In some ways, my favorite patients are those with no insurance. The reason? They choose reasonably. They choose the way America says it wants us to choose, in a cost-reasonable way that insured patients often feel little inclination to choose. Would one of my uninsured patients choose to take triptans several times a week? Not a chance. The costs would clearly be too high. My uninsured patient would be more likely happy with amitriptyline—preventing the headaches, for pennies a day. Of course, we would discuss the possibility of weight gain. But we'd handle that, possibly by a healthier hypoglycemic diet. My uninsured patient might not see me for months. The headaches that break through would be handled with over-thecounter drugs, occasional pain pills, or maybe that rare triptan if the "miseries" had really set in. The rest of the time the illness would be handled by prevention—combined with a healthy dose of reasonable expectations. Now, my headache colleagues might be saying "but these aren't my patients, the ones with the really miserable migraines, the ones who feel miserable every day." Actually, they are. They have the same biology. They just don't have the same way of behaving with that biology. My uninsured patients don't have easy lives. Many of them have fallen on quite hard times. They have the miseries. A lot of them just don't discuss their anguish via their headaches. They have pain, but they don't discuss it via "the pain." And, part of the reason they don't do this is because they can't afford to manage the pain by taking all of this expensive medication to chase after it. They have migraine. They fulfill all the International Headache Society criteria. They just don't find it practical to translate the pain of their life anguish into the pain called migraine. And so the migraine disease doesn't become the way of being. Consider, in this regard, and for comparison, one of my favorite insured patients. She is a very nice young woman I've treated for years. She has migraine, and she has had "bad migraine" (whatever we may conceive of this to be in biological terms). In the last couple of years, she has had a very difficult time. Her headaches were very frequent and very difficult to treat in spite of all the best management strategies. She had her therapeutic layer of preventative mediations, her therapeutic layer of healthy lifestyle (diet, exercise, sleep, etc.), her therapeutic layer of trigger-factor controls (hormones, stress, foods, etc.), her therapeutic layer of ancillary techniques (biofeedback, acupuncture, chiropractic, etc.), her therapeutic layer of limited (nonrebound) analgesics, and, of course, her therapeutic layer of limited (nonrebound) abortives, including the triptans. Yet, she was doing poorly. Headaches were frequent. She was unhappy. Actually, I should turn that around: she was unhappy, headaches were frequent. She and her husband had been struggling for a long time. And, finally, she decided that in spite of her "being alone" fears, her 3 children, financial worries, and the rest, it was time for the two of them to go in different directions. She pursued divorce. It was difficult. But, there is a point to our story. She saw me recently—about 8 months into the divorce—and, beaming, she told me that she has not had a bad headache since her husband moved out. She still has the migraine illness. But, the illness is now vastly easier to control. Mostly, we are treating her anxiety at this point. Here is another experience to ponder. While recently at some neurological meetings, I took the opportunity, as I often do, to inquire of colleagues about how common illnesses are managed in other countries. I think this helps me to determine what is "necessary" and what is cultural. One of my colleagues at this meeting was from India. And, it so happens his mother had migraines. She lives in rural India. And, she has no insurance. So I asked, "What does your mother do to treat her headaches?" His answer: "When she gets them, she lays down for about half an hour." Apparently this is her major form of treatment. Of course, this is "N=1." This is anecdotal. And, in a rural setting, it might be more practical to lie down for half an hour. Yet, this is a worthwhile piece of information. This is inexpensive treatment, and she feels it is acceptable. And, here is one more story. I was recently reading the report of another neurologist in which he described one of his patients who was on a great deal of medication for migraines. She was in his office complaining of severe migraine. He was evaluating what to do next. He reported that on her analog pain scale, she reported pain being 9 out of 10 (10 being the score of "the worst pain imaginable"). So, by her appraisal, she was very close to the most extreme end of the scale. Yet, interestingly, on his exam, he observed her to be "a woman in no apparent distress," and he didn't seem bothered by the disparity. It is actually rather common to see patients who report having severe headaches—including at the moment of evaluation—while physical examination reveals the patient appearing normal, or even cheerful. This disparity is so common that it often no longer even generates recognition. Yet, isn't it revealing? Intriguingly, in my patients with no insurance, this is rather rare. If they have a bad migraine, they look ill. The notion of "bad migraine" is complex. For a few patients, it is the presentation of visible misery. During a bad migraine, the patient may appear pale, diaphoretic, obviously nauseated, and withdrawn into wincing pain. Yet, it is quite routine to see patients who report having "bad migraine" illness where this is never really observed. Instead, the patient presents to the office with major report of pain but, often, remarkably little evidence of pain (although perhaps the haggard appearance of chronic stress). When the literature talks about "bad migraine," it does not talk about patients who are measured to have bad physiology (analogous to a patient with bad cancer who has metastases everywhere, or a cardiac patient with bad heart disease who has ankles the size of calves). Rather, literature discussions of "bad migraine" tend to proceed based on patient claims of pain, often "measured" via instruments such as a visual analog scale, that really only succeed in documenting a claim. Therefore, discussions of "bad migraine" need to be recognized as not the scientific equivalent of many of Editorials


Background Granulocyte Colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) biosimilars are recombinant biologics that are similar to a reference product, neupogen, a 175 amino acid recombinant human G-CSF. Characteristically, biosimilars are produced from living cells as high molecular weight, heterogenous compounds that are highly immunogenic. They are primarily used to treat febrile and severe neutropenia in oncology patients as well as mobilize peripheral stem cells in transplant donors. However, as biosimilars are produced by biological processes rather than chemical synthesis, their comparable effectiveness and safety are very paramount to clinical uses. We aimed to produce a protocol for consistent and accurate systematic review and meta-analysis of G-CSF biosimilars.Methods We developed a search strategy using MeSH terms, key words and entry terms to search 9 databases: PubMed, AJOL, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and ResearchGate. Only randomized controlled trials retreivable in the English language will be included in this study. The primary measurable outcomes in this study are uses, effectiveness and safety of G-CSF biosimilars. Identified primary studies will be screened, deduplicated and selected based on study design, inclusion/exclusion criteria and outcome measures using DistillerSR software. Studies will be assessed for methodological, clinical and statistical heterogeneity. Extractable data items for effectiveness measure are: i) proportion of patients with 50% increase in absolute neutrophil count within 3–7 days; ii) resolution of fever within 3–7 days, iii) resolution of intra-oral mucosa ulcers within 7–10 days and iv) resoluton of difficulty in swallowing within 7–10 days. Measures of safety are i) proportion of patients with immunologic reactions, ii) any other documented adverse events. Quality scores and risk of bias for individual studies will be reported. Funnel Plots will be used for assessing publication bias in selected studies. Effect size, variance, SE and % CI and heterogeneity tests will be reported on forest plots using the CMA software version 3. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression will also be included using secondary outcomes as moderators and explanatory variables. The systematic review and meta-analysis will be reported according to PRISMA 2015 Statement.Discussion Ethical approval will not be required since this study will be based on published data. G-CSF biosimilars will be compared with the reference product, neupogen (filgrastin). The uses, effectiveness and safety of the biosimilars will be discussed. The study will also examine short and long acting biosimilars and compare their overall effectiveness. The strength of evidence from this study will be assessed using the NIH Quality assessment for systematic review and meta-analysis.Trial Registration Number The study is registered with PROSPERO, with registration number CRD42021232375


We propose an interacting non-Hermitian model described by a two-mode quadratic Hamiltonian along with an interaction term to locate and analyse the presence of an exceptional point in the system. Each mode is guided by a Swanson-like quadratic Hamiltonian and a suitable choice is made for the interaction term. The parity-time symmetric transformation is adopted in the standard way relevant for a coupled system.


Blunt trauma can lead to expulsion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens or dislocation into the anterior chamber or vitreous cavity. In addition, there have been reports of posterior chamber intraocular lenses being dislodged into the subconjunctival and suprachoroidal space as a result of trauma. Before the 1990s dislocation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens usually occurred outside of the capsular bag, resulting in pupillary capture, a sunrise or sunset syndrome, or a lens implant lost into the vitreous cavity. These cases most often occurred within 3 months of cataract surgery and were predominantly due to asymmetric fixation of the intraocular lens or to complicated cataract surgery. In-the-bag intraocular lens dislocation was first reported by Davison in 1993. He described 6 cases of spontaneous in-the-bag intraocular lens dislocation due to capsular contraction syndrome after uncomplicated phacoemulsification cataract extraction using continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis. He suggested that ''the collective effort of weakened or absent zonules'' due to age or pseudoexfoliation ''may be unable to oppose the relatively increased strength of the centrally directed contractile forces generated by capsular fibrosis.'' As the continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification, and in-the-bag placement of an intraocular lens became standard of care by the start of the 21st century, several authors noted that although the incidence of early postoperative intraocular lens dislocation due to surgical complications or incorrect haptic placement had decreased, that late-in-the-bag intraocular lens dislocation, occurring Z3 months after cataract was being reported with increased frequency. In a letter to Ophthalmology in 2002, Chang wrote that ''the incidence of this delayed


Objectives : We investigated the effects of the economic growth and unemployment rates on the suicide rate in Korea, between 1983 and 2000, using a time-series regression model. The purpose of this study was to model and test the magnitude of the rate of suicide, with the Korean unemployment rate an...


ABSTRACT The oil and gas industry is expected to develop and restructure into a sustainable energy industry. This in-depth case study investigates how business model innovation can contribute to industrial restructuring. Our findings imply that, while there is no 'one size fits all' business model, most oil and gas companies will need to innovate their customer segments, value propositions, key resources, key partners and cost structures to succeed. The oil and gas industry landscape significantly influences the need for adapting the business model to changing market forces, industry forces, key trends, and macroeconomic forces pushing for sustainable change, the emergence of new technologies and markets, and changes in market conditions. Our findings demonstrate that the need for change differs from the willingness to change. The production companies' willingness to change is currently low as production is still highly profitable, while the supplier companies' willingness is high because it is not profitable to expand. Oil and gas companies will face several internal barriers in the process, including challenges with the dominant logic of the company, deficient managerial knowledge, the uncertainty and complexity of new business models and limited business model routines or processes.


The invention relates to an integrated method for the chemical-looping gasification and indirect combustion of a solid hydrocarbon feedstock, in which: the solid hydrocarbon feedstock (1) is brought into contact with water (2) in a gasification reaction zone (RG) in order to eliminate ash (9) and to produce a gaseous effluent (3) comprising synthesis gas and water; the reduction reaction zone (RR) of an oxidation-reduction chemical loop is supplied with at least one part of the gaseous effluent (3) produced in the gasification reaction zone in order to produce a CO2- and H2O-concentrated gaseous effluent (4); the oxygen-carrying solid particles from the reduction reaction zone (RR) of the chemical loop are reoxidised in the oxidation reaction zone (RO) using an oxidising gas (6) and the flue gas (7) is removed. The invention also relates to a facility that can be used to carry out the aforementioned integrated method.


We propose a new model-independent method to test the cosmic curvature by comparing the proper distance and transverse comoving distance. Using the measurements of Hubble parameter H(z) and angular diameter distance dA, the cosmic curvature parameter ΩK is constrained to be −0.09±0.19, which is consistent with a flat universe. We also use Monte Carlo simulation to test the validity and efficiency, and find that our method can give a reliable and efficient constraint on cosmic curvature. Compared with other model-independent methods testing the cosmic curvature, our method can avoid some drawbacks and give a better constraint. Subject headings: cosmological parameters cosmology: observations


Whether intellectual property rights are effectively protected not only relates the effective ways of enterprises independent innovation outcome but also affects the consumer confidence.Whether the business innovation outcome is protected and whether governmental departments carry out the supervision is by,its essence the process of the game.The Government should create a healthy intellectual property environment and avoid information asymmetry and poor supervision caused by such violations,promote independent innovation efficient,healthy development through the effective protection of human rights innovations.


........................................................................................................................................ iii Lay summary ..................................................................................................................................v Preface ........................................................................................................................................... vi Table of contents .......................................................................................................................... ix List of tables................................................................................................................................ xvi List of figures ................................................................................................................................xx List of symbols ........................................................................................................................ xxviii List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................ xxix Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................... xxxii Dedication ............................................................................................................................... xxxiv Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Thesis outline .................................................................................................................. 4 Chapter 2: Literature review ........................................................................................................6


A method of analyzing beam profile data is used to determine the transverse emittance of electron guns used in microwave tubes and medical linacs. The emittance is obtained by fitting measured transverse beam profile data to a theoretical model which includes contributions from both emittance and space charge. The beam analyzer used for the measurements consists of a Faraday cup mounted on an XYZ translational stage, and allows both vertical and horizontal beam profiles to be measured as a function of the distance from the gun's anode. The data are then fit to a polynomial, and vertical and horizontal emittances are calculated. Introduction Knowledge of the gun emittance is important for optimizing accelerator performance as well as for realistic simulation of accelerators. Gun emittance measurements are usually accomplished by splitting the beam into many small "beamlets" with either pepper-pot targets or slits, and analyzing the angular divergence of the individual beam lets. In this paper we present a different method for the gun emittance measurements based on analyzing beam propagation in free space. lHethod Consider an electron beam propagating along the z-axis in a field-free drift region. The evolution of the beam envelope R as a function of z is described by the following differential equation(l) : £2 K R"(z) = R3(z) + R(z) , (1) where the derivative is with respect to z, £ is the transverse emittance, and K is the generalized perveance I 2 K--10 ~3y3' (2) Here I is the beam current, 10 is the critical current (10 = 17 kA for electrons), and ~ and 'Y are the usual relativistic parameters. After one integration over z Eq. I becomes , '") R(z),., 1 lIn R'(z) = [(RJ~ + 2K In+ £~(--:; --,.,)] 1(3) ~ RR(z)" Q where ~ = R(zo) and R'o = R'(zo) are the initial conditions at z = zoo To simplify Eq. 3 one may choose Zo to be the location of the beam waist in which case R~ = O. Then one obtains the following expression for the emittance:


Current hygrothermal behaviour prediction models neglect the hysteresis phenomenon. This leads to a discrepancy between numerical and experimental results, and a miscalculation of buildings' durability. In this paper, a new mathematical model of hysteresis is proposed and implemented in a hygrothermal model to reduce this discrepancy. The model is based on a symmetry property between sorption curves and uses also a homotopic transformation relative to a parameter s ∈ [ 0 , 1 ] . The advantage of this model lies in its ease of use and implementation since it could be applied with the knowledge of only one main sorption curve by considering s = 0 , in other words, we only use the axisymmetric property here. In the case where the other main sorption curve is known, we use this curve to incorporate the homotopy property in order to calibrate the parameter s .The full version of the proposed model is called Axisymmetric + Homotopic. Furthermore, it was compared not only with the experimental sorption curves of different types of materials but also with a model that is well known in the literature (CARMELIET's model). This comparison shows that the Axisymmetric + Homotopic model reliably predicts hysteresis loops of various types of materials even with the knowledge of only one of the main sorption curves. However, the full version of Axisymmetric + Homotopic model is more reliable and covers a large range of materials. The proposed model was incorporated into the mass transfer model. The simulation results strongly match the experimental ones.


In the article analysed essence of concepts "gift", "capabilities", "foreign capabilities"et al. It is set that the successful study of foreign languages is determined at least by fourspecial когнитивные abilities (capacity for phonetic encryption, ability to perceivegrammatical relations in a foreign language and understand the role of grammar intranslation of expressions and suggestions, mechanical annex storage, inductive ability).Given of description of gifted, including to the study of foreign languages, children. Key words: foreign capabilities, capabilities, gift, gifted children.


Lots of local fashion brands such as SEPTWOLVES,Ports,Joeone,and more than 50 international brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci,have opened shops in Xiamen.Xiamen hasdeveloped a fashion industry chain that encompasses dresses,wedding dresses,coffee,tea,and fashion art;and it has also established a fashion district.Famous Chinese designers


Energy efficient building refers to building with an integrated system that is aware toward energy usage and has an effort to automatically reduce all electrical energy wasting by turning some unused devices off. In order to decide an appropriate decision, such a system needs surrounding contexts, such as location and activity that are obtained from sensors around the environment. We propose a novel infrastructure-less occupant context recognition, where we only need off-the-shelf sensors in a mobile device to recognize room occupancy. The idea is to derive the occupant context from user position gathered by real time Dead Reckoning (DR) technique on a mobile phone. Moreover, our system is able to control electrical devices based on the occupant context in certain room. Our experiments in a laboratory environment show that it can be really implemented and prospectively replacing Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors in occupancy detection due to smaller delay compared to 10 seconds timeout which is commonly determined by many energy-efficient systems based on PIR-sensor to reach the unoccupied state.


A recently introduced image interpolation method, called the contrast-guided interpolation (CGI), has shown superior performance on producing high-quality interpolated image. However, its iterative edge diffusion (IED) process for diffusing continuous-valued directional variation (DV) fields inevitably incurs high computational complexity due to its iterative optimization process. The key objective of this letter lies in how to greatly reduce the computation of this diffusion process while maintaining CGI's superior performance on its interpolated image. The novelty of this letter started with a critical observation as follows. Since each diffused DV field needs to be thresholded for generating a binary contrast-guided decision map (CDM) in the subsequent step, such binarization operation will definitely destroy the fidelity that was preserved previously through the data term of the IED's energy functional. Therefore, the data term is lifted in our approach to yield a new energy functional. It turns out that the diffusion equation derived from this simplified functional is, in fact, the well-known heat equation, from which a highly attractive property of the heat equation can be exploited for conducting diffusion. That is, given a desired amount of diffusion to yield, it can be realized by simply convolving the DV field with a Gaussian kernel once, rather than gradually updating the DV field through iterations. Note that the variance of the Gaussian kernel corresponds to the amount of diffusion desired. As a result, the total computation time is significantly reduced. Extensive simulation results have shown that the proposed CED can generate nearly identical CDMs as those produced by the IED, while only requiring about 1/10 of its computation time. By replacing the IED with the proposed CED in the CGI framework, the total run time of our fast CGI is only 1/4 of the original CGI's on average.


Shiga Naoya is one of the most important representatives of Shirakaba school in modern Japanese literary history.His only novel Walk at Night gives an account of the hero's long journey from gloom to lucidity and from struggle to reconciliation,which is accompanied by Oedipus Complex from the very beginning.By breaking through the restriction of traditional ethics resulting from the sexual errors committed by his mother and his wife,the hero finally overcomes Oedipus Complex and steps into a beautiful,harmonious and contemplative world.


Federal wildland fire policy and program reviews following the 1994 and 2000 fire seasons required recognizing fire as a natural process and reducing hazardous fiiel accumulations. To meet this requirement, new policy encouraged managing natural ignitions to meet resource benefits (called Wildland Fire Use, WFU). However, mechanical treatments and prescribed burning comprise the majority of fuel reduction treatments effected to date. Budget constraints and the need for repeated treatments suggest that successful fuel and ecosystem management hinges on expanding the WFU program. The decision to authorize WFU in the U.S. Forest Service ultimately rests with the line officers, typically the district rangers. The so-called 'go/no go' decision constitutes a time-critical risk assessment. The factors weighing in to this risk assessment underpin the feasibility of expanding the WFU program. This study aimed to determine the influences on the line officers' go/no go decision. This study conducted a telephone survey of all the U.S. Forest Service district rangers with the authority to use WFU in the Northern, Intermountain, and Southwestern Regions. The census was completed during February of 2005 and obtained an 85 percent response rate. This study used classification and regression tree (CART) analysis to examine the data collected. Personal commitment to the WFU program provided the primary classifier for 91 percent of the district rangers who authorized WFU. External factors, negative public perception, resource availability, and a perceived lack of support from the agency surfaced as the main disincentives to authorizing WFU


Abstract. An operational multi-model forecasting system for air quality including nine
different chemical transport models has been developed and provides daily
forecasts of ozone, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter for the 37
largest urban areas of China (population higher than 3 million in 2010).
These individual forecasts as well as the mean and median concentrations for
the next 3 days are displayed on a publicly accessible website
(http://www.marcopolo-panda.eu, last access: 7 December 2018). The paper describes the forecasting system and shows some selected
illustrative examples of air quality predictions. It presents an
intercomparison of the different forecasts performed during a given period of
time (1–15 March 2017) and highlights recurrent differences between the
model output as well as systematic biases that appear in the median
concentration values. Pathways to improve the forecasts by the multi-model
system are suggested.


although there are more mature standards for domestic urban infrastructure GIS data,it's mainly faced to the development of industry management,and are not fully adapted to the requirements of the "digital city" construction that has a regional,comprehensive,cross-sectoral characteristics.Such as existing topographic maps have no watershed boundaries data.With the face of "Two Rivers and One Lake" Watershed remediation requirements,and the trend that small watershed are looked as a unit to deal with regional ecological problems in water resources and water environmental management,we extract kunming basin based on the DEM with Arcgis hydrological analysis module.It provides data support for the government's decision making on the management of water resources,and do the first part of the work for the construction of the database of basic geographic information platform for kunming.


Clonal propagation of woody species through tissue culture technique has received much importance these days because the multiplication process is quite speedy and the ramets so produced are devoid of pathogens. Plantletsof Ipil Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) were obtained through multiplication of ex-plants produced from aseptically raised germinates of the species. In the basal media (MS + 5 micro molar BAP), ex-plants started differentiating shoot buds at high frequency. These aseptically developed plantlets were shifted to earthen pots for rooting without applying any root-promoting hormone. These plantlets showed a good growth response in earthen pots and attained one-meter height within a period of two months.


Objective To improve rat models of spinal cord ischemia reperfusion injury.Methods Wistar rats were used for preparation of the models of spinal cord ischemia reperfusion injury by the artery clamp and silk-ligature,respectively.The abdominal aorta was ligated with ligation-line for a certain period of time,the end of ligature ventrolaterally was pulled to reperfuse without second laparotomy.The hindlimb neurological function scores and pathological observation were performed in order to compare the effects of the two methods.Results The results of the hindlimb neurological function scores and pathological observation showed that there is no significantly different between the two methods.Conclusion The silk-ligature method can avoid the second laparotomy and the exposure of organs for long time caused by opened abdomen,which is better than traditional artery clamps methods and may replace it.


Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects a substantial number of female patients in their reproductive years. Therefore, many physicians face the dilemma whether thiopurines, prescribed to maintain remission, can be taken safely during pregnancy. Data on long‐term development outcome of children exposed to maternal thiopurine therapy are very limited.


Aiming at the existing problems of farming planting system in Debao County,from the field of agroclimatology,the writer has bring forward some suggestion to improve the irrationality plating system,set up new system suitable to local climate conditions,and provide base line information in climatology for district farming development plan.


To study the grouting detection standard of Karst roadbed based on resistivity method, transient Surface wave method and electromagnetic wave CT, the typical test areas in the Karst roadbed of NANNING-GUANGZHOU railway are selected, and the field test research of grouting detection standard of Karst roadbed was studied by the above three geophysical methods. The grouting qualified Karst roadbed was determined by multiple methods of borehole coring and field water pressure after grouting, and the test results of Karst roadbed grouting qualified was confirmed effective sample. The difference value of resistivity, surface wave velocity and electromagnetic wave absorption coefficient of limestone layer, clay, pebble soil and Karst cave was statistical analyzed based on the effective test data, and preliminarily obtained the detection standard of Karst roadbed grouting effect based on the above three geophysical methods.


Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are significantly affected by SARS-CoV-2, partially due to their limited capacity for local development of molecular testing and accentuated by the international supply shortage. Here, we describe a molecular toolkit that can be readily produced and deployed in LMICs using minimal laboratory equipment. Our results show that mid-scale production of enzymes and nucleic acids can supply thousand tests per production batch. One-step RT-PCR was optimized for two SARS-CoV-2 loci and coupled to CRISPR/Cas12a detection. The clinical validation indicated a sensitivity near 100% for mid and high viral load samples (Cq [≤] 33). The specificity was around 100% regardless of viral load. The toolkit was used with the mobile laboratory BentoLab, potentially unlocking LMICs to implement detection services in unattended regions. Altogether, we provide detailed methods and performance evidence of molecular tools aiming to aid LMICs to deploy molecular testing for current or future pathogenic outbreaks.


Although brain tumors only 1.4% of all tumors, high fatality rate made these tumors need special attention. In North Sumatera, there is no data on brain tumors patients profile. Objective: To determine brain tumor patients' profile in North Sumatera, Indonesia. Method: A descriptive hospital-based study with primary data which taken from September–December 2012. Result: Of 75 brain tumors patients surveyed in 10 hospitals in North Sumatera 38 (50.7%) patients were male and 37 (49.3%) patients were female. Mean of age was 51.45 (11–87) years old. Most of the subjects were housewifes, 26 (34.7%) patients. The most common cause that brought these patients to see doctors was headache 32 (42.7%), followed by decreased level of consciousness 17 (22.7%). Clinical manifestations found in these patients were headache 67 (89.3%), dizziness/vertigo 41 (54.7%), convulsion 22 (29.3%), vomitting 32 (42.7%), motor dysfunction 46 (61.3%), sensory dysfunction 21 (28%), and cognitive decline 21 (28%). Only 7 patients (9.3%) had history of tumor in his/her relatives. Eighteen patients (24%) were treated surgically and 8 (10.7%) were given radiotherapy. 71 patients were alive (94.7%) when discharged from the hospitals due to various reasons. Head CT Scan/MRI showed primary tumors in 56 (74.7%) patients. Of these primary tumors 25 (44.6%) patients were meningioma and 19 (33.9%) were astrocytoma. Of 19 (25.3%) patients with secondary tumor, most common primary tumor where found in the lung 11 (57.9%). Conclusion: Sex the patients were equally distributed with mean of age was 51.45 (11–87) years old. The most common cause that brought these patients to seek for treatment were headache. Most of these patients were treated conservatively. The most common head CT Scan/MRI findings showed primary tumors.


This thesis covers the design of a wideband, flexible front end for LTE and LTE-A in a 65 nm CMOS process. A topology with global frequency translational feedback is investigated and a harmonic rejection mixer is implemented. To compensate for parasitics at the RF input, a variable phase shift is used in the global feedback to improve input matching and prevent loss of noise performance. Combinations of these techniques are compared to a standard quadrature implementation. The suitability of three different baseband amplifiers for the circuit is also evaluated. The full system is functional between 700 MHz and 3.7 GHz and has a noise figure of between 1.5 and 1.3 dB depending on frequency of operation. The system provides 43 dB of gain and has an out-of-band IIP3 and CP1dB of -8 and -23 dBm, respectively. The current consumption is 21 mA from a 1.2 V supply and includes the consumption of the LNTA and baseband amplifiers. (Less)


A case of aneurysm of the cavernous part of right Internal Carotid Artery is reported. This is a rare condition. The patient presented with recurrent episodes of epistaxis from right nostril for 10 years. Previously his right Common Carotid Artery and subsequently the Internal Carotid Artery had been ligated in the neck without benefit. A right frontal craniotomy had failed to reveal the aneurysm. Eventually his to the origin of right posterior communicating artery right Internal Carotid Artery was clipped proximal resulting in cure (JPMA: 37: 53 , 1987). Aneurysm of the petrous and cavernous parts of the Internal Carotid Artery is a rare qdndition, accounting for less than 1% of all intracranial aneurysms. Rupture into the paranasal sinuses leading to severe epistaxis, a potentially serious and occasionally fatal condition, is even less frequent. Delens was first to report on this condition in 1870 in a young man who died of rupture of an Internal Carotid Artery aneurysm following a penetrating injury to the eye. Beadles reported a case of epistaxis from a non-traumatic aneurysm of Internal Carotid Artery. The patient was a 61 year old woman who died from haemorrhage at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, in 1889. Since then, 70 cases have been reported in world literature. Ninety percent of these cases had a history of trauma, either penetrating or non-penetrating. The history in most cases was short and the events dramatic. We present a patient with epistaxis from an Internal Carotid Artery aneurysm without a history of trauma and where the illness extended over a period of 10 years.


597 Background: Trastuzumab (T), a monoclonal antibody against ErbB2, has improved the prognosis of breast cancer patients, but ErbB2 blockade in cardiomyocytes can produce asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure, whose mechanism has not been elucidated and can include changes in Ca2+ regulation. We aim at assessing whether Ranolazine (R), an inhibitor of the late sodium current, administered after T treatment, blunts T cardiotoxicity in vivo and in vitro. Methods: In vitro, rat H9C2 cardiomyoblasts were treated with T (0.2µM) for 3 days and then treated in the absence or presence of R (1µM or 10μM) for 3 days. In vivo, fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) were measured by M-mode echocardiography and radial and longitudinal strain (RS and LS) were measured using 2D speckle-tracking, in C57/BL6 mice, at 0, 2 and after 7 days of daily administration of T (2.25 mg/kg/day). These measurements were repeated after 5 days of R treatment (305 mg/Kg/day) initiated at the end of...


Lu Xun has discovered the cruel children′s world in reality from the visual angle of culture enlightenment,he has exposed the reality about the children′s spirit being cruelly killed and gradually becoming insensible"standee"and cruel "anthropophagite".To change this reality,Lu Xun longed for the Ideal children′s world in his literature version,and he put forward a series of original suggestions.Lu Xun put his attention to the children into the whole culture enlightenment,and try to build an ideal "Person Country" by "human creation".


Thai massage therapists see the need to improve their English, as their business is advancing towards international markets. The availability of English learning resources is, however, still very limited, especially for those with visual disabilities. This research project attempted to design an ESP syllabus and develop the content into an MP3 audio book format so that it could beneft both sighted and visually impaired learners. A needs analysis was conducted with different parties involved in the massage business, using interviews and on-site observations to create learners'profles, observe the language requirements of therapists and construct the syllabus. After a prototype audio book was created, sample groups, which included massage therapists with and without visual impairment, were asked to study the material on their own for three months. The same pre/post-tests were used to measure learners' language improvement. A 5-point Likert scale format questionnaire was used to measure learners' satisfaction with the product. The research offered a comparison of the results and concluded that although the audio book could enhancethe language profciency of both groups of learners, those with visual impairment showed a signifcantly greater improvement due to the higher level of motivation and learning discipline.


The book Jufang Fahui of which the author is ZHU Dan-xi,pays special attention to the patients' conditions,and emphasizes the importance of distinguishing the pathogenesis,at the same time,ZHU Dan-xi criticized the behavior of giving a prescription first and then waiting for the diseases appeared,he regarded that behavior was disconnecting the reason,the method,the prescription,and the medicine,sharply denounced the atmosphere of not treating the reason of diseases seriously,sticking to the conventions of Jufang,and abusing the medicine.ZHU Dan-xi advocated the flexible drug use of ZHANG Zhong-jing.The lines of this book contains the spirit of syndrome differentiation and treatment,it has the guiding significance for our modern traditional clinical medicine practice.


This paper examines the process of legislating regulation for the Philippine health maintenance organization (HMO) industry. It particularly looks at how interest groups compete with each other and attempt to influence legislation of the regulation law. We find that a substantial number of government agencies and private organizations, principally the Association of Health Maintenance Organizations of the Philippines Inc. (AHMOPI), lobbied for or influenced legislation. The result of lobbying, "The HMO Act of 2003", appears to be a compromise settlement among the interest groups, with the association taking the biggest slice of the pie.


Semiconductor quantum dots are nanometer-sized crystals with unique photochemical and photophysical properties that are not available from either isolated molecules or bulk solids. These nanocrystals absorb light over a very broad spectral range as compared to molecular fluorophores which have very narrow excitation spectra. High-quality QDs are proper to be use in different biological and medical applications (as fluorescent labels, the cancer treatment and the drug delivery). In this article, we discuss Fourier transform visible spectroscopy of commercial quantum dots. We reveal that QDs produced by Evident Technologies when are enlightened by laser or luminescent diode light provides a spectral shift of their fluorescence spectra correlated to exciting emission wavelengths, as shown by the ARCspectroNIR Fourier Transform Spectrometer. In the final part of this paper we show an important biological application of CdSe/ZnS core-shell ODs as microbial labeling both for pure cultures of cyanobacteria (Synechocystis PCC 6803) and for mixed cultures of phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms.


Under the framework of the new rural construction,the supply of public goods in rural areas is a huge project which needs for the reform and adjustment. At present,the supply of public goods in rural areas is facing many difficulties.The establishment of an effective allocation of public decision-making mechanism,consummates the irrational supply structure,the adjustment of supply and induced a mandatory supply pattern,appear particularly important. This article bases on the perspective of entropy,minimum entropy principle,through self-organization functions and supply system of the external environment,are entropy flow or the flow of negative entropy-supply system,causes a mandatory system of supply and induced supply system can not effectively stop Entropy by the system. The most effective way is to make a mandatory system of supply and induced supply system fully integrated,complementary advantages,gradually improve the supply of public goods in the system chaotic situation of the rural areas.


The basic concept, the operating principle and the build\|in object of ASP technology are introduced and compared with other developing methods of Web Database. The application of Web Database based on ASP is dscussed in great detail.


The A chains of ADP-ribosylating toxins exploit Hsp90 for translocation into the host cytosol. Here, we hypothesize that cis proline residues play a key role in toxin recognition by Hsp90. Our model is largely derived from studies on the unusual interplay between Hsp90 and the catalytic A1 subunit of cholera toxin (CTA1), including the recent identification of an RPPDEI-like binding motif for Hsp90 in CTA1 and several other bacterial toxins. Cis/trans proline isomerization is known to influence protein-protein interactions and protein structure/function, but it has not yet been proposed to affect Hsp90-toxin interactions. Our model thus provides a new framework to understand the molecular basis for Hsp90 chaperone function and Hsp90-driven toxin translocation.


The article describes the sources in the history of Donbas Zemstvos represented by legislative memorials, record keeping documents, memories of zemstvos authorities and descriptive sources. Their analyses make it possible to determine the practical implementation of major conceptual problems of local self-government. One the peculiarities of the sources is to display is them public attitudes to local projects, which also can be traced in the analyses of published references of the population's appeals to zemstvo's representatives


The article analyzes the current situation and the existing problems of the railway freight transport and the freight agency in China, elaborates the necessity and feasibility to develop the railway freight transport agency by means of the e-commerce, introduces the envisages and the implementing scheme to create the e-commerce and analyzes the opportunities and advantages brought about to the railway freight transport agency by the e-commerce.


I am tremendously grateful to the research team of Don Boyd, Hamilton Lankford, Susanna Loeb, and James Wyckoff for providing me access to the New York teacher data and to Sean Reardon for his help improving the specification of the job search model. Daphna Bassok, Pam Grossman, Eric Hanushek, and Susanna Loeb provided useful feedback on earlier versions. All errors are attributable to the author.


A multidatabase system (MDBS) has been designed for preserving the autonomy of the sites it is composed of. It comprises a multidatabase system for banking applications based on the SWIFT communication system and on the application requirements for a more sophisticated approach. The MDBS is composed of autonomous sites that cooperate on the basis of a modified X.400 message handling system. At the user interface, the MDBS provides the user with a MDBS query language called D-SQL that has been developed on the basis of SQL. The queries expressed in D-SQL are mapped into S-transactions that obey a new concept specifically developed for dedicated decentralized systems. The S-transactions are executed by the multilayered, hierarchically structured, strict modular system architecture.<<ETX>>


to identify important species at different places in each ofMeghalaya, of young out the commercial bamboo well as secondary vendors available in each pre- questionnaires to the annual rate and its commercial All possible information on merchandizing edible bamboo the ecological ofthe commercial species rich following


Patellar sleeve fractures are a rare injury comprising less than 1% of all pediatric fractures. They are characterized by an outer sleeve of cartilage pulled away from the osseous patella. The most common pattern is an osteochondral fracture at the inferior patellar pole but lateral or medial based injuries are also reported. Multiple fixation methods are described, depending on fracture pattern, osseous fragment size, and surgeon preference. The specific technique of patellar sleeve fixation utilizing transosseous suture placement is described and illustrated with an accompanying video.


To meet the increasingly stringent design and performance requirements due to increasing cumulative gross tonnages from heavy-haul freight operations, along with increased high-speed inter-city passenger rail development, improvements in concrete crosstie designs are needed. Rail Seat Deterioration (RSD) continues to be identified as one of the primary factors limiting concrete crosstie service life in North America. RSD refers to the degradation of material at the contact interface between the concrete crosstie rail seat and the rail pad that protects the bearing area of the crosstie. Industry experts consider abrasion to be a viable mechanism leading to RSD. A lack of understanding of the complex interactions affecting the severity of abrasion has resulted in an iterative design process for concrete crossties and fastening systems. The objective of this study is to quantify the abrasion performance of rail seats by using a variety of concrete admixtures and materials. To simulate the abrasive wear mechanism of RSD, a Small-Scale Abrasion Resistance Test (SSART) was designed by researchers at UIUC. Additionally, a theoretical framework to model and predict abrasive wear was developed using statistical techniques. Data obtained from the SSART and the statistical model will help the rail industry mechanistically design concrete crossties by improving the current understanding of the performance of concrete crosstie mix designs. Preliminary results show that the addition of metallic fine aggregates (MFA), steel fibers, and the application of coatings improve the abrasion resistance of concrete specimens.


Mechanical failure of a material often occurs due to microcracks within a material; therefore, the extension of selflife of a material by allowing for the retention of mechanical properties is desirable. This study is looking at a way to incorporate nanocapsules into a polymer matrix without clumping. A healing agent is contained within these capsules which polymerizes with a catalyst embedded in the matrix when a crack penetrates the capsule shell wall. The polymerization should cause significant recovery of mechanical properties and extension of the self life of the material. This study is based on a previous study that had obtained healing with microcapsules, and now, through modification, the capsules have been reduced to the nanoscale. The need for reduction is due to the decrease in tensile properties when capsules are added to the matrix. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to address the issues of the change in properties at the nanoscale (in particular clumping) and to incorporate these nanocapsules into an epoxy matrix with successful dispersion. After the incorporation has been accomplished, fracture and tensile testing are to be performed to compare with the previous larger capsules. The main findings of this study indicate that clumping can be resolved by applying a high shear force when incorporating capsules into epoxy and allowing an agent used to separate the capsules from water to evaporate from the solution so that phase separation between the agent and the epoxy does not occur and cause clumping.


This article seeks to clarify the role of race and social networks in job turnover. Analyses using the personnel records of roughly 300 entry level workers in a private organization investigate the extent to which social networks in the job attainment process affect turnover. Specifically, I examine what occurs when the social network contact is from inside versus outside of the company, when the contact is white or minority, and when a contact and applicant share a race or when they do not. Referrals from current employee contacts reduce voluntary turnover while referrals from nonemployees do not provide a turnover advantage. White and minority contacts yield similar levels of job turnover and both generate lower levels of turnover than noncontacts, a finding that lends partial support to social capital theory. Finally, I find modest support for homophily theory; compared to race-mismatched contact-applicant dyads, race-matched dyads have lower levels of voluntary turnover but similar levels of involuntary turnover. The results illustrate the lasting effects of race-based social networks. I propose suggestions for designing research that can further our understanding of the mechanisms allegedly at work in the race, social network, and job turnover relationship. Keywords: homophily theory, job turnover, race, social capital theory, social networks.


According to vital statistics in 1968, death rate in Japan was 0.06 in rheumatic fever and 0.46 in rheumatic heart disease per million population. As a rule, in developing countries patients succumb to active rheumatic fever, while in developed countries they die of established rheumatic heart disease. Japan was reported to have higher mortality rate due to rheumatic fever and lower one due to rheumatic heart disease than the average of all other countries in the world. It is clear that a gradual annual decrease in death due to rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease has occurred in Japan with similar tendency to other countries in the world.


The object of this paper is to discuss the use of a suite of computer programs which have been developed at the TRRL. These programs use optimisation techniques to help design engineers to reduce the costs of new roads. They can be employed at all stages of design and enable the engineer to investigate more readily the cost implications of alternative design decisions. Examples are given and suggestions made as to how the engineer using the programs can take account of such features as difficult ground conditions and can also investigate environmental matters such as the need to depress the road so as to minimise aural or visual intrusion. This paper and the three which follow were presented to the South Wales branch of the Institution on October 10th, 1973, at a symposium organised jointly by by the branch and the Department of Civil Engineering and Building, Glamorgan Polytechnic, and entitled "Road Design '74". (A) /TRRL/


Last year the International Court of Justice (ICJ) marked its seventieth anniversary, and in the most recent issue of the Leiden Journal of International Law, Hugh Thirlway recognized this milestone with a look back through some key developments at the Court, focusing on the last few years. Here, we would like to undertake a retrospective of another sort, paying tribute to the ongoing connection between the Court and the Journal by taking a brief tour through the Journal's coverage of the Court over the years. It is hoped that this retrospective will not only bring back some fond memories but also – by viewing this material as a whole, and pointing out certain gaps in the Journal's coverage of the Court's work – stimulate future analyses.


Background: In surgical patients, hypoalbuminemia may occur as a component of acute-phase response (APR) syndrome, which we hypothesized could decrease serum sodium levels.


Objective:To investigate the protective effects of Shenfu injection(参附注射液) on transient focal cerebral ischemic injury in rat and doseresponse relation.Methods:Forty male SD rats (body weight 350400 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups.In control group (ischemiareperfusion group,n=10),30 minutes before ischemia the normal saline 20 ml/kg was injected into peritoneal cavity otherwise in all protective groups,including Cen5(n=10),Cen10(n=10),and Cen20(n=10) group,30 minutes before ischemia the Shenfu injection (dosage 5,10 and 20 ml/kg respectively) and normal saline (dosage 15,10 and 0 ml/kg respectively) were injected into peritoneal cavity.By means of ligating the right carotid artery to obstruct the cerebral middle artery for 120 minutes,at 1,3,6,12,16 and 24 hours after obstruction the changes in neurological behavior were observed and scored.At 24 hours the rats were killed and the volume of cerebral infarction was measured using TTC stain.Results:The neurologic deficit scores (NDS) in group Cen5,group Cen10 and group Cen20 at 24 hours after reperfusion were (0.6±0.5)scores,(0.8±0.9)scores and (0.7±0.4)scores respectively and significantly lower than that in control group (1.8±1.0)scores(all P0.05). The infarct volume in control group 〔(179.5±45.2)mm3〕 was significantly higher than those in group Cen5 〔(58.7±21.4)mm3,P0.05〕,Cen10 〔(61.5±28.7)mm3,P0.05〕 and Cen20 〔(31.2±20.6)mm3,P0.01〕 .Among all the Shenfupretreated groups both NDS and infarct volume had not differences.Conclusions:The Shenfu injection possesses dosageindependent protective effects on transient focal cerebral ischemic injury.


This research was conducted to determine whether the skills and competencies of the ICT strand's Senior High School Curriculum match the ICT skills needed by the various industries in Zamboanga City for employability. The findings serve as a source of information for other senior high schools in the Philippines from different regions. In this analysis, a Descriptive Quantitative method of research was adopted. The results showed that the respondents highly needed (Computer Systems Servicing NC II), (Computer Programming .net Technology NC III) and (Broadband Installation Fixed Wireless Systems NC II) in terms of the industry's required ICT skills. In addition, management in both industry and academia needs an advanced and competent level of competence, as shown in their average response to an entry-level role in both common and core competencies (Computer System Servicing NC II). The T-test result also showed that there is no substantial difference in the level of competence of the Senior High School Curriculum's Computer System Servicing as required for an entry-level role in the IT Department, indicating that the program provided by the Zamboanga City Senior High School agrees with what the industry needs.


In this study, low velocity impact tests were carried out to evaluate the impact performance of hybrid composites reinforced with carbon fibers and basalt fibers. Ten types of hybrid laminates were manufactured following the resin transfer molding(RTM) process with varying stacking sequences and hybrid ratios. The low velocity impact tests were performed in accordance with ASTM D7136. The specimens were observed by the ultrasonic C-scaning machine in order to obtain the failure area. The results showed that impact performance of specimens improved with the increasing percentage of carbon fibers in general. However, stacking sequence could affect the impact performance more largely, and materials on the impact surface also played a significant role. Energy absorption capacity was greatly promoted when setting basalt fibers on the impact surface and carbon fibers on the second layer, and BCCC performed the best among all the hybrid laminates.


In order to reduce the disadvantages of brain drain,many countries have implemented different policies which may consist of some patterns as follows: return migration,migration limitation,diaspora option,compensation,recruitment migration and retention opportunities.Through case study on India,the article argued that it is very useful for a country to utilize overseas human recourses by integrating suitable policies and measurements.


The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of glyphosate and manganese (Mn) application at developmental stages in the nutrition and agronomic characteristics of soybean crop, in the municipality of Selvíria-MS, Brazil, in the 2012/13 harvest, using the soybean variety BRS Valiosa RR in an Oxisol, with a clayey texture. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications in a 6x2 factorial scheme, being: Six glyphosate application rates (0 ga.i. ha-1, application of 720 g a.i. ha-1in V3 stage, 1440 g a.i. ha-1V3, 720+720 g a.i. ha-1V3 and V7, 1440 g a.i. ha-1in V7, and application of 720+1440 g a.i. ha-1V3 and V7;with or withoutMn application ( 0 g ha-1and 350 g ha-1) in V5 stage. Foliar applicationsof Mn and glyphosate did not influencedthe leaf concentrations of macro and micronutrients in soybean. Glyphosate at doses of 720+1440 g a.i. ha-1, applied in stages V3 and V7, associated with foliar fertilization with 350 g ha-1Mnin the V5 stage, reduces the first pod height, but increases the number grain per pod. Soybean yield was reducedwith glyphosate application at a dose of 720+1440 g ai ha-1in V3 and V7 stages, regardless of Mn leaf application.


Platelet‐derived growth factor‐D (PDGF‐D) was recently identified, and acts as potent mitogen for mesenchymal cells. PDGF‐D also induces cellular transformation and promotes tumor growth. However, the functional role of PDGF‐D in adipose‐derived stem cells (ASCs) has not been identified. Therefore, we primarily investigated the autocrine and paracrine roles of PDGF‐D in this study. Furthermore, we identified the signaling pathways and the molecular mechanisms involved in PDGF‐D‐induced stimulation of ASCs. It is of interest that PDGF‐B is not expressed, but PDGF‐D and PDGF receptor‐β are expressed in ASCs. PDGF‐D showed the strongest mitogenic effect on ASCs, and PDGF‐D regulates the proliferation and migration of ASCs through the PI3K/Akt pathways. PDGF‐D also increases the proliferation and migration of ASCs through generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and mitochondrial fission. mtROS generation and fission were mediated by p66Shc phosphorylation, and BCL2‐related protein A1 and Serpine peptidase inhibitor, clade E, member 1 mediated the proliferation and migration of ASCs. In addition, PDGF‐D upregulated the mRNA expression of diverse growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor A, fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1), FGF5, leukemia inhibitory factor, inhibin, beta A, interleukin 11, and heparin‐binding EGF‐like growth factor. Therefore, the preconditioning of PDGF‐D enhanced the hair‐regenerative potential of ASCs. PDGF‐D‐induced growth factor expression was attenuated by a pharmacological inhibitor of mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway. In summary, PDGF‐D is highly expressed by ASCs, where it acts as a potent mitogenic factor. PDGF‐D also upregulates growth factor expression in ASCs. Therefore, PDGF‐D can be considered a novel ASC stimulator, and used as a preconditioning agent before ASC transplantation. Stem Cells 2015;33:542–556


Optical metrology is the workhorse metrology in manufacturing and key enabler to patterning process control. Recent advances in device architecture are gradually shifting the need for process control from the lithography module to other patterning processes (etch, trim, clean, LER/LWR treatments, etc..). Complex multi-patterning integration solutions, where the final pattern is the result of multiple process steps require a step-by-step holistic process control and a uniformly accurate holistic metrology solution for pattern transfer for the entire module. For effective process control, more process "knobs" are needed, and a tighter integration of metrology with process architecture.


This research is based on 28 in-depth interviews with Kenya-based journalists who report terrorism. The objective of the research was to recount their lived experiences. The theme of safety of journalists comprised psychological and physical safety of the newspeople, and there were various ways in which the psychological and individual safety of the journalists covering terrorism and related events was at risk. The psychological safety included traumatic events leading to sleeplessness and nightmares, loss of memory, and some journalists resorting to alcohol abuse in a bid to cope with the traumatic experiences. These physical safety concerns for some journalists included threats of death by fanatical religious groups, while other participants said that they were threatened with death because of their coverage of terrorism and related activities in Kenya.


No hybrids involving Wood Horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum L.) have been previously recorded from the British Isles. This paper reports the occurrence of two such hybrids new to the British flora , one of which is unknown elsewhere and is described here for the first time. These are E. x bowmanii C. N. Page, hybr. novo (E. sylvaticum L. x E. telmateia Ehrh.), from Hampshire, and E. x mildeanum Rothm . (E. pratense Ehrh. x E. sylvaticum L.) from Perthshire. Herbarium material of each has been deposited in the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh (E).


The present invention provides a method for mating yeast can synthesize and secrete recombinant heteromultimeric protein. The first expression vector is transformed into a first haploid cell; and a second expression vector is transformed into a second haploid cell. Identification of each of these two transformed haploid cells synthesis of different polypeptides, and then genetically crossed or fused. The resulting diploid strains for the production and secretion of the fully assembled and biologically functional heteromultimeric protein.


The cause for the vault instability of a residual oil tank((5 000) m~3)was analysed with the outer pressure destabilizing theory.The result indicates that the negative pressure in the tank exceeds the limit of the critical load and distorts the vault.To ensure the safety of the tank,the management of the breather valve and flame arrester is strengthened by examining and repairing the tank and accessories in time so as to use it reasonably.


High-content imaging (HCI) can visualise the effect of compounds on cells, tissues, and whole organisms for purposes of drug discovery & development. Most HCI experiments employ screens which are morphological in nature, or monitor expression of a fluorescently-tagged protein. Much more information may be provided by screens at the metabolomic level, i.e. the effect of compounds and experimental conditions on the steadystate and dynamic levels of individual metabolites in the system. A metabolic profile of key molecules, both intrinsic (e.g. nutrients and signaling molecules) and extrinsic (e.g. the compounds in the screening library, their breakdown products, and other compounds whose metabolism might also be affected), can provide a detailed picture of developments within the cell or tissue before such perturbations give rise to morphological changes.


Background: Periodontal attachment loss could be an earlier indicator or a possible risk factor of dentine hypersensitivity (DH). Thus, there is a need for diagnosing this condition both by questionnaire and by clinical examination before rendering both home care and in-office treatment modalities. Aims: To investigate the relationship between various demographic factors and DH and to detect the percentage of patients using desensitizing agents. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2051 patients were evaluated till the required sample size of 1000 patients was achieved who were evaluated both by questionnaire and clinical test. Association between DH clinical attachment level and apparent recession was established. Results: This study found that the prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity in chronic periodontitis patients was 37.2% according to questionnaire and 47.8% according to the results of clinical test. Various demographic factors were found to affect dentine hypersensitivity such as age, gender, education, diet, and locality. Conclusion: The prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity in chronic periodontitis patients was 37.2% according to questionnaire and 47.8% according to the results of clinical test. Periodontal attachment loss could be an earlier indicator or a possible risk factor of DH. Only 14.36% of the patients with sensitive teeth used desensitizing paste. This could be due to the fact that either the patients did not consider the condition bad enough to warrant treatment or it was not being diagnosed.


Experiments were conducted in greenhouse with groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) variety JL 24 (highly susceptible to PBNV, TSV and IPCV) to determine the effect of plant growth stage to the infection with PBNV, TSC and IPCV. Groundnut plants were grown n 8-inch plastic pots and germinated plants were used for virus inovulaton t 10, 20 and 30 days after germinatin (dag).


This paper presents an investigation of lightning overvoltages on low-voltage (LV) networks installed in urban areas. The combined effect of lightning-induced voltages and transferred lightning surges through distribution transformers is taken into account. It is shown that an accurate estimate of lightning-induced voltages on LV lines require the consideration of the medium voltage line and of its electrical connections with the LV line via the distribution transformer. It is also shown that if the stroke location is relatively close to the evaluated LV line it is possible to neglect the influence of other LV lines in the estimation of peak overvoltages on the connected loads.


The following individuals read and discussed the thesis submitted by student Aubrey N. Montebello, and they evaluated her presentation and response to questions during the final oral examination. They found that the student passed the final oral examination. iv DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my supportive and loving friends and family. Their constant encouragement was a blessing during the struggles I have endured through this process. My mother, father, and Nonie were amazingly helpful and relieved a lot of burdens. I will always miss you, Nonie. This is for my husband who was the reassuring force I needed to make it through the early mornings, the long research hours, and the successes and pitfalls involved in research. He was by my side at every moment and I know I couldn't have done it without his support. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the staff and faculty of the Department of Chemistry at Boise State University for their constant encouragement and dedication to my success. Also, thank you to Ryan Brecht for his HPLC data. I would like to acknowledge my graduate committee members for all of their effort and useful guidance. Dr. Julia Oxford and Dr. Shin Pu were pivotal in successfully identifying substrates. Dr. Don Warner was always available for guidance and helped me to develop a greater understanding of Organic Chemistry. Furthermore, I would like to thank Dr. Rajesh Nagarajan for his time, understanding, wisdom, and dedication that not only helped me academically but mentored me to become a research professional. vi ABSTRACT Gram-negative bacteria use acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) based quorum sensing (QS) to regulate the expression of genes that give the bacteria a selective advantage over host defenses and antibiotic treatment. Burkholderia mallei is an antibiotic resistant pathogen that causes Glanders disease. B. mallei BmaI1 AHL-synthase uses octanoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein (C8ACP) and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) to synthesize the AHL, octanoyl-homoserine lactone (C8HSL). Inhibiting AHL-synthases has been difficult because mechanistic and substrate specificity details for these enzymes are not well understood. Our goal was to determine how BmaI1 activity and enzymatic mechanism changes with nonspecific, variable acyl chain acyl-ACP substrates. We found that catalytic efficiency of nonspecific acyl-ACP substrates are drastically low compared to the native C8ACP substrate, in-line with tight signal specificity observed in vivo. In addition, substrates with lower catalytic efficiency also showed kinetic cooperativity while reacting with BmaI1. Our results suggest that substrates add …


The notable growth of the digital communities and different online news streams led to the growing availability of online natural language content. However not all natural languages have the enough attention of being made readable and comprehendible to machines. Among these less resourced and paid attention languages is the Kurdish language. Creating the machine-readable text is the first step toward applications of text mining and semantic web, such as translation, information retrieval and recommendation systems. With the de facto challenges in the Kurdish language, such as the scarcity of linguistic sources and not having unified orthography rules, this language has a lack of the language processing tools. However, to overcome the mentioned challenges and enable intelligent applications the well organized and annotated Kurdish text corpora is needed. This review paper investigates the available textual corpora in the Kurdish language and its dialects and then determined challenges are discussed, open problems are listed and future directions suggested.


The thermomagnetic properties of the compound Cr 2 As and Cu 2 Sb were investigated together with the phase diagram of Cr–As system. From the results of thermal and thermomagnetic measurements for Cr 2 As and Cu 2 Sb it was found that they show antiferromagnetic behavior with the Neel point at 393°K and at 373°K respectively. Their reciprocal susceptibilities obey the Curie-Weiss law in high temperature range, but a considerable deviation therefrom is seen just above the Neel point. From the Curie constant obtained by the present experiment, the effective magneton number µ eff of the magetic carrier was calculated to be 3.6 and 2.6 for these compounds, Cr 2 As and Cu 2 Sb, respectively. The total heat absorptions due to the vanishing of antiferromagnetic order in spin arrangement were 50 Cal/mol and 20 Cal/mol. A discussion is given on the origin of the above-mentioned magnetic properties.


Islam is a religion of vast dimensions which has inspired great civilizations and today offers many men and women comfort and ethical guidance. In this paper I suggest that the tension between the Qur'an accepted as the perfect timeless word of God and the encultured dynamic Islam of nearly a quarter of the world's population results in contending perspectives of women's role and rights. The Qur'an gives men and women spiritual parity, but there are verses in the Qur'an that some feminists find difficult to reconcile with the modern rights of women. Most Islamic feminists make a clear distinction between cultural practices (what actually happens to embodied women) and the pure word of God. 1 There are profound differences in the status of women within and between predominantly Muslim countries. In some countries it is illegal for women to drive a car, or to move freely outside the home, in others women have become heads of state. The decision to wear the veil, often a sign of empowerment in Europe, is in parts of the Islamic world obligatory. Voices representing an exclusivist, literalist understanding of Islam have entered the mainstream of Muslim lives due in part to the fact that Wahhabism imposes a narrow, sectarian view of Islam, and the Saudi government with its massive oil wealth propagates this puritanical form of Islam across the world. Some traditionalist maulanas and maulvis are concerned above all with women's modesty and enforce customs that refine, purify and protect their chastity. They, like some Islamic feminists, position Islamic rights and roles for women with regard to the exoticized and eroticized `other' — in this case Western civilization, Western imperialism and the rise of Western feminism. `The West' becomes for traditional interpreters a kind of contemporary jahilya. There are also many progressive Muslim scholars who seek to articulate a historically accurate, non-idealized, now challenged, now challenging, view of Islam with an uncompromising emphasis on social justice, equality and pluralism (Safi 2008: 215). This paper argues that the ongoing, postcolonial battle against Western `imperialism' demands epistemological humility. Nevertheless, women are fighting for basic human rights and freedoms in parts of the Islamic world where the State, religious authorities (the ulema) and the patriarchal family assume the right of legal and moral surveillance. In considering the nature of violence to Muslim women in Pakistan and the UK, I hope to show that accusations of orientalism should not deter us from recognizing the courage of women activists who themselves risk imprisonment and of the struggle of women victims of rape and domestic violence to overcome feelings of shame and dishonour. I argue that both the private and public spheres need to be made safe for all Muslim women, and not just a professional elite. This can only be achieved by a fuller recognition of women's rights encapsulated in law and all aspects of public life.


Interferon-γ (IFNγ), in common with a number of growth factors, binds both to heparan sulfate or heparin-related molecules and to a specific high affinity receptor (IFNγR). Using surface plasmon resonance technology, kinetic analysis of the IFNγ·IFNγR complex formation was performed with the extracellular part of IFNγR immobilized on a sensor chip. At the sensor chip surface, IFNγ was bound by two IFNγR molecules with an affinity in the nanomolar range (0.68 nm). This binding was characterized by an important on rate, k on = 7.3 × 106 m −1·s−1, and an off rate,k off = 5 × 10−3·s−1. This binding assay was used to investigate a possible role of heparin in the IFNγ·IFNγR complex formation. In contrast to growth factors for which binding to heparin is usually required for high affinity receptor interaction, we found in this study that IFNγ bound to heparin displayed a strongly reduced affinity for its receptor. This is consistent with the fact that a cluster of basic amino acids (KTGKRKR, called the C1 domain) in the carboxyl-terminal sequence of the cytokine was involved both in heparin and receptor recognition. To understand how a single domain of IFNγ could be implicated in two discrete functions (i.e. binding to heparin and to IFNγR), we also analyzed in a detailed manner the role of the IFNγ carboxyl-terminal sequence in receptor binding. Using forms of IFNγ, with carboxyl terminus truncations of defined regions of the heparin binding sequence, we found that the C1 domain functioned by increasing the on rate of the IFNγ·IFNγR binding reaction but was not otherwise required for the stability of the complex. Interactions between the IFNγ carboxyl-terminal domain and IFNγR could increased the association rate of the reaction either by increasing the number of encounters between the two molecules or by favoring productive collisions. The mechanisms by which heparan sulfate regulates IFNγ activity may thus include both control of selective protease cleavage events, which directly affect the cytokine activity, and also an ability to modulate the interaction of IFNγ with the IFNγR via competitive binding to the C1 domain.


Situational factors are important system control variables in NIMBY (not-in-my- backyard) conflicts. In this article, firstly based on theoretical analysis, design a questionnaire on the influencing factors of residents' risk perception, survey the residents in the communities near typical engineering facilities, and obtain sample data. Next, using exploratory factor analysis, with a characteristic value of 0.8 as the standard, the four main situational factors of political governance and communication, information media, public awareness and economic benefits are extracted, and the cumulative explanation variance contribution rate is 71.133%. Then, construct a structural equation model and analyze the influencing path of the four main situational factors on residents' risk perception by observing 19 variables. The results show that political governance and communication, and information media have a significant negative impact on residents' perception of risks in NIMBY facilities; but public awareness and economic benefits have a significant positive impact on residents' risk perception. In order to effectively reduce the risk of NIMBY facilities, government departments should improve the risk communication and public participation mechanisms for the construction of surrounding risk avoidance facilities, strengthen the supervision of the information dissemination environment, guide residents to legally protect their rights, and balance the risks and benefits of residents.


To increase the etch resistance and to reduce the etching rate of a silicon-containing mask layer (3) an additional substance (8) is mixed in the mask layer (3) or in an etching gas. The additional substance (8) is present in the mask layer (3) and accumulates in the mask layer (3). During a subsequent etching process for patterning by means of the mask layer (3), the mask layer (3) is removed with a reduced etch rate ..


Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy is common global obstetric concerns which affect to the occurrence of adverse maternal and perinatal health, especially in all countries.1 Severe preeclampsia and eclampsia are the major causes of adverse maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide including in Thailand.1,2 Since the etiology of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy is not well-known and unpredictable, the recognition of its geographic distribution is essential for the health personnel and policy makers in order to prioritize interventions, resource allocation for providing optimal health services to the high risk pregnant women. However, there were no the study using the national data for geographical distribution of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in Thailand. In addition, the previous studies of the adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in hypertensive disorders in pregnancy may be limited due to smaller sample size.3‒5 Therefore, this study aimed to assess the geographical distribution of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy across provinces of Thailand and adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in different subgroups of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Methods


Aims:  Objective appreciation of irregularities of the nuclear shape is a key parameter in the diagnosis of thyroid lesions, since foldings of the nuclear membrane (NM) featuring indentations, grooves and pseudoinclusions characterize papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). The aim was to focus on the immunohistochemistry of emerin, a protein of the NM whose decoration best demarcates the nuclear shape.


In a box (1) for containing and dispersing loose items, there are an openable cover (3) closing off the top of the interior (2), with a strip-like extension (7) which can be inserted into a slot-like aperture (8), and a flap (4) which can pulled out from one end. The flap (4) has limiting sections (15, 16) on both sides. Both the cover (3) and the flap (4) are fitted with seals, where, after the seal has been broken, the cover (3) and/or the flap (4) can be opened and re-closed by a self-locking system.


Background Non-elderly trauma patients represent the largest portion of preventable years of life loss in the US. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes in patients admitted to investor-owned vs public and not-for-profit hospitals across the US. Material and Methods The Nationwide Readmissions Database 2018 was queried for trauma patients with an Injury Severity Score greater than 15 and age 18-65 years. The primary outcome was mortality; secondary outcomes were prolonged length of stay (LOS) greater than 30 days, readmission within 30 days, and readmission to a different hospital. Patients admitted to investor-owned hospitals were compared to public and not-for-profit hospitals. Univariable analysis was performed using chi-squared tests. Multivariable logistic regression was performed for each outcome. Results 157 945 patients were included with 11.0% (n = 17 346) admitted to investor-owned hospitals. The overall mortality rate and prolonged LOS were similar for both groups. The overall readmission rate was 9.2% (n = 13 895), with the rate in investor-owned hospitals at 10.5% (n = 1,739, P < .001). Multivariable logistic regression revealed investor-owned hospitals had an increased risk of readmission (OR 1.2 [1.1-1.3] P < .001) and readmission to a different hospital (OR 1.3 [1.2-1.5] P < .001). Discussion Severely injured trauma patients have similar rates of mortality and prolonged length of stay in investor-owned vs public and not-for-profit hospitals. However, patients admitted to investor-owned hospitals have an increased risk of readmission and readmission to different hospitals. Efforts to improve outcomes after trauma must consider hospital ownership and readmission to different hospitals.


Radiology reports are one of the most important medical documents that a diagnostician looks into, especially in the emergency context. They provide the emergency physicians with critical information regarding the condition of the patient and help the physicians take immediate action on urgent conditions. However, the reports are in the form of unstructured text, which makes them time consuming for humans to interpret. We have developed a machine learning system to (a) efficiently extract the clinically significant parts and their level of importance in radiology reports, and (b) to classifies the overall report into critical or non-critical categories which help doctors to identify potential high priority reports. As a starting point, the system uses anonymized chest X-RAY reports of adults and provides three levels of importance for medical phrases. We used the Conditional Random Field (CRF) model to identify clinically significant phrases with an average f1-score of 0.75. The proposed system includes a web-based interface which highlights the medical phrases, and their level of importance to the emergency physician. The overall classification of the report is performed using the phrases extracted from the CRF model as features for the classifier. Average accuracy achieved is 85%.


SUMMARY During the late Oligocene - middle Miocene, an extensive deformation took place in the Western Mediterranean. In this process, main faults of NE-SW striking direction bordering horsts and grabens of the Catalan margin and minor faults perpendicular to the former were formed. We have studied some of these minor faults affecting Miocene conglomerates in the Barcelona Plain. The fault zone is formed by an absent damage zone and a poorly developed fault core. Their fault rocks are obliterated by later pedogenetic processes that have changed fault and fault rock properties and consequently fault rock classification. Nowadays fault rock is a cataclasite but because it is cemented by later pedogenetic processes, in fact, in origin was a gouge. When fault rock was a gouge (stage 1), and considering fault zone architecture, cross-fault flow could exist. During the second stage, after fault rock pedogenesi, new minerals reduced effective porosity and so permeability of the fault rock. The consequence was the seal of faults and compartmentalisation of flow. In conclusion, faults occurring in the upper meteoric environment can have other kind of processes responsible of their impermeabilization than deeper faults.


Vibrational analysis and calculation of Franck–Condon factors (FCF) of the vinoxy radical were performed for the two electronic states in the title. Multiconfigurational self‐consistent field (MCSCF) wave functions were used to calculate the optimized geometries and the energy gradients of both states. Vibrational analysis was carried out with the harmonic approximation, and FCFs were calculated taking into account the Duschinsky rotation. The features of the experimental absorption and laser‐induced fluorescence (LIF) spectra were reproduced with the calculated FCFs. Previous analyses of the experimental spectra based on an oversimplified model were critically discussed.


Some aspects of hyperon polarization phenomena in inclusive production in several high energy collision processes are reviewed. We concentrate on ways to achieve an accurate determination of the unpolarized and polarized fragmentation functions of a quark into a $\Lambda (\bar \Lambda)$. A possible extension to the production of the other hyperons (Σ±,0, Ξ-,0), will be also briefly discussed.


Between 2008 and 2017, Mexican states implemented no-fault unilateral divorce. Using an event-study design, we exploit state-level variation in the timing of the reforms to investigate the consequences of more liberalized divorce laws. Our results suggest that no-fault divorce dramatically in- creased divorce rates over the short run. We then consider how the reform impacted divorce filings and divorce settlements. We find that no-fault divorce increased individual divorce filings, especially among women. Fur- thermore, the reform lowered the frequency of spousal alimony payments, but redirected these alimony payments towards children. All results hold when accounting for state-specific time trends.


In general, bacteria are capable of biotransforming inorganic arsenic into methylarsenic acids and arsines. The microbial activity of lake sediments was examined with respect to the mobilization of mine tailings that have a high arsenic content. Aerobic and anaerobic mixed microbial populations were isolated from Kam Lake, Yellowknife, N.W.T. An aerobic microbial population from 5 cm sediment depth, the layer immediately above the contaminated mine tailings, was capable of transforming arsenicals. Speciation of arsenicals in the culture medium, determined by using hydride generation gas chromatography atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-GC-AAS) shows that this bacterial population is able to methylate arsenicals and subsequently demethylate the product. However, only methylation was observed in media containing dimethylarsinic acid. Anaerobic microbial populations, from all depths, produce a yellow precipitate upon incubation with arsenate for 10-14 days. The precipitate was identified as A52S3 by microanalysis and scanning electron microscope + energy dispersive x-ray (SEM + EDX). The anaerobic microbial population, which should not contain sulfate-reducing organisms, appears to be arsenic tolerant; there is no evidence of methylation of arsenic.


Per-oral endoscopicmyotomy (POEM) is a relatively safe procedure in expert hands. Complications associated with POEM include pneumoperitoneum, pneumothorax, and subcutaneous pneumothorax. Bleeding during the procedure can occur and is usually treated with the use of coagulation forceps. Delayed bleeding is rare, occurring in only 0.2–0.7% of patients [1, 2]. A 73-year-old woman with history of achalasia for 10 years and a history of Heller myotomy presented with recurrence and underwent per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). A posterior POEM was performed successfully without any complications. At 12 hours following the procedure, she developed hematemesis associated with significant hypotension. She was resuscitated and an emergent upper endoscopy was performed. Endoscopy revealed distension of the tunnel and a large clot below the gastroesophageal junction eroding into the stomach from the tunnel (▶Fig. 1). The tunnel was then opened by removing the hemostatic clips. The scope was advanced into the tunnel with an endoscopic cap (▶Fig. 2) (▶Video 1). A snare was used to clean large clots from the tunnel. Coagulation forceps was used to coagulate any visible vessel. The tunnel was washed with gentamicin. The opening of the tunnel was then closed with hemostatic clips. The patient did well after the procedure and was discharged 24 hours later. At 1 month follow-up, patient reported resolution of her dysphagia and no further signs of bleeding. At 1-year follow-up, no dysphagia was reported by the patient. Intraoperative bleeding during POEM is usually minimal but can occur during any of the steps of POEM. Bleeding during the procedure tends to be self-limiting and respond to coagulation. Delayed bleeding can manifest in the first 48 to 72 hours after POEM. It is uncommon and is seen in 0.2% of patients [2]. Management entails re-entry into the tunnel, evacuating any blood clots, and identifying and coagulation of the bleeding site.


Puerto Rico hosts three iron skarn deposits that have been historically mined for iron ore. Despite this early exploitation, they have remained understudied due to restrictive local mining laws. Of these deposits, the Tibes Skarn is located along the Portugués River in the southern region of the island, providing a continuous exposure of the deposit and the igneous body likely responsible for its formation. The current outcrop provides a perfect natural laboratory to investigate the processes involved in its genesis and evolution. Preliminary mapping has distinguished three distinct zones in the area: a garnet + epidote + actinolite zone, a zone of massive magnetite, and a hornfels zone. The massive magnetite present in the area are found as large tabular bodies which are structurally related to an extensive fault zone. While preliminary geochemical analyses of these magnetite are inconsistent with skarn formation models, the wide assortment of garnet throughout may serve as an essential tool to further elucidate the Tibes Skarn's origin. Field observations show that garnet of varying size and morphology is present throughout Tibes as large veins and clusters. These minerals also typically co-exist with massive, recrystallized calcite, hydrothermal quartz, massive magnetite, and other tabular features akin to dikes. A significant feature observed petrographically is a garnet crystal with a birefringent rim and an isotropic core, indicative of multiple events or generations of garnet mineralization. Preliminary geochemical analysis shows garnet composition to be that of grandite, a grossular-andradite solid solution, which are a common occurrence in iron skarns and other ore deposits. Hence, the abundance of garnet can provide insight into: a) the composition


Three 12.5 L upflow anaerobic filter AF reactors, with ceramic saddle, plastic ring, and crushed stone packing, were employed to evaluate the treatment of raw municipal wastewater under a wide range of hydraulic and organic loadings and operating conditions. Emphasis is placed in this paper on column profile sampling, draining, and biomass evaluation studies conducted to ascertain the functioning of the reactors and accumulation of biosolids. The concentration of organics and solids within the AF gradually increased, starting at the low end and progressing to higher elevations. The peak chemical oxygen demand value measured within the reactors was 11,500 mg/L and was noted in the stone-packed unit at 20 cm after 1,009 days, and the stabilization of suspended material was greater in lower column sections. Packing material morphology influenced the removal by draining of entrapped biomass, and the volume of drainage recovered was substantially smaller than available void space. Biosolids retained in the saddle-packed unit after 34 months totaled 33 kg/1,000 m 3 wastewater treated, and no signs of clogging were observed in any of the reactors.


The change from production operational model to capital operating model is a revolutionary leap which our state-owned enterprises have been facing recently. Actually, enterprises usually have to adopt capital operating as a strategic choice when they have reached a certain period and developed into a certain scale. Capital operating enables enterprises to improve their capital structures, absorb outside resources, strip the unhealthy capital off, create new organization and institution so that theyre able to expand and develop with a low cost and high profit. This article, with the help of the thought from system science, analyzes the basic theory of capital operating as well as current situation of capital operating in our state-owned enterprises. It also attempts to put forward the countermeasures our national enterprises should take to develop capital operating.


A method for the analysis of a microwave mixer based on a dual-gate MESFET is presented. The method extends a previously published analysis technique for a single-gate MESFET mixer by treating the circuit as a threeport network. The device is described by a complete mathematical model and the harmonic balance technique is utilised for the large-signal analysis stage. This results in a relatively fast program. The method is demonstrated by applying it to the simulation of a mixer based on a Raytheon transistor RDX832 for which device data was available. The mixer was constructed and its experimentally obtained performance results show good agreement between the simulated and the measured conversion gain values through a wide range of local-oscillator input power.


A natural cosmetic composition comprising a fermented liquid of Opuntia ficus indica and an extract of grape seed is provided to show excellent skin moisturizing, skin elasticity improving and wrinkle inhibitory effects. A natural cosmetic composition comprises 10-80 wt.% of a fermented liquid of Opuntia ficus indica and 0.1-10 wt.% of an extract of grape seed, wherein the fermented liquid is prepared by mixing crushed Opuntia ficus indica with sugar, adding a liquid phase fermenting agent to the mixture, fermenting it at a temperature of 30-45 deg.C for 5-8 days, agitating a fermented material in an agitator with agitating at a temperature of 50-60 deg.C for 2-7 hours to remove alcohol ingredient therefrom and filtering the agitated material and the extract is prepared by extracting washed grape seeds with water in a double boiler at a temperature of 50-60 deg.C for 2-4 days, filtering the extract and ripening the filtrate at a temperature of 1-10 deg.C for 3-7 days.


This is the first successful report on producing the endangered domestic fowl, Kureko Dori (KD), which is a Kumamoto prefectural natural treasure, using germline chimeras transplanted from primordial germ cells (PGCs) in practice. The attempt was made to produce germline chimeras between KD fowl, as a model of rare and/or endangered poultry, and common White Leghorn (WL) for the proliferation of KD individuals. The PGCs of KD were collected from embryonic blood at stages 13 to 16 (H & H) and preserved in liquid nitrogen until injection. A certain number of frozen-thawed PGCs were picked up under a phase contrast microscope, and injected into the peripheral vein of WL embryos (common poultry) at stages 12 to 14. We obtained one male and 6 females as the putative germline chimera, they were raised until sexual maturity, and the progeny test was performed by mating them with KD of the opposite sex to analyze the efficiency of germline chimera. The average rate of offspring originating from transplanted PGCs of KD was only 1.4%, and the maximum was 5.3% from all 577. These KD offspring derived from the KD-WL germline chimeras also achieved fertility as normal. These results show that rare and/or endangered birds can proliferate through producing germline chimeras between the same species of bird.