Because of several advantages over traditional ceramic insulators, polymeric insulators are gaining popularity in electrical power transmission and distribution systems as outdoor insulation. However, being organic in nature, these insulators degrade in outdoor environment and their lifeexpectancy needs to be assessed in the environment prevailing at potential sites of outdoor installation. For first ever study of polymeric insulators in Pakistan, HTV-SiR insulators, having promising credentials internationally, were chosen to undergo assessment in the simulated environment representing Pakistani conditions. Aging of these insulators was investigated under varying level of UV radiations and pollution to reproduce Pakistani conditions prevalent in different regions. Because of some practical consideration, the aging study was conducted at low-pressure conditions to simulate high altitude applications. The aged samples were analyzed using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, hydrophobicity tests and through physical observations. The study revealed that, though these insulators experienced more degradation at low pressure but still maintained acceptable performance.


There are some who see China's sudden rise to the position of power and influence on the globe as a threat to their
position and place in world economy. Current trends in world politics however reveals that the quest to rise to the
place of hegemony and the need to sustain once position as the dominant hegemony in international politics have set
into motion, series of actions leading to various kinds of espionage campaign between the countries involved. This
study is a critical evaluation of the intrigues and politics of power which raises the ultimate question of ―who is a
friends or an enemy in the emerging global system‖? The paper adopts the traditional methods of critical analysis in
philosophy to evaluate data collected from secondary sources with a view to evaluate and analyse the strengths and
weaknesses of the propositions and assumptions arising from the situation. The paper identifies some degree of
exaggeration in the fears which Americans are nursing presently. The paper recommends that the countries under
review need adopt the complex independent theory of international relations which has the capacity to synthesize
elements of the realist and the liberal thoughts among the countries under review


A handbook for using the word processing software provides a brief description of the environment, an alphabetical listing of applications, and trouble-shooting tips.


The article deals with the phenomenon of gamification and the problems of implementing game practices in higher education. Based on the information about consumer habits, style features of behavior, etc., gamification becomes a fairly effective IT tool that contributes to achieving the goals of one or another project by way of constructing artificially player motivation, i.e., in fact, programming for a certain behavior pattern. The paper notes that the Western trend of mass inclusion of games and game technologies in curricula has become a significant reference point for domestic educational policy, and gamification is now discussed as a new, alternative way of organizing learning in educational institutions of our country, which allows to significantly influence student behavior and the effectiveness of learning outcomes. Analyzing possible consequences and trying to take into account the explicit and latent risks, the author concludes that the most alarming trend of gamification implementation in the educational process is the creation of unprecedented opportunities for collecting data on student behavior in the digital educational space. Tracking reactions and psychoemotional state of young people in the course of gamified learning, the use of artificial intelligence technologies, neural networks, the use of learning action analysis technologies, digital footprint analysis – all these may help to build and improve the behavior management strategy required by customers. Here we see the prospects of making a testing range for large-scale work to create additional means of control, standardization and correction with the view to improve the techniques of manipulating the consciousness and behavior of the masses of people. In the author's opinion, the transformation of learning into a computer game will promote not only a significant deformation of the inner meaning of pedagogics, but also the transformation of student youth into an object of various manipulations using the high-human methodology, which widely applies the tools of smart technology.


In type 2 diabetes, chronic hyperglycemia is suggested to be detrimental to pancreatic b cells, causing impaired insulin secretion. IL-1b is a proinflammatory cytokine acting during the autoimmune process of type 1 diabetes. IL-1b inhibits b cell function and promotes Fastriggered apoptosis in part by activating the transcription factor NF-kB. Recently, we have shown that increased glucose concentrations also induce Fas expression and b cell apoptosis in human islets. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that IL-1b may mediate the deleterious effects of high glucose on human b cells. In vitro exposure of islets from nondiabetic organ donors to high glucose levels resulted in increased production and release of IL-1b, followed by NF-kB activation, Fas upregulation, DNA fragmentation, and impaired b cell function. The IL-1 receptor antagonist protected cultured human islets from these deleterious effects. b cells themselves were identified as the islet cellular source of glucose-induced IL-1b. In vivo, IL-1b–producing b cells were observed in pancreatic sections of type 2 diabetic patients but not in nondiabetic control subjects. Similarly, IL-1b was induced in b cells of the gerbil Psammomys obesus during development of diabetes. [...] Article Endocrinology


Although the quality of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask substrates has improved by continuous refinement of the polishing processes, the yield of defect-free blanks is still very low. Dressed-photon nanopolishing (DPNP) is a novel vapor phase, photo-chemical, non-contact etching process that has been shown to locally smooth bumps and pits to below 1 nm in height/depth while not affecting the surface roughness. DPNP is based on the concept of a dressed photon, which is a quasi-particle in the optical near field of a surface that can couple with lattice phonons in nanometric regions (< 100 nm). When illuminated with light of a suitable wavelength, such coupled states are generated on a nanometrically rough material surface and impart sufficient energy to an etchant gas to enable its dissociation and etching in the rough regions only. DPNP can be the last polishing step on EUV substrates to eliminate any remnant pits and/or embedded particles on the surface to yield potentially defect-free substrates.


Abstract : The U.S. military logistics management process has a difficult challenge in supporting the war fighter in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. In response to this challenge, each Service has created a diverse and intricate logistical system that meets the specific Services obligation to support the fight and the war fighter. Service-centric requirements for logistical support have led to multiple variations and some commonalities in logistics management procedures. In a Joint environment, these logistics management processes must converge to allow for common support for the fighting force. This paper will show that the U.S. military must take a joint approach to establish a focused logistics process that provides for the varied Service logistical functions.


The molecular electronegativity-distance vector based on 4 atomic types(MEDV) was used to describe the chemical structure of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons(PAHs).With the help of multiple linear regression(MLR) and partial least square regression(PLS),the quantitative structure-property relationship(QSPR) model was established.The estimation stability and generalization ability of the model was strictly analyzed by both internal and external validation.The correlation coefficient(R) for the established MLR,PLS models,including leave-one-out(LOO),cross-validation(CV) and Qext were 0.9970,0.9950,0.9925(MLR);0.9930,0.9790,0.9917(PLS),respectively.The result shows that the MEDV can be used for the characterization of the structure information of PAHs,and the stability of the model is good.The propesed method provides an important support and is useful for chemical separation and identification of PAHs.


A number of techniques are presented for making conic splines more effective for 2D computer graphics. We give a brief account of the theory of conic splines oriented to computer graphics. We make Pitteway's algorithm exact, and repair an "aliasing" problem that has plagued the algorithm since its introduction in 1967. The curvature-matching problem for conics is solved by way of a simple formula for curvature at an endpoint which permits curvature to be matched exactly at non-inflectior points and more closely than was previously realized possible at points of inflection. A formula for minimum-curvature-variation of conic splines is given. These techniques provide additional support for Pavlidis' position [6] that conics can often be very effective as splines.The work was motivated by, and provides much of the foundation for, an implementation of conic splines at Sun Microsystems as part of Sun's Pixrect graphics package, the lowest layer of Sun's graphics support.


System, an image sensor for three-dimensional imaging of an object contained in the sample; A sample holder configured to hold the sample, wherein the sample holder is arranged adjacent to the image sensor; And an illumination source, including partially coherent light or incoherent light. The illumination source to the sample through a different angle and configured to illuminate the sample, wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of via at least one of the optical waveguides interposed between apertures, fiber optic cable, or the illumination source and the sample holder It is configured to light.


We study the Poincaré boundary-value problem with measurable in terms of the logarithmic capacity boundary data for semilinear Poisson equations defined either in the unit disk or in Jordan domains with quasihyperbolic boundary condition. The solvability theorems as well as their applications to some semilinear equations, modelling diffusion with absorption, plasma states and stationary burning, are given.


In this study, a novel SnO 2 nanoparticle was successfully synthesized by controlling its surface structure. The surface structure on the nanoparticle is consistent of Pd and PdO clusters of which size is smaller than 1nm. For uniform dispersion of the clusters, in-situ synthetic method was applied using Sn acetate and Pd acetate. The method enhances uniformity by mixing two elements as an aqueous solution. Also, those materials lower the processing temperature since the removal of organic components is possible below 300°C. HRTEM observation reveals that the size of the synthesized particle is ranged from 2 to 7 nm and the Pd cluster is uniformly distributed in the lattice of SnO 2 particle. In fact, XRD analysis certifies the uniform solid solution of the Pd cluster in SnO 2 since the localized Pd peak was not found. Specific surface area of the synthesized particle measured with BET surface analyzer exceeded 100 m 2 /g. Also, the SnO 2 -5wt%Pd nanoparticle exhibits the excellent change in resistance of 0.62 after aging at 400°C for 5 hours. Also, the electrical properties show very stable phenomena in spite of long- term aging for 400 hours at 400°C. So, the ultrafine SnO 2 -Pd nanoparticle could be synthesized by using the in-situ synthetic method.


This paper will discuss the potential merits and future implications of gamifying the language practice activity in an English Discussion Class (EDC), a compulsory course for first year students at Rikkyo University. The paper will further discuss and consider the cognitive principles of automaticity and furthermore evaluate, to what extent, gamification and the anticipation of reward (or success) may have upon the students and their performances. I sought to design and implement a class leaderboard which could be employed primarily to foster and increase automaticity, to create a sense of competition and community amongst the students and furthermore to set up and establish short-term goal setting, achievement and thus, in turn, hopefully reward. Most generally and to be discussed further, the results collected both from a control and treatment group tend to the assumption that employing a leaderboard does in fact increase use of the target language. INTRODUCTION In a typical EDC lesson the practice tasks are conducted after the language function presentation and it is at this point that the students are tasked with semi-controlled or controlled use of the appropriate language function. Various strategies are employed by instructors to ensure controlled through to automatic use of the function phrases such as student function phrase check sheets and timely top down corrective and/or formative feedback. In terms of the Skill Acquisition Theory (Anderson, 1983), through such systematic and broad repetition these controlled processes become automatized, thus implying that through extensive repetition, learners will be better able to gain fluency of the language in focus. It is through this guiding principle of automaticity (Brown, 2007) that this paper primarily wishes to explore the connections between the literature and the classroom leaderboard activity. This paper will also further consider the aspect (or anticipation) of reward (Brown, 2007) in terms of goal achievement displayed on the class leaderboard and how this may further relate to learner motivations. LITERATURE REVIEW The EDC program's objectives can be defined as promoting and improving oral communicative competence, fluency and encouraging its students to actively and effectively participate in extended discussions (Hurling, 2012). Underpinning this mission and philosophy is the focus on the proceduralization of language and automaticity. In order to achieve this, the students take part in controlled practice activities which aim to automatize the language presented to them. The automaticity principle (Brown 2007), which this paper and activity uses as a theoretical tool, focuses on the purpose of language over the form, whereby the detailed processing of the complexities of language is on the periphery of attention. Brown (p. 64) further suggests that the Principle of Automaticity emphasizes the importance on an automatic mode of processing language and the resistance to the temptation to overanalyze language forms. The linguistic graduation to oral fluency or automaticity is naturally an integral element of becoming a proficient language speaker. Gatbonton and Segalowitz (1988) propose that in order to achieve such status the "emphasis is on the speakers' ability to respond without needing an inordinate amount of time to formulate an utterance" (p. 474). Gatbonton and Segalowitz call for the creative automatization of specific utterances: "what is needed is an activity designed to enable learners to practice [repeat] many tokens of the target sentences while they are engaged in real


This paper is a biographical study of the Canadian Baptist theologian Clark H. Pinnock. Pinnock is one of the most influential and controversial Evangelical theologians writing today, and a study of his work provides an interesting vehicle to discuss the definition of Evangelicalism and the organic nature of systematic theology. The paper is in three parts. Part 1 gives an outline of Pinnock's life and work charting his theological development in several areas of systematics. Part 2 notes some paradoxical features in Pinnock's theological methodology, and Part 3 assesses his impact on the Evangelical community and whether in fact he can be labeled as an Evangelical theologian.


Good opportunities have been given to the economic development in the county areas since the 16th National Party Congress declared the policy of supporting the economic growth there.In the following years,the economic growth rate of the county areas remains higher than the average growth rate of the whole country.Despite a favorable macroeconomic environment,the small and medium sized enterprises in the county areas have been suffering from the development bottlenecks such as a lack of funds and difficulties of financing.


Treatment of dividing nuclei with low temperature induces thinning and understaining in certain specific chromosome segments. These changes are clearly seen in chromosomes stained by Feulgen's reaction as well as other methods. The remaining segments of the chromosomes remain normal in the degree of contraction and affinity to the stains. These segmental patterns of the cold treated chromosomes can be used as the distinguishing markings of individual chromosomes in somewhat the iinilar way the bandings of the dipteran salivary gland chromosomes are used as characteristic marks (P1. I, 1-7). This phenomenon was reported first by Darlington and La Cour (1938) in Paris polyphylla and later also by the same authors in some species of Trillium and Fritillaria (Darlington and La Cour 1940, 1941). According to their interpretation, the phenomenon depends on lowered production of nucleic acid (DNA) at low temperature, the nucleic acid produced being attached to the euchromatic segments, which have stronger affinity to the nucleic acid than the heterochromatic segments. As a consequence heterochromatic segments are undercharged with nucleic acid and remain uncondensed and understained. The same phenomenon was discovered also in animals such as Triton sp. (Callan 1942, ex Koller 1946) and Cricetus auratus (Koller 1946). In the former the low temperature is a determining condition but in the latter understaining differential segment of X-chromosome appears under other conditions which seem to lower the frequency of spermatogenesis, such as winter condition, undernourishment, disease and old age. The differential reactivity of chromosome segments is, therefore, physiologi cally conditioned. The junior writer confirmed in Paris tetraphylla that the reaction proceeds progressively with time of cold treatment and that the colder the temperature the more rapid the differentiation (Kurabayashi 1948). Different degrees of differentiation were expressed


Textile, as the most commonly used item in people's daily life, is the ideal substrate for carrying wearable devices. However, it is difficult to form robust conductive patterns on fabric substrates due to the roughness and porousness of fabric fiber. Here, we used heat transfer printing technology for simple modification of fabric substrate, which reduces the surface roughness of textile substrate. A pure carbon based wearable electronic textile (e-textile) with high conductivity ( $9.82~\Omega $ /sq) and durability (1000 cycles) was obtained by depositing the mixed ink of graphene and carbon nanotubes through screen printing process and combining with roller pressing process. The sensor can well reflect the different bending degrees of fingers and work well in waterproof situations. In addition, five sensors were integrated into the fabric glove. The fabricated smart fabric glove combined with machine learning can recognize 8 different gestures with the average accuracy of 96.58%.


The seasonal and annual average surface speeds of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) are estimated from the WOCE SVP drifting buoy data of 1985~1998. From the results, we draw the conclusion that the surface current speed of the NEC reaches its maximum in winter and minimum in summer, and there is little difference in the other two seasons. The speed in summer seems larger in the year following an El Nino, A year-by-year analysis of the buoy tracks to the east of the Philippines indicates that the bifurcation latitude of the NEC is between 11°N~14.7°N. From an analysis of the buoy tracks in the 4 years when they were denser, we can see that the position of bifurcation shows interannual variations, in 1992 and 1994,when El Nino, the bifurcation latitudes were alidle higher than the other years.


Sexually transmitted infection (STI) is a major public health problem in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. This study evaluated the effect of STIs, such as herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) on human papillomavirus (HPV) copy number and associated cervical cytological abnormalities in context of HIV infection. Cervical cells from 74 HIVseropositive and 50 seronegative women were examined for HPV, HSV-2 and CT DNA by PCR. HIVinfected women had higher HSV-2 (P =0.002) and HPV infection (P=0.001) in cervix. HPV 16 was detected as the most predominant genotype. Combination of HIV and other STIs (HSV-2 and CT) was associated with higher HPV prevalence in cervix (P <0.01). Cervical HPV viral load (VL) was increased in HIVinfected subjects coinfected with STIs compared to those with only HPV infection (P=0.008). Women with abnormal cervical cytology had higher HPV copy number/cell compared to those with normal cytology (P <0.001). In conclusion, STIs may not have direct effect on cervical cytological abnormalities, they increase HPV VL that in turn worsen cervical cytological complications in HIVinfected women. Therefore, screening of STIs in HIVinfected high-risk Indian women may be important to evaluate HPV burden and abnormal cervical dysplasia.


In this paper,according to the standardized ideology in the mathematical methodology,the unified method of the algebraic expression evaluation is given.The scientific thinking has made a great guiding action in forming scientific method.So it points out further that only basing on the mathematical methodology in the mathematical teaching,can the spirit of quality education be embodied.


The deregulation of the electricity market has made the appearance of competition in the sector and therefore has made to emerge new risks. That is the reason why there are new activities to reduce these risks. These activities are typical of markets where financial assets are traded. All changes around the electricity sector have made electricity from being a basic necessity to be an asset. That is why it is essential the hedge.
Thus, the final objective of this work is to establish a purchase algorithm that detects the optimal time to carry out operations on the OMIP market. This way it is hedged bullish positions in spot market and takes advantage of downward movement thereof. It has calculated the energy cost taking into account different options that the participant can take part of and has been tested its efficacy by experiments for four different years using real data of an industrial company.


【In this study, simulation results of nitrogen and phosphorus removals and microbial activities for an $A_2O$ process in wastewater treatment plant are presented by using Activated Sludge Models (ASMs). Simulations were performed using pre-calibrated model and layout implemented in GPS-X simulation software. The models were used to investigate variations of SRT, water temperature, DO and C/N ratio effect on nutrients removal and microbial activity. According to the simulated results, the successful nitrification required SRT higher than 10.3 days, whereas increase of $NO_3$ -N loading in the anaerobic reactor caused phosphorus release by PAOs; the effluent $NH_4$ -N showed rapid change between $12^{\circ}C$ (21.7 mg/L) and $13^{\circ}C$ (3.2 mg/L); the effluent phosphorus was increased up to 1.9 mg/L at water temperature of $25^{\circ}C$ ; the DO increase was positive for heterotrophs and autotrophs growths but negative for PAOs growth; the PAOs showed low activity when C/N ratio was lower than 2.5. The experimental results indicated that the calibrated models can assure the prediction quality of the ASMs and can be used to optimize the $A_2O$ process.】


In mobile eye-tracking, visual attention is commonly evaluated using fixation-based measures, which can be mapped to predefined objects of interest for task-specific attention analysis. Even though attention can be directed independently from the fovea, little research can be found on the quantification of peripheral vision for attention analysis. In this work, we discuss the benefits of enhancing traditional mapping methods with near-peripheral information and expand previous research by presenting a novel machine learning-based gaze measure, the visual attention index (VAI), for the analysis of visual attention using dynamic stimuli. Results are discussed using the data of two multi-object mobile eye tracking use cases and visualized using radar graphs. We show that by combining foveal and peripheral vision the VAI is effective for the comparison of visual attention over multiple tasks, trials and subjects, which offers new possibilities for a more realistic and detailed depiction of visual attention in multi-object tasks.


Purposes of this research are convenience of manufacture, quality sophistication and reduction of a/s' ratio by that improve several shortcomings of existing steel housing The Housing of head is changed existent steel housing to ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) copolymer housing and its shape i...


The purpose of this paper is to explain the difference and connection between the network big data analysis technology and the psychological empirical research method.,This study analyzed the data from laboratory setting first, then the online sales data from Taobao.com to explore how the influential factors, such as online reviews (positive vs negative mainly), risk perception (higher vs lower) and product types (experiencing vs searching), interacted on the online purchase intention or online purchase behavior.,Compared with traditional research methods, such as questionnaire and behavioral experiment, network big data analysis has significant advantages in terms of sample size, data objectivity, timeliness and ecological validity.,Future study may consider the strategy of using complementary methods and combining both data-driven and theory-driven approaches in research design to provide suggestions for the development of e-commence in the era of big data.


Objective To observe self-made reduce enzyme and protective liver soup in the treatment of acute jaundice hepatitis.Methods 52 patients with acute jaundice hepatitis in wanjiang hospital from January 2010 to December 2012 were selected and randomly divided into observation group and control group.Observation group was treated with selfmade reduce enzyme and protective liver soup and control group was treated with yinzhihuang oral liquid.Total biliru-bin (TBiL)and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)of two groups before and after treatment and the incidence rate of adverse reaction were compared.Results TBiL and ALT of two groups were significantly decreased after treatment,TBiL and ALT of observation group was lower than that of control group respectively,with statistical difference (P0.05).No adverse event of patients in two groups.Conclusion Clinical effect of self-made reduce enzyme and protective liver soup in the treatment of acute jaundice hepatitis is good.It has low the incidence rate of adverse reaction.


Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the investment characteristics of works by leading Australian artists. Design/methodology/approach - About 35,805 paintings by 45 leading Australian artists sold at auction are used to construct individual hedonic price indices. The attributes included in each artist's hedonic regression model include the size and medium of the painting and the auction house and year sold. Findings - The indexes show that average annual returns across all artists range between 4 and 15 per cent with a mean of 8 per cent, with the highest returns for works by Brett Whiteley, Jeffrey Smart, Cecil Brack and Margaret Olley. Risk-adjusted returns are generally lower, with reward-to-volatility and reward-to-variability ratios averaging 1.5 and 5.8 per cent, respectively. The portfolio Research limitations/implications - The returns on a buy-and-hold strategy in the Australian art market are at least comparable to the Australian stock market. While total risk is greater, the very low market risk found in almost all artistic portfolios is suggestive of the possible benefits of portfolio diversification through art investment. Moreover, a number of artist's works offer very superior market and non-market risk-adjusted performance. Originality/value - This is the first Australian study to construct measures of risk, return,


Relational philosophies developed in classical American pragmatism and the Kyoto School of modern Japanese philosophy suggest aims for greater ecological responsiveness in moral education. To better guide education, we need to know how ecological perception becomes relevant to our deliberations. Our deliberations enlist imagination of a specifically ecological sort when the imaginative structures we use to understand ecosystemic relationships shape our mental simulations and rehearsals. Enriched through cross-cultural dialogue, a finely aware ecological imagination can make the deliberations of the coming generation more trustworthy.Moral education for the 21st century must better enable youths to intelligently negotiate complex systems, from economic systems to ecosystems, in private choices and public policies. Educational institutions must do a better job helping youths to see beyond simple relations of consumers to commodities if we are to respond to a global economic milieu in which affluence sanctifies the innocence of consumers - an innocence purchased by ignorance of the social, environmental, and inter-species hazards posed by our "business as usual" behaviors. Contemporary moral perception requires supplementation and expansion beyond the speck of self-interest around which most daily consumer concerns orbit.In order to clarify and develop aims for moral education that are relevant to the global effects of our choices and policies, we need sustained, crosscultural philosophical dialogue that taps intellectual resources for reinvesting our social and natural interconnections while avoiding moralistic or authoritarian instruction that chokes growth. East Asian and American philosophical traditions, despite the paucity of environmental virtues in the current majority cultures of either, can help us to better perceive the relational networks in which our finite lives are embedded. In the first section of this paper I explore relational thinking in classical American pragmatism and the Kyoto School of modern Japanese philosophy to help develop, in the second section, a concept of "ecological imagination." In the final section I draw from the foregoing to clarify appropriate aims for contemporary moral education if it is to contribute to greater ecological responsiveness.1. Relational Imagination, East and WestAcknowledging upfront that comparative projects can tend toward "selfcentered, monological, and appropriative modes of ... historical thinking,"1 it will nonetheless be helpful to identify several general affinities between the relational thinking of American pragmatism and many East Asian traditions, inasmuch as these affinities suggest aims for ecologically responsible moral education. To keep the scope manageable, I draw primarily on ecological wisdom distilled from the Kyoto School.Kyoto University is where modern Japanese philosophy began with Nishida Kitaro's (1870-1945) work reconstructing the tools and concepts of western philosophy, such as the idea of pre-conceptual pure experience in James, to contribute an eastern standpoint to western philosophy. Nishida built the philosophy department at Kyoto University, secured an appointment for Tanabe Hajime, launched the career of Watsuji Tetsuro, and attracted Nishitani Keiji among other students, continuing what became known as the Kyoto School (Kyoto-gaku-ha) tradition.The Kyoto School philosophers were among the first to bring a distinctively East Asian perspective to enlarging and challenging the philosophical tradition that began in ancient Greece.4 They are part of an ongoing global philosophical dialogue that extends - or should extend - well beyond the confines of Asian Studies or Japanese Studies. "When I say 'philosophy,' Nishitani wrote, "I first of all mean Western philosophy, since this is the most influential one. ... To think [the Buddhist] standpoint by way of philosophy is my basic concern."5A. The American pragmatist tradition joins many East Asian traditions in avoiding fallacies of reification that privilege agents over situations, static forms over processes, the substantive over the transitive - what James dubbed the "psychologist's fallacy," Dewey recognized as "the philosophical fallacy" (LW 1 : 27-29), and Whitehead labeled the fallacy of "misplaced concreteness. …


Can emotion be experienced when the auditory sense is stimulated by a single musical note (Q1), and do variables such as musical skills, age, and personality traits have an influence in auditory-emotion associations (Q2)? An experiment was conducted, in which 130 participants were asked to listen to single musical notes and rate their experienced emotional state. They also had to rate their musical proficiency, sound sensitivity, strongest learning style, and complete a reduced version of the Big-Five personality test (BFI-10). Results regarding Q1 show a correlation between lower notes and sadness, and higher notes and joy, confirming previous auditory-emotion association research, while presenting new knowledge into how emotion associates with single musical notes. Results regarding Q2 show that musical proficiency (low vs high), learning style (aural vs physical), personality (level of Conscientiousness) had an effect on how participants emotionally experienced single musical notes. The results presented in this study will provide a starting point that can help develop a new auditory-visual framework that uses understandings on emotion, personality and other variables in the development of more personalised human-computer interfaces. This new framework can be used in applications that can help in learning to paint or play an instrument; promoting positive mental health, or exploring new forms of creative expression e.g., writing a song with a paint brush as the instrument or painting a picture with a piano as your brush.


Introduction: Maranta arundinacea is a perennial plant which is seen in Mexico, central and South America. It was introduced and cultivated for its starch rich root which is known as arrowroot. It is gluten free and good for digestion. It also boasts metabolic rate and healthy sleep. Arrow root aid in lowering cholesterol which decreases the risk of heart diseases. It is a good substitute for breast milk because it's loaded with magnesium, zinc and iron which promotes the growth and development of infants. Arrow root extract is previously known for its antibacterial and antifungal activity and also it gives relief from skin rashes, acne and skin sores.
Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory property of Maranta arundinacea using protein denaturation assay.
Materials and Methods: Maranta arundinacea (Arrowroot) was purchased commercially. Extract was prepared by adding 50 ml of distilled water and boiled at 50 degree Celsius and filtered. The extract was concentrated up to 10ml and the anti-inflammatory property was checked using protein denaturation assay and the readings were noted using a calorimeter.
% of inhibition= ControlO.D-sampleO.D ∗100/ControlO.D.
Results: It showed good anti inflammatory activity and thus it can be used as a potent alternative for anti inflammatory drugs.
Conclusion: Maranta arundinacea extract showed good potential for anti-inflammatory activity. Thus in future more research can be done for formulations of eco-friendly treatment methods.


The invention relates to a high-speed premixed flame furnace for supersonic burning research. The high-speed premixed flame furnace comprises a main stream mixing chamber (5), a supersonic nozzle (8), a wake plenum chamber (6) and a low-speed nozzle (7), wherein the whole high-speed premixed flame furnace is of a streamline structure with two smaller ends and one larger middle; the high-speed premixed flame furnace is equally divided into two parts lengthways, namely a supersonic main stream side and a sub-sound velocity wake side; the main stream mixing chamber (5) and the supersonic nozzle (8) are positioned on the supersonic main stream side; and the wake plenum chamber (6) and the low-speed nozzle (7) are positioned on the sub-sound velocity wake side. The premixed flame furnace provided by the invention has the advantages of compact structure, simple processing technique, low test cost, short test period, accurate and adjustable premix equivalent ratio large range, large total temperature, total pressure and airflow mach number adjustable range and the like.


Wang Xiaobo's writing is a kind of self-resistance writing, by which he expresses and has practiced his understanding of life:one should independently and meaningfully spend one's whole life——an interesting,witty and loving life so that he/she can comfort himself/herself that he/she does really live,love and write when he/she is dying. Based on such understanding,his writing contains resistance to anything which is against his belief:resistance to nihility,resistance to reality,resistance to words circle in literary arena. His form and his creation have opened the window leading to hope in our deficient life. "I Greet Daybreak on a Desert Island" is the initial declaration of his writing,also the spiritual portrayal of his life.


In this article based on his presentation at IRI's 2023 Annual Conference in May 2023, José Méndez-Andino explains why including social scientists in R&D organizations may result in a more holistic approach to innovation and sustainable solutions with positive impacts on society. José Méndez-andino


PURPOSE: A method of receiving data using a retransmission slot coupling method is provided to softly coupling slots retransmitted while transmitting forward link data, thereby improving a receiving capacity to prevent an additional retransmission. CONSTITUTION: When slots are received(401), a wireless communication system checks whether all slots are received(402). If so, the system softly couples the received slots according to receiving power(403) to generate a frame(404), and decodes the frame(405) to check an error through CRC error checking for the decoded frame(406). If a frame error is generated, the system requests a retransmission(407), and stands by until a new slot arrives. If all the slots are not received, the system compares the receiving power with a determined threshold value(408). If the receiving power is less than the threshold value, the system sets weight to '0' to abandon a present slot(409). If the receiving power is more than the threshold value, the system stores the present slot and the receiving power in a buffer(410), and stands by until a new slot arrives.


The prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide has increased significantly during the past two to three decades in developed countries. Obesity is now becoming widely common in developing countries as well, especially in urban areas (Wang & Lobstein, 2006). Childhood obesity is a burning topic worldwide because of its strong association with a variety of serious health problems, emerging in childhood and adulthood obesity. Their leads to various problems include psychosocial problems such as social discrimination and reduced selfAbstract


There is a rising interest in Spatio-temporal systems described by Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) among the control community. Not only are these systems challenging to control, but the sizing and placement of their actuation is an NP-hard problem on its own. Recent methods either discretize the space before optimziation, or apply tools from linear systems theory under restrictive linearity assumptions. In this work we consider control and actuator placement as a coupled optimization problem, and derive an optimization algorithm on Hilbert spaces for nonlinear PDEs with an additive spatio-temporal description of white noise. We study first and second order systems and in doing so, extend several results to the case of second order PDEs. The described approach is based on variational optimization, and performs joint RL-type optimization of the feedback control law and the actuator design over episodes. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach with several simulated experiments on a variety of SPDEs.


Foshan tertiary industry occupies the 30% of GDP and provides 2/3 of Foshan local tax income.The tertiary industry's contribution to the local tax income is huge.In order to answer what factors influence the local tax income growth,by using the index analysis method,this paper carries on quantification analysis on factors affecting Foshan local tax revenue during 2003-2009,such as economic growth,price and macro tax burden.Finally,on the basis of empirical analysis result,the essay carries out summary and suggestions on developing the headquarter economy and the production service to cultivate the tertiary industry's tax revenue source.


Evidence plays a crucial role in automated fact-checking. When verifying real-world claims, existing fact-checking systems either assume the evidence sentences are given or use the search snippets returned by the search engine. Such methods ignore the challenges of collecting evidence and may not provide sufficient information to verify real-world claims. Aiming at building a better fact-checking system, we propose to incorporate full text from source documents as evidence and introduce two enriched datasets. The first one is a multilingual dataset, while the second one is monolingual (English). We further develop a latent variable model to jointly extract evidence sentences from documents and perform claim verification. Experiments indicate that including source documents can provide sufficient contextual clues even when gold evidence sentences are not annotated. The proposed system is able to achieve significant improvements upon best-reported models under different settings.


Introduction : Introduction Accessory conduction pathway has been thought to result from a cardiac developmental defect in electrical insulation between atria and the ventricles. Wolf-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome can cause paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. The prevalence is 0.1-0.3% in the general population and 3.4% in first-degree relatives. The location of accessory pathway (AP) could be anywhere along AV rings. During past 2 decades a sigificant heritable factor is increasingly recognized as well as familial WPW syndrome has also been described. This report presents a case of first degree relative with history of tachyarrhytmia and identical AP location as identified by electrophysiologic study (EPS).


Bacterial conjugation involves the transfer of DNA from a donor to a recipient cell through a DNA translocation channel. ConE is a critical component of the DNA translocation channel encoded by ICEBs1, an integrative and conjugative element of Bacillus subtilis. Fusions of ConE to green fluorescent protein (GFP) localize to the cell membrane predominantly at the cell poles. As a member of the FtsK‐HerA superfamily of ATPases, ConE contains conserved Walker A and B boxes, required for ATP binding and hydrolysis, respectively. ConE and close homologs also have conserved motifs C, D, and E that may be involved in ATP sensing and/or cooperative hydrolysis. To determine the role of ConE's ATPase motifs, mutations were introduced into conserved residues and the effects on mating and localization were tested. Mating was down ~100‐fold for the Walker B (W706A) and motif E (Q737) mutants, ~9000‐fold for the mutation near Walker A (H465A), and at least 70,000‐fold for motif C (D498A and E502A) and motif D (R726A) mutants. To determine whether these residues were also critical for ConE localization, GFP fusions to the ConE mutants were visualized via fluorescence microscopy. We found that ConE‐GFP (H465A) partially mislocalizes to the cytoplasm, indicating that this mutant might be defective for mating, at least in part, because it is unable to localize properly. The other five ConE‐GFP mutants (D498A, E502A, W706A, R726A, and Q737A) localize similarly to wild‐type. Since these five residues are located near or in the catalytic pocket of ConE, we hypothesize that these residues are likely critical for mating because they are involved in ATP binding and/or hydrolysis. This research was funded by an NSF‐RUI grant.


The chlorophyll content in leaf of long-fibre cotton Xinhai 21 was determined to reveal that the chlorophyll content in leaf was increased along with the leaf position dropping before tip pruning.The chlorophyll content in leaf of each node position presents quadratic polynomial fuction relation along with increasing days and presents significant relation.The chlorophyll content reached the peak in 70~80 days after leaf spreading out.The peak of chlorophyll content begins about 30 days after flowering stage.Variance analysis showed that there is little difference in leaf chlorophyll content on the same node of cotton plant at different growing vigor and period.There is significant change of leaf chlorophyll content on the same node of cotton plant at different period.


Ruptured hepatic artery aneurysm is a rare lifethreatening condition. Open surgery with ligation of the aneurysm is the treatment of choice if the patient presents with haemodynamic instability. Controversies exist on whether hepatic artery reconstruction is needed after exclusion of the aneurysm. Involvement of the gastroduodenal artery origin was proposed as an indication for reconstruction, but this might be difficult to ascertain upon laparotomy. Recent studies showed that arterial ligation distal to the gastroduodenal artery origin does not necessarily result in ischaemic liver injury, implying that reconstruction in such cases may not be required, especially in a haemodynamically unstable patient. A patient with common hepatic artery aneurysm involving the gastroduodenal artery origin presented with rupture and underwent Technical considerations for ligation of ruptured hepatic artery aneurysm: is arterial reconstruction necessary?


The Democratic State of Law and postmodernity require that state decisions should be structurally overlaid with democratic validity; however, in the concentrated control of constitutionality, filters restrict the participation of even those potentially affected by the decision. This research investigated whether the barriers imposed to the participation of the amicus curiae in the concentrated control of constitutionality attempt against the Brazilian State model. The applied research method was the hypothetic-deductive one, starting from the premise that the participation constitutes element of structural validity of the Democratic State of Law and its nonobservance against the model. The hypothesis raised was confirmed.


This research aims to analyze the differences in stock returns before and after the religious holidays and national holidays in the composite Stock Price Index in the Indonesia Stock Exchange 2009-2011 period
The variables used are the stock returns with stok returns one day before the religious holidays, stock returns one days after the religious holiday, stock returns one day before national holidays, and stock returns one day after a national holiday. The method of analysis used in this research were sampe t-test.
These result prove that stock returns before than after religious holidays are lower significant, in stock return before than after this national holidays are lower accepted but not significant, in stock returns before religious holidays than before national holidays are lower not significant, and in stock returns after religious holidays and after a national holiday are lower not significant
Key words : return before holiday, return after holiday, religious holiday,and national holidays


Objective To analyse the expression of Survivin in pterygium and the influence on cell proliferation and apoptosis.Methods Sixty cases were selected in the study,including 40 cases with pterygium(primary pterygium 25 cases,recurrent pterygium 15 cases),and 20 normal cases as the contrast.All of them were measured for expression levels of Survivin,proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) in conjunctivas by immunohistochemisty.The difference of index PI(detected by PCNA positive expression) in each group and the relationship of Survivin and PI were studied.Results(1) The levels of Survivin in pterygium group were higher than those in the normal conjunctiva group(P0.01).But there is no difference between the primary pterygium group and recurrent pterygium group(P0.05).(2) Labeling index PI of PCNA in the pterygium group,both in primary pterygium group and recurrent pterygium group,were higher than those in the normal conjunctiva group(P0.01).But there is no difference between the primary pterygium group and recurrent pterygium group(P0.05).(3)The mean PI in the Survivin-positive pterygium was higher than that in the Survivin-negative pterygium(P0.01).Conclusions The development of pterygium may be related to over-expression of Survivin,the later play an important role in unbalanced cell proliferation and apoptosis.


This step-by-step handbook for parents explains how to teach children the fundamental principles of finance, introducing a variety of financial problem-solving skills that help youngsters understand the importance of a good education and financial planning in their lives.


The Nonproliferation Review/Fall 1998 12 Gaurav Kampani is a Research Associate at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies. Before joining the Center, he was a Herbert Scoville Peace Fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, D.C. There he worked on issues related to nuclear proliferation in South Asia. Kampani has an M.A. degree in International Politics from American University in Washington, D.C., and an M.A. in Political Science from Delhi University, New Delhi, India. He can be reached at email@example.com. FROM EXISTENTIAL TO MINIMUM DETERRENCE: EXPLAINING INDIA'S DECISION TO TEST


This paper derives bounds on the maximum achievable diversity order of wireless relay networks that employ common codebook generation. When all terminals must correctly decode it is shown that the maximum achievable diversity order is constrained by the terminal with the minimum number of immediately preceding terminals. When only the destination terminal must correctly decode it is shown that the maximum achievable diversity order is constrained by the cut set with the minimum number of inter-terminal links.


In this paper, the concentration of Ca、Mg、Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn and Cr in the hair of young people from Zang, She and Chaoxian Nationalities were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP AES). A data matrix of concentration of elements existing in the hair from three nationalities is evaluated comprehensively by using cluster analysis.The results show that there are considerable differences among these nationalities.


Orbits of the visual binaries RST 321, HU 225, and OL 22 are presented. The orbital elements, ephemerides, the weighted observations and their residuals are given. In each case, a preliminary orbit was subjected to a differential correction, and resulting residuals were examined with a small empirical change made to remove systematic runs in the residuals.


Social behaviour, particularly dominance behaviour, in a colony of domestic guinea pigs was investigated. Observations were of four different types, (1) daily observations on the whole group; (2) interactions between pairs of ♂♂ (in all possible combinations) were recorded when competing over a single water source; (3) interactions between all the ♂♂ in the group observed together at a single water source; (4) as (2) but in the absence of water, in order to observe fighting. It was hoped that the study would demonstrate the extent to which a hierarchial structure, if one such existed, was consistent in different social contexts.


The scheme of information systems to support cosmonauts in the process of training on manned space vehicle simulators is considered. The contents of information available to the instructor and the crew in the process of training on simulators are described.


In this work the structure solution of a nanocrystal of the transition metal silicide Ni3Si2, with the diameter of 22 nm, is obtained by combining the electron diffraction tomography with precession electron diffraction. The dynamical and the kinematical refinements are compared, showing that the dynamical refinement is superior to the kinematical refinement, giving more accurate structure model.


Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry is currently facing a high clinical attrition rate. In order to prevent the late-stage clinical failure, many investigations on compound quality and drug-likeness of compounds have been carried out. It has been widely accepted that molecular size and lipophilicity plays an important role in compound quality. Many attempts have been done to find out other factors which can influence compound quality beyond size and lipophilicity. Recently, a molecular topology concept has been put forward and its influence on compound quality has been investigated. It has been shown that drugs have higher fraction of compounds with only one ring system compared to clinical candidate and bioactive compounds. As an extension to the previous studies, the aim of this project is to further investigate how the molecular topology influences some of the most important physicochemical properties of molecules as well as the compound potency efficiency indices in general. Our results show that among reported molecules in the literature, compounds with only one ring system are smaller in size, less lipophilic and therefore has a higher probability to be less toxic. Interestingly compounds which have a simple topology also show advantage in terms of potency efficiency such as ligand efficiency (LE), ligand lipophilic efficiency (LLE) and ligand-efficiency-dependent lipophilicity index (LELP) compared with compounds which have a more complex topology. Thus a novel hypothesis why compounds with only one ring system are abundant among drugs has been proposed. On average molecules with only one ring system seems to bind more strongly to its protein target; this might reduce the necessary size of the molecule to reach a certain potency level. The reduction in size and lipophilicity reduces the risk of failure in clinical trials.

Popular science summary:

Molecular topology, A novel descriptor for compound quality assessment

Drug discovery and development is a time consuming process which typically takes 15 to 20 years from the target identification until a drug makes it to the market. During this lengthy process, numerous compounds are tested, synthesized and validated in order to achieve the optimal efficacy and safety profile.

Historically drug discovery was an iterative process of compound synthesis and in vivo screening. This paradigm has changed by the advancement of in vitro high-throughput screening technology and in silico techniques.

The paradigm shift has largely improved hit identification efficiency; however the pharmaceutical industry still faces a high attrition rate. It is critical to identify compounds which are unlikely to succeed (low quality compounds) and to terminate the development of these compounds as early as possible.

Recently molecular topology class was proposed; basically, it classifies compounds according to the number of ring systems. It has been reported that the fraction of compounds with only one ring system (1TR) is higher in drugs compared to clinical candidates and general bioactive compounds. This thesis aims to better understand the earlier observation of 1TR compounds' enrichment in drugs.

In this project, how the molecular topology influences some of the most important physicochemical properties of molecules as well as the compound potency efficiency indices was investigated.

It showed that among reported molecules in the literature, compounds with only one ring system are smaller in size, less lipophilic and therefore has a higher probability to be less toxic.

On average, molecules with only one ring system bind more strongly to its protein target; this reduces the necessary size of the molecule to reach a certain potency level. The reduction in size and lipophilicity reduces the risk of failure in clinical trials.

By understanding what properties determine the quality of a compound, it will be possible to deliver drugs to the market more efficiently.

Advisor: Ola Engkvist, Hongming Chen (Computational Chemistry, AstraZeneca R&D Molndal)
Master´s Degree Project 60 credits in Bioinformatics, 2011-2012
Department of Biology., Lund University


In this work, a high-throughput suitable synthetic route for the preparation of transition metal chalcogenides in the nanometer range was developed on the principle of the hot-injection method. On sides of the metal components, the oleates of cadmium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper were used as precursors. Concerning to the anion sources, the main focus of attention was placed on the use of tri-n-octylphosphine chalcogenides with sulfur, selenium and tellurium. Two fundamentally different groups of compounds were synthesized; firstly, metal mixed chalcogenides of cadmium and nickel and secondly, mixed metal chalcogenides in various polynary systems of manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper. The obtained particles were characterized with respect to their uniformity, size, structure and composition. Based on the work of Chan et al., parallely to the chemical part, an automated multiple reactor system was constructed and implemented in the working platform of a Chemspeed ASW2000 synthesis robot. For this purpose, a 10-fold reactor setup was planned, designed and constructed according to the low thermal mass principle. All reactors can be individually heated up to 290 °C and the temperature can be lowered to room temperature by air cooling within a short time.


We construct analogues for the quantum phenomena of black hole radiation in the context of {\it classical field theory}. Hawking radiation from a (radially) collapsing star is mathematically equivalent to radiation from a mirror moving along a specific trajectory in Minkowski spacetime. We construct a classical analogue for this quantum phenomenon and use it to construct a classical analogue for black hole radiation. The radiation spectrum in quantum field theory has the power spectrum as its classical analogue. Monochromatic light is continually reflected off a moving mirror or the silvered surface of a collapsing star.The reflected light is fourier analysed by the observer and the power spectrum is constructed. For a mirror moving along the standard black hole trajectory,it is seen that the power spectrum has a ``thermal'' nature. Mirror-observer configurations like an inertial mirror observed in an accelerated observer's frame and an accelerated mirror observed in a Rindler frame are investigated and conditions for obtaining a ``thermal'' power spectrum are derived.The corresponding results in the black hole case are then elucidated.It is seen that a ``thermal'' spectrum can arise either due to the collapse of the star or due to the motion of the observer in the Schwarzchild spacetime. The ``temperature'' of the Planckian spectrum seen is therefore dependent on whether the star or the observer is in motion.In the latter case it is possible to obtain a ``temperature'' which is entirely independent of the mass of the star.


The article deals with the phenomenon of historical memory, and studies the connection between historical memory and historical education. The attention is focused on the factors that led to revaluation effects, events in national history today. The notion of historical memory has emphasized that the structure of historical memory includes individual and collective memory. It has been found that the basis of national identity makes historical memory. It is emphasized that the role of history education should be the formation of the younger generation in a holistic way past the historic national community with which young people can identify themselves. There should be a Ukrainian perspective on events both in the world and in Ukraine, taking into consideration world experience that tolerances towards human rights, human values and civilization values culture. However, a detailed study of historical events, identifying positive interference of different cultures, critical analysis and open discussion of sensitive and controversial issues contributes to overcoming social prejudices and stereotypes. That history education should help with this. It is pointed that the modern history education has the potential to become a factor of reconciliation of different models of historical memory, a means of constructive public dialogue of past and current problems of social development. It is reported that since 1991 in Ukraine emerged the need to overcome the one-sidedness and bias distorted presentation of national history, in an effort to highlight the historical process objectively, taking into account all factors of influence, according to the achievements of world historical science. Despite the fact that during the period of independence laid the foundations of a new system of teaching the history of Ukraine and World History, revised or even completely updated the content of history education, still many outstanding issues both theoretical and practical level.


We consider light scattering by two dimensional arrays of high-index dielectric spheres arranged into the triangular lattice. It is demonstrated that in the case a triple degeneracy of resonant leaky modes in the Gamma-point the scattering spectra exhibit a complicated picture of Fano resonances with extremely narrow line-width. The Fan features are explained through coupled mode theory for a Dirac cone spectrum as a signature of optical bound states in the continuum (BIC). It is found that the standing wave in-Gamma BIC induces a ring of off-Gamma BICs due to different scaling laws for real and imaginary parts of the resonant eigenfrequencies in the Dirac cone spectrum. A quantitative theory of the spectra is proposed.


Various approaches to the development of a noninformative prior for the AR(1) model are considered and compared. Particular attention is given to the reference prior approach, which seems to work well for the stationary case but encounters difficulties in the explosive case. A symmetrized (proper) version of the stationary reference prior is ultimately recommended for the problem. Bayesian testing of the unit root, stationary, and explosive hypotheses is considered also. Bounds on the Bayes factors are developed and shown to yield answers that appear to conflict with classical tests.


Fire is one of the oldest and most efficient tools in the land-use history of human beings. In the Pyrenees, the use of fire has contributed to shape landscapes of high ecological and cultural diversity, e.g. heathlands and open grasslands. While burning for clearing disappeared progressively, rangeland management by periodically setting fire during the relatively dry winter season remained an indispensable technique to control shrub progression. In spite of the opposition of some foresters, burning was generally considered a necessary and useful technique until the 18th century (Ribet, 2008).


In this issue of the Journal, Brennan et al.1 compare the safety and efficacy of two induction therapies commonly used in kidney transplantation: rabbit antithymocyte globulin and basiliximab. Indu...


This paper describes the effects of Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) on three phase power transformer and mitigate this phenomena using capacitor and resister connected series on ground of transformer. There are two part for this paper, first part describe the effects of GICs on all phases for the transformer and hysteresis loop, second part describe and analysis the methods of mitigation the GICs using capacitor and resistor connected parallel and then connected series with GICs at grounded transformer. GICs enter from neutral point for the wye winding of transformer that lead to damage the transformer and causes some problems like, half-cycle saturation, transformer heating, increase reactive power consumption, and produce harmonics. MATLAB-SIMULINK software used to simulate the three phase power transformer. Introduction Geomagnetically Induced Current (GIC) it is happen by solar activity, sun flare, for example [1]. The solar activity emit a lot of charged particles to the earth. This charge can interaction with the earth's magnetic field that is lead to produce auroral currents, which follow circular paths around the earth's geomagnetic poles at altitudes of 100 km or more. These auroral currents disturb the earth's normally dormant magnetic field and when the disturbances are of sufficient severity they are termed geomagnetic storms. During geomagnetic storms, a potential difference is induced on the surface of the earth because of the earth's geomagnetic field fluctuations. The resulting earth surface potential (ESP) produces a current, known as geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), through the grounded neutral of transformers and then flowing along the transmission lines. The frequency of GIC is very low [0.1-0.01 Hz], so it can be as a quasi-DC [2]. GIC can cause DC bias (DC current) of the transformer. This result its distorted exciting current of transformer, dramatic increase in transformer reactive power consumption, miss-operation of relay and some other problems of power system [3-6]. When this DC current flow through a transformer it will cause the saturation of transformer core. This saturated core produces harmonics in the transformer. This harmonics damage the transformer. GIC produces excessive heating of transformer due to which transformer windings may get burned. It increases the exciting current of transformer rapidly such as above maximum flux density value the transformer core gets saturated. GIC is dangerous for the power system as it causes increase in reactive power consumption, miss-operation of relay [7].


Cadmium occurs as a minor element in sphalerite[(Zn,Fe)S] from the Boseong-Jangheung gold-silver mine area. The cadmium contents in sphalerite, analyzed with EPMA, were discussed to deduce its natural sources in terms of bedrock geochemistry, in order to preliminarily reconnoiter the potential cadmium contamination in mine districts. Cadmium contents of sphalerites from the Au-Ag mines (Bodeok, Mundeok, Jeonbo, Boknae, Keumsan) in the Boseong-Jangheung area are considerably high (average = 3.96 wt.% Cd; maximum = 11.2 wt.% Cd), compared with cadmium contents of sphalerites (average = 0.5 wt.% Cd; maximum = 4.4 wt.% Cd) in the world. Our data suggest that the Boseong-Jangheung area has an important potential to be an cadmium contamination source.


Objective - The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of capital on bankruptcy banks. The hypothesis of this research is that capital has an effect on the bankruptcy of a bank.

Methodology/Technique - This research examines financial reports between 2005-2014. An econometric model with a logistical regression analysis technique is used. In this study, capital is measured by CAR, taking into account credit risk; CAR by taking into account market risk; Ratio of Obligation to Provide Minimum Capital for Credit Risk and Operational Risk; Ratio of Minimum Capital Adequacy Ratio for Credit Risk, Operational Risk and Market Risk; Capital Adequacy Requirements (CAR).

Findings - The results show that the capital adequacy ratio for market ratio and capital adequacy ratio for credit ratio and operational ratio support the research hypothesis and can form a logit model. The test results of CAR by taking into account credit risk, Minimum Capital Requirement Ratio for Credit Risk, Operational Risk and Market Risk and Minimum Capital Provision Obligations do not support the research hypothesis.

Novelty – This paper contribute to bank bankruptcy prediction models based on time dimension and bank groups using financial ratios which are expected can influence bank in bankrupt condition.

Type of Paper - Empirical.

Keywords: Banking crisis, Cost of bankruptcy, Adequacy Ratio, Financial ratios, Prediction models

JEL Classification: G32, G33, G39.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35609/jfbr.2019.4.1(2)


[Objective] To investigate the function of Nogo-A on hypoxicia-ischemic brain damage(HIBD) and the effects of antagoist during repairing of HIBD in newborn rats. [Methods] 64 healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into 8 groups at 2 different time points(6 h,24 h):the control group,HIBD group,NEP1-40 group and ganglioside group(GM-1group). Rats of the control group and HIBD group were injected with saline (0.25 mL/kg)by intraperitoneal injection,while rats of NEP1-40 group were administrated with NEP1-40 10 mg/(kg·d) and GM-1 group with GM-1 20 mg/(kg·d) on request in each group,respectively. [Results] Contents of Nogo-A in each group were determined by the method of in situ hybridization and the pathological changes were observed by transmission electronmicroscopy. The expression of Nogo-A in control groups increased along with the time and there was no significance between two time points. The expression of Nogo-A at two time points in HIBD groups were significantly higher than that of the control groups of the corresponding time; downregulated level of Nogo-A expression was observed at NEP1-40 groups,which had statistical significance from that of HIBD. There was no difference of the expression of Nogo-A at 6h between GM-1 and HIBD groups,while the GM-1 groups were lower than that of HIBD at 24 h,but these were all higher than NEP1-40 groups. Satisfactory repair of neurons and regrowth of axon was obtained with NEP1-40 administration in damaged brain and it was gained to some extent after GM-1 treatment and P value was less than 0.05. [Conclusions] Nogo-A can inhibit the regeneration of central nerve after being injured,while NEP1-40 can antagonize the function and accelerate the regeneration of new nerve simultaneously. GM-1 is also able to accelerate the regeneration of new nerve.


This article is dedicated to a comparative analysis of two works by M. Y. Lermontov, which represent the interpretation of the common biographical context. The subject of this research is the specificity of transformation of the biographical fact into the artistic generalization in the works of M. Y. Lermontov. The object of this research is the drama "Two Brothers" and the novel Princess Ligovskaya" viewed within the paradigm of artistic comprehension of the scenario of unfaithfulness, or destruction of love as conceptually important in the conflict present in the works of M. Y. Lermontov. Such approach, based on interrelation between the creative and biographical, allows making important remarks on specificity of the phenomenon of autobiographism in the works of M. Y. Lermontov. The author analyzes the initial biographical situation (relationship between Lermontov and V. A. Lopukhina), and concludes that two literary texts – drama and novel – represent a distinct system of creative reflection of the biographical fact. It is established that in the process of creating the drama, and the novel later on, Lermontov ensues the need for artistic interpretation and resolution of the situation of unfaithfulness as an instance, and in a broader sense – as an ontological pattern; however, the conflict cannot be settled within the framework of this storyline. Since 1837, autobiographism in Lermontov's works ceases to play the crucial role; in other words, personal situation and its artistic interpretation no longer coincide, which renders impossible to continue the novel. Such circumstance allows realizing the reasons of incomplete works of Lermontov's early period, which lie in inability to resolve love conflicts with a positive finale.


Detonation velocity is the velocity at witch the chemical reaction zone propagates trough a given explosive. It is one of the most important detonation parameters. Bearing in mind the fact that detonation velocities of know high explosives may reach nearly 10 mm/microsecond, the experimental determination of the detonation velocity is not easily achieved. However, when compared to the other detonation parameters, its accomplishment represents the least complicated task. The determination of the detonation velocity is based upon the measurement of the time interval needed for the detonation wave to travel a known distance through the explosive being tested. The measuring equipment used for the determination of the detonation velocity should provide the detection of the arrival of the detonation wave using suitable velocity probes, the measuring of the very short time-intervals (on a microsecond scale) needed for the detonation wave to travel a known distance through the sample between two velocity probes. Velocity of detonation shall be determined at the minimum diameter placed on the market, or the minimum diameter recommended by the manufacturer. Experimental determination of the detonation velocity emulsions explosives in the different thermal condition to direct attention to change detonation velocity with change temperature explosives.


In order to improve the quality of synthetic seismic records,this paper presents two correction methods for logs correlation calculation and logs forward calibration using sonic-density logging suite.The sonic logging is applied to the correction of density logs in condition of less distortion of compensated sonic logs;the density logging is used to the correction of logs in the case of severe distortion of sonic and density logs.The results applied to the quality improvement of synthetic seismic records in Junggar basin indicate the obvious effects of these methods.


In a period when convergence is the main driving force of IASB and FASB programmes, who needs a comparison of the two sets of standards-IFRS issued by IASB and US GAAP issued by FASB? Aren't they mainly the same after 5 years of hard work of those who establish the two sets of standards? The answer lies in the fact that mostly all people who work in a multinational company has to understand the present differences between these two sets of standards. A combination of the convergence of the national standards with the IFRS and the follow-up use of IFRS standards would mean that the two accounting languages from all over the world should be reduced rapidly only to IFRS and US GAAP. Although these two sets of standards are more and more similar to each other, they are not totally identical-yet. And until they become identical it will be necessary to state clearly and explain the differences that exist between them.


In order to realize remote control of underwater unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) and increase its concealment and retention, a small portable remote magnetic induction antenna with ultra-low frequency and high sensitivity is designed. Based on The Law of Electromagnetic induction, the equivalent model of magnetic induction antenna with parallel matching capacitance is established, the calculation formula of induction coil is derived in detail, and the preamplifier circuit of low noise integrated operational amplifier is designed and manufactured. Under the condition that the sensitivity, bandwidth, weight and volume of the induction coil are satisfied, the parameters of the induction coil are optimized by the multi-parameter joint optimization scheme, a set of design parameters of the magnetic induction antenna are determined, and the sensitivity of the magnetic induction antenna under the parameters is simulated. The results show that the sensitivity of the high-sensitivity miniaturized magnetic induction antenna meets the demand of ultra-low frequency underwater remote control signal reception.


Objective:To investigate the inhibiting effects of IL-18 on the growth of ovary cancer in vivo,to observe the pathological change of the transplantation tumor of ovary carcinoma under optical microscope after treatment of different dose of IL-18.Methods:24 nude mice model of ovarian cancer from subcutaneous transplantation with cell line HO-8910.IL-18 was administered with different dose,after 4 weeks treatment,the tumor weight、 inhibition rate,tumor mean relative volume and average necrosis rates were evaluated respectively after the mice were sacrificed.Results:Weight of the ovarian cancer from subcutaneous transplantation was significantly reduced((0.600 8±0.189 5)、(0.247 8±0.047 3)、(0.223 0±0.112 0) and(0.169 0± 0.112 1))after treated with IL18,inhibition rate was 58.76%,62.88% and 71.87% at the dosage of 0 μg/100 μl、 0.25 μg/100 μl、 0.5 μg/100 μl and 1μg/100 μl,respectively..Tumor mean relative volume also decreased significantly in the treated mice((12.028 9±1.575 2) 、(6.831 5±2.514 8)、(5.502 9±1.443 6) and(4.126 4±1.881 2)).The average tumor cell necrosis rates of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of control group((0.385 3±0.1371)、(0.435 6±0.1211) and(0.554 8±0.117 8) versus(0.120 0±0.059 8)).To compared with the control group,ovarian carcinoma growth was obviously inhibited by IL-18,and the higher IL-18 dose was,the more inhibited growth of tumor was.Conclusion:IL-18 can induce necrosis of tumor cell and has strongly inhibited growth of ovary cancer in nude mice.


Objective To explore the charcter and thesapeutic principlc of chronic lymphocytic thyoiditis.Methods 37 patients with chronical lymphocytic thyoiditis undergoing thyroidectomy were retrospectively analyzed.Results Compared with routine frozen section(FS) in operation FNA(fine needle aspiration) and the detecting of autoantibody had coincidence of 38%.Conclusion Exept preferred choosing of FNA and the detecting of autoantibody in early time,proper operation and the choose of indication is also important.


Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency and relative vitamin D deficiency is frequently observed in patients with chronic kidney disease and chronic dialysis patients. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are not many studies based on the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. In Senegal, two pilot studies on the prevalence of the decline in vitamin D reserves were conducted in 2011 and in 2013 showed respectively a decrease in vitamin D reserves in 32.6% and 62.2% compared to general population. Thus, we conducted this third study to complete these studies to determine the prevalence of vitamin D depletion in chronic hemodialysis patients in Senegal and to evaluate related complications. Material and Method: This was a multicenter, retrospective and analytical study performed in 3 hemodialysis units in Dakar, covering the files of chronic hemodialysis patients over 67 months (1st June 2011 to 30th November 2017). We included all cases of regularly hemodialysis patients who had benefited from the iPTH, 25 (OH) vitamin D, serum calcium and phosphatemia. Results: Of 324 files, 111 were retained, representing a prevalence of 33%. The average age was 54.53 +/13.85 years old. There were 48 men (43.2%) and 63 women (56.8%), a sex ratio of 0.76. The causative nephropathy was nephroangiosclerosis, chronic glomerulonephritis and indeterminate nephropathy with respectively 47.75% (53 cases); 13.51% (15 cases) and 14.41% (16 cases) of the cases. The mean concentration of 25 (OH) D was 22.87 +/12.72 ng/ml. There were 95 patients (85.6%) who had decreased vitamin D 25 D reserves with an average plasma level of 16.1 +/7.5 ng/ml. Of these, 57 (51.4%) patients had relative vitamin D insufficiency; 28 patients (25.2%) had a moderate deficit and 10 patients (9%) had a severe deficit. The average concentration of I PTH was 659.36 μg / ml. Hyperparathyroidism was noted in 49 patients (44.1%); 13 patients (11.7%) had osteomalacia. Mean serum calcium was 90.10 +/8.61 mg/l. Mean serum calcium was 90.10 +/8.61 mg/l. Average phosphatemia was 42.95 +/14.4 mg/l. On the therapeutic level, 57 patients (51.35%) with a decrease in vitamin D reserves were supplemented with native vitamin D3; 16.22% had not received any supplementation. Conclusion: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 85.6% with an average plasma level of 16.1 ng / ml. In our study, there was a significant correlation between decreased vitamin D reserves and dialysis seniority greater than 60 months, diabetes, hypertension and the onset of tricuspid insufficiency. Hence the interest of the annual dosage of 25 OH vitamin D and compliance with KDIGO recommendations. Citation: Cisse MM, Mahamat Abderraman G, Elhoussaimi H (2018) Contribution to The Study of Vitamin D Deficiency in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients in Senegal. Adv Neph Dialys Transplant: ANDT-101. DOI: 10.29011/ ANDT-101. 000001 2 Volume 2018; Issue 01


This paper describes a parallel genetic algorithm developed for the solution of the set partitioning problem|a diicult combinatorial optimization problem used by many airlines as a mathematical model for ight crew scheduling. The genetic algorithm is based on an island model where multiple independent subpopulations each run a steady-state genetic algorithm on their own subpopulation and occasionally t strings migrate between the subpopulations. Tests on forty real-world set partitioning problems were carried out on up to 128 nodes of an IBM SP1 parallel computer. We found that performance, as measured by the quality of the solution found and the iteration on which it was found, improved as additional subpopulations were added to the computation. With larger numbers of subpopulations the genetic algorithm was regularly able to nd the optimal solution to problems having up to a few thousand integer variables. In two cases, high-quality integer feasible solutions were found for problems with 36,699 and 43,749 integer variables, respectively. A notable limitation we found was the diiculty solving problems with many constraints.


The characterization of DNase Ⅱ from Trichinella spiralis(T. spiralis) was identified by expression of a full length DNase Ⅱ cDNA termed T31D4-N5 from NBL DNase Ⅱ family,the nucleic acid enzymatic activity and optimal enzyme activity conditions of its fusion protein were identified.The critical activity site of active amino acids of the enzyme was predicted and verified by sequence analysis and point mutations technology.The result indicated the optimal pH of it was pH 5.0 and the enzyme activity still remained at pH 7.0 even 8.0.The critical activity site of active amino acids of the enzyme was predicted by the sequence alignments with software Maga 2,total 94 available DNase Ⅱ sequences from 38 bio-species,a high conserved histidine was found in N-terminal of all available DNase Ⅱs,which was different from previous reported sites which were not histidine(H), but serine(S) or lysine(K) in T.spiralis DNase Ⅱ amino acid sequence,this predicted site was also confirmed by point mutation.Concerning the unique characteristics of T.spiralis DNase Ⅱ,it is most probably a new type DNase Ⅱ.


ABSTRACT The result of group decision-making is always unstable, influenced by some uncertain factors. It is necessary to measure and analyse the stability of the result. A measurement based on the inclined angle of two vectors is proposed in this paper, in order to measure the stabilities of the results of weighted scoring rules. The concepts of stability degree and stability angle are given, whose geometric interpretations are displayed in the case of three candidates. Then an extended measurement called the relative stability degree is discussed to analyse the comparability of stability measurements for different numbers of candidates. Furthermore, this measurement and its extension are used to aid the decision-making of new project development in a software company.


Simulation of quenching process of steel is one of the method to plot temperature profile and to calculate HTC at surface of specimen Quenching of medium carbon steel in aqueous solution of ethylene glycol with different concentration of 0 % to 60% by mass was done using ANSYS 15.5 CFX workbench. Initial temperature of cylindrical specimen was assumed to be 1173K and for quenchant it was assumed to be 298K. Temperature plots for different concentrations and cooling curves at core and surface of the specimen was obtained. Result of cooling curves at different concentration shows that cooling rate for 0% concentration of ethylene glycol was greatest and it goes on decreasing as concentration of ethylene glycol solution increases. Temperature plots after 10 sec. were presented. Results of temperature plots shows that temperature difference between core and surface temperature of specimen is largest in case of 0% concentration of ethylene glycol solution by mass and it goes on decreases as concentration of ethylene glycol solution by mass increases. In this simulation variation in thermal properties of aqueous solution of ethylene glycol were considered and hence simulation was more accurate. Temperature plots obtained in this simulation will be useful in structural analysis of quenching process to find out residual stresses induced due to temperature gradient.


A 36 year old white housewife was admitted to the hospital for the third time in February 1954 because of severe headache, ataxia, and disorientation. She had a parently been in good health until the age oF12, when she developed headaches, double vision, vomiting, and transient numbness in the right upper and lower extremities. Two years before at the age of ten, she had been in an automobile accident and suffered a head injury which rendered her unconscious for a proximately 24 hours, but


Intelligent fault diagnosis (IFD) is essential for preventative maintenance (PM) in Industry 4.0. Data-driven approaches have been widely accepted for IFD in smart manufacturing, and various deep learning (DL) models have been developed for different datasets and scenarios. However, an automatic and unified DL framework for developing IFD applications is still required. Hence, this work proposes an efficient framework integrating popular convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for IFD based on time-series data by leveraging automated machine learning (AutoML) and image-like data fusion. After normalisation, uniaxial or triaxial signals are reconstructed into -channel pseudo-images to satisfy the input requirements for CNNs and achieve data-level fusion simultaneously. Then, the model training, hyperparameter optimisation, and evaluation can be taken automatically based on AutoML. Finally, the selected model can be deployed on a cloud server or an edge device (via tiny machine learning). The proposed framework and method were validated via two case studies, demonstrating the framework's availability for the automatic development of IFD applications and the effectiveness of the proposed data-level fusion method.


The novel virtual maintenance system has been used to explain 'how' DELMIA-Ergonomics (DE) to go from a reactive, maintenance in security procedures, which will be proactively integrated into every step of the research and development design cycle process. DELMIA software
 has been widely applied in carrier-based aircraft department as the platform, promotion of virtual prototype pre-maintenance technology in carrier borne design and daily inspection/maintenance is introduced, interactive virtual maintenance flow, the virtual scene structuring, the processes
 of maintenance simulation of virtual actual working conditions, predictable maintainability analysis/valuation technology based on DELMIA software are expounded. The worldwide trend to popularize gradually increasing use of taking DELMIA software in maintenance technology applications is a
 carrier-based aircraft for gaining interest. DE has become a means to improve carrier-based aircraft performance.


A methodology is presented that entails three ways to determine the heat losses of a dwelling in the heating season, each using a different set of data. The first method gives an indication of the theoretical 'energetic' quality of a dwelling, the second and third provide an indication of the actual 'energetic' quality of the dwelling. The third method includes effects of user behaviour. The methodology was applied to the private dwellings of (former) colleagues. It appeared that the three ways of calculating the heat losses provide comparable values for a variety of dwellings, showing the validity of the approach.


The "recalcitrant" behavior of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Kuntze seeds (Brazilian pine) limits the conservation of genetic resources of this important species in ex situ genebanks. As initial steps in developing storage protocols, we studied the interaction of water content and temperature on embryo survival. Embryos were excised from seeds and "flash-dried" to water contents as low as 0.29 g water/g dry mass and then exposed to 0°C, -5°C and -18°C for 4 h. Drying rate was calculated from drying time courses and expressed as (g water / g dry weight) / hour. Other authors have studied the effects of desiccation of whole seed of A. angustifolia on viability. In order to compare moisture content of whole seeds to that of embryonic axes, seeds of A. angustifolia were placed on the bench (25°C and 25%RH) and left to dry. Fresh weight of intact seeds and embryos excised from these seeds were also measured. Water contents were calculated and expressed on dry weight basis as g water / g dw. Increasing drying rate improved survival at lower water contents. Further, survival of embryos dried up to 0.29 g/ g and exposure to 25°C (25% survival) and 0°C (37.5% survival) suggests that cryopreservation using ultra-rapid cooling techniques may provide a method for long-term conservation of this important species. We suggest new studies towards technical approaches.


Founded in 1984, Oracle UK is a relatively young organisation that currently employs almost 2000 people throughout the UK. Our early years were dedicated to growing our market share and establishing the organisation. As we mature, we are starting to analyse ourselves, re-focusing our objectives "to excite and delight customers, and become the strategic partner of choice" [1]. The rigours of certification to ISO 9000 and the introduction of a significant customer satisfaction programme have encouraged a change in our behaviour. In this paper we will describe how the culture has been changed and the methods used to facilitate the change. This paper will cover: • Management Policy, Leadership & Commitment - how our objectives have changed, necessitating leadership and commitment at the highest level; • People Participation - how to get everyone involved, and communicate what needs to be done; • Training - setting up training & awareness programmes; • Supporting Framework - what supporting mechanisms need to be in place to enable people to achieve the stated objectives; and • Continuous Improvement - moving towards a TQM approach.


In this study, firstly, Bacillus pumilus bacteria were isolated from tomato vegetables and identified. Then, the new pectin lyase enzyme was purified from B. pumilus, characterized, and hybrid nanoflower pectin lyase (hNF-PL) was synthesized the first time in this study. For this purpose, PL enzyme was produced in a solid culture medium using B. pumilus bacterium, and PL was purified in 191.8 folds with a yield of 78.2% using the three-phase partitioning (TPP) technique. Using SDS-PAGE, PL enzyme was determined to have a single subunit, and molecular weight was defined as 32.88 kDa with gel chromatography technique. This is the very first study to easily immobilize purified PL enzyme onto nanoflower chitosan/calcium pyrophosphate hybrid NPs. The synthesized nanoflower hNF-PL structure was characterized by SEM, FT-IR, XRD, and TEM chromatographic methods. In the final phase of the study, the effects of the pure PL and hNF-PL enzymes on the clarification and cleavage rate of fruit juices obtained from black grape, pomegranate, peach, red apple, and plum were investigated. Under the light shed by this study determined that the hNF-PL enzyme clarified the fruit juices more effectively than the pure PL enzyme.


This study lies within the general scope of damage and rupture prediction during transverse crash (edge crushing) of a beveled composite plate using numerical simulation. Structures under consideration are aeronautical composite structures in purpose of design and certification. The present study proposes as an enhancement of an existing crushing model the introduction of a continuous softening law to represent the highly complex local fragmentation process at the vicinity of the crushing process on the ground. It is shown how the added softening stress strain law helps the numerical stability and the reproduction of all the processes in the different phases of the crushing process


Water is life, and the landscapes generated by its social and productive management are their spatial expression over time. In the traditional city, water carried out most of the urban and periurban activities, allowing the city to be understood in relation to its territory. Referring to E.A. Wrigley (1987), this relationship is based on an organic productive model where the citizens had an active role as users of water through everyday life practices of self-management and production, adapting the use of this resource to its availability in its territory1. Water used to be a public good and citizens knew how to deal with it since it was a social resource, a cultural asset.


The pump system using asynchronous motor and soft starter is subjected easily to surges when soft stopping control method is used with linear voltage falling. This paper analyzes the reasons which cause the surges, and presents a method of dual closed loop control of real power and current. This new method solves the problem effectively.


To the extent to which "tradition" and "modernity" are supposed to be in opposition, as it is the case with European (Western) culture, where the former is usually contrasted with the latter in a mutually exclusive relationship, in China tradition and modernity seem not to oppose one another. They complement one another in a context that is both flexible and ambivalent, where the two concepts overlap and mingle together, in a fundamental attitude ― both ideological and pragmatic ― to compromise (harmonize) between the need for a stable order, represented by the unity and uniformity of political and social institutions, and the need to adjust to changing circumstances. Under its clearly provocative title, the essay aims to address the question of the "modernity of tradition", with regard to imperial China, and of the "modernity as tradition", with regard to People's Republic of China. Following the path of a reflection upon Chinese world from the standpoint of its relationship with the (idea of) law, and by exploring the "dual-track" of legality as a key-concept connoting the Confucian state, upon which rests historically the Chinese legal system, traditionally understood not independently but as an integral part of the idea and practice of "government by moral", the essay will concentrate on the transition to modernity, marked by the two revolutionary shocks, respectively, at the beginning and in the middle of the last century. With an eye to persistent traditionally-based factors, in the context however of a rapidly evolving and changing society, where precisely the law seems to play a decisive role, putting into question the age-old balance of combining and compromising together tradition and modernity.


Water flow through a melting snow pack modifies its structure and stability and affects the release of water and nutrients into soils and surface waters. Field and laboratory observations indicate a large spatial variability on various scales of the liquid water content and flow, a dominant system feature currently not included in numerical models. We investigated experimentally water and dye tracer movement through microstructurally different snow pack horizons and the persistence of preferential flow paths. Naturally rounded snow of varying grain size was artificially packed to obtain well known conditions by sieving it into rectangular bins. Surface melt was induced with infrared lamps. The flow paths were visualized with tracers and liquid water content was monitored with time domain reflectometry probes. Vertical cuts through the snow pack were imaged. The dye tracer patterns allowed the two flow regimes 'matrix flow' and 'preferential flow' to be distinguished. Matrix flow is apparently dominated by film and capillary flow in the unsaturated snow matrix. The capillary barrier effect at a boundary between a fine over a coarse textured layer on matrix flow in snow was confirmed. In contrast, preferential flow appears as well‐defined flow fingers that advance from 0·1 to 1 cm s−1. During a melt phase, the advancing flow fingers enlarge and are only partially time invariant. It remains to be shown whether the continuum concept, including the Darcy–Buckingham law is apt to describe the extremely non‐linear nature of water flow and the travel time of solutes in snow under conditions of melt water percolation. Probably, snow packs that include faceted crystals and large variations in bulk density, feature more pronounced capillary barriers and preferential flow triggering, but also stronger impeding of fingers by lateral dispersion. Further, triggering and persistence of preferential flow is complicated by the usually transient infiltration rate. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Asymmetric synthesis of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and its enantiomer by using biocatalysts was studied. Microbial reduction of the pro-chiral α-ketoester (3) afforded (+) -4 (> 99% ee), which could be converted to (+) -and (-) -batyl alcohol (12), a key synthetic intermediate for PAF. Compound (-) -4 (96% ee), with the requisite configuration for the synthesis of natural PAF, could also be obtained by enzyme-catalyzed enantioselective hydrolysis of (±) -15.