Aim: To determine the incidence of congenital varicocele in pediatric and prepubertal age groups, and to compare between two surgical approaches with different procedures. Methods: In march and April 2001 seven thousands five hundred and forty three pupils in twelve primary schools were examined for detection of congenital varicocele, the pupils were divided into two groups according to age; group one between age of 6-12 years, group two between age of 13-16 years. The positive cases in the two groups were classified into two batches: symptomatic and non-symptomatic; the silent cases were scheduled for expectant management. The symptomatic cases were randomly divided into two groups for surgical options by open varicocelectomy, the first one through inguinal approach with high ligation of spermatic vein, the second through retroperitoneal route with ligation of both spermatic artery and vein. Results: The number of cases of positive varicocele was 16(0.4%) in pediatric age (6-12 years). This figure increased to 102 (2.58%) in prepubertal age (13-16 years). In the positive cases, we found an increase in number with age especially after age of eight. The symptomatic cases were registered only in prepubertal age and varicocele established clinically as age advanced and all positive cases in pediatric age group were silent. The rate of cure in cases treated by venoarterial ligation was 29 cases (90.5%), while it was 23 cases (74%) in those managed by ligation of vein only. The recurrence rate after venoarterial ligation was one case (3%) and after vein ligation only was 3 cases (9.6%). No reduction in size of testes in the batch treated by venoarterial ligation. The incidence of Hydrocele in the cases treated by vein ligation was slightly less than that after venoarterial ligation. The improvement in size of testes is better after venoarterial ligation but the numbers of reduction in the size of varicocele were more in cases treated by vein ligation only. Scrotal hematomas were recorded only after vein ligation. Hospital stay was shorter in cases treated by venoarterial ligation through retroperitoneal route. Wound infection occurred more after vein ligation. Conclusion: In this study we concluded that it is preferable to leave children with silent varicocele for expectant management. The option of spermatic venoarterial ligation for management of varicocele is safe and more rewarding regarding rate of cure and testes volume improvement. INTRODUCTION aricocele is an abnormal dilatation, tourtuosity and elongation of testicular vein in the pampiniform venous plexus caused by venous reflux. The plexus leaves the posterior border of the testis to ascend upward within the spermatic cord, at the deep inguinal ring it becomes single vein. In the left side the testicular vein joins the left renal vein few centimeters higher than the point of junction between right testicular vein and inferior vena cava. Varicocele is of two types congenital and acquired, the former one nearly always affecting the left testis (86%) and exerting potential fertility problem. However bilateralism of the congenital type is also recorded in other studies, but right sided alone is extremely rare. Varicocele is classified into three grades; grade one Valsalva positive, grade two palpable without Valsalva and grade three visible. It is unusual in boys under 10 years of age and becomes more frequent at the beginning of puberty. It is found in 15-20% of adolescents and adulthood. The hypothesis about the etiology of the primary varicocele has been debated between compressions of left testicular vein by loaded sigmoid, spermatic vein angulations near entry to the left renal vein, spermatic vein spasm by adrenaline metabolites in the venous blood, valve incompetence, intrasecrotal hyperthermia and hypoxia. The clinical evidence of testicular atrophy and histological changes was encountered in over 50% of homolateral and sometime contralateral testes. This effect calls for surgical therapy. The diagnosis and surgical remedy of this disorder is guided by clinical background and color Doppler ultrasound for determination of size of varicocele, pattern of venous flow, testicular volume, resistance index and testicular artery identification. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of congenital varicocele in pediatric and prepubertal age groups, and to compare between two surgical approaches. V ________________________________________________________________________________________________MJBU, VOL 28, No.1, 2010 19 PATIENTS AND METHODS Between March and April 2001, seven thousands five hundred and forty three pupils in the twelve primary schools in Sirte city (Libya) were examined clinically in their schools by consultant and a senior house officer for detection of congenital varicocele; the pupils were divided into two groups: Group one: morning shift children between ages of 6-12 years (three thousand five hundred ninety one pupils), group two afternoon shift prepupertal between ages of 13-16 year (three thousand nine hundred fifty two pupils), the incidence of positive results were different in the two. The positive cases in the two groups were classified into two categories; the symptomatic and those without symptoms. The silent cases were left for expectant management while the symptomatic cases (pain, small size testes) were randomly divided into two for therapeutic options by open varicocelectomy, batch one were treated by inguinal approach with high ligation of spermatic vein, and batch two treated through retroperitoneal route with ligation of both spermatic artery and vein (Table-6). RESULTS The number of positive varicocele cases was 16(0.4%) in the morning shift, this figure rose into one hundred and two (2.58%) in the afternoon shift (Tables 1, 2). Table 1. Positive cases of varicocele in pupils age 6-12 years. School Number of pupils examined Positive cases


Soticlestat, a first‐in‐class inhibitor of cholesterol 24‐hydroxylase (also known as cytochrome P450 46A1), is currently in development for the treatment of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Here, we report safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic outcomes from a phase I, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, multiple‐rising‐dose study of soticlestat in healthy adults.


To examine the discrepancy between clinical and pathological T stages in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract treated with radical surgery, and to compare them with the corresponding discrepancy in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.


Human resource management mode refers to a comprehensive summary of management objectives, processes, content, methods, and other elements. The more common two modes are control mode and commitment mode. The enterprise human resource management model has many different types. The generation pair promotes the development of enterprise human resource management from the traditional model to the platform model, processing complex data with the help of data-based technical means, and realizing the integration and sharing of resource data. This paper takes an energy company as an example to carry out a detailed study. The article takes the big data as the background and the company as the research object. From the perspective of human resource management, this paper tries to find out the performance management, compensation and benefits management, and other issues of the company in human resource management under the background of the big data era and puts forward corresponding solutions for the current problems. In particular, the company gave certain opinions on how to build a human resource management system in the context of the current big data era. By conducting field research on the company and issuing questionnaires, this paper finds out the current problems of the company in human resource management and proposes corresponding solutions for these problems.


The modern market is centralized around technological advances that improve and better everyday life. With approximately 150 million Americans that use corrective eye-ware on a daily basis, the need for improved technology in glasses cases is inevitable. Current glasses cases work to either protect the glasses and are big and bulky, or are made smaller to be more easily transported. The concept is to take any pair of glasses and make a custom case for them. The programs being utilized to complete the project are solidworks and excel. The process is started by making a base layout of the glasses case in solidworks. Then a excel spreadsheet was made. Linking an excel spreadsheet to solidworks enables rapid input of new dimension to adjust solidworks drawing to the correct or new size. This provides a quick way to make my case fit any pair of glasses, no matter the dimensions. The solidworks model is then saved as a Stereolithography file and sent to the 3-d printer. The cases came out fully functional and open and close perfectly. From sit down to completed glasses case depends on the size of the glasses the case was modeled around. The more cubic inches the case is, the longer it takes to print. The first case took 10 hours to print.


Despite widespread use of prevention strategies, CMV DNAemia remains common in PLTR. Contemporary data, however, is limited. We sought to determine the frequency of, risk factors for, and long term outcomes of CMV DNAemia in a large, single center cohort of PLTR.

 A retrospective cohort study of PLTR < 22 yrs of age transplanted from 2011-2018 was completed. Per protocol, CMV prophylaxis with ganciclovir/valganciclovir was universally implemented; high risk (HR)(D+/R-) and intermediate risk (IR)(R+) patients received 6 months while low risk (LR)(D-/R-) patients received 3 months. Primary outcomes included any CMV DNAemia, CMV DNAemia >1000 IU/mL and long term outcomes including rejection, graft failure, hepatic steatosis (HS), and de novo autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Associations with CMV DNAemia were measured using Fisher exact and multivariate regression. Survival analysis, time to CMV infection, and time to PLTR long term outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier plots.

 Among 270 PLTR, 81 (30%) had quantifiable CMV DNAemia; 36 (13%) had CMV DNAemia >1000 IU/mL. Fifty (19%) developed CMV DNAemia while on prophylaxis. Median time (range) to CMV DNAemia was 162 days (5-2213). HR (OR 4.18; 95% CI 1.84-9.49, p< 0.01) status was associated with CMV DNAemia and time to CMV DNAemia. CMV DNAemia was not associated with age at transplantation or cold ischemic time.
 Eight PLTR (3%) developed CMV syndrome (4 HR, 3 IR, 1 LR), the median peak (range) DNAemia was 2133 IU/mL (202-58000) for these patients. No PLTR developed CMV tissue invasive disease.
 CMV DNAemia was not associated with rejection (15% vs. 33%, p=0.62), graft failure (7% vs. 13%, p=0.17), HS (8% vs. 12%, p=0.32), or AIH (10% vs. 8%, p= 0.68). CMV DNAemia was associated with a longer time to rejection (p=0.02). Time to development of graft failure, HS, and AIH were not associated with CMV DNAemia (Figure 1). Finally, there was no difference in survival during the study follow-up period (1 – 9 yrs) for PLTR with vs. without CMV DNAemia (p=0.58).
 Figure 1

 This large cohort of PLTR demonstrates high rates of CMV DNAemia but low rates of CMV disease. HR status remains associated with CMV DNAemia. CMV DNAemia did not increase the risk of long term adverse outcomes such as rejection, graft failure, HS, and AIH.

 All Authors: No reported disclosures


Occlusal splint therapy is being employed for treatment of various systematic disorders. Less availability of scientific literature on devices is major hurdle behind its effective utilization for treatment planning and care.Therefore, appliance selection with accurate information is critical for proper use and quality of care.Treatment of patient with occlusal appliances is prominently reversible and responsible for proper care and symptoms management.Selection of appliance design for a particular patient depends on multitude of factors and proper understanding of physiologic and therapeutic effects is crux behind successful treatment planning and management.This review article briefly explains various occlusal appliances with their utilization and limitations along with working principle of appliances.


AbstractThe U.S. Military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) allows military retirees to protect a portion of their retirement income stream. Specifically, retirees can pay a pre-tax premium from their retirement income to insure up to 55% of the retirement income stream. Two recent changes have dramatically improved the value of the plan. In this study, we construct a Monte Carlo simulation model to describe the distributions and implied discount rate for SBP participants. Our model demonstrates that the program is quite lucrative for most male retirees. In contrast, the program is less rewarding for female retirees, especially when they are somewhat younger than their spouse. Retirees and their financial planners can use our results to make more informed retirement planning decisions. © 2012 Academy of Financial Services. All rights reserved.JEL classification: G23; H55; J38Keywords: Survivor Benefit Plan; Insurance; Valuation; Pensions; Retirement1. IntroductionThe focus of this article is on valuing the spousal insurance option of the U.S. military's defined-benefit retirement plan. The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) allows retirees to insure up to 55% of their retirement cash flow benefit to a spouse. More specifically, in valuing the benefit for the surviving spouse, we seek to inform the selection decision. We want to identify when insuring the retirement cash flow is worth the cost and under what circumstances. Recently, the program has experienced two important changes, generating a need for new research to reassess the retiree SBP decision. The first change allows retirees to stop paying insurance after 360 months; at that point the insurance remains in force without further payment. The second change was even more significant: the Social Security offset, which in some cases could reduce the insured spouse's SBP payout by more than 35% after age of 62, was removed.1Johnson, Uccello, and Goldwyn (2003) suggest that retiree survivor benefit decisions are generally rational. However, other studies suggest that retirees and their spouses would benefit from additional information concerning this important decision. For example, Aura (2001) finds that education level matters greatly; relative to annuitants with only a high school education, those with a college education are 13% to 20% more likely to opt for survivor benefits. In addition, Holden and Nicholson (1998) find that the survivor benefit decision is strongly affected by race. Holden and Zick (2000), using data from the early 1990s, find widow poverty rates can be reduced from 21% to 15.5% simply by increasing the election of survivor annuities.Limited research particular to the SBP program exists, and none that examines the SPB decision in light of the most recent changes. Higdon (2009) provides a detailed account of the program from a legal perspective, while Burrelli (2011) provides an overview of the program. Neither conducts an analysis of the costs and benefits at an individual level. Burrelli (2011) does highlight that in fiscal year 1973, costs to retirees totaled $36,145,000 while payment to families totaled only $5,700,000. In fiscal year 2005, payments into SBP were $1,099,363,000 with payouts increasing to $ 2,253,728,000.1.1. Military retirement and the SBPThe spectrum of retirement options continues to change. For example, the number of workers who are covered under defined-benefit plans falls every year. The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College reported that the percentage of workers covered by only defined-benefit plans fell to 8% in 2006 from 23% in 1993 (Munnell, Aubry, and Muldoon, 2008). However, various government employees, both state and federal, continue to earn excellent defined-benefit retirements. One standout in the defined-benefit arena is the U.S. military. Those serving in the U.S. military have the opportunity to retire, in most cases, after 20 years of service. Retirees then receive an immediate lifetime annuity. …


The nonconsumer good argument is circuitous. Schooling is already a consumer good for some students, and for others it would be were it not compulsory or, if compulsory, were it paid for. This complication, however, does not greatly affect the argument about why schools now are ineffective and how the learning market system would change things. These two issues are the main focus of Sidorkin's essay.


We tackle the yearbook 'Face To Age' challenge to predict the year that a given yearbook photo was taken in. We experiment with three variants of the VGG19 architecture [4], the AlexNet architecture [2], as well as different loss functions and an extensive effort to reduce overfitting. A variant of the AlexNet architecture, that has 2048 neurons in the fully connected layers and is ensembled over 5 models, gives us the best results, with a mean L1 norm distance of 5.54.


To the Editor:—My reading of the paper by Dr. Fairbanks and Dr. Folger in the July 1990 issue of'the American Journal of Clinical Pathology suggests a fourth, more cost-efficient option that they did not discuss (i.e., no microscopy and differential on those specimens that have cell counts of 0-5 X 10/L unless the patient has a clinical diagnosis of malignancy). Some clinicians at our institution (we are not a tertiary care facility) have suggested


Novel 3-hydroxy-2-oxindole derivatives were synthesized using the microwave-assisted (MW) decarboxylative condensation of substituted isatins with malonic and cyanoacetic acids. Starting compounds were synthesized previously in our laboratory [1]. New 5-arylisatin compounds were obtained using Suzuki reaction, catalyzed by Pd(dppf)Cl 2 [2]. A number of 5-sulfonamide compounds was obtained. Various 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles were synthesized using MW activation for 5-10 min with high yields (up to 98%). One-pot approach to synthesis of amine-substituted 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles was developed. The inhibitory activity of synthesized compounds against quinone reductase 2 (NQO2 is possible molecular target for intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction) was studied in vitro. The influence of novel compounds on IOP was studied in vivo on normotensive rabbits. The lead compound was found to reduce the IOP by 5,6 mmHg and inhibit NQO2 (IC 50 = 77,4±27,3 μM).


Compact and closed expressions for the evaluation of $n$-cell transmission amplitudes, in superlattices with $N$ open channels, are written in terms of the single-cell transmission amplitudes and a set of noncommutative polynomials, which, in the one-channel case, reduce to the Chebyshev polynomials. Interesting and nontrivial features, due to channel mixing and multiple interference phenomena occurring along the $n$-cell system, emerge when applying to specific potential profiles.


A new species of Dermea is described. The fungus was associated with extensive damage to young Douglas fir (P seudotsuga menziesii) following severe early frosts in the Cariboo Region of British Columbia. Inoculation tests proved the fungus was capable of invading bark wounds and causing necrosis. Life history and cultural characteristics of the fungus are presented. The development of the disease is described and discussed.


Objective: To understand the current status of "preventive treatment of disease" of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in community,in Beijing and probe into the feasibility of extending this service to all communities in Beijing.Method: Questionnaires for the residents and interviews by principals of these three community health centers.Result: None of these three communities has carried out the service of "preventive treatment of disease" of TCM.50.2% of these local residents had or have chronic disorders.66.5% of the residents did not understand the content of "preventive treatment of disease" of TCM.66.8% of the residents believed that TCM should be added to community health care system.Conclusion: Services of prevention and health care by TCM still have a great space for development in community.it is still difficult in applying service of "preventive treatment of disease" by TCM to the whole community health centers in Beijing and the pilot work is necessary.


This paper describes the IP-QoS Server System that realizes QoS (Quality of Service) control on the IP network. This system controls the network infrastructure by using DiffServ (Differentiated Services) and MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) technology and offers network service with added value. Application to VoIP (Voice over IP) and IP-VPN (Virtual Private Network) will be explained as examples of service application.


: The use of electromagnetic wave has been interested in various energy industry because it enhances a flame stability and provides higher safety environments. However it might increase the pollutant emissions such as NOx and soot, and have harmful influence on human and environments. Therefore, it is very important to understand interaction mechanism between flame and electromagnetic wave from environmental point of view. In this study, an experiment was performed with jet diffusion flames induced by electromagnetic wave. Microwave was used as representative electromagnetic wave and a flickering flame was introduced to simulate the more similar combustion condition to industry. The results show that the induced microwave enhances the flame stability and blowout limit. The unstable lifted flickering flames under low fuel/oxidizer velocity is changed to stable attached flames or lift-off flames when microwave applied to the flames, which results from the abundance of radical pool. However, NOx emission was increased monotonically with increasing the microwave power as microwave power increased up to 1.0 kW. The effects might be attributed to the heating of combustion field and thermal NOx mechanism will be prevailed. Soot particle was examined at the post flame region by TEM grid. The morphology of soot particle sampled in the microwave induced flames was similar to the incipient soot that is not agglomerated and contain a lots of liquid phase hydrocarbon such as PAH, which soot particle formed near reaction zone is oxidized on the extended yellow flame region and hence only unburned young particles are emitted on the post flame region.


This work demonstrates that Jatropha cinerea (J. cinerea) seed oil has potential as a new, non-conventional, bio-energy resource. The physical and chemical properties of J. cinerea seeds, collected from its natural habit, were evaluated. The length-, diameter- and weight- of seeds were in the ranges of 8 to 12 mm, 7.5 to 11 mm, and 0.2 to 0.7 g, respectively. Additionally, the amount of oil in the seed kernel was 65.77 wt.%, and it contained 15% saturated, 33% monounsaturated, and 51% polyunsaturated fatty acids. The major constituent (50.8 wt%) of crude J. cinerea oil was linoleic acid. Based on its content of phorbol esters (0.22 mg g 1 ), J. cinerea was considered to be a non-toxic Jatropha species. Iodine, saponification, and acid values of the J. cinerea seed oil were similar to those of the J. curcas seeds oil; therefore, it was suggested that J. cinerea oil had the quality required for biodiesel production from J. cinerea seeds oil was produced by a sonotransesterification process, evaluating the e ect of the methanol: oil molar ratio (MOR), temperature, and reaction time. The best conditions for biodiesel production were 25oC, a MOR of 4:1, and a notably short reaction time of 20 s. These conditions were very advantageous as compared to those required by conventional processes, and very promising for the development of a low cost biodiesel production process using J. cinerea seed oil as a feedstock.


The availability of the lesson plans as organized guidance for teachers is critical in achieving the objectives of English Language Teaching (ELT) in policy decisions, curriculum planning, and classroom implementations. However, it is unavoidable if teachers experience difficulties generating lesson plans, necessitating specific strategies to deal with the situation. This study aims to examine the challenges faced by state Islamic secondary school English mentor teachers in implementing lesson plans and the strategies they utilized to overcome those challenges. This study employed a qualitative research design utilizing data purposively gathered from the semi-structured interviews involving five English school mentor teachers from State Islamic Secondary School No. 4 in Banda Aceh. The findings revealed that teachers' most significant challenges in implementing lesson plans were time constraints, format changes, administrative burdens, and students' lack of interest. The study also found out that attending the MGMP (Musyawarah Guru Mata Pelajaran, or the Teachers Professional Development Forum), using a guidebook, asking for advice from colleagues, and using the internet as a learning resource are common strategies the teachers used in overcoming their challenges. It is expected that the impact of this study provides a practical and critical reflection to develop a more realistic and workable ELT lesson plan implementation for mentor teachers amidst their demanding roles and increased administrative responsibilities. This study also recommends that university/faculty administrators and lecturers be more attentive to courses related to lesson plan design, such as English Curriculum Design, English Course Design, and Micro Teaching.


Objective To assess the status of haemophilus influenza type b(Hib) vaccination coverage among children born from 2005 to 2009 in Hangzhou,and to discuss factors affecting Hib vaccination and propose some suitable strategies which could promote Hib vaccination in hangzhou.Methods Vaccination data of children born from 2005 to 2009 in Hangzhou were retrieved from Hangzhou Children's Immunization Information Administration System and analyzed using SPSS12.0 software.Results There were a total 397 304 infants born from 2005 to 2009 in Hangzhou.The Hib vaccination coverage for the first 4 doses were 53.80%,36.76%,29.32% and 16.75%,showing a significant difference among each dose(χ2=127024.2,P0.000).No difference of coverage(χ2=0.32,P0.05) was observed between male and female children.Children of local residence had higher coverage compared with those from outside(χ2=430.83,P0.05).Meanwhile,Hib vaccination coverage varied by district and county in Hangzhou.In general,the coverage was found to be higher in downtown city than that in rural areas(χ2=28293.50,P0.05).Conclusions Compared with children from developed countries,children in Hangzhou still has relatively lower Hib vaccination coverage,indicating that more work need to be done to immunize children with Hib vaccine,especially for those from rural areas and non residents of Hangzhou.


—Aim of the study: to examine and compare speed and acceleration at run 60 m test between football and futsal players. This study examined 10 male football players (age 15.4 years; height 164.9 cm; body mass 59.6 kg), futsal players (age 16.7 years; height 169.1 cm; body mass 58.0 kg). Each group twice runs in 60 meters, every 10 meters there is an officer who records the time. The results show that the average time to travel 60 meters is 2.42 s for football players and 2.36 s for futsal players. Player speed is 7.35 m/s for football and 7.49 m/s for futsal. Acceleration is 0.92 m/s2 for football and 0.94 m/s2 for futsal. The results of the average time, speed and acceleration showed that futsal players are higher than football players. From the data there is a similar trend from a distance of 20 to a distance of 30 which is a decrease and a slowdown in the correlation. Running speed of futsal players is higher than football players, this is because futsal players are used to the characteristics of futsal games that rely on short sprints during matches with relatively smaller fields compared to football.


Somatic cell count (SCC) in ewe and goat milk has proven to be a reliable tool in mastitis diagnosis and control. Accuracy of milk SCC is very important to the dairy industry and quality control tests are essential for guaranteeing the reproducibility and accuracy of SCC results and standardizing SCC equipment. Bacterial infection of mammary gland is the most important cause of variation of SCC. Other factors (flock, stage of lactation, parity, type of birth, virus infection, etc.) also induce significant variations in SCC, though generally of less importance than infection. From test-day records, milk yield losses vary from 2.6 to 20.5% according to organism group, uni- or bilateral character, and duration of infection. Complete and selective dry therapies are efficient and comparable methods of reducing intramammary infection prevalence and increasing milk yield. From a technological point of view, high SCC were related to significant effects on pH and formagraphic parameters. Cheese yields do not seem to be significantly influenced by SCC, though high SCC would cause increased lipolytic activity and an adverse effect on cheese flavour.


Terpolymers formed from styrene, α-methylstyrene (AMS), and acrylonitrile (AN) were prepared in different proportions. According to the reaction conditions, the terpolymers presented random sequence distributions. AMS, because of steric hindrance, presented a high degree of instability, which promoted depolymerization. AN promoted a long insertion of AMS monomers, which caused an acceleration of the propagation reaction. This also caused a depolymerization process. With 13C-NMR solution analysis, it was possible to detect the depolymerization process. With solid-state NMR results, it was demonstrated that AMS constituted the highest mobility domain. Finally, the values determined for the proton spin–lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame confirmed that the prepared terpolymers were random, but a homogeneous monomer distribution sequence was also observed from this parameter. © 2003 Wley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 1004–1009, 2003


There are currently one billion mobile devices (e.g. phone, PDAs etc) worldwide, a figure which is rising rapidly. On the other side of the scale, predictions indicate there will be 490 million Internet users by the year-end 2002 and over 765 million by year-end 2005. Each user in this massive network has the CPU capability of more than 100 times that of an early 1990s supercomputer and surprisingly, GartnerGroup research reveals that over 95% of today's PC power is wasted. The potential of such a distributed computing resource has been in some ways demonstrated recently by the SETI@home project [1], having used over a million years of CPU time at the time of writing.


In an interesting paper in this Journal, Holloway investigated the firm's response to revenue-neutral taxation under price uncertainty. In his analysis, revenue-neutral policies adjust simultaneously the marginal tax rate and the level of exemptions while keeping expected tax receipts constant. Using an assumption of nonincreasing absolute risk aversion, he concluded that a reduction in the marginal rate would cause the firm to contract output. Holloway used the 1986 Tax Reform Act as an example of a revenue-neutral policy. As a matter of fact, the act was intended to be revenue-neutral while low-


The utility model discloses a high resistant building decoration membrane of waiting of ink printing, including substrate and the grid structure of setting in the substrate both sides, the grid structure make for high temperature resistant fire prevention PVC the net of grid structure in pack respectively and have high temperature resistant fire prevention binder, on one side of lieing in the grid structure outside be provided with the PVC rete the PVC rete keep away from grid structure one side be provided with the ink -water layer the ink -water layer keep away from PVC rete one side be provided with the wearing layer, the wearing layer make for silica gel. The utility model discloses set up the grid structure with adopting on the substrate, can improve the compressive property of membrane, adopt the PVC rete simultaneously, can strengthen the anti tensile properties of membrane to utilize the wearing layer structure, can make the exterior structure have better wear resistance.


ADHD is a disorder due to attention deficit, impulsiveness and hyperactivity due to various functional disputes, these anatomical brain inconsistencies can be genetic and/or environmental that hinders the child's lifestyle and their environment. Within the educational field, teachers cannot distinguish the attitude of a child with ADHD from one without disorders, especially in the preschool stage, which motivates the search for teaching alternatives, among them we have information and communication technologies - ICT, which allow evaluating, diagnosing, enriching and strengthening the learning of children with or without ADHD through educational software on a mobile phone, a computer and/or digital whiteboard; increasing attention, concentration, creativity, security, decreasing aggressiveness, gradually developing positive behaviors, their self-esteem improves, they feel motivated and progressively create solutions to their internal conflicts in such a way that their community learning guarantees the development of new social skills such as respect, solidarity, empathy and identifies the emotions of other people allowing a positive incorporation into their daily lives, especially in the school environment.


[T]o say that narrative is the production of Oedipus is to say that each reader--male or female--is constrained and defined within the two positions of a sexual difference thus conceived: male-hero-human, on the side of the subject; and female-obstacle-boundary-space, on the other. Teresa de Lauretis NICOLE BROSSARD OPENS A SHORT PIECE entitled "Autobiography" with the following statement: " I have just finished writing this short autobiography and now I feel like starting all over again, in the present tense this time, because the present tense is the only time-space where I have the impression of existing" (FA 117). Where does the writer of the autobiography exist, once it is written? The eponymous heroine of Gail Scott's novel, G. S., spends the duration of the narrative in her bathtub. She is suspended in time and space, a skipping record, a stutter unable to break memory's stranglehold. Her life is a fiction waiting to be written. Not surprisingly, perhaps, at its inception psychoanalysis was conceived of as "talk therapy." The hope was that if the patient could narrativize her heretofore-unspeakable ailments, then she could create a fictional self, a fiction of her self, and through that story she could heal. Psychoanalysis, then, may be considered a productive means of interrogating the subject and her psychical construction. For Peggy Phelan, "psychoanalysis is the performance in which the doctor and the patient interpret a symptom that gives the body temporal coherence. Part of the burden of establishing temporal order for the body ... often falls to narrative since one of the things that narrative generates is temporal order" (55). However, as Lynette Hunter notes, deciphering the unconscious is not an easy task; rather, it requires "a kind of training" that is specific to each distinct reader-writer relationship (in Forsyth 209). If, as Barbara Godard puts forth, "writing and memory become irrevocably intertwined, creating an archive of texts and affects," then I agreed with her when she evinces that recognizing the past, recognizing memory is a "visceral sensation" that occurs in the continual movement of becomings (in Forsyth 192). In other words, writing and memory--autobiography--not only requires a body ("visceral sensation") but is also partially planted in the present stretching toward the future. What to do, then, with a heroine stuck in the past? In this article I will take up both autobiographical writing and psychoanalytic critiques in an attempt to posit that Gail Scott, a creative writer who engages in semi-autobiographical writing, writes in a particularly performative way that gestures toward a new literary language for theorizing the formation of the female self and subjectivity.) In her article, "Love in a Cold Climate: Queer Belongings in Quebec," Elspeth Probyn notes that in Quebec "identity is an institutional project," where "constant appeals to belong" continue to be unavoidable (27). Following this, I would agree with Bina Toledo Friewald, who posits that Scott's subject-in-process in Heroine is not merely G. S. but also the Canadian nation itself ("Nation and self-narration" passim). Further, Scott herself has noted that, "The more we grasp that in a sense all of us have a double, perhaps multiple relationship towards the culture that surrounds us, the more we will be able to acknowledge differences, oppressions, hierarchies" (54). Psychoanalysis, itself predicated on the concept of a split or fractured primordial self, becomes a particularly useful metaphoric methodology for deciphering Scott's text. Freud can be credited with the "corollary discovery" that "all autobiography is fictional" (Flieger ix). Reading Freud's postulation from a slightly different angle, I would suggest that autobiography enacts a fictionalization of the self on the part of the author as an attempt to capture on the page--to textualize--the self-in-process. In this formulation the "thematization of memory" and the construction of an ever-present present tense "I" work to fix the author's self-in-progress within the space and time of the page. …


Plasma concentration-time profile, distribution, metabolism and excretion of [14C]NB-506 were investigated in male and female rats after single and repeated intravenous administration. 1. After a single intravenous administration of [14C]NB-506 to male rats, plasma levels of radioactivity decreased triexponentially with the t1/2 of 22 min, 2.4 hr and 2.1 day. The pharmacokinetic parameters ob tained from female rats, were similar to those in male rats. 2. After a single intravenous administration of [14C]NB-506 to male rats, the maximum concentration in almost all tissues was observed at 10 min. The radioactivity was highly distributed in liver followed by kid ney, lung, mandibular gland, skin and pancreas. At 24 hr post dose, the radioactivities in tissues were almost same as that of plasma except liver and kidney, and then decreased and were lower than 10% of maximum radioactivity at 72 hr. 3. Within 120 hr after a single intravenous administration of [14C]NB-506 to male rats, 9.8 and 88.3% of dose were excreted into urine and feces, respectively. Biliary excretion was 82.9% in male rats. The entero hepatic circulation of [14C]NB-506 was not observed in male rats. The excretion of radioactivity in female rats was similar to that in male rats. 4. After a single intravenous administration of [14C]NB-506 to male rats, 40.0, 23.8, 6.3 and 1.5% of dose were excreted to bile (0-6 hr) as intact NB-506, NB-506 glucuronide (ED-594), NB-506 deformyl form (ED-501) and ED-501 glucuronide (ED-595), respectively. The 6.2% of administered dose in urine (0-4 hr) corresponded to intact NB-506 and 0.7% of dose was excreted to urine as ED-594 and ED-501. 5. The plasma levels of radioactivity at 5 min, 4, 24 hr after the 5th dosing were higher than those after the first dosing. Moreover, the levels of AUC(0-•‡) and t1/2ƒÁ of the 5th dosing were 2.1 and 2.3 times higher than those of the first dosing, respectively. These results indicate that [14C]NB-506 tend to accumulate in plasma after the multiple dosing. The accumulation ratio was calculated based on the plasma levels of radioactivity at 24 hr after the first and the 5th dosing; this value was 3.85. On the other hand, the accumula tion factor, which was estimated from the elimination rate constant, was calculated to be 3.56. Therefore, the accumulation ratio was almost of the same value as the predicted accumulation factor. These results sug gest that it is possible to predict the disposition of [14C]NB-506 after the multiple dosing and the possibility that the crucial accumulation of [14C]NB-506 may arise from the multiple dosing is low. 6. No change in the daily excretion of radioactivity in urine and feces was observed during 5-day repeat ed administration. Within 168 hr after the last dosing, urinary and fecal excretion of radioactivity were 7.5 and 90.1% of dose, respectively, indicating that the main elimination route is fecal excretion.


The Wisconsin River, rising among the glacial lakes in the northern part of the state of Wisconsin, flows almost due south nearly to Portage, where it turns and flowing westward for a distance of about 80 miles joins the Mississippi just south of Prairie du Chien (Fig. i). It is this lower, east-west part of the river valley which is discussed in this paper. The terminal moraine of the Wisconsin glacial epoch crosses the valley just east of Prairie du Sac and marks not only the eastern boundary of the region here considered but also that of the driftless area. Since glacial drift is found in Iowa opposite the lower end of the valley, it may be said that the Wisconsin River traverses from east to west the entire driftless area. It is thus seen that drift remnants which are found in this part of the valley are of important significance in the history of ancient ice invasions in bordering regions. These remnants of glacial drift in the valley fall naturally into two divisions: First, there are terraces of Wisconsin age: (a) remnants of the valley train sloping from the terminal moraine, where it crosses the valley near Prairie du Sac, to the Mississippi River, and (b) a lower terrace standing only 15 feet above the present river flood-plain; and second, standing well above the preceding terrace, are rock benches covered with much older drift. These upper benches have a gentle slope toward the east (Fig. 2).


The application of the backpropagation error algorithm for learning a two-layer neural network using neurons with nonlinear inputs is considered. The proposed algorithm is used to solve the XOR problem. The results of modeling are presented.


The belief of communism is the understanding and strengthening of the theory of human society being bound to reach communism,and is the standpoint and attitude of communists.Nowadays,with the movement of international communism being trapped and the construction of socialism facing hindrances,we should unite the theory with the practice in order to strengthen the belief of communism among communists.It is necessary to improve the communists' mastery of the theory and help them have correct judgments of current situation,and at the same time,focuses should be on solving such problems as how to practice democracy and law-ruling,narrow the gap of income and harness some carders for their corruption in the construction of Chinese socialism.


This article results from a new development of the MISA instructional engineering method and its web-based support system, ADISA. Delivery models are important because they represent the actors, their operations and interactions and the resources the use or produce for other actor when the system will be in operation. Without sufficient planning, distributed learning systems will generally present high levels of technical and organizational noise that are an obstacle to learning. We will present a delivery model technique which aims to solve these problems. We will show that this technique allows us to represent the learning system at a global level, modeling distance learning paradigms such as distributed classrooms, self-Training on the Web, online training, communities of practice, as well as performance support systems. At a lower level, we model functions within the learning system (physiologies of the organism) such as competency management, learning assessment, resource use or collaboration management. Finally, we discuss the role of delivery and function models in the aggregation of resources or learning objects. The approach is proposed as way to go beyond the actual learning objects integration paradigms for which international metadata standards are being actually developed.


National Temperance League Breakfast.-On July 30th the National Temperance League entertained at breakfast at the Great Central Hotel about eighty members of the Association and some ladies. Among those present were the Bishop of Carlisle, one of the vice-presidents of the League, who presided; Dr. Barnes, the President of the British Medical Association, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Mr. Allison, M.P., Mr. MacInnes, and Dr. Norman Kerr. The seats at the tables in the large room were all filled, and several of the guests were entertained during the repast in an adjoining room, whence they came back to the larger room during the speeches. The Chairman said that it was not so much legislation as education that the League contemplated, and no men were more anxious to promote temerance reform than the Bishops of the Church of England. He congratulated members of the, medical profession on the advance they had made in temperance matters, but was aware that there was still a great work to be done in that direction. Dr. Barnes briefly addressed the meeting, expressing the pleasure with which he showed his sympathy with the objects of the League. Sir Wilfrid Lawson, speaking of local option, said that when the temperance societies tried to prevent people being led into temptation, it was a horrible thing that the law of the land should put temptation in the *ay of the people. He maintained that the people themselves and not the magistrates should say whether these temptations should be allowed to exist. He had no opposition to offer to any kind of temperance reform; and, in conclusion, he was rejoiced to see medical men taking a part in this movement. Votes of thanks to the Bishop and Sir Wilfrid Lawson were tendered, and other addresses were delivered by Mr. Allison and Mr. MacInnes. Evening Concert.-A concert, arranged by Dr. Graham, took place under the auspices of the Ladies Reception Committee on Thursday evening in the New Public Hall, to which ladies and those not attending the annual dinner were invited. The programme gave great pleasure to an audience of nearly 700, and several songs and a violin solo by Miss Crossthwaite were encored. Amongst the vocalists were Madame Ruth Lamb, Miss Council, Mr. Hughes, Mr. Ferguson, and Dr. Graham. who has a splendid bass voice. At the conclusion of the concert a hearty vote of thanks, proposed by a member of the Association, to all who had taken part in the concert was warmly greeted by all present at the entertainment. Cricket Match.-The following is the score in the cricket match between a Border Branch Eleven and Dr. Broadbent's Eleven at Edenside on July 29th:


* On a recent trip to my hometown of Evansville, Indiana, I drove out to East Franklin Street to see whether the house that Theodore Dreiser once lived in is still standing. It is. It is a one-story brick cottage-what we used to call, in Evansville, "a shotgun house"with the rooms in a single row from front to back. The neighborhood of East Franklin Street, an old one, has not changed much for better or worse, I imagine, since Dreiser lived there eighty years ago. On this trip I did not pay Dreiser's memory the tribute of visiting the house; I had done that once before. Instead, I paid the author the greater tribute of reading some of his books that I had not read and re-reading others with which I was already familiar. Beginning with the autobiographies-Dawn, Newspaper Days, A Traveler at Forty, and A Hoosier Holiday-and having not long before written an article about Booth Tarkington for an encyclopedia, I soon found myself contemplating Dreiser's life alongside the almost exactly contemporary life of the only other novelist from Indiana of his period who achieved a reputation of any consequence. Dreiser and Tarkington were born within two years and within seventy miles of each other, and their deaths occurred less than four months apart. Tarkington's life ended, however, in the same place and in approximately the same social circumstances in which it began, while Dreiser's came to a close far removed from both its geographical and social starting point. The contrasts in the two men's


The purpose of this study is to probe into the effect of metacognitive thinking strategies with different teaching strategies in an online inquiry-based junior high course. Two types of teaching strategies were applied in classes with totally 69 students of 9 graders in New Taipei City. Among participants, 34 students were in the experimental group accepting the strategy of "Collaborative Online Inquiry" while the control group of 35 students with "Personal-based Online Inquiry". Data were collected for a six-week lesson on this topic "Campus Folk Song". ANCOVA and class observations, instructors' diary, and interviews with students are measured to understand the different effects of two teaching strategies on students' metacognitive thinking strategies. The result shows that students by 'collaborative online inquiry' in experimental group perform their metacognitive strategies better than those by "Personal-based Online Inquiry" in the control group.


Contamination of ready-to-eat foods and beverages sold by street vendors and hawkers rendering them unacceptable for human consumption has become a global health problem. A study aimed at examining the quality and safety of milk based foods in Allahabad city was done wherein a total of 40 samples were analysed including Ice cream, Kulfi, Mango Shake and Colour ice bar. The samples were classified in satisfactory, acceptable and unsatisfactory categories according to PHLS (Public Health Laboratory Services, UK) guidelines. None of the samples screened in the present study were in satisfactory grade however, 40% ice cream samples, 50% mango shake samples, 10% kulfi samples and 60% colour ice bar samples were within acceptable range. More than 50% samples of ice cream, kulfi, mango shake and 40% samples of colour ice bar samples were unsatisfactory as TPC count was 10 5 CFU/g/ml. The results showed that in most localities the street vended foods remained hygienically poor since bacterial loads (Yeast and Mold counts and Total coliforms) on the whole were abnormally high (YMC: 1910 x 10 4 CFUs/ ml; TC: >2400 MPN/g). Majority (80%) of ice cream samples whereas 30-50% of kulfi, mango shake and flavoured milk samples were positive for E. coli. More than 50% of all food samples analysed were positive for S. aureus. E. faecalis was encountered in 60% samples of colour ice bar, 50% samples of mango shake and 10% samples each of ice cream and kulfi. Based on the presence of pathogens, it is concluded that street foods in certain areas inside the city are highly unsafe and unfit for human consumption.


Multistorey buildings are rapidly constructing with the current world development. Cleaning of these buildings is a major concern due to several issues such as scarcity of labor. Cleaning robots are developed to cope with these issues. Among these cleaning robots, staircase cleaning robots play a vital role in a multistorey building. Therefore, this paper proposes a control strategy for a reconfigurable staircase cleaning robot to ensure area coverage and safety. A staircase cleaning robot should particularly maintain its orientation parallel to the riser while maintaining a proper clearance with the riser when performing the sideways movement on a thread to ensure safety and coverage. Two Fuzzy Logic Systems (FLSs) have been developed to correct the heading and the clearance distance during sideways movements. Precise measurements on heading error and clearance distance are essential for the decision-making process of the proposed control strategy. Thus, a vision-based perception mechanism has been developed to accurately perceives these essential measurements. The proposal of the control strategy to correct the heading and the clearance distance, and the development of the vision-based perception mechanism are the major contributions of the work. Experiments were conducted by deploying the developed robot in a typical staircase considering different conditions. The experiment results validate that the proposed method can ensure coverage and safety by properly maintaining the heading and clearance of the robot with respect to a riser.


The present paper is a brief overview of an innovative educational program in Primary Education regarding the pedagogical use of mobile devices in teaching. The program adopted Puentedura's (2010) SAMR model, which is based on Bloom's Revised Taxonomy, and proposes four levels of integration of digital applications into teaching practice. The program, which was implemented at the same time as a continuous intra-school training program, aimed at the integration and pedagogical utilization of portable devices (tablets) in the teaching of all the basic subjects of the Primary School for a very long period of time in order to contribute to the transformation of the educational process. The experiences from the first phases of the program demonstrate that the learning process was significantly enriched and strengthened, 21st century skills were cultivated and developed, while the professional development of teachers and the active participation of students were enhanced. These conditions therefore led to the change of previous attitudes of teachers and students towards the specific technological medium.


GALILEI is multipurpose, high level programming language. Its basic feature is its extreme simplicity. GALILEI has the following principal characteristics:a) there exists only one type of procedure;b) the order of execution is controlled by means of the unique statement DEC and two special labels -> and =>;c) there is only one repetitive statement: REPEAT;d) the variable attributes are defined through their initial values and consequently the use of keywords is eliminated.For GALILEI there does not yet exist a compiler, thus in this paper only the principal characteristics of the language are described.


In this paper,we compare the performance between the two representative clustering algorithms,PEGASIS and ECMR in several aspects,such as node energy,delay and the overload of the links.Then,we proposed a distributed energy-efficient clustering algorithm in wireliess sensor networks based on multi-hop theory.From the implementation,this algorithm has the better performances of energy-efficiency,higher throughput and low delay.


Introduction
Women with breast implants may experience breast implant illness (BII). BII is comprised of a collection of systemic symptoms, such as fatigue and pain, that are postulated to be related to having breast implants.

Case Presentation
This case report documents the naturopathic treatment of a 35-year-old female patient diagnosed with fibromyalgia, tension headaches, and chronic anxiety, perceived to be linked to and exacerbated by her textured cohesive gel implants. The patient sought naturopathic treatment for support during the explant process of her breast implants.Naturopathic treatment was provided over a 3-month period in conjunction with prescribed medication for her anxiety and tension headaches.

Conclusion
At 3 months post-naturopathic treatment, the patient experienced a reduction in anxiety, fatigue, and self-reported pain. The integration of alternative therapies with prescribed pharmaceutical treatment appeared to positively impact the health of this patient.


In survival analysis, we usually apply positively skewed, heavy-tailed probability distributions and the analysed datasets contain not only complete but also censored values. In the contribution, random samples with right censored data are treated and properties of quick estimators of central tendency – weighted means of selected quantiles – are of interest. We use both parametric, under an assumption of the probability distribution, and non-parametric distribution-free method based on Kaplan-Meier estimator of a survival function (for data with censored values) and linearized inverse empirical function and kernel estimator of the density for complete data. The Monte Carlo simulation study is performed in the R program. The impact of censoring is of interest, we use datasets with all values complete, and with 10 to 50 per cent of censored values. The dependence on the sample size is discussed; samples with 50, 100, and 500 observations are used. Random samples are generated from the lognormal distribution, independent right censoring is used.


In Diffuse idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH) o Forestier-Rotés disease the enthesis is also the hallmark of extraspinal manifestations. Despite being a characteristic hallmark of the disease, it has been poorly investigated.To assess the usefulness of the Madrid Sonographic Enthesitis Index (MASEI) to classify patients with DISH and to analyse the ultrasound findings in hyperostotic entheses.We recruited 35 patients with DISH, according to Resnick classification criteria, who were compared with 33 healthy patients age, sex and body mass index-matched. An ultrasound was performed strictly following the MASEI protocol. The ultrasound examiners, with extensive experience in musculoskeletal ultrasound (ECOCAT group), were blinded to the diagnosis of the patients. The interobserver reliability of MASEI index measured by an ICC was 0.97 (95%, CI 89-99) [1]. Demographic, cardiovascular risk factors, clinical, radiological and MASEI-related variables were collected. We categorized into MASEI- inflammatory (MASEI-I) and MASEI-damage (MASEI-D) as previously published [2]but also into MASEI-DISH, which included the variables of thickness, structure and calcification. In the statistical analysis, patients' data were depicted by using descriptive statistics and the comparison between groups with the Chi-square test for categorical variables and the T-Student test for numerical variables. The validity of the index was examined using the area under the ROC curve and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). The optimal cut-off point was defined as the one that maximizes sensitivity (S) and specificity. (Spe). The statistical program used was R software.In the analysis of the elemental lesions, the alterations in structure, thickness and calcification of the distal quadriceps (DQT) and Achilles tendons (AQT) stood out (p <0.05). In the total MASEI, the ultrasound score of ≥ 16.50 (S80%, Spe 85%), obtained with an AUC of 0.877 (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.96), was the best cut-off to differentiate patients from healthy subjects. In the categorized indices, MASEI-I: cut-off 5.50 (S 89%, Spe 76%) and AUC 0.835 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.94); MASEI-D: 7.50 (S 86%, Spe 76%) and AUC 0.850 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.94) and MASEI-DISH: 16.50 (S 74%, Spe 91%) and AUC (95% CI 0.76 to 0.95). The total MASEI in the DISH group was 27.46 (SD 14.4) compared to 10.30 (SD 6.4) in healthy controls (p<0.001) as well as in those categorized as MASEI-I, MASEI-D or MASEI-DISH (p <0.001).Entheses lesions of the AQT and the DQT mark the differences between DISH and healthy patients. The optimal cut-off point was 16.50, and we did not observe any advantages in establishing MASEI categorizations that could be useful in clinical practice. Although the MASEI is an index designed to classify patients with spondyloarthritis, our study shows that it also allows differentiating DISH patients from healthy subjects. It would also be interesting to analyse the capacity of the MASEI to distinguish DISH from spondyloarthritis.[1]Moya Alvarado P, et al. Rheumatol Int. 2020.[2]Eder L et al. J Rheumatol. 2014; 41(3): 466-72.This study has received a grant from the Catalan Rheumatology Society (2019)Investigation Unit Sociedad Española de ReumatologíaCatalan Rheumatology Society (Grant)Teresa Clavaguera Speakers bureau: 2021 Jansen, UCB, Novartis, Marta Valls Speakers bureau: 2021 Lilly, Nordic, Maria Buxó: None declared, MANEL PUJOL BUSQUETS Speakers bureau: abbvie, pfizer, lilly, UCB, Janssen, Novartis, Georgina Salvador Alarcon Speakers bureau: Lilly, Novartis, Roche, abbvie, Sanofi, Eulàlia Armengol Speakers bureau: Novartis, Jansen, Xavier González-Giménez: None declared, Mireia Moreno Speakers bureau: Many: Novartis, MSD, Marta Arévalo: None declared, Vicenç Torrente: None declared, Lourdes Mateo: None declared, Susana Holgado: None declared, Xabier Michelena: None declared, Juan José De Agustín De Oro: None declared, Meritxell Sallés Lizarzaburu Speakers bureau: Lilly, Sanofi, Sonia Mínguez: None declared, ANDRES PONCE FERNANDEZ: None declared, Rosa Morlà: None declared, Paula Estrada: None declared, D Reina-Sanz Speakers bureau: Novartis, UCB, Patricia Moya: None declared, Hector Corominas Speakers bureau: Gebro, Abbvie, Fresenius, Judith Font Urgellés: None declared, Patricia Reyner Speakers bureau: Lilly, Sanofi, Nordic


We consider two spectral triples related to the Kronecker foliation. The corresponding generalized Dirac operators are constructed from first and second order signature operators. Furthermore, we consider the differential calculi corresponding to these spectral triples. In one case, the calculus has a description in terms of generators and relations, in the other case it is an "almost free" calculus.


We address the problem of telegraphic transport in several dimensions. We review the derivation of two and three dimensional telegrapher's equations—as well as their fractional generalizations—from microscopic random walk models for transport (normal and anomalous). We also present new results on solutions of the higher dimensional fractional equations.


This paper discusses the transcription into IPA symbols of the nine tables in Michael Krauss's (2005) paper on Athabaskan tone, in an Excel spreadsheet, and searchable, to simplify correspondences across contemporary data from these languages, or for those unfamiliar with Krauss's orthography. The purpose of this paper is to provide a useable tool and a dataset to build on, to continue to develop an understanding of tonal patterns in these languages. A .pdf version is also provided for any needed comparisons between the tables.


: Soil organic carbon and nitrogen are used as indexes of soil quality assessment and sustainable land use management. At the same time, soil C/N ratio is a sensitive indicator of soil quality and for assessing the carbon and nitrogen nutrition balance of soils. Characteristics of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen were studied by investigating a large number of tasar silkworm host plants growing field in major tasar production areas in Bihar and Jharkhand states of India. High tasar silkworm host plants growing soil organic carbon content was observed in the area of Tetariya village followed by Dhaka village whereas low content was found in the Digal Pahari village. Soil total nitrogen content also exhibited similar differences in the four major tasar growing areas. Soil of Dhaka village had the highest total nitrogen content (3.15 g kg −1 ) followed by Digal Pahari (3.10 g kg −1 ). No significant difference was noted between these two regions, but their total nitrogen content was significantly higher than the other areas. The soil total nitrogen content for Salaiya was 2.6 g kg −1 , which was significantly lower than else other areas. Tetariya village exhibited higher soil C/N ratio (2.88) whereas lowest soil C/N ratio was  1.93 recorded in Digal Pahari  Therefore, the improvement of soil organic carbon should be given more attention to increase the steady growth of soil C/N ratio for quality tasar silkworm cocoon production.


By the use of the modified computer programs of Gordon and McBride for the determination of heterogeneous phase and chemical equilibria at preassigned temperatures (300-1100 K) and atmospheric pressure (101 325 N m/sup -2/), the oxidation with O/sub 2/ of sulfur-poisoned Raney nickel catalyst and subsequent reduction with H/sub 2/ have been modeled thermodynamically by using the properties of bulk nickel compounds. An alternate process, the direct reduction with H/sub 2/ of the sulfidized nickel, has also been modeled and arguments are advanced for the further investigation of this thermodynamically favored second process. In both processes the mole ratios of reactants, H/sub 2//NiSO/sub 4/ and H/sub 2//Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/, respectively, for complete disappearance of the last product to be reduced, Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/, increase markedly as the desired temperature for complete thermodynamic reduction decreases. These ratios and the equilibrium activity quotient P/sub H/sub 2///P/sub H/sub 2/S/ have been determined as quantitative functions of this critical reduction temperature. A complete thermodynamic hierarchy of oxidation processes for the reaction of O/sub 2/ with mixtures of Ni and Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/ is developed. From the equilibrium calculations it is brought out that Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/ is relatively more stable both to oxidation withmore » O/sub 2/ than is Ni and to reduction with H/sub 2/ than is NiO. One point of modest connection with experiment is presented for the reduction processes. 1 figure, 1 table.« less


As traditional computing and cloud computing integrate, the Internet of Things (IoT) has evolved into a layered and cloud‐network‐edge‐end architecture. However, most searchable encryption models still use triples, in which hierarchical structures are neglected, and insecure intermediate nodes are exposed to external environment. Meanwhile, mainstream schemes adopting accurate retrieval are incompatible with IoT end users' features of differentiation. To address these issues, we innovatively design an efficient and credible search model with an accurate multikeyword fuzzy ciphertext retrieval scheme in the context of IoT. First, based on network coding and key sharing, data are grouped, encoded, and transmitted in parallel to the receiver node through middle‐layer nodes, with high efficiency and reliability. Second, to realize fuzzy retrieval of IoT, edit distance is selected as the standard of difference between keywords, and then document index vector and query vector are created based on locality sensitive hashing (LSH) and Bloom Filter. Furthermore, to improve the traditional scheme, query keywords are split into multiple single‐word forms, inner products between each trapdoor of single word and encryption index vector are calculated, respectively, for the sum of each inner product and thus top $\mathrm{top}$ ‐ k $k$ sorting search. Ultimately, feasibility, safety, and efficiency of our improved scheme are verified by security analysis, while simulation results support that our scheme has better accuracy and efficiency.


ANALYSIS OF GENOTYPING-BY-SEQUENCING DATA IN A MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) BREEDING PROGRAM Alison R. Cooke Advisors: University of Guelph, 2016 Dr. Andy Robinson, Dr. Elizabeth A. Lee As genotyping-by-sequencing data becomes more abundant, new applications of this technology in breeding programs are possible. This research utilized publically available data in conjunction with data from the University of Guelph maize breeding program. Using a genetic similarity matrix, a network diagram and dendrogram were generated, reflecting the maize heterotic patterns. Hierarchical clustering was used to identify putative parents of University of Guelph lines from a publically available dataset. For lines derived from inter-heterotic breeding crosses, parental linkage blocks were identified and visualized across the chromosomes. The marker data was also used in conjunction with grain yield data for association mapping using a mixed model approach. This method identified 123 quantitative trait loci for additive effects for grain yield in Stiff Stalk lines, accounting for approximately 9.38% of the phenotypic variance. Breeders can increase the utility of their marker data in their breeding program by applying the methods described here.


Literature on opposition to regional integration has concentrated on the European Union (EU). So far, very few systematic attempts have been pursued to explain opposition to regional integration in Latin America or to identify its main influential factors. Based on Latinobarometer surveys, two main findings emerge from this paper. First, it confirms that opposition to regional integration is not a generalised attitude among Latin Americans. Secondly, the way in which citizens across Latin America evaluate regional integration is strongly influenced by the same predictors as in the EU. Together, citizens' assessments of economic performance (both at the individual and national level) enjoy a preponderance to account for their position regarding regionalism. Others variables, i.e. age, ideological position, and level of education have a more limited explanatory value while occupation is not significant. Thus, economic variables such as citizens' perceptions of their national and individual economy have proven to be directly linked to support for/opposition to economic integration.


AIM AND METHODS
We assessed the performance evaluation of a dual-head coincidence gamma camera (Millennium VG, General Electric, Milwaukee, USA) as a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner based on the measurement indicator for performance evaluation of PET device.

RESULTS
The axial spatial resolution was 4.98 mm FWHM at the center of the field of view. The true high count-rate characteristic curve was relatively straight within the range 0-0.2 microCi/ml. The relative recovery coefficient was 0.1 with a diameter of 10 mm and 0.39 with a diameter of 20 mm.

CONCLUSION
In this study, we had to make a some change in the protocols described in the measurement indicator for performance evaluation of PET devices.


Metal detectors are still the most common tool for land mine detection. Yet, their false alarm rate is extremely high as they only indicate the sheer presence of metal without using any classification until today. Therefore, the German Science Ministry funded a project in order to improve the signal analysis of existing metal detectors. Within that project network, the authors followed the goal of creating a database of synthetic mine signatures which then would be used in a classification algorithm. The numerical challenge was posed by the fact that, typically, metal objects in modern land mines are much smaller than the metal detector's coils. Therefore the computation of mine signatures requires much effort regarding the discretisation of the search scenario. Here, an efficient discretisation is reached by applying a domain decomposition method which subdivides the computational domain in sub-domains with different mesh resolution. A very fine discretisation is chosen in and closely around the metal object, especially in its skin depth layer, a coarser one around the coils of the metal detector and a very coarse one in the remaining computational domain. In the following, the domain decomposition method with Lagrange multipliers is presented for the magneto-quasistatic equations which mathematically describe the scenario of a metal detector used as a mine searching device.


Abstract Three cyclic methyl and ethyl substituted silanes were synthesized and their thermal properties analyzed. All show a plastic crystalline state which permits also ring and/or side-chain conformational motion as judged from the enthalpies of transition to the isotropic state. Heat capacity data and entropies of disordering into the plastic crystal leave open the possibility of a condis (conformationally disordered) state below the plastic crystal state with a continuous, transitionless freezing of the conformational motion at lower temperature.


Blends of carboxyl functionalized poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) were shown to undergo an ester interchange reaction during melt blending. Pendent carboxyl functionality randomly incorporated along the PPS chain reacts with the ester moiety of PET to form a graft copolymer. A model compound, 2,4-bis(phenylthio benzoic acid), has been synthesized to assist in defining the level of carboxyl functionality on the PPS chain. Evidence of the grafting reaction has been gathered from infrared spectroscopy, solubility measurements, and electron microscopy. When added to blends of PPS and PET homopolymers, the graft copolymer significantly reduces the average domain size of the dispersed phase across the entire composition range. This study describes the role that graft copolymers formed by ester interchange reactions can play in compatibilizing this immiscible blend system, with particular focus on the conditions leading to increased grafting efficiency.


(57) Abstract: The following description relates to a method for impregnating a crosslinked polymer in the active ingredient. Step this method, the compressed fluid with the anti-solvent effect, based on the particular use of the CO This method, compared to known formulations containing higher amounts of amorphous or nanocrystalline active ingredient, it is possible to obtain a rapid release pharmaceutical formulations.


The historical and cultural values of the postwar
reconstruction period housing areas have been
officially noticed just quite recently in Finland. At the
same time the popularity of these areas has increased. It
is feared that technical alterations of the old buildings
will disrupt the uniformity and destroy the identity of
these neighbourhoods. The Karjasilta neighbourhood in
Oulu functions as a pilot area of the study.
In the beginning of 2008, a structured resident survey
was launched as a part of a new research project,
Karjasilta as a residential environment and cultural
milieu. The aim is to shed light on the qualities and
values of both the physical and social environments -
scale, materials and social factors.


Executive Summary 1. Introduction 2. Conceptual Framework and Methodology 3. The Social Goals of Public Participation 4. The Context of Public Participation 5. The Process of Public Participation 6. Public Participation and Implementation 7. Designing Public Participation Processes 8. Conclusions and Areas for Further Research Appendix A: Case Survey Methodology Appendix B: Details on Data and Aggregation Appendix C: Technical Analysis Appendix D: Examination of Potential Bias Appendix E: Citations for Cases in the Final Data Set References Index


Background: The successful management of cardiopulmonary emergencies revolves around the optimum utilization of the golden hour, so that the patient gets the best possible advantage at survival. Aim of the study was to perform gap analysis of crash carts in the emergency of a tertiary care teaching hospital by comparing the salient parameters with standards listed by Resuscitation Council UK (for equipment) and National Accreditation Board of Hospitals and health care providers (for management of medication). Further, to assess the improvement in compliance with the simple intervention of educating staff regarding protocols. Methods: A descriptive, quantitative, observational study, supplemented in the second phase by an intervention to increase awareness of staff in achieving standardization, followed further by assessing the level of improvement in compliance to standards in terms of content, labeling, documentation and functionality of the contents of the carts. Results: The root causes of non-adherence to standardization were design of the area and of the cart, amount of workload which led to neglect of labelling, documentation protocols resulting in decreased accountability and inefficient monitoring. This impacted the adequate provision of content and functionality of the items in the crash carts. Human factor engineering in the form of customization of crash carts for cognitive ergonomic design, clarity and awareness of guidelines among the nursing staff i.e. 'first responder' went a long way in improving compliance to standards. Conclusions: Human factor engineering supplemented by usage of sub-trolleys, along with increasing sensitivity and awareness to standard protocols, can help achieve maximum compliance in terms of the effective functioning of crash carts in the emergency.


Internet's widespread use is mainly attributable to its best-effort concept, as well as being open to all users and services. The principle of net neutrality has been introduced, in essence, to safeguard this concept. Still, net neutrality faces contemporary challenges in the Western world by being continuously disputed or tested. In the United States related regulation has been reversed, while European stakeholders manage to balance and preserve net neutrality's importance. In that direction, the Macedonian regulation has been mostly in-line with that of the European Union. Even so, challenges grow as Internet service providers find various ways to impose Internet traffic differentia- tion. QoS measurement tools for net neutrality assessment are therefore of great importance, but shortcomings exist. This paper gives the argument that passive measurement tools are more robust in detecting any differentiation. Finally, a proposed model for passively measuring the crucial metric – data throughput – may prove to become better deployable than existing tools, with the goal of general net neutrality assessment.


Summer Maunakea, an accomplished scholar from the School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawai`i Manoa shares her story. The title of Summer's presentation is "Towards Living Mālama ʻĀina: Acting upon Kuleana through ʻOhana, Education, & Wellbeing."


The log-ratio model (LRM) with three model parameters (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{n}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\boldsymbol{m}}_1},$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\boldsymbol{m}}_0}$</tex-math></inline-formula>) has been widely used in shallow water bathymetry of multispectral images. At present, obtaining LRM model parameters by optimization algorithms depends on the setting of initial values [<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{n}}(0)$</tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\boldsymbol{m}}_1}(0),$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\boldsymbol{m}}_0}(0)$</tex-math></inline-formula>] or initial value ranges. However, how to set the initial value can obtain model parameters more effectively and credibly, and the significance of each initial value in the optimization process is very important for LRM bathymetric retrieval method. In this article, remote sensing images and bathymetric data were used to determine the initial value ranges of credible model parameters, and then the sensitivity of each parameter was analyzed in the algorithm optimization process from the partial differential perspective, and the bathymetry was retrieved in the sea area near Ganquan Island. The results show that according to the partial differential analysis of model parameters, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{n}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, with the smallest change rate in three LRM parameters and the rate of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\boldsymbol{m}}_1}$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\boldsymbol{m}}_0}$</tex-math></inline-formula> is at least five times of it. So <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{n}}(0)$</tex-math></inline-formula> needs more iterations to achieve the optimal. Therefore, the initial value <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{n}}(0)$</tex-math></inline-formula> determines whether the optimization method can obtain credible LRM model parameters and the algorithm convergence speed. And when <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{n}}(0) \in ({1/{{\boldsymbol{R}}_{{{\bf min}}}},\ 1000} ]$</tex-math></inline-formula> (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${{\boldsymbol{R}}_{{{\bf min}}}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> is the minimum reflectance in blue and green bands), there must be a credible model parameter solution. The bathymetric retrieval results of the sea area with coral and sand substrates show the applicability of our initial value ranges in different substrate area.


Habitat fragmentation is one of serious threats to biodiversity of nature in today's world. The present study of a typical steppe species Iris pumila L. (Iridaceae) has analyzed the impacts of geographical isolation and population size on genetic diversity and population structure in conditions of habitat fragmentation. The key indices of population genetic variability calculated from the ISSR markers data were on average as follows: Shannon diversity index (S) – 0.188; unbiased Nei ' s gene diversity (H e ) – 0.123; and the average measure of Jaccard ' s genetic distances between individuals within populations – 58.4%. Although the largest population had significantly higher values of S and He, the small and marginal populations also showed a comparable level of variation. Most of the genetic variation of I. pumila was distributed within the populations. A strong correlation was found between Nei ' s genetic distances and geographic distances between the populations. According to the Bayesian analysis, genetic structure of the populations was highly homogeneous; however, the presence of admixed genotypes indicated the possibility of gene flow between the populations at present.


Assigning products to and retrieving them from proper storage locations are crucial decisions in minimizing the operating cost of a unit-load warehouse. The problem becomes intractable when the warehouse faces variable supply and uncertain demand in a multiperiod setting. We assume a factor-based demand model in which demand for each product in each period is affinely dependent on some uncertain factors. The distributions of these factors are only partially characterized. We introduce a robust optimization model that minimizes the worst-case expected total travel in the warehouse with distributional ambiguity of demand. Under a linear decision rule, we obtain a storage and retrieval policy by solving a moderate-size linear optimization problem. Surprisingly, despite imprecise specification of demand distributions, our computational studies suggest that the linear policy achieves close to the expected value given perfect information and significantly outperforms existing heuristics in the literature.

This paper was accepted by Gerard P. Cachon, optimization.


In order to develop more effective ways of helping adolescents and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors cope with cancer-related uncertainty, it is important to understand how AYAs respond communicatively to each other's uncertainty. We designed this project to gain insight into the patterns of social support that occur in response to AYAs' expressions of uncertainty. We analyzed 510 responses to posts in an AYA-focused online discussion group. Eighty-two percent of messages responding to uncertainty contained informational support. Sixty-seven percent contained multiple types of support. Among medical, personal, and social sources of uncertainty, the most typical response tended to be a combination of informational support accompanied by emotional and/or esteem support. AYAs who express uncertainty in online support groups should be advised that their posts are likely to be met with information, such as advice and referrals, which may either facilitate or impede their uncertainty management goals.


Ray Charles gets credit for turning gospel into soul music in the early 1950s, but Winston-Salem's "5" Royales beat him to the top of the R&B charts by a couple of years. The Royales were a key transitional act in soul's evolution, with a particular gift for bawdiness. They also contributed a number of oft-covered standards, most notably "Dedicated to the One I Love." Steve Cropper of the legendary Memphis soul combo Booker T & the MG's has admitted that Royales guitarist Lowman Pauling was his biggest influence.


The Java Native Interface (JNI) is a mechanism in Java that allows a Java program to call functions in other languages such as C++. A variety of issues come up with JNI use, including some performance ones, and it's instructive to step through an example of look at some of these.


This paper describes a methodological framework for the study of action and change processes of ideas and teaching practices, driven as part of a training design for science teachers. In this regard, three


A scheme of naturally passing neutral sections was proposed based on the mechanism of arcing when a train passes the neutral section.In the scheme,a shunt capacitor is connected to both the pantograph and the high voltage winding of the transformer on board.When the locomotive passes the neutral section,there is no arcing because the electric traction system on board has the same potential as that of the catenary.Compared with 3 existing schemes for passing neutral sections,the proposed one is shorter in power-off time,simpler in configuration,and less in investment and maintenance.It also reduces arc intensity significantly when the pantograph bounces on the contact wire.


Objective:The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the LV dilation and remodelling during the development of CHF is associated with the change of Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) zymographic activity.Methods:Eleven sheeps were developed into moderate chronic heart failure by sequential microembolisation and the hearts were studied for MMPs after echocardiographic and hemodynamic evaluation 6 months after the development of CHF and compared with 10 normal sheeps. MMPs activity was determined by gelatin zymography.Results:Compared with the baseline data, left ventricular(LV) end diastolic diameter 〔from( 4.00 ± 0.41 )~( 5.30 ± 0.36 )cm〕, the ratio of LV diameter and wall thickness 〔from( 2.30 ± 0.31 )~( 3.90 ± 0.61 )〕, LV end diastolic volume 〔from( 69.00 ± 17.54 )~( 123.20 ± 32.55 )ml〕, LV end diastolic pressure〔from( 7.80 ± 2.61 )~( 12.90 ± 2.15 )mmHg〕 increased significantly 6 months after the development of CHF (P 0.01 ). While the LV ejection fraction 〔from( 56.20 ± 8.29 )%~( 33.80 ± 5.88 )%, P 0.001 〕, LV dP/dt max 〔from(1258±232)~(988±198)mmHg, P 0.05 〕 and LVdP/dt min 〔from(1614±497)~(1216±279)mmHg, P 0.05 〕 decreased significantly. Three and half fold increase in LV myocardial MMP 2 zymographic activity against the substrate gelatin was observed in CHF sheep as compared with the normal sheep. There were no significant difference in MMP 1 and MMP 9 zymographic activity between the two groups.Conclusion:Increase in LV myocardial MMP 2 zymographic activity has been found in CHF sheep and may be partly responsible for the LV dilation and remodelling seen in this model of heart failure.


Chapter 4 examines the posthumous publication of Mansfield's writings in John Middleton Murry's magazine The Adelphi. The chapter interrogates the ways in which Mansfield's reputation was moulded and mediated in the magazine, with Murry eliding those disruptive and disjunctive aspects of Mansfield's work examined in the first three chapters of the book: of Mansfield the feminist, who eschewed gender stereotypes of feminine 'purity' and 'saintliness' in The New Age; of Mansfield the (post)colonial writer, who negotiated a deliberately ambiguous position for her work between England and New Zealand in Rhythm; and of Mansfield the modernist, whose critical writings in The Athenaeum indubitably helped to shape the literary innovations of the early 1920s. In this way, the chapter shows how the so-called 'Mansfield myth' owed much to the periodical contexts in which it was first formulated.


Abstract The association between serum triglyceride level, body mass index and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was examined during rest as well as during and after an estimated maximal oxygen uptake ergometer bicycle task in 40 males and 40 females. The subjects were matched for age (range 34–50 +/−2 years), cigarette smoking (20 smokers and 20 nonsmokers of each sex) and occupational level. According to a physical examination, all subjects were healthy and had triglyceride and DBP levels within the normal Swedish range. In men, but not in women, significant positive correlations were found between triglyceride and DBP levels. Removing the effects of body mass decreased the magnitude of correlations. However, a significant (p<.05) interaction remained between triglyceride level and DBP responses in men. For men in the upper quartile of the lipid distribution (above 1.80 mmol/l), DBP increased during exercise, for those in the lower quartile (below 1.00 mmol/l) DBP decreased, whereas no change occurred for ...


Background: Although, in gastric cancer (GC), the presence of CD8 T cells and programmed cell death ligand-1(PD-L1) were considered as an inflamed marker for immunotherapy, the objective response rate was only 22% for this kind of patients. Herein, we comprehensively elucidate the gene mutation and expression, and functional enrichment pathways profile basing on CD8 and PD-L1 levels to better understand the immune pattern of inflamed GC and to interpretation the potential clinical treatment strategies to circumvent the obstacle of immunotherapy resistance for patients with different CD8 and PD-L1 levels.

Methods: Histopathologic analysis was used to evaluate PD-L1/ CD8 expression in 186 tumor tissues from GC patients whose survival outcomes were recorded as well. Meanwhile, the gene expression and mutations of 289 GC samples in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were computed using R 3.6.1 packages.

Findings: The CD8/PD-L1 subtype were established with Types I (60.3%), II (11.8%), III (0%), and IV (27.9%) in 186 GC samples with survival outcomes related to CD8 T cells level. In 289 GC samples data from TCGA, all four CD8/PD-L1 subtypes had distinguishing molecular subtype with oncogenes and DNA damage repair-related (DDR) genes frequently altered in Type I, while TP53 mutations tend to be enriched in Type II and IV.

Interpretation: We attempted to present a framework for distinguishing and conceptualizing the different signatures among GC with varied PD-L1/CD8 levels rely on histopathological data, gene mutation and expression to provide a new insight into the possibility of overcoming resistance of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.

Funding Statement: The work was supported by in part by Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (Grant No. 2017J01259, 2018J01267), Fujian provincial health and family planning research talent training program (Grant No. 2018-ZQN-13,2019-CX-4), Science and Technology Program of Fujian Province, China (Grant No. 2018Y2003, 2019L3018 and 2019YZ016006), Joint Funds for the innovation of science and Technology, Fujian province (Grant No. 2017Y9077,2018Y2003 and 2019YZ016006), Startup Fund for science research, Fujian Medical University (Grant No. 2019QH1196), and the National Clinical Key Specialty Construction Program.

Declaration of Interests: None declared.

Ethics Approval Statement: This study had been informed and approved by the ethics committee of the Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital. All procedures in the study were conducted conformed to the standards set by the Declaration of Helsinki.


Dear editor,

We are pleased to respond to Drs Lee and Hoge's1 commentary on our randomised controlled trial (RCT) published in JAMA (a summary of the original article can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26241597).2 While we readily acknowledge several limitations to the study, Drs Lee and Hoge have failed to consider or acknowledge several aspects of the study and its results.

The main concern with Lee and Hoge's critique is its focus on a single time-point of data that seems to invite readers to ignore all other data. Lee and Hoge argue that the lack of a statistically significant difference between groups at post-treatment equates, of necessity, to a lack of evidence of effectiveness. The authors neglect to consider that despite appropriate randomisation procedures, which they commend, there were significant differences between groups on baseline PTSD symptoms. Participants in the mindfulness-based stress reduction group had significantly greater severity of baseline PTSD symptoms than those in the present-centred therapy group as measured …


This letter to the «Neue Zurcher Zeitung» indicates that after 1940, the Vatican did know about concentration camps. It quotes the closing words of a letter from the Vatican Secretary of State, Luigi Maglione, to the Apostolic Nuncio in Switzerland, Filippo Bernardini, which shows the attitude of Pope Pius XII towards the incarcerated priests in the Dachau concentration camp.


In order to quantitatively analyze and assess the operating range of the radio systems on active radar seeker,the authors studied the operating ranges of radio command channel and the active radar channel on air-to-air missile's active radar seeker based on the working principle and the basic equations of radar.Formulas are presented for assessing the operating range of active radar seeker under electronic interference and ground clutter interference.The power density of ground(sea) clutter received by the active radar seeker is also deduced.


We discuss the problem of a consistent determination of the visual extinction to objects in and behind a dark cloud. The use of near-infrared colours is discussed, in particular the H-K colours. We concentrate on the uncertainties, with emphasis on the extinction law and on the intrinsic colours of the young stars embedded in a dark cloud. The cases of the two intensively studied nearby star-forming clouds, Taurus and Ophiuchus, are addressed. 1. Determining the visual extinction Extinction is produced by the dust in the line-of-sight to an object and the column density of dust in a given line of sight is often expressed in terms of the extinction, A v , that it would produce in the photometric V band, at 0.55 µm. Unfortunately, A v is not always a directly measurable quantity, for example if an object is undetectable at V due to high A v , or if the true spectrum of the extinguished object is unknown. Determination of A v , and hence dust column densities, may involve extrapolation from the extinction at some other wavelength which is dependent on knowing the dust extinction law (Rieke & Lebofsky 1985, Whittet et al. 1996). For objects with a known spectral type, determination of A v is relatively straightforward because the intrinsic colours of the object will be known. Determination of A v then depends only on the assumed interstellar or dark cloud extinction law. For embedded young stars, often optically invisible and/or with unknown spectral type, the determination of A v becomes very difficult. Methods used range from near-infrared colours (e.g. to the use of the estimated optical depth at 800 µm (Barsony & Kenyon 1992), from fits of the entire SED of the object (Ladd et al. 1991), to the use of abundances of molecules derived from radio molecular line observations (Wilking & Lada 1983, Liseau Send offprint requests to: T.C. Teixeira et al. 1995). Each method has problems, and visual extinctions determined by different methods do not always agree (cf. Wilk-ing & Lada 1983, Gürtler et al. 1991, Hanner et al. 1995). The requirements of each method imply that they cannot all be used for all the objects observed toward a dark cloud. To determine the extinction to a sample of objects in and behind a dark cloud in a consistent way, it is thus necessary to select a single method which can be applied …


between the point and mission performance of the aircraft. This improved constraint diagram presents the designer with a more complete basis for understanding and weighing the consequences of decisions. Through improved insight, the secondary impact of technologies can be better understood early in the design process.


It is often difficult to learn new mathematics semantically and syntactically, even when there are similarities in the words and meaning when discussed aloud. The goal of this document is to facilitate learning through explanations and definitions relating our common mathematical knowledge and highlighting what is new. It is meant to be a working document that will evolve based on feedback from target audiences, those mathematically literate in linear and tensor algebra, those that want to learn MoA, Psi Calculus, and its uses, those that want and need the ability to prove a design, either in hardware or software through the ONF, Operational Normal Form, and those wanting to exploit all resources optimally, especially when Tensor Algebra, i.e. algorithms foundational to their application,are needed: Knowledge Representation, Machine Learning, Signal Processing, AI, HPC, etc.


A fully-integrated Class-E power amplifier (PA) operating at 18 GHz is implemented in a standard 45 nm CMOS SOI technology. The PA is designed using differential Cascode topology with cross-coupled capacitors for Gate-Drain capacitance neutralization. The measured single-ended saturated power (PSAT) under a supply voltage of 2 V is 15.9 dBm (differential PSAT of 18.9 dB) and the 1-dB single-ended compression power (P1dB) is 13.3 dBm, with a peak power added efficiency (PAE) of 41.4%. The GateDrain capacitance neutralization technique facilitates the class-E operation and improves the PAE by ~20%.


For the widely existed problem of the scrap of spares during the mission, an approximation method of inventory optimization for multi-indenture equipment is proposed. At first, the spares in lower indenture are totally converted to top indenture ones by omitting the maintenance time, so that multi-indenture spare is equivalent to single-indenture ones. Then the system availability is derived according to the additive property of Gamma distribution. Finally, the optimal inventory distribution result is obtained by marginal algorithm. In actual example, compared with simulation method, the approximation method is reasonable, feasible, and easy to implement, and can meet to support demands in most occasions except the maintenance time is too long.