ABSTRACT The similarities and differences in value systems_ between Americans and Vietnamese are investigated in this study. A national sample of 1,427 Americans was given Rockeach's (1969) value survey. The scale was then translated into Vietnamese and given to a randomly selected group of 349 Vietnamese living in South Vietnam shortly before the fall of Saigon. Three comparisons of value systems were made: (1) overall differences between Americans and Vietnamese; (2) differences between males and females in the two countries; and (3) differences between individuals with comparable amounts of education in the two countries. Among the results reported are: (1) Vietnamese are more concerned about their security and less concerned about their individual freedom than are Americans; (2) the value systems of males in the two countries tend to be more similar than the value systems of women; (3) college educated Vietnamese respondents are more like their American counterparts than are less edacated Vietnamese; and (4) in many respects, the values of college educated Vietnamese are more similar to Americans' values than to those of other Vietnamese. Two conclusions are made: What primarily differentiates the respondents in the two countries is not their goals in life, but the means by which these are reached. (2) These value differences seem to be due to the Confucian influence in Vietnam and may be less modifiable by experiential factors than terminal values. (Author/AM)


Objectives: (1) To determine which psychosocial aspects predict tinnitus-related distress in a large self-reported dataset of patients with chronic tinnitus, and (2) to identify underlying constructs by means of factor analysis. Methods: A cohort of 1958 patients of the Charité Tinnitus Center, Berlin completed a large questionnaire battery that comprised sociodemographic data, tinnitus-related distress, general psychological stress experience, emotional symptoms, and somatic complaints. To identify a construct of "tinnitus-related distress", significant predictive items were grouped using factor analysis. Results: For the prediction of tinnitus-related distress (linear regression model with R2 = 0.7), depressive fatigue symptoms (concentration, sleep, rumination, joy decreased), the experience of emotional strain, somatization tendencies (pain experience, doctor contacts), and age appeared to play a role. The factor analysis revealed five factors: "stress", "pain experience", "fatigue", "autonomy", and low "educational level". Conclusions: Tinnitus-related distress is predicted by psychological and sociodemographic indices. Relevant factors seem to be depressive exhaustion with somatic expressions such as sleep and concentration problems, somatization, general psychological stress, and reduced activity, in addition to higher age.


Dear Editor: I was interested to read the report by Cerrato et al in the November 2014 issue of Foot & Ankle International. The authors aimed to evaluate the interrater reliability of computed tomographic (CT) scans to assess the status of hindfoot or ankle fusions among orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons. Forty-one CT scans were identified retrospectively from the tertiary referral practices of 4 fellowship-trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons. Images were stripped of any patient identifiers. All 4 surgeons individually reviewed the blinded scans and determined whether the arthrodesis site was greater than or less than 50% fused. Interrater reliability was assessed by using κ analysis. Regarding reliability (precision), for qualitative variables, the weighted κ statistic should be used with caution, because simple κ has its own limitations. Two important weaknesses of the κ statistic to assess the agreement of a qualitative variable are that it depends on the prevalence in each category, which means that it is possible to have different κ values with the same percentages for both concordant and discordant cells. Figures 1a and 1b depicts two situations in which the prevalence of concordant cells is 80% and that of discordant cells 20%, but different κ values are obtained (0.38, indicating fair agreement, and 0.60, indicating moderate to good agreement). Because the degree of fusion identified on a CT scan has been correlated with functional outcome, with an arthrodesis area of 25% to 50% necessary for clinical success, I would prefer to estimate weighted κ using 2 cutoff points, 25% and 50%, making the outcome an ordinal variable with 3 categories. The reason is that κ also depends on the number of categories, such that the more categories, the lower the value of κ. Cerrato et al reported that on the basis of κ analysis, there was high interrater reliability in the assessment of subtalar arthrodesis, but there was no statistical significance for the evaluation of ankle arthrodesis. It is crucial to note that a statistically significant finding is completely different from the clinical importance of the results. On the basis of their conclusions, the reliability of orthopedic surgeons to ascertain the status of subtalar arthrodesis on CT scans is demonstrated. Such a conclusion may lead to a misleading message due to the incomplete and inappropriate use of statistical tests to assess reliability. The take-home message is that for reliability analysis, appropriate tests should be applied. Otherwise, misdiagnosis and mismanagement of patients cannot be avoided.


While jute is an important crop, jute policy of Pakistan has often been inadequate. Efforts to improve the productivity of jute and to pursue a price policy consistent with the long-term interest of jute in the external market have been peripheral and uncoordinated and all along not been commensurate with the gravity of the issues involved.


The positive impacts that volunteerism carries are undeniable, as it does not only mould quality human capital for the nation, but through it, we are also preparing future generation to lead the country. Malaysia currently has 1.2 million university students, however, unfortunately there is a lack of recent study of the involvement of the university students in volunteerism. Realizing the importance of the involvement of the undergraduate student in volunteerism as it acts as a tool to inculcate the sense of morality in self and social responsibility towards the country, this study seeks to highlight the importance of volunteerism as a tool for educating the youth. It also analyzes a global overview of youths volunteerism with a comparison being made to the local scenario. Most importantly, factors that motivated them in volunteering are also discussed so as to provide a guideline in empowering youth volunteerism. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n7p502


A set of nonlinear equations were set up for a navigation system of an aircushion vessel.A backstepping control method was researched for the navigation system.The fourth-order nonlinear navigation system was divided into four subsystems.An error variable and a control variable were defined for each subsystem.Three control variables were actually virtual control variables.A Lyapunov function was defined for each subsystem.The fourth motion equation were derived based on Lyapunov stability theorem and exponential convergence theorem.Control laws were designed based on the backstepping method,and then used in a hardwarein-loop simulation system designed to study the behaviors of air cushion vehicles.The results showed that the proposed navigation system can follow a set path at high speed and has good control effect.


Up to now the world of entrepreneurship has been considered as world of men while actually there are not few women who attempt to become entrepreneur. According to Drucker (1988) this fact is due to the number of woman entrepreneurs are less than man entrepreneurs and the majority moves in small or temporary business. Nevertheless since the 1980's number of woman entrepreneurs has been increasing rapidly. In Singapore from 15% woman entrepreneurs there is 5% increase so there is 20 % out of 160000 entrepreneurs. The data from Badan Pusat Statistik (1999) says that in Jakarta there were 25% woman in productive age were entrepreneurs. Data from Badan Pusat Statistik (http://www.pikiranrakyat.com/cetak/0703/07/06xl.htm) also says that 40,79% of 2 millions micro business and 194.564 small enterprise scale in industry sector 896,047 (40,79%) running by woman entrepreneurs. According to Drucker (1988) this fact shows that entrepreneurship belongs to all people because anyone can learn about it. Behavior, concept, and theory could be studied by anyone. Everybody can learn entrepreneurship including women This paper wil describe fear of success and risk taking among Balinese woman entrepreneur. This research can give more comprehensive explanation about Balinese woman entrepreneurs and how they reach the succeed on business. Key word : entrepreneurship, risk taking


Two new β-sitosterol esters have been isolated from the flowers of Punica granatum Linn. (Punicaceae) along with the known compounds n-tricosane (3), n-heptacosanyl n-hexanoate (4), olean-5,12-dien-3β-ol-28-oic acid (5), and olean-12-en-3β-ol-28-oic acid (6). The structures of the new phytosterols have been elucidated as stigmast-5-en-3β-ol-3β-dodecanoate (β-sitosterol laurate, 1) and stigmast-5-en-3β-ol-3β-tetradecanoate (β-sitosterol myristate, 2) on the basis of spectral data and chemical analyses.


The invention relates to a multifunctional movable platform special for overhauling and maintaining and a maintaining method. A traditional overhauling framework or platform is over heavy or cannot be moved, is single in using method, can only be used for height ascending work, and cannot meet the requirement of an operating and maintaining integrated working mode at present any more. The multifunctional movable platform comprises a wheel (6), the wheel (6) is provided with a braking device, the brake wheel (6) is connected with the lower end of a stretchable support (4), the upper end of the stretchable support (4) is connected with a working platform (10), a tool box fixing rod (2) is installed at one corner of the working platform (10), a set of 360-degree rotating movable tool boxes (1) are installed on the tool box fixing rod (2), the working platform (10) is connected with a stretchable ladder (9) through a ladder rail movable rod (12), and the lower end of the stretchable ladder (9) is provided with the brake wheel (6). The multifunctional movable platform is the movable platform used for height ascending overhauling and maintaining.


Depression is one of the internalizing problems that often goes unnoticed. It is commonly known as simply sadness and disappointment to life events encountered. Present research study aimed to investigate the relationship between parent-child relationship and adolescent depression. Results revealed that gender had positive significant relationship with adolescent depression. Family monthly income, father-child relationship and mother-child relationship were found to have negative significant relationship with adolescent depression.


In the up-coming wireless standards, focus is not only for improving the quality of service but also towards finding the integrated solution for all the existing standards. In this regard, system-on-chip (SOC) must have the ability to process multi-mode and multi-band signals without any relaxation in their energy consumption. Hence in circuit realization, transceivers' SOCs may require multiple LNAs (low-noise amplifier), key component of receiver, where the power requirement of individual amplifier is critical in-order to elongate the battery life. In this paper, the power of LNA is optimized based on the sensitivity requirement of the receiver. Accordingly, the LTE receiver performance assessment is carried out to find the maximum noise limitation of the LNA. For meeting the receiver noise performance, a sub-threshold LNA is implemented that consumes a total power of 706 uW with an affordable 2 dB noise figure (NF). The resulting LNA is implemented in 65nm technology and it is compensated against process variations. The low power LNA achieves about S21 of 12.9 dB in typical corner case and undergoes only a maximum change around +/-3.4% when all the corners are considered. Comparison with other microwatt LNAs, shows that presented amplifier offers the best NF with a moderate figure of merit (FOM).


Acute or chronic urticaria is not a common manifestation of systemic disease. However it affects 15% of the population at least once during their lives. The most common causes of urticaria are allergic. In all, we studied 130 patients (mean age 54.8) with chronic urticaria, 88 women and 42 men, in an effort to identify common causes of urticaria, using environmental and food allergens. 90 of our patients (69.2%) did not present with skin sensitivity. The remaining 40 individuals presented with skin sensitivity: 20 (15.3%) to food allergens, 14 (10.7%) to environmental allergens and 6 patients (4.6%) to both allergens (environmental and food). We note that in chronic urticaria it is unusual to find underlying causes.


Therapists who work primarily with specific populations or adhere to a particular therapeutic orientation may have limited exposure to alternative therapeutic approaches. Other health care professionals, such as primary care physicians, may have little exposure to the principles and procedures used with various therapies. For such individuals who wish to better understand numerous forms of psychotherapy, Current Psychotherapies is an invaluable resource.

Chapters in the text describe common therapies, such as cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic therapy, and existential therapy. Additional therapeutic approaches are also described, however, with which the reader is less likely to be familiar, such as bioenergetic analysis and psychodrama. While most of the therapeutic approaches relate to individual psychotherapy, there is also a chapter on family therapy. Although psychological therapies often have principles and terminology that make them difficult to comprehend, the information presented here is generally quite understandable.

The text is well organized and consistent in the information it presents for each of the various therapies. Each chapter covers information useful for helping the reader understand the treatment approach, such as its history, the principles on which it is based, and the type of activities performed during the intervention. A case example demonstrating a therapeutic application is given along with a list of additional readings. Some information is also presented about the efficacy of the therapy and problems for which the approach has been utilized.

The uniform presentation of information throughout allows ready comparison among the therapies on specific domains, promoting an understanding of the similarities and differences between them. There is also an outline that directs the reader to the topics covered for each form of psychotherapy. The text provides an overview of the therapies, rather than a description of how to perform them. Thus, it does not attempt to be a "how-to" manual.

An issues chapter presents several important topics with which one must be familiar when conducting therapy. These issues primarily involve ethical issues, legal issues, and issues involved in working with certain populations. Although the coverage of these topics is brief, the chapter will alert the reader to an understanding of their importance.

In addition to providing a survey of numerous psychotherapies, the text gives useful information that can be incorporated in the more general care of patients. Sections on personality in each chapter should facilitate an understanding of personality disorders and help the reader assess why a therapist might use a particular approach, depending on orientation. Numerous commonly used behavioral principles are reviewed, such as the importance of setting unambiguous and highly specific short-term goals for weight reduction rather than simply telling a patient to reduce calorie intake during the upcoming week.

The therapies presented in this text, perhaps the "alternative therapies" in particular, also serve as a reminder of the great diversity of problems in human experience and the many approaches that have been used to treat them. Current Psychotherapies is a concise, informative, and well-written text for anyone interested in a refresher, an update, or learning more about the history, process, or application of numerous forms of psychotherapy.


The use of AI systems in healthcare for the early screening of diseases is of great clinical importance. Deep learning has shown great promise in medical imaging, but the reliability and trustworthiness of AI systems limit their deployment in real clinical scenes, where patient safety is at stake. Uncertainty estimation plays a pivotal role in producing a confidence evaluation along with the prediction of the deep model. This is particularly important in medical imaging, where the uncertainty in the model's predictions can be used to identify areas of concern or to provide additional information to the clinician. In this paper, we review the various types of uncertainty in deep learning, including aleatoric uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty. We further discuss how they can be estimated in medical imaging. More importantly, we review recent advances in deep learning models that incorporate uncertainty estimation in medical imaging. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future directions in uncertainty estimation in deep learning for medical imaging. We hope this review will ignite further interest in the community and provide researchers with an up-to-date reference regarding applications of uncertainty estimation models in medical imaging.


A guide to safe practice in the design and use of temporary support for trenches not deeper than 6 metres, intended for the use of designers both of permanent and of temporary works, temporary works co-ordinators and supervisors, estimators and planning engineers. It covers the identification of basic information about the ground and proposed works that is essential for the design of proper supports; the choice of appropriate support systems and methods of groundwater control; simple methods for the design of struts and walings; the procedures for installing and withdrawing supports, and check lists for design, planning and day-to-day supervision of the works. Throughout there is an emphasis on safe design and methods of work, and particular dangers are highlighted. Appendixes are provided on legal requirements, properties of timber, an extract from the Construction Regulations 1961, a specimen certificate of exemption for excavation plant used for lifting, and a safety checklist for supervisors.


The aim of this study is to understand how the crop farms and forest plantations affect the regeneration of local flora. Ten plots of 10 m × 10 m size were established per vegetation type and all DBH categories of vascular plants were inventoried. The richness of adult plants (DBH ≥10 cm) was similar to those of juvenile plants (10 cm > DBH ≥1 cm), which was between 20 and 50 times lower than the richness of seedlings and herbaceous plants (DBH <1 cm). The undergrowth cleared forests showed the similar richness of adult and juvenile plants than the natural forest islands which was higher than those of the coffee and cocoa farms of both sites, the rubber and teak plantations at Duekoue site. But the richness of seedlings and herbaceous plants was variable according to the biotopes. Inside the DBH categories, the richness of adult plants was higher in both the patches of natural forest and forests with cleared undergrowth and, dropped drastically in the farms and the forest plantations. The juvenile plants were reduced to the crop species only in the farms while the seedlings and herbaceous plants showed an important richness in the farms and forest plantations. To avoid the decreasing of the richness for all DBH categories of vascular plants, the protected forest areas should not harbour any farms and, the forest plantations should not be single species planted.

 Key words: Forest protection, cash crops, agroforestry, richness, adult plants, juvenile plants, seedlings,  herbaceous.


Objective
To investigate the signal transduction mechanisms of time-dependent effects of 50 Hz 1.8 mT sinusoidal electromagnetic fields(SEMFs)on osteoblastic activity.

Methods
Newborn rat calvarial osteoblasts(ROBs)were treated with 50 Hz 1.8mT SEMFs for 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 min, respectively.Intracellular alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity was assayed, and protein expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2), Smad1/5/8 and mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPKs)were examined by Western blot.The Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System was used to measure the activity of the Wnt pathway.Immunofluorescence staining and laser confocal microscopy were applied to examine the nuclear translocation of Smad1/5/8 and β-catenin.Changes in ALP activity were determined after inhibiting p38 MAPK using a specific inhibitor.

Results
ALP activity of ROBs increased after 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 min of SEMFs treatment, compared with the control group(51.41±5.21, 59.47±4.02, 67.56±4.68, 63.69±3.92, and 58.16±3.61 vs.45.53±3.24), and reached the highest value at 90 min and then started to decline.Protein expression of Runx-2, p-Smad1/5/8, p-p38 and β-catenin increased after SEMFs treatment, and reached the highest value at 90 min and then gradually returned to baseline levels.The values for Wnt pathway activity for the control group and with SEMFs treatment at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 min were 0.49±0.06, 0.52±0.09, 0.75±0.05, 0.77±0.42, 0.58±0.08 and 0.42±0.09, respectively.Wnt pathway activity, the nuclear translocation of β-catenin and Smad1/5/8 reached the highest level at 90 min.Values of ALP activity in the control group and the SEMFs group were 44.60±3.84 and 71.54±7.34, respectively, before specifically inhibiting p38 MAPK, and were 52.08±0.83 and 52.15±10.77, respectively, after p38 MAPK inhibition, indicating that ALP activity could not be increased with inhibition.

Conclusions
50 Hz 1.8 mT SEMFs increase osteoblastic activity by activating the BMP-2/Smad1/5/8, Wnt/β-catenin and p38 MAPK signal pathways.The optimal duration of treatment is 90 min per day.

Key words:
Electromagnetic fields; Osteoblasts; Alkaline phospohatase; Signal transduction


Welcome to the fourth issue of the year. Before discussing some of the current issue content, I want to give a heads up for our upcoming Special Issue on 'International learning communities in uncertain times'. The journal has moved to publishing articles online in advance of print and one Special Issue article, by Jon McNaughtan and colleagues, is already available on our journal website. It examines the USA university president responses to the election of Donald Trump and is well worth a look. International surveys suggest significant differences in attitudes towards plagiarism across the world, but do these attitudes translate into differences in actual engagement in plagiarism? Via Turnitin software, David Ison examines the 'originality' of doctoral and master theses from the United States, Western Europe, China, India and elsewhere. The results add empirical rigour to a debate often based on national stereotypes. University leadership in many parts of the English-speaking world remains structured around corporate models of rational management. Leaders direct the change processes to align with predetermined goals, implement change, evaluate and repeat. However, Tom Doyle and Malcolm Brady outline the case for considering universities as entities in which change is continuous, unpredictable and interactive, requiring diffused and distributed leadership. Universities are increasingly expected to contribute to their 'third mission' of engagement with society and the economy. One way to promote this is through measurement, evaluation and incentives, but such metrics are always partial. Daniel Murphy and Dianne McGrath examine Australia's Engagement and Impact (EI 2018) assessment exercise through a regional engagement case study. Their study shows how university-community engagement projects may be successful in their primary goals, but unsustainable due to misalignment with other policy goals. Regional universities in low and middle-income countries are seen as particularly important strategic actors in the local innovation system. An alternative approach to evaluation and incentivisation of existing universities is for the state to establish a new university in its desired mould. This was the approach in Ecuador in 2014 with the establishment of Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam. Graham Wise and Ivan Carrazco Montalvo discuss how the top-down state-driven approach has worked out and offer some practical insights for university master planners. Moving from engagement to collaboration, Sarah Rose Fitzgerald and colleagues examine the barriers to cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional research within an interdisciplinary consortium of five partner institutions in the USA. Their data found boundary-crossing collaboration was strongest in the Historically Black College and University partner, perhaps due to a greater need for collaboration in this context. JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY AND MANAGEMENT 2018, VOL. 40, NO. 4, 289–290 https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2018.1483930


Sociological investigations into collective and/or public memory have revealed that memory is treated as a resource for the construction of a collective identity. While this idea is generally accepted, some critics believe that this sociological analysis itself can be ironically utilized as a resource for collective identity construction. If this criticism is correct, we need to examine the basic assumptions of this form of analyzing memory.In the context of this problem, the purpose of this paper is to explore the historical process in which sociology has made itself what it is through the reconceptualization of memory. In particular, the construction of William I. Thomas' "social theory" and its relation to the problems of immigrants in those days will be the major focus areas of the paper.The central point of this discussion is the shift of the concept of memory from the one coincides with the concept "heredity" in Neo-Lamarckian framework to another that is distinctively human which cannot be attributable to biological traits. In addition, Thomas focuses mainly on the memory of the immigrants, considering their assimilation into the United States. Furthermore, he and his followers suggest apparatuses that operate on the memories of immigrants to promote this assimilation. In this sense, sociology in its early days can be regarded as not only as a science of memory but also as a technology of memory.


This project, conducted in cooperation with the NASA Advanced Space Design Program, is part of an ongoing effort to place an experiment package into space. The goal of this project is to build and test flight-ready hardware that can be launched from the Space Shuttle. Get Away Special Canister 2 (GASCan 2) consists of three separate experiments. The Ionospheric Properties and Propagation Experiment (IPPE) determines effects of the ionosphere on radio wave propagation. The Microgravity Ignition experiment (MGI) tests the effects of combustion in a microgravity environment. The Rotational Fluid Flow experiment (RFF) examines fluid behavior under varying levels of gravity. This year the following tasks were completed: design of the IPPE antenna, X- and J-cell battery boxes, J-cell battery box enclosure, and structural bumpers; construction of the MGI canisters, MGI mounting brackets, IPPE antenna, and battery boxes; and the selection of the RFF's operating fluid and the analysis of the fluid behavior under microgravity test conditions.


In activity recognition techniques, existing wearable sensors have a problem performing the recognition process. Because existing wearable sensors perform recognition process by dividing sensor data into partial sequences, there is lag between the changes in action and the output of the recognition result. Therefore, we focused on the point activities change and have proposed a method to reduce the response time of the activity recognition technique. However, parameters such as window size immediately after the activity changing point and the activity changing point detection in the proposed method have not been studied well. Thus, in this paper, we conducted experiments using the HASC Corpus, which contains large-scale data of human activity. We report results of examining various parameters in the proposed method and features of the proposed method revealed by comparison with a conventional method. To give a concrete example, for IIR band-pass filter bank to be used for activity changing point detection, we clarified the frequency and the appropriate number of filters. In addition, we clarified the relationship between identification accuracy and the size of a special window that is set after activity changing point detection. The proposed method reduced the response time to the 2035ms on average from 2773ms, the of average of the conventional method. In addition, the proposed method can reduce the amount of calculation, achieve both high recognition accuracy and short response time, and output the recognition results in consistent times to reduce the jitter of response time.


Many efforts have been exerted in the robots field which have ability to climb vertical plane.` The result was various types of climbing robots. These robots have a mixture of different principles of adhesion and locomotion in many applications. Propeller thrust is one of the approaches that has been developed to generate the required adhesion force to enable the robot to climb walls. Due to the promising merits of this principle, the current paper deals with propellers-type wall-climbing robots (PRWCRs) and introduces features, applications and challenges for these robots. PRWCRs are examined depending on a set of given requirements. This mechanism has connected between two wide fields: wall climbing robots (WCRs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). For many reasons, each adhesion mechanism has more preference than others for a specific job; surface requirements are the main of them. Propeller-type WCRs are less affected by the nature of the surface, where it can climb many types of vertical planes: smooth, rough, and ferromagnetic or not. On the other hand, most of the introduced designs still have some problems and issues like transition operation, mission time and payload limitation.


The voltage pulse induced by a bar magnet as it moves at constant velocity through the axis of a circular coil is analyzed. The physical system considered has a number of interesting features: (a) It is easy to set up and handle in the laboratory, (b) the observed pulse can be predicted theoretically by means of a simple model, and (c) it provides a very vivid and direct illustration of the concept of electromagnetic induction. In fact, the system of a coil and magnet in relative motion is usually presented in textbooks when introducing this concept. The experiment can also be used as a procedure for determining the magnetic dipole moment of magnets. Since the equipment, a digital storage oscilloscope or computer, is usually available in undergraduate laboratories, the experiment can be performed in the introductory physics course.


Background: Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) is a progressive symmetric muscular weakness with absent or depressed deep tendon reflexes. Wide spectrum of disease severity can be seen ranging from a mild disease to quadriparesis, cranial nerve involvement and autonomic instability. Methods: Hospital based observational study is planned for GBS patients admitted to Cheluvamba hospital, a tertiary care hospital in South India, for a period of 2.5 years from Jan 2020 to August 2022.Results: 30 patients (12 males; 18 females; mean age of 7.7 years) were enrolled in this study. Among which 11 were in age group of 0-5 (36%), 10 were in the age group of 6-10 (33%), 7 were in age group of 10-15 (23%), 2 were in age group 16 and above (6.6%). Type of paralysis was paraparesis in 14 (46%) children quadriparesis in 15 (50%) children and one child had no limb involvement. In associated dysfunctions, autonomic dysfunction was seen in 1 (4.5%), bulbar palsy in 3 (13.6%). One child presented with features of Miller Fischer variant of GBS which are ophthalmoplegia and ataxia. Among 30 children 22 were recovered and discharged, 3 children died, and 5 children left against medical advice.Conclusions: The clinical characteristics, subtype of GBS, and outcome vary according to geographic area. This study is directed to find the clinical pattern and outcome of the same in tertiary care hospital in south India.


Abstract Superconducting phase diagram of the extended Hubbard model supplemented with interaction and hopping terms exceeding the nearest-neighbour distance in range is analysed systematically at different band filling and temperature values in a mean-field approximation. The obtained results clearly emphasize the importance of next-nearest-neighbour terms in developing the main superconducting phases of different symmetries at a given point of the phase diagram; in particular, critical temperatures TT , zero temperature gap amplitude values Δ0, Δ0/T c ratios, doping and temperature dependences are all strongly influenced by next-nearest-neighbour contributions.


. To prevent twin pregnancies in cattle, a simple transvaginal device can be used for follicular 18 drainage. This study examines embryo survival following follicular drainage of the smaller pre- 19 ovulatory follicle at timed artificial insemination (AI) in cows with a pre-ovulatory follicle in each 20 ovary. The study groups established were a control group of 289 monovular cows, a non-drainage 21 group of 114 bi-ovular cows and a follicular drainage group of 113 bi-ovular cows. All cows 22 undergoing drainage developed a corpus luteum (CL) in the drained ovary. Pregnancy loss was 23 recorded 56 days post-AI in 19.5% of the 149 cows that became pregnant. Pregnancy loss in the 24 drainage group cows not suffering heat stress (3.8%) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in control 25 non-heat stressed cows (20.9%) and heat-stressed non-drainage group cows (25%). Results indicate 26 that CL induction by follicular drainage for twin pregnancy prevention may reduce the incidence of 27 pregnancy loss.


The initial objective of this project was to carry out a fundamental study of the transport characteristics of a variety of gases and organic solutes in room temperature ionic liquids. The goal was to combine information collected from a number of different experimental measurements in order to develop a fundamental understanding of the interactions governing transport in ionic liquids. Measurements include the diffusivity and solubility of target solutes in different ionic liquids as well as ionic liquid viscosity and density at different dissolved solute concentrations.


Human immunodeficiency virus-1(HIV-1)is the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS), which can invade the central nervous system and cause a series of neurological disorders such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders(HAND). Nef protein is one of the early proteins of HIV-1 virus, it is found that the neurotoxicity of HIV-1 mutant lacking nef gene is less neurotoxic than that of wild strain with nef gene, indicating that Nef protein plays an important role in HIV-1 neuropathogenicity.In this paper, neurotoxicity and mechanism of Nef are reviewed from three aspects, including the effects of Nef on the blood-brain barrier permeability and the direct and indirect damage to neurons.

Key words:
Human immunodeficiency virus-1; Nef protein; Blood-brain barrier; Neurotoxicity; Astrocyte


We study a one-sector stochastic optimal growth model, where the utility function is iso-elastic and the production function is of the Cobb–Douglas form. Production is affected by a multiplicative shock taking one of two values. We provide sufficient conditions on the parameters of the model under which the invariant distribution of the stochastic process of optimal output levels is of the Cantor type.


We analyze the behavior of the magnetocapacitance for a three-probe capacitor. The self-consistent evaluation of the internal potential is found to play a large role in determining quantitative values of the capacitance. For capacitor plates of mesoscopic size, this potential reduces the charge accumulation by more than an order of magnitude compared to that obtained with noninteracting models. However, the qualitative behavior of the magnetocapacitance is not substantially altered by the self-consistency. A simple but physically motivated model gives an analytical formula which compares well with the numerical data.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of oil price shocks on capital spending in relation to the following firm characteristics: firm size, debt ratio, growth prospects, earnings and key sectors of the oil and gas industry.

Design/methodology/approach
To examine the impact of oil price changes on each of the sample firm's capital spending, the authors utilize a vector autoregressive (VAR) framework which requires that the oil price and the firm's capital spending series are stationary. The authors employ the Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) procedure to test if these series are stationary in levels or in their first difference. Since the results show that the ADF values for adjusted oil price and for all but one capital spending series are stationary, the authors perform VAR analysis using the level data.

Findings
The impulse response results show that there is a positive relationship between oil price shocks and capital spending by the oil and gas firms. In other words, the oil and gas firms reduce (increase) capital spending when oil prices fall (rise). The responses are highest around q3. Additionally, the responses are stronger for the exploration and production, drilling, and oil services firms, and weaker for the refining firms (oil majors). Also, the small, low-earnings and low p/e firms exhibit the highest responses to oil price shocks. The impulse response results for the debt quartiles are inconclusive.

Practical implications
The findings shed light into the impact of oil price shocks on capital spending in relation to firm characteristics. The impulse response results that capital spending of the E&P, drilling and oil services firms, and the small firms in general, have a higher positive impact of oil shocks lend support to the argument that these firms more likely reduce capital spending because of financial constraints in the capital markets. A higher positive response by the low return on assets firms indicates that firms with low earnings and cash flow problems are more likely to reduce their capital spending when oil price drops. With regard to growth prospects, it appears that shocks in oil price dampen the outlook for the low p/e firms, which leads to a cut in their capital spending. On the other hand, the high p/e firms seem to rely more on their growth prospects and downplay the adverse impact of oil price shocks.

Originality/value
Unlike previous studies in this area, the study focuses on firm-level data in detail, uses quarterly data and uses firm-specific variables that explain impact of oil price shocks on capital spending in oil and gas industry.


Investigating the heliospheric evolution and consequences of Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is critical to understanding the solar-terrestrial relationship. For the first time, Heliospheric Imagers (HIs) onboard STEREO, providing multiple views of CMEs in the heliosphere, observed the vast and crucial observational gap between the Sun and the Earth. Using J-maps constructed from coronagraphs (CORs) and HIs observations, we continuously tracked different density enhanced features of CMEs. We implemented several reconstruction methods to estimate the three-dimensional (3D) kinematics of CMEs during their evolution from the Sun to Earth. Our study provides evidence that the 3D speeds of CMEs near the Sun are not reasonably sufficient for understanding the propagation and accurate forecasting of the arrival time at the Earth of a majority of CMEs. This finding can be due to many factors that significantly change the CME kinematics beyond the COR field of view, such as the interaction/collision of two or more CMEs or the interaction of CMEs with the ambient solar wind medium. We attempted to understand the evolution and consequences of the interacting/colliding CMEs in the heliosphere using STEREO/HI, WIND, and ACE observations. The study found a significant change in the dynamics of the CMEs after their collision and interaction. The in situ observations show the signatures of CME-CME interaction as heating and compression, formation of magnetic holes (MHs), and interaction region (IR). We also noticed that long-lasting IR, formed at the rear edge of preceding CME, is responsible for large geomagnetic perturbations. Our study highlights the significance of using HIs observations in studying heliospheric evolution of CMEs, CME-CME collision, identifying and associating the three-part structure of CMEs in their remote and in situ observations, and hence for improved space weather forecasting.


Abstract This paper examines the effect of context disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firm's market value (MV) in China. This examination bases on the sample comprises 466 CSR reports collected from the China Corporate Responsibility Website. Through content analysis and integration, it first identified six dimensions of CSR. Based on these dimensions, this paper proposed hypotheses and validated them by regression analysis. It finds that disclosure levels of CSR can enhance firm's MV in China and the sample firms' CSR engagement is mainly driven by impact from government policies or significant social events in current period.


This water safety study was both descriptive and exploratory in nature. The purpose was for middle school students to assess their own water safety experiences and to help school decision-makers determine the extent of drowning/water accidents. In July 2009, a water safety survey was administered to 122 students participating in the local Summer Connection Program for seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students, which included children of migrant families as well as economically and educationally disadvantaged students. Chi-square analyses found that Hispanics were less likely than either Whites or Others to have worn personal fl otation device (p ≤ .001), low ability swimmers were less likely to wear a personal fl otation device, Hispanics were less likely to swim in ponds, health problems were a barrier to swimming for all ethnicities except Whites, more ninth graders had friends who enjoyed swimming, and more females felt their nearest pool was in good condition (p ≤ .05). Schools and other community resources need to work together and educate more children ages 1-14 to improve water safety awareness. Drowning rates are higher among minorities, which may be related to a lack of water safety education and awareness. Future research should continue to examine causes of drowning for K-12 students. Background


The development of technology, particularly the Internet makes computer systems is
growing, but at this time utilization can not be used optimally. Office of Population and Civil
Registration Klaten district that the office has the task to implement the regional authority in
the field of population and civil pencataan. Requests the public to make the submission of
demographic data progressively increasing, in the process of demographic data application
services must pass through several processes before it can do publishing submissions of the
applicant. Due to the large demand of society and given the limited working hours of employees
led to the accumulation of work. This buildup results in a delay in the publication. From the
applicant can not be mengatahui directly whether the petition was so or not. For ease in getting
information submissions of the applicant, in need of an application service monitoring
demographic data online.

Methods and design used in this thesis is the waterfall method. Results of the software
design is the context diagram and data flow diagram of the whole process is going on.
Amenities of the app include detailed information request, information submission
requirements, and report data services.

This web-based monitoring application built using a programming language that is used
CSS, HTML, PHP and Jquery. Using Bootstrap Freamwork while using MYSQL database.
Results of the application made is expected to provide service monitoring solutions and
improve service quality.

Keywords : demographic data, applications, monitoring, bootstrap


1 Laboratory of Crystallography, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland. 2 Geology Department, Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia. 3 Center for the Study of Matters at Extreme Conditions and Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA 4 Mineral Physics Institute and Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USA 5 CNR-ISTM Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari, via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy. 6 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas University of Technology, 7th St. & Boston Ave., Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA. 7 National Lab of Superhard Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China. 8 Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA 9 LPMTM-CNRS, Université Paris Nord, Villetaneuse, F-93430, France


In order to improve the surface properties of magnesium alloy,the plasma spraying was used to prepare Al_(65)Cu_(23)Fe_(12) coatings on AZ31 magnesium alloy.Microstructures and properties of coatings before and after heat treatments were studied by means of SEM、OM and EDS etc.The results show that coatings microstructures are primarily composed of θ phase、Cu-rich phase and Al-rich phase.Through T4 and T6 heat treatments,θ phase and Cu-rich phase reacted to β phase,and coatings hardness increase from HV200.2 before heat treatment to HV304.5 after heat treatment,which is far above that of AZ31 matrix.


The development of the internet has penetrated into all lines of modern life, but not all have a positive effect. One of the negative effects of internet development is pornography, indirectly these effects have an impact on children. In fact, this is the opening door for many crimes, one of which is child sexual crime in the online realm. The resulting impact of pornography on children requires the role of parents to prevent children from being exposed to pornography so that they do not become addicted or at least be able to recognize the characteristics of children who are addicted to pornography. This happens most easily in children who store boredom, loneliness, fear, anger, and stress. The role of parents becomes greater in supervising children to pay more attention to everything that children do both inside and outside the home, especially the use of advanced technology, such as the internet. So an approach is needed through effective communication. Parents must take the initiative to build effective communication.


This paper presents a comprehensive comparative study of composition-based Lohrenz-Bray-Clark (LBC) and principle of corresponding states (PCS) class viscosity prediction models for 11 different medium to heavy oils. The data sets span a wide range of pressures from 14.7 psia to 5000 psia; temperatures from 80 F to 180 F; and viscosities from 10 cP to 475 cP, typical of medium to heavy oils. The results show that all the LBC class models heavily underpredict the viscosities, whereas qualitatively PCS class models, in general, predict the viscosities in the range of the experimental values. However, none of the studied models were found to be truly predictive. [Received: June 2, 2007; Accepted: September 21, 2007]


Accurate and efficient computation of traveltimes and their spatial gradients for 3D heterogeneous media are essential in many areas of seismology, such as traveltime/slope tomography and quantitative migration. A popular method of obtaining this information is to solve the eikonal equation using the finite difference (FD) scheme. However, the complex surface of the Earth causes numerical complications when applying FD methods based on rectangular grids. To overcome this problem taking into account the topographic effect, we make use of the 3D topography-dependent eikonal equation (TDEE) from the idea of a 3D surface-flattening scheme with curvilinear grid-based FD methods, which could transform irregular surfaces in the physical domain into regular surfaces in the computational domain. Unfortunately, solving the TDEE in 3D starting from the initial point-source condition needs to overcome the point-source singularity, we formulate the 3D factored TDEE based on the factoring principle. Furthermore, to numerically solve the 3D original TDEE, as well as the factored TDEE, we introduce a lock sweeping method, which avoids the problem of repetitive computation in the fast sweeping method. Several numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency of the new lock scheme in terms of computation time and gain in the accuracy of the 3D factored TDEE solver for the calculation of traveltimes and their derivatives. This provides a good choice for the calculation of traveltimes and their spatial derivatives using models with irregular surfaces, which means greater potential for seismic data processing under complex topographical conditions.


One in the series published by the University of Geneva's Graduate Institute of International Studies, where the author taught for one year, the book analyzes Soviet federalism as it is related to foreign policy. He analyzes the benefits stemming from the 1944 constitutional amendments which gave the republics permission to establish separate foreign and defense commissariats. Several possible patterns are offered as conclusions for the expanded r8le of the republics.


The invention relates to a slant lighting type lighter with a safety function. The traditional lighter can not play a role of the safety and also has the potential problem of being intentionally damaged by children. The lighter comprises an outer case, a wind cap on the upper part of the outer case and a piezoelectric assembly located in the outer case, and the upper part of the outer case is also provided with a button for pushing a piezoelectric push rod in the piezoelectric assembly. The slant lighting type lighter is characterized in that an elastic element enabling the piezoelectric pushrod not reset completely after lighting for use is arranged between the inner end of the button and the wind cap, and the elastic element is provided with an adjusting mouth. The operating step of applying acting fore to the inner end of the button is additionally added, the use is safer, and accidental opening is prevented. The operating step of applying acting fore to the inner end of the button is added for completing the lighting of the slant lighting type lighter, so that the use is safer, and accidental opening is prevented. The safety device (elastic element) does not stop the action of the button and avoids the intentional damage of children.


We describe a new method involving wavelet transforms for deriving the wind velocity associated with atmospheric turbulence layers from Generalized SCIDAR measure- ments. The algorithm analyses the cross-correlation of a series of scintillation patterns separated by lapses oft, 2�t, 3�t, 4�t and 5�t using wavelet transforms. Wavelet analysis provides the position, direction and altitude of the different turbulence layers detected in each cross-correlation. The comparison and consistency of the turbulent layer displacements in consecutive cross-correlations allow the determination of their velocities and avoid misidentifications associated with noise and/or overlapping layers. To validate the algorithm, we have compared the velocity of turbulence layers derived on four nights with the wind vertical profile provided by balloon measurements. The software is fully automated and is able to analyse huge amounts of Generalized SCI- DAR measurements.


Microbial mat communities are arrayed along a hot spring outflow as a result of biotic and abiotic requirements and/or antagonisms. It is generally assumed that temperature is the ultimate determinant of species distributions and growth, hence of community composition and biomass. This assumption was tested through experimentation and detailed seasonal observations of mat commu? nities in a southcentral Oregon hot spring. The microbial community most extensively studied was dominated by two species of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), Calothrix thermalis and Pleurocapsa minor. These species comprised > 70% ofthe community biomass and formed a distinctive crustose, nodular mat. This mat occupied the 35?-40? to 48?-51?C zone along the thermogradient of Fenceline Stream (Hunter's Hot Springs complex), as in many other thermal springs of Oregon, Nevada, and California. The geographical distribution of the nodular mat closely paralleled that of the thermophilic ostracod Potamocypris sp. Contrary to predictions, the lower border ofthe Fenceline nodular mat extended farther downstream in winter than in summer, and standing crop biomass was greater in winter. During all seasons the distribution of the nodular species was truncated with respect to their potential temperature ranges. Observations of ostracod behavior and population dispersion patterns, as well as results from tem- perature-effect and grazing experiments, indicated that the ostracods were responsible for the observed mat anomalies. The dynamics of the ostracod population and the grazing pressure exerted by this population were influenced by diel and cumulative (i. e., seasonal) thermogradient extensions and retractions. During diel cooling periods, ostracods controlled the upstream border ofthe Pleurocapsa- Calothrix mat by grazing back the faster growing but less resistant Synechococcus-Chloroflexus mat. During autumnal cooling, the herbivore population dispersed upstream as food resources became available, thereby decreasing the grazing pressure over the lower portions of the nodular mat. This resulted in increased biomass and downstream growth of the nodular mat until it reached a winter maximum. Vernal thermogradient lengthening again changed the grazing range of the ostracod pop? ulation, which subsequently increased the grazing pressure over the Pleurocapsa-Calothrix mat. The coalesced nodular mat was reduced to patchy nodules and the lower border gradually shifted upstream, thus completing the atypical seasonal cycle. A grazer-induced dynamic equilibrium prevented exclusion of Pleurocapsa by the faster growing Calothrix, as the latter organism was easily grazed yet gained refuge within the partially refractory masses of Pleurocapsa cells. The persistence of the Pleurocapsa- Calothrix mat community in hot springs ofthe area is grazer dependent, since without Potamocypris the temperature zone inhabited by the nodule species becomes overgrown by Synechococcus or other cyanobacteria.


After the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, the traditional values on the basis of Marxist ideology and politics collapsed consequently. In Russia, the traditional values of patriotism are depreciated, the basis of the civil virtue is destroyed, and the civil quality is so descending that Russia is faced with a potential menace. The young are the future of a nation, and are the foundation of the national recovery. Therefore, the establishment of a sound and feasible socialized mechanism of the young is imperative. And the reconstruction of a scientific and democratic ideological education system centering on patriotism is particularly urgent and important. As compared with that of the former Soviet Union, the new ideological education system is more scientific and perfected in terms of its content, and is more diversified in its style and methods.


The content of Mn, Co and Ni in eight kinds of cerebrolysin biological preparation was determined by FAAS. The content of trace elements in seven kinds of Chinese medicine product of cerebrolysin biological preparation with that in the medicine made by Austria was compared. The statistical results show that the content of Mn in five kind of cerebrolysin bilogical has greatly sighnicant difference with controls (P0.01 ), while one cerebrolysin biological preparation has significant difference with the contrds (P 0.05 ), and one kind of cerebrolysin biological has no significant difference (P0.05 ); the content of Co in six biological has greatly significant deference with the controls (P 0.01 ), while one biological preparation has no significant difference with the controls (P 0.05 ); the content of Ni in five biological has greatly significant difference with the controls (P 0.01 ), while two biological preparations have no significant difference with the controls (P 0.01 ). It provided a useful data for using medicine on clinical practice.


The miniaturization of microstrip patch antennas has grown into a key issue in decreasing the overall size of the communication system. The genetic algorithm is employed in this article to enhance the dimension reduction of a radiating patch antenna. The dimensions of an elliptical patch is modified to change the radiating frequency, while maintaining the constant physical dimensions. Indeed, the primary patch is split into 10*10 smallerevenunits(Pixels), and the genetic algorithm realizes the simplest structure to get the better results. VSWR bandwidths of less than 2 and return loss bandwidths of −41db, −29dB and −24dB are obtained for the operational frequencies of 2.48 GHz, 5.2 GHz, and 7.2GHz. The resonant frequency of thepatch is changed from2.25GHz to 2.48GHz, 4.15GHz to 5.2GHz, and 6.5GHz to 7.2GHz, with a miniaturization rate of up to 82 percent. An microstrip optimized antenna prototype was built and tested with a FR4 substrate to authenticate the procedure. The designed antenna possess the radiating characteristics suitable for wireless communications.


Analysis the phenomenon of financial education in Brazil, specifically within the scope of the Socioeconomic Support Program proposed by the Ministry of Defense, as well as examines the text of the Socioeconomic Support Program of each Armed Forces, seeking to unveil the discourse related to this phenomenon and to identify the role of the social worker in the operationalization of this program within the scope of the Brazilian Navy. This is a qualitative research, exploratory and explanatory, supported by bibliographical research on the fundamentals of economic crises and consumer society, as well as the linkage of these issues with the Financial Education Policies in progress in the country, specifically within the scope of the Ministry of Defense. Documentary research was also used, which focused on analyzing the normative documents prepared for the operationalization of the Socioeconomic Support Program already established in the three Armed Forces. The main guiding questions of the study refer to the discursive formatting of Socioeconomic Support Programs based on an alienating neoliberal ideology and a postmodern discourse and the actions that Social Service has been developing in this social-occupational space. With regard to the presentation of the chapters, it was initially proposed to present elements that shaped the scenario of financial education policy, such as economic crises and the propagation of postmodern ideas of consumer society. Then, the texts of the Socioeconomic Support Programs of the Ministry of Defense, the Brazilian Navy, the Brazilian Army and the Brazilian Air Force were analyzed. In the last chapter, an analysis was developed on the role of the Social Worker within this Program in the Brazilian Navy, based on the presentation of three projects prepared by different Military Organizations. It was pointed out as final considerations that indebtedness is an expression of the social question in the contemporaneousness and, therefore, object of professional intervention. However, it is necessary to follow up on the professional activity, since the naturalization of the issues related to indebtedness and easy credit and blame of the subject, being seen as unfit to manage their finances.


Gate-level minimization refers to the design task of finding an optimal gate-level implementation of the Boolean function describing a digital circuit. In this section, we will discuss the manual design of dimple circuits. The complexity of a digital logic-gate circuit that implements a Boolean function directly depends on the complexity of the corresponding algebraic expression. Although the truth-table representation of a function is unique, it algebraic form can take many different, but equivalent, forms. Minimization of Boolean function using the algebraic method is awkward. The map method provides a well-structured method of minimizing Boolean functions. The map method is also known as the Karnaugh map or k-map method. The simplified expression produced by the map are always in two standard forms: sum of products or product of sums. We will assume that the simplest algebraic expression is an algebraic expression with a minimum number of terms and with the smallest possible number of literals in each term. This expression produces a circuit diagram with a minimum number of gates and the minimum number of inputs to each gate. However, this simplest expression is not unique: It is possible to sometimes find two or more expressions that satisfy the minimization criteria. In that case, each solution is satisfactory.


If we research the items for the disabled, its design process is combined with universal design but the in-depth research has not been well performed so the necessity of user centered design is suggested to satisfy the needs of users. The purpose of this study is to be helpful to the development of specialized design process for the items of the disabled by researching the existing process and the process of advanced design company mainly with experience from the user's view and emphasizing the analysis method. We considered the hand disabled with brain disorder, researched the thesis, the report by institutions and research data literature for the systematization of design process from the user's view, performed the theological consideration for existing process tool kit based on basic data, various study results and development cases and analyzed the study cases of user experience design process to draw the user oriented intensive result. The range of study includes the definition of the hand disabled with brain disorder and its cause analysis, the case research of user experience design process, the methodology research to draw the user experience centered design strategy, the survey and analysis about design process factors and the development of physical experience centered design process for the hand disabled. Targeting in-service designers who are actually involved in the design industry, we conducted the survey related to design specialization process in which the existing process and the process factors of advanced company and its results show that diagnosis and analysis takes up 63.7%, user's understanding 51%, the insight capturing 57.3% at the stage which draws research and problems in the design process of items for the disabled. Also because the observation takes up 71%, the understanding for knowledge and situation 65% and the observation and experience 68%, we can know the importance of such a stage in the design process of items for the disabled. Based on the in-depth observation and understanding for the user centered environment, we formed and set the direct experience stage under the same environment and conditions with users not by indirect way through designer or engineer, the stage specific evaluation results was analyzed that user environment forming for various groups should be figured out more accurately with the intensive configuration and the same environmental condition for customer journey map. Also the necessity for segmentalized system was represented for the environmental conditions. It was analyzed that the utilization of experience based process can effectively deliver the developer the interaction between users and products which can be not sufficient in the observation or literature, its structure can suggest another problem issue. It includes the implication that it can not only enhance the synergy effect during product development but also actively utilize the developed process so it can be advanced to the user centered specialized design process which can obtain the success in the market.


A synchronous rectifier is arranged to rectify inductively coupled power using FETs (field effect transistors) to minimize the voltage drop of the rectifier, which minimizes power loss. Power loss is an important consideration in applications where fairly significant power is coupled to a device (such as a battery charger or other energy storage device) for a fairly short time (such as less than one hour) at a fairly low voltage (such as around 2.5 to 4.5 volts). Body diodes of the FETs can be used to supply power for bootstrapping and control logic for controlling the FETs.


This Ph.D. thesis had as a task the study and the comparison of the available technologies to increase pesticide application efficiency, dealing particularly with drift mitigation, environmental preservation and human health care. The way adopted to do that was to inspect some study cases dealing with the use of a recycling sprayer prototype for vineyard spray, the study of spray application techniques on greenhouse crops and the evaluation of spray drift potential of several nozzles in a wind tunnel.
With regard on drift mitigation technologies available for vineyard spray, performances of a tunnel sprayer prototype were evaluated. That was characterized by an innovative drift restraint system. Besides distribution efficiency and reduction of losses, biological efficacy against downy mildew [Plasmopara viticola (Berl et Curt) Berl. et De Toni] was evaluated in co-operation with the Regional Observatory of Plant Disease of Veneto. Experimental tests showed good performances of the prototype on the different examined aspects, showing a proper reduction of applied dose of copper without affect biological effectiveness.
The second study case dealt with pesticide application techniques on greenhouse crops. Preliminarly a survey was accomplished in Veneto on horticultural farms in which greenhouse cultivation is widespread. Thus it was possible to outlook the most widespread and adopted application equipments for this cultivation technique, and the most cultivated crops. Spray lance and gun resulted the most used distribution equipments with more than 55% on the amount of retrieved sprayers. Considering that, a comparative evaluation was carried out on tomato (c/o Experimental Station "Po di Tramontana") using those equipments and different functional parameters (operative pressure, nozzle type) with the aim to identify proper solutions to reduce operator contamination and optimize deposits, minimizing at the same time active substance losses.
During the study period abroad, it was possible to perform some drift measurements to evaluate the Drift Potential Index (DIX) of several types of nozzles, including some normally used in our Region for pesticide application on field and greenhouse crops (flat fan and double flat fan nozzles) and some anti-drift (air induction and deflecting nozzles). In a second step some trials were performed in the Laboratory of Agricultural Mechanics of Department Te.S.A.F. to evaluate the deposit quality distribution on lettuce and leaf beet plants. From the results of the two series of trials, it was possible to identify better technical solutions to propose and properly adopt to reduce environmental hazards and obtain good results on distribution quality.


We have demonstrated a silicon-on-insulator based photonic bus with integrated splitters and multi-channel optical wavelength selection. The integrated photonic bus has demonstrated a 33+ dB optical crosstalk and a 32+ dB extinction ratio with two-stage of Mach-Zehnder attenuators.


The effect of RF (13.56 MHz) enhancement in a DC magnetron sputtering process was studied using a one-turn coil above a tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) target. The minimum operating pressure or the minimum operating voltage was reduced to less than one-half by the assistance of RF plasma. The processing plasma was characterized quantitatively in terms of plasma potential (Vp), floating potential (Vf), electron density (Ne), and electron temperature (Te) using a Langmuir probe. The probe measurements were also verified using optical emission spectroscopy. Vp and Vf increased with increasing RF coil power (Pc) and were strongly dependent on the target voltage. Ne increased from 3.7×108 /cm3 at Pc=10 W to 1.3×109 /cm3 at Pc=50 W at a target voltage of -200 V. At the target voltage of -300 V, Ne increased slightly from 1.0×109 /cm3 at Pc=10 W to 1.2×109 /cm3 at Pc=50 W, whereas Te showed almost no dependence on the RF coil power. Te was strongly dependent on the target voltage, being significantly higher at -200 V as compared to -300 V. The crystallinity of the deposited ITO films was found to increase with increasing RF coil power.


In tlia winter of f8G8-69 I made n geologicul survcy of tlid uorthousteni cqrner of the West Indian Arcliipclngo. The rosults obtained mere published in tho TrnnPnctions of the Royal Swedish Aciidemy of Scicnees of Stockholm (T. IX, KO. 12, 1871), with some geologicnl maps of tho islnnhs survoyed. Coimidcring that the many details, which nro gathered in this paper, may yreveut the reader from getting aclcnr idcii of the geology of this interesting part of the globe, nud tlint the paper may not be cnsily accessible to American feuders, I have acceded to the wishes of my respected frieud, Mr. Thoruse Blnnd, aud written a short outliue of the most important facts found by myself, and comparcd them with observations madc by other gpblogista in other parts of the West Indies.


Objective: To investigate the methylation status of SRY-box17 gene in Wnt signaling pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines and ESCC tissues, and to explore the association between SRY-box17 gene and the pathogenesis of ESCC. Methods: The methylation of SRY-box17 gene and its mRNA expression in ESCC cell lines TE1 and TE13 as well as ESCC tissues and their adjacent tissues from 109 patients were detected by methylation specific-PCR (MSP) and RT-PCR, respectively. The association of SRY-box17 gene with β-catenin in Wnt signaling pathway was analyzed. Results: The expression of SRY-box17 mRNA was undetected or at extremely low level in ESCC cell lines TE1 and TE13. The expression level of SRY-box17 mRNA was obviously increased after treatment with a demethylation agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC). The result of MSP indicated that the SRY-box17 gene exerted a hypermethylation status in ESCC cell lines TE1 and TE13. The methylation rate of SRY-box17 gene was 89.0% (97/109) in the ESCC tissues, which was significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues [53.2% (58/109); P0.01]. The methylation rates of SRY-box17 gene for clinical stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ was significantly higher than that for clinical stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ (P 0.05), but the methylation rate was not associated with the histologic grade (P 0.05). Furthermore, the positive rate of SRY-box17 mRNA expression [28.4% (31/109)] in the ESCC tissues was significantly lower than that in the adjacent tissues. The hypermethylation status of SRY-box17 gene was associated with the loss of SRY-box17 mRNA expression and the ectopic expression of β-catenin (P 0.05). Conclusion: The hypermethylation of SRY-box17 gene is a frequent event in ESCC cell lines and the ESCC tissues, and it may play an important role in the downregulation of SRY-box17 mRNA expression and the pathogenesis and development of ESCC through the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Analysis of methylation status of SRY-box17 gene may have definite value in predicting the prognosis of ESCC.


The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pitch and rhythm priming tasks on sight-reading accuracy and fluency. High school wind instrumentalists (N = 182) were assigned to one of four experimental groups: pre-/posttest rhythm, pre-/posttest pitch, posttest-only rhythm, or posttest-only pitch. Participants sight-read selected stimulus exercises from the Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale and completed two priming treatments and a control condition as part of a repeated-measures design. A three-way repeated-measures MANOVA, with rhythm accuracy, pitch accuracy, and fluency accuracy as dependent measures, revealed a significant main effect due to priming condition. Rhythm accuracy scores were significantly lower after both perceptual and conceptual priming than after a control condition. No significant differences in pitch accuracy or fluency existed based on priming condition. No significant differences were found in rhythm, pitch, or fluency accuracy based on treatment condition (pitch or rhythm) or exposure condition (pre-/posttest or post only). Two-way repeated-measures MANOVAs revealed significant main effects based on time. Pitch accuracy and fluency each significantly improved between pre- and posttest and from the first to third study tasks. Results suggest that performing rhythm alone or pitch alone requires different cognitive processes than does performing both together.


Based on principal-agent theory,this paper analyzes the behavior choice and internal mechanism between the university and the members of professor teams under the asymmetric information condition,establishing a game model of compensation incentive between the university and the members of professor teams. Besides,in order to ensure the fairness of the mechanism,the paper puts forward a proposal to set transfer coefficient between different types of professor teams,and establish multilevel incentive system by providing support to help the members of the teams elevate self-values on the basis of reasonable compensation incentive.


Fluorination of Li‐ion cathode materials is of significant interest as it is claimed to lead to significant improvements in long‐term reversible capacity. However, the mechanism by which LiF incorporates and improves performance remains uncertain. Indeed, recent evidence suggests that fluorine is often present as a coating layer rather than incorporated into the bulk of the material. In this work, first‐principles calculations are used to investigate the thermodynamics of fluorination in transition metal oxide cathodes to determine the conditions under which bulk fluorination is possible. It is found that unlike classic well‐ordered cathodes, which cannot incorporate fluorine, disordered rock salt‐structured materials achieve significant fluorination levels due to the presence of locally metal‐poor, lithium‐rich environments that are highly preferred for fluorine. As well as explaining the fluorination process in known materials, this finding is encouraging for the development of new disordered rock salt lithium‐excess transition metal oxides, a promising new class of Li‐ion battery cathode materials that offer superior practical capacity to traditional layered oxides. In particular, it is found that bulk fluorination may serve as an alternative source of Li‐excess in these compounds that can replace the conventional substitution of a heavy redox‐inactive element on the transition metal sublattice.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#am


Scene text spotting systems which integrate text detection and recognition modules have witnessed a lot of success in recent years. Existing works mostly follow the framework of word/character-level fine-grained detection and isolated-instance recognition, which overemphasize the role of detector and ignore the rich context information in recognition. After rethinking the conventional framework, and inspired by the glimpse-focus spotting pipeline of human beings, we ask:1) "can machine spot text without accurate detection just like human beings?", and if yes, 2) "is text block another alternative for scene text spotting other than word or character?". Based on these questions, we propose a new perspective of coarse-grained detection with multi-instance recognition for text spotting. Specifically, a pioneering network termed TextBlock is developed, and a heuristic text block generation method as well as a multi-instance block-level recognition module are proposed. In this way, the burden of detection is relieved, and the contextual semantic information is well explored for recognition. To train the block-level recognizer, a synthetic dataset including about 800K images is formed. As a by-product of attention, fine-grained detection can be recovered with the recognizer. Equipped with a detector without many bells and whistles (e.g., Faster R-CNN), TextBlock achieves competitive or even better performance compared with previous sophisticated text spotters on several public benchmarks. As a primary attempt, we expect this framework will have a potential impact on scene text spotting research in the future.


Study Design: Cadaveric study. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of surgical experience on the efficiency of lumbar discectomy in open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Summary of Background Data: There is limited knowledge about the efficiency of discectomy among surgeons. As a first study, we are evaluating the effect of surgical experience on it. Methods: Manual and powered discectomies were randomized and performed by 3 attending spine surgeons and 2 clinical spine fellows. Each discectomy procedure was analyzed for the area of complete endplate preparation, total elapsed time, and number of instrument passes. The surface area of discectomy at each endplate was measured utilizing digital imaging and the appropriate software. For the purpose of the analysis, the superior and the inferior endplates were divided into ipsilateral and contralateral halves, and each half was further divided into ventral and dorsal quadrants. Each quadrant was analyzed in a blinded manner by 2 observers. Results: A total of 40 discectomies were performed on 9 fresh-frozen cadaveric torsos between the levels T12 and S1. A powered discectomy device was used in levels 9 and 11 by the attendings. Manual discectomy was performed in 11 levels by the spine fellows and 9 by the spine attendings. No significant difference was observed between the spine fellows and spine attendings when the manual instruments were used (P=0.924). However, the spine attending surgeon group had a significantly increased total area of discectomy compared with the fellows (P=0.003). No significant difference was observed between the groups when instrument passes or the total elapsed time were compared either utilizing the manual or the powered technique. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that a satisfactory discectomy may be performed by surgeons with relatively less surgical experience in the transforaminal approach using a powered discectomy device.


Social culturevitalism consept potential as methodological basis of social advertising research is bee-ing analysed in the article. Basic principles of modern social advertising elaboration are formulated.


Anthropic Multiverse cosmology in 12 'continuous-state' dimensions. The paradigm with many new parameters is cast in a scale-invariant conformal covariant Dirac polarized vacuum utilizing extended HD forms of the de Broglie-Bohm and Cramer interpretations of quantum theory. The model utilizes a unique form of M-Theory based in part on the original hadronic form of string theory that had a variable string tension, TS and included a tachyon. The model is experimentally testable, thus putatively able to demonstrate the existence of large-scale additional dimensionality (LSXD), test for QED violating tight-bound state spectral lines in hydrogen 'below' the lowest Bohr orbit, and surmount the quantum uncertainty principle utilizing a hyperincursive Sagnac Effect resonance hierarchy.


Introduction For centuries, civilizations from across the globe have watch their cities grow and change form year to year; some growing and changing at a more alarming rate then others. These changes in a city have many effects on the life style of the diverse societies that reside within the city. Although the structure and come bouts of each city is different, most people have similar ways in which they perceive their city; changes in the design of the built environment can have an effect on how people perceive the city. One critical issue dealing with changes of the built environment is one that is faced by the elder population of a metropolitan area.


Introduction: Evaluation of teaching effectiveness can improve dentistry education in dental schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate educational objectives achievement in oral medicine department of Hamadan dental school.


PURPOSE: An optical recording medium and its formatting method are provided to prevent confusion in system controlling by conforming judgement between a file system and a driver for a supplementary spare area after resetting position information of the auxiliary spare area registered in a defect management area(DMA)in formatting. CONSTITUTION: A formatting instruction is inputted(S601). It is discriminated whether a supplementary spare area has been allocated(S602). In case that a supplementary spare area has been allocated, position information of the supplementary spare area recorded in a secondary defect list(SDL) block of a DMA is reset(S603). When the position information of the supplementary spare area is reset, it is discriminated whether the formatting is a verified one(S604). All sectors are verified and only defect sectors are registered in a new primary defect list(PDL)(S605). In case that it is not a verified formatting, all sectors of the defective block registered in the SDL are registered in the new PDL as it is(S606).


Despite its prevalence in under-developed parts of the United States and most tropical and sub-tropical countries, residual soil is often characterized as a mere extension of conventional soil mechanics in many textbooks. Now, with the rapid growth of construction in these regions, it is essential to gain a fuller understanding of residual soils and their properties#one that's based on an integrated approach to the study of residual and sedimentary soils. One text puts this understanding well within reach: Fundamentals of Soil Mechanics for Sedimentary and Residual Soils.


Background: The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) is widely distributed in the coastal and coastal water of China and has important economic values. Salinity is the key environmental factor affecting the mating and spawning of E.sinensis. During the mating and spawning of E. sinensis, the hormone changes in the body are usually accompanied, but there is no report about the effects of salinity on related hormones in the process of breeding of E. sinensis. Methods: Mating salinity including 0‰, 2‰, 4‰, 6‰ and spawning salinity such as 3‰, 6‰, 9‰, 12‰, 15‰, 18‰, 21‰ were set up, three parallel groups are set for each salinity, 10 female and 5 male crabs are put in each tank. 5 samples were gathered to analyze the contents of 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnene-3-one (DHP), Gonadotropin (GTH), Prostaglandins (PG), Estradiol-17β (E2) and Testosterone (T) in the hemolymph of female E. sinensis after mating and spawning. Result: The contents of DHP, E2, PG and T in female crabs hemolymph decreased first and then added with the increase of salinity before spawning. DHP, PG and E2 added first and then declined with the increase of salinity after spawning. When salinity was 6‰, the contents of DHP, PG, E2 and T in the hemolymph of female crabs before spawning reached the highest, the contents of DHP and PG decreased and E2 and T increased after spawning. The comprehensive study indicated that salinity had a certain effect on five hormones in the hemolymph of female E.sinensis during reproduction, five hormones didn't change significantly in the process of mating, DHP, GTH and PG were involved during the spawning of E.sinensis.


Inflammatory macular diseases, a group of disorders, are a major cause of severe visual impairment. They may be caused by primary ocular disease or secondary to systemic or infectious disease. All of them present with almost similar symptoms. The key to successful management is early detection and aggressive treatment with steroids, antimicrobials, and if needed, immunosuppressives. Risk of recurrences and complications, such as choroidal neovascularization, are taken in to account in the management.


The goal of this paper is to study stabilization problem for discrete-time linear switched systems. To this end, a periodic state-feedback switching controller is considered along with the generalized periodic Lyapunov inequalities. To compute the control Lyapunov function, a bilinear matrix inequality (BMI) condition is suggested. Then, we focus on developing an iterative algorithm in order to efficiently solve the BMI condition. The algorithm is based on the iterative projection of the Lyapunov matrix onto a matrix polytope. Examples are given to illustrate the proposed design method.


The relevance of the BRST cohomology of the extended antifield formalism is briefly discussed along with standard homological tools needed for its computation. The lectures given at the school Q.F.T., Supersymmetry and Superstrings, in Cˇalimˇane¸sti, Romania in April 1998 were intitled Classical and quantum aspects of the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism. They covered the following material: • Lesson 1: Algebraic structure of gauge symmetries Finite dimensional toy model. Noether identities. Koszul-Tate resolution of on-shell functions. Gauge symmetries. Longitudinal differential. BRST differential. Antibracket. Master equation. Homological perturbation theory. • Lesson 2: Locality in field theory Jet-spaces. Local functionals and local functions. Euler-Lagrange derivatives. Algebraic Poincaré lemma. Local antibracket. Master equation and BRST differential. and in the literature cited therein. The purpose of this note is to discuss briefly the BRST cohomology of the extended antifield formalism, to give some details on exact couples and spectral sequences, and to apply these concepts in the problem at hand.


Hydraulic stimulation in Enhanced Geothermal Systems is performed by injecting water at high pressure into low permeability, typically crystalline, rock. In most cases, the elevated pore pressure induces slip on preexisting fractures, resulting in an increase in permeability. This process involves interacting hydraulic, thermal, mechanical, and thermoelastic processes. It is complicated by the need to account for the complex geometry of the preexisting fracture network. This paper describes an investigation of three factors that affect the way that the stimulation propagates through the formation: the stresses induced by fracture slip, variability in the frictional properties of the fractures, and thermal stresses. We found that the first two factors tend to create a reservoir that is more poorly connected with significant bottlenecking of flow. We found that the third factor, thermal stress, induces tensile normal force on a fracture within a zone of cooling and compressive normal force on a fracture around a zone of cooling. Complex discrete fracture networks were generated stochastically and discretized, and flow simulator and displacement discontinuity (DD) codes were written to compute the pressures, temperatures, and stresses. An efficient method for calculating thermal stresses along a fracture is presented.


Career decision-making self-efficacy is an individual believe that they can complete tasks related to career decision-making. Many studies about CDMSE focusing on correlational research and case studies, but still lack studies focusing CDMSE with Systematic Literature Review (SLR). This study aims to determine the relationship between parental variables and career decision-making self-efficacy through SLR method. This study use Systematic Literature Review method by reviewing articles from 2016-2021 which published in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar. The study design was using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Literature Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. After screening process with Rayyan, we found five relevant articles which state parental support had positive correlation with career decision-making self-efficacy. It is concluded that parental support can make teenagers believe that they can complete tasks related to making career decisions.


In the coming decade, the nation must replace much of its current teachingforce. This heavy teacher recruitment period will have major implications for both educational quality and equality. Qualified teachers are not only a major determinant of student achievement but also one of the most inequitably distributed educational resources. Poor and minority children are routinely exposed to poorer quality curricula and teaching, which accountfor much of the achievement gap. Drawing on 20 years of wide-ranging research, this article describes policies and programs that can successfully recruit, prepare, retain, and support a diverse, well-qualified teaching force for all communities.


This article studies the working principle of a rectenna which is a combination of an antenna and a rectifying circuit. In the simulation, the working properties of the rectifying circuit can be represented by two characteristic curves which are extracted from it, and these two curves are independent of the device which is connected with it. The measured results demonstrate that the data calculated by the two curves can be used to accurately describe the conversion efficiency of the rectifying circuit. Furthermore, the two curves are used to represent the rectifying circuit in the calculation of the rectenna conversion efficiency. In addition, with the characteristic impedance of the antenna, the calculation equation is given. In the experiment of the rectenna, the measured conversion efficiency of the rectenna is in agreement with the data calculated by the proposed equation, which proves the accuracy of this method.


Food Technology is on sustainable, priority area with competitive and efficient agri-food production and processing, encompassing and manufacture of safe, value added and innovative foods from milk. The research results revealed that fresh cheese fortification and DMs effects on storage durability, trace-nutrients, anti-nutrients & perception of processed & preserved fresh cheese. The experiment was conducted 3×3×2 in design of treatments expressed as 3 varieties of preserved fresh cheeses like G, H & Q, 3 preservatives (solanum, lemon juice & salt) and 2DMs (sun & oven drying) laid out in CRD. Preserved samples were checked for their safety followed by sensory evaluation & proximate analyses in each month. A total of 4.42 log10 cfu/g AeB was observed in fresh samples with absence of fungi in all varieties of preserved fresh cheeses. MC in freshly preserved was within 23-36% where as high load of 4.0-4.42 log10cfu/g AeB with (P>0.05) significant difference was observed in samples. Initial load of<1.31 log10cfu/g moulds were recorded. After three months of storage, max load of AeB & moulds were 4.83-6.65 and 0-6log10cfu/g, respectively. All parameters under the proximate analyses were vary due to absorption of moisture at ambient condition during the storage time. OA of treated samples reached min & max values of 4.83 and 5.33 after the storage of 3 months respectively. Overall load of 6.65 log10cfu/g AeB in almost all samples was detected and reasonable those samples were not allowed for panelists for taste after the three months storage. This was due to the ISO and EU sensory guidelines showed the point of sensory rejection in which the number of microbial load should be below the 107-108 log10cfu/g. In general, as the storage time of preserved cheese products increased, there were an increased of microbial population and reduction in acceptability of the products through the sample storage of three months. Fresh zebu cow milk was preserved in to new developed products (G, H and Q), lemon fruit juice and salt were used for the indicated preserved products. Anti-nutrient contents such as Hg and aflatoxin were negligible based on international standard requirements. The chemical composition of preserved fresh cheese products contents ranged in MC (23-37%), protein (19.67-40.33%), fat (13.67-32.33), ash (1-8.33%), CHO (10.67-86.67), energy (340.33-454.33kcal), Ca (720-1208g/100mg), Fe (25-41.67g/100g), Zn (4-11.67g/100g) and null contents of Hg were approved based on data analyzed in this research. Eventually, food innovation is a key of any society from local goods is made as an inference of this research work.


Charters Issued 18/08/2010 Page 1 of 2 Charters Overview Students and parents are required to sign a charter (i.e., either a user or loan charter) governing laptop usage and their responsibilities concerning the device. This charter is updated periodically with new versions. There is an Internal Audit requirement to upload scanned copies of charters signed by students and teachers into a "central location".


In this paper, we construct four numerical methods to solve the Burgers–Huxley equation with specified initial and boundary conditions. The four methods are two novel versions of nonstandard finite difference schemes (NSFD1 and NSFD2), explicit exponential finite difference method (EEFDM) and fully implicit exponential finite difference method (FIEFDM). These two classes of numerical methods are popular in the mathematical biology community and it is the first time that such a comparison is made between nonstandard and exponential finite difference schemes. Moreover, the use of both nonstandard and exponential finite difference schemes are very new for the Burgers–Huxley equations. We considered eleven different combination for the parameters controlling diffusion, advection and reaction, which give rise to four different regimes. We obtained stability region or condition for positivity. The performances of the four methods are analysed by computing absolute errors, relative errors, L 1 and L ∞ errors and CPU time.


Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, human activities in the Yangtze River Delta region have caused major changes in land use patterns and ecosystem functions. Clarifying the spatiotemporal change characteristics and future development trends of ecosystem service functions is the basis for rational land development and utilization. In this study, the InVEST model and the CASA model were used to calculate habitat quality, water conservation, carbon sequestration and oxygen release, and soil conservation ecosystem services in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration from 1980 to 2020. The spatial pattern, change law, and future trend of these services were analyzed using the Theil–Sen median trend analysis, Mann–Kendall test, and Hurst index analysis. The results show that the four types of ecosystems in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (habitat quality, water conservation, carbon sequestration and oxygen release, and soil conservation) exhibited an overall spatial pattern of being high in the southwest mountainous area and low in the northeast plain, and the conversion from constructed to agriculture was the most frequent type of land conversion over the past 40 years. From 1980 to 2020, the average level of habitat quality showed a downward trend and is expected to continue to deteriorate in the future. Water conservation, carbon sequestration and oxygen release, and soil conservation showed a fluctuating upward trend, with the latter two primarily predicted to have a future trend of improvement. The changes in ecosystem services exhibit gradient effects and horizontal spatial differentiation. The decline in ecosystem service functions is more pronounced in the vicinity of large cities. It is thus necessary to accelerate the transformation of the economic development model, and abandon the extensive urbanization development model, and promote high-quality urbanization development on the basis of improving resource and environmental carrying capacities.


The server is untrusted and tries to escape from verification by using its prior knowledge of the outsourced data. Outsourcing data mining computations to a third-party service provider (server) offers a costeffective option, especially for data owners (clients) of limited resources. The increasing ability to generate vast quantities of data presents technical challenges for efficient data mining. Cloud computing provides a natural solution for the data-mining-as-a-service (DM aS) paradigm. Informally, frequent item sets refer to a set of data values (e.g., product items) whose number of co-occurrences exceeds a given threshold. Frequent item set mining has been proven important in many applications such as market data analysis, networking data study, and human gene association study. The Rob Frugal method is implemented with a strategy for incremental maintenance of the synopsis against updates consisting of appends and dropping of old transaction batches. This techniques provides bidirectional encryption of client and server which protects against the forging the content of communication and helps to prevent man in the middle attack.


Jesus Camp Queen is an autoethnographic performance (comprised of text and video) about the author/performer's formative experiences as a member of a fundamentalist Christian sect and particularly the gendered nature of her faithfulness to its religious values. Latham relates her "successful" embodiment of a culturally prescribed femininity as evidenced by her selection as "queen" of a fundamentalist church camp and later as a member of a queen's court at a church-affiliated college. Ultimately, her disaffection with "fundamental femininity" culminates within yet another court ceremony marked by the tragic death of one of its participants.