HE great herbicidal developments of recent years give hope for Lchemical control of annual bluegrass, Poa annua, which is a miajor weed problem in bentgrass turf. Annual bluegrass produces an abundance of seed and quickly dominates bentgrass turf that is not growing at its optimum. Annual bluegrass might be controlled by prevention of seed set, pre-emergence control, and plant eradication. The original purpose of this study was to evaluate chemicals which offeredl promise of annual bluegrass control by checking seed set. However, necessity led to consideration of any promising chemical regardless of its method of control. No formal investigations of chemical treatment of annual bluegrass were available at the time this study was initiated. In 1955 the presence of arsenicals in the soil was reported to weaken the growth of annual bluegrass (2) and in 1958 fluorophenoxyacetic acids were reported to induce sterility in annual bluegrass for four to six weeks (1). Various golf course superintendents had used sodium arsenite in an attempt to suppress annual bluegrass.


Published: 10 April 2017 A number of techniques have been proposed in the literature to deal with the illumination induced appearance variations ranging from simple image enhancement techniques, such as histogram equalization or gamma intensity correction. In this paper we proposed a homomorphic filtering model or the logarithmic total variation model to enhance non uniform illumination in real experimental image. This model will be enhancing the brightness in high frequency and in low frequency. We improved the image by using the output resulted from our proposed model as input again to this model, the final enhanced image is de-noised from all unwanted details and the edge will be enhanced in all direction. Some fidelity parameters is applied and we obtain an acceptable results.


Abs t r ac t . The general nonzero-sum differential game has N ptayers, each controlling a different set of inputs to a single nonlinear dynamic system and each trying to minimize a different performance criterion. These general games have several interesting features which are absent in the two bestknown special cases (the optimal control problem and the two-person, zero-sum differential game). This paper considers some of the difficulties which arise in attempting to generalize ideas which are well known in optimal control theory, such as the principle of optimality and the relation between open-loop and closed-loop controls. Two types of solutions are discussed: the Nash equilibrium and the noninferior set. Some simple multistage discrete games are used to illustrate phenomena which also arise in the continuous formulation.


Cloud computing is a large-scale computing resources interconnection, effectively integrated to make computing resources available to users as services. The user can at any time according to his needs access a virtual processing and storage system using a broadband network, without the need to test the underlying anxiety complex implementation and management, thus greatly reducing the difficulty of realization and hardware investment. Cloud computing effectively are the actual resources with virtual service separation to reduce all kinds of business service costs and improve the utilization of network resources. The main work of this paper includes: i) we introduce the current cloud environment security threats, attacks and common intrusion detection technology, and ii) summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed system at the present stage of intrusion detection under the cloud environment. Then we analyze the fuzzy C mean clustering algorithm for intrusion detection and its deficiencies in a cloud environment, the possible optimization, and the improved algorithm for parallel implementation of map reduction, to solve the clustering problem of the magnanimity data.


The study analyses the structure of India's meat export, the commodity and market diversification and the prospects of ushering the meat export. The domestic meat production increased from 2.6 million tonnes in 1980 to 6.3 million tonnes in 2010, fuelled by the growth in poultry and buffalo meat production. While buffalo meat accounts for about 23% total production, its contribution in meat export accounts for more than 85%, mostly in frozen form. The growth of meat export has slowed down in the last decade compared to the previous decade with increased instability. Indian meat export has been increasingly getting specialized towards buffalo meat whereas its export markets are gradually getting diversified. Cashing in the competitiveness of India's buffalo, pig and small ruminant production and improving the competitiveness of poultry meat production would help to improve its export performance. Greater investment in disease control and safe meat production so as to adhere with the Sanitary and Phyto- Sanitary Measures of WTO would help in sustainable meat export.


Introduction: Self-medication is increasingly being a common practice worldwide more so amongst the medical students. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-medication among the medical students and to describe the self-reported practice and pattern of medication by undergraduate medical students at Al-Iraqia University in Baghdad city.
Methods: This study is a cross-sectional survey. Out of 440 students enrolled, 400 (>90%) responded. The data was collected using self-administrated pretested questionnaire and then analyzed using SPSS version 18.0.
Results: During the last one year preceding the study, 85% of respondents using self-medication mostly among single students (98.2%), aged 20+ years old (56.5%), in fourth academic level (27.1%), living with their families (73.2%) and of non-sufficient income (54.7%). The main indication for seeking self-medication include headache as reported by 83.8% followed by cold and cough and fever 80.3% and pain elsewhere in body (70%). Drugs commonly used for self-medication included analgesics 89.4% and anti-pyretic 67.9%. Minor illness was the most common reason for self-medication (80.6%). 56.8% and 45% of respondents follow pharmacist and textbooks respectively as a source of information in practicing self-medication. Most of respondents practiced self-medication for themselves (57.9%) and for both; themselves and their family members (45%). Some level of awareness was reported among non-practiced self-medication students; 60% of them were afraid from risk of adverse reaction of drugs.
Conclusion: Self-medication is broadly practiced among medical students in this College. Therefore, there is need to improve the medical educational program to raise the awareness level regarding the advantage and disadvantages of self-medication to ensure safe usage of drugs.


HENRY JAMES found writing The Spoils of Poynton very difficult, and for this reason he devoted more space to it in his notebooks than he did to any other work. The seven entries mark places in the composition where James was trying to work his way out of dilemmas in the plot.1 These entries, proposing lines of action often abandoned in the final work, contain an action of their own: the evolution of Fleda Vetch's character. Originally she was put into the story in a minor capacity, but her functions in the novel multiplied, and James had to spend unanticipated pages rendering her character more fully.


Turbulence can he pictured as a random motion in three dimensions with vortices of varying size superimposed on one another, and randomly distributed within the flow. An experimental investigation was carried out to understand the effects on performance and exhaust emissions. For this research work, A Honda single cylinder, 4 stroke, air-cooled, having 2 Brake Horse Power, naturally aspired engine was used. Swirling Device was fitted in intake system of engine. Two Intake system configurations were experimentally checked. The emissions, volumetric efficiency and brake thermal efficiency were also compared by using Swirling Device, with existing intake system. The specific fuel consumption (SFC), volumetric efficiency and exhaust gas emission decreased, whereas brake thermal efficiency (BTE) increase within the test. All experiments were conducted at different load conditions using an electric alternator generator and the exhaust analysis was carried out with the help of multi gas exhaust emission meter. Swirling Device in Existing intake System shows decrease in exhaust emission and fuel consumptions at different load conditions


Objective To investigate the effect of bilateral radical neck dissection (RND) and primary tumor ressection in the surgery for thyroid cancer. Method 11 cases of thyroid cancer underwent bilateral functional RND besides primary lesion excision. Result The cases were classified as T4N1M1 in 1 case,T4N1bM0 in 7 cases, T3N1bM0 in 2 cases, T3N0M0 in 1 case. 10 cases developed bilateral lymph node metastasis, 1 case was negative bilaterally. 3 cases experienced transient hypothyroid and later improved by calcium supplement. 1 case experienced facial edema and resolved 2 weeks later. No occurrence of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. 2 recurrences observed within 3 to 7 years follow-up and controlled by ~ 131 I radiation. All cases survived to date. Conclusion Simultaneously functional RND for stage Ⅲ thyroid cancer can be oncologically radical resectin and result in improved functional recovery and well appearance.


Circulation. HEART.-Friedlinder (Bezolds -Untersucchunjen, 1867, p. 165, Centralblatt, No. 26, 1867), gives the following results of investigations into the physiology of the frog's heart. Some portions of the frog's heart continue to contract rhythmically for a period varying from two to seventy minutes, sometimes even for forty-eight hours. The portions of the heart were placed in an artificial. serum consisting of 1 part of egg-albumen to 9 parts of a 0-8-0-9 per cent. solution of chloride of sodium. He could never obtain a portion of the heart, however small, which if it contracted rhythmically was not found to contain ganglia. Gentle pressure or a current in the fluid rendered the contraction more frequent. When the temperature was slowly or suddenly raised to 25' or 35' Centigrade, the contractions were greatly increased in rapidity, often to two or three in a second. At 400 C. the contractions became irregular and afterwards tetanic. Weak interrupted electrical currents frequently increased the strength and not the' frequency of the contractions; sometimes the contractions were slowed, at other times quickened, Strong currents produced tetanus. Prompt (Archives de Physiologie, 1868, p. 258) draws attention to the absence of exactness in the observations regarding the time during which the frog's heart will continue to contract after its excision. He'considers that the estimates hitherto given cannot be relied upon because sufficient attention has not been paid to the fact that spontaneous may very easily be converted into excited movements. He shows that the mere contact of the breath of the observer is sufficient to render such observations fallacious. Having carefully attempted to guard against'all external causes of excitation, he found that the spontaneous contractions usually continued in summer for one hour or for one hour and a half, and in winter for three or four hours. Valentin said that they usually continue for twenty four hours.


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reasoning has infiltrated into other scientific and practical branches. This preponderance of the exact scientific methods is justified from the methodical point of view, when the mathematical tools are implemented as a suitable gauge, a mean to measure and to operate, but not as a comprehensive substantial foundation for the content of analysis, especially, of complex subject as human behavior. The postmodernity overcomes this idiosyncrasy of the scientific models of rationality as one of the myths of the modern world view. The socio-cultural investigations show, that the actual reality of making decision mechanisms and of preference in favor of geographical, social, professional mobility is more sophisticated than described in the classical models. In reality, the choice for a migratory behavior, the migration parameters, the reality of migrants' life and work reflects the context of all the types of societies, which co-exist simultaneously: traditional community, with the interpersonal relationship, the handmade tools, the natural cycle of everyday life, surviving and reproducing the community ("Gemeinschaft"), with the specific authentic perception of the touch to the real life and to the nature. The migration to the rural areas represents, for example, the downshifting practices or the development of the organic agriculture. There are also the wide examples of the coming back to the family roots, to the place of birth, to the native landscape. The social security is often expressed as the will to save this ideal mode of life, with human values of personal relationship and the proximity to the nature, in the terms of the Universe and Eternity; pre-modernity, with the priority of the secular knowledge and with the revealing of the human place in the universe, with the economies due to the labor division and the practices of producing handcrafts, the social system with specialized social functions and structure of status, positions and roles' expectations. The social security in this case represents the conservative desire to maintain the existing traditional order, the Renaissance of the human place on the Earth and the simple structure of the society (simplified as Marxist division to the classes, or Hellenistic ideology of the aristocracy and elites, or the monarchy idea of feudal sovereign and people, etc.), on the long-term period of forecast and anticipation. It also introduced the notion of the individualistic responsibility for the personal destiny and path in life; 3 Tönnies F. Community and Society. – East Lansing, Michigan: The Michigan State University Press, 1957.


1. The lipocarbohydrate or F polysaccharide derived from a rough variant of Type I pneumococcus (I R) is antigenic in rabbits and gives rise to precipitins and sheep cell hemolysins. The somatic or C carbohydrate on the other hand is not antigenic. 2. Antisera for the rough variant of Type 1 pneumococcus contain also bacterial agglutinins immunologically unrelated to the C and F precipitins and the heterophile antibody. 3. A study has been made of the quantitative precipitin reaction of the C and F polysaccharides in the serum of rabbits immunized with the IR pneumococcus clarifying certain of these relationships.


In allusion to the expressway( that has been opened to traffic) tunnel lighting energy- saving transformation project and in combination with the specific project examples,this paper presents specific lighting and dimming schemes and dimming modes. On the basis of analyzing emphases and difficulties in implementation of transformation projects,the paper proposes solutions and measures,and concludes the results of transformation.


Omni-images [4]. The quality of processed (zooming in this paper) images produced by interpolation algorithms depends upon the kinds of distortion and levels of degradation imposed on the interpolated image as well as the prior knowledge of the original image. The most commonly used interpolation techniques is the cubic B-spline interpolation. Analytically, it involves a cubic function, with the solution of the same depends upon the values of the co-efficient of the terms involved. This paper, therefore, is divided into two parts. The first part presents the analytical model of various interpolation functions. The second part investigates the effect of coefficients of these functions on the quality (PSNR) of the zoomed images using these functions.


BACKGROUND Neuroendocrine cell (NEC) carcinoma is occasionally accompanied by adenocarcinoma but the relationship between these two morphologically distinct tumours is unclear. Two hypotheses have arisen regarding the mechanism for the association of adenocarcinoma and NEC carcinoma. One is that both are derived from a common multipotential epithelial stem cell. The second hypothesis is that adenocarcinoma and NEC carcinoma arise from a multipotential epithelial stem cell and a primitive NEC, respectively. AIMS To elucidate the relationship between the two histologically distinct tumours, adenocarcinoma of the stomach and NEC carcinoma of the duodenum. PATIENT/METHODS We present a case in which the tumour extended across the pyloric ring, the gastric portion of which revealed adenocarcinoma while the duodenal portion showed argyrophil NEC carcinoma. The two histologically distinct lesions of the tumour were examined by immunohistochemistry and genetic analysis of p53. RESULTS The gastric region was negative for chromogranin A staining but positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) staining. In contrast, the duodenal region was positive for chromogranin A but negative for CEA. All tumour regions showed a point mutation in p53 gene at exon 7 (GGC (glycine)→GTC (valine) at codon 245). The distal portion of the duodenal tumour showed an additional point mutation inp53 gene at exon 5 (GCC (alanine)→GTC (valine) at codon 129). CONCLUSIONS The two histologically distinct tumours, adenocarcinoma of the stomach and NEC carcinoma of the duodenum, appear to be derived from a common epithelial cell.


Enterococcus faecalis (60 strains) and E. faecium (24 strains) were isolated from 4 samples of natural whey cultures and 2 samples of Water-buffalo Mozzarella cheese. The isolates were screened for their suitability to be part of a multiple strain starter culture for manufacture of typical unripe pasta-filata cheese from water-buffalo milk


A large amount of deformation which caused by expansive soil with water, bring about the highway diseases of expansive soil area. The theory of temperature stress field is applied to analyze the deformation of expansive soil embankment induced by uneven increased humidity, and based on temperature stress field theory, to analyze the mechanical response of pavement, and get the additional stress of pavement, in order to achieve the analysis of pavement damage of expansive soil area under raining.


Grand Canonical Monte Carlo(GCMC) and molecular dynamics (MD) techniques were employed to simulate the adsorption and diffusion properties in mordenite(MOR) zeolites. By the GCMC, the adsorption of methane, ethane, propane, and butane in MOR zeolites at 300 K、330 K was studied. The results indicated that the adsorbed amounts decreased with increasing temperature and the order of saturated adsorption amounts was methaneethanepropanebutane. Adsorption diagrams of binary alkanes mixtures were simulated by MD and calculated by ideal adsorption solution theory (IAST). The calculated results were in agreement with the simulated results. Finally, the diffusion properties of ethane and propane in MOR zeolites were studied by molecular dynamics. The results showed that the diffusion coefficients were different in different directions and the biggest diffusion coefficients in z direction.


Objective To analyze its positive rate, observation yield, side effect, complication, and tolerance of patients, and to further evaluate its clinical diagnostic efficacy via chenking patients suspected with small bowel diseases with double balloon enteroscopy. Methods Among 40 cases with negative findings of other routine diagnostic modalities as B supersonic, CT, gastric endoscopy, and colonic enscopy, 22 cases were with obscure GI bleeding, 12 cases with abdominal pain, 4 cases with diarrhea, and 2 cases with abdominal distention, double balloon enteroscopy was performed and the findings were analysed. Results 45 endoscopies were performed, 18 via mouth route, 17 via anus route, both mouth route and anus route in 5 cases. Lesions were detected in 34 of 40 patients, positive rate is 85%. In 22 cases with obscure GI bleeding, 17 cases obtained final diagnosis, the rate was 77%. It was 67%, 50%, and 50%, respectively in 12 cases with abdominal pain, 4 cases with diarrhea, and 2 cases with abdominal distention. No severe side effect and complication were observed. Conclusions Double balloon enteroscopy was safe, reliable, and its positive rate was elevated. It provided an effective method for diagnosis of small bowel diseases.


This essay re-examines the recent case-law of the European Court of Justice and European Court of First Instance on the effect of WTO law in the EC legal system, particularly the judgment in Portugal v Council. The author takes issue with the critiques of that judgment, and attempts to defend the Court's exclusion of full direct effect, from a number of different perspectives. The second part of the essay looks into the types of legal effect of WTO law which the European courts do recognize, such as the principles of interpretation and implementation. It is argued that particularly the latter principle offers useful avenues for judicial communication.


We discuss strategies for probing CP-properties in the top quark system in electron and hadron collisions. The magnitudes of CP-violation effects predicted by various models are reviewed. The potential of various current and future colliders in measuring the CP-asymmetry associated with the productions and/or decays of the top quarks is also discussed.


With the rapid proliferation of large-scale web images, recent years have witnessed more and more images labeled with user-provided tags, which leads to considerable effort made on hashing based image retrieval in huge databases. Current research efforts focus mostly on learning semantic hashing functions which designs compact binary codes to map semantically similar images to similar codes, and the visual similarity is not well explored for constructing semantic hashing functions. Here a novel approach is proposed to learn hashing functions that preserve semantic and visual similarity between images. Specifically, semantic hashing codes are first learned by leveraging the similarity between textual structure and visual structure; then, maximum entropy principle is exploited to achieve compact binary codes; finally, function decay principle is introduced to remove noisy visual attributes. Experimental results conducted on a widely-used image dataset demonstrate the proposed approach can effectively improve the performance in image retrieval.


As semiconductor processing technology advances, complex, high density circuits can be integrated in a chip. However, increasing energy consumption is becoming one of the most important limiting factors. Power estimation at the early stage of design is essential since design changes at later stages may significantly lengthen the design period and increase the costs. For efficient power estimation, we analyze the "key" control signals of a digital circuit and develop power models for several operational modes. The trade-off between accuracy and complexity can be made by choosing the number and the complexity of the power models. When compared with those of logic simulation based estimation, experimental results show that 13 to 15 times faster power estimation with an estimation error of about 5% is possible. We have also developed new logic-level power modeling techniques in which logic gates are levelized and several levels are selected to build power model tables. This table based method shows significant improvement in estimation accuracy and a slight improvement in efficiency when compared to a well-known previous method. The average estimation error has been reduced from 13.3% to 3.8%.


Based on 2096 sample data of family-owned listed companies in my country from 2012 to 2019, this paper empirically analyzes the influence of characteristics such as the collaborative governance and political connection of husband and wife leaders on corporate performance. The study found that: The collaborative governance characteristics of husband and wife leaders significantly promote the performance of family listed companies, that is, husband and wife collaborative governance can improve corporate performance; in such family listed companies, the political connection of husband and wife leaders is conducive to promoting family business performance growth. The empirical results expand the research on family business performance, especially from the perspective of husband and wife controllers to verify that the characteristics of husband and wife are an important factor in promoting the growth of enterprise performance, indicating that the effective cooperation between male and female entrepreneurs and a good political background are conducive to the effective operation and sustainability of enterprises. How private enterprises break through the predicament and achieve sustainable and stable development has an important enlightening role.


This research was developed at the National University of Chimborazo in the Faculty of Human Education and Technologies Education, specifically in the Biology, Chemistry and Laboratory School with the fourth semester students in the subject of Inorganic Chemistry and Laboratory II. The problem lies in the difficulty that learners presented when they learn the subject of Inorganic Chemistry and Laboratory II. The level of difficulty was 66.67% related to the application of concepts and laws. The objective is to determine how the laboratory, as a learning strategy, facilitates the teaching of Inorganic Chemistry and Laboratory II. The applied methodology consisted of a non- experimental design. The type of research was descriptive, using survey with its instrument: the questionnaire. In order to collection the information, 18 students, as sample were assigned. The result of the research showed that the laboratory as a learning strategy strengthens the cognitive capacity of learners by establishing relationships between concepts developed from their own contexts, allowing to link theory with practice and apply concepts in problem solving. The laboratory is an exceptional place to learn and interact with the physical world, and develop competences such as measuring, observing, annotating, designing, touching, manipulating instruments, handling substances, drawing graphics.


Semi‐structured geographical problems are often addressed by groups of decision‐makers. Each group member is likely to have a specific set of objectives that they wish to address and a unique perspective on the way in which the problem should be solved. The solution to such problems often requires consensus building and compromise among decision‐makers as they attempt to optimize their own criteria. The set of criteria adopted by a particular decision‐maker constrains the set of solutions he/she will deem acceptable. Compromise among multiple decision‐makers can occur at the intersection of these constrained solution sets. Knowledge about the criteria space, the solution space, and the relation between the two is often incomplete for semi‐structured problems. New tools are needed to explore, analyze, and visualize the solution space of a problem with respect to multiple analytical models and criteria. In this research we explore the utility of genetic algorithms as an effective means to: (1) search the solution space of geographical problems; (2) visualize the spatial ramifications of alternative criteria spaces; and (3) identify compromise solutions.


A pressure gauge testing system components and working principle,combining with the characteristics of hardware and software technologies are presented in this paper.The hardware and software design,software design of play ground are described,and the experimental testing and analysis and recommendations are given.The instrument is suitable for oil well production logging and well testing.


Abstract : Practical applications of vermiculating or worm-like motion were investigated. The bladder technology required in studying the practical applications was investigated by conducting an extensive industrial search which revealed that the required bladders have to be custom made. Based upon the vermiculating motion concept a scale model of a 24-inch diameter tunneling thruster was designed and built using bicycle inner tubes as braking toroids; the thrust and locomotion to the system was provided by four double-acting pneumatic cylinders. The thruster operated satisfactorily when tested inside a concrete pipe positioned vertically. A preliminary design of a tunneling thruster capable of operating in a 8-foot-diameter tunnel is given. Other potential applications of the concept are discussed. (Author)


Acute respiratory failure due to pulmonary complications or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition during pregnancy. The incidence of pulmonary edema is 24% in all critical illnesses associated with pregnancy. The causes are numerous, having both cardiogenic and non-cardiogenic origins, and include sepsis, tocolytic agents, and preeclampsia. The mortality rate could be as high as 23% in patients with ARDS. We report 2 patients with acute pulmonary complications during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy: 1 patient was diagnosed with tocolytic-associated pulmonary edema, and the other had septicemia-related ARDS. Both of them had received prolonged tocolytic treatment presenting with dyspnea, fever, and hemodynamic instability, and required invasive ventilation; they both received fluid and vasopressor management guided by a pulmonary artery catheter and the best supportive care. The 2 patients survived and were weaned from the mechanical ventilator successfully during their stay at the intensive care unit (ICU). Their babies survived, although 1 was delivered in the ICU on the 4(superscript th) day due to precipitated labor. In this case, the mother and her baby required long-term rehabilitation after discharge.


The present study examined the effects of group size and percentage of the subjects starting with majority behavior upon the process of achieving behavioral uniformity. Four groups of 12 and five groups of 24 subjects were formed. The starting points at the beginning of the experiments were set to 50%, 67%, and 83%. Each subject was given a B5 size card having different colors on the front and the back and showed either side of the cards to others. Subjects shared the goal of achieving uniformity by selecting one of two color options. Analysis indicated that group size did not affect time to complete unanimity and a logistic function was found between the transition probability and the rate of diffusion. According to a Markov model, subjects do not react to the past history of the group. We found that the transition probability was dependent upon not only the percentage of individuals at a given moment but also the initial value in the beginning. This means that the transition probability was influenced by past history.


................................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT........................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM .................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................................... 5 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................... 7 Purpose of the Study .................................................................................................. 9 Research Questions ................................................................................................... 9 Theoretical Framework for the Study ....................................................................... 10 Hermeneutic Phenomenology ............................................................................ 10 The Bio-Ecological Model of Human Development ........................................... 12 Resilience in the Context of Migration ............................................................... 13 Rationale for the Study ............................................................................................ 14 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................... 15 Delimitations of the Study ....................................................................................... 16 Definitions of Terms ................................................................................................ 18 Summary ................................................................................................................. 18 CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................... 19 Immigration: A Life Changing Experience .............................................................. 19 Migration and International Students ................................................................. 20 Impact of Globalization on International Students .............................................. 22


A change of the Helmholtz free energy ΔA takes place when a molecule becomes adsorbed out of a bulk solution. The purpose of the paper is to explore routes for the calculation ofAA from molecular simulations. According toa derivation from the partition function, ΔA is equal to the change of the potential of mean force (PMF) which can be calculated via two different routes. First, the PMF can be obtained as a path integral over the mean force on the solute molecule which can be calculated via a simulation in which the solute molecule is fixed at a given position. Second, the PMF is related to the logarithm of the local density of the solute which can in principle be obtained via a simulation in which the solute molecule moves freely. Simulations are performed for a pure Lennard-Jones fluid and several dilute Lennard-Jones mixtures in contact with a plane Lennard-Jones wall. For the pure Lennard-Jones fluid, both simulation routes yield practically the same result for ΔA. In the case of the dilute solutions, however, simulations do not yield directly reliable local densities of the solute in those cases, in which there is not one very pronounced minimum in AA. On the other hand, the path integral over the mean force could be calculated always with reasonable accuracy to yield ΔA. Moreover, via the latter route also the local density of the dilute component can be obtained.


The speaker, President of Mazda Motor Corporation, asserts that U.S. and Japanese automobile makers must have two requirements to work effectively together: Each party, whether an individual or a company, must begin at a high level of excellence and strive to maintain it; and second, the partners must learn from and receive positive influence from each other, for their mutual enlightenment. He also stresses the need for cultural understanding and respect. Mazda's efforts toward developing advanced vehicles is also discussed.


Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm has depicted more robust convergence than various bio-inspired optimization algorithms on numerous benchmark functions. Moreover, ABC algorithm has capability to replace the exhausted food-sources with newly picked food-sources. Nonetheless, ABC has shown to suffer from slow convergence and poor exploitation. Additionally, the new inducted food-sources as a replacement of an exhausted food-source generally-have poor quality and hence, the algorithm converges slowly. Various solutions have been proposed to overcome the demerits of ABC, but so far the variants are either computationally intensive or could not avert the flaws. This research work proposes two different modifications for the performance enhancement of ABC algorithm. The first modification enhances neighborhood searching capability and the second modification improves new-food-source inducting capability of ABC algorithm. The proposed algorithm has been compared with various existing variants of ABC algorithm on a few benchmark functions. The significance of the proposed algorithm has been verified using a statistical test. The result-analysis reveals that the proposed algorithm has resulted in the best convergence among all compared ABC variants. Key-Words: ABC variant, Evolutionary computing, Swarm intelligence, Metaheuristic algorithms, Computational intelligence, Bio-inspired optimization algorithms.


Flaviviruses are positive-strand single-stranded RNA viruses that are known to form pseudo-knot RNA structures that halt the progression of 5'3' exonuclease Xrn1. We show that these viral Xrn1-resistant structures (xrRNAs) can be used to protect specific homologously-expressed messenger RNAs from 5'3' degradation. We investigated the effects of addition of xrRNAs, artificially-installed into the intergenic region of bicistronic mRNA reporters, in the observed levels of protein expression in yeast. The reporters also contain an internal ribosome entry site from the cricket paralysis virus (CrPV IRES) to allow for cap-independent translation of the decay-protected gene, LacZ, encoding the enzyme β-galactosidase. Through the use of primer extension, βgalactosidase assay, and western blots, the results indicate that the partially-decayed RNAs are successfully translated, and that addition of xrRNAs results in a 30-50 fold increase in measured enzymatic activity and an accumulation of decay-resistant transcripts in the cell.


PURPOSE
When the aging lens is replaced with prosthetic accommodating intraocular lenses (IOLs), with effective viscoelasticities different from those of the natural lens, mismatches could arise between the neural control of accommodation and the biomechanical properties of the new lens. These mismatches could lead to either unstable oscillations or sluggishness of dynamic accommodation. Using computer simulations, we investigated whether optimal accommodative responses could be restored through recalibration of the neural control of accommodation. Using human experiments, we also investigated whether the accommodative system has the capacity for adaptive recalibration in response to changes in lens biomechanics.

METHODS
Dynamic performance of two accommodating IOL prototypes was simulated for a 45-year-old accommodative system, before and after neural recalibration, using a dynamic model of accommodation. Accommodating IOL I, a prototype for an injectable accommodating IOL, was less stiff and less viscous than the natural 45-year-old lens. Accommodating IOL II, a prototype for a translating accommodating IOL, was less stiff and more viscous than the natural 45-year-old lens. Short-term adaptive recalibration of dynamic accommodation was stimulated using a double-step adaptation paradigm that optically induced changes in neuromuscular effort mimicking responses to changes in lens biomechanics.

RESULTS
Model simulations indicate that the unstable oscillations or sluggishness of dynamic accommodation resulting from mismatches between neural control and lens biomechanics might be restored through neural recalibration.

CONCLUSIONS
Empirical measures reveal that the accommodative system is capable of adaptive recalibration in response to optical loads that simulate effects of changing lens biomechanics.


In order to solve the problem of the lack of nutritional value parameter of White goats,better understand the metabolism rule in White goats fed pasture,and provide a reference to the optimization allocation of grassland nutrition and healthful aquaculture of white goats in rocky desertification control in Guizhou province.Six healthy Guizhou White goats with rumen cannulas were selected,taking Medicago sativa,Trifolium repens,Lolium perenne and Bromus catharticus four kinds of forages in Karst areas as the research object,nylon bag technique was used to determine the degradability dynamics and degradation model parameters of DM,CP,NDF and ADF.The results showed that among four kinds of forages at 72 h,the highest degradation rate and effective degradability rate of DM was white clover(P0.05),the decrease in the sequence werealfalfa,rescuegrass and perennial ryegrass;The highest degradation rate and effective degradability rate of CP was alfalfa(P0.05),followed by were white clover,rescuegrass and perennial ryegrass;While the rescuegrass and alfalfa showed the best for NDF and ADF,white clover and perennial ryegrass came second.The analysis showed that the four kinds of nutrients were absorbed well by White goat,and the alfalfa performance was the most superior which could promote the development of grassland animal husbandry in Karst areas.


The United States (U.S.) prides itself on the mobility that individuals, families and households achieved through the opportunities afforded from a robust economy with a strong industrial and manufacturing base. Since the middle of the 20th century, a vibrant middle class was viewed as an antidote to poverty. More specifically, it served as an incentive for individuals to work and improve their economic position, as well as providing answers to those who worried that the income disparity between those in the bottom and top of the income distribution was too large. In the post-war era, the dream of being part of the U.S. "middle class" was reached by many. However, the data suggests that these households experienced a shrinking share of aggregate income, while the disparity between the bottom and top of the income distribution became wider. Even before the most recent recession, the literature argued that the decline in domestic manufacturing, while affecting all U.S. households, most directly influenced middle class households. This paper continues and expands the discussion concerning middle-income households using data from a nationally representative longitudinal survey of U.S. households -the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Data from the four recent SIPP panels (1996, 2001, 2004 and 2008) allows a more dynamic picture to unfold regarding the experience of middle-income (or middle class) households at the end of the 20th century, as well as the first decade of the 21st century. Using data from the 1996 SIPP panel, between 1996 and 1999, the relative income share for middle class households was estimated to be 40.4 percent and the income ratio of these households relative to households in the 90th and 95th income percentile was 3.7 and 4.8, respectively. From the 2001 SIPP panel, between 2001 and 2003, notable changes were observed for middle class households. While the relative income share for these households in 2001 was 40.7 percent, by 2003 these same households experienced a decline in their relative income share to 38.8 percent. Similarly, the income ratio of these households, relative to households in the 90th and 95th income percentile, was 3.6 and 4.5 in 2001. By 2003, the income ratio of these middle class households, relative to households in the 90th and 95th income percentile, increased to 4.2 and 5.7. Turning to the 2004 SIPP panel, the relative income share for middle class households was 33.1 percent in 2004 and the income ratio of these middle class households, relative to households in the 90th and 95th income percentile, were 4.0 and 5.2. By 2007, the relative share for these same households increased to 39.3 percent but their income ratios relative to households in the 90th and 95th percentile remained unchanged. Clearly, middle class households have experienced a decline in their relative income share and their incomes relative to households at the top of income distribution are becoming disparate. This paper will expand upon these findings by evaluating those household characteristics that may explain this continuing trend among U.S. middle class households.


Recent large-scale sequencing studies have identified a great number of genes whose disruptions cause neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). However, cell-type-specific functions of NDD genes and their contributions to NDD pathology are unclear. Here, we integrated NDD genetics with single-cell RNA sequencing data to identify cell-type and temporal convergence of genes involved in different NDDs. By assessing the co-expression enrichment pattern of various NDD gene sets, we identified mid-fetal cortical neural progenitor cell development—more specifically, ventricular radial glia-to-intermediate progenitor cell transition at gestational week 10—as a key convergent point in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and epilepsy. Integrated gene ontology-based analyses further revealed that ASD genes function as upstream regulators to activate neural differentiation and inhibit cell cycle during the transition, whereas epilepsy genes function as downstream effectors in the same processes, offering a potential explanation for the high comorbidity rate of the two disorders. Together, our study provides a framework for investigating the cell-type-specific pathophysiology of NDDs.


In acquisition of high-tech and knowledge intensive firms, scholars have paid special attention to top managers' status after the deal. Literature suggests that these managers in particular CEOs if ...


This paper focuses on student access to learning opportunities and in particular those where students can learn by trial and error, such as in laboratories. It is recognised that regular student access to real equipment is a challenge for many institutions and thus alternatives are required, such as remote access laboratories. However, even remote laboratories are non-trivial to make available and thus this paper focuses on virtual laboratories. It demonstrates how these can be formulated very efficiently, can be highly accessible and critically, enhance the student learning experience. Several examples of virtual laboratories are discussed.


For earthquake resistant design of critical structures, a dynamic analysis, either response spectrum or time history is frequently required. Owing to the lack of recorded data and the randomness of earthquake ground motion that may be experienced by structure in the future, usually it is difficult to obtain recorded data which fit the requirements (site type, epicenteral distance, etc.) well. Therefore the artificial seismic waves are widely used in seismic designs, verification of seismic capacity and seismic assessment of structures. With the emergence of wavelet transformation as a powerful tool of time–frequency analysis in recent years, it has become possible to account for frequency non-stationary behavior more conveniently. The main target of this paper is to present a new method which apply advanced time-frequency analysis, best basis search algorithm, that uses wavelet packet to generate more artificial accelerogram which are compatible with target spectrum. Application of this method for some Iranian earthquakes is presented to compare actual and synthetic accelerograms to each other to demonstrate the effectiveness of model.


Psychological health researchers often explore population heterogeneity regarding unobservable latent variables. The presence of substantial non-equivalence of measurement instruments across different populations creates problems. Often, measurement invariance is just ignored rather than tested. This chapter aims to highlight the importance of testing measurement invariance for Psychological health research, and to clarify biases generated from traditional comparative procedures. We designed a sample study to test mean differences of Psychological health constructs between two groups using traditional statistical procedures and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model with structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of the statistical analysis suggested that ignoring measurement invariance across groups may produce invalid findings. It further confirmed that measurement invariance should be tested before any mean difference comparisons of latent constructs across groups. The authors discuss an available remedy option if full measurement invariance does not hold, and propose a new approach. Implications for Psychological health research are suggested.


An empirical correlation between superconducting energy gaps 2△ 0 and the Hall coefficients R H of amorphous state and between superconducting energy gaps 2△ 0 of amorphous state and the Hall coefficients R HL of corresponding liquid metals is found respectively, that is: in numerous non-transition metals and alloys, 2△ 0 takes a maximum value as R H (or R HL )=-3.5--4.0×10 -11 m 3 /AS.


The invention relates to a data communication protocol controller applicable to satellite borne equipment. The controller comprises a control register, a status register, an input cache and an output cache which are all electrically connected with an internal bus, wherein the control register 1 is in electrical connection with a digital quantity input time-sequence control logic array and a digital quantity output time-sequence control logic array through signal wires; a control signal of the digital quantity input time-sequence control logic array is in electrical connection with a serial-in shift register and an external digital quantity input channel; the serial-in shift register is in electrical connection with the input cache through an input parallel data wire; a control signal of the digital quantity output time-sequence control logic array is in electrical connection with a serial-out shift register and an external digital quantity output channel; and the serial-out shift register is in electrical connection with the output cache through a parallel output data wire. The data communication protocol controller solves the problem of automatic control on multiple communication protocols and multipath communication channels, realizes light-minimization of a data acquisition unit, and is established based on a digital logic hardware circuit, so that reliability and stability of the controller can be sufficiently guaranteed.


The most favorable play of the upper structural stage of the Tersin depression of the Volgograd region are buried highs on clastic Devonian. Numerous shows have been found in these sediments in several wells. These highs have been explored by geophysics and drilling in the western part of the Tersin depression in the zone of junction with the Ivanov paleo-downwarp. As a result the Buzuluk paleo-arch has been recognized in the paleo-structural plan of the Middle and Lower Devonian. In modern structural plan the paleo-arch and its local highs have no closed forms on the clastic Devonian. An exception is one low uplift that has two non-commercial oil pools in the Vorob'yev horizon. Fault traps and other nonstructural traps may be present, however. Drilling within the Tersin depression has disclosed a narrow graben-like downwarp more than 15 km long. It is associated with a linear dislocation. See Fig. 1. This suggests a trap may he present in the clastic Devonian. Beginning with early Frasnian time the region of the Tersin depression was a structural terrace that subsided in steps toward the southeast. As a result there is a weakening of morphological expression of structures and complete re-formation of earlier closed structural forms. At the differential block movements in the basement formed a graben-like downwarp. This took place actively in early Frasnian time. of these sediments in the downwarp more than 150 m, on the flanks it did not exceed 110 m.


Based on looking back the general situation of the special methods in the library and information science, this paper analyzes the special methods of the library and information science through the angle of the bibliometrical method and reference analysis method and the relationship between the special methods of library and information science and the concrete ways of working.


ABSTRACT Early advocates for the expansion of women's higher education imagined a future that was deeply embedded in their aspirations for social, economic and political equality. In the vanguard of campaigns for wider access to higher education were women professors, they themselves outsiders within an academic hierarchy marked by male privilege. This article shines the spotlight on two women professors to understand the educational, social and cultural processes that shaped their lives. In doing so the extent to which their work was deeply marked by personal ties, social practices and traditions is revealed. The focus on the careers of Mary Hayden (1862–1942) and Virginia Crocheron Gildersleeve (1877–1965) highlights the themes and commonalities that emerge from their individual stories and the importance of continued nuanced and critical assessments of women's professional lives.


Proposes to integrate RFID and WSN technologies with the designing of a new Ubiquitous Networks called U-NET. Introduces the related works on both the technologies, then proposes the concept of U-NET based on the analysis of several different cases of integration. Designs and researches on the system's architecture and network protocols, discusses the efficiency of its application.


The earth‐abundant electrocatalysts with high activity are highly desired and required for high‐efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report that 2D nanosheet‐shaped cobalt–iron‐layered double hydroxide (CoFe‐LDH) is a highly active and stable oxygen evolution catalyst. The Fe3+ is capable of tailoring the component ranging from hydroxides to LDH and broadening the interlayer space of as‐made 2D materials. Benefiting from the synergistic effects between Co and Fe species and the LDH‐layered structure, the shortened ion transport distance in the nanoscale dimension, and the broader interlayer space, an enhanced mass transfer behavior for OER is demonstrated. The as‐made CoFe‐LDH shows high electrocatalytic activity, which is superior to those of corresponding Co(OH)2 and the mixed phase samples of Co(OH)2 and FeOOH, as well as RuO2 and commercial Pt/C catalysts. Assembling CoFe‐LDH on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to configure the 2D sheet‐on‐sheet binary architectures (CoFe‐LDH/rGO) can further create well‐interconnected conductive networks within the electrode matrix, leading to the lowest overpotential of 325 mV at 10 mA cm−2. Collectively, such integrated characteristics with alternated components will endow the as‐made 2D‐structured catalysts with a potential and superb superiority as low‐cost earth‐abundance catalysts for water oxidation.


This paper presents the process and application of raw materials such as natural fiber,renewable fiber and synthesis fiber in the diversified fiber spinning.The spinning equipment and technology to the raw materials of diversified fiber spinning is elaborated.In the exposition of spinning equipment,the application and alteration of the fearnaught equipment and carding equipment are elaborated.In the exposition of fearnaught technology,the relaxation of fiber,fiber-mixed and the choice of auxiliary reagent is elaborated.In the exposition of spinning technology,the technology of carding and strip-incorporated are elaborated.It also explains the basis for the development of process parameters.It briefly introduces some experience in the practical work in the production management model and product development.


In this study, hydrothermal reaction with Na2MoO4 and Zn(NO3)2 as a precursor were investigated for the synthesis of β-ZnMoO4. The β-ZnMoO4 were characterized by the X-ray diffractometer (XRD), electron microscopy with the field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (FE-SEM-EDS), high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (HR-XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrometry (UV-DRS), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR). Diffuse UV-vis spectra show the β-ZnMoO4 materials to be indirect semiconductors with an optical bandgap of 2.48-2.64 eV. The photocatalytic efficiencies of powder suspensions were evaluated by measuring the Victoria Blue R (VBR) concentration. This is the first reveal that excellent activities of β-ZnMoO4 are a promising visible-light-responsive photocatalyst.


Water washing on crude oils during water flooding was an ignored subject in the past, but it is very important in the research of oil-source correlation and oil migration. According to the systematic geochemical test and correlation of 6 oil samples with development time interval of about 20 years from 3 wells, the influence of water washing on oil and the variation characteristics of geochemical parameters were studied. The results show that water washing has more influence on aromatic hydrocarbon than saturate one. Content of aromatics was decreased apparently during water washing, and the content of some aromatic compounds and ratios of some aromatic parameters were also changed prominently, which was considered to be the characteristic sign of water washing, and can be considered to be of some value in the study of oil-source correlation and oil migration.


A new inverse iteration algorithm that can be used to compute all the eigenvectors of a real symmetric tridiagonal matrix on parallel computers is developed. In the classical inverse iteration algorithm, the modified GramSchmidt orthogonalization is used, and this causes a bottleneck in parallel computing. In this paper, the use of the compact WY representation is proposed in the orthogonalization process of the inverse iteration algorithm with the Householder transformation. This change results in drastically reduced synchronization cost in parallel computing. The new algorithm is evaluated on a 32-core parallel computer, and it is shown that the algorithm is up to 7.46 times faster than the classical algorithm in computing all the eigenvectors of matrices with several thousand dimensions.


In the tracking control system,the control precision is decided by the control signal generation,and the accuracy of control signal is affected by data acquisition.Based on the data acquisition system of absolute encoder,it is convenient and flexible to control transmission and generation of data signal by using the characteristics of absolute encoder.The anti-interference ability of the signal has been improved,and a favorable support for overall performance of the control system has been provided.


During the last decades, different technologies to anchor steel elements in concrete were proposed. The present work presents the results of a preliminary investigation of a new connection characterized by single steel plates that are directly bonded on concrete surfaces. The anchor response was experimentally investigated under both tension and shear actions. Specific conditions influencing the behavior of the bonded assembly were discussed, with particular reference to the presence of cracks and crack cycling in concrete.


"Dr Smith, your serum potassium is at the upper limit of normal."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing really. You shouldn't worry."

"Well, why did you tell me?"

"We thought you wanted to be kept informed."

Many doctors are not good at communicating about risk–yet increasingly it is one of their central tasks. Readers have asked us to produce this theme issue because they would like to be helped to do better. This is an issue, I suggest, that deserves perhaps two hours' reading–as opposed to the more usual 30 minutes. All doctors–including those in …


This paper presents the results of a European project which d eals with an interactive aiding design tool for heat treatme nt process. Some knowledge has been collected and formalized i n order to, on the first hand, design a heat treatment operation and in the other hand, quantify the final distortion. After a brief presentation of the project context, the extracti on of the know-how and its formalization as a constraint satisfac tion problem are presented. Two running modes of the tool are also presented.


Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), with all-weather and all-time imaging capabilities, provides a stable data resource for environmental monitoring. In water related applications, obtaining precise water areas from SAR data is essential. This paper presents a high accuracy water extraction scheme based on Object-Oriented technique. First, a watershed segmentation is used for preserve waterlines. Then, a decomposition method is applied to identify water features. Afterwards, a majority voting strategy is utilized for water segment recognition. A set of Radarsat-2 data is used to verify the efficiency of the proposed method. And a pixel-based scheme and a proposed method without the majority voting step are applied for comparison. The experimental results indicate that the segmentation is able to maintain accurate waterline, while the voting strategy is capable of detecting small water area.


In response to the ever-increasing demand for grid-scale energy storage systems, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) working at ambient- or room-temperature are gaining much attention as promising alternatives because of the abundance and low cost of sodium resources. However, their adoption is significantly hampered by several issues, especially in terms of sluggish kinetics and capacity retention during cycling. Herein, flexible Prussian blue analogue FeFe(CN)6/carbon cloth composites are synthesized using low temperature strategies and utilized as a potential host for sodium ion insertion. As a proof of concept, the composites demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance: a reversible specific capacity of 82 mA h g−1 at 0.2C, good rate capability and long term cycling life with 81.2% capacity retention over 1000 cycles. Most significantly, this low-cost, scalable and low-temperature synthesis provides guidance for the design of other flexible materials that could have applications in wearable electronics, energy storage and conversion devices.


Caught between political allegiance to the Soviet Union and a shared history with West Germany, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) occupied an awkward position in Cold War Europe. While other countries in the Eastern Bloc already existed as nation-states before coming under Soviet control, the GDR was the product of Germany's arbitrary division. There was no specifically East German culture in 1945—only a German culture. When it came to matters of national identity, officials in the GDR's ruling Socialist Unity Party (SED) could not posit a unique quality of "East Germanness," but could only highlight East Germany's difference from its western neighbor. This difference did not stem from the language and culture of the past, but the politics and ideology of the present: East Germany was socialist Germany.


As decisions in cardiology increasingly rely on non-invasive methods, fast and precise image analysis tools have become a crucial component of the clinical workflow. Especially when dealing with complex cardiovascular disorders, such as valvular heart disease, advanced imaging techniques have the potential to significantly improve treatment outcome as well as to reduce procedure risks and correlated costs.

This thesis concentrates on three aspects: physiological heart valve modeling, algorithms for patient-specific parameter estimation from multimodal images and advanced applications for clinical management of heart valve disease. In particular, a novel physiological model of the complete valvular apparatus is introduced, which captures a large spectrum of morphologic, dynamic and pathologic variations. A robust learning-based framework is proposed to estimate the patient-specific model parameters from cardiac medical scans, mainly transesophageal echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

This original model-driven approach enables a multitude of advanced clinical applications including quantitative valvular analysis, shape-based diagnosis and patient selection as well as computational decision support for valve replacement and repair procedures. In comparison to the gold standard methods, which manually process 2D images, the automatic 4D model-based concept provides fast, precise, reproducible and comprehensive valve quantification. Moreover, in case of emerging percutaneous and minimal invasive valve interventions, cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists can substantially benefit from the automated patient selection and virtual valve implantation approaches presented in this thesis. The algorithms proposed in this thesis are validated through extensive quantitative and clinical experiments involving over 476 patients treated in leading medical centers around the world.


Excerpt The size and the secretory activity of the adrenal cortex are controlled to a major extent by the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) of the anterior pituitary. The anterior pituitary adjust...


Liquid−liquid equilibria (LLE) for the aqueous 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C4mim]Br) + tri-potassium citrate system have been experimentally determined at T = (278.15, 298.15, and 318.15) K. An empirical nonlinear expression developed by Merchuk was used for reproducing the experimental binodal data. In this work, the three fitting parameters of the Merchuk equation were obtained with the temperature dependence expressed in the linear form with (T − T0) K as a variable. The effect of temperature on the phase-forming ability in the investigated system has also been studied on the basis of a salting-out coefficient obtained from fitting the tie-line data to a Setschenow-type equation for each temperature. The values of the salting-out coefficients may reflect the extent of the preferential hydration of the ionic liquid. Furthermore, the kosmotropicity of tri-potassium citrate for the exclusion of [C4mim][Br] in an aqueous solution has been examined in comparison with the previously studied kosmotr...


The present work dedicated to the removal of Cr(VI) ions in aqueous solution onto a synthetized TiO2-AC composite. Composite characterization was carried out by determining of the point of zero charge pHpzc, iodine number, methylene blue index and FT-IR spectra. Adsorption experiments were conducted in batch mode and the influences of composite quantity, contact time, Cr(VI) ions concentration, ionic strength, and pH were studied. The highest adsorption were obtained in acid medium, with lowest adsorbent quantity (0.01 g) and initial solution concentration of 10 ppm. The results of kinetic studies revealed that Cr(VI) adsorption process on TiO2-AC composite followed pseudo second-order kinetic model. Non-linear regression was applied to equilibrium data and Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin isotherm models were used for evaluation of adsorption parameters. The best-fitting was estimated based on correlation coefficient R2 value and the calculation of error deviations between experimental and predicted equilibrium adsorption data, using non-linear analysis. The results showed that Freundlich model describing adsorption process the best. The isotherm parameters from Langmuir and Freundlich models revealed that Cr(VI) adsorption mechanism on the composite is linear, spontaneous, and endothermic follows chemisorption process.


Cobot is a new intelligent agent platform that connects users through real-time and off-line conversations about their health and medical issues. Intelligent web based information agents (conversational/community bots) participate in each conversation providing highly-relevant real-time informational recommendations and connecting people with relevant conversations and other community members. Cobot provides an innovative approach to facilitate easier information access allowing users to exchange information through a natural language conversational approach. Conversational Search(CS) is an interactive and collaborative information finding interaction. The participants in this interaction engage in social conversations aided with an intelligent information agent (Cobot) that provides contextually relevant factual, web search and social search recommendations. Cobot aims to help users make faster and more informed search and discovery. It also helps the agent learn about conversations with interactions and social feedback to make better recommendations. Cobot leverages the social discovery process by integrating web information retrieval along with the social interactions and recommendations.


Abstract:A writer who follows his wife to a new academic job must come to terms with life in a new town as well as their daughter starting daycare. Along the way, he befriends the daycare administrator, and both men are haunted by menacing, possibly evil babies.


Microfluidic devices, allowing superior control over the spatial and temporal distribution of chemical substances and high process reproducibility, are nowadays essential in various research areas and industrial fields where the traditional "macroscopic" approach was no longer able to keep up with the increasing demands of high-end applications. In the present work, internal mixing of droplets formed by a flow-focusing X-junction at constant flow rates of both phases for three different channel heights (i.e. 20, 40 and 60 μm) was investigated and characterised. Both experimental methods and 3D CFD simulations were employed in order to resolve governing factors having an impact on internal mixing and homogenization time of model tracers inside of droplet reactors. Additionally, the influence of channel height on internal mixing was experimentally studied for continuous preparation of iron oxide nanoparticles by co-precipitation reaction. Since the initial nucleation phase is strongly affected by mixing and spatial distribution of all reactants, the final particle size and particle size distribution (PSD) can be used as direct indicators of mixing performance. It has been demonstrated that the smallest 20 μm channels provided narrower PSD and smaller particle mean size compared to higher channels.


Background: A large number of women are dying due to factors related to pregnancy and childbirth, especially in developing countries including Ethiopia, where maternal mortality ratio is one of the highest in the world. It is known that having a skilled birth attendant at every delivery can lead to marked reductions in maternal mortality. In Ethiopia, most births take place at home, particularly in rural areas, being not attended by a skilled birth attendant. The utilization of maternal health services is a complex phenomenon and it is influenced by several factors.
Objectives: This study assessed factors that determine the utilization of skilled birth attendants among mothers who gave birth in the past 12 months in Raya Alamata District, Ethiopia.
Methods: Community-based cross sectional study was conducted among mothers who gave birth in the past 12 months. A total of 600 study participants were recruited for the study. Logistic regression was performed using SPSS version 16.0 software and thematic interpretation based on main categories was done for the qualitative data.
Results: A total of 584 mothers (189 urban and 395 rural) were included in the analysis. Only 23.5% of births were attended by Skilled Birth Attendants. Over 43% of urban women delivered with skilled assistance compared to 13.9% of rural women. In multivariate analysis urban residence, Age at interview, maternal formal education, Ante Natal Care visit during the last pregnancy, joint final decision making, knowledgeable and favorable attitude towards danger signs of pregnancy, child birth and delivery services were most significant determinants of skilled birth attendant use by mother.
Conclusion and recommendation: Utilization of skilled delivery attendance services was still low with a high number of deliveries being attended by unqualified persons at home. Promotion of universal Ante Natal Care followup and encouragement of mothers regarding the need for Skilled Birth Attendants during childbirth is of paramount importance.


Objective To investigate the potential mechanism of multidrug resistance phenotype in gastric cancer cell line SGC7901/DDP mediated by hyposia-induced factor 1α (HIF-1α). Methods A resistant cell line SGC7901/DDP with the MDR and MRP4 phenotype was established by increasingly dose of cisplatin from 0.02 to 1.00 mg/L during 10 months. The HIF-1α expression was blocked by the HIF-1α inhibitor YC-1 in both the drug-sensitive cell line SGC7901 and the DDP-resistant cell hne SGC7901/ DDP. The drug sensitivity was tested by MTT assay,cell apoptosis rate by flow cytometry, and the expres-sion of HIF-1α and the multidrug-resistant protein P-glycoprotein (P-gp) by RT-PCR and Western blot in both the mRNA and protein levels. Results The inhibition of HIF-1α by YC-1 resulted in the increased drug sensitivity of SGC7901/DDP cell line, with IC50 of DDP decreased from (52. 175 ± 6. 163) mg/L to (11. 078± 3. 645) mg/L (P < 0. 01) and cell apoptosis rate increased from 1.03% to 14. 26% (P <0. 01). And the down-regulation of HIF-1α and P-gp of SGC7901/DDP cell line was greatly decreased from 1. 846±0. 135 and 2. 017±0. 102 to 0. 814±0.057 and 0. 962±0. 039 respectively in both mRNA and protein levels (P <0.01). Conclusion The HIF-1α mediated DDP-resistant phenotype through P-gp expression and anti-apoptosis signal pathway in gastric cancer,which would be a novel and promising target gene for reversing MDR.

Key words:
Gastric carcinoma; Multidrug resistance; P-glyeoprotein; HIF-1α


This paper provides a behavioral model in Pspice for a silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFET rated at 1200 V / 20 A for a wide temperature range. The Pspice model is built using device parameters extracted through experiment. The static and dynamic behavior of the SiC power MOSFET is simulated and compared to the measured data to show the accuracy of the Pspice model. The switching losses are obtained from experiment under multiple operation conditions. The temperature dependent behavior has been simulated and analyzed. Then the parasitics in the circuit have been studied and the effects on the switching behavior are simulated and discussed.


A portable electric apparatus enabled for light irradiation Substantially independent of a Supply Voltage and a method for controlling the light irradiation is provided. The device comprises a power source with a wide total operating Voltage variation range, a Voltage sensor adapted for generating one or more Switch control signals, a plurality of light irradiating components, and at least one Switch operable in accordance with the Switch control signals. The Voltage sensor is config ured to generate the Switch control signals in dependence of a current Supply Voltage provided by the power source and several Voltage variation Sub-ranges defined in relation to the total operating Voltage variation range. The Switch operable upon the Switch control signals is arranged to operatively connect a first number of several irradiating components in series, when the current Supply Voltage is within an upper Sub-range and to operatively connect a second number of one or more irradiating components in parallel, when the current Supply Voltage is within a lower Sub-range.


Clinical narrative in the medical record provides perhaps the most detailed account of a patient's history. However, this information is documented in free-text, which makes it challenging to analyze. Efforts to index unstructured clinical narrative often focus on identifying predefined concepts from clinical terminologies. Less studied is the problem of analyzing the text as a whole to create temporal indices that capture relationships between learned clinical events. Topic models provide a method for analyzing large corpora of text to discover semantically related clusters of words. This work presents a topic model tailored to the clinical reporting environment that allows for individual patient timelines. Results show the model is able to identify patterns of clinical events in a cohort of brain cancer patients.


This paper describes an airborne opto-electronic tracking and imaging gimbals that can support several sensor. The gimbals is driven by a multi-loop controlling unit, which supplies controlling signals to track targets and to stabilize the LOS. The test result show that the tracking error is less than 1.7' and the stability of LOS reaches 100 (mu) rad.


We wish to report what is to the best of our knowledge the first case of laparoscopic abdominal cerclage in a twin pregnancy. We will also review the outcomes of women in whom laparoscopic cervical cerclage insertions took place during pregnancy, and discuss the benefits and risks of laparoscopic abdominal cervical cerclage during pregnancy in whom transvaginal cerclage is considered unsuitable. P1.230 Management of prolonged static active phase of a pre-term labour in a primigravida Annappa, R; Hayes, L; Price, L Scarborough Hospital NHS Trust, United Kingdom Background: In United Kingdom pre-term birth traditionally includes all deliveries between 24 and 36 weeks and 6 days. Being aware of aetiologies and using specialised screening tests form the basis in formulating a management plan in cases of pre-term labour. POSTER PRESENTATIONS a 2008 The Authors a RCOG 2008 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 151 Aim: We report here management of an unusual case of a primigravida presenting in active phase of labour at 31 weeks of gestation and remained in active phase for 16 days before she delivered. Method: Patient was identified from the routine admissions to the delivery suite. Results: Patient was admitted with history of backache and lower abdominal pain at 31 weeks of gestation. On examination cervix was fully effaced, 6 cm dilated with bulging membranes and presenting part 2 cm above the ischial spines. As she was in active labour, tocolysis was not given. Contractions ceased and she was managed conservatively according to the hospital protocol. Steroids were given and the ultrasound scan confirmed the clinical findings. The follow-up blood results were within normal limits. Patient delivered spontaneously at 33 weeks and 2 days, a female baby with normal cord pH and Apgar scores at birth with no signs of infection. Conclusion: Subclinical chorioamnionitis is the most widely studied aetiological factor underlying spontaneous pre-term labour. This may lead to the clinicians, the paradox, in managing the patients who present in active phase of pre-term labour. Conservative management in cases presenting in active phase of pre-term labour without any signs of infection may be beneficial in buying time for the delivery of the neonate. P1.231 Prolonging the agony? The effect of prolonged second stage of labour on feto-maternal outcomes Curry, R; Cotzias, C West Middlesex University Hospital, United Kingdom; United Kingdom Background: In 2007 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published its guideline intrapartum care, recommending that in nulliparous women a diagnosis of 2nd stage delay should be made after 2 h of active 2nd stage with birth occurring within 3 h (1 and 2 h respectively for parous women). Aims: To assess feto-maternal outcomes associated with prolonged 2nd stage. Methods: All women who delivered in our unit at term (37– 42 weeks) from May to October 2007 inclusive, with a total 2nd stage longer than 120 min, were identified via the ciconia maternity information system. A retrospective case note review assessed feto-maternal outcomes including mode of delivery, estimated blood loss (EBL), perineal trauma, Apgar scores and admission of the neonate to the special care baby unit (SCBU). Results: A total of 257 women had a total 2nd stage longer than 2 h. A total of 227(88.3%) were nulliparous. 61.5%(158/257) had a 2nd stage of 120–179 min, 28.8%(74/257) of 180–239 min, 7%(18/257) of 240–299 min and 2.7%(7/257) >300 min. Between 120 and 179 min 60.1% (95/158) achieved spontaneous vertex delivery (SVD) falling to 23% (17/74) at 180–239 min and 5.6% (1/18) at 240–299 min. No SVDs occurred after 300 min. Rates of CS increased with a longer 2nd stage: 5.1% (8/158) at 120–179 min, to 57.1% (4/7) at >300 min. At 120–179 min 26.5% (42/158) had an EBL at delivery of >500 ml, rising at 240– 299 min to 83.3% (15/18). There was no increase in 3rd/4th degree perineal trauma. There was an increase in the number of babies with Apgar scores <7 at 5 min from 1.2% (2/158) at 120– 179 min to 11.1% (2/18) at 240–299 min but not in the number of babies admitted to SCBU. Conclusion: We have clearly demonstrated that increased duration of the 2nd stage is associated with increased rates of CS, instrumental delivery and post-partum haemorrhage (PPH). Our detailed analysis of time-specific feto-maternal outcomes can be used to accurately counsel women with delay in the 2nd stage of labour. P1.232 Obstetric risk factors and neonatal outcome in babies with low five minute Apgar scores Maraj, H; Sobithadevi, D N; Anwar, K Queens Hospital, United Kingdom Background: Approximately 0.76% of term babies are born with a 5-min Apgar score less than seven. Previous studies have identified the highest odds ratio for vaginal breech deliveries, birth weights above 5 kg and second born twins. Other risk factors include primiparity, advanced maternal age, smoking, post-date pregnancy, epidural analgesia, male infant gender and being born at night. The low 5-min Apgar score is associated with an incresed risk of neonatal morbidity, infant mortality and neurologic impairment. Aims: To identify any obstetric risk factors and determine neonatal outcome in babies with a low 5-min Apgar score. Methods: This was a retrospective study between September 2004 and December 2007. The inclusion criteria were babies >34 weeks gestation and Apgar <7 at 5 min of age. Babies with congenital malformations were excluded. Results: Thirty one babies were included in the study. Possible antepartum predictors were noted in 32% cases including drug abuse, pregnancy induced hypertension, intruterine growth restriction and polyhydramnios. Intrapartum risk factors were present in 55% cases including haemorrhage, abnormal CTG, difficult caesarean section and shoulder dystocia. Other risk factors were primiparity and delivery at night. There appeared to be no increased risk from smoking, induction of labour or epidural analgesia. 22.6% of babies with low 5-min Apgar score died. 77.5% of babies survived with Apgars <7 at 5 min but only 30% babies survived with Apgar <4 at 5 min of age. There were no major developmental delays in those babies who survived. Discussion: In this study we identified previously known obstetric risk factors such as primiparity, macrosomia and delivery at night. We were also able to identify other significant antepartum and intraparum risk factors in most cases. We note that the worst neonatal outcomes were in cases with an Apgar score <4 at 5 min and this should be the focus of future studies. POSTER PRESENTATIONS 152 a 2008 The Authors a RCOG 2008 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology P1.233 Successful management of arterial thrombosis in pregnancy: case report and systematic review of literature Mohan, K; Patwardhan, S; Keay, S University Hospitals of Coventry & Warwickshire, United Kingdom Case report: A 29-year old Asian lady booked in first trimester as a low risk pregnancy in her first pregnancy at University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire. At 33 weeks of gestation she presented to A&E with H/O pain in the right leg and ankle that was associated with pins, needles and numbness in the toes. Examination revealed pale, cold and tender right foot. Distal pulses below the popliteal artery were not felt. Doppler ultrasound revealed thrombosed vessels below the right popliteal artery including right posterior tibeal and dorsalis paedis artery. There was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis. Multidisciplinary team was involved in the management and concluded that patient was not for thrombolysis in view of high risk associated with pregnancy and decided for therapeutic LMWH (1 mg/kg twice daily). Patient was screened for lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies, homocysteine and lipoprotein A levels. After discussing with the rheumatologists ANA and double stranded DNA, complement antibodies were checked. Initial lupus anticoagulant was strongly positive. ENA profile, double stranded DNA and nuclear antibodies screening were positive. Emergency caesarean section was carried out in view of suspected fetal distress. Post-natally patient was treated with LMWH. Repeat duplex ultrasound showed patent popliteal and distal arteries. Repeat antibody screening tests six weeks post-natal confirmed lupus anticoagulant, raised double stranded DNA with positive ANA, ENA and Ro antibodies. Currently patient is on warfarin and aspirin to prevent further thrombosis and has been under the care of Rheumatologists to investigate further foe connective tissue disorders. Systematic review: We have carried out literature review including MEDLINE (1950–2007), EMBASE (1974–2007), CINAHL (1982–2007) and the Cochrane Library (2007). We have mainly looked in to the diagnosis and management of antiphospholipid syndrome, thromboembolic events in pregnancy and also the management of connective tissue disorders in


Objective:To compare the clinical value in evaluating the bronchial artery and blood supply of tumor lesions of lung carcinoma by 16-slice spiral CT angiography and DSA.Methods:16-slice spiral CT angiography and DSA were performed in 10 patients with pulmonary carcinoma,VR were used as three-dimensional models(3DCT).The images of bronchial artery and blood supply of lung carcinoma by 16-slice spiral CT angiography were compared with those by DSA.Results:11 supplying vessels of the bronchial artery were shown in 10 cases of lung carcinoma,with 5 excellent and 6 good.Only 10 supplying vessels of the bronchial artery were shown by DSA.The origin,shape and branching of bronchial artery were demonstrated as the same by both methods.The corresponding rate between color VR imaging and DSA was 90% in showing stainning and blood supply of tumor lesions in 10 cases of lung carcinoma.Conclusion:The 16-slice spiral CT angiography can overcome the shortcoming of DSA which cannot display all the bronchial arteries at a time.It has important clinical value in evaluating and diagnosing the bronchial artery and blood supply of tumor lesion of pulmonary carcinoma.


Tour guides are obliged to interpret for tourists in tours. During a tour, cultural heritage of a destination composes a remarkable part in tour guides' interpretations. So, having a good command of cultural heritage, tour guides can enhance the experience of tourists and provide them with satisfaction in tours. Tour guides can also contribute to appreciation and conservation of cultural heritage by raising awareness towards it. Hence, tour guides are supposed to know what tourists are curious about regarding cultural heritage in a destination. Therefore, questions of tourists should be a decent source to figure out what tourists are curious about and interested in. This study aims to determine the questions tourists ask their tour guides regarding cultural heritage in Turkey. In this study, cultural heritage refers to a concept rather than the official listed cultural heritage of Turkey by UNESCO. Using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with tour guides, the questions asked to tour guides were extracted. A content analysis was implemented to explore the categories and the themes. Determining the frequently asked questions and the subjects that tourists are curious about regarding cultural heritage, tour guides will be able to revise their interpretations based upon the results of this study. Tour guiding education programs can be reviewed and the efficiency of tour guides in terms of information and interpretation on cultural heritage can be enhanced. Consequently, this study aims to contribute to the appreciation and conservation of cultural heritage by enhancing the information and interpretation skills of tour guides. Ultimately, all the efforts to improve tour guides' informing and interpreting skills will enhance the quality of tour guiding service and tourist satisfaction.


But we have different variations of it. In Deniz, Sarabia and Calderin-Ojeda (2005), for example, they mixed the p negative binomial parameter with an inverse Gaussian distribution considering the reparameterization p = exp(−λ) proponing a binomial-inverse Gaussian distribution interesting to study insurancepremiums calculation and their robustness. Alanko and Duffy (1996) developed a compound binomial distribution mixing the binomial parameter using the gamma and inverse Gaussian distributions. Usually, in finance, the binomial options pricing model (BOPM) provides a generalizable numerical method for the valuation of options.


The gene for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was compared for CpG sites that are potential locations of methylated cytosine (mC). GFAP sequences in the 5′‐upstream promoter and in exon 1 of rat, mouse, and human showed extensive similarity in the locations of CpG sites in the promoter and in exon 1, implying conservation. The methylation of mC at 9 CpG sites in the promoter and 10 sites in exon 1 was analyzed in F344 male rats by a quantitative application of ligation‐mediated polymerase chain reaction (LMPCR). CpG sites with varying mC in different tissues were found in the GFAP promoter and in a CpG island in exon 1. In the brain, the promoter had about 40% less mC than in testis and liver. The degree of methylation varied strikingly between adjacent sites within and between tissues. Testis GFAP exon 1 had a gradient of mC from 5′ to 3′ across the exon that was absent in liver, brain, and cultured neurons and astrocytes. Among brain regions, the hippocampus had 10–40% less mC at 12 CpG sites than in hypothalamus; the other sites (7/19) showed smaller differences between these brain regions. In DNA from primary cultures, astrocytes has slightly less mC than neurons at all sites. Because neuron‐rich hippocampal subregions and primary neuron cultures had less methylation than nonneural tissues, we hypothesize that neuroectodermal derivatives tend to be less methylated, whether or not GFAP is expressed. Four domains of methylated CpG sites are proposed on the basis of tissue and cell‐type distribution: (I) a constitutively methylated domain in the mid‐upstream promoter; (II) a testis‐specific gradient of methylation in exon 1; (III) a hypomethylated domain found in neuroectodermal derivatives; and (IV) subsets of sites in the promoter and in exon 1 that have the least methylation in astrocytes, and therefore may be astrocytespecific domains. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a key part of delivering frontline services that are integrated and focused around the needs of children and young people. In the absense of a national school nurse assessment tool, the CAF could prove invaluable.


Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLP) comprising of B(C6F5)3 (BCF) and 2,4,6-triphenylpyridine (TPPy), P(o-Tol)3 or tetrahydrothiophene (THT) have been shown to mediate selective C–F activation in both geminal and chemically equivalent distal C–F sites. In comparison to other reported attempts of C–F activation using BCF, these reactions appear surprisingly facile. We investigate this reaction through a combination of experimental and computational chemistry to understand the mechanism of the initial C–F activation event and the origin of the selectivity that prevents subsequent C–F activation in the monoactivated salts. We find that C–F activation likely occurs via a Lewis acid assisted SN1 type pathway as opposed to a concerted FLP pathway (although the use of an FLP is important to elevate the ground state energy), where BCF is sufficiently Lewis acidic to overcome the kinetic barrier for C–F activation in benzotrifluorides. The resultant intermediate salts of the form [ArCF2(LB)][BF(C6F5)3] (LB = Lewis base) are relatively thermodynamically unstable, and an equilibrium operates between the fluorocarbon/FLP and their activation products. As such, the use of a fluoride sequestering reagent such as Me3SiNTf2 is key to the realisation of the forward C–F activation reaction in benzotrifluorides. Selectivity in this reaction can be attributed to both the installation of bulky Lewis bases geminal to residual C–F sites and from electronic re-ordering of kinetic barriers (of C–F sites in products and starting materials) arising from the electron withdrawing nature of the pyridinium, phosphonium and sulfonium groups.


ABSTRACT Virtual reality is a rapidly developing technology and its applications are being explored in a variety of educational fields. While an increasing amount of attention is being paid to VR as a language learning tool, there remains less research on using VR with languages other than English. Adapting the Technology Acceptance Model, this study investigated learner attitudes towards Hubs by Mozilla, a multi-user VR learning environment, for the purpose of learning Chinese as an additional language. Data were collected by means of a post-participation questionnaire that measured seven constructs. It was hypothesized that the unique features of virtual reality technology would have a statistically significant positive association with the constructs of technology acceptance. Structural Equation Modeling was used to explore the relationships between the constructs. Results indicate varying degrees in significance between the impacts of different constructs, but an overall agreeable attitude towards using the virtual environment for Chinese language learning. Furthermore, difficulties in interaction within the virtual environment seemed to affect the learners' perceived ease of use of the technology, suggesting that increased consideration for the design of VR learning environments and for the virtual literacies of learners may help this technology be more successful in the classroom.


Work in Progress. Introductory, or "weed out" chemistry courses are well-known for deterring undergraduate students from pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. Specifically, students' motivations resulting from experiences in these courses can influence STEM retention. Using grounded theory, our preliminary analysis of qualitative data collected in an undergraduate chemistry course has identified "faculty care" as an emergent construct of importance to student motivations. Our emergent definition of care is students' perception that their instructors recognize and communicate actionable steps towards self-improvement or illustrate concern, encouragement, or relational interest for the students in academic and non-academic settings, or in an unexpected, personal way. We found that students hold gendered interpretations of faculty care, and these interpretations may give rise to gendered motivational attitudes. This work raises questions about the ways specific classroom activities or faculty-student interactions allow faculty to communicate a sense of care for their students and thereby affect students' motivational attitudes in their classrooms. More broadly, this work may have implications for our understanding of the ways faculty can address gendered patterns in STEM participation.


Three three-dimensional (3D) compounds constructed from octamolybdate clusters and 1D–3D CuI/CuII-bis(triazole) motifs, [CuI4(btx)4][β-Mo8O26] (1), [CuI4(btx)2][β-Mo8O26]·H2O (2), and [CuII2(btx)4][α-Mo8O26] (3) [btx = 1,6-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)hexane], were hydrothermally synthesized in the presence of different amounts of reducing agent Et3N. The crystal structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction. In 1, the copper(I)-btx motif is a 1D meso-helix chain which is further linked by hexadentate β-[Mo8O26]4−clustersvia coordinating to CuI cations to achieve an intricate 3D structure. In 2, the copper(I)-btx motif exhibits a 2D grid sheet, and the hexadentate β-[Mo8O26]4−clusters interact with neighboring sheets to construct a 3D structure. In 3, the copper(II)-btx motif possesses a 3D (4,4)-connected framework with the (65.8)(64.82) topology, which is further connected by the tetradentate α-[Mo8O26]4−clusters forming a 3D self-penetrating (4,6)-connected hybrid network. The thermal stability and luminescent properties of 1–3 are investigated in the solid state.


We report herein the NMR structure of Tm0979, a structural proteomics target from Thermotoga maritima. The Tm0979 fold consists of four β/α units, which form a central parallel β‐sheet with strand order 1234. The first three helices pack toward one face of the sheet and the fourth helix packs against the other face. The protein forms a dimer by adjacent parallel packing of the fourth helices sandwiched between the two β‐sheets. This fold is very interesting from several points of view. First, it represents the first structure determination for the DsrH family of conserved hypothetical proteins, which are involved in oxidation of intracellular sulfur but have no defined molecular function. Based on structure and sequence analysis, possible functions are discussed. Second, the fold of Tm0979 most closely resembles YchN‐like folds; however the proteins that adopt these folds differ in secondary structural elements and quaternary structure. Comparison of these proteins provides insight into possible mechanisms of evolution of quaternary structure through a simple mechanism of hydrophobicity‐changing mutations of one or two residues. Third, the Tm0979 fold is found to be similar to flavodoxin‐like folds and β/α barrel proteins, and may provide a link between these very abundant folds and putative ancestral half‐barrel proteins.