produced a similar result. Suspicion arose that the tip of the tracheostomy tube was abutting the posterior wall of the trachea and impeding passage of air. The shoulder roll was therefore removed and the neck was slightly flexed. The tracheostomy tube was then re-inserted and a normal end-tidal CO2 waveform was obtained. The endotracheal tube was removed and the patient continued to breathe spontaneously through the tracheostomy tube for the remainder of the case. No obvious changes in the dynamics of the respiration or oxygen saturation were noted and the case ended uneventfully. The patient was transported to the NICU while receiving manual positive pressure ventilation. Upon placement of the patient on the ventilator in the NICU, high peak airway pressures were noted in conjunction with hypotension and a reduced arterial saturation. A stat chest radiograph was obtained that demonstrated bilateral tension pneumothoraces. Bilateral needle decompression was performed with a rush of air, and O2 saturation normalized. No thoracostomy tube was placed and the patient was closely monitored. Serial chest radiographs demonstrated no recurrence of the pneumothoraces. The patient recovered uneventfully. Discussion: Tracheostomy in children can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Most of the children who require tracheostomy have associated congenital or genetic abnormalities. The incidence of complications associated with tracheostomy has decreased over time due to improved intraoperative and postoperative care, however complications still occur. Pneumothorax as the result of a number of mechanisms is a known complication of difficult tracheostomies. Pneumothorax may result from direct injury to pleura and children are at particular risk because the pleural domes are higher in the neck. Air dissection through the deep layer of the middle cervical fascia can lead to pneumomediastinum and subsequent pneumothorax if the air ruptures into the mediastinal pleura. It is also possible that perforation outside of the lumen of the trachea can occur leading to a dissecting pneumothorax. Difficult surgical exposure may place children with congenital anomalies of the head and neck at greater risk for pneumothorax via these mechanisms. The precise mechanism of injury in this patient is unclear but the diagnosis was delayed by persistence of spontaneous ventilation. Conclusion: In summary, a case of bilateral pneumothoraces as a complication of a tracheostomy is presented. The clinical suspicion for complications should be high when surgical placement is difficult, especially in children with associated congenital anomalies. In this patient maintenance of spontaneous ventilation delayed the diagnosis of pneumothorax. Initiation of positive pressure ventilation after placement of the tracheostomy would have presumably lead to development of the pneumothoraces in the operating room thereby avoiding a crisis situation upon arrival in the NICU. Placement of the thoracostomy tubes is not always necessary for treatment of pneumothoraces in neonates and needle decompression may be sufficient.


Objective: To assess the impact of the addition of inhaled therapy with long acting β 2 -agonists (formoterol) on the health related quality of life (HRQL) in asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids and poorly controlled. Methods: Observational prospective naturalistic study with a cohort of 343 ambulatory patients during 6 months. We collected socio-demographic, clinical and lung function variables. The HRQL was assessed by means of a generic scale (SF-36) and a specific one (Marks's AQLQ). Results: They were evaluated 268 patients (78%). mean age 48.6 years (SD 16.28), 64.15% women. Women and the subjects with worse socioeconomic situation had poor basal HRQL scores. During the follow-up an average improvement in FEVI of 0.26 1 (SD 0.44; p 0.5). Conclusion: To add long acting β 2 -agonists to the asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids and poorly controlled, under usual clinical practice conditions, is associated with an improvement of the HRQL perception measured by means of generic and specific instruments.


Calcium phosphate coatings were deposited on AZ31 magnesium alloys by virtue of electrochemical deposition.The compositions,phase structures and morphologies of the coatings in different deposition time were investigated by means of X-ray diffractometer(XRD),energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS) and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The potentiodynamic electrochemical technique was employed to study the corrosion behavior of Ca-P coatings on AZ31 magnesium alloys in Hank's solutions.The results showed that coatings' morphology changed with deposition time in the deposition process in a bath containing Ca(NO3)2 and NH4H2PO4.The coatings were flake-shape crystals composed of brushite(DCPD,CaHPO4·2H2O).Significant increase in free corrosion potentials and decrease in corrosion current density indicated that the Ca-P coatings improved corrosion resistance of the AZ31 alloy.The morphologies and the degrees of crystallization of the coatings have obvious influence on corrosion property.


It was shown that CO hydrogenation reactions can be performed reproducibly on a small area well characterized Ni (111) single crystal using an isolation cell technique. The activation energy for methane production (24.7 kcal/mole) and other hydrocarbon product distribution are in excellent agreement with the literature. It was demonstrated that Ni dispersed onto TiO/sub 2/ (100) acquires a negative charge and that the Ni/TiO/sub 2/ (100) exhibits a methanation activity at least 4 times that of Ni(111) with about the same activation energy. The Ni/TiO/sub 2/ also produces more higher hydrocarbons than Ni(111). The photochemical activity of Pt/SrTiO/sub 3/ in both aqueous solutions and in gas phase water was examined. The activity in aqueous solutions under different conditions of pH and Pt coverage can be explained by band bending effects. A low hydrogen yield was observed in the presence of water vapor; this was attributed to a slow photo-regeneration of active surface Ti/sup 3 +/. Preliminary high resolution electron energy loss studies on TiO/sub 2/ (100) showed strong surface phonon bands extending to 3000 cm/sup -1/.


Infection-enhancing effect of purified lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) from S-type Salmonella enteritidis was clearly observed even when its very small doses were given to mice intraperitoneally together with low-virulent R-type S. enteritidis. This effect of endotoxin was detected to a comparable extent also after several days following infection, but thereafter reduced gradually.Lipopolysaccharide fractions extracted from various mutants of S. enteritidis and Proteus OXK also showed the property of enhancing the infection with low-virulent S. enteritidis. This infection-enhancing effect of endotoxin was not reduced at all by the previous administration of antiserum to mice. The acidhydrolysate of endotoxin also showed infection-enhancing effect.Mechanisms of this effect of endotoxin were studied by following the distribution of infecting32Plabeled bacteria and the changes of cells counts in peritoneal fluid. Although the phagocytic activity of peritoneal exudate cells was not affected, if any, by administration of endotoxin, the bactericidal activity of them was markedly reduced. A majority of the bacteria were not killed in the peritoneal cells of mice which received endotoxin, tnd gradually multiplied in them. Total counts of peritoneal exudate cells markedly decreased after administration of endotoxin, while no remarkable chages of their differential counts occured. It was concluded that endotoxin enhanced bacterial infection by reducing the mobilization of peritoneal exudate cells as well as damaging their bactericidal properties rather than by affecting their phagocytosis.


One hundred and thirteen cultures of micro-fungi were grown in both surface and submerged conditions and were then examined for production of polygalacturonase, α-amylase, protease, cellulase (Cx) and lipase. Surface cultures were grown using the micro-cylinder technique, and submerged cultures by the roll-tube method.

This survey was carried out in order to find fungi that could produce enzymes for industrial use.


Computer-based thermo-mechanical modeling and reliability predictions are increasingly used in the design of microelectronic packages and assemblies. With the continued introduction of new materials, new packaging configurations, and new fabrication and assembly processes, several interacting factors need to be considered for developing reliable microelectronic packages and assemblies. A Design-of-Simulations (DOS) methodology'6 for microelectronic packaging design is proposed in this work. Several factors such as material property, geometry, and processing conditions, are systematically considered for the DOS methodology, and the effect of individual or a combination of factors on warpage or stresses is analyzed. The proposed DOS methodology has been successfully employed in electronic packaging design, and two case studies involving multilayered microelectronic packaging structures are presented in this work. In the first case study involving a palletized structure for thin film processing, a low-modulus adhesive has been selected to reduce the assembly warpage through the DOS methodology, while in the second case study involving a Flip Chip on-board assembly, a low die-to-substrate thickness ratio has been selected to reduce the die backside stresses and therefore die cracking.


Bordenkircher v. Hayes is not among the most famous cases in American criminal procedure, but it may be among the most important. Not so much for what happened - the Supreme Court held, unsurprisingly, that plea bargaining did not amount to "vindictive prosecution" - as for what didn't happen. Bordenkircher was tailor-made for a holding that prosecutors cannot threaten criminal punishment that has not been applied, at least occasionally, to similarly situated defendants. That holding would have spared Paul Hayes a life sentence for petty theft plus two prior felony convictions. It would have spared many thousands of defendants guilty pleas produced by what amounts to legalized extortion. It probably would have spared some innocent defendants criminal convictions. In retrospect, Bordenkircher appears to be one of the great missed opportunities of American constitutional law.


A modified parainguinal approach was used to castrate 119 abdominal cryptorchid horses. The operative time ranged from 10 to 30 minutes. Follow-up information was obtained for 107 horses. Swelling, more severe than that expected in routine castrations, was reported in six horses. An incisional abscess had to be drained in one horse and one horse died of unexplained causes 3 days after the surgery.


Trace fossils of beetles and bees are preserved in the petrocalcic horizon of a paleosol of early late Oligocene age within the upper Scenic Member of the Brule Formation in the Pinnacles area, Badlands National Park, South Dakota. The paleosol has a greenish-gray A horizon over a reddish-brown B horizon, and it has been identified as a Petrocalcic Paleustalf. It formed under streamside, gallery woodland. This and an extensive savanna of interfluves grew in a warm tem- perate and subhumid climate. Near-spherical internal molds of chambers which terminated short subhorizontal branches from deep vertical burrows have been interpreted as pupal cells of beetles, most like those of dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, subfamilies Geotrupinae and Scarabaeinae). These trace fossils (Pallichnus dakotensis ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov.) are indications of a greater degree of brood care than in some Geotrupinae but less than in most Scarabaeinae. Tear-shaped internal molds of subhorizontal cells clustered along deep vertical shafts, are in- terpreted as larval cells of bees, most like those of sweat bees (Hymenoptera, Halictidae, Halictinae). These trace fossils (Celliforma ficoides ichnosp. nov.) are uncertain indicators of the degree of social behavior, which was certainly much less than that seen in modern paper wasps and honey bees. The presence of both these kinds of trace fossils supports previous hypotheses indicating the importance of dry, warm grasslands and grassy woodlands for the adaptive radiation of both dung beetles and bees during Tertiary time. These Oligocene fossils are evidence that some aspects of the continuing coevolution of these and other elements of grassland ecosystems had been initiated, but this Oligocene ecosystem was still far short of modern levels of sophistication and interde- pendence.


This paper considers the network flow stabilization problem in power systems and adopts an output regulation viewpoint. Building upon the structure of a heterogeneous port-Hamiltonian model, we integrate network aspects and develop a systematic control design procedure. First, the passive output is selected to encode two objectives: consensus in angular velocity and constant excitation current. Second, the non-Euclidean nature of the angle variable reveals the geometry of a suitable target set, which is compact and attractive for the zero dynamics. On this set, circuit-theoretic aspects come into play, giving rise to a network potential function which relates the electrical circuit variables to the machine rotor angles. As it turns out, this energy function is convex in the edge variables, concave in the node variables and, most importantly, can be optimized via an intrinsic gradient flow, with its global minimum corresponding to angle synchronization. The third step consists of explicitly deriving the steady-state-inducing control action by further refining this sequence of control-invariant sets. Analogously to solving the so called regulator equations, we obtain an impedance-based network flow map leading to novel error coordinates and a shifted energy function. The final step amounts to decoupling the rotor current dynamics via feedback-linearziation resulting in a cascade which is used to construct an energy-based controller hierarchically.


The energy dependence of the branching ratio for the dissociation of a proton-transfer reaction intermediate, [(NC) 2 CH 2 .Cl - ], has been observed in the gas phase using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectrometry. The intermediate in the near-thermoneutral proton-transfer reaction (NC) 2 CH - +HCl→(NC) 2 CH 2 +Cl - was formed in two distinct and widely separated energy regimes above the thresholds for either reaction channel. Direct infrared multiple photon activation of the thermalized complex was used to access a low-energy regime (0-3 kcal mol -1 above threshold). Formation of the intermediate through the S N 2 reaction CN - +ClCH 2 CN→[(NC) 2 CH 2 .Cl - ] was used to access a high-energy regime (30-33 kcal mol -1 above threshold)


This report describes the results of an experimental study and computer simulation of the electromagnetic radiation generated by arcing in low density plasma. A large set of high quality data was obtained during the Solar Array Module Plasma Interaction Experiment (SAMPIE, flight STS-62) and ground test. These data include the amplitudes of current, pulse forms, duration of each arc, and spectra of plasma waves. A theoretical explanation of the observed features is presented in this report too. The elaborated model allows us to determine the parameters of the electromagnetic noise for different frequency ranges, distances from the arcing site, and distinct kinds of plasma waves.


Abstract:This article argues for a view of "actually existing neoliberalism," identifying points of continuity from midcentury social democracy and showing how American neoliberalism developed unevenly across a preexisting landscape. It does so with a case study of labor market transformation in Pittsburgh, showing a causal relationship between the New Deal state's institutional structures and the rise of low-wage employment in health care in the 1970s and 1980s. The low-wage service economy did not only come after the high-wage industrial economy: it grew out of it, sped by the decline of steel manufacturing and shaped within the distinctive matrix of the postwar public-private welfare. In establishing this historical process, the article also suggests that social history can play a useful conceptual role linking Foucauldian and Marxist accounts of neoliberalism, by showing concretely the role of the production of subjectivity and the governance of population in the establishment of the neoliberal economic regime. Pointing to a homology between the structural role of incarceration in neoliberalism and that of health care, the article suggests the term "biopolitical Keynesianism" for understanding this conceptual synthesis, which uncovers new contradictions within neoliberalism.


An answer is provided to an interesting question: whether OFDM or multicode MC-CDMA can achieve better BER performance for the same data rate and the same bandwidth in a frequency selective fading channel. It is suggested by computer simulation that multicode MC-CDMA using MMSEC provides a superior performance to OFDM.


Objective To study the MRI findings and features of bone infarction,in order to improve the diagnostic level of the disease.Methods Retrospectively analyze the MRI features of 15 cases of bone infarction who were confirmed by pathology or clinical follow-up.Results Fifteen patients were involved in 21 parts,eight located in distal femur,seven located in proximal tibia,two located in distal tibia,one located in proximal humerus,one in the lower end of radius,two in giant bone block.A total of 12 patients showed MRI with acute bone infarction,2 patients with subacute infarct of bone,1 cases with chronic bone infarction.The 21 parts of the lesions showed a map-like cancellous bone round or irregular boundary clear change.Conclusion MRI is the most effective method for diagnosis of bone infarction,not only can display various features of early bone infarction,in subacute and chronic phase MRI have characteristic features.MRI is an noninvasive diagnosis mehtod for bone infarction.


An experimental study on the field disturbance of ultrasound transmitted through bones has been performed. Ultrasonic waves at 1.1 and 3.5 MHz were radiated towards bovine bone samples and the transmitted waves from the bones were detected by a small hydrophone. Two-dimensional images showing ultrasonic field distributions were constructed by scanning the hydrophone in a transverse plane of the ultrasonic beam. The ultrasonic fields were disturbed by a cortical bone both at 1.1 and 3.5 MHz. Disturbance by a cancellous bone was small at 1.1 MHz but large at 3.5 MHz. Large amounts of scattered waves were generated from a cancellous bone at 3.5 MHz. These results can be used for the determination of the dimensions of setups for in vivo and in vitro measurement of bone-transmitted ultrasound.


Abstract This biographical case study explores how two South Korean middle-aged married women have managed their career and their family commitments over the period of 9 years after their mature higher education. In doing this, this study focuses on the role of agency with reference to the structure of gender throughout these women's experiences. Biographical narrative interviews were conducted four times over the 9 years to trace various changes to their lives. The analysis suggests that the two women's agencies were ostensibly different, but were quintessentially embedded within their intimate relationships in common. Drawing on the empirical evidence, this study seeks to address alternative notions of agency that highlight endurance, interdependence with close relations, emotion and affection, which exert a gradual but powerful impact on others and society. This study, therefore, disturbs the prevalent notions of a self-directed and rationalistic model of agency and its individualistic and dichotomous relation with structure.


Trypanosoma brucei is a unicellular digenetic parasitic protozoan that alternates between the bloodstream of its mammalian host (bloodstream–forms) and the mid‐gut and salivary glands of its insect vector (procyclic and metacyclic forms respectively). These stages are bio‐chemically distinct.


The nebular He ii λ1640 emission line is observed in star-forming galaxies out to large distances and can be used to constrain the properties of sources of He+-ionizing photons. For this purpose, it is crucial to understand which are the main stellar sources of these photons. In some nearby metal-poor starburst galaxies, nebular He ii λ4686 (optical-equivalent) is accompanied by a broad underlying component, which is generally attributed to formation in the winds of classical (He-burning) Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, primarily of the WN subtype. In such cases, the origin of the nebular component has been proposed to be the escape of He+-ionizing photons from the winds of the WN stars, at least partially. We use archival long-slit observations obtained with FORS1 on the VLT to look for nebular He ii λ4686 emission south of the WN6h + WN6-7 close binary in HD 5980. We only find broad He ii λ4686 emission, as far as ∼7.6 pc from the binary. A comparison with observations obtained with STIS on the HST, at a similar orbital phase shows that the FORS1 broad He ii emission is likely contamination from the multiple-star system HD 5980. We use models to show that no significant He+-ionizing flux is expected from the WN stars in HD 5980 and that when similar stars are present in a coeval stellar population, the O stars can be far greater emitters of He+-ionizing radiation.


Several studies have demonstrated that Slug, which encodes a zinc finger of the Snail family of transcription factors, is a potential risk factor for neural tube defects. Neural tube defects tend to occur with a high rate in Shanxi province, China. The present case-control study investigated genotypic distributions and allele frequencies of Slug C1548A polymorphisms in DNA samples from 59 women with a history of neural tube defect pregnancies and 73 controls during the same period from Shanxi Province, China. Results demonstrated that women with a history of neural tube defect pregnancies had significantly greater genotypic distributions of Slug AA genotypes and A allele frequencies compared with controls, and A allele Slug C1548A was a risk factor for neural tube defects (odds ratio = 3.444; 95% confidence interval: 2.021–5.868, P 0.05). Three-dimensional structure prediction revealed that Slug C1548A resulted in transition of aspartic acid into glutamate at position 119. This indicated that these mutations could lead to damaged protein structure and function. These findings suggest that Slug C1548A gene polymorphism is closely related to neural tube defects in a population of Han Chinese origin from Shanxi Province, China


Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of holmium laser lithotripsy through ureteropyeloscopy on patient with ureteral calculi.Methods:The data of 86 cases underwent holmium laser lithotripsy through ureteropyeloscopy were analysed retrospectively.Gralet rate,lithagogue rate and complication were statistically analysed.Results:Among 86 cases,gralet rate was 82 cases in a single procedure.Ureteral stone moved up into the pelvis in 3 cases,a double J tube was placed in the renal pelvis and extrocorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was used.A case with serious narrow distal ureters was conducted open operation.The mean operative time was(42.3±7.4) min and the mean hospital stay was(2.5±1.7) days.The duration of follow-up was 1 to 3 months for all patients.The stone free rate was 98.8%(85 of 86).Ureteral perforation and postoperative hyperpyrexia happened in 1 case and 6 cases respectively.Conclusions:The method of holmium laser lithotripsy through ureteropyeloscopy is safety,reliability and less invasion,so it is the best way to cure the middle and distal ureter calculi.


Mg(OH)2 whiskers that are surface-modified by sodium stearate and potassium oleate and PVC plastics were made into an Mg(OH)2 whiskers/PVC composite.The effect of Mg(OH)2 whiskers'; content and distribution on PVC';s mechanical properties were studied.The results show that surface-modified Mg(OH)2 whiskers can be distributed homogeneously in PVC plastic;when the Mg(OH)2 whiskers amount to 30% of the composite,the PVC composite has the best mechanical properties,with the elastic modulus improved by 41.18% comp...


In order to improve the accuracy of machine tools, the use of additional active modules meeting the requirements of the "Plug & Produce" approach is focused. In this context one approach is the installation of a high precision positioning table for online compensation of machine tool deflections. For the model-based determination of the deflection, the knowledge of the effecting process force is crucial. This article examines the use of displacement sensors for force estimation in a piezoelectric system. The method is implemented on a high precision positioning table applicable in milling machine tools. In order to compensate nonlinear effects of piezoelectric actuators, a hysteresis operator is implemented. Experimental investigations are carried out to quantify the influence of preload stiffness, preload force and workpiece weight. Finally, a resolution d ≤ 78 N could be achieved and further improvements to meet the requirements for online compensation of machine tool deflection are discussed.


Chronic pain and its underlying biological mechanisms have been studied for many decades, with a myriad of molecules, receptors and cell types known to contribute to abnormal pain sensations. We now know that besides an obvious role for neuronal populations in the peripheral and central nervous system, immune cells like microglia, macrophages and T cells are also important drivers of persistent pain. While neuroinflammation has therefore been widely studied in pain research, there is one cell-type that appears to be rather neglected in this context: the humble fibroblast. Fibroblasts may seem unassuming, but actually play a major part in regulating immune cell function and driving chronic inflammation. What is known about them in the context chronic pain? Here we set out to analyze the literature on this topic – using systematic screening and data extraction methods to obtain a balanced view on what has been published. We found that there has been surprisingly little research in this area: 134 articles met our inclusion criteria, only a tiny minority of which directly investigated interactions between fibroblasts and peripheral neurons. We categorized the articles we included – stratifying them according to what was investigated, the estimated quality of results, and any common conclusions. Fibroblasts are a ubiquitous cell type and a prominent source of many pro-algesic mediators in a wide variety of tissues. We think that they deserve a more central role in pain research and propose a new, testable model of how fibroblasts might drive peripheral neuron sensitization.


The pre-copyediting and typesetting version of this book chapter will be available after 16 November 2015. It is not the final print version. Material is not to be cited.


Crackers are snacks that are very popular. The processing of crackers carried out by UKM in Indonesia is still done conventionally, from making dough to cutting dough. Its makes low productivity. To increase productivity, it is necessary to apply appropriate technology that can be used in the production process. The purpose of this research is to produce a cracker cutting machine in order to increase production capacity through the application of appropriate technology. The research method used is development research which consists of (1) Identification of needs related to the specifications of the machine to be made, (2) Making alternative designs using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, (3) Selection of machine designs to be made, (4 ) Manufacturing process, and (5) Machine testing. This cracker cutting machine is designed to have an output capacity of 60 kg/hour which can cut crackers with dimensions of length and thickness of 120 mm x 4 mm. Based on the test results, the machine can cut the crackers properly and according to the desired dimensions. The results showed that there was an increase in production capacity of 200%.


In the present paper, the author tried to experimentally determine the heat transmission coefficient of rotating circular cylinder immersed in an air stream. Using a 400 mm diameter Gottingen type wind tunnel, air velocity v varies in the range between 2 m/s and 18 m/s (Re=vd/v=1×104∼6×104), and as for the peripherial velocity of cylinder vθ, it varied stepwise as 1·83 ; 3·07 and 5·26 m/s respectively. To avoid the end effect, the guide cylinders are installed at both ends of the main cylinder (40 mm diameter) and heated with the Ni-Cr wires (0·5 mm diameter). The surface temperature is measured with the Cu-Constantan thermo-couples. (the diameter of which being 0·15 mm). We verified, in the cases of free and forced convections, that the heat transmission coefficient α kcal/m2-h-°C is independent of the temperature difference Δθ°C, and from these tables we constructed the tables of Nu∼Re, Nu∼vθ/v. From these tables it is clear that the increment of Nusselt Number Nu lies in the range 2·01∼12·56 for vθ/v=0∼1·5. In conclusion, the author wishes to express his hearty thanks to prof. Dr. Y. Tanasawa for his valuable advice for this work.


Interleukin-18(IL-18)is a kind of multifunctional cytokine,it can induce strongly interferon gam- ma(IFN-γ)production.It plays an important role in immunoregulation.Recently investigations found that IL-18 can reinforce the immunity and play an important role in antitumour,and it may take part in the occur- rence of some autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases,such as rheumatoid arthritis.It plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis since its ability to induce IFN-γ production in many ways. This text will summarize the progress of the correlation of IL-18 and rheumatoid arthritis.


The utility model discloses a picture gradually changing type advertising light box, which comprises an outer box, luminous equipment, computer-synthesized pictures and a grating piece. The advertising light box is characterized in that an inner box is arranged in the outer box; a transparent plate is arranged on the outer end face of the inner box; the computer-synthesized pictures are adhered to the outer surface of the transparent plate; a motor is arranged at each of left and right ends on the inner side of a top plate of the inner box; a threaded rod is arranged outside a rotating shaft of each motor; a transparent panel is arranged between the computer-synthesized pictures and the front surface of the outer box; the grating piece is adhered to the inner side of the transparent panel; a movable rod is erected at the upper end of the transparent panel; a threaded hole is formed in each of the left and right ends of the movable rod, and the movable rod is in threaded connection with the threaded rods outside the rotating shafts of the motors; and stabilizing pieces are arranged around the transparent panel. The advertising light box is driven by dual motors, advertising pictures are stably changed, and the gradually changing replacement of a plurality of pictures can be conveniently realized; and in addition, the advertising light box is low in cost, high in reliability, wide in application range and practical.


The development of natural cosmetic materials without side effects to protect skin from heat shock is necessary. We recently reported that advanced cooling composition (ACC) has anti‐inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and strong anti‐microbial effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA (Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Candida albicans, and Streptococcus mutans.


It is argued that in the 1970s the radical idea of ecodevelopment failed to gain support as a way of reconciling economic development with ecological conservation but it sowed the seeds of the sustainable development concept. By 1980 the World Conservation Strategy received support from many countries including Australia. The National Conservation Strategy for Australia received a mixed response at the state/territory level but it in turn paved the way for an Australian response to the Brundtland Report. This latter report put the concept of sustainable development on the political agenda and it has been taken up positively by the Australian federal government and non-government organisations. It is noted that there is still a need to develop methods to transform the concept into a useful tool for national and regional planning in Australia.


Extreme natural disasters have posed serious threats to the stable operation of large urban power grids, seriously affecting the stability of power supply to key loads in the electricity network. In order to quantify the impact of extreme natural disasters on urban power grids, this paper proposes a resilience evaluation method for urban power grid that considers the influence of multiple disasters. A comprehensive evaluation method for urban distribution network resilience considering robustness, resourcefulness, rapidity and redundancy is proposed, indexes including before, during and after disaster are premeditated. The evaluation method is verified on the improved IEEE-33 node system, and the result shows that the proposed method can effectively evaluate the resilience of the urban power grid.


To clarify the pathogenesis of asthma especially intractable asthma, we measured the serum levels of anti-IgE autoantibody in 46 asthmatics and 39 healthy subjects, using solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. The serum levels of anti-IgE autoantibody in bronchial asthmatics were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects (p<0.01). The levels of anti-IgE autoantibody in 25 atopic asthmatics were also significantly higher than those in 19 non-atopic asthmatics (p<0.01). Futhermore, significant correlation was observed between the levels of anti-IgE autoantibody and serum IgE (r=0.576, p<0.01). House dust and Candida (p<0.01) specific IgE (RAST) positive asthmatics also tended to have higher serum levels of anti-IgE autoantibody. However, no significant relation was observed between the serum levels of anti-IgE autoantibody and the severity of asthma. Moreover, anti-IgE autoantibody was not significantly related to specific IgG subclass antibody or lymphocyte blastogenesis to mite and Candida, or with the numbers of eosinophils and basophils in peripheral blood. These findings suggest that anti-IgE autoantibody play an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, especially atopic asthma associated with IgE-dependent mechanisms.


With the advent of multicore and many core architectures, we are facing a problem that is new to parallel computing, namely, the management of hierarchical parallel caches. One major limitation of all earlier models is their inability to model multicore processors with varying degrees of sharing of caches at different levels. We propose a unified memory hierarchy model that addresses these limitations and is an extension of the MHG model developed for a single processor with multi-memory hierarchy. We demonstrate that our unified framework can be applied to a number of multicore architectures for a variety of applications. In particular, we derive lower bounds on memory traffic between different levels in the hierarchy for financial and scientific computations. We also give a multicore algorithms for a financial application that exhibits a constant-factor optimal amount of memory traffic between different cache levels. We implemented the algorithm on a multicore system with two Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5310 1.6GHz processors having a total of 8 cores. Our algorithms outperform compiler optimized and auto-parallelized code by a factor of up to 7.3.


The essence of knowledge networks is a cooperative relationship based on knowledge-resources among inter-organizations. On one hand, the characteristics of knowledge relevant to the cooperation in knowledge network among organizations is reflected in the principle of the accumulation and division of labor of the organizational knowledge, of path dependence theory of knowledge market, of organizational surplus capacity and of knowledge embeddedness. Understanding of these principles is conducive to improve our understanding of inter-organizational knowledge networks systematically. On the other hand, mutual trust is a foundation and premise for inter-organizational partnership among knowledge networks to run benignly; mutual benefits are both the aim, but also the driving force of cooperation; interaction is the way to achieve successful cooperation.


Chlorine E6 derivative Photoditazine mediates PDT of tumours more effectively at higher doses. Both local and systemic effects were found in vivo. Synchronous PDT and selective distant laser hyperthermia (HT) are not advantageous. Excessive PDT and HT regimens leading to tumour necrosis increase the risk of tumour generalization.


Steady state and dynamics of the self-phase-locked (3{omega}{yields}2{omega},{omega}) subharmonic optical parametric oscillator are analyzed in the pump-and-signal resonant configurations, using an approximate analytical model and a full propagation model. The upper branch solutions are found always to be stable, regardless of the degree of pump enhancement. The domain of existence of stationary states is found to critically depend on the phase mismatch of the competing second-harmonic process.


Here we report quasi-CW operation of intracavity Raman laser generating three blue laser emission lines at 454 nm, 473 nm and 495 nm with a maximum output power of 230 mW.


This paper gives a method of realizing a video moving vehicle detecting system based on DM6446 processor,and describes the system's hardware architecture and software design ideas.The methods of ARM-side and DSP-side communication and double-buffer switch are given combining the characteristic of dual-core of DM6446 processor.Background modeling is made on the traffic video data from DM6446 via difference accumulation.Background subtraction is used to detect vehicle movement areas.With the adoption of other algorithms such as Otsu,morphological filtering and region growing,the system is finally completed on this hardware platform.Experimental results show that the system is good in moving vehicle detection.


This book chapter provides an historical overview of the role of midwives in Africa. The authors discuss the use of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) and each of the multiple roles of midwives in prenatal care delivery postpartum care research and family planning. During the 1800s midwives came as missionaries or colonial supplemental staff. Midwives trained local girls in simple health care management and trained TBAs in aseptic delivery techniques. Medical training courses for Africans appeared during 1924-47 when modern health services began to increase and expand. During the 1950s and 1960s and after independence many countries established midwifery schools. Currently TBAs are indigenous midwives who conduct deliveries in a home setting and are trained by other midwives. TBAs tend to receive most of their skills from family members. UNICEF provides training and training kits for TBAs. TBAs are eager to receive additional training for identifying women at risk taking obstetric histories conducting physical examinations checking for vaginal irregularities detecting obstetrical complications and understanding hygiene newborn and umbilical cord care breast feeding and immunization. Many African women use TBAs due to lack of available maternity services the long distance of health centers high costs of care cultural preferences for home delivery and the respect accorded to TBAs. Midwives have a responsibility to promote good physical and mental health during pregnancy ensure a healthy infant prepare women for labor lactation and infant care and detect high risk conditions. Midwives must understand cultural practices and why mothers avoid modern services. Midwives should be self-aware. Midwives are handicapped by lack of material resources shortages of manpower lack of knowledge about research and the need for updated training.


A two-column modification of the problem-oriented record is presented that (1) provides one way to reduce the large amount of data collected on an average hospitalized patient, (2) can function as an effective teaching and auditing tool by providing immediate feedback to the intern or student on his workup, (3) can reduce the time outlay of residents by eliminating the need to repeat written histories and physicals, and (4) can serve as a tool to more carefully audit a resident's contributions, satisfying the recent requirements of the Board of Internal Medicine.


The regulation of electricity supply continuity may have a substantial influence on decisions made by distribution network operators (DNOs) about investments in their networks. The evaluation of all impacts of this regulation is a very extensive and difficult task. It is important both for the energy regulatory office when preparing regulatory mechanisms and for distribution companies attempting to achieve the optimum operation and development of the system. This paper summarizes some partial knowledge of the impact of the regulation on decisions made by DNOs about the optimum telemechanization of the MV overhead distribution network. Telecontrolled section switches and reclosers are considered here as possible telemechanization elements. The results follow from the simulation of the reliability of a selected part of the 22 kV distribution network. Comparison is made for the regulatory mechanism evaluating the reliability based on electric energy not supplied as well as for the regulatory mechanism comprising the composed customer's standard for electricity supply continuity which includes a limit of the annual number of supply interruptions and a limit of their total annual duration.


The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) has big data. Its statistical storehouse provides a strong foundation for evidence-based policy, stimulates creative research and (increasingly significant) informs a contestable public market for the provision of vocational education and training (VET). With the advent of reporting on Total VET Activity (TVA) and the introduction of a Unique Student Identifier (USI), 2015 may represent an inflection point. TVA and USI can together be transformative, vastly increasing our understanding of how citizens exercise educational choice. This paper examines the potential impact of new data on public policy.


Few studies have performed detailed ultrasound measurements of medial epicondyle‐olecranon (MEO) ligament that cause the entrapment of ulnar nerve. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate dynamic ultrasonographic characteristics of MEO ligament and ulnar nerve for clinical diagnosis and accurate treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS).


An order level inventory models are developed for deteriorating items when the demand rate is assumed to be a continuous function of time which is quadratic in nature and the deterioration rate is proportional to time. The model is solved when shortages are not allowed. Later, the salvage value is used for deteriorated items in the system. A numerical example is taken to discuss the sensitivity of the models.


The single data file contains the entire dataset in "long" format (i.e., there are multiple row entries related to each test subject).


The implementation situation of variable frequency reformation of the three main fans(IDF,FDF and PAF) of Huadian Weifang Power Generation Company Limited was introduced.Through the dynamic test,the realization of automatic switchover from variable frequency operation to power frequency operation and automatic adjustment were expounded.The effects of variable frequency control,such as energy conservation and motor protection,were analyzed.By the variable frequency reformation of the three main fans,the house service consumption rate was greatly reduced,and better economical benefit was obtained.


What role do hierarchies play with respect to the organization of production and what determines their structure? We develop an equilibrium model of hierarchical organization, then provide empirical evidence using confidential data on thousands of law offices from the 1992 Census of Services. The driving force in the model is increasing returns in the utilization of acquired knowledge. We show how the equilibrium assignment of individuals to hierarchical positions varies with the degree to which their human capital is field-specialized, then show how this equilibrium changes with the extent of the market. We find empirical evidence consistent with a central proposition of the model: the share of lawyers that work in hierarchies and the ratio of associates to partners increases as market size increases and lawyers field-specialize. Other results provide evidence against alternative interpretations that emphasize unobserved differences in the distribution of demand or "firm size effects," and lend additional support to the view that a role hierarchies play in legal services is to help exploit increasing returns associated with the utilization of human capital. *University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and CEPR **University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and NBER We thank Jim Brickley, Bob Gibbons, Lynn Riggs, Paul Oyer, Pedro Vicente, and seminar participants at Brown, Carnegie-Mellon, Chicago, Columbia, Harvard, Indiana, MIT, Rochester, Toronto, UCLA, UCSD, Wharton, and Yale, and at the American Economic Association meetings for useful comments. The research in the paper was conducted while the authors were Census Bureau research associates at the Chicago Research Data Center. Research results and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily indicate concurrence by the Bureau of the Census. This paper has been screened to insure that no confidential data are revealed.


Two Photon Luminescence from Quantum Dots Using Broad and Narrowband Ultrafast Laser Pulses. (December 2007) Haribhaskar Balasubramanian, B.E, University of Mumbai Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Kenith Meissner Nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) offers many advantages when imaging intact biological samples. By using ultrafast lasers in the near infrared and two photon excitation (TPE), signal production is limited to the focal volume and provides an excellent means for rendering thin, microscopic images from within the sample. Exogenous fluorophores/lumiphores may be used as efficient contrast agents to tag specific targets and provide enhanced signal. The efficiency of the TPE process in these contrast agents is broadly assumed to vary inversely with the laser pulsewidth, τ. In this work, we investigate the TPE efficiency of transform limited broadband (~133nm, ~10fs) and narrowband (~11nm, ~170fs) pulses in the generation of twophoton luminescence from semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots (QD's) both theoretically and experimentally. Compared to standard organic dyes, QD's possess a relatively broad, uniform spectral response that enables better use of the full bandwidth from the broadband laser. Theoretical calculations including both degenerate and non-degenerate TPE indicate a rolloff from the 1/τ behavior as the pulses' spectral bandwidth becomes broader than the absorption spectra of the QD's. Experimentally measured enhancement


The article deals with the development of agriculture in the Kaliningrad region in 2000-2014. It analyses changes of procedural and institutional business patterns, the dynamics of key performance indicators in crop and livestock farming, and the state of food reserve, agricultural machinery supply and specific characteristics of soil modification in the region. The difficulties of rendering support to agricultural manufacturers in current economic environment are brought to light. Primary trends and key factors of sustainable development of agriculture in the region are defined in the light of current primary trends in global and Russian economies and changes in geopolitical environment. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s7p295


The geophone array is commonly used to suppress random noise and therefore improve the signal to noise (S/N) ratio of shot records. Since a large group interval is usually adopted in the geometry, the above mentioned method can also result in damage to the signal. This paper introduces a 2D seismic project in the Liupanshan Mountains of China, where a geometry with a 'small group interval and point-like geophone array' and adjacent-channel mixing were used in data processing to reconstruct the raw data. Static corrections and NMO corrections for each trace are applied before summing. Compared with the geophone array in the field operation based on the conventional geometry, the 'small group interval and point-like geophone array' is able to produce a better stack result based on data reconstruction, protect an effective signal and improve the S/N ratio.


During this annual progress report time period, the following activities took place: (1) Generation of several versions of the CELIAS (STOF/SEM/CTOF/MTOF/DPU) commissioning timeline for the first 180 days after launch. These were written and submitted by A. Galvin after consultation (phone, fax, e-mail, meetings) with the CELIAS Instrument Manager and Lead-Co-I's. (2) Identification of several problems with the CELIAS portion of the Project Data Base (PDB). (3) Meetings with the Flight Operations Team regarding PDB, critical commands, etc. (4) Attend Science Operations Working Group (SOWG) Meetings (November 1994, February 1995, May 1995) and Flight Operations Review Meeting (July 1995). (5) Participate in Flight Operation Simulations SIM 1 (November 14-18, 1994), SIM 2 (May 1-4, 1995) and SIM3 (August 7-11, 1995). (6) Participate in the Ground System Compatibility Test Rehearsal (April 24- 28, 1995), GSCT #2 (May 30-June 14, 1995), GSCT #3 (September 12-22, 1995), and GSCT #4b (October 30-November 5, 1995). A small portion of the documentation for the above cited activities is appended.


China's civil aviation industry experienced an average annual growth rate of over 16% for traffic turnover during 1955-2011. It is important to identify the role of capital and labor inputs as well as total factor productivity (TFP) in China's civil aviation industry during this period of time. First, the inputs of capital stock and labor as well as the output of traffic turnover in China's air transport industry are measured. Next, the constrained E-G two-stage estimation of the CD production function is used to calculate the capital and labor elasticities and TFP, which provides the necessary basis for the estimation of the growth sources in China's air transport industry from 1955 to 2011. The results show that the growth of China's civil aviation industry has depended on the capital factor input and that TFP has played an increasingly important role. Furthermore, the results also indicate that private sources have been crucial for improving the TFP after the 2002 reform.


A unified effort led by the USDA Forest Service has resulted in a technology push that utilizes new species and designs for timber bridges. Since 1989, it has been demonstrated by the construction of more than 200 modern timber bridges that designs incorporating new technologies can use underutilized species to improve our rural infrastructure. The objective of this study was to measure how manufacturers of bridge material rate the effect of the recent technology push for modern timber bridges upon their organizations. A questionnaire was mailed to over 90 firms identified as suppliers ofmaterial for modern timber bridges. It askedparticipants to rate 16 different statements that addressed how the technology push has impacted their operations. Firms agreed most with the statements that the Wood in Transportation program has assisted them with selling more bridge materials, using research to expand operations, and convincing local decision makers of the importance of timber as a bridge material. The lowest rated factors were hiring new workers, retaining workers that otherwise would have been laid off, and expanding operations. Overall, respondents rated this technology push as moderately effective in expanding their markets for wood.


This chapter presents Document 23, which presents the letter of Islam Giray, the brother of Saadet Giray, the great khan of the Great Horde. Islam Giray highlights that he has taken along all the troops on the order of the khan, his elder brother, in order to raid the state of the King's Muscovian enemy. Islam Giray also expresses that all his beys and loyal servants wish to serve the Majesty. This oath-letter was sent under the signet seal to make sure it meets the great envoys in Kiev.Keywords: Islam Giray; Kiev; King Sigismund; Saadet Giray


Abstract A novel type of polyacetylene with double cyclic structures was synthesized by the double ring forming polymerization of 1,4-dipropargyloxy-2-butyne using transition metal catalysts. It was found that MoCl5-based catalysts were very effective for the polymerization of linearly nonconjugated triacetylene monomer. The resulting polymer exhibited partial solubility in organic solvents such as DMSO, DMF and NMP. The structure of the products were confirmed by IR, UV-visible, and 1H- and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The polymers obtained were found to be amorphous and showed thermal stability up to 160°C.


Prior evidence reveals a causal relationship between sporting events and crime. If sporting events increase crime, they also increase public spending on policing. We analyze the crime-police spending relationship using data from the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll over the periods 1979–1995 and 1997–2010 for a sample of 52 US municipalities with and without teams. Reduced form regression models reveal that police employment increases with the arrival and departure of an NFL team as well as with the number of postseason games played. We argue that both these outcomes generate plausibly exogenous variation in sports-related demand for policing.


This phase I open‐label trial (NCT03627754) assessed glasdegib pharmacokinetics and safety in otherwise healthy participants with moderate (Child‐Pugh B) or severe (Child‐Pugh C) hepatic impairment. Participants with hepatic impairment and age/weight‐matched controls with normal hepatic function received a single oral 100‐mg glasdegib dose under fasted conditions. The primary end points were area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time zero to infinity (AUCinf) and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax). Twenty‐four participants (8/cohort) were enrolled. Glasdegib plasma exposures in moderate hepatic impairment were similar to controls, with adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMRs) of 110.8% (90% confidence interval [CI], 78.0–157.3) for AUCinf and 94.8% (69.9–128.4) for Cmax versus controls. In severe hepatic impairment, glasdegib plasma exposures were lower than controls (AUCinf GMR, 75.7%; 90%CI, 51.5–111.0; Cmax GMR, 58.0%; 90%CI, 37.8–89.0). Unbound glasdegib exposures were similar to controls for moderate (AUCinf,u GMR, 118.1%; 90%CI, 88.7–157.2; Cmax,u GMR, 101.1%; 90%CI, 78.4–130.3) and severe hepatic impairment (AUCinf,u GMR, 116.3%; 90%CI 81.8–165.5; Cmax,u GMR, 89.2%, 90%CI, 60.2–132.3). No treatment‐related adverse events or clinically significant changes in laboratory values, vital signs, or electrocardiograms were observed. Together with previous findings, this suggests glasdegib dose modifications are not required based on hepatic impairment.


A Q-switched laser system was applied to a research rocket combustor in order to ignite cryogenic propellants by inducing several plasma breakdown events. The optical emission was analyzed using LIBS and other techniques.© 2019 The Author(s)


We developed a computer ordering system for TDM in August 1998. This is a constituent of the total computer systems in our hospital, and comprises of two parts of practice, one part for the physician's ordering TDM and the role of pharmacist's in TDM. The system for pharmacists has predominantly five functions, including the check of objects to be examined, an acceptance of the objects, input of examined results, reference to the patient's TDM history, and dosage planning to be offered to physicians. Most of the 28 pharmacists contacted by questionnaire in our hospital pharmacy considered this system to be useful for improving the performance of TDM treatments, but found some incomplete information on patients, which was attributable to physician's incorrect ordering procedure in the database for dosage planning. This was due to the fact that physicians can easily input an order without accurate or the latest patient information. Therefore, the present ordering system for TDM was shown to still need improvement.


The controversy over using food crops to produce fuel provides a new way to engage students in learning important biological concepts. We present instructor's notes and provide information from an American Biology Teacher article we published in 2010 describing a laboratory experiment in which students investigate the process of ethanol fuel production and then integrate their scientific analysis with a discussion of the economic and environmental impacts of ethanol as fuel. This exercise is suitable for college and high school environmental studies, environmental science and biology courses. Because ethanol fuel production is based upon fermentation, students who conduct this experiment will learn about that fundamental biological process while relating that process to significant current events.


For connecting HV DC grids either to AC grids or to DC sources, power electronic converters (AC/DC and DC/DC topologies) in the power range from a few hundred kilowatts up to the MW range are needed. Typical requirements are: (1) High conversion efficiencies, even on low load conditions (2) High reliability and redundancy, service under system operation (3) Low harmonic grid impact, provision of grid support and grid services (e.g. voltage control, reactive power on demand, fault ride through) (4) Accurate DC voltage control and dynamic power flow control (5) Battery and load protection features The paper will present a multi converter system, using IGBT based converter modules, which can be combined in any number and operate in an interleaved parallel control mode. Due to the phase shift between the partial output currents, the resulting current ripple becomes fairly low and the power quality is sufficient, even with low inductance values of the output chokes. For efficiency optimization it is possible to switch off individual modules during partial load conditions. Then, PWM patterns need to be reconfigured and synchronized under real time conditions. As the converter arrays are controlled by DSP based processing cards synchronous PWM pattern processing has been implemented and proven successfully. Power quality improvement functions (e.g. reactive power, harmonics control / compensation, correction of unsymmetrical grid voltages) have been integrated in the control procedure.


It is widely accepted that microwave pulse compressors are required to achieve the high power and short pulse lengths for high-gradient linear accelerators. An active pulse compressor has been developed that is able to provide output pulses of at least 100 MW power with pulse duration of 100 ns at X band, and with a power gain of 12-15. The compressor is being evaluated using 1-1.5 /spl mu/sec pulses from the Omega-P/NRL 11.424 GHz magnicon being operated at NRL. This paper describes design of the compressor and the magnicon-compressor microwave circuit, and gives first experimental results from low power tests.


Bismuth tribenzoate, Bi(C6H5COO)3, was prepared by ligand exchange of bismuth triacetate with benzoic acid. A 1:1 disordered structure of P21/m symmetry, a = 7.858 (3), b = 14.442 (2), c = 16.807 (3) A, β = 92.26 (2)°, V = 1906 (1) A3, Z = 4, consists of polymeric chains parallel to the a axis and can be related to an ideally ordered structure of B21/a symmetry with a′ = 2a, b′ = b and c′ = 2c. This B-centred structure can itself be described as a modulation of an idealized parent structure of Pnma symmetry. The disorder is rationalized in terms of the pseudo-symmetry that relates the two formula units of Bi(C6H5COO)3 in the asymmetric unit of B21/a. In the polymeric chain each Bi atom is nominally nine-coordinate, with widely varying bond lengths arranged in a very asymmetric manner. The polymeric chain is created by each bismuth being chelated to three benzoate ligands. Each such ligand also has one of its O atoms bridging an adjacent Bi atom so that three bridging O atoms link adjacent bismuths. Apparent valences are consistent with expected values for all Bi and O atoms. A final value of 0.0454 was obtained for R(F) using the 1813 independent reflections (out of 2839) with I(h) > 3σ[I(h)] to refine 185 parameters describing 56 non-H atoms.


Today we will study some conditions under which a very powerful pseudorandom generator can be shown to exist, and also some consequences of the existence of such a pseudorandom generator. We will start by assuming the existence of a permutation p : {0, 1}n → {0, 1}n which is computable in poly(n) time and which, for some constant δ > 0, is (2δn, 2−δn)-one way. (This is an extremely strong assumption: we do not even know of any candidates for such permutations.)


It is commonly believed that the clay content has a major influence on the behavior of a soil, among other factors. This technical note presents main results of a series of consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial tests on re-consolidated soft Hong Kong marine deposits (HKMD) with different clay contents. The focus is placed on the influence of the clay content on the stress-strain strength characteristics of the HKMD, including the stress-strain curves, effective stress paths, friction angles, and Young's modulus. The results are discussed and interpreted. New understanding and useful correlations are presented.


In order to improve the management of traffic system,based on the superiority of management of spatial data and attributive data in GIS,combining the practice problems in traffic system,elaborates the system platform and configuration,key technology and function design of traffic facility management and guidance system based on MapInfo,making a preliminary probe into the application of object-oriented data model and a simple type of 3D visual reality in GIS spatial data-base.


Background: PAH is a fatal disease characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) that ultimately leads to right ventricular failure [1]. PAH was once considered a very rare disease but the most recent evidence suggests that prevalence is 15 to 30 per million. The prognosis of PAH is quite poor with 15% mortality within one year, on modern therapy. Right ventricular (RV) function is a major determinant of functional capacity and prognosis in PAH patients. The relationship between the degree of pulmonary hypertension (specifically, mean pulmonary artery pressure mPAP) and right heart failure are incompletely understood. 4D flow-sensitive PC MRI provides a means of evaluating intracardiac flow patterns which should allow for additional analysis of the interactions between the pulmonary circulation and RV function.


muxyplot produces a scatter or twoway plot for yvars versus xvars, all of which xvars are measured on comparable scales. The number of yvars must equal the number of xvars. For example, muxyplot y1 y2 y3 x1 x2 x3 plots y1 versus x1, y2 versus x2 and y3 versus x3, all on the same scatter plot. This is version 1.2.0 of the software.


The H-1 MAS spectrum of a plastic organic solid is usually composed of a high-resolution component and a broadline component, The high-resolution component corresponds to a plastic phase, while the broadline component corresponds to the rigid phase. The high-resolution spectrum of the plastic phase can be observed by the echo-MAN experiment with a long echo time; the high-resolution spectrum of the whole H-1 system can be observed by the CRAMPS technique, mainly coming from the contribution of the rigid phase at usual temperature It is shown that combination of CRAMPS with H-1 MAS and echo-MAS is an effective way for studying the ratio of the plastic phase to the rigid phase, molecular structure and states of motion in organic solids,


The existing solutions in the field of building cartographic web-applications based on geoinformation technologies are analyzed. The design of the cartographic basis for placement on the Internet has been developed. The structure of the cartographic web-application and the algorithms necessary for its functioning were developed. Testing of the software module on the example of the «Map of the Central Federal District» showed its versatility, reliability and the possibility of use in new and existing information systems.


In VLSI design using deep sub micron technology, the bus energy reduction has become more and more important. As technology is scaling down, the increased interconnect wire aspect ratio and the reduced spacing between the individual wires within the bus result in increased cross coupling capacitances. They also increase cross talk noise and power dissipation in the data buses. In addition there is also a self- capacitance introduced between two adjacent data lines. We have developed an exclusive encoding algorithm that reduces the coupling transitions (1 to 0 or 0 to 1 state transition) and also the self-transitions in the data buses. The technique requires 2 extra bits for sending coding information regardless of the bit width of the bus and does not assume anything about the nature of the data.


An InGaAs/InAlAs side-light-injection multiple-quantum-well bistable laser for all-optical switching has been developed. It consists of one main bistable laser and two waveguides perpendicular to the main laser. Saturable absorption and gain quenching are used for set and reset operations. The voltages applied to the gain quenching and saturable absorption regions, which are located at the intersections of the main laser and the waveguide regions, are +1.00 and +0.29 V, respectively. As the input light intensity ( 1.55 µm range) increases, the turn-on and turn-off times decrease. The turn-on time is 200 ps when the input light peak intensity is 1 mW and the turn-off time is 2 ns when the input light peak intensity is 200 mW. The experimental results are supported by numerical simulation. Higher differential gain material is expected to enable faster switching speed.


Since 1%3 Roper has reported that television is the primary source of information for Americans. Also, the percentage of persons answering "television" to the Roper question has increased steadily from 51% in 1959 to the current figure of about 6 4 % . I The television industry has made much of these findings in efforts to promote the medium, For example, in 1985 Broadcasring Magazine reported television to be the primary source of information for 64% of Americans and this percentage was said


: Aiming at the problems of colour distortion and residual dehazing in the existing image dehazing methods when processing outdoor images, a method of image dehazing based on the cycle generative adversarial network is proposed. Taking the cycle generative adversarial network as the overall framework of the model, firstly, the neural network is trained to obtain the mapping relationship between haze images and haze-free images. Secondly, to accelerate the convergence speed of network training, using residual structure to improve network stability and reduce parameters. Then, a new loss function is proposed, fusing the Wasserstein distance into adversarial loss and cycle consistency loss, which reduces the deviation between the generated dehaze image and the real haze-free image, and alleviating the problems of colour distortion and haze removal residue. Finally, use the optimised bounded ReLU (BReLU) activation function instead of the original activation function to improve the transmittance reflecting the haze depth information. The experimental results demonstrated that, compared with the comparison method, the proposed method improves the peak signal-to-noise ratio, structure similarity, information entropy, and average gradient, and has an achieved better performance in dehazing.


Vertical electric soundings, 2D resistivity imaging and several logging measurements were performed at Kappelen test site to identify the various geolelectric facies that allowed determining the tabular and horizontal structure of the aquifer. The surface-based geoelectric methods allowed for a reliable characterization of the overall structure and the geometry of the aquifer, while geophysical logging methods allowed for inferring detailed hydrogeophysical characteristics, such as the electrical resistivity, total porosity, global and matrix density and hydraulic conductivity. The synoptic interpretation and integration of this broad and diverse database allows for constraining the key hydrological characteristics and hence forms the basis for the detailed hydraulic modelling of flow and transport process.


All the aspects of scientific communication are explained. An analysis of the impact of the movement for open access to scientific and academic literature was performed: here you will find a full description of its beginnings, definitions of the main terms, goals, the most significant initiatives undertaken all around the world and those strategies designed to get it; the open access journals and self-archiving in repositories - focusing on the progress of the latter – represent the most radical alternative for the development of open access. Then the different practices and attitudes adopted by Argentine librarians towards the self-archiving of their work in the thematic repository E-Lis are also analyzed. We try to determine which factors contribute to the use or non use of the repository.


Remarques sur tous les jours de l'annee 1824.
 The title of the "diary" that Aline de Quelen, 18 years old, composed every day reflects what the reader will find: the relation day after day of one life impregnated by the weather. Flow days and weather sensitivity: one year in a young aristocrat's life in the manor of Kerliver (a few kilometers far from Brest). "Sensitive" archive discovered in one of her heirs' house, the handwritten text (89 pages) is not a thick description or a summary of the gentry's everyday life under the Restauration. Componction and "desentimentalization" operate for the reader as much distance updates. Nothing really extravagent in this autobiographical writing that balks at the effusions of the "romantic ego" but a mirror for questionings regarding our uncertain contemporaneousness.


Photovoltaic processing is one of the processes that have significance in semiconductor process line. It is complicated due to the no. of elements involved that directly or indirectly affect the pr ...


An objective suicidal intent scale was completed for 235 completed suicides and 246 attempted suicides in Philadelphia. The responses to the items of the suicidal intent scale were factor analyzed separately for the two groups, and the pattern of factors compared. The major difference centered around communication. For the completed suicide the decision appears to be whether or not to communicate; for the attempted suicide the decision appears to be when to communicate.