This paper presents a model predictive current control method for a class E resonant inverter for piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PCTs) applications. The capacitor voltage is used to predict a future value of the load current of the PCT. The class E resonant inverter is operated at the suboptimal mode to minimize switching losses of the power switch. Power switches operate under zero voltage switching (ZVS) condition. The proposed method is straightforward and can be implemented on a digital controller provided that its physical model is known a priori. The class E resonant inverter hardware is constructed and the control algorithm is implemented using a STM32f4 microcontroller. For verification purpose, an operational region of the class E resonant inverter with the frequency range of 27–33 kHz and output current of 80–130 mA is displayed.


In this research, the back propagation neural network (NN) model traditionally used for letter recognition was used for estimating the nugget size. For this, seven kinds of data series were prepared. Before the neural network calculation, all input parameters and target parameter (nugget size) were normalized. The estimated nugget size was affected on the normalized constant and middle layer. In order to increase the relationship between the actual nugget size measured from the peel test and the estimated nugget size calculated from NN analysis, the normalized constant and the number of middle layer were chosen by trial and error. By the trained NN, we can achieve almost 90% of the relationship between actual and estimated nugget size. The trained NN can achieve almost a 90% correlation between actual and estimated nugget size. Also, two kinds of simulation were performed to find which input parameter gave the strongest effect on the nugget size. As a result of the simulation analyses, it was clarified wh...


An X-ray fluorescence (XRF) imaging system is a material analysis system that can represent the material distribution and types of elements by detecting characteristic X-rays emitted from each element. A CdTe semiconductor detector array whose detection efficiency is significantly higher than a silicon drift detector (SDD) is utilized with a deep learning method to improve the energy spectral analysis. In this study, deep learning models for material discrimination and quantitation were applied based on 20 000 energy spectra obtained from Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn rod phantoms, and a brass phantom was analyzed to verify that Cu, Zn, and brass can be distinguished from each other and that the amount of Cu and Zn in each phantom can be quantitatively analyzed.


It is well known that the beam width of a linear equally spaced array changes with the frequency of the signal being received. This affects the bearing accuracy with which a target can be located and the resolution between two targets. Also, the assessment of the frequency spectrum of the target signal is distorted unless the target is exactly aligned with the main response axis of the array's beam. Systems which have constant beam width within the frequency band of the receiver enable the bearing of a target to be determined to a fixed accuracy with a constant resolution. They overcome the deficiencies associated with conventional arrays. This paper presents a review of four different methods of achieving constant beam width. It is shown that the homothetic replica array has a simple analytic solution and shows potential for applications requiring bandwidths greater than one octave. This is demonstrated in the design and implementation of a twenty element hydrophone array with a constant beam width from 400 Hz to 3200 Hz. The experimental results are in agreement with those predicted by computer simulations. The main contribution of this paper is to show that the SHA technique proposed in 1970 by Smith, Hixon and Au is still the optimum choice in a practical sonar array system.


Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have a great interest due to their important electrical and optical properties that have the potential to bring benefits to many areas of research and application. The present study is the preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Sol–gel chemical method and the preparation using surfactant. The surfactant used was triethanolamine (TEA). Surfactant and unsurfactant ZnO nanoparticles were prepared to accomplish a comparative study. the properties of the prepared ZnO NPs have been characterized with the aid of many analytical techniques including Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The surfactant used was triethanolamine (TEA). The obtained ZnO NPs were spherical with average size of 79 nm without agglomeration. FTIR spectra showed the adsorption of TEA on the ZnO surface. The results of the UV-vis studies showed a decrease in band gap energy of 2.23eV as compared with the unsurfactant value of ZnO (3.28eV). Surfactant ZnO nanoparticles showed larger crystallite size and smaller bandgap in contrast to unsurfactant ZnO nanoparticles. TEA can use for prepare of nanomaterials with different properties for specific applications.


The two long-chain dimethylphosphinic amides Me2P(X)NH{C6H4-p-[OCO(C6H4-p-OC8H17)]} (X = S, O) were synthesized by reacting Me2PNEt2 with H2N{C6H4-p-[OCO(C6H4-p-OC8H17)]} and by subsequently achieving the appropriate oxidation step (with H2O2 or S8). The sulfido compound was characterized by X-ray crystallography, proving to be triclinic, space group, P1¯, a = 6.056(2), b = 8.110(2), c = 25.016(5) A, α = 97.04(2), β = 89.91(2), γ = 102.81(3), V = 1188.6(5) A3 , Z = 2. In the solid state, the molecule adopts a bent structure with a length of ca. 24 A.


PURPOSE: A motor driving circuit is provided to feedback control the phase difference of a voltage between a original driving signal and a driving signal after scaling to obtain the aimed phase difference, thereby offering the high efficiency drive of a motor at low costs. CONSTITUTION: A scaling part(38) scales a driving signal. An induced voltage component extractor(42) extracts an induced voltage component by eliminating the driving signal which is scaled with the scaling part. A phase difference detection part(74) detects a phase difference between a phase of a driving signal and a phase of an induced voltage component. A signal adjustment part(14) adjusts the driving signal in order to make the driving signal close to the aimed phase difference from the phase difference detected from the phase difference detection part.


Introduction: the choice of the restorative material is critical for the restoration of primary teeth. Traditionally, stainless-steel crowns have been used in teeth with extensive crown destruction or after pulp treatment; however amalgam can be used too. There are studies that have measured the clinical success of these materials; however, there are no reports that have measured and compared the physical properties between them. Aim: evaluate the micro-hardness of dental amalgam and stainless steel crown. Method and materials: test objects of SDI amalgam type GS80 (15) and 3M stainless-steel crown (15) were made in two different times, some were stored for 4 years and the others for 3 days at 100% relative humidity. Two indentations were made to each test object with the Micromet 2001 microdurometer to determine the micro-hardness. The results obtained were evaluated by the ANOVA test (p≤0.05). Results: the average of the microhardness stainless steel crown was significantly higher than the average of the amalgam (p=0.000). The micro-hardness of the amalgam increases significantly with the storage time (p=0.000). Conclusions: the stainless-steel crown was the material with the highest micro-hardness. The micro-hardness values of the amalgam are time-dependent.


This thesis deals with the numerical 3D simulation of a four stroke, spark-ignited, internalcombustion engine, which is mounted on a high performance motorcycle. The work, carried outin collaborati ...


Introduction. The incidence of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in adults increases with age. Aging, through comorbidities, polymedication, impaired functional capacities may further increase the severity of ITP and reduce the therapeutic landscape. With the aging of the population, the number of elderly ITP pts will continue to rise in parallel. However, limited data are available in this specific pts population. Aims . To report the impact of age on treatment strategy and clinical outcome of elderly ITP pts . Methods . Based on an internal database including over 800 ITP pts, we analysed data on 508 ITP patients diagnosed between 1995 and 2017 at the "Seragnoli" Institute of Hematology, Bologna, Italy. Treatment decisions were at the physician9s discretion. Diagnosis and responses were assessed according to current guidelines and terminology. Infectious, thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications were graded according to the WHO scale. Numerical variables have been summarized by their median and range, and categorical variables by count and relative frequency (%) of each category. Association between categorical variables (2-way tables) was tested by χ 2 . Survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method from the date of ITP diagnosis to the date of first appearance of the event. Event-free survival (EFS) include infections, thrombosis, hemorrhages and death. Survival curves of different subgroups were compared by the log-rank test. All statistical analyses were computed with STATA software. Results. A total of 508 consecutive ITP pts were included in the analysis and were sub-grouped according to older age at diagnosis (≥65 yrs). Baseline characteristics of the total population were: median age: 56 yr (16-95); median platelet count: 23 (1-95); number of pts with hemorrhages: 200 (42.7%, grade 3-4: 6%). 341 pts (67.1%) received a front-line therapy for ITP after a median time from diagnosis of 0.1 mos (0-215); 152 (44.6%) started therapy in chronic phase (CP) (Table 1). A second-line approach was required in 167 pts (49%) while 95 (27.8%) patients received also a third-line therapy; 45 and 18 pts required 4 and >4 treatment therapies, respectively. Median follow-up was 35.7 mos (1-254). 54 (10.6%) patients died; death was due to major hemorrhage in severe thrombocytopenia in 1 case. A total of 12 thromboses, 114 bleedings and 63 infections were observed. Incidence rate of ≥G2 complications were: 0.49% pt-yr (thrombosis), 3.8% pt-yr (hemorrhages); 1.82% pt-yr (infections). Kaplan-Meier analysis of outcome parameters showed that elderly pts had a significantly worse overall survival, event-free survival and thrombosis-free survival compared to younger pts (Figure 1-2). Notably, the hemorrhage and infection-free survival was comparable in the two cohorts. The proportion of male over female ITP pts progressively increased along with older age, being 23% for pts aged 65 yr. Consequently, compared to younger pts, elderly pts were more frequently males; baseline features and treatment requirement were comparable (Table 1). Notably, while the type of front-line treatment was comparable across age groups, the percentage of pts achieving a complete response (CR) was significantly lower in the elderly, probably due to lower intensity (duration and dose) of corticosteroids treatment. Second-line, prednisone (PDN)/PDN combination was less frequently used in the elderly, that were preferentially treated with Thrombopoietin-receptor agonists (TPO-ra) (70% vs 30%). Conversely, rituximab (RTX) and splenectomy were the most frequently used second-line therapies in younger pts. Third line, while younger pts were mostly treated with RTX, the elderly received mild immunosuppressive agents (e.g. azathioprine, cyclosporine A). At last contact, 57.1% pts were in CR, 37.3% were in Response and 5.6% had no response (NR), with no significant differences between the two groups. Discussion. This analysis demonstrates that aging is a crucial factor in second-line decision making in a real-life setting in ITP. The use of less immunosoppressive therapies may have reduced the incidence of infectious events, while the higher rates of thromboses observed in the elderly could be due to age-related factors rather than intrinsic ITP factors. Prospective clinical trials investigating age-adapted treatment strategies should be further explored in elderly ITP pts. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


[1] Electron holes have been discovered in several key regions of the magnetosphere in the past few years. These small-scale structures seem to play an important role in the global dynamics of the magnetosphere, being most often associated with parallel electron beams and strong ion heating, as shown by the Fast Auroral Snapshot (FAST) spacecraft in the auroral region. Electrostatic whistler waves (EWW) in the VLF frequency range are often associated with these electron holes, suggesting that the generation of whistler waves is related to the holes. We present a model of the interaction between EWW and electron holes. Our analysis is based on the mechanical description of the energy exchange between particles and waves; by the use of the Hamiltonian formalism, action-angle variables, and canonical perturbation theory, we show that trapped electrons, owing to their periodic motion in the potential structure of the electron hole, enter into a resonance with the wave and can destabilize it at large parallel phase velocity relative to the electron thermal velocity. We derive the growth rate of EWW and compare our model with previous ones. Application to FAST observations shows that this linear instability is able to generate EWW with a normalized growth rate γ/ω varying from a few percents at low frequency (above the lower-hybrid frequency) up to ∼10% at higher frequency (below the electron plasma frequency).


Arts-based learning activities are gaining popularity and acceptance within leadership programmes around the globe. While dance as a learning method is still emerging as a practice within leadership education, we argue that dance-making can open up new possibilities and understandings for organizational management. More than simply using dance as a metaphor, the concepts of embodiary and embodied leadership explore how the moving body can be a key site for individual and collective creative realizations and communications. Following a grounded theory approach, within this article we draw on the perspectives of dance academics, artists and leadership academics engaged in arts-based learning. Through reviews of Leadership and Dance Studies literature and qualitative, semi-structured interviews, we identify key themes related to how and why dance is being used within leadership education. These themes prompt critical reflections on the use of dance as an experiential learning method to enhance creativity and communication within organizational contexts.


L. Birth defects and exposure to videodisplayterminalsduring pregnancy:A Finnishcase-referentstudy. Scand J Work Environ Health II (1985) 353-356. In a test of the widelypublicizedallegationthat exposure to videodisplay terminals causes birth defects, interview forms of mothers of I 475children reported consecutively to the Finnish Register of CongenitalMalformationsto havedefectsof thecentralnervoussystem,orofacialclefts,skeletal defects, or cardiovascularmalformations and the forms of the samenumberof their paired referentswere studied. The scrutinyrevealed490mothers withoccupational titlesindicatingpotential exposureto video displayterminals. Of the 490,235 werecase mothers and 255werereferents. Then, unaware of the case referent status, three members of the researchteam perused the mothers' interviewdescriptionsof work day activities for information indicating exposure to videodisplay terminals. Work with such terminals during the first trimester of pregnancy wasascertained for III mothers. Of these, 51 werecase mothers and 60 werereferents. The comparison of the mothers exposedto videodisplay terminals during the first trimester with those not exposed at all showed a crude odds-ratio point estimate of 0.9 with 95 % con fidence limits of 0.6 and 1.2. Adjustment for potential confounders by multivariate logistic regression methods did not materially affect the risk estimates. The results did not indicate a teratogenic risk for operators of video display terminals.


The spin-orbit crystal field matrices for d3,7 are given in the weak field repre- sentation. They are used to assign the crystal absorption spectrum of CoSiF6,6H2O.


Paramedics, as emergency healthcare workers and 'frontline' responders, are expected to be both willing and able to respond when disaster strikes. In reality, paramedics may be reluctant to work when the situation poses a possible threat to their own safety, their co-workers, or that of their families. Consequently, can ambulance services expect to have an adequate supply of paramedics that will be willing to work during disasters? Through the use of paramedic focus groups, this study demonstrates that ambulance services should not assume that all paramedics will be willing to report to work during disasters. This willingness to work is directly influenced by paramedics' perceptions of risk, as well as the type, duration, location, and visibility of the disaster. The impact of this should be considered in emergency preparedness and planning.


Aluminium (Al 3+ ) is an abundant element in the soil, occurring in a wide variety of mineral forms which are largely inert at neutral pH. As the soil pH decreases, aluminium is mobilized into the soil solution and may become toxic to plants and soil microorganisms. In this work we show the effect of the combination of acidity and aluminium on two nodulating peanut rhizobia: Bradyrhizobium sp. SEMIA 6144, peanut recommended inoculation, and the native isolate NCHAX obtained from soil Cordoba (Argentina). Bradyrhizobium sp. showed a decrease in the growth rate and an increase of glutathione (GSH) content at pH 5.5 and 50 μM aluminium. Although the increase of the GSH content was not enough to prevent the bacterial growth rate decrease, the high level found could be related with a protection against the toxic effects of this metal. The isolate NCHAX growth rate and viability were not affected by the acid pH and the aluminium and the GSH content remained unchanged. However, in both peanut microsymbionts changes were found in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contents related to alteration in the cellular hydrophobicity under this stress condition.


In this short comment piece the authors attempt to visualise what probation practice might look like in the year 2020 through an account of a typical working day in the life of a CRC and NPS worker respectively.


Background: Vocal cord polyp usually arises from the epithelium and the lamina propria. Minimally invasive dissection procedures are employed to treat these vocal cord polyp for an effective outcome. Two types of microsurgical techniques were developed gradually and practiced namely, the conventional laryngeal microsurgery, which involves the use of cold instruments and the laryngeal laser micro-surgery. Objective: To compare the conventional cold dissection and CO 2 laser methods in treatment of vocal cord polyp. Methods: A randomized prospective study was conducted at the Department of OtolayngologyHead & Neck Surgery, at Bangabondhu Sheikh Muzib Medical University (BSMMU) between July 2017 and June 2019. A total of 60 cases were studied on the following parameters: a. Visual analysis on stroboscopy b. Voice analysis –GRBAS (grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain) indices c. Duration of surgery d. Peroperative bleeding. Results: During first postoperative assessment, both groups had the normal symmetrical waves, while 50% of cases still had aperiodicity but all patients had the near normal periodicity in the second postoperative assessment. Regarding glottic closure, during preoperative assessment, almost all patients had incomplete glottic closure due to mass lesion as polyps. During first postoperative assessment, glottic closure was found to be better in group B (83% of cases) than group A (76% of cases), while during second postoperative assessment, all patients of both groups had around 95% glottic closure. The mean duration oflaser technique (7.1 ± 1.1 minutes) was less than the conventional technique time (15.6 ± 1.9 minutes), also mean of operative bleeding of laser technique (zero pack) is less than the conventional two(2 packs). Conclusion: There is no significant difference between both groups in all parameters except operative time and bleeding, as laser technique has less time and clear field.


Although 5% to 20% of SVC syndrome cases arise as a result of fibrosis after thrombosis or the presence of indwelling catheters, the majority of cases are caused by malignancy. Lung cancer accounts for 65% to 85% of malignant SVC syndrome, and the remaining cases are secondary to lymphoma, mediastinal masses, tumors of the breast, mesothelium, thyroid, thymus, esophagus, or other rare malignancies. It is estimated that 3% to 15% of patients with lung cancer and 5% to 20% of patients with intrathoracic malignancy develop SVC syndrome. 5,7-13 In contrast to SVC syndrome of nonmalignant etiology, malignancy-related SVC syndrome is usually progressive, and prompt treatment is often critical. Quality of life is dramatically affected with SVC syndrome. With malignant causes, SVC syndrome typically evolves over a course of 2 to 4 weeks. In nonemergent cases, palliation of symptoms is usually the goal. SVC syndrome becomes a medical emergency, and prognosis suffers if serious cerebral edema develops or if laryngeal edema compromises airway patency. 5 CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS Before endovascular treatment methods became widely available, relief of venous obstruction was possible only through supportive therapy, radiation, chemotherapy, or in rare cases, surgical intervention. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can effectively reduce tumor burden by approximately 60% to 80%, Endovascular treatment of this patient population has been shown to be effective.


The fracture analysis of the composite plates with circular delaminations working in a regime of cyclic multi-axial stresses is the main object of the paper. Such structures with internal damage are mainly exposed for local or global buckling and delamination propagation under service loadings. Analyses of described phenomena are complex and require application of fracture mechanics and nonlinear analysis. The literature review of experimental and theoretical investigations of composite plates with circular delaminations is presented in the paper. The essential papers including experimental fatigue tests and theoretical techniques for studying of damage propagation growth are cited and crucial conclusions are given. In composite structures with internal delamination, the cyclic compressiontension and compression-compression stresses are the most dangerous. Moreover, the rapid increase of damage propagation occurs in the final stage of structure degradation. Such problem is investigated and illustrated on the example of rectangular plate with the circular delamination. The calculations are made for bi-axial compression and AS4/3501-6 graphite/epoxy material. The fracture analysis is made using different criteria based on the linear elastic fracture mechanics. The criteria are compared with the multiaxial experimental tests made for AS4/3501-6 graphite/epoxy material. It is observed that in composite plate with the internal delamination subjected for compressive loading the complex form of the gap opening occur. Because of this, the 3-D fracture criteria are applied in the investigations. Presented methodology allow for suitable selection of the multiaxial fracture model for analysis of such structures including interactions between different forms of the gap opening. The critical loadings for different layers orientation are estimated and given in the paper.


The invention discloses a lifting tool system capable of realizing lithium battery power supply and wireless communication, which can reduce a reeling mechanism in a crane in the prior art and does not need cables, so that the whole machine is relatively simple in structure and relatively low in cost, and which can also avoid the problem of communication interference in a CAN system in the prior art. The technical scheme is that: the lifting tool system comprises a lithium battery power supply device and a wireless communication device, wherein the lithium battery power supply device comprises a lithium ion battery pack, an inverter, a filter and a voltage transformer; the lithium ion battery pack directly supplies power to a lifting tool motor after subjected to the inversion treatment of the inverter; the lithium ion battery pack, as a control power supply, supplies power to a lifting tool after subjected to the inversion treatment of the inverter, the filtering treatment of the filter and the voltage reduction treatment of the voltage transformer; the wireless communication device comprises a gateway module, a controller local-area network bus and a wireless module; the controller local-area network bus is connected with the wireless module through the gateway module and connected to a lifting tool controller through the Ethernet.


The Helmholtz-Smoluchowski (H-S) velocity is known to be an accurate and useful formula for estimating the electro-osmotic (EO) flow rates in a simple micro-channel with a thin electric-double layer. However, in case the channel cross section is not so simple, the usefulness of H-S velocity could be sharply limited. A case of fundamental interest representing this situation is a rectangular channel (comprising parallel plates) with built-in vertical gratings, in which the surfaces inside the channel may develop different normalized zeta potentials α (on the gratings) and β (on the side walls). In this study, analytical solutions are pursued under the Debye-Huckel approximation to obtain EO pumping rates in a rectangular channel with vertical gratings. In particular, we identify the conditions under which the H-S formula can be properly applied and investigate how the EO flow rates may deviate from those predicted by the H-S velocity with varying physical parameters. Moreover, a diagram of the optimal EO p...


This study attempts to study the relationship between new product announcements in strategic interaction and the impact on market reaction with the factors of response delay and industry concentration in consideration. Imploring the event study methodology and different tests of correlation, Pearson, variance inflation factor, and mean-centering, the paper accesses three major research questions: 1) the relationship between initiator and responders market reaction, 2) the moderating effect of response delay on both, and 3) the moderating effect of industry concentration on initiators. We find that industry concentration plays a significant role in strategic interaction. On the other hand, previous research that found significance in response and a strategic interaction are now under review since no support was found in this research. Other contributions include that there is a negative abnormal return found for new product introduction. This study hopes that the integration of different factors of competitive dynamics will help further the academic and practical areas of business.


We calculate the critical temperature of a superconductor with a non-Fermi-liquid ground state. Assuming BCS-like pairing we obtain the analytical expression of the critical temperature for a constant density of states and for an energy-dependent density of states that has two different forms. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}


In most of the world's economies, SMEs (micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises) are seen as a major force driving economic growth and promoting equitable development. In most economies, MSMEs are recognized for generating the fastest rate of job growth. Not only do they play a significant role in creating numerous high-paying jobs at comparatively lower capital costs than large industries, but they also promote the industrialization of rural and underdeveloped areas, reducing regional imbalances and ensuring a fairer distribution of wealth and income across countries. Startups and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are critical to India's growth process. It creates jobs at minimal cost and helps society progress toward prosperity and growth. The development of rural areas is heavily dependent on MSMEs as most Indians live in villages and there is much more scope for exhausting consumer needs in rural India. Despite the state's huge potential for industrialization, especially in the SME sector, this potential has not yet been fully realized. The objective of this study is to identify the strengths, opportunities, and aspirations of start-ups in the state of Haryana. As a result, the study will prove to be a panacea for startups and micro-entrepreneurs. The study also offers suggestions on how to expand the capacity of their enterprises for innovation, judgment, and diversification in the state of Haryana.


Objective To investigate the effects of internal plating with high and low moduli of elasticity on the stress and its distribution on the femoral shaft fracture. Methods A femur from a normal Chinese adult male was scanned by 64-detector row helical CT at 0. 5 mm interval. The CT images were used to establish a finite element model of the femur by software. The mid-femoral fracture was simulated in the model and fixated by eight-hole plates of Ti-6Al-4V (high modulus group, E = 110 GPa) and of Ti2448 (low modulus group, E = 30 GPa). When the femur was in axial compression, flexion and torsion loads, the stress and its distribution on the bone fracture site were analyzed to compare the biomechanics of the plates with high and low moduli. Results Under axial compression load, the contact stress between fracture ends in the low modulus group was larger than that in the high modulus group, while the max stress at the hole (11.47MPa) was smaller than that in the high modulus group (13.89 MPa) . Under four-point bending load, the contact stress in the low modulus group was still larger, while the bending movement was smaller. Under the torsion load, stress on the femur was well-distributed in both groups, but the max stress at the hole in the low modulus group (11.47 MPa) was smaller than that in the high modulus group (31.24 MPa). Conclusions Under internal fixation by plates of low modulus, the stress stimulus at the fracture site may be increased,while the stress concentrated at the hole may be decreased. The stress shielding of the low modulus plate may also be modified.

Key words:
Femoral fractures;  Bone plates;  Finite element analysis;  Fracture fixation, internal;  Modulus of elasticity


The physical and chemical processes that occur when obtaining engobe coatings for construction ceramics with the decorative "antiquity" effect were considered, the composition of the charge, the technology of manufacturing and applying of the coatings on a ceramic product were proposed. The coatings have dark brownish-lilac color with a volumetric effect of light "variability". Engobes can be used when decorating the front ceramic bricks of single annealing with keeping at the maximum temperature of 1,070 °C. It was found that to provide a gradient volumetric decorative effect, it is recommended to introduce in the composition of engobe charge the microspheres of TPP fly ash in the amount of 3–5 %, and for the thick brown-lilac color – up to 60 % by weight of manganese ore. To ensure the necessary rheological indicators of the engobe slip and its high adhesion capacity, the fineness of grinding of charge components should be not more than 1 % by the residue on sieve No. 0063. The moisture content of the slip is 45 % and fluidity is 18 s. The mechanisms of shrinkage processes of engobe coatings and the ceramic base at different methods for application of the engobe slip on the product were established. To decrease the difference of shrinkage of the coating and ceramics, it is recommended to apply the engobe slip of the developed composition on the dried ceramic semi-finished product. After annealing at 1,070 °C, the products are of high quality with the indicator of water absorption of the coating of 5.2–5.4 % and hardness of ~5 by the Mohs scale. The obtained data can be applied in modeling of processes of engobing the products and in the development of compositions of engobe coatings. The practical value of the results consists in creating a new kind of the decorated building products, which enables increasing the market of its sales and enhancing the competitive capacity


Languages with a grammatical structure that have a free order for words, such as Arabic dialects, are considered a challenge for neural machine translation (NMT) models because of the attached suffixes, affixes, and out-of-vocabulary words. This paper presents a new reverse positional encoding mechanism for a multi-head attention (MHA) neural machine translation (MT) model to translate from right-to-left texts such as Arabic dialects (ADs) to modern standard Arabic (MSA). The proposed model depends on an MHA mechanism that has been suggested recently. The utilization of the new reverse positional encoding (RPE) mechanism and the use of sub-word units as an input to the self-attention layer improve this sublayer for the proposed model's encoder by capturing all dependencies between the words in right-to-left texts, such as AD input sentences. Experiments were conducted on Maghrebi Arabic to MSA, Levantine Arabic to MSA, Nile Basin Arabic to MSA, Gulf Arabic to MSA, and Iraqi Arabic to MSA. Experimental analysis proved that the proposed reverse positional encoding MHA NMT model was efficiently able to handle the open grammatical structure issue of Arabic dialect sentences, and the proposed RPE MHA NMT model enhanced the translation quality for right-to-left texts such as Arabic dialects.


Drugs grouped into a therapeutic class on the basis of a common mechanism of action often have considerably different pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. Among angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, differences with potential clinical relevance include potency, whether the drug is an active compound or requires metabolic activation, lipophilicity, route(s) of elimination, and half‐life. Large clinical trials have documented the clinical benefits of several ACE inhibitors in various patient populations, and many clinical effects of ACE inhibitors are likely to be the same. However, there are possible quantitative differences among ACE inhibitors that may alter the overall therapeutic benefits for specific patient populations and indications. Equipotency in terms of clinical efficacy is difficult to determine. Since the concept of "class effect" is a term of convenience that has no universally accepted definition and subsequently should not form the basis for the practice of evidence‐based medicine, untested drugs of a "class" should be considered to be unproven drugs.


Describes the most-common eye conditions that can cause low vision and outlines the kinds of services required by low vision persons. Stresses that service must include not only ophthalmological examination and prescription of aids and devices along with training, but also must make available, when appropriate, orientation and mobility training and help from the rehabilitation disciplines. Describes space, equipment, devices, and manpower requirements for a Low Vision Service, and gives cost estimates. Draws largely on the 23-year experience of the New York Association for the Blind (Lighthouse) Low Vision Service.


Corporate Strategies for Southeast Asia after the Crisis: A Comparison of Multinational Firms from Japan and Europe. Edited by Jochen Legewie and Hendrik Meyer-Ohle. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave, 2000. Pp. 261. This accomplished volume of edited conference papers is one of several publications on the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis (AEC) rather than the crisis itself. The papers are the professorial outcome from experts organized to ascertain corporate responses to the crisis and represent an earnest contribution to the taxonomy of the AEC. The 1999 conference, "Economic Crisis and Transformation in Southeast Asia", was sponsored by the Deutsches Institut Fur Japan-- Studien (a Federal Ministry of Germany-funded independent research institute for Japanese studies). The edition reflects its provenance and is commendable on several counts. First, it addresses a forward-looking perspective in preference to a descriptive chronicle of the crisis. Secondly, arguments emerge from a pragmatic treatment of issues rather than one that is aesthetically academic. The narrative charts competitive trajectories of multinational corporations (MNCs) adjusting their foreign direct investments (FDI) defensively and opportunistically to the changed business and commercial landscape of Asia. For the practitioner and corporate strategist, this is welcome. For the advanced researcher looking for deep background analytical material supported by necessarily broad specialist referencing, the contributions (with notable exceptions) may disappoint - notwithstanding statistical sources. Thirdly, the material is grouped in four parts: MNCs in Southeast Asia; production; marketing; and corporate finance, to permit an efficient focus. Fourthly, the work includes issues on corporate finance - important in themselves, given the financial causes and capital effects of the crisis. Fifthly, detail is culled from Japanese, Asian, and international sources. Sixthly, the edition refrains courageously from deploying endnotes. This choice may facilitate reading; however, it disarms the scholar. Lastly, the material is not treated in a fashion that follows pedantically conference norms. The result is one of utility on one hand but, on the other, a less than generous set of literature reviews. The notable exceptions that will please researchers, academics, and the interested policymaker begin with the introductory Chapter I on managerial issues of globalization and localization by Stephen Young, acknowledged widely as a leading authority in international business (IB) and the operational dynamics of MNCs. The contextualization evokes intentionally the challenge of crafting a unified field theory of FDI, MNCs, and trade that fits empirical economic behaviour of corporates in general and during the AEC in particular. Setting the broad sweep of business as background for the conference material, the text demonstrates dexterity as it depicts elegantly and parsimoniously the components of such a model. The advanced researcher is thus given valuable insights to the spatially distributed organization that must maintain strategic coherence in the multifunctional management of international operations. Chapter 3 on the role of MNCs in Singapore provides the reader a rare view into one exemplary success story. The difficulty with such accounts remains one of balancing perception with discerning assessment of crucial policy conditions. This difficulty is overcome well. However, asymmetric reliance on one source in the absence of seminal references, inter alia, Mirza (1986), represents serious lacunae that is debilitating not only for the advanced researcher. Part II deals succinctly with production operations and addresses the "complex integration" of MNCs. Some readers may wish for a more extensive explication of underlying factors responsible for the "development of production in Asia" (pp. 61-62). Other readers will be satisfied by the utilitarian approach and the well-articulated, persuasively illustrated expose of dynamics at work in MNCs. …


In this dissertation, the performance evaluation of integrated concurrency control and recovery mechanisms for distributed database systems is studied using a distributed testbed system. In addition, a queueing network model has been developed to analyze the two-phase locking scheme in the distributed testbed system. The combination of testbed measurement and analytical modelling provides an effective tool for understanding the performance of integrated concurrency control and recovery algorithms in distributed database systems.
The design and implementation of the distributed testbed system, CARAT, are presented. The concurrency control and recovery algorithms implemented in CARAT include: a two-phase locking scheme with distributed deadlock detection, a distributed version of optimistic approach, before-image and after-image journalling mechanisms for transaction recovery, and a two-phase commit protocol.
Many performance measurements have been conducted using a variety of workloads. In the workloads, there are four types of transactions: local read-only, local write, distributed read-only, and distributed write. The performance measures of the two-phase locking scheme with before-image journlling and the optimistic approach with after-image journalling are presented and analyzed. The major performance measures include transaction throughput, probability that a transaction is aborted, CPU utilization, and disk I/O rate. Basic parameter values, such as locking overhead, mean lock blocking time, and validation overhead, are also measured.
A queueing network model is developed to analyze the performance of the CARAT system using the two-phase locking scheme with before-image journalling. The queueing model differs from previous analytical models in three major aspects. First, it is a model for distributed transaction processing. Second, it is more general and integrated than previous analytical models. Finally, this model reflects a functioning distributed database testbed system and is validated against performance measurements.
The combination of testbed measurements and analytical modelling provides significant improvements in understanding the performance impacts of the concurrency control and recovery algorithms in distributed database systems.


The recent brief summary (1) of the results obtained by the large group of British and American chemists made known to the general scientific public for the first time that a number of antibiotics of the penicillin class had been isolated. At least four are known to be commonly produced by various strains of Penicillium. These in the past have been called penicillins G, F, X, and K by the American workers. All have the same structure with the exception of a side chain, which difference is indicated in the new nomenclature for penicillins.' The above penicillins are designated respectively benzylpenicillin, A2-pentenylpenicillin, p-hydroxybenzylpenicillin, and n-heptylpenicillin. That the individual penicillins exhibit different antibiotic potencies and pharmacological properties has now been amply shown by the thorough studies of Eagle and Musselman (3), of Coghill, Osterberg, and Hazel (4), and others (5). The necessity of using pure preparations of individual compounds for any fundamental clinical or pharmacological study poses a problem of fundamental nature for the chemist, that is not only to obtain the pure single antibiotic in sufficient quantity but also to supply convincing evidence that only a single species, or at least a single species in high percentage, is present in the sample to be studied. For the particular case of the penicillins this is an especially difficult problem in view of the following properties. The penicillins are unstable acids which are difficult to study as such and to characterize by the usual determinations of melting point, rotation, refractive index, etc. Ultimate analysis is not alone sufficient to demonstrate homogeneity or the presence of a single species only. Crystalline derivatives which retain their biological activity appear to be restricted to salts of the acids wit,h either inorganic or organic bases. These salts do not possess melting points suit,able for precise characterization.


Purpose: This study was to develop and to evaluate a health promotion program elderly. Method: This study was a quasi-experimental research. The participants were 62 elderly(experimental group:31, control group:31). Data were collected between September 10 and November 5, 2005. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Independent t-test and ANCOVA. Result: 1. In designing the program, experimental group was given recreation program and pilates excercise 2 time a week, for 8 week. 2. Pilates excercise including recreation, significantly affected the BP, life satisfaction and depression. 3. Total cholesterol and blood sugar was not significantly affected by the pilates excercise. Conclusion: The Program was tested to promote the health of elderly and verified as an effective nursing intervention program, because the outcome of this program as certain that this program enhances life satisfaction, reduces depression and BP. Therefore this program is verified as a suitable exercise for the old people. The reason why firstly, there are no restricts of time and space. secondly, anyone can easily follow this as far as he can thirdly, this program is a soft and warm exercise.


Gesture is integral to human language. Its function within human communication is as much goal-directed, and subsequently as communicative, as is speech. Indeed, gesture and speech share the same cognitive, psychological and physiological roots. Although the study of gesture has reached maturity as a branch of scholarship which endorses a multidisciplinary approach to communication, and is now integral to many of the sciences (psychology, psycholinguistics and ethnology, among others), little attention has been paid in recent years to the phenomena involved - the communicative function of gesture in particular - from a strictly linguistic point of view. This book exploits a number of methodological instruments from the study of linguistics to restore gesture to its original position of importance within the field. The data presented here are analyzed as pieces of information that describe behavior, but which are also an integral part of the more complex phenomenon of human communication. Evidence is provided by means of experiments on hearing and deaf subjects, in addition to a review of the major findings about the use and function of gesture in situations of handicap, such as aphasia and blindness. The ideas proposed here are a result of the author's long study and speculation on the role of gesture, both in communicative acts and with respect to language.


PurposeThe purpose of this study is to extend the classical noncentral F-distribution under normal settings to noncentral closed skew F-distribution for dealing with independent samples from multivariate skew normal (SN) distributions.Design/methodology/approachBased on generalized Hotelling's T2 statistics, confidence regions are constructed for the difference between location parameters in two independent multivariate SN distributions. Simulation studies show that the confidence regions based on the closed SN model outperform the classical multivariate normal model if the vectors of skewness parameters are not zero. A real data analysis is given for illustrating the effectiveness of our proposed methods.FindingsThis study's approach is the first one in literature for the inferences in difference of location parameters under multivariate SN settings. Real data analysis shows the preference of this new approach than the classical method.Research limitations/implicationsFor the real data applications, the authors need to remove outliers first before applying this approach.Practical implicationsThis study's approach may apply many multivariate skewed data using SN fittings instead of classical normal fittings.Originality/valueThis paper is the research paper and the authors' new approach has many applications for analyzing the multivariate skewed data.


What hath Harvey wrought? In 1932 Sir Paul Harvey edited the first version of this "useful companion to ordinary everyday readers of English literature" (Harvey 1932, p.v). Harvey provided a guide to writers, some of their writings, some allusions, places, and some other information pertinent to an informed appreciation of English literature. Because of the nature of the work—the one‐volume companion—Harvey made the decision to eschew "Completeness in a moderate compass, and the equipment of a specialist at all points" (ibid.).


With the adoption of the new course reform presently, teachers come to accept the teaching idea of new course and realize that the development of teaching consists in innovation.Therefore,the teaching ideas of new course lays emphasis on fostering student's heuristic ability and creative thinking,which act as the source of students' creative behavior.The paper offers some methods to cultivate students' heuristic ability and creative thinking through heuristic teaching activity in class.


The relationship between human and environment is one of the fundamental and most debated issues in the present day. Human beings are an imperative part and manipulators of the ecosystems. The integrity and functionality of vital natural assets like forests, lakes, rivers, land etc., are increasingly being compromised. Change in environment and ecology is more of a moral challenge. It calls us to examine how we use and share the goods of the earth, what we pass on to future generations, and how we live in harmony with interfaith traditions (Gottlieb 2006). Basically, it deals with what human being practices which depend upon their ideology. As Lynn White (1967) observed, ―what people do about their ecology depends on what they think about themselves in relation to things around them. Human ecology is deeply conditioned by beliefs about our nature and destiny—that is, by religion''. Due to this epistemological emphasis, ecology and religion is an emerging area of study, research, and engagement that embraces multiple disciplinary subjects in an attempt to integrate discussions that have occurred in largely separate circles (Leal Filho, Dahms, and ConsorteMcCrea 2019).


Studies have shown that inadequate definitions of scientific concepts could complicate the learning of science and could prevent students from understanding the definitions of scientific concepts. The article provides a framework for defining scientific concepts in primary, secondary, and university education by proposing teachers draw attention to five common features of a definition: object/system, nature/characteristics, cause/effect, mathematical expression/equation, and condition/ reference frame that can help students to consider four dimensions, including, 'comprehensiveness,' 'precision,' 'consistency,' and 'circularity' when learning science concepts. This framework can be used by science teachers to guide students to analyze and redefine scientific concepts in the classroom and may be especially beneficial for students in Asian countries where teachers and students often rely on rote memorization as a strategy for learning scientific concepts. We conclude by describing the need for future studies in educational contexts in Asian countries where pedagogical strategies have traditionally emphasized memorization of science concepts.


The dependence of the quantum efficiency of the single photon detector as a function of the average number of photons in the laser pulse is investigated. A method of estimation of quantum efficiency of a single photon detector in the operating mode of a quantum key distribution system operating according to the BB84 protocol is proposed. On the basis of an academic installation of the key quantum distribution system EMQOS 1.0 of the company QRate the experimental researches are executed and dependences of quantum efficiency of the detector of single photons from an average number of photons falling on the detector at various lengths of pulse sequences are received. Practical recommendations are given for the use of the proposed technique to estimate the quantum efficiency of single photon detectors.


The mechanism of solid solution decomposition within the chemj.cal spinodal boundary was investigated for the tungsten-chromium system. Two alloys were solution treated, quenched, and aged at various temperatures inside the chemical spinodal boundary. It w·as concluded from x-ray and metallographic evidence that tungsten-chromium alloys do not decompose by a spinodal mechanism. The decomp(,)sition process was found to be one of nucleation and growth. This observation is in agreement with Cahn's 4 theory of the effect of strain energy on the occurrence of spinodal decomposition~


Abstract In the United States, approximately 2500 casks are loaded with commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) that has transitioned from wet storage (spent fuel pools) to dry storage. The number of loaded dry storage casks is increasing by approximately 200 each year. Over time, cask designs have evolved to enhance safety and to accommodate more fuel and higher heat loads. Also, higher burnup fuel is being transitioned into dry storage. The SNF is being stored in dry casks for longer times than specified in the original certification period. Several degradation mechanisms related to fuel assemblies and canisters are affected by temperature. For the cladding, temperature-dependent phenomena include creep and annealing, hydride reorientation and embrittlement, and the ductile-to-brittle transition. Temperature can also influence phenomena that affect the long-term integrity of the storage system, including deliquescence, corrosion, and stress-corrosion cracking. Therefore, accurate determination of the temperatures of various components is needed to evaluate potential safety-related issues during transportation after extended storage and to ensure SNF retrievability. The Used Nuclear Fuel-Storage, Transportation & Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF-ST&DARDS) is being developed for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy to streamline analyses for the waste management system [Nucl. Technol., Vol. 195, p. 124 (2017)]. The thermal analysis capability within UNF-ST&DARDS and example results are discussed herein.


The reactions of the dipeptides containing glycine and/or β-alanine with an equimolar amount of copper(II) nitrate in acid solution were investigated potentiometrically, and the stability constants for the copper(II) chelates formed in acid solution were determined at 25 °C by the method of Datta and Rabin. The chelates with the composition [Cu.peptide(OH2)] were isolated in the pure state. The dipeptides exhibited analogous reactivities, and the stability constants, log K1, for the charged chelates, CuHL+, were found to be between 5.5–5.7. Comparison of the values for glycylglycine and β-alanyl-glycine with those for glycine and β-alanine suggests that these dipeptides act as terdentate ligands forming fused-ring chelates, where the coordinating sites are probably the amino nitrogen, amide nitrogen, and carboxyl oxygen, although the complexing ability of the amide NH group may be weak. The constants, Kc, for the dissociation of the amide hydrogen from the charged chelates to form the deprotonated chelate...


Women hold a meagre 1 per cent of executive positions in the 1000 largest corporations based outside the United States. The proportion is higher at 8 per cent in the 1000 largest corporations in the United States but only a handful of women hold the top-most positions according to a recent study by the UN Secretariat Division for the Advancement of Women. The same is true for the web of powerful global and regional multi-lateral institutions where "women have been virtually excluded from key decision-making positions and from negotiating roles" as well as national trade policy where the proportion of women is "insignificant" asserts Secretary-General Boutros Boutros- Ghali in a 1994 report. The result: the proportion of women in economic decision-making is not only "very low" states the report but also "a gender dimension has been absent from macroeconomic policies and decisions regarding resource distribution wealth creation and exchange". (excerpt)


In accordance with the distinctive mental marks and the unwholesome mental behavior of the college students nowadays, their fine mental qualities are of great urgency to be trained during the college P. E. teaching by making a good use of the characters and the property of the physical education. Meanwhile the correct physical therapy is adopted to the students who have mental obstacles. All those are done in order to improve the development of the college students' mentality well.


From the reaction mixtures obtained by brominating and nitrating 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide the sole disubstituted products isolated were the 3,5-derivatives. The course of the bromination and nitration of 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide differs from the analogous reactions of 2-hydroxypyridine only in an increased reaction velocity.


The 1970 census included numerous procedural innovations, of which the most important was the use of mail-out/mail-back techniques. A statewide survey of Wisconsin households (conducted in May and June, 1970) included questions designed to elicit information on the degree of cooperation rendered, ease of comprehension of the form, possible objectionable items on the census, whether or not contacts were made by enumerators, and respondent judgments of the adequacy of enumerators' performance. The results indicate that Wisconsin respondents tended to comply with census procedures, that they found very little difficulty in filling out the mailed forms, and that they regarded the census enumerators as doing a "good job" in most cases.


By comparison with the frequency of nasopharyngeal carriers, meningococcaemia and meningococcal meningitis are rare events. In a study of army recruits in the USA, Goldschneider, Gotschlich & Artenstein (1969) showed that the absence of pre-existing immunity, as indicated by a lack of bactericidal antibodies, was an important factor in the establishment of blood and meningeal infections. There was however no evidence of an immunodeficiency in susceptible individuals, since the specific antibodies occurred early in infection and total serum immunoglobulin levels were normal (Artenstein, 1967). It was concluded that lack of immunity in the recruits was related to insignificant previous exposure to meningococcal antigens. Two studies on different populations in the United Kingdom have, however, suggested that a form of immunodeficiency may be important in these diseases under certain circumstances. Hobbs, Milner & Watt (1967) studied 5 children with meningococcaemia or meningitis aged from 8 months to 8 years; 3 children were considered to show unusually low concentrations of total serum IgM on at least one occasion, and 2 of these children died of fulminating infections. The authors concluded that IgM antibodies constitute an important defence mechanism against meningococcal infection and the possibility was raised that fulminating meningococcaemia is associated with IgM deficiency. In a study of 131 hypogammaglobulinaemic individuals, Soothill & Rowe (1971) reported that the 12 cases of meningitis in the group (of unspecified cause) occurred only in those individuals having quantitative or qualitative deficiencies of IgM, as indicated either by low serum levels or by low levels or absence of isohaemagglutinins. Meningococcal meningitis occurs commonly in


Few can argue that recent efforts to reform the intelligence community (IC) have failed to improve the overall quality of intelligence analysis. Yet, despite the many positive outcomes associated with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA), one emerging trend threatens to undermine the reform process: an obsession with information sharing. Though the need to share information is paramount in a globalized world, a more sinister flaw in the intelligence system resulted in the Iraq weapons of mass destruction (WMD) failure. That flaw is groupthink. To test our hypothesis, we conduct an empirical investigation of intelligence reform movements by developing an Intelligence Reform Lexicon – an extensive dictionary of terms associated with IRTPA – and use intext software to machine code government and academic literature from the period of 1995 to 1997 to compare emphasis on groupthink through use of certain types of words. Our results suggest that, in order to mitigate the negative effects of groupthink, the IC needs to conduct more extensive academic outreach efforts. This should be achieved by following the Silberman-Robb WMD Commission's recommendation to establish a not-for-profit funded open-source research institution. A Season of (Info) Sharing The year 1976 has often been called the "year of intelligence" owing to the widespread negative attention that the Church Committee and the release of the Family Jewels brought to the Intelligence Community (IC). The years immediately following 9/11, too, should probably receive a similar moniker. Two catastrophic intelligence failures followed by the most sweeping overhaul the intelligence community experienced since 1947 – all within a five year period –merit more than an historical footnote. The current intelligence reform movement, described as a "bomb dropped on the intelligence community" by longtime scholar Arthur Hulnick, is policymakers' response to the back-to-back intelligence failures of 9/11 and the 2003 Saddam Hussein Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) fiasco.[1] Much of the guiding impetus of the movement stems from the Thomas Kean National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, which concluded that, prior to 9/11, the intelligence system was "Blinking Red" with warnings and indicators. FBI agents in particular, entrenched in their lawenforcement mentality, failed to enter potentially actionable raw intelligence into the necessary databases, thereby preventing law enforcement personnel from recognizing a major terrorist attack was imminent.[2] The Silberman-Robb WMD report, issued shortly after the 9/11 Commission, provided policymakers with further guidance in undertaking the then-fledging overhaul of the IC. The report concluded that intelligence analysis was "dead wrong" in almost all of its pre-war judgments about Iraq's WMD and that this constituted a major intelligence failure.[3] Both reports indicted the IC for failing to adequately share information, collect meaningful intelligence, undertake rigorous analysis, or engage in inter-agency cooperation. With these particular aspects of the intelligence process in mind, lawmakers crafted the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. It made sweeping changes to the structure of the intelligence community in an attempt to increase the quality of intelligence, promote information sharing, and prepare the intelligence community to better fight the so-called 'long war' against radical extremism. According to the official House and Senate Committees on Intelligence (HPSCI and SSCI) testimony available in the public domain, as well as the writing of prominent intelligence scholars, Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act took meaningful steps to improve the quality of intelligence and encourage cross-agency cooperation. [4] Like all legislation, however, IRTPA was not perfect. As the debate over intelligence reform raged throughout 2004 and into the present, certain aspects of the two intelligence failures began to be forgotten, while others received undue attention. One term in particular has come to disproportionately dominate the intelligence reform lexicon: information sharing. References to the need to share information saturate nearly every official government publication available in the public domain. HPSCI and SSCI testimony is overloaded with details pertaining to the Information Sharing Environment, the Analysts Yellow Pages, or other information sharing initiatives. Earlier this year, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) published an official strategy for information sharing. A year earlier, DNI Mike McConnell published the Intelligence Community's 500 Day Plan for Integration and Collaboration, which ranked the need to "accelerate information sharing" as the Community's second most pressing priority. But as Mark Lowenthal points out in a recent article, blaming the events of 9/11 on a failure to share information alone is to grossly oversimplify and misrepresent the 'lessons learned' of 9/11 and Iraq.[5] Other, more sinister flaws in the intelligence process played a role in creating a system poised for failure. Groupthink The Levin report, issued in October 2004, warned against "one of the most serious and persistent flaws of the current system of intelligence analysis and estimates: the politicization of intelligence...."[6] The commission found evidence that, in the case of Iraq's relationship with al Qaeda, intelligence was exaggerated to support Administration policy aims, primarily by finding a strong connection between Iraq and al Qaeda when one, in fact, did not exist. The fact that two independent analysis agencies, the DOE and the Air Force, actually disproves the Bush Administration's assertion that faulty intelligence alone is to blame.[7] These groups' dissenting voices were simply not heard over the vehement cry that Saddam still harbored biological and chemical stockpiles developed in mobile laboratories. Whether or not the claim of politicization is justified, this example shows that another inherent enemy of intelligence can be attributed to the Iraq assessment with more certainty: groupthink. Evidence of groupthink was cited in both the Senate Iraq Report of 2004 and the Silberman-Robb WMD Report. In the Senate report, the third Key Finding states that analysts "suffered from a collective presumption that Iraq had an active and growing" WMD program and that this "groupthink" directly led analysts to interpret "ambiguous evidence as conclusively indicative of a WMD program."[8] The WMD Commission put it more bluntly: "intelligence analysts were too wedded to their assumptions about Saddam's intentions." Testifying before the SSCI in 2004, then CEO of CSIS John Hamre noted that it is natural for "group consciousness to develop in the intelligence and policy world when basic propositions are accepted as true."[9] He then commented on the insular nature of the intelligence process, observing that since intelligence professionals are forced to work in secrecy, outside voices are rarely heard. This is true, according to Hamre, especially when professionals are surrounded by a responsive and eager staff, as professionals' actions and attitudes can determine what information flows to them. In his 2008 book Your Government Failed You, Richard Clarke expresses a belief that groupthink is a "regular part" of the national intelligence estimating process, citing the lack of "real discussion of opposing views" during meetings of the sixteen intelligence agency heads. While Clarke's experiences date from the Reagan Era, the overall stagnation of the NIE process throughout the early 1990s and into the latter years of the Clinton Administration suggest that little had changed when George W. Bush became president. It should not have been a surprise to intelligence officials that groupthink would eventually pose a real problem for policymakers. Yet, despite the obvious role groupthink played in the 2003 Iraq NIE, almost no efforts have been made to address the pitfalls of this deadly enemy of intelligence – in fact, the 2004 legislation may have made groupthink an even greater threat to analytic rigor. The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), created under the 2004 legislation, was designed to serve as an all-source fusion center for all terrorism related intelligence. It is organized along functional lines and staffed by analysts with terrorism related expertise rather than contextual expertise.[10] Since the goal of the center is to bring the intelligence components into a single place, the NCTC runs counter to IRTPA's goal of increased competitive analysis; thus, the creation of the NCTC may have set the stage for further episodes of groupthink down the road. If the IC is interested in truly adapting to reduce the chances of future WMD scenarios, it should seriously consider ways to avoiding the pitfalls of groupthink. Methodology One method of avoiding groupthink is to bring in outside experts who can think strategically about past, present, and future intelligence challenges. The academics who study intelligence for a living could serve as a reservoir of outside knowledge and opinion to contrast with the homegrown intelligence analysts who currently are the sole source of assessments. We decided to compare academic and government-sponsored documents (henceforth called sources) before those attacks to see which provided the most coverage to the specific flaws in the intelligence process identified by the Kean and WMD Commissions. The core of our approach is word frequency content analysis—by studying how often key words and phrases related to intelligence reform are used, we can take an empirical measure of the relative importance each source placed on these aspects of intelligence analysis. This method is unusual, but word frequencies have been used before in academic research on similar subjects. One attempted to catalogue th


Description Gut-brain connections drive the motivation to work out Exercise is arguably the most potent and attainable lifestyle factor that individuals can use to safeguard themselves against a large variety of diseases, including metabolic, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and neoplastic diseases (1). Despite its vast health benefits, only a small fraction of the population adheres to the World Health Organization's recommendation of 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (2). Busy schedules and rainy weather aside, what are the physiological bottlenecks that prevent us from engaging in regular physical activity?


Halving poverty became a global responsibility. As decreased poverty was typically related with an increased income, policies relevant to economic growth had been widely implemented throughout all regions. The purpose of this study was to simulate the effects of exogenously macroeconomic shocks on regional poverty through SAM multiplier in various groups of developing country around the world. The study revealed that to eradicate poverty in each region required exogenous shock or income injection through an increase in foreign' s demand or in-cash subsidy from government or international agents. Moreover, the response of poverty to given shock was relatively high in Asia due to a strong inter-industry linkage throughout the economy while relatively low in Emerging Europe due to high income level and initially low poverty rate. Additionally, light manufacturing sector should be supported in Asia in order to capably reduce the destitution. Also, a policy aimed at encouraging processed food sector was an effective tool to raise citizen's living standard in Emerging Europe; Latin America; and Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, and North America. Thus, importance of integrated policy will be recognized as a motivator of economic development.


This paper discusses how low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted from power lines, computers and electrical appliances have become a form of environmental pollution. At the heart of this controversy is a growing public and scientific preoccupation with measuring EMF `levels', quantifying EMF `exposure', and calculating the EMF `risk' to human health. Increasingly sophisticated measurement devices (dosimeters) are offered on the market to `detect' an invisible topography of `field levels', `non-sinusoidal wave forms', `hot spots', `peak intensities' and `high frequency transients'. We thus approach the representation, constitution and management of EMFs by considering how dosimeters are used in epidemiological studies to construct EMF risks, and in particular environments (homes, schools, offices) to construct an invisible topography. We argue that EMF measurements are not just representations of pollution, but also regulatory devices constitutive of the boundaries between individual bodies, social bodies and the environment.


Background: Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is expressed during the late stage of ischemia and may play an important role in the delayed progression of ischemic brain injury. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of N-(3-[aminomethyl] benzyl] acetamidine (1,400 W), a selective inhibitor of iNOS on hypoxic ischemic injury in a neonatal rat model. Methods: Seven-day old Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The right common carotid artery was ligated under halothane anesthesia. Three 3 hours after recovery, animals were exposed to 8% oxygen in 92% nitrogen. The treatment group (n = 14) received 7 intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg of 1,400 W. The first dose was given 18 hours after the injury and interval between injections was 8 hours. The control group (n = 13) did not receive 1,400 W. The degree of ischemic damage and apoptosis were evaluated 3 days after injury by H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and terminal deoxynucletidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. The authors obtained Lipid/N-acetyl aspartate (Lip/NAA) and lipid/ creatine (Lip/Cr) ratios as apoptotic markers via H MRS, and counted the apoptotic cell number by TUNEL staining in the right hemisphere. Data were analyzed using the unpaired t-test. Results: There were no significant differences in the Lip/NAA or Lip/Cr ratios of the 2 groups, and no significant differences were found in terms of the number of TUNEL positive cells between 2 groups, either. Conclusions: The iNOS inhibitor investigated did not show protective effects against delayed neuronal damage and apoptosis after the hypoxic-ischemic injury in newborn rats, at least during the 3 days following injury. Our results suggest that NO has different roles in cerebral hypoxia-ischemia according to the stage of neonatal cerebral development.


Objective: To observe the effect Of chrono-chemotherapy on the new adjuvant treat of breast cancer.Methods: 70 cases were divided into chrono-chemotherapy group and routine-chemotherapy group randomly: in chronochemotherapy group,CTX500mg/m2,iv,d1、8,at 6pm,E-ADM80mg/m2,iv drip,at 7am,5-FU500mg/m2,d1、8,iv drip 4 hours,at 1-5am;in routine-chemotherapy group,the drug and the dosage were same as the chrono-chemotherapy group,at 8am-11am.Results: The total eefective rate and the physiology CR rate were 88.9% VS 61.8%(P0.01),16.7% VS 0(P0.05) respectively in the chrono-chemotherapy group and the routine-chemotherapy group.The cases of nausea,vomiting,bone marrow and alopecia in the chrono-chemotherapy group were lower than those of the routine-chemotherapy group.Conclusion: The chrono-chemotherapy has the good effect and also it has the low toxicity in the new adjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer


Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is an elemental analysis technique, which is based on the excitation of the atomic nucleus of an isotope of element with neutrons, and the emission of the specific gamma rays from the excited nucleus by decay. Due to the absence of a blank and less matrix contribution, NAA is therefore suitable for the analysis of biomedical materials, and has been successfully applied for trace element biomedical study and clinical analysis. A nuclear reactor is normally used as a neutron source for the determination of trace elements; the produced radionuclides are then measured by a gamma detector consisting of a germanium detector and a gamma spectrometry system. The theory, equipment and detailed methodology, and analytical quality assurance are discussed in this article. Some applications are also highlighted.

Keywords:

trace elements;
nuclear analysis;
radiochemical separation;
in vivo analysis;
nuclear reactor;
neutron generator;
gamma spectrometry


EnglishIntroduction: Cancer is a disorder characterized by the disordered growth of abnormal cells whose treatment can trigger immunosuppression. Immunosuppressed patients are more susceptible to opportunistic microorganisms, which in contact with the organism, can lead to serious infectious conditions. Thus, the immunosuppressed diet is used to reduce the risk of foodborne illness by restricting foods such as raw vegetables and fruits with thin bark. Objective: Verify the microbiological quality of the geral diet and the viability of its offer for immunosuppressed patients. Methods: From April to May 2016, 120 samples of free diet components (rice, beans, protein plate, garnish, salad and fruit) were investigated. The samples were submitted to microbiological analysis according to the current legislation for the quantification of Coliforms at 45oC, Staphylococcus coagulase positive, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium sulfite reducer and analysis of the presence of Salmonella sp, following a methodology recommended by the American Public Health Association. Results: All samples analyzed were in compliance with current legislation. Discussion: Studies have shown that the relationship between diet for immunosuppressed and decreased risk of food contaminants and infection remains contradictory. The prevalence of unfavorable complications or clinical outcomes is greater among patients who ingest the neutropenic diet or appear neutral when compared to the geral diet. On the other hand, the food acceptance by the neutropenic diet is reduced and the deterioration of the nutritional status of the patient is visible. Conclusion: The availability of geral diet to immunosuppressed patients was considered feasible portuguesIntroducao: O câncer e uma enfermidade caracterizada pelo crescimento desordenado de celulas anormais cujo tratamento pode desencadear imunossupressao. Pacientes imunossuprimidos sao mais susceptiveis a micro-organismos oportunistas, que em contato com o organismo, podem levar a quadros infecciosos graves. Assim, a dieta para imunossuprimidos e utilizada com a finalidade de diminuir o risco de doencas transmitidas por alimentos, atraves da restricao de alimentos como vegetais crus e as frutas com casca fina. Objetivo: Verificar a qualidade microbiologica da dieta livre e a viabilidade de sua oferta para pacientes imunossuprimidos Metodos: Pesquisou-se nos meses de abril a maio de 2016, 120 amostras de componentes da dieta livre (arroz, feijao, prato proteico, guarnicao, salada e fruta). As amostras foram submetidas a analise microbiologica de acordo com a legislacao vigente para quantificacao de Coliformes a 45oC, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium sulfito redutor e analise de presenca de Salmonella sp, seguindo metodologia preconizada pela American Public Health Association. Resultados: Todas as amostras analisadas estavam em conformidade com a legislacao vigente. Discussao: Estudos demonstram que a relacao entre dieta para imunossuprimidos e diminuicao do risco de contaminantes alimentares e infeccao permanece contraditoria. A prevalencia de complicacoes ou desfechos clinicos desfavoraveis sao maiores entre pacientes que ingerem a dieta neutropenica ou aparecem neutras, quando comparadas a dieta livre. Em contrapartida, a aceitacao alimentar pela dieta neutropenica e reduzida e visivel a piora do estado nutricional do paciente. Conclusao: Foi considerada viavel a oferta de dieta livre aos pacientes imunossuprimidos.


When initiating a new issue process, it is in the company's interest to analyze the market's interest in participating in the issue. The company can turn to an alternative financier to ensure that the new share issue will be fully subscribed. This is done through a subscription promise from the financier, which means that the financier agrees to purchase whatever shares remain after the public had its chance to invest, for this guarantee the financier is compensated. This specific subscription promise is called a standby underwriting.
The legal bases of the underwriting were tested in the Swedish Supreme Court case NJA 2016 p. 107 in which the court stated that the underwriter cannot be forced to subscribe for the shares in accordance with the guarantee. However, the court stated that if an underwriting is in writing and if the financier has access to adequate information on the terms and conditions of the new issue, the underwriting is legally binding in the sense that breach of contract can result in damages fees. Since the underwriting is not directly regulated in Swedish law, the 2016 precedent has become the guiding principle for the legal regulation regarding underwritings.
The underwriting is also regulated from a stock market law perspective, the regulations institutions are those involved in Swedish stock trading. The institutions require that the underwriting corresponds to good practise in the stock market. The thesis will investigate how standby underwritings correlates with good practise in the stock market.
The conclusion is that the institutions do not see any problem with the use of standby underwritings as long as the compensation for the underwriter is set to a market standard. If the underwriter is compensated with shares, the company can't decide to set a standard price that correlates with the shares in the new issue.


The corporate failures of Enron, Parmalat, WorldCom, HIH and the global accounting firm Arthur Andersen have shaken the foundations of investor confidence in the transparency, integrity and accountability of corporations and capital markers. The damage, both economic and social, has been incalculable, and the implications are far-reaching for corporate management, company directors, audit firms and the investing public. An array of factors contributed to these events, but one thing is for certain- the billions of dollars in corporate value lost were due in significant part to unscrupulous management and boards of directors that failed to meet their responsibilities. The accounting profession, including auditors, also played a major role in these events.


On the television police drama NYPD Blue, Andy Sipowicz and his colleagues often use threats of physical violence and psychological interrogation tactics to extract confessions from "guilty suspects." Sipowicz is portrayed as a white knight who serves a nobler ideal than respecting the physical integrity of suspects: obtaining justice for innocent victims. Although the television show is fictional, it has implications regarding real-life interrogation tactics used by the police. In this chapter, the authors analyze scenes from NYPD Blue in which the detectives use physical violence, threats of violence, and negative and positive incentive techniques to induce confessions from suspects. Throughout the chapter, the authors compare the tactics used by Sipowicz to those used by real-life police officers. The chapter ends with a summary of the comparisons between NYPD Blue and real-life police interrogations. The authors assert that while police indeed use every psychological tactic they think will work to extract a confession, the amount of violence used on the television show does not reflect what is known about contemporary interrogation when it comes to physical coercion: violence, assaults, and threats occur far less frequently than the television show suggests.


This research is a conceptual paper that aims to determine the effect of cash flow and investment opportunity for investment decisions in fixed assets on financially constrained companies. This type of research is explanatory research with companies in the property and real estate sectors listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2016-2018 as a population.This research will be conducted to predict how much the level of investment decisions is influenced by cash flow and investment opportunities with financial constraints as intervening variables. Based on previous research, shows differences in research results, so the authors aim to see the results of research on companies in Indonesia with different conditions and measurement variables.


A combination of closed loop air/fuel ratio control and three-way catalyst has been introduced on some 1978 GM cars sold in California. The three-way catalytic converter simultaneously acts on hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen exhaust pollutants. An exhaust gas sensor gives an indication of rich or lean exhaust, and an electronic control unit processes this information and converts it into a command signal to the carburetor. The closed-loop carburetor controls the air/fuel ratio fed to the engine to the proper levels required for good operation of the catalytic converter. Two engine families are involved in the production of the basic system: one with vacuum actuated metering controls and the other with electromechanically driven metering controls. The 1978 California emission standards are met, and driveability is good while fuel economy loss is minimized.


At Alto Coffee, a retail and wholesale coffee business based in Bangkok, the smell of a successful coffee recipe is certainly in the air. But, the path to today's growing enterprise did not come without a few pivots. Patthrapon Ruangsuteerakit ("Tae"), owner and business development manager of Alto Coffee, explains that if you are driven by numbers or quantity, and not quality, it may not matter now, but it will matter three to five years down the road — and that is important, because they plan to be there for the long run.


Regrettably, New York City Health Department Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden continues to misunderstand the points made in our article. We share with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) a keen desire to promote access to comprehensive, effective care for people with diabetes and HIV/AIDS, as well as increased resources for prevention and community education. However, our overarching concern is that the DOHMH's approaches will discourage patients from seeking and continuing care and will undermine medical professionalism. We respond to two particular issues raised by Frieden.


SUMMARY Natural ventilation in school buildings is often not capable to provide sufficient indoor air quality. Better learning conditions can be obtained with a hybrid ventilation strategy combining the advantages of a natural and a mechanical ventilation set-up. In a field test a hybrid ventilation system has been installed and monitored. In order to develop an optimal control strategy for good indoor air quality and energy efficiency computer simulations are applied to study the overall system performance at various ambient conditions.


There are also numerous other complications, such as uncontrolled deflection of radiation beams during radiotherapy in tumor patients, chromium, nickel, and cobalt allergies or hypersensitivity reactions, and possible carcinogenic action or carcinogenic potential of some metal osteosyntheses material. The development of biologically degradable osteosynthesis materials was commenced in view of all these considerations. The specifications to be met by these materials were biocompatibility long-term stability in order to span the period of healing, sufficient flexibility to enable physiologic primary fracture healing, and degradability into simple metabolites that can be excreted naturally without storage in body organs.1 The absorption should be carried out continuously in order to transmit increasing loading to the healing bone and thus prevent demineralization and loss of bone strength. The first absorbable suture material, Dexon, was developed in 1962 by the Cyanamid Corporation using polyglycolic acid. The tissue tolerance and the LITERATURE REPORTS, RESULTS OF ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS, AND CLINICAL COMMENTS


This year's Congress exhibition promises to be one of the most exciting and successful ever, bringing together one hundred companies and organisations.


Binge alcohol drinking is one of the risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Previous studies have reported bone loss in rats after binge alcohol treatment. Binge alcohol exposure has been shown to disrupt collagen scaffold in bone, therefore it is possible that it may also affect the structure of the intervertebral disc.
The hypothesis to be addressed is that binge alcohol exposure in skeletally mature rats leads to morphological and biomechanical changes in the intervertebral disc, resulting in altered responses to mechanical loading.
Specific Aim 1: Determine the effect of binge alcohol exposure on the mechanical properties of adult rat lumbar spines. The lumbar spine experiences a large variety of mechanical loads during activities of daily living. Hence is helpful to use in vitro application of combined loading pattern (compression/ torsion), in order to mimic in vivo loads in the laboratory setting.
Specific Aim 2: Determine the effect of binge alcohol exposure on the morphology of adult rat lumbar spines. The proposed research used peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) measurements and MRI imaging techniques to compare the morphology of the rat intervertebral disc, vertebral body and endplates of the control group and the group exposed to binge alcohol treatment.
Rodent animal models are widely used to investigate the biological responses to therapeutic treatment in the context of degenerative disc disease. Rodents can become addicted to alcohol and other substances similarly as humans, and their system can absorb and eliminate several drugs at comparable rates. We have designed and developed a mechanical testing apparatus for in vitro rat spine loading for the purpose of understanding the influence of binge alcohol drinking and the mechanical environment on intervertebral disc degeneration. Along with the MRI and pQCT imaging techniques, we were able to identify the resultant changes in the spine motion segments between control and alcohol groups. This research acts as the first investigation of binge alcohol exposure on the intervertebral disc, which is a step towards exploring degenerative disc disease pathways and its progression in humans.


A photocatalyst with high reactivity was prepared in liquid phase through the in situ deposition of TiO2 on cellulose-based graphitic material that had been oxidized via Hummers' method that was followed by a heating treatment at 200 °C. The composite had excellent photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO), and reducing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) under ultraviolet irradiation as well as the reported graphene oxide/TiO2 composite. Under the optimal condition, the reaction rates for treating MO and Cr(VI) using the new catalyst system were 4.6 and 1.6 times higher, respectively, than that of commercial TiO2 (P25). In addition, the composite had good catalytic activity in acid solutions. Unlike the reported graphene oxide/TiO2 composite, TiO2 nanoparticles in the prepared composite aggregated to large particles of approximately 1 μm in size on the carbon substrate. When synthesized in the same procedure from other biomass materials, such as lignin, walnut shell, or fir sawdust, the composite had much lower reactivity, similar to that of neat TiO2; the lower graphitic degree of those materials might be the reason for the disparity in reactivity.


This paper describes the feasibility study of the regenerative cryocooler operating directly by the hydride absorption compressor. The gas compression parts of the split Stirling or Vuilleumier cycle could be replaced with the gas absorption compressor, if the pressure response of the absorption compressor is high enough to drive the regenerative cryocooler directly. Our simplified theory indicate that the pressure response of the order of seconds could be obtained by increasing the heat transfer area keeping heat capacity of the hydride and the wall material constant. We found a number of flattened capillary tubes as the hydride receptacle was suitable to the high response hydride compressor system. As the experimental results of this compressor system connected with pneumatic controlled expander, the minimum temperature of 95K was obtained when the heating and cooling temperature of the hydride receptacle was 90 and 20°C, and the cycle frequency of 0.5Hz.


Introduction. As an essential feature of the materials in dental medicine, biocompatibility implies the ability of the material to perform a certain function after its application in an organism, without provoking a adverse response of the host tissue. Biocompatibility examination tests are used to detect the ingredients of the material which might possibly hurt or harm the mouth cavity tissue and the organism in general. The aim of the work was to describe the methods used for examination of biocompatibility of materials in dentistry. Material and Methods. This article reviews the literature published from 1990-2009., and indexed in the Medline Database (US National Library of Medicine). Used key words were testing, biocompatibility, dental materials. Results. In this period, 505 manuscripts about the biocompatibility of different dental materials were published, 53 reviews. 194 of manuscripts were about in vitro biocompatibility tests, and 101 referred to in vivo examinations. Conclusion. The contemporary aspect of examining biocompatibility of dental materials includes a three level research: in vitro tests in laboratory conditions, in vivo tests on experimental animals and tests of application. Clinical relevance of the results obtained under in vitro conditions is disputable, but these results can significantly reduce the number of experiments performed on animals. A proper evaluation of some material can be made only after a long enough use in clinical practice.


Mailing address: Aline Mansueto Mourão Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Sala 281, Faculdade de Medicina da UFMG Avenida Professor Alfredo Balena, 190 Santa Efigênia Belo Horizonte – MG – Brasil CEP: 30130-100 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com ABSTRACT Purpose: to analyze the evolution of post-stroke swallowing impairment. Methods: this is a descriptive exploratory study involving a non-probabilistic sample that evaluated 100 stroke patients admitted at the Hospital Público Regional de Betim. Patients were subjected to a speech pathologist structured evaluation two times: in the first 48 hours after stroke and at hospital discharge. The Gugging Swallowing Screen, a standardized and validated bed-side tool for evaluating swallowing in stroke patients, was used. Results: in the initial evaluation, the frequency of dysphagia was 52%, and 28% of patients were classified as severe dysphagia with a high risk of aspiration. The mean time between the initial evaluation and hospital discharge was 22.1 days. At the hospital discharge, only 2.1% of patients still had severe dysphagia. It was observed change in the patient swallowing profile according to the severity of dysphagia. Conclusion: the frequency of post-stroke dysphagia is high, but there are progressive changes in the swallowing profile of stroke patients during their hospital stay.