Martial arts groups in Timor-Leste have a nationwide reach and have offered a resource of physical and social engagement for youth and adults for several decades. Yet, their involvement in crime, politics, and violent clashes, and their notorious reputation as troublemakers posing a threat to security and peace, have caused the government to permanently ban three major groups. Based on intensive fieldwork and qualitative interviews with members and leaders of illegalized groups, this analysis explains why the young democracy's decision is not contributing to building peace. The three main findings from the interviews are that root causes of violence are not addressed by the ban, criminalization draws more people into illegality, and the positive aspects of these groups, which could potentially contribute to peace, are neglected.


For the second consecutive year, AGU is holding its annual Student T-Shirt Design and Student Video competitions. The two contests, running simultaneously, offer AGU student members a chance to express their creative side. The winners will receive free registration for the 2013 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.


A story was told in antiquity that when Attila the Hun captured Milan in 452, he noticed a painting – perhaps decorating a public building – that showed the eastern and western Roman emperors on golden thrones with steppe nomads lying dead at their feet. The infuriated Hun king immediately summoned an artist to render a counterimage: in the new painting he would be the man on the throne while servile Roman emperors poured gold coins before him from leather money bags. In a triumphant mood, Attila was rejecting old stereotypes of nomad inferiority and boasting of the enormous treasure he had extorted from the Roman government. Attila's painting, if it ever existed, would have been a scandalous outrage to a Roman viewer, and that is precisely what the Roman writer who described this episode wanted to convey. He meant to shock his readers with an intimation of a world in which Roman claims of universal victory were successfully challenged and mocked by an uncivilized Hun. Attila and the Huns left a deep stamp on European history. From 434 until his death in 453, the "Scourge of God" controlled a vast domain in central Europe and the western Eurasian steppe, from which the Huns had entered the European consciousness nearly a century


Theory of geomagnetic electron trapping is discussed followed by summary of Argus Organizations. Data from satellite observations are tabulated and information from optical, radio, and magnetic observations are included. The information gained by the experiment is a basis of better understanding of natural trapping in the Van Allen radiation regions, and related phenomena such as the aurora. (J.R.D.)


Background: Anthropometry is of substantial interest to the public health professionals, dieticians, scientists and policy makers. It has long been well established that the use of anthropometry is an efficient indicator of nutritional status. Objective: To assess nutritional status of three ethnic communities in hilly area was our ultimate goal. Methodology: This was a cross sectional observational study. Non probability convenient sampling technique was used to collect data. Pretested structured questionnaire was used to take


One of the outgrowths of the current focus on improving education in the United States is the press for increased accountability. For students, this most often translates into pressure to perform well on high-stakes standardized assessments. However, there is also a significant call for increased accountability among school personnel, in particular teachers. This has served to focus greater attention on issues of professional development, especially on the role of administrators in both fostering good instructional practices and dealing appropriately with poor teaching practice. But what is "good teaching"? What are the best ways to evaluate teaching? How does an administrator deal effectively with inadequate teaching? Among other factors that complicate this issue, schools are often relatively small, closed communities; teachers are at different levels of professional experience and expertise; the willingness of teachers to examine and perhaps modify their teaching practices is variable; teachers and administrators often have significant competing demands for time and attention; and many feel that the evaluative process is punitive, not connected to real teaching concerns, or done to comply with requirements. What tools does an administrator have to address these issues? Evaluating Teachers for Professional Growth, by D. R. Beerens is timely in that it's purpose is to address these issues—specifically "... to explore the past issues of evaluationandsupervision, to lookat thebest current thinkingabout teachermotivation and growth, and then to suggest a practical and sound approach for staff development and professional development" (pp. xii–xiii). The book is organized into two parts (12 chapters). In Part 1 (chapters 1–5), a general overview of the broad issues related to teaching, supervision, and professional development is presented, inJOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS PLACED AT RISK, 6(4), 437–439 Copyright © 2001, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.


Loyalty discounts, offered to customers that meet purchase thresholds, can shift share from rival firms. In a differentiated product duopoly, only one firm employs a program that customers adopt in equilibrium. Whenever consumers strongly prefer the product of said firm, such discounts increase producer surplus. When a firm requires customers to meet thresholds in multiple rivalrous markets, the loyalty discount and consumer surplus may fall. Finally, when a branded product monopolist faces competition for an unrelated generic product, the monopolist raises the branded spot price, and offers a discount to customers that purchase generic product only from the monopolist.


Abstract : Most aptitude scales adopt a Forced Choice response format in which answers are scored as either correct or incorrect. Such a scoring procedure is consistent with the nature of the knowledge underlying these aptitude scales because the relevant knowledge domains can usually be used to either support or contradict a specific supposition. Assessing performance with tacit knowledge scales that lack an academic knowledge base often requires the opinions of subject matter experts and responses cannot always be unambiguously scored. Data indicate that an improvement in the reliability of a Tacit Knowledge Scale could be realized by substituting a Likert response format in place of a traditional Forced Choice format; this finding demonstrates the power of the Likert response format to measure individual differences in an uncertain knowledge domain. This research was conducted in support of the development and validation of a Social Intelligence scale.


The method of continuous casting of steel is now often used in the metallurgical industry, due to the increasing demand for the production of high – quality steel. An important device of continuous casting machine is the tundish, in which a stabilized steel flow has a crucial effect on the quality and efficiency conditions of the continuous casting process. In this study fluid flows in a six – strand tundish for billet continuous casting were performed with mathematical simulation methods. The molten steel flow and velocity fields in the tundish with a turbulence inhibitor, without it and with turbulence inhibitor plus weir in different distance from center were numerically calculated. Simulation results showed that the tundish with turbulence inhibitor and weir in 300 mm distance from center has a significant effect on the flow fields of the tundish. Also the results showed inclusion removal increases by producing a uniform flow field with re-circulatory zone away from the nozzles. It can be seen that circulation region is produced in the all tundish models. However, in case of using tundish without turbo stop, it increased in comparison to others.


A MALGAM is by long odds our most important filling material. Brekhus,' observing fillings in 422,952 teeth in 1929, found nearly 70 per cent of them to be amalgam, and only 10 per cent of them needed replacing. This was the lowest percentage failure of any of the types of fillings observed. A survey made for a manufacturer two years ago revealed that about 80 per cent of all fillings were amalgam.2 Little change has occurred in at least three popular alloys in the last twenty years (Table I). These are the results of tests made on alloys in the years indicated. The most significant change noted over this period in about twenty certified alloys is that the directions for use which came with the alloys in 1952 cautioned against moisture contamination. Probably, it is easier to add this caution in the directions than to improve metallurgic procedures to produce good zinc-free alloys. The porous unetched surface of an amalgam filling magnified 100 times is shown in Fig. 1. The porosity is probably due to pools of free mercury trapped during the packing and leaving voids after the chemical reaction was complete. The structure and density of this filling appear to leave much to be desired, most of which could be accomplished by the removal of more mercury. The appearance of this filling is not much worse, if any, than most amalgam fillings. It was rendering good service and had been for a long time, as were others analyzed for mercury content (Table II). Mercury content varied from 59 to 45.2 per cent, with only one filling below 49 per cent. Any dentist, using an alloy which would pass American Dental Association specifications for amalgam, would have great difficulty in condensing a filling so well that he would have less than 47 per cent mercury. Therefore, No. 2 probably was an alloy high in tin. Souder3 reported on two fillings of long service, having 51.6 and 52.9 per cent mercury. Phillips4 reported on 100 fillings selected at random, and found that the Hg content varied from 28.6 to 61.0 per cent, with an average of 45.4 per cent. Ward and Scott,5 working with alloys which met the American Dental Association specifications, obtained 47.47 per cent Hg with their heaviest packing pressure and 59.89 per cent Hg when amalgam was jarred into mold. Our results using an alloy which meets American Dental Association specifications are shown in Table III. They agree with those of Ward and Scott very closely. On the basis of these data, it would appear that there was some other reason than manipulation responsible for the low Hg content in Phillips' 100 fillings.


Sooty blotch and flyspeck are the two economically important diseases of apple that downgrade the fruits to an unmarketable extent, even just prior to harvest. Calcium hypochlorite (5%), calcium chloride (4%), sodium hypochlorite (3%) along with borax (1%), sodium hypochlorite (3%) with sodium bicarbonate (1%) and controls with and without treatment with water were evaluated as postharvest dips followed by rubbing and coating or non-coating. Wax Shool (1:1) and disinfectant Virosil-Agro (2.5%) were used as test coating materials. Calcium hypochlorite and calcium chloride treated fruits achieved maximum colour scores of 3.12 and 3.02 % compared to 1.89 and 1.57 scores awarded to water dip and no dip treatments, respectively. Coatings also increased the colour score from 2.19 recorded in uncoated fruits to 2.55 in Virosil-Agro and upto a maximum of 2.79 in Wax-Shool coated treatment. With regard to texture, calcium hypochlorite treatment was awarded maximum firmness score of 2.96 compared to 2.58 to 2.85 values scored for rest of the test chemicals. Furthermore maximum firmness score of 2.79 was awarded to Wax-Shool and 2.45 Virosil-Agro treated fruits compared to a value of 2.11 for uncoated fruits.


Scott Southern and David Bryce answered: To date we have only investigated the crystalline materials described in our paper. More generally, amorphous materials give broader NMR peaks than do crystalline materials. With regards to resolving different peaks, yes, as noted in our paper, in one case (compound 1) multiple spinning rates were required to clearly identify the presence of an impurity phase.


Modern trends in Raman based cytopathology and pathological tissue diagnostics providing sensitive and selective tools to potentially complement established clinical pathological diagnostic methods and therefore to solve challenges currently faced by clinical pathology are presented.


The importance of clinical lameness in dairy cows is receiving increasing recognition. In addition to treatment and prevention costs, culling, milk production, and reproduction losses may occur due to lameness. The moral cost of animal suffering during severe lameness episodes must also be considered. Despite this, recommended management practices for the purpose of lameness prevention at the cow and herd level are often based upon trial and error rather than sound research-based knowledge of causal mechanisms of lameness. This has been due in part to the sparcity of lameness research in cattle. In addition, much of the available literature on lameness has been based upon a subjective diagnosis of lameness without a standard case definition, and often using multiple observers (producers) leading to difficulty in interpretation. The result has been a scarcity of useful information for veterinarians and producers.
The objective of this study included evaluation of within herd risk factors (bodyweight, body condition score, dorsal claw angles, visible and palpable limb lesions, and antibody to Borrelia burgdorferi) and between herd risk factors (housing, flooring, dietary, and management practice) for clinical lameness in lactating dairy cows.


PI Control of Gene Expression in Tumorous Cell Lines. (May 2009) Rouella Joan Mendonca, B.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Aniruddha Datta Recent experiments are bringing to the fore more and more information about the effects of different treatments on the gene expression of different genes. The results obtained from these experiments show that some definite trends are observed in different genes in the Human Embryonic Kidney and Human Colon Adenocarcinoma Grade II cell lines. The difference in the gene expressions of the two cell lines motivates the problem in this thesis. The thesis provided intervention methods to make the colon cancer cell line genes behave more like their Human Embryonic Kidney cell line counterparts. Two methods of intervention were introduced. The first method was the simpler on-off control intervention while the second method used a more advanced proportional integral control to meet the goal. A comparison of these two intervention methods showed the clear implementational advantages of proportional integral control over on-off control.


After several decades of research on the subject, we now know when the first livestock reached southern Africa but the question of how they got there remains a contentious topic. Debate centres on whether they were brought with a large migration of Khoe-speakers who originated from East Africa; or whether the livestock were traded down-the-line among hunter-gatherer communities; or indeed whether there was a long history of diverse small scale population movements in this part of the world, one or more of which 'infiltrated' livestock into southern Africa. A new analysis of the distribution of stone toolkits from a sizeable sample of sub-equatorial African Later Stone Age sites, coupled with existing knowledge of the distribution of the earliest livestock remains and ceramics vessels, has allowed us to isolate two separate infiltration events that brought the first livestock into southern Africa just over 2000 years ago; one infiltration was along the Atlantic seaboard and another entered the middle reaches of the Limpopo River Basin. These findings agree well with the latest results of genetic research which together indicate that multiple, small-scale infiltrations probably were responsible for bringing the first livestock into southern Africa.


ABSTRACT Development of Internet technology today is very rapid, as eliminating distance, space and time. We can connect with the world community wherever and whenever to find and share information and ideas. With so many social networking we will be able to quickly and easily establish networks and contacts. Besides, social media also brings a lot of new impact in the development of our lives, especially in the development of children and adolescents, both negative and positive impacts. The users of social networking is mostly among children and adolescents who still need parental supervision in its use. Social media has a positive impact and advantages in the development of science and technology for example facilitate the communication, search and access information, develop relationships, add friends and so forth, but on the other hand social media also has negative impacts on the children and adolescents like change of attitude shown after they are addicted to social networks such they become lazy because too preoccupied with their social networks, they also forget their obligations as students. Keywords: Social Network, Social Media, Internet, adolescents


The present invention provides an image forming apparatus main body for forming an image on a recording medium using consumable items removably attached thereto by at least two operation modes. The image forming apparatus main body comprises a communicating unit that communicates with a consumable item which retains switching information to change the operation mode of the image forming apparatusmain body and a controller that switches among the operation modes according to the switching information retained in the consumable item when the consumable item is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and restores the previous operation mode before switching when a predetermined validity condition has fulfilled.


Lakes provide valuable ecosystem services such as food, drinking water, and recreation, but shoreline development can degrade riparian habitats and lake ecosystems. Easement contracts for specific property rights can encourage conservation practices for enhanced water quality, fish habitat, and wildlife habitat, yet little is known about the easement market. We surveyed inland lake shoreline property owners in Michigan to assess supply of two conservation easements (in riparian and in littoral zones) and identified property and property owner characteristics influencing potential enrollment. Respondents were significantly less likely to enroll in littoral easements if they indicated there was social pressure for manicured lawns and more likely to enroll if they had more formal education, shoreline frontage, naturally occurring riparian plants, ecological knowledge, or if the lake shoreline was more developed. Enrollment in easements in the riparian zone was significantly less likely if property owners indicated social pressure for manicured lawns, but more likely if they had more formal education, naturally occurring riparian plants, or shoreline frontage. When payments were low (<$1,000 yr−1), marginal gains in enrollment were relatively high. Some respondents may enroll in littoral (29.8% ± 2.2; mean ± SE) and riparian (24.4% ± 2.1) easements even without payment. Estimated mean willingness to accept values were $1,365 yr−1 (littoral) and $7,298 yr−1 (riparian). Targeting high‐probability property owners with large shoreline frontages, more formal education, and high riparian plant coverages and conducting education to increase ecological knowledge and change social norms could increase conservation outcomes for water quality and habitat.


Wawrzyncowe Hudy is a folk custom associated with bonfires. It is performed in the southwestern part of the Beskid Żywiecki mountain region of Poland. The custom's name is associated with St. Wawrzyniec, the patron saint of a local parish. The core of the ceremony consists of setting a "huda" structure on fire. A huda is an appropriately built and decorated wooden bonfire, around which dances and chanting are held. The meaning of the core custom includes several elements common in the Beskid highlander's ceremonial customs, such as an assurance of agricultural abundance, strengthening of the Sun's benevolent power, as well as the preservation of one's farm from all types of evil forces. The paper describes two most probable hypotheses concerning the origin of the Wawrzyncowe Hudy custom. The first hypothesis states that this custom had evolved from a magical rite that was believed to repel plague and other disasters that had visited the study area in the past. The link between this custom and St. Wawrzyniec, as an element of the Christianization of local communities, has become the basis for the annual performance of this particular ritual. The second hypothesis presumes the existence of a shepherd's or agricultural holiday held in the middle of summer, which was probably linked with the culmination of some part of work in agricultural fields or grasslands. For this holiday, common magical rites were combined with agriculture. Later, the custom was moved to the feast of the local patron saint.


Quest for enduring ethnic harmony in any society, is a desire of all rational human beings. It cannot be left to politicians, clergy and peace activists. It concerns scholars too. What drives hitherto peaceful neighbors to outbursts of bloodletting in Kenya is yet to be fully explored by researchers. I argue in this paper that this limitation is partly caused by rigid disciplinary boundaries and paucity in multi-disciplinary theoretical and methodological engagement. Using oral history as a springboard, I reflect on the selected cases of politically instigated ethnic violence in Kenya, especially in periods before or just after the elections. I deduce from my analysis that learning from our oral history that is replete with powerful messages of inter-ethnic friendship, interdependence, tolerance and understanding can help stop the tide of politically driven ethnic stereotyping, hate and violence that characterize Kenya's social, political and economic landscape.


OBJECTIVE
To study the taxonomy of Caprifoliaceae.

METHOD
Using chemotaxonomical methods to discuss the distribution characteristics of chemical constituents in Caprifoliaceae family.

RESULTS
Iridoids and flavonoids were confirmed as the characteristic constituents of Caprifoliaceae family.

CONCLUSION
Though there are great deviations among the genera of Caprifoliaceae family, it is not recommended to separate genus Sambucus and genus Viburnum from Caprifoliaceae family.


Ferrocene derivatives with one or two glycidyl substituents, desired for the formation of polymeric ferrocene compounds, were synthesized by the epoxidation of chlorohydrin compounds obtained from the products of the addition of ferrocenyllithium to epichlorohydrin at −40–−78°C. In the course of this synthesis, mono- and di-chlorohydrin compound and a disubstituted ferrocene with a 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl and a glycidyl substituent were isolated. All of them are stable liquid compounds. The investigation of the relationship between the reaction conditions and the yield of glycidylferrocenes revealed that the larger molar ratio of each reactant to ferrocene at each reaction step causes a higher conversion into glycidylferrocenes. In the epoxidation reaction of chlorohydrins with caustic alkali, a small amount of ethers, formed by the reaction of epoxides and the solvent ethanol, was obtained under some reaction conditions. In all cases, a small amount of biferrocenyl was isolated; the formation of this co...


For Kant, the moral duty is determined universally, that is, on account of its form, in the moral norm. However the moral norm is opposed to particularity, determined by what is not the norm itself, hence being the origin of singularity. The singularized norm is opposed, from experience, by its negation in individual cases. To assume Kant demands the reconciliation of the singular, manifested incases, with the universal. This article deals with this question, demonstrating, above all, the practical difficulties linked to the moral experience in its totality.


This research was conducted by survey method in which the population is all customers who make transactions at the Bank of NTT Kupang Main Branch. The number of samples used was 100 people taken with a non-probability sampling method, using accidental sampling technique. Data were collected using a questionnaire and processed by multiple regression analysis. The results showed that simultaneous deposit rates, transfer services, ATM services and payment services significantly influence the interest in saving at the Bank of NTT Kupang Main Branch. Partially the transfer service and payment service variables have a positive and significant influence on saving interest in the Bank of NTT Kupang Main Branch. Whereas variable interest rates on deposits and ATM facilities have also been shown to have a significant influence on saving interest, but in a negative direction (in the opposite direction), where when deposit rates increase and better ATM facilities actually reduce the level of interest in saving at Bank NTT Main


SINCE the Second World War the chronology of the Egyptian New Kingdom has been subjected to a good deal of intensive study. To the important contributions of Rowton,1 Parker,2 Helck,3 Cornelius,4 Edel,5 and Hayes6 must now be added the latest work of E. Hornung on the chronology and history of the New Kingdom.7 Hornung's is a thoroughgoing investigation which utilizes the latest Egyptological, Assyriological, and chronological results from studies in a wide range of disciplines. With his major results the present writer is in complete agreement. Thus it seems to me that Hornung is right in dating the accession of Thutmose III and Ramses II to 1490 and 1290 respectively, that he is correct in allotting to Thutmose II ten years, that he has solved (in favor of Thebes) the old problem of whether the observations which the Ebers Calendar presupposes were made in the Thebaid or the Delta, and that his rejection of the much-discussed Amenhotpe III-Akhenaten coregency is sound. The present article represents the results of the writer's study of the chronology of the Eighteenth Dynasty undertaken some time ago but unfortunately delayed in publication. The results are in substantial agreement with those of Hornung, but from Amenhotpe III on there is some divergence. Starting from the datum of the Ebers Calendar Hornung establishes a maximum and minimum chronology for the Eighteenth Dynasty which he attempts to refine by recourse to the chronology of contemporary Western Asia. In contrast the present writer endeavors to establish a relative chronology and fix it by means of the accession year of Ramses II, appealing to the Ebers Calendar only for substantiation of the end result.


: Benign migratory glossitis (BMG) or geographic tongue is a benign condition in which asymptomatic smooth erythematous patches appear on the dorsum of the tongue. The condition usually is discovered on routine clinical examination. This ulcer like lesion may recur at different sites on the tongue, creating a migratory appearance and mostly resolves completely. This article presents a case of BMG, in a two-year-old childwith mild symptoms and nutritional deficiency. factors do not participate in the multifactorial aetiology of 5 geographic tongue.


Objective(s): Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as an opportunistic pathogen, is known to cause nosocomial infections among patients suffering from burn injuries and also cystic fibrosis patients. The objective of our research was to develop a novel vaccine against P. aeruginosa. Materials and Methods: A recombinant P. aeruginosa subunit vaccine based on the outer membrane proteins, including the OprF-OprI region and its major protein in the type III secretion system, PopB (called FIB protein) was formulated. To induce a robust immune response, our preferred regions were conjugated to a carrier protein, GMCSF (Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor). FIB protein's immunogenicity with and without adjuvant was evaluated in vaccinated rats and also burned rat models, which were subcutaneously challenged by the PAO1 strain of P. aeruginosa. Results: Antibody levels were increased in sera of rats in this study. Assessment of the resident memory CD4+ T cells in splenocytes from vaccinated rats demonstrated that the FIB conjugated with GMCSF could cause higher responses in comparison with other groups. Moreover, immunization with the FIB plus adjuvant protein could improve interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production, interleukin 17A (IL-17A), and IL-4, contributing to elicit humoral and cellular immune responses and decreased post-infection bacterial loads after PA challenge, pathology, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Conclusion: These observations demonstrated that FIB conjugated with GMCSF can be a putative vaccine candidate against P. aeruginosa in burnt rat models.


The complex Fe2(dtg)(CO)6 reacts with CHCl3 in the presence of EtOH to give products with olefins which show that dichlorocarbene has been added across the C–C double bond and/or inserted in C–H bonds.


The structure and context of 20 vocalizations given by adult or juvenile sandhill cranes (Grns canadensis) are described. Purr calls were given under various circumstances (e.g., pre-flight, feeding, aggression) and communicated information over a short distance. Flight calls, guard calls, and urtison calls were full-voiced calls that carried information over greater distances. Calls given in flight were distinguishable from other calls. Guard calls were given in several different circumstances and served multiple functions; other calls were given in very specific contexts. Beyond the basic communication of information to other cranes, vocalizations may function in mate selection and in synchronizing physiological condition of pair members. PROC. NORTH AM. CRANE WORKSHOP 7:29·35


Objectives: To assess whether visible angiographic complication is related to outcome in patients with elevated creatine phosphokinase (CK‐MB) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background: Elevated biomarkers following PCI are associated with increased incidence of adverse events but the absolute risk of such events is low. A more specific marker of risk is needed. Methods: Consecutive patients with elevated post‐PCI CK‐MB were divided into two groups according to presence (n = 115, 43%) or absence (n = 150, 57%) of an angiographic complication. A control group (n = 250) was randomly chosen from 2,403 patients undergoing PCI during the same period without CK‐MB elevation. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were assessed at 30 days and 1 year. Results: Patients with an identifiable angiographic complication and elevated postprocedural CK‐MB had significantly worse outcomes at 30 days and 1 year compared with biomarker positive patients without an identifiable complication and control patients (30 day MACE rate: 8% vs 0% vs 0.4%, respectively, p < 0.001; 1 year MACE rate: 26% vs 11% vs 11%, respectively, p = 0.002, all p‐values for angiographic complication vs no angiographic complication and for angiographic complication vs control). Biomarker positive patients without identifiable angiographic complication had an excellent short and long term outcome, which was no different from biomarker negative patients (1 year MACE rate: 11% vs 11%, p = 0.53). Conclusion: Post‐PCI patients without visible angiographic complications have an excellent short and long term outcome. These findings call into question the need for routine CK‐MB monitoring after PCI in the absence of clinical symptoms or angiographic complication. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


We report a patient with a ranula extending into the parapharyngeal space. A 21-year-old male visited our clinic with complaints of right submandibular swelling for three months. Several tests including MRI were performed that led to the diagnosis of the ranula. Resection of the right sublingual gland was performed, which satisfactorily treated the cyst. We think the best treatment of a ranula is to resect the sublingual gland.


From a literature review is presented in easy and summary form the ORCID system (system of author identification and scientific research): Concept, chronological development, function and mechanism of obtaining personal code ORCID.


In this paper, K-ary almost instantaneous fixed-to-variable-length (AIFV) codes are proposed for K ≥ 3, and it is shown that the K-ary AIFV codes using K - 1 code trees can attain better compression than K-ary Huffman codes for stationary memoryless sources. Furthermore, it is also shown that binary relaxed AIFV codes with two code trees can beat binary Huffman codes.


In an attempt to establish drug free work environments, an increasing number of public and private organizations are using some form of drug test. The most common method is urinalysis. However, in recent years, the chemical analysis of hair samples has emerged as an alternative. Hair analysis is more effective than urinalysis in identifying long-term drug use, and is less intrusive than the testing of bodily fluids. But there are disadvantages associated with hair testing: it is expensive, and cannot detect immediate impairment from drug use or recent drug use. Nor do researchers know whether environmental exposure to drugs will affect hair analysis tests. Only five percent of Fortune 500 companies and less than one percent of state governments currently allow the use of hair analysis to screen for drugs.


Zn2SiO4 ceramics with different Zn/Si ratios prepared by sol-gel method were investigated.The formation method of sol-gel depended mainly on the hydrolyzation and polyreaction of ethyl orthosilicate according to the infrared spectrum.The sintering temperature increased as Zn/Si ratio increased from 1.6 to 2.0.The XRD results confirmed that when Zn/Si was less than 1.9,the main crystalline phase was Zn2SiO4 accompanied with minor phase of SiO2.When Zn/Si ratio was not less than 1.9,the phase of ZnO appeared.As Zn/Si ratio increased from 1.6 to 2.0,the dielectric constant increased from 5.8 to 6.8,whereas the quality factor increased and then decreased.When Zn/Si ratio was chosen as 1.8,the ceramics exhibited a high quality factor of 123000,and a low dielectric constant of 6.5.


The sequential chemical transformations of a chiral nickel(II) complex Ni-BPB-D-Ala affords new derivatives of fluoroglutamic acid that can be used as radiotracers in positron emission tomography.


Abstract : Low intensity microwave fields alter normal responses, both autonomic and behavioral, that regulate the body temperature. Using the squirrel monkey as an animal model, we have quantified the minimal intensity of 2450 MHz CW microwaves that will lower metabolic heat production in the cold, initiate thermoregulatory sweating in the heat, alter peripheral vasomotor tone in thermoneutral environments, and stimulate a behaving animal to select a cooler environment. The threshold intensities for all responses were remarkably similar (4-8 mW/cu cm), representing 15-20% of the monkey's resting metabolic rate. This finding suggests a common thermal basis for the response changes. Autonomic responses that generate or dissipate body heat showed some adaptation during prolonged microwave exposure whereas behaviroal thermoregulatory responses persisted unchanged as long as the microwave field was present. Partial body microwave exposure produced appropriate adjustments in thermoregulatory responses to a degree nominally proportional to the fraction of the body so exposed. In general, whether the environment is cold or warm, endotherms detect and respond immediately to low intensity microwave fields as they do to other environmental thermal stimuli with the result that internal body temperature is regulated with precision at the normal level. (Author)


Abstract Statistical analysis in competitive sport is an important tool for developing strategy and seeking competitive advantages. However, for complex team sports such as Australian Rules Football, major limitations occur when using possession event data for game analysis. First, focusing on counting possession events does not capture the impact of off-the-ball actions such as ground positioning of other players. Second, it is difficult to determine the extent that an event is due to either team's relative proficiency or skill. Third, there is limited possession event data available from each match and modelling efforts often have low statistical power. Here we reinterpret event data into positional systems and utilise pairwise performance metrics to understand the relative team proficiency in each of these states. These metrics can then be used to construct transition probabilities between states for future games, and ultimately, absorbing probabilities of goal states. Our approach effectively predicts match outcomes using team ratings for forward, midfield and defensive systems and is sufficiently interpretable to support strategic decision-making by coaching departments in the Australian Football League (AFL).


1. The cerebellar nuclei of birds comprise the nuclei medialis, interpositus and lateralis which form single masses respectively and never divide into subnuclei.2. These three nuclei show conspicuous mutual confluence.3. A frank confluence is also observed between the cerebellar nuclei and the nucleus vestibularis. In birds, the nucleus lateralis also comes into the confluence, which was not observed in mammals.4. The estimated ratio of the total area of the maximum cross-sections of the cerebellar nuclei to the area of the maximum cross-section of the cerebellar hemisphere is larger than in mammals other than the monotremata, to which they show similarity in this respect.5. In function, the nuclei lateralis, interpositus and medialis in birds seem to play the part of the nuclei interpositus anterior, interpositus posterior and medialis respectively in the main, and to be concerned with the function of keeping equilibrium, all of them.


Host‐targeting antivirals (HTAs) have received increasing attention for their potential as broad‐spectrum antivirals that pose relatively low risk of developing drug resistance. The repurposing of pharmaceutical drugs for use as antivirals is emerging as a cost‐ and time‐ efficient approach to developing HTAs for the treatment of a variety of viral infections. In this study, we used a virus titer method to screen 30 small molecules for antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus‐1 (HSV‐1). We found that the small molecule RAF265, an anticancer drug that has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of B‐RAF V600E, reduced viral loads of HSV‐1 by 4 orders of magnitude in Vero cells and reduced virus proliferation in vivo. RAF265 mediated cytoskeleton rearrangement and targeted the host cell's translation machinery, which suggests that the antiviral activity of RAF265 may be attributed to a dual inhibition strategy. This study offers a starting point for further advances toward clinical development of antivirals against HSV‐1.


Background: Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) is limited by insufficient ultrasound penetration through the temporal bone. Recent studies have revealed poor temporal bone windows in 5~30% of patients. In about 38% of the patients with poor temporal bone windows, a temporal window was unilaterally absent. The aim of the present study was to compare the mean flow velocities (MFV) of the middle cerebral arteries (MCA) obtained through the ipsilateral temporal bone window with thos e obtained through the contralateral one using M-mode TCD. Methods: Eighteen patients (mean age, 28 y; age range, 21~40 y) who had adequate bilateral temporal bone windows were enrolled and 36 MCAs were investigated. The investigators tried to detect the MCA through the ipsilateral and contralateral temporal windows with two 2-MHz probes simultaneously (ipsilateral insonation and contralateral one, respectively). Results: The MCA MFV measured by ipsilateral insonation was 72.58±9.78 cm/sec and that demonstrated by contralateral insonation was 70.94± 9.79 cm/sec. Even though the differences between MFVs by either side insonation was 2.25~3.94% (0~13.11%) and had significant difference statistically, those were within side-to-side limit of 30% generally considered as abnormal. The mean bitempo ral diameter (BTD) was 130.72±3.75 cm (126~142 cm). We obtained similar waveforms in the reverse direction to those of ipsilateral insonation at 95.33± 5.19 mm of depths (72.97±4.23% of BTD) during contralateral insonation. Conclusions: The demonstration of the MCA through the contralateral insonation provides an opportunity to obtain significant mean flow velocities in patients with absent or insufficient temporal bone window unilaterally. J Korean Neurol Assoc 23(2):172-175, 2005


Afzelia bella Harms (Fabaceae), a plant widely distributed in Africa, is used in traditional medicine for varied disease conditions including the treatment of topical skin infections. The present study investigated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the methanol extract and various solvent fractions of the leaves of the plant. The methanol leaf extract was partitioned to yield petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and residual aqueous fractions. Total phenol and flavonoid contents, radical scavenging activity and ferric reduction antioxidant power (FRAP) were determined by spectrophotometry, while antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract and fractions were determined using agar-well diffusion and agar dilution methods, respectively against clinical bacterial isolates of Bacillus subtilis, Escherishia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and fungi, Aspergillus flavus, Candida parapsilosis, Microsporium audiounii. Bacillus subtilis was the most susceptible among the bacterial strains tested, while Microsporium audiounii was the most susceptible fungus. The alcoholic extract and all solvent fractions demonstrated a concentration dependent antimicrobial activity with inhibition zone diameter range of 7.5 to 35.0 mm. MIC ranged from 0.1 - 8 mg/ml and activity was highest in ethyl acetate fraction with MIC of 0.1 mg/ml. FRAP ranged from 0.161 - 0.319 mmol Fe2+/g extract and was highest in the ethyl acetate fraction. These results give an indication that A. bella leaf has high antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and support the folkloric claim of the therapeutic potential of the plant.
Keywords: antioxidant, antimicrobial, ethnomedicine, Afzelia bella, Fabaceae


Objective To evaluate the effect of two preservation medium and different time on the activity of the periodontal ligament cells(PDLCs) of dislocated teeth.Methods A total of 130 first and second premolars extracted by orthodontic treatment were placed in different preservation medium and 10 teeth in each group.The medium included milk,normal saline and the controls.The PDLCs that were counted as soon as the teeth were dislocated were used as the positive control,whereas the PDLCs that were counted after the dislocated teeth dried were used as the negative control.The active periodontal ligament cells were detected at different time and compared with those in control group.Results There were no significant differences among milk,normal saline and the positive control group(P0.05).Significant differences were found between positive control group,milk,normal saline and negative group(P0.01).Conclusion The milk and normal saline can be used as preservation medium for the storage of dislocated teeth for 2 hours at the longest in this study.


The discovery of monumental sculptures of human-headed winged lions and bulls in the area of Mosul (today northern Iraq) around 1843 ce marks the beginning of the investigations of ancient Mesopotamia. The names of the Assyrian cities were known from a few Greek and Roman travelers and from references in the Old Testament. Nimrod, Aššur, and Nineveh stood for condemnable life, hubris, megalomania, and cruelty – features that seemed to be corroborated by the colossal beasts and the endless scenes of warfare on the stone panels, the vast palaces, which they decorated, and the incredibly large cities. Today, although systematic archaeological research and the decipherment of tens of thousands of cuneiform texts provides more and more detailed information about the Assyrian Empire, it is still a challenge to define the characteristics of Assyrian cities and how people lived in them.


iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Professor Yogendra Joshi, for his support and guidance during my doctoral studies. I am grateful for his insight and career advice, but most of all his confidence in me. I would also like to express my appreciation to my committee members for their valuable suggestions and commitment to this dissertation. I am thankful for all my current and former colleagues for the valuable, or otherwise interesting, discussions we have had concerning this and many other research topics. I wish to thank all my family and friends who have supported me along the way and above all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my loving wife Allison for all her encouragement.


In their rich and articulate review of genetic studies into schizophrenia (1, 2), Portin and Alanen omit the role of conditions leading to perinatal complications as risk factors for schizophrenia. In their review of recent literature on the topic the authors rightly indicate the limitations of hypotheses which assign the origins of schizophrenia to genetic causes alone. The greater probability of schizophrenia appearing in the sons of a schizophrenic mother than in those of a schizophrenic father is interesting. It would appear that there is a specific factor which represents a risk of transmission of the disorder from mother to child. As indicated by the authors in the conclusion of their article (2), schizophrenia may in reality be a heterogeneous group of diseases sharing the same behavioural symptomatology as a result of brain damage caused by varied factors. It is well known that damage during development in the uterus, brought about by events such as infections, high toxin levels, maternal stress or, in particular, by hypoxia, often results in predisposition to brain damage in the neonate (3). The majority of obstetric complications are due to hypoxia, which can cause occasionally widespread, but more usually isolated, lesions. In many cases the outcome is death. Under other circumstances the consequence may be neurological damage, which may be manifested precociously as palsy, mental retardation or epilepsy, but can also manifest itself later in the form of isolated motor difficulties (4-6). A growing body of studies also indicates that risk of schizophrenia is a late consequence of obstetric complications (7-9). The well-known seasonal birth distribution of schizophrenia (10) suggested even in the past that some factor acting in the perinatal period should constitute a specific schizophrenia risk. Birth prevalence in the winter months suggested a role for viral infections, in particular the flu epidemic (ll), but accurate studies have established that the contribution of viral infections to the genesis of schizophrenia is a minor one (12). However, it is possible that a particular susceptibility on the part of the mother to viral infections, and a proneness to autoimmune reactions to viral infections, could both create a risk of brain damage for the fetus. This abnormal susceptibility could be under genetic control (like the whole immune system). Similarly, a tight pelvis (or other anatomical or metabolic conditions under genetic control which expose the fetus to hypoxia) could act as a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia. Findings in medical conditions such as diabetes and atopic disease also suggest that some genes exert their effect through an influence on susceptibility to environmental factors. Such a relationship between anatomical or metabolic risk under genetic control, brain damage in the fetus and the subsequent development of schizophrenia may explain the conflicting results obtained in genetic studies of schizophrenia. Although the anatomical or metabolic factor under genetic control is transmitted from parent to child, only those children who suffer brain damage, whether as a result of viral, autoimmune or hypoxic events during the perinatal epoca, may develop schizophrenia if they survive the cerebral damage. Where there is equal exposure to risk, as in the case of twins, one twin may actually be more at risk monozygotic identical twins, to a greater extent than dizygotic twins, should exhibit similar reactions to harmful stimuli. The higher level of transmission from mother to child compared to that from father to child could be explained in this way. In the case of father-child transmission the risk is due to the incompatibility of surface antigens (Rh) or to susceptibility to infection, while in the case of mother-child transmission anatomical conditions and inappropriate behaviour during pregnancy also play a role. A hypothesis that explains the persistence of schizophrenia, despite lower marriage and fertility rates among affected individuals and higher precocious mortality rates for sufferers of the disorder, suggests that some advantage must accompany the illness (13). This adaptive advantage could consist in precisely such an increased likelihood of survival in the case of perinatal problems, but is accompanied by a higher incidence of persistent (although slight or at least more easily prescribed) brain


Joseph Kosuth's "One and Three Chairs" is considered the materialization of his 1969 essay "Art after Philosophy", where he defined Conceptual Art, in which Meaning relied solely in its authors mind, expressed through a tireless repetition. Although this kind of reiteration could become means for an understanding, the fact that no effort was made (so to speak) in explaining one's personal views, deprived the observer of the needed resources for its interpretation. Here lies a dilemma where Conceptual Art can be criticised, since, if an artist can hide behind the observer's lack of understanding, he can, in fact, propose something that, also for him, is devoid of meaning. This is why Kosuth's work may consist not in the materialization of Conceptual Art itself, but in the defence that at the foundation of an artist's work there must be strong ethical values, manifested precisely through a correlation between Sign, Signifier and Signified, in which "One and Three Chairs", and his subsequent work, repeatedly dwells, defending the expression of an honesty that should guide Conceptual Art, in its own defence, but also of its authors' and appreciators' defence.


Recent deep Chandra observations of nearby Compton-thick (CT) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have produced surprising results, uncovering extended emission not only in soft X-rays but also in hard emission (>3 keV), challenging the long-held belief that the characteristic hard X-ray continuum and fluorescent Fe K lines are associated with the torus in the standard picture of AGNs. In this work, we present an analysis of our deep (∼261 ks) X-ray Chandra ACIS-S observations of NGC 5728, a nearby (z = 0.00932) CT AGN. We find that the diffuse emission is more extended at lower energies, in the bicone direction out to ∼2 kpc radially, but also significantly extended in the direction of the cross-cone, out to ∼1.4 kpc. Our results suggest that the ratio of detected photons in the cross-cone to the bicone region is ∼16%, below 3 keV, decreasing to 5% for energies 3–6 keV. The nuclear spectrum suggests a low-photoionization phase mixed with a more ionized gas component, while the bicone and cross-cone spectra are dominated by a mix of photoionization and shocked gas emission. A mixture of thermal and photoionization models used to fit the spectra indicates the presence of complex gas interactions, consistent with previous observations of other CT AGNs (e.g., ESO 428-G014).


Students have different requirements of social network system in the field of learning,working and living. In order to meet these requirements,this paper builds a mobile application of student social network system based on Android platform. The server is a series of open ports based on ASP. NET Web API. According to the different organization of the students,the system includes campus module,class module and group module. It can implement basic functions of SNS,including login,information query,modify,check news of the group,sharing files,user management,and so on.


Based on the shield tunnel of a newly constructed line that crosses underneath the existing subway station in Beijing,concerning on the stress release method,step excavation and the pre-reinforced construction of the newly constructed line,the displacement influence is analyzed by a three-dimensional finite-difference program FLAC3D.By means of FLAC3D simulation a layer-structure model is established,and the Mohr-Coulomb criterion is used to describe the soil.Besides,the tunnel structure and the existing subway station simulate by the structural elements,and the link elements are used to simulate the settlement slot of the existing subway station.The deformation of the existing subway station is predicted,and the achieved results can provide references to the safety evaluation of the adjacent subway station.


Applying the Elie Cartan's classical method, we show that the biholomorphic equivalence problem to a totally nondegenerate Beloshapka's universal model of CR dimension one and codimension k, whence of real dimension 2+k, is reducible to some absolute parallelisms, namely to {e}-structures on some prolonged manifolds of real dimensions either 3+k or 4+k. The proof relies on some weight analysis of the structure equations associated to the mentioned problem of equivalence. Thanks to achieved results, we prove the Beloshapka's maximum conjecture about the rigidity of his CR models of certain lengths equal or greater than three. Here, we mainly deal by CR models of fixed CR dimension one though the results seem quietly generalizable by means of some analogous proofs.


Abstract Extensive measurements of the vertical ozone distribution from the North American ozonesonde network have provided a basis for detailed investigation of radiative processes in the lower stratosphere. Calculations were made of the average monthly heating rates over all latitudes due to the absorption of both direct and reflected solar short-wave radiation in the pressure interval of 50 to 10 mb. The ozone heating rates were combined with estimates of solar infrared heating derived from the calculations of Houghton to yield estimates of the total solar heating distribution at selected levels in the lower stratosphere. It was found that the solar heating rates are primarily dependent on the solar zenith angle and the duration of sunlight. These variables accounted for over 94% of the variance in the calculated mean monthly beating rates at the 10-, 15-, and 25-mb pressure levels. Comparative analysis of the total solar heating rates and the observed temperature structure led to the surprising result...


[1] Patrice Tauvel and Rupert Wei Tze Yu. Lie algebras and algebraic groups. Springer Monographs in Mathematics. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2005. [2] Roger W. Carter. Lie algebras of finite and affine type. Cambridge Studies in Advanced Mathematics, 96. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2005. [3] David Hernandez. An introduction to affine Kac-Moody algebras. Preprint http://www. ctqm.au.dk/research/MCS/Hernandeznotes.pdf, 2006. [4] Victor Kac. Infinite-dimensional Lie algebras. Third edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990. [5] James Humphreys. Representations of semisimple Lie algebras in the BGG category O. Graduate Studies in Mathematics, 94. American Mathematical Society, Providence, RI, 2008. [6] Robert V. Moody and Arturo Pianzola. Lie algebras with triangular decompositions. Canadian Mathematical Society Series of Monographs and Advanced Texts. A Wiley-Interscience Publication. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1995. [7] Victor Kac and Minoru Wakimoto. On rationality of W -algebras. Transform. Groups, 13(34):671–713, 2008.


Crystallographers have increasingly felt that the crucial experiment performed by Friedrich and Knipping in Munich, 1912, was a famous event in space-time.


This article sets out to analyse the different movement for women's emancipation in Iran. The Islamic revolution of 1979 is already more than two decades old and a new generation of women who did not participate in the revolution has come onto the scene. The experience of the last twenty years had led many women to revise their concept of gender. Practising Muslims no longer believe that Islam in itself is going to resolve the social and anthropological questions linked to gender. The oldest have learnt to give a new juridical content to the "Islamic" need, to their demands for equality. New forms of association try to give meaning to the demand for equality and women's dignity and the collective consciousness-raising is acute. While organisational forms are quite weak there has been a new step at an individual level. From now on, feminine identity and the consciousness of specificity which the gender problematic covers are part of the common reasoning of the huge majority of more educated young women who are seeking above all greater professional and financial independence in the labour market.


Sizeable areas of Southern African Region experienced widespread flooding in 2000. Deployment of hydrologic models can help reduce the human and economic losses in the regions by providing improved monitoring and forecast information to guide relief activities. This study describes a hydrologic model developed for wide area flood risk monitoring for the Southern African region. The model is forced by daily estimates of rainfall and evapotranspiration derived from remotely sensed data and assimilation fields. Model predictive skills were verified with data observed stream flow data from locations within the Limpopo basin. The model performed well in simulating the timing and magnitude of the stream flow during a recent episode of flooding in Mozambique in 2000.


As arthroplasty demand grows worldwide, the need for a novel cost-effective treatment option for articular cartilage (AC) defects tailored to individual patients has never been greater. 3D bioprinting can deposit patient cells and other biomaterials in user-defined patterns to build tissue constructs from the "bottom-up," potentially offering a new treatment for AC defects. The aim of this research was to create bioinks that can be injected or 3D bioprinted to aid osteochondral defect repair using human cells.Novel composite bioinks were created by mixing different ratios of methacrylated alginate (AlgMA) with methacrylated gelatin (GelMA). Chondrocytes or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were then encapsulated in the bioinks and 3D bioprinted using a custom-built extrusion bioprinter. UV and double-ionic (BaCl2 and CaCl2) crosslinking was deployed following bioprinting to strengthen bioink stability in culture. Chondrocyte and MSC spheroids were also bioprinted to accelerate cell growth and development of ECM in bioprinted constructs.Excellent viability of chondrocytes and MSCs was seen following bioprinting (>95%) and maintained in culture over 28 days, with accelerated cell growth seen with inclusion of MSC or chondrocyte spheroids in bioinks (p<0.05). Bioprinted 10mm diameter constructs maintained shape in culture over 28 days, whilst construct degradation rates and mechanical properties were improved with addition of AlgMA (p<0.05). Composite bioinks were also injected into in vitro osteochondral defects (OCDs) and crosslinked in situ, with maintained cell viability and repair of osteochondral defects seen over a 14-day period.In conclusion we developed novel composite AlgMA/GelMA bioinks that can be triple-crosslinked, facilitating dense chondrocyte and MSC growth in constructs following 3D bioprinting. The bioink can be injected or 3D bioprinted to successfully repair in vitro OCDs, offering hope for a new approach to treating AC defects.


Query processing and Information Retrieval plays important application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Data Mining. It aims to retrieve relevant documents for natural language queries. Nowadays large amounts of unstructured data are scattered across the web. So Information Retrieval from these large volumes of unstructured data using natural languages become more crucial and challenging task. The relevant Information Retrieval from such a large amount of unstructured data needs knowledge about the semantic information or contextual information. The semantic information retrieval from unstructured data uses the methods from Data Analytics, Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning etc. Here we propose a survey on different models for Information Retrieval, Information Retrieval using Natural Languages and emphasis on semantic level Information Retrieval. And also perform the comparison and analysis of various models.


Tropical Whites: The Rise of the Tourist South in the Americas Catherine Cocks. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.White North Americans in the early twentieth century did an about-face regarding tropicality; rather than posing a grave danger, the heat, palm trees, and tanned natives came to signify a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city and the ice and snow of America's colder climes. Catherine Cocks, a cultural historian and currently an acquisitions editor at the University of Iowa Press, argues in her latest book, Tropical Whites, that changes in science, horticulture, transportation, and the tourist industry contributed to a reimagining of what she labels the "Southland," which includes southern California, Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Perhaps even more important, according to Cocks, is that these changes constituted a "redrafting of the meaning of humanity" that involved "a concession that the white supremacist civilization. . .of Europe and North America was not adequate to human happiness" (185). By examining a variety of sources, including personal diaries, family scrapbooks, government documents, advertisements, postcards, clothing trends, and travel literature, Cocks succeeds in illustrating when, why, and how governments, physicians, writers, and travelers made and influenced such a transition.For most of the nineteenth century, white Americans feared the tropics because of its health hazards and primitive environment. In her opening chapter, Cocks argues that the discoveries of the germ theory of disease and Vitamin D calmed those fears. The tourism industry used physicians to testify to the health advantages of warm climates while banana firms like Standard Fruit and United Fruit "operated Caribbean cruises.. .as a complement to their freight operations and included plantation tours" to entice both visitors and investors (37). Likewise, California and Florida orange growers romanticized the experience of picking fruit, something many visitors bragged about in letters and postcards sent back home. Combined, medical discoveries and advances in horticulture reassured white Americans that taming this environment was possible and profitable.The remainder of Tropical Whites explores a host of topics, including the fashion trends, commodification of climate, and transportation improvements that made the Southland a vacation destination. "Southland boosters and medical climatologists (often the same people) harped on the salubriousness of the local climate" (75). Without such efforts, often funded by organizations like the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce or private developers, Cocks argues that whites would have likely remained fearful that a tropical visit would fundamentally change them rather than merely exposing them to a different culture. …


The images of China have contributed discursively as the symbol of cultural utopia to construct the experiences of Western modernity.The images of China appeared in three stereotypes and represented different facets of meaning in early modern times."The Great Chan's continent" represented its richness and power,"the Mighty Kingdom of China" represented its justice and morality,and "the Confucian China" represented its enlightened wisdom.To analyze the images of China in the depth of Western modernity emphasizes the concept of inter-cultural sphere.As the West penetrates or permeates into the modernity of China,China also inspires the perception and constructions of Western modernity.


The low-temperature behavior of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process with feed gases containing both NO and NO2 was investigated. The two main reactions are 4NH3 + 2NO + 2NO2 → 4N2 + 6H2O and 2NH3 + 2NO2 → NH4NO3 + N2 + H2O. The "fast SCR reaction" exhibits a reaction rate at least 10 times higher than that of the well-known standard SCR reaction with pure NO and dominates at temperatures above 200 °C. At lower temperatures, the "ammonium nitrate route" becomes increasingly important. Under extreme conditions, e.g., a powder catalyst at T ≈ 140 °C, the ammonium nitrate route may be responsible for the whole NOx conversion observed. This reaction leads to the formation of ammonium nitrate within the pores of the catalyst and a temporary deactivation. For a typical monolithic sample, the lower threshold temperature at which no degradation of catalyst activity with time is observed is around 180 °C. The ammonium nitrate route is interesting from a standpoint of general DeNOx mechanisms:  This reac...


July 0 W orkplace tension and abuse are significant contributing factors behind nurses exiting workplaces and even leaving the profession. Abuse can take many forms, from inappropriate interpersonal communication to sexual harassment and even violence. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses and other personal care workers suffer 25 injuries annually resulting in days off from work for every 10,000 fulltime workers. That s 12 times the rate of the overall private sector. Fifty percent of nurses surveyed by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) and the University of Massachusetts said they had been punched at least once in a two-year period. Some reported being strangled, sexually assaulted or stuck with contaminated needles. In a 2006 survey by the Emergency Nurses Association, a national group, 86 percent of respondents said they had experienced violence in the previous three years, and a fifth said they encountered it frequently. Every year, November 25 has been marked as the International Day against Violence against Women. This article aims to familiarise the nurses about the problems in their workplace and helping them to find solutions. Problems Experienced by Nurses in their Workplace


Some scholars, represented by William F. Sharpe and John Lintner, have established the "Capital Asset Pricing Model" (CAPM) in the 1960s. This model finds that under certain assumptions the expected rate of return shows a clear linear relationship with market risk (systemic risk), no matter for a single asset or a combined asset. Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), is regarded as the spine of modern price theory in financial market. It has been applied widely to asset pricing analysis and determination, such as stocks, funds and bonds and to investment decision field. This essay based on CSMAR data, separately uses CAPM and the FamaFrench Three-Factor Model to conduct empirical test on the expected return of SSE A-share portfolio. The main conclusion is that in China's stock market, market risk is not the only factor which determines the expected return of the market portfolio or individual stock, while the size factor (SMB) and book-to-market ratio factor (HML) can better explain the portfolio's expected rate of return.


all are much less useful than the (unmapped) data lists in which SED published its basic material. "For whom are these expensive volumes designed?" he asks at one point (p. 180), and earlier, more glibly, "What am I getting for my money?" (p. 172). These are questions for which convincing answers are not easily found. They are all the more worthy of the asking because of it, and no doubt if linguistic geography had grown out of an issue-oriented, explanatory framework they would have been asked long before this. In allowing Macaulay's chapter to stand as the final word, the editors seem to be recognizing the need for a more critical climate in the field. And, of course, Macaulay is not nihilistic. He also discusses some mapping techniques in the recent literature which have served a clear purpose. As the editors point out in the introduction (p. 27):


Background Apoptosis of cardiac muscle cells has been speculated as one of major causes of heart dysfunction.Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) was shown effective in preventing cardiac muscle cells apoptosis.Objective To investigate the gene regulation mechanism of IGF-1 anti-apoptosis activity on rat cardiac muscle cells.Methods Using DNA microarray to screen the gene expression differences in H9C2 cells in the presence or absence of IGF-1,we selected one gene basic transcription element binding protein (BTEB,genebank No.D12769) which is down-regulated by IGF-1 and has never been reported in term of cardiac muscle cells apoptosis.The transcription and translation levels for BTEB and its down-stream gene CYP1A1 were measured by RT-PCR and Western-blot.Apoptosis was assessed by measuring caspase 3 activity and DNA-fragmentation.Results The mRNA and protein expression levels of BTEB gene in H9C2 cells were down-regulated significantly after IGF-1 exposure for 60 min with concomitantly attenuation of CYP1A1 expression levels 48 h after(all P0.01).The DNA fragmentation and caspase 3 activity were decreased in H9C2 cells when BTEB and CYP1A1 gene expressions were inhibited by their specific siRNA.Conclusion IGF-1 appears to prevent rat cardiac muscle cells apoptosis through BTEB-CYP1A1 pathway.


A multiple factor parametrization is described to permit the efficient calculation of collision efficiency (E) between electrically charged aerosol particles and neutral cloud droplets in numerical models of cloud and climate. The four‐parameter representation summarizes the results obtained from a detailed microphysical model ofE, which accounts for the different forces acting on the aerosol in the path of falling cloud droplets. The parametrization's range of validity is for aerosol particle radii of 0.4 to 10 μm, aerosol particle densities of 1 to 2.0 g cm−3, aerosol particle charges from neutral to 100 elementary charges and drop radii from 18.55 to 142 μ m. The parametrization yields values ofE well within an order of magnitude of the detailed model's values, from a dataset of 3978E values. Of these values 95% have modelled to parametrized ratios between 0.5 and 1.5 for aerosol particle sizes ranging between 0.4 and 2.0 μ m, and about 96% in the second size range. This parametrization speeds up the calculation ofE by a factor of ∼103 compared with the original microphysical model, permitting the inclusion of electric charge effects in numerical cloud and climate models. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society


The work is aimed at studying the current level of authoritarianism and intolerance to uncertainty among students of pedagogical universities in Russia. The main purpose of the work is to study the relationship between right-wing authoritarianism and tolerance for uncertainty among students of pedagogical universities, while the main assumption of the study is the presence of this relationship, which varies depending on the year of study, specialization and geographical location. The article presents the materials of a correlation study obtained on a sample of students of twenty-one pedagogical universities in Russia. The study (N=870) involved respondents aged 16 to 34 years (M=19,92; SD=2,04), of which 90% were female. The study was conducted in an Internet format. The authors used the B. Altmeyer's "Right-wing Authoritarianism Scale" in russian edition by N.A. Diakonova and the "New Questionnaire of tolerance-intolerance to Uncertainty" by T.V. Kornilova. The results demonstrate a significant increase in the level of authoritarianism from the first to the last year of study, and an average statistical correlation between authoritarianism and intolerance to uncertainty.


Abstract A two-level algorithm is presented for decentralized control of a serially connected dynamic system. The algorithm exploits the special structure of serially connected systems. Convergence of the algorithm is proved for linear-quadratic systems.


This case report describes suspected myopathy or myelopathy in a 5-year-old Clydesdale gelding following general anaesthesia for sarcoid removal. The lowest mean arterial pressure was 67 mmHg. Hyperlactataemia and tachycardia were observed during anaesthesia prompting abortion of surgery. The horse was unable to stand with assistance from a specialised sling. Azotaemia and hyperkalaemia developed in recovery and worsened despite therapeutic interventions. Euthanasia was performed given the grave prognosis. Postmortem examination was not carried out but could have provided a definitive diagnosis. Specific factors have been identified in the prevention of post-anaesthetic myopathy, including maintenance of adequate tissue perfusion and oxygenation and careful positioning. Potential improvements in the anaesthetic management of this case in relation to these factors are discussed.


The access of new power service terminals brings about a new demand for cross-domain and cross-system security access. Therefore, this paper proposes a cross-domain authentication and authorization model for a new power system based on trust management, which is realized through the cooperation of certificate authority, authentication module, authorization module, and trust management module. Firstly, the model proposed in this paper includes a cross-domain authentication method, which realizes authentication between domains by issuing and verifying tokens for terminals with sufficient trust. Secondly, the model includes an authorization method based on attribute and trust value, which realizes the authorization of the terminal through attribute policy and trust evaluation. Finally, a trust value calculation method for terminal cross-domain access is included in the model. In this paper, the proposed model and method are simulated to demonstrate the correctness and effectiveness of the model. The experimental results show that the model has the advantages of universality, efficiency, and ease of management, and the terminal can access resources safely and efficiently across domains.


Paper [I] tests the success rate of trades and the returns of the Opening Range Breakout (ORB) day trading strategy. A trader that trades the ORB strategy seeks to identify large intraday price movements and trades only when the price moves beyond some predetermined threshold. We present an ORB strategy based on normally distributed returns to identify such days, and find that our ORB trading strategy result in significantly higher returns than zero as well as an increased success rate in relation to a fair game when applied to a long time series of crude oil futures contracts. The characteristics of such an approach over conventional statistical tests is that it involves the joint distribution of low, high, open and close over a given time horizon. Paper [II] assesses the returns of the Opening Range Breakout (ORB) day trading strategy across volatility states of the underlying asset. We calculate the average daily returns of the ORB strategy for each volatility state when applied on long time series of crude oil and SP the Kelly criterion and the Optimal fraction criterion. Our empirical analysis shows how leverage can increase day trading profit in-sample and out-of-sample when applied to a long time series of DAX 30 index futures contracts.


ABSTRACT Michael Haneke's Caché/Hidden (2005) has generated a level of critical discussion that has quickly established the film as a defining work of early twenty-first century French cinema. Noticeably absent from this wealth of analysis is an examination of how Caché's formal experimentation with surveillance technology directly informs its treatment of the political and ethical issues of postcolonialism. Drawing from the practices of 1960s 'surveillance art', as well as the CCTV aesthetic of reality television, this article addresses this critical gap by focusing on how Caché's filmic apparatus captures the alienation of emotion from phenomenological experience. Caché presents an alternative to Foucault's visual economy of self-regulation (panopticisme) in that its protagonist Georges internalizes the disinterested and subject-less gaze of the ever-present camera rather than the interested gaze of the prison guard. This process results in a state of emotional indifference: Georges is an unmoved witness to traumatic events as well as his own history. In Caché, Haneke shows how this indifference helps produce the stratification and paranoia of a postcolonial society.


In the fall of 1949 a series of studies on BCG vaccine was started as a co-operative undertaking of the Joint Enterprise, 1 the Danish Statens Seruminstitut, and the Tuberculosis Research Office of the World Health Organization. The first project undertaken was a study of the effect of age of vaccine on post-vaccination allergy and the local vaccination lesion, and how this effect might be modified by limited variations in storage temperature and dosage. The findings 10 weeks after vaccination formed the basis of the first report from this investigation.2 The second project in this series was devoted to the study of the effect on allergy production of variation in dosage. At the present time the dosage of BCG organisms in vaccines from different production centres is not the same, and within the same laboratory is changed from time to time to adjust the potency of the vaccine to desired levels. The actual relationship between variation in dosage and variation in the allergy produced is, however, not established. Since in the first project it was found that increasing the dosage of the vaccine to four times standard strength resulted in a significant increase in inconvenient vaccination reactions, the strengths chosen for study in Project II were 1/1, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 standard strengths. The post-vaccination examination 81⁄22 weeks later showed such minimal changes in allergy with these variations in dosage, that in a subsequent project a wide range of dosages from standard strength to 1/256 of this strength was investigated.


Objective To explore the value of ultrasonic backscatter measurement combined with collagen metabolite detection to assessing atrial fibrosis degree in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation(AF).Methods The left atrial diameter(LAD)was detected by Doppler ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus,integrated backscatter(IBS)and cyclic variation of integrated backscatter(CVIB)in atrial septum and posterior wall of the left atrium were detected by quantitative analysis of ultrasonic backscatter,and the levels of procollagen typeⅠ N-terminal propeptide(PⅠNP)and connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)were detected by ELISA technique in 45 patients with persistent AF(AF group)and 45 sinus rhythm patients with no AF(control group).Results LAD((44.65±2.12)mm),CTGF((130.50±8.40)ng/L)and PⅠNP((140.32±6.32)ng/L)in AF group were significantly higher than those in control group((28.65±2.31)mm,(80.26±3.54)ng/L,(89.45±4.25)ng/L)(P0.05).The IBS values of atrial septum and posterior wall(45.50±3.60,42.20±3.87)were significantly higher and CVIB values(5.15±2.13,6.54±1.80)were significantly lower in AF group than those in control group(32.76±2.85,30.24±5.68;6.80±1.86,8.25±1.35)(P0.05).LAD,CTGF and PⅠ NP were positively correlated with IBS(r=0.358,P=0.041;r=0.525,P=0.021;r=0.632,P=0.018)and negatively correlated with CVIB(r=-0.152,P=0.035;r=-0.135,P=0.013;r=-0.210,P=0.033)in AF group(P0.05).LAD was positively correlated with CTGF(r=0.425,P=0.010)and PⅠNP(r=0.624,P=0.017)in AF group.Conclusion Atrial fibrosis participates the occurrence and maintenance of AF.Ultrasonic backscatter measurement combined with collagen metabolite detection could be a non-invasive method to assess atrial fibrosis in patients with AF.


This report documents a data base and a computer program for conducting a decontamination analysis of a large, radiologically contaminated area. The data base, which was compiled largely through interviews with knowledgeable persons both in the public and private sectors, consists of the costs, physical inputs, rates and contaminant removal efficiencies of a large number of decontamination procedures. The computer program utilizes this data base along with information specific to the contaminated site to provide detailed information that includes the least costly method for effectively decontaminating each surface at the site, various types of property losses associated with the contamination, the time at which each subarea within the site should be decontaminated to minimize these property losses, the quantity of various types of labor and equipment necessary to complete the decontamination, dose to radiation workers, the costs for surveying and monitoring activities, and the disposal costs associated with radiological waste generated during cleanup. The program and data base are demonstrated with a decontamination analysis of a hypothetical site. 39 refs., 24 figs., 155 tabs.


We demonstrate the in-situ frequency discrimination and continuous phase tuning of high-speed optical clocks generated from a directly modulated/encoded laser diode with respect to a free-running microwave clock. This is performed by using a DC-voltage controlled, frequency-discriminated optoelectronic phase shifter (OEPS). The transfer function of the phase shifter versus controlled voltage is linear with a maximum phase-tuning range of up to 1.957/spl pi/ (340/spl deg/). The tuning responsivity of the OEPS can be adjusted from 50 to 90/spl deg//V. The fluctuation and drift in phase of the controlled signal are about 0.05/spl deg/ and 0.003/spl deg//min. The tuning resolution of 0.2/spl deg/ at a 3-mV increment of controlling voltage is achieved by using a high-precision voltage regulator. Relative timing jitter of the controlled optical microwave clock is less than 5 ps.


Inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) devices are of interest as neutron generators for many applications. Experiments by Hirsch inspired further efforts to decipher the potential distribution within IEC devices. In this paper, previous analyzes of potential distributions in IEC devices are reviewed and extended. Three types of IEC systems are classified and analyzed according to the arrangement of electrodes and the species within the system. These systems are the unipolar cathode-anode (UCA) system, the bipolar cathode-anode (BCA) system, and the bipolar anode-cathode (BAC) system. Results of extensive parametric studies are reported through an efficient method for solving the Poisson's equation. The method is benchmarked against prior computations by Hirsch and Swanson. For BCA and BAC systems, it is concluded that the double well depth (DWD) increases as the relative focusing of the secondary particle to the primary particle increases, agreeing with prior work by Momota and Miley. Although collisions are neglected in this model, and unverified energy distributions are employed, the method generally agrees with experimental observations by Gu that the DWD will increase as the perveance of the system is increased. Thus, the computations performed here serve as a valuable benchmark.


FIELD: medicine, pharmaceutics. SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to veterinary and can be used for treatment of infection of animal with ectoparasites. For this purpose isoxaline of definite chemical structure, salts of isoxaline or isoxaline solvate or its salts are applied. Dose of isoxaline, isoxaline salt or isoxaline solvate or its salt is introduced to animal locally one time per two months or more rarely. Also claimed is treatment of parasitosis in animal, parasiticidal composition and therapeutic set, including isoxasoline of definite chemical structure. EFFECT: group of inventions ensures effectiveness of isoxaline of definite chemical structure against animal ectoparasites for long-term period with application of non-toxic low doses. 10 cl, 1 dwg, 9 tbl, 7 ex


ABSTRACT Upper-elevation mesic Hawaiian forests have been transformed by cattle ranching and invasive ungulates within the past 200 years. Although the flora and fauna of the Hawaiian Islands have been radically altered by the introduction of invasive species, there is a movement of agriculturalists within the islands interested in reintroducing native species and reforestation in agricultural spaces. One of the keystone species in the Hawaiian Islands is the endemic tree species Acacia koa, known for its ecosystem services and cultural importance. This species is valuable for nitrogen fixation, aquifer recharge, habitat for biodiversity and usefulness in agroforestry systems. This investigation is focused on the relationship between the tree species A. koa and the forage grass species Pennisetum clandestinum (kikuyu) in a silvopastoral context, at an elevation of 5,200 feet above sea level (1585 masl) on the island of Maui. The site of investigation is called Pu'u Makua in Hawaiian and is situated on the southwestern flank of Haleakalā (10,023 feet above sea level–3055 masl) and is part of Ulupalakua Ranch. A total of n = 28 forage samples of P. clandestinum were taken in dry season, 21 of which were taken from underneath the canopies of koa trees (which had been planted in densities of 3, 4, and 6 m apart). The other seven samples were taken in full sun (where no koa trees were growing). This same protocol (sampling n = 28) was repeated in the wet season. Forage samples were then sent to the Agricultural Diagnostics Laboratory at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa for forage analysis to compare attributes of kikuyu under different canopy densities of A. koa. To better understand the leaf area index (LAI) of the canopy of various densities of A. koa, hemispheric (180 degree) photos were taken and then input into Gap Light Analyzer Software for LAI. LAI data of A. koa as well as forage attributes of P. clandestinum were then input into the statistical software InfoStat to investigate relationships between canopy cover and forage quality at each specific location. It was found through Pearson correlation analysis that there are in fact significant relationships between koa and the quality of kikuyu. Measurements of koa trees were also taken to estimate biomass and the amount of carbon sequestered within each tree. These measurements were input into allometric equations specific to koa growing on the Island of Maui that were created by the United States Forest Service. Lastly, to better understand the knowledge of ranchers on Maui, we conducted surveys regarding various ranchers' perceptions of native and non-native trees and their usefulness for silvopastoral ranching systems. Ranchers also identified various tree species that were of use (or harmful) to their operations. Since A. koa was on this list of helpful trees and conferred various ecosystem services and agroecological benefits, the incorporation of koa into ranching systems on the island of Maui is recommended in zones appropriate for its growth.


This paper researches a very interesting period of the Stip history, the time period from 1923 to 1927 when in the ruined Stip many significant cultural events happened. Namely, after seven years of war, which were led on this territories, and great epidemics of zygotic diseases that these wars brought, with many victims, the population was totally poor, decimated and living as a rough sleepers because their homes were ruined and they cannot allow themselves to live in such conditions. The Stip of that kind opened its doors to Russian immigrants who accepted it as their new homeland. They managed in such conditions to create an atmosphere where it will be spoken about theatre, opera, song bends, concerts, and clubs for body education (Sokoli)...... That period became an unforgettable part of the then Stip's life which marked it forever.
Key words: Stip, Russian immigration, culture, theater, opera


Results are presented of proton-induced x-ray emission analysis of aerosol samples taken in Miami, Fla., in the summer of 1974. Elemental concentrations and elemental ratios as a function of particle size are shown for 13 elements. These size distributions allow the determination of the sources of several elements observed in the Miami aerosol. Data from north Florida and Bermuda are compared.


Citation: Siani E, Levi-D'Ancona R, Nelson-Rigg R, et al. Developing A Hospital Specific and Evidence-Based Management Protocol for Pregnancies of Unknown Location and Ectopic Pregnancies: A Retrospective Chart Review and Quality Improvement Project. Gynecol Reprod Health. 2020; 4(4): 1-7. *Correspondence: Pallavi Khanna, MD, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Regional One Health, Memphis, TN, USA.


Bearingless induction motors combining functions of both torque generation and noncontact magnetic suspension together have attracted more and more attention in the past decades due to their definite advantages of compactness, simple structure, less maintenance, no wear particles, high rotational speed, and so forth. This paper overviews the key technologies of the bearingless induction motors, with emphasis on motor topologies, mathematical models, and control strategies. Particularly, in the control issues, the vector control, independent control, direct torque control, nonlinear decoupling control, sensorless control, and so forth are investigated. In addition, several possible development trends of the bearingless induction motors are also discussed.


Recognized as the country with the highest proportion of international migrants, the United Arab Emirates presents an interesting case for studies of migrant communities since its inception in 1971. The laws and regulations of the country restrict any permanent status for its incoming migrants such as naturalization or permanent residency, leaving migrants in a state of permanent temporariness. Children of migrants in the UAE are hence born and raised away from their official nation state and are faced with issues of national and cultural identity, as well as questions of national belonging. Through conducting primary research consisting of semi-structured interviews with Egyptian nationals that have been born and raised in the UAE. The study explores the concept of identity, sense of belonging, and forms of attachment and transnational ties to homeland among second generation Egyptian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates.


The lack of large-scale question matching corpora greatly limits the development of matching methods in question answering (QA) system, especially for non-English languages. To ameliorate this situation, in this paper, we introduce a large-scale Chinese question matching corpus (named LCQMC), which is released to the public1. LCQMC is more general than paraphrase corpus as it focuses on intent matching rather than paraphrase. How to collect a large number of question pairs in variant linguistic forms, which may present the same intent, is the key point for such corpus construction. In this paper, we first use a search engine to collect large-scale question pairs related to high-frequency words from various domains, then filter irrelevant pairs by the Wasserstein distance, and finally recruit three annotators to manually check the left pairs. After this process, a question matching corpus that contains 260,068 question pairs is constructed. In order to verify the LCQMC corpus, we split it into three parts, i.e., a training set containing 238,766 question pairs, a development set with 8,802 question pairs, and a test set with 12,500 question pairs, and test several well-known sentence matching methods on it. The experimental results not only demonstrate the good quality of LCQMC but also provide solid baseline performance for further researches on this corpus.


We review the philosophical framework of mathematical conceptualism as an alternative to set-theoretic foundations and show how mainstream mathematics can be developed on this basis. The paper includes an explicit axiomatization of the basic principles of conceptualism in a formal system CM set in the language of third order arithmetic.


The article discusses the etiology, pathogenesis, classification, principles of diagnosis and tactics of surgical treatment of dural arteriovenous fistulas. Two clinical cases of successful treatment of patients with symptomatic dural arteriovenous fistulas are presented.


A hit golf ball analyzing system is provided, which measures the momentum of club and ball and calculates 3D golf ball flight trajectory by using the measured momentum. A hit golf ball analyzing system comprises: a sensor unit(10) for sensing the shadow of the club by the light radiated from the horizontal light-transmitting part and the perpendicular light-transmitting part by equipping with the horizontal light-transmitting part and the perpendicular light-transmitting part; and an algorithm part(20) for determining the flight distance, height, and propensity distance of the ball and the momentum of the ball and club by using the shadow information of the club and ball.


Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes premature death and loss of life expectancy worldwide. Its primary and secondary prevention can result in a significant number of years of life saved.


An on-going system of data gathering and analysis to monitor and evaluate countermeasures was established during 1995. The data collected by the system, including number of random breath tests, number of speed related traffic infringement notices, television publicity levels associated with various themes (for example, drink driving, speed, concentration, fatigue, seat belts), unemployment rates, weather data, alcohol sales and fuel sales, was used to review the apparent reduction in fatal and serious casualty crashes that occurred in Victoria during late 1996 and early 1997. A reduction in fatal crashes occurred in Victoria during September 1996 to June 1997, with the reduction being primarily in rural areas. A reduction in the number of vehicle kilometres travelled in Victoria was found for July 1996-June 1997. In addition to the decreased vehicle travel and decreased crash rates, a substantial reduction in rainfall was found for both Melbourne and country Victoria during September 1996-June 1997 when compared to the same period a year earlier. There was also a small increase in average daily sunshine hours during September 1996-March 1997, with the increase being greater in rural areas than in Melbourne. These changes may also have contributed to the crash reductions. In view of the exploratory nature of this preliminary study, further research involving statistical modelling as well as the collection and analysis of a further six months crash and explanatory data for the period July-December 1997 is needed to determine the contribution and significance of the above factors in the reduction in crashes that occurred during late 1996 and early 1997. (a)


In this paper, we investigate the impact of reforms in the banking sector and shifts of the monetary policy focus from quantitative controls to interest-rate controls on bank-lending and corporate-borrowing activities by applying a panel-data analysis of financial data of listed Chinese companies. Our three main conclusions on corporate borrowing are as follows: 1) quantitative controls on bank lending still remain through such mechanisms as 'window guidance', but their impacts are diminishing; 2) the effect of official lending rates is increasing; and 3) banks are placing more emphasis on financial indicators and corporate conditions when lending money to borrowing companies.


Simple Summary Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease that primarily affects cattle, horses and swine. In affected livestock, the VS virus (VSV) causes painful blister-like lesions in the mouth, on the tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves, and teats and infected animals usually refuse to eat and drink, causing livestock production losses. VS is also a zoonotic disease and can cause influenza-like symptoms in humans. In 2018, Ecuador experienced an outbreak of VS affecting cattle in most of the provinces of the country. Here we determined the phylogenetic relationship among the virus strains isolated in that year. Our analysis suggests different transmission patterns in the major geographic regions of Ecuador; several small and independent outbreaks, most probably transmitted by vectors in the Amazon, and an outbreak caused by the movement of livestock and/or fomites in the Andean and Coastal regions. For better control of future outbreaks, we recommend more research into vectors and vertebrate reservoirs in Ecuador. This can further elucidate the mechanisms of the emergence and re-emergence of the virus. Abstract The Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) is an arbovirus causing vesicular stomatitis (VS) in livestock. There are two serotypes recognized: New Jersey (VSNJV) and Indiana (VSIV). The virus can be transmitted directly by contact or by vectors. In 2018, Ecuador experienced an outbreak of Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) in cattle, caused by VSNJV and VSVIV, with 399 cases reported distributed over 18 provinces. We determined the phylogenetic relationships among 67 strains. For the construction of phylogenetic trees, the viral phosphoprotein gene was sequenced, and trees were constructed based on the Maximum Likelihood method using 2004 outbreak strains from Ecuador (GenBank) and the 2018 sequences (this article). We built a haplotype network for VSNJV to trace the origin of the 2004 and 2018 epizootics through topology and mutation connections. These analyses suggest two different origins, one related to the 2004 outbreak and the other from a transmission source in 2018. Our analysis also suggests different transmission patterns; several small and independent outbreaks, most probably transmitted by vectors in the Amazon, and another outbreak caused by the movement of livestock in the Andean and Coastal regions. We recommend further research into vectors and vertebrate reservoirs in Ecuador to clarify the mechanisms of the reemergence of the virus.